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Parallels	By : Lazuli Category: Naruto > General Views: 1208 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 10
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- 12
Chapter 11
Naruto released a mental sigh of relief when Sasuke didn't immediately punch him. He nudged Sasuke's pliant lips a little with his own. It wasn�t passionate, or deep, or anything like the other Sasuke had taught him...but it was fulfilling and wholly meaningful because this was his Sasuke. His Sasuke who was just as lost as Naruto was about how to handle their twisted relationship.
He pulled back, biting his lip uncertainly. Sasuke was staring at him, an endearing blush staining his cheeks. Then an expression of such intensity flew across his features that for one terrifying moment, Naruto thought Sasuke really would punch him. Instead, he grasped Naruto's shoulders and pulled him back against him, lips pressing firmly onto Naruto's again. A moist tongue swiped across his bottom lip before he was thrust away yet again to stare into Sasuke's now smirking face.
Naruto, reeling from the feel of Sasuke�s tongue on his mouth, gaped at the unexpected action. "Just... what the hell was that?" he asked, unable to help the grin spreading on his face as he recovered himself. "Man, Sasuke, you'd think that with everyone throwing themselves at you, you'd be better at kissing than that!"
Sasuke, looking affronted, turned away and continued walking, Naruto falling into stride beside him again.
"I haven't exactly had the chance to practice as much as you," Sasuke quipped, earning a dark flush from Naruto.
"I bet in the other world, I was the one who taught you to kiss, too," Naruto said with a smirk. "Guess we know who the dominant one is." At Sasuke's outraged look and the sudden clenched fist at his side, Naruto walked a little faster, not wanting to get the well-deserved punch for that remark.
When Sasuke continued to glare ahead, Naruto rolled his eyes. He contemplated reaching for Sasuke's hand...and then thought better of it. Sasuke would probably be less than agreeable and Naruto wanted to keep all his fingers. Kiss or not, it was best not to push Sasuke. As much as Naruto yearned for Sasuke�s touch, this small step they had taken towards something more was more than enough for now. And besides Naruto�s wants, Sasuke was still rather averse to touching.
He sometimes wished that Sasuke'd get over his brother complex sooner so that Naruto wouldn't feel so guilty or hesitant about wanting to try to comfort the bastard every once in a while.
"So...have you guys learned anything new since dinner?" Naruto asked, perfectly content to move the topic onto safer ground now that they had crossed the first bridge into becoming closer.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Well, we know the connection is with that stupid jutsu you let yourself get hit with." He shook his head.
Naruto gave him a disgusted look. "Thank you, Captain Obvious," he remarked. "That one we figured out almost at the start."
"Yes, Naruto, let me finish," he said with an annoyed look. "If the jutsu is what started all this, it would make sense that a repeat of the justu might set it all right again."
Naruto looked at him askance. "That would make sense except...well, what if it just sends me into a whole new world completely?" He seemed to be seriously considering it, then gave Sasuke an intense look. "You know, you're always there when I switch... our other selves are always doing something similar..." He poked at Sasuke. "I bet you could act as an anchor for the jutsu."
Sasuke gave him a quick once-over, considering his words, before staring ahead again.
"Maybe if you were the one to perform the jutsu on me, it'd keep me from flying off to God knows where else."
"Do you even remember the jutsu?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto's face fell. "Well, not entirely, but I'm sure it'll come to me," he said with more confidence than he felt. "In any case, we should assign a time and place to do it so it happens at the same time."
�When do you propose?�
�I think I�d like a couple days to spend with my father before we fix things...if that�s okay?� he asked, turning away so Sasuke wouldn�t see his embarrassment.
Sasuke didn�t reply to the question; he was more than willing to give Naruto more time with his father. He hadn't quite allowed himself to think about what Naruto must be feeling, given the opportunity he had to spend time with a father he had never known, but it was something that Sasuke was conscious of. If Sasuke had the chance�He shook his head free of the route his thoughts were taking.
"So, you're not as dumb as you pretend to be," he said. "You actually have good ideas every once in awhile."
Naruto glared at him and continued. "And my other self and I have to make sure Kyuubi is going to cooperate with this whole thing as well. If I'm a little green from the transitions, he must really be a mess."
Sasuke pictured a motion-sick kyuubi and almost smiled. "How do you plan to do that?"
