I wasn't supposed to update this fast! I have another ongoing project, damnit! But, well, the scenes for this one kept on occupying my mind, begging to be written. And you guys know how hard it is to ignore a Drama once it started...!

This is the LONGEST chapter I've done so far. I wanted to put it into 2 sections: Part 1 and Part 2, but I know how it feels to read a Drama that is cut in the middle! I know I get cranky and my momentum is cut. So here goes.

Oh, by the way, thank you for the reviews. :)

Chapter 24:

Oryu rubbed his temples, too exhausted, too pissed to even say anything. He looked around, seeing the three members of Sasuke's group, his own teammates, along with the two Konoha Ninjas present Shikamaru and Kiba. None of them were moving, too concerned and too engrossed to the tension of their current situation.

A single torch illuminated the First Floor Underground where they were in. They were all hovering above the entrance of the Second Floor Basement that Kei had previously discovered. Different seals decorated two closed, heavy doors, each for different purpose. He had asked Yukari to help him create them .

His eyes scanned the people with him once more.

Suigetsu and Juugo were sitting across the floor a few meters away. The large sword was conveniently tucked between Sugietsu's arms, ready for battle if necessary. Juugo appeared to be sleeping, though his fingers were playing with the hem of his shirt – a telltale of nervousness. Karin was crouched opposite them, biting her fingernails.

Kiba was crouched with dog beside him and Shikamaru was standing, arms in his pocket and eyes closed, most probably trying to sleep.

The one nearest to him was Keisuke and Sho, the two of them sitting side by side without any words. Yukari was standing opposite him, her ruby eyes staring intently at a new plush that she got in the market. Feng was the bravest - or the most foolish one among them – seeing as she was sitting right on the embossed entrance.

Silver eyes caught sight of the numerous seals and he couldn't help but rub his temples again. There were eight seals on the doors; four for securing the doors remained closed while the other four was for concealing the chakra within.

Four each, Oryu thought. All strong.

Oryu couldn't believe it. For his and Yukari's powers combined, if they wanted to seal a human, two talismans were enough. One for the security and the other for concealing. But right now, they had created Eight. Eight!

And I can still feel his chakra leaking out. What kind of human is this?!

His day had started quite fine actually. Each went to their own business and he took that time for himself to wander around Konoha. He would have wanted to come home early, but his business – namely one Kakashi bugging him – dragged on for far too long. When he came home though, nothing could have prepared him to see the whole Uchiha compound and its vicinity enveloped with pure malice. And how big was the Uchiha compound?!

Shikamaru and Kiba were all roughed up and panting, trying to subdue Sasuke Uchiha who was trying to step out of their hiding.

Oryu had immediately sent signal to his fellow familiars, asking Shiro – their white fox – to go and fetch everyone wherever they were. His calls were immediately heed when not a moment later, Sho, Keisuke and Yukari came, along with Feng who was on the process of properly correcting her own Kimono.

Action ensued thereon to lock one raging Sasuke up. When Sasuke's team arrived, everything went confusing as they thought their leader was being ganged upon. He had to step out and explain in details about what was happening with Karin glaring at him all throughout.

After who knows how long, they had finally, finally, locked Sasuke to the Second Floor Basement. The very basement that they were currently guarding right after Yukari tended to each of their wounds.

"How long before Naru gets back?" Keisuke silently asked to no one in particular, though Oryu knew that he was the one who could only answer.

"Not long. Shiro probably got stuck into locating him, you know how good he is at hiding."

Sho growled. "This is why I told you: being with him," he jerked his thumb at the basement doors, "is not a wise thing to do! I knew he would screw up somewhere and endanger us all – especially Naruto!"

"For a guy you sure talk like a pussy." Karin immediately retaliated with a scowl of her own, having her pride poked.

"What did you say?" Sho hissed and turned his glare at her.

"And deaf too," she added. Sho was on the verge of throttling her when her head snapped up. "He's here," she announced having felt Naruto's chakra much better than the others due to her ability.

Everyone stood up from where they were sitting just as Naruto came barging in with eyes wide and searching.

Oryu held up his hand to silence the boy who, no doubt, was about to bombard them with questions. "Stop. Catch your breath and don't you dare flare your chakra too. We're having enough trouble with just him." Naruto's brows raised in almost disbelief. "I think it's better to hear the explanation from the guys who were here." Oryu cast a sideway glance to Shikamaru, who was the only one who did not move upon Naruto's arrival.

Kiba saw the glance and elbowed the lazy ninja beside him, not really that energized to complain about the leadership issue.

One lazy eye opened and Shikamaru sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Long story short," he started, "Sai babbled to Sasuke about what Sakura said. No, don't worry he didn't kill the guy, though he warned to kill Sakura. Anyway, Sasuke wanted to leave – probably to find you. We prevented him, which leads us here."

