Warnings: Angst, possible ooc, sexual content, implied talk about sexual abuse (no actual sexual abuse in any capacity)

This is a Sasunaru story.

Note: It may be in your interest to listen or think about Say Something by A Great Big World while reading, but it definitely isn't required.

Written before chapter 664, meaning that anything that's happened since the end of the series doesn't apply.

Sasuke had returned to Konoha when he was 18. He couldn't say why, he hadn't figured it out himself more than it felt like the right thing to do. He had fled after the war, the azure gaze that met his when they had finally proved victorious was so filled with relief and hope that Sasuke might return, because when everything was gone where else was there to turn to?

He had no doubt of the widespread disappointment he had caused, but he knew what was waiting for him in Konoha, and he didn't want to face imprisonment so soon after finding out who he really was. It wasn't an avenger, not as he believed years prior. His life was solitary; the former remnants of his team weren't present because Sasuke didn't wish them to be. Freedom wasn't what he had expected it to be, things were peaceful around him, but all Sasuke could hear was silence. So he mindlessly wandered, he kept himself hidden because the war was fresh in people's minds, the loss, and the stigma his name carried would work against him. It was only a matter of time before he found himself back at the gates of Konoha, and even less time before he found himself imprisoned as he had figured he would be. It didn't matter, because existing in solitude outside the prison bars was no different than existing behind them

He remembered the first time he had seen Naruto after he returned. Naruto stood in front of the bars, eyes wide eyed and youthful, but hurt as he witnessed that Sasuke truly had returned. Sasuke still remembered the explosion of pain he felt when Naruto had opened his mouth. He had one hand on the bars and he let out a soft laugh. "Welcome home, jerk," He said before he leaned in closer. "I'm going to get you out of here," He said. There was no forgiveness in Naruto's voice for the sole reason that Naruto didn't believe there was anything to forgive. Sasuke didn't know why it shook him the way it did.

He had discovered through the following weeks that Naruto was placed in line to become Hokage. It was fitting, perhaps more than Sasuke's ideal of being the same. It had only been a passing thought. With his position, Naruto negotiated for his life, and at the end of it all, Sasuke's sentence had been reduced to a year. It hadn't made Naruto happy, but as the year passed the blonde visited. He was light hearted when he spoke, but he was reserved, and suddenly the voice lacking need for forgiveness seemed insincere.

It was stranger still when Sasuke was eventually released. After helping Sasuke relocate back into the district once lively with the voice of his family, Naruto left him with nothing but ghosts.

He still saw him as he interacted with the friends that remained after the war. They had seemed to patch over the wounds inflicted and were able to be happy, but Naruto never sought him out, not like Sakura had. He had no use for her, not in the way she wanted, and not the way he probably should have wanted her because he was the legacy of his family. Sasuke was beginning to wonder whether he would allow it to die with him.

He found the answer when he found himself at Naruto's apartment one day. The blonde had more than enough money to leave the poor district of town, but Naruto remained. He knocked and when Naruto opened the door dressed in his orange pants and a casual tee, he looked shocked.

"You don't have to feel obligated to speak to me," Naruto said, his hands shoved in the pockets of his pants, forcing his shirt to bunch above his wrists as he stepped a little farther into his apartment, letting Sasuke in.

"I want answers," Sasuke stated simply as he stepped inside the small apartment and shut the door behind him.

"Might be easier if you gave me questions Sasuke," Naruto said tipping his head with a grin that seemed frail and perhaps dishonest.

"Why wouldn't you leave me be?" He asked. It had puzzled him; he acted with optimum apathy when the small team had stumbled on Orochimaru's lair. It had been so long since he had seen the blonde; he had convinced himself that he would never have to see the blonde again. He had convinced himself because the thought of Naruto being someone that swayed him even a little was too shameful to accept.

"I made a promise," He said quietly looking up at the ceiling and he hummed quietly as he shifted all his weight to his left leg. "I have some juice if you want something to drink."

"A promise to whom?" Sasuke ignored Naruto's chatter, Naruto had always been filled with useless words and Sasuke's world had no use for uselessness.

"Sakura I guess…whom, how proper," Naruto said.

"You don't sound so sure of yourself," That was a rare thing indeed.

"People change Sasuke," Naruto said.

