14. Dreaming of Glory

In a cramped apartment building in downtown Mizu, Naruto Uzumaki sat with his back against the wall, kicking at the worn carpet in a desperate attempt to escape. Outside, the rain poured down, running through the shattered window above him, while the howling winds came rushing in, sending a chill up his spine. Before him stood a blond man with a knife in hand, stepping forward as lightning flashed, illuminating the wicked grin on his face. Soon, he was looming over the teen, raising his weapon high in the air.

"Join us, Naruto."

Before the blade could fall, however, the man's eyes went suddenly dull and the knife fell to the floor. After coughing up a mouthful of blood, the murderous blond glanced down to find the bloody blade of a katana sticking through his stomach. Moments later, the man fell in a heap to the side, revealing a raven-haired teen, who quickly sheathed his weapon.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, wiping the tears of horror from his eyes.

"Dobe," the Uchiha replied with a warm, half-smile, extending his hand to the blond. "Let's go."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Naruto grabbed the teen's hand, only to have a loud, obnoxious ring cause the surrounding world to vanish in an instant.

xxxxx

Naruto, his face sandwiched between his pillow and his comforter, slapped his hand against the nightstand in an attempt to stop the infernal ringing. After a few attempts, his hand finally met the phone, which he pulled up to his ear groggily.

"Hello?" the blond asked, rubbing his eyes as he tried to adjust to reality.

"Naruto? It's Sasuke."

"Sasuke?" Naruto exclaimed, sitting up suddenly in bed. "W-what's up?"

"Not you, apparently," the Uchiha replied, a faint chuckle making its way through the line. "I thought I'd be safe calling you at two, but I guess I was wrong."

"Two o'clock? Is it really that late?" Naruto asked, turning towards his clock radio. Sure enough, it read 2:04. "Wow, I must've slept like a rock."

"Somehow I'm not surprised. It was an… eventful night, I guess."

Neither teen said anything for a few seconds, both thinking of the same, unspoken event. Despite the fact that they both knew what had happened, it was somehow a taboo subject, one that was secretly acknowledged, but never mentioned.

"Look, I was thinking we could meet sometime today and put the finishing touches on our project," Sasuke began, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "We can ask a few final questions, and then get a start on our papers. What do you think?"

"Oh, that sounds great," Naruto said, kicking the covers off himself. "I just need to get ready first. How does three sound?"

"Fine by me. Should I just come over there, then? Or, maybe you'd rather meet somewhere else."

"Here works," the blond responded, trying to mask his excitement. "I'll see you in a little bit, then."

"All right, later."

With a faint 'click,' their conversation ended, and Naruto set the phone back on the receiver. After swinging his legs over the side of his bed and briefly rubbing his eyes, the blond stood up and started for the bathroom, yawning slightly as he shut the bedroom door shut behind him. As soon as he had stepped inside the bathroom, he began to strip off the wrinkled clothes he had fallen asleep in, chuckling at the slight impressions they had left on his skin.

Wow, I must've been really tired, falling asleep like that…

Once all of his old clothes were in a little pile in the corner, Naruto hopped into the shower and jerked the handle to the left, sending water spewing from the head. As soon as the water touched his skin, the teen let out a small yelp and almost fell down as he hopped back – it was freezing. He stood with his back to the wall, letting the frigid water pound against his feet until it finally reached a tolerable temperature, at which point he grabbed the soap and began to lather up.

As the suds formed on his shoulders, Naruto's thoughts inevitably turned to the events of the previous night. He'd surprised himself by telling Sasuke about Kyuubi so easily, especially considering that they'd only known each other for a week or so. It had taken him years to finally tell Iruka all about that night, and he'd only opened up to Kiba at the start of their freshman year. He didn't regret it either, though; it had felt right, telling Sasuke about what really happened with Kyuubi. Sasuke hadn't just been asking for the project; he genuinely wanted to know about Naruto, to understand him, and that was all the reason the blond needed to reveal those darker aspects of his past.

