The tickling sensation on his arm rouses Sasuke from his slumber, eyes cracking open to sunlight filling the room with its warmth. The musky scent of sex hits his nostrils and he smiles sleepily before turning his head to the opposite side to meet the face of his lover. His neck is a little sore from being slept on funny but he pays no heed, opting to gaze at the man beside him.

The sun reflects of Naruto's bare body, tanned skin radiant and flawless aside from a few fast-fading love-bites. Beautuful… Sasuke is oblivious to the tension growing inside the blond, instead admiring the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes. He reaches out to his lover and lightly traces his fingertips along the contours of his sculpted body, dipping in at his waist and rising over the curve of his hip. Smouldering hues flick to Naruto's flaccid member momentarily, cheeks heating as their previous nights actions flood to his mind.

He remembers every kiss they shared, every bite that temporarily marred the others perfection. He remembers every sigh, every moan and expression of ecstasy. Every touch, the heat as they shared as they rolled around on the mattress, the friction between their bodies. Naruto's beautiful expression as he climaxed… everything.

A tiny smile lifts the corners of Sasukes pale lips before he refocuses his attention back to Naruto. "Hey." He murmurs, fingertips still stroking over the others hips. "How are you feeling?" He rolls onto his side, not caring that his morning wood is obvious, and continues his fingers ministrations where they left off.

Despite the incandescent rays shining down on him, goosebumps raise across the flesh Sasuke touches, skin reacting almost immediately under pale fingertips. Azure eyes follow along the trail they leave, sliding over the planes of his body and eventually settling on his hip, where they circle the skin there.

Naruto's gaze travels back up slowly, only to meet sated onyx eyes that stare back at him. He starts at the sound of the other's voice, teeth absently drag along his lower lip before he responds. " Well," he begins, offering a careful smile, " I feel well." Propping himself up on an elbow, he doesn't miss the situation going on in Sasuke's lower half.

"You seem to be doing the same," he adds on. It's probably good for them to take a shower soon, the combination of missing one last night and go ahead with with their own urges could potentially make for quite a sight. " Paws off," he chuckles, fingers plucking Sasuke's hand off of him before turning to site up fully. " If you want," turning back, he raises an eyebrow, " you can take the shower first. I'm sure you're feeling a little grimy as well, right?"

"Is that a polite way of saying I stink?" Sasuke doesn't question why they couldn't simply just take a shower together, assuming Naruto may still be a bit tender. It would be hard to keeps his hands to himself so it is probably a wise choice, a cold shower may be in order.

"Fine, but you can put some hot water on for tea if you don't mind." Sasuke untangles his legs from the linen sheets and moves off the bed to his drawers and pulls out a pair of clean boxers. Casting a glance over to Naruto he adds, "won't be long.." before leaving the room.

The cool shower feels good on his clammy skin, though it's stings a bit around the various cuts and gashes from their little adventure yesterday. He had put the bandage that was around his chest to one side, reasoning that it can be re-used if necessary. It's a wonder he didn't aggravate it last night. Rinsing away the suds from his hair and skin, Sasuke brushes his teeth before drying off and slipping his clean boxers back on. Something in the back of his mind is nagging at him, as if he has forgotten something. Shrugging, he puts it down to hunger and leaves the outhouse, stepping over the stones and back to the house.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto mumbles, watching Sasuke slip behind the door. Tense hands grip the edge of the bed in apprehension, a nagging worry the works through his body in waves. His line of vision shifts then, eyes scanning over his belongings in the corner. Sasuke moves in a way Naruto knows he has forgotten—let the meaning of today slip his mind. The blonde wishes he had no sense of duty in that moment, no timeline or schedule to abide by. Surely this has got to be something they both will deem difficult to accept.

Stiffly, Naruto rises from the bed, naked body padding over to retrieve a spare towel from a drawer. Once he wraps it's around his waist, the blonde squats down to busy himself with putting miscellaneous belongings away. He skims over scrolls, making sure the supplies sealed within them is in good condition. He ticks off everything in his mind, counting on his fingers nervously and then repeating. He knows there's little need to be this feverishly thorough, but he's got to busy himself with something to keep his cool. He even busies himself with taking off old bed sheets and replacing them with fresh ones. Afterwards, he stops completely, awkwardly standing in the center of the bedroom.

