Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Sasuke or the world in which they live in.

Sasuke was sitting on a log with his head in his hands when Naruto walked up to the log and sat next him. "Are you hungry?" Naruto asked. Sasuke shook his

head, staring intently at a crawling ant in the dirt. "Are you tired?" asked Naruto, mocking Sasuke's position, and facing him. He shook his head again, only

slower this time. "What's wrong?" Naruto asked, noticing his friend's peculiar detachment. Sasuke continued watching the bug, wordlessly. "Hello?" Sasuke

finally lifted his eyes off the ground to look at Naruto.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke said at last. "I mean, you don't really care. I know you don't." Sasuke's remark confused Naruto.

"Why would I ask you if I didn't care? Tell me what your problem is." Sasuke now allowed his neck to support his head on its own.

"Why do you wanna know my business? You're always so persistent." Naruto scowled.

"Fine if you don't wanna tell me, then don't. I don't need to know." Naruto said, about to leave.

"See? You really don't care. You lied." Naruto frowned.

"I didn't lie. I did care, but when you start acting like the world hates you, it feels meaningless trying to help you." Naruto said, crossly. Sasuke closed his eyes

and lowered his head. After a short pause, he said "Sorry." Naruto raised his eyebrows, confused again.

"I know you're just trying to help me, but I just keep pushing you away."

"You finally realized?" Naruto said. "So, are you gonna tell me?"

"No." Naruto scowled again, frustrated.

"Why not?!"

"It's nothing you can help me with, anyway."

"So? It's better to tell someone rather than keeping everything to yourself." Naruto encouraged.

Sasuke kept his eyes focused on the ground. "Can you stop worrying so much about me?" he asked. Naruto was startled by the question.

"No. You're my friend, and I'm tired of you being so… aloof."

Sasuke looked up at Naruto. "Why are you my friend? I've never done anything to suggest I wanna be friends with you.

"Eh…" Naruto started.

"Never mind. That's just the way you are" Sasuke stated.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked, nearly raising his voice.

"Forget it." Sasuke said as he stood up. Naruto followed.

"Whatever. All I've done was try to help." Naruto said.

"Are you really my friend?" Sasuke asked.

"Huh? Of course. I said so, didn't I?" he confirmed. Sasuke pulled Naruto into an unexpected hug. Naruto was about to pull away, but decided to quickly hug

Sasuke back instead. "You got problems, Sasuke." Naruto said.

"And you're here to help me get through them." Sasuke said, almost smirking now.

"We'll see about that." Naruto replied.