A Red Pill

By Zenerific1

At twenty-four there wasn't much in life that Sasuke Uchiha hadn't seen or done. If someone threatened him, they ceased to exist. If he felt the need of a warm body, he found one regardless of sex.

He'd betrayed his village, severed all bonds with friends and mentors. He'd killed Orochimaru, the man who'd promised him power, before the snake could use his regeneration technique and take over Sasuke's body. He'd killed one of the Leaf ninja's wannabe leaders, Danzo.

But there was one thing He'd never been able to do. One idiotic thing. He'd never been able to forget…

Swiping a pale hand through ebony locks, Sasuke forced his thoughts from their current path. He disregarded the dirt and blood that mixed together on his palms and left a trail through the once elegant strands. Ragged, shorn off hair stuck in stringy curls to his cheeks and forehead. It was hard to believe that the Uchiha had once been the envy of every young man in the village.

Ignoring the pain that shot through his head, Sasuke activated his Sharingan. To him it was like throwing a switch in his mind. One moment his vision was normal, the next chakra was diverted to a different path and time seemed to slow, even the wings of a humming bird looked like they were moving in extreme slow motion.

Chakra. Sasuke mused as he looked up at cloaked figures surrounding him, the power that made a shinobi, a shinobi. Energy that allowed the impossible to happen, it was the bane of his existence. And right now he was running severely low on it.

Silent shadows with white, animalistic faces landed on the ground in front of him. Reaching into the pouch at his side he withdrew a small, red Soldier Pill, no bigger than an aspirin. He popped it into his mouth, crushing it between his teeth so that it activated faster. Waiting for the influx of energy, Sasuke watched the figures approach.

"Uchiha Sasuke," the leader of the ANBU squad addressed him, "you have been named a missing-nin of Konoha, Village Hidden in the Leaf. You are wanted for murder. You will return with us to stand trial."

Sasuke frowned. Not at the spoken command, but by the fact that the pill hadn't kicked in yet. It should have sent a burst of chakra running through hi…

Sasuke gasped falling to his knees as a wicked heat flared from his stomach. Hot waves seared up his chest to give his face a flushed look. It tingled along nerves to his fingertips and throbbed molten to his toes.

"What the hell?" the leader groused. "What did you take, Uchiha? Poison?" He motioned to one of his squad members. "Check him out. Make sure he didn't kill himself."

Watching a cloaked and hooded ANBU rush forward, Sasuke moaned lowly as a scent drifted to him on the wind. A blue green light of chakra enveloped a gloved hand and began to pass over his chest. Sasuke paid no attention as his mind and body focused on the scent. It was familiar. Soap and Earth, cedar and smoke, mango and…ramen.

"It's not poison," the medic said, the voice was female. She moved her hand to hover over his stomach, completing her examination.

Sasuke knew he should be fighting but his mind was urging him to find the source of that elusive fragrance and his body seemed to agree.

"If I didn't know better," the medic continued, the amused note in her tone gave away her enjoyment of seeing Sasuke in such a dilemma, "I would say that he took some sort of love potion."

Love potion? Sasuke's numb mind filtered that information through the haze.

Karin.

Of course, the bitch would definitely have done something like that in hopes of taking advantage of Sasuke's condition. For a brief second, he rejoiced in her death, before the addicting perfume pulled his attention back.

"Well, shit! This is troublesome. Now what? We can't very well travel with someone in this condition.

Sasuke smirked before moaning deeply as liquid heat pooled in his groin. Gods! That scent was driving him crazy. He didn't notice one of the ANBU step up to the captain or hear them talking quietly. A brief argument was conducted lowly before…

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

The question reached Sasuke as the wave of need receded somewhat. He raised his head to see the ANBU next to the leader nod.

"Man, what a drag," the leader exclaimed. "I know that I'm going to regret this and have to fill out stacks of reports but this is probably the only way to get him to a condition where he can travel quickly. And though the question begs to be asked of why you would volunteer to do this, I don't want to know." Looking towards the missing-nin then back to the ANBU, the leader sighed. "Fine, you have an hour, no more. The rest of you will spread out and create a barrier. Let's make it one where sound doesn't travel. I don't want to hear any of this!"

"Hai!" The ANBU dispersed with little flurries of leaves in different directions.

"One hour," the leader reiterated before disappearing himself.

Sasuke had been able to suppress most of the effects of the pill with the audience watching, but as soon as everyone left he fell back onto his ass and tucked his hands between his legs. Hunching forward, he groaned rubbing at his crotch, ignoring the hidden figure standing only a few feet from him.

