A/N: Happy 2017 guys! I didn't take that long to update this time, right?

This chapter was HARD to write. I can't explain how many times I had to re-write the scenes to find the right sort of atmosphere I needed. Sometimes Naruto and Sasuke are hard to tame. But I'm pleased by the outcome, and I sincerely hope you guys can enjoy it!

Thank you for following this story and for not giving up in spite of the unusual stuff I come up with!

More notes at the end of the chapter!

Unbetaed. Please, forgive the horrible typos.


From Which We'll Rise

Part XIX: Human Concepts

Unconsciously, Sasuke hugged himself with his single arm, keeping his safe distance under a tree as he tensely watched the children who recognized Naruto running to him and surrounding him with exuberant exclamations of joy. Some of the kids tackled him, too, almost making him fall to the ground.

Even though Sasuke's eyes were fixed on his best friend, he could tell the village was slowly coming to life as they realized there was an unusual commotion in the main square. In no time, as some villagers realized who had just arrived, shouts of 'Naruto's back!' could be heard as people started leaving their small houses and abandoning whatever tasks they were doing to come and greet him.

Everyone had loved Naruto back then, and seeing Sasuke return, over and over again without him had always been a collective disappointment Sasuke was very aware of. Naruto's presence had shed a glorious light over the village; it was only natural that being reunited with him had caused such a commotion since his vibrant, helpful nature had never been forgotten.

Sasuke knew he and Katsuo were precious to the village. Sasuke did whatever he could to help with his medical knowledge, was constantly trying to suggest whatever improvement likely to be pulled off with what little resources they had, and he had been teaching children – and some adults as well – to read and write. Plus, his presence as a shinobi was a constant promise of protection. That place had become the closest thing to a 'home' Sasuke could think of, and whatever he did for its sake was merely an appreciation of his gratefulness for everything everyone did. The people loved him and treated him as one of them, and even though Katsuo had been taken in willingly by Misato and her family, every single one of the village's occupants kept an eye out for the boy and helped him in whatever way they could. They hadn't once repudiated him for his odd looks nor considered him a nuisance for not being as developed as other kids.

Sasuke really couldn't be more thankful than he was, and it seemed like no matter what he did or how hard he tried, his actions were never enough to repay the blessings the village had given him, and the freedom he was allowed to have thanks to its people. Every day he thought about how lucky he had been that Katsuo had been received so welcomingly, what with Sasuke's hectic life working for himself and Kakashi, plus his now 'second life' back at Konoha as father and married man. Not that it would make a lot of difference, anyway, since the Hokage himself had his back covered - Kakashi certainly found him more useful out here than inside Konoha.

Biting down on his lower lip, Sasuke tried not to let the old bitterness within him bubble back to the surface, but in times like these, it was hard not to.

People inside that nameless village loved Sasuke, but they had loved Naruto, too. Naruto was the friendly, helpful type that enjoyed being everywhere and doing everything, while Sasuke was the knowledgeable type to go to for serious things that needed quick fixing and reasonable solutions. Like everything about them, they had provided a healthy balance as a duo when it came to bringing something new to those people who didn't knew much outside of their own world.

The lack of Naruto beside Sasuke had always felt like something was constantly off, but eventually, everyone had gotten used to it. There was only stoic, firm but kind Sasuke, and no one to make him smile and loosen up like Naruto used to do. Sasuke was aware that this was what people thought, and still, they accepted him as he was while lamenting Naruto's absence.

This poor, humble village had given Sasuke so much, and back then, it had been his and Naruto's heaven. They had been involved with the community so deeply, the feeling of simply belonging had naturally settled in after the first couple of days.

Back then, Sasuke had felt like it would be so easy for both him and Naruto to find a steady home there, like the one Sasuke had now. The place to return to.

Now, it was almost impossible to not think about how much he and Naruto could've accomplished already if they had been together. He was sure the village would be a lot more developed, and that a few of their goals for the shinobi world might've already been on their way to being accomplished.

Maybe they could've found Katsuo together. Maybe other children, too, because, surely, like Sasuke himself, Naruto would want to reach out to parentless children and everyone who didn't have a home. That was a pain they both knew and a dream they had both shared. They would've tried ending that loneliness together, and even though they knew it was impossible to fix these issues for good, for sure, they would've at least tried to make a significant difference.

In times like these, when Naruto was so close Sasuke knew he could touch him, it was impossible for him to not think about how they would've been so much happier than they were now. As sure as he was of the sky being blue, he was sure of this.

This awareness was one of the many things that made it so difficult to be around Naruto. A part of Sasuke would always yearn desperately for that closeness, for that physical space between them to be easily breached at every whim, like today, and yet another part…

Another part would always wish to be as far away from his best friend as possible so this same yearning would be easier to bear.

Naruto seemed a bit overwhelmed by all the attention he was receiving, and he couldn't seem to be able to reply to everyone's questions or keep up with all the hugs, so he just flashed everyone his brightest, happiest smile and allowed everyone to ruffle his hair and relieve him of his travelling belongings.

Sasuke wished that he could stop his heart from beating so fast and his stomach from feeling so sick. He didn't want to feel this sort of conflict within him towards all of this and not know if he was still fucking angry or somehow happy. If he could settle for just one emotion at the time this wouldn't be so fucking draining.

Either way, he felt disgustingly anxious but also… oddly accepting that this was something that had to happen. Sasuke had been avoiding Naruto, and that was the truth. He had hidden things from him and not contacted him for a long time, even when Naruto himself had sent a rather sheepish letter when his son had been born. Sasuke knew Naruto had been anticipating his arrival to Konoha, and yet, all he had done was make demands and continue running away. Regardless of how different things were now and how much of a distance they both needed to have from each other's personal life, too much was just too much. Sasuke was aware of this, and he was aware that Naruto had every reason to be very upset at him.

But Sasuke had every reason to be pissed too. He didn't understand why Naruto couldn't just let things cool down for a while before taking action and come running. This last year had been an emotional chaos for Sasuke, what with Katsuo, Sakura and Karin and the issue with Sarada, plus his constant travelling in order to gather the original scrolls with information regarding Itachi and the Uchiha. Sasuke was just exhausted and Naruto could surely feel it.

