~Warning/Disclaimer~

Naruto and Co. don't belong to me. Sad, isn't it?  Kyubi's characterization is purely invented—I don't know if he's really like that, but I'd like to think so. ^_~

So um. Sex and lime-ish warning for this chapter. Read at your own risk. Don't bitch because you didn't think.

Enjoy!

(rinse, lather, repeat and review!)

Division

~part 5~

The next few days are painfully, nerve-tight normal.  Sasuke doesn't know whether he should begin asking questions, or just avoid the demon altogether. Things are too strange, too frightening.  It's not right. Nothing is right.

Sasuke finds himself thinking more and more that if he had met up with the two missing-nin responsible for Naruto and Kyubi's situation, he would have killed them himself.  Gladly.  Because this is too much, even for him.

Because the demon doesn't act different; he doesn't look at him weirdly, like the girls do, he doesn't squeal or scream his name—he doesn't do any of the things Sasuke associates with 'normal'.  He's beginning to wonder if he merely dreamed of the conversation between him and Naruto at an hour still in single digits.

Because that's possible, entirely possible, right? No way that a demon could…could like a human, especially in the way that Sasuke suspects it to be.  No way…

Sasuke pushes the mess from his mind with frightening ease, coiling it up into a gray-stained knot in his mind and wanders around the corner of the house. The grass pricks his feet, staining them a faint green, but he doesn't mind.  He pauses when he stands just before the small yard behind the house.

Sh-thunk.

Naruto is standing in the middle with a string of shuriken and kunai strapped to his body.  From the pillow-case tied to the tree, he's practicing his aim.  The fabric is shredded in many places, falling away from the center to reveal pale heartwood.  He is alone, which is strange.

Sasuke frowns.  "Dobe," he calls without thinking.  "Where's the fox?"

Naruto gestures, one hand wiping the sweat off his forehead.  "Somewhere over there. Not too far."

Sasuke eyes the trees and shivers at the thought that he'd have to go alone to find the demon to stick around and stay out of trouble. It's not something he wants to do, not currently; he doesn't have a clue how long the fox might be moody. 

Damn.

"Hey, Sasuke?"  Naruto's voice is unnaturally quiet; his gaze is turned upwards towards the lazy pattern of clouds against the sky.

"Hmmm?" Sasuke pushes hair from his face and rests his fingers against his neck, looking away with a dry mouth. "What is it?" He's going to ask me something about Kyubi…or tell me something…

or…or worse…

"Is it lunchtime?"

~@~

Naruto is on his second helping by the time the demon appears without warning on the table right in the middle.  Sasuke stiffens and doesn't turn from the counter where he scrapes and rinses the dishes before soaping them. It's odd to have the demon in the kitchen; Kyubi hasn't been around as much.

Still, despite being around Sasuke, the demon barely looks at him and doesn't speak to him.  Naruto calmly moves his dish away from the bent legs.  "Where'd you go?"

"Over by that creek," the fox replies, leaning over to sniff at Naruto's lunch of smoked fish, rice and sweet buns. "There were people there."

"Really?"

"Yes.  They bit each other a lot."

Sasuke turns to see Kyubi sneaking bits of the fish from Naruto's plate and sighs inwardly.  He prepares a meal for the demon and places it in front of him, frowning. "You're making a mess on the table."

The demon scoops up his plate and gives him an unconcerned look.

"What do you mean, they bit each other?" Naruto questions as Kyubi gets involved with his fish.  "What were they doing?"

"I don't know; they were biting.  They were on the ground and he was biting her face.  Then they mated." His words and tone are matter of fact.

Sasuke nearly drops the water-slick dish on the floor as Naruto chokes on his water and echoes his thoughts. "They what? You—you watched them?"

Kyubi shrugs and discreetly edges away from the mess of water and glares a dirty look at the other blond. "So what? It looked like fun."

