AN: Don't own Naruto. Here is another chapter! I hope y'all enjoy it, and as always, please let me know if there are any errors of any kind, so will I fix them asap ;) ENJOY.

The same evening they were told that Yakushi Kabuto had been captured near Lincoln, and that three women and one man had been rescued. Naruto anxiously wondered what kind of welcoming they would receive from their homes, and if they would get the same kind of support that he got from Mr & Mrs Gedding and Sasuke.

"And what about those who already are at those horrible places?" He asked, feeling upset when they all sat down to eat dinner. "What will happen to them?"

"I will bring everything we find, and point out some of the best evidence for the judges," Mr. Gedding assured. "They will control every address that is written down in Orochimaru's books and make sure that every young man and woman they find will be free to go. And if they've been kidnapped and… forced, the judges will take appropriate action and measures."

"Yes, but what will happen to the men and women?" Naruto insisted. "What will happen to them after that?" A troubled silence fell over the table. "When I return to London, I will do something about it."

"Oh, my dear," Mrs. Gedding said in a gentle voice. "There isn't much an unmarried young debutant from a good family can do."

Naruto knew that it probably was true. "God dammit, I wish I was a rich widow!" Naruto almost screamed out earnestly over the table. Sasuke snorted before he could stop himself, and then flat out laughed as he met Naruto's defiant look. "I mean it! I really do, you bastard! Not that I want to see anyone dead of course, but it seems that the only people who can have any sort of freedom of action and be eccentric is rich widows!"

"But you do know that you are a man, right? Isn't that widower, not widow? You aren't being an idiot now?" Sasuke smirked.

"You can be an idiot, you…! Of course I know that, but I said that I wished, not was!" Naruto felt how his cheeks started to redden at his own stupid outburst. This really wasn't proper behavior, but he couldn't help himself. Only Sasuke could rile him up and make him feel so much stronger about the stupidest things. He could see that Sasuke only shook his head, amusement written all over his face.

Mr. Gedding looked to be somewhat shocked over Naruto's outburst, and even if Mrs. Gedding gave him an amused and understanding look, Naruto looked down on his plate and knew that it was time to go to bed as soon as possible after he finished eating the dinner.

~TimeSkip~

When he woke up the next day he had a feeling that he'd been sick, that he'd had a fever and now just recovered. The siblings Orochimaru and Anko along with his frightening experience had now become less like a nightmare, even if his decision about doing something for the men and women that were forced into brothels were just as strong as before. Maybe Tenten would help him even, after she'd recovered from giving birth.

But with his feeling of recovery, he also felt anxious over how his parents would react, and the intrusive realization fell over him that he not only found himself in the same house as Sasuke, but he'd also had shockingly candid conversations with him. As he tried to brush down his wild blonde locks of hair with his fingers, Naruto thought that it had to be a miracle that Sasuke hadn't figured out who the man he loved was, the man whose presence he tried to run away from. Whom he had called both a bastard and idiot last night. Oh...

He was so deep in his own thoughts that he walked right into Sasuke's side outside the dining room. Naruto knew that he blushed violently, but couldn't come up with anything else to say than stutter out a timid good morning as he backed away from the larger man.

Sasuke smirked and opened the door and showed them both in to the table. The room was empty, they were alone. "Good morning, Naruto. Why so shy? Not going to call me a bastard today, hn?"

Naruto felt his blush deepen even more, if possible. He managed to squeak out his voice in a meager "No."

"Hn, have it your way then," Sasuke said, his smirk still present in his handsome face. "Would you like to have some coffee? Or maybe some tea?"

Naruto sat down with a thud onto the chair and shook out the napkin to avoid meeting his gaze. "Yes, tea please."

Sasuke laid down the cup in front of him and seated himself on the opposite side, facing Naruto. "Could you pass the bread?" Naruto handed the basket with freshly baked bread over the table. "Thanks. I think that you're back to your usual self today."

"Huh?" Naruto looked up in surprise and noticed that Sasuke observed him with both amusement and sympathy written in over his face. "Yes, I'm feeling better today, but how did you know that?" His heart was beating irregular inside his chest. Did he really understand him so well? He waited and bit his lip while Sasuke put some butter on his bread, frowning.

"How I knew? Well, we had some very frank conversations with each other yesterday, without you so much as even blinking. The fact was that you were unnaturally calm, which also convinced me that you were still in shock. But today you react like any well-raised young debutant would do at the realization that he is with the same man he discussed lovers, disreputable establishment, and the danger of being in a miserable marriage as recently as the previous day." He smirked when Naruto shook his head in confusion. "You're beautiful when you blush."

