Purple Skies

By: Gothic Lust

Naruto Canon Universe…ish

Sasuke Uchiha/ Naruto Uzumaki

Romance/Drama/Angst

Drabble fic

Rated M

Summary: "Why, Sasuke?" Naruto hissed, his warm breath fogging against the mirrored surface. Strong fingers pressed deep into the flesh of his neck. He fell limp against Sasuke's bare chest as his vision blurred. Large hands picked him up gently, "Why'd you leave me?" Slate eyes, through the haze of Naruto's mind, softened unnoticeably as Sasuke smirked. Naruto watched the voiceless mouth move, lush lips forming words he could not read. His eyes slid closed heavily, and the ghost touch of long fingers brushing hair from his naked forehead was the last of his feint memories of the day Akatsuki finally caught up to him.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters or plotline.

Author's Note: So, I'm in the biggest mood for YAOI! Boyxboy! Yay! :D Most especially for Sasuke/Naruto or Sasuke/Neji….Hell, Sasuke/anyone! I'm not too picky right now.

Chapter Three:

Prompt: Games

Words: 1,087

Kakashi's arrival on time was not expected, especially when Naruto's fist landed straight into his open palm, catching the blow initially meant for Sai's head. With his other hand, Kakashi pushed back Sai's raised leg.

"Yo." He said, disregarding the fight he just prevented.

"Ka-Kakashi-sensei." Naruto breathed out. "You-you're on t-time!" He added in disbelief.

"Well, you see," Kakashi returned Naruto's captured arm and straightened. "I thought we would need the extra time to better acquaint ourselves with our new teammate."

No kidding! Sakura thought dismally.

Naruto grinned at their former leader. "Are you going to teach us some cool new jutsu? Huh, huh!"

"No. Today we'll be revisiting an old game." Kakashi smiled beneath his mask.

"Game?" Naruto and Sakura questioned in unison. Sai stayed silent.

"I believe you two remember it well." Kakashi held up three identical blindfolds.

They nodded, where as Sai blinked, obviously confused.

I remember, Sasuke was still part of the team when we did this. Sakura stared at the headbands sadly. Beside her, Naruto couldn't take his eyes of them.

"Yeah," Naruto's voice cracked, dry with the sudden memories. "I remember."

"A shinobi must be able to use all of his senses," Kakashi spoke to his young team, the first ever to pass his test. "He shouldn't rely on any one sense, but become a master of his body, and train them all."

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto grumbled, heatedly glaring at Sasuke whom was ignoring Naruto's attempt to burn him to cinders with his eyes alone. "Can we just start our training!"

"Naruto, did you even listen to what I just told you?"

"Something about mastering the body and Katra,"

"Chakra!" Sakura corrected him. "Get it through your thick head already, geeze!"

"Idiot." Sasuke drawled, raising Naruto's ire.

"What'd you say, Teme!"

"Enough!" Kakashi's voice rose between them, effectively stopping another fight before it interrupted the lesson he was trying to get across. It seemed that none of his students understood the implications of this new training exercise. "Today, we're going to play a game."

"What!" Naruto choked. "We're not little kids anymore!"

"I know, which is why I've upped the stakes," Kakashi smiled wickedly beneath his mask and held up three identical blindfolds.

"Blindfolds?"

"Yes, we're going to play an interesting game of tag."

"Tag!"

"Would you stop echoing me Naruto!" Kakashi sighed. "Yes, tag. But this game simply isn't running and catching the opponent. In my game, you're all trying to find me, the enemy shinobi."

"And how does this benefit us?" Sasuke snorted. Uchiha's didn't play children's games.

"You, Sasuke, will benefit from this most of all." Sasuke's eyes widened fractionally.

"Shinobi, as I've said, should master all his senses. Relying too heavily on one would be suicidal. The Sharingan is an eye technique that relies heavily on the ninja's keen vision. So, what would happen if you couldn't use your eyes, Sasuke?"

Sasuke appeared thoughtful, but didn't speak.

"Exactly. You wouldn't know what to do. Without your sight the Sharingan is useless and an enemy will have the advantage."

"Like Zabuza did with his Hidden Mist Jutsu?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, just like Zabuza."

"Okay, but if this only benefits Sasuke, why are we doing it? I could be learning a cool new jutsu!"

"Sasuke and I weren't the only ones at a disadvantage with that jutsu. Were you able to see, and defend yourself Naruto? What about you, Sakura?"

No one answered him, remembering how Zabuza easily got through their Moshi defense.

"This exercise benefits everyone." Kakashi rubbed his temples. This was taking longer than he expected. "Sasuke may get the most from this training because his jutsu and fighting styles rely solely on his keen eyesight and the ability of his Kekegenkai-his Sharingan. However, for the two of you, this is an opportunity to strengthen your own senses and trust in one another's abilities, especially if one or all of you happen to become blind, by jutsu or any other situation."

They still looked confused, but their determination to become stronger flashed deep in their eyes. The will of fire burned brightly in all of them.

"Let's give you a hypothetical mission where all of you have just been caught in a jutsu that took away your sight. The only way to escape is to find and elimate the ninja who cast it, however, you can easily attack and injure one of your own teammates as you could the enemy without your sight to distinguish friend from foe. Meanwhile the enemy is free to pick you off, one by one.

"This little game of tag will strengthen your other senses. Most importantly, it will give one of the most essential skills a shinobi could ever posses: sensing, differentiating and recognizing Chakra signatures."

"So, there are more jutsu like Zabuza's Hidden Mist technique?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, and they're near impossible to break if you don't know what you're doing. Even more so, if you are angry."

"Angry?"

"Sakura, for you, a situation like this will, nine times out of ten, end with your death."

"Hey, that's mean Kakashi-sensei!"

"It's not mean, just fact. The enemy will exploit the weakest point of the team, and this is always the female member."

Cold fear rushed through them. Naruto and Sasuke gained a look in their eye that proved Kakashi's theory. They were beyond angry.

"It's a surefire way to upset Sasuke and Naruto. Men are especially ingrained with the need to protect women. You've seen this before, haven't you Sakura?"

Sakura lowered her head. Memories of Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei, all injured and all placing themselves before her in the line of danger, surfaced. The knowledge made her feel weak, a liability to the team.

"However, if you train for these situations, you won't be a liability, but a tool to change a disadvantage around."

"How's that?"

"If you know the enemy will attack the member he perceives as the weakest, then you'll know where he will strike. Being aware of your allies in this situation is crucial. This is why we are going through this exercise."

Naruto nodded to Sakura, both understanding the necessity that Kakashi was stressing with this exercise.

"For Sasuke," Naruto paused, reflecting on his vow to save Sasuke from his curse. "I'll do anything." He glared at Sai, daring him to speak. "Even work with him."

Sasuke, wait for me. Naruto thought to himself as he accepted a blindfold from Kakashi. I will free you! Even if I have to turn the sky purple myself!

I hope you enjoyed these two updates. Please review and tell me what you think! Also, don't be afraid to suggest themes or prompts for this story.

So, this is the longest drabble for this series by far. I don't think I'll be that long-winded on the next few chapters.