AN: Yosh! Another historically inaccurate *snickers* chappie.. but methinks not that bad eh? Note… when in India… don't expect much.. I'm blissfully ignorant of much of the customs.. but Ill be sure to educate myself a wee bit beforehand… just don't get your hopes up ^.^'

Naruto spent the next three days wondering around the house and grounds. He didn't mind just wandering around the lofty rooms and observing what he never really had the time to do in his home… his previous home.

He found that architecture and art fascinated him, the little that he knew about it. But he did get a certain pleasure out of being able to view some exceptional pieces. He had spent the morning in the library; as Kakashi had a vast hall filled with tons of books. He had found a favorite spot in one of the many high chairs in the hall, one beside a window and claimed the spot as his own for the most parts. He had a nice pile of books on art and literature out on the side table, and the pleasure of filling his head with anything other than what he knew was coming made his days bearable.

The library smelled of musk, leather and cigars... A perfect blend of refined scents to snatch at his senses. Most importantly, he didn't see much of Sasuke. He had the man acutely on his mind though. He hadn't been to a whorehouse in a while, and while that typically didn't bother him. Everytime his mind wondered to that time in the clearing he would end up with a painful erection. The bloody images just wouldn't go away; and Sasuke wasn't helping much either, making sure to pop in every day for dinner.

He'd ramble on about the house and what went on and who did what. Useless banter but it grated Naruto to no end. He didn't understand why Sasuke would bother to get out of his way to tell him such trifles, especially if he no longer had any particular say in what happened there.

So every evening, he'd be forced to listen to the polite conversation between Sasuke and Kakashi; not giving them a voice of his own on anything, and glaring into his plate for the most part. He'd catch small fleeting glimpses from Sasuke, but for the most part, the man didn't talk to him much. Not that he hadn't tried, he'd made sure to add Naruto into the conversations, but the blonde would shrug and wave his hand around, signaling that he continue without him.

So here he was now, making his way through the grounds and straight on his way to the stables. Kakashi had warned him not to do anything reckless, but Naruto hardly counted a leisurely horseback ride as reckless. His side seemed to be healing very well, a thin sliver of pink skin now covering the spot, tender still, but quickly healing. He still took pain medication for it at night, where there were no activities to distract him from the throbbing ache that followed him constantly.

He saddled the horse, a nice chestnut stallion that he grew particularly fond of because he was a horse no one else liked, or dared to ride. True, the beast had a rather nasty way of treating his riders, but Naruto looked at him and just stared the animal down at first. The horse never did squat to him, following his instructions easily and apart from the neighing he did when he wanted to gallop, he was exemplary. And always available.

He'd brought him an apple that he picked up from breakfast, and took pleasure in annoying the thing by dangling the fruit in front of it and poking at its nose. Beast (for that was what Kakashi called him) glared at him with a very human look of hatred.

What turned Naruto's attention away from his teasing was a strong tugging at his leg cuff. He looked down, knowing exactly what he'd find there.

And sure enough here was the cub, sitting literally on his foot and doing his utmost to climb up him. Since the night the thing pushed himself into his room, it became persistent in following him around almost everywhere. A fact that Kakashi found adorable and Sasuke smirked at.

He picked him up by the scruff and held him at arms length. The thing hung limply, tail twitching, looking at him like nothing in the world was wrong. And mewled…

Naruto would never admit this… to anyone.. on pain of death but… he adored the little thing completely. Oh yes, he was a hypocite of the extreme, and frequently found himself doing and saying opposing things; but if Kakashi found out that the feeling was reciprocated by him, and that he was just about as topsy-turvy on the little guy as the silver haired man was on Inana… he'd flip... And then Naruto would probably have to shoot him… Kakashi, that is.

"I cant take you with me Teddy." He whispered and he brought the thing into a hug. He'd brought him everywhere so this would be the first time they'd be separated in three days. And yes, he'd named him... Teddy just suited that thing so well…

The tiger licked at his nose, trying to get closer to bite him on it; Naruto put him down again laughing. "Ill be back soon, wait for me?" A pissed off growling mewl was the only thing he received as answer before the cat went into the emptied stall and made himself at home in the patch of hay that had the sun heating it up.

Beast looked testily at his stall, shaking its head in annoyance before stomping out of the stable to wait pointedly at the door.

xXx

He was walking along one of the many brooks that spider webbed across the forest. Trees were aplenty but young, giving virtually no place that remained hidden by shade. The water burbled merrily along the rocks and Beast seemed to be for once enjoying the snail pace they were at. He let him choose his own direction, trusting the horse not to go wondering off too far while he sat on him and let himself be lost in thoughts.

The trouble with Sasuke was, he reasoned; not so much that it was a man, but what he meant to him. Sasuke laid eyes on him, and in a few short days was acting like a lover. And sure, Naruto wouldn't mind going there, but he really didn't want to get hooked on something he couldn't have.

He realized his nature was nasty, if he tied his heart around the raven, there wouldn't be much he could do about letting people know that. For one, he knew that hiding their relationship wouldn't be easy mostly because he'd feel the need to ravish him on every surface available, that including outside… That wasn't a good way to view this, but he had to face it.. he was possessive, and never did things half assed. If Sauske and him were to get together, it would have to be serous, and Sasuke would have a hard time keeping up his reputation, peace with his family and Naruto.. he knew he was a handful, and he knew that it would be all or nothing.. And he didn't think in this world they lived in life permitted that… there were many factors preventing that form happening; and he didn't want to fall into a trap that he knew could potentially hurt him or Sasuke… rather, he was afraid that he'd hurt Sasuke… The raven for his part was acting a bit like a love-sick puppy… or at least he had then. Now, he had his chamber locked at night, and he avoided Sasuke like a wildfire… he really didn't know if he was right, but he hoped the raven came to his senses. Although to be perfectly honest, Naruto wasn't blameless either... the first kiss was initiated by him… he sighed, this wasn't as easy as he though he could make it.

