GAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! SEE??? It came in EXACTLY 2 weeks time^__^ I couldn't get it in two days because well… I couldn't…

Actually, this was finished a while ago, *grin* But I decided to keep my promise and have it arrive at the correct time… Wait… *thinks* *smiles nervously* My last chapter came on a Saturday didn't it??? Hehe… this seems to be a day late^_____^;;;

But it came and you gotta appreciate that ne??? Bleh^__^

Acknowledgments to the REAL creator of Naruto, and if it weren't for him, this story wouldn't exist^^; And wouldn't THAT be sad???

Also to my beta, Koganei, who I didn't send my last chapter to because I was too late and I HAVE been letting out too much information about her to you guys without her consent… hehehe… SORRI!!!! But she's the BEST and KOOL and Me LUV HER!!! *glomps her*

And to my adoring fans of course…. *everyone looks away uncomfortably*

*tears up* Ok… then… fine! _

WELL… enough of this and ON WITH THE STORY!!!!

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Naruto frowned to himself, his features crinkling up dejectedly as he tred deeper into the forest. Deep in his thought, he still tugged at small branches and rubbed markings on trees with small stones on the way, not caring to make the same mistake as before. Heh… and have Sasuke save him again. Naruto laughed at that, though he didn't know why.

After a minute or so, he bent down to grab a rock and began to rub it roughly against the tree. As the bark began to peel off, Naruto paused, his eyes glazing over in thought. His hand had ceases minutely against the tree. With a leap, he swiftly ran up the tree and landed on one of it's larger branches. He dropped heavily, leaning against the trunk while his legs dangled underneath him. He always enjoyed the atmospheric serenity that came from sitting in a quiet tree, shrouded from everything with its large cowering braches and leaves.

Naruto ran his hand thoughtfully against the pricks and creases of the tree, his lean fingers delving out of the little valleys and hells the rough bark created.

Naruto remembered Kakashi's earlier words and began to compensate actually taking up on his advice. Naruto suddenly caught himself and mentally slapped himself in disgust; make friends with that asshole??? NO WAY!!!

But…

" His past eh…" Naruto whispered to himself quietly with a curious glint in his eyes, the kind like that of a mouse in front of a mousetrap.

" Yeah. My past."

Naruto's eyes rounded as he gasped sharply, swinging his gaze downward. His eyes narrowed and he pulled his face into one that depicted obvious dislike and loathing towards the boy standing several feet below.

" What the hell are you doing here??" Naruto growled, glaring hatefully at him.

Sasuke shrugged with that same cool I-don't-care-about-anything air around him, his unfathomable dark eyes peered at him. Naruto shifted uncomfortably.

" Making sure you don't get your idiot ass lost again." Sasuke replied evenly.

Naruto looked at him incredulously and tightened his hands onto fists furiously.

                " Shut up!! Go away!! I'm not a baby!!!" Naruto yelled at him in a sudden wave of rage and fury. He swung his legs up onto the branch and looked away, trying to ignore his rival's presence all together.

                Sasuke continued to watch him with those piercing eyes, not having had moved an inch.

                Naruto made a dirty face at him; he kicked at the tree angrily.

                " GO AWAY YOU BASTARD!! I DON"T WANT TO SEE YOUR UGLY FATASS FACE!!!!"

                " Come down." Sasuke ordered suddenly.

                Naruto shot him a disbelieving look before snorting and turning away.

                " Fuck you! So you can go and rape me again with your dirty disgusting ways!" Naruto muttered bitterly.

                Sasuke stared at him quietly, unmoved by Naruto's remark.

                " Come down…" Sasuke paused thoughtfully. This was also the short amount of time for the alarming words, 'Oh Shit' to click into Naruto's head.

                "—Or I'll come up."

                Naruto barely took in Sasuke's words before he found the boy leaping up and landing beside him. The branch shook between the weight of the two, swaying a little and regaining its reliable sturdiness. Naruto stared at him with barely concealed shock before he made a terrible face.

                " God Sasuke! Ever heard of personal space?" Naruto muttered as he yanked his legs away quickly and pulled himself back. He scooted away a couple of inches uncomfortably, before he found himself against the tree. He tried to fight down the urge to jump down and run away, but a flash of immense embarrassment from what Sasuke would think almost made him sick.

                Sasuke watched him for a moment with blank eyes before he let out a shuddering breath and sat down onto the thick branch as well. He leaned back slightly, perching himself up with his arms so that he was looking face-to-face with the other boy. Sasuke continued to gaze at Naruto unwaveringly.

