Horitsuba Gakuen

A/N: Hello there, mina-san! Thank you all who read, extra thanks to you guys who take the time to review. :-D Extra kisses and huggies to TWNJ and InsomniacKoneko, who have been listening to my vague ranting about this chapter all the way… vague because I didn't want to spoil, so I'm sure I was a step shy of turning them homicidal on me. Hehehe

To my anon readers: Kakashi's Dog- Got to it "chop-chop". LOL Whatever you say, Majesty. . I'm happy you liked the previous one… don't kill me after this one. lol Toi & Moi – Good to see you back! I'm glad to hear you found my version of Shino interesting. :-D And here's the new chapter! Saroun – Thank you so much for your kind words! :-D And, my, you have your very own Byakugan there, doncha? ;-) Well, here's the chappie… after a long, long read, you'll get to the part that Hinata witnessed. Tee-hee!

Speaking of which. In case you guys didn't notice the warning, this is a shonen-ai chapter. As in, I'm shipping SasuNaru, serious boyxboy content and all that goodness… or not, depending on how you see things… Still, I hope you guys enjoy it whether you're shonen-ai fans or not. Love you all.

Disclaimer: I own a pack of gummy bears… and I ain't afraid to use them. ;-)

Tides and Ebbs of Honesty

Tide 13: Caving In

The rocky walls retained a thin layer of humidity, suggesting that there was some sort of current running close-by, even as there was no sound of water. There were no bats that he could see either. That was in itself alarming, because a place like this could have been ideal for the night-stalkers, if there was an entrance to it. Then he could scare them and follow them to the exit, possibly suffering a few ugly bites in the process- but he could deal with that. Utilizing the animals' instincts, where the human ones were lacking, was a basic survival tactic. It was also useless in a place like this.

Most people would get unreasonably pessimistic in the face of danger or discomfort, easily surrendering to the sense of foreboding that blew things out of proportions. Yet things rarely were as bad as those involved might have thought at the time. More often than not, they would look back on their reactions and laugh or feel a distinct sense of embarrassment. Ironically, all anyone needed was not a set of extraordinary skills, but a calm perspective at the time to fathom the gravity of the situation. He had a very cool head on his shoulders… and their situation was bad any way he might look at it.

"- 23, 24…"

It had been a while since they had materialized in that forsaken cave. It could have been a day or a few hours- he really had no compass for time in the thick darkness.

At first there had been silence other than the echo of his groans as he moved his sore limbs, to check if anything was broken. He had blinked, for a moment unable to decide if he had gone blind by some freak accident or if it was really that dark, then called Naruto's name a few times, but got no reply. Sasuke had fumbled blindly- frantically- until he had found him a few feet away, unconscious, his mind racing to places he didn't like and at speeds that had simply left him dazed. Callous fingers traced the other boy's cold face, hoping that the skin was still tan and not pale and cursing his own physical weakness for not affording him enough chakra for a brief Katon. Finding a steady, even pulse on the blonde's throat had come with an incomparable feeling of relief- startling as most everything else the Dobe could make him feel.

What had once been so easy to dismiss, was nagging in his mind as he had tended to those painful-looking wounds with only his uncertain visual adjustment to his environment as a guide. For the first time in his life, he admitted that the Byakugan could have come in handy. He winced every time a muffled grunt of pain would escape Naruto's lips at his miscalculating brush of his fingers over a tender spot, but never paused. When he was done with the arms and legs, he traced the boy's torso, under his shirt, looking for more gushes. Instead of that, his hands traced the fading spiral of the seal on his stomach- it felt like a scar, but not quite… something under the skin throbbed with power. Forcing himself to ignore his fascination, he moved up, where the skin was too smooth- almost welcoming, he shunned the thought- taking into consideration that Naruto was a ninja. Apparently, the Kyuubi did a fine job stitching him back together as it did tearing him apart.

And then he felt it.

His fingers traced a horrible scar, between his heart and shoulder. Sasuke knew what it was. After all, he had been the one to put it there. For a moment it felt as though his heart might cave in under the weight of his guilt. He wanted to be able to say that he regretted it and would have done things differently if he could do it all over again. The first part was honest, but was more that quite certain that he would have walked in his own footsteps all over again however many times he had to and knowing full well what it would cost him. That's who he was.

With that thought, he pulled away, deciding that he had done all he could. He leaned back against the nearest rock, closed his eyes and waited.

"…25… 26?"

