A/N: Two days too late, but no matter. It's for Sasuke's birthday, and for anyone who is willing to spend some time reading this.

Once upon a time, there was an orphan. The orphan's surname began with a 'U', and his name began with a 'N'.

His name was Uzumaki Naruto.

.

Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke were very close brothers, and they loved each other, but they never agreed on anything. It was not that they had different tastes – in fact, they were of the same mind in a lot of aspects, but it was just that they tended to be rather competitive in their ways of reaching their goals, despite their five years of difference in age. Their parents found it amusing how both their sons would pout and frown at each other, and yet come back to them with the similar results after all their playful spites.

This once, though, there were neither arguments nor second thoughts. Both made up their mind almost immediately and it was unnerving how they shared a thoughtful look between themselves that only they would understand. Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto merely watched in their reserved mannerism, glad and happy that everything went as planned.

Uzumaki Naruto had already warmed their hearts during their first trip here, and as expected, he had the same effect on both Itachi and Sasuke as well.

He ran around the garden under the sun with his stuffed fox toy, laughing for all he was worth. Sasuke, on the other hand, was happily chasing the blue-eyed blond, arms held out in a crude imitation of an evil monster. Itachi sat at the sidelines, watching the two younger ones play, a small smile twitching the sides of his lips. He had deemed himself too old to play such games, but had agreed to play the part of the referee of the game with good grace.

Tsunade joined the Uchiha couple as they continued to watch the three figures playing outside. Not looking her age of fifty-three, she had tied her hair in two ponytails and managed to pull it off with the youthfulness not apparent in older women. Crossing her arms under her extremely well endowed assets, she swapped looks with Mikoto and smiled.

"He's an extremely bright child," Mikoto could not help commenting, her dark strands rippling in the sudden breath of wind. Tsunade nodded. Despite her job as the orphanage caretaker that allowed no biased upbringings in her orphanage, she could not help being attracted to Naruto and liking him more over the other children. Not that she let it affect her in her execution of rewards and punishments, but it did influence her to watch out for him more than the others.

But then again, perhaps it was to be expected of her. Naruto had a tendency to get himself into trouble more than anyone else. He would fall over his chair, or into the pool behind their little centre, or sometimes trip over nothing. At other times, he would accidentally inflict paper cuts on himself as he did his reading lessons with the other children. It was curious how all these happened to him, but Tsunade supposed one could only attribute it all to the child's clumsiness.

Other children, however, were not as forgiving. They stayed away from him as much as they could, and told her of rumours that Naruto was a bringer of bad omens. The little injuries, they say, are signs. It was because Naruto was not able to shift his bad luck to the others, that was why he himself had to bear it all. Should someone get too close to him, then Naruto's bad luck would rub off on the other person, and the other person would suffer through it instead.

Tsunade was sceptical. Kabuto, an older boy among the children, had frowned and pointed out that it was true. A more solid evidence was the pair of whiskers-like mark on the blond's cheeks. They were the manifestation of the evil kitsune spirit that had entered Naruto during his pregnancy time, the boy had said. Tsunade mentally slapped herself when she heard him, and asked for the boy's source of information.

The books upstairs that you allowed us to read the boy had replied. Tsunade slapped herself again for the second time and took some time to explain to them about the concept of folklore, but to no avail. Naruto was still shunned, and it pained Tsunade to see him slowly developed the habit of running off to a corner whenever there were other children in the same room as he was.

"Ah…he is an extremely hyperactive one," Tsunade emphasised, as if to ward off such memories. Both the Uchihas looked at her, aware of the blond caretaker's train of thought. They had observed firsthand what Naruto had to undergo.

A sudden cry from the garden suddenly caught their attention again. Itachi had gotten off his perch in panic and was running towards a particular direction where Sasuke was already on his knees, attempting to help something up. A small tuft of blond hair poking out among the deep green summer grass was all that was needed for them to know that Naruto had tripped over his feet again.

Mikoto was ready to run out to pick the boy up, but was stopped by her stoic husband. Waving a hand absently, he motioned for her to watch. Sure enough, Itachi soon had the small blond and his younger brother sitting by the concrete sides, both making an effort to soothe the blond boy's pain and his small sobs. Mikoto was even more surprised when Itachi did not flinch at Naruto throwing his short arms around the elder boy's neck and pushing his face into his chest to cry in distress; the elder Uchiha boy was never known for his intimacy except for when it came to Sasuke.

