Okay, so new chapter. This one is actually longer than the past few, which is a nice change of pace. More for you all to enjoy, at least. I felt like this chapter was stronger overall, too. We wrap up the chapter with O, and introduce a new mini plot point involving Gaara. As usual, thank you all for reading and reviewing, and without further ado, on with the chapter!

44. Coo Coo Ca-choo

It had been a rough few days for Naruto. The ordeal with Sasuke had been quite draining, and the fact that the blond had barely been able to see him since the weekend only made things worse. Now it was Thursday, and he still had only seen his boyfriend for a few hours throughout the week.

Those Nazis at the hospital. 'Visiting hours ended fifteen minutes ago' – well, so did school! How am I supposed to see him!

The thought enraged Naruto to no end. So, it was with a great sense of urgency that the blond darted down the streets after school. Sasuke was supposed to be released today – Kakashi was going to pick him up – and Naruto was determined to be there, nurses and their rules be damned.

So, ten minutes and several near misses with passing cars later, Naruto arrived at the hospital. No sooner had he entered the front door, however, than he was stopped by a man with a long blond ponytail. The vulpine boy eyed the man curiously, contemplating whether he should push him out of his way or just try glaring at him to death. Before he could decide, he realized just why the man seemed so familiar – he looked just like Ino.

"You're Naruto Uzumaki, correct?" the man asked in an authoritative manner.

"And you're Mr. Yamanaka," Naruto replied suspiciously.

"You're very observant, aren't you? That's just what I like to see," Inoichi Yamanaka replied with a satisfied smile. "I'll have you know you're quite hard to get a hold of. Gaara told me you'd probably show up here after school, though. Glad I listened to him."

"Gaara sent you? But… why?"

"I'm his lawyer. The trial for his father's murder is this Saturday, you know – and you're a key witness," Inoichi responded as he turned around, waving for Naruto to follow. "Only you and Gaara know exactly what happened on the bridge last night. Your testimony is key to judging his frame of mind following his father's death."

"You need me to testify?"

"It's for Gaara. Look, Naruto, I know the prosecutor in this case. Ibiki's a real hardass – he's not going to go easy on Gaara just because he's a kid. He'll try to make Gaara look like some sort of monster, and we have to do everything in our power to show that he's not – that he's the real victim in this case."

Naruto shook his head; this week just kept getting worse and worse. "I'll do what I have to do."

"Great. I've already collected the necessary information from Gaara and Lee. They've told me everything they could about this case. What Mr. Subakuno was like that night, what exactly they remember happening. I just need you to tell me what happened between you and Gaara on top of that bridge," Inoichi concluded as he pushed a seemingly random door open along the hospital corridor, revealing a strangely vacant room.

Naruto followed the lawyer inside and sat down on the empty bed, while Inoichi plopped down on a padded chair. This was certainly not how Naruto had pictured his afternoon. He was supposed to drive home with Sasuke, so they could finally catch up. They had almost a week's worth of making out to make up, a fact that greatly annoyed the blond. Nevertheless, he knew he was doing the right thing. Gaara needed him if he was to have a future – he couldn't turn his back on a friend, regardless of how anxious and horny he was.

"All right, Naruto, let's start from the beginning. What happened that night?" Inoichi asked, pulling out a notebook from his back pocket. He clicked the pen and waited expectantly for the teen's response.

"You mean at the bridge?"

"Yes, unless you know something else, that is."

Naruto considered this for a moment, shifting uncomfortably on the bed. "Well… I knew he and Lee were together before this all happened."

"Is that so? How long were they dating before that night?" Inoichi asked, scribbling a quick note.

"Does it really matter?"

"As a matter of fact, it does. If Mr. Subakuno knew about their relationship before this incident, then we can't argue that he attacked Gaara in an act of passion upon learning their secret. The longer they've been dating, the more likely it is that Mr. Subakuno already knew that they were in a relationship."

"But we know what really happened! Mr. Subakuno did attack Gaara when he caught the two of them together, they said so themselves…" Naruto protested, only to be cut off quickly by the lawyer.

"Yes, but Ibiki will try to convince the jury that they're lying. It's my job to see how people think – from what I can see, that's going to be the backbone of Ibiki's prosecution. He'll claim that Gaara killed his father, and that they're both trying to cover it up as an act of self-defense. Lee's in love with Gaara, so it's not hard to believe that he'd lie for him."

