Naruto rested the side of his face in the palm of his hand as he sat there, tiredly staring at the board in front of him. At this point he had stopped listening to his teacher, and was thinking about going home and taking a long, much needed nap. It didn't help that the person teaching them looked super creepy either! What was wrong with his face? Was that makeup? What guy teaches a class wearing heavy makeup like that? Not to mention he had long black hair, but was pulled back into a loose ponytail. His voice was also different, but in a bad way. This is another reason why he cuts him out so much and starts to daydream. All the other students have noticed this, and always avoid getting too close to him. He was nothing compared to their last year's teacher, Iruka!
No... This man's name was "Orochimaru", and he had a strange obsession with snakes. Last time he tried bringing in one of his pets, the parents were outraged. Apparently it was still venomous, and could have killed someone. If only he had lost his job in the process, but nope. He was only let off with a warning, and nothing else. It was very unfortunate, because they could have used a different teacher. It was almost as if he wasn't serious about his job, and only wanted to creep on people. Sure he stares at the children here in the elementary school, but said kids were more focused on other things... Like playing, and hanging out with each other.
But the blonde sure noticed his strange behavior, and even brought it up to his parents one time. They just told him to be careful, and that if anything strange happens, tell them right away. There was just something about him that gave him a bad feeling. What was even more strange, was the fact that the guy sitting next to him seemed to be shaking, glaring at the older man before them. "...?" The two never really talked to each other. Whenever they did have to confront each other, it was to argue. One time they actually got into a fist-fight, and got in huge trouble by their parents. Apparently their mothers were very close friends, but not so much their fathers. They were more strict and stubborn.
So it was safe to say that they have known each other for a very long time, but just never got along. 'Why is he shaking?' Naruto thought, as he continued to stare at him. This wasn't the first time that he has acted like this either. Just the other day he limped into the classroom, and seemed to have a hard time just sitting there. It was like he was trying so desperately to get comfortable, a pained look on his face the entire time. And it was almost as if he had been crying, because his eyes were all red and puffy. But Sasuke Uchiha doesn't cry though, right? No one has ever seen shed a single tear, yet he showed up to class that day having the evidence all over his face.
Sighing, he reached out to place a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder. "Hey, you okay? You seem terrified, ttebayo!" Never have they actually had a civil conversation, so this already felt so out of place. And he wondered if the other felt the same way about this.
"...!" Sasuke quickly yanked away from him, and even scooted much further away from him. His eyes had gone all wide, like something shocking and horrible just happened. His hand was even placed protectively over his shoulder, like it had been hit or something. He didn't say anything as he just glared at him, his body shaking that much more. Lately he really didn't like to be touched, even if it was small and innocent. It's because every single time someone did that, it only brought back images of that disgusting old man pounding into him with sheer force. Days later he still kept finding blood in his underwear. Luckily his mother hasn't done laundry yet, because otherwise she would have pointed it out and pestered him on what was going on.
Naruto threw his hands up in the air, and just blinked a couple of times. "Whoa! Calm down man. What has gotten into ya? Usually you're so calm and collected..." He pointed out. That is why he was so popular. Not only was he "cute", but he also had the personality that all chicks seemed to dig in a guy. It pissed him off to no end, but he didn't bring that up during a time like this. His rival was having a hard time right now, and he wanted to know what was up. This just wasn't like him at all...
The Uchiha moved over a bit more, and turned in his seat to face away from him again. His hands were clasped tightly as they rested on his lap, his dark locks hanging over his face so that you couldn't see the expression he held. "J-just leave me alone, you loser!" He snapped angrily.
The other was taken aback by this, and he sat up from his seat. "What did you just call me, you bastard?!" He snapped just as angrily, actually climbing right on top of the desk in front of him and grabbing a hold of the collar of his shirt. He then yanked it forward so that their faces were closer... Much closer. "Take that back, now!" He demanded loudly.
"Tch!" Sasuke grabbed at the blonde's wrist hard, and yanked it off of his shirt. "Don't touch me, Naruto!" He really was at his breaking point, and couldn't handle any of this anymore. Why was he so persistent all the dam time? If only their mothers weren't friends, then they wouldn't have known each other for so long. "We are not friends, and we never will be! So stop bugging me with all of these stupid questions, you-"
"Sasuke, Naruto, stop it this instant!" The teacher decided to step in before things got too heated between them. This was his classroom after all. "Do I have to keep you two after class for detention?" He said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"..." Sasuke's face paled quite a bit when the teacher said that. In no way was he going to stay after school with him. Sure this idiot in front of him would be there too, but still, what was to stop him? Two small children cannot stop a strong man like that. And that was when he panicked. "N-no... No I refuse!"
