I think there may be a few people who are concerned at the direction this story is taking. If you fall into this category, there is a sentence in my profile that should help.

This entire story grew out of a single comment in this chapter, so I'm so happy to have finally made it here. Thank you for reviews, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 11: On the third day, he rose from the grave

For a good couple of hours, Naruto wondered around the city at a loss at what to do or where to go. Eventually, he ended up where he always did when he was sent back. No one had even bothered to re-board the orphanage doors. He made his way up the stairs back to his old room. For a long time, he stood there, looking out the window and almost waiting for Sasuke to appear out of thin air. He never did, and Naruto wasn't surprised. In defiance, Naruto splayed himself out across the floor in the direct sunlight.

He stayed there for three days, watching the sunlight creep across the window sill, the darkness right on its heel. He slept, he dreamt, he mused over what he had had and what he had lost. His body felt exhausted, drained of all life. And Naruto wasn't sure he wanted to fight the feeling off.

Sasuke didn't want him. Sasuke had sent him back.

And to make things worse, Sasuke gave no explanation beyond that he had gown tired of him. It was so odd. One moment, things were perfect. Sasuke was teasing him, and pleased at Naruto's confession that he would always be loyal to Sasuke. And the next…the dark, haughty look that Naruto had last seen haunted his dreams.

On the third day, his body finally protested the lack of movement. As he shifted his weight to roll on his side, there was a clink by his ear. He lethargically lifted a hand to finger what had made the sound. It was Sasuke's necklace. Naruto lifted the gem stone to eye level. Nothing made sense. Sasuke had wanted him. Even Sakura conceded that Sasuke liked him. Then why? Why did Sasuke send him away? Nartuo went through the moments before carefully.

Sasuke had been frozen, eyes dilated and mouth open in a silent gasp. Something had changed, something that only Sasuke knew what it was. Naruto had thought maybe something was wrong with Kakashi, but Kakashi had come in, asking what was wrong. And then, Naruto sent Kakashi and all the people he trusted home. The thought prompted Naruto to sit up.

Sasuke hadn't just sent him away. He had sent everyone he cared for away. He had told Kakashi to not let them come back the next night. Sasuke had isolated himself with those people that he didn't trust. That didn't make sense, unless Sasuke finally realized that he was in trouble and he was trying to protect those that were dear to him. One thing was for sure, though. Naruto had to find Sasuke and make him tell him what was wrong. Maybe he could find some way to help.

Naruto stumbled to his feet, body week from hunger and disuse. But, it was mostly his sheer determination and disgust at himself that forced his body to move. He had told Sasuke that he would be loyal to him forever, and here he was wallowing in his own misery. How pathetic. Naruto stumbled out of the room and down the stairs to the outside. Briefly, he paused on the steps to the orphanage, wondering where he should start his search. He couldn't go back to the forest. Sasuke had blocked his path back to the house. But, there was one spot that he knew that someone from the house would be. And if he could find just one person, they could take him back.

So, Naruto headed towards the train station. He would go back to the club where he had first met Sasuke, and where he knew for certain that members of Sasuke's coven hunted their prey every night. He paused in the alley way where he had been almost been mugged to catch his breath. He remembered how scared he had been of Sasuke then, and now knew he would give anything to see him again. He half hoped that another mugger would come along and try his luck. Perhaps it would bring Sasuke out of hiding.

On the train, he almost fell asleep again, but he forced himself to stay awake, standing and pacing along the car. But, when he finally arrived at the club, it was a bitter disappointment that he learned it was all in vain. The club was closed. Naruto fell back against the wall and slid his back down to sit on the side walk. What was he supposed to do now? He was focusing so much on where he was supposed to go next that he missed the clicking of heels on the sidewalk. He couldn't help but to notice the fish net stockings ending in stiletto heels standing in front of him though. He looked up to see a very pretty woman with long red hair standing in front of him. On closer expectation, he noticed that she had very little on. A prostitute. He swallowed hard and tried to look away, but she was speaking to him.

"Are you all right, boy?" Naruto nodded and motioned to the club.

"It's closed," he said by way of explanation. She looked almost surprised and looked around the street before she crouched down to eye level.

"If you haven't noticed, honey, everything on this street's closed." Naruto for the first time looked around himself to see she was right.

"Why?" The woman sighed.

