In case anyone was actually keeping track of the time passage, yes Naruto has long since turned 15. :) But its not summer yet so Sasuke isn't 16 yet, not til July 23rd which is like months away...but yah i dont pay to much attention to what month it is so pardon if I ignore people's birthdays. If I actually get to Sasuke's I might write it in though.

Thanks so much for you guys' reviews, I luv u all!!!! XD

-Kitsune

"Outside—now.." Sasuke ordered. Naruto was beginning to shake slightly.

"It's a conflict…I can't take both.. it won't work…" Naruto murmured. He gasped as Sasuke suddenly flung him down on his back into the grass, and he winced in the bright sunlight gleaming into his eyes. He began to hear his own heartbeat in his ears, and soon the sun didn't matter—his mind was going.

Chapter XXIII

Control Me

He could see Sasuke's silhouette above him beside the blinding glare of the sun. "It's going to be fine. I won't let you get out of control." Sasuke said to him calmly. Sasuke was still for a long while, and Naruto wondered why, until suddenly his mind snapped, and his body began to move on it's own. Soon he was beginning to think he was understanding his body's movements.

"Let go.. let go! Stop!!" He began shrieking as Sasuke immediately had him gripped by both wrists and pinned to the ground. He gasped; but at the same time he wondered why Sasuke's speed always surprised him. He began to feel uneasy.

"What are you doing—Sasuke!!" Naruto screamed, but when he moved his legs, Sasuke quickly adjusted and had them bound with his own in a cross-legged lock. Sasuke was now pinning his arms by the wrists to the ground, and had his legs bound. Naruto immediately became defensive and chakra began to generate.

"You! You're trying to stifle me! Maybe this is good that this is happening!!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke remained calm, flinching only slightly as he tried to keep Naruto from escaping him.

"That's not you... that's the curse mark talking.." Sasuke murmured, knowing it was more for his own benefit than Naruto's. Sasuke grunted a little, having to use more strength as Naruto's chakra became a slightly hectic. As Naruto's eyes transformed, it was evident that the chakra he was using wasn't his own. Sasuke immediately countered.

"Sharingan!" He now felt more able to control Naruto since he could predict movements. "Naruto snap out of it!!" He yelled eventually. At that second, Naruto's left wrist broke free from the hold, and Naruto immediately swung, resulting in bloodying Sasuke's lip, but Sasuke's other hand was also free as a result, and he made contact without hesitation, punching him directly across the face which seemed to temporarily stun movement, and he pinned Naruto's free wrist again. Naruto still strained hard against him.

"No.. curse mark…can inhabit this body! It's MINE!" Naruto growled, suddenly pushing forward with a burst of chakra, and Sasuke found himself on his back in a dirt patch, and Naruto had his arm twisted. He grunted, then cried out, hearing his arm snap at the forearm.

"Naruto—stop it—I know you're under two controls right now.. you're not yourself…but I don't want to hurt.. I can't hurt you.." Sasuke gasped. His breath was knocked out of him as a blast of chakra flattened him to the ground hard. As he stared up at Naruto, he could see, despite Kyuubi's protesting from Naruto's body, small black flame-like markings were materializing all over the side of Naruto's face. As a result, Naruto seemingly was under conflict. Sasuke was weakening.

"My chakra…is he draining my chakra?? But how.." Sasuke coughed, slowly being strangled by Naruto's hand around his throat.

"This is your curse…to keep this body I need your resistant chakra.." the Kyuubi was apparently saying through Naruto's body. Sasuke's vision was blurring, and he as beginning to feel his own curse marks react, which resulted in a lot of pain. He screamed out, barely able to get enough breath to do so since he was being choked.

"I cant.. hold him off…with both the curse and the nine-tail possessing him—both are messing with his personality…and he's taking my chakra—it's over.. I can't…" Sasuke coughed, blood streaming from the corners of his mouth. "He's going to kill me…Even though I don't think Kyuubi is trying to…"

"Naruto-kun…" Sasuke managed to say. Naruto didn't change his behavior.