Naruto eyed the man suspiciously, leaning forward slightly. "You don't trust them?"

"I do trust them, Naruto. All I'm saying is that the possibility for doubt is there," Inoichi said, looking up from his notebook resolutely.

The teen sighed and lay back on the bed, staring up at the speckled ceiling tiles. He could almost play connect-the-dots with them, forming a variety of shapes in his head. A raccoon, a fox, a broken heart. "Well, to answer your question, he and Lee had been dating for about a week before Mr. Subakuno died."

"Only a week? What makes you so sure?" Inoichi said, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Because Gaara was in love with me before then."

The lawyer looked to the side awkwardly. "I see… did he tell you this himself, or was this more something you ascertained on your own?"

What is this guy, thick? Does he want me to spell it out for him, or what?

"He showed me."

"I don't follow…"

Naruto fumed. "He kissed me! He told me he had something to important to tell me, and he kissed me, just like that."

"And, from the way you're talking about it, I'm guessing you turned him down?" Inoichi asked as he made a few more notes in his book.

"I was already in a relationship at the time. He took it pretty hard – he told me I was the only one for him, and that he had to kiss me, just once, to know what it was like. So, yes, he told me that he loved me in the most direct way possible."

"And that was only a week before this whole thing happened. So that means Gaara met Lee and fell in love with him in just that short period of time? Do you know why? Because Ibiki will certainly be a skeptic of any sort of 'love at first sight' story."

Naruto frowned, turning his head to the side in thought. "I really don't know – it surprised me, too. I had tired to comfort Gaara about it, telling him that he can still find room to love someone else. Maybe he took that to heart and realized that he had been ignoring Lee while devoting his attention to me."

"Stranger things have happened, I suppose," Inoichi concluded with a jot on his notebook. "Okay, then – we can say that Gaara and Lee had only been together for roughly a week before the incident. In that case, it's far more plausible that Mr. Subakuno hadn't discovered their relationship than if they had been dating for a year. Did you know anything else about Gaara and Lee? Anything that they might've been doing that night?"

"To tell the truth, no. I was a bit preoccupied with some plans of my own that night… I was content just knowing Gaara had found someone new," Naruto said, blushing slightly as he remembered that day at Lake Konoha.

"I understand. I can't really expect you to know everything about them. What about Mr. Subakuno? Do you know anything about him? What his relationship with Gaara was like?"

"Not really. I never met him myself. All I know about him is what I learned from Gaara – that he never really liked Gaara and blamed him for his wife's death. To be honest, he sounds like a prick."

"While I agree with you, I'm not sure how convincing that will be in court," Inoichi said with a smirk. "Just repeating what Gaara's said won't get us anywhere, but what about Gaara himself? You said that Mr. Subakuno blamed him for his wife's death – could you see any of that in Gaara's personality?"

"Oh, yes. It's obvious that being treated like a monster all those years had a traumatic effect on him," Naruto responded with a shudder.

"Monster… interesting choice of words. Gaara used that several times in his testimony as well. He said he felt like he had robbed his family of the love it once had."

"And I know for a fact that he did."

"May I ask how?"

"Because I can see it in his eyes. It's the same look that I once had all those years ago. You may remember the Kyuubi murders years ago over in Mizu."

"Of course, it was all over the papers. But I don't see how that's relevant…"

"Kyuubi was my father," Naruto interrupted, causing Inoichi to go immediately silent. Neither of them said a word for a moment, until the teen finally continued with a deep breath. "I was an orphan after those murders, along with several other kids whose parents were among his victims. They always blamed me, saying I was some sort of monster, having his blood in my veins. I know exactly how Gaara felt – that's not something you can just fake. The anguish, the self-loathing, the guilt… that was all real. Mr. Subakuno did that to Gaara, made him wish he had never been born."

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't realize," Inoichi replied, forcing a cough as he scribbled down a flurry of notes. "Well, you've certainly convinced me. You're the only one who could vouch for something like that – Ibiki will have trouble with that one. Now, what about the bridge? Why did you decide to go there that night?"

"It was a coincidence, really. I was afraid Gaara might do something drastic, and I knew he would have to go over the bridge if he was going to leave town. I didn't expect to find him there, though."

"So you thought there was a chance Gaara might commit suicide?"