"Well, I don't think it'll be too difficult, really. I mean, every time I switch I feel a little nauseous but none of my chakra is being used so the chakra for the transitions have to come from somewhere."
Sasuke realized what Naruto was saying and marveled that the blond had managed to make sense for more than two sentences. He arched an eyebrow and smirked inwardly.
"I can feel kyuubi getting restless whenever the transition occurs and my guess is that the chakra is being taken, maybe even forcibly, from it. Kyuubi will be more than happy to fix things."
They had arrived at Sasuke's apartment by this point and Naruto paused at his side as he released the various jutsu he kept around his home to keep it secured.
"What about you?" Sasuke asked bluntly, and tried to be a little nicer with his next words. "You won't have...your father." The word father used in conjunction with either of them left a strange feel in Sasuke's mouth.
Sasuke finished with the jutsu and unlocked his door, pushing it wide and nudging Naruto ahead before following and closing the door behind them.
Naruto looked down at his feet as he toed off his shoes and made an honest search of himself for the answer. "I will miss him," he said quietly. "But even so...it'll be ok." He turned to Sasuke. "This is where I belong and...you're here."
Sasuke smirked at Naruto as he reset a couple of the security jutsus around his apartment. He hoped Naruto wasn't expecting a similar admission. Acknowledged emotions aside, they were still ninjas. He hoped he wouldn't have to break Naruto's pretty (he winced; did he really just think that?) nose to impress that fact.
And as if the blond read his mind, Naruto continued the train of thought. "And I hope you don't think I�m expecting anything." He tried to sound self-assured. �Although, you know, I�m glad that we�re... � He shut his mouth before he said anything incriminating. He didn�t want Sasuke knowing yet that he�d been in love with the man for years.
�Took you long enough to figure it out,� Sasuke remarked lightly, leaving his shoes neatly beside Naruto�s.
Naruto touched his shoulder before he could head off into the sitting room. �Well, why didn�t you ever do anything before now?�
�Because I wasn�t certain of how you felt until now. And now that I know, there will be no more hesitation. We�re ninjas. We have to move with deliberation.�
And to emphasize his point, he pulled an abruptly disoriented Naruto against him and pressed his mouth to the blond�s, that pink tongue flicking out to moisten Naruto�s bottom lip again before pulling away and smirking into Naruto�s dazed expression. �Deliberate then act,� he said before turning away.
Naruto, blinking away the residual haze, followed Sasuke into the sitting room. Feeling the need to reassert himself, he said, "You�re right. We�re ninjas and we have more important things now to worry about than your ... attempts at kissing."
Sasuke gave him a scathing glare before he disappeared briefly into the kitchen. "Maybe I need to go practice with someone else so you won't be offended by my lack of experience."
Naruto winced, hoping he was only joking.
"I'm warming up some tea. You want some?" Sasuke called.
"Sure," Naruto said, dropping into the sofa of the sitting room.
Sasuke emerged from the kitchen before disappearing again down the hall.
Naruto crossed his legs over the plush cushions of Sasuke's furniture and smiled into his lap. He never expected things to turn out quite this way. Even with all the reassurances of the other Sasuke... it wasn't the same� it was better.
"I'm surprised you haven't had more experience," he called out. "With everyone throwing themselves at you." He paused and reconsidered. "Well, when you were younger, at least." It was strange that he could even forget the cold stares that Sasuke received more often than not now. Sasuke�s betrayal was always there, lurking at the back of his mind--even if Naruto had forgiven him years ago--and in the eyes of the villagers who looked at the Uchiha.. But at moments like this...with Sasuke as agreeable as he could ever get, it was especially easy to ignore.
As for Sasuke�s previous fame at being the last Uchiha in the village, his fan base has died off considerably at the initial betrayal.
But still, he couldn't help but tease Sasuke. Even if the Uchiha did kick his ass for it, he at least knew now how the man felt. "I'm sure you'll still have plenty of takers." He kept his tone light and joking--not letting Sasuke know how much the idea actually bothered him.
Sasuke didn't respond and he stood to see what the Uchiha was doing. He entered the hall just as Sasuke stepped out of his room sans a shirt. Naruto had seen Sasuke shirtless so many times he couldn't count them all, but this time, the sight of that pale expanse of chest made him pause.
"Um..." he said, frantically searching for what he'd been about to say.