Fun?! They were having sex! And the biting thing… Sasuke discreetly rubs a hand across his brow as he stacks the now-clean dishes in the cupboard.  "They weren't biting, they were kissing, idiot. Kissing."

"Oh," the demon frowns thoughtfully.  "But what's the point?"

"It's a human thing," Sasuke replies and steals the empty plate from Kyubi.  "Kissing someone is a sign of affection."

"Love," Naruto interrupts.  "Like love, too."

For a moment there's nothing but the vague outside-sounds, so Sasuke shies away from the table with the last of the dishes.  It'll be a long day, he thinks.  The demon is absorbed in the bits of information they had given him; he sits on the table with a thoughtful amused expression.  Sasuke turns his back and dumps the plates into the sink.

He can hear a murmur of sound, a question of sorts while his back is turned.

Naruto's louder whisper, "…don't know, I've never really kissed..."

The rest of their nearly silent conversation is lost as Sasuke sets the dishes to dry, but his mind turns the phrase over like a faceted stone to flash the light. Neither have I, he thinks. Because an eleven-year-old Naruto doesn't count.

The scrape of chairs, and a scuffling sound. Sasuke turns to see Naruto pulling the demon off the table.  Kyubi doesn't give any effort to move, but he doesn't resist whatever Naruto's trying to do; he leaves streaks of dirt on the table and a few leaves.

"Sasuke could—"

"No, come on," Naruto mutters. "Don't you dare."

"…fine. Stupid kit," Kyubi sighs and abruptly goes limp and rolls off the table. Sasuke can tell he's landed on his feet by the way he straightens and allows Naruto to pull him from the room.

…what? Sasuke is staring after them in his confusion—something he can't seem to avoid these days, and hears the door shut. Faintly, very faintly, he can make out the tones of Naruto's voice, and Kyubi's more annoyed growl.  What was that about?

And the day passes in unexpected calm.

~@~

The breeze is almost cold on his face, distracting him, keeping his awareness blunt.  It's almost a welcome numbness until a voice whispers behind him.

"Humans shouldn't sleep like that."

It seems to take forever as Sasuke dregs up enough will, enough awareness, to turn his head.  "What are you doing up?"  He feels lethargic where he sits with his chin braced in his palm, staring out the window.  It's late, the half-moon is peeking through the trees, and he's unable to move, unwilling to move more than just his head as a funny sort of friction runs through him.

Kyubi tilts his head and doesn't answer. He stands just beyond the patches of moonlight in the room, wild-scented and grass stained.

Sasuke stares back, moving fraction by fraction until his back leans flat against the wall to the left of the window.  The moonlight is a patch of colorless brightness on the bed; he can make out Naruto's curled up form—the blond is oblivious to the world—and he slides a glance over the stark shadows on Kyubi's skin. "What were you doing out so late?" he questions before he can stop himself; it's been a day or so since he's really seen the male for more than minutes at a time. 

It's only been three days since the flesh was torn and bone cracked.  Are you avoiding me because of what you did? Because you tried to kill me?

Red-black eyes slide along his form and the demon speaks to him directly for the first time in days. "Does it hurt?"

"…what?"

"Your arm…where I bit you. Does it hurt?"

Sasuke can tell the other male is serious, and frowns.  Movement, thought, reaction is coming easier now.  It's strange; he doesn't feel the urge to move away, the tangled skeins of fright and wariness he feels when the demon speaks to him.

"Not anymore," the dark-haired boy answers.  "Naruto said you didn't want to bite me…"

"I have my days," the male replies.  "Sometimes you just beg for a nibble."

"He also said you like me," Sasuke is quite proud of the bland tone of his voice; inwardly he feels suddenly afraid as the red-black eyes sharpen on him, cutting over him. 

"Oh?" the demon purrs with a curl of the mouth.  "And you believed him?"

