Chapter 28

"Aoi!"

Sasuke knelt as the puppy barreled through the hallway toward him. He wrapped his arms around the puppy's neck as Aoi wagged her tail and attempted to lick hsi face, but only managed his ear. He laughed at the feeling. It was slimy and wet, and the best feeling in the world to him right now.

Still laughing, he ruffled her scruff until he stood and took a commanding posture.

"Aoi, sit," he ordered.

She sat.

"Lie down."

Aoi did, and obeyed every order Sasuke gave her. He knelt and allowed her to give him licks before turning to Narutp gratefully.

"Thanks for taking care of her," he said.

"No problem," siad Naruto nonchalantly, but Sasuke could see that he had been happy to help. "You know I can't turna way a dog in need."

Sasuke laughed.

"Yeah, I know. That's why I sent her to you. I knew you'd take care of her."

Naruto blushed and shuffled his foot on the floor. Sasuke couldn't help but think of how cute he looked at that moment. His cheeks blushing just slightly and the sheepish look on his face. It made him look like a teenager.

"How about some supper," stammered Naruto. "What would you like?"

"Ichiraku Ramen," said Sasuke immediately, and then became sheepish himself. As Kurogane, Naruto had told Sasuke that his favorite ramen shop was Ichiraku, but he had never told Sasuke as a human. He glanced toward Naruto who had a surprised expression.

"You like Ichiraku?" he said.

"They-they make good ramen," said Sasuke trying to keep from blushing and failing.

"What would you like?" asked Naruto.

"Pork miso."

Naruto picked up his phone and started dialing. Sasuke turned to him in surprise.

"Ichiraku delivers?"

"They do for me," said Naruto with a proud smirk. He held the phone to his ear and ordered.

Sasuke scratched Aoi and Kyuubi behind the ears as he looked around. The house hadn't changed since Sasuke had lived there as a canine. Maybe a new movie or two, but other than that, it looked the same.

"Food will be here in thirty minutes," said Naruto. "What did you want to do?"

"Watch a movie?" asked Sasuke. "What do you have?"

"Action, horror, sci-fi, the usual," said Naruto, smiling.

"Pick out a good one," said Sasuke.

Naruto nodded and went to the shelf. Sasuke stood and walked toward the window. He peeked outside. There was a car parked across the street. It would have look inconspicuious, but Sasuke knew that they were police officers keeping watch. He knew that Naruto wouldn't have been the only one protecting him, but he was glad that he was.

"Stay away from the windows, Sasuke," said Naruto.

Sasuke turned and saw that Naruto was looking at him with a stern expression. Sasuke stepped away from the window and Naruto seemed to relax more.

"Sorry," he said.

"It's for your protection," said Naruto. "Madara could have you shot for giving him up."

"Right," said Sasuke and walked to the couch. He sat down. Naruto walks toward the kitchen.

"Want some coffee?" he asks.

"Sure. Shot of sugar."

Naruto nods and starts making the coffee. Sasuke looked around the living room a bit as he scratches Kyuubi and Aoi. He knows he should say something, but what could he say? 'How have you been?' 'Did you manage to cure Kyuubi of his tumor?' Those questions just seemed to be stupid. So, he settled on the third bes tone.

"How has everyone been?" he asked.

"They're fine," said Naruto after a pause. "They've been worried about you too. As soon as this is over, we should get together."

"Yeah." If they could. More than likely he would be placed in a witness protection program until trial, but Sasuke knew that wouldn't have worked. Madara would have used any means necessary to kill him.

Naruto finished making the coffee and brought it out to the living room. He set Sasuke's in front of him and sat next to him.

Sasuke picked it up, but didn't take a sip. He fidgeted with the mug. If this was the last time he was ever going to be alone with Naruto, then he had to get some things off his chest.

"Naruto, there's something I want to tell you," he said. Naruto looked at him curiously. "I really appreciate what you've done for me, and not just offering up your home as protection. For not giving up on me, for helping me with Aoi, and giving me a new purpose with my life. For everything."

He turned to Naruto, and saw Naruto's eyes widen. Sasuke didn't know what Naruto saw in his eyes, but he knew what he was feeling, so it probably showed in his eyes.

"In school, I always thought you were so annoying. Spouting stupid stuff and laughing loudly. I could never figure out why you had to gain the attention of everyone around you.

"But as the years went by, I realized that was how you are. You laugh and joke to make the others around you smile, because you hatethe people you care about feeling sad. That made you a great friend, and I was too stubborn and prideful to see it."

"Sasuke..."said Naruto in amazement. He didn't know if he should stop the man or allow him to continue. Every word out of his mouth made Naruto's heart beat hard in his chest.

"The more time we spent together, the more I respected you, and found out what sort of person you were. You put others before you, protective of those you care about, you love to make people laugh and have an unhealthy obession with ramen. You're compassionate, loyal, humble, unselfish, and strong. So strong. You're probably the strongest person I ever met. Stronger than me."

"That's not true," said Naruto, unconciously grabbing Sasuke's hand. Sasuke's entire body stiffened for a moment before he relaxed. "You are strong. So strong. It takes a lot to survive what you did. I don't know if I even could."

Sasuke laughed softly.

"I bet you could," said Sasuke. "Everything I had gone through, I..."

Naruto placed a hand over Sasuke's mouth. Sasuke looked at him in confusion as Naruto lowered his hand.

"I told you," said Naruto. "If you don't want to tell me, don't. And don't force yourself out of a sense of obligation. Whatever you did in the past, it was to survive, and I am grateful for it."

