Disclaimer: Do I own Naruto? Nnnnope!

Chapter 3

"Hey! Sasuke-bastard!"

Naturally the black-haired teenager didn't wait.

"You jerk, why'd you do that!?"

Sasuke gave him a sidelong glance.

During their last class—Literature—Sasuke had called Naruto an idiot in front of the whole class. After Kakashi had reprimanded both of them, he said they would always work together on projects. Apparently it would help them learn teamwork.

Teamwork.

Yeah.

Right.

"I said it because it's true."

"You're a bastard!"

"Is that so?" Sasuke's dry, almost-but-not-really amused monotone was grating on Naruto's nerves.

"Yes, that's so!"

Sasuke snorted. "Idiot."

He turned without a word, headed toward the train station.

"Burn in hell!" Naruto called out, glaring at the pale boy.

"I'll try." Was all he could say honestly before he boarded the train.

"Okay, Sasuke-bastard. Let's get this over with." Naruto declared as he sat down huffily next to the Uchiha.

"Hn."

Damn this project. Damn Kakashi for giving out this project. Damn Sasuke for calling him an idiot and thus making them partners. Damn Kakashi for hearing damn Sasuke calling him an idiot and making them damn partners and giving them this damn project. Dammit.

Naruto sighed. He would have to take the initiative and start talking. Sasuke wasn't.

"Okay; what topic should we do?"

"..."

"Wanna... wanna do a paper on Aokigahara?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Okay, Aokigahara it is. Uh... Do you want to do the legends or the facts?"

Another shrug.

"You can do the facts."

"Fine."

Naruto squirmed in his chair, uncomfortable.

"Dammit, can't you at least try to act like a human being?" Naruto snapped.

Sasuke rose a brow and looked at him.

"No." He said dryly.

For the rest of the period, Naruto entertained himself with thoughts of killing Sasuke.

And Sasuke found himself in a reasonably good mood.

Monday they finished up their mini-project on Aokigahara. Somehow, it had been done with minimal insults.

They both figured there was some sort of divine intervention.

Kakashi, meanwhile, divided his attention between one of his books-that-shouldn't-be-allowed-in-school and the two boys.

It occurred to him that, compared to Friday, they were communicating more easily, more relaxed around each other, and overall more pleasant. The only logical—wait, could that be right? Logical?—explanation was that the two were learning to get along. They still had a way to go... but Kakashi figured it could be fun. He glanced around the room to make sure no one was setting anything on fire (with some of these kids you never knew what would happen next), and returned to his book.

Yep. Things could get interesting.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke suspiciously. Was he actually becoming... bearable? He watched as Sasuke's eyes skimmed the page of the book he was currently reading.

The raven was still a prick, yes, but a bearable prick.

Sasuke glanced up.

"Have a staring problem, loser?"

No, he was just a prick. Nothing bearable about him.

Sasuke shivered, wrapping the blankets tighter around him, but it failed to bring any warmth to his frame.

His eyes dully gazed out the window, to the lawn, the sky, the stars. He wished he was as free as them... The stars... He wished...

"So, Sasuke!" Naruto said cheerfully, clapping a hand on the raven's shoulder and earning a glare. Said fox grinned cheekily as he kept with Sasuke's pace, once again walking with him to the train station, "How've you been?"

"What are you doing, loser?"

"Just making conversation!" He said innocently.

"Liar."

"No, really, I am. I'm bored an' I need to talk to someone."

"..."

"So... uh... What's your blood type?"

"..."

"I'm a B Type."

"...Figures."

Naruto's eye twitched. "What type are you?"

"AB."

"Figures."

A glare.

Another cheeky smile.

The rest of the walk was in silence.

Sasuke's fingers scratched frantically, searching for something, but there was nothing for him to grasp, the nails slipping and sliding in vain.

His head hurt and he wondered if he was going to die.

He felt someone take his hand, and he didn't need to look to know that person wasn't alive anymore, no matter how badly Sasuke wanted him to be. The cool hand that held his and the concerned green eyes were only that of a ghost (Or, a voice taunted in his head, perhaps not even that).

He gritted his teeth and squeezed the hand as the pain intensified and then at long last it began to diminish. He relaxed and he took in several ragged breaths.

The hand was no longer there.

He drifted off to sleep, the slow beeping of machines his lullaby.

It took all of Sasuke's will not to fall asleep in class, nearly nodding off several times. Why can't we just have nap time...? The raven mentally complained as he packed up his school supplies, getting ready to go home.

"All right, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha turned wearily to Naruto,

"Just didn't get enough sleep, that's all."

"Oh..."

"Hey, you two better hurry up or I'll lock you in the classroom." Their silver-haired teacher threatened.

"You wouldn't Kaka-sensei!" Naruto feigned shock.

"Want to try me?" Kakashi grimaced at the nickname.

Naruto pouted and exited, followed by Kakashi and Sasuke. Kakashi gave an affectionate, but somewhat mocking, pat on Naruto's head and bid both the students farewell before leaving to go home. Or maybe to read Icha Icha Paradise.

The two began to walk, not saying anything.