Orochimaru seemed to be smirking at this. "I will call your mother, and tell her that you will be staying with me for about an hour. And look, Naruto gets to join you too." Was he laughing? It sure sounded like it. Just what did he have planned up those floppy sleeves of his?
All of a sudden the Uchiha sat up from his seat, and bolted right out of the classroom. And he just kept on running, and running... As fast as his small legs would allow him. Even though he was still in a lot of pain from the other day, he still kept on running. Even when he reached the outside, he didn't stop at there. No...he was going straight home. Enough was enough! No way can he handle being tortured like this anymore. How can one sit there in class, and listen to the same guy who has molested and even raped him? He didn't care about living anymore. His family just had to know what this sick man has been doing to him lately!
That was the last day everyone saw Sasuke Uchiha.
"Sasuke?!" Naruto shouted. His eyes flung open, but all he saw was the white ceiling. His breathing was heavy, and there was even sweat running along the sides of his face. What happened just now? Why was he remembering that time in his life, and in a dream nonetheless? It left him feeling very confused. His hands were even gripping very tightly at the blanket as he laid there, trying to recollect himself. What time was it even? The sun was shining through the window, so it had to be morning. There was nothing but complete silence. For some reason this really bothered him.
Slowly sitting up and running a hand through his hair, which seemed to also be damp from the sweat, he looked around the room. Although his eyes didn't have to wander far at all, before they fall onto the raven who was just sitting there on his computer chair. There was a look of shock on his face as they stared at each other. That's right! Last night he cut the guy's hair. But after doing so, he couldn't help but think that...maybe he did meet him before? He sure did look very familiar, that's for sure! But now that he thought about it, he resembled that little boy in his dream almost perfectly. Their short, black, spiky hair was the exact same! Not to mention the eye color and shape, and the personality... Was this perhaps his childhood rival?
No, that couldn't be it! This was "Hitsugi", who was homeless and needed help finding a place of his own. This just couldn't be him... Yet it probably was. The look on his face didn't help either. It was like he had been caught in a lie. Was that really his name? Or was it a cover up? That day all of those years ago, Sasuke disappeared from his school and never came back. No one saw him anywhere! He was once reported as a missing child's case, and everyone looked everywhere for him. One simply does not forget about that time in their life. Pulling the covers off of him, he swung his legs over the bed and stood up. He then walked over to the darker-haired male, and just stared at him in silence. "..."
'This guy also hates to be touched, just like Sasuke. Can this really be him? It was never reported that he died, so it very well could be him.' His eyes traveled to his hair, in which now stuck out from the back. It's not like he cut it like that on purpose! Maybe it's because that is how his hair should be? Let's just say that the two could be twins. So to be honest, you couldn't blame him for assuming that this was the boy he once knew. What happened to his family then? Were they still alive, or did they perish?
Naruto raised a fist at him, like he was going to land a hit on him or something... But something stopped him. It was the look in those dark eyes as his entire body shrank back against the chair. "...?" That look! It was the same one that his rival always held during the last couple of months that he was still around. It was like he was scared shitless, but of what? Just what happened to him? Letting out a long and heavy sigh, he brought his hand back down to rest at his side and shook his head.
"To think I have Sasuke Uchiha staying in my apartment..." He finally said, but very quietly at that. But just like that he grew angry once again, and pointed a finger right at him. "Explain yourself! Your real name isn't Hitsugi, so why that name? Have you really forgotten about me? Huh?!"
Sasuke's eyes widened. Yeah, he also ended up having that dream as well. So this guy really was the same one who was always jealous of him, and always tried to pick fights with him? But every single time he lost. That day he disappeared, he remembered how he got up in his face so suddenly. Thinking about the past made his head hurt, and he held it in his hands. So they knew each other then? Who would have known that they would reunite like this? Plus, how did he not recognize those features right away?! Living out in the wilderness for so many years really has made him forget so many things. He felt like throwing up... He was panicking!
"Why aren't you saying anything? You're acting all weird, just like that day when you up and disappeared. Why won't you tell me anything? We have known each other our whole lives. My mother was worried sick about you guys! She kept trying to get a hold of your mother, and cried so many nights. And ya wanna know what? She came to the conclusion that she actually died!" He was pissed off that the Uchiha's did such a thing to his own family. His mother was so depressed after their disappearance. It was like they fell off of the face of the earth.
"Stop yelling at me!" There was only so much a person could take. "I don't need to explain anything to you. It's not like we are friends." He practically sneered. Why was this happening? Did it really have to be him of all people that he was currently staying at? As soon as Kushina sees him, she will recognize him. Then he will get pestered with even more questions... And he really didn't need that right now. "I shouldn't stay here. I need to go-...?!" A strong, yet warm hand grabbed onto his wrist. It didn't hurt or anything, but still caught him off guard.
