Happy Ending
Chapter 8
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"Another mission well done, you may leave now."
Naruto bowed politely to the Hokage and left through the door. Our blonde boy had cheered up a lot since the other day, he had kept on writing down from time to time when he needed it and he had come to realize something, and that something being that he really wanted Sasuke as more than a friend.
But how could he get him to be more than a friend?
He and Sasuke had gone trough a lot and 'That Day'. Naruto didn't really know what to call 'That Day' and what would Sasuke say if Naruto told him that he want him as more than a friend anyways? And did really Sasuke want him to be more than a friend too? Maybe 'That Day' he was just horny or something.
Naruto looked around the streets he walked on, trying to see if he saw someone he knew. But he didn't see anyone. The blonde sighed; he really wanted to talk to someone other than Sasuke right now. He knew Sasuke was home and that he could go and see him anytime he wanted to, Sasuke had even told him that himself.
Naruto had thought about what Sasuke had offered him a few weeks ago, about moving in with him, but at the same time he didn't want to live in the exact same house as him, maybe just one of the houses nearby? Sasuke had plenty of houses! But the idea of just moving near Sasuke made the blonde nervous.
Oh, speaking of the devil, there he is.
"Oy Sasuke!" The blonde called out. He saw his teammate nod his head in greeting while the boy jogged towards him.
They talked a little and started to walk to Sasukes home to get something to eat. Even if Naruto lived closer they decided to go to Sasuke's, he had more food.
The two of them reached the house a few minutes later. Sasuke started to take things out of the fridge while Naruto seated himself in a chair. Sasuke didn't like when Naruto helped him in the kitchen, he hadn't really told Naruto exactly why.
"I saw Sakura today." Narutos eyes grew bigger and his ears sharpened. Did he just hear what he thinks he did? "She and Ino were at the flower shop, I didn't stop by to say hello but a greeted her with a wave and a smile." Sasuke didn't turn to look at Naruto while he spoke; he knew how Naruto would react anyway.
"So she has finally come out! I have to see her!" Naruto's voice sounded so happy that Sasukes heart nearly broke, why couldn't the blonde use such a happy tone towards him?
"I don't know if she wants that." Sasuke said before the blonde could say anymore. "When I greeted her she seemed a little off, so wait a couple of days more before you talked to her." As always, Sasuke must be right. Their female teammate wouldn't like it if everyone she knew came and talked to her in the same day, she would feel awkward.
"Yeah, I guess you are right, again…" The last word ended with a sigh, but Naruto soon smiled, only because of Sakura had finally decided to show her outside made him happy.
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After they had eaten, both of them talked away some time with each other. They didn't really talk about anything in particular, but they had fun anyway.
Naruto had started to realize that times like these made him like Sasuke even more, just spending time with him and talking, having fun and joking around with each other, but didn't best friends do the same things too? Why did he think that this was any different? Maybe it is because he is falling more and more for Sasuke; just looking at him makes him want to be with the other boy even more.
"I have to tell you something," The raven-haired boy said. Naruto, now paying full attention to his friend, raised an eyebrow in question.
"You have something to tell me? What is it?" Somehow, the blondes' heart started to beat faster, but he didn't know why.
"I'm going to take the ANBU exam tomorrow." Naruto released the breath he didn't know he had been holding. Why was his friend going to take the ANBU exam?
"How come you are going to take it? And why didn't you tell me sooner?" The blonde, somehow felt angry, he and Sasuke had promised each other a year ago that they would take it together when both of them felt ready to take it.
The older boy sighed; he knew Naruto would get angry when he told him.
"I didn't want to tell you because you haven't been feeling well lately." The boy explained, hoping that the blonde would accept the answer.
"But still.." Naruto looked at the wall to the side, how could Sasuke break the promise? It somehow made him hurt inside. "How come you are taking it tomorrow? Can't you wait a half year to the next so that I can take it with you?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't." Now the younger boy faced the older fully, he was about to open his mouth before Sasuke continued. "Tsunade asked me, she said that she needs new ANBUs and I accepted the offer when she asked me to take the exam. She said that she would ask you about it too, but I told her not to because you were feeling down."
Naruto closed his mouth. Sasuke didn't tell him because he cared? It made Naruto happy but at the same time he didn't want Sasuke to join the ANBU. ANBU missions were tougher then the ones they had now and what if Sasuke got hurt? Or even worse, got killed. Naruto couldn't even stand the thought of Sasuke dead.
"Is that what you want? Joining ANBU I mean..." Naruto asked, now not meeting the others eyes.