Naruto silently gasped, confusion written clearly in his face before asking, "What?"

The wooden entrance on the floor immediately rattled; the chakra inside leaked in almost double the amount compared to earlier. The pressure was so great that Akamaru hid behind Kiba and their torch almost went useless against the darkness that their prisoner was providing. Everyone went on guard, hands itching to grasp their very own weapons.

"Fuck," Kiba swore. "So he can hear us from the inside, huh."

"Oryu," Yukari quietly called out. "We have to strengthen the seals. It won't hold as it is."

"No, wait." Every eyes looked at Feng. They watched as she elegantly stood and walked towards Naruto with gleaming eyes. "You, go inside."

"What?!" Sho immediately took into a defending position. "No, no way. Are you fucking insane?!"

Feng rolled her eyes but paid no heed to the guy, her eyes steadily looking at her leader. "We know that you two have something going on. Someone would be blind to not notice your tension these past few days." Naruto gulped. "Obviously, whatever got his panties twisting in a knot has something to do with what happened. So you, you should take responsibility and go inside."

Naruto nervously laughed and scratched his cheeks, his eyes darting to the ground to avoid their stares. "Haha, what are you talking about?"

"No use denying it, Naruto," Kiba chimed in. "Everyone noticed it. Even I did the very moment I saw you."

"Stop," Sho growled out. "I won't let our leader take a risky path. Whatever Uchiha's problem is, he has to deal with it himself! Oryu, we should just leave these guys."

Oryu sighed. "Sho, do you really think that Naruto will leave?"

"The Lady is right though," Shikamaru said, for once turning serious eyes on Naruto. "You're the only one who can stop this, whatever the hell this is. You were a part of the problem in the first place, and you can't deny a confrontation forever."

"Well," Feng crossed her arms across her chest, "it's either you finish your problems and have this settled – whatever the outcome may be; or you can let his anger drag on for too long and have the rest of Konoha find out that he's here."

Naruto scowled. By the way they were talking, it seemed that he doesn't have that much option. It's either let Sasuke be found – and for sure get killed by the Konoha ninjas, or he will just have to suck up his fear and face his very own problems head on. But he didn't know what Sasuke's problem is, so how can he know how to settle things? He doesn't have anything prepared, hell, he doesn't even know what to do or say once he steps foot inside.

"You'll know once you go inside." Kyuubi urged him.

He looked at the rattling doors and sighed. "Well, I'm not so sure…"

"Damn, Naruto," Kiba whistled with a dry laugh. "What happened the past year that turned you into a wuss?"

Naruto glared.

"Look," Shikamaru sighed. "We don't know what his problems are, and we don't know what will happen once you meet him. But you're the only one who, no doubt, he would talk to."

Naruto remained silent.

"Yukari," Oryu called out, frustrated enough at what was happening. If their leader won't decide, then he will, as the second in command. "Strengthen the seals. Keisuke, Sho, pack our things."

"Wait!" Karin bellowed. "You're leaving Sasuke-kun?!"

"We can't blame them though." Juugo quietly mumbled and Suigetsu nodded in agreement.

Naruto's heart thudded and his breathing labored. Oryu wasn't kidding, that much he knew. And no matter how strong he is, he also knew that Oryu will find a way to force him into leaving with them. Leave… they're going to leave Sasuke? A hand unconsciously clutched at his aching chest. But he's got so little time left. If they leave right now, he might not be able to be with Sasuke again. Cold sweat broke through his body and Naruto didn't know what to do anymore.

Fuck this.

"I'll go inside."

Every movement and arguments halted.

"I…" He continued as if persuading himself. "I'll go inside. Yukari, Oryu, you can strengthen the seals once I'm in. Make sure no chakra leaks outside, I'm going to remove my limiter." As he said this, a gush of wind blew from his feet, his natural chakra limiters uplifting with the echo of rumbling chains. "You should also probably strengthen the barrier enveloping the whole compound."

"Wait, are you serious?!" Sho almost yelled but no one paid any attention to him.

"Let us know once you're ready and we'll lift the seals," Yukari instructed. "You can then enter. But do it fast."

Naruto nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

…

Everything was dark. No windows, no torches, nothing. The air was cold and damp, and there were little prickles touching Naruto's skin. Powerful as he was, he could still feel the heavy pressure of being in the same room as the raging Sasuke. He could feel it trying to squeeze his head off, trying to burden him into collapsing to the ground. There was also something in it that was trying to suffocate him. No doubt, if any other ninjas came here, they'd be knocked out in a matter of minutes.

He could hear a swish of twirling knife, probably from Sasuke's end. Now that he's here though, how again was he going to start their conversation? Sure he knew that the both of them were never really that great when it came to talking. If they wanted something across, especially in times of situations such as this, they would use their fist and have an all-out brawl. Well, that was when they were Genins. Sure, he had removed his chakra limiter that he had set before in thoughts that there really might be a fight between them. Thinking about it though, now that they're older, things are different. Now, if they resort to the all-out brawl, the village of Konoha would probably fall into rubbles.

