A/N: Okay. Here it is. This ends the Sasuke: Near Kisses Trilogy. Again, the plot is over used, I know. I'm running out of fic ideas! Must be writer's block. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

SASUKE: NEAR KISSES

Part III

dedicated to my dearer—for being my dearer

Uzumaki Naruto never got used to things going his way. He usually had to do a series of complicated steps before actually achieving something. But hey, that's exactly what life is. It was only recently that everything seemed to fit, like a jigsaw puzzle of some sort. Everything agreed with him, if they didn't go his way, that is.

Sasuke's confession though, was too unexpected to be good and too unbelievable to be bad.

Okay, so Naruto LIKED Sasuke. He enjoyed their constant and oftentimes pointless arguments, their uncanny ability to unconsciously complement each other and even their everyday insults. To sum it up, he enjoyed everything. Only, like Sasuke, he knew that such feelings would cause a lot of complications. Stating these complications would be completely pointless because they are so obvious that one can choke on them.

"This… This is… completely unexpected," Sasuke said after what seemed like eons of silence.

What was so unexpected about that? Sasuke was handsome, skilled and great. Surely he, of all people should know that he 100 likeable if not for his icy demeanor and degrading insults. If the girls of Konoha fell for him, why not Naruto too?

"A ninja has one word," Naruto replied, unable to look at Sasuke straight in the eye because of his blushing cheeks. "It may sound weird. But it's true."

"Well… then… that's…"

"What should we do about it?" Naruto asked.

"Forget about it," the Uchiha replied as nonchalantly as possible. "It's the only way unless we want to be caught up in this stupid emotion,"

"Forget?" the blonde echoed.

Is it that easy for you?

Maybe Sasuke saw Naruto as an entertainer of some sort, who can fill his days with naïve childishness and sincere smiles but Naruto genuinely cares for Sasuke. He would die for him, just as Sasuke demonstrated during that fight with Haku. Even before, Naruto saw Sasuke as a friend. The best friend he ever had. Sasuke knew him inside and out and he could demand anything from Naruto—and the boy would gladly do it. As time went by, Naruto realized that he wanted something more. Just recently, he found out that he wasn't contented in being just a friend.

"Yes, Naruto. Forget." Sasuke replied. "You do want to be a Hokage and I, of course, plan to pursue my revenge for my clan. This kind of… distraction will only lead us away from our goals."

"Oh," Naruto managed to say. He wanted his "Oh" to mean "I see. I haven't noticed that." But what he really meant was "Am I that easy to forget, Uchiha Sasuke?" Hopefully, Sasuke will get the right message and even if Naruto's "Oh" could mean a lot of things, there was a slim chance that Sasuke won't figure out that Naruto's "Oh" clearly meant that he wasn't in favor of this arrangement.

But what Sasuke wants, Naruto makes sure he gets.

"Forget, then." Naruto said in a choked voice.

"Forget,"

ooOOoo

It has been years since that conversation of theirs transpired. Naruto and Sasuke underwent missions together, fought together, graduated together and everything else in between. Although a lot of restraint was present whenever the two would get close (i.e. all the time) they somehow managed to push down those urges—and indeed they had gotten what they both wanted. Or at least they were closer to it now.

Naruto and Sasuke both became jounins recently.

"Congratulations!" Haruno Sakura hugged her two teammates. The two of them were more mature now although Naruto still retained his childish grin. They were both taller, leaner and if possible, more attractive.

"Ehehe," Naruto laughed at the comment.

"You should treat us, Naruto!" Sakura announced, punching Naruto's arm lightly. The girl too, has matured into a young woman—without those raging hormones urging her to claim Uchiha Sasuke as hers. "Sasuke-kun too!"

"I'm kind of broke," Naruto admitted sheepishly. "I spent all my money on that—" he trailed off and accidentally caught Sasuke's gaze. This triggered Naruto to blush and mutter nonsense.

Sasuke looked puzzled for a moment and after a few minutes, he felt a smile creeping up his lips. The new Jounin looked so adorable at this moment and this had a lot to do with the anonymous package Sasuke received on his birthday.

