Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Warnings: Shounen-ai, swearing.

A/N: Naruto-tachi are 16 and Chuunin. Sasuke never got his curse mark, therefore he never left the village, hence Naruto and Sasuke did not try to kill each other, which all equals a happy fic. Yay!

Edit A/N: Hello! I'm really sorry if anyone got story alerts for this, I just did a small edit of the whole story (spelling mistakes, grammar and even a missing sentence lol) I did change the ending slightly (it made me want to vomit from the fluffiness but it's still pretty much the same!) and add bits here and there too, some of my mistakes were shockingly bad haha but overall it's just a quick edit to make it easier on the eyes! And while I'm here I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed! It always brings a smile to my face getting feedback, even seven years later! So thank you!

Chapter One

Naruto was restless, his mind working overtime as he tried to do anythingbut think.

Tomorrow would be the start of that week; he didn't need a calendar to tell him, he could feel it, like a gut instinct.

It was only a matter of time before…before…

Naruto turned over in his bed for what felt like the millionth time that night and shook his head as if to shake away his thoughts.

Tomorrow would dawn just like any other day, but to Naruto it was anything but just another day. It was the beginning of that week, the week that had happened every year since it had first occurred.

That day, four years ago…that…that damned kiss! He could have glossed right over it, pretended like it had never happened, but then it had happened again. Almost exactly a year later he and Sasuke had been injured in a mission and confined to the hospital, neither knowing if the other was alright. After waking up, Naruto had rushed to Sasuke's room but in his haste to see the other boy he hadn't noticed the shadow behind the door and burst through it crashing into Sasuke causing them to fall to the ground in a mess of tangled limbs, and much to Naruto's embarrassment, lips.

After leaping off the shocked boy, Naruto had said something like "S-so your okay then," and bolted from the room. He couldn't face the other boy for a while after that.

Naruto probably could have gotten over that with time, but a year later…

They both had guard duty and after their rounds they had sat at their designated post for what was looking to be a long but quiet night.

Some time through the shift Naruto fell into a half doze, only paying a token attention to his surroundings until a rustling in the bushes to his right had his eyes flying open and his hand going straight for his weapons pouch. Everything had gone silent again and Naruto had relaxed, figuring it had only been a bird or something, when suddenly a giant brown blur had come flying out of the bushes at him.

Yelling in surprise, Naruto had half dived to the left, twisting as he moved to get out of the way and found himself lip-to-lip with Sasuke…again. He had babbled for a good ten minutes before Sasuke had smacked him over the head, effectively silencing him; then the raven-haired boy had continued as if nothing had happened.

So after all that, Naruto was pretty nervous by the time that week had come along again last year…but it seemed knowing wasn't enough.

Team seven were meeting as usual; same place, same time. Naruto thought he had been prepared that time around but apparently not.

After his initial nervousness, Naruto had just played it cool.

In other words he acted like Sasuke had some sort of killer disease and was trying to pass it on to him.

He had stayed right down the other end of the bridge, every now and then taking quick glances around as if waiting for an ambush. But three hours later, when Kakashi-sensei finally turned up, Naruto had been forced to join his other team mates at the centre of the bridge and when their mission was explained Naruto had immediately started to edge away in the opposite direction from Sasuke only to be trapped by the third member of the team: Sakura. She had started prattling on about one thing or another, Naruto hadn't been sure what, when she was rudely interrupted by Sasuke.

"What's with you?" he had said, directing the question at Naruto, who had then jumped in surprise and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Stay away from me!"

He soon realised that it wasn't the right thing to say though, when Sakura took it as a personal insult. Even if it didn't have anything to do with her, it was about 'her' Sasuke-kun, and so she proceeded to give him a smack up-side the head for the comment, unintentionally causing him to tumble in Sasuke's direction just as the other boy had turned towards him, an insult on the tip of his tongue; and just like that they were once again mouth-to-mouth.

He had run that time, not even sparing a glance at Sakura who, he knew, would have been ready to beat the life out of him.

So it had become their own little tradition, and an unwelcome one at that.

And now it was that week once again; but this time, this time he had a plan. A foolproof plan…a perfect plan.

He was going to stay inside all week. That's right, all week! No one would come looking for him. Naruto had just returned from a month long mission with Sasuke and Shikamaru; Sakura had been working with Ino doing reconnaissance work in the wave country.

They'd just think he was having his hard earned rest-if they thought of him at all that is.

So, with his plan in mind, Naruto drifted off to sleep.

7:00am - Things were looking good. He'd woken up a bit later then usual, but that was because he'd been up half the night going over his brilliant plan. Naruto mentally gave himself a pat on the back, grinning as he continued to brush his teeth.

The plan would work, he knew it, it was foolproof; no one was getting near him this time, not for anything.

