Disclaimers: Naruto isn't mine. This is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, some forcefulness, angst, & delicious yaoi lemon.

Like Night and Day

~

Chapter 5

Sasuke watched the blonde's eyes flutter closed after a while, his breathing steady as he finally let himself fall asleep.

He still couldn't believe that Naruto let him kiss him.

And that he liked it..

The last time he kissed the blonde, he had been rough with him and Naruto had tried to make it clear the entire time that he didn't want it..

The raven swallowed down the guilt crawling up the back of his throat.

But this time it's different..

This time he kissed me back.

Naruto had still panicked when Sasuke got on top of him, but he didn't think it was from lack of interest.

I moved too fast.. especially after what I did to him before. So.. if I go slow, will he let me do it again?

Sasuke gazed at the blonde's sleeping face, and slowly reached out to trace his nose, his soft lips, his jawline. Sasuke couldn't help but smile as Naruto made a small irritated sound in his sleep, his lips pouty as his brows furrowed.

"Cute."

He scooted closer and let his arm drape across the blonde's waist. It felt so natural, like he's been doing it for years. Like this was how they always fell asleep.

Maybe it can be.. he thought, letting his hopeful thinking lull him into a calm and peaceful sleep.

~

"Ahem.."

Sasuke's eyes shot open and he stared up into the mostly covered face of a very amused jonin.

"Well, don't you two look comfortable."

Sasuke stared up at him with a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment. He opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto beat him to it.

"Mmmmnn.. five more minutes pervy sage.."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the blonde wrapped around his.. teammate. "Wrong sensei, Naruto."

"Hmm..?" Naruto slowly blinked open wide blues, feeling comfortable and confused. "Wha-?"

He stared at the chest he had been resting on, then his eyes drifted down to the pale arm snaked around his hip, and further down to the legs he was intertwined with.

He blinked once more for good measure, and then reality finally hit.

Naruto jolted up and threw himself to the other side of the tent. His face paled as he looked between the two- noting the flash of disappointment in Sasuke's eyes, and Kakashi's bemused expression.

"By all means, don't stop on my account."

Naruto's face reddened. "It's not- we didn't..! It's not what you think!" he finally spewed out.

He looked to Sasuke for help, but he clenched his jaw tight and remained silent.

"Sasuke!! Aren't you going to say something?!"

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes. "And what would you like me to say, Naruto?"

Kakashi held up a hand to cut off the blonde's frantic sputtering. "Don't worry, boys. I'll make sure to knock next time."

Then he slipped away, leaving a very flustered blonde alone with an increasingly irate raven.

"Just come out when you're done", he called over his shoulder, a grin spreading from behind his mask as Naruto's shrieks of denial pierced the morning air.

This is going to be a fun day.

~

Naruto avoided Sasuke like the plague after that. Whether it was because he had regrets about last night, or was just embarrassed that Kakashi saw an intimate moment between them, Sasuke didn't know. What he did know was that Naruto refused to have anything to do with him and he couldn't get him to say why. It was infuriating, but more than that- it was disheartening.

Just when I start making progress, and now we're back to where we started..

So, once more the group spent most of the day scouring the forest in tense silence. Sakura tried to break that silence multiple times, but only ever with Sasuke- and the daggers in his eyes shot down her attempts pretty quickly. Naruto wouldn't even look at him, and went out of his way to make sure they weren't anywhere near each other. And Sasuke was too pissed to clear the air with any of them.

Kakashi was the only one who seemed to be enjoying himself. And he eagerly stoked the fire to maintain it. If he couldn't lose himself in Icha Icha Paradise, this really was the next best thing.

Besides, Naruto just made it too easy.

The silver-haired jonin slid back over to the blonde for the umpteenth time that day, another innuendo locked and loaded.

"Hey Naruto" he said casually to the gullible blonde, "you know how Sasuke is always picking on you?"

Egged on by his sensei, Naruto glared over at the Uchiha. "Yeah, he can be a real bastard."

"So, would you say that he's always pretty easy on you or..."

"Are you kidding?!" Naruto shouted, jerking his head over to stare at his sensei. "Sasuke is always hard!"

Sasuke choked and whipped his head around to stare wide-eyed at the clueless blonde.

Kakashi nodded. "That's what I assumed."

"Pshh.. what would you know. He's only ever hard with me."

