Exams are over and done with so I finally had time to write the new Chapter. I hope this satisfies those of you who have been waiting for a little less Sakura and a little more SasuNaru stuff. ^-^

Enjoy!

Sasuke walked down the hallway towards his room, allowing his mask to fall away and his face to become slightly troubled now that he was alone. Something was definitely wrong with the seal. Naruto's face... It had been hard to react calmly to that. Should I tell Kakashi? He wondered as he slid the paper door to the room that he and Naruto were sharing open. It would be trouble if Naruto got out of hand again, and the stupid Dobe probably wouldn't go to anyone himself; that's why he tried to hide it.

Pulling on a shirt and shaking the rest of the water from his damp hair, the young ninja replayed the scene in his head again, concentrating on the emotion that crossed the blonde's blue eyes in the moment when he had frozen with his arms halfway up. It was impossible to separate them all; there were too many. The ones that Sasuke could pick out were only the early ones, ones he had seen firsthand in the eyes before. Shock, they widened, the blue stood out vividly. Pain, they narrowed as the corners of Naruto's mouth pulled out wide into a grimace. He saw shock often, pain slightly less frequently but they were about all he could identify. The others were unfamiliar, could one be fear? The raven boy blinked and concentrated, trying to find a memory he had when Naruto was scared. He came up empty handed.

Now fully dressed, Sasuke pulled the door open again and padded quietly down the hallway on his bath-soft bare feet to their sensei's room. He'd have to tell him.

...

"Kakashi," he called from outside the door.

"Come in," the man inside called back. Sasuke entered without a word and looked down at the jounin who was sitting on the floor in front of a low table, dressed only in the dark skins of his ninja attire, his silver hair falling to cover the scarred sharingan eye in the absence of his forehead protector.

"Sit down," he offered in politely. The young Uchiha moved to do so, his face hard and cold. Kakashi leaned forward on his elbows, closing his eye into a smile.

"What's with that serious face Sasuke kun? Could it be something happened between you and Naruto in the bath tub?" asked Kakashi playfully, adding the suffix to the boys name just to annoy him. Sasuke didn't take the bait; instead he sat calmly and took a breath.

"Yes, something happened," he replied and Kakashi's eye opened.

"Hmmm? I'm surprised you came out with it so easily."

"I think your misunderstanding," huffed Sasuke, reddening in anger. "What I mean is I think something is wrong with Naruto's seal," he explained. The older man's one eye darkened as the subject became serious. Sasuke drew air through his nose. The room smelt of rain.

"I see," said Kakashi, pulling himself off the table to sit upright. The younger male took it as an invitation to continue.

"In the bath," he began. "He lifted his arms up and then stopped halfway. His whole body went stiff like he'd just been cut or something. Then he was touching the seal afterwards. You should have seen his face," Sasuke finished quietly, moving his eyes away from Kakashi.

The jounin was quiet for a while, watching the young Uchiha. He seemed to have drifted into thought as he gazed at the floor next to him. Somewhere down the hallway someone flopped down onto a futon, the noise carried easily to them in the silence. Kakashi tried to imagine what kind of face Naruto must have made to get such a serious reaction from Sasuke. Sasuke who cared for no one, Sasuke who was a lone wolf, a self proclaimed avenger, Sasuke who didn't need anyone, but then again, Sasuke who had leapt so recklessly into a battle with a demon for the consciousness of a team mate... Not just a team mate though. A rival, a best friend, maybe even a precious person? Uchiha Sasuke really was a strange person indeed. Indifferent most of the time but also fiercely protective in his own way.

The boy across the table blinked slowly. Kakashi blew out a long breath.

"Well, there's nothing we can do until we get back to Konoha so just keep an eye on him for now Sasuke," he said. Sasuke looked up and frowned a little.

"Why do I have to look after him?" he pouted and the silver haired man sighed.

"I said keep an eye on, not look after. You can handle that can't you? It'll be good training, see if you can do it without him noticing," replied Kakashi. Sasuke let out something that resembled a growl.

"Besides, Naruto only lets his guard down around you and I think you don't mind spoiling him a little, do you Sasuke?" he added pleasantly, grinning as he watched the Uchiha's face twist into shock and stare at him, horrified by what had just passed through his masked lips. He open and closed him mouth stupidly and Kakashi chuckled at the rare moment of weakness until he regained his composure and stood up abruptly.

"Spoil him... I don't know what you're talking about," spat the young ninja as he departed, casting one last famous Uchiha glare over his shoulder.

It's true, mused Kakashi. Sasuke really was the only person that Naruto would let his guard down around. He was always acting tough for Sakura and putting on his determined face in front of Kakashi, but he had seen it when the two boys walked home together sometimes. The man would walk along the wall a while behind them, not spying, he just happened to be taking that way home too.

