A/N: I guess things are progressing... :S

7. Longing

Naruto watched him carefully. He saw the precise moment when Sasuke made the connection between the pictures and the quilt. He heard how Sasuke's breath froze for all of three seconds…and then Sasuke turned to him with a neutral expression on his face that was no different from how he normally looked. He stood calmly facing Naruto as if he did not now know a key part of his past.

And this is why I love you, Sasuke.

The boy wouldn't dream of making him uncomfortable by so much as a look. Not a single look, and most certainly no questions. No prying of any kind. To Naruto's knowledge, the only ones aware that there even was a Sixth Hokage were the Fifth and Moegi. Sasuke had just come into possession of classified information, yet stood as unperturbed as if nothing had occurred. He didn't even thank Naruto for allowing him into the room, or sharing the information. Classic Sasuke.

I will never stop loving you.

That, of course, he would not say. The time wasn't right.

He settled for handing Sasuke the broom, while he stripped the quilt from the bed and put it out on the veranda.

When the house was made immaculate, Naruto packed a large basket he'd unearthed from the back of a closet with the lunch he and Sasuke had made. Sasuke carried this out to the truck, while Naruto brought a blanket and grabbed his keys. They made it down the back of the mountain without incident.

A riotous profusion of red and gold leaves littered the forest floor liberally. They crunched their way over this leafy carpet in search of someplace to picnic. The weather, being cool, was perfect to both boy and man alike. The way the skeletal branches clawed at the cloudy sky were taken in with pleasure, as was the sight of squirrels scampering through the leaves. They breathed deeply of the fragrant air, their contentment with each other's company augmenting their delight in their surroundings.

During their lunch, Naruto studied Sasuke openly. He wondered what had made the boy come back. He knew Sasuke to be very aware of what displeased him, knew that Sasuke was not in the habit of putting his needs above Naruto's, so why had the boy come back after being told to go away? Naruto knew of Sasuke's feelings, but did not think the reason was anything so neatly explained as that. Looking more closely at the bowed face, Naruto discovered faint bruising around one cheek and a healing cut on the pale lower lip. He recalled the image of Sasuke's brother to his mind and wondered if he was responsible. What was Sasuke's relationship with his brother like? The brother had seemed gruff. He wouldn't presume to have the faintest understanding of human nature and the capacity for violence in any given individual…but he knew the capacity did exist in everyone, and that pushed far enough, the most rational person could harm their own relatives. Sasuke's statement of having no friends now took on a sinister meaning. Perhaps the brother orchestrated Sasuke's life in such a way as to specifically enable familial abuse. In this context, Sasuke might well prefer Naruto's anger to the violence of his home.

Whatever the reason for his presence, Naruto found himself now thinking intently of the many things he did not know about Sasuke. He did not want to pry. Would not pry. He would continue to show as much respect for Sasuke's privacy as the boy showed for him, but in the spirit of bridge-building, he thought there must be some way to extend his willingness to be more than a friend to Sasuke. He wanted Sasuke to know that he could seek refuge on the mountain at any time he wished. He was welcome.

-oOo-

Sasuke chewed his food excessively, just to have something to distract him from the gaze that traveled over every inch of his body so boldly. He felt it returning repeatedly to his face, and wondered if he was blushing. He glanced up at Naruto from time to time as well, but…it was different. Everything was different, from the moment he'd arrived. Before, Naruto's stares had been isolated occurrences during the day, that had culminated in that one long gaze the night he'd left. Now, there was nothing furtive about Naruto's look. Nothing hidden. It was unabashed, forthright, and above all, hungry. Possessive.

It was so deliciously frightening that he couldn't properly swallow. So he chewed and chewed.

Naruto himself was different, not just his stares. Sasuke, analytical creature that he was, sat in the cool air of the forest, and tried to make sense of everything thus far.

At best, he would have described Naruto's behavior around him prior to the separation as tolerant. He'd tolerated Sasuke. No greetings or farewells, no inquiries to his health or well-being. Just tolerance. Of course, knowing Naruto as he did now, he knew the tolerance had been as much as an engraved invitation from another person. After, when things had started to intensify between them, Naruto had begun being…amenable. No longer only tolerant, but agreeable as well to Sasuke's presence. How he'd fed Sasuke fish that one time, and gave him Raspberry Barbicans to drink, were testimony to this.

