A/N: So, I'm still not totally out of my little depression stage, but it's slowly lifting. Thanks everyone for all your wonderful comments, I love you all! Oh, and if you're wondering what the obsession with Naruto's demon state is all of a sudden...um... ::blush:: I find it really sexy. Dunno why, probably best not to ask. I think Inuyasha's hot in his too. lol. And Aang in his Avatar state...let's not even go there. I have a thing for demons, I guess.
Oh, and let's pretend Naruto can sing...cuz, who knows, maybe he can!

Enjoy the story! More to come!


Drabble / One-Shot #20
Midnight Serenade

Of all the amazing things Naruto could do, of all the amazing jutsu's he's learned, who knew Naruto's most amazing ability was that he could sing?

Maybe that's because no one ever heard it. Because the only place Naruto ever sang was in the shower, or alone in his apartment or, most recently, when he was training, alone.

But Sasuke just had to hear him, just had to come into that particular clearing at that particular moment. Just had to hear him sing.

The words weren't meant for his ears. The emotions weren't meant for his eyes. But he stole them, he saw it all.

Damn that Uchiha and his incessant need to be constantly aware of Naruto's mood, attitude, demeanor, or whatever else he called it at the time. It was just his incessant need to be up Naruto's ass.

As the last line echoed through the clearing, and Naruto's mp3 player shut off, he couldn't seem to shake the feeling of someone watching him. And, as he turned around, the black eyes bore into him like a knife.

"Because of me?" Sasuke whispered, taking a step forward. "You've been acting like this because of me?"

Naruto just stared; he didn't know what to say. Sasuke was moving awful close to him, the pain in Naruto's heart growing with every step.

"Is that why you won't talk to me, why you can't look me in the eye? You brought me back, Naruto. It was all you. Why would you do it if you didn't want to?"

"I never said I didn't want to, I just didn't think it would be this…" He trailed off, his eyes trying to tell a story his voice wouldn't.

"This what?" Sasuke placed a hand on Naruto's cheek, trying to force him to meet his gaze. "This difficult, this painful, this what?"

He couldn't meet the gaze, his heart wouldn't let him. How could he tell Sasuke everything he'd held inside for over two and a half years? How could he tell Sasuke he'd fallen in love with him? He could never vocalize every emotion he'd been feeling for all that time, the whole time Naruto had been without him.

"Dammit, Naruto, talk to me!" Sasuke forced them to meet once again, before the tears began.

"Yes, Sasuke!" Naruto cried out, the tears sliding down his cheeks. "Difficult and painful, every emotion you can think of!" Naruto pushed Sasuke away and tried to run, but Sasuke was quicker.

Grabbing at any thing he could, Sasuke finally got Naruto to stop. The blonde, who was now crying too hard to walk, collapsed on his knees, head in his hands. His body shook with the ferocity of his sobs.

Sasuke knelt down beside him, placing a hand gingerly on his back. "I'm so sorry, Naruto. I didn't know."

Naruto's head lifted a little. "You didn't know?" He choked out, wiping tears from his eyes. "What? You thought we wouldn't care if you left?"

"Naruto, I wasn't thinking…"

"Obviously." The blonde spat out, finally finding the strength to stand up. His knees were still shaking, but Naruto couldn't tell if it was because he was crying, or his nerves. When Sasuke tried to look in his eyes, Naruto kept his head dropped, his eyes refusing to meet the one thing he hungered for.

"Naruto, please…" Sasuke began to beg, but the time for begging was over. Naruto needed to get everything off of his chest, he'd been holding it in for way too long. So long, it hurt.

"What if we would've left you there? Huh? You would have become his next body, and then what? Dammit, Sasuke!" Naruto's eyes shot up to meet Sasuke's, onyx meeting red.

"Naruto…you're eyes…"

"Do you have any idea how much we missed you? Cried over you? Me and Sakura, it was all we could do to keep going on. How could you leave us like that? And for him?"

With each ragged breathe Naruto took, Sasuke became more worried. Sure, he'd seen Naruto in his demon state before, but it was always somewhat controlled. But it was running free, now. Nothing between him and an extremely pissed off Naruto. And since the loss of his curse mark, Sasuke wasn't strong enough to defeat him in that state. Scratch worried, Sasuke was becoming scared.

"Naruto…you're demon…calm down…" When the only response he got was the aura of demon charka, Sasuke did the first thing that came into his mind. Damn the consequences, Sasuke thought, he was dead either way.

Naruto growled, raising his tightly-clenched fist. But before it could collide with Sasuke's jaw, he felt Sasuke's lips press against his. Shocked, Naruto just froze; his fist still hovering in the air, his eyes wide. Sasuke felt the breathe hitch in Naruto's throat and took that as a good sign. He began to move his lips slowly, taking Naruto's bottom lip in his and sucking on it softly. Slowly, the demon aura crept away, and Naruto's eyes returned to their azure blue. His eyes slowly lidded closed and his hands found their way to Sasuke's shirt, fisting them in the fabric covering Sasuke's back. It had taken a moment, but Naruto was finally returning the kiss, deepening it even.

When the need to breathe overrode the need to feel each other, they pulled away.

"I am so sorry, Naruto. But you brought me back, and I stayed. And, now, I have every intention of making up for all I've done wrong. Please, just don't hate me. I don't think I could handle it if you hated me."

"Hate you, Sasuke? It hurt so badly because I love you!"

Sasuke smiled, an actual genuine smile, before placing his lips back on Naruto's. "I love you too, Naruto."


Hey, at least this one had a happy ending, right? Alright, see ya all later!