Naruto nodded grimly. "I didn't know exactly what he was planning to do, but the thought crossed my mind. My friends guessed that he'd go on a rampage, but I knew that wasn't the case. Gaara seemed more likely to take it out on himself, and that's what scared me. When I saw him on top of the bridge there… well, I was afraid my fears had come true."

"I see, so you decided to climb up there to try and keep him from jumping?"

"More or less. I was hoping I could talk some sense into him, even though I knew he was unstable and probably dangerous. Was it crazy? Probably, but it worked."

The blond lawyer bobbed his head in agreement. "Indeed it did. Do you know what you said that turned him around? What went on up there? This is key – if Ibiki can find anything that might suggest Gaara was violent at that time, then he'll jump at it."

"I guess I mainly told him that he wasn't a monster – that it had all been a terrible accident, and that we didn't hate him for it," Naruto replied after some careful consideration. "He was clearly shocked by what had happened, though. He hated himself, and he didn't want to be told that it was all okay. He even knocked me over at one point because he was afraid of what he might do if I stopped him."

Inoichi looked up concernedly. "He knocked you down? On the bridge?"

"Yeah… is that a problem?"

"It could be. Ibiki could suggest that he was trying to kill you by pushing you off the tower. Given what you've told me, though, I think that'll be a tough sell. Go on."

"There's not much left to say. When Temari and Kankuro showed up, he calmed down considerably," the teen said with a shrug.

"That's all?"

"Yes," Naruto began, only to pause mid-sentence. There was something else – something exceedingly important. He hadn't thought to say it before, only because it was so painfully obvious to him, but that was only because of his relationship with Kyuubi. To anyone who hadn't been through such an experience, though, what Gaara said would've been completely illogical. "He said that, even though he hated his dad for what he did to him and their family, he still loved him. I'm sure that's what hurt him the most, knowing he'd been forced to take the life of someone he truly cared about."

The lawyer's eyes narrowed as he tried to process this last bit of information. "But why? From what I've heard, Mr. Subakuno was horrible to Gaara from the day he was born."

Just as I thought…

"Because he was still Gaara's dad," Naruto replied simply. There was no other way to put it, really – sometimes the most obvious things needed to be pointed out. "No matter how awful Mr. Subakuno was, he was still a very important part of Gaara's life, whether either of them liked it or not."

Closing his notebook, Inoichi smiled and rose from his seat. "Well, I think that seals it. Ibiki's going to have a hard time breaking through this defense. You've been a great help, Naruto."

"Glad to do it. Just make sure Gaara's found innocent. He's been through enough as it is."

"I couldn't agree more. Well, then, I'll see you on Saturday," Inoichi said with a quick nod of his head. "Good day to you."

Naruto watched in bewilderment as the lawyer calmly walked out of the room, leaving him all alone. It was only as the door slammed shut that the blond was struck with a realization: the reason why he had come to the hospital to begin with.

"Shit! I forgot about Sasuke!"

xxxxx

Sasuke stood at the entrance to the hospital, dressed in his street clothes – a navy blue tee and khaki shorts. In one hand he held his old, tattered clothes from the crash, with Naruto's bright orange boxerbriefs lying on top. In the other arm he cradled a black urn with painted, green snakes wrapped around the sides. He still had a few stitches on his head, but they were sufficiently covered by his bangs. No one would've guessed he had been fighting for his life a few days before.

Staring out through the double glass doors, the Uchiha found Kakashi waiting beside his red car, a smile visible behind his mask. Standing around him were a few patients clad in their powder blue hospital gowns, along with some doctors trying to enjoy the fresh air on that cool, autumn day. Naruto was nowhere to be found. Despite his disappointment, he couldn't exactly say he was surprised. Naruto had probably been forced to stay after school for some reason or another – it certainly wouldn't be the first time the blond had detention. They could talk later.

With a sigh, Sasuke glanced down at the urn in his arms. Kabuto had dropped it off earlier that morning, saying that O would've wanted the teen to have it. As for Kabuto, it was too painful for him to stay in Konoha after what had happened – too many memories. Instead, he was heading for Suna, so he could try to start anew. That left Sasuke to fulfill O's last request: to scatter his ashes over the pond in the park.

Shaking his head, Sasuke stepped through the glass doors and walked over to the car, his feet slapping against the hard cement as he entered the sunlight. There, Kakashi greeted him with a wave. "Did you remember everything?"

