My Favorite Mistake :

My Favorite Mistake :

CHP 1 :

Sasuke strolled through the paved streets of his home town, wondering whether coming back to Konoha had been a mistake. Sometimes, in his weak moments, he was actually tempted to run away again. Not to anyone, but just - away.

He passed a group of middle aged women going about their daily shopping and found himself scowling. One of the things he despised about this place was the sheer dullness of it all. Even if things at Orochimaru had been dark and twisted, at least he wasn't constantly being serenaded with happy cheerful faces and doting parents. It made him sick. Konoha reminded him of his past life when he categorically did not want to remember. The walls around the city stood as a symbol of security, of safety, of loyalty, and –his scowl darkened – of love.

The women passing by glanced sketchily at him before huddling closer together and moving on. He rolled his eyes. Oh get over it, he thought. It had been five years already. Hadn't he proved that he wouldn't run away anymore? After spending 6 months in detention, after doing endless mind numbing d rank missions, after teaching, for the love of God - teaching the gennins –they still acted like he was a traitorous snake. He paused. Not that he could blame them entirely. Sasuke understood the way the human mind worked. Once a traitor, always a traitor. And then they wondered why he never really respected the so called society that Konoha had created. Which brought him back to his earlier muse. Why exactly had he come back again?

"OI Teme!"

Sasuke turned. Ah yes. Of course. The reason for his much awaited return to his home – the word sounded stale to him- was jogging up to him right now. The Dobe. He didn't see the need to acknowledge the bundle of blue and blond as such, but still, he waited. As much as he wanted to deny it – the reason he had come back was the people he loved - correction – cared for. They all resided here within these four walls. Dead and alive.

"Watcha' doing?" Naruto asked, once he reached his side. He had gotten reasonably taller in these past five years thanks to Sakura's food, though Sasuke still maintained his half an inch advantage. He smirked. The dobe would always remain shorter; Good genes sometimes made all the difference.

"Walking," Sasuke answered, continuing on his path. Naruto followed closely and Sasuke wrinkled his nose. His friend was smelling a little strange. Sort of like mus-

"Sakura- chan said that they gave you a B rank mission this time." The blond interrupted his thoughts, grinning. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, waiting for the poor joke that was sure to follow.

"Think you can handle it? Maybe if you can complete it they might think of letting you join my Anbu team – you know as a kunai cleaner or something." Naruto laughed loudly, and after a moment, patted him rather hard on the back.

"How long have you been waiting to say that?" Sasuke asked. Naruto stopped laughing but the grin didn't leave his face,

"All morning," he replied, unembarrassed. Sasuke rolled his eyes, noticing that the blond's skin was shinning with sweat. That must explain the smell, he thought. He really must teach the idiot to bathe more often.

"Dobe."

Naruto ignored the comment and effortlessly launched into a full description of his latest mission and how he had brilliantly saved the day. Sasuke couldn't help but smile a little. The dobe really was a tolerable distraction from his life sometimes, not that Naruto would ever know that. He had enough of an ego already after his miracle promotion to Anbu. Sasuke wondered whether he would have made Anbu if he hadn't left. He glanced at Naruto who was doing a crude re enactment of how he had killed an enemy ninja and smirked. Of course he would have. In fact since this bumbling idiot was Anbu he would definitely have been captain by now.

They walked towards his home, Naruto doing most of the talking and Sasuke half pretending to listen. Their relationship hadn't changed much since he had come back. They still fought and insulted each other whenever opportunity presented itself, though now it had receded more into a comfortable routine than any real feelings of resentment. Sasuke glanced at Naruto who was still talking, oblivious to his surroundings. Sometimes he got the feeling that Naruto was still angry with him. It showed in very subtle ways – the extra hard 'friendly' slap on the back or the 'accidental' pressure on a wound when they were sparring. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, annoyed at this thought. He had more than repaid his debt of leaving. Listening to his idiot friends monologue was part of it. He scowled.

