A/N: Ah. After assignments and hell on earth...Chapter 3 emerges from the ashes! So now, I really do have things to warn you about. There's major wierdness in this chapter, including some sort of...um...I guess you could call it 'split' personality stuff, and then there's the YAOI. Oh, yes. For the first time, I have put actual real yaoi in my fic. Not joking, light stuff like before where it was a means to an end. Nope. This is the real thing. Other than that, there's a little bit of foul language, a lot of Sexy no jutsu, a perverted Shikamaru, and an even more perverted Naruto.

Legal Stuffiness: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters therein. Kishimoto Masashi, sole proprietor.

In This World of Make Believe
Chapter 3: Love, Hate and Cross-Dressing

--Blackmail--

"Oi, Sasuke!" Naruto waved at him. He walked over to the ramen stand, Ichiraku's, where the boy was sitting. Naruto was happily working on his sixth bowl of miso ramen, and he asked if Sasuke would join him.

"I don't really like ramen that much."

"Your loss. The ramen is extra good today!" The old man behind the counter laughed at Naruto as he said this. His irrational happiness was, as always, straddling the border between annoying and funny. Sasuke stifled a laugh of his own. "You want to train today, Sasuke? I feel like I'm getting a lot better! I didn't do this well when I was teamed up with Shino and Kiba. Maybe it's like you said. I just needed someone to bully me?" He didn't sound very confident about this statement.

"Well, I would say it was more like competition back then. But whatever works for you. So, I hear that they're holding Chuunin exams again soon. You going to enter?" Naruto shook his head. "Why not?"

"I don't feel prepared for it, you know?" He looked down at his ramen and poked it distractedly with his chopsticks. "I just…" Naruto looked up at Sasuke, a familiar smoldering anger there. "It pisses me off that I'm so far behind everyone else. I don't want to just squeak by anymore. Know what I mean? It's like…like I want something more out of life now." The boy quickly looked back at his ramen, an embarrassed blush staining his cheeks.

Sasuke put money down on the counter, grabbed Naruto and hauled him off of his seat. "Come on, dobe. You have one month until the exam, ne? I think I can get you ready in time." Naruto's arms and legs flailed as Sasuke dragged him down the street. Rolling his eyes, Sasuke grunted, "Quit it, Naruto. You want people to take you seriously, don't you?"

"Okay, okay! Just let me walk by myself!" Sasuke stopped for a moment and then released him, Naruto standing up straight and glaring at him. "What is it with you? Is your mission in life to piss me off?"

"Maybe…" Sasuke said amusedly. "Come on, dobe. I'll let you walk by yourself. If you can manage." His smirk had begun to form, and Naruto's glare intensified. It was all he could do not to laugh. Slowly, slowly but surely, he was bringing his friend back. Now if only Sakura wouldn't be so…bitchy. He put that out of his mind.

Six hours later…

"What the hell is that Sexy no Jutsu you keep talking about?" Naruto, now dirty and tired from training, eyed him with interest. Sasuke explained it to him. The basics: no hand seals, nothing other than what it does. "You mean I actually defeated people with that?"

Sasuke suppressed a smile. "Several, in fact." The blonde's eyes widened, and asked if he could see it. "I've never done it, so I'm not sure that I—"

"Buuuullshit! Your Sharingan can copy anything, without your permission, Sasuke. Just do it once, and I will never ask again." There was something of a malicious glint in the eyes of his new (old) friend, and he wasn't sure that he liked it. Naruto had always liked to embarrass him in any way he could, but he wasn't sure about this. Finally, he rolled his eyes and consented. Checking the area for passers-by, he took a deep breath and recalled Naruto's seal for that ridiculous jutsu.

Focusing his chakra in a way that was similar to the Henge no jutsu, he cringed as he muttered, "Sexy no Jutsu," and disappeared in a cloud of lavender-scented steam. When the vapor cleared, Naruto's jaw hung down low, and he blinked repeatedly. Standing exactly where Uchiha Sasuke had been was now an equally pale, lithe, fifteen-year-old girl, with long black hair held back in a thick braid, and delicate features that resembled Sasuke's, but were softer, more rounded. Thankfully, The steam from the jutsu seemed to cling to him in exactly the right areas that Naruto didn't die from blood loss.

Naruto swallowed audibly. "S-sasuke? Is that r-really you?"

