Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

warning: Foul language, extreme deviation from plot, first time fic.

Naruto was busy working in the Hokage library, tasked with that week's paperwork. He lifted his head after nearly three hours of continuous scroll writing. Rubbing his sore neck, he cursed lazy Hokages and unfairly short deadlines. Naruto was the assistant or intern, as Sakura would put it, to the Hokage. More like a slave. Cursing one more time, he got up, stretching to get rid of all the kinks in his back and shoulders. He looking out the window, he saw the clear cloudless sky and the bright sun. What a nice day to be wasting inside. Memories of the times he had trained with Sakura and Sasuke came to his mind, with Kakashi reading his disgusting book - pretending to monitor their progress. Thinking of Sasuke, he felt himself smile fondly, terribly missing the other boy. Then he thought of said boy leaving, and his mood plummeted.

Naruto was so preoccupied with his dark thoughts that he visibly started when the door to the library opened, and he heard his name in a shout. Naruto turned around to see Sakura looking shocked and out of breath. "Hey, I was working all this time. I just started my five minute break." Naruto spluttered hurriedly before Sakura got a chance to accuse him of goofing off.

He stopped when he saw her expression remain unchanged, and got worried. He walked over to her and reached for her shoulder. "Sakura – ", he began hesitantly. " – are you ok?"

Sakura look at him, to his worried expression. "Naruto –", she swallowed, "– he's back".

Naruto mind immediately started processing as to who she could be talking about. But it was the flutter in the pit of his stomach that gave him the answer first.

Sasuke was back.

Tsunade had snapped after the Uchiha's blatant come-on to Naruto. She swung her fist at him with all intention of smashing his skull, which Sasuke easily dodged. Tsunade continued to attack him with her fists flying and Sasuke managing to avoid each hit. This went on for about seven minutes, after which Kakashi kicked a fallen chair back up, grabbed Sasuke by the back of his neck and pushed him into it.

And so, Sasuke once again found himself sitting in an uncomfortable chair in the Hokage's office, now with a brand new desk. Everybody else was sitting or standing in a semi-circle in front of him. He glanced around him to take stock of everyone – the levels of threat they presented. He found his eyes being drawn to the blond sitting next to the Hokage. To his open face and his blue eyes wide with disbelief.

Naruto couldn't believe what he was seeing in front of him. His mind couldn't believe what his eyes were showing him. He's grown. That was the lone thought his brain finally threw out at him. And he had. Sasuke had grown tall – more than six feet, nearly matching their sensei. He had built more muscle as well. broad and solid. Naruto mentally rolled his eyes. Figures that's what his mind would decide to focus on.

That helped to clear his mind enough to notice dark eyes looking at him. Or ogling him would be a better fit. He saw the right corner of Sasuke's thin lips lifting. The bastard's smirking at me.

Really, Sasuke was quite happy with the view - a tanned, blue eyed, delectable blond. He saw that pretty face change emotions in a matter of moments. Disbelief, fondness – was he blushing – and then anger when the blond noticed him staring. Sasuke's smirk widened. Yup. Sasuke liked his view very much.

Tsunade was breathing hard, from her anger rather than from exertion, her eyes narrowed and teeth bared. Kakashi could see that she was simply too angry to speak. Looks like it's my turn.

"Listen punk. You are in our village and you owe us a proper explanation."

Sasuke dragged his eyes from the blond reluctantly to look at Kakashi in the eyes.

"I told you old man. I don't remember"

"That's not going to cut it you brat" Tsunade spat out. "What is the last thing you remember?"

"You asking me what the last thing I remember is"

Tsunade screwed her eyes shut and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Think happy thoughts. She opened her eyes and tried again in a calmer voice.

"Try a little before that."

Sasuke smirked. "Telling blondie that I'm looking forward to his handling of me"

This time it was Naruto who lost it, and Sasuke found his face smarting from the large hard cover book that hit it. Damn he's fast. And feisty.

"You will do well to remember that you are talking to the Hokage of the village, one who could throw you out on your ass before you have the time to blink."

Tsunade, in the midst of her anger at the Uchiha couldn't help but feel pride for her brat. He has matured a lot. Mature enough for the next in line for Hokage.

Sasuke's smirk never wavered. Kakashi decided to speak, "What is the first thing you remember? Your earliest memory?"

He saw the young man's eyes look at him and then seem as if they were looking right through him. Sasuke's eyes moved as if they were searching for memories on the wall behind Kakashi.

"There is a playground – with a red swing. A – dead bird – " , Kakashi heard Naruto gasp softly, almost inaudibly. He kept his eyes focused on the boy in front of him however.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes with his left hand moving on to rub his forehead. He gave out a frustrated sound, "I can't remember much. Just images which come and go."

