Answering the anonymous review:

to Meshala X: Well...this chapter is going to focus on present Sasuke and Naruto just like the way you want to be...:P But about past Sasuke and Naruto, huh...(averting eyes) It depends how much you'll consider it to be dark...huh...I do understand about balancing. But since for now, present Sasuke and Naruto have their relationship clinging too much to the past, it can't be helped...Yeah, I should put more present situation instead of only flashbacking, but thinking about that...(sweatdrop) means that I'll have to stretch this fic...which...huh...it's already stretched enough. (it was supposed to be a 15 chapters of story!)

Nineteenth Memories

Naruto munched his sandwich (away from the vigilant hawk eyes of Sakura) idly while he sat in the middle of Uchiha land. That place was completely deserted, an open field of eroded earth and loneliness.

Obviously, seeing an empty lot instead of ruins was extremely unsettling, and somehow, at the back of his mind, he had a penchant feeling that it was caused (indirectly or directly) by him.

Was that why when, at the moment he stepped inside this place, he didn't feel welcome at all? Or is it that he was the one who refused to acknowledge this crumbled land?

The open field was ominously wide, confirming the once crushing force that a powerful clan once had. To be reduced into this deserted place…Naruto didn't know if he should feel sympathetic or merciless.

"But…what are those feelings. Flowing inside me." He groaned as both of his hands kept rubbing his face. "I can't even decide if it'd be me who's having those emotions or everything is part of my dreams…no, my past life." He threw himself to the ground and tried to relax. "Can't understand all this whole shit…goddamnit…" If only he could return at once to Tokyo or this place had enough signal to use the cellphone…then he could hear his lover's voice, needed some reassurance, needed to be pacified…

He needed Sasuke…

--"I DON'T NEED IT!!!!!!!!"--

Something sour instilled through clenched heartbeats and it propagated in each pump inside his veins. Naruto choked involuntarily, his hand clutching the shirt as cold sweat crawled on his skin. Maybe he shouldn't…after all, the last dream was so devastating, he wouldn't know how he would face his boyfriend without being affected to it…

"But all of those emotions are no longer part of my life…the guilt, the self-loathing, it's all part of the past. Sasu—" No, actually, Naruto no longer felt so sure if this relationship is only based with their present feelings. Everything was muddled up into an unrecognizable blender that Naruto couldn't even discern from one to another. No matter how much he wanted to reassure that this present, this life, now had nothing to do with the past…

"I have a relationship with Sasuke…of this life. I want Sasuke…of this life. I lo—…" Grey clouds reflected the sky blue iris and he faltered. "I lo……"

…

Damn it.

If only the story of their past lives wasn't that complicated. "They were almost like some frikkin' twisted version of Romeo and Juliet." The blond groaned. "Being ninjas from two opposite villagers but they couldn't help on simply forgetting their feelings. This is so fucked up."

Another dull pain spread on his chest and Naruto raised himself until he sat on the ground. "No. What really divided them weren't their allegiances to their villages. What really separated them were their beliefs and ideals. Their bond was what brought them together but their visions are what made them clash. But in deep end, all what really blocks them to succumb to this relationship was themselves. Nothing else."

Naruto finally lifted his body up and ended his lunch. Moping wouldn't get anywhere, there's still thousands of areas to be cleaned up and decoding some old manuscripts. Anything to make his mind busier. Everything that he could sincerely hope for the next week with the Uchihas is that his straying thoughts wouldn't affect Sasuke.

"Isn't this a little bit too late though…"A traitorous voice began to whisper.

"Onii-sama!!!!!" Tackled suddenly by a bundle of frillies and skirt, a sparkling grin also splattered on her juvenile face, Naruto turned around, beaming to her back.

"Good morning, Midori-chan!" He picked her up and returned with a rub with the cheeks, which she returned the gesture gladly, her petite hands hugging the blond head.

Watching this increasingly irritating moment from behind, Sasuke softly scowled when the small girl decided to shower her affection with sloppy kisses on the whiskered cheek though, much to his aggravation, everyone in vicinity adored that display instead of admonishing it. Traitors! They should feel aware on who's the only one entitled to be this intimate was him! But no…they couldn't see past her young age and comprehend that the evil schemer was hogging his lover's entire attention to herself!

