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Sasuke knocked on Naruto's door, a giant sigh making its way to his lips.

The teen blonde opened the door and his eyes widened, then he grinned. "Sasuke-teme!" He said, ushering him inside. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Just came by to say hi." Sasuke sighed, plopping down on his best friend's couch.

"Wow. I've finally got you back. Just like I promised Sakura." Naruto's grin only got wider, his hands going behind his head, and eyes squinting shut. "Takes awhile to get used to."

"You did seem a little surprised when you opened the door." Sasuke said, leaning forward.

"It's kinda.... great... to see you home after so long away. You were acting like a pain in the butt." Naruto's smile seemed to disappear. "I wasn't going to give up though."

"I know." Sasuke said, smiling. "I wouldn't have had it any other way. You, Kakashi and Sakura... You guys are my saviors."

"Nah." Naruto laughed. "You're smart. You would've figured it all out."

Sasuke shook his head. "I was too far gone. But you... you dragged me out of my horrible ways practically by the ear. For that, I will be forever grateful, and I will always, always, stick beside you two." His smirk turned into a rare smile. "Thank you."

"Oh, forget it." Naruto said, "Discard all of the hard work, sweat and determination it took to get you back..." his voice dripping with sarcasm, his smile turned into Sasuke's smirk.

"I hate you, dobe."

"Ha, too late, you owe me."

"I take back what I said." Sasuke sighed, rubbing his aching forhead. "You're still a dobe."

"HEY." Naruto frowned. "Sasuke-teme, don't be mean."

"Baka."

"Teme."

"Dobe."

"Teme."

"Dobe."

"Teme."

"Okay, I'm too old for this. I said what i came here to say, now I'm gonna go." Sasuke stood up and turned to the door when Naruto said something that froze him on the spot.

"Funny." Naruto said, "I seem to recall you calling me a dobe not long ago... you were pointing chidori at me. Now here we are."

"Come on, Naruto, don't tug at me like that. You know I was emotionally unbalanced." 

"Emotionally unbalanced? Ha." Naruto scoffed. "You were emotionally destroyed after what Itachi did." His grin diminished, knowing that it was hard for Sasuke to hear about this. A hard topic.

"I know. I'm..." it took him a full six minutes to put enough of his ego away to fully decide to apologize. "I'm... r-really sorry."

"I know. There. Was that really so hard?"

Sasuke offered him a scathing glare.

"Oh YEAH. I forgot that Uchihas had an ego the size of the Hokage mountain, and a stubborn streak the size of Tsunade's bre--"

"I'm gonna stop you there before this gets weird."

"Actually..." Naruto said thoughtfully, "That's a good idea."

Sasuke started. "Whoa."

"What?"

"When did you get so mature?" Sasuke asked, incredulous and completely shocked.

"What are you talking about? What I was going to say, was that your ego is as big as Tsunade's brea--"

"Please, don't go there." Sasuke rubbed his head. "Even at 18 years old, you're still a dobe. How much time have you been spending around Kakashi? And your 'pervy sage'?"

"Pervy sage was killed, remember?" Naruto's voice cracked, but he kept his smile.

Sasuke and Naruto sank into awkward silence.

"So what about Sakura-chan?" Naruto smirked knowing he caught his best friend in his trap.

Sasuke turned around slowly. "What about her?"

"You two together?" Naruto asked, feigning total innocence. Sasuke could see past Naruto's mirage, but he still saw no way to answer that question.

"What are you talking about now, dobe?" He sighed, avoiding the question.

"Are. You. And. Sakura-chan. Together." He repeated slowly so Sasuke would understand.

"Are you and Hinata-sama together?" Sasuke countered, smirking at his cleverness.

"Um... not yet. I'm, like, this close to asking her out." He lifted two fingers and held them horizontally from each other.

"Hn. Scaredy cat."

Naruto was really struggling not to get angry, Sasuke could tell. But instead of punching Sasuke, he did the next best thing;

"Well, it's not like you've worked up the guts to ask out Sakura-chan." He smirked. Beat that, teme.

"It's not like I'm going to ask out Sakura. Because I'm really not."

"Oh, shut up, teme. You love her."

"I don't. Uchihas love no one."

"Oh yeah?" Naruto said, blinking. "Tell me, teme, why do Uchihas hate so fiercely?"

"When something happens to someone they love." Sasuke answered in a monotone voice. "They hate very fiercely."

"And you say Uchihas love no one. Hm. Baka."

"Fine. I love no one." Sasuke amended regretfully and plopped onto Naruto's comfy recliner. "There. Happy?"

"Like hell you love no one. You love me and Kakashi."

"Yeah, but you're a brother and father to me, Naruto, Sakura's..... different."

"Sister figure?"

"No..." Sasuke thought some more.

"Mother figure?"

Sasuke glared at Naruto heatedly.

"What? It would make sense!" He defended himself, ducking away, just in case Sasuke decided to punch him.

"Hn." Sasuke just grunted and sunk lower into his chair.

"You know, teme." Naruto came over and ducked his head to be at Sasuke's size. "I know you love Sakura. No need to hide it."

