Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: I didn't even notice, but I was added to c2's for "crack" pairings. I would like to discuss this briefly: I like strange pairings. I think they force an author to be very creative, because not only are they writing something based on characters everyone knows about, but they are challenged to do so in a way that is believable to their readers. To me personally, while I enjoy traditional pairings such as Saku/Naru or Kaka/Iru, I enjoy reading strange pairings as a writer because I am able to see someone thinking outside of the box. This being said, I have decided that I enjoy writing fanfic enough that I will continue. I wasn't sure if this was going to be my only fic, but I am already toying around with some different pairings. I also want to extend the invitation for challenges. They can be pairings that you want to read, or something like an all-dialogue one-shot, or a death scene, a fight scene…basically anything. I'd really like some fodder to push myself as a writer. Hopefully, with enough practice, I can create my own world and characters. /end rant.

P.S. If you know of any "crack" pairings that you found pretty good, let me know so I can check it out!

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"It may be unnecessary, but please just promise me anyway."

For hours Kiba had been pacing around Sasuke's apartment, infuriated by the fight with his sister. Eventually he and Sasuke agreed he needed some alone time, but before Kiba ran off, he wanted Sasuke to promise he would be there when he returned.

"Kiba, really, it is fine. You need some time to think and some fresh air to help cool you off. After all that… I am just not ready to go out in the village again. I need to do some thinking, too… I promise to be here when you return. I'm not going anywhere…for now."

"Ok, but may I leave Aka with you?"

Sasuke nodded. Of course the dog could stay with him. Kiba turned and left, accidentally slamming the door on his way out. Sasuke noticed how silent it felt with Kiba gone, and how lonely. For having been a loner for so long, he was suddenly uncomfortable with his solitude. A small bark reminded him he wasn't along. Sasuke looked at Akamaru. The dog had grown so much. He remembered when Aka had been tiny enough he fit into the hood of Kiba's jacket. Now the dog was the size of a small bear. Anyone who didn't know the animal would be frightened out of their minds—Aka had scars from fights running along his flanks, huge teeth and red eyes. Though he had never seen it personally, Sasuke knew that if Kiba gave Aka a food pill the dog's fur turned a dark crimson and his size almost doubled. Secretly Sasuke hoped to never see that side of Aka.

A knock on the door surprised the Uchiha. Kiba didn't come back already, did he? Walking over, Sasuke opened the door. A familiar tanned face under a blond mop of hair stared back at him. Though he was initially relieved it was Naruto, the look on the other boy's face quickly replaced fear with discomfort.

Naruto was seething, his face and 'whiskers' red, his shoulders shaking from anger. Sasuke waited, his friend and teammate just staring at him and grinding his teeth.

"Uh, Naruto?"

And then Naruto punched him, hard.

"Naruto, what the hell?"

Naruto pushed Sasuke, pushing, pushing until they were both in the apartment. He slammed the door behind them, then turned and kicked Sasuke.

"Naruto, STOP! Why are you doing this?"

Unable to speak but tired of beating on Sasuke, Naruto took a seat on the couch, holding his head in his hands and occasionally punching the cushions.

Sasuke sat on the ground, looking at his teammate and rubbing his wounds.

Finally, the blond ninja was ready to talk.

"Sasuke, I think you should leave the village."

"What the fuck are you talking about? Why would I leave?"

When Naruto's eyes met his, they were red and feral, and they scared Sasuke to the core. The last time he had seen those eyes was when he and Naruto had fought, and he had tried to kill the Uzumaki.

"I always forgave you, did you know that? Even when you pounded me into the ground, when you almost killed me, I forgave you. I forgave you for choosing Orochimaru over me—which hurt most of all—because you were my friend, and I knew—or I thought I knew—that you were still a good person under it all. But you have crossed a line now, and I don't know if I can forgive you, but I think you should leave because if you don't I may not be able to control my anger."

"Naruto. Please tell me what you are talking about." Sasuke thought he knew, but he wanted to hear the blonde say it first.

"I had heard villagers talking about you…walking with Kiba today. So I asked Sakura-chan about it. She was shocked and said you couldn't be walking with Kiba, because you had…a fight with him. When I pushed her to tell me more…she told me what you did. What you did to him."

Breathing in deeply, Sasuke closed his eyes. The Hokage and he had agreed not to tell Naruto…and now that the noisy ninja knew, he wasn't sure what to do.

"Naruto… I know my life has been filled with excuses and you may not want to hear another one. I was cold and arrogant because of my family's past. I was cruel to you and I did almost kill you because of my quest for power. And yes, I did...hurt Kiba. In fact, I killed him, at least momentarily, and I can't begin to explain the grief I feel over it all. But please listen to me, for this is my only excuse, my only defense. All of these things that I did, they were caused by Itachi. You've met Itachi. You… know what he is like. And I was walking with Kiba today. He has forgiven me. So I hope that you can hear me, can hear how scared I am, and forgive me as well."

