GEMMA!!

I said I would, so here you go! .

ONE SHOT-SASUKE AND NARUTO

Gaara: you mean, I'm NOT going to be in this?! O.O

Bex: heh, heh, well. No I guess you're not.

Gaara: evil glare of murderous intent. Gourd cork starts to squeak out of plug hole

Bex: Eep! I mean, you'll be in the other story I'm writing!!! And, I'll, erm, make it up to you!!! drops to knees and bows to his feet, begging

Gaara: raises brow, closes eyes in thought, wicked smirk, nod Very well. After you write this, 'make it up' to me. walks off to leave Bex hot under collar

Bex: well…I'm certainly in the mood to write this!!!! Let the show, begin!!!

"That bastard!" He grit his teeth and bunched the cowering tree before him for the hundredth time that morning. "That teme! Bastard!" Getting slightly annoyed that his bubbling rage wasn't dissipating as quickly as the amount of trees were around him, he switched to vexing with his foot. Booting the tree, he growled deeply. "Mother fucker! Emo pissy fucking wench!" A large droplet landed on his golden head, and he growled even louder. "Even the fucking weather wants to piss me off! Did you get the sky to piss on me for ya, prissy boy? Couldn't you be arsed to do it yourself?! Damn it!" the dark winter clouds portrayed his mood perfectly. From the rapid forks of distant lightning, to the echoing roars of fury above his head. He booted the side of the tree again, ignoring the swelling on his right shin, aching from the self abuse. "At least the weather finds me worthy enough to rain on my parade…fucking Emo bastard…Sasuke…"

Naruto Uzumaki rested his forehead against the battered (what was left of it by this time) tree bark and just stood like that as the heavens above opened up…

…and poured down on him. It just wasn't his day.

When was it ever my day?

…

…

…

Exactly.

Naruto sighed, actually finding cleansing comfort from the heavily seeping rain water into his clothes, sticking to his skin until it was cool. It was like the water was caressing him, trying its best to wash away the hurt and pain.

Only to make him sneeze. "A-choo!" He sniffled, and pulled his forehead back from the tree.

It was raining so heavily now, the water was bouncing off the floor, spraying back up as a mist around his feet. He shoved his hands into the wet pockets of his trusty orange trousers, shivered as his black and orange jacket stuck to him with his black shirt underneath, giving no warmth to him now it was saturated worse than goldfish.

And last time he checked, they actually lived in water. Well, I have golden hair. And my clothes are orange. Is this what a goldfish feels like?

Naruto chuckled at his own stupid thought, and headed off home. He kicked random pieces of trash, cans, ramen cups, pens. Anything. He even found a rather nice rock he liked, kicking it all the way up the street, before it fell into a gutter. "Story of my life…Dattebayo." His golden head hung forward, and he walked the rest of the way with his eyes closed. He knew Konoha like the back of his hand. He didn't need to look where he was going, to know to step over that curb, duck under that post sign, and swerve round that letter box. But when he got home, he couldn't open the door. Not because he didn't have the key or anything, which was in his pocket, and the spare set was under the door mat.

He just physically couldn't bring himself to put the key in the lock, and walk inside. So he did the opposite.

He left the key in his pocket, turned on his heel, and headed back out into the rain.

He walked down the streets, catching the eyes of curious people in their warm, cosy little houses with their warm, cosy little families, before they drew their curtains on him.

He walked past the lake where he first saw Sasuke as a child. But there was no Sasuke, there was no mini Naruto, there was no one.

Who in their right mind would be out in this weather? Oh, right…me…

Naruto eventually found himself back at the academy, in the playground, stood in front of that damn swing.

He remembered swinging solemnly to himself, watching as parents came to collect their wonderful children and tell them how proud they were of them. Before he knew it, he was once again sat on that swing, eyes cast down once more, feeling as alone now as he had then.

And in truth, he was.

Over these last years, Sakura was Tsunade's number two Medical Ninja in training, the other teams were all off with their sensei on missions, Kakashi sensei was always off on A rank class missions, and now offered the opportunity to join ANBU again.

He seems to be seriously considering it.

Well why shouldn't he? His Genin team's dissipated, all in other teacher's hands now.