"I'm not interested in any of those takers," he said simply. "The tea's on the kitchen table; help yourself. I'm going to take a shower. Try to remember what that jutsu was so I can reproduce it."
Naruto rolled his eyes once Sasuke's back was turned, but was distinctly aware of the warmth in his chest at hearing that Sasuke wasn't interested in anyone else. Is he really interested in you, Uzumaki? he questioned himself as he wandered into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of tea. It's not like he confessed his undying love to you. You're the one who did everything...but he did say that he came back for you. Naruto smiled at the memory of Sasuke�s confession. But if that�s true, why did it take so long for him to...
Naruto shook his head and almost laughed at himself. You're acting like an insecure little girl, Naruto, he thought and forced himself to snap out of it. Sasuke was Sasuke, and he wouldn't have him any other way.
He took a sip from his tea and set it on the side table next to the sofa as he resettled himself into the cushions.
Now, he thought .. .about that jutsu. He closed his eyes and thought back to the day of the attack. Just then the shower came on and he frowned as he was distracted by thoughts of a naked, dripping wet Sasuke.
He closed his eyes and blocked his ears--and even though he was sure he resembled a child having some weird tantrum, he couldn't stand the sound of the shower and the ... Humming... ?! Uchiha Sasuke was humming? He�d never heard Sasuke hum before�he hadn�t even known the man was capable of something so... normal.
Ruthlessly stomping down on the all too vivid image, he reminded himself that he was a ninja and needed to concentrate.
His breathing deepened as he managed to relax enough for his mind to clear and slip into the meditative state that Ero-Sennin had taught him those many years ago. All he had to do was empty his mind and let the memories of that time resurface. Ero-sennin had made a rather rude comment about how easy this would be for the blond seeing as Naruto had very little to empty from his mind.
His hands slid back to his sides as he saw in his mind's eye the haggard face of their attacker. His eyes had a sort of haunted look and his face was shadowed by day old stubble. Naruto watched as he formed the seals: horse...ram...tiger...and dragon.
Naruto could almost feel himself pushing off the ground where he had fallen to leap towards Shikamaru who was fighting off another attacker and was unaware that he was being targeted. He watched the man as his mouth opened to speak the words of the jutsu.
The words which he had been uncertain of were clear in his mind now, and he groaned as he came out of the trance.
"Dobe, when I told you to think about the jutsu, I didn't give you permission to start fantasizing about me. No groaning alone on my couch."
Naruto's gaze snapped up to meet Sasuke's amused expression. "I wasn't...ugh, never mind. I remembered the jutsu."
Sasuke lifted a dark eyebrow. "Good. Tell it to me while I get some tea."
"Well," Naruto began, head swimming with the image of Sasuke clad in loose pants, unbuttoned shirt, and hair still damp from his shower. "Um...right, it was horse, ram, tiger, dragon...and then he said 'nemuri no jutsu'. It was a sleeping jutsu," Naruto said with something bordering on bewilderment. "I think he meant to knock Shikamaru unconscious, sort of like Gaara's forced sleep. But his poor attempt botched it up."
Sasuke had returned from the kitchen with his cup and sat down beside the blond, listening attentively. Naruto might actually be on to something.
"Instead of knocking me unconscious, I think it just attacked my consciousness... and in turn, it must have attacked kyuubi's too." He tried to consider that, the whole dynamics of it, but thinking had never been his strong point. "It's like whatever it did took all of me that's on the inside�my soul, my mind, whatever�and shoved it into another container."
Sasuke pondered that for all of half a second before smacking Naruto upside the head.
"You got in the way for a sleep jutsu?" he asked incredulously. "Fuck, Naruto--"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Then it wouldn't have been so bad if it just hit me, right?" he asked. "I can't imagine what it would have done to Shikamaru. Probably killed him." His expression turned sober for a moment.
Sasuke sighed and rested a hand briefly on Naruto's shoulder. "We'll fix it."
"I hope so," he murmured, giving Sasuke a grateful look for the sympathy. A sympathetic Sasuke was so hard to come by, he thought with a pang. "Anyway, kyuubi must have tried to retaliate when it felt it was being attacked personally and that burst of angry chakra...must have caused the majority of the damage. So...if we repeat the jutsu, I'm sure kyuubi will do the same and hopefully--" he smiled at Sasuke's somber expression "--things will be back to normal."
