This can't be happening!

Hello, minna! I am sorry for updating so slowly… but my pen drive died taking months of school work, work related information and my fanfics. I was thankfully able to recuperate many things but my muse vacated the premises and I was just now able to convince her to return. Anyway… I just finished this chapter… its extra long to make up for the waiting time, nyan… 8,200 words so you won’t complain of a short update… ok? The next chapter is already delineated; I had to stop myself from continuing this one. Anyway, here is the long awaited (I wish)update of my story.
Warning! Vomiting and fainting ahead, read at your own risk...ne?

Chapter 8: Finally, a mission!

Sasuke hopped over russet rooftops with an economy of effort, clearing obstacles with practiced ease on his way to the Hokage tower. His red eyes moved over buildings and spires searching efficiently for the best route. Locating a nearby alley, he jumped down into a crouch. Straightening, he smiled thinking of the furious Hyuuga he’d escorted out of the Uchiha section of Konoka.

‘Serves her right! Nobody told her to interfere with the very pleasant task of Naruto-Charting. She should have known better.’ He groused, nodding stiffly to the guards that stepped to the side to allow him access inside.

“They are waiting for you upstairs, Uchiha-san.” The guards said neutrally, not looking at him.

“Hn.” he shrugged and continued walking.

“Some people never learn ne? Aoyagi?” asked one guard to the other, uncaring if the silent man that just entered heard them or not.

“Hush! You idiot! He will hear. You know we got this lousy shift thanks to your loose mouth around a certain pink haired kunoichi! Hokage-sama is merciless when you offend one of her favorites.” A deeper voice replied. Indistinct squabbling ensued, provoking a chuckle. It seemed they’d stumbled upon the well-known truth by mistake and they were now paying for their foolishness. Good for them! All of a sudden an idea robbed him of breath.

‘On second thought, I’d better hurry before Tsunade decides to pull Naruto back into service just to spite me.’ He thought with sudden anxiety. ‘Surely she knows it’s too early to press him back into service. He is not in active duty and is barely able to keep awake after a training routine that was piece of cake six months ago.’ He frowned, hurrying up the stairs. Once on the top floor, he quickly made his way to the biggest operations room and knocked softly. Pushing the door open, he muttered an apology and slid past the men nearest the door.

“You are late, Uchiha.” The Hokage frowned with displeasure as the dark-haired shinobi entered the room. Without losing his stride, he mumbled unintelligibly as he looked around.

Surprisingly there were a lot of people gathered tonight instead of the normal five or six the Hokage used on missions. ANBU and shinobi of all ranks mixed inside the operation’s room usually reserved for diplomatic meetings. His heartbeat sped up as his instincts screamed in warning. Black eyes steeped in red searching frantically inside the crowd.

‘Where is he, damn it!’ he was getting desperate enough to try anything. If he couldn’t find his blonde, the next step would be standing on tiptoes while the Hokage spoke. He could just imagine how that would go.

‘I really seem to have a death wish! Naruto!’ he called impatiently inside his head.

A flash of blonde and his heart sped up. ‘There!’ He was relieved to find him near the only bay window in the room, looking at ease near the front where Tsunade was busy briefing the others. Repressing a curse, he pushed his way through the crowd, frowning as he reached a tense blonde.

The moment he reached his dobe’s side, his apologetic gaze searched his lover’s blue eyes willing him to make eye contact. Unable to resist, cerulean orbs rose to meet his own and their gaze held for a long minute.

The stubborn blonde’s pride resisted a while longer before the dark avenger’s silent apologies vanquished his righteous anger. Closing his eyes, Naruto permitted his tense muscles to relax and heeded his body’s natural urge to lean closer to Sasuke’s heat with a sigh.

‘Thank you, kami.’ The raven thought with relief. Smiling tightly, he angled his body enough to keep prying eyes at bay as he surreptitiously curled his fingers around his lover’s. Turning his attention back to his Hokage, he tried to retrieve the lost threads of conversation missed in his effort to search and make peace with his dobe.

“…Orochimaru’s defeat and sudden death left the neighboring nations inside a power vacuum; now the area’s daimyos struggle to attain the dominant position by force, diplomacy or intimidation. Each of you will be handed different assignments of varying degrees of difficulty. Our main concern is Lightning’s neighbor: Valley Country. Marsh Country’s request for an alliance stems from this country’s sudden bid for power. Valley’s Daimyo is a mysterious man of unknown ambitions. His closer neighbors, Marsh and Fang have plenty of reasons to fear invasion given the massive exodus of men, weaponry and horsepower migrating towards its borders. Our intelligence reports state that a worrisome amount of those on the move are either nuke-nin or ronin samurai.“ Tightening her lips, she waited for their reactions.

True to her expectations, a worried buzz rose in the room. Konoha’s many confrontations with Sound and Sand came to mind. Many of the men and women present had fought valiantly during those times so they knew the danger and pain of war first hand. The last battle between Sound and Leaf was still too fresh inside their minds not to worry over this particular piece of information.

“This, gentlemen is enough reason for some nations to try to get us to sign all kinds of treaties. An alliance with the ever-strong Konoha, famous for her resourceful ninjas and our strong ties to Suna is the best way to insure their continued existence. Konoha must step out to defend her allies, leaving our city exposed. We must take care to choose only the very best are worthy of Konoha’s protection; strong and independent nations able to offer resistance.” Her eyes studied the men around her. She knew her decisions wouldn’t be welcome by many of her people. Konoha’s stand regarding allies had always been loose.