"W-what!?" Naruto spurted out, embarrassed. "You only say that to make me blush even more! You sly piece of… I mean… Colonel Uchiha…" Naruto blushed even more.

"That's the spirit," Sasuke said in an approving tone. "I wouldn't want to see you go completely back to… What was it your mother called you again? That's right,- The perfect debutant."

"I have never been that," Naruto said sadly. "Even if I really tried my hardest to be it. Colonel, was my mother very angry at me?"

Sasuke sighed. "I wish you could stop call me Colonel. Do you have a problem with saying my name? When it all comes around I'm practically a friend of the family, almost a childhood friend of yours."

"It doesn't feel appropriate."

Sasuke's facial expression was so unlike him, and almost comical, that Naruto burst out laughing. "Oh come on, Sasuke, don't give me that look! I know that after all that happened you must think that I am conservative and picky for not wanting to call you on first-name basis, but believe me, I'm just trying to behave like I should. Now tell me about my mother."

"Well, she wasn't angry at all when I saw her, but you got to keep in mind that she was very shocked and wanted make sure that someone retrieved you. I can't guarantee what mood she will be in when she finds out that you are safe. And of course she also wanted to hide the news for your excellent mystery suitor about your disappearance."

"Hmm," Naruto mumbled, feeling depressed. "I know exactly what you mean. When you're afraid for someone else's health you only feel worry and fear. And then, the same moment that they are safe you can get furious at how stupid they've been. I remember myself when Kyuubi climbed too high in the large oak in Green Park and couldn't get down again. When we finally got him down from there I could have slapped him, but just one minute earlier I was so upset and worried over thinking that he could fall and break his neck."

"Hn, yes it's very unlikely that you will get away without any lectures or punishments," Sasuke said slowly. "But I'm sure that your parent's soon will forgive you. And no one in society knows about this little adventure except for those shitty siblings, so you can proudly debut next year as well as if nothing had happened. But don't you think that it would be a good idea to not strive after being so perfect?" He asked up-front. "It must be tiresome for you to never be a little bit rebellious or make some uproar."

"Hmpf, young debutants aren't allowed to make any uproar, as you put it," Naruto answered and gestured at himself. "Just see what fuss it causes."

"I meant to do some mischief here and some fun there, not to run away and get bloody kidnapped," Sasuke countered. "Sakura is always up to something, and that doesn't hurt her reputation."

"Well, let's see, if I was just as gorgeous, had the same kind of connections and was equally rich as Lady Haruno, I would surely get away with a lot of things!" Naruto hissed, feeling a pang of jealousy over the fact that he mentioned lady Sakura. "We ordinary mortals must be more cautious."

"But not to the point where you become the mental picture of everything that is perfect and virtuous! The fact that your good reputation doesn't create any jealousy among the other debutants and that you have so many friends clearly shows your good nature."

"I'm sure that those who don't think very fondly of me will be amused when they see me during my third season, still unmarried," Naruto said bitterly. "It never occurred to me that my behavior could make the other debutants to seem less correct or perfect. I just tried to…" He interrupted himself. It was so easy talking to Sasuke that he risked saying too much and reveal himself to him more times than he could count by now.

"Tried to do what?" Sasuke wondered.

"Tried to make sure that I would be a perfect spouse for… him." `For you, only you.´ Naruto's inner voice echoed.

"Hn, the mysterious man. Are you sure that he wants perfection?" Sasuke seemed more irritated than curious.

"He deserves it!" Naruto exclaimed fiercely. "He needs a spouse with perfect social skills. It's very important with his line of work and position."
But now Sasuke had of course left his brilliant career. He no longer needed a spouse who understood the army, only a well raised, appropriate spouse, which he already had in lady Sakura, no matter what his father thought.

"Who the hell is he, this remarkable man who needs an impeccable spouse? A duke? A leading politician? A diplomat?"

"I will not tell you. It's hopeless anyway." Naruto took a sip of his cooling tea and refused to look at Sasuke.

"Then stop trying to be so perfect all the time. Relax and enjoy the next season for a change."

"For what? In order to not end up on the glass mountain for another few months? Then what?"

He noticed that they glared at each other across the table. It haunted the blonde that Sasuke seemed to care about what concerned him. It had been easier to endure his indifference, not this, when he gets angry and concerned for Naruto's sake.