"I'll treat you," Sasuke said. Even though he has changed over the years, his voice still remained the same—mysterious, captivating and all-too sexy.

"Really?" Sakura perked up. "That's great!"

"Wha—" Naruto felt his mouth hang open. "What about me?"

"You can tag along if you want," the Uchiha shrugged. He and Sakura walked on ahead, leaving Naruto brooding behind. From where he stood, Naruto can see how Sasuke really had changed. No longer was he the cold and insensitive bastard of before something happened and changed him into… something more human. Then again, Sasuke never acted human. He was far too perfect at almost everything possible that it was hard to believe that he was actually part of the human race. Nevertheless, Naruto appreciated Sasuke's company. Even though there was a lot of restraint present.

Naruto smiled wistfully as a wave of nostalgia ran through him. The conversation he and Sasuke shared is still fresh in his mind, to the last heartbeat. He understood how Sasuke felt—even without a family to call his own or even a brother who was capable of killing his entire clan, save one. Naruto knew what he had to go through and yet no matter how much he wanted to help, there was no way he could.

Sasuke was right. They should just forget the feeling. Abandon it. Ignore it. Forget it. Even with Sasuke's crystal clear words, Naruto couldn't bring himself to forget it. Anything but that. You can ask Naruto anything but that. Forgetting is simply not an easy task.

Especially when it's Sasuke we're talking about.

They reached Ichiraku a few minutes later and the smell of ramen was a dead give-away of what Sasuke planned for their dinner that night. Sakura smiled at Sasuke before taking her seat while Naruto got excited at the prospect of having ramen. In fact, anything ramen excited Naruto.

"Hurrah! Ramen!" Naruto cheered, forgetting for a moment that he was now a grown man who just earned his Jounin title. He had a big grin on, like a child during Christmas. Naruto is not a child then again, he won't be Naruto if he didn't act like one.

"I'm treating Sakura, dobe, not you." Sasuke informed.

Naruto's face fell.

"What? But—but… I TURNED INTO A JOUNIN!" the young man wailed. "Why won't you treat me too?"

Sakura smiled at the childish yet entertaining display of affection between the two. They may not have noticed it but Sakura did—she can't be that blind, can she? Sasuke and Naruto may act like bitter rivals but under certain circumstances, they show a different relationship.

"Treeat me," Naruto thought of saying, together with the kneeling position and the pleading puppy-dog eyes. But his pride wouldn't let him stoop down low, even for ramen. He had a certain degree of dignity when it comes to Sasuke. The Kyuubi boy wanted to show Sasuke that he wasn't worth forgetting, even though he knew very well that Sasuke's mind was made up. And clearly, Sasuke has mastered the art of forgetting, with how his eyes remained calm and cool near him.

"Ah, I'll pay my own," Naruto grumbled.

The three sat down, with Sakura sitting in the middle of the two. The man there quickly recognized Naruto's grinning face.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Yo, oji-chan!" Naruto greeted back.

"I heard about your new rank," he told Naruto with a smile. "Congratulations."

"But of course! I'm going to be a Hokage someday!"

A few inches away, Sasuke felt something stab at his heart—yes, he does have one. So Naruto still had that goal in mind. Not that Sasuke blames him. Naruto was born as stubborn as a rock and seemingly nothing can change that. Unlike him, Sasuke was beginning to have doubts about his own goal. Should he really pursue it?

Of course. What else would be my purpose without it?

Sasuke smiled as he watched Naruto chat happily with the old man. The boy was obviously loved by everyone who knew him well. Then again, what was there to hate? Naruto has this naïve personality that never fails to amaze anyone. He's sincere, honest and open and this helps him win a person's trust. He has a persevering attitude which is sometimes annoying but all the same, inspiring. And yet, despite his grinning face and childish antics, lies a lonely, love-starved boy.

Sasuke, at one point in time, thought he could help Naruto. In fact, they could help each other. They were both alone and orphaned at a young age. He really thought he could. It wasn't because he wanted company—or even a new family again—he just couldn't stand to see a boy so broken. Outside, Naruto never lets anyone see how sad he truly is. But Sasuke saw beneath those layers Naruto built around himself. He knew how he felt when saw fathers playing with their children or mothers preparing lunches.

