Summary: Birthday fic for Sasuke. Sasuke's been gone for more than ten years from the village. Naruto learns that Sasuke has been frequenting a brothel in Rain territory. He decides to find out what it would be like to be the one who services him. (Sasuke x Naruto)

Warning: Oral, boy x boy, AND WRITTEN ON VERY LITTLE SLEEP. This chapter has been modified to meet FF's Terms of Service (no explicit smut), so if you want to read the full version, you can find it at Ao3 dot org and search under Kizukatana

Author's note: I wanted to try to write a quick, short story for Sasuke's birthday. Totally un-beta'd and just a very simple plot. Wasn't even sure I would post it, but since I've been so busy at work and haven't had time to update any of my 'real' stories, I figured what the hell? If you only like to read super-polished work, then please skip this and wait for a proper update that I will take the full time to do the triple-check I usually do.

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto (Masashi Kishimoto does) and I make no money from this story or any other fanfiction I write. The plot is mine, but that is all.

Sakura cut into the birthday cake, handing Naruto a piece before taking one for herself. They ate the first few bites in silence, enjoying the sweetness of it, coupled with the irony of the fact that the person whose birthday they were celebrating would definitely not have appreciated it. But he wasn't there, so it didn't matter. And this way, it served as their own little inside joke.

Sakura put another bite into her mouth, chewing it slowly and savoring the flavor. Slowly, a slight frown appeared on her brow.

"You know, this really has to stop," she said after a moment.

Naruto sighed and looked at her before continuing chewing. He knew that the only reason she was here anymore was because of their friendship. Every year, they'd celebrated the date, though never with the person the celebration was for.

But it wasn't for him that they did this, so it was ok.

For the first few years, it was to reaffirm their commitment that one day they would bring him home. After the final time they'd found him five years ago, it had changed to serve more as a chance to remember the team that they'd once been. Sasuke had made it clear he was never coming back. Even with Orochimaru dead, and the village willing to pardon him for his defection. Sasuke had refused, saying there was nothing for him here.

Sakura had finally moved on. But Naruto…

… couldn't let go.

"If we stop celebrating this, it doesn't mean we can't still get together, just the two of us. We could celebrate other things. Happier things. Like…" she twirled her fork in the air as she thought through options. "... like the first time we completed a successful S-ranked mission. Or when you made Anbu. Or when I took over as head medic nin." She licked a bit of frosting that had smeared across her lower lip.

Naruto said nothing, eating his cake in silence. It always sucked to hear good advice that you really didn't want to take.

A deceptively delicate-looking hand stopped his fork's progression to his mouth.

"Naruto," her voice was serious, almost pleading. "You have to move on. This…" she gestured to the cake. "This isn't helping. It isn't real. Sasuke's not coming back. It's been ten years."

Naruto put his mostly finished plate down, then leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. She was right. Ten years was too long.

"You have your own team, now. You have lots of friends. You've proven yourself to the village. You don't need him anymore." She bit her lip, looking at the golden man before her. The Anbu uniform he wore showcased his hard, lethal body. His hair was slightly shaggier than it had been as a child, but somehow that only added to the overall wild, attractive look of him.

She let out a small, wistful sigh. Ten years ago, she had viewed Naruto as an annoying, incompetent child. Barely even qualifying as the term 'ninja', despite (or possibly because of) his loud proclamations to the contrary.

But the Naruto who sat before her no longer had the need to shout his own praises from the village rooftops to get noticed. He was strong… the strongest shinobi in the village by anyone's estimation. He would be the next Hokage, without question.

Rather than being eyed with fear and hatred from the villagers, he now had the exact opposite problem. Admiring (and sometimes - in Sakura's opinion - annoyingly lascivious) looks cast his way as he walked through the streets that had once scorned him. Sakura knew that many of the kunoichi envied her, assuming that they were long-term lovers.

But they never had been. By the time she had noticed him for who he'd become, he'd already come to think of her as a sister.

Which was fine, she old herself sternly. She had Lee now, and she was happy. But she did occasionally wonder what could have been if only she'd really just looked at him sooner. In the end, it probably wouldn't have changed anything. Naruto had really only ever had eyes for Sasuke, though it took a while for her to realize it.