But now… Naruto had gone from being agreeable to actually making advances. Small, modest advances that, by their veiled and voiceless nature, were equal to an aggressive assault. At least, that was how Sasuke viewed them. He welcomed this change in their relationship excitedly; neither of them, by unspoken agreement, had ever made advances of any kind toward the other.

Chewing excessively also helped hide is excitement. It was a struggle to do so, but he persevered.

The first sign that the sameness of their interactions had been done away with was lunch. Naruto had always served him instant ramen, the same as he himself had eaten. The preparation of an elaborate meal of chicken, rice, and various side dishes seemed like a celebration.

Then to be asked, albeit silently, to assist in the preparation…well. If Sasuke weren't fluent in Naruto's wordless language, he wouldn't have understood that he'd been given the knife and vegetables, not because help was needed, but because it was Naruto's way of saying he trusted Sasuke. That he accepted him, and that it was all right that he'd come back to the mountain after being sent away; he wouldn't be sent away again.

It was hard to describe the importance of all the subsequent housecleaning, and garden work. Part re-acquainting themselves with each other, part feeling out the new dimensions of their relationship. Part apology from Naruto for sending him away, part acceptance of the apology on Sasuke's part. Mostly, it had been a quiet setting aside of the old rules, and a discovery of new ones, if new ones existed. He wasn't sure. He sort of thought, given the revelation of Naruto's identity afterward, that maybe none were in place now. Maybe questions would now be welcomed, maybe not. He thought it better to err on the side of caution, regardless. He kept his silence.

But Naruto's blatant stare was making him sweat.

He hadn't touched himself whenever he'd read the book. At first, he'd been too occupied with wonder to feel arousal. Then he had been busy clinically analyzing the mechanics of sex and cleanliness. He remembered shaving, and experiencing the novel sensation of cool air and space around his privates. The way his underwear rubbed against his newly denuded pubic area had been the start of it…the start of feeling something other than doubt when reading the book. He recalled walking around Konoha, shaved, and marveling at the delectable feeling of a sweat-free crotch. There had been breezes. It was more than pleasant. He also remembered the first time he'd set about cleaning his rectum. That hadn't been pleasant in the slightest. In fact, he'd thought he would have a coronary at just what he was doing, but he'd persisted until his ass was squeaky clean inside and out. Then he'd shaved his anus. He made sure he cleaned himself well each morning and night, accustoming himself to the practice.

All this handling of his nether regions had helped awaken his sexuality, but really it was the thought of Naruto doing the things he read about in the book that had done it. And whenever he thought about Naruto looking at his penis or his ass he felt giddy and weak.

Naruto's stare put all these thoughts in his mind. Reminded him that he wanted to be with the guy in every way humanly possible. But it also made him aware, for the first time, that Naruto actively wanted him too. Physically. Even though he'd been preparing himself all this time for sex, he'd had in the back of his mind that Naruto would never consent to touch him. Sasuke would have to ask for it. The way Naruto was looking at him though, it was obvious he wouldn't have to ask for anything. It would happen, and probably be like getting attacked by a mountain lion. He'd been aware of the silent ticking toward something. Now he knew what the something was. Things were made clear. He hadn't been sent away because of Naruto's feelings, but because of what Naruto would do with his feelings.

Oh God.

He was now able to connect Naruto's profession of having inappropriate feelings for him to his own razor sharp longing to be held by the man. This gave him the courage to finally swallow the mush in his mouth and meet the gaze at last.

-oOo-

Naruto acknowledged his bravery with a smile. The first smile Naruto had ever directed at him. Seeing it, Sasuke felt woozy again, but kept himself composed. He offered a smile back. A feeling of elation swelled in his chest as he grinned slowly and crookedly.

Naruto reasoned that the bridge had been built. All that remained now was to cross it from his end, and hope that Sasuke met him somewhere in the middle.

In time. For now, he handed Sasuke another Barbican.

Some days went by. Less than a week. More than a week. Neither knew. Everything fell away except themselves and the painfully short time they were able to share each other's company during the days. Sasuke had left early that first day back, at two in the afternoon. Naruto had not asked why, but his eyes had said everything, searching Sasuke's saddened expression for answers. Sasuke had only whispered goodbye, and taken off. For the first time, Naruto had allowed himself to consciously sense his leave-taking and was not surprised to feel a burst of speed one could only have after years of training. That Sasuke did not need his chakra to employ the speed only seemed to underline this theory.