Had he been in any other form, he would have smacked Naruto. As it was, it might make the situation worse. Instead, he sighed in a very feminine way and said in a womanly voice, "Of course it's me, dobe. Who did you think it was, Kakashi?" He dispelled the jutsu, then said in his own low, rumbling voice, "For crying out loud, Naruto. You'd think you could scrape your jaw off of the ground."

Naruto gave himself a little shake, and took a deep breath. "Sorry. Um…I just…was surprised. Who knew you'd look like that as a girl?"

"Look like what?" Sasuke asked in a dangerous tone. He had better not say a damned word. If anything resembling 'hot' comes out of his mouth, he's dead.

Naruto's lips curled into an evil smile. "You look better that way. Maybe you should think of making the change permanent." Barely repressed glee was predominant in his tone, and it took a lot for Sasuke to stay his hand. Naruto wanted beating, he was certain.

Sasuke snorted. "And have you drooling at me? No thanks. Besides…it feels weird being a girl." Just then, Sasuke heard a familiar laugh and whirled to see the one person he knew he should not be around at the moment. Nara Shikamaru leaned against a tree, seemingly engrossed in…a very familiar-looking orange book. He didn't look over at them, but chuckled again, then spoke.

"Uchiha, I agree with the kid on that." Finally, Shikamaru regarded him with an amused smile, which contrasted greatly against the look of abject horror that flitted across Sasuke's own features. "I'm glad I have photographic evidence."

"What?" Sasuke roared, and he blinked repeatedly at two still developing photographs. "Oh, hell. Shikamaru, what do you want?"

"A man who likes to get to the point. My kind of guy." He shut his copy of Icha Icha Violence, and stuffed it into his pouch. He moved to another tree, leaning against it for a moment, motioning for Sasuke to join him. Naruto stood uncomfortably for a moment until Sasuke dragged him to the tree as well. "I have been informed that I'm supposed to be marrying your ex." Sasuke nodded stiffly. "As I understand things, she is not at all happy about the arrangement." Leaning back against the bark of the tree at his back, he sighed. "Personally, I think I'm a little young to be engaged, let alone married. So, I've spoken to my father, and the engagement is off."

"Okay. So what do you want from me?" Sasuke had a bad feeling about this.

"Just one thing." Sasuke clenched his hands into fists as Shikamaru spoke, trying not to fidget. "I want you to get Yamanaka Ino to go on a date with me."

Naruto suddenly began laughing. He wasn't just laughing. The boy fell over, rolling on the ground, nearly screaming. Sasuke and Shikamaru stared down at him. When he finally calmed down enough to speak, he said, while still laying down, "You wanna go out with her? Look, buddy, I don't think she'll give you the time of day." Naruto sensed Sasuke's confusion and apparently decided to list his reasons. Eyes closed and trying not to laugh, he raised one finger in the air. "She's hot." Two fingers raised. "She's not into hentais." A third finger rose. "She's got every guy in the village after her." Finally, he sat up. "Ino-chan, date you? Ha!"

Shikamaru was scowling. Then, he quietly said, "Just because she wouldn't go out with you doesn't mean she'd be completely against dating me."

"No offense, but I only know of two other people who have anything to do with those books." Sasuke said, leaning back on a nearby tree. "Hatake Kakashi has a full set, and I know the guy who writes them." Shikamaru's eyes widened.

"Kakashi? He reads Jiraiya-sama's books?" How could someone not know that Kakashi was a hentai? Oh. He was antisocial in this reality. That must mean that he kept to himself, and his porn stayed at home. "Will you at least give it a shot? I've got six plans worked out already." Now, that was just like Shikamaru. Though, he had seen the boy work up more than 200 strategies for the outcome of a fight, so there only being six was a little disconcerting.

"And if I say no?" Sasuke's tone had become vaguely threatening, which didn't seem to phase Shikamaru one bit.

"I can do one of two things. I can make as many copies of these beauties as possible," he shook the photos again, "and give them to all of the jounin. Or, I can blow them up to poster sized mosaic pieces, then paste them together on the side of the Hokage tower. That way, I'm sure that everyone will appreciate your girlish figure." Sasuke closed his eyes tightly against the image. He opened them, then frowned.

