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"Nevermore." Quote the Raven

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Chapter 10: You missed.

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Naruto huffed as he left Tsunade's office. Sasuke had sold his house? Why? When?

Why didn't he tell him?

The blonde knew there had to be a good reason, so that was going to be number two on his list of things to do with Sasuke.

Number one being to just talk. They still hadn't really talked since he had returned and the blonde could help but feel like he was missing some things. Even though he really missed Sasuke through out this whole thing...

Sure he could ask Sakura or Ino for the gossip of the last year...but he wanted Sasuke to tell him...just Sasuke...

"Naruto! What are you deaf?" Naruto stopped when he noticed a pink chakra in front of him...a very angry pink chakra...

"Sorry Sakura I was just thinking." He smiled at the fuming girl, "So what's up?"

"I needed to make sure that you are going to come to the meeting tomorrow over my wedding." The girls chakra went to very happy...girls are moody; Naruto thought to himself before smiling.

"Sure when is it?"

"Its at one." She smiled over at the blonde boy. "You better be there or else I will make Lee choose someone else as his best man." She threatened quickly.

"I will be there, don't worry!" Naruto laughed at the now warning chakra.

"Okay! See you later!" Naruto watched as the chakra became happy again and walked away.

That pregnancy is affecting her like that? I didn't think that girls really went through that...though she was always moody to begin with....Naruto grinned as he thought to himself, so she was just acting like herself then.

So he would go find Sasuke today, talk, then maybe spar and then go to the meeting tomorrow.

Naruto smiled as he went into a ramen place, maybe Sasuke would be hungry for some real food after his time in the woods.

And what was better than ramen?

After he got it he could go find Sasuke's 'secret cabin'.

How hard could it be?

X

"I...am...going...to...die..." Naruto panted as he leaned against a tree.

He had to of been in the forest for at least six hours now...the ramen was eaten a long time ago and he had run into many many hungry creatures...mainly bears...big fat more than likely ugly bears that seemed to like to chase him...or maybe it had been the same bear this whole time...

He had no idea where he was or even which direction he was going but maybe he was going the right way?

"Come on! I need to get lucky at least once in my life." Naruto mumbled as he traveled through the thick forest, it was too thick for him to use his chakra to see so now he was using his senses.

"I can do this." The tired blonde though out loud as he heard a rumbly noise. He knew it wasn't him as he saw the large light brown chakra appear in front of him.

"You again? I told you to give up! You can't eat me yet! I still haven't found Sasuke..." Naruto jumped up as the bear ran at him growling but the blonde's head hit a branch rather hard.

"Ow..." Naruto didn't even remember hitting the forest floor.

X

Sasuke sighed as he walked around the woods, was it just him, or were all the animals gone?

He had found rabbits and a large bird for the past few days but today there was nothing...

The Uchiha sighed as his stomach growled, he was so hungry...he was so hungry that he would almost turn back and eat the last instant ramen packet in his cabin.... almost...

Sasuke jumped up onto a tree branch, maybe he could see if anything had gotten caught in any of his traps yet. Then he noticed something move a little distance off.

"Please be edible." Sasuke prayed as he silently but quickly made his way to the moving object only to see a large bear...a very large bear...the largest bear the Uchiha had ever seen...

Bears are edible...Sasuke thought to himself before he noticed the bear had something in its mouth...it was dragging something...

Lucky bear probably got something for itself to eat for dinner, Sasuke thought to himself.

Then Sasuke's eyes widened when the bear turned showing that it had a hand in its mouth.

"Crap!" Sasuke didn't think it would eat people...he quickly jumped to another branch hoping that the person was still okay.

The raven-haired boy had to get a better grip on the branch he was on...the bear was dragging someone...that had blonde hair...and was wearing strangely designed pants...with strange whisker marks on his cheek...

Sasuke's voice got caught in his throat as he heard a soft moan as the bear continued on his merrily way...with Naruto...

