Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Cliche	By : CloudNineKitty Category: Naruto AU/AR > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2134 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I make any money from writing this.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
Chapter Three
I Love You Like a Mommy Loves a Daddy
"There you are!" Sakura cried out in exasperation. Naruto had to admit that even when glaring death and all other things unholy at him, the girl still looked adorable in her white eyelet dress and sea foam green sweater with sleeves that cut above the elbows.
Naruto scratched the back of his neck and grinned sheepishly. "Aw, come on, Sakura-chan! I'm only a few minutes late."
"Twelve!" Ino and Sakura bellowed together. Behind them, Shikamaru had his hands stuffed in his jean pockets as he looked up at the branches of the oldest tree in Konoha. He wasn't going to help Naruto at all. In fact, he would probably use the girls verbally abusing him as a chance to escape to a park bench and stare at the clouds, maybe even take a nap.
"And I told you not to wear orange!" Sakura continued, throwing a hand out to Naruto and waving it up and down at his orange, short-sleeved hoodie and camouflage pants.
Naruto tilted his head in confusion. "I don't remember you saying that." He narrowed his eyes as he tried to remember if Sakura had mentioned what to wear yesterday or at school a few hours ago. He honestly couldn't, but then again, he hadn't been paying much attention to school that day. He was focused on the empty desk in front of him. Really, just how many days did Sasuke plan to skip? He hadn't even been in school for a whole week!
"Maybe if you weren't spacing out all the time like Shikamaru," Said boy didn't even turn his head at Ino's hollering. "You would have heard us say that you should wear a more attractive color!"
"At least Shikamaru still hears you when he's spacing out." Sakura added, rubbing salt on the wound. What was this, Attack Naruto Day? Why did he find girls attractive again? Because as far as he was concerned they were a huge pain in the ass.
Naruto put his hands up defensively, looking at Shikamaru for help no matter how dumb the idea was. When the boy merely turned his back to him, probably muttering a 'troublesome' that couldn't be heard over the screeching females, Naruto decided that he was just going to have to do this alone. "Ladies, please!" he bellowed, making both girls fall silent. "Thank you. As much as I love having both of you pay attention to me, I think Shikamaru is feeling left out." The boy in question turned his head to display his narrowed gaze to Naruto, clearly not eager to have the spotlight placed on him. "So let's just enjoy the evening, okay? I think I want barbeque tonight!"
"Naruto, I'm dressed too nicely for barbeque." Sakura whined, holding the skirt of her dress out as proof.
Shikamaru finally decided to join the conversation. "Barbeque sounds good to me." He muttered.
Clearly, whatever Shikamaru said made it more considerable to the girls because they suddenly didn't seem so reluctant to the idea, and while Sakura was in a cute dress, Ino didn't have an excuse with her blue jean shorts and lavender jacket decorated with white polka dots. But, of course, there was always one more complaint.
"Ugh, but it's all the way by Choji's house." Ino sighed. "That's such a far walk from here."
"Only seven or eight blocks," Naruto said, earning a glare from both girls. He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "I'll carry you if you get tired."
Sakura cracked a smile and smacked him in the middle of his chest with the back of her hand. He continued to smile despite the stinging pain that now resided there. "Since we're going we might as well walk through the shopping district. The vendors always set up stands outside on Saturdays and Sundays."
"Good idea!" Ino agreed before she and Sakura began heading out of the park they had met in, chattering excitedly about the discounts they could get on purses and jewelry.
Naruto and Shikamaru fell into a slower pace behind them, giving the teenage girls some distance in hopes that they wouldn't turn around to drag them into their conversation of girly things that beings with penises didn't understand. Not counting hermaphrodites, of course. Naruto sighed at his train of thought. Thankfully, Shikamaru saying something distracted him, though it wasn't the kind of distraction he wanted.
"Uchiha's been skipping classes. Maybe he really has become a delinquent." The lazy genius muttered.
Naruto turned his head to look at Shikamaru as if he knew that Sasuke and Naruto had discussed it, or at least brought it up…sort of. But the other teen was looking straight ahead with hooded eyes.
"Y-yeah, maybe," Naruto said, facing forward and reaching his arms up, lacing his fingers behind his head. He leaned back on his hands and exhaled deeply. Shikamaru probably caught on that Naruto knew something, even if it was the little fact of confirmation, but he didn't say anything more about it.
Instead, he remained silent until they walked for four blocks and ended up in a wide street where several kiosks and rolling carts were set up. Many would mistake the scene before them as some sort of festival with the strung lights, bright colors and noise, but the group knew that this was merely the chaos that followed the great deals one could get from the street vendors on the weekend.