Sasuke gave him a sardonic look. "As normal as things are with you," he said dryly. "Why don't you go get a shower and relax as well? I'm sure there won't be any switching before the night is up." Here he paused and Naruto could have sworn there was a light blush on his face.
Naruto grinned at that, knowing full well what Sasuke wouldn't complete out loud. "Yeah, I agree." His smile turned wistful. "Although the Yondaime... my father... promised to train with me tomorrow."
Sasuke sipped his tea and nodded. "Sounds interesting. You can tell me about it when we fix things." His words sounded a little strained, as if he wasn't sure how to reply. Being nice or giving comfort wasn�t something he had much practice in.
Naruto nodded and stood. He watched Sasuke�s dark head for a moment, until Sasuke looked up questioningly.
�What?�
Naruto sat back down and before Sasuke could react, he was being pressed against Naruto again, mouths meshed. It was Naruto�s tongue this time that swiped at Sasuke�s bottom lip before he pushed away. �Deliberate and act, right?� Naruto asked, a smug smile on his lips as Sasuke stared at him rather bemusedly. He stood up again. "Write the jutsu down as well as the appointment: in two days at noon in the hokage's office." He winked at Sasuke (who rolled his eyes) and turned away, heading for the bathroom.
It was halfway into his shower when he nearly slipped and brained himself on the shower door. Taking a moment to reorient himself, he realized that the switch had occurred. My life sucks, he thought. Of all the times the transition had to happen...
At least, he thought with a chuckle, he hadn�t switched back to find the other Sasuke in the shower with him. Now that he'd kissed his Sasuke--inexperienced cold bastard though he was--Naruto suddenly felt worlds guiltier about what he'd done with this Sasuke.
He wrapped a towel around himself and grabbed his pile of clothing, having forgotten to ask Sasuke to borrow a pair of shorts to sleep in.
At least he had training with the Yondaime to look forward to, and a good explanation of what they could do to rectify this problem. Despite all the reassuring words and kind gestures, Naruto knew--somehow--that everyone would be much happier to have the Naruto's in their respective places.
He hadn't been lying when he said he would miss his father... but at least now he knew who his father was and the kind of person the Yondaime had been. He knew that when the time came, it would be difficult to say good-bye, but...that was the way things were meant to be.
He sighed and swiped at the fog on the mirror, looking at his reflection, searching for himself in those wide blue eyes.
With another sigh, he finished drying himself off and prepared to tell his father and Sasuke that they'd soon have 'their' Naruto back for good--And to make sure my father remembers I'm going to show him my skills tomorrow. He wanted to make the Yondaime proud.
He opened the door and took a breath, peering down the hallway of Sasuke's house to try and catch a glimpse of his dark-haired friend. "Sasuke?" he called out.
"In here," came that familiar voice from the living room.
Reassured that he wouldn't find Sasuke naked in the bedroom, he darted into Sasuke's room�towel wrapped securely around his waist�and quickly set to looking for a pair of shorts. Then dressed in only Sasuke's black shorts, he returned to the living room, prepared to let the man know that he wasn't himself again.
"You switched." Sasuke's matter of fact voice threw him off guard, and he stared with slightly narrowed eyes.
"How do you know?" he demanded. "How can you tell I'm not the same Naruto as before? I don't look any different, do I?"
"There are differences." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "The look your eyes get, for one."
"What look is that?" Naruto demanded, spreading out on the opposite end of the sofa that Sasuke sat on.
"They're too wary...sometimes it's a little unsettling to see you so guarded," he said, shifting in the cushions so he could fully face Naruto.
"So did you two discuss any ways of fixing things?" Naruto asked. He smirked when the expected guilty blush tinged Sasuke's cheek just faintly.
Sasuke cleared his throat and looked away for a moment. "Something," he said after a moment. "We figured that the jutsu probably needs to be repeated--but we weren't sure exactly of how to do it without screwing up even more."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "You haven't figured it out?" he asked. "I won't ask what you were doing all this time, because I think I've figured that out--but it's simple. You're going to act as the anchor."
When the blond paused, Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, waiting for Naruto to continue.
"We figured that if you're the one who performs the jutsu then you should be able to hold us down to these two worlds without one of us getting lost in some other one. We set a time: two days from now at noon in my father's office."
"I see. So the two of you have it figured out," Sasuke said with an encouraging smile. "I guess you two really did just talk then?" Sasuke smirked and was even a little surprised when something that looked suspiciously like a blush crept up Naruto's neck. "You didn't just talk?"