Sasuke was aware; there were so many people in this village that were content to remain as they were in a state of constants. Naruto and he never settled for constant, they refused to let the world continue to take from them. Sasuke almost hated to admit that they might be alike almost as much as he hated to think that Naruto might have been better at it then Sasuke ever was, that Naruto could be better than him at anything. "You still seem like a pathetic moron to me," Sasuke said, unwilling to sacrifice any ground he had against the blonde.

Naruto let out a laugh and his head tipped back even farther before his gaze finally returned to earth and met Sasuke. "I probably am," his hand resting on the back of his head in a way others might have viewed as charming. Sasuke didn't know how he had made that hypothetical connection.

"You never knew when to give up," Sasuke said.

"I still don't think there was ever an option to give up," Naruto said.

Sasuke looked Naruto over, he was taller, probably, perhaps they were the same height. Naruto's face was thinner with the barest amount of baby fat that hid the oncoming angles of age that would likely emerge in the years coming to them. "Yet this is the first we've spoken, and I've been free for months," Sasuke said calmly. For all of Sasuke's skill in reading battle situations and reading body language, he couldn't for the life of him figure out why Naruto suddenly looked so tense.

"I promised to get you home Sasuke, you're here aren't you? Isn't that where it ends?" Naruto said.

"And when you said you were my friend?" Sasuke pressed.

"I am, just call for me and I'll come running Sasuke," Naruto said, that insincere smile was beginning to make him angry.

"I never recalled friendship being defined as silence," Sasuke said.

Naruto breathed in deeply, "I didn't think you had any idea how to define friendship Sasuke," Naruto admitted.

"Quit evading the question," Sasuke said taking a step forward. They were five steps apart, but to Sasuke this was closer than anyone had been to him in years. Even when travelling with Taka, the relationships he had with the others were cold, calculating, and bred from necessity to keep Sasuke alive and out of Konoha's hands, their closeness to him was physical and nothing more.

"I wanted to respect how you felt, you never exactly came looking for me either. I'm your friend Sasuke, but I'm not going to force you to be mine," Naruto said, it was a strange use of words.

"Maybe you have changed," Sasuke mused.

"Maybe I have," Naruto said with a shrug.

Sasuke watched the blonde for a long time and he was surprised at Naruto's ability to remain quiet as Sasuke observed him. "Then again, maybe you're just afraid."

"What is there to be afraid of?" Naruto said with a growl and took a step forward; they were four steps apart now.

"Afraid to learn that I might not want you," Sasuke said and it was only a fraction of time that the hurt flickered in Naruto's expression, but a fraction was all Sasuke needed to see. Maybe he knew the pain was coming, and maybe he said it anyway.

"Nah," Naruto said waving his hand and he turned to face away from Sasuke with his hands folded behind his head and stepped a few paces away. 9…and he spoke with a little more strength, "I don't need to hang around your feet like a dog to know that you've made that clear."

"So first you're my friend, now you're a dog," Sasuke stated clearly, but he was still trying to make sense of those words. Naruto's vernacular was average at best, but they were weaved skillfully enough to keep Sasuke confused at the same time.

"Fuck you, Sasuke," Naruto said looking over his shoulder with a glare he hadn't seen since the war. "Why would I bother you when I wasn't going to get anywhere anyway, it seems like a giant waste of my time. I'm a busy person you know? I've got places to be, a job to do, and a giant responsibility to prepare for. I'm not going to sit there at your front door trying to be civil when I already know that whatever I have to offer you isn't good enough," he said angrily. Sasuke could hear it weaved somewhere in the sarcasm that Naruto's attempt at being dishonest was the real front.

"You, having self-worth issues? That is rich," Sasuke said with a smirk tugging at his lips, speaking if only to make Naruto squirm, his usual apathy not enough. It was clear to anyone who looked at Naruto for a moment, that his entire life had been based around a lack of self-worth.

"What do you want from me Sasuke? I don't get it, why are you here of all places? You have shit to do too, you don't need to be bothering me," which was Naruto for 'you don't need to be here picking at open wounds'.

"I don't believe you. I don't believe you're leaving me alone for my benefit, not that it isn't appreciated," Sasuke lied.

