6. Plan B for Breaking and E for Entering

Naruto's eyes snapped open.

He'd heard something, he could've sworn it on ten holy books and a shaman

He heard it again, a creaking in his apartment, hallways whispering of sneaky footfalls and doorways accessed.

Sakura was volunteering at the clinic. Konohamaru was studying for his midterms so it couldn't possibly be him drunk and asking for refuge.

Naruto had spoken to Gaara only a few hours ago and the redhead had no plans of driving down to see him. Tsunade-baachan was home with Shizune, a bottle of sake and an animal documentary like every other Wednesday. And Kurama, his big black Great Dane was in bed with him.

Having accounted for all the significant people in his life who knew his address at present and would bother him shamelessly at two a.m. Naruto, for the life of him, couldn't find a reasonable explanation for the soft noises creeping through his house.

Kurama's ears were perked up in clear indication that he'd heard the sounds too, so Naruto was definitely not crazy or dreaming.

First, his breathing sped up, his blood freezing in his veins with panic. Then he took a breath, suddenly felt a wash of calm as his best friend nuzzled his fisted left hand in a latent attempt to comfort. He sat up and placed a hand on Kurama's head then placing a finger to his lips. His friend sniffed as if offended that Naruto would assume Kurama would be stupid enough to make a sound.

It had been a hot minute since Sasori had last tried to make contact, but it seemed about time he did. Naruto winced, it was possible that he'd decided to move the unsettling encounters from randomly ambushing him in his favourite coffee shop, changing rooms and gym lockers to his abode but if that was the case it was time to draw the line and maybe make like Attack on Titan and build a wall on that line to keep the crazies out.

Naruto got out of bed, quiet as a predator, forgoing his slippers so as to keep his footsteps mum. He reached into his bureau, slipping out a small black gun from under his least dishevelled pile of laundry. He checked the magazine and safety lock before stepping out into the hallway, padding softly into the living room.

There was a figure in his living room, slinking about at the edges like a cat. His back was to Naruto as he observed the paintings hung up on the walls.

Naruto knew who it was, of course he did. Baby Uchiha had been giving him the strangest looks. First they were purely quizzical but soon they transformed to downright curious. Those dark eyes were trying to drill through his walls, as if waiting and wanting Naruto to be the first to admit remembering him.

Naruto scowled at his back silently, he crossed the living room in three long soft steps, the gun in his hand again. The dark-haired man was crouching beside the couch looking at the photo frames lining a side table, Naruto pressed the barrel of the gun to the back of Sasuke's head.

"You better have a good reason for breaking into my apartment, baby Uchiha." Naruto's voice was scraping the floor, a tone low and calm.

"Is that a gun?" Sasuke put his hands up to show he was unarmed, he turned, the gun now pointing between his eyes. "Why do you have a gun?"

"For bastards who sneak into my house uninvited." Naruto took a deep breath then threw down the gauntlet. "Twice."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "You remember..."

"As if I could ever forget." Naruto spat out, his face twisting in fury, the words a deep rumbling coming from his chest. "The moment you entered my life, it went to hell. I lost everything - everyone!"

Sasuke's eyes dropped to the gun where it shook slightly, Naruto's grip was blanching his fingers, turning them white at the knuckles. Neither of them could tell whether they were white because he was forcing himself to keep it pointed at Sasuke's face or fighting to move it away.

"I never did any of that to hurt you, Naruto." Sasuke shuffled backwards, his calves pressing against the little table he has been looking at. "I was just trying to stay alive."

"I'm not delusional. I know that. I was just collateral damage." Naruto's voice was back to calm, but the lace of fury wasn't lost, just buried again as he let the gun drop, pointing to the floor. Then, in a flash, his fist was meeting the side of Sasuke's face.

Sasuke groaned, the punch had been strong enough to launch him like a rocket. His mind felt like a clattering of empty vessels, his teeth were exactly that, his eyes - a flare of starburst behind closed lids. He's been thrown back and to his right, sprawling on the couch like a ragdoll.

For a twenty-year-old that was a strong fucking punch.

Then, there was a cooling press on his cheek.

He opened his eyes to meet blue gates that had been shut tight and dead bolted. All trace of anger, just gone. The change unsettled him enough that when he glanced sideway his breath caught in his throat.

There was a dark, moving shadow stalking around behind Naruto and Sasuke had to force himself to breathe because the black-coated mutt looked like a hell-hound to his shaken mind. Those yellow eyes studied his every movement.

Naruto sat down on the coffee table facing Sasuke's prone form. He ran his hands through his hair and it stood on end like an explosion.

"Explain yourself."

Sasuke knew he wasn't being asked for an explanation for his most recent actions.

Naruto was giving him a choice, to choose to explain why he was there at 2:43 AM and escape, leaving a greater wedge between them than the one he'd created fifteen years ago. Or to explain everything from the start and put the events behind them.

