Disclaimer: Characters belong to their rightful owner, not me. This particular story arc however, does belong to me!

Warnings: Yaoi of the Sasu/Naru kind. Swearing, some violence and graphic scenes. Don't like, don't read!

Author's Note: After doing some reading to refresh my memory on three day eventing, I realised that I have the order of the events in the wrong order. Normally, the order is dressage, then cross country and then the show jumping. However, for the sake of making the story flow a little better, I will leave it as it is. Apologies to any hard-core riders out there that may be reading this!

Chapter 30: Don't Let me Fall

You won't find faith or hope down a telescope
You won't find heart and soul in the stars
You can break everything down to chemicals
But you can't explain a love like ours.

Science and Faith by the Script

Naruto hefted the saddled onto a restless Sora's back. She was in a funny mood which made him a little apprehensive about the upcoming show jumping. He was on in half an hour and he had left it as late as possible to saddle her in order to keep her relaxed and calm.

So far, the competition had been a success. Sakura and Kiba had been doing well in the lower levelled competitions, and Sasuke was dominating at the highest level, currently placed second and looking very promising for a first place. Ino had taken a fall earlier in the day during her show jumping routine, which had effectively eliminated her for the competition, and Neji was placed third behind Sasuke.

Currently, Naruto was fourth in the competition level just below Sasuke. He wouldn't be competing against his lover, which gave him some measure of relief, because he had no hope of doing well against Sasuke and Taira. Sora wasn't experienced enough to be competing at that level anyway, so he was eager for her to do well and prove her worth to Sasuke. After all, Sasuke had ultimately let Naruto talk him into buying a mare that had little experience with show jumping. So the next two days would be a big test for them both.

Show jumping in a ring was vastly different from cross country jumping. The major difference was the jumps themselves; the jumps in the show jumping ring were able to be knocked down, whereas cross country jumps were the opposite. Show jumping is ultimately a test of the horses' athleticism and obedience, and is a timed course. Cross country is a test of speed and bravery for the horse.

This particular show jumping course had eighteen fences of medium difficulty, at Naruto's level anyway. Thankfully, there were no water jumps this time, although the same couldn't be said for the cross country course. Raidou had worked hard with Sora on the water jumps after Naruto's accident, but she still disliked them intensely.

But he would worry about that when the time came. Sora was in a cranky mood, and stamped impatiently as he quickly fastened the chest plate and girth. As usual, she was groomed to perfection, and ready to go.

Naruto himself was dressed too, in smart beige jodphurs, and a crisp white long sleeved shirt and his short hunt coat. He had spent a good hour cleaning and polishing his boots and brushing down his black velvet helmet. He was inwardly cursing the strict dress codes of the competition world. Give him a comfortable pair of riding pants, a loose jumper and his normal riding boots any day.

With a sigh, he patted Sora's shoulder and released her halter as he gathered up the reigns. He swung the stable door open and led her out. She stepped briskly beside him as he manoeuvred her around other people and horses and out into the sunshine.

He immediately spotted Sasuke talking to that strange red haired man again in the shade of a giant tree. Sasuke hadn't competed yet, and so was dressed casually. He saw Naruto and waved him over with a grin.

Sora shook her head as he led her over, and he patted her neck reassuringly.

Sasuke was smiling at him warmly, and Naruto felt his insides start up that old familiar tap dance, just from that smile.

"Naruto," he touched his arm briefly before turning to his friend. "This is Gaara, my childhood friend and constant tormentor. Gaara, this is Naruto."

Naruto shyly met Gaara's pale green, assessing eyes.

"Naruto. I've heard a lot about you," Gaara greeted him, emotionlessly.

Naruto shifted nervously, still uncomfortable with meeting strangers and this one in particular. Sasuke seemed close to Gaara, and it was the first time he had met anyone besides his mother about whom Sasuke actually cared deeply for.

"I uh…" he began, but Sasuke smiled and touched his shoulder again.

"Fortunately for you, Gaara, I haven't actually told Naruto much about you. You have a clean slate, my friend," Sasuke grinned at Gaara, and received a slug in the arm for his troubles.

