UP AGAINST YOU (EPILOGUE)

He should have woken up earlier. Then he might have been able to say something. Anything. It didn't matter that he would have said something inappropriate, or untimely or completely moronic. It would have been better than nothing. Better than this weird awkward silence, that puts even Sakura on edge…

Naruto shifted his arms that were crossed over his chest uncomfortably. He couldn't even bring himself to glare at the bastard, he was that insecure. And said bastard just stood there, imposing his presence without really acknowledging anyone else. It was almost as if the asshole was pretending that he didn't know them and that Naruto was a pile of dog shit left by one of Kakashi's nin dogs. Just fucking great…

He should have woken up earlier. Instead Naruto had decided that it would be excellent to take advantage of his vacation and slept in after that particular night (never mind that his entire body was too sore to even move). Thoughts and hopes of waking up in each other's arms, greeting the new day by staring deep in each other eyes and all that other sappy crap that comes the morning after (Naruto's a romantic, sue him) were turned to ash and dumped down the metaphorical toilet when he woke up to an empty and cold bed. But what really pulled the lever to flush said toilet was when Naruto had tried to actually go after the stupid Uchiha. Naruto had forgotten that Sasuke was the ultimate motherfucker in stealth and hiding from the world.

After nearly upturning the entire village in search of the AWOL Uchiha (Naruto was struck with a sense of nostalgia), he finally gave up and decided that Sasuke probably just needed some space (though secretly Naruto thought that the stupid brat just needed another ass pounding).

He had thought that after a good twenty four hours of angst-ing over himself the bastard would come knocking on his door in no time. Apparently, Naruto had forgotten to factor in Sasuke's all too famous stubbornness. And they called him the ass…mule, whatever…

So, one week later, and they were back where they started. Same bridge, same waiting for their late ex-teacher (recently turned hokage) and ignoring each other as if they didn't exist. Standing in between was Sakura looking back and forth her two thick headed former teammates.

Naruto balked when Sakura glared at him. He was just about ready to run for it when she stalked over to him and pulled him out of ear shot of the Uchiha.

"Owowowow, Sakura! You're hurting me!"

Without letting go of Naruto's elbow from her crushing grip, Sakura whirled the blond around so that they were face to face.

"Sakura, wha-"

"What did you do?" Sakura hissed narrowing her eyes in a way that promised death if Naruto gave the wrong answer.

Naruto's eyes widened, "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything!...I think."

Sakura rolled her eyes in exasperation, "I mean, what did you do to Sasuke? He's acting really weird."

Naruto was confused, "What do you mean weird? Sasuke is always acting weird. If you're wondering about the six-foot pool lodged up his ass, then I'll have you know that that has always been there since birth and I have absolutely nothing to do with it. What would be really weird if Sasuke where to feed the poor, promote world peace and start prancing through the meadow wearing a daisy crown and tye-dye."

Sakura felt like smacking her forehead, "That's not what I meant you dummy!"

Naruto crossed his arms and huffed indignantly, "Well, calling me names won't get you anywhere." He stated a-matter-of-factly.

Simply talking with you is counterproductive, Sakura thought but didn't say it out loud. She actually cared about her friends feelings.

"Look, I just meant-"

"Yo."

"GAH!"

Sakura was interrupted and Naruto was thoroughly startled when the Rokudaime decided to make his untimely appearance popping up on the railing of the bridge. Naruto reeled away from the silver haired man clutching his chest and hyperventilating.

"Fuck! I hate it when you do that! Fucking Christ!"

Kakashi smiled underneath his mask, "It's nice seeing you too, beloved ex-student of mine."

"What's going on?" Sasuke had stalked over to them when he saw that Kakashi had finally arrived and bringing the dark cloud hanging over him along.

Kakashi brightened, "Well if it isn't little miss sunshine!"

Sasuke glowered and ignored the snickers coming from a the-blond-that-should-not-be-named-because-Sasuke-never-heard-of-a-river-in-Egypt.

"Can we just get this over with before I disembowel someone?"

