Pairings: SasuNaru

Warnings: Shonen-ai and Yaoi (boy x boy love). Mature content, crude language, cursing and sexual references.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters. This story is a work of fiction based on the Naruto manga and anime series.

Thoughts are represented by italics.

Chapter Seventeen - Betrayal?

Naruto and Sasuke spent the next few weeks, before the Jounin Exams, training together when they had the chance. They both had agreed to take it slow in their new relationship. They limited themselves to just kissing and cuddling, and learning everything they could about each other. Naruto also took time between missions, to train with Lee and to teach him more ninjutsu and genjutsu. The friendship between the bowl-cut haired boy and the blond grew.

Naruto would find himself running into Sudai occasionally, but he remembered Sasuke's warning and didn't allow himself to be alone with the new Leaf nin, too often. He didn't see anything suspicious with the boy's behavior, but he didn't want to hurt Sasuke's feelings by letting Sudai get too close to him.

On Itachi's part, he was getting very frustrated that he hadn't been able to gain the trust of the blond. Time was running out for him. He had told the Akatsuki leader that he would only be gone for a month and that time was just about up. I will have to ask for an extension. Naruto is not being as open with me as I had thought he would. It must be Sasuke's influence. I can see how suspicious my little brother is of me, every time we happen to see each other. I think I have to use my backup plan instead. If I can get Naruto unconscious, then I can use that special memory drug I have, to erase his memories and get him to be totally dependent on me. Then he will work for me and do everything I tell him to do. The drug should work on him, the leader had guaranteed it himself. I'll just have to knock the boy out, sometime during the Jounin Exams. There is one exam where all the participants are alone in the Forest of Death, like it is done in the Chuunin Exams. That is when I can make my move. Naruto shouldn't be expecting a surprise attack from me, if I approach him as a friend and offer to work with his team. That boy Rock Lee, shouldn't be a problem for my partner. Once I have Naruto, I will have to let the leader take the demon out of him. That's the price I have to pay. But it is highly probable that Naruto will survive that, because of his bloodline limit. Then I get to have the boy for myself. I will let my little brother know all about it, after it's done. It will be too late for him to do anything, and it will make him hate me even more.

The week before the Jounin Exams began, Gaara arrived in Konoha to observe the exams in his capacity as Kazekage. Naruto found out he was in town and went to visit him in his hotel room, on the first evening of the day he arrived. Both boys hugged when they saw each other, then greeted each other with mutual kisses on the cheek.

Naruto laughed as he stepped back from his friend. "That brings back memories." Then he smiled at the red head. "I missed you, Gaara."

The Kazekage smiled back. "I missed you too, Naruto." He took the blond's arm then lead him over to two very elegant looking chairs. He sat down in one and Naruto sat down in the other. "You have grown tall, Naruto. You look very healthy too."

The blond smiled and looked over his red haired friend. "So have you. You are a couple inches taller than me still. Being able to sleep for these past few years has given you a healthy glow on your face. How have things been between you and your brother and sister?"

"We are like family now. I love Temari and Kankuro and they have told me they love me. I have you to thank for that, Naruto."

"I'm happy for you, Gaara. You deserve to have a family that cares about you. I hope you still consider me as family too." Gaara does look happy now. It's such a change from how he looked when I first met him.

"Yes, I have realized over the past years that you are like a little brother to me. I want you to be happy too." Naruto does look happy though. Even more than when we were younger.

"I am happy, Gaara. I think of you as my brother too, and I think I should tell you what is making me so happy. I've fallen in love."

Gaara looked with surprise at the blond. He was happy for his friend, but he also felt a little envious of him. I would like to know what it feels like to fall in love. "When did this happen and with who?"

"Well, it's been happening since I came back here." He didn't like Sasuke before, I hope he can accept that I love him. "It's Sasuke. He says he loves me too."

The Uchiha? But how can that be? They didn't act like they liked each other that much before. Well, Naruto did seem to care about what happened to the Uchiha, but I would have never guessed they would become this close. "I see. I must say this is a surprise to me, Naruto. I didn't think you two were that close."

"I know you didn't care for him before." Boy, is that an understatement! "But, he's changed. So have I. I think the bond between us was always there, but neither of us could see it. He still wants to kill his brother, but he's no longer letting it consume him and take over his whole life. He doesn't want to be like his brother. He wants his own life."

