It was the most hilarious sight that Sasuke had seen in a while. Naruto looked about ready to piss himself, like a dog when multiple owners return after a long vacation. His eyes would dart around the room, and he clearly couldn't decide which direction to walk. He was totally overcome by excitement.

Sasuke thought he was getting far too much credit for this party. Though it had technically been his idea, it only took a couple hours of work. Soon before Naruto was discharged from Walter Reed, he reserved his complex's conference room. He had everyone's e-mails, as his role of first of kin meant that all information regarding Naruto flowed through him. It was as simple as sending a group e-mail with a date range and updating them as the time approached.

Kiba coordinated with Naruto's old coworkers and their mutual friends. Sakura arranged the food, drink, and decoration. Other than his brief preparatory work, Sasuke spotted the bill for the food and offered to pay for Tsunade's flight. Given that Naruto had only been taken from her due to money issues, this had to be quite the sacrifice for her.

She was a proud woman; she didn't even let Sasuke finish his sentence before turning him down. It said a lot for her. He was glad that Naruto had at least someone caring throughout his childhood, even if the arrangement was temporary.

Sakura did a great job with the decorations. There were orange and blue banners all throughout the room, the largest of which hung wall to wall with the words "WELCOME HOME" scrawled across it. She had nice handwriting for someone who had never studied calligraphy. It was a relatively open space, with a long table and plenty of room for dancing. A playlist covering Naruto's two years of absence blasted over the speakers. Sakura brought a bounty of meats, cheeses, chips, popcorn, and cake. She also brought beer, vodka, rum, and soda. This had the makings to be quite the night.

Sasuke leaned against the wall with a light smile on his face as he watched Naruto exuberantly chat with Sakura and Karin. Both of them were wearing short party dresses; Sakura's was a mint green, and Karin's was bright red. Naruto made broad gestures with his hand, soon after tilting his head back and emitting a loud guffaw. He liked silently watching Naruto enjoy himself, but this wasn't to last.

"So, you're Sasuke," Tsunade said, facing him and squaring her shoulders.

Despite the fact that she was over fifty years old, she didn't look a day past forty. Her blond hair was back in a loose ponytail, and she wore light pink lipstick. It was surreal watching the worlds of Naruto's present and distant past unify. As much as Naruto talked to Sasuke about his past, actually meeting everyone made Sasuke feel more connected to him.

"I am."

Tsunade aimed a steely stare at Sasuke, which Sasuke had no problems meeting. Their eye contact continued for several seconds more until Tsunade finally broke free with a laugh.

"Alright, you're not half bad."

Sakura and Karin followed Naruto as he approached Sasuke and Tsunade.

"Is he up to snuff, Granny?" Naruto said with a cheesy grin.

"He'll do," Tsunade replied in a wry tone of voice.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person," Sakura said to Tsunade.

Sakura had already been briefly introduced to Sasuke at Walter Reed, so no introduction was required.

"Likewise. I've heard good things about you," Tsunade responded with a smile. "I heard you kept him out of some trouble in high school."

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You have no idea. Naruto was a disaster."

"Hey!" Naruto squawked, his eyes wide. "I am totally innocent of all charges."

Kiba walked over, laughing.

"The word 'innocent' doesn't really apply to you, Naruto."

"Who, me?" Naruto asked in mock ignorance.

Sakura huffed.

"Sure, 'innocent.' Just like you were when you dumped Sprite in the holy water at mass."

Naruto laughed again; it was a sturdy, boisterous laugh. It made him sound happy and healthy. He couldn't deny that Naruto's prank was at least a little amusing, if not sacrilegious.

"Well, my family shouldn't have forced me to go then! Everyone was so sticky!"

Though Sakura rolled her eyes, there was a small smile on her lips.

"Or when you put that giant Playboy bunny poster on Mr. Umino's projector screen."

"Hah!" Naruto said, bursting out laughing, addressing everyone now. "It was one of those rolling overhead projector screens. His expression when he rolled it down just to have a half-naked lady shown to the entire class… Sweet memories."

Naruto's friends were laughing now. Wasn't that the teacher that inspired Naruto's passion for the vocation? Naruto had a funny way of showing his gratitude.

"That's good," a heavy-set man said. His name was Chouji. Naruto met him back when he worked at Subway. "How'd that end up?"

