Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Make It or Break It	By : Ljiljana Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 1024 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own 'Naruto'. I earn no money of writing this.

Chapter List
- 3
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- 5
Make It or Break It
Part IV
Imagination and Ideas

The doorbell rang. Naruto put away his pen immediately. He had an entire speech prepared; he had to apologize if Sasuke and him were ever to try working together again. They had made an attempt the previous day to think of a plot, but… It was only worse without Sai around. It was so awkward, Sasuke left after less than half an hour. Naruto didn’t even try to stop him, even though he did have ideas. The speech he had prepared to go with the apology contained some not too nice things about Sai, but Naruto didn’t feel too guilty about that. The sooner he felt better about the entire thing, the sooner they could move on.

He wiped his sweaty hands on his jumpsuit and opened the door.

But it wasn’t Sasuke.

“Hi!” Sakura said, flushed from the cold, peering at him from under a large hand-knitted hat. “Do you mind? I came to check on how you guys are progressing.”

Relieved, Naruto grinned, “Sure, come on in. I’m alone right now, but Sasuke should stop by soon.”

She took off her long red scarf, the hat and the coat and left it all on the hanger behind the door.

“It’s snowing outside, so it’s not too cold. It’s wet and slippery, though - but I had to get out of my dorm room. My roommate brought her boyfriend over and they were making so much noise I couldn’t study,” Sakura chatted on. “And you guys? Did you come up with anything?”

Naruto led her to the two couches and the coffee table in the center of the room.

“No, nothing,” he told her. “Sasuke had an idea the other day, but I didn’t agree with it. It was too depressing.”

Sakura grimaced, “He has a knack for dark stories. That’s probably one of the reasons why the editors want you to work with each other; they’re hoping some of your cheerfulness will rub off on him.”

Naruto, ignoring the mental image as best as he could, muttered, “Wouldn’t count on it.”

Sakura shrugged, “Well, even if it’s only for this oneshot, it’s going to be a nice change. I’d love to see him happy, you know? With his family and everything.”

Naruto didn’t know anything about Sasuke’s family. He was intrigued.

“What about his family?”

“Don’t you know? They practically disowned him when he told them he had decided to draw manga for a living.”

“What?” What kind of stupid people were they, anyway? “They disowned him over that? What would they do if he, I don’t know, raped girls and ended up in jail or something?”

“Cover it up, most likely,” Sakura muttered. “I’ve only heard about them, but they are one of those fairly wealthy, strict families.”

“So, it’s like he doesn’t have a family at all?” Naruto questioned. He could be sympathetic over that; he didn’t have a family, either. It had always been that way for him. Was it harder or easier if you did have a family and then… they disowned you?

“His brother always calls. I don’t think Sasuke ever answers, though. I was there a bunch of times; he just lets the machine pick up. And from what his brother says, I really don’t think Sasuke calls him back.”

“But why?”

“Who knows? Maybe he doesn’t want his brother to get into trouble with their father for talking to Sasuke. Or he might be upset with him, I don’t know.” Sakura sank deeper into the cushions, musing, “I used to think that was why he was so bent on being the best. I thought he worked so hard because he wanted to prove to his family that he made the right choice when he chose manga over them. But after this thing with you… I guess he was competitive to begin with.”

“What thing with me?”

“You know, the entire rivalry thing.”

“That just happened. He has to stay on top to show his family up, and I guess I was starting to improve, so I was a threat.”

“Just a potential threat,” Sakura dismissed it, then smiled apologetically. Naruto returned the smile, because he wasn’t really insulted and she continued, “You became an actual threat only after you two met.”

Naruto really hated remembering that meeting, at the New Year’s party. Sasuke’d been so rude and hurtful. And Naruto had been so excited to meet him. He’d meant what he said, ‘Kaleidoscope’ was too dark for his taste. But he loved the series anyway and he admired Sasuke so much. It was like he was on some sort of pedestal Naruto couldn’t reach but wanted to desperately.

“Well, I had to work harder after I declared that I’d beat him,” Naruto said, looking away from Sakura. “It’s one thing not to know someone or not to like their work, but he was just so rude about it.”

“Hmm.” Sakura looked thoughtful, gazing at him with her eyes narrowed for a bit. “But he did know who you were.”

“He did?”

Sakura’s smile turned wicked. She leaned in, like she was giving away an important, juicy secret and whispered, “Kakashi told me he went to that party just so he could meet you.”

“Oh.” Well.

Sakura leaned back, “And I know better than anyone that he can be a right bastard. I’ve been working as his assistant for about a year but the way he acted that night… That was too much, even for him. He doesn’t usually lie, but he lied right to your face that he didn’t know who you were. I don’t know if it was conscious or not, but I think he went there that night to challenge you. He wanted someone to compete against and he chose you.”

So it was an act. That horrible, hurtful conversation, it was all an act. Not just any act, but an act designed to make Naruto want to become better and compete. Like Sasuke came off his pedestal just so he could grab Naruto by the collar and yank him upward.

