This is an added chapter; let me know what you think…

Inspired by the Lifehouse song

I'm working on chapter 12 right now and I actually like it…which is unusual…I'm just hoping that the end will be as good as I think the beginning is

Anyway, I own nothing, enjoy and please review

Chapter 10: Nerve Damage

Sasuke was damaged; anyone could see that. His life had hardened him and made him feel that people just weren't trustworthy. He built walls around him and hoped that they were impenetrable, but they weren't. Most people didn't try to knock down his walls, but Naruto wasn't most people. Sasuke had been pushing him away but he wasn't going to give up on the possibility of a friendship. They were roommates and so Naruto felt that they had to find a way to get along.

It was true that the blond may have been trying a little harder because he thought that Sasuke was hot. However, it could also have been the fact that he found Sasuke fascinating. He couldn't explain it, but he felt as if there was another side to the man. He felt that if he could break down his walls then he'd be able to understand him.

It was probably a little creepy that he was watching the dark haired man. Naruto was sure that Sasuke didn't think anyone was around. The courtyard was empty aside from the two. It was normal for that part of campus to be abandoned, there weren't many classroom buildings around so it meant that most students didn't bother coming to that part of campus. It didn't surprise him that Sasuke would find the one place that wasn't crowded. 'Maybe I should go talk to him,' he thought, figuring it'd be better than secretly watching him.

He took a deep breath and walked over to the dark haired man, "Hey." He smirked when he saw that he'd startled Sasuke. It was difficult to sneak up on him, but it seemed that he was so consumed with studying that he didn't even notice Naruto. "What are you doing?" he asked awkwardly.

"Studying," was Sasuke short response. He quickly looked back at his book, ignoring him in hopes that he would go away. However he didn't leave, he just continued to stare at him. It was unnerving to have someone so blatantly stare at him, it also didn't help that Naruto was being silent; Naruto was never quiet. "Is there something that you wanted?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"Just to talk," Naruto shrugged. When Sasuke cocked an eyebrow, the blond said, "I want to be friends." He saw Sasuke tense as he looked at him. The dark haired man didn't say anything in response, but instead just stared at him. It was as if he were trying to analyze him. "I'm serious," he told him.

"That's the problem," Sasuke replied. He saw Naruto frown as he continued, "I don't need any more friends, the ones that I have are annoying enough." He looked back down at his book, wondering why the hurt look on Naruto's face actually made him feel a little bad. "Just go away," he mumbled, pretending to read. He found that he concentrate enough to read when Naruto was staring at him so intensely.

"You can't seriously tell me that you're happy only have three friends," Naruto said skeptically. He knew that Sasuke was antisocial but that didn't mean that he didn't need human contact. "Why can't you just be my friend? It's not like I'm saying we have to be the best of friends," he tried to convince the other man. "I just want us to be civil," he added, thinking that just being acquaintances could allow him to progress into friendship.

"Will it make you shut up?" Sasuke asked. He knew the answer would be no regardless of what Naruto said. It was impossible for the blond to stay quiet for very long.

"I doubt it," the blond grinned as he sat down across from Sasuke. "Can we at least talk about what happened the other day?" he asked. It was true that he hadn't previously known the Uchiha's last name, but he wanted him to know that it wasn't going to change anything between them. By the look on his face he realized that Sasuke wasn't sure what incident he was referring to.

"What about the other day?" Sasuke growled. His mind immediately thought of their conversation at the club. He saw that the blond looked amused by his reaction and thought that maybe he was wrong.

"When I found out about your last name," Naruto smirked, knowing that Sasuke must have been thinking about one of the many other awkward moments. It made him just a little bit smug knowing that Sasuke thought of their awkward interactions instead of about him knowing his last name. While it was uncomfortable, it was probably the least awkward of all their awkward interactions.

"Hn," Sasuke replied, feeling just a little stupid. "I need to study," he said, once again putting up his walls. He used school as a way to protect him from everyone else. If he concentrated on school, he wouldn't have to interact with people. He had an excuse to ignore people, but Naruto didn't seem to accept that.