Fugaku turned to Tsunade, smiling wisely.

"It would be a most shameful thing to deny our sons of such a delightful younger brother."

.

"Itachi-nii, surely you can do better than – oof! – Sasuke, not fair!!"

Itachi had to hold in the laughter bubbling at the base of his throat as his blond brother turned tail and ran for a head-on tackle on Sasuke instead. He watched as his younger raven look-a-like gave him a wide smirk and prepared himself for Naruto's assault. Itachi knew exactly what Sasuke was ready to do, and the boy proved him right.

Just as Naruto was sure that he could smash his final water balloon into his elder brother's face, Sasuke pulled out his trump card and shot a spray of water into the unsuspecting boy's face. The gape on Naruto's face after that was priceless.

Sasuke had to double up in his fit of laughter, prompting Itachi himself to let out an amused chuckle and a shake of his head. His long hair, tied back for this game that both his younger siblings had coaxed him into, flicked a little from side to side against the wet fabric of his shirt clinging to his skin.

"Sasuke, that really was unfair! It's a balloon fight – balloon fight – get it?! Not water-gun fight! If I had knew that you'd cheat, I'd have gotten one too!" Naruto yelled accusingly, his arms waving wildly.

Itachi grinned, catching Sasuke's eye for the second time that evening. A slight tilt of his head indicated to the younger raven what he intended to do, and the answering glint that entered Sasuke's bottomless pit of eyes told him that an agreement had been achieved.

Sometimes, it was just highly entertaining to plot out a plan with Sasuke to pick on Naruto. The blond boy was so easily infuriated, yet so lovable.

Itachi glided up smoothly to a grumbling Naruto without any sound, pleased that the boy was still too busy glaring at Sasuke to notice his change in position.

"Sasuke-teme - "

"Usuratonkachi, you really should learn to watch your back."

That was just about all the warning Naruto got before Itachi caught a hold on his waist and hoisted him up, carrying him on his shoulder like a gunnysack. Two long strides of Itachi's, and they were standing at the edge of the pool.

Naruto did not even get the chance recover from his initial shock at being hoisted up, what more to call for help. The next thing he knew, he was already underwater.

"ITACHI-NII!!" he part howled, part spluttered at the injustice of it all when he managed to get his head out of the water, but his brothers heard nothing – they were too busy laughing.

.

Each time he came back for his semester break, Itachi would tell himself that he was much too old for the activities that both his brothers would engage in; he was already twenty years old – closing in to twenty one. But somehow, by the end of the day, he would still find himself being dragged into it.

For the love of God, Naruto's pout seemed to know no shield, not even his strong willpower that he wielded with ease at university and in other facets of his life. Even Sasuke had pointed that out to him, and Itachi could only roll his eyes and glare. Nonetheless, it was the truth, and nothing but the truth.

After their little balloon fight in the afternoon somehow, wily little Naruto had managed to pull both the Uchihas into the pool with him as well, Naruto had suddenly decided that he wanted to camp out for the night, and began prodding his elder siblings into putting up with his plan.

"No," Sasuke blatantly declared as he walked past Naruto's bed towards his own and slumped on it. Naruto flipped over to his stomach on his side of their shared room and scowled. He put on a frustrated look and gazed up at Itachi who was sitting together with him on his bed.

Itachi knew what was coming, and quickly shrugged impassively to ward off Naruto's oncoming pout. He really did not need any of it; it made him weak-kneed, if not anything.

"But why not? It's been so long since we've done that," the smallest boy among the three of them mumbled, pushing his face into his bright orange comforter. His voice came out a little whiny and muffled.

"Look, dobe - "

"Don't call me that, Sasuke-teme!"

" – we're fifteen, for God's sake. Grow up! Which fifteen-year-old would camp out just for the fun of it? Why would we wanna do that anyways?!" Sasuke grumbled back, raising both his arms in mock surrender, as if he could not stand Naruto's stupidity. His eyebrows were pulled back into a full-blown frown, and as the younger raven glared at Naruto, his eyes seemed to glitter with a kind of annoyed desperation.

Itachi had to smirk. The exchange between the two younger boys reminded him of how he used to interact with Sasuke when they were younger. It really sounded as if they were arguing, but the underlying intent was something that only they would know – something that indicated at the brotherly affection they shared for each other. No doubt, this was how these two interacted too. Itachi, though, had ceased such un-straightforward approach of communication when Naruto joined their household; he had to play the role of the mock peacemaker between the two younger ones, you see, just for that sake of it.

