Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the concepts of Naruto. They belong to their rightful owner.

Warnings: Angst, swearing, shounen ai. Don't like, don't read.

Chapter 13: Afloat

Time flew by in a blurring of busy days, and Naruto was happiest when he was busy. He spent the time juggling his normal work, attending Taira and training Ani. Sasuke was there all the time, either riding Taira or helping Naruto train Ani. Apart from that, they had they ran into each other in the evenings up at the mansions sometimes, and that was when Naruto liked Sasuke the best. When they were alone, with no one else around. Sasuke was more open and relaxed, and he smiled more.

Naruto loved it when he made Sasuke smile. It made him feel like he was special. He was the only one who could make Sasuke smile, and when those enchanting smiles were directed at him, he felt like he and Sasuke were the only ones in the world. At those times, Naruto felt all his troubles ease. There was no need to worry about hurting Sakura, or what anyone else would think. Not when Sasuke smiled at him.

Naruto felt like the day wasn't complete unless he saw Sasuke. He always felt a little sad and disappointed if he wasn't able to drink in the sight of Sasuke's face, or wallow in the soothing music that was his voice.

Of course, Sasuke wasn't always alone when he was around. More often than not Neji and Ino were with him, but Sasuke always managed to have a few words with him in private before he was called away by an impatient Ino, or ambushed by a blushing Sakura, or called away by Kakashi to discuss something.

But there had been an odd feeling in the air during the past few days. Sort of like the calm that came before a terrible storm. Kakashi had been bad tempered and irritable, probably because it was time for him to do the accounts and update the stock items that they had, and everyone knew that he hated doing that particular job. He hated preparing the finance reports that were required of him every three months, and the only thing that could placate him was Iruka.

Shikamaru and Tenten were arguing constantly, and the rest of them had given up on trying to calm things down between them. Instead, they all just left them to it. Sakura was getting rather annoyed with all the on edge behaviour and Kiba was the one who was laughing at it all. Raidou kept to himself, content just to wait it out, and Genma was distracted about something which he hadn't shared with anyone.

Naruto was as confused as ever about Sasuke. Not only that but he was beginning to worry about the odd looks that Neji had been directing at him occasionally, with those strange, milky eyes of his. He wasn't sure what was going on, but it wasn't bothering him as much as it should have and that in itself was odd.

Saturday dawned swiftly, and Naruto braced himself for yet another busy day. Kakashi had ordered a truck load of hay and bags of grain to be delivered, which meant a lot of physical work in addition to their usual work. Kakashi was already in a steely mood, and he'd be on the lookout for mistakes and slacking off so everyone was diligent with what they were doing, and were quick to follow orders.

Naruto had Ani lunged and exercised by the time seven rolled around, and he hurried to turn him out in the field with two other horses, pausing only long enough to make sure the gate was closed and secured. When he returned to the stables, the truck had pulled up, and Kakashi already had Raidou and Shikamaru unloading the hay and Naruto hurried over to help. It wasn't long before he was covered in sweat and grimy with dirt, but he worked on, listening to Shikamaru grumble and Raidou answer cheerfully.

Around midmorning, a dark blue convertible pulled up by the outdoor arena, and Sasuke and Neji got out. Sasuke approached him, leaving Neji leaning against the car. Naruto wiped his sweaty forehead on his forearm and set down the hay bale he'd been lifting.

"Hey Naruto. I can't stay long, but I wanted to know if you could ride Taira for me today. I have to go and meet Itachi in the city for a business lunch and I won't be back until tonight," Sasuke told him, looking displeased at the idea.

"Sure, it's no problem," Naruto replied, horribly aware of how disgusting he must look and smell. "I was wondering..."

"About the farrier? I was going to have a word with Kakashi now. Where is he?" Sauske asked, looking around.

"He should be in the storage shed." Naruto said, turning to look for Kakashi and not finding him.

"Thanks. I'll be back in a minute."

He hurried away, and Naruto turned around in time to catch the guarded look that Neji was shooting him, and flushing uncomfortably, he returned to his work. He was feeling rather confused and conflicted, pleased that he had seen Sasuke and upset about the look that Neji had given him. It had to mean something didn't it? Whatever was on the aloof man's mind, Naruto didn't have a clue what it was, nor an idea of how to deal with him.

