Well, I didn't get any reviews, but i have followers so i guess that's a sign!

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We have a day off Sakura, Sai and I. Sai says he is going to paint, like he always does, and so it's just me and Sakura.

We head to Ichiraku's.

"It's nice having him back, huh?" I stop my slurping and turn towards Sakura to answer. "Yes." It's a simple answer to her, maybe. But to anyone who understood what was going on with me, it would have been like me saying 'I've never been so happy in my entire life!'. She gets a dreamy expression. "Ohh Sasuke-kun's so perfect! I'm happy he's back. So happy, you couldn't even believe, Naruto!," Psh. You don't even know. She continues. "I can't wait till he gets back from his mission. I'm gonna take him on a date-," Like he'd ever- "-he's already said yes!" My stomach starts to tighten. "W-what?" I stutter. She looks at me for a second, before 'realization' dawns in her eyes and she smiles softly at me. Oh, no. Has she found out my feelings for Sas-

"Don't have to be jealous, Naruto. You can consider this our own date, okay?"

Oh. She thinks i'm jealous of Sasuke. Heh. Not even close. I decide to give her the satisfaction. "Really, Sakura-chan?" Ugh. I hate that suffix. She nods her head. My stomach is a hard ball of worry, jealousy, and anger. "So-," I start "-what exactly... did Sasuke say? When you asked him, I mean." Her eyes glaze over as she explains "Ohhh! I said 'Sasuke-kun, would you come with me to attend a... gathering of friends?' and he said 'Hn.'! Oh! It was amazing!" My stomach immediately loosens. "Oh." Is all I say. Then a thought strikes me. "What gathering?" I ask. She looks at me confused. "You didn't hear? Hinata's throwing a secret 'Welcome Back' party for Sasuke-kun. Didn't she tell you?" Right as she says it a timid "N-n-naruto-kun?" Comes from my right side. I turn to see Hinata, blushing brighter than a tomato, holding up an envelope. "Hinata! What's up?" I ask, happy to get away from Sakura even for a second. I'm still angry about her tricking me, even if it wasn't on purpose. "W-well I wanted t-to know if... y-y-ou would l-like to c-c-come to my... h-house... for a p-party, N-n-naruto-kun...?" Her gaze leaves mine, and she shuffles her feet, waiting for my answer.

I know Hinata's in love with me. She admitted her love for me right before she fought Pain and was defeated. I think that was one of the scariest moments of my life, watching my friend go down like that.

"Sure!" I say enthusiastically. I haven't changed my behavior around her, and for that I think she's grateful. She blushes even more (if that's possible) and gives me a timid smile, handing me the envelope. I can see it in her eyes that her heart is soaring. I smile and accept the invitation. "What times the p-party Hinata?" I say, winking at her. She starts twiddling her fingers, hiding a smile. She knows i've just flirted with her. "Um... I-t's tomorrow night, actually... Y-you might want to b-ring a... d-date." I give her a questioning look, and ask in a playful tone "A d-date?" She nods, her smile slightly losing it's blossom. Hm. "Would you attend the party with me, Hinata?" Disbelief is like a tidal wave over her face. She points to herself, mouth hanging open, and whispers "M-me?" I grin and poke her playfully in the side "Yes you, I think you're the only Hinata in the whole village, silly." Her blush is radiant. She stutters "I-i-i-i-" I come back with "Y-y-y-ou?" She nods, and squeaks out "Y-es!" I grin and nod my head in satisfaction. "Good, good." I say. She's still shocked, so she walks out of the shop without a word.

I feel a nudge at my side, and turn to see Sakura grinning at me.

"I always knew-," She says "Always knew you liked Hinata!" I give her a smile, but my eyes are hard.

She doesn't notice.

It's the annual check up for us Shinobi's. Baa-chan is picking down the live of the Konaha 11. Well, twelve I guess you could say. Sasuke's here too. Or, maybe 13? Cause there's Sai as well, an- "Naruto!" I leave my thoughts and see Baa-chan staring down at me. Ugh, I hate being short. "Yeessssss?" I stretch it out just to annoy her. She gives me a rueful smile and says "Your turn." I slip my shirt off and she starts checking everything.

When she gets to my kidney, I give a gasp of pain.

Her head snaps up. "What?" She asks, suspicious. I shake my head. I guess she pressed to hard? But she doesn't give up. She frowns and goes back down the line till she hits my kidney, and this time I fold over. "Damn it!" I shriek. That HURT! She slips her hand under my chin and lifts my head so I can see her eyes. "What have you been doing?" She asks, shining a light in my eyes. Watching my pupils constrict. "N-nothing out of the ordinary." I say, still holding my side. Her light clicks off and she put's her hand on the small of my back, leading me to her office in the hospital. Walking down the line, I see the worried faces. But there's one, just ONE face, that's as impassive as ever. He stares at me all the way down the hall.

It's Sasuke's.

