The first thing Naruto did when he saw Shikamaru waiting at gates was jump on his back and fold his arms around Shikamaru's neck. "Haya, Shi, miss me?" He said, before he noticed Choji standing not too far away. "Choji!" He yelled happily while leaning over Shikamaru's head, making Shikamaru wince and cover his ears. 

"Naruto! Don't yell so close to my ear!" Shikamaru yelled back, but he was grinning, much like Choji and Naruto. Choji nodded and hummed in agreement of Shikamaru's warning. 

"Sorry..." He whispered as loudly as possible, grinning from ear to ear. "Too bad Kiba isn't joining us. That would have been amazing!" He had missed them. Don't get him wrong, he had fun with Morino and the others, but he did miss his friends. 

"We can have a reunion once we get back. Let's go eat barbecue or something then." Choji offered happily. Naruto hummed in agreement before Shikamaru shook Naruto off and called them all over. In true Nara fashion, he went on to discuss his plan of action, down to the details of the camp they were to set up during their rests. 

Once everything was clear to everyone, they set out towards their destination. In their run, they used tree branches to propel themselves forwards. The slowest members were up front, setting the pace for the rest so no one would end up over-exhausted.  

The travel was uneventful. Apart from a few shallow conversations, everybody was too focussed on maintaining their speed and balance to do much of anything else. 

During the first break, Naruto sat himself with Shikamaru and Choji, talking about school and the time they had been apart. Naruto told them about the reasons behind his disappearance and Ino tagged into the conversation as well. 

Sasuke watched as Naruto was animatedly recounting things he did in the department that weren't under secrecy. The way Naruto giggled and laughed as he talked brought a smile to Sasuke's face as well. He didn't even register how the others were laughing with him. Sasuke was just focussed on Naruto. A few times their eyes met, which made Naruto smile in a different way than he did to most. It felt special to receive that smile and Sasuke happily returned it.

A tap on his shoulders broke his silent observations. Sakura stood next to him. "Can I talk to you? Away from the camp?" There was an urgency in her tone that made him feel like he had little choice. He looked back at Naruto and they locked eyes for a second. Naruto gave a small nod and continued to ramble on about stuff and things.

Sakura walked him to a small clearing not too far away. She had a serious expression on her face as she looked at Sasuke. "I don't know what has gotten into you." She started, staring him down with something akin to anger in her eyes. "But you have been way too nice to that fiend and I just want you to know that it's disgusting. It almost looks like you care too much about that monster, but I know better. He's charming you. It's a trick, like a Genjutsu or something and I don't think you're thinking clearly." She said in a heated tone.

"What are you even talking about?" Sasuke asked, a little confused for the sudden onslaught.

"You know exactly what I mean! How long has it been since Naruto was released from the T&I department? A few days? And nobody seems to question his intentions at all. Ino told me. People that are sent there are either spies, enemies or traitors. And they aren't send there to reform. They are sent there to confess, give information and then die. And now a boy who got sent there at the age of twelve comes out of there just fine at the age of sixteen? I cannot believe that. It isn't right. Not to mention he told us he killed those villagers before. Helpless, defenseless villagers, including my mother!" Sakura was almost crying, but the tears were more of anger and frustration then of anything else. 

Sasuke looked at her with a troubled expression. "I know that. I've been thinking about that too, but both Hokage signed off on Naruto's freedom and told us there were reasons for what happened. They have no obligations to share that information with us and we have the duty to trust and obey our Kage. And since they told us that he is trustworthy, that should be enough. And really, he isn't that bad to be around. He's random and weird, but he cares about the people around him. Even you. He wants to be friends with you too, you know. He told me that." 

Sakura made a weird undignified noise and she turned away from Sasuke. "How can you be sure of that? He's been at your house for what? Three days? And you're gonna say you know him well enough to just trust him?" She snapped.

"Sakura, at the very least, just keep your personal feelings out of this mission. Hokage-sama also told you this. As for whether or not I choose to trust Naruto is for me to decide and I do trust him. Now I realise this is difficult for you and you have troubles coping, but you trust the rest of us, so just... I don't know, avoid Naruto or something if you have a problem with him." Sasuke told her and walked back towards camp. He felt plainly insulted by her little rampage and didn't want to continue the conversation.

"You know, I see it, right?" She called after him. He stopped and turned around with a raised eyebrow. What could she see? "The way you look at him. It's wrong. If anything that should be a red flag for you. He's poisoning your mind, Sasuke, tricking you into thinking you like him. But you don't. It's unnatural and you should fight what he's doing to you." She narrowed her eyes at Sasuke as he stared back at her, his eyes slightly widened. 

Having lived alone for most of his life and never really having had anyone to talk about things like this made him naive about relationships and he knew it. He felt hurt that Sakura was calling his first crush out as unnatural, even before he himself was sure it even was a crush, but what was worse was that he didn't have any argument against what she said. He didn't know anybody in a same-gender relationship. Hell, he didn't really know anybody in a relationship period, but around town he'd seen couples and he had to agree with Sakura on one thing. There were no same-gender couples he knew about. 