                " You are… still angry about what had happened." Sasuke stated wearily.

                Naruto glared at him uneasily, torn between wanting to discuss and avoid the subject at the same time.

                " No shit genius[A1] ."

                " I'm… sorry." Sasuke said stiffly while grimacing, he was obviously having a hard time having these two words directed towards the gaping boy in front of him.

                Naruto was fully taken back; his eyes were as wide as saucers as he helplessly tried to find something to say in reply. His mind in a state of confusion and shock, it was put on hold and Naruto's eyes slid away instead in an almost rare show of shame and embarrassment.

                / Shit Shit Shit…/

                It was a few moments before a high-pitched giggle was ripped from his throat; Naruto quickly slapped his hand to his mouth distressfully. Soon, more chuckles and laughs rose from his thought, the pathetic attempt to muffle it was useless. Naruto's face began to redden in his laugher and he bent over to his knees to cover his face. But his back still heaved with every laugh and Naruto was caught in alarm, dumfounded at the sounds emitting from his mouth.

                He was almost terrified to see Sasuke's face. Although Sasuke was a little terrified as well, his eyebrows rose in bewilderment as he watched the boy in a fit of laugher. He frowned at him indignantly.

                " It's not that funny!" Sasuke told at him angrily, his eyes burning with rage.

                " I *wheeze* fucking *chuckle* HATE YOU!!!" Naruto breathlessly retorted between harsh breathless and uncontrollable laughter. Sasuke didn't know exactly know how to act in the situation and sat there instead, glaring at the other boy waiting for his laughter to pass.

                Naruto soon calmed down… though several snickers erupted every time he cast a glance at the other boy. Sasuke remained silent for a while, making sure Naruto had calmed himself.

                " What the hell was that?" Sasuke asked lightly, a look of heavy distaste on his face.

                Naruto blushed, though his face was already red enough from his laughing. He quickly looked down, so that his hair somewhat covered his face.

                " I hate you." Naruto muttered. Sasuke stared at him incredulously.

                " I realize that… but just because I hate ramen doesn't mean I'll go doing cartwheels and flips in front of everyone." Sasuke said dryly. Naruto snorted when an image of that appeared in his head. He looked at Sasuke in surprise.

                " Dude… you hate ramen???" Naruto asked him, his brows furrowed as his mind was unable to accept that. Could ANYONE hate ramen???

                Sasuke ignored him.

                " What the hell was that??" Sasuke repeated calmly.

                Naruto shrugged. " It was just stupid… how amazing it could be that you could actually apologize to me.

                " I /am/ sorry." Sasuke said again. This time, Naruto studied him carefully. Yes… he did look sorry… but he looked unperturbed as well. This fact distressed Naruto a little because of the sureness that emitted from Sasuke's little smirk. The confidence Sasuke had in his sharp eyes that Naruto was actually /that/ way. Nauto frowned to himself… he wasn't /that/ way! He still liked Sakura; she was cute, if not a little overly perky…

                " Uh…" Naruto stuttered. Sasuke cut in.

                " Let's just pretend it never happened… alright?" Sasuke said.

'Unless you want it to.' Those unperturbed eyes told Naruto at the same time. Naruto shivered at bit, noticing slightly the faintest of smiles that crawled off Sasuke's lips.

He tensed, suddenly hit by that disturbing feeling again. As though it wasn't really Sasuke at all. Of course, the boy was sitting right in from of him in flesh and blood…

                But… Naruto wrung his hands in confusion before he shook the thoughts away.

                Perhaps it's just that Sasuke had been hiding this new persona all along underneath that cold exterior. Naruto was still unsure of whether he liked this or not. 

                " S-sure…" Naruto answered uneasily. Sasuke watched him closely for a moment before he leaped off the tree and walked back.

                " Come down soon… we're almost eating." Sasuke called to him without looking back.

                "Hai…" Naruto answered softly, his mind jumbled up more than ever.

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                When Naruto got back for supper, even the food tasted bland to him. Because he did happen to notice the curious glances Sasuke kept on throwing at him. Also how every time Sasuke realized that Naruto caught him staring at him, he would immediately stare back down to his plate in a sudden case of shyness. Naruto scratched his head a bit, not before throwing dirty looks at Sakura and Kakashi. Who happened to be throwing at him /knowing/ glances instead! The Hell???

                Naruto fidgeted with his food a bit, pushing it around on his plate. Supper was a quiet affair and no one spoke much. A sudden change from the usual lively conversations they had, Naruto felt out of place.