That was how the three of them easily exchanged and slipped into their new roles when the blond joined them.

"I'm fifteen, and I would," Naruto snapped back, picking his face back up and glaring at Sasuke. He then unconsciously leaned his head against Itachi's thigh, resting it there. Itachi threaded his fingers through the golden strands spilling all over his dark trousers, as he was wont to do when they got into such positions.

Sasuke shook his head.

"Well, you can go full-speed ahead. Leave me out."

"But it won't be fun if it's only me and Itachi-nii!"

"Excuse me, but I don't recall giving my consent to your plan, Naruto," Itachi spoke up for the first time since the petty spirited discussion began, but truth be told, he did not mind too much. He had long gotten used to Naruto's habit of making up his mind for him. Sometimes the younger boy was too enthusiastic for his own good.

Nevertheless, the blond head in his lap jerked up instantaneously at that. Naruto looked scandalized.

"Not you too!"

Itachi smirked and pulled the blond head back onto his lap. His fingers resumed their absent-minded stroking, as he shrugged again. His own loosened black strands fell past his shoulder and tickled Naruto's nose. Itachi could see Sasuke watching with an amused look on his face from the corner of his eyes. The golden head in his lap was trying to look on at the tip of the black hair hanging just above his face, and he went cross-eyed. He immediately ceased staring and instead pawed at it.

"Well, only if you manage to convince Sasuke to come along, then I'll reconsider."

It was Sasuke's turn to look scandalized, while Naruto jumped back up like a fish returned back to water.

"Onii-san!!"

"Ah ha ha ha…Sasuke…" Naruto drawled as he began moving down from his bed and towards Sasuke's. Itachi never missed the blush that crossed Sasuke's face as he shrunk back like a trapped animal. He smiled slightly to himself, taking note of his brother's reaction.

.

"See, I told you that it would not be wrong to listen to me," Naruto grinned so wide that Sasuke was sure his face would split. The three of them lay on their backs on the grassy ground as they stared up at the midnight blanket twinkling with diamonds. Stars of varying degrees of brightness smiled back down at them – some with different hues too.

He heard his eldest brother let out a quiet sigh in contentment from his left while Naruto squirmed to find a more comfortable position from the further end. The grassy ruffling went on for a while longer, and Sasuke took the opportunity to poke at the younger blond.

"Be still, dobe. You're ruining the atmosphere."

"Shut up, you teme," the automatic reply came as the ruffling noises ceased. Sasuke grinned inwardly at the insult and turned over to look. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Naruto happily snuggled into the crook of Itachi's neck, one arm clinging around it in a brotherly embrace. He could not help the pang of jealousy, though he knew that the boy was a natural clingy person.

Itachi turned over, saw the flicker of unnamed emotion on his younger raven brother's face and promptly flicked him on the temple.

"Ow, what was that for?!" Sasuke was the more arrogant and indignant one of his two younger brothers; it seemed that arrogance seemed to be an inherited trait, for Itachi knew that he himself was proud to a certain extent too. He raised an eyebrow at Sasuke's frown as acknowledgement, then turned back to face the twinkling sky.

"The sky's pretty. Pay attention to them, otoutou."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but good-naturedly complied. Itachi had used the sobriquet that had been reserved for him and him alone; a sign that Itachi cared about him as much as he loved the blond counterpart of him.

"Ne…" Naruto's voice broke the silence after several moments, sounding dopey and sleepy. Sasuke nearly smiled to himself as he imagined the blond's peaceful face and half-lidded blue eyes in his mind. It was a look that Naruto often presented to him during the nights when he had finally decided to call it a day and whispered a soft 'good night' to the blond boy – Naruto nearly always fell asleep before he did.

Naruto never got to voice out his mind. Exactly at that moment, a shrill scream pierced the air and shattered the calmness, bringing with it calamity instead. All three brothers jerked up into a sitting position, with Naruto gripping on the Itachi's shirt tensely.

It was their mother.

.

Naruto was shocked into silence. He was not frightened – he was even beyond traumatized. His blue eyes dilated into a single slit, and the next thing he knew, he was ripping his vocal box with a vicious roar of anger. His arms scrabbled to hold Itachi's body close to him, and howled even louder as he felt the warmth of his eldest brother's body dissipating with the air of the night.

