Naruto sneezed for the God-knows-what time and Sasuke rolled his eyes for the same number of times.
"I hate baa-chan. When we got back, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind!"
"Then you would get even stupider."
"Shut it, Teme! I'm in no mood for your bastardness."
"That's not a word, dobe."
"How can you do it?" – the blond asked, deciding to ignore that last comment. – "How can you be your usual jerk self when we are in a country whose average temperature is an hundred Celsius degrees lower than in Konoha? I'm fucking freezing!" – it was time for a different approach on the current problem. – "How long 'til that stupid inn?"
"It's hard to tell with all his snow. And it's dark. Maybe fifteen minutes, tops." – Sasuke was feeling bad for the blond. He really wasn't used at this, neither was Sasuke, but he was more concerned with Naruto now. Trying not to blush, the raven took his blanket from his backpack and covered Naruto with it. The blond looked at him wide eyed, the warm spreading in places where the blanket surely wasn't covering (A/N: His heart, okay?).
"Thank you, S'suke."
"Hn." – at the sound of his name, Sasuke did blush, but Naruto couldn't tell.
They walked for another ten minutes in silence. Finally they reached the inn. They entered and Sasuke did the check-in. A maid escorted them to a little house outside the main building, as Tsunade had arranged. It was a cosy house, with only a kitchen, a bathroom and a living room which was also the bedroom. They would be living there until the end of the mission.
"Okay, dobe, we have to talk. Go put the wards around the house and I will protect it against ninjutsu and genjutsu."
"Why do I have to go outside again? Besides it will take longer…" – Naruto whined.
"Because you suck at genjutsu. Now do as you are told."
"Yes, mother." – and he ran outside, successfully escaping the wrath of the Uchiha, materialized in a thrown backpack.
One hour later, Naruto entered the house, to find the fireplace on and a edible smell coming from the kitchen. 'Yay! Sasuke is cooking!' Unceremoniously, Naruto ditched Sasuke's blanket on the couch. He then proceeded to the shower. Sasuke had already showered and was waiting for Naruto at the kitchen table. The dobe showed up minutes later.
"Finally. I'm starving. Could you please hurry?" – the raven said.
They started to eat in silence. They finished, and Naruto cleaned the kitchen, as they had done hundreds of times.
"Dobe, come here." – Sasuke called from the living room. He was sitting on the couch, in front of a small coffee table, which had a unwrapped scroll laying on top of it. The wet blanket Sasuke had lent to Naruto was now drying on the other side of the table, in front of the fireplace. Sasuke's eyes were lit from the fire. He looked so focused, so efficient, 'So beautiful.' Naruto thought.
"Do you know why we were attacked?" – yep, they had been attacked on their way to the Water country, and they suspected it had been because of their mission.
"I think they were wearing the symbol of this clan." – Sasuke said.
Sasuke had let Naruto see the scroll on their first night of camping. They were supposed to retrieve a missing kunoichi from Konoha, who had an amazing knowledge of the forbidden jutsus and was trying to recreate the Tailed Beasts. She had been working for the Kage of the Hidden Rain Village. Konoha's associates, including Suna, were sending ninjas to capture her, but she always managed to escape. They suspected she was now in this lost village in the middle of nowhere, working on a chakra accumulation device. And that's why Sasuke and Naruto were here.
"They are the Hikari clan. Their main building is in the mountain peak." – Naruto read. – "What are we going to do?"
"I believe we should collect more information first. Let's get to know the town, talk to people. In a three day period we will talk about it again. Until then, stay in the character." – Naruto nodded. Then he and Sasuke put the scroll in the hideout in the bathroom, arranged by them, set the traps and hide those traps.
Finished their task, Naruto stretched and yawned loudly. Sasuke looked at him shocked at such a rude display, earning an embarrassed chuckle from the jinchiruuki.
"Where are we going to sleep, Teme?"
"You can sleep o the couch. I will use my sleep bag."
"No way! You will freeze to death. Isn't the couch also a bed? We can share."
Fifteen minutes later, the couch had been open to reveal a queen sized bed and the bed had already been made with white sheets from the closet. Naruto put the fire down, while Sasuke brought three fluffy blankets.
