Author's Note: Ah

Author's Note: -prepares to duck rotten tomatoes and sharpened pitchforks- Play nice now, people. I know it's been a long time. So don't let me hold you up from reading this chapter…

Warning: YAOI (Content will be more explicit in later chapters), some swearing, suggestive content.

Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of the characters from the anime/manga.

Bold and Italics flashbacks

P.S. to JD01: I really did try, but the linebreaks just wouldn't save! -bawls- Maybe it's just me...

The Art of Fabrication (cont.)

("TAoF" – JD01)

By: Nine1991

Chapter 13: Fracture

--Seventeen years earlier--

The loud shrieking of a newborn infant could be heard from all the way down the hall. High and piercing. Like a siren. And had the young man – who was no older than twenty-two and dressed in the prim garments of a council messenger – not been in such a hurry to deliver his news, he would have paused to marvel at the strong pair of lungs the child must've been born with. But he had no time for such a thought, and as a loud explosion sounded in the distance, far and yet so much closer than the last one, he quickened his pace. The sole door at the end of the corridor seemed to take so long to reach. Too long.

They were running out of time.

The doors flew open under the push of his hands and he staggered into the room, wheezing, his lungs burning fiercely as he struggled to take in oxygen and speak at the same time. "H-hokage-sama! The demon is close. Five kilometers from the northern gates. It won't be long before it reaches the village." He let out a series of hacking coughs and his knees finally gave way, crashing painfully to the floor as his body surrendered to fatigue. A glass of water was thrust into his face and he accepted it gratefully, downing it all in just a few gulps and allowing it to sooth his parched throat.

He handed the glass back to the somber-looking midwife, who took it and gently helped him up. Necessity fueled his actions as he heaved himself to his feet, looking beseechingly at the back of the tall figure gazing out the far window. "O-our forces won't be able to hold out much longer. Hokage-sama, the village needs you to come up with a solution! We need you to…we need…" He trailed off as his eyes finally registered what they were seeing. The single bed beside the Hokage's standing form. The pure white sheet that covered it.

The outline of the body that lay lifelessly underneath.

His eyes widened in comprehension and he took a small step back, the message he was sent to deliver temporarily forgotten in his state of shock.

Namikaze Minato glanced over his shoulder before turning fully around, moving slowly as if any sudden movements would ruin everything, and it was then that the young messenger saw the mottled bundle of cloths cradled gently in his leader's arms.

It was an awesome sight indeed; their fearless Hokage bathed in the light of the setting sun, his eyes a cool, remote blue and his hair flecked with gold. The white robes on his form seemed to glow, the shades and hues of the light filtering in through the window dancing off the smooth fabric and making the flames that lined the hem come alive. And the young messenger, for all his awe and staring, felt a sense of foreboding. A sense of finality. A sense of impending…what he did not know.

For some reason, it felt like this was the end.

But that was all broken when the sound of yet another explosion (this time so much closer) rang through the room, causing the windows to rattle and shake and the floor to sway beneath their very feet in its intensity. The bundle in the Hokage's arms let out a piercing wail, and Minato's eyes softened as he looked down at the infant in his arms, tucking the bundle closer to himself as he strode calmly over to the waiting messenger. The loud crying gradually died down to tiny hiccups and whimpers as the newborn was soothed by the gentle rocking of his father's strides.

As the Hokage stopped in front of him, the messenger could not help but give in to the urge to sneak a peak at the Namikaze heir. And even though a very prominent part of his consciousness was reminding him that the village was in peril, that all their lives were very much in danger and that he really did not have the time to gawk and stare, it did not stop his neck from craning in an attempt to get a better view of the little life in their leader's arms.

The infant nestled in the bundle of blankets was definitely adorable, the kind of cuteness that gave the impression that the infant would grow up to be quite the good-looking individual. And with those fine strands of wispy corn-coloured hair, it left little doubt of to whom the child took after. Even in the severe inappropriateness of the situation, the messenger could not help but let his lips curve into a small smile. This child…yes. He had a feeling that this child, like his father before him, would bring about great changes to this village.

