Naruto 1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.

The Price of Freedom

             ~Prologue~

             It was hot.

_             Summer was back again, bringing with it fever, discomfort and sweat. The sun was unrelenting, beating down on their backs like an overzealous taskmaster._

             Even at night, no cool breeze came to give them respite. The stifling heat was unbearable. It pressed down on them from every side and even swimming didn't do anything to help. 

             It was almost physical, almost tangible, so thick and cloying that it seemed like touching it was a possibility. 

_             It was very hot. The air was too thick to breathe, and it smelled different._

             Almost…smoky…              Smoke… 

_             Heat…_

_             FIRE!!!_

             Naruto's eyes snapped open and he automatically looked up. Where his ceiling should be was a cloud of thick grey smoke, almost filling the room. A movement caught his eye and he turned his head. His door was flickering with orange light, and black smoke was rolling from under it, carpeting his floor.

             He sat up slowly, stunned. As smoke filled his room, he stared at it dispassionately. _This isn't happening. I'm just dreaming. I'll wake up any minute and have a cup of ramen and everything'll be just fine…_

             //You idiot! You're going to get us both killed!//

             Naruto started. _Kyuubi?_

             The demon fox didn't answer him. He had already taken control of the boy's body. 

              "Stupid boy." He growled. "You're already a jounin. You should know when you're in danger."

             The fox made its way to the window, red eyes glowing eerily in the shifting smoke. Taking the latch off, he gave the shutters a push. They didn't budge.

             He growled again and banged his fist against the shutters, which had absolutely no effect at all.

             _Someone's sealed us in_, mumbled Naruto in his mind

             //You think I don't know that?// snarled the fox. The air was really getting unbreathable. It was all too familiar.

             Naruto was stunned at the fox's depth of feeling. Ever since the day he had accepted the fox and vice versa, they had been, if not the best of pals, uncomplaining companions. Through all the years, Naruto had thought that he had taken all the surprises the fox could throw at him. But this feeling…this feeling of anger and hopeless, he had never felt before. He caught a thread of the fox's thoughts and was surprised yet again. But before he could ask the demon about it, it had already taken a running jump towards the window, curling into a ball as his body crashed through the old wood and down to the street below.

             Already, sirens were sounding in the distance and people were gathering around. Luckily, no one noticed him, as he had landed in the bushes. Flames were already licking out from his window.

             Both Naruto and the fox watched as their only home burned, all the possessions they had gathered over the course of eighteen years gone as if they were nothing.

             Now that they had the time to stare, the fire seemed strangely contained. No flames burst out from any window other than their own, and none of the people evacuating the building seemed like they had suffered a fire.

              "So, it was me they were targeting," Naruto said quietly.

             //Us.// corrected the fox. They both knew whom Naruto was referring to. He had nicknamed them 'The Kitsune and Naruto Extermination Society': the people who had been trying to kill them ever since he could walk, even though getting saddled with a demon wasn't exactly his choice.

             //Like I asked to be stuck with an idiot like you.// grumbled the fox, smirking a bit. //Let's argue later. We need a place to stay. Got any ideas?//

              Naruto suddenly felt his exhaustion catching up with him. He had had mission upon mission upon mission, hardly getting enough rest._ I don't know, Foxy, _he mumbled, using the nickname the fox hated. _You take over for now…I'm so tired…_

             The boy slumped over suddenly, leaning against a tree. The fox grumbled. Trust the kid to fall asleep at a time like this. He searched his host's mind and quickly pulled out a name. He was surprised. This was the one the kid trusted the most?

             Shrugging at the strangeness of human minds, the fox took over the body and quickly loped to a house at the other end of town, where another boy was, a person who Naruto trusted the most, who he had held in the highest regard the moment he had first met him.

             Uchiha Sasuke.


	2. A Taste of Living Together

Naruto: *shouting at the top of his lungs, his head fifty times bigger than his body* Sasuke, you asshole, get over here! The story's going to start!

Sasuke: *appearing in a puff of smoke* Keep a lid on it, dobe.

Naruto. Don't call me a dobe, bastard.

Sasuke: Whatever. *looks at me* Start.

Naruto: Don't be such a stuck-up-

Kyaru-chan: Eh heh heh.. Ok you guys, don't make me more nervous than I already am. *turns to the audience and takes a deep breath* 

NarutoisnotmineandIwishitwas,butitsnot,sopleasedon'tblamemeifthestorysuckscozthisislikemyfirstfanfictionandnowonwiththestory

             Chapter I

             The birds took flight, quickly becoming mere dots in the sky as the sun peeked over the Hokage monument. The Sakura trees were in bloom, and when a soft breeze blew by, petals fell to the ground like snow. The grass was fresh and green, the sky crystal blue, and all in all it was another beautiful day in Konoha village. It was the kind of day that heralded new beginnings.

