Thanks everyone for "all of the reviews so far" I'm so glad you want to help me to become a more skilled writer with hints and tips. sarcasm sigh well, just so that you all know, this will be the VERY LAST CHAPTER unless I start getting some more reviews… this just… isn't funny anymore. I am at chapter seven and I have only eighteen reviews, half of which don't even help me. It actually kind of hurts when I look at my reviews and how many people have read my story. I have so many hits because my story has been visited so many times, though only thirteen people have decided to review, one of which is a flame. Seven chapters, and I have a flame… :'( cries When you review, tell me what you like and what you dislike so that I can work on it. Because otherwise, I am just going to continue writing as I normally do, and then everybody will end up telling me how horrible I am because I have crappy writing skills. So please, help me out here… To those of you who do review, though, thanks. Also, sorry… really long rant… ANYWAY! Here's the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto… never will.

Chapter 7: I Promise

"Kakashi-sensei! I found him!" A young pink-haired girl was heard screaming to her teacher who stood on the bridge, obviously waiting for them. He looked over.

He walked over to Sakura and Naruto, who followed her slowly. "Kakashi-sensei…" she began, whispering slightly. He looked at her, interested as to what she was about to say. Then she quietly continued. "He seems really upset about something and he didn't say a word the whole time since we left his place." Kakashi nodded and approached Naruto whose eyes were fixed on the ground.

Naruto's eyes slowly shifted in the direction of Sasuke, whose eyes were also glued to the cold concrete. Sighing, he looked back at the ground and started to count as many tiny rocks as he could, trying to get his mind off of everything.

Sighing, Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto slightly flinched at the touch but calmed down soon afterwards. Naruto took a step backwards to release his shoulder from his teacher's grip, and looked back over at Sasuke. Though, this time, Sasuke was not staring at the ground… he was staring at Naruto. Naruto was suddenly consumed with the overwhelming feeling of sadness and anxiety when Sasuke's eyes told him everything from jealousy to hatred, to sadness, to lust. Everything just spilled out in just a moment's locked gaze between the two, until Sasuke angrily looked back down to the ground. Naruto hung his head. How awkward… He thought.

"Well this is somewhat awkward…" Sakura stated after watching the two trade looks. After no body said anything, she sighed and walked up to Kakashi. "Sensei… can I speak to you over here…?" she asked him, guiding him away from the other two, leaving them alone for a while.

Naruto and Sasuke stayed in their original places, and didn't move an inch. They had nothing to say to each other. They both wanted to say something, but they didn't know whether or not the other one knew about the incident. Naruto had had enough, though.

Naruto didn't remove his glued gaze from the ground but he walked over to the side of the bridge where he sat upon the orange rail next to his comrade, Sasuke. He tried to open his mouth to say something, but nothing could come out. After numerous tries, Naruto sighed and hung his head, closing his eyes. Why didn't I just stay over there? I can't even think of anything to say, so what was the point? He thought sadly just before he heard Sasuke mumble something he couldn't understand.

Naruto looked over at Sasuke who was staring at the ground, his eyes filled with sorrow. It almost looked like he wanted to cry, but he was holding it in. "Hmm?" Naruto asked him. "What did you say?"

Sasuke blinked and then sighed. After a long pause, he repeated himself, but it was easier for Naruto to hear this time.

"Why… why did they have to look for you this morning? Where were you?" he asked. If Naruto hadn't second-guessed it, he would say Sasuke sounded concerned.

Naruto turned his head back to where it was and started to count the dots on the ground.

"Well…" Sasuke began again. "Are you gonna answer me?" Sasuke was determined. He had to know.

Naruto sighed. "I…" he started. "I don't… know why…" he paused for a few seconds. His voice was scratchy and it seemed like he didn't know what he was trying to say. But then he continued. "I couldn't stand up. I was… frozen. I couldn't move." Sasuke blinked and continued to listen. "I was at my house. I guess. I don't really know why I couldn't get up." Naruto then caught himself. He couldn't say anymore. He refused.

Sasuke closed his eyes.

"What is going on?" Sakura asked Kakashi, completely confused about the entire situation.