Naruto grabbed the book away from him, making Sasuke glare. "You'll get it back when we're done talking," he told him with a smile. "I'm holding it hostage," he was very pleased with himself. "So, let's talk about that morning," he suggested, trying to get the conversation rolling.

"Stupid moron," Sasuke mumbled to himself. "Why do you want to talk about it?" he asked, annoyed with the other man. "I have better things to do than to listen to your pity," he told him angrily. He didn't need another person taking pity on him. Ever since the day it happened people acted as if it had affected his entire life. While it did have a major impact on him, it didn't help that people treated him as if he were made of glass. They all thought that they knew him and what he felt, but none of them did.

"That's just it," Naruto loudly said. "I don't pity you," he told him making the other look at him skeptically. "I'm serious, you think that I'd pity a bastard like you?" he asked with a chuckle. "I just don't want you to think that I'm going to treat you differently because of your last name," he said calmly as he looked at Sasuke. He wasn't sure what to make of the expression gracing Sasuke's features; it looked as if he were conflicted.

"You know calling someone a bastard isn't the best way to get them to be your friend, moron," he replied. There was something different in the tone of his voice. He no longer had complete hatred in his voice, but rather it was more relaxed. "Plus it's not true, my parents were married when I was born," he continued with a small smirk on his face. He was trying to come off as bored and monotone, maybe slightly annoyed, but Naruto didn't believe it.

"Neither is calling someone a moron," he said. "But I've grown to kind of like our nicknames for each other, it really doesn't hurt when you call me a moron," he told him. He was smiling, knowing that he was kind of annoying the other man. "It's just your odd way of showing that you do actually like me," he continued. "You usually just ignore people, so if I weren't your friend at least a little bit you wouldn't even respond," he deduced. The blond crossed his arms on the table in front of him; feeling as if he'd just won the conversation.

"First of all, I'm not trying to be your friend, I really couldn't care less if we become friends," he said, trying to add venom to his words, but didn't seem to be affecting the blond. "Secondly, they are not nicknames, they are insults, idiot," he told him, trying his best not to become friends with the other man. "You're difficult to ignore, you're too persistent," he told the man. "It's quite annoying," he added.

"Right," Naruto said, obviously not affected by a single word Sasuke had said. "Whatever you say," he smiled, which just annoyed the other man even more. "If you're not ready to admit it yet, that's okay," he said, the smile on his face not disappearing. "We're friends whether or not you want to admit it," he said. The blond then continued to talk to him and all Sasuke could wonder was why he was participating in the conversation. He would usually force the person to give his book back and then go on ignoring them. For some reason things were different with Naruto. Sasuke didn't realize how much time went by until the blond finally said, "Well I have plans with Kiba tonight." He set Sasuke's book in front of him, "It was nice to talk to you." Naruto got up and started to walk away, thinking, 'I'll get him to open up to me, it's just a matter of time.'

Sasuke looked around and realized that it was getting dark; he then wondered how the blond had managed to get him to talk for that long. 'He had my book,' Sasuke reminded himself, not even convincing himself that the excuse was a good one. 'Damn it,' he thought as he realized that Naruto was slowly pushing his way into his life.

NS

It had been a week since he and Naruto talked about their possible friendship. The blond looked at Sasuke as he studied and got an idea. He was already going out with his friends to a party off campus and he thought he'd make Sasuke tag along. "Want to go to a party?" he asked, hoping that for once it'd be simple. Of course after Sasuke let out a grunt, he knew it wasn't going to be. "Don't make me drag you," he warned.

"I have to study," he said, using his fall back excuse. "Besides, you should know by now that I'm not much of a partier," he added. Naruto continued to try to talk him into it, but Sasuke ignored him.

Naruto sighed, "Fine, but I'm going to get you away from studying one of these days." Sasuke just rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I'm serious, you just wait," he grinned, his mind already thinking about his plans to get Sasuke away from studying. Whether Sasuke knew it or not Naruto was going to get him to relax.

TBC…

This is just a short chapter…I realized when I reread the story that it didn't have any part where Naruto and Sasuke actually become friends and so I wrote this extra chapter...