What best friends are for

Seeing this, Naruto feels a surge of hatred and rage coursing through him. His Sasuke. Soiled by these disgusting men?! His love. His crush. To be crushed by these brutes?! The images his imagination come up with are too much to handle and he didn't even notice how his rapist had started to undo his pants, nor did he care when he allowed the fire of that rage to take him over.
As hard as he can he shoves his elbow into the guys ribcage and smashes with the back of his head against his. Surprised, his rapist lets his grip fall and Naruto is capable at jumping free and turning around, landing a straight hit at his face.

"Don't you fucking dare touch my friend!" Naruto shouts enraged as his vision is clouded by red, landing another hit. He would have landed another one if his wrist was not grabbed to pull him up.

"Come on." Sasuke says as he pulls Naruto along, having used the surprise of his captors, as a reaction to Naruto's actions, to his advantage.

"After them!" They hear behind them as they run through the alley in the opposite direction to where they came from. They take a corner to the right where Sasuke shortly stops to throw some trashcans over as well as some wooden planks that stood there.

"Go." Sasuke says softly while taking Naruto's hand and they run on. They didn't get far till they hear the loud noise of people falling and cursing. When Naruto looks back he sees the two lackeys have fallen and their leader cursing as he tries to step past them, but instead falling over a trash bag. The blonde can't help but grin at that, hearing their leader blaming his lackeys.

They run for a good while in the direction of Sasuke's house, stopping half way as they are out of breath. Neither one can say anything as they try to catch their breath but Naruto can tell Sasuke is still anxiously looking back from where they came from, keeping watch to make sure their pursuers did give up the chase, the hunt.

"Y-you're bleeding…" Naruto says, still out of breath but capable of standing up straight again.

"We should keep going." Sasuke says, effectively avoiding the subject. He doesn't want Naruto to know how shaken up he is by what happened. He had never thought he had actually have to put his material arts lessens into practice. He had never hoped he needed to use them. It was just an anger relief method after all. And in reality it was still a lot harder to use than during training.
He had taken Naruto's hand again, quick walking towards his home while vividly hoping that Naruto wouldn't notice how much he's trembling. His head hurts as hell and he can't help but look back every now and then, convinced that he won't be feeling save and secure until they are at his place again.

"Sit down, I'll get the first aid kit." Sasuke says when they had come back at the Uchiha mansion and he intends to walk on to do as he had said, but instead is stopped by Naruto grabbing his lower arm.

"No. You go and sit down. I'll get it."

"You are hurt to." Sasuke protests.

"Not as badly as you." Naruto reasons. "I'm not the one who is bleeding from a head wound!" Sasuke glares for a little longer at his friend before he hesitantly moves his hand up to touch his cheekbone, over which blood flows from the wound which appears to be just above the corner of his eyebrow. Seeing the blood his face pales, which Naruto notices. "You can't handle blood?"

"N-no. That's not it." Sasuke says, still looking at the blood on his fingers. "You know I can. Just. I didn't think it was this bad…" The raven looks at the blond and only now he sees the deep concern in his blue eyes which had only become more severe at his words. "Though, you know what they say. Head wounds always seem worse than it is." Sasuke says to reassure Naruto, walking to the couch in the living room to do as he had been told and he shortly tells the blond where he can find the first aid kit.

"You sure we shouldn't call for a doctor or something?" Naruto asks when he had come back with the first aid kit, a towel, a bowl with clean, lukewarm water and a washcloth. He sits closer to his crush so he can dab the blood away and clean the wound.

"Nah. I-It's okay." Sasuke says, avoiding Naruto's eyes while he feels one of his hands resting on his shoulder closest to the blond while the other is gently wiping the blood away. "If it were more serious it would hurt more. And I would be feeling more dizzy I guess. It's probably just a cut."

"Hn.." Naruto replies softly and a silence falls while Naruto continues to take care of Sasuke's wound.

"Thanks…" Sasuke says softly after a bandage has been put on the cut, which didn't bleed so much anymore, indicating that it isn't as serious as it had looked, just like Sasuke had said. "Let me take a look at yours." The raven says as he turns Naruto's face so he can see the graze at his cheekbone, at which he tsks. Naruto hisses as the raven starts to clean the flesh scraped wound and as Sasuke is about to use the antibiotics, he stops him.

"I… I'd really like to take a shower first… If you don't mind…" Naruto says softly while he keeps looking down. The look in Sasuke's eyes softens to one of understanding mixed with pain for his dobe.

"Sure. I'll be waiting here. If you want different clothes you can take any of mine that you want…" He offers and the blonde nods in silence before getting up to head first to Sasuke's room and then to the bathroom, ever avoiding the ravens eyes as he turns away from him.