Then his face lost its frown and was replaced by a small smile. "Come on, it's too good weather outside for us to sit inside and argue. Mr. Gedding won't need my help until afternoon. I assume that you know how to ride?"

"Yes, I love to ride. But what am I going to ride?"

"Didn't I tell you that a part of my plan was to breed horses?" Naruto shook his head. "I didn't? Well, that's what I'm going to do, and that means that I'm going to spend all of my time breathing down my father's neck. I think that it will be a successful business. I also talked to Mr. Gedding about it, and he says that Mr. Tanaka, their neighbor, has a fine mare that he wants to sell. He will bring it here now so that we can take a good look at it. I thought that you maybe wanted to take her out for a test-run so I can see how it moves."

"Oh, I would love to!" Naruto bounced up before he remembered his limited closet. "But I don't have any riding-clothes."

"Mrs. Gedding told me that her son's old equestrian apparels, the riding clothes, are still in his old closet." Sasuke paused and listened. "Can you hear? I think that it is the neighbor."

They watched through the window and saw a man on a black horse with a beautiful silver-gray mare in tow come through the gates.
Mrs. Gedding showed herself at the doorframe: "Good morning, dear. Have you eaten enough breakfast? I suspect that Mr. Uchiha have told you all about the neighbor's silver-gray horse? So if you would like to ride it, I already told the maid to put my son's old riding clothes on your bed."

"Thank you!" Naruto smiled gratefully and ran upstairs with his heart pounding hard in his chest, to change his clothes. The conversation with Sasuke over breakfast had made him upset and almost afraid. But he didn't have any opportunity to think in privacy, because the maid was waiting to make sure that the clothes fitted him. The maid discovered that some fabric and a button had come loose, and smacked her tongue in disapproval. Naruto just nodded absent-minded when she asked if it was all right for him to wait while she fetched the sewing-kit to make a quick-fix.

He sat down on the bed while the maid hastily sewed the fabric back together, and removed the jacket so she could stitch back the button, without even really being aware of what happened. Sasuke and his feelings for him seemed to fill up his mind. He noticed that he liked him so much that he almost fell into shock. Almost the same moment he met him, he'd known that he'd loved him, but now he knew that he'd fallen in love with the idea and thoughts of the man, not the man itself. If he'd never seen him again after the night at the duchess prom, maybe he would gradually stopped loving the image of him. But fate and his own stupidity had brought them together so close, that he didn't have a chance to escape the influence his personality had over him.

And not just his personality. Naruto had never felt so aware of a man before. Even the exiting experience of being held in Sasuke's arms while they danced the waltz had faded in comparison with being close to him every day. He was beginning to know even the smallest details: His impatient way of pushing strands of his dark bangs away from his face, the blue hues in his eyes that became like electric storms when he got angry, how his eyebrow arched when he seemed surprised over something, how sexy he was when he got that smile that showed a glimpse of his perfect white teeth, the scent of him and his after shave…

He had fallen in love with the ideal of a hero, but now he had fallen in love with the real man. And he'd fallen hard. And not just in love, he wanted him, he realized, so chocked that he blushed. He wanted to kiss him, to wake up together with him every morning, to be in his arms…

"I'm sorry, Mr. Naruto, that I have kept you waiting here in this warm room," the maid excused. "Your face is all red, Mr. Uzumaki."

Naruto threw a hunted look in the mirror and pushed his hat further down when he saw his blushed cheeks. "It will soon disappear, thank you." He grabbed the gloves that the maid handed him and ran downstairs to Sasuke, who waited down the hall and talked to Mrs. Gedding.

"Sorry you had to wait, but the button and some fabric had come loose and needed a few stitches…" He explained. `God, why do I sound like such a dork with these stupid excuses?´

The silver-grey mare were saddled and stood peacefully in the paddock next to the stables with a stableman who held the bridle. A short man talked to the stableman who were in charge, but stopped when he saw Mrs. Gedding and her guests. They introduced each other and Sasuke fluidly jumped over the fence to take a better look at the horse.

Naruto watched as Sasuke put his hands along the horse's legs, checked its teeth, lifted a hoof, which the animal allowed without blinking, and then told the stable boy to take off the saddle. He stroked his hands over its back repeatedly so its neck twitched in response, but overall didn't react. Sasuke swung himself up on the horse's back and took the reins. Sasuke was a too large man for the horse, but she walked obediently, stopped when he commanded and kept still even when Sasuke let the reins fall and clapped his hands loudly behind its ears. One of its ears pulled back, but that's was it.

