Title: All That Matters

Disclaimer: This is every fanfic author's worst nightmare. I hate to say this but, Narutoisn'tmine!!

A/N: Ah! This is a couple fic to "The Most Important Person" but it can work alone too, I guess. Rated S for sap! Btw, this is the new & improved version. Enjoy

Chapter: 1/1

"Ne, why do you want to be a Hokage?" he asked.

He was my arch nemesis. But he didn't care. He didn't really care about anything actually. He never did anything to me even though he was the receiving end of most of my insults. (In fact, 98 of my insults are thrown to him)And that was why I hated him. I wanted him to do something to me. To talk to me; look at me; scold me even. To do whatever he wanted; I didn't care what he did. But I wanted him to acknowledge me, at the very least.

When we were young, I wanted to befriend him. Because at that moment when my eyes caught him, I knew that we were the same --- two lonely souls with nothing to hold on to except hatred and one goal. He, with hate for his brother and the goal to avenge his family; and me, with hatred for the villagers and my goal to be Rokudaime to prove my existence.

"Ne, Uchiha-kun? Do you want to…" I asked, taking one tentative step towards the super rookie of the year.

Without even turning to look at me, he walked away, leaving me in his shadow.

Just at that moment when I was enthralled that I had found someone like me, I was denied. The hate and rivalry between us stemmed then.

"Hate and love are really two sides of the same coin." Someone told me. That statement had never been so true.

When did my hatred for that yarou turned into love? When did I think of him as Sasuke and not as that Uchiha? When did I start to feel the urge to see his face and just listen to his slow and calm breathing whenever I'm alone? Maybe it started when we kissed (accidentally and unwillingly); maybe it was when I held his bleeding body close to mine during the Haku-Zabuza incident; or maybe it was when I realized how important he was when he left for that freaky snake-guy, Orochimaru. Maybe, just maybe, it was since the very first moment I saw him.

The two years he had when he returned from the dead and buried snake was hell for him. Most of the villagers treated him with such vile attitudes despite his lineage that I couldn't help but feel sad for him. I saw a mirror of me in him. However, when I saw him turning his back on the gossiping villagers, I was reminded of the time when he walked me by when I wanted to be with him then and that thread of sympathy for him snapped. Though the hate was there, I had unknowingly placed my trust in him when missions came. I didn't know why Sasuke had such an effect on me. How could he make me love and hate him at the same time? I really didn't know how until two years later.

"What's the matter, Sasuke?" I asked and glared at the dark and fidgeting figure in front of me. 'What the hell is wrong with him? Two mission screw-ups in a row?!'

The fidgeting figure stop moving and coughed a few times nervously before straightening himself. Then he coughed again. "Na...Naruto. Uhm, that is, I… I want to... tobe with you... Naruto...Suki da. ...Omae ga hontou ni...suki da.."

Cerulean irises widened.

'Chigau yo, Sasuke. You denied my existence the very first time. You never did look at me the way I wanted you to. You never did acknowledge me.'

Moments later, a quiet voice laced with a twinge of disappointment broke the tangible silence. "Ahh...I understand. You...don't feel that way for me..." A forced smile. "Ii da yo...tomo da jyubunn desu.." That raven-haired bowed and its owner slowly turned away.

'Iya...Don't go, Sasuke. Don't turn your back on me...Onegai...' And without a word, Naruto flung himself on Sasuke's back. Anything else can go to hell; Nothing in the world beats the feeling of having his beloved close to his heart. The hatred, the rivalry and the jealousy --- all that dissolved in the warm wind of summer.

"Uhn. Boku mou...suki da."

The times we had spent together since were my happiest. But we still kept our goals in mind. Sasuke probably still thinks that killing Itachi was more important. My goal remained the same but it has changed slightly though.

"Oi Naruto. Why do you want to be a Hokage?" Iruka had asked.

"To make everyone see me! And most important of all, to make the one I love most look at me."

"The one you love most? Ho-u, Naru-chan has a koi-bi-to!" That dolphin had teased.

Not responding to that taunt, I merely gave a smile and demanded for more miso ramen.

Ah. Indeed. I have someone I love. That person is an incredibly stubborn yarou. He's the type of guy who doesn't care for himself and who wouldn't give a second thought about throwing himself in the line of fire for his loved ones. He's a pure guy (despite his hentai advances) who is so eager to achieve his goal that I can't help but work hard too. He's the Sasuke that made me appreciate my existence and self-worth. He was the one who looked at me. And that was all that mattered.

"To make that most important person acknowldege me. And to protect him." he replied.

Author's Note:

Hahahaha...Dying of sap yet? The first part was a bit weird, I believe. Hahaha... Hmm...This fic concentrates alot on 'acknowledgement' because I think that for Naruto to truly like someone, that person must be one who give him utmost attention and see the blonde for who he is. And for that love to sustain, it has to be someone he wanted to be with since they were young. That person happened to be Sasuke. (If I'm not wrong, I think it was in the manga itself; that he wanted to befriend Sasuke since they were young. But I was reading BOTH the doujin AND manga so I might be confused...-o-) Anyway, I hoped that the fic has been enjoyable. Also, please support my other fic --- bizarre love triangle --- as well as the couple fic to this one.

Please R & R.

"Naruto...Suki da. ...Omae ga hontou ni...suki da..." -- Naruto...I like you...I really... like you...

Chigau yo -- (You're) wrong

"Ii da yo...tomo da jyubunn desu.." -- It's alright...(being) a friend is good enough.. (Btw, I'm not so sure about the grammar for this one so someone, plz enlighten me.)

"Uhn. Boku mou...suki da." -- Yeah. Me too...(i) like you.