She knew Naruto had dated other people over the years. Or at least taken occasional lovers. The girls he'd been with were always more than happy to brag (something she always had ascribed to the men, but it turned out the women were just as bad). Actually, the men she suspected Naruto had had sex with were much more discreet. But regardless of gender, he had never let anyone stick around for long, always going off on some extended mission, and using it as an excuse for him to tell them not to wait for him.

But Sakura had figured out the real reason years ago. After all, she had suffered from the same affliction. It had been easy for her to recognize the symptoms. But it was time for it all to stop.

"How long are you going to wait for him?" she asked pointedly. "For all you know, he's married with ten kids. Or has a harem set up somewhere. Or has taken vows of chastity and finally acknowledge that he is asexual. You can't keep on dating a ghost!"

Naruto finally opened his electric blue eyes and looked directly at her. It always made Sakura's breath catch slightly when he looked at her like that… so intense and focused. She was the only one who really knew how he felt about their former teammate. At least… she was the only one he'd told. She was pretty sure Kakashi and Shikamaru had figured it out long ago.

"I know," he shifted slightly. "But I… I heard something on one of my missions into Rain territory."

Sakura stilled. "No. Naruto, please. I thought you'd given up on this? He made it more than clear last time. How many times did you chase after him and -"

"It's ok, Sakura. I'm not going to try to talk him into coming back. You're right. He's not going to. It's been years since I've even talked to him. I just -" Naruto licked his lips slightly, betraying his nerves. "I need to get him out of my system, I think. Then I can move on. Find someone else… maybe settle down."

Sakura paused, trying not to judge what Naruto was saying before she really understood it. "Ok, but… given that he barely wanted to talk to us the last time we saw him, what makes you think he'd even be interested in a one-night stand with you? Even if you could find him? I mean… he wasn't very sexually active or even… aware when he was still in the village."

A small smile flitted across Naruto's lips. "Neither was I, really. We were all a lot younger. But… I heard about a brothel. In Rain. He goes there sometimes."

Sakura blinked. She had honestly sort of assumed somewhere in her mind that Sasuke had never had sex. The thought of him with a whore seemed… fascinating and disturbing all at the same time.

"Ok. So… you want to go and… take the place of one of the girls? Or guys, or whatever? What if he has a regular? He'd know the difference. I don't think he'd be someone who would be easy to fool, if you tried to henge into someone he knew."

Naruto nodded. "I know. It might not work. But I just… I'm going to go check it out. I have some time off scheduled. I think… I just need to get it over with. Then I can move on."

Sakura's clear, green eyes focused on him. She wasn't sure that this was a good idea, but… avoiding the issue hadn't seemed to work, either. "Just be careful. You don't know him anymore."

Naruto didn't bother refuting the statement. Sakura didn't really understand what he and Sasuke had had together. Which was fair, because Naruto didn't understand it really, either. But he knew Sasuke. Whatever changes or experiences had shaped them since they'd last spoken didn't really matter. Years could pass, and it wouldn't matter. At his core, he knew who Sasuke was.

He had to do this. And then he had to finally make himself let go.

Naruto knew his henge was flawless. Given that it had been his trademark technique as a child, no one should be surprised. He had matured his look, and broadened his range to make them more realistic and less recognizable. He'd also developed his chakra suppression, making it nearly impossible for anyone without an activated sharingan or byakugan to see through.

He stood in the waiting room, his shoulder-length black hair and deep brown eyes were not as flashy as the 'sexy jutsu' he used in the past. That form would be worthless here, since Sasuke would instantly recognize it. He had still employed a bit of his old flare in his new figure, but if he were going to offer to stand in as a sex-worker, he figured he'd better look the part.

The middle-aged woman ran an assessing eye over his face and figure. "If you're trying to trap him into marriage by getting yourself pregnant, it won't work. He only ever asks for oral. If you keep a sample and end up knocking yourself up with it, he'll know it was a trick and I doubt very much if he'll take kindly to it. He's a cold one, that one is."