Everybody knew Konoha used to accept mostly everybody unlike other shinobi nations who were more selective. Sound had taught her many lessons and this was one of them: Only the strong survive. In the past, Konoha had been weak thanks to her ‘allies’ and had barely managed to survive by sacrificing too many good people. Such an outrage would not be allowed to happen again.

“The seriousness of the situation calls for every able man and woman to ready our defenses, establish a perimeter and strengthen ties between neighboring countries. I will send a reconnaissance team to Valley Country to determine the truth of our mission reports before we proceed with the negotiations.” She squared her shoulders, knowing most would agree with this game plan. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Naruto shifted tiredly from one foot to the other. He looked ready to drop. She frowned.

“It is for these reasons that I am forced to activate every able body back into service. Most of you will work in strengthening our defense and security. Others will leave on diplomatic missions to visit our allied countries. We need to measure the adequacy of such allies given our current agenda. Sound’s mistakes will not be repeated. Konoha’s independence and power will not be compromised again. We need strong allies to back us up in our time of need and a clear picture of our enemies before we proceed. Sound will not be repeated. This time around, Konoha will not fall.” Her strong voice filled the hearts of the men around her. The hopelessness that started to cloud their hearts at her news vanished quickly. Their Hokage had fought alongside them and she would do so again.

Meanwhile, Tsunade’s worried gaze went over Naruto, who was still not responding in any way she could perceive. Her frown deepened. She could tell her gaki was not fully recuperated yet but her need for his unique skills was too great to be overlooked.

“Konoha’s emergency defense plan is to be put into immediate effect. By now, everybody should know their tasks but if you don’t, feel free to contact my assistants Sai-kun or Shizune-san. They will hold a debriefing session later during the day to coordinate your duties during this emergency. Please follow them outside. There are many things to be done and too little time!” She signaled towards the exit, watching as the majority filed towards the exit, eager to begin the Plan’s implementation phase.

Naruto’s blue eyes turned huge, going from her impassive expression to those retreating backs. The Hokage had not given them any clues to what they were supposed to be doing right now. He had never been told of this emergency plan. Was he supposed to be somewhere other than here right now? His eyes went to Sasuke who stood impassive to his left. When he found no answer there he looked around to see everybody marching towards the door. He frowned in confusion.

‘Weren’t they gonna to do a recon mission? I have to leave? But then, I am not in this special team? Does this mean I’m supposed to drag my feet around Konoha when I could be doing something worthwhile instead? They better not let Sasuke go!’ Sweat was once again starting to slide down his back under his jacket. He was starting to hyperventilate and that was not good for his already churning stomach.

The sole idea of being left behind was enough to make him sick with anger. His stomach hurt and the headache that had plagued him the entire day returned with a vengeance. Tension knitted his already exhausted muscles, making him want to lean into Sasuke as he took deep breaths to clear his suddenly fuzzy head.

Sasuke eyed him and frowned. “Are you ok?” he whispered looking around to see if anybody other than him noticed his dobe’s deathly pale countenance. Sun-kissed locks bounced messily as he nodded softly and looked away, his glassy eyes giving his emotions away in an instant.

“Don’t worry, Naruto. There will be other missions for you, you’ll see.” He patted his back lightly, trying his best to cheer his dobe even though he knew it wouldn’t work.

‘Konoha needs me! I have to go!’ Acid bile churned inside his belly at the thought of being left behind. His fists tightened and when he felt the sting of tears behind his closed eyelids, he bit his lip to keep his tears at bay.

‘Now’s not the time to cry, idiot!’ he thought. ‘But I don’t want to stay here with the old coots, the weak and other good for nothing rejects! I am still useful! Come on, Tsunade-baachan… Give me a chance! Please!’ he plead, turning baby blue eyes towards her in silent entreaty before it was time for him to leave the room.

Tsunade shifted her shoulders and cleared her throat feeling the weight of a certain blue eyed shinobi’s gaze on her back. She smiled, her eyes dancing with mischief. She’d made her gaki suffer long enough with her silence. Even now, she was almost sure his paleness was due to his desperation at not knowing if he was part of the all important mission or not.

‘Baka!’ she thought with a fond smile. ‘I’d‘ve thought he’d be screaming ages ago! Maybe Jiraiya’s right and my Gaki’s really matured.’ She was terribly proud of him. The fact that Naruto was holding his peace for so long was obvious proof of his maturity.

“Jounin, Chuunin, ANBU captain, please stay.” She instructed softly as everyone scrambled to comply with her orders.

“Yatta! It looks like we’ve got a live mission coming our way, Teme! I thought she would leave me out of it!” Naruto whispered enthusiastically as it was made clear they were going to be briefed now. Relief made him dizzy and weak.

His knees felt ready to give in as his mind processed he was not to leave. Glancing around, he turned on his thousand-megawatt smile to cover his anxiety. At first, he’d feared she would leave him out of the whole thing due to his previous illness but apparently it was not going to happen.

‘I’m still useful! See, Naruto? Konoha still needs you!’ he consoled himself, sighing with satisfaction.

Alarms blared inside Sasuke’s brain as his mind made the unwelcome connections that made blood rush into his ears.

‘Naruto can’t take on a mission! He is barely able to stay awake, let alone alert to complete a dangerous mission!’ he bit his lip with worry. His onyx eyes sought Kakashi’s until they made eye contact. Only when he saw the white-haired Jounin shook his head lightly was he able to relax marginally.

“Now that we are alone, let’s begin this mission’s briefing.” She nodded, taking a nearby roll and spreading it open to read. “The main mission will be treated as an A rank. It has a dual purpose: Enemy reconnaissance and diplomatic envoy. The exact duration of the mission is unknown. Most probably you will be away from home for up to six months in one of the cases. We need twelve individuals and three groups. There are two teams, Kitsune and Tengu with specific missions each. The third and more flexible support team, Tanuki will serve a dual purpose of escort and back up for both teams.” She smiled coldly. Her heart went out to the youths in front of her. She prayed with everything inside her heart that they would make it back safely and that somehow war could be averted.

