The following scenes take place immediately after the events of Chapter 31/32 of Through Your Door.

In which the boys adjust to their new lives.

O-O-O-O-O

Naruto walked down the stairs leading out of the Academy. He clutched one hand into a fist over his chest, trying to quell the disappointment building inside. With a sigh, he walked in the direction of the hospital, lost in thought.

He had gone to his apartment the night before for a shower and a change of clothes. Clean, he had snuck back into the hospital, staying at Sasuke's side for the rest of the night. The next day, Sasuke had shaken him awake and forced him to go to the Academy, making Naruto promise to pass the exam.

Despite Sasuke's encouragement, however, Naruto hadn't been able to answer a single question. I'm a stupid idiot.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he continued on his way, keeping his eyes trained on the ground in front of him. Before he knew it, he was standing at the entrance of the hospital. He hesitated for a second, wondering if he should sneak inside through his normal route, before remembering he had nothing to lose.

"Good afternoon, how may I-" The receptionist greeted him before stopping herself short. She scowled as Naruto walked to the front desk, keeping his face carefully controlled.

"What do you want?" she asked, her tone impatient and angry.

"I wanna see Sasuke," Naruto said. "I promised I'd stay with him tonight, ya know."

Her scowl deepened but she said nothing else. Naruto guessed she already knew about his habit of sneaking in from the nurse that brought in their meals. With a reluctant nod, she pulled out a clipboard and a pen.

Obediently, Naruto filled in the relevant information and handed the document back with a muttered thanks. She said nothing in return and he could feel her glare focused on his back as he walked away.

A few minutes later, Naruto stood in front of the door leading to Sasuke's hospital room. He took in a deep breath and forced a smile on his face before sliding the door open.

"Hn. So you're finally back, loser." Sasuke was sitting up in bed, cradling an open book between his hands. Despite the harsh tone, Naruto could hear a hint of relief in his voice.

"Nice to see you too, jerk," Naruto mumbled. He dropped off his bag and kicked off his shoes near the entrance before walking toward the bed.

Sasuke shifted to give him more space as Naruto joined his side. Naruto stared at him curiously. Sasuke's face was paler than usual, but he stared at Naruto with a small frown and a raised eyebrow.

"What are you reading?" Naruto asked as he peered over Sasuke's shoulder. "Where'd you get a book, anyway?"

"This?" Sasuke held up the book, showing off the cover, revealing unfamiliar kanji. "It's about genjutsu. I asked the nurse for something to read when she came by with lunch. It's something to pass the time with"

"Genjutsu?" Naruto couldn't remember Sasuke ever expressing much interest in that before. He knew genjutsu was a tradition in the Uchiha clan, but Sasuke hadn't seemed particularly interested in it.

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah. I... want to learn more about it. That..." He swallowed and looked away, his calm facade cracking. "Someone showed me a very strong genjutsu." He turned his attention back to the book in his hands.

"Oh. Okay."

With a grunt, Naruto lied down on his side, his back turned toward Sasuke, and looked out the window. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sasuke lifting the book back up to read. Naruto said nothing else; if Sasuke wanted to read his book, he wasn't going to stop him. They sat together in silence, unsure of what they could say to each other.

"How'd you do on the exam anyway, loser?" Sasuke broke the silence first.

Naruto turned his head to look back. While Sasuke's eyes were fixed on the book in front of him, they were still, obviously reading nothing. He shrugged. "It was fine, I guess," he lied. "What did you do without me?"

At the question, Sasuke's face obtained a slight pink tint, but he continued pretending to read the book. "Nothing. I watched some TV after you left." He pointed to the television at the corner of the room, which they had ignored the past few days. "Then I just read."

"Oh, okay."

"Hn."

The room grew quiet as the two boys avoided each other's eyes.

"The Hokage came earlier today," Sasuke said after a few minutes of awkward silence.

Naruto sat up, spinning his head around in surprise. "Wait, really?"

Sasuke nodded. "I was more polite this time if that's what you wanted to know." He pouted at Naruto before closing his book and placing it on the bedside table.