Minato gently brushed a thumb across his son's feather-soft cheek, his expression focused and yet dazed as if every ounce of his attention was trained on the bundle in his arms, as if the world around him – the village, the stampeding demon, the messenger not two feet in front of him – did not exist. As if the only thing that mattered was that he was able to hold this tiny little person close to him. He brushed his thumb across the chubby cheek again, and this time small lips parted, the cherub face turning towards the retreating thumb in a blind, instinctual search for nourishment. He moved his hand up to caress his son's downy, blond hair as he murmured softy, "I know a way to get rid of the Kyuubi."

It took a few seconds before the messenger realized that the Hokage was talking to him. "H-hokage-sama?"

Minato continued, never once taking his eyes off his son, "Since the Sandaime is currently not well and Sensei is missing…I am going to need your help."

The messenger's eyes widened in bewilderment, even as his back straightened and he stood taller. His help? Why on earth would the Hokage require his help? A lowly messenger of all things. Wouldn't a ninja be of better use?

Minato paused, and he seemed to ponder his words, before a gentle smile spread across his face. He lifted the infant in his arms to place a soft, lingering kiss on the little forehead, his voice barely above a whisper as he murmured against the fine, golden hair, "He's beautiful, isn't he?" He brought the bundle down to rest once more against the crook of his arm. "Kushina and I have decided to name him 'Naruto'."

The messenger frowned. 'Naruto'? As in 'fish cake'? Well, it was certainly unique. Perhaps not a name he would consider giving to his own firstborn, but then again, who was he to judge?

The expression on Minato's face turned serious as he finally turned to face the messenger. "When this is all over, I need you to come and find my son. Find Naruto. He will be at the centre of it all." He stopped, and a flicker of anguish entered his eyes as he continued, "I need you to take care of him-"

"H-hokage-sama, what do you mea-"

Minato cut him off firmly. "Take care of him. Until the Sandaime recovers. Then take Naruto to him." Brilliant blue eyes bore into his own, and the messenger felt as if his very soul was being broadcasted for the world to see. "Can you do that?"

Could he do that? Could he really take care of the Yondaime's son? He felt himself nod, "Hai, Hokage-sama."

Minato's eyes softened in gratitude. "Thank you."

As his gaze turned back to his son, Minato made his way over to the sole bed in the room. He sat on the edge, balanced his son in the crook of one arm, and used his free hand to pull back the white sheet, revealing vibrant, auburn hair. As the Hokage placed a soft, tender kiss on the pale forehead of his beloved wife, the messenger felt his heart constrict painfully at the sight.

It was horrible, how cruel life was to some people. Their Hokage did not deserve this.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the messenger said, all the while feeling horrible that the only thing he could do was offer words. What good were words, really? Words changed nothing.

"Don't be," Minato replied, as he pulled the sheet back into its original position, "She died happy. And at least we managed to take one family picture." He smiled, even though it wasn't enough to mask the grief in his eyes.

Minato stood up, cradled his son in his arms and walked to the door, but not before stopping in front of the young messenger and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Tatsuo."

And Tatsuo watched as their Hokage walked out, a sinking feeling in his stomach telling him that this would be the very last time.

-LineBreak-

A half an hour after Namikaze Minato had left the Hokage tower, a huge chakra pulse swooped the lands, the light so bright and intense that all the ninjas fighting above ground had had to shield their eyes lest they be blinded, the tiny hairs at the back of their necks standing on end as the zing of potent chakra surged across their skins. And just like that, the Kyuubi no Youko had disappeared.

The ninjas had spent some few minutes wandering around in a dazed bewilderment, an expression of wonderment on their faces as they questioned the miraculous possibility that a demon whose size towered over the tallest of buildings could just simply disappear in a flash of brilliant light. The ones who were more observant, who had seen the outline of the gargantuan frog in the horizon, had bowed low and cheered that their Hokage had once again saved the village. They had all then trooped on weary feet back to the welcoming gates of Konoha, all eager to embrace their parents, spouses, and children, all grateful to still be alive.

And it was while all the citizens of Konohagakure were making their way towards the village, that one lone figure made its way away from it.