"Yeah, I think so. I didn't have a lot with me to begin with," the teen replied. He was noticeably distant today, as both he and Kakashi noticed. Neither of them was surprised, though; after all, Sasuke had always viewed Kakashi as a sort of father figure, but also as a friend. Now that he was officially his dad, though, Sasuke wasn't sure just how he was supposed to act. Did he treat his friend with a greater degree of respect? Or should they just pretend nothing had changed?

But things have changed. He made that commitment… the least I can do is show him my appreciation, right? I mean, he only became my father to look out for my best interests, right?

"All right then, son… Sasuke," Kakashi said sheepishly opening the passenger door. "Hop on in. We have a lot to go over at home."

Home. That was another strange change – for all of Sasuke's life, home had been the Uchiha Mansion. Home had meant Itachi and the staff. Now, it meant an apartment with Kakashi. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing – Sasuke knew he'd get along better with Kakashi than he ever did with Itachi – but it was different. This whole new situation would be an adjustment, but Sasuke could do it. He could adapt. Who knows, he might even end up liking it.

With a nod, Sasuke climbed inside the car and buckled up, while Kakashi did likewise. They sat there for a moment both wanting to say something, but neither able to find the words. What could they really say to make everything all right? After all, Sasuke had just found out that his brother was the cause of all the suffering early in his life. To just suddenly open up to a new family would be asking a bit much, but at the same time Kakashi was the Uchiha's father now – they needed to form some sort of bond.

"Sasuke… I know this must be awkward for you. It's been a rough week, and I don't expect you to like how things are going right now. I want you to know that I'm here for you, though, just like I've always been. If you need to talk about anything at all, just say the word."

The Uchiha glanced over at the silver-haired man to find that he was staring at a small, bee-shaped crack in the windshield. He was afraid of what Sasuke might be thinking – he was just as uncertain about their new relationship as the teen was.

"Thanks… I'll remember that," he replied with a smile. He hesitated a moment before continuing, trying to pick just the right words. "I want you to know, I don't think there's anyone else I'd rather have. You're not my dad, but… I guess you're the next best thing."

Without a word, Kakashi started the car and began to move out of the parking lot. Sasuke could see the joyful tear rolling down the man's face, though, and felt a wave of relief. Before he could dwell on the subject much longer, however, he heard something coming from behind them – a loud, familiar call.

"WAIT! SASUKE!"

Looking up at the rearview mirror, Sasuke saw a distinct, orange figure with yellow hair running after them. Clearly, Kakashi had seen him as well, as he chuckled to himself. "Guess we'd better stop, huh?"

"He'll catch up to us eventually if we don't."

"You think so?"

"He followed me all the way to Suna, didn't he?" Sasuke replied wryly, watching as Naruto continued to wave his arms wildly behind them.

"Touché," Kakashi said as he stepped on the brake, bringing the car to a halt. Moments later, a winded Naruto ran up alongside Sasuke's window, knocking gently on the glass.

After rolling down his window, Sasuke gave his boyfriend a look of feigned innocence. "Oh, I'm sorry, Naruto. Were you trying to get our attention?"

"Sorry… I'm late…" Naruto gasped as he leaned against the car. "I had to talk with someone."

"Hop in," Kakashi said, unlocking the doors with the press of a button.

Relieved, Naruto climbed inside and buckled up as Kakashi began to move forward and out of the hospital parking lot. Once they were on the road, the teacher glanced at Naruto in mirror and said, "So, I take it you and Sasuke need to talk for a bit?"

"What? Oh, no… I just wanted to see him when he got out of the hospital. I'm sure you have a lot you need to talk to him about yourself, after all."

"Nonsense, I insist. Besides, Sasuke had some business to take care of at the park. I'll just drop the two of you off there, and you can talk to your heart's content," Kakashi replied as he took a sharp turn towards the park.

Sasuke said nothing throughout this exchange, as he sat somewhere in the middle. Yes, he definitely wanted to spend some time with his boyfriend – his stay in the hospital had been far too long – but he also needed to take care of business with Kakashi. He could tell something was weighing on the teacher's mind, and it wasn't just the whole adoption issue. He was hiding something from Sasuke.