Sasuke started to protest, but Naruto being who he was, didn't let him defend himself.

"You should get her before some dude does. I'd definitely trust you with my sister-figure before I trusted some random guy she meets at the hospital and seems nice." Naruto remarked, thinking of the many suitors that came to the hospital the last time he was there.

"What?" Sasuke sounded genuinely confused.

"Did you not know?" Naruto asked, looking at Sasuke incredulously. "Ever since she was 16 the girl has been bombarded by suitors trying to win her over. They're really annoying! I can barely get Sak alone for 5 minutes before being hunted down!"

"Suitors, you say?" Sasuke said, a murderous look appearing in his eyes. His fists suddenly clenched and his Sharingan appeared briefly.

"Are you jealous?" Naruto fell off his chair, clutching his stomach, rolling on the floor and dirtying his jumpsuit.

"Wha-- no." Sasuke forced his Sharingan to go away, and calmed himself down, disappearing behind the mask he basically lived in all of his life.

"Yes you areeee!" Naruto laughed some more, anime tears streaming down his face. "OH this is so funny. I was right, you do care for her!"

"Of course I do. She's our teammate."

"..... and your future girlfriend." Naruto finished. "Just man up and admit it already, teme. You're making my job harder than it has to be."

"Hn." Sasuke frowned. "Job?"

"I'm your best friend/Loyal matchmaker." Naruto remarked, standing up.

"Are you begging for a broken nose?"

"More like a broken body if Sakura ever finds out." He commented, leaving the room. Sadly for Sasuke, his voice still broadcasted easily. "You'll help a brother out, right?"

"When Sak finds out, I'm gonna leave you to your beating and cheer her on. I'll be eating ramen." Sasuke shouted to be heard. Naruto didn't even need to raise his voice anymore than it already was.

"Some friend you are." Naruto commented sourly, and Sasuke heard the dishes clanging in the kitchen. "You want something? Ramen, water?"

"Hn." Sasuke told him.

"Water? Okay than." Naruto replied, and more cubbards banged and Sasuke heard the sound of the refrigerator opening and closing.

You know me so well, dobe.

Naruto came out balancing two waters and a steaming bowl of ramen. "Here you go." Naruto handed him a water with 5 ice cubes in it, floating near the top of the cup.

"Hn. Thanks." Sasuke muttered.

"So, seriously, how are you?" He asked, slurping his ramen loudly.

"I'm... better." Sasuke said slowly, thinking. "The Uchiha Compound was rebuilt not long ago, so thats..."

"..... painful?" Naruto guessed, scratching his head with his chopsticks.

"..... good." Sasuke finished, holding up a finger and taking a sip of his water.

"Okay, but how are you?" Naruto asked. "Because the Uchiha Compound isn't you."

Sasuke took a long sip, avoiding the question for as long as possible.

But you can't avoid things for very long.

"Come on, teme, please? I'm your friend. I'm worried about you." Naruto pleaded, downing his bowl of ramen quickly.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, sucking on an ice cube, grinding his teeth against it. He wasn't used to the attention and care Sakura, Kakashi and Naruto gave him consistently, and he wasn't sure how he felt about the constant nagging.

"I'm fine." Sasuke breathed. "Just fine. You guys are taking care of me, and Tsunade is being remotely nice to me, so I'm.... okay. Much better, anyway."

"Wow, that was the longest response I've gotten from you yet on this topic. I'm kinda proud."

"Don't be." Sasuke crunched the ice loudly, smirking, and tipping the cup so another fell into his mouth. "I'm feeling strangely sentimental today."

"Is it because of the suitor thing? Because I'm sure Sakura only has eyes for you, teme. Don't worry." Naruto grinned. "She's loved you since we were little."

"Are you sure she still loves me though? Really sure?" Sasuke crunched the other ice. "Because she's been avoiding me."

"Really?" Naruto asked. "I heard from Ino-chan that she was going to try and move on, since you were being an emotionless bastard, as fricking usual, but I didn't believe it."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"Uh, last I checked--"

"I gotta go." Sasuke put another ice cube in his mouth. He stood up. "Thanks for the water, thanks for the talk. Enjoy the rest of your day. Maybe ask out Hinata."

"I'll ask Hinata out when you ask Sakura out."

"Well, you won't have to wait long." Sasuke smirked. "I'm going right now."

"OH, right now?" Naruto said. "Uh, okay."

"See ya, dobe." Sasuke waved and stepped out the door.

"Uh, bye, teme." Naruto stuttered.

Sasuke closed the door. "Works every time." He wasnt even planning on asking Sakura out yet. Just talking to her and getting things straight. He's sure that she wouldnt necessarily want to move too fast. "But right now I have to talk to Sak. I have to tell her--"

"Tell Sak what?" A pink haired, beautiful med-nin stepped around the corner. "Oh, hey, Sasuke."

"Kun."

"What?"

"Sasuke-kun." Sasuke said, blushing discreetly and looking away. "Sa-ku-ra, can i talk to you?"

"Sure, Sasuke--" her voice broke slightly. "Sasuke-kun."

You're an Uchiha, Sasuke, you're naturals at this.

"Well, the thing is,"

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