Summary: Set directly after the Naruto Shippuuden Movie: Bonds. When Naruto sneaks away to seek out his rival, he neglects to plan ahead. After all who needs to think things through?

Story Notes: BLANKET DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the associated characters, they are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. It's heavy on the yaoi so the rule applies. If you feel like protecting your innocence then move on. If it's already too late for that then enjoy!

He had done it! He wasn't sure exactly how, but he had done it and the amazing thing was that it hadn't been nearly as hard as he'd anticipated.

Naruto had been assigned the same week long break in missions as everybody else who had played a key role in taking down the Sky ninja. But unlike many of them who were using the much needed down time to relax and be with their families, Naruto had announced that he was going on a camping trip by himself. He had given a very convincing, or so he thought, speech about how he had finally realised that he was lacking the important area of 'ninja stealth' and was therefore going to train. Few people had bought this as the 'ninja art of lying' was another talent that Naruto seemed to be missing. Still he hadn't been followed, he knew that much, so whether they believed him or not his teammates had trusted him enough to let him leave. I mean, honestly, it wasn't like he was about to run off on a mad search for power like someone he knew. Still, this mission probably proved that he was about as unhinged as Sasuke by now.

The night was still and humid, not a breeze dared to rustle the leaves of the deep forest at his back. He crouched low on his cliff-top perch, sheltered from the moon's revealing glow by a large boulder. This was the small bit of truth in the lies he had told to get here; he was practicing his stealth. He was dressed all in black, an oddity for Naruto, though his bright blonde hair rather ruined the intended effect. Naruto wasn't wearing his hitae-ite tonight; he wasn't acting as a Konoha ninja, this was a purely selfish mission. The metal symbol of his status currently resided at the bottom of his pack, along with a scratched one. His chakra was masked to the best of his ability even though he didn't believe for one moment that his prey would be caught unawares. Still, he was making an effort.

That chakra! He lay stiff and still in his bedroll concentrating briefly on pinpointing the poorly concealed signature. As if he wouldn't notice that presence…

As he crept along the ridge Naruto was extra careful. He kept his blue eyes trained on the dramatic waterfall at one end of the valley but his senses were on full alert for the attack that he fully expected to come. The whole place felt deserted, but in the same way that he had found this place without any real tracking ability to speak of, he knew it wasn't. Naruto had been possessed by an undeniable certainty ever since he had reached this place and even before that he had felt... something. It was that... instinct that had persuaded him to set out on this personal mission; it was what had decided that he should return to the crash site of the Sky City and had then led him in this direction. Even when he had passed what he was sure had been the entrance to a dark lair of some sort, despite the fact that the snake slithering around the entrance had given away the owner immediately, he had continued on to this place. It was as though something called him here, and he was damned if he was going to ignore that summons.

Drawing nearer to the roaring fall of water Naruto glanced towards the opposite end of the valley, where the sea glinted in the distance, and was struck by strong sense of déjà vu. He permitted himself a brief smile; it was a strange choice for a hideout. But there was no time to dwell on the past when the present was changing. Something was different and although Naruto couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, he knew where he could find answers.

He took up position in the previously arranged vantage point. Hidden in the flickering shadows he waited for the intruder to fall into the trick of his den.

Scaling down the rock face was basic but as he drew level with the dark cave entrance concealed behind the waterfall he realised one of the key defensive advantages the place held. Swinging into the crevice wasn't easy and took a lot of concentration but was manageable for any decent shinobi. However in the instant when you jumped, you were vulnerable. There was no way to determine whether an ambush lay in wait so Naruto jumped into the snake pit praying he was right about it's occupant.

Sure enough he found himself pinned up against the cool rock wall before his feet had even touched the ground. His hands were trapped against his chest and a strong forearm held his head against the surface. Naruto almost smiled in relief as he felt the person's arm guard dig uncomfortably into the base of his skull but he held it in. Tact was the key here.

"Why are you here?"

That deep voice was so strikingly familiar that it lifted Naruto's heart despite its hostility.

"Don't pretend you weren't expecting this."

"That you are so inanely predictable is neither here nor there."