I want to help him.

Naruto was a boy unfairly deprived of a family and if that wasn't enough, the town's most feared creature was sealed within his body. He didn't deserve the contempt or the hate the villagers gave nor the taunts and teases of the children around.

I want to help him.

I want to comfort him.

I want to love him.

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto's voice interrupted Sasuke's thoughts yet again. It was only then that he realized that a steaming bowl of ramen was in front of him.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura peered at him worriedly.

Sasuke just nodded and started to eat,

But nobody said anything about forgetting Naruto. At least, not Sasuke. Not this Uchiha. He tried hard, yes. Lord knows he tried really hard to forget. After all, it was he who came up with the plan in the first place and with the knowledge that Naruto likes him too, the ides of entertaining these feelings is very tempting indeed.

Can I really?

Sasuke knows he can't. This is, in a way, helping Naruto. Naruto wanted to become a Hokage, as he had said so and in doing that, he can't possibly be distracted by such things. This is for the best.

Sasuke sighed and proceeded to eat.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura called out.

The three were now seated on a grassy plain, staring at the wonderful celestial display before them. Sasuke caught himself glancing at Naruto but he afterwards scolded himself for doing so.

I can't possibly complicate his life now, can I? Not with his dream to be a Hokage within reach.

"Yeah?" Sasuke answered nonchalantly.

"Do you believe in destiny?" Sakura asked dreamily, casting a look at the stars.

"No," Naruto answered before Sasuke could. "Geez, you sound like Neji, Sakura-chan."

"But wouldn't it be romantic? To know that there's only one person meant for you and that no matter what you do you'll always be pulled towards each other?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in mild curiosity—of how Naruto will react, that is.

He watched as the two went on, debating and arguing about the Heavens. Naruto persisted that you can get what you want, as long as you believed in yourself. Sakura, on the other hand, argued that no matter what a person does, there is always a carefully mapped out plan for him to follow and everyone will be bound to it.

Although Sasuke didn't care about those things, what Sakura said intrigued him.

…There's only one person meant for you…

Yes. One. Only one. Maybe Sakura is the one. They get along well, if not for their constant arguments. Maybe that's what Naruto needs. A wife. A family. Not a nuisance like me. No, he'd be better off without me.

Yeah. He will.

I'll make sure he will.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled at the young man's retreating back. From the short and lanky boy he was, ha had grown into a tall, lean young man full of vitality and exuberance. Naruto turned around, saw Sasuke and stiffened. He started to walk towards him, with an unreadable expression on his face. As he came closer, Sasuke felt his heart beat erratically. It only behaved that way when he was with Naruto and Itachi but Sasuke was sure it was for entirely different reasons.

Sakura had left a bit sour from their debate. Naruto was pretty much the same, but he seemed to be taking this fight quite lightly. Sasuke, who was beginning to get confused as hell, decided to take matters in his own hands.

"What is it?" Naruto asked.

"I need to talk to you," Sasuke replied. "As a concerned friend."

"Well, what's stopping you?"

Sasuke felt his heart get pierced by this cold indifference. Yet he knew that he was somehow to blame. He wanted the boy to forget about him, didn't he? It was the right thing to do yet…

Why did it feel so wrong?

"Do you plan on getting married?" Sasuke blurted. By the looks of it, they were both surprised at the question.

"What kind of question is that?" Naruto frowned.

"A sensible question," Sasuke pointed out. "That is meant to be answered."

"You're not ordering me, are you?" The Kyuubi boy narrowed his eyes at him. Sasuke felt a small smile crawl up his lips. Stupid as Naruto may seem, he can still manage to tug at Sasuke's heartstrings whenever he wanted—hell, there were even times when he does it unconsciously.

"No," Sasuke finally replied. "I'm not,"

"Fine then." Naruto shrugged once more. For a second there, Sasuke was about to let the matter rest but Naruto's next words prevented him from doing so. "To tell you the truth, I don't know."

"You don't want to marry Sakura?" Sasuke asked him in mild surprise. "I always thought you wanted to."