Even though he had never undertaken the rigorous training of a ninja, Tatsuo had always been naturally blessed with the gift of speed. His ability to run much faster than the average person had been what secured him his job as a council messenger. And he was definitely putting his ability to use now, as he zipped through the forest at a steady pace, his eyes sharp on the lookout as the soft light of the moon did very little to alert him to protruding roots or jutting rocks in his path.

It was near midnight by the time his ears picked up the sound of familiar, high-pitched wailing. He shifted direction, his dwindling energy renewed by the sudden surge of hope that he had finally found what he was looking for.

His ears led him to a wide clearing, the majority of which was taken up by a large crater. And smack in the middle of that crater, little Naruto lay crying.

Tatsuo clambered down the shallow decline, his feet slipping and sliding in his haste to reach the distraught infant. As soon as he reached the centre of the crater, he bent down, hesitated for the slightest of moments, before scooping up the tiny child into his arms. Little Naruto's cries softened as he was held, reduced to small whimpers and hiccups that induced shudders throughout his little body. It was then that Tatsuo was reminded of the fact that the child would not have had anything to eat or drink since his birth, and must no doubt be dehydrated and starving. Supporting the baby in one arm, he used his free hand to reach towards his belt where his waterbottle was strapped. He had lacked the foresight to bring along a bottle of milk, so water would have to do for the time being.

With the help of dexterous fingers and fast reflexes (even though a lot spilled anyway), Tatsuo was able to thoroughly soak one of his clean hankerchiefs with water from the bottle. He brought the hankerchief up to the tiny lips, squeezed water droplets from the cloth and watched in fascination as the little mouth opened, like a baby bird to its mother, to eagerly accept the offered drink. Frail eyelids lifted slightly and Tatsuo smiled when he was greeted with brilliant blue orbs. Little Naruto pursed his tiny lips shut and huffed, turning his cherub face to the side, the water droplets sliding down his chubby cheek. It seemed that he had had enough water.

Tatsuo smiled as he withdrew the hankerchief. "Sorry, buddy. But water's all I've got right now." Bright blue eyes seemed to glare at him for just a moment, before screwing shut as a tiny mouth gave way to a yawn. Little Naruto huddled into the warmth of the person holding him, a small, chubby fist clenching the shirt of his savior. For now, fatigue would take priority over hunger.

Gathering up his things, all the while making sure that he did not jostle the infant snuggling in his side, Tatsuo clambered out of the crater. He was much more careful in his climb than he had been in his descent, and when he reached level ground, he promptly made his way back towards Konoha.

Thankfully, Naruto remained asleep throughout the entire journey, which did not surprise the young messenger as he figured the little tyke must have been crying for some hours before he was found, and that was bound to exhaust anybody.

As Konoha's gates came into view, Tatsuo quickened his pace. Naruto stirred a little in his arms, and he gently rocked the infant back to sleep, whispering softly, "Shhh. It's okay, buddy, we're almost home. When we get there I'll find you some warm milk to drink, eh? How does that sound to you?"

"That won't be necessary."

Tatsuo stopped in his tracks, his hold around Naruto tightening instinctively. A tall figure stood in their path, holding a lamp by his side. And as the lamp was brought up and the stranger's face was revealed in the glow of the flickering candle light, Tatsuo's eyes widened and his head dropped into a respectful bow. "Kanzou-sama."

The man, Kanzou, took a few steps forward, a kind smile on his severe face. "I thank you for retrieving the child." A hand outstretched. "I will be taking him now."

Tatsuo frowned as he unconsciously clutched Naruto closer to his body. "But, Kanzou-sama, I was told by Hokage-sama to take care of Naruto."

"Other plans have been made since then."

Tatsuo shook his head, and for the first time in his life, he raised stubborn eyes to higher authority. "I…I'm sorry, Kanzou-sama. I don't think I can. Hokage-sama…" he took in a deep breath and his resolve hardened, "Hokage-sama said that I am to care for Naruto-san until the Sandaime recovers."