"Your chakra's almost gone…" Naruto said with a smirk. Sasuke assumed that the malicious attitude was the curse mark's work, and any grip he had on Naruto loosened. His vision blurred.

"I can't hurt you.. I.." Sasuke had to stop talking—he couldn't breathe. His broken arm was throbbing, his vision was now blacking out.

"Naruto…I can't…I can't help you.. because I can't hurt you…to counter you I'd need to activate at least two of these marks.. and I won't.. I won't do that…I can't.." Before Sasuke passed out, the choking suddenly stopped. Kakashi had come out of nowhere and slapped a seal on Naruto's forehead before having him in a bind, hands behind his back. "Sasuke. Talk to me. Are you alright?" Kakashi asked calmly, keeping Naruto bound while the seal on his forehead began emitting some kind of steam. At the same time Naruto began screaming in pain. Sasuke moved just barely, and coughed more blood. "Naruto.. what've I done to you…" He murmured, staring blankly up at the sky as the Sharingan faded. Kakashi sighed and turned his attention back to Naruto. The curse markings had receded, and Naruto blinked, finally coming to.

"Naruto?" Kakashi questioned, letting Naruto go, but then having to stabilize him as he nearly collapsed. Naruto still had a hand to his head, and took in a breath through his teeth.

"Ah…What the hell…" Naruto murmured. Kakashi sighed heavily and turned Naruto around.

"What happened.. What—" Naruto paused and stared, wide-eyed, at Sasuke on the ground in front of him.

"Sas—Sasuke—" Naruto gasped. Kakashi held Naruto back as he started for Sasuke. "Stop.. calm down.." Kakashi instructed gently. Tears began to stream down Naruto's face as he took deep breaths.

"What happened—what happened!??!" Naruto screamed, turning around and snatching Kakashi by the collar.

"You snapped. I'm assuming Kyuubi had to drain his chakra in order to control your conflicting seals. To keep you from destroying yourself." Kakashi answered honestly and quickly. Naruto let go of Kakashi and ran to Sasuke, grabbing him by the shirt and shaking him.

"Sasuke.. Sasuke wake up! Please Sasuke! Sasuke-kun!! Sasuke!!" Naruto cried, giving up and collapsing beside him, face to the ground as he fisted dirt in his hands. Kakashi sighed heavily and stared at the scene.

"Sakura! Come out here. I'm gonna need some help." Kakashi called toward the house.

--------

"I didn't expect the seal to cause an inner battle within Naruto…I guess Kyuubi won't have any other inhabitant in his host body.." Kakashi mused by the window of the hospital room. Naruto had his head down in his arms, in Sasuke's bedspread. He'd been silent for the past hour.

"Kakashi-sensei…" he finally murmured. Sakura and Kakashi both stared at him, waiting. Naruto looked up slowly, painfully, suddenly recognizing Sakura's presence. He sighed and put his head back down.

"I can't take this any more.. we hurt each other.." Naruto mumbled. Sakura stared. "Naruto…?" she questioned, waiting for him to continue.

"We're not good for each other…" Naruto continued. He looked up at Sasuke in the bed. He had a tube in one arm and a cast on the other. His breathing was shallow and the strangle marks were obvious bruises on his throat. He was so low on chakra that he was dependant on the machine beside the bed in order to stay out of a comatose condition. Naruto wiped his eyes and sat up, still gazing at Sasuke as he was waking up.

"Naru-chan…" Sasuke whispered hoarsely. Sakura came to the bedside and leaned over Sasuke.

"Don't talk.. your throat is damaged.." She instructed softly, stroking his hair and face. Kakashi watched carefully as Naruto simply sat there blankly, not saying a word.

"It's all coming together.. all this damn crap we've had to go through…" Naruto stood up while Sakura stared at him in disbelief. He slowly left the hospital room. Kakashi sighed and got up to go to the bed. Sasuke was staring at the door after Naruto.

"What.. why…" Sasuke rasped. "Why did he leave.." He asked, his face reading obvious hurt. "I'm not angry…he wasn't himself…" Sasuke paused to cough, which resulted in a few drops of blood.