"Is that what you want? You want to hear me say it, is that how cruel you really are?" Naruto said, his eyes narrow and even though he wasn't shouting, Sasuke couldn't hear anything else as Naruto walked toward him in a way that may have intimidated anyone else. Two steps away and Sasuke didn't move. They stared one another down for minutes on end, to the point that Naruto's scent flooded his senses. "You want to hear that I'm giving you your space because I wasn't good enough, Sasuke? That maybe if I had been just a little stronger that your play for power could have been avoided, that years of…of…that my friendship wasn't enough to sway you? That nothing I said, nothing I told you about the people here that loved you didn't matter to you even after the war was done with?"

"Double negative, dumbass," Sasuke griped, not allowing the full force of the words affect him, but it was difficult.

"You really want to me to say out loud to you," He gestured his finger between both of them, "that I changed my entire life for you, and it still wasn't good enough to effect any real change? Well fine, have it your way Sasuke. You always get your way, I don't know why I try," Naruto said, his raspy voice fluttered between audible and nonexistence as he spoke. No matter how thick the emotion was, Naruto's voice was thinner.

Maybe Sasuke was saying everything to be cruel, perhaps Sasuke had finally fully resigned himself to the fact that there was no more humanity left inside him to save.

…

Maybe Sasuke was only saying these things to ward off the truth that he had known for a long time. Naruto was the only one who had ever been able to effect change in Sasuke, as little as it might appear, he was the only one still living able to accomplish it. Sasuke didn't like being that vulnerable to anyone. Before Naruto could step away, Sasuke surged forward and placed his hands on Naruto's jaw, drawing him into a firm lip lock. There was no time before Naruto's surprised protest turned into compliance and Sasuke felt something breathed into him telling him that maybe this was the one thing he refused to let himself have. This was the one bond that he wanted more than anything else and couldn't risk because he knew that it would cause tremors strong enough to break Sasuke's strength. If Naruto had to hate him to keep Sasuke's core safe, then he'd have to be cruel. He had failed.

Naruto's hand pressed against his chest and he forcefully pushed Sasuke back. His eyes were wide before he wiped at his mouth and Sasuke thought for a brief moment that whatever he felt between them, whatever he thought he felt was just another lie Sasuke had told himself. A lie he might have told himself to keep himself thinking that no matter how far he fell beneath the ugly waters of his life choices, that Naruto would be the only one waiting for him when he floated back to the surface. "Stop…" He said, breathing heavily as he looked at Sasuke as if he were a stranger.

Sasuke leaned forward, grasping Naruto's wrist in his hand and drew it away from his face where it had acted as a temporary barrier between them. "You don't mean that," Sasuke breathed as he leaned closer. Sasuke needed this. It made no sense to him, but he was tired of fighting this attraction that wasn't skin deep.

Sasuke paused when Naruto turned his head and his fist clenched, he could feel the tremble running through Naruto in the grip he had on the blonde's wrist. "I don't want to play this game, Sasuke, you win okay?" Naruto said.

"I don't play games," Sasuke said, refusing to let Naruto step away when he tried.

"No, Sasuke! I don't want this! I don't want to be the one hanging on the stupid bones you throw me. I don't know how you knew, but I'm not doing this!" He said, his voice fluttering in and out again like his voice wasn't strong enough.

"Don't lie to me," Sasuke said angrily as he yanked Naruto closer and was astonished when he felt a sudden explosion of pain in his jaw. When he was finally able to focus, Naruto was looking down at him panting as he rubbed his knuckles and Sasuke stood straight from where he had stumbled backward.

"I said stop," Naruto said, butting heads with Sasuke once more.

"You don't mean that," Sasuke said rubbing at his jaw. He had been here short moments and Naruto had already made him drop his guard enough to fall for the sucker punch.

"I don't lie Sasuke," Naruto said his jaw tense. "Get out of my house," he pointed toward the door.

"You want this," Sasuke said, "You want what I'm willing to provide and you're telling me the opposite. If I don't know how to define friendship, I can define a lie."

"You want to fuck with my head! Haven't you done enough? Go find someone else to put up with you Sasuke, because I'm not doing this," Naruto said.

Sasuke watched Naruto and shook his head, "I don't want anyone else," he said.

"You don't want me either! You just have this sadistic need to watch me crawl around on my knees for you, well fuck you Sasuke. It's not going to be like that," he said and Sasuke's anger snapped.