"What did he say?" Naruto asked curiously. It was rare for him to see the Hokage except for the times he dropped off Naruto's allowance.

"He told me about where I'll be living," Sasuke answered, meeting Naruto's eyes. "He said tonight will be my last night here. He'll take me to my new apartment tomorrow."

"Oh, that's good, isn't it?" Naruto pasted a smile on his face.

Sasuke nodded his assent before turning his head away to stare at the wall, brow furrowed. Naruto felt his pulse quicken as he waited for the rest of Sasuke's revelations.

"Is that the only thing?" Naruto prodded when Sasuke remained quiet, leaning closer to him.

"And..." Sasuke swallowed. He glanced back at Naruto before turning his attention back to the wall. "He told me about getting the ashes."

"Ashes? What do ashes have to do with anything?" Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest in confusion. "Was there a fire or something?"

Sasuke grasped his blanket in shaking fists as his eyes glazed over.

"When a member of the Uchiha clan dies, we are cremated," he explained, voice quivering.

Naruto's frown deepened, still confused. "Huh? Cremated? What does that mean?"

Sasuke took a deep inhale, still keeping his gaze trained away from Naruto. "Cremation means our bodies are burned until only ashes remain." He paused to swallow as Naruto finally connected the dots.

"Y-you mean..." Naruto felt a shiver run down his back. He wanted to slap himself. He should have guessed what Sasuke was talking about from the beginning.

Sasuke only nodded in confirmation, looking relieved that Naruto had finally caught on. "And then we're interred in the Uchiha cemetery," he continued his explanation. "The Hokage... he told me he will take care of everything for me. I won't have to worry about any preparations."

"I-I see," Naruto said, unsure how else to respond.

He noticed Sasuke's eyes starting to shine, but neither of them said anything. They fell back into silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"The Hokage said I can visit the Uchiha compound starting next month," Sasuke continued. "He said he didn't want me to go there now. Not until they finish the cleanup."

"Oh." Naruto shifted uncomfortably. "I can go with you," he offered. "When it's time, ya know?"

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Thank you, Naruto," he muttered, turning back to him. His eyes were wet, but no tears fell.

"Y-you're welcome!" Naruto forced himself to grin at Sasuke, trying to provide some comfort. It seemed to be only somewhat successful because Sasuke gave him a wan smile in return.

With that, they turned away from each other, slightly embarrassed and with nothing else to say.

"Oh! Uh... you wanna watch some TV?" Naruto asked, pointing to the television they had been ignoring the entire time.

Sasuke shrugged and handed over the remote. "Sure."

Naruto pushed the power button and the television turned on. In silence, the two boys got lost in the moving images, saying nothing else until it was time for dinner.

O-O-O-O-O

On the first day of summer vacation, Naruto and Sasuke woke up next to each other as had become usual.

They ate breakfast side by side, watching some strange steel samurai show as they ate. While both found it ridiculous, they were unable to tear their eyes away once it started. When it ended, they talked about whatever came to mind, avoiding the obvious topics of conversation.

They were in the middle of a discussion about kenjutsu when they heard a knock on the door. Surprised, Naruto turned to look at the clock, but they had eaten breakfast only a few hours earlier.

At his side, Sasuke frowned. "Come in," he called out.

The door slid open to reveal the Third Hokage. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun," he said as he stepped inside. He paused, raising an eyebrow when he saw Naruto sitting next to Sasuke. "And hello to you too, Naruto-kun."

"Hi, Gramps!" Naruto greeted, forcing a grin on his face. He felt beads of sweat roll down his back in fear. Please please please don't ask me about the exams.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted before crossing his arms in front of his chest. He met the Hokage's eyes in challenge. "Morning."

The old man only sighed at their contrasting reactions before walking toward them.

To Naruto's relief, he didn't look angry about seeing him in Sasuke's hospital room. If anything, the old man seemed relieved about something. Naruto felt a tiny amount of tension leaving his shoulders.

"We have finished setting up the apartment where you will be living, Sasuke-kun," the old man said.

"I see." Sasuke clutched his blanket in his fists. "Are we leaving now, then?"