The ANBU watched him for a moment before striding to Sasuke. Kneeling next to the missing-nin, the ANBU placed a hand on Sasuke's back while the other grasped Sasuke's chin, turning his face so that the ANBU could see him.

"Do you know what is happening?" a voice drifted to Sasuke's ears. It was so soft that Sasuke didn't know if he'd heard the words, but he nodded anyway. "Do you want it?"

Sasuke's lips parted and his nostrils flared as he smelled that aroma once more, only this time it was stronger. He nodded again.

The ANBU released his chin and Sasuke protested feeling bereft at the loss of even that small warmth.

"Shh, I'm not leaving." Before Sasuke could say anything else a strip of white cloth appeared in his vision. "As much as I want to watch those dark eyes and drown in their depths, I must do this."

The world went black as the cloth was tied into place. Sasuke wanted to protest, because he wanted to see, but a fragment of his logical mind was still working. He knew why the ANBU was blinding him.

Hearing the rustle of cloth and the clank of metal, Sasuke could tell that the man was undressing. Warm skin touched his face, tracing the aristocratic features; high cheekbones were brushed, a thin sensitive nose felt the tip of a bare finger, and sensitive lips were tickled. The blind fold blocked one of his senses and enhanced his others. Keen hearing picked up the ragged breaths that the ANBU was taking. His nostrils flared at the intoxicating scent then noticed others, such a leather from the armor and gear, the metallic scent of oil used to clean the shurikens and kunai. The rough calluses on the fingers and palm bespoke the harsh life that the ninja faced every day.

"I've dreamt of you." Warm breath drifted over Sasuke's ear, tickling the flesh there, causing a fine shiver to run through his body. "For a long time I've wanted to touch you like this."

"Please," Sasuke groaned lifting his own hands. They met smoothly, muscled arms. Exploring, hard steel seemed to be covered by warm velvet, his fingers traveled up well defined forearms. Tracing over bumps and valleys, a picture formed in his mind.

The fingers moved away from Sasuke's face as the ANBU slid them down his neck. Arching back to give the man better access, Sasuke hissed. He'd never let any of the men or women he'd taken to bed to touch him so. It was heaven having that hand, those delicious fingers on him. The palm cupped his pectoral, the thumb brushing over a stiff nipple. Arching, Sasuke yelled at the sensations that wracked him. He wanted, needed more.

"More, please touch me more."

Sasuke's hands drifted up the arms from where he'd unintentionally grabbed skin, leaving behind small, crescent-shaped marks to firm shoulders still covered in cloth. Whining at being denied bare flesh to touch, he moved onward to the man's neck.

Cool tendrils teased the backs of his fingers and he plunged them through silky hair balling his fists into it.

"Patience, Sasuke."

If Sasuke had been in his right mind, he would have snorted. If this shinobi knew enough about him to fantasize, then he knew enough that, that comment was ridiculous.

"Yes, Sasuke, I know you aren't patient, but today you'll have to be. At least for a little while longer."

Sasuke didn't want the ANBU to speak any more so he cupped the back of the shinobi's head and pulled him down, smashing their lips together. Forcefully, Sasuke invaded the mouth licking at lips then sinking in to fully explore the taste. Teeth and cheeks were probed as Sasuke sought out every crevice, and then began an erotic duel with the man's tongue.

"Ah," the shinobi moaned when Sasuke allowed him a chance to breath. "You taste so good."

Smirking, Sasuke then moved down to lap at a jawbone moving along the hard curve to the hollow where it met the neck. Kissing his way further along he found an ear, drawing the tender lobe in Sasuke sucked at it. The ANBU twitched then writhed in Sasuke's arms, letting him know he'd found a very sensitive spot on the man.

Fingers tugged at the belt of Sasuke's trousers quickly unbuckling it. Strong hands pulled the pants, boxers and all, off when Sasuke lifted his hips to help.

"Now who is being impatient."

The man stilled over Sasuke for a moment and a warm breath whispered out. "Gods! You're beautiful," the man said reverently.

A smile lifted the corners of Sasuke's mouth at the awe in the man's voice. He'd been told that he was well endowed but he'd only had the words to go by. When he was in the leaf village, he and the rest of the male Genin he'd hung out with weren't fully developed. When he'd left, he'd adopted a very private mentality, refusing to use the hot springs and public baths, simply for the fear of being molested.