He jumped down and leaded the horse back to Naruto, who was leaning against the fence. "She seams steady, if you want to try to ride her. The question is if she is to calm. I'm not looking for a horse that could do as an armchair, I want to have horses with some fire in them."

Naruto smiled when the mare pushed its soft mule in his hands in search for some affection and sweets. "Oh no, miss, you have to earn your apples! What's her name, Mr. Tanaka?"

"Moonstone, sir," Mr. Tanaka answered and looked a bit embarrassed. "My youngest daughter called her that when she was born. But I guess it sounds a little bit silly."

"Nah, I think it suits her. Hey you! Stop it, there's nothing in my pockets!" He collected the reins and looked around. "Is it ok for me to take a ride with her?"

"Of course, sir." Mr. Tanaka answered and held the reins for him as Naruto got himself up in the saddle. Naruto focused on getting back the reins without looking at Sasuke. He really wanted to impress him with his ride, and that made him really nervous.

Moonstone immediately answered when he urged her on and Naruto circled around in the paddock in a walk, then trot before he finally shortened the reins and urged the mare in a short gallop. She happily obeyed and Naruto soon forgot that he had an audience.
It was so boring riding in the paddock. At the other end of the paddock, the fence leaned against a larger meadow, and when Naruto galloped past it he couldn't see a ditch or if it was any other obstruction. So when they reached the farther end he turned the horse and urged her on over the field towards the fence.

The mare pointed her ears and elongated her steps for the upcoming jump. A call could be heard from behind them, which Naruto completely ignored, and then the horse flexed its muscles and jumped smoothly over the fence while Naruto balanced himself with ease over its back. They landed safely and Naruto loosened his grip over the reins.

The excitement over the gallop and the jump was wonderful. He turned around at the outskirts of the meadow and kept the same pace and jumped back over the fence. When he returned to the waiting audience he had blushed cheeks and a blinding wide smile.

"She is a lovely horse, Mr. Tanaka!" Naruto pushed away a few strands of his hair from his eyes and saw that even if Mrs. Gedding seemed delighted over the show he had put up, Sasuke looked like a thundercloud and his dark eyes were stormy. He marched in to the paddock and up by Naruto's side and he leaned down and whispered: "Oh, sorry! Did I sound too enthusiastic? Maybe I shouldn't have before you two have agreed on a price, but she really is a wonderful horse to ride, and very obedient."

"That's not it," Sasuke almost growled. "Are you completely uninterested in your own safety? There could have been a ditch on the other side, a large stone or anything, and to jump over one and a half meter before you even tried on a smaller height… are you really that much of an idiot?!"

"Now now, of course I looked around beforehand," Naruto told him in an effort to calm him down. It felt heavenly to realize that he was so worried over him. "And I think that I am a good enough rider to manage a jump like that. Don't you agree with me?" He grinned mischievously.

Sasuke looked up at him and his anger seemed to slowly fade. "You're okay I guess. I just imagined explaining to your mother how you managed to break your neck under my supervision."

Mr. Tanaka came out and held Moonstone by her head while Naruto let Sasuke help him down. His hands were firm around Naruto's waist, but at the same moment that his feet touched the ground Sasuke let go, and Naruto cursed himself that he was so bold that he wanted Sasuke to hold him for a while longer, to just embrace him and not let go.

Sasuke and Mr. Tanaka walked away with the horse. Naruto walked to Mrs. Gedding, who didn't seem to spare any compliments over his riding. "Wow, you put up quite a show there, my dear! I wasn't the least worried for you, but you should have heard the Colonels language when you leaped!" she chuckled. "But now when I think about it, it's probably for the best that you didn't. I don't think that he noticed that he cursed out loud until I laughed." She studied Naruto, who carefully smoothed out the fabric on his coat and trousers. "Would you like to keep the outfit? It suits you perfectly, and my son will probably never wear it again. I'm sure you have a significantly nicer one at home, but the Colonel might let you ride more while you are here."

"Thank you very much, that's very kind of you. I would be very grateful if your son doesn't mind it. Oh, look, it seems like they have reached an agreement."

Both men shook hands and Mr. Tanaka ducked under the fence to jump up on his horse. "Good day, Mrs. Gedding! Say hello to your husband from me, will you?"