There was a harsh silence at that remark, and the kind smile on Kanzou's face disappeared as his features hardened and his expression turned stern. The outstretched hand fell slowly to his side, clenched and unclenched before relaxing. "You are a smart boy, Tatsuo. I'm sure you must be aware that Hokage-sama would not have been thinking clearly given his situation at the time. What with the death of his dear wife…"

The messenger bit his lip. He had seen himself the multitude of grief in their leader's eyes.

Kanzou's gaze remained fixed on the young man before him, his voice low as he spoke, "Grief is a strong influence, Tatsuo. It can make the smartest of people overlook details." He took two steps forward. "That infant in your arms is no ordinary child."

Tatsuo stiffened, his eyes flickering towards the bundle in his arms before returning to the council member.

"Are you aware of what means the Hokage has taken in order to defeat the Kyuubi?" Kanzou asked, and at seeing the blank gaze on the young messenger's face, he decided to enlighten the boy, "The Kyuubi no Youko is now sealed inside that child you are holding right now."

Tatsuo's eyes widened, before narrowing. "Impossible," he whispered.

Kanzou shook his head. "No, it is very much possible. Our Hokage is…was…an amazing shinobi."

Saddened eyes lowered at the council member's words. "So he's…he's really gone?"

"Yes. Konoha has suffered a greater loss than it can ever imagine." A pause, then, "And so that is why we must assure that his legacy is kept in the best of care."

Tatsuo's gaze lifted and Kanzou motioned to little Naruto lying contentedly asleep in the messenger's secure hold. "As I said, that child is no ordinary child. Not any longer. He has the Kyuubi inside him, and as much as I respect our late Hokage, we are not fully aware of the seal's limits. There may be side effects-"

"The Hokage wouldn't do anything to harm his own ch-"

"The Hokage was in a tight situation! Desperation can force people to take risks."

The messenger fell silent.

Kanzou sighed tiredly, as if explaining all this was severely taxing him. "It is not just for the village's safety, but also for the child himself. We can take appropriate measures to suppress the monster inside him, measures that you cannot possibly provide." Wise eyes bore into the messenger's own. "What if you were to raise the child yourself and he one day lost control? Do you really believe the Yondaime would have wanted that for his only son?"

Tatsuo opened his mouth to retort, but found that no words came out. What would happen if Naruto one day lost control? All just because he was stupid enough to believe that he could take care of the boy. And the Yondaime loved this village so much. If there was a heaven, and if he was watching over, how would he feel to see his son be its destructor?

A hand rested on his shoulder and it was only then that Tatsuo realized that, some time in his pondering, the council member had stepped in front of him. "He would understand that the choice you made was for the best."

And as his eyes dropped and he gently unclenched Naruto's little fist from his shirt, he did not see the spark of smug triumph in the council member's eyes. Naruto began to whimper, and so Tatsuo stroked his chubby little hand, the tiny fingers curling tightly around his much larger thumb. Kanzou stepped closer forward to retrieve the child from his arms, and Naruto's whimpers turned to cries as he refused to let go of the young messenger's thumb.

Tatsuo's heart ached as he shakily unwrapped Naruto's baby fingers, until just one tiny little index remained.

And it was on that day that Tatsuo made the worst decision of his life…

…and let go.

-LineBreak-

--Present Day--

Dark, ebony eyes glanced over the scroll and the intricate patterns imprinted on its white surface. It was some kind of seal. He knew that much at least. And had he be given even one more week, he was sure he would've been able to unlock its hidden secrets.

Pale fingers skimmed over the characters surrounding the large, centre swirl, his eyes silently admiring the impressive craftsmanship. It was the most complicated seal he had ever encountered, and the scholar in him itched to study it, to extract it apart character by character and learn its inner workings, its uses. What could such a beautiful seal be used for?

Oh well, he supposed he would find out soon enough. It would of course be a shame that he hadn't been the one to make the discovery himself, but knowledge was knowledge and he was accepting of all kinds.

