Walking a Mile

They returned to Sasuke's apartment. They just sat there. Naruto began squinting.

"What are you doing?"

"How do you activate your Sharingan?"

"Don't you dare!"

"Why not? I got, I might as well use it."

"Naruto!"

"God, do you have to yell at me so much."

"You don't see me trying to call the Kyubi's power, do you?"

"No, but—"

"Leave it alone."

Silence.

"Hey, in your body, I could probably use Chidori, right?"

"Naruto," Sasuke growled.

"Just show me the hand signs."

"That's it!" Sasuke stood. "I'm going out after Ino's father."

"We don't know where he is."

"Hokage-sama will know."

"Grandma Tsunade won't like this. And you heard Ino, we could get in trouble for this."

"I've been punished enough already."

"What's so wrong with being me?"

"It's you being me that's driving me nuts!"

"So I'm not good enough to be in an Uchiha's body?"

"Yes!"

Naruto looked hurt. He looks kind of cute with that hurt look on his face. Sasuke couldn't believe what he just thought. Talk about narcissistic! I just called myself cute!

"Sorry Sasuke. I just . . . It's kind of cool to be you for a change. You know, not be loser for a while."

Sasuke's first instinct was to point out Naruto was a loser no matter what body he was in. But realization of the truth in Naruto's, or rather his own, voice stopped him. Sasuke couldn't help it, seeing himself looking so dejected, his heart melted. Now he knew why all the girls, and not a few guys, were in love with him.

"Okay, just don't over do it."

Naruto looked up confused.

"It's really instinctive, so I can't tell you exactly what to do, but think of something which really makes you angry and it should just start up."

Naruto just looked up at him for a moment, not believing how nice Sasuke was being, then he gave it a try. It was like trying to call up the Kyubi's power. He could feel the chakra, a very different feeling chakra from his own, flow into his eyes. Everything was crystal clear and he could see the chakra flowing through his own body across from him.

"Wow."

Sasuke smiled. He picked up a kuni—Sasuke was such a training freak that he had kuni lying around his living room—and prepared to throw it a Naruto. He aimed just past his ear. He threw it.

Naruto could see everything. Though nothing slowed down, he seemed to be able to see what was happening as well as what was about to happen. He snatched the kuni out of the air with no problem.

"Wow," Naruto repeated.

"You better deactivate it; it's hard to control and you don't want to use too much chakra."

Naruto found that his body knew what to do; deactivating it was easier than activating it.

"No wonder you're so awesome."

Sasuke couldn't help but let his ego puff up a bit.

"You want to use the Rasengan?"

"No, thanks; I want to keep my apartment in one piece."

Naruto laughed. Sasuke couldn't believe how attracted he was to . . . himself! A mirror was one thing, but it was like seeing a poster every day, but seeing the person in real life was totally different. I can't blame Sakura and Ino. Sasuke forced himself to stop staring. God what am I thinking?

"Thanks, Sasuke. I promise I won't overdo it."

"Perhaps we should train together. To fight ourselves might prove beneficial."

"Can I use your Sharingan?"

Sasuke had to smile. "Not at first, not until I get used to using this bag of Ramen."

Naruto smiled in return. "Right!"

"I've got to take a nap; too much excitement while suffering from a handover."

"Good idea."

They both half stripped. Sasuke couldn't help looking at himself. God I'm pale. Not as bad as that bastard Sai, but I really should get some sun. When Naruto turn his head, Sasuke ripped his gaze away. Naruto was admiring his own build. I'm not bad.

They both slipped into Sasuke's bed, their backs to each other.

—

When Sasuke woke up, he was horrified to find Naruto all over him. He was so shocked, he froze rather than freaking out. He had enough time to realize Naruto was just sprawled all over the bed. He'd forgotten how . . . expansive Naruto was when he slept. Sasuke shook him off then turned to see if maybe they were back in their right bodies. No such luck.

Water and aspirin, yeah. Sasuke forced himself up and to the kitchen for water.

Naruto sensed Sasuke's absence and woke up too.

"Eh, Sasuke."