Naruto was glancing between Sasuke and Shikamaru, waiting for a fight to begin. Sasuke wasn't about to disappoint, but Shikamaru would not know what hit him. Modifying Naruto's jutsu slightly, he changed the hand seal ever so slightly, and the resonance of the chakra pattern, and disappeared in a cloud of cinnamon-scented steam. Shikamaru coughed, fanning the stuff away from his face, then blinked, staring. Sasuke had transformed into a duplicate of Ino, but in a very Sexy no jutsu-like state.

Shikamaru was dumbfounded. Especially when Sasuke sauntered over to him, put an arm over his shoulder, then plucked the pictures from his hand. Giggling girlishly, the Ino clone formed a hand seal and said, "Katon gokkakyu no jutsu…" and breathed an enormous fireball into the training area, then throwing the pictures into the flames. There weren't even cinders left. Then, the clone turned to the befuddled genius and tweaked his nose. "No more leverage for you," he purred, and then released the jutsu.

"Troublesome bastard…" Shikamaru grumbled.

"Ne, Shikamaru, you understand I can't have pictures of that floating around. But if you promise not to marry Hinata, I'll see what I can do about Ino." A lazy smile crossed the other boy's face. "Not saying she will go out with you or anything, but she might. Do I have permission to use whatever means necessary?" Shikamaru nodded. "So be it." An instant later, Shikamaru was gone, vanished in a flicker of shadow. He turned to Naruto. "Want to help?" The boy nodded vigorously. This was going to be either very difficult, or extremely fun.

--Training: Self-Control or Lack Thereof--

"I don't think I can do this." Naruto was standing with Sasuke, in a darkened alleyway. They were on the back side of the last building before the hot springs district, and each held a bag containing women's clothing. "I mean, what if I get flustered, and lose control of my chakra? They'll beat me to death!" Sasuke rolled his eyes. Really, Naruto needed to loosen up. Whoa. Did I just think that? Talk about surreal. The former Naruto was as loose as could be. This one was as tense as a bowstring.

"Just think of it as training." Sasuke opened the bag he held, and pulled out a dress. "You'd better do your jutsu. And try to get rid of those damned birthmarks and your scar. They'll know it's you if you don't, I think." Naruto frowned, fingering the whisker-like marks on his face. Once Sasuke transformed, he slipped on the blue sundress and a pair of women's sandals, and looked at Naruto, who was drooling again. He took of his shoe, and rapped the side of Naruto's head with it. "Snap out of it," his feminine voice said, "baka…"

Naruto glared daggers at Sasuke. Then, he formed the seal and transformed himself perfectly, and without his birthmarks or the twisted scar that ran the length of his face and neck. Sasuke's eyebrow rose. He seemed to remember the breasts being larger…then he gave himself a small shake. That was the very last thing he needed to think about right now. There would be plenty of genuine breasts once they got into the women's bath house. Naruto was now struggling into a tight red dress. Why he felt the need to wear something so revealing--and so short--Sasuke would never understand. At least he picked shoes that wouldn't kill him. Originally, the idiot had been looking at stiletto heels. The image of Naruto's transformed self tripping in the middle of the shoe store gave him a momentary giggle, which he still thought felt strange.

Finally, the blonde turned around, and Sasuke zipped the dress up. Honestly, the boy looked like a prostitute like this, but whatever did it for him. Sasuke just sighed and said, "Are you sure she'll be in there?" Naruto only nodded and looked down at himself, then back up at Sasuke, smiling broadly. "Okay. How are you going to do this if you can't keep from ogling yourself, let alone anyone else in the bath house?" It looked like this was a case where drastic measures were needed. Sasuke put a genjutsu on Naruto, and the blonde frowned very suddenly.

"Oi! Why did you do that?" If all was as planned, Naruto saw his female head on the body of a gorilla. "You're all hairy, Sasuke!"

"Shut up, idiot. How many times do I have to tell you, call me Sora. Your name is Nami." Naruto nodded, making an annoyed sound in the back of his throat. "Now, put your clothes in your bag and get moving." Waiting for a moment for 'Nami' to put 'her' clothes in the bag, 'Sora' rolled her eyes. Finally, they began to walk. Nami led the way, her hips swaying as she went, the center of attention in that damned red dress. Sora's lips twitched into a frown. Men stopped walking as they passed, and they drew catcalls. Sora cast a cold glare at a man who tried to slap her on the behind. How did women deal with this? Nami was oblivious to it all. She simply swung her bag in a slow arc in time to the swaying of her hips, long unbound blonde hair blowing in the breeze. If Sora didn't know any better, she would have said Nami was doing that on purpose.