"I don't know if I should tell you." Then again… she is pretty persistent… he thought. Sakura looked confused, so he continued. "It's sort of personal to them, so all I can say is that something very strange has happened recently and they're trying to get used to it.

"And… I'm assuming that that something is… something I can't know about just yet…?"

Kakashi nodded in reply. Sakura sighed and turned around to look at her comrades. Naruto was now sitting next to Sasuke on the red railing and they were both staring at the ground.

"It's just that…" she started. "They look so depressed. I have never seen either of them act that way."

"I know, Sakura. It will get better though, I promise." Kakashi's visible eye curved and Sakura felt assured. Well, only partly assured. She felt comfortable that it would all get better soon enough, but she was still upset about whatever was happening then. "I'm sorry I can't tell you about this."

Sakura closed her eyes and nodded. They both turned to look at the two boys sitting on the bridge. They watched as they attempted to make conversation.

"Sasuke…?" Naruto asked, hesitantly. Sasuke looked up and over at Naruto, questioningly. "Why…" he began. He almost didn't want to resume, but Sasuke's intense gaze persuaded him to go on. "Why did you…" he paused. "Why were you at my house yesterday?" he asked, his voice sounded even quieter, as if he didn't really want Sasuke to hear his question.

Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked away. "Your… house? I…" Naruto looked at him and waited anxiously for him to reply. "I… don't remember why…" he finished, even though he knew completely why he did, he couldn't tell him.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you." When Sasuke didn't answer him, Naruto turned his head forward and then spoke quietly again. "I've… never had… so many people…" Sasuke blinked, curious as to what the blonde boy was trying to say. "I've never had so many people… in my house… all in one day."

Sasuke's eyes widened at the statement. His face jerked toward Naruto who looked like he wanted to burst out into a frenzy of tears and sobs. He looked like he wanted to scream out and run away from everything, just so he wouldn't be so frightened. All Sasuke wanted to do was hold Naruto down and apologize to him for everything that had happened. He wanted to be able to tell him he was okay and that he wouldn't let anybody hurt him, especially his brother, but what would he say if he told him?

"Naruto… I…" he started, though he wasn't sure how he would continue. He didn't think about what he was going to say, and just hoped he wouldn't accidentally say the wrong thing. He let himself talk and didn't think of the outcome. "I'm sorry."

Naruto didn't know what to do afterwards. He was so lost and confused, that all he could think to do was cry. He shut his eyes as tightly as he could. He didn't want to see Sasuke… or Sakura… or anybody else. He just wanted to go somewhere he could be safe from all fear or harm. He allowed the tears to flow rapidly out from underneath his eyelids, not thinking about what Sasuke would be thinking. As far as Naruto was concerned, Sasuke didn't care. But… he was wrong. He was more than wrong. Naruto hugged his knees and sobbed into his own shirt.

Sasuke watched Naruto helplessly cry next to him. He felt so bad about everything that was going on. He lifted a hand and set it gently on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto jumped slightly and looked up. He couldn't believe what was happening. He allowed a few more tears to fall down his whiskered face as he stared up at Sasuke whose hand remained on his shoulder. Sasuke wore a comforting smile and Naruto assumed he was dreaming. He knew deep down that he wasn't but for some reason, he hoped he was. For Sasuke to act so caring was almost frightening and Naruto didn't know how he was supposed to react. He only stared at Sasuke in amazement and tears still fell from his face.

"I'm sorry I let this happen." Sasuke's warm smile was gone. Naruto almost wished it hadn't left, but he listened to what Sasuke was saying. He leaned forward and rested his chin in between his knees. "I won't let it happen again, though." Naruto curled himself in closer to his body and shivered. It was too unreal, but not knowing how to react, he just let it happen.

"I promise…" Sasuke whispered. Naruto stopped shivering and looked back over at Sasuke. His warm smile had returned.

There's chapter seven for ya! I really hope you liked it. I promise that the next chapter will start to get more exciting. I just had to start off some of the character relationships first and then the story line will jump in. Also, in the words of Pocky Whore, "If you like it, please, TELL ME!" There are already lots of people who have alerted my story, but all I know about them is that they like it. I don't know why they like it, or what they don't like about it, so please, TELL ME!

Also, I wrote a message to you, Pocky Whore, in my profile, just like you:P.