Disclaimer: Trust me, if I owned Naruto you'd know.

Warning: Shounen-ai (boyxboy)

A/N: This takes place in Shippuden, but Sasuke has come back to Konoha.

This is just something that randomly popped into my head one night and I decided to write it out. I'm actually kind of annoyed with myself though. I swore the next one shot I wrote would be funny and light-hearted, and what do I write instead? Something sentimental and emotional……again. Oh well, at least nobody dies in this one! J Please review and let me know what you think of it! But don't bother flaming as they'll just be ignored.

Why, Damnit!

Naruto sat on the grassy hill looking up at the stars and thinking to himself. When another body sat down beside him he tried to pretend he hadn't noticed, but knew the other boy's keen eyes wouldn't have missed the stiffening of his back. All remained quiet and Naruto began to relax.

"I never took you for someone interested in quiet reflection dobe."

"People change Sasuke."

Sasuke glanced over at Naruto contemplatively, questioning the use of his name rather than the usual 'teme'.

"I didn't think it was possible for someone like you to change."

Naruto shrugged, his expression remaining blank.

Sasuke prided himself on his reserve and calm, but Naruto's silence and indifference were beginning to unnerve him. The blond had never been one to pass up an opportunity to insult the Uchiha, or to spout some other nonsense. No, this Naruto was new territory for Sasuke, and he wasn't entirely sure how to proceed. They sat in silence again while Sasuke contemplated ways to break his former team mate out of his apathetic mood.

"So did you ever convince Sakura to go out with you? I only ask because now that I'm back in the village she probably won't want anything to do with you."

Sasuke knew it was low, but he also knew that the best way to get a reaction out of Naruto was to provoke him and Sakura had always been a sensitive subject for Naruto. Therefore, the raven was shocked when the only reply he received was:

"She's not my type."

Naruto had turned to answer the question and Sasuke was surprised at what he saw. Naruto's once brilliant eyes were now blank and lifeless with dark bags weighing them down. Sasuke couldn't help staring. Those eyes had always fascinated him, had always seemed so alive and vibrant like the blond himself, but now they were empty.

"Why aren't you sleeping well Naruto?"

Sasuke's voice was soft but Naruto flinched as if the words had been screamed at him. He got no answer.

"Can I help?"

Naruto snorted.

"That depends, can you make me believe that you won't run away and leave us again?"

Now it was Sasuke's turn to flinch. When he had returned to the village he'd been welcomed with open arms and treated like the prodigal son. Everyone had been so eager to act normally that it had been easy for him to forget that there were people in the village that he'd hurt when he'd left. He knew Naruto had spent a long time chasing him, could still remember the look on his face when he told him he wasn't coming back. Naruto looked away from him, a faint look of disgust on his face.

"I can keep promising you, but believing me is up to you. You'll just have to trust me."

The disdainful snort made a reappearance.

"Trust is a joke. What's the point in believing in someone when everyone just lets you down anyway."

Sasuke was now officially shocked. What had happened to the guy that spent all his time trying to drag Sasuke back to Konoha, the boy that had shouted 'believe it!' to random people in the street? He must have asked out loud because Naruto turned to him with an empty smile and an answer.

"His best friend killed him."

The older boy froze at the blond's words. He realised Naruto had stood up and was preparing to leave.

"Sit down."

Naruto looked down at Sasuke with some of the old fire in his eyes.

"Please."

Naruto stared at the other boy, trying to figure out what to do. He wanted to storm off but was clearly intrigued. There was no doubt that he had been given a command, but the word itself so rarely fell from the Uchiha's lips Naruto couldn't help sitting back down.

"I never killed you."

"You tried to."

"Yes."

"And you would have."

"No."

An impatient sigh.

"You can't have it both ways Sasuke."

"I may have tried, but I never would have killed you Naruto…You were my friend."

He could see Naruto trying to keep himself under control, but eventually he newfound restraint failed him. He leapt up off the ground and started shouting at the dark-haired boy.

"Then why did you try? Why the hell did you leave teme? Answer me that, why??"

Sasuke suddenly found himself dragged up into a standing position by the two hands grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. He looked and saw the flush on his face and the fire in his eyes as Naruto demanded again:

"Why did you leave me? Why??"

"You know I had to avenge my family by killing Itachi."

"That's not what I asked you."

"I thought I would never become strong enough hanging around the village. I had to leave to get stronger, to become more powerful."

Naruto growled and his grip on Sasuke's shirt became tighter.

"Damnit teme, that's not what I asked you! I don't care if you thought that you had to kill Itachi and leave the village to get stronger. Screw that! I want to know why you left me! Why, Sasuke? Why did you leave me? Damnit, why?!"

Sasuke stared as he saw tears fill his companion's eyes, he watched as the head was ducked to stop him from seeing them. Sasuke continued to stare, feeling peace with the close proximity of the boy in front of him. While his eyes absorbed Naruto, he began to question his own decisions.

Why had he left? Why hadn't he stayed? Why had he thought he could leave Naruto behind? Why had he thought he'd wanted to? Knowing that he'd finally made the right decision, Sasuke tilted his head down and met Naruto's lips softly with his own. After a second or two of frozen surprise, Naruto responded hungrily to Sasuke's kiss. A few minutes later Sasuke pulled back and looked at Naruto. An invisible weight lifted when he saw the life and fire back in Naruto's eyes. Eyes the colour of the night sky overhead. Sasuke could easily imagine giving his soul to those eyes.

"I never did."

Naruto looked at Sasuke in bewilderment. The latter letting his right hand absentmindedly traces the whiskers on Naruto's cheek.

"I always took you with me."

Naruto's eyes softened as he buried his face in Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke slid his arms around Naruto's waist and rested his chin against blond hair.

They stayed that way forever. Close to each other. Loving each other.

Home.