"Kakashi would make a really weird dad." Naruto said suddenly, thoughtfully.

Sasuke hesitated and turned to Naruto in curiosity. "Why do you say that?"

Naruto shrugged, smiling, "Just a thought—don't die of shock now."

Sasuke cast his eyes to the heavens in a silent plea for help and rolled his shoulders.

"So what, don't like your family either?" He asked with just a hint of a sneer.

"Oh... I'm an orphan... I forgot you didn't know."

Sasuke blinked, "...How did that happen?"

"Eh... It's a long story."

"It's a long walk."

Inwardly, Naruto was a bit surprised that Sasuke was actually curious about his past. Sasuke was... not quite self-absorbed, just not interested in hearing of other people's woes or joys.

"Well... My father died a few days before I was born, and my mom died in labor... I was raised by a foster family. They weren't too bad, but they weren't exactly what you'd call... loving or supportive. They just gave me what I needed. So... when I was fifteen I wanted to get emancipated. They helped me out with that, though, and so... there ya go. Kakashi became a teacher here a little while after all that... He mentioned once he would have considered adopting me if I wasn't already out on my own once." Naruto's face was distant for a moment before he was pulled back to Earth by a mocking snort from Sasuke.

"That wasn't all that long, moron."

"Whatever. What about you? What's your past like?"

Sasuke couldn't help a shiver, despite the fair weather out.

He didn't want to think about—

Laughter...

—Something that never happened—

...No...

—None of this happened—

...Those were screams...

—No... He didn't remember that—

Sasuke swallowed,

"My past's not all that interesting."

"Really? All right."

Naruto didn't fail to notice Sasuke's shaking hands.

The next Friday was a beautiful day; it was warm, but not hot, with a cool breeze that rippled through the air. The students of Konoha High were hopeful that spring was beginning to settle in, and it was a perfect opportunity to sit outside and eat lunch.

Sasuke and Naruto sat together at an isolated table (Sakura didn't want to eat with Naruto, and Sasuke didn't want to eat with Sakura or any other girl for that matter).

Sasuke looked up from his tomato sandwich.

"I heard Kakashi isn't here today. Any idea what that's about?"

Naruto wasn't sure if the pale boy was making an attempt at conversation or if he was really curious. All the same, he had a small desire to glare at Sasuke, but suppressed it. Really, did he have to be so informal with everyone? He didn't even say 'sensei' after a teacher's name. What kind of people did he live with, that didn't teach respect?

Then again, what did he care?

Actually, it seemed that Sasuke had taken a (vague) liking to Kakashi, and would actually converse with him... albeit minimally.

"Kakashi-sensei," (Sasuke rolled his eyes,) "probably had to do a bit of work at his other job," Naruto took a sip of Sasuke's tea (he had stolen it earlier and was somewhat surprised the older boy didn't snatch it back) before continuing, "He's an assistant detective, but it usually doesn't interfere with his job as a teacher."

"Really?" Sasuke glanced over at Naruto, "Is he any good?" Sasuke imperceptibly held his breath, not sure what he was hoping for; a yes, or a no.

Naruto tilted his head to the side, "You mean as a teacher?"

Sasuke scowled and mumbled something that sounded a lot like 'idiot'. "No, as a detective."

"Yeah!" Naruto looked almost offended that Sasuke had to ask and slightly embarrassed at his momentary idiocy, "He's real good."

Sasuke's eyes flickered, and Naruto thought it was odd he didn't smirk.

"Is he working on any big cases right now?"

"I don't think so... Why...?" He grinned, "Do you want to be a detective, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's brows shot up as he regarded the fox. Want to be... What a bizarre concept. Dreams were... dreams... Those were things of the past. Things that... Sasuke never thought of the future, of dreams... Of want. He couldn't.

Sasuke shrugged.

"Maybe."

Sasuke turned away and lunch passed in silence.

Literature class fell apart with no one to keep the children in line. Or, more accurately, the sub didn't know how to control the classroom like Kakashi did. Sasuke sat in his desk, idly watching the activities of the other students. Naruto was rambling to Shikamaru, who Sasuke was pretty sure wasn't listening, and Sasuke could see Sakura out of the corner of his eye, trying to piece together courage to talk to him.

Sasuke liked to watch Sakura. She made him think of what an older sister would be like. Even when she was infatuated with him, she fussed over things and worried about him due to silly things. And she had green eyes.

They were quite different from the green eyes of the past, the ones he still remembered hazily. Those eyes had been so sad, yet warm and caring. But Sakura's eyes were lively, and while they, too, were warm and caring, they didn't shine quite like those eyes did. He supposed it was an infantile infatuation, to be so in love with her eyes; he associated one person with green eyes, and he couldn't help but feel affection for another who had the same color eyes. It was stupid and childish, but it was what he felt, and he couldn't help it.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun? Do you want to come get ice cream with Ino and I after school?" She asked sweetly, looking shy and biting her lip timidly. Her hands were clasped in front of her, to keep from fidgeting.

He arranged his features into a pleasant expression, raising his eyebrows just a tiny bit in apology. "I'm sorry Sakura. I can't."