When the blonde had finally come to, aching all over, nothing about his voice would have betrayed his previous turmoil. After a small awkward pause, when Naruto had fidgeted with the bandages and asked where they had come from- and the necessary, albeit cryptic, explanations- they had effortlessly returned to their routine. They bickered about nothing and slipped into a short, stubborn silence, until Naruto had found a way to occupy his mind, forgetting all about their argument. At first it was chats about nothing and all things, but then he had noticed things of interest in his immediate environment. All worry aside, he still believed that, at best, the blonde's brain capacity was the sad equivalent to a propeller of a toy motor-boat. In shallow waters.

"26! … 27… 27…"

Once they were out of that place, he would need to talk to Yamato and Kakashi about making some adjustments to the training sessions. Tsunade too, he mentally- begrudgingly- added, not having found the fabled common ground with the Hokage as of yet. Part of the reason why was because both of them were quite prominent on the stubborn side, but, frankly, if anyone was supposed to make the first move it should be her. He had gone along with all her crazy conditions and even volunteered for her pet project in Demon Mastery.

Said pet project had been meeting a fair amount of snags, hiccupping novel or misused jutsus all the way. This session had seen little improvement over the first. Naruto had allowed the demon cloak to enfold him relatively willingly this time, but things happened too quickly after that. The boy was just too powerful, so he had to adjust his jutsus to match him. It was working out at first, but then the third tail materialized and it was all he could think of to get the hell out of his way. Regrettably, his upscale teleportation jutsu took time to perform and, by the time he was done, Naruto was upon him. That moment of distraction severely altered his route to an unintended location, which- surprisingly- was not inside something solid. He had no idea where on Kami's green earth they had materialized. In short, the little improvement entailed that they were in no need of immediate medical assistance.

"…27…"

What he did know was that they were both alive, albeit in a dark cave with no apparent exits. And that wouldn't have been too bad- certainly, in his time with Orochimaru, he had seen worst dumps- but Naruto's wounds, due to the use of the demon cloak, were not healing nearly fast enough. The problem with the dark caves with no apparent exits- other than the dark and no exits part- was that there was little to no air circulation, leaving them musty and humid- an ideal environment for infections. He had done his best to dress up the worst of it conjuring up his make-shift bandages by tearing up a good portion of his shirt. It had seemed like a sound plan at the time, but he had actually been a mediocre solution to the bleeding and bred two new problems- one, his shirt really was not a sanitary ideal to treat wounds and there was only so much left of it to change the bandages, if he had to, and, two, he was getting rather cold. He had told Naruto that he had just used his sleeves-earning a few jabs about his girly shirts from the baka- but that had not been entirely accurate. Worse yet, they had probably teleported far away, otherwise he would not be feeling exhausted beyond reason. Exhaustion was not helping with the chills either.

"27."

Sasuke sighed inwardly and kept his eyes shut, pretending to be asleep. Not that the Dobe actually believed that he was asleep. Not that it even mattered that the Dobe didn't believe that he was asleep, because, even if he were, Naruto's constant yapping would have surely woken him. Not that he was honestly annoyed, because the blonde's word vomit assured him that the boy was well enough. The moment he stopped talking, that was when Sasuke would really be concerned.

"There are 27 stalactites on the roof of this cave." The blonde concluded, his eyes having grown accustomed to the darkness of the place.

That just about did it for him. He was cold, cranky and Naruto had been counting stalagmites and stalactites. In the dark. Out loud. "I bet that's not right." He challenged, just for the hell of it, because he hadn't counted them himself to make a valid point. He wouldn't be caught drunk or dead counting stalagmites and stalactites in the dark, especially out loud… Okay, so maybe if he were really shit-faced drunk and bored to the end of the wits.

The cranky mood had not been his exclusive privilege, though. Naruto, who had been lying on his back beside him, propped up at that with a small gasp, as the motion pulled on taut muscles and broken- scorched- skin. "Teme!" he roared and started to search his many pockets. "I'll show you…"

That gasp had caught Sasuke's attention, his mood making a swift turn from irritation to that intense concern that the other boy could so easily invoke in him. Charcoal eyes, accustomed as possible to the lack of light, darted over to inspect his handiwork and the overall status without having to resort to actual contact. It had become increasingly obvious to him that the blonde was very much agitated and figured that he would rather have his space. That was probably to be expected all things considered, but he was used to Naruto taking things in stride and this just wasn't the case. "What are you looking for, Dobe?"

The look he got in response was suspiciously akin to a glare he hadn't seen since their early days as Team 7. "Matches."