And he succeeded, right? Naruto did get better, because Sasuke… chose him?

Right. That just couldn’t have been a conscious decision.

“Uf, maybe we better not tell him you told me this?”

Sakura laughed, “If that’s what you want.”

“I do,” Naruto decided. “Hey, do you want something to drink?”

“Sure, I…” Sakura started, but was interrupted by the doorbell. “Sasuke? Wow, what timing.”

Naruto grinned, standing up, “If I haven’t tried that and failed, I’d be sure he was listening from the other side of the door.”

Feeling immensely better after the conversation with Sakura, Naruto made his way to the door. He was practically bouncing off the floor. Bastard or not, Sasuke thought he was good enough to be his rival and Naruto had to prove him right. Being a disappointment – like he had been until now – was not an option.

He yanked the door opened, grin in place, “Hello!”

Sasuke eyed him with suspicion, “Hey.”

“Come on in, I was just about to get Sakura something to drink.”

Sasuke, in the middle of taking off his dark gray scarf, frowned, “Sakura is here?”

“Yep, she came to check how we were doing. Isn’t that nice?”

“She’s not being nice, she needs money.”

“What?”

“Why do you think she’s assisting part time while studying? It certainly doesn’t reflect well on her grades.She needs the money and every day we waste is costing her meals or whatever else she needs it for.”

“It’s still nice of her to come here and ask about the progress. It’s not like it’ll change anything, so she’s not doing it for any selfish reasons,” Naruto insisted. “And anyway, then we have to hurry. I don’t want anyone starving because of me.”

Sasuke hung his jacket next to Sakura’s coat, so Naruto turned to lead him into the leaving room. From behind, he heard, “I wasn’t being literal.”

They were within Sakura’s earshot, so Naruto didn’t answer.

“Hi,” Sakura smiled at Sasuke and stood up. “I guess I should get going, you’re going to work now.”

“Oh, you don’t have to…” Naruto started, but she waved him off. He was more comfortable with her there, though.

She grabbed her bag from where it was resting next to her. Sasuke noticed it.

“You can study here, if you want,” he offered, like Naruto’s apartment was his own. “I can’t promise we’ll be quiet, though.”

Sakura hesitated, torn. “I don’t know. How loud are you usually? Maybe I’ll be better off in the library.”

“Very loud,” Sasuke admitted. “But you’re always cold in the library.”

Sakura noticed Naruto’s confusion. “Sasuke often lets me stay after I finish my work to study at his place, because my roommate is… well, our room is really not a good place to study.”

“You can use my bedroom, if you want. The walls are thick, there’s no way you’d hear us – unless we start shouting or something.” Naruto offered. He wasn’t all that bookish, but he knew from experience how horrible it was when you had no place to work. “The cleaning lady was in yesterday, so it’s not filthy or anything.”

“Your bedroom?” Sasuke said. He sounded disgusted.

Naruto flushed, “Well, it’s the only other room I have, aside from the bathroom and the kitchenette. It’s not like I’m gonna go in when she’s in there, and you’ll be here, too.”

Sakura laughed, “It’s not my virtue he’s upset about, Naruto. I’d really like that, I have to study and my feet get so cold in the library during the winter. They do heat it up and all, so usually students don’t have a problem but…”

Naruto smiled, grateful that she was staying, even if in another room, “I don’t get cold that easily. Or warm, for that matter. The foster families didn’t like me for a lot of things, but they all agreed that I wasn’t fussy about those kinds of things. It’s right there, next to that framed drawing of the Kraken.”

Sakura stopped by the picture to take a better look, with one hand on the doorknob of his bedroom, “Not quite your usual standard, is it?”

“Well, of course not. I was only twelve when I drew it.”

Sakura disappeared into the room, smiling. Naruto turned around to face Sasuke, who was sitting comfortably on the couch, in the same spot he sat that day Sai kissed Naruto. Actually, thinking back, he sat there yesterday, too. It was apparently his place. Naruto kinda liked Sasuke having a place of his own in Naruto’s apartment.

He kneeled on the thick carpet next to the coffee table. He set the notebook he always carried with him next to him on the coffee table.

“Did you think of anything? Because yesterday was a complete waste of time.”

“I had ideas yesterday, too!” Naruto protested. “You stormed off after barely a minute!”

“It was much longer than a minute and you gave no sign that you were about to say anything relevant at all.”

Because it had been so awkward. Naruto took a breath.

“Yeah, I have ideas but, um, before that…. Sorry.”

That certainly wasn’t the speech Naruto had prepared. But it was an apology. It would do.

Naruto glanced up from the table to find Sasuke frowning, “What are you sorry about?”

Great, he’d have to do the speech after all.

“Ah – you know, the thing with Sai, when he said those stupid things and kissed me. It just felt – out of reach. Being closer to someone else, I mean.”

“That.”

Annoyed at the lack of acknowledgment for his apology, Naruto grumbled, “That isn’t exactly apology accepted.”