The blonde turned around, and smiled sassily. "Come on, Sora! My muscles are so tight, I need to soak. Will you scrub my back?" Nami's smile widened as a passing man tripped and fell. Who knew that the dobe was such a great actress (actor)? For a moment, Sora thought that acting may have been the blonde's true calling. Then, her thoughts were interrupted, with Nami's hand being waved in front of her face. "Hello? Are you in there?"

"Hai. Now please stop acting like a bimbo, Nami." Sora's voice was low, and she spoke through clenched teeth that she thought might look like a smile if you saw it from the right angle. Nami simply shrugged and entered the bath house. They walked down a short hallway, and soon found themselves in a dressing room. After they deposited their bags and clothing in the bins provided, Nami and Sora picked up towels, buckets, and the small cloths needed for cooling their heads before moving into the main bathing area.

They went to the large basin, and Sora rolled her eyes and fixed Nami's hair into a bun, since she was having difficulty, then they scrubbed themselves before settling down into the water, directly across from Yamanaka Ino…and Hyuuga Hinata. Sora sighed heavily as she sank into the water, making it sound more like relief at the temperature than what it really was. She was anxious. Hinata was in the water, and she was naked. Suddenly, it seemed as if someone had drained all moisture from her mouth. Nami splashed into the water, drawing an annoyed glance from Ino, who was in quiet conversation with Hinata.

Nami started the conversation they had planned. Not quite loudly, she said, "Oh, this feels so good. Don't you think so, Sora?"

Leaning her head back against the side of the bath, Sora nodded. "If only I could do this every day. I would feel so much better." It wasn't a total lie, since it really felt nice. "So, who was that idiot you were talking to earlier?"

Nami giggled. "Oh, the blonde? That's Naruto. He's pretty cute, don't you think?" Sora shrugged, making a non-committal sound. "Not as hot as that Uchiha Sasuke, though. He's just…" Nami entered another fit of giggles, and then gave up on further speech. It was insanely scary how good the idiot was at being female. That was really something that made one think. But that was an issue to ponder another time. Time to say the next line.

"I don't know, Nami. I never have liked the cold fish type. No matter how cute they are. Besides, I think he's probably gay." Nami laughed, and said that would figure, since all hot guys either turned out to be married, gay, or some kind of total freak. "I think I prefer smart guys. Don't get me wrong. I like looks, and all, too. A combination of both is best." Sora now noticed that the girls across the way were no longer talking, and seemed to be listening to them. "As shinobi go, I don't think I would want one of the guys who's into brute force. Someone a little older, maybe. Like that mysterious masked guy…Kakashi? Isn't that his name?"

Nami's eyes widened. "Oh, now that's kinda creepy. He doesn't leave his apartment unless he's training or on missions, Sora! Would you really like a shut-in like him?" The blonde girl's brow furrowed, and she seemed to think for a long moment. "Oh, if you like thinkers, and cute ones…then what about that Nara guy?"

Sora's lips curled into a half-smile. "Hm. That is a thought. You know, I think I saw him yesterday. He was training. Or at least I think he was. I didn't see anything really happening. That Akimichi was just standing there across from him, and he looked like he was straining to move."

Nami nodded. "I don't know anything about that. All of those jutsus and talk about chakra, and ninjutsu and taijutsu…makes my head hurt. Shikamaru was probably doing something like that. I don't even care. But even you, with your stupid standards…you have to admit he's pretty good-looking." Sora nodded grudgingly, conceding the point. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that Ino was listening intently while Hinata seemed content to soak and meditate. Well, at least the idea was being thrown out there, which was the intent of this little 'mission' in the first place.

"Maybe. The only problem is getting his attention. He's constantly got his nose in a book. How am I supposed to get him to ask me out if he never even looks at me?" Sora's voice took on a pouting tone.

"Who says he has to ask you out? Grow a spine, girl! Ask him yourself!" Nami said indignantly, her temper flaring at her friend's lack of initiative. That was not in the script. What was she doing? This could blow the entire operation! Sora couldn't even give her a warning look, because Ino's attention was completely focused on them now.