At first he wondered if it had been a joke, but there was no sarcasm in his voice. For a few moments the raven simply watched him light one match after the other, looking up. He took advantage of the fire's glare to confirm what his eyes had strained to decipher in the dark. Naruto's skin had almost returned to its healthy bronze shade and the blood on the bandages was drying, confirming that that the bleeding had stopped. As he relaxed back against the hard rocky floor, he also noticed that the light- brief as it was- seemed to soothe the other boy. It was odd, but he didn't linger on the thought, rather disapproving of how he was analyzing everything about the blonde.

"27." He said triumphantly, then frowned at the fading light of his match. "I told you so. Guess you're not right about everything, are you Teme?"

At that point, Sasuke was more perturbed by the fact that apparently the blonde was carrying around useless articles. "Why would you even have matches with you?"

"Why do you have to be such a bastard?" Naruto amended with that same glare. "We all have questions there are no answers to."

Sasuke smirked, because, he had to admit, it was a pretty witty comeback. When had the Dobe grown wit? "Some of us more than others."

"Do you still think that jutsu of yours was cool, Teme?" he breathed deeply, looking around once more- same as the countless times he had before- quite likely in search of a new quest, after being done with his stalagmites and stalactites. "We don't know where we are."

"And whose fault is that?" he snapped back and immediately regretted it. It was unfair. He had agreed to be part of the training and he would not have had it any other way. This had just been one thing on the list of the many things that could go wrong. He sighed and started again in a softer tone. "At least we are in one piece."

Another match flickered on, revealing a golden frown lingering over Naruto's cobalt eyes. It seemed as though he had been about to retort and was quite bemused by the change in tone. He moved a closer to the raven and his eyes widened more than a little bit. "What the hell happened to your shirt?" he asked, oddly alarmed.

Sasuke looked down at the remnants of his shirt. Half of it was well gone, but, in his defense, the sleeves had been part of that half. The blonde kept staring at his chest wide-eyed, yet almost absently, until the small flame burned all the way to his fingers. Then he yelped, instinctively tossing the match aside. The raven smirked.

Clearing his throat, Naruto lit up another match, highlighting a prominent blush, and eyed him suspiciously. He brought the fading match closer to his face and his frown deepened. "You look paler than usual, Teme. And that's saying something."

He looked back lazily, through dark eyes half-mast. He found the blush rather fascinating in that light and the way the fire reflected on the deep cobalt blue of those eyes was quite transfixing. To him, that alone spoke volumes about how tired he was. Taking care of the other boy had been an almost welcome chore, but he was no more comfortable with his own sense of weakness than he had been… ever, actually. "Funny- you look as much of a Dobe as you usually do." He panned back. His smirk softening somewhat.

Naruto did not only not take the bait, but proceeded to use another match, illuminating the space between them once again. "Shit… you're shivering." he muttered, a fair amount of trepidation touching his eyes as he reached over to touch Sasuke's forehead. "At least you don't have a fever." He said with barely contained aggravation. "Were you planning to even tell me?"

The blonde's touch felt oddly soothing and gentle in his overtired state, if rather unexpected. Which really it shouldn't have been. Their relationship had taken a very affable turn a few months before, gaining more and more physical elements as time went by- a fleeting touch, a pat on the back, a hand holding his, a short embrace. Sometimes it would disturb him, how it always left something to be desired- as though what had once been improbable had now become inadequate. Sasuke was greedy. He had always been greedy for something- affection, recognition, revenge… attention.

"Do you have knitting equipment other than matches in one of your pockets, Dobe?" he countered smartly, finding refuge from those perilous thoughts in their familiar verbal sparring. "If so, knit something warm for me and we'll call it even."

Sasuke's wit did not seem to impress him. Wordlessly, he started to take off his jacket, when a firm hand curled tightly around his wrist. There was a steady gleam in Naruto's eyes that cried out for stubborn resolve- denial- in the face of facts. If only the blonde would bother using what little brain matter floated in that big head of his- just once- because their situation was very simple and he'd have rather not been forced to list the ways the boy was better than him. If it wasn't greed that would lead him to his fall, pride was the next runner-up.

"Do you intend to catch a cold?" Sasuke was curt, entirely shedding his previous playful tone. "Stop being an idiot and think for a change."