Twin sets of onyx eyes had locked their gaze and the little imp smirked to Sasuke. In deliberate slow motions, she approached herself on the crook of Naruto's neck and rubbed her face on the tanned skin, while her arms scooted closer, eliciting Naruto to comb her soft hair in response. Midori returned to stare on her brooding uncle and this time, her smirk grew bigger.

Sasuke felt his blood pressure spike up. That devious little brat dared to make this kind of bold move on what was rightfully his! He also stalked towards the bewildered azure eyes coupled with suspicious onyx ones, until he was hip to hip to his Dobe, and snaked his arm around Naruto's waist. Midori immediately bristled at Sasuke's action and used the oh-so-famous patented Uchiha Glare ® towards the brunet. Obviously, the latter also returned with the same vicious loading, though much more experienced and sophisticated. A silent battle ensued between the two Uchihas while everyone else pretty much ignored them and some even thought that it was simply adorable.

Naruto instead sighed. Why was his life this complicated…?

Following his ninja way of life, Naruto did go with Sasuke's family to their cottage in Hokkaido, much to Mikoto's delight. They used their own private plane to travel there, so it didn't take many hours until they arrived at the appointed place.

Obviously, Naruto still had many reservations towards Itachi, shielding behind Sasuke's back whenever they talked as his attitude felt awkward. Sasuke merely rolled his eyes, well, it's not like Itachi would suddenly use Mangekyou Sharingan and hypnotize Naruto, and weapons are prohibited in Japan unless it's for collection purposes, so his foolish boyfriend was completely safe. On the other hand, Naruto probably had his whole life envisioning his older brother as villain, so it'd take some time to change reigns.

Truthfully, the interactions of Naruto with Sasuke's family eased a lot of the tension between them. Naruto wasn't sure how he should act around Sasuke and for some reason, he felt that lately Sasuke was avoiding him or at least avoiding meeting his eyes. Sometimes the blond would catch his lover looking aloof and his mind clearly set on some stray thoughts, but whenever he enquired about it, Sasuke brushed him off.

The rest of Uchiha's family was nice people whom, at the moment Naruto stepped inside, they fawned him like he was some kind of main dish for gossip. There were many hugs and felicitations, most of them were full of words of: "So you're the miracle worker that made my Sasu-chan grow up!" or "I'm happy that you'll take good care of our Sasu-chan." and the most disturbing one would be "Ah, to be healthy and young…say, how's the sex life between you two?"

No wonder they were massacred in their past lives! Their crazy behaviors would make any Kage to order their annihilation!

After that, he was introduced to their children and Naruto had to agree, they had a litter of Uchihas brats to compensate in this life. Oceans of pale skin, black hair and graphite eyes stared up at him and the poor blonde laughed uneasy at first. Luckily, he had a way to children, and it didn't take too long to become instant hit between them. The kids were used to see Western people due to many parties or meetings, however, they had never imagined that they would interact in such long period at their house. Added the fact that Naruto spoke almost perfect Japanese with a light accent, they instantly labeled him as the main hero of cartoon shows.

But above else, Naruto captivated the most Uchiha Midori, at the moment she gazed in blissful awe, like she had found the prince of her fairytale life. (And in a somewhat sense, it was probably true. He had blue eyes and blond hair, defined physique and cheerful disposition, he did play the stereotype of prince in girlish movies)

She declared at once in bold words that she's going to marry him and followed Naruto everywhere she could, much to Sasuke's irritation and aggravation.

Midori, however, wasn't the usual foe Sasuke had ever encountered before. She wasn't old enough to drop out the "kicked puppy eyes" strategy, though she was Uchiha enough to block all the tentative Uchiha Glares ® that Sasuke aimed at her. And that's how it had started the fierce competition on who would be the Uchiha entitled to have Naruto and that was how Naruto felt like he was inside some kind of weird territorial fight between two crazy aliens.