He surged forward, only this time he didn't seal his mouth over Naruto's, instead he shoved him against the wall, knocking the breath from Naruto's lungs and the sense from his mind when his head thudded against the wall. "Don't try to pretend you know what I want Naruto," Sasuke said, his mouth brushing Naruto's as he spoke. "You've never understood me, so don't try now."

"I understand you just fine," Naruto said pushing at Sasuke's arm and Sasuke could feel a familiar energy surround him that wasn't Naruto's.

Sasuke's brow lifted, and if he could let himself, he probably would have laughed. "You're relying on the beast to protect you?" Sasuke asked, recognizing the Kyuubi's presence around him and he wondered if the fox had meant this when he told Sasuke he'd regret killing Naruto. "I'm amazed they could even seal it inside you again."

"Kurama stays by choice, he's not sealed at all," Naruto said. Their strength was likely equal, but Sasuke had no doubt that the reason Naruto hadn't broken out of Sasuke's pin was because of the psychological hold he had over the blonde. "You couldn't hurt me anyway," He said defiantly with a fire he remembered from their childhood of them constantly clashing.

"Sure," they both knew that wasn't true. "You don't understand me," Sasuke said firmly.

Naruto's eyes looked up to the ceiling before they closed entirely and he let out a weak laugh. "I think it's the other way around," Naruto said.

"I know that you love me," Sasuke said and felt Naruto tense beneath him.

"I love a lot of people, Sasuke," Naruto said.

"That love doesn't compare to this," Sasuke said…this wasn't how things were supposed to go. People didn't start with love confessions, but they weren't really conventional either.

"Quit saying stupid things Sasuke, you're supposed to be smart," Naruto said.

"You're lying to yourself again," Sasuke said.

"You don't understand me at all! You said that I could never understand you, but I do Sasuke. I've lost people, I've hurt, just like you! I've truly hated people, I've wanted to kill them…I lost people in the war Sasuke, people died because of me, for me. Those people, the people out there are my family. They chose me, they love me because they want to, not because they have to! There's nothing you can say that will ever convince me that they aren't equally as important as those you've lost. No, you're the one who doesn't get it," Naruto yelled out.

Sasuke watched him, suddenly angry at the comparison of the massacre of his family regardless of all the facts. He wondered just how long Naruto had been holding onto that for the seams to burst at an inappropriate time. "You'd die for them Naruto…" He had no doubt of that. "But would you die with them? Die with them because you can't muster the strength to do anything else?" They had been apart for more of their life than they had spent it together. Even in their separation, they had endured this together. Sasuke knew that moment when their hearts ceased to beat that there was no other way he would have died, but it wasn't only because there was no other option.

Naruto looked at him and he opened his mouth but said nothing, at least not right away. "I don't trust you," Naruto said.

Sasuke didn't blame him. He leaned forward and caught Naruto's lips again, and this time Naruto's lips responded in desperation. "I choose you," Sasuke said and Naruto's mouth caught his in return.

"Shut up Sasuke," Naruto muttered against his mouth before he began yanking at the zipper on his shirt. Sasuke had an inkling that Naruto was acting rashly, but they were adults now so he allowed for the shirt to be pushed down his shoulders before letting it fall to the floor.

"Don't cry now," Sasuke said in response to the overwhelming emotions he'd been hearing from the blonde. Sasuke ducked his head and latched his mouth onto Naruto's pulse drawing a groan from the blonde as he moved straight for the button on the horrid orange pants that he still donned.

"I'll punch you again," He said between heavy breaths as Sasuke's hands dipped beneath Naruto's ridiculous boxers, and wrapped his hand firmly around his length, giving it a few experimental tugs and the groan indicated that Naruto's ability to coherently string words together was gone. "Fuck…"

Sasuke smirked against Naruto's throat, almost sure to leave an angry mark he hoped wouldn't be healed by the next day because Naruto was his. Sasuke used his free hand to pull Naruto's shirt up until it settled firmly above his chest before he began to nip and tease at the blonde's nipple until it pebbled and he noted that the erection that had formed in his hand had begun to leak. "Cut it out," Naruto muttered, his hands resting on Sasuke's jaw and temple before he pushed him away from his chest.

"Hn," Sasuke smirked and reached up and pinched at the nipple he had been teasing and elicited a sharp intake of breath from Naruto before the blonde started tugging at his pants again.