"You got the wheelbarrow Naruto?" Raidou called from inside the truck.

"Yeah, I got it," he replied slowly, glancing quickly at Neji again before he grabbed the wheelbarrow stacked him with hay bales and headed towards the storage shed. Sasuke was talking to Kakashi off to one side, and Naruto spared them a glance before wheeling the barrow over to where Kiba and Sakura were waiting for him. Taking the first bale of hay down off his load, he handed it off to Kiba, who in turn passed it to Sakura, who stood half way up the hales which were already stacked in the corner of the shed.. Sakura pushed the bale into place and waited for the next one, her eyes drifting every now and then to watch Sasuke talking to Kakashi.

Naruto was lifting the last bale when Sasuke approached.

"I've got to go soon. If you could take Taira through that dressage test I showed you the other day I would appreciate it. If you have time take him over the jumps as well. Be careful, he tends to get a little over excited."

Naruto smiled at him. "I know. I helped you the other day remember?"

"Right. Sorry, I forgot. Got a lot on my mind, you know?" Sasuke smiled slightly at him, but he seemed tense and distracted.

"Don't worry. I'll get it done."

"Thanks Naruto. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Naruto nodded, and turned back to work as Sasuke left, only to find Kiba and Sakura staring at him.

"What?"

"I can't believe..."Kiba began, shocked. "How is it that you're actually getting along with Sasuke- bastard?"

Naruto shrugged awkwardly, embarrassed and dreading Sakura's reaction. "I've just been helping him with Taira, and he'd been helping me with Ani."

"Why?" Kiba asked, still flabbergasted.

"I think Lady Uchiha wants to have Ani as her riding horse once he's trained. She asked Sasuke to oversee his training."

"But he's a Uchiha! He was talking like a...like a normal person does!"

Naruto frowned slightly as he handed the hay to him. "He's still a person. He knows a lot about horses. That's all."

He glanced up at Sakura, who was watching him with a strange look on her face.

"It's nothing guys."

"If you say so," Kiba shrugged dubiously.

"He does, Kiba! So let it drop. If he says its nothing then it's nothing," Sakura snapped.

"Ok, ok, whatever. It's weird, that's all I was saying," Kiba grumbled.

"Keep your opinions to yourself until you've finished your work. All of you," Kakashi said sharply, from where he stood across the shed.

Kiba continued to grumble under his breath, Sakura scowled at him and Naruto just picked up the wheel barrow to go and collect another load of hay. But not before he caught the warning look that Kakashi sent his way.

It was an amazing feeling sitting astride Taira and being able to look down on everything. It wasn't as if he'd never ridden large horses before, but Taira was something special. He had an essence of wildness and raw power, whilst still having that refined elegance and grace which all horses possessed, and perhaps it was that quality that set Taira apart from other horses that Naruto had worked with. It was an entirely different experience. The ground seemed such a long way off, and for a moment it occurred to Naruto that if he were to fall off at speed, he could get seriously hurt. Which in turn led him to wonder how many times Sasuke had fallen off, and whether or not he'd been badly injured. Stubbornly pushing such thoughts away , he concentrated on what he was doing.

Taira felt like a time bomb waiting to explode. Every movement he made beneath Naruto just screamed with energy. To make a potentially disastrous situation worse, he was hyper sensitive to every movement Naruto made and he responded accordingly. The huge horse seemed to know that he had a smaller, lighter and perhaps more importantly, a stranger on his back, and he promptly set about trying all of his tricks on him. If he hadn't seen Sasuke handle Taira when he was in such a mood, then he would have been slightly apprehensive about dealing with Taira.

Taira fought him every inch of the way, and Naruto was forced to strengthen his will, and refuse to let Taira win. It meant he had to repeat some movements of the dressage test they were working on several times before Taira unwillingly did as he asked.

Naruto wondered how Sasuke made it look so easy when he rode Taira. He'd watched them work several times, and Taira usually performed flawlessly. He put it down to him being an unfamiliar rider. Although he was definitely shorter than Sasuke, and although Sasuke was probably a better rider than he was, that didn't mean that he was about to give in and admit defeat. After an exhausting hour of repeated attempts, they managed to complete the test satisfactorily, if not perfectly, and Naruto repeated it once just to make sure.