Improvisation was a strength for Sora, so she said, "I suppose I could do that. Later. Right now, I need to relax. So…just be quiet." Again, she leaned back against the cool rocks that ringed the bath. Nami huffed in an irritated way, and did the same. After a long moment, Sora's attention was caught by a light splashing. Cracking an eyelid, she saw Ino leaving the bath. Mission accomplished. If all went as she expected, then Shikamaru would find himself being stalked in the very near future. Sora would pay good money to see that.

Hinata was still there, though. Through half-lidded eyes, she watched the Hyuuga heiress, dark hair plastered wetly to the sides of her face, and the rest of it in a messy knot on the top of her head. A rosy color had come over her face from the water's temperature, and her eyes were closed. Sora felt the urge to move toward her. Before she could, Nami took hold of her wrist under the water. Glaring, Sora turned to the blonde. Nami gave a warning look, and shook her head, then motioned that they should leave.

Grudgingly, Sora complied with the silent request. Once they had gotten back into the clothes they had arrived in, they left the bath house, and returned to the alley.

--A Little Something Unexpected--

Having released the jutsu and dressed themselves properly again, Sasuke did the same thing to the women's clothing that he had the pictures of him in his transformed state. Naruto released the genjutsu on himself, then rolled up the bag that had held his clothes. "Sasuke, can I tell you something?" That tone didn't bode well.

"Depends on what it is, Naruto."

Before they entered the street again, the blonde put a hand on his arm. "I…I think I have a crush on your girl-self."

Sasuke stopped walking. "I did not just hear that, Naruto." He turned to meet very confused blue eyes with his. "Did you just say that you…like me? Like…romantically?" Naruto made a face, but nodded grudgingly. Sasuke raked fingers through his hair. He had been afraid this would happen, in a way. "Why?" It was all he could think of to say, as lame as it sounded.

Naruto shrugged, blushing. "I dunno. You're real pretty when you're a girl, Sasuke." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Hell, you're pretty when you're a guy too, for that matter." This was not happening. It wasn't. He denied it, and tried to think that he had heard him wrong. Sudden realization hit him. The tight dress, the walk, for the love of all that was holy… that walk…and the flirtatious behavior; it all suddenly made sense. Oh, Kami-sama. He was flirting with me. Why me? Why did this have to happen? "Sasuke? Are you okay? You look kind of pale. Well, more so than usual. I mean, are you sick?" Naruto's hand reached up and brushed his bangs aside, and cool fingers placed themselves on his forehead. Oh, shit. I know that look. Get the hell away from him. Fast. "You don't have a fever, Sasuke."

Sasuke started backing away from him, cautiously, slowly. Naruto's eyes were filled with confusion. That went double for Sasuke. He didn't want his friend to think that he didn't want to be around him, and he hoped that Naruto could understand that, but he also did not…he just couldn't think of Naruto like that. The blonde stepped toward him, but he held up a hand. "Stop."

"What? Why?" Confusion and surprise flitted through Naruto's eyes, and Sasuke nearly sighed.

"Naruto, I like you, but…" He searched for a reason, something, anything. Then, his mind latched onto the only thing it could find. "But Hinata…" While he had been speaking and thinking, Naruto's movement had merely slowed. Now, he was very close to him, and Sasuke found himself with his back against the wall. The other boy was leaning toward him, and Sasuke's horror began to rise. He needed to stop this before—too late! The young Uchiha's eyes widened nearly to a painful degree, and he stiffened.

He could remember three years earlier, in another reality, when some bonehead had shoved an overly cocky Naruto, and their lips had met. Then, neither one of them was pleased. Naruto had even said something about having been poisoned. This was entirely different. Rather than a crushing of lips, this was a tentative, soft, and almost hesitant kiss, full of uncertainty. It was as if Naruto was asking a question. Vulnerability, as well as fear, seemed to wash over him in waves from his friend. Something squirmed in his stomach. He knew that this was wrong, on so many levels. But to stop it before the other boy was ready would be to hurt him very badly. So Sasuke simply waited. Or, he tried to. Naruto seemed to have gills. It had been nearly a full minute now, and the blonde showed no signs of coming up for air. In fact, he thought he heard a small mewling noise, and he almost winced. Indulging Naruto was getting out of hand.