"Bedroom," He muttered, leaving Sasuke to doubt his innocence. He was far too enthralled with the erotic scene of Naruto's bruised, peachy lips parted in front of him to act on the anger he felt in that assumption. Naruto had grown up very well.

Naruto moved toward the bed while tearing his shirt off and when they arrived at the edge of it Sasuke felt Naruto push him and his back met the cool mattress. He had very little time to think about it before Naruto's lips were on his, his hands caressing and exploring his torso and Sasuke took pleasure in the blonde taking some initiative. Sasuke took this moment while Naruto was distracted to hook his thumbs in the loops of Naruto's pants and tug them down. Naruto didn't miss a beat as he shifted his weight until he could toss the pants and boxers on the ground before continuing in his exploration that left Sasuke breathless. Sasuke's hands found Naruto's backside again and after a gentle squeeze of flesh, Sasuke's finger slid against Naruto's entrance, gently since his fingers were dry.

"No," the word was muffled against Sasuke's collar bone and he moved to sit up just as Sasuke pressed his finger, feeling the resistance, but he didn't dare try to breach the muscle like this.

"Too soon?" Sasuke asked, grunting when Naruto shifted in his lap, the friction absolutely dangerous.

Naruto's hand grabbed Sasuke's wrist and he frowned. "Why am I bottoming?" He said.

"Because I won't," Sasuke said simply.

"What makes you think I will?" Naruto stared down at him and Sasuke didn't budge. This wasn't how he pictured this, even though Naruto seemed destined to oppose him at every turn anyway.

"I don't enjoy it," Sasuke said not wanting to give him the wrong implication but knowing that giving an ultimatum to the blonde would just make him more hostile, so he played on Naruto's compassion.

Naruto stared down at him for a long time and Sasuke could only guess at what Naruto was feeling. There was something, because his expression fell before he sighed. "Fine," he said before he rolled over onto his back.

"We don't have to," Sasuke said, maybe there was a little humanity left inside of him.

Naruto looked at him annoyed, "Just fuck me already."

Sasuke's brows lifted, but he probably should have expected Naruto to be inappropriate. With a breath he turned over and took a brief moment to survey Naruto laying with his knees propped up, his eyes half lidded as he stared back at Sasuke. A shiver ran through him, it was all too overwhelming the sheer force of his former resolve crashing down around him. He pushed his pants out of the way before he found himself between Naruto's thighs, "Lube?" He murmured quietly and Naruto fumbled around with the night stand and pushed something into Sasuke's hand. Sasuke wasted no time coating his fingers and found his way back to Naruto's entrance. He watched the blonde's face as he circled the ring of muscle for any sign of hesitation before he sank his finger in to the knuckle. "Who else has been here?" He asked, because he wanted to know and sensitivity was a rarity.

Naruto shifted his weight and let out a breath deep in his throat before he looked up at Sasuke. The stumble in his thought process, the fact that Sasuke could make the blonde falter was a pleasure to Sasuke. He mumbled something under his breath and Sasuke slid in farther, perhaps a little too fast.

"What was that?" Sasuke asked, his lips brushing against Naruto's again, shivering in anticipation at the body quivering around him.

"No one!" He hissed out.

Sasuke's teeth scraped lightly against Naruto's bottom lip before he pulled back and watched Naruto's face, and showed the blonde mercy as he gently began to stretch the blonde. He decided it wasn't a lie and decided he was going to take his time. "Hurry up," Naruto muttered out.

Sasuke smirked and slowed down, "Moron, don't rush something like this," He said quietly. He might not have enjoyed the experience, but he was maybe man enough to admit that he wanted Naruto to.

Naruto quieted down after that, or rather, he was less verbal until Sasuke refused to move on. Sasuke waited until he thought the blonde was ready, by his standards and not from the string of curse words pouring loudly from Naruto's mouth as he tried to convince Sasuke to do anything else. Sasuke pulled back only to slick his member before he shifted Naruto's legs upward, "Ready?" He asked.

Naruto gave him an annoyed glance, Sasuke simply nodded before he slowly began to sink into Naruto's heat, wrenching a loud groan from the blonde. He had been noisy throughout the entire exchange. Sasuke eased his way in slowly, removing himself several times before pressing deeper inside, paying every attention he could to Naruto. His hands gently began to massage along the blonde's thighs, "Relax, just trust me," He said quietly knowing full well Naruto probably didn't.

