Naruto sighed for what felt like the millionth time in the last hour. He had to get this equation before he went to bed. He rubbed his tired eyes, his glasses going up with the movement. He did his best to stifle the yawn that threatened to choke him. And blinked, refocusing on the math textbook and papers infront of him.

Just the next few problems in the chapter and he would be done. If only this math problem from hell would stop mocking his intelligence. He hated it. He had the annoying feeling that the answer was right infront of him. Mocking him, the answer was. And he planned to stifle it.

Since he was concentrating so hard on the paper before him, he didnt notice when the door opened. Standing in the door frame was none other than Itachi Uchiha. The twenty-something stood there, relaxed against the frame and stared at the blonde. More than alittle amused at the glare the teen was sending at the book infront of him. He reached out, hesitated, then knocked lightly on the white door.

Finally noting someone was watching him, Naruto looked up. He tilted his head to the side, eyebrows furrowing in confusing. Obviously, Itachi noted, Naruto wasn't in the mood for company so with a smile, he stepped into the room.

"Naru-chan, I was hoping I could have a quick word with you before I go."

Naruto glanced at the nath problem.

Itachi gave a small chuckle, "It'll only take a minute, little fox."

Trying not to shrug, Naruto sat up, tucking a stray lock of gold behind his ears. He grabbed his sock-clothed as he sat buddhist style. He blinked, waiting for Itachi to get on with ..well, whatever.

"About my little brother.."

Naruto raised a golden brow.

"..Sasuke's not the most, how do you say, sensitive .. individual that you will meet. And I apologize for whatever he did to make you agree to be his lover." Naruto began to stutter a retort when itachi smiled and held up a hand to stop him, "Please, Naru-chan. I'm sure you mean well. But let's face it. You and my brother are polar opposites. There is no way someone of your statue will ever date someone as, uh, antongistic, yes, as my brother."

Naruto tried not to laugh. It was harder than it should be, especially because Itachi looked like he wanted to cackle himself.

"I figured it out the moment i saw you. I won't tell the parents, that is if they haven't figured it out. Well, I'm pretty sure father has an inkling. However, I think he didnt call you on it since he likes his games so much. And mother? Well, my mother is brillant but as dense as they will ever come. God bless her soul."

Naruto did giggle there and with Itachi.

"Look, Naru-chan. You may not see it now, but Sasuke..he's a good guy. So," Itachi reached across and a pale hand ruffled golden locks, "Take it easy on him. Well," He got up and straightened his already straight suit, "An Uchiha's job is never done. I'm afraid I have to leave now. Take care, my darling."

Naruto watched as the older Uchiha gracefully walked to the door. He was about to turn back to the demon math problem when Itachi called his name.

"Sasuke..he takes after mother more than he does our father. Remember that." Then he disappeared with a small salute.

Baffled, Naruto shook it off and returned to the problem at hand. He was mindlessly nibbling on his pencil when a ghostly 'the answer is 9' came up the hall. With a small smile, he began working the problem again.

Irritated.

Irritated and annoyed.

"Uchiha, just what the hell do you expect me to do with this?," He pointed at the the huge pile of papers he so unfortunately woke up finding in his room, "It's a bit too early in the morning to be getting on my nerves. And raising my blood pressure. Don't you think?"

"I wouldn't know, dobe. Consider it one of the tiny favors you need to do for me," Feet up on the counter, obsidian eyes glued to the game on the plasma over the kitchen table, hot coffee being sipped through thin lips, Sasuke answered," It's not as if you have anything else to do on a Saturday. You have no life, remember?"

"Of course. Ever since you came into my picture, everything has been disarrayed. Hey, hey, are you even listening to me, you freak?"

"Yeah, yeah, babe. Not so loud, the game is on." Sasuke replied, shifting his head to see the pass on the screen.

Raising a golden brow in outrage, Naruto stared at Sasuke. Then he stomped infornt of the raven's sight, blockign the t.v. Bored midnight rolled upwards to lock with a storming cerulean. None of them spoke for a long while, testing each other's will. Naruto cleared his throat and point in the direction of his bedroom.

"Get them out. Now."