"Don't listen to anything he tells you, Naruto," Gaara said, with a slight smile. "He grossly exaggerates every story he has about me."

Naruto smiled, genuinely this time, caught up in the friendly banter between the two. Despite his initial reservations, he found himself starting to like the shrewd red head in spite of his scary exterior.

"Did you come just to visit Sasuke?" he asked quietly, still not entirely sure of his welcome.

"Well, that and to get away from my family," Gaara replied. "Much like Sasuke, I am constantly surrounded by family drama and parents with expectations that I have no desire to meet."

"We first met in grade school, when we were seven," Sasuke told him. "It was hate at first sight and I haven't been able to get rid of him since."

"Oh please. You've been tagging along behind me since day one and you know it."

Naruto opened his mouth to ask another question, but was cut off by Sora throwing her head up and whirling around as another horse came too close. He was forced away from Sasuke as she skittered around, and he gathered up her reins as he attempted to soothe her. He got her back under control quickly and led her back towards them.

"She okay?" Sasuke asked, eyeing her sharply as he took a hold of her bridle and ran a critical eye over her.

"She's in a funny mood today," Naruto replied as he ran a hand down her neck. "I'm hoping she'll settle down once I get her warmed up."

"You be careful out there today," Sasuke said seriously. "You know how she gets with jumping when she's in a mood like this. If you don't think she can handle it, pull out. I'd rather that then you taking another fall."

Naruto nodded his understanding, although he was unwilling to stand Sora down.

"I'd better go," Naruto said. "I'm on in twenty. It was nice meeting you Gaara."

The redhead quirked a smile at him. "You too, Uzamaki Naruto. I hope we get a chance to get to know each other a little better."

He smiled at Gaara as he slipped on his helmet and fastened it securely. Sasuke pulled the reins over Sora's head quickly.

"Here, I'll give you a leg up," he said.

Naruto bent the knee closest to Sasuke and grasped the saddle, and Sasuke pushed him upwards. He swung his other leg over the saddle and quickly adjusted his position, securing his feet in the stirrups and gathering the reins.

Sasuke left his hand on his knee and looked up at him.

"Be careful," he murmured. "I'll be watching."

"I will," Naruto smiled down at his lover, feeling that warm flood of emotion once more as he recalled the previous night.

"Good luck."

Naruto smiled and nudged Sora into a brisk walk towards the warm up ring.

Naruto trotted Sora around the outside of the jumping arena, waiting for the judges to give him the go ahead to start.

In order to get the highest points possible, he had to ensure that neither he nor Sora fell, or knocked down an element of a jump, refuse a jump or exceed the time limit. He had gone over and over the jump course, carefully measured out the space between each jump so he could get the timing right, and made sure he knew the order the fences were supposed to be jumped in.

Sora had calmed down considerably throughout their warm up, although he could feel that she was still tense beneath him. Naruto himself had an uncomfortable mess of nerves residing in his stomach and making him feel slightly nauseous. Sora was probably picking up on his tumultuous emotions and working herself up in response.

He consciously forced himself to take a few deeps breaths and focus his mind on the task at hand as he kept an eye on the judges. The head judge finally gave him the nod, so he urged her into a canter and took her around the starting point. The crowd around him quieted down but he forced himself to ignore them as he readied Sora.

Sora rushed into the first jump slightly, but he eased her over it and took her around to the next. She jumped the next ten jumps steadily and relatively smoothly, and he started to relax a little. In response, she took the next three perfectly, and he turned her sharply for the next. It was a double fence, and he felt her hesitate right before they took off. She sailed over the jump with room to spare, but stumbled slightly on the landing.

White hot pain shot up Naruto's back unexpectedly as he jarred on the landing, and he gasped out loud and hunched over her neck as he tried not to cry out.

He could feel Sora start to panic beneath him, and she would have probably skidded to a halt had he not gritted his teeth against the agony tearing his back apart and managed to straighten in the saddle and gather the reins. He braced himself as the next jump loomed before them, and spurred Sora on. She took the jump with hesitation once more, but landed perfectly. The landing jarred his back once more, and he could feel tears running down his face as he prepared for the last two jumps. They were relatively easy compared to the others, but they seemed like mountains to Naruto, whose back was beginning to seize up from the pain.