"With detention. Worth it."

Kiba offered Naruto a fistbump, which Naruto gladly returned. Meanwhile, Sakura gestured to Naruto with her thumb.

"See what I had to put up with?"

He wasn't surprised that Naruto was even worse in high school than he was now. As Naruto conversed with his friends, yet another one introduced himself to Sasuke and began making small talk. Another friend introduced herself, and then yet another. They followed, one after another. Everyone wanted their fill.

He'd prepared himself for this. Other than Sakura and Kiba, none of Naruto's friends had ever met Sasuke. Given that he was Naruto's lover and first of kin, everyone was curious. He'd already generated a bit of goodwill by facilitating this party.

People asked him how they met, to which Sasuke mercifully responded that he'd been Naruto's tattoo artist. Naruto hadn't irked him enough today for him to spill the beans about Naruto fainting in his chair. Besides, why squander quality blackmail material? They were especially curious about his profession, which certainly wasn't unusual.

He didn't mind fielding their questions, as repetitive as they were to Sasuke after being a tattoo artist for over a decade. It was something Sasuke was comfortable talking about, and it made him seem less mysterious. Justifiably, they wanted to learn more about someone who was so close to their friend. He much preferred that no one guess that he was hiding anything to begin with.

However, he did sense that a couple of Naruto's friends were testing him. He didn't blame them; the Naruto that they remembered was far too naive for his own good. That version of Naruto was gone forever. If they were even remotely close to Naruto, they were bound to discover that in time.

As understandable as this interest was to Sasuke, it didn't make it any less overwhelming for him. He didn't mind surprise parties as much when he was just another guest. After everything with Naruto, Sasuke just wanted to relax and breathe. He hadn't even had an opportunity to connect with Shikamaru yet. His staff kept yelling stupid things at him and helping Naruto tease him. He had to admit, however, that he'd missed them.

A guy by the name of Shino had struck Sasuke up in conversation. He was relatively mellow, but Sasuke was far too oversocialized at this point for that to matter. Upon catching Shikamaru's eyes, Sasuke politely excused himself and moved toward Shikamaru.

"Hey, Shika," Sasuke said.

"Hey," Shika answered, giving him a quick pat on the shoulder. "How's it going?"

"Mn," Sasuke shrugged. "It's loud."

It was noisy and bright, and he couldn't get a moment to himself.

"It is."

"This is too much," Sasuke grumbled. "I'm going up to my apartment for a bit. Want to join me?"

As much as he wanted to stay with Naruto, he was reaching his limit. Besides, Naruto looked like he was doing just fine.

"You read my mind."

Sasuke and Shikamaru wormed through the attendees until they finally found Naruto.

"Hey, I want to go up to the apartment for a bit. You good?" Sasuke muttered in Naruto's ear.

Naruto beamed back at him.

"Totally! Get some rest. Come back less cranky."

And here he'd thought that he was being social.

"I'm not cranky."

"You're always cranky," Naruto said, holding Sasuke's hand and placing a kiss on his head. Along with most of the other guests, Naruto was notably buzzed.

"Mn," Sasuke acknowledged, walking toward the door with Shikamaru.

"Awwww," Naruto's friends teased.

"Shut up!" Naruto laughed as he shouted at them.

Sasuke and Shikamaru quickly exited the room and shut the door. Sasuke let out a sigh that he wasn't aware he'd been holding. The silence was an enormous relief. They spoke not a single word to each other as they rode the elevator up to Sasuke's apartment. They both needed the time to unwind. In almost no time, they arrived at Sasuke's loft. Sasuke quickly entered and collapsed on the couch.

"So, how're you?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Good enough. You?"

"Mn. Fine."

There was a comfortable silence between them as Shikamaru rested on the couch next to Sasuke. There was no need to speak.

"You look tired," Shikamaru added.

Tired was an understatement. He was exhausted. He was trying to be the person that Naruto needed him to be, but keeping it up was becoming more difficult with each passing day. There was no end in sight. If that weren't bad enough, sleep had not come easily to him lately.

"I just need more sleep."

Yet he wished this weren't so apparent. He hadn't wanted to worry Naruto. He always wore concealer on the dark circles beneath his eyes; he managed to apply it when Naruto wasn't looking. Shikamaru must've quickly read his concern.

