Naruto stared out at the frozen pond, icy wind numbing his cheeks.

The glove-covered fingertips pressing into Naruto's shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

Sasuke watched him closely, an eyebrow raising gently.

"You've just been standing there, spaced out for a few seconds. Are you alright?"

Naruto shook his head slightly, stuffing his cold hands back into his pockets as snow fell around the Uchiha and himself.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Sorry, I just.. got lost down memory lane there for a second."

Sasuke kept his eyes locked on Naruto for a few seconds, but he finally looked away as he nodded.

"It's an easy one to get lost down... okay, come on, let's get back inside before we both freeze."

Sasuke turned to face away, but he waited until Naruto walked up beside him before they started off down the snow covered street.

Naruto made sure to watch his steps as they walked, but he let his mind wander in thought once more.

'Why do I have to feel this way? And whynow,of all times...'

He clenched his fists in his pockets.

'Stupid heart, making me feel things i don't wanna feel...'

He was too lost in thought to notice Sasuke glancing at him frequently as they walked along.

Naruto's apartment building came into view, and they made it to the steps leading up into it.

Sasuke walked up the first couple of steps, pausing as Naruto came up.

The Uzumaki stepped up, but his boot slipped through the slush on the step.

He threw an arm out to the railing beside him, but it was snow-covered and slick, his hand slipping off of it.

Naruto caught a brief glimpse of the cloudy sky as he fell backwards, trying to brace himself for the impact against the concrete.

Before he could hit the ground, he was jerked to a stop suddenly.

He dangled there for a second, seeing the grey sky and the upside down buildings.

Naruto looked down, seeing the Uchiha's hand gripped tightly onto the front of his jacket.

Sasuke pulled him upright to a standing position on the steps once again, bracing an arm around Naruto's back as he did.

Sasuke smiled at him, a teasing tint to his voice as he spoke.

"How did you even stay alive before I came along?"

Naruto gave a weak chuckle as he steadied himself.

"I... I really don't know."

Concern seeped into Sasuke's expression at the unusually serious response.

Naruto began moving up the steps again, Sasuke reaching over to interlace their gloved fingers.

Sasuke squeezed gently, Naruto squeezing back.

They made it up the rest of the steps without incident, walking down the hallway and stopping at Naruto's door.

The Uzumaki stuffed his hand into one of the pockets on his jacket, trying to snag his surprisingly elusive key.

He looked up as the door came open a moment later, Sasuke dropping the key he'd been given back into his pocket.

The Uchiha stepped inside, Naruto following in behind him.

It was comfortably warm in the apartment, the heaters doing their job while the two of them had been gone.

Sasuke flicked the lights on as Naruto pulled off his gloves and unzipped his jacket.

The Uzumaki walked over to the heater, holding his hands in front of it.

He stretched his fingers and moved them as heat returned the feeling to them.

The heater whirred and Naruto could hear Sasuke's movements quiet and still behind him.

"Is something wrong?"

Naruto winced at the question, making sure his features were neutral as he turned around to answer.

"What? No, everything's fine. Why do you ask?"

Sasuke's face was settled into a serious look.

"I know something is bothering you, Naruto. I just don't know what it is."

Naruto kept his face carefully blank as he replied.

"I.. don't know what you think is going on, but I'm good. Really."

Naruto turned away, hoping that answer would satisfy the Uchiha.

Sasuke sighed and stepped closer to the blond.

"I know there are things you don't like talking about. When you're happy, you'll tell everyone within shouting distance about it. But when something's upsetting you..."

Naruto kept his eyes staring straight ahead, pulling his fingers away from the heater.

His hands hung at his sides as his thoughts went into overdrive, trying to figure what to say, or what not to say to Sasuke.

After a tense few seconds, he decided on silence.

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, letting it fall shut and looking away without a word.

He stared out the window, watching the snowflakes fall as his heart started beating faster.

The Uchiha dug his nails into his palm, struggling to open his mouth and speak the words he'd never said to another person.