What, though? Maybe he knows something about Itachi? No, that's not likely – he'd tell me if he'd heard anything. If anything, it has to do with Akatsuki. I'm the head of the Uchiha branch now, and as my father he plays a key role in any major decisions. That must be why he seems so preoccupied…

For a brief moment, Sasuke considered confronting Kakashi about it right then and there, but it was only a fleeting thought. They could talk about that later – right now, he and Naruto had to play a game of catch-up. That, and he still had to say goodbye to a dear friend, residing in the urn between Sasuke's legs. Upon seeing the orange fabric lying beside the urn, the Uchiha glanced over his shoulder at his boyfriend with a playful smile.

"Oh, by the way, you can have these back," Sasuke said, tossing the boxerbriefs at the blond's face.

"About damn time," Naruto responded as he peeled the underwear off his head. He folded it up before tucking it into his pants pocket. "If you want to borrow my undies next time, just ask."

"I'll keep that in mind."

A few minutes passed before they arrived at the park. Throughout the drive, Sasuke could only stare disinterestedly out the window at the people passing alongside them. People shopping. People going out for lunch. People going to work. People doing all of the things O would never be able to do again, and yet not one of them appreciated the gift they had. It made Sasuke a bit sick to think about it, knowing that he had been one of those people. He had only felt sorry for himself, for what had happened to him, when in reality he had so much to live for, like his friends, his business, and, of course, Naruto.

Not any more. I'm through with it…

Kakashi pulled into the small parking lot and waved to the young lovers as they stepped out with the urn. "I'll just leave you two here, then. Sasuke, you know the way back to the apartment, right?"

Sasuke gave a dismissive flick of his hand as he and Naruto started down the path. "I'll be fine. Have fun with Iruka."

Kakashi looked positively shocked. "But… how did you know?"

"I didn't," the Uchiha replied with a grin. "Like I said, though – have fun."

Well, some things never change, I guess. I can still read him like a book…

With that, Sasuke and Naruto headed into the park, which looked like it was afire with all the red, orange, and yellow leaves hanging from the trees. Following the winding cobblestone path through the heart of the park, they looked on as children played throughout, their laughter blending in with the honks of startled geese and chittering of squirrels. Sasuke felt a surge of warmth in his heart as he watched one child giggle with delight as his father pushed him higher and higher in a swing.

"This is where we used to go when we were kids, you know. Me and Itachi, that is," Sasuke said, before settling down on the grass, the fallen leaves crunching under his weight. "He'd take me himself sometimes, but the best was always when Dad managed to get time off of work to take us."

Naruto looked somewhat uncomfortable as he joined the Uchiha beside the path. "I don't remember going to the park that often with my parents. I'm sure they did at some point, but I must've been too young."

Damn… that was stupid of me. Way to bring up a touchy subject…

"I'm sorry, it's just… well, this whole adoption thing. It's got me thinking, it's been over five years since they died. That's almost a third of my life, you know? But I never really thought about it before… I just tried to avoid it, I guess. I didn't want to think about it… it was just too hard."

The boy on the swing suddenly let go of the ropes at the apex, sending him flying into the air. He landed a short distance away, but tumbled onto the woodchips. By the time his father had caught up to him, the boy was already in tears, his knee dirty and bleeding.

"They're there to teach us, so we don't make those kinds of mistakes," Sasuke continued, watching with a nostalgic smile as the father dusted his son's knee. "I wonder if I learned enough from them when they were around. There were so many times I just ignored them… it makes me wish I could take it all back sometimes. Try it again."

Naruto nodded. "I… I don't know what to say. Like I said, my parents died when I was so young, I didn't have much of a chance to make those kinds of mistakes, or to learn their lessons. Ever since Iruka adopted me, though, I know I've learned a lot. Like, apparently it's not a good idea to paint the carpet green to make it look like grass."

"Why am I not surprised to hear you say that?" the Uchiha asked with a laugh.

"I was just a kid, and one who hadn't had a parent for years. As much as I've learned from Iruka, though, I know there are things he's tried to teach me that I've ignored. That's just part of life, Sasuke. We're not perfect – we make mistakes. All we can do is look forward and try not to repeat them."

"You're probably right," Sasuke concluded, watching as the child climbed up on his father's shoulders. They then started off towards the parking lot, the boy having completely forgotten his injury as he rode piggyback. "I just hope this all works out. My parents died, Itachi turned out to be a traitor… I just want things to work out with Kakashi."

