Hello everyone!
First things first, I don't own any of the characters, we all know who it belongs to.
Second, all mistakes are mine. This is not beta'd and sometimes I get a little too excited to post, and may over look some writing errors, so please have mercy. I revise every now and then, so if you spot any errors just message me or what.
Lastly, go on and read! Hope you like it! :)
Prologue
The day is beautiful. Yes, it might be a little too bright for Sasuke's taste, but the sun is not scorching his pale skin, and the wind caressing his face is cool, so he savors it.
He savors the beat of his feet on the pavement as he runs, he savors the slow trickle of sweat on his back, and he savors his every labored breath as he pushes himself to run another lap around the park.
There's a familiar blond man running in front of him, a running buddy his mind supplied. Only they are far from being buddies since neither of them talk with each other. The only interaction they share are timid nods when the other passes by every weekends for a morning run.
More like a running stranger, he thinks to himself, scoffing at how ridiculous it sounds.
The blond man abruptly stopped, bending in half to re-tie his shoe laces, which caught Sasuke off guard and unceremoniously bumped into the man in front of him. The man almost stumbled to his face if his hands were not quick enough to prop himself on the road.
Sasuke's hands involuntarily went to the man's sides to cushion himself from the impact. His fingers twitched as he held the firm waist-hips of his stranger running buddy. They stayed in that position for seconds as the blond man tried to gain enough balance not to fall face first on the ground. Sasuke backed away, almost reluctant to remove his hands from the man.
Sasuke stood there awkwardly wiping both of his hands on his jersey while the blond man straightened and dusted his hands then proceeded to properly look at the man who bumped into him.
There's an apology ready on Sasuke's lips but all of it was temporarily forgotten when he was faced with a twinkling sky of blue eyes. If he thought before that his running stranger buddy was good looking, all sweaty and straight faced while running, he was not prepared to see the man's smile directed at him. He was dumbstruck.
"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have stopped" The blond said sheepishly, offering his hands for a handshake, which doesn't make any sense because you're not supposed to shake hands when saying sorry. Realizing his mistake the blond laughed nervously slowly withdrawing his offered hand and scratched the side of his neck.
"What, so you'll trip on your feet instead?" Sasuke winced at the words that came out of his mouth. He wanted to slap himself for the low key insult. Way to make a first impression, Sasuke!
Sasuke must have made a face because the blond man was laughing and it sounded like wind chimes… Sasuke loves wind chimes.
"You're funny… I like you. I'm Naruto by the way" The blond offered his hand once again for a handshake and this time, the accompanying smile is sincere but teasing.
Sasuke grasped the offered hand and shook it. Once, then again and again. And gone.
There's a tingling sensation flowing through Sasuke's hands all through his gut.
"I'm Sasuke…"
"Hi Sasuke... hello... ahaha" Naruto said testing the name as the syllables rolled smoothly from his tongue, trailing off as his mind ran out of words to say to beautiful man in front of him.
"Hi... Naruto..." Sasuke figured out that he likes the sound of his name from Naruto and there's something familiar with Naruto's name on his lips, he doesn't know why.
Time passes and they're standing face to face, studying each other's faces with wonder.
Someone bumped into Sasuke's shoulders, breaking the moment.
Naruto started to jog in place, ready to continue what both of them are in the park for.
"Nice to meet you Sasuke!" Naruto beamed and gestured something with his arms, like he's flailing.
Sasuke squinted and made a shooing motion with his hands. If possible, Naruto's grin widened and made two thumbs up to Sasuke while jogging sideways. The blond almost tripped on the side walk. He abruptly turned back to Sasuke and winked before jogging away from him.
Sasuke was left standing on the jogger's lane looking at Naruto's ass… no scratch that. Naruto's back, yup his back, definitely.
Sasuke shook his head when an unbidden image of messy blond hair and blue eyes in HIS bed flashed on his mind. For goodness sake, he just learned the man's name, there's no way he's already imagining himself waking up next to Naruto in the mornings. Nope. Not possible.
He breathed deeply and started his jog once again, trying his best not to jog too fast so he could catch up to Naruto. He'll at least finish another lap before joining the blond.
As Sasuke reached the part of the park near the highway, his blood ran cold. His legs stopped moving and he can't look away from the sight unfolding in front of him.
Everything happened all at once like a scene from a clichéd movie.
A little boy around three years old came running towards the street, oblivious and laughing.
A motorcycle whipped past the boy which made him fall on his back.
There's a woman in the side walk, presumably his mother is screaming and crying for help.
Sasuke's heart stopped when he spotted Naruto ready to run towards the child.
He willed himself to run fast towards the the scene when he felt rather than heard a loud screeching sound ringing on his head. His knees folded in half. A myriad of images are flashing right behind his eyes, a blender of sounds echoing inside of his head. All of them features one thing: eyes like the clear sky, a soft teasing smile and the sound of laughter like the wind chimes on a windy day.
"I love you Sasuke, my angel"
Sasuke's eyes are wide and he is gulping loads of air like he just drowned.
There's a flash of yellow dashing through the streets and what made Sasuke's blood run cold is that Naruto is suddenly beside the boy, carrying him towards the sidewalk.
"NARUTO STOP!"
There's a loud crashing sound a few cars from the other end of the highway.
There's a truck tipping sideways towards Naruto and the boy.
Naruto managed to run nearer the sidewalk and toss the boy on the grass before the truck hit him.
People gathered towards the scene of the accident.
A man is calling 911 for an ambulance and the mother is wailing while hugging his saved child on the grass, thanking the now crushed body of the man who just saved his baby.
The child is now crying with his mother.
Sasuke dropped lifeless on the floor, hands clutching his chest as if in pain, his eyes are blank.