True to his word, Sasuke returns in a timely fashion, steam-slicked skin coated in the clean scent of soap. Naruto turns then, Wary gaze moving to meet the other's eyes. Sasuke's no idiot. He'll notice the change, the falter in their comfortable atmosphere. Naruto can't help but feel it is his own doing. "I, uh—-lemme go ahead and take one now. It shouldn't take long—since I don't gawk myself." He tries to end on a humorous note, before heading towards the door.

Stepping into the room, Sasuke first notices Naruto stood there with a unreadable expression on his tan features. Past the others shoulder he sees the bed has been made and to the side, Naruto's backpack stands. Returning his gaze to his lover, his eyes portray questioning at first and then… it dawns on him. Like a punch to the gut, hitching his breath. Naruto's quipped remark falls on deaf ears and Sasuke is left staring at the empty spot where the blond was stood just moments ago.

Rooted to the floor, Sasuke can't believe he had forgotten. Today was the day Naruto was assigned to return to Konoha. In all the excitement of the last couple of days, this day had completely slipped his mind and now that is is here, Sasuke doesn't know how to feel. It's like a black cloud has descended over the house, the house that had the rare grace of laughter bouncing off the walls only a day previously. Reaching up to rub at his temples, Sasuke is assaulted with a flurry of mixed emotions, the most prominent being sadness and fear. Perhaps they should of discussed this earlier, he had been putting it off every time it entered his mind and now he is unprepared.

The easy option would be to go with Naruto. He'd never expect Naruto to uproot and live with him in these conditions, traveling around and becoming glorified errand boys. Naruto deserves better than that, Sasuke knows this. His thoughts lead him down to the alternative option, letting Naruto go. It's almost unbearable to even imagine.

Feeling a bit nauseous, Sasuke sits down on the edge of the bed and cups his face in his hands. If he returns with Naruto he knows there will be uproar. Sasuke is a traitor. Even if Konoha is under new council, even if they accept him, the rest of the village won't. He knows he'll be faced with distrust and hatred. He accepted that a long time ago, he deserved it and he'd take it willingly…. But Naruto, a man who has only just become recognised and accepted; Sasuke doesn't want to marr that reputation after the blond had worked so hard and sacrificed so much. Sasuke doesn't want Naruto's friends to alienate him. His childhood was lonely enough.

He deserves better…

Sasuke flops backward onto the bed, shifting his arm over his eyes. All signs point to one outcome and though it would hurt.. hurt bad, it seems the best option. His own happiness is an easy sacrifice to make if it meant a bright future for Naruto. Naruto deserves happiness and success, putting everyone else before himself and his caring nature is reason enough. What had he done? Not a lot of positives that's for sure…

Water pelts down on him and it does nothing to soothe his mind. Sasuke had to have caught on by now. Naruto chickening out of announcing it to him and scurrying out of the door must have put enough emphasis on the shifting situation. Clear liquid swirls around his feet and slips down the drain and Naruto watches it intently, mind and jaw working on how to bring together a clump of sentences that will serve as an explanation.

Either way, he thinks bitterly, it won't be pleasant. No amount of smooth, precise talking will ever suffice and he knows this. Moodily, he rinses off the last of his soap and carries on with the rest of his morning ritual. When Naruto is through, he inhales deeply, taking in steamy air before expelling it out of his nose. He makes his exit from the outhouse and suddenly the cabin doesn't seem as homely as before.

Regardless, he gathers what little resolve he can get and steps inside. The first thing he notices is the silence. It's so thick that Naruto feels his limbs are weighed down somewhat, sluggishly moving from the kitchen and into the bedroom. Sasuke has thrown himself on top of his freshly made bed, pale arm obscuring the top half of his face.

"…Sasuke?" Naruto tries, mentally kicking himself for the near frailty of his voice. A hand smooths over the sheets near the other's body and Naruto inches forward to gingerly sit on the edge of the bed. Sasuke is completely still, except for the controlled rise and fall of his chest. Naruto's keen eyes can tell there's tension evident. He knows. He knows.

"Please tell me what you're thinking. It's ok if—" His mouth hangs open as he tries to find what to say. " I have to head back today." Well, there it is. A right mood-killer if Naruto can say so himself. The remnants of their wonderful night disappears along with the blonde's train of thought.

If the atmosphere wasn't stifling enough, it certainly is when Naruto returns from his shower. Sasuke registers the soft footfalls coming towards him and retreats a little inside himself, making no move to remove his arm from his face. The guilt he feels is smothering him and when he feels the mattress dip beside him, he panics. "I know…" Bolting upright, he doesn't even look at Naruto as he strides into the kitchen, filling the kettle with water.

