"Expectations"

Sasuke (plus) Naruto

AU, OOC, fluff, shonen ai, MATH!

Rated: R (Language and such)

Scenario: Naruto was offered a "study-buddy" (aka Sasuke) by Kakashi. This would help improve his terrible grade in Algebra. However - Naruto's abusive father seemed to disagree.
Hey there everyone Let me take this opportunity to address a few reviews. First: the whole math problem from last chapter - I would have used pluses/equals signs - but didn't want to cooperate. So I had to substitute. However - that won't be a problem anymore - there won't be much math language from here on out. As for the math error I made - it was correct before I had to re-edit using "(plus),(equals)" but when I went back through, I put them in the wrong order. Sorry about that ;; (By the way: What's cookie-cutter-ish?? I couldn't figure that out, sorry lol :3) ((2nd posting - fixing a few errors))

This chapter's kinda long... sorry about that. Oh yeah - one more thing. About updating - I should update every Saturday. Once a week. That's the only chance I have spare time.

Okey dokey - enjoi now ;D

Expectations - Chapter Two: Make Me Smart

Naruto reluctantly sat up and blinked groggily at his clock for a few seconds.

School started promptly at 7:30 am every morning. The clock read 8:04 am.

"Shit!" he hissed, jumping up.

He sped through his morning routine, barely even pausing to pull his clothes on. Racing down the stairs, Naruto tugged his equallyreluctant book bag behind him. He hastily snatched up some pop-tarts on his way out, not even considering telling his wonderful parents good-bye.

After he sprinted half the way to school, Naruto decided that there was no need to hurry. He was already a half an hour late, so how much could a few more minutes matter?

He brushed his hands through his blonde, sleep-mussed hair, which he had responsibly forgotten to brush. "What's with me lately?" Naruto mumbled. This would be the third morning in a row he'd be late to school. "Maybe I should look into setting my alarm..."

Nothing seemed to be going Naruto's way lately. For starters, when help had been offered to him, it had only been snatched away by his father. Naruto could deny it all he wanted, but the truth of the matter was that he was grateful for the help in math. He knew he needed it. But now he would have to drop the only class he had with Sweet Sakura. How very fair.

Naruto poked at his throbbing lip. As he had expected, the bruise had spread and worsened, forming a new, quite noticeable attribute to his face. If the blue and grey mark didn't shout "Look at me!" loud enough, then the large slit in his lip was screeching at such a volume that it might burst a few eardrums. One can only thank the gods that neither had the ability to voice their opinion.

As the school came into view, Naruto let out a wistful sigh. He was beginning to grow fond of his daily walks. They allowed him to organize his thoughts, the few that were there.

One subject that frequented Naruto's thoughts concerned a certain emerald-eyed dream commonly known as Sakura. Specifically how he would only be able to catch stolen glimpses of her in the hallway from now on.

"This sucks..." Naruto groaned, yanking the door to the school open. He took his time getting to class, where he received detention for his tardiness.

Oh yes, things were going quite smoothly for Naruto.

"Sasuke, I can't stay after!" came an exasperated sigh. Naruto stood in Kakashi's classroom facing Sasuke. It was ten minutes after school had let out, and yet Naruto was still there.

"I can't believe you're ducking out of this tutoring thing Kakashi set up. You're never gonna be able to pass without my help! This is just like you to-"

"I have to go." Naruto interrupted, muttering insults under his breath as he headed for the door. He only made it a few steps outside before Sasuke caught up and fell into pace next to him.

"Stop preaching, Sasuke. If I can't stay, then I can't stay."

"You honestly think I'm going to beg you to come back? You just happen to be headed in the same direction as me, not to mention that my ride won't be here until 3:30. And plus: it's your grade. What do I care if you get dropped from honors?"

"You are such an asshole." Naruto spat.

When Sasuke didn't reply, Naruto allowed the silence to settle over them like a comfortable blanket. He absent-mindedly probed at his swollen cheek. All it took was a twitch of Naruto's lips and a sharp jolt of pain would course through his entire jaw.

This wasn't anything, though. Naruto had been through worse pains by his dad than a banged-up jaw.

