Hi! :D Sorry, for the long wait 'n all, but I made this chapter extra long for you guys. Okay, first off, I need to let you guys know something
ONE: Since the Hero song is pretty much running out, I am going to be putting up Be-Yourself Quotes. They will be at the beginning and of the chapters. I hope you enjoy them… :D
SECOND: This one's a warning, so… WARNING!: This chappy contains physical child abuse, a rundown Naru, an OOC Sasuke, and some pretty angsty angst. You have been warned! (Also, I don't own Naruto~~~!)
TRES: I am also, probably, maybe, going to start up another SasuNaru story, I have an idea, but I'm going to wait until I update this story a few times before I bombshell you guys with another story. ^_^
-Sighs- I love you guys –Insert sappy heart here-
Please, enjoy! Next chapter, I might do shoutouts to all of my reviewrs~~~! –Sprays you with magical rainbow hearts-
If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise. ~Johann von Goethe
Naruto POV - 3rd Person
The small blonde boy stirred on the poor example of a mattress. If anything, it was more of steel springs covered in a very thin, worn strip of cloth. The tattered blanket slipped off of the restless blonde, falling to the plain, cement floor. The boy's visible skin was streaked with grime and dirt, the clothes that he wore not any better. But there were two visible clean paths down his cheeks that originated underneath his closed eyelids.
And then, with a loud, obnoxious groan, Naruto sat up. He scrubbed at his puffy eyes, and almost threw up at the stench that seemed to be intoxicating with every breath he took. Frantically, he darted out of bed, but not before he glanced at his clock. 5:23 A.M. He had time to take a shower, get dressed, and slip away before his… "parents" came home.
To be honest, they weren't even his parents. He didn't know his real parents, but his foster ones were probably the farthest thing from a caring guardian, or even human being for that fact. They were cruel, jeering at the boy's misfortunes and mistakes. They forced him to clean up after their drunken stupors, and sometimes, even blamed him for the mess, they were so drunk. That was why Naruto barely even came home. He couldn't stand seeing the people who were supposed to take care of him, barely even able to care of themselves.
That, and they had self-esteem issues. The father was the roughest, picking up Naruto and shoving him into the wall. His favorite was tripping him in the hallways, and landing a fist to his gut. It was so unexpected that the man would often sneer at the expression on Naruto's face. He kicked, punched, tripped, tossed, and beat the boy until the point where Naruto could barely lift his chest to take a breath. And the mother would just watch, leaning in the doorway, an alcoholic beverage in one hand, the other holding her stomach. Her eyes were indifferent, uncaring. They were cold and cruel.
Naruto was forced to live in the basement, which was a square room with a lone bathroom attached. It was just the basics, but the basics Naruto desperately needed. The room was all to Naruto. His guardians didn't even dare to step in there.
Naruto sighed, and switched off the water, which had begun to run cold, and touched his forehead gingerly. The water had helped the cut, but it had begun throbbing when Naruto had begun to gently washing it, scared it might be infected. He had been expecting a headache, but he hadn't gotten one yet. He would probably take some Advil just in case anyways. The gash on his arm had deepened from hitting the dumpster's side, but it wasn't as bad as he had thought it was.
The blond boy frowned as he thought of the incidents that had occurred. What cowards. They were just cowards that thought they were the almighty kings or something. And that damn Uchiha. His smirk, his cruel eyes, all of it. Naruto wanted to hate him. He really did. But he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't hate any of them. What if they had problems, like most of the teachers told their students, and needed to blow some steam out.
But why did it have to be me? I never did anything wrong.
Naruto pulled on an orange hoodie and jeans, slipped on his threadbare shoes, and headed upstairs. He had suspected his parents were still out drinking like they always were at this time. And that was why he was stunned when a fist connected with his jaw, sending him spinning. Fear gripped his heart in its claws, as a tall shadow loomed over him. They were home.
A blow landed on the side of Naruto's face, while another curled into his stomach. The breath whooshed out of the boy's lungs painfully, and he would've cried out, if not for the lack of air. A heavy boot landed on the base of his spine, withdrawed, and then thunked against his side several times.
"You thought you could sneak past me, huh? You ain't gettin' past me boy! I got dem eyes of those hawks, y'hear?" The boot returned to Naruto's back, and a rough hand grabbed his hair, and slammed it against the wall. Tears slid down his cheeks, as he tried to fill his lungs. And then, with a snarl, the rough hand pounded the side of his face, and then he was gone, slurring and stumbling off.
Naruto sobbed, and clutched his pained stomach. He felt bile well up in the back of his throat, and coughed. He could've sworn they would've been gone today.
Naruto could already tell how this day was going to go.
3rd person POV – Sasuke
Sasuke couldn't take his onyx eyes off of the classroom door. He couldn't stop his heart from skipping a beat, and then jerking heavily whenever someone opened the door. The relief that followed afterward was almost painful when the person was not the blond headed victim that he had ditched yesterday. Sasuke sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. A headache was slowly making its self known in the corners of his mind. He glanced over to his partners-in-crime, wondering how they were holding out.
Chouji had his head down, and was rubbing his temples with trembling fingers. Sasuke had caught a glimpse of his face earlier today, and it had not been a pretty sight. Purple was smudged underneath his hollow eyes, and his bottom lip raw from his nervous chewing. And, quite shockingly, he did not have a bag of potato chips occupying his hand.
As for Neji, he was nowhere to be seen. Sasuke couldn't help but be a little shocked at his partner's actions. He had expected Neji to at least show up to school, and wouldn't have been surprised if the long-haired boy was dressed neatly and act as if nothing happened. It was simply Neji's personality. Yet the ponytailed man had yet to show up.