Sweating and triumphant, he slowed Taira to a walk then a halt, and patted the dark neck with a smile.

"You sure like to make things difficult, don't you?" He said to the horse. "But you're definitely worth the effort."

The dark horse nodded his head impatiently, and he laughed as Taira began to chomp at his bit.

"You know it too, don't you?"

He shifted in the saddle, feeling his muscles ache pleasantly. It was a good thing he'd worn riding gloves or his fingers would have been rubbed raw. Taira had a tendency to pull heavily on the bit, and as a result, Naruto's arms were burning with exertion.

"Naruto, you in here?" Kakashi called as he entered the shelter or the arena.

He turned Taira wand nudged him to walk onwards and smiled at the pale man as he approached.

"You look tired. Gave you a run for your money did he?" Kakashi asked with a smile.

"Yeah. But he settled down after awhile," he answered as he halted Taira before Kakashi, who grasped the reins behind Taira's chin as he looked up at Naruto.

"I'm not sure I like you riding this particular beast."

"I've ridden lots of difficult horses before."

"Yeah but this one is a lot bigger than the others, and he has a bit of a mean streak," Kakashi replied. "And you're probably not strong enough to handle him if he gets spooked."

Naruto felt a flare of defensive anger, but he quelled it before it got out of hand.

"He's not mean, just a bit stubborn," he protested. "I can handle him well enough."

"I don't doubt your skills Naruto, nor am I questioning your abilities, it's just..."

"Don't worry about me, Kakshi," Naruto smiled. "And let me do my job. I can handle it."

"This isn't part of your job though. Taira is Sasuke's horse, and you're only supposed to be looking after him. I don't like you riding him."

"It's only a favour to Sasuke, Kashi. It probably won't happen again," Naruto shifted in the saddle and frowned slightly. "Seriously, it's not a problem. I don't mind."

Kakashi regarded him seriously. "Don't get too involved with Sasuke, Naruto. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can't be friends with Uchiha's. There are consequences, and none of them will bode well for you."

"Sasuke's not..."

"No, listen to me Naruto. It'll cause trouble, and the odds are, you'll get hurt, and you may even lose your job. I won't say this again, but you think about it before you do any more 'favours' for Sasuke. Am I clear?"

Confusion was the thing foremost in his mind as he tried to process what Kakashi was saying. He couldn't understand why everyone disliked Sasuke so much. From what he understood, no one really knew him or had had much contact with him. The youngest Uchiha had never done or said anything unkind to anyone, as far as he knew and the fact that they all seemed so bias against him seemed so unfair that Naruto wasn't quite sure how to react. Sasuke had been nothing less than fair to him, treating him like an equal, and Naruto couldn't help but resent what everyone was telling him. In a way he was sick of everyone trying to protect him all the time. While they might have his best interests at heart, he was nineteen, and capable of making decisions for himself. And if he made a mistake, then so be it, it would be his fault and he would be the one who suffered for it.

It also hurt on a more personal level that they didn't trust him enough to know that he could protect himself when he needed to, and Sasuke had never given him reason to believe that he needed to be on his guard. Sasuke was a good person and Naruto liked him, perhaps more than that, and he felt an almost defensive when everyone kept on at him to be careful.

What was also clear to him though, was that Kakashi wasn't talking to him as a friend or mentor; he was talking to him as his boss, and while he never usually pulled rank unless in a serious situation, it made Naruto wary of what he said.

"I understand the risks I'm taking Kakashi, but they're my choices to make, and if I chose to take the risk, then that's my decision. If there are consequences to face then I'll face them." Naruto paused to take a breath. "I'll keep your words in mind though."

Kakashi sighed and released his hold one Taira's reins. "I suppose I'll have to accept that. I just hope you're aware..."

"I'm aware Kakashi."

"Good. What are you doing now then?"

"I need to take him over the jumps." Naruto replied, still reeling slightly.

"Make it quick. And be careful."

"I will."

Naruto's mind was in turmoil as he rode out into the stable yard.

First Raidou, and then Kakashi. Add to that the problem of Sakura and he had a fine mess in the making on his hands. Naruto knew in some distorted way that he had many personal issues and he was aware that sometimes he had trouble with handling them, and at times he felt so fragile and broken that the slightest thing could send him tumbling into a place that no person should experience.

