Warnings: Kissing. Dream sequence. Cursing.

Disclaimer: He draws it. They own it. Those air it. We watch, read, imitate it
(i.e. I don't own Naruto, and I can only claim my plot and writing).

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto.

Thank you to everyone who edits and all of you who leave reviews!

Edit/Twin Note: August 14, 2005. Author's notes are short (for this chapter) because Taes is not writing it. He's working on a different story and Taise (me/his twin) is restructuring his chapters, because they're getting progressively longer. (:

愛 Something of Love: Ai no Koto
の
事

Chapter Eleven

For a while they played on the swings and ran around the park—just to enjoy the moment—after Naruto fed Popo. Sasuke spent as much time watching the lounging cat as he did watching Naruto, and the two got in a small scuffle when Naruto realized they'd forgotten about the ice cream.

Naruto moaned and complained. Furthermore, he amused Sasuke by licking the sticky wrappers, feeding a little to the cat, and chasing Sasuke around with a dripping, soggy cone-in-a-plastic-box.

As far as Sasuke was concerned, the afternoon was perfect.

When the sun began to sink, they barely noticed. When Naruto's stomach started growling, the lengthened shadows seemed blatantly apparent. Naruto grinned sheepishly at Sasuke and murmured, "It must be getting late…" his blue eyes scanned the horizon. "The sun doesn't start setting 'till eight thirty or so…"

Sasuke nodded. "Let's get going."

So they left the cat where she was, and Naruto called a brief promise of more food when she was hungry. The cat meowed—like she understands him—and they were off.

There were no words on the way.

When they reached the small house, Sasuke found himself disappointed. He stopped before the step and looked into Naruto's eyes. The blond waved him inside, and Sasuke drew at his arm.

He pulled the smaller boy close—off the step and onto the gravel—and roughly took his face in one hand. He tilted his head and looked. Naruto's eyes were clouded, and his lips seemed to quiver—he does that all the time. Always bites his lip.

An impulse seized him.

Sasuke leaned forward and felt the other's breath on his face.

Warm.

And he turned. The warmth from Naruto seeped into his cold skin, and it prickled at the closeness.

"Mine." He murmured, and for an instant their lips brushed.

Naruto stiffened.

Relaxed.

And he pressed forward so that their lips met—soft and warm and trembling and mine—again. Sasuke opened his mouth—just a sliver—and searched for the taste of—

Fresh. Clean.

New.

Sasuke smiled and pulled away. Mine.

His eyes searched for a response, but Naruto's

eyes

were all too clouded to

see.

Naruto stumbled backwards and hit his head on the door. For once, the blond didn't say anything; he just touched his golden hair and stared, lips parted.

"Sa…" he shook his head. "Sasuke." He pressed his lips together—what a shame—and took Sasuke's hand. He pulled him inside, next to the bicycle.

He seemed to try and say something, but his eyes were

too clouded

and his head was too loose. He wavered.

He fell.

—:—:—:—

Sakura and Sasuke stood silently, stood still. He couldn't see what they faced, but he could see their bodies racked with pain, confusion, and fear.

They arched backwards—as if they were falling, trying to stand—and their feet were spread far apart. Eyes wide, faces pale and gray. They screamed without noise, they cried without voices or tears.

Their terror made them one—made them many—and their hopelessness made them leagues. Forced them to take the souls of all who'd felt such fear and turned their spirits into a sea of emotion.

But it ended, and he moved behind them. Moved to see who could do such a thing—to take that thing's form into his memory and remember for always. And he saw

himself

standing before them with a sweet, sly smile that stretched his eyes into fox-like gems. Blue eyes. Blond hair. Three marks on his right cheek. But

sneering

pleasantly wasn't his. Wasn't his smile.

He would have screamed if he'd had a voice, but his two friends had taken it. Sakura. Sasuke. They are my voice, he thought.

He wanted to protect them. For everything they hadn't done and everything they hadn't said, he wanted to help them. Wanted her to cherish him and wanted him to know him and hold him in his heart. Wanted to take them into his arms and shield them from him—the thing that stole his face but not his heart—and then the boy spoke.