‘Please be safe.’ She offered a quick prayer before continuing.

“Tengu will infiltrate this country’s borders to determine how much of a threat Valley’s become. They will leave tomorrow at first light, taking a westerly course towards Valley Country. Kitsune will lead a diplomatic mission into Marsh Country to ascertain this country’s true capacity in case Valley’s threat turns out to be real. They will also gather scrolls containing information our various agents will deliver. They will leave tomorrow evening, using a more direct, thus visible easterly route. Tanuki as reinforcements will leave the day after, ostensibly following Kitsune to serve as reinforcements. Once they reach Valley, they meet Kitsune and help with both the diplomacy visit and the intelligence retrieval mission. Once completed, Kitsune will return immediately bringing vital information to reinforce Konoha’s defense. They will be escorted by two of Team Tanuki’s nin. The other two will join Tengu in their mission, to reinforce them any way they can. Is this clear?” She asked with a smile as approving mutters rose from those gathered.


“I better be on that mission, Tsunade-baba!” Naruto called from his place near the window. Tsunade stiffened as the nickname came from her young nin.

“You won’t be in any missions if you keep it up, Uzumaki! That is not the way to talk to your Hokage!” she screeched, turning her formidable anger in his direction. When he was suitably cowed, she turned her attention to those around her.

“Yamanaka Ino, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Nara Shikamaru their leader will complete team Tengu. They have all worked together during various missions and are more than able to handle a delicate mission such as this, where the need for stealth and secrecy is of utmost importance. Remember, you are not to engage in combat Tengu. Avoid it at all costs.” She pierced them with an evil look that had them quaking in their sandals. The Hokage was not someone to be trifled with.

“Team Tanuki will be lead by Hyuuga Neji. He will be joined by Rock Lee, Tenten with the added strength of Akimichi Choji. Hyuuga, you have a double mission here. Given your levelheaded approach to life, you will take care to guide your team and control Team Kitsune during their diplomacy visit. I want no incidents, is that clear?” she eyed the pale-eyed Hyuuga, who nodded impassively.

“Well, that leaves us with Team Kitsune. The composition of this team kept me awake for days on end.” She closed her eyes, weighting her next words carefully.

“Diplomatic dexterity, strength and prestige are needed by those in this team. We must impress our strength into our Allies collective mind. For this, we must send our most powerful along our best known shinobi; they must have proof of Konoha’s supremacy. Thus Konoha’s White Fang’s heir, Hatake Kakashi will lead this mission.” Approving murmurs rose from those gathered. Kakashi was well liked even if the majority thought him to be a pervert. Naruto’s eyes widened wondering how his sensei would react to this. It was collective knowledge that Kakashi-sensei had unresolved issues regarding his father.

‘And if they are willing to send him as Konoha’s White Fang’s heir, then that means…’ clear blue eyes flew towards the pale face beside him. Dismay dampened his spirit when his mind registered the apprehension clearly written in Sasuke’s dark eyes. Surely Tsunade wouldn’t dare to send him! His head returned to his Hokage, intent in distracting her attention from his lover and back to where it belonged: him.

“Oi, Tsunade-baba! I wanna go too! I may not be from a famous family or anything like that but I’m well-known in ninja circles. Even better, I can serve as a scout! I’m powerful enough to deal with the unexpected with ease and I know the terrain better than anybody here! Ero-senin made sure I had every square inch of land embedded in my memory by the time he had us return! I am the best scout out there and you know it, so don’t you dare leave me out of this!” Naruto words stopped the Hokage’s next words effectively, stepping up to her.

A weird mix of desperation and anger twisted his features, daring her to deny his request. Tension quickly swamped the room as Hokage and shinobi faced off. Behind him a black haired man gasped.

“I was thinking along those lines when I chose to include you but I was not sure if you were completely healed yet, Naruto.” She started with a smile but was abruptly cut off.

“And you thought right, Hokage-sama.” Sasuke stressed her title, his eyes an eloquent reminder of her position in relation to her desires.

“Uchiha-san… Your reports on his condition have all been favorable so far. He has not had a relapse, so it seems likely he’s ready to return to active duty. I would have thought you’d be more than happy to get the gaki out of your hair.” She commented airily, willing him to speak his mind freely. Her attention fell completely on the blond-haired man they were actively discussing. His red-face spoke of anger and embarrassment, emotions she was not used to seeing across her gaki’s face.

“With all due respect, Uzumaki Naruto has been under my care for the past two months and I can’t, with a clear conscience, recommend him for such a dangerous mission. So far, he is not up to strenuous activities, he tires easily and he is still underweight.” Sasuke’s arrogant voice resounded behind Naruto’s back making the blonde whirl as betrayal glittered hotly inside cerulean depths.

“Teme! What are you talking about? You know I am perfectly fine!” His hands tightened into fists to still the quaking of his limbs. ”I am almost able to train at my previous level! This afternoon was a fluke and you know it! I trained with too many clones for too long, that’s all!”

“You only trained at half the intensity of your normal training sessions, dobe and yet you were unable to stay awake during lunch!” He chided without hesitation, unwilling to meet his gaze as he chose to disclose Naruto’s real condition even if it meant hurting him.