Sasuke sighed, rolling up the scroll and stuffing it into his pack, along with the other documents and scrolls that he had acquired within the past couple of days on his trips to research Konoha's Ultimate Defense. Considering how Orochimaru was taking a head-on approach and calling a trade-off in return for the Hokage's life, he supposed his job here was done. It had been surprising, to say the least, finding out what was going on from a couple of loudmouthed council members who clearly did not know a single thing about the first rules of maintaining secrecy around ninjas.

Personally, he found the method Orochimaru was taking quite crude, not to mention risky. He could name a couple of hundred things that could possibly go wrong off the top of his head, but if the Sannin wanted to risk his own scaly hide then it certainly wasn't Sasuke's problem.

Truthfully, a part of him was relieved that this mission was almost over. His time in Konoha had been…different…from his other missions, inciting a turbulence of emotions that, frankly, unnerved him. When he was little, he had been raised with high standards in mind. His studies were to be his sole focus, and there was no such thing as play time or a rest break. His father had been the ever perfect monarch of the family – strict and stern and a man of few to none words. He supposed he had been familiar with emotion then, whenever his mother would smile at him and pat him on the head before he left for school, or when he would trip and scrape his knee, the pain too sharp and the blood too much that it would require a magical healing kiss before it started to feel better. But his mother was not who he wanted so desperately to impress. And so he strived with all his little heart to become as cool, calm and emotionally distant as his father, so he could for once see a look or even a glimmer of pride directed his way.

After that chapter of his life had ended, he had been brought up in the company of Orochimaru and his henchmen. By that time, he had only one goal in mind, and anything that did not involve gaining power in order to kill him had no room in life. Emotion had all too easily faded into a distant memory, and he made no effort to correct it. He had been comfortable. Everything had made sense.

But then this mission happened. And Naruto happened. And then…emotion.

He didn't want it. He really didn't. But Naruto was like a persistent storm, like a flurry of rain and wind and crashing thunder, and he…he was the house in the midst of it. And he tried to stop it, he really did. But what can you do when the branch of a tree crashes through the window and the roof caves in and you're left with nothing but the flooding of water at your feet and the gale at your back?

They had shared one kiss, just one, and that had left him wanting – needing – more, and the notion, the simple thought, that he would need anything had shaken him to the very core. He had always treated sex with the same cool detachment that he applied to everything else. His adolescence had seen him bedding women close at hand. They hadn't needed to be extravagant, being chosen more so for their convenience than their looks. Relations always lasted only a night and were never repeated again in order to minimize possible attachment. So the fact that that kiss, which had absolutely no reason to happen, had left him feeling so satisfied and yet so unsatisfied…god, he couldn't even understand himself!

And as Naruto had walked out of that room earlier that day, his face somber, Sasuke had felt an uncomfortable ache in his chest. What happened? Who put that expression on your face? And as Naruto finished sending off his messenger birds, and had turned around to politely excuse himself from Sasuke's presence, Sasuke had felt a fiery surge of anger. Don't talk to me with such detachment in your voice.

He hated the changes in him, the changes that Naruto was putting in him. And so he was glad to be leaving, glad to finally be going away from all this – this craziness! He had to, because…because otherwise he'd lose himself, and what scared him the most was the fact that a part of him…wanted to.

So he was leaving. He had sent a messenger bird out to Orochimaru informing him that he would be leaving Konohagakure that very night. It would all be over soon.

The sound of soft, approaching footsteps alerted Sasuke and he promptly closed his pack, pushing it under his bed and quickly performing a genjutsu as a safety measure. A few seconds later, the door was opened and Naruto entered the room, a thoughtful expression on his face. Sasuke watched silently as the blond walked past him without showing any sign of having at all registered Sasuke's presence. Naruto headed into the kitchen, and Sasuke heard the gentle clinking of glass, followed by the whistling of the kettle and then the pouring of liquid.

"You want some tea?"

Sasuke blinked. It was the first time Naruto had said anything to him that wasn't absolutely necessary or painfully polite since their fight the other day. "Uh, sure."