Naruto was barely able to keep the snort of laughter from coming out at the thought of just how much work he would have to do to actually get knocked up. Saving a mouthful of spunk for later would be the least of his hurdles.

"No, it's not that. I just…," Naruto managed to choke out. He could tell the woman was having second thoughts about the bribe money he'd paid her to allow him to play the role of one of her regular 'workers'. He looked at the older woman, considering his next words, and what might sway her. She'd probably seen just about everything in her line of work, and was likely a pretty good read of character. He decided to tell her as much of the truth as possible.

"I'm sure he doesn't even remember me. It's been several years since he's even seen me, and I look a lot different now. I just want to see him again and do this. Then I can finally move on."

The woman pursed her lips, evaluating his words. "Men come to my place for anonymous sex. Not to rekindle old flames. That one in particular."

Naruto did laugh at that, and the woman's eyes widened slightly at the honest mirth in the sound. "We are definitely not old flames. I was… not someone he considered in that way. I was still young and… he was never interested. I'm sure he won't recognize me. And I won't say anything to him. I'll be just another faceless girl."

"Hmpf," the woman ran her eyes over Naruto's figure again, but Naruto could already tell he'd made the right call and convinced her. "Well, you've got the body for it, though it will be wasted on him. You lookin' for work full time, or is this just a one-time thing?"

"No, I have another job. This is just… just this once."

The madam heaved a world-weary sigh. "I suppose you never forget your first love, even if they never even noticed your existence. Well, I suppose I can let you in just this once. I'll have one of the girls give you an orientation of what to expect. The man you're lookin' for comes by at the end of the month like clockwork. Shouldn't be more than couple of days from now. Never talks to the ones who service him, never asks for anyone in particular, not even a gender preference. Pays well, though. And he's clean, so the he's popular with my staff."

Naruto just nodded, allowing himself to be shepherded into one of the back rooms. His pulse started racing as he realized he was really going to do this. There was still a chance it might not really be Sasuke, but the more he heard about it, the more sure he was that was him.

He thought back to Jiraiya, and could almost hear the man roaring with laughter from whatever cloud he was perched on, looking down on him. The future Hokage. Working as a hooker on the side. The man would be proud.

Naruto tried to keep his facial expressions under control as the young woman quizzed him on the finer points of blowing a man and what techniques tended to get the best results. He wasn't squeamish about sex of any kind, but to have it laid out like… like a job was weird. He wondered if the workers here ever had sex for fun. After the discussion he just had, he seriously doubted it.

"Well, at least you seem to know the theory," she allowed, running her eyes slightly enviously over Naruto's enhanced figure. He started to get a bit nervous, wondering if he'd overdone it. It was less over-the-top than he usually did but… well, it was too late now.

As he looked around the room, though, he relaxed. He wasn't the biggest-chested here by a long shot. It would be fine.

"The drinks here are laced with aphrodisiac, which most of the guests choose to imbibe. It ensures the customers always enjoy their experience to the fullest. It can make some of them a bit more aggressive, but the benefit is that they tend to finish faster. So it's more enjoyment for them, and less work for us. Wins all around," she laughed as she pulled out the outfit that Naruto would be wearing.

Naruto chuckled, and her eyes warmed slightly. "So, they told me that you won't be staying?"

The proprietress hadn't told the girls anything other than "Aoi" was sent her to service a specific guest. She hadn't asked for Naruto's real name, and Naruto certainly hadn't offered it. The less that was known about this, the better as far as the madam was concerned. She had her business' reputation to think of first and foremost. And she had promised harsh penalties if Naruto did anything other than what he was instructed, to which Naruto had readily agreed.

He turned his attention back to the woman who had asked him a question.

"Nah. I'm just here for this one job, then I've got another job in another town."

The pretty girl shook her head. "Too bad. I like you. It would be fun to work together."

Naruto smiled genuinely. "Thanks."

Three days had passed since then. If Sasuke continued with the same pattern, this would be the night that he would come to the brothel. He would drink for a bit, then retire to a room where Naruto would be sent in to service him.

It felt a bit surreal to think about seeing Sasuke after such a long time. To be face-to-face with him… and not have either one trying to kill the other. That hadn't happened in over a decade.

