Disclaimers: I did not create Naruto nor did I make Beauty & The Beast- a sad fact, but still a fact. This is purely a SasuNaru fanfic using someone else's characters.

Beauty & The Beast: A D-Rank Mission

Chapter 18

D~,'~~~

When neither the Beauty nor the Beast returned to the stage, Kakashi set out to find his two stubborn pupils. He was not at all surprised to find one of them sitting atop a small hill, glaring out at nothing in particular.

Typical Uchiha.

The silver-haired jonin sighed as he approached him, watching thick raven strands fall forward to obscure his burning obsidian gaze. As Kakashi drew closer, he could see pale fingers roughly fingering yellow silk, testing restraint- the material's and his.

"I did warn him that you would try to undress him when you saw it", Kakashi muttered, dropping down next to the raven, "but I assumed that you would wait until after the play to do it."

Sasuke didn't rise to the bait.

Kakashi sighed again. "So, what happened this time?"

Sasuke looked away.

Kakashi nodded knowingly, despite the raven's silence. "I assume he's feeling a tad overwhelmed."

"Hn."

"You know, in Icha Icha Paradise-"

"My life is not one of your dirty books", Sasuke cut in.

Kakashi ignored him. "- there's always someone who feels unsure about a new relationship."

Sasuke glanced up.

"Doesn't mean the feelings aren't there," he went on, "in fact, it's usually because they are. Not everyone handles that very well." He met Sasuke's gaze. "Especially if it's new. Or, say, if there's fear that many won't be accepting of it."

Sasuke knitted his brows. "You think he's worried?"

"Have you notice how the villagers treat him already?"

Sasuke thought about it. Many of them were pretty awful- and for no detectable reason. It almost seemed ingrained in a lot of them to hate the blonde.

"He said he's tired of how everyone looks at him.." Sasuke said softly. "That he doesn't want to be seen as.." he paused. He didn't know why he was sharing all of this- it was very un-Uchiha like for him to open up at all. But he didn't know what to do about Naruto, and he supposed the one person he could go to for advice was his sensei.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't want to be seen as..?"

"Weak.." Sasuke sighed, then mumbled "he said people look at him like he's just my 'play thing'."

Kakashi's eyebrow raised even higher. "Interesting."

Sasuke glared- back to his Uchiha ways. "Can you try to take this seriously?"

"Sounds like you need to talk to him."

Sasuke groaned, roughly ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't know what to say."

"Well, that's not surprising. You're not great with words. Or emotions. Or people."

Another glare.

"Start with ramen. Give him a safe space to talk about how he's feeling. Then, share how you feel." Kakashi gave him a look. "With your words this time."

Sasuke pushed himself up to his feet. "Whatever." And with that he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away, not feeling the slightest bit better.

D~,'~~~

Naruto ignored the surprised looks he got as he stormed through the auditorium in nothing but his boxers. Sakura yelled something rude, the coat rack laughed, and a couple guys whistled. He ignored all of that too.

He found his clothes over by the dressing rooms and quickly slipped them on before leaving the building once more, walking with no destination in mind. He just needed to get away. He needed to think- or maybe not think? He wasn't sure. He just knew he'd rather face the glares from the villagers than the suggestive smirks from the crew.

He likes Sasuke. He does. A lot, in fact. But why did that mean that he had to be treated differently?

"It's not fair", he grumbled. "Naruto Ukumaki is not some freaking wimp. I'm just as strong as that Teme. So why do they all act like I'm.."

An image suddenly popped into his mind- of Sasuke pinning him against the door, of being pushed down on the couch, Sasuke leaning over him, his hands moving up his sides..

He blushed and vigorously shook his head. Ok, so he takes charge of.. that stuff. So what! It's not like they see any of that! So why does everyone automatically assume that I'm the submissive one!?

He sighed. "I didn't choose to be Belle.." he mumbled. "Sasuke's the prettier one- he could have been the girl.."

"Naruto?"

He looked up and saw Sasuke moving towards him. Naruto immediately turned and starting walking away.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone" he called over his shoulder.

"I thought-"

"Well, don't."

Sasuke sighed. "Can I at least buy you some ramen?"

Naruto paused mid-step. He glanced back. "Ichiraku ramen..?"

