Why Orange?

T.W.:(screams very loudly in frustration)

Itachi:What the hell is the matter with you?

T.W.:(grabs Itachi's cloak and shakes him)A freakin cliffie! Kishimoto left us with what may be the evilest bloody damn cliffie on the face of the planet! Gah!(releases Itachi to pace and rant)

Itachi:I think you're disturbing me but it might be indigestion.

Sai:Well she's definately disturbing me.

T.W.:(still ranting)I don't think even yaoi can calm me down.

Itachi:O/.\O NOW I'm disturbed.

Sai:Uh T.W.?

T.W.:WHAT!

Sai:Shouldn't you explian why you didn't update yesterday?

T.W.:Hn. Stuff happened, I didn't get comp access so you'll be getting a double update tomorrow. Now things have been too calm lately so I'm gonna throw in a monkey wrench. A snakey monkey wrench. This will take up several chapters and means no SasuNaru lemons for a while.

'thoughts'

Chapter 19 Trouble Is Coming
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Sasuke scowled as he followed Naruto up the stairs to their bedroom with the last box of Naruto's things. This was the fourth trip from the apartment and, though he would never admit it, Sasuke was regreting not asking their friends for help. Most of the boxes were heavy and it had been uncomfortable making four trips to and from the apartment under the curious gaze of the villagers.

"Sasuke."

"Hn?"

"Why are you walking down the hall?"

Sasuke pulled himself out of his distraction and noticed that he had walked past the bedroom. He cursed under his breath and stalked into the bedroom.

Naruto watched him amusedly. He knew why Sasuke was in a foul mood and, although tempted, he didn't rub the avenger's nose in the fact that he'd been wrong about asking their friends to help. Sasuke set the box down in the corner with the others and went over to the bed, sitting down on it.

"I believe that is the last of you're things usuratonkachi."

Naruto plopped down behind Sasuke on his stomache, "Yeah that's all. So you want to help me unpack now or do we get something to eat first?"

"We'll eat."

Sasuke stood and watched Naruto get on all fours and scoot backwards off the bed. 'Now that's an interesting position.'

"Oi teme!"

"Hn? What?"

"You went all spacy on me that's what. Do you want me make lunch or do you want to go out and eat?"

"Out."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the momosyllabic answer, "Alright let's go teme."
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They arrived at Ichiraku and recieved a bit of a shock. Shikamaru and Shizune were sitting at a booth, snogging.

"Uh Sasuke do you see-"

"Hn."

"Who knew that Shikamaru could put that much energy into anything?"

"Obviously Shizune-san."

Naruto was debating between leaving and interrupting the snogging couple when someone made the decision for him.

"Shikamaru! You're in public!"

Shikamaru broke the kiss and shot an irritated look over his shoulder at the interruption, "I am aware of that Ino. And how many times in the past have I had the troublesome duty of reminding you and the guy beside you that you're in public?"

Naruto and Sasuke looked towards the entrance to see Ino standing next to Shino. She smirked at Shikamaru, "Well we've never shocked Naruto by snoggong in front of him."

Shizune 'eeped' and glanced at Naruto and Sasuke standing in the middle of the ramen shop gawking at Ino and Shino. Shikamaru just waved them over and told them to sit down. They did and placed their orders.

Naruto looked between Shizune and Shikamaru, "How long have you two been dating?"

Shizune blushed, "About a month."

"And what about them," he gestured at Ino and Shino.

"Six months and they've been a real pain. Making out at the academy during Ino's lunch breaks."

Naruto started laughing and didn't stop until his ramen arrived.
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Sasuke was tuning out Naruto's chatter as they walked back home.

"I never would have expected Ino to be dating bug-boy but I guess Shikamaru and Shizune aren't really shocking. I mean if you think about it they make a pretty good couple."

"Hn."

"I wonder if Baa-chan knows ye-"

Suddenly Naruto tensed and went silent.

"Naruto?"

He turned towards Sasuke with a troubled expression, "Gaara's here, I can feel his chakra. It's a really distinct signature."

"So he came for a visit."

"No, if this was a visit he would have told me before I left Suna or sent a message to both me and Neji ahead of time. Something's wrong, we need to hurry to Hokage Tower."

Naruto took off with a sceptical Sasuke close at his heels.
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Tsunade, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro turned towards the two young men as they entered the office. Gaara nodded at Naruto and shot a mild glare at Sasuke. Naruto went over to Gaara, "What's wrong?"

Tsunade was the one who answered, "The Akatsuki have been almost completely wiped out by Oto-nin using the Twin Snakes Kill Each Other Jutsu. The only survivors were Uchiha Itachi, Hoshigaki Kisame, and a member who goes by Deidara."