Shikamaru and Naruto barely stood a chance when strong hands grabbed them by their wrists and towed them forward into the crowded street. This was yet another thing Naruto couldn't stand about girls. They asked how a necklace or shirt looked on them, and even if he said it looked good, they would think he was lying or suddenly become reluctant as to when they first picked it up. Why weren't they satisfied with his answer? He said it looked good, didn't he? Did that not mean the same thing anymore?
From cart to cart, Naruto continued to halfheartedly agree with whatever Sakura said about a pair of earrings or a cell phone strap. She would smile at him and he would remember that she rejected him, and he knew that the vicious cycle would continue to play through his head until they got out of the street and caught up with Ino and Shikamaru who had become MIA in the thick crowd. He had liked Sakura since elementary school, but she had her eyes set on Sasuke, along with all the other girls in the grade. Well, not all of the girls. Hyuuga Hinata hadn't been smitten with him, but that was because she seemed to be frightened to death by anything that came near her. He was exaggerating, of course, but that girl's capillaries were far too close to the skin on her face. She was always flushed; Naruto used to think she had a constant fever or something. Of course she grew out of it, but occasionally he would still catch her blushing when he and Kiba talked to her.
Anyway, when Sasuke left Konoha, he was sure he'd have a clear shot at winning Sakura's heart. He tried and tried, giving her gifts he knew she would like for Christmas, and always running to her rescue when she needed help, but it was no use. She seemed to have her mind set on the fact that Naruto was "just a friend". And he would always be her friend. Just because she rejected him didn't mean he would reject her. He would stay by her side as long as she let him.
"Aw, look how cute!"
Naruto rolled his eyes before putting on a bright grin and turning to see what Sakura was cooing over. Just because he wouldn't stop being her friend didn't mean he had to be subjected to this torture. His smile fell immediately when he realized that it wasn't Sakura that had cried out, but the girl with glasses that came to school with Sasuke. What was her name again? And if she was here, that meant…
"Sasuke, come see!"
"Karin, stop shouting."
…Sasuke was nearby.
Naruto quickly turned to Sakura who was standing in front of him, her head snapped in the direction of Sasuke's name. While he hadn't been paying attention to Sakura's reaction to Sasuke's return the past two days, he had a feeling her interest in him was peeked. So of course at hearing his name called, Sakura was had zeroed in on her target. As he predicted, the pink-haired girl sidled over to the red head before turning completely to face her.
The girl Karin, as Sasuke had said, was holding up a bracelet to the light of the stand, smiling at the way the gold and purple beads shimmered. She was unaware of the jade green eyes focused on her, turning her head in the opposite direction to look at someone in the crowd.
Naruto followed her gaze, his eyes automatically pinpointing Sasuke who was standing a couple of feet away from her. He too seemed to have spotted Naruto, and they held each other's silent stare. The outer edge of Naruto's vision faded to black, Sasuke becoming an elucidated figure, and the loud clatter on the street dulled to mere background noise. Sasuke was his main focus, and he could tell that he was Sasuke's. They hadn't spoken since their fight on the roof, and Naruto knew he should start trying to get Sasuke to open up to him about his time in Otogakure, but something was getting in his way. His pride. He was still mad at Sasuke for what he did to him in his apartment, and his pride wouldn't let him forget it. If he could just push through his own thoughts…
"Sasuke-kun!"
Dark eyes hesitantly shifted from Naruto to Sakura who had moved her way past Karin. He frowned at the sudden close proximity of the girl and his shoulders tensed visibly. He had never been that fond of Sakura back then either.
"It's good to see you're doing well. I was afraid that maybe you were sick because you left school early yesterday." Sakura said, smiling her brilliant smile that Naruto recognized all too well as the one she used when she talked to Sasuke as a twelve-year old.
"Hn,"
Naruto was about to suggest that Sakura pull back a little bit, but Karin got to her first.
"Sasuke, who is this girl?" the red head asked in an almost accusing tone. She dropped the bracelet in the basket she had picked it up from, adjusting her glasses as she examined Sakura from head to toe and back again. Her teeth were grinding and she looked like she was ready to start a fight.
Even Sasuke seemed to consider the idea of letting her lash out at Sakura, but instead he opted for the less violent approach. "Her name's Haruno Sakura. She's my classroom representative, as well as my former classmate from when I used to live here."
It pained Naruto to hear those words. 'From when he used to live here,' like Otogakure was more important than the town he grew up in; the town where he had Naruto and so many others waiting for him with open arms. Did Konoha mean nothing to him now? Sure, his crucial years were spent in Otogakure, but there were a lot of lessons he learned in Konoha too. For instance, he wasn't alone. Everyone here helped make sure that he and Itachi were okay on their own after his parents died. And Naruto had personally made sure Sasuke wasn't alone. How could he look at Konoha and not call it his home? Clearly he was the only one fretting over what Sasuke had said.
