Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and co. If I did…'laughs' It would no longer be able to show on Toonami at all…

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Sunset Friends

I am not what most people call normal. I live in Tokyo, Japan and my parents have never been friendly towards my older brother and me, as they always work. Because of that, my family is very rich and is seen as respected people in my area. My family has always lived in this city, even before the Feudal Age, making my lineage a sort of relic.

At one moment in my young life, my father died. My mother became a widow and we were left to grieve quietly with the town. He was a great philanthropist; outgoing and favorable to everyone he met. The library got the worst of it though. Money stopped flowing into it, but most expected it. It was about to close anyway.

My mother died three years later, when I was ten. I believed that she was healthy and young, and took her death in disbelief. It was not until I was eleven that I could finally handle her death. My older brother, Itachi, didn't help though. He was dull and gloomy. He always moped around and stayed in his room, brooding about his life. At times, I thought he hated me, always unpredictable and scary looking. Being unstable usually led to a painful outburst where he would shout at every bad thing I did. He had a frown on some days, but usually had an empty expression, barely showing any emotion. After a while, I finally learned to use a weird form of physiognomy to help keep me out trouble when concerning him.

However, in school he was perfect. He had the top grades, best in sports, and was the leader of at least seven clubs. The girls went crazy for his arrogant and rude manner. Some would even follow him home. I wish they had listened when I told them how futile their mission in becoming his girlfriend was. By the time I made it to high school, even though I was his little brother, I was just a beginner to everyone. While he was sacred, I was imperfect. He could get away with anything, while I was watched as if I had escaped from prison.

However, I took this as a challenge. I would be resolute and pass the large obstacle that was in my way. Where my brother would pass in sword fighting, I would defeat him in karate. I could do almost anything on horseback and was top in my class. It never hit me that Itachi had such an effect on me. I could meet every demand from my teachers, becoming just like him. I too became rude, disrespectful, and stuck-up. I often brooded and brushed off girls like flies. I developed his skill in glaring and emptied my face and expressions of any emotion. I was supreme in school, but there is a great difference outside of the classroom.

I already said that my family was very rich. My parents left an insane flood of money behind, and we had many servants cleaning up the mansion. Still, deprived of any affection by age fifteen, I decided to leave my house. I had finished my portfolio in art class and had nothing else to do. Still, I had to watch for the gangs who wanted my head. I had to be very careful of where I walked and whom I ran into. I walked through the park where I found a young boy just sitting in a field. I sighed, and went over to him.

"Hello." I said.

He said nothing, and decided to ignore my existence.

"Moron, are you there?"

He continued with his silence. If I continued to sit there, I would stain my pants with grass stains. I stood up and was ready to leave when he said something.

"I did not think you would like incessant nonsense, so I was thinking of something to say. Impatient, no?" He whispered.

"Wow, I thought you were mute." I replied.

"Yeah, well, it's not every day I talk to a rich boy in a mini-suit." He stood up and brushed off his jeans. Then he looked at me and reached for my hand. "Handshake?"

"I did not mean to make you into thinking we could be friends. I just want you off my property." I smacked his hand away. He wore an orange hoodie and blue jeans that were slightly faded.

"This is a park." He raised his eyebrows.

"Well, my family owns part of the land they used to make this park, sooo…"

"Whatever. I'll leave. If your family owns this, I might get their curse on me. I really wouldn't want that." He turned around and walked away.

"What curse?!" I shouted.

"The curse of having stuck up children!" He called back.

"Whatever." I shrugged it off and left for school. Many other people called me that, all except the girls. They worshipped me.

The next day, I found him sitting a little farther away. I went over to him and sat next to him.

"Why don't you go home?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same."

"Why don't you go home?" I repeated.

He sighed. "My house is a pretty ugly looking place. There is no room for even me in my tiny apartment. Besides, after working and going to school, I'm exhausted. I have no energy."

"That can't be the only reason you just come out here." I turned to face him.

"Well, I'm hooked on the beautiful sunset over here. It's like a drug, and I come here every afternoon, to say goodbye to the sun." That statement confused me.

We continued to sit there for a while, both of us watching the sun go down. It's extremely weird, but I have never felt like this before. Even while my parents were alive, I kept to myself. When I finally made it home, my brother was pissed. He yelled at me and would have beat me up if the maids were not watching over me. All the while though, I thought he was a complete fake. He was yelling about being irresponsible and an adult when he could barely handle himself while away at college. He was sent home after nearly tearing down the statue of the school's founder while being drunk in his freshman year.

"You irritate me." I pushed past him.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"I finally found some peace and I'll stay away late if I have to to keep that peace."

