A/N: Roleplay done with my precious Kintaka. She played Sasuke, I played Naruto. This is fluffy fluff, no boom boom in the bedroom. Because the boys aren't horny -all- the time, just most of the time ;) Reviews are always nice, but if you want to be a stingy Grinch and just read, we won't complain. It gives us great pleasure to make these stories.

Safety in Forgiveness

~NS~

He felt threatened. He didn't know why, or even what was causing it, but it was there, prominent, like he was being chased. Something was incredibly wrong. He was in danger. It came after him, going to get him if he didn't get away! He had to leave, to get moving as soon as possible!

But he couldn't move. He had no idea what was going on or where he was. There was nothing but a black expanse. It wasn't surrounding him, it was in him, through him. He couldn't see, his Sharingan useless. He barely managed to pull his breaths in tight wheezes and his movement was gone altogether as something larger than him held him down, and yet shrouded him completely. It was over him, like bed clothes, barely holding him in place but restricting him enough to make things harder, draping over him lazily. But try as he might, he couldn't break free. He didn't even know what it was, let alone know how to be rid of it!

His panic took a sudden and sharp turn—he wouldn't breathe, it was starting to hurt. He had to move! He had to get out of his restraints, whatever was keeping him here, he had to go! Otherwise he was going to die!

-X-

With a startled gasp and a nearly soundless whimper, Sasuke Uchiha awoke in a tangle of sweaty sheets, shivering uncontrollably. For a frantic moment, he didn't remember where he was. After an unacceptable span of adrenaline spiking sharply and plunging in his gut, he recognized his living room. He was in his house, sleeping on the plush leather couch, where he had gone in the very early hours of that morning.

His breathing was quick and shallow, nostrils flared, pupils contracted with fear. He didn't remember anything of his dream, only that he had been inexplicably terrified. And something had been chasing him, but beyond that…there was nothing.

Thunder rumbled in the near distance, its angry tone reminding him of why he was out here in the first place.

He and Naruto had gotten into a fight the previous night. It had been over something trivial that happened on their mission, but it had quickly escalated into a shouting match. Sasuke had blatantly accused Naruto of being irresponsible and childish, and Naruto had countered with Sasuke having too hot of a temper and being a judgmental ass. It ended with Naruto storming into their room, angry tears in his eyes and Sasuke had relegated himself to the living room with a pillow and thin sheet in tow.

But now he was regretting everything he had said, every low blow he had taken. He was here, in the cold, scared of his own shadows and craving the warmth of his lover, and yet he had only himself to blame for his isolation. He had been the one to instigate the situation. He had been the one to bring his blonde angel to tears.

He felt horribly for causing such a severe fight over such little details. But right now, all he wanted was to feel safe. Although he would never admit it out loud, Naruto was stronger than him; mentally, emotionally, perhaps even physically. He wasn't as fast, perhaps, but he was so much more powerful. He made the Uchiha feel protected when he was vulnerable like this.

Trembling and looking over his shoulder for whatever had been chasing him in his dream, still only half coherent, he slowly untangled himself from his makeshift bed and stood. He shivered into the cool air as it assaulted his clammy skin, and the wood floor dragged the heat from his body far too efficiently. Dead of summer or not, he was chilled through to the bone.

He padded quietly down the long hallway to their bedroom, steps unsteady and almost panicked. He felt like every single shadow was out to get him.

The door opened quietly enough and he stepped in, chest seizing as his irrationally frightened gaze fell on his lover. A few careful steps forward and his keen eyes picked up through the moonlight that Naruto's eyes were still puffy and red-rimmed. A quick glance at the time told Sasuke he had only been sleeping for three hours. The blonde had kicked the comforter off and was huddled into a fetal position rather than sprawled like he usually was. Their fight had had lasting effects on them both.

Sasuke wanted to crawl into the bed, to huddle into the Jinchuriki and seek out his warmth and kisses but he also felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and uncertainty. After everything he had said, surely he was the last person Naruto would want to see.

Silently, the brunette finished his short journey to the bed, crossing over to Naruto's side rather than going to his own. A shaky hand reached out for him, but was just as quickly withdrawn. After an uneven sigh, Sasuke allowed himself to sink to the floor instead, feeling just slightly better to so much as be near the younger man. He rested his head on the mattress near one of Naruto's hands and closed his eyes, trying to will himself to sleep.

The alarm clock on the night side table ticked several beats, until a heavy hand coursed through Sasuke's hair. Naruto cleared his throat, his already raspy voice even heavier.

"What are you doing, Teme..."

Sasuke's only response was a mute shake of his head, leaning faintly into the touch. He didn't trust his voice for fear of admitting his lingering fear. The blonde's hand stilled at the silence, then a rustle of sheets and he leaned over the edge of the bed. Sasuke was trembling. No—shaking like a leaf in a hard wind.