"Yeah," Sasuke drawls.  "He also said the moon makes you moody…"

"Don't be stupid; it's not the moon." Kyubi tilts his head slowly in the other direction, as if he could feel the weight of the moonlight on his skin.  "Because I like the moon.  Like a pure and crystal-thin scream…"

Sasuke can't understand why he's amused by the rolling movement and the hint of swaying to unheard music; he can't understand why he's not moving, not running or afraid—

…because he should be wary, right?

"Sasuke," Moving onto the bed one leg at a time, across from him, Kyubi breathes out so quietly he has to strain to hear the word.  "Don't you hear it? Dreaming and awake, she sings…"

The dark-haired boy feels himself blink languidly, his heart thumping almost painfully in his chest; the moonlight is very bright, the shadows on skin as sharp as the edge of a blade—too close and he'll cut himself—and Kyubi is radiating warmth.  Such warmth and the scent of the earth, sweet and wild. 

"No," he admits after a moment.  Sasuke watches with mild interest as Kyubi slips himself onto the bed, hands brushing knees and the bed dipping under his weight. It's a wonder that Naruto doesn't wake, but then, the boy had never woken that easily.

Kyubi climbs slowly through the patch of moonlight, eyes flashing red when he glances up and puts his body by the window, on Sasuke's left and against the wall.

Wait—this wasn't right, this wasn't good there had to be something wrong, something that wasn't supposed to happen—

"Scoot down," the demon murmurs and stretches out in the patch of moonlight, silvered skin and hair and black eyes.  Sasuke does so without question, turning and sliding his legs out along the demon's, his body within that space of warmth. Kyubi moves to let the moonlight pass him by; enough to let Sasuke turn his head and stare past him, out into the bright orb set among the splash of stars. 

"Do you want to?" the demon murmurs next; Sasuke has forgotten what he asked a few minutes ago.  Kyubi rolls so close to Sasuke; he's braced on an arm so he can see Sasuke's face

Want to? Do I want to hear the moon? Is that what he meant?

"I…"

This can't be…right, it isn't right—because he likes me—

"I—"

He watches without a care—no-something coils inside him, tightly, warningly-this can't be right—as Kyubi stretches an arm out over his stomach, still moving, and braces himself over Sasuke.  His head over Sasuke's, chest over chest.  Sasuke has to breathe very faintly to keep his skin from touching and he doesn't seem to find it in himself that the demon was acting very strange, that he should care but he doesn't—he doesn't—

"You're going to eat me," falls from Sasuke's lips unbidden. You like me.

"Yes," the demon breathes, sounding thrilled, and lowers his mouth to the right.

Sasuke's eyes flicker to the moon—He's going to kiss me?—he can feel the warm tickling breath on his skin as Kyubi slides further and shivers.  He can see the moon; the sight almost sings in a pitch too high to hear, and there are lips against his skin, against his neck—

Sasuke's eyes flutter shut, mouth falling open, as a tongue grazes the muscles in his neck. The rush of arousal is heady, almost to the point where he can't function—he's never felt anything this strong, nothing like this, moon-bright and red-tinged lust—

—he gives up on convincing himself that something's wrong, that this should not be happening, when teeth press into his skin in a mocking bite and he can catch the faint vibration of that purring noise Kyubi makes every now and then.

Holy shit, he thinks, as a body slips down against his. A body against him. A chest and a heartbeat, thudding a rhythm out to his. A mouth, a kiss to his pulse, a tongue to taste him.  Sasuke's face warms with a flush; he can feel the hardness of the demon's arousal against his hip, almost touching his—and something writhes inside at the thought that he wants it to—that he can smell the musky overpowering scent of the demon, of Naruto—because this was Naruto, in a way, this was—

"Kyubi," he breathes out. "…don't…"

The demon growls against his skin, absent and faint. One hand twitches at the hem of Sasuke's shirt, lifting until heated fingers slip up along his ribcage, across his chest, pushing it up and baring his skin.  The demon bites along the seam of neck and shoulder, then a harder nip, and shifts his hips a fraction. Words without words to show his intent.