Naruto would finally allow his proud shoulders to slump after the day of training and his loud voice to die away. The high wall that he had built around him that kept all his 'weak emotions' crumbled a little. And it was true that Sasuke didn't mind spoiling him. Falling in behind his dark haired team mate, the fox boy would drape his arms over Sasuke's shoulders, letting the weight of his battered body fall against Sasuke's back. He'd then refuse to move until 'Sasuke teme' carried him the rest of the way along the secluded road, complaining that he had obviously worked harder than Sasuke so it was natural that the loser should carry the winner. Sasuke would always refuse with an immediate answer at first but when Naruto didn't let go or proceeded to pull Sasuke's hair, try to lick him or some other childish form of protest, his arms would come under the other boy's legs, lifting him onto his back. Of course there was always the exchange of insults and occasionally Sasuke would pick him up just to drop him and escape but usually the look of annoyance was gone after a while and his face would relax into a content expression.

Kakashi smiled. Sasuke was already worried about Naruto; that much was clear, even if the raven himself didn't recognize it as concern. Naruto would be ok for the night with Sasuke keeping an eye on him.

...

Naruto was already asleep when Sasuke got back to the room. He appeared to have begun under the blanket but true to his usual sleeping patterns, he was now half off the futon with only one leg, half his body, his head and one arm still remaining on the futon. Sasuke knelt down next to him and watched his sleeping face with an unimpressed expression.

"Usuratonkachi...What kind of ninja sleeps with such a goofy look and falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow?" he murmured. His pale fingers reached out and pinched Naruto's cheek, tugging on it gently, stretching the skin so the thin whiskers distorted. As predicted, Naruto didn't stir at all. Sasuke let go and Naruto turned his head away, muttering something about pork ramen.

"Spoil you..." Sasuke muttered incredulously. "Just because you act selfishly around me and I have to give in to your demands...You're so annoying." He blinked.

But no one spoils you. You've never known it, you don't know how to recognize it so it's so easy to just keep my annoyed face on and give in to what you want...

He sat down properly and poked Naruto in the forehead. The boy was a lot more fun when he was asleep. No yelling, no insults, no arguing.

"That's mine you..." Naruto mumbled sleepily, throwing one arm over his eyes. Sasuke turned the corners of his mouth down disapprovingly. Sleep talking is dangerous; you might give out important information in your sleep. What a Dobe.

Dark eyes drifted to Naruto's stomach. The lower section of his abdomen where the seal was had become exposed from Naruto's sleeping movement. The shape of the spiral looked blurry in the dark. Sasuk shuffled closer to examine it.

"Ngh..." moaned the sleeping boy. Sasuke's eyes didn't leave the seal as Naruto groaned. He listened. It sounds like pain, he decided, his eyes still tracing the swirling pattern. Naruto's whole body became stiff. The seal was acting up again? Fingers gripped the futon as Naruto moaned out again in pain.

What should I do? Wondered Sasuke. The other boy was being too loud. Sasuke glanced at the door to check no one was coming and then looked back to Naruto who was now clenching his teeth, his body beginning to curl in on itself.

Slowly, Sasuke lifted his hand and laid it flat over the seal mark, almost completely covering it with his palm. It was hot, much hotter than the rest of the skin. As he rubbed his hand over it he could feel the difference in temperature between when he was away from the seal and when he was touching it. He lifted his eyes to the window. The curtains were closed but he could hear the rain falling steadily outside. The tattoo pulsed against his palm. Was it Kyuubi's power trying to escape? As he stared into space, his hand swept in small, smooth circles. Somewhere in a memory a woman was singing in the dark on a night like this. He never saw the woman's face in the memory; it hurt too much. All he could recall was the soft touch of her warm hands and the musky scent of her perfume.

Sasuke blinked sleepily as he hand came to a stop and Naruto relaxed next to him. The intense heat of the seal had disappeared, the warmth of his stomach evenly spread beneath his palm.

"Better?" muttered the raven haired boy to the sleeping form as it rolled over and mumbled another something that Sasuke's hazy mind couldn't interpret.

"Baka," he yawned, crawling into his own futon.

...

Naruto woke later after dreaming of someone painting white nothing on the Kyuubi seal with their cool hands. It had been an odd dream but the seal no longer pulsing. He fingered it cautiously and shivered. Without the throbbing and ache in his body he was cold, his teeth chattered as he sat up, pulling his blanket over his head. The tattoo was smooth and hairless like a scar. It really had settled down. What a lucky dream. He looked across the room to where Sasuke lay on his side, snuggled in his blanket. Naruto scowled after a minute, watching his rival's shoulders rise and fall in comfortable even breath. Wasn't Sasuke cold too? The weather in the Land of Water sucks, he thought bitterly. It was cold all the time and it rained constantly. Konoha was much better, sunny and hot and even when it rained it was warm. But here was too cold for the boy with the sun kissed skin and golden hair.

Dragging his blanket with him, Naruto sidled up next to Sasuke's futon and stabbed him roughly in the back of the head.

"Teme," he whispered and stabbed him again. "Ne, Sasuke. Wake up." Sasuke rolled over, his half lidded eyes gleaming dangerously, his expression sour.

"What is it, I'm asleep," he said coldly. Naruto shifted uncomfortably and opened his mouth only to close it without saying anything. Sasuke waited and then sighed and flopped back down as Naruto tried to sort out his face that was swinging between an aggravated frown and an embarrassed grimace.

