And the Rain

disclaimer: No, I don't own Naruto. If I did the following would happen. Often.

warnings: shonen ai, OCC-ness, sappyness galore

'S-Sakura chan...' Uzumaki Naruto stammered. Here he was, confessing his childish love for his team mate. Sakura's pale pink hair fluttered in the soft evening breeze. Flecks of water were falling from the asphalt colored heavens.

'What, Naruto? Spit it out already!' Sakura snapped impatiently. I'm losing quality time with Sasuke kun!

'Well, um...'

'Yes?!' damnit, hurry up! Her inner counterpart screamed.

'I-Iloveyou' Naruto muttered, looking down hopefully. His cheeks were tinged with a rosy blush.

Sakura's face fell. Even if she didn't really -like- the golden haired shinobi, much less -love- him, she was his friend, and she held a certain sympathy for Naruto. She had dreaded this day since they were twelve, two years ago, the day when Naruto would finally admit his feelings toward her.

'...ano...I've known. Demo, Naruto, erm, kun, I don't, I don't...'

Naruto looked up with a pained smile. His normally cheerful blue eyes were filled with hurt and his voice choked with pain.

'Wakarimashita. I understand. Sasuke, ne?' Sakura nodded sadly...maybe she was sympathetic to Naruto because she too, had a person who would never love her back.

' But…why, Sakura-chan? He doesn't love you like I do...!' Naruto spat bitterly, holding back tears. 'Why does everyone like him? He's cold and cares for no one...'

At this all sympathy was gone.

'...You make me sick, Uzumaki. I can't believe you'd say that...after all these years you still haven't noticed, have you?'

Naruto looked up startled. Then he's face hardened.

'Fine, whatever Sakura. Waste your life chasing that bastard. It's not as if it matters. And whatever the hell you were saying before....I noticed things just fine! All you care about is Sasuke and all Sasuke cares about is-is... his hair!'

Sakura flinched, her nails biting into the soft flesh of her palm, as she watched Naruto run off. She closed her eyes, tears scarring down her warm skin and mouth slightly open, whispering her deepest secrets into the lonely night.

'...no...you're wrong...you still haven't noticed, Naruto, after all this time...you still haven't noticed that all Sasuke cares about...is you....'

She had first noticed it about a year and a half back, and when she finally did, she had cursed herself for not noticing sooner. After all, there was the gentle look that Sasuke gave Naruto...and so many other subtle hints, how he called the smaller boy 'dobe', each time when Sasuke risked his life for Naruto, all these things could only add up to one thing.

Sakura had been stalking the Uchiha as cough usual, when she came upon the local ramen stand.

Since when does Sasuke like ramen? Sakura shook off the thought and continued spying. She thought it was odd that Sasuke hadn't noticed her yet. After all he was at the top of the class and usually caught her in a matter of seconds. He must be preoccupied today. What a cutie! Sakura could feel heat rise to her face. Hmm, Naruto is there too...Of course there is the fact that he breathes ramen...Never mind, who cares when Sasuke's here? Sakura crouched down and focused down at Uchiha's expressionless, but perfect face, got ready to save it in memory so she could fantasize about it later...

...And then she saw it. It was only for a fragment of a second, but yes, it was there. A ghost of a smile flitting on Sasuke's face when he spotted Naruto. Then in a blink of an eye, it was gone, replaced with the usual stoic, bored, and characteristic expression of the raven haired heartbreaker. But for that moment, that fragment of a second, Sakura's heart had stopped. She knew then that she would have died to have Sasuke smile at her like that. A real smile, full of affection, hope, warmth, and most of all- love. A smile that was only meant for one person.

For the longest time, Sakura wouldn't believe what she had seen. She told herself over and over again how she was hallucinating, how Sasuke couldn'tlove that -boy- that dunce..! Sasuke wasn't gay... And she was thinking those exact thoughts one cloudy day when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

'AH! Kakashi-sensei! Didn't see you there.'

'Sakura.' He crouched down and looked at the young eye to eye, as if reading her mind.

'You've been out of it for a couple of weeks now...if this is about Sasuke...well, just know that he isn't interested in girls. Or guys for that matter. He isn't homosexual. He isn't heterosexual. Hell, he isn't even -bisexual-. He's' a strange glint shone in the perverted sensei's eyes 'Naruto-sexual. Yeah, he is interested in Naruto. That's it.'

'...ne...demo...Naruto?' Sakura protested.