There was a bit of disappointment in those green eyes, but she smiled anyway, giving a tiny, polite bow. "It's okay, Sasuke-kun! Maybe some other time?"

No, not some other time. He couldn't afford to be so selfish as to have a friend, even one so normal and naïve as she. "Maybe." He said, noncommittal.

A white lie never hurt. Only in the worst cases.

"Sasuke," Naruto finally caught up to the pale boy, who never waited for him, the bastard, "If you want to, I know a long way to the station. It goes through a really cool park. No one's there this time of day, and I think you'd like it."

Sasuke's head tilted slightly, regarding the taller boy at his side. His mind was a swirl of conflicting emotions (he shouldn't feel more than one!); in his chest was a swelling of affection that he thought he would never feel again, and bitter hatred for the boy who brought it back, and at the same time there was a sharp pain and tightening of his throat, because it had been so long since someone had thought just of him, and he wasn't sure if he didn't like it when people did that.

"Sure." No tone, no expression, no sign of those confusing emotions he wasn't allowed to feel.

A block down they crossed a street, eastbound now, and Naruto announced it was just a bit ahead. Sasuke allowed himself to trail behind just slightly.

For the first time, Sasuke looked at Naruto. Not just saw him, but really looked.

His messy hair was the color of the sun, his eyes were bright blue, full of light and laughter, the ever-present smile an obvious clue to his liveliness. He has more solidly built than Sasuke was, but not as agile or elegant, although he was likely just as strong. His sun-kissed skin, Sasuke couldn't help but think, was a nice contrast to his own creamy complexion.

All in all, Sasuke thought he was the embodiment of life, light, and hope; everything Sasuke had lost. And he was sure that was why he was so drawn to the idiot, too-lovable boy.

They crossed another street and there was the park.

Naruto had been right. Sasuke thought it was beautiful—You would have liked it, wouldn't you? You loved these sort of parks that aren't forced beauty, but a piece of land that has been worked alongside instead of against.—and he couldn't help but relax.

Naruto indicated a path that would swing around the park and then set them back on track to the station. It was a dirt path, long and winding with weeds sprouting up every so often, but its effect was calming and Sasuke began to feel himself relax. Naruto accidentally brushed against Sasuke and the blond quickly put space between them, a tiny blush gracing his cheeks.

The path eventually led up to an untamed, wild field of tall, green grass. Another sign of spring.

"It's pretty huh?" Beamed Naruto, "Sometimes I go here with Shikamaru and we cloud-gaze."

Sasuke ignored him and stepped out onto the field. You would have loved this spot. He walked further into the field.

"Hey, Sasuke-bastard, let's fight!" The challenge was marred by the large grin on Naruto's face.

Sasuke snorted and kept walking, "I don't want to fight, Naruto.

"...

"Naruto?"

No sooner where the words out of his mouth, a blond form tackled him from behind. Sasuke managed not to do anything undignified, like yelping, but when he hit the ground the wind was knocked out of him.

Eyes narrowing, he managed to shoot an awkward punch at the fiend on top of him and dislodge Naruto enough to jump to his feet...

...which backfired, Naruto tackling him again as soon as he stood, but this time Sasuke was lying on his back.

"You jerk, you weren't even trying." Naruto accused, grinning.

Sasuke smirked, "Idiot."

Naruto chuckled, his warm breath tickling Sasuke's collarbone. Suddenly the raven was aware of their close proximity.

"I said I didn't want to fight. Get off!" The words weren't harsh, rather, a firm monotone.

Naruto obliged, standing at his full height and offering a hand which Sasuke ignored.

Sasuke blankly dusted himself off and the two resumed walking on the path, but this time with a strange tension that wasn't there before. A while later they had made their way to the station and,

"Hey, Sasuke, if you ever want to talk about your family—"

A sigh blew past his lips.

"You're annoying."

"And you're a jerk!"

Instant defense, good.

"I don't know how Kakashi can put up with you." Sasuke drawled.

"Yeah, well I don't see how anyone can put up with you!"

Sasuke snorted. They don't.

Sasuke turned sharply, making his way to the platform without looking back. Then,

"Bye Sasuke!"

That weird feeling, like wanting to cry because someone was being kind, came back. Sasuke didn't reply, or acknowledge the farewell, or...

When Sasuke got home, the cool feeling of a knife against his skin took away those confusing feelings he wasn't allowed to have.

End Chapter 3

Blood Type: In Japan they have a sort of zodiac-esque thing that has to do with blood types. It's as common to ask blood type on the offhand as it is in the West to ask zodiac. B is generally energetic, curious, but irresponsible. AB is rational, aloof, and has a personality for those on the 'outside' and 'inside' circles. Yes, those are Sasuke's and Naruto's actual blood types. Interestingly, AB is considered the least desirable of blood types. For more info look it up on Wikipedia.

Aokigahara: The forest at the foot of Mt. Fuji. According to legend it's haunted by demons and such. People tend to go there to commit suicide and it's very easy to get lost there. Don't ask why they did a project on it.

I don't know how emancipation works in Japan. We'll pretend it's the same as the US.