Sasuke wondered back with a large glass of water.

"Eh, what?"

"I'm hungry."

As Naruto said it, Sasuke felt it. "We haven't eaten since . . ."

"You don't have any ramen, do you?"

"Is that all you eat?"

"Well . . . yeah."

"How is it you never gain weight? Never mind, you're hyper enough. Well, how 'boat we compromise. Let's go out for barbeque pork. My treat."

"Woohoo!"

Sasuke couldn't suppress a laugh at seeing himself so happy. How long had it been? He couldn't remember being so happy since before . . . before his clan . . . Sasuke's laughter died quickly.

"Come on."

—

They got a few strange looks as 'Naruto' walked with his hands thrust deeply in his pockets and 'Sasuke' walked with his hands behind his head, his elbows up. Shikamaru saw them.

"No luck I take it."

"What?" Sasuke asked startled.

"Ino and the two of you acting like the other . . . it wasn't hard to figure out what happened."

"Ino said her father could probably fix us, but he won't be back for a week," Sasuke explained.

"How troublesome."

"We're going for some barbeque pork, want to join us?" Naruto asked.

Shikamaru smirked. "Only if I can bring Choji. He'd never forgive me for going there without taking him."

"I'm not paying for Choji," Sasuke said flatly.

"That's cool. I'll meet you there."

"Don't tell him," Sasuke said. "As few people as possible must know."

"It'd be too troublesome to explain to him." Shikamaru raised a hand and left.

When they gathered, Choji, as always, talked more to Shikamaru and Naruto, practically ignoring Sasuke.

Naruto, trying to pretend to be Sasuke, said nothing as he got up to use the restroom, and grumble at being ignored.

Once Naruto was out of earshot, "Hey, Naruto, what's up with Duck-butt?"

Sasuke's eyebrows shot up. Duck-butt?

"What do you mean?"

"Choji," Shikamaru warned.

"What? He's out of ear-shot. Well, I mean, he actually looked like he wanted to join in on our conversation. That's not like him."

"Maybe he's still got some alcohol in his system," Shikamaru said. "We did drink an awful lot and it loosened him up a bit."

"Really? I wish I'd been there. It'd be nice to see what Duck-butt's like once someone pulls that stick out of his ass."

Sasuke managed to remain expressionless. Is that what people think? Maybe this body switching had its advantages.

"And you're awfully quiet. It's like you switched places."

Sasuke was glad Naruto wasn't the one to hear that. Sasuke did little more than tighten his hand, Shikamaru just continued looking bored.

"Just tired."

"Tired? You? You are 'The Number One Hyper Active Ninja!'"

"Still have a bit of a hangover."

—

Naruto entered the restroom suppressing his urge to grumble, but he still walked with his hands behind his head. He caught his reflection in the mirror. He always realized Sasuke was attractive, but his face held a new fascination for Naruto. Seeing his own expressions on Sasuke's dark handsome face was memorizing. But he got to business.

Stepping up to the urinal, Naruto opened up his pants and was about to release—

"Awwwwww!"

Oh my god! He'd been fine all day with the idea of inhabiting Sasuke's body, but he had, he . . . But touching Sasuke's . . . This was going to be a harder week than he'd thought.

Somehow, no one had heard him freak out. Naruto struggled to do his business without touching himself, but that proved impossible. He finally forced himself to just do what he needed to do. Things were harder than he could have imagined. Either Sasuke was very sensitive to being touched, or Naruto was getting off on touching Sasuke's body. He was getting hard. Damn it!

Business finished, he went over to wash his hands and looked into the mirror. Seeing Sasuke's face with his own uncomfortable expression was odd. Then he started making faces. That took care of his growing problem down below and made him laugh. Sasuke's was really cute when he laughed.

Oh god, I just called Sasuke cute!

Now Sasuke's reflection looked sick. Naruto went back to the table, looking a little more like the normally subdued Sasuke.

—

When the pair walked back to Sasuke's place, they both looked like Sasuke, hands in pockets and head down.

