Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. And probably never will!
Title: I think I better leave right now – alternative chapter 20 - part II
Author: Purrfectly679 - e-mail purrfectly679 'at' for comments and suggestions. Feedback highly appreciated.
Rating: R, angst, bad language, slight AU. SakuSasu, SasuNaru.
Notes: OK ok last chapter wasn't very happy... Lol I hope this makes up for it!!

Wah... Sooo many reviews... [goes starry eyed] thank you so, so, so much!! I lub u all!! [gives out pocky!]

To Ochiba and LQ - lol I don't think I would do an arc... Thinking of writing that much kinda scares me ;; and to chibi uchiha - LOL at the plushie scene!!

This ish dedicated to the lubly D.A - tenku for the lubly email and mega long review!! I will reply as soon as I get some sleep LOL zzz... (writing takes a lot outta ya Oo)

Previously: Sasuke wakes up in hospital... Only to forget everything he's ever known about Naruto.

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During the next couple of days, troubling thoughts of the boy named Naruto filtered in and out of Sasuke's head. And no matter how hard he tried, the bright boy with the impossibly blue eyes would just not let his mind rest.

Time seemed to crawl yet leap by simultaneously, leaving Sasuke dizzy and disorientated. The feeling of confusion frustrated him no end. Just why couldn't he get the blonde out of his mind? And why were some of his thoughts so… so deliciously forbidden? Why did he imagine kissing the smaller boy – somehow just knowing that his lips would be soft and sweet – wanting to taste him, wanting to touch him…

And why the hell was he having such inappropriate thoughts anyway? They were supposed to be ex-team-mates, right? And ex-team-mates weren't supposed to have thoughts like that about each other – let alone sexy thoughts about male comrades!

And Sakura? She was his fiancée right? They were supposed to be in love… They were supposed to get married… They were supposed to be happy – hell, they were supposed to be a lot of things…

But why was it that when he looked into her eyes, he felt nothing but a horrible sense of emptiness? Why was it that when he could feel her presence nearby, he felt absolutely nothing but a blank void deep within his heart? And why couldn't he even touch her without feeling a sickening concoction of guilt and nausea?

And ever since the first night back, when he had woken up amid her warm arms, he had immediately reclaimed the spare bedroom on the ground floor…

That wasn't normal was it?

Or had he always been like that? Maybe he just abhorred human contact? It wasn't unusual - maybe he just liked to keep himself to himself…? After all, he had experienced a very lonely childhood, so it was probably natural to prefer solitude to other people's company…

But if that was true, then why all the strange thoughts about the blonde haired boy?

Sasuke frowned. Even though he wasn't good with feelings, he knew when something felt wrong. And this whole scenario felt totally wrong. No doubt about it now - he was definitely missing something…

And he intended to find out what. And soon.

----------------------------

"Sakura?"

Sakura paused at the sound of her fiancé's voice, as her heart pounded furiously within her chest. Could it be? Was Sasuke going to try and make conversation? The Uchiha had almost completely reverted back to his former impassive self since recovering from the accident… In fact, he seemed to speak even less than he used to… If that was at all possible…

And now? Was he finally going to open up?

The pink-haired girl frowned uncertainly as she dried her hands on a tea towel. What the hell was going on anyway? Something must be up… After all – he had hardly said even a word to her ever since that morning they woke up together… Then again, maybe that was her fault…. She should never have rushed him…

'Baka Sakura…' she silently scolded herself. If only she weren't so desperate to feel his arms around her – to feel loved for once… Then maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way… She had such a good chance to make everything right, and once again she had lost it due to her own foolishness…

"Sakura?" Sasuke repeated, his voice still as monotonous as ever.

Biting back a sigh, the pink-haired girl immediately turned away from her washing up to faced the expressionless dark-haired boy with an air of optimism.

"H-Hai, Sasuke-kun…?"

"I… Can you…"

Sakura waited patiently as the dark-haired boy seemed to hesitate on the spot. Her curiosity immediately perked up – what question could be so important that even the 'aloof Uchiha' seemed almost reluctant to voice?

"Can you… Can you tell me about… N-Naruto?"

Sakura immediately froze, as her blood roared furiously within her ears. Naruto… He said… Naruto… Her heart began to pick up pace, the pounding beat resonating loudly within her chest. Why Naruto?! What did he want to know about… About that thing?! That thing that had ruined her life…! That thing that had ruined BOTH their lives!

Why was everything going wrong again? Why did he have to get involved again?! Sasuke was hers! She finally had a chance to make things right - how dare he come and mess everything up again?! Sasuke was hers damn it! HERS!

"W-Why do y-you want to know about him?" the pink-haired girl whispered thickly, even as her inner conscience screamed at herself for sounding so weak and insecure. She didn't even realise that she was clutching the tabletop so hard that her knuckles turned white from the pressure.

The Uchiha frowned at her question, before his expressionless mask flickered uncertainly. "He was our team-mate, was he not?"

The pink-haired girl felt her stomach shift uncomfortably, as she frantically searched for the right words use. She shouldn't be too surprised about his question, right? They were team-mates after all!! And it was just a question – it wasn't as if he was going to run off again…!! Was he? Was he?

She didn't realise that her pupils were dilating wildly, betraying the turmoil that was the surging within her.

"He… He was…" she stated carefully, although the twinge of hysteria to her voice was unmistakeable. "But… That was a-ages ago…"

"Then why doesn't he come to see me?"