Sakura with Tsunade.

Naruto with Jiraiya (when he isn't off doing 'research' for his damn novels or leaving behind, taking his money and sending him on wild goose chases)

And Sasuke…was with Orochimaru.

Oh yeah, that's right. Sasuke had successfully gotten strong enough to defeat his brother Itachi, only for Orochimaru's internal body swap clock to run out, and try to take his body before he got his revenge.

Tried.

Luckily, Naruto, Gaara, Neji, Kakashi, Jiraiya and Sakura had managed to arrive in the knick of time, as they always do, and help Sasuke defeat Orochimaru before he could be taken.

Naruto had even thrown himself in front of Sasuke's body when Orochimaru began the Forbidden Jutsu. He stood there, shielding him, refusing to move (no matter how hard Sasuke swore at him and told him to move, and then try to physically shove him out the way). Like his iron will, Naruto had persisted, hung on, and blocked Sasuke from that snarky, snaky bastard's technique. Thank Kami Jiraiya had been using disabling Hand signs to hinder Orochimaru's Jutsu, or Naruto might have found himself cell mates with the Kyubi inside his own head!

But he didn't move, and he was still stood shielding the injured Sasuke behind him (Hiding his own deep stab wound under his arm from Orochimaru's Kusanagi sword).

It was only when Kakashi put his bleeding hand on Naruto's matted golden head, that he opened his baby blue eyes, and smiled.

He'd done it. He'd saved Sasuke. He'd brought him back.

At least, that was before he turned around.

Sasuke wasn't there.

Naruto had searched that damn area for an entire month before Jiraiya Knocked him out and took him back to Konoha.

Obviously, Naruto was pissed at this, until he blatantly ran into Tsunade's office…to see Sasuke.

"Tsunade Baba-chan! Why did you…S…Sasuke?" His shoulder's dropped, his eyes wide and completely stunned. "S…Sasuke!" Both blue eyes lit up like never before, like they had years ago when he was 12. Naruto couldn't hear what Tsunade was saying, and ran at his old team mate. "Sasuke!" He grinned, hugging him tightly and letting built up tears pour down his scared cheeks happily against his chest. "About time you came back! Sakura-chan and everyone have been so worried about you!" He beamed up at the taller, darker haired Genin. He didn't see the look of utter unguarded surprise, turn into a dark scowl. "I was just about to come after y-"

"What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke spat, grabbing Naruto's shoulders and shoving him off him. He made a point to brush his shoulders off arrogantly, as if Naruto had dirtied him in some way. "Stupid Dobe."

And that was it.

Sasuke had just thrown a 'Hn' back at the silent Hokage, blanked Naruto completely, and walked out of the office.

Naruto didn't say a word, or change his blank face all day. He went home, ate some instant ramen, went to sleep, and hoped for some sort of change the next day.

He actually caught Sasuke standing in the academy playground, looking at the front of the school, deep in thought. But as soon as Naruto had approached him, He stopped his heart and breath in his throat with the iciest glare you could ever imagine.

So cold…so…full of hatred.

He had been reinstated with a new Konoha leaf head protector, for helping to defeat Orochimaru and then later returning of his own accord…but…

But he refused to come back to me.

Naruto placed his feet on the ground, and gently swung himself on the swing, timing each second with a rusty squeak of the metal. From a distance, Naruto had watched as Sasuke spoke to everyone in his usual cool demure. And he meant, EVERYONE.

He came back to Konoha, to the Hokage, to Kakashi sensei, Sakura-chan…but not me. He won't even come near me…

Sasuke had started living back in the old Uchiha estate, alone, again.

And Naruto still lived in his apartment, alone, still.

He was 17 years old, and he had been through so much pain and anguish, HE should be the angsty Emo, not Sasuke.

He doesn't have a demon responsible for killing hundreds trapped inside him.

He wasn't an orphan all his life.

He wasn't hated, and still to some extent now, by his own village. Sasuke had been invited back openly. Naruto was still fighting for acceptance from most of the village…

He got to abandon his pain and go off to train to kill the source of it. Naruto couldn't kill the source of his pain, it lived inside him.