"I thought so too," Naruto admitted. "But things change. I change."

"That seems weird, coming from you. Weren't you the persistent one chasing after the Hokage title?" Sasuke smirked, in hopes of uplifting the mood between them.

"I didn't give up," Naruto stated firmly, as if to tell Sasuke that this wasn't just a simple matter to discuss. "I just realized that… I was barking up the wrong tree."

"Well Naruto, whoever the lucky girl is," Sasuke drawled, placing his hands in his pockets. "Marry her. Have kids. The whole package. You'll be better off that way."

Exactly. Better off without me.

"What is wrong with you today, Sasuke? I don't need to hear this—not from you." Naruto frowned. First the "fight" with Sakura, now this. If it weren't for his new rank…

"Naruto, I'm telling you, this is out of concern. You understand don't you? That you need a wife to stay with you until the end of eternity… or something."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because… I'm worried about you. Once you find the one, the right one, don't ever let her go. Make her yours."

"Who do you think I am? Some kind of desperate bachelor or something?" Naaruto asked him. "I know that. You don't need to tell me."

Naruto hung his head, waiting for Sasuke to reply. To say anything. He was the only one who can do that to him. Otherwise, Naruto wouldn't allow it. He had hoped for years that maybe someday he could accept that Sasuke prioritized the death of his brother but he never did. He teased Sasuke, laughed with him, fought with him and even waited for him.

Yet he didn't come.

But Naruto knew better than to give up. All his life, he knew that one should not quit. And that goes the same here. Sasuke may care more about Itachi than him but naruto cared for him more than anything else—even ramen.

Make her yours.

And when Naruto looked up, Sasuke was gone.

Sasuke was aimlessly walking around, a deathly boring way to spend time. If it wasn't for the calm scenery and sense of tranquility this activity offered, Sasuke could've died of boredom, if such a thing were possible.

Thoughts ran in and out of his head and they all had one thing in common—Naruto. Try as he might, he can't forgive himself for that cocky display a while ago. Of course, it was entirely up to Naruto what he planned to do with his life. Sasuke didn't have the privilege to dictate his way of living.

Yet he only wanted Naruto to be happy. That's what he wanted from the very beginning. He'd be able to have a family of his own, children of his own… a wife of his own…

Sasuke felt jealous for the would-be bride.

But who was he to feel jealous when feelings are a foreign aspect for him? Who was he to feel jealous when it was his damn fault why Naruto isn't with him at this very moment?

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke looked up and saw Naruto yet again. The sight made him feel worse.

"What is it, dobe?"

"I thought about what you said and I realized that you were right. I do need someone to stay beside me through eternity."

Sasuke decided best not to reply.

"I know just who to go to and I'm going to follow your advice, Sasuke!" Naruto grinned at this statement.

Can I possibly live with the fact that he belonged to someone else?

"Naruto, I have something to tell you," Sasuke interrupted. "Everything I said, forget it. Forget all of it. I have realized that I, too, need someone to stay with me…"

They were right in front of each other now and Sasuke knew that this was the moment to make up for all the things he said—all the wrong things he said. Yes, he was willing to give everything and anything for Naruto. By far, he was the only thing that Sasuke treasured. If he lets his go now, what kind of idiot would he be?

Although it would be up to Naruto to accept him.

Naruto studied Sasuke. At that moment, he knew that he could never forget about Sasuke or his feelings about him. Sasuke could kill him, torture him or even bribe him but it still wasn't possible. Naruto would give anything just to be assured that Sasuke's smile would only be for him, his eyes only for him… that Sasuke was only for him.

Naruto resolved silently that he will make Sasuke his, whatever the price. He'd go against destiny even, if that's what it takes.

"I won't stop until you're mine, usaratonkachi" Sasuke told him determinedly.

Naruto started to laugh and a look of confusion crossed Sasuke's face.

"Baka, I'm already yours."

owari

A/N: I hope that this chapter is worth the wait. By far, this is the longest chapter I've typed. Hope you enjoy reading it. You don't know what I had to do to get this posted here. Anyway, please read and review!