A/N
I could have introduced the prologue along with this, but I wanted to give the readers the time from when they finish it to hitting the 'next chapter' button to process it. Next, we have all the rest of what I've written today. Excuse the little inconsistency I've made by not introducing Mikoto or Fugaku as such and using their names later without explanation.
I'll be editing it in a few days' time, but for now I'm just itching to post it to see what the response will be from you guys.

I've poured a part of my soul into this, and I really hope you guys like it. Enjoy!

Xxx

Beethoven's Sonata No. 6, Pathetique. It was one of Beethoven's most famous pieces. He'd gotten the sheets from his music teacher, Ms. Anko, who'd been only too happy to see him taking an interest in something from the classical period.

It wouldn't be hard for him to learn. After all, musical prowess ran in the family. His brother Itachi, was known around the world as the prodigal genius violinist, who had begun creating compositions at the age of twelve.

Sasuke sifted through the sheet music critically. He supposed the only way to start would be an attempt at sight reading. He lined up the first four sheets along the music stand, and lifted his hands to the keys. He scanned the sheet. It was in C minor, which was in itself simple enough. The time signature, too, wasn't anything to fuss over. He noticed quite a lot of worrisome technical work though, and he wondered how long it would take to master.

In his head, he counted to four, before he began to play.

Sasuke had always been good at sight reading. He could follow along with both hands, making sure he never lost the rhythm of the piece. He'd always been good at sight reading, until he played Beethoven's Pathetique. His hands hit the keys noisily. There was none of the gracefulness he knew the piece called for. The speed of the piece entirely threw him off, and he was forced to break his rhythm to slow down.

Not for the first time, he was thankful that their school was full of nerds who couldn't lift their heads from their books, much less step inside the music rooms. He was sure someone might lose their hearing should they walk in on this atrocity that he was playing, no, butchering.

At the end of the four pages, he pulled away rather abruptly, and began recollecting the pages into their folder. He knew he should return to the start, and work over the piece, but God forbid someone walk in on him playing a wreck like that. He decided he would take the music at home and try again there.

He gathered his backpack together, and quickly checked his phone. Sure enough, it was five o'clock. If he didn't head home soon, he'd be late for dinner, and his mother was quite a scary woman when she wanted to be. As he opened the door of the practice room, he was greeted by the flushed face of his music teacher.

"Ah, Sasuke! I thought I might have missed you. I was called up by the music association this morning, and they wanted to know if I had a student worth entering in the Musicality concert next month. Of course, I told them about you, but that you might not be able to make it. What do you say?"

It wasn't at all like him, but Sasuke felt a rush of excitement. He hadn't been able to perform in public for quite a few months, and the thought left him feeling a little giddy. Though, looking at his teacher, who was almost bouncing on the soles of her feet, perhaps his teacher had enough excitement for the both of them.

He smiled at her. "I'd love to participate. I'm sure I can make it, whenever it is."

Anko grinned back at him. "It's a deal then. I'll email them tonight, and get back to you with a registration form."

"Sounds good," he agreed. His phone weighed in his pocket as a reminder that he was due home very soon. "Sorry Ms. Anko. I'd love to talk more about this, but if I don't head home soon my mother will have my head." He grimaced.

Anko laughed heartily. "You be on your way then." She nodded. "I'll see you again tomorrow."

Finally, he hurried away down the corridor and checked his phone again. Nearly ten past five. He'd miss the next bus, if he wasn't careful.

Slipping out the school gates, he hurried down to the small shelter. Only moments later, the Route 18 bus rumbled down the street to the stop. Without a fuss, he stepped on the bus and swiped his card against the metallic collector.

As he walked down the aisle, his backpack bumped against one of the other passengers. Wincing he turned around to apologise.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

There was no response from the passenger. Annoyed, he opened his mouth to repeat his statement, perhaps a little more rudely, before he realised he could hear music. Loud music, coming directly from the boy's speakers.