He got to do as he pleased, where Naruto was always pushed around, ordered around, underestimated and ignored unless he shouted and had a paddy about it. Hell, it had taken Naruto 5 years to find that arsehole, and Sasuke just says WHAT?!

"Stupid Dobe."

He could have cried.

And he had, for the last week's worth of nights in his bed, when no one could see him.

Sasuke was…his truest friend. The closest thing he would ever have to someone who could understand the pain he felt, his struggle to be all he could be. Sasuke was good looking, cool, powerful, a Genius Ninja, and everything Naruto had ever wanted to be.

All he wanted was for Sasuke to turn round to him, give him a smile, and tell him he was ok. That they were equal.

Well done.

How hard was it to say something like that?

Even if he didn't say it, if Sasuke treated him as an equal, that was just fine too.

But…he hates me. Even now, I'm nothing to him. Even though I worked so hard…risked so much…just to bring him home.

Naruto hiccupped, sniffling as fresh tears pooled in his blue eyes and leaked down his face.

It was ok, he told himself. No one would be able to tell he was crying with all this rain.

And…no one would care anyway. It was just Naruto.

Just…me…

"Hn, Dobe?" Naruto gasped and snapped his head over his shoulder.

Sasuke Uchiha, stood in black trousers, a navy blue jacket with his clan's emblem on the back and front, shiny new leaf protector on his forehead and holding an Uchiha umbrella over his head, raised a navy black eyebrow at him. He then widened his eyes slightly, seeing quite clearly what Naruto was doing.

He was crying.

"…" Naruto closed his eyes sombrely and retuned to look in front of him. What was the point in answering? It wasn't as if Sasuke was actually talking to him. More like just checking it was 'just Naruto' and no one important.

He almost jumped out of his skin when two feet appeared in his eyesight on the ground before him, close to his own, and the rain seemed to stop falling on him. Naruto looked up, into the dark, cold eyes of the last Uchiha prodigy. Naruto raised a brow. Sasuke was holding the Umbrella over him…

"Let's take a walk." He blinked with an unreadable expression, his voice monotone, as if rehearsed. Naruto slowly got to his feet, unsure whether to obey or not, but walked along side the Uchiha regardless. There was an awkward silence between them, and Naruto didn't have the heart to break it. "How long have you been in the rain?"

"Hm?"

"You're clothes are saturated." He stated, looking back at him sternly.

"…I…don't know. I haven't been keeping track…A-choo!" Sasuke wrinkled his nose at the golden haired Shinobi, and grabbed his elbow. "You'll catch something like this. Follow me." He rolled his eyes, as if put out in some way, as he dragged Naruto passed the Academy and down the street.

Even though he had offered…

It wasn't long before all the streets had the Uchiha emblem proudly hung outside each building, a ghost of the past pride of a fallen clan. It was then Naruto realised where he was headed.

The Uchiha estate.

"Sasuke I don't think-"

"Good you shouldn't. Something might catch fire, Dobe." Naruto grit his teeth, tempted to yank his elbow out of Sasuke's tightly gripping hand. He was still being dragged along.

It went like this, Naruto pouting furiously by this time, until they walked through the main gates, and reached the main house. "Shoes off." He barked. Naruto growled, and suddenly imagined what Sasuke would look like with his shoes stuffed in his mouth… "What are you smirking at?"

"Hmm? Nothing." Naruto chuckled to himself, and finally slipped his soggy shoes off. He then looked up at Sasuke, who seemed to be waiting impatiently for something.

"Well? I'm not stood here for the good of my own health, Uzumaki. Get inside." Naruto bit his tongue, his cheeks going red, and stepped under the roofed shelter. Sasuke then followed him, shaking off the umbrella as he folded it, and propping it up against the door. Naruto shivered immediately, his spiky hair sagging slightly from the wet. He shook his head like a dog, forgetting himself, and beamed when his hair rose up to it's usual wild shape.

Only to chuckle weakly as he saw Sasuke stood next to him, looking very miffed and covered in water over his face…oops… "Follow me." He seemed to be biting his own tongue, forcing himself to be as pleasant as possible.

Not much. Naruto concluded sulkily, but again, submitting.

Sasuke led him through the house, until they reached a bed room.

And no, alarm bells didn't go off, thank you very much.