"Why exactly are you following me anyway?" His eyes traveled to his friends thread bare fish net shirt. If he felt so uncomfortable in clothes like that, why where them? Naruto took a moment to answer. Why did he look so nervous?

"I - I was trying to talk to you Bastard. Sakura chan says you've been avoiding her lately."

Sasuke pffted. "I don't have time to deal with her clingy behavior and doesn't she have Lee to bother now?"

Naruto grinned, "It's more the other way around. She almost had a fit when Lee convinced Baa-chan to put him in her team."

"What goes around comes around," he muttered, feeling rather satisfied that Sakura was getting a taste of her own obsessive medicine.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Naruto shrugged and they walked together in companiable silence until Sasuke realized that his friends constant banter had stopped. Why exactly was he walking alone again? Surprised, he turned to see Naruto a few feet behind, walking right into a dingy lane. Naruto disappeared into the lane in a few seconds and Sasuke stood there, feeling rather offended. He waited for Naruto to emerge from the lane, grinning like an idiot and saying 'he lost his way' but he didn't. Sasuke blinked, not used to such behavior by the blond. It was almost like Naruto had forgotten he had been walking with him. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Not that he cared anyway.

Irritated with himself for even feeling slightly betrayed by the dobe's behavior, he turned around and walked straight ahead, ignoring the part of mind that itched to follow the dobe and see where he had vanished too. His lips thinned. He was Sasuke Uchiha. People followed him, not the other way around. Probably this was just some silly prank that the dobe was trying to play and he was not going to be stupid enough to fall for it. He smirked as he continued to his apartment.

Usuratonkachi.

Naruto was hot. No, he was boiling. No, not good enough. His skin was on fire. Yeah, he thought, that was an apt description. He forced his legs to move quickly, hands stiff at his sides as he hurried towards his destination. His clothes folded and brushed against his skin, making every step almost like torture. Why had he waited for so long? He shouldn't have gone on that god dammed mission when he had known it would take so long. Stupid stupid stupid! Baa San had warned him. He could almost see her face red with anger, screaming at his stupidity if she found out he had delayed it for so long.

The thought made his walk faster, wincing at the sudden jolt of electricity that ran up his spine. He glanced downwards, wiping sweat out of his eyes, apprehensive of what he was going to see. The bulge in his pants was visible - but barely.

He shut eyes, desperately trying to control himself. What would Sakura chan say if she saw him like this? The bulge in his pants twitched. He cursed. Think of something else. Think of something else. His mind settled on Lee. The pressure wilted, if only every so slightly. Breathing a sigh of relief, he walked on. C'mon Uzumaki! The red light district is only a few minutes away. You can make it! He egged himself on.

Naruto kept his head down as a bunch of women passed by, gossiping about something that sound like 'untrustworthy' and 'too good looking for his own good.' He adjusted his loose pants, scurrying past them, relaxing when he heard the second part. They obviously couldn't be talking about him then. He hated it that he always felt slightly nervous whenever he spotted a group of people huddled close together and talking; But he knew that it was just a triggered reaction from his childhood.

He grimaced as he almost tripped over a rock, and the cloth of his pants grazed over his half erection. Kami sama, he thought. When he was like this, the sex was almost painful – that is in the beginning. He let himself smile slightly. It was useless to pretend to dislike it, even if it was because of the god damned Kyuubi.

He mentally ran through all the girls he could use for the first time. He needed someone tough. Someone who could handle him in this state, who wouldn't be terrified of getting a little hurt. His mind drifted to Sakura but he refused to let himself go there – not now. If he got too carried away he would wind up going to her and he did not want her to know him when he was like this. Who knew whether he would be able to control himself if she was in the vicinity, anyway.

He tensed as this new fear coursed through him and he started jogging towards his destination. Just a few more minutes, Naruto…and that was when he spotted him - A tall lone figure in the distance walking slowly forward with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Naruto could feel all the blood drain from his flushed face - It was Sasuke - teme...

A/N : The next chapter will be in Naruto's perspective. Reviews make me happy. :)

Owarii.