One such instance occurred when Naruto was only seven. After playing in the yard with his dog, Naruto had tracked mud into the house. This, in itself, wasn't such a big deal. All it had earned was a few shouts from his dad, but when the naive Naruto shouted back, all Hell broke loose.

The next thing he knew, he was in a hospital bed with a broken arm and a mild concussion. His parents had told the doctors that Naruto had fallen from a tree. To make matters worse, Naruto's dad had the dog sent off to the pound. Emotionally scarring for such a young boy.

".. come from?"

Naruto blinked back into reality. He had zoned out for a few minutes and didn't realize that Sasuke was talking to him.

"Huh?"

"I asked you how you got that mark on your face."

"Oh, umm..." Naruto reached a hand up to hold his jaw as he continued, "I, um.. I got into a fight... on my way home yesterday," he lied.

"You're kidding," Sasuke started. "That's a really big mark. I mean - considering that you always pick fights with little kids because you're a weakling. What.. Did they hit you in the face with a hammer?"

"Yeah..." Naruto said distractedly.

"Yeah?!" Sasuke practically barked, unsure of Naruto's meaning.

"Yeah, it's a big bruise," Naruto clarified.

Sasuke continued to stare at Naruto suspiciously. Sure, Naruto was no stranger to street fights, but he never allowed his opponent to hit him in the face. At least not hard enough to bruise.

"Whatever. So what's your excuse? Why can't you stay after for the tutoring?"

"Because I have to clean the house." Naruto answered miserably.

"...and?"

"And if it's not clean when my dad gets home, conveniently at 3:45, then he'll bea... he'll yell at me... ground me." Naruto said, mentally slapping himself for almost slipping up.

Sasuke looked at Naruto in disbelief, the only expression he seemed able to muster that day, "He doesn't think your grades are more important?"

Naruto found himself growing irritated again, "He has a really short temper, and if I don't do what he says when he says it... then I get into trouble. And contrary to popular belief, it is not fun getting into trouble."

Sasuke, ignoring Naruto's attempts at humor, was finally beginning to piece together the puzzle. He stopped abruptly and jerked Naruto's arm, pulling him to a halt as well.

"Hey, what the fu-"

"Did your dad do that to you?" Sasuke hissed.

Naruto's jaw dropped painfully open, then snapped shut once more. He had underestimated how perceptive Sasuke was. "No. I told you I got into a f-"

"With who?"

"What does it matter??"

"With who!"

"I dunno, some kids!" Naruto said heatedly, yanking his arm away.

"Why are you lying to me?"

"Why do you care?!"

Sasuke lowered his voice, "So he did hit you..."

"Mind your own business." Naruto yelled, turning on his hell and walking briskly away. Sasuke followed.

"Naruto, you should turn him in, or something," he said with sincerity. A new emotion for Sasuke.

"Fuck off."

Sasuke grew angry again, "Stop being such an ass!"

"You started it."

Sasuke sighed, "Fine, whatever. Do what you want."

"I will," Naruto countered, crossing his arms.

Both boys grew silent, unable to produce any more arguments or insults. Now, instead of the semi-friendly silence that had enveloped them previously, Naruto and Sasuke found themselves at a rather uncomfortable loss for words. Which, needless to say, didn't last for long.

"... does he hit you a lot?"

"Drop it," Naruto said through clenched teeth.

Sasuke words were frustrated, "I'm just concerned for someone who isn't."

Naruto gave a sigh of relief when he saw his house; not his usual reaction. He turned to cut through his front yard, "Bye."

"Naruto."

Naruto stopped and turned to face Sasuke, "What now?"

"Can you come to school early? Maybe I can tutor you th-"

"Yeah - right," Naruto scoffed. "Coming to school early for me is still considered being late."

"Then why don't you just wake up earlier?"

Naruto glowered at Sasuke, "I wish you'd stop telling me what to do."

"I suggested you do something. I didn't command it."

"What's with your sudden interest in my grades, Sasuke? You're starting to piss me off. Didn't you just say you didn't care if I was dropped from honors??"

Sasuke shrugged and turned around, walking away.