‘You are too reckless, Naruto. Knowing you, you would run yourself into the ground and put your life on the line needlessly. Somebody has to take care of you… even if you don’t want to do it yourself.’ Sasuke kept his gaze carefully to the side knowing his weak resolve would melt the moment he made eye-contact with his lover. He hated himself for hurting him and he sure didn’t want to see the pain he could hear in his dobe’s voice but keeping quiet and endangering him was a risk he would not take.

“Teme! I’ve been eatin’, sleepin’ an’ shittin’ as much as I possibly can without blowing up something! So, I tire too easily after a regular bout of training. So, I’m not healing as fast as was normal. So, I can’t eat as much as I used to. So, my hips, tailbone and belly hurt like a bitch, so what? What else would you have me do if my strength’s not returning as quickly as it should? What’re you gonna do, kick Kyuubi? Tie me to the bed? Come on, stop worrying so much!” Naruto raged impulsively, thinking only of winning this argument for once fed up with Sasuke’s overprotectiveness. Silence warmed his ears when his words and his surroundings merged inside his brain. Trepidation rose in his eyes as he whirled to face Tsunade.

“I mean… I can explain…” he started, his beating heart hammering painfully inside his chest.

“Precisely Naruto! As you so eloquently explained, you are underweight and unable to hold a reasonable conversation after a normal training session let alone one of your usual punishing ones, dobe. You are not healing quickly either. Even now, you are barely able to stand straight. Let the Hyuuga check your chakra system with his byakugan. We both know what his findings will be.” The raven challenged mercilessly, intent on driving home his point.

“Teme!” Naruto hissed a warning but still Sasuke pushed on recklessly. After all, he was sworn to protect his lover even if that meant going against his own stubborn self.

“Dobe, you know that, without your usual inexhaustible reserves of chakra and stamina, you are as weak as a new born baby. As it is, you are barely passing your weekly milestones. Kakashi here can attest the truth of my words. In your current state you will surely become a liability not an asset for this mission. I am sure you don’t want that, right?” he asked icily, his voice sharp enough to cut his lover in two. Sasuke paused for a second, hoping his words were enough to expose his lover’s strong man act.

Concerned whispers spread like a rash over the assembly. Naruto’s ability to successfully complete a mission regardless of the circumstances had never been questioned before. He was Konoha’s number one surprise ninja and many had never truly thought about the possibility of illness or death befalling the blonde. Naruto studied the surrounding expressions as they ranged from chagrin to outright bafflement.

“Come on you guys! What’s with this worrying about my health! That’s never been a concern before! I’m fine!” he flexed his arms energetically but soon tired. Blushing to the roots of his hairline, he cleared his throat and laughed forcefully throwing his arm around a silent Sasuke’s neck.

“Forget about this one here! You know me better than that. This Uchiha is just a worrywart, people! You all know I’d die before risking a mission. I know when I’m unable to perform.” He scratched the back of his head offering his silent peers a grin brilliant enough to put the sun to shame.

“True.” Half-closed Hyuuga eyes stared at him until he froze, nervous sweat running down his spine. “We all know that Naruto would never imperil a mission. We also know he would never hesitate to sacrifice himself for it either and we do not want that to happen.” He stated firmly, a roar of agreement backing him up.

“You have to take care of yourself, Naruto!”

“Yeah, if you are ready then stay home you idiot!”

“You always think about others, its time you think about yourself.”

“Yeah, you’re important too, you idiot!”

“Arf!”

“Troublesome, Naruto.”

Naruto wavered in the middle of the room as a barrage of well intentioned comments washed over him. He could feel his blood drain slowly down his face as the ramen he’d consumed during lunch threatened to leave his body forcefully. His vision turned hazy as he gritted his teeth, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

‘Get a hold of yourself, baka! You keep it up you will end up fainting before everybody here and then you really wont be able to go! Come on, Naruto! Breathe! Yeah, that’s it.’ Locking his knees in place, he held onto his consciousness with sheer force of will. He was not moving until they let him participate on the mission and that was that!

Sasuke concentrated in a spot on the other side of the wall, marshaling his willpower. His hands tightened into fists, angered that Naruto insisted on undertaking such a dangerous mission. He knew any reasonable ninja would step down given the fact that his ability to fulfill his mission was publicly questioned and he was being given the chance to stay home to recuperate.

‘Reasonable, that’s the operative word. Which Naruto is not and never has been.’ He sighed, aware the only way Naruto would be able to participate now would be a direct order from his Hokage and that it would be badly received by the other nins.

This was the first time Naruto’s needs were taken into consideration by most of his friends, given the unstated belief that Naruto wouldn’t know death or illness given Kyuubi amazing healing abilities. In their minds, Naruto was near damn indestructible so they didn’t have to worry too much.

‘I can’t believe I once thought the same.’ He thought with embarrassment. Before this, he never once questioned Naruto’s fitness and well-being before a mission. In his mind, his friend was invincible. Only after witnessing how close he’d come to death was he able to realize his dobe was human after all. A talented Jinchuuriki possessed with boundless chakra and stamina but human nonetheless.

Once their friends’ protective feelings were awakened, he was sure they would not back down easily. The Hokage was in for a surprise if she chose to include him in the mission nonetheless. There was no way he was allowing Naruto to leave alone. Ban or no ban, Uchiha Sasuke would protect his dobe regardless of the consequences!

Dark eyes regarded Naruto with finality, fully aware of the possibility he’d alienated his lover in his effort to keep him safe. Still, he would not change his mind. His dobe was better off alive and hating him, than dead.

Naruto bit his lip trying to contain the swelter of emotion that threatened to choke him. It was not supposed to go like this. Sasuke was supposed to accept the mission graciously. They should be on their way home to pack their belongings, eagerly anticipating the start of their mission, happy in their newfound love. He wasn’t supposed to be here instead, fighting for the chance to go on this mission thanks to Sasuke’s foolishness!