Sakura put her hands behind her back, forming tight fists that only Naruto could see. She had more important priorities other than Sasuke hinting at disowning his home town. "Sasuke-kun, do you and your girlfriend want to-"
"Karin isn't my girlfriend." Sasuke deadpanned.
Naruto almost felt bad for the girl, though she seemed unaffected by the blunt denunciation outwardly.
"Oh!" Sakura said and her fists unclenched, obviously pleased with the new information. "Well, would you and Karin like to join us for some barbeque?"
"Ah, Sakura!" Naruto whined. Why the hell was she inviting them?
Sasuke's eyes rose so they rested on the blond, and he didn't look at Sakura as he spoke. "You and Naruto?"
"Ino and Shikamaru are with us too." Naruto said quickly, not sure why he suddenly became defensive. The way Sasuke's gaze bored into him made him feel too hot and uncomfortable in his own skin. "We got separated, but we'll be joining up with them soon. It's cool if you don't want to. I know it's sudden-"
"That sounds like fun!" Karin smiled. Naruto grimaced.
Sasuke looked at her and sighed, placing one hand on his hip as if he was trying to figure out what to do though Naruto was sure he had already made up his mind. "We also have two others in our group that got separated."
"I'll call Suigetsu and find out where they are." Karin announced, stepping away from the group while digging through the pink purse resting from her shoulder.
"Sakura, Naruto, there you two are!" Ino called from behind Naruto, Shikamaru being dragged behind her with the most apathetic expression that Naruto was sure even Sasuke couldn't beat. "Oh, Sasuke's here too?"
"I invited him and his friends to join us for barbeque." Sakura informed her friend.
Naruto looked to Shikamaru who suddenly had a calculating gaze, and he followed the stare to Sasuke who was pretending that he couldn't feel it. He was doing a very good job; one could almost swear that he was sincerely interested in the tacky necklaces hanging from the roof of the cart next to him. While Ino and Sakura spoke quietly to each other, Naruto felt it was his duty to break the ice between the boys. Shikamaru and Sasuke had never really spoken as kids even though they were all in the same group. In fact, the one person Sasuke ever really spoke to back then was Naruto, and sometimes Sakura when she approached him first. He never got a chance to say anything, though, because Karin returned to the group.
"Suigetsu and Jugo bailed, Sasuke. Looks like it's just us," She didn't seem to upset by that fact. Judging by the slight blush on her cheeks and the way she tugged on the hem of her black shirt, Naruto could easily guess that her female brain was turning this into a couples' night.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry!" Naruto said loudly, earning a disapproving look from Sakura. She could glare all she wanted, that wasn't going to keep his stomach from growling. "Come on, let's get going, ttebayo!"
Shikamaru sighed and rolled his neck. Maybe if he didn't lean his head back so much he wouldn't have so much tension in it. "Troublesome." He muttered, but he began walking forward anyway. Ino didn't waste a second before following him, and Karin and Sasuke waited for Naruto and Sakura before moving as well.
"So Sasuke," Ino said, looking over her shoulder at the Uchiha. "When are you going to get the Konoha uniform?"
"Actually, we spent yesterday morning getting measurements for our uniforms. We'll get them on Monday." Karin answered for him, which Sasuke didn't seem bothered by.
Naruto sighed in annoyance, realizing that that was why Sasuke had been late getting to class that morning when he had wanted to punch him so bad. And he had been thinking that Sasuke knew Naruto was going to hit him. At least he got a lot of his frustration out on the roof.
As the group walked the few blocks to the BBQ restaurant, Naruto learned that Karin had grown up in Kusagakure but moved to Otogakure for junior high school, just like Sasuke had. She was definitely intelligent, a little obsessive of Sasuke, but Naruto considered her to be a nice girl. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, which made him wonder why she was a delinquent. No one would be able to tell by looking or even talking with her. It didn't make sense. She and Sasuke were both smart, good teenagers. How did they get caught up in something like a gang? Naruto was going to have to get to the bottom of this.
When they arrived at the restaurant, they were greeted warmly by the manager who knew Ino and Shikamaru because of their dads. They sat down in a booth, Karin making sure to place herself between Sakura and Sasuke. She had obviously caught on to Sakura's infatuation toward the raven-haired boy. The setup had Naruto sitting across from Sasuke, Shikamaru next to him and Ino across from Sakura.
"You should try the beef teriyaki here," Ino informed Karin when the girl stared down at the menu skeptically. "It's the best in all of Konoha." The red head almost seemed taken aback by the girl's help and she blushed while she thanked Ino.