He never registered the fleeing of the four robbers, or the bodies of his surrogate parents, or Sasuke scrambling over to hold him close. All he registered was Itachi moving to place himself between the exploding point of the gun and him, absorbing the gunshot into his own body instead.

Itachi's eyes looked a tad red in the dimness of the room and in the face of Death herself.

The children at the orphanage were right…I am a bringer of omen.

.

Uchiha Sasuke was forced to grow up much too quickly, but he had no other choice. He lost his whole family in the blink of an eye, and he partially lost Naruto as well.

Gods…he was only fifteen!

He was lucky to have gained the confidence of Hatake Kakashi – a family friend – and the loyal assistance of Iruka, their family's long time caretaker. Kakashi would take over the family business while Sasuke learnt the twists and turns of the corporate world as he continued his studies. Iruka, on the other hand, assisted with the domestic issues. Sasuke made up his mind that they would all continue staying in their previous estate, painful though it was. It was the only place he knew as home.

There were so many times when Sasuke wanted to cave in and give up, when he thought he could not take it anymore, but Kakashi would call him aside and tell him that he was an Uchiha, and that there was nothing in this world that he could not do. It was Kakashi's form of encouragement for him, and Sasuke appreciated it.

What was worse, though, were the gunshots that haunted his dreams, as did his father's gurgle of death and his mother's piercing scream. Itachi appeared again and again, blinking at him emotionlessly with his dead, empty eyes – so different from his usually shade-less but lively eyes.

However, the thing that pained him most was, ironically, not the dead.

It was Naruto.

The Naruto that he knew now was no longer the one he used to know. The energetic boy curled in on himself, staring blankly, moving mechanically with no vigour and brightness that Sasuke used to associate him with. Only during the night, when Sasuke crawled into the same bed with the smaller blond and pulled him into an embrace, would Naruto begin crying and clinging onto the raven.

Only then did he show emotion.

Even then, he called out only for one person.

Itachi.

Uchiha Sasuke was forced to grow up much too quickly, but he had no other choice.

.

Naruto looked out from the balcony, letting the evening wind billow around him and whip his blond hair around his face. It was getting rather long, but he cared not a bit. He was empty – an empty shell that had once contained the bubbly spirit of Uzumaki Naruto.

But he was no longer Naruto now. He was a nameless being, wandering amongst the lost ones, unsure of their existence any more. He had followed the soul of Uchiha Itachi, drifting with him.

Itachi-nii…Itachi-nii…Itachi-nii…

He vaguely heard a familiar presence come up from behind and keeping a little distance away. This person was a nice person, but he was not sure why the being kept hovering around a lost soul such as himself. Does he not see that Naruto was no longer in this old flesh container?

"Naruto, it's time for your bath. Come on," the being called out gently. Naruto could detect the excruciating pain that this person tried to hide, yet failed. Was it because of him? Or other reasons?

"Naruto," he called again. Naruto wanted to turn his blank blue orbs and smile vacantly at the person calling out, but his body would not listen. He merely continued spacing out, staring without registering, at the flaming sky that seemed to engulf everything in sight.

Long arms suddenly circled around his body, and he was pulled back into a strong chest. A kiss was planted onto the side of his head, and a face was pushed into the juncture of his neck. The strong arms tightened slightly, pinning him further into the embrace.

"Naruto…"

He sounded so in pain.

The person turned him around, and Naruto's blind orbs registered long black bangs framing a beautifully pale face with equally coal-black eyes. He began leading, and the blond boy followed obediently.

To the bathroom.

The handsome figure locked the door behind them after entering and paused for a while as they both gazed at each other. Then he reached out with a hand to tentatively touch Naruto's whiskered cheek.

"You have to bathe, Naruto."

Naruto did not protest as the figure moved closer and slowly peeled off the faded purple yukata that he wore. It was mildly strange to Naruto that someone would assist him in his bath – he had always done it alone, although most of the time he would lose track of what he was doing until there was a knock on the door asking if he was alright. Then he would mechanically resume his chore and finish quickly.

But Naruto did not mind. This person was gentle.

When the clothing on the both of them was removed, the pale figure left him to attend to the knobs of the showers. Naruto was presented with a view of the naked back of the person, and he found it pleasantly interesting and pretty. Then he heard the sound of the showers filling the bathtub.

