Of Heaven and Hell

Disclaimer: I own nothing beyond…my shoes. Those are mine. But not Naruto or anyone else. Damnit.


AN: I lied about the sex. I didn’t want to rush it. Forgive the length of this chapter. I kind of…started writing and ran with it. Replies to reviews are at the bottom. This chapter is dedicated to Koo-chan, because she was having a rough day when I started writing this.

Protect was capitalized because I want to stress how important it is that the angels are Protecting for a sort of “living.”


Sorry about the delay in the update. Enjoy the chapter. Wow, I just realized it was a full month. How cool is that?

(Thank you, Ness, for being the world’s most incredible beta.)

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The wind swept across the street in a gulping gasp, the misty tendrils of fog giving the illusion of a hand batting away at the world, hammering through the air. He shivered in spite of himself, though he felt no discomfort beyond the slight tickling as the wind flushed through his feathers, rippling between his secondaries, dipping inside the silken folds of his robes, flaying out against his sides. He tugged the gossamer fabric closer to his body, arching his wings downwards, slicing through the air like a golden-handled jackknife. The miniscule contraction of his muscles may have made flying all the more difficult, but it was worth it. Something was amiss, and he could sense it, every fiber of his being buzzing with alertness.

She was setting slowly, he noted out of the corner of his eye, peripheral vision detecting the bobbing of the sun above the steel framework of some monolithic building, her rosy, bright face peeping at him like a child playing a hiding game. He ran the flat of his hands along his arms, fingering the risen bumps of gooseflesh, prickly hairs of his arm standing on end, blond sentries watching vigilantly for the enemy. His tongue traced lazy circles over his lips, wetting them, the air feathering against them light a hesitant first kiss, full of promises and guiles, gentleness and cunning. He closed his eyes, lazily inclining his head towards the romancing wind, sighing quietly, fingers tightening around the scrap of paper in his hands, nails biting into his palms.

The back of his wrist flew to his mouth, covering a yawn, trailing behind his faint sigh, clinging to the only bit of expressiveness he could muster. It wasn’t as though he was apathetic—he tried, he truly did, yet apathy evaded him, phantom hummingbird, flitting against his palm, toying with him, taunting, teasing, and when just within reach of absolute nothingness, something happened that would spark a reminiscent memory of that thing he had once known. Life. He could remember the distinct feeling, the vivid sensation of existence looming on the outer edge of his senses, looming, and still, it was nothing he could touch.

Wind ghosted along his cheeks, faintly caressing the tanned swells of warm flesh, sending quivering jolts down his spine, making his head spin. He realized, absently, that he felt dizzy, dazed, and he suddenly had the mental picture of two lovers consummating their relationship, arm in arm, skin nestled in folds of hot, sweaty flesh, beautiful and yet passionate. A faint blush rising to his face, he sent the images away, surprised to find himself clinging tightly to a particular one in which he and that raven-haired stranger lay tangled in a heap of limbs and sheets, panting, moaning, and gasping for breath.

Wrapping his arms around his body, Naruto tossed his head from side to side, folding his wings slightly, tucking the tips down, beating the air hurriedly. Though his mind lazed about - languidly painting graphic fantasies - a more pressing issue should have prioritized his psyche, and with great effort, he dragged it back to his consciousness, though he could not keep all lewd thoughts from his mind. Nor did he want to, he noticed with a sickening disgust at his own perversion. Biting down on his lower lip, he tucked his fingers into a single fold of shimmering cloth, lowering himself towards the earth gently.

Had he not been a wraithlike being - one from God’s own bosom - the tips of his wings would have brushed against the scalps of those he passed. With each downbeat of his wingspan, each fluttering force of his muscles, he carried himself onwards, skimming above the living sea, separated from them by scant
inches yet an entire world.

Those more sensitive to the actions of supernatural creations anxiously rubbed their hands through their hair as he passed, fingertips grasping for something, as though reaching to touch the very barbs connecting each fibrous strand to one another. They were like a surging mass, one living, breathing body, moving together as one, in a barbaric, lively dance. Each passionate, chaotic step they took evoked a stirring of envy within Naruto, and he beat his wings faster, wanting to be done with his job and return to the clear, unpolluted recesses of the sky.

It was odd, he noticed, that there would be fog in the streets at such a late hour, all the staggering human beings he passed still in work-garb, heading toward home. Many were physically bent, slouched over, the weight of life bowing down their bodies, briefcases hanging from their curled fingers like voluntary shackles. Scattered among them marched those truly happy - mortals unafraid of mortality - appreciating the spontaneous beauty that had been created for them. The world was theirs for a moment, a playground in which they had no time to linger upon petty grievances. Those were the souls who could lie on their deathbeds and look death in the eye, bravery encompassing them.

It wasn’t as though he was apathetic—he tried, he truly did, yet apathy evaded him, the skillful fox, flitting against his palm, toying with him, taunting, teasing. And then, just when she danced within his reach, when he could nearly claim the welcoming nothingness, something happened that would spark a reminiscent memory long forgotten.

He wasn’t sure what kind of life he had lived before, but Naruto was almost certain he had not been so blessed with their courage.

His glittering eyes, shimmering with intensity in the sunlight, scanned the horizon ahead, alert and apprehensive, watching for the demon. He shot himself higher, flying several meters above the writhing mass of mortality, flicking the hoops of his earrings nervously. His skin was crawling, as though he had dove headfirst into an anthill, the same uncomfortable feeling writhing beneath his flesh. He quivered in spite of himself, the nauseating, lightheaded dizziness of being in the general proximity of a demon flushing through him.

Naruto inhaled deeply, forcing his wings to lash through the air, frantic whips, ignoring the unusual sensation coursing along his body. He could not remember a time when he had been anything but a Soul Protector, anything but a guardian of the living, enviously watching them like a phantom shadow, mysterious, magical yet enraptured by that which he could never be. It was a fitting description of him, Naruto realized absently as he looked at the note with his assignment on it once more, skimming the slip of paper for any details.

Angels were creatures of the light - God’s right hands - yet Naruto was a shadow, not quite human and not quite angel. He was stuck between, in some purgatory he banished himself to. What frightened him most was not the knowledge that he was hanging onto…something; it frightened him knowing that he had done it to himself.

Green heads came into view, crowning ornaments atop wooden stumps, the wind swaying through their leaves tauntingly, kissing the vermillion spades lightly, never lingering, moving on as quickly as they had come. He glanced towards the grimy streets, surprised to see he had gone past the bustling urban empire of the city, finding himself soaring above the cookie-cutter houses of a suburban neighborhood. Though he could barely see them from his post in the sky, he knew there were children beneath him, playing games of tag, despite the winter chill, greedily absorbing the surprising heat of the fading twilight.