Never before had Sasuke admitted, actually said out loud so Naruto could hear, that he was scared. It was enough make the noisy ninja shut up and think. It was hard for him. Somehow, if Sasuke was only hurting him, he could take it. He felt his friendship with the boy and their similarities of growing up without parents allowed him to forgive everything. But Sasuke hurting someone else, and so brutally…

"Why Kiba, Sasuke? What is going on?"

A deep flush crept up Sasuke's neck and onto his cheeks and he found himself unable to look Naruto in the eyes.

"I-its…complicated."

Now Naruto was curious. Sakura had refused to tell him anything about Sasuke and Kiba. He couldn't understand why—until the mission, neither of them ever spoke, and they had nothing in common! Why was Sasuke suddenly treating Kiba like some sort of secret?

"So explain 'complicated," I'm not a fucking idiot."

Sasuke's eyes lit up and he opened his mouth to retort but Naruto cut him off. "Don't even say it, Sasuke, just tell me what's going on. I'm trying to forgive you, but nothing makes sense, like why you would attack Kiba so viciously or why he would be walking with you and I really don't understand why the villagers were talking so much about you two walking together."

He was going to have to explain, he knew it, but he was worried about Naruto's reaction. He didn't think the boy would understand and he didn't want their friendship or teamwork to suffer if Naruto felt weird. Still, if he lied or hid it, Naruto would find out from someone else and if he couldn't forgive him now, he really wouldn't forgive being lied to.

Inhaling deeply, Sasuke decided to start with the last question asked and go from there.

"The villagers were probably talking about Kiba and me because… Kiba was holding my hand."

Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion. Sasuke could almost see the wheels in his head turning. It didn't look like they were turning enough.

"Why would that be of interest to anyone?" Sasuke shook his head and raised a knowing eyebrow at the slow boy. His look made it obvious what "holding hands" meant. Finally, he say it click in Naruto's head—the boy's jaw dropped and his eyes went wide.

"WHAT?"

"Naruto, calm dow—"

"You and, and, and…KIBA?"

"Let me explai—"

"As in KIBA WHO IS A BOY? HOW LONG? WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? WHO KNOWS? OH MY GOD YOU ARE WITH KIBA! HE SMELLS LIKE A DOG!WHEN DID THIS ALL—"

"DOBE. Shut up, and I will tell you."

Naruto clamped a hand over his mouth and began to rock back and forth. Sasuke sighed…why did his friend have to be so damned noisy?

"When we went on the mission, you remember Kiba and me spending time together?"

Naruto, hand still over his mouth, simply nodded.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke continued. "We found something in each other that I think we were missing before. I…fell in love with him." Sasuke looked away, trying to appear cool and confident, but really he was watching Naruto's reaction to this latest bit of information. Naruto's eyes bugged out and his hand fell down.

"WHHHHAAAAAAAT? YOU LOVE HIM?"

"Yes."

Naruto shook his head, hitting it with his hands as if he was trying to beat out all his crazy thoughts. When he finally calmed down, he looked up with a suspicious eye.

"Sasuke…if you like boys, like like boys, then did you ever like me? Because I always thought maybe you were checking me out..."

Sighing hard, Sasuke shook his head no. "Naruto, I didn't know how I felt until Kiba came into my life."

Again the face scrunched with confusion as the blond ninja tried to sort everything out. Geez...this is going to take forever, Sasuke thought. He waited for his friend to catch up to speed. When Naruto seemed to get things in order, instead of becoming angry or happy or any of the emotions Sasuke been expecting, he became very sad.

"Naruto, what is it?"

"Its just that…not that I wanted you to…but…"

"But what?"

"I was jealous when you spoke so much to Kiba. It isn't that I wanted something romantic between us—"Naruto's nose wrinkled in distaste. "—it is just that I wish…you could have liked and trusted me as much as a friend as you do him." The blonde stared at the floor, turning red with his admission.

For the first time that night, Sasuke smiled.

"Dobe. You have always been my friend, even if I don't tell you that. Who else would have come to save me from Orochimaru, no matter the odds? Just because I am in love with Kiba does not mean I trust or like you any less…I just do in a different way."

Uncomfortable with the situation, Naruto just smiled and for once accepted what Sasuke said with out pushing any further. At least at that point.

"But I don't understand now, Sasuke…how could you…how could you do such a thing to someone you love?"

Pain welled in the Uchiha's heart from the memories of Kiba's lifeless body—or what had been left of it.

"I…I don't know what happened. I've spoken to Tsunade and Kiba. We still aren't sure what was going on in my mind, but…all I could see and hear was Itachi. If I had known at all it was Kiba, I never would have…I still feel so…" Sasuke couldn't finish. He just stared at the floor, feeling the hate for himself beginning to build again.

"Well, are you still messed up in the head?"