             Light flashed off long blue hair, bringing out highlights of yellow and green. Small bottles of every colour jangled around slim hips, accompanied by the tinkle of silver bracelets on a delicate wrist. Soft, light humming was heard throughout the forest trail leading to the gates of Konoha.

             Atop the wall, two ANBU were standing guard. Suddenly, one of them stood up stock straight, slightly quivering. The painted mask swung this way and that, as if looking for something.

              "What is it?" 

             The questioner was shocked by the flat terror so evident in the voice of his companion. "Something's coming. _It's_ coming. We have to tell the Hokage right away."

---

             How annoying, thought Uchiha Sasuke drowsily, as he saw the square of sunlight, compliments of the open window, crawl slowly over the floorboards and up the wall. It was going to be another damnably perfect day.

             Closing his eyes against the invading morning, he nestled his cheek into the soft blonde nest of hair under his chin. Slowly drifting back to sleep, he tightened his arms around the solid frame of the person next to him.

_             Waaait a minute…what hair? Whose body am I hugging?_

             His eyes snapped open and he looked down in growing horror.

             Next to him, face against his throat and arms loosely around his waist, was the village's number one loudest, most surprising and all-around annoying ninja, Uzumaki Naruto. And he was definitely lacking in the t-shirt area.

         _    Naruto!!! What's this idiot doing here?_ His mind jumped to the nearest conclusion and his eyes bulged. _Did anything happen last night?!_

             Bracing himself for the worst possible, Sasuke raised the covers and peeked under them. He sighed in relief. They still had their boxers on, the last line of defence. The dobe was really getting close to dangerous regions though.

             Ok…ok, clam down. Nothing happened. Sasuke sighed in relief and his head thumped back against the pillows. Now he remembered. It had been a few days ago. Naruto had nearly broken down his door, and when he had opened it, the blonde idiot just fell into his arms. His clothes were charred and he smelled like smoke. He had dragged the boy in, letting him lie on the only bed in the house: his.

             Naruto had been sleeping straight for two days…three days now. He hadn't gotten up to go to the bathroom, or anything, not even to rat him out. He hadn't even woken up to eat, even though Sasuke had nearly shoved ramen up his nose. That was the queerest thing. Naruto, the bottomless pit, not eating?

             He wasn't worried, of course. Of course not.

             He, naturally, being alone for so long, wasn't used to the fact that there was someone else in his bed and had often woken up to find that he held a kunai against his bedmate's throat.

             The brunette stretched, feeling the satisfying pops along his spine. He folded his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. Being ANBU had a lot of perks, such as his very own time management, getting up whenever he wanted and returning home whenever he pleased. And he had been leaving work early to watch over Naruto. Speaking of Naruto…

             His eyes were drawn down to the blonde's face once more. It was always so fascinating seeing the dobe sleep. The features, normally scrunched up in fury, in shock or in that stupid fox smile, were now clear and smooth. Peaceful was the word for it.

             Sasuke tilted his head back and studied his friend closely. He hadn't seen him for months. The chubby cheeks he used to have in his childhood were now gone, leaving his finely sculpted cheekbones and throwing his whisker marks into sharp relief. His mouth had grown wider, no doubt because of all his yelling. His hair was the bushy mop of gold that he remembered, grown just a little longer, the ends flopping over his eyes and caressing his temples. His body had grown longer and lankier, the fingers splayed over Sasuke's chest were a sure sign of this. 

             All in all, the dobe's looking pretty cute… 

_             …_

             Did I just think that?! 

             The Uchiha shook his head furiously to clear it. He had been alone for too long, that was it. He needed to go out and get reacquainted with the womenfolk of Konoha. _It's just stress, that's what it is, 'coz I would never ever ever think of the dobe that wa-_

             He froze as Naruto mumbled and buried his face deeper into Sasuke's neck. His lips ghosted, then pressed, against the brunette's skin in a parody of a lover's kiss. Sasuke lay there with his eyes wide open as his mind tried to process what just happened. Then he blinked.

             Quickly removing Naruto's hands from his body, he rolled the sleeping boy to the far side of the bed and sat up, his hands pressed against the place the dobe had kissed. He stared at nothing for a while, trembling slightly. Damn, he needed to get a woman.

             Naruto let out a snort and rolled over. Onto the floor.