Oh, Orochimaru couldn't have gotten it up even if he had a bottle full of Viagra, but everyone else could. Sasuke had seen the lust, the want on other faces, male and female. It had instilled in him a high self-preservation instinct.

A hot, fist closed over his cock and Sasuke's mind was suddenly back in the game. The hand pumped his member solidly and Sasuke gasped rocking his hips with the motion. Allowing the touch for a few minutes, he felt his blood rushing through his veins. The throbbing heat centered low in his belly and chills moved up his spine as his skin seemed to tighten.

"Yes, oh yes," he murmured. His hands fell away from the ANBU landing on the ground. He pushed against it raising his ass off the ground into the man's tight grip. "Oh, shit, that feels good."

A thumb rubbed over his slit, pressing gently into the opening then it found the vein that went down the underside. Another hand came up to cup his balls, and squeezed lightly. Sasuke slammed his hips upward then back down trying to drive the man to go faster.

A low snarl broke from his lips and Sasuke heard the ANBU chuckle. The sound of the laugh brought him so close to coming that the missing-nin whimpered. Reaching out he grasped the hand stilling its motion.

"I'm too close," he whispered, teeth clenched and his body tense, holding back the orgasm that threatened to erupt.

"Then let me finish you."

"Not this way. I—I want to feel your mouth on me," Sasuke moaned out the demand. The hand not holding the man's wrist came up to rub a thumb across a full mouth, so unerringly that it startled the ANBU for a split second. Taking advantage of the parted lips the thumb slid into the mouth, deeply, and then back out only to press inward again. "I want to fuck your mouth." Sasuke felt the shudder that went through the ANBU. "And I think you want that as well, don't you?"

Pushing, Sasuke tipped the ANBU onto his back and began to climb the hard body under him until he was straddling wide shoulders. Leaning forward, Sasuke moved his hips rubbing his straining erection over warm skin. He felt the rough stubble of beard then the moist heat of mouth. A searching tongue came to help guide him to his goal.

He thrust deeply into the hot cavern feeling the ANBU accepting it as his cock slid down the man's throat. The convulsive swallow messaged the head while the tongue worked his shaft. Breathing shallowly through his nose, the ANBU struggled under the missing-nin to try and reach the whole length of Sasuke.

"Oh, that's good," Sasuke encouraged. "Gods, yes. Mmm, your mouth feels so wonderful," groaning he shoved even deeper, harder down the throat. Electric pulses began to gather and Sasuke fisted one of his hands into soft hair holding the head still as Sasuke began to fuck his mouth. He thrust once, twice more before releasing his load into the man's convulsing throat.

"That's it," he murmured, "such a good boy. Yes, swallow it all, don't let any escape."

When he was finally done, he pulled free of the ANBU, lifting off him, and kneeling next to the still clothed figure. Reaching out, Sasuke found the hem of the man's shirt and began to pull it off him. Hands grasped his, stopping him.

"No," the ANBU said then pulled the cloth free of limp fingers.

"But you're not done yet…" Sasuke protested.

"It's alright, Sasuke. It's enough."

"No! You…"

Abruptly, Sasuke found himself being pulled into comforting arms. "Thank you, but we don't have any more time. You've exhausted most of the strength of that pill, and are well enough to travel. It's time to return you to Konoha."

In a move so fast it would have been hard for even the Sharingan user to follow, chakra suppressing cuffs were latched onto Sasuke's wrists. Jerking away, he stumbled to his feet and backed away from the ANBU. He felt…betrayed. He would have run, but Sasuke was still blind and he knew that the ANBU would have just stopped him anyway. Tilting his head, Sasuke reached up to pull the blind fold away from his eyes. By the time he could see again, the ANBU was cloaked and masked once more.

Angry, Sasuke gathered what chakra he could, ignoring the ache it caused because of the cuffs and his over use of it earlier. A chidori began to chirp as his palm filled with lightening. It would have drawn the undivided attention of any other shinobi, but this one calmly bent down to pick up the discarded sword and shuriken pouch.

Fury ripped through Sasuke at the man's lack of regard for how dangerous Sasuke actually was, he ran at the figure fully intent of killing him. The now masked ANBU faced Sasuke, at last giving him the attention he deserved. A small nod of the man's head and hand came up. Shifting through a series of hand signs, fast enough to even make Kakashi proud, the chakra bands glowed white. The chidori was dispersed just millimeters away from slicing through the man's chest. Sasuke's hand, now useless, slapped against the hard wall.