“Because you have nothing to apologize for, you moron,” Sasuke said. “Now stop wasting time and tell me what you have.”

Well, whatever.

“Fine,” Naruto snapped. They were doing better than the previous day already. That didn’t mean he appreciated being called a moron. “We never agreed on a genre, though. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is like some supernatural drama, I guess, so that suits you, right?”

“Anything. I don’t care about genre, as long as…”

“I sense some form of ‘stupid’ coming out of your mouth next, so let’s skip it.” Naruto loudly interrupted. Sasuke smirked so he rolled his eyes and continued, “Right. A really ungrateful, whiny guy gets stuck in a weird place and learns how to appreciate his family and friends while struggling to find a way home.”

“What?” Sasuke asked, puzzled.

Naruto sighed. He was uncharacteristically nervous. That might have come out a little bit too fast and muddled up.

“Like, the main character, he’s this whiny, spoilt brat. He thinks his parents are overprotective so he fights with them, he thinks his friends are boring and stupid – you know, like he has everything a teenage boy should want – maybe even a cute girl that likes him. But he’s so ungrateful and always finds some stupid little thing to complain about.”

Naruto stopped to take a breath.

“And then something happens – a dream, I think. He gets stuck in a horrible place and can’t find his way out.”

“Something like Alice in Wonderland?”

“Oh,” Naruto said, disappointed. He had liked that idea. “I guess so, I didn’t think of it. Never mind then.”

“Many stories have similar concepts. Tell me more.”

“Well…” Naruto stretched his arms, a bit suspicious. But Sasuke would simply tell him straight away if he thought that the idea was crap, right? “I don’t know where he’d get stuck in that dream, exactly – but something darkish and heavy and depressing, so he’d feel really bad and people reading would feel bad for him. He gets hungry, but he tossed away the food his mom made him that morning because it wasn’t his favorite and the longer he’s hungry, the more he regrets treating his mom like that.”

“His way out is through his family and friends,” Sasuke said. Naruto frowned in confusion, but he was ignored. “Or it would have been, if he knew how to appreciate them. If he was grateful to his mother for the food she made him, he wouldn’t be hungry. We can think of other obstacles, like… You mentioned he thinks his friends are stupid and boring? He comes across a door with a riddle based on prime numbers.”

“What?” Naruto questioned, but Sasuke didn’t seem to even have heard him.

“His ‘boring’ friend was trying to talk to him about that exact thing earlier, but he didn’t want to listen. If he had, the puzzle would have been easy to figure out. Because he dissed his friend, he has to spend many hours on getting through those doors.”

“Um, alright – as long as I don’t have to think of any puzzles.” Sasuke gave him a dry look but he didn’t comment. “But maybe it is too much like Alice in Wonderland. I didn’t mean to be a copycat.”

“There are hundreds of stories that are based around a dream or dreams. I can’t remember anything that uses a dream to teach someone a lesson and in Alice in Wonderland right now.”

“Alright, so do you want to hear more ideas?” Naruto asked.

“What for? This is good enough.” Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him, “Much more serious than I expected from you, though.”

“It’s not that serious. There are places for some jokes – a dog!”

“What?”

“He’s annoyed with his dog because it keeps bringing him all kinds of things, other people’s slippers, and newspapers and whatnot – but when he’s stuck in that dream place, he needs something and he can’t reach it, it’d be perfect if only his faithful, kind dog was there to fetch it but…”

“…He kicked the dog that morning and no one has seen it since.”

“Well, he doesn’t really have to kick it,” Naruto grumbled.

“It can reappear the next morning, at the end of the story,” Sasuke continued, ignoring him. “I’m not that easy to distract, though. A few jokes or not, that was more serious than I expected.”

“I just figured you’d toss it aside otherwise,” Naruto admitted. “Like I did when I thought your story was too depressing. What would be the point of thinking up all these funny ideas when I knew you’d never agree?”

“How uncharacteristically perceptive.”

Naruto scoffed, “Like you’d know what’s uncharacteristic for me.” Sure, he wasn’t as smart as Sasuke and Sakura – or even Sai, but it was unpleasant for people to constantly underestimate him or write him off like that. Suppressing his annoyance, Naruto added, “I never thought that you’d agree to do a story I thought of.”

“I’m going to do the storyboard, the dialog and half the artwork. You have to have credit for something, otherwise it’s not collaboration. You’d just be an overpaid assistant.” Sasuke stood up. “I should start on the storyboard and you start with the character design. Alright?”

“But… You can’t go now. Kakashi said we work here.”

Sasuke gave him a confused glance, “I can’t work on a coffee table; I was going to your assistant’s desk.”

“Oh. Well, better take mine, the light is better. I can work here on the designs.”

Sasuke accepted with a nod. He sat at Naruto’s table like he belonged there. The picture was ruined some when he had to start going though things to find what he needed, though. Naruto went to help him.

After that, they both settled down to the sounds of pens on paper.
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Make It or Break It