"I came to find you."

"That much is obvious."

Naruto's breathing quickened as he felt his rival draw closer and any reply he might have made was swallowed as he struggled to restore the moisture that had suddenly deserted his mouth. He licked his lips nervously, not out of any kindling of fear.

"Answer me, Naruto."

He was so close now that the blonde's shiver was surely impossible to miss. It was an unavoidable response to hearing his name pronounced in that commanding voice.

"Why are you here?"

"Y-you saved me," replied Naruto, cursing himself for the audible stutter as a pale hand grasped at his hair and twisted his head, none too gently, to the side.

"How so?"

Naruto was vaguely aware of the newest question hanging in the air between them but the awkward position he was forced into had just given him his first look at his attacker. He was momentarily stunned into silence. Naruto didn't know what had happened to him when he entered this cave but his mind seemed to have become extremely sluggish. Judging by the scowl he was receiving, his facial expressions weren't exactly up to par either. But it wasn't his fault; no one should be allowed to look that good. The first thing that Naruto noticed was that he obviously wasn't the only one who had gotten in the way of the waterfall during the initial scuffle.

"Sasuke..."

It was barely a whisper but both of them heard it despite the roar of rushing water. It took Naruto a moment to realise that his vocal chords were apparently functioning without the support of his brain. Sasuke was frowning at him as though he possessed some detached form of worry over Naruto's mental health. Stepping back he let out an exasperated sigh before speaking again.

"I didn't save you; I was on assignment. Any action that may have appeared helpful to your cause, I assure you was purely for the sake of self preservation. So, for the last time, Naruto; why are you here?"

Naruto, now released, turned slowly on the spot. Finally he was permitted to look at Sasuke. For all his confidence and underlying strength, the man appeared tired. It was in the way he held himself; less aggressive, barely even defensive and it was in the colour of his eyes; more dark grey than glittering black and not nearly as expressive as Naruto remembered them.

That thought alone scared him more than anything. Through all of this, chasing Sasuke from hideout to dark hideout, Naruto had clung desperately to the times when he had managed to evoke some kind of emotion from his old friend. Even if it was anger, it was something; if Sasuke lost the fire that drove him... Naruto couldn't bear to think of it.

So he blocked it out. He blocked everything out.

Acting purely on instinct, Naruto strode forward with an expression that threw Sasuke for a split second. Taking the rare advantage, Naruto wrapped his fingers in those spiky raven locks and dragged Sasuke forwards into a forceful kiss. He summoned everything, every feeling that he couldn't put into words and put it into that kiss instead. For a brief moment he marvelled at the pliant lips beneath his before pain sprang from the connection shooting through his body.

With a snarl, Sasuke pushed him backwards sending him crashing through the bamboo divider to sprawl on the unforgiving stone. Sasuke kept his distance, his face obscured by shadows as Naruto felt the numbing effects of chidori nagashi work their way through his muscles. He could just make out his opponents figure as the Uchiha raised a hesitant hand to his lips.

"What the hell are you playing at?" he asked, voice stony.

Naruto wished he could look into Sasuke's eyes now. The Uchiha may be able to control his voice but something told Naruto that Sasuke was keeping his distance for a reason. It was that illusive reason that made Naruto loosen the ties securing the foxes chakra, just slightly. As his eyes bled scarlet and pupils slitted he felt the paralysing effects of Sasuke's jutsu being washed away. He reined the chakra carefully; just enough to free himself, not enough to rip into his surroundings.

"Not so predictable now, huh?"

He stumbled as he dragged his uncooperative limbs off the ground; Sasuke was already taller than him, it didn't help if he was lying down. More importantly Sasuke wasn't answering him. His Sharingan was active and any emotion he might have shown had been replaced by a livid red.

"Do you even realise that you just sent up a chakra beacon so strong that no self-respecting ninja within a mile radius could miss it?"

"I don't care," Naruto bit out, still searching his friends face for something, anything. He forced the foxes chakra away, bristling when Sasuke gave a soft snort.

"Why are you doing this, Naruto? Is it really so hard for you to just let go?" His voice was tired again. "I think it's safe to assume this is not about that 'promise of a lifetime' drivel. So what do you want, really?"