Sasuke pulled open a wardrobe, looked Naruto up and down once with scrutiny, and one remark. "You're quite short, aren't you?"

Naruto wanted to pull a lump of his pretty boy hair out. He was only a little bit smaller than Sasuke, barely even. Damn it…

He finally returned with a fresh pile of clothes. He held his arms out like bars, presenting the clothes to him. Naruto looked at them of course, but then looked back to Sasuke with a brow raised. The Uchiha wonder child sweat dropped and rolled his eyes. "You are soaking wet. You are catching a cold. I brought you to my house. To my room. I got you a pile of dry clothes. Your clothes are wet." Naruto just blinked, and he lost his temper. "Take your damn clothes off!"

"N-NANI!?!" Sasuke then whimpered to himself.

"I meant, take your wet clothes off before you get pneumonia or something, and put these warm, dry clothes on." Sasuke looked like he was about to despair, before looking at Naruto.

He looked like a Tomato, who had had its green leaves died blonde. "Uzumaki…?" Naruto gulped, and poked two of his finger tips gingerly in front of him.

"But…they're your clothes."

"And…?" Naruto could tell Sasuke was losing what little control he had left, so he nodded, took the clothes, and walked over to the bed. He placed the pile down, and nervously looked over at Sasuke.

In return Sasuke rolled his eyes at him dramatically, as if he was being childish.

"I'm not going to look, dobe." And he turned his back.

Naruto bit the inside of his cheek so hard, it hurt. Stupid Sasuke, stupid fucking arsehole Sasuke. But he smiled.

It was almost like old times… "You done yet?"

"Yeah." Naruto fidgeted.

He was wearing a long Yukata, dark navy, with a white rim, red slim obi and unbeknownst to Naruto, a large Uchiha crest on the back.

Sasuke blinked at him, stunned for the moment, before shaking his head and retaining his cool.

Naruto walked up to him and blushed. The Yukata opened over his chest slightly because he wasn't as tall as the man who had originally worn this robe.

Sasuke's father.

But he didn't know that. "Where should I, you know, put my wet clothes?"

"On the dryer?" Sasuke stated with his good old friend sarcasm, pointing to the drying rack behind him.

Embarrassed as hell, Naruto pouted furiously with a blush on his cheeks, looking so adorable. He then blinked wildly, when Sasuke smiled softly at him. "I'll do it." Wouldn't you smile if you looked at someone looking so damn cute? Though, this is Sasuke. It vanished as soon as he walked past him.

Naruto just watched as Sasuke carefully smoothed his clothes out over the rack, making sure there were no creases and looking quite content in all his aloofness.

"That's it!" Naruto yelled, loosing it, and pointing right at him demandingly.

"What is?" Sasuke turned back, folding his arms over his chest and raising a brow at him.

"You better stop using that Henge to look like Sasuke before I kick your ass!" Naruto prepared himself to mass produce Kage Bunshin at any suspicious movement. Sasuke just blinked at him, and raised his shapely eyebrow even more.

"I'm not using a Henge. I am Sasuke Uchiha."

"I don't believe it!" (AN: what a feat! Lol) "Sasuke would never be nice to me, or even care if I got cold or even died out there! You are not Sasuke!" Naruto grit his teeth, his eyes prickling with tears, but the look of utter determination on his face.

Sasuke…was stunned.

Well, not quite.

"…you think…I wouldn't…" Sasuke closed his mouth.

He was speechless. Naruto really thought he cared so little about him, he could be dying somewhere and he wouldn't care.

What do you say after that? "Naruto, don't be so stupid!" Sasuke darkened his expression into a scowl, and stormed over to him. Naruto lowered into a stance.

"Kage Bunshin no ju-" Sasuke launched at him, grabbing his wrists and yanking them apart.

Naruto's cheeks burned at the sudden proximity, Sasuke was blatantly leaning into his personal space, glaring into his baby blue eyes and getting so close, their noses were almost touching. He smelt of rich coffee, Naruto decided.

"Don't be an idiot Naruto. Can't you of all people tell it's me?" Naruto gulped. Sasuke was so close, so intense…he had never acted so severe with his words before. And for once, Naruto had a come back.