Sasuke sets two cups on the counter, ready to brew some tea . He knows Naruto won't be far behind, asking him questions he couldn't answer - at least not yet. His gut churns in anticipation of what he surmises will be a difficult exchanging of words and well-deserved curses. Naruto had always been vocal in his opinions and passionate, Sasuke didn't doubt for one second he'd be on the receiving end of it and understandably so.

By prolonging this issue, he had only served to build Naruto's hopes up and now he is going have to face seeing the blond absent of his smile and the light in his eyes fade once again. Sasuke's self-loathing had never been so prominent as it is right now. It's for the best… he deserves better… Those two phrases circulated his head like a mantra, the only things keeping him faced away as he pours out the tea.

Sasuke's hand slaps down on the space between them, pushing up and leaving Naruto before the blonde is even able to catch his breath. He follows Sasuke with his eyes, mouth slightly agape at the sudden rigidity of the other. His back is turned to Naruto, but the blonde can hear cups hitting the surface of the counter for the preparation of tea he had forgotten to brew.

He'd like to fall back on the bed as well in that moment, roll over and pretend today wasn't the day. Not one to avoid facing the facts (and the consequences), he rises onto his feet as well, walking over to meet Sasuke in the kitchen. He pulls a chair out from under the table, picking it up off the floor to avoid having it skid across the wood. A chin comes to rest on top of entwined fingers, once Naruto settles into his seat. The sound of water trickling into teacups fills the stagnant silence stretched between them.

"Sasuke, talk to me." He knows what Naruto will ask of him—it's evident in the way he moves around the kitchen, the obvious avoidance of meeting the blonde's eyes. If Sasuke can only give him something to work with, maybe they can go from there. He's due to leave around noon. They've got time. Naruto will wait.

He's done years of it.

Setting Naruto's cup down on the table in front of him, Sasuke keeps his cupped between both his hands and opts to lean against the countertop. "What is there to talk about?" He finally responds, dark eyes fixed on the steaming liquid in his cup. The question sounds unreasonable even to him, so he adds, "You need to go back, we knew this day would come. That's all there is to it."

Suddenly not having the stomach to drink his tea, he turns to pour it out down the sink. "Have you got everything you need?" He asks, casting a brief glance over his shoulder. As brief as it was, he still saw the sadness and worry etched clearly on Naruto's face. He wants to kick himself and walk over there to pull the man into his arms.

Little good that would do in this situation…

Naruto likes to think he's made substantial strides towards maintaining composure even under the most provoking situations. No longer quick to fly off the handle, the blonde takes the time to think through his words, to formulate the most effective response if he has the choice. However, there is the matter of Sasuke and the knee-jerk reaction he tends to bring out of Naruto.

There other's not even responding properly to Naruto. His whole posture is closed off, his stiff back, the way he doesn't quite meet the blonde's eyes—Naruto will have to read in between the lines. His tan face falls when Sasuke finally replies to him, words clipped and emotionless.

"Don't—" Naruto starts, eyebrows drawing close in growing frustration. " Don't do that to me. Don't try to shut yourself off from everything." He doesn't rise from the table surprisingly, he only sits there as his next comment is spoken.

"Funnily enough, I don't have all that I need. There is one last component." He takes a sip of tea, scalding water burning the tip of his tongue. His guarded gaze falls on the side view of Sasuke's face, as the other won't turn to him properly. He does move then, pushing his chair back to make his way over to the other. He presses a palm to Sasuke's clothed bicep.

"You."

Hands ball into fists at his sides, a defence mechanism… eyes fall closed. In the darkness, Sasuke likes to think he can expel his chaotic, scattered thoughts to far corner of his mind by just closing his eyes. This is just one of his ways of dealing with the pain - though temporary, another is to close up. Retreat into a shell like he is doing now. His heart screams for him to stop, to take a look around and see things for what they are. His stubbornness rejects the idea.

Everything Naruto says is like a punch to the gut. His eyes flutter open at the last part, the confirmation that Naruto had been expecting him to return with him. He flinches at the cool touch on his arm and backs up further into the counter."You don't need me…" Sasuke finally looks at the blond, on the outside his features are expressionless. Inside, he is falling apart.

