Warnings: Yaoi and/or shounen-ai content.
Rating: PG-13 / T and/or R / M for slightly mature themes, though still within the bracket of actual teenage situations. Rating may go up, pending the outcome of this...trial...?
Genre: Romance / Drama
Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto owns this first and foremost…then all those other companies that sponsor him.
Author's Note: Hey there. I'm not sure if this will turn into something more than a one-shot, but here's for trying.
Word Count: 4,248 words, not including footnotes, titles, or quotes.

- I n s p i r a t i o n -
A Lazy Sunday Morning

By ChaseAnyDream

Inspiration is everywhere…can you see it the way I do?

His eyes opened to what seemed like the third time that morning. The weather that ghosted over his skin was warm to the point of disregarding his blanket, yet the light streaming in from the window above him wasn't hindering his corneas, and thankfully, wasn't the cause that woke him up from his peaceful slumber. The sound of human bustle and animal chirps outside his window indicated that he hadn't slept in too long, but all the same, he should've been up before the crack of dawn.

On instinct, Naruto looked across the room at his white alarm clock sitting on his desk; the purpose of it being so far away was so that when it rang, he'd have to walk all the way across the room (and in the process waking himself up) in order to stop its blaring rings. However, after two days of adjusting to this plan of rousing, his body, when hearing the irritating noises, would simply act on autopilot and turn it off without Naruto himself ever waking up.

It was pretty sad when he thought about it.

8:30

He'd slept for a half hour since the last time he looked at the clock. Immediately, he fell back onto his pillow and closed his eyes, not at all displeased when he was beginning to drift off once again. With a groan, however, he rolled off the mussed bed sheets that constantly needed its edges to be tucked under the mattress because it shrunk when he last washed them and refused to keep his bed covered.

The corners of his eyes were beginning to be cleared of the remnants of his dreams and sleep, his hand helping to rub the rest away. Opening the door, he was met with a quiet hallway and heavy air; a quick glance around him proved that the windows in all the other rooms were closed tight. His mouth gave out a small yawn, quickly stifled when he smelled his own breath.

When he came out of the bathroom, he opened the windows and drew aside the curtains that covered them, the sunlight brightening the area and the breeze taking away the last dregs of his sleep-fogged mind. Some of the curtains he left unopened because of their location facing east; he was too young to have his eyes seared out of their sockets.

Instead of looking at the sun, Naruto peered through the windows to the bright sky ahead of him. The stretch of blinding blue made him squint and his eyes nearly unfocused themselves from the spot he selected, so he turned away and let his eyes readjust themselves in the house.

Breakfast was an easy decision as to what to eat, seeing as how he ate the same thing every morning—er, well, he tried to eat the same thing every morning. The reason why he wasn't able to eat the seemingly "offending" food daily was, because, as someone put it, "unhealthy and because I said so".

Chancing a look into the kitchen, Naruto smiled in relief when no obstruction was glaring back at him. Filling the aluminum kettle with water and placing it on the heating stove, he dug out a foam cup from a stash he hid away in a…secret…location.

Sneezing, however, Naruto concluded that hiding ramen with the dust bunnies in the space between the counter and the floor was not a good "secret place".

One of the aforementioned dust bunnies rolled out from under the "secret spot" and stared defiantly at Naruto, who glared back with much more ferocity. For a few seconds, the glaring match continued, before Naruto grumbled a few colorful phrases and kicked it back from whence it came.

Making a sound of triumph, he peeled the wrapper off the ramen cup and set it on the counter, waiting for the water to boil. Another look around the kitchen showed a rather clean environment, free of dust and contained much more extravagant appliances than his old apartment used to have. Before his migration into this place, Naruto barely understood the use of a mixer, let alone how to use one!

Of course, when he first used one to make cake with Sasuke, the image of red, spiraling eyes under a thick layer of flour covering the rest of his entire body was something that Naruto would never forget and didn't quite want to relive…

…especially since he wasn't allowed to eat ramen ever again until he cleaned everything up.

The wind rustled his hair from his position of leaning against the countertop, and he was suddenly reminded of…several…events that took place against the same countertop.

