"Today is a hot day. It's been two years since our move here and Sasuke thought it might be a good idea if I start keeping a journal. I'm not really sure what brought this on, but he got it for my birthday a few months ago, and this is the first time I've opened it, but shh. Don't tell him that I lost it in the closet. When he got this for me, I asked why at first. He said, it was because I was always forgetting things and should right them down. What a jerk!...

Well, he's right, but that's not the point. I have been wanting to write down some things before I'm too old to remember them. This might be as good as time as any. I use to keep a journal back in the Hidden Leaf Village when I was younger. I was always alone, so writing helped my mind that someone might be listening to me...

Like I said, it's been two years since we get here. We are living in a small village in Gaara's land called Water Stone Village. It's a remote place on a river side of the desert, known only for it's working stone water wheel. I suppose that's why they call it 'Water Stone'. After the ending of the war, which I can't really remember what happened at the end, I woke up in Sasuke's arms. My memory is...fuzzy...as I have been told that I lost control for a moment, but everything ended up fine...Ah, so they tell me. Gaara offered Sasuke and I sanctum, while the Hidden Leaf Village rebuilt and grew again. He said he understands the need for us to be together, and offers no ill will. Funny huh?

As for the Hidden Leaf, well, Sakura is being groomed to be the next Hokage...but I'm okay with that. Sasuke is back and I'm with him. That's all that matters. Well I can't go into details, because like I said, it's a little fuzzy. It's all a bit surreal now, to be honest. WELL, I better get lunch ready for Sasuke, that he forgot to take AGAIN. What an irresponsible guy. Oh, I didn't tell you what I do. Well, honestly, I don't do much. I work at the piece of land on the outskirts of town with cattle and crops, while Sasuke teaches at the local school. He said that he wants to be to someone what Iruka-Sensei was to me. He said that maybe if he found someone like Iruka-Sensei like I did, he wouldn't have been so scared. Ha ha, don't tell him I said that either. He'd kill me if I not that out of the bag. Anyways, I gotta get going.

-Naruto Uzumaki-"

Naruto slammed closed the leather bound book, his swirling symbol embroidered in red thread on the top cover made of brown leather. Putting the pen down, he closed the ink well, screwing the lid on tightly. Standing up, he moved from a seated position upon the tatami matted floor. The room he was in was simple. Mostly empty, there were two rolled up sleeping mats against the wall, the little wooden table that he was sitting at on the opposite side. He fluffed up his short blonde hair, cut shorter and cleaner than in previous years. His face showing signs of blond stubble that had started to come in from last night. After completing the morning chores of feeding the chickens and ducks, making sure the cows and sheep were out in pasture, he was a bit dusty. Pulling off the dirt tinged t-shirt, he tossed it in a basket as he made his way out of the sliding door to the wooden hallway. He turned to the kitchen, heading to the sink to wash his hands and arms, as a basket of fresh tomatoes sat readily on the counter. Sasuke preferred to eat light lunches, and Naruto would often make them considering Sasuke never remembered to make them before he ran out to the school in the morning. The blond didn't mind though, as his image carrying a bagged lunch had become a usual spectacle to distract the young, fresh faced students every lunch period.

Sasuke's meals were simple enough, a tomato and basil sandwich with watercress, small dash of fresh ground sea salt. On the side, a container of fruit salad with pears, cherries, raspberries, and oranges. Sasuke usually had water, mixed with his meditational powders to help with his headaches and eye pain. Nothing heavy, this time of day. He took the stronger ones at night. With everything packed up, Naruto left out of the front door and started his trip down the road, following the river. It didn't take long for the ninja to approach the adobe that was the school house. Hopping the fence to the play ground, he peeked into the window of the single roomed school. Smiling, the happy, sleepy, and antsy faces that reminded him of his past. Little hands waved in the air at questions being asked from a stern, but kind voice that was unmistakably Sasuke's.

"Stop peeking and come in already, Naruto." Busted. With a bashful smile, the blond opened the door, laughing a bit as he held the bag up. Sasuke looked over at him, only mildly containing the smile. "Hey, it's Uzumaki-Sensei! Uzumaki-Sensei!"

"Hey, Hey, I'm not your sensei. Uchiha-Sensei is..."

"Alright class, that's enough. It's time for lunch." The class erupted in cheers and scrambles, as they ran out of their seats to their cubby holes. After grabbing the numerous bagged lunches, the class ran outside. Sasuke smirked a bit, waiting for the last child to run out before following. Taking a seat in the shade on a bench, he supervised and waited. Naruto followed, sitting down next to the man who was once a killer, and now a teacher. Sasuke had changed physically, nearly as much as he had mentally. He had grown his black hair out into a ponytail that just passed his neck now. It often sat on one of his shoulders. His completion was a bit tanner from the sun, but he was still quite pale compared to most people, including Naruto. A pair of thin, circular glasses sat on his nose, allowing Sasuke's weak eyes to see clearly through them. These eyes no longer sat in pools of blood red or voided black. The shade had faded to a dark gray, but the light of life and love in them had returned. A content smile sat on his lips as he watched the kids play together, eat, tease, and practice their ninja lessons. Naruto's lips had a smile on them as well, but it was from watching Sasuke. In fact, he had been staring at him for quite some time.

"What did you bring me to eat?"

Naruto seemed to snap back into reality as he was asked, laughing nervously. "Huh? Oh yeah. Your favorite. As always." Sasuke smiled, gently taking the bag and looked inside.

"I wonder why I even ask anymore. Do you know how to make anything else?" Speaking with a tease, Sasuke took the sandwich from the wrapper before biting into it. Naruto made a face at him, looking a little annoyed at the question. "Course I do, but you're such a picky eater! It's always, 'That's too heavy, that's too much, that's too spicy, that's too bland.' " Sasuke started to laugh at such a bold reaction from a little joke, only to make Naruto huff more. The blond sighed in defeat, leaning back against the stone wall and looked ahead. "It's nice to hear you laugh again."

Sasuke looked a little surprised, leaning back as he ate and chewed his food slowly. "It's nice to want to laugh again. You know, it's because of..."

Before Sasuke could finish, a little girl with red hair came running up, taking Naruto's hand with a smile. "Sensei, Sensei, could you push us on the swing?" Naruto laughed a bit, wanting to talk to Sasuke. "Well, I was sort of...OW!" Sasuke had given him a swift kick to the shin.

"Course he will." Laughing dryly, he peered over at Sasuke, who looked happy and content stuffing his face with no plans on getting up. Sighing, Naruto stood. He didn't really wanna get dirty again, as he just changed before leaving the house, but he would catch death in a fiery glance if he didn't go. Course, this was all a trap. There were four swings and now four little girls sitting in every one. Laughing, a hand went scratching up his blond top spikes. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu"

Four clones emerged, taking hands to each of the swings as the true ninja took a seat back in the shade with his best friend. "There, see? Problem solved" Grinning proudly and smirking in Sasuke's direction, was only answered with a shrug. Sasuke's lips busy sucking on a cherry with the steam poking out. Closing his tired eyes, he moved closer to Naruto's body. Putting his head down, he laid on the against the t-shirted upper arm.

"Do your eyes hurt?" Naruto asked, moving to put the plastic bottle of cold water to Sasuke's forehead. The coolness did give him some relief. Grunting, Sasuke took his glasses off to rub his inner corners, giving a small nod. "Well, drink your medicine. It's already mixed." The raven-haired man pushed the bottle away slowly, shaking his head. "I'm fine like this. Let me rest and you can keep watch." Naruto smiled down, leaning back as Sasuke nuzzled up. "What kind of lazy Sensei are you?"

"Shut up.."