'I know you don't understand now, and I can't make you understand, but someday you will. Maybe a certain fuzzy-eye-browed young man will have something to do with it too...' Kakashi looked up into the sky dreamily and then back at his student. He smiled, patted her head and went on reading Icha Icha Paradise book, leaving a pouting Sakura just a little bit wiser. ....Maybe Kakashi is right... love isn't about genders, or looks or.. wait a second…FUZZY EYEBROWS?!?!?!?! (or maybe not).

Naruto stared at his reflection in the lake. It looked torn, lost and sad, like a mirror of his soul. He shook his head and leaned against the bridge, silent tears melding with the now steady rain.

'Why...why am I crying...It's just some stupid girl...' But Naruto knew it was more than that. The pain that had been welling up inside of him for so long...He could hear the villagers mocking, shunning, hating him with their biting words and cold glares.

'Aurgh..' The blond shook his head, trying to get rid of his thoughts. This wasn't him. Or maybe it was. He was so tired of pretending to always be happy. So tired of this illusion, this fake person living his life. Sometimes he forgot who to hate, the villagers, or himself. Naruto had been pretending for so long now that he half believed that he really was the normal, smiling boy who dreamed of being Hokage. 'Kuso, no use in feeling sorry for myself. It's not like I chose to have to Kyuubi sealed inside me.' I just thought, that maybe...maybe someone would love me back.

Meanwhile, a young man started to step foot on the wooden bridge. He was tall and thin, with well toned muscles under his pale skin. His face was pulled into a scowl and beneath his dark hair were deep, knowing eyes. Sure, enough, it was Uchiha Sasuke. He paused and rubbed his hand over the back of his head thoughtfully Naruto..what the hell are you doing here?

'Oi, dobe. You're soaked, go home. Or did you forget the way?' Sasuke said sarcastically.

'...go away.' Sasuke paused. He could hear the hurt throbbing out of Naruto's voice. The pale boy walked toward Naruto. It tore his heart, gazing down at Naruto's forlorn body, his eyes were empty and sad.

'Come on..you'll get a cold.' Naruto looked up. He had considerably grown over the last two years. He was a couple of inches off Sasuke, but he no longer had the baby fat of a child. Still, his whiskered face looked as innocent as ever. Sasuke grimaced. He hated seeing Naruto in anguish. He placed a firm grip on his team mate's limp shoulder and pulled him up. Instead of standing straight, Naruto let himself fall into Sasuke, his tanned forehead resting on the other boy's shoulder and his arms hanging pathetically by his side. Sasuke felt his heartbeat quicken, but his face remained pained at Naruto's condition. His slender arms mechanically wrapped around his friend protectively.

'...I'm so worthless compared to you, the great Uchiha. But I don't care. You can be smarter, stronger...I don't care. But why...why did you have to take her? I can never have her...'

And I can never have you.. Sasuke thought sadly. So Naruto finally confessed.

'Why don't you just accept her Sasuke? She loves you so much...as much as I love her...I just want her to be happy even if it's not with me...'

Sasuke pulled away from Naruto and used his hand to cup the blonde's chin.

'I can't return her love, and I can't force myself to pretend.'

Naruto glared angrily.

'No one is ever good enough for you, huh, Sasuke.'

'...that's not it. There is someone else...someone that I love the most.'

Naruto met Sasuke's dark gaze, feeling his hatred subside as his tears dribbled down from his feathery blue eyes. It..it wasn't Sasuke's fault that Sakura loved him. And it wasn't his fault that he loved some one else. Besides, Naruto could never -really-stay mad at Sasuke. After all Sasuke was one of the first who had accepted him. Maybe even his first real friend.

'Well whoever it is, I'm sure they love you back.'

Sasuke sighed and let Naruto continue crying softly into his chest. At least the younger boy didn't seem to be angry with him anymore. And despite the unfortunate circumstances, Sasuke couldn't help liking the feeling of Naruto in his arms. With a small but visible smile across his face, the Uchiha rested his chin on Naruto's head.

'Ai shiteru.' Sasuke whispered into his friend's mass of silky blonde hair. 'I'll love you forever.'

'Eh, did you say sumpthing, Sasuke?'

'...it's nothing, dobe.'

Nothing but words that the rain would soon wash away and a new day would once again be born from light.

carpchan: ehehehe ;; Hope you liked it. Which, I know, was kinda unoriginal...and kinda OCC...but...I love sasunaru...sigh...I know how so many people who like shonen ai hate Sakura, but I don't hate her :P I also like the couples: NarutoxHinata, GaaraxNaruto, ShikamaruxNaruto, KibaXHinata, SakuraxLee, KibaxHinata depending on how its written...so expect some of that stuff too. w00t. >.