"You," said Naruto shortly.

"I can't go back to Konoha, there are things-"

"I didn't say I was taking you back," Naruto said forcefully cutting him off. "At least not right now..." he drew closer, encouraged when Sasuke made no move to stop him.

"What I want is you."

Naruto reached for him and kissed the stoic man for all he was worth. It was hard and needy, all raw passion and no tenderness. Sasuke didn't respond immediately but the blond was undeterred. He wouldn't be surprised to find himself on the end of a more powerful chidori but he would take it in payment for these incredible seconds of contact.

When a pale hand grasped at the thin material of his shirt Naruto almost lost it. As ever, Sasuke rose to the challenge. He dragged Naruto closer seeking the generous warmth of the vibrant blond. In an instant there was a tan hand tangled in his hair tilting his head to the side. Sasuke complied, parting his lips invitingly, allowing the blond's tongue to plunge forth, running along the sensitive inside of his full lips. Sasuke's resolve cracked quite spectacularly as he kissed back with a spiralling passion. When Naruto dragged Sasuke's tongue between his own lips with a talented suction he extracted a low moan that made him shiver in delight.

But then Naruto was pulling back so that both of them could fill the cave with the sounds of their desperate attempts to regain air. Sasuke drew his tongue back between sinfully bruised lips, the lewd sight of him causing arousal to spike throughout Naruto's body. He thrummed with energy that fed hungrily off the shinobi in front of him.

Looking at Sasuke now he didn't know what to make of anything. This hadn't exactly been planned, he hadn't thought of what he'd do once he found Sasuke; as always his one track mind had simply emphasised that finding him was the right thing to do. In the same way he also knew that this wasn't the time to examine the situation. The Uchiha could snap out of whatever strange mood Naruto had managed to infect him with, at any moment. Should that happen… well it wouldn't be pretty and he certainly wouldn't be getting his arousal taken care of; more like permanently damaged.

Speaking of arousal, Naruto bucked his hips. He felt particularly happy with himself when he heard the hitch in his partner's breathing.

He kept his eyes firmly closed as the Sharingan receded leaving him feeling more vulnerable than he wanted to admit. If he couldn't see those expressive blue eyes it was okay to let this continue. It wasn't real after all, just a dream…

Naruto brushed his lips over the others, more gently this time. Now that the cold Uchiha was responsive he reigned his passion. Sasuke opened his mouth in reply to the caress of firm lips but Naruto dragged himself away. Postponing the chance to ravage that wonderful mouth to kiss a delicate trail along his friend's jaw as his fingers made soft sweeping strokes through a dripping curtain of jet black hair. It was a tender reflection of the feelings they had once shared, hiding sweet smiles from each other with a destructive pride. Naruto's movements were a testimony of the persistence of the connection between them whilst Sasuke's silent acceptance of his actions was his own unbidden smile; understated yet undeniably important.

Breathing shouldn't be such a difficult task but the way his hitched constantly, in response to the tingling sensations travelling through his body, must be slowly starving him of oxygen. Or perhaps there was another explanation for his sudden dizziness? The wet flick of a tongue across the sensitive shell of his ear had a whimper bubbling up in his throat. He stifled it at the last moment.

Naruto felt Sasuke quake against him and glanced at his tense features. For a moment he worried that those closed eyes were hiding a pained expression but the heat flooding the pale skin reassured him. A soft smile played over Naruto's face as he rested his forehead against Sasuke nudging him gently. He took these tender moments to heart, they would be brief; his control was rapidly unravelling under the effect of Sasuke's presence.

It was Sasuke who moved forward, taking Naruto's mouth in a breath stealing kiss. Time spanned between them as Naruto let the brunette take the lead. He wasn't one to relent but he felt the experience of having Sasuke want him was something to savour. The taste of him, the strong confident movements he made, it was all committed to memory. Naruto groaned as the Uchiha pressed his body closer, heat radiating from the lithe length of him. The blond ran his hands over the vast expanse of skin revealed by the open front of the white kimono Sasuke wore. He greedily mapped the firm contours of the other boy's chest running his fingers over the ridged muscles hidden under pale skin and pressing his palms to Sasuke's sides before moving upwards. It fascinated him to feel how Sasuke's ribcage moved upwards and out as he took harsh breaths from Naruto's lips. The way he leaned into Naruto made his need clear.