Sasuke jumps at the movement, at the contact because it's too intimate, too close and he likes it oh god he does—

And then the demon is rubbing himself slowly, moving against him in a way that sends fire screaming through Sasuke's nerves and melting through his spine because this was sex—it was sex wasn't it?—and the demon was moving so smoothly and his body…

…his traitorous foolish body can't help the way he moves in response.

no no this is bad, something screams. Something that tears at his mind, trying to get free, trying to stop—

but he's so hard and he's never been this hard and he's never thought it could feel like this—Does it feel like this all the time?—and then Kyubi's clever fingers are mapping out his chest and stomach and just inside the waistline.

Sasuke can see the moon and makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat as he tries to breath and tries to move just a bit faster, because it was there—it was there and while he didn't know exactly what shape it was going to make—it was—

—almost—

"What are you doing!?" someone hisses. "Kyubi! Stop that!"

Motion stops, and Sasuke makes a strange noise; his fingers twitch where they're loosely curled against the sheets but that's as much movement as he's able to do. The body against him doesn't lift, the pressure is there, and if he could just move—

"…stop interfering!"

"Dammit!"

The bed jumps violently as Naruto scrambles up and shoves at Kyubi with hands at his shoulders. "Are you stupid? You can't just force him and warp him over like that—you can't do that to Sasuke, you can't make him want it!"

"Why not?"

"You're raping him!!" Naruto shoves again, rocking the three of them on the bed; Sasuke's mouth is brushing the woodsy-scented fabric, tasting the head just beyond it. The motion of the bed is dizzying, heated, but he can't move—

—because there's something wrong—Why can't I move?

"I'm not," the demon whispers coldly, allowing Naruto's ineffectual shoves. "He wants it. Don't you? I know you do—"

Naruto is still shoving at the shoulder with fists and an unexpected fury; Sasuke can see him when he turns his head because Naruto's body blocks the moon and then he can see the flicker of the blue chakra in the darkness. Naruto hisses and leans furiously into the demon's space.  "Get off, Kyubi.  I'm not going to let you do it like this! Not like this!"

Kyubi's face shifts into a dangerous predatory expression, and a strange vibration of frustration lies under the voice.  "I'm not some human that will throw out flowers for a fuck—"

"You can't force him!" Naruto insists. "Not likes this!"

"Kit—"

"I know how much you want to," Naruto finally admits. "I know.  But you can't, not like this. Please, Kyubi…don't do this to him…you have to ask…"

Seconds tick away before the demon whispers harshly. "I need this—I didn't get a choice in this—"

"I know.  But not like this," Naruto briefly drops his forehead against the clenched jaw and strokes his fingers carefully on the line of the shoulder. 

"Fine.  Fine."  Kyubi rasps out a breath, his chakra flaring violently, scraping walls and bed and floor, tearing up splinters and plaster and paint.  Sasuke flinches instinctively below him, eyes jerking shut as he turns his head away.

When Sasuke opens his eyes, as his muscles twitch and finally respond to his brain's impulses, the demon is gone, totally gone from his senses.  He doesn't know if he should feel relieved or not; he's too confused to put the pieces together.

Naruto exhales tiredly and his posture shifts until he's sitting on the bed again. 

And Sasuke moves without thinking, gasping, kicking and pushing himself backwards, rucking up sheets and clothing as the adrenaline suddenly kicks in.

"What did he do to me?!" Sasuke tumbles off the bed and lands painfully on his back.  Naruto is watching him with wide eyes, lines of shadow and moonlight stark on his skin, but Sasuke still scrambles backward, trying to do what he should have done. "What the fuck did he do?"

"Sasuke…" Naruto moves to the edge of the bed and looks at him, concerned, hesitant, and Sasuke flinches back violently at the thought of someone touching him or even near him at the moment.

"What did he do?"

"I told you," Naruto explains. "He likes you…you heard what he said, right? He doesn't do things like we do…he just…" Naruto shrugs uncomfortably and bites his lip; the action seems unnatural for him and Sasuke has to remind himself that this isn't really Naruto anyway. So it doesn't count.