Sometimes, everything felt like too much and Sasuke needed some peace, some sense of direction, which was hard to have when Naruto kept forcing these conflicting feelings and thoughts out of him. Naruto provided anything but that quietude Sasuke needed. With him, it was a turmoil of anger, resentment, longing and happiness. There would be laughing and yelling and possibly crying. Maybe some fist fighting at some point. Sasuke enjoyed all of it, but understood that this wasn't normal and that he couldn't afford to fall into his unbalanced self because of it – he had to keep his head on his shoulders.

Naruto had lots of people to put him in his place if he strayed – Sasuke had no one but himself to ground him, and no one but himself to keep pushing him forwards.

But Naruto was always selfish like this, demanding of Sasuke's attention, demanding of things to go his way. This time it would be no different – he had come for a reason. But then again, Sasuke, too, had been demanding and selfish by establishing his own revengeful boundaries regardless of how much it hurt the both of them.

For all of this, he was upset. He just didn't want to be controlled by these things he and Naruto shared, so he refused them and forced himself to move on. That was the only way.

But Naruto always tried his best to fight him on this – like a dog constantly chasing after its own tail, not resting until he could bite down on it only to realize the outcome would result in suffering.

When will it ever end, Naruto?

And the worst part of it all was that a dark part of Sasuke would always love being chased by Naruto. He enjoyed this sort of game where they tested the power they had over each other. Their personal hell was his own masochistic guilty pleasure.

It wasn't his fault that this was a thrilling heat he couldn't escape – after all, he couldn't get it anywhere else. Still, he constantly berated himself for it.

He felt a presence near his left side before tiny arms encircled his thighs. He looked down to see a messy mop of translucid hair and white eyes questioningly looking up at him in something that could be considered questioning and a heart-breaking innocence. Schooling his features, Sasuke smiled down at Katsuo and put a comforting hand at the top of his head, even though he felt suddenly guilty - he had never spoken to him of Naruto, so surely the boy was confused about all the fuss.

"That's my best friend," Sasuke explained simply, knowing that it was still a million years too soon to explain their story. "His name is Naruto. He was here with me a long time ago, that's why everyone knows him. He is also someone very important to me. Do you understand, Katsu?"

Katsuo blinked a few times before nodding, but his eyes didn't leave Sasuke. His arms tightened around him as if to offer some kind of reassurance Sasuke was grateful for. Katsuo always watched him attentively, so he was sure the child knew him enough by now to easily sense his distress, and this upset him because he didn't want to burden Katsuo with his own problems.

In spite of himself, Sasuke forced his smile to become more honest. "He came here to meet you, you know? Because I told him that you're important to me, too."

Katsuo finally looked at where Naruto was. The blond man seemed to be looking around amidst all the people in search for something, and it didn't take long for his eyes to land upon Sasuke and brightening up further before falling to the small child attached to his leg. As soon as Naruto noticed Katsuo, Sasuke's heart felt like it had stopped as he held his breath. Naruto's blue eyes widened for just a second before his smile grew further. Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Naruto smiling so openly like that and the sight seemed to nurture his very soul.

Naruto seemed to excuse himself from the crowd around him before stumbling away from them and jogging his way towards where Sasuke and Katsuo were. Once he stopped in front of them, his expression was a bit awed. He and Sasuke exchanged a short look before Naruto crouched down in front of the boy and flashed him his huge smile. Sasuke found it interesting that Katsuo didn't shy away, unmoving from his position as if defiantly, only his hands gripping Sasuke's shorts a bit tighter. For some reason, Sasuke could definitely tell that Katsuo was quickly developing a strong personality, forged by his obvious desire to keep up with everyone else and impress Sasuke.

"Hi, I'm Naruto, your dad's friend," Naruto introduced himself, extending his hand in a friendly manner towards the child. "What's your name?"

Sasuke was reminded that he hadn't told Naruto Katsuo's name, nor anything about the child, really. Again, he was struck by guilt.

"He was an experiment; there are many things he's still learning, so he's not able to speak yet," Sasuke explained in mutter, running his fingers through Katsuo's thin and soft strands of hair. "But he can understand you well. His name is Katsuo."

Naruto didn't seem unfazed. "Ah, Katsu-chan! It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, happily, his hand still out. "Isn't that a wonderful name? Do you like it? Did Sasuke name you?"

It was simply out of curiosity that Sasuke didn't say anything, wanting to see what Katsuo himself would do. The boy seemed to be thinking hard about something (or evaluating Naruto more likely) because he didn't move for a few seconds. Then, he slowly nodded and eyed Naruto's hand before looking up at Sasuke once more as if asking for permission. These were things Sasuke had yet to make him understand were alright because Katsuo always seemed hesitant about his own actions and what was acceptable or not in Sasuke's eyes. Seldom had Sasuke scolded him, but maybe out of some trauma from his times with Orochimaru, he always acted as if he was supposed to be the perfect child, wanting to get Sasuke's approval at all times.

"It's only polite to shake someone's hand when it's offered to you," Sasuke encouraged, gently. "Unless you don't trust the person in front of you, but that's a lesson for another time. But you can trust Naruto, so… go on, shake his hand."

Sasuke could almost swear Katsuo seemed a bit hesitant, but the boy ended up looking back at Naruto. Eventually, he let go of Sasuke to turn to Naruto so he was fully facing him before extending his hand back ever so slightly. He didn't reach out to grab for Naruto's, though, instead waiting for Naruto himself to make a move. Naruto's eyebrows rose but he carefully wrapped his larger hand around Katsuo's to shake it. Naruto still had a smile on his face, and he seemed genuinely happy that Katsuo had shaken in his hand. In fact, Sasuke noticed, there was a watery gleam in his eyes that gave away how emotional he felt. It tore at his heart. This wasn't fair. "Let's be friends, heh, Katsu-chan?"

Sasuke couldn't help but snort as Katsuo tilted his head to the side to contemplate Naruto before slowly nodding.

000

Naruto knew Sasuke was very upset about a lot of things, but then again, so was he. That was why he was here in the first place - because he couldn't accept things between them as they were anymore.