"Sasuke." – Naruto meowed, already in bed. Sasuke, who was brushing his teeth, made a grunt as an answer. – "I want hot chocolate." – spitting the toothpaste, and rolling his eyes, Sasuke answered.
"Go do it, then."
"I'm already in bed."
"So? Get up."
"Come on, S'suke. Go do it for me. Please… Pleeeeease…" – the blond sing-songed. Sasuke ignored and continued his nightly routine. – "Pleeeeeease… Pleee-"
"Alright, alright. I'm going." – Naruto yelled victory. – "Moronic blond, thinks he can ask whatever and I'll do it, stupid uke-ish friend…"
Sasuke grumbled all the way to the kitchen and all the way to the living room and while was getting in bed besides Naruto. However, his anger lost its meaning at the sight of a flushed and happy Naruto drinking his chocolate.
While the raven lost himself in the sea of blankets, Naruto stayed up a little longer, sitting against his pillows. Absentmindedly, he focused on his best friend's sleeping face. There it was that frown. Without putting much thought into it, he smothered it, like he always did. Instead of withdrawing his hand, though, he let it fall onto raven hair and started caressing it, while he kept on drinking with his left hand, and looked out of the window.
He didn't feel sleepy, especially because if he fell asleep, then he wouldn't enjoy this peaceful moment with Sasuke. The avenger stirred a couple of times, ending up with his head laid on Naruto's lap, his right hand resting on the blond's thigh. It wasn't until much later that the bond would understand that Sasuke had been returning the touch and drawing circles on his leg for quite some time. He looked down, to see the Uchiha was looking out of the window as well, lost in thought.
Felling the blond's soft touch stop, Sasuke glanced up, only to meet bright blue. They stared at each other for a long time and restarted their touches, ignoring the lingering need for an explanation.
Finally, Sasuke sat back and stared at the ceiling. He should have pretended to be asleep, but of course he didn't and now he had no idea how to act. Naruto would have none of it, though.
Without asking for permission, the blond laid his head on the other's left shoulder, encircling the raven's waist with both arms, and nuzzled Sasuke's chest with his nose. The avenger stood there amazed at how right that had felt, but snapped out of it, and shifting a bit, placed his left arm around the other's shoulders, bringing the blond closer.
Sasuke was still dumfounded at Naruto's behaviour. But, of course, Sasuke was being a moron thinking it could mean something other than just a friends embrace, since the shorter jounin always said their friendship meant the world for him and that he wouldn't replace it for anything else. And it wasn't like Sasuke liked boys. On another hand, he didn't like girls, either. Putting these thoughts aside for now, he scoped closer to his friend and brought the covers up to wrap both of them better.
They didn't say a word. What could any of them say that their shared warmth, and the shared feelings, weren't already telling? If they talk now, that harmony would be lost, and then misunderstandings and misinterpreted words would come between them.
Eventually they fell asleep.
- Time lapse -
"I don't get why I have to go with you do the shopping." – once again Naruto was whining, and Sasuke was doing his best to not kick him in the ass.
In that morning, both of them woke up still holding each other. Still, as it was typical when their soul showed itself even a bit, they didn't talk about it. They went back for their routine behaviour, bickering and bantering.
"Because."
"That's not an answer, Teme."
"Shut it, dobe." – Sasuke successfully ended the discussion. He looked at his teammate and took in his appearance, ignoring the adorable pout that adorned his lips. – "I believe I told you to wear gloves and another jacket below that one."
"I don't like gloves and that jacket itches…" – and then lower. – "… mother-hen."
"I heard that. I'm not a mother-hen and don't even think of complaining about the cold, because I warned you to wear more clothes."
That was when they arrived at the shop. Both teens opened the door and the bell rang and started fighting to see who would enter first. The woman behind the counter just laughed at them. She was short and curvy, with brown hair and dark green eyes. She had freckles and a very welcoming expression.
"Hello." – she greeted.
"Hello, we were told that we could do our grocery shopping in here." – Sasuke answered, taking the lead as always. – "We have a list… somewhere… in… here…" – and he started searching for it in his pockets, not noticing Naruto's smug expression. The blond ended up feeling sorry for him, and took the list out of his own pocket and handed it to the nice woman.
