When Sasuke Met Naruto (SasuNaru)

- Chapter 48 -

Sasuke Uchiha strolled down the streets of Konoha that night, his hands in the pockets of his blue jacket as he went. He was in no particular hurry – he knew exactly where he was going, and he knew he had plenty of time to get there. He wasn't sure how he knew where Naruto had gone after leaving the party so abruptly, but somehow he was certain of it. Call a sixth sense, call it lover's intuition, call it whatever – Sasuke just knew. If there was one place Naruto would go when he was upset, it was Ichiraku Ramen.

Of course, before Sasuke got there, he had to figure out what exactly he was going to say, which was one reason why he was moving at such a leisurely place that night. He couldn't say he was proud of what had happened at the party – in fact, even if Naruto hadn't said anything, he would've felt incredibly guilty about it later on. The fact that he had ticked off his boyfriend only made things worse, though.

So why had he done it? Sasuke only wished he knew. Maybe he still held a grudge against Gaara for their little fight, not to mention the fact that he tried to steal Naruto away from him. That kind of history was enough to spoil any friendship. But Sasuke knew there was more to it than that. Yes, it mattered that it was Gaara who said it, but it mattered more that Sasuke was... well... Sasuke.

Was it pride? Some sort of lingering Uchiha sense of self-worth that meant Sasuke couldn't just ignore Gaara when he was openly attacking him? Sasuke kicked a can out of his path and frowned.

No, that wasn't it.

The truth was, Sasuke knew all along why he hadn't been able to fight that urge to take down Gaara. It was because everything Gaara had said was spot on. Sasuke had been keeping things from Naruto, and it was because he was still afraid. He wanted to trust Naruto fully and completely, he wanted to share every single ideal of love with his sunshine blond, because that's how he felt about him. For him, Naruto was his savior – the person who rescued Sasuke from himself, the one who brought him out of his little funk of self-pity and back to reality. Contrary to what Ace of Base said, someone had "dragged him up, to get into the light where he belonged."

But it still wasn't enough. He might not have had the paralyzing fear that had made him run away, but there were still some doubts lingering within him. What Gaara had said about being cursed... it was too true.

I don't want him to get hurt because of me. That's why I don't tell him everything. Because if he knew all of my concerns, if I told him every little thought that crossed my mind...

Sasuke shook his head. If he did that, then Naruto would truly know Sasuke – he'd understand him completely. And, as soon as he did that, Naruto would be doomed. It was absolutely ridiculous, Sasuke told himself. Logically, there was no sense in thinking he was cursed. But then he thought about what happened to his parents, to Itachi, to O... they were all the people he trusted most, and they had all died, either literally or figuratively.

Maybe this is just a final step for me. I've already dealt with the more rational fears... I just have to do something about this paranoia. Either that, or I'm even crazier than I thought...

Turning the corner, Sasuke paused. There it was – that little ramen shop he had taken Naruto to just a few months before. It seemed like ages ago, now. He had brought him there because he felt guilty, and that had been the beginning of the end. The beginning of his relationship with Naruto, the beginning of understanding that little thing called love, the beginning of his new life, but also the end of his fear, the end of his loneliness, and the end of the old Sasuke. He took a deep breath.

Well, here goes nothing.

Stepping towards the ramen stand, Sasuke brushed the sign out of his way and ducked as he stepped inside. There, he found only one patron sitting at the bar – a familiar teenager wearing an orange jacket with bright yellow hair.