"I... I hate the quiet as much as you do, Naruto."

Naruto looked over at Sasuke in surprise, their eyes meeting.

"I know what it's like.. to hate the deafening sound of nothingness, and fear having to hear your own thoughts creeping into your skull."

The Uchiha's expression was unusually open, and filling with emotion after every word he spoke.

"There used to always be noise. Not much, not loud, but something. The other children playing and laughing, the adults talking, movement, life. And then one day, it was.. gone. They were gone."

Naruto's heart throbbed as wetness welled up in Sasuke's eyes.

"I know that feeling, the crushing lonliness. It was li-.. like I died with the rest of them, but I didn't get to move on, as if I had to stay behind as a reminder."

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut as pain flashed across his face, a single tear slipping out and spilling down his cheek.

His eyes opened, reddened and wide with emotion.

"I know how awful it is to feel alone. And you don't have to talk to me about anything you don't want to. But I need you to know that you can talk to me. I need you to know.. that you're not alone."

Naruto stared back at Sasuke, blinking at the dampness in his own eyes.

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Sasuke tightly, holding the Uchiha against him.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I'm so sorry.."

Sasuke's arms curled around Naruto just as firmly, burying his face into the blond's neck as hot tears dripped down his cheeks.

Naruto stroked his hand down Sasuke's hair, fighting back his own tears at the sight of the normally stoic young man in such pain.

The Uzumaki maneuvered them both gently onto the couch after a moment, staying as close to Sasuke as possible as they sat side by side.

Naruto kept his arm around Sasuke, the apartment silent as contemplated the words rattling around in his brain.

"I think this time of year has always been harder for me, because everyone else is.. Happy, with their families. So every year, it just felt... harder to smile, the happiness of all the rest of them being a constant reminder of everything I didn't have."

Sasuke had his own arm curled around Naruto, and he settled his hand on top of the blond's, their fingers lacing together.

"But this year.. I'm not alone. I've got my friends. I've got you, you're.. one of the best things that's ever happened to me. So... I don't really know why I'm feeling sad right now. I feel.. stupid, because I'm depressed for.. basically no reason. And I don't wanna drag anyone's mood down with me.."

Naruto let out a deep breath, his chest feeling a little less tight.

He stared at the floor for a few seconds, his eyes unfocused.

Sasuke reached up, placing two fingers on Naruto's chin and lifting gently.

The blond raised his head, his eyes and Sasuke's connecting.

They looked into each other's eyes, letting the emotions they were feeling flash across their faces freely, to speak that which couldn't be put into words.

Naruto felt a weight lift off of his heart as he saw love and understanding on Sasuke's face, and the Uchiha smiled softly at the love and affection shining brightly towards him on the blond's features.

"There's nothing wrong with feeling sad sometimes, Naruto. Our hearts act funny, and make us feel things we wouldn't expect. But it's not bad to feel your feelings.. they're what let us know we're alive."

Naruto felt the truth of those words land within himself, keeping his eyes on the Uchiha.

"... you're really smart, Sasuke."

"I know."

The absolute confidence that peppered Sasuke's tone pulled a sudden, amused snort out of Naruto.

The corner of Sasuke's lips twitched hard with the urge to grin.

Naruto smiled and moved closer to Sasuke, both of them lifting their feet onto the couch as they curled up together.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Sasuke. I should've known you'd understand."

Sasuke let his fingers drift over Naruto's skin as he spoke.

"It's okay. We could both do a little better about not keeping our pain a secret from each other.."

Naruto agreed with a hum, settling closer to Sasuke as the snowflakes fell outside.


Naruto's pillow tickled his nose as he slept, sensations filtering through as his brain returned to consciousness.

A sleepy smile spread across his face at the feeling of the arm wrapped securely around his waist.

Naruto arched his back and extended an arm towards the ceiling, groaning in his throat at the pops of his bones.

The arm around his waist curled tighter, and the Uzumaki shifted around to face Sasuke.