More clinking and more pouring, before Naruto emerged from the kitchen, two steaming mugs in hand. He placed one in front of Sasuke, then moved to sit across the table, his own mug cradled in his hands as he took slow, little sips, his eyes focused on the table in front of him. Sasuke picked up his own mug, taking a while to enjoy the comfortable warmth seeping into his palms before bringing it up to his lips. The taste was exactly the way he liked it – strong and bitter – and it pleased him that Naruto knew how to prepare his drink so perfectly. He cringed inwardly as realized his thoughts were once again focused on Naruto. Tonight. Just until tonight.

"When you said…"

Sasuke looked up.

Naruto licked his lips, his eyes still aimed downwards as he continued, "When you said that your clan was…murdered…who was it that did it?"

Sasuke felt his body tense as he registered the question. What had brought this up? "It was a rogue nin," he answered stiffly, "I don't remember much more than that."

"Do you hate them?" Naruto's voice was soft. "Do you hate them for what they did to you?"

Sasuke frowned. "Yes, I hate them. They took my family away from me. How could I not hate them?"

"If you met them again, would you want revenge?"

Now he was definitely curious as to where this was going. "Of course. My family need to be avenged. My mother, my father, my clan…I need to restore their honour."

"How far would you go to achieve that?"

Sasuke's jaw clenched, and he felt memories – long locked away – resurface. Memories and its accompanying images. Images of silent halls and blood and unresponsive faces. "As far as it takes," he growled lowly, "I'm willing to do anything."

"Anything. Huh." A momentary silence. Then, "It must hurt, huh?"

Sasuke snapped himself from his thoughts, his eyes narrowing questioningly at the blond in front of him. "What?"

The faint tap of mug meeting table top. "It must hurt, the fact that he left only you alive," blue eyes raised to meet black, "The fact that he was your own flesh and blood."

Sasuke turned rigid and his eyes flashed steel. "What did you say?"

Naruto's face was devoid of emotion as he spoke, his tone light. "Do you know the one thing about shadow clones? The one reason why they're not used for undercover missions? It's because, although they're able to copy your chakra channels, they're unable to imitate your simplest of body functions." His blue eyes remained locked on Sasuke's as he brushed a hand across the bronze skin of his left arm. "Like the production of sweat." The hand trailed down to rest on the black fabric covering his own stomach. "The digestion of food." Moving up to stop at the left of his chest. "The beating of a heart."

And for a moment, Sasuke stopped breathing.

Over his abdomen. Fingers splayed. Palms flat. Going up. Up. Up. Until it lay over the left of his chest.

'No.' The sound of shattering porcelain rang through the air, followed by a crash as a chair toppled loudly onto its back, and Sasuke was on his feet, his hands clenched at his sides as he fought to steady his breathing.

Cobalt eyes narrowed almost scornfully up at the Uchiha. "Suna?" A harsh laugh. "Did you really think that Gaara wouldn't check that up the moment he failed to recognize you as any of his own?"

"How long?" Sasuke whispered.

Naruto's lips thinned, and for a moment, Sasuke thought he saw a flash of sadness in those blue eyes. "Long." The blond reached a hand into his vest, withdrawing something before flinging it onto the table between them. And it was only as the object slowly rolled to a stop that Sasuke realized what it was.

It was a scroll. A beautiful, ornate scroll preserved in such perfect condition that it must have been locked away, airtight somewhere. Somewhere like a box. A beautiful, ornate box made out of pure, high-quality gold with the design of a growling nine-tailed fox etched on the top lid. A box situated in the Sandaime's personal records chamber.

"This was what you were looking for, wasn't it?" Naruto asked, gesturing towards the scroll, though it was obvious that he already knew the answer. "I spent most mornings in that records chamber, Sasuke. Placed a seal on the entrance that memorizes foreign chakras." His brows furrowed into a frown. "I can't say that I was surprised to find that you visited."

Sasuke felt his breathing turn shallow, the sound of it drowning out his furiously beating heart.

Naruto glanced away and snorted. "And you called me a coward," blue eyes caught black once more, "When you're the one sneaking around in the middle of the night while everyone's asleep."

