Now I know some of you may be thinking, 'Why are you updating this again? Dont you have that other story you have yet to update?'

Why yes, yes I do. But, unfortunately, that story is stalled due to quiet a bit of writers block. Pity. But I have a feeling that you all like this one better then MSH anyway, as this ones got more yaoi and more angst. And deny it all you want, I know you all love angst. How do I know this? Because your teenagers, and teenagers love sad, melodramatic things. Hahaha, Im one myself so I know exactly what Im talking about.

Well, I'll get on with it now, what do ya say? Good call.

Disclaimer: Rae-chan doesn't own Naruto. Kishimoto-sama owns Naruto. Own Kishimoto-sama, and I will own Naruto. That is the key...

My word, I'm witty.


Sasuke sat at his desk, his hands clasped and resting against his chin. His fangirls called it his 'Smoldering intellectual thinking look'. Monday morning Homeroom had already started, and the object of the Uchiha's thoughts had not yet shown up at the school. Girls squealed and gossiped together and roudy boys rough housed and joked loudly about priests and prostitutes, but Sasuke ignored them all, discreetly gazing around the class, looking for the out of place spiky blond. Naruto's absence alone frustrated, concered, and worried Sasuke, after teh strange events that took place Sunday.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun."

Aformentioned boy glared at the fake smiling face that stared at him as Sai stood before him. Sai's face alone infuriated Sasuke to the point where he'd like nothing better then to punch him square in that stupid false smile.

"What do you want?" Sasuke growled, deciding it wouldn't hurt to take his annoyance out on the bastard, as he deserved it. Sai smiled happily.

"Just wondering if you happen to know where Naruto-kun is today? He usually comes early but I haven't seen him since I lost track of him at Inuzuka-san's party." he said. Sasuke's glare deepened.

"How should I know and why should I care about where the looser is?" he answered shortly, even though inwardly he was curiouse as to where the blond was himself. Sai blinked and continued to smile. Big suprise there.

"Just thought you might, on both accounts. I recall how possesive you are over Naruto-kun's well being. Curious though, how often he has injuries when coming back from detentions. Well! I'm sure he'll turn up!" the pale boy said, giving a little wave and going back to his seat to leave Sauske witha strange tightening in the pit of his stomach. What was it called again? Ah yes, guilt.

"Alright class! Everyone quiet down and get in your assigned seats so I can do role call." Umino-sensei announced as he scanned the room with his dark brown eyes. He frowned slightly when he saw Naruto's empty desk.

"Thats odd, Uzumaki-kun isn't here? Has anyone seen him today?" the teacher asked. Most of the class scoffed.

"Hes probably frozen to death in a ditch somewhere with a broken neck." Kiba surmised with a smirk, making the class snicker. Iruka slapped his hands on his clipboard, gathering the attention back to him.

"Thats no way to talk about a fellow classmate Inuzuka-kun! I don't want to hear that talk again!" he reprimed. Kiba gave a mock salute.

"I'll be sure that you don't hear me next time then." he said, making the class erupt in giggles. Iruka scowled.

"Would you like detention for the next week Inuzuka-kun? Because thats what you'll get if you mouth off one more time." he warned, making Kiba pale and shut his mouth. Sasuke inwardly decided that Kiba had a better personality when he kept his barking mouth shut. No pun intended.

"Or I could just teach him a lesson by shoving my foot up his ass."

Everyone in the classroom turned at the voice coming from the doorway. Across the room Sauske's eyes widened.

Naruto was leaning in the door frame, his school uniform gone, replaced with a dark crimson long sleeved tee and far too tight black jeans that looked as though they were sewn while he was in them. Heavy black army boots laced up to mid calf in place of the standard white tennis shoe adorned his feet. His soft spiky yellow hair had gel in it, giving it a more sharp rough look that it hadn't had without product. His nails were painted black, a few bandages wrapped around his wrists and plasters stuck at random spots. But it was his face that attracted the most attention.

Gone was the loner that sat unnoticed at the back of the class. The innocent blue eyes usualy cloudy and set with dark grey bags now burned with fire and something animalistic. His pouty pink lips stretched out in a feral grin that spoke volumes about something that amused the blond, yet was kept secrete from everyone else. The scars on his cheeks remained the same as ever, and yet stood out more apparent then they ever had before.

