Summary: After Sasuke's return to Konoha, he finds his friendship with Naruto threatened much to the amusement of their friends.

Rating: T

Warning: Shounen-ai, some OOCness I guess.

Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be.

A/N: The result of my boredom.

Claimed

The atmosphere was thick with smoke and the overwhelming smell of booze. Blinking lights illuminated the dimply lit establishment and music blasted from the large speakers situated at its four corners. A few tables were scattered around the dance floor of the small club where some individuals were enjoying the throbbing pulse of the loud music as they moved sensually against their dancing partners. The other occupants were lounging at the tables or near the bar, leaning against the counter and indulging in the alcohol. Far removed from all the activity a lone figure stood at a dark corner, coal-black eyes trained on two people that were deep in conversation at the bar. A scowl deepened when they leaned towards each other as one of them, an attractive dark-haired man whispered something into the ear of his blonde friend.

At the same time, all of these events were being observed with varying degrees of amusement by a small group of friends who sat at one of the tables.

"Twenty on eight minutes," muttered Kiba, gulping down his sake as he glanced between the brooding man and the conversing couple.

Hyuuga Neji raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and disagreed with the Jounin. "That's too hasty. In my opinion, Uchiha has more self control than that,"

Kiba's reply was cut off by laughter. Both of them turned enquiringly to the source and to see Ino fanning herself in an attempt to calm her amusement. "Come on, Neji. He looks ready to kill, and since when has Sasuke-kun ever been patient when it concerns Naruto?"

"She's got a point," said Chouji, sliding an arm across his girlfriend's shoulders in a show of support. "I'll stick with Ino's prediction of five minutes. Twenty from me as well," This earned him a blinding smile from the pretty blonde.

Neji smirked as everyone else at the table groaned at the disgustingly sweet display. "All I'm saying is that Uchiha would want to completely obliterate the competition, and for that he probably is plotting as we speak."

"Right, right, we understand. So, are you going to place a bet or not?" drawled Shikamaru, eyes flicking to his wrist-watch. "One minute and forty seconds has already passed," he added as an afterthought.

Oblivious to his comrades' little game, Uchiha Sasuke was busy worrying his mind over the most painful methods of exterminating the pest who was troubling Naruto. It did not occur to the seething Chuunin that the wide grin fixed on his friend's face meant that the blonde Jounin was actually enjoying the company of this particular pest. Instead, his entire focus was on the irritatingly familiar smile on the pest's face, and the way one of his hands were tracing lazy circles on Naruto's thigh in tune to the beat of the music. That offending hand needed to broken into a dozen pieces and then fried in boiling oil. How dare anyone act so familiar towards his Naruto? As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Sasuke blinked in confusion.

My Naruto? Hn, I must have had too much to drink, he wondered idly while glancing down at his fifth helping of sake. A loud bark of laughter brought his attention back to the light-haired Jounin and his mood darkened even further at the presented image. Naruto was sprawled against his smiling companion in a very intimate position, apparently too intoxicated to stand without support. On second thought, I need more alcohol.

As if feeling the death glare directed at him, the dark-haired Anbu looked over at Sasuke's corner as he shifted the drunken Jounin back onto the seat with an effort. Eyebrows rising, the gentle smile turned mischievous on Sai's face when he witnessed the envy in the other man's eyes. With the sole purpose of irking the seething teen, Sai hugged Naruto against him in a show of keeping the blonde upright. In return, Naruto buried his face into the crook of his neck in a drunken daze and mumbled something unintelligible.

Take that, Uchiha Sasuke, he thought triumphantly.

Sasuke inhaled sharply and nearly choked at the ridiculous amount of smoke in the air.

While a part of him writhed in jealousy, another side of him knew that he deserved all of this torture for allowing himself to be lost in the delicious idea of revenge some years ago. Why should Naruto remain as his best friend when he had harshly cast him aside for his own selfish purposes? When Sasuke had tried to kill and hurt him? He knew that he should be extremely thankful for the fact that Naruto still had the heart to regard him as a friend when he eventually returned to Konoha.

Yet, he could not appreciate the gesture when he realised that his place in Naruto's heart was slowly being replaced by none other than his substitute in Team Seven – the pest called Sai. His long absence had proved as an advantage for the Anbu member, who had woven a spell on the blonde. A spell that made the blue-eyed Jounin cling to Sai like glue.

However, it was time for the Uchiha to make his move. Sasuke did not plan to idly watch his best friend being taken away by the pest without a proper fight. Eyes locked on Sai's, whose hand was caressing Naruto's back; he straightened up in a silent challenge. Naruto's mine and I'll claim him. With that thought, he strode over to the pair. Somehow, it failed to occur to the Chuunin that maybe what he was feeling for his best friend had far exceeded friendship by that time.

"Six minutes and twenty five seconds," announced Shikamaru, squinting at the time. "Sasuke's on the move,"

Groans sounded across the table. The only one left with a pleased grin was a beautiful pink-haired Jounin.

"Hand over the money," sang Haruno Sakura gleefully. "I won fair and square,"

Ino pointed an accusing finger at her friend and snarled, "You know them too well. It's not fair on the rest of us,"

"Hey, just because I was on the same team, don't lower me down to their level of thinking," snapped Sakura, busily collecting the money her friends were offering with sighs of regret. "It was a lucky guess. Now hand over the money, Ino-pig,"

After a lot of huffing, the light-haired teen complied. "Fine! Here you go, greedy big forehead girl," Sakura bristled, but before she could start a fight with the other Jounin, Kiba interrupted with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"Anyone up for another round?"

Shikamaru sighed exasperatedly, "So troublesome." However, his opinions were disregarded in favour of Kiba's suggestion. Neji remained silent, pale eyes trained on Sasuke as he reached his destination. "The terms?" he asked finally.

Kiba chuckled and said in a loud whisper, "Simple – who will Naruto choose?"