*One Month Later*
Sasuke emerged from the testing area grumbling. He was pretty annoyed. He and Naruto had still been fighting. Originally, he had just been sad that Naruto wouldn’t talk to him or even come close to him anymore, then he just became purely furious. He wouldn’t look at the blonde, nor even acknowledge him in anyway. While he allowed his outer image to settle into a seething angered Uchiha, he still was still hurt every time he saw the blonde blanch or flinch when Sasuke threw an uncaring look past him. The only reason he had remained sane, was strangely a peppy and smily pinkette. The girl he had hardly noticed before, was honest, caring , and his rock. He almost laughed when he realized that she had once been one of his most rabid fans. But now she hardly acted that way, mostly she just watched him glare at Naruto and sigh then make a quip comment about the uselessness of the fight, that and she was always there now for him. He grumbled as he walked past a door to see Sakura waltz up to him.
“Hey Sasuke-kun? Are you gonna go apologize today?” She said cheerily.
“Heh. If that dobe wants to have my friendship back he can come crawling back and beg me for it.” He said in a toneless voice.
“That isn’t very kind Sasuke-kun! You should be thinking of good thoughts to draw him back. Now all you do is make him cry!” She said and gasped at what she said. She started to walk away as Sasuke grabbed her hand.
“Where did you hear that?” He hissed viciously. She looked him in the eyes, her cool green eyes cutting his temper short.
“I heard it from Hinata. Aparently, he’s been destroying himself lately. She checks on him, to make sure that he is ok from time to time. She came and found me one day after he broke down particularly bad. She said she just needed to talk to someone about it.” Her voice was sad and low. Sasuke was torn, he wanted to take Sakura and find Naruto and beg his forgiveness, while his Uchiha pride held him to the fact that Naruto was the one who had pulled away first. Sakura could see the indecision in his mind.
“Sasuke, I know you hate that you and Naruto had a falling out. I know that it is practically killing the two of you. Naruto’s already tanking grades, hit solid rock bottom this past month, and you are beginning to show the strain as well.” She placed a gentle hand on his cheek.
“If the two of you don’t make up, then you’re just going to fall into a self destructive depression. Now, Sasuke i don’t know what you think of me but I feel I am your friend. So please, just go and find out what is wrong.” She said it in a planitive voice.
Sasuke was touched, he had never called her a friend before, but she obviously realized what she had become to him in the past weeks. He smiled at her, and spoke.
“Alright but you are coming with me.” She smiled and shook her head mockingly.
“Aww, Sasuke-kun needs moral support? Don’t worry, I won’t let the big bad Naruto bite you!” She said smiling. He stepped out of the the Academy and began asking for the blond,
- - - - - - - -
Naruto waited outside of Hinata’s testing area, pissed. He had been so distracted lately, he couldn’t even concentrate enough to pass the effing test. He just waited with a glower until a victorious Hinata appeared. With her big smile and kind eyes alight with pride, he could find it in himself to be mad. HE smiled for her, and congratulated her when she showed him her band. Then when she stepped back to look at him, she noticed his noticeable lack of Hetai-ate.
“Naruto-kun..”
“Ah, Don’t worry about it Hinata!” He smiled at her to show he was fine.
“Just go find your family to show them. I just wanted to be the first person to congratulate you is all.” He waved as he started off. He walked off, the closer to the front entrance of the Academy, the darker his spirits were. When, he reached the front doors he shoved them open and stepped out with his face carefully set into a mask of indifference. With his mental armor up he strode through the whispering crowds.
- - - -- - -
Sasuke was in the middle of being congradulated by his parents and his brother.
“Itachi! You are here! I thought that you were on a mission!” Sasuke said in glee. He tried to frown as his older brother pulled him into a fierce hug.
“Did you think I would miss my only brother’s graduation?” He said plainly and Sasuke hugged him back. He looked up at his parents, whose eyes were glowing with pride, and hugged his mother. He was about to pull out when he heard whispers from the families around them.
Its HIM! That boy, it looks like he didn’t pass! Good! We can’t have a - Hush, It illegal to say anymore. Just ignore him.
Sasuke frowned and pulled out when he saw his mother stiffen. He swiveled and saw Naruto wearing his mask of coldness, but when his eyes locked onto Sasuke’s in the middle of his family, his eyes flashed a small part of his sadness. Then his eyes snapped up past his shoulder and his face fell deeper into the mask of indifference. Then, he turned to his right and growled at a man who backed up immediately. Sasuke took a step forward, but looked back to see his Father’s hand on his shoulder.
“No, Sasuke.” He said gently. Sasuke’s eyes widened.
“Father...” Itachi’s deep voice purred.
“Why did Naruto-kun look at you as though he was looking at death incarnate?”