"You try relaxing wi—" Naruto's thought was interrupted as his breath hitched and Sasuke sat there, fully seated. Sasuke didn't respond, he continued to caress Naruto, finding sensitive spots to exploit that he regrettably hadn't discovered prior. He should have taken his time, so instead he wrapped his hand around Naruto's member and began to stroke, long and slow forcing a shudder from Naruto.

Naruto's ankle rested on his shoulder and after some time passed Naruto nodded. "Move, bastard," he murmured quietly.

Sasuke set himself into motion, moving with slow long thrusts to begin with and he could see the look of concentration on Naruto's face. Sasuke found a comfortable pace, and slowly began to pick up speed forcing Naruto's breathing to quicken and the tanned fingers to grip his own hair as he tried to remain composed. Sasuke wanted that composure gone, Naruto didn't suit composure, that's not what he wanted. He shifted his weight onto one elbow and his free hand rested in the crease of Naruto's knee, pushing it higher and he snapped his hips, groaning at the sensation that drew a loud cry from the blonde. He could feel Naruto quivering around him and it only served to bring Sasuke closer. "Sasuke!" He hissed out, and Naruto's hands finally found their way around Sasuke's body, his fingertips sinking into the flesh of Sasuke's back as he writhed beneath him and cried out.

Sasuke's thrusts remained powerful as Naruto clung to him and his face buried into Sasuke, Sasuke's arms reached around him, grasping at his back and his rear, pulling Naruto as close as their bodies would allow. He could feel Naruto's cock pressed between them, friction likely drawing Naruto higher as Sasuke moved against him. Naruto was panting, mewling and clinging to him as if when he let go everything would be over. Naruto was wrong, he came back, he chose to come back, he chose Naruto. Whatever the implications were of his decisions, Sasuke didn't fully know, all he knew was that he couldn't function without this, the overwhelming sense of completion he felt with Naruto despite the fact that Naruto saw too much of him, in spite of the fact that he knew he could ruin Naruto's world with the simple act of indifference. Sasuke was far too desperate to let go of the only thing in his life that didn't make sense but he knew he would cease breathing without.

The pleasure continued to build as Naruto's legs wrapped tightly around his waist and his mouth clumsily found Sasuke's. Naruto needed this…needed him, he could feel it and Sasuke found it hard to hold on as Naruto's heat clenched around him deliciously.

"Please," Naruto whispered against his ear, the gentle rasp only adding to the tension building deep inside of him. Sasuke thrust, the sound of the contact of flesh was too loud in the room before Naruto drowned it out with a sharp cry as his body finally released, the resulting spasm sending Sasuke over the edge. The raven buried his face in the crook of Naruto's neck, muffling his cry as he came with a few final thrusts. They stayed entangled for a moment before the strength drained from Sasuke and he felt the heavy weight of satiation threaten to draw him into slumber. He made sure to withdraw before he settled beside Naruto, panting lightly. One look at the blonde placed him in the same situation, shivering in the aftermath, his chest heaving but eyes unwilling to open.

Sasuke took the moment to let Naruto come down from the pleasurable sensation and he got up to gather something to clean them off and when he was done he sank down beside the blonde and watched his face. "Quit staring at me…" Naruto muttered, sounding tired. Sasuke imagined the other's stamina might have been greater, but perhaps he underestimated the toll of emotional exhaustion. Naruto was in tune with them far more than Sasuke ever could be.

"No," Sasuke said, reaching forward he carded his finger through Naruto's hair and he could see thick lashes flutter the slightest against marked cheeks.

"Asshole…" Naruto muttered and he shifted onto his side.

"Maybe," he said before he heard a light snore from the blonde and he breathed in heavily and decided to catch some sleep too.

-::0::-

When Sasuke woke, he hardly expected a cool morning light to be filtering through the drapes nor the warmth against his front. Naruto had shifted in his sleep, one leg was hooked over Sasuke's and Naruto's body was twisted in a near feline like state of sleep. Sasuke's lip quirked and he brushed Naruto's hair back out of his face while noting that he needed a trim.