             There was a thump, and then silence. Unnerved, Sasuke looked over the edge of the bed.

             Naruto was still asleep, curled up in the foetal position. The Uchiha heir sighed, the kiss forgotten. He poked at the blonde's shoulder. "Wake up, you idiot." Not that he expected an answer. Naruto had slept through three days of pokes, prods, hits and pillow thumps.

             So it was to his immense surprise that Naruto turned and batted at his hand, mumbling an almost incoherent "Go 'way…"

             Sasuke blinked again and then started to shake Naruto's shoulder. "Wake up, you. You've been sleeping for three days! Get up, you lazy idiot."

              "Dun c'll me 'n idiot, ya b'strd." Mumbled the half-asleep blond. "C'nt ya see 'm still sleepin'? Why's yer bed so d'mn h'rd?"

              "Because you're on the floor, moron. Get up!" growled the Uchiha. How could Naruto get on his nerves while he was still halfway in Dreamland, he didn't know. He got an idea. "Don't you want some food? Ramen?"

              "R'men?"

             Naruto rose vertically, like a vampire out of its grave, his face set in anticipation and his eyes glittering. "Ramen!"

             Sasuke sat back on his heels and chuckled. He reached over to a cupboard and opened it, pulling out a towel and throwing it at Naruto. "Take a bath first, will you?"

             The blonde disappeared, his shout of "Ramen! Yeah, ramen!" trailing after him. Sasuke just shook his head and got out of bed, shoving his feet into slippers. Breakfast time.

---

             Thirty minutes later, the brunette was seriously regretting waking his friend up.

_"Oh yeah yeah, Getting clean yeah.._

_Clean as clean as clean as clean, yeah!_

_Don't wanna stink up the place_

_I ain't gonna be that mean_

_That's why I'm getting' clean, yeah!_ C'mon Kyuubi!"

**"Uh… getting clean, getting clean,"** The fox's deep voice started out hesitant, but it gradually became clearer and louder, much to Sasuke's growing irritation.

**"Er.. Clean...mean…bean… shmeen…"** Naruto's sudden screech of laughter nearly deafened the listening boy.

**"Bubbles goin' up your nose**

**Snort 'em out before your head blows."**

_"Kyuubi sucks at makin' rhymes_

_It's so bad it's a crime_

_Um…La la la la all the time…_ Hey Foxy, let's do a duet!" Great, a duet. What joy.

**_"So if you're getting ready for a date,"_** The boy raised an eyebrow. It was so weird hearing two different voices coming from one throat. And they were singing, or screeching, together.

**_"Better start off smellin' great!_**

****

**_Grab that towel and get ready for a helluva bash,_**

****

**_But be real careful, coz that soap might go up your a-"_**

              "Will you two just shut up in there?!" yelled Sasuke, banging his fist against the bathroom door as he passed. "The neighbours might hear!"

The demon fox chuckled. **"Scrub your back and wash your hair,**

**"Hey kid, can you feel Sasuke's stare?"**

Naruto's cheerful voice cut in. _"Is Sasuke the bastard standing there?"_

_"Damn ass pervert, scowl like a bear._

_"Vampire's skin, bird's nest for hair-"_

             The dobe's voice was thankfully cut off by a yelp. Sasuke stood by the door scowling and tapping his foot, holding his towel. After a few minutes, Naruto emerged, his own towel tucked snugly about his waist. He looked sheepish and when he saw the scowling brunette, he rubbed the back of his head and grinned. "Hey…"

              "So I'm a bastard, am I?"

              "Eh heh heh…" The blonde retreated to the bedroom and shut the door. Sasuke sighed and went into the bathroom.

             Naruto suddenly skidded out of the bedroom and banged on the closed bathroom door. "Hey, Sasuke! I have something to tell you!"

             A muffled voice answered. "Shut up, you. Can't you see I'm taking a bath?"

              "But Sasuke…" The boy winced as he heard a sudden, surprised high-pitched yell. "I finished your hot water…"

---

Naruto: *laughing his head off* He sounded like a GIRL!

Sasuke:*glaring at me* You made me sound like some sissy woman!

Kyaru-chan: *backing off* Sorry, sorry… I promise it'll get better, I promise!

Ano…eh heh…*glares at fanfiction.net* apparently the bold and italic characters are not appearing and I have to double space this thing manually, so I sorta revised this thing, coz I have no beta reader, and blah. I'll update soon, coz my mind is overflowing right now and I have to get the ideas down before this inspiration thing rushes away.


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Naruto, Romance