“Itachi, that is not a question for such a place.” Fugaku said quietly.
“Really? I think this setting is just perfect.” Itachi, said his voice dropping down low. Suddenly, Sasuke threw his Father’s hand off and ran after his blond friend.
“I don’t really care what’s going on, but when i find out what you said to Naruto, father.” Itachi said quietly, moving after his brother.
- - - - - - - - -
Naruto walked into the small forest, he could already feel the tears falling. He cried as quietly as possible as he pushed farther into the forest, to a place where no one could see him. Once he reached his place he let loose, seeing Sasuke with his family, totally happy, broke his heart. He knew that there was no possible way they could be friends, he was a liability. HE was about to curl up into a ball, when he heard a voice.
“Naruto! Agh! Where the hell are you dobe?!” Naruto sat up as Sasuke burst into his clearing. The Uchiha glared across the clearing.
“Hmph! You almost lost me on the way here dobe.” He smirked and walked closer.
“No! Sasuke please stop!” Naruto’s voice was thick with pain and emotion. Sasuke stopped and gave Naruto a glance.
“What is wrong Naruto? I have let you be mad at me for a whole month! I gave you space! What the hell is your problem?” HE said, ignoring Naruto’s pleas and walked straight at him and looked down at him, his eyes ablaze with anger.
“No, Sasuke please. Just go back, go back to them!” HE pointed a shaky finger back the way that he had come.
“Hell no. Not until you have told me the problem, dobe.” He said simply and sat down. “I gave you a whole f^@#ing month. Now you get to spill.” He said and impatiently sat down in front of him.
“Sasuke. You can’t be near me.” Naruto said in horror.
“The hell I can’t.”
“You don’t understand! They said-”
“Sasuke?” Itachi’s voice called out behind them. Naruto jumped at the sound, and seemed about to bolt when Itachi appeared next to them.
“Ahh, here you are, and with Naruto-kun.” He said and then looked closer at Naruto.
“Naruto, I’m not a monster here to eat you. I came to check on you-” He reached for him and Naruto flinched back. Itachi frowned sadly.
“Gomene, Itachi. I- I cann’t be here.” Naruto said breathlessly. He started to step back. But Itachi stopped him.
“Naruto-kun, did he do this to you?” Naruto couldn’t help but nod. Itachi sighed and let him go. HE watched the blond slink into the shadows.
“Baka! You let him go!” Sasuke rushed past him only to be jerked back to ITachi’s side.
“No, Ototou. We must go to our parents. Father has a lot of explaining to do.” He said tiredly. Sasuke stared at the spot where he had watched his closest friend disappear from and resigned himself to his brother’s will.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Naruto was running blindly now. He had almost ruined everything. Sasuke was better off without someone like him weighing him down. He didn’t know where he was or where he was going just that it didn’t hurt when he was running.
“Naruto?” A gentle voice called him. He stopped and looked up.
“Mizuki-sensei?” He turned around adn wiped at his tear blurred eyes.
“Naruto, Are you ok?” His gentle voice carried concern and his eyes were shadowed by concern also. “Ah.. Well I just...”
“I’m sorry, Naruto. But i heard that you and your friend were having a falling out. I know it must be hard on you to have an elite as a close friend.” Mizuki laid a gentle hand on Naruto’s shoulder. If he wasn’t so proud he would have been bawling into the man’s shoulder, instead he just nodded.
“Well Naruto, you know that there is a way for you to be friends with him, with out anyone judging or hating either of you.” Mizuki whispered. Naruto looked him in the eyes. Mizuki smiled at him.
“In the Hokage’s office is a scroll, it is a scroll of powerful techniques and if you are able to learn them all then no one would even bat an eye that you were friends. Sasuke might even want to be friends with you, and everyone would accept you!” Mizuki whispered at him conspiratorily.
“Where exactly is this scroll?” Naruto whispered back shakily.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Itachi and Sasuke arrived back at the compound and walked into the house to see their parents sitting in the study waiting.
“Where were you two?” Fugaku said without looking up.
“We were talking.” Itachi said quietly and sat down. “Now, perhaps you two want to tell us why Naruto-kun was so afraid of you two today?” Itachi said it in a clearly angry tone, and Sasuke shivered as he sensed his brother’s dangerous anger. Fugaku looked up from the papers he was working on and stared at Itachi.
“Father. Please.” Sasuke’s voice came out hoarse and drawn. Fugaku looked down at his two sons.
“What I did, I did because I judged it needed to be done.” His dark eyes betrayed no emotion. “I called Naruto to our house a month ago and explained some things to him. Things that you two may not be aware of.” His eyes were dark and ominous. Sasuke looked from him to his mother, who was facing away from him.
“What did you tell him Father?”
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