The Hokage grunted his assent. "Yes. We have moved everything from your bedroom to your new place. You can arrange it however you want."

Sasuke nodded. "Thank you." He left the bed to stand in front of the Hokage. Naruto followed his lead and the two boys stood side by side, looking up at the old man.

The Hokage stared down at them with a curious frown. He rubbed his chin before turning around and walking out with a grunt. Naruto and Sasuke followed behind him, collecting their meager belongings at the door. Without a backward glance, the Hokage slid the door open once more. The two boys followed close behind him, saying nothing else.

Naruto turned to look at Sasuke as they walked down the hallway. The other boy was clenching his jaw, shoulders tense. His hands were clenched into fists and shoved inside his pockets. He was staring blankly at the Hokage's back, following him in mute shock and grief.

Naruto bit his lip. Before he had a chance to reconsider, he shoved his elbow into Sasuke's side. Sasuke startled at the physical contact, turning toward Naruto with a scowl.

"It's gonna be okay, Sasuke," Naruto said, a sad smile on his lips. "I'm here for you, ya know."

Sasuke took in a sharp breath. He shook his head, the tension easing from his body as he exhaled. "Thank you, Naruto," he muttered.

Relieved, Naruto turned his attention back to the old man walking at the front. He appeared to have been looking at their short exchange from the corner of his eye. Whatever he saw, he seemed satisfied for some reason. Naruto frowned to himself but said nothing as he and Sasuke followed the old man out.

"Goodbye, Hokage-sama!" the nurse from the reception said with a bow of her head. "Thank you very much for your visit."

The Hokage grunted in response, a kind smile on his face. "Thank you for taking care of Sasuke-kun," he said before turning his attention back to the boys. "Follow me, boys."

With that, the three of them walked out of the hospital. Turning right, the Hokage led them down a series of streets, the two boys following after him in silence.

As they walked, Naruto kept his gaze focused on Sasuke from the corner of his eye. While at first Sasuke appeared calm, Naruto could see the tension building. His jaw was clenched tight once more and his eyebrows were contracted into a frown. He stared at the Hokage's back but his eyes were glazed over.

Grimacing, Naruto took a step closer until his shoulder brushed against Sasuke's. To his relief, Sasuke didn't move away. Now certain he wouldn't pull back, Naruto grabbed onto Sasuke's hand and held tight. Sasuke squeezed back, staying close to Naruto, still silent.

Holding hands as they walked, the Hokage led them to a neighborhood near the Academy. He walked down a small side street and led them up the stairs of an apartment building. Finally, he took out a key and unlocked a door, taking his shoes off before stepping inside.

"This is your new apartment, Sasuke-kun," the Hokage explained as he waited for Naruto and Sasuke to enter.

Naruto looked around the main room. It was spacious for a single person, composed of a large kitchen and a living area. From the doorway, there was a hallway leading from the kitchen toward the rest of the apartment. The furniture, while sparse, looked completely brand new. Overall, it was a nice place to live.

Still, it was impossible to ignore the reason why they were standing there. The loss of the Uchiha clan felt more real standing in a mediocre replacement for Sasuke's house.

"So this is the place?" Sasuke muttered from Naruto's side as he entered. He glanced around the room in one quick sweep before focusing on staring at his toes, eyes glazed over.

The Hokage grunted in assent. "Yes," he answered in a soothing tone. "I had all of your personal belongings transferred over. They are in boxes over in the bedroom. Feel free to arrange them however you see fit."

Sasuke nodded at that, eyes still staring at nothing. "Thank you," he said without looking up.

"Th-thank you, Gramps," Naruto said, forcing himself to look up at the old man with a grin. He felt tears beginning to build behind his eyes but he pushed them back.

The Hokage paused, seeming to mull over something he wanted to say. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke again. "Please don't be afraid to let me know if you need anything, Sasuke-kun," he began, voice gentle. "Someone from my office will be visiting every month to check up on you and to give you your allowance."

Sasuke nodded at that, his eyes still trained on the floor.