Sora seemed to sense that something was wrong and took control right front his hands. He had lost the quality of his position and was hunched over slightly, but she seemed to ignore him and soared over the next two jumps perfectly on her own, with Naruto remembering to stand in the stirrups each time she launched herself into the air.

Once they'd completed the course, he slumped completely over her neck as she slowed herself to a fast trot. She was making a direct line towards where Kakashi, Raidou and Genma had rushed to wait once they had realised something was wrong.

"Naruto!" Genma called as Kakashi grabbed Sora's reins and pulled her to a stop.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Kakashi demanded.

He was still slumped over Sora's neck and sobbing quietly in pain, and there were hands all over him, trying to pull him from the saddle.

"Stop!" A familiar voice commanded, and he was aware of Sasuke pushing through the crowd of his friends with two medics behind him. Naruto turned his head towards him, and felt his warm hands frame his face.

"Naruto, breathe deeply with me for a moment," he commanded, and shakily he managed to comply. "Now tell me what's wrong."

"My back," he managed to gasp as another wave of pain seized him. "I think…I've strained my back again."

"Okay, let's get him down from there and onto the stretcher," the medics gently removed Sasuke from his side, and took over.

They were so careful in their ministrations, but every movement was agony. They tried to get him to lie on his back but he kept trying to curl into a ball and hug his knees.

"You're hurting him!" he could hear Genma snap angrily, and then Kakashi and Raidou were pulling him away off to the side. He could hear Sora kicking up a fuss somewhere nearby, and he wanted desperately to go to her and make sure she was okay, but the medics were still fussing over him.

Naruto opened his eyes and looked for Sasuke, finding him standing nearby with Gaara before he whited out from the pain.

Sasuke waited quietly with Gaara at his side outside the hospital room. Kakashi and the other stable hands were waiting a little ways away, leaving them alone for the time being. They had been waiting for two hours already, and Sasuke was getting impatient to see Naruto.

He had been so proud, watching Naruto out there. Sora had jumped beautifully, and whilst it hadn't been the best technical performance, it had been right up there. He had felt his heart stop the moment when Naruto had slumped over on that landing. So many things could have gone disastrously wrong had it not been for Narutos' strength of will to continue.

He could have fallen and gone under Sora hooves. Or Sora could have fallen or bolted from the arena. They could have crashed into the next fence. So many things that would have devastated Sasuke had they happened, but they didn't. He didn't think he could stand watching the person he loved with all of his being fall again.

As it was, he was extremely tense. His hands were clasped together so tightly his skin was turning white, and he couldn't stop his leg from bouncing. Gaara was silent beside him, a solid, immovable presence at his side, providing a steadfast support as Sasuke panicked silently beside him.

Things had been going so well between them as well as on the competition field. And yet, Naruto couldn't seem to catch a break. First, their very public outing by a certain pink woman who was, Sasuke noticed with a scowl, conspicuously absent and then this.

Suddenly, a door opened to their left and they all simultaneously shot to their feet and converged on the man. It would have been funny had the situation not been so serious.

"He's okay," he doctor told the anxious group. "He's strained his back again, but not so badly as his previous injury. It appears that in the past, he had actually slipped a disc in his spine, but luckily that didn't happen this time. It's mostly muscle spasms and internal bruising due to the awkward landing."

"How long will his recovery be?" Kakashi asked quietly.

"I've prescribed him muscle relaxants and strong pain killers. Heat packs and bed rest for the next few days and then he should be getting up and moving around slowly for the week following. Unfortunately, this may become a chronic problem for him, but there's not much we can do for it besides treat the symptoms."

The doctor glanced towards the darkened room behind him.

"I've sedated him lightly for the time being. He'll be discharged in about fifteen minutes and then you can take him home. He shouldn't be in an upright position for too long, so try to keep him from taking any long trips. Here are his prescriptions. Make sure that he follows the instructions carefully, because they're quite strong medications."

"Thank you doctor," Sasuke told him, releasing the breath that he had been holding.

At least it wasn't a broken back that he had been fearing. Naruto would be displeased that he would be unable to continue in the competition. It saddened him that it would become a chronic problem though, because it meant there would be more pain for his lover in the future.