The next day had been Tuesday. His eyes had dropped automatically to Sasuke's hands when he again opened the door at 7:30 in the morning. No shopping bag of take-out ramen. His brow knit faintly at this, but he let Sasuke in without comment. Sasuke had been granted an extraordinary amount of license around the house the previous day, but he pleased Naruto to no end by correctly assuming that the same freedom did not apply to today. Sasuke stood just inside the door and waited for direction from Naruto.

In a step along that bridge, Naruto had spoken. "Do you like elderberries?"

The response had sent his blood singing for the simple fact that it was Sasuke's voice, something he heard so seldom. "Yes."

Such a simple thing like conversation, however brief, was so new and strange between them that Naruto felt oddly excited, almost…hyper. He realized he hadn't felt that way since before…well, not in a long time.

Naruto had packed a quick lunch, while Sasuke, at his behest, had loaded the back of the Windracer with small wooden barrels. They'd then left the truck at the base of the mountain, where Naruto proceeded to lead them both on foot to a wild orchard deep in the forest. Not only were there a multitude of elderberry bushes, but also apple and pear trees. The entire morning had been spent filling the barrels with fat bunches of berries and the other fruit.

The following day was spent in the kitchen. Naruto unknowingly astounded Sasuke by showing him how to make jam, pies, and muffins from all three fruits. A heretofore unexplored door in the kitchen proved to be a deep pantry full of such staples as flour and sugar, and various condiments like cinnamon and nutmeg. Sasuke received a lesson in rolling pastry dough that day that had his hair white with flour, and a persistent smile on his lips.

That day had also been a turning point.

The kitchen, though spacious, was still a confined area. In moving around it, they inevitably came into contact with each other. The first time it happened, Sasuke had been peering into the pot of apple pie filling as Naruto stirred. Naruto had bumped his chest with an elbow. They'd frozen still, acutely aware of this first physical contact between them. Afterwards, Naruto had resumed stirring, without an apology. Sasuke had not moved away.

That first touch had seemed to narrow their attention to a point, so that they were more aware of each other than they'd previously been. Instead of this preventing further such accidents, though, it seemed they became more prone to violating each other's space. Little nudges, inadvertent bumps, and unintentional (maybe) prods peppered their movements in the kitchen until, in kneading the pie dough, Naruto put his hands over Sasuke's to show him the way.

A shiver had passed from Naruto, to Sasuke, and back.

Naruto had left his hands where they were, staring at their disparate skin tones. He hadn't been sure the touch wasn't deliberate. Sasuke kept his hands still, and they quickly warmed beneath his touch. He'd lifted his head to find Sasuke staring at him tensely, the eyes barely visible beneath all that hair. And then he'd reached up and combed the bangs slowly back from Sasuke's forehead, leaving behind flour and dough in the black tresses.

Right then, Naruto had thought he would have to have Sasuke or perish. Desire had pooled below his waist, given him the first true erection he'd experienced in years. It had been painful, but so wholesome and welcome…and nearly impossible to ignore. His body hummed with the demand to satisfy himself, to do so quickly and roughly with the boy he held by the hair, but his mind cautioned him to wait.

But he had stepped closer. He still had one hand over Sasuke's in the dough, and this hand squeezed, laced with Sasuke's, so that dough oozed between their tense fingers in a manner that left them breathless. He'd been no more than a few inches from Sasuke, and found that looking down into the boy's eyes gave him a sense of power that had him leaking in his pants.

The things I want to do to you, Sasuke.

Sasuke's eyes had seemed to shine too brightly. His face had pinkened to such an extent that Naruto feared the boy would go up in flames right there…until he realized he still had his hand in Sasuke's hair. He'd dropped his hand then, but his fingers had been reluctant to release their grip, so that Sasuke had been tugged forward a step before the hand had finally loosened their hold. Their chests had touched lightly for all off two seconds. Naruto both felt and heard the way his own heart was beating urgently, and was comforted to see Sasuke's nostrils also flared with a need for more oxygen. He'd held the black eyes a moment more, then another, and one more, simply unable to look away. Then he turned back to the dough.