It was so simple, the prospect of just laying here with the man who had threatened to bring down everything he knew, but Sasuke was still standing. He hadn't expected to still be standing. He was left wondering how he had managed to let this wall of distrust and disbelief build between them when maybe the light in front of him, the only thing that led him back here might have been strong enough to push the ambition he had away, to push away the overwhelming hurt he felt at the slaughter of his family so many years prior and push away the hurt of the truth. Naruto was here, and Sasuke knew that he had the blonde; he had him positioned in such a fashion that a single word he said could tear the blonde's world to pieces. He had spent long years after Sasuke's defection trying to build a foundation for himself. Naruto had amassed empires built on genuine trust, and Sasuke knew he could snuff the light out in a gentle breath. The sense of power was familiar to him, and inside he felt pleased at the realisation, but one thing was different than it had been in years past. He didn't know when it happened or how, but it would take equally as little for Naruto to ruin him. He hoped the blonde didn't know that.

"I think you should leave Sasuke," Naruto's voice filtered through the room, fogged with sleep as he turned over hiding his face from Sasuke and the bottom fell out of his world. Naruto maybe didn't know, but he had done it anyway.

"No," Sasuke said.

"I don't want you here," He said quietly…maybe it came down to that trust. Maybe Sasuke needed to just damn well say it and be damned with this pride that had somehow landed him in the one position he didn't want to find himself in.

"Liar," Sasuke's voice was quieter than it should have been.

"Get out!" Naruto said as he turned and his flat palm slammed on Sasuke's chest, knocking just a little of his breath from him. "I told you I'm not playing this game!"

Naruto didn't trust him, "You think I manipulated you," Sasuke said flatly when it was Naruto who had seduced him.

"I don't have that kind of power, and I don't want it!" Naruto said pushing at his chest again, but Sasuke caught his wrists before he did. Naruto was off balance, it was easy to avoid his aggressive behaviour.

"This isn't about power…" Sasuke said quietly even though as they breathed hostility between them, Naruto had all of the power and Sasuke had lost the footing he had so hoped to keep when he had confronted Naruto the day before.

"Like you could ever see anything else!" That wasn't true, he saw Naruto.

"I love you," Sasuke said…he knew he had spoken it, but he hadn't heard the words.

Naruto's eyes were stunned wide before he shook his head. "Get out Sasuke," the words were weaker as he pulled his arms back, it was a weak attempt, but so was Sasuke's grip and they fell to Naruto's chest and he took the briefest unnecessary moment to note that the mark he had kissed into Naruto's flesh was healed.

Sasuke watched Naruto quietly and neither of them moved other than to breathe. He could tell that Naruto was weighing his words…he didn't trust him, he didn't believe him and he lamented that he had let Naruto's vision of him get this far. His only attempt at the truth had been blatantly rejected. "I do…" He tried again.

"Please leave…" Naruto's words were weak but kept hammering up against Sasuke.

"I'm not a good person," He said admitting it. He had known it for a while. "But I am…I'm capable," He said, he hadn't thought he was, but it turned out that was the real lie.

"I know who you are," Naruto said quietly. Naruto had claimed to understand him, but if this was how he responded, maybe he didn't.

"Naruto…" he murmured the man's name for the first time.

Naruto was quiet, but he met Sasuke's gaze and he could see the conflict there. He needed Naruto to say it. He could see it, but he needed to hear it, he never thought he would need to be the first one to admit it, but maybe it was the one thing left that he needed. "Go home Sasuke…we can try again tomorrow," Naruto said and he turned over and dragged the covers with him.

Sasuke was silent as he stared at Naruto's back and considered staying put, but he eventually sat and slowly gathered his clothes. He dressed and before he headed toward the door he looked at Naruto laying in the middle of his bed as if he were weak, as if he had none of the power. It was complete bullshit. "I'll be back tomorrow then," Sasuke promised before he turned and headed for the door.

Sasuke was a fool to think it could have been so easy. They had always opposed one another. Things had never been simple and they probably never would be anything but volatile, but tomorrow was another day, and Naruto had made a vague promise to try and love him tomorrow.

End.

I think that when I started this I really just wanted to write something that hurt. This ship can be so masochistic. I kind of didn't want to start anything new while I'm still working on another multi-chapter fic that is incomplete, but there were phrases that I needed to write.

Please let me know what you think, it means so much to me~

Edit: This was intended to be a oneshot, but there appears to be at least a little interest for a continuation. I think I have enough to write a second part, is that something you are interested in? Let me know.

KoriC