Here's the next chapter, I think I might continue it a little longer past chapter 10...haven't decided

Italicized: thoughts

Italicized: flash back

Chapter 8: Let's be Friends from Now on

Sasuke sat in the chair silently as Naruto went on lecturing Iruka. Naruto noticed the silence a 15 minutes later after lecturing Iruka.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" asked Naruto as he sat down to eat also.

"Nothing…just thinking about a few things," replied Sasuke.

"…You're lying."

"Don't tell me if I'm lying or not when you don't know what I'm thinking."

Naruto looked at him as he said that in a cold manner. a few minutes ago he just laughed and started to open up, now he's back to his normal self? What the heck is wrong with him? Naruto raised an eyebrow at him and Sasuke just shook his head. Sasuke got up and turned to leave.

"Where're you going?" asked Naruto.

"I'll be going to school ahead of you," said Sasuke as he started to walk away.

"Ah, hey, wait a minute!"

Naruto was about to go after him, but Iruka had stop him.

"Let him be Naruto. If he wants some alone time, then let him," said Iruka as he got up and collected the dishes Sasuke was eating on.

"Hmmm…I didn't do anything offending him though," replied Naruto as he went to help Iruka wash the dishes.

"I didn't say that, just…I told him a few things."

"A few things…what did you tell him?"

"Ahhh…well, not much, hehehe…"

"Iruka…what did you tell him?"

"Hm, a few things in your past…thought it'd help a little."

"What?! You told him! What parts?!"

"Just the part when you were drowning and your childhood friend saved you and, um, that you lost your parents, but I didn't tell him how. I just told him that they died in an accident."

"…good…that I can handle…any more than that and I don't think I could've handled it."

Iruka smiled at him and started to wash the dishes. Naruto stared out the window for a while then turned to look at the time. 8:10 am…better start going then. Naruto walked towards the door and grabbed his bag and bid Iruka good-bye. Naruto walked the path of the streets looking down at his feet, another day of school. Naruto glanced back up and saw Sasuke standing by a tree; his head face the other way where he couldn't see Naruto. Naruto strolled over to him and tapped him on the shoulder making him jump a little.

"Don't do that again," said Sasuke as he realized it was Naruto.

"Didn't know you get scared that easily," teased Naruto.

"Shut up; mention that to any one and you'll get it."

Naruto pouted and then started to walk ahead. Sasuke followed afterwards, slowly pacing behind him. Naruto slowed down a bit to walk side by side with him.

"Did you wait for me?" asked Naruto curiously.

"…"

"Come on; don't give me the silent treatment. Am I going to have to force it out of you?"

"Wha-"

Naruto grinned and jumped on Sasuke. Surprise, Sasuke lost his balanced and fell onto the ground. Naruto then started to tickle him.

"St…sto-stop…it!" yelled Sasuke in between laughters.

"Not until you give me your answer!" said Naruto happily.

"Eh?! Na-Naruto-kun!" yelled a familiar voice.

Naruto and Sasuke looked up and found Neji and Hinata, blushing, staring at them.

"Ah! This isn't what it looks like!" yelled Naruto as he quickly got off of Sasuke.

"He's right," replied Sasuke quietly as he too got up, but slowly.

Hinata looked away and Neji just stood in silence; an uncomfortable eerie feeling fell upon them.

"We…we should get going before we're late to school," said Naruto sheepishly as he turned to leave.

Hinata agreed and walked up next to Naruto and they started to talk. Sasuke watched them from behind as he walked with Neji next to him.

"I didn't know you could get that emotional," said Neji.

"…"

"You've changed a bit since he came," whispered Neji.

"You think so?"

"Yeah…"

"…"

"Heh, but I guess you can only talk to him…"

"I won't forget our friendship.'

"…"

Neji walked in silence, reminiscing on the past relationship they had. They were so close, even though Sasuke would remain silent and only spoke a few words, but eventually, Sasuke just stop talking to him, and their friendship broke. Sasuke closed his eyes and a proverbial feeling came back; how they use to always walk like this to school, silent yet peaceful, a comfortable feeling of closeness. Neji did the same, a silent friendship they always had.

They had reached school in time and departed with Neji. Sasuke still strided behind Hinata and Naruto, all the way until they reached the classroom. The bell hadn't rung, but all of the students were already in their class, now the only one missing was the teacher. Naruto sat down in his seat and took out his notebook from yesterday. He started to doodle again, daydreaming off, even when Kakashi came in. Kakashi just sat down while the whole class talked, he didn't seem to care much. The whole day of school went on like a regular day.