"Please, Sasuke," that soft, understanding, passionate voice spoke while gentle arms pulled him once again against the man's chest. "I'm tired of fighting with you. Stop struggling."

"I can't," Sasuke said, voice muffled by cloth. He pulled his head back and looked up at the white mask. It was a dog or some other kind of k-9, with three long, thin, red triangles on each side to represent whiskers. It reminded Sasuke so much of…

Inhaling sharply, Sasuke pulled out of the ANBU's arms. His arm slashed in front of him stopping the man from moving towards him again.

"I'm an Avenger, I can't stop fighting."

"But there isn't anything left to avenge, no one to gain revenge on."

"There is always one more," Sasuke whispered, suddenly weary. "Gods, the path is so long. It stretches before me, and I can see that it doesn't end."

"You can turn away from it. It's your choice, Sasuke, it's always been your choice."

"I've been on this path for so long that I can no longer see another anymore." Sasuke sighed and sank to his knees on the ground again. "Once there were two paths. This one and the one he…" Sasuke fell silent.

The ANBU waited, but it was clear that he wasn't going to continue. "The one that he…? Sasuke, tell me please?"

"There was so much light when we walked together. It hurt. He was always getting stronger, learning more. It made me feel like I was standing still. We were rivals, but we used to laugh together. He…was a idiot and I was so jealous of him. Angry. I decided to leave that path so I could become more powerful. And now…I can't find my way back. It's too late already, even if I try there is no more time left."

Silence filled the small clearing, as the ANBU stood unable to refute those words. They both knew what awaited Sasuke in Konoha.

"It's better this way," Sasuke finally said breaking the silence. "I'd finally be going home, even if it's for a few days. He always said that he would take me back to Konoha even if he had to break every bone in my body."

"Maybe a miracle…"

Sasuke snorted. "Hn. I've given up on miracles, they aren't for me."

*** ***

It was a slow trip back to Konoha. Since Sasuke couldn't use his chakra, the group of ANBU and their captive couldn't make the quick trip through the trees but were forced to travel the paths along the ground.

While they travelled, Sasuke didn't seek out the ANBU, and the shinobi didn't come to him. The missing-nin felt a combination of relief because he didn't want to talk about how he felt, but irritation too, because he wanted to feel those warm arms around him again and listen to that soft voice.

It was a subdued and tired group that walked through the huge gates that guarded the Village Hidden in the Leaf. Before a crowd could gather or even spread rumors, Sasuke was bundled off to the prison under the Hokage Tower. He sank into a dark corner and refused to move. Within hours, his trial was under way.

To Sasuke the trial was a source of self-deprecating humor. Half the council wanted the threat to them eliminated, while the other half wanted to preserve the last remnant of the Uchiha clan. If Sasuke had been asked his opinion, he'd have told them it would be better to destroy him.

When Sasuke wasn't sitting before the council, he was sitting in his corner. He half expected him to show up, bursting loudly through the door. If anything to deliver a last insult or to gloat that Sasuke had come back to the village after all his adamant speeches about there being nothing here for him.

"Uchiha-san, were you given any drugs that would alter your thinking during the twenty-four hours before you left the village?"

Now they were again trying to find a reason to keep him alive. Sasuke frowned at the council member who'd asked this latest question.

"No."

Of course, he could have mentioned the curse mark, but it was long gone and it didn't accomplish any of his goals to bring this up.

The door to the side where the council entered from opened and a Jounin rushed into the room. He ran to the chief-council's side and whispered into his ear. Sasuke watched as the man's eyes bulged comically and sweat broke out on his forehead.

"What?! Why does the Hokage want to sit in on the trial?"

The Jounin bowed before speaking this time out loud. "The Hokage says that he wants to observe—to better understand the council."

Protests broke out around the room.

"No way!"

"Absolutely not!"

"It's utter garbage!"

Help came from an unlikely council member, Nara Shakaku.

"I do believe that it's the Hokage's right to sit in on any council meeting he or she so chooses." This statement was given in a lazy, bored voice. It was easily deceptive to one who didn't know what the Nara's were capable of. His son was a genius, lazy but could come up with strategies to counter almost any plan in moments. And the family was very loyal.

Sasuke smirked. He wondered if Kakashi had been given the position of Hokage when Danzo had died.

"But…but…" The chief sputtered but couldn't come up with anything that would allow him to keep the Hokage away from the meeting.

