my one in million

chapter five

Sasuke rolled over in bed and brought the pillow over his head. "Go away." He grumbled, his voice muffled and inaudible to the person knocking continuously on the door. The noise continued until eventually he had to stumble out of bed and open the door. "You have a key, don't you?" He rubbed his eyes and glared at the grinning blond on the other side.

"I know, I just didn't want to walk in on you in your underwear or something." Naruto crossed his fingers behind his head.

"You've seen me naked before." They'd gone to countless hot springs in the past. "What do you want?" He glared at the clock on the wall, ten to eight.

"What are you doing going to bed so early, anyway? The night's still young, it's barely eight PM!" Naruto grimaced at the thought of wasting time sleeping. "Team Kurenai just came back from a mission, they're having a gathering at the restaurant, wanna come?"

Sasuke left the door open and crossed the narrow, barren living room to his bed room. "I thought they were old enough to not need a team leader anymore."

"They don't, Kurenai isn't a ninja anymore, either. I just call'em that cause it's easier." Naruto followed uninvited. "Y'know, team Kurenai, team Gai; it's easier than having to remember everyone's names."

"You're just lazy." He grabbed a towel and rested his hands on his hips. "What do you call us, then?"

"Sasuke and Sakura chan. Our team's gone through so much shuffle that 'team kakashi' just doesn't cut it…" Naruto opened the fridge and peeked inside. "Just rice and tomatoes? Really?"

"Why am I even invited?" Sasuke pushed messy hair off his eyes.

"D'oh! Everyone's invited! C'mon, it'll be fun, we haven't had a meal together in a while." Naruto shut the fridge and poked around the gloomy apartment.

"We had lunch yesterday at Ichiraku's…" Sasuke grumbled, remembering the tasteless strings he had to consume.

"Err, uhh, I meant with Sakura chan and the others! Come oooon~ we're still young, let's celebrate the little things while we can!"

"Whatever, are you gonna stand there and watch me shower, too?"

The blonde shivered. "Ugh, no way! I'll just uhhh," He looked around for someplace to sit, but the apartment was bare of anything save a futon, a cupboard and a fridge. "Well, I'll just see you there! Okay? Please show up! There's no other restaurant, you can't miss it!"

"The same place used for the construction worker's dining hall, right?"

Naruto's eyes glittered. "That's the one! See ya!" he turned to leave, swiveled around at the door and smiled. "I'm glad you're coming, Sasuke, it's not been the same without you."

"Stop, you're making me blush." Sasuke chucked a heavy kunai pouch at the door but it slammed into the wood as it shut. A humorous laugh echoed in the hallway and dissolved into silence as the boy descended the stairs.

Once showered and dressed, Sasuke stood in front of the small mirror in the bathroom and wiped the fog with his palm. His eyes were slightly puffy, but no sharingan in sight. He sighed and exited the bathroom, relieved that his eyes had finally recovered from that last time he unleashed Susanuo.

How long has it been? Two weeks?

He'd been unable to deactivate sharingan all that time and it gave him a splitting headache; which he endured by using ice packs and sleep. He'd wished for some peace and quiet but with the construction noises going on, the headache had only gotten worse. Tsunade sent messengers to call him to attend the work she'd assigned him, and even showed up personally when he ignored the summons, but he pretended to be too busy to go, or pretended to be deep asleep that they eventually left him alone.