"Yes we were. I was such an idiot. Why hadn't I realized it sooner? Of course we were friends, Sasuke. When you up and left... I regretted not talking to you more. I was worried that something bad had happened to you. And honestly, I missed our arguments. I missed the glare that you gave me, or even the punches you gave me. Heh, I know. It sounds pretty crazy, doesn't it?" He said, smiling sadly at him. There was a look of hurt in his eyes, but he didn't notice.
"..." Sasuke's heart was pounding painfully in his chest, and he used his free hand to grip at the shirt that covered it. These were words that he really didn't need to hear. He was perfectly contempt with knowing that they hated each other's guts. "Why? We did nothing but hurt each other, so how can you say stuff like that?" He mumbled.
Naruto let go of his wrist, since he knew just how uncomfortable he got with physical contact. "Wasn't that our way of communicating? We were both too awkward and stubborn to have a normal conversation, so we resorted to bickering at each other. Now that I think about it, all of the teasing that has been going on between us lately... It feels like old times, doesn't it...Sasuke?"
The raven flinched when his name was said by him, and he looked down at the floor. This was wrong. He shouldn't be here. Maybe coming back was out of the question. What Naruto said was the truth. Deep down even he missed those petty arguments. "Hn. I don't need to explain anything to you..." He mumbled.
Those ocean-blue eyes only softened that much more. "Okay, maybe you don't. But I hope that someday you will. Until then, mind staying with me? Neh, I bet all of our old classmates will be happy to know that you're still alive! But they will also be jealous when finding out that you are staying with me."
Sasuke still didn't look away from the floor, and instead shoved his hands into his pockets. "Wishing I had kept that long hair now..." He said almost too quietly for the blonde to hear. At least that hid his identity a lot more. He didn't even think about what it would make him look like. Now he was filled with nothing but regret and anger. To think that they had the same dream, and recognized each other. Was this fate? Were they...meant to be together? It sure sounded like it.
"I'm...sorry, Naruto. I cannot stay here anymore. This is too much for me. I...I need to get out of here." Stumbling over the garbage that was still covering the floor, he put a sweater on and ran out of the bedroom. If this really was fate, then he needed to get away from it. He didn't come here to fall in love. And he definitely didn't come here to reunite with some old classmates, even if one of them was an old rival. 'We're not friends. We just can't be! And we won't ever be anything more than that!' Falling in love scared him shitless. And he will continue to run away from it for as long as he possibly could. When he heard the redhead greeting him from the kitchen, he just ignored her and yanked the front door open.
It didn't matter that he wasn't wearing shoes, because he was more used to it this way. For so long he hasn't worn them, and having to cram his feet in them only made them hurt. Not once did he look back. It felt like his heart was about to explode it was beating that much. It was starting to make his head spin, but he tried his very hardest to focus on getting as far away from here as he could. Living here just wasn't an option anymore. No...he wanted to stay away from his past, even if that meant cutting Naruto out of his life completely.
Naruto tried running after him. But as he made his way out of the apartment, that was when he noticed just how busy it was outside. It was like everyone was out today shopping! As his eyes scanned through the heard of people, he soon realized that it was too late. He had lost him. Where the heck was he going? Where will he stay? Was he...really homeless, and without a family? "Sasuke..." He whispered. Why did his chest hurt so much? It was like he was heartbroken, which is weird because they weren't even dating. They didn't even think about love, yet it felt like his heart was been broken into pieces.
His rival had been alive this entire time!
And to think he just got him a job, too. If only he had realized that it was Sasuke sooner. Then maybe things would have turned out differently. Or maybe not. He will never know now. After standing there for another minute or so, he slowly backed up into the apartment and shut the door. And he just stood there, his hand still on the door knob as he just stared blankly ahead of him. Why did he feel so empty? Did he really care about the bastard that much? His vision became blurred with tears, and a few seconds later, they spilled over and streamed down his face. 'Why does he insist on shutting everyone out like this? I finally found him after all of these years, and he left again. Will I even see him ever again? Or was this the last time?' He thought, bringing his hand up to wipe away at the fallen tears.
Naruto had been crushing on his childhood rival this entire time, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. Back then he didn't have a real reason to hate him. He was just jealous on how popular he was with everyone, while those same people hated him for being an "idiot". Still, he wanted to know why he held so much hurt in those dark eyes of his. Did something happen to him? If so, then that would explain why it was so hard to tell others. His hand slowly slid off of the door knob then, and he slowly turned around to see his mom just standing there.
