The river seemed so serene, yet he knew that inside, the water gushed roughly against the riverbed and the weeds stood stubbornly against its current. Naruto always felt at home here. In this clearing within the woods he found escape from reality and the trees seemed to give him the answers he wanted. That none of it existed. None of the sadness, the chaos, existed. No, they all disappeared in this piece of his world. He decided on a whim that he would live here, away from the world. He wiped a strand of his golden hair away from his blue eyes. They reflected the color of the river, blue, yet no one ever seemed to notice the anguish he felt inside. But he did not expect them to understand anyway. They would give him the same answers, the same lies. Everything he got was the same – "there's someone out there for you". No one seemed to give him the answer he craved. Naruto could hear the words playback in his head over and over again. He stood up in a rush, shattering the peace and his inner chaos. He decided. Yes, he would live here. But even then he felt the tug of doubt in his heart. The clearing was big enough for a large house and still have a large amount of space to surround its existence. He left the forest, missing the glimmer of a bead that had slipped from his bracelet.

At the edge of the forest, a dark-haired boy, his skin in stark contrast, stared into the woods, his onyx eyes searching the similar darkness for any sign of activity. He was determined to escape from the hell that was his family. No, he would be free to do his own will, no longer bound to obligations, guilt, society. He wanted nothing more than to be alone and simply satisfied. Content with his confidence that no one would find him here, he ran into the woods, searching for his chance at freedom. Not soon after, the same dark-haired boy came across the clearing. He had not expected such a luxurious place to exist here. The simplicity of nature than ran abound here. He liked, no, loved it here. Here he was free, here he was able to have his bidding and not be questioned. Here he had no obligations. He decided he would stay here, make it his permanent residence. But he had to find shelter. Looking around for the proper materials, a smile spread across his face as he realized that he had taken his first step into independence and he now had to survive on his own. He was more than happy to fulfill that. But that grin faded as he caught the glint of light lying in a patch of grass near the river. A bead, a sign of human activity. He suddenly felt anger, that someone had claimed this paradise before him. Soon that anger turned into envy as he realized that he had to continue his search.

Naruto took a step out of the forest, breathing in the air that reminded him so much of the world he hated. Yet he could not help but wonder if he would miss that smell. The nostalgia filled his mind as he realized that leaving it behind would mean quite that – everything would be gone. As he lifted his arm to wipe his tears, he realized he had dropped something, something dear to him. That bead that meant the world to him was missing. Cursing under his breath, he made a sharp turn and headed back into the forest, retracing his steps. He was worried, the forest was big – he might just lose it forever – as he pushed away the leaves, he was suddenly faced by a pair of onyx eyes staring at him. A boy, maybe a year or two older than him, stood there with an equally surprised look on his face. He opened his mouth to talk but no words formed. His eyes were fixated on his every detail, his beautiful hair that he suddenly longed to touch, to feel its softness in his hands, those eyes that seemed to give him a sense of security, his thin lips that seemed like they would ward off every insult he would face. The figure which stood so majestically atop a pile of wood and leaves, his features now emotionless, suddenly spoke in an unnaturally harsh tone.

"Who are you?" It sounded more like a demand than a question.

"I… I'm Uzumaki Naruto … who are you?" Great first impression He cursed himself.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I'd like to know why you're trespassing on my new home. Now."

His home? The words rang in Naruto's head. Confusion ran amuck and suddenly he felt insecure again. "This isn't your home, it's a forest."

"Well I'm making it my home. Get out before I hurt you."

That sentence struck him hard. "Hey, just an FYI, but I was making this my home as well!. I came here first and I just came back to find something precious I lost."

Something precious I lost. Sasuke stiffened at those words. He had lost many precious things before, he knew the pain. Suddenly he calmed his tone, "Oh… Is it by any chance this?" He held out an open palm, the sky blue bead resting neatly in the middle.

"Yea… it is. Thanks…" He walked towards the open hand, nervous and unsure of what he might do.

"Here, sorry about getting a bit aggressive… Bad week, you should understand right? Since you're here and all." He passed the bead carefully, careful not to damage it. And he was right, Naruto could relate. Suddenly a thought ran across his mind.

"Would you mind living here with me?"