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Chasing Naruto	By : megladon129 Category: Naruto AU/AR > General Views: 3376 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
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
- 21
- 22
- 23
Author�s note: Sorry about the delay, people, but
finals leapt down my throat and strangled me. After this chapter, there�ll be
one, perhaps two more chapters (the scenes keep panning out longer than I
expected them to) and an epilogue. Make sure to stay tuned, ne? I also may be
writing an original fiction soon in the male/male category, so come about
support me, will you?

FYI, I�ve also been nominated for two awards at The Original
Naruto Fanfiction Archive (T.O.N.F.A.), best alternate reality and best epic.
For the people reading at aff, here�s the link: http://www.narutofic.net/awards_index.html

And for FanFiction dot net readers, a google search of
the full name will bring you to a main page, and clicking the link for awards
will send you where you need to go. Please vote for me! ^_^

Love you all, Happy Holidays! Enjoy.

* * *

Mondays sucked.

Forcibly restraining a tired yawn, Sasuke glared at his
droning history professor as the class wound down for the morning. The brunette
made sure that his expression was cool and collected, despite the chill that
ran down his spine every time a pair of icy blue eyes landed heavily upon his
back. A surge of reflexive anger welled up inside him.

What right does he have to be so angry? Sasuke fought
with a scowl, displeased with the thought of letting the blonde see him visibly
upset by their argument. I have every right to be as upset as he is.

Idly, the Uchiha wondered if Naruto had faced the same
sleeping troubles as he had.

Stifling a sigh, he folded his arms on the table and leaned
forward. He hadn�t gotten a decent night�s sleep since Friday, and he knew it
was starting to show in his appearance. A brief glance in the mirror had
revealed a pair of shadowed midnight eyes�and when combined with the
frustratingly slow-to-fade bruise upon his cheek, Sasuke knew he looked like
hell. It was one of the reasons he�d dreaded the start of the week of classes.

The other reason was currently jabbering on in the row
behind him, acting as though nothing was wrong.

Sasuke�s fists clenched unconsciously as he heard that
obnoxious, light-hearted laugh that he�d grown so used to over the years. This
time, he allowed himself to scowl. Don�t I mean anything to that
bastard? We�re not speaking to each other after being best friends for how
long, and he�s acting like everything�s just fucking PEACHY on his end!
Eyes narrowing, he contemplated the old, irritated scribbles on the table.
Sasuke ignored the spark of pain that shot through him at the thought that
maybe�maybe he was the only one upset by this turn of events.

If the way Naruto had immediately gathered friends around
him when class had started that bleak Monday morning was any indication, the
blonde was hardly perturbed by the loss of one gloomy, moody Uchiha.

Shaking his head, Sasuke tried to dispel the downward spiral
of his thoughts. If the bastard didn�t give a damn about him, then fine. Sasuke
was born a loner, and had always been �would always be�fine on his own.

And if it hurt like hell to suddenly be on the outside,
looking in on Naruto�s antics and supposed happiness, no one else ever had to
know.

When Kakashi finally decided to dismiss the class�a full ten
minutes after class was supposed to let out, damn him�Sasuke gathered
his notes and stood. He ignored the nameless girl beside him as she chattered
to him about his upcoming birthday�was she there the whole time? Sasuke
honestly hadn�t noticed�and was preparing to leave when he heard a sharp voice
behind him.

�Uchiha.�

Back stiffening, Sasuke clenched his teeth and turned
around. Naruto gazed at him with a remarkably closed off expression, his
features the particular type of calm that the blonde reserved for when he was
spectacularly pissed�or, on the rare occasion, when he was feeling snippy.
Anger mixing with something he didn�t care to identify, Sasuke lifted an
irritated eyebrow.

�Uzumaki.� He waited a beat. �Are you having another brain
malfunction, or did you want something?�

Something flashed in those blue eyes, but Naruto gave him a
sweet smile.

