"I already told you my story." Sasuke leaned against the back of the chair, picking at the burnt orange fibers worn from use. "What else is there to talk about?"

Naruto chuckled. "There is a great deal about your story that I'd like to know. Like what happened to Orochimaru."

"I told you before, I beat him."

"Un huh," Naruto moved closer, opting to sit on a cushion filled loveseat. "And I'm sure he just decided to curl up and die instead of fighting for the body he so desperately desired." Sasuke looked at Naruto with a venomous gaze. "But I didn't come here to talk about the past. I want to discuss more current things of the now."

"Such as?"

Squaring his shoulders, Naruto looked directly into Sasuke's eyes. "I want to talk about my friends." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "The people you hurt when you decided to slink out of town."

Sasuke idly rolled a thread around his finger. "Sakura and I have already worked through our issues."

"I'm not just talking about Sakura." Naruto barked. "I mean our comrades who risked their lives to help you. Do you even remember them? That they almost died for you? Would you like to see the scar that covers almost half of Neji's chest, the stab wound inches from Kiba's heart?"

Black eyes matched the intensity of the blue ones in front of them. "Let's get this straight Naruto. I did not ask them to follow me. I do not feel sorry for them and I do not feel responsible for their wounds. I did not cause it. They earned them fighting minions of Orochimaru, who would have had to have been dealt with eventually anyway. The sound five were always enemies of Konoha, and my going or staying would not have changed that."

"You are such a bastard." Naruto said, lips trembling.

"They're ninjas." Sasuke shouted as he stood, facing the blonde. "They risked their lives because that's what ninjas do."

Naruto held Sasuke's gaze for a long time before finally looking away. He took a few long breaths before shaking his head slowly. "I didn't just come to talk about my friends." Sasuke flinched at his emphasis. "We need to decide what to do about Puck."

Nodding his head, Sasuke gradually sat back down. "I don't think we should really do anything." Naruto looked up questioningly. "I want his environment to stay as stable as possible." He explained.

"So you're alright with my raising?"

Giving his patented smirk, Sasuke explained. "Yes and no. I want to be in his life. I don't want you freaking out just because I want to spend time with my son. But I did know what I was doing when I left him in your care, and I can't waste time regretting the past. It was the best decision I could make at the time."

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

Naruto tossed one of the random cushions at Sasuke. "Why me?"

Sasuke pressed his lips together and sighed. "I wanted someone who would love him unconditionally, who wouldn't hold the sins of his father against him." Naruto smiled. "I wanted to make sure that there would always be a father to pick him up and take him home at the end of the day."

Surprise flashed across Naruto's face before he regained his composure and his foxy grin. "I suppose it shouldn't be too difficult to work something out. Maybe you could watch him while I'm out on missions."

"Do you think he'd like that?" The statement was tainted with an uncommon self-doubt.

Naruto laughed encouragingly as he moved to the door. "I think he'd love it. He's very taken with you. And," Naruto continued, giving Sasuke a wicked smile, "Gaara will also be thrilled with the arrangement."