Disclaimer: Hahaha, no.

Notes: A big thanks to my brand new beta Ms Trick! She corrects and makes for easier reading. So if the storyline itself sucks, I take full responsibility. But at least the content will have all its nouns, commas, and periods in place. :p

Enjoy the second chapter, folks!


Fall Into Blue

Chapter 2: ...Pave the Road to Hell

Sasuke climbed up the stairs slowly, his arms folded against chest. He knew there was something...strange about this mission, but he figured he'd just go along with it. For now anyway. After all, he could always refuse the mission...but if Kakashi was speaking the truth and this mission was his ticket to ANBU, then Sasuke would do it no matter what.

...could this be some kind of test? Or are they just trying to get rid of me? The dark-haired jounin frowned broodingly. Well, overall, Sasuke didn't care. He'd just complete the mission and, hopefully, get enrolled into ANBU. From there, he'd be able to take on S-class missions reserved only for the highest ranked shinobi, become stronger, and—I'll be able to make sure he doesn't get himself killed...

Sasuke sighed irritably; he forced himself to stop thinking of a future that might not happen. After all, it was obvious the Hokage and Konoha (minus his friends and fan girls) still didn't trust him completely. Anyway...it was going to be a ridiculously easy mission, but he prayed to whatever god existed that he wouldn't be paired up with someone that had an in-yo'-face-I-can-do-it-all attitude like Ino or some blushing ditz with a like-ohmygod-you're-hot-let's-date mindset. Sasuke just wanted a normal partner that'll do her work with her mouth shut. Maybe someone like Hinata. He could work well with her since she stuttered no more than five words at a time with him. But he just couldn't bear the thought of 'playing husband' with someone obnoxious like Ino, someone pushy like TenTen, someone mentally unstable like Sakura, or—

"Oiiii! Old haaaag! Open the door, will ya!"

Sasuke halted just as he turned the corner. He looked down the narrow hallway that led to Hokage's office and immediately recognized the shock of sunflower-yellow hair. The cold clutch of despair and panic caught his breath. He was just about to turn heel and walk away—

But he lost his chance when the aforementioned blond turned around and made direct eye contact. Blue eyes widened and silence followed. Sasuke felt his stomach twist, but he steeled his eyes and his expression remained cool. He felt the urge to spit out something—I'm sorry; I forgive you; I didn't mean to; forget about it—but his lips stayed together and his mask remained.

"Sasu..." Naruto trailed off, similar thoughts and words caught at the tip of his tongue. A strange, still silence hung between them; they hadn't really spoken since...since what had happened.

That was months...almost a year ago.

They both averted their eyes for a moment before simultaneously looking back at each other again. They knew they were acting like guilt-ridden schoolchildren unable to resolve a silly fight on the playground. One of them had to speak up first. But Sasuke...just...he just couldn't. He slowly broke his gaze and kept his silence, mentally berating himself, yet managing to look as controlled and proud as ever.

But Naruto recognized that frigid look on Sasuke's face and resisted the impulse to step forward and smack (or comfort, whatever) the self-loathing jounin upside his pretty head. The blond sighed quietly. Then he swallowed—hard—and opened his mouth.

"SASUKE! Where the hell have you been! You missed Chouji's birthday party last month, ya jerk!"

Sasuke looked up, eyes slightly wide with momentary shock. And relief. Then he smiled inwardly and fell in stride. He could always count on Naruto's notoriously loud mouth.

"Tch. Good. I hate dealing with him and his team anyway."

"Whatever, you're just mad 'cos Shikamaru kicked your ass in shougi last time."

"At least I lasted longer than five turns," Sasuke retorted, crossing his arms. Even though he lost by a small margin against Shikamaru's certified strategic genius, his Uchiha pride was still severely wounded. Naruto knew and took full advantage of it, of course. But the blond couldn't make too much fun since his own strategy skills sucked.

Naruto scowled, flushing with embarrassment and anger. "Oh yeah? Well—you—shut up, you're a bastard!"

