Title: Three times when Sasuke had a nightmare, and one time when Naruto was there

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own, you don't sue.

Pairing: NaruSasu. Or SasuNaru. Or both. However you want to see it.

AN: I guess it was more than a one-shot fic after all. And I'm pretty sure there'll be more because the bunnies are rabid. Thank you very much to everyone who cared enough to review the first part. And double thanks to Kantayra for the betaing.

…

Sasuke's eyelids started drooping. Alarmed, he opened his eyes wide again and rocked his body back and forth, hitting the wall behind him and pushing back. Only a couple more hours, he told himself. In a couple of hours, the sun would rise, and soon after that it would be time to go to the Academy. He tightened his arms around his knees and tried not to look at the bed – the empty bed, the so tempting bed in the center of the room.

He couldn't go back to sleep. He knew what would happen if he did. He'd be back in that room, back in front of his parents and… him. He didn't want to dream about it anymore. He wanted happy dreams, the kind where his mom prepared his favorite food and his dad taught him a new technique and his brother…

Tears welled up in his eyes and Sasuke closed them tight rather than let himself cry again. It had been weeks. He couldn't cry anymore. Tears were for small children, and so were nightmares. If his dad had been there, he would have told him as much. He would have been disappointed.

Sasuke stilled, then very deliberately rose to his feet. He wiped his eyes dry – it wasn't really crying if the tears never rolled down his cheeks. He returned to his bed and lay down. He took a deep breath in and clenched his fists before closing his eyes.

No more nightmares, he promised himself. He'd be all right now.

And for the rest of the night, he was.

The nightmare returned the next night.

…

There was no spark of anything in Itachi's eyes. No recognition, no affection, no hatred. Nothing. He stopped Sasuke's attack and flung him away from him with barely a second look before turning his attention back to Naruto.

Sasuke attacked again, and again was summarily thrown back to a wall. He heard the crack a split second before he became aware of the pain. He fell down and immediately tried to get back to his feet. The pain didn't matter. He had to fight. He had to avenge—

A deafening roar washed over him, and a wave of pure chakra made him stumble once more. His ears buzzing, he looked up. His eyes widened in shock.

"No!"

His leg screamed with each step he took toward them. He held himself upright by keeping a hand against the wall. He shouted again, fury and pain and grief all mixing into one overwhelming wave of rage.

"No! That's not how it was supposed to go!"

Neither of them answered.

Itachi lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling through black eyes. Blood drenched his chest, darkening the cloud on his coat.

Just feet away, Naruto lay face down, blood spreading on the floor beneath him, He'd never been so still.

"No!"

His hands clenched on the hospital sheet and he woke up, pain shooting through him. Long, agonizing seconds passed before he remembered. It hadn't ended like that. Neither of them was dead. Naruto hadn't stolen his vengeance. Itachi hadn't taken his teammate.

All that had happened was that Sasuke had been weak. Too weak to kill Itachi. Too weak to even catch his attention for more than a few seconds.

Naruto on the other hand…

He gritted his teeth. Naruto couldn't be stronger than he was. It had just been luck. An accident. If Sasuke had just taken his time, if he hadn't rushed without thinking, it would have all been different.

Next time, it would be different.

…

A flash of orange slashed with red caught the corner of his eye, and Sasuke shouted a warning. No sound came out of his mouth. Without his consent, his lips curved into what had to be a cruel grin and his hands rose, forming seals so fast he barely knew what they were. Again, he tried to warn Naruto, and again nothing happened. Sasuke could only watch, and hope. The flames surrounded Naruto, charring the ground and the wall behind him. He emerged from the blaze wrapped in undulating layers of red chakra. His eyes gleamed, as crimson as fresh blood. His grimace bared his teeth and fangs.

"You're coming back with me, Sasuke!" he roared, his chakra only intensifying further.

A laugh rose from Sasuke's throat even when Sasuke wanted to yell at him for being so incredibly stupid. So unexpectedly tenacious. So blind.

"I'm afraid not, Naruto-kun," Sasuke heard his voice say. "You're too late for Sasuke."

Orochimaru's laugh only seemed to deepen as Sasuke raged inside what wasn't his body anymore. Mere feet away, the Kyuubi's chakra vanished from around Naruto in the blink of an eye. He stared at what had been Sasuke, pure grief etched on his features.