7:41am - Everything was still good, Naruto was fully dressed, wide awake and eating his second bowl of ramen.

He would break this tradition no matter what.

8:15am - Time for some training.

Naruto sat among the many scrolls that littered his apartment floor and randomly pulled one into his lap, staring at the writing as if was written in another language.

"What?" Naruto stared harder at the scroll, slightly hopeful it would answer.

It didn't.

The blonde discarded it and selected a second scroll, then put it back as he caught the words 'Strategy anthology' written across the top.

In the end, Naruto settled for a bit of charka training before heading to his 'gym'.

9:24am - No visitors, no nothing. This really is a perfect plan! Naruto thought as he headed towards the bathroom, time for a shower.

9:34am - So far, so good. With his morning routine over, Naruto…did nothing. He usually left for heavier training now. But he couldn't risk it…could he?

"NO!" he said aloud, shaking his head. No. He wasn't about to risk this; he would just have to find something else to occupy himself with till it was time for lunch and then he would go visit the old man down -

"Damn it!" the blond muttered, he didn't think this plan out as well as he'd originally thought.

Okay then…he could just have lunch here! But wait, if he was staying in all week he'd…he'd run out of cup ramen!

Naruto sat down where he was, (somewhere between his bedroom and dining area) sitting Indian style, his eyes closing in concentration.

What could he do? Cut down on ramen? Naruto laughed out loud at the thought, no, that would never work.

Go to the shops? But what if it happened while his was there? No.

"Hmm…" Naruto opened his eyes and stared at nothing in particular while his brain worked overtime and after a good 15 minutes he came to the conclusion that not only would he stave if he were to stick to this plan, but he would also go out of his mind with boredom.

"Need a new plan!" Naruto stood up, deciding that some deep meditation was in order, and headed back towards his room.

Once there he made himself comfortable and started to meditate…and woke up almost two and a half hours later.

12:17pm - Naruto was hungry. After waking up from a sleep he didn't remember falling into he walked straight to his kitchen, his mind set on a nice hot cup of ramen. He set the jug to boil and sat at his table, idly drumming his fingers atop the hardwood. He hadn't thought of a new plan yet and he'd shot down every new plan his tired mind had come up with.

Standing as the jug begun to whistle, Naruto moved to turn it off, grabbing his cup ramen on the way. He turned off the jug and began to break the seal that covered his delicious weakness but stopped when there was a light tap on his front door before it was opened.

"AHHH!" Naruto dropped his cup ramen and stared open mouthed at his uninvited guest.

"Y-you! Getoutofmyhouse!" Naruto spluttered, all the while berating himself for not locking the damn door!

Sasuke didn't look impressed.

"What are you talking about? Dobe," Sasuke seemed to add the last part on as an afterthought Naruto observed, and before he had a chance to reply Sasuke was talking again.

"Sakura wants to catch up; we're meeting at the ramen stand," Sasuke finished and looked at Naruto expectedly.

Ramen…no! Did Sasuke think he was stupid? He wasn't falling for it. Uzumaki Naruto was smarter than that.

"No," Naruto said simply, and for a brief second he caught the slightly shocked look that passed across the other boys face before it was replaced with his usual impassive expression.

"I'm busy," Naruto added, turning back towards the kitchen counter and trying to actually look busy.

"Hn. I'll buy."

Naruto turned around quickly, was Sasuke serious? He looked at the other boy closely; he looked serious. But then again, Sasuke always looked serious…

The dark-haired boy turned, clearly taking Naruto's silence as a no and he started to leave.

Naruto panicked.

"Wait!" he was notletting a chance for free ramen pass him by.

"I'm not that busy."

Naruto walked down the street with Sasuke, heading towards the ramen stand.

Naruto walked down the street, towards the ramen stand, with Sasuke.

Naruto walked down the street with Sasuke.

Naruto was walking down the street with Sasuke.

Naruto was walking down the street and Sasuke was with him.

Sasuke was with him.

Sasuke was with him.

Sasuke was with him.

Naruto stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to face the other boy. There was a moment of complete silence as Naruto fully absorbed this fact and then he stumbled back, half tripping over his feet as he lifted his hand to point at Sasuke accusingly.

"You...you tricked me!"

Sasuke paused and turned to face the other boy. "...tricked you..?" he said, a look of mild confusion on his face.

"Yes!" Naruto shouted, his arm still pointed at Sasuke. "Did you think you could just-"

"Sasuke-kun!" called the familiar voice of Sakura, and both boys looked to where the voice had come from only to see that they were standing right in front of their destination.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted enthusiastically, putting his hands behind his head-his beef with Sasuke momentarily forgotten. "You're already here!" he laughed and moved to take a seat at the far left side of the ramen stand, trying to put Sakura between himself and Sasuke. There was a sudden flurry of movement at his action as Sakura, hoping to put Sasuke between her and Naruto, went to the far left while Sasuke tried to make Naruto take the centre seat.

