A/N: I happen to have posted Change chapter 5 and BitterSweet Chances yet here I am with another update! That's coz I can't have my time updating tomorrow :(((( And I'm a sucker for you guys! Thank you guys so much for those who placed this on their alerts! Most alerts I've ever received! Arigatou! Arigatou! So now, Sasuke's thoughts are revealed as well!

The Last Message?

Chapter 4: Confession

Sasuke clenched his eyes, already sensing the bright light that woke him. He groggily rubbed his eyes and cursed himself for being the type who can't get back to sleep after a small wake up. He turned his gaze to the clock and noted that he was probably going to be late for training. Speaking of training, just like any other day, he felt his sore muscles getting to him. The raven groaned. Somehow, he felt like he could probably skip today but some part of him felt like there was something that was waiting for him there. It was strange but yes, it felt like that.

Not being a morning person and everything, he slowly got up, still cranky and all, as he headed to the kitchen for a glass of water before getting ready. After a few minutes, when the young Uchiha was ready to head out, he made a stop to his bedroom and laid there for a while, sorting his thoughts that bugged him ever since.

Naruto.

It's clearly been weeks before he last saw the blonde. It made him actually think if the dobe was avoiding him on purpose. He wanted to actually always get to see him. Always. Even if maybe his feelings weren't relayed. Ever since he got back, he already knew that Naruto was the cause of it. He always invaded his mind, clearly the cause of sleepless nights, soon always missing his warm smiles, the radiant glow of happiness he always gave and most especially the acceptance that never seemed to waver.

It was annoying.

That was what he thought at first. Naruto was just too damn happy, never wanting to give up on him when he was already set on cutting ties with everyone. Especially the blonde. So why? Soon, though, back in those forests, he began to realize just how Naruto meant to him. How he wanted to get back to the one person that may have meant so much more to him, how he just wanted to spend most of his time probably getting back what they had...even the pointless bickers. But along the way, he just had to get his hands stained with blood...

Sasuke shook his head. Training. Yeah, training. He soon headed out, perfectly making his way quietly into the woods from following eyes. The training grounds was his training grounds. He frowned. That's one more thing that sort of bugged the Uchiha. It seems that no one has claimed the area since he came, but he was always able to take note that there were fresh marks on the barks of each trees. The person couldn't have hid from him, could he? Well, if that was possible, then well that was a surprise; nobody could sneak up on him for all he knew. Was he also stalked? Hmmm...

Soon, the raven already neared the grounds when he felt a familiar presence, and soon his eyes widened to a figure that was below a shade of trees, apparently unconscious.

"N - Naruto?".

Naruto scrunched his eyes, hearing a familiar voice call out to him. He blinked at his surroundings, noting that he was in the forest.

Oh...right...

Ever since the blonde had made up his mind to confess to the raven, there was no use avoiding the fact that he had his own doubts about actually doing it. First of all, he was scared. Scared that Sasuke may find it wrong of him, joke about it or a lot worse than those. But he always told himself that he won't accept any reply just yet...not until he comes back. It could hurt a lot, he knew that. How would anyone feel if the one person who you've rivaled with would suddenly come up to you and tell you that he had grown feelings for him? More so that he was a guy! Not at all the opposite! A guy was meant to love a girl for Christ's sake! But just one chance wouldn't hurt...

Just one chance...

He made up his mind maybe just a whole lot percent last night since he was already leaving early the next 2 days, earning him little to no sleep at all. Unfortunately as well, he woke up too early this morning...but somehow he was able to grasp the perfect plan for everything in maybe an entertaining way for both of them.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?", Sasuke called out again.

The blonde looked up, looking calm by stretching his arms then stood up, only he was all nerves about everything that might happen. "Hiya Sasuke! Nice seeing you again!".

"Dobe, what are you doing here?", the raven repeated, then narrowed his eyes, "Have you been following me?".

"Awww! C'mon Sasu! Do you really think I'd stalk?".

The Uchiha slowly walked closer. "So...what? This your area?".

Naruto gave a smirk. "Hmmm... maybe... But you know, teme, I didn't really say yes to either, did I?".

"Dobe, just tell me what you're doing here...".

The blonde pouted, immediately making the raven cross his arms as he tried not to say how cute he was. "Teme, at least be curious...".

Sasuke rolled his eyes but gave in. Talking to the blonde was NOT in the least bit not interesting. He could always find himself speak up around the dobe. "Fine...so, have you been stalking me?". Deep down he felt like some part of him would explode if the blonde would say yes. Oh shut up! He commanded to that little part.

Naruto just smirked as he crossed his arms. "I don't wanna tell you...".

"Dobe, you're just too difficult...".

"But I'll tell you in 1 condition...", Sasuke watched as suddenly Naruto's gaze turned to the ground and said in a low voice, "I'd tell you too what I came here for...".

The raven raised a brow.

Naruto looked back up with a playful smile. "I wanna spar...".