"Too late?" he mumbled. "I was too late. Sasuke… I'm sorry…"

Yet again, Sasuke wanted to shout at him. Now wasn't the time to just stand there and grieve. He had to save himself. He had to—

Orochimaru formed seals again. Sasuke yelled—

—and woke up panting, eyes wide and unseeing. For long minutes, he stared into the near darkness, listening to his thundering heart. He couldn't hear anything else, no noise outside his room. That was good. That had to mean he had only shouted in his dream. Kabuto would never stop teasing him if Sasuke ever woke from a dream shouting Naruto's name.

When he had himself under control, he passed a hand over his forehead and grimaced. Sweat clung to him along with the sour scent of fear. Pushing away the last remnants of his nightmare, he stood and took slow, measured steps to the small bathroom. He gasped when cold water struck his bowed head, but soon enough the water warmed, filling the shower stall with steam. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, letting the tension slowly drain out of him.

It had only been a dream. Just another silly dream, no doubt caused by his brief encounter with the Konoha ninjas a few days back. Just a dream and yet…

He gritted his teeth. For the past couple of years, he had been so sure that Naruto had given up. So relieved, too, beyond his disappointment. If Naruto didn't try to intrude on what he didn't understand, he wouldn't die. But now Sasuke knew otherwise. Now he knew that Naruto wouldn't give up. And eventually…

A turn of his wrist shut off the water. He stepped out of the shower stall and stood in front of the sink, staring into the slightly foggy mirror. Cold eyes stared back, but they were his eyes. They had to stay his.

He'd never truly intended to just offer his body to Orochimaru on a platter. The risk was acceptable – any risk was acceptable if it meant Itachi would meet his fate – but always, in the back of his mind, he'd been sure that he would find a way to terminate his alliance with Orochimaru before it came to that.

Being sure wasn't enough anymore. He needed a plan. He needed to be ready. Because sooner or later, the dobe would be back, and nobody but Sasuke would kick his annoying ass back to Konoha.

…

This time, when Sasuke tried to tackle him to the bed, Naruto was ready. Using his momentum, he rolled their bodies so that he was on top, pinning Sasuke down with his legs and arms.

"Gotcha," he said, grinning a little hesitantly.

Sasuke smiled.

Naruto's hesitation disappeared with that rare curve of lips. Closing his eyes, he leaned down and pressed his mouth to Sasuke's. A swipe of his tongue and—

Naruto didn't anticipate the strike and couldn't guard against it. He was suddenly beneath Sasuke again, pinned down the same way he had held Sasuke just a second earlier, his mouth being plundered just as he had intended to do. He tried to fight Sasuke's tongue back into his mouth, but lost his focus when Sasuke lowered his body just enough to press their erections together. He gasped and unconsciously arched his body toward Sasuke's. The friction was incredible through clothes and all, and he wondered…

He tried to stop himself. He really did. He put all his strength, all his determination… and still, he yawned widely against Sasuke's mouth.

"Sorry," he offered, a smile twisting his lips, when Sasuke pulled back and raised an eyebrow at him.

Sasuke snorted. "I can't say that was the reaction I imagined."

Warmth spread through Naruto's body, and he bucked his hips upward before he even understood why. And then he got it. Sasuke had imagined this? Grinning, he arched toward Sasuke's mouth again—only to meet the back of his fingers. Naruto, apparently, wasn't the only one who was tired. And Uchihas, polite killers that they may be, covered their mouths when they yawned. Naruto laughed. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Maybe we should just get some sleep," Naruto suggested, still grinning. Whatever was about to happen, it would probably be better if they weren't both so exhausted.

Sasuke sat up on the bed, then stood. "Bathroom?"

Moments later, Naruto was alone and finally able to wonder what was going on exactly. His first instinct would have been to think that it was all some kind of elaborate joke, but to what purpose? It wasn't like Sasuke had friends he could laugh with at Naruto's expense. Naruto was his friend. And more, apparently. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and picked up the spare blankets from the floor. What if, rather than a joke, it was a plan to lull Naruto into complacency so that he could escape and… and that was stupid because Sasuke, in the end, had come back willingly. Why would he return, and then plan to run off again? No, Naruto refused to believe that. Which left just one option that Naruto could see. Whatever was happening was real.