Sliding in behind the boy, Sasuke observed him, watching as his blonde hair lightly shook in time with the music. Sasuke wondered if he wasn't already half deafened underneath those obnoxiously bright orange earphones of his.

He could make out parts of the song from his seat, even over the engine of the bus. It sounded lively… alternative perhaps. He found himself straining forward in his seat to listen. So entranced, he didn't notice the bus come to a halt, and he was flung forward in his seat. His head crashed with the back of the blonde in front of him, and he jerked backwards as quickly as his body would allow.

The blonde turned around. Sasuke was met with brilliant cerulean eyes and a bright smile. "Sorry," the blonde called. "You alright there?" he asked, laughing even as he wasn't met with a response.

Sasuke fumbled for words. "Ah, no, sorry. I mean… It's my fault. I was leaning- nevermind." He shut his mouth with a snap, and his cheeks felt hot.

"Leaning?" the boy asked intrigued.

Across from them, an old man laughed heartily. They both turned to look. He grinned toothlessly. "Yer little baby-face here was tryin' ta listen in on yer music, son." He chuckled as he got up to disembark.

Sasuke snapped his head to the side in embarrassment.

"…That true?" the boy asked.

Sasuke couldn't gauge anything from the boy's voice, and continued to stare stubbornly out the window.

He looked up as the pair of orange headphones were held out in front of him.

"Why didn't you just ask?" laughed the boy.

Sasuke raised his hand to refuse.

"It's fine." The boy cut in before Sasuke could protest. "My name's Naruto."

Sighing, Sasuke snatched the pair of headphones from Naruto's outstretched arm, mounting them swiftly on his head.

"Even if I had asked, you wouldn't have been able to hear me the way you were blasting your death music," Sasuke snapped.

Naruto frowned, as Sasuke inhaled deeply.

"I'm Sasuke."

Somehow, it was enough for Naruto. He beamed brightly at Sasuke, and switched his phone on. Leaning forward in his seat, Sasuke watched Naruto slide down a long list of songs, finally settling on one. Freedom the title read.

Reaching over the seat, Sasuke pointed to the sound, which was pushed as far right as the phone would allow. Naruto grinned sheepishly, and slid the dial to halfway, before pressing play.

Music flooded Sasuke's ears, and he listened quietly. It started of slowly, the strumming of a guitar. A voice softly hummed, and it grew louder, creating a pattern.

The first high pitched note was so soft Sasuke was sure he hadn't truly heard it. Soon enough, a violin joined the melody. No, it made the melody. His eyes closed. He'd never heard the violin being played like this. Not even his brother played the violin this way. This violin… was speaking.

The music climaxed, and drifted away again. His eyes fluttered open to meet Naruto, who was openly staring at him.

Sasuke reached up, moving the headphones from his ears and handing them back to Naruto.

Naruto took them timidly. "How did you like it?" he asked. He almost sounded nervous.

Sasuke sighed softly, and Naruto flinched away slightly. Sasuke thought maybe the bus had jolted.

"I… loved it."

Naruto's eyes snapped up, lit with something Sasuke couldn't name. Sasuke decided he needed to explain.

"I know a lot about the violin. There isn't a day in my life where I don't hear the sound of a violin. But never like that. Never anything like that. That violin… sung."

His eyes never left Naruto's. Neither wavered as they stared in silence.

Finally, Naruto broke away from his gaze. Languidly, he began to pack his headphones into his backpack. He slowly got up from his chair as the bus pulled to a stop again. He turned around to smile at Sasuke.

"I'm glad you like it, Sasuke. That violin…" he paused. "I wrote that song; I played that violin."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he felt so light he could swear he was dead.

"What…"

He watched as Naruto turned without another word and got off the bus.

He only realised he'd been smiling when his mother asked him at the dinner table what had made him so happy.

Xxx

"So, Sasuke," his mother began. She scooped out another spoonful of mashed potato onto her plate. "How's your music coming long?"