The Uchiha's eyes stayed stubbornly shut.

Naruto leaned forward and kissed his lips gently.

The blond pulled back as Sasuke's eye cracked open, his dark iris peeking through.

Naruto grinned, Sasuke's eye shutting as he let out a dry-throated mumble.

"Morning person..."

He said it like a curse, and Naruto chuckled softly.

"Good morning, sleepy Sasuke."

The dark-haired young man's eyes opened fully, taking in the sight of the Uzumaki and smiling gently as he did.

"Good morning, adorable Naruto."

Sasuke relished the red that bloomed on Naruto's cheeks.

They kissed and touched, letting their fingers roam over each other as they woke together.

After several minutes, Sasuke pushed himself up to a sitting position, stretching.

He scooted to the edge of the bed, leaning over and reaching underneath the frame.

Naruto watched him curiously.

Sasuke pulled himself back up onto the bed, a box with an envelope sat on top of it in his hands.

Naruto made an excited noise and sat up, Sasuke smirking as he scooted back over to the blond.

The Uchiha handed him the presents, the blond smiling warmly at him as he did.

Naruto sat the box in his lap, picking up the envelope.

It unsealed with a gentle tear.

Naruto was greeted by the sight of his own smiling face next to Sasuke's as he pulled out the pictures in it.

He made a happy sound and looked over to the Uchiha.

"From the party a few days ago?"

Sasuke nodded.

Naruto continued flipping through the pictures, images of himself and others in various stages of celebration.

Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto stood together, with their headbands pulled down to cover their left eyes, Kakashi visible and looking proud in the background.

Lee lifting Naruto off of the ground in a "Manly embrace of friendship!", Kakashi locked in a similarly tight hug from Gai off to the side.

The Uzumaki with his arms affectionately thrown over Hinata and Kiba's shoulders.

Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino laid out next to each other in the grass.

Ten-Ten and Neji desperately holding Lee back as he reached for a bottle of sake.

Naruto giggled, Sasuke speaking again as the blond kept looking through them.

"I remembered you saying.. that you didn't have many pictures of you and everyone else, so.."

Sasuke could feel a faint heat on his cheeks.

"I asked Sakura and Kakashi to help take the ones I'm in, and I managed to get Shikamaru to take the ones with all four of us in there.."

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but the words faded off as he saw the last picture in the stack.

He and Sasuke sat down off to the side, unaware of the camera, adoration clear on their faces as they looked at each other.

Naruto felt the very same adoration flooding his heart as he looked over to Sasuke now.

Sasuke smiled happily, nodding to the box.

Naruto slipped the pictures back into the envelope carefully, setting them gently on the little table beside the bed.

He lifted the lid off of the box, sucking in a shocked, excited breath at what he saw.

Two jackets laid in the box, orange and blue, with black trim. But what caught Naruto's eye was the symbol on both.

Half Uzumaki swirl on one side, half Uchiha fan on the other.

He felt the distinct swell of warm emotion, and he fought back the wet feeling in his eyes.

"It's perfect."

Sasuke leaned over and kissed the blond, Naruto returning it and deepening it before he stopped suddenly.

"Ooh! your presents!"

He swung his legs out from under the covers and onto the floor, grabbing a jacket out of the box and flailing as he tried to put it on while running out of the bedroom.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he looked at the doorway his boyfriend had dissapeared through.

The Uchiha winced as he heard a thud, followed by a little grunt of discomfort.

"Are you alright?"

Naruto shouted back without hesitation.

"Yeah! I'm all okay!"

Sasuke let out a bemused chuckle, shaking his head slightly.

He looked over at the other jacket in the box, reaching in and lifting it out.

Sasuke stared at the Uchiha/Uzumaki symbol with a smile, sliding the jacket on and slipping his arms through after a moment.

He closed his eyes and took a quiet few seconds to appreciate how good it felt to wear their symbol, the one that meant Us, Ours.

The Uchiha knew that feeling would only get better once it was worn outside, for everyone to see.