Chapter 7
*A Year and Half Later*
Sasuke sighed again. He had brought Naruto over last night after a long long day of training, his parents had never been averse to him being over and yet they seemed all to happy to see him gone when he had left. Sasuke was about to start to walk to his room when he heard his parents in the kitchen.
“Mikoto it isn’t safe for Sasuke to be around the boy. And it’s not just physical danger either, you know as well as I the dangers that we face by just associating with the boy. It’s becoming to much of a strain on the family to have the youngest son of the Head becoming close to... well to him. There is simply too much at stake to sacrifice over this. We must take action.” Fugaku spoke quietly but resolutly.
“But, Fugaku... He’s finally found some small happiness. A small concession, a small victory that he himself orchestrated with his own power. I think it will hurt him if we ask him to do this. Hurt him in a way that we cannot fix. We should not try to interfere, it is too late for us to try and do anything. We should have moved two years ago, if at anytime.” His mother’s voice sounded choked with emotion. He heard shuffling and the sound of sobbing.
“Hush now, Mikoto. It’s alright. I know it is hard for you.” His father’s voice was so gentle, so loving and tender he almost didn’t recognize it.
“She was my best friend Fu. My best friend, we shared everything with each other, everything. We would spend hours in each other’s company. I loved her as I would a Sister. It pained me more than you ever imagined when I heard the gag order, from the Sandaime. On top of that, he acts so much like her. He looks like his father, but his smile, his mannerisms they are all hers! He has her fiery heart and passion. When i see him, I’m torn between laughter and joy and this heart rending pain.” Mikoto sobbed quietly.
“Hush now love. Kushina, wouldn’t want you like this. Can you imagine what she’d say?” He said gently. He heard his mother give a small laugh.
“She’d tell me to get off my bloody rump and get back to business! She’d tell me to watch over her son, and try to give him a taste of her love. But, Fugaku, I don’t know what to do anymore.” She whispered. Sasuke, dashed to his room. His heart was pounding, he wasn’t sure what was going on. they had been talking about him but he didn’t know who else they had been talking about. Who was the other he, in their discussion, and who was Kushina? He’d never heard her name before. He let his mind drift off on these thoughts.
He woke up the next day to see Itachi’s face hovering over him. Itachi smiled when he saw his little brother’s eyes flutter open.
“Good morning ototou! Come I only have a litle time before I’m needed for another mission.”
“Onii-san! You’re back! Haha, what do you want to do!” Sasuke laughed as his older brother shrugged and said breakfast.
They walked down and said good morning to their parents before laving to go spend some time together. They walked to a restaurant and Itachi paid for breakfast and told Sasuke about his mission. Sasuke dug into the food with a relish, and listened to every word his older brother spoke. After two hours, Itachi said he needed to get to the Hokage Mansion, but he smiled at his younger brother.
“You should go say hi to Naruto.” Sasuke waved as his brother vanished. He walked down to Naruto appartment complex, stopped by the land lord’s who told him Naruto wasn’t in. Sasuke shrugged, and started back home. While on the road home, Sasuke saw the blonde and waved at him. Naruto just kept on his way, as though he didn’t see him. Sasuke frowned and followed him. Naruto dodged and ducked through the crowds as though he was trying to loose Sasuke. But finally Naruto stopped in the park. Sasuke popped up on his side.
“Hey, Naruto whats up?”
“Don’t talk to me.” Sasuke flinched backwards, as Naruto used that cold dead tone with him.
“It would be best for everyone if you would not talk to me, be near me, or even be in my vicinity. In fact it’s the best thing that could happen right now.” Naruto’s eyes betrayed nothing, and they were back to the dead cold eyes that Sasuke had seen in the boy he pulled from the pond two years earlier.
“What are you saying?” Sasuke choked out.
“What exactly are you saying?” HIs voice was thick. Aparently Naruto still felt something, because he let slip some small bit of sadness.
“Sasuke, its not good for you to be around me. I’m a danger to you. I’m an embarrassment. You are an elite ninja belonging to the proud lineage of the Uchiha and on top of that you are a member of the head family. I am an orphan, and an outsider in his own village. I’m an undesirable that will eventually destroy your good image. So please, for your own good.” Naruto said coldly, taking a step back. Sasuke couldn’t believe what he was hearing! He had spent two long years building the trust between the two of them. he was about to step after him, when he saw a look of pure pleading in Naruto’s eyes, that stopped him cold. Then, Naruto disappeared into crowds. Sasuke felt as though there was a hole in his chest as he walked home.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sasuke was agitated and waiting alone at his seat in class. He’d gone home the other day and just went to sleep. Now he was waiting in his usual seat, waiting to see if what happened yesterday was a dream. But Naruto hadn’t met him in their usual spot, not did he show up on the way to school. Sasuke felt alone and strangely he felt off balance. He kept looking up when the door slid open and admitted some kids. He could feel the strange looks people were giving him, he had never walked into school alone for the last two years. Finally, when class was about to start and Sasuke had just about given up, the blonde strode into class. He looked deliberately away from the Uchiha and sat at the seat closest to the door. Then Iruka strode into the room, he immediately noticed the sudden change between the two boys. He paused, seeming to do something but continued down to the front of the class.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Naruto had deliberately avoided meeting with Sasuke, he had deliberately avoided walking to school with him, and he had waited till the last second before entering the classroom. He tried to not look at Sasuke, but he could feel his stare. Naruto bit his lip and sat down in the closest chair, he felt kinda hollow doing this forcing away his only friend.