"Come, Naruto," the being came back and took hold of his hand. He pulled Naruto to the bathtub and prodded Naruto in before climbing in himself. There the both of them knelt, half-submerged in comfortably warm water, staring at each other, until the pale being reached up again and touched his cheek. He moved closer again, and this time brought his face nearer to Naruto's face.

Their lips met for the first time, and the being gently pushed Naruto back to lean against the side of the bathtub; Naruto fell into a sitting position, his legs open and exposed. The pale figure was now holding his shoulder, forcing himself closer, and his tongue flicked out to moisten Naruto's lips.

Naruto willingly opened his mouth, just as how he was now sitting on his bottom, everything exposed to this person who seemed to love him. The tongue that invaded his mouth was warm and tasted like fluffy candy. It was wicked, Naruto thought, because it toyed and twisted around his tongue, and rubbed on every surface that it could find in Naruto's mouth. And then the person sucked alternatively on his bottom lip and his tongue, until Naruto's tongue had came out of his mouth and entered the person's. Teeth then began to nibble at his inexperienced tongue.

The kiss broke at that moment, and Naruto gasped for air together with the person.

All too soon, the person latched back, only for a moment, this time onto Naruto's throat. He pushed Naruto a little to the left, sat beside the blond, and pulled Naruto into his lap. And the ravaging continued. From the spot under Naruto's ear to the neck, to shoulder.

All the time, pale hands roved down Naruto's suntanned torso, rubbing a little here and there, running down his palms against his sides. Warm water sloshed around them, disguising all the movements happening underwater. Nimble fingers rubbed and pressed and pinched at dusky nipples. Naruto unknowingly tilted his head to rest against a sturdy shoulder and arched up, following the fingers.

Then the hands reached Naruto's manhood, their attention bestowed upon the balls before the length. Again, fingers reached out to play and massage it, pinching painfully yet arousing. Naruto closed his eyes, his own hands sliding up and down the arm – guiding it towards his erection, instead of the balls. But the person seemed to have other ideas as it removed Naruto's hands and trapped them against his tanned chest with an arm in a kind of embrace.

Naruto seemed to feel his balls swell a tad larger with all the torture, and with it, his cock.

It was only when he was being lowered and the person shifted to kneel in front of him that Naruto realized the water level was going down. Water was being released.

They were in an empty bathtub in a matter of moments. Naruto blinked blankly at the pale body in front of him. He watched with a faraway manner as the head lowered, and a light suckling began on his sacks. It jolted him, A hand came to rest on his hips, and another caught hold of his cock – touching it properly for the first time – and a painful rhythm of squeezing and licking began.

Just when Naruto thought the pool of warmth accumulating at the base of his stomach was about to be released, the person stopped and pushed his legs up. He hooked Naruto's legs around his waist, and blinked at what had been exposed to him. The smaller blond watched, and wanted to smile and assure this figure that whatever he did to him would be fine; there was something in him that told him this person could be trusted.

Naruto waited patiently. He was not rushing, despite the growing need that he felt distantly. At some point of time, his eyelids slid down to cover blank cerulean.

A finger ran along his entrance, and this time Naruto did smile his vacant smile. It stayed upon his lips as the being slowly explored his insides with the finger, before pulling out and coming in again with more fingers. It stayed as Naruto felt something much, much bigger filling him all the way again and again, and it stayed as the being found his prostate, causing his arousal to swell to the extent that it would explode if this person would not do anything about it.

When Naruto finally was allowed to release with a spurt of seeds that sent his cock pulsating with unnerving energy, he did it together with the person. Naruto thought he felt the spray of the pale figure hitting his prostate dead on again, causing him a weaker second bought of orgasm. His blue eyes then opened slowly to meet expressive, pain-filled pools of black. Naruto stared back emptily and retained his smile.

He could not understand why those black eyes suddenly filled up with tears, and he could not explain the sharp ache that he himself felt when the figure reached up to kiss his temple.

Distinctly, his nose unconsciously picked up the distinct scent of strong, musky cedar that he recognized from a long, long time ago as…someone dear to Uzumaki Naruto.

.

Those blue eyes were still blank.

Sasuke could not help it but to cry for the first time in months after his family's death – after Naruto's death.

This was their first time, and it was bittersweet, but Sasuke knew that it would stay in his mind as he spends his next three years overseas with Kakashi in an effort to learn his family's trade. Naruto will have to stay here with Iruka.

