Hi everybody...I can't apologize enough for taking so long to update. I guess I sorta hit a wall after the first few chapters. Maybe it's ADD...anyway for those of you who have been reading I hope you enjoy this chapter!

I don't own any of the characters but if I had the money I would totally buy them...


Sasuke strolled through his front door. Throwing his bag on the couch, he immediately headed for the kitchen. As he searched for a snack, he contemplated his day. It was a normal, boring first day of school, all apart from the encounter with Naruto.

He didn't know how he felt about the boy. He was annoyed at him for interrupting his normally peaceful lunch, but he also admired his courage to stay and talk even when Sasuke was so surly and cold. Something like that had never happened to him before. Also, he couldn't get the glowing image of Naruto's smiling face out of his head.

The boy made him feel ashamed for pitying himself all summer. Not the way Asuma did: a kind of blunt reality check for Sasuke. No, Naruto was…kinder. The way he'd looked at Sasuke like he cared about him, even though they had just met.

Why does he care so much about me?

For the first time ever, Sasuke couldn't focus on his homework. He just kept contemplating the blonde boy. His brain told him to find a different lunch spot, someplace far on the edge of the campus where Naruto wouldn't find him. His heart told him differently. He wanted to talk to Naruto more. He wanted to learn more about the boy. He wanted to learn how he stayed so positive through all of the tragedy. But most of all, Sasuke just wanted someone he could talk to. Maybe he just wanted a friend.

That night, Sasuke didn't dream of dead bodies or of empty houses, he dreamt he was chasing a fox that had tails flailing in every direction. He chased the fox everywhere: his elementary school, the park down the street, the social services office, his high school, and finally he ended up in a beautiful field. The grass was tall and blew in the strong winds. He had lost sight of the creature. Desperation welled in his heart as he searched. At last, he found the fox curled up in a small clearing amidst the waves of green. He bent down and gently touched the top of the animal's head. The fox looked up curiously with bright blue eyes.

Sasuke woke up. His heart was pounding, but not because of fear. There was no mistaking those eyes. He flopped over and sighed.

I can't even sleep without thinking about him. Pull yourself together, Sasuke!

The clock read 5:33 a.m. It was a little early to start getting ready but he rolled out of bed anyway. For some reason, he wanted to look his best for school today. He showered, slipped into his uniform and combed through his thick hair. His hair obviously wanted to thwart any attempts at looking presentable. He must have run the comb through at thirty different angles attempting to flatten the mess. In his early morning daze and annoyance at his hair, he was forced to rush to school. He flew through the door of his French class just after the bell rang.

This disturbed him. He had never, ever been late in his life. Thanks to one little encounter with a certain whisker-faced boy, his whole world had been turned topsy-turvy. He momentarily faltered in his decision to talk with Naruto during lunch. Maybe it was better if he just stayed alone.

But when Sasuke entered second period, he was face-to-face with the boy that had been plaguing his thoughts for the last twenty hours. Naruto was in the same position as the previous day, sitting on his desk talking with Sakura. He smiled and waved when Sasuke walked in. Sasuke was tempted to stop and sit right next to the boy, but instead he proceeded to a seat in the back of the class. He didn't want to deal with that bimbo of a girl. As he passed, he heard her whisper, "Isn't he so hot??"

Sasuke didn't hear Naruto's answer, but he could feel a pair of blue eyes boring into his back as he made his way to the desk.

Class went excruciatingly slow. Sasuke couldn't stop staring at the boy. So many questions had built up inside him, and now he was trapped, unable to talk to the object of his thoughts. He could only wait for the faithful lunch period to descend upon him.

Finally, it came. He sat under the tree and pulled out his Pride and Prejudice book. He didn't want to appear too eager to see Naruto, especially after he had completely "ignored" the boy yesterday. He felt a little ashamed of the way he had acted, and he vaguely wondered if Naruto would even come to meet his surly self. His worries were appeased as a head of glowing yellow hair entered his peripheral vision. In spite of himself, he looked up.

"Hey!" Naruto grinned and plopped down under the tree.

Sasuke blinked. He had no idea how to respond. Should he say hello? Talk about the weather? Start bombarding him with his questions?

He just stared as the boy began pulling his lunch out of his bag.

Naruto frowned. "Don't tell me you don't even remember me! I talked to you for a whole hour straight yesterday."

"I remember you," Sasuke mumbled and looked down at his book.

"Well, good. Glad you decided to talk to me today. You looked kinda lonely yesterday, so I thought I'd join you."

Sasuke continued to look at the ground and fidgeted with a piece of grass. He never realized just how socially awkward he was; he had no idea how to hold a conversation.

Naruto noticed this too. "You're kinda a quiet one, what's up?" Sasuke felt as though the boy was staring into his soul itself.

