Author's Note: Well, people, this is my second attempt at a Naruto story, so I hope it's good... No one seemed to like the first attempt much, but it was a new style of writing I was trying. The near-poetic type—but who knows? Maybe it just sucked... :Sweatdrop: Just a heads up, by the way, there won't be any lemons on this site, but the link to lemony goodness is in my profile as my 'homepage.' It's my LJ. XD There's already something on there, so check it out if you want.

Oh, and just to let you guys know ahead of time:

Most of the character are (or WILL BE) seventeen in this story. It's like that for a reason. But I can't tell you now, or it would ruin most of the plot. XD Just so you know:

Sasuke – 17 (July 23)

Naruto – 16 (October 10)

Gaara – 16 (January 19)

They're really the only ones who matter...but if you want to know everyone (and trust me, I mean EVERYONE...right down to Kotetsu and Izumo) then let me know. X3

Chapter One Warnings: Swearing, fighting (descriptive, but nothing too bad...), and slight yaoi (nothing really interesting as of now).

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I do, however, own a chainsaw. So if anyone feels the need to sue me, remember that little fact.

See-Through Masks

Chapter One: Enter the Victims...

"Life is the most dangerous thing on earth, none has survived."

—Per S.

OoOoO

If there was one thing that Naruto Uzumaki hated, it was mornings.

He hated everything about them: waking up, getting dressed, hygiene...

Which was why, on most days, he didn't have mornings. He made a habit of waking up in the afternoon, because, in his mind, that was better than any morning.

Unfortunately, on that particular day, he had to wake up in the morning.

"Ugh." He let out a grunt as he sat up, stretching his arms high above his head. He leaned his head over to glare at his alarm clock. "Eleven... Still too early." He slapped the alarm off.

"Naruto?" Said boy looked to his insomniac friend of five years, Gaara Sabaku. "Isn't your appointment at eleven?"

Naruto blinked. Once, twice, and...

"Oh, shit!" He jumped up from his bed, flinging the covers aside. As soon as his feet hit the floor, he tripped over several dirty magazines he had been looking at the night before.

Gaara stared at him dully, watching as Naruto turned bright red and shoved the magazines under his bed. He jumped back up and grabbed a T-shirt. Eyeing it suspiciously, he raised the shirt to his nose and sniffed it once. Deeming it acceptable, he threw it on and grabbed his jeans—they were faded and blue, with holes, rips, and ink-designs on them—and tugged them on quickly.

He tore into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He quickly brushed his teeth and hair, and splashed water on his face before bolting back out the door.

Gaara, not looking up from the website he was browsing, held up the blonde's tan messenger bag—which was adorned with pins of his favourite bands. Naruto grinned at him, running up and grabbing the bag.

Good thing I showered last night, he thought to himself. He cleared his throat, whipped the door open, and stepped out. He turned back to Gaara, sent him a military salute, which was completely ignored by the redhead, and slammed the door.

OoOoO

Sasuke Uchiha hated cafeteria food. He always had, and he would continue to until he was on his deathbed. He grimaced as the slimy food slid down his throat. Only this cafeteria could make dry waffles slimy...

There was a clatter as a tray was dropped onto the table. He looked up, spotting a boy his age sitting down across from him, before going back to observing his food that was apparently quite interesting.

"Sasuke Uchiha?" the boy asked. He picked up his toast and munched on it.

Sasuke glared up at the brunette. He vaguely noted that the boy resembled a chimpanzee. Squinty eyes with beady black irises, big ears, a small nose, a wide smirk, unruly black hair...

Yes, Zaku Abumi looked like a monkey.

He raised an eyebrow at Zaku—his silent response. Let's see what monkey-boy wants.

"Hey, hey," Abumi said, smirk not letting up, "just checking."

Apparently evolution skipped him in more ways than one. Sasuke resisted the very strong urge to roll his eyes and looked back down at his waffles as he stabbed them with his fork. He used his knife to rip one of them apart, before moving on to section it into smaller pieces. He had no intention of eating any more.

"So, are you anorexic as well as gay?"

Sasuke froze, his fork right above a small piece of waffle. He shifted his deadly glare up to the cocky, monkey look-alike before him. Either this boy is incredibly stupid (which is most likely the case), or he has excellent sources.

"I'll take that as a yes. You know," he said, his eyes never leaving his toast, "you should probably tell your ex-boyfriends to stop blabbering about such touchy topics."

Anyone talking about me obviously has way too much free time—or is currently in college, Sasuke thought, using his fork to shift the food on his plate around. He vaguely considered retorting, but pushed the thought aside.

"I mean, when he starts to mention who topped who—"

Sasuke's fork clattered down onto his plate as he stood abruptly. He climbed off of the bench that was attached to the table, and threw the waffles away. He set his now-empty tray atop the trashcan with the others.

"Oh, Sasuke, just because he described your—" Sasuke cut him off by launching himself at the other boy over the table. Zaku's tray spun across the floor loudly, with toast and silverware flying everywhere. The two of them toppled over until Sasuke was straddling Zaku on the floor, his hands on his throat, choking him.

Let's see him insult me now, he thought smugly, though his face remained stoic.

What could Sasuke say? He had a few anger issues...

Zaku's face slowly began to turn blue as he spluttered and gasped for air. The two other students in the cafeteria ran over, pulling him off of Zaku. He wrenched his arms out of their grip as Zaku scrambled away. Sasuke latched onto his arms, planting his foot in the small of the boy's back, and pulled.

"Ahhh!" Zaku yelped, feeling his shoulders being stretched almost out of their sockets. "O-ouch! That hurts!" he howled.

Sasuke smiled sadistically, his red contacts glistening in the lighting. He pulled harder. With an audible 'pop' Zaku's shoulders detached from their sockets. Zaku let out a scream of pain, but Sasuke did not relinquish his grip. Instead, he pulled harder.

He was almost satisfied, when two horrified teachers ripped him away from the taller student. Genma Shiranui and Raidou Namiashi continued to hold Sasuke back as Shizune, the school nurse, rushed forward to help Zaku.

"What the hell were you thinkin,' Uchiha?" Genma snapped, still grasping Sasuke's arm, even though he had stopped struggling.

I was thinking he thought bitterly, that I don't want my sexuality broadcasted around a fucking Catholic school, thankyouverymuch.

"That's it, Mr. Uchiha," Raidou said, looking at him sternly, "you're going to Principal Sarutobi."

Sasuke made a mental note to kill Raidou later.

OoOoO

Author's After-Note: Well...this was pretty fucking short, wasn't it? --; To anyone who read this before the changes: No. You did NOT imagine an entire half of a chapter. I split the original chapter one into two chapters. Because I'm evil. XD Yup. So now all the chapters are shorter BUT there will be more of them. ...A lot more.

Reviews make me love y'all!

Sid. :3