"Think what exactly?" he spat indignantly, because the famous Uchiha patronizing mode had never phased him. "Unless we get out of here soon, you'll catch your death of cold." His brow twitched as an afterthought came to mind. "You seem awfully fucking cool about all this…"

The raven sighed and forced himself up to squat on the rocky floor. "Usuratonkachi…" he muttered. He had found that instead of derisively, more and more he was speaking the word fondly. He had also noticed that Naruto did not seem to rebel against it as much, almost accepting it as a pet name rather than the insult it had once been. Almost. There were a lot of those between them. "Your speed of recovery is a lot better than mine. Once you're feeling better, you will use your Kage Buushins to find the way out. There's nothing to worry about."

It was an allaying thought that had apparently not occurred to the other boy until then. "Why can't I just use my Rasengan again?"

The look he shot him clearly read 'you are a complete idiot', but he humored him with a reply nonetheless. "Because we have no idea where we are, which way to go or the composition of the ground. We might cause a cave in."

Naruto breathed deeply and lay back down, looking absently up at his 27 stalactites. "… Ne, Sasuke?"

He had just closed his eyes. Suppose it was too much to ask for some time to rest and maybe be useful in their attempt to get out of that place. Or at least think straight. "What?"

"If you were to die here and now, would you have regrets?" he asked without hesitation, as though it was the natural carry-over of their conversation about getting out.

Sasuke all but gaped at him. This was aberrant. The blonde was not one to engage in or even entertain conversations about death. There was that aura of invincibility about him that would assure everyone around him that 'it would be okay' and they would get out of whatever mess, even against the odds. "What kind of talk is that?"

"Just talk." Naruto said defensively. "We need to talk about something."

"Death?" he uttered the question like an accusation, with every bit of the disbelief that he was feeling.

The blonde considered it for a moment, then simply shrugged. "Yeah… it seems fitting…."

Admittedly, there was that part of him that prolonged the conversation to avoid answering the question. It was… complicated. But more than that, he was trying to understand where all this was coming from. "How so?"

Another match flickered to life and cobalt eyes watched it until it burnt out. He took a deep breath. "This place… it's small and dark… and constricting- and there's not enough air… It makes you think of stuff like that…"

Then it dawned on him- or rather hit him like a sudden slap across the face. He stared at the blonde. "Dobe… are you claustrophobic?"

Naruto's reaction was very much typical this time. "I'm not anything-phobic, Teme!" he fended in a loud voice that echoed in an even louder repetition in the caves, making him wince. He cleared his throat and spoke more quietly, albeit nervously. "I just don't like small, dark places."

"Then you would probably make for a disgruntled guest in most of Orochimaru's hideouts." He taunted, but Naruto did not seem to share the jest. He sighed, deciding that maybe- once again- the time had come for him to take another step out of his comfort zone, if that would alleviate the blonde's current unease. It was long, drawn-out process, but it came with a measure of redemption, to be able to give Naruto what he wanted of him. "I would have regrets."

The honest reply gave a spark to his stare- of interest, of concern, of something that had not been there before. "Like what?"

Soulful admissions were heralds of trouble, but more and more he had found that- mostly with Naruto, but also with Kakashi- he wasn't finding it as terrible to just open up. Maybe it was still not his definition of fun, but far from painful as it once had been. And maybe in the process he could exorcize some of his pestering demons too. "I haven't really done much with my life." He confessed, not without discomfort. He paused a moment, stealing a quick glance at the blonde, as though waiting for a stupid tease, but all he found there was expectation and sympathy. It was enough to continue. "After the massacre, all I thought about was revenge… That gave me a purpose and a reason to survive… but not a life."

Any previous thoughts and apprehension regarding darkness and constriction had dissipated in the face of the revelations. "Go on…" he said softly.

The tone was intentionally gentle and he knew it. It was as though Naruto was afraid that the sound of his voice would cause him to recoil back into his solitary silence. It almost did. Because Sasuke didn't like feeling vulnerable, nor did he know what more he was expected to say. "If I were to die here… I would regret never having experienced all those things that my mother wanted to be there for."

"Like getting married and having a bunch of snotty kids of your own?" he asked, a smile ringing in his voice, as he fidgeted about, trying to find a comfortable spot.

He smiled for a moment at the thought, then grimed at the reality of it. "We never got that far down the list…" he said, an all too familiar lump nestling in his throat, but he swallowed past it. "I suppose…" he started tightly, "… the issue was not so much big things at the time. My mother used to talk to me about simple stuff and had a wicked sense of humor about it too." He smiled at the memory. "I remember how she used to tease me mercilessly about getting my first kiss…" his voice trailed off and his blush turned nuclear-fusion-red.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one to flashback to that accidental kiss they had shared way back in their academy years, because Naruto was suddenly all too quiet and still. They had meticulously managed to avoid ever mentioning that since it had happened, but the fact was that they had been each other's first in the kissing department- accidental and not by choice as it were.