Finally he sucked in a breath and replied sardonically, "Well I guess I'm just not used to loud, nosy boys bothering me." He felt bad saying something rude, but being cold came instinctively to him.

Naruto wasn't fazed. He grinned and said, "Yeah I've been called loud and nosy before. People just don't like me 'cuz I tell it like it is"

"Do you do this to people often?" Sasuke asked, trying to keep a smile out of his voice.

"Do what?"

"Randomly walk up to them and start blabbering?"

"Nah not really. I just moved here this summer so you're kinda my first friend." Naruto scratched the back of his head and gave a crooked smile.

Sasuke's heart fluttered. Had he said "friend"? He had to use every fiber of his strength not to break out in a wide smile. This was so bizarre, Naruto barely knew him and he already considered him a friend.

"What about that girl you're always talking to, Sakura?" Sasuke inquired trying to keep up the conversation.

"Oh. Her." Naruto grimaced. "She's ok, but she's a little plastic and all she wants to do is gossip with me. I've never really liked being around girls anyway. I mean, I ain't no boy toy," Naruto snapped his fingers and gave a gangster girl impression. At this, Sasuke couldn't help but laugh. He felt like it was the first time in ages. It was the first time since…the incident that he had genuinely laughed. The feeling was indescribable.

Naruto's laugh rang alongside Sasuke's. His laugh was loud and carefree, just like the boy himself. The two boys sat and laughed for slightly longer than was necessary, but they both felt such a relief at the sound. When they had finished, Sasuke spoke.

"Naruto?"

Naruto cocked his head and looked intently at Sasuke.

"I…I'm really glad that you came to talk to me." He couldn't belief he had uttered the words, but at the moment it just felt so right. He wanted this friendly boy to know his feelings.

Naruto did something that Sasuke would never have expected; he reached out his hand and gently swept aside one of Sasuke's black bangs.

"I'm glad I did too."

They both smiled, the blonde's somewhat toothier than the brunettes, but both equally as happy.

Naruto plunged right into talking all about his day thus far. Sasuke spoke here and there, but mostly his undivided attention was on his new friend.

Slowly, he came to understand the boy. Naruto was completely confident in himself. The confidence flowed out of him like a river and splashed all over Sasuke. Being around such a vibrant person made him so happy, just the way he used to feel around his parents. His smiles came more and more often and he didn't try to hide them.

"…and I really like beef but roast pork is definitely my favorite. It's so juicy and flavorful!"

Naruto's eyes lit up the brightest when he talked about ramen. His train of thought had brought him from talking about how his Spanish teacher smelled like burritos to describing his passion for noodles.

"What about you, Sasuke? What's your favorite kind? I can't believe I've been talking this whole time and you've barely said anything!"

Sasuke shook his head. "No, I like listening to you talk. Everything you say is so much more interesting than anything I would say."

Naruto's face contorted as he replied, "Really? All I've talked about is school and food. I thought I was boring you to death."

"Well, I don't do much besides go to school and eat food, so they're pretty cool subjects to me."

"Hey you should join the soccer team! I heard this school's got a pretty sweet team so I thought I'd sign up. You seem like the sporty type you should come."

Sasuke contemplated this. Sure, he was pretty athletic. He had never played soccer before but it didn't look that hard to learn. Maybe Naruto could give him some private lessons. His heart thumped thinking about Naruto running down a field, wind whipping through his hair and his shirt clinging to his slender body…

"So whaddya say?" Naruto leaned in inquisitively.

"Yeah, I think I'd like to. But I don't really know how to play."

"Oh don't worry, you're gonna have the best coach in the business." At this, Naruto winked and flashed a foxy smile. Sasuke's heart skipped another beat.

"Are you busy afterschool today?" Naruto asked.

"No, I'm never busy."

"Well can you meet me in the park on Konoha Avenue?"

"I don't really have any soccer gear…"

"That's ok I'll bring some for you. I'm so excited! I finally made a friend and now we're gonna be on a team together! Awesomeness!"

Sasuke laughed at the way Naruto clapped his hands together like a little kid. The boy was immature, straightforward, and slightly eccentric, but Sasuke loved his company. It was surprising to think he had just met Naruto yesterday and he already felt so comfortable around him. This had definitely never happened before.

The bell blared across the campus and interrupted their peaceful conversation. But at least Sasuke wouldn't have to wait a whole day before he saw Naruto again.

As if to reinforce this thought, Naruto asked, "So I'll see you after school at the park?" His bright eyes looked eager with anticipation.

Sasuke's eyes were just as bright. "Yeah. I can't wait."


Mwahahaha cliff hanger...well i gotta keep people interested somehow. I shall try my hardest to update before I leave for France in a week. Review and I will give you a cookie ;) Thanks for reading!