"Hey," a familiar voice sounded. A blond boy looked up from the dry ground underneath his feet to gaze into glassy, obsidian eyes.
"What do you want?" The cerulean eyed boy growled, clearly annoyed by the egotistical child speaking to him.
"What's your name?" For the first time the young blond looked up to the raven-haired child. He took in his duck-butt hairstyle and his angular features. The raven haired boy wore a black T-shirt and a pair of white shorts underneath.
"N-naruto," The blond stuttered, bewildered that this seemingly popular boy was talking to him when no one else even dared to approach him. The raven haired boy smiled and held out a pale hand. Naruto took it hesitantly, eyeing the boy's hand to make sure he was not playing some kind of practical joke on him.
"I'm Sasuke!" The raven chirped, happy to meet a boy his age that wasn't absolutely drooling over him or wanting to punch the crap out of him.
Naruto's eyes sparkled with curiosity at the boys cheerfulness around him. Sasuke walked over to the other swing to the left of Naruto's, he sat down after rubbing off the beige colored dust.
The blond was fascinated with Sasuke as he gleefully pumped his legs back and forth, propelling himself into the air with each kick back.
"Have ya' ever jumped off of a swing before?" Sasuke asked as he flew into the air. He landed lightly on the gravel before turning to look up at the surprised blond. "It sure is fun!"
Naruto shook his head no, not yet comfortable around the boy. He then began swinging into the air as Sasuke had done just minutes before him. When he was high enough to touch the sun with his feet, he jumped, his body flailing in the moist air as he hit the fine sediment below him with a soft thud.
"Fun huh?" Sasuke asked eagerly awaiting the blonde's input. Naruto again shook his head yes while walking over to Sasuke and standing right beside him.
Sasuke grabbed Naruto's wrist and ran off towards the other kids, dragging Naruto with him. Naruto resisted, not wanting to go near the judgemental children that were still at the playground.
"What's wrong, am I hurting you?" Sasuke inquired, concerned. A cloud of dirt rose up behind Naruto, obscuring the ruts left behind by Naruto's resisting feet.
"No, your not hurting me," Naruto muttered, barely audible, but Sasuke heard him.
"Then what's wrong?" The raven kept holding onto Naruto's tanned wrist as he took a step closer, taking the blonde's other hand and placing it in his own.
"T-the other kids......." Naruto began, kicking at the loose dirt.
"What about them?" Sasuke demanded, his voice tensing as he saw a hint of hurt in his new friend's dull eyes.
"They don't really like me......" The blue eyed boy concluded, looking into obsidian eyes as he finished.
"Well I like you," said raven proclaimed as he took another step closer to the shy boy. Naruto nodded, his eyes brightening at the statement.
"Sasuke! Sasuke!" Called a voice.
"Oh, it's time for me to go home," Sasuke frowned as he looked at the setting sun, then to the stone steps were the voice had been carried from.
A tall figure came into view, he wore a black, forearm sleeve length shirt with a white vest over top; the raven also had on black sweats. He had white arm guards and a katana strapped to his back. The man had a long, black hair that was tied up at the nape of his neck.
"Do you want to come with?" Sasuke suggested, looking into Naruto's eyes as he nodded his head towards the approaching figure.
Naruto shrugged indecisively, unsure of the boy in front of him.
"Please," the raven pleaded with the nervous boy who was now looking in the direction of the hokage monument.
"What'cha looking at?" Sasuke whispered, following the blond's gaze.
"I'm gonna be Hokage someday......" Naruto announced at random as he spaced out.
"That you will," said the man who was previously looking for Sasuke as he ruffled Naruto's hair. Naruto looked up into an elder Sasuke, only this man had lines from just under his tear duct to his mid cheek.
"I'm Itachi, Sasuke's elder brother," The tall figure informed as Sasuke took his elder brother's hand, keeping his left linked with the blond's.
"Please Naruto," Sasuke begged wanting, "I don't have anyone else to play with at home....." The raven mewled softly as he gazed off into the distance. Naruto looked up to the elder who nodded his head, indicating it was fine.
"Why not?" Naruto murmured as he followed the two ravens into the quickly fading twilight.