Naruto coughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "He hinted that he wouldn't mind so much and so I kissed him."
Sasuke�s smirk broadened. "Was it any good?�
Naruto huffed. "Well, it wasn't like... a deep kiss or anything." The blush didn't seem to want to go away. "But it was..." He gave a faint, wistful smile. "I hope that Sasuke is still there when I get back."
Sasuke gave him an exasperated look. "Of course he'll still be there." Then he smiled, looking smug. "I told you he had to feel something more for you, didn't I? He's me, after all."
Naruto resisted the urge to smack his dark head. "Yes, I'm glad you know yourself so well." He shared a reluctant smile with Sasuke. "Anyway," he continued, "we figured out what the jutsu was meant to do." He explained to Sasuke about the sleep jutsu and how it had probably gone wrong.
Sasuke looked thoughtful at that. "So you are positive that my performing the jutsu on you--misplaced seals and all--will return things to normal?" His eyes betrayed his uncertainty. "You better explain to your father first, Naruto--I'm not going to be responsible if I bring back a girl version of you."
Naruto gave him a dark look. "Even if there is a female version of me, I'm fairly certain things should go smoothly, especially if kyuubi cooperates." He eyed Sasuke curiously. "Would you still be attracted to me if I was a female?"
"I can't stand your sexy no jutsu. Is that answer enough for you?"
Naruto wished he had a pillow so he could throw it at Sasuke's superior expression.
"The idea of spreading the fact that Sasuke is gay through the village is running through my head right now." Naruto muttered, his words muffled by his hands.
Sasuke snorted. "Here, they've known for a few years, but if you mean the other Sasuke--"
Naruto had to concede that hurting his Sasuke to punish this one would be rather pointless so he rolled his eyes and muttered, "Jerk."
"Should we go back to your house?" Sasuke asked, inordinately disappointed that Naruto had backed down from his goading.
"It's late. I think it's ok if we stay here and then fill my father in tomorrow. I'll sleep on the sofa."
Naruto watched as Sasuke leaned across the sofa and was startled when Sasuke smacked him upside the head. "What was that for?" he shouted.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "After all that we've been through and done together..." He let his voice trail off meaningfully. "You think that we can't share the same bed together? We did so the first night you were here."
Naruto grumbled. "That was different, now I feel guilty," he muttered.
"Don't be a moron, we won't do anything. Now come on," Sasuke said, extending his hand and waiting expectantly for Naruto to take it.
Naruto bit his lip indecisively. It really was rather hypocritical of him to treat this Sasuke different from how he'd treat his Sasuke when, on his arrival, he had let Sasuke seduce him because he'd told himself they were one and the same.
Sasuke gave an exasperated sigh and yanked him down the hallway. "Don't be more of an idiot than you already are. Unless you want me to resort to tying you up, I would think you could handle sleeping."
Naruto wrenched his hand from Sasuke's grip, but followed willingly to Sasuke's bedroom. "Just sleep," he said grumpily.
Sasuke turned to give him a look that said, 'that's what I just said.'
Naruto grinned into his face and walked past him, determined now to show Sasuke that just lying next to each other wouldn't intimidate him. He picked a side of the bed and made himself comfortable.
Sasuke muttered something under his breath about how idiotic Naruto was being before stripping down to his boxers and settling beside Naruto.
"You don't have to feel guilty," he said into the silence. "We've told you enough times that there is nothing to feel guilty for. And the other me still kissed you after knowing what you allowed me to do here, right?"
Naruto grimaced and turned his face into his pillow.
"Naruto?" Sasuke said when the blond failed to respond. He propped himself up on his side and arched an eyebrow at Naruto's poor attempt to disappear into the sheets. "Is that a no?"
Naruto reluctantly lifted his head. "He knows we've done things, just nothing specific."
"I doubt the other me is that dumb," he said dryly, one hand going to Naruto's face. "Don't worry so much about things, Naruto. Thinking isn't your strong suit."
Naruto batted the hand away and buried his face in the sheets again. "Easy for you to say."
"How is it easy? I've known you for how long now?"
"No, you've known the other me, you don't know me," Naruto said, fluffing his pillow a little too aggressively.
"Are we back to that again?" Sasuke asked, sounding put out.
