Chapter 1

Meet me Halfway


"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! Let's be friends! Please take care of me, y'know!" said the five year old boy quickly and loudly, before bowing to the dark-haired boy in front of him. The dark-haired boy had equally dark onyx eyes, and he stared hard at the name tag pinned to the other boy's shirt. Reading: Uzumaki Naruto, in thick black lettering. Arial bold.

"You don't have to introduce yourself. I can read the name tag!" Sasuke spoke in a superior tone his hand gesturing towards Naruto's shirt.

"You can read?!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly, both hands clenched into fists, and he began bouncing up and down. "That's so cool! You're really cool! Yeah?"

The voice was too loud for coming out of the too small boy. Everything about the boy was too... Too loud. Eyes too blue. Hair too yellow. Too hyper. Too bright. Just too much. Sunlight and warmth radiated from every pore and it stung the eyes of the young Uchiha.

There was a feeling of anger in the pit of his stomach. This was the Hokage's son?

"This is my second son, Uchiha Sasuke," Fugaku spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, his face deadpan, eyes moving from the small blonde child, up to the child's blonde father. The police commissioner, Uchiha Fugaku, was dressed in a navy blue suit with his Smith and Wesson strapped in its holster at his waist, which he made a point to expose, as his hands moved the dress jacket back as he put his hands on his hips.

"Fugaku," the Hokage spoke with a smile on his face. It was no doubt who Naruto inherited his smile from.

"Minato." Fugaku replied curtly with a nod. "I hope our sons can become good friends!" Minato spoke with his smile unwavering.

"Or rivals," Fugaku suggested, "It's good to have a rival, makes you grow stronger as a person. Wouldn't you agree, Minato?" With this Minato laughed. It felt as if the two were having an underlying conversation only they were apart of.

Naruto still had that smile on his face and he stuck his hand out, wanting Sasuke to shake it, "Let's be friends, 'ay Sasuke?"

"You're really stupid aren't you?" Sasuke spoke coldly as he slapped the outstretched hand away, and without another word, shoved his hands into his pockets and began walking towards the school entrance. The smile had left Naruto, almost immediately, as if somebody flipped a switch and the lights went off. His pupils constricted as his eyes widened. Wait...what?

It was then when Fugaku laughed. It was cold and condescending. "I apologize for my son's behaviors. He doesn't have the composure or patience to hide his true emotions...not like my elder son, Itachi." Naruto looked up at the gun around the man's waist before his eyes trailed up to the cold stone face of the Police Commissioner. He didn't look or sound sorry in Naruto's opinion. Naruto then peeked up at his dad to gauge his reaction. The smile on Minato's face never left.

"I'll see you at the afternoon meeting, Minato...it was pleasant...meeting your son," Fugaku spoke curtly his eyes looking down briefly at Naruto, before bringing them back up to the Hokage. His cold eyes bore into Minato for a moment. Silence hung thick around them. Both men then nodded at each other before Fugaku left.

"What did I do wrong?" Naruto asked quietly as Minato kneeled down in front of his son. Minato smiled and ruffled Naruto's hair, "You make friends easily...too easily...but sometimes, sometimes, you need to put in more effort with some people...and in my opinion those are the best friendships. I think it would be great if you became friends with young Sasuke...put more effort with Sasuke. Yeah?"

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed. "That's my son!"

Minato held his young son's hand with his and lead him to his Kindergarten classroom. The teacher came over and greeted Minato enthusiastically, shaking his hand forcefully with both of hers, "Fourth Hokage! I didn't think you'd be here for the entrance ceremony!"

Naruto stopped listening to the adults as his eyes moved past all the other children in the room until they fell to Sasuke who was seated in the back of the classroom at the desk closest to the window. His elbow on the desk and fist propping up his head, staring outside the window, and ignoring everyone around him. To Naruto he looked...lonely.

It was then when Sasuke turned his attention towards him and they locked eyes. Naruto immediately smiled and waved, but Sasuke scowled and quickly turned away.

To Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, had become an eyesore and he was an even bigger idiot than Sasuke realized as the first day of school went on. It angered Sasuke and the anger in the pit of his stomach only increased as the day went on. That this was the son to the most powerful man in Konaha. This...was the Hokage's son.


Sasuke recalled the conversation with his parents about the entrance ceremony. Sasuke asked if his father would be accompanying him. Secretly wanting his father to say 'yes'. Sasuke's mother, Mikoto, wouldn't be able to attend as she was driving his elder brother, Itachi, to the Konoha Preparatory Boarding School. Sasuke's question was thoroughly ignored.