�Why no, Sasuke, I don�t want anything from you,� he replied
in a friendly tone. Sasuke wanted to hit him, or leave, or�something.
His fingertips twitched. �But I did want to give you something.�

His honeyed tone nearly made Sasuke take a reflexive step
back, but the Uchiha stood his ground. Flashes of all the years of fighting
each other rushed to the front of his mind�and brought an utterly inexplicable
pain in his chest with them. He gave the blonde a cool smirk.

�And what would that be?�

Whump.

Sasuke�s hands shot up instinctively to catch the object
that had just been lobbed at his chest. Glancing down, he frowned in confusion
at the fairly thick packet of papers.

�What�?�

�You�ll be happy to know that I didn�t waste my
weekend.� Grinning toothily, Naruto shoved his hands in his pockets. �Now we
actually have something worth turning in.�

Sasuke�s brow furrowed before he made the connection. �You
finished our report? Alone?�

�Saved me from spending time with you, didn�t it?� Smirking,
Naruto turned and began to walk away. �You owe me one, Uchiha.� He paused.
�Actually, come to think of it, you owe me a lot, seeing as I have a healthy
mountain of favors you owe me on my desk.�

Sasuke�s fingers clenched on the report as Naruto glanced
back at him, gave the brunette an odd little smile, and sent him a two-fingered
salute.

�See you around, Uchiha.�

As he watched the blonde walk away, Sasuke felt something
strange twist in his stomach. Scowling, he shoved the report in his bookbag,
brushed past the odd girl who was still babbling to him, and headed out the
door.
Damn you, Naruto. Why is it that even when I convince myself that I don�t care�

On the quiet walk back to his dorm room, he ran a tired hand
over his eyes.

�You still mean so fucking much to me?

* * *

Naruto strode into his room, kicking the door shut with a
bit more force than he meant to. Kiba glanced up at him, then looked at the
door.

��Should I be glad that that wasn�t me?�

Naruto spared him an irritated glare. �Shut up, Kiba.�

The spiky-haired brunette sat up on his bed, scattering the
papers he had fanned out on his lap.

�Hey, just because you and lover-boy across the hall are
having a spat, don�t take it out on me,� he snapped. �I�ve tried to be
supportive and everything, but after a weekend of getting snapped at��

�Kiba, will you�� Naruto stopped himself, then
sighed. �I�m� I�m sorry, Kiba. I�m just��

When he trailed off, Kiba�s face softened. �You�ve really
been set off balance, haven�t you?�

Frowning, Naruto contemplated the floor. �It shouldn�t be
all that hard, right? I mean, we�ll just go back to how things were before��

�Naruto, do you really think it�s worth it? I know
Sasuke set you off, but�I mean, you two have been all over each other for years.�
Kiba chuckled at the contorted look Naruto gave him. �Well, I didn�t mean it
quite like that, but�my statement still stands. You never even told me
what he said that got you so upset.�

Naruto�s eyes lowered back to the carpet, his lips shut. How
am I supposed to react when someone I�care about that much�tells me that
he thinks I�m a slut? His chest tightened at the thought, but confusion set
in soon after as he remembered the odd look on Sasuke�s face when the blonde
had punched him. It was almost as though Sasuke hadn�t realized what he�d said
until Naruto had hit him.

Frown growing, Naruto moved over to his desk and gave his
journal a long, assessing look. He
heard Kiba shift behind him.

��Naruto?�

Making a decision in his mind, Naruto opened his journal to
a new page and sent Kiba a slight, quirked smile.