"No talking, Sasuke." Kakashi repeated gently.

"Why is he leaving.." Sasuke repeated, ignoring the warning.

"Easy Sasuke.. your throat hasn't stopped bleeding." Kakashi said more commandingly, coming closer to the bed. When Sasuke sat up, both Sakura and Kakashi had to make him lie back down.

"Sasuke if you get up you'll go into a coma. Your Chakra is at zero percent, literally." Kakashi warned louder. Sasuke shut his eyes tightly.

"He has to be here.. I have to talk to him.. he'll beat himself up for this.." Sasuke whispered before slowly losing consciousness again. Sakura sighed and stared at the closed door where Naruto had left.

---------

"My sensei told me what happened." Came a voice across the hall. Naruto looked up and peered across the uncomfortably fluorescent lighted hallway. He hadn't even gotten the nerve to leave the hospital; he would've felt too far away. Neji peered at him from the chair across from his. He didn't say anything, he only stared at the floor between his feet. Neji stood up an came over to sit beside Naruto.

"You taught me a lot, way back when in the Chunin Exams.. and I've changed because of it." Neji told him. He watched Naruto remain silent and continue staring, now at the opposite wall. He felt Neji's hand on his back.

"So now.. I'm going to try to help you. I know what's going on between you and him." Neji said next, even more quietly. Naruto gasped and finally looked at Neji.

"What.. what do you.. how?" Naruto gasped. Neji only stared him down. "Byakugan…" Naruto murmured, finally realizing. Neji closed his eyes as he rubbed Naruto's back. "So.. I know you and him are having problems.. I don't know the details of how he got here in the hospital.. or why he left that time a little while ago. But…you.. you're not happy." Neji finished, and Naruto gasped again, his eyes widening as he stared at Neji. Neji smirked a little sadly.

"What.. why are you surprised? It's obvious. Every time I look at you.. I see this unspoken unrest. Yeah you like him, he likes you, you're hiding it, but…He's weighing on you. Worried about his every move…worried he'll leave.. worried he'll change.. that's no way to live. He's this…pinch in your brain that won't go away.. it nags you every day.. and you can't do anything about it.. you—" Neji paused as he noticed that Naruto was fighting to hold back his emotions. Naruto crossed his arms and scoffed, turning his head away. Neji reached with both arms and turned Naruto to look at him again.

"No I'm sorry. Sorry." Neji murmured.

"Ok Naruto.." he sighed. "Just.. talk to me.. I mean I know you guys are.. "together" in a way.. but is it serious?" Neji asked. Naruto quietly nodded, keeping his arms crossed. Neji's arm was around his shoulder and he felt uncomfortable.

"Alright.. well am I right with what I said earlier?" Neji asked more quietly. Naruto nodded again, still not speaking. Neji waited silently for a few more seconds, then kept talking.

"Is Sasuke nice to you?"

"Of course Sasuke's nice to me! What are you talking about, he's so close to me, we're best friends.. we… of course he is!! Dammit!" Naruto snapped, finally uncrossing his arms but clenching his fists. "Damn everything…" He muttered, glaring at nothing in particular. Neji quietly tried to calm him, and patiently kept on talking.

"Look Naruto. What's going on?" He asked. Naruto shut his eyes.

"I can't tell you." He immediately decided. "There's no way he can know I got Sasuke's mark.. There's no way he can know our plans.. how .. in.. love we are.. It's just.. something I'm not ready to tell a lot of people.. let alone Neji." Neji didn't push the issue.

"That's fine. You don't have to tell me. But I do know this particular situation has to do with you, and the Nine-tail." Neji said. Naruto remained silent. Neji stood up.

"I'll probably visit later tonight. If you need me before then.. I'm around." Neji turned and left, walking off down the hallway to the exit, and down the road. Naruto sat alone and crossed his arms again, then eventually just sighed heavily and put his face in his hands as he leaned forward.

"Everything he said.. Everything he said was right.."

----------

The next day, Sasuke lay in bed still in pain and woozy from medicine. Sakura was by the bed reading. He felt himself beginning to lose it.