When Naruto comes back, half an hour later, he finds Sasuke still where he had left him. Naruto had put on some casual clothing he had found in the raven's closet and he is mildly surprised to find Sasuke still where he is. The fire is now slowly burning but his friend is for once not staring into the ever changing flames. His knees pulled to his chest, his arms wrapped around them and his forehead resting on them, makes it impossible for Naruto to see his face but quite obvious that he isn't feeling like his usual self. It worries Naruto for a bit, wondering whether his love is alright and that the head wound perhaps was worse than they had thought. In silence he walks to him, knowing that Sasuke must have noticed him by now even though he still hasn't looked up. I guess he was really shaken up at what happened… O-or perhaps he is still angry with me? Naruto thinks as he sits close to Sasuke, resting his forehead against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry…" He whispers, feeling even more guilty at the thought that he had left Sasuke alone with this while taking his time scrubbing himself clean under the shower. He should have apologized sooner.

"Hn." Was the short, soft reply he gets and another short silence falls before Sasuke sighs. "W-was I too late?" Comes the dreadful, barely hearable whisper.

Too late? Too late for what? The blonde wonders for a bit until it hits him. I-Is that really what bothers him so? "No. I still had my clothes on, remember." Naruto replies at which Sasuke finally looks up, but not to look at him. Instead he leans with his chin on his arms while now staring into the flames before them.

"For some forced things you don't have to take your clothes off…"

"Sasuke…"

"Did he make you… g-give him-"

"No." Was Naruto's quick reply. "You were on time. They didn't force me to do anything…" Naruto adds decisively and Sasuke slowly nods.

"Unlike me… I guess…" Naruto looks up at him surprised.

"You didn't force me to do anything either. All that we did, we did because we both wanted to." Naruto says sternly though Sasuke effectively avoids his eyes. This isn't like him… I've never seen this side of him… It kinda scares me… It makes me sad. Sasuke. Are you really that unsure about yourself? About what happened? About us? Naruto thinks, starting to doubt himself now too.

"-cuts…" Naruto would have missed it if he were not sitting so close to the raven who had turned his head away from him while mumbling it.

"What?" He asks, wanting to know what else is troubling his raven and it is when Sasuke sighs again, that Naruto remembers. Ah… I see. That's right… I have seen this side of him before… Back when we finally talked. The only time we truly talked and spoke our hearts out to each other… His heart beats painfully in his chest when he shortly remembers their first night together.

"The cuts." Sasuke replies, clearing his throat to speak more clearly. "The cuts I made on you… D-did they scar?"

Naruto is surprised by the question at first, until he realizes it. Guilt. That is the feeling, the look in his friends eyes. How long have you been wanting to ask that question? How long has this been bothering you? Naruto sighs before he answers, staring in the flames now to, mimicking the ravens position. "No they haven't. Wish they had though…"

"Hn. You're weird." Sasuke replies, a half smile shortly on his face.

"T-teme! Am not!" Naruto defends. "I-I just want to remember… I… kinda… wanted to be marked for life by you…" The last sentence had been nothing more than a whisper as this time the blonde had looked away from the one he had spoken to.

Sasuke is surprised to hear that and he doesn't know how to react for a little while. He then smiles softly before placing his hand on the blondes head to mess up his hair in a brotherly way. "Hn. It's still weird." At which Naruto just pouts though he is glad Sasuke is smiling again. "Are you going to be alright?" The raven asks of him, having lowered his hand again. Naruto sighs deeply.

"I'm… not sure." He replies and a short silence falls at that. "Thanks though… For saving me…"

"Hn. It's what best friends are for right?" Sasuke replies, at which Naruto looks at him in surprise.

"Best friends? You really think that way of me too?" Naruto grins, feeling his heart beat faster. The fact that Sasuke had called him a friend had already meant so much to him. Best friends means that they have gotten even closer. At this rate we might- we really.. ah man! Don't get your hopes up to much! Naruto thinks, trying to calm his heart. I shouldn't read too much into this or I'll only end up disappointed.

"I guess that means you see me as your best friend too?" Sasuke asks.

"Of course! It's not like I've got any other friends, so yeah. Ghehe."

"Ouch." Sasuke fakes hurt. "Then what about Suigetsu, Karin and Jugo? By now you've gotten pretty close to them. And that brunette-" Sasuke suddenly halts his words though he already realizes he's said to much. Damn! Naruto doesn't know that I saw them that day!

"Brunette?" Naruto asks, not understanding. There is only one brunette I would call a friend and I have seen him in person only a couple of times. "You mean Kiba? How do you know that?" Naruto asks, noticing the small tension at the name of his friend.

"I ah… S-saw you two walking the other day."