A tear dripped and fell onto Naruto's whiskered cheek.

This…was a gift he had forcefully taken from the blond, but Sasuke knew that he would cherish it, and he hoped that Naruto would too.

Despite the empty eyes staring up in a smile at him.

.

Uchiha Sasuke turned eighteen on the 23rd of July. He and Naruto were still separated – by the lands and the oceans.

And by Naruto's lingering state of barren emotions. Iruka had told him that there were no changes at all, despite the blond's victorious achievements as the boy began university life back in their hometown.

They were still separated – by Naruto.

.

It was the 10th of October, Naruto turned eighteen.

Iruka celebrated with him, but despite the happiness, the pony-tailed guardian still noticed the growing emptiness in the once lively blue eyes. And how Naruto called for Itachi in his dreams whenever he trashed among the stench of the dead family he once owned.

.

It was the 24th of December.

.

"Sasuke-sama!" Iruka was already rushing over to the two figures coming out from the arrival hall to help with the luggage. The raven smiled politely as he received a hug from the man, and so did Kakashi.

"Sasuke-sama…you - " Iruka could not help taking a step back and surveying the young teen in front of him. His smile faltered a little. Sasuke knew what had crossed the man's mind.

"Yes. I look like Itachi. In this hair-do, especially."

"Sasuke-sama…" Iruka looked like a lost puppy, and Sasuke suddenly felt bad that he was so callously inconsiderate of the man's effort to make things seem cheerful by saying something so thoughtless.

"It's okay. I didn't mean to do it on purpose. It's just that I've been busy, and did not find time to cut it," Sasuke quickly offered. It was part truth, part lie. Life had been especially busy for him as he juggled both work and studies. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Kakashi look at him sharply, but said nothing. Deep down in him, Sasuke knew that Iruka knew that too.

He had been told of Naruto's dreams, and he could only come up with one conclusion.

Naruto loved Itachi.

And Sasuke wanted Naruto to be happy. The only way to do it was…to give Itachi back to Naruto.

"Come, let's go home. I suppose Naruto's at home waiting?" Kakashi commented in his nonchalant manner, trying to lighten the mood. Sasuke felt his stomach drop at the thought of going home and meeting Naruto.

As Itachi. It was his plan.

Sasuke forced a polite smile to his lips and nodded.

"Yeah. Let's go home. I've missed home."

He did not miss how Iruka flinched at that statement. It was a bleak Christmas for them all, but Sasuke especially.

.

"I…Itachi-nii…?"

Naruto's reaction was exactly the way Sasuke had imagined. The widened blue eyes; the stun on his face; the pause in his movement. Behind him, he sensed Iruka and Kakashi stiffening and turning away in pain and sadness. Kakashi had blatantly told him off in the car on their way to the Uchiha Residence, but Sasuke had stuck with his plan.

He wanted Naruto back, no matter what he himself had to sacrifice. His identity was not as important as Naruto's happiness.

"Yes, Naruto. I'm home."

The pain in Sasuke's chest subsided a little at the return of tears to Naruto's eye, and as he felt Naruto pushing himself into his arms. Perhaps it would not be so bad after all, living this life as a Itachi's shadow – a delusional life. As long as Naruto stayed by his side.

Welcome home, Naruto.

.

It was five to twelve midnight, 24th of December.

Naruto was laughingly pulling him into their old bedroom, excitement dancing in his glimmering cerulean, babbling in enthusiasm. Sasuke followed, a small smile on his lips at the feel of Naruto's slightly smaller hand in his.

He unconsciously laced their fingers together, pale and tanned intertwining.

"Ne, Itachi-nii, can we go out to the town tomorrow? I want to see the Christmas trees!" Naruto gushed happily, letting go of Sasuke's hand and leapt onto his bed, bouncing like a five year old kid. In fact, his blond locks and small frame did make him look like a child. Innocence had enveloped the blond boy in her arms, Sasuke decided in a rare train of thought.

"Itachi-nii!! Are you listening?" Naruto whined, pouting. Sasuke almost cried. He never thought that he would see that pout anymore. Languidly, he imitated his deceased brother's laidback way of dealing with things and walked over to sit beside Naruto on the edge of his bed. One long hand rose up to ruffle Naruto's hair.