Sweat trickling down his hairline and neck, his body glistening with the liquid. He could feel his knees giving out from the constant pressure in him; the body pinning him there was also covered in radiant exertion, and whenever Naruto looked back at him, he could feel himself becoming hot all over again.

An incoming breeze from an open window whispered against and cooled his sweat, making him shiver. The sudden movement caused the one behind him to moan in enjoyment, their rhythm suddenly halted. From there, Naruto saw stars and white-hot, pounding lights.

The whistling of the kettle took him out of his reverie; Naruto immediately thought that eating something hot was a bad idea and used his hand to fan himself, but shook the thoughts away and poured the liquid over his noodles. Placing his chopsticks over the lid, the three minute-long wait commenced.

Bringing his noodles over to the dining table, he saw himself in the shiny glass covering the tablecloth. His hair was even messier than it usually was, the spikes going in directions he'd never seen them in. He ran a hand through it and looked again—good enough.

Contently, he settled down and prayed his thanks, attacking the wiry food and soup. Birds were still chirping outside, the daily bustle continued, and the sky was still blindingly clear. The polished, wooden chair he was sitting on suddenly reminded Naruto of another…event…that took place there. The noodles, he hoped, would take his mind off of the thoughts that were making him hotter than the soup.

The silence echoing in his ears was filled with his slurping and uncomfortable shifting on the chair. The thoughts invading his mind were making it harder and harder for him to concentrate on his ramen, which was supposed to be the greatest food of all time and could cure any problem and chase away any thought, but here he was, fighting away dirty thoughts that would make Ero-sennin blush.

Why was it so hard!

Quickly finishing his noodles and cleaning up the dishes, Naruto retreated from the dining table with all the speed he could muster. He then threw off his clothes and jumped into a pair of drawstring pants and t-shirt, his shoes coming on next. He felt the blush come onto his cheeks when he thought about the last time he wore those clothes, but disregarded them and quickly locked the house and began jogging outside.

Hoping that his heart's constant pattering would be replaced with the rush of exercise, Naruto took off and let his legs carry him to wherever they pleased. The trees along the pathway were lush with green leaves swaying with the dry wind, the different hues blending and unblending with the glints of sunlight. Clouds were but random splotches in the blindingly blue sky above, allowing the sun to beat down on Naruto's already hot face.

Swallowing hard, he ran just a bit faster and closed his eyes. He wasn't sure why he was runny so fast or why he was feeling so warm. He knew why, of course, but he just didn't understand why he still felt like this when he thought about Sasuke in…that...way. They'd been together for nearly two years, but began…those…activities just recently, but with the amount of times they'd done it—

No! Stop thinking of that, Uzumaki, or you'll scare some old lady more than she already is of you! He thought to himself, willing his lungs to take in air as his side screamed for him to stop. He was already panting and heaving, but he pressed forward, willing the pain in his side to desist and for his body to calm down.

His eyes were still closed when he nearly ran over a random woman. She shouted something as she went down, and when Naruto finally opened his eyes, heaving and waiting for his breath to catch, she was yelling things at him. Her groceries were strewn across the pavement, but she paid them only half a mind as she yelled, at the top of her lungs, how irresponsible he was and how he ran into her on purpose.

Naruto, still panting, sat on his calves and painfully smiled, waiting for her to finish. He knew she didn't want him to help to pick up her groceries, so he merely waited until she finished yelling.

"…I can't even believe you had the nerve to run in the middle of traffic! How reckless for other peoples' safety! You don't even have parents for me to blame! I'd have kicked you out of my home years ago if you were my boy!—"

Naruto's breath was already at a regular pace by now and he was no longer struggling with the intruding thoughts of…him (he didn't want to become all hot again in the middle of the woman's lecture in case she got any other things to yell at him for). He was just smiling in the middle of the street as she kept gathering her endless supply of fruits and vegetables, the sun beating down on his neck and arms, sweat trickling down his spine.

Even though it'd been seventeen years since these curses were thrown at him, Naruto still, although he wouldn't admit it even through torture, felt the pangs of hurt piercing him.

Naruto stood up, inhaling a shaky breath when she was done. The woman stomped away, still angrily muttering to herself. He tried to ignore the prickly needles in his legs as he walked, deciding against his jog; he didn't feel the need anymore.