"He was going to…he was…" Sasuke swallows against the frantic spasms of his heart.

"…yeah," Naruto looks away uncertainly, almost afraid, hurt, like he'll break down and cry. Or something.

The expression passes as Sasuke struggles to inhale properly, for a moment to calm his mind and trying not to scream—

—because he would have done it, he would have let him—

"Why?" Sasuke gasps. It's the most expression he's shown to anyone, the most weakness in showing his fear, his confusion. "Why?"

"I don't know," Naruto mumbles. "He never told me why."

~@~

"I'm going to talk with Hokage-sama," is the first and only words Sasuke greets him with as Naruto walks into the kitchen. The blond isn't exactly sure where Sasuke spent the night; he didn't bother following him after Sasuke had stumbled out of the room in his panic.  At second glance he takes in the bowl of miso soup and portion of rice and fidgets uncomfortably; Sasuke is already dressed and slipping on his sandals.

"With Tsunade? But—"

Sasuke shoots a glance over his shoulder; he's almost out the door and his shoulders are tense.  Naruto is familiar with this look, so he shuts his mouth and sits at the table and shoves away the fear inside. He doesn't look up until he hears the scrape of the closing door.

He's going. He's really going.

Naruto doesn't feel like eating, so he pushes the bowls away and tucks his feet up on his chair.  "Stupid," he whispers. He doesn't look up at the soft spitting sound from the corner, where Kyubi lurks because he knew the fox was there. 

But Kyubi had been right; he didn't have the choice—it was all his fault—

"I'm sorry," Naruto whispers. "I didn't—"

"Don't. Just don't."

"But—but what if he leaves—"

Kyubi's footsteps are soundless on the floor but Naruto knows the moment he moves.  He relaxes a fraction when the demon leans over him, chin digging into the joint in his shoulder. Hair tickles his ears and neck as arms steal around his body.

"He won't," the kitsune whispers, sounding amused. "Because I can drag him back here for you…"

"You just wanna sleep with him," Naruto mumbles.

"Your point?" Kyubi nips the skin of his shoulder.  "I take this moment to remind you that you want him too."

Naruto shrugs hesitantly.  "I don't know what I want anymore…"

~@~

Voices, low and unusually intense, stop him before he can open the door to the Hokage's private room.  Sasuke frowns and with fingertips resting lightly on the wood, freezes into silence.

"—It's not a good thing."  The Hokage's voice. Frustrated.

"We don't know how this will play out yet," a man's voice slowly replies.  "You've got Naruto's fragile self, a demon who's main purpose at this point is to protect his host, thus himself—and then you throw in the coldest, loneliest boy I've ever seen.  Uchiha Sasuke has more problems than he shows.  Maybe…"

"Maybe?"

"Maybe having Naruto depend on him is a good thing.  Maybe Sasuke needs to feel needed.  Afterall, those two have more passion around each other than any I've seen—"

"They fight like cats and dogs," Tsunade's voice mutters.  "And now that they've got the demon to mess with their heads, who knows what will happen."

Sasuke's world narrows to a pinprick point as he exhales, gut twisting. Needed? Naruto…I know Naruto needs me…but…

The demon…Kyubi…what about him? What am I supposed to do?

I can't talk to her. I can't. She won't understand.  Sasuke inhales a shallow breath and bites his lip.  I've got orders. Orders from the Hokage. I risk the village because I'm being selfish…

I am shinobi.  I don't get a choice.

…but…

~@~

"I'm beginning to think I've made a mistake." Tsunade folds her hands in her lap and frowns at the folds of the fabric.

"Oh?" The man across from her sips generously from the small sake cup before placing it empty on the low table.

"…Sasuke was given orders to stay with Naruto, to provide stability and a sense of safety.  I gave him orders to do whatever is necessary to keep things calm…"

"And how is that bad?" Jiraiya tucks his hands inside his kimono.

