Sasuke hums to himself one day as Team Seven was outside camping. It was night time, and no one was awake except for the cicadas crying at a distance. And so, he opted for a short stroll around. Why, you may ask? Well, maybe it was because all that battling was finally getting to him. Now that he thought about maybe he shouldn't have gotten carried away there, he thinks to himself; hissing at the slightest touch of the raw cut sliced across his arms and legs. The mission before had burned him out really bad. The marks all over his sore and stiff body showed how lax he had gotten recently. Still, he couldn't find it in himself to sleep tonight. He just wasn't...tired. At all.
However, it would be foolish to train so late at night anyway. Vengeance could wait until later...
On his walk, he simply watches the fields bemusedly. The way the tall grass flickered at the slightest breeze was mesmerizing. Even now, he couldn't take his eyes off of the simple things in nature like that. If there was one thing to fight for, it would be for his revolution. His own path. His own destiny. This...that was how it would be in the end.
Sasuke clenches his fists. No, never mind that. There were far more important things to think about.
He looks around the scenery with a satisfied smirk, savoring the sensations of the breeze. It was soothing, and as he shoves his hands in his pockets, he walks over to a small spot in the clearing of grass. The boy plops himself down onto it; laying down with his arms splayed behind his back and his legs crossed over each other. He closed his eyes, content...
As he let his thoughts sink into his subconscious, vivid images of his childhood came into view. Visions of his mother; lullabying him to sleep when he couldn't. And her stroking his bangs away from his forehead. He remembered crying that night because he had been so frustrated that his brother was better and braver than him. He hated how he did everything with ease. That hate had manifested itself as the years past, now only rising at the knowledge that he had become a cold blooded murderer.
Ironic to think, then, that just a few years later his brother had become a complete monster of a man. Killing his whole family without a trace of any remorse, regret, guilt. That's why he'd sworn to kill him himself. In his eyes, he wasn't even human anymore.
It was painful to think of them, but now...he was all alone. No one to stop him from his solitude...
He could finally be left alone. Yes, alone. The words sounded sweet even to himself.
Without thinking, he repeated her words into a hymn; letting it play for itself. The Uchiha's voice echoed around the quiet atmosphere; and all was calm and at ease.
"Nice song." Until now, that is. "What were ya singin' just now?"
Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin; and whips around with a death glare at the offender in question. How dare he interrupt him mid sentence?
He huffs, crossing his arms.
He heard the other boy lay down beside him on the green grass and look up into the starry sky. The constellation, Aries, could be seen from here; and he could faintly see other constellations in the sky, but he honestly didn't care much for them. And he sure as hell wasn't some astronomer, thank you very much! Anyway...
"D - DOBE?!" He blinked, in shock. Recollecting himself and his pride, he cleared his throat, and added, "Deadlast. It's a serenade. There's a difference..." he mumbled to himself, looking away from his rival. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" He heard the other boy laugh and he frowned in response. He didn't know why he always saw everything so funny...
"I was gonna. But, it was kinda hard when I heard a goddess from the heavens call out to me!" The blonde exclaims with hearts in his eyes. Sasuke sighs to himself, sometimes he wonders why he has such an idiot for a teammate. Honestly, he was as surprised he had become a full fledged ninja just as much as he has. With the way he was always the deadlast of the class at every given opportunity. He just flat out flunked all the time with how much time he spent as a prankster instead of being a scholar, for once in his life. Truthfully? Sasuke had doubted the moron would even make it this far into the journey, much less into the same team as his.
And as a genin, no less. Being a ninja meant he must never let his guard down. It took skill, speed, and agility to master the art of being a nin. And Naruto lacked any of that. With dangers at every present moment, the boy could never last even a second; given how weak he was. Full of spirit, yes, and full of potential, but weak nonetheless. His abilities were...lackluster to say the least. From his failed attempt at a shadow clone jutsu to not ever having any experience prior to being a genin. Probably because no one had the time nor day to teach the moron a lesson or two. That's what the Uchiha had thought, anyway. Oh, how the fates had proven him wrong.
Little did he know Naruto wasn't alone. He, too, played an integral part in his life. Fighting alongside him, always having his back in every single battle. Iruka had taught him everything he could, and the boy even fared against a traitor jounin; a feat almost unheard of at his age! Of course Sasuke didn't know that. But he wasn't completely helpless as the Uchiha thought. Which was why he was here now.
The boy's eyes were screwed shut, but he had a shit-eating grin plastered across his face. If that smile was anything to go by, it couldn't be any good news, that's for sure. "Naturally, I had to see for myself who this fallen angel from above was. It was just pure instinct, y'know?"
"But, then I realized it was you, teme!" He scrunched up his face in disgust. "And now we're stuck here. Together."
"..."
"..."