Of course, there was more to the previous night than the tale of Kyuubi's rampage, and Naruto knew it. He had felt so vulnerable after telling that story, that he never once considered the consequences of having Sasuke stay. How had he felt, sitting there with Naruto crying himself to sleep in his lap? It must've been awkward for the Uchiha, but it wasn't like he was desperate to leave, either. No, all Naruto had to do was ask, and Sasuke caved in an instant, staying with the blond until he was asleep.

No… it was longer than that, wasn't it? How long was he there? It must've been a while – at least an hour, probably two.

That dedication amazed Naruto, and as he washed the suds off his naked form, his thoughts finally turned to the subject he had been purposely avoiding since he awoke – the kiss. He still couldn't believe that it had actually happened. Why had Sasuke kissed him? Was it an accident? No, it certainly didn't feel like that, and Sasuke acted far too embarrassed for it to have been a misunderstanding. He had meant to kiss the blond, but he had done it with the hope that Naruto wouldn't find out.

Is he ashamed of his feelings for me? I can understand that, I guess. I mean, he's Sasuke Uchiha – why should he have feelings for someone like me?

But, then again, if Sasuke really felt that way about Naruto, why didn't he resist during that second kiss. Looking back on it, Naruto realized that it had been very risky, to force himself on the other boy like that. If Sasuke had been in one of his less forgiving moods, he probably would've given Naruto the beating of his life. As things stood now, the vulpine boy had gotten off the hook, and Sasuke hadn't been repulsed. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it, though he was clearly trying to mask these feelings.

And then there was that dream. It made sense, of course, that both Kyuubi and Sasuke were present, given the previous night's events, but it surprised Naruto nonetheless. Why did Sasuke kill Kyuubi? Did the Uchiha's presence really mean that much to him? That he saw him as a savior, a protector during his darkest hour? Maybe that was a stretch, but Naruto knew that it was significant. Did Sasuke feel the same way? Was that why he let Naruto kiss him like that?

Maybe that's why he's coming today. He probably wants to explain that last night was a mistake, and that he wants to end it before it gets any worse. Who can blame him? Shikamaru said he didn't want to get close to people… I probably moved too fast. Dammit, Naruto! Why don't you think of these things before you mess up?

Rubbing the shampoo through his golden hair, Naruto took a few deep breaths, taking in the steam to soothe his nerves. There was no point in worrying about things that he had no control over; if Sasuke wanted to end this, then that was his choice. Naruto couldn't very well do much to change his mind, as much as he tried. As they say, 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.' All Naruto could do was wait and see what Sasuke had to say, if anything.

With a quick jerk, Naruto shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel to dry himself off. Once his body was no longer dripping everywhere, he rubbed his hair with the towel, until it was only slightly damp. Satisfied with his appearance, he wrapped the towel around his waist, grabbed his clothes, and started for his room. There, he grabbed the first clean clothes he could find – a black shirt, khaki shorts, and some blue boxers – and hurriedly threw them on. Now that he was decent, he rushed to the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Cheerios, pausing only to glance at the clock.

2:50? I took way too long in the shower…

Shoveling the cereal into his mouth, Naruto checked to make sure everything was in order for his guest's arrival. Kiba had left already for the day, it seemed – probably to work on his project, Naruto thought – and Akamaru had apparently gone with him. That was a good thing – at least he wouldn't have to worry about Kiba overhearing anything. Then again, Kiba hadn't exactly picked up before leaving – there were Playstation controllers scattered on the floor, pillows on the coffee table, and what appeared to be a thoroughly chewed shoe sitting in the middle of the floor.

Setting the now-empty bowl in the sink, Naruto rushed to the living area and tried to tidy up, organizing the pillows and blankets while kicking the shoe into the corner. It was with all of this bundled in his hands that Naruto heard the door open behind him, at which point he spun around to find a certain raven-haired teen standing in the entryway.

"Umm… hi. Did I come at a bad time?"

"No, no, you're fine. I was just trying to clean up a bit, I guess," Naruto said before shrugging his shoulders and tossing the pillows and blankets in the corner. "Come on in."

