Sasuke put his tray on the table and set down beside Gaara at the table. His friends all looked at him for a while but he proceeded eating, ignoring the tension at the table.

"What happened today?" Shikamaru broke the silence that settled at the table since Sasuke joined them.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked pretending not to know what his friend was talking about although he knew damn well what they all wanted to know. He just wanted to eat his lunch and not talk about it though.

"Today you were supposed to choose between pilot and co-pilot. Why didn't you?" Shikamaru voiced the same question in strait forward manner.

"Because I can do both just as well." Sasuke answered calm. He didn't want to let them know that they were getting on his nerves there.

It had been his dream to be a pilot just like Itachi and he worked hard to achieve that ever since he entered the Academia but there was another dream he had that he never told anyone about, not even his friends and this was the first real step towards that dream.

Sasuke was sixteen now and just like everyone else who lived on the Space Stations he finished school and went to continue his education at Academia, a giant spaceship orbiting Terra that was under the jurisdiction of Ares that served as school for all the Space Stations.

Flying was something that everyone learned at Academia but students were split between pilots and co-pilots in their second year there based on their skills and preferences. Sometimes the teachers would give recommendations and sometimes the students were allowed to choose and on some occasions they were not even asked but everyone ended up being either one. The fighting ships they used were controlled by two people: the pilot, in charge of moving and the co-pilot in charge of attacking. Sasuke's ability to control fire and lightning made him a good co-pilot but he was also very observant and had good reflexes which made him a good pilot too, so he was allowed to choose.

He wouldn't though because if he did he would get a partner to fill the other spot and he wouldn't have that, not even in the simulator.

"People have started talking, you know?" Sasuke paused for a moment to look at Neji and raised an eyebrow. "They say you're full of yourself."

"Yeah… do you have any idea how many girls want your dick?"

"Are we talking about a romantic relationship here or about a co-pilot position, because you lost me Sai?"

"Both. Sometimes they go hand in hand. You know…alone….in the cockpit.."

"I don't need that image, Sai." Sasuke stated bluntly but the other just smirked.

"I'd go for it, though." Sai whispered as if it was some secret and Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"I know you have a reason though." Gaara interfered before Sai could say anything else.

"I don't want to talk about it." He didn't want to talk about it to anyone, after all it may be just a stupid dream like restoring Terra but it was his dream and he was not ready to let go of it.

As they walked back in their classroom he felt the atmosphere tense around him. They were whispering and giving him quick looks when they thought he wasn't looking. He hated being the center of their attention but he tried to ignore them to the best of his abilities. There were just three more hours, after that he'll be all alone in a cockpit in the simulation room until the end of the day and he won't have to face them.

Lately he had been hiding in the simulation room under the pretense of training, avoiding his family and friends. It was not all a lie since he was really training but the long hours spent training were also to run away. He was running away from reality or his own thoughts or maybe both.

It was already late when he decided to call it a day. He was exhausted from using too much chakra anyway. He was usually careful with his chakra reserves since he knew the consequences of letting them go low but lately he forgot to pay attention to that and that was not a good sign. If teachers noticed that, his grades would drop and he will definitely be given a partner. His request was not yet accepted anyway but he was given a period of time to prove that he could control efficiently both positions and he will prove his worth, after all he had been training for this for a year while the others were just trying out both options. He never had an option to begin with, this was the only way he will have it.

The halls of Academia were almost empty when he went to the hangar and entering a pod then launched towards Ceres. The walk to the restricted area was quiet and he liked it that way. Whenever he met someone he knew, they would want to talk, ask him about school and stuff and he would just get irritated.

Opening the white door he entered the familiar room. It wasn't empty anymore though, nor was it dark and the butterflies were gone.

"Good evening Shizune." He greeted the black haired doctor and she bowed slightly in front of him. He hated that and had asked her several times to not do it but she wouldn't stop since he was Fugaku's son. A shadow… The only person who had not seen him as a shadow lied in a capsule shaped bed in the middle of the room connected to IV tubes. "How is Naruto?" He asked like he always did and he always got the same answer but it became a routine to him that he wouldn't break.