"Well, at least it's not as bad as last time then," the man named Genma stated, sounding rather glum.

"Look on the bright side, Genma," Raidou said. "Naruto is strong. He'll be up and about in no time."

Sasuke found them grating on his nerves, and gritted his teeth to keep from snapping at them. Gaara gripped his forearm, as if sensing Sasuke's frustration.

"Let's go and pick up these prescriptions shall we?" Kakashi murmured, with an astute glance in Sasuke's direction.

"But what about…." Genma started to say, but Raidou and Kakashi had already started to led him away.

"How about we let Sasuke…" was all he heard before he could no longer hear them.

"I'll go get us some coffee," Gaara stated rather casually, before sauntering off in the opposite direction to the others. "I'll meet you out the front."

Sasuke was alone in the hallway, and he exhaled once more before quietly entering Naruto's darkened examination room.

The blond lay on his back on the small examination table. X-rays and scans taken of his back littered the boards around the room. He had thrown one arm over his eyes, to block out what little light there was. His boots and jacket had been removed, and his shirt was partially undone.

Sasuke was just glad to see that he wasn't crying in pain anymore. That made his feel slightly better, at least.

"Naruto?" he enquired softly, as he approached the table.

The arm lifted slightly, and he caught a flash of blue eyes before they were hidden once more. His breathing was deep and even, and he seemed to be at peace.

"Hey, 'suke," came the quiet response. Sasuke was finally at his side, and he laid a gentle hand on Naruto's raised forearm.

The arm was lowered slowly, and Sasuke looked into drowsy blue eyes for the first time in hours.

"How did I do?" Naruto asked, his voice slightly slurred.

"Sorry?"

"The showjumpin? How'd I go?" Naruto asked, closing his eyes slowly before opening them again and trying to focus on Sasuke. "Did someone look after Sora?

Sasuke smiled, as the depth of emotion he felt for the man rose up and made his throat tighten. Trust Naruto to be thinking of the least important thing at such a time, with the least bit of concern for himself.

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the slightly sweaty forehead.

"You did great," he whispered against the warm skin. He knelt down beside the bed, one hand twined in his soft blond hair and the other rubbing gently at his stomach.

"You moved up a spot to third. I'm so proud of you."

Naruto smiled, and clumsily wrapped a hand around the one on his stomach.

"'m glad," he murmured. "Didn' want to disappoint you."

"You could never, Naruto," Sasuke blinked back tears. "Not even if you tried. But it's time to put it to bed now. You have to concentrate on getting better and resting from now on. Are you ready to go to sleep?"

His only response was a quiet nod, as those blue eyes that fascinated him so closed once more.

Someone cleared their throat behind him, and he looked over his shoulder to see Kakashi with a wheelchair.

"They've discharged him, Sasuke-sama," the enigmatic man said quietly.

"Okay. Help me get him into the chair?" Sasuke asked as he stood up. He shook Naruto gently, rousing him.

"Naruto," he whispered. "Wake up a little so we can move you."

Naruto obeyed with surprising ease, opening his eyes and rolling slowly onto his side, with only the slightest flicker of pain crossing his features.

With Sasuke on one side and Kakashi on the other, they both eased him off the table and into the wheelchair, surrounding him with plenty of pillows for support. Sasuke reluctantly let Kakashi wheel him out of the room and into the hallway, walking beside the chair and watching as Naruto's eyes blinked slowly as he looked around.

"They drugged him with the good stuff, it seems," Kakashi noted as they made their way slowly and carefully towards the ground floor.

Sasuke didn't mind the quiet man's conversation. He had known Kakashi for a long time, and didn't see him as an employee or even a servant. They weren't friends or acquaintances either, but he found the mysterious man's words and advice was always honest and usually correct. He also knew that he was a good mentor and friend of Naruto's and that endeared the man to Sasuke even more.

"He'll have to withdraw from the competition," Sasuke replied as he looked away.

Kakashi sighed. "He won't be happy with that. In fact, I'd say you have quite the fight on your hands to get him to agree to that."