"Oh? You think you could take it?", Sasuke returned the smile, soon surprised when all he could see was a blur of blond, until he felt an arm wrap around his neck, and a whisper up his ear that brought a shiver to run down his spine.

"Has anybody told you who I am, teme?".

Sasuke gave a smirk as he was soon perched up the trees and began to tackle the unknowing blond, who wasn't really unknowing at all when he was able to avoid the attack and the two stood across each other, kunais in hand.

"Hmmm... I think I've heard that you got a rank up...".

"You've got the right fact...", Naruto mumbled then hid his kunai for a while and crossed his arms, "Teme, you don't know the conditions yet!".

The raven hid his kunai for a while too, and hid his hands behind his pockets. "It was instinct... And isn't the condition that you'll tell me things...".

Naruto shook his head. "It's not that simple", he put up a hand before Sasuke was able to say anything, "Don't interfere until I'm done, alright?", the raven nodded, signaling the blonde's continuation, "The reason I'm about to tell you requires an answer from you...an immediate response at that, but I don't want that...so if I win, you'd have to follow that...and also I get to choose if I'll tell you if I was stalking you and stuff", then he sighed, "But if you win, I'd have to get that answer and you deserve to know if I was stalking...alright, teme?".

The raven was silent, unsure what Naruto was really talking about, but nodded anyways, pulling up his kunai once again. "Ready, dobe?". Again, a blond blur, and soon he felt someone kick him from behind.

"Awww, teme! When had you start playing fair?", Naruto teased.

Poof! The suppose to be lying raven wasn't on the ground anymore, and soon the blonde felt a presence coming up from his right, and his kunai was able to deflect the Uchiha's aiming own.

"Never, dobe...".

From that on, the two were on at each other, aims only often getting to the other, mostly with the fists and kicks, rarely from the kunai that was usually deflected. Sasuke seemed to have noted that Naruto had a thing for speed. It wasn't the normal kind that needs training, but it seems to be adding chakra to it. Next thing he knew, the blonde would be either behind him or below, but he was actually able to follow it at times with his Sharingan that he didn't know when he activated it. But Naruto had his own styles too. The blonde knew that Sasuke's sharingan wasn't like before, so he made consideration with his own moves and he was somehow finding his way to know all about the Uchiha's fighting skills. He found it fun. Sure on his missions there were those who had a thing for fighting that he enjoyed as well, but at those times, one wrong move and it may harm Konoha, but now, it was just him and Sasuke.

After what seems to be an hour and a half, the two were heavily panting and drenched in sweat, as they were back from the start, facing each other, kunais in hand, both having a scratch up their cheek

"So (huff) ready to give up yet (huff) , teme?".

"Dobe, (huff) have you not known me long enough?".

"Yeah (huff) I have, and I think you're finished, teme...".

"Hn...how so?".

Naruto was gone again and the raven felt himself on the ground, hands unable to move from what he knew as the blonde's own, a foot planted on his back. "Because I haven't given it my all...".

Sasuke smirked. "Alright, I give up", he grumbled, "Never knew you could have tricks up your sleeves...".

Naruto smiled as he released the raven and held out his hand, while shrugging, "Well, yeah...need things like those once in a while...".

The Uchiha took the hand and headed to a tree and slumped below it, still panting from the spar as he tousled his hair, watching as the blonde seemed to have gone up a tree, his face not entirely visible. "So, dobe...you win...what do you want to tell me?".

Naruto looked up with a confused expression. "Huh?". It seems he had already forgotten.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "The condition remember?".

The blonde was silent then he murmured as his face wasn't visible to the raven anymore. "Oh...right...".

"Hn...good to know...".

Naruto sighed. "Well, yes I do own the place and yes I was stalking you since...since I want this place to myself...yeah...". Oh well...makes perfect sense anyway...

The raven nodded. "So...what brought you here?".

The blonde was silent then said in a low voice. "Since I'm not expecting a response, you are not allowed to speak alright?".

Sasuke nodded, still unable to see any of the blonde's face.

Naruto sighed as he gave a weak chuckle while ruffling his hair. "I'm not sure where to start actually... So...this may not be everything I could exactly say all in all", he sighed again, Sasuke's silence his only motion to go on, "When you left...".

The Uchiha's attention perked up. This is about...me...?

"...of course everyone was confused, going on about why you left and everything...soon, word seemed to have gotten out that you went to Orochimaru...I would have to be deaf to not hear the rumors at all...everyone was slowly turning their hopes that you would even still come back...", Naruto's voice went lower, "...as the same old Sasuke we knew...everyone was convincing Tsunade-ba chan to go search for you and have you killed immediately...in case you suddenly come back as Orochimaru's descendant...but...the second you left", his tone sounded firmer, "...I know that I will search for you, Sasuke...".

Sasuke seemed surprise about all this. He knew all this already. Naruto would always go on about being the one to take him back...what's the use of all this?

