A/N: The chapter took so long because I was in the middle of the San Diego fires. That doesn't have to do with anything I was just lazy but I was really in the middle of all the action.

Special thanks to all who reviewed and all who read this crazy work of fiction.

Everyone returned to school a few pounds heavier. All the students chattered on, about their Thanksgiving breaks and only through course of the day did they seem to settle down.

"How was your break Sasuke-teme, watch the parade?" Naruto tilted his head back and laughed.

"Hmph." Sasuke sat in his chair. "It just so happens that my grandmother likes watching the parade."

Naruto laughed even harder. "You're so weird Sasuke bastard. Well my holiday wasn't any better; I had to stop my apartment from burning down! Yamato almost burned the turkey. I told him not to make one but he did it anyway." Naruto shook his head "hopeless."

Sasuke didn't mention that he was the one more likely to burn down an apartment. (1)

Instead Sasuke asked, "Yamato?" he been wondering if this was the mysterious guardian he never seemed to talk about.

"Oh yeah I've told you haven't I? He's my guardian."

"Oh." Sasuke thought back. "No you haven't."

"Really?" Naruto frowned. "Yeah, well he is my guardian; he was a really good friend of my parents." Naruto stopped suddenly and began to fiddle with his fingers.

Sasuke changed the subject "The Big Bear trips in a week I'm surprised you haven't mentioned it dobe"

Naruto sat up. "Ha! You have no idea I was busy buying stuff for the bus trip up, I got everything Sasuke-teme, we'll never get bored on the bus! I bought loads of food and magazines…"

"Well I bought a PSP just for the occasion." Kiba turned around.

"Show off" Naruto said.

"Hey! You could afford one, I'm here on scholarship." He pouted "I had to save up."

"Really?" Naruto asked.

"Yep. Anyways did you guys hear no Anko today, she sick! Whoo-hoo!" He clenched his hands enthusiastically.

"Finally! I needed a break." Naruto jumped in the air.

"Sit down Naruto." Shizune walked in and smiled at Naruto.

He smiled back as if they'd been old friends. "What's up Shizune?"

"That's Miss Shizune to you Mr." She pulled out an empty chair and sat herself in the front of the classroom, instead of at Anko's desk, which was at the back of the room.

"Still not married?" Naruto feigned shock. "A pretty lady like you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm not gonna let you off the hook." She adjusted herself in her seat and took out a clipboard from her briefcase.

"Hello everyone." She said, only this time speaking to the class. "As most of you know I'm the school psychologist, Miss Shizune. Apparently your teacher called in sick today and they didn't have time to call in a substitute so they sent me in." She looked around the room "so what are you guys doing in class right now?"

Sakura who sat in the middle row offered "We usually conjugate verbs then go over vocabulary with our partner."

Shizune looked nervous, "Okay you guys do that and if you need help ask each other, because I don't know a word of French." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Just keep the talking to a minimum, okay?" And with that she began making notes on her clipboard as if analyzing the student's behavior.

Some students actually did the work, most sat quietly trying to communicate with their friends.

"What lazy teachers." Naruto whispered to Sasuke.

"It's a private school." Sasuke answered.

"Doesn't that mean they should be more enthusiastic or something?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know."

"What did you get for the trip, Naruto?" Kiba turned around again.

Naruto grinned wickedly. "Everything."

"Can we not talk of Big Bear we haven't even been there and I'm already tired of it." Sasuke rubbed his temples impatiently.

"Ah! What a spoil sport." Naruto frowned. "Fine we'll talk about Christmas!"

Sasuke groaned and put his head on the desk.

"Come on bastard it's not big bear." He lightly tapped him on his shoulder. "Okay…what was your favorite gift…ever?" Naruto looked from Sasuke to Kiba, making his eyebrows dance.

"Oh me first" Kiba raised his hand. "Mine was Akamaru, I got him four years ago and he's my best friend."

"Is he the dog in that one picture you keep in your wallet?" Naruto asked amused.

Sasuke stifled a laugh.

"Shut up! Akamaru's a way better friend than you two will ever be."

They both roared out even louder when he said that.

"Okay" Naruto said through bursts of laughter. "Let's get off Kiba's dog complex, Sasuke what about you?" He continued to randomly giggle.

Kiba scowled at them arms crossed. "Hah, hah, very funny."

Sasuke composed myself "I don't know, I can't choose between the ties my brother gives me or the cash my dad gives me." He didn't feel the need mention the weird gift's Kabuto usually gave him.

For a second no one said anything.

"Do you keep a picture of them in your wallet?!" Naruto burst out, which triggered the laughter again.

Sasuke threw his head back in a laugh, not even realizing half the students were looking at him. No one had ever seen Sasuke laugh; it was a sight not to be missed. Even Shizune stared shocked at the laughing Emperor. Although unlike Naruto he collected himself quickly and went back to scowling.

"Shut up already!" Kiba snarled at the blonde, he turned back around and started talking to Shino.

Naruto stood from the floor and wiped tears form his eyes. "Okay where were we? Oh yeah, my turn let's see, what was my favorite gift?" He gave a dismissive wave to Kiba's back, as if to say 'screw him.'

Sasuke distractedly kept his ears open. Knowing Naruto it would probably be something ridiculously stupid.

"I know" Naruto almost said immediately. "It was this one stupid toy frog; I got it one Christmas from Yamato. He said my dad left it for me!" Naruto smiled thoughtfully. "It was this frog, it had a wind-up thingy in its back and when you let it go it jumped!" Naruto made the motion with his hands. "I swear I had it forever then someone stepped on it." He laid back in his chair reminiscing, he smiled a dreamy kind of smile and then sighed "ah well."

Sasuke didn't know what had possessed him that moment, but he found himself wanting to share something important with the blonde.

He cleared his throat. "I have one."

Naruto looked at him surprised. "Let's hear it." He scooted his chair closer to Sasuke's.

Sasuke clasped his hands together and held them against his mouth. "My grandma once got me this movie and for whatever reason I liked it. She said it taught a good lesson or whatever so I watched and I liked it. I watched it all the time, and I never watched movies or TV or anything, so it was a big deal and everything." He let out a breath as if he just confessed a sin.

"That's it! A movie?" Naruto said disappointedly, "must have been one heck of a movie, what movie was it?"

"I don't remember the title." Sasuke said nervously.

"Fine, what was it about then? Maybe I know it."

"I don't know I forget, it was awhile ago." he picked up his book and opened it.

"If you loved it so much, how could you forget the title?"

"I don't know I guess I didn't love it as much as I remembered." He buried his nose deeper into the book.

Naruto scooted toward him. "Come on you can tell me. Unless it was like a girl's movie?" He chuckled.

"Shut up, I don't remember and it wasn't a girl's movie."

He elbowed him. "Come on?"

Sasuke buried his face in the book. "Leave me alone dobe."

"Now I'm really curious." Naruto put his face right in front of Sasuke's. "What could Sasuke be hiding?"

Sasuke looked at his book hiding his agitation. "I'll tell you. If you stop bothering me" he mumbled.

"What was that bastard?" Naruto leaned his ear closer.

"It was Baseball Blues." The last second Sasuke wished he hadn't said it.

Naruto suddenly froze "Baseball Blues?" He turned toward Sasuke "as in Baseball Blues my first movie?"

Sasuke pretended to read, his ears burning as never before. "Were you in it?" He didn't even fool himself.

Naruto looked sincerely shocked. "Baseball Blues? Of all movies?"

"That's what I said." Sasuke said not even trying to hide his irritation.

"So?" Naruto asked cautiously, "you knew me?" Naruto said clearly still in shock. "Why did you like it?" He turned his whole body to Sasuke, wanting a full answer.

Sasuke looked like he was about to loose his temper, but simply answered defeated, not facing Naruto. "I don't know, I guess I liked the stupid main character and even though he was hated most of his childhood he still managed to smile. I hated him at first." He boldly faced him and met his eyes earnestly. "I thought he was so dumb, an idiot who just smiled because he didn't know any better." He brushed the hair out of his eyes, if only to have something else to concentrate on, looking away from those eyes that stared so attentively on him. "But after watching it a few times I realized, he was an idiot just an optimistic one. 'What's so bad at looking at the bright side of life' I thought." The right of Sasuke's mouth turned slightly upward, at the memory.

He sighed "Then at the end of the day he saves the ball game, what can be fucking greater than that?" He finished.

Naruto stared blankly, bordering on awe. He sat there a minute taking in his words, and said the first thing that came to his mind. "I liked working on that one. It was the only one I liked."

Sasuke turned away from the book. "I know."

On Wednesday Shizune didn't come back, so the class was stuck with the nurse, who let them be as loud as they wanted, while she sat at the back, reading a magazine.

Sasuke sat reading his usual book. Naruto smiled at him the whole time, Sasuke noticed this but choose to ignore it. But the blonde could beat anyone at stubborn-ness. Finally Sasuke turned toward him, and Naruto smiled childishly "You want an autograph?"

"See I knew I shouldn't have told you!"

Naruto stopped chucking. "I know I'm kidding."

"So why did you like acting in that movie and not others?" Sasuke asked casually, resting his head on his palm.

Naruto met his gaze proudly. "Well it was my first experience with acting and I felt free to do what I felt. I was younger and it was a lot of fun it didn't feel like work it felt natural, know what I mean? Like he was me, I wasn't him. I thought acting would be like that but no movie was ever fun for me again."

"Why didn't you quit earlier?"

"I told you." Naruto said loosing interest in the conversation and lying down on the desk.

"Well you said you needed something but you never said what?" Sasuke briefly wondered why he was being so nosy. He figured it was payback for his embarrassing confession. "Are you going to go to college?"

"Me!? With my grades! What are you nuts?"

"Well what's your goal? Why are you ultimately here? If your not even gonna pursue college?"

"Geez what are you my mom?" Naruto looked out the window.

"Why are you always so mysterious? Huh? You never really answered my questions I don't even know if you're telling the truth. You keep saying you're a great actor anyway. You could be plotting something for all I know." Sasuke finished callously.

Naruto straightened and gave Sasuke a wary look. "Where did this come from? Have you been checking up on me? I told you everything! What else do you need to know?"

Sasuke threw up his hands in frustration. "That's just it! You haven't answered any of my questions! You've avoided them all!"

"WHAT QUESTIONS!? Ask me anything, go ahead?"

Sasuke didn't know where the next part came from it must have been the one thought most on his mind. "Halloween. What happened?"

Naruto looked surprised for a second and then looked at his clenched fists.

"Sasuke, Naruto!" They turned to see the nurse coming their way, face red.

"Both of you go outside right now! You're being far too loud! Sit outside till I come get you and NO talking!" They ran out afraid of the usually silent woman turned mad.

Kiba snickered and the rest of the class watched them leave. Naruto stomped away, Sasuke huffing after him.

The blonde sat at the farthest part of the wall. He put his head on his knees and covered them with his arms. Sasuke sat on the opposite end with crossed legs. He laid his head against the wall attempting to cool off. He looked at the clock tower which you could see from the courtyard, watching the minute hand tick slower than ever. He stole quick glances of the blond, which made himself madder than before. He distractedly grabbed small rocks and threw them on the grass trying to throw each one farther and farther, picturing Naruto as his target.

"Halloween."

Naruto was looking in the distance, recalling that night. Sasuke stared waiting for him to continue.

"It was too fast" he shook his head and looked at the ground. "It was too soon, I wasn't thinking right. It was just a big mistake."

Sasuke's mouth twitched. "Well I'm glad you didn't fret over it!"

"Well I know you didn't!" The blond said maliciously.

Sasuke's face distorted into the fiercest scowl. "What does that mean Idiot?!"

"Like you don't remember? If I recall there was a certain teacher who was more than glad to help you forget about it."

"Shut up! You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" He aimed a tiny rock at him and threw it.

Naruto dodged it "Oh I don't?" Naruto got on his feet but remained squatting. "You don't think I know you set that up?! And you honestly thought I would care?!"

"You cared enough to follow him in the first place? And like a coward you walked away AND disappeared for two weeks before hand."

"I can't believe you're calling me a coward. Who is it that's always whining about being disowned 'I can't think or do anything by myself or my father will cut me off' poor little rich kid."

Sasuke got on his feet but remained squatting as well. "Shut the Fuck up! And like always you're changing the damn subject. But fine if you want to know the truth! Idiot! My grandmother's…FORGET IT, why would an Idiot understand!"

Sasuke aimed one last rock at him and sat down, resting his head against the wall. He closed his eyes letting the wind brush his hair, letting it carry away his troubles. He took a breath in trying to stop himself from shaking. He felt dizzy for a faint second; he took in deep breaths, picturing an expanse of blue. His breathes steadied.

He heard the blonde shuffle around, eventually sitting himself by the Uchiha.

"What was that? About your grandmother?"

Sasuke could feel the blue eyes gape at him. He slightly opened his own, suddenly seeing clearer.

Sasuke shook his head and calmly looked at the blonde. "It's my grandma she sick, if I step out of line my father won't take care of her medical bills."

"What? That's so messed up, what's wrong with your family? His own mom?"

"Actually it's my mom's mom. He always hated my mom ever since she divorced him and when she died he saw no reason to continue paying bills for her family."

Naruto played with a rock in his hand, shaking his head.