"If I couldn't, could you prove it?"

Silence.

Also known as a touché, or check.

For a while, they stared solidly into the other's eyes, waiting for the other to answer that very question.

"Hn." Sasuke released his tight hold of Naruto's hands, and allowed him to lower them to his sides. But he didn't back off. "How would you have me prove it?"

"Tell me why you left." At this, he recoiled. But Naruto stepped into him. "Tell me what happened while you were there." Sasuke backed up until Naruto had him trapped against the futon. "And tell me why you vanished after we finally, finally found you?" He gulped. "After I finally found you…" Sasuke looked out of the window instead of Naruto's begging blue eyes, and remained stoic.

"It's getting dark." Naruto blinked, looking out the window also. He hadn't realised how long he had been out in the rain. It was already evening. "Your clothes are still wet, and I can not allow you to leave in that Yukata." Naruto assumed because it would be suspicious if he left the Uchiha estate in a night robe. Not because it belonged to Sasuke's father. He didn't know that, remember. "You…will stay here tonight."

"Nani?!? I can't stay here!!" His stomach then roared loudly, adding to the dilemma.

"You idiot, when was the last time you ate?"

"Erm…" Naruto scratched his head thinking…thinking…thinking… "I haven't yet?"

"NANI??! You mean, you haven't eaten, ALL DAY?!?!"

"Heh…heh…"

"So you thought it would be reeeaaal clever, to eat nothing, and stand outside, in the pissing rain, all day, did you?!?!?" Sasuke looked just about ready to smack him. But he resisted, somehow. "You absolute dobe!"

"Don't CALL ME THAT!" Naruto snapped, grabbing Sasuke by the collar of his shirt and scowling at him. "I swear, if you call me that one more fucking time, I'm gonna-"

"What? What are you going to do?" Sasuke raised a brow at him, seemingly bored.

There he went again. Treating him like filth…

"…you just proved it." Naruto's face fell, and he closed his crestfallen expression by releasing him and turning his back to the taller Shinobi.

"Proved what?"

"Only Sasuke would think so little of me after all we've been through." Naruto grabbed his damp clothes hurriedly, and stormed out of the room as quickly as he could.

"Naruto! Wait!" Sasuke didn't want to think about the pang in his chest from that remark, or why it hurt him so. He just followed Naruto all the way to the steps, where he was slipping his soggy shoes back on. "What was the point of putting dry clothes on, to go back out in the rain again? In the dark? Do you even know the way back to your apart-"

"I know all of Konoha like the back of my hand! I love this village so much, I made sure to memorise every, single part of it. Including your precious estate, Uchiha-sama." He sang snidely. "And I'm borrowing your umbrella, to keep this Yukata dry. I'll get it back to you tomorrow." Naruto spat, desperate to just get away. It hurt so much to be so close to Sasuke, yet no closer than when he was with Orochimaru or trying to kill him.

So much for Sasuke's new leaf of kindness.

"Naruto, you're being ridiculous. I said you could stay here."

"And I don't want your fucking charity! I'm not invited, when I'm a burden to the great and mighty Uchiha-sama. There is a difference between being invited, and being an inconvenience!" Naruto grabbed the umbrella, and fought back tears as he fought to open the damn thing.

He wouldn't let Sasuke see him cry. No one saw him cry. No one.

"Naruto." Sasuke stopped him, placing a hand over his and looking at him with stern eyes. "Stop it. Come back inside before-"

"A-choo!"

"Stupid dobe, I knew you'd catch something." Sasuke muttered to himself.

Damn him. Naruto seethed. He hadn't even taken the bit of notice of anything he had just said, had he? Sasuke was ignoring him like a balling little child. So he decided to act like one.

Naruto lashed out and shoved Sasuke back. He had successfully caught the Uchiha off guard and surprised him. That was evident from the look on his face.

"Is it this Yukata? Why did you make me wear the damn thing if it means so much to you? Take the damn thing! I don't care!" Naruto started stripping on the porch furiously, exposing his naked flesh to the bitter air and a frozen Sasuke.

