Itatchi was dead, and no justu in the world could bring him back. Everyone watched as Sasuke made the finishing blow, proving years of betrayal, pain, and training had been for some good. Cheers erupted as the elder Uchiha fell to the ground lifeless, his Sharingan eyes fading away to nothingness. Cries of joy and happiness filled the skies as all those that witnessed the final strike rushed to the winning man.

Itatchi was dead… but Sasuke had never felt more alone.

The party had been legendary; all of Konoha had erupted into a frenzy as the lost Uchiha returned to them baring his brother's eyes. A beautiful cloudless sky watched as celebratory events took place. The shinobi of the Leaf Village danced and drank and sang and cheered well into the night.

But now… everything was quiet, people grew too exhausted to dance, became to inebriated to drink, and had sung and cheered their voices horse. Now, just as the sun was beginning to rise, only two people remained awake. One that didn't feel the fulfillment that the rest of Konoha was celebrating and one that was alone in understanding how the first felt.

Sasuke and Naruto sat on either side of a black futon in the Uchiha residence, an empting bottle of Sake being passed between them. A comfortable silence had come between the two for a while now, each lost in their own thoughts.

However, the silence had gone on far too long, where Naruto's concerned, and it was never good for the raven to be lost in his head for too long.

"So…" spoke the blond, finally breaking the dead silence, "What are you going to do now?"

Sasuke remained silent for a time, his head raising from his knees the only indication that he had heard Naruto at all. He took another sip from the sake, enjoying the burning sensation as it coursed down his throat. Itatchi was gone… but the pain was still here.

"Find someone, and restart my clan."

Naruto snickered, leaning over to steal to bottle from the other and take a swig. "Well, at least that's the easy part. You've got every woman in all of Konoha jumping at your feet in hopes to have your babies."

Sasuke remained silent, his face hidden in a single knee that he had propped up on the edge of the futon.

Naruto continued, taking another sip, "I can see it now, little black haired, red eyed Sasukes running everywhere, causing a muck, all chanting things like "I'll get my revenge!" and "Dobe!"" Naruto paused… "Actually… I think I'd rather not see that."

Sasuke actually snickered into his knee for a second, before reaching over to take to bottle from Naruto, "Dobe," and sipping it.

"See! One of you is bad enough! I dunno if I can handle a total army of that."

A small, nearly invisible smile hid behind the sake bottle as the raven listened to the blond rant. Stupid Dobe… ruining his bad mood.

"Any idea who the lucky girl is going to be?"

Lowering the bottle, the Uchiha sucked on his lips briefly, trying to taste some of the alcohol that still lingered there.

"No."

"No? Not even any… thoughts?"

"No."

"What about Sakura-chan?"

"Since when were you so fond of gossip, Dobe?"

Naruto huffed for a second, a slight tinge coming to his cheeks, before snatching the bottle from the other's hand.

"It's not gossip! I'm just making sure you're well looked after."

"I don't need you to be my keeper."

"I'm not your keeper, I'm you're best friend."

Sasuke glared at the blond, who just took another sip of the bottle and glared right back, before letting his face disappear back into his knee. "I don't want Sakura," came the almost inaudible reply.

Naruto paused, "Why not? The entire village thinks you'd both be great together. And everyone knows she'd be more than willing."

Sasuke didn't reply right away. Instead, he readjusted his position, leaning back against the arm of the futon, bringing both his feet up onto the cushions so he was facing the other boy, mirroring his position.

"Sakura… is a spoiled girl who's always had her life handed to her on a plate. She doesn't understand me enough to love me the way everyone thinks she does."

Naruto swirled the bottle in his hand, the little liquid inside it making just a light sound. He heard the undertone in the boys words, the feelings that weren't expressed, what he was really on his mind.

"You know, Teme…" Naruto voice had gone soft, his own knees being brought up to rest his head, "I envy you… you might have had everyone torn away from you, but at least you got to experience a family."

"You don't know the pain it causes to have them gone."