Sasuke pushed past the mention fast as he could, opting to pretend that he had never addressed the issue. When in doubt, don't wait for the train wreck of thought to catch up with you. "Sometimes I'm glad they are not here anymore to see…" his voice trailed off again, this time because there were too many things he was glad his parents weren't there to witness. What he had done. Who he had become. How lost he was. He shook his head, as though those horrible thoughts were crows nestling on his mind that he could startle away. "What about you?"

The question snapped Naruto out of his reverie. "Me?" he said with a twinge of surprise to be asked, then looked pensive. "I guess I feel the same way about a lot of things. I've spent as much time chasing after you as you have being the avenger."

"I never asked you to." Sasuke interred, sounding a little too defensive for his liking.

"I know, Teme." He smiled a little. "If I were to die now, I think I'd be somewhat okay with it."

The sincerity behind those words drew a frown from the raven. "That makes no sense, Dobe." He chastised, because he didn't want him to be 'okay' with it; because as long as he wasn't 'okay' with dying, he would always survive and come back; because it was inexplicably important to him that the baka survived any and all things- including his stupidity. Out loud he said, "You haven't had a life nor fulfilled your dream to become Hokage. You've been yapping about it forever- you had better do it."

Naruto smirked for a moment, then his lips softened into a genuine smile. It was the kind of smile, reserved just for moments like this, and it forced all sorts of weird sensations upon Sasuke. Because it was special; and because it was just for him. "Yeah… But I got you back, didn't I?"

Dark, perfect eyebrows, mingled in a perfect scowl. Again, he didn't know what he was expected to say to that. He watched Naruto watch him back with a serious expression that resonated nervous resolve not to take his words back. A few moments went by like that in silence and eventually, the blonde's gaze broke away to study a vague spot overhead. He did want to say something- anything- because those words meant so much to him. But if he was bad with soulful admissions, he was terrible with conveying emotions. Especially when he felt so much. He wouldn't know where to start, but sometimes anything was better than silence- and such was the case here. He could tell by the way the soft smile thinned to a forced one, the way the jaw set and his muscles tensed.

"You are not right about everything." Naruto said after a long moment. "You lost the bet about the stalactites."

If it was an honest change of subject or a pun, he couldn't really tell, but either way guilt vied within him. It was an emotion he had in generous reserves. "I'm right about the important things."

"What if you're wrong and there is no exit from this place, hm?" he challenged, this voice acquiring a sharp edge. "Hell, as far as I know, we could be dead and spending eternity with you is my punishment for vandalizing the Hokage monument and stuff."

It would have sounded amusing and Sasuke would have plenty to say about who had it worse if they were dead, if he hadn't heard the twist to bitterness and dejection. "We are not dead, Usuratonkachi."

The pet name he had easily accepted before now irked the blonde, as though Sasuke had no right to use it. "How would you know? Have you been dead before and it just wasn't like that?" he jabbed, "For all I know, I could have died because of your stupid jutsu and never know what it's like to kiss a girl. Someone special."

The last part had been a pretty cheap shot. Special… Now he was shocked that Naruto even touched on the kissing subject after his verbal mishap, but the whole emphasis things felt like a ridiculous attempt to negate him, as though that kiss could be used as a was to hurt him. His frown deepened, because for some reason the boy had succeeded in his petty task. Hurt might have been a rather strong word to employ, but he was definitely affected.

"And now with Sakura-chan all hooked up with Lee, it seriously limits my options." He continued, but this time, he sounded honestly troubled.

Even so, Sasuke's brow twitched, but he bit his tongue and remained quiet. He just couldn't seem to say the right thing, no matter how hard he tried anyway, so next best plan was to stop trying and attempt to simply listen. By keeping his mouth shut, he could also refrain from coming off as completely heartless, which- unlike saying the right thing- came damn naturally to him. It was much less complicated to just nod and shrug his shoulders- a lot- at the absurdities the blonde was spewing. When they were out, he could just ignore Kakashi, go back to his room, lock himself in one of his many closets and have a tantrum- with no expletives omitted.

Naruto, however, was oblivious to any of that, so the raven's verbal abstinence neither impressed nor deterred him. "I mean- honestly?"

"Why stop now?" Sasuke muttered, under his breath.