"Here, Mrs…"
"Just call me Maria, blondie." – and then she turned to Sasuke. – "I believe you can stop looking for the list." – and waved with it at him. Sasuke turned pink and glared at Naruto, who just smirked.
"You see, Teme, you are not that perfect, after all." – Sasuke's eyes narrowed even more, and then he proceeded to ignore the blond, who felt free to exploit the small shop.
He was looking at a instantaneous pack of his favourite food, when someone spoke to him.
"Hi." – he looked around, to find a young woman, with the same eyes that Maria, but with blond hair. She had the same curvy figure, although with the sexiness of the youth. She was handling a big bag with wheels, which was full of food.
"Hi, beautiful." – yeah, our blond knows how to flirt. – "You are that nice lady's daughter, am I right?" – she blushed and nodded. – "And where is this attractive young woman going to take so much food?"
"I work at the Hikari mansion, on the mountain peak. They often send me to shop, especially now that they have guests." – she told him, uninterested and blind to the blond's interest in the story. In fact, she was so lost in ogling him, she didn't see how his head snapped to her at the mention of the Hikari mansion.
"I noticed the house this mourning. It's so big. I'm not surprised that they need this much food." – he reasoned that the best tactic was to act plain, stupid and loud. She laughed. – "It's a pity that such a graceful girl has to do this kind of hard work. Maybe I can help you bring this to the mansion." – she seemed scared.
"Oh, no, the masters don't want to have boys there. Their guests are very insistent about it."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" – he tried to act embarrassed.
"No, that's fine." – she quickly put in, as if to reassure him. – "I've to work tonight, but maybe tomorrow we can have dinner or something." – She touched his arm. Naruto honestly blushed this time. This girl was very straightforward. – "What's your name?"
"Naruto. Yours?"
"Sayo."
"Look, Sayo, I'm staying with my friend and I wouldn't like to dump him…" – he trailed off, seeing if she took the hint.
"Bring him. I will take one of my friends." – Naruto was getting scared. Sasuke was going to kill him.
The aforementioned raven chose that moment to appear at his side. Sasuke had been doing the shopping, while looking dissimulated at the interaction between the two blonds. When that girl had touched his blond's arm though, he lost it. Hurrying his task, he joined them.
"What's up?" – he asked.
The girl just gaped at him. Was this the friend? Her heart beat quickened. It wasn't like he was more handsome than Naruto, it was just the raven had this mysterious aura that made girls sway at his arrival. That entire height was purely screaming 'sex god'. Sayo still liked Naruto better. On another hand, she wouldn't have to blackmail her friend into the double date.
"Hello." – she said. – "I was just asking Naruto out, but he said he didn't want to ditch you, so I suggested a double date." – Sasuke's glare was murderous. The blond jounin shrunk in his place. – "My friend is really hot, so you don't have to worry. By the way, what's your name, hottie?"
"Sasuke." – his tone could have frozen hell. She didn't noticed though.
"Well, I have to go now, or I'll be fired. Those Hikari people are really tight." – and she left.
Hearing her say that she had to go her work at Hikari's, something lit up in Sasuke's brain. He looked at he blond and smiled apologetically. Naruto was just glad the raven hadn't lost his temper.
"If I were you, I'd look out boys." – Maria intervened, smirking knowingly. – "These girls don't have much to do around here and you're novelty. They can be quite enthusiastic." – both boys shuddered. Of fangirls, they had enough in Konoha.
Turning his head to hide his grimace, his eyes fell on the pack he had been ogling earlier. Smiling sweetly, the blond turned to his friend. It scared Sasuke. He took a step back, when Naruto took a step forward. The raven could see something behind the blond's back. Sasuke's back touched the counter and he couldn't run away. When he was close enough, Naruto did his best puppy eyes and handed the package to Sasuke, as if asking for his permission. Looking down, the avenger faced the most hideous thing he had ever seen: a pack of instantaneous ramen.
"No."
"Please, S'suke." – when Naruto wanted something, he would just called the raven by his short name and use the puppy eyes. Damn blond for knowing how to manipulate him. However, he, Uchiha Sasuke, was stronger.