Shielding his eyes, the blond swiveled his gaze westward, towards the lake, a cool breeze flitting from the distant water, the ovule body a mere puddle before the horizon. He wrapped his arms tightly around his body, feeling very exposed in the air, as though millions of eyes were focused on him, able to scrape through his thoughts like claws. He knew he had no reason to be nervous—though a demonic Soul Collector would be there, the demon could not harm him. There was a balance in powers, so to speak, in that they were equals, unable to harm the other. For an angel, the presence of a demonic being would simply make his skin crawl, set him on edge. Such was the same for all demon kind.

Though Seraphims, Cherubims, and, reflectively, those demons on the upper echelon of hell’s hierarchy were exceptions to the rule, as a Protector, Naruto could do no demon harm. That didn’t change the fact that his stomach was flip-flopping nervously, hands growing moist and warm with sweat. He rubbed them on his robes, shaking the shaggy blond hair from his eyes, inhaling deeply, trying to gather himself for the moments to come. He had hoped he would arrive in the park before his demon counterpart arrived, but such was not the case; he could do nothing, save confront the demon head-on and Protect the soul he was guarding.

Pain lanced through his neck, and he cried out quietly, biting his wrist to keep from screaming. It would do him no good to alert the demon to his location, whether he could be harmed or not. Knowing his luck, a Higher Demon would have been sent for the boy Naruto was to protect. Naruto could cause a demon no harm, but a High Demon could cause him great injury.

Diamond tears pricked the corner of his shimmering eyes, and he hastily blinked them away, arching his body towards the ground. As he flew, the wind blowing past him seemed to peel the pain away, leaving only the sensitive hum of memory echoing through his body. Only as an afterthought did he recall that angels were not supposed to experience pain, at least not without true merit. However, he had no time to dwell on what had caused the ring of burning around his throat.

It was time, he knew, feeling the urgency of his calling with every inch of his angelic figure. Though he had never seen the boy he was to save in his life, he would have known him amidst thousands, millions. For a moment, until the danger was over, Naruto would be linked to him, saving him, keeping his soul out of the demon’s grasp. His wings lashed through the air as he flung himself towards the earth, righting himself at the last moment.

His sandaled feet were cushioned by the air-moistened grass, the tiny leaflets bending oh-so-slightly beneath him, the minute bowing motion imperceptible to human eye. He grinned, digging his toes against the soft leather of his sandals, folding his arms over his chest. He glanced at the paper Ino had given him, fond expression passing over his face, the woman’s scrawled, hasty writing giving him a warning, alerting him to the presence of a Collector, as though the tingling irritation of his flesh would not be warning enough. He sighed, stuffing the parchment back into one of the folds in his robes.

Naruto’s blue eyes skimmed the area around him, alertness exuding from his gaze, watching for the boy he was to Protect and the being he was to Protect him from. He sighed quietly, wistfully, fingering a stray lock of his hair, tucking it behind his ear, wrapping his hand around the nape of his neck, rubbing the skin idly. Though the pain had ceased its burning, chaotic scalding against his flesh, it had ebbed away into a dull throb.

He shivers as his fingers found a line of raised flesh, a scar. Angels were perfect, with no blemishes or scars. What did that make him?

An angel with a scar, he told himself resolutely, plastering his arm against him, shaking his head, focusing on what lay around him. Children clambered atop rusty, metal-wrought frames, squealing with glee as they laughed and joked, teased and mocked. His legs longed to fold beneath him and behold the simplistic beauty of frolicking children, the moments before they faded into awkwardness, adolescence, while they still appreciated the intricacy of things they would one day find “stupid.” It was now that they believed in higher powers—in God, maybe, or magic—the inexplicable. They had faith now, and Naruto quivered with desperation, fervently wishing he could reach out and tell them to hold onto it tightly. Money, power, fame, family, virginity or even life—none of these could have possibly created the same void within one of those children were they turn their backs on belief.

The knowledge he had accumulated over a millennia of life pained him. Almost every single one of them would lose their faith.

Senses flared. His body arched in anticipation, bracing himself for the non-existent shock of the demonic attack. It was more of a mortal reflex, reminiscent of the days he had long since forgotten, just as the demons continued to attack, knowing it was in vain. However, no claws slipped through his chest painlessly, no fist battered against the back of his skull, soft as the wind's kiss. It was a ball that appeared before him, blossoming in his chest, emerging from his cloaked torso, passing unhindered.

A wistful grin played on his coral lips as he rose to his feet, turning slowly to search for the child who would be trailing after the ball, second in the marathon race. Pain lanced through his throat once more, tight and constricting, causing him to double over. He gasped for the breath he did not need, trying to cough, pant, anything. Though death had been his mistress so many years ago, he still felt as though he would suffocate. The intense agony was so maddening; he wanted to die once more, longing to end the hurt.

Scuffling footsteps reached his ears through the fogginess the suffrage wrought, and Naruto focused his eyes on the figure in front of him, lurching towards the rebellious ball. Bells jingled in the back of his mind, mirroring the sound his tremble caused the ebony earrings to make. He fished for the strip of paper on which his mission was scribbled and blanched, knowing that the child rushing towards him was the one he had to Protect.

He whimpered as he moved, stepping to the side, allowing the boy to run past him. Though it was a mild tingling sensation and nothing else, Naruto could not handle anything coupled with the raucous pain roaring through him. He inhaled slowly, steadily, as though taking a long gulp of water, savoring each precious molecule of oxygen. The pain began to dissipate, and he could see clearly once more, eyes the slightest bit watery. Had he been crying?

He now allowed himself the opportunity to glance at the parchment in his hand, reading for the thousandth time what it said. A demon would be coming, trying to take this boy's soul into the underworld. Though this was not the first child he had to protect, each of them caused some kind of inexplicable sadness. They were too young to die, to be dragged off to hell by the promises and falsifications of demons. He clenched the paper in his hand--after reading the boy's name one last time to make sure it was imprinted in his mind—wandering towards a shadowed alcove, silent footfalls pushing away the dully throbbing pain a bit more.

His brown hair stuck out in proud tufts, protruding from the opening at the top of his bowl shaped helmet. His gap-toothed grin was lathered with saliva, laughed there with his joviality, scarf trailing in the wind as he bounded towards the hopping sphere. Naruto grinned in response, noting the attention of his peers, all honed in on him, waiting for him to catch the ball. Though not more than a hundred yards away, their pre-pubescent voices warbled his name. "Konohamaru! Hurry up! Bring the ball back!"

It was as though the world moved in slow motion, ball slowly thudding against the black gravel as it entered onto the street. Child following after it as though being led to the bedroom by a spouse on their wedding night, he was oblivious to the danger careening towards him with the anti-lock breaking system and power steering. Naruto’s stomach dropped out from beneath him, and he took a painful, leaping step towards the boy, knowing he would not get there in time, not considering the fact that he was completely powerless to stop a car with his body, form having less substance than mist.

It was right then mortals began to notice. They were so ignorant, these humans. The shouts of retrieval had melted into trembling cries of terror, begging Konohamaru to turn, duck, run, simply move, but he could not have managed to force his little heart and mind to work. “Deer in the headlight syndrome,” the angels had nicknamed the reaction to fear and death. Naruto cursed at himself for having allowed the boy to be in the situation. It was too obvious, too cliché. All the pain he had felt over the day was hammered out by his adrenaline rush.