�I�ll figure it all out, Kiba. You can stop being a mother
hen.�

The other boy snorted, leaning back on his pillows once
more. �Don�t tell me�you�re going to write everything out, and soon after a
beam of light is going to strike you, some angelic choir will start singing,
and you�ll break out in song?�

�Only if you sing backup, Kiba m�boy.� Naruto glanced up and
grinned. �If we�re lucky, we�ll get the whole floor to join in, and we can have
ourselves a group shimmy down the hallway.�

Kiba laughed. �Maybe I should round everybody up for
rehearsals.�

�Naaah, it�s better when it�s spontaneous.� Amused despite
himself, Naruto turned back to his journal, gave the end of his pencil a gentle
nibble, and�for the first time�proceeded to write down anything and everything
he�d ever thought about that prick Sasuke.
Maybe if I get it down on paper, I can figure out what I�m supposed to do. He sighed lightly, recounting the fights they�d had
when they were younger. I don�t really like the idea of being at odds
again, but�

Pausing as he wrote, Naruto frowned. It feels kind
of�ridiculous to think that we�d spend forever pissed at each other over this.
I mean, at the very least, Sasuke is�was�is�whatever, my best friend.

A sharp pain in his chest made him rub at it absentmindedly
with his left hand. Could I really�do I really want to lose him over
this?

His hand loosened its grip on his pencil. Especially
after�after I nearly lost him the last time�

Unbidden, memories from when they were both
thirteen�memories he had tried to keep buried�rose to the surface of his mind.
Every time he thought of them, he�d only managed to confuse himself. He was
always unprepared to deal with that same rush of feelings that he�d felt the
first time through�

�When he�d thrown himself into the path of fate�and got run
over.

* * *

�Why the hell do I have to do it??� Naruto whined,
scowling at the offending books being held out to him. The classroom he was
standing in had emptied out long ago, leaving him alone with his crush�and
Sasuke-Bastard�s homework. �If Prince Uchiha feels the need to be absent, he
should have to deal with his homework himself.�

Sakura gave him an exasperated glare. �You have to do it
because if we sent a girl over there, Sasuke-kun wouldn�t even open the door.
You�re the only one who can get under his skin, doofus, so you�re probably the
only one who�d manage to get into his house, too.�

Naruto pouted. �But what if I catch whatever the hell he�s
got? I can�t risk getting behind on my work.�

�You don�t do your work as is, Naruto,� Sakura
pointed out. Sighing, the girl tucked a stray pink hair behind her ear. �Look,
if you do this for Sasuke-kun�I�ll�go��

�YOU�LL GO ON A DATE WITH ME??�

Elated, Naruto decided to ignore the wince that accompanied
the girl�s nod. He whooped, snatching Prick Face�s books from her grip.

�You�re on!� He grinned. �And if he gets me sick, maybe you
can come comfort me?�

�Don�t plan on it, Naruto.� Despite herself, the girl
smiled. �Just go.�

�Yeah, yeah��

The books tucked under his arm, Naruto trotted out of the
school, jumped the stairs, and began sauntering down the street. He found
himself whistling as he went, contemplating locations for his long-awaited date
with Sakura. Even the thought of getting the date because of Sasuke couldn�t
dampen his spirits.

�Well, damn. Now it did.

Scowling again, Naruto slowed his pace. What the hell is
the guy�s problem? I doubt he�s even sick. He�s been staying home ever since
there was a fire in the library�and it�s not like he was anywhere near it.
Hell, none of the books even burned, so he can�t claim illness through smoke
inhalation or some such bullshit. He turned onto the Uchiha�s street,
glaring up at the prim little white house. Comparing it to his apartment,
Naruto�s attitude worsened.

How the hell does he even afford a place like that?
He stomped up the boy�s front stairs, preparing to knock angrily on the door. Bastard,
making me come out here and�

He paused before landing the first blow on the red wood,
inexplicably hesitant. Why do I feel like�something�s wrong?

Blonde eyebrows furrowed, Naruto tried the doorknob and was
surprised to find the door unlocked. He stepped inside the cool house quietly,
closing the door behind him.

��Sasuke?� Stepping forward, he set the books down on a
nearby table in the front hall and looked around. Nothing was out of place in
the tiny house�but nothing was making any noise, either. Maybe the other boy
was asleep�?

The feeling that something was wrong increased, propelling
Naruto�s feet towards the stairs before he�d even realized he was moving.
Frowning, he took the first few steps slowly, then began running up them. His
heart started hammering in his chest.
Sasuke�what the hell are you doing up there?