"There've been a pretty nasty string of murders here. It's just not safe on these streets."

Naruto felt the need to point out the obvious. "But, you're out here." She laughed.

"So I am. I have to make a living some how." She looked up and down the empty streets. "Though, I must admit that business is a bit slow." She looked back to Naruto and eyed him carefully. "And you look half starved. There's a tavern that's open a block over. Do you want to go eat something? And then you can tell me who you were waiting for."

"How do you know that I was waiting for someone?" She grinned.

"I didn't." For the first time in three days, Naruto grinned back.

Naruto was not surprised to find the tavern mostly empty. The woman walked up to the bar and ordered dinner. She had to empty her hidden pockets, scrounging for money to pay for her food, so Naruto finally pulled out the wad of money Sasuke had given him. He had to hold in his bitter laugh; Sasuke had given him all 100 dollar bills. He pulled out one of them placed it on the counter.

"This will pay for it, and mine. And a beer for both of us. You can keep the change." The bartender grinned and moved to pick it up, but the woman slammed her hand down on top of it.

"There won't be any change. As much food as that will cover. Got it?" The bartender nodded and the woman finally lifted her hand. She grabbed Naruto's elbow and led him to one of the tables. "You can't just give your money away like that. That's a good way to get you killed." Naruto shrugged and chuckled.

"It's not my money. And I'm not afraid of death. I should have died twenty-six years ago." The woman frowned.

"How?"

"Well, what I've been told is that my mother threw me in a dumpster, not too far from here." Naruto was watching the man plate their dinner, and so didn't notice the woman stiffen. "He saved me then."

The woman cleared her throat. "He?"

"Sasuke." Naruto sighed his name. "I met him again in that club a while ago, and moved in with him after that. Three days ago, he sent me away with nothing but a pocket of money. Like some kind of…" Naruto cut himself off and shot the woman a glance. She grinned at him.

"Like a whore? I'm not offended." The bartender set several plates of food and two pitchers of beer on the table. Naruto finally realized how hungry he was and pulled the first plate towards him. The woman watched him eat for a couple of moments before she began on a plate herself. "He didn't tell you why he sent you away?" Naruto shook his head. "Well, did he love you?" Naruto didn't know. He thought that Sasuke was fond of him, but he didn't know if an immortal could love. So he shrugged his answer. He fingered his necklace.

"He gave me this." The woman leaned forward and took the gem in her hand.

"A ruby. Good quality, from the looks of it. It must have cost him quite a bit. He must really like you." Naruto shrugged and tucked the necklace back into his shirt.

"So I've been told." They ate in silence for some time before Naruto mouth mumbled what he had been thinking. "Sometimes, I wish he had never saved me from that dumpster. He should have left me there. It would have solved a lot of my problems." The woman reached across the table to take his hand in hers.

"I'm glad he saved you and that I was able to meet you. Besides, you're life isn't over yet, so how do you know it wasn't worth living? Maybe you still have some purpose."

Naruto wasn't convinced. "You think everyone has a purpose?" She smiled at him.

"Yes, I do. People have to believe in something to keep them going."

Naruto didn't feel like talking ethics with a prostitute, so he changed the topic. "Tell me about the murders."

She shrugged. "They're bizarre, and the police have no leads. But their deaths are all exactly the same, so they are sure that it's the work of a serial killer. Or killers." There was an itching all along his spine.

"How were they killed?" The woman leaned forward and whispered the answer. Naruto felt faint.

"They were drained of all of their blood. Their jugulars were severed. And only ever at night." Naruto fell back in his chair. That sounded suspiciously like the work of Atatsuki. Sasuke and his friends would never allow for their feeding to get this out of control. That meant that Atatsuki were running wild, unchecked. And that meant…that meant that something had happened to Sasuke. Naruto jumped out of his chair, but the woman grabbed his elbow and forced him to sit down again. "Sit down, boy. I know you're concerned about your boyfriend, but you can't do anything on an empty stomach."

She was right. And Naruto didn't even know where to begin. He pulled a second plate of food closer and poured himself another beer. Besides, if this was still Atatsuki's hunting grounds, he wouldn't have to go far. He looked up as the door to the tavern slammed closed. No, he wouldn't have to go far at all.

