Disclaimer: Naruto still belongs to Kishimoto-sama.

Warnings: Umm...nothing in particular. Slight angst.

III.

Sasuke paused behind a tree, panting silently in a somewhat futile attempt to catch his breath, and listening hard. Red Sharingan eyes scanned the forest systematically, searching for his opponent.

An almost inaudible rustle above him was his only warning. He just barely managed to roll forward as a dark-clad figure with sun-yellow hair landed where he'd been standing a second before.

The Uchiha teen immediately tossed off a couple of kunai, hoping to catch Naruto off guard.

Damn, almost! The whiskered ninja dodged his attack, and they both stopped, eyeing each other across the clearing.

"Shall we?" Sasuke asked, still panting, one hand going over his shoulder to his sword's hilt.

"Yeah," Naruto replied, also reaching back for his staff, which he quickly locked out to its full length of about four feet.

They stood still a few seconds more, weapons held ready, and then flew at each other, the steel of Sasuke's sword clanging with that of Naruto's staff. Strike and parry, strike and parry…the two ninja danced and wove through the forest, making their sparring seem more like a well-choreographed performance than the actual fight it was.

Just as they were both about to drop from exhaustion, Naruto found an opening, slipping the end of his staff quickly around the sword blade to press the end of it up against Sasuke's throat, being careful to stay out of his reach.

Sharingan eyes closed and opened as deep onyx. Sasuke grimaced, frustrated, but nodded, and lowered his sword, sheathing it in one fluid motion as Naruto withdrew and collapsed his staff, grinning.

"Enough for today?" The blond shinobi queried, half-turning in the direction of the village.

"Aa." Still peeved, Sasuke nevertheless followed without argument, and Naruto, sensing his friend's displeasure, did not rub in his victory as he might otherwise have done. It was obvious – to Naruto at least – that the dark-eyed teen was still suffering from his inferiority complex, no matter that he had gotten much, much stronger.

I'm not just going to let him win, though, Naruto thought with exasperation. And it's not like I win all the time – he's beaten me at least as often as I've beaten him in these training sessions. It had been a month since Sasuke had moved into his own apartment, and they had been training together nearly every day since then.

It's helped me too, Naruto admitted to himself as they neared the city gates. It's helped ease the difficulty of being alone again…Naruto shook his head. Dumb. It's not as if he'd want to keep living with you…with the monster….

"Ne, ne, Sasuke," Naruto said, trying to get away from the prison of his own thoughts, "it's been a month now since your punishment was up. Didn't Tsunade-obaachan say something about getting you tested now? You're well above Chuunin level at this point, but she'll probably need some kind of formal thing to show everyone else that it's true."

Sasuke blinked at Naruto, the dark cloud hanging over him lifting a little. "Aa," he replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well…I was just wondering if…" Naruto frowned down at his feet, arms behind his head.

"If…what?"

"Eheheh," the blond teen slid his familiar grin into place. Idiot. Why would he need to keep training with you, once he's made Chuunin and is doing missions and stuff? Just let it go!"It's nothing, Sasuke."

"No, it's not nothing," Sasuke frowned at him and stopped walking. "What's wrong, Naruto? What did you want to ask me?"

"Just wondering if being made Chuunin will give you a better fashion sense to go with it!" He grinned a little wider, eyes closed, and stuck his tongue out at his friend before taking off for the village.

"Usuratonkachi! What do you mean I don't have any fashion sense!" Annoyed, Sasuke went after Naruto, and pushed the strange look that had been in Naruto's eyes to the back of his head. There'd be time to worry about that later – after he taught the dobe a lesson.

The "dobe" in question grinned as he heard Sasuke give chase, and ignored the pain inside. I'll just have to start doing lots of missions again…and Tsunade-obaachan won't be able to yell at me about it for awhile either, since I've just had three whole months of rest! It's been fun being with Sasuke again, but it's better for me to be out of the village, now. He won't want me hanging around too much, especially not with my reputation in the village about as bad as it's ever been. I'll do everyone in Konoha more good by being out doing important missions….

Taking a deep breath, and shoving all the hurt and doubt deep down inside, Naruto plastered his trademark grin on his face and nodded to himself. Yes, as soon as Sasuke has been tested, I'll start going out again. This firmly resolved, Naruto then put some real attention into avoiding Sasuke and working his way toward the ramen shop, where he was hoping his friend might treat him.