"Because the Kyubi wants more than Sasuke should give. Too much for Sasuke to handle."

"Ah. So the little bastard demon wants to get laid?" the white-haired sennin grins to himself, chuckling. 

"This isn't funny, old man. I won't condemn Sasuke to such a thing—laying with a demon, regardless of form, is too dangerous. We don't know the risks! It's my fault; I shouldn't have given him such an order—

"But you're forgetting one thing," the man points out.  "Some demons, like the kitsune, don't take someone without permission.  Goes against their code.  Sasuke has to want it, and I mean really want it, before that can happen.  With Naruto in the picture, I think it's much harder for the demon to seduce him."

"…what are you saying?" Tsunade glares doubtfully and makes a face. "And how would you know, anyway?"

"It's not the demon's choice.  It's Naruto's. And I know," the white-haired man leans forward with a smirk. "Because I'm the legendary toad-sennin Jiraiya—I'm the greatest there is!"

"…idiot." Tsunade mutters.  "I walked right into that one."

~@~

"What are you doing out here, Sasuke?"

Sasuke doesn't reply; he knows what he looks like, perched motionless in the middle of the road. He hasn't gotten far since overhearing the Hokage's words, not far from the uncertain fickle demons within him.  He couldn't run far enough if he tried, he knows and so he stands there. Motionless, frozen, trembling.

Kakashi eyes him with a fair amount of worry, moving close enough to touch and somehow hesitant to do so.  Sasuke seems locked in some internal debate—

"Kakashi-sensei," the boy finally rasps out. 

Kakashi repeats his question and wonders if he dares to ask how the other two are doing, how things have been.

Sasuke doesn't answer.

"Ah," Kakashi nervously rubs the back of his head. "I hope you're not mad at me for not visiting sooner—"

"No," Sasuke whispers.  "Not that.  I can't…think. I'm trying to think but it won't unknot itself…"

"Are you alright, Sasuke?"

"No," and Sasuke's voice shakes the tiniest bit.  "Kakashi...I…I can't…I don't think I can do this…"

Out of habit or instinct—Kakashi isn't sure which some days—he reaches out a hand and brushes it against the finely-shaking shoulder—

Gasping, Sasuke pivots instantly, his outflung heel connecting with Kakashi's automatic blocking forearm. The look in his eyes is wild, out of control, desperate.  Surprised, the silver-haired man allows Sasuke's palm-strike to push him back a few inches.

"…Kakashi-sensei—" the boy flinches and draws back.

"I see.  You're stressed—So then—" Kakashi blurs out of sight and twists into a spin, kicking knee and heel towards Sasuke's vulnerable points; he's glad to feel the solid block before they hit.  "Stress-relief!" he sings out, flipping over and dropping a elbow like a stone.

He wonders, as he ducks under a fist and exchanges a blow of his own, who Sasuke is fighting.

Kakashi can see the change in Sasuke's eyes as they bleed to red, as the boy welcomes the mind-blanking exercise; for the next twenty minutes he's reduced to using nearly every trick in the book outside of his jutsus to avoid Sasuke's furious desperate strikes.

Minutes pass as they settle into a rhythm of strike and counter-strike, duck and kick, block and punch. The older man can see in the red eyes how Sasuke fights to understand his problem, to gain control again.

Perhaps, Kakashi muses. For such people like us, fighting is control.

Then, after sweeping away a jabbing fist, Sasuke simply stops.

Kakashi remains on his guard and steps back slightly. "Feeling better?"

Sasuke nods slowly, sweaty and smeared with dusk.  Kakashi is rather proud of the fact that he was unable to land a single blow completely on the boy—and secretly relieved that he came out unscathed as well. He sways—

—and Kakashi is there to steady him as his forehead bumps into the green vest, as his hands come up to clutch helplessly at the fabric.

"Kakashi," the boy whispers, face unreadable.  "I was given orders by the Hokage…Orders to do whatever is necessary, because Naruto needs me…"

"Ah?" Kakashi looks up from dusting off his clothes. "And why is that bad?"

