Sasuke watched as Naruto sank beneath the surface of the water. Sasuke was still kneeling on the surface, panting, a few stray tears still on his face. I guess I should just go, if I'm not going to kill him there is no point in me staying here. Sasuke thought to himself. What is it about Naruto that gives him the ability to change my mind? It seems that no matter how hard I try I can't keep him out of my life. Sasuke stood, he watched Naruto sink a few moments longer and then began to walk away.

xxx

In that moment he knew. He knew that it was love, no question. Why had it taken him so long, why hadn't he realized it sooner. He was such a fool. The light slowly disappeared as he sank deeper into the water and away from his soul as the love of his life walked away. When he had opened his eyes and saw Sasuke kneeling there, his tears dripping onto him, he realized it. The reason he had been chasing him, trying to get him back all this time. He loved him. He loved him with all his heart. He didn't want to live another day, another second without Sasuke in his life. Sasuke meant more to him than anything else in his life, he cared about him more than anyone else. He couldn't lose him again. Naruto felt the lakebed connect with his back; he got his feet under him and pushed off. Once he broke through the surface he took in a big breath of air and used his good arm to pull himself up and back onto the surface of the water. What had started out as a dark churning sky had turned into a downpour. The sky had finally decided to let loose its fury. So similar to that day, but this time it would be different. Once he had caught his breath and regained his footing, he took off running towards Sasuke. As soon as he was within reach Naruto grabbed his wrist.

"Sasuke! Wait!" Sasuke paused for a moment glancing over his shoulder. He yanked his arm away.

"Sasuke!" Naruto grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to turn around. "Look at me!"

"What, Naruto?" Sasuke snapped staring at him coldly. It drove another spike of pain into Naruto's already aching heart.

"You can't leave, not again, please! You're breaking my heart!" Tears started to fill Naruto's eyes and stream down his face along with the rain. He was a soaking bloody mess. Sasuke ignored his pleas, he turned away and began to walk away again.

"Sasuke, I realized something when you didn't kill me; I realized life without you isn't worth living!" Sasuke didn't turn around as Naruto bared his soul.

"Sasuke! I love you…" He closed his eyes tightly, clenched his fists, and yelled it with all his heart. "I LOVE YOU! YOU STUPID BASTARD!"

Sasuke froze. Did he really just say? He turned toward Naruto. His heart was pounding, and his palms had grown sweaty. Despite the downpour of freezing rain, he felt hot. He didn't know how to react. Had Naruto just said that to try to shock him and get him to stop? If so, it had worked…but the look on Naruto's face…it looked genuine…maybe he had heard him wrong. That must be it.

"What did you just say?"

"Here I am professing my love for you and you're not even listening. I guess you're really going to make me say it again, aren't you?" In the blink of an eye Naruto was in front of Sasuke, his shirt gripped tightly in his hand.

"Don't miss it this time." Naruto leaned in close to Sasuke's face, his cheeks filling with color when Naruto got close.

"I love you Sasuke…" His voice softened along with his grip on Sasuke's shirt. "With all my heart and I will not lose you again." Naruto was so close Sasuke could feel his breath against his face as he spoke. He was overwhelmed by the confession that Naruto had just made.

Naruto couldn't help but smirk. For once Sasuke was the one with an idiotic look on his face. He actually looked pretty cute with his mouth hanging open and his eyes all bugged out. Now that he had figured out his true feelings everything made sense. All of the tension that had always been between him and Sasuke…I guess all this time Sasuke was right; maybe I am an idiot. Naruto chuckled to himself.

"If you leave your mouth open like that you might drowned." Sasuke abruptly closed his mouth, his already red face turning a darker shade even still. Naruto smiled at him; the realist smile he had ever given anyone. He put every ounce of love into that smile for Sasuke to see. He ran the hand that had been holding onto Sasuke's shirt through his sopping wet hair, and down his jawline. He gently cupped Sasuke's face in his hand.

"Wha…what are you?" Before Sasuke could voice any objections, Naruto interrupted him.

"Just kiss me you idiot." With that Naruto pulled Sasuke toward him, not giving him any further opportunity to protest. He closed his eyes as their lips met. Sasuke's mouth was warm, especially in contrast to the frigid rain that had soaked them both to the bone. Kissing Sasuke was bliss. Naruto pulled him closer to himself. His lips were soft; it was like floating through the clouds.

xxx

Before Sasuke could protest Naruto had pulled him close and kissed him. Every muscle in his body had tensed when Naruto's lips met his. His kiss was warm and soft…inviting…at first he had been shocked, horrified even, he had stood unmoving just staring at Naruto kissing him, he was about to punch him but then Naruto had pulled him even closer and he couldn't help but relax into the embrace. His eyes had slowly begun to slide closed and before he knew it, he was kissing him back.

xxx

Naruto didn't think anything could be better than the feel of Sasuke's mouth against his until Sasuke had relaxed into him and he felt him kiss back. When he felt Sasuke press into the kiss it had been more than he could handle, he let out a small moan. He had never felt such happiness in his whole life as he did in this moment. Sasuke had grabbed either side of Naruto's face, one hand ending up intertwined in Naruto's sopping wet tangled mess of blond hair. Sasuke and Naruto were plastered together; Naruto pulled Sasuke's lower lip through his teeth breaking their lip lock for a moment. They looked deeply into each other's eyes, both panting slightly. Naruto started to speak but then he saw that Sasuke had a smirk on his face, before he had a chance to wonder why, Sasuke had pulled him into another kiss, but this one was different. Sasuke gently slid his tongue into Naruto's mouth, hugging him tightly as he did so. Naruto grabbed Sasuke urgently and let out a moan before passionately returning the favor. The intensity with which Naruto kissed Sasuke back sent a shiver through Sasuke's body, he squeezed Naruto tightly. Naruto let out whimper, but it didn't sound like pleasure. Sasuke pulled away.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, it's just my arm, ya know?" Naruto smiled awkwardly. "I kind of forgot about it until just now when you squeezed me like that. When you kissed me back all of my senses just went crazy, ya know?" He let out a nervous laugh. Blood mixed with water covered Naruto's clothes. Sasuke looked him over.

"You're a mess, and we should really get out of this rain. Let's get going then; there's a hideout back by where you slept last night." He turned around and bent over.

"Uh, Sasuke…what are you doing?" He looked over his shoulder and Naruto.

"What does it look like I'm doing? You can't travel in your condition; you've already lost too much blood…idiot. Now get on before I change my mind." Naruto climbed up onto Sasuke's back. "Dammit Naruto, what do you eat?"

"HEY, you volunteered for this so quit your complaining!" Naruto pouted as Sasuke made his way across the lake.

"Calm down Naruto, I was just kidding."

Between carrying Naruto, and the rain it took longer than expected to make it back to the cave at the top of the mountain. Once inside the cave, Sasuke laid Naruto down on his bed and collapsed on the floor next to it. He leaned up against the bed frame. He let out a sigh.

"That was a lot more work than I anticipated. I'm exhausted." Sasuke laid his head back against the bed. "Well, this day definitely did not go as planned." He smirked as he rubbed his neck. His heartbeat faster when he thought back to the events from earlier. He was still in shock, but thinking about kissing Naruto made his heart race, he could still feel his kiss on his lips. He let his fingertips come to rest on his mouth and smiled at the memory. God, he was so confused now. He had just kissed, I repeat, kissed, Naruto Uzumaki. He shook his head and sighed. He would figure it out when he was less tired. Things had just changed, but he was pretty sure he liked it.