"It's not obvious."

Sasuke returned to silence.

"Have you been taking care of yourself?"

"I sleep when I can," Sasuke shrugged.

Shikamaru frowned, leaning back on the sofa.

"You won't be able to help him if you neglect your own needs."

"The only thing I need is sleep. Too many nightmares and too many thoughts."

Shikamaru was silent, giving him space to continue. He'd wanted to bear this alone, but now all of these thoughts were bubbling to the surface. He hadn't spoken a word of it to Naruto. Maybe it needed an outlet.

"This whole thing…" Sasuke began. "He's struggling, and I've actually been a decent lover to him until now. But it's like I'm trying to fight my own nature."

As much as he loved Naruto, sometimes he just wanted to be alone. It was how he always lived, and now someone was here with him at all times. And Naruto needed him. This wasn't something he saw resolving in weeks, months, or perhaps even years. How much longer could he keep this up?

"This is a big adjustment for you," Shikamaru replied.

It was. But Sasuke didn't want to return to the same pattern. He wanted to be receptive to Naruto, but he knew that over time, he could become cold, distant, and impatient. He just wasn't cut out to reliably support someone.

"I need to change if I want to do him any good," Sasuke noted. "And maybe I already have, but it's not enough."

There was no denying that he'd changed. It just felt like too little too late.

Shikamaru's brows scrunched together.

"Look, I know this is...similar, in some ways."

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked, tilting his head.

He knew damned well what Shikamaru was talking about, but he wouldn't make that apparent. He relaxed his posture, not wanting to tip Shikamaru off. He didn't like where this was going.

"It's…" Shikamaru hesitated. "It's understandable if it dredges up old memories."

That was irrelevant. Now was neither the place nor the time.

"Maybe."

The mere thought of that made Sasuke feel sick to his stomach. But it would be different this time. It had to be.

"But now is not the time to unpack them," Sasuke continued. "I won't let history repeat itself."

"Sasu-"

"Shika," Sasuke interrupted, a hint of frustration in his tone. "I came up here to rest, not get psychoanalyzed."

This was already souring his mood. He needed to finally relax. Shikamaru frowned.

"Fair enough," he said reluctantly. "Just don't shut me out. If you need someone, let me help."

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke took a deep inhale, then exhaled.

"Don't be so dramatic," Sasuke said with a smirk. "I'll be fine."

"Yeah," Shikamaru said. "I know you'll be. But until then."

Sasuke nodded, his silence an affirmation.

"Thanks," Sasuke said simply, and Shikamaru knew he meant it. "But I'm fine. Just tired."

Shikamaru didn't look even remotely convinced. It wasn't that he didn't trust Shikamaru; there wasn't a person alive who knew more about his past. They knew each other through their most vulnerable moments. Simply, Sasuke didn't have the luxury of looking back. He would remain grounded in the present. That's what was required to be the lover Naruto needed.

After not too long, Shikamaru and Sasuke returned. They stayed up until the early hours of the morning. Upon their return to bed, Naruto was so spent that there was not a single word spoken between them other than Naruto thanking Sasuke once again before he drifted off to sleep. Naruto was still considerably drunk; he wasn't in a place to wax poetic about spending his first night in Sasuke's home.

Their bodies intertwined on the living room couch as they lazily watched TV for a few hours in the morning. He remembered how much Naruto had loved that couch, from the moment he sat on it. It was their second date and the first time Naruto had ever been in Sasuke's apartment. Yet unlike that time, Naruto wouldn't be leaving the next day. For the first time in nearly twenty years, Sasuke wasn't living on his own. As long as he'd had to process this, it still felt surreal.

Naruto nursed his hangover, both of them sipping on coffee. As much as it irked Naruto at the time, Sasuke was glad that he forced him to stop drinking. Naruto told him that he was usually a loud, boisterous drunk if anything. However, Naruto had a lot on his mind now, and his moods could be mercurial. Naruto greeted Ally, his beloved guitar, apologizing for his rudeness in neglecting to do so the night before. Leave it to Naruto to apologize to an inanimate object.

