And another one up, and another one up, and another one hits the web! (I really hope someone got that joke)

Thank you so much for reviews, wideyedwander and dreaming of rocketships. i know I must say it a lot, but I'll keep saying it for as long as you keep saying nice things about me! It's my greatest hope that I can make someone laugh with what I write, so it really makes me happy when I do.

This time round, prepare for some ACTION! (You decide what that means)

Signing off, Addi. Enjoy!

After the best morning he had ever had, Sasuke, together with Ino and Sakura and followed by Naruto, grabbed some food at a cute little cafe aptly called The Bagel Shop, because everything on the menu was made with a bagel. They chatted amiably while they ate, and even Naruto behaved himself for a while, deciding to let Sasuke have a little peace after beating him earlier and contenting himself with stealing chips from Sasuke's plate while no one was looking.

When they exited The Bagel Shop, Sakura and Ino got excited about something Sasuke didn't care about and ran ahead, leaving him to trail behind with Naruto floating after him.

"I'm board, Sasuke," Naruto complained, darting around him in quick bursts.

No one was looking too closely at the Uchiha, so he decided he could risk some quiet conversation. "You're the one who told me to accept Sakura's invitation."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd crack so fast!"

Sasuke let out an affronted sniff. "I lasted over an hour with you making tasteless remarks, thank you very much."

"Oh-ho!" Naruto prodded Sasuke's stomach. "So you just have a soft spot for Disney movies, is that it?"

"No!" Horror descended through Sasuke. "I don't like Disney!"

"Oh, really?" Naruto smirked at him. "Why did you laugh at me singing, then?"

Sasuke very delicately chose not to answer, and Naruto snickered. "I thought so."

"Sasuke! Sasuke!"

Sasuke looked up to see the two girls waving him over. They were in the company of two other teenagers, a heavyset boy and a slight girl with twin buns at the nape of her neck. Refusing to hurry, he strolled over to them leisurely, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his pants and nodding at Naruto to follow. The pair, one invisible to the outside world, made their way towards the group waiting for them.

When he got close enough, Sakura grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. "This is Sasuke, the guy I was telling you about. He's coming with us tonight, so we dragged him out for a daytime heist, too!"

The heavyset boy held out a hand for Sasuke to shake, and he gladly took it. The hand was warm, but not sweaty, and had a firm grip that Sasuke admired. "Nice to meet you, Sasuke. I'm Choji, and this is TenTen," he said gesturing to the gi

rl beside him. TenTen gave a polite wave, but didn't extend a hand to shake.

"So," Sasuke joked, surprising himself with how easy he felt with theses people, "What exactly did Sakura tell you about me?"

"Oh, not much," Tenten supplied with a grin. "Just that you were an absolute hunk."

Both Ino and Sakura flushed at this.

"Several times," Tenten added, seeming to enjoy the discomfort she was causing.

Choji laughed, but took pity on the girls. "She said that you're staying in the Hokage for the summer. Are your parents here as well?"

Sasuke's mood immediately darkened, and Choji paled. "No, they aren't."

"I'm sorry," Choji apologized. "I didn't mean to pry."

"No, it's fine," Sasuke said as he shook his head to clear the darkness from it. "They were held up by a personal emergency, that's all. They'll come later if they can."

A pair of arms wrapping about Sasuke's waist from behind startled him for a second, until he realized it was Naruto, and relaxed into the contact. It was strange, what a single shared fear and a mutual confession could do to two very different people. He still hardly knew Naruto, and yet, he felt as if he was the truest friend he had ever had. When the arms relinquished him, Sasuke sneakily held a hand open next to his side, and Naruto took it, fingers warm and very real against his own.

"So, where do you live?" Tenten asked, attempting to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Chicago."

"Wow!" Even Ino's eyes grew wide at that. "That's so far away!"

"Is it really true that gusts of wind get caught around the skyscrapers and go down the streets?" Sakura asked with wide eyes.

Letting out a chuckle, Sasuke replied, "They don't call it The Windy City for nothing."

Just then, Sakura's phone went off. She grabbed it from her pocket, muttering something about bothersome people not leaving her alone. It had been barely up to her ear for ten seconds before her face crumpled and she snapped, "Aw, Hell."

