Umm...it's late at night, and I need sleep. So sorry if there's typos. I will try and fix later!!!

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Naruto smiled mischeviously as he fought the river's current, swimming upstream for a few minutes. Sure, he may of been naive last time he played this game, but he was determined to win this time!

After all, you lose your scent in the river, he thought as he climbed on the opposite side of the riverbank. Taking off into a sprint, he thought of other ways to outwit the hound's sharp nose.

After leaping across trees, making multiple dead ends by backtracking, and rolling around in some flowers in an attempt to mask his scent even more, he searched out a hollow tree, climbing in and giggling quietly behind his hand, eager to see if his hours of mind training with his crow of a sensei payed off.

Speaking of the raven, Sasuke had finally finished counting down from five hundred and was now hopping along tree to tree, taking in the scent of his younger friend.

Honestly, when he had first seen the blond yesterday sleeping against the tree, looking peaceful and happy with the world, the Uchiha wanted nothing more than to run over and crush the boy to death, crying his eyes out. But, he was disciplined now, and would find it shameful to amount to such emotion. Or, that's what Oorichimaru says.

That year long vacation turned his life around. Not only did he train and hone his senses along with his body, he also learned about growing up and abandoning his naive ways, now a respectable, and deadly accurate hunting dog.

Back to his purpose, the pale boy found himself standing at a riverbank, the scent of Naruto only lingering very slightly in the wind, so much it was untracable. Honestly stumped from the now clever fox, Sasuke frowned and glanced up and down the riverbank, trying to unravel this trial. Remember your training, Sasuke...remember...He'd expect me to guess that he swam downstream with the current, so my best guess is that he swam upstream.

Nodding, he dove into the water, swimming without hardship or hesitation across the lazy, nonthreatening river. Shaking himself dry, he followed a path along the river, slowly picking up Naruto's scent.

Got you again.

Following the scent, he quickened his pace through the clusters of trees, smirking as it weaved in and out. Doing jumbled movements like that wouldn't get the blond anywhere.

But then the scent stopped, as if the boy vanished from midair.

And Sasuke was not fooled. He had hunted plenty of raccoons to know about backtracking. Slowly trailing back, he made sure his nose found the right path before picking up normal pace.

And the scent led him to a grove of trees, where it suddenly thinned out. But there was no doubt Naruto was here somewhere. Glancing around carefully, his eyes spotted the only rotted out tree in that area. So quietly climbing without the slightest noise, the hound waited for a second, before pulling himself up and peeking his head into the hole at the top. "Found-"

Only awaiting an empty log.

Sasuke was rightly confused. Surely there wasn't another enterance was there? Perhaps he-

His train of thought was cut off when something hugged him from behind. "AH, this time I caught YOU!!" A voice yelled.

Sasuke merely smiled, chuckling and shaking his head. "Stupid, you aren't supposed to reveal yourself until I give up or find you."

He turned around and watched amusedly as Naruto merely shrugged. "Well, I got bored waiting."

"Ah." Sitting himself down on the branch, he gazed curiously off into the woods. "So..."

Naruto followed suit, enjoying the crisp wind on his face as he listened to what Sasuke was trying to get out. "So...what?"

"Well..." Slight hesitation. "How have things been? Since I...left, I mean."

"Oh...well," Naruto tilted his head, pondering this for a minute. "I spent most of my tree time training with Kakashi-sensei..."

"The old crow you told me about? I'd like to meet him, at least once."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind..." Naruto frowned. "But anyway, I learned a lot from him, he's very wise."

"I would say so. You are getting better at this game." Sasuke smiled earnestly.

"Thanks..." Eyes glanced up at the sky. "Hey...actually, I'm supposed to go meet Kakashi right now. Wanna come?"

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"Kakashi-sensei!"

The silver haired man eyed the two boys in front of him. "Naruto, you're late.."

"But sensei," he had complained, "I thought you said late was my 'on time'?"

"I meant later then that." His visible eye turned upwards in a smile. "And who is this young man?"

Naruto chided himself for forgetting. "Ah, Kakashi-sensei, this is Sasuke, my best friend...and Sasuke, this is Kakashi, my mentor."

The raven haired man bowed in respect. "I am humbled to meet you, sir. Naruto has told me great things about you."

The crow's hidden smile could only get bigger. "And Naruto has told me great things about you, as well."

Naruto blushed slightly, wanting to change the subject. "So, sensei...what am I doing today?"

Kakashi tilted his head back. "Well...I say, go meditating."

"Again..? That's three times in a row."

"Ah, but you don't get skill without experience. Now hop to it, you could always use more brainpower anyway."

Naruto grumbled as he walked towards the waterfall, while Sasuke sniggered silently at the comment, following the fox.

At the waterfall, the two boys stripped themselves down and rested in the warm waters, relaxing. Sasuke never really had breaks, so he was cherishing this moment as much as he could.

"So, Naruto..." the hound started to tease, "What did you tell Kakashi about me?"

The other grumbled, blushing slightly and closing his eyes. "I just told him that you were my best friend, is all. He made it seem overdramatic."

"Ah, I see..." The raven sat silently for a moment. "Naruto...?"

"Hm?"

"Well...er, have you ever been in...love?"

The blonde's brow furrowed at the sudden change in topic. "Love? Well...mom says you share it with a special person, but I've never met anyone like that...except for you," Naruto added as an afterthought, smiling brightly.

"I see...does that mean you...love me?"

"...I suppose so...why?" Naruto cracked one eye open, suddenly seeing the fact that Sasuke had scooted closer to him.

"Because...well, er..." Sasuke was so nervous, he never had to deal with this kind of emotion before. "I love you too."

Naruto smiled. "Well...thanks Sasuke."

"No..I mean, I don't think you understand..." This is too hard to get out...oh blast, let me just show him.

Before Naruto could question his friend's motives, he suddenly found to soft lips pressing against his own.

----TBC----

Mmm, the truth comes out! Sorta...R/R! Lemon next chapter! Probably...