Of course, it helped that Sasuke would have no idea who he really was. Though somehow, that thought left him with more of a sense of regret than relief. There had been a time when Naruto had envisioned a reunion so differently.

Sasuke would finally have realized he missed his home. Naruto would find him and they would fight for a bit (more just because at that point Naruto couldn't imagine being around Sasuke without some sort of violence, even if they were in agreement). But then Naruto would tell Sasuke it was time for him to come home, and Sasuke would finally agree. There would be some sort of acknowledgement of the bond between them… some evidence that it hadn't been all one-sided. Nothing overt, since that had never been Sasuke's style. But something…

… just something.

There had been hints before Sasuke had left the village that he had felt some of the same pull Naruto had. Their first kiss had been accidental but the second kiss… really hadn't been. But they'd been too young to explore it or understand it and Sasuke had left before they'd had a chance to grow into anything more.

He blew out a nervous breath, wiping his suddenly sweaty hands on the short, semi-sheer kimono he was wearing. He still didn't fully understand why he was doing this. Except that every time he undressed someone else, he wondered what it would be like to undress Sasuke. Every time he watched one of his lovers cum, he wondered what Sasuke's face would look like in that moment of ecstasy. He wanted to know what sounds he would make. What he would say when it was over.

He wanted to know what Sasuke's cock looked like hard.

And he was tired of wondering. Now he would find out, check it off his list, and hopefully move on from his childhood fantasy.

"Aoi, he's ready for you now," one of the hostesses came and motioned for him to follow her. "Up the stairs. Room seven."

The room number made him flinch.

Naruto took the stairs slowly, feeling almost like he was having an out-of-body experience. According to the workers, Sasuke never drank excessively. Presumably just enough to let the drug take effect. He wondered how he would act… what would happen.

He felt a twist of nerves. It wasn't too late for him to turn back. There were other girls available to do this. He didn't have to.

But his body kept making its steady progress up the stairs, down the hall to the door marked with the seven.

The knowledge that - after so many years - Sasuke might really be in the same building as him was making him almost shake with a sort of giddy nervousness he couldn't even begin to explain.

He looked up to find himself standing in front of a dark wooden door, the number seven etched in the center. He looked down to see his hand (though it didn't currently look like his) reaching forward and turning the handle. The door opened.

And for the first time in almost five years, Naruto was face-to-face with Sasuke.

Naruto felt his lungs seize as he took in the image of Sasuke, lounging back against the pile of tasseled pillows on the large bed. So much was the same. The thick, black hair, longer in the front but still spiking out in back. The pale skin, almost glowing in the dimly lit room.

And the eyes.

The eyes that no one who'd seen them even just once could ever forget. So dark, they were more than just black. Naruto could see the eyes were slightly glazed, the pupils a bit dilated, likely from the alcohol and aphrodisiac that the proprietress had mentioned. He wondered vaguely if Sasuke needed it to get it up, but decided it didn't matter.

There were differences in Sasuke's appearance, too. There was a hard leanness to the man that hadn't been there in the boy. And somehow… the hatred was gone, too. That puzzled Naruto. What had caused the hatred that had been such a driving fixture in the boy's emotional spectrum fade to this extent? Itachi was still alive. At least, everyone assumed so. News of his death would have spread across the ninja world like wildfire. So what had changed?

Naruto realized that he was standing there, staring like an idiot when Sasuke arched a brow. "Are you the one coming in, or are you just holding the door for someone else?"

Naruto's temper at the bastard's rude words flashed in his eyes, but he forced himself to play the role. Naruto glanced over his shoulder nervously, catching the proprietress' glare as she watched to make sure he didn't screw this up.

"Sorry. I'm new," Naruto said, bowing formally, slipping into his role. As a ninja, he had become adept at playing roles. The vocal chords of his henge'd body gave his voice a throaty, but definitely feminine sound. "Welcome to the Fire Haven Retreat. I am here to personally ensure you enjoy your time here," Naruto recited the standard greeting all of the workers here were supposed to deliver on meeting their 'client'.

