Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Familiar Stranger...

Suppressed emotions.

Naruto locked his gaze with Sasuke and raised an eyebrow at the glittering rage that clouded those dark orbs. Unlike Sasuke, Naruto always had a sort of command over his darker side. He could control his desire for revenge, he could control the insane amounts of anger he felt, sometimes towards the villagers, sometimes towards himself. Sometimes towards his father for sealing the Kyuubi inside of him. Yet, he never went berserk. He had the ultimate power at the palm of his hands, the power to the most powerful demon ever to walk on earth and yet he did not let it corrupt him.

Sasuke was different. As he looked at his long time rival he noted that he was easily enslaved by his emotions. He may be stoic and cold on the outside yet on the inside he was burning with so much negative emotions that he could never be peaceful with himself.

"Why! Why didn't you tell me!" Sasuke hissed at him. His rage coloring his words as he gazed into the impassive eyes of the most important person in his life.

"Don't kid yourself." Naruto said. He had no illusions, he loved the boy that did not mean that he was an Uchiha fan girl to show him a pretty picture. His eyes were hard and his voice like honey over steel, soft yet stern. "You think I trusted the bastard who said to my face that I was his friend so he needed to kill me? I worked my ass off so I could get you back and I wasn't going to send you back out again."

He did not miss the sudden tensing of Sasuke's body but he continued, "What happened with Itachi is over and done with. I have had five years trying to adjust myself to that incident. And I have. Me killing Itachi is not going to erase his touch off my skin nor is it going to wipe that incident off my memory."

Sasuke stood dumbfounded. What could he say to such a declaration? Shaking his head he practically growled, "You mean you forgive him for what he has done while you will not forgive me for my mistake?"

Naruto smiled gently at Sasuke. His whole countenance softened as he looked into Sasuke's desperate eyes. "How can I not forgive you Sasuke? You forget that I know you too well, I know what you have gone through and I am not immune to the violent emotions that tend to cloud lonely hearts. I understand, and what I trying to do is make you understand." Closing his eyes he said, "It is partly my fault. You needed a friend more than a rival. Think about it Sasuke, if I would have come to you saying that your brother raped me would you have stayed and supported me or ran off to find your brother for revenge."

Sasuke closed his eyes and accepted the truth in Naruto's judgment, scowling slightly he asked, "He did it to anger me didn't he? He did it because he knew that if you were capable of bringing me back that meant you were important to me." Naruto tilted his head to the side and smirked. His eyes glittering with mirth silently saying that he knew something that Sasuke did not. The Uchiha wondered at this, how could a person go through a series of tormenting events all his life and still come out looking as though he was a coddled innocent child?

Sasuke was well aware that Naruto had it more difficult that him. Something he realized needed a lot more strength to face, he finally realized that Naruto was no weakling. He knelt before the fox boy and asked, "Why take so long? Why at all leave?" Naruto sighed tiredly and said, "You won't give this up would you?" Sasuke shook his head as a negative. Naruto smiled again, it felt good to know that Sasuke cared for him. His smiled never faltered as he recalled a traumatic event in his life and the painful night when he left his beloved village.

"How could I protect this village if I could not even protect myself?" he looked at the sky with, his eyes were glazed over as the gentle expression lingered on his face. "I had to make myself stronger and that I could not do here. People were against me Sasuke, they never wanted me to grow. Outside even though they know about the kitsune they treated me with respect and honor. I was never shunned. Many people were willing to take me as their student. Wherever I went they would teach me all they know. Mothers would coddle me, fathers would teach me alongside their sons." Sharp blue eyes turned to look directly into obsidian as Naruto said, "I needed that. I needed to realize that I am something. I have some value. That I am a human not a monster these people believe me to be."

He ran his fingers through sun kissed hair, "Itachi wanted to break my spirit, my determination to survive. He wanted to make me weak and in turn he made me stronger than ever. Its ironic isn't it? I don't know whether to curse him or to thank him." He proffered a mischievous grin as he said, "Your genius brother forgot that the fox inside me would never let his host become weak. He took over my body as healed everything. He went to Tsunade-baachan and demanded that I should be permitted to leave this village. He threatened her." Naruto chuckled.

"She of course agreed and gave him all the papers I would require. He stayed in control of my body for weeks and we went to our first settlement. It was a demon settlement and he spoke to their leader. When I was handed control of my body once again I was nearly ready to die." Keeping a gentle hand on his stomach were the seal was he said, "Kyuubi and the other demons took care of me as though I was their child. They taught me strength of mind. Kyuubi says that the mind is were a person is always weak. If the mind is devoid of weakness you can be as strong in body as you want."

Shaking his head slightly he chuckled, "But that is not want you'd want to hear is it Sasuke?" Looking up at the Uchiha boy kneeling in front of him he said, "You and Itachi look so similar. Just like brothers ought to be. But you feel so different." Looking thoughtfully at the distasteful expression on Sasuke's face he said, "Itachi tried so many times to catch me. He wanted me with him, I escaped him narrowly a couple of times during my travels. In Konoha I would have been a sitting duck. That is one of the other reasons why Kyuubi wanted me to leave."

"And the other reason?" Sasuke asked quietly for the first time. He was a little calm now but that did not mean his anger was stated, 'I am gonna kill the bastard that next time I see his face!'

Naruto seemed a little nervous though he hid it well and answered, "That is for me to know. Anyways, now that Itachi knows I am here he will come for me. He already thinks that I am weak because I kept running from him which is something he believes is out of character for me." Sasuke scoffed and said, "Well you are a mindless fool who'd jump into battles." Naruto did not retort to that. "I will wait for the day he comes for me. I have a lot to thank him for after all." Naruto said with an insane smirk on his visage.