Sasuke stared at her in surprise, never having heard such a rough word from the cheery girl before, but apparently the Kohona teens were used to it, because they didn't react. Sakura listened to whoever was on the other end for a few more seconds, then sighed heavily.

"Yeah, I'll be there. Yep. See you in ten. Bye."

Shoving her phone back in pocket, Sakura addressed the group. "A couple of the kids for tonight got sick, so their families couldn't come help set up. Kakashi needs a few extra hands. Anybody else in? And Ino, you have to come. Kakashi's threatening our jobs."

Ino made a face, and Choji immediately stepped forward. "I'm free until later this afternoon, so I can help."

"Great!" Sakura looked to Tenten, but she shook her head.

"Sorry, I have to go to work soon. I wish I could help, though."

"That's alright," Ino sighed. "Three sets of hands should be enough."

"Four," Sasuke supplied. All four of the Konoha teens looked at him in surprise, and he flushed slightly under the blatant stares. "I'll help."

Identical grins spread across the two girls' faces, and they suddenly attacked Sasuke with a hug from both sides, chattering in his ears. Naruto laughed at his predicament, and he sent the phantom a glare. However, his gaze was soon caught by Choji, who had a strange expression on his face. Was that… jealousy? And of him? If so, the heavyset boy had nothing to worry about.

Pushing off the two girls, Sasuke instead shoved his hands into his pockets. "What is it that needs to be done?"

Flipping her hair over shoulder, Sakura replied, "Setting up for tonight's event. A couple people got sick, so we need to cover for them."

"What is the event?" Sasuke asked with a frown.

"A presentation of local legends," Tenten exclaimed excitedly.

"It's a weeklong event with a different presentation every night," Chouji explained. "It's part of Konoha Spiritual Week, where everyone gets really into the whole 'here there be ghosts' thing. It's a huge tourist attraction. Didn't you know that?"

"No," Sasuke admitted, feeling anger at his father flare all over again. Why hadn't the man at least looked at the town before signing the check to let them stay at the Hokage?

Sakura grabbed his arm. "That just means he'll be surprised when he sees the show tonight!"

Show? What kind of event was this Konoha Spiritual Week?

Sasuke soon got his answer. After Tenten left, Sakura and Ino had dragged him and Choji to the gymnasium of Konoha Elementary School, where the event was supposed to take place. The gymnasium was a wide area with a curtain that could draw down the middle, big enough so that two classes of students could run concurrent on either sides of the makeshift wall. One whole side of the gym was taken up by a stage, where set pieces were being hastily painted in preparation for whatever would happen later that day. So, Sasuke reasoned, the event, at least today's portion, was some sort of pageant.

Almost immediately, Sakura took charge of the preparations, and Sasuke was impressed with the way even the adults who were already there seemed relieved when she stood up and started barking orders.

Choji was immediately assigned to Ino's side to be her muscles as she darted to the lobby to set up tables and decorations. Sasuke, after being told in no uncertain terms was he allowed to peek at what was happening backstage to avoid spoiling the surprise of what would happen, was set to the job of taking metal folding chairs and arranging them in row across the gym floor for the audience to sit in.

Upon inquiring as to whether the town had an actual auditorium, Sakura had informed him that it had several, including one at the High School and one at a community theater, but neither were big enough for the expected crowd, so he had better shut his trap and start setting up chairs or she would make him follow Ino and have Choji do the chairs, a fate that would surely leave Sasuke covered in pink glitter, paint, and God knows what else. Sasuke happened to like the shirt he was wearing, so he quickly got to the chairs.

Soon, everyone else was doing jobs outside the gymnasium, and Sasuke was the only one in the vast room. Noticing this, Naruto started to fool around, moving chairs Sasuke had just set up.

"Cut it out, Naruto!" Sasuke yelled after turning around and finding an entire row of chairs facing away from the stage.

"Who, me?" Naruto pulled an innocent face and transformed into a five year old, but Sasuke wasn't buying it.

"Yes, you! Now straighten those out, or else!"