"Aw man…" Naruto pouted as he looked from one side of the menu to the other. "I can't decide if I want the flank steak or the tonkatsu…" Seriously, these kinds of decisions could be life changing and one had to be made with the most precision.
"The steak is a summer dish." Shikamaru pointed out, having one of his moments where he actually contributed to the conversation. Most of the time Naruto wished he didn't bother. Half the things that came out of his mouth were sarcastic or made Naruto feel like an idiot. "Just get the cutlet."
Naruto pouted, not finding his friend helpful at the moment. "Yeah, but the steak sounds so good…I can practically smell it already. My stomach agrees." It growled, but no one else at the table other than Naruto heard it.
"Get the tonkatsu." Sasuke said suddenly, his voice void of all emotion as usual yet catching Naruto's attention as if someone had blasted an air horn in his ear. "I'll get the steak. You'll end up eating off my plate anyway."
"Hey, hey!" Naruto shouted, glaring at Sasuke across the table. "I don't do that anymore!"
"Yes you do!" Ino and Sakura chimed in. Yes, this was definitely Attack Naruto Day. Naruto tried not to pout at the girls who started giggling, and he nearly hit his head on the table when Sakura began explaining to Karin that Naruto used to steal food from everyone's bento boxes at lunch in elementary school.
"S-Sakura-chan, not cool…" Naruto whined, his shoulders slouching worse than Shikamaru's. Why couldn't his friends just tell stories about Sasuke? He hasn't been around all this time after all and it was a good chance to bring up his embarrassing moments as a kid. Not that he had any unless they counted his accidental kisses with Naruto. Blue eyes widened a fraction and he stared at Sasuke who seemed to be content listening to old stories about the blond, like he was reliving his past with the boy in his head. His eyelids were half-mast and he his body was relaxed.
"Then the cat scratched Naruto on the face a bunch of times and ran off!" Sakura said, laughing heartily at the memory of when they tried to earn some money by finding a lost cat. "Sasuke-kun ended up having to go get it by himself while I brought Naruto to clinic."
"Oh, is that how he got the scars on his face?" Karin asked, looking over at Naruto pointedly. The table fell silent and she looked around a bit, realizing that she had overstepped some invisible line that the group had drawn a long time ago. She yelped in surprise when Sasuke dropped his menu onto the table and glared down at her. "I-I was just wonder-"
"Drop it." Sasuke said. His face was unreadable yet his tone dripped with malice. Naruto felt bad for the girl, but he was finding it hard to focus on her when Sasuke had just stood up for him…sort of. In his "I'm a bastard now but I've still got your back, dobe" kind of way. Out of everyone, Sasuke understood that Naruto was self-conscious about the arcane scars on his face. They had always been there, though he had no idea where they came from. A lot of hateful people said that his parents had given them to him when he was born because they didn't want him. Others said it was because he was a monster, and that was what he had come to believe. He hated them, but one day, out of the blue, while talking to Sasuke he decided that he was glad he had them. Because Sasuke looked past the scars. The Uchiha didn't care what the adults told him about Naruto, or how they tried to convince (some even going so far as to using bribes) him not to interact with the other boy. Sasuke looked at Naruto and that was who he saw. Not a child that had been abandoned by his parents. Not a monster that people hated. He saw Naruto, and he stuck by him.
If that was the case, then why had Naruto been so reluctant to stand by and help Sasuke now that he was on a dark path? Sasuke would do the same for him right? It was final; Naruto was not going to say goodbye to Sasuke tonight without trying to get some answers from him.
Realizing that he had gotten caught up in his own thoughts, Naruto looked at Karin who was staring down at the table with a grim face. "Ah, please don't worry about it, ttebayo!" Naruto said quickly, waving his hands at her in a dismissive way. He looked at the others at the table, frowning even though he wasn't really mad. "You guys, she didn't know! Come on, we were having such a good time!" He looked at Sasuke and smirked at him challengingly. He raised an eyebrow in response and Naruto took that as good sign to speak again. "Besides, Sakura-chan, you didn't tell her about the time Sasuke got locked in the art room supply closet when we were ten!"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Hn. That was your fault, idiot."
"What? No it wasn't, bastard!"
"Naruto, why are you shouting?" Ino chided.
"Troublesome."
After a bit more bickering, Naruto glanced over to Karin, glad to see that she wasn't as put down as before. He didn't want her to feel bad. She was Sasuke's friend, after all, and she cared enough about him to move back to his old town with him. That was some serious dedication. Though, if Naruto had been old enough to do so at the time Sasuke left, he might have followed too. Not because he had a crush on Sasuke like Karin! No way, that wasn't it at all! But Sasuke was his best friend! Sasuke was the night to his day, his other half, his…okay; this was starting to sound like he really was in love with the Uchiha or something, which he wasn't! They were just really close. Best friends and rivals that used to compete against each other at everything. It was hard losing something like that.