"M-Maybe he's b-busy…"

"Then I'm going to see him." Sasuke's voice seemed almost contemplative, before ending on a somewhat convinced tone.

"NO!" Sakura immediately covered her mouth as the one brash word came hurtling out from under her defences. Shit! She wasn't meant to say that – what if he suspected something? She couldn't let him suspect anything! If he suspected, then he might remember, and if he remembered… Then shit! God – why was she so fucking stupid…!?

"I mean… He doesn't l-like to be bothered… If h-he wants to s-see you, then he'll come round… He k-knows where you l-live…" she fervently hoped and prayed that the raven-haired boy wouldn't see through her little white lie… But it was for the best! As long as she kept the two apart, then maybe he never needed to remember…

After all, weren't some memories better left forgotten?

Sasuke seemed to waver uncertainly on the spot before nodding curtly and walking away.

Sakura sighed sadly in a mixture of weariness and relief. That was too close… That was much too close…

Maybe it was time to hasten the wedding.

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One week later found the dark-haired boy resting in bed, mind still captivated within a deep sense of confusion. The blonde would just not let his conscience rest, as bright yet hauntingly blue eyes persistently occupied his thoughts and dreams… He was still sleeping in the spare bedroom – for some strange reason, his body and mind protested furiously against the thought of sharing with his future wife, with the women he supposedly loved…

He sighed wearily. He seriously doubted things could get anymore confusing…

His attempts at finding out more about the boy named Naruto had also ended rather unsuccessfully. Although it was obvious that Sakura had lied to him, what she had said had undoubtedly rang true…

If the blonde had truly wanted to see him, then he would've visited by now… After all, Naruto knew where he lived - it wasn't like there were any other Uchiha mansions to get confused with!! So if he didn't come and visit, did that mean that he didn't care?

And just why did that thought unsettle him so much?

The Uchiha frowned as he rubbed his eyes wearily. He really did NOT appreciate his new found insomniac traits… Thankfully he was still removed from his ninja duties, due to his recovery status, which meant that he could sleep deep into the afternoon if he desired to…

Clenching his eyes shut in frustration, the raven-haired boy forced his body to relax, willing himself to go to sleep. Almost immediately, an image of the boy Naruto popped up into his mind, smiling gently as the wind softly caressed his silky skin, golden hair gleaming brilliantly in the warm sunlight… Soft pink lips curved upwards, glinting teasingly, just begging to be kissed…

Sasuke growled softly in irritation. It looked like it was going to be another sleepless night…

And how he hated sleepless nights.

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Shikamaru sighed in annoyance as he dutifully followed his girlfriend towards the big, ominous house that belonged to the Uchiha's. He fought hard to suppress a groan of irritation – why did everything have to be so troublesome?! He was supposed to be enjoying a nice, normal Sunday morning… He wasn't even meant to be awake at this hour, let alone be up and walking… And walking to see Sasuke nonetheless…

He looked up into the cloudless sky in defeat – just what had he done to deserve all this?!

The Uchiha was just too damn troublesome for his own good – just thinking about the events in past year made his head hurt! He had visited the boy in hospital a few times, when his mission schedule permitted, and he specifically remembered Naruto being there every single time… And talking about Naruto… Bleh that boy was probably the most troublesome person out of the whole entire village! Those two sure made one heck of a volatile team…

And probably one hell of an explosive couple.

Naturally, he had spoken to Ino about her opinion over the entire situation, and to begin with she had been rather concerned for her pink-haired friend… But she couldn't deny the fact that Naruto had been dealt the worst set of circumstances. To be cruelly forgotten by someone he had looked after for 10 whole months - someone he had obviously cared for… Did the gods really have to be that ruthless?

And now what were they supposed to do? Were they supposed to play along and just pretend that Naruto was no more than just a 'friend' to Sasuke? And what about Sakura? What about her happiness? She deserved to be happy too, right?

Just what was the right thing to do?

Shikamaru sighed wearily. After much consideration, he had only managed to come to one universal conclusion…

And that was someone was going to get hurt…

Someone was going to get really hurt…

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"Shikamaru… You're so slow!!" Ino sighed in annoyance at the trailing form of her moping lover. They were only going to visit the Uchiha's for god's sake – why did he always have to make such a big deal out of everything?! It's not like she had asked him to sell his soul to the devil or anything!!

She heard him mutter something under his breath, consisting of the words 'women' and 'troublesome', but flippantly chose to ignore it. Gee – some men could be so childish…

Suppressing a sigh, the blonde haired girl walked on, as dismal thoughts flickered furiously in and out of her mind. She desperately hoped that Sakura was ok - she hadn't been doing too well when Sasuke had been in hospital… In fact – during that time, she couldn't recall the pink-haired girl ever leaving the dark confines of her room…

She loved Sakura… She really did. She was her best friend – she was smart, funny… She was nice to have around… So she should be on her side, right? She should encourage – no, she should support her relationship with Sasuke… They deserved to be happy, no matter the circumstances… Especially after everything they had been through…

And it was for the best, right? The Uchiha needed a heir… And it wasn't as if Naruto could produce him one. Maybe it was best if things were left this way? Sakura would be happy, Sasuke would be happy -

Ino sighed unhappily. 'But would he? Would he really be happy?' her conscience smirked knowingly. Would he truly be happy with her? The blonde girl wanted to say yes – she wanted to believe it was true… After all, Sakura was her best friend – she would willingly lay down her life for her… But…

But what if he wouldn't? What if Sasuke couldn't be happy with her? What if that indescribable emotion she had seen in his mysterious eyes – what if that passion, that love… What if it was all real?