Sasuke found the decision easy. Not only did he want to get it off his chest, but also he wanted to bridge the gap between himself and Naruto. His choice was a no brainer.

"They came to our house to kidnap Itachi. Itachi - the genius prodigy with a full ride to college in his lap at the age of 15. They wanted to use him, send him to a prestigious school and help them kidnap other rich kids to ransom. But they got me instead." Sasuke pulled himself up, to a sitting position, folding his legs under him.

Naruto sighed, ran a hand through his hair again, it looked messier. "Are you hungry?"

"What?" Sasuke didn't splutter but he would've, his eyes and mind still on the messy hair, wondering how it'd look if he got to mess it up.

"I have some Chinese and I'm starving! Come on, you can talk while I heat up the leftovers." Naruto got up and helped Sasuke up. He then led the way to the kitchen. The dog hung back to sniff at Sasuke and circle him a few times. "Oh this is Kurama. He'd bite your arm off if you were carrying a weapon so good thing you came unarmed."

"Why on earth would I come armed?" Sasuke asked sullenly, then voiced another question. "Wait, who visits you while armed in the middle of the night?"

"My pimp."

Sasuke's head snapped up, gaze shifting from keeping an eye on the suddenly wagging tail of Kurama to the back of Naruto's head as he dug through the refrigerator.

"My dealer."

His eyes grew to the size of the moon.

"And you."

Sasuke planted his hands on his hips and scowled. "Haha. You're a fucking riot."

Naruto threw a grin at him that arrested him at the doorway. "That I am."

They sat at the island counter, side by side. Eating, being rather civil considering the gun on the counter and the swelling Sasuke's cheek.

"I was being stubborn." Sasuke started suddenly. Wanting to get it over soon as. "My parents were going out for some pseudo-business dinner with their friends. Itachi was staying back in his school for some festival related things I was ten and I wanted to stay at home and enjoy the freedom of ice cream for dinner while watching Simpson's with the neighbour's cat"

Naruto smiled at the noodles in his plate but didn't disturb, the slightest incline of his head showed he was listening, closely.

"There was scratching at the door at 9 and I figured hey, my playmate is early, so I open the door to a Tabby cat licking its leg luxuriously."

Naruto's laugh made Sasuke smile. Naruto's smile helped him forge ahead.

"I saw a shadow, a silhouette behind the cat, and that's that. Next thing I know I'm being hoisted groggily out of the trunk of a car. I don't even know how they drugged me."

Naruto sat back in his seat, it was his turn to watch with wide eyes the back of Sasuke's head that was bent over the plate.

"Holy shit dude, that's like, nothing compared to the way you kidnapped me! You made me think you were my friend!"

Sasuke looked up at Naruto. "Get one thing right, Naruto. Even though we only had a week together, I've never thought of anyone else as a friend the way I think of you. The thought of you kept me alive and sane more times than I can remember in that hell-hole. If I got a chance to go back and do over, I'd still choose to kidnap you." Sasuke held his gaze until Naruto's lower lip falling open got his attention.

When Naruto's jaw slowly loosened even more, Sasuke looked away. Not yet, Sasuke.

"You need to leave."

"What?"

"You need to get out of my house, right now, you selfish, fucking, bastard." Naruto's words may as well have been a yell with the stunning effect they had on Sasuke but they were actually said very softly into the silence that hung between them.

Sasuke's ears rang and his chest clenched. No, no, no, no, no! I still need to... I still need you to...

Naruto stood up and grabbed him by the collar, shaking him like he was a maraca. "The second they realised you kidnapped the wrong kid they almost killed me!"

Sasuke couldn't remember how to breathe. "Wrong kid?"

"What? Did you forget? Pay attention next time you go to kidnap a kid on a swing, Uchiha. That maniac with face tats and silver hair broke my fucking arm when he took my hand to shake it! I was lucky Sasori offered to take me off their hands or else I'd be six feet under before I was six!"

Sasuke's worldview was tilting. He hadn't a clue what had happened to Naruto after he'd brought the boy back to Kisame's with the empty promise for some Ramen. He hadn't even been told he'd grabbed the wrong kid. All this while he'd assumed they'd got the ransom and Naruto had returned home.

The thought of him used to be the only concrete substance of hope he'd held on to. That maybe one day, with the right opportunity, he'd get to return home too. The only reason he had stayed sane in Orochimaru's business had been because he'd played the long game to get out. A game he'd based on a true story he'd witnessed starring Naruto.

"I... I didn't know." Naruto stopped shaking him and was suddenly dragged into a hug that he tensed up against. "I had no idea. I thought you... They didn't tell me... I thought you made it home. The only reason I made it home was because I thought you made it home. All I wanted to do was to get home..."

The softest apology was whispered against golden hair. Repeatedly. Until he gave in. Until he melted and wrapped his arms around Sasuke in return.