Brrinngg briing. Brrinngg briing.
"Mmm?"

"Uh … Uzumaki-san? Is um. I-is Naruto there?"

"Sasuke? … Kushina! Why's Sasuke asking about Naruto? I tho-mmph."

"Sorry dear - is that you Sasuke!" "Uh - um, yes. Yes it is me. I was just wondering if Naruto was there? At home?" To say that Sasuke was confused by the exchange would be a gross understatement. He was beyond confused. 'What was Minato on about? What are they keeping from me. What the hell am I supposed to know. And why doesn't Naruto have his phone on him?!' "Sasu-" "Oh my God he's dead isn't he?! He's dead and that's why he hasn't sent me anything!"

Kushina glanced at the phone in her hand, leaning back slightly. Brow raised. Glaring at her husband as he muffled his laughter then glancing once more toward the speaker through which Sasuke's voice floated in quiet sobs.

She could easily hear the tears in his voice. And, disturbing as it was to have Naruto's best friend assume the absolute worst, she couldn't help but giggle at him too.

"MINATO!" Sasuke's voice was horror-struck. Disgust evident in his tone. "How can you laugh? Narut-" "Honey, honey," Kushina couldn't help the chuckle that slipped from her lips. "Sasuke-honey, Naruto's not dead. He's over at the park with Kiba and Shika." The relived sigh that reached her ears sent her idiot husband into another fit of laughter that was only silenced by a sharp slap to the back of his head.

'Idiot,'

******************************************************************

Sasuke heard the slap and covered his mouth to muffle the undignified snort that followed. But the smile faltered as he thought her words over.

'Naruto was at the park - no surprise there. The idiot was probably swinging on the monkey bars.' He smiled at the thought and begun to close his flip-top as he heard the dial-tone from Naruto's cell phone. As Sasuke thought about it though, he realised -much to his dismay- that it wasn't the fact that Naruto was out and had purposely left his phone at home on the night allotted for Sasuke's call that bothered him. It wasn't even the fact that Naruto hadn't written him in more than three days, especially when it was his dumb idea to start this whole thing in the first place. Hmn, no. Sasuke knew it was idiocy but, the fact that Naruto was out with Kiba -not so much Shika, he already had a best friend and was no real threat. But stupid as it was, that's what had him so on edge.

The Dobe had always chopped and changed between the two, which friend he wanted as 'best' could change no less than four times in one school-week. It wasn't something that Sasuke had particularly enjoyed growing up, having a blonde mop glued to your shoulder one day and the next, having it standing as far from you as possible. But that was Naruto, some things just always took time to figure out. But by the time they'd reached middle-school he'd decided that Sasuke was his 'absolute-ultimate-bestest-of-friends,' Ino had hurt him considerably straight after his declaration. In between punches she'd screamed something about being the best at 'everything!'

Sasuke hadn't done a damn thing to stop it, just stood back and smirked. But, once the beating was done, and Sasuke had started, Naruto wouldn't let anyone else touch him. Sasuke was his best friend and so it fell to him to nurse the wounds.
It had stayed that way all through middle-school, up until now. But Naruto was changing again. By tomorrow, he'd be hanging off Kiba's collar and buying him a matching studded leash 'god that kid's weird,' Kiba's fashion choices interrupted his brooding for a while, but his thoughts still managed to make him feel like shit after centring around Naruto once more.

His best friend - Sasuke paused as the word lover sprung to mind, easing itself into the 'best friend' space of his wondered sentence.
'How did that happen?' Sasuke seemed genuinely interested in how he had managed to think of Naruto that way. Suppose it was what sounded right … you rarely hear of a friend leaving a friend. It's something a lover would do. Though, to be left implies that the thing itself had been owned and God knew that Sasuke was no possession of Naruto's.

'Then why the odd sentiment?'

For the next four hours Sasuke contemplated all the reasons for him calling Naruto a lover. Said blonde, however, was sitting nervously aboard an airbus 380 - first class. Sasuke was so going to kill him. But it's the price you pay when you piss off Uzumaki Naruto. A few thousand dollars for a first class ticket from Japan into Italy -living costs included. Naruto allowed himself a small smile at the thought of Sasuke finding a visa bill in his 'man-bag' once they got back home. Again Naruto laughed and thought of home, his poor mother would've had a terrible time lying to Sasuke - 'God she loves that boy more than she does me, I'm sure,' he never really believed it but still, Naruto couldn't help but remember his mother never failing to defend the dark-haired little whelp.

Sasuke had always been the better treated when the matter was between them two and Naruto's mother. At least, that's how Naruto saw it. But, with Kushina nudged to the side a bit, Naruto was free to deal with the stupid teme on his own. He still couldn't believe that the stupid duck-butt had the cheek to write all that shit and then take it back the next damn day. But, this was Sasuke - the stroppy son of a bitch who couldn't even stand to share his best friend when they were in elementary school. Of course, Naruto hadn't seen this straight away. It had taken Shikamaru about five minutes during class to explain why Sasuke only ever got annoyed at him when he was hanging all over Kiba '-like what? Cause he's jealous?' Naruto had laughed at Shika's dumb logic. Sasuke wouldn't be bothered with jealousy. The self-righteous prick wouldn't settle for anything less than 'best,' pretentious bastard. But that was Sasuke … he would never learn how to share. It just wasn't in him.

Naruto knew something had to be done, Sasuke couldn't be allowed to rule his feelings anymore. Naruto had to put a stop to this, once and for all.