Disclaimer: Again, we own none of the characters.

A/N: A third chapter! Yay! Please review. Oh, and again, no warning for you.


Black Opal

It's getting late. Well, late in the morning, anyway. Where is he?

He's never this late. Sure, I've gotten here before him; in fact, I almost always do. But we've been standing here for over an hour. Even sensei's here.

Damn. I'm starting to get worried. And that's saying something. If the world's female population found out, they'd be jealous. And I bet that I'd be stalked for the rest of my life.

Where is that idiot? Oh, man, I must have shown some outward sign of emotion, because she's on me at once.

"What's wrong?" she simpers, batting her eyelashes at me. Her hands are clasped in front of her.

Don't throw up, come on, you can hold this is! I am forced to avert my eyes in order to keep my breakfast safely in my stomach. Of course, I don't reply.

Suddenly, something catches my gaze. There he is, finally. My stomach unknots, just barely.

"Sensei, you're here already?" he pants, grinning that idiotic grin.

Then I notice something unusual. On one of his cheeks, a bruise is forming and on the other is a little cut. He didn't have either of them yesterday. They both look brand new.

Sensei apparently sees the scowl forming on my face, and guesses the reason. "Okay boys," he crows, "you get to work together today! I'll train the little miss here." Sensei's gone before either of us can object, taking her with him.

I start down the path towards our usual sparring field. He follows me, but doesn't try to take the lead. Even this tiny thing worries me.

Without warning, I spin around to face him. "What's going on?"

Surprised, he blinks confusedly at me. Then his eyes become guarded and he replies, "Nothing."

I slam my hands against the tree behind him, pinning him there. "Don't lie to me," I hiss. "Something is wrong. Tell me what it is!"

Once again, I have surprised him. His arms hang limply at his sides as he gapes at me. I shake him slightly.

Finally, he whispers, "I can't." He won't meet my eyes, and he seems to be trembling.

Now I'm the one who's shocked. He looks so near to breaking down completely. Is this really what's inside that loud-mouth shell he keeps around himself?

"Don't cry," I say awkwardly. I'm not into this comforting thing.

He does the opposite of what I'd wanted; he buries his head in my shirt and cries. So here I am, standing quite uncomfortably with a boy sobbing into my shirt.

"You don't have to tell me," I relent quietly. "Just stop crying, okay?"

Turning his gaze up to meet mine, he whispers, "I'll tell you someday, but I can't right now."

Hesitantly, I wrap my arms around him. "I'll wait," I promise him. I know it doesn't sound like me, but there's nothing else for me to say. There's nothing else I want to say. "I'll wait forever, Naruto."

"Thanks," he replies softly, breath tickling my ear. "Forever's a really long time, though. You won't have to wait that long, Sasuke."


Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto

Hope you enjoyed this one. More to come soon.