He blinked slowly, as though processing the thought before actually uttering it- which was something new and innovate for him. "I had never imagined it could be anyone but Sakura." Then added dismissively, "The whole thing with you was one of those freak accidents, so it doesn't count as a real kiss."

Charcoal eyes narrowed at him.

"Tenten is sort of with Neji- you know that, right?" he waved his hand vaguely at the 'sort of' part, as neither of the two had confirmed it, but most everyone could tell.

Running his mouth with gossip was not his sport of choice. "I wouldn't want a girl with that many sharp objects on demand, if I was running my mouth like you do, Dobe." He noted dryly.

Naruto nodded, the insult going right over his head. "Ino… it just wouldn't work, alright? Then there's Hinata- but you can never tell what goes on through the girl's head. Must be that who Hyuuga thing."

Sasuke just glared, because there was nothing else to do in the face of utter ignorance.

"Oh, shut up, Teme- you're like that too. No one is challenging your pedestal in obscure ways." The blonde rolled his eyes, entirely misreading his reaction.

"I didn't realize I was in your list of possible alternatives to Sakura." He deadpanned.

"Huh?" he looked entirely clueless, but then it hit him and his blush turned an unnamed, luminescent shade of red. "No, no no no… Just no!That's not what I meant, you pervert!"

Now Sasuke turned to him, having had it with constantly being on the defensive and easily assuming his natural stalking tone. "If it's going to shut you up, I'll kiss you, Dobe."

Naruto froze. For a moment he seemed entirely lost, but then a nervous smile settled on his lips. "This is one of those dreams, isn't it?"

A delicate arch of brows. "A dream?"

Something akin to relief treaded at the edge of his expression, like he had just found the traces to the solution of an unsolvable puzzle. "It all makes sense now… why you act almost descent, why I think you look so hot with your shirt torn up…"

Sasuke's eyes widened impossibly. It all made his heart feel like it'd jump out of his chest at any minute now, his pulse thumbing painfully at the sides of his neck. "… Excuse me?"

Naruto, however, seemed to be carrying a one-sided conversation with himself, effectively allaying him more than any encouraging words and carefully laid plans he had heard until then. "Which means, I'm also not in this place… I'll just have to wait a while to wake up… I did set my alarm before bed, didn't I?"

"Dobe, this is very much real." Sasuke said carefully, considering the possibility that perhaps the blonde was spiking a fever. They needed that, like they needed the plague. He moved closer tentatively, unsure of the reaction he might get. "I'll check you for a fever, okay?"

Naruto frowned uncomprehendingly at him. "Fever?"

"You seem to be delirious… fever can do that." Sasuke said, reaching out and touching his forehead, hoping that the skin would not feel as awfully hot as the delirium might indicate. Then he blinked. "Your temperature is fine…" he said with unconcealed surprise.

A dream…?

He remembered then, a few weeks before, that Naruto had been a little too unnerved about a dream he had about a guy. Of course, that kind of information had required more coaxing that had even imagined himself capable of. It had never occurred to him that the dream might have been of him, but that would explain a lot about that morning.

Naruto himself was on the fast track from uneasiness to mortification. "Uh… Can we forget about all that?" he started slowly, his body language suggesting that he was wondering if the Uchiha would just jump over and beat the crap out of him. "I know what you're thinking- the dream, right?"

Sasuke was very quiet, his eyes slowly moving to the blonde at the mention. His chest felt constricted and his breathing heavy.

"Or maybe you weren't- in which case you would be right, because you shouldn't think about stupid dreams." He said quickly, entirely unnerved by the silent treatment. "But if you were- if- you have nothing to worry about- because a dream is just weird stuff that the mind comes up with and they don't even make sense- like, that one time, there was that huge cup of ramen- I've told you about this one , right?- that grew arms and legs and started chasing after me- because I was supposedly the missing topping that would make the ramen perfect- which is silly- or really is not because 'naruto' is a typical ramen topping- but I am a ninja and ninja's make horrible toppings- unless they are atop other ninjas in which case things get messy and violent."

Sasuke arched a brow and waited for Naruto to catch his breath and realize what he had just said, all this time remaining quiet.

And surely enough it did register. The caves lit up with his blush. "- atop each other when they fight! Nothing more- just fight until one of them is dead. Not that that was the case with you and me- or that there is anything like 'you and me'- you know? I mean we did fight but we did other stuff too and that brought us closer."

By that time Sasuke's head was beginning to hurt with the mother of all headaches, a vertiginous sensation pinning him in place as the world around him span in an ungodly speed. Still a part of him had to be amused at the way the blonde seemed to be digging himself deeper and deeper into that hole.