Sasuke spoke. He heard it and he almost didn't believe it. Sasuke said, "You aren't Naruto." He said it and he struggled, he said it and he

tried

to move. But not-Naruto only laughed, a melodic, harsh and dream-like laugh that was only too fitting for the would-be nightmare. "My dear Sasuke," the thing said, and Naruto thought of a demon who stole men's faces. "I am—and will be—who I choose." The laughter continued, and he sighed a little. Amused, but the feeling had died. "Oh, I had hoped you'd do your family proud, Sasuke-kun. Show a little fight before you had

"to

"die."

Naruto would have screamed for them. Would have cried. The two knives went flying towards them—to fast too see—and he cringed, he tried to shut his eyes. But in dreams, simply closing one's eyes never goes well.

Closing his eyes made him see everything.

Saw the sharpness of the blade as it plunged.

The blood on the ground as it fell.

The tears of Sakura as she watched the knives, thinking—I'm going to die.

Sasuke's pain, his determination. Saw him think—run!

Saw the snake's hand twitch. Saw the snake's eyes wander. Saw the snake's mouth lift in a smile that would chill the soul.

Saw.

"Now I see." Not-me spoke in a voice too low for a not-quite child. "He uses the pain to distract the illusion…and he escapes."

The snake's hand went to caress the cheek with three marks. Soft fingers tore into thin flesh and the face peeled off like old paint.

The snake saw nothing of the two, saw everything that Naruto could not.

Time flashed in front of him, and Naruto saw himself appear from behind an old tree, saw the worried smile and noticed the stiff arm. Watched as the two confirmed his identity, and he

saw

a single birdhouse. It

swung

gently amidst the green leaves

back

and

forth.

—:—:—:—

Naruto's eyes snapped open. His hand shook and he touched his throbbing head. "Shit." He mumbled and realized that he was in an unusual position. Sasuke's arm was underneath his shoulder-blades, and his legs were half crumpled beneath him.

The door opened from the inside, and Naruto saw Kakashi.

He's so tall…

"What happened?" the man asked, and Sasuke lifted Naruto from the ground. Kakashi quickly accepted the dazed boy.

Sasuke shook his head, dumbfounded. "He just fell—"

Naruto groaned and started to struggle against strong arms. "Put me down, I have ta take Sasuke home—"

Kakashi frowned. "No, you don't." he looked up at Sasuke. "Do you know how to get—?"

Naruto fumed. "No he doesn't, this is the first time he's ever been here so don't try and make him go alone!" he flailed for a minute before he recalled a defensive action Kakashi had mentioned once. He aimed a blow at Kakashi—who leaned away almost immediately. Naruto's arm went flying harmlessly by. "Put me down. I'm not a kid. I can decide what I can and can't physically do." He wiggled. "It's parta my responsibility to get him there safely, isn't it?"

Kakashi paused to glance at Sasuke. The other boy looked at Naruto worriedly. "…what happened?"

Naruto blinked. "I was opening the door and fell."

Kakashi frowned. "Spontaneously."

With a flush, Naruto looked away from his guardian. His eyes focused on the bike's bell. "I think my foot slipped." Naruto felt Kakashi sigh—his breath is warm…and his chest moves so lightly…

Kakashi was silent for a minute. Finally, he nodded. "All right. But if you're not back within forty-five minutes—"

Naruto smiled wearily. "You'll come after me with a knife, eh? Either for an unruly me or an evil dude after me, right?" surprisingly, Kakashi didn't laugh. His eyes were focused on Sasuke.

"Take care." He murmured, and stood up as he settled Naruto on the ground. "I'll be here, when you get back," his voice was so quiet it took a moment to understand.

Naruto smiled and motioned for Sasuke to follow. The other left the bag of cat food by the door, just behind the bike's back tire. They started off.

For a while, they just walked. Awkward in the silence.

