Title : Light in Darkness
Author: TroubledSpirit
Summary : Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto were best friends when they were younger. But Naruto moved away, leaving a hurt Sakura and a very depressed Sasuke. How will they react to him coming back?...
Rating :M
Pairings (s) : SasuNaru
Feedback: Just email me at : Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto...along with other Naruto characters...
Author's Note: I have sucky grammar when it comes to big words! So sorry! And the characters will be a bit OOC...or maybe a lot so sorry!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters that consist of this anime.
Author's Note : The moment you've all been waiting for is here!...the new chapter! Here's chapter 5! Finally! Sorry it took so long, but it's been hell around here. But things have started to calm down. I want to thank everyone who replied to my beta call.
Amy D.
Ella
The Black Sand of Gaara
Michael H.
Grimy13 ((My hyper active update monster))
Maria M.
Thanks everyone, but I had to choose one. It was a hard decision but I choose, and that is b Maria M. /b Congratulations! Thanks again everyone!
Now on to the chapter
Chapter 5 : Painful Memories
Sakura walked until she reached the front doors. It was still strange for her to walk to this particular house, but she was determined to see if Sasuke was alright. Just when she was about to knock on the door, it opened without a sound, startling and causing her to take a step back. The person in front of her was no other than Sasuke; he seemed more brooding and dark than usual. The dark haired boy didn't look her in the eye as he greeted his guest. Sakura felt a small stab in her heart at the emotionless and pale look on his face. Why did he have the impression on his face like someone who would rather slam the door? The aura he gave out was like a cage of ice cold rejection and Sakura toyed with her skirt nervously. She smiled slightly at him "Hi Sasuke…" not knowing what else to say.
Sasuke have a small nod, before he stepped back to allow Sakura to come in. Sakura had always felt out of place in the Uchiha housing, but this time felt a lot worst. Never had in the whole time she had known Sasuke, did the expensive furniture impose on her lifestyle. When she came in she saw Itachi. Itachi was Sasuke's older brother, he looked a lot like Sasuke except more mature and his eyes were a crimson color. She had seen him a couple of times before, and he always seemed to creep her out. He was like Sasuke in away, but so much different.
He smiled at her "Ah! Welcome to our home, glad Sasuke has started dating the female population again " Before she could even ask what he meant, Sasuke grabbed her by the hand and pulled her up a set of stairs to his room. She felt a little thrill of holding hands with her crush, but by the look on her friend's face, now was not the time to be rejoicing.
When she arrived, she completely forgot about what Itachi said or the fact that she held hands with her hidden crush when she saw room. It was a complete mess; it looked like someone was desperately looking for something. His drawers were open; some were even on the floor. Clothes scattered everywhere, hair brush, colognes everywhere. The mirror that hanged above the dresser was shattered.
She turned to examine Sasuke, he was paler than usual. His hair wasn't properly combed; he wasn't dressed in his usual clothes and looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. He was currently lying in bed, on his left, looking out the window. The day was as brooding and sullen as him.
She didn't really think he would react like that, since Naruto only left with out saying goodbye. Sure he should be upset with him, but not over exaggerate and wreck his room…unless…Itachi's words came back to her.
"Ah! Welcome to our home, glad Sasuke has started dating the female population again"
'What did he mean by again' she thought as she looked over at Sasuke. Sasuke hadn't moved since she arrived. She thought back to the day Naruto left them…
Four Years Ago
Brrriiiinnngggg….
The school bell rang, signaling that class had started. Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke had grown closer together over the past few years. Since they got stuck together in every classroom each year, and this year was no exception.
It started out like any other day for Sakura, but it felt different somehow. When she arrived at school she didn't see Naruto or Sasuke at their usual place. Which was weird, since Sasuke was never absent or late like Naruto always was. She had searched everywhere but still no Sasuke or Naruto. So eventually she gave up and headed to class.
Class was almost over and yet neither Naruto nor Sasuke showed up, which now worried Sakura.
She sighed as she watched the rain fall outside and hit the window. It had started raining when the teacher arrived. She was startled when the door to the classroom was opened sharply. She turned to look at who it was, and there in the doorway was a dripping wet Sasuke. Sakura was going to call out but saw that his face was lowered, his bangs covering his eyes.
Sakura automatically knew something was wrong; Sasuke walked over to her and sat in the seat next to her. The teacher didn't even say anything and continued his lecture, Sakura turned to look at Sasuke. He had folded his arms on top of the desks and laid his head on top of them, his bags still covering his eyes.
"Sasuke what-" he interrupted her. His voice was sharp; it was filled with anger and with sorrow.
"He's gone"
She was confused to say the least "Who's gone?" Sasuke didn't say anything at first; it seemed like an eternity until he spoke again.