Both his parents attention were focused solely on the elder son, forgetting entirely about Sasuke's entrance ceremony. Itachi was a 'true genius'. Only ten years old, and already comprehending high school level classes. Itachi was quickly accepted into the preparatory school with high honors. Even though the earliest students could enroll was 8th grade.

"I'm afraid he's too young to be attending boarding school," Mikoto brought up her concerns.

"Shisui will be attending this year as well," Fugaku replied as if that was reason enough to send him, and then a cold smile spread his lips, "Although...Itachi is the youngest to be admitted into the school in its entirety. He really is a true genius. A true prodigy of the Uchiha, not even comparable to Shisui."

"What about Sasuke's entrance ceremony?" Itachi asked calmly.

"I have business meetings all morning," Fugaku retorted as he looked at Mikoto wanting her to agree with him. Sasuke couldn't hide the sadness etched in his face and he quickly looked down causing dark hair to cloud his hurt features. Itachi was standing there watching Sasuke intensely, feeling the second-hand pain Sasuke was feeling. Itachi was calm, soft-spoken, and face as deadpan as their father's.

"The Hokage's son will be in Sasuke's class right, father?" Itachi spoke. "I wonder what he's like...if he's the son of the youngest Hokage in history he must be equally impressive."

Fugaku took Itachi's words into consideration mulling them over before nodding his head, "I'll accompany Sasuke to the entrance ceremony." Fugaku looked down at Sasuke, finally acknowledging him, "Sasuke...don't lose to the Hokage's son."

Sasuke's face brightened up and he quickly responded, "Yes, father!"


This was the Hokage's son?

It was a thought that crossed across Sasuke's mind multiple times during the school day and every school day thereafter. In disbelief. Naruto had zero skill, scored poorly on assignments, and placed dead last in class ranking. In contrast Sasuke was the top of the class, and everything came easily to him. Despite all of this Naruto's smile never wavered, and he never stopped prattling on about never giving up.

During the fitness exam Sasuke scored the highest in the class. Sasuke was more flexible than Naruto, faster than Naruto, stronger than Naruto, and had more endurance than Naruto...and yet...and yet...

"-you're really amazing Sasuke, y'know!" Naruto spoke breathlessly one hand scratching behind his head. Naruto was sweating, and his cheeks were beat red, yet his stamina was off the charts. He exuded energy as if hiding an unlimited supply of battery packs under his clothes. They had just finished the fitness test and it was lunch time. Sasuke was surprised at how athletic Naruto was, but was reminded how he was far superior. Naruto was a sweaty mess, whereas Sasuke was cool and collected.

"Usuratonkachi." Sasuke replied at the sight of Naruto.

"Just wait! I'll catch up in no time, y'know!" Naruto replied enthusiastically clenching one fist. "...and then I'll challenge you!" Naruto then pointed at Sasuke, "And I'll win!"

"Give it up, Naruto!" a female voice filtered through the air. "The difference of skill between you two is too huge!" A small girl, with a very big and wide forehead, appeared between them. She placed her hands parallel from each other and stretched them out as if to emphasis her point.

Haruno Sakura.

"Sakura!" Naruto spoke his eyes lighting up. "Wanna eat lunch with m-" Naruto began to ask, but she shook her head, held out one hand to Naruto's face, and interrupted, "I refuse!" Naruto's excitement vanished and he whined, "Saaakuraaa!"

"Sasuke...want to eat lunch together!" Sakura asked warmly, ignoring Naruto completely, stepping in front of Naruto and in front of Sasuke.

"Hn. You know...your forehead is really big and you're annoying," Sasuke spoke coldly. Sakura's face turned white and then pink and then beat tomato red. She laughed nervously but she couldn't find words to say.

"Sasuke!" Naruto said angrily. "Apologize to Sakura!"

Sasuke turned his attention towards Naruto and smirked, "Sakura is right. You'll never be on my level, dumbass." Sasuke turned and walked away while Naruto screamed after him, "SASUKE! JUST YOU WAIT!"


Sasuke sat under the big thick oak tree in the school yard watching as the other children played on the play park equipment. It was after school, yet everyone stayed back to play. It was one of the last days where they still had nice weather to play outside in. Sasuke thought about going home soon and glanced towards the back school gate, and then turned back to his classmates playing.

To Sasuke...his classmates were below him, and unworthy of his attention, and he didn't want to play with them either. But, going home so soon and being alone at his home wasn't something he wanted to do either. Although Sasuke brought a comic book with him he couldn't focus on the book. Just pretended too.