Sasuke looked at him pointedly. "Is there any other place to get ramen?"

Naruto turned and walked back up to Sasuke. "Fine. But I'm going to get three bowls."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Only three?"

"Ok, five!"

The Uchiha shook his head, a small smile lifting his face. "Whatever you say.. dobe."

D~,'~~~

Sasuke watched in horror and awe as Naruto slurped down another heaping pile of noodles. Kakashi-sensei was right though, ramen definitely worked magic on this guy. For one, he was actually sitting next to Sasuke again, a feat he expected to take a lot longer to accomplish. And two- he had already seen him smile. Twice.

Granted, his smiles had absolutely nothing to do with Sasuke, but hey- it was a start.

Sasuke dropped his chin on his hand, studying the blonde with morbid fascination. "It's just as disturbing as I remember.."

Naruto peered up from his bowl. "Whaehh?" he asked around a mouthful of ramen.

"Watching you eat."

Naruto swallowed thickly. "Whatever, Sasuke. I'm not here to impress you."

Sasuke plucked a noodle off the blonde's shoulder and dropped it into one of the many empty bowls. "Clearly."

Naruto rolled his eyes as he pulled over another helping.

"I do like seeing you like this though."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Stuffing my face with ramen?"

"Happy." Sasuke smiled. "I like seeing you happy."

Naruto blushed and quickly dropped his head to hide it. "Thanks.." he mumbled. "for the ramen, I mean.."

Sasuke reached over and brushed back thick blonde locks to get a good look at his favorite person's beautifully flushed face. "Cute."

Naruto swatted his hand away. "Shut up, Teme.."

"Naruto.." Sasuke said softly, "what's bothering you?"

"The hand on my head while I'm trying to fucking eat."

"You know that's not what I mean."

Naruto sighed, swirling what was now mostly broth with his chopsticks. He stared down into the bowl's murky contents, brows furrowed.

"I just.." he paused, trying to organize his thoughts.

He wasn't good with this. With talking about stuff like this. And he still wasn't used to being so open about everything with Sasuke.

He tried again. "I just.. don't understand" he said quietly. "Why does everything have to change?"

Sasuke dropped his hand. "Do you.. not want to be with me then?"

Naruto's head shot up. "That's not what I mean! I like being with you..", he blushed, "but why does that mean everyone has to treat me differently?!"

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"I'm still me, dammit!" Naruto slammed his chopsticks down on the table.

"I know that, dobe."

Naruto shook his head. "It's like everyone else doesn't though. Like they all forgot that I'm a shinobi, that one day I'll be Hokage, that I'm.. that I'm a fucking man! Now it's like they all think I'm just another freaking Sasuke-fangirl and it pisses me off!"

"Why do you care what they think?"

Naruto froze. "I-"

"Konoha is filled with assholes, Naruto. You know that better than anyone."

The blonde looked away, thinking about the villagers and their blatant hatred towards him.

Sasuke reached out and gently lifted his chin. "I know who you are" he whispered. "The real you. The shinobi, the comrade, the baka-"

Naruto glared at him.

"- it's the one I fell in love with."

Naruto's mouth dropped open. "You.. what?"

Sasuke brushed a lock of golden hair behind his ear, and gave a small smile. "I love you."

Naruto floundered for a moment, mouth opening and closing, not knowing what to say.

"I don't want you to feel like anyone but yourself. So, if you need to keep your distance, if you need to ditch the mission- I understand. But that won't change how I feel."

"Sasuke.." he breathed.

"You don't have to respond yet", Sasuke said, releasing the blonde's chin and sitting back. "Tomorrow is opening night. If you want to finish this thing, if you're still willing to.. to be my Belle,"

Naruto blushed.

"-then I'll see you tomorrow." He rose to his feet and dropped some money on the counter. "But if I don't.. I'll understand."

Sasuke started to turn away, then stopped. Heavy obsidian eyes locked onto wide cerulean ones.

"Naruto," he said- his voice low and husky, "even if you're not my Belle, you'll still be my dobe. The rest is up to you."

D~,'~~~

Author Note:

Moral of the Story: Ramen solves all problems.

Alright, now that everyone is aware of that important tidbit- back to the story!~