To face the current situation though, how was he going to know what Sasuke's problem is? He had an idea, of course, based on what Shikamaru had informed him earlier. But surely, for Sasuke to be in this condition, there might be something more.

Or maybe he's just being the drama queen that he is.

One thing for sure, is that he'd know nothing if he stayed standing there looking at the darkness of the room.

"Sasuke…" He tentatively and silently called out, and he felt the chakra waver a bit. "Why are you doing this?"

A hollow laugh echoed across the room that sent Naruto into shivers. It made him remember how cold Sasuke was when they first met at Orochimaru's lair so many years before. "Naruto," He greeted back. "And here I thought you'd be avoiding me forever."

Naruto looked down on the floor. "I'm not really avoiding you or anything…"

The chakra shifted and wavered, like a jelly left to stand on its own.

It's probably a good thing, Naruto thought. It means I'm reaching him.

"I wanted to talk to you," Sasuke silently admitted. It was so honest that Naruto found himself pressing back against the wall.

"Heh, there's nothing really to talk about though – Ugh!" Naruto groaned, suddenly feeling Sasuke's weight against him, pushing him farther the wall that he was trying to merge with earlier.

"The fuck there isn't!" Hot breath caressed Naruto's face and he silently thanked the darkness for not being able to see Sasuke's face. "I heard from Sai." Naruto tensed. "He told me what Sakura told you. Now, tell me, what the fuck happened?! Why did you suddenly start avoiding me?"

Naruto struggled to get free, finally getting frustrated at not knowing anything – not even on what to answer. "Please, Sasuke. You're being over dramatic. You didn't have to be this angry over what Sakura said."

"And what about you?" Sasuke growled out. "You didn't have to avoid me over what that girl said to you now, did you?"

"As I said, I was not avoiding you! Come on, man, did you really think that we ought to be stuck together all the time? Two adult guys?"

The hold on Naruto's shirt slackened almost instantly, the chakra occupying the room following almost just as fast and Naruto almost regretted what he said. However, he had a goal in mind. He had to make Sasuke stop whatever this is he's doing, and maybe open his eyes to reality to avoid any situations like this in the future.

"What?" Sasuke whispered, shocked.

Naruto shut his eyes tight and willed his voice not to tremble, willed his body not to shake. "I know that we've been touchy-feely the past weeks, but, I mean, of course, we're best friends. Best friends do it all the time, Sakura and Ino does it all the time."

I'm so sorry for lying…

"And I wasn't avoiding you either. Sasuke, I was running everywhere, catching up with my friends. I'm sorry if you felt like that, but that wasn't really it."

Please forgive me for the lies…

"It might have looked like there was something going on with Sakura, but I assure you it was nothing but coincidence. I mean, you're my best friend!"

"Naruto," Sasuke interrupted, "do you hear what you're saying?"

Naruto shut his mouth closed when Sasuke's chakra flared again, his grips tightening its hold, almost choking him. But Naruto be damned if he couldn't feel the trembling of the hands that was holding him. And it breaks him to know that it was he who's doing this to Sasuke. "Of course I do," he whispered.

"Sai went to me," Sasuke started as he increased his chakra, flicking out his free hand, lightening up a fire in the Fire Chamber Naruto didn't know was there. Everything lightened up in an instant and Naruto saw how Sasuke scowled, how his eyes burned with such intensity that he was so sure he'd spill out everything all at once. "He told me what Sakura had told you. That she was angry, saying something that you had betrayed her by falling in love with me. Now tell me, was what Sai told me a lie?"

Naruto gulped down the sob that was threatening to spill out from his mouth, schooling his face to not give out anything. "Sasuke, it's true that was what she told me. But she was having a bad day. That was the time that you had rejected her to be your wife so I'm sure she was confused as hell."

"Then tell me," Sasuke almost pleaded. "Was the time we spent the past few months nothing but a lie?"

Naruto nervously laughed. "You're confusing me."

"Tell me honestly, Naruto. Look at me in the eyes and answer me." Cold, trembling hands reached out to Naruto's face, forcing him to look at Sasuke. "Did you think that I'm the type of person who lets other people get close to me for no reason at all?"

Naruto shook his head, trying in his might to struggle free from Sasuke's grasps. He could hear his heart thumping in his ears. No, he shouldn't let their conversation drag on. He should end everything here and now, he shouldn't venture on any longer or he has the feeling he knew where this was heading to. And he couldn't have that. He couldn't let Sasuke sink in the same ocean as him, he can't. "Sasuke, stop."