Whenever he was playing among the kids and Midori, Sasuke was there with a book in hands. Or when they went on trailing by the mountains, Sasuke would begrudgingly follow them, grunting about mosquitoes. Above all, whenever Midori hugged tightly his legs, Sasuke would grab fiercely Naruto's hand and pry them away for whatever shallow reasons.

The other side however, also had their share of stratagems. Whenever Sasuke tried to have a quiet moment alone with Naruto, she would magically appear in between and babble towards the blond. Or whenever they would lock their gazes and the moment was the ideal for a more intimate stance, she would break in offering cookies. Above all, whenever Sasuke was ready to steal a kiss from Naruto, Midori would tackle Naruto into a bear hug.

Sasuke pretty much was surrounding to his inner exhibitionist side and wanting to molest Naruto on broad daylight in front of each family member, something broadening between French kiss with one hand inside the shirt and other groping his ass or planting hickeys from behind with both hands inside the pants. It was needless to say that every attempt failed, since Naruto would punch him back, snarling that they were in a family atmosphere and he shouldn't do those kinds of shameless things, the Bastard. It also didn't help the fact that his mother decided to give separated bedrooms instead of sleeping together, because she claimed with a dangerous smile twirling on her lips that the walls weren't sound-proofed.

So frustrating.

However, all this childish competition and Sasuke regaining his possessive nature crumbled most awkward residues that they had in between and in a corner of his mind, Naruto felt glad that those problems arose to solve other intricate ones. His lover almost jumped in scene whenever Midori fawned over Naruto, as involuntarily the crave to be on Naruto's side surfaced out of his will.

When they managed to squeeze some time to themselves (yes, it was possible), Sasuke returned to his indecisive behavior and actions that made Naruto completely bewildered. It almost sounded like whenever he needed to be jealous was a reflex but when they could be truly alone he realized what he had just done and would attempt to scatter his attention somewhere.

"Onii-sama…" Midori jutted out her lips alongside with her watery eyes widening at him, looking ready to plead for something that Naruto wouldn't be able to refuse and Sasuke would definitely get pissed off over it. "There's only two days left for this vacation…"

"Oh, so it is." Time surely passed fast.

"So…" She languidly grabbed the side of the blond's shirt and whispered. "Can Onii-sama sleep together with Midori-chan…?"

WHAT?!?!?!?! "Obviously the Dobe doesn't want to sleep with an annoying brat like you, give up." Sasuke groaned menacingly.

She showed her tongue. "I wasn't asking Sasuke-jiichan, I was asking Onii-sama."

"Err…" Two sets of dark eyes aimed towards Naruto, with identical determined glares, both too stubborn to give way to another. "Well, you should ask your mother first, right?"

"It's ok, Naruto-kun, we're fine about it." Midori's mother appeared from behind, smiling cozily to appease the sight.

"Well…" Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"I want to sleep with Naruto-niichan too!" One of the girls suddenly shouted gleefully, unheeding to the warning glare that Midori shot at her.

"I want too, I want too!" Another boy shouted as many others joined in unison, everybody encircling around the poor blond and hugging the daylights out of him.

"No way, I'm the one who's going to sleep with Onii-sama, back off!" Midori stomped her petite foot in defiance as she tried to pry away the wandering hands out of the tanned body.

"Awww…Midori-chan is possessive over Naruto-kun, this is so cute!" Midori's mother gushed. Then, she warned. "…But Midori-chan, you have to learn how to share. Naruto-kun doesn't like selfish people, you wouldn't want for Naruto-kun to hate you, right?"

Hey, someone digress this paaaaaaaaaaartttt!!!!!

Midori once again pouted, though this time it wasn't for strategic purposes, it was from sulking the failed operation. Sasuke didn't bother to hide the patented Uchiha Smirk ™. "Hn."

She returned with an Uchiha Glare ® that was easily recoiled away.

"What's the reason this time for calling me over out of the blue, Naruto?" A clipped tone and dangerous eyes gleaming on a dark room marked that his lover obviously shown his foul mood permeating between them.

Naruto also narrowed his eyes in defiance, clearly showing that he wasn't intimidated with Sasuke's maneuver. He looked sideways, biting his lip, until he settled with a resigned sigh. "Konoha found the Uchiha hideout and is planning to raid it soon."