"Rumors went on and on, Orochimaru's works becoming worse and bloodier...I was so mad...they were even blaming you on the reason on why it became worse", Naruto's hand clenched, slowly paling, "But it made sense...now that you were on his side, he could do more...so when I was always at home from missions hearing those, I always thought why I was still declining the truth...soon, though, those simple angering thoughts would always start coming to you...", Naruto was thankful his face was hidden among the shadows, as to not let his heated face be seen, "I'd soon come across with dreaming about you...".

The raven was baffled. Dream...? Me...?

"I was thinking that it was just because I was worried about you, since I always was...everyone was always trying to slowly change me, telling me that it was no use hoping that you'd come back...they were right, I knew that...so why? I answered myself that it was because I was probably the person who actually knew you, the true Sasuke, the person I was alike more than anyone else, the person I always wished to be better at...that was the person I knew you as...".

The Uchiha smirked. They almost have had the same exact thoughts.

Almost.

So he was surprised with the next thing he heard.

"But when I was out on missions, I felt like that all those reasons weren't enough...like I was missing something else...I answered myself again that it was because you're best friend...it seemed right...but not fully...soon, you were always in my dreams...it was already actually creeping the hell out of me", the blonde gave a shaky laugh, "...then I wasn't just scared anymore that it was you in there, but I was scared that I'll only be able to see you in my dreams...that that's all I could have...".

Oh...? , Sasuke thought.

"Then it hit me, Sasuke...I placed 2 and 2 together...I sorted out they whys...like why did I even go as far as to becoming an Anbu Captain? Why...you probably get it already...there were lots of whys...the realization seemed wrong yet still right...you mean a lot to me, yes, but not just because we're alike, not because I thought I knew you more, not because we're best friends...it was because...I already fell...I was already in love with you...". Naruto's face was probably beet red, thankfully, Sasuke didn't see. He wasn't sure if he said the right things...he wasn't even sure of what he said. Period. But he knew that an incredible weight seemed to have left his chest, only a small piece there, knowing that Sasuke doesn't have a say in things...yet...and something else he couldn't place.

He eyed the still silent raven. He couldn't see what his face held. Blank. Just blank. The blonde felt an uncomfortable silence so he decided to say, "Uhhh...so...thanks for not saying anything...I'll take your response when I get back...so...s - see you, teme!". After understanding what he just said, he made a sprint for it, the Uchiha's still blank face the last thing he saw.

It felt like hours before Sasuke was able to thoroughly process things. His face was flushed. Naruto...he - he...he just confessed! And..and he felt the same for me! He frowned. Of course he won't want my response...it's just quite complicated...for us... But he just felt real happy as his heart fluttered as well. He decided to head home, not bothering to train anymore.

Midnight fell and a certain raven was still too awake and happy to get some shut eye. He sighed happily. Naruto loves me...he loves me! Soon, before his thoughts could have gone much more sappy and out of hand, he heard his window quietly being opened, only the intruder doesn't know that the Uchiha was able to hear it. He grabbed himself a kunai and laid it below his pillow, his face toward the entrance, faking sleep to surprise his visitor. He froze. He knew that presence anywhere.

"Hey, Sasuke-teme...".

What was Naruto doing here?

"I can't believe you're already asleep...you're probably ready to insult me about my stupid feelings in ways more than one with your smartass of a brain", he gave a weak chuckle then sighed, "I realized I forgot to add something, but it seems better to tell you this when you're not awake", a sigh again, "I'm blushing right now, you know? Why?", Sasuke felt a weight on the bed, already knowing that Naruto had sat not too far from him, "It's because I failed to mention that...that...I've always wanted to give you this in my dreams...". Suddenly the raven tried not to act like he was awake the whole time, when he felt a chaste kiss hover his lips. Oh how he wished he could do more! He felt the soft, warm lips leave him as the blonde murmured, "I'll miss you...". The raven was able to take an unnoticed peek at the blonde who had a beautiful, gentle smirk on his lips, that was soon covered by a fox mask.

"I love you, teme...".

It was a muffled sound but Sasuke was sure as hell he heard those. Soon, Naruto was gone. He opened his eyes, his pale fingers gently falling on top of his lips, with a tinge of red gracing his pale face.

"Naruto...I love you too, you dobe!".

Then a sudden thought crossed his mind. Naruto's...leaving? How long? Why didn't he tell me?

How long...? , he asked himself again. He wanted to do nothing more than answer the blonde and have him all for himself.

He wasn't an impatient lover. At all.

Soon, with the whole day's happening, the raven fell into slumber.

Not so far away from the scene, a cold voice murmured, "Awww! Naruto-kun, you didn't tell him you're out to find someone Sasuke-kun wasn't able to kill...is it not aloud...I wonder...". The figure started to make seals and shouted a not so loud "Henge no Jutsu!". A cloud of smoke covered the figure and a pale eyed man appeared, perfectly looking like Hyuuga Neji. "It seems this kid could get along well with Sasuke-kun...let's learn the truth shall we?".

A/N: Waaa! Not so good at fight scenes nor confessions, so forgive me! Longest chapter of this fic, though! Hehe...who could that be?