Author's Note: Welcome to another random one-shot by me. I actually wrote this during a Regents Exam. I finished early, yet we have a set time on when we can leave, and it was early, so I wrote a story to pass the time, and I just got around typing it. Enjoy this fic. I wrote it during the Chemistry Exam. xD

Warning: Shonen-ai implications. Random sweetie Sasuke.

Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

Surprise, Surprise
by Mint Pizza Queen

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Sakura pushed back her pink bangs and watched as the dark-haired boy looked about before trying the door handle. Much to her surprise, and dismay, it was unlocked.

Sasuke turned and gave her a look as he allowed the door to swing open the rest of the way on its own. "Do you doubt me?"

Sakura's inner being began to bash her repeatedly with a wrench. "No! No! I just mean, well, this is Naruto's place of privacy, don't you think he would like it if, well, you know, we didn't barge in uninvited?"

Sasuke stared some more with a glower. Sakura felt her palms begin to sweat.

"Naruto won't be showing up anytime soon. I made sure to have Iruka, Gai, and Kakashi-sensei do that for me." Sasuke smoothly entered, leaving Sakura gaping in the doorway.

"Just what are we doing here for anyway, Sasuke-kun?" The girl wrung her hands anxiously as Sasuke leapt about digging through items.

"The dobe's been down. I want to know why and snap him out of this state because really, it's irritating the hell out of me and making me uncomfortable." Sasuke picked up a sock with a nearby chopstick. "What the hell?"

"I see he's not an organized type," Sakura picked up a random Ramen cup and quickly threw it down in disgusting. "Ew! That's six months old! Nasty!" She looked pleadingly at Sasuke. "Sasuke! Maybe he's just sick! I mean look at the place, it's filthy!"

Sasuke stared about the room just as an idea popped into his mind. "Let's clean it."

"What!" She screeched, making his ears ring. "There's no way I'm cleaning his mess! I'm sorry, but I'm out!" She stomped away, leaving him behind.

"...fine then." He pulled off his makeshift sleeves and placed them on a clear area on the table. "I'll do it." And clean he did.

"Come on, Naruto! One more bowl!"

"Erg," Gurgle. "I don't think I can eat anymore." Naruto was beyond stuffed. Some reason, Gai, Iruka, and Kakashi-sensei thought it would be a swell idea to spend the entire afternoon at Ichiraku's Ramen stuffing the blond to the max with as many bowls of Ramen as possible. He was going to explode.

"Aw, are you sure?" Kakashi waved a bowl of miso ramen in front of the blonde's face. "See? I think it likes you."

Naruto pushed the bowl away. "Er...I can't. I'm full to the brim. And besides, it's getting late."

"Well, okay then," Iruka said as he saw Sakura walk by. "I think that was a record though."

"Sixty-seven bowls of ramen! A victory in youthful bounds! I wish Lee were here to congratulate you! I know!" Gai stood up in a pose with his pointer finger aimed at the sky. "I'll bring my entire team over tomorrow to your place!"

Naruto stood up slowly. "Eh, well, that's okay but you don't have to—"

"I insist." Gai gave his dazzling smile and a 'thumbs up'.

"Okay," Naruto stepped back. "I'll be going now. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, my youthful friend!" Gai waved over-enthusiastically.

Iruka smiled warily. "Heh, later Naruto."

Kakashi held up a hand. "Toodles."

"Ah, that was a good eating." Naruto patted his belly as he walked home. "I wonder why they did that though."

His thoughts stopped when he arrived at his apartment. he turned the handle and stepped inside, flicking on the light switch. He let out a squeal of surprise.

"What the—how—nani?"

His apartment was—clean. Very clean. It had a fresh smell to it, and not a single bowl of ramen laid around in sight. His window was open slightly, allowing the fresh outdoor air inside.

He stepped carefully and stopped when he realized something was really off. He could sense someone in his home.

An intruder!

The power level felt low, so either the person was a little kid, sleeping, or really weak.

That's when he noticed the figure on the couch, blanket covering them. That scratched out little kid and really weak. The guy was sleeping. Why hadn't he noticed him earlier?

Almost all of the figure was under the blanket, so Naruto couldn't identify who this guy was. Approaching, he peeked over and saw the sleeping face.

S-Sasuke?

What Naruto hadn't realized was that he exclaimed his surprise out loud, right in said boy's ear, shocking him out of his sleep.