"We never left it! What was that big talk we had earlier if not to get to know things about each other that are different from our other lives? And since we're in bed, will we eventually get to actually sleeping?" he asked pointedly before giving him a dark look. "Just because we switched back before you could do more with your other Naruto, don't think you can use me for that. I want to get to sleep so I can be ready to train tomorrow. This will be the only chance I get."
Naruto turned to glance at Sasuke and was taken aback at the icy glare directed at him.
"What?"
"Did you just accuse me of using you for sex?" he asked, his voice deceptively quiet.
Naruto, well familiar with the nuances of Sasuke's voice, realized the Uchiha was probably about to kill him. Or at the very least, maim him.
"Look, that's not what I meant," Naruto said hastily. "I just want to sleep!" He tried to take back his words, and then realized he was fully justified. "You know, now that I think about it, why the hell else would you want me?"
Naruto bit his tongue. He hadn�t meant for it to sound like an accusation. He knew Sasuke wasn�t that type of guy.
"Take that back, Uzumaki, or I won't be responsible for my actions," he said, voice just barely a whisper.
Naruto forced himself to remain calm. This was Sasuke. He wouldn't really hurt him... much. Would he? "I've known the colder, crueler version of you for years and if I can put up with him, I can put up with you. Look, Sasuke, all I�m asking is why you�re being so nice to me when you know now for a fact that, same soul thing aside, I'm not really your Naruto?"
Sasuke continued to stare at him, eyes narrowing to mere slits as one hand moved faster than Naruto could follow, grabbing his wrists and holding them tightly. "You go a little too far, Uzumaki," he murmured lowly.
Naruto stared up at him and cursed his mouth that wouldn't shut up. Why wouldn�t Sasuke just give him a straight answer? "So you're into the kinky stuff with the other me? Sorry, I'm not him."
"You know what I think, Naruto?" Sasuke hissed. "I think you're the one who's disappointed you didn't get to do more before you switched and now you're letting it out on me, because it's convenient for you."
Naruto stared incredulously up into Sasuke's steely eyes.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded. "Sasuke isn't like that--hell, those kisses were amazing enough for him and touching him would be like asking to get my arms broken off." He realized his words were only helping Sasuke's argument and continued hastily, "And I like it that way. You think I appreciated being molested by you because you missed having sex with your precious Naruto?"
"Appreciated?" Sasuke gave a short humorless laugh. "I think you loved it." He leaned in, his breath ghosting Naruto's cheek. The blond closed his eyes, anger surging at both Sasuke for provoking him and himself for enjoying it. As much as his mind tried to tell him otherwise, his eyes saw his Sasuke when he looked at that cool fury, and his body felt his Sasuke's touch in the contact of their skin.
Sasuke's smirk only grew, although the anger didn't lessen. "Why, I believe you get off on Sasuke being rough, Uzumaki," he murmured. "I always knew you were a bottom no matter how much you or your other self would deny it."
Naruto's eyes flew open and he managed to get his legs loose enough to knock Sasuke loose. "You utter asshole!" he hissed.
Sasuke fell back against the bed without a sound, his glare never lessening in its intensity. "Struck a sore spot, have I?"
"No, you bastard, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Naruto shouted. "Look, I'm sorry for accusing you of using me for sex, but forgive me if I fail to find another reason for your acceptance of me, especially now that you've touched and kissed yourNaruto again. You've never blindly accepted anything in your life, Sasuke, and I can't believe I didn't question it until now." Naruto shook his head in an aggravated fashion. "I guess I was just too caught up in the confusion and... you actually feeling something beyond friendship for me."
Sasuke gave him an incredulous look. "Are you disappointed that you think I don't feel enough for you?" he asked, confused more than ever now. "Naruto, you're such an idiot. I don't do things I don't want to do--I think about them first, damnit. When have I ever just slept with someone because they were there?"
Naruto ground his teeth, having to concede that point. "But when you found out I wasn't your Naruto, you still...you still did all those...things." Naruto rubbed his face in frustration.
Sasuke made a sound of intense irritation. "Ok, I get it now. You're fucking insecure, aren't you? You need me to reassure you that I really do care about you."
"Sasuke," Naruto began helplessly, not even sure what to say anymore. "I just wanted to sleep!" he moaned into his hands. After a moment, he sighed in almost defeat and looked up at Sasuke. "Since I won't be seeing you after the next few days, and anything I say in this world doesn't matter..." He shook his head. "Look, bastard�think. What have I told you about my life?"