"Yes. Sure. If you want," Sasuke smiled. Naruto grinned back joyously, blue eyes swimming with happiness.

What happened next was something that Sasuke did not plan, but he never regretted it. He did not question how he had had Naruto pinned to the bed underneath him as he crawled to straddle the startled boy after kicking off his shoes.

"Naruto…I've missed you…" Sasuke breathed, leaning down. Just as his eyes slid close on its own volition, Naruto's eyes widened. Their lips met with heat and vigour – all that Sasuke had suppressed within himself in this span of three years. He moved his lips against Naruto's soft, velvety ones, and tried to sneak his tongue into the smaller boy's mouth.

A few moments of coaxing – Naruto opened his mouth, and allowed entrance. Tongue explored tongue, meeting once more after years of separation; rubbing, rubbing, sliding from one side to another, from the top of the tongue to the underside of the tongue. When Sasuke pulled away, they were both breathing hard and glassy-eyed.

"Naruto…" Sasuke managed before he dived down once more, attacking Naruto's neck. He bit down lightly, suckling and licking to ease the irritation – intent on making his mark on Naruto.

.

Naruto blinked.

His sensory system was sensitive, especially his nose and his ears, and his taste buds, to a certain extent. That was how he excelled in his baking course at his university. Perceptive to every single stimulus, he could detect and recognise just about any scent or taste he had ever been exposed to.

The smell…was invading his nostrils again. Whenever he was in this room, this trail of scent would taunt him. It was irritatingly familiar, but he could not recall it. He knew that it was the smell of someone close to him.

Always, always in this room. Only in this room. It stayed, even after all his effort to clean the room and air it. Naruto could not remember. Not the owner of this nostalgic, heart-wrenching scent; and not the owner of the bed on the other side of the room.

He had forgotten.

But now he remembered.

His memory suddenly returned to fill the blank of his mind after these three years of absence.

Coming back to tell him the answers that he searched.

Coming back to tell him who was the person who left this scent of musky cedar. Naruto felt tears forming as his neck was ravaged and marked by this being called Itachi above him.

"Naruto…I've really, really missed you…"

Naruto felt strong arms sneak under him and pulled him into a warm embrace. Tears escaped then, and flowed down his cheeks. Choking back a sob, Naruto wrapped his own arms around the body holding him close.

"I've missed you too…Sasuke."

.

Naruto peered unhappily at the cake on the table, the icing knife in one hand. He squinted his eyes as he scrutinized the slightly marred and uneven side that he had created when he accidentally jabbed the icing knife into the cake.

"Damn it…I won't have time to make another one."

"Make another what?"

Naruto gasped in surprise at the hand that circled around his waist, and the warm body that pressed itself to his back. The nuzzle to his neck tickled him, making his squirm and laugh. He quickly placed the icing knife on the table, and twisted around in the embrace.

"Welcome home," Naruto smiled, linking his arms around Sasuke's pale neck.

Sasuke smiled and kissed the smiling lips presented to him as he pulled the smaller frame closer to him. Sweet. Naruto must have been licking the icing off the knife. Sasuke knew how addicted the younger boy was to sugar. Prolonging the kiss a little more, he nipped at pouting lips before releasing Naruto and looked at the mess on the kitchen table. One look told him all that he needed to know.

"So? I thought you said that the cake was going to be a success?" he teased. Naruto scowled.

"I accidentally slid the icing knife into it. I think I'm going to have to bake a new one," he frowned, twisting his own blond head to look back at the confectionary sitting pristine white on the table. Sasuke wrinkled his nose as Naruto's blond hair brushed his nose, sending fresh smell of the heady pine scented shampoo up his scent receptor.

"It's just a little…lopsided. Nothing to worry about. Cover it with more icing."

Naruto bristled.

"You don't know the pride of a confectionary artist!"

Sasuke smirked and shifted his hands from Naruto's waist to the boy's face, dragging the cerulean gaze back to face his own bottomless pit. His thumb stroked at the cheek affectionately.

"And you don't know the desire of the birthday boy," the raven head managed before claiming full lips again. Naruto smiled into the kiss, and laughed after breaking it. He buried his head onto Sasuke's throat, feeling the vibration there as Sasuke laughed with him.

"Right. I forgot. It's your birthday after all."

Sasuke grinned and voicelessly kissed Naruto as he pulled the blond towards their room.

It was the 23rd of July again.

o.w.a.r.i.