Kakashi shook a finger at his former student, "Now, now, Sasuke, no need to get violent before the real challenge is to arrive."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Whatever…"

Turning back to the other two from Team 7, Kakashi jumped down from his perch on the railing and clapped his hands together.

"Now let's get down to business!"

Apparently Kakashi wanted to go over the details of the chunin exams with them. Of course this brought on a lot of bickering between the blond haired and pink haired portions of the group ("Damnit it Naruto! You will not do your perverted henge in front of the gennins! Show some professionalism!" "Why not? It'll be hilarious!"). Of course every time the black haired member of their dysfunctional family would be addressed he would answer in his customary "hn" and proceed to pretend that he was invisible. When Naruto tried to get on the Uchiha's nerves, he would get the cold shoulder and a discreet kunai thrown at his head.

"Oi, bastard! Stop pretending I don't exist and stop throwing your stupid kunais at me! Hello? I'm talking to you…you infuriating, frigid, arrogant, son of a bi-"

Kakashi put up his hands, "Now, now Naruto, calm down already. Now is not the time for a lovers spat-"

"SHUT UP!"

The bickering started all over again (never really stopped to begin with). Finally, two bad tempers later an exasperated Hokage an annoyed Uchiha and two lumps in a blond head later, the meeting was coming to a close. They had all (grudgingly) agreed to the terms of the exam and Kakashi had popped off to where ever perverted Hokages like to spend their time reading their porn.

Naruto rubbed his sore head with a petulant (manly!) pout, "Damn, Sakura you didn't have to hit so hard."

Sakura just huffed and crossed her arms. Looking around, she noticed that Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, where did Sasuke go?"

Naruto stuffed his hands into his pockets and frowned down at the ground, "I dunno. Probably avoiding me, the bastard."

Sakura raised a pink eyebrow at the blond, "Why would he want to avoid you?"

Naruto looked up with wide eyes as if he hadn't noticed that he had said that out loud, "Huh, wha-? No, no I-I didn't mean anything by it!"

Sakura took a step closer to the stuttering blond, "You two did something and you're not telling me. Why?"

With a nervous smile Naruto brought out both hands waving them around franticly, "What? No! Of course not! Why-"

"Naruto…" Sakura interrupted giving the blond a look that clearly said that she wasn't buying any of his bullshit.

Defeated, Naruto dropped his hands and looked down at his feet. Sakura saw him sigh and she realized that it had been a long time since she had seen that look on the cheerful blonds face. The last time she saw it was when they had been desperately hunting down their wayward friend and team mate.

"It…I just…We…" Naruto sighed again and Sakura felt as if her heart would break from the confused and defeated tone of voice, "I just- I just need some time to figure a few things, Sakura. I really can't talk about what happened just yet. But-" This is where Naruto looked up and gave her that painfully wide grin that was just a little too wide, "Don't worry about it, Sakura! Everything will be just like before! You'll see! I promise!"

Green eyes widened as she was suddenly presented with 'the good guy' pose. Now she knew it was something serious. But for once she decided not to push it and let the blond go with one last final wave. He hadn't even asked if she wanted to go eat ramen with him…

"I promise!"

Her fists tightened at her sides. She knew something was up and if it meant helping out her two most precious people, than dagnagit! She was going to do her best to help them out!

Sasuke sat in the tea house, finally enjoying the peace and quiet. It would seem that the blond moron had given up going after him and though Sasuke was well aware that it was hardly far from over he was going to enjoy the calm before the storm. Sasuke calmly took a sip of his green tea enjoying the rich aroma.

"You had sex with, Naruto."

Sasuke choked on his tea. Coughing and spluttering he raised his watery eyes up to Sakura. When had she even got here? Sasuke couldn't believe he had let his guard down like that. Not like he would admit that to anyone.

Sakura watched calmly as Sasuke regained his breath, somehow managing to glare at her at the same time. Finally getting his wind pipe under control, Sasuke was able to reinforce The Glare and came up with an intelligent response.

"What?"

Sakura took a deep breath and let it out slowly, than as if talking with a particularly slow person proceeded to repeat her earlier statement.