"Hey bear!" Sasuke quickly jumped in front of the large creature feeling like an idiot as it started to growl. The bear would probably be more than happy to have him for dinner too.

The bear dropped the blonde's hand revealing a bloody wrist probably from its teeth.

"I think I am going to take your dinner from you." Sasuke said with a smirk as he pulled out two kunai. If he was lucky he could get out of here with Naruto and just minor injuries.

The bear stood up and began to growl at Sasuke who in return attacked.

"Crap!"

X

Sasuke stared as the meat cooked slowly in the fire outside of his cabin. His body hurt...

The bear had managed to scratch his chest, both arms, and a leg. It was definitely a fighter...

"Or just hungry..." Sasuke stated in mid thought as he looked over his bandaging job. Hopefully none of it would scar...

Naruto was sleeping on his bed after Sasuke had bandaged his wrist and made sure he was still conscious.

What was the idiot doing in the woods to begin with? Sasuke huffed, even though he had just scored enough meat to last him for next year it was still bothering him that the blonde was out in the woods...in....his condition.

He had taken the blonde's cloths off because apparently in their journey the bear had dragged him through a mud puddle and there were twigs and leafs all in his cloths and hair.

So Sasuke settled for throwing the cloths into a corner and letting the blonde sleep in his boxers...or at least he was sleeping...

"Ramen?" Naruto sat up as the glorious smell filled his nose. Sasuke huffed at the stupid smell, he had made his last packet for the blonde knowing the idiot would be hungry if he woke up......and of course the blonde would never deny the nasty food of ramen.

"Here..." Sasuke picked up the bowl from the table beside his bed, glad that it was still warm after making it ten minutes ago...he was so hungry. Why wasn't that meat done yet?

"Sasuke?" Naruto looked over to see red chakra. Wait what happened to the ... "Oh my gawd I died and gone to hell!"

"Welcome." Sasuke smirked and tried not to laugh.

"I still didn't become Hokage! I didn't get to beat the crap out or Kakashi or Jiraiya!" Naruto whined before he got bopped on the head. "Hey!"

"Shut up you are alive you idiot." Sasuke handed Naruto the bowl of soup, he had had enough of the stupid noodle meal and was more than happy to get rid of it.

"What about the bear?" Naruto asked as he slurped up the soup happily because he didn't die.

"He's taking too long to cook." Sasuke sighed as he sat down on the bed with Naruto. "So why were you about to get eaten by a bear?"

"I was looking for you." Naruto smiled causing the raven-haired boy to blush.

"And why would that be?" Sasuke asked happy his voice was still emotionless.

"To wish you a happy birthday...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Naruto yelled before getting hit again.

"..." Sasuke stared at the blonde not really knowing what to say. "Thank you."

"Aw! No problem!" Naruto laughed as Sasuke sighed over at him. If the blonde considered getting attacked by a bear no problem then he had issues...

"You are an idiot." Sasuke sighed with a smile, "You could have told me when I got back."

"Yeah but then it would be as special because you would already be eighteen and all......oh I got you a present!" Naruto smiled.

"What is it?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow as the blonde blushed and then coughed.

"Well it was ramen but I ate it..." Naruto smiled sheepishly as he laughed.

"..." Sasuke mentally praised the god's that didn't let Naruto bring him anymore of that cursed food.

"Oh! This is from Tsunade-baba." Naruto then noticed he was in his boxers..."Where are my cloths?"

"They are over in the corner because they were dirty." Sasuke answered matter-of-factly causing the blonde to pout. "So what was it?"

"What?" Naruto grinned causing Sasuke to sigh.

"The present?"

"Oh a key to your apartment." Naruto smiled before frowning. "Why did you sale everything?"

"I wanted to." Sasuke answered quickly, he knew this was going to come but he never really prepared himself yet. He knew out of everyone Naruto would be the most upset...or maybe it was just because the blonde was like that.

"But you grew up there." Naruto added still confused.