Sasuke dropped his head into his hands. God, the guilt. All night, the raven had tossed and turned, the vivid image of the blonde lying deathly still with a trail of blood dribbling from his head was seared into his brain. And the small, weak whimper that had echoed out from the depths of the dumpster, it had sounded more like a scream if anything else, was on constant repeat in his head. It was eating him up from the inside out, and there was nothing the raven could do.
To be honest, he had always felt a small pang of guilt whenever he mocked the boy, but it was constantly pushed to the side, seemingly to disappear in thin air of his ego. But the Uchiha was overwhelmed now. This guilt couldn't be pushed to the side. It was firmly clutching to his constricting heart, the razor tipped claws sinking into the fleshy tissue, which provided a wonderful grip. It was sinking its teeth into his stomach, making it churn and turn guiltily.
Sasuke chewed down on his bottom lip, worrying it between his teeth mercilessly. What was he going to do? What if his family found out? No doubt his father would punish him, but Sasuke didn't really care about that. What about his mother? His mother was always cooing over the youngest Uchiha, her motherly instincts at full blast 24/7. What would she think if she found out her "little baby" was pummeling a kid that didn't even deserve it every day? Sasuke ran his hands down his face, dragging the skin out. He didn't even want to think of how his brother would react.
When the raven finally lifted his head, he was startled to find out class had already begun. Everyone was currently writing something down as the teacher walked and talked, deep into session of teaching. Sasuke bit back his groan, and allowed his head to sink onto the cold surface of his desk. He might as well as get some rest.
3rd Person POV – Naruto
The petite blond boy slumped against the stall's door for support. He'd made it to school, but terribly late. Everyone was in the middle of 2nd period, and Naruto would have to wait 'till the bell rang. Naruto slid down the door, and curled his legs to his chest, gasping in pain when his stomach clenched. He rested his blond head against his knees, and screwed his eyes shut.
After his "dad" had pummeled him into the next few years, he had managed to stand up and walk shakily to school. It had hurt like hell, and many times along the way, the blond almost gave up, but he still pushed on until he entered the school facility.
Naruto gingerly touched a tender spot on his head, and whimpered when it shot a cold sting of pain throughout his brain. He had several lumps on his head that throbbed along with his heart, two black eyes that had gruesome swollen bags adoring underneath his swollen eyes, a split lip accompanied by a large bruise spread across the his right cheekbone. Bruises that took the shape of fingers embroided his neck, and a huge dark bruise the size of a fist was laid across the boy's collarbone.
Underneath his shirt, his body was much worse. His chest was covered in black, purple, red, and even slightly yellow marks from his foster dad's boots. His stomach was, basically, one huge bruise. It was dark purple, with blue tinged sides, that look pretty ugly. To help cover up the marks, Naruto wore a huge sweater, baggy pants, and a scarf that wrapped around his neck tightly. He had pulled on a cap to help shield his head and face.
The bell ringing seemed like screaming to Naruto.
The blond quickly picked up his bag, and, very gently, set it on his shoulder. He pulled down his cap lower to hide his abused face, and headed out to the crowded hallway to head to his 3rd period class.
3rd person POV – Sasuke
Sasuke Uchiha was beyond nervous. He was downright terrified. He took the detour to his next class just in case he even caught sight of the blond. He knew it was cowardly, but meeting Naruto was just a little too much right now. Sure, the boy hadn't been in his 1st period, but that still left 6th and 7th. It was possible that Naruto was just skipping the classes Sasuke was in, but that was all the better. The Uchiha did not want to confront him today. Or ever, if it was possible.
Coward. You're a coward. You're just going to run away from Uzumaki forever, then? A voice hissed in the back of Sasuke's mind. He gritted his teeth, and decided to ignore the nagging voice. He knew it was right though. He was a coward. Nothing but filthy, Uchiha trash.
The raven entered his class, and took his seat, breathing in slowly. He had to get things under control. He was a Uchiha. Uchiha's were not trash or cowards. They were the top company in Tokyo, and every day, they were getting closer to claiming the spot 'In the World'. Uchiha's were strong.
Then why did you beat up Uzumaki? Sasuke growled lowly at the voice. Like it knew anything.
As the day went on, the Uchiha got much more comfortable. That was until 6th period. The blond had walked in, head low, hands clutching his bag, and shoulders hunched. He went straight to his seat, and began to prepare for class, head always remaining low.
The sight of the boy made Sasuke guilt grow tenfold. He kept his eyes completely trained on the boy at all times, not even phasing when the teacher started up class. Naruto was writing furiously, yet Sasuke still couldn't see his face. The raven haired man frowned.
Something was wrong. Besides what happened yesterday. Sasuke took a deep breath, and came to his decision.
He was going to confront the blond.
If you are ashamed to stand by your colors, you had better seek another flag. ~Author Unknown
Sorry for the long wait guys! Well, you see, I had some problems, involving relationships, friends, family, yada yada. It was a total crap fest. So, yea. I'm sorry that this chapter is so… I don't even know. It's just kind of… there. I guess it's not bad, but it's not the best.
Haha! NARU-ABUSE! It's totally awesome. I'm sorry for the OOC Sasuke, but, y'see, I tried to imagine him if he was in this kind of predictament, and this is how it came out. Sasuke's cool on the outside, but freaking out in the inside. Mhmm..
Anyways, thank you so much for the AMAZING review people. OH MY GODDDUHH~~~~~
-Attacks you all with rainbows, unicorns, and my total fagness-
I love you all~~~! I mean, 3 chapters, and I have 86 reviews? I looovvee youuu!~~~
-Gets shoved away, and stuffed into closet with my dejected rainbows and unicorns-
-Slides note under the door- Please Review!