"Uzumaki-kun?" Umino-sensei questioned, looking at the boy startled. Naruto gave a short two fingered wave.

"Yo."

The class was in shock, but no one more then Sasuke. He stared in unabashed disbelief at the blond who seemed to take forever to walk to the back of the class to his desk. His smirk never left, like he found the collective astonishment the funniest thing he'd ever seen. Sasuke had to fight himself to tear his own gaze off the blond, a task proving all the more difficult when Naruto flicked his eyes on Sasuke's own, and gave a little wink.

Just what the hell was going on?! First Itachi winds up beaten and bruised in the hospital and now Uzumaki Naruto was dressing and acting like some Punk member of the Yakuza!

"Uzumaki-kun, where exactly is your uniform?" Iruka stared, arms crossed and a dissaproving expression written across his dark face. Naruto shifted, resting his feet on top of the desk.

"It was boring and lame, so I trashed it." he replied simply. There were gasps and murmmers littering the air. Iruka scowled.

"Young man I suggest you go to the office and request a new uniform and change immeadiatly. Such garb is against school rules!" the teacher said strickly. Naruto thoughtfully put a finger to his lips.

"Ummmmmm... no. Not gonna happen." he quipped. Eyes widened and a few students shook their heads in pity.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you are on thin ice here young man, now either you start showing respect and follow orders-"

"Bitch bitch bitch, thats all you ever do Umino-sensei. Your so adament about following some fucked up some list of school rules. Its giving me a ear ache. I don't gotta deal with this shit, the bells gonna ring in five seconds anyway. Later." Naruto interupted, standing up and waltzing to the door. Right before leaving he looked directly at Sasuke, and in front of everyone, blew him a kiss.


Sasuke could hear them, everywhere. The rumors.

The rumors of the 'New Kid' that refused to wear the school uniform, cursed to teachers, and had brought a knife to school with the intention of 'shankings'. Most of these rumors were grossely exagerated, thought up to make the stories of Naruto's odd change more exciting and dangerouse. As it was, very few people knew who Uzumaki Naruto even was, and so it wasn't hard passing off the blond sophomore, who could be seen running in the halls and ripping off classroom numbers, as a new kid.

Sasuke blindly coppied down the English notes written on the board, his mind on everything except the English language. The way Naruto was acting was deffinately not that of the one he himself had been tormenting for three years now. It was almost as if, Naruto had changed into the type of person he might have been had Sasuke decided to never scheduel his 'detentions'. The air he had about him now was infuriating, reminding Sasuke all too well of how things used to be, and how things were now. He knew that even though deep down he truly didn't want to, he would have to punish Naruto for this rebellion, and while he was at it, get some answers.

"Uchiha Sasuke-kun?" Yuuhi-sensei interupted Sasuke's thoughts, drawing a blank look from his onyx eyes. He raised an eyebrow to show she had his attention. The redish-brown eyed woman pointed to the door.

"The transfer student would like to speak with you out in the hall for a moment-"

But Sasuke was already out of his seat and rushing out the door. For a moment, he felt stupid, blinking in an empty hallway, but a slight chuckle from behind him told him that his guest was standing next to the door he had just came out of.

It wasn't Naruto.

"Sai." he spat the name out like a foul taste in his mouth. The pale boy smirked.

"Sorry to interrupt you during your English lesson, Sasuke-kun." Sai recited in perfect english, without even an accent. Sasuke figured it was probably an attempt to mock him. Not that it worked.

"I hardly bother with English, as we live in Japan, Sai-san." Sasuke bit back flawless in the second language. Sai smiled.

"Subarashi!" he quipped. Sasuke grunted.

"What did you want. You obviousely don't need me to point out the dobe's whereabouts." he drawled out, leaning against the opposite wall from Sai.

"Ah, thats true. Hes had quite a transformation, hasn't he?" Sai said. Sasuke glared at the boy.

"Who cares? You can spray perfume on a pig, feed it caviar, and call it a socialite, but its still a pig." Sai laughed a little and stood up from his lean against the wall.