The explosion was inevitable. "Found?!" Sasuke snarled, his Sharingan activated. "How the fuck?! How the hell they were capable to do this—! Tell me how!" He instantly grabbed Naruto's jumpsuit, wanting to extract more information.

"Like hell I'm going to tell you, are you fucking insane?!" Naruto shoved the offending fist away, his hands balled in each side. "I'm asking myself why the hell I am telling those things to you!" It took months for them to find the correct message birds and other few to decode the text. Why the hell he's throwing everyone's effort away?

"…fine." Sasuke turned around and reached to his door knob, ready to leave the place.

Naruto chortled bitterly. Not a fucking word of gratitude. Fucking Bastards and their godforsaken pride… "Why do you even bother to pay attention to that pitiful clan?"

He was already expecting the collision, the hand encircling his neck as both fell in the bed, crimson and blue iris locking their gazes as Sasuke grunted annoyed. "Don't you dare saying this shit again, moron."

Naruto coughed, glowering back. "Why should I? Bunch of idiotic morons, who thinks that they are sooooo superior but all of them are sick Bastards lik—" A heavy noise rumbled through the room and Naruto spat some blood in response. "Geez, you punch like a gi—" He lost his voice as air got constricted from his lung and one of his fist swung to meet its end.

"Fuck, asshole! What the hell is wrong with you?!" The blond nin shouted between coughs, his reflexes warned on time to parry another punch.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! My clan is in danger and yet you dare to belittle them! I won't tolerate this!" Sasuke freed his hand and prepared for another strike.

"Do I look like I fucking care about them?! I'm only saying because of you fucking Bastard!" Naruto gripped the pale arm and swung it to one side, Sasuke falling on the bed as he used this momentum to pin both of his lover's wrists. "Why the fuck are you so determined to help them out?! They abandoned Konoha just cuz they are bunch of greedy Bastards, bitter only because that Konoha didn't give enough power to them!!" He, then, narrowed his eyes. "Or did you find some fucking whore to revive your pitiful family?"

Sasuke snorted in response, his voice not bothering to contain the venom. "So that's it? You're jealous about it, Dobe? Can't you get even more pitiful than you already are, moron?" This time, another blow connected towards the ivory face and Naruto gritted his teeth.

"Shut up! I'm getting fucking sick on having to tolerate this fucking clan when they could explode anywhere for all I care!"

"Dammit Dobe, you're so pathetic, so retarded just because of your moronic selfish—" Sasuke caught the incoming of another seething punch with a warning growl. "Naruto—"

"So what if I'm selfish?! So what I want that cursed shit be destroyed, so what, SO WHAT?! I hate that fucking clan!"

The brunet immediately raised himself, planting a kick on his stomach that left him breathless for a couple of seconds. Fortunately he caught enough time to recover to parry the hands aiming for the upside of his head, as he broke Sasuke's stance and yelled once again:

"I hate every member of them! Traitors of Konoha, screwed brains and moronic honor!! They deserve nothing more than to be massacred again!!!" Naruto knew that he was taunting his lover, he knew that he was attacking every nerve of Sasuke's pride and yet, the moment he could witness with his very own eyes the usual apathetic face contort into an irrational fury and wait until the incoming onslaught aimed at him he couldn't help but to feel an odd satisfaction—That fucking Bastard deserved it!

"Shut up!!!" Sasuke launched himself towards Naruto and both stumbled to the ground. "I'll fucking break your teeth, shut the fuck up!!!"

"Fuck you too! I hate you, I hate you, I fucking hate you all!!!!" At this point the screams were horse and irrational, he hated himself so much for surrounding to these negative emotions.

He hated so much on how Sasuke could bring out his darkest feelings—

He despised on how Sasuke had changed him so much—

Above else…
"I hated that clan so fucking much…" His eyes were already too dry to scoop any residue of tears, his voice no longer could spill any word, his heart lost any kind of sanity…

He hated the name Uchiha…

It always got in the way between us…it made me lose you in the past. It made you lust for power because of that.

And now it took you away from me. It's the only symbol that stops you to become mine.

The only thing that is keeping you away from me.