The thought was frightening – and strangely exhilarating. Naruto liked girls. He liked girls a lot. They didn't often return the feeling, which, combined to how busy he had been in the past years, hadn't done much for his love life. But this… Naruto frowned and tried to imagine another one of his friends coming on to him. Shikamaru would have seen it as a game. Kiba might have said he smelled good, Choji… Grimacing, Naruto shook his head to chase the images away. This was wrong. They were his friends, and he couldn't think of them as anything else.

But Sasuke… He could imagine himself kissing Sasuke again. He could see them doing…more than that, even if he wasn't too sure how they'd work out details. The thought of that pale, slim body beneath his had fire coursing through him, but reversed roles… He groaned quietly. Tiredness didn't seem like a good excuse anymore.

He blinked when the object of his thoughts entered the room, scowling, damp hair lying flat on his head, Naruto's spare pair of sweat pants riding low on his hips. A couple of water drops rolled down his bare chest. Naruto hurriedly returned his eyes back to Sasuke's face.

"I am not wearing that," he said, and threw at Naruto the t-shirt he had lent him for the night.

For the second time that night, Naruto dropped his load of extra blankets. He caught the t-shirt and held it in front of him, trying to figure out what Sasuke objected to. No holes. He gave it a tentative sniff. It was clean.

"What's wrong with it?" he asked, looking back up and very deliberately keeping his eyes on Sasuke's.

"What's wrong with it? It's an Icha-Icha t-shirt! Did Kakashi finally warp your brain?"

Naruto scratched his cheek, grinning again. He seemed to be doing that a lot since Sasuke had returned.

"Actually, Jiraiya gave it to me."

Folding the t-shirt into a sloppy bundle, he stepped over to the dresser. He had other t-shirts… A side look at Sasuke changed his mind. It wasn't cold. Sasuke didn't really need a t-shirt.

He grabbed nightclothes for himself and moved toward the door, gesturing vaguely at the bed behind him – and the folded futon in the corner and extra blankets still on the floor.

"Just… make yourself comfortable," he said in a rush, his cheeks suddenly very hot.

He wondered, as he hurriedly washed up and took care of the little problem thoughts of Sasuke had left him with, where Sasuke would choose to sleep. His bed wasn't meant for two people. After what they had shared, though, Naruto would be disappointed if he chose the futon.

He was holding his breath when he reentered the moonlight-bathed bedroom, and couldn't help smiling – and blushing again. Feeling very self-conscious even if Sasuke wasn't looking in his direction, he went to the bed and lay down next to him, on his back too. Maybe he'd be better off waiting to see what Sasuke would do…

"If you snore, I'll smother you."

Naruto snorted. He should have expected that. "Good night to you too, bastard."

Naruto closed his eyes and rested his hands on his stomach. He was so tired, he didn't doubt he'd fall asleep in a minute, even if wasn't used to sleeping lying so rigidly on his back, even if he wasn't used to having someone so close to him, even if he could feel Sasuke's bare arm against his, and their legs just brushing together.

Yes, he'd fall asleep any minute, now. Just like Sasuke, whose breathing was now slow and regular. Any second now.

Sleep did not come. Instead, Naruto opened his eyes and turned his head toward his companion. He could hardly believe Sasuke was really there. In Konoha. In his apartment. In his bed.

Looking at his sleeping features, all Naruto could think was that Sasuke hadn't changed. He'd grown older, of course, but he was still Sasuke. He still looked, acted and talked like Sasuke. It was like all these years had just been a bad dream. The only different thing was the kissing and what came with it. Naruto couldn't say he minded the kissing.

He carefully rolled onto his side toward Sasuke. Would he be upset, if Naruto kissed him now? He had fallen asleep fast, so he had to be really tired. Better to let him sleep. They had all the time in the world in front of them.

Naruto closed his eyes again and tried to empty his mind. He was just beginning to drift when a brusque movement on Sasuke's side of the bed startled him. His eyes snapped open and he half sat up, expecting…he wasn't too sure what. An enemy. An attack. Something.

Instead, Sasuke's face turned from left to right on the pillow, eyebrows crunched together. A sound rose from his throat; not a happy one. Naruto could see his eyes moving beneath his diaphanous eyelids, and something inside him knew. If Sasuke's eyes opened now, they wouldn't be black.

He raised his hand, ready to shake Sasuke out of a dream that didn't seem all that pleasant, but froze without touching him. If Naruto were having a nightmare and Sasuke woke him up, he'd be embarrassed but he'd be able to shake it off and play it down with a bad joke or two. Sasuke on the other hand was… touchy. They hadn't spent much time together in the past five years, but that much Naruto remembered. He didn't want to test the new bonds they were forging, or at least not like this.