The woman was still watching him carefully, occasionally pushing more food at him. Finally their food was finished. The woman stood and stretched. "Well, I better get going." Naruto walked her to the door and back out onto the street. It was his turn to grab her elbow.

"Here." He put all of Sasuke's money in her hand. "You should get out of this city. Go someplace far away and start a new life. A better life than this one."

"I can't take all of this!" She tried to hand it back to Naruto, but he wrapped her fist around it and pushed it back.

"You can. I have a feeling that where I'm going I won't need it anyway." The woman stared at him for quite some time before stepping forward and kissing him on his forehead.

"I will pray for you, for you and your loved one, that you and he will remain safe." Naruto grinned and nodded. She turned and took a couple of steps away before turning back to face him. "I forgot to ask. What is your name?"

"Naruto. You?"

"Kushina." Kushina smiled at him before she turned and walked away for the last time.

Naruto watched her go. When she was out of sight he finally addressed the man who had followed them out of the tavern.

"Kisame, I've been expecting you." The large man grinned at him, showing a line of razor sharp teeth.

"Have you? I'll admit that you were a little difficult to find." Naruto shrugged. He didn't feel like pointing out to Kisame that he had been hiding like a coward at the old orphanage.

Instead, he said, "Where's Sasuke?" Kisame's grin, if possible stretched wider.

"Oh, he's someplace safe. Now then, are you ready to go?" Naruto nodded and turned to face him. "Good. There's someone I want you to meet."

The house felt different. There was a heavy air that lingered around the house, pushing at Naruto's lungs and strangling his breath away. Kisame had a strong hand on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto supposed it was to keep him from running away. He considered telling Kisame that it was pointless, that he wouldn't run away anyway, not if there was a chance of seeing Sasuke again. But the man scared him, and the less interaction he had with him the better.

The inside of the house was just as bad. It seemed so desolate, devoid of the life (Naruto had to laugh, mentally, at the term) that Naruto had grown accustomed to. Walking into the lounge, he could see members of Atatsuki spread out all across the room, and not any of his friends. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Well, well, well. Sasuke's lost pet has been returned to us." Naruto really disliked that man. Hidan, he remembered him being called before.

Well, thought Naruto, if I'm going to die, might as well go down fighting. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing all your smiling faces again?" He smiled pleasantly at them, as if they were long lost friends. A man with black stitches all over his body, Naruto though his name was Kakuzu, was across the room before Naruto could blink.

"Listen here. If it were up to us, you'd be dead. Dead, you here me! You should be grateful, you little brat." Naruto waited for his heart beat to return to normal before glancing quickly around the room. No one else had moved, still relaxed in their seats as if they didn't care if he was killed or not.

"So, who is it up to, that I'm still alive?"

"Mine." Nartuo turned to see who had spoken. The cloaked figure was entering the lounge out of the shadowy door to his left. Naruto knew, oh God he knew, who it was going to be, but he was still caught off guard. It was like waking up and finding out that your nightmares were real.

"Itachi." Naruto recognized him instantly. He had, after all, seen him before. He looked the exact same he had in Naruto's dreams.

"Good. You know who I am. We require no introductions." The seated members of Atatsuki had immediately stood when Itachi entered the room and sat down again when Itachi did. Naruto scoffed.

"You have them trained well." Dear Lord, shut up! You're going to get yourself killed! The entire room seemed to vibrate with the growls. Kisame, who was still standing behind him, squeezed his shoulder to a point Naruto thought his arm might break off. But he wasn't anything if he wasn't stubborn, and he refused to wince and refused to pull away. Vaguely, he heard the grinding of his bones together, but he refused to take his eyes of Itachi's face. At first glance, he looked so much like Sasuke. But the lines of his face were harsher than Sasuke's, and his eyes a cold, empty steel where Sasuke's were a raging storm of the emotions he refused to let show on his face. Itachi flicked his wrist and Kisame let him go. Naruto barely restrained himself from reaching up to rub at his shoulder.

"Apparently, better than Sasuke ever did." Sasuke had already been brought up. Naruto had been expecting to have to force Itachi to talk to him about his brother.

"Where's Sasuke?" Itachi sneered.

"I am afraid I have not been a very good host. Are you hungry?"

"Are you?" Naruto shot back. The corner of Itachi's mouth twitched, either from humor or anger, Naruto didn't know.