Around noon, Kiba helped them lug Naruto's belongings from storage into Sasuke's home. Sasuke was glad for Kiba's help; a few of Naruto's possessions were too ungainly and heavy to lift alone. Naruto frequently wanted to help, lifting several things and placing them in the Jeep they rented. Sasuke said nothing, but Kiba frequently attempted to intercept.

"Hey, I got it," Naruto said with a laugh.

He hadn't walked more than a step before Kiba stopped him.

"Dude, you're healing. Lemme take it."

Naruto pouted, allowing Kiba to take the item from his hand. Stubbornly, he reached for another.

"Hey, Sasuke and I got this!" Kiba beamed at him.

"I'm not an invalid, Kiba!" Naruto snapped.

Kiba froze for a moment. His eyes widened as they met Naruto's. Naruto had been nothing other than a ray of sunshine during the party last night. This must have been jarring for Kiba. Naruto looked away.

"Sorry," Naruto said with a sheepish laugh, scratching the back of his head. "Here you are helping me, and I yell at you."

"Don't worry about it," Kiba replied after a moment.

But the concern on Kiba's face couldn't be missed. He knew that this would only make Naruto feel worse.

"This hangover's making me such a grouch. I need more coffee. Oh!" Naruto paused, his eyes lit up now. "I can pick some up if anyone needs any!"

It was good thinking to blame the hangover. Naruto had clearly taken a few pages out of Sasuke's book.

"I'll take some," Sasuke answered.

Naruto wanted to feel useful. All of the light items were taken care of. He could tell that it was depressing Naruto to sit here helplessly as they worked so hard moving his things.

"Yeah, same," Kiba added.

"Awesome!" Naruto said with a grin. It was too bright; he was overcompensating. "I'll be back!"

With that, Kiba and Sasuke lifted one of Naruto's boxes. It wasn't large, but it was heavy. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if it was full of bricks. They made the short walk to the Jeep and slid the box in. The moment they released the weight, Kiba gave Sasuke a tentative glance.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

Both slightly winded, they caught their breath as the seconds passed. Kiba licked his lips, averting his eyes to the side.

"Is he… Is he okay?"

He paused for a moment. He knew that Naruto liked to keep things to himself, but Kiba wasn't stupid either.

"Did you expect him to be?" Sasuke asked, his expression flat.

"I guess not," Kiba replied.

A few more seconds passed between them, which Sasuke felt no obligation to fill.

"What should I do? I want to help him."

Someone was coming to him for advice on how to comfort someone? That was rich.

"You realize that you're asking the worst person for advice, right?"

Kiba smirked.

"I don't know about that. I see the way he smiles when you look at him."

Naruto always had worn his heart on his sleeve. It seemed all too obvious to him, but it pleased him to know that Naruto's love for him was apparent to others as well.

"I don't have it figured out either," Sasuke replied.

Kiba cast him a skeptical look.

"There's nothing to say," Sasuke said, his voice low. "Just be present."

"That just feels so…" Kiba trailed off. "Inadequate."

Sasuke could relate to that. All he could do was watch him suffer. No matter how hard he tried, nothing could change that.

"Trust me. I get it."

Another pause.

"He's not the same person he was before, but he doesn't want to be treated differently. He doesn't want to burden people either. He just wants to be understood and accepted for who he is now."

"Who he is now…" Kiba trailed off, mulling over Sasuke's words. "And who's that?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"It's not my place to tell you. Find out yourself."

Sasuke again left for the storage unit, leaving Kiba with his thoughts.

Sasuke and Kiba worked up quite a sweat. Naruto wished he could say the same. Watching them strain as they lugged his possessions around, he felt so useless. Not even two months ago, he could have lifted far more than either one of them. Even knowing that it would set him back, he wanted to help. It was bad enough that Sasuke saw how pathetic he was. The last thing he wanted was to show that side of himself to Kiba.

His physical weaknesses were obvious, and he hoped they weren't permanent. But he knew that he made Kiba worry when he snapped at him. He honestly didn't know where that outburst came from. The words had left his lips before he could stop them. He sorely regretted it. His friends were already worried about him, and he was making it worse.

As he saw each one of his belongings, he was reminded of the life he'd left behind in America. He might look similar, and he might have all the same things he used to. He might have the same pictures on his wall. But he would never be that person again. As familiar as the items were, sometimes he felt as though they'd belonged to a stranger.