When Sasuke had left, Naruto definitely felt lonely despite the fact that he had a whole bunch of other friends lined up besides Sasuke. But a piece of him left Konoha with the other boy, and now that he was back he was beginning to feel like that piece was settling into place. Sasuke, his best friend, was here again. And maybe, if Naruto could break him out of his bad habits of attacking random people on the streets and molesting boys in their apartments, he and Sasuke could go back to their old ways.
Naruto smiled in appreciation at the thought. Things could go back to normal now that his missing piece was back.
"Thank you!" Naruto and the girls called as they left the restaurant a couple of hours later, stomachs full and wallets lighter than they had been before. As Sasuke had predicted, Naruto did eat half of his steak before ordering another plate of it for himself. He couldn't help it; the miso butter the steak had been smothered in was like angels singing harmoniously to his tongue.
Throughout the dinner, Ino, Sakura and Karin became seemingly close friends, and now the three girls were walking arm in arm down the street while talking about how cool guys with motorcycles were. Unfortunately for Shikamaru, he was tangled with Ino and was literally trudging next to her, bent over slightly because of their height differences. Naruto was glad that Karin was able to fit in so well with his friends; she didn't act as rough as the other two boys in their gang. Naruto turned to Sasuke at the thought, the boy walking quietly next to him with his hands in his pockets. He was obviously lost in his own thoughts, and Naruto was curious as to what was going through his head. He had a hunch that it was probably along the same lines as to what was going through his own.
Taking that into consideration, he wrapped his hand around Sasuke's forearm. The slight pressure caught Sasuke's attention and he stopped in his tracks to look at Naruto impassively. It sort of irked Naruto that Sasuke could stare at him like that after molesting and kissing him. "We need to talk."
"Hn," That was Sasuke-speak for 'yes, we do, all mighty Naruto'. Well, not exactly, but at least Naruto knew he had the teen's full attention.
"I'm mad at you for what you did, but I decided to overlook it for now. And I'm sorry about what I said on the roof…about the promise I made you. I intend to keep it. I only said that because I was angry with you for…the other night." Damn it, now was not the time to be vividly remembering that.
Sasuke scoffed and he turned his head to look at the group that was getting further away from them, not noticing that the two had stopped. "Were you really worrying about that? You always make a big deal out of little things." He attempted to break contact with Naruto, but the other's hand tightened around his arm, causing him to glare.
"Don't act all tough, teme. I know you. We're the same, remember?" He smirked when it was obvious on Sasuke's face that he was annoyed by Naruto using his previous words from the roof.
Sasuke turned his whole body to face his old friend. "What would you do if I kissed you right now?"
The question caught Naruto off guard. How did they get to this subject all of a sudden? Oh right, Sasuke was a dick who liked to bring up completely random and inappropriate topics. Yet, instead of calling him out on the sudden change of discussion, Naruto's face flushed and he began stammering like an idiot. "W-what? B-but the others! Karin and Sakura-chan! And Ino and Shikamaru! They could turn around any minute and see!" Damn it, why was he acting like such a girl? And why was he worrying about the others seeing? He should be focused on the fact that Sasuke wanted to kiss him!
"Would you kiss me back?"
Naruto realized what Sasuke was saying now, and he felt his heart beat erratically in his ribcage. It wasn't a matter of kissing or fighting or challenging or anything. Sasuke was asking Naruto if he would return his feelings. But that just left Naruto even more confused. "Have…" His voice was low, and he couldn't meet Sasuke's eyes so he opted for staring down at their shoes. "Have you always looked at me that way?"
"Hn," Sasuke looked over at the group, seeing that the girls had unlinked arms so that Sakura and Karin could exchange cell phone numbers or email addresses or both. Finally, he decided to grace the other boy with a real response. "Since our kiss, I suppose."
Naruto didn't need to ask which one; it was obvious Sasuke was referring to the one on the dock. Even to this day, Naruto counted that as his real first kiss. But five years had passed since then, and they were separated the whole time. How could Sasuke not have moved on? Or did he always plan on coming back to Konoha…for Naruto? His eyes widened at the thought, and he finally looked up at Sasuke.
What if he turned him down? Would Sasuke go off on a rampage? Would he leave Konoha again? Would he continue beating people up with shinai and robbing drug stores? Naruto didn't even know if he did any of that before, but it was still plausible. But he wasn't going to just return his feelings because he felt like he was being forced to. No, he didn't even feel like he was being held hostage by the question. This was Sasuke! Sasuke had an unspoken understanding about him, and he wouldn't try doing that. But Naruto knew that he had to give the raven-haired teen an answer.