It was the last period again and Naruto sat in the gym waiting for his next opponent. Gai had given him plenty of compliments about defeating Neji yesterday.

"Naruto, come up here," said Gai.

Naruto got up and stood next to Gai.

"You're next opponent…Uchiha Sasuke," said Gai looking at his documents.

"What?" said Naruto surprised.

Sasuke got up and went to stand next to Gai on the other side. Gai grinned at them both as they both got into their positions. Naruto was the first to take his hit, but Sasuke had dodged quickly. Sasuke made a hit towards Naruto's stomach. Naruto bent a little from the strong hit, leaving time for Sasuke to hit him again. Sasuke kicks Naruto into the air, then kicks him again on the left side, throws a backhand strike to the face and then strikes a powerful punch towards Naruto's stomach sending Naruto flying down to hit the ground and finished with a spinning kick, but Naruto moved swiftly to dodge the last kick. Naruto rolled to the side and got up holding his stomach, his back crouched from the pain. Sasuke was stood a few feet away from Naruto, panting fast from the strain when he used that move. For a long time they didn't move, so Sasuke activated something. His eyes turned red, and then he set his hand aside and started to charge something that coursed through his body. Naruto noticed it quickly and started to run forward, but stopped halfway when his body went in pain for a while. He tried to control him from coming out, but he couldn't, the demon residing inside him awoke, and Naruto's ability changed. Claws seem to grow out of fingertips. He sent a slash, but Sasuke dodged again. Electric powered from Sasuke's palms, and threw out a punch at Naruto, but with incredible agility, Naruto moved around him and sent a slash upwards on Sasuke's back, making Sasuke fly into the air. Naruto jumped into the air also, and slashed Sasuke again, making him fly away from him, then balled his fist into a ball and sent a punch at him, but Sasuke blocked his face with his arms, making him fly farther away. He landed on the ground with his feet, but his back was bleeding from the injuries. Gai ran towards them to stop them. Naruto came down in front of Sasuke and lifted his fist to finish it. Gai had yelled at Naruto to stop, but he didn't hear, because he was no longer the Naruto they knew. Naruto's fist came flying downward, but stopped abruptly. Sasuke coughed out blood and then fell forward towards Naruto's arms, and softly he whispered, Naruto's childhood name.

"Na…ru…chan."

Naruto caught Sasuke, his eyes wide. He held Sasuke in his arms as everyone came to help them. Gai lectured Naruto about going to far, but Naruto was listening, he was to busy thinking about what Sasuke had called him.

Naruto tackled his friend down into the water. They both fell into the cool water and played in the water, splashing at one another. They got out of the water, giggles still echoing.

"Sasu-chan, let's always be together from now on," said Naruto as he held his pinky out for a promise.

"Yeah," replied Sasuke, as he too held out his pinky.

Their pinkies curled around each other and they grinned happily at one another.

Naruto sat on the side of the hospital bed, the sound of beeping echoing through the white room that smelled of medicine. Sasuke woke up, his eyes slowly opening. He turned his head and saw Naruto looking down. Sasuke tried to say something, but nothing came out of his mouth. He then sat up, grunting from the pain that shot up his back. Sasuke fell back down, and Naruto looked up quickly.

"You shouldn't sit up," whispered Naruto as he put the blanket back over Sasuke's body.

"Shut up," replied Sasuke.

"Good to see you're back to normal."

"And who do you think made me like this?"

"…"

"Ugh…that was a powerful combo."

"Sorry…I didn't mean to."

"What was it?"

"What?"

"What was that power? There's no way that could've been you, so what was it, or more like, who was it?"

"…When the time comes…I'll tell you, but not now."

"Bastard."

"…Sasu-chan…you're…"

"So you know now…"

"You mean you-"

"I found out yesterday night, when you called out my name, that's when everything started to connect."

"Oh…"

"At least I'm dead."

Naruto looked back down, then back at Sasuke who closed his eyes. Naruto stood up slowly and leaned towards Sasuke.

"Wha-what?" asked Sasuke.

Naruto held out his pinky and smiled slowly. Sasuke stared at the finger for a while before moving his own pinky out. Once again their pinkies curled around each other again.

"Let's be friends from now on," said Naruto, "and you can come live with me."

"I agree with the friend part, but I can't live with you. I have unfinished business with my brother," said Sasuke.

"Then I'll help."

Sasuke gazed at him, then nodded after a few seconds.

"Let's catch up with what happened over the past years," said Naruto as he sat back down.

"Yeah," agreed Sasuke.

Long lost friends, brought back together once again.