Gaara nodded. He could understand that. He had changed himself too. His life now had meaning. I am glad that Naruto and I became friends. He helped me to change my life. It looks like he helped Uchiha Sasuke too. "I'm glad you found someone, Naruto. Despite how I felt about the Uchiha before, I will try to be open-minded about him now. I hope that the two of you are happy together."

Naruto smiled widely at his red haired friend. "Thank you, Gaara. I want you to find someone to make you as happy too."

I am happy now, but I do want what Naruto has. That one person that I can be with for the rest of my life. Someone to love that loves me back.

After Naruto's visit with Gaara, the rest of the week went by fast for him. Soon he had got through the first exam of the Jounin Exams and the second exam had started. Naruto and Lee were now in the Forest of Death. They had spent their first day fighting three other teams and had defeated them, stolen their scrolls, then left them tied up. In this second exam, their objective was to find the team that had a special scroll on them and steal it, and then return it to the tower in the middle of the forest. Only one team had this special scroll and none of the teams knew which one had it, since all the teams had been given a scroll.

The only way to make sure your team had it, was to defeat all the other teams and steal all the scrolls. Any team that showed up at the tower without the special scroll would be automatically kicked out of the Jounin Exams. Only one team could win and the teams that failed, yet didn't report into the tower, would still be in the Exams, if they didn't get killed or seriously injured. This exam was a test of techniques and of strategy. It would last for a week or if one team wins. There were twelve teams participating in this exam.

The boys were sitting together at the base of a huge oak tree. They had set up traps around them earlier, and had managed to eat some roots, berries and nuts that they found. They didn't want to start a fire and cook a more substantial meal, because neither one felt like fighting again so soon. A fire and the smell of cooking food could draw unwanted attention. The two boys needed a break.

Lee looked over at his teammate and smiled. "I think we did pretty good for our first day."

Naruto smiled back. "Yes, we did. We still have eight more teams to defeat though."

"We have the power of youth on our side, Naruto-kun. I know we will win!" He looked at the blond with a confident smile and gave a thumbs up sign.

Naruto's smile got wider. He gave a thumbs up sign back. "I believe it too, Lee!"

They both heard a sound and looked around.

Naruto enhanced his sight and looked to see what it was. Did someone get past our traps? Why didn't I notice a chakra signature? Then he saw someone familiar. It's Sudai! Naruto felt suspicious. There seemed to be some kind of a strange aura around the other boy. I think I will need to look more closely at him later to figure out what it is. He deactivated his enhanced sight and watched as the brown haired boy walked into their camp.

Lee remembered this boy too, because Naruto had introduced them to each other, before the exams started. He kept himself on alert for a possible attack.

Sudai held up his hands to show he wasn't a threat to them. "Hello, Naruto-kun and Lee-kun. I'm not here to fight you. I just came to talk."

Naruto looked at Lee and they both silently agreed to listen to the other boy. They nodded their heads at each other. Naruto then looked at Sudai. "Hello, Sudai. If you really are here just to talk, we'll listen."

The boy walked up to the other two, then sat down in front of them. "I came to propose a temporary truce between your team and mine. The four of us can work together to take the scrolls from all the other teams and then when it's just our two teams left, we will fight each other for all the scrolls."

Naruto and Lee looked at each other. Lee nodded at his teammate. "I will support your decision on this. Whatever you think is best, Naruto-kun."

The blond smiled at the trust his friend placed in him. He looked at Sudai. Well, it would save us time and cut the work in half. I'm not sure how powerful Sudai and his partner are, but I am pretty confident that Lee and I could defeat them. We would be able to see how they fight, while we are all working together. Also, this will give me a chance to try to see what that strange aura is, that is around Sudai. I could study him when he's not paying attention. "That sounds like a good idea, Sudai. It would benefit both our teams and then we can see which of our teams is the strongest at the end."

Sudai smiled at the blond. "Thank you, Naruto-kun. I will go tell my partner you agreed." He got up from the ground and then turned and leaped up into the trees.

Naruto looked at Lee and whispered. "Don't trust either of them. We need to watch them carefully, but without letting them know we are suspicious. There is something wrong with Sudai and I plan on figuring out what it is."