‘How can you betray me, Sasuke? You should understand me better than anybody else! They can’t see my weakness, how can I be Hokage if I am taking so long to heal such stupid wounds!’ he screamed inside his head, aware he was being unreasonable but unwilling to relent just yet. Knowing Sasuke was trying to protect him and had nothing but his well-being in mind didn’t make it any easier on his heart. He still couldn’t stop feeling his lover was betraying him when he needed him the most.

The deafening silence had been allowed to go on long enough. Fed up, Sasuke once again tried to reach Naruto.

“Oi, are you just going to stand there? Aren’t you supposed to be weaseling your way back into the Hokage’s good graces, dobe?” he asked cynically, baiting his lover for all he was worth. A screaming Naruto was better than a silent Naruto by a long shot. The blonde remained unresponsive for a while longer. Sasuke’s heart cringed inside his chest.

“Teme… Is this your idea of fun? Straight-laced bastard! Do you always have to prove you are right, eh? I knew you wouldn’t let it go! You are so damned stubborn! I know I promised not to strain myself but I never thought you’d use that against me!“ he spat angrily, taking a step in his direction, his intentions unclear even to himself.

‘Now that’s more like it…’ the raven smiled eagerly, glad the betrayed look vanished from twin pools of ice.

“Come on, dobe. What’re you gonna do, huh? Even you know better than to turning the Hokage’s office into a brawl, usuratonkatchi!” he taunted softly, eyeing Naruto’s body as he moved. Unsure of his dobe’s intentions, Sasuke crouched, bracing himself to defend them both against his dobe’s stupidity.

Naruto growled and moved swiftly towards the Uchiha, rage blinding him momentarily. Out of nowhere, two nins and a large dog moved to control the angry blonde while Lee and Shika stepped closer to the raven. The pale man lifted his hands to show his intention to stay cool, watching closely as Kiba and Hyuuga attempted to subdue the fiercely struggling blonde.

“Enough, all of you!” Tsunade interrupted them before it could degenerate into an all-out fight. The three males stiffened and turned their attention towards their livid Hokage. Naruto stiffened, noticing for the first time they were completely surrounded by their peers.

“Leggo, you overgrown jerks!” The blonde grumbled distractedly, jerking his arms from the iron grasp of his two friends. He whimpered softly, bringing his hands up to try and soothe the heartburn that boiled in his stomach. ‘Gods! I shouldn’t have eaten so much ramen…’

‘Damn it!’ The raven eyed the others around them warily. ‘I can’t believe I was so far gone that I never noticed them closing in on us.’

“Heed my words all of you. Uchiha-san’s report notwithstanding, I am sending Naruto on this mission.” Incredulous gasps rose from the people around him as Tsunade’s words sank inside their brains.

“There’s nobody more suited to the scouting position than him. Before you object, please remember you are not in a position to make demands Uchiha-san. He will scout for the Kitsune team and Kakashi will lead. That’s my last word on the matter. Understood?” The dark haired shinobi stiffened, opening his mouth to protest this outrage but fell silent at the forbidding glare she sent his way.

“Naruto knows the terrain better than any of you. Both of you, Hatake Kakashi, son of Konoha’s White Fang and Uchiha Sasuke, last surviving member of Konoha’s noble Uchiha clan will stand beside Hyuuga Neji to represent us during the diplomatic visit. You will also pick up vital information to be delivered once you are inside Marsh Country. I wasn’t thinking of sending her along before but it appears Haruno-san will be needed to keep our foolish gaki from overexerting himself. That way your concerns will be addressed and the mission shall proceed. Don’t you agree, Uchiha-san?” she smiled mischievously. It was deeply satisfying to see Naruto sputtering his indignation at being treated like a child but holding his peace for fear of being taken off the mission.

Worried but more at ease Sasuke nodded, grateful for Tsunade’s support on this matter. Eyeing his lover warily, he tried to reach him without drawing everybody’s attention. Surely Naruto knew he was only worried about his welfare! The blonde stood immobile beside him, his jerky movements telling the world around him of his disappointment and hurt.

Half an hour later, the meeting came to an end. Naruto’s head was still down but it was not to keep the others away. This time, he was desperately biting his lip to keep his heaving stomach under control. Nausea roiled in tight waves, making goosebumps bloom all over his pale skin. He tightened his eyes and shivered, swallowing convulsively as his ears buzzed with effort.

‘You can do it! Come on, Naruto. Just a bit longer, hold it in. You can do it!’ He prayed desperately for the end of this hellish meeting.

“If there are no further questions, this meeting is adjourned.” Tsunade said. “Please see Shizune-san for written instructions before you leave today. The times for departure and the mission’s instructions will be delivered to you later today. If you have any mission related questions after we finish, please see her.”

Tsunade had barely finished saying that when Naruto turned tails and ran, using the bay window as an emergency exit. “Tsk, Impatient Naruto!” she growled. “Uchiha-san. Make sure the gaki gets the information he needs for this mission. And don’t, I repeat, do not upset him anymore.”

Speeding over rooftops as if the Akatsuki themselves were after him, he fought the urge to vomit that had been threatening to overcome him from the moment Sasuke betrayed him.

‘Bathroom… gotta get to a bathroom… Ack!’ Unable to stand it any longer, he quietly dropped into a dank alley and proceeded to be violently sick. Trembling arms held him upright as he bent forward. His sides heaved with effort, trying to rid his stomach of its meager contents. His vision swam and he closed his eyes, in a valiant effort to keep the disgusting mess away from his clothes and shoes. Labored breathing filled his ears as his knees lost their battle against gravity. Moaning, he sank to the floor unable to control his quaking body while it purged itself.