So, taking in a deep breath and letting it out, Naruto made a determined expression and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not…rejecting you. I've just never looked at guys that way before."
"Hn," Sasuke moved to catch up with the group and Naruto followed after him quickly. "Neither have I."
"But you-"
"Only you,"
Naruto's stomach was doing somersaults at the confession. Sasuke liked him as more than a friend since they were twelve…and only him. He never looked at any other guy, or girl as it seemed, that way even though he was far away from Naruto. It made the blond frown, unsettled by the thought. He knew that after tonight, he wasn't going to be able to see Sasuke as just a friend. Not because he was going to fall madly in love with him or anything. But now he had to take into consideration that Sasuke had feelings for him. He was going to have tiptoe around him and not do anything that would make him…do things like the other night. He shuddered. The idea was foreign, but like many things that had to do with Uchiha Sasuke, he'd get over it. Because Sasuke accepted him for whom he was, and even if Naruto didn't see him as anything more than an old friend who's moved back home, he could still be there for him.
"Teme," Naruto whispered. "You come back here and act like own the place. Typical Uchiha bullshit."
Sasuke didn't say anything in return, but by the loud exhale through his nose, Naruto knew he heard him.
He lifted his arm to strike at the raven-haired boy, but Sasuke caught his fist easily. They glared at each other challengingly, their strength and determination equally matched. They had always been connected by some imaginary red thread of destiny, but Naruto was pretty sure they didn't need it to value each other's presence. Sasuke used to be his best friend, and even while he was gone and many others tried to fill in the empty space, he knew that he would never find someone who could take Sasuke's place.
So what if the Uchiha had a crush on him? Naruto was just going to have to be more careful not to provoke him. Maybe he could get Sasuke to turn to Karin or Sakura. Any girl really. Sure, it was flattering that Sasuke liked him that way, but what could Naruto do? He never liked guys before and Sasuke wasn't going to be an exception or anything.
Even if his appearance was a little girly and they shared their first kiss (three, to be exact) together, and even if the idea of how two guys did it in bed peeked Naruto's curiosity-WHOA! No, damn it. Naruto shook his head and yanked his hand free, stuffing it into his pants pockets. Stupid Uchihas messing with his head.
"You guys, what are you doing?" Sakura called out to them suddenly and Naruto was grateful for the distraction. Both boys looked at the three girls that were turned around completely, facing them, while Shikamaru remained with his back to them. He was more interested in the moon rising in the sky. Well, technically the moon wasn't moving and the Earth was spinning to make it appear that the moon was rising. See? And people thought that Naruto was dumb.
"You two better not be fighting! C'mon, Naruto, Sasuke just moved back!" Ino said.
"What?" Naruto whined, rushing ahead to catch up to the group. "Why is it always my fault? The teme starts it!"
"As if, dobe." Sasuke said, making Naruto jump at the sudden presence behind him.
"You bastard!"
"Moron."
"Ice prick!"
"Dumb ass."
"Boys!" Ino and Sakura shouted.
Naruto huffed and the group continued to walk forward, Sakura and Ino explaining to a concerned Karin that the two boys would always fight when they were younger. When the girls weren't paying attention, Naruto pulled his right arm out of his pocket and roughly shoved Sasuke in the shoulder. The push was returned with greater force and he toppled over onto his hands and knees, Sakura stopping to look back at him questioningly.
"He tripped." Sasuke said calmly, ushering for the group to keep walking and leave the idiot behind.
Naruto grit his teeth, but he couldn't help the grin that split his face at his and Sasuke's antics. It was just like when they were kids and he'd never get tired of it. If they could stay like this forever he'd be satisfied. Yet, in the back of his mind, he knew that things were going to change whether he wanted them to or not. He would deal with that when the time comes.

Sasuke turned and sat down on the ledge, leaning over to untie his shoes. He pushed his bangs out of his face, but they only fell back in his vision and he sighed in defeat. He barely caught the sound of feet moving behind him and he quickly glanced over his shoulder to look up at his older brother.
"You're home late tonight Sasuke." Itachi said, his expression and tone impassive.
"I ended up eating barbeque." Sasuke stated as though that explained everything. He lined his shoes up neatly next to his brother's and stood up on the raised platform.
Itachi moved out of the way so Sasuke could step into the hall, and he followed him to the stairs. "You were out with those friends of yours, weren't you?"
"At first, yes." Sasuke answered honestly. He knew it was no use lying to Itachi; he had other ways of finding these things out. The best approach was to just be honest in the first round.
"At first?" Itachi demanded clarification.