His boxes now sat in Sasuke's office. He wasn't looking forward to unpacking them. Naruto lay on Sasuke's bed as Sasuke showered, grimy from the day's tasks. Sasuke's phone sat beside him, buzzing.

Naruto curiously glanced at it; there was a new text. The number had a foreign prefix; he recognized it from Landstuhl's phone number. It was German.

Upon expanding the text, the contact name displayed: Deidara.

He was too curious not to read it; some told him this 'nosiness' was a flaw of his. But this was Deidara, one of the most famous tattooists in the world. More importantly, Sasuke spent his career as a tattoo artist chasing him. Deidara even tattooed the phoenix that covered up nearly all of Sasuke's back. He'd forever altered Sasuke's body in a way that Naruto was incapable of. Naruto couldn't help but envy that.

Been a while since I've heard from you, Lover Boy ~3 Is he back?

Naruto's gut dropped. Why was Deidara talking to Sasuke like this? Sasuke would never reciprocate those feelings...would he? Naruto didn't look like he used to. All he ever did these days was cause Sasuke trouble. He couldn't blame Sasuke for wandering.

It felt like his skin was crawling, so he sat up in bed, his legs resting on the floor. As much as his nagging self-doubts whispered these fears in his ear, he knew that Sasuke would never lie to him. He would never cheat on him. Yet Sasuke kept telling Naruto that there were so many things about him that he didn't know. Why did Sasuke still treat him like a stranger sometimes?

He scrolled up, wondering why he was doing this to himself. He went up and up, months back in time, and Deidara kept calling him that: Lover Boy. He felt sick to his stomach. He tried to gauge the tone. It was frequently accompanied by a wink or a heart. Was there really anything else to analyze? Deidara was flirting.

Granted, Sasuke asked Deidara to stop calling him that nickname on several occasions, and he never flirted back. But at the end of the day, Sasuke did respond. He kept reading. His breath was shallow. He wanted to stop, but at the same time, he couldn't get himself to put down the phone. His hands were shaking, and he felt his eyes well up with tears.

Naruto finally scrolled back to a familiar date. It was just days before Sasuke committed to Naruto. They'd been together for such a short time before Naruto was deployed; a mere matter of weeks. Their chemistry was undeniable, and Naruto just knew. He knew that Sasuke was the one he loved, and any other match would be imperfect.

Understandably, Sasuke was hesitant. In some ways, he was remarkably experienced; he'd been active in the BDSM scene for years. He'd had more partners than Naruto ever wanted to know. Yet he'd never been in a long-term relationship before, and Sasuke believed himself to be incapable of it. He was still learning himself. They were still learning each other.

When Naruto told Sasuke that he was being deployed, Sasuke suggested that they break off their romantic relationship. They'd remain friends and pick up where they left off upon Naruto's return. It was fair. Naruto wouldn't demand that Sasuke exclusively commit to a relationship for years after only having known him for a few weeks, regardless of Naruto's feelings toward him. And the bitter truth was that Naruto might not ever return.

But for Naruto, not committing was not an option. He had never been so certain of something in his life. Yet this did not obligate Sasuke to enter into a relationship that he was unsure of. As much as he wanted to hear Sasuke say those words to him before he left, it would have been out of guilt and obligation. No healthy relationship could start that way. He remembered Sasuke's words too well.

The important thing is that you understand that I'm not committing to you or the future of this relationship. For the time being, I'm not looking for anything long-term, and there will probably be other people.

Naruto took that as a challenge. He waited. It took nearly a year for Sasuke to commit to Naruto exclusively. In this same conversation, Sasuke admitted that he had slept with someone else. He said that all he could think of was Naruto. He'd learned himself. While it hurt Naruto, it was eclipsed by his joy at finally having Sasuke all to himself.

At that time, he'd just come back from the tattoo conference in Berlin that he frequented every year. He noticed that the texts covering that time were friendly and relatively professional, all up until one night. That was the first time Deidara called Sasuke Lover Boy. Above that conference, there was hardly a word between them until the conference in the prior year. Something had happened after that night that caused them to stay in touch for all this time.

He didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be true. He already knew that Sasuke had slept with someone else, but he thought it had been a stranger, not his professional rival. Not one of the most renowned names in his field. Not the man who left the phoenix that Naruto so adored on Sasuke's back.