Then Naruto stopped and pressed the back of his head into two cupped hands. Sasuke heard the movements before he saw them, and he watched out of the corner of his eye as Naruto leaned backwards to peer at the sky. Finally, the blond asked, "Did I…" he coughed. "…say anything?" Sasuke turned around to look at him fully. "When I hit my head…"

Sasuke regarded the other carefully and shook his head.

Say something?

When you blacked out? Why would you do that, Naruto?

Curiosity showed itself in Sasuke's heart. "You were only out of it for a minute." He peered warily at the boy. "You didn't say anything." Sasuke's lips almost pulled into a smile.

He faints, and he's worried about looking like a brat-child, is he?

Naruto heaved a sigh, relieved. He began to walk again.

"…nothing that'd make you look like an idiot, anyway." Sasuke's lips twitched a little, and Naruto stopped suddenly. Stared.

"What did I say."

Sasuke was surprised. There wasn't a hint of mirth in the boy's voice, not a hint of pleased embarrassment—as there would be if his suspicion held true. There was some pain. There was irritation. And there was…

Fear?

What's there to be afraid of?

Sasuke turned his mind back to the instant Naruto had fallen and ran over every fact he could think of. Finally, he said, "You said my name. That's it." He took the boy's hand in his—relished the smallness—and squeezed gently.

Naruto jerked out of Sasuke's soft hold.

Sasuke could hear the boy's heart pounding.

Fine. Be that way. Sasuke thought angrily and shoved his hands into his pockets.

A few minutes passed, and Naruto eventually called, "Turn right here."

Sasuke didn't reply.

After a moment, Naruto sighed, licked his lips. Sasuke avoided looking into Naruto's eyes. "Y'know, Sasuke," the boy started.

No reply.

"Hey, listen to me, ass! I didn't have to come here—"

Sasuke continued to ignore the boy. His hands clenched inside the safety of his pockets—hidden from angry eyes. Naruto growled and picked up his feet. Dashed forward with a yell. "Sasuke!"

He turned and thought, Naruto…you're still weak.

Naruto's fist collided with Sasuke's cheek—just a grazing hit. The bruise will disappear in a day with treatment…Sasuke thought. He didn't flinch.

Naruto's breath came in ragged spurts. Sasuke smirked in an arrogant manner.

Just a child.

And like the unpleasant child he was, Naruto tried to further his point. "Don't treat me like I don't matter." He growled, painfully aware of Sasuke's indifference. He spun around angrily and stalked back in the direction they'd come from. Sasuke smiled wearily as the boy called over his shoulder. "You can find your damn way home by yourself."

Indeed, Sasuke thought. I can.

I don't need you, Naruto.

I don't need anyone.

But he listened for the sound of returning footsteps. He listened for an apologetic yell, watched for a sweet smile.

He waited, inwardly, even as he left.

At the front of the store, someone pounded on the counter. "We need a cashier, please!" the older man bellowed, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

Does he think I can't see that humongous line over there? Sometimes we're just busy, damn it…

Kabuto was held up by a lady with two baskets full of marked-down glass things and candy. If Naruto heard correctly, she was trying to get the older boy to wrap each piece separately. Kabuto was undoubtedly trying to dissuade her from this line of action, and Naruto had run to the back to get a roll of paper for the register.

Why now? He wondered bleakly, carrying a large box in hand.

Someone stepped in front of Naruto. "Excuse me, I can't find the price on this—"

Naruto stifled a scream. "Did you check the area it came from?" he eyed the box of imported cereal evilly.

The customer shook their head. Naruto shifted the box onto his hip and groaned inwardly. "It was with the magazines—"

Naruto sighed. "Check the isle with the cereals—" he started, and winced as anther customer barged into his side—successfully giving me another bruise for today. He thought grumpily.

"I know, but I'd like to get going—"

"Sir, where's your bathroom?" a girl around his age asked.

"Cashier!" the man up front hollered.

