Title: Fireworks

Author: Noodleslove

Rated:G

Notes: Written for a challenge at sasunaru100 about fireworks/festivals. This was a couple months ago so I do not know why I hadn't posted it.

Contains slash/shounen-ai/BL/yaoi, but just barely.

:3:3:3:3

Sasuke hated the Summer Festival. Families and friends crowed together, chatting and giggling and playing stupid games to win goldfish that would just die in a couple days anyway. Most of all, Sasuke hated the fireworks at the end of the night. They were far too noisy and far too bright. They were exactly everything Sasuke wasn't. Although he knew someone very much like them… Bold and flashy and…

Sakura had asked him to the festival but he refused her. It was too much hassle getting dressed up specially -Sakura had a new summer kimono and he guessed she would want him dressed up similarly- and he didn't want to have to fight his way through large groups of people all night.

Sakura fussed and begged and looked at him with wet eyes, but when Sasuke shot her a dangerous look she closed her mouth tightly, hung her head and walked away, crestfallen.

Naruto didn't exactly ask Sasuke to the festival, but then, Sasuke didn't exactly refuse either.

At the end of the night Sasuke prowled around the outskirts of the festival looking down at the bright lights and decorations when he noticed Naruto sitting nearby on the same hill.

He approached him silently and stood behind him. When Naruto failed to notice him, too caught up in the lights and laughter from below, Sasuke prodded him with his sandal.

Naruto's head snapped back with an expression that said he was ready to fight. When he saw it was Sasuke the expression softened slightly –though with Sasuke, it may be best to always expect a fight- and he said, "Oh, it's you, Sasuke. Why aren't you at the festival?"

Sasuke shrugged and said, "They aren't my thing. What about you?"

Naruto turned his face to the ground, "Well, I don't really like crowds too much…" His voiced trailed off.

Sasuke knew that Naruto meant the crowds didn't like him. Sasuke had seen the looks Naruto received daily here. Those icy cold stares. Though Sasuke was unsure why people reacted this way to Naruto. Sure he could be brash and annoying, but the hateful glares seemed a bit too much.

Naruto's face cleared and he smiled brightly at Sasuke. "But I can see the fireworks from here and that's all I really care about anyway. They should be starting pretty soon."

Sasuke looked up and saw that the sky was getting darker, moment by moment and he had to agree. They should be starting any minute now.

He turned and started to walk down the other side of the hill in the direction of his house when Naruto said, "Aren't you going to stay and watch them here?"

"I hate fireworks," Sasuke shot over his shoulder, and he kept walking.

"Ohhh…" Naruto replied, "You're afraid of them?"

Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks, bristling as he said in a voice so low Naruto could barely make out, "What did you say?"

"It's okay. I had a cat who was afraid of fireworks, Thunder and lightning too."

Sasuke turned around completely to send him a biting look. "You are comparing me to a cat?" He stalked over and sat himself down beside Naruto.

Naruto grinned internally. Sasuke was rather easy to manipulate when it came down to it. "If you aren't afraid of them, what's the problem?"

"Fireworks are bright, loud and annoying," he said shortly.

"I think they're bright and noisy and brilliant," Naruto countered.

"Hn."

They didn't speak again, they just sat in relatively comfortable silence until the fireworks began. And as Sasuke watched them he was reminded strongly, again, of Naruto. When fireworks went off, it didn't matter what you were doing, you stopped to watch them. Just like Naruto. They were colourful, powerful and dangerous. All so similar.

"Bright, noisy and brilliant… Like you…" Sasuke said under his breath.

"What was that?" Naruto shouted. "I couldn't hear you over the noise!"

Sasuke shook his head and Naruto shrugged, turning his head back to the sky.

Sasuke instead turned his face to Naruto. The similarities were undeniable, but Sasuke would much rather look at the bright light at his side than the ones in the sky.

He leaned back on his hands and studied Naruto's dazzling smile and shining eyes and Sasuke could block out the noise. Block out the annoying flashes of light that hurt his eyes.

And he was content.

:3:3:3

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment, if you like. I appreciate them very much.

The art that goes with this fic can be found at my DA account, link in my profile.

I do not remember what I called it, but you can't miss it. It's the only picture with fireworks in it. x3