Chapter 6

Sasuke crouched down next to the pond he first met Kokoshin, trying to catch his breath. He'd ran three miles as fast as he could from the school to get there, with in twenty minutes. That left him about twenty minutes to talk to Kokoshin and then about twenty minutes to get back to Naruto's house.

"K-o-Kokoshin," Sasuke called, panting. He swallowed and sat back taking in a deep breath. Taking in another breath Sasuke tipped his head back and called, "Kokoshin!" Loudly, hoping she'd hear his call and come.

There was a small ripple in the water's surface, catching Sasuke's attention. Sasuke leaned forwards, his hands on the rim of the pond. A second later Sasuke found himself staring straight in to vibrant Aqua colored eyes. Kokoshin's thin fingers covered her lips lightly as she looked over Sasuke's form.

"Sasuke! What's something wrong?!" She exclaimed, seeing him panting, looking unusually disheveled. Sasuke stared at her for a moment trying to figure out what she was asking before he realized she was asking him 'what's wrong?'. Sasuke shook his head.

"No, nothing. I'm just in a hurry...," Sasuke said. Kokoro gave a small nodd and lifted her body out of the water. "Kokoshin...Would it be okay if I were to bring a friend of mine here?" Sasuke asked her. He watched as her face, full of confusion, switched over to a confused, horrified look.

"Why?!" Kokoshin exclaimed. Sasuke reached over and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"He's my best friend...He's a really good guy. You'll like him," Sasuke said. Kokoshin still didn't seem convinced by that. Her face clearly said 'how can you think that?'. Sasuke let out a groan. "He's really lonely, and I can't be with both of you at once. I swear, Naruto will keep your secret," Sasuke said, actually sounding sincere.

Sasuke waited in silence for her answer. "When?" Her answer finally came.

"At the end of the hour, I'll bring him down," Sasuke said. Kokoshin gave a small nodd. She looked up at Sasuke, worry etched on her face. Sasuke was tempted to look away so he wouldn't have to see the look but he closed his eyes and let out a breath.

"Don't worry...," Sasuke said. "I promise I'd never put you in any danger." Sasuke opened his eyes to see Kokoshin looking down at the grass. Sasuke reached over and tipped her head up to look at him. His dark black eyes stared in to her aqua ones. Kokoshin let out a small breath threw parted lips.

"I trust Sasuke kun," Kokoshin replied. Sasuke smiled, a small, unnoticeable smile, but a smile none the less. He'd half expected her to get angry at him for wanting to bring Naruto to the pond to see her. Thankful he hadn't been unwelcome at his place of soldarity, where he could finally find peace once and a while, Sasuke leaned forwards.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "I'm going to go get him now. I'll be back in a little while." Sasuke noticed the change in Kokoshin's face when he announced his temporary departure. "Uh, it's just a little while," He said. "I'll be back in no time at all." Kokoshin's eyes turned up to him; he knew the question she hadn't asked. Giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze Sasuke said, "Promise."

Kokoshin's face slipped in to a smile. Her eye's even seemed to smile along now. "Okay!"

Sasuke found himself running at top speed again as he tried to get to Naruto's house in time. He could rest for a little while, or probably just walk part of the way back, after he got there. People on the street's gave him a weird stare. Who wouldn't though? Konoha's Uchiha Sasuke, running threw the streets like a pack of fangirls were on his heals when really, all that may have been following him was a pack of ant's.

'Twenty-third street...' Sasuke thought. 'Damn it...I'm so close. Two more.' He ran past Twenty-fourth street and past Twenty fifth street, making a turn down Twenty-sixth street. Sasuke let out a breath. He was almost there.

And surely, that blonde head up ahead was his spikey touble making friend. "Naruto!" Sasuke called, two houses down from Naruto's house. Said blonde turned around to face Sasuke at the call of his voice.

"Hey, Sasuke- Woah...," He mumbled seeing Sasuke's state. "What happened to you?" He asked. He got up off the small porch.