The joy they both felt at being together after so long was unmistakable, though. Naruto couldn't read Sasuke's mind, but he could feel everything happening inside of him, which was a thousand times more revealing. No matter what fucking conflicting thoughts and feelings Sasuke may be having, it was a fact that his heart was full of joy at Naruto's presence, and this was something that gave the blond hope and peacefulness. He knew things between them had been simmering for a long time, so it was all a matter of time before they'd start combusting. Naruto and Sasuke knew it very well, and both were aware that the other was more than eager to see what would come of it.

Only this world wasn't theirs alone to walk on anymore, and they couldn't just act recklessly and fuck everything up while hoping that it would end up fixing them like they had in the past. Things could never be as they had once been; they weren't kids anymore, and about two years had passed since they'd been lovers and many things had changed. They weren't alone, they had other people in their lives, and they couldn't simply think only of themselves. Naruto understood this well.

But…

He also knew that the one thing that didn't change was the way they felt about each other. So, no matter how much things around them changed, as long as they remained immutable, there was always hope, always a constant sense of comfort.

He couldn't blame Sasuke for wanting to create a certain distance. The tension between them was palpable and left them both on edge and excessively cautious around each other. Naruto himself didn't trust his own impulsiveness, so he relied on Sasuke to ground them.

Either way, he knew they'd probably fuck some things up - it's what they did to fix things between them, and that was fine. All Naruto knew was that he was there for Sasuke, and Katsuo, and that he didn't have much time. Returning to Konoha without finding common ground with his best friend was not an option anymore. Things would not stay the way they had been so far.

Unfortunately for him, Naruto didn't have a lot of time during the rest of the day to communicate one on one with his best friend because he was very solicited all around. Everybody wanted to talk to him, ask him about how life was going and tell him things about themselves and the village. More babies had been born, a few more houses had been built, new plantations had started to grow and new pathways had been created. It all looked the same, yet different, definitely a lot more organized and obviously in development. This sort of improvement had been conducted by Sasuke, obviously.

Naruto felt a bit restless about the amount of attention he was getting and overwhelmed by the constant amount of information being thrown his way, but he supposed it was better to get it over with as soon as possible so he could have the next day free to be with Sasuke. Also, listening to the villagers allowed him to know a little bit more about Sasuke's affairs and Katsuo's condition. People talked about Sasuke's devotion to his son, but that was something he had known just by seeing them together. Naruto had seen it in Sasuke's eyes when he had first spoken about Katsuo in Kakashi's office, and he saw it now as Sasuke's gaze followed the boy's every movement. This sort of look hadn't appeared once when Sarada's name was mentioned, though, and this hurt Naruto for reasons he couldn't explain.

Still, Naruto was glad about the things he learned, and also immensely proud of his friend. Seeing the love both had from the villagers moved Naruto and warmed up his heart, and he could definitely understand why Sasuke had settled there and considered that place the 'home' Konoha would never be.

This really was a second life to Sasuke, his sanctuary. To these people, he trusted Katsuo's safety and maybe his own sanity, too. Naruto understood it all too well and felt a bit jealous that Sasuke could at least afford to escape from one reality to the other.

One of the things Naruto realized early on though, was that no one knew about Sasuke's other family, so Naruto didn't feel like letting out that he, too, was married and had his own family waiting. Putting such things out there might disturb the balance and would make certain things awkward – he was sure people had known there had been something between him and Sasuke back then, even though no one had talked about it nor judged them. Frankly, Naruto felt more at ease if they still had that same perception of them.

Seeing Misato and her family again made Naruto very happy. The young woman had cried and hugged him, and immediately had showed him her daughter, Mika, the same Naruto had, along with Sasuke, helped bring to this world. Tears welled up in his eyes as he saw the little girl, walking around happily and smiling at him. He was happy to know Katsuo was under Misato's care and that Sasuke lived with them as family. It was immediately settled that Naruto would be sleeping at their place.

Dinner came in the form of a celebration as everyone gathered in the main square. Food and beverages were brought out and everyone gathered round a huge bonfire while eating, drinking and chatting loudly. Naruto had almost forgotten how lively that place was and how everything seemed to be reason for celebration. He couldn't help being in high spirits if he tried, and this inevitably brought back memories of a similar night that had probably been one of the happiest of his life. This night felt very similar, the same atmosphere, the same wonderful weather, and yet, it was so very different.

There was a lot of singing and dancing as expected, but Naruto was so solicited he didn't get to interact with Sasuke much, plus, Sasuke seemed to be content enough with watching him while taking care of Mika so Misato and Tori, her husband, could have a bit of time to enjoy themselves. Still, Naruto took the chance to grab hold of Katsuo. Oddly enough, the boy was complying as soon as Sasuke nodded his consent. From the things people had said, only recently had Katsuo been able to start walking properly and sort of running - his health was fragile – so Naruto was careful with him as they danced. The boy seemed to be energetic though, easily fired up by Naruto's encouragement, and while his expressions were weird to say the least, there was definitely a smile on those lips and an awed look in his blank, wide eyes. If Katsuo had looked eerie during the day, right now, at night time, he looked haunting, the paleness of everything about him almost ghostly, ethereal. It was both fascinating and horrifying, and in a weird way, Naruto couldn't help but find the child compelling and beautiful.

Sasuke watched the two of them interact like a hawk, following their every move with that intense gaze of his that never failed to thrill Naruto.

It was easy to understand where Sasuke's feelings for the child came from. Katsuo was fragile and small for his age, and yet, despite how hard it was to read his pretty features, it was obvious that Katsuo knew how to listen, and more importantly, understand. Naruto couldn't explain it if he tried, but he had this odd feeling that Katsuo possessed an understanding of things around him that was beyond his age and that he definitely made a strong effort to express himself and be understood in return. Naruto felt that he had a strong aura that was constantly fighting, relentlessly reaching out for something, for more, in an endless starvation for… affection? Recognition? His own self that he wanted to become but still couldn't because his body was unable to keep up with his mind?

Naruto didn't know how he knew this, but he did. Maybe because something about Katsuo reminded him of Sasuke. Maybe this was why Naruto felt to enchanted by him so quickly, and even though he and the boy didn't really know each other well, somehow, he understood that Katsuo had quickly become aware of who Naruto was when it came to Sasuke. One could say it was frightening.