Out of nowhere, it seemed, some dark thing barreled into the road, slammed into the boy with almost monstrous force, and knocked him out of the vehicle’s way. For a long while, the only sounds Naruto could hear were the noise of far-off children - oblivious to the grievous accident that had nearly transpired - and the hissing yowl of breaks. They didn’t lock, though; he had to give them that. The dark figure curled around the boy, like a dragon with her precious clutch of eggs, did not stir, did not breathe.

The sports-car skidded to a halt, speed carrying them half a block away, the driver and passenger hopping out of the car, faces white as the robes that now lay still on Naruto’s body. He could sense the fear exuding from Konohamaru but, oddly, felt nothing from his savior. He took slow, hesitant steps forward, memory tickling at the back of his mind. Where had he felt that aura before? He knew the boy’s savior. Why couldn’t he remember?

“Ohmygod,areyouokay?!” the passenger—a young, shapely female with the face and body to make men melt—screamed; Naruto ignored her. She dropped to her knees, white capris destined for the trash as they stained and tore on the gravel. The driver stood several feet behind her, covering his mouth, trying not to retch.

“I’m…s….so…sorry…” he mumbled, sounding as if he would be sick.

The figure atop the boy rose slowly, as though lifting a heavy box with his shoulders alone, and stood, back to Naruto. “I’m fine,” he mumbled, extending his hand to Konohamaru, helping the brunette youth to his feet. “He is, as well.” He patted the child on the back, between the shoulder blades, and pointed towards the underbrush lining the opposite side of the road. “Your ball,” he said quietly.

“Thanks!” Konohamaru shouted, grinning that gap-toothed grin at the man, seizing the ball, and racing towards his friends. Naruto had to grin at that. Kids never seemed to fully grasp the gravity of serious situations.

“Areyoualright?” the woman repeated, voice far too loud, too shrill. She placed her palm on the man’s shoulder hesitantly, as though expecting to be struck. He nodded, jet-black hair shining in the sunlight like a business man’s shoots, ebony sheen from too much bootblack.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’m just glad I got there before it was too late,” he mumbled, voice trailing off as he turned around slowly, whirring on the back of his shoes. His clothes were familiar, the darkness looming at the fringes of his black coat almost screaming like the tormented souls in purgatory. Naruto shook his head. He had no reason to associate this man with hell—

“You’ve got to be shitting me…”

Naruto clamped a hand over his mouth, trying to avert his gaze as the man’s eyes locked on him. Or, where he would have been, had he been visible. It was him! Naruto wanted to scream, jump up and down, yell at the top of his lungs. It was the man from earlier, the one he had bumped into at the coffee shop. That was where he knew the aura from, why those silken threads of pure night shone with such memory, recognition in his eyes. He averted his gaze, as though trying to hide from someone who could not have known his existence.

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” the familiar stranger muttered quietly, attention back on the woman, now a sobbing bundle of estrogen in his arms. Naruto smothered the spark of jealousy, stamping it out with his foot. “Don’t worry about it. Just be more careful next time, alright?” he asked gently, voice soothing like aloe balm, words directed towards the vehicle’s driver. “Excuse me, though. I have to take care of something.”

Though certain the way the man’s path took him—directly towards Naruto—was completely up to coincidence, he scurried away all the same. Finding comfort beneath the masking shade of a restroom building, he opened his mouth, inhaling deeply, trying to still his hammering heart. Had the demon not been there? Surely, any demon would have made sure to kill the child off, just then. It would have been so simple, so flawless. He would have thanked God for saving the child’s life, but Naruto found the thought to be a bit too redundant.

He closed his eyes, wings flipping out wide, wingspan stretching as he arched his spine, ready to leap into the air, but he couldn’t make himself move. He tried—at least, he liked to believe he did—but his body would not leave the pockmarked concrete of the park sidewalk. Limply falling beside him, he tucked his feather appendages back against his shoulders, folding his arms over his chest.

The rational excuse of why he could not leave was his mission had not been completed, that there still was danger for Konohamaru. But, unless he would die from too much fun—and his loud, gleeful shouts reaching Naruto’s ears from the ball-field assured him that was the extent of the danger he was undergoing—the boy was fine. He hated to think that it was something as simple as his attraction for the man.

But what if it was? He deserved a bit of fun, didn’t he? A thousand years, and he had not participated in any of the dalliances his other counterparts underwent. Sighing, he brought his hands before his mouth, murmuring a quiet prayer, light pealing from his forehead in opalescent luminance. Once more his robes and wings melded, replaced by clothing and flesh, intangible proof that a God watched over the world replaced by physical manifestation of the truth, complex organs and intricate bone marrow.

He opened his eyes, squinting as he stepped into the sunlight, fingers slowly reaching for his neck. Naruto was not sure why his heart hammered. Surely nothing would be there. The color dripped from his face like spilt paint, leaving behind a white canvas. His fingers played along the slightly raised line of new flesh looping around his jugular. A scar.

“You okay?” a hot voice said from behind him. The blond spun around rapidly, expecting to see the dripping fangs and feel the hot breath of death and decay befitting a demon.

What stood before him, however, was not a child’s worst nightmare. There were no pricked ears of a demon, no leathery wings of a creature of the underworld. However, he was staring at the type of person who would promote adultery amongst even the most steadfast upholders of the faith. How the man had managed to find a way to wriggle himself behind Naruto in the moments that had passed since the accident was a mystery Naruto didn’t care enough to think about. He did, however, notice the man did not look as though he had nearly died saving a boy from a speeding car in the middle of a filthy street.

“Are you alright?” he asked softly once more, brow furrowed in genuine concern, eyes as black as death somehow warm, hot, befitting the shade of black fire. “Hey, are you okay? You’re really pale.”

Naruto opened his mouth, nodding slowly, licking his lips, the salty tang he found there bringing saliva rushing to his mouth. His earrings jangled against his neck as he nodded, and he was thankful the turtleneck covered the ring. “I was just a little bit hot, you see,” he grinned sheepishly, holding up his sleeves, pointing to the length and thickness of the woolen garment.

The man’s face parted in a lazy smile, and Naruto’s blood—for he did, now, actually have blood—ran cold. Though sex on legs, his cold, malicious smile sent shivers down Naruto’s spine despite his clothes or the surprisingly warm winter sun, the hovering ball still looming above the craggy peaks of mountaintops. “Well, why don’t you let me help you and take those off?”

Naruto blushed and stepped away from the man. “I don’t even know your name,” he mumbled, trying to look at his feet, hoping it would hide his blush. Of course his eyes, those treacherous things, would not move from the man’s face.

“Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke,” he said lightly, stepping towards Naruto, advancing on him slowly. Naruto noticed that Sasuke’s eyes seemed to burn through his body with a bizarre intensity, one he had never seen before… yet…

“Sasuke, get away from me.”