"The same." After giving him the answer she would leave the room but this time she stopped on the way to the door and put a hand on his shoulder. "Thunade-sama is doing her best as a doctor to find a cure for this." The name alone made his blood boil. He had never forgiven the Head Commander for locking Naruto in that room and putting that seal on him but he always refrained from displaying such emotions in front of Naruto since he knew that his blond cared about the woman.

Shizune had left the room like she was instructed to do by Tsunade herself when Sasuke was around, leaving the two boys alone.

Sasuke walked to Naruto's capsule and activating his sharingan he created the illusion of Naruto's field with butterflies. The blond would not see it though, he was aware of that but somehow he couldn't imagine this place looking any other way when he entered it. It was soothing.

"Naruto…come back to me." His voice was warm but sad since he knew it would trigger no action from his blond. Caressing the tanned cheek a few times he pressed his lips over Naruto's soft ones. They were dry but otherwise just as he remembered them warm and pink.

Naruto had been in a coma for almost a year due to an unknown illness and although Shizune was the only one by his side most of the time the whole medical department on Ceres was working to find a cure day and night. Of course the research was not restricted to Ceres. The council on Ares took the matter in their own hands considering who Naruto was and ordered all Space Stations to collaborate in order to find a cure.

Sasuke felt helpless though and he hated that feeling more than anything. He missed his blond angel, he missed the butterflies.

"I did it…I told them that I wouldn't have a co-pilot. Remember the promise we made?" He would always talk to Naruto when he went to see him and tell him whatever happened lately in his life although he wasn't sure the blond could hear him. It didn't matter though he would still talk. "I told you that one day I'll be a pilot and you said that you would be my co-pilot. Then I told you that I will fly without a co-pilot for one year so that you can catch up with me. I'm already there and you haven't even started attending Academia."

Naruto didn't answer though; he was like a living doll frozen in time, his chest moving up and down in the rhythm of his breath. Sasuke kissed him one more time, keeping contact longer that before then stopped the illusion and left the room to go back to Academia and get some sleep.

"Today you'll be going on your first real flying mission." Ibiki said as he walked along the long line of students, analyzing them each for a short amount of time. That was enough though, for Ibiki was good at judging the character and state of mind after working in the army for so many years. "You will be going to the asteroid belt, your training ground for now, and all you have to do is cross it. Beware of your enemies though or else you may even die. Don't think of this as just a battle simulation because we won't go easy on you."

His eyes fell on Sasuke for a bit longer than on the others but he said nothing. He had accepted Sasuke's request to go without a co-pilot on this simulation and was looking forward to see what the young Uchiha could do.

"You will work in teams of six: three pilots, three co-pilots and three Blackwings." Murmuring was heard in the room, some showing excitement, and some concern. Some were wondering who would be in the team of five. "Teams will be announced shortly but you can choose your leader."

"Are we going to fly in real Blackwings?" someone asked.

"It is what I said, isn't it? Now choose a name for your plane and you will be using that from now on."

Ibiki left the hangar and entered his small office followed by his two assistants Kotetsu and Izumo, leaving the students to chat freely until further instructions.

"Who do you think will be on his team?" someone asked.

"I don't know but I hope it's not me. I don't want to have to deal with someone so full of himself."

"I bet he'll want to be leader too."

The topic was once again debated by many and Sasuke heard as he walked to the holographic screen to submit the name of his plane: Dark Knight.

"I don't mind being on your team." Neji said putting a hand on your shoulder. "I'm still your friend although you never bothered to explain this to me."

"I can't explain it." Sasuke began, looking at the ground instead of his friend. "It's probably stupid but I can't trust anyone with the rear control."

"You can't or you won't? You sound arrogant right now and it's not like you. My bet is that it has something to do with Naruto." Sasuke's gaze moved at his friend surprised. "And…you confirmed just now."

"How did you know?"

"I didn't. I do know that you went so see the Head Commander though."

A year ago, before Naruto fell ill Sasuke had decided to talk to Tsunade. It had been the only time in his life when he had been glad to be known as Fugaku's son because otherwise he would have not been granted permission to see her.

"Uchiha Sasuke… Why did you come all this way?" Tsunade asked calmly. Her elbows were propped on her desk and her chin rest on top of her laced fingers as her eyes were studying him closely.