"Sakura.." he murmured. She looked up readily, leaning over him.

"Sasuke-kun…is everything okay?" she asked. Sasuke closed his eyes.

"Where's Naruto.. why isn't he here…" Sasuke asked for the fourth time. Sakura looked concerned.

"Hey.. Sasuke-kun? When you came back after leaving, you were having some problems like this…are you reverting?" She asked, getting up and standing over him. Sasuke put his hand over his eyes.

"The light's too bright…please close the curtains…" Sasuke murmured. He sighed heavily as Sakura did so.

"I need to talk to Naruto.. He's.. he's going to hurt himself.." Sasuke said quietly.

"How? Hurt himself how!?" Sakura exclaimed. Sasuke uncovered his eyes.

"He'll.. He'll kill himself over this…It's not his fault.. in fact it's mine—" Sasuke paused immediately, realizing what he'd said too late.

"Wait.." Sakura interjected. "This.. how is this your fault? You guys' power is changing, the seal on Kyuubi inside Naruto is weakening. What does that have to do with you?" She asked. Sasuke remained silent and wouldn't answer.

"Stupid of me to say anything…she doesn't know he caught my curse mark.. and if she finds out it's trouble.. I'm not about to go through trying to tell her the secret again any time soon.." "Sakura…find Naruto for me.." He asked a few minutes later after she'd given up waiting for an answer. She got up and headed for the door.

---------

Sakura found Naruto in the hallway a floor below Sasuke's room, his arms crossed, staring blankly at the opposing wall. He looked a little sick.

"Um.. hey?" She began, coming to stand near him. Naruto blinked slowly, then looked up sharply.

"What…huh? Hi Sakura.." He murmured, scratching his head. Sakura plopped down in the seat and crossed her arms also, closing her eyes.

"Sasuke's asking about you. Once every 5 minutes since yesterday." She murmured. She stared at the floor as Naruto immediately stood and ran down the hall.

---------

Naruto shut the door behind him, and Sasuke sat up in bed.

"Naruto…?" he questioned. Naruto stayed at the doorway and slid to the floor, covering his face as he began to break down. "Naruto don't do this—"

"No don't get up!" Naruto commanded, putting out his hand toward Sasuke without looking up. Naruto quickly recovered himself while Sasuke pensively stared at him from the bed. Naruto got up, quickly wiped his face with his sleeve and smiled.

"Are you doing better?" he asked lightly. Sasuke frowned.

"Don't hide it.. Sit on the bed and talk to me." Sasuke said in a hoarse whisper.

"Hey.. your voice.." Naruto sighed, then came all the way to the bed and climbed over him, interrupting him when he began to speak by covering his mouth with his own. They quickly kept moving, Naruto tenderly making sure Sasuke didn't move his broken arm while they heavily made out.

"Ah.. Naruto.. Easy.." Sasuke breathed, his arm clutched around Naruto's waist. Naruto sat up on top of Sasuke and caught his breath, then smirked.

"What.. what are you thinking.." Sasuke wondered. Naruto kept smirking, then immediately replicated himself with Kage Bunshin. Sasuke swallowed, slightly nervous. "Naru-chan.. I know you're crazy but.. What in the hell—Oh.." Sasuke gasped, quieting and sitting up a little against the headboard as Naruto and the clone started making out with each other. He nearly flinched as he got so worked up over it that he began to feel a nose-bleed, he sniffed a little and put his hand over his nose as he stared in disbelief. He shifted in his spot when the real Naruto looked at him.

"Feeling left out? You're not going to tell me "easy" now, are you?" Naruto said with a bright grin.

---------

Sasuke was quite busy for the next few minutes and feeling worlds better as a plus. He had both Narutos in the covers with him, both of them demanding to be kissed, so while he was busy tonguing one, the other was licking and sucking all over his neck and shoulders, and vice-versa.

"You're getting your chakra back.." Naruto murmured against his ear from beside him. The Naruto on top of him rubbed his chest.

"Yeah it's because he likes us."