Nearly tripping on the top step, Naruto spotted an open
doorway at the end of the hall. He sprinted towards it.

�Sasuke!! You bastard, what the hell��

The loudmouthed blonde fell silent in shock as he burst into
the room. Sasuke knelt upon a small, ornate pillow in the center of the room,
his eyes closed and his breathing even. In his hands he clasped an old Japanese
sword, its hilt lying next to him. The brunette�s hair fell into his face as he
leaned slightly forward, turned the sword�and pressed it against his stomach.

Naruto twitched, his jaw slack as he took in the scene. Sasuke�Sasuke�s
going to�

�NO!!!�

With a powerful roar, Naruto threw himself forward and
snatched the startled boy�s wrist, twisting it�and the sword�away from the
brunette�s stomach. Sasuke stared at him in shock before scowling viciously,
struggling in the blonde�s grip.

�NARUTO! What the fuck are you doing here??� The boy�s voice
was hoarse, as though he hadn�t used it in a few days. He twisted his hand
against Naruto�s hold, swinging his free hand to punch the shorter boy in the
stomach. Grunting, Naruto fell atop the pale boy.

�Saving your life, apparently!� he roared back. �What the
hell do you think you�re doing??�

Naruto received a growl as a reply. He stretched for the
sword, trying to wrestle it out of the deranged Uchiha�s grip. Making some
strange noise in the back of his throat, Sasuke twisted the old katana�

�And neatly sliced Naruto�s arm.

Yowling in pain, Naruto pulled away and clutched at his
bloodied arm. Sasuke froze for a second before wriggling out from under the
blonde and staggering to his feet.

�This wouldn�t have happened if you�d just stayed the HELL
out of my LIFE, Uzumaki!!�

Hissing, the blonde climbed to his feet as well. �If I�d
stayed out of it, you currently wouldn�t have a life, asshole!�

�That�s what I wanted, dipshit!� Strangely enough,
Sasuke�s voice was starting to sound desperate. �Just go away!�

�No way in hell! I�m not leaving you here to��

�It�s not your choice to make!� Sasuke snarled at him. �If I
want to kill myself, it�s my own fucking business! You don�t even care about
m��

�You�re right! I don�t fucking care!� Naruto watched
the other boy�s eyes widen briefly. �But I�ll be damned if I�m going to lose
you like this!�

Black eyebrows furrowed in confusion. �What the hell do you
mean, �lose me�?�

�I�� He found himself at a loss for what to say. Swallowing,
Naruto let his eyes fall upon the snake pendant hanging about the boy�s neck.
Its bared fangs taunted him, seeming to position themselves closer to the
delicate skin of Sasuke�s neck as the boy shifted his stance. Abruptly, anger
coursed through him.

�A lot of people care about you,� he found himself saying,
his voice low. �You�re important to them�hell, you�re important to ME.�

Eyes glinting, Naruto released his grip on his wounded arm
and straightened, glaring at the other boy. Sasuke still held the sword�s hilt
tight in his grip, the sword�s tip pointed at Naruto�s heart. Blood rushing in
his ears, Naruto smirked.

�And I�m not letting you go that easily.�

Weakly, Sasuke managed a condescending smirk. He moved the
sword blade to rest above his wrist, nicking the skin.

�You really think you can stop me, dobe?�

In a flash, the other boy was beside him, one hand wrenching
the sword aside�cutting himself again in the process�and the other wrapping
tight about the gold chain of Sasuke�s pendent.

�You bet your ass I can.�

With a snap, the pendant hit the floor.

* * *

Naruto leaned back in his chair, several new teeth marks
marring his pencil as he stared blindly down at his journal.

I was never so scared in my life. I didn�t even like
him all that much, but the thought of losing him, of never being able to see
his face and irritate him�scared the shit out of me. Even then, Sasuke was
important to me.

He snorted, running a hand over his eyes. Important,
hell. He was my reason for being. The blonde stilled. When I was
thirteen years old, the thought of living without Sasuke in my life was
unbearable. Losing him was the most horrible event imaginable.