"And I was the only one." Sasuke stated bitterly with a sad tone catching the blonde off guard.

"You sold all of it?" Naruto asked even though he knew.

"Yeah I did." Sasuke sighed.

"Why?" Naruto asked again.

"I was lonely." The Uchiha answered truthfully watching as the blonde tensed. "I hated being there by myself."

"So you are going to live in an apartment by yourself?" Naruto really didn't want to hit a sensitive subject but he couldn't help but wonder.

"I guess so." Sasuke stated coldly. "I don't need you to worry about me."

"Who said I was?" Naruto fought back, "I am not worried I just care that's all."

Sasuke's eyes widened for a moment before he glanced back over at the blonde. "I am tired of your caring."

"What?" Naruto asked confused.

"Why do you care so much? I don't need your protection." Sasuke spat out quickly.

"And I don't want yours so what?" Naruto huffed, "It isn't about protection or who is stronger or whatever your mind thinks Sasuke; stop reading too much into things."

"Then explain it to me." Sasuke stated sarcastically, "Explain to me what you want me to be thinking."

"I want you to KNOW that I am here for you and that's it." Naruto answered back with a small growl, "I am here for you even though you are a big jerk, I am here because I care."

Sasuke stared silently at the blonde once again, he knew that he was blushing and thankful that Naruto couldn't see it. If the blonde only knew what he wanted...

"Prove it." Sasuke smirked back, wondering how the blonde was going to do it.

"Prove it?" Naruto repeated confused. "Prove that I care? That I actually care about a stupid teme like you, that you are probably the most important person to me?"

How do people prove that anyways? Naruto thought to himself for a second. People should be able to prove they care...that they care deeply for the other. The blonde tried to fight off a blush as he shook his head. I do love Sasuke...

So then how do I prove that?

Sasuke was about to scoot away, after watching Naruto's mental debate, when the blonde grabbed him, but his body seemed to be ignoring his commands. Then the blonde quickly leaned in and kissed his...

Nose?

Both of the boys blushed furiously and Sasuke tried to stifle the chuckle but his shoulders began to shake.

I cannot believe I just did that! Naruto moaned mentally praying for his face to cool down and hoping that the Uchiha was having the same problem. I cant believe he is laughing too! Sasuke Uchiha laugh? Ha, no he only laughs when someone misses where they were going to kiss!

Heartless teme...well...Naruto tightened his grip on the red chakra's shirt, was I going to kiss him? Was that what I was going to do? And why wont he stop shaking! Teme!

"Shut up." The blushing blonde hid his face into Sasuke shirt as the Uchiha tried to calm down.

"That was lame." Sasuke said with a smirk causing the blonde to growl at him through his shirt. "You missed."

"Huh?" Naruto looked up at the red chakra to feel two hands grab his face and then lips on his. Sasuke was kissing him? The red chakra felt like it was going to consume him but...he liked it.

The Uchiha pulled away from the chaste kiss and nervously realized what he had just done. He looked over Naruto's face for a reaction but wasn't getting any.

Sasuke bit his lip, he didn't think he was going to do that! Why couldn't he control himself! Naruto kissed him first! Sasuke sighed as he was even losing a mental battle with himself, why did he have to do that? What is Naruto going to think? Since when did he care?

"Naruto?" The teenager asked a little worried.

"Hn?" Naruto lifted his hands to his lips and he began to blush again. I-I cant believe he just did that! Naruto's mind screamed on how he should be angry for Sasuke stealing another kiss but then the other part was happy and loving the whole fact that he started it. But what was he supposed to feel?

Sasuke noticed the mental struggle on the expression of the blonde's face. He made a mistake and he shouldn't of done that...he knew it...now it was only going to get weird...but what was he supposed to say now? It was late...but...what now?

"Sasuke...."

"What?" The Uchiha asked nervously....What was Naruto going to say?

"Something is burning........."

X

Naruto saw red.