Naruto walked across the village feeling slightly uncomfortable. Although there were no hateful glares from the villagers, there were curious glances. Each step he took he feared that people would recognize him. Kyuubi had skillfully concealed his whisker marks a long time before they entered this village. Although the fox did not provide him with the reason for that Naruto was grateful. He saw girls his age looking at him and giggling and blushing. Digging his hands into his pockets he sighed, although he had faced this in all villages it was unnerving to have Konoha girls swoon over him. Shaking his head to get rid of his though process he let his sharp gaze devourer the sigh of his village.

The village had not changed that much. There was the same air of warmth and cheerfulness surrounding his home. He smiled a pleasant smile at a few greeting people. When he reached his favorite ramen stand he groaned at the sight of almost everyone of his friends. Neiji and Sasuke were sitting facing each other. Glaring. Sakura and Ino were bickering. Lee and Kiba were yelling. Shikamaru was yawning. Choji was eating. And Hinata was blushing. Nothing out of the ordinary.

His body just ached to turn around and leave. In all these years of traveling he had developed a solitary attitude that rivaled the Uchiha's. Crowds just did not sit well with him. He just started to turn to leave when a loud shrill rang out. "KIYOSHI-KUN!" Naruto cursed inwardly and turned around again. He plastered a tight smile on his face and walked over.

Ino quickly latched onto his one arm and asked, "So Kiyoshi-kun.. How do you like our village so far? And how about our people. If you want I can be your tour guide." Naruto shuddered at the sugary sweet tone she used and spared a glance at the twitching Sasuke. He was glaring oddly at Ino. Naruto just shrugged and slowly escaped Ino's grasp and sat between Shikamaru and Sasuke. Safe territory.

Sasuke smirked at Naruto and whispered into the blond's ear, "Looks like you have a fan girl Kiyoshi-kun." Naruto growled at Sasuke, finding the Uchiha's sly expression very disturbing. Shaking his head he turned to observe each of his friends. They had all changed somewhat. It was as if they were now polished and refined diamonds. They seemed stronger and more collected. There was a sense of maturity amongst them, even though it was hard to notice.

Eyes glittering with mirth and softening with content his sat silently watching them go crazy and have fun pulling each other's legs and fighting over silly things. The familiarity of scene before him brought a small smile on his face.

But of course he had no idea how beautiful that small smile was and the look of serenity on his face gave him a peaceful allure. If Sasuke did not have so much self restraint he would have just kept gazing at the boy throughout the evening. He did though notice that all the girls did have dreamy eyed looks on their faces when they were looking at Naruto.

Friendly chaos ensued and they enjoyed themselves until it was time to go home. Sasuke and Naruto walked silently through the village. None wanted to say anything to break the companionable silence between them. Besides, Sasuke was never the one to start conversations while Naruto had stopped filling meaningful silences with words a long time ago.

However, it did not go unnoticed by Sasuke that Naruto was heading towards a hotel. He frowned and asked, "Oi, dobe what happened to your apartment?" Naruto sighed and thought, 'He is never going to get that particular word out of his system is he?' Naruto continued on his way and said, "Apartment leaves me cold. I am here for finishing with Itachi anyway. After that I'll leave this village so why bother?"

It was only when his arm was caught in a vice like grip did he realize his mistake. A low, soft voice spoke up, "What did you just say?" Naruto schooled himself to a nonchalant expression and said, "Just what you heard Sasuke. I'm not staying in this village for more time than necessary." Sasuke forced him to turn around and face him and said, "Why I thought you loved this village. You look so peaceful here! Why are you going when you want to protect this village?"

Naruto let out a small mirthless laugh and said, "Protect this village? That was when I left it Sasuke." He tried to pry his arm off Sasuke's grip but failed and glared at the raven haired boy. "It's my life Sasuke. I am entitled to my own decisions." The boy did not let go as he calmly replied, "If that is so then why did you bother to bring me back from Orochimaru? Wasn't it my life then?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke with narrowed angry eyes and growled, "There's a difference and you know it. Moreover, the village needed you and they do not need me."

"But I need you." Naruto froze and stared at Sasuke with wide eyes. "Or don't I matter anymore?" Naruto did not know what to say. He stared helplessly as Sasuke lifted his hand and caressed his soft cheek and whispered, "Is that it Naruto?" Rough fingers trailed across his lips, a touch which hid a kind of desperation, a desperation that he could clearly see in Sasuke's eyes. He took a hesitant step forward as Sasuke tugged on his arm and gazed, mesmerized into the bottomless obsidian eyes in front of him. His throat went dry and he struggled but could not tare his eyes away from Sasuke's.

Leaning forward Sasuke did not know what the hell he was doing. He did not fail to notice that Naruto did not protest either. The expression on Naruto's face seemed that of wonder and a little fear. Sasuke had never planned on seeing fear in Naruto' eyes and cursed himself silently. He forgot how much he looked like Itachi to begin with.

Smiling softly he whispered in Naruto's ear, "Come home with me Naruto. Stay with me..." At those soft coaxing words Naruto's eyes glazed over and he dumbly nodded. Unable to repress a shiver that went through him when Sasuke's warm breath landed on his neck and a brief touch of his lips lingered on his skin as though branding him.

Red sharingan eyes glittered in the darkness as a slight smirk formed on a normally emotionless face.

What he had suspected had been right all along. He knew of the blond's hold on his little brother and on several others such as the all mighty hokage Tsunade and the legendary sanin Jiraiya. The boy was their weakness and the boy was weak to him. He is going to utilize his power over the broken blond to his advantage. With a final glance at the direction of the two he left.

AN: Reviews review... Do I deserve them? Please tell me how this is going. Suggestions welcome.