"Same goes for you, Naruto-kun," the old man continued, turning his attention back to Naruto. "Don't be afraid to tell me if there is a problem. I'm here to help."

"Oh, thank you, Gramps," Naruto muttered, forcing the grin to stay on his face. He hoped the Hokage would leave soon. Maintaining his smile was starting to hurt.

The Hokage hummed to himself, a frown on his face, before continuing. "Is there anything you boys need right now?" he asked.

Naruto and Sasuke shook their heads at the same time.

"Well, if you are sure..." The old man sighed to himself before rummaging inside the pockets of his long robes. After a few seconds, he pulled out an envelope and a set of keys. "Here is your allowance for the month," he said as he handed the envelope over. Sasuke took it without a word, letting go of Naruto's hand. "And here are the keys." He dropped them inside Sasuke's free hand. "I will come tomorrow to make sure everything is fine, Sasuke-kun."

At that, Sasuke reacted for the first time, his forehead creasing into a frown. "You don't have to," he stated, glancing up at the Hokage for the first time since they left the hospital.

"It will be a quick visit."

Sasuke's frown deepened. "Fine."

"Are you sure there's-"

Sasuke shook his head with a grunt, more insistent. "No. I'm fine."

Naruto bit his lip. He could tell Sasuke was more upset than he was letting on. He looked up at the old man, wishing he could tell him to leave. Can't you see Sasuke doesn't want you around right now, Gramps?

To his relief, the Hokage seemed to realize that because he put his shoes back on and stepped outside with a sigh. "Please come to my office if there's anything you need, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke nodded in response. With that, the Hokage closed the door, leaving Naruto and Sasuke alone together. Silence followed his departure, with the only noise coming from the streets outside.

Sasuke took a step inside, placing his keys and allowance atop the low table. He sat down on the sofa and stared down at his knees, eyes glazed over, saying nothing.

Naruto bit his lip. Sasuke was not supposed to look sad. Sasuke was supposed to be strong. Sasuke was supposed to be serious. Sasuke was supposed to get annoyed with Naruto and call him a loser. But Naruto couldn't ask for things to go back to normal. Nothing was ever going to be the same after Itachi-

Naruto shook his head. To have something to do, he walked inside, standing in the middle in order to inspect the main room. The kitchen was fully stocked with brand-new appliances. There was a large window with a view of the village, blinds pulled up to let in the light. Closer to the entrance was a sofa, a low table, and an empty bookcase.

"I think your apartment is bigger than mine, ya know!" Naruto said, trying to inject cheeriness into his tone. He suspected it was only partially successful. "Your kitchen is definitely-"

Before he had a chance to say anything else, he was stopped short by the sound of Sasuke sniffling. With horror, he realized the other boy had started crying, tears dripping down his face and onto his lap. Sobbing, Sasuke tried to rub the tears away but was unsuccessful.

Naruto ran to his side, unsure of what to do. Should I hug him or something? Or would he just push me away? Tentative, he placed the palm of his hand on Sasuke's shoulder in silent comfort.

"It's real, isn't it?" Sasuke choked out. "They're... really not here anymore, are they?" Crying harder, Sasuke bent forward, placing his forehead on top of his knees.

Naruto's stomach contracted at the reminder. Not knowing what else to do, he wrapped his arms around Sasuke's shoulders and began to cry along with him.

O-O-O-O-O

Sasuke wasn't sure how long he and Naruto stayed bawling on the sofa. Eventually, however, they ran out of tears to cry. They washed their faces in the sink before exploring the rest of the apartment together.

It was bigger than he had expected. Too big. The kitchen was huge and the table at the center could seat a family of six. The refrigerator was more adequate for a family than for a person living alone. In the living room, there was a full-size sofa, a kotatsu, and an empty bookshelf. In the hallway leading into the bedroom, the linen closet had enough space for a few futon beds. The bedroom was the same: bigger than necessary, a full-size bed against the wall and a balcony that looked out into the city.

As the Hokage had promised, someone had collected Sasuke's possessions from his bedroom back at the Uchiha District. To force himself to get started, Sasuke had opened the first box to find his clothes.