And then what? What was she supposed to do about it? Tell Sasuke? Tell Sasuke that 'no, you might not remember, but the truth is, you were (and probably still are) madly in love with your blonde team-mate Naruto…?'

But could she? Could she really tell him that? Even if it was the right thing to do - even if it meant two happy people instead of one - could she really break her best friend's heart?

No… She didn't think so either.

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Sasuke rubbed his eyes wearily as the sound of the front door clicking shut alerted his groggy senses. Familiar voices could be heard, but the Uchiha was still too sleep logged and irritated to determine whom they belonged to. He glanced at his clock – 9am - before fighting the urge to swear creatively at the gods… Didn't they know how hard it was to finally fall asleep?! And to be interrupted so soon…!

The dark-haired boy wearily dragged himself out of bed. Might as well get up – he probably wouldn't be able to get back to sleep anyway… Maybe he should go and 'death glare' the unwanted visitors for a minute or two… What kinda idiots visited so early in the morning anyway? Were they stupid or just plain stupid?

Dragging a hand hazardously through his hair, Sasuke cursed softly under his breath, before making his way to the bathroom…

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Shikamaru tried to keep his expression neutral as the two girls in front of him squealed and hugged excitedly, as if they hadn't seen each other in years. He fought the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes – it had only been what? 10 days?

"I'm so sorry for not visiting sooner, but that last mission was so disruptive…" he heard his girlfriend say.

Seeing as he was probably going to be ignored for the next half hour, the lazy-ninja took time out to look around and observe his surroundings. The pink-haired girl looked normal, somewhat healthier even… That was a good sign, wasn't it? That probably meant that things were going well – or rather, as well as things could possibly go with the destructive Uchiha…

Che. He never knew why girls liked him so much anyway – he had no sense of humour, he was a lame conversationalist and he had a bad habit of death-glaring anything that moved… Add that to the fact that Sasuke was probably the least romantic person on earth, it just about brought his interest level and appeal to about a minus 10…

So… Just what was everyone attracted to again…?

And speaking of the Uchiha – where was he anyway?

Almost as if on cue, the sound of a door slamming greeted his ears.

"Ah… Sorry about that… Sasuke's been… having problems sleeping lately… Recovering…"

Shikamaru just about managed to tune out the rest of the conversation.

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Sasuke suppressed a yawn as the hot water pelted down his back and soothed his aching muscles. Shikamaru and Ino… He idly wondered what the two were doing at his house so early in the morning… He sighed heavily - he hoped that it wasn't another one of those wedding talks… Sakura had tried speaking to him about the upcoming occasion for a few days now, suggesting on more than one occasion that they should hold the ceremony within the next month. And as expected, he did nothing to agree nor disagree with her wishes…

To be honest – he didn't really care.

Anyways – having the wedding within the month was stupid. They still had so much to sort out – wasn't the wedding day supposed to be one of the most important days of your life? And what about the guests? And the venue? And the maid of honour and the best man?

'Well,' Sasuke reflected, 'Ino is most definitely going to be the maid of honour, no doubt about that…' But what about the best man? The dark-haired boy frowned – as far as he could remember, he didn't really form that many close bonds with anybody… And to be honest, he couldn't really say that he liked any of the other ninjas… Sure he didn't hate them… But…

Well – he hardly spoke to Neji, Chouji and Kiba… Shino didn't speak full stop. Gaara lived too far away, and he seriously doubted that the redheaded boy would actually enjoy a ceremony that celebrated happiness and life… Then there was Lee – but he was a little too animated for his liking…

So he really only had Shikamaru… Unless you counted Naruto…

Naruto… Sasuke's heart lurched at the thought of the blonde. He was their team-mate right? He would probably be the best choice… After all, if he ever had a really close friend, Sasuke was willing to bet his life that it was the bright eyed boy…

Somehow… He just had that kinda appeal.

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30 minutes later found the lazy ninja of Konoha on the verge of poking his own eyeballs out as a form self entertainment. Girl talk – bleh! Where was Sasuke when you needed him?! His grunts and 'hns' were probably miles more interesting than this…

Almost immediately, a wet and moody looking dark-haired boy emerged into the room. With a glare.

Shikamaru hastily retracted his thoughts. Yes Sasuke was probably more interesting – but he definitely wasn't in the mood to die just yet.

"Good morning Sasuke-kun!" Ino greeted, with a big smile – well, as big as a smile could get when addressing someone who looked as if they wanted nothing better than to tear you from limb to limb.

'Oh well. At least Sasuke's acting normal… Doesn't seem like his coma affected his personality in the slightest…'

Shikamaru frowned. The Uchiha had definitely seen better days… Hell – he looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks…! Didn't he know that sleep was imperative during the recovery process? Just what the hell was he playing at anyway?! Didn't he want to get better or something?

"Ohayo Sasuke-kun… We were just discussing the wedding…"

The raven-haired boy glared some more.

"Er… We were saying how nice it would be if Shikamaru was the best man…"

WHAT?! The lazy ninja immediately sent a panicky look towards his girlfriend, which all but screamed 'whatdahellareyouplayingat?!' Him? Best man?! For Sasuke?! Hell – they hardly even spoke to one another! He wouldn't be surprised if the Uchiha hated his guts! And why did no one inform him of this crazy, CRAZY idea?!

Did anyone even intend to?!