"He's in no shape to discuss that tonight though. It will have to wait until the morning," Sasuke decided as they reached the curb outside the hospital doors.

"I sent the others on ahead to the hotel. Gaara is bringing the car around," Kakashi informed him.

Sasuke nodded and ran his fingers lightly over Naruto's exposed forearm.

Naruto opened his gritty eyes slowly, his body feeling sluggish and heavy. There was a sharp ache in his back and it didn't take long for his tom recall the unfortunate events of yesterday. He lay on his stomach, with his arms buried under his pillow.

He turned his head and was treated to the sight of Sasuke asleep in an armchair beside his bed, with his head propped up on his clenched fist.

"Sasuke?" he whispered, and jumped as Sasuke eyes flew open. He bit back his gasp as pain gripped his back.

"What do you need?" Sasuke asked immediately, sliding to his knees beside the bed.

"Pills," he gasped, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth against the pain.

Sasuke reached onto the bedside table and quickly tipped out two pills.

"Here, I'll have to roll you over," Sasuke muttered, before propping a couple of pillows against each other and helping Naruto ease over onto his back. Once he was settled, Sasuke gave him the pills and a glass of water and watched as Naruto swallowed them down rapidly, before handing the glass back and relaxing with a sigh.

"How are you feeling?" his lover asked quietly, seating himself on the bed facing him.

Naruto managed a smile for him, and reached for his hand, which Sasuke gave readily.

"Better than I did yesterday," he replied.

"You gave everyone quite the scare," Sasuke frowned. "I swear, if I have to see you get yourself hurt again, I'm going to go stark raving mad."

Naruto stared at the ceiling and cursed his luck silently. First the whole mess with Sakura, which was constantly plaguing his thoughts, and now aggravating his back injury. At least he had Sasuke to make it bearable.

"It all happened so suddenly," he said, half talking to himself. "We were going so well, and then she stumbled….I wasn't expecting it."

"Nobody was," Sasuke said, still frowning. "It wasn't as if you did it on purpose. These things happen sometimes. It's unfortunate that you have to pull out from the competition, but there will be other opportunities to compete."

Naruto frowned, not liking where this was going. He managed to pull himself up on the pillows a little to better face his partner.

"Pull out? You mean quit?"

"Yes, that's what I mean. I've organised a flight for this evening to take you home. An hour and a half on a plane is better than a five hour car trip. You're in no condition to even get on a horse, let alone ride a cross country course," Sasuke replied, sitting back a little.

"I'm not going to quit. I'm feeling better already…"

"Naruto, there is no way you will be able to complete that course. I can guarantee you that after the first jump you will be in agony. There is no point in continuing to damage your back more than it already has been," Sasuke said, his voice firm and his frown deepening.

"Sasuke…" Naruto forced himself to calm down, and think clearly, knowing that getting upset would only tighten Sasuke resolve. "I am capable of determining whether or not I am able to do this course, and I am. I know I can do this."

Sasuke stood up and began to pace, his frustration palpable.

"Naruto, you're not listening to me…"

"I am listening, Sasuke," Naruto cut him off. "I'm tired of people dictating what I should do, and trying to get me to do what they want. I have lived my life convincing myself not to do things because I will probably fail. I entered this competition to prove to myself, and to you, that I can do. I'm not going to give up on this just yet."

Sasuke looked at him, looking upset and irritated, but appearing to listen to him. Naruto took a deep breath to steady himself, and thanked the gods that the medications that were starting to kick in didn't affect his ability to think clearly.

"I can do this Sasuke. I want you to trust me. I want you to believe in me and let me at least try," he implored quietly.

Yelling or getting angry never got anyone anywhere with Sasuke. He could be as impassive as stone when he had his mind set on something. The best way was to use words to make him see sense. No yelling. No arguing. Sasuke had endured enough of that during his lifetime.

"But what if…."

"How about we get everything ready, and we'll see how I'm feeling when I'm due to start? If you still don't think I'm up to doing it then, I'll let you withdraw for me," Naruto offered.

Sasuke ran his hands through his dishevelled hair and paced away from him before returning to his previous position on the bed. He grasped Naruto's hands in his and raised them to his lips, closing his eyes as he kissed them lingeringly.

