"Just take the damn thing!"

"I don't want it, Naruto."

He growled. "I didn't ask if you wanted it; I told you to take it."

Sasuke glared back. "I'm fine. I don't need it."

There was a huff, and they turned deliberately from each other, stubbornly ignoring the cold wind that swept through their clothing. They were stuck in the middle of hell, a freezing miserable nowhere, and they couldn't go anywhere because it was a mission and they had to finish the mission.

Currently, the two of them were sitting in the snow, pretending they weren't together, while Sakura and Kakashi were off doing something useful, and they had the fun job of standing guard of their camp and waiting for them to come back. "Why did he take Sakura-chan, anyway?" Naruto suddenly exclaimed, bouncing restlessly around their tiny fire.

Sasuke snorted in agreement. He drew his cloak closer around him, and glared at a nearby tree. He was angry that they got left behind when they were obviously the more efficient ninja. But, he wasn't Naruto, and therefore didn't complain. Another shiver rattled him, and he longed for the heat of Konoha. He hated the cold.

Somewhere behind him, Naruto let out an exasperated groan, and a moment later, Sasuke went blind as something was dropped heavily on his head. "Will you stop being so damn proud?" He could hear Naruto's muffled voice yelling through the thick warmth of the orange jacket over his ears.

At this statement, he bristled and peeled the article off his person, holding it out for his companion, not looking at him. "I'm not taking it. Keep yourself warm."

Naruto snatched it back, glaring. "I don't need it. I don't get cold." This was true. The Kyuubi kept him virtually insusceptible to winter weather. He barely even felt the wind that swirled past him, snagging in his exposed t-shirt and whipping his blonde hair across his eyes.

Sasuke turned away, folding his arms inside his cloak, and ignored him, waiting as patiently as possible for his teacher and other teammate, attempting to swallow his irritation. If Naruto didn't get cold, he didn't either. He wasn't going to lose to him.

But, the coat draped over his shoulders, and his friend's hands held it there, preventing him from shrugging it off. "Just wear it." Naruto growled.

Sasuke's eyes rolled, but he shoved his arms into the sleeves, noting first that the jacket hung big on him, and second that the inside was lined with fleece, still warm from Naruto's body heat. To save his pride, he murmured, "How can you stand to wear something this ugly?"

Naruto grinned, plopping down beside him. "It suits you, teme. It takes away from the 'Oh, I can't stop sulking' demeanor. Besides, it – hey, your lips are blue."

Sasuke moved closer to the fire, sitting as near as possible without burning himself. It was below zero, but he didn't think he'd actually freeze to death. "They better get back soon." He mumbled to keep from panicking, and huddled into a ball, enjoying the heat on his face. He really hated cold.

Naruto sat behind him, and, to his surprise, wrapped his arms around him, pulling him back to sit between his legs.

Sasuke's breath caught, and he squirmed. "What are you doing?"

"Body heat" he said softly, as if it was the simplest thing in the world, and wrapped his cloak around them both. "We'll be warmer this way."

Sasuke swallowed, chastising himself silently. Of course that was what he was doing. "I didn't expect you to know any survival skills." His voice sounded even and calm. He hoped it would stay that way.

"Shut up, teme. I'm keeping you from dying."

He did as he was told, surprising himself by leaning back against him, enjoying the way Naruto's hands were splayed across his stomach, and he relaxed, snuggling into the jacket, his eyes closing. It was warm this way, he told himself in justification. Naruto was warm.

"You're not falling asleep, are you?" The voice was quiet, like he was afraid to wake him if he was. "If you fall asleep, you might not wake up. "His breath was gentle and hot on his cheek.

The strangest impulse raced into Sasuke's mind, and he figured it to be some sort of freezing delirium, but he gave into it, tilting his head back toward Naruto's, brushing their mouths together. Even his lips are warm murmured through his head, and his eyes closed again when Naruto drew him closer, pulling his back flush against him, his mouth eagerly responding to Sasuke's, his fingers gently tangled in his hair, resting against his jaw, like this had been the idea all along. "You'll have to keep me awake, Naruto." He smirked into the kiss, and Naruto accepted the challenge.