After that they had circled each other warily, neatly avoiding more touching, but somehow standing closer together than before.

During the following days, the cognizance of each other that had been drawn to a point was further compressed to a needle-fine sharpness, one that pricked them repeatedly without mercy. They ate their baked goods, baked more, went hunting, and returned to cook savory rabbit stews and roasted fowl in the kitchen. These outings and cooking sessions were conducted in a silence heavier than any of their earlier silences had been; the air was laden with unvoiced longing and debilitating desire for each other. The ticking toward a resolution of this stress grew louder as they progressed along that imaginary bridge, and this too added to their longing; they each waited anxiously for it to happen, but made no move to hasten it. The resolution was a foregone conclusion. Whenever it happened, it happened, and they would be ready. But the wait…the wait was sweet torment.

At home, Sasuke now went around with a certain attitude and mindset; his decision was made, therefore he saw no reason to hide anything except Naruto's identity. He made sure to be home as Itachi was walking in the door, sometimes arriving right behind him, but he did not bother to hide the mess his hair had been in on the day he'd learned to bake, or his berry-stained hands. He read his book without trying to hide it whenever Itachi poked his head in his room. There was a certain reckless disregard now, one that enabled him feel brave around his brother. Itachi could very well try to murder him if he wanted, or beat him senseless, but he would neither give up Naruto's name, if it was asked of him, or abandon his daily visits. The only concession to caution he displayed was to stop buying ramen. His brother would know.

Already, he could tell his brother knew too much. Itachi had eyed his messy hair that day, sniffed his sweet-smelling clothes, and his eyes had gone flat. He and Itachi had sized each other up in a minor staring match. It was understood by them both that no further questions would be asked. Sasuke still didn't believe his brother knew he was seeing Naruto, or there would have been more than just a stare, but he was to the point now where he didn't care if he did. He felt so empowered by Naruto's touch, by the renewed visits, that he was sure he could handle anything.

Which gave him pause. If he didn't care if his brother knew, why didn't he just come out and tell him about Naruto? And if he didn't want Itachi to find out about Naruto, why was he flaunting the fact that he was doing something outside his brother's knowledge? Maybe he wanted to force a confrontation. Maybe he wanted the situation fixed, but was too cowardly to just own up to what he was doing. Maybe a lot of things.

Itachi had turned away without a word that day he'd come home messy, and a silence had fallen between them. It wasn't a thrilling one like the silence he and Naruto shared, but one full of hurt and condemnation. Seeing his brother's retreating back, Sasuke abruptly remembered everything his brother had sacrificed for him. Guilt tried to weigh down his ebullient feeling, but he didn't let it. I'm entitled to a modicum of happiness. On the heels of that thought came the realization that though he was a predominantly moody person, he'd never been unhappy with his brother or their way of life before. The silence did not end. Gone was even the pretense that things were fine between them. His home life was such a quagmire of confusion and uncertainty now. Sasuke felt a longing here too, to be reunited with his brother. He missed him.

Sasuke ached, but he always managed to console himself with thoughts of the next day, when he would see Naruto again. He would think about the tension of his relationship with Naruto, and wonder just when and how it would break. So oppressive was the atmosphere between them on the mountain that Sasuke honestly did not know how much more he'd be able to tolerate. Already, the anticipation he experienced each morning was enough to loosen his bowels. He would suffer through these bouts staunchly, after which he would meticulously clean his ass as the book had taught him. Not knowing when it would happen, he wanted to be prepared for when the dam did burst, and Naruto finally took him.

Funnily enough, the break in tension did not come in any way that Sasuke would have expected.

Moegi cursed the need to rush, as well as the assignment itself. She hadn't wanted to question the Hokage, but she'd felt compelled to remind her that Naruto seemed to be going through something.

"I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on him," she'd said after she'd been assigned to a four-man cell. "Your words, Hokage-sama."

"I also said I'd be checking up on him at the end of the month, which is now only a week away," Tsunade had countered. "I need you on this matter. I want the threat neutralized immediately, no witnesses left behind. No one is as skilled at infiltration and diversion as much as you are."

For which she could thank Naruto-sensei, Moegi had thought. She'd learned his style well. "This assignment is a month long at least, possibly longer. The distance alone-"

"He'll be fine," Tsunade had chided gently. "He always is during your longer assignments. I will check on him."