"What's wrong, Naruto?" The redhead asked, as she made her way over to him. Her apron was sort of dirty, but that didn't stop her from pulling him into a hug. Her husband was still sleeping, since he finally had the day off and could actually sleep in for once. So for now she was in charge of taking care of things around here. "I haven't seen you cry in so long. Did you and Hitsugi get into a fight?" She asked, looking down at him with a concerned look on her face.
Explaining things right now would only make things hectic. So for now he was just going to keep this situation to himself. This meant that he was going to have to lie to his own mother. But what other choice did he have? "Y-yeah, a fight. I...don't think he will be coming back, mom." His voice broke at the end there, and fresh tears began to stain his face. 'Sasuke's alive, but...I'm not sure about the rest of his family. Mikoto might be dead, and I just don't want to burden you with that right now...'
This caused Kushina to frown. "Really? Well that's a shame. I was starting to like him. Thought maybe he would be your new friend, or something...more." Was that okay to say? Her son never had good luck when it came to relationships that involved love, but she could have seen those two being together. "Where will he stay?" She asked.
Naruto didn't answer though, but instead pulled away and went over to the closet. In there sat a box on the top shelf. From there he took it off and opened it up. Inside were all sorts of stuff from his childhood... One of them being his yearbooks. He pulled one out, and went over to the couch. He flipped through the page until he reached his old class. On top was a picture of Orochimaru smiling creepily, the classmates all below him. And when he found what he was looking for, his heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. They were taken at the beginning of the school year, so Sasuke looked a lot happier But months later something happened, and it changed him.
'What happened to you, Sasuke?'
Growing frustrated with all of this, Naruto closed the book and chucked it at the wall so hard, that it created a small hole in it. 'Who am I kidding? You were on my mind every single day for so many years. But when I reached high school, it was like I forgot all about you. Like...my mind forced you out so that I could create room for the people who were still in my life. I continued on with life like you didn't even exist anymore. Is that wrong? Should I be punished? No one should have given up on you.' And there it was. Yeah, no one should give up on him. He may push others away, and act cold towards them... But even so, that wasn't an excuse to give up on someone who obviously needed help.
And Naruto was the type to never give up!
That's it. He just needs to keep looking until he finds him. And once he does, he is going to drag his ass back here and force him to live in his apartment. He stood up and grabbed his jacket, along with a hat and some gloves. It was pretty cold out there, and he might be roaming the streets all day at this point. And if he doesn't find him today, then he will continue with his search tomorrow. "Don't get hurt out there, okay? You're still prohibited from going to certain places. Don't forget that, Naruto..." He heard his mother say.
Kushina really didn't want her son going to jail, all because he went outside of the city. So hopefully he will be careful when trying to find his friend. "I mean it! Your father shouldn't have to wake up to a phone call from the police, saying that you are sitting in a cell."
Naruto gave her a small smile. "I know, mom. But someone's gotta bring that idiot back! And I'm the only one who can do that. He has no where else to stay, and will probably freeze to death if not found soon enough. And...and I don't want him going to some stranger for help either." They might take advantage of him. "I will call Tsunade, and let her know that I can't go into work today."
"A-alright. Don't get yourself fired, because if you do-..." She didn't even get to finish her sentence, for her son closed the door on her when leaving. Oh, he was so going to get it for that one. Great, so her son and his new friend were in trouble. How does she even explain this to her husband? For now she was going to try and not worry about them both. They are grown men, who can take care of themselves! "..." Okay, maybe not her son. His bedroom was a perfect example of that.
The so called messy blonde ran down the streets of Konoha, frantically looking around to try and see if he could find anyone that looked remotely like Sasuke. Every time he saw someone with black hair, he would try to get closer to get a better look. Unfortunately it was never him. As the hours went by, he couldn't help but feel defeated. Just where the heck was he? It was like he had disappeared off of the face of the earth once again. It was just like when he was little, and everyone tried to look for him. Why was this happening all over again? This just wasn't fair. Even though his mind and body screamed at him to give up, it was his heart that kept him trudging on.
'I always looked up to Sasuke. He was such a cool person! But I could never gain the courage to talk to him normally. Instead I would just grow frustrated, and took it out on him every time. It was me who was the problem, not him. If only I had been nicer to him, then...then we could have been a lot closer. We would have been best friends, even! Instead he has run out of my life once again. And the scary part? I probably won't find him.' It was snowing heavily as the temperature dropped quite a bit, which meant that people were heading back inside. But not him.
Naruto refuses to lose him a second time!
Author's Note: Looks like Sasuke ran away again ;~; He can't handle getting close to people, and so he runs away from his "problems". Let's just hope that Naruto finds him~