Sasuke never let go of Naruto though, he forced him to look into his eyes. "Tell me, did you think that I was the type of person who would embrace you just because?"

"Stop, Sasuke, please."

"Did you think… did you honestly think that I would have let you into the most private part of my life if you were nothing but a best friend?"

Naruto grasped Sasuke's hands holding him tightly and tried to break free, but it seems his power was leaving his body. If he was right, his tenant in his mind might have something to do with it. "Sasuke, let me go."

"No!" Sasuke suddenly screamed, his chakra flaring once again. "Look at me in the eyes, Naruto. Did you think I'm that sort of a fickle person?"

Naruto gasped when he was directly faced with Sasuke's never wavering gaze and he shut his eyes, letting out a shaking breath. "N-no…"

"Then you should know," Sasuke whispered.

"Stop, please!" But Sasuke tightened his grasp more.

"You should know, Naruto, that I fucking love you!"

Naruto recoiled in himself and he focused on breathing, his lungs not cooperating with him, and a lone line of tear fell across his cheeks.

"You knew, right?" Sasuke touched their foreheads together and closed his eyes. "You fucking knew that I fucking love you without meaning to. But you let me in your world, right? You let me embrace you, hold your hands, kiss your head, you let me do those things even after knowing that."

Naruto remained unmoving, eyes closed and trembling.

"Now tell me again," Sasuke opened his eyes and Naruto felt all the chakra disappear from the air. "Open your fucking eyes and tell me that what Sakura said was a lie."

Naruto sucked in a wavering breath.

"Open your fucking eyes and dare tell me that she was lying. Come on, tell me that you don't fucking love me too even after all of what has happened."

How could he? How could Naruto say that when Sasuke had phrased it that way? How can Naruto say that he doesn't love him back when he had let those touches, those embraces nudge the very depth of his soul? "Sasuke," He sobbed out, not really registering the tears freely falling down from his eyes. "Stop, please…"

"I love you."

"Don't…"

"I want to be with you."

Kyuubi looked out the window of Naruto's emotion and watched as the storm flooded where she was confined, thunder and lightning decorating the dark skies. She was at her limit into pressing down Naruto's chakra and she was afraid that it would lash out soon due to instability.

True to her hunches, Naruto's chakra started to build up and leak out, alerting Yukari and Oryu who was maintaining the seals from the outside.

"Sasuke, you can't… You can't feel that way…"

"You're a few years too late."

Naruto choked and sobbed, shaking his head violently and pushed Sasuke as hard as he could, sending the guy crashing back. Red chakra enveloped Naruto's body without his consent, his mind reeling a hundred thoughts all at once. "No, no, no…! You can't, Sasuke!"

Sasuke groaned, pushing himself off the wall he crashed against and dashed forward, putting all of what he learned in his training with Naruto on how to penetrate all of his fucking defenses. "Don't you fucking dare run away from the truth, Naruto!"

"No!" Red Orbs with cat-like slits glared at Sasuke and he froze, just in time when Naruto collided back to him, pressing him against the wall. "Don't you get it?! You can't feel that way!"

Just as Naruto said those words, Sasuke suddenly felt like being squeezed and flushed all at the same time. He closed his eyes as a wave of nausea attacked him just as when he felt something like Chidori crawling across his very own skin. He groaned and coughed, letting himself breathe and just fucking stay conscious! There was a pull from all directions, threatening to rip him to pieces like a frail little paper and he clutched to anything tighter.

Not a second later, all assault was gone with only the memory of the pain serving as a trace.

He wondered what happened and when he opened his eyes, several questions raised inside his head all at once.

"The fuck?" He groaned.

Am I in a Genjutsu?

He looked around and found dry trees surrounding him, leaves of different hues of brown and red covering the ground. The sky was so low, so red, so dark with lightning connecting the heavens and the earth.

"Do you get it now, Sasuke?" Naruto's growl echoed from everywhere, but he couldn't find the blonde. "You can't be with me!"

Sasuke glared.

"Did you ever wonder what would happen once the transformation is complete?" A whisper from behind him and Sasuke whirled, finding no Naruto behind him.

"Did you ever wonder what would happen once I become the new Kyuubi?" Naruto suddenly came crashing in front of him, crimson eyes glowing against the dark, tears flowing freely from his eyes, waiting for an answer.

Sasuke's world came halting in an instant and his mind blacked for a second before asking, "What?"

Naruto disappeared in a wisp of smoke and hollowed laughter eerily echoed across the desolate forest. "Kyuubi is not what people believe it to be, Sasuke. Things are much, much more than meet the eye." A flash behind the trees got Sasuke turning around, finding no one there.

"Kyuubi is not just chakra, Sasuke," Naruto whispered. "It is power."

A movement behind and Sasuke turned.