"Whoa, that was great!" Naruto said with a grin, using one hand to wipe at the sweat on his forehead, his other hand being pulled by Katsuo as they made their way towards where Sasuke was sitting in a log. Mika was now sleeping on Atsuko's lap – Misato's mother – who was sitting not too far from there.

"It's amazing how much stamina you have even after a long journey," Sasuke said calmly. He looked serious, but his voice had been soft. Katsuo let go of Naruto's hand to eagerly move to sit on Sasuke's left thigh, making the man smile softly.

"Well, you know me, I've got stamina for days," Naruto joked, slumping down on the log beside Sasuke. "Plus, Katsu-chan had a lot of fun, isn't that right?"

Katsuo nodded empathically and Sasuke heaved a small sigh. "Look at you," he said to the boy, running his hand over the child's forehead and pushing his wet fringe to the side. "You're all sweaty. You feel alright?" Katsuo nodded again while looking up at Sasuke. He was breathing a bit heavily, and yet his legs were dangling happily to the sound of the music still playing. Sasuke then picked up a large clay cup that had been resting next to his thigh and put it in front of Katsuo's chest. With Sasuke's help, the boy held it with his hands and brought it up to his lips, drinking thirstily under his father's attentive stare.

In spite of himself, Naruto couldn't help but watch them with a smile, feeling his chest tight with emotion. How he had longed for this sort of sight, even if a bit differently…

Katsuo stopped with a content huff and promptly pushed the cup in Sasuke's hand towards Naruto, who couldn't help but feel a bit surprised. Well, children would always be innocent and honest, right? The kid was definitely cute. Naruto wondered if Boruto would ever be this open. After all, his and Katsuo's upbringing would be very different.

Sasuke actually smirked at Naruto's expression but passed him the cup, that he accepted willingly. "Thank you," Naruto said, with a playfully solemn nod of his head towards the boy. Katsuo seemed pleased in his own way.

Feeling very relaxed and satisfied, Naruto took a few sips on the water inside the cup and gave them back to Sasuke, who also took a sip before putting setting it down beside him once more.

"Are you hungry?" Sasuke asked Katsuo gently, carefully arranging his clothes. The child shook his head from side to side. "You didn't eat much at dinner. We should probably get you some vitamins again, huh? I know the last ones I made weren't very good."

Katsuo released a small breath and seemed to relax against Sasuke's chest, letting his head fall to his shoulder, but his eyes, empty and attentive, were on Naruto, who could only smile reflexively back. It was endearing to see Sasuke hugging the child closer and resting his cheek casually over the top of Katsuo's head.

A sort of comfortable silence settled between the three as the lively atmosphere around them remained. For a while, Naruto watched the scenery around him placidly, simply enjoying this moment and feeling for what it was. It sure felt good to be away from everything and, just for a few minutes, pretend that this was his reality.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto said after a while, making his friend look up at him without really moving. "I'm here with Hinata's permission and thanks to Kakashi-sensei having pulled a few strings. But the journey back and forth takes too much time, so the day after tomorrow I have to go back."

Sasuke inhaled sharply. "Alright," he said, his voice giving nothing away, but Naruto could feel the tension in him. "It was kind of a waste of time for you, then, to go through all this trouble to come here only to leave shortly after."

"It's never a waste of time if it's for you," Naruto said honestly, noticing Sasuke snort slightly. He knew these sorts of things made his friend uncomfortable, but he didn't care – he wasn't going to hide behind his own mask anymore. "I'm glad to be here."

Sasuke didn't reply, looking away to the bonfire with his chin resting atop Katsuo's head. In spite of himself, and of Katsuo's almost unblinking eyes, Naruto reached out and gently brushed his knuckles over Sasuke's cheek. The other man tensed further, but just touching Sasuke so easily after so long felt surreal to Naruto, a blessing. "We need to talk," he muttered, carefully. "You know we have to. So, please… spend some time alone with me tomorrow morning. Afterwards we can pick up Katsu-chan and hang out the rest of the day, just the three of us. Okay?"

Sasuke eyed him from the corner of his eye. "It's not like I have any another option, is it?" he said dryly, making Naruto chuckle a bit.

"Come on, admit that you're at least a little tiny bit happy that I'm here, Sasuke," Naruto teased, daringly moving his hand to the back of Sasuke's neck and rubbing it. He didn't want to push things between them, least of all with Katsuo watching him like that, but he felt like the reality of Sasuke's physical form under his fingertips was simply too addictive. He had craved for it, but somehow had naively forgotten that these sorts of interactions created an instant dependence.

Sasuke, of course, threw him a very intense, rather dark look that seemed to be able to penetrate Naruto's very soul, and it was only out of sheer willpower that he didn't allow his body to shiver. "Don't tease me in front of my son, Naruto," Sasuke admonished, his voice coldly firm, and yet, he did nothing to push Naruto's hand away. He could've, Naruto debated, smiling. That was all Naruto needed.

After dinner, everyone worked on cleaning up the main square, a long and extenuating task without running water and proper cleaning appliances, and Naruto hadn't realized how much he had missed the amount of work they had to put in everything in that village when compared to the comfort of Konoha. Naruto offered to fetch some water along with some other people while Sasuke helped with cleaning up the food and the bonfire.

Once everything was ready, everyone retreated to their own homes with joyful words of parting.

By the time they needed to get things settled for sleep, Sasuke had to quickly work on lighting several candles around Misato's house to illuminate the place, closely followed by Mika and Katsuo, both appearing to love seeing him make his complicated single handed seal and perform the small fire jutsu. Naruto was sure that it was a nightly ritual between the Uchiha and the children, and he found it very endearing.

While Sasuke was helping out Misato heating up some water to bathe the kids before bed, Tori got Naruto some clean pants and a sweater to sleep in, so Naruto took the chance to make a quick journey to the riverside to wash up properly since the night was actually pretty warm. He could've waited to use a bit of warm water, but he'd been traveling the whole day, and with all the dancing at the celebration and playing with the kids, he was sure he smelt horrible. The last thing he needed was Sasuke kicking him out of the room they'd be sharing because of it. He also made sure to thoroughly wash his travelling clothes, too, so it would be clean for him to wear once he left.

The village was already deadly quiet by the time he returned, so he tried to be as quiet as possible as he put his wet clothes on a makeshift stretch made with rope outside Misato's house. Once he got inside, he saw that the candles were still flickering, but no sound could be heard, indicating that everyone was probably already asleep.