Sasuke shook his head and plopped down on the porch. As great a shape as he was in, ten miles non stop did not sit well with him. His stomach churned and he leaned over resting his head in between his knees trying to breathe evenly. Naruto knelt next to him, placing a hand on his back. "You okay, man?" Naruto asked his best-friend. Sasuke nodded, swallowing, taking in a steady breath.

"I'm fine," Sasuke whispered. "I just fucking ran a marathon...," He muttered sarcastically. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"How come?" He asked. It's not like he would have cared if Sasuke didn't show up in exactily an hour.

"There's something...No, someone I want you to meet," Sasuke said. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Who is it?" Naruto asked. Sasuke stood up and grabbed Naruto's arm, draging him off the porch and going back in the direction he came from. "Sasuke?"

"You'll see..But you have to swear, you won't tell anyone about this," Sasuke said, looking at his best-friend. He already knew he could trust Naruto. If not, then there was no one he could trust. Naruto gave a confused nod of his head. His expression was serious, letting Sasuke know he had his fullest trust. Sasuke relaxed slightly, letting himself know that there was nothing to worry about. He couldn't change his mind now.

---

Naruto raised an eyebrow as Sasuke bent over a small but deep pond. "Sasuke...," He started. "What are you doing?" He asked. Sasuke dipped his hand in the water, lowering it until his elbow was under water.

"Don't say anything, Naruto," Sasuke warned him. "Just wait." Saske looked down at the water feeling something brush his hand. He lowered his arm a little more and curled his fingers before opening them again. When his hand opened he felt something, like slippery fingers slide in to his hand, clasping around his hand.

Naruto tilted his head to the side. What was Sasuke doing? Slowly Sasuke pulled his arm out of the water, like he had something stuck to it. Which, Naruto learned was true when he saw two hands clenching his wrist. Sasuke backed up and out with his arm came a-

Sasuke turned to Naruto. Kokoshin had already taken notice of Naruto, and held her arms on Sasuke's shoulders while they sat on the ground, her tail fin sliding off into the water. "Well..." Sasuke wasn't sure how Naruto was doing. His mouth was dropped, agape. His eyes large and wide. "Naruto?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto raised his hand and pointed at Kokoshin, who was glued to Sasuke, soaking his shirt and pants. "Mer-mer-mer-..."

"Mermaid?" Sasuke offered. Naruto nodded. "Yeah, she's a mermaid."

"How did you-? A-...," Naruto swallowed and took in a deep breath. He moved over towards Sasuke and Kokoshin. Kokoshin sunk back against Sasuke slightly, causing Sasuke to put a comforting arm around her.

"S'alright," Sasuke told her. Kokoshin looked up at Sasuke then turned to Naruto, still not moving from her position.

"Can she talk?" Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded. "English?"

"Pretty much. She know's enough to communicate anyway," Sasuke told him.

"Wow...," Naruto muttered. "You're not pulling my leg? I'm not dreaming?" Sasuke shook his head.

"No, man. You're not dreaming. Say, 'hello', to Junshin Kokoshin."

Naruto took a couple more seconds to gape at her before closing his mouth and nodding slowly. "Hi...Kokoshin...," Naruto greeted her. He gave a small wave of his hand. "It's nice to meet you." He smiled at her, trying to break the nervous expression on her face. Unfortunately, after a moment it only seemed to falter, not disappear off her damp face.

"H-Hi." Kokoshin ducked into Sasuke's side, looking at Naruto with only one eye visible. Sasuke rubbed her should giving Naruto a small mile.

"She's...A little shy." Naruto gave a little nod.

"Yeah, I noticed," Naruto said sheepishly. "So, this she's why I haven't seen you around so much lately?" Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded his head.

"Yeah, I stumbled upon this place when I was running from the fangirls." Sasuke turned to look down at Kokoshin. "It was a couple days ago." Kokoshin looked up listening to the story, though she didn't understand what the two boys were discussing very well. "Kakashi and Itachi let the fangirls into the house so...You know how afraid of the woods they are. Came here and I found Kokoshin," Sasuke explained. Naruto gave a small chuckle. He grinned at Kokoshin.