He didn't want to hurt him. Not if he wanted his friend back. But then again, the Naruto he knew was gone. He would never see that boy again, and this one was all he had. Sasuke had two options. He could deal with the Naruto he had, or try to shape him into the one he had known. One was difficult for him; the other could be disastrous for Naruto. Suddenly, Sasuke was jarred out of his thoughts by a body pressing against his, and hands grasping his shoulders. Blinking repeatedly, he summoned all of his strength and took hold of Naruto, pushing him gently away.

"Sasuke…" The blonde almost-whined, "Please, just let me. Please?" He felt a stab of guilt in his chest. Had he led him to think that he felt the same for him? If he had, how did it happen? "Please…Sasuke?" The hands that had his shoulders in a grip like death began to shake. His voice dropped to a bare whisper. "Please? You make me feel like I'm worth something, Sasuke." That squirming in his stomach grew. What to do? He felt like screaming. Never in his life had he felt so little control over what was happening to him. Sasuke looked Naruto in the eyes. His gaze moved from blue that rivaled the sky to a twisted scar that he had never asked about. Idly, he raised a hand, tracing that knotted whitish skin.

"How did it happen?" He didn't say it to change the subject. This was give and take. Trust came at a price for Sasuke, and since he did not trust easily, Naruto would need to give something in return.

"I took a slash from a katana to the face and neck. Had it not been for Genma-sensei, I would have bled to death." Naruto said flatly, then looked pleadingly at him. Something in that look made his chest tighten. All Naruto ever wanted was for someone to acknowledge him, to care for him. Did Sasuke do that for him? All he ever did was call him names and bully him. A sudden impulse took him, and the hand that had been on the boy's scar took his chin and held him still.

"Don't think you're not worth anything. Don't ever think that." Sasuke closed his eyes and kissed Naruto. He did not know why he did. It just seemed like the right thing to do. It was comfort. He pulled away after a very short moment. "There are people who care, Naruto. I'm one of them. But I don't want to confuse you."

"I don't want your pity, Sasuke."

"Did I say I pity you? After the life I've known? Pity isn't in my vocabulary, Naruto. You were my best friend." Why was this so hard? He had rejected so many people over the years, but this was different. This was Naruto. He was his best friend. He was—

"I'm not that person, Sasuke. Do you think I'm really stupid?" Sasuke was taken aback. "Do you actually think I don't know what you've been doing? He's never really going to come back. You can lead all you want, Sasuke, but the me there is will be the only one you have. So what you need to figure out is what to do about it." Sasuke stared blankly at Naruto, his mouth opening and closing without any sound coming out. Naruto's eyes burned into him, holding him there. "Do you care about me? I mean really care?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Then do me a favor."

"What?" Sasuke asked, almost afraid to hear Naruto's answer.

"Kiss me." Naruto, the idiot of the universe, was looking into his eyes with more intensity than he had ever seen him do before. There was more emotion there than even in Hinata's eyes when she looked at him, and more utter vulnerability than Sakura had ever shown. How was it possible? How could he see such a perfect reflection of himself in someone else? Sasuke found himself doing as Naruto asked. But, it wasn't only because of the request.

Sasuke's hands took Naruto's face hesitantly, tilting it upward. His throat went dry, as did his mouth. What was happening? He cared for Naruto, surely, but did he really—could he really—think of him in the way that the Sasuke from this reality thought of Hinata? Correction! The way you are starting to think of her. All thoughts of Hinata were pushed from his mind as the two of them remained in the shadows of the alley, and his face came slowly into contact with Naruto's, lips first.

Intense. It was intense. Naruto was clutching handfuls of his shirt, and seemed to be trying to push him into the wall. He was having trouble breathing. Sasuke's eyes slid closed, and he gripped Naruto's shoulders for support. Soft. His lips were soft, yielding, and so very…welcoming. Naruto's lips parted, and Sasuke felt the other boy's tongue, tentatively grazing his lower lip. More questions being asked…Please, let me…Please…accept me…Please…Please…love me. Guilt and fear were gone as Sasuke took Naruto's questing tongue into his mouth, deepening the kiss. If he had thought he knew intensity, he was completely mistaken. The feeling he had was beyond the intense. While before, his heart had been hammering in his chest, it now slowed. His breathing evened out, and he no longer felt as if he were going to faint. He was at peace.

Naruto pulled away from him, and he was loathe to let him go. "Now," his friend said, "That's what I call a kiss. Cold fish, huh?" Sasuke could do nothing but stare at him. How this had happened, he had no idea. To say the least, he was stunned. It may, actually, be more accurate to say that he was rather dumbfounded. "Sasuke, you said something about Hinata."