The blonde had just woken up to the sounds of the birds outside but all he could see was red...and he couldn't move...and was it just him or was there someone breathing on the back of his neck.

Naruto tried to move again but the arm around his waist tightened. The arm...around his...waist...Sasuke...is the only person with red chakra...

Concentrate...Naruto yelled at himself mentally...that was when he noticed...his back had to be against Sasuke's chest...by the angles of his arms anyway...and one hand was in front of his face...at least that was his guess...their legs were entangled...Sasuke's face was buried in the back of his head...and his breath...warm...breath...against his neck...

Did Sasuke like to cuddle or what? Naruto tried not to laugh at his own joke but he accidentally elbowed the sleeping Uchiha in the gut.

"Hn?" Sasuke saw yellow. And why couldn't he move? What was on his arm?

That was when Sasuke realized he was holding onto a certain blonde boy...maybe he was still asleep? Sasuke prayed.

"Morning Sunshine." Naruto chirped happily causing the Uchiha to tense up. So much for that last thought.

"Morning." Sasuke repeated not daring to move...one he didn't really want to move, it was comfortable like this...two he didn't want to have to face the blonde so early in the morning.

"So...uh..." Naruto laid in silence waiting for Sasuke to say something but no comment came.

Well it was comfortable like this...the blonde didn't really want to move...one he liked being this close to Sasuke; it was warm...two he didn't really want to deal with the cranky raven-haired boy so early in the morning...at least he guess it was morning...

The...silence...is...killing...me...Naruto thought as he sighed, his stomach felt like it was doing flips! What was he supposed to do now?

Sasuke tensed more as he heard Naruto sigh, the blonde was right, they were being stupid over nothing...so...he...should...probably get up....now...

"Naru..."

"Sasu..."

Both of them stopped waiting for the other to continue. Not moving at all.

"I..."

"I..."

They both stopped again.

"You first." Sasuke quickly added as he finally released his hold on the blonde so that he could sit up...

"Hn..." Naruto smiled until the warmth of the other body left him...he was so comfortable too.

"Well?" Sasuke asked as he watched the blonde sit up too.

"I-I..." Naruto thought about it, what was he going to say? What could he say? Why was all of this making him so nervous? "I-I like your cabin..."'

Sasuke sighed realizing how much he had hoped the blonde would say something about what happened...but he didn't. "Thanks."

Naruto berated himself mentally. He liked the cabin? The cabin? He can't even see the freaking cabin! He hadn't been anywhere in it but the room! And he hadn't even used his chakra to explore! How could he freaking like the cabin?

"Naruto..." Sasuke sighed as he got the blondes attention. He couldn't do this...he wanted to know...but he couldn't ask! What was wrong with him? If he did everything would become uncomfortable and then all the chances would fly out of the window...but the question was...the chances for what exactly?

"I am going to try to find some breakfast." Sasuke quickly got up and left not wanting to deal with the blonde.

"..." Naruto sat in silence after the red chakra had retreated to cook.

Well gee, that was fun....

Sasuke threw another kunai at the tree across from his as he waited for the meat to cook, he was cooking it all now and would have to find some way to wrap it so it didn't spoil......or he could just leave it somewhere in the woods for another creature to eat.

He had to go back to Konoha sometime. The exams were in three weeks and even though he didn't plan on going back anytime soon (actually he had planned to just show up for the exam), he would need to take the blonde back.

That idiot would get eaten if I let him go back by himself...Sasuke sighed mentally as he looked over to the cabin to see that Naruto was putting his robes on even though they were still dirty.

"Che..." The raven-haired boy blushed as the events from the night before ran through his mind. Why! Kame why did that happen? Why did he let that happen!

"I have no self control." Sasuke mumbled as he put his face in his hands, this mental argument was getting too much for him. Half of him was happy and the other half was berating him for letting him lose his control.