"I don't think so. Tsunade ran tests and kept me for a couple of days, but aside from what she described as 'strange chakra activity,' I am normal now. I haven't hallucinated since then, only had nightmares, and those are to be expected. Kakashi-sensei was also under Itachi's justsu once and told me he had nightmares for years after."

The two boys just sat there in silence, Naruto digesting the mass amount of new information he received and Sasuke silently judging himself over what had happened.

After what seemed like an hour, Naruto broke the quiet. He had a huge grin on his face—obviously he had finally worked everything out in his mind—and began to laugh.

"What's so funny, baka?"

"I'm very, very happy for you and Kiba!"

"Why?"

"Because now Sakura-chan can be ALL MINE! HAHAHAHA"

This made Sasuke smile again, joining his friend. It was true—now that he knew Kiba, he understood why it never could have worked out between him and Sakura. Naruto had been… polite when he and she had dated, but he wasn't happy. When they broke up, Naruto had been sad for Sakura but secretly happy for himself. Everyone knew that although Sakura had gotten over the break-up, as long as Sasuke did not date anyone else seriously, she always seemed to carry a tiny hope that it might work out later. But with Sasuke being with Kiba… Sakura would have no chance. And Naruto would be there with a 'comforting' shoulder, should she need it.

In between giggles, Naruto managed to continue talking. "Oh (heehee), it makes so much sense now! (heeheehee) H-have you (heehee) told his family yet?"

The instant feeling of cold in the room let Naruto know he had said something wrong. Looking at his friend, he could see the hurt look.

"They aren't ok with it."

"They aren't ok with their son being involved with a…monster. And I… am not so sure I disagree with them."

This pissed Naruto off. "But you aren't a monster! And the more I think about it, the more you are perfect for Kiba! That dumbass needs someone cool like you! How could you say you are a monster?"

He was exhausted, tired from this conversation, tired from all the events of the day, of the emotions and the worry. Sasuke lay back on the carpet and stared at the ceiling.

"If you remember, Naruto, you came here planning on kicking me out of Konoha. You were also under the impression I was a monster."

"But it's different now! I know! I still don't fully understand how Kiba was able to forgive you, but if he did, I can too! And so can his family! No one should call you a monster!"

Sasuke didn't answer, but he wasn't so sure. People seemed quick to forgive him, but he didn't think the Inuzuka's would. He had almost killed one of their greatest ninjas. And he had told the truth to Naruto, even if the boy disagreed…he didn't think they were so far off in calling him a monster. Jutsu or not, he should have known. Hurting Kiba had been entirely his fault. Hell…he had killed the boy. If he couldn't even forgive himself…he wasn't sure Kiba's clan could, either.

"Naruto…he told his family he would break from them for me, if they chose not to accept me."

"WHAT? But no one has ever broken off from the Inuzuka clan!"

"I know. I don't think they will accept me. I know…if it were the Uchiha clan…it would not be tolerated."

"What will you two do?"

"I… I don't know if I can let him break from his family for me."

The two talked some more. Eventually, Naruto being himself couldn't let the conversation be serious for much longer. He teased Sasuke and made some very crude remarks involving Kiba and bedroom activities before leaving. Sasuke was glad his friend knew and had forgiven him, but instead of helping him to feel better, Sasuke could only feel guilty. The conversation had started him thinking.

There was just too much going on for him to comprehend it all. He knew he loved Kiba, and that he had never felt so happy before, so whole. His entire life had felt empty, and he had tried to fill that void with revenge. Itachi had consumed his life, causing him to feel nothing but hate and desire for power. Kiba was changing that, and although Sasuke loved the boy, loved the idea of the relationship, but he wasn't sure how it fit into his plans. And, although Kiba seemed confident and determined, Sasuke had not forgotten how dangerous his brother was. He easily believed that if Itachi knew about his relationship with Kiba, he would use that to hurt Sasuke. And Sasuke couldn't bear it if anything ever happened to Kiba again because of him.

He loved Kiba.

He had killed the boy he loved. The fact that the Inuzuka had been revived didn't matter—what mattered was the blood was still on Sasuke's hands.

And Itachi…he couldn't abandon his need to avenge for anyone, not even Kiba. And though there were no direct problems, Sasuke wondered if it was just the eye of the storm, and that his future with Itachi would be much, much more dangerous.

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A/N: I have been putting up first drafts with no revision for the past three chapters. My beta tester is busy with school, and I am eager to keep this fic moving. I am not sure if I will go back and edit later. So if there are bunches of mistakes, now you know why.

I don't know if I like this chapter. Writing Naruto in character is difficult for me, especially regarding Sasuke loving someone else. I had trouble deciding how Naruto would react to Sasuke's violence, and how Sasuke would explain his new relationship. The ending is something I am especially unsure about, because I need to keep Sasuke unsure, but I am afraid he is starting to come off as too emo/whiney. So please please please if you have any suggestions, help a struggling author out.