Uzumaki Naruto stood before the Hokage in total and utter shock. Mouth wide open, eye twitching uncontrollably.. the works. When he finally got his jaw working again, disbelief overcame his surpise.

"What do you mean 'live with Sasuke', baa-chan? That's the lamest joke I've heard all week, and I've been stuck helping out Kiba and his pathetic excuse for a sense of humour at the northern wall these days. "

Tsunade sighed in exasperation. She had been under no illusion that this talk would go smoothly, but Naruto's stubbornness still got on her nerves.

"I'm not playing with you, kid. You're moving in with him until the town's rebuilt and every citizen can be housed. Construction's not going as fast as we'd originally planned and if we want to keep up the appearance that Konoha is recovering well from the war, compromises have to be made. Civilians get priority, brat. So do as you're told and start packing, that's an order."

Naruto couldn't believe this. He was aware of the tense political relations between the nations now that the 4th war was over, but this.. this was just ridiculous!

"Are you shitting me?! What's that got to do with me having to move in with him. I get that there's still lots a work to be done, but c'mon.. Anything but this, granny! You can't make me live with that stuck-up bastard! I'll pull extra shifts to get more work done, I swear! I'll fix up some more bunshin and this town will be good as new in a couple of months! Pleaaase..You can't do this me!"

Naruto ended on a heartfelt plea, hoping her soft spot for him would get him out of this mess. But he was't aware that Godaime had another reason for forcing this on him. Despite Sasuke's change of heart in the middle of the war, she felt that he wasn't the same boy who left the village in search of power all those years ago. He'd severed the ties and lost his connection to his hometown. The people of Konoha also found it hard to accept him after what he did, how he betrayed everyone that had held him dear. Since Naruto's fight against Pain, every single citizen had acknowledged the blonde hero and let him into their hearts. As their love for the boy grew stronger, their hate for the Uchiha who had turned his back on said boy became more intense. Despite Sasuke's assistance in defeating Madara and Obito, the villagers were still suspicious of him and avoided the Uchiha at all costs. Tsunade felt the town couldn't afford any more inner conflict in its weakened state and decided that something had to be done. She needed to find someone who could reacquaint the brooding boy with the people of Konoha and, most importantly, someone who could reignite his will of fire. The fifth knew Sasuke wasn't a lost cause yet and was adamant about her newfound mission. And who could be a better fit for this task than the ball of sunshine known as Naruto? He's the only one who has the slightest chance of warming the Uchiha's frozen heart, Tsunade understood that much.

"That's enough, brat! This is no time for you to be selfish. You will do this for the sake of the village, you hear me? And would you stop calling him a bastard! If you're going to live together from now on you better start getting along. I will not have the two of you bickering in my office every week over some ridiculously childish reason why you can't stand each other. Grow up and be the bigger man, Naruto! I know you're not the little brat you were when I first met you, so prove it!"

'That should do it', she thought. If there was one thing Uzumaki Naruto would never back down from, it's a challenge. She could see the radars turning in his head as he tried to come up with a retaliation. But eventually he failed. Naruto stopped grinding his teeth in aggravation and gave in with a sigh.

"That's nasty, granny, manipulating me like that! Whatever, fine. I.. suppose I could give it a shot. But if he makes my life miserable, you can be damn sure I'll repay the favour tenfold. I ain't letting anyone boss me around, got it?! Especially not Sasuke-teme! With his smug face and gravity-defying duck butt hair and-"

He was cut off short when a slender figure silently walked passed him to stand in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Still running your mouth like an obnoxious moron.. You haven't changed a bit, dobe."

Naruto's cheeks heated up with annoyance or embarrassment, he wasn't sure. Sasuke had returned to the village three weeks ago, along with all the other Konoha shinobi after the war was over. Naruto hadn't had a chance to really talk to him, since the Uchiha had been detained in the Hokage tower while awaiting judgment for the crimes he had committed against his country. But it seemed to him the haughty prick hadn't changed at all since they had been separated.

"Why don't you turn around and say that to my face, asshole! You pretentious sack of-"

"Naruto, that's enough! I see I'm going to have to make myself crystal clear to the both of you. Sasuke, you should consider yourself lucky I'm even allowing you back in to the village. I have given you a clean record because you have proven yourself loyal in the war, don't make me regret that decision. You will be given an apartment in the eastern district for now, but this is only a temporary residence. Once the town is completely rebuilt, you're free to buy a house of your own choice."

"Clean record? You're not punishing him or nothing? Geez, bastard, you always get it easy, don't you."

Sasuke turned his head at Naruto's snarled comment and was about to reply when Tsunade belted.

"Give it a rest already, Naruto! Since chasing after Sasuke is all you've been doing since he walked out, I expected a little more gratitude from you."

Naruto scoffed.

"I'd have punished him good and hard myself if I'd had any success in bringing him back.."

Sasuke rolled his eyes in irritation.

"You'd try."

"What's that, teme? Want me to show you here and now? Alright, bring it-"

Tsunade finally lost it, sprung up from her chair and smashed her open palms on the flat surface of her desk with an intimidating bang.

"SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTHS, BOTH OF YOU!"

The two startled 17 year olds hastily took a step back, away from the raging fury of the Hokage. Her eyes narrowed as she breathed heavily through her nose.

"The two of you will live together in Sasuke's temporary apartment starting today. You will behave. You will NOT cause anyone trouble. If I hear even one complaint from any of your neighbours, I will have your heads, understand? Now get out of my sight!"

Naruto stood rooted to his spot in fear for a few seconds before he turned towards the exit to follow after the seemingly indifferent Uchiha who had left immediately once dismissed.
'Well, I'm fucked,' he thought , a sense of dread settling in his stomach.

Author Note: Thanks for the positive reviews so far, I'm currently working on a second chapter. We'll see where it goes from there. Please keep up your support, I appreciate it!