"Sasuke is it done yet?" Naruto crawled through the window so he wouldn't have to find his way through the cabin (he thought it would be something like Sasuke's old house...he thought wrong lol)

"No......" Sasuke looked up as he heard a large growling noise. "Was that you?" He asked in mid shock.

"No it wasn't! You cant blame that on me!" Naruto huffed until he noticed something large and light brown beside him. "Um....Sasuke?"

"What?" Sasuke turned to see the blonde only for his eyes to go wide...there beside Naruto was a very large bear...it was larger than the one before and it was apparently very angry that its friend was being cooked. "Naruto move!"

Naruto didn't have to ask why as he quickly moved over to where Sasuke was.

"Angry friend?"

"Maybe it's the mother." Sasuke grabbed one of his training kunai from the ground.

"Um...Sasuke..." Naruto whispered quickly.

"What?"

"I think that the daddy is behind us." Naruto didn't move an inch because he knew there was something big behind him.

Sasuke slowly moved his eyes and glanced behind them and sure enough there was an even larger bear behind them. How many more were there? Is this why it was so hard to find something to eat? Since when did bears get this close to his cabin anyway?

Was it just him or did he see feathers?

Sasuke blinked and noticed more feathers around him. A justu? Bears cant do that.....can they? Well if dogs could why couldn't bears? Why was he thinking about this?

"Naruto it's a gen....." Sasuke barely had time to catch the blonde that was now snoring as he dispelled the jutsu from himself. "Geez...didn't you notice?"

"See Iruka I told you there was nothing to worry about!" Sasuke looked up to see a happy one-eyed jonin on a tree branch above him and a very pale looking chunin sensei beside him.

"Bears Kakashi! Bears!" Iruka moaned as he bopped the jonin on the head before jumping down.

Sasuke looked around and noticed the bears were now officially asleep.

"Naruto wake up!" Iruka shook the blonde violently snapping the happy boy from his nap.

"Huh? Blue? ......Iruka?" Naruto stood himself up as he looked to see the light blue figure with a silver and red one and Sasuke off beside him. "Hey what about the bears?"

"They are sleeping and dreaming about how they are going to eat you...raw and squirming or raw and screaming..." Kakashi decided to show his more...funny side...or what he thought was funny anyway.

"So you were the one that made everything silver...I couldn't figure it out." Naruto laughed to himself. "So why are you here Iruka-sensei?"

"I was worried! I knew you had gone but I thought you would have given up when you got hungry! And then you never came back last night! And Kakashi kept making jokes about how you would die out in the woods and that I would never know and gaw! Why do I keep you around?" Iruka glared over at the silver-haired jonin who shrugged.

"Well what are you waiting for Sasuke? Care to get rid of the bears?" Kakashi then decided to walk lazily into the 'humble abode'.

"Che..." The Uchiha grumbled before walking toward the largest bear.

"Don't worry Sasuke I'll go get the one over there." Iruka smiled gently before walking into an area of the woods that neither Naruto nor Sasuke knew there was a bear at.

"Dang...what do bears do? Multiply like rabbits?" Naruto snickered at his own joke...before noticing that Sasuke wasn't going to reply.

"Well...um..." Naruto tried to think of something to say but decided to join Kakashi in the cabin instead. It was too hard to think about things to say to Sasuke anyway.

The raven-haired boy watched the blonde retreat from the side of his eyes as he picked up the much larger and heavier form of the bear. Something was really bothering him...why didn't Naruto notice the genjutsu? If he did notice he not tell that it was a genjutsu?

Or was this the first time Naruto had a genjutsu performed on him since......then? Sasuke glared at the ground before vanishing...what was Naruto still hiding?

X

"You have problems identifying genjutsus?" Kakashi got straight to the point as the blonde entered the cabin.

"Well...no...I don't feel like talking about it...its hard to explain." Naruto mumbled the last part as he past the silver chakra and found his way to the room.

"Your going to have to explain it sometime...maybe even before the two weeks are up." Kakashi followed the blonde slowly.

