: FLASHBACK:
"C'mon Sasuke!" You ran down to the dock and jumped off the edge. The cool water felt so very nice on this hot summer afternoon. Sasuke, one of your best friends, stood on the dock, arms folded and scowl plastered on his face. "Jump in!" Sasuke scoffed "why?" "Um…cause its fun." You replied. Sasuke thought otherwise "Why would swimming in filthy lake water be fun?" you frowned. He was doing it again. "Quit being such a jerk. It's hot that's why. Just get in" Sasuke scoffed again and rolled his eyes. You sighed, he was such a pain. From behind, you saw Naruto sneaking closer with a grin on his face. He held a finger to his lips and smiled at you. This would go well. Naruto pushed Sasuke forward, vaulting him into the water next to you. Sasuke came sputtering up, his hair down in his face, dripping wet. Naruto was laughing hysterically and rolling around on the deck like an idiot.
"BAKA DOBE!" Sasuke hissed. You giggled "Stop being such an ass." Sasuke smirked
: END:
Hotaru sighed. She had such good times back then.Now, Sasuke was who knows where with Orochimaru. Naruto and a bunch of the others were constantly chasing after him. Right now Tsunade had Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru and Neji out on another mission. She missed her best friends and the way things used to be. Naruto and Sasuke would fight and she would just sit there laughing until they noticed her hysterics. Hotaru pulled her feet up to her chest and stared out at the city. It was beautiful from her perch on top of the monuments of the past Hokages "I knew I would find you up here" a voice cried. She turned to see Rock Lee making his way towards her "Sakura and I are meeting up to train, would you like to join us?" he asked smiling kindly at the younger girl "sure" she replied standing and dusting herself off. The kunoichi followed him down to the normal spot where all of her leftover friends were waiting, eating some onigiri. "Hey guys" she said smiling at them "Hey Hotaru. Where have you been?" Ino asked. Hotaru laughed and rubbed the back of her head. "Well I've been dwelling on the past a lot. Missing old times, ya know" Sakura smiled sadly "me too" "Hotaru, I remember seeing you with Naruto and Sasuke every day." Ten-Ten said. She laughed again "Yeah, If I wasn't there they would kill each other" Everyone laughed in agreement (except Shino)
: FLASHBACK:
"I'll be right back" you called over your shoulder as you ran into the shop. "Tch" Sasuke scoffed. Naruto glared at him and replied "okay Hotaru-chan" It was getting close to Christmas and you were buying gifts for everyone. A week ago you had asked the shop owner to hold two items, matching bracelets. Of course you already had one but these were for Naruto and Sasuke. Even if they didn't wear them, you were excited to give them because then they would know you would always be there for them. When you went back outside Naruto had Sasuke in a headlock.
"HEY GUYS!" you exclaimed loudly. Your cries wouldn't stop them. Sasuke pulled himself out of the headlock and punched Naruto in the face. As he fell back, Naruto knocked the bag out of your hand and landed on it with a loud 'CRUNCH'. You flung him aside and dumped the bags contents onto the ground. "Oh no!" you cried. Your bracelets were crushed. You had saved up for 2 months to buy those! "I'm sorry Hotaru-chan!" Naruto told you. "What is that pile of trash?" Sasuke asked. Tears filled your eyes and you looked up at them angrily. "I HATE YOU GUYS! WHY CAN'T YOU GET ALONG FOR ONCE!" you shrieked. You jumped up and ran home, sobbing.
: END:
"They were both idiots but they worked well enough together. Especially when it came to their friends" Ten-Ten laughed "Sasuke was suck a jerk" "He sure was" Choji agreed "He was but he was sweet when he wanted to be." you said "r-really?" Hinata asked "yeah"
: FLASHBACK:
You had sat at home crying for a long time, until you couldn't cry anymore. Why did Sasuke have to be such a jerk? 2 weeks went by until it was finally Christmas. You hadn't spoken to either of the boys since then. Normally the 3 of you would spend Christmas together since none of you had any family but Christmas Eve was here and you were sitting alone. Suddenly the doorbell rang and Naruto burst inside "HOTARU! I'M SORRY!" Naruto bellowed. He tackled you in a hug and wouldn't let go. "I know, silly, me too." The next morning, you and Naruto ate Christmas breakfast together, as always, but Sasuke still hadn't showed up. "Don't worry Hotaru-chan. I'm sure he is sorry" Naruto assured "I don't care. I hate him." You replied, both of you knowing it was just angry words. Then the doorbell rang. Sasuke stood there arms folded, holding a bag. "Sasuke?" you questioned. He scowled with a hint of a blush on his cheeks and shoved the bag at you "here. I fixed them. It took forever so you had better be grateful." You looked inside the bag and there were the 2 bracelets, glued back together and almost in perfect condition. You smiled brightly at Sasuke and squished him in a hug.
:END:
Nobody ended up training but when it began to get dark Hotaru excused herself and went home. There, on her couch, was an unexpected visitor. "NARU-KUN!" she screamed tacking him in a hug "Hey Hotaru-chan" "What are you doing here?" she asked sitting up and folding your legs into her chest. "We had to come home. Kiba was hurt seriously" he replied, his big blue eyes growing sad. "Did you see him?" "No" After a nice dinner, the both of them went to Hotaru's room to talk. Naruto noticed something sitting atop the dresser. He held the bracelet up to the light "You kept his friendship bracelet? When did you get it?" he asked sadly "Yeah, just in case he ever came back. I wanted him to know I would still be here for him. He gave it to me that night I tried to stop him." Hotaru told Naruto "You can have it if you want." Naruto shook his head "No I think we should get rid of it" "What?" she asked, taken aback by the uncharacteristic remark "Well, I know I'm the one who said I would never give up on him but I've been thinking about the last time we saw him. He doesn't want to come back and he is no longer our friend. I mean, He almost killed you Hotaru-chan, you still haven't healed" she winced at the memory. Sasuke had broken a couple ribs, an arm and the girl had been out for a couple days. Hotaru's arm still got tremors. "Revenge has consumed him" Naruto finished. "Your right" she whispered. "Well Hotaru-chan I'm tired so I'm going to head home. I'll see you tomorrow okay?" she nodded and Naruto left, leaving her to sort through things alone. It was hard for Hotaru to accept, she loved Sasuke, as more than a friend. Of course she never told anyone because all the other girls did too. "Oh Sasuke, why couldn't you have given up?" she choked out through tears. Her bracelet twinkled in the moonlight and she stared out the window at the moon. Somewhere out there Sasuke was looking at the same moon and she just knew he was thinking about Konaha. She hoped someday he would return. Hotaru chuckled at the thought of Naruto and him fighting again and Sasuke giving her his smartass remarks. She was in love with that jerk and no matter what anyone said she wouldn't give up on him.