Naruto tried to busy himself while Sasuke got settled in by running into the kitchen to make some Kool-Aid. He hated himself for doing it, really – it was the kind of thing Iruka would do if he had guests – but he figured it was better than sitting around awkwardly. When he returned to the living room with the beverages, he found Sasuke already lying on the couch, a pen in hand, scribbling away at his notebook.

"So, do you have any questions left to ask me, or are we all set?" Naruto said as he set the glass down on the end table.

"I think we have enough information to get a good start, at least. We're only supposed to write a few pages, right?" Sasuke replied, glancing over the edge of his notebook as he sipped the red liquid.

"Oh, right, right."

Okay, so he's not just here to work on the project… I knew it! He is going to call everything off, isn't he? You're such an idiot, Naruto!

With this dismal mindset, Naruto took a seat on a beanbag chair on the other side of the room, where he could keep tabs on the Uchiha. He tried to settle his nerves, assuring himself that things would turn out fine, but a cold sweat began to form on his brow in spite of himself. Any effort he put into actually working on his paper was utterly futile, and soon he resigned himself to staring at the blank page while his panicked thought consumed him.

Why doesn't he say anything? Why does he have to drag it on like this? If you're going to break it off, Sasuke, just do it and get it over with! But… what if he's trying to spare my feelings? Or maybe he's waiting to see how I react? I bet he's hoping that I'll say something first, so that he doesn't have to be the bad guy. Does he even remember it? Did I dream it? No, that was far too real – he has to remember what happened. But, it doesn't make sense! If he remembers it and wants to end it, then he'd say something, and if he remembers it and liked it, then he'd say something! Just… hurry up, Sasuke! I can't take it any longer!

It was at this point that Naruto realized he had been trying to drink ice cubes for the past few minutes, a fact that embarrassed him greatly. Fortunately, it appeared that Sasuke was completely oblivious to the blond's unusual behavior, as his nose was still buried in his notebook. Deciding that it would be best not to press his luck, Naruto rose to his feet and started back towards the kitchen, shaking the cubes in his glass as he went.

"I'm gonna go get some more Kool-Aid. You want some, Sasuke?"

"W-what's that? Oh, no, I'm fine…"

Naruto eyed the Uchiha curiously as he filled his glass to the brim, trying to figure out why the other boy had sounded so distracted. Could he really be that focused on his project? It was definitely a possibility, considering that Sasuke was at the top of their class, but how could he just ignore what had happened the night before?

That bastard… why is he playing with my feelings like this? Did that kiss mean nothing to him?

Naruto felt his grip tightening around his glass and his eyes narrow as he started over to the couch, prepared to confront the Uchiha once and for all. Just when he was about to grab Sasuke's head and force eye contact, however, he felt his attention drift to the notebook, which forced him to a sudden halt. There, instead of seeing a great, wall of text, Naruto found only a series of squiggles, covering the entire page in a bizarre, mass of ink.

He's not writing? What the hell's he been doing this whole time…

As if to answer his question, Naruto's eyes drifted to the Uchiha's hand, which had an apparent death grip on the pen as it shook involuntarily. In that instant, it all made sense to the blond, and he returned to his beanbag chair without a word.

He's… afraid. Why didn't I see it before? He's not trying to hurt me… he just doesn't know what to do. Do I really matter that much to him? That I could make him this uncertain? This… frightened? I can't just sit by and watch him worry himself to death. Maybe if I make the first move, he'll calm down a bit…

"Sasuke, about last night…"

At the sound of Naruto's voice, the Uchiha's head snapped up, the tension evident in his eyes. "Yeah? W-what about it?"

"Well, I mean, that… kiss. Did… did you… like it, I guess?" Naruto continued, his heart throbbing in his chest.

"Yeah…" Sasuke admitted, turning his head to the side.

"A-are you… okay with it, then? Like, that we kissed?"

"I guess so…"

"Does that make us… boyfriends? Can I call you that?"