"Yeah, about that…" He didn't know how to explain it to Naruto in a way that he would understand. Sasuke barely understood it himself. "She doesn't know about what happened. She thinks I'm still the other me. I care about her. I do. But I don't understand anything that's going on. I have feelings for her that I'm sure aren't mine."

Naruto frowned, then yanked him forward, planting a kiss firmly on his lips, then smiling rakishly. "Then I would say we have a problem." That was, in Sasuke's humble opinion, something of an understatement. What if his personality was starting to merge with the one from this reality's Sasuke? Would he lose himself? "You know I like her. But I don't think it's healthy for either of you to continue as you are." Sasuke frowned, confused. Naruto rolled his eyes. "And you call me and idiot? Tell her, Sasuke. Explain the situation to her. If anyone would understand, it would be her. If she really loves you, she'll let you be yourself. In which case," Naruto's smile returned, "we can pick this up where we left off."

Sasuke blinked at the shorter shinobi. It didn't matter what reality they were in. Naruto could always surprise him. This ability was illustrated once again when Naruto pulled him further into the alley, saying something about finding a better stopping point.

Uchiha Sasuke, just your average fifteen-year-old…whose entire life has been turned upside down. He is the puppet, the marionette dancing on strings. The puppeteer laughs, making him dance ever faster. What happens when the strings snap? The lines between friendship and love blur, and discoveries are made. Hating himself, and fate, the young man's heart sees double.

Who does he love? Whom can he trust? Who is he really? There are simply too many questions in this dangerous game, and he can't just walk away and refuse to play. That would be to admit defeat, to lay down and die. Even when clearly beaten, Uchiha Sasuke never admits defeat. Never. He will fight until his last breath, and beyond that if he can. And it is because of this that the powers controlling his fate up until this point have now cut the strings. He might destroy the world without guidance, but they'll at least get one hell of a show.

--Trust...No One--

Hinata was crying. He had somehow known that this would happen. Why did he listen to Naruto? He felt like fate was playing a very cruel joke on him. His emotions were being toyed with by powers he could not understand. Sasuke put his arms around her, pulling her close. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

She looked up at him. Tears streaked her face, and she searched his face. "No, this isn't true. I know you love me. I can feel it." The problem with the situation was that she was entirely correct. But it was like he was being split in half. One part of him cared deeply for her, and wanted to marry her and have children with her and grow old together. The other part of him couldn't imagine living with anyone other than Naruto for the rest of his life. Children could wait until if they decided they want them, and they would find a way.

"Hinata, I don't understand any of this myself. I do love you. I know that. But this other part of me loves someone else." She broke down again, soaking his shoulder with tears. He steadied her so that she didn't cause them to fall out of the tree they hid in. "Please, don't cry. Hinata, look at me." She did, and he wiped the tears from her face. "We'll figure this out, all right?" Nodding slowly, she smiled weakly in answer. "For now, please try to be patient."

"Who is she?" Hinata said, her voice no more than a hoarse whisper.

Sasuke thought for a moment. His first impulse was not to tell her. Then, he thought about how he was trying to get her to trust him, and said, "His name is Uzumaki Naruto."

Hinata nodded slowly, trying to take in this new information. "Y-you're gay?"

"No! I most certainly am not gay!" Sasuke said vehemently.

"But you say you're in love with him."

Sasuke sighed. "I would love him the same if he were a woman. In fact, do you remember a blonde loudmouth in the bath house?" Her eyes widened and then she gaped at him. "That's him as a woman. The other one was me. I did not know that you were there. It was only supposed to be Ino."

"And I suppose you were doing a favor for Shikamaru?" She asked, suspicion rising in her voice, and her tone taking on an edge that dripped acid. He nodded. "You know, I should have Neji beat you to death for that." Her voice had gone deadly serious. "Sasuke, I love you, but I swear, if this causes Ino to get hurt in any way, I'll either have Neji do it, or I'll kill you myself. That was a very sneaky thing to do, and it isn't like you at all." She then seemed to think better of her words. "Or is it? I don't know anymore."