Agonizing minutes pierced his stomach as he arched over and over until only bile and snot surged up his throat, burning its path on its way out. Exhausted, he blew his nose to clear the stink of vomit, frowning with revulsion. A clammy hand rose to his forehead and he shivered.

‘I need to get out of here. Sasuke will get worried… ’ he thought distractedly. Inspecting the area with distaste, his sensitive nose picked on the stench of decay, humidity and urine mixed with the half-digested remains of today’s lunch. Hot bile churned inside his belly and he pushed himself to stand, shaking his head to clear it.

The terrible smell made him queasy as he stepped away, gagging. Using the wall for support, he moved away as quickly as possible. He needed fresh air, if he caught another sniff of the noxious fumes inside this alley he would double up once again. Tears ran freely down his cheeks as his throat protested. It felt raw and tight as he cleared it gingerly, leaning against the brick wall.

‘I need water.’ He thought desperately. ‘God, I’m really fucked up if fighting with that bastard reduced me to this!’ he whimpered helplessly as another wave of nausea stirred inside his belly.

‘Stop it! I don’t have anything else to vomit! Come on!’ he begged his unsettled stomach. Cold air drafted over his back bringing with it the stench of the alley. His stomach contracted again and he moaned miserably, once more reduced to a heaving mass of humanity. Dry heaves shook his thin frame as a headache throbbed inside his head. Wrapping his shaking limbs around himself, he doubled over falling back in a last ditch effort not to roll on his own vomit.

‘Argh! Enough! Please! I swear not to fight Sasuke anymore! Please!’ He pleaded weakly, gasping as sweat, snot and tears dampened his face. Desperate, he undid the wrappings around his thigh. He had to use something to mop his face. His hands alone wouldn’t do as they smelled of vomit and filth. Taking small, shallow breaths seemed to help his nausea, for soon he was feeling much better.

‘I better not tell Sasuke! If he knew he would blow it totally out of proportion, damn it!’ he grumbled and again nausea swept his empty belly. Scared, he pushed away his angry thoughts and concentrated on clearing his mind.

‘If I keep a tight reign on my temper I should be able to talk to Sasuke. I must control myself or I will puke again. Gods! I hate myself!’ he bit his cheek. He had a bone to pick with the Uchiha bastard and nobody was going to stop him from confronting him, upset stomach or not. Straightening his shoulders, he retraced his steps back to the Uchiha compound.

***Uchiha Mansion, after nightfall ***

Nighttime blanketed Konoha by the time he reached the mansion. Gathering his strength, he took to the roof of the house, intent in gaining access through the inner patio. He couldn’t let Sasuke see him like this. Alighting carefully near the old well house, he slipped inside leaving the door open wide enough to let the moonlight in. The weathered wood bearing the Uchiha crest welcomed him silently. Sneezing hard enough to split his tender head, he approached the well, bending to lift the bucket and peer inside. Satisfied no creepy crawlies made their home inside, he threw the bucket down the dark depths of the well.

A resounding splash some time later announced the well was not empty as he’d feared. Drawing water was hard work but the water tasted clean and pure, helping to ease his unsettled belly. He sighed with satisfaction, breathing deeply. With a frown, he eyed his clothes. They were stained and itchy. Repressing a shudder, he took off his jacket, sandals and pants. His skin crawled with the idea of kneeling in that alley to puke his guts out.

‘I’m taking a bath here… now. I’ll worry about clothes, the cold and insects much, much later.’ He thought, slowly emptying the bucket’s contents over his tired and hot skin.

‘Damn its cold!’ he gasped as his skin tightened; cold rivulets of water caressing his skin as they slipped over his body, provoking more goosebumps on their way to the floor. A barely repressed moan escaped his lips. It felt like a thousand little tongues licked his skin simultaneously! Shivering lightly, he felt his nipples react to the cold, wet heat spreading over his body.

Looking down, his pupils darkened with appreciation taking in his young, lithe body where he sat in the near darkness. He was still too thin, but his muscled thighs, hard abs and lithe tanned chest all spoke of hours of training under the sun.

His hands took on a life of their own as they caressed tight nubs, pinching and rolling them hard enough to wrench another moan from his lips. They were so sensitive! Heat spread over his belly to pool in his groin where familiar wetness soon flowed making him blush. His tanned skin glowed enticingly under the moonlight, the sparking droplets inviting his fingers to explore even further down. His eyes fixed over the golden nest between his legs where his manhood now stirred back to life. Tipping the last contents of the bucket over his chest, he panted softly as his abdominal muscles rippled in response to the cold.

‘If Sasuke saw me now, he would blow a gasket.‘ he smiled coyly, imagining his handsome lover watching him bathe.
He’d never dared to do that in front of him. He was too body conscious. Dropping the bucket inside the well again, he worked the pulley to lift more water. Hoisting the heavy bucket, he splashed his hot face with cold water shivering a little.

Blushing in the darkness, he marveled at the shimmering droplets that ran unheeded from his chin down his pale skin. The well house protected his body from the hard drafts but it did little to keep the cold at bay.

‘Sasuke’s tongue would feel so good licking the water from my body.’ He groaned softly, wondering what his lover’s hot and talented tongue would feel like sliding roughly over his cold skin.

“Hn… Naruto Pervert! Stop thinking like that! What would Sasuke say to this if he knew?” he asked out loud.

“That it’s a shame you don’t do it more often.” A dark voice shattered the silence and he whirled almost losing his balance. Hot hands tightened around his bicep to steady him, making his heart jump inside his chest.