"No." He motioned to a seat across from him. "Please have a seat." Naruto made no move to sit down. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and leveled Itachi with his best glare. A long-haired blond stood from his seat and growled at Naruto.

"When Master tells you to sit, you sit."

"He's not my master." The blond moved as if to force Naruto to sit, but Itachi stopped him.

"Deidara, leave him alone." Deidara sat back down and Itachi leaned forward in his seat to look closer at Naruto. "I can be a gracious host, Naruto. But you must meet me half way." Naruto considered his options and the threatening expressions looking at him before he decided to sit down. "Good, good. That was not so hard, was it?" Naruto scowled at him.

"Why am I here?"

"I was under the impression that you were a long term guest in this house."

Naruto decided to try again. "Where's Sasuke?" Itachi sighed.

"Everyone, leave us." Naruto watched as Atatsuki left the room. Some how, he felt more nervous alone with Itachi than he had moments ago in a room full of hostile vampires. "Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. I grow tired of hearing about my whiner baby brother. What does it matter to you where he is? He sent you back."

"To try and keep me away from you!" Naruto was slightly hysterical at the end of his sentence, and he ended up screaming it. Itachi didn't look phased. He continued as if Naruto hadn't interrupted.

"But I have now brought you back. I can be just as gracious as a host as Sasuke. He allowed you free run of the house, correct?" Naruto didn't respond. "I can give you anything and everything he did."

"I want Sasuke." Itachi stood from where he was and moved to look out of the window.

"You were not here very long before you developed these feelings for him, were you? How are you to be sure that you will not develop feelings for me?"

"Never," Naruto spat. "I hate you." Itachi turned and smirked at him.

"Ah yes, but at one time you hated Sasuke as well." He turned back to the window. "It will be dawn soon. Your arrangement with Sasuke will continue with me. But, I will have the bedroom doors locked, if you do not mind. I fear that I cannot trust you yet." Itachi turned and moved to the door of the lounge. "Good evening, Naruto. I will see you tomorrow."

Naruto was left to himself in the lounge, wishing that he could wake himself up.

Naruto spent the day re-exploring the house. Logically, he figured that Sasuke was no longer there in the house. Itachi, excluding the occupied bedrooms, kept his word and allowed Naruto to have free range of the house. Even Sasuke's room was unlocked and unfortunately empty. If Sasuke was still in the house, it wouldn't make sense for Itachi to give him the chance of finding Sasuke. And he refused to believe that Sasuke wasn't alive. Sasuke had to be alive; he just had to find where Itachi had hidden him.

Sadly, the house was frustratingly empty of clues. There was nothing missing, except Sasuke, and no signs that anything had been altered. There was nothing that could indicate what had happened to Sasuke or where he was. And he had looked everywhere!

Well, to be honest, not everywhere. He hadn't been to the basement yet. He didn't want to go to the basement, which is how he knew that if there were any clues, that's where they'd be. So, Naruto gave himself a pep talk, ate a snack, and headed down the flights of stairs. It was hard, and every step was a challenge with the dread of what he knew he would find. Finally, he made it to the last door and flipped the switch. In a couple of steps, he would be in the torture chamber.

"And have you, my most beloved, betrayed me too?"

Naruto knew that voice! "Sasuke!" He ran down the last couple of steps and turned the corner to see the very man he had been looking for. He was kneeling with chains forcing his arms to hang above his head. His head was bowed, and Naruto couldn't see his face, but his posture looked like someone who had been defeated. It angered Naruto. He could feel the rage bubbling in his chest, pure hatred against Itachi and anyone who had ever hurt Sasuke. He struggled to push the unfamiliar feeling down and moved to run to Sasuke. Sasuke looked up sharply at him, though, and stopped him.

"No, Naruto. Stay there. I have not fed, and I do not think I would be able to control myself." Naruto whimpered.

"Sasuke, what have they done to you?" Sasuke sighed and leaned back on his heels to rest his head against the wall. He didn't answer, but just grinned bitterly at Naruto. Naruto whimpered again and looked around the room. There was a cabinet in the corner that might have something that could help Sasuke. He ran to it, careful to give Sasuke a wide berth, and pulled it open. His mind worked hard to block out the rusted, bloody nails and saws, until he finally found an old wooden bowl and a butcher knife. He sucked in a deep breath and, as he dug the tip of the knife into the heel of his hand, exhaled sharply.