Sighing in annoyance, Sasuke stopped on the middle of the stairs and looked back at his brother. "I went out to eat with Naruto and his friends." His brother looked both relieved and surprised by the information. Itachi had always known Sasuke had a special place in his heart for the blond as a kid, but they would never bring it up. It was simply a mutual understanding.
"How is he?" Itachi asked after a few moments.
"Still an idiot. I'm going to bed." Sasuke didn't wait for the older Uchiha to say anything else as he hiked the last of the stairs and went to his room at the end of the hallway. It was the same room he had when they used to live in the Uchiha compound five years ago. Everything looked the same as it had before he left; he had moved the furniture back into their old spots, and he decided against hanging up any of the posters he had obtained when he was in Otogakure. He had them all rolled up and leaning against the back wall in his closet. A part of him wanted to leave everything like it was before, like nothing had changed…as if he never left Konoha.
He didn't turn on the overhead light, the moon being bright enough to flood the room with a white glow through the window. He shuffled over to his bed and sat down on the edge so he could pull of his socks, letting them fall in a pile on the floor. He would pick them up in the morning. Right now he wanted to just lie down and think.
Think about what Naruto said, about what he said to Naruto. About the day that he really, truly saw Naruto as an irreplaceable part of his life.

"Hey!"
Sasuke looked up from where he sat by the fence, immediately narrowing his eyes at the blond kid standing before him. His pose wasn't cowering like most of the other kids that approached Sasuke. He didn't answer the boy; he didn't want to. He just wanted to be left alone for the little time he could at school before they had to return to class. Why people kept bothering him was beyond him. He knew what they were thinking, he could see it in their eyes, and he didn't want their sympathy. His brother had said to be polite about it, but it was becoming harder and harder to just sit back and listen to their words that weren't as soothing as they thought. Their words weren't going to bring his father and mother back.
"I heard your parents died."
"…"
"You know, I don't have any parents either."
Sasuke scoffed and turned his head to look at the empty plant pots lining the wooden fence. He had heard about Naruto's parents. They left him on the Hokage's doorstep because they didn't want him. Or at least that was what he had overheard from the teachers and other adults. His parents always told him not to listen because they were silly rumors. But if they were just rumors, then where were Naruto's parents? They weren't dead, right? He honestly didn't know, and he doubted that anyone did. "Don't put me in the same group as you, idiot. We're nothing alike."
"What's that supposed to mean? We both-"
"I know about you. Your parents just left you, and they're probably still alive somewhere. Mine are dead and never coming back. So we're not alike." When he was met with silence, he looked up at the blond boy standing over him. His tan hands were clenched into tight fists and he looked like he was going to cry. Or he had to poop. Sasuke wasn't sure. He definitely didn't expect Naruto to suddenly lunge at him, smacking him in the face and shoving him to the ground.
"You jerk!" the boy cried.
Sasuke wasted no time fighting back, pushing at Naruto's left cheek while grabbing and pulling his hair with all his strength. He couldn't help but think of how soft and thick it was compared to his own fine hair. The other boy let out a cry of pain at the sharp tug, reaching his arms to dislodge the Uchiha's hand, and Sasuke used the opportunity to switch their positions so that he was lying on top.
Naruto squirmed and slapped Sasuke on the head, arm, shoulders and back. Sasuke continued to hold his hair with one hand, keeping Naruto's head pinned to the dirt covered ground while he fended off the flailing arms with his free hand.
"Hey! You two!" Hands pulled at the back of Sasuke's shirt, easily yanking him off of the boy while another set of hands grabbed Naruto by his wrists and forced him to stand up. By the way he stumbled on his feet, Sasuke could tell that the teacher that had pulled him up was being a lot rougher than the one that had gotten Sasuke. Even now the teacher was resting her hands gently on Sasuke's shoulders while the other Naruto by his.
"What are you doing, Naruto?" the teacher scolded him, leaning over him and glaring. Sasuke could tell that Naruto was going to cry even if he was trying his best to hide it. And why the teacher was only yelling at him even though Sasuke was clearly dominating in the fight confused him. He had been at Sasuke's mercy; it was almost insulting not to be reprimanded. "You're hurting Sasuke-kun! How am I going to explain to his older brother if he gets bruises from you hitting him?"
Oh, that was it. Naruto was an outcast because he was abandoned by his parents while Sasuke's died tragically. The Uchiha's life was seen as a tragic one while the adults viewed Naruto's as a nuisance. But they were the same, weren't they? Neither of them had parents now, and they were the same age. Naruto had no control over his situation just as Sasuke had no control over his. People were being unfair…life was unjust. And Sasuke wasn't right it what he had said to Naruto before the fight.