"You're going to be fine." Baa-chan tells me. She said it was a small infection. I have to go through surgery, though. "'Fine'? Since when did 'Fine' mean surgery?!" Heh... I'm a little hysteric. "Oh, you'll be fine. Stop being a girl and man up, gaki." I frown at the little nickname she's given me. I guess that's how she feels when I call her Baa-chan. I feel a prick on my right arm. I look down and see a needle protruding form it. "Gah!" I yell swiping at the needle, but she's already taken it away. "Calm down. It's just a sedative." "Your a... sedative." I slur my words. It's already kicking in. "Baa-chan!-," I whine "-I have a party to go to tomorrow night!" She smiles at me and says "You'll be out by tomorrow morning." And then everything goes black.

The invitation says it's a casual party. Nothing fancy. I throw on a regular t-shirt with some shorts. Hey, they said casual, so i'm goin' commando. I have to be careful when changing, with my stitches and all. Hinata and I agreed to meet at the park, to make it look like an actual 'date'. I figured I couldn't just pick her up at her house. That's where the party is!

She wearing her regular jacket and pants. "Hinata!" I yell, waving at her. She waves back shyly "He-hello N-naruto-kun." I grin and offer her my arm. She looks like she's about to faint.

I have to support her the whole way.

All the Konaha... 13... are at the party. Well, except for Sasuke and Sakura. They haven't arrived yet. It's a simple party, everyone's just sitting around chatting.

Sasuke and Sakura show up 15 minutes later.

Time moved slowly. Everyone started leaving at around 11:00-ish. I left last. Well, last to Sasuke.

I head to the training grounds.

The stars are shining bright. I lay in the grass and stretch.

I hear footsteps behind me.

Sasuke sits next to me.

I watch him form the corner of my eye. He glances down and catches my gaze, and I quickly turn my head away. "Naruto..." I jolt in surprise. Sasuke hasn't said my name the whole time he's been back, and I ache to hear it again. "Yes?" I ask, turning away from him, laying on my side. "Thank you..." I jolt again. 'Thank you' and 'Naruto' in one night?! This is to good to be true! "For what?" I squeak, damning myself for not being able to be calm and collected like Sasuke. He doesn't say anything, but I get the message. It's for when I put the flowers on his parents grave. I sit up. "No problem." We sit in silence.

"Would you ever forgive me?"

I can't comprehend what he said. Forgive him? For what? "Huh?" I ask. He chuckles, and the sound wraps around me like a blanket. "Would you ever forgive me, for leaving?" It's like a slap to the face, waking me form my silly little fantasies. Sasuke is here, right now, asking me to forgive him. I guess I never really knew how much it hurt. How much it hurt me when he left. "Y-you...left." I say. My heart is aching. He nods. "I know." He says. My feeling are going haywire. Sadness, understanding, pain, love, anger. They all smash together, and i'm hyperventilating. "Y-you... left ME Sasuke! You don't know... how much... it hurt!" My tears are coming fast, I don't think i'll ever stop. I gasp for breath, and continue. "And now... y-you want m...me...to FORGIVE you?!" He's staring at me now, waiting for me to continue. "I-i can't! I can't, Sasuke!" I hiccup. "What if... w-what if you... l-leave me again?" I whisper the last part. It's quite except for my sobbing.

I feel a hand on my cheek, and it turns my face towards Sasuke's.

He only centimeter's away.

"I won't leave you." He says. He starts wiping away my tears, but a few drops still fall. I sob before answering "H-how do I kn-ow that?". He smiles at me. A real smile and says "I know you can already tell, doofus."

His breath is mingling with my own.

I sniffle, and whisper "You think you know everything, don't you?" His nose rubs against my own. His body heat is radiating off of him, it's all I can do not to pass out. I can barely breathe. "Yes..."

He closes the gap between out lips.

All the feelings, the anger, the sadness, the regret, the love... they all come together in this kiss. It's a passionate kiss. I can't feel anything but Sasuke. See anything but Sasuke. My whole being is practically Sasuke.

His left hand slips up my shirt, and I moan at the contact. We separate for breath, but he doesn't stop his ministrations. He starts kissing my eyelids, my cheeks, down my jawline, and then onto my neck. He sucks, nips, bites and i'm loving every bit of it. His right hand slips down my torso, and he starts rubbing the inside of my left thigh. I buck my hips at the unexpected movement. It feels SO good. I'm gasping, and chanting his name like a prayer. "Sasuke...Sasuke...Sasuke..."

All of a sudden there's a pain in my side. "Gah!" I scream. Sasuke stops immediately when he see's the sight of blood. "I forgot about your stitches..." I nod in understanding, gasping this time in pain. He picks me up bridal style, and starts heading towards the hospital. "I'm...sorry..." I say. He leans down and kisses me gently. "It's fine."

Damn my stitches.

/

So? How was it? Any good? I added the Hinata part because come on, who doesn't love little Hina-chan?! I'll get back to the good ol' ninja-y stuff next chapter. Reviews please!