"N-Naruto"
Present
It had cut through her like a knife, Naruto…The boy who was like a brother to her was gone. Sakura couldn't believe it at first, and waited for Sasuke to say "yeah right…" but it never came. It was hard on them both, but it was the hardest on Sasuke. It was hard for both of them to adjust to not having the number one hyper active, knuckle head boy around. Sasuke was even more distant, colder than before after that. Sakura didn't smile as much, and if she did it was forced.
Sakura was still looking at Sasuke when she noticed he was looking at something. It was a photo that lay on top of a desk, which stood next to Sasuke's bed. She smiled sadly; it was a picture of all three of them. She didn't think Sasuke still had it, it disappeared after Naruto did. She still remembered when they had taken it; Naruto had pleaded Sasuke to take one with them.
"Good memories will last forever! Believe it!" /i was what he said. Her eyes filled up with unshed tears at the memory, they had only taken the picture three months before Naruto left. It was amazing how easily Sasuke gave in to Naruto's pleading.
Three and a half years ago
"Come on Sasuke!" Naruto pleaded, he was pouting at Sasuke. "No dobe…" was Sasuke's reply. They were currently at the park in which they first came to learn of each other's name, hanging around after school... "Please Sasuke! Just one small picture!" he pouted even more. Sasuke closed his eyes as he leaned against a tree. "Sakura!" he whined "Tell Sasuke to please take one with us!" He turned to Sakura who held a digital camera "Come on Sasuke, just one!" Sakura said.
Sasuke sighed and opened his eyes to look at Naruto "Why? It will only be a waste of time, eventually it will be forgotten or lost" Naruto stood up and smiled brightly "That's not true! Good memories last forever! Believe it!" Sasuke sighed before giving a small nod, winning a bright smile from Naruto.
They had someone who passed by to take a picture of the three of them. They had to have three different pictures, the first ones weren't to Sasuke's and Sakura's liking. In the first picture Naruto had spread himself out in front, blocking out both Sasuke and Sakura from view, making his famous peace sign. While in the picture Naruto is bashed up by a furious looking Sakura and a bored looking Sasuke. By the third one they finally got it right, Sasuke was put in the middle with Naruto at his left and Sakura at his right. Naruto was slightly leaning on him, which cause Sasuke to close his left eye while looking at the camera. While Sakura kept a bit of distance between her and Sasuke, but was smiling brightly.
After it was taken, Sakura ran home telling them to wait there for her. It had only taken her fifteen minutes to print out three copies of the pictures. When she came back Naruto was bouncing up and down, whining that he wanted to see them. She handed him one, and one to Sasuke who took it with out a word. Naruto of course was happy and said he'd treasure it. Sasuke just said it was stupid but hid it in his bookbag, when he thought no one was looking. Sakura had seen along with Naruto, and she had watched as Naruto's smile got bigger. By the end of the day, everyone went their own separate ways home. Sakura was almost home when she realized she forgot her book bag at the park, when she came back she saw Sasuke in the same place. He was leaning against the tree looking at the picture, but what shocked her was that he was smiling at Naruto's image…
Sakura let some of the tears fall down from her cheek, she wiped them away quickly before making her way to Sasuke. When she reached his bed side, she sat but as to not block his view of the picture.
"I thought you had lost it…" she said quietly. She felt Sasuke shift a little, she picked up the picture from the desk and touched the front of it. She treated it like if it was made of glass, tracing their outlines. She turned to Sasuke and saw that he was not sitting in the bed, his knees drawn close to his chest and his arms around them with his face lying on top of them.
"I-I…hid it" he murmured softly, but Sakura still heard it. She nodded slightly before looking back at the picture. Everything was quiet, no noise but the ticking of a clock. Sakura softly put the picture back on top of the desk. She looked at it for a moment before turning back to Sasuke and slowly crawled towards him. She kneeled next to him before putting her arms around him. She felt Sasuke shift so that his face now lay against her chest, she felt him wrap his arms around her…hugging her back. She tried to enjoy it, the first real hug from the boy she loved. But the bitter truth of his sadness stabbed her heart. She then felt him shake a little…he was crying…she hugged him tighter as he cried…
Images of the past coming back to her…
The time when they first met and Sasuke's smirk…
She knew now…
The time in the Jacuzzi and Sasuke's real smile…
She knew why it hurt him so much…
Sasuke looking at the picture smiling at Naruto's image…
Sakura let her own tears fall free as she clutched to Sasuke, she discovered the same pain along side Sasuke as the truth dawned on her. She couldn't push it away... It was all too painfully clear. She buried her face in Sasuke's hair as she thought one thing…
'Because he loves him…'
They both clutched each other, tightly; letting the tears they hadn't shed three years ago, flow free…
TroubledSpirit:Sorry it took mea long time to try and make this perfect. I tried my hardest on this one, and I hope you guys liked it. If you guys want to see what the picture click the following k? And congrats again to my new beta! If you guys want to see the picture from the fic click the following link!
http/img222.imageshack.us/my.php?image7115200502281456451sz.jpg