"ARGH!" Naruto yelled in frustration and the caves echoed with his voice all over again, but this time he didn't seem to notice. "Not stuff- but stuff like eating together and talking a lot and arguing and sparring- you know- the kind of things that best friends do, especially male ones- because girls are weird with the diaries and bonding over bags of candy and-"

There was a moment entirely blank in his mind, his intentions untuned with his body, because by the time he blinked, Naruto's startled face was entirely too close. The blonde was breathing too fast, his breaths catching in his throat and feeling warm on the raven's face. The thumbing sound, if he listened carefully, was the boy's heart drumming inside his chest- and he didn't have to listen too hard, because it was dark, quiet and there was nothing, no-one, but the two of them. Even at their most horrible fights, Naruto had never looked it him with panic-stricken eyes like that. He had backed against the nearest wall, silently watching him as though he was about to crush him with a single look, with those raspy breaths thundering inside the cave.

"Sasuke…" he tried in that winded voice, that made him seem so utterly fragile, in spite of all his strength. "What are you doing?"

The question was uttered almost like a whisper. The immense power he seemed to have then and there over Naruto- who was never afraid of anyone, never backed up for anyone, always pushed forth against anything- stirred the strangest feelings in him. Sasuke's very nature was predatorial and yet it had been Naruto who had been after him all those years- Naruto had been the hunter. It felt right for their roles to be reversed, even though he knew perfectly well that he was gallivanting through unknown territory, which could only mean trouble. And this wasn't simply unknown, it was uncharted- for both of them.

And yet, even though all those warnings were flashing frantically in his mind, he closed the remaining space between them, his lips brushing the blonde's. The lips were dry and full, warm from the hot breaths that quickened. It was nothing more than a feather soft touch, not demanding or even suggesting there would be anything more to it, but it felt natural. It felt like he had been wanting- planning- to do this all along and couldn't exactly remember what had held him back.

"… Sasuke…?" Naruto asked so quietly, it might as well had been one of those breaths, his lips unintentionally moving over the raven's.

"Don't you ever shut up?" he said in a low voice against lips that were getting humid with his breath, then covered the blonde's mouth with his, having any further question become lost in his mouth.

What he did, he did selfishly, opting to disregard the pleading tone in the way Naruto had said his name. If anything, it had quite the paradoxical effect of ascertaining his choice. It was a horrible impulse of his, to keep pushing things to their breaking point, then push a bit more. He had been self-destructive for as long as he could remember himself. And now it had all come to head, because Naruto had been showing an amount of commitment that he could not bring himself to accept that he was worthy of. Because he wanted to see for himself how far that commitment could go- how much it could take and still survive. Because Sasuke was no longer the fugitive that Naruto was trying to bering back- he had returned and now the blonde had to face up with who exactly he had tried so hard to save. Even after all this time maybe what he needed was to find the breaking point of their relationship.

What he was not prepared for, was the pure acceptance that literally enfolded him and the depth of emotions that washed over him when Naruto's eyes fell shut, as he let go of any fear. Instead of pushing back, instead of breaking, he gave Sasuke his trust. And Sasuke couldn't decide if the feeling was exhilarating him or crushing him under the soft, inhuman weight of those lips.

It wasn't that he'd be unwilling to stop doing what he was doing. He would have stopped, if he were asked to. But he wasn't. He was invited closer- closer than he had ever been to anyone or anything, so close it hurt- as Naruto's hands pulled on the remnants of his shirt. This wasn't how it was supposed to go- it wasn't him that was supposed to cave in and break. He didn't really have the slightest inclination to stop himself either, thoughtlessly shedding any short of mental guard against being excessive. He shouldn't have, but did, forcefully ignoring the small voice in the back of his mind that said this was a bad idea. It was an easy surrender- perhaps too easy- as they slid on the cold, stone floor, hands clumsily exploring bodies they were all too familiar with, yet, at the same time, not at all, lips moving in ungainly kisses fuelled by raw desire.

Desire…

That wasn't even something he had even experienced before. His foolish certainty of control and what he was capable of feeling was caving in at the smooth texture of the tan skin against his pale body, with each kiss that deepened ineptly. He didn't mind. He just wanted to exist in that mind-numbing sensation, until reality caught up with them. And maybe he'd find that their relationship- the thing he held dearest in this world of all that he had been left with- might have also caved in. The notion clutched agonizingly on his chest.

