I'm Here For You
by: Kakashi-Loving-Anime-Freak
&
TheAuthoressAnonymous
AN (TheAuthoressAnonymous): I'm very sick. My head and lowerback hurt a lot. (And my knee, but that's not because I'm sick. It always hurts.) And I feel like I'm dying.. But I'm supposed to get this to Kakashi-Loving-Anime-Freak by the end of today.. and so I drag my sick, sneezing, lazy ass out of bed to write this... Because my "loving" sister has no mercy. Enjoy.
(Although I know I shouldn't be complaining. KakashiLovingAnimeFreak somehow found time to write this oneshot, write the final chapter of Whatever Happens, nearly finish the first chapter of The Demon in Me, and watch all 3 seasons of Dexter within the past week. No lie. Sometimes, I don't think my sister is human.)
Naruto
Konoha Middle School
First Year
February 4th
8:33AM
This is the best day of my entire life!
I all but skipped up to my best friend, who was standing at our usual spot. He stood with his hands shoved into his pockets, his eyes a thousand miles away, deep in thought. Same as always. But not for long! Something amazing just happened and I couldn't wait to let him know the great news!
"Sasuke!"
At the sound of his name, my best friend turned to face me. Wanting to surprise him, I tried to drop the goofy smile on my face, but it was no use. I can't believe she said yes!
"Hey," he said. "What happened?"
Although I knew that Sasuke would see through it, I tried to play dumb. Sasuke knew me better than even I knew myself. "Why do you think something happened?" I asked, feigning innocence.
"Whenever you smile like that something good has happened," he said matter-of-factly. "Tell me what happened."
"Okay!" I exclaimed, earning a small laugh from Sasuke. I couldn't help it! I was just too happy! "You know that I like Sakura-chan."
As soon as her name escaped my mouth, his smile dropped. I knew he didn't like her much but sheesh! Couldn't he show a little support for his best friend?
"Yes," he growled through his teeth.
"Sasuke, don't be like that!"
I watched as he took in a deep breath, exhaling it loudly. "Fine."
"Okay," it was my turn to take a deep breath as I prepared myself to let him know the great news. "I asked her out and she said yes!" I couldn't help myself, yet again, as I began jumping up and down, as though the action would somehow make the news greater.
"What?!"
Huh? Why did he sound angry? The excitement came to a sudden halt, as did my jumping. "What?" That didn't sound like he was happy at all... I mean, I've been crushing on Sakura for a really long time.
"You can't go out with her!"
What? What did he mean? I knew he strongly disliked Sakura. Maybe even hated her. But he knew how much I liked her. He wouldn't let that get in the way of our friendship. Right? "Why not?"
"Because you can't!"
"Why can't you just be happy for me?!" I snapped at him. Weren't we best friends? Wasn't he supposed to support me? Be there for me? "The person I really like said yes that she'd go out with me! Why can't you just be there for me?! You're my best friend!" He wasn't behaving like a friend at all. "Or at least I thought you were."
"Naruto," he started.
"No! I don't want to hear it! If you can't be happy for me, then- then we're not friends anymore," I said before turning on my heel and leaving.
"Dobe!" He yelled and I could hear the raw anger behind it.
"Teme!" I yelled back, momentarily turning to face him to make sure the insult reached his ears.
That damn bastard.
-
Konoha High School
Third Year
Class 3-B
December 9th
3:15PM
Wait... 3:15?! I looked down at my nearly blank paper. Damn. School's going to end soon and I've barely started this essay on recycling. I quickly glanced at Sasuke, who was seated beside me due to the alphabetically seating arrangement. He was leaning back in his chair, his completed and neatly written essay lying innocently on his desk before him.
Why weren't we friends anymore? Oh... Right. Sakura... He was right about her, though. She dumped my ass a week into the relationship. Whatever. It may have been a big deal back then, but I soon came to realize that she wasn't worth it. And she especially wasn't worth Sasuke's friendship. It wasn't rare that I looked back on my middle school days and missed the Uchiha. But I still don't understand why he couldn't have just been there for me.
There's no time to think about that right now, I reminded myself mentally as I grasped my pencil tightly and concentrated on bullshitting my way through four more paragraphs.
I was half-way done with the last paragraph when the teacher told us to pass our papers on. I quickly jotted down a closing sentence, even though I knew it sounded abrupt, and passed my paper forward. At least I finished it.
Sighing with relief, I tuned into my teacher's speech as I heard my name being called. "Naruto and Sasuke, you two have cleaning duty today." I barely noticed everyone stampeding out of the room.
Cleaning duty. Alone. With Sasuke. I looked over at the raven, memories of the fight all those years ago suddenly coming to the front of my mind.
"Shall we start?" His eyes met mine and I lost my breath. "All we have to do is clean the chalk board, white board, straighten the desks, and take out the garbage."
"Fine." It was too much to handle. I had to get out of here. "I'll clean the boards while you straighten the desks," I quickly spit out as I stood from my seat. "I'll go get a wet napkin." I ran out of the room before Sasuke had the chance to respond. I may have left Sasuke back in the classroom, but he was all I could think about on my way to the restroom.
We used to be so close. It was like we were the definition of best friends. We probably would have been voted Joined-at-the-Hip that year, had it not been for that argument. He even let me sleep over for an entire week when Jiraiya and I got into a really bad fight. It was one of the best weeks of my life. I thought we really got to know each other during that time.
So why did it end so suddenly? Why did we fall apart like this?
The question repeated itself in my mind as I returned to the classroom, damp napkin in hand, and began cleaning the boards.
"Sasuke," I started. "Why did we-" Ugh. What am I saying? "Never mind."
No. I have to ask him. "Why did you- No." I can't ask him. "Never mind."