With that, Naruto and Sasuke had started the tedious task of unpacking. It was a tiring chore, but it was distracting, which was all that Sasuke needed. After hours of work, it was growing dark, the boxes were empty, and Sasuke could barely move. However, even after putting everything away, his new home was still too empty and too quiet.

Exhausted, he collapsed on top of his new bed and stared up at the ceiling. He was unsurprised that Naruto joined him soon after, falling next to him with a huff.

Together, they stared up at the ceiling until the sun finished setting and they were left in darkness. With the curtains closed, he could see next to nothing, but standing up to turn on the lights sounded like a chore. If Sasuke's stomach hadn't growled in hunger, they might have done nothing else for the rest of the night

"Oh, are you hungry, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, turning his head to look at him.

Sasuke nodded, almost reluctantly. "Yeah. We haven't eaten since breakfast. I don't know what time it is now."

Naruto sat up. He squinted to look at the wall clock. "Oh, it's a little past nine."

"Nine? Really?" Sasuke sat up to join Naruto's side. He tried to read the clock but Naruto's vision must have been better. His stomach growled in protest again and he was sure he heard Naruto's chime in as well.

"There's nothing to eat here, is there?" Naruto muttered. Sasuke could see his silhouette turning to look at him.

Sasuke shook his head. "No. We could buy something at a convenience store."

Naruto hummed in thought before nodding. He stood up, stretching his arms over his head. Sasuke followed his lead. Together, they walked back to the living area.

Unlike Sasuke's bedroom, the large open window ensured the room was lit with the light from outside. He could make out the keys plus the envelope with his allowance sitting on the table. He took the keys and an assortment of bills, shoving both into his pockets. From the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto rummaging through his backpack for his own funds.

Without any other words exchanged, they walked outside, Sasuke locking the door behind him. He made sure to check the number before leaving, not wanting to forget where he was now meant to live. To his surprise, the Uchiha name was already engraved at the front. I guess the Hokage really did prepare everything.

Silent, they went down the stairs, searching for a nearby convenience store. To Sasuke's relief, they found one near his apartment building. They began to walk toward it when Naruto paused, seeming to come to some realization.

"Wait, Sasuke!" he turned toward him, eyes wide and an excited glint in his eyes. "I think Ichiraku Ramen is still open! We should go eat there! It's my favorite place, ya know!"

Sasuke's heart began to beat faster upon seeing the genuine excitement on Naruto's face. He hadn't seen that expression since... He swallowed. "Ichiraku Ramen?"

"It's not far from here," Naruto explained, already turning to go the opposite way. "And it'll be fast. I don't think there's a lot of people there right now."

Sasuke shrugged and frowned to himself before following along. He remembered Naruto talking about the restaurant a few times but they had never gone there before. If he says he likes it...

A few minutes later, Naruto had the two of them walking into a small ramen stand. It was empty except for a man standing behind the counter and an older girl sweeping the floor. Based on the time of day, Sasuke guessed it was almost time for them to close the shop.

"Teuchi-san! Ayame nee-chan! Nice to see you!" Naruto shouted as he walked inside.

"Oh! Naruto-kun!" The girl stopped her task to smile at Naruto, wide and sincere. "Dad and I were just starting to close shop. Are you here for dinner or to chat?"

"Hello, Naruto-kun." Before Naruto could answer, the man behind the counter interrupted. "Time for a late dinner?"

Naruto nodded, a polite smile on his face. "Yeah! It's kinda late, right?"

Unlike the nurses at the hospital, the man and the girl seemed genuinely happy to interact with Naruto. Sasuke would eat at the man's shop for their attitude if nothing else.

"Oh, yeah, Teuchi-san, this is my friend, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted as he sat down on a stool in front of the counter. At the introduction, the chef and the girl turned to Sasuke, staring at him in curiosity.

Sasuke blinked in surprise and he forced himself not to shuffle in place. Did Naruto just... call me his friend? Hadn't we always called each other rivals?