Gaara continued from there, "A group of sand ninja spies reported that after destroying the Akatsuki, Orochimaru attempted and failed to gain control of the captured biju. Now he and his army are moving towards Konoha. Their estimated time of arrival is three days."

Naruto nodded, "Baa-chan what's your plan?"

She studied his serious expression, "First I need to remove Sasuke's curse mark. If it remains in his chakra system then Orochimaru will be able to paralyze him and we need the Uchiha talents for this battle."

Sasuke strode over to stand beside Naruto, "How can you remove it Hokage-sama?"

"I'll transfer it to a scroll with Naruto's help."

"My help?"

"I don't have enough chakra to complete the transfer so I'll need to borrow yours Naruto."

Sasuke interrupted, "Isn't that dangerous to Naruto?"

"No he's done something similar before."

"When?"

"I'll tell you later teme. We need to do this now, right Baa-chan?"

She nodded, "Kazekage-san would you and your siblings go with an ANBU to training field eight. Give Hyuga Neji this scroll and he will arrange your accomadations."

Gaara inclined his head, took the scroll, and left the office with his brother and sister.

Once they were alone, Tsunade retrieved a specially prepared scroll, "Sasuke you need to sit down, Naruto get into a position that will allow you to place your hands on mine. During the transfer you'll need to continuously channel chakra to your hands."
Naruto nodded in understanding and stood behind Sasuke.

Tsunade performed a few hand seals, threw the scroll up so that it unfurled in a sprial around them, and placed her hands on Sasuke's neck. Naruto covered her hands with his and she began transfering the curse. Little wisps of darkness flew out of Sasuke's body onto the scroll. His back arched and his mouth opened in a silent scream of agony. It was like having acid covered senbon pulled through him repeatedly. Naruto, making sure to keep chakra flowing through his hands, leaned down, rubbed his cheek on Sasuke's hair, and did something he never thought he'd do in front of anyone. He began purring comfortingly to distract Sasuke from the pain.

Sasuke focused on the sound as the pain intensified. The scroll was almost completely covered with curse marks and Tsunade was sweating with exertion as she began to draw on naruto's chakra to complete the final steps. She used her hand to pull the last of the curse out of Sasuke and slammed it into the scroll, "Sealed!"

As the scroll rolled in on itself, Tsunade collapsed from exaustion.

"Baa-chan!"

Naruto caught her and set her in a chair. Sasuke, recovered from the extraction, got up, "I'll go get a medic-nin for her."

"No need. I've got Shizune right here."

They turned to see Jiraya standing with Shizune in the doorway.

"Ero-sennin?"

"Don't call me that brat."

He made his way over to Tsunade. As Shizune examined her, he brushed away a few strands of Tsunade's hair, "You should have told me you were planning to do this, you stubborn idiot."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the tender and not perverted in the slightest gesture. The old pervert turned towards them, "Naruto, you and Sasuke go home and relax. Tomorrow is soon enough to begin preparing for Orochimaru's attack."

They nodded and left Jiraya and Shizune to take care of Tsunade.
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Sasuke was staring at his neck in the mirror. He brushed his fingers over the spot where the curse mark had been. 'It's really gone.' A wave of relief cascaded over him. Naruto interrupted his thoughts, "Ne Sasuke?"

He looked over his shoulder at his blond lover, "Hn?"

Naruto moved to stand beside Sasuke and met his eyes in the mirror, concern filling his expression, "Does it still hurt?"

"No it doesn't. For the first time in a long time it doesn't hurt."

As Naruto's eyes filled with happy relief, Sasuke turned, leaned in, and kissed him. Their tongues pushed and slid against each other while their hands caressed all sorts of interesting places. They broke apart for air and Sasuke brushed his cheek against Naruto's, "Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you purr?"

Naruto jerked away, "What?"

"Did you purr when Tsunade was removing the curse?"

Naruto's face turned beet red and he did his best to glare at Sasuke.

"I'll take that as a yes. Something from Kyuubi?"

"Shut up teme!"

Sasuke pulled the towel Naruto had thrown at him off his head and followed his kitsune to the bedroom. Naruto was already lying down with his back to Sasuke. 'Now that's tempting.' The Uchiha slid into bed behind Naruto.

"You aren't getting anything tonight teme, so don't bother trying."

'Damn.'

"Hush and go to sleep usuratonkachi, we have a busy day tomorrow."

"Night teme."

"Goodnight, dobe."
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T.W.:There ya go. Itachi and Sai took off cause I'm being bitchy about chapter 345's cliffhanger(throws darts at printout of said cliffhanger)Can anyone guess where I got the idea for the curse removal thing? I'll be updating twice tomorrow. Ja ne!