"Hey! Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you! Hey!!"

But Sasuke continued to disregard the shouts of Naruto as he sauntered off.

Grumbling, Naruto stomped into his house and slammed the door, "What the hell is his problem? God, he really pisses me off."

Growing angrier with each passing moment, Naruto sloppily cleaned up the house. Not such a wise decision on his part.

Naruto was inhis room attempting his homework when he heard his dad get home and immediately start cussing and complaining. Big surprise.

Naruto stood up, his bad mood still circulating around him. It seemed there would be a bad ending to his already miserable day.

It didn't take long (approximately 2.6 seconds) before Des made his way up to Naruto's room, where he reliably started yelling without a moment's hesitation.

"I thought I told you to have my house clean!?" Des roared, throwing the door open.

"It is clean," Naruto said softly, but defiantly.

"You call that wreck clean? Well, I guess," Des paused to looks around with faux-disgust, for Naruto's room was, in fact, clean, "I guess living in this shit-hole would cause your judgment to be very misconstrued."

Naruto sucked in a breath, "My room's fine. You don't sleep in here, so what does it matter to you?"

"It doesn't. But the bottom floor of my house does!" Des ground out.

Naruto's thoughts were obviously clouded over with his built-up anger from earlier that day, for his next words were foolish. "Well, if it's so freakin' important to you, then why don't you clean it? That way there-"

Des cut Naruto off by grabbing the scruff of his neck, "What was that? I suggest you don't boss me around you insolent little maggot!"

Naruto's eyes widened as Des exerted his force and shoved Naruto into the wall, a distance of less than two feet. Trying to avoid as much pain as possible, Naruto instinctively drew his hands up in front of him. He let out a whimper as they collided with the wall. Des wasted no time, though, and grabbed Naruto's upper arm and led him to the door, rather agonizingly, and thrust him towards the stairs.

"Now get your pathetic ass downstairs and clean up!"

Naruto sat at the table, munching his dinner with quite a sour look on his face. Obviously his day had gone horribly. Now, on top of a very sore jaw, Naruto's left wrist felt as if it had been trampled by a lawn mower.

He stole a glance at the clock to see that it was 7:30. He'd been at the table for nearly an hour.

Naruto sighed boisterously, "May I be excused now?" He had already asked twice earlier and been refused both times because he hadn't eaten enough.

"Just go!" Des snarled, "I'm sick of hearing your whining!"

After discarding his plate and its accessories in the sink, Naruto hurried from the kitchen straight to the living room for some much-deserved television. He lazily channel surfed until he found a random cartoon, and settled in for a few immature laughs.

Naruto had only been watching his cartoon for a few minutes when the doorbell rang, nearly causing him to fall out of his chair. He headed towards the door slowly only to find that his mother had beaten him. Turning to leave, a familiar voice reached Naruto's ears, causing him to freeze.

He whirled around, greeted by the worried expression of his mother and the challenging gaze of Sasuke.

"Umm, Naruto, dear? Your friend is here to help you with math?" Yoko said with a slight snivel. Naruto knew she meant to ask: "Are you sure it's a good idea to have a friend over?"

"Yeah.. I, um... didn't know he was coming." Naruto answered, glaring Sasuke down as he shut the door. Naruto knew this wouldn't end well.

"I hope you're happy, Sasuke..." Naruto thought, "You'll finally get to meet my dear ol' dad."

And, as if the whole scene had been perfectly planned, Des decided to amble over with the all-too-familiar sneer plastered smugly on his face.

"Who the hell's that?" he growled.

Naruto took a deep breath. "My tutor," he sighed, turning to his dad.

"I thought I told you no tutoring?"

"You did."

"Honey..." Yoko tried to intervene.

Sasuke stepped up, as well, and stood next to Naruto. "Sir, if I may interrupt, Naruto needs tutoring very badly. Without any help, he's going to fail math this year."

Naruto jerked his attention to Sasuke in angered disbelief.

Des's glare snapped over to Sasuke, as well. "That's no surprise. That's all Naruto is: a failure. I didn't need some snot-nosed twelve year-old punk to tell me that."