Something flashed in Naruto's eyes, and he jumped on Sasuke's back. "Or else, what?" He asked directly into Sasuke's ear in what could only be described as a purr.

"Or else I'll lace all my food with holy water, and if you ever try to steal any, like you did with my ice cream earlier, you'll burn your tongue!" Sasuke spun in a circle, trying to dislodge the stubborn ghost. "Now get off and fix the chairs!"

"Fine." Naruto slipped off Sasuke's back, and, returning to a teenaged visage, flicked his hands and used telekinesis to turn the chairs back around to face the stage. "Happy?"

"It's better," Sasuke admitted. "But they're crooked. Straighten them out."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Glaring at the ghost, Sasuke pointed at the chairs. "No, I'm not. Now fix them!"

Grumbling, Naruto floated over to the chairs and straightened them out by hand. Sasuke gave a nod of approval before turning to his own row and adding a few more chairs.

A sneaky glance over Sasuke's shoulder told him that Naruto was following his line of chairs, straightening them out after Sasuke placed them. He even floated up towards the fueling to check if the lines were straight several times, each time returning to fix the rows and columns in a pattern as even as the squares on a chessboard. A smile ghosted over Sasuke's face; Naruto really wasn't so bad when he had his mind set to something.

Just as Sasuke was starting to feel hungry, he and Naruto finished the job, and were in the midst of congratulating themselves when Sakura poked her head back into gym. "Sasuke! Come here!"

Sticking his hands in his pockets, Sasuke started shuffling towards Sakura, Naruto hot on his heels. "What is it?"

"Pizza!" She exclaimed, holding up a half-eaten slice. "All the workers get some. If you want a slice, come get one quickly, or Choji's going to eat them all."

A muffled "Hey!" could be heard from behind Sakura.

She turned to glare behind her. "Well, you will!"

Feeling his stomach grumble at the thought of food, Sasuke followed Sakura into the lobby of the gymnasium, where a lot of magic had been wrought in the time it had taken him to set up the chairs. Tabled had been spaced out around the sides with chairs placed behind them, and tastefully decorated in different styles. If Sasuke had to guess, he thought that they would be used like booths in a craft fair during the event.

The last table was covered in a pizza boxes, where the rest of the workers were clustered, eating merrily. A few feet away, Ino was refusing food, while Choji was trying to convince her that a slice of pizza wouldn't kill her. Something clicked in Sasuke's brain, and Choji's earlier expression now made sense. He had been jealous of Sasuke when Ino and Sakura had attacked him earlier because he liked Ino! Sasuke made a mental note to cheer Choji on, not that he deserved a girl like Ino who wouldn't give a second thought because of his weight, but because he appeared happy admonishing the waif-like girl.

After the meal, Sakura told Sasuke that he was free until the event started, so he found a corner to curl up in and started to read Entanglements of Destiny. When Naruto sat down next to him, he pulled out his summer English Project book and handed it to the phantom, who made a face but didn't complain. The next few hours were passed in companionable silence, the only sound that could be heard the rustle of turning pages.

Sasuke was surprised at how good the book actually was, especially because of the scene he had previewed earlier. However, it was a very tasteful presentation of the subject, and he found himself enjoying the twists and turns in the main characters' relationship, from social constraints to family issues.

He finished it just as people were beginning to flood into the gymnasium, filling up the chairs he had so laboriously set up before. Sasuke quickly took an aisle seat, so he could be nearer to Naruto, and settled in to watch the show.

He had known it was some kind of pageant, but someone had neglected to tell him it was a children's pageant. Most children shows were cute at best, but this one actually did a good job. Someone had obviously worked with the kids, and they were funny onstage. At a couple points, it actually made him laugh out loud.

The show was a presentation of the major local legend of how Konoha got to be such a haunted town. Sasuke found himself quite intrigued by the plot. Being an expert on ghosts himself, he knew the legend was inaccurate, albeit a good story. The whole thing was absolutely adorable, and he was glad Sakura had asked him to go.