"I want to talk about Naruto." His voice was firm although he was aware what he was talking about.

"Naruto?" she asked calmly, her voice showing interest in the subject but then her fist collided with the table startling him. She was a scary woman, he gave her that. "You weren't even supposed to know Naruto. You've been sneaking into an area where you had no official business or access, you hacked into the main computer and now you come to talk to me about Naruto?"

"You knew about that?" He asked surprised. He would have expected someone to stop him if he was caught during his escapades.

"You think everyone else aside of you and your friends is dumb? I didn't think Fugaku's son would be so foolish." He flinched at her last words, they always got to him. "I knew from the beginning and I had to stop the head of the security department from sending you to jail and accuse you of treason and don't think it was easy. The man was about to do it to his own son for hacking the main computer and taking over the security system."

Sasuke was at a loss of words but he couldn't go back now. He had to say what he needed to say.

"Then why didn't you stop me?"

"Because I love Naruto. Because he needed a friend."

"Then why don't you let him go out instead of keeping him like a bird in a cage?"

"Do you realize that Naruto is our only link to the past, our only hope to restore Terra to its former beauty?"

"I do, but he's also human like us. He needs freedom."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Let him go to Academia. No one will know who he is aside of me and my friends and he can be a normal student. We can come to Ceres whenever he is needed here."

"….Dark Knight, Desert Rose and Shadow…" Ibiki was reading the list of teams but Sasuke heard no more. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when he realizes that he was with his friends.

Shikamaru, Chouji, Sai and Gaara approached him to discuss the leader's position in their team and Sasuke noticed the look of distrust Chouji was giving him.

"I vote for Shikamaru." Gaara said and Chouji seemed to calm down a bit.

"Me too." He said.

"I don't mind." Sasuke said. He thought it was the most reasonable choice for their team anyway and if that made Chouji happy who was he to deny that happiness to the big guy.

Shikamaru sighed and muttered "Troublesome" before heading to his Blackwing named Shadow now.

Sasuke dived in the organic like fabric of the cockpit's exterior, entering the anti-gravitational space inside. It was a strange feeling that the simulators didn't offer but he was well aware that the simulators had only the control panel similar to the one in the actual plane not everything else. Unlike the simulator's cockpit which provided a comfortable chair, this one was empty and he was floating around in it.

"Main control to the right hand, rear control to the left." The two control boards appeared in the desired locations and an oval shaped holographic screen appeared in front of him. "Dark Knight waiting for orders captain." He spoke in his helmet's microphone.

"We take off next right after Cherry Blossom's team." Shikamaru's voice reached him. "Don't fly too fast at first and stay close to the team, take your time to adjust to the cockpit. This is not a simulator anymore."

There was enough time to adjust until they got to the asteroid belt, Sasuke thought. He was determined to stay calm throughout this mission and do his best. Still he wished Naruto was with him. Naruto…

"We'll fly in V formation once we enter the belt. Sasuke you go first and only use fire, Desert Rose and us will watch your back."

"You don't act like the leader, Shikamaru." Sasuke mocked him although he knew the reason behind the decision. Shikamaru's control of the shadows didn't make him suitable for the first line in battle but rather for a surprise attack.

"Being the leader is troublesome so I let you have all the glory."

"Glory comes with girls." Sai added. "I would like some of those."

"With how much you talk about dicks I hardly doubt." Shikamaru retorted with a bored tone. "Besides, Sasuke has lost his fan club with the last stunt. I just hope it wasn't a stupid decision to go solo."

They entered the asteroid belt and Sasuke activated his sharingan to create an illusion for their enemies as he dodged the rocks of different sizes that were scattered everywhere. He saw that from behind him Gaara too released his sand to search for the enemy that might be hiding behind the asteroids.

"I got something." Gaara said. "I'll send you the location of everything I detected. You can shoot every red dot."

Another screen with a 3D map of the nearby area appeared and Sasuke spotted five red dots behind asteroids.

"Chouji, Sai just focus on dodging asteroids, Gaara and I will take care of the drones. Sasuke…do whatever you can and be careful. Now stop the illusion and let them come."