"Naruto, what have you done? You are bleeding." Naruto threw a quick glance over his shoulder to check on Sasuke. He was sitting up as best he could, leaning forward against his restraints, eyes blazing a bright red. Naruto gulped; he had to be careful, he knew. He turned back to the task at hand and squeezed his fist hard over the bowl. When the tell-tale light headedness set in, Naruto knew he had to stop if he was going to be any help to Sasuke. He licked his wound and found a rag to wrap his hand in. Carefully, he picked up the full bowl and moved closer to Sasuke. Sasuke was tracking him with his eyes, a stern scowl on his face. Naruto kneeled and set the bowl down outside of Sasuke's reach and lightly pushed it forward with the handle of the knife. Finally, it was within Sasuke's reach. Naruto knew he was trying to resist. He turned his nose away, as if refusing to give into the smell. Naruto reached forward again, stretching his arm to give a final push of the bowl closer to Sasuke. In the end, Sasuke accepted his gift. The chains refused to allow Sasuke to pick the bowl up, so he was forced to bow his head to drink from the bowl. It made Naruto's heart break. Sasuke should never have been made to crouch on a floor, licking a meal from a bowl. No one, no one, made Sasuke weak. Naruto vowed that he would save Sasuke, if it was the last thing he did. And he would make Itachi suffer for what he had done to Sasuke. Sasuke eventually leaned back, blood smeared on his lips and chin, and went back to leaning his head against the wall.

"Sasuke, are you better now? Can I come closer to you?" Silence stretched for a period of time before Sasuke opened his eyes and nodded. Naruto crawled his way to Sasuke and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck, licking and kissing the blood away. Sasuke turned his head and pressed his nose to Naruto's hair. "Sasuke, what happened?"

"You were right. I was betrayed. Although, I suppose in hindsight I should have expected it." Sasuke sighed and ran his fingers through Naruto's hair. "I should go ahead and tell you now. Karin's dead." Naruto's jaw dropped.

"What? Why? I thought she was going to be turned. Sasuke, what happened?" Sasuke sighed again and leaned back on his heals, dragging Naruto with him.

"They never had any intention of turning her. They had found her as a means to find my weakness. You." Naruto went to object, but Sasuke placed a finger on his lips. "Gaara was right. They wanted to distract me long enough for them to bring Itachi back, though none of them knew how. They figured if anyone would be able to find my weakness, it would be a human. I have sympathy for humans to begin with. And their plan worked. Once she had served her purpose and Itachi had been brought back, they killed her." Naruto buried his face in Sasuke's neck. He felt like crying. All of this was his fault.

"I'm so sorry Sasuke." Sasuke kissed his temple.

"Do not be sorry. I am not. I have no regrets." Naruto pulled back to look at Sasuke incredulously. Sasuke chuckled. "This is a price I have to pay for my time spent with you. I do not mind. You are worth every second of torment I have ever been through and ever will be through." Naruto couldn't help the grin the stretch his face.

"It seems kind of unfair." Sasuke tilted his head.

"How so?"

"You seem to have paid so much, and I haven't paid anything. Compared to you…" Sasuke shook his head to cut Naruto off.

"Pain and suffering can not be compared, only judged on an individual basis. You have suffered as well." They sat in silence for some time before Naruto had a thought.

"You haven't asked how I got back yet." Sasuke growled.

"I know. Itachi had you brought back." Naruto looked up at him.

"Do you know why?"

"Because your very presence here tortures me." Naruto leaned away insulted, but Sasuke pulled him back. "It tortures me because I know that Itachi will use you to hurt me. He will hurt you, or try to turn you against me…"

"Never!" Naruto cried. Sasuke grinned and ran his fingers through Naruto's hair again.

"Regardless, nothing good can come from you being near him. I want you to find a way as far away from here as possible."

"No, I'm not leaving you here. I have to find a way to free you." Naruto gripped one of the chains and gave an experimental tug. Nothing happened, but Naruto wasn't surprised. He started to analyze the chains for a weakness.

"I will try to get through to Kakashi," Sasuke went on as if Naruto hadn't said anything. "Our bond is not as strong as if I was solely his sire, but I can at least impress upon him what I need him to do." Sasuke trailed off and began to make plans out loud. Naruto noticed something on the chains and leaned forward to look closer. "I do not think that it would be good for him to come retrieve you during the evening when Itachi is awake, but maybe he can find a way to retrieve you during the day. You would have to stay here at least another night."