Naruto raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You're joking, right? You've known Kakashi for years! He's helped you through this ordeal, and he's taught you all along the way. How could you possibly doubt that he'll be a great dad?"

"I was wrong about Itachi." Immediately, the blond shut up. Sasuke stared down at the urn and sighed. "Look, I want to believe that this'll work out – I don't want to be filled with doubt anymore. I keep promising myself that I'll move beyond this somehow, but I guess old habits really do die hard…"

After a moment of silence, Sasuke stood up with the urn and shook his head. "All right, enough of this. It's time to say farewell to O."

Though Sasuke tried to keep a strong face in light of what he was about to do, his legs quivered slightly beneath him. Naturally, this did not go unnoticed by Naruto, who rose and placed a hand to his boyfriend's shoulder. "All right, then. Let's go."

Together, the young couple continued along the cobblestone path, watching as the colorful leaves danced along with the breeze. It was only a short walk through the copse of pine trees before they arrived at the stone bridge near the edge of the pond, with the trickling stream traveling beneath. After arriving at the center of the bridge, Sasuke turned and gazed out at the water, with the sun's reflection shimmering back at him. A short distance out was a family of ducks swimming along serenely, kicking lily pads out of the way as the passed.

Gazing down at the urn he'd set on the railing. "He always loved this park, you know. He came here every day, rain or shine. The trees, the sounds of laughing children, the running water, the fresh air… they were inspirational to him."

"He must've written some beautiful music, then," Naruto offered with a gentle smile.

"To be honest, I don't know. In all the years I knew him, I never once went to one of his shows," Sasuke said with a weak laugh. "I'd hear him playing a tune by the tree every so often, but that was about it. I guess I'll always regret that, too."

"I'm sure he understands, Sasuke. Besides, maybe you'll still hear his music someday. Stranger things have happened, right?"

A cloud drifted by overhead, momentarily blocking the sun. Sasuke nodded. "I suppose so."

Waiting a moment, Naruto placed his hand on Sasuke's, drawing the Uchiha's attention. They locked eyes before the blond spoke up. "Are you ready?"

Glancing back at the urn, Sasuke bit his lip. "I suppose so."

Taking off the lid, Sasuke stared down at the ashes inside. It was all that remained of O – after all he had done in his life, in the end he was only a pile of dust. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke scooped up a handful of the ash and tossed it over the railing, watching as it settled onto the pond below. "Rest in peace, O. May you become a living part of this park you loved so much."

After tossing another handful of the ashes, Sasuke paused and watched the dust drift along the surface of the water. Some of the particles fell beneath, while others continued for some time, looking almost like fuzz floating along. Despite his best efforts, he felt a tear trickle down his cheek.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, his voice no higher than a whisper. "I know that couldn't have been easy for you."

"I'm fine," Sasuke said, brushing off the tear with his thumb. "I know he wouldn't want me to feel sad about this. It was his choice to save me… I shouldn't blame myself."

I shouldn't… but I do. Maybe if I hadn't run away to begin with, he wouldn't have had to save me. He could've patched himself up, or maybe he wouldn't have even been in that seat. He might've been the one with just a scratch on his head…

"What's done is done, Sasuke. O didn't save you so you'd sit around moping, right?"

"I know, I know… still, it's hard," Sasuke replied, his voice cracking. There was something burning in the back of his mind, a question that he wished he could ask, but he knew he'd never be able to. Still, he prayed he could find an answer. "Naruto… do you think he'd be proud of me?"

Naruto looked out at the water as the sun broke free from the cloud, illuminating the pond once more. "I think he's always been proud of you, Sasuke. I think he'd be happy to know you're not letting your fears keep you from living your life. He'd be happy as long as you're happy."

Sasuke's lips curled into a sarcastic smirk as he glanced over at the blond. "Only you could say that with a straight face, you know."

"It might be corny, but it's true. That's why he saved you, Sasuke – he wanted you to find happiness."

The Uchiha nodded as he watched one of the ducks fly across the water, sending waves along in every direction. He could no longer see the ashes. "I know."

For a moment, they sat in silence, absorbing the moment. Everything seemed to be at peace, despite all the troubling times that led them there. Sex, Itachi, Sasuke's escape, the crash – they all seemed to be distant memories. For Naruto, though, there was one memory that he could not get off his mind, one of a far more pleasant nature.

