Ayake Rin Here! I thought of this while reading a one-sided Sasunaru kinda thing. It was really a Narusaku but you get it right? Check it, it's Erotica by Jelp. Okay, screw that. I misread. It's Sasunaru, not Narusaku. I'm stupid, but if I hadn't misread I never would have gotten this idea!! Please R&R Flames welcome!!

The Basis of this is pretty odd and I'm almost pretty sure someone else might have thought of this kinda thing before, if not then great!

Anyway, I don't want to spoil anything so, I guess read on? Collab kinda thing between me and the ever awesome Ivylicious!!

Ivylicious speaking: Wow, a collaboration, never really considered it before but it definitely has a lot of possibilities, ne? Well, both Ayake Rin and myself have different writing styles, I d imagine, so I wouldn t blame you if you finish reading and feel as if you ve got whiplash. XD Ayake Rin s just being modest by the way - she s my beloved reviewer and awesome writer herself. Don't you dare deny it!

Disclaimer: I own rope, and know where Sasuke lives. But I do not own Naruto.

Whatever It Takes

"Sasuke-kun!!" I continued walking as a short pink-haired young girl ran up to latch onto my arm. "Where we going today Sasuke-kun?" She smiled brightly up at me, her evil, dark, sadistic boyfriend.

I didn't answer, lately I hadn't even been acknowledging her in anyway and I knew it was scaring her; I was scared myself, but for different reasons. I wouldn't grunt, shrug or even look at her, and when I did my eyes sent a feeling of pity and self-loathing through her, I could feel it so deep in myself I knew someone like her would see it in me. She tried to get me to talk, or do anything, if it even meant shrugging her off of his arm. Nothing, no reaction at all.

She stopped, she let go and stopped, her bright bangs falling into her eyes and she hung her head forward, shielding me from seeing her expression of sadness, guilt almost, and, maybe, anger?

"Sasuke..." She dropped the suffix, she wanted me to know she was serious, she thought she knew what I thought about her, that she only wanted to have me as some sort of trophy to rub in the faces of every girl in Konoha, but that wasn't it, and I knew it. She had always loved me, every part of me, and I hated her for it. How could she love a Bastard like me? An asshole who only uses her, pretends to be what he's not. How could she love me? But more, why couldn't I love her? What had happened to them?

Sasuke s glance back at her was cold and uncaring. As always.

Damn, I thought as I walked through the village. Sakura, I hated myself for bringing her into the mess that I called my love life. That's why I can't bring myself to look her in the eyes. She s smart so she ll know that there s something wrong with me.

I prided myself in my level of emotional control but she was one of the few people that could read me, even if it was just slightly. When I finally brought my gaze up from my feet my heart gave a start.

Naruto was leant casually against a wall. He noticed me and waved. "Hey Sasuke," he greeted me cheerfully.

These days he wore a burgundy cloak with black flames which Sakura had informed was his sage cloak. I had to admit that it suited him insanely well. It really made his bright golden hair and blue eyes stand out as well.

"Naruto," I nodded back in greeting. "I still can't get over the image change," I smirked at him. He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck in the embarrassed way he does.

"Well you d better get used to it," Naruto stuck his tongue out. "I happen to like it."

And I noticed that it wasn't only him that liked it. The villagers themselves seemed to take more of a shine to him when he dressed like that. "Sure, sure," I said distractedly.

"Naruto-kun," a shy voice sounded from behind me. I turned to see Hinata who had her arms full of groceries. Naruto s smile widened and he instantly went over to her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She blushed softly and smiled back at him. They looked so perfect together. This is karma's way of telling me life's a bitch. The pang in my chest and the jealous surge rose inside me but my face remained as stoic as ever.

"I'll catch you later, maybe," I said as I started walking away.

"Yeah, see you Sasuke," Naruto called after me. I just caught Hinata's polite "Goodbye Sasuke-kun."

I frowned. Not being a fool, I knew why I was jealous of Hinata. She had the one thing I had desired for a long time: Naruto's heart. Yes, I had fallen in love with the idiot but I knew that he truly did love Hinata and not me. The look in his eyes as he looks at Hinata is something that I could never evoke in the blond. That was why I had to give up loving him. Besides, Hinata could make him happier in one moment than I could ever hope to do in my entire lifetime. I m just not right for him.

Why had my heart and all of life become such a bitch? Life had stolen my family from me. Secrecy, hate, and deceit had taken my brother from me; and then karma and everything else that hadn't ruined my life yet made me fall for this idiot. It was a relatively new love. I hadn't loved him since the Academy, I had always thought of him as a rival though, no, I fell when I came back. What do you do when someone who had been such a huge part of your life for so long beats you to the edge of death, and then uses what strength they have left to carry you home? What do you do when that person is one of your most important people and then they sneak out of their hospital room to stay with you until you recover enough to feed yourself. It might not have been as nice as it could have been but seriously, what do you do when somone like that feeds you while your in a hospital bed?

You fall in love with them that's what.