Naruto reached over and placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"I was so afraid we wouldn't find you," he said in a whisper.

So overcome with emotion, Sasuke didn't really think about what happened next. One minute he was looking at Naruto's intense blue eyes, and the next he leaned over and kissed Naruto on the lips. It was soft, chaste, but still full of all the love Sasuke had felt for the man in front of him.

And, for a moment, Naruto kissed back. A flare of hope burned in Sasuke's chest until Naruto pulled away, a look of shock, confusion and shame on his face.

"Sasuke..."

"I'm sorry," he said. "You're my protective detail, and you probably don't like me that way."

He stood up.

"I'm heading for bed."

He hurried up to the guest bedroom, not hearing Naruto call after him. Aoi followed after him.

Entering the guest room, he waited until Aoi followed behind him before closing the door. He hit himself over the head infrustration.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he said berating himself. He fell onto the bed, face up, and sighed. His fingers locked with each other and above his head as he stretched.

He had known it was impulsive to kiss Naruto, but the man had been so close and he had shown such concern for Sasuke that Sasuke couldn't help himself. He was probably angry at Sasuke now. He probably ruined their friendship.

He felt Aoi jump up on the bed next to him and Sasuke turned to face his dog. Aoi laid down next to him and was looking at him with look that made Sasuke think she was reprimanding him.

"I am the worst person in the universe," he said.

Aoi barked, as if in agreement.

XXXXXXX

It was the silence more than anything that woke Sasuke. He had somehow fallen asleep to a whirling mix of nauseating emotions. After living for months in the house as a dog, he knew almost every sound that came from the the house, from the whirl of the refridgerator to the creak of the pipes.

But now it was all quiet. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was almost four in the morning. Naruto would be in bed, after passing the guarding duty to another officer. Otherwise, he'd be up all night.

He heard a soft woof at the base of the bed, and turned to see Kyuubi looking out of the bedroom door. It was from years of training that kept him from barking. Sasuke remembered the training Kurogane had goen through. Barking gave way to location. A proper police dog only barked when they located the danger.

He was a bit surprised to find Kyuubi in his room. Naruto had always been confused over Kyuubi's behavior toward Sasuke, acting like a puppy whenever the other man was around. Sasuke guessed Kyuubi instinctively knew that Sasuke had been Kurogane, and Sasuke was glad dogs couldn't talk.

"You smell something, boy?" asked Sasuke.

Kyuubi was, of course, silent. Sasuke slid out of bed, careful to not wake up Aoi. If there was someone in the house, the puppy wouldn't be of any help. She was in training to be a therapy dog, not an attack dog. Pulling on his borrowed slippers, Sasuke walked out of the room, Kyuubi following him a step behind. Sasuke walked through the hallway and stopped at the landing. The only room lit was the living room, the television on and the sound was soft so to not disturb the sleepers.

"Officer Wakanabe?" he called.

There was no answer. Sasuke cautiously walked down the stairs. Kyuubi pressed at his side. He reached the ground floor and walked over to the living room, a figure sitting in the chair facing away from the door way toward the television.

"Officer Watanabe?" he asked again.

Still no answer. Sasuke start to walk toward the chair, but felt a tug on the back of his pant leg. He looked down to see Kyuubi trying to pull him away from the living room. There was a panicked look inthe dog's eye.

"What's wrong, boy?" asked Sasuke.

Kyuubi whined. Sasuke gently shook the dog off and walked toward the chair and walked around. Sasuke had to hold back a cry at the sight. Watanabe's throat was slit from ear to ear.

"You've been a bad boy."

Sasuke turned around to find Hidan and Kazuku walk around the corner. Hidan appeared unarmed, but Sasuke had learned that no-one in Madara's organization was ever unarmed. Kazuku was twirling a karambit by the safety ring. Blood flicked off the blade and splattered on the floor.

Kyuubi snarled at the two men.

"Making us come and get you," said Kazuku. "Madara is not happy at all."

"Did you have to kill the officers," said Sasuke. He gave them a look he adopted after being in their company for weeks. Bored and disinterest. Madara's associates expected him to be a rich party boy and that was what he projected when he was around them. Madara didn't like any show of weakness. A lesson he taught Sasuke early on.

Kazuku shrugged.

"Maybe not," he said. "But what are two dead pigs?"

"Madara wants you to return now," said Hidan. "Kazuku, deal with the dog and the one upstairs."

"Why do I have to do all the work," complained Kazuku as he walked toward Kyuubi.

Kyuubi started barking. Sasuke grabbed the gun still holsterd at the dead officer's side and aimed it at Kazuku.

"Let's not," he said. He could hear Naruto waking upstairs. He wanted to take these two out before Naruto came down. No way ccould he get them to leave, not with a dead cop in the living room. "I'm not letting you near him."

"Kazuku, grab him," said Hidan.

Kazuku reached over to grab Sasuke, but Kyuubi jumped up and grabbed Kazuku's arm with his sharp canines. Kazuku cried out and took a step back. Sasuke ran to grab Hidan as the other man pulled his own gun. Sasuke grappled with it, a couple shots were fire into the ceiling. He hearda canine yelp and turned to see Kazuku had stabbed Kyuubi in the side. The dog still refused to let go of the man and Kazuku stabbed him again.

"No!" he yelled. letting go of Hidan and reached to stop Kazuku.

Bad move. He barely took a step when he flet a sharp pain at the back of his head and he blacked out.

TBC