Blue eyes cast themselves towards the ceiling as his stomach
churned. And the idea of losing him now� His hands suddenly felt clammy,
and his heart sped up. It�s� unbearable. God, no one can make me laugh the
way I do around Sasuke�and no one else makes me feel so alive. Even when
he�s being a prick, I feel like I�m important to him.

He straightened in his chair, unprepared for the warmth that
was beginning to flood his cheeks.

When he looks at me, when he talks to me�I feel like no
one else matters. When I make him laugh, I feel like I�m the funniest person in
the world.

His blue eyes fell to his desk.
When I kiss him�

Swallowing hard, he ran a hand through his unruly yellow
hair.

�I feel�right.

His mind made up, Naruto rose to his feet. He turned,
stomped to the duffel bag hiding behind the door, and determinedly slung it
over his shoulder. Kiba lifted an eyebrow at him.

�Had your epiphany?�

Naruto barked out a short laugh. �You could say that.� He
sent a wry grin over his shoulder. �Feel like singing?�

�Not in the least.�

�Damn.� He yanked the door open. �I�ll be back in a few
hours. I have some work to do.�

�And what about the rest of your classes for today?� Kiba
called as he left.

�I�m pretty enough to miss them!�

As Kiba groaned, Naruto shut the door. He spared a brief
glance at the Uchiha�s closed door before running down the hallway.

I may be pissed at you, Sasuke�but I�ll be DAMNED if I
lose you. Not this time, not ever.

* * *

His bed creaking angrily, Sasuke sat down and ran a hand
through his raven hair. A headache began to pound in his temples. Dammit�I
should have better control than this. Sighing, he closed his eyes and
rubbed at his temples. It wasn�t always like this. Dammit, I hated him
once�so when did he come to be so goddamn important?

After a moment of silently gazing at his floor, Sasuke
stood, wandered over to his desk, and rooted around in his bottom drawer. A
thick black album was produced, the leather binding worn at the edges.
Frowning, Sasuke returned to his seat on the bed and cracked open the old
album. The plastic creaked as he flipped through the pages of his old high
school photos.

These are from when we couldn�t even stand each other�
Sasuke�s frown grew. I really thought I was going to stick with photography,
but I switched over to science when I got here. Why�?

His fingers paused as he flipped through the photos.
Eyebrows twitching, Sasuke flipped back a few pages. What the hell�?

In the background of one of his �nature� shots�stood a
certain blonde haired idiot. The frozen Naruto was leaning against a tree
trunk, gazing lazily at Sasuke�s camera from the shade. Sasuke swallowed. I
don�t remember taking this one. Or, at least�I don�t remember him being in
the shot when I took it�

Feeling unsettled, Sasuke resumed his scanning�and froze.

Three pictures later, there he was again. Naruto�s back was
to him this time, and although the heart of the shot was a particular play of
shadow against the school�he was still there, in the far right corner.
His heart beginning to race, Sasuke flipped through his pictures more quickly.

�Again�again�again, dammit!!� Something akin to panic
shot through him. The deeper into his album he dove, the more frequently Naruto
began to show up. He was always off in a corner, or talking in the distance, or
appearing to be asleep in Sasuke�s photos. Biting his lip, Sasuke wiped his
suddenly damp palm on his pant leg.
Was he�was Naruto following me?

His hands shook lightly as he noticed that the more often
Naruto appeared in the photos, the less often he appeared to have any
idea that the picture was being taken.

Or was I following him??

Swallowing again, Sasuke took a long look at that damned
picture sitting on his desk. Chronologically, it would sit where Sasuke had
left a blank space in his album�long after his apparent obsession with
photographing the idiot had started. Sasuke took a deep breath and closed the
book of pictures.

God�even when I hated him, I couldn�t get my mind
off him. He stared blindly at the worn black cover. What are the odds
that I�ll be able to do it now?