Fingers twitch as Sasuke's gaze slides elsewhere, fear and uncertainty flashes over his eyes. "The fox…he…he wants…and I can't…I can't, can I? I shouldn't—"

Kakashi carefully lays a hand against the back of Sasuke's head, trying for comfort; he's not sure on how these things work.  "Does the Hokage know of this?"

"I…haven't talked to her yet.  She was with someone, and I overheard…She was talking about the three of us.  That it might be a good thing. And I…I couldn't possibly…"

Kakashi lets out a soft breath and tries to make his voice as serious as possible.  "I was briefed on this situation; she's mentioned this might happen." Sasuke stiffens against him, shaking minutely. "And you know already about being Naruto's stable force right now—but do you understand it?"

"I thought I did. I thought…but now everything's—"

"Aah, you're still young," Kakashi pats him gently, gingerly. "Listen, Sasuke—do you understand why Naruto needs you?"

A fist smashed against his chest hard enough to leave a bruise and Sasuke bared his teeth when he drew back his head to shout, "Goddamit Kakashi—If I did, I wouldn't be here! I don't get any of this! I never—"

"Because Naruto likes you. It's not just the Kyubi.  Both of them are fascinated by you, Sasuke."

The dark-haired boy pushed him with unexpected strength; with his slender figure and wiry body, Kakashi forgot that he was fifteen, nearly adult, sometimes.  "You're lying," Sasuke exhaled. "Lying. No way.  Naruto—Naruto can't—"

"Man, you kids," Kakashi rubs at his forehead while Sasuke stumbles back another pace.  "Always have to be different.  Why can't you just believe me on this? Naruto likes you; he fights for you, would die for you, and all that?"

Sasuke doesn't answer; he can only stare at him.

"Is it that bad?" Kakashi muses.  "I mean, he's not ugly or anything, and he's got great stamina—"

"Stop it!" Sasuke cries with clenched fists, shoulders shaking. "Just…how can I…how can I do something like this?"

"We~ell, that's something you'll have to figure out on your own."

~@~

Sasuke doesn't know how he managed to stumble back down the path and to the outskirts of the house; he doesn't know how he ended up leaning against the tree, winded as if he had ran all the way, shaking and confused.

He needs me. He likes me. They both like me. Like that. I—

I don't know what to do.

He closes his eyes and tries to banish the whisper of words from his memory, the pain and rawness— "I didn't get a choice in this—"

Sasuke exhales and raises his eyes to the house; the sun is low in the sky and the shadows are deep.  He knows, if it's true, if Naruto really—feels that—that it means they both would—

They'd both—

Sasuke exhales a second time and tries hard to stop the shaking in the pit of his stomach. He's had training on this sort of thing; it's not unusual for a shinobi to use sex during a mission. He knows how things work between two people, or three, or—or—

"I can't do this," Sasuke whispers to himself. "And I…I can't run away from this…"

But…the hand passes over his face and he straightens. But how—

How am I going to do this?

~@~

Naruto is aware of the exact moment Sasuke enters the house; it's almost like he can taste the difference in the air, the presence of the other.  Kyubi knows too, as Naruto glances up, by the way the sensation of the demon goes sharp and attentive.  A part of him is glad that the demon isn't there to aggravate the situation.

Something flutters inside; Naruto is scared to death that Sasuke will say the Hokage gave him permission to leave. Something tears itself to pieces trying to ignore that possibility as he sits there, knees to chest and back to the closed window. 

He can hear footsteps on the stairs; he wants to watch the door the way with hard burning eyes, but he can't. All he can watch is the way his knuckles go white and the way his feet dig into the bedspread.

He's going away, his mind insists. He's going away.

And then Sasuke's standing in the doorway with a glance to him, and then…

"…it's you, isn't it?" Sasuke whispers. "That's why?"