"Hinata-chan, don't worry about Ino. She can take care of herself." The girl nodded. It was true she could do that. If anyone needed to be worried about, it was Shikamaru. The guy wouldn't know what hit him if Ino really did show an interest. Even if she wasn't a fangirl in this reality, she had that potential. And if he had any clue at all of the Nara's personality, he would be cursing the fact that he had asked Sasuke to do him a favor in the first place.

Hinata still wasn't happy about the situation, which was understandable, but she was more than willing to help. She scrubbed the tears from her face, and made a valiant attempt at a smile. He could all but see the wheels in her mind turning as she said, "Hm. I suppose this explains your fragmented chakra system. How are you feeling now?"

"Fine." She looked at him again, this time using the Byakagun. "It's still there. But it isn't fragmented." Her eyes widened, and she swayed on the branch. "Sasuke, I think you need to go to the hospital."

"Why?"

"Your chakra system is doubling itself. If this continues, your body will follow." He blinked.

"Wait. What are you trying to say?" He fixed her with his dark eyes, trying to find some hidden meaning in her words. "What's wrong with me, Hinata?" His hands gripped her shoulders, and she cried out in pain. "Sorry. Please, tell me." She was highly alarmed, and her silence was unnerving him more than he already was.

"Your body is going to make another copy of itself. A complete, living clone. At this rate, it will only take a few more days." Sasuke's head reeled. So, when he got dizzy before, and all of the feelings he had for Hinata surfacing…could this just be the other him making his way out into the real world? They were diverging from the same body, which was freaky enough, but there was also the emotional upheaval to deal with. What would his family say? Would they even still want him around? Would he be treated as a criminal or a freak? Hinata looked frightened. Shouldn't she be happy? She was going to get her Sasuke back. If he were her, he would be jumping for joy not to have to deal with a cold bastard anymore who didn't know what the hell was going on. He said something to that effect. "No, Sasuke. This could kill you. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Your chakra system is under a lot of stress, and if anything were to go wrong, it could crush your heart when the new body is made, or scramble your brain, or eviscerate you…any number of things that would certainly kill you."

"Okay. But I have to tell my family, yes?" She nodded. "This is going to suck." That drew a weak laugh from her. She pulled him close in a hug.

Not long after this, both he and Hinata arrived at the Uchiha compound. It was nearly evening, and Sasuke led Hinata into the main house, where his father, mother, and Itachi all sat at the kitchen table. He took a very deep breath. Before he could say anything, his mother rose with a delighted noise and started talking to Hinata, who looked helplessly at him. He only shrugged a little.

Fugaku was looking at him askance, and Itachi narrowed his eyes. Hinata couldn't help being pulled into his mother's exuberant behavior. So, she settled down next to the other woman, and they began talking quietly. Sasuke was about to talk to his father when a small black bird landed on the windowsill. He nearly rolled his eyes. He nodded to his father apologetically, and moved to intercept the animal. Taking the offered leg, he pulled the small black tube from its place, and the bird flew off. Sasuke excused himself.

Once he got the note from the tube, he unrolled it, and was surprised to find unfamiliar handwriting there.

Everything is going according to plan. Sakura's training is advancing quickly, and our master will be pleased. Please meet me at the edge of the Forest of Death tomorrow night. We can discuss the plan then.

Sasuke scanned the note again. His heart hammered in his chest as he realized what was going on. This was bad. This was extremely bad. The Sasuke from this reality, in spite of having never gone through what he had, still ended up working for Orochimaru. Not only that, but he was working with Kabuto. Willingly. Why? This was going to take some careful planning, and a very, very steady hand. He folded the note as small as possible, and tucked it into one of the scroll pockets on his chuunin vest. Sasuke felt ill. At the moment, he was filled with self-loathing, though he wasn't sure he should feel it at all, since the Sasuke from this reality was obviously not him, and very much not a good man at all. Which made him start to question many things. People close to him, such as Sakura, were also in league with Orochimaru. Did that mean that Hinata was, as well?

There was only one way to find out. He strode back into the kitchen, and made their excuses. "I'm very sorry, but something has come up. Hinata and I are needed. I'll try to come home as soon as I can." Hinata's eyes did not betray the confusion that he knew was there. His mother nodded, and his father frowned deeper than he had been. Itachi eyed him. Could he trust him? Perhaps. "Itachi? Would you mind coming with us?" His brother came as close to looking surprised as he had ever seen him. After a long moment of studying Sasuke, he rose from his seat and followed the two chuunin out of the door.