"No."
"Pleeeease, pleeeease, pleeeeeeeeeeeease, pleee-"
"Okay, fine, but I will cook it. Honestly, when will you understand-"
Maria was watching the boys from the side as they argued about healthy food. The blond was whining and the other was lecturing him. If she didn't know they were going on a date with two girls, she would have certain suspicions. As it was, she reasoned they friendship was just weird. She waved at them, as they left.
- Time lapse -
That night, Sasuke agreed to do ramen for dinner. Naruto jumped happily and hugged Sasuke, praising him about his cook skills. The raven did his best not to blush.
He showered first and then proceeded to the kitchen to fulfil his promise. He had the dinner almost ready, when Naruto exited the bathroom, his hair still damp and he was soaking the floor.
"Come here, you moron." – Sasuke called and then made him sit on the floor in front of the couch. The raven grabbed a towel and sat on the edge sofa facing the blond, who had his back turned to him. Pulling Naruto to sit between his spread legs, the Uchiha started to dry the other's hair with gentle strokes. The blond almost purred at the feeling. Instead he let his head fall on the other's lap and enjoyed the ride.
Moments later, Sasuke deemed Naruto's hair dried and together they set the table.
With the dinner eaten and the kitchen cleaned, they prepared for bed. As always, the blond was already in bed, while Sasuke finished his routine. But something was off. Naruto was awfully quiet. When the raven arrived the living room, he saw Naruto with the towel he had used to dry the blond hair in his hands.
"What crawled up your ass?" – the taller man asked.
"You know, Sasuke, you don't have to take care of me. I'm a big boy. I can dry my own hair and make my own dinner." – said raven's heart missed a beat. Why was the blond saying this? Didn't he like when Sasuke pampered him? He was always asking for it, whining and begging.
Well in fact, Naruto did like it. But the blond didn't want Sasuke to think he was an idiot unable of taking care of himself. He didn't want Sasuke to think he had to dry the blond's hair because said blond was incapable of doing so.
Surprisingly enough, the avenger didn't find it in himself to pretend he didn't care.
"Why? Do you mind?"
"Of course not." – it was the immediate response. Sasuke just breathed relieved. – "But I can do it. You don't have to act all motherly all the time." – ignoring the obvious attack at his pride, the raven decided to focused on the main point.
"I don't act all motherly, Na-ru-to." – he answered, exasperatedly.
"Yes, you do." – and then making his tone go lower, the blond started what was supposed to be a imitation of Sasuke. – 'Wear gloves' and 'you have to eat healthy food' and 'dry your hair' and many more examples."
"Is it wrong of me to care for you? Is it that weird for me to care for someone other than myself?" – Sasuke was angry, Naruto could tell. And making the blond sure of his suspicions, the raven turned off the lights and lay down with his back turned at the blond.
Naruto didn't sleep for a lot of time. Finally, seeing no point in laying in the bed, he grabbed as many clothes as he could find and a blanket and went to sit on the porch. He and Sasuke were arguing more than usually lately and it all started when he started receiving flowers. Stupid raven, always bitching. He, of course, ignored the fact that he was also always bitching. But still Sasuke was a lot more sensitive lately.
He was lost in his thoughts when he heard a loud moan coming from the house. Blushing, he hoped the Uchiha wasn't having one of those dreams.
"No, Itachi, don't!" – he heard. Okay, then, not one of those dreams. Still, this wasn't good. Running inside, he faced an angry Uchiha, crying and fighting in is sleep. He approached the bed. – "No, don't kill them. They're family. Don't leave me alone." – his clan's massacre again. – "Naruto! Sakura! Kakashi!" – or not.
Naruto froze. The boy was dreaming that Itachi took them away from him, his family. He felt moved by Sasuke's words. Sasuke was trying to hit something, it was time to wake him, or he could hurt himself. Naruto got closer, only to be projected a few feet away by a strong punch on his jaw. Grumbling, he got up and launched himself at Sasuke, successfully restraining him. The raven only fought harder.
