-1Stay with me?

The rain fell, landing heavily on the muddy ground. Feet ran through the newly formed puddles. First one pair, then another, both running, one chasing. The heavens above roared in anger, like a hungry lion being forced to starve. The two running figures came to the woods, the one in lead taking this opportunity to jump high, trying to out run his pursuer. dashing from one tree to another, in a vain attempt to loose his stalker. Finally, the boy realised he could run no further.

Falling to his knees on the branch, he turned to the other. "Why?" he asked, clutching his heaving chest, trying to regain his breath. He stared down at the ground seemingly miles below, refusing to meet the gaze of the other.

"Because I care…" was the response to his question. The other had stopped chasing, and was also finding breathing a difficult task.

Finally, the prey looked up, his dark eyes searching the blue ones of his follower, looking for any hint of a lie. Finding none, he pushed his dark hair out of his face. "That's not the way to show it…"

Naruto shook his head sadly. "I didn't know how else to…" he jumped beside Sasuke, landing by him silently, much more quietly than he could've done before.

So much had changed in the two years Sasuke had been gone. Naruto had grown up, and Sasuke had returned, thinking he would find the old ramen lover he had once known, and loved.

"I didn't think it would hurt you so much…" the blonde ninja stated, briefly showing his confusion. "I couldn't… I couldn't not…"

Sasuke shook his head, sending stray drops of water everywhere. "I don't understand you. I tried to kill you… and yet… you give up…everything, just to come looking for me…" he openly stared into Naruto's eyes. "And when I get back… You give up the only thing you ever had… just to protect me…" he reached out a hand and gently stroked Naruto's bare forehead. Naruto closed his eyes. "You… you gave up on becoming Hokage… to stay with me when I abandoned the village…"

Naruto nodded. "And I'd do it again…"

"Why?"

"Because I love you." the words were spoken without hesitation, without the briefest thought that they could be wrong. Those words hadn't been uttered by Naruto to anyone else, and yet he was saying them to Sasuke. To his rival, and sometimes friend.

Sasuke's eyes widened before he smiled softly. "And that's why it hurts me so much…" he admitted. "That you'd give up everything, just for that… just for me."

Forcing back the tears that threatened to surface, Naruto opened his eyes. "I know you don't love me back… but I only ask to be with you…. Even if it's no more than friends…"

"Usuratonkachi. Do you think it would hurt if I didn't love you?"

"Then why'd you run?"

"So that you wouldn't have to give up everything…" Sasuke chuckled, "But you did, you followed me… you even left your headband behind…." Sasuke shook his head again. "Dobe…"

Naruto growled. "I may be an idiot, but at least I'm not the one pushing everyone away." He leaned close and pulled Sasuke to him, roughly placing their lips together.

Sasuke pulled back and smiled at Naruto. "Stay with me?"