"Hey Sasuke, why did you want to bring me to see fireworks anyway? I thought you hated my guts." Naruto glanced at the boy sitting next to him, shifting to lessen the tickle of the grass on his legs.Sasuke looked back, and in the darkness, Naruto could have sworn Sasuke smiled. "Maybe I decided it was time for a change."

"Well, whatever you decided, I like it more that the Pissy-Sasuke you used to be." The light from a pure white firework exploded overhead, lighting up the boys. They sat in silence for a while, watching the booming and crackling of the fireworks. Twinkling yellow, Shooting rockets of purple, a spiral of blue, an orange flower...

"...Naruto?" Their gazes locked. "How do you feel about Sakura?"

Naruto just stared for a second or two. "Since when do you care?" Sasuke started to look away again, and Naruto started talking."But since you brought it up...
"I did used to like her. I matured though, and saw I would never get to be with her as long as she was infatuated with you." He smirked. "Everyone loves Sasuke the Emo-pissy."

He smiled, seeing Sasuke wince at the name. Silence overtook them again. But it didn't last for long.

"Well then, Sasuke..." Naruto whispered, leaning closer. "Who do yoouuuu like?" He tried to make it sound ghostly, but it didn't sound ghostly. Not at all. Completely different. Sasuke shivered, and it wasn't from the cold.

But then his normal Superior-Uchiha smirk took over. "Who I like... Well, they have no idea." Naruto pouted. "Saaaasuke! Are you gonna make me guess or something?"

His smirk grew. "Okay, I can live with theat. Lets see. The person has no idea."

"Yeah, well that's a big hint."

"The person knows who I am."

"Everyone does"

He chuckled. A giant firework went off overhead, and Naruto was terporarally entranced.

"Well then, if I guess and get it right, THEN will you tell me?"

"Okay then, Naruto."

"Well... it can't be Sakura"

"My person doesn't have pink hair."

"Would it be Ino?"

He thought about that. "Too pale hair. And skin."

"Hinata then?"

"She's shy. The one I like isn't shy. And wrong hair color."

Naruto turned back to the sky. He was thinking.

Sasuke shook his head and smiled. He gazed at the twinkling stars, and the fireworks that mingled with the tonight. That Naruto... He'd never get it.

"Umm... Ten-ten?" He sounded like that was his last guess. "No, dobe... wrong hair color again. Think blond"

He thought about it for a while... There aren't that many blond people, idiot. Get it right!

Twinkling orange, flying magenta wheels, a large blue heart exploded in the sky, shot down by small green rockets of fire...

"Ooohh... I know who it is!" Naruto burst out, wearing a triumphant grin.

"Who is it then, Naruto?" He allowed a smile smile onto his face. He got it, he had to, he announced proudly...

"Deidara."

Sasuke barely mangaged to control himself. "No, you baka! NOT my brother's partner!"

"Well then... if not Deidara, who could it be..."

They sunk into silence again. Naruto thought as hard as his mind would let him. Sasuke stared up at the fireworks. A green one, small crackly ones, a huge blue one, aquamarine circles rimmed with yellow...

Then the biggest firework he had seen that night lit up the sky, shooting itself apart, revealing it's silver splendour. It lingered after its explosion, tiny silver stars falling earthward. They winked out, one by one, some almost touching the trees before they disappeared from view. The normal fireworks started up again. Purple, orange, blue, yellow sparklies...

"...Do you really want to know who it is, usuratonkachi?"

Naruto nodded vigorously, a huge smile on his face. He was willing to overlook the insult if Sasuke told him this secret...

Sasuke leaned close. "Are you sure you want to know...?"

"Yes! I want to know, Sasuke-teme! Tell me!" Naruto was almost quivering with anticipation. He had his hands on his lap, leaning forwards so he could hear this oh-so-big secret, then...

There was a pair of lips on his own.

Naruto's body struggled to realize this, while an almost-strange hand found one of his, and snuck it's way inside. Dark bangs- those were not his- fell in his eyes, and a pair of oh-so-familiar obsidian eyes were locked with his. Even with all of this, it still took him a second or two to realize that Sasuke was kissing him.

Sasuke was kissing him.

Sasuke... Sasuke, his rival since they had first met, his occational friend, Sasuke the pissy. Was kissing him.

And then the lips were gone. The gaze and hand lingered, though.

Sasuke looked deep into his eyes, paused for a minute to gather his courage...

"I... Ilike you, Naruto." He murmured, barely smiling.

And then the lips were back, and the fireworks ignored, and Naruto realized that he liked this contact. Even if it was Sasuke... well, maybe BECAUSE it was Sasuke... Naruto smiled. Sasuke's lips seperated, and...

"Sasuke-kun! Naruto! Come on! We have to go!" Sakura was calling them, and they heard Kakashi with her. They pulled apart, and realized the fireworks show had ended while they were making good use of their time with each other.

Naruto stood up and Sasuke came up with him, as they were still holding hands. They realized this as Sakura came over the top of the hill, and jumped apart like two scared rabbits. Shegiggled at their antics, not knowing what had just gone on. "Come on, you guys! It's time to go!"

They ran up the small hill, sailing over the top, and racing each other back home.

It was just another challenge, but this time, itseemed bigger.

This time, whoever won...