"Its history goes far, far beyond. To the very beginning of the worlds. There it was, power in itself, watching, always watching the world that was created beside it, but it could never touch them. Because they will break… So powerful it was that guards to serve and protect it were created. Five different guards…"

Sasuke's mind reeled a thousand miles per word, a shiver running across his skin as thunders and lightning boomed across the heavens. Five? He counted how many familiars Naruto had and a chill ran in his back.

"But a few hundred years ago, a chance presented itself when the Bijuus were made," Naruto laughed. "It cloaked itself in illusions and hid in itself, deceiving its Guardians before diving down the earth."

"What are you saying…?" Sasuke unconsciously whispered.

Another echoing laugh. "It's not just a Bijuu, Sasuke. Kyuubi doesn't belong in this world… It's an eternal being…"

Sasuke feared that his perfect mask that he was trying to maintain for a while now was about to break.

"Now I'll ask you again, Sasuke," Naruto whispered from behind. "What do you think will happen once the transformation is complete?"

Sasuke didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think whatever Naruto was insinuating from his tale. Because no matter what kind of thinking he does, based on all of the things that Naruto was saying no matter if it really was true or not, though he had a sinking feeling that he was saying the truth – no matter what, he could only think of a few things and all were not something he was too keen on thinking.

Every thought halted at once when Naruto walked in front of him, blue eyes shining with unshed tears and a small smile playing in his lips; and Sasuke's heart clenched against his chest. He unconsciously shook his head and made a step back, but Naruto was once again in front of his face in an instant. His trembling hands reached and cupped pale face and Sasuke's breath hitched. "My body will vanish…"

"No…"

"My body will dissolve into nothingness," Naruto continued, not minding the onslaught of flowing tears, "and I will forever remain an eternal being."

"Naruto…"

Naruto shook his head. "I won't be able to be with you, Sasuke…"

Sasuke steeled his mind and grabbed Naruto's hand, whirling them both until Naruto was against a tree. "Stop, just… stop."

Few more tears fell from shining blue eyes. "Do you get it now? You can't feel that way for me… You'll only get hurt."

Sasuke enveloped his hands around Naruto and hid his face into the crook of his dobe's neck, inhaling the familiar scent he had come to love. "You don't know that Naruto. We can find a way to be together. You can always come to me, right? With a faux body!"

Naruto looked apprehensively at Sasuke before silently asking, "You would do that to me?"

Sasuke frowned in confusion.

"I will see you once in a while with a faux body, touch you, kiss you…" Trembling hands traced Sasuke's lips. "And then, after a while, I will have to leave again… Then I would be watching you from the sidelines, watch you struggle alone, watch you be consumed by loneliness. And then I could come again when you're twenty. Do it all over again until you're thirty and craving for a companion – companionship that I could only offer temporarily for a day or so before I'll have to leave you again. And I know, we both know that it wouldn't be enough…

Not long I will just have to watch you look for someone who can be with you, someone to build your own family with, to raise your kids… Then I wouldn't come anymore because I knew you would have already found your happiness. And meanwhile I will be hurting while I watch you. Curse the fact that I couldn't be with you. Dream of what could've been and cry some more. Really? Sasuke, you would do that to me…?" Naruto couldn't stop a bitter smile from showing.

Sasuke, on his part, suddenly realized what he was saying and shook his head, banishing the idea. "Kyuubi has the power, the knowledge. We'll ask Oryu on how we can do it together."

"You don't get it, Sasuke. The transformation will stop at nothing!"

"Then I'll be the one to chase you!"

Naruto frowned.

"You've been chasing me all these years, let me be the one to chase you now."

Naruto shook his head, not liking what Sasuke was implying. "No, no. Sasuke, you aren't possibly thinking of spending eternity with me, are you?"

Sasuke gave his all familiar trade mark of a smirk. "And what if I am?"

"Are you insane?!" Naruto tried to push Sasuke away, but the guy wouldn't let that happen now. They had been fighting for a while now and he won't be apart from Naruto again. He just wanted to be with him right now. "You can't do that! What about your dreams?!"

"What dreams?"

Naruto immediately settled down and looked up into dark eyes, trying to convey all of his thoughts into one simple sentence. "I can't give you happiness, Sasuke."

"You've been giving me that though."

"But eternity!" Naruto exclaimed. "You probably feel that way now, but when the time passes, you'll soon realize that you would want a family of your own. I can't give you that, Sasuke! I'm a guy!"

Sasuke frowned and gently bumped his head against Naruto's.

So that was what he's been thinking.

"Naruto," He sighed, his patience wearing thin by the minute. "You should know by now that I'm not planning on creating a family. I rejected Sakura, what makes you think I'd welcome any other woman that I don't know of?"

"You're just saying that now… But when you get old, you'll realize you want it anyway. And you'll be leaving me."

Sasuke took deep even breaths to calm himself down.