Naruto made sure to blow out all the candles on his way to the room he'd be sharing with Sasuke. He had heard that originally Katsuo slept with Sasuke, but since the place was too small, the boy would be sleeping with Atsuko and Mina as he always did when Sasuke was away.

As he made his way to the room, Naruto wondered if his friend was already asleep - the thought came with a small sense of disappointment. However, there was light under the thick linen curtains that served as a 'door' to the room and Naruto had to swallow hard the excitement and simultaneous uncertainty he felt. He pushed the curtain aside to find a rectangular room that was even smaller than he had expected, probably having been used for storing things before Sasuke had settled there. It was barely enough for two grown men, but he supposed Sasuke and Katsuo managed just fine.

On the wall to the left, one could see something similar to a chest made of thin tree trunks, the single candle that illuminated the room resting on top of it inside a sort of bowl made of clay. On the floor, next to said chest, Naruto could see his backpack and Sasuke's katana. The floor was completely occupied by two narrow but separate mats and blankets that literally had no choice but to be shoved together so they could fit inside the tight space. There was a small, glassless window near the ceiling on the wall adjacent to the entrance, and sitting with his back to it on his own mat was Sasuke, whose head tilted up elegantly to acknowledge Naruto's arrival.

Naruto's breath got caught inside his throat. His eyes didn't leave Sasuke as he entered the room and slid the curtain closed behind him. Sasuke had one knee pulled to his chest, his wrist resting over it.

The air was instantly thick the second their eyes met, a sudden familiar rush assaulting Naruto violently and almost making him sway on his feet. The obvious electric feel was powerful enough to turn his legs into jelly, and in spite of the turmoil of emotions that travelled between them through that simple gaze, a single one seemed to overpower them all right now and push unnecessary complications to the side. It was a mutual state of mind that allowed both their souls to be exposed, and Naruto could see in his friend's eyes all the good and bad feelings Sasuke was having towards this meeting, and yet, it was nothing but a willing exposure, something he wanted Naruto to see, feel and understand but that wasn't meant to keep him away.

In fact, Naruto felt Sasuke's aura like it was his own, and he could tell Sasuke could fell him too. He wanted it - wanted for Sasuke to listen to him just as clearly and see how much he...

Naruto put his hand over his own chest.

This willing spiritual openness was a calling on both their parts. There was literally nothing standing between them, neither physical nor emotional. It seemed like ages had gone by since he'd been in a room alone with Sasuke, and it was undeniably exciting because there was nothing but the two of them, alone with their feelings for each other in that small room. Nothing else seemed to exist, and for now, that's how it had to be.

Naruto hadn't been ready to feel this overwhelmingly moved. Maybe the emotional weight of the day's events was finally crashing down on him. Seeing Sasuke again, being welcomed by everyone so warmly, meeting little Katsuo – it felt like he was dreaming.

Gulping, Naruto watched Sasuke bring his index finger to his lips to silently tell him to be quiet, to which he nodded. Silently Sasuke slowly got to his feet. Naruto allowed himself to finally fully take in Sasuke's figure in his white t-shirt and grey boxers, and couldn't help but notice that Sasuke's incomplete arm was devoid of bandages. In the dim candlelight, Sasuke looked simple and oddly misplaced, like some beautiful mythical creature that had no business being defiled by such a vulgar setting and such simple clothes. This ability of Sasuke's to go from a striking force of nature easily compared to some otherworldly demonic entity to be feared, to this vision of simple human perfection was something Naruto loved. The demon, unreachable Sasuke was his, and so was this human, bare one. All versions of Sasuke could only be reached by Naruto alone, and he knew this.

This simple, domestic Sasuke who took care of his son, worked the fields and protected this small family. This Sasuke was still one not to be underestimated.

With his heart hammering inside his chest, Naruto's naked feet were careful as they stepped on the mat to get closer to Sasuke until they were standing face to face without touching. His friend's eyes softened but didn't lose the resolution in them. Sasuke's lips parted slightly but no sound other than his breathing could be heard.

The atmosphere prickled both their skins. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff during a storm and let fate decide to push him over or spare him depending on how strong the wind blew and in which direction. It was always this vexing uncertainty when it came to Sasuke.

It had been so long since they had stood in front of each other like this, simply defying the odds. Maybe that was why it was so easy for Naruto to throw himself down that cliff. Standing on the edge and suffering from anticipation was harder than simply jumping and putting an end to his misery. He had never been one to hesitate anyway.

They eyed each other. Naruto couldn't say a word if he tried. In a way, this all seemed like a dream - that Sasuke would ever be in his reach so willingly again after so long.

That's right. All he had to do was jump right now. He knew that, like a dream, he'd eventually wake up in a safe place before meeting his end at the bottom.

He and Sasuke would always make it through any storm as long as they were together.

It was hard to breathe. Naruto's eyes fell to Sasuke's parted lips to confirm that Sasuke was feeing short of breath too.

There it was – the sheer perfection of the shared feelings they couldn't hide from each other.

That was why Naruto allowed his mind to shut down and his heart to open up helplessly. His hands reached out on impulse alone and closed around the fabric of Sasuke's t-shirt tightly. The sound of Sasuke's low gasp threw all caution out the window as Naruto's body moved automatically, pulling the imposing body in front of him forcefully closer until it came into full contact with his.

It was excruciating and delicious at the same time. There was nothing quite like this. It was so painful he wanted to die to put an end to his misery, yet, it made him want to live and agonize forever.

For a fleeting moment, Naruto thought he finally understood the logic behind Sasuke having wanted to kill him in spite of his feelings. Sometimes it felt like the world would be easier to breathe in if only this single existence didn't live in it to make everything so much more difficult, so much more painful.

Naruto released a shaky breath, blue eyes avidly searching for Sasuke's in the dangerous proximity they shared. He could swear Sasuke had said something but he couldn't process the words.

What was he even thinking about? As if he could ever walk this earth without Sasuke. Sasuke alone had made the world a place worth living in during times when Naruto was surrounded by nothing but loneliness and hatred. Sasuke's very existence had made it all worth living. Every single battle, every single struggle, every single moment of pain and suffering, every victory, ever accomplishment, every moment of happiness…

How could he have ever grasped it all without Sasuke?