"Hmmm…" Naruto replies while thinking about that. "Ah! Don't tell me. You were jealous?!" Naruto suddenly leans closer to the raven while having a big, knowing grin on his face. Defensively Sasuke backs away a little.

"N-no. Of course not! Why would I-" Sasuke starts to reply as he backs away from his gleaming friend more. He places his hand behind him, intending to lean on it, but instead of leaning on the edge of the couch he places it past it, causing the raven to lose his balance and instead he falls half of the couch. Naruto is mesmerized by the clumsy, flustered mess Sasuke had become and he laughs shortly at the uncharacteristic behavior. When Sasuke looks up with an annoyed look on his face, he finds his blonde angel looking down on him with an amused, jet caring smile. Sasuke's heart skips a beat, reminding the raven that he'd want to be so much more to the beauty before him than just best friends. But it also reminds him that even if Naruto does not feel the same about him, he'd still want to be his friend. Never again would he want to feel the way he did when he had watched them that day, his dobe and this Kiba- guy. The feeling of being excluded from something precious. As Sasuke sits with his legs crossed he realizes that this is the first time since that first night that they talked to each other so honestly like this. Not wanting this precious conversation to end he continues it. "I… felt hurt… When you said that, for all you know, you'd be just a number out of the many fuck around with in my spare time..." Naruto opens his mouth to reply on that, but Sasuke continues before he can defend himself. "I know I… Didn't talk to you as much as I should have. And that I didn't show so much that I did care…"

"Sasuke…" Naruto replies and then looking at his fumbling hands. "I… It's not just your fault.. I should have trusted you more. I… For a long time I-" He closes his eyes as the tears sting in his eyes and the memory of their break-up causes an unbearable pain in his chest. "I wanted to apologize to you..! F-for hurting you like that… But I- I just…" Naruto sobs, which becomes worse when Sasuke takes him in his arms. "I- I've wanted to become your friend ever since… And then, w-when Suigetsu came with the offer to work at Sharingan… I-It almost felt like a sign, you know.." Sasuke softly smiles at that caressing his dobe's back and the warmth in his chest grows when he feels the arms that hug him back.

"Hnn… I didn't think you'd be the type to believe in such superstition like that." The raven replies at which the young man in his arms tells him to shut up, causing Sasuke to chuckle shortly. "I'm glad though… I wanted to become friends whit you too. I guess life is just too dull and a bit too quiet without you."

"Ghaha. Of course! I've completely got you under my spell." Naruto says while leaning back a bit to look Sasuke in the eyes, loosening their hug. "I guess I really am just irresistible!" The show off laughs.

"Like I didn't know that already. Today has proven even more so." Sasuke replies and he folds his arms before his chest, getting serious when he speaks on. "So you better think twice before you go calling me a slut while you don't listen to my warning as some stranger tries to lead you on. And for hitting me at that!"

"Ah hahah…" Naruto laughs sheepishly wile scratching the back of his neck. "Hey! I never called you a-"

"You did. Or rather, you might as well have. About the sleeping around part."

"uhn… Sorry about that…" Naruto replies while looking down. "And I'm sorry for hitting you… That wasn't fair. You were just worried about me… B-but I was really angry with you, you know! Telling me not to hang around with others while that pink head was swarming around you all evening!"

"Seriously?!" Sasuke says with a raised brow. "She is still bothering you? If I didn't know better I'd swear you're the one who is jealous here." Naruto blushes madly and pouts as that as Sasuke leans with his head on his arm again while having a sly smirk on his face. "Besides…" He sighs. "After you had run of I kinda snapped at her. I guess I said quite a lot of harsh things and it had attracted quite the crowd too. I bet I won't be all that welcome there anymore."

"Ah so. What a shame." Naruto replies sarcastically and Sasuke chuckles at that. "But… Eh. Why me?"

"Hn?"

"Why would you call me your best friend? You've been friends a lot longer with Suigetsu and Jugo and such, right? Oh and what about Kankuro and Shino? You and I haven't been friends for that long…"

"Ah. Hmm." Sasuke replies and he has to think for a bit before replying. "Some time ago I could've said that I don't do 'friends'. If there is no profit in it, then why bother, or something like that. Suigetsu and the others from Sharingan are mainly just my coworkers. Kankuro and Shino never got to know the real me. I… more or less, used them so I wouldn't be called a loner so much. To be completely honest, I don't think I ever had any kind of respect for them."

"Huuuh… You were quite the heartless one huh…" Naruto replies, holding his head up with both hands while his elbows lean on his crossed legs. "But it does seem like you're close friends with Suigetsu and such."

"Hn. We might get along okay and go out every now and then, they still don't know the real me." Sasuke replies while looking at his own hands, avoiding the blondes eyes. "I hardly let anyone past my walls. They don't get to see the real me because I won't let them, no matter how much Suigetsu pretends to have me all figured out."