"Well even if...I don't want to now okay..." Naruto sat on the bed and watched light blue chakra come out of the woods.

"Or is it you don't want to explain it to me?" Kakashi asked genuinely surprising the blonde.

"If you would like to know it's another weakness alright? Its harder for me to see when a genjutsu is being spread because then their chakra covers my view..."

"Then wouldn't just make sense to dispel it immediately?" Kakashi interrupted.

"Well you would think but then what if it someone hugging me from behind or waving their hands above my head? It looks the same way..." Naruto rubbed his face with his hands as he sighed. "I remember trying to dispel Yume...she was so angry that she didn't speak to me for three days..."

"Yume?" Kakashi watched as the blonde's grin turned to a frown and then he bit his lip.

"Please don't ask..." The hurt in Naruto's voice was enough to keep the jonin quiet...for now.

"Well you guys want to head back now? Its past one and I still have to go talk to Hokage-sama before dark." Iruka waked into the room glancing at Kakashi when he noticed the atmosphere.

The silver-haired jonin was still looking over at Naruto.

"Past one?" Naruto thought for a moment...there was somewhere he was supposed to be now...where was it...Sakura had threatened him...

"Oh my gosh! The stupid meeting!" Naruto jumped up[ and immediately tripped on his pants and fell on his face.

"What meeting?" Sasuke glared over at Kakashi as he walked into the cabin, that lazy butt could have helped.

"Sakura's wedding meeting! I was supposed to go or else I couldn't be the best man!" Naruto shouted as he got up and ran into the door. "Itai!"

"Naruto calm down and concentrate on where you are going!" Iruka looked worriedly over at the blonde that was rubbing his nose now.

"But we got to go I am already late!"

"Well If we travel quick enough we could get to her house right before dark." Sasuke sighed as he thought about his training time being ruined. Not that he was doing much anyway.

"NANI!!!"

X

"No!" The pink chakra slammed the door on the four men as they stood in front of the apartment.

"But Sakuraaaaa! It was an accident!" Naruto moaned as a green chakra opened the door.

"Well its okay Naruto! Neji's mission was cancelled so he will be here anyway!" Lee smiled brightly happy that his best friend would be there, or at least that is how he viewed the Hyuga.

"How is that okay? I wanted to do it!" Naruto pouted once more before grinning, "Can I be the flower ninja?"

"Dear gawd, Naruto for the last time weddings don't have flower ninjas!" Iruka moaned after remembering the conversation on the way to Sakura's apartment. They were trying to come up with something else he could do if he didn't get to be best man.

"I think they should." Kakashi nodded to himself. "I mean who doesn't want a wedding with little girls...or boys throwing kunai on the ground that the bride is supposed to walk on."

"That would be romantic to you my rival Kakashi!" Everyone shivered (minus Lee who smiled brightly) at the sound of the one and only green beast of Konoha's voice.

"And what would you want Gai? A shotgun wedding?" Kakashi asked happily, "for the bride I mean."

"Your come backs may be quick Kakashi but I have something you do not!" Gai smiled brightly as a sparkle shown off of his teeth.

"That green jump suit you call a uniform?"

X

"Iruka..." Kakashi watched as his lover opened his eyes slowly, "You awake?"

"How could I sleep without the rhythmic sounds of your snoring?" Iruka joked before noticing the serious expression on the silver-haired man's uncovered face. "What's wrong Kakashi? Are Sasuke and Naruto still sleeping?"

Iruka had decided it was too late at night for the Uchiha to move into his apartment so he invited or for a better word...forced the Uchiha to stay another night.

"Yeah they are still sleeping very close to each other by the way..." Kakashi gave a weak smile before sitting down and waiting for Iruka to sit up.

"What's wrong?" Iruka was really worried, Kakashi usually never acted this way unless he just got back from a serious mission or if another team had a casualty...he understood why then but what was going on in his head now?

"Has Naruto ever mentioned someone by the name Yume? Girl or boy?"