Sasuke looked at him, brows furrowed. "I don't see what that has to do with my needing to hold your hand, Naruto."
"I just tend to question affection, ok? And I gave into you so easily because I've been wanting it from you for so damn long that I let myself be distracted by the fact that you're almost just like my Sasuke." Naruto heaved a sigh. "But you're not. And I'm not your Naruto. We care for each other, but it's the heart of the person that we love, the things that we've lived through that have pulled us closer together... and you and I... we just don't have that."
Sasuke continued to stare blankly at him and muttered, sounding curiously sulky, "I know that, idiot."
Naruto made a frustrated snarl deep in his throat. "Then what the hell is your issue?" he demanded. "Why were you still all touchy-feely with me, even when after you knew?"
"Because you're still you!" Sasuke finally shouted, exasperated with Naruto's thick-headedness. "I wasn't even sure yet that all that stuff was true but inside, you're still you, otherwise I really would have felt differently about you." He made a sound of disgust. "All that stuff I just said? That was just to provoke you because I was angry at your accusation, but now I'm seriously tempted to kick your ass!"
Naruto winced and frowned at that. "Well, excuse me for being insecure," he muttered. "Jeez. I rather like having you here and against me and the kisses weren't bad." He closed his eyes and winced at his unintentional confession.
"Weren't bad?" Sasuke asked flatly. He rolled onto his side and blew out a frustrated breath. "Never mind, I know what you mean." After a few more seconds of tense silence, he said, "Look, just take back that ridiculous accusation and we can go to sleep."
Naruto flashed him a distracted glare. "Fine, I'll accept the possibility that you didn't believe I was someone different from your Naruto," he said, refusing to make any more concessions, especially since Sasuke had yet to give him a satisfactory explanation as to why they had continued being intimate after they'd found out he was clearly not this Sasuke's Naruto. "But he acts so different from how I act. He's used to affection and it's like you're watching me to do something that I don't know how to do." He growled in frustration. "I mean, you said that I didn't feel any different or whatever but I acted differently. Why did you still want to kiss me?"
Sasuke sighed. He was doing that a lot lately. "I guess...I don't know. Maybe I wanted to show you that life wasn't always as depressing as you seemed to make it out to be. Or maybe I thought that if I continued to touch you and treat you like my Naruto...you'd become my Naruto."
The blond turned his head to look at Sasuke. "That's bullshit."
"Well, too fucking bad because that's all the explanation you're getting from me."
Naruto made a face and buried his face in the pillow for a moment, biting his tongue at his unthinking remark. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm trying to deal with something completely new here and it's off-setting me. You're not the one bouncing back and forth, but I shouldn't have gotten angry with you." He was determined to not screw up things for his other self anymore than he already might have.
Sasuke turned his back on the blond. "Good night, Naruto," he said stiffly.
"Sasuke," Naruto said, unburying his head from his pillow, and touched Sasuke's shoulder. "I mean it. I'm sorry. I realize things must be hard for you....seeing me but not seeing who you've known all your life."
Sasuke made a frustrated sound before turning to face him again. "It's ok, Naruto. If we really are going to make things the way they were before then I'd rather not spend these last couple days fighting."
Naruto's face closed off and he got out of bed. "Well, if things are going to be normal then it�s normal to fight." He was irritated and tired and wanted to think happy thoughts like training with his father tomorrow. "I'm getting some sleep."
Sasuke reached out and snagged his wrist. "Don't go. I promised we'd only sleep and we'll do that."
Naruto closed his eyes and lay back down, letting his silence communicate his agreement. "Good night," he said softly, turning onto his side away from Sasuke. He felt Sasuke settle into a comfortable position beside him and he sighed.
It was all too confusing. He bit his lip, wondering what he could do to fix it. He hoped that the return of his other self would make things right with Sasuke, or Sasuke being able to hit him with a jutsu would relieve some tension. He moved closer, used to the warmth now that Sasuke provided and not so willing to give it up. "Stick around tomorrow when I train?" he asked softly.
Sasuke, glad that Naruto couldn't see the relief in his smile, brushed his fingers against Naruto's hair and whispered, "Sure."
Both somehow inexplicably calmed, they fell asleep to the gentle cadence of their breathing.
***
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