No way into it, huh…

He took a step back and released Naruto from his hold, stunning the blonde and leaving him in his own thoughts. Sasuke steeled his face and fixed his blank stare, the very face the he was used to wearing while facing the world. Something that he hadn't shown to Naruto.

Naruto, on the other hand, went speechless when Sasuke shot him an indifferent look, all defenses up without a door. His mind thudded and broke a bit more, not used into being the receiving end of such coldness.

"You should just fucking tell me if you don't want to be with me," Sasuke monotonously said. "You should tell me clearly, so I won't bother you again."

Naruto shook his head, another batch of tears pouring down, his breathing coming in shallow gasps. It's not like that…

Silence ensued for a few moments, with Naruto heaving and staring, shaking like a fucking leaf; and Sasuke just waiting.

When Naruto didn't answer, Sasuke gave a sigh and a bitter smile. "So it's like that, huh… I see…" He turned around and started walking away. "Let me go back. I'll gather my team and leave. I can assure you I won't be bothering you again." And then he walked away.

Naruto stood at that exact same place, trembling, sobbing, watching as Sasuke retreated. He couldn't believe that the last image of Sasuke that he will see was something like this – his retreating back. He watched as he walked away, shoulders stiff and square, as cold as ever. Did he ever look so far away like this before? Did he ever look so… so alone before? He watched, his eyes engraining every detail in his memory.

Will this really be the last moment I'll ever see you?

Eternity. That's a never ending time. A long, long time without Sasuke by his side. Time that he's sure he will live alone, because he's fucking sure that he'd never love like how he loves Sasuke right now.

He choked and sobbed.

Can he really do it? Can he really live like that?

"Sasuke…" He brokenly whispered. He tried to call out again, but it only came out as another rasp whisper. "I… I want to be with you…"

He hoped that Sasuke heard, and at the same time, he hoped that Sasuke didn't. Because after all of these dramas, the truth is, he still won't be able to give Sasuke the happiness that he deserves. But yes, fuck yes, he wants to be with Sasuke. Can he afford to be selfish though?

But Sasuke didn't stop walking, and Naruto just sobbed more. He brought both his hands to cover his mouth, suppressing whatever pathetic sound that might escape. His knees trembled and he slid down the ground like a fucking ragdoll, hot tears blurring his sight, so he shut his eyes. He swallowed the hiccups forming, he suppressed the trembling.

It can't be helped, he told himself over and over. It can't be helped… This is just the way things should be… It can't be helped.

But it wasn't enough to appease his broken heart. So he quietly cried some more, weeping in his own foolish thinking about things that could have been and things that were never meant.

"For fuck's sake," Naruto snapped his eyes wide open and he tensed when warm arms enveloped him once more. "You should just fucking tell me honestly." The voice he had come to love whispered in his ears.

Naruto didn't know what he was feeling that very moment. He felt like a volcano wanting to erupt, getting full of so many emotions at once: fear, relief, more importantly joy. He wanted to laugh at his very own silliness, he wanted to thwack Sasuke a good one in the head for scaring him. He wanted to say it's not too late yet, and Sasuke can still walk out, that he won't force him into staying. He wanted to melt into those arms and then maybe die to escape all of the pain.

But his mind was too foggy to do even one thing much less all of it, his heart too unstable to be posing the tough guy that everyone viewed him as. So he just cried some more. A pathetic deed for a ninja, but who cares though?

Trembling hands reached to clutch Sasuke's Kinagashi and a sob escaped Naruto's throat.

"I thought I'll never see you again."

Sasuke pulled back and wiped hot tears using his thumbs, kissing puffy red eyes tenderly. But tears continued to fall like a waterworks.

"Sasuke," Naruto choked out, "I want to be with you…"

Sasuke kissed his dobe's forehead before bumping his own against it. "I know."

Dark eyes searched the depths of those blue eyes, waiting for any sort of protest but there was none, so he bent down a little bit more and tentatively touched his lips against Naruto's trembling one. Something exploded inside him when he felt the first touch of their lips and he was left wondering why he was still alive. He wanted to do more, feel more, but he pulled back after that chaste kiss and looked at his dobe.

Naruto on the other hand, felt another wave of raw emotions ravage his insides once Sasuke's lips touched his own. He felt like a drunk, he felt as if something was pulling him in so he didn't resist and let himself be pulled. For the second time, their lips met, a little more passionate than the last. They parted, and kissed again, and again…

"Sas…"

When a hot, wet tongue swiped his lips, Naruto dazedly stared before opening his mouth, pulling at Sasuke's neck to get a little bit closer. He didn't even know when he had moved his hands to cling to Sasuke's neck with his hands fisted on dark locks. They kissed again, and a tear rolled down Naruto's cheek, this time for being so overwhelmed.

