I don't own Naruto.

Sasuke ran through the crowded street, pushing and shoving people out of the way in his haste. He had to reach him, had to make sure he was ok. If, if he wasn't...

Sasuke walked through the forest after the seventh team had returned from their last assignment. They had been escorting a few of the local merchants to the next town. They had been old friends of his clan; they had always been down to earth people as long as Sasuke had known them. They had even come to his parents' funeral to offer their condolences but had never laid the blame on anyone, not even on his brother.

As soon as they had set out he could feel the cold attitude they had around the team. They spoke pleasantly with Sakura, Master Kakashi and himself but each time their eyes fell on the small blond their eyes would harden and they would look away in disgust as if Naruto was some disgusting creature not worthy of their presence.

Strangly anough, the usually hyper boy was quiet ever since they had met the merchants. It was like he was seeing an entirely different boy. This boy was not cocky, immature and loud mouthed but quiet, unsure, like a deer before a hunter. Even his eyes were slightly different, no longer a bright purple but a dark blue, filled with sorrow and hurt each time they gave him those looks, though it was gone the second one looked twice. Sasuke did not like this boy at all. A glance at Sakura told him she had noticed as well as she kept giving Naruto worried looks. Even Kakashi seemed to be concerned with the change.

The crowd on the last street stood around talking excitedly between one another. Sasuke caught words like, 'I heard he finally did it' and 'About time the monster was out of their hair'. Something deep inside him pushed him harder to get to his location.

Toward the end of the trip things had gotten worse. One of the men had not been paying attention to where he was going and had run into Naruto. It had been his fault but he glared at the short boy in rage as he yelled, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING YOU LITTLE BASTARD!! HOW DARE A FREAK LIKE YOU TOUCH ME!!!!"

"Sir," Sakura had said in a soothing voice, "You ran into Naruto. You shouldn't blame him.

"Don't talk to me like that girl, if you knew what sort of abomination that 'thing' was you would not be taking his side."

"Menchi," Kakashi had said in a dangerous tone, silencing the rant before it continued. Sasuke glanced at Naruto and say something he had never seen on the boy before. Sadness. The pure hurt on his face was heart wrenching to see and would have made even the strongest heart weep at his feet at the sight of it. But more then that was in Naruto's eyes. They had held a deeper pain then any Sasuke had seen or felt himself in those unmasked eyes for a second before it had simply blinked out of existence, leaving only dead eyes where such lovely ones had once been.

The men remained quiet the rest of the way as did Naruto. Even as they returned the boy had said nothing and had simply walked away as soon as they returned.

The crowd seemed to be getting thicker as he got closer, everyone talking at the same time, making it impossible to understand. All he knew was his heart was trying to tell him something he was not ready to accept until he saw it with his own eyes.

On his walk though, he had heard something in a small clearing not far from where he was, a tiny and sorrowful sound. As he drew closer he saw the unmistakable bright orange clothing and bright gold hair. When he entered the clearing he finally saw the shacking of the boys shoulders. Naruto, was crying.

Why, why had they not realized how much he was hurting, Sasuke thought as he was only a staircase away from the small flat? They all say the looks almost everyone gave the boy every day. How even the children would not go near him though none of them knew why the adults said to stay away. Every hateful word that was sent to the boy that he seemed to just smile off as if it did not matter. No one could do that forever as he did.

Sasuke drew closer to the other boy, unsure of what to do. Before he could do anything Naruto turned around and looked at him. Sasuke's breath caught in his throat at the look in the youth's eyes. He had seen something close to it after his parents where murdered. Before he drew himself back with the vow to find and kill his brother. His shock lasted long enough to let the boy run off toward the town.

As he neared the top steps he caught sight of Master Kakashi speeding over the rooftops in the direction of the local hospital. He could hear someone sobbing above him as he took the last steps in on and vaulting through the open door.

Inside Master Iruka sat holding a limp figure in the center of the one room apartment. In a stupor he stepped forward not taking his eyes off of Iruka till he felt himself step on something. Under his foot was a discarded blade in a pool of deep red liquid. Finally his dark eyes landed on what the teacher was holding dearly. A small form dressed in bright colors lay motionless in the older man's arms as he held two bloody wrists tightly, trying to stop the flow. A normally smiling face was peaceful, eyes closed in a face that held a serenity that none could have in the waking world.

Sasuke heared another burst through the door and only dimly realized Sakura had come to stand next to him as she stared at their teammate. Dimmer still did he realize that she had fallen to the floor, sobbing.

For the first time in many years Uchiha Sakuke cried.

What do you think? I just felt like writing a angst fic and Naruto came to mind. I don't think it's to good, it was just a spur of the moment thing from reading too many Fruits Basket angst tonight. Leave a reveiew, kindness thanked, advise worshiped, and flames laughed at.