Standard disclaimer applies.
This is still in the Genin days.
Sakura gaped at the two boys standing in front of her.
'What... are the doing?'
The sun was low in the sky and training was done for the day. Sasuke and Naruto stood just before her after finishing a particularly spectacular sparring match. They were staring each other down, both with some akin to hatred in their eyes.
'What's got them riled up like this? They've never been this brutal with each other before.'
Naruto stood with blood dripping down the back of his neck from a wound hidden somewhere in his mess of blond hair. His orange jacket was open and soiled with dirt and blood. Deep, angry bruises lined the knuckles on his left hand.
Sasuke was in a similar state, with blood stains spattered on his shorts and he was sporting a bruise under the right side of chin that was just as dark as the ones on Naruto's hands. Other than minor scratches and some blood dotting here and there, he seemed okay. Sakura figured, though, that from his slightly stooped stance that he had some internal injuries and/or broken ribs.
'Please don't let them be too seriously hurt.'
A bitingly cold wind whipped across the training area, but only Sakura shivered.
As much as she wanted to ask what was wrong with them, Sakura knew that any attempts to interfere with these two would be in vain. So, with one last unsure look at the most important boys in her life, Sakura left the field and began the trek back to her house, leaving Sasuke and Naruto alone on the field.
The moment she walked out of sight and earshot, Naruto spoke to his rival with utter disgust in his voice. "Teme, don't toy with her. I know you like her, even though you won't admit it. You just love seeing Sakura cry because it means she loves you."
Naruto didn't miss the fleeting smirk, the tiny quirk of the corner of Sasuke's mouth.
But the blond boy didn't become angrier, as predicted; instead he seemed to deflate a little. His eyes desperately tried to hide the wounded look prying its way through.
"You can't do this forever."
The darker boy's eyes told everything. 'Yes I can.'
And Naruto also knew the truth. 'I know.'
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I'm sorry that it's pretty mediocre. This is the first piece of fanfiction that I've written in about a year and a half because I've been focusing on school and attempting to create a social life (which, I am ashamed to say, are two endeavors that ended in misery). So, with my new reputation at school leaving me in tears and no romance in my life whatsoever, I turn to my first love: writing.
Please click on the pretty periwinkle button below, whether it be to compliment or flame or anything in between.