The man clucked softly, grin stretching farther across his face. “Are you always this bossy?” He reached out and stroked one of the blonde’s cheeks, the caress gentle, nearly unnoticeable.

Naruto stepped to the side, away from the man. “Are you flirting with me?” he asked dumbly, awestruck that someone would be so forward.

Sasuke folded his arms, not moving, eyes glinting with amusement, like a cat toying with a cornered mouse. “Maybe…Does that mean you want me to?”

The sound of a horn honking behind him was a blessing, and Naruto whirled away from Sasuke, looking towards the road, trying to ignore the bizarre hammering from the depths of his chest.

At least…he had thought it to be a blessing…

But how much of a blessing could an eighteen-wheeled semi-trailer truck be when plowing towards Konohamaru?

“Shit,” Naruto said, ignoring the fact that he was an angel, shouldn’t swear, etc. The boy he had to Protect seemed to be the most unlucky child in the entire world and the ball was the spawn of Satan. If demons had been able to transform into red, rubber spheres, Naruto would have known where the demon lay. Just to make sure, he swore to himself he would pop the thing as soon as he had the chance.

Feet flew out behind him as he ran, the tightness of his white pants making it more than a little difficult to move, but he didn’t care. He would rather be naked than let the child die. Sasuke couldn’t save Konohamaru now, even though he was hammering the pavement right behind Naruto. The park had not seemed so big before, and he had to catch himself from stumbling or tripping as he moved.

Though it would have been less than five seconds in total, the race across the playground was perhaps the most vivid he had experienced in his entire afterlife. Each vermillion blade of grass, each wispy grey cloud, each piped howl stood out in perfect clarity. He leaped from the sidewalk, ducking his head as he rolled, huddling before Konohamaru, bracing himself for second death. Absently, he realized that the individual pebble of gravel bit into his knee cap with astounding irritation, though the pain was nothing compared to that which he had experienced earlier.

Then his legs were in the air, body doubling over at his waist, chin tucked against his chest, arms all the while clinging to Konohamaru tightly, until the boy somehow managed to squirm out of his grasp, landing on the ground beside him. Out of the corner of a cerulean eye did Naruto notice the truck speeding off into the distance, not bothering to stop for stupid pedestrians. He felt like trembling or throwing up, or some combination of the two. Shock, he guessed. There was a weight on his chest making it difficult to breathe, and Naruto looked upwards, eyes locking on obsidian spheres.

Naruto turned his head to the right, watching Konohamaru stand and brush off his shorts, grabbing the ball and wandering off back to the field. The child trotted back to the arms of his friends, only to be swooped into the embrace of his grandfather, the old man kissing him profusely. Naruto’s hearing was good enough to assure him the child was out of any danger today, except for a stomach ache at the ice cream parlor he would be visiting.

“Someone really needs to teach that kid to look both ways, I swear,” Sasuke whispered, eyes never leaving Naruto’s face. He adjusted his weight slightly, the leg between Naruto’s own rubbing in an uncomfortably good kind of way. The blonde flushed, and he turned his attention to the man atop him, tiny bits of black rock falling from his hair, faintly clinking against the ground.

“I’m…Naruto,” the blonde muttered quietly, wondering what this feeling was. Why was his head spinning? Why was his heart thundering so severely? Why was he so nervous? He swallowed the lump in his throat, fully aware of the fact that it had little to do with the truck.

“I just saved your life, Naruto,” the man muttered. “What do you have to say to that?”

His stomach was doing nervous summersaults within him, mouth dry as if he had swallowed an entire desert. He was attractive, Sasuke was, and the man knew it, every inch of him exuding self confidence and sex appeal. Naruto licked his lips, sucking them into his mouth. “Do…do you want to go to dinner?”

“Who’s flirting with whom, now?”

“Shut up,” Naruto said uncomfortably, bringing his hands to rest on Sasuke’s back, simply because they were falling asleep in their former position. “You just saved my life, right? The least I can do is buy you a cup of ramen.”

The man shivered and stiffened atop him, face not shifting, though the blonde could sense his disgust. “Ramen? Why can’t we eat some place nice and have good food? Something with tomatoes?”

“Do you want me to take back my offer?” the blond asked, surprising himself at how strong and forceful the words left his throat. “And I think you should get off me,” he nodded his head towards a small clustering of mothers, shielding their children’s eyes from the scene taking place in the street, “or we’re going to have to answer to a lot of angry mothers whose children are asking about the two men hugging in the road.”

Sasuke sighed quietly, the noise tinged with a hint of…something, hanging his head in defeat. “Alright.” He slowly withdrew from Naruto’s body, petals of a nocturnal flower uncurling beneath the silvery light of the moon. The man shaded his eyes, peering at the sun, the orb having finally decided to settle beneath the horizon. “Come on, then.” He extended his hand, lifting the blond to his feet, holding onto his hand a bit longer than etiquette required.

“Thanks,” Naruto said, fingers tingling where Sasuke’s had held his own. He quickly dipped them into his sleeves, thankful they were too long. He shivered, suddenly realizing it was cold. The man next to him sighed once more, this time in irritation instead of something indefinable, fingers moving to the shining metal of his zipper, slowly pulling down. He shrugged his shoulders, trench-coat sliding down his back.

“Here,” he grunted hoarsely, thrusting it into Naruto’s hands, hooking his thumbs through his belt loops as he huffed irritably. “Come on, lead the way. I’m hungry.”

Naruto was as well…at least, he thought he had been, back when he cared about food. No, food did not matter anymore. Breathing did not matter anymore. It was all he could do to slip his eyes up and down Sasuke’s body languidly, sucking in his breath sharply, admiring the angles and planes of the man’s toned, lithe body. He was thin, though muscles protruded from the thickness of his tan and beige marbled tank-top, the clinging material leaving nothing to the imagination. Fishnet stockings coursed up and down the length of the man’s milky white arms, as though greedily drinking in the heady intoxication that surely would be found by touching the man’s flesh. Leather pants clung to a sculpted waist, wrapping desperately around the long legs that would have gone forever had heeled boots not halted their progression. Chains and bangles dangled from Sasuke’s wrists, tinkling as he moved.

Though his body was like a pervert’s visual buffet, one thing stood out to Naruto.

His pierced ears housed the silver hoops of an angel.

“If you stare at me any harder, your eyes will pop out of your head,” he said smugly, tossing his head from side to side, spiked hair and earrings jangling as he moved. No…they couldn’t be…

“Shut up. I’m only staring at you because you look like a hooker straight out of rehab.”

“Ah, but you think I’m an attractive hooker, don’t you?” He grinned knowingly, turning on his heels and marching away from the park as though he had a clue where he was heading.

“Dumbass,” Naruto said haughtily, thankful he could swear when in a mortal body, his tongue feeling as though it had been loosed from a vice. He scurried forward, glaring at Sasuke as he passed, leading him onwards, towards a bus stop that would take them to the heart of the city.

“Don’t bring my ass into the conversation, unless you’re going to let me do something that involves yours.”