Lee whispered back. "Alright, I will pay attention to them too. They won't catch us unaware." He then patted Naruto on the back and smiled. "I will watch your back, my friend. You can count on me."

Naruto smiled back. "I know I can. I trust you with my life, Lee."

"I trust you with mine, too."

When Sudai and his partner, Yakunu Orei, came into the camp, they settled down across from the other two ninjas. Both teams exchanged small talk and tried to act friendly towards the other team. No one slept that night.

The next morning, Sasuke was at the training grounds, working on his taijutsu training. But he was too worried about what was happening in the Forest of Death, to concentrate. If Sudai wasn't participating in the the exams, I wouldn't be so worried. Sasuke didn't trust that boy and he believed Sudai had some hidden agenda. But what is it? Am I just jealous or am I right to be suspicious of him? I know I wasn't imagining the way he looked at my Naruto. I am sure he looked at him like he was his property, or soon would be. I trust that Naruto loves me and wouldn't be interested in that boy as anything other than a friend. But I don't believe friendship is what that asshole wants from Naruto. I wish I could be there with Naruto to protect him.
Naruto watched Sudai fighting with a powerful chuunin from another team, he finally figured out what was wrong with the brown haired ninja. He had his sight enhanced with more chakra this time, and kept his focus on the boy as he watched the fight. He saw when there was a flicker where the boy's true appearance showed. Sudai had used a large quantity of his own chakra in a defensive jutsu against his opponent. This caused a small, temporary drain on the genjutsu he had been maintaining constantly, enough for Naruto to be able to catch it with his enhanced sight.

It was just for a moment, but I saw him! It's that asshole, Itachi! Damn him! He almost had me. I should have thought of the possibility that he would try something like this in order to capture me. But I had believed that I could see through any genjutsu. That is what my father told me. I wonder why I couldn't see through this one? Well, I'll worry about that later. I can't let Itachi know, that I know who he is. I need to take him by surprise. Naruto didn't have time to tell Lee what he knew or to warn him. I have to attack now, while he's still fighting that other ninja.

Naruto knew he would have to be very fast. He drew on the fox's chakra as quickly as he could and then forced it out of himself, in a powerful and large ball-shape, towards Itachi. The oldest Uchiha had his back to Naruto, so he didn't see it coming. But he did feel something powerful coming fast towards his back. He tried to jump away from it, but Naruto directed it with a string of his own chakra, that he had attached to the ball.

When Itachi leaped to the right, the demon chakra-filled ball turned the same way and slammed right into it's target. The force of the blow, knocked Itachi into a tree that was several feet in front of him. The Akatsuki member's bones could be heard cracking. The left side of his head had been slammed hard into the tree, instead of the front of his face, because Itachi had been on the verge of turning his head to see behind him, right before the blast had hit him. Also, the rest of his body had hit the tree, causing his arms, legs and most of his ribs to break. The cheek bone and jaw bone on the left side of his face were crushed, as well as his skull being cracked.

Orei was in shock at the attack, and that the powerful Itachi had been defeated. Lee, coming out of his own surprise more quickly, attacked Orei with a hard kick to his chin, knocking him up into the air, then Lee did his shadow dance, followed by the second lotus. Orei was almost in as bad a shape as his partner, after Lee was finished with him.

Naruto walked over to Itachi and bound him with chakra rope, that he filled with the demon fox's chakra. Despite Itachi's severe injuries, the man was still breathing. The blond looked at Lee. "This man is Uchiha Itachi, Lee. He murdered the whole Uchiha clan. We have to turn him in. We won't be able to finish this exam. Getting Itachi to the Hokage is far more important."

Lee nodded at his teammate. "Yes, you are right. I will race to the tower quickly and get help. You will be okay staying with them alone, won't you?"

Naruto walked over to Orei and bound him the same way that he had done to Itachi. "Yes, just hurry as fast as you can. I don't think they are in any condition to cause trouble right now, but I don't want to take any chances."

Lee nodded, then took off the weights he had strapped to his legs. He leaped up into the trees and headed to the tower, moving at his fastest speed.

I know Sasuke wanted to fight and kill his brother, but this is better. Itachi should go on trial for his crimes. Naruto hoped his love wouldn't be upset about this. Sasuke has changed from how he used to be. He does want to exact revenge for his clan on his own still, but I'm sure he will see that it's better that his brother isn't running around loose anymore.

