A/n: Happy Holidays! I decided to write a short chapter in addition to the one that will be coming next month. Very mild SNS. Like… barely there, actually. Nothing overtly "romantic" happens, but if you ask me Chapter 698 was hella romantic. However, you can skip this chapter, if you must.

Sasuke had come in through the window, the perfect example of stealth. No one but Naruto could have noticed the slight shift in the air and his subtle sent on the light evening breeze. Naruto welcomed the cool air against his skin and continued to rip open a packet of instant ramen.

"Miss me that much?" The blonde asked smirking over his shoulder.

Instead of the usual snarky quip-back, Sasuke was silent, his expression blank.

Naruto turned fully to face him. A shiver ran down his spine. The Uchiha's eyes were cold and unfeeling.

"Sasuke?"

"I'm leaving tonight. I came to say goodbye."

"Wait, what? I thought you were staying longer. I haven't seen you in a year y'know! And what about Kakashi?! Weren't you supposed to..."

The room shifted and suddenly Sasuke was closer, a hair's breath away from his face.

Naruto looked around frantically, noticing that they were no longer in his apartment. Rocky, uneven surfaces and flowing waters stood before him, bathed in crimson light. The sky burned with the color of blood.

The all too familiar stone figure of Madara Uchiha stood above them. A body in a jonin vest lay not far from where they stood, drowned in a puddle of black.

"Sasuke, who is that?" Naruto asked shakily.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you?"

"It's not him… tell me it's not him, Sasuke. Please," Naruto begged, staring into black eyes pleadingly.

"This is the end. Goodbye, Naruto."

Sasuke's fist shot towards Naruto's chest.

Snap.

Squelch.

Blue eyes shot open, the ringing in his ears fading as the last remnants of the nightmare escaped him. He brought shaky hands to his face as he desperately attempted to calm his breathing.

It was not uncommon for him to wake up in this manner, trembling and drenched in sweat. As a war veteran, he was no stranger to trauma. He had spent countless nights being jolted awake by memories of fallen comrades taking their final breaths and images of the pale eyes of an unforgiving goddess.

This time was different.

Ever since Sasuke and Kakashi had returned to the village he had been plagued by new worries.

Between his concerns about Kakashi and his paranoia about Sasuke abandoning him, his mind seemed to meld all these emotions into one distorted horror.

Naruto knew that Sasuke would never betray him like that again, but whatever his subconscious managed to conjure up while he slept was out of his control. Still, he couldn't shake the image of Kakashi, dead and lying in a pool of his own blood.

The alarmed blinked 02:19 with a blueish light, illuminating the otherwise dark room. Naruto determined that this was as much sleep as he would get tonight. Even if he could manage to fall asleep again, he wouldn't risk another nightmare like the previous one. He threw off the covers an began getting ready.

He stepped outside freshly showered and wearing a long-sleeved black jumper and black pants with orange lining. Tsunade had advised him to ditch his signature tracksuit in favor of something more "mature". He had been reluctant since the ratty old thing had been a keepsake of his late master, but he knew that his position in the village now was different. People were always watching. And though they now considered him a hero, deep down he felt they still harbored some fear toward him. Things could change in the blink of an eye.

After a quick shower, he made his way out to the third training ground. The other shinobi hardly ever used the space, so he decided it would be the perfect place to train away his troubles.

As he approached he spotted a familiar head of charcoal hair. He faltered in his steps as flashes of the earlier nightmare came to mind. Was he still dreaming?

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke called walking over to him

"Uh, I couldn't sleep. Haven't really been able to, lately. Nightmares and all that," he said stepping forward warily.

"You seem on edge, are you sure you're alright?"

"Ha! Listen to yourself! When did you get soft?" He chortled in an attempt to mask his uneasiness.

"Whatever, idiot," Sasuke said rolling his eyes.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke?"

"Kakashi decided to take a midnight trip to the memorial. I followed him. Let's just say he wasn't happy about it," Sasuke sighed.

"Shit. Where is he now?"

"I assume he went back to the apartment."

"So what are you still doing here?"

"Thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"Things."

"What things?"

"The more questions you ask, the less I want to give you actual answers."

"Do you always have to be such a bastard?!"

The two glared at each other until Naruto finally let himself fall back onto the grass in defeat.

Giving in, Sasuke let himself slide down against the back of a large tree.

"Sooner or later he'll start to notice how many things have changed in the village and I'm not sure he'll be able to handle it. I tried to reason with him earlier but he just wouldn't listen," Sasuke admitted.

"Well, right now he's trying not to let anyone in. Sensei told me once that he used to be afraid of getting close to anyone ever since my parents died. You'll probably have to find some common ground with him before you get him to really listen to you. Ease into it, ya'know?" Naruto said, staring up into the starry night.

"When did you get so wise?" Sasuke teased.

"Just something I picked after years spent chasing some stubborn guy who seriously didn't want to listen," he smirked.

"Usuratonkachi," Sasuke turned his head to hide the small smile creeping it's way onto his face.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" Naruto asked in a barely audible whisper.

"I can't say."

Sasuke sank down until they were lying next to one another.

"What was your nightmare about?" Sasuke asked then.

Naruto went rigid. He felt Sasukes eyes on him. Analyzing.

"Naruto?"

Naruto turned to face the other man.

"It was about you," he said softly. "It was like that first time in the Valley of the End. You had my heart in your hand," Naruto breathed.

"But then, I woke up. I woke up and I realized that we're past that. I can't control what my mind does while I'm asleep but now I'm awake. And you're here. And I know that you would never do that again." He lifted his bandaged arm until it hovered face. "All I have to do is look at this arm to remind myself of that. We've come a long way since then, haven't we?" He lowered his arm and met Sasuke's gaze.

Sasuke remained silent as they stared at each other.

"I'm sorry," he said finally, before looking back up to the night sky.

"I already forgave you, bastard," Naruto elbowed him playfully.

Sasuke smiled. A warm and genuine smile.

It wasn't long before they both had drifted into a peaceful sleep, side by side, in the middle of the third training ground, at 3 am.