Naruto shook his head, hackles rising, bringing back into mind the ring around his neck. He shook it off, throwing his hands up in the air. “How can someone as perverted as you save a life?”

“You know, the real question is how could I let someone as dumb as you live?”

“Smartass.”

“There you go again.” Sasuke ran closer to Naruto, making the blonde wonder if it was difficult to move in the stilettos. “If there’s going to be an obsession with my ass, can I claim a part of you to obsess over?”

Naruto moved his head from side to side. “How can you be so vulgar?”

He could feel the man’s grin. “I’m a little demon, aren’t I?”

At the word, Naruto froze and reached into his pants pocket, digging the piece of paper out with his fingers, unfolding it with trembling hands. Why was he so afraid that Sasuke might be a demon? Was his bizarre attraction to the strange, confident man so deep that he could barely stand the thought of Sasuke having to leave?

A wave of relief washed over him at the word next to Konohamaru’s name. SAVED. Naruto’s mission was completed, and judging by the name and time of his next assignment, he would have a good decade of free time. When you counted time in increments of one hundred years, a decade seemed like nothing.

Sasuke did not ask what he had been looking at, though the man did, indeed, notice his attention to the crumpled slip of paper. He instead stepped closer to Naruto, as though trying to absorb some of the heat that would not slip through the cloak.

Sighing, Naruto stuffed the sheet back in his pocket, tucking one arm out of an enlarged sleeve, motioning for Sasuke. “C’mon. I can’t stand seeing you shivering like a whipped dog.”

He kept his comments to himself, though the glimmering twinkle in his eyes and the mischievous smile on his lips screamed his thoughts. He brushed his body against Naruto’s, slipping into his own cloak, wrapping an arm around the blonde’s waist, not touching anywhere else. He hated to admit it, but the innocence left Naruto a bit disappointed.

They hobbled down the street, the difficulty of their movements lessening when Naruto placed his arm behind Sasuke, digging his fingertips into the man’s ribs. He shivered against Sasuke’s hand and side, though the cloak somehow managed to keep the cold at bay. It was something about the way his body melded against Sasuke, pieces of the simplest puzzle fitting in perfect harmony. He was thankful night had finally stretched across the sky, the darkness masking the blush burning his ears.

The streetlights overhead flicked on silently, dominos of light along the pavement, iridescence trembling before glowing with full intensity, cones of discolored radiance lining their way. The park slipped into nothingness behind them, forgotten entirely in the small bubble enveloping them, no noises save the distant buzz of a busy street and the soft shuffling of their shoes. He knew, in the back of his mind, in the deep recesses of his rational thought process, that it was foolish of him to imagine their embrace romantic, the comfortable quiet the shield protecting them from the world.

But he did.

His fingers could feel the steady rise and fall of Sasuke’s lungs as he inhaled the crisp night air, tongue darting out every once in a while to lap at wind-chapped flesh. The hand around Naruto’s waist tightened possessively and pulled him closer, causing the blonde’s heart to stammer spasmodically. Stars winked down at them with teasing smirks, blinking as if they were a silent cheering squad, trying to keep Naruto from losing his nerve. For the first time in as long as he could remember, the blond angel felt like he belonged somewhere.

A lone bench sat beside a metallic post, like a royal and her guard, noble in her agedness, greenish light showing her cracked face, filled with the lines befitting a geriatric queen. Naruto didn’t want to reach the bus stop. The moment they arrived, it would be the end of their silent walk, the end of all their make-shift womb of warmth and intimacy. He knew all good things must come to an end, but that didn’t mean he wanted it to.

“You’re being awfully quiet,” Sasuke said, shattering the noiseless void. “Run out of dumb things to say?”

Naruto shook his head, clawing at Sasuke’s sides, searching for the gaps between the fishnet, feeling them beneath his tank-top and pressing hardest there. The man’s eyebrow twitched slightly, lips curling upwards in a sadistic grin. “I was enjoying the moment, hoping I was with someone else.”

“You’re lying.”

“What makes you think I would lie to you?”

“Because you’re too obsessed with my ass to want to have someone else’s arm around you.”

Naruto laughed softly, surprised to notice his breath curling around his mouth in small, puffing clouds. The sounds of billowing exhaust and a chattering muffler soon reached their ears, and they remained standing, waiting patiently for the bus to arrive. They could smell the dizzying stench of carbon monoxide as it played into their nostrils, polluting their minds as it did the air. Sasuke reached in his side of the cloak and pulled out several coins, flipping them towards the lip of the bus driver’s fee cup as soon as the doors parted, and they hobbled inside, sidling with much difficulty.

It was as if they had stepped into a ghost bus, so few were the passengers, Naruto noticed, shaking off the cuff of his sleeve and glancing at his watch, surprised to note only a few hours had left the city. He was, however, gracious that the only other people on the bus appeared to be two males a little younger than Sasuke. He lowered his gaze, afraid they would begin insulting the pair huddled beneath the cloak, inwardly cursing human ignorance and closed mindedness. Much to his surprise, however, when Sasuke squeezed his side, motioning towards the males, he found their eyes closed and hands roaming each other’s bodies, tongues down one another’s throats.

Of course, Sasuke merely showed him the sexuality of the other couple after sensing Naruto’s discomfort, not because he was suggesting any such behavior. Still, though, the angel could dream.

They quickly took their seats on the left side of the bus, Naruto pressed against the window, Sasuke in the aisle. Naruto could not steal glances at Sasuke without being obvious, so he had to pain himself not to stare. As the cookie-cutter houses flew past the window, disappearing as streaks of white and grey, he tried to console himself with the fact that Sasuke’s hand was around his waist, but he was too greedy to be satisfied with that.

Soon the homes morphed into small shops, warehouses, lurking on the outskirts of the bustling metropolis, as though they were trying to stretch inward and bask in some of the financial glow radiating from the center. Naruto sighed quietly. Sasuke pulled him closer. The blonde blushed faintly, ducking his head, looking up at Sasuke blatantly, smiling nervously. It felt funny to act almost as if he were dating the man against him.

And just what would be so wrong with having a boyfriend? a voice in the back of his mind asked quietly. For the past thousand years, all you’ve done is sulk about wanting to feel like you fit in, and now you do. Don’t screw it up, you idiot.

I won’t.

“Won’t what?” Sasuke asked intently, looking at him closely, worriedly, face short inches from Naruto’s.

“What?” Naruto muttered breathlessly, licking his lips. In what, anticipation?

…yes.

“You said you wouldn’t do something. What won’t you do?”

“Let you be this close and not kiss you,” Naruto squeaked, leaning forward and pressing his mouth against Sasuke’s clumsily, pulling away just as quickly.

The other man grinned widely, tugging Naruto as tightly to him as possible. “I knew you liked me.”

“I don’t,” he muttered lightly, resting his head on Sasuke’s chest. Mine. “I like your ass.”

“Told you so,” Sasuke yawned. “What stop do we have to take to reach your damn restaurant?”