"You little!" I slammed the door then. When I went to sit on my bed, I suddenly realized something. That was the first time I had ever talked back to my brother, and it felt good. I was with the boy for such a short time. He couldn't have done this to me, did he? Was it just hormones?

Over the next few days, I really got to know the boy. He really liked ramen, fighting and being outside. He reminded me of a fox, from either the way he would just curl up whenever he was tired or the scratches on his cheeks. We had the most interesting of conversations, from school to lack of family, and even teachers. We both realized that our teachers were incredibly weird and perverted. He also had a bad past, no family, but chose to handle things differently. It made me laugh how similar and different we were. While I was quiet and rude, he was loud and friendly. This old man came walking by, and he got up to run over and help. I would have just let the man suffer, but that's just me.

Soon, some of the boys found their chance to exact revenge against me. I was walking home from Naruto's house when they ganged up on me. I never realized that even though he lived here, this area was still dangerous. They had weapons and numbers against me. Karate would do little to help me if they had a gun. Maybe I should have listened to Itachi and carried one myself?

Before they could react, Naruto attacked from behind, kicking and thrashing people out of the way to get to the middle. He had reached me and we began fighting back to back. I never realized then that I had gained a boost of energy just by having him by my side. We defeated those thugs with some scratches of our own in a few minutes. Surprising, huh? Itachi was surprised to see me come home a bit bloody, but I shrugged it off and left to clean up. How could he understand what just happened if it never happened to him?

Itachi forever afterwards believed that my hanging out with this boy would damage my reputation and, more importantly, his. I didn't really care, having finally found a way to distinguish myself from my brother and surpass him. I had a friend, a real friend while he had none. Hah! Take that Itachi!!!

Nonetheless, when I turned seventeen over the summer, child services took the boy away. I was devastated, and he was screaming and shouting for all the world to hear. They had to knock him out, and I just sat there, watching them take him away. Had I tried, they would have knocked me out, too. Three hours and a temper tantrum later, I would find a note in my mailbox.

Sasuke

Go to my house. There is something there waiting for you. I'm going to be leaving soon, but we'll meet again. I promise.

Naruto

I smiled, because I knew how much he was determined to keep a promise. I immediately went to his old home and stepped inside. Ignoring the bleak and dreary sight, I came upon his old apartment. Stepping in, I felt a wave of nostalgia hit me, as if he was still here in this very room. I looked for the present all over, but found nothing. The house was completely bare.

However, inside his closet, in the back, I found a wrapped gift. I opened it to reveal a picture of us watching the sunset and a card. Don't ask how he got that. The card said: No matter how far apart we are, look to the sunrise and you will find me there. I took the card home that day. In fact, it follows me wherever I go, the card with the picture tucked neatly inside.

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I graduated from college and started a new business soon after. For years now, I followed his advice, letting the sun calm my nerves whenever I felt depressed. I guess I never forgot about him, even years after he left. I had joined with a man named Hyuuga, but he left to travel the world. Now, I need a new partner, someone who is determined and hard working, but friendly and outgoing. God, doing this just reminds me of Naruto.

I looked up the names of everyone who applied and personally interviewed everyone before nearly giving up.

"No one is worthy of even working in McDonald's so far. How am I going to get a partner at this rate?" I asked aloud.

"There's one more name, right? Ask him in." My secretary huffed while still typing away.

"Yeah…Uzumaki Naruto." My breath hitched for a second and I read over to make sure I had read the name right. Then I called for him. He stepped into the room and we looked at each other. He smiled and whispered. "Told ya."

I nearly fainted before taking a deep breath and putting on the biggest grin ever. "Takahashi, we have found the newest partner of our firm. Tell everyone to go away."

"While ignoring the fact that you did not even interview him yet." I glared at her. "Yes, sir." She left the room for a bit, giggling on the way.

We still stood there before he spoke. "So, we're going to run a business together?"

"Yes, starting tomorrow."

"Well then! We're going to have to get everything ready. It's a good thing I showed. You would have never talked anyone into working under you!"

"Still hyperactive?" I chuckled. You did it…You kept your promise…

"Yep! Hey, let's go out! We've got a years of catching up to do!" He led me out of the room.

"Do we really have to rush? We have the rest of time to catch up?"

"Well, at least tell me something. I haven't seen you in years."

I laughed, for the first time since he left, and took him to a little park by a cliff near the ocean. There we talked, and talked, and talked. It was old times again, and I could faintly see the old park, with two boys sitting together and enjoying each other's company. As I drove home that day, I was lucky enough to catch the sunset. This time though, I would not have to look for him in it. I already found him.

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A/N: This was originally a class assignment...for a catholic school English teacher. My friend liked it so I thought to put it up. I hope you enjoyed it too…

Can you see where I leaked out the pairing? XD

Ja ne!