For Sasuke, the next few days passed much as that one had, and he was glad of the momentary reprieve from the insanity that was his life. Every morning, he would wake up near Naruto, and the two would bicker companionably before heading out. Sasuke visited the Konoha Public Library often, and took to taking out two or three books at a time for the sole purpose of giving one to Naruto whenever Sasuke found a moment of quiet to sit down and pull out a book, so the two could read together.

The time he spent was packed, and yet somehow lazy at the same time. Every day, Sakura would invariably find Sasuke and drag him into something, and when she wasn't making him meet new people or go do things he only really enjoyed because of her smile, Naruto would pull him away someplace to experience the real ghost culture of Konoha. Sasuke became familiar with each of the phantoms, learning their likes, their dislikes, and their histories.

To Sasuke's surprise, all of them had been the sons of previous owners of the Hokage. Shikamaru was a Nara, Shino an Aburame, and Kiba an Inuzuka, all of whom had been owners in the twenties. Lee's name he hadn't recognized, but the youngest phantom had told Sasuke that he was the son of the owner in the late eighties and early nineties, Gai.

Naruto was the oldest and therefore most powerful of them, but each phantom had his own specialty, as Sasuke learned. Shikamaru, who was lazy despite having genius level intelligence, had perfected telekinesis to avoid excess movement.

Kiba, on the other hand, was most adept at becoming corporeal in order to play with his small white dog, Akamaru, who, Sasuke found out, was a direct descent of the dog the phantom had owned while he was alive.

The phantom with sunglasses so prevalent they were almost a part of his face, Shino, was never far from Kiba, and he was proficient at a technique of influence and persuasion, though it only worked on animals, and best on insects, with their limited mental capacity that was easily swayed. Lee, of course, was much younger and had developed to substantial powers yet.

It was during this time that Sasuke learned exactly how special Naruto was. He didn't have an area of his powers he was most proficient at; rather, his gift lay in the amount of spiritual energy his ghostly body could hold. To further his pranks and mischievous nature, Naruto had obtained an endurance that meant he could maintain both telekinesis and corporeality for an extended period of time, allowing him to live almost as a human, except that no one could see him. Naruto was also the only phantom with the ability to eat and digest food, something Sasuke had noticed and wondered about. Shikamaru had mentioned to him once, in strictest confidence, that Naruto had always possessed these traits, but it was only after he became friends with Sasuke that he had begun to really explore them.

Sasuke always attended the events as well, each time choosing an aisle seat so Naruto could be near him. Each night was different and unique, from the children's pageant of the first night to dramatic readings and musical interpretations, but they all had something to do with Konoha's local legends and spiritual encounters.

One night, as they were watching a man who was a local historian give a PowerPoint with actual documents and eyewitness testimonies, Sasuke had heard the name Gaara mentioned, and he had looked up eagerly, interested in the backstory of the draugr that had attacked him. It seemed almost fantastically tragic, that his own parents had buried him in the sand because they feared his red hair and murderous turquoise gaze, and that he had taken revenge many times since then in documented cases spanning decades. Sasuke was struck by how he might have been one of those cases if Naruto hadn't saved him, and the relevation were made even more unsettling by Naruto's whisper in Sasuke's ear, telling him the tale was most certainly true, for he had seen it happen. It did make sense, though, and Sasuke felt like he understood Gaara's motives a little better after that.

His favorite night, though, had to be the sixth one, the night just before the finale. Apparently, Konoha had a local talent who had received a theater degree, and he performed a one-man narration of the hauntings of the mayor's office, of which there seemed to be plenty. The man was a naturally gifted comedian, and Sasuke had never remembered laughing so hard in his life, probably because his father would never have stood for it, being too stuck in the concept of the "Uchiha Pride." It was invigorating and freeing, especially when Sasuke heard Naruto's hearty guffaw in conjecture with his own, and it was the best thing he had ever felt.

After the show, Sakura walked with Sasuke back to the Hokage, companionable chatter accompanying them. Even though Sasuke had claimed he didn't make friends easily, the pink haired girl and he had developed a kind of understanding, and he liked it. Apart from his ghostly ones, Sakura was the first friend he had made in Konoha, and it filled him with a welcoming feeling that had never embraced him before.

"So, I finished Entanglements of Destiny the other day," Sasuke remarked into their conversation.