"I hate them…"

If only this cursed name didn't exist at all—! If only, then, he could claim Sasuke to be forever his——

"Hate them—!!!!!" There was no longer any pacifying sound existing between them, only shouts and discordant noises that filled the room, as he repeated the mantra over and over again, wishing nothing more than their—

Naruto gasped wide, his heart constricting from piercing stabs of pain until it swelled trying to grasp the reality. Several heartbeats drumming desperately buzzed his mind as he tried to ease the conflicting emotions down, to ascertain that it was all part of illusion, it was all a dream.

He rubbed his eyelids wearily, reminding in which place he was currently residing, in which era he was inside, his identity. His current relationship…Feeling more secure to himself, Naruto propped himself to sit at the bed—

See oceans of blood, many glazed eyes staring at him while unscrewed limbs were scattered everywhere, skewered faces and gaping holes on the chest, the constant dripping of that crimson liquid—

"Onii-sama!!!!" A childish voice called him out, shaking him in anxious tugs, as he Naruto woke up for real this time.

"Oh my god…" What happened? Naruto blinked many times as the chubby face of Midori focused his vision.

"Onii-sama, are you alright? You had a bad dream??" Midori looked like she was almost read to cry, but she willed down her hiccups.

"Yes, I had, sadly. I'm sorry, did I scare you off Midori-chan?" Naruto affectionately patted her head, appeasing her a little bit.

"Don't worry about me, Onii-sama, can you sleep better after that, then? Do you need warm milk?" The young girl attempted to aid her crush.

"Hm…" Naruto reflected. Who knows what kind of dream he would have next, it could prove traumatizing to the nearby kids, luckily Midori was more mature to face it. "I think this time warm milk won't do, sorry."

She looked defeated for a second, before brightening up. "You could calm down with the precious person next to you! You know, whenever Midori-chan have a nightmare, I sleep with my father and mother, they are always so warm and safe…" She smiled then. "Do you have this kind of person in your life, Onii-sama?"

Naruto appreciated her kind gesture but he shook his head. He was already too old to hide under the covers of their parents. "Well, too bad Midori-chan, I don't think my pop and mom are here to help me—" He suddenly reached an epiphany. "Oh."

Well, that was something extremely unexpected to Sasuke. Something unexpected and widely welcome, he knew that for sure.

"Yeah yeah, wipe off this smirk of your face and let me enter in your room." Naruto grumbled as he was granted passage.

"Hn." Sasuke still snorted, following the blond from behind, also using this rare opportunity to analyze on how much the sweatpants hugged well that bewitching ass.

"I know what you're thinking right now and the answer is no." The owner of that fuckable ass climbed on the bed (in the rightful place where it should be; Sasuke smirked) and grumbled.

Sasuke immediately feigned innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about Dobe." He also sat lazily on the side, ready for the festivities to begun.

"Won't. Happen. Your whole family is here, the kids are next door, don't. Even. Think. About it." Naruto glared at the wandering hand that was approaching near his pants.

"They are heavy sleepers." Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "If you doubt me, we could test it out now." Pale fingers brushed over the six pack when he received a pinch away from that tantalizing skin.

"Stop being such a pervert and let's sleep." The blond threw his head to the pillow and yawned wide.

"If you're not here to give some real value to this bed" Sasuke calmly claimed and Naruto snorted. "Or engage on adult nightly activities, what exactly you're here for then?"

For some period of comfortable silence, his blond boyfriend refused to give any kind of response, increasing Sasuke's bewilderment by each minute.

Then, suddenly, two hands were at the back of his neck as a pair of chapped lips claimed him at once. He dived inside that addicting warmth, drowning in that arrays of emotions and breathed an exquisite sensation that left him so light-headed.

"And that's what you'll get for this whole night." Naruto approached himself to sleep next to Sasuke and mumbled. "If I tell you the reason right now, I'll overblow your already gigantic ego, Bastard."

The brunet looked down at the slumbering boyfriend but still snorted. "Usuratonkachi."

"Jerk."

"Good night."

"…yeah."

Warm, cool, suave, a tint of roughness. So familiar and yet he couldn't get enough. The scent surrounded him, giving a certainty that he had always craved to obtain his heart. It gave a vulnerability that he was sure that made him so invincible. Just what…?

