Welcome to chapter 4 of Underwater. I hope you all like this one just as much as the last one. Well, after much work, careful revision, and other crapola, I have deemed this chapter worthy of publishing. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto...well, trust me, you'd know. There'd be a lot more action going on, and it's not the ninja kind of action. Oh, and Evanescence performs "Away from Me".

Chapter 4. Away from Me

But the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. It really was simple. If he kissed Naruto, then he would know for sure whether he liked him or not.

Should he kiss the genin before he woke up? He didn't want Naruto to know. He was freaking out, losing his usual Uchiha composure over a simple boy. Well...perhaps Naruto wasn't quite so simple. In fact, he was sure that Naruto was far too complex to remotely understand unless someone knew him well.

And he'd failed in that department. He had been blind...had accepted Naruto as none other than a rival. Someone to push off of for power. Someone to struggle against. Only now did he realize the cruelty of his actions.

Sasuke shook his head but the chaotic thoughts refused to leave. Like sticky tack to a wall they remained rooted within his mind. There was nothing he could do to distract himself. As he sat there, becoming engaged in an emotional battle over Naruto, the genin on the bed stirred.

'I hold my breath as this life starts to take its toll

I hide behind a smile as this perfect plan unfolds

But oh, God, I feel I've been lied too.

Lost all faith in things I have achieved

And I...'

Naruto felt like he'd just battled a sannin and lived to tell the tale of his exploits. However, that was not the case. He didn't know where he was. All he remembered was standing in a fierce frigid deluge while some blurry black and blue figure called out his name against the roaring winds.

Luckily for him, the Kyuubi was already at work healing his body and ridding his body of sickness. What he didn't know was that the nine-tails had plans of its own. The demon merely settled down within the confines of its prison to plot for what was to come. One thing was for the sure. The fox was about to test Sasuke's love for his demon container.

Naruto tried to open his eyes, but it felt as though lead weights were holding them down. Still he refused to give up. Slowly, he cracked open one eye. He was lucky that the room was dim and dark. The steady pitter-patter of falling rain nearly lulled him back into blissful unconsciousness.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see a blurry blue and black figure sitting beside him on the bed. As his vision sharpened he was about to make out more of the person.

Sasuke? When had he gone to Sasuke's house? Just then a flood of memories crashed down upon him like a tsunami would upon a city. A choking sob escaped his throat. He rolled over, curling into a tight ball. His thin body shook with each and every sob.

A hand on Naruto's back did nothing to sooth him, but as it was moved in circles, he slowly began to calm down. The fingertips felt hot against the thin fabric of his shirt. And then a voice spoke out. A voice that he both wanted desperately to hear and yet at the same time believed that he would shatter if it were ever directed at him again.

"...Naruto..."

Sasuke didn't miss the way Naruto flinched as his name was spoken. This wasn't right. This wasn't right at all. Two boys couldn't like each other, could they? No...But then...why did it feel like his heart was threatening to split in two at the sight of the broken genin lying before him.

A lump formed in his throat. He found himself wanting to cry. Could he really have hurt Naruto that badly with his words spoken a month ago? Could he still be recovering from the rejection? The mere thought sent Sasuke's gut into a twisting knot of guilt.

"...Sasuke..." Naruto sat up, sapphire eyes dulled to an opaque blue by emotional pain.

More than anything Sasuke wanted to straight out hug Naruto. He wanted to do something...anything to make the blonde's face light up like it used to always be a month ago. But something was preventing him from committing the act. If he did hug Naruto...and it didn't feel right...what kind of message was he going to send Naruto? That he was worthless? Loveless? He couldn't have that happen. Not when the genin was clearly so devastated.

'...I've woken now to find myself

In the shadows of all I have created

I'm longing to be lost in you

(away from this place I have made)

Won't you take me away from me?'

But he couldn't let Naruto suffer. Not after all that he'd been through. His suicide attempt was still fresh in his mind and so was the letter he'd read a month ago. Taking a deep breath to try and stop his heart from beating so loudly, he reached forward and drew Naruto into an awkward hug.

Beneath his cold Uchiha exterior Sasuke was trembling with uncertainty. He knew now that what he felt was as real as it got. His heart seemed to slow down to the point of stopping. He tightened his grip on Naruto's shirt although he was still very nervous.