There were times that he desperately needed reassurance and comfort from those around him, and all he wanted was to be sheltered by the people that cared about him, but sometimes he hated everyone thinking that he needed looking after, like some dependent child

Having realized all that, he also knew that Sasuke did present a problem. Naruto knew that it was indeed risky befriending a Uchiha, but not for the reasons his friends believed. There were potential dangers which could befall him at any time, and while his mind played different scenarios over and over he couldn't make himself avoid Sasuke. None of it seemed to matter when he was with Sasuke. He knew there was no way he could fight the way his feelings for Sasuke were growing.

When it came to Sasuke, his feelings where a hundred times stronger than he ever imagined possible. All the while his heart and his mind were conflicted in a way that he had never experienced before. On one hand, his mind was telling him to run, to flee because there was no way in hell anything would ever work out. Every step he took on the path that led to Sasuke was pitted with so many traps and dangers that it seemed inevitable that he get hurt in some way.

But his heart was crying out for any kind of love Sasuke could give him, anything at all. It hungered after even the possibility of love, and like a creature thirsting for a waterhole, he had no choice in the matter.

Would he sink or swim if he devoted himself to the unusual friendship that had sprung up unexpectedly between them? It was yet another question on the impossibly long list that required answers.

Taira seemed to have sensed that he wasn't paying much attention, and he attempted to get the bit between his teeth and get away. Naruto was jerked unpleasantly from his thoughts and he abruptly shortened the reins before Taira could do anything.

"Nice try," he told the horse dryly.

Taira snorted and shook his head impatiently in response. and Naruto shook his head in amusement. Horses were a refreshing change from the complicated lives that people lead. They had no need for material things, nor had they the same concerns that humans did. They were uncomplicated, and easy to understand if you knew what to look for, and Naruto had often taken comfort that.

It had begun to drizzle and the light rain seemed more like a fine blanket of mist. It was only mid afternoon, but it was already getting cooler, and Naruto's face and ears were cold.

"Okay you. Lets get this over with shall we?" Naruto muttered as he dismounted to open the gate of the jumping paddock.

Luckily, the course was still set up, so Naruto closed the gate and remounted.

"Now, nice and easy boy. No tricks." he said as he resettled himself in the saddle and shortened the reins. "Lets go."

Taira sprung into a canter from a stand still, his ground eating strides bringing them up to the first jump in a matter of seconds. With an almost push of powerful muscles, they soared over the jump and cleared it effortlessly. Taira landed smoothly and continued on, intent on the next impending jump.

Despite Sasuke's earlier words, Taira was completely collected as they soared over each jump with an almost careless and lazy attitude. Naruto had no problems directing him to each jump and making sure they faced each jump head on and straight. The dark horse nailed each landing perfectly, his balance was impeccable and everything he did told Naruto that he was an experienced jumping horse. From what he'd learned, Sasuke had won countless awards on him in the competition ring, and riding Taira as he was, Naruto didn't doubt him for a second. Not with such a competent and confident horse beneath him. From raging ball of restless energy and trouble to the confident and almost arrogant no nonsense horse, Taira's transformation was instantaneous and amazing.

Naruto loved every second of it. The adrenalin rush and the excitement coursing through his veins made him forget his troubles. Nothing mattered except power and the terrifying yet thrilling break neck speed, and it was in the moments that they were airborne that Naruto knew what the true meaning of being free was. There was nothing quite like the unity of mind and spirit that came about when horse and human worked in harmony, and it was a kind of peace that many people searched for and never found.

When they completed the course, Naruto was laughing. Gradually slowing Taira to a walk, he patted the horses damp neck in amazement. Taira arched his neck and bobbed his head. Both of them were rather damp from the drizzling rain, but it was trivial in comparison to the perfect run they'd just experienced. Naruto dismounted and pulled the reins over Taira's head.

"Definitely worth it," he grinned as he patted Taira again. "Now, lets go and spoil you a bit, shall we boy? Not that you need any more. You're heads big enough as it is."

With Kakashi's warning all but forgotten, Naruto led Taira towards the stable, tired but incredibly happy.

A few minutes later, an unsaddled and sweaty Taira was tied up in one of the paved indoor wash bays. Naruto adjusted the water temperature to lukewarm and began to hose the large horse down. Taira didn't like it much, and he laid his ears flat back as he tried to pull free. He steadied his with a hand on his halter and continued on undeterred until he was soaking wet. That luscious mane and tail were reduced to whippy, rope like strands that flicked water about with every movement.