Sasuke took a deep breath, slouching even more into his chair as he regarded the blonde infront of him. He would never admit this out loud, but Naruto looked pretty damn sexy when he was pissed off. He would have said so, but he knew that would only irked the blonde more. And he particularly liked the t.v. he was watching. Not to mention his bones the way they were. Original and untouched.

"Look. Why don't we just, do something else. Other than fight."

"That won't solve the problem of the papers," Naruto stated, glaring. He knew enough about the raven to know he never did anything without purpose. He was up to something.

"No," The raven drew out the word, putting down his legs, "But it'll make the situation better."

"Really?" Naruto looked at the other teen skepticly, "Let's have it then."

And then he was closer to the raven. Closer than when he standing a while back. He also noted he was sitting. On Sasuke's lap. With something poking against the inside of his thigh. He met the teasing and playful gaze of the Uchiha with a bored one. He tried to ignore the flutter in his stomach when strong arms enveloped his waist. Successfully closer to the raven, Naruto cleared his throat in annoyance.

"And, pray tell, how does this solve the filing cabinet you made out of my bedroom?"

He got no reply. Then, a hot tongue licked to side of his neck before the feel of teeth nibbling on tanned skin registered. Naruto suppressed a shiver and tried to keep his composure.

"Sasuke. This isn't a solution."

"Not. Yet," The raven replied, in a husky sing-song voice.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto reached down and gripped Sasuke's sex in a not-too-friendly way. He smiled sadisticly at the tiny squeal the taller of the two let out. He squeezed tighter and moved so he mouth was right next to Sasuke's ear.

"Now, about those papers ... "

"Naruto , what are we going to do about the flower arrangements for the dance ?"

"Leave that to me. I have the local flower shops helping out. It's handled. How are the decorations coming along?"

"Sakura seems to have it handled. For now. But we still need your sign off on some of the other things like the gynamsium and stuff."

"Lunch time."

"That won't work. Lunch, my committee and I are going over to get the PA system thing straightened out. I told you that last week."

"Oh, right. Yeah, now I remember. Okay, so get the papers to Kiba or something and have him get them to me."

"Kiba, as you should already know, is sick with the flu. Didn't you get the message?"

"Yeah, shit, yeah i did."

"Naruto, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course. Uh, do you have the papers with you?"

"Yeah. How's about I leave them with the secretary at the office and you swing by and pick 'em up?"

"That can't work. I have a meeting with Asuma for like three periods. I need to convince him about chaperoning and other stuff."

"Didn't you do that already?"

"No? Look, it's handled."

"The dance is in a week. And you didn't talk to Asuma-sensei about chaperoning, already? You know he's gonna say no right."

"It's not guarenteed. Look, Shika, I have to go. Good luck with the Tech people."

"Save it. You'll need it. Don't let the whole school down, Naruto." Click.

"No pressure or anything," Naruto mumbled to himself as he pocketed his phone. For a moment he didn't move. He slammed his back against a locker and slid to the ground, covering his eyes with his arm.

He heard chatter then laughter. At the moment, he didnt care if anyone saw him like this. Which was very out of character for our little blonde. The chatter stopped and Naruto could only guess that they saw him, then began whispering about him. The almighty has fallen, they would say. He took a deep breath and ignored the stinging behind his eyes.

Great. He already reached his breaking point? Damn.

"This is not what I'd expect I would see, this morning when I got up."

Of course. Dear Lord, thank you for sending the cocky ass bastard that would soak all of this up. The same bastard that would never let him live this down. Did he have to break down now? Infront of Sasuke Uchiha?

"Hey..hey, are you crying?"

"No."

"Then why's your face all wet?"

A strong grup wrapped around his arm and it was tugged off. Naruto looked to the side and cursed himself for the tears he could feel on hsi cheeks. It was silent for a while as he waited. Waited for what? Ridicule? Sympathy? Pity? Oh dear God, not pity.

He felt fingers on his face. it took a while to realize that Sasuke was wiping his tears away. Surprised, azure eyes snapped to meet onyx. There was a serious look there that made knots form in his stomach. A seriousness that he only saw in movies. When the main characters love interest was trying to think of a way to make evrything okay again.