"Sasuke." – he whispered on the other's ear. – "Sasuke! Wake up. It's me, baby, please wake up." – onyx eyes shot open, tears still flowing from his eyes. He sat up and looked around. He didn't try to hide the tears and throw himself in Naruto's open arms.
"It was awful. You and Sakura and Kakashi and the other rookie were death and Itachi was laughing, and..." – he trailed off, sobbing loudly. – "I didn't have nightmares in a while; I usually don't have them when you're around. Where were you?" – He looked up, accusingly. But his glare lost his strength by the fear in his eyes. Naruto hugged him closer and let him calm himself. – "Can we please go to sleep now?" – he heard the avenger say hours later.
Nodding his agreement, the blond shifted them, until he was spooning Sasuke. The boy was still shivering and he was ice cold. He turned Sasuke until they were facing each other. Resting their foreheads together, the blond nuzzled heir noses together and pressed a drawn-out kiss on the pale forehead. Sasuke would have complained any other time at the loss of control, but he was so scared now.
"Don't leave me alone, okay?" – he asked the blond. Naruto only answered when he felt Sasuke's breathe even out.
"Of course not, love, never again."
- Time lapse -
The birds were chirping and the sun was shining brightly.
One boy, on another hand, was releasing a killer aura that made the flowers die and the animals run away from the small cottage. Damn nature! Who did she think she was, taking their earned rest from them?
The blond (A/N: Haha! I bet you thought it was Sasuke.) thinking these stupid thoughts was brought back for life by a big, calloused hand rubbing circles on the end of his back. Then it disappeared, only to reappear taking his blond bangs out of his eyes, and rest with its knuckles on his cheek. Absentmindedly, the blond leaned into the touch and snuggled closer to the other body. His mind was still to catch up with his body, but it eventually did, and his eyes snapped open.
The raven responsible for the touch chuckled lightly. Naruto smiled and closed the blue eyes again, feeling so good. He was brought back from his high from two lips caressing his cheek. He blushed bright red. What the hell was Sasuke doing? Not finding it in himself to complain right now, Naruto just opened his eyes to face the raven now propped on his elbow. Onyx met blue and they stared at each other.
"Beautiful." – the raven said.
"What is?"
"You are." – Naruto was at a loss of words. – "I'm sorry about last night. It seems you are always the one that is there to deal with me when I have my fits." – the blond sat up, seeing how serious the subject was and trying to reassure the other.
"It's not a burden. It's a privilege to be the only one you let in and I wouldn't have any other in my place." – Sasuke hadn't expected an answer, let alone one like that. He blushed a bit and looked away. Now his trained speech was ruined. Oh, well…
"Okay, just listen to what I have to say." – Sasuke started. – "Thank you for being my friend." – he smiled his rare, honest smile and kissed Naruto on the cheek. – "Thank you for always being there for me." – another kiss. – "For being my other half." – kiss. – "And for challenge me." – kiss. - "For being my light." – kiss. – "And for taking the loneliness away." – kiss. - "I wouldn't imagine my life without you. You are and always will be the only one for me."
Naruto was just gaping now, looking at his best friend in wonder. He wanted to say something as beautiful back, but he didn't have the words for that.
"I love you, Sasuke." – he simply said, throwing his arms around the other's neck. – "So much."
Hearing such a heavenly sentence from his one and only, Sasuke whimpered. He had wanted to hear that for so long and it didn't even come to his mind that the one that should say it had always been right at his side. He had always felt that something as missing between him and Naruto, though. And this all thing seem so perfect and so right. And looking at his beautiful soulmate, he could tell the blond was just as confused and amazed at how good they felt together. So close and so complete.
They broke the hug and looked at each other.
"Can I kiss you?" – the raven asked. Naruto just nodded.
Slowly and sweetly, Sasuke approach the blond. He closed the distance between them, and brushed their lips together, in a very soft caress; he pressed them together, and Naruto did the same; they slowly moved against each other, Sasuke kissing Naruto's lower lip and then the other, touching lightly and feeling the blond return the touch. When the need to do more became too much, the raven coaxed the other's lips open and slid his tongue inside. Naruto moaned into the kiss. Their tongues were moving against each other, tasting each other. Sasuke took his time exploring the blond's mouth and then retreat his tongue back into his own making Naruto's follow it, hinting at the blond to mimic his actions, which the blond did.