Sasuke sat in silence for several minutes, unwilling to
acknowledge the strange, tense emotion in his gut. I�m fine without him�I�m
fine without him�I�m�
BZZZZZZZZZ! BZZ BZZ BZZZZZZ!

Jumping, the Uchiha slapped at his leg until he located his
rarely used cell phone. He gave it a long, surprised glance before answering.
Who the hell has my phone number?

�Hello�?�

�Uchiha.�

The brunette�s back straightened as he recognized the cold
voice over the line. �Gaara. How the hell did you��

�Three o�clock, behind the law library. Be there.�

The pale boy blinked. �What?�

�We need to talk, Uchiha.� For some reason, the quiet venom
in the other boy�s tone sent a wave of shivers down Sasuke�s spine. He ignored
it. �Be there, or I�ll come find you.�

Well now, we wouldn�t want that, now would we?
�Fine. But, Gaara��

The line clicked as the other boy hung up.

Glowering irritably, Sasuke pulled his phone away and hit
�end.� His eyes slid to the clock on his dresser, noting that he only had a few
minutes before he needed to leave for his next class. He stood, absentmindedly
gathering his notes together.
What the hell does Gaara want?

As he left for class, Sasuke wondered whether or not a dark
cloud was hovering over him, preparing to smite him with a bolt of lightning.

* * *

The wind swept quietly through the grass beside Neji�s feet
as he lounged on the calm hill behind the library. His pale eyes alternated
between gazing blindly at the textbook open in his lap and the people wandering
past on the trail below. Waving serenely, the trees standing guard between the
dirt trail and a happily bubbling brook drank up the sun that had chosen today
to make an appearance.

Neji wasn�t sure that he�d ever felt so miserable.

Closing his eyes briefly, the pale Hyuuga tried his best to
forget the blonde boy with his despairingly friendly smile. His lips turned
down. A part of me knew that I never truly had a chance with him. As much as
I wished I could be the one to make Naruto happy�I knew that it wouldn�t
happen. Sighing lightly, he opened his eyes. But still�I can�t blame
myself for getting my hopes up, I suppose.

Well aware that his expression betrayed none of the misery
in his soul, Neji watched the students on the trail. Few people used it at this
time of day, preferring the main roads to the unpaved �wagon way� that ran
behind the dorms. If one followed it and squinted into the distance, one could
almost make out the network of houses and apartments dotting the boundary of
campus.

As some poor freshman lost his balance on his roller blades
and fell on the uneven trail, Neji let a corner of his mouth quirk upwards.

�Taking pleasure in the misery of others now, are we?�

Blinking in surprise, Neji looked up to see TenTen gazing
down at him. Planting her hands on her gray-pants-clad hips, the girl lifted an
eyebrow.

�Well? What�s got you out here and looking lonesome?�

Neji frowned aristocratically, straightening his posture. �I
am not, Miss TenTen, �looking lonesome�.�

�Whatever you say.� After a moment, she sat beside him. Neji
met her assessing stare without flinching, more than able to rise to the
challenge of�

�He broke your heart, didn�t he?�

Neji�s heart skipped a beat, his mask slipping for a moment
as he stared at her in shock. �What?�

�That blonde guy from the caf�. He broke your heart.�
Apparently making up her mind despite Neji�s silence, the bun-headed girl shook
her head. �I�d say I�m sorry, but it wouldn�t really help.�

Neji dragged himself out of his shock and slid his mask of
indifference back onto his face. �I appreciate your�sympathy, Miss TenTen, but
my affairs are none of your business.�

�I know that. And stop calling me �Miss�.� Bringing her legs
up, she rested her elbow on her knee and placed her chin in her palm. �So, what
are you going to do? Wallow in your misery?�

He sent her an icy glare, to no effect. �No, I am not,� he
replied stiffly.

�Glad to hear it. But if you�re not, then what the hell are
you doing out here?�

Neji�s pale eyes moved away from her. He contemplated
telling her that he was studying, which was partially the truth, but he didn�t
feel prepared for the snide comment that would follow. The two lapsed into
silence, watching the merry little brook as it wriggled through campus.
Strangely enough, some of Neji�s angst began to melt away, the muscles in his
back relaxing bit by bit.

