Hey everyone! I'm just jumping in here with a little story that only took me three days to write, to be honest. It's short and sweet, and each chapter is only about a page long (from a word document). It's about how Naruto's affection for Sasuke developed over the school years.

I wrote this to take a break from Outlawed, and to clear my head a little. I couldn't write for weeks. I just wasn't able to. This really helped, and I suppose I could just upload it. Let me know what you think. Thanks, everyone, and I hope you continued to read Outlawed, if you do, and if you don't, I hope you take a look at it!

As always, opinions are highly appreciated as long as you're educated in some way, shape, or form.

I guess you can say that it all started back in Kindergarten. Damn, it was a long time ago for sure, but I just can't shake the memories, not matter how small they may be.

Back then, everything was about who finger-painted the best, who had the best lunch, and who had the most friends.

Of course, the best painter in our class was, and always has been, that kid Sai, who I never really cared much about. No one ever surpassed his level, which was pretty developed even at the tender age of five. His parents must have put him through some kind of class, I thought.

Sakura always had the best lunches, but she never shared with me. No matter how many times I asked, pleaded, or even attempted to take a cookie or two while she wasn't looking, she never let me touch the delicious meals she brought to school everyday.

Kiba was able to make the most friends right from the get-go. He really is a great guy, and even in Kindergarten he had that certain charisma that he still has now. He managed to make friends with almost the whole class without making any enemies. Not even Neji, the dear little Hinata's cousin, who was so protective over her even in the young days. Kiba made friends with both of them, no problems.

So where did that leave me? I was the class-clown, not always the brightest crayon in the box. I liked to fling paint or paint faces better than I did put it on paper. Food fights were fun if you only threw the food that you didn't like (my mom would always urge me to eat my fresh veggies she packed in my lunch—which I would proceed to toss at Kiba, who just couldn't say no to a challenge). I was always breaking rules and I just couldn't grasp the idea of "stay in your seat," or "nap time is quiet time."

Really, where did that leave me? I'll tell you where. The corner.

I was always being stuck in the corner during recess, and even made to sit there during class. It was supposed to be embarrassing, and believe me, it was. I loved to be the center of attention, and I loved making people laugh, but I hated to be laughed at. It was a terror to me as a kid. So sometimes I would attempt to tone it down so I wouldn't be forced into that corner, but it's where I always ended up.

I specifically remember a certain day—a Friday, I believe, because recess was longer—that I was stuck in that corner while everyone was free to prance around outside and have fun. I couldn't even face the window and watch them bask in their own happiness while I sulked. I had to face the corner and only that. The classroom was completely empty, leaving me the only one in there. It was eerily silent, and I was growing anxious and fidgety. I'd forgotten my lunch at home that day, so I had nothing to eat at lunchtime. No one shared any of their food with me, not even that bratty Kiba—which surprised me; we always shared. I was about ready to get up and eat the macaroni sculptures. That's how damn hungry I was. My stomach was rumbling at me furiously. I needed energy, and I needed it fast.

That's when I felt someone tap my shoulder from behind me. I spun around on the floor quickly. Standing there with a hand outstretched was a boy in my class who I never saw much of. I didn't know his name at the time and I didn't really care to learn it. But in his hand was a small plastic bag with a sandwich in it. My eyes grew wide as I snatched the food from him and started to munch into it.

I grinned widely up at him, and with food in my mouth, said, "Thanks!" and continued to devour the food that I so badly needed. When I looked back up with the intentions of asking him if he wanted to be friends, he wasn't even there anymore. I hadn't even learned his name. I got up to throw away the bag so the teacher wouldn't get mad at me, and when I tossed it, I caught a name written in marker on the front. I fished it out of the trash can, never minding the fact that I was practically a trash-picker now, and read, Sasuke.