And there Sasuke was, so close, yet so far – his, but even that nothing but a momentary indulgence that would soon be over.

I wish we could both disappear…

Sasuke's whole body shook in surprise, and he made a small noise that sounded exasperated, or pained, Naruto couldn't tell. "You fucking idiot," he hissed, his hand coming up to clutch hard at Naruto's right forearm, letting him know that, somehow, Sasuke had been able to read his feelings. "Stop it right now."

This is why I'll never be able to get used to this…

Naruto had half a mind to make a move, but Sasuke's body hit him first with enough force to make him stumble slightly backwards knocking the wind off him. A mouth crashed over his with such a brutal force that all he could feel was a searing pain he had not been expecting as Sasuke's teeth clashed with his. Naruto gasped softly, vaguely aware that he had to keep quiet because there was nothing but a curtain separating them from the rest of the house as struggled for balance.

There was only place for excitement and desperation as his whole being felt moved to the very core of his existence.

He was vaguely aware of Sasuke's arm coming around his neck to hug him close as his mouth moved quickly and demandingly over Naruto's. The hunger was intoxicating.

Of course, Sasuke had been holding back, too. Of course, he had wanted this just as much.

Sasuke…

Sasuke's physical touch after so long made it feel as though something had exploded inside of Naruto, awakening within him things that had been dormant for far too long.

Fucking finally...

It was relieving. Naruto didn't have time to think about anything else, let alone feel guilty about giving in so quickly. He didn't even feel like wondering about whether this was the right move to make so soon and after so much time had passed without them embracing like this. None of that mattered. The world might as well have turned into a blur of grey, because the two of them were all he cared for at that particular moment.

He had longed for this for so long, fearing it would never happen again that all he wanted was to be completely undone by Sasuke.

If this was how it was going to be, Naruto wasn't going to question any of it. It was simply meant to be, and having Sasuke unable to fight it as well only served as proof that the charade they had built was already falling apart.

A strangled whimper left his chest as he released a breath against Sasuke's mouth. Like a switch being turned on, his body instinctively came to life as his arms moved to encircle Sasuke's waist to hug him, his lips eagerly responding to Sasuke's ferocious assault with a thirst he hadn't forgotten. The kiss was clumsy and wet as tongues desperately slid out to taste and hands travelled wildly over each other's bodies for some sort of mutual reassurance that the other was real and that at least this hadn't changed at all. He couldn't believe how alive Sasuke felt in his arms, nor how powerful his heartbeat was. Sasuke seemed to be fuelled by these feelings because he pulled away slightly in order to lewdly suck on Naruto's lip before offering it a languid lick. In spite of himself, Naruto let out a small, choked laugh that Sasuke quickly silenced with another searing kiss.

It had been so long since Naruto had felt this kind of emotional anguish that filled everything inside him with nothing but this blissful completion he thought he'd never get to feel again. How was it possible to feel so unburdened all of a sudden, so free, so…

at home. Yes, Naruto felt like this was exactly where he was supposed to be right now. He and Sasuke belonged in this very moment and he'd be damned if he'd let anything take it away from him - not when Sasuke needed it just as much. Sasuke belonged wherever Naruto's fingertips could feel this reality of him.

Pulling away, Naruto mouthed Sasuke's chin before running his lips hungrily down to the column of his neck. He could smell Sasuke's addictive scent. Sasuke's fingers cradled his nape almost tenderly. Naruto's hands urgently lifted Sasuke's t-shirt so they could feel the familiar warm skin underneath, not wasting time in roaming up Sasuke's and down Sasuke's back possessively and eliciting the most deliciously wanton groan from the man. How Naruto had missed that sound, those firm muscles that flexed as his hands caressed them, that strong body that fit close to his perfectly…

Without thinking, Naruto lifted his head so he could kiss Sasuke again before pushing forward and forcing Sasuke to stumble a few steps backwards now. He didn't really know what he was looking for, or what he wanted to do, only that he eagerly wanted a stable surface he could press Sasuke against. He felt like he wanted to consume Sasuke with everything he had.

Sasuke collided against something because he awkwardly came to a halt. The wall, Naruto concluded. Through his own dizzy frenzy, he realized his body was reacting to Sasuke's rather quickly, and considering where they were and the chances they had of waking up the entire house, this wasn't a good thing.

But oh, how he wanted it. How he wanted to take everything Sasuke wished to give, and how he wanted to drown Sasuke in everything he wanted to provide.

His feelings threatened to overflow, his instincts yelling at him to simply reach out for what was rightfully his. It didn't help that he could feel his friend's growing arousal against his, or that he could feel Sasuke's own feelings thrumming along his.

It took a tremendous amount of willpower for him to break the kiss they were sharing so he could look at Sasuke. They were still wrapped around each other, both having great difficulty breathing after the intense making out, and yet they stared at each other almost as if both needed reassurance that the other wouldn't disappear in the blink of an eye.

Sasuke swallowed hard, his fingers clawing at the back of Naruto's head – he looked a bit out of himself, obviously dazed, maybe a bit sad as well, but definitely filled with yearning. Seeing him like this reminded Naruto of things he had refused to let go. It made his heart beat so fast he almost lost his strength. How could it be that he suddenly felt so invigorated but exhausted at the same time?

Chewing on his lower lip, Naruto took a tired breath, eyeing Sasuke's features. "I really didn't come here for sex, I swear," he dared to joke shakily in a barely audible whisper.

"Liar," Sasuke whispered back, but there was no animosity in his words.

Naruto had to smile at that, as fondness washed over him. Well, a man could only hope, but he was mature enough to understand the situation they were in and that the place wasn't safe at all. From a logical point of view, they should know better than to do something like this so impulsively.

With a sigh, Naruto placed his chin over Sasuke's shoulder and tightened his arms around Sasuke's waist. He wanted so much from his friend, and yet, just being close like this seemed more than enough – more than he could've ever asked for. His tongue tasted of Sasuke; he could feel Sasuke's scent, touch him. Even this felt too good to be true.

"I thought we'd never get to be like this again," he muttered lowly in Sasuke's ear, hoping that this familiar proximity could help him calm down. "I really love you so much I don't know what to do with myself."