Naruto and Lee sat in chairs in front of the Hokage's desk. Gaara was seated in another chair to the left of Lee, close to the wall. Sasuke was seated to Naruto's right. His face was impassive and Naruto couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. Sasuke hadn't said anything after he had heard what had happened. Tsunade sat behind her desk and would sometimes look over to the young Uchiha, wondering if he was going to give her any trouble.

"Uchiha Itachi is locked up and being watched by the Anbu. A special bracelet was put on him to keep his chakra drained to a level that would keep him alive, but unable to perform any jutsus. He is also chained up so that he can't get out of the room on his own. His partner is in a similar situation. We haven't been able to get Yakunu Orei to reveal who he works for, or what village he comes from. Itachi has been healed of the worst of his injuries. But it will still be many weeks before he will be able to walk on his own. We don't want him in perfect health right away." Tsunade paused to look at the youngest Uchiha again. "He will be standing trial for his crimes against his clan and this village, Sasuke. I know you want to kill him yourself, but the council members and the clan leaders want a trial first. If you wish, you can still be his executioner."

Sasuke looked up and glared at the Hokage. "He would be weak and helpless. That would not bring me any satisfaction."

Naruto looked at the raven haired boy with a frown. I know he wants his revenge, but he should be happy that Itachi will pay for what he's done. No matter how it happens.

"Uchiha Sasuke, is your own satisfaction more important to you, than having your brother punished for his crimes?" Gaara asked this. He is still a selfish boy. He doesn't deserve Naruto.

Sasuke looked over at the Kazekage and glared at him. "It is my duty as my clan's avenger, to kill him. I was supposed to do it alone, in battle."

Naruto sighed and looked at his love sadly. "That is what your brother wanted you to do. I don't believe your parents wished for that. I don't believe they would want your brother's blood staining your hands. It's bad enough that Itachi has his parent's blood staining his hands. You don't need to be like him."

Sasuke looked down at his lap. I know I don't want to be like Itachi. I swore to myself I wouldn't let him control me and make me just like him. But it feels so wrong, for Itachi to go down like this. He was always so powerful and beyond me in strength. All my life, I've had to struggle to catch up to him. Maybe I am being selfish. I'm angry because Naruto was the one to take him down. I need to be alone now or I could say something that I will regret. Sasuke stood up from the chair and looked at the Hokage. "May I leave now?"

Tsunade nodded at the boy. "Yes, and if you decide you want to see your brother, then you will need to come here and get permission from me first, before the Anbu will allow you to see him."

Sasuke nodded, then turned away. He left the room without looking back.

Tsunade looked at Naruto with concern. She could see that the actions and words of Sasuke had hurt the blond boy. "Naruto, are you alright?"

Naruto forced himself to smile and looked up at the woman. "Yes, I'll be fine. Is it alright if I leave too?"

Tsunade smiled at the young man. "Yes, you can leave. You and Lee have already given me a report on everything that happened. Just go home and rest now, both of you." She smiled at Lee too.

Before Naruto and Lee left the room, Gaara called out to his friend. The blond turned to look at the Kazekage.

"If you need me for anything, you know where I'm staying at."

Naruto smiled at his friend. "I do, Gaara and thank you." Then he turned back to the door and both he and Lee left the office.

The Hokage looked at the Kazekage and smiled. "You are a good friend to Naruto. I'm glad he has you."

"He is a good friend to me, too. Well, I think I will go now, unless you need me for anything else?"

"Not at the moment. I have to go to another meeting with the council in an hour. I will send word to you, if I should need you."

The Kazekage stood up and then bowed his head to the woman. He turned away and then left her alone in the office.

Kakashi told me the other day that he believed Naruto and Sasuke were in love. I wasn't sure if I believed him. But I can see that Naruto does love the Uchiha boy. He may end up broken-hearted though, unless Sasuke can get over this obsession he has about killing his brother on his own. He seems to be angry at Naruto for capturing Itachi. How can he not realize that Naruto had to do that to save his own life? How can Sasuke be so blind and selfish? Tsunade wasn't sure if she wanted Sasuke and Naruto to be together. She loved Naruto like a brother and she only wanted someone deserving to have his heart.

TBC

Next chapter, Sasuke meets with Itachi.