"Okay," he said eventually, resting his cheek against their clasped hands. "But if I see even a hint of pain, then I will have you scrubbed from the competition within a heartbeat. Understand?"

Naruto smiled and pulled a hand free to rest it on Sasuke's head.

"I understand. Thank you, Sasuke."

Sasuke raised his head and glared at him.

"I don't know how you manage to talk me into things, but it has got to stop," he said. "Everyone will begin to think I'm an easy target."

"I highly doubt that, Sasuke," Naruto chuckled.

Sasuke scowled, and leaned forward to claim his mouth for a lingering kiss, before resting his forehead on Naruto's gently.

"You scared me yesterday."

"Sorry," Naruto replied sheepishly, pressing a fleeting kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah, you better be," Sasuke grumbled, but he was smiling when he kissed Naruto again.

It had taken all of his resolve and strength, but he had done it. He had made it through the day only by making very slow movements and relying heavily on his medications. His friends and co-workers (with the notable exception of Sakura, whom he hadn't seen in days and didn't that hurt?) had been very disproving and had tried numerous times to dissuade him from his course of action. But his mind was made up and there was no going back now.

Sora shifted restlessly underneath him, as he waited for the rider before him to finish. Kakashi stood to one side of Sora, holding his bridle. Sasuke stood next to his knee, scowling.

"I don't like this," he muttered darkly.

"So you've said," Naruto replied. "Numerous times and with great variation."

His back wasn't hurting at the moment. In fact, it was pleasantly numb, but he knew that would change soon enough. He had worked too long and hard to quit when the finish line was in sight, and he wasn't about to let himself or the others down by giving up. He had finally found the courage to face up to his fears, and he was too far gone to give that up.

"I don't care. I'll keep saying it until it gets through that skull of yours," Sasuke replied waspishly. "This is a stupid idea and I don't know why I let you talk me into it."

Naruto smiled down at him, taking the grouchiness for what it was – concern. He noticed that Kakashi was struggling to hide his own smile as he looked away and pretended not to listen.

"Well, it's too late now," Naruto said, as one of the officials signalled to him. "My turn."

Despite his determination, he still felt the twist of nerves and apprehension at what he knew was to come. He knew it would hurt, and hurt a lot but he was going to do it anyway. For Sasuke. For himself. And in a way, for his dad. To show him that he was following in his footsteps and honouring his memory through his actions.

"I can still call it quits," Sasuke wasn't scowling anymore, he just looked troubled. "Don't push too hard Naruto. If it gets too bad, stop. I don't want you…"

"Sasuke," Naruto stopped him, reaching a hand down towards him and smiling when he accepted it. "I know. I won't do anything stupid. I'll stop if it hurts too much."

Sasuke nodded, and squeezed his hand before releasing it. He and Kakashi followed as Naruto walked Sora forward to the starting line. He was dressed in more comfortable attire than yesterday in a loose, long sleeved shirt, his protective vest with his medical armband snug around his left bicep.

He lined her up and waited for the starting bell. Sora shifted beneath him, eager to start, and he gathered up the reins, bracing himself for the long course ahead. Thirty two jumps to cover and a deadline to meet meant the pressure was on.

The bell rang and Sora leapt forward into a fast gallop. Naruto settled himself over her neck, acknowledging the twinge in his back and then ignoring it. The wind whipped into his face and roared past his ears, and the first jump was approaching fast.

The cross country consisted of a mix of jumps that included natural looking obstacles and man-made ones. Log fences, creeks, hedges and uphill jumps were all included, and Sora had practised them all. She loved the speed, she loved the adrenaline, and despite her fears of jumping and the water jump in particular she loved the race.

Naruto gave her more rein, and let her jump and gallop onwards as she would. It wasn't so much about winning anymore as it was about completing the event. So he didn't worry about their time, or their penalties. He guided her through the jumps, feeling his back become more painful with each landing, but urging her onwards anyway.

He felt her tense as they approached the water jump, and knew she would refuse, so he dug his knees in firmly and, surprised, she leapt over and landed in the small pool of water with a great splash, before surging up and out. She then kicked up her speed another notch and then they were really flying. He was soaking wet, and sweating and in pain, but the exhilaration was too great to call it quits.