Naruto snatches his hand back as if he were burned. One would agree he has been. Figuratively, at least. Blinking profusely, he stares at Sasuke's side profile, dark sheet of hair obscuring most of his face. It's like they've gone backwards all of the sudden, rewound their progress all the way to that time Sasuke had almost killed Sakura, where the Uchiha couldn't fathom why Naruto had continued to pursue him. And it hurts. It stings him in a way that wracks his entire body. Sasuke has already begun to cut him off, yet again. Does the other not count any of what happened as something worth maintaining?

" Don't you fucking throw this on me," Naruto growls, straining to get a look at him, and when the other finally turn to face him, the blonde is glaring back, cerulean eyes ablaze in ire. "I don't think for a second you actually believe that bullshit." He waits for a reaction, but all he receives is an empty stare, a pale vacant expression that he knows from old nightmares. Eventually the blonde bristles, hand slamming down on the counter, rattling the teacup near Sasuke. " What do I even mean to you, Sasuke? There's something we can talk about. You told me not too long ago you wanted this—wanted me. Or is that null and void?"

Sasuke doesn't want to hurt him, Naruto is a part of him. He cares about the loudmouth blond more than he cares about himself and that sadly, is his reasoning for the decision he had made. He feels sick and stupid. How dare he allow this man, this beautiful man who stood by him in the darkest of times, fought for him when Sasuke couldn't fight for himself, how dare he allow him to break in front of him.

I'm a coward… he deserves better.

Sasuke swallows a lump in his throat. For a few seconds they drown in silence, looking into Naruto's eyes is heart wrenching. He is angry and understandably so. Sasuke moves his mouth to the side and swallows once again with difficulty. The hand slamming on the counter may as well of been a punch in the face, the heated words that follow threatening to knock down his carefully built walls.

He wants to run. He wants to run far away but how can he without at least a semblance of explanation. His eyes squeeze shut as he takes in other breath that travels down his lungs like tiny pins. This is going to hurt and it's going to hurt a lot. Pallid lips tremble a moment before he catches them again. Dull eyes dart around the room. He sees his katana, his clothes, glimpses of a life that is his, but don't seem to belong anymore. The threshold has been crossed, he needs to explain.

"I haven't stopped caring, if that's what you think." He begins. "I never will stop caring… but I'm going to hurt you. Perhaps not directly, but being in your life is going bring you grief. I don't want that. I want you to be happy, I've caused enough damage. Your friends, the village… they aren't going accept me returning." Sasuke bites his lip. Hurting Naruto like this is like taking a knife to his chest. His hands are shaking, violent tremors course through his body. He doesn't want to do this. Fear. Pain. Anxiety. The taste of betrayal on the tip of his tongue. The knife is poised and ready to strike.

Love is suicide. Love…

"You need to return to Konoha, be happy and live your life to its fullest. Forget about me, stop caring about me … Please." He says firmly, hard features hiding the despair within.

Sasuke's words fall like acid from his lips, searing holes into Naruto's being, wounding his heart painfully so. When did the fact that Sasuke cared about him become tipped towards the negative? The other has so readily resigned to the fact that coming back with Naruto is out of the question. All this time, the blonde thinks solemnly, all this time, they should have been talking about it—-not fooling around or doing anything else equally pointless. Nails scratch along the counter surface, as his hand draws up in a fist, skin pulling tight over bony knuckles.

"Don't," he whispers finally, voice riddled with anguish, " don't….just..cut me out of your life and patch it over with it being 'better for me'. What do you want? What do you need?" Am I so easy to discard? The thought nearly winds him, the harsh concept ricochets off of every part of him dealing damage to his own sense of resolve.

He finds him unable to take a step forward even, gaze falling downcast to see the space between their feet and wondering if there will always be a gap between them. An area Naruto can't breach and one that Sasuke won't. But that's not right, it couldn't be— they'd gone from screaming blood-soaked threats at each other, to subtle touches and—-

Something rolls down his cheek and splatters on to the floor below. His vision blurs because of it and the tanned skin of his face flushes red, and only deepens in colors as he drags a fist across it, catching stray tears from meeting the same fate as the first. "God," he mutters, flipping his hand to wipe with a palm away tears that don't seem to stop. " Goddammit."

When the other doesn't move towards him, something in Naruto stirs that hasn't done so in a long time. Teeth bare from quivering lips and his next comment escapes in a near-growl. " You can fuck me without too much thought, but making strides towards maintaining a relationship you admitted to wanting is out of the question. I wasn't aware being with you was built on circumstance!"