The death-glare immediately focussed upon him. Great, just great…! There went his master plan of trying to stay unnoticed. He considered fainting on the spot as a means of extracting himself from the situation, but figured that staying alert in front of the enemy was probably a little wiser. Gah this was just too troublesome!

"Naruto will be the best man." Sasuke's voice was cold, and firm, leaving no room for argument. Shikamaru might've felt mildly insulted if he weren't so overwhelmed with shock.

"Naruto?!" all 3 voices chorused at once.

Sasuke glared a bit more. "He was our team-mate." He stopped curtly, offering no more explanation to his choice, nor to his sudden and voluntary contribution.

That's when the dark-pony tailed man realised that Sakura was trembling.

"Sasuke… I…" the pink-haired girl paused, as she hastily tried to keep her bottom lip from quivering. "I don't think… I… N-Naruto wouldn't be a w-wise choice… He isn't… He isn't what you think he is!!"

"Well how the hell am I supposed to know when you won't tell me a fucking thing about him?" the raven-haired boy all but roared, his suppressed anger and fury finally breaking through.

Shikamaru's mouth dropped open in bewilderment. Did… Did Sasuke just speak in complete sentences?? And did… Did he just shout?! The silent, stoic boy shouted? Bloody hell – what the hell was going to happen next? He wasn't sure if he'd be surprised if Shino suddenly announced his new position as a chat show presenter!!

"The doctors said not to push it remember?" Sakura cried.

"Does look like I care what the fucking doctors think?!" Sasuke shouted, his fists clenched tight in anger.

"No! You don't seem to care about anything anymore!" Sakura cried miserably. "You should be more concerned about me! You don't know one damned thing about me, and yet you're still chasing after him! What so fucking special about him anyway?"

"He's MY team-mate! I deserve to know EVERYTHING about him!"

Shikamaru blinked uncomfortably. My, my… Sasuke sure was a possessive one.

"What about me, huh? Ever think of getting to know me? You know, your future WIFE? Damn it Sasuke - I love you so much, but sometimes I get the impression that you care more about him than you ever cared about me!"

With those final words of frustration, the pink haired girl ran blindly to her room, with a very concerned Ino following closely behind her. No one missed the tears that trailed generously down her face – the tears of hurt, pain and loneliness.

Shikamaru suddenly felt very awkward. He hated getting involved in 'personal' arguments… Che, people were so troublesome… Especially the Uchihas…

And now he was alone with Sasuke. Could his day possibly get any worse?

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"Tell me about him." Dark, fiery eyes turned to the only other inhabitant of the room.

Shikamaru blanched, frozen on the spot.

"Tell me about him." Sasuke repeated, his words firm and resolved. He didn't care anymore – he didn't care about the relapses, he didn't care about the doctor's advice… He wanted – no, he needed to know about Naruto… He needed to know why his heart skipped a beat whenever he thought about him, he needed to know why he couldn't get him out of his mind… He needed to know why Sakura's words were true… That he did care about the blonde more than he cared about her…

And that scared him more than anything…

Shikamaru shifted around uncomfortably. "Uhm… You see… I'm not really the best person to ask - "

"Just tell me." Sasuke interrupted, his voice cold and dangerous. His eyes gleamed darkly, promising merciless pain to anyone who even dared to defy him. He had no time for chitchat, and it was obvious that the lazy ninja was trying to talk his way around the topic. He wasn't going to tolerate it anymore…

He had had enough.

"Aiiiye…" black eyebrows furrowed in nervous anticipation before straightening up. "Uhmm… Hehe… Well… He was your team-mate… And uhm… Well… You used to be on the same team??"

The Uchiha glared.

Shikamaru shrank back, before coughing uneasily as a futile diversion.

"Where does he live?"

"Uhm… Sasuke! Remember what the doctors said? You know, about the relapses? So maybe its not such a good idea to push - "

"Where does he live?" the dark-haired boy repeated, his voice a little louder and a little more demanding. It obvious that his patience was wearing thin.

"Aii…" Shikamaru cringed, before sighing heavily in defeat. It was official – he now hated his girlfriend. It was her fault for waking him up so early, and her fault for dragging him to the Uchiha madhouse… And it was her fault for getting him involved!! Gah, how he hated getting involved….

It was so damn troublesome!

5 minutes later, a very smug yet determined Sasuke left the house.

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Knock, knock!

Naruto furrowed deeper into his covers. It was way too early for visitors, especially since he started suffering from insomnia. He had, what? 3? Maybe 4 hours of sleep at most? He really didn't have the time nor energy for this…

Knock, knock, knock!

'Hmm… Not again…' he thought irritably, as he delved deeper and deeper into his warm duvet. Maybe if he just ignored the person, they'd get the message and go away… It worked once, so maybe it'll work again…

Knock, kno –

Ahh… Peace at last. The blonde smiled softly in contentment before closing his eyes… Hehe… Ignoring people as a tactic was much more successful than he had originally thought! Maybe now he could try and drift off into another peaceful sl –

"Naruto."

Blue eyes snapped open before his small body abruptly tumbled out of bed. The blonde looked up, heart beating wildly, where his stunned gaze met a pair of intense black eyes. Sasuke?! What the hell was he doing here?

"How did you get in here?" Naruto blurted out in a state of semi-panic, not realising the true extent of his words. What time was it anyway?! Wasn't he supposed to be at home? And what the hell did he want?

"I let myself in," came the simple and curt answer.