"Sasuke did as he was ordered and as soon as his eyes were black again the red dots on his map spotted them and approached to attack. He shot two of them down with fire, Gaara got two and Shikamaru one but the map was soon updated as Gaara was still scouting the area with his sand and a larger group came towards them.

Activating his sharingan again Sauke attacked the group with his black flames only to be scolded by Shikamaru.

"You use too much chakra like that so stop it. Use only your normal flames, that's an order."

Sasuke obeyed with a scowl and continued with a normal attack taking down a large number of drones. The shower of laser beams directed at them from the drones did not stop and soon enough it became overwhelming even with all three of them attacking. There was no way to defend or hide when the lasers and flames blasted the asteroids around them but that gave Gaara more sand to control and it ended up being in their advantage.

"Good work, Gaara." Shikamaru said as he protected Sasuke with his shadows. Sasuke had no way to defend except with illusions but Shikamaru didn't want him to use that. Gaara's sand could be used for both attacking and defending and so were Shikamaru's shadows although they were not as efficient in attacks.

Sasuke had wondered how Shikamaru ended up being a co-pilot with his ability but then he thought that the way in which the ability was used also counted and Shikamaru was a hell of a strategist, a fact the instructors did not miss.

They had not been the first to get across the belt but not the last either and besides that was not a criterion of evaluation for them at the moment. The number of drones destroyed and their types as well as their team work however was evaluated.

Sasuke was exhausted by the time they reached the hangar in Academia. Taking off his helmet he ran his fingers through the black hair.

"There was a call for you from Ceres." Ibiki approached him "It was the Head Commander, she wants to see you. She didn't say what the matter was…" Sasuke didn't let him finish though.

"May I go, sir?" he asked with urgency in his voice and as soon as Ibiki nodded he ran to the closest pod, glad that he was already in the hangar.

He went directly to the House of the Butterflies, running down the halls, stopping briefly only to open the locked doors on the way and slid the white door open.

"Sasuke?!" Shizune almost jumped in surprise at the sudden intrusion.

"Where is he?" The raven asked as soon as he realized that Naruto was not in his bed anymore. His heart was beating fast and for the first time in his life he felt real fear.

"With Tsunade-sama in her office. He woke up a few hours ago and you were contacted but you were on mission so Thunade started the checkup.

"Is he alright?"

"He seems that way but you should wait for the checkup results just in case."

Naruto was ok, that was all that mattered and he was awake. Leaning against the white wall he let his body slide against it and land on the floor as his heart calmed down slowly. A genuine smile adorned his face. It was over…the waiting was over.

Soon enough Naruto entered the room and upon seeing Sasuke, he smiled one of his bright smiles meant only for Sasuke.

"Hey." Sasuke said from his spot on the floor.

Naruto spoke only after Shizune had left the room. "You came here every week when I was in coma and talked to me about everything and now that I'm awake all you say is that?"

"You heard that?" Sasuke asked surprised. He didn't really expect Naruto to hear him or anything he just liked talking to him.

"Every single word. I wish I could have answered though. I saw the butterflies too."

Sasuke smiled "I can't imagine this room without them. They were always here when I came in."

"Not always." Naruto reminded him the one time they were not.

"Come here." Naruto was dragged down and fell on Sasuke's lap as the raven put a hand protectively around his waist. "How are you feeling?"

"My body feels weak but Tsunade said that's normal and that all I need is exercise. Otherwise I'm fine."

"Do they know what happened?"

"Something to do with the brain shutting down." Naruto said vaguely but Sasuke saw it in his bright blue eyes that he knew what happened. If Naruto didn't want to say it though he would let it slide, right now he was happy that Naruto was awake and well.

Sasuke pulled him closer to his chest, feeling the warmth of his body that he had not felt in such a long time and brought their lips together just like he did before only that now Naruto kissed him back and he wanted more. He became hungry for Naruto's kisses and poured all his feelings in them.

"I heard you had a mission today." Naruto said when they parted for air.

"Yeah. I went alone just like I promised you I would."

"Tsunade agreed to let me join Academia with you as long as no one finds out about my memory."

"My lips are sealed." Sasuke grinned and pecked him on the lips again.