"You. Had. Sex. With. Naruto."

Sasuke looked at her as if she had just given birth to a spawn of evil octopuses, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Sakura was impressed. Sasuke had been clearly practicing that phrase in front of the mirror for some time now. She was almost convinced. But she was sure of herself. She knew she was right. It was so obvious that Sasuke and Naruto slept together that she literally smacked herself on her forehead when she realized it. It was like the entire time they had been fighting and bickering ans going after each others throats was all just their own fucked up version of foreplay. And Sasuke with his vehement denial towards Sakura's claim just seemed to prove her theory even more. Inner Sakura rubbed her hands together with malicious glee as she thought of the ways she was going to get Sasuke to fess up.

Sakura crossed her arms on top of the wood table and leaned forward, "Soooo, you have absolutely nothing to say about the room you rented in an inn last week, right?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "What inn?"

Sakura smiled as sweet as she could, "The one oh-so-conveniently placed just out of Konoha borders. The housekeepers there had some pre-tty interesting things to say…"

"This is absolute nonsense. Even for you." Sasuke crossed his arms.

Sakura leaned further over the table, "Is it, Sasuke. Or are you just afraid to admit that you had hot wild man sex in an anonymous inn that came equipped with a private onsen with your best friend, Naruto?"

Sakura resisted the wild urge to whip out a camera so she could take a picture of the furiously blushing Uchiha. Inner Sakura was practically cackling by now. Oh, this was getting good

Sasuke's glare wasn't as effective when his face resembled a tomato, "You can't prove anything."

Now it was Sakura's turn to feign innocence, "Prove what? That you slept with the biggest most lovable idiot in Konoha? Denial is not going to get you anywhere you know…"

Sasuke winced internally at the 'most lovable' part. Somehow it made him feel like the enormous jerk Naruto was fond of calling him. But instead he just huffed and crossed his arms.

"He started it…"

Sakura felt like crowing and jumping up and down in her seat in triumph at the muttered and indirect confession. It may not have been much in comparison to other people, but for the severely emotionally stunted Sasuke it was one huge leap. Once again she restrained herself and just stared at the Uchiha with a penetrating and expectant look.

Sasuke wasn't stupid. For a few moments he considered making it difficult for the pink haired girl, but he opted to just get it over with as fast as possible. Just to clear up any doubts and that was all Sasuke was willing to give.

With a long suffereing sigh, Sasuke leaned back into his seat and began, "Naruto was being a moron and started saying…things. He kept challenging me and somehow we agreed to meet-"

"You mean 'hook up'." Sakura decided that it would be a brilliant idea to interrupt at that point.

Sasuke gave her a flat look and decided to ignore her, "We met at one of Konoha's gates."

"And from there you went to the inn." Sakura said nodding to herself as if she was figuring out the world's greatest mystery. Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Yes."

Then Sakura's look turned kind of scary. Her green eyes seemed to brighten with a malicious gleam and Sasuke found himself coiling in preparation to bolt whenever he needed to.

"So who was on top? Or did you guy's switch around?"

Sasuke glared harder, "This Is a waste of time," Placing a few coins on the table, he started getting up from the table. "I'm leaving."

Sakura hastily jumped up, "Wait, Sasuke! I didn't mean it like that!" She whipped out her hand and grabbed Sasuke's wrist in a crushing grip.

Whirling around and suddenly angry, he lashed out, "Why, Sakura? So you can make fun of me some more? So you can rub it in my face? So that I can be reminded of my stupid mistake, over and over again?"

Sakura leaned back dumbfounded as she watched the frazzled Uchiha let go of some much pent up steam, "Sasuke…"

"No, Sakura! I don't want to talk about it! I don't even want to know what it all means! I-I just-I just don't know, okay?"

And with that last dramatic exclamation Sasuke ripped his arm out of Sakura's grip and left the tea shop, ignoring the people who were staring at him for his display. He didn't care. He didn't care if they gave him strange looks or whispered behind his back. He just wanted to get away. Away from everything.