Blue eyes widened in utter shock. He just… let himself in… Doesn't that count as trespassing?! And how could he say it so damn coolly?! Was self-intrusion a frequent pastime of his or something?! Maybe the coma affected him more than he let on…

"Uh…" The blonde was lost for words. What could he say? Maybe this was just another dream… After all, why would Sasuke stand in his room so damn early in the morning anyway? Yup… Just another dream…

"We need to talk."

"Hmm…" Naruto stretched out his aching neck before hopping back into bed. No need to answer a dream… Now if he just shut his eyes, maybe he could force himself to go back to sleep… Hmm… So warm…

"What the hell are you doing?" The raven haired boy seemed almost offended, his expression contorted into a scowl.

"Hmm… This dream is loud…" The blonde mumbled, before nuzzling his head snugly under his pillow. If it had been anybody else, they wouldn't have heard his whispered words… But unfortunately, or fortunately however you might see it, Sasuke wasn't just anybody… He was a ninja… And a damn good one at that!

"You dream about me?"

Naruto felt a tingle go up his spine as the words were whispered ever so softly against his ear. Hmm… This dream was getting a little too close… And a little too real…! He could almost feel the warm breath caressing his skin…

"Hmm… Shut up…" he murmured, before instinctively reaching out and grabbing the Uchiha's arm, promptly pulling the shocked boy into bed with him.

And almost instantaneously, he drifted into a peaceful slumber, for the first time in many days.

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Sasuke froze as he felt the blonde tighten his arms around his waist, before the smaller boy snuggled up to him a little more. This was too close… This was waaay too close for comfort… Wasn't it?! After all – he couldn't even stand it when Sakura touched him, let alone hug him so intimately…

And he was an Uchiha damn it! He wasn't some stupid teddy bear…!

But this boy was so warm… And he smelled so nice…

And he was tired – especially after all those sleepless nights… And did he mention how comfortable it was…?

A few minutes later found the two boys fast asleep, limbs woven intricately together, with Sasuke's chin resting gently upon a mound of soft blonde hair…

Both settled into a peaceful slumber, secure in the warmth of each other's embrace. And if either of them had been wary over the concept of perfection before, their scepticisms had all but disappeared.

--------------------------

Naruto found himself unconsciously purring as he made his way back reluctantly from the deep realms of sleep. It was so warm… And for the first time in a long, long time, he actually felt relaxed and well-rested… It was amazing what sufficient sleep could do for you…

He tried to stretch, before noticing that his arms were locked around… something… And that something was extremely warm… And smelled damn good… The blonde snuggled deeper and deeper into the embrace, relishing the gentle heartbeat that strummed consistently in his ear….

Wait… Heartbeat?!

Impossible blue eyes snapped open, only to be caught within the dark, stormy gaze of one Uchiha Sasuke.

Wait… Sasuke?! What the hell was he doing here?!

The blonde bolted upright as soon as he realised that the 'something' he had been cuddling up to was none other than his ex-team-mate's fiancé!

"I'm so sorry!" he blurted out, as his heart pumped erratically in his chest. He could feel his cheeks flush as his blood rushed rapidly to the surface of his skin. What the hell was going on? What was Sasuke doing in his room anyway, let alone in his bed?! And how long had he been there?!

'Oh my god, Sasuke was in my bed…'

Oh my god, did something happen?!

"Naruto…" the Uchiha's voice was hesitant, and Naruto was shocked to find the usually composed boy looking a little insecure. "I… earlier… You said something -"

"I'm sorry!" the blonde interrupted in a state of panic, as his words tumbled hazardously out of his mouth. "I wasn't thinking! I was probably dreaming so just ignore everything I said…! I'm an idiot anyway, and I say -"

"You said you dreamed about me…"

"- things I don't mean sometimes and I… Huh?" Naruto halted mid-rant, as the words slowly registered within his sub-conscious.

"Do you dream about me?"

Blue eyes widened in surprise. Did he… dream about him? What kinda question was that…?

"I…" the blonde was stuck for words. Of course he dreamed about him! He dreamed about him everyday…

And he thought about him even more…

"Do you dream about me?" Sasuke repeated softly, a hint of impatience edging his voice.

Naruto stayed silent for a few seconds, his eyes dull and downcast, before slowly getting out of his bed. He turned his back on the raven-haired boy, before walking dejectedly out of the room. He couldn't do this… He couldn't just sit there and answer his question… Not when so many feelings and emotions were threatening to break free…

"Go home Sasuke," he murmured quietly. "You don't belong here."

"Naruto!"

The blonde suppressed a flinch at the harsh tone of the other boy's voice.

"Naruto, don't you walk away from me!"

Blue eyes clenched shut as he continued to walk away. He couldn't handle all this… Not Sasuke… Not now…

"Naruto, don't you fucking dare walk away from me!"

Almost immediately, before the sound of ruffling fabric even registered in his mind, a firm yet gentle hand gripped securely at his wrists.

Naruto whirled around, his expression bordering on the edge of fury. "What the hell do you want from me?" he yelled, his anger, frustration and the unfairness of the whole situation overwhelming him. It wasn't fair! To have him so close… And so goddamn tempting… And knowing that there wasn't a fucking thing that he could do about it!

"I want you to answer my damn question!"

"NO!" the blonde all but screamed, as he struggled uselessly against the iron grip that successfully kept him from fleeing.

"Is that a no, you're not going to answer, or a no, you don't dream about me?" Sasuke's voice was rough, aggravated – a major contrast to his usually cool, and icy exterior.

"Let me go!"

"Not until you answer my question!"