For a second, he considered denying Naruto's claim. Except... he couldn't deny his friendship, not after everything that had happened. Instead, he nodded as the man turned to him.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha," he said. "Nice to meet you."

The man smiled at him kindly. "It's nice to meet you too, Sasuke-kun. I'm honored to meet one of Naruto-kun's friends."

Sasuke felt blood rush to his face, happy yet slightly embarrassed. "Hn," he grunted before sitting down at Naruto's side, looking at him from the corner of his eye. So Naruto thinks of me as his friend? The thought sent a wave of warmth and happiness coursing through his body.

"And this is Teuchi-san. His ramen is really good, ya know!" Naruto continued, ignoring Sasuke's silence. "And that's Ayame nee-chan. She helps Teuchi-san!"

"Hello, Sasuke-kun!" The girl giggled. "I'm surprised it took so long for Naruto to bring you here. He talks about you all the time!"

"No, I don't!" Naruto's face grew red in embarrassment and annoyance.

Ayame rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to Sasuke. "Anyway, it's very nice to meet you, Sasuke-kun!" She gave him an award-winning grin before getting back to sweeping the floor.

"N-nice to meet you, too," Sasuke stuttered, unsure how else to react. After days surrounded by pitying looks, being treated as any other customer made his stomach turn over in discomfort. He tried to glare at the menu in an attempt to hide the conflicting emotions from showing on his face. It must not have been too successful because the chef gave him a confused and concerned look.

"So what would you two boys like to eat?" the chef asked as he began preparing something behind the counter. "We've already run out of some ingredients for today so I can't offer as much variety as usual. I recommend the miso ramen with chashu pork."

"Sure! One miso ramen for me!" Naruto shouted, a sincere if small smile on his face.

"Same here," Sasuke muttered.

"Of course!" The ramen chef grinned. "Coming right up!"

As they waited for dinner to be served, the two of them stared at the counter. Sasuke remembered Naruto talking about Ichiraku ramen a few times before. He had promised to take his mother there one day too. I guess that'll never happen now.

Sasuke bit his lip to keep himself from crying as the familiar pain in his chest tightened. At his side, Naruto seemed to have remembered the promise as well. The other boy grew somber, putting his chin down on the counter.

Sasuke wanted to say something, but he doubted either of them could be cheered up. Instead, they sat in silence, waiting for their food to arrive. It was with relief that the chef placed two large bowls of ramen in front of them.

"Here you go, boys!" he said with a kind smile. "Now, if you would like more, tell me sooner rather than later! I'm going to start cleaning up."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you, Teuchi-san! Yeah! I want one more bowl, please!"

"And how about you, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I think one is fine," he mumbled.

"Well, if you change your mind, don't be afraid to order another. I still have enough ingredients for more."

Sasuke nodded in acknowledgment but said nothing as they turned their attention back to their food. Together, they muttered their thanks before getting started.

From the first bite, Sasuke could understand why Naruto liked the ramen from Ichiraku so much. The noodles were cooked to perfection and the broth was rich after simmering for hours. It was not overly salty, the vegetables were fresh, and the meat was tender. After days of mediocre hospital food, the ramen in front of him was the best thing Sasuke had eaten in a long while.

Suddenly starving, he shoveled the food into his mouth, slurping the noodles greedily. He was unsurprised to find himself eating almost as fast as Naruto.

"See! I told you it was good!" Naruto mumbled through a full mouth before swallowing and drinking the rest of his broth.

Mouth full of food, Sasuke could only nod in agreement.

"Can I have another bowl, please, Teuchi-san?" Naruto pushed his newly-empty bowl to the side and grinned up at the chef. He turned toward Sasuke next. "Do you want another one too, Sasuke?"

Still eating, Sasuke nodded with excitement. While he had never been fond of ramen before, he could now understand why Naruto liked the dish so much.

I just wish Mom and Dad were here to try it. The thought of his parents put a halt to his momentary happiness. He looked down at the bowl, empty except for a few noodles and a tiny amount of broth. In an instant, his appetite had left him and he pushed the bowl away. He swallowed.