Mindful of how long she'd be gone, she was now in the process of speeding up the mountain. She stopped in the clearing, staring in disbelief toward the house. Masking her chakra, she went on the alert, and withdrew a blade from the pouch on her thigh.

The break in tension came when Sasuke first sensed someone outside the house, then immediately felt the presence masked. He stiffened. The knife he'd been using spun neatly in his hand in a manner that would allow defense as he turned his head toward the kitchen doorway. After a moment, he masked himself as well.

Naruto recognized Moegi's chakra, but was focused entirely on Sasuke. The boy had been chopping vegetables at his side, when he'd gone perfectly still. Just as quickly, Naruto sensed a towering threat from the boy, saw the knife in his hand become a weapon, and felt Sasuke's low-grade hum of chakra vanish entirely. These actions did not put him on the alert so much as astound him out of his mind.

-oOo-

Moegi appeared in the kitchen doorway silently, and her eyes went directly to the foreign figure in the room. She recognized the kid from the store a couple months ago, but said nothing at first. One rake of her eyes took in the stance, the blade, and a hint of red beneath the fringe of black hair. The red gaze triggered something in the back of her mind, but she was already slipping sideways, moving so that the table was no longer between her and the kid. Sasuke, his name was. Whether or not he was trained did not enter her mind; clearly he was, and in possession of an as-yet-unidentified Doujutsu to boot.

"Drop your weapon," she commanded.

Sasuke recognized the ANBU agent at once, down to her mask. He set the knife on the table, but did not do anything else except blink. He stood in front of Naruto, tense, and hearing Itachi's screamed confirmations in mind that he had, after all, fucked up everything nicely. Right then, he had to conclude that his brother was right. He did not feel as if he could handle anything, in fact he felt distinctly as if wetting himself was a real possibility. Oh God, don't let them have found out about us.

Moegi's vigilance was only equaled by her profound shock. She noted the blink, the eyes' return to black, and the fact that the knife was still within easy reach. "Walk towards me." She kept her tone even.

Sasuke didn't budge. He did not fear her presence the way he had in the store, so much as what her presence meant. But mostly, he was starting to feel a return of his equilibrium at seeing her hair; that red hair was distinctive. He'd most recently seen it in the picture on Naruto's chest of drawers, the one with Naruto standing behind his own Genin team. He felt sure the girl and this woman were one and the same. That the woman was here now, a result of a relationship that must span decades, could only mean she was a close friend of Naruto's. He might be okay, he prayed, if he played this right.

Moegi's fist tightened on her kunai at not being obeyed, but Naruto chose this moment to step in. He broke from whatever paralysis had held him and stepped around Sasuke. "What are you doing here, Moegi?"

Moegi felt her face slacken behind her mask. Naruto had used her name in front of a civilian. Deliberately. Instead of answering, she holstered her weapon and unmasked her chakra. She used these simple actions to give herself time to think. She sensed a serious situation here, and did not want to walk into anything blindly.

Clearly this was not Sasuke's first time here. Naruto was too at ease. Thinking back to when she had first seen the boy, she had to conclude that his association with Naruto had been going on since then. Why Naruto had chosen to seek him out, she had no idea. The frown on Naruto's face suggested that he did not like the tone of voice she'd used with Sasuke, which would mean he felt protective towards the kid. And thinking of how long Naruto and Sasuke must have been seeing each other, she guessed she now had an explanation for Naruto's odd behavior.

Gladness warred with confusion in her. She was unspeakably happy, ecstatic even, that Naruto had made contact with someone after more than twenty years of solitude, and to such an extent as she was able to witness, no less. But she was also confused as to why Naruto would breach protocol like this. Instead of answering his question, she tossed her head sharply toward the front of the house, and turned on her heel. She heard Naruto murmur to Sasuke that he would be right back before following her out.

"Start talking," Moegi snapped the moment the door was closed behind them. They were on the porch.

"Why are you here?" Naruto countered aggressively. "It's neither Saturday nor after sundown."

"I've been assigned a mission. Thirty days minimum. Came to take your truck and fill it, maybe do some shopping for you. I said for you to start talking."

Naruto's eyes were dangerously steady on her face. "You don't command me."