Naruto stumbled as Sakura knocked him towards the seat on the right only to be pushed back toward the middle seat by Sasuke, he quickly dodged as Sakura made to push him again and dived around her, making it to the other side and grinned triumphantly at his two team mates.

His success was short lived.

Sakura pulled Naruto towards her and stepped to the side, thinking he would fly straight into the right seat-she clearly forgot Sasuke was standing right behind her.

Naruto let out a startled noise as he flew toward the dark-haired boy, his ninja skills kicking in just in time and he managed to stop inches away from Sasuke's face.

"Dobe," Sasuke said, his breath warm against Naruto's skin.

Naruto jerked himself back quickly and lost his balance, falling neatly into the middle seat and with a sigh of defeat, and a smirk in Sasuke's case, the others sat down as well-Sasuke on the left and Sakura on the right.

During their wait, Naruto slowly begun to inch his way closer to Sakura and by the time their ramen arrived he was far enough away from Sasuke to enjoy his meal. Sighing with contentment Naruto managed to finish his third bowl of ramen before Sakura, finally noticing his close proximity, roughly pushed him away; unintentionally causing him to fly head first into Sasuke's lap.

The blond boy stayed still a moment; his brain processing what had just happened-then he screamed. Not a guy scream - oh no - this was a girly 'oh my god there's some pervert spying on me while I'm in the shower' type scream.

Almost hyperventilating, he tried his best to get off of Sasuke without touching him any further than he already was so, arms flaying around him, Naruto managed to knock over both his and Sasuke's bowls of ramen before wrenching himself away from the dark-haired boy.

Face bright red, Naruto glared at Sasuke, "what do you think you're doing! You…you…"

"What are you talking about, dobe?" Sasuke asked calmly, not looking the least bit ruffled, "I'm not the one falling into people's laps."

"Falling?" Naruto shouted disbelievingly, "she pushed me!" he said and pointed at Sakura who, by the look on her face, had gone to her happy place.

"Hn. Whatever," the dark-haired boy repiled, his tone clearly stating that he didn't believe a word Naruto was saying.

"Bastard! I'm telling the truth!"

"…"

"Why would I want to…to…AHHH!" Naruto yelled in frustration, his hands balling up into fist, "fine! I'm leaving!" And with that Naruto sped off down the street, heading in the general direction of the training area.

"Take that…and that…" Naruto bit out, reinforcing his words with hard punches and kicks against one of the many tree stumps littering the training grounds. His plan had fallen through and he didn't have a backup-he was a ninja for Kami's sake, ninja's had back up plans for their backup plans.

He punched the stump harder still.

He'd already had a close call today and he'd ended up in the other boys lap! He was going to have to pay more attention or suffer the consequences-something he wasn't willing to do.

And Sasuke! What was with him! Acting all cool and unconcerned. Did he not realise that it was that week? Or…or maybe he did know and…and he wanted it to happen. Maybe the other boy had planned it all…but wait, how could he have planned on Sakura pushing him last year?

"Oh my god…" Sakura had caused him to fly into Sasuke twice earlier! They…they were…

"They're in it together!" Naruto said, his eyes widening with realisation. They were playing with him, trying to see how long before he snapped, he just knew it! The first kiss…well, either of them could have told that guy to push him…and the second…

"Oh." Okay, that one had been his fault. So maybe they weren't in it together, but it couldn't all just be a coincidence. There was definitely something or someone behind this, there had to be.

"But…how..?" he said aloud, pausing in mid kick to think.

"How what?" came Sasuke's voice from behind him and, with a yelp of fright, Naruto leapt away from him, hugging the tree-stump he'd just been beating up on for dear life.

"Stay away from me!" he yelled, panic beginning to take over when Sasuke stepped towards him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" the dark-haired boy asked, stopping in front of him, "you've been jumpy all day."

"Nothing," Naruto answered quickly, pressing closer into the stump, "what are you doing here?" he queried back suspiciously.

"I train here too, dobe."

Naruto opened and closed his mouth, fighting to come up with a comeback, "yeah? Well…I was here first!" he said proudly, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Sasuke stared at Naruto flatly, one eyebrow raised and his hands in his pockets.

Naruto met the other boy's gaze for as long as he could before his cheeks started to burn as his 'brilliant comeback' echoed in his head. So maybe it wasn't the best comeback in the world-but if he rode it out…

"Well?" he demanded, trying to pass off the colour in his cheeks as anger, "leave!"

Sasuke closed the small distance between them, pausing when their noses were within a breath of touching, "and what will you do…if I don't," he said challengingly.

