The air stiffens as we glare at each other for what seems like the last time. He inhales sharply; most likely it was a painful breath because of the broken ribs I gave him. I wasn't high and mighty either though; I had a dislocated shoulder and broken ribs too.
How many times have I dreamt of this day?
I stare at him as I wonder just why we had to be the ones to be pulled into this situation. Rivals turned friends turned brutal enemies destined to kill each other from the start. I can't stand his arrogance at the reality of what is happening to us. We were becoming what the world wanted of us; broken and torn apart by hatred and lies.
"Naruto," suddenly Sasuke is breathing down my spine from behind me,
"You're supposed to pay attention to me when I finally kill you!" He aims his katana at my heart from the back, but I quickly dodge left rolling then springing up in time to block his counter attack. We banter back and forth for what seems like hours before I begin to lose my upper hand. I am just too exhausted to continue to fight this never ending war with my best friend.
"Sasuke," I whisper as he flies backward, silently agreeing for a momentary pause in our battle.
"Why-" I am cut off by a rough sigh,
"I swear you will never stop asking why I left that damn village, will you?" he screamed before attacking me once more, fueled with more anger and hate from the question that didn't escape my lips this time. He came so fast and I just wanted all of this to end. I was tired of fighting, tired of always being pushed into battles I did not wish to fight. His blade came to a violent, jerking stop when his katana hit my hand blades. I suddenly also became fueled with rage; I was tired of this bullshit! The hint of concern hit Sasuke features only a millisecond before I pushed against him with all my force then countered with a swift kick to the side; he only faulted a fraction of a second. I became so enraged that he would become what the world wanted of us! I began to speed up my thrusts and smash my blades against his weapon just as fast as he was striking me. This is the point when I realized that we could change it all. We could turn around the clock and watch as the world pasted us by while we show that we are not just another battle to be fought. We would battle aright, but not against each other, I will not allow it!
I swung my blades down after a twisting turn and brought the blade slicing through Sasuke's right cheek. With my new flame of determination I couldn't stop myself. I threw my blades together and ripped his katana out of his grip threw all the weapons out of arms reach. I watched as he flashed a look of confusion as I tackled him to the ground. He spit and jerked trying desperately to get out of my grip.
"Stop," I screamed as loud as I could while crushing my eye shut.
"I want to stop." My voice lowered itself and I opened my eyes to see a glaring Uchiha.
"Naruto you have no idea what you're talking about! You're still just a child who loyalties lay with Konoha. We can never stop fighting or hating each other!" he spat with hatred oozing out of every word like venom. He never knew how much I could see through his lies and his hate.
"I don't want to fight anymore. Don't you see we can beat them? We can stop this if we wanted Sasuke! We don't have to be what the world built us for. We can show them that we not only can be friends, but we can overcome the hate!" Sasuke lay speechless, for once.
"No," he finally wheezed,
"I have to avenge my clan and sever my ties-"
"I don't want them severed Sasuke! Can't you see that? I have never once believed you would kill me because I know you! You can't kill me because I can't kill you." I squeezed Sasuke's wrists so hard he heard a small wince and a thick thud; Sasuke had broken ribs and a broken wrist.
"Naruto," Sasuke said calmly, before fidgeting under my weight.
"I want to stand up." He was surprised that I wasn't trying to latching on to him again to keep him there and listening.
"Now," Sasuke glared, confirming the fear that lay dormant in my chest.
"You are going to fight me." Pain pierced my chest as I watch slowly walk over to his katana. I knew he might reject listening to me; all he has ever known was pain and hate, I can't change that in one sitting. After years of training and learning of all the ways to take down an opponent, the one thing they never taught me was to tell the truth.
"No," I say before lifting my chin, confident Sasuke would not kill me unarmed. I watch as the anger makes his eye twitch and eyebrows furrow. He growls angrily before throwing my blades at me.
"Take them," he screams before running up to me, slicing his blade across my right side. I gasp at the sudden searing pain in my side, but refuse to agree to his terms.
"Sasuke," his glare intensifies,
"Runaway with me; we don't have to return to either life we knew. We will become stronger, spar every day and train until we can return to show them what we are,"
His hands loosen and his katana drops to the ground. He whispers, barely audible for me to hear,
"Rivals,"
I smirk and walk closer to the raven haired male who had never really changed from the boy who used to sit at the dock and wish for something better.
"No Sasuke,"
His eyes cast upwards as I found myself merely inches from his nose,
"Best friends."