Sasuke leapt off the couch, colliding with the blond, sending them both crashing to the floor.

When they got their bearings, it took them a few minutes to realize their awkward position and scrambled to get away from the other.

"N-Naruto?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Why are you back?"

"I live here!"

"Oh shit!" Sasuke looked around wildly. "What the hell is the time?"

Naruto crossed his arms and attempted to put on the most vicious face possible, despite the red hue that was spread across his cheeks. "Late, but that doesn't answer my question as to why you're here."

Sasuke blinked, a pink tinge to his normally pale face settling on it. "Uh—well..."

"Did you clean my apartment?"

"Yeah."

"Why? Did you get bored or something?" Naruto narrowed his eyes at the Uchiha. "And answer my first question!"

"How can I if you keep interrupting me!" Sasuke spat out, but froze and gave a cough. "Eh, well—" He stood up and reseated himself on the couch. "I originally came over to try to figure out something. Sakura was with me, but she left after our little discussion on your—cleanliness. I got the idea to clean it, and so I did."

"I still don't get why you came over though. Figure out what? What could I help you with?" Naruto frowned.

There was a silence.

"Sasuke?"

"I came over cause I was worried about you!" Sasuke threw his hands up in the air. "Okay! I said it! I was worried! You've been acting really down lately and it got me all worried. I don't like it when you act like that! So whatever is bothering you, tell me!" He scowled, but his expression softened afterwards. "Please?"

There was another silence with both boys staring at each other, just trying to understand what was on the other's mind. The silence suddenly became overwhelming for Sasuke. Why isn't he saying anything? Naruto—what's going on?

The blond spontaneously laughed aloud, scaring the Uchiha out of his own thoughts and sent him jumping. "Oh this is rich! The great Uchiha is worried the pathetic Uzumaki! Oh really, that's grand! Thanks for the great laugh, really. If you wanted to break into my house and snoop through my stuff, I don't care. Everyone else does it. But really, you didn't have to clean up after me." Naruto stood up from the floor and walked into the kitchen area, back facing the stunned Sasuke.

Sasuke watched as Naruto fetched himself a glass of water and drank it down slowly. So, Naruto didn't believe him. He hadn't seen that one coming.

"Everyone else?"

Naruto dumped the remainder of water down the drain and placed the glass on the counter. "Yup."

"But—it's so easy to get into your house! You leave your door unlocked!"

The boy stared at the floor. "No, I stopped locking my door after I realized no matter how many measures I take to secure my home, they'll break in anyway."

"And the mess?"

"I'm lazy and it covers up the mess left behind by the burglars."

Ouch.

"Naruto," Sasuke murmured. "I wasn't lying."

Blue eyes stared at him before his lids lowered over them halfway. "Eh, it doesn't matter."

"It does matter! To me!" Sasuke scrambled off the couch, tripping himself in the blanket but quickly regained his footing so he could get to the kitchen and face the blond. "You've been acting like an abandoned puppy lately, I want to know why. The silence I endure when you're around is killing me! I don't like it one bit. You're not acting like you anymore, and it's—well, it's irritating and it's uncomfortable." Sasuke grabbed his arm and dragged him to the couch, forcing him to sit down. He seated himself beside him and glared. "Tell me what's up."

"I thought you'd prefer the silence. You're always telling me to shut up."

"I thought I did too, but I don't anymore. Was it something I did? Did I say something to make you angry at me that made you this way?"

"No!" Naruto's eyes were wide. "No, it wasn't you. It wasn't any of you."

"Well then what?"

Sasuke realized he was begging. He, Sasuke, was begging him, Naruto, for answers. Begging! It was not at all like Sasuke. Not at all like him. But this had to stop. This silence, the sad looks, the lack of jokes, laughter, and smiles, it had to stop. He needed the old Naruto back. He didn't understand why, he just did.

He missed it.

"It's nothing you could fix." Naruto finally answered.

Sasuke leaned forward with his chin tilted down. "I could damn well try."

"Oh really? Are you going to stop my lonely nights? Are you going to make the bad dreams go away? Are you going to be here every night for me when I wake up from a horrible nightmare, coated in sweat and short of breath because I felt like I was dying?" Naruto spat each word with anger. "No, you're not. So it's none of your business. You can go now."

Nightmares? Lonely? Damn—

"Why do you feel lonely?" It sounded stupid, but it was an honest question.

"I just do, okay!" Sasuke noticed a shine to the corner of the blonde's eyes. Tears?