They stumbled further into the cave, neither capable of graceful motion as they grasped at each others clothes in desperation. Sasuke's kimono was discarded almost immediately, designed as it was, for freedom of movement. When Naruto tugged on the rope at his waist it fell away almost as easily. Naruto cracked a brief smile as Sasuke caught his sword before it had a chance to hit the ground, laying it carefully against a boulder.

His smile was lost a second later as Sasuke turned naked eyes on him for the first time throughout this strange encounter. Naruto felt the breath leave his chest; these where the eyes he remembered so clearly; the eyes that pierced him in frequent dreams. This was what had drawn him here, the need to see the same passion he remembered ignited once more. Gone were the sunken depths that had caused him to despair, replaced by eyes that glittered with a dark fire.

The moment was brief, as only the most precious are. The eye contact was broken as Sasuke backed him towards the wooden platform set among boulders. As the backs of his knees met the ledge his legs crumpled and he sat heavily on the tatami. He felt Sasuke straddle him and immediately sought his opponent's lips again. He felt momentary disappointment when he realised that Sasuke's soul was closed to him again, but it's hard to lament a lost moment when someone has their tongue in your mouth and hands all over your body. The frenzied momentum of Sasuke's movements was driving him mad.

The damn shirt was too tight! As inviting as Naruto looked in the fitted black material, it had to go! The handy kunai under his pillow would surely get the job done.

Naruto found himself on his back with Sasuke stretched over him. He took a moment to wonder what his friend was doing before realising that by craning his neck he could take one of Sasuke's nipples into his mouth. He did so immediately, sucking enthusiastically. This apparently took Sasuke by surprise as his back arched violently and a distinctly erotic moan sounded from somewhere above him.

Sasuke pulled back quickly, before Naruto could apply the same caress to the other side of his chest. Naruto sucked in a breath as cold metal slithered beneath the dark top that he had selected especially for this occasion. In that instant he was dowsed in dread as sudden fears of subterfuge surfaced.

Naruto looked up hoping to catch another precious glimpse of Sasuke's gaze to reassure himself but dark hair sheltered his eyes as he concentrated on his task. Realising with relief what Sasuke was planning Naruto decided that he dare not distract him. As it was he barely managed to snap open the clips holding his rucksack in place before the shirt was neatly dispatched. He pushed the bag to the side hesitating slightly as the hitae-ite clinked against each other. Sasuke sent a curious look after it before Naruto drew his attention back to more pressing matters with a hand at his waistband.

They shifted further onto the platform heading for the bedroll. Their progress was clumsy, slowed by their reluctance to part, but by the time they had tangled themselves in the sheets they had successfully left behind their sandals and shed their trousers.

Arousal hindered his thought processes. He was sure he should be stifling those undignified moans and whimpers but his thoughts floated absently through his mind and he was having trouble concentrating long enough to act on them. Somewhere the idea surfaced that this whole thing was a bad idea, that he should stop it now before the situation spiralled out of control. But as a deep, wet heat engulfed his cock, he dismissed that ridiculous notion.

He revelled in the sounds that filled the cave as he sucked gently on the hot flesh. Pulling back he let Sasuke's silky member slide against his tongue before it left his lips with a wet smack. Naruto grinned at the obscene sound. He looked up at Sasuke as his friend gave a guttural groan. The other shinobi was flushed and panting. Naruto didn't think he'd ever seen a more beautiful sight, though he wished once more that he could see the emotion that his eyes would surely display. He wanted to know Sasuke's mind and to experience every intimacy he could.

He couldn't keep from opening his eyes, just a little bit. It was his instinct as a shinobi to track the movements of people who may or may not be one's enemy. Naruto's movements looked graceful to him as he crawled over him. He raised steady hands to trail long fingers up his friend's chest, feeling the play of toned muscles beneath tanned skin. Yes, in this moment he was graceful, an unusual quality in Naruto. But more importantly, as he leaned nearer Sasuke felt the feral power of him.