"Sasuke...? What's wrong, you're..." He ran his hands through the Uchiha's hair again, purposefully feeling his forehead on the way. He sat up straight, tired voice suddenly coming into focus. "Sasuke you're all sweaty. What's going on...?"

Sasuke cleared his throat as well, voice much raspier than usual from lack of hydration and lack of proper sleep. "Had a nightmare," he quietly explained, not looking the younger shinobi in the eyes. What kind of ninja was he? Starting fights and running from dreams...

He didn't move from his spot, already upset that Naruto had caught his fragile state so quickly. But then, of course he had. He was smart. That was one of just many qualities Sasuke loved about him: he wasn't stupid, just simple. In fact, he was much more intuitive than the blonde himself even realized; something Sasuke had failed to remember only hours ago.

He simply remained sitting where he was, playing with the ends of the sheets dangling over the side of the bed, guilt lying heavily on his shoulders. After a fight like that should he even bother getting into bed?

Naruto didn't have to think too long on it. He wiggled into the centre of the bed and pulled back the sheets, offering his warm spot to Sasuke. "Well then what the Hell are you doing down there? Get in..."

A sense of grateful love washed over him. He clambered in with little of his normal grace. When he lay down it was as close to Naruto as he could get without physically being on top of him. He felt like a fool, scared by a dream and needing to be comforted like he was a child. But something about the experience was lingering, he just couldn't shake it. Maybe it was aftershocks of the fight coupled with the feeling of being pursued and unable to escape.

More thunder hissed and rumbled much closer than before. The brewing storm certainly hadn't done anything to soothe his nerves, either.

Unable to resist, Sasuke leaned his head onto Naruto's warm shoulder, feeling worlds safer as he breathed in his natural scent.

"M'sorry about earlier," he murmured, shoulders hunched against whatever reprimand he might receive. He damned himself for feeling so uncharacteristically vulnerable at the moment.

Naruto's energy was strong, and a bit defensive. He hadn't forgotten what Sasuke had said, but he wasn't about to hold onto his words either. How could he, especially now. He gathered the Uchiha against him, pinning him to his chest with a sure hand at the centre of his back, pulling the covers over them both.

"What did you dream about?"

The fact that Naruto ignored his attempted apology didn't escape Sasuke, but he was too tired and too strung out to call him on it.

"I don't remember," he said a bit more calmly, breathing easier now that he was surrounded by everything that was the young man he loved. "All I know is something was chasing me and I woke up feeling like something was really trying to kill me." He started as a crack of lightning sliced across the sky and bled through the layered blinds.

"That's not like you," Naruto offered quietly. "I'm usually the one having to stop you from going too far and killing someone." A light chuckle, then he thumbed Sasuke's cheek. "Maybe it was the mission. We were both way too high strung after. It's okay, Sasuke..."

"It's been a while since we've had a mission that involved any of the treaties," Sasuke agreed, allowing a strained chuckle through tight lips. "Maybe we were a little unprepared for it." His voice was quiet as he thought back to the very reason they had fought to begin with.

He had accused Naruto of being the reason they nearly failed in safely escorting an allied shinobi carrying precious and top security scrolls from Suna to Konoha. He had blamed him for their lack of maneuvering and supplies when he was beginning to realize they had both been hasty. Their two villages had been at peace since after the Chunin Exams so long ago, just following Orochimaru's attack. There hadn't been any reason since to think anything could go wrong between them. And that had resulted in laxity and forgetfulness.

They were both to blame but Sasuke had been very quick to call Naruto out in front of Tsunade, and to oust him in front of Kakashi when he tried to defend himself. Naruto was right about one thing, definitely: his temper was far too sharp, especially when he was in the wrong himself.

Naruto allowed a very stress filled sigh to leave him, taking a lot of the animosity over their fight with it. He nuzzled his cheek against the top of Sasuke's head and swallow thickly before continuing in a serious tone. He was awake now—hadn't been sleeping too well himself—may as well address this now.

"Sasuke... I don't like it when you put me down in front of other people; especially Granny and Kakashi Sensei. Say what you want to me in private, but you made me look like a fool."

His words were harsh but his touch was soft as he rubbed soothing circles across Sasuke's back.

Sasuke grimaced sullenly, the truth of every word humbling him. "I know." A sigh ripped itself from him as more of his tension melted away. "I know. I don't know why the Hell I do it." His brow furrowed as he tried to search for a better reason, a better excuse, but he knew there was nothing good enough to explain his actions and justify them equally.