"Hn," Sasuke's slight smirk indicated that Sasuke had caught Naruto's momentary flash of temper, and was amused by it. Evidently the bastard's personality hadn't changed much over the years.

Naruto closed the door behind him, not taking his eyes from his former teammate. His whole body thrummed with the realization that Sasuke was here. It hadn't been some sort of mistake or look-alike. After all the empty leads and vague rumors, he'd found him again.

He walked slowly towards the bed, feeling the dark, intelligent eyes watching him. While it was clear that Sasuke had imbibed some of the aphrodisiac-laced drink, it was also clear he wasn't drunk. Or at least, not drunk enough that he couldn't defend himself. The sense of tightly leashed power that emanated from the reclined body was instantly recognizable to anyone trained to look for it, and the sight had Naruto taking extra care with his own movements lest he reveal anything other than what he wanted to.

"I was informed of your preferences," Naruto stated as he neared the edge of the bed.

Rule number 1: No names are ever exchanged.

Sasuke simply looked at him, waiting. No emotion showed in his eyes, except general wariness and a hint of induced arousal. There was not the slightest flicker of recognition. Naruto drew a relieved breath.

"Do you wish to receive your usual services?"

Rule number 2: No conversation beyond the transaction.

"Hn," Sasuke replied. Naruto wondered fleetingly if strangers were able to tell the difference between Hn = yes, and Hn = no. Naruto still could, and was relieved that there would be no change in program. He didn't mind sucking someone off in henge form, but if he were to have actual sex with someone, he would prefer to be in his own body.

Naruto looked down at Sasuke. From this distance, he could make out the slight trace of a flush along the man's cheekbones, likely from the alcohol. Sasuke was probably at least a little bit buzzed. The thought was strange to Naruto, but it did put him at ease slightly. The man would be less likely to notice any small mistakes Naruto might make.

Naruto allowed his gaze to rove over Sasuke's body. The white shirt he wore was zipped up, which annoyed him somewhat. Sasuke had always run around showing off his chest before, but now that Naruto was actually going to get to appreciate it, he'd covered it up. Always was a bastard.

"I am going to remove your belt, now," Naruto said, remembering that the workers here always informed their guests when services were starting.

Rule number 3: Only the bare minimum of clothing is ever removed. The servicer remains fully clothed.

"Fine," Sasuke laced his fingers behind his head, leaning back against the pillows. Naruto would have assumed him to be completely uninterested in the act that was about to take place if it weren't for the slight bulge in the front of Sasuke's pants, indicated that he was already semi-erect.

Naruto's tongue darted out to wet his lower lip. Sasuke was even more beautiful than Naruto had remembered. The flawless lines of the fine bones of his face were even more visible now with the baby fat long gone.

Naruto reached out slowly, his hand trembling slightly as it reached for the purple obi that was tied around Sasuke's waist. Sasuke noticed the tremor, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you afraid?"

"No," Naruto said quickly. "Just… no."

Sasuke looked at him for a minute, wariness back in his eyes. It was almost funny to think that Sasuke was worried that the person servicing him might be less than willing, given the hordes of women (and men) who had hurled themselves at his feet throughout his life.

Naruto undid the intricate knot, forcing his hands to remain steady. He looked unflinchingly into Sasuke's intensely black eyes, making it clear that there was no fear on Naruto's part. No one was forcing him to do anything he didn't want to do.

And suddenly, he very much wanted to do this.

"Open," Naruto said brusquely, earning an arched eyebrow from the man lying below him, but Sasuke obeyed and opened his legs wider, giving Naruto room to kneel on the bed between his knees.

Naruto slid his hands along the inside of Sasuke's clothed thighs, noting the way the bulge in the man's trousers grew slightly at the touch. His fingers itched to unzip the shirt Sasuke wore and see the contours of the chest beneath it. But he knew he couldn't.

Rule number 4: No unnecessary touching.

Naruto slid his hands up to the juncture of Sasuke's thighs, his thumbs making lazy circles in the hollow of the tendons and hard muscles of the thigh, just below the groin.