The door opened again and a tall, white robed figure strode into the room. The Hokage hat concealed the face as he walked calmly up to the center seat of the half-circle table. In deference the chief vacated his chair and everyone shifted down a seat on their right. Sasuke would have laughed if he'd been anyone else but an Uchiha. Taking the seat, the Hokage removed his hat and placed it in front of him on the table. The humor left Sasuke immediately.

Golden blond hair in wild disarray, Uzumaki Naruto stared at Sasuke. His face was—unreadable. Azure eyes, that used to show every emotion from laughter to rage, were shuttered. The light that used to sparkle from them was doused. Sasuke didn't know what had caused the changes in Naruto but a part of him mourned their loss. This man wasn't that hyper-active, knuckle-headed boy any more than Sasuke was the naive Uchiha who had thought the world of his big brother.

"Hokage-sama, you didn't need to trouble yourself," began one of the elderly women on the council.

Sasuke heard a note of derisiveness in her tone. He wondered if it was a remnant of the old hatred that the village had once had for the Kyuubi vessel.

"It's no trouble. Besides, I wanted to know why this trial was taking so long. You've had a week already." Naruto faced the woman as he spoke; his eyes had hardened to icy shards. He'd heard the same note in her voice.

"Well, Hokage-sama," another councilman spoke up, "there are questions that need answered, complications to be addressed…" The man trailed off as Naruto lifted an eyebrow in response to the man's hem-hawing answer.

"What kind of questions and complications?"

"Oh, you know, dobe," Sasuke interrupted the fascinating conversation, "questions like what would happen if they wait and kill me at a later date so that I can breed and produce little Sharingan carriers? What complications could arise if I were to be freed? Would I seek revenge and destroy the village once and for all? Or would I just seek out the council men who condemned my clan without trial? Or will I just let by gones be?"

Those icy eyes narrowed on Sasuke at his jibes. Several of the council had gasped during his speech and were now looking around as if they wanted to run before Sasuke actually tried to kill them. The corners of his mouth tilted up as Naruto's full attention was turned to him. At last.

"Teme, I wasn't speaking to you," Naruto growled out.

"Yes, but it's quicker if I answer for them, because they'd want to beat around the dead bush, and I'm growing bored with this whole trial. If they would just get on with the sentencing, I'd be much happier and so would they."

"So you're saying, you're eager to die? Is that it, bastard?"

"Pretty much." Sasuke leaned forward in his chair. He felt more excited right now that he had in the last six years. Talking, arguing with Naruto had always left him feeling buzzed. It was a natural high that he could become addicted to if he had enough time.

"You say that like you don't care, but for some reason I think you're lying to me." Naruto stood up and moved around the table approaching Sasuke.

"Hokage-sama!" the Jounin from earlier protested.

"Leave!" Naruto barked, his eyes not leaving Sasuke.

The scrape of chairs signaled that the council had taken Naruto's order to mean them also.

"Hokage-sama, if I may offer a word of caution and advice," Shakaku spoke from the doorway after everyone else had left. "Don't start something that will cause you harm in the long run…or the short run as the case may be." The door closed softly behind him.

Both men stared at each other for several moments. Naruto was just a foot in front of him. Close enough that all Sasuke had to do was reach out and touch him. Finally, Naruto broke the silence.

"Why, Sasuke? Why do you want to die? You're barely twenty-four with a life in front of you that could be filled with any number of goals. Why can't you see that?"

"Why do you care so much about me, Naruto? Can you give me a reason to live? Can you change the council's minds if they vote to kill me?"

Naruto turned away from Sasuke. He paced to the far side of the room and back again before speaking once more.

"I've read over the report that was turned in by the ANBU that brought you in."

"So?"

"It was very interesting to read," a chuckle escaped.

Sasuke said nothing this time, but he felt his face flush lightly at the memories that Naruto's words stirred.

"I really can't see how you made such a blatant mistake as to take a love potion."

Sasuke's jaw clenched. The dobe was making fun of him.

"Really, Sasuke, why were you carrying around a love potion to begin with? I remember a time when every girl that crossed your path threw themselves at you. My how the mighty have fallen…"

Sasuke rushed at Naruto, grabbing him and swinging him into the nearest wall. The resulting thud was loud enough to give him some satisfaction, while Naruto's wince was even better.

"Fuck you, Naruto. I've turned down more women than you've even thought about having!" Sasuke pushed Naruto up against the wall lifting him off the ground.