“You know,” Naruto mumbled pointedly, “you could have just let me sleep and woken me up whenever we got where you wanted to go.”

“Well, it’s too late for that now, isn’t it? We could always do what those other guys are doing until you forget all about dumb ramen.”

Naruto blushed, nuzzling his face against Sasuke’s chest, though the prospect of…kissing Sasuke like that wasn’t a bad one at all. “Twenty-Third Street is fine,” he mumbled, lips brushing against the silken material of Sasuke’s clothing.

The bus came to a slowed stop, though it was too early to be at the right street. “Well, we’re on Second right now…” Sasuke said, voice trailing off as he gazed at the street-sign. He craned his neck around, looking at the couple behind them. “And they’re still going at it…we have a good ten minutes in which we could…” His fingertips tilted Naruto’s chin upwards as he lowered his mouth towards the blonde’s.

“Sasuke…?” Naruto asked, sleeved hand snaking up and grabbing the other man’s forearm. He pulled the fishnet past the wrist, gazing at the flesh, eyes wide. Across the man’s wrist were ten wide, long scars. Instead of jerking his hand back, telling Naruto to mind his own business as the blonde expected him to, the man’s eyes widened in a similar fashion.

“Wh…what the hell?” he stuttered. “Those look like…It looks like…”

“It looks like,” Naruto continued, “you slashed your wrists.”

Sasuke nodded, squinting as he brought his face closer to the raised flesh, the pinkness appearing puckered and taught in the fashion of a new scar. “That’s…new…” he whispered in awe.

“What, you didn’t slit your wrists?”

“Not that I can recall…”

“I think that’s an occasion you would remember.”

Naruto knew his voice was clipped, curt, as though he was annoyed by the fact that Sasuke had, apparently, just realized he had suicide-cuts, but it wasn’t out of irritation. Being an angel, Naruto knew by heart the mortal sins, from adultery to idolatry, and murder was one of them. Suicide counted as a form of murder. Anyone committing a mortal sin would be sent straight to…

“Hell,” Sasuke hissed, running his hand through his hair, shaking his head. “I don’t know what those are. I’ve never seen them before…And they certainly ruined the mood. Sorry,” he muttered.

Naruto rolled his eyes, pressing his lips against Sasuke’s cheek fleetingly, shyly. “Don’t apologize. If I get my way, they’ll be plenty more opportunities for us—” He clamped his mouth shut tightly, turning away from Sasuke.

“I think you’re the real pervert, here,” Sasuke whispered, leaning forward and running the flat of his tongue along the outer rim of Naruto’s ear, flicking one of ebony earrings.

“Sh…shutup,” Naruto snapped irritably, fighting the gasp that sought to rip from his lungs. What was wrong with him? Why was his body so wicked and full of betrayal?

“We’re at Twenty-Third,” Sasuke mumbled, pulling Naruto up as he stood, glancing at the couple several seats behind them, grinning at Naruto. “Do you even want to eat? Or do you want to focus on your obsession with my—”

“Oh, just get off the damn bus,” Naruto barked with fake anger, trotting alongside Sasuke as they slipped out the bus and into the busy urban night. Though not one of the main shopping streets, Twenty-Third Street had its share of people wandering through the grimy darkness.

Stepping forward, Naruto led Sasuke through the tangle of strangers, brushing past them, trying to beat the roaring thoughts in his mind away. Reason suggested he go to the Desks and speak about the pain he had been experiencing and the bizarreness of the scar on his neck…and on Sasuke’s wrists…The two incidents couldn’t have been related…

Could they?

“Slow down,” Sasuke said firmly, stumbling slightly, though not making it noticeable. Even as they moved in synch, Naruto noticed the man’s movements were fluid and sculpted, like water trickling over boulders into a pool below. He shivered, pressing himself against the man for warmth, heat flaring along his side. He laughed quietly, happiness rising within his chest. “Where the hell is this place?”

“We’re almost there.” He pointed to a small restaurant across the street, neon lighting flickering with the absence of Freon, the sign reading “Ichiraku” before it faded only to be illuminated once more. Naruto and Sasuke glanced to the left, to the right, and left again, smiling with the distant memory of Konohamaru. It felt so good to be wanted.

Naruto reluctantly withdrew from Sasuke’s jacket once they reached the other side, noticing the looks of intrigue he had been oblivious to. It wasn’t everyday someone could see two men walking beneath a very heavy coat, one looking crisp, clean and pure, as though he had just stepped out from a family movie with an arm around a drag queen.

Sasuke bent over, running the zipper up its teeth, tucking it beneath the strip of fabric designed to hide it, stretching languidly. “Holding you is really uncomfortable, you know.”

“Well it wasn’t that nice for me either,” Naruto huffed haughtily, raising his arms above his head, yawning.

“Didn’t see you complaining,” Sasuke murmured as he stepped inside the restaurant, warm air pelting them with its enveloping embrace. Sasuke’s eyes skimmed over the decorations in the ramen shop, marveling at the trinkets of superstition and gild lining the walls. Naruto watched Sasuke.

The hostess scurried towards them, bowing at having made them wait, though they hadn’t been inside the small building for over a minute. Naruto grinned, gathering her in a tight embrace. He had eaten at Ichiraku during her entire generation, and her fading memory gave no indication to recognizing him. The withered woman wrapped her arms around him, grinning weakly, disentangling herself and grabbing two menus in a trembling hand.

She led the pair towards a booth, and they quickly took their places. Naruto ordered for them before the lady even left their side, smiling at Sasuke as he fiddled with a bottle of soy sauce.

The raven-haired man never blinked, simply staring at him with his ebony gaze, eyes locked and focused on Naruto’s face. The blonde opened his mouth to speak several times, but closed it promptly each time, mouth feeling parched and dry. He poured an ample amount of tea into one of the pro-offered cups, taking deep gulps of the hot liquid, burning down the back of his throat, not moistening his tongue at all. Something was different about Sasuke’s gaze, almost calculating in the way he watched Naruto like a hawk honing in on its prey.

Before he could continue with such thoughts, the woman appeared at their elbows, placing two bowls of ramen on their table, placing chopsticks before both Sasuke and Naruto. They clapped their hands, thanked for the food, and Naruto began to eat. Sasuke prodded at his noodles for a moment while he watched the blond inhale his miso ramen.

“Naruto?” Sasuke asked, leaning forward and smirking. “If I asked you something, would you tell me the truth?”

The blonde nodded, licking his lips nervously. “I…yeah, I would.”

“Promise?” He brought his hand up, trailing his finger along Naruto’s cheek.

Naruto gasped quietly at the touch, closing his eyes and leaning into the soft touch. “Anything…” he purred.

“Why aren’t your earrings normal, Angel?”

Naruto coughed, sputtering on his noodles, murky liquid spewing from the corners of his mouth and landing on the table top. He wiped the back of his hand with his sleeve, the miso not leaving a stain. Benefits of being an angel. He tried to convince himself it was just a cute pet name, that Sasuke had decided they would date, and that pet names could be permitted.