"So, you like Sasuke?" Naruto asked her. Maybe, he thought, just maybe he could get her to talk by talking about Sasuke. His thoughts seemed more right as Kokoshin lifted her head slightly from Sasuke's side. She nodded her head.

"Yes, I like Sasuke," Kokoshin said, her voice quiet. "You are...Are friend? Yes?"

Naruto gave her a thumbs up. "His very best!" He exclaimed. Kokoshin gave a confused expression.

"What is his very best?" Kokoshin asked.

Sasuke looked over at Naruto, cutting in to the conversation with a; "She doesn't know alot of our expressions yet." Naruto nodded his head giving a small, "Oh."

"I mean, I'm his best friend. Like, we're really close. I can count on him to be there when I need him to, and I don't have to worry about him telling anyone anything. And, he doesn't have to worry about me doing that either."

Kokoshin listened to Naruto carefully. Sasuke watched as she seemed to take that all in and actually understand it. Her eyes wavered from Naruto and drifted over to Sasuke. She stared up at him for a moment before smiling, then smiling at Naruto. Sasuke let out a breath.

She'd accepted Naruto as a friend. She didn't have to say it, he knew. Naruto was allowed here. Sasuke gave a small smile back feeling he'd no longer have to hide this on his own. He could finally talk to someone about what happened between him and Naruto- or him and Kokoshin.

Sasuke walked back to town with Naruto. The sun had set almost thirty minutes before they'd left Kokoshin's pond. They'd noticed her getting tired and let her slip off, realizing they had to get home as well before they got in trouble. The last thing Sasuke needed was Itachi stalking him to find out where he disappeared to.

"So," Naruto started, catching Sasuke's attention. "It's okay if I start to hang out with you and Kokoshin?"

Sasuke nodded. "Of course, Kokoshin accepted you, and I brought you around so you could be a part of it." Sasuke pocketed his hands. They were just getting into the town now, finally out of the woods.

Naruto just smiled, not saying anything else. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Naruto after Naruto's jittery good mood didn't disappear after five minutes. "Okay, what's up with you?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto jumped, "Huh? What?" He asked.

"You're all...Jittery, in a good way," Sasuke added.

"Oh," Naruto said. "Yeah...It's just..you know, you're my best friend- Well, actually...," Naruto trailed off turning his gaze towards the ground. "But, now I've actually got another one." Naruto's face brightened up as he looked up at Sasuke. "And the best part is, she's close to you too! So it's like we'r-" Naruto cut himself off. "I'm making a loser out of myself, getting all worked up about this, aren't I?" Naruto asked, looking down. A pink tint rested on his cheeks in embarrassment.

Sasuke looked at him for a moment before lifting his hand and placing it on Naruto's shoulder. "Oi, you're not," Sasuke said. "I know what you're trying to say, and I completely agree," He said. Naruto looked up at him and smiled.

"Even better...Now...You know what would make this perfect?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "No, don't even-"

"Sa-ku-ra-ch-aaan!" Naruto sang, his face turning red.

"Oh god no- Naruto!" Sasuke exclaimed. "She's a crazy, mental, witch. No way."

Naruto pouted, "Come on!"

"No...I won't do it." Sasuke crossed his arms, proving that to be his final answer.

"Just one word- One good word about me from you?" Naruto begged.

"I'm not talking to her. You do it if you want her so bad," Sasuke said.

"Gah, but she hits me when I say, 'Hi', to her!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Never, now get over it dope...," Sasuke said.

"Aw...Sasuke!" Naruto groaned. He blinked noticing Sasuke started running while he was whining. He jumped and started running after him, "Hey- HEY GET BACK HERE! TEME!"

Sasuke smiled, running far ahead where no one would notice the small smile on his face. He was content. More content then he'd be in most of his life. Two good friends, all with one place.

Their sanctuary. Who could ask for more?

The end

There's originaly a sequil I was working on, but I'm not sure if I'm ever going to post it or finish it. I think this is pretty good, just as a short story; Which is what I intended for it to be.

-NaniNeko