They had gone full circle, and he supposed the horse came back home because Naruto was no fun. Either way, he found himself back at the gates without remembering how he'd gotten there.

Worse still, he was now staring at the one person he wished to avoid. Sasuke was standing by the gate, crouching over Teddy, who seemed to be having a great time. He wanted to disappear when Sasuke raised his eyes to him. He didn't know what to do, so he straightened up a bit and nodded curtly to him. The black eyes narrowed slightly, stopping his petting to straighten up also. He brushed at his pants and looked at Naruto again, and the blonde couldn't look away.

He settled on fixing his braid, although there was not much to fix; his hair was getting longer though, reaching past his shoulder now to rest there.

He stopped the horse with his thighs, no reigns necessary with beast.. It's what he loved, the total understanding between them.

Sasuke's tongue flicked out to lick his lips, his mouth opened as if trying to say something but no sound came. The blonde took that moment to jump off the horse and was instantly assailed by the orange ball. He picked the cub up and looked at it; then at Sasuke.

"It likes me."

Sasuke nodded, coming closer.

xXx

he hadn't spoken to Naruto for three days. He visited Kakashi and him, doing his utmost to see at least a glimpse of the blonde, but to no avail, Naruto's recent task seemed to be ignoring and avoiding him.

So he babbled on about nothing and everything when he was at dinner, trying to interest him in something… Nothing worked and frankly, Sasuke was tired of it. The blonde obviously didn't want to have anything to do with him again; which was strange after what he had done to him.

Fact was, Sasuke fucking hated acting the way he did. Usually prided himself on being a stoic bastard and here he was acting like a school girl on a crush.

He came again, promising himself for the hundredth time that it would be his last. The problem was that every time their eyes met; those cerulean pools told him something completely opposite than Naruto was doing. There was lust there, oh yes he knew, but there was also something else… he'd only seen it once clearly, when the attack happened, and Naruto looked at him with concern and…? He didn't dare think it, it would be the end of him.

So he stood now, in the sun filled yard, looking around for anyone to talk to. He'd arrived to find Kakashi in town on business and it was obvious Naruto was out riding because his little orange companion was curled up in the stall of one of the nastiest creatures God decided to create.

He took the sleeping tiger and they were running around for a bit, the little monster trying and almost succeeding in catching onto his leg. It was growling and spitting like a furious cat, but as soon as Sasuke stopped close to the gates, he came around and attempted to rub itself into Sasuke, purring furiously.

And then he heard hooves…

He looked up just in time to catch the sultry gaze from behind the blonde bangs as Naruto rode up to him, hands on the horses neck, not bothering with the reigns. He swore he saw the muscles of the powerful legs flex when the animal came to a halt before him. He gulped, and licked his lips nervously, suddenly at a loss for words.

He too, got up, and looked on. Naruto was high above him, clad in the beige loose riding pants, the high leather boots and only a loose, deep cut cotton shirt, he swore he looked like some woodland creature from one of the fables he was read as a child.

Perfect in his disarray as usual, he looked nothing like a lord should; instead, he looked like a ravished giant, a statue made of gold that was now entering premises unfit for its splendor. Sasuke didn't bother to compare himself.

He jumped off, a arched leap clean off the side, and scooped his tiger as the horse trotted away.

Sasuek still couldn't talk, his throat constrained by questions… Why did he hate him? Why did he avoid him? At this point, Sasuke would say yes to anything Naruto would propose, even just a quick fuck.

And he thought love at first sight didn't exist... bullshit, it did... And it was harder to swallow down than the most bitter medicine.

"it likes me…" Naruto simply stated. Sasuke guessed he was trying to start a conversation.

He nodded, moving closer. There was that thing in his eyes again, when he looked at the kit, it was there. He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on the surprised lips. Nothing too demanding, just a touch, but he kept it there, not moving his lips away.

The kit dropped from Naruto's arms, landing gracefully on the ground, none too happy with being let go.

Sasuke took his chances and flicked out gently, not breaking past the barrier, just laving the outer skin, gently bringing the bottom lip in between his teeth and kneading slowly. Naruto stood motionless for all of about five seconds. Then Sasuke found himself being slammed into the wooden barrier that separated the yard from the wilderness and gasped as his mouth was forced open with a force of a galloping stallion.

He didn't have time to breathe as he was being devoured alive from the inside out. And then Naruto was rasping into his ear as he stood gasping and trying to still his reeling head. "You don't want this.. You hear me? You don't want this.. you'll never want this… ever."

And that was that, he was left standing and staring at the broad back, retreating quickly into the stables after the horse.

He couldn't even follow him, his legs unsure whether they could support him; he was shaking, and his lips were bruised from the force of the kiss. He touched them with a finger and it came off glistening with blood.

AN: OKI! A bit erm… angsty? And WOW I love/hate Naru… LOOOOOL

No beta, bad spellcheck aside, what do you guys think?