The morning's marketplace was filled with fishermen with their last-minute fish loads, mothers who were hurrying to buy last-minute deals on breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and children who either tagged along with their mothers or were just playing around with other children. Were they also orphans like Naruto?

He found himself idly wondering similar questions, but they were halted when random woman and men called the children back to them when Naruto came close. Perhaps they weren't orphans after all. Even if they were parentless, they still had adults who cared for them. That, in itself, is parenthood, is it not?

Naruto found himself in a clearing in the forest where the bustle of the market was but a faint echo in the wind as it breezed through the strands in his hair. The sunlight brought out even more hues of green in the trees and bushes and cast lights over his skin, making it seem a brighter shade of tan.

The warmth seeped into his clothes, swirling around his body and ghosting over his skin, dancing with the light breeze. Summer was approaching, but Naruto didn't feel as if the upcoming season was the cause of the increasing warmth along his body. It glided over him, seeping under his skin and pooling in his groin.

Shivering because of more than just a sudden, cool breeze, Naruto turned around. The green foliage met him, yet he could distinctly hear the dim rustle of leaves and the smell of what hung on his lover's clothes.

"Naruto."

It was barely encased in a word—more of a breathed syllable than anything else, but Naruto heard it. It made him shiver even more with anticipation.

He heard another faint rustle behind him. He turned around and immediately shielded himself from an oncoming train of ebony hair and eyes. The smirk that he was so familiar with the past years was taunting him into doing things that made Naruto burn hotter. Suddenly, the air around him was thick with some kind of need—a need to do something, anything.

Sasuke's lips were on his own, nothing savage about it, but neither was it chaste. Naruto still didn't know how to describe the feelings that Sasuke could place into him with a simple kiss alone. It was as if he promised no more pain, no more of those episodes with people like that woman in the marketplace, and no more bad memories. The kiss, however, insinuated so many other things—things that made Naruto even hotter to think about. Run away from this place, perhaps? Maybe it meant that Sasuke would just rip off his clothes then and there and take his body, soul, and heart soaring to heights higher than ever thought possible. Possibly, it even meant his death.

It was so…suggestive.

And suddenly, Sasuke's lips were trapping Naruto's tongue, sucking greedily on it and sending another jolt of electric shocks along the blonde's body. The warmth that had previously drifted over his skin was now traveling in cascading waterfalls of pure passion, flowing endlessly and washing over him—drowning him and taking him under. Sasuke was taking him to a place where only they existed. Pure passion and seemingly sinful desires echoed in Naruto's mind, washing away any shyness that threatened to make his cheeks any rosier than they already were.

Those lips abandoned Naruto's tongue and allowed him to breathe for a moment, but the moment ended when they found the side of his neck. They nipped and sucked, leaving red splotches that looked like they were enemy attacks that seemed on the verge of bruising. Naruto's pants and moans filled the forest air, the heat clinging to his clothes and swimming in ripples across his body. They pooled again in his groin.

His breathing hitched when Sasuke's hands found the inside of his shirt and the hips below the waistband of his sweatpants. Naruto unconsciously arched, also feeling the growing heat in the youth above him.

"Naruto," Sasuke breathed against his ear, sending another wave of shivers down his spine. The moan was what nearly sent Naruto over the edge—just hearing the wanton need in that deep voice that wreaked of everything that he wanted at that very instant. The panting in his ear, the slim fingers under the waistband of his pants, and the other hand that was now tugging them down were all sensations that brought emotions that increased tenfold as they tauntingly resumed their task. The breathy moans in his ear, the moans that were piercing the air—it was all setting a rhythm. "I love you so much."

Naruto saw stars.

The sweat that had covered them both in a thin layer had already evaporated, leaving behind a smooth, tingly feeling. Naruto's eyes were closed, listening to the sounds around him. He could hear the faint beating of Sasuke's heart below his head, rhythmic with the rise and fall of the other's chest. Naruto was pressed flush against Sasuke's bare chest and rumpled white shorts, his own half-naked body semi-tangled at the legs.