Sasuke growled, and it took all of one second for him to propel himself across the width of the table. Naruto tumbled off the chair and before he knew it found himself flat on the floor, Sasuke straddling him, and a hard fist headed straight for his face. He jerked his head to the side and felt the faint tickle as it barely brushed his cheek, felt the ripple of vibrations underneath his neck from the strength of its impact with the floor.

And as that fist pulled back to have another go, Naruto yanked up his own hand, his tan fingers closing over the pale knuckles and stopping its descent mere inches from his face. "Why are you so angry, Sasuke? Huh? Uchiha Sasuke of the long-famed Uchiha clan." Eyes of the darkest obsidian narrowed, and sapphire-blue stared challengingly back. "Your clan was known throughout all of Lightning Country for being the best of hired-assasins, though it held no allegiance to any ninja village. Strange, isn't it, how such a strong clan could just suddenly be wiped out, blown up in flames? They say that only an Uchiha could have done it." Voice lowered. "They say it was one of the sons of the nobler branches."

Sasuke jerked his hand out of Naruto's own, drawing himself back out of muted shock as he stared down at Naruto's calm face, the cold blue eyes. "I've done my research, Sasuke. Keep you friends close, keep your enemies closer, you know? I know everything about you. I know that your neck tenses when you're surprised. I know that your jaw clenches when you're annoyed. I know that when you curl your fingers into fists, its to feel the pain of your nails digging into your skin so that you can feel grounded from whatever memory you're experiencing." A tan hand snaked up to press firmly against his chest, warm breath against his ear. "And I know your heart rates speeds up like so everytime I touch you."

Sasuke swiped the hand away, pushing Naruto back as he scrambled off the blond, feeling strangely naked even though he was still fully clothed. Naruto slowly pulled himself up into a sitting position, an eyebrow raised mockingly as he tilted his head to the side. "What? Did you really think that you were the only one watching? The only one observing?"

Sasuke unconsciously took a step back, unaware of his own actions over the tumultuous beating of his heart.

Naruto calmly got up on his feet, his eyes never once leaving the Uchiha's. "I've met your brother, Sasuke. He's a ruthless, fucked up asshole who cares only for himself. Only for power. Not giving a shit if he destroys anyone else's life in the process. And you know something?" Blue eyes flashed and his voice was bitter. "You're a lot like him in more ways than one."

"No!" And before that word even had the time to dissipate into the air between them, Naruto found himself cringing at the sharp pain shooting up his spine as he was pushed against the wall, his wrists locked at either side of his head by pale, gripping fingers. Sasuke's eyes were spinning red, the tomoes whirling madly, egged on by his fluctuating emotions. "Don't…" And his voice was pained, anguished. "Don't say that!"

Naruto's eyes were cool and emotionless as he stared back unflinchingly. "Why not? It's the truth." And Sasuke felt his chest ache at the detached tone. Those eyes…those eyes were so painfully familiar.

They looked like his own.

"That's not…" his voice broke off, choked, softening until it was whispered against the soft, tanned skin of Naruto's neck. "That's not true."

"You know it is. You're one of Orochimaru's cronies. How many people have you killed, Sasuke? How many lives, how many families have you destroyed?" The words were like barbs, thorns against his ears. "How many selfish decisions have you made just so you could obtain the power to get to him?"

And Sasuke felt the strength leave his body. It was true. Naruto was right. How many people had he killed? How many families had he destroyed? How many children had he left parentless? He was…he was really no better than his brother. In his anger he had turned…he had turned into a ruthless murderer.

"Sasuke, if you wanted to be better than him, to be different than him, you wouldn't be doing this. There are ways, Sasuke. Better ways." The words were soft, lulling. Soothing his fragile consciousness. "You don't have to be like this. Leave Orochimaru, Sasuke. You're stronger than that. Find a different way." Gentle. Like feather-soft kisses across his skin. "Don't be like him."

And at that moment, Sasuke felt his mind fragment, implode in on itself in a wave of memories and feelings and unwanted thoughts. Who had he been? What monster had he turned himself into? Had he become just like his brother? But the him of the past, the him before he became this pool of mess and confusion that this mission had turned him into, the cool, emotionless him who was so sure of where he was going…he was an avenger! What he was doing, it was to avenge his clan! And then him, another him, so long buried, so long ignored…they…mother, father…they wouldn't be proud of what he'd become. What was he? Who was he? Oh god…it all hurt so much…

Aniki…why did you have to kill them?