Sasuke raised his eyebrow and his lips quirked with what could have been amusement or victory. Most likely both. Naruto was about to say something else, maybe spit out a better comeback...but then his stomach fluttered uncomfortably when he couldn't help but watch Sasuke's pale lips curve upward, slowly and elegantly, because...because it reminded him of—

He gasped for air when those hot, moist lips left his own; even though breathless, Naruto whimpered for more and was immediately responded with a trail of slow, devoted kisses along his neck and—Oh dear god—the sensation spread like wildfire down his spine. Naruto's hands clawed instinctively into the other's shoulders, desperately trying to keep from drowning in his fire. He tried to hold back a moan, vainly biting down his lower lip, but ended up mewling when sharp teeth nipped a sensitive spot just below his right ear. He felt those lips against his neck languidly curl into a satisfied smirk.

—things he should have forgotten by now! Suddenly angry and frustrated with himself, Naruto looked down at the floor with a narrowed gaze and resisted the urge to clutch his neck. The blond was oblivious to the dark eyes observing his every subtle move and expression; any trace of Sasuke's slight-maybe-smile disappeared as the awkward silence settled between them again.

Then the office doors swung open. Light poured into the dark corridor. The Godaime stood in the doorway, unaware of the tension between the two shinobi.

"What did I tell you about howling at my door like that, brat?" Tsunade glared at Naruto for another moment and then turned her attention to Sasuke. "All right, you're both late. Don't just stand there, Uchiha, hurry up."

Sasuke advanced forward, but when he took one step into the office, Naruto stopped him. "Hey, you have to wait in line, jerk!"

Sasuke glared and moved around the blond in defiance. He stepped farther into the office and Naruto followed with a glower. "She was obviously talking to me, dobe. You'll have to wait."

"But I was here first, you bastard!"

"What do you think this is? First grade? This isn't the lunch line, moron."

"Will you idiots shut up!" Tsunade snapped. "You're on the same mission!"

Naruto and Sasuke both regarded her quietly for a moment, confused...then Sasuke's genius IQ finally kicked in, he realized what was going on—oh, oh god no—and he immediately tried to get himself out of it. "No. I refuse this assignment. Find someone else."

"You're in my office now," with a thread of chakra and a flick of her finger, the door flung shut with an ominous bang. "Refusal is no longer an option, Uchiha."

"You can't force me to accept a mission."

"Of course I can. Because I have this," Tsunade smugly plucked the Hokage robe resting on her shoulders.

"And if I mysteriously fall ill?" Sasuke smirked. He could simply hide away and lock himself up in his house for a few months; due to 'sickness', of course. After all, even the Hokage couldn't demand a poor and sickly ninja to—

"Then suck it up or say sayonara to your ANBU career," Tsunade replied with a polite, professional, utterly wicked smile.

His smirk collapsed. "You can't do that!"

"Of course I can. Because I have this," Tsunade gestured to her robe once again. Sasuke tried to glare the Godaime to death, but seeing how it had no effect on her, he just crossed his arms and turned his head away.

"...huh? Wait, what's going on?" Naruto asked blankly as he stared at the Hokage and vehement jounin. "I thought this mission was a two-man team?"

"It is, dumbass." Sasuke growled.

"So...then...but what about the girl?" Naruto asked slowly. He took out the mission scroll and scanned it to double-check. "Yeah, see, it says here that there's a wife role...so, um...?" Sasuke and Tsunade rolled their eyes, waiting impatiently for him to figure it out on his own. The blond blinked owlishly as his thought process rolled on (slowly) in this methodical order:

Boring, reconnaissance mission in Waterfall Country, hundreds of miles away from Konoha. Okay.

Five, maybe six, months mission time. Okay.

Two-man team. Him and Sasuke. Okay. ...well, he'll have to find a way around that, but okay.

Standard undercover husband and wife roles. Okay. ...but...but how would that work if it's only him...and...Sasu...ke...

"OH HELL NO!"

E.n.d. C.h.a.p.t.e.r. T.w.o.


Sorry guys, but the anticipated wife role remains a secret until the next chapter! I actually haven't decided who I want to suffer more yet...it's an awfully hard decision. ;) I think Sasuke would make a great wife since he could pull off the dark, sultry look, you know? And I bet he already knows how to take care of a house (he lives in a freakin' mansion). But, of course, Naruto has that cute, you-know-you-want-me! attitude and his clumsy nature sets him up for some fun times. Ah, choices, choices...

And I want to THANK YOU all of you for reading! And THANK YOU for showing interest in this story! And THANK YOU for taking the time to review, I really appreciate your comments and suggestions! And THANK YOU... :rambles on and on and on as the spotlight and microphone clicks off: