A/N: This contribution is a segment of a fic I wrote but have never shared. It's a drabble series college AU set in California (as an American it's just easier to keep it American). The part I'm sharing now technically fits into three NH month prompts, but I'll just tag it in the "Soulmate" one. Sorry, it's very short.
Sasuke and I like to debate stupid shit with each other all time. I think the only reason Sasuke and I are so close is because we're the only ones who can stand each other for extended periods of time. We like to challenge each other. On the outside of our relationship looking in, it may seem like we have some kind of fucked up rivalry, or that we might want to fuck each other (it's a funny story involving our Contemporary Lit teacher, Professor Hatake) and push those feelings aside by having most of our conversations be debates, but it's not that. I actually like the asshole sometimes, and honestly, we just do it because I consider Sasuke my equal in this and haven't found anyone else that really is here.
"No, dobe. The Greeks believed that when we were originally created, we had two sets of everything—four legs, four arms, two faces, whatever—and the gods feared our power, so they cut us in half upon arrival to Earth and for the rest of our lives we have to constantly search for that other half that we were stricken from. "
"Eh," I groan, "what bullshit."
Sasuke just shrugs his shoulders. His passivity bugs the shit out of me sometimes.
"The concept of soulmates just…it's ridiculous," I continue, hoping to get some kind of response from Sasuke "less-characters-than-Twitter" Uchiha.
"Who knew Naruto "bleeding heart" Uzumaki would take this stance on such an issue," Sasuke deadpans.
I glare at him, thinking of the different ways I can torture him in our dorm room later tonight. Maybe I'll play what he calls "stupid trash rap" music (which the asshole knows is all I listen to) while he's studying case law…
"Hey, Naruto! Sasuke!" we hear a voice calling us from behind. It's Sakura Haruno, a girl from our childhood that we reconnected with here at UCLA.
She waves at us. Always thought she was cute when we were kids, but seeing her here now. She is so pretty.
She runs up to us and we, well, I, greet her.
"Good luck in the debate tonight Naruto!" she says to me with a smile, "Though I'm sure you won't need it."
"Thanks, Sakura!" I say and grin at her. "Good luck tonight, Sasuke," she turns to my friend and speaks with more gentility as if she is more timid around him. I see that she likes him as clear as I can see that Sasuke, at least for the moment, holds no interest for the pink-haired biology (pre-med) major.
"Hn." he shrugs off her kindness, "yeah sure."
I see Sakura frown for a split second, her cheery facade fades at Sasuke's constant rebuffing of her advances.
"Well," she says, "I'll see you guys later."
"Bye Sakura," I call after her as she speeds away.
When she's out of earshot I turn to Sasuke, "You dick. Why do you do that?" "What? Make sure she knows how I feel without telling her outright?" he snaps at me and keeps walking.
"This is university," he continues, "I'm studying to eventually take the Bar. To become a lawyer. I don't have time for this Greek bullshit."
I smile devilishly, "At least you agree the Greek thing is ridiculous."
Just then, a blast of wind hits me as a bike speeds past us. A girl with long blue/black hair rushes through the quad shouting, "Excuse me!" and "On your left!" in the general direction of passerby.
She has a brown tote bag filled with things strapped against her left shoulder. Inside, I can see a red scarf hanging precariously off the side. As she passes Sasuke and I, I can see the scarf being pulled away from its carrier and, as I feared, it drops from her tote to the ground, left forgotten as its owner speeds away.
"Hey wait! You dropped something!" I call after her to no avail.
I run up to where the scarf was displaced and pick it up off the ground. I find myself studying it carefully. It's knitted beautifully and is a deep shade of red. It would be a shame to lose this. Thinking to myself, even though I don't know her name and probably couldn't even positively identify a face, I vow to make sure it's returned.
Sasuke walks up to me and squats down as I am and picks up our initial conversation, "Now the 'red string of fate' is a Japanese belief I'm sure you know well…"