I found this on my computer and I wrote it months ago.
This story was inspired by the So You Think You Can Dance Mad World dance done by Billy and Adechike. Watch the dance if you can, it's beautiful.
I own nothing
Sasuke had walked the same road every day of his life. When he was little, his brother would hold his hand and walk it with him, but as he grew older, Sasuke began to make the trip alone.
Some days, as the young Uchiha made his way home, Sasuke would pause. He always seemed to stop at the same place, an old bridge that marked the boundaries of the two parts of town. The Uchiha manor was in the classy, rich part where plush gardens and sparkling fountains that surrounded large houses full of neatly dressed people was the only world Sasuke had ever known.
It was only when he walked across the bridge did he get a taste of what that other side might be like.
When Itachi had walked with him, Sasuke had been hurried across. The elder boy didn't want his baby brother seeing the darker parts of their world, but when alone, Sasuke wasn't as hasty.
When Sasuke walked alone, he would pause and watch the people on the other side of the bridge. He would study the ragged children, boys his age, clambering through the muck to find scraps to eat. They were starving, cold, and uneducated, but Sasuke never felt superior to them. In those brief moments he watched, the youngest Uchiha would feel a strange longing in his chest.
The boys that dug through the filth were never alone. They were always together, forming families and bonds that Sasuke could never relate to.
In his own home, Sasuke never felt that warmth. His father's business kept the head of the house stern and commanding. He never had time to play around with either of his sons, and never wanted to. Sasuke's mother was a quiet woman. She kept her head down and stayed in her place as the obedient housewife. There was no joy in the great Uchiha manor.
So Sasuke watched the boys at play. He stared as they competed at everything, each one striving to defeat the others and be the best.
There was one boy that seemed to shine above the others.
His blond hair would stick out in puffs, making it obvious the boy had never seen a comb. He was always shaking it off of his face so they wouldn't cover his clear, brilliant blue eyes. It was his eyes that caught Sasuke's attention. Even if the others were smiling and happy, Sasuke could still see bits of pain in their eyes. It was the only part of them that betrayed how much their life really hurt.
The blond boy, though, his eyes were always shining. Even in the face of challenging obstacles, Sasuke could see him grin with the excitement of overcoming it. Sasuke knew right then, that boy with the blue eyes was a survivor.
Sasuke was twelve years old when he first spoke to the boy.
"Hey, we're a man short. You ever kicked a ball before?"
The next thing sasuke knew, he was dropping his school bag and taking off his shirt. The blond was captain for the skins, and seeing the Uchiha's speed, put Sasuke up front to score goals.
"It's exactly like the soccer you rich boys play at school, except we have no fouls. If it's not bleeding, quit whining. Stay up front and score. If someone tries to get in your way, put your butt into them and go!"
While Sasuke stayed at the top near the other team's goal, the blond boy controlled the back with his loud calls and keen eye. Every word he yelled was immediately reacted to by the rest of the team. Their sold defense worked like clockwork, shutting down attacks and clearing up to the front. By the end of the game, their team had won four to nothing.
"Not bad, kid. My names Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki."
"Sasuke Uchiha."
Naruto nodded once in recognition of the name, but made no further comment.
"The boys and I are gonna' go see if we can get some victory ramen. You're welcome to join us."
Sasuke agreed, not even thinking about what his family might think at his unexplained absence. Naruto grabbed the ball and led the boys to one of the smallest shops Sasuke had ever seen.
"Heeeeeeey old man!" Naruto called, "You have any food for the reigning champs?"
His call was answered by an elderly man who opened the door to usher the boys inside. He ladled out a small bowl of ramen to each boy as the excitedly explained the specifics of their last win. As they ate, the boys joked and poked fun at one another. No one said anything about Sasuke being there. It was like he was already one of them.
"Those South-side guys are gonna be sore for weeks! They'll think twice before challenging us," a doggish boy named Kiba said proudly. There was a toast of agreement.
"You know, some of the up-river boys have been acting all tough lately. It's troublesome, but we should probably put them in their place," a boy pineapple shaped hair named Shikamaru added lazily.
Everyone looked to Naruto, who had been in the middle of joke with a red-head named Gaara.
The blond thought for a minute, then giving a goofy grin exclaimed, "Well I guess we should."
Everyone cheered their excitement, including Sasuke. One by one, the boys began to leave. They would dig into their pockets, pull out some change, and leave it on the table for the old cook to collect. Finally, it was down to just Naruto and Sasuke.
"How much does it cost?" Sasuke asked, digging into his school-bag.
The man gave him a startled look, and then glanced at Naruto.