And Sasuke curled in on himself, staggering backwards, away from the only person who had the ability to make him doubt himself, who had the ability to make him want to change. He felt hands clutch his head (god…it hurt so much!) and it was a few seconds before he realized that they were his own. He faltered, stumbled, hands sliding against the walls as they searched for purchase, for grip, for anything that would keep him from falling. And as he righted himself, he felt anger, confusion, pain overwhelm his senses until they were clouded beyond reason. And all that was left was the need…the need to…to…

Naruto watched as Sasuke stumbled away from him, fingers gripping his dark hair like he wanted to tear it all out by the roots. He watched as Sasuke straightened up, and all seemed calm for the smallest of seconds before a pale fist was brought up to crash brutally into the wall, small debris crumbling to the floor. Sasuke's head was down, his face obscured in the shadows wrought by his own dark bangs as he whispered, "I…can't…" Think…I can't…

Naruto felt the strength leave his body and a strange numbness overcome him. "So you can't…you won't…" And then fury – fury as his blood heated and boiled. He stiffened, his voice hard as he spoke. "Fine."

And Sasuke looked up at the chilling tone, his eyes locked on the blond in front of him.

Naruto straightened, his eyes glinting strangely as he splayed his arms out, palms up in defeat. "So…the jig is up. You win, you bastard. You wanted Konoha's all-mighty great defense mechanism, didn't you? Well here you go." And Sasuke watched, entranced, as the blond slid off his vest and pulled off his shirt, throwing both to the ground, exposing a smooth expanse of honey-brown skin. And in the very centre, imprinted on the toned abdomen, was a glorious seal. A seal so intricately woven, so masterfully created, so painfully familiar.

A seal that Sasuke had been admiring not half an hour before on white parchment.

And for some reason, all that Sasuke could think of was how much better it looked when contrasted against such flawless, tanned skin.

Naruto's chin lifted, raging emotions flickering across his eyes for the whole world to see. "Do you get it now? It was me all along." His tone was harsh, daring Sasuke to take the first step, to throw the first punch. "What you've been so painstakingly searching for. It was under your nose the entire time, you fucking bastard! Does it anger you, huh? Does it make you furious? That you didn't have to go through all this shi-"

And that was as far as Naruto was able to get as hard lips crashed into his.

-TBC-

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I know. I'm a completely horrible person! How dare I leave you guys chapterless for so long! And when I do update, what's the first thing I do? Give you a huge-as flashback that lasted more than half the chapter! I'm sorry guys, and I know that most of you probably don't give a damn what happens some two decades ago in the story, but it's a vital part of Naruto's background and it had to happen. There will be some SasuNaru lovin' around the corner.

Um…sorry again for leaving you guys hanging. And special thanks to JD01 for kicking my procrastinating butt into gear! Thank you for all you guys who reviewed oh so long ago, I appreciate every single one (just because I didn't update for ages doesn't mean I don't!). I love you all! Well, whatever readers I have left anyway…

I apologize if this chapter isn't up to par with the previous chapters. Major case of writer's block popped up and I had to manually push through it (like driving through a storm, I swear) so my paragraphs might not run as smoothly as I had hoped. Yeah, I'll just shut up now.

Anyways, please review and tell me how you liked the chapter! Criticism is welcomed as I'm always up for ways to improve. If you spot a grammar or spelling booboo, please tell me so I can fix it, 'cause I really hate those.

And yes, there will be a lemon in the next chapter. All of you people who are grumpy at me for updating late can take pleasure in the fact that I am literally quaking in my boots. No, seriously, I am.

Here are the replies to the reviews that I couldn't contact directly:

ddd: Oh gosh, I really hope that you're still reading my story! I really cherish the fact that you've managed to review every single chapter so far (yes, I am keeping track), so thank you so much you amazing person you!

Please review! I love all reviewers. They make me so very happy!

- Nine1991 -