"I think I can get there in a few months after I get my strength back, I can be your co-pilot then."

"Are you sure?"

Naruto looked at him confused. "Sure, didn't you say that you wanted to be a pilot?"

"Well, yeah but as a co-pilot you'd have to attack and besides you can't use your ability, remember?"

"Now who do you think I am, Sasuke? You don't have only one ability, do you?" There was a tint of annoyance in the blonde's voice but Sasuke knew he was not angry.

"No, but most people do."

"I've never been like most people." Naruto said still pouting. Sasuke didn't know what other things Naruto could do but he was definitely looking forward to flying with him.

Months passed fast and Sasuke was getting more excited every day. He was visiting Naruto more often and checking on his progress and then came the day he had been waiting for. He had dreamed about this day for months and expected it to be the best day of his life and yet as he was standing in the hangar with the rest of the class while Ibiki introduced Naruto he thought it was one of the worst days.

"We have a new student starting today and he will join your class for lessons starting tomorrow. Introduce yourself."

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto bowed slightly and gave the class a bright smile.

Sasuke could hear some girls giggle behind him and as he turned to look he realized that some of the girls from his previous fan club were there too.

Naruto walked towards him and Sasuke just wanted to ask why did he smile at them? That smile was supposed to be directed at him and him alone.

"Hey Sasuke, what's with the long face?"

Sasuke did not have the time to answer when several students circled them. "Hey Naruto! Do you really have a dick?" Sai asked caressing Naruto's cheek with long pale fingers and giving him his eternal smile. Sasuke smacked Sai on the head and Naruto blushed.

"Ignore the idiot, Naruto."

"No, really. I had to ask because I've never seen a boy with such perfect skin before except for Sasuke but I wouldn't question his gender since I've seen it." Naruto was bright red and so was Sasuke but for a completely different reason. This time it was Chouji who smacked Sai.

"You're ruining my appetite with your dick talk." He complained opening a bag of chips.

"Sasuke, why didn't you say that you knew the new student?" Ino approached them with a hand on her hip and flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder. She was in flirting mode, Sasuke noticed.

"You never asked, Ino." He answered casually.

"My name is Ino." She said focusing all her attention on Naruto "If you know Sasuke you must also be from Ceres."

"I am."

"Me too but I haven't seen you before."

Naruto gave Sasuke an apologetic look. "He was home schooled because of a long term illness he had but they found a cure and now he can join Academia." Sasuke saved the day.

"You must be really smart to come to Academia in the second year."

"I actually skipped the first." Naruto said apologetically "I'm fifteen."

"So are you a pilot or co-pilot." A pink haired girl asked pushing Ino to the side.

"Co-pilot."

"Then you are going to need a pilot. I can talk to Ibiki to replace my co-pilot."

"Like hell you are, you slut. I'm your co-pilot and that's final." Ino interfered and soon enough they started fighting which made Naruto even more nervous.

"I'm his pilot." Sasuke yelled at them and a fighting stopped.

"What did you say?" both girls asked at the same time.

"I said that I'm his pilot."

"But… but didn't you want to fly alone and besides your fire and lighting make you a good co-pilot?" Sakura pointed out.

"I didn't want to fly alone because I'm full of myself as you all thought. I was waiting for Naruto. I don't want any other co-pilot." Grabbing Naruto by the hand he dragged him away to their room. Sasuke made sure they would be roommates too.

"That was….something you don't see every day." Naruto said as he fell exhausted on a bed.

"Maybe you don't but they used to be annoying like that when they liked me too."

"Who?"

"Sakura and Ino."

"Don't they like you anymore?" Naruto asked confused.

"Not since I asked to fly alone. They both made a lot of fuss back then too wanting to be my pilot or co-pilot but my decision shut their mouths."

"You were bothered by something back there…what was it?"

"I didn't like the attention you got." Climbing on the bed next to Naruto, Sasuke closed the distance between them kissing him passionately.

"Envious for stealing your fan club?" Naruto teased wrapping his arms around Sasuke's neck.

"Jealous." Naruto burst out laughing. "You were too nice to them." Naruto's laugh faded and an apologetic look replaced the happy one from before. Sasuke hated himself for it immediately.

