Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Today marks the beginning of a new era. Everything that happened last year didn't matter anymore. The losses. The victories. The shame and the fame would all be forgotten with the start of the new season. Blood will be shed. Friends will be lost. All in the name of gold and glory.

"Uchiha, in my office, stat."

"Yeah Coach," I replied quickly, jogging to Coach Yamato's office.

When I walked in he was rummaging through his draws. I was going to ask him what he was doing but he slammed a portfolio on his desk before I could speak.

"As you know Uchiha, we have our first match against Mitsuhara High next Friday," Coach started sounding both excited and nervous.

It was Monday, so we had more than a few days to prepare. I nodded fully understanding the situation.

"Yeah," I answered slowly trying to figure what he was getting at.

Yamato reached for the portfolio he put on his desk.

"They have new members this year, but I'd like you to focus on this one in particular," he continued explaining as he opened the portfolio slowly and dramatically. There was a picture of this bright blond haired boy with blue eyes. He had these whisker type marks on his cheeks. His hair reached just a little lower than his shoulders. If I didn't know any better I would think he was a child. He didn't look like much to worry about. I smirked to myself knowingly.

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki, informally known as the nine-tailed fox," Coach explained. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Hn?" I asked.

Coach shook his head. Besides the whisker parts maybe but there had to be more to it.

"That's exactly what I want you to find out," he told me. "I really think there's more than meets the eye with this kid, so I want you to gain some Intel on him. Can I count on you to do that Uchiha?"

Intel? What was I, some type of spy?

"Why would I do that?" I asked confused.

Yamato sighed slumping down heavily into his chair.

"I want what's best for this team and though I hate to admit it, they have something that we just don't have and it's irritating to see my team working so hard and not yielding any results," he explained softly but I could see the fire behind his eyes.

I bit my lower lip in consideration. It's not like we're stealing anything right?

"Okay... I'll do it," I agreed hesitantly exiting the room still mulling the idea over.

"And Sasuke?"

"Hn?" I asked jogging back a bit to stick my head through the threshold. His expression had changed completely.

"Be careful."

I furrowed my eyebrows and nodded. What a weird thing to say? I mean I didn't think it was right, but we needed all the help we could get. Mitsuhara has won the district championship 6 years in a row and they're looking for their seventh this season. They were unstoppable and if you played for them, you were pretty much guaranteed a full ride to any university. They were nothing short of perfection and it was just our luck to have to face them first in our division this year. We were ranked 16th in the district out of 23 teams. So yeah if I can do anything and play my part so we don't get completely embarrassed on national television, I will.

"Hey, Naruto, quit sitting on your ass and hand me a towel would ya?" a rather large looking man yelled at the blond haired boy. He was lying on his back on the bleachers looking at the clouds with a straw of grass in his mouth. He had a mountain of clean folded towels on the seats below him. He didn't move however when he was called.

"Come on Naruto, please," the man begged. Naruto smirked.

"That's more like it, Choji," Naruto said getting up slowly. He picked up a towel and was about to throw it down when the man, Choji, raised both his hands halting Naruto in his tracks mid swing.

"Don't throw it. Could you bring it down here, please?" Choji asked.

Naruto scowled like Choji had just asked him to drink sour milk. He fixed his face after a moment and got up reluctantly with a fresh towel in hand. He jumped down the bleacher rows one my one which looked ill advised and dangerous. He got to the last one and then tripped over nothing and fell flat on his face. My eyes widened as I raised my hands to my mouth to keep from laughing. The towel didn't get dirty though much to my surprise. Even so, that's going to leave a mark. Choji shook his head taking the towel from Naruto's twitching hand. Naruto sat up rubbing his head with his left hand. So he's left handed I noted lowering my hands to my pocket for my notepad.

"That's going to hurt in the morning," I heard him groan. This guy's an idiot. He's like a damn child. And so is his voice as a matter of fact.

It's annoying.

"This is a waste of time," I murmured to myself returning my notepad about to my pocket. I looked back unto the field to see the dobe talking to a taller guy with wild white hair. I furrowed my eyebrows. He looked familiar. I shook my head looking around at the other players. They didn't seem to be doing much of anything. Maybe practice had just started. The long haired brunette was saying something but I couldn't hear him.