He dumped a generous amount of sweet smelling horse shampoo over the broad back and began to work the dark coat into a lather. Taira looked rather disgruntled and undignified with soapy suds all over his body and a distinctly reproachful look about him that Naruto had to laugh.

"Not so tough now are you boy?"

Taira obviously resigned himself to his fate a few moments later and settled down, sniffing at the rail he was tied to and ignoring Naruto completely. He smiled indulgently at the horses behaviour and counted his blessings, grateful that Taira was behaving and that he could work in silence for awhile.

The sound of a bucket being put down made Naruto look up. Sakura stood there, licking her lips uncertainly.

Naruto smiled at her to cover his sudden nervousness.

"Hey Sakura."

"Hey Naruto. I was wondering if I could...ask you something."

She went to the other side of Taira and began to lather his mane.

"Sure. What's up?"

Sakura didn't reply for a few moments, and her eyes remained on what she was doing. Naruto had to force himself to stay quiet and wait for her answer.

"Sakura?"

She raised solemn green eyes to meet his. "There's nothing going on between you and Sasuke is there? I mean, you're not..."

Naruto went cold, and stopped what he was doing as he looked at Sakura and tried desperately to hide his guilt and shame, and he terrible fear.

"Why do you want to know?" he managed to ask.

"It's just...I really like him, you know? Tenten thinks that it's just a crush, but it's more than that. And I've seen you talking to him a lot, so I just thought..."

Naruto watched her as she talked and he felt his heart break just a little. How could he avoid hurting her? The last thing he wanted to do was lose a friend, for he'd never had many, and he'd be devastated if he lost one of the few he actually had.

He swallowed thickly and somehow forced his hands to continue what they were supposed to be doing, forcing his eyes down to avoid eye contact.

"So is there? It's just that...I thought maybe he might like me, and I want to know if there's anything..."

"No," Naruto replied, struggling to keep his voice steady. "There's nothing going on."

And technically it was true. Naruto's feelings were one sided, and he wasn't the type to act on them. Never in a thousand years could he ever...but that didn't mean he didn't want to. There were times that he was so overwhelmed by Sasuke that he wanted to throw himself at him. Or run away.

And now it seemed that Sakura had fallen for the same charms.

She smiled brightly at him.

"Really? You swear?"

"I swear," he almost whispered.

"Great! So, you think I should make a move on him?" She asked him cheerfully.

"I'm not...I'm probably not the best person to ask for advice," he replied after a moment, forcing a smile to his face.

"You're probably right. I should go talk to Tenten. Thanks Naruto!"

That stung more than it should have, but he let it slide and smiled at her as she left, practically skipping. He was alone once more with Taira and the deafening silence for company.

Naruto closed his eyes and leaned against Taira, not really caring that his clothes were getting soaked. He'd lied to her. He'd actually lied to Sakura, and he felt like the lowest scum on earth. And he felt ashamed, because he knew what his father would have said. Once something cruel has been said, it can never really be taken back, nor would it be forgotten. The only thing he could do was pray that Sakura wouldn't find out.

It had stopped raining by the time four o clock had rolled around, and Naruto still felt like a horrible bastard. He walked out to the fields with Shikamaru and Raidou, not caring that he was stepping in puddles, or that his jeans were soaked to the knees.

"You okay, Naruto?" Raidou asked. "You seem kind of down today?"

Naruto smiled at him as best he could. "I'm fine, Raidou. Its just been a long day."

"Well, I can honestly say from experience that the best cure for that is a long bath, a nice meal and good company. Throw in some hot cocoa, and you'll be set."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Sleep is better."

"You think sleep is they cure for everything. I really think you'd be better off switching lives with a coma patient. Then you'd be truly happy Shika."

"Shows how little you know..."

Naruto left them to their arguing and opened the gate to the field Ani was in. The grey was currently at the far end of the paddock. Naruto frowned, then sighed and closed the gate behind him.

His toes were numb with cold, and his hard leather boots and thick socks were completely soaked through. With each step he took, he sunk a few inches into the ground. Other than that it was a beautiful evening. The air was cold and crisp, and a faint mist hung over the rolling green of the fields and the forests. It was a serene kind of atmosphere which should have brought some relief to his troubled mind, but for once he found none in the beauty of the environment.