Sakura, to her credit, looked abashed, and her cheeks flushed a deep red in the glow of the street lamps. "Y-you did?"

"I did," Sasuke replied, eyes twinkling merrily. "And I enjoyed it immensely."

"You did?" Sakura visibly relaxed. "That's good. I was afraid that you'd judge me for liking it. That stuff's not really taboo here, but people still don't go around stating that they like it."

A Shockley sounded forth from deep in Sasuke's throat. "For what it was, it was handled both sensibly and tastefully. I found it to be very artistic."

Sakura exclaimed excitedly, "Me, too! The emotional bond between Seon and Hyaki is so beautifully portrayed, and the changes their relationship went through were so realistic and bold! Oh, you don't know how good it it to be able to talk about this with someone!"

They had reached the Hokage now, so Sasuke held the door open for Sakura. He expected her to disappear into the back rooms, but instead, she stood next to him uncertainly.

"Hey, Sasuke?" She asked, a blush staining her cheeks. "I know this is kind of sudden, but can I ask you something?"

"You already did," Sasuke joked.

A weak smile graced Sakura's face. "Well, I'm going to tell you something, then. Even though we've only known each other for a short while, Sasuke, I feel like we have a kind of bond."

"I feel the same way," Sasuke replied, not quite sure where she was going with this. Did she need a favor, or something?

Was that hope in her eyes? "Then, we feel the same way. Oh, Sasuke, I'm so glad!"

And then Sakura leaned toward him, and Sasuke felt a panic start in his chest. She wasn't going to-! She wouldn't-!

She did. Her eyes closing, Sakura pressed her lips delicately against Sasuke's own. Frozen, he fought mentally against the touch for a few seconds before pushing Sakura away.

"Wait! I can't, Sakura!"

A pout formed on her lips. "Why not?"

Here it was, the moment he would have to make his confession. He had dreaded telling anyone since the fiasco with his parents.

"I'm gay," Sasuke admitted.

Sakura's eyes went wide. "Oh. Oh."

"...Yeah."

A sad smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. "This explains why liked Entanglements of Destiny so much."

"That had nothing to do with it," Sasuke joked weakly. "Can't a person enjoy good literature in any form?"

An awkward silence descended between them then, until Sasuke broke it. "Um, Sakura?" He asked. "We can still be friends, right?"

The question seemed to snap her out of whatever thoughts he had been in. "Of course!"

Sasuke felt better, but only a little bit. Sakura started to back away, toward the kitchen.

"I have some stuff to do, so…"

"It's alright," Sasuke said with a trace of sadness. "I have to get some sleep, anyway."

He turned and walked up the stairs, entering suite 2B. No sooner had he stepped through the doorway to his bedroom, however, then a force had him pinned up against the closed door.

It was Naruto. With a pang, Sasuke realized that he must have watched the entire exchange with Sakura, and he had forgotten that the ghost was even there.

"What was that?" Naruto hissed, face inches from Sasuke's own.

"I- I pushed her away-" Sasuke tried to say, but Naruto cut him off.

"That's not what I'm talking about, and you know it! Why didn't you tell me?" The ghost looked hurt, and Sasuke immediately realized what he was talking about.

"It wasn't personal; I didn't tell anyone! I only told Sakura because she tried to kiss me!"

Naruto shook Sasuke by the collar. "I don't care about excuses! Just shut up!"

"But-"

"Shut up!"

This time, Naruto shut Sasuke up with his mouth, and unlike the kiss with Sakura earlier, Sasuke found himself responding. He was pressing back with lips and reaching forward with hands, eyes closed, fingers grasping, breath coming in hot, hard pants-

And then Naruto was the one to push away, a look of surprise and a little fear on his face. Sasuke probably had the same look on his face, surprised and scared, but something else in Sasuke's expression caused the phantom to back away.

"I- I'm sorry!" Naruto stuttered.

"Naruto-" Sasuke tried to reach out to the ghost, but he fled, disappearing through a wall. A little tear appeared in his heart as he watched Naruto leave.

That night, he slept without Naruto at his side for the first time since they had faced Gaara's attack together, and the loneliness invaded Sasuke's dreams.