"Positions," someone yelled suddenly. My eyes scanned the field to where the command came from. It was the white haired man and he was blowing a whistle rhythmically like a drill sergeant or something. The team ran back and forth for about 5 seconds. When they were done, they were all in their places as if they teleported there. I couldn't find the blond haired boy. I looked around the field but couldn't find him. It was like he just disappeared. I was going to give up and leave but a voice struck like an ariose through my heart.

"Hello stranger."

I turned my head to where the voice came from. I jumped a bit looking towards where it was coming from. It was him, Naruto. I just stared at him in shock heart pounding against my chest. How the hell did he get here so fast? He was sitting on the last bleacher at the very top, inches from me. I closed my eyes to think and I could smell him. He had a strange and intoxicating scent, I couldn't place it. I subconsciously reached out for him but found I could not. I opened my eyes slowly to find that he had not acknowledged me without so much as a gaze. The only thing separating us was a chain linked fence and a few leaves. I then remembered he actually spoke to me. Fuck.

"Just looking for something I lost," I lied lamely looking on the ground pretending to look around. I rolled my eyes. What a stupid thing to say...but I had to say something... right?

"Is it your pride? Because I'm not sure you're going to find it there," he murmured coldly.

He wasn't even looking at me but I could hear his frigid tone... Did he have an accent? He was looking straight ahead at his team mates on the ground. His voice was low and mature. He didn't sound like a child anymore. So, it was just a facade. I sat back and smirked almost relieved.

"I guess not," I told him giving up on my futile pursuit.. for now.

"So, what do you want," he asked still not bothering to look at me. He seemed open to any answer.

"Information," I told him honestly. He chuckled. Fuck.

"You're a pretty straight-forward kid," He told me, his accent more evident.

Where was he from?

"Who do you play for?"

"Nishi High, and I am no child believe me," I told him soon regretting it. Why was I telling him these things?!

He laughed out loud. It was a rich and hearty laugh. Even so I felt insulted.

"I didn't think they did that here," He said mostly to himself. What?

"Do what?" I asked annoyed brushing my bangs out of my face.

"The opponent comes before a match and checks out the other teams' skill," Naruto explained accent still present. Was that fake too?

"I didn't come here for the team, I came here for you," I said quickly without thinking.

I mentally face palmed myself.

What the fuck?

I closed my eyes and shook my head. Couldn't take it back now.

"I feel all warm and tingly inside," Naruto teased. Fuck my life. I don't usually talk before I think. What was he doing to me?

"What I meant was that I came here to get intelligence on you because my coach told me to," I said calmly but then realized what I said. Oh my God, I needed a good slap on the face. Perhaps I should have prepared myself more thoroughly.

"Funny how I'm getting intel on you instead. You suck at this," Naruto told me in a matter of fact tone. Even so then, he never looked at me. I didn't know why but it bothered me.

"What's your name?" He asked randomly. I was taken aback.

"W-why should I tell you that?" I asked feeling my face heat up a bit. Was honestly curious or did he have some ulterior motives?

"Well it's only fair considering you know my name," he reasoned. I narrowed my eyes.

"What makes you think I know you name?" I asked. He chuckled softly. I inhaled sharply feeling my get heavier.

"Well, I dunno, maybe the fact, that Choji used it, and why would you even come here not knowing my name if you wanted intel?" He asked mocking curiosity. I grabbed at my shirt grasping at the fabric that laid above my heart. What is this feeling?

"If you want to hear it yourself, the name's Uzumaki, Naruto Uzumaki." I frowned slightly. Who did he think he was?

"Sa...suke," I told him reluctantly after a moment.

"Wonderful. It's nice to meet you 'Suke," Naruto said almost sounding cheerful.

"It's Sasuke," I corrected him annoyed. He shook his head.

"Yeah, I'm sticking with 'Suke," Naruto said.

"But, that isn't my name," I complained. "I really don't like nicknames. They're annoying and they have no point."