He had expected the small jolt in Sasuke's body, and the sharp intake of breath too. "What did I tell you about saying that to me?" Sasuke hissed in an equally low voice, pulling at the hairs at the back of Naruto's head roughly and forcing him to meet his eyes.

Naruto didn't care what Sasuke said - he wasn't backing down anymore. Seeing Sasuke's anguished, angry look did nothing to make Naruto's resolve falter. "You can't make me run away from my feelings, Sasuke," Naruto said firmly while ignoring the pain in his scalp. "You can't just decide what I say and what I don't. I'm not going to avoid things just because you want me to, and I won't simply not tell you that I love you when I have to live with this feeling every second of my existence."

Sasuke seemed only slightly taken aback, even his grip loosening in his surprise. He seemed somewhat hurt the words spoken to him, but not on a personal level – it seemed to hit him that his own attitude had inflicted pain on Naruto, but then again, many things Sasuke did and said never failed to hurt him. Sasuke knew this well, of course – Naruto thought he did certain things on purpose to keep him away, and really, he could understand it.

"What's the point of not saying it anyway?" Naruto proceeded, shaking his head from side to side. "Pretending that these feelings don't exist? It's worse that way. I don't want that. If you're important to me then…"

Naruto stopped talking abruptly as he felt a presence behind him. He hadn't heard a thing, but then again, he and Sasuke had been too focused on each other to take notice of their surroundings. He saw Sasuke's eyes looking away and over Naruto's shoulder and the expression he did was all he needed to be sure that there was someone else in the room.

"Is it… Katsu-chan?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

Sasuke nodded and when he spoke, his voice sounded very serious yet surprisingly sober. "I have no idea what this looks like to him, but you're going to have to get off me now, Naruto."

Naruto heaved a defeated sigh, letting his forehead bump against Sasuke's for a second. Seriously, he just wanted to spend time alone with Sasuke and speak his heart out him, was that too much to ask? Just half an hour so he could make Sasuke understand what he wanted…

At least the mood had been completely ruined before he could either ravish Sasuke or start crying, and both were bad anyway.

He felt Sasuke's hand sliding down from his nape to push slightly at his chest, and resignedly, Naruto pulled away and forced his arms to let go of the body he had so wanted to hold to put a respectable distance between them once more.

Sasuke cleared his throat softly and fixed his t-shirt as Naruto turned around to find Katsuo still outside, but with his head shamelessly peeking through a gap he had made in the curtain, blank eyes very wide as he looked from him to Sasuke. In spite of himself, Naruto couldn't help but laugh a bit. Katsuo was so clueless and innocent it was ridiculously cute. His lack of tact where other children would feel something obviously being off was amazing.

Sasuke snorted as well and apparently shared a bit of same amusement because he chuckled lowly. "Well, I can't exactly tell him to knock or call out to ask for permission, can I?" he whispered, before snorting some more as if finding his own words funny. Naruto had to look away from him to stop himself from feeling overwhelmed by his own feelings of affection.

"Come on, don't just stand there, it's kind of creepy," Naruto muttered to Katsuo while motioning him inside, trying to keep his voice down even though. "How come we couldn't notice you? Unbelievable."

Katsuo wasted no time in pushing the curtain aside and entering the small room, careful to close it behind him again. If he had been shocked or upset by what he had seen, he gave no indication, which was a relief. Maybe he hadn't seen anything special after all.

Sasuke was already kneeling down and pushing the covers of his makeshift bed back. "Just because this is our room, you can't simply peek inside, Katsu. Naruto may not feel very comfortable about it," he said, as Katsuo walked past Naruto and towards Sasuke with obvious eagerness.

Katsuo seemed to take Sasuke's actions as an invitation for him to get inside the bed, because he wasted no time lying down on his back, eyeing Sasuke as if he was waiting to be tucked in. Naruto didn't know if he should find it hilarious or not since he didn't know Katsuo enough to understand the details of his actions and personality, but from Sasuke's sudden change of expression, this wasn't exactly a good thing.

Naruto couldn't help but notice that Katsuo had apparently laid down as close to Naruto's mat as possible, meaning he had strategically placed himself in the space between both Sasuke's and Naruto's mats, clearly expecting Sasuke to sleep on the spot closest to the wall.

So much for not being affected, Naruto thought, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. Was Katsuo somehow feeling possessive? That couldn't be a good sign. Naruto wanted to get close to the boy and be liked by him – he thought he'd been doing a great job so far – but if he was going to be seen as threat, it wouldn't do.

He wondered if Katsuo had been there long enough to have caught them kissing. He wondered if the boy had ever even seen two people kiss at all and understand what it meant, but he lived in a community, so surely…

Sasuke quirked up a reproachful eyebrow down at his son. "Do you really think the three of us can sleep here comfortably?" he said, seriously. "You're supposed to sleep with Atsuko-san and Mika for a reason, you know? You can't sleep here, Katsu."

Katsuo simply reached out his tiny hand and tugged at the hem of Sasuke's t-shirt as if motioning him to lie down with him, but Sasuke simply frowned. "Katsuo," he said, his tone warning, and Naruto could swear Katsuo's mouth made a small pout.

"It's fine, Sasuke," Naruto muttered with a small huff. "I'm sure we can all fit if the three of us don't move around too much."

The place had already been cramped enough for two grown men to sleep in, let alone having a child there, as well, no matter how small Katsuo was.

"That's not exactly the issue," Sasuke hissed, looking up at Naruto seriously. "It's one thing to want to sit with us for a while, but Katsuo needs to understand that he can't just impose his presence on other people's…"

"It's fine," Naruto repeated, offering Sasuke a small smile. "I'm a stranger whom he's just seen violating his parental figure's personal space, it's normal that he feels like he needs some sort of comfort and reassurance. I suppose I should be thankful enough that he isn't kicking me out of the room. Although, I think he's actually ignoring me right now."

Sasuke looked down at Katsuo, who was still eyeing him fixedly, almost challengingly. And yes, retty much ignoring Naruto. "As if I'd ever let him do that," he whispered, narrowing his eyes at the boy. With a finger, he poked Katsuo's forehead. "What are you looking at, child? You won't get away with this, just so you know. This is very disrespectable."