Naruto wanted a break. "Bathroom's back that way, one stall, probably in use. Knock 'fore you go in, okay?" he turned to the cereal man and motioned for him to follow. He pointed at the rest of the boxes, and read the price. "Five hundred yen for two boxes. Three hundred for one."

I hate sale days…

Hate. Hate. Hate with a passion.

Within a minute, Naruto finally put the box down, and started to work with the irate customer. They found it in their best interest to correct the way Naruto bagged food, typed, and generally behaved. Furthermore, they spoke very slowly, and enunciated a little too much.

"Excuse me, jisan." Uncle, old man. The more polite word would have been customer, but Naruto wasn't feeling particularly polite. "I'm not foreign. And I know how to—"

"Naruto-kun." From across the way, Kabuto's voice seemed—too large.

Naruto shook his head. Where'd that thought come from?

"Yes, niichan..." he grumbled, and waited for the two exasperating clientele to leave.

When they did, he put one chilled hand on his forehead and sighed. "Kabuto-niichan, people are weird." He muttered. The remark earned him a hearty chuckle.

"Yes." The other cashier agreed, and Naruto smiled a little.

"I mean, sometimes I have no idea what they're thinking…" he paused, and smiled wearily at the next customer. It was the high school student from before. "Hi." He said, and started to take her school supplies to ring up. She turned immediately to whisper to her friend.

Naruto didn't quite feel like listening in to the conversation.

Naruto tossed a few pencils into the bag as he typed in the code for multiple on-sale-for-limited-time-only books of paper. "I mean, sometimes my friend'll just stare at me or something, and not say anything at all. Then he'll ignore whatever I'm saying and just be a jerk..."

Naruto knew Kabuto was smiling. "You're talking about Sasuke, aren't you?" the gray-haired man asked, amused.

With a laugh, Naruto nodded. "Damn straight. The prick thinks he's so much better—"

The girl in front of him squealed a little. "Ohhh, you're talking about Uchiha Sasuke, aren't you?"

Naruto sighed, and tried to ring her up faster.

"He's the coolest person in our school! I'm only a first year—" figures, Naruto thought bitterly. "But I know all about him! He's Mr. Perfect and ohhhh so dreamy…"

Pencils and paper went flying into the sack. Naruto interrupted. "That comes to six hundred and five yen." He smiled wolfishly.

She handed him three coins, and Naruto made change for her. He rolled his eyes while she turned to a previously unseen girl.

"Don't you think he's the best? Any girl who goes out with him's going to be soooo lucky…"

Naruto found himself flushing. He hastily checked out the other girl as they continued their ranting.

They meandered to the side of the store—probably looking for stupid shoujou manga. Argh! Why can't people get everything they want 'fore they continue browsing…?

Kabuto lifted up the counter and motioned for Naruto to exit first. Naruto did so. He seethed. "Everything's about Sasuke, never about anyone but that jerk—" the memory of Sasuke's lips—warm and soft against mine and my head overwhelmed with feeling—flooded his senses, and Naruto stifled a sigh. "He's stupid. And he's always complaining about everything and being mean to me…" his expression twitched and he rubbed his lips in a daze.

"Naruto-kun," Kabuto's warning again.

Shit. I can't get Sasuke outta my head…he's like a…I dunno…A—

"Curse on you, too, isn't he?" the voice was clipped, short. Nervous. Naruto turned to regard the boy with a plastered smile on his face. Calm down, he's a customer, after all…The boy wasn't like he imagined—he sounds like a tall, beany kid with short cropped hair and glasses—at all.

He was tall—taller than either Sasuke or Naruto—to be sure, an interesting note alongside long hair. It was dark brown with streaks of gold and touched his shoulders easily. Dark eyes spoke of something Naruto couldn't understand. Laughing eyes, he would have called them, if not for the serious edge to the boy's voice. A gently crooked nose and flawless complexion, shaped eyebrows and full lips.

Damn. This guy's competition to Sasuke for pretty looks…the thought made his lips twitch. Except for that nasty little snarl he's got right now…ugh…he could at least try to look decent…

"Uchiha." The word was bitter on the boy's tongue.

