Confrontation

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It as dark outside when Naruto finally woke up. He stretched out and yawned big as he sat up. He looked around the dark room, momentarily forgetting where he was. Over to his left he could see a large window with moonlight shinning through and spilling onto the floor. Silhouetted in the window was none other than his teammate Sasuke. Immediately, Naruto remembered that he was at Sasuke's house and was supposed to be paying him back for lunch. He also remembered the circumstances upon which he had fallen asleep. The blonde blushed with embarrassment as he remembered Sasuke's skilled fingers working out his knotted muscles. I can't believe I fell asleep on him again! He must think I'm such a tool… At this point, Sasuke stirred from looking out the window. He walked over to Naruto and sat down beside him on the couch without actually looking at him.

"How's you back?" he asked neutrally. Naruto tested this, moving his arms about tentatively.

"Hey! It's all better now!" he exclaimed. "That stuff must work really well!"

"Hn."

"Look, Sasuke…" Naruto began.

"Forget about it," the dark haired ninja dismissed. "Now that you're awake, there is something I wanted to ask you."

"Oh yeah," Naruto replied looking down at his hands in his lap. "What was that?" Sasuke turned to look at his teammate finally. He waited until Naruto looked back at him to continue. He wasn't going to settle for any lies and distractions this time.

"This morning, while you were sleeping…"Sasuke suddenly felt absurd for asking about this at all. Out loud, this entire thing sounded stupid and foolish. He pushed onward regardless however. Treat it as a mission. Just ask and don't think about it. "When you were asleep, you were having a nightmare or something." Sasuke paused again to see if Naruto reacted to this statement. He did. Naruto's eyes went wide and the color drained from his face. Sasuke continued despite of this. "Something in your dream was making you cry. As repayment for your lunch, I want to know what it was."

"D-did I say anything in my sleep?" he asked uncertainly.

"At that time, no." Sasuke would bring the other dream up later.

"I'd really rather not talk about it…" Naruto tried. Sasuke just looked at him and waited. "Umm…in that case, the dream was about how Sakura never-"

"Don't. Lie." Sasuke cautioned threateningly. Naruto just looked at Sasuke miserably.

"I don't think I can tell you, Sasuke," Naruto began slowly. He saw the Uchiha's glare and continued on quickly. "What I mean to say is, I think that if I tell you, you'll think differently of me. Even after everything that has happened, and the fact you're a bastard, I still think of you as my best friend. I can't jeopardize that for some free ramen, so I'll just pay you back after our next mission." He glanced back at Sasuke just in time to see the dark haired boy lunge at him.

"Not an option," Sasuke replied heatedly as he pushed his blonde teammate into the couch, holding him down by the shoulders.

"Get Off!" Naruto struggled. "What the hell is you problem? You're so weird today!"

"Listen here, Naruto," Sasuke cut him off. "Your the weird one today! You say you think of me as your best friend, but won't talk to me. Something is troubling you. Tell. Me. What. It. Is." Sasuke was glaring down at his teammate, angry that it had come to this. But Sasuke would complete this mission at almost any cost. Naruto, on the other hand, only struggled harder. Sasuke was forced to use chakra to hold the blonde in place but eventually, with a mighty heave, Naruto finally freed himself, throwing Sasuke half way across the room.

"I hate you!" Screamed Naruto. The blonde was breathing hard from the effort it had taken to dislodge his teammate. "Why do you even pretend to fucking care?" Sasuke sat up and shook his head slightly after having it hit the floor. He looked at Naruto, standing next to the couch. The blonde's expression was etched with pain, and his eyes looked frightened, like a cornered animal. And…were those tears forming? This was a mistake. How can this be salvaged…? Sasuke thought as he stood up and walked calmly over to his teammate.

"I don't pretend," Sasuke offered as he stood face to face with Naruto.

"W-What?" The blonde was confused and took a step back looking anywhere but at his teammate's face. Sasuke pressed forward.

"I said I'm not pretending to care, Naruto. I've no reason to pretend." The dark haired ninja halted his advance as Naruto stopped stepping away having been backed up against a wall. Sasuke lifted Naruto's face by the chin to look him in the eye. "I also think of you as my best friend. I do care." A tear finally broke free from Naruto's eye and rolled down his cheek into Sasuke's hand. Sasuke clenched his jaw, the warm tear burned his palm. Naruto should never cry. He pulled his shorter teammate into a hug before anymore more followed the first. Naruto fell into the embrace easily, reveling in the feeling of being cared for.