"Gheh. Are you sure about that? Taken what I read in that group chat." Naruto chuckles while Sasuke tries to suppress the red color from overcoming his cheeks.

"Ah! T-that's right! I still have to add you to that chat. Now that you're one of us." Taking out his phone Sasuke searches for the group chat to add Naruto to it. "I take it you will be spending the night here right?" He asks while pressing all the right buttons, not noticing how Naruto's cheeks have turned all red and when it remains silent he looks up at his blonde. "I-I mean as friends you Usuratonkachi!" The raven replies hastily.

"Ahhahah! I-I know that!" Naruto replies while backing away a bit and waving his hands in front of him.

"Ah so. You really are a pervert…" Sasuke remarks.

"S-shut up… You are the one who is deciding that I should stay…"

"Hn. Well I don't feel much for going outside again after what has happened. Not to mention that nobody will be waiting for you anyway when you get home…" Sasuke states and he stands up to walk to the kitchen.

"I sure am glad they aren't home right now." Naruto replies as he stands up too to see what his friend is up to. "If they heard about what happened they probably would only let me out of the house if I got some bodyguard following me everywhere I go."

"Guess that role is mine though." The raven replies before taking a drink from his water to wash the painkiller away. "Although I don't think your parents would like that much."

"Gheheh…" Naruto sheepishly laughs.

"I don't know about you but.." Sasuke's sentence is interrupted by a yawn. "It's quite some time past midnight already, so I'm of to bed. Not to mention that my head is killing me." He walks past Naruto towards the wide stairs and in the direction of his room.

"Yeah… Getting up tomorrow is going to be the hardest task ever…" Sound the complains of the blonde at that as they reach Sasuke's room.

"Dobe. You can do as you wish, but I have no intention of going to school tomorrow." Sasuke replies before making some space on the floor for the matrass Naruto will get to sleep on. "It's likely I have a mild concussion too so I best take it easy tomorrow. If I were you I'd do the same but hey, like I said, you can do as you wish." Sasuke shrugs before he intends to drag the matrass from the storage room next to his, but Naruto is ahead of him and does so himself, having taken his friends concussion into consideration.

"Teme… You better wake me up on time for school then. If you don't It will all be your responsibility." Naruto says jokingly while preparing his bed next to Sasuke's.

"Yeah, yeah…" Sasuke replies, not being in the mood and too tired to protest. He carefully pulls of his shirt and he flinches as the headache gets worse for a moment while doing so. He had taken out a clean t-shirt to sleep in, but taken that it would only hurt more to put it on, he decides that sleeping in his underwear and bear chested would be just fine. Naruto, on the other hand, has to force his eyes away from his sexy, half naked friend while he can't prevent his cheeks from getting red. He decides to sleep in his shorts and the T-shirt Sasuke had lend him.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm really glad you're here." Sasuke says when they both lay under their blankets and the light is out.

"Uhn… Me too…" Naruto answers for a bit. "Don't tell me you had this in mind when you asked me to tag along with you guys." The low, short chuckle that comes as a reply sends shivers down the blondes spine while his heart beats faster and Naruto can't help the smile around his lips as he realizes even more how much he loves that sound. And how much he had missed hearing it.

"I wouldn't dare dream of it." Is the lie Sasuke replies with, having closed eyes and a soft smile, though it soon falters. "Itachi left early this morning, ah yesterday morning I guess… I just… Didn't want to be alone. It would make me worry too much…" It remains silent for a bit and Sasuke was about to drowse off when Naruto softly replies.

"I understand. I really do…" Naruto looks up at the ceiling as he continues. "I used to have that feeling too each time my parents went away on their travels to some far away country. Those often were not the safest ones and there were plenty of times that I protested it at first. Each time they came back though… Sometimes earlier because of me or because it became too dangerous to be there. But they always came back…" He closes his eyes and sighs. "Strange huh… When things go one way repeatedly you expect them to go that way every time after a while… I wonder… When did I stop worrying about them… It could… still…" The last word was nothing more but a mumble as the breath of the weary blonde evens out.

"I hope, with all my heart, that you will never have to experience losing them… like I did…" Sasuke whispers softly to the sleeping blonde. It doesn't take long before he too has fallen asleep.

To be continued...

Heya dear fans!

I wish you all a happy and love filled valentines day! If I could I would give you all a hug, but taken that I can't I've posted this extra long chapter of this story for you all!

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. ^.^ Next chapter will likely be a longer one too so I ask you to forgive me for the long wait and to bear with it.

Oh and do share the love and tell me your opinions on this chapter! ^.^ It would really make my day!