Naruto wandered the streets of Konoha searching for something that he didn't know he was looking for. He passed the ramen store and went inside and sat down at the serving bar, awaiting his ramen to be served, by now the people behind the counter had gotten to know what Naruto was after so he didn't need to tell them what he was going to order. Naruto took out a crisp note and handed it to the guy at the cash register, while accepting his bowl of ramen at the same time. He quickly gobbled it all down without spilling a drop anywhere. Iruka hadn't joined him, but Naruto knew he was busy with his business.

With Kakashi gone and Jiraiya away writing his new novel, Naruto felt lonely as he walked down the busy Konoha streets. He missed Sakura who was training with Tsunade again, but most of all he missed a single person. Naruto didn't know why, for the person in question had betrayed Naruto and the entire village. Just thinking about him made Naruto feel the urge to vomit. He shook his head, why was he thinking about everything he missed? Oh yeah, he was wondering about on the streets of a populated city with no one at his side, how pathetic?

Sasuke Uchiha was far away and never ever coming back, even if his life depended on it, but then again it wasn't Sasuke's life. Naruto didn't like how all this ended, but Naruto couldn't push the thought from his head, he needed Sasuke more than anything right now. In other words, he couldn't live without him. Sure, a couple of years being kept busy sure took one's mind off things, but now that he had nothing to do Naruto felt a strong pain inside that wouldn't go away.

Naruto found himself in front of the apartment that he had once shared with his ex-team member. He walked into the middle of the big open space which was between the kitchen and the living room. He made the climb up the stairs to his room and stood by the top of the stairs. The space in front of him had used to lead to two different rooms, but in the long absence of his team mate, Naruto and some other ninjas had knocked the wall down, creating one big bedroom. Next to this was the bathroom, which was where Naruto was headed. After a long and hard training session Naruto needed a shower to wash off all the sweat which had trickled from his brow and drenched his body worse than a rainstorm could.

After his shower Naruto felt refreshed and lay down on his bed only to end up gazing out of the glass doors which lead to the balcony. He imagined Sasuke leaning against the railing, looking at him with misty eyes full of emotion. Happiness circled around his irises, joined by relief, but pain was also there, lingering around the edges as it always did. He was frowning slightly, but he still shone radiantly. Sakura petals floated down from the gardens next-door and clouded the face of the teen on the balcony. Naruto thought the mixture of Sasuke and cherry blossoms would never have worked, but seeing it in front of him at that moment made him see that it did in a way. Naruto exhaled and closed his eyes, now when he opened his eyes the imaginary Sasuke would be gone. Naruto sighed; eyes still closed and listened to the silence.

He opened his eyes and shut them immediately. Why was the image of Sasuke still on the balcony? He opened his eyes again and sure enough the image of Sasuke was still there, playing with his mind. Maybe he was going mad, and his want for Sasuke was taking over his senses.

Naruto walked up to the glass door and slid it open, why was Sasuke still there? "Why are you still here?" He asked drowsily. But as soon as the words were out of his mouth Sasuke disappeared and only the cherry blossom petals lingered in the air in front of him. Naruto sighed, maybe he should check himself out at the hospital, no, he couldn't do that, and they'd think he was crazy. Naruto closed the door just a little bit, letting the breeze waft through a small crack, he lay down on his bed and shut his eyes for sleep to take him away.

"Dobe…Dobe…ah come on, Naruto, DOBE!"

Naruto sat up as though someone had just sprayed him with ice cold water, he shook his head at what he saw. "Am I dreaming, or is it my imagination again?"

"I don't know, what do you think dobe?" Sasuke hadn't disappeared, in fact he took a step towards Naruto and opened up his arms. "You miss me?"

Naruto blinked. Sasuke was surprised and sorrow filled his face, "I'm sorry Naru…"

"For what?!" Naruto stood up in his anger, "Helping destroy the village or leaving me!" Sasuke stood shocked in silence.

"I'm sorry," was what he tried to say, but Naruto was not having it.

"Well sorry isn't good enough. Do you know how long I've waited for your return? Years, I've been so close to killing myself it's unreal. Everyone thinks I'm going mad and they're thinking of locking me up some time soon. All the things that you've done, all the shameless things you've done. And then you return like you're expecting everything to be normal again. I'm telling you now Sasuke, it's not happening, not now, not ever!" Naruto felt the hot angry tears trickle down his face.

Sasuke looked astonished at his friend's outburst, then he looked as though someone had just punched him in the stomach. "Ok," he sighed distressed. Then he straightened up, "I could've stayed." Silence lingered between the two boys. "I could've stayed, but I didn't because I couldn't survive there without you, I missed you so much," a tear stung at Sasuke's eye, but he ignored it.

"Well you should have thought about that before you left." Naruto turned away from Sasuke; he couldn't face him, not after a couple years of loneliness, grief and hope all tied together.

Sasuke stepped towards Naruto and grabbed him from behind, pulling him to his chest. Naruto tried to protest, but Sasuke shut him up. "Do you know how hard it has been for me! I killed my own brother, and only after did I realise that it was not his fault my clan were killed. To think that I've dedicated my entire life on revenge and I realise after I've done it that there was no need. How fucking bad do you think I feel!?" Sasuke was shouting, and Naruto couldn't protect his ears because of how Sasuke was holding him. He flinched at every sound that came out of Sasuke's mouth.

"I am sorry for being away for so long, I know I was wrong and this mess is all my fault, but it has already happened. So let me kiss you." Naruto, surprised, tilted his head upward, opening his mouth to say something, but Sasuke leaned down and took all words from his lips with his.