"No, I don't. But the Hokage does. And I speak for her."

The muscles in Naruto's jaw tightened, but he conceded this small defeat. "He sought me out-"

"What? How? I would have thought that you were the one to seek him out."

Naruto debated whether or not to divulge how Sasuke had found him. He reasoned that Moegi could be trusted. The truth would come out one way or another anyway. He told her as succinctly as possible, knowing that her eyes were probably round with shock behind her mask.

Moegi turned as if in a daze, and leaned her palms on the porch railing. "Naruto…I'm sorry, but he's lied to you. No one, repeat no one, can do what he says he did with our military systems. No one. An undetectable override for the barricade? Naruto…that…do you realize that if that were possible all of our military secrets would be accessible by anyone in the world? He's lying. He has to be." She shivered, and not from the sudden wind that sprang up.

Naruto leaned one shoulder against his door. "How would you explain him consistently getting up here then? No alarms have gone off in my equipment."

Moegi shook her head, unable to come up with an answer. "Who is he? That kind of skill would have been noticed at The Academy." She paused, considering. "I want the whole story."

Naruto complied with this demand. He gave the details, beginning with dropping Sasuke off with his brother, and ending with the visits. He did not give Sasuke's address, or mention his feelings for Sasuke or Sasuke's feelings for him. When he was done, Moegi was quiet. She hadn't turned from where she was leaning on the railing. At length, she spoke, this time barely above a whisper. "Who is he?"

"I have no idea-"

Moegi whirled violently, ready to scream at this neglect on Naruto's part to exercise basic common sense.

"And I will not press him for the information," Naruto concluded implacably in the face of her rage. "He respects my wishes and I will treat him with the same regard. You won't question him either, Moegi. You will take yourself off this mountain and forget he's even here."

Moegi received the threat by slowly pushing her mask up onto head. Her eyes were positively deadly. "You don't command me either, Naruto. Not anymore. And if you will not find out who he is, I will." So saying, she turned and threw open the door to the house, and stalked to the kitchen.

Sasuke stood exactly as she'd left him. Her eyes bored into him, judging his reaction to her face.

There was no reaction; Naruto had told him who she was, then, or he knew by some other means, but her face did not surprise him. Her lips thinned. Her reason for showing him stemmed from Naruto's trust in him, and because she hoped to awe the kid into full cooperation. His lack of a response suggested a strong-minded individual or an accomplished con artist. She was inclined to believe the latter. "Full name, rank, graduation age, and address now."

Sasuke only swallowed.

Moegi took a step closer to him. Naruto stood in the doorway, watchful, but in no way interfering. He would not insult Sasuke by assuming that he needed to be protected. The kid had gotten along for seventeen years without him, he could continue to do so now. And though Naruto did not like Moegi questioning him, he couldn't deny that he wanted to see how Sasuke handled himself under pressure. Besides, he was curious about some of the answers himself.

"Answer me, or I'll haul you in before the Hokage." Moegi's voice brooked no argument.

Sasuke's bangs moved slightly as he looked between her and Naruto. "Naruto told you all there is to know about me."

"If he had, I wouldn't be standing here, would I?"

Sasuke thought carefully. He was reasonably sure that if he broke and ran right now, he'd outrun Moegi. He'd gotten a decent read on the amount of chakra she had the moment she'd unmasked it. And though ANBU, she would not catch him. She was shorter and heavier. And if she was Naruto's former student, she had to be past thirty. He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that if he located Itachi right now and said they had to book, his brother would drop everything and leave with him, no questions asked. Come to that, his brother could handle Moegi and any unit she might be traveling with. He'd no doubt light into Sasuke the instant they were safe, but before that Itachi would make sure they were safe. He'd killed for them in the past.

Then again, Sasuke reasoned, if he behaved as if he had something to hide, it would only ensure that he painted a bull's eye on his back. ANBU would investigate him thoroughly, him and his brother. He felt sure that Itachi's forged identities for them would hold up, but Itachi himself would see to it that they disappeared afterward. He'd find out about Naruto, and if he let Sasuke survive that bit of business, he would cart them off to the far side of the planet, never to so much as smell Konoha again.