"I wouldn't know, Sasuke, I'm gay." Naruto muttered, his hands grasping Sasuke's wrist. He didn't struggle against the Uchiha's hold; he just waited for his words to sink in.

"That's what I thou—" Sasuke dropped Naruto like he'd just been singed. He backed a step away unable to really believe what he'd heard. "What?" he whispered.

Naruto stood against the wall rubbing his throat where Sasuke had gripped him. Looking up to study the Uchiha's face, Naruto shook his head.

"I'm gay, bastard."

"When? How? Why didn't…? Does Kakashi…? Sakura…?" Everything was jumbled together and Sasuke didn't know what he wanted answered first.

"I've always known," Naruto said. "But I couldn't say anything to anyone about it. That would just be the cream on the mud pie, wouldn't it? Knowing that I was the Kyuubi vessel they treated me like shit, how much worse would it have been if they had known that I was gay also? When I finally became a Genin and assigned to Team 7, I was finally accepted and I didn't want to mess that up. Later, Iruka approached me and just asked, said he'd always known, but I needed to know myself. Jiraiya knew, but figured that I would eventually figure it out so he let me be. I finally had to tell Kakashi and Sakura, so yeah, everyone who needs to know, knows."

Sasuke allowed that to sink in, and then asked, "So were you attracted to me?"

Naruto smiled slowly at the question. "As much as I'd like to tease you, I won't." He didn't elaborate.

"What the hell does that mean?" Sasuke snarled, irritated that his statement could mean several things. It could mean that Naruto was attracted to Sasuke, or it could mean that he wasn't. He could just be playing with Sasuke and the whole gay announcement just a stupid prank.

Naruto took a step forward, into Sasuke's personal space. Sasuke wanted to take a step back, but refused to give Naruto the satisfaction that Sasuke found him just a little intimidating. Then Sasuke realized that Naruto was still getting closer, and he made a move to step back, but it was too late.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's shirt, pulled him forward stopping his retreat, and settled his mouth over a pale pink one. The kiss wasn't brief, nor was it open-mouthed. It was just a press of lips with Naruto waiting to see if Sasuke would reject him. When Sasuke didn't move to push him away, Naruto pulled back.

Carefully keeping his face blank, Sasuke looked into Naruto's eyes trying to see if Naruto was telling the truth or just playing some elaborate scheme with him. For once there was something there, but for the life of him, Sasuke couldn't read it.

"You asked me to give you something to live for, Sasuke. I don't know if I can. It would have to be something that you found, otherwise it wouldn't be real. I would…" Naruto cut himself off before saying something that he'd regret. "I can delay the council's decision for a few days more. If you still want to die, I will respect your decision."

"And if I don't want to die but the council chooses it anyway?"

"What's the point of being Hokage, if I don't have the authority to pardon people that I feel are being unjustly sentenced, or even pardon someone I feel had learned from their mistakes?" Naruto's old toothy grin flashed across his face. Naruto turned away to walk to the door.

"Idiot."

Naruto turned back at the insult. "What did you call me, bastard?"

"I called you an idiot. I don't need to wait to tell you my decision," Sasuke smirked, folding his arms across his chest.

"You don't?" Naruto frowned.

"No, I don't." Sasuke's chin lifted a notch as he watched the confusion and fear flow across the now expressive face. Naruto wasn't able to guard his expression now, not when Sasuke had broken through once more. "It didn't take me long at all. I knew within seconds of being taken prisoner what I wanted."

"What do you want?"

Sasuke smiled softly, it was a true smile. One that Naruto had seen when Sasuke was really happy. "When I took that pill, one of the squad helped me. He didn't have to. The pill would have run its course within a few hours, but I would have suffered in extreme agony, without the aid of someone. They others would have let me suffer, thinking it was something that I deserved. He gave me a reason to live, one that I didn't think I'd have back. It's all because of a small red pill that I want to live, Naruto."

Silently, Naruto watched Sasuke studying the sincerity in his eyes.

"You don't even know who he is, Sasuke."

"Oh, but you see, Naruto, I do. I'd know him anywhere, disguised or not. He is the only one in this village who'd smell like the forests that he runs through. The only person in this entire village who would smell like his favorite food, ramen."

Naruto's eyes widened at Sasuke's implication.

"He's the only one, Naruto, whose smell reminds me of home." Sasuke walked slowly towards Naruto, each word deepening in tone, seductive in each syllable. "The only one who smells like you."