This is for Sunny/Pooky/Aaron. Not that he'll ever read it. I just wanted to say... thank you.
Thank you so much Sunny. I'm glad I have someone like you to talk to.
I hope I don't cry when I write this ^_^.
And I don't own Naruto. If you thought I did then... *Shrugs*
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The bright blue, crystal clear eyes hesitated for a moment, before they forced their body to take a step closer to the brooding boy who was seated with his back towards the eyes.
The blue eyes hesitated again, before taking another step towards the boy, and then another, and another.
"Um... Sasuke?" he said quietly.
That was the first thing that caught the boys attention. The usually bright and confident voice was now quiet, subdued, uncertain.
"What do you want, dobe?" Sasuke asked sharply, not letting his curiosity creep into his voice. He tried not to regret it too much when Naruto seemed to shy away from him.
"I - I just wanted to know -" Naruto took a breath, and Sasuke silently wondered what could be troubling the other ninja so much.
After the silence seemed so loud that Sasuke couldn't take it anymore he spoke up. "Wanted to know what?"
"Have - you ever - I mean - this is going to sound really stupid. What I mean to say is - I don't mean to -" The silence again. When Naruto spoke again, his voice was calm, emotionless. "Have you ever tried to commit suicide?" He looked up into the others charcoal eyes, and his face clearly stated that he didn't mean to miff the other boy.
Sasuke seemed to be taken aback by this, but it seemed really important to the other boy. "Yes Naruto," he said, sighing, "I have."
Naruto studied his face a little bit before asking another question. "What stopped you?" he asked, and suddenly Sasuke knew that this went beyond a simple curiosity. "I mean, you don't have to answer, or anything like that. I was just wondering -"
Sasuke interrupted him. "Usually people. You, because you're always so cheery, despite what you've been through. Once my cat stopped me. I mean, there would be no one to care for it."
Naruto nodded, and fell silent again. He was brooding nearly as well as Sasuke himself. "But - things are better now, right?" he asked quietly, hopefully.
"Sort of," Sasuke answered back, "I mean, my whole families still dead, and I still have like, no real friends. But I can live with it now."
Naruto nodded again, and the oppressive silence hung in the air for a few, dragging minutes. "Do you think anyone would miss me? I mean, if I did leave?"
Sasuke stared at Naruto. He knew this was leading to something, but he didn't expect that it would take this sort of turn.
"I know I would," Sasuke said quietly, and Naruto managed a weak smile. "But, that's not the point. Your life has nothing to do with other people. It's about you."
Naruto nodded, he seemed to be doing that too much in this conversation. "It seems all I ever do is screw people over. My whole life has consisted of nothing but making other peoples lives worse."
"So?" Sasuke asked. He knew what Naruto said wasn't exactly true, but he knew better then to argue when Naruto was like this.
There was the silence again.
"Give it a week." Naruto looked up at Sasuke, who was looking down at him. "If you really want to die, give it a week," he explained.
Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Sasuke wouldn't let him. "What does it matter if you're going to die, what does a week matter? And after that week, let me know if you feel the same way."
Naruto smiled softly. "Thank you."
As he got up to leave, Sasuke chuckled slightly. Naruto blinked, then looked back at his rival, or his friend. He was confused about it all now.
"Believe me. Within a week, you'll find it was stupid to even think that way."
Naruto sighed, and sat back down. "I'm sure you're right. I'm just sick of ruining everyone's lives." He looked up into Sasuke's eyes, and Sasuke looked at him silently. Naruto laughed a little bit. "I'm pathetic, aren't I?"
He was quite shocked, when Sasuke leaned over and held him in a tight embrace. "No you're not," he said simply.
Naruto returned the hug. "Thank you. And I'm sorry for making you listen to me."
"Anytime," Sasuke said, and Naruto walked away.
Naruto didn't come back to him in a week. He had no need. Sasuke was right, and, though things weren't great, at least they were livable.
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If you wanna take that as Shonen-ai, you can, though that's not how I meant it. It's simply a fic about two friends, who don't always seem that way, but have been through the same shit.
And thank you again Sunny. We might not always talk, but its comforting to know that you'll be there for me. And I'll try my hardest to be there for you.
And, though you'll never read this fic, most likely, I wouldn't be here today to write it if it weren't for you.