"Naruto!"

"Oh come on, Sakura. You know that's true! He's never been hard with you."

Kakashi barked a laugh, unable to hold it in. He dropped a hand on Naruto's head and jostled his messy golden locks. "Oh, Naruto- this team just wouldn't be the same without you."

Naruto shoved his hand away. "Whatever."

Sasuke glared at his sensei, as much for the contact with his blonde as for the crude comments he invoked from him.

Kakashi tilted his head. "Something wrong, Sasuke?" he asked, feigning innocence.

The raven gritted his teeth, then turned alway. He wasn't in the mood to play his games.

"We have a mission to do" he growled, "I would think you'd want him focusing on that instead."

Naruto's eyes burned. "If you have something to say, Sasuke, then just say it."

The Uchiha spun around. "Oh, I have plenty that I want to say to you." He took an angry step towards him, noting the flash of uncertainty in those blue eyes.

Naruto gritted his teeth as he swallowed back his fluttering nerves. "You really want to do this now?" He looked pointedly over at Kakashi and then at Sakura, before meeting his dark eyes again.

"Doesn't seem like I have much of a choice" Sasuke spat back, "since this is the only time you have fucking talked to me all day!"

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Let's take a short break.. hmm?" He turned to the confused pink-haired girl beside him. "Sakura, why don't you join me. I saw a spring a few paces away. We can refill our canteens there."

Sakura eyed her comrades for a moment, then finally agreed and followed her sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei? Is it wise to leave those two alone like that? What if things get.. out of hand..?"

The jonin smiled. "Oh, I'm sure Sasuke will be gentle."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, but Kakashi didn't comment further. He led the way out of the clearing, and Sakura followed.

Naruto watched the two disappear beyond the thicket, then turned back to face the fuming raven. He narrowed his eyes. "You don't need to be so goddamn hostile."

Sasuke clenched his jaw, eyes flashing. "Hostile.." he muttered, trying out the label.

"Hostile."

He shifted out of view, then suddenly reappeared directly in front of him. Naruto gasped as Sasuke shoved him back against a tree, moving in close to pin him in place.

"Sasuke! Wh-what the hell?!"

He grabbed Naruto's jaw and forced his head up, locking onto those wide blues. "Why are you avoiding me?"

Naruto tried to jerk his face away, but the grip on his chin tightened, keeping him still. He shoved against his chest to push him back, but it did nothing. Sasuke simply dropped a hand across Naruto's, pinning his palm to his chest.

"Sasuke, stop-"

"Naruto. Just talk to me!"

The blonde bit down on his tongue, refusing to speak. Sasuke growled at his silence. "So, what? You want to pretend like nothing happened? Is that it?"

"Ughh..! What are you talking about?" Naruto groaned, once more fighting to pull out of Sasuke's grasp.

And failing in his attempts.

Sasuke stared at him, enraged. "What am I- are you kidding me?!" He tightened his hold on Naruto's jaw, watching him wince at the discomfort, but too pissed to care. Without thinking, he moved in fast and slammed his lips against his in a fierce kiss.

Naruto stiffened, but the kiss didn't last long enough for the fear to set in.

Sasuke pulled back and met his eyes. "You wanted me to kiss you last night" he said, his voice heavy with barely contained lust and thinly veiled anger. "So why is it different today?"

Naruto looked away. "Let go."

"Not until you fucking talk to me."

"I said let go!!"

Sasuke grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him close. "Just tell me what you want, dammit!"

"I don't know!!" Naruto screamed.

Sasuke froze, watching as tears filled big cerulean eyes. "Naru-"

"I.. I don't know.." he murmured again, his voice heavy and defeated.

Sasuke released his hold on him, and took a step back. "Fine. Just don't shut me out while you figure it out.."

Then he turned and walked away, leaving behind an overwhelmed blonde,

.. and his curious spectator, hidden just out of sight.

"Hmmm.." Golden eyes gleamed from the dense shadows as a long reptilian tongue flicked out, practically tasting the tension in the air.

"How interesting."

Author Note:

To anyone still reading this:

I'm sorry if this story sucks so far. I promise it'll get better, or at least- I'm trying to make it better. I have a lot of ideas for it, and may have gotten a little caught up in the slow build. Don't worry- the angst is coming! ;)