�Do you believe in fate?�

Both parties were startled by Neji�s abrupt question.
Suppressing the urge to shift uncomfortably, Neji awaited the girl�s answer.

�Well�� she replied slowly, eyeing the long-haired boy warily.
�In most cases, I�d have to say no, I don�t.�

�Mm.� Neji returned his gaze to the brook, willing to
declare the conversation over.

�But�I still think that some things are�inevitable.
Inescapable.� When Neji looked back at her, her lips turned up in a gentle
smile. �As much as I believe that we carve our own futures with our choices�I
still feel like some things are meant to be. Destined to be, even.�

Neji stared at the girl for a long, quiet moment. Slowly, he
began to smile.

��I know how you feel,� he replied quietly. TenTen graced
him with a wider smile, drawing a warmer one from Neji in the process. Shaking
his head slightly, Neji opened his mouth to ask her a question�

�When a shock of familiar red hair appeared at the top of
the hill.

Eyebrows furrowing, Neji set his book aside and rose to his
feet. Gaara? The redhead was standing with his hands in his pockets,
glaring into the distance�but the tension around him was so palpable that Neji
could easily see him pacing furiously within himself. After a moment, Neji made
a decision.

�If you�ll excuse me, M�TenTen.� With a short nod in her
direction, he strode towards the aggravated redhead. He only faintly
acknowledged the mild wave and intrigued look the girl gave him as he left.
What on earth is Gaara up to?

* * *

What the hell does Gaara want? Sasuke fought with a
scowl as he approached the back of the law library. The redhead stood in the
open, features calm and eyes blazing as he patiently waited for the Uchiha to
climb the hill. Beside him, Neji stood with his arms folded, looking�unhappy.

Lifting an eyebrow, Sasuke drew himself to a stop in front
of the two boys.

�Well? To what do I owe this honor?� he questioned dryly.
Neji simply gave him a sour glare, whereas Gaara�shifted. Unconsciously,
Sasuke�s eyes snapped over to the diminutive redhead. The other boy was still
gazing calmly at him, but something in his eyes�perhaps that pesky speck of
bloodlust swimming around in there�made Sasuke want to take a healthy step away
from the other boy.

�Did you think you would get away with it?� Gaara eventually
replied.

Sasuke frowned, though realization was dawning on him. �Get
away with what?�

Neji shook his head. �You gave your word that you wouldn�t
place a hand on him, same as we did.� He narrowed his pale eyes, albeit
wearily. �I suppose your word isn�t worth anything anymore.�

Scowling, Sasuke stepped forward. �What do you expect me to
do? Apologize for kissing him? Screw you!�

�Watch your tongue, Uchiha, before I rip it out.� Gaara�s quiet
statement somehow carried more of a threatening edge to it than it would have
if growled. Sasuke�s eyebrows lifted briefly.

�Oh yeah? Last I checked, you were on your way to breaking
the bet long before I did. You fucking licked him!�

Neji�s eyes sparked at that, swinging to the redhead. �He what?�

Gaara glanced at him, lip curling. �You�re upset about that,
but not about Sasuke kissing him?�

Eyes narrowing, Neji finally seemed to grow angry. �I had
already assumed something of the sort. Am I the only one here whose word means
anything??�

Sasuke snorted. �You were so drugged out of your mind that
night, I wouldn�t be surprised if you broke the terms of our wager, too.� His
smile turned ugly. �For what it�s worth, I don�t think we should have bothered
with the bet. It�s fairly obvious that Naruto�s more than willing to��

�I�m more than willing to what, Sasuke?�

All three boys froze. In the silence that followed, a duffel
bag hit the grass, and the blonde sauntered up the hill. His large hands were stuffed
in the pockets of his overalls, and a small, deceptively cheerful smile was
settled on his face. After a moment, he came to a stop beside Sasuke.

�Now then. What�s all this about a bet?�
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Chasing Naruto