For my best friend

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Summary: AU. What if Naruto did become Sasuke's friend after the massacre of the Uchiha clan?

Pairing: No pairing just chibi Naruto and chibi Sasuke's friendship.

Note: This time I try writing the whole fic in POV style. I hope it doesn't turn out too bad. It isn't a long story, though. I don't want to be crushed under the pile of my own works, you know. XP

To those who read another of my ongoing fic 'Possession', respectively, the fic has been taken down recently by FFN due to the content...I'm still continuing it, though. You can find it on kayoko-chan's website (the link is in my profile) or AFFN instead.

Chapter I: Everyone wants a friend

Naruto's POV

It has been half an hour since the bell rang, telling everyone that the school has finished and I'm now in the playground...doing nothing but watching. Today is like everyday. I can hear those happy laughter of the other kids playing, waiting for their father or their mother or both of them to come and pick them home. The home I never have.

I don't know how it would feel having loving parents because I never have one but I think it must feel so good! Somehow I guess it's like this warm and err...what's the word? Oh well, warm and lighthearted feeling I have whenever Iruka-sensei treats me ramen. Hehe. I always love ramen but eating alone isn't as good as having someone with you, I guess.

Even though I can't really tell what a feeling of really having a family is but I think I do know what it would feel like when you have it all ripped away from you all of a sudden.

My eyes dart toward a black haired-boy sitting alone on the swing. I have seen him before and he is quite unnaturally pale for a boy. Only now...he looks even paler...that it is unhealthy. No one talks to him or wants to play with him...well, I was wrong. It's the other way around. I know he is sad but being down all the time doesn't make anything different.

Maybe he just needs someone to cheer him up. Maybe he just needs a friend...

Just like me.

I wait until there're only a few students left in the playground that I approach him, considering he must be the type to keep quiet when there're lots of people. "Hey, let's go have some ramen together!"

...I thought that was the most cheerful greeting I've ever said and it sure would encourage him...but I was wrong. The pale weirdo just looks at me with an odd look but says nothing. "Hello there, you hear me? Let's go have some tasty ramen together!"

This time he looks indifferent. Maybe I should try harder. "Hey, hey, hey, you hear me? You don't have to pay for it, alright? My treat!" I try to put on my best smile despite a little money I have in my pocket. And yeah, it works! He finally looks up. I grin and hold a hand out for him to catch but...

"What do you think you're doing?" He scowls at me. "Trying to mock me?" And he slaps my hand away.

I blink, still surprised with his action as he whirls on his heels and quickly strode away. If you ask me, I have to admit that I'm quite disappointed. Yet I don't believe that he doesn't want a friend. Everyone wants a friend, right? Maybe he was just confused. Maybe he doesn't know who I am. Maybe... Wait! That's it! He doesn't know who I am. Next time, I shouldn't forget to introduce myself first.

Well, tomorrow I'll try asking him again.

Sasuke's POV

That boy comes again today. What's he thinking? Can't he just go away or find somebody else to play with? I don't want to play...no...I just can't waste my time playing. I have to train. I have promised myself I have to be stronger. Playing is just a waste of time...but...I still want to.

But playing isn't that fun when you're alone. I don't have a friend here. Nii-san is gone...and will never be back. I don't have a friend to play with. I don't have nii-san to play with. Playing isn't that fun. I throw a pebble into the lake. The small pebble causes the water to ripple, distorting my own image. I quickly turn away, for I don't want to see what the blurred reflection might remind me of.

The thought makes me feel so angry. And having this blond boy here doesn't make everything better. Only worse. Is he trying to annoy me or what?

"Uhh...hello." He grins sheepishly, shifting a bit. "My name's Uzumaki Naruto. What's yours?"

It isn't that I have never heard of Uzumaki Naruto's pranks before. His name is quite famous, along with those he calls handiworks. The teachers are always complaining about him. "Don't you have something else to do?" I glare at him. "I don't have time to play with you."

On hearing that, he looks hurt but still, he doesn't leave yet. Well, if he won't leave, then I'm the one going. I turn but he stops me by the arm. I scowl. "Go find someone else to play with. I don't have time with your pranks." I pry his hand away from me and am about to leave when...

"But I have no one to play with." On hearing that, my eyes widen slightly. What? He doesn't have a friend? I'm surprised. I turn back to look at him but he isn't looking at me. He is staring at his feet as if it had something interesting sticking there.

"..."

Silence fell between us for a while. I don't speak. He doesn't either.

Finally, getting tired of this, I sigh. "My name's Uchiha Sasuke." 'Uzumaki Naruto' suddenly looks up, a big smile forming on his face. For some unknown reason, I find myself smiling for real for the first time since that fateful night.

"Let's have ramen together!" This time, I nod.

Maybe it's not that bad to have a friend...even if he is the village's no.1 prankster.

TBC

In case you haven't notice, which I think you all have, in this fic Naruto and Sasuke are eight years old, so their thoughts might be a bit easy and childish. I hope they didn't get too OOC. :sweatdrop:

Review pretty please!