The sun was high overhead, but the cloud currently in front of it absorbed what would be scorching sunlight. Another breeze wafted through the air, curving with the contours of Naruto's and Sasuke's bodies. He smiled contently as the taller youth brushed his fingers along Naruto's back.

"Where did you go this morning?"

Naruto could feel the slight tilt in Sasuke's head as he looked down at Naruto's mop of golden hair. The soft touches along his skin didn't discontinue, nearly making him drift off into slumber.

"I went to exercise," Came the simple reply, accompanied by a soft kiss landing on top of Naruto's head. He felt the pull of Sasuke's arms around him bringing him closer to the curve of the body next to him, and he obliged willingly, scooting closer. "then I heard the commotion in the marketplace."

Naruto slowly opened his eyes, his hand replacing his head atop Sasuke's chest as he leaned up to meet the other's eyes. The dark eyes that stared back at him were soft and contemplative, Sasuke's own head rising to meet Naruto's gaze. "And…?"

"I know you know it isn't your fault, Naruto, but simply knowing isn't the same as believing." Sasuke said curtly, laying his head back down on the soft grass. Naruto kept staring at him for a few moments, taking in the pale, nearly ivory skin, slightly swollen lips (Naruto almost blushed when he saw them), and dark strands of hair clinging to the soft swell of Sasuke's cheek.

"Sometimes," Naruto began, laying his own head back down on the other's chest and closing his eyes again. "it's hard to believe in new things that promise healing when old wounds constantly break open."

Naruto wound himself tighter around Sasuke, idly wondering how long they'd been laying there. Event the cloud that was previously blocking the sunlight had moved, and the temperature had risen to the point where Naruto suddenly felt sweat forming between his and Sasuke's bodies.

He was suddenly jolted from his consideration in telling Sasuke that he'd be heading home soon by the upheaval of the other's body. In the sitting position Sasuke was in, Naruto was now sprawled on in his back, a scowl forming on his face.

"What the (insert the colorful rainbow of cussing) was that for, teme!" Naruto asked indignantly, sitting up and just about ready to point an accusing finger at his lover. However, he didn't get a chance to because of a certain person suddenly pinning him down to the grass and a tongue that was already thrust in his mouth.

What was meant to be an accusation came out as a throaty moan when Sasuke's fingers found an already hardening pink nipple and twisted it between his fingers. Naruto could feel the ripples of heat encompassing him again, and it wasn't just from the sunlight. He wanted to arch up into the body above him, but a firm hand pressing below his naval prevented the desired movement.

Abruptly, the mouth was gone and all that was left was the firm hand below his bellybutton. Naruto's eyes were still closed and he was still trying to catch his breath. The roaring heat around him sent another round of shivers down his spine. The kiss, Naruto interpreted, was not the kind that they shared the first time Naruto came into the clearing, but one that was obviously meant to still him. His eye twitched angrily.

Manipulative and distracting little—

"Then let me heal those wounds for you."

The words slowly sunk into Naruto's skin, the voice behind it promising a level of passion completely different to what Naruto normally heard. He opened his eyes and saw an ebony shadow in place of the sun, a tender smile stretching across soft features.

Naruto saw the screaming woman again, her groceries strewn every which way, syllables and letters and words and sentences pouring from her mouth and into his ear and mind and heart and soul. The deafening roar of the passers-by's feet and the semi-curious, irritated looks they cast his way for blocking the street. The disdain in their gazes…the pain in his heart…

Please stop!

But they didn't stop. The woman didn't stop screaming at him; her voice was becoming hoarse because of her constant yelling. She blamed it on him and how he was the reason why she'd lost her parents seventeen years ago and why her family was poor. She blamed him because of the reason why she was the one who had to make so many sacrifices for her family while he could run around like some wild child and touching people whom he didn't deserve to even walk on the same ground with.

The people simply stared back, coldly and crossly. Their frigid gazes agreed with the woman. Yes, we also have to suffer because of you, demon. You made our lives this way. You took away our families and homes and loved ones. You're who we hate.

Die!

He was suddenly clutching his chest and clawing at his skin, a wild look in his eyes and for a moment, all Naruto could see was red blood pouring from his chest. His heart was bleeding, and he was shaking, getting paler and paler by the minute and—

Whap!