He knew that wasn’t the case.

“What are you talking about?”

Sasuke sighed, stabbing at his food viciously, as though he was trying to kill the carbs away from his noodles. “Please don’t play a stupid game with me, Naruto. I like you. A lot. Now can we not spend the next thirty minutes bullshitting about what I mean?” He let his chopsticks fall into the bowl of broth, bringing his hand up and stroking Naruto’s cheek softly. “Or do I need to be rough with you?” As though Naruto needed a reminder that Sasuke meant business, the man brought his fingers up to his cloak, grasping the zipper and tugging it down, pulling it completely off his shoulders.

Naruto blushed, his mind playing graphic images of what “rough” with Sasuke would be like, shivering slightly against the touch. He hated his weakness, just then, the desire to be liked and wanted. He was fully aware of the fact that things were too much for him to handle. This mortal should not have seen him, known he was an angel, yet Sasuke knew.

“No. There’s no need for you to be rough with me, but I honestly don’t know…” he tilted his head, gazing at Sasuke’s earrings once more. “Are you an angel?” he asked, cocking his head and motioning towards them.

There was no need for Naruto to mask their conversation from mortal ears. Unless directly being spoken to, no one would have heard their words. It was no a prayer, not a chant, nor incantation they were forced to utter. Like human adrenaline, guarding their conversations when the time called for it was an instinctive sort of thing, nothing they could force, the ability lying in wait for the times when they truly needed it.

“Me?!” Sasuke said, tilting his head back and laughing loudly. The outburst was unexpected, surprising in its spontaneity, making Naruto jump slightly. His gaze shot around the small shop, noting with satisfaction that no one had noticed. Good.

This seemed like it would be the kind of conversation that needed privacy.

“No, the other asshole laughing his head off,” Naruto hissed, smacking Sasuke’s hand away from his cheek softly, like a kitten batting at string.

God, Sasuke was attractive.

“No, I’m laughing because it’s funny.”

“I don’t think it is,” he huffed. “What is it you find so hilarious, Sasuke?” Naruto asked irritably.

“That you would ask if I was an angel.” The man’s laughter halted suddenly, ceasing as rapidly as though cut off in the guillotine. Shivers crept up Naruto’s spine like stalking lions, lurking in the shadows, circling his neck with tingling jolts. “Because, Naruto, I’ll let you in on a little secret…” he paused, grinning maliciously. “On one condition.”

Naruto flopped back against the plush seating of his booth, groaning in frustration. “Oh, come on, Sasuke! Your goal isn’t to drag this on till I lose interest, is it?”

“On one condition,” he repeated.

The blonde folded his arms, lips curling in spite of him. Why was it he could not force himself to be angry at Sasuke? Nothing seemed to work against the sexy, invisible force of the man.

“Fine. What?”

Sasuke leaned forward, elbows knocking into his bowl of miso ramen, spilling across his beige tank-top, but he made no notice of it. His hands clasped Naruto’s face, bangles clinking against one another as he pulled the blonde forward, kissing him awkwardly. The position hurt his back, but he ignored the pain, arching into the man’s mouth, whimpering in defeat. When Sasuke released him, he knew what shone from his eyes.

Naruto was gone, completely gone. He was, without a doubt, lost in the other’s eyes.

Sasuke leaned back slowly, sitting on the booth carefully, as though not wanting to disturb some unseen force. His hands fiddled with his earrings, fingering the loops as he tried to keep his cool, inhaling deeply, stilling himself. “Naruto, I’m…well…I’m a demon.”

“Yes, you’ve stolen me completely. Naughty, nasty thing, you. Now, what?” he asked, playing on Sasuke’s words, pretending there was no truth behind them, but it was pointless. He could not fool himself.

“Naruto,” Sasuke said, voice lowering in warning, rumbling growl of a black-furred wolf, snarling an alert to those foolish enough to invade his territory, question his authority. “You are not an idiot. I can tell just by looking at those blue eyes that you’re smart. Don’t act as though I’m not. ” He held his hands to the side, and for a moment Naruto wondered why Sasuke would want him to look at his dry, tan clothing…

…dry, tan clothing.

Tank-top that had just been covered in miso ramen.

Dry.

It was ironic, he noted absently, in the back of his mind, the part that did not care about Naruto’s love life or any affairs beyond driving the blonde absolutely insane, that the tangible evidence of Sasuke’s truth was manifested in the wetness of cotton. Naruto groaned, slamming his head against the wooden backboard of his booth, hissing. “So, now what?”

“We could find a hotel and have sex,” Sasuke muttered helpfully.

“That is the worst answer I have ever heard.”

“Maybe, but you’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

“…shut up. We have to figure out something to do,” he snapped irritably, folding his arms, unable to take his eyes off Sasuke. All rationality said they should have split right away, never speak of it again, but that wouldn’t have made things much fun, would it? Naruto had been longing for the feeling of being wanted, craving excitement of…something, and there it was, sitting across the table, watching him with a lazy grin, fingers interlocking gracefully between an elegantly shaped chin, as though knowing what Naruto would say before the blonde. “There is only one option. We have to tell someone.”

“We have three, actually,” Sasuke said, grabbing his chopsticks and picking at his spilled noodles, making spiraling designs with them.

“Oh?” Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side. “And what are these? Sex, role-play, and bondage?”

“Interesting. You become kinky after breaking one of the strictest rules.” Sasuke rolled his eyes. “No, moron. We could go back—you to Heaven, me to Hell—and be punished. I will, most likely, be thrown into the fiery lake, you probably won’t get to eat cake and candy for a decade. The second is we could split ways now and not speak of this to anyone.” He set his chopsticks down, locking eyes with Naruto. “Or, my favorite of the three. We could continue with this - the Romeo and Juliet of Heaven and Hell.”

He shivered at the concept, wondering just what it would be like to experience “forbidden love.” He wondered if Adam and Eve had undergone the same feeling and thoughts in the Garden of Eden. But Sasuke was no snake. Just a demon.

Naruto wondered if he needed to work on his rationalization.

“You know…” he murmured, sighing in defeat. “I like the third best, too.” He couldn’t believe it. They were going to do one of the most forbidden things, contact—dating, hugging, kissing, maybe even sex! And Naruto could barely contain himself.

“Then it’s settled.” Sasuke glanced towards the waitress, calling her over. The barrier surrounding them had fallen, Naruto realized. How had he not noticed? Sasuke quickly mumbled something in her ear, and she nodded, grinning as she disappeared through a doorway, reappearing quickly with an hour-glass shaped bottle. She placed it on the table, bowing to them once more, trotting off to attend to her other customers.

Sasuke grabbed two of the tiny bottles the woman had brought and filled them with the liquid, handing one to Naruto. “To rebellion!” he shouted, holding it upwards, indicating a toast.

“To choice!” Naruto laughed loudly, lifting his in like fashion.

“To love!” they cried in unison as the ceramics clinked, and they downed the liquid, grinning at one another. It was exhilarating, this feeling of going against God.