So, he ran. And he couldn't stop. He leaped up on top of the roof tops startling a woman who was hanging her laundry on her balcony and then kept going without paying her any mind. He had no idea in which direction he was heading, but he hoped that it would lead him out of this damned village.

"Naruto! Dammit! Open the fucking door!"

Naruto nearly spilled his ramen when the loud pounding on his door violently startled him into early onset heart complications. Sighing for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day, Naruto got up from his tiny table and went to answer the door.

"Jeezus, Sakura, you trying to kill me or som-"

"Sasuke is gone."

And just like that Naruto felt as though the ground underneath him wobble unsteadily. He looked at Sakura with wide eyes. He finally noticed that she looked very worried and that her eyes were red, as though she had been crying.

"Wha- what do you mean?"

Sakura dragged a hand over her face, "We were talking at the tea shop and…and…he just stormed off. At first I thought he had just headed home and that he just needed some time by himself but when I went to check up on him there was nobody there and…and…and I've looked everywhere Naruto, but he just isn't anywhere!"

Naruto was a bit shocked to see the tears form in her green eyes. Grabbing her slim shoulders and ignoring the slight tremble under his fingers, he leveled a hard blue gaze on her face.

"Tell me what happened."

The first tear rolled down Sakura's cheeks, "I'm so sorry, Naruto…"

Naruto practically flew over the roof tops of Konoha. His heart gave a painful squeeze with every minute that would pass before he could find Sasuke. He had a good idea were the idiot bastard might have gone, but he wasn't sure how long he would stay there. The uncertainty was killing him.

Please be there, please be there, please, please, please.

He nearly fell to his knees when he arrived at his destination. Sasuke was there. Right where he knew he was going to be. Sitting on that lonely pier over the small lake were he would sit as a child and Naruto would pass by with a slight wistfulness, wondering what it would be like to be the last Uchiha's friend.

But right now, Naruto couldn't tell if he wanted to hug that bastard or punch him. Maybe both. Most likely both. God, he was such a mess…

Taking a deep breath, Naruto stepped forward onto the small pier. He knew that Sasuke already knew that he was there so he didn't bother to say anything and just stood there waiting.

"I almost left again, because of you."

In a way Naruto was expecting that. It didn't even surprise him to hear that. But it still hurt. It hurt to know that he was the cause of so much pain and betrayal. He never really stopped blaming himself for all the shit that has happened these past four years. If only he had done things differently…

"Stop."

Startled, Naruto looked up to see that Sasuke had turned to look at him. Black slim eyebrows were pulled in a frown. Those deep dark Uchiha eyes were hard but surrounded with softness that Naruto never thought he would see in Sasuke. It was enough for him to take a mental step back and really look at the bastard.

Sasuke sighed and looked back out at the lake when those blue eyes turned calculating. He didn't move when the blond went to sit down next to him, their feet dangling over the clear still water.

"Why would leave because of me?"

Sasuke looked down at his hands on his lap, "Because you don't deserve it."

He could feel the angry look directed at him but he didn't have the will to face it. God, he felt so fucking weak. Every particle in his being screamed at him to stop doing this. To stop being such a damned pussy and just beat the blond moron up to show him who was stronger and leave him there broken and bleeding without ever looking back. His fists clenched and his jaw tightened as he felt the anger rise in him making his vision blur.

"What's that supposed to mean, asshole! You think you're too good for me?"

Sasuke's hands clenched on his thighs, "That's not what I meant moron-"

"Oh yeah? 'Cause it sounded a lot like you being an arrogant prick!"

"I told you-"

"You know that is real rich coming from you, Sasuke." Naruto couldn't stand sitting down anymore and leapt up onto his feet glaring at the top of Sasuke's head, "After all the shit you pulled off the last three fucking years and you still think you're better than everyone. You still think you can own the whole god damned place and expect everyone to love you all over again. You had your chance to do that, Sasuke and you fucked up. You fucked up every chance you had to become a better person."

Sasuke was probably feeling just as restless when he stood up and faced Naruto with a heated glare, fury tensing his shoulders and clenching his fists.