"I have nothing to say to you!"

"Well I have a lot to say to you!"

Naruto's breath caught in his throat as the sudden close proximity of the dark-haired boy threw him off guard. When the hell did he manage to get so close anyway? And why did his wrist feel as if it were on fire?

"Tell me Naruto…" Sasuke whispered, his voice apprehensive, almost desperate. Naruto clenched his eyes shut in frustration, as he frantically suppressed the urge to lean into the gentle whisper… The soothing caress on heated skin… "Tell me… Do you dream about me?"

The blonde bit down on his lower lip, restraining the shivers that travelled down his spine as the Uchiha's lips lingered a little too close for comfort.

"Do you dream about me?" the raven-haired boy repeated. "Because... I… Because I dream about you…" the last words were murmured so softly that Naruto almost didn't hear them.

Almost.

The blonde pulled away in shock.

"I'm getting married in a few weeks, Naruto…" the words were soft, hesitant, confused, but the eyes – they were ablaze with passion, with almost frightening fervour. "And… I…"

"I can't stop thinking about you…"

Blue eyes clenched shut in pain.

"Why, Naruto?" Sasuke's voice trembled in a mixture of frustrated confusion. "Why won't you leave me alone? Why won't you just get out of my head? Tell me, Naruto… Did something… Did something happen between us?"

The blonde backed away, before shaking his head in vehement denial. "No…" he choked out unsteadily, even as his heart screamed at him from the inside. Why was Sasuke making everything so difficult for him? Why the hell won't he just leave him alone?

Why did he have to reopen all the healing wounds?

"You're lying to me!" the dark-haired boy clenched his fists tight in anger. "Why are you lying to me?"

"I'm not… lying to you…"

"Yes you are!" Sasuke yelled, his voice crumbling under all the emotion that welled up in his throat. "Don't lie to me Naruto!"

"I'm…not…"

"Why are you still trying to deny it?" the words were whispered, desperate, and before he could even blink, Naruto suddenly found himself once again caught within the Uchiha's tight embrace. "How can you say nothing happened between us?"

Frantic hands clutched desperately at Naruto's face, fingers woven possessively in blonde hair. "If what you say is true… If nothing… If nothing ever happened between us…" Sasuke's voice was hoarse, pleading. "Then why do I dream about touching you?"

Blue eyes shut in defeat as soft thumb pads stroked lovingly over trembling eyelids, before trailing downwards to caress pink lips. He couldn't do this… Why was Sasuke doing this to him? He couldn't handle it… Not now…

Not after giving him up for the last time…

"Why do I dream about touching you like this?" the Uchiha's voice was a dry whisper, gruff – as if somehow suppressing the emotion that was threatening to overwhelm him from within. "Why do I want to hold you? And feel your heartbeat next to mine?"

Naruto shivered as Sasuke's soft lips drifted closer and closer, the warm breath within a hair's breadth from his skin. He fought the urge to lean in closer… He couldn't! Not after everything they had gone through… Not after admitting defeat… Not after accepting that they were never meant to be… He couldn't lose him again…

It hurt too much to lose him all over again…

"If we weren't meant to be together," and this time, the raven-haired boy's voice did crack and break down, his voice barely even a whisper. "Then why do I dream about kissing you? Why do I want to do this…"

Softly, and almost hesitantly, Naruto felt soft, sweet lips brush against his – just a tender touch of skin on skin, but the love and confusion conveyed in the kiss was undeniable.

The blonde felt himself break down.

"Stop…" he whispered hoarsely, even as he fought the intense craving that urged him to lean closer… To lean closer towards the intoxicating lips that were hovering a mere millimetre above his own… "Don't… Don't do this to me…"

"Tell me, Naruto… If we weren't meant to be together…" Sasuke pushed on, his voice pleading, desperate… "Then why don't I ever want to let you go?" He was almost begging - begging for an answer…

"We're not meant to be…" Naruto whispered, as he once again tried to struggle out of the Uchiha's embrace. It was getting harder and harder to breathe… It was futile, hopeless…

Everything was hopeless…

"Don't…!" Sasuke demanded angrily, hoarsely. "Don't you dare say that!"

The blonde suppressed the impulse to flinch as strong arms tightened possessively around him. He could feel the taller boy's lips upon his hair, his warm breath caressing his scalp. He could smell him - the unique scent drowning him, overwhelming him… Pulling him in and claiming him all over again…

"Don't you dare say that when you know it's not true…!"

Blue eyes clenched shut in pain. Why did it have to hurt so much? Why did everything have to hurt so much?

"It's wrong Sasuke… We're…" he choked, his words sounding unconvincing even to his owns ears. "We're wrong…" he trailed off, his voice barely above a whisper.

Naruto suddenly found himself released from the tight embrace. He immediately felt restless, uneasy – as if a big chunk of his soul had somehow been removed. He ached all over – ached for the Uchiha's warmth… For his smell… For his touch… It was then he realised that he needed him.

He needed Sasuke more than ever.

"How can you say that?" the question was whispered, confused, uncertain… Blue eyes met haunting black. And for the first time in his life, the dark-haired boy actually looked vulnerable, scared, afraid… His eyes spilled with heart wrenching emotion, begging, pleading…

Pleading for an answer Naruto could never give…

"How can you say that?" Sasuke repeated, his words firmer, more confident, but still with an unconcealed edge of desperation. "The way we were sleeping… 12 hours Naruto! You slept for 12 hours in my arms! Are you're telling me that you feel nothing?"