Sasuke opened slowly his eyelids to meet the whiskered face sleeping soundly, some flashes of sunlight illuminating the tanned skin while some birds already signalized the presence of morning.

This…was bizarre. He was sure that even though in their dreams they slept in many nights, there was something out of place that belonged only to them and not inside the telltale of their past lives. The sensation of plenitude and tranquility, the feeling of security and platonic intimacy. One piece of the puzzle fell as an extra and for some reason…Sasuke didn't really mind.

"Mmm? 'suke, mornin'. " Azure eyes blinked blurry, Naruto yawning wide while he stretched his arms. He scratched his hair. "Weird, I didn't dream about anything last night."

Sasuke also shared the bafflement. "Hn. Me too."

"…really?" Naruto answered absent-mindedly, now rubbing his stomach in lazy circles. "Hm…too lazy to wake up." He went back to lie on the bed as he snuggled closer to his lover.

"…" Sasuke didn't even need to say anything extra. Just his satisfied smirk was enough to spoke volumes about the situation. Naruto bonked the ivory arm.

"Shaddap and snooze with me. I need an accomplice when we lose the breakfast."

Not only they lost the breakfast but they almost missed their lunch. Midori, the ever nice child, explained the occurrence to the adults and they left aside to call Naruto and Sasuke up, some leftovers placed in the oven in any case they would arrive to eat.

The last day was filled with laughter and the children playing soccer, Naruto as the main striker while the Sasuke was the grudging referee. It took some mere minutes before the adversary side to whine that Naruto-niichan was cheating with his long legs and he should be expelled because of that. The blond just chuckled at their cute rebellion and left aside, to join Sasuke reading a book (the brunet also escaped from his obligations) at the veranda.

"There you go." Sasuke offered a thick book to Naruto and with a quirked eyebrow, the latter accepted.

Myths and Folklore of Japan

The blond stared for a long period in admiration before settling down next to his boyfriend chirping; "Thanks!"

"Hn."

"You can be a nice Bastard when you want."

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged as coolly as he could, but Naruto could identify a small blush lodging on the pale cheeks.

Time quickly passed until the shrilling shouts already became a background sound effect, the breeze softly refreshing their bodies as the golden heat flashed on the cozy scenario as the closing curtains of a perfect day, the sunset already hiding behind the motherly mountains, the heat emanating from their bodies was enough to warm them up as their minds mingled the calm beats of their souls.

"You know…this is nice." Naruto confessed, his smile not faltering.

A contented throb wormed inside his heart and Sasuke couldn't reply, desiring for more.

"I liked this." He breathed out a pleased sigh, gazing at the departure of the sun.

As Sasuke felt that he craved for this peaceful sensation, he wanted this.

"It's nice…isn't it."

"I want this."

Rays illuminated the sun-kissed skin, giving a brilliance on the tips of golden hair as Sasuke knew that he wanted to treasure and repeat this memory thousand times more.

"I want this."

"Right, Sasuke…"

"I want…this." Alabaster fingers almost lazily brushed Naruto's cheek, as he approached his lips to graze lightly, too simple and chaste though it concentrated so much intimacy that both of them closed their eyes to savor it. Time paused for them to appreciate the current running between them as they finally pried apart when they felt satisfied at last.

Naruto laughed. "Hey…what was that?" He also didn't stop when Sasuke rested his forehead onto his, slender fingers combing his spiky hair.

"Nothing. It's almost time for dinner right? Let's go." He awaited for Naruto's nod while both of them walked inside the house, Sasuke watching his beloved back and a new resolution marking inside his mind.

"I don't care whatever the hell I've done in my past life…from now on I'm creating my own path."

AN: Nooo…Midori-chan won't return, unlike Kasumi-chan from CHLME. XD Too bad huh? What's my problem about children, it's something so weird and cliché, and yet it's so cuuuuuuuuuteeeeeeee…(is a sucker for cute children)

But still, it's fun that this time that the one who's reverenced is Naruto instead of Sasuke. I really hope that I was able to make different personalities to OC…