Shelly's Note: I really feel like I just want to finish this story, not in that I want it to be over, but in the fact that it is so close to being done that I can't think of my other stories so this is the one that will be updated right now :)

As always I own nothing

Also say hi to my new beta Naruto Yaoi 911

Song of inspiration: promise by Simple Plan

Enjoy!

Chapter 15: Promise

It was midmorning when Sasuke was able to get out of the hospital. No one had come to attempt to visit him before he was released. He had much on his mind, mostly questions and hardly any answers. He wondered what Naruto was going to say the day he met Juugo, what would happen if they talked, if he could forgive him, if other people knew he came to see him, and most of all, he wondered what all of this meant—If the time they had spent together was real, or fake as Kiba had lead on. There were so many things that still needed to be answered and yet, he didn't know if he truly wanted the answers, for that would mean all his anger toward Naruto was wasted time.

He decided to go for a walk that morning, as Suigetsu's house had never felt like home and he had nowhere else to go. The park was always the perfect place; it calmed him down – even though a certain tree may remind him of a certain blond. He sighed as he sat under his normal tree, feeling somewhat at home as he closed his eyes and rested against the base.

"So, they let you out, huh?" An unsure voice came from above his head.

His eye snapped back open and the voice continued in the most awkward way he had ever heard, "I was just on my way to visit you when I saw the tree...I decided, you know, to climb it for old time's sake."

"Hn...You were coming to visit me?" Sasuke asked as he looked up at the blonde.

Naruto smiled, "Of course!"

Sasuke stood up and climbed up the tree Naruto was in, so that he was sitting next to the blond. "Why?" he asked.

Naruto looked at him with the kind of smile that lit up his entire face. "Because, Sasuke, it's like I tried to tell you before. It may have started out because of Kiba's thing, but what went on between us wasn't fake," the blonde explained.

"Why did you tell him that?" Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Is it really that embarrassing to be with me?"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Sasuke, I was stupid, but Kiba knows now that it wasn't fake. I rushed to your side the day of the shooting and left him."

"Well, it's great that you can decide that now, but why not before?" Sasuke looked in his eyes.

"I never meant to hurt you and I tried to tell you that when Juugo stepped into the picture...I just don't want to lose you...Do you have any idea what this time apart has done to me? I've been going crazy!" the blonde said.

"Crazy?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, obviously skeptical.

"Yes, crazy, because I couldn't touch you," he said as he put a hand on Sasuke's leg.

"Naruto," he warned.

"Or kiss you," he said, kissing his jaw line as Sasuke wouldn't turn to participate and make out with the blond.

"I don't think we should do this in a tree, or did you forget that I just got out of the hospital?" Sasuke asked.

"Then let's do this out of the tree." He smirked and jumped down from the low sitting branch.

"Naruto," he glared.

"Come on, just jump down. I'll even help you." Naruto smirked as he held out his hands, making Sasuke glare more; nonetheless, he jumped and landed on his feet with the help of said hands.

"See, was that so hard?" He smiled.

"Shut up," he said, as he moved away from the blond.

Naruto sighed. "Okay, talk. What is your problem?"

"Where do I even begin?" He shook his head.

Naruto sighed and sat at the base of the tree, waiting for him to explain.

"You let your friends act like I meant nothing to you and worse, when they said it you didn't stand up to them. It took a school shooting for you to act, so please forgive me if I want someone who is willing to stand up a little more for what they want at times—when it isn't just life threatening," Sasuke said, a little angry.

"When I'm not with you all I think about is you, and I'm sorry it took a school shooting for me to realize that some things in life are more important than my reputation. I guess I'm kind of stupid and, well, what can I say? You really weren't in the talking mood until now, so even if I wanted to—which I did—you wouldn't," the blonde in his defense.

Sasuke just looked away, not wanting to hear the blond, mostly because he was still confused about his own feelings.

Naruto looked at him saying, "You don't get it. When I was with you my life somehow changed, but then you were gone and suddenly I was just going through a mundane life that I didn't even really know was ordinary to begin with, until someone like you came and left, and took away all that made up the extraordinary."(1)

"Hn. I'm surprised you know what mundane means," Sasuke smirked.

"Sasuke, I'm serious. Don't let this be goodbye," he said as he turned the raven's face toward him. "I'm done fighting with you," Naruto said as he ran a hand down the pale face, neck, and covered arm until he reached the other's hand and intertwined their fingers. "Are you done fighting with me?"

Sasuke looked at him and took a deep breath. He was definitely sick of fighting and he did miss the blond, but all the memories from what had happened with them seemed to get in the way, and he didn't know if he could truly trust him. "I don't know if I can trust you," Sasuke said as he unlaced their hands and got up, instead making it so that he was leaning against the tree.

"Then give me this one chance to prove it to you. Let me prove that I am trustworthy," Naruto said.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"I'll do anything you want. I think I proved that when I ran to your bedside," Naruto said.

"Anything?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Anything," the blond nodded.

Sasuke just shook his head. "One simple task means nothing."

Naruto sighed. "Okay, then give me a month."

"Excuse me?" the raven asked.

"Give me a month of dating and if you don't think I'm trustworthy, you can dump me. No explanations. And I'll never bother you again," Naruto said as he stood up.

Sasuke looked down and saw the hand that Naruto was offering to him. He sighed as he grabbed his hand. "You have a month to prove yourself."

The blond smiled, "That's what I do best."

"Unfortunately, I hope you're right," Sasuke gave a small smile.

Naruto's grin grew even wider, "Fortunately, I know I'm right." The blond started to pull the raven away from the park by the hand, but the raven stopped him.

"One more thing you should know," Sasuke said.

"What's that?" the blonde asked.

"I have friends this time around. So if you break my heart this time, one of them might actually do something about it," the raven smirked.

Naruto smiled and said, "I don't plan on breaking your heart, so I don't think that'll be a problem."

"Just thought you should know, you know, with your record and all," he smirked.

"Shut up," Naruto said as he led the way back to the blonde's place. Suddenly, Sasuke felt like everything was going to be okay.

TBC...

Shelly's Endnote: Okay another chapter down, which means only 3 more to go! I'm hoping to write them fast but I'm giving time for my beta to go over them and give me feedback so it still may take awhile be patient so it can be good.

(1) I have to say that, this is my cheesiest line I've ever written!