Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 21

Naruto lay on the rooftop and for the first time just lay there contently . He raised a fist in the air and watched the clouds drift slowly and easily. He sometimes wished he could do that. Just drift off. To just let go.

But then the memory of his mother would burn clearly in his mind and he would dismiss such hopeful thoughts. He couldn't do that. No he'd always be tied down. And in a way he blamed his mother.

Sometimes he hated her! But just as quickly such thoughts were snuffed out. It wasn't her fault. It really wasn't.

She didn't force him stay. He had made that decision himself. He couldn't just abandon her. He just couldn't. Not after what he'd done all those years ago.

Naruto sighed heavily and sat up. He reached into his back pocket again and pulled out the pack of cigarettes tsunade had given him earlier.

He pulled one clean one out in a perfect fluid motion and slipped out the lighter from his jeans. Lazily he lit it up He took a deep drag and slowly breathed out in satisfaction.

It was a dirty habit he had picked up from Tammy. And he wasn't ashamed to admit it was becoming a problem. He couldn't go on anymore without a drag here or two.

Naruto sighed and snubbed the cig on the ground and tossed it carelessly aside. He lay down again and thought over today. The Uchiha was steadily becoming a big problem.

He was poisoning his mind with hopeful thoughts. He was making him feel and want. And it was frightening to Naruto.

He'd always been in control of his emotions. Had locked them away and tossed the key into oblivion but now it seemed the key had found it's way back…Naruto snorted to himself and breathed out tiredly.

Maybe he was just making a big deal out of nothing…... Whatever feelings he had for Sasuke were simply a hindrance right now. Unimportant. He had bigger things to worry about right now.

The door to the rooftop creaked open almost silently and he felt the familiar presence of none other than the boy in question. Naruto sighed in frustration. Couldn't he get a moment of peace anymore.

God barely two days in this hell hole and everything was already out of his control. He raised himself up and turned his cool eyes over to the door and was amused to see Sasuke jump slightly in surprise. Probably thought I was sleeping. Naruto assumed.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked laying back down hands under his head to soften the cold hard concrete floor.

"Nothing really.." Sasuke said sitting down next to him. Naruto sighed and sat up again.

"God Uchiha you seriously need some acting lessons," Naruto said annoyed. "Now what do you want?"

"Shut up Naruto." Sasuke said with a scowl. " I just want to hang out with you. Is that so much to ask!"

"I guess not." Naruto conceded sighing and reaching for a cigarette again. He lit it up and watched with satisfaction as Sasuke's scowl deepened.

"What's wrong Uchiha?" Naruto asked tauntingly with a smirk taking a slow drag deliberately .

" Don't like the smell of smoke?" He breathed it out slowly in the Uchiha's face watching as Sasuke coughed and glared.

"You're stupid Naruto." Sasuke hissed. " That craps bad for fucking health. Why the fuck do you use that shit?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Chill Uchiha. I know what I'm doing. It helps relieve stress. It's not like I'm getting fucking addicted."

Liar, a voice whispered maliciously in his ear. Naruto ignored the pull in his conscience. So what if he was getting a little bit addicted. Why the fuck should it be any of Uchiha's business.

Sasuke stayed silent for a while. He wanted to ask Naruto about the whole Neji and Hinata thing but he didn't know how to start. He couldn't just go and ask him if he had a fling with her just out of nowhere.

Plus if Naruto didn't want him prying into his health what made him think he'd let him pry about more personal issues.

Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh and lay down, hands shielding his face. Naruto glanced at him curiously.

"Uchiha just spill already. It's obvious that whatever's on your mind is eating at you so why not just ask. Get it over with. " Naruto said calmly extinguishing his cig. Sasuke glanced at him and then looked away.

"You wouldn't answer even if I did ask you so what's the point?" Sasuke snapped without thinking and then stopped. " Sorry I didn't me-"

Naruto cut him off . "Save it Uchiha I really don't care. Just ask. I might even surprise you and answer." Naruto smirked at the end.

Sasuke sat up and looked at Naruto. "Well I wanted to know if you'd ever gone out with a girl named Hinata."

Naruto stayed silent for a second and then chuckled dryly. "Ah I see you've been talking to Neji . So what did he tell you hm?"

Naruto's bangs were shadowing his eyes so Sasuke couldn't tell if answering was a good thing or not so he hesitated for a second but decided on just telling the truth.