"He's from the other side," Naruto said with a laugh, as he got up to collect all the bowls and take them into the kitchen.
"How'd you get lost in this neighborhood?" the man asked with a friendly smile.
"I was walking across the bridge and stopped to watch the game. Naruto said they were a man short, so asked if I could fill in," Sasuke explained, still trying to find his wallet.
"Well you're lucky you ran into Naruto and not some other gang. There are boys around here who'd much rather beat a rich boy than play with him."
"But not Naruto?" Sasuke asked.
The old man smiled, casting a proud glance at the kitchen door. "Not that boy. He's been coming here since he could walk. His group is probably one of the only gang's in the neighborhood that doesn't get in fights. The only bruising they do is play soccer, and their good at it, too. Each one of those boys used to be trouble makers, but when Naruto got to them, things changed."
"They seemed pretty calm to me," Sasuke shrugged, not really believing one person could get a whole team of delinquents to change.
"You know the boy with the red hair and tattoo?"
Sasuke nodded.
"He was a shoe-in for prison when he grew up. Never talked to anyone, always getting into the bloodiest fights with either him or his opponent nearly dead; it was bad. When he met Naruto, he became calmer. He puts his anger into soccer instead of into fights. Both he and his older brother Kankuro have joined up."
Finally, sasuke had found his wallet and was laying out ten dollars.
"No," the man protested. "It's not that much."
"Then how much? Everyone else paid."
"I wouldn't charge those boys a thing if it didn't hurt their pride so much, or completely kill my business. Those boys pay what they have, nothing more."
"Well I have pride, too," sasuke said bluntly. "And right now I have ten dollars, so take it. Let it help pay for however much the others are in debt for."
The man gave a crinkled smile and calmly took the money. "I'll take it for you pride, but there is no debt for the others. Naruto comes in here every day to help me clean and cook. He more than pays their meals."
Sasuke watched through a small window as Naruto cheerily washed the dishes and pans that made their meal. When he finished that, he quickly put all the utensils away and stored leftover ingredients.
When he was finally finished with scrubbing the kitchen, he came back out.
"I'll walk you to the bridge," he said in a way that left no room for argument.
As they made their way through the dark allies, Sasuke could see people watching them. Some were teens, and they looked like they wanted nothing more than to pick Sasuke clean, but one look at Naruto and they stopped in their tracks. Whoever Naruto was, he wasn't to be messed with.
While walking, the two boys talked. Naruto explained how his father had taught him to play soccer before he died and his dream to one day wear a real soccer uniform and play in front of thousands of people cheering his name. In return, Sasuke described his family. He told Naruto about his father's obsession with his children being perfect and how Itachi was impossible to live up to. As he talked, Naruto listened, and for a brief moment Sasuke felt a bit of that warmth he had seen in the other boys.
When they arrived at the bridge, Sasuke felt something surprising. He didn't want to cross it. It felt like the minute he stepped over that cobbled stone, he would be leaving something behind, something precious that he would never get back.
But Sasuke did cross it, and he made his way back to the bright lights and fancy cars of the uptown. He looked back and saw Naruto, smiling and waving like an idiot.
Sasuke was questioned when he got home, but the boy paid no heed to his mother's concerns. Instead his mind was relaying his time with the boys, and especially his time with Naruto. Sasuke hadn't talked to anyone like that, not even his brother. He wanted to do it again.
The next day, Sasuke once again stopped at the bridge, and the boys greeted him enthusiastically. Sasuke had been officially accepted by Naruto, thus he was welcome by the rest. They practiced soccer, swam in the old river that ran through town, and just wandered around town. Every game they played was full of excitement, and everything was a competition. Used to winning, Sasuke found it strange, yet fun, that he was being forced to put all his effort into competing for first with the blond. Sometimes Sasuke won, sometimes Naruto did, but in the end everyone always fell to the ground heaving for breath from exhaustion and laughter.
Sasuke wanted it to never end.
Every evening, Naruto insisted on walking Sasuke back to the bridge. The Uchiha never asked about his friend's family or if they were concerned about his not coming home. Naruto's world was his own, and Sasuke knew better than to intrude.
As they walked, they talked. Usually it was about stupid stuff like the next match or Sasuke's school, but as the summer came to an end, Naruto took a different choice in topic.
"What's it like over there, Sasuke?"
Sasuke was taken aback by the question. They hardly ever spoke of him being from the other side, and when they did it was with light teasing, but this time it was different. Naruto's voice was filled with something like longing.
"It's not all the great," Sasuke replied with a shrug. "Everyone is always dressing way to fancy, playing in a way that could get you dirty is discouraged, and the driveways are so long that you're out of breath before you get to the house!"