"Why?"

"Shut up!"

"Naruto, I asked why?" Sasuke grabbed his wrist and forced him to stare right into his face. "Tell me why."

"Let go!"

"I'll let go when you tell me! Now tell me!" Sasuke bared his teeth, shocking the blond out of his struggle.

"I—you—" His voice quivered as he spoke slowly. "I started feeling lonely when I realized that—I—that I don't have anyone that loves me like you guys do."

His look of confusion must've been obvious because Naruto smirked slightly before continuing. "I mean, everyone's got their parents, except you. You got all those other girls out there that love you. Me? What have I got? I have no one? And I wake up each night from dreams in which I kill everyone out of jealous rage. It seems so real too. It just feels like something I would do."

Sasuke released his grasp on the wrists and watched as the blond slump back on the couch. This wasn't like Naruto. He wouldn't do that. But he doesn't know it. But I do...I need to assure him he's not a monster. And he does have people who love him.

"Naruto, you're not like that." The blond looked up to object but Sasuke placed a hand over his mouth before he could. "You wouldn't kill others out of rage. You're not a monster. People do love you. You have a lot of friends, right?"

"Well—"

"They wouldn't be friends with you if they didn't love you, Naruto. What about Iruka? Isn't he a father to you?"

Naruto's eyes went downcast. "I know, but—it—I don't know." He stood up and walked to the window. "Despite knowing these things, I still feel abandoned at night. I feel like I'm the only one and no one else is there. I should be used to it, but I'm not. I don't feel this way on missions because I wake up to you and Kakashi. And Sakura too when we're camping outside."

Naruto turned back to Sasuke and pointed at him suddenly. "Wait a minute, you said friends wouldn't be friends with you if they didn't love you. Does that mean you like me?"

Nani?

"Well?"

"Well yeah I like you!"

Sasuke spluttered when Naruto started laughing. "You know, it sounds weird coming from you."

"What's that supposed to mean!"

Naruto gave a cheeky and knowing smile. "Nothing." He looked back to the clock. "Eh, it's getting late. I can fix up the couch if you want to stay, or if you want to take the bed, go ahead. Of if you want to head back to your place go on. But I'm gonna go to bed in a little bit."

"I'll stay." Sasuke stood up and stretched.

"Okay, pick one. Couch or bed."

"I'll take the bed." Sasuke smirked when he heard Naruto curse under his breath, calling him a bed thieving bastard.

"I'll get some blankets for the couch." Naruto walked past him only to get his arm grabbed by the Uchiha.

"Why do that when we can share the bed?"

"Nani!" Naruto's face reddened.

"You said you were sick of waking up alone. Let's see what happens if I'm there. And besides," Sasuke said off handedly. "It's not like we haven't shared a bed before."

Naruto got all shaky and fumbled with his words. Sasuke smirked.

"I'm so glad you see things my way, Naruto."

"Are you positive you still want to sleep in here with me?"

Sasuke pulled the blankets up to his chin and nodded. "I'm positive. Now shut off that light so we can get some shut eye."

Naruto turned off the bed lamp and settled in, turning to Sasuke. His breathing was still ragged, yet Sasuke didn't care. It would calm in a little bit, and then the two would be asleep.

"Sasuke?"

Then again, this could take a while.

"Hn?"

"Th-thanks." Despite the darkness, Sasuke could see a redness on the blonde's face. "For everything."

Sasuke smirked. And suddenly, he leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "No problem." When he looked back at the blonde's face, his eyes were wide and face redder than ever.

For the first time in what seemed forever, he slept soundly through the entire night. Not a single bad memory flooded his mind. Not a single bad image of blood and violence. Not a single sliver of hate or pain. He felt—secure. Wanted. He wasn't alone.

He woke early the next day, and had found himself tucked under Sasuke's chin and was wrapped in the Uchiha's arms. He wasn't complaining; it was comfortable. He closed his eyes and snuggled closer to Sasuke. Maybe he could sleep in this one morning...

"Come Lee! Let's set forth and congratulate Naruto!"

"Yes!"

"Oh my god!"

"I think I'm scarred for life."

"Congratula—Uh, sensei?"

"Congratulations! Not only did you have a record on ramen eating, but you have a boyfriend too!"

"Uh, uh, congratulations!"

"Oh my god!"

"Naruto, why didn't you lock the door?"

"Heh, sorry Sasuke."

-End-