Sasuke had settled Naruto on his lap unconsciously, and when they pulled apart, he dived in to his dobe's neck, licking and sucking until a bright red mark glared back at him. He did it again, and again, until a groan escaped from Naruto's lips.

He pulled back and watched how disheveled and dazed the blonde got for so little, and something in his heart erupted again upon the sight. Somewhere at the back of his mind though, he knew he looked just as bad. He could feel his control slipping by the moment, something that he would like to indulge himself in. But he treasures Naruto so much to let the beast in him roar so he settled on calling the blonde's name full of whatever emotions he couldn't convey. "Naruto…"

Naruto saw the conflict and he smiled, caressing Sasuke's cheeks in so much care that got them both gasping for breath. "Sasuke, don't leave me…"

Sasuke gave him a deep kiss before answering without hesitation, "Never." After all, he's the one person who was hell bent on revenge almost all his life, even up to now. He knew himself well and he knew that once he sets his eyes on something, he'd never stop at anything to be there, touch it, and claim it.

"Sasuke," Naruto called out again, his eyes watching in adoration. "Love me…"

They stared at each other for a long time, before letting gravity pull them together once again.

…

Naruto gasped when he felt hot mouth suck on his nipples and he grabbed on his shirt that he was lying against. His other hand covered his mouth, embarrassed that a sound had come out. He closed his eyes shut and let himself feel as Sasuke's inexperienced hands roamed about his nakedness. Sasuke touched his sides, his thighs, trying to feel everything he could, before he went up again to gently kiss him.

Hands roamed down his belly and Naruto felt something sink inside his gut before that very same hand roamed lower, and lower.

"Hah…" He gasped, his back arching, his legs automatically trying to cover that important part. He couldn't close them though, as Sasuke was straddling one of them. He almost thrashed when Sasuke's hand started rubbing, squeezing just a bit that sent him into a quivering goo.

Sasuke went down, leaving kisses along the trails before looking at his dobe's arousal. In truth, he really wasn't sure what to do. He had never done something like this nor was he ever interested. Still, he remembered seeing Orochimaru in the training area of a forest near their hideout before with two very young boys. It wasn't deliberate that he saw what they were doing. He was training for goodness' sake! And he was about to go back to his quarters when he stumbled upon that scene. It was a very quick peek before he stomped to another direction, but Sasuke, with his sharingan still activated from practice, saw what the Snake was doing with his tongue to one of the boys while the other boy rode him. From the look of the two young boys, they looked about ready to explode and Sasuke didn't know if they would die from pleasure overload.

He angrily shook his head to dismiss the memory while retaining the knowledge on what he should be doing.

He looked at the trembling pink organ oozing with pre-cum (at least he knew that much), and to his eyes, it looked adorable. His head slowly dived down and he temporarily let his tongue out and let it touch the tip. Naruto shivered very obviously and Sasuke knew he was doing it right. Without waiting for another moment, Sasuke helped himself and devoured the thing that got Naruto screaming.

"Sasu.. ke!" Naruto forgot to cover his mouth, forgot to restrain his voice, too engrossed in the sensation that Sasuke was making him feel. He heaved, his hands reaching to dark locks that was bobbing up and down, his body shaking in his attempt to not shove in Sasuke's mouth. "St-stop! That's… dirty!"

A chuckle escaped Sasuke's mouth and Naruto reeled at the vibration. He never felt something like this, never even done this even once. He only knew of sexual exploits through Jiraiya's adventures that he almost always accidentally stumbled upon. He could feel heat quickly building in his lower part and a little bit more will for sure make him burst. "Sasuke! St…op, I… I need to…"

Sasuke waited for the eruption he knew was coming and not a moment later, white seeds freely flowed out and filled his mouth.

Naruto felt so relieved after that, and he gasped for breath. Half-lidded eyes looked at his dark Teme just in time to see him reaching down between his legs with his soiled and wet hand. "Wha… what are you doing?"

Sasuke looked up to Naruto, not really sure if he was doing it right. But the boy in his memory from his encounter looked like he was enjoying it so Sasuke could only hope that Naruto would too. "I'm not experienced," he admitted with indifference although he was panicking inside, "and I'm not that knowledgeable, but I'm pretty sure this is where I'm going to love you."

Naruto twitched when he felt a sudden intrusion in his backside. He hurriedly grasped at Sasuke's naked arms to try to stop his hands from reaching further. "No, that's… you can't touch that."

"Why?"

Naruto glared. "Teme, that's dirty too."

Sasuke laughed and kissed Naruto's cheek before settling his weight on one of his arms so as not to burden Naruto. "Dobe… Do you want to stop?"

The blonde instantly lit up like a red bulb, shyly shaking his head. Although his embarrassment was all forgotten when the Sasuke's finger moved. It probed and searched, Naruto could clearly feel it and he wasn't sure if they were really doing it right. He winced when a second finger entered him.