“Careful there! Damn it, Naruto! You are colder than a block of ice! What’s with the idea of a cold bath so late at night! We have a mission tomorrow, dobe!” he nagged, removing his shirt and pulling it over Naruto’s head.

“Worry, worry, worry… Instead of Sasuke, you should be named Fret.” Naruto countered.

“You know I worry because I love you.” He scolded softly. Something inside Naruto snapped at those words. His hurt and betrayal returned with full vengeance. Breaking away from Sasuke, he turned away, wrapping tan arms around a thoroughly chilled chest.

“How can you say you love me one moment and then betray me the other? She was this close to keep me from going! This close Teme!” he chastised angrily. His body soon trembled without restraint but still he didn’t allow Sasuke near him.

“Apparently it was not enough, you are still going!” Sasuke reminded him neutrally.

“Yeah, but not thanks to you.” He countered, throwing him a dark look over his shoulder.

“I did what I had to. I must keep you safe.” He retorted bending to pick up naruto’s clothes.

“Leave that there you idiot! It’s filthy!” He yelled, loath to touch them. Sasuke frowned as a whiff of vomit reached his nostrils.

“What happened to you? Why does this smell like somebody puked all over it?” he asked with disgust.

“Because it did!” he retorted and then stiffened. “Gimme that!” he took hold of the clothes, but gagged as their stench reached him again.

“Stop that!” Sasuke pulled hard and threw them away to be retrieved later. “Are you ok?” he asked full of concern.

“It’s none of your damned business! Lemme go, you prick!” Naruto squirmed weakly to leave his lover’s embrace.

“You have to understand!” Sasuke tried to reason with the blonde to no avail. The smaller man elbowed him quickly to get himself released and hurried stumbling inside the house. Once there, he tore Sasuke’s shirt away from his body and clothed himself with his favorite pair of pajama bottoms and a long sleeved shirt, his movements stiff and full of anger.

“Naruto” Sasuke reached the room at a slower pace, willing his lover to calm down.

“There is nothing to understand. I don’t know why I am still standing here instead of leaving.” He growled, tired and hungry.

“I refuse to lose you, Naruto. I can’t risk it and I won’t.” he replied stiffly.

“You won’t lose me! This is just a temporary thing, Sasuke. You know that!” the blonde headed towards the kitchen. He was hungry now, even if the possibility of vomiting again loomed closely in his mind. For the past half hour his stomach had remained mercifully silent. Maybe whatever it was that ailed him had already passed.

“No, I don’t. That’s why I can’t risk keeping quiet! You are too important! Can’t you get it through your thick skull?” Sasuke followed, in an effort to make him understand his worry. His eyes followed the smaller man hungrily, his eyes watching the sensual movements of his rolling hips as he walked. Naruto’s tight ass was truly a sight to behold. His mind remembered the sight burned into his retinas of a naked Naruto bathing in the well house and he felt himself harden. Now was not the time for this kind of thoughts, he decided pushing away his perverted thoughts.

“So you say but hasn’t it occurred to you to think that you risked losing me if you interfered? Don’t you see if I am not allowed to go, I will lose all value?” The blonde stood in front of the cupboard for a moment before he turned around to watch him.

After a while, he returned to his quest for food. Reaching the fridge, he pulled on the handle and bend forward to look around inside. Taking out the carton of milk they kept for him, he went to the sink to find himself a glass. The Uchiha avenger wouldn’t touch the stuff if it killed him but it was somehow soothing to watch his dobe eat.

Sniffing cautiously to check for drink-ability, he served himself a glass which he drank greedily. Moaning with pleasure while bathed in the refrigerator’s white light, Sasuke thought there wasn’t a creature more beautiful than his Naruto.

“I am willing to take the risk if that’s what it takes to keep you safe, dobe.” He stated softly, willing him to understand his worries once and for all.

“What is all this talk of fears, loss and risks? Who are you talking to? You misunderstand, Sasuke. I am not a valuable person. I am just a thing. Konoha’s ” his next words were interrupted by Sasuke’s sharp voice.

“Dobe!” Naruto shrugged. Leaving the empty glass over the counter, he stepped closer to the fridge again and rummaged inside. An eager smile crossed his face and his hand dove in quickly. The raven frowned wondering what was so interesting inside his fridge. Usually that expression was reserved for ramen and sex. He blushed remembering. A satisfying crunch echoed in the darkness and Sasuke’s eyes flew to his dobe’s mouth. Slightly taken aback, he watched as Naruto devoured a handful of baby carrots, raw.

‘What the fuck?’ Sasuke blinked, trying to understand what his eyes were seeing. ‘Naruto’s voluntarily eating raw vegetables? Something is definitely wrong with this picture.’ He thought with amazement. Only when his ears picked up his dobe’s next flurry of words was he able to tear his gaze away from the image of a carrot-eating Naruto.

“…they only care about the Kyuubi brat and what I can do for the village, not me! When I was sick they worried because Konoha would lose a powerful weapon, that’s all. My life’s always been a second thought. It’s always about the damned fox! So you shouldn’t wo-” A painfully sharp slap broke the tension. Red-swirling eyes held Naruto in place as the Uchiha fought for self-control. In the blink of an eye, Sasuke crossed the kitchen and wrapped his fingers around Naruto’s thin arms in a painful grip.

“How dare you say this feeling I hold inside my heart is greed for power not love? Do you mean to mock what we have? Do you?” Sasuke’s hands shook him hard enough to make him cry out as his hands flew out to steady him.