"Sasuke, look here. I think I recognize these glyphs. Aren't these the ones from Itachi's book? That you said that you just figured out?" He held the chain up for Sasuke to see. Sasuke barely glanced at it before yanking it out of Naruto's hand.

"No. Do not concern yourself with that." Naruto scowled at him.

"But, I think that's the key to getting you free. Do you remember this series of glyphs? And what I need to do to free you?" Sasuke didn't answer. "Sasuke, do you know how to free yourself?"

"Do not concern yourself with that. You have to get away from here." Naruto's scowl deepened. Sasuke was hiding something from him. He moved forward and straddled Sasuke's lap.

"Sasuke, I am going to find a way to free you. You can either help me or just sit there and look pretty. But the sooner that you're free, the sooner you can kill Itachi and things can go back to the way they were." Sasuke turned away from him. Naruto blanked his face. "Unless, you were telling me the truth three days ago, and you no longer want me." Sasuke turned back to him, eyes wide and cupped Naruto's face with his hands. Naruto pulled his face away. "Well, even if you don't want me, I would think you would want your freedom."

"I lied. I do still want you. I never stopped and never will stop wanting you. But even more than I want you, I want you safe. I want you to live. My freedom is nothing compared to that. I can endure this. But I could not endure having you hurt." Naruto leaned back into Sasuke's space.

"But I am hurt. Having your freedom taken from you, seeing you like this, hurts me more than anything Itachi could ever do to me." Sasuke sighed and leaned forward to kiss Naruto's lips. Naruto kissed him back and moved to deepen it, but Sasuke pulled away.

"Expect Kakashi tomorrow afternoon. Please Naruto. I have to know that you are safe." Naruto whimpered and moved forward to kiss him. Sasuke allowed the kiss, but turned away only after a moment. "It is almost night fall. You should go before Itachi awakens." Sasuke kissed him again, hard and fast. "Go, Naruto. Go." Naruto stood and moved to leave.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Sasuke."

"Naruto…"

"I love you." Naruto grinned at Sasuke's shocked expression before he turned and ran back up the stairs. He ran all the way to his room, slamming the door closed and collapsing against it. He couldn't help the grin at finally admitting his love for Sasuke, despite the hardships he knew lay in front of them. At least he had a starting point.

He frowned when he remembered Sasuke's unwillingness to tell him what the glyphs meant. He was positive that those were the glyphs that he had seen in Itachi's book. He also remembered thinking that the glyphs could not do anything good, so he knew that it wouldn't be easy to free Sasuke. But he couldn't understand why Sasuke wouldn't tell him. If Sasuke had told him, then he could tell Kakashi, and then they could free Sasuke. He shrugged. If Kakashi was indeed coming tomorrow, then he could talk to him about the glyphs. Maybe Sasuke had told him what the translation was. Or, maybe Sasuke kept his translation notes in the study with Itachi's book. At the very least, Naruto could find Itachi's book and show it to Kakashi tomorrow.

If he survived tonight, at least. The sun had set and he was starting to hear the stirrings of the house occupants coming alive. Naruto locked his door and moved to his bed. Half way there, though, he changed his mind and moved to his desk. He dragged the chair over and placed the back of the chair under the doorknob. He considered the set up before he moved to his dresser. It was heavy, which Naruto was glad for, but he managed to push it over to the door. Carefully, he pushed at the top of the dresser until it tilted and rested against the door. The bottom of the dresser slid slightly on the carpet. Naruto quickly put his foot there to prevent it from slipping and looked around the room. He eventually decided on something to replace his foot and pulled one of his orange crates over and switched them out. He watched the set-up for a couple of moments to make sure it would work before, satisfied, he moved back to his bed.

He wondered if he would be able to sleep at all in house full of vengeful vampires, but he was so exhausted and his nerves were shot, so he had no problem finally falling asleep.

He dreamt of Sasuke that night. He was lying next to him, looking up at the stars. He could feel the earth moving underneath him and the stars were flying above them, but Sasuke's hand in his remained constant, comforting him with his strength and steadiness.

Naruto woke up smiling, ready for anything. Because he could do anything if it was for Sasuke.