"No why?" Iruka's brown orbs stared into mismatched ones, who was this Yume?

"I don't know yet." Kakashi sighed as he changed his gaze to outside, something just seemed so out of place. Who was this Yume? Did Naruto meet him or her while he was gone? If so why didn't he want to talk about her?

"But I think something happened while he was gone."

X

Sasuke opened his eyes slowly to see Naruto was fumbling with a necklace around his neck...just like he was doing before they had gone to bed...did he even sleep?

The small bags under the blonde's closed eyes answered the question for the Uchiha. What was bothering Naruto so much that he couldn't sleep? He had been acting weird since the day before.

"You awake now Sasuke?" Naruto's voice caught the Uchiha off guard and he tried not to blush as he sat up.

"Yeah, you sleep at all?" Sasuke said in a 'I-know-you-didn't-sleep-at-all' tone.

"I wasn't tired..." Naruto yawned as he sat up showing he was lying.

"Naruto what..."

"I am fine." The blonde finally let go of his necklace and stood up, "lets go get some breakfast."

"Kakashi and Iruka are still sleeping and I wouldn't think that restaurants would be open at five in the morning." Sasuke watched the blonde freeze for a moment and then give off a small but fake grin.

"I guess I will just walk around then."

"Wait I am going to go with you." Sasuke growled as he got up and went up to the door. He had a bad feeling about letting the blonde out of his sight.

"What if I ask you not to come?" Naruto grinned as he watched the red form pass him.

"I would say too bad. Something's bothering you and I want to know what it is." Sasuke then turned back around and pushed Naruto with him back into the room and shut and locked the door. "Scratch the walking idea, what is it Naruto?"

"I don't know what you are talking about..." Naruto smiled as he began to feel nervous, Sasuke being this straightforward was unusual and Naruto still didn't know what to do about the whole kiss thing. He thought he could just forget it but lo and behold it seemed impossible.

"Naruto I must say your lying skill still suck." Sasuke smirked as the blonde frowned, well now he was getting somewhere. "So what do I got to do to get you to tell me? Beat the crap out of you?"

"You would do that to a blind guy."

"You act like it is a weakness, well Naruto it only is one if you make it one!" Sasuke spat out surprising the blonde.

"Fine if you would like to know what is on mine, then tell me what's on yours...wha-what was that kiss all about?" Naruto knew he had to be as red as...Iruka red by then...

"Um..." Sasuke was caught off guard, he just wanted to say that the blonde boy started it but the question was...how did he feel about it? What was that all about?

"Well?" Naruto was growing impatient and nervous, his stomach decided to start doing flips today.

"Um...well...it...was..." Sasuke tried to think, he hated being put on the spot like this, but this was exactly what he was doing to the blonde in front of him so he guessed he deserved it. "Naruto...I..."

He just didn't want to ruin a friendship that was already on thin lines. (that is what Sasuke thinks about his and Naruto's friendship at that point)

"You what?" Naruto really wanted to know, but he also didn't want to hear that it was all a mistake.

"I think..." At that moment Sasuke's throat seemed to dry out and the words wouldn't come out, what was going on? Why was he so nervous? If he wanted to find out what was bothering Naruto then he had to say it!

"What's with all the pausing?" Naruto asked this time making the stoic boy's face grow bright red.

"I think I love...you..." He quickly shut his eyes and mentally cursed himself. Why did he have to say it? Why did he have to do it? Why did he have to love the blonde boy?

"Wha..." Naruto stopped short as he felt the heat rush to his face...if Sasuke loved him then...but why? Why would he love him? "Why?"

"Hey guys are you okay in there?" Sasuke looked over at the door when he heard Iruka's voice and quickly opened it.

"Yeah we are okay..." The look Sasuke was giving him, showed Iruka that he didn't want to be disturbed just right then.

"Well sorry for disturbing!" Iruka shut the door and walked back into his room. Why was Sasuke so intimidating?

