Disclaimer: All characters belong to Kishimoto/Naruto, not me.

Juugo's Note: Alright. First ItaSasu, not my first actual story. To me the first chapter is pretty short, but I'm never good at starting a story out. If you see any spelling errors or grammar mistakes, please point them out and I'll change them. Feedback is good...really good.

Sasuke: 12

Naruto: 13

Sakura: 12

Set about 3 weeks after the "Itachi Returns Arc", Tsunade has already arrived.

Shades of Gray

Sasuke's black eyes lost their glossy shine. To make him feel better, Naruto buys him a cat. But all that "Ramen" brings is bad luck, and Sasuke finds those large, hazel eyes unsettling. itasasu?

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"Sasuke-teme!" came the loud, cheerful greeting from one Uzumaki Naruto. Sasuke couldn't believe he could hear him through the door.

"Maybe…if I pretend he's not there, he'll go away." Sasuke pressed a soft, cotton-blue pillow over his head and closed his eyes tight. He shouldn't have to get up today.

Today was a day off.

That meant Naruto was supposed to stay away.

Far Away.

At first, Sasuke was surprised Naruto knew where he lived. But then again. He was sure he wasn't crazy. So when he caught glimpses of a tuff of pink hair moving quite noisily behind the bushes on his way home, he was sure how Naruto found out where he lived.

He had the pillow pressed so hard against his ear, he didn't notice the knocking on the door stopped; nor did he hear the soft "poof", or the arrival of Konoha's number one knuckle-head ninja.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screeched his name as loud as he could, a wild, foxy grin plastered on his face.

All he was met with, though, was an icy glare. "You…what are you doing in my room! What are you doing in my apartment?!" He'd get up and throw the blonde boy out, but, he just didn't have the motivation anymore.

Naruto blinked, sighing. Normally he'd stay away from the Uchiha. He was always a jerk to him, no matter how nice he was trying to be. But, he didn't like to see him like this. After the second meeting with his brother in that motel hallway, Sasuke's black eyes lost their glossy shine. "I…brought you a gift, Sasuke." He revealed a small box with numerous holes poked messily in the top.

Sasuke cringed, fearing what was inside. The box itself was enough. It was beaten up, part of it looked wet and soggy, and a horrible odor was slowly making its way to his nose. "Naruto…" the raven-haired boy bit his lip. "You didn't bring me ramen, did you? If that's ramen – throw it in the trash. You know I don't like it."

"Ah-!" Naruto looked shocked. "B-But…how did you know?"

He pouted, sniffling. The expression on his face was heart-wrenching, he looked unusually hurt. But Sasuke couldn't be too sure. If he fell for his trick, he'd never hear the end of it. "Please, Sasuke, don't throw Ramen away…I'll leave the box by your bed-side. But don't leave it in there too long."

"Yeah, whatever. Go away. And tell Sakura to stop stalking me."

There came no reply. He watched as Naruto walked out in complete silence, closing his door quietly. Listening closely, he could hear the voice of Sakura outside the apartment. He knew she was the one who brought him here. That was odd, though. If Sakura knew Naruto was going to give him a stupid gift, why did she let him give it to him?

With a bored grunt he flopped down onto his stomach on the cool bed. Glancing down, he noticed on the top in scribbled writing;

From Naruto and Sakura. Hope Ramen makes you feel better.

"Might as well." Sasuke lowered himself to pick the box up, but quickly retreated as the horrible stench made bile rise to his throat. "Ugh…I'm going to have to get this out somehow. Leave it to those two to give me ramen."

Slowly, he got up. The cold air lashed at his bare legs and chest. Sliding on clean white shorts, he kicked the box along the ground until it rested in front of his kitchen. "Now I just have to get it into the t-trashcan…" Sasuke held his breath as he lifted the box from the ground, flipped it upside down over the garbage bin, and allowed all its contents to fall out. He decided he'd empty the trashcan tomorrow; he was tired enough as it was.

Dropping the box, he jumped on it, crushing it down until it was flat. He slipped it underneath the smelly metal, and limped his way back to his bed. "I'm just…going to stay here all day. At least Naruto and Sakura won't ask me if I liked the ramen…" Closing his eyes, he drifted off to a deep sleep.

Sasuke was glad to be woken in the middle of the night. He was breathing hard, a film of sweat covering his body. It was another one of those nightmares. Those taunting, red eyes were following him everywhere. Watching his every move. No matter where he went, they were there. He couldn't get away from them.

It was a soft brush against his face that woke him up. It was possibly the wind, from his open window. Glancing down, what he saw caused him to let out a blood-curling scream.

Those red eyes were staring right back up at him.