"He's fifteen..." Naruto whispered, shutting his eyes. His nightmare was worsening. He had always tried to hide his abuse from everyone, but now it seemed his attempts at this, like everything else in his life, were finally failing.

"That may be so," Sasuke hummed, "but we can actually correct his, unlike the many other traits of Naruto that are beyond help."

Naruto was fantasizing about killing Sasuke at this point. "Always has to weasel in an insult, any chance he gets..." Naruto thought indignantly.

"I don't like your attitude. What makes you think you can tell me what's fixable when I know perfectly well it's permanently broken?!"

Yoko stepped up to a flustered Des, "Honey, please. Not while there are guests over."

Des seemed to consider this for a few seconds, then grinned maliciously. "Fine. Naruto, go play school. Have your fun. For now."

Naruto sighed, yet again, picking up the hidden message behind his father's words, the same way he had earlier with his mother's. Why couldn't his parents just say what they meant?!

"C'mon, Sasuke," he said, leading the way to his room. He heard the arguing between Des and Yoko start and continue the entire way up the stairs and into his room as he shut the door.

Sasuke was seeing a completely different side of Naruto, and he had barely been over for five minutes. He didn't like at all the insecure, obedient child that Naruto appeared to be. However, he was soon welcomed by the Naruto he had come to know.

"What the hell are you doing here, you stupid asshole?!" Naruto hissed.

"I'm here to tutor you." Sasuke said nonchalantly, dropping down onto Naruto's bed.

"I hope you realize how much trouble I'm gonna be in when you leave!! Why did you just randomly show up!? And then back talk my dad! My abusive dad, who you just met!! You're stupider than me!"

"I made a deal with Kakashi to tutor you, and-"

"Why did you tell my dad I'd fail??"

Sasuke shrugged, "Because I thought it would have more of an impact than "he'll be dropped to an easier class." I guess I was wrong."

"You're always wrong! You can't do this anymore. He'll murder me if you show up again!"

"Umm... how bout, no." Sasuke lulled out with a glare.

"What? Yes!! It's my life! My decision!"

"Unless you can make it to school early or stay late, then this is the new tutoring time."

Naruto gave a loud groan of frustration and stomped around the room. Oh yeah, maturity rocks when Naruto is concerned.

"Naruto..." Sasuke started, crossing his arms and stepping over towards his 'friend,' "I'm honestly trying to help you. I-"

"So now you're some kind of peace-making hippie pacifist all of a sudden? I ain't buyin' it! I do not want or need your crummy help!"

Sasuke hid his anger and pulled out his math book, "Well, that's too bad, 'cause I'm already here. To borrow an over-used cliche, there's no use crying over spilt milk. I don't see why you don't pounce on the opportunity to improve one aspect of your life while there's a chance." Sasuke made his way over to the bed once more.

Naruto shook his head, still angry, "No. I don't understand you! At first, you were completely against even looking at me! What's with the complete 360 all of a sudden?!"

Sasuke smiled in spite of himself, "180, Naruto. A 360 would be a complete spin, so I'd be right back where I started. 180 is-"

"I don't care!" Naruto yelled furiously.

Sasuke sighed and stood up, "I guess it's because I can relate to your situation." Sasuke continued with slight hesitation, "Do you remember those things you said yesterday about how my dad only paid attention to me because I'm smart?" Sasuke paused as Naruto nodded, "Well.. you were right. My dad hates my guts. The only time he'll speak to me is if I have an award or something of that nature in my hand. I'm a trophy to show off to his snobby friends and nothing more. If I don't pull through for him.. then I'm the same as your dad sees you. A wasted effort; A failure. So I suppose I feel like I've been in your shoes... maybe I still am, I dunno..."

Naruto was shocked that Sasuke had told him something so personal, but he didn't let it faze him. "Well, whatever. That doesn't make a diff-"

"Just... get over here and learn some freaking math, Naruto." Sasuke interjected, very much irritated.

Naruto, out of fuel or reason, finally gave in, "Fine..."

End Chapter Two
Thanks for the encouragement so far!! I hope everyone continues to give support (AKA 'Read and Review' XD)