"I came back didn't I? Isn't that what you wanted? After coming after me like some sick lost puppy! You're the one who wanted me back and here I am! What more can you possibly want!"

Naruto really felt like pulling his hair out, "What more do I want? Are you fucking serious! Was that night in the inn just in my imagination? Did we or did we not fuck like deranged bunnies that entire night?"

Sasuke spluttered for a few brief seconds (it was almost a minute before he could come up with something, but don't tell Sasuke), "That! That is- You- What the hell, Uzumaki! Are you serious?"

Naruto flailed a bit "That's my line! Are you really that clueless?"

Sasuke was not clueless. Yes, he may a bit slow when it came to other people's feelings but he wasn't as oblivious as to not to note the obvious. He knew what Naruto wanted, knew that the blond would do just about anything to get it, but Sasuke wasn't so sure if the crazed jinchuriki will be completely satisfied once he got what he wanted. Sasuke had a woefully hard time dealing with disappointment.

Naruto watched with slight trepidation when he saw the Uchiha slump, the fight seemingly slipping out of him and his eyes drifted off to the side. Impatient with Sasuke's unresponsiveness, Naruto growled and grabbed the other boy's shoulders and shook him a lot gentler than he wanted to.

"Answer me damnit!"

Sasuke bit his lip, debating on whether or not he really wanted to mess things up again. Looking up at the blue eyed shinobi, he couldn't help but think, to hell with it.

Naruto didn't even have time to react before two slim arms reached up and wound around his neck and a pair of warm slightly chapped lips was placed firmly over his.

Blue eyes widened. Figures that the speech impaired Uchiha would express himself through actions instead of words. Stupid, infuriating, annoying, sexy, smug bastard. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's deceptively slim waist and hugged him closer, closing his eyes and reveling in the deep kiss.

They broke away, breathless and slightly dizzy. Sasuke idly curled his fingers in soft blond hair and stared at pink moist lips as he tried to catch his breath.

"I don't hold hands."

Naruto paused. He sometimes had a really hard time fathoming Sasuke's reasoning and thought process, but decided that it would be best to be patient and see what happens.

"And I'll chop your balls off if you call me some stupid name like 'sweety' or 'honey'"

Naruto still didn't know what the Uchiha was going on about but then again using enormous amounts of chakra to pull out a gigantic skeleton and the mangekyou does have the propensity to make one ever so slightly loopy.

"And I am not going to move into that pig sty you call home. We're just going to have to look for a new place."

Naruto tightened his arms around his loves waist, hoping against all hope that the bastard meant what he thought it meant and that he never wake up from this dream.

Sasuke leaned his forehead against the blond's chest not even bothering to fight the contented sigh.

"And I have no idea what I'm doing. Think you can handle that?"

Something in the jinchuriki's brain clicked. Naruto suddenly understood the Uchiha's earlier statement. Was it worth all the pain? Was it worth the struggle? The back breaking work? Was Naruto really ready to throw away all chances of ever having a normal, stable relationship for the one person who has caused him the most pain over the years? He didn't hesitate to answer his own questions.

"Hell, yes."

FINIT! (omg!)

A/N: Yes, this is it. The end. My first ever completed fic that exceeds two chapters. And just in time for the day of the dead, too n_nb

I just want to extend a thank you to all those readers who have reviewed/faved this fic as well to all of you who have had to put up with my procrastination and patiently wait for the over due updates n_n'

You all will be pleased to know that I am far finished with this couple and have many other ideas that are being consumated and breeded on word documents XD

For now I will be working on Obscure as my main focus. I am also going to dabble a bit in the Avatar: The Lasta Airbender fandom, mainly Zuko centric, which will most likely turn out to be a multi-chap considering the complex situation I managed to tangle this character into. But most one-shots, two-shots, whatever will be of the Naruto fandom and if you trust my writing enough I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Well, thats all for now! I hope you had a good enough time reading this smutty peice of art. It was sure entertaining writing it! Until next time! Ciao!

P.S. Review! You know you want to!