"Complain as much as you want, but I'm still going to call you 'Suke... Makes you seem less serious," he said ending the conversation by getting up to stretch. I watched his shoulder blades shift under his tight white t-shirt. I raised my hand into my mouth biting down hard as I groaned, a bit frustrated.

He started to walk away but before he left he said "Later 'Suke."

He picked up the unused towels and skipped away like a child. Back to his facade and childish voice.

"Shit," I cursed quietly to myself, lowering my hands to rub my hands down my legs before getting up quickly to sneak away before anyone else noticed me.

That guy…just may be a force to be reckoned with. I took out my phone as I walked away from Mitsuhara to send Yamato an email.

From: Sasuke Uchiha
Subject: Be Careful Indeed
Date: March 5, 2014 4:50
To: Coach Yamato

I didn't learn shit about him, just that he likes to pretend that he's a child. And also the fact that's he fast, really fast. Fast but clumsy. I'll come back earlier tomorrow, and maybe I'll see something worth seeing. I won't let this team done.

Sasuke

"How was your day Sasuke?"

I looked up from my food to glance at my older brother, still poking my chicken scarpariello with my fork with one hand and cropping the other on the table chin in hand uninterested.

"It was fine," I grounded out, taking my first bite of food. Delicious as always Deidara.

"If I was the type of parent that believed everything their kid said you would combust," Itachi said softly raising his napkin to his lips.

I mean he was like a parent but he was my brother. Our parents died when I was 8 and he raised me while going to college. He even worked part time to support us then but now he worked at a corporation in a senior management position. And then of course, we had Deidara.

"But you are not," I stated after a moment not missing a beat.

"That is... accurate," Itachi said raising both eyebrows in admittance.

"Though I really must ask Sasuke... Who pissed you off today?"

I stabbed the chicken as if it were going to run off my plate. How did he know? I looked at him practically begging for an explanation.

"You have that crease between your brows," he said answering my unspoken question. I immediately released them.

I sighed in defeat when I felt it return.

"...I wouldn't say that he pissed me off," I murmured softly remembering our little chat this afternoon. I watched Itachi raise his brow.

"Who's he?" he asked curious as usual.

"This guy I met today... he was just so..," I started slowly trying to find the right world. "I don't know. He is an enigma."

Itachi nodded seemingly understanding what I meant anyhow.

"Well whoever he is, he sure got to you quick," Itachi said almost impressed. "I'd love to meet someone who was capable doing such a thing to my dear little brother."

I glared at him. I told him too much. He smiled warmly at me and I couldn't be mad at him when he looked at me like that. I put down my fork.

"May I be excused?" I asked not being able to find my appetite.

"Sure," he said after taking a moment to look down at my plate with a frown but he understood.

I gave him a grateful look getting up from the table to push my chair in. I was about to pick up my plate when Itachi told me that he'd take care of it. I smiled apologetically and made my way to my room. I grabbed my bag off the floor and put it on my desk sitting down in my chair. I glared at my bag knowing full well the contents and sighed. I took out Naruto's file and looked at his stupid face. It was his facade. The real him was... different. I shook my head. How would I know? The Naruto I met today could be a lie too. I didn't know the real him. I closed my eyes and sighed leaning back into my chair.

But... I'd like to.

Author's Note!
I know, its short but I'll probably post the new chapter in my free at school on Monday.

Long awaited thanks to Rosebunse for words of guidance. You made me start writing chapter 2 for forgetting yesterday, but yeah, you know..I feel like such a disappointment :(

Special thanks to The Dark Crimson Blood. I saw your reviews this morning and I was so happy that I just got up (before eating or anything) and posted this story right away. So Thank You!

Yea..this isn't the story I initially wanted to post but, I am about 3 chapters in on this one tho. I'm going to find the story I actually did finish or recover it actually (tablet is malfunctioning) so enjoy the..filler for the..filler...for the original story? (that sentence made my head hurt). No, let me restate that: So there are Three different stories coming up, three different plots but 2 in all though actually posted, So while ya wait for one story chapter another will probably be up on a different story. Yeah that sounds better. I'm multitasking.

PS. If you read my stories, I'll read yours. And r&r and alert ;)
I really need a beta reader :(