Naruto's breath hitched in his throat as Sasuke made no move, either forward or back. "I-I…I-I'll…" he struggled to find his voice and watched as Sasuke stepped back finally, his expression one of confusion.

"What is wrong with you?" he demanded.

Naruto stared at the other boy, sudden awareness registering the fact that Sasuke had no idea it was that week, no idea what he was going through with trying to keep as far away from him as possible and for reasons unknown-it pissed him off. Without another word, the blond chuunin took off, pushing past Sasuke and running straight to the safety of his apartment.

Once inside he slammed the door loudly behind him before thudding back against it heavily; slowly sliding down the frame into a crouch as realisation dawned on him. Had he just runaway from Sasuke?

"Oh god…I did," Great, that was just great.

Naruto sighed tiredly, his head falling back to rest against the door and he watched as the light faded across the ceiling as it slowly left the room with the onset of night. What the hell was he going to do? This was not going according to plan. At all.

Maybe he should ask that old-hag-Hokage for a mission, just get away from here till next week or something…

"Yeah…" he agreed with himself, "that might work…"

Naruto was abruptly awoken to a loud banging on the door, the noise seeming to reverberate through him and he was just nodding off again when the action was repeated, shaking him awake as he realised his 'pillow' was in fact the door.

"I fell asleep…" he mumbled sleepily, rubbing at his eyes before cracking one of them open to take in his apartment.

"Ahhh…" the blond stretched his arms over his head before slowly getting to his feet, forcing his strained and numbed muscles awake.

Why was he awake again?

His silent question was immediately answered with another round of loud banging on his door.

Oh. Right.

Naruto turned and pulled the door open without a second thought, then, seeing who was on the other side, tried to close it quickly.

"What do you want, teme?" Naruto yelled, pushing against the door with all his might and trying, unsuccessfully, to shut Sasuke out.

"Chi'. Fine, have it your way, dobe!"

Naruto sighed when the door slammed shut and leaned back against it once again, relaxing. What the hell was Sasuke doi-

Naruto's thoughts were cut off as he unexpectedly found himself lying sprawled on the floor, barely managing to catch himself before his face met the hardwood, "what the…" he craned his head around, looking over his shoulder and he turned around quickly, leaning back on his hands.

"S-Sasuke…"

The boy in question stood in the doorway, a triumphant smirk on his lips, "I know what's going on with you…dobe," Sasuke all but purred, walking towards Naruto slowly and with clear intent. "And I want you to know…" he continued, apparently unfazed by the petrified look on Naruto's face as he shuffled backwards. "…that I want this to happen…"

Naruto continued to move backwards, his eyes never leaving Sasuke's. "w-want w-what to h-happen...?" he stuttered out nervously and yelped when his back met the wall. He was doomed.

"This…" Sasuke purred and leaned down, grabbing Naruto's chin gently and guiding their mouth's together.

Naruto was suddenly awoken to loud banging on his door, the door right behind his head.

"A…dream?" he mumbled sleepily, rubbing at his eyes before cracking one of them open to take in his apartment.

"Ahhh…" Stretching his arms over his head, Naruto slowly got to his feet.

What a fucked up dream. The situation was obviously getting to him too much if he was dreaming horrible things like that. Thank goodness he'd woken up…but how had he woken up to begin with?

His question was immediately answered with another round of loud banging on his door. Oh, right.

Naruto turned and, brain still sluggish from his importune nap, swung open the door only to immediately try to slam it shut again.

"No way! Not after that. Go away!" Naruto yelled, pushing against the door with all his might and trying, unsuccessfully, to shut Sasuke out.

"Chi'. Fine, have it your way, dobe!"

Naruto sighed with relief as the door slammed shut and he leaned back against it once again, relaxing slightly. A second later he remembered this too from his dream and with a feeling of dread tried to move away from the door, but his move was a second to late and once again he found himself hurling towards the floor as the door slammed open behind him.

"Teme!" he turned around quickly, leaning back on his hands and staring up at the black-haired boy glaring at him from the doorway.

"S-Sasuke…"

"I want to know what's going on with you," Sasuke said, walking towards Naruto, "you were acting like a manic yesterday and," he continued, apparently unfazed by the petrified look on Naruto's face as he shuffled backwards, "you ran away."

Naruto yelped when his back met the wall, his eyes trained on Sasuke as the other boy continued to move toward him. This couldn't be happening, it just couldn't.

The blond's eyes widened as Sasuke leaned down towards him and he reflexively brought up an arm to punch the other boy, not expecting it to connect. Which of course it did.

Sasuke's face snapped to the side as a crack echoed through the small apartment and Naruto, seeing his chance to escape, ran hell for leather out the door.

End Chapter

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