Sasuke saw the discomfort so he changed his position making Naruto's back press against his chest, both of them lying on their side. He reached his free hand to the front and rubbed Naruto's member again, his mouth littering angry red marks across the dobe's shoulders – all to distract him from feeling the pain. He stretched Naruto's entrance to make enough space to accommodate something much bigger. There was something weird at the end of his fingertips though so he reached for it.

"Hah!" Naruto screamed, his body trembling so much that Sasuke thought he had done something wrong.

"Naruto? Did it hurt?" Sasuke got concerned when a few tears escaped from his dobe's eyes.

"Sasukee…" Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arms tighter to keep it from moving when he felt Sasuke about to move away. "It… It felt good…"

Dark brows rose at the admission and he tentatively reached for that bundle again. "Uh! Hah!" Naruto gasped some more, his mind losing in the pleasure, so Sasuke touched it again and again. But that wasn't what they wanted to do so Sasuke removed his hands, almost laughing at the obvious whine that Naruto let out.

He moved to place himself in between Naruto's legs and snaked one of his arm around Naruto's shoulders before kissing his dobe fully on the lips. His other arm aligned his member to Naruto's entrance and he slowly pushed. Naruto immediately pulled back, pain obvious in his eyes, a few tears leaking out. "Sas… it hurts."

"Ssh, I'm sorry, please bear with it for a moment." He reached out his hand to rub Naruto's member, making sure the boy was lost in pleasure before continuing to push in.

"Unn.."

Sasuke silently gasped, willing his own body not to fucking move lest he hurts his dobe. But, oh, fuck, it felt good. Naruto was squeezing him in all the right places that he just didn't know if he could take it much longer.

"Teme," Naruto whispered with a smile. "You can move…"

So he did, slowly, his hand never failing to rub too. And Naruto groaned and huffed and arched in time with him. Sasuke angled his hips, searching for that one place that made Naruto scream.

"Ah! Huh!" Scream Naruto did and Sasuke knew he found it. So he thrust, in and out, aiming exactly to that bundle of nerves that got his dobe screaming. "Sah… Sasuke!"

Naruto screamed his name brokenly, again, and again, in tune with his movements; and Sasuke thought he'd never heard his name sound so good before. They never really lasted that much longer before both of them released without constraints; Sasuke collapsing on top of Naruto's waiting arms.

They focused on breathing, as if newborns learning how to breathe again. And then Naruto laughed. Sasuke raised a brow, pulling his member out of his dobe, making both of them groan at the sensation. Naruto tiredly looked up before snatching a quick peck on Sasuke's unsuspecting lips. Sasuke laughed at that, stunning Naruto into a new degree before scooping his blonde idiot of a dobe closer to him and kissing Naruto's forehead.

"You never did answer where we are," Sasuke rasped out, his voice husky even though he wasn't as vocal as his lover was.

"Hmm," Naruto hid his face at the crook of Sasuke's neck, slightly shivering when cold hands started to play with his hair. "You remember the sealed room in the cabins? Well, this is where we went – another plane. You'll see the exact same house not far from here."

Sasuke pondered for a moment before giving his signature "Hn."

No words were said anymore. They didn't even know if there really was a way for them to be together even with the vast knowledge of Kyuubi and abnormal intelligence of Oryu. But now that they were here, finally together, they would stop at nothing just to keep it that way. Immortality be damned.

Okay, this is Drama. And with your relationship on the verge of collapsing, anyone would be inclined to Drama. Especially if the other person you're on the verge of losing is as important as they should be.

I'm also not too sure about the steamy part of this chapter. I tried to make it as simple as possible and as in accordance to my imagination. But here's my explanation...

I decided Sasuke doesn't have any sexual experience here. In my opinion, Sasuke is the type of person just as how he described himself to be: doesn't really like anything but has too many dislikes. And with a type like that, it's very easy to see how he devotes (more like obsess) into one thing that he finds he does like. And I think, with the way he was hell-bent in one goal of killing his brother, there was no other space in his head that would even spare a glance into anything else, much less sexual things. That is, before I decided to create this fanfic and made him stumble upon Naruto again. LOL.

As for Naruto, I could actually see him melting in Sasuke's arms. I can easily see him drown in a pool of pleasure and shivers. I mean, sure he's a prankster and created the sexy-jutsu, but he didn't even know why his sexy-jutsu was so effective. So yeah, I see him as the adorable uke (no offense to those opposed because there are also other times that I like it when Sasuke is the neko ^^). And of course he would appear to be innocent here. Naruto never had sex before! Of course he would be surprised at every little thing.

And since both of them doesn't have any s-exp, how could they have a steamy, hot, and long sex? It's just as they were saying, "practice makes perfect", right?

Hahaha! I don't know. Whatever.

By the by, the next update for sure won't be posted fast. It's the start of another drama. xD