Reluctantly, Sasuke broke the kiss, earning a whimper from the blond. Sasuke smiled, while the other just pouted.
"There is still a few things I have to tell you."
"You love me, I get it." – the blond interrupted, eagerly. – "Now, let's make out." – once again, Sasuke was shocked at the tactless blond.
"I have to tell you why."
"I don't care." – Naruto has a one track mind. If he is horny, he couldn't care less about anything else. So he proceeded to plant butterfly kisses on the raven's cheeks and along his jaw.
"Na-ru-to." – Sasuke pleaded. Naruto huffed, crossed his arms and leaned back on the bed.
"Fine, I'm listening." – and grumbled something about 'frigid bastards'.
"We are always arguing lately. It's stupid and it's my fault." – Naruto tried to interrupt him, but the raven didn't let him. He took a deep breath. Tell Naruto he loved him was one thing, admit he was threatened by a wannabe-Sasuke was another one completely different that shook his pride to peaces. – "I'm afraid of loosing you, that's why I get so angry when you say things like you don't need me to take care of you. I'm jealous of Sai and all the fucking people who dare to be romantically interested in you. I'm sorry for acting like a bastard lately."
"I was expecting a 'why you confessed now?', actually." – Sasuke blushed at the hoping expression on the other face. He swallowed with difficulty.
"Okay, you see…" – from Naruto's expression, no, he couldn't see. – "Well, last night I was dreaming about you. You and I were a family…" – he trailed off.
"Like, brothers? It grossed you?"
"No, stupid." – and he mumbled something.
"What? I didn't catch that."
"… We were married." – the raven clearly said looking away. – "It must have been this stupid house getting on my nerves. But then the jealousy… and then you called me 'love' last night, it all just seemed right. So I took the chance. I trust you enough to know you wouldn't be mad because I have feelings for you."
The blond's mind had stopped working at the 'married' part. He blushed and looked away, feeling very warm and happy all of a sudden. Sasuke seeing the blond's expression very accurately guessed his thoughts and blushed as well.
"Can we make out now?" – Naruto asked shyly, still flushed.
Sasuke rolled his eyes, but brought his hand to the others waist and pulled him closer, covering the blond's mouth with his own and sliding his tongue inside without a warning. The blond moaned at such a passionate kiss and brought his hands to raven hair to angle their heads and deepen their contact. Naruto leaned back on the bed making Sasuke support himself in all fours to continue the kiss. That was not what Naruto wanted, though, and so he grabbed the Uchiha's waist and pulled him down, making their bodies press together. The angle was still not right. Placing his hands on Sasuke's ass, Naruto grind their groins together. A wave of pleasure shot through them, making them moaned into the kiss and breaking the spell.
"Fuck, Naruto." – Sasuke cursed.
"Yes, please. That's the idea." – Sasuke just glared.
"We are on a mission, usuratonkachi." – Naruto's lust filled eyes got back to normal, hearing that. He looked a bit afraid.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just-" – he couldn't finish because Sasuke pressed their lips together.
"Don't you dare to apologize. It's just now it's not the time." – and they laid down side by side, looking at the ceiling, trying to calm themselves down.
"Do you think there is a rule against dating though?" – the blond asked, after a moment.
"I surely hope not." – Naruto looked confused. – "We have a date tonight, remember?"
"Oh, shit! I forgot." – he looked a little lost for a minute. – "I don't wanna do it."
"Too bad, because it's your fault." – Sasuke said, while getting up to prepare the breakfast. The blond disaster just followed him.
"Teme, I don't wanna, don't make me." – Naruto whined.
"Stop bothering me, stupid. It's your own fault, usuratonkachi, so deal with it."
"Don't call me names, you prick."
"I just speak the truth."
"Shut it, bastard, and do what you're good at."
"What? Making you moan?" – Naruto gaped at him, his face red from embarrassment and anger.
"If recall correctly, you were the one that…"
And off they went, bickering and bantering as always, except now they had new weapons to use against each other.
Okay! Another one done. Next chapter, Lemon! Woohoo!
This time lapses are only the beginning. Beware...