But he didn't want to give his false name in front of Naruto. So far, he had been nothing but truthful around him. His relationship was untainted by anything false, and he wanted to keep it that way. There really was no alternative, though, not if he wanted to keep seeing him. He would have to give the name he went by, but he could not give answers to graduation age, because he'd never attended The Academy. This was why he hadn't fought back in the store; to display his knowledge of classified ninja arts would be to shine a spotlight on him and his brother. Academy records, from any village, were one thing that could not be fucked with or forged because a simple check of attendance and abilities could prove the lie. He stood in uncertainty a moment. Then he made a calculated gamble. "If I tell you, I'll have to leave. I won't be able to come back here again, which is probably what you want. But you won't catch me, ever. I can honestly tell you, without the slightest intention of threatening you, that if you find out who I am you'll be dead by nightfall." Itachi would see to that. And if Itachi was forced to kill ANBU, the shit storm that would follow did not bear thinking about. Aside from the manhunt that would be mounted for them, Sasuke might as well dig his own grave. He had a healthy dose of terror for arousing Itachi's full anger.

Both adults went on the offensive at his statement, and it was displayed by each as a sudden stillness. Sasuke would have laughed at this, but he was too scared that his gamble wouldn't pay off. Besides, one did not laugh when ANBU was present and you were caught in their sights.

Naruto came forward. "I'm not okay with that scenario." Judging by the way his hands clenched, it was an understatement.

Sasuke allowed a small sigh of relief that his gamble had paid off.

"And I don't take kindly to threats," Moegi breathed. But she recognized Naruto's tone. It was one that promised violence, even against her. His rage, never far from the surface, was not something she wanted to incur. She backed down immediately and switched tactics. She tried to be diplomatic. "Very well. Sasuke, listen to me. This situation is delicate. Naruto is off limits to civilians, to everyone. You being here is a breach in security of such severity that I am forced to report this to the Hokage.

"However. I love Naruto dearly. As much as he's pissing me off at the moment, I care about his happiness. And he is happy with you here, I can see that. So. In this instance, I will choose friendship over duty. But in order for me to keep your secret, I have to know who you are, Sasuke. I'm sorry, but I must. Call it the price for my silence."

Sasuke could not give himself and his brother away. There was no help for it, then. "Sugiyama Sasuke."

"What is the nature of your Doujutsu?"

Sasuke feigned ignorance. "I don't know what that is."

Moegi hesitated at the hearing the lie. "Rank?"

"I have none."

"Are you a graduate?"

"No."

"Explain your reaction to me then."

"You asked me to tell you who I am. I have."

"And now I'm asking-"

"Moegi, enough," Naruto cut in. "He answered. Do I have your word you'll keep this to yourself?"

"If he checks out, yes. But I want to know how he was able to access our system."

"You've gotten all you're going to get."

"Naruto-"

"Leave, Moegi."

He was standing in front of her, blocking her view of Sasuke. His rage was still at risk of showing itself. There would be no point in staying or threatening him. He was not afraid of the Hokage, merely saw her interference as an annoyance he'd rather avoid. Ultimately, there was no threatening Naruto. She nodded once, lowering her ANBU mask once more. "I'll be checking him out. If you don't hear from me, you can assume he's safe and that I will hold my peace."

Sasuke watched as Moegi left. The front door shut softly behind her, and he was left feeling as if he'd betrayed his brother and Naruto both, though he'd kept his secrets. Most of them. The main one, anyway. Fuck. In the aftermath, he found himself trembling slightly.

The hand on his shoulder surprised him enough so that he jumped. It was Naruto. The hand, he noted, was strong, warm, and rough. He gazed up into the blue eyes and wanted to apologize for lying in Naruto's presence, in effect lying to him. He managed to keep his mouth shut.

Naruto said nothing, though he felt he should. He was loathe to alter their unique way of interacting by communicating in conventional terms. The odd sentence or question here and there had not harmed their fragile balance of rules and respect. He feared that to willingly set all that aside now would be to risk changing their bond completely. The more he thought about it, though, the more he reasoned that the bridge had served its purpose, and that the time had at last come to take their relationship to the next level. They couldn't exist in silence forever, no matter how exquisite.

"I won't press you for information," he said gently, squeezing the trembling shoulder beneath his palm. "But this has the potential to become a sticky situation. If there's anything you want to share with me, I won't judge. That's all I want to say. I'll never judge you, and nothing you say will alter the way I feel about you."