X

Sasuke sighed and turned around to see Naruto was now sitting on the bed still blushing.

"Naruto?"

"Why? How? I don't understand?" Naruto covered his face with his hands. "I mean how could you like someone like me?"

"How could I not?" Sasuke sat down beside the blonde.

"But why? I don't deserve it!"

"Neither do I."

"But...I am a horrible person..." Naruto leaned in as he was embraced by the larger red form.

"Well I am worse..."

"I know." Naruto snickered and couldn't help but give off a small laugh as Sasuke smirked.

"Now you have to keep up your end of the deal..." Sasuke whispered into the blonde's ear, even though he was thoroughly happy about his confession he still wanted to know what was bothering the blonde earlier.

"..." Naruto sighed, "I couldn't just take a rain check on this?"

Sasuke's gripped tightened showing the blonde that the answer was no.

"I was just thinking about someone that is dead that's all. She will never come back and its all my fault...I miss her so much..." Naruto didn't want to start crying but he never even realized he had started to until it was too late. "Kami Sasuke! Why? Why couldn't I have saved her in time?"

Sasuke tightened his grip around the crying blonde as the words sank in and Sasuke began to regret asking the blonde...he shouldn't have pressed the subject so much...but he had no idea...

"Yume..." Naruto mumbled as he gripped the necklace around his neck and dozed off for some much needed sleep.

"Yume..." Sasuke repeated as he tried to pull the smaller boy into a more comfortable position in his lap. "What happened Naruto?"

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Author notes about this chappie! Lol

One: Sasuke is a very lonely person...yeah...

Two: When Sasuke and Naruto are arguing (if you want to call it that) at the beginning Sasuke says "I don't NEED your protection." But Naruto says "I don't WANT your protection." There Naruto is admitting that he doesn't WANT Sasuke's protection or anyone's by that matter but he isn't going to say he wont NEED it. He isn't going to deny that one day he might NEED someone's help or worse...their protection. So Naruto is just being realistic and saying that he does have flaws and that he will never be perfect where as Sasuke wont admit anything like that to himself. He NEEDS to be strong and so WANTING is not an option.

Did you guys get that?

Three: Naruto never knows what time of day it is...he cant see whether the sun or moon is out so he just does things as he pleases or gets someone to tell him. Though he has gotten good at guessing by the temperature or even by the way people are acting around him.

Morning = Cranky People

Mid-morning = lots of yawns

Afternoon= hyper happy people

Mid-afternoon= calm happy people

Night= Yawning and calm tired people.

Lol!

p-sama7: that was a gay description of how Naruto could tell time. People are built with eternal clocks so he probably knows what time it is. Dunce.

Jerk....anyway! lol Sasuke is eating the bear! Yeah! Lol that wasn't how it was originally like he was just going to rescue Naruto and then eat ramen...and of course split the last bowl with the blonde lol but the bear was going to come after Naruto again...which isn't exactly what happened as you see lol.

I hope this chappie was okay I didn't spend that long on it but I hope you cant tell! Heehee! I promised the La/=/er to have it updated today so I updated it today! Haha!

So for those of you who are just now reading this story...its more than a friendship story btwn Sasuke and Naruto and for those of you who are sick of SasuNaru fics than I hope my story as at least original enough to keep you interested. I usually don't have as much fluff as I do angst lol

So Sasuke knows that someone died and that the girl's name was Yume but that is pretty much it. I don't think anyone is going to find out all of it until like chap 13 lol but that is a surprise how they do find out! OOO! I want to tell you guys so bad!

But I cant!

The next chapter is the jonin exams! And there are going to be some surprise visitors (maybe) I haven't decided yet...but what is this about casualties during the exam? And why the heck is Kakashi smiling so darn much?

Haha okay okay I couldn't help myself!

Don't forget to Review!

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Hey guys! Well my microsoft decided to start acting up now but I PROMISE to reply to EVERYONES reviews in the next chappie and once again lo siento