I'm angry. But don't let me fool you into thinking I haven't been dreaming about this day forever.

And Itachi did come for him. It was when he least expected it. When he stopped looking for Itachi in every shadow and every corner. When he stopped believing Itachi had ever really contacted him those many years ago.

And when Itachi did appear, in the middle of the day, Sasuke passed right by him. thinking it was his imagination.

His surprise quickly turned to anger when Itachi embraced him. He was real, all right.

"Itachi, what.."

But Itachi held up a finger and Sasuke fell silent.

"Hello, Kakashi."

Sasuke whipped around.

"This will just take a moment." Itachi didn't even look back as he and Kakashi took off running in the direction of the mountains.

Sasuke was half out of his mind with impatience and giddiness. Itachi was back. He'd come back. They were going to leave.

"Are you really gonna leave?"

Naruto.

"Yeah. I mean, there's no way Itachi and I can stay here."

"I'll miss you."

Naruto wasn't looking at Sasuke which was good because Sasuke couldn't look at him just then.

"Yeah."

"Can I wait with you?"

"Sure."

And it was a good thing, too. Because it was Naruto who hugged Sasuke. Who, when Kakashi came back with bruises and a grim smile, whispered everything was going to be okay, Teme, you have me. And do you want to sit down? You look a bit pale. Someone get him a glass of water!

Naruto who asked the dreaded question.

"Is Itachi dead?"

And when Kakashi nodded yes, it was Naruto who squeezed Sasuke's shoulder and kissed his mouth clumsily.

It was Naruto who he stayed with. Naruto whom he made love to every night. Naruto, whose neck he bit again and again. Naruto's body that Sasuke imagined to be lither, paler. It was Naruto who did everything for Sasuke, who communicated Sasuke's needs and wants when Sasuke could not utter a single word. Naruto who washed him and loved him even though Sasuke cursed at him and the world. Naruto who slept beside him, who nursed him back to help when he was sick. And it was Naruto who stayed by Sasuke side, even after realizing that it would change nothing. That no matter what Naruto did, Sasuke could not- would not- love him.