Sasuke's dick was now standing at full attention, impressively tenting the fabric of his pants. Naruto could see a thin sheen of sweat forming the hollow by Sasuke's collar-bone.

Naruto wanted to lick it, to see if Sasuke tasted the same way he smelled. Like fire and lightening and forests and… and something else that made Naruto's nostrils flare trying to memorize it.

As his hands pushed against the hard muscle of Sasuke's inner thigh, Naruto's sensitive fingers could feel the elevated pulse in Sasuke's femoral artery. The scent in the room shifted to one of heavy arousal, drowning out the scents that had gone before.

Or possibly Naruto's mind had simply shut out anything that was not related to Sasuke.

Just this once. Just this one time. He wanted him. Wanted what he could never have.

He slowly, almost ritualistically pulled the purple rope free from Sasuke's body. The sound of the slither of the belt against the fabric of Sasuke's clothes and the sheets had Naruto's blood pounding through his body.

He looked up, away from the sight of Sasuke's arousal, to meet the hooded gaze of the man. Naruto slid the purple rope through his tan fingers, feeling the thickness of it, imagining himself tying Sasuke to the bed with it. That was a fantasy he'd had so many times he'd lost count.

But of course, that was not allowed. He tossed it aside. He wouldn't focus on what he couldn't have. He would enjoy what he could.

Naruto kept his gaze locked on Sasuke's, letting his fingers trace lightly over the waistband of the dark blue pants, feeling the hard abs tighten beneath his touch. There was no doubt that Sasuke still kept himself in fighting shape.

The dark eyes that had only showed a hint of arousal before were now blazing with it. The pale hips beneath is fingers flexed slightly, as Sasuke's body sought relief from the arousal that the combination of the laced drink and Naruto's ministrations had brought out.

Naruto smirked slightly, glad to finally see some reaction from the man. But it wasn't enough. Naruto had experience with both male and female lovers. And he hadn't slept through all of Jiraiya's reminiscences either. He would enjoy watching Sasuke come apart, even if it was just for one time.

He slide the palm of his hand over the hard ridge between Sasuke's thighs, noting the way the pale jaw clenched as though to hold back a groan. Naruto curled his fingers around Sasuke's erection, using the fabric that still clothed it to provide an edge of friction as he gave two slow, firm pumps.

Sasuke's arms moved from being casually crossed behind his head to bracing flat against the silk sheets, fingers splayed. Naruto broke the heated gaze to look down at where his hand was wrapped around Sasuke's clothed cock…

… and was annoyed to see a hand that didn't look like his.

He pushed aside the flash of irritation, using his other hand as well..

He could see the pulse at Sasuke's throat, along with the sweat that now sheened the sliver of flesh that was visible between where his white shirt had ridden up and the blue pants and been shifted slightly down.

"Enough," bit out, his breath coming in shallow pants. "Get on with it."

Naruto snickered. "You really need to learn more about foreplay, b- by the way," Naruto barely caught himself from saying 'bastard'. That would not fit the role he was supposed to be playing at all. But it was hard to pretend to be someone else when he was with the person who had once known him best. The only person who ever possibly could really have understood him.

Deciding it was past time for both of them to be thinking of anything, he slipped his fingers teasingly under the edge of Sasuke's pants as he lowered his mouth to where it was intended.

Sasuke's fingers clenched into the sheets, twisting the fabric.

"Fuck!"

Naruto hid a dark smile at the word that had escaped Sasuke's lips. Knowing that it was unusual for him to lose even this much control.

But Naruto was just getting started. He pulled the fabric down, finally baring Sasuke to his gaze. Naruto memorized the sight.

Sasuke propped himself up on his elbows and glared down at him.

"I'm not paying you to look at it. I don't have all night."

"Tch. Like you've got anything I haven't seen before," Naruto scoffed, his face blushing slightly that he had sort of been caught out. "I thought they said you didn't like talking? Shut up and lie back down."

Naruto turned his attention back to business and missed the sharp, questioning look that Sasuke shot him.

He began to tug Sasuke's pants all the way down, but a pale hand stopped him. "No."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm about to suck your dick. I think your modesty can handle it if I happen to see your knees along the way. The pants are in the way. I need better access."