"Yes. I want to join the ANBU and I think I'm ready for it too." Sasuke knew that Naruto wasn't happy about this, he had broken the promise between them, but he couldn't help it, he wanted to take the exam and now he could.
"Okay." Naruto said and turned his head to Sasuke; he gave the older one a small smile. "Do your best, if you fail I will kick your butt to the moon." Sasuke gave Naruto a smile and nodded.
"But I have a request" The blond spoke up. "If you are going to take the ANBU exam then I want something in exchange." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that; the blonde wanted something from him? What could it be? "I get to move in, not here but in a house nearby, you said I could do that a couple of weeks ago, remember?"
The raven-haired boy nodded. He had told Naruto he could do that but he didn't think Naruto would take the offer.
"Well, it's fine with me. What size do you want?" Sasuke asked.
"Size?" Narutos eyes widened. Sasuke was talking about houses like they were clothes!
"Yeah, size. Do you want the size of you apartment or bigger? Smaller?" Sasuke looked at Naruto and couldn't hide the smile that crept over his face, Naruto still had a shocked expression on his face.
"You're talking about houses like they were clothes." Naruto said. "But, I kind of want the size of my apartment I have now, maybe a little bigger but not to much."
"Then I suggest you take the house besides mine. It's a guest house, don't really know if we ever have used it thought and it is really nice, do you want to take a look at it?" Sasuke suggested.
"No, it's okay. I take your word that it is nice, just give me the keys and I can do the rest, with your help of course!" Naruto smiled evilly. He was going to make Sasuke carry everything!
"I'm sorry. I can't help you with that." The words broke Naruto from his though about Sasuke as a slave, why couldn't he help him? "The ANBU exam lasts two weeks, so I won't be able to come home and help you, if you don't mind moving in two weeks that is." The raven-haired boy explanation made Narutos jaw drop. Did he just say two weeks! How could they make the exam that long? Sure, it must be some kind of survival test and showing off some skills, but wasn't two weeks a bit much?
"I can do everything by myself… Just give me the keys and everything will be done before you come home."
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One week has gone by and I'm starting to miss Sasuke.
I have moved almost everything to the house I will be starting to live in. The house is kind of nice, just the colours are boring, every wall is plain white so there is not much to look at, but I will buy some stuff to put up so it won't be as boring. The whole house itself is nice, a little bigger then my apartment I have now.
I haven't moved everything on my own, Shikamaru has been helping me a bit, but it isn't much, all we do is talk and slack off, he really is the type that doesn't want to do anything. He sure is lazy!
And I saw Sakura-chan this week too! But when I just said hi to her, the smile she gave me really scared me, it looked emotionless and her eyes somehow looked dead. I talked to Ino after that and she told me that Sakura-chan comes and talks to her every time she works at the shop, they don't really talk about anything but Ino, but I guess it is the only times Sakura-chan goes out.
I have talked to Neji too. He says that studying to learn medical things is really hard but he is trying his best to learn it. I asked him about the exam for the ANBUs too, but he said he didn't know anything about it and that he isn't assigned to take care of the exam either.
And Tsunade doesn't know anything either and she's supposed to be Hokage! I know I shouldn't complain, she let me take me take off of the watch I have on nights, the one where I switch with Tenten. So I have been having a lot of time to try and move all my things.
I really want to see Sasuke.
I hope he is okay, but he should be. He is an Uchiha after all and has the sharingan to help him so it shouldn't be to hard for him to making through the exam. And he's a genius after all.
And I'm thinking of getting a diary. Not something flashy, just a book I can write in. One where I can write down the days and months too.
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"This is the last one." A brown haired old man placed a box on top of another one and wiped his forehead with his hand.
"Thanks Iruka-sensei." Naruto gave his old teacher a big smile and was returned by a soft smile.
"When are you going to stop calling me sensei? I'm not your teacher anymore you know."
"I don't care, I'm not going to stop calling you that." The blond turned around and walked towards the kitchen, leaving the older ninja by himself. "I'm still your student no matter what!" The blonde called out. The old man laughed a little at that.
"When will you stop being so childish?" Iruka asked and walked into the kitchen as well.
"The day when pink elephants can fly." Naruto said. He gave the older ninja a glass of water while the brown-haired man rolled his eyes.
Iruka drank the water and placed the cup on the counter when he was finished.
"So, how does it feel? Moving away from a home you have lived your whole life." Iruka asked.
"Well, I suppose I should be a little sad, but somehow I'm not. I'm kind of glad, really, just moving a way into something new, it is kind of an exiting thing to do, at least I feel so. Maybe moving wasn't such a bad idea." Naruto smiled to himself. He was really happy, he was happy just as he had told Iruka, but the part he hadn't told him was about Sasuke. Just moving near the boy made Narutos heart jump!