A pit of warmth was growing in his stomach and newfound feelings fluttered through him like butterflies in a birdcage. They crashed into each other, crowded and flapping desperately to be free. Sasuke swallowed the anxiety down and focused on soothing Naruto's troubled soul.

"I'm...sorry I said what I said, Naruto...I do...like you."

"S-Sasuke..." Naruto managed through his tears.

"I was confused..." he said, pulling back. This new emotion was threatening to send him of the brink of some indefinable ledge. Come to think of it. He couldn't describe what he felt. There was a tightness in his chest...and his heart was beating so rapidly he thought it would explode. "...and I wasn't sure...if..."

"I knew a long time ago." Naruto said, head bent to gaze at the floor. He played with his fingers idly as he spoke.

"I just...wanted to believe that I wasn't...gay...so I asked Sakura out so many times, hoping that I would feel something...anything towards her. But she only feels like my sister, even though it still hurt to have her reject me."

'Crawling through this world as this disease flows through my veins

I look into myself but my own heart has been changed

I can't go on like this

I loathe all I've become'

Sasuke listened with an open mind. He felt somewhat relaxed just hearing Naruto's calm, serious voice; he liked it so much better than the fake hyperactive one he'd used until a month ago.

"I see."

He traced a finger along Naruto's jaw line consciously, dark eyes flicking back and forth, searching for signs of acceptance. The genin shut his sapphire eyes and endured the tender touch while trying not to flinch as horrible memories raced through him.

"Open your eyes."

Sasuke's voice came to him from all directs. Naruto obeyed, watching him cautiously.

"I don't know what to do, Naruto. I've never...done anything like this before." he said.

"Me either..." replied Naruto. "Kiss me?"

Sasuke licked his lips nervously. What was he supposed to do? Kiss Naruto? He didn't know how. He'd never practiced. He'd never even gone out with a girl though he'd had his fair share of chances. And although this new realization that he wasn't straight had been brought right before his very eyes, it was still somewhat difficult to imagine himself kissing another guy.

As he was thinking, Naruto drew nearer, closing the space between them and placing his lips hesitantly on Sasuke's own pale ones.

Naruto nearly swallowed his heart as he dared himself to get closer to Sasuke. The genin seemed to be lost in thought, a deep expression on his face. He looked too serious. Naruto found himself wondering what the other's lips tasted like against his own.

So he decided to find out. He lay a hand on Sasuke's shoulder just long enough to draw his attention before shifting upwards to kiss him. Something warm shot down to his stomach. Was it excitement? Arousal? No. It was happiness. It was the happiness one feels when they receive something they have wanted for ages. It was pure bliss.

He felt Sasuke shift in surprise before settling down. It ended swiftly.

"Did you...like that?" he asked shyly.

Sasuke looked at him as though he had lost his mind. "No sneak attack kisses." he replied before capturing the other genin's lips again.

The kiss was still awkward as neither really knew what to do. Sasuke just sort of followed as Naruto took the lead. The Uchiha opened his mouth in surprise as he felt a cold hand snake along his waist. Naruto took the opportunity to gently explore the other's mouth with his tongue.

It ended almost as quickly as it had begun. Naruto found his heart tapping in tune with his whirlwind thoughts. That felt...incredible...No...even more so...Indescribable. He had no words to put to this strange new feeling that blossomed in his chest.

Sasuke's charcoal gaze seemed to burn through him.

"And what do you call that?" asked Naruto.

"A...A stealthy kiss."

Naruto scoffed.

"Oh yeah..." he softly after some time. "What do you want from this?"

"Doesn't this make it obvious, dobe? I want...to...bewithyou."

His rushed voice made the blonde genin laugh.

Sasuke felt warmth growing down below and looked down to see that he was half-hard. He regarded Naruto somewhat sheepishly.

"Not yet." he said, answering Naruto's silent question. "I won't do that...not yet."

"Then I'll let you take care of your little...problem." Naruto gave a half-strangled laugh and got up to leave the room to give Sasuke some personal time.

"Naruto...wait."

Naruto turned to face the Uchiha with a somewhat fearful expression on his face. Did he still harbor trepidation of being rejected? Sasuke gave him a knowing look. The answer was written in the genin's eyes.