"I'm tired of you always fighting with other kids! You-"
"We weren't fighting." Sasuke said, cutting the teacher off. Both of the women looked at him in surprise and he narrowed his eyes. He rarely spoke up so he knew that they were going to listen to whatever he said. "We weren't fighting," he repeated. "We were playing out a scene from the Ryu-Gama Go! series." The teachers looked at each other questioningly, obviously having never heard of the show because Sasuke made it up at the top of his head just now. He wasn't sure what the show would be about. Maybe it would have lots of action, like Power Rangers or something.
The teacher holding Naruto reluctantly let go and Sasuke grabbed his tan wrist, pulling him away from the confused teachers.
"You're a liar." Naruto said quietly.
"Did you want to get in trouble?" Sasuke snapped, letting go of him when they made it to the other end of the school yard. They walked together to a large tree that had a swing hanging from it. Other kids were running by, too caught up in their own games to see the unusual sight of the two boys together. Sasuke was glad about that; he didn't want any of the other kids getting any ideas and approaching him.
"I guess not…" Naruto muttered, hopping backwards onto the swing, his weight making it sway back and forth. Sasuke opted for leaning his back against the tree, keeping his eyes on the ground. "You know," he said, receiving the other's attention. "If you ever get lonely, I'll be your family. Since neither of us have one."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. This kid was an idiot. A complete and utter moron. He just attacked him a minute ago, and now he was offering to be his family? Sasuke scoffed and turned his head, his bangs swinging with the motion. "I have my brother Itachi."
He almost felt bad when Naruto looked down at his lap, obviously feeling dejected. He wanted to say something to make the hurt look go away because, honestly, it annoyed Sasuke. Naruto looked much better when he smiled. He would always see the blond smile despite the way adults treat him. And Naruto would always pass by him when he was at the dock, but they never spoke. Most of the time Sasuke would glare at him because he wanted to be alone, and the boy would make a face back, but then they'd both smile and return to what they had been doing. To be honest, Sasuke was sure that this was the first time he and Naruto had actually spoken. The other would usually glare at him whenever he was praised in class, so Sasuke figured Naruto hated him.
"Then I'll be your rival."
Sasuke's head tilted up at this and he blinked, looking at Naruto as though he hadn't said anything at all.
Naruto hopped off the swing, hissing when it came back forward and hit him in the back. He moved over to the Uchiha and smirked challengingly. "I'll always be there when you need me."
"That's more of a friend than a rival." Sasuke said, frowning slightly.
"I can be both!"
Sasuke lowered his eyelids and sighed, his shoulders sagging. "You're a real idiot."
Whether Naruto heard him or not, he didn't react and instead held out two pointed fingers to him. Sasuke didn't look down at them until Naruto spoke again. "Let's make a pact."
"Aren't you supposed to use your pinky to make pacts?" That was how it was done, right? Sasuke wasn't sure, he never made one before. He never had any friends; his family was all he ever needed. And it wasn't like many kids reached out to him, not the way Naruto was. They were all intimidated by his name. The Uchihas were known for being at the top of the police force. That was why his parents were gunned down by a gang, because his father was after the leader of the mob.
Naruto was able to successfully distract Sasuke from the dark thoughts with his booming voice. "Yes, but this way is stronger. It's unbreakable!"
"Unless someone breaks our fingers," Sasuke pointed out bluntly. He couldn't help that he was smarter than the other boy. And he liked seeing Naruto getting annoyed and flustered. It made him feel more mature and superior.
"Will you just do it with me, jerk? Geez, you're so annoying, ttebayo!"
Sasuke was about to retort back, saying that Naruto was the annoying one, not him. However, he stopped himself. He didn't want to push Naruto too far and have him change his mind about reaching out to Sasuke. If it were anybody else, Sasuke would scoff at this and walk away, but he knew Naruto was right from the beginning. They were alone now; their parents were dead. Neither of them asked to be left alone, but it happened and they were stuck in a dark world where no other kid their age understood what they were going through. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to connect with someone who was the same as him, and Sasuke wasn't dumb enough to pass it up.
So, hesitantly, he reached his own hand forward and linked his two fingers with Naruto's. He marveled at the way his and Naruto's skin tones varied, but he assumed Naruto spent more time outside than he did. Not to mention that, even in his fingers, Naruto felt warm. That warmth seemed to travel through Sasuke's fingers, up his arm and into his chest. The feeling made his cheeks flush a little. He looked up and met smiling blue eyes.
"We'll always be together." Naruto announced, and Sasuke didn't feel like arguing. The two boys merely bowed their heads a little, one grinning from ear to ear while the other tried not to smile at all but the corners of his mouth betrayed him.
At the time, they didn't care if the statement carried any truth or not. They remained side by side as long as they could, and even after Sasuke ended up leaving four years later, he planned to hold tight to his and Naruto's pact. Until the very end.
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