"Stop making it sound like I don't care! I care, I do, more than you know! I care enough to let you go. Why can't you see that?" Sasuke's frustration at himself and the situation escalates, showing in his voice as he raises it in defence. "Do you think I'm enjoying this? Do you?" As he shouts, he unconsciously leans in, trying to ignore the tears he can see welling in the others eyes. He doesn't want Naruto to cry, he doesn't want to cause him this pain.

"I am trying to be honest with you here, but you just… you're making me feel like shit when I all i want is your happiness. I don't want to hurt you." He watches as Naruto's tears fall freely now, the sadness dulling his beautiful blue eyes. It kills Sasuke to see it so he yanks himself away from the counter, away from Naruto and paces to the middle of the room. "I hope you're not suggesting that you were just a fuck to me. Don't even think it." He grits out. "I admit, I've been careless in letting this go so far without thinking about the future. I just wish you could see that this is hurting me just as much as it is you but I know it's the best option. Why are you acting like the only victim here?"

The words are difficult to process. It seems, once again, Sasuke and Naruto are on two different wavelengths. The fact the other surmises he's helping the blonde tells him that much. Naruto can't possibly disagree more. He nearly flinches back when the other lurches forward, eyes blackened with spite burning holes into Naruto. He's not even allowed a response before Sasuke continues, speaking him as if he's become the problem— the source of both of their grief. Naruto may be half blinded with tears, but he'll be damned if he lets Sasuke get away with that one.

"Me?!" His nearly cracks as he screams the word, fists uncoiling into clawed fingers. " You fucking—-" Tears dry up fast, leaving white streaks along his face and Naruto is livid. His lips quiver as he tries to find the right words, mind barely grasping the concept of sense in response to Sasuke's scathing accusal. " Sasuke, what do you think will happen if you walk away from this? You've done it once and we both know the outcome to that. You can't run away from things every time it gets difficult! You're not even willing to try—not even spending a little time to put forth some effort!"

"This is.." Glassy eyes squeeze shut and Naruto tries to push down the urge to fly at the other with his fists. There's no point. Not anymore. He's so quickly backed out of the challenge before it even started. "If this is what's left of you," Naruto speaks again, when rueful eyes open once more, " then I don't want it."

Even though his face begins straighten with paper-thin resolve, shaky hands gather the fabric of his pants as they ball into fists again. Searing liquid gathers once more at the corners of his eyes and Naruto manages to blink them away. "And maybe I am the problem. And this is what I get. For loving someone who could never return it. I wish I could will it away—what I feel for you. It would've saved me a lot of heartache over the fucking years, let me tell you," he ends with a bitter laugh, raspy breath escaping through chapping lips.

Without another word, he brushes past Sasuke, eyes staring straight ahead and he heads where his backpack lays. He's already gathered everything he needed during his earlier frenzy. What's left is to transport it and himself back to Konoha in one piece. His body feels like lead as he makes his towards the door, once again passing Sasuke in the process. They've spent an eternity here, it seems, and all the blonde wants now is for the memory to disappear in a wisp, melt into something so small that it cannot weigh Naruto down any further.

He grabs for the tarnished handle of the door before aiming his last comment over his shoulder. " Sasuke, I won't pursue you any further. What I was looking for isn't there anymore. I never thought you to be such a coward."

The door creaks open and Naruto disappears behind it.

Muscles tense and obsidian depths unwavering, Sasuke holds his posture rigid, maintaining his cold facade right to the very end. When Naruto screams at him, his fingers twitch but that is all the reaction he shows. He knows he deserves the onslaught, he had been expecting it the moment he had made decision. Naruto's words cut deep, the pain excrutiating. He didn't want things to end like this, but on the other hand it is probably best that the other is angry at him. It will be easier for him to get over him.

Then he leaves. The last little contact of brushed arms feel like he has been burned but that is nothing compared to Naruto's parting words as he gazes back heartbroken. It rips Sasuke apart, he'd rather endure the black flames of Amaterasu than here those words. So final, so true

When the door closes, Sasuke stands there feeling numb and devasted. Everything inside him hurts. He balls his fists, his world turning upside down as he crumples onto the floor like a little boy, his head in his hands and crying his worthless eyes out.

He feels his lungs close up, he can't breathe. Then the air that finally does manage push its way through does little to pacify him. The blackness of the situation swirls around him, making him feel dizzy and unbalanced. His heart beats furiously and pain chokes his throat. The incoming wave of sadness is too strong to bite down and salty tears spill from him, dripping onto the cabin floor.