Dropping his hand, he rolled onto his stomach, his head turned away from Sasuke. He closed his eyes and even added a light snore. And then, very deliberately, he kicked Sasuke's shin. Hard.

"Wha—"

He started holding his breath before remembering he was supposed to be asleep and snoring. Behind him, Sasuke was very still for a long moment. Then the mattress moved and the bed suddenly felt very empty. Quiet steps took Sasuke away. Naruto listened intently, trying to picture where he was going. The apartment wasn't that big. His fake snoring faltered when he heard the balcony window slide open. His hand tightened next to his cheek on the pillow.

Sasuke couldn't be sneaking away now, could he? He'd had a dozen occasions to run off while Naruto had accompanied him back to Konoha. Why would he be running away now that he was home, now that he'd all but told Naruto…

His heart pounding in his chest, Naruto abandoned the pretense and jumped out of bed. A few hurried steps took him to the balcony. He almost sighed in relief when he saw Sasuke there, his pale back to him, leaning against the railway. More slowly now, he joined Sasuke, yawning widely. Sasuke didn't move or acknowledge his presence even when Naruto's arm pressed against his. In front of them, Konoha was just coming to life with the first rays of sunlight of the day. The sky still hesitated between gray and blue.

"Way too early," Naruto grumbled before yawning again.

Sasuke snorted. "Then go back to bed."

"Can't. 'M supposed to keep an eye on you, remember?"

Sasuke tensed at that, and Naruto wanted to kick himself.

"And there's a bastard-shaped hole in my bed anyway," he added hurriedly. "Damn uncomfortable if you ask me."

But Sasuke wasn't asking. He wasn't saying anything. It was almost as though the entire night – the kisses, and the smile, and the not quite admission – had all been a dream. Naruto swallowed hard and tried to find something to say, anything at all that would make Sasuke react and—

"I'm not going to run off again."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. He doubted he'd get anything closer to a promise than these quiet, slightly annoyed words. He pushed away from the rail guard, turning his eyes to Sasuke. His face showed nothing.

"Oh. Good," Naruto said, feeling a bit dumb but needing to say something in case Sasuke expected an answer.

Good was a long way from what he felt, though. If he hadn't known any better, he could have sworn Kyuubi was trying to claw his way out of his belly. Although he doubted it'd feel this nice if his tenant ever did try to break its lease.

"I'll go catch some more sleep."

Sasuke didn't reply – not that Naruto had expected him to. Part of him wanted to comment that Sasuke looked tired, but that'd come too close to the bad dreams topic. He rested his hand on Sasuke's shoulder for a second, and tried not to think anything of it when Sasuke tensed again, almost shrugging off the touch. It was Sasuke, after all. Naruto could consider himself lucky his shoulder wasn't dislocated.

He returned to bed, and for a while he tried to keep an ear on Sasuke, since he couldn't pretend to sleep with his eyes open. It wasn't long before a tiring night and an even more exhausting trip caught up with him, and he wasn't aware of when he stopped pretending. Sasuke was quick to make an appearance in his dream, and Naruto knew right away that he was dreaming. For once, Sasuke wasn't running away, wasn't shoving his fist or katana through Naruto's chest, wasn't looking at Naruto through Orochimaru's deranged eyes. He was just… there. Close. Naruto enjoyed the change of pace and didn't try to antagonize him, lest they start running or fighting again. Who knew running through your dreams could be so tiring? And then, in typical Sasuke fashion, he was annoyed and insulting Naruto.

"Give me a bit of space, dobe."

A firm hand pushed him to his side and away. Mumbling in protest, he rolled back onto his stomach, or at least tried to. A body was there, blocking him. Blinking an eye open, Naruto emerged from his dream just long enough to realize that Sasuke had returned to the narrow bed, his bare back turned to Naruto. Still half-asleep, he threw his arm over Sasuke and tugged him closer, the same way he held his pillow sometimes. Sasuke felt cool under his hand and against his chest, even through the fabric of his nightshirt. He felt, also, as stiff as a statue.

When Naruto woke up for good a few hours later, he was a little surprised to find that Sasuke was still there, now warm and relaxed against him. It was strange, but he didn't think it would be too difficult to get used to it.