"He told me you cheated on her with a girl and then broke up with her, but not without first turning her against him." Sasuke answered.

Naruto nodded nonchalantly with a smirk. "Yes he does loathe me for that. He should've just minded his own business. I wasn't planning to hurt her or him but he just had to butt in."

"Why would you do that. Didn't you ever love that girl Hinata? Didn't you feel anything for her?" Sasuke demanded.

Inside he couldn't help but hope he never did. He didn't want to compete with some other girl for Naruto's heart. And he felt like a low life for hoping for it.

Naruto chuckled and said matter-of-factly. "Haven't you figured it out yet Uchiha? I don't love anyone." Naruto sighed and lay back down closing his eyes. Signaling that the conversation was over.

"So why did you stay with her for so long?" Sasuke persisted. There's no way Naruto can mean that. How can he say that? He must of felt something for her.

No matter how much he hoped otherwise. Why else would he have stayed with her for that long? Didn't he only stay with a girl for a day and that's it?

Naruto's eyes fluttered open. " Look I just wanted to test something…" Naruto said softly.

"And what was that..?" Sasuke asked in an equally soft voice. He didn't want to raise his voice. If he did he felt that Naruto would come back to his senses and just ignore him.

"I wanted to see if I could really love somebody…anybody.." Naruto answered and closed his hauntingly azure eyes again.

Sasuke held his breath and asked. "Did you…?" he asked.

Silence reigned for a minute then he chuckled bitterly. "No. No I didn't."

Naruto then turned and looked at him. And Sasuke felt like flinching. The blatant hurt and sadness in Naruto's eyes pained him. And as much as Sasuke felt like looking away Naruto's eyes kept him in place.

"She wanted more than I could ever give her." Naruto said softly. "More than I could ever give anyone…" and the way his eyes were unfocused made Sasuke ask another question.

"Are we still talking about Hinata, Naruto?" Sasuke asked locking eyes with him.

Naruto's head jerked away in shock as if barely waking up. Naruto's eyes instantly clouded over and he opened his mouth to answer.

Sasuke didn't even manage to hear his answer because Kiba chose that moment to burst through the door.

"Hi guys!!" Kiba shouted with a grin.

Sasuke felt like smashing his head against the wall.

Why did someone always have to interrupt whenever he was having an important conversation with Naruto!?

Kami hates me! Sasuke thought agonizingly.

"So what were you two love birds doing?!" Kiba asked winking suggestively.

Naruto ignored him. Such stupid comments deserved no replies in his opinion. Sasuke glared and turned away before anyone could see his creeping blush.

This was getting ridiculous! He was an Uchiha dammit ! Uchiha's don't blush like this! But ever since he had met Naruto all he felt he could do was blush like a school girl.

"Mah mah Kiba stop being troublesome." Shikamaru said with a bored drawl coming up the steps.

"If you continue I think you'll be forced to visit the doctor again." Kiba snorted but wisely decided to keep quiet. At least for a couple of seconds.

"Why are you guys here?" Naruto asked sitting back down sighing. Kami, god was punishing him wasn't he. Sick sadistic bastard. ( Naru-chan it's not nice to call god names! . ;

"Man this is a pain." Shikamaru began with a sigh. "but on our way over here, me and Kiba were told to bring you to the attendance office."

"What for?" Naruto said wearily slouching down. It better not be some bullshit Tammy had made up to get his attention.

He hadn't seen her all day so he knew by now she should be fuming. Naruto smirked. She was seriously obsessed with him. Ah well he could still use her as long as she stayed useful.

"Tammy asked for you." Kiba informed Naruto with a smirk in Sasuke's direction.

Sasuke immediately tensed, hands curled up into fists at his sides. No. Not that bitch again. What did she want this time?

"Figured it was her." Naruto said with an indifferent air. He stood up and looked up locking his eyes with Sasuke.

Addressing all of them but still having his eyes locked on Sasuke, he said coolly as they stood to follow him. "I'd rather you guys don't come." with that said Naruto turned on his heel and walked off.

Sasuke scowled. Like hell he'd just sit back and wait for Naruto. He waited three minutes and then made his way after Naruto.

What was Naruto hiding anyways? Why didn't he want them to come?

Shikamaru sighed exasperatedly but followed. Kiba grinned. Well school sure wasn't boring anymore when you were hanging out with Naruto and Sasuke. They sure made things interesting.

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TBC…..