The water stopped. Naruto put down Sasuke's phone, his whole body still shaking. Sasuke finally exited the bathroom, a towel around his waist. Sasuke's back faced him as Sasuke turned around and shut the door. As much as he'd always loved that phoenix, the ever-present symbol of Sasuke's resiliency, he couldn't help but despise it in this moment. When Sasuke turned around, Naruto's intense, glassy glare met his eyes.

"Naruto, what's…" Sasuke reached forward to Naruto with concern in his eyes, only for Naruto to slap his hand away.

He could practically feel the worry and shock in Sasuke's eyes, his brows tightly knitted. There wasn't even a hint of frustration. This only angered Naruto more, shameful tears falling down his cheek.

"What's on your mind?" Sasuke asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"'Lover Boy,' huh?" Naruto said, his voice cracking.

The realization on Sasuke's face was all too apparent, his mouth agape.

"That's right. I read the texts," Naruto added with a bitter smirk. "Couldn't help but be curious when I noticed your esteemed colleague text you."

He practically spat that last part out, hardly able to contain his hostility. Why was he so angry? Sasuke hadn't cheated on him. He'd been honest at every turn.

"Naruto, you don't understand," Sasuke replied quickly. "There's-"

No, Naruto understood plenty.

"Did you sleep with him?" Naruto interrupted.

"Please let me finish," Sasuke said gently. "There's nothing between-"

Sasuke was always damned good at evading. He could write a book on it.

"Did you or did you not sleep with him?"

Sasuke's eyes drifted away. He was silent. It felt like he had ice in his stomach. It was true.

"Just great," Naruto said, laughing as he cried. "Just fucking perfect."

"I could only think of you the whole time. That's why-"

He was so furious with Sasuke in this moment. Yet far more pronounced were his feelings of jealousy and shame.

"You know what? Why not? He's clearly leagues above me. You look up to him professionally. He's practically famous, and he's not covered in scars. I doubt he has even half of my issues."

Sasuke could have so much better than him, but he shackled himself to Naruto. Was it out of obligation? Guilt?

"I don't want him!" Sasuke said, some desperation making its way into his voice. "I want you."

"Why?" Naruto asked, his words choked off by his tight throat. "Why do you still love me? Even after what I've become, what I did, and how weak I am?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"You could be the strongest person I've ever known. There is no one who could ever replace you. I couldn't leave you, even if I tried."

"Because the guilt would be unbearable?"

"It's not guilt, you idiot! I love you! How many times do I have to tell you this?"

He believed him. Sasuke had done so much for him. He just hated holding him back.

"You know, I wouldn't blame you if you left me for him. You'd probably be happier."

Sasuke sighed, shaking his head.

"No, I'd be miserable. Where is this absurdity coming from? We talked it out years ago."

"Yes, we did. But I thought it was a stranger, not your fucking role model!"

They'd been in an open relationship from the start. He didn't fault him for sleeping with Deidara.

But why did Sasuke have to hide it from him? They'd spoken about Deidara several times since then. Sasuke never said a word.

"He's never been my 'role model,' and I never said it was a stranger."

Naruto smirked; it was bitter.

"Yeah, of course you didn't. You omitted, just like you do with everything else."

He knew that Sasuke kept things from him. He was hurt and angry. He wanted his pound of flesh.

"First of all, you never asked. Secondly, what good would it have done? It meant nothing, and it happened one time," Sasuke said. "Once."

As much as he wanted to, he couldn't believe Sasuke when he said it was nothing. Sasuke and Deidara had known each other for years, far longer than Naruto had known Sasuke. They shared a passion and a history. He was hard-pressed to think of any other partner that would have hurt him more.

"Then why do you text him back when he calls you that? Even if you don't flirt back, you're condoning it!" Naruto yelled, throwing his hand in the air.

Sasuke and Deidara never did stop talking, though they didn't do so frequently. Sasuke always wrote back sooner or later.

"He's not flirting."

The calmness in Sasuke's voice only pissed Naruto off more. It was clear as day. Why was Sasuke lying to him?

"He's not flirting? Do you think I'm fucking stupid?"