After that, the rest of the course seemed like a breeze, in spite of his growing discomfort. He knew he would regret it tomorrow, but there was no way he was letting Sora down.

As they approached the final jumps, he could feel her tiring beneath him, but she continued on, over the uphill jump, over the hedge jump and clearing the log stack like a breeze. And then they were on the straight, and Sora sped up once more, stretching out as fast as she could and covering the ground in ground eating strides.

His back was so sensitive it was feeling every stride now, but the end was fast approaching, and they blew past it before he realised it. He slowed her to a canter, and then a trot before eventually a standstill, where he hunched over her neck, breathing through the pain. The painkillers were doing their job, so he wasn't feeling the full extent of it yet, but he would be soon enough.

Sasuke and Kakashi rushed up and they were grinning at him in unison.

"You were fantastic, Naruto, well done!" Kakashi beamed at him, and patted Sora's neck proudly.

Sasuke squeezed his knee, and then helped him slide carefully off Sora's back, easing him back onto his feet. He would have fallen to his knees had Sasuke let go of him, but he didn't. Sasuke kept an arm around his waist and slung Naruto's around his neck.

Genma came over then, and handed Naruto his pills and a bottle of water.

"Good work Naruto. You pulled it off!" Genma scuffed his hair and Naruto laughed, elated at being able to finish.

He scratched Sora's ears and gave her a strong pat.

"It was all her. She did all of the work, I was just a passenger," he grinned.

"Well, I'll take good care of your girl then," Genma replied as he swung into the saddle. "She'll get a good cool down, then a nice bath and then back to her warm stable."

"Thanks, Genma," Naruto smiled at his friend, then allowed Sasuke to sit him down in a nearby chair. His lover crouched beside him, and steadied himself by keeping a hand on Naruto's leg.

Kakashi stood beside him with a hand on his shoulder as they waited patiently for the score to be released. Naruto pulled off his helmet and hung his head as he scratched a hand through his sweaty hair. His back was really screaming at him now, but it wouldn't be long before he had a hot shower, and a nap, so he ignored it to the best of his ability and took another drink from his bottle.

Applause began as his score was released, and Naruto squinted at the board, then smiled when he realised that he had placed third. There were still a few competitors left to compete though, so it wasn't a sure thing. But Naruto wouldn't be able to attend the ceremony if he did manage to retain his position, because he was reaching the edge of his pain threshold.

"Well done, Naruto," Kakashi said, scuffing his hair and pressing a kiss to his head. "You've made me and everyone else proud today. Now go with Sasuke and rest. I'll stay here and keep an eye on things."

Naruto smiled up at one of his closest friends.

"Thanks," he said softly, feeling like he was about to collapse as the tiredness set in.

"Let's get out of here," Sasuke said, helping Naruto to his feet.

There was a car not too far away, and Naruto fought the temptation of sleep the entire ride back to the hotel. Sasuke was quiet as he helped Naruto into the shower, then joined him, wrapping his arms around him and holding him tightly as the hot water coursed over them both.

Naruto closed his eyes and savoured the feeling of Sasuke's body behind him, loving the feel of silky skin stretched over hard, toned muscle holding him safe.

Hot lips brushed his neck, and then Sasuke rested his cheek against Naruto's hair.

"I'm so proud of you, Naruto," Sasuke whispered over the roaring water. "And I know that your father would be too."

Naruto's chest was tight with emotion, but he nodded in acknowledgement, and knew that Sasuke's words were true.

He ended up crashing after their shower, falling into a deep sleep that no one had been able to rouse him from. He had missed the ribbon ceremony, but Genma had accepted on his behalf. Naruto had also missed Sasuke's cross country performance, which was a great disappointment to him, but Sasuke didn't seem to mind. Sasuke had placed first in the competition, Naruto had found out later, and he felt a swelling of pride at that.

He had been woken for a while around six in the evening by Sasuke pressing kisses to his cheek and telling them that their flight was due to leave soon. Once they were on the plane though, he fell straight back asleep, content in the knowledge that Sasuke was reading quietly right beside him and they were heading for home.

TBC.