"You don't know the pain of never having one at all." He stopped the swirling, white knuckling the alcohol, "The warm hug of a mother, a secret cookie from an aunt, the praise of a father… even the bonding time from a brother. The most I've ever gotten was a few free bowls of Ramen."

Silence over took the two again, each disappearing into their own thoughts. These two boys know loneliness and pain like no one else could ever understand. One born of an entire clan, having them all ripped away from him by the person he admired most. The other, never even given a family, and being further tormented by those he was unknowingly protecting.

A gentle hand on his brought Naruto's head up from his knees, letting the bottle go from his fingers as Sasuke took it. Bringing the bottle to his lips, the raven finished off the rest of the sake, placing the empty bottle onto the floor; he'd deal with it later.

"Dobe…"

"Hmm?"

"Are you drunk?"

Naruto cocked his head at the other; this was quite out of character for the static boy. "No, alcohol doesn't affect me much at all." Thanks to the kyuubi… "Why?"

Sasuke teethed his bottom lip; apparently he was feeling the sake a bit more. "Nothing… never mind."

"Come on, Sasuke. What is it?"

Releasing his bottom lip, onyx eyes met azure, then turned away, hiding once again in his knee.

Naruto watched the older boy as he seemed to debate with himself, mulling over some intense thought in his head, trying to come to a decision. He could hear light unrecognizable mumbles, something that the raven would never be caught doing in a sober state. Crawling across the futon, the blond laid a gentle hand on the other's shoulder, shaking him lightly.

"Sasuke… what's wrong?"

A single pale hand came up to grip the tan one on the white clad shoulder, squeezing it gently, almost… desperately.

"Sasuke? Wha—" and he was silenced, as a set of lips pressed against his. It was gentle, just lips touching lips, nothing more than an exchanging of heat, but even that slight touch had Naruto completely frozen in his spot. What… what was Sasuke doing? He couldn't honestly be that drunk…

The raven broke the kiss, pulling away slowly, head low. "Naruto…" His voice was harsh and broken, like he was forcing the words out. The hand on his tightened, pulling it off the shoulder, but still clutched the tanned fingers. "I just want to feel what it's like… to be with someone that's as lonely as I am…" his voice dropped to below a whisper, and even Naruto, whose head was still very close to his, had to strain to hear it, "… before I have to commit."

Naruto was shocked… did… did he just…!?

But Sasuke continued, "I'm not going to beg you… but I'm approaching Sakura tomorrow."

So… it was a decision that had to be made now. Yes or no. Damn it Sasuke… this was too big of a decision to be making spur of the moment! Would this change things between them? Would they just be able to go on like always? Would this strain their relationships with Sakura? Would this only be a one time thing? It wasn't even a matter of two men having sex… it was about two people that completely understood each other sharing something that no one else could ever comprehend.

As Naruto stayed silent, Sasuke began to shake. He pulled away, his grip on the other's hand loosening, body slipping from the futon, preparing to leave. He was expecting this, so why did he feel so broken… so much… lonelier?

His escape didn't get far however, as Naruto's hand reattached to his, the blond's other hand reaching over to turn the raven's face, so their eyes once again met. Emotions like never before flew between them. Sasuke's entire soul was bared through his eyes, eyes that Naruto could read perfectly. Naruto watched as feelings he'd never seen from the older boy continued to pore from the black depths. Fear, trust, betrayal, love, loneliness, anxiety… every emotion from all edges of the spectrum.

Did Sasuke realize what he was asking? What could happen between them? Not just them, but Sakura as well? Did Sasuke realize what Naruto would be… giving up?

A second more of watching those onyx pools told Naruto that: Yes, Sasuke was well aware… but was willing to take the risks.

Lacing his fingers into the soft black strands, their lips met for the third time in their lives.

……Itatchi was dead… but the loss of a life couldn't bring back those that were already gone. Instead, those that morn the loneliness of being left behind come together, if only for one night, to share their pain with one another in hopes that they can find relief in the company.