A/N: Chapter two ! Exciting, yes? Haha. I won't take up too much time here but, I should tell you that I hope to God this doesn't suck. And oh, yes, Gothicangle, Minako Momiji, Dark Tobiume, xNeTsUx, Cluelessninja65, dragonfire04, dayxxdreamer, and vixen-of-the-roses thank you so much! Plus, thank you extraextra much xXkawaii-chanXx since you were my first reviewer. Now, on with the story !

As he stepped out of the shower Sasuke's hands found one of the big, white, fluffy towels in which he was so fond of, and wrapped it securely around his small waist. He scowled at the thought of just how many girls would kill to be that towel and took a look in the mirror to his right.

It was too foggy too make out anything but his pale outline and dripping wet black hair. He shook his head letting water droplets cover the mirror and the marble sink.

'One more thing for Itachi to complain about: water spots', the boy thought to himself bitterly.

He dismissed the thought to wipe the water off and instead reached for the door handle, because there was a poptart calling his name; it was strawberry.

XXX

Naruto stumbled out of his shower and pulled a bright yellow towel off the bathroom floor. Trying to avoid brushing past a bruise forming above his left hip he wrapped it around his waist. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes deciding it was time to assess the damage.

He shuffled over to the mirror slowly, dreading every second for normally he tried to avoid looking into mirrors altogether.

Making it to the mirror he counted to two and opened his eyes taking in a sharp breath. It always shocked him to see his body like this.

In addition to the bruise above his ship he found a series of black and blue patches across his stomach and chest area along with a gash across his shoulder blades which probably explained why one of his dresser drawers looked like it did.

Then, it happened. Naruto suddenly leaned forward grasping the white counter for support. The image of the boy in the mirror blurred and he couldn't breathe. He heard something. Something inside his head...and a voice he didn't know questioned him:

"Why are you crying? Men don't cry. Be a fucking man. What would your daddy think of you now? Is this why he beats the shit out of you, because you're such a fucking crybaby? Comecome now. What would daddy want?"

The blue-eyed boy tried to take in some form of air. No luck. Nothing.

But, he knew what his daddy would want.

Nearly ripping the bathroom door off its hinges Naruto ran to his room. Stumbling over what appeared to be the remains of a drawer he fell to his knees, then to his hands. Panting trying to find air he got up again and shoved his hand beneath his mattress, a few seconds later withdrawing an object.

Running back to the bathroom he must have found enough oxygen to keep from keeling over and once back inside he was able to choke out, "Hurt…daddy wants my pain…That's all he'll ever…", then burst into tears. His hand enclosed around the object and with its sting he remembered it.

"...Daddy."

Slowly, slowly he brought it up to his arm, two inches from his shoulder. Slower still, he drug it across in a neat line until he saw it. Blood. His blood. It cleared the fog inside his head and he could think better now; he could breathe again. Just to be sure he drug the blade across a second time, under the first line.

Then the shaking, shaking.

Oh, that feeling for him. He didn't have to be hard as a rock for a moment; he could let his guard down. He didn't need to pretend anything. He just needed to feel. Naruto could feel without pretending, vulnerable as a child.

The cold meets the warm. The blade to the blood. The warm meets the cold. The blood to the floor.

'This is too early an hour to be awake', he thought dropping the blade.

Gently, gently he got down on his hands and knees. Gently, gently he rolled to his back on the cold tile. Gently, gently he closed his eyes, because again it hurt to breathe.

XXX

"SASUKE!"

Somewhere someone was calling the onxy-eyed beauty. But, was he aware? Oh, no. I Am Ghost coming from a white, iPod doc was all Sasuke could hear at the moment.

And then the day took it's course.

Grabbing his Calculus book, English III homework, cell phone, and iPod plus, earphones Sasuke headed down the stairs. Navigating his way through the Uchiha mansion took him seconds and in five he was in the immense kitchen only to find the eldest Uchia awaiting him and he didn't look particularly happy.

"What's wrong? Did somethin-", Sasuke asked fear forming in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm not taking you to school. Fucking walk." Itachi muttered icily.

Sasuke looked back in awe, "Whatthehell? Why?"

Itachi expression never changed as he walked over to the white, trash bin, plucked a box from it and brought it back to Sasuke placing it atop the counter.

"Poptarts?", Sasuke asked.

"Yes, you fucking ate the last one. My last one. So, you get to walk your ass to school today.", Itachi said.

"You can't be serious.", Sasuke said wary of how short Itachi's fuse was.

"I'm very.", Itachi said with a glare.

"You won't take me because I ate 'your poptarts'?" Am I not allowed a goddamn poptart in my own house?", Sasuke asked in disbelief.

"Language, little one. And no, not mine.", Itachi said smiling.

"Yours?!"

" There was one left. My one left"

"It's your own fault. I didn't know it was yours. Maybe, you should buy more than one box of fucking poptarts next time."

"I suggest you quit stop using that tone of voice with me. Now. You can also stop your griping and either get your walking shoes on or hurry your ass to the corner before you miss the bus.", Itachi said all traces of that last smile gone.

"Itachi, you know I—", Sasuke started but, deciding from the look on Itachi's face he better get his ass to the corner. Quick.

And that's just what he did.

XXX

Naruto emerged from his house at 7:30 with just enough time to lock up and walk to the corner before the bus arrived and forced him to eight more hours of hellish torture. Two minutes later it did as big and yellow as ever chugging it's way up to welcome him to a new semester. He began walking to it and stopped.

'Woah, hold up. This isn't my bus…207, whatthehell? What happened to 184?'

That's right. This morning bus 207 pulled up instead of his usual 184. But, figuring the bus was going to the same place by the big, black lettering, "Konoha High School", on the side he started for the bus again.

'Oh God. We've adjoined buses again haven't we? Joy. Joy. Joy. Picking a new seat.' , Naruto thought rolling his eyes at how crowded the bus was.

He lucked out. About five isles down there was an empty seat on the left. Naruto made a beeline for it and plopped down. Then, as the bus started off again he reached in his pocket for his iPod. It was white. He turned it on. Ten minutes later after scrolling through his options twice and as the bus was coming to another stop he decided upon In Regards to Myself by UnderOath. He turned it up. Loud.

XXX

As Sasuke Uchia boarded bus 207 he noticed two things, one: there were way too many kids on this bus, and two: Kiba was on this bus. He. Hated. Kiba. Maybe, it was because Kiba was obnoxious, or maybe, it was because he was loud. Or maybe, it was because the two had been bestfriends once upon a time and Kiba had betrayed him in the worse possible way. But, that was another story.

Whatever the reason, there were two seats left open. One next to Kiba and one next to some blonde kid who he didn't recognize staring out the window. It's needless to say he sure as hell didn't sit next to Kiba.

XXX

Awuh. Guess who the blonde kid is. Hmm. I wonder.
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Thank you loves.