In the time it took for Sasuke to contemplate his next words, Naruto was already formulating a response. Sasuke looked like he was remembering something humiliating.

"He only calls me that because-"

This was something he couldn't hear. He didn't want to know about the bond Deidara and Sasuke shared or the time they spent together.

"Oh my god, I don't want to fucking know!" Naruto shouted. "Why the fuck would you think that I want to know why he calls you that?"

"Would you let me fucking talk?" Sasuke snapped back, his voice growing louder.

Finally, Sasuke was losing his patience. Inevitable.

"What is there to say?" Naruto frowned.

He shouldn't be here now. He couldn't stop yelling. He didn't want to hear what Sasuke had to say. He couldn't stop imagining Sasuke with Deidara. Sasuke was giving him this concerned, regretful stare. It was pity. That was how weak Naruto had become.

He stood and shuffled toward the door.

"Naruto, wait…"

Sasuke reached for Naruto's forearm, only for Naruto to yet again slap his hand away. Several strides later, his hand rested on the doorknob.

"Let's talk it out," Sasuke said, his voice now so uncharacteristically soft. "Please, don't leave."

The tenderness in Sasuke's voice caused Naruto to turn around, his glassy eyes taking in Sasuke's. It was unexpected after the cold way he'd slapped Sasuke's hand away. If he didn't know any better, he could've sworn that Sasuke looked a little scared.

"You never sleep these days," Naruto muttered.

"That's not new."

It was true that Sasuke always had trouble sleeping. But Sasuke had been having nightmares. Naruto could tell by the sounds Sasuke made when he slept, the way his face contorted. Was this always how things were for Sasuke?

"I can tell that something's bothering you, but you never tell me what it is."

It was beyond the nightmares. He could tell that Sasuke was distracted, fitful even. Sasuke frowned. Naruto couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"I'm fine. Really. I'm just tired."

He was so sick of hearing that from Sasuke.

"Bullshit. You never tell me anything about yourself!"

From the start of their relationship, so many of Naruto's questions went unanswered. Why did Sasuke still hide from him? Didn't he trust him yet?

"What are you talking about? I've told you so much! Do you think that was easy?"

So much? Naruto was an open book from the start. Though he didn't expect that from Sasuke, it was unnerving when Sasuke held back after what they'd been through together. It made Sasuke feel farther away.

"Yet you keep telling me that there are parts of you I don't know. Do you ever plan on actually revealing them?"

Sasuke looked as though he were searching for words before settling on, "It's nothing."

Even now, Sasuke held him at arm's distance.

"Nothing? We've been together for two years. When am I finally going to know the real you?"

Was he going too far? He couldn't stop himself. His jaw was shaking. As adept as Sasuke usually was with words, all he could seem to do now was stare. It justified Naruto's fears.

"You do know me," Sasuke said, placing his palm on his chest. "It's-"

Naruto turned the knob and opened the door.

"Well, I'm not the person you fell in love with either," Naruto mumbled, his voice morose now. "Just forget about me, Sasuke."

Tears streamed down his face as he walked past the doorway.

"Are you crazy? That's impossible."

With long strides, Sasuke approached Naruto and tugged on his shirt, pulling him back. Naruto winced inadvertently, the fabric pulling at his healing ribs. In Sasuke's resulting hesitation, Naruto freed himself and slammed the door behind him. He choked back tears as he stormed down the hallway. In mere seconds, Sasuke opened the door and shouted after him.

"Naruto!"

Had Sasuke been clothed, Naruto had no doubts that he would've followed him into the hallway. He was persistent.

"Come back!"

Naruto stopped for just a moment, turning and looking into Sasuke's eyes.

"Maybe you were right. Maybe I don't know you after all."

He turned away, never looking back once before rounding the corner and disappearing from Sasuke's sight.

Author's Note:

Happy New Year's! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I've been catching up on writing, so you can expect another one in not too long.

Just a quick note here... I've never done this before as an author, but please leave comments about how horrible Sasuke is for having an open relationship with Naruto to yourselves. As someone who has been in a poly relationship with the love of my life for 13 years, it strikes a chord with me and reminds me of the reason I have to hide this from the world to begin with. I'm constantly being told that an open relationship is lesser, and it's just not true. Being poly is a real thing!

Thanks, and until later~