"What a nice analogy. How cruel of you though, comparing Naruto-kun to a pig." Sasuke bit his lip. It really wouldn't do for him to kill the other boy in the middle of the second floor hallway while classes where in session. That wouldn't do at all.

"I won't ask you again, Sai." he spat. Sai closed his eyes, still smiling.

"Ah, thats right, my reason for calling you out. I just wanted to know if you would be so kind as to tell me the condition of your elder brother?" he asked. Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction.

"How do you know about Itachi...?" he whispered. Sai raised an elegant black eyebrow.

"I don't know much of anything about him, just that he seems to have been ignoring those who wish to contact him lately, something very unlike him. If you could tell me, what has he been up to?" the shorter boy asked. Sasuke glared.

"Why should I tell a wierdo like you whats happend to my brother?" he growled. Sai shrugged.

"Well, I can't see why you would. Either way I'll find out eventually. This is just a little... I don't want to say 'warning', but for lack of a better word it'll have to suffice. Please pass this message on to him, as our mode of conversation has been severed it seems..."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, confusion welling up inside every corner of his mind.

"And that would be...?"

Sai turned around, walking down the hall.

"Itachi-san would be well off to get back to his job and stop stalling. The Boss is getting impatient, and with Naruto-kun sudden change of persona, its even more unsetteling. Please let him know, that if he fails due to his own sidetracking, Pein-san will just end up coming on his own to collect. And that is all, Sasuke-kun. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Sasuke couldn't tell how long he had stood staring at Sai's retreating back, but it was longer then the boy had taken to walk away, leaving Sasuke to gaze off into empty space, the 'message' the other boy had given him bouncing off the corners of his brain wildly and without order. Questions, too many questions... far too many.

But he knew who he could force answers out from.


Naruto could feel himself move.

He could hear himself speak.

He knew he what he was doing, how he was talking, acting, yet he couldn't feel the control anymore. It used to be, he acted how he felt, weak and meager without strength or courage. Sasuke had been his courage, his power. But with him out of the picture, he had become insignificant and modest. Then with more and more terrible things happening, it took far too much a tole, and now, he was like this. He was aware of everything. Far more aware then he had been in far too long a time. Yet still, there was the feeling of control missing. He couldn't decide on what he was doing.

Absently he wondered how his geometry class would turn out, as he sauntered into the darkened classroom, hopping up on the first desk with a 'bang!' from his boots, and walked across the surfaces with his hands in his pockets untell he reached his own seat at the back of the class. He jumped off with straight knees and landed with a bounce before taking his seat, once more lifting his legs up and resting his heavy boot clad feet on the desk top.

He could feel himself doing this, and knew he was doing it, but still he couldn't feel the control he once had. The control Itachi had ripped away from him.

"Uzumaki Naruto... just who in the nine layers of Hell do you think you are this afternoon?!" Naruto cringed with annoyance as a hissing voice shouted in his direction. Idly he wondered whether or not he had ever seen as pale a man as Orochimaru-sensei become quiet as red. He could feel his lips turn upwards in a foxish grin.

'I like that number, 'nine'...'

He was surprised that even his thoughts he could no longer feel security over.

"If I said you're mom would you get all Butt-hurt about it? I bet you've got Mommy issues don't you, Sensie? Wanna talk about it? Hm?" He asked, amused. Orochimaru looked as though he'd been slapped in the face.

"Wh-who...Who do you think you're talking to?! You've got detention after school for this sudden unintelligent mouth your flaunting Uzumaki!" the math teacher shouted, making the other students who were just finding thier seats quickly skamper into the room to be able to gain first row seats to the show Naruto was putting on. Most likely so they could report this all over the school the second the bell rang.

Naruto let the word 'detention' flash through his head, and in an odd way, he felt a instinctive nervousness flicker briefly. Why was it again? The reason he was nervouse about detention? Oh well.

"You sure like talking. I'm glad your over there and I'm back here, I have a feeling you spit when you talk. Blegh." He stuck out his tongue and gave a fake shudder. A few girls giggled, but were quickly shut up from glares from both Orochimaru and their friends. If there was one thing for sure, is that once Naruto had been labeled a reject, there was no way he could join with everyone else.

"Get out of my sight, you're nothing but a waste of time!" Orochimaru hissed, pointing a thin bony finger at the door. Naruto smirked.