"I do," Naruto answered. "Because despite that we're together and you've accepted me into your life on a completely different level, you spent years looking down on me, thinking you were better. And that's okay, Sasuke. But now...I don't like bringing it up out loud because I know it hurts your pride, but I'm captain when we go out on missions. I outrank you. And you feel the need to prove yourself, to prove a point. You test me nearly every mission. I never say anything because I think it's good to have someone keeping me on my toes, making sure I don't screw up. But what you did yesterday was uncalled for. And it hurt me, baby...I can't deny that."

Sasuke allowed some time to think on the words, to let them really sink in. Naruto was right of course. On missions, he was the squad leader now, regardless of who was on their team. And Sasuke was always doing something crude or even underhanded to make sure he wasn't fucking up. And it was foolish, childish.

A blaring clap of thunder pierced the silence of the room followed by a flash that lit the space up for a second.

"You're right," he finally uttered, for once meek in his bearing. "What I did was wrong. Absolutely. I'll do what I can to make it up to you. And I'll formally apologize to Lady Tsunade and Kakashi Sensei. I promise I'll do something to make this better, Naruto."

"Relax, Sasuke. We may be talking about this right now, but I'm not your captain here. I know how much it would bruise your ego to have to apologize publically like that, and part of me thinks it would teach you a good lesson... but the part of me that loves you and doesn't want to see your hurt is satisfied enough with what you just told me."

Naruto leaned his face into the cowering Uchiha's, fishing for his lips. "Hey... S'ok... apology accepted."

Sasuke looked up at the blonde with subdued charcoal eyes, silently searching his features and finding nothing but acceptance within them.

"...Thanks," He leaned into the kiss lightly as the rest of the tension from the dream and the fight seemed to leave him despite the sudden torrential rain pummeling their window.

"Good. Cause if you pull something like that again I'll have to punish you." Naruto could barely keep a straight face, biting his lip to keep his smile contained.

A smirk flitted to Sasuke's lips before he stifled it with an unimpressed expression. "Oh shut up, Dobe," he calmly remarked, eyes sparkling with a dangerous but exhausted mischief as he leaned forward for another peaceful kiss.

Their lips connected just as the loudest clap of thunder barreled through the house.

"You feeling better, baby?"

"Yeah. I am." Sasuke snuggled closer to the person he felt safest with, not feeling the need to put up a tough front. So what if he looked like a sap in front of Naruto? He already knew that Sasuke was a kitten deep down.

Very deep, if he said so himself.

"Thanks," he repeated, followed by a warm smile.

"Thanks? I give you the warm side of the bed, invite you in after you were a Teme to me, and all I get is 'thanks'?" Naruto's mouth widened into his famous Uzumaki grin, eyes full of adoration and love.

"Sorry, Dobe." The quirk of Sasuke's mouth was both playful and apologetic. "I love you."

Naruto grabbed his face in both hands, invading him with his tongue; over his teeth and as deep as he could push, reasserting his dominance. Sasuke's stomach flipped at the display and for once he didn't fight it. He was feeling very complacent right now, completely willing to give himself up at a moment's notice.

The Jinchuriki eventually breathlessly broke the kiss, lips swollen and red, looking down at Sasuke with clouded eyes. "You're really... really hot when you let me do what I want. It's worth the verbal spanking you gave me to get you in this position, Sasuke." This time he rolled Sasuke onto his back and the kiss was tender but firm. "I love you too. I hope you know just how much. Nothing's ever gonna come between us. Promise me."

Sasuke moaned plaintively into the demanding kiss, lids fluttered shut before he forced them open again to gaze into beautiful azure irises.

"I promise. Nothing is going to come between us. I'll make damn sure of it." It wasn't just him acquiescing to the blonde's request. It was an oath made in proverbial blood, one they renewed every so often.

Naruto rested his forehead against Sasuke's briefly before rolling back onto his side of the bed. "I don't think I could handle any other answer than that. And I plan to show you just how grateful I am for it later... But right now you need to sleep."

A jaw cracking yawn split Sasuke's lips before he could counter and suddenly he felt just how little he had slept in the last few days. Between the mission and the fight, he had maybe accumulated ten hours sleep in three days.

"Yeah, yeah alright," he grumbled, rolling onto his side huffily, hiding his smile against the pillow.

Naruto curled the Uchiha's bangs behind his ear, staying propped on one elbow, determined to see his love off to sleep before he closed his own eyes. "No protest? No calling me Dobe? There's definitely something wrong with you, Sasuke."

"Oi fuck you," Sasuke murmured, lips unfolding into something more pleasant. "I told you it was a bad nightmare."

The blonde pulled Sasuke's head into his shoulder, followed by a bright but tired giggle. "No more nightmares SkeSke...not while your Naru-baby's here. M'now shut up and sleep...future Hokage's orders."

Sasuke could feel himself drifting off before he could even think to protest or make a smart remark. As he curled harder into the man he loved, the feeling of safety floated in his consciousness for but a moment. No more nightmares indeed.

~Owari~