Sasuke looked at him for a moment, then released him, though grudgingly. "Fine."

Naruto tossed the annoying garment aside, wishing he had more time to really enjoy the sight of Sasuke half-naked beneath him, but he knew he was pushing things as it was.

He pushed Sasuke's legs further apart, allowing him to settle fully between the hard, pale thighs. Before Sasuke could voice any further complaints, Naruto got to work.

It was perfect.

Naruto felt his own body burning with unfulfilled arousal as Sasuke collapsed back on the bed, slick with sweat and breathing hard.

Naruto realized that they hadn't broken their gaze since Sasuke had grabbed his hair. The air in the room felt heavy as Sasuke's gaze stayed locked on him.

Moments passed, and neither spoke nor looked away.

"You don't work here," Sasuke stated. Not a question.

Naruto's breath halted. He quickly assessed himself, reassured that his henge and chakra suppression were still fully in place. "If this is your way to try to get out of paying, it won't work."

Sasuke continued to look at him, searching his features. "I know I have never seen you before. But you are so familiar. There's something..." Sasuke frowned, his mind clearly trying to re-engage from the haze of sex.

This was getting dangerous. If Sasuke activated his sharingan, it would be all over. Naruto sat up, wiping the traces of cum and saliva from his lips. Knowing that Sasuke was watching him intently.

He straightened his kimono. "I need to leave. If you require anything else, you can send for the proprietress."

Sasuke rubbed a hand over his eyes, as though trying to clear them from the effects of the alcohol and stimulant. "What is your name."

Stated as a demand, not a question.

Naruto felt a crooked, slightly wistful smile ghost across his lips as he briefly considered answering that question truthfully. If he thought it would make a difference in the outcome, he might have done it.

"They call me Aoi."

Sasuke frowned, clearly hearing the slight dodge in Naruto's answer.

Naruto stepped out of the room before Sasuke could say anything more, closing the door softly behind him.

He headed quickly to the back room where he could change out of his borrowed clothes. He'd rented a room in town, where he would be able to sleep without having to maintain the henge. He'd stay in form whenever he was in public until he had safely crossed the border out of the Hidden Rain.

The madam caught his eye as he was heading out, and nodded slightly. Their deal was now complete.

It was an oddly clear night as he walked to the hotel where he would be sleeping. It was actually the first night it hadn't rained since he'd arrived nearly a week ago. It made him think of home.

The moon was bright, nearly full overhead.

He looked at it, feeling its calming influence on him. Helping him to ground himself.

He wasn't ready to process how he felt about what he'd just done. Not ready to face whether he had succeeded in 'scratching the itch' or simply upped the dosage on his addiction. Nothing he ever planned with Sasuke ever turned out how he expected. He had no control over his emotions when it came to that one man.

But at least he had this one night. This one time.

As he lay in his own bed, the moonlight streaming through the window, forming silvery pools on his coarse blanket, he decided that it was worth it. No matter what happened after this.

The next morning, Naruto packed his things and went down to check out.

"Aoi?" the receptionist at the desk asked.

"Yes," Naruto said, having resumed Aoi's physical appearance when he'd left his room.

"There was a message left for you, delivered by one of the messengers from Fire Haven," he said the words with more than a little bit of judgement. Proper young women travelling alone did not receive notes from houses of ill repute. Naruto just took the letter, too curious about its contents to bother being amused or annoyed by the man's reaction.

There were two notes inside. One was from the madam:

I don't know what you did, but your man came out insisting that he be able to speak with you. When I told him you'd already left, he asked me where you lived. I told him I didn't know, but that I might be able to get a letter to you if he left a message. He wrote one and gave it to me.

If you wish, I will see you next month. And maybe you could share some of your secrets with our other workers.

The next note was in a neat, masculine script:

Meet me here a month from today. Do not make me come find you.

Naruto stared at the second note, not sure what he made of it. Sasuke had clearly suspected something. But if he had known who it was, surely he'd just come to Konoha and confront him.

Naruto pocketed the note, not sure what he would do.

But it was ok. He had a month to decide.

The end.