And just like that...there was Sasuke. Naruto's breathing was coming in short gasps, his chest heaving as if he'd been out jogging again and he'd just slammed into the woman. In fact, he would've thought the scene had replayed itself if it weren't for his state of undress, the shaking of Sasuke's arms, and the bruise that was forming on his chin.

Upon closer inspection, Naruto saw that the reason why Sasuke's arms were shaking was because his hands were holding Naruto down, his thumbs digging into the spot beneath his shoulders, and Naruto was the one who was shaking. His breathing continued to be heavy; for some reason, he just couldn't breathe normally.

"Sa…suke…" Naruto huffed, his hand shakily reaching up to touch his face. His vision became blurry for reasons unbeknownst to him, so Naruto willed them away. A person shouldn't cry unless they were really happy, and at the moment, he was anything but.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked, his hands finally releasing their grip around Naruto's shoulders. The blond could feel two more bruises forming there, a slight pain indicating so when he tried to move them.

He nodded slightly, but shook his head persistently and tried to bury himself deeper into the ground. "Sasuke, I…I just don't know."

The taller youth merely stayed were he was, sitting alongside Naruto and contemplatively gazing at him. Naruto could feel his breathing returning to a healthier pace, the blurriness of his eyes finally subsiding. The sun had reappeared behind the cloud, but Naruto stared at a spot in the sky, not caring when his eyes were met with a blinding hue of blue that made his corneas unfocus.

"I hate being cheesy, you know."

Naruto turned toward Sasuke again, questioning his statement. The dark gaze immediately locked with Naruto's, and once again, he was in a realm that only he and Sasuke existed in. There was no scorching heat burning into his skin or the ever-changing hues of blue in the sky or green in the trees and bushes. There was no syllables or letters or words or sentences stabbing him from the inside or semi-curious and irritates gazes locked in his direction. There were no children taunting him with their spoiled and loved faces, flushed with excitement and playfulness.

Just Sasuke holding him close and inhaling his scent, and Naruto doing the same thing.

"I hate being cheesy," he repeated, whispering it in Naruto's ears. "but I'll say it anyways: I'll be here to chase away your nightmares when you're asleep and when you're awake. I'll never let go of you and will always be here to hold you. Don't doubt me when I say that I'll heal the wounds you have—I'll protect you, but you have to believe in me, Naruto. I can't do this without you."

Naruto curled into Sasuke even more. He suddenly felt hot again, but with a different sort of fervor—one that didn't leave him blushing. He saw the metaphorical hand that Sasuke's words outstretched to him, full of love, and, for once, someone to go home to after a day's work. He saw the invitation to the home he'd already moved in to—the one that was filled with all of Sasuke's chuckles and teasing smirks and Naruto's laughter and goading remarks. He wondered why he hadn't taken the hand sooner. Had he already taken it but just refused to acknowledge it? Whatever the reason, at that moment in the clearing where birds continued to chirp into the day, the leaves rustled with the drifting of a random breeze, and the sun kept beating down on his bare back, Naruto didn't feel so alone anymore.

"Heh, you really suck at those cheesy lines; I should've gotten a tape recorder for the whole village to hear." A playful punch was thrown by the blond as he pulled away.

"Like anyone would believe you…dobe." The same arrogant smirk he always wore graced Sasuke's nearly-ivory skin as he automatically retorted.

"Oh yeah," The continuation of the playful banter was thrown back by Naruto, lunging forward to connect his fist onto a pale shoulder. "That was for earlier!"

"You were crying like a baby, I had to do something." Sasuke lands his own punch below the original bruise he placed below Naruto's shoulder, continuing the banter that'd been perfected over the years.

"Uzumaki Naruto does NOT cry, teme!" Naruto yelled, scaring several birds from their treetop havens.

A fight ensued, blows were locked, met, and blocked, and years of friendship evolved deeper into strengthened love. There was no malice behind the exchange. There was no screaming woman with strewn groceries. No passers-by with eyes coated with disdain and irritated curiosity. No innocent children who unknowingly taunted those who had no innocence to begin with.

There, in a clearing outside the bustling village of Konohagakure, were just two young men who inspired each other.

- e n d -

All things are possible when we have faith.