Was it really wrong? He had never even thought about stuff like this before and just assumed his feelings were natural and true, if a little confusing. To be told they weren't, couldn't, be genuine sent his mind into turmoil.

He wanted to rebuild his clan, of course, and he'd need a woman to do that on the count of children, but he never saw himself in an actual relationship with said woman. Not that he had pictured himself with a guy either, but in his mind that was more plausible than a woman. And did wanting children automatically have to mean he could never have something with Naruto? 

Sakura had been his friend for such a long time and she had been a trustworthy companion in the few missions they had together as well. Surely she wouldn't lie to him about something like this.

And what if Naruto was indeed pulling a trick on him? It wouldn't be impossible for Naruto and that thought scared him. 

Sakura walked up to him. "I am telling you this because I care about you. The others probably noticed too and I don't want you to end up hurt. That little kiss he gave you during the spar was probably a spell or something. He's dangerous and you should guard yourself." She walked back to the camp, leaving Sasuke confused and hurt.

He felt his yaw tense as he turned over what she said in his mind. Without any other information, he didn't want to act on what Sakura had said, but her words settled in his mind and festered like an abcess. The words occupied his mind and tightened his stomach into a knot. The more he thought about it, the tighter the knot seemed to become. He felt so insecure and vulnerable right now. And doubting himself didn't make it any better.

He walked back to the camp. The others looked up at him, but he ignored them and leaned against a tree facing away from them. Well, from Naruto mostly. He needed time to digest Sakura's words and he didn't want to be swayed by Naruto's beautiful eyes, because if there was any truth to Sakura's words, he needed to settle his thoughts before confronting the source of his feelings again.

He missed the hurt look on Naruto's face for getting ignored, and the accomplished smirk on Sakura's.

The rest of the day was awkwardly quiet, with Sasuke suddenly ignoring Naruto and Naruto trying to gain Sasuke's attention. 

During the last part of the journey before making camp for the night, Naruto dropped out of formation and ran next to Sasuke for a while. He didn't say anything at first, just lingered next to Sasuke and looking at Sasuke from the corner of his eyes. He didn't like that Sasuke was so cold to him. More than normal, that is. But normally it was because Sasuke was an emotionally supressed arsehole. Right now, however, something was bothering Sasuke, he wasn't hiding it all that well and it felt like he was taking it out on Naruto.

"What's up, Teme?" Naruto asked with a grin, trying to break the silence with a joke. Sasuke remained silent and kept staring ahead. "Oh, come on. You can tell me, you know." Naruto pressed on, nudging Sasuke. 

Sasuke sighed and looked at Naruto. "I'm sorry. I just need some time. Can you give me that?" He said seriously. Naruto stared at Sasuke for a while. He could clearly see something was bothering him and he wanted to question Sasuke further. Before he could, Sakura was in front of them. 

"Naruto, don't bother Sasuke-kun. It's clear he doesn't want you around. Isn't it bad enough that you stay at his house? Give him some space, will you?" She did little to hide her disdain for Naruto and even though Sasuke was very confused right now, he wasn't going to let anyone talk to Naruto in that way. He cared for the blond, even if he didn't know how to place it or if the feeling were right or wrong.

"Sakura, shut up. If someone's bothering me, I can tell them off myself." He felt pissed enough to almost ignore his confusion and follow his feelings, just to piss Sakura off, but thought better of it. He didn't want to be reminded of Sakura each time he would look back at such a moment. Sakura gasped insulted, gave Naruto an angry look like everything that was wrong in the world was his fault, and then she took her place in the formation again.

"Ignore her. You're not a bother. I just... don't know, so I need some time. Okay?" Sasuke said in an almost whisper to Naruto. Naruto nodded and lingered next to Sasuke until the final break was called. Neither said a lot in that time, but they did look at each other from time to time. Somehow, both missed the others gaze as one looked away at the moment the other looked his way. It wasn't on purpose. It just happened like that. 

They had three small tents to share. Sakura and Ino took one, Choji and Shikamaru another, leaving Sasuke and Naruto to share the last tent. Shikamaru delegated the shifts to keep watch by drawing straws. The middle watch would be the hardest and after this initial order was set, it would rotate each night for the rest of the mission. Choji and Shikamaru got first watch, Sasuke and Naruto second, and the third was for Sakura and Ino. 

It was quiet as they sat around the fire and ate something. The sun had set and the sky was clear. The stars shone brightly and the moon was almost full, so it never got really dark.

Sasuke and Naruto were the first to go into their tent in an attempt to get some decent sleep before their shift. Naruto happily borito-ed himself into his sleeping bag and Sasuke lay flat on his back on top of his sleeping bag. It wasn't a cold night and Naruto didn't last long wrapped up like that. Grumbling he unwrapped himself and lay in his belly, leaning on his arms. "Hey, Sasuke..."

"Hnn?" Sasuke sounded sleepy already.

"I don't think I like Sakura much. Is that bad? She says things I don't like and I think she might even be mean to me sometimes. Do you think she is?" Naruto looked at Sasuke as he opened his eyes and turned to face him.

