Disclaimer: I'm an evil son of a bitch. :D

All he wanted to do was run - putting one foot in front of the next. He was tired of being manipulated, tired of having his thoughts be controlled at the whims of others.

His brother's image came to mind, holding his eight year old self by the scruff of his neck. 'Do you hate me, Sasuke? The man who killed everyone you ever knew to be important?'

He remembered his brother's glowing red eyes staring back placidly - bored - into his own. 'You actually believed that image of a caring brother? You were always so gullible...' -the man smirked- 'Why? You ask.' - the monster's shoulders rose nonchalantly in a half-hearted shrug - 'I guess I just wanted to test my strength.'

It was that moment, the moment when he realized that his family - all those that he'd loved - had been killed at a petty whim. It was that moment that he knew that it had all been a lie: the piggyback rides home, the soft countenance, the affectionate smiles and the apologetic touch on the forehead. It was the moment he realized what hatred truly was. This man before him - this 'brother' - he wanted this man dead.

Glaring at his brother for the first time, he'd been tossed like a ragdoll on top of his parent's bodies. 'So weak.. if you want to see me pay for what I have done, then come back when you have more hatred in your heart.' - the older Uchiha smirked - 'Maybe then you won't be so useless.'

He pumped Chakra into his legs and leapt high into the air, landing atop one of the trees at the edge of the nation's vast forest.

He grit his teeth. Why?! Why?! WHY?! WHY?! ITACHI!

"Sasuke! Wait!"

Naruto. He turned. Why can't he just leave me alone? The past days spent under the tutelage of the Fourth Hokage and living with his friend, those days of peace.. he yearned to stay. But he couldn't. Not until he knew the truth. "Naruto. I'm going to find my brother. I'm not coming back until I know why my clan was put to death."

His friend stopped stared up at him from the ground. "But.. my Dad says-"

"I know what your dad says. I'm tired of everyone telling me what to think."

"But you don't even know where you're going! We still have training.. with my Dad. Remember?"

Sasuke stared hard at his friend. "Your dad doesn't want me to use his teaching to do things he does not condone. That.. I cannot promise to do. I can't stay. I'd be betraying his trust." His voice softened. "I'm not going back. Not with him there."

The blonde threw him an inquisitive look. "Who? That Tobito guy?"

It's Obito, dobe. The genin rolled his eyes. "Who else? I don't care what your dad says. If I see that man again, I will kill him."

"So you're just gonna leave?!" Naruto's voice rose. "Just like that?! Throw everyone away?! What about me?! What about Sakura?! Are you just gonna leave her alone?!"

The Uchiha smirked. "We're thirteen. Our relationship is nothing but a child's game."

As his friend's words hit his ears, the blonde clenched his fists and snarled. "That's it! I'm taking you back even if I have to beat the crap out of you to do it."

Sasuke smiled. "Naruto. Remember that mission to wave?"

Naruto glared angrily at his teammate. "Yeah. What about it?"

"You have a Bijuu inside of you. Not just any Bijuu, but the Nine-tails. You and I both know it. You're stronger and faster than I am. You have more Chakra and you have a technique that is better than my Chidori."

The fact that Sasuke.. Uchiha Sasuke.. was admitting that he was weaker flew straight over the head of the irate blonde. "What's your point?!"

"My point.." His voice softened. "My point is that even if you beat me to dust, I will keep running. Even if you cripple me, I'll hobble myself away on crutches if I have to. I'll crawl. It doesn't matter what you do. I'm leaving."

But that's so stupid! That doesn't even make sense.. Sasuke... Naruto grit his teeth. "Why?!"

The genin stared into his teammates eyes.. eyes full of rage, sadness and a desire to understand. "Because I'm not like you or Minato-sensei. I'm not kind. I'm not understanding. Because I cannot just forgive and forget what's been done to my family." He paused as the truth of his own words hit him. "..because revenge is everything to me."

"But.." Naruto shook. "You can still stay with us.. with me. I'm your friend right? Friends stay together through everything. You can't leave. I'm your friend. Sasuke.. please." The blonde gazed searchingly into his friend's eyes. "Sasuke.."

The Uchiha smirked. "Kakashi-sensei is hurt really badly right now, do you know that?"

"What?"

"Yeah. He might never wake up. You know why I didn't tell you?"

"Why?"

Because I'm a selfish prick and all I could think about is myself. "Because I don't care a single bit about him.. or you. None of you matter to me." I shouldn't matter to you. "You don't deserve to be my friend." I don't deserve to be yours. "I'm leaving to find my brother and find the truth, alone. Don't follow me." Thank you, Naruto, for everything.

Sasuke turned and began leaping away, his heart shattering with every step.

Naruto stood rooted in place feeling useless and abandoned. He felt something touch his shoulder lightly.

"I'll go get him."

Naruto looked up, his voice wavering as he choked back tears. "Dad.."

Minato nodded and disappeared.

-Intermission-

"Uchiha Sasuke!"

The genin landed on a branch and pivoted, whirling to face the Fourth, who stood about ten meters away on a nearby branch. "Minato-sensei."

"If you leave, the village will have to mark you a missing-nin." Minato examined the boy's expressionless face.

Sasuke stared back expectantly.

"Where are you going to go?"

"Away."

Obviously. Minato resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, but where?"

"I'm going to travel.. see the world for myself. I'm going to find my brother."

"You don't know where he is."

Minato scanned the Uchiha's face. Sasuke's expression remained without emotion. "I'll find him eventually."

"Obito was part of the Akatsuki. He might know where we could find him. You don't have to do everything alone."

"Minato-sensei." Sasuke replied, unintimidated by the Fourth's scrutiny. "If I go back, I will try to kill him."

Minato sighed. "I know. I heard you earlier. I was there."

"Then what are you going to do?"
Minato adopted a stern expression. "It's a dangerous world out there."
Sasuke nodded.

"My son would die for you, you know?"

"I know."

"Promise to at least try reasoning with yourself.. about your need for vengeance?"

Sasuke paused. "I'll try."

They stared silently at each other for a few moments.

"Don't get killed out there."

"I won't." The Uchiha turned to leave.

"Wait."

Something thudded into the bark beside him. A kunai? Sasuke dislodged the three-pronged projectile.

"That has my seal on it. Keep that with you on all times. Signal me by throwing it. I'll be there to help whenever you need me."

Sasuke smiled, his back turned against the former Kage. "Naruto is lucky to have you for a father."

And he was gone.

Minato sighed. Naruto's going to throw a fit.

-Intermission-

Naruto's heart sank as he watched his father return alone. "You let him go?!"

"I did."

"Why?!"

"We can't force ourselves on him. He has to figure things out his own way. I'm not going to lock him up just to keep him around. Your friend deserves better than that."

"But.. he's.." Naruto was at a loss for words. His best friend was gone and his chest was suffocating him. The blonde began to cry.

Minato knelt and gave his son a hug. "He'll be just fine. Let's go back."

Naruto sniffed and nodded.

-A/N-

Apparently the fatter you are, the less ticklish you'll be. Conversely, the leaner you are the more ticklish you'll be. So which do you prefer? Fat and immune or thin and ticklish?

Decisions, decisions..