So I've failed my mission. He wouldn't ask anymore of Naruto today, but Sasuke felt sure he had made a step in unlocking secret the blonde was keeping. If nothing else, he had discovered the secret was bigger than just that dream. Naruto had been evasive about things for the past five years, if not longer. With his new insight, Sasuke could see cracks running all around Naruto's wall. It was a wonder it hadn't broken before today. They stayed like that for an immeasurable amount of time before Naruto finally pulled away. His eyes were dry and he had recomposed himself.

"Thanks Sasuke." was all he said before walking over and sitting back down on the couch. He looked up at his friend and smiled. "I guess I should take advantage of this before you turn back into a bastard, huh?" Sasuke looked back at Naruto puzzled. "In my dream, we were still fighting at the valley of the end," Naruto began.

"You don't have to," Sasuke interjected, but Naruto ignored him and continued on so he sat down next to the blonde on the couch.

"When you hit me with the chidori in real life, I saw that you were sorrowful. In my dream however…you only look at me with cold eyes. And when I whisper to you in my dream, you laugh at me. After that…." Naruto paused, unable to continue. "Well, that doesn't matter. It's not real anyway. Just my messed up head making things up. Pretty stupid huh?" Naruto tried to lighten the mood, but the dark haired boy could tell it troubled the blonde. Sasuke didn't know what to say. It was no wonder Naruto hadn't wanted to talk about it. He would hate admitting to his rival that Sasuke was the one he dreamt about. He would be nervous of being made fun of. Even though I heard him call my name later, he doesn't know that, Sasuke thought. Naruto looked over at him uncertainly. Sasuke caught his eyes and stared back at his teammate.

"What was it you whispered to me, Naruto?" He asked intently. It was something Sasuke had been wanting to know for five years, and this was the first time Naruto had actually brought it up himself. The moonlight shinning through the window was bathing them in a silver glow as Sasuke leaned closer to his best friend, waiting for him to answer. They were only inches apart when Naruto opened his mouth to respond. Suddenly, all thoughts of what was whispered fled his mind as Sasuke felt a burning urge to close the gap. He stopped pressing forward and moved back slightly. What the fuck am I thinking? Sasuke screamed in his head. I can't really want to do that! Where did that come from.? Suddenly, a shadow covered them in darkness. Naruto's mouth snapped shut and he hastily surveyed the window. A cloud covering the moon maybe? No.

"Yo!" came a voice from the window. Kakashi. The boys pulled away quickly as Kakashi stepped through the window. "Having fun?" he asked them in that flakey voice.

"Can't you use the door?" Sasuke asked coldly, though he was silently thankful for the interruption and the time it bought him. "Its right next to the window there."

"Really?" Kakashi just looked over like he'd never noticed it before. "Anyway, I'm just letting you guys know that we have a mission in the morning. It's a B rank, so that should make your wallets happy. The duration of the mission is estimated at one week, so pack accordingly," He tossed them each a scroll. "There are the specifics, I'll see you in the morning." Kakashi turned back towards the window. Just as he was sauntering out, he glanced back over his shoulder. "Please, continue whatever you were doing," he smiled suggestively as he disappeared finally. Sasuke looked over at the blonde who had been strangely quiet throughout the encounter. He was fingering the scroll in his lap uncertainly but staring at something beyond it. Sasuke felt uncomfortable too. Why had he felt that way all of the sudden? Did Naruto notice? What the hell is wrong with me? Of course he did. Look at the way he's sitting there. I must have freaked the shit out of him… Sasuke stood up and walked over to close the window. As soon as it clicked shut, the blonde shot upright and stuffed the scroll in his vest.

"Well! I gotta go pack for tomorrow, so I'm heading out," Naruto grinned cheekily. "Thanks for listening, I'll see you bright and early!" He moved towards the door and was halfway through when Sasuke grabbed his arm.

"Stop." Sasuke demanded. Naruto just turned towards him and flashed the most sincere smile Sasuke had ever seen from the blonde. He dropped his teammates arm in awe.

"Everything is fine, Sasuke. But I really do need to pack." And with that, Naruto was gone. Sasuke watched as his friend walked away from his front door until he turned a corner. He closed the door and returned to the couch where so much had happened this evening. 'Everything is fine, Sasuke.' What does that mean? Did he not notice after all? No, how could he not notice I almost kissed him. Maybe…he just didn't mind…

A/N

ahhh...not too sure about this chappie. it's been done for a while, but...i don't know. i like it...not sure if everyone else does. well?