Sasuke was thinking. Naruto could see it in the eyes that stared at a point somewhere below his collarbone. That usually wasn't a good sign and Naruto would have been worried that he was about to taste chidori again if it wasn't for the strong hands that still caressed his chest and abdomen. They made him shiver, the delicate blend of rough calluses from hours of sword play and soft skin that graced the rest of his body. He wasn't aware of the moment Sasuke finished mapping him but he suddenly found himself on his back with Sasuke's lithe body pressed hotly against him. The new sensation of bare skin sliding on skin made him gasp. The kisses came quick and passionate so Naruto barely managed to steal breath as Sasuke ground down on him.

A small part of him insisted that he should be embarrassed of these primal urges. 'Control yourself!' His head screamed. But he didn't want to listen. He wanted Naruto to help him block it out. Just for these precious moments of insanity.

He felt a hand clasp his member, making quick, efficient strokes that had him crying out even as his brain kicked in and protested that he remained submissive for too long. It was all very well enjoying Sasuke's own wilfulness but he must remember that this was his mission. He hadn't set out with a clear goal past finding Sasuke but he certainly hadn't intended on rolling over for him like some docile pup.

First step was to replace Sasuke's passionate determination with hazy arousal. With that thought in mind he directed his attention towards turning the tables on his friend.

-0-

With a wide yawn Naruto rolled over. He stretched leisurely knocking the sheets aside and immediately broke out in goose-bumps as the chill air hit his skin. He frowned, registering how cold the cave was now that the candles had burned out. They hadn't actually provided much warmth in the first place but that hadn't been a problem last night...

Grinning Naruto threw himself back onto the bedroll. He felt a twinge of disappointment that Sasuke had snuck out but truthfully he had expected nothing less from his rival. Naruto didn't think that Sasuke had left because he wanted to hurt him but because another confrontation, before they were ready, would undoubtedly be much more painful. This way Naruto hadn't failed to bring him back. Sasuke had simply never even been here. He glanced around in the vain hope that Sasuke might have left some kind of message but the cave was bare except for the bedding and candle stubs.

Naruto sighed, happily reliving the wild passion of the night before. It was completely mad, all of it. Where had it even come from? He would have questioned whether the whole adventure had been a dream if it were not for the... evidence. He recalled the brief moments as the sky began to lighten outside when he had dared to speak.

" Don't lose yourself in this," Naruto's voice was soft with only a hint of a plea. He knew that Sasuke understood his meaning completely.

"Hn, as if I would."

"Promise me."

Sasuke had not promised, instead he had muttered something about sleep before rolling over. Naruto had curled himself behind Sasuke as the boy pretended to sleep. He had spent long moments examining the curves of pale skin and the soft hairs at his nape that ruffled as Naruto's breath brushed them. The last thing he remembered, before the night's vigorous activity had caught up with him, was spotting a single freckle behind Sasuke's left ear and privately claiming it as his own.

Naruto smiled as he wondered when he would next see that freckle. When would Sasuke let him get that close again?

Judging by the quality of the light outside it must sometime around midday. Naruto couldn't deny the possibility of Orochimaru showing up, if this was indeed one of his hideouts that Sasuke had been using. Time to leave then. He pulled himself up and retrieved his pack from where it had fallen off of the platform. He collected his soiled and torn 'stealthy' clothes, erasing the evidence of his presence and pulled his everyday orange outfit from the backpack. He got changed quickly, glad to add a few layers.

It was when he reached for his hitae-ite that he realised that something was missing. Naruto almost laughed when he realised what Sasuke had taken, the relief he felt was overwhelming. He collapsed back onto the tatami, his breath rushing from between smiling lips.

Sasuke would return once he had finished his mission, leaf headband in hand.

Author's Note: I finished a lot of coursework today and suddenly felt inspired to finish off this one-shot. It has been kicking around on my hard drive for far too long. Hope you liked it and reviews are most welcome. ^^ x

-Yasu