Time slipped by, melding into drinks and flirting glances, stolen kisses when the other was least expecting them. He knew it was how lovers must have felt. He blushed, just then, realizing that he was someone’s lover. Sasuke’s lover.

The waitress finally came to their table, nodding her head stiffly, quietly informing them it was time to close. Sasuke nodded, reaching in one of the pockets in his cloak, pulling out a leather-creased wallet, opening it and placing more than enough money on the table. He and Naruto rose slowly, thankful they had the stamina of other-world beings, as well as the ability to hold their liquor. Naruto curled himself within the man’s—demon’s—jacket once more.

They braced themselves for the onslaught of cold that would assail them once they slipped through the warm encasing of Ichiraku. Snuggling closer to the other, they pulled open the door, slipping into the winter night, bells on the back of the door tinkling as they disappeared into the night.

It had just snowed, the pair noticed. The air felt new, fresh, like each breath they took was the first ever had on earth. It was surprisingly warm, or perhaps the jacket kept them warm. Yet they shivered, simply from the excitement of doing something so horribly, sinfully wrong that was so wonderfully alright.

“Where do you want to go?” Sasuke said, craning his neck to see Naruto, eyes moving down and fixating on the blonde’s. “The hotel offer still stands…” he murmured, tugging the blonde closer to him.

Naruto chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully, canines playing with his soft flesh. “Let’s go back to the park!” he grinned, racing forwards, dragging Sasuke in tow.

“That’s nearly twenty miles from here!” he shouted, glancing upwards to the clear sky. “And it’s too dark to catch a bus.” He stumbled and fell, dragging Naruto down with him. “This time and exertion could be put to better use, you know…”

“Sasuke, you and I have all of eternity to screw,” Naruto said softly, heart leaping when Sasuke’s free arm wrapped around him possessively. “Why would I want to skip to dessert when there are so many good appetizers to be had?” he asked lightly.

“Because,” the man whispered quietly, brushing his lips against Naruto’s forehead. “You love my ass.”

“Oh, go to hell.”

“Soon enough,” he grinned, rising slowly, brushing snow off his chest and Naruto’s.

“You know,” the blonde said casually as the walked through the now-empty streets. “I’ve been wondering…”

“Mmm?” Sasuke asked, eyes moving to Naruto as the moved.

“Does…this jacket get bigger or something? Because I’m no genius, but this amount of material should not stretch this much to fit us both comfortably.”

Sasuke smirked cheekily, lips curled in amusement. “Gee, Naruto, do you think? Of course it does. It’ll fit however many people I want.”

“I…see…” Naruto said quietly, lips pursed in thought.

“You’re the first person I’ve shared it with,” Sasuke mumbled, kicking the snow with his boots.

Naruto smiled warmly, trotting onwards. Apparently, Sasuke was not familiar with the city, and when Naruto led the man down a corner, the demon sucked in his breath, eyes wide.

It was beautiful, Naruto admitted softly, staring at Sasuke with a hint of jealousy, envious that the man could see it for the first time in such gorgeous conditions.

The city itself rested on the shore of the ocean, farthest reaches of suburbia dipping its toes in the salty water, and here and there, bustling bays shoved their way inward. This was one such bay. Though not large enough to house commercial fisher boats, privately owned vessels could call the port home when not at sea. A light film of misty fog had settled across the top of the water, liquid like still glass, the light breeze ruffling against the napes of their necks not touching the ocean’s fingers.

Snow blanketed the knobby knolls around the water, arching upwards like feline cats, scattered benches here and there covered with white flakes, resting like birds on their perches. “Let’s go sit on one,” Naruto murmured, pulling Sasuke along beside him, feet crunching on the virgin snow, each crystal diamond sparkling in the moonlight.

Sasuke brushed the snow off their benches with his hand, dropping down onto it with Naruto. He leant forward, pulling the zipper up to their necks. “You warm enough?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Naruto said contentedly, snuggling his cheek against Sasuke’s chest. “You?”

“I’m alright. Where I come from, it’s quite a bit hotter,” he grinned in amusement.

“Be quiet, you’re too loud,” Naruto yawned, closing his eyes. Sasuke’s chest felt so damn good.

“I am so tempted to take advantage of you right now, you know.”

“Goodnight, Sasuke.”

“So tempted.”

“Sleep tight.”

“I could do it easily.”

Naruto drifted off to sleep, then, safe, warm, happy, heart hammering within his chest all the while, knowing that he had found someone who wanted to be near him, with him. His dreams were those of someone who had finally found peace, void of nightmares or frightful images. Never once did he awake in the night, the warmth of Sasuke and the jacket more than he needed, could have ever hoped for.

Light shone behind his eyelids, sun rapping on the shades of his flesh, trying to awaken him. He shivered, opening his eyes slowly. Everything was on its side, he noticed dumbly, realizing it was he who was on a horizontal slant. He arose, tugging Sasuke’s cloak closer, nuzzling his cheek—against nothing.

His eyes searched frantically, looking for Sasuke like a child searching for his mother. “Sasuke?” he called softly. “Sasuke, where are you?”

But the demon was nowhere to be found.

---------------------------------

Akirei Yuki—Thank you, Mistee. You know you’re my bestestbestfriend. Your words of encouragement always mean a lot to me.

Silverlook—I hope this was soon enough for you. I tried to update soon enough.

Blahblah—You know, you really are my favorite author, Amuse. Knowing that you would read this makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Fifi—omfg :O thank you.

Koo-chan—Well, mistress, here is your chapter. Now stop beating me.

WaterBookLover—You shall find about who Satan is. I’m not going to spoil anything.

Kayoko—I liked your lengthy review, and I’m glad it made you smile. ^_^

GW—Awe, don’t hate Sasuke! He is the god—err, I guess demon XD—of angst.

Lo—Thank you…I think…=p I’m not a very good summary writer, as you noticed. But stick with it, if you like. I enjoy encouraging reviews like yours.

Tsugath—Well, this is what the updates are like. Hope it doesn’t disappoint. ^^;;;

Aurum—Does this mean I have a fan? =p *squees* I’m glad you read it, despite the bizarreness of the summary. And I enjoyed your review. It made me smile. Like a dancing clown on morphine. ^_^

phoenixdown7—O.O I was not expecting a review from YOU! I’ve seen your art around, and seen on you the LJ community for SasuxNaru. You are a goddess. Please continue reading!

Demonesse—Uhm…chapter 3 is what happens next. That is such a bad answer. I hope you liked the chapter.

Darkangel—Indeed, that man is sexy. That demon…Whatever. He’s just hot.

Rie—Here’s your update! Thanks for your review.

Sakura—I hope this was good enough. ^^;;

Yugiko—Look! It’s like magic! I updated. =pp

Tearstreak—He was just teasing Naruto, because they’re all friends. I didn’t mean to make him mean. He’s a good good guy. =p

Terribilita—It’s almost spooky how fast I updated after your comment. Here you go. ^__^