Too much? Pull back, Naruto, pull back…

"Sure," Sasuke conceded after a moment with a sigh, a slight smile crossing his lips. "You know, you don't have to be so timid."

"Look who's talking," the blond replied with a laugh. "You didn't exactly come right out with it yourself."

"Whatever you say," the Uchiha continued with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Is that so?" Naruto responded, a wicked smirk on his face as he rose from his beanbag chair. "Well, maybe I'll just have to show you who's timid…"

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sasuke asked, staring up at the grinning teen nervously.

"Shh… not another word. I want to pick up where we left off last night."

With that Naruto climbed on top of his now-boyfriend, effectively pinning him to the couch. In this position, the blond leaned forward and gently met Sasuke's lips, his eyes closed so that he could savor the moment. His lips savored the subtle taste of the other boy, who remained completely passive, allowing Naruto to explore at will. It was a gradual process, adjusting the position of his lips ever so slightly to find the most satisfying spot.

Even though he had already shared two kisses with Sasuke the night before, Naruto couldn't help but feel that something was different about this particular event. Maybe it was because he was fully awake; maybe it was because he finally knew Sasuke's feelings – either way, Naruto felt more involved with this kiss. Any slight change he felt in the Uchiha was glaringly obvious, and his heart began to pound nervously in his chest.

Was he doing everything right? Was Sasuke enjoying this? Did he want Naruto to do something else? Or maybe he should keep it slow, let Sasuke decide when to move on? Pulling back for just a moment, his lips hovering above the Uchiha's, Naruto glanced up at his boyfriend's face to find his lids closed.

"Don't…"

Really? He's okay with that?

With that, Naruto leaned back into the kiss, adding a bit more pressure this time. He didn't want to overwhelm the other boy, but Sasuke seemed hungry for this contact. Sucking gently on the Uchiha's lips, the blond pulled out and returned to the other boy's mouth, eliciting a slight moan.

Taking this as a sign of encouragement, Naruto decided to advance further and brushed his tongue against Sasuke's lips. He could feel his face burning at the thought of tongue wrestling with the raven-haired boy, but apparently Sasuke had a similar craving, for his lips parted almost immediately. With this, Naruto slid his tongue into his boyfriend's mouth, taking a deep breath as he let the wonderfully strange feeling sink in. Sasuke soon returned the favor, and their tongues met for the briefest moment.

Shocked by the different texture, Naruto quickly pulled back out of the kiss and wiped his lips with his wrist, causing the Uchiha to sit up angrily.

"What the hell? Why'd you stop?" Sasuke asked, wiping his own chin.

"I dunno… I just wasn't expecting that, I guess," Naruto said sheepishly. "Will you give me another chance?"

"I thought you'd never ask," the raven-haired boy said with a smirk.

Naruto returned the grin and practically tackled the Uchiha to the couch, kissing him time after time. Soon thereafter, Sasuke's lips parted, prompting the blond to follow suit, and they resumed exploring each other's mouths. It was still a very unusual sensation, but Naruto enjoyed it, that foreign feeling. Sure, simply kissing Sasuke had that enticing, forbidden quality, but this felt much more intimate, erasing any doubts the he still had about his boyfriend's feelings.

After a few seconds, Naruto pulled out and, still with his devilish smirk, he moved south a bit. There, he planted his lips just beneath Sasuke's chin, sucking slightly as he began investigating this new territory. Though Naruto left a rather obvious trail of reddened skin in his wake, Sasuke was soon moaning in spite of himself. However, it was at this very moment that the apartment door swung open, causing Naruto to snap his head up in shock. There, with Akamaru cradled in his arms, stood Kiba, who simply stared at his roommate straddling Sasuke Uchiha.

"I see… well, I'll give you guys some privacy. Congratulations, Naruto," the Inuzuka muttered, shaking his head as he backed outside.

For a few seconds, Naruto simply stared at the door, not knowing quite what to do. After this initial surprise wore off, though, he turned his attention back to the Uchiha with a grin.

"Well, shall we continue?"