Author's Note: I'm back with my second fic! It's a totally new story that doesn't follow the actual plot. It's another one-shot SasuNaru story (SO if you DON'T like YAOI, I suggest that you click the back button and search for a straight pairing fic). I have an awesome beta now, xxpapercutxx (check out her stories), so there shouldn't be any mistakes. All flames will me given to Axel from Kingdom Hearts.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, would I be here writing fanfiction? It's called that for a reason, you know…

So I Can't Love Him

When you see a beautiful bird soaring across the clear blue sky, it can remind you of many things. For some people, freedom, simplicity, and beauty come to mind. The ideas of life, hope, and possibly fear may also pop into your head. For the less creative, it might just look like any old bird flying around.

For me, it reminds me of a certain Uchiha.

Okay, fine. To tell you the truth, whenever I look at anything I think of him: those gorgeous ebony locks; those piercing obsidian eyes that can read your every thought, and that annoyingly cute smirk.

Did I just say that? I meant, I hate him. He prances around like the pretty-boy he is, making every girl swoon at his feet. Talking about feet, his especially are cute, with their little toes and…

Yeah, I'm getting off task, aren't I? And, wait, wasn't I supposed to tell you that I hate him, not adore him like some god?

Though, he does look like a god in a way.

I'll just admit it. Being in denial sucks anyway.

I, Uzumaki Naruto, have a teeny tiny, microscopic crush on Konoha's current heartthrob, Uchiha Sasuke. But, I mean, it's only "puppy love". I'm not obsessed with him or anything. If someone said they had pictures of him naked, I would not be the first in line to buy them. I'd probably be the second.

And besides, I'm a guy. Sasuke is a guy. Guy plus guy does not fit in the equation of love.

And with all those pretty girls pleading for his attention, I don't stand a chance. It'll only be a matter time before he finds one he likes. Then he'll marry her and sweep her off her feet. And I'll be heartbroken. It'll pay off in the future if I avoid the situation now.

So I can't love him.

— — —

Dreaming. It's usually a pleasant experience, but tonight I dreamt of a certain blonde.

And at that moment it turned into a nightmare.

Oh, by me saying that you assume that I don't like the dobe. He's obnoxious, loud, and very irritating, yes.

But there's just…something about him that makes you feel great. His perseverance is amazing, his grin's absolutely contagious, and those whisker-marks on his face make him adorable…Err…Tell me I didn't just say that.

Okay fine, I did say that. Being in denial is horrible anyway.

I mean, he's kind of (kind of is the keyword here) cute, in that weird way. Funny too. And he's really different from my annoying fan girls.

But I'm an Uchiha. Uchiha Sasuke. I cannot like a guy. I mean, if people found out, it'd be a complete nightmare.

Although, when did I start caring what other people thought about me?

But if I tell him how I feel, he might reject me. No, he will reject me. That dobe really does hate me. His jealous glares are always sent in my direction, and the way he acts around me just spells the word detestation.

And my fake attitude toward him isn't any better. The way I always taunt him, telling him he's a loser, a failure. With my superior skills, and to his severe disliking, I show him who's the best every single day. He absolutely hates me for it, and I'm too afraid to tell him how I really feel.

And what's worse, I think he's starting to get fond with that Hyuuga girl. This means he's straight, which means we can't be together.

Even if it'll break my heart, I also don't want to destroy our friendship. It's much more sensible to avoid the situation altogether.

So I can't love him.

— — —

Bright rays of light streamed through Naruto's open window, waking him up from a restful night of sleep. He was especially cheery today. In half an hour he would meet Kakashi-sensei and his teammates on the bridge. Those teammates would consist of his friend, Sakura, and secret love, Sasuke.

No wonder he was happy: the thought of seeing that raven-haired teen always made his stomach lurch with excitement. Sasuke meant the world to the blonde. Sometimes Naruto dreamt of confessing his love to the teammate, but fright always got the better of him.

Besides, he reasoned silently, we can never be more than friends.

Unfortunately for him, he did not realize Sasuke felt the same way.

So, oblivious to the Uchiha's feelings, Naruto had been treating the teen only as a best buddy and rival.

And because of Naruto's attitude, Sasuke behaved in the same matter.

So today, Naruto strolled out of his house as if it were any other morning. Once he reached the bridge, he greeted his two teammates nonchalantly.

Because Kakashi-sensei was always late, Naruto always had time to glance at his surroundings. Or, more precisely, he was looking at a person in his surroundings.

Sasuke looks as handsome as ever today, Naruto thought. Maybe I should talk nicely to him today…Ask him out for ramen today, maybe…

As the blonde brooded over his crush, Sasuke was busy looking at the glistening stream. Or, more precisely, he was staring at a reflection in the water.

The dobe keeps glaring at me again, the black-haired boy contemplated. I'm not even taunting him yet and he hates me already. There's no hope.

This ritual of staring and thinking and denial happened everyday. Both of the ninjas were too terrified to express their feelings. So they watched each other in the shadows, wishing and waiting for something to happen. Unfortunately, nothing was ever going to happen if they continued to act like they hated each other.

Naruto believed his love loved another.

Sasuke thought the same thing.

They were both afraid. Afraid of rejection, afraid of messing up their friendship.

So they thought the best way to avoid that was to hide their emotions. Live in their secret fantasy, so to speak.

They were consumed by their fear.

— — —

I've stopped fantasizing. So it's time for me to accept the facts.

I, Uzumaki Naruto, had a teeny tiny, microscopic crush on Konoha's past heartthrob, Uchiha Sasuke. But, I mean, it was only "puppy love". I'm no longer obsessed with him or anything. If someone said they had pictures of him naked, I would not be in line to buy them.

And besides, I'm a guy. Sasuke is a guy. Guy plus guy never fit in the equation of love.

And with all those pretty girls still pleading for his attention, I never stood a chance. It'll only be a matter time before he finds one he likes. Then he'll marry her and sweep her off her feet.

But I won't be heartbroken. You know why?

He's never loved me.

So I can't love him.

— — —

You'd think a guy would learn. After several years, I still haven't faced the facts.

Until now.

There was something about Naruto that made you feel great. His perseverance was amazing, his grin's was absolutely contagious, and those whisker-marks on his face made him adorable

But it was never meant to be.

The way I always taunted him, telling him he was a loser, a failure. With my superior skills, and to his severe disliking, I showed him who was the best every single day. He still hates me for it, and I was too afraid to tell him how I really felt.

He's started to get fond with that Hyuuga girl. He's always been straight, which means we never could be together.

Even if it broke my heart, I realized he never loved me. It was a futile dream.

So I can't love him.

— — —

A blonde stared out his window. He saw a beautiful bird soaring across the clear blue sky.

Far away, a raven-haired man was sleeping on his bed. When he dreamt of his past love, he immediately woke up.

A single tear cascaded down each man's cheek.

Simultaneously, a thought rang out through their heads: So I can love him. Even now.

Smiling, they reached for their phone and dialed the other's number, no longer afraid.

— — —

Author's Note: Wow! I wrote most of this in one sitting! I hope you liked it…and yet again, I'd like to thank ALL of you for reading this! Remember to review! (Cries happily and gives you all flowers)