"You never told me you could sing!" Naruto whispered in awe; which was ironic given how he shouted all the time. Sasuke glanced past his shoulder. Luckily, there were no signs of Sakura and Kakashi waking up anytime soon. If they woke up, then things would go downhill from there and they'd be wondering why he was walking off with the usuratonkachi of all people and he couldn't afford for that to happen. With that thought in mind, Sasuke gave in. "And you didn't?" Sasuke drawled sarcastically, trying to scoot away from him. They were WAY too close for comfort... Not that he minded the contact and all, but he wasn't one for closeness, unlike Naruto. The guy couldn't even go five seconds without trying to connect to others, for crying out loud!
Naruto didn't take the hint and scooted, if possible, even MORE closer to his teammate. Which infuriated Sasuke to no end. Wasn't once enough?
"I SO can, buh-lieve it! I can hit those high notes really well!" He puffed his chest out proudly, and the Uchiha considered it for awhile... 'A competition with you, huh?' Sasuke smirked internally, with an assured nod to himself, 'Alright, let's do it. Let's see if you're a chicken or not.'
"Prove it, then," challenged the Uchiha with a triumphant smirk. What he didn't expect was for the Uzumaki to shove his face to his. It became a brawl for strength, and both were fighting fire against fire. There were a lot of kicks and punches involved, including one in the groin...
In the end, there was no circulation left in Sasuke. His lungs couldn't breath for him. And all that fighting really did a number to his already wounded body. Ashamed, he slumped against Naruto in defeat; sweating profusely. "Th - that's it ... hah... I'm done for. I can't even move a... hah... muscle even if I tried..."
"I lost." He admitted. "You happy now?" Naruto suddenly shoved him off of himself; making a mad dash off to their makeshift tent across the fields of grass. "Heh heh, goodnight, bastard!" He called off with a wave. 'Wait, what?' Sasuke blinked, staring off after him, 'That's it? That's all he's going to do?' Either he was a complete dumbass or a genius of his own right, only the kami above knew.
"Hey, come back, you moron. I'm not finished with you, yet!" Sasuke stands up from his position, hollering with his hands over his mouth. But, it was too late.
Naruto simply turned around and stuck his tongue out playfully.
And Sasuke was stunned into silence.
Hours had past, but Sasuke still wasn't tired in the slightest. Tossing and turning all night in his sleeping bag didn't help any matters. Constant thoughts of death tormented him to no end, to the point where he couldn't just take it anymore.
And so. That's how he found himself out of their makeshift tent out in the middle of the night once again. Seeing a log close by, he sits down on it and spreads his legs. Inwardly, he was shivering to the bone, but he needed time to recollect his thoughts and think things through. Because, as much as he didn't like it, he had his priorities first. Like how to go about killing his brother, for example. You know. Things like that.
The distinct sound of crunching grass from behind, Sasuke knew who it was without even looking.
"Guess I'm not the only one, eh?"
"Oh, it's you." Sasuke doesn't even turn around to face him. Make no mistake, he knows he's there. Naruto sits down beside him, hands folded out in front of him. "You shouldn't have snuck up on me like that, you know." Sasuke side glances at him, black eyes narrowed.
"Whoops," Naruto shrugged, "My bad. I guess it isn't in my nature to do that sorta thing. Sorry." Sasuke hesitated, not knowing what to do. Should he stay? Or should he go? He faltered. He eyes Naruto. Something about the moron drew him to him. He didn't know why...or even how, but...
He was sort of like Itachi. Always standing in front of him, just like his brother did...
In fact, he was so sidetracked at that very thought, he barely paid attention as the usuratonkachi was playing a fool, as always.
"Scary isn't a good look for me, eh?" A Cheshire Cat-like smile crosses Naruto's features. He throws a sheet over his head and imitates a ghost. "Ooooo~! Be afraid, Sasuke. Be afraid~!" He chortles with a laugh. Sasuke, not having any of it, simply pulls it off and throws it away into the dirty ground. Naruto's smile wavers, pouting down at his make-believe costume. The bastard wasn't serious, was he?
Seeing the other boy simply glare at him, he adds in, "H - hey! Look, I'm real sorry, OK? Stop glaring at me like that! It makes me feel like I did somethin' wrong."
"Hn...whatever." Sasuke crosses his arms and looks away with a faint blush on his cheeks. "I'm sure you got a good laugh out of me. An Uchiha singing is an embarrassment enough for my clan... I can't believe I did that." It was humiliating enough to sing. Now he had to see him again.
"Oh, that? That's what you're upset about?" Naruto bursts into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Doubling over, he continues laughing and Sasuke silently seethes. 'What? What's so funny?'
"You shoulda just told me! Actually, I thought you sounded great! You should sing more often. It's not gonna kill ya, you know."
Sasuke stared aghast at the Uzumaki, speechless. Was he for real?