                " Uh… so what will we be doing tomorrow?" Naruto asked quickly, desperate to creak the silence.

                Sakura answered instantly.

                " We're resting, Kakashi-sensei told me that we could do anything we want." She smiled, though it was almost plainly seen that it was forced. Everyone smiled at her in turn, sickly forced smiles that made their faces hurt. Not because they disliked Sakura of course, but because of the tension that had crept its way ever since Naruto had gotten lost.

                There was that damned silence again. Naruto's insides churned unpleasantly and he quickly got up to his feet with a shove of his chair.

                Everyone looked at him. Naruto swallowed wearily.

                " I'm going to sleep." Naruto announced loudly without looking at anyone and stomped his way out. This proved to be an exit for the rest of them.

                Sasuke made his way out too. " Uh… I think I'll go sleep too."

                Sakura hurriedly left next taking her plate with her.

                Kakashi sat at the table alone with an amused glint in his eye.

                " They can never cease to weird me out."

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                Naruto fell back on his bed, trying to ignore the memories that arose from the last tine he was in his room. His sheets were still tousled and Naruto made an effort of straightening them a bit even though he knew he was going to sleep in a while anyways.

                " Hey."

                Naruto groaned as he recognized the voice and made no effort in facing Sasuke. He continued to stare at the ceiling again.

                " Must you come and find me in every waking moment of your life." Naruto whined. He didn't have the patience nor mental ability to deal with his rival right now.

                " Like you'll have the privilege of facing me all that time." Sasuke said quietly.

                Naruto sat up and faced the boy, who was standing in front of the doorway. Because the room was dimly lit at the time, and the sun was setting around, the light behind Sasuke almost looked as though it was rather shining /from/ him.

                Naruto's breath hitched, hit by a sudden sense of déjà vu. He quickly took in a quick breath of air and huffed impatiently.

                " What is it this time?? Come to apologize to me again??" Naruto sneered. " By the way, I don't think that I mentioned before that I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU!!! NEVER!!!" Naruto shouted all of a sudden, caught in sudden confusion. Because to him, it was as though Sasuke was switching back and forth. It didn't make a lot of sense and Naruto found his head reeling.

                It was as though he was caught suddenly in one of those weird TV sitcoms, where it was almost as though something was vaguely wrong, but you can never be sure of it. Because it kept on leaving these brief clues everywhere, but not close enough that you would actually very much take notice of them, or that it was too far /to/ take notice of them. It was a small feeling, at the edge of your mind, which you just can't see clearly but it's there like an itch… a mosquito bite that can't be scratched.

                " What on earth are you talking about?" Sasuke said, looking at him in bewilderment. " You're not making sense at all!"

                Naruto glared at him angrily, knowing that he didn't really hate Sasuke, but he hated the boy for doing this to him.

                " SHUT UP!! You're making no sense!!!" Naruto yelled. " And I don't know what's wrong with you, you changed so much!! First you save me, then you freaking harass me and apologize; now you pretend nothing happened at all!!!! YOU make no sense, not me!!! NOTHING makes sense now!!!!"

                Sasuke stared at him, beginning to make his way towards him.

                " Wha--?"

                Naruto quickly jumped off the bed and pushed Sasuke forcefully to the ground.

                " I HATE YOU!!!" He yelled furiously and quickly ran out of the room.

                Sasuke lay sprawled on the ground, staring after the retreating boy.

                " What the heck was that??"

TBC

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Geh??? Yeah^^ this thing is ACTUALLY developing a plot^^

Yep, I finally have the whole thing figured out and it's up to you guys to read the rest and find out *grin*

This chapter is probably the shortest yet because I didn't feel like expanding more on this,  but DUH??? Naruto is angry, there's something weird going on with Sasuke, and Sakura and Kakashi are being the annoying matchmaker ppl they are^_________^

What's the problem???^^

Well….

Actually, the reason this is so short is because I have that damn writer's block again… the kind that doesn't go away unless I get lots of reviews???

*smiles sweetly*

Holy Shit!! I'm really going through desperate terms to get my reviews ne???

I'm just kidding, I appreciate the reviews of course because I like to see how you think of my stories???

*looks around wearily* Tell me Tell me??? Does it suck?????????

Yah^^ Just write reviews when you feel like it, I won't blame you if you don't.

It's ALRITE to be lazy *grin*

NO PRESSURE!!! I mean, I might feel bad and all but…*looks down to the ground*

^_____________^

CIAO!!!

C-chan


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