"Aw, what? Too much for you to handle? Well okay, if thats how it is, then I'll give you some time out time to think about how much you'll miss me Orochi-chin." he said, snickering while he walked out of the class room with a teacher that looked damn near man slaughter.

He still couldn't feel that he had done that or said those things. It was kind of like having your entire arm or hand fall asleep, and you close your eyes while moving your fingers. You can't really tell if your fingers are moving or not, because you can't see them, and you can't feel your arm because its numb, but you have that a different feeling. One that tells you that your fingers are moving, that you made them move, you just can't be sure if its true or not untill you get some feeling back.

'That doesn't make much sense...'

Naruto walked the empty halls, not really knowing where he was going, and not really caring. There were probably school security guards after him, ready to take him to the office. Ooo, scary.

"Hmmmm?" Naruto lazily strolled into a empty hallway, that wasn't so empty. One tall, pale skinned dark haired Uchiha Sasuke stood staring at nothing.

"Uchiha-senpai?" Naruto spoke up, scuffing the white limolium floor with his boots, leaving black treads to stand out from the pristine white. He didn't know if it was from saying his name or from the peircing 'Skree!' from dragging his feet, but Sasuke blinked and looked over with narrowed eyes into Naruto's own bright blue.

"What are you doing out of class Uzumaki?" the Uchiha demanded. "You have detention for skipping now."

Naruto smirked, walking in small circles around the older boy.

"I guess theres no helping it, I already have a detention though. Orochimaru-sensei beat you to it." he said. Sasuke glared.

"Well then I guess I'll have to be even harsher so the lesson will stick this time." as soon as he finished his sentance, he pushed Naruto up against the wall pinning his hands on either side of the blonde's head.

"Sounds a little too kinky for my tastes, Sauke-chin." the smaller boy said, making Sasuke narrow his eyes further.

"You...sound like him. That guy... that Kyuubi..." Sasuke whispered, making Naruto grin.

"That so? Well, you know what they say about good influences." he said knowingly.

"You have some questions to answer, loser.And you are going to answer them, wither I have to force you or not." Sasuke snarled. Naruto stared up at the taller boy, his eyes flashing.

"You know what, Sasuke. I'm tired of you. We used to be freinds ya know? I used to wish all the time that you would stop being such an asshole to me and maybe be my friend again one day. But now, just looking at you makes me sick. You look too much like him right now, leaning over me like this." the blonde said, his voice low and dangerouse. Sasuke furrowed his brow.

"Like who...?"

"Itachi."

A fist collided with Naruto's cheek and Sasuke barred his teeth in fury.

"It was you wasn't it?! You hired someone or got your little fuck buddy Kyuubi to beat him up so badly! What had he ever done to you?!" the Uchiha shouted, grabbing Naruto's hair and throwing him on the ground. Naruto sat up , wiping a trail of blood from his lip before kicking his foot out and knocking Sasuke in his knee, sending him to the ground where he immeadiatly got up and stood, pressing a boot down on the Junior's chest to keep him down.

"Why don't you ask him, if you think he'd bother telling someone as eak and insignificant as you."

Sauke could only lay on his back and groan at the pain in his knee while the younger boy he once had such stimulating control over walked away with defiance the words he had spoken unsettelung Sasuke to his core.

The questions he needed to ask never required answers from Naruto.

It was his brother he needed to confront.

Itachi... Itachi had started something that was now out of Sasuke's hands.


Ah, I think I like this chapter!

Yes, He-who-is-too-hot-to-be-named-even-though-I've-said-it-before is going to be in this fic. Not that big a part though. Much to my dismay, I relize that I have made a commitment to SasuNaru and there for cannot use this Fic as an oppertunity to stray elsewhere.

Oh, um, some people wanted to know what Naruto's alarm clock radio said last chapter, well it said 'Good morning, today is Sunday, 6:00 am...'

It was the morning neeeeews. Thats what I wake up to sometimes anyway (only in english..)

Ah, right! Thank you so much for the reviews! I think last chapter might have been the most reviews I've gotten from just one chapter. I...Thank you so much! Damn it, how'd you all get to be so nice? Its like you fell off the Flatter tree and hit every branch on the way down

-Rae-chan (loves her readers)