"Good day, Mr. Tanaka! Yes, I will! You and your wife have to come and have dinner with us sometime soon."

Sasuke came up to them. "A good morning's work done. Would you like to take her out for a ride, Naruto? I can take the horse that Mr. Gedding borrowed me, so we can take a ride together and explore the surroundings."

"Well, only if you doesn't need me for anything else, ma'am?" Naruto tried to not sound all too enthusiastic, but he couldn't hold back his wide grin when Mrs. Gedding shook her head.

"No, but thank you for your offer. Off you go and get some fresh air, it will do you good."

Naruto had never seen Sasuke ride a horse, and could not resist observing him through half-lidded eyes as he rode out from the yard on the horse that Mr. Gedding had borrowed him. He rode very lightly, with a relaxed grip over the reins, but Naruto noticed that the horse knew exactly who was in charge and that Sasuke's muscular and agile body was very capable of taking action if there would be any trouble.
The calm roads were framed by large fields and they both got many opportunities to gallop and jump over ditches. Sasuke didn't shed any comments over Naruto's style of riding, but he was aware about being observed by him. A pheasant flew up from right under Moonstone's mule so she twitched and shrugged away a bit over the road, but Sasuke didn't make any effort of catching his reins, but just held in his horse and waited for Naruto so he could catch up after he calmed Moonstone down.

"What will you do when you get home?" Sasuke asked when they both slowed down their horses and were side by side in a comfortable pace.

"I doubt that I will have a say in the matter," Naruto answered sadly. "I will probably be sent to Bath like my mother says. I would really prefer if we all could go to Brighton as we planned on, but if my father's gout is persistent I don't know what's going to happen. It would in any way seem like a too big reward for me after my behavior."

"Can you go and visit Tenten?"

"Yes, under normal circumstances. But she will soon give birth, and Neji will be angry at me and probably wants to chop my head off if I worry Tenten and give her more to do and think about, and I suspect that I would have to watch my tongue every other word in Neji's presence. And besides, it will certainly spread a lot of gossips about why I'm not in Brighton with my family," he added a bit bitter.

"Fake an illness?" Sasuke said and Naruto couldn't tell if he was serious or not.

"Where will you go after this?" Naruto thought it seemed like a reasonable question that probably wouldn't make him suspect anything on why he wondered.

"If there isn't a message or letter from my father about me being forgiven and to hurry home, I guess I will keep on living this so called dissolute life in Brighton, I suspect." He held in the horse and picket up his watch from his pocket. "I thought so. We better get going, or else we will be late for lunch. I promised Mr. Gedding to help out back at those snake-like siblings house later this afternoon."

"Wow, there must be quite a lot of paperwork if he wants and need more help," Naruto pointed out.

"Yeah, we thought that we had found all the paper, but I thought that it would be for the best if I looked through the room again, and we found a hidden safe box behind the panels where there were another stack of papers and letters."

Naruto rode in silence for a while and held back the question that he balanced on the tip of his tongue. It soon won over him. "Will lady Sakura also be in Brighton? I can imagine that it will limit your opportunities to create a smaller scandal. Your father will hardly believe that you live a dissolute life if he hears that you spend time and escort her around in Brighton."

"Hn, that's true. And I have no desire to quarrel with my father again about Sakura and my intentions when it comes to her. No, her father doesn't like Brighton. He will probably take his whole family to his mother on the countryside."

"And what will lady Sakura say when she hears about your activities in Brighton?" Naruto remarked sourly.

"There's nothing to worry about. My dear Sakura will surely try to mercilessly tease me." He smirked. "That young woman understands me very well. Come on, let's gallop, or else we will be late."

`My Dear Sakura!?´

Naruto clicked his heels in Moonstones sides and eased on the reins. Sasuke were so relaxed when it came to Lady Sakura, so sure of her reactions. His voice seemed different when he spoke about her, it seemed warm, dedicated, caressing. What wouldn't Naruto do to make him talk about him like that, in that voice!
Naruto closed his eyes for a moment and fought off the tears that burned under his eyelids, and then followed right behind the man on the larger horse, his heart aching under the warm rays of the sun.

TBC…

Feel free to send in reviews concerning critiques and suggestions. I realized that this chapter is going in a little different direction than I had first intended, but it won't be as transparent as most in this position, nor as predictable… I hope ^^

Should anyone wish to make fan-art of any kind, I would be more than happy to see it!