It had been a week since his family had died. Sasuke had returned to school cause he didn't want to spend all his time in the once lively house and district. He ignored all the looks of pity and the girls who wouldn't leave him alone. Everyone looked at him with pity even the damn teachers. 'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.' Thought Sasuke.

When they broke for lunch though he was bombarded with offers from teachers and the female students. He was just gonna scream when a smoke bomb went off shocking the hell out of everyone. He was frozen as were everyone else. He went to say something when he felt his wrist be grabbed and he was yanked out of the smoke and dragged away. He was surprised to see that the one who had "rescued" him was the small idiotic blonde. Once they were away and hidden in a disused classroom was, he released.

"Sorry about that man." The blonde actually turned his wrist over and was inspecting it as he said, "I didn't hurt ya right. I've been told I grab things too hard when I'm not pay attention."

Sasuke was shocked but said, "Nah I'm good."

The blonde released him and flashed him a bright smile as he said, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. You looked like you needed help back there. So I used my last smoke bomb to make a distraction so I could swoop in and extract you safely without anyone knowing I had done so. By the time they realized you were gone we were already too far to track."

Sasuke was shocked that this was the kid his father was always saying was a trouble maker. And the one his elder brother defended every time his father brought it up. He didn't look like much. He was short, shorter than he was by far, wore a pair of baggy black shorts that looked ready to fall off him. A white shirt with the flame symbol that had paint splattered on it. He had a long-sleeved shirt underneath his t-shirt. He also had paint splattered on his face as well.

"Sasuke Uchiha." Said Sasuke

"I know. We're in Iruka-Sensei's class together." Said Naruto smiling

Now that surprised Sasuke cause he didn't remember the younger boy being in there and Naruto snorted and said, "I sit in the back of the class away from everyone."

That explained it. He was behind him and if he turned around it would make the girls think he was looking at them instead. Sasuke said, "Thanks for the save Uzumaki."

Naruto frowned and said, "We're not grown ups you don't gotta use my surname. Just call me Naruto."

Sasuke while looking at the younger blonde he noticed that Naruto didn't look at him like everyone else. There was no pity and if he was in his class then the other boy knew what had happened. So why didn't he pity him?

"Why are you different?" said Sasuke confused

Naruto tilted his head and said, "Huh?"

"Everyone knows what happened to me. Yet you don't look at me like they do. Why?" said Sasuke

Naruto made an oh face and said, "I hate pity. It says you feel sorry for the person but you don't really wanna get involved enough to do anything to fix it. It's a coward's way of opting out of hard work."

Sasuke was shocked at that and said, "But why are you different? Everyone else including the adults all look at me with pity. They act like I'm gonna break down and start crying."

Naruto shrugged and said, "If ya wanna cry it's your business. But you should know tears ain't gonna change nothing. Never did me any good to cry over crap. I still get treated badly, I still go home to my apartment, and I am still alone. Crying never changed any of that. It's a waste of energy you could put somewhere else."

Sasuke was confused and Naruto flashed a smile at the older boy as he said, "I ain't got no parents either. Though unlike you I ain't never had any. Mine died fighting the nine-tails."

Sasuke was shocked to his core. "So guardian?" said Sasuke

Naruto snorted and said, "Nope, ain't had one of those since I was thrown out of the orphanage. I take care of myself. Have since my first birthday when I got thrown out. I cook for myself, clean up after myself, do my own shopping, and pay my own bills."

Sasuke was surprised and said, "Your 6 right?"

"Yep and I entered the Academy when I was 4. I failed the exam the last two times I took it or I'd already be a shinobi." Said Naruto shrugging, "But third time is a charm right."

Sasuke didn't know how to process this one but since he had declined his own guardian when offered cause he didn't want some stranger in his mother's house. He said, "I didn't want someone I didn't know in my mother's house snooping in the guise of cleaning."

Naruto looked at him confused and said, "What's Gise mean?"

He had butchered the word and Sasuke said, "It's pronounced Gu...ise but it's a shortened word for disguised. Which means snooping while pretending to clean."

Naruto said, "Oh ok I get it. And I don't blame you. Besides they always choose the oldest ladies and they like to get up in everyone's stuff anyway. So they can go cluck back to the rest of the ladies."

Sasuke chuckled and said, "Well the reason I brought that up is since you've been doing this longer than I have. Would you be willing to help me so the Hokage don't give me one?"

Naruto flashed him a megawatt smile as he said, "You bet." Then Naruto had an idea, "Would you be willing to help me with my Taijutsu in exchange?"

Sasuke smiled at that and said, "It's a deal. You help me be able to live alone and I'll help you with your hand to hand."

They shook on it. Neither knew that in that moment they had defied destiny and fate completely. Destiny had dictated that Naruto would be the Child of prophecy and Sasuke would be a tragic version of the child of prophecy. Naruto was to grow up alone and not get precious people until after he graduated and started to make a name for himself. Sasuke was to be revenge driven and isolated. Where he would end up being friends with Naruto but in the end, they would have to fight to the death just as their previous lives had done. But in that one instance they had defied them both. Just as Hashirama and Madara had tried to do before fate intervened and everything went to hell.