"Fortunately for my father, I intervened; I told him I would do whatever he asked if he continued to pay for her medical bills. As a kid I never acted like I do now, he never liked it, he said my mom softened me up, but from then on I did what I was told."

"And you came out a bastard?" Naruto gave a small smile to him.

Sasuke smirked in agreement.

A strange gust of wind blew through the air collecting last minute autumn leaves. The air died down as it reached the two opponents barred by the atmosphere.

"I didn't go..." Naruto's voice hushed down suddenly.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto shook his head. "I didn't go to Hawaii." He sat down again. "That was a lie." His head sunk down in shame. "But you're right I left, because I didn't wanna see you…"

Sasuke nerves calmed. "Where were you then?"

"At my apartment…playing Halo." It was silent again; the only sound heard, was from the second hand clicking time away.

Suddenly Sasuke let out a stifled laugh, it was an odd sound. Naruto smiled along too and began to giggle. In the background the bell rang for two o'clock, the bell swaying back in forth, each ring louder than the next. When it stopped Naruto spoke, his voice hushed compared to the loud ringing of the bell. "What about you and Kakashi? How did that happen?"

Sasuke didn't look surprised in fact he looked as if he were thinking. "It was last year around the beginning of the semester. I was attracted to him. For me it was more like a conquest or something. A mistake really." He threw another rock in the grass.

They watched the rock land in the middle of the courtyard.

"When I approached him I didn't really expect a response." He looked far off past the campus. "But he seemed interested so I figured 'why not?' I told him to meet me…"

"Okay." Naruto interrupted. "I don't need details."

Sasuke stopped; he never talked about his affair with anyone before. He always figured when he did, it would be with a therapist. But somehow it felt right to tell Naruto, it wasn't even that big of a deal anymore.

"So you didn't come to school because of me?" He said arrogantly.

Naruto nodded. "For lots of reasons, I needed to sort out everything and I mean everything."

"You lost me again."

Naruto shook his head "I needed to think about everything, why am I here? But since we're being honest with each other…Sasuke I think it's about time I told you something." He scooted towards him slowly.

Shikamaru collected Naruto's belongings at a faster pace, wanting to get out of the classroom like never before. Shikamaru tried his hardest to tone out the screaming lady before him.

"Remember to tell him that I will be telling the headmaster about this and that he will not tolerate this behavior. Leaving in the middle of a class?! When he was already outside in the first place? I don't know when the world came to be so…"

Shikamaru smiled he managed to tone her out completely, it was a gift he had. Whenever he didn't wanna hear something, he toned it out; he did it a lot actually. He zipped up the orange backpack and flung it over his shoulder. He sighed and wished he's never told the teacher he lived with the blonde.

"Let's go." He gestured toward Chouji and walked out of the classroom.

"You know." Chouji said. "She wasn't finished talking."

Shikamaru shrugged. "It's not like I was the one who ditched, Naruto was the one who left. I didn't wanna listen to her troublesome words."

"Chouji, Shika."

Shikamaru lazily turned around, and saw Neji speeding toward them.

"What is it now?" Shikamaru whined.

"Where's Naruto?"

"He went somewhere with the bastard."

"That's what I thought. I thought I saw him walking toward the parking lot."

"Well why did you ask?" Shikamaru countered. "I didn't know where they went, just that they left during class. Then I had to get an earful from the substitute."

"He's with Sasuke? What's he up to?" Neji asked.

"I don't know he doesn't tell me anything anymore he keeps talking about Big Bear, I don't even wanna go."

Chouji gasped, "But there'll be skiing and snowboarding and inner tubing!"

Shikamaru turned toward him and smirked. "Exactly. Anyways I wouldn't worry too much about Naruto. Knowing him he'll probably just tell the bastard exactly what he wants to hear. I have a feeling Sasuke might know something. Naruto will make up a lie to fool him."

"Why do you think that?"

"Dunno."

"Well he is a great actor, he even fools us sometimes." Chouji put in "like the time he cried to get the last doughnut WE believed him."

Shikamaru shrugged "But what do I know?"

"A lot" Chouji offered. "You got a 200 on an IQ test."

"What does that have to do with anything? So what? We all know he'd never stray from the plan." Neji interjected. He shook his head, "anyways, how are we getting home? Please tell me he left his key?" Neji closed his eyes as if in prayer.

Shikamaru and Chouji shook their heads.

Neji let out a frustrated growl. "That thoughtless son of a-"

"We can take the trolley." Shikamaru said wisely. "I've noticed it around, it should lead toward downtown."

"Fine." Neji threw his hands up in the air defeated.

(1) I'm a huge dork, and if you get it I'll love you forever!