"Remember when we made out under here that day?" he asked with a chuckle.

"How could I forget? It was one of the riskier things we've done. Well, that and the showers at school, the hospital, the sauna, Lake Konoha…"

"You've made your point," Naruto interrupted before Sasuke could rattle off any other incidents. "So… do you want to give a repeat performance?"

Sasuke looked astonished. "Now? But Kakashi will be waiting for me back at the apartment…"

"So? You can talk all you want later. He can learn to share," Naruto replied with a grin. "So, what do you say?"

Returning the smile, Sasuke leaned closer. "Okay, you lead the way."

"With pleasure."

Seizing Sasuke's wrist, Naruto led the Uchiha down from the bridge to the stream below. Immediately after descending the grassy hillside to the water, though, the blond turned and pushed Sasuke up against the slope. Before Sasuke could question his boyfriend's actions, Naruto lips pressed against him, causing him to only close his eyes as he savored the other boy's flavors.

Yes, this was what he wanted - to be able to spend these intimate moments with Naruto without worrying about what they meant. It didn't matter that their bond was growing stronger, despite the possibility that it could be severed at any time. That was unimportant. All Sasuke wanted to do was enjoy Naruto now, while they had the time. Worrying and fear could wait.

As Sasuke kissed his boyfriend back, sucking gently on Naruto's lower lip, he slid one hand up the back of Naruto's shirt while stroking his sunshine hair with the other. He could feel the grass itching the back of his neck, and the sand giving out beneath his feet, but he ignored these sensations, focusing instead on the heat of Naruto's breath, and feel of his hand resting on the Uchiha's side.

Pulling his lips back slightly from the blond, Sasuke smirked before kicking off the hillside. Naruto's eyes widened as he fell back into the water, with his boyfriend tumbling down with him, still locked in an embrace. With a splash, Naruto landed in the shallow stream, his back completely soaked.

"There, that's better," Sasuke said, straddling the vulpine boy's torso.

Now on top, Sasuke allowed his hands to explore Naruto more thoroughly. One hand found itself slipping around Naruto's back, where it slid down the back of his shorts. Meanwhile, the other tugged gently on the blond's shirt, slowly pulling it up to expose his glistening, bare chest.

"Here, let me."

"No, I've got it."

"You're sure? Ow! My ear!"

"Oh, get over it," Sasuke concluded, having pulled the shirt over Naruto's head, albeit with some difficulty, and tossed it onto the shore. As a way of making up for the minor pain, Sasuke decided to playfully lick Naruto's earlobe, eliciting a slight moan.

Throughout this, Naruto's hands were quite busy as well, as one gingerly tugged Sasuke's shirt upward and the other focused on unbuttoning the teen's shorts. Once they were both shirtless, Naruto suddenly grabbed Sasuke in a sort of bear hug, and rolled over, placing him on top once more as the water trickled by around them. Sasuke had to flick a lock of wet hair out of his face to better see his boyfriend, who was gazing back at him with a naughty grin.

"Well, well… what have we here?" he asked, walking his fingers along Sasuke's chest. They stopped around the Uchiha's nipples, where Naruto proceeded to rub them carefully. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

As he continued to play with Sasuke's nipples, Naruto moved down to his neck with his mouth, kissing that tender area in a way that sent a wave of pleasure through the Uchiha. Not wanting to be outdone, Sasuke decided to have some fun of his own, running one hand along Naruto's abs, while groping his butt with the other.

"You really have a thing for my ass, don't you?" Naruto asked, before returning to Sasuke's neck.

"And you really like my nipples."

"Fair enough."

As they continued in this manner, Naruto used a free hand to continue undoing Sasuke's shorts. It was only a few seconds before he was slipping them off Sasuke's feet and tossing them onto the shore. One glance down at Sasuke's crotch had the blond grinning broadly, and it was easy to see why – the water had caused Sasuke's boxers to cling in all the right places, revealing the clear outline of an erection.

"Don't you dare," Sasuke muttered, blushing under his boyfriend's gaze. "You know as well as I do that you're probably just as hard as I am."

"You're right," Naruto replied almost proudly as he plopped down beside Sasuke's feet. "It's fun to tease you, though. You take it so seriously."