"S - shut up..." Angry at himself, he looks down at his lap. Naruto stops talking, seeing how broody his friend was getting. Wanting to cheer up the mood, he brandishes something from behind him. "Anyways, I got some stuff tonight! Been kinda insomniac myself, haha." He says that with a smile, but the Uchiha, now over the light of the fire, can see the bags under his eyes. Seriously, how long has he been up? It can't do any favors for his health. Wait, scratch that. What was Sasuke saying? He didn't care for the usuratonkachi. No, not at all.
He holds out a twig with a leaf at its end. Attached to it was a single marshmallow, and he was holding the stick over the fire they had made a few hours previously. The stars were twinkling above them, high up in the sky. Peace. Peace, at long last.
"S'mores?" Sasuke asks as if he hadn't heard the word before. Naruto rolls his eyes. "Duh. What'd you expect?"
The Uchiha frowned, and made no further comment. After all, he wasn't really much for talk. His goals mattered much more than something of little significance as that. From the corner of his eye, he sees a light at a distance. Squinting further, he can see fireflies. They flew all around them; their light lighting up the otherwise darkness of the night. He stifles a yawn, but, to his dismay, it's heard.
"Tired?" Sasuke nodded, not wanting to speak of the plagued thoughts about his dead family that have been haunting him as a child. Placing his head over his hand, he sighed and looked out at the sky. He can't continue on like this, but...he feared for the nightmares that were bound to happen. His failure to honor his family.
"Hn." He doesn't say anything because he's stubborn like that, not wanting to admit the truth; even to himself. It would only bring about shame.
"Sakura-chan was worried about you. Seein' ya in that state." Naruto looks pointedly down at the arm cast the Uchiha had. Unfortunately, the last battle had got him pretty bad. Kakashi had suffered a severe fatal blow and almost died if it hadn't been for Sakura's quick wittedness. Sasuke had taken a hit for Naruto, but had to be hospitalized for a broken arm. Needless to say, they weren't quite prepared for the journey ahead. And, if they couldn't face an A-rank mission this early on, then they couldn't stand a chance against the Akatsuki. It would be a death wish.
And Sasuke hides it away because of that.
"That was pretty stupid of you, yanno." Naruto murmurs quietly, brows furrowed as he glares at Sasuke. The fire burning up in the wood crackles in front of them.
"Now you're hurt, all because of me. It's my fault." He sounded like he was seriously disappointed, or something. But why? Didn't he hate him? Sasuke stares at him with wide eyes. 'You really think that?'
"I…" he begins uncertainly, "I see. So that's how you see it." Naruto tilted his head, studying his face. Satisfied, he relented. "It's my fault, not yours. This is nothing to worry about, Naruto. I was careless, and that's all there is to it. Now, will you leave me alone?" he says, in a tone that left no room for argument. Naruto stared at him silently, but the next moment went by so fast his body couldn't even react properly.
What he wasn't prepared for was a slap across the face.
"Pfft! It sure as hell isn't fine!" Naruto snapped, angry. "Stop lyin' for once. I know you're not bein' honest with yourself," he grumbles. Sasuke, taken aback, feels the sting off his cheek. He winces involuntarily.
"...Shut up. You talk too much." Sasuke mumbled, hand still on his cheek. The Uzumaki opened his mouth, ready to retort, but ultimately decided against it. He sighed, and began again.
"You know, I really hated you," Naruto admitted after a moment of silence. "When you always got you wanted, without even lifting a finger." His hands clench, and Sasuke eyes him with a frown.
"I had nothing but I worked hard! No mom, no dad to guide me on my way. I was on my own from the very beginning!" He cried, tears spilling from his eyes. There was no strained smile. None of that anger he always had when Sasuke was around. This was the real him, underneath that convincing mask of his. Sasuke wanted to see him through the cracks and see the scared little boy of who he is and maybe comfort him. Maybe it's because he saw himself in him, but...he wasn't alone. He was here.
"I...was jealous whenever Sakura-chan hung out around you instead of me. And...I guess I still am," he sniffled. "I really am stupid, huh? Thinkin' that I could stand a chance..." He says in a self-deprecating way, as if he doubted himself more than anyone. The Uchiha hated that. Hated seeing that face of sadness.
Sasuke looked away, shaking his head. 'No, you're wrong, is what I want to say. The truth is, I envy you.'
"But...I guess you're not so bad yourself, now that I get to know you better. You saved me. That's more than enough for me," Naruto confessed, wiping his tears away with his sleeve.
His marshmallow blackens in the fire. The sound of crackling fills the otherwise white noise of the outside. Once it's roasted enough, the Uzumaki takes a bite out of it and spits out burnt flakes.