The blonde remained silent. He didn't trust himself to speak.

"Tell me Naruto!" the Uchiha clenched his fists in unrestrained frustration, his voice rising in accordance with his anger. "Tell me! Tell me you don't feel anything! Tell me you don't feel anything for me, and that you don't dream about me! Tell me you don't want me to kiss you, and that you never will!"

"I…" Naruto's voice cracked, emotion welling rapidly at his throat. "I don't…"

"Tell me you don't love me!" Sasuke stumbled over the word love, even as his voice became hoarse with bleakness and despair. "Tell me you don't love me, Naruto… Tell me, and I promise… I'll go away and never bother you again…"

"I don't…" blue eyes blinked furiously to keep back the tears, but it was futile. He was horrified to feel the first teardrop slide softly down his face. "I don't…"

"I don't want to hurt you…" the blonde whispered, barely audible over the rapid splintering of his shattered heart. He didn't want to hurt him…

He never wanted to hurt him ever again…

"Can't you see that I'm already hurting?" the Uchiha's words were murmured softly, as if he had no more energy left to express himself. "Can't you see that your words are already hurting me more than you ever could?" Sasuke's head was lowered, his dark eyes hidden. Naruto felt his heart crumble a little more.

"I won't make you happy…" the blonde murmured softly but firmly, even as his whole body trembled from head to toe. Couldn't he see? He could never make him happy… He had nothing to offer – nothing to give! No name, no reputation… Everyone hated him - he was worth nothing…

And he didn't deserve to be loved.

"You don't… You don't understand…" the dark-haired boy replied resolutely, and suddenly Naruto caught himself trapped within the gaze of an intense pair of black eyes – black eyes that seemed to burn a path down to his soul… Glimmering black eyes… Full of love… And trailing with silver tears…

His breath hitched painfully within his throat. Did Sasuke know how beautiful he was when he cried…?

"You don't understand…" the Uchiha repeated, his voice trembling and hoarse. "I can live without happiness…"

Sasuke took a cautious step forward before gently brushing away the blonde's tears. His expression was so tender and so honest that Naruto felt his heart break a little more. It wasn't fair…

Life just wasn't fair…

"I can live without happiness, Naruto…" Sasuke whispered, and suddenly he was standing so close that the blonde could once again feel the warmth radiating outwards from him. "But… But I…"

"But I don't think I can live without you…"

Naruto clenched his fists tightly together, even as his resolve slowly crumpled to the ground. He couldn't give in… He couldn't give in…! Not now… Not ever…

"Tell me, Naruto…" the Uchiha continued his verbal assault, not caring about the smaller boy's obvious aversion to his words. "Tell me… Do you love me? Do you love me as much as Sakura?"

"I…" emotion welled up in his throat.

"Answer me Naruto! Do you love me as much as her?" Sasuke demanded, his patience wearing thin, his desperation painfully exposed…

An anguished silence consumed the two - the seconds crawling by at an agonising pace…

Until…

"No…" the reply was soft, firm and resolved. He had made up his mind. Blonde hair shielded blue eyes that betrayed deeply-rooted pain. He didn't look at Sasuke – didn't see his wounded expression as everything crashed down and shattered into pieces around him. He didn't see the hopeless disbelief that welled up in dark eyes. He didn't see the pain – the excruciating pain that seemed to burn inside, nor the utter desolation that seemed to drown the taller boy from within.

He had made up his mind.

He didn't see Sasuke reluctantly leave his side, as he dejectedly padded towards the front door to let himself out. He didn't see the final look of love and longing that the Uchiha threw his way. But he did feel it. He felt it all… He felt the agony, the resentment, the anger… He felt the pain…

And he felt his soul leaving all over again...

"No… I don't love you as much as her, Sasuke…" Naruto whispered, his lips moving against his will. "I… I love…"

"I love you so much more…"

This time, the kiss was a little more than just a touch of skin on skin… It was a little more than just a fleeting contact. It was desperate, impulsive – an eager clash of lip and tongue, a reckless crush of heat and limbs… It was still as confused as before…

But still full of undeniable love.

And that was enough. Love was always enough.

-------------------------------------

2 years later

Sasuke sighed as he glanced around his messy house. Just what the hell had happened here?! The chairs were tipped sideways all over the floor, the portraits were hanging off their hooks rather awkwardly, and there seemed to be a strange pinkish liquid all over the floor. And… Were those…?

Were those his clothes?!

"NARUTO!!"

The dark-haired boy heard a small 'eep' before the sound of a door softly clicking shut could be heard. He rolled his eyes in exasperation. He comes home from an exhausting 3 day mission, and all his lover could do was create a mess before hiding from him. Che… And couldn't he have been a little more discreet in his 'disappearing act?' Even a low class Genin would've been able to detect that pathetic attempt at stealth…!

Sasuke sighed. Oh well. Naruto was never going to be good at keeping quiet. Which wasn't that bad really… After all… Being noisy had its benefits!!

He still didn't remember everything all that clearly before the accident… Random memories did pop up once in a while, which gave him bizarre sensations of déjà vu, but apart from that, life went on as normal. Well… As normal as things could get with half your memories missing, and a hyperactive lover.

But things didn't really bother him… The past was in the past right? And so it should stay in the past! He didn't need his memories to know how he felt… To know what was in his heart… And anyway… He had all the time in the world to make some new memories…

In fact, he could say that he had quite a large collection of fond memories already!