"I don't think she's mean to you. I know she is. What you did, killing her mother, even if that wasn't something you deliberately did, it was still you who did it. Mothers are important to their children, you know?" Sasuke felt a little stupid for thinking Naruto might not know the importance of family, but with Naruto you never knew.

"I see... so like with Dog? Or Cat? It really hurt when Dog betrayed me." 

"Those were the ANBU with you during school, right?" Naruto nodded.

"Maybe I should apologise. Like, really apologise. You think she'd listen?" Naruto sounded insecure. This was one of the first times Sasuke heard Naruto sound insecure and he didn't like it. It didn't fit the randomness that was Naruto.

"When we get back, we can ask her for a talk. I'll stay with you." Sasuke promised. It brought the smile back to Naruto's face and Sasuke felt a little happier for it. Was it really wrong to like Naruto and to want him to be happy? It made Sasuke feel happy, so it couldn't be that wrong, right? "Now, go to sleep. It's going to be a restless night for us." Sasuke laid back down and closed his eyes. He felt Naruto snuggle against his arm next to him, but Sasuke didn't comment on it. Naruto was just shading his eyes, anyway, so it was fine. 

When Shikamaru came to wake them up, they were pretty much in the same position Sasuke had woken up in for the past few days, on his side with Naruto wrapped in his arms and Naruto's face hidden against his chest. Shikamaru smirked and winked at Sasuke, but didn't say anything.

Sasuke poked Naruto a few times to wake him up. Naruto grumbled. "Ugh, already? I wanna sleeeeep..." 

"Come on, we need to get up." Sasuke said giving him another poke and getting out of the tent. Naruto sat up and yawned, and then followed Sasuke out. Sasuke was already talking to Shikamaru and then Shikamaru went into his tent. Choji was nowhere to be seen, so that meant he already was in the tent. 

Sasuke and Naruto sat at the edge of the camp for a while before getting up and walking around. Both of them were fighting sleep, so a little movement would help them stay awake. 

Naruto was walking on a branch a little higher then where Sasuke walked. He had his arms out to the side as he walked the length of it, like he wouldn't be able to maintain his balance if he didn't use his arms. Sasuke watched him silently. He still had Sakura's words mull over and over in his head. "Hey, Naruto, why did you kiss me?" He asked out of the blue and breaking a silence that had lasted almost their entire watch, staring ahead of himself to avoid Naruto's gaze. He could feel Naruto's eyes boring into him. 

"Because I wanted to." Naruto answered without much thought. Sasuke felt a little jealous of the fact that that was all it took for Naruto. He wanted it, so he did it. That was a kind of freedom Sasuke wished he had. Or dared take. Sasuke always needed a reason.

"I know that, but why did you want to?" Sasuke looked up at Naruto with a serious expression on his face. Naruto sat down on the branch and let himself fall backwards so he was face to face with Sasuke. 

"Because I like you. Was it wrong?" He asked, cocking his head.

"Well, no, but..." Sasuke was avoiding eye contact, something Naruto didn't like. Eye contact was a way to read someone, so if they looked away, you missed too much.

"You don't like me?" He asked a bit sad. He was sure Sasuke liked him at least a little. Was he wrong?

"It's not that." Sasuke looked back at him apologetically. "But usually people have a relationship before doing stuff like that."

"We don't have a relationship?" Naruto was confused. They knew each other. They liked each other. Wasn't that a relationship? Did Sasuke mean something else?

"N-no, we're friends." Sasuke stuttered. He felt awkward and a bit ashamed. He did like Naruto, but...

"Friends isn't a relationship? But I like you and you like me. Isn't that enough?" If both of them wanted it, then what else was there?

"Maybe, but we're also both guys." Sasuke said looking away again. 

"And that is an issue, because..?" Naruto couldn't grasp what that had anything to do with it. Even his ancient immortal self didn't quite grasp that gender should make a difference when it came down to feelings. If you feel it, act on it. If the other also has feelings, even better, let it evolve into something greater. Gender had nothing to do with it.

"Relationships are supposed to be between a man and a woman, not two men or two women." Sasuke mumbled. Truth be told, he was just grasping at excuses. He was just feeling confused over what Sakura had told him. If it really was something that was unnatural, then they had no chance for this to work, if this even was something. He wanted it to be, but was afraid it couldn't be. That only brought hurt and he didn't want to hurt. Yet here he was, hurting someone to prevent hurt to himself and it hurt.

"I don't understand. What does that matter? We like each other. I like kissing you and you like being kissed by me. What's the difference? What does it matter?" 

"It just does. I don't know... I don't know any other two men in a relationship. It's unnatural." He snapped, echoing Sakura's words. With that, Sasuke walked away, leaving Naruto hanging upside down and staring after him.

Naruto dropped himself and sat cross legged on the ground looking down. "I don't understand..." He muttered, clasping a hand on his chest over his heart. "That hurt. Why does it hurt?" Naruto looked in the direction Sasuke disappeared in as he felt tears burning in his eyes. "Jerk."

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