"I've wanted this for a long time… To meet people, to see the outside world…ever since you showed me your Terra I wanted to see it….to go there with you."

"I know." Sasuke kissed him again and felt Naruto melt under his kiss. "I'm sorry." He put his forehead on top of Naruto's and looked in those endless blue eyes that he loved so much. "I don't want to stop you from having any experience you want." Naruto smiled at him again and that made him smile too.

Naruto joined Sasuke and his friends at their breakfast table and Sasuke couldn't help the smile that spread on his face as he watched Naruto getting excited about every little thing.

"This cafeteria is huge, Sasuke." He said as he followed Sasuke in line to get their trays with breakfast.

"What did you expect? Students from all the space stations come here to complete their studies."

"I know but still…I've never really seen anything bigger than my room."

"You'll see a lot of new things from now on. You can live like a normal person."

"I'm glad that Tsunade let me come here." Naruto gave him a wide grin that Sasuke answered to with a smile.

"Me too. I still find it hard to believe that I convinced her to let you join Academia." Naruto's grin faded.

"It was my illness that convinced her…"

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked both curious and concerned.

"I wasn't fighting it. I guess I just lost my will to live alone with the butterflies after I met you. You made me want more but I never believed I could get it." Naruto's words hurt Sasuke a lot. He had never thought that his attempt to show Naruto the outside world by using his sharingan would make Naruto lose his will to live when his intention had been the opposite. He felt guilty and Naruto must have noticed because he put a comforting hand on the raven's shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault. It was I who couldn't be satisfied with only the illusion of the outside world, it was I who gave up and hurt you in the process. I'm sorry."

"I just hope that being here is the best thing for you."

Their conversation was interrupted when it was their turn to get the order and soon enough they joined the others at the table.

"I kind of get it why you didn't tell us much about Naruto, Sasuke." Sai pointed out as his black eyes studied the blond from head to toe. "He's good looking and he has a hell of a power…"

"Will you shut up Sai?" Sasuke asked annoyed "We don't need everyone to find out."

"He's getting plenty of attention as it is and don't worry, I won't tell his secret. Just tell me one thing…did you guys fuck?" Naruto almost choked on his sandwich and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Sai is always a dick. Don't mind him." Gaara gave Naruto a napkin, ignoring Sai's look. "We got used to it and you will too soon enough. It's a good thing he's smart or else we wouldn't hang out with him at all."

"I like it that you praise me even when you insult me."

"I wasn't praising you; I was just telling Naruto the truth."

"So Naruto…is there something you would like to do now that you are here?" Neji asked before taking another bite of his food.

"I want to go to Terra."

"Troublesome…" Naruto's blue eyes moved to the lazy boy "Students from Academia don't go to Terra and besides why would you want to go there. There's nothing there that's worth seeing."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." The bored expression disappeared from Shikamaru's face as he focused all his attention on Naruto.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they already started to adapt the ecosystem from Ceres to Terra."

"But the climate, soil and atmosphere on Terra are not how they used to be and the plants developed on Ceres would not grow there."

"Not on the surface…"

Naruto didn't need to finish his sentence for Shikamaru to understand. "So they do it underground." Naruto nodded. "They've been working on it for some time but they didn't tell most people because they didn't know if it would be a success or not."

"I haven't seen you so awake in a long time Shikamaru." Sai pointed out. "Do you want to check it out?"

"We'd just get in trouble." The genus pointed out "That would be too troublesome."

"That's what you said the last time but you still hacked the computer." Neji interfered.

"Only to get caught by your own father." Sasuke added and everyone's eyes landed on him. "The Head Commander knows what we did to get to the House of the Butterflies but she let it slide."

"She knew and let it slide? Why?" Shikamaru asked confused.

"For Naruto. She cares about him and he cares about her too." Sasuke explained. He had not forgiven the Head Commander for locking Naruto but he did appreciate that she considered what Sasuke had told her before and let Naruto enroll in Academia.

"I see…" Shikamaru trailed off lost in thoughts. "Still I don't think we can escape so easily with going to Terra. We would need Blackwings and if we are not caught stealing them we'll get spotted by the radars when we try to leave the hangar."