The call for air forced him to pull back, breathing heavily, still rather sprawled over the blonde. He kept his eyes closed, because, even in the darkness, he knew that there was no hiding place and he was afraid. He was more afraid than Naruto had looked when he had decided to test both their limits.

Naruto licked his lips and tried to even his labored breathing. The blonde was staring straight up at him- he wasn't a coward like him- taking his time, with an unusual patience, before he spoke up. "Why."

It wasn't a question. He owed him that much. And yet he didn't know what to say. How to say it. Everything was a jumble of thoughts and regrets in his mind. But he already knew that he was self-destructive, already knew that he would say the wrong thing. "I told you." He said, eyes finally opening to meet resolved cobalt with opaque charcoal. "I would kiss you, if it would shut you up."

Those eyes searched his for a very long moment, then he nodded tensely and pulled himself from underneath him unsteadily. "I see." He said in a tone that had never before left his mouth.

Sasuke sat on his heels, under a stare that felt more scorching than the hottest sun. He waited for questions and accusations that never came. At long last, he looked up to find Naruto stripping off his make-shift bandages and throwing them down with contempt, as though he wanted to get rid of any part of Sasuke that still clang on him. The sight- the notion- made his heart cave in. He wasn't any good with words, but the idea that he was successful in breaking them sent a surge of terror through him. He had pushed things, yes, but maybe it was with the certainty that it wasn't a gamble- that Naruto's loyalty to him could survive anything. And maybe- just maybe- he had assumed too much.

"Dobe-" he started and received a menacing glare. "Naruto." He amended. "I-"

He had every intention to try and explain that why- to both of them- but then the cave started to shake, rocks falling from all over. Instinctively, he pulled Naruto to him- to safety, because wanting to protect him had become an unexpected need- and the blonde let him. Whether it was because he was too drained to fight him off, because he didn't care, or because he didn't think, it didn't matter all that much to Sasuke. He enveloped him with his body, part of him wanting to show him- make him believe- that he was capable of protecting him; remind him that, though he was bad with words, his actions could still speak for him.

The cloud of dust soon cleared to reveal Kiba and Akamaru in what seemed to be the last traces of a setting sun. The boy arched a brow at the sight of them. "Well, well… I hope I didn't interrupt, but it was about time you guys were rescued." He offered with his trademark canine grin.

Naruto straightened his body and pushed away from Sasuke unnecessarily hard. "Nothing to interrupt, Kiba." He said in a flat, tense tone and jumped out of the newly formed exit.

Kiba turned his attention to the raven, and arched a brow at the torn up shirt. "Nice look you're sporting there, Sasuke. I'm sure the ladies will love it." then his tone darkened, the smile fading. "I don't know what happened down here, but there seem to be two people hurt over it already."

Sasuke scoffed and moved towards the opening. The more the time went by from that moment- that kiss- the more the fresh air cooled his lips, it was all beginning to sink in. What he had done. What it could mean. He hesitated before stepping out, his heartbeat climbing in the face of the new situation. He could feel Kiba's eyes still on him, but ignored the stare. He watched Hinata and Shino as they talked quietly to Naruto, who looked worn out.

The cool evening breeze felt refreshing on his skin, the dim light was easy on his eyes, yet, though he was outside, he started to share Naruto's claustrophobia. It was as though invisible walls were closing in around him, smothering him in a cell of his own making. Because as his eyes fell on the blonde, all he could see there was an uncrossable distance that had never been there before, not even in their time apart. Even when he had chosen Orochimaru or his village, even when he had raised his blade against Naruto, he had always known that their bond was there- like a ball of unbreakable thread that would just unfold as they moved away from each other, but would keep them connected; tied to each other. Maybe he had succeeded in breaking the unbreakable.

The happiness he had allowed himself to experience the past few months seemed now like a castle of flimsy glass that caved in under the weight of his choices- its shards piercing through his heart.

… And on that note, the chapter ends… I hope you guys are still talking to me… Ahem. On MY defence, it was a HUGE chapter… I had intended the next one to be Kakashi- yes, I know I'm not done with everyone else, but I WILL be by the end of the story- but it will be Kiba instead. Because Kiba has a nose for all things. ;-)

I hope you all enjoyed it… This was the first actual shonen-ai moment, but the way I'm writing the story it couldn't all just be blue skies, green lights all of the sudden… so gomen for the necessary angst there. I'm really not too fond of angst myself… really… My muse is kinda tho… LOL :ducks: Ahem!

Love and kisses to you all!

Ja!

M.