Carefully watching where he put his feet, he moved over the grass closer to Ani, knowing instinctively to avoid patches where the grass was scarce. It had taken him several times to learn that particular lesson and only after the fourth time of ending up knee deep in mud and trapped did he learn to avoid the areas.

When he was halfway down the field, he knew something was wrong. If Ani hadn't been at the gate to greet him, then he'd normally be walking towards him by now. But he hadn't moved a single step since Naruto had first seen him. His heart almost stopped when he caught sight of the broken fence a short way away from Ani, and he took off at a flat out run towards the horse, whose head was lowered. He looked up slightly as Naruto approached, but he made no move. As he skidded to a halt, it looked like there was nothing wrong physically. Colic could have been a possibility, and one that he was considering when he went to inspect Ani's other side. What he saw made him stop dead.

His hind leg was covered in dark blood, and the amount was frightening. Ani's eyes were dulled with pain, and with shaking hands he slipped on the halter as he tried to stay calm.

"You're going to be okay, baby." he murmured shakily. He turned to see Raidou heading towards him at a fast jog. "Help's on the way, Ani. Just hold on."

He wasn't putting any weight on his hind Leg. There was a deep gash running from the thigh area to the stifle, and it was bleeding free, completely soaking the leg. Naruto dropped the lead rope and hurriedly stripped off his jumper, using it to bind the area and securing it in place by tying the arms together, hoping that it would slow the bleeding even a little.

"What have you done to yourself Ani?" he asked with a strangled sob. Blood covered his hands and it terrified him more than anything. For once, it wasn't his. But he loved this horse, and he'd practically raised him and watched him grow, and having his blood on his hands was more horrifying than anything else.

Raidou finally reached them, his breathing harsh as he slowed to a walk.

"What is it? What's...holy fuck!"

"Get Kakashi. Please hurry!"

Without another word, Raidou pulled out his mobile and dialled Kakashi's number as he moved a short distance away and began talking.

Naruto took a deep breath and hurriedly wiped the tears away. He stroked Ani's face with gentle hands, hoping to be of some comfort. Ani rested his head against Naruto's chest and heaved a great sigh which seemed, to Naruto, to be laden with pain and suffering and weariness. If he could spare Ani the pain he could. He would have taken it on himself, for he was no beginner when it came to dealing with physical pain. Emotional pain and stress like this he couldn't handle, and seeing a creature he loved more than anything hurt in such a way was enough to make him break down into tears.

Before he knew it, someone was pulling him away and holding him tightly against a solid chest. Genma's arms were strong and warm, and they wrapped around him like a safe haven. Naruto hadn't even realized how cold he was until he felt Genma's body heat.

Kakashi was inspecting Ani's leg, and after a few moment, he stood up.

"The wound is deeper than I thought. Tenten's calling the vet now. We need to get him up to the stables and dry him off." he said grimly.

"But he can't..." Naruto began desperately.

"Hush Naruto. Kiba and Shika are bringing a trailer now." Genma said quietly into his ear. "Come on now. I'll take you up to the stables now and we can get everything ready for him"

"I don't want to..."

"I know you don't. But you won't be able to help him when you're like this. Come on. He'll be up there before you know it." Genma coaxed soothingly.

Naruto couldn't argue. He didn't have the strength or the will power to after seeing Ani so listless and dull, so he allowed Genma to wrap an arm around his shoulders and lead him away. All he could do was cling to Genma's shirt and stumble along beside him uselessly. Genma said nothing, just offering silent support and comfort, and Naruto was glad. There wasn't anything that could be said to make him feel any better.

And there you have it. Another chapter and one that I'm glad I finally got to post! Sorry for the wait, and I hope you enjoyed it.

I've been tossing an idea around for awhile now, and I thought it's time to put it out there to all you readers. My latest idea concerning this story is posting a list of songs on my Profile page, sort of like a soundtrack that goes with this story. Either that or I'll email it to those who want it. I know other readers have done it and I liked the ideas. It would be one (or two) songs per chapter, with artists names etc. If you're interested, give me a buzz and let me know.

Thanks for reading!

Ja Ne!