Sasuke looked up. He'd been dreading this. They didn't ask about his playing often nowadays, but whenever they did he could sense their disappointment at his lack of achievement. He did have something, now, he suddenly realised.

"My music teacher has offered me a spot to play in the Musicality concert next month," he offered after swallowing a piece of chewed steak.

His mother's eyes brightened. "That's wonderful honey! Make sure to get us tickets to attend." She smiled warmly as he nodded.

Once dinner was over, he was free to retire to his room. He shuffled through his bag, fishing out the folder he'd been searching for. Walking across the room, he opened another door, entering his practice room.

Their family had always been rich, and with his father's business successes this was especially true for them now. So it really shouldn't be any surprise that Sasuke had a soundproofed practice room connecting form his bedroom, or that it was filled by a magnificent grand piano that gleamed of black ivory.

He sat on his well-loved stool as he ordered the music on the stand. Again, he began to play the first page of Pathetique, faltering as he attempted to keep up with the music. Then, he played it again. Again and again, the melody rung out in the room.

A knock on the door startled him of his stupor.

"Honey, did you want some slice for desert?" he heard his mother call through the door.

He nodded, and realised too late she couldn't hear him. She pushed open the door, and he rushed to collect the music.

"Which piece is that?" she asked curiously.

She'd know it, he knew. Their family listened to so much of this music, there was no way she would not. Still, he had to reply.

"Pathetique," he managed.

"Beethoven's?" she correctly guessed.

He nodded.

She smiled. "That's a pretty hard piece, sweetie. Talking about pieces, how about that slice?"

He got up from the stool with another nod. Following her down the stairs, he listened as she told him about some new composer they'd heard on the radio.

"His music's different. He's only released one movement, keeping with the classical period. They say he won't release his name, either."

He hummed, secretly not at all interested. All he could think about was the beautiful blond violinist he'd met on the bus.

"Mother…" he started.

"Yes, honey?" she asked.

"Is it okay if I start coming home later? I need to stay behind at the school a little later now." Sasuke wondered if he caught that bus again, whether he'd be able to see Naruto again.

"Of course honey," she agreed.

He sighed in relief, as she handed him a piece of his mother's vanilla and caramel slice.

That night, he dreamt of beautiful music and the cerulean eyes.

Xxx

The following morning, Sasuke rose dutifully from his bed. He hadn't slept so well in months, and he couldn't help but feel his spirits rise. Today, surely, would be a good day for his music.

He sat at the dining table and ate in comfortable silence as his father browsed the paper, and caught the bus with time to spare. He handed in his homework, and ignored the fawning of the few girls in his class.

That day, they got the results from their midterm examinations. Somehow, without burying his face in old smelling books, Sasuke managed to place first in the grade.

When the bell rung and he headed towards the music room, Sasuke was still feeling quite dignified. After all, he was just so much smarter than all these losers! How could he not feel good?

He situated himself in his favourite music room, and shut the door quietly. He pulled out the folder from his bag, and once again set up his music. Still in his head was the sound of Naruto's violin. The gentle, lulling voice that spoke through the music.

He looked at the score in front of him. There was a melody there, too. He could see it. He could visualise it. How then, did he sing it?

With Naruto's playing in mind, he began a rendition of the first page, his stuttering through the bars. It was slow, but he could feel his fingers familiarising themselves with the notes. He was no genius, but it didn't take him long to learn a piece, and this was no exception.

He closed his eyes and pictured Naruto's song. Trying again, more slowly, he played. Ignoring the wrong notes, he focused on singing. It took a long time, but the song changed. It wasn't just notes. It was a song. A beautiful, complex, stunning song. Like Naruto, he realised.

How could he have found himself so wrapped up with a person he'd met only once? He'd never felt this way about anyone. He'd never truly been friends with anyone, since primary school at the very least. He'd certainly never felt an overbearing urge to talk to someone… not like he did now, with Naruto.