Naruto was sure Katsuo would get some sort of punishment if the tone Sasuke used was any indication. He thought his friend was probably over-reacting, but what did he know? Katsuo wasn't like other children, and didn't have the same basic concepts, and yet, he was actually more normal of a human being than one would expect considering he was an experiment of Orochimaru's, and if this was so, it was all thanks to Sasuke, so he certainly was doing this parenting thing right. Or… well, at least towards Katsuo. Sarada was an issue for another time. Naruto tried to push these unwanted bitter thoughts aside.

Katsuo's expression didn't change and he didn't move, his little hand simply clutching Sasuke's t-shirt tighter. Sasuke ended up 'tsking'.

"I'll put out the candle," Naruto said, turning around to do so. The room darkened considerably but the moonlight filtering through the small window still allowed Naruto to see contours clearly.

Sasuke got under the covers first, lying down on his side with his back pressed against the wall, Katsuo immediately dragging his body to nestle up against his chest and put a small arm around Sasuke's torso. As Naruto kneeled to push his own covers back, he noticed Sasuke covering Katsuo up as he whispered something in the child's ear he couldn't hear. Naruto tried to lay down as well in what little space he had against his own side of the room but it was a tight fit since he didn't want to crush the boy between him and Sasuke.

In spite of himself, Naruto propped himself up on an elbow to watch the two individuals beside him. Sure, he was a little upset that he wouldn't be able to cuddle up with Sasuke. He was also upset that he couldn't exactly make out with him anymore, either, plus he had wanted to talk to Sasuke more. But…

Somehow, this sort of scenario was very comforting. He was reminded of similar situations when Hinata would bring Boruto to their room whenever he cried for hours on end because he couldn't seem to sleep in his crib and could only calm down in their bed. It felt similar, familiar, yet strangely different.

Katsuo wasn't Naruto's child, so there would always be a distance between them no matter how much Naruto wished they could be close. Naruto wanted to be there for the boy, wanted to help Sasuke raise him, and yet, of course, these were just frivolous wishes he would never be able to fulfil like he desired. There was no turning back from the path they had carved away from each other anymore. But the past was in the past.

Naruto's future with Sasuke was still like the pages of a book waiting to be written, and right now, all they could do was come up with drafts. They still had a long way to go, and so many things to fix between them, but more than ever, Naruto wanted to start making changes for them and planning things for them.

It was odd how happy this sort of simplicity made him. He couldn't be upset at Katsuo himself if he tried.

Leaning down a bit with, Naruto spoke softly in Katsuo's ear. "Nee, Katsu-chan," he said. "You do love Sasuke a lot, don't you?"

The boy shifted slightly but nodded with his face against Sasuke's chest. Naruto could feel Sasuke watching him without a word.

"Well, I love him a lot, too," Naruto still whispered, as gently as he could. "I met him when we were about your age and so many things have happened since then that we've become the best of friends." He risked brushing his fingers through strands of translucid, soft hair carefully. "But your love and my love aren't the same. You'll understand that, someday. Regardless, he's your dad and he loves you more than anyone else, I'm sure. As for me, I only want to protect the two of you because you're both important to me. Even though I can't always be here…"

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered. "You don't have to say these things."

Even though Katsuo didn't move, Naruto smiled. "I know. I guess I just want him to understand that I'm not a threat," he said, honestly. "I don't want him to think badly of me. Maybe if he knows you and I love each other, and that it's got nothing to do with your feelings for him…"

"He'll know, eventually," Sasuke said, with surprising conviction. His hand moved to touch Naruto's over Katsuo's head, his fingers a feathered-like brush that conveyed the chaos of his feelings. "Right now, it doesn't make a difference. Tomorrow, that could change. Besides, he does like you. He's just confused about how to feel, that's all."

Naruto wished he could look into Sasuke's eyes but it was too dark. Still, he nodded, knowing Sasuke would be able to see it and moved to a laying position. Katsuo heaved a sigh and made himself more comfortable against Sasuke, his back unavoidably pressing against Naruto's belly. At least he seemed alright with all of this in a weird way, Narut considered, feeling more at ease. Maybe Naruto's words had somehow reached him. Kids sure were weird, always thinking about their own well-being before anyone else's.

Still, if Sasuke said Katsuo liked him, then…

Maybe he's not that easy to understand after all.

With a resigned huff, Naruto tried to make himself more comfortable too, but it was hard considering he could barely move. It would be a long night, he could just tell.

Still, he extended his arm so it was draped over both Katsuo and Sasuke, bringing the three of them closer together. It seemed easier to move that way, so he released a pleased breath. It was actually very comforting. Sasuke's own arm stretched out so it was enveloping Naruto's waist.

Ah, this sure is nice…

Loving someone sure felt great when it was this easy to pretend that there was nothing but this. There was nothing quite like it. But then again, nothing could really compare to how it felt when he and Sasuke were together.

"I won't respond to your feelings with useless words," Sasuke said unexpectedly, his voice a soft murmur. "But… I'm glad you're here, Naruto. Thank you."

Just this made Naruto's heart skip a pleasant beat, heat flooding him from head to toe. It would've been easy to just move a little and press his lips to Sasuke's but they weren't alone, so Naruto tried to ignore the desire flooding through him.

Tomorrow was a new day. Hopefully, things would change for the two of them, and Naruto would do whatever he had to make sure it happened.

TBC…


For this chapter, my main goal was to understand the vibe between Naruto and Sasuke after so long apart, which was why it was so hard to write. They have so many conflicting feelings for each other it's very hard to balance them. I suppose they always came off as either extremely frustrated or filled with an unbearable longing that was hard to describe. I suppose I wanted to express all of this in a more mature way, so I moved away from straight up sex and/or physical violence. I like to believe that Naruto has managed to gain some semblance of clarity for himself and a new-found control now that he knows he has backup from his wife.

These scenes allowed me to understand how draining it is for these two to fight their feelings for each other, and I think they are both learning how to accept that they're becoming very tired and far too soon.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Next one will probably be very long and I have a feeling the vibe will be different, too. The boys will talk, so let's see how that turns out ;)

Thank you all for reading, and see ya next time!

PLEASE REVIEW! Your opinion is very important to me and fuels my inspiration to write! Don't hesitate to let me know your thoughts and head canons for the fic, who knows what might happen? ;)