"I'm sure you can find a solution, lazy boy." Sai winked at him. "The idea of going to Terra fired you up and when you are motivated not many can compete with your brain."

"We need to see how we work as a team." Sasuke told Naruto as they walked to the simulation room. "I still don't know what your other ability is and we better do this before our next exercise in space."

"I also need to get used to the controls." Naruto pointed out.

With the press of a button Sasuke opened the door of a simulator and took the front seat while Naruto took the rear one.

"Let's start with an easy one, shall we?" Sasuke scrolled the list of missions. He had gone through more than a half by now and done them more than once. He found this kind of depressing since he had done more than required for their level only to stop thinking about Naruto's illness.

Picking a mission on Luna that was fairly easy he pressed the green stat button and the screen in front of him lit up with an image of space. As the pilot he began flying towards the distant image of Luna.

"Watch out for the enemies. We'll be ambushed soon." He told Naruto who was already ready to attack anytime.

A cargo ship appeared on the radar and several small one man planes left the cargo ship to attack them. Naruto attacked them with balls of condensed chakra and hit with incredible precision, pulverizing them one by one. Although he could launch only two at a time he made them so fast one after the other that Sasuke was left speechless.

"What the fuck is that, Naruto?" Sasuke's voice was laced with concern and anger. Naruto's attacks were using too much chakra. At this rate he wouldn't last the whole mission.

"It's called rasengan." The blond answered cheerfully. He was having the time of his life with this mission as if it was the most exciting thing he had done in a very long time and it probably was, Sasuke realized with regret.

"You'll deplete your chakra reserves before we even finish, you moron." Sasuke was by now seriously considering switching positions and let Naruto be the pilot.

"You've never been concerned about that before and all the things I showed you were made out of my chakra." Sasuke's eyes went wide in shock as he remembered what Neji told him when he scanned the House of the Butterflies with his byakugan. Naruto's memories were brought to life with chakra, a lot of chakra since they were more than mere illusions. "I've got plenty of that."

The enemies were wiped out in no time and the mission was successfully completed.

"You're amazing." Sasuke leaned back in his chair as soon as the screen became black again and allowed his body to relax. Although it was an easy mission having Naruto with him made him tensed and exited at the same time. He's been waiting to fly with Naruto for so long and this simulation was the best thing he could get until their next exercise.

"Not really. I just have a lot of chakra I guess." Naruto dismissed him as if it was nothing but Sasuke has never heard of anyone with such huge chakra reserves before. "Do you mind if we switch places? I want to try flying too."

Seeing Naruto so excited and happy brought a smile on Sasuke's face. How could he say 'no' to his angel? He could never deny anything to Naruto.

They spent a few hours in the simulator going through different missions and Sasuke had to admit that Naruto was a fast learner. If it was because his memories helped him in some way or not he didn't know, not that it mattered. In the end they figured that both of them would do well both as pilot and co-pilot and Sasuke was more than content with the situation.

"I can hardly wait for our first real mission." Naruto told him as they lay in bed that evening. Naruto's excitement had not faded in the slightest since they left the simulation room.

"You'll be tested first by Ibiki but I'm sure you'll do great." Their lips met and Sasuke melted in the kiss. He couldn't imagine how he lived for such a long time deprived of Naruto's warmth, his mesmerizing blue eyes and his kisses.

Has it been like this in their other lives together? Did he feel the same as he feels now? He probably did. "What will you choose if he asks you to choose?"

Naruto's eyes met his and the blond seemed to be looking for an answer in the onyx eyes. "What did you choose?" Naruto eventually asked.

"I didn't."

"Then I'll ask to be your partner whatever you choose." Sasuke smiled at him and pulled him in another kiss. He could never have enough of those plump, soft, rosy lips.

"That's not exactly how it works but I'd be honored if you did that."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked confused.

"We don't get to choose our partners. That is something the instructors decide but I'm sure the Head Commander pulled some strings for you." Sasuke explained still smiling. "She arranged for us to be roommates too."

A pair of tanned arms wrapped around Sasuke's pale neck. "I'm glad she did."

"Me too." Sasuke nuzzled the blonde's neck inhaling his addicting scent that reminded Sasuke of spring on Terra.