He found himself wondering if Naruto even remembered him. After all, they'd only met on the bus. It hadn't been a particularly long conversation either. A sinking feeling he'd never quite experienced before ate at his stomach.

He checked his phone. He had another half an hour before the bus would arrive.

There was no promise that Naruto would be on the bus, he knew. None at all. He couldn't help the hope that he had, though.

But maybe, if he couldn't see Naruto, then he could channel his memory of him into this music. There was a lot to learn from Naruto's music, and Sasuke felt compelled to challenge himself to see what he could do. Playing again, Sasuke focused.

When he again checked his phone, his stomach lurched at the realisation that he'd missed the bus. Gathering his stuff quickly, he left the school in a hurry. He was already ten minutes late though. The bus was long gone.

Unable to restrain himself, he kicked the metal pole, watching angrily as the bus times shook and shimmied.

Huffing, he sat himself on the bench, and caught the next bus home.

Xxx

That night, Sasuke received a text from Suigetsu, asking him to come out to Ichi's Diner the following afternoon. Sasuke wanted to say no, truly, but he hadn't seen Suigetsu, or his other companions, and he used the term loosely, since they attended middle school together.

The four of them, Juugo and Karin included, had been a group of what an observer might call friends. That wasn't quite true. The four of them had simply found each other more bearable than the other snobs at the school. Nevertheless, they had spent three years together, and Sasuke couldn't bring himself to refuse them over a person he'd known for only a day.

Replying his acceptance, Sasuke locked his phone and retired to the practice room. He tried again to replicate the singing melody of Naruto, but he was having trouble. He just couldn't remember. No matter how hard he tried to, he couldn't manage to replicate Naruto's voice like he had at school earlier that day. The feeling wasn't there.

He needed to hear it again. But how?

The next day was full of frustration for Sasuke. First, he'd been assigned to probably the worst history group in the class. Not the idiots, no. Snobs, that thought that the highest ranking student in the school wouldn't be able to complete the assignment, because, oh, they knew that much more about the internal struggle of the cold war from the context of a business man than a renowned businessman's son would.

To make it worse, Ms. Anko was sick, so the music room was closed at recess and lunch, leaving him to fend for himself in the hallways, packed full with squealing girls inviting him to lunch, and snotty kids, whose egos were only slightly bigger than their glasses.

He was so relieved when the bell rang at the end of the day that he almost ran out of the school gates. He wouldn't, of course. Uchiha's don't run. The temptation certainly was there, though.

Suigetsu had agreed that they would meet Sasuke at the restaurant. Sasuke had no problem finding his way there. The group used to meet at the restaurant after school quite often.

The open bar was a familiar sight as he approached Ichi's. He pushed past the curtain, and heard Suigetsu calling his name from a table at the back of the restaurant.

As he walked up to them, he took a good look at the three teenagers. They'd all grown quite a lot since the last time he'd seen them. Suigetsu's face had sharpened up, Karin's face was clear of acne, and her chest had grown quite a deal bigger. Juugo… he'd just grown everywhere. The other two looked miniscule seated beside the hulking giant.

"Sasuke-kun!" Karin cried, nearly jumping over Suigetsu's lap to get to Sasuke, who she valiantly tried to assault. His hand kept her at bay for a moment, before he relented to the hug he knew he had no choice over.

"Hey Karin," he said tiredly.

After Karin finally calmed down, he slid in beside Juugo, from whom he received a quite nod and smile, but not before he was patted harshly on the back by Suigetsu.

"So where've ya been buddy? It's almost like you disappeared off the edge of the earth this past year," Suigetsu proclaimed.

Sasuke shrugged. "The families been pressuring me to get good grades. Everything's about the family name, after all."

The group winced. They knew his family was a touchy subject, and they wouldn't press. Sasuke was counting on this. He couldn't very well tell them he'd just forgotten to contact them.