He alwaso saw confusion and helplessness. He was pretty sure they weren't there often. Then they vanished behind a steel resolve. He furrowed hiss brows at the quick change. He hadn't realized that Sasuke had gotten him up off the floor and was holding him in a warm embrace.

He inhaled the smell of Sasulel's Old Spice body wash, mixed with cologne and just plain Sasuke. He relaxed a bit, okay, a lot into the embrace. Slowly, he felt his trouble melt away. He smiled to himself as he furrowed deeper into the warmth that was Sasuke Uchiha.

"No one ... did anyone ... ugh, no one caused this, right?" Sasuke wasn't used to sugar coating anything . But he didn't want to say anything to upset the blonde any further. He felt like he was tip-toeing through a mine field at night.

Naruto chuckled into Sasuke's broad chest. Then the chuckling turned to sobs and damn if Sasuke didn't feel like shit. All he could do was watch as the blonde cried his eyes out. He tried to comfort him the way he knew how. Like rubbing his back, soothing his hair, whispering 'It'll be okay' every now and then. He vaguely remembered him thinking how awkward he looked holding a hysterical Naruto and how his mother would just love to be here taking his picture. Then he'd end up in one of her novels.

The thought made him deadpan.

But the sniffles of a blonde and the sudden felling of losing heat, made him return to reality. Naruto was rubbing at his eyes, his glasses perched at the top of his head. Oddly enough, Sasuke was really turned on at the sight. Focus, Uchiha.

"Feel any better?"

"Yeah," It came out shaky and breathless and it broke his heart, "Sorry I ruined your shirt."

Sasuke looked at his shirt and shrugged, "Just be okay."

Naruto stopped rubbing at his eyes to stare at him. He shifted underneath the intesity of the stare and suddenly felt insecure. Like, Naruto was looking into the deepest depths of his soul. He found it weird, that the blonde was making him feel emotions he only read about. But there was something, something dangerous and unexplored about the look that the shorter teen was giving him. Something he wanted to explore. But not yet.

"So, what caused the flood this time?," Sasuke teased. He was becoming very uncomfortable with teh way that Naruto was looking at him.

It died in it's intensity, but it wasn't by any means gone. Just noticeable, but only if you were looking for it. Naruto put his glasses back in place. He had a red tint to his cheeks, the three parallel line he'd had as reminders of the day at the park with Haku 8 years ago, standing out. He looked adorable, even with red rimmed eyes.

"Not like you'd care."

His Naruto was back, "Try me."

Naruto looked up at him again. He bit his lip, deciding. Then, he spilt everything.

"Really?" Sasuke said after everything. They were sitting in the school's garden, under a huge willow tree. More like lying. THe shadows of the leaves played on their faces as they spoke, "Shit. You work yourself too hard."

"So I've been told. But sometimes, it feels like no matter what I do, I'll jsut never be good enough." Naruto confessed, biting his lip again.

"Hey. You do way more than enough. And it'll pay off sooner or later. Don't give up. Failure isn't sexy on you."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah." But he smiled anyway.

"And you have your secret weapon."

Naruto furrowed his brows, still smiling. He looked up and over to the raven. "And what exactly is that?"

Sasuke smiled at him. A wolfish grin, "I'm beginning to think you have absolutely no clue the advantages of having an Uchiha as your boyfriend."

"Fake boyfriend."

"Boyfriend nonetheless," What was that pang in his chest?,"I'll be your knight in shining armour."

"Sasuke.."

"Just think of it as another favor added to the list. Plus, I wanna know what it feels like to have Naruto Uzumaki owe you one."

Naruto looked at him for a while. He considered all his options (which were nonexistent). He really could use the help. "Okay."

"Okay .. what?"

"Okay, you have my permission to help me."

Rollign his eyes, Sasuek jumped to his feet. He extended a hand to the blonde with a small smirk on his lips. Smiling himself, Naruto took the offered hand.

"Then we're off to see the wizard and save the day!"

Naruto followed Sasuke, laughing all the way as the sunlight shone on their entwined hands.

Sorry. Rweview please. I love you all (: 3333