Kakashi continued without missing a beat. "What is the first complete memory you have?"

Sasuke didn't have to think too hard about this. He had spent a lot of time wondering and straining his mind demanding it to provide him the memories he refused to believe he couldn't remember.

"Joining Orochimaru."

Kakashi nodded again, deciding to leave it at that for now, and asked," Why did you come here? You don't remember your past, so how did you know to come here?"

Sasuke took in Kakashi's masked face. From what he could see of his face, Kakashi looked calm, collected, like this was an everyday occurrence.

"I overheard Orochimaru and Kabuto – his medic nin- ", Sasuke added to explain Kabuto's presence and saw everybody nod. Must be common knowledge.

"I overheard them talking one day. Kabuto was asking him if I would ever decide to go back. And the freak replied that a man who gives up his home for power could never retrace his steps. That I was no exception. And that Konoha had lost its last Uchiha forever."

Everyone was quiet, taking in what Sasuke said. Kakashi was the first to speak, "So you came back just to spite Orochimaru" . It was a statement rather than a question.

Sasuke smirked and shrugged.

While Naruto had steeled himself to the possibility that Sasuke would never come back, he didn't expect Sasuke to come back, and then to claim that he had come back just for the heck of it. It hurt.

"But why did you kill him?" this time it was Sakura who spoke. Over the years her obsessive crush had dwindled down to the fond affection one has for their close friend. While she did feel angry at Sasuke for abandoning team 7 and Konoha, she was angrier at him for abandoning Naruto in particular. After all they've been through. How could he just up and leave? And now to come back like nothing has changed. She kept her face clear of all emotions. She had to be strong for Naruto's sake. For her best friend. The sweetest person she had ever met.

Sasuke could agree that though she was no blue eyed, blond haired walking fantasy material, she was quite attractive. Long pink hair (I wonder if it's natural), slender body, long legs and pretty face. Sasuke wondered if she and the blond were an item. He didn't like that train of thought.

"He outgrew his usefulness." He saw a flash of disbelief on Sakura's face and the start of another question. "And he tried to take over my body", he finished. Sakura leaned back feeling a little petulant at being read and wanted to take a little jab at him. "Like a vessel". Sasuke nearly rolled his eyes, "Yes, like a vessel."

"Why drag the damn corpse all the way here?" Tsunade finally had calmed down enough to talk again.

"Proof that the freak is dead."

Naruto was listening to all of this, waiting for the next question. None came up. He looked around; everyone was nodding and thinking to themselves. Tsunade got up, taking a deep breath. "Right, I'll have a meeting with the council. Let's see what they have to say" . Naruto gaped. He stood up, "What? That's it? He says that he forgot and that's all the interrogation he's going to get?"

"Not forgot. Don't remember", Sasuke oh so helpfully added.

Naruto glared at him. "If you forgot why you left, then why the hell did you stay with Orochimaru? You ended up getting a crush on him?"

Sasuke couldn't have stopped his smirk if his life had depended on it, "No need to get jealous sweetheart, I killed him didn't I?" Seeing Naruto's murderous glare however, he thought maybe he ought to rephrase that. "What else was I supposed to do? I didn't know where I was from, except for a few random images. And as awesome as I am, I highly doubt a red swing is enough."

Naruto didn't buy this for a second. "Yes. Clearly, staying with Orochimaru and his science club was the best course of action."

He glared at Sasuke some more. "You should have come back", it was just above a whisper, but Sasuke head it loud and clear. He couldn't believe the little idiot was guilt tripping him. He stood up as well, "How could I have come back if I didn't know where to come back to you dumb blonde".

"Who're you calling dumb you bastard", Naruto took a swing at Sasuke aiming to hit that arrogant jaw right off his arrogant skull.

Sasuke caught his wrist neatly and pulled him close, and spoke in a low voice, "I'm back now, aren't I?"

The room was quiet for long time with Sasuke still holding on to Naruto's wrist and looking down into his eyes daring him to reply and Naruto stubbornly glaring up at Sasuke, his lips pressed in a straight angry line.

Tsunade cleared her throat and spoke, if nothing else than to get the damn Uchiha's grubby paws off Naruto. "Naruto, I'm sure the council shares your sentiment. They wouldn't simply let the Uchiha walk back into the village." she looked at Sasuke triumphantly, which he took note of from the corner of his eye.

Sasuke let go of Naruto's wrist, still looking at him ignoring the Hokage. Naruto, for his part crossed his arms and proceeded to ignore Sasuke.

Sakura looked between the two, sighing in exasperation. This is going to get vexing.