"It must be nice, having a place to go every night with a family waiting."
Naruto said it so quietly that Sasuke was sure he hadn't meant to be overheard.
"Yeah, my bed is nice," Sasuke agreed, then added, "but I wouldn't say my family waits for me every night. To them, if you're not the perfect Uchiha, you're worthless."
"You're not worthless Sasuke. You'll go far in life."
That was the first time anyone had said that to Sasuke, and he felt a tingle of gladness inside. Maybe perfection wasn't the answer.
When they got to the bridge, Sasuke was shocked to see his father standing there, making sure his freshly shined shoes didn't cross the line of stone.
"Sasuke, come."
Regretfully, Sasuke made his way towards his father, glancing back at Naruto to see his friend's blue eyes staring sadly back.
"Goodbye."
Nothing else was said between the boys for a very long time.
10 Years Later
Sasuke closed his brief case impatiently. It had been a long day with almost everything going wrong. His good for nothing secretaries were completely incompetent, so Sasuke had no choice but to stay three hours after hours ended less his business fall to ruin.
It had been four years since Sasuke had decided to forgo his place in the family business and start something completely new. Sasuke knew that if he had stayed, he would always remain in the shadow of his brother and father, but on starting fresh gave him the chance to be his own man. He had more than proved he wasn't as worthless as his father believed.
Making sure that all his office was securely locked, Sasuke left the building and made his way into the dark streets. It was nearly midnight and the cooler air of autumn weighed down on him. Pulling his jacket closer, Sasuke hurried on.
"Hey pretty boy, that's a nice suit you're wearing."
Sasuke spun around to see a man in a sleazy overcoat and ragged pants totter to him. The reek or alcohol covered his breath, and Sasuke shuddered at the stench.
"How about a couple dollars for an old friend?" the man purred, slowly making his way closer.
Sasuke was about to turn and sprint, but then he noticed what was in the man's hand, a knife. If he had run then, the youngest Uchiha would have probably been safe, but the hesitation was all the time needed. Two more men came out of an alley on Sasuke's other side. They made their way closer to the man, blocking the only escape he could have.
Sasuke was fast; he was strong, but he wouldn't be able to throw off three grown men, drunk as they may be, with each carrying a weapon.
Basically, Sasuke was cornered, and he had nowhere to go.
"Get off him, you mutts!"
The three immediately stiffened. The two behind him looked to the first drunk, who motioned for them all to scram. Within seconds, the attackers were gone and Sasuke was left alone in the alley with the newcomer.
Giving his rescuer a long, measured look, Sasuke came to a simple conclusion. This man only scared the others off so he could take the money himself.
His face was still in the shadows, but Sasuke could see a hideously orange hat covering his head. He had a baggy sweatshirt, ripped jeans, and the sneakers. The sneakers were so worn that his big toe stuck out of one. A ragged duffle was swung over his shoulder. This man was just as bad off as the others.
"You'll want to get to the other side of town. Keep dawdling and nothing will keep guys like that from jumping you."
The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but Sasuke couldn't place it, so he gave up.
"Listen, I got about $200 on me, take that and let's be done with it."
Sasuke was annoyed and done with fighting. If this guy wanted to put up a fight, that was fine, Sasuke could take him, but he was tired so he would offer the guy an easy way out.
To his surprise, the man charged towards him, grabbed his shirt by the front and roughly shoved him.
"I'm not here for any fucking charity!" he spat, "Get your rich ass over that bridge and…"
But he never finished. Suddenly, the man froze, his hand still tangled in Sasuke's once perfectly pressed shirt.
"Sasuke…"
For a moment Sasuke wanted to demand how such a vagrant could know his name, but then he saw it. The blue eyes hadn't dimmed in the years, but the skin around them had gotten paler and thin. Although taller and more muscles, the person currently next to him was Naruto Uzumaki.
"Naruto."
The word of recognition was all that was needed. Naruto wasted no time in releasing his old friend and quickly reclaiming him for a quick hug.
"You sure made a name for yourself, Sasuke."
It was like no time had passed. The men made their way to a downtown bar, ordered a couple drinks, and began a quick and eager discussion.
Sasuke told the blond, who had removed his hat to allow his even longer spikes to stick out everywhere, how he had joined the soccer team in high school, and, thanks to Naruto's couching, became the star player for his school. After he graduated, Sasuke had left the field to start his own company that was currently sky-rocketing.
"Told you you'd go far!" Naruto cheered, slapping the Uchiha on the back before taking a swig of his drink.
"How are the guys?" Sasuke asked eagerly.
Naruto quickly launched into detailed descriptions of each of their old friends' lives.