Naruto lets out a content sigh and lays back, staring at the moon while Sasuke sits beside him. "There's so much about this world I wanna see for myself..." He says with a far off look in his eyes, "Outside of fighting for once. Even if it kills me, I just wanna venture out into the unknown! Beatin' up the baddies is just part of it!" He does a motion with the twig, akin to sword-fighting. Sasuke watches with interest. "I've already come this far. Why give up now?" He smirks, hands now behind his head.
"I mean, I worked so hard just to get here. Now I have you and Team Seven as a family. I have somewhere I can finally belong and - I'd consider myself pretty lucky, I'll say. But I can't go it alone. Not this time."
"Someday I'm gonna lead the village. When the time comes, I'm gonna need someone by my side."
He glances suggestively at his teammate. "After all," he turns to the Uchiha and smiles, "what's a hokage without an accomplice?"
Naruto pointed at him and Sasuke's jaw dropped. "ME?!" He exclaimed, 'Me? Why me?'
"Yeah, you! Wanna know why? Because," he pauses, "I believe in you, teme! That's all there is to it. Now what do ya say? Eh? Eh?" He asks excitedly. "Will ya be my assistant?"
It was times like these where the Uchiha really admired him and his resolve. How he never gave up, no matter the consequences. It was what what gave him strength, gave him meaning, gave him purpose.
"Stupid," Sasuke snorts, with a ghost of a smile on his lips, "only you'd say something stupid like that." But, truthfully, it touched him that someone other than his older brother needed him for something. It was strange, but oddly enough it felt...heartwarming. The fact that someone cared.
'I was so happy…' he recalled, smiling softly to himself. 'I suppose I could do myself a favor and say yes to that stupid smiling usuratonkachi. Look at him! Smiling like that.'
Guilt weighed down on him; indecisive of whether to give in or not. "I..." He crossed his arms and huffed, "whatever you want. I don't care." The next moment went by so fast his body didn't have time to react. Uzumaki tackles him roughly, casually sliding an arm around his neck and grinning ear to ear.
Sasuke gasped.
The embrace was sudden and natural to the touch. Nuzzling his head into his shoulder, Naruto laughs. The Uchiha jumps in surprise, staring ahead with wide eyes. And then they softened momentarily, as he returned the hug by wrapping his arms around the other boy.
To his relief, it didn't last long. "Good, I'm glad." Naruto said, beaming; letting him go. "You really are the best, you know that? Teme?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. 'Tsk. That's no even the half of it.' He chastises, about to mock him some more for good measure, but instantaneously cringes. A gust of cold wind passes through them, and the Uchiha would be lying if he said it wasn't at all cold. It was downright freezing to the bones.
Drawing back, Naruto reached out a hand and placed it on Sasuke's shoulder. Brushing his fingertips through ice cold skin sent shivers down the Uchiha's spine.
"Yanno...you'll catch a cold if you stay out too long." The Uchiha shrugged it off, he knew that already. He makes to stand up, but his teammate tugs his sleeve. Annoyed, Sasuke looks down at him and glowers. "What?" He snarled, but the moment he said it he regretted at how mean that must have sounded. 'Damnit! Why can't I be nice for a change?' He thinks, pulling away. No wonder the moron never hung out around him.
"WAIT!" Naruto pleaded, pulling out something from behind him. And Sasuke stayed, knowing he could never truly say "no" to that baby face of his. So he relented. 'Alright,' he thinks, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Here ya go," Naruto says softly, full of relief. He tosses a baby blue blanket and wraps it around his teammate. The Uchiha exhales shakily, feeling the warmth spread from his fingers to his toes. That thing really did just the trick, not that he'd ever admit that to the moron's face.
"What's with you, moron?" Sasuke questioned, not used to the treatment. He stares at him, flabbergasted. Seriously, was he for real? Did he not know who he was?
"I dunno...Something's come over me." Naruto scratches the back of his head with that sheepish smile of his. He stifles a yawn in his hands and sighs through his nose. "Ma ma! I dunno 'bout you, but I'm pretty beat! That battle really did do a number on me..." He mentions, hoisting himself up and stretching. "So, uh, take care, bastard…" He waves. Cold breath exits out of Sasuke's mouth and the number one knuckle headed ninja leaves the clearing.
"'Nighty night!"
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! This idea has been on my mind for awhile after browsing through fanart and I decided to finally write it out even if I'm not the best when it comes to writing. Sorry for that :( I really tried to expand my vocabulary on this one and I think it shows? Hopefully. I've been holding off on studying just to work on this. Hope it's worth it! (Fingers crossed my parents don't kill me in my sleep for this XD)
High school has been busy lately, so expect delays until the weekends. A lot of work and stress does that to a person sad to say.
This was originally gonna be a oneshot, but I'm going to continue it and see where it goes. If it's bad, oh well, I tried. Will write summary eventually at some point. I'll get around to it, I promise :). Anyway, see you soon, fellow otakus!