"He likes me more." Naruto said to the clone, glaring a little, much to Sasuke's amusement. Naruto paused and shoved the clone off the bed, washing it poof into nothingness.

"So that was entertaining huh?" Naruto said with a grin. Sasuke pulled Naruto closer by the waist.

"Yeah, can't you tell.." Naruto smirked.

"Well I was getting tired of fighting for your total attention. So bye-bye clone…" Naruto concluded. Sasuke gently paused Naruto's kiss with a finger, and stared for a little while. "So.. what was all that for?" he asked. Naruto looked a little uneasy.

"What are you talking about…it's not weird at all for us to fool around like that—" Sasuke again put his hand over Naruto's mouth.

"You came in…you were on the floor looking ready to lose it.. then suddenly you get up and start making out with me. What's wrong?" Sasuke asked, gently uncovering Naruto's mouth. Naruto sat up and leaned against the headboard with Sasuke as they joined hands. "Uh.. well.. I.. feel…guilty.. This is all my fault.. We're.. it's so hard for us to just be together, so maybe—maybe.." Sasuke silently watched Naruto kill himself over the issue, his hands fisting in his hair as he shut his eyes tightly.

"Hey—maybe what? Naruto-kun stop it." Sasuke interceded, rubbing Naruto's shoulders. Naruto took a deep breath and sighed heavily, exhaustedly laying himself down across Sasuke's lap, shutting his eyes again. Sasuke stroked his hair, concerned.

"Naruto.. I know how you are with this kind of thing.. you can't beat yourself up over this." Sasuke said to him. Naruto stayed silent as Sasuke stroked him.

"Maybe.. maybe Neji will know what I should do.. I mean.. I hurt Sasuke…I…HURT him…We hurt each other…" Naruto sat up slowly, feeling not so good. "I'll be back.." he murmured, then made for the door.

"Naruto.. Naruto where are you going?" Sasuke asked, confused. Naruto shook his head. "Nowhere.. just.. I'll be back later I promise." He murmured, opening the door. Sasuke sat up and motioned to get out of bed, and just like he wanted, Naruto came running back to the bed.

"Hey! You can't get up, swear to me you won't get up." Naruto pleaded, pushing his fingers through Sasuke's hair as he laid him back down. Sasuke kept a grip on Naruto's wrist.

"If you leave I'll.. I'll—"

"Pine for you until you come back, and then as a result of being alone for sooo long I'll sleep with you even though we shouldn't, and endanger both of our lives." Came Kakashi's voice from the doorway. Naruto guiltily turned around, then sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands.

"Let up Sensei.. not so hard on him.." Sasuke murmured. Kakashi came on over and laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Okay.. listen it's going to be alright. Look you two. I definitely need to seal off Naruto's curse mark. As you can probably tell, the conflict in his body is going to tear him apart way before the significant amount of time, that I may or may not need to do something more permanent, is over. I'm going to do it now. Since you guys can't keep off of each other." Kakashi finished. Naruto swallowed hard, and Sasuke sat up, hugging him from behind, resting his chin on Naruto's shoulder.

"Um.. what's going to happen?" Naruto asked. Kakashi sighed.

"Well.. one of two things since I have to do this now instead of waiting…Either it'll be okay and.. Naruto will end up simply passing out and then waking up a few hours later…or he could end up in that hospital bed across the room." Kakashi finished quietly. Naruto and Sasuke both stared across the room at the bed.

---------

Sasuke pensively sat up against the headboard, staring across the room where Kakashi had Naruto on the edge of the bed with his shirt off. His hand was pressed in the center of Naruto's back. Naruto began to flinch, then double over, holding in the pain. Sasuke looked completely horrified.

"Breathe Naruto." Kakashi instructed quietly. Naruto gasped breathlessly.

"I—I can't!" he cried out, his hands clenching the sheets until his knuckles went white. Sasuke looked away suddenly as Naruto began screaming.