Shikamaru had been found by an Ivy League school when he scored the highest in history for his tests and was currently working as an engineer in some giant company and raking in the money. He was the only major success story, but the most of the others had improved their lot.
Gaara and Kankuro had found a house in a decent neighborhood with their sister, who was engaged to Shikamaru. With their future brother-in-laws backing, they were trying to start a shop of their own. Shino had a job at a hotel, and Lee did part time at a local hairdresser.
But the most surprising of them all was Kiba. Somehow the boy had made it through college on scholarship and would soon be opening his own veterinarian clinic.
"You know, a lot of people didn't think Kiba would ever do much," Naruto had explained, "Even I had my doubts. See these scars on my cheeks? Kiba got himself into a scrape with the boys down the road, meaning I had to go save his sorry ass. Those guys don't mess around. Luckily Gaara knew the boss, so he called them off before they could do more. But in the end, he straightened out."
Although they had been talking for nearly two hours, Sasuke noticed Naruto hadn't said a work about himself.
There was only one question that Sasuke could think of to bring up Naruto's life without sounding nosy.
"You still playing soccer?"
The question was a casual one, but Naruto's face lit up like the fourth of July.
"Oh yeah, when I have time I'm always kicking the ball around, but times are tough, you know?"
With a few more gently nudges, Sasuke learned about the life of Naruto Uzumaki after that summer.
Naruto had been living in an apartment for the last couple years. He was all set to go to college on scholarship, but had turned it down last minute.
One of his friends, Sakura Hurano, had gotten knocked up by some guy who wanted nothing to do with the kid or her. Feeling alone and confused, she had turned to her closest friend for help. As chivalrous as ever, Naruto had decided to stay and help support her and the baby, ending his dreams of playing on the in the big stadium.
Sakura had also been offered a full ride, due to her brains, and at Naruto's encouragement she took it. The plan was she would get the degree, and then come back to find a job that could support them, but plans change. The pink-haired girl had never returned to the slums where she came from. Instead, she lived her life with people who found her equal to them, and Sakura didn't want to go back.
Alone and with a little boy, Naruto did odd jobs around the area. Usually, he was the extra muscle at a construction site, but in winter outdoor work slowed down, thus so did Naruto.
"So you're a daddy?" Sasuke asked in surprise.
"In almost every sense of the word," Naruto replied with a grin. "He's a good kid. Name's Roji. He's the smartest little bugger and can work magic with a soccer ball."
For a moment Naruto sat lost in thought, fondly recalling the boy he had learned to call his own. Snapping out of the day dream, Naruto slammed down a couple bucks.
"Drinks on me, rich boy; let's see if you still got it."
With that, he made his way out of the bar and motioned for Sasuke to follow. The sun was just coming up as they made their way to an old field, much the same as the one they had played on all those summers ago.
Without a word, Naruto pulled out a soccer ball from his bag and punted it towards Sasuke. Suddenly they were playing again, just like old times. They were barefoot, bare chest, and breathing hard. Sasuke hadn't felt such exhilaration in years, and he never wanted to stop.
Naruto was as good as he remembered, if not better. During a break, Sasuke watched his friend stand in the middle of the field, his face up to the sky as he loosely held the ball under his arm. A small, delicate small, so unlike his normal goofy grin, stretched out on his scared face. Sasuke had never seen someone look so completely happy.
"I'll miss this," he mumbled, face still staring into the rising sun.
Sasuke would, too. He knew he couldn't stay and play soccer forever. Soon he'd have to go home, shower, and maybe get in a quick nap before heading back to work. That was his life, and as bad as it was, he didn't feel nearly as depressed as usual.
He stared at Naruto. The blonde had the world against him, but his face could still smile with such joy.
All too soon, reality came, and both men were forced to acknowledge it. With a sigh, Sasuke stood. He didn't face Naruto, he couldn't. If the world was a simple place, the Uchiha might have been able to give the blonde a couple bucks to make the nagging guilt in his chest recede, but the world was not perfect. Naruto would never take his money. His pride would not let him, so all Sasuke could do was walk away.
And walk away he did. Each step seemed to take him farther, not just from the field, but from the memories of who he once was. A young boy, carefree of the worldly struggles, so sure that money and power had nothing to do with who ran the fastest, who was the strongest, was slowly disappearing behind him. Years of life taught him different.
A line was drawn. Sasuke had crossed it twice now, but it was time to go back to his side.
It was time for him to return his world.
Ok so I'm considering writing a sequel to this. It will have a lot more focus on both boy's new life and Roji will play a main character. Don't know if it will be yaoi or just friendship. If you're interested in a sequel let me know.
Peace out