"I'm cold," he muttered quietly.

"I don't care," replied Sasuke bluntly, rolling over to the far side of the futon and pulling the blanket up around his ears.

Naruto sat for a while, watching the empty space of futon out of the corner of his eye while he pouted angrily at the wall in front of him, shivering, but for some reason not able to get up and go back to his own bed. His eyes threatened to close but he forced them back open. A small growl of frustration started in his chest. His legs were going to sleep and Sasuke still hadn't moved back into the middle of the futon. Naruto yawned and rubbed his eyes, chancing a glance at Sasuke who didn't appear to be moving anytime soon. The room was freezing, the scent of rain crisp and sharp in the cold air. It hurt his chest when he breathed in. Eventually exhaustion got the best of him he climbed carefully under the blanket, making sure to keep a firm frown on his face. It's not like I want to. I'm just really cold, he added to himself. It was warm where Sasuke had been lying. Moving very slowly, he tried to get comfortable without disrupting the blanket like maybe if he didn't make any noise the other boy wouldn't notice the presence of another person in his bed.

"Any dignity you had disappeared the moment you got into bed with me," said Sasuke suddenly as he rolled over to face Naruto, his eyes still closed.

"Shut up," said Naruto, too warm and tired to bite back properly. Sasuke wriggled closer and closer until his forehead was nearly resting against Naruto's and the blonde's eyes opened slightly in surprise. Long dark hair tickled his face, even breathing washed across his cheeks for the second time that night. He breathed in. Sasuke's breath was strangely sweet, the soft scent dazed Naruto a bit. He closed his eyes and let it touch his eyelids. Who would have thought that a cold bastard like Sasuke would be so warm and have such a gentle smell?

Sasuke moved closer again, pressing his body to Naruto's. The smaller, blonde haired boy smiled gently as Sasuke cuddled up next to him.

"I didn't know you were a snuggler, Teme," said Naruto, his words slurring with sleep. He reached out one hand lazily and stroked Sasuke's soft hair in mock fondness, pulling on the ends when his fingers reached the tips.

"I'm not," Sasuke muttered back, batting Naruto's hand away. "I just want more room on my futon." Naruto pulled his hand back under the cover and tried to find a place between their bodies to put it, his face flushed a little as he realized that he was in fact in bed, cuddled up with another male. Another male that happened to be Sasuke.

"Yeah well... It's warmer this way so deal with it..." he said. A knee came to rest on top of Naruto's as it moved into a more comfortable position.

"Ne, Naruto?" Sasuke's hand came between them and he poked him lightly in the stomach. "It's ok now?"

Naruto opened his eyes to find Sasuke's eyes on him in the dark, heavily lidded, taking on a greyer tone in the presence of the darkness. It was rare to see Sasuke wearing such a face. He wasn't smirking or frowning, his face held almost no expression. He wasn't moving, just watching.

Sasuke was most beautiful like this, decided Naruto. Most beautiful when he was completely still; breathing evenly, waiting patiently. Most beautiful when he wasn't being a ninja; his face somehow longer and more oval without the forehead protector. Most beautiful when he wasn't speaking at all. Naruto's heart skipped a beat, the inside of his mouth tasted funny.

"You suddenly being so nice kind of makes me feel sick, Teme," he laughed. He felt Sasuke scowl as Naruto ruined the uncommon, almost friendly atmosphere between the two of them. The Uchiha then tensed in hesitation and then after a long pause asked, "Is the thought that I want to be nice to you so horrible?" Naruto's face pulled into a soft frown. Horrible...? No. Scary...? A bit.

"It kind of freaks me out, because you're never nice to me," replied Naruto slowly. Sasuke's sweet breath touched his face and he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.

"Do you... dislike it? Do you hate this?" asked Sasuke. He moved a way a bit and chilly air flooded the space between them. Naruto shuffled over to steal Sasuke's warmth again.

"Dislike it...? Not really." Sasuke's body, so close to his was warm, the even rhythm of his breathing was lulling Naruto to sleep. He felt weak and vulnerable. He didn't want Sasuke to see him like this. He hoped the other boy also had his eyes closed.

"Really...?" murmured the young Uchiha and Naruto laughed softly for a reason he forgot as soon as his lips parted to make the noise.

"You don't dislike sleeping with someone you hate?" The words came sleepily, the normal sharp edge to them gone for the moment. The blonde ninja wrinkled his nose in annoyance. So tired... Shh Sasuke Shh. The knee that was lying on his nudged him, pressing for an answer. Naruto sighed.

"You are my rival... But I don't hate you the same as I used to, because now..." He stopped, falling asleep as he spoke. Does Sasuke feel like I do now? Wondered Naruto. Light like my body could drift away but still so dream heavy that I can't move at all. What a soothing new feeling. He had never taken this long to fall asleep before.

"Now?" prompted Sasuke quietly.

"...now... It's alright because you're also my best friend..."

Naruto didn't hear if Sasuke replied. Sleep reached up and pulled him down and the gentle whoosh of Sasuke's sweet breath disappeared...

Oyasumi...