"It's okay Sasuke. Look." Kakashi said, still just as calmly as before. The mark on Naruto's shoulder began to form seals around itself slowly, and Naruto quieted, seemingly weakening, and after a few deep, stressed breaths, he fell forward, and Kakashi caught him, gently laying him down on the bed.

"There. Not too much trouble. Alright? It seems it went well. He'll wake up soon." Kakashi said with an encouraging smile. Sasuke looked skeptical, and wouldn't take his eyes off of Naruto.

"Bring him here." Sasuke demanded after a few more seconds.

"Sasuke.. you guys' friends are going to come in here for visiting hours in a few more minutes." Kakashi reminded.

"I don't care." Sasuke dismissed boldly. Kakashi sighed.

"Sasuke. Are you sure?" he asked as he went back and stood next to Naruto's bed. Sasuke nodded.

"Yeah. I'm sure. I want him over here by me." Sasuke demanded again. Kakashi then bent and lifted Naruto from the bed, carried him across the room, and laid him next to Sasuke.

"Alright.. there you go. Just be ready to defend yourself. And don't talk anymore. You'll damage your vocal cards. " Kakashi warned. Sasuke stroked Naruto's hair and stared at him peacefully sleeping.

"Fine.." he murmured. Kakashi nodded and sat in the window, taking a deep breath of night air. Sasuke watched Naruto stir in his unconscious sleep, and smiled slightly as Naruto moved against him, whispering his name lightly.

"I.. I love him way too much.." Sasuke said quietly. Kakashi looked up, raising his eyebrows.

"Meaning…?" he questioned Sasuke. Sasuke sighed, cradling Naruto against him, still smiling a little as Naruto began to lightly snore.

"Meaning.. I'll never do the things I have to do if…if he makes me smile because he snores…" Sasuke explained effectively. Kakashi smiled at that.

"And that's why you shouldn't love him so much as you do?" Kakashi asked him. Sasuke hesitated to answer. Kakashi went on talking. "If he can make you stay here and give up on revenge, then I hope it will tear you apart to even think about leaving." Kakashi said. Sasuke stared at him, still trying to think about it.

"But.. but I.. It's not just for me.. Itachi'll get away with killing my entire family…He made me alone in this world.. and once I reach a certain level he'll come find me.. to kill me. Or worse—" Sasuke paused and looked back down at Naruto. Kakashi shook his head and sighed.

"Maybe I don't know everything I need to know but…you seem to have this mindset that if you don't get to him first, he'll kill everything else of value to you. Aren't you forgetting that if he comes here he'll have me to deal with as well? And you. And of course, he's not going to just "kill" Naruto. Have you even known Naruto to go down easily at anything?" Kakashi reasoned. Sasuke looked like he was having a mild realization, but still doubting. He closed his eyes and laid his head back against the pillow as Naruto clung to him around the waist and went on sleeping.

"I'm not convinced, Kakashi." That was all he said further. Kakashi sighed and looked back out the window.

"Ino and Kiba are here." He said as he watched them come into the hospital 4 floors below him. Sasuke didn't budge.

"Good.. they both know already.. I don't have to explain.. I'm too tired to explain.." Sasuke murmured, his voice rasping again.

"You won't be able to speak by tomorrow. I told you to be quiet." Kakashi said with a soft smile. Sasuke only smirked slightly and said nothing. Soon, Ino and Kiba arrived, and came on in.

"Sasuke-kun, oh no.. how are you—" she paused and gasped.

"Naruto?" she exclaimed.

"It's a long story.. and me.. I'm actually hurting right now.." Sasuke whispered.

"You don't look like you are.." Kiba murmured.

"Yeah I'm good at that…" Sasuke answered as he ran his fingers through Naruto's hair. Kiba apparently was still in shock over Naruto and Sasuke, because he couldn't stop staring at Naruto's position on top of Sasuke.

"So uh.. how—how are things going with.. you two.. and uh.. you know.. that stuff…" Kiba asked with a small smile. Sasuke then was nice enough to at least smirk back.

"It's good...a little too good." He answered.

No cliffy this time. :) Stay tuned tho! Neji's causing doubts in the mind of our favorite blonde...

-Kitsune