"Teuchi-san! Sasuke says-"

"Actually," Sasuke interrupted before Naruto could order him a second bowl. "I think I'm fine with just one."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto frowning, concerned. "Are you okay, Sasuke?"

Sasuke nodded automatically, but he knew Naruto didn't believe him. He was starting to feel overwhelmed and there was nothing he could do. He stood up and started to walk away.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Before Sasuke had taken more than half a step, he was pulled back by Naruto grabbing him by the wrist.

"Home," he said, unsure if he was referring to the Uchiha quarters or to the new apartment the Hokage had given him.

Naruto grimaced, still not letting go of his arm. "I'll go with you," he promised. "Let me finish this bowl first though, ya know."

Sasuke hesitated, feeling sweat pouring down his back as the sound of his heartbeat threatened to overwhelm him. Naruto seemed to sense his anxiety because he grimaced and tightened his grip on Sasuke's wrist. A few beats passed as Sasuke considered the situation he was in.

"Please, Sasuke," Naruto begged.

Sasuke took a sharp inhale and bit his lip. With a short nod, he returned to his seat next to Naruto.

Naruto let go of his wrist as he rested his chin in the palm of his hand, elbow on the counter. "So did you like the ramen?"

Sasuke nodded again. He wanted to say something, but his tongue refused to move. He looked down at his lap to see his shaking hands. Self-conscious, he clutched them into fists and forced himself to exhale slowly.

"If you like the miso ramen, you should try the shoyu flavor, too," Naruto continued, ignoring Sasuke's distress. "And in winter, sometimes Teuchi-san adds corn and butter to it, too! I think it's kinda weird, but it does taste good, ya know."

Sasuke grunted. Hearing Naruto rambling about ramen was more calming than he had expected. He relaxed his fists and forced himself to breathe out, slower than before. Relieved, Naruto continued rambling about ramen and the seemingly thousands of toppings. To no one's surprise, the narutomaki was his favorite.

Even after the second bowl arrived, Naruto continued his rambling, despite the food in his mouth. Sasuke didn't care; he didn't want to stop listening.

Finally, after what seemed like hours later, Naruto drank the last of the broth. He let out a sigh of satisfaction before turning and smiling at Sasuke. "I guess we should pay now. How much is that, Teuchi-san?"

The chef gave them a total. Naruto and Sasuke placed some of the money on the table and waited for Ayame to bring back their change. With their meal done, they thanked the man and girl for the food before walking away side by side.

They stopped by the convenience store before heading to the new apartment, empty, dark and lonely as it was. A few minutes later, Sasuke turned the lock and entered his new apartment. Home sweet home.

"I think your kitchen is larger than mine, jerk," Naruto grumbled as he began to put the groceries away.

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

Naruto frowned, giving him a concerned look. "I think your kitchen is bigger than mine." He walked back to where Sasuke was still standing at the door and pulled him by the hand. "Come on, help me put everything away."

Without protest, Sasuke followed his lead, putting away everything they had bought. When they finished, they stood next to each other, unsure, as always, about what to say.

Sasuke gathered the courage to speak first. He cleared his throat. "Hey, loser," he began.

"What is it, jerk?"

"Do you..." he swallowed. "Do you want to stay over?" He looked away, hands in his pockets, his face pink.

"Oh! Uh... sure!" Naruto muttered, also looking away with a blush. "I'll just... get stuff from my apartment first, ya know."

Sasuke shook his head, afraid of being alone even for a few minutes. "Just borrow my clothes. You can go there tomorrow."

Naruto gave him a long and scrutinizing look. Sasuke forced himself not to fidget as he waited for Naruto's answer.

"Sure," Naruto finally said. "If you don't mind."

"I don't."

"Good."

"Good."

"Well... uh..." Naruto shifted in place, a pink tint to his face. "I'll go get ready for bed then, ya know."

Sasuke nodded. "Sure."

He let out a sigh of relief as he watched Naruto walking away toward his bedroom to get ready for bed. A friend, huh?

O-O-O-O-O

A/N: These scenes were going to be in the main story of "Through Your Door" but I thought the pacing would be too slow even for me so I axed it.

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