"Hey," Sasuke said, not wanted to be overheard saying Naruto's name. "What's 'duck-butt?'"

Naruto started and began acting nervous. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Stop lying and spill it. Choji said it to 'you' as if you were familiar with it."

"Oh, well . . ." Naruto tried to stall.

"Naruto," Sasuke growled lowly.

"Well, it's your haircut."

"My hair?"

"Yeah, this." Naruto ran his hand up the gravity-defying back of Sasuke's head. "The others thought you used tons of hair spray, but I know from sparing with you, you don't."

"My hair's always been like that."

"But you have to admit it does look like a duck's butt."

Sasuke stopped him and forced him to turn. "You know I never really got to look at the back of my head. Just the few times I've made clones. I guess you're right."

Naruto turned, looking to see if anyone was around. The street was not a heavily traveled one and was clear for the moment.

"You know what I've always wanted to see you do?"

Sasuke eyed him, but didn't stop him seeing that the street was clear. Naruto, in Sasuke's body, started doing a chicken dance and quacking. Sasuke had to smile, but laughter finally broke out. Naruto kept doing it, liking the idea he was making the ice prince Uchiha laugh hysterically.

Then Sakura turned the corner.

"Sasuke?"

Naruto and Sasuke froze.

"Sakura!" They said in unison.

"What are you doing?" Sakura said, amused.

"I just . . ."

"Lost a bet." Sasuke pulled Naruto to him with an arm around his neck as Naruto often did with him. He was replicating Naruto's large smile flawlessly.

Naruto did his best to look like the normally annoyed Sasuke and push Sasuke off. "You're going harp about your one victory forever, aren't you?"

"Yep!"

Naruto growled.

Sakura rushed toward Naruto and put her face right in his. "So Sasuke-kun, want to take me to dinner tonight?"

Naruto was so taken aback he couldn't answer.

Sasuke saved him the trouble. "We just ate."

"Shut up, Naruto!"

Naruto wanted with all his heart to say yes, but he felt Sasuke's glare. "I just ate."

Sakura moaned. "Oh, then I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Sakura left.

"Oh, man, Sasuke . . ."

"I'm not letting you be alone with her or anyone else and letting them jump my bones."

"But this is the only way I'll ever get hit on."

"It's not all it's cracked up to be." Sasuke said those words too sadly, Naruto was taken aback. They continued in silence until they were in Sasuke's apartment.

Again they were just hanging out without saying anything for several minutes.

Until . . .

"Hey, Sasuke, don't you like girls?"

"Well, yeah, I guess. I just don't think about it."

"How? Why not?"

"Itachi. I can't afford to have a relationship. I may not come back from that battle. I don't want to have any ties to leave behind."

"That's why you went to Orochimaru and said all those things about severing your ties with me and Sakura?"

"Yeah."

"But you said your dream was to kill your brother and restore your clan. How can you restore your clan if you die? Or without starting a relationship?"

"I've thought about that. It's not just Itachi."

When Sasuke didn't continue, "What is it?"

"None of them love me."

"What are you saying? You have the biggest fan club in Konoha!"

"Yeah, but they all just love my looks." As if that isn't narcissist, Sasuke thought. "None of them know me. Sakura does a little I guess, but they all just stare and follow and giggle and pine. If they would try to get to know me before they declare their love, I might take them seriously, but . . . They're all so shallow."

"Oh. I actually . . ."

"You what?"

"Well, I thought you might be gay."

"Not really."

"'Not really?'"

"I don't really feel any different about men or women."

"Oh, so you're bi!"

"I guess. I just don't really think about it."

"Well you have to sometimes."

"No big deal. It'll have to be a woman. I must restore my clan. I can't allow my clan to disappear. That is, if I survive my battle with Itachi."

"You will. I can't see you losing to anyone."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"And I'd appreciate if you didn't choose Sakura."

Sasuke let out a small laugh. "Don't worry. She's defiantly not my type."

That night when he felt Naruto's arm sling over him, Sasuke barely reacted. The other boy was nice and warm. Which compensated for the fact Naruto had stolen all the bedding.