“I don’t know!” he screamed, keeping his eyes tightly closed. “I don’t know what to believe anymore, Sasuke! I am so damned confused!” He whimpered softly. His headache was returning with a vengeance now that he was once again fighting with his lover.

“You don’t know what to believe anymore you say? Why do you refuse to believe I love you? Damn it Naruto! What do I have to do?” He brought him hard against his chest, willing him to believe. The blonde sighed into the embrace allowing himself a second to bask in the comfort of his teme’s warmth before he gathering his resolve.

“I will say this only once, so pay attention, Teme. First of all, stop treating me like a fragile thing! I am not a girl. I am 100% male Sasuke. Even if during sex I spread my legs for you, remember you are my first and I still have my pride! Second, I am a ninja for kami’s sake! I may be sick and healing slowly but I am still able to work, Teme. Let me do the only thing I know how to do well!” The blonde reluctantly pushed away from the comforting warmth of his black-haired lover’s embrace in an effort to express his feelings. Stepping away, he hugged himself tightly. He’d never felt as lost as he did right at that moment. He was not sure of anything anymore and that hurt.

“Naruto.” Sasuke approached his lover, still trying to reach him. It was incredible the way he was reduced to a sniveling mass of nerves by the strength of his feelings for this man. His famous Uchiha pride was taking beating after beating. He was not sure he liked it.

“I’d better leave… ne?” Naruto whispered, turning to look at his lover with guileless eyes. His body was restless and confused; he needed to sort his feelings. Shrugging he stepped forward, intending to leave just then.

A hand restrained his forward motion. ‘If this keeps up, I will puke again. Leave now, while you are ahead, Uzumaki.’ His hand covered Sasuke’s warm fingers as they curled around his arm. He offered his lover a quivering smile, hoping he would understand.

“I’m going home to pack my stuff for the mission, my civilian clothes are here but most of my nin stuff is still there. I will stay there tonight, so don’t wait up for me, ok? I need to think, Sasuke.” He whispered. An eerie silence fell over them and the tense hand under his relaxed, falling magically to the side. Naruto marched into the bedroom and pulled on a short yukata, knowing a pair of all seeing eyes watched him intently.

“I’m not going far, so I won’t get chilled. Don’t worry, please. I’ll be back around noon, ok?” He said to nobody in particular as he walked through the house using the main door this time and left in a hurry.

Once in the safe haven of his apartment, he leaned against the door. His apartment had the musty smell of a place that hadn’t been lived in a long time. It felt empty, unused, abandoned, just like him.

“Sasuke.” He whispered as his feelings finally boiled over. He spent a long time crying, sitting against that door. After the storm abated, Naruto roughly dried his tears using the heels of his hands.

‘You are such a crybaby! Sasuke just wanted to help you.’ He pushed to his feet quickly. There were lots of things to be packed for this mission. An A rank mission usually meant dangerous situations where they would need to keep their resourcefulness and creativity foremost in their brains. There would not be a second chance so he had to pack accordingly.

Fatigue stuck to him like a wet towel and he dragged his feet into the living room. Somebody had left his mission pack beside his beat up sofa. He sighed, bending to pick it up to start working on it. Dizziness assaulted him and he stumbled, falling half on the sofa as his apartment bucked wildly around his feet.

‘Earthquake? What the…’ he blinked quickly to clear away his vertigo but it didn’t work. The bothersome buzzing plaguing his ears and the airy feeling inside his brain distracted him as his vision faded into black.

**********

There… I hope you liked it… if you find any errors, please let me know… I will be doing some tweaking during the next few days until its perfect… but I didn’t want to let you wait any longer… hope you don’t mind, ne! Bai bai and don't forget to leave me a line to tell me what you think about this... I don't want to bore you to tears, nyah... *shrugs* anyway... forgive me if you find this chapter way too long... I promise to make the next one shorter, ok?

Oh, and by the way, what did you think about the vomiting and fainting scenes? nasty? poorly written? left you cold? well done? I just hope you felt half of the disgust I did writing it...*grins impudently* Ja ne!

review response corner...

Wendyghost, XZanayu, Dark Toy, Ashlee-chii, Chels, jirda: Thanks you for your kind words! Nyan!! Your reviews all fill me with joy! I have lots of stuff planned for this story… nyan! Please bear with me…ne?

Dut: I believe 9 months are due but I am still not sure.

Allys: I know it seems unfair… but it won’t be no picnic for Naruto.

fangbaby2002: I can’t wait either… poor bastard!

Oraday: yeah, hermaphroditism has been used before… I hope you will approve of the way I am using it. I am glad my fic leaves you satisfied and I hope this update will help me keep the good track record with you. ^.^

Steph: Hopefully there will be lots more molesting in the future… Sasuke just cant keep his hands to himself…

Reno's_Lover: right! All the way… nyan!

Minjin: *blushes* thank you… hope you don’t mind a long chapter with almost no smut…

Artemis: so true! I laughed my ass off at this one! Thanks!!

Yukino: *blush some more* thank you… I really do pretend to give you more nosebleeds… so keep up the supply of blood at home… nyan there are lots of things they will do before the news.

Kativachan: no matter… its enough that you review… specially when I adore your stories Nyan!!! He is a male… and a female… you will see… I believe the explanation for the whole pregnancy thing will be satisfactory… its something that has been going on around my brain for quite some time… specially after some of the research pointed in the feasibility of such a thing. ^.^

animehead: Thank you! Same to you!!! Nyan!!!

Slytherinsexaddict: hope you are satisfied with this update… there’s a lot more!!

Hestia: Humbled by your review… thank you!

Ayeshagirl: I hope this keeps you happy until my next update… and work some more on your fic, ne?