The bed creaked gently as he stood. Wind blew against the windows of the large mansion as he enveloped Naruto in a soft warm hug.

"I don't hate you, Naruto, and I won't reject you. I just know you aren't ready...I am...not ready to go further just yet."

He'd lost his hard-on as he was embracing the desolate looking genin. Sasuke left a kiss on the side of Naruto's mouth and stood back.

"Don't look so sad."

"I'm not."

Naruto's voice was so soft you could have heard flea jump. Sasuke barely caught the words and nodded in response.

'I've woken now to find myself

In the shadows of all I have created

I'm longing to be lost in you

(away from this place I have made)

Won't you take me away from me'

"So..." Naruto began, fidgeting nervously from one foot to the other.

"Stop that." said Sasuke. "You are making me nervous as well." he added softly.

"I'm sorry."

Blue eyes watched as the other genin went to the window. He shut the curtains on the stormy backdrop as if it would make the storm simply disappear.

"Come here." Sasuke said, patting the bed.

He obeyed with somber, yet curious eyes. What could the genin want? Surely he wasn't going to...No...He had already said that they were not going to go that far yet. But then what could they possibly do?

Just then he felt a strange warmth on his stomach. The Kyuubi seal!! But why? Why was it activating? What did the nine-tailed fox have in store for them all? He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good.

A fierce pain ripped through Naruto's abdomen; he cried out, gripping his stomach as he crashed to the floor. His breath came in sharp panting gasps. Raging waves of furious red chakra spilled out from the genin's prone form.

"Sa—suke..." his choked voice reached the Uchiha's ears.

The raven-haired boy was trying desperately to reach Naruto, but each recalcitrant wave only served to push him back further.

"Naruto! Na...ruto..."

Sasuke's eyes were glittering with fear and uncertainty. A malicious force was assaulting his mind, leaving it ravaged in torn strips of consciousness and waving streamers of memory.

"Stupid...nine-tails..." he heard Naruto gasp.

The seal was burning bright on his skin, steaming as red chakra whorled out from it malevolently. Sasuke's mind was in shreds and Naruto felt his sanity beginning to slip as the mask of the Kyuubi no kitsune descended slowly upon his mind.

"Damn it..."

Naruto felt his arms burning with the arcane chakra that threatened to overwhelm him. His skin was being scalded by the demonic forces; a wave of dizziness crashed over him like a tsunami would upon a city. He went limp, darkness forcing itself around the edges of his vision.

Kakashi was braving the weather to find his way to Sasuke's apartment. A rule of thumbs followed teleportation. You could not teleport to places you had never been to. And he had never had a reason to visit Sasuke. At least, not until now.

When the nine-tailed-chakra had ignited into a furious array of sparks and hellish intentions, it had set off a flare on his radar. Even from his distance he was able to feel the purely evil chakra.

'Lost in a dying world I reach for something more'

'I've woken now to find myself

In the shadows of all I have created

I'm longing to be lost in you'

So he ran. He ran faster than an average jonin, leaping from tree to tree in the blink of an eye. He jumped down into the streets, ignoring the elements that threatened to make him yield. Whatever the case was, he needed to get to Sasuke's place and it was an absolute must that he get there before the Hokage sent out ANBU.

Within three minutes the outline of Sasuke's mansion was looming out against the tempest. A low growl of thunder made his insides curl. Something definitely wasn't right and he expected the worst.

An eerie mist enshrouded the mansion in a cloud of carmine smoke; the red chakra spiraling upward towards the sky was dying the haze red. What on earth was going on? Kakashi didn't know, but he intended to find out.

Naruto let out one final gasp as the world around him faded to black. The nine-tails fox power slipped away almost as suddenly as it had come. Kyuubi, apparently having been pleased with its greeting, succeeded its power and the remaining red chakra dispersed throughout the area just as Kakashi entered the premises.

'I have woken now to find myself

I'm lost in shadow of my own

I'm longing to be lost in you'

'Away from me.'

Thanks for reading!! I know it's a little shorter than my other chapters, but I had to leave it hanging. Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha. I am evil. EEEEEEEEEEEEvil!! Push the little blue button and make me , I need to go. I'm watching my little cousin.