Karin decided to break the silence by piping up. "While you were gone, Sasuke-kun, I got myself a job at Sugar- you know, the clothing store? I was promoted to junior manager last week!"

Suigetsu hooted, and threw an arm around her.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, a look that Suigetsu caught.

He laughed. "We've been dating for six months now, dude."

Sasuke blinked. Things had certainly changed from the last time he'd talked to them. He wondered when they'd gone from hitting each other to giving each other Googly Eyes.

He watched as Karin extracted herself from Suigetsu's arm and whacked him upside the head, and retracted his question. Nothing had changed afterall.

As the quarrelled, Juugo cleared his voice from beside him. Sasuke turned to face him.

"I've… ah, I've got an apprenticeship at the Veterinarian's downtown."

"That's… ah, that's really cool Juugo," Sasuke stuttered out. He was never good at talking to people like this.

Juugo seemed to understand his plight, as he grunted briefly, cheeks a little reddened, before turning to the fighting couple on the other side of the booth.

Ten minutes saw Suigetsu nursing twin bruised jewels, moaning quietly to himself in the corner of the booth.

"All right!" Karin grinned. "Who's ready to order some food?"

Dinner saw Sasuke with a teriyaki burger and fries, Juugo had a salad, while Suigetsu, broke as he was, mooched off Karin's meal.

Eventually, it was time for them to catch their rides home. They exchanged new contact details, and agreed to meet up again sometime soon. After they'd paid, the group broke off, with Juugo going off by motorcycle, and Suigetsu and Karin catching the bus to their neighbourhood.

Sasuke decided to go to the toilet before he left. After thoroughly finishing up, he walked out feeling relieved.

There was a flash of blonde hair that looked all too familiar.

"Naruto," Sasuke gasped.

He was laughing as he conversed with an older man, maybe his father, with long brown hair tied in a pony-tail. He watched, frozen, as the man paid for their meal and they walked toward the exit.

Finally getting himself into gear, he headed toward the two. Then, he suddenly had another problem.

What on earth would he say?

'Oh, what a pleasant surprise! I've been attempting to stalk you for the past few days on the bus, but I certainly didn't except to see you here.' Or maybe, 'I know we've only met once, but I'd really like to know more about you. I thought here in the restaurant, next to your dad was a good time to do that. What do you say?'

Sasuke groaned in frustration. He watched the two get into a silver Subaru forester, and sunk his head in resignation. He did memorise their licence plate thought. It couldn't hurt, right?

The sound of tires on gravel made his head jerk up. The car was in front of him. He was in the middle of the street. Bowing his head at the driver, the brown haired man, he stepped out of the way. He glanced at the passenger's seat, but Naruto didn't seem to notice him. He was holding something, a flier. The car was close enough now that he could read it.

Musicality concert, September 19th.

Sasuke could have wept for joy. Naruto would be at the concert. He knew it. He had to believe it. He just had to.

Sasuke didn't cry though. Instead, he got on the bus, rode it the way home. He greeted his mother as he walked in, and headed straight for his room. He wanted to learn Pathetique, to show Naruto. He wanted to be good, for Naruto, and for himself.

It was only when he sat at the piano that he finally remembered his great problem. He didn't know how he could make it sing! He tried, still, for half an hour, but knew he was only wasting his time and retired to do his homework.

Sometime later, his mother knocked on his door.

"Would you like to come down for desert, honey? That composer I told you about released a new piece yesterday."

Realising there was no use doing much else, Sasuke followed his mother down the stairs. His father was sat in the lounge room, and audio was humming from their surround-sound. The music, he realised, was humming.

Then he knew.

Sasuke gasped, nearly dropping the plate he was holding.

His mother hurried to his side, and his father looked up from his book.

"I'm fine," he assured her, his revelation making him breathless. "Mother… I know this composer."

She smiled patiently at him. "Really? Where've you heard him before."

"No, mum." He stared at her with wide eyes.