"So it has nothing to do with Sasuke then?" Naruto turned to look at his old teacher. Did he know what Naruto had been staring to feel toward his male teammate? Naruto didn't know what to say. Should he just tell his old teacher what he was feeling?
"I thought so!" Iruka laughed. "You'e just moving here because you don't have to pay the bills, aren't you?" Narutos head dropped at that. What did the other male just say? "Well, I'm sure Sasuke will make you pay here too so don't think you will get away with it because you two are friends."
Naruto still didn't know what to say, so he just nodded and looked away. Did his old teacher really think that low of him? Sure, the idea of getting the bills out of the way didn't sound that stupid now when he thought about it.
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Sasuke should be home tonight, or tomorrow, I hope he got on the team! Naruto thought while he eyed his watch on the wall in the kitchen.
Naruto had been working on getting his house done before the other boy would get home. Just today he got finished with everything and making the apartment look a lot more alive from what it did in the first place, now it actually looked like someone lived there!
I wonder when… Maybe he is already home? Should I go and check? But what if he's asleep… Naruto broke away from his thoughts when he heard his door open, he couldn't see whom it was because he sat it the kitchen, but he waited patiently to see who it was, if the person would walk into the kitchen that is.
"It's almost scary how alive this place looks." Naruto smiled, he knew who it was, he didn't need to see the face them either, he knew the voice so well. "Aren't you going to say 'welcome home' to me? How rude." Sasuke leaned at the doorway. Sasuke looked very tired and worn out.
"Welcome home, bastard." Naruto gave Sasuke a big grin. "How was the exam?" The blonde asked. He knew that this maybe wasn't the time to ask but he just couldn't wait.
"Okay I guess." The other boy didn't say any more, he walked to one of the chairs by the table and seated himself in a comfortable position.
"Is that all you have to say?" Naruto asked slightly irritated, couldn't his friend tell anything more? "Was it hard?"
"No, not really. All you need is a strategy and save a amount of chakra so that you could last a few days." The older boy yawned and placed his elbows on the table. "But enough about the boring exam, how have you been?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow and didn't even try to hide his irritated and slightly angry look on his face. How come Sasuke didn't tell him more? I have been worrying my ass off for you and all you have to say it that it is okay! Well go to hell Uchiha.
"I have been fine, nothing special has happened." The boy plainly said.
"Really…" The raven-haired boy yawned and rubbed his eyes tiredly. Naruto couldn't help but think that it was too cute, but he shouldn't think that now, he was supposed to be angry! Sometimes Naruto didn't get Sasuke; sometimes he was sweet and the next time he could be as cold as snow. Why did he always have to change his attitude?
Do I change my attitude like that too?
"I passed the exam." Sasuke smiled, Naruto thought that he smiled more for himself then at him, passing the exam must have mean something for Sasuke, because Sasuke didn't smile like that without a reason.
"That's great Sasuke, I'm really happy for you…" Naruto gave Sasuke a tiny smile and looked down at the table. Naruto didn't lie when he said that he was happy for his friend, but just thinking that Sasuke would start to do harder missions and always have his life in danger made Naruto afraid, afraid of loosing him.
Naruto suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. When did Sasuke got up from the chair? Did he space out again?
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Sasuke smiled down at him, it somehow made Naruto feel better, and he knew that he could trust Sasukes words but sometimes words were not enough.
"Promise?" Naruto said, almost in a too low voice for Sasuke to hear, but his friend heard him.
"Promise." Sasuke repeated. Naruto started to smile and took his own hand on top of Sasuke's. He didn't want Sasuke as a friend anymore, he wanted him to be more, but how could he tell him? Naruto was sure that he would be rejected; everyone else had rejected him in the past, if Sakura was everyone that is.
Sasuke shifted a little behind him and Naruto could see that his friend had bent down on his knees. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto and placed his head on the blondes shoulder.
"I'm tired." Sasuke closed his eyes. Naruto smiled at him, he looked like a little child when he was tired or asleep, looking so peaceful.
"Just like a sleeping beauty."
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To be continued
Ichigo -dattebayo: Yes, I have the ending of the story inside of my head but it's just that I have two versions of it; I don't know if I should choose the sad one or the happy one. The sad one is a happy one in one way and the happy one is just… Happy. And I don't know if I should make this story long or short, but yes, I will finish this fic and won't leave it unfinished, I give you my word on that.
Thanks to everyone else that has review too! Just reading them makes me happy.
Thanks to GaaraBelongsToMe for checking the spelling.
Please review.