Naruto focuses on the bare legs of Sasuke, on his feet, seeing dust stains and the rough redness from sparring, but he doesn't ask. It would be too personal.  Like Sasuke's question is too personal. "Sasuke," he whispers, dry-mouthed, and avoids looking up.

He's going away!

The thought makes him want to cry; he hates crying, abhors it. It's weak, crying's weak and he can't be weak in front of Sasuke—

"Is it because of you?" Sasuke repeats.

Naruto nods, jerkily, as the brief hunger of Kyubi sharpens; the demon knows Sasuke is near.  "I—"  He looks up.

Sasuke is watching him with a strange look; Naruto knows this look. It's heated and vulnerable and young.  He's seen it before.  He…he's completely open. No masks, no hiding—

"Sasuke…" Naruto manages to breathe out.  "I…I understand if you don't—if you don't—"

…don't what, like me? Want me?

"It's what you need, isn't it?" Sasuke lowers his eyes and looks away, to the floor, while one hand fidgets uselessly with the edge of a sleeve.  "Both of you…" He blinks, and slides a glance back to the blond, uncertain, afraid, wary—

Naruto manages to smile. "I need…you. Nothing else, really—" and he blushes a horrible red at Sasuke's shocked look. He turns his face to the bed again, pushing his forehead on his knees and exhales.

A shuffle of sound, and Naruto doesn't have to raise his head to know Sasuke's moved closer to the bed; he can see the strong-looking legs move into view.  He peeks over his knees to see hands flexing slightly.

"N-Naruto." A knee settles on the bed, and as Naruto raises his eyes just a bit further, he can see the pulse racing in the hollow of the pale throat.

And then he can't speak at all by the time he manages to meet Sasuke's eyes because he's a lot closer than Naruto expected. 

"But you need this?" Sasuke whispers to him, mouth moving slowly.

Naruto can feel his heart slam into a higher gear as Sasuke leans forward. His lips part as he struggles to speak; but he can't, Sasuke's too close—

I'm afraid, a part of him moans.

Sasuke leans over him without touching him, and clumsily presses his mouth against Naruto's.  The dark strands of hair fall against his face as Sasuke adjusts his head. Naruto can't move, can't breathe, because Sasuke's mouth is warm and trembling. 

His arm finally moves from its position on his knees, a hand rising to shake against Sasuke's shoulder; the muscled flesh feels hot beneath his fingers. His breath is nothing more than shallow exhalations.  Sasuke angles his head and his mouth opens against the corner of Naruto's mouth.  The blond copies his movements through the instinct that Sasuke would know more about kissing than he would, and jumps as something wet brushes across his lower lip.

…tongue, he's using tongue—

Sasuke's moving closer.  The only parts of their bodies touching are their mouths and the inner curve of Sasuke's thigh where it presses against Naruto's shin.  Sasuke's moving closer, pressing his mouth insistently and slowly. His tongue moves efficiently into Naruto's mouth, forcing it to open further.  The thought that it should feel weird, really weird, crosses the blond's mind, but he can't figure out what should feel weird.  Because it doesn't.  Not this. 

They kiss like this for a while, tension-tight bodies and mouths that seamlessly move together, Naruto wordlessly allowing Sasuke to pull him apart stitch by stitch by stitch until he realizes that he's got an arm thrown around the dark-haired boy's neck and Sasuke's pulling at his legs, pushing him, and he's flat on the bed—

Naruto can't seem to catch his breath when Sasuke pulls back, braced over his body, watching him with lidded coal-dark eyes and lips that look red and swollen.

"Well, isn't that special," a low voice purrs, amused and gently mocking.

~tbc~

~a/n~ Ah, uh, there's MORE, you know.  *cough*  I'm just too much of a coward to post the lemon on FFnet…

so..uh, link yourself to the AFFnet up in my profile.  Really.  you don't wanna miss out on that, do you?

(1) – and that expression is the one he had when Naruto thought he was dying…_ I thought, personally, it was more open than he'd ever been…*cough*