…and Sasuke's so…proud…of his family…

"Sasuke." Pain there. And something Naruto didn't recognize.

Naruto stared.

"Well?" the boy demanded, and Naruto shook his head in reply. "You know him—" the boy started, and Naruto finally recognized the emotion. Fear.

He's afraid…of…Sasuke?

"So?" Naruto's smile twitched to a frown, and his eyes traveled down the taller boy's form. Green uniform pants and a simple white blouse to complete the summer uniform. The top button was left undone, the shirt wasn't tucked, and the pants were too long for the youth. "Ch."

He thinks he's so cool…

"You're not from my school." Naruto noted. Behind him, Kabuto sighed and retreated to the drink section.

The other laughed, and the scowl lifted to an arrogant smile.

Argh, why are all the pretty boys so fucking proud? Naruto wondered.

"No shit." The boy replied.

Naruto spun around then, and his hands flew upwards before coming to rest at his sides. His fingers came together to form twin fists. Naruto coughed once, and he tried not to snarl as he spoke. "How the hell do you know Sasuke?" But his frustration could be caught.

Laughter surprised Naruto enough to relax his fists. It was sweet laughter; low and soft—like Sasuke's voice, sometimes—and it seemed to Naruto that there was sorrow there, too. "You know him." The boy repeated, and Naruto stared. "You know his ambitions."

No, I don't—Naruto remembered Sasuke's cold smiles and his skin that was gray in the evening sun—he never told me.

"You know his pride."

Naruto's lips twitched.

"And the utter lack of feeling he has for anything!" the long hands tightened, and the boy's stance changed to one more suited to fighting.

The girls from Minami Ko tittered. Their previous jaunt towards the magazines had been cut short by the appearance of the tall, beautiful boy. The first years had returned almost immediately upon hearing his oh-so-cultured voice. The two girls' hands clutched at magazines and makeup cases as they exchanged unhappy glances, and one murmured, "He's just jealous…" but her voice was uncertain.

Naruto smirked. "Yeah, he can be prick-ish." He agreed, and tilted his head to regard the boy anew. "But usually it's 'cause the people around him are selfish, cruel, or idiots," the other boy stiffened, "hmm?"

The strange boy turned away suddenly, and called over his shoulder, "You don't want to be associated with a boy like that," a smart, stunning smirk froze Naruto's reply. "Kid." And he laughed again, quietly, sweetly, and the fear was easily found that time. "You ought to be careful around a guy like that."

And he was gone before Naruto could say anything in return.

…damn it…who the hell was that guy?

And what's he got against Sasuke?

The remainder of his Sunday passed in hectic silence, with neither cashier completely intent on work.

The boy's warning remained clear in Naruto's head.

Be careful.

tbc...

Footnotes

1. —:—:—:—
This means that a dream sequence is going on. (More babble available)

2. Long lines, cashiers and annoying customers
...just remember that I am a cashier. And it's not nice to bombard them, okay? be nice. (More suggestions when dealing with cashiers available).

3. First year students
They'd be 15 years old, the equivalence of sophomores in American HS.

4. School uniforms
The traditional kind is the black one with a high colar, gold buttons. The different uniforms makes it very easy to tell who's from what school, and when a "foreign" student is crossing into "home territory." (Pictures of school uniforms are given)
Note: where most small towns have only one high school, Japan has several, and the surrounding small towns send their kids to those schools-- meaning there are kids riding trains for an hour or more to get to school every morning. (Mores stories on schools available)

5. The name of the original chara
It's Nanaha Keisuke. You don't find that out 'till much later, though, but I like his name…and knew a very pretty boy who shares his first name. Taise made up his last name ("Nana" is "seven," while "ha" is short for "happa" or "leaf." (like in Konoha)). Someone wanna draw me a pic of silly Keisuke-kun? I'd love to see one… Very important introduction of an original character…and thus, foreshadowing. Have fun. Make guesses. Tell me what'cha think of our newest "pretty boy."

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