Before Sasuke could say another word, he was suddenly distracted as Naruto slipped the Uchiha's big toe into his mouth. It was a very unusual feeling, but Sasuke found it oddly pleasurable. One by one, Naruto went down the line, suckling the Uchiha's toes, tickling them with his tongue, savoring them as he massaged the teen's feet with both hands. As soon as he had finished with the last pinky toe, however, Naruto found himself tackled to the ground by an unusually feisty Sasuke, who had a matching devilish grin.

"Your turn," he said, unbuttoning the blond's shorts.

Sasuke had never seen a pair of shorts fly off so quickly. It helped that Naruto was willing, but the Uchiha's enthusiasm meant they were off and slapping against the stone wall of the bridge in an instant. As Sasuke had expected, Naruto was just as aroused as he was, but what he had not anticipated was the blond's underwear choice. Yes, they were boxers – not that surprising – but they were also white. And from what Sasuke knew about white fabric, white + water = transparent.

And such was Naruto's underwear on that day. He might as well have been wearing nothing, sitting there in the practically clear boxers with everything on display. It was daring. It was different. And, most importantly, it was hot.

"Here, roll over," Sasuke suggested, standing up slightly so his boyfriend could flip beneath him.

"Umm… okay. You'd better not be planning to drown me here…"

"If I wanted to do that, I would've done it a long time ago. Now turn over."

Still looking uncertain, Naruto rolled onto his stomach, spluttering somewhat as some stray water splashed into his mouth. He eventually rested his head on his hands, keeping his face far enough out of the water so he could lie comfortably. Meanwhile, Sasuke plopped down on the blond's thighs, admiring the view. As he'd thought, the wet fabric clung to Naruto's plump rump, and was completely see-through. Leaning forward, Sasuke rested on the blond's back and proceed to rub his boyfriend's shoulders, resting his head just beneath his neck.

"What's with you today?" Naruto asked before a moan escaped from his lips.

"Is that the good spot?" Sasuke asked with a chuckle.

"No, seriously, though. You seem… different."

"What do you mean?"

Naruto paused, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the massage. "I don't know, you're… frisky."

"I learned from the best," Sasuke replied, slapping the side of Naruto's butt with one hand. Laughing, he leaned closer and whispered. "Consider this my way of saying thank you."

"For what?"

"For coming after me, of course. For… forgiving me."

"You know I couldn't stay mad at you," Naruto replied, turning onto his back. "Even when I punched you in the hospital there, it was only half-hearted."

Sasuke rubbed his cheek. "That was half-hearted? I feel bad for Gaara, now – can't imagine what you put him through in that fight."

Naruto laughed as he stared up at his boyfriend. "Yeah… well, he deserved it for messing with you. I mean it, though – are you sure everything's okay? Maybe this was a bad idea, after what happened last time…"

"Don't worry, Shikamaru's not here to interrupt us."

"Sasuke! I'm serious…"

Immediately, Sasuke planted a kiss on the blond's lips, effectively silencing him. He pulled back with a genuine smile a placed a finger to Naruto's chin. "Trust me, I'm fine. I'm just finally doing all the things I wanted to do, but never could. No more living in fear – O wouldn't have wanted that."

Naruto grinned pulling Sasuke closer into an embrace. "Is that so? Then it sounds like I need to show you my appreciation, too."

Sliding one hand behind the Uchiha's head, Naruto pulled Sasuke into a kiss, their bodies pressed against each other as the water wrapped around them. It was a cool sensation, lying nearly naked in the autumn air, but they remained warm locked in their embrace.

Feeling a sudden urge, Sasuke pulled back out of the kiss, ever so slightly, and whispered, "I really do love you, you know."

Naruto smiled, his breath warming his boyfriend's cheeks. "I love you too."

They remained in their embrace for some time, with Sasuke nuzzling against the blond's neck as he rested on his bare chest. Yes, this was what O wanted – for Sasuke to seize this strange creature called love and never let it go.

Well, I've got the first part down, at least, and I'll be damned if I screw it up now. I will never let you go, Naruto. Never.

Well, there you have it! New developments with Gaara's impending trial, O's funeral, more fun under the bridge, and some tension between Kakashi and Sasuke. What will come of these events? Will Gaara's defense be a success? What about Sasuke and Kakashi's new relationship? Will things go as smoothly as they both hope? Stay tuned to find out. Until next time, dear readers, thank you for reading, and remember: review!