The question danced around in my head as we quietly continued our cleaning duties until I finished. I looked over at Sasuke, who was also finished and standing towards the back of the room with a blank expression. I cleared my throat to get his attention.
"I finished," I stated awkwardly when he looked over at me.
"Right. Me, too," he said as he grabbed the trash. We stood in silence, uneasily staring at each other for a while.
"Well," he started, breaking the silent spell. "This is all that's left to do."
"Right." I slung my messenger bag across my shoulder and headed out the door with Sasuke.
Why did this happen? Why didn't he support me back in middle school? Why wasn't he there for me? I walked beside Sasuke all the way to the giant dumpster, bitting into my lip.
"Naruto," I looked up at him. "If there is something you want to say then say it," he said, turning to face me after tossing the trash bag into the blue dumpster.
I couldn't ask him, could I? "I have nothing to say," I lied.
"Don't lie, Naruto." I was always a terrible liar. "Just say it."
"Fine! I wanted to know why this happened."
Confusion spread across his face. "Why we both got stuck with cleaning duty?"
And he calls me an idiot. "No! Why were you such a jackass in middle school?" Okay. That didn't come out too nice. "If you supported me... we might have still been friends!"
The confusion disappeared and an angry expression settled in. "Naruto, did you ever think that maybe I had a reason not to support you going out with Sakura?" He yelled. "Which, by the way, she dumped you a week after!"
"Shut up!" That was a low blow! Ugh! What a spiteful bastard! We were best friends! That's enough reason to disregard any hate towards the girl I chose to go out with, wasn't it? "I thought we were friends back then."
"We were friends back then."
"Then you should have said something different then what you said!"
"What should I have said, Naruto?"
Is he seriously asking me that?! "You should have said 'I'm here for you.' You should have said 'go date the one you love, Naruto.'" Because that's what friends do, I added in my head. They support one another!
"I can't say that!" He yelled.
"Why not?! It's simple!"
"No, it's not!" His voice seemed to get even louder. "You want to know why?! It's because I loved you!"
...
What?
"And I still do," he continued. "I love you so much! I tried to get you to stop looking at Sakura and look at me but it never worked! It never fucking worked!" He turned to kick the dumpster, probably leaving a dent, before looking at me. I stared back at him, wide-eyed.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Because I have no idea what to say, I thought. What do you say when someone who used to be your best friend confessed his love to you?
I opened my mouth, but I couldn't get any words out. My mind couldn't get a grasp around what he just confessed. I could only stand there, staring at him with wide eyes, completely flabbergasted.
His eyes slowly mirrored mine, his words probably sinking into his mind. "I- I got to go," he quickly said before running away, leaving me alone beside a smelly dumpster.
He said he loves me, I thought to myself, too confused to even move. He said he still does...
I slowly turned and began my walk home.
That's why he hated Sakura. That's why he didn't support our relationship. That's why he wasn't there for me... Because he loves me.
Entering my house, I kicked off my shoes and dropped my school bag on the floor in the entrance way.
It all made sense now. Sasuke loves me...
But I don't feel the same way, I thought as I ignored a worried Jiraiya, making my way up the stairs and into my room in a daze...
Then why is my heart beating so fast?
-
Konoha High School
Third Year
Class 3-B
March 24th
3:26PM
I glanced over at Sasuke for the umpteenth time within the last hour, but he was glaring intensely at the chalkboard. I've been trying to talk to him, but he always finds a way to dodge me... I hope his feelings haven't changed, I thought with a sigh. Especially since I just recently found out about mine.
Yeah. It figures it'd take an idiot like me this long to realize he's in love with his best friend. Now if only I could corner him before he hauls ass out of class again!
"Class, there is only one minute left," our teacher interrupted my thoughts. "Today for cleaning duty will be Sasuke and Naruto. Please kids, do your homework." Yes! That's exactly what I needed. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll be sure to do my homework! Thank you!
The bells rang through the classroom and everyone rushed towards the door. "Have a nice day," the teacher called to them as she too packed up and took her leave.
I looked over at Sasuke, my heart pounding in my chest. He was still avoiding my eyes, staring blankly at his desk as he stood up. "Let's get-"
"Sasuke," I interrupted. I wasn't going to let him start talking about cleaning. Not when I finally have the chance to confess. "I need to tell you something."
His onyx eyes finally met mine and I nearly lost my voice again. "What?"
"I've been thinking about it for months," I started. "Thinking about what happened last time during cleaning duty. And," I stopped, embarrassed about what I was about to say. I struggled to find my voice again as his eyes bore into mine. "I-I finally realized something. I feel like an idiot for not noticing it earlier. I-"
"Naruto-"
"Let me finish," I interrupted again. I've been trying for weeks to corner him and now that I have the chance I'm not going to let it slip! "Sasuke, I love you," I blurted out. His eyes widened in shock, but I continued nonetheless. He needed to hear this, deserved to hear this. "I should have realized after we stopped being friends. After what happened all I did was talk about you. That's why Sakura broke up with me. I wasn't even sad when she broke up with me and now I know why. It's because I love you."
It was quiet for a while. He just stared at me in a daze as I shifted my weight. It was beginning to make me nervous when his face broke into a smile that made my stomach flip. His pale hand softly grabbed my chin and he leaned in to give me a feather-light kiss.
"You know what this means, Naruto."
Nope. And I think I might be too dazed from the kiss to even care. "What?" I asked aloud.
"You're mine and only mine now."
I felt the heat rise to my face, tinting my cheeks. "Stop saying weird things," I said, throwing him a smile. "We have a lot of cleaning to do."
"Don't worry," he reassured me, leaning in for another kiss. "I'm here for you."
"Yeah," I whispered as his lips met mine.
Or maybe I'll be too busy to do that homework assignment.