Migoto hadn't seen her son act like this in years.

"I know him. I met him, on the bus, this week! He was listening to music, and he played it for me when I… when I asked. Then he told me he'd written it." He saw the look his mother gave him.

"He wasn't lying mother, trust me. This wasn't a classical song that he showed me, it was his own compositional style. It was amazing… and it was the same violin. I'd recognise it anywhere."

Migoto was sure her son had reverted to some form of him that was present only in his childhood. She had never, not ever, in the last few years, seen him act so alive. Her husband, she could see, was watching Sasuke out of the corner of his eye too. She hid her smile behind her hand.

"That's wonderful, Sasuke. Tell me, do you know his name?" Mikoto asked.

Sasuke paused, apparently regaining some of the poise he was known for. It didn't stop him from smiling.

"Naruto," he said softly. "His name is Naruto."

Xxx

His mother wouldn't let him live it down. Apparently, he'd been so excited to hear Naruto's song he'd nearly spilled all her dessert on the floor. All he could remember was being ecstatic over his stroke of luck. He'd promptly planted himself beside his father, whose seat was in the best place for the sound, thought he'd never dare do such a thing on a normal occasion, and listened. He'd repeated the songs, late into the night.

The next morning, he'd slept in and nearly missed school. In a frenzy, he'd grabbed his bag and left behind his homework, earning himself a detention that cut into his music practice significantly.

He'd realised, listening to Naruto's pieces, that they were the perfect source for learning to play Pathetique. In fact, they were even better than his other piece, because they were written in a classical style. Never had he been so excited to play the piano, so excited to improve.

Time flew by for Sasuke, as he played piano, kept up with his studies, and visited his friends. They were definitely his friends now, after all.

There was still violin playing in the Uchiha house, every day in fact. It wasn't just Itachi that was given the spotlight anymore though. Now, days were reserved for listening to Naruto, for reading through his scores, and note taking with pen and pencil. There were a lot of things in his playing that Naruto didn't notate. He didn't find it necessary to notate a change in tempo, or the use of rubato, and if he did, he never specified where. It he was to do a trill, or perform turns on the longest, or even the shortest notes, Sasuke had noticed, it would be nowhere to be seen in his sheets.

Naruto's talent, Sasuke learnt, was in his performance. Itachi was a musical genius. His compositions were perfect. Precise, exact, to each second even when the seconds were altered. But Naruto was an artist. The way he played was as if he breathed life into the instrument, and it brought tears to Sasuke's eyes.

He would play like that, he decided. He wasn't Itachi. He never would be Itachi. He wasn't Naruto either, he knew. His eyes didn't glimmer like Naruto.

But oh, he would learn to sing.

Xxx

A/N
Back again.
Just making some contextual notes.

The piece Sasuke is learning is called Beethoven's Sonata No. 6, or Pathetique for short. It has three movements, and each go for a few minutes.
Even if you're not that into classical music, I really recommend you listen to it, both so you get more what the story is about (because this song will be integral to the plot) and just for the sake of it!

I learnt the second movement of this piece last year, and I'm learning the third. The first is actually the most difficult. Sasuke will be learning all three together, for simplicities sake. I found one of the hardest things about learning this piece is controlling the voice- that is, the melody. It requires controlling the volumes of different fingers on one hand to bring out the top note, or middle, or even bass.

Another thing I've talked about are some musical terms.
Things like Rubato, which literally means Robbed Time, but is more about being free with the timing, so long as it's not all over the place. It's actually not all that common in the classical period, but I'm going to use it as I see fit.

A violin is made up of the bow (the piece of wood, threaded with horse hair or wire to make it sound), and the guitar-like body, complete with the frets known as the bridge and keyboard. (I feel like I need to google this because this is off the top of my head and I'm not one hundred percent sure anymore but oh well)

I think most of the other terms are self-explanatory, but do comment if you're unsure, and I'd be happy to explain what I can.

Read and Review!