Naruto was so past caring, he didn't notice how Sasuke's eyes slowly drank in every extra bit of his body he revealed in his fight for freedom against the Yukata. Slightly tanned skin, broad shoulders, a muscular stomach from his intensive training, ripped thighs and pleasantly firm biceps. Sasuke couldn't dislodge a lump in his throat.

The offensive robe pooled around his feet, leaving Naruto in just his damp white boxers. He shivered madly as he forced his way back into his orange and black jacket and trousers, opting to carry his shirt for now. He would be home in seconds anyway. He threw the Yukata at Sasuke, eyes still screwed shut to prevent his tears escaping, turned on his heel and stormed out to the front gates.

Before he even managed to touch it, wiring whizzed all around him, snapped his arms to his sides and his feet together, and stopped all forward movement. Naruto snarled, rain beating down on him once more and made a mistake.

He opened his watery eyes and looked directly at Sasuke. "Let me go!" He yelled. "Please…" He begged.

Sasuke felt his heart stop, but he walked straight through the rain and stopped right in front of him.

"You're wet, you're emotional, and you're not thinking straight. You're staying here, and that's final."

"If you're that bored that you need a torture buddy, go call Sakura or Ino. I'm sure they'll come running." Sasuke flinched, visibly hurt by his words.

"Naruto, I'm trying to be…nice." His jaw was clenched tight, struggling with what he had just said. It was hard for him to say.

"Well you're failing." Naruto snapped. "The best you've done is finally using my actual damn name!" Naruto yelled in his face, and started thrashing against the wires to get free.

"Naruto!" Sasuke barked. "I ignore you for weeks, and when I'm actually giving you full attention, you're being a dickhole!" Sasuke finally lost his rag, ragging Naruto around the neck and physically dragging him back inside.

But Naruto thought one thing. He knew…he KNEW he was avoiding me! That bastard! He did that on PURPOSE! His anger refuelled, he struggled as soon as Sasuke loosened the wires.

Naruto made a break for it, but found himself pinned to the floor with Sasuke on his back. The Uchiha hissed in his ear through clenched teeth. "Naruto! Stop being a bull headed little shit, and realise that I'm actually being a decent friend for once in my life!"

Naruto stopped, and looked over his shoulder at Sasuke. But he had purposely closed his eyes to protect himself. "Just let me do this one thing, just once, and you can go screaming and running off all you like tomorrow morning at first light if you so wish. Just…" he didn't finish, and for a moment, Naruto thought he'd frozen on his back. That was, until he knelt up, grabbed his shoulders and flipped him onto his back. Naruto's eyes went wide when Sasuke pinched his hips with both his knees, and placed his hands firmly on his shoulders. The intensity of his gaze was blazing, and Naruto suddenly felt quite hot under the collar. "I left because I wasn't strong enough to protect the ones I loved. I let them down, and wanted to get revenge for them. While I was there, I trained my ass off every day and nearly every night. I learned so much dodgy shit I could become a professor in shifty, powerful Jutsus. I can even use Orochimaru's summons, and his Kusanagi sword technique. It was hard, it was painful, but I scowled and bared it for my goals. To get my revenge, that is my way of the Ninja."

Naruto stared back up at him, and Sasuke was waiting for his reaction. "I left Konoha. By choice. There was no way I was going to get captured at my level of skill by anyone, so I vanished before you could try and bring me back."

"But you're here…" Sasuke gulped, suddenly uncomfortable with where this was going. "…so why did you come back? And why wouldn't you just come back when I-we found you?"

Because I was scared. Because I was broken. Because I needed…

But the words never came out.

"You're wet." Sasuke, surprisingly reluctant, rose to his feet and pouted the other way. But he left a hand outstretched to him, pulling him to his feet. He then shoved the Yukata at him. "Get changed. I'll have supper ready in 10 minutes…"

And he walked off.

Naruto watched him walk away from him, the Uchiha emblem swaying with the tight movement of his tense back…

Not that Naruto was particularly looking at his back…

"Sasuke!" Naruto stepped forward as if to follow him, but stopped.

Sasuke lingered in the doorway, and paused. "…" Naruto then chuckled nervously, and grinned like he always did. Goofily. "Arigato, Uchiha-sama." Sasuke snapped his head round and stared at the blonde. But he had already turned his back and walked back towards the bedroom, to get changed like ordered.