Deciding to humour his lover for a little while, the raven-haired boy crept upstairs towards their shared bedroom. Smirking a little in arrogance, Sasuke edged closer and closer towards the closed door, his breathing soft, steady and controlled… Sometimes, being a ninja had its benefits…! It definitely made playing 'games' all that more enjoyable…!

Suddenly –

"ARGHHH!"

The door flew open, and the Uchiha found himself crumpled face first upon the wooden floor. An eager blonde stood grinning over him.

"Hello Sasuke," he smiled jauntily, as if finding his lover sprawled awkwardly all over the floor was a normal everyday occurrence. His blue eyes glinted mischievously, which usually meant that he was hiding something…

"Hello Naruto…" the Uchiha muttered, wearily, his eyes alert. Naruto hiding something was usually a bad thing… A very bad thing.

"Say, Sasuke… Whatcha doing on the floor?" the blonde grinned, as he crouched down facing the dark-haired boy.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I was checking for scratches on the floorboard…"

"Oh really…"

Suddenly, the raven-haired boy found himself rolled onto his back, with a highly satisfied and smirking Naruto seated on top of him. Sasuke glared.

"I've missed you…" Naruto murmured softly, as his wove his fingers possessively into the thick strands of dark hair. His shining eyes flickered lovingly over the warm body lying under his. It amazed him – even to this day - the feelings that the Uchiha provoked within him still amazed him… To embrace his warmth, to touch his skin… To feel his heart beating slowly and steadily under his…

Why did he ever think he could've lived without it?

Sasuke's glare immediately softened upon seeing the look of hopeless devotion within his lover's eyes. Those same impossibly blue eyes that had sucked him in, and drowned him over and over again…

"How much have you missed me?" the dark-haired boy whispered, as he tried to calm his racing heart. The question was teasing, but his tone of voice was not… And his eyes… They were apprehensive, serious… Almost fearful.

He couldn't live without Naruto. He knew that now. And it scared him to the depths of his soul.

"I've missed you so, so, so, so much…" the blonde smiled, as he leant down to place a chaste kiss upon his lover's lips. Sasuke's arms instinctively wrapped themselves around the warm body, pulling the smaller boy towards him into a more passionate and heated embrace. Their lips found each other's, and for the next 5 minutes, the two boys re-explored each other, re-tasted each other and delved deeper into each other's soul.

"Sasuke…?" Naruto murmured, as he gently rested his head upon the Uchiha's chest, almost purring in contentment. He could feel the slow and seductive strum of his lover's heart, almost luring him into a meditative state.

"Hmm?"

"Sakura called…"

"Hmm…"

"She asked us to meet her for dinner…"

"Hmm…"

"With the gang… You know… Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru…"

"Hmm…"

"Are you listening to me?"

Sasuke smiled softly. Even though his eyes were closed, he could vividly imagine the adorable pout that was almost certainly plastered over the smaller boy's face. Sometimes, Naruto was too cute for his own good.

"Hmm…"

"Sasuke!"

He fought hard to suppress a smirk. The blonde was probably frowning by now.

"Sasukeee!" Naruto whined, as he sat up in the Uchiha's lap. "We haven't seen Sakura in agesss!"

"Hmm…"

It was true. When they had first told Sakura about their situation, she hadn't been very happy - nor accepting at all. In fact, she had cried, begged and screamed for days. But after a year and a half, she finally came around and saw the truth – that it wasn't wrong, nor sick, nor unnatural. It was real. Their love was real. It was obvious that they couldn't have been happier with anyone else…

And she learnt to accept that.

"Sasuke…"

"Hmm…"

"You smell."

This time Sasuke grinned openly as he sat up, his hair adorably ruffled - an outcome of his lover's engagement. "I guess I need a shower then…!"

Naruto smiled affectionately, his blue eyes misty with emotion. "I love you," he murmured shyly, his heart skipping a beat at his own admission.

"I love you too," Sasuke whispered honestly, as he stood up and lazily stretched his limbs. "Oh… And Naruto…?"

"Hmm…?"

"You smell too."

"Neh! I just showered a few hours ago!" the blonde shook his head in furious denial.

"You really smell!" Sasuke teased. How he loved to provoke his lover! Call it a much deserved form of revenge!

"Do not!"

"Yes you do! I think you need another shower!"

"DO NOT!"

"With me…!"

The Uchiha could almost see the cogs turning in Naruto's head, before a cute blush appeared faintly upon his cheeks.

"Uh… okay."

Owari. (for the 2nd time!)

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Gah finally!! It's over!! AGAIN!! lol. Wow... I hope that fulfils everyone's crazy need for fluff And lookie - I managed to give Sakura an ending in less than 4 lines!! Woohoo! And Naruto in the anime - is it me, or is he starting to kick ass?!

And sorry guys - I know absolutely nothing about amnesia, and I'm too lazy to go research it... ;p So uh... If I have any facts wrong etc, then I apologise...

Well whadyathink? I should stick to angst, ne? Me and fluff don't seem to connect properly -- I'm sorry if I've disappointed you readers out there... Don't get me to write fluff next time XD

Anyway - until next time! (once I get off my lazy ass and actually do something useful... Btw that stupid ps2 Naruto game grr... I can't complete one of the missions . and seeing the 'failed' screen over 20 times kinda makes a person feel worthless lol)

And a final note - Gravitation - kick ass anime! Go watch na no da!! (yeh I know I'm slow bleh... :p)

And and... [cough] self plug [cough] New fic out soon! And [gasp] its a HUMOUR!! Gahh! [runs away screaming]