As soon as Naruto appeared his classmates all ran to him. The blonde boy always had other kids surrounding him. Like a light attracts moths. Everyone in their class gravitated around him. Today, Naruto, had a large orange ball under his arm.

"What are we going to play, Naruto!" Kiba asked. The only one to rival Naruto's enthusiasm was Kiba.

Naruto held the ball above him and exclaimed, "KICKBALL!"

"This sounds troublesome…" Shikamaru spoke, and Choji next to him stammered, "I'm...not good at th-these kinds of th-things!"

"That's fine, Choji, just do your best...we'll all play together!" Naruto exclaimed. "The losers will buy the winners juice!" Kiba said loudly, pumping his fist in the air.

Sasuke brought his eyes back to the comic book, and it was then when an even darker shadow fell onto him. Sasuke looked up and saw Naruto standing in front of him, orange ball under his arm, big goofy grin. Too bright.

"Oi, Sasuke...come play with us." Naruto spoke with a smile. Sasuke glared up at him before closing his book and standing up. Sasuke was taller than Naruto by a few inches and he sized Naruto up and down. Too noisy.

"No." Sasuke finally concluded before turning, and walking away from Naruto. "Oh. I see." Naruto spoke without turning around, "Sasuke is a chicken…a scaredy-cat who thinks he'll lose to me if we play." Naruto dribbled the ball a few times before catching it in both hands.

Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks and quickly turned around. Naruto in kind turned to face Sasuke a smirk on his face. Without hesitation Naruto threw the ball at Sasuke's stomach, which he caught with ease.

"You and I are both captains. You can pick first." Naruto explained. "Usuratonkachi," Sasuke mumbled.


"Heh," Sasuke exasperated as he stepped up to the base. The bases were loaded. 2 outs, and the score was 3 to 6. In Naruto's favor. The sun was setting fast. It was decided to be the last pitch of the game, as it was getting time for them to return home.

From behind him Sasuke could hear his team cheering him on. "You can do it Sasuke!" "Kick it out of field!" "Go! Go! Go!" Sasuke was determined to win. His eyes locked with Naruto who held the orange ball in his hands.

"Strike 'em out Naruto!" Kiba yelled from first base. Shikamaru was squatting behind Sasuke playing the part of both the catcher and umpire, exhaled loudly. "Finally. I'm exhausted," Shikamaru grumbled.

Naruto smirked at Sasuke and gave him the thumbs down, "You're going down Sasuke, y'know!"

Naruto then hurled the orange ball with all his might down at Sasuke. The dark-haired boy's movements were fluid and precise. He was able to calculate at what point he needed to extend his foot to kick the ball for maximum distance. Distance equals velocity multiplied by time. Sasuke's foot connected with the ball at such force the ball flew up at an acute angle, over Naruto's head, and into the right outfield.

Cheers erupted from Sasuke's team. Naruto watched as the classmates on the bases began running at full speed towards their next base. Shino, a quiet boy, was in the right outfield he ran up to the ball and quickly grabbed it before throwing it to second base. Sasuke was already running past second base. Too late!

Lee gripped the ball tightly his thick bushy eyebrows furrowed together as he began to panic on where to throw the ball.

"Lee!" Naruto called as he held his arms up, and without hesitation Lee threw the ball. It went too much to the left of Naruto and Lee covered his face up with his hands in embarrassment. Cheers erupted from Naruto's team as Lee peeked between his fingers to find that Naruto had caught the ball and was running after Sasuke, who was running from third base to home base.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled as he tackled Sasuke from the side just as Sasuke began sliding into home base. The two boys collided into as mess of arms and legs over the home base. Naruto had pinned Sasuke down, the ball touching Sasuke's chest, as Naruto and Sasuke both looked towards Shikamaru. Their entire class had ran towards them in anticipation of the verdict.

"Well?!" Sakura asked Shikamaru. They were tied. If Sasuke reached home base first than they had won the game, if not… The class waited with bated breath. Shikamaru was rubbing both eyes with his hands, "Sorry...I got dust in my eyes I couldn't see."

"UGH!" A collective moan game from the class. It was a draw.

"Get off me, usuratonkachi!" Sasuke said angrily. "Oh! I'm sorry!" Naruto quickly stood up and stepped back. Sasuke sat up. Naruto extended his hand to Sasuke and for a moment they locked eyes. Staring at each other for a moment. Sasuke finally smiled and reached his hand up to grip Naruto's and Naruto pulled Sasuke upwards.

"That was a good kick, Sasuke." Naruto commented. "That was a good tackle." Sasuke commented back. Both stared at each other smiling.