But I have to. This is for him, it may hurt but its for the best. I won’t be the one to hold him back or draw him into my world. He thought ferociously. He looked up and locked eyes with Sasuke, his eyes and the sadness in them, made him flinch and look back down at the desk. He didn’t think about anything and didn’t listen to anything, he couldn’t hear anything. Then, the lunch signal cut through his thoughts, and he jumped up and dashed out of the room.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sasuke turned around just in time to see Naruto dart out the door. Hurt washed through him again. What the hell was his problem?! What did I do that was so bad? Sasuke’s thoughts turned from hurt swiftly to anger. He was about to ignore Naruto when he noticed the group of girl’s in front of him. They were studying him, he gave them a glare and they all scattered. He got up and wandered out to the front of the academy. He sat down against a tree to try and think, when two voices cut through his thoughts again.
“No, Sakura don’t he looked mad.”
“No, Ino, he was hurt. He looked sad.”
“Are you kidding me Sakura? He glared at us!”
“Ino, I’m going to go see if he is ok! You either come with me or get outta my way!” This was followed by a hmph, and the sound of a girl stomping away. Sasuke sat there enjoying the serenity.
“Umm... Hey are you ok?” A pink head poked around the tree and smiled down at him. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her.
She is one of those crazy girls... He thought to himself.
“Hello?” She waved at him. He just stared at her. Fianlly, she sighed and came aroud the tree and sat down in front of him.
“I wanted to come and see if you are ok, but i can’t tell if you won’t talk.” She said, quietly studying him.
“I am fine.” He said in a toneless voice.
“You don’t sound fine...”
“I. Am. Fine.” He said, gritting his teeth. This time she cocked her head at him.
“You are a bad liar.” She said matter of factly. “Why are you and Naruto fighting?” This made him blink in surprise.
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, you and he have come to school everyday together, eaten lunch together, and talked together for the last two years! He looks at you like a very precious brother, and you smile at him with the same smile you give your older brother.” The pinkette once again stated as if it were a fact.
“Well aparently he doesn’t want to be friends anymore.” he said through grit teeth. He looked up at her ready to yell, but her eyes caught him off guard. Her eyes were filled with sadness, with tears for him.
“I’m sorry, Sasuke-kun. You probably don’t want to talk with me.” She got up to leave, and stopped when she felt a small tug on her long sleeved shirt.
“I didn’t say that.” Sasuke said to her. She gave him a brilliant smile.
“Sasuke-kun, you should know that Naruto really does love you like a brother! The first time i ever saw Naruto smile was with you and Itachi-san. He’s become so much more approachable now, and I’ve even seen him be nice to other people. You’re very important to him, and it probably hurts him to see you like this. Now, I don’t know what is wrong with you both. But you two should get over it and be friends again. Everyone wants to see you smile again Sasuke-kun, and everyone needs to see Naruto’s smile.” She said gently. Sasuke gave her a bright smile.
“Haha, Thank you..”
“Sakura.”
“Thank you Sakura. talking to you helps!” He laughed again. “You know hearing you say it makes me feel better. And you’ve given me some strength. I’ll give him sometime to cool down. If he doesn’t in that time, then I’ll confront him.” He said with more strength. She nodded with him. he looked at her.
“Uhh... could you do me a favor?” He asked her quietly.
“Sure waht do you need?”
“Its two things actually. First, I really liked talking to you. So could you just act like you are now?” He said it quietly, and looked away.
“Of course! And what was the otoher thing?” He turned to see her smile.
“I’d like you to sit next to me... I feel, really wierd sitting by myself.” He murmured. She smiled even brighter this time and nodded.
“Thanks Sakura!” HE got up and offered his hand to her, which she took to get up. They spoke more as they began walking back to class.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Naruto burst through the halls and dove out the door of the academy walking blindly through the small forest in the front of the Academy. He stopped when he was completely surrounded by trees, and put his head against the rough bark of a nearby one. He felt tears streaming down his cheeks, and gripped the tree tightly. He heard a twig snap and spun to face the intruder. Even with tear blurred vision, he recognized the dark hair and big pearl eyes.
“Naruto-kun?” Her voice was small and concerned. Her eyes spoke of untold depths of compassion. she held her arms open, as if in a question. He didn’t even stop to think he just stepped into her arms, and let the tears flow. She held him gently as though he was fragile, and she rubbed small comforting circles in his back.
“What’s wrong Naruto-kun?” Her voice brought hiim out of his well of self pity. he pushed himself back away from her.
“You shouldn’t be around me, Hinata. I’m no good. You and Sasuke are from big powerful clans, you have big bright futures! If you are around me, you are in danger, and everyone will hate you. I don’t want anyone to be hurt because of me.” He said it and took a step back. He looked in Hinata’s eyes, and saw shock and pain there.
“Why are you saying this Naruto-kun?” She said, her voice clearly displaying her pain.
“I was told, I was told why everyone hates me! I’m a danger to everyone. If you are a friend to me, I’ll pull you down, you will have to deal with the hated of this village.” He was almost crying by the end of his sentence. He had closed his eyes, he didn’t want to see her agree with him, to see her turn away. Then he felt a pair of warm arms wrap around him. He was shocked, but he managed to hug her back, and sob into her hair. She backed away from him to give him a small smile.
“Naruto-kun is that why you and Sasuke-san are fighting?” When he nodded she chuckled.
“I suggest that you talk to Sasuke.” He nodded.
“But not today, i don’t think that i could.” She smiled at him.
“Naruto-kun your almost as bad as girl!” She laughed and he poked his tongue out at her. They laughed as she brought him a measure of peace. Then she gasped as she looked down at the time on her watch. She grabbed his hand and dragged him back to class, and when they got there, she went and grabbed her stuff and sat next to him. When she sat down, Naruto noticed Sasuke sitting next to Sakura, and sighed.
The fricken fangirls invade the day I leave huh? He mentally kicked himself. Then, with the help of HInata he managed to make it through the day.
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