Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or "Concrete Angel"
Chapter Two:
A gray haired man stood behind a podium at the center of the stage. Though his welcoming speech was long, most shortened it down to: "Welcome to Konoha Junior High School. I am your new principle, Sarutobi-san, it is a pleasure to have you all attending my school. You will find that your names are written on the doors of your homeroom classroom. Please move through the hallways without running or pushing."
With that, the assembly was finished and all the new grade seven students were dismissed from the auditorium.
A young 12-year old blond boy with tanned skin walked through the crowded hallway full of his fellow seventh graders. Two doors ahead on the right stood a group of whispering freshman which caught his attention.
"Look! Look! He's in our class!" one boy pointed to the class roster frantically.
"That can't be true. I thought he was only a legend." Stated a second boy.
"No, he's a real kid. Like anyone would make up the child of Yondaime-san!" the girl added in a softer voice, "Besides, he was in my elementary school."
"I don't believe there actually is an Uzumaki. Does he have blond hair and everything?" the second boy questioned, now getting slightly curious.
"Yeah, blond hair, blue eyes, tanned skin just like an Ameri-" the first boy cut his sentence short upon seeing said blond behind him and his group of gossiping friends.
"It… it's him! The Uzumaki kid!"
Everyone who wasn't already gawking at the blond due to his hair and skin color was now staring due to his name being shouted. Some kids glared, some cowered away or behind their friends, others just eyed him over cautiously. But either way, Naruto was stuck in the center of all the children's eyes, now more nervous and uncomfortable than he was before. With their eyes burning into as though their hurtful looks acted like shields against the monster they all thought he was.
Naruto awoke in a sweating panic. Once again the memories of his past haunted his dreams. And what was sad... was that they were Naruto's "pleasant" dreams. That was how bad his normal dreams were. The blond looked at the clock. 3:30am it read. Another thing which Naruto was used to, he'd rarely been able to get a full nights rest without pills or being unconscious, but he didn't care much for the latter.
Getting up out of his bed, which was merely a worn down mattress with one blanket and a very flat pillow, Naruto made his was as quietly as possible to the washroom. He'd once accidently woken Emi in the middle of the night... he couldn't walk properly for almost a week and he had to try and become ambidextrous for a while.
He splashed water on his face before opening the mirror-cabinet and reaching for a prescribed bottle of Ambien. Emi also had a sleeping problem but luckily she never noticed when pills were missing so Naruto had never been caught. Next to those pills were many other bottles, Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin and some other types of pain relievers. Naruto stared at the pills as though they were testing him. He'd thought several times about overdosing. It would be easy enough, and no one would care, but he knew he had to try. He knew couldn't give up on the life that his father gave his to protect. Sure it wasn't much of a life and Naruto often wished that his father hadn't intervened. Then he would be dead and his respected and loved father would still be alive. But that isn't what happened, and he couldn't change that.
Sighing deeply over the sink, he swallowed the pills with a handful of water then returned to his room after making sure everything was in it's exact place. Not caring about how he was positioned Naruto fell onto his bed without covering himself with the blanket and waited for the medicine to kick in.
The morning sun shown through the Uchiha's open window beckoning him from his dreams which were none too pleasant. Sasuke had once again replayed that horrible day over in his dreams. Running through the empty streets he saw none of his relatives. Everything was too quite for this time of day. Even at home he heard nothing. His mother was not in the kitchen like she always was when he returned home. Then a noise beckoned him to his parent's bedroom. His brother stood over his dead parents, their blood spreading over the floor. Turning to the younger boy with a dark stare he walked closer with the knife in hand, but Sasuke was frozen in terror and shock. "Nii-chan?" His voice was shaky, he didn't want to believe it but the evidence was right in front of his face. "Why!" He didn't answer, only drew closer until Sasuke finally screamed and ran out of the door without much grace in his steps. He ran down the streets, tears pouring from his eyes and cries escaping his mouth, he had to get away, he'd kill him too. "I don't want to die!" Then he appeared. He had always been better, faster, smarter, so he had no problem out running his little brother.
Finally he spoke. "Foolish little brother... If you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me... and survive in an unsightly way, run. Run and cling to life." And then he was gone, leaving Sasuke to cry in hate.
Rising up from the bed in anger Sasuke threw his pillow at the wall across from him before covering his eyes with his hand. "Aniki..."
Standing in the empty school bathroom looking into the mirror Naruto examined the new cut under his eye. Luckily it wasn't as deep as the one on his arm but it was long, starting from just beside his nose extending down to his cheek bone. Both the cuts were made this morning when Emi decided to wake Naruto by throwing a bottle at him, luckily it missed and scattered against the wall but two shards managed to hit him. The one which hit his face just grazed by him but it took great effort for the blond to pry the large piece of glass from out of his arm. It hadn't hit any vital areas but it had only just stopped bleeding during 2nd period. Sighing he splashed water on his face and headed outside to his tree.
Walking by the field he once again saw the raven haired and the glare he held yesterday flashed in his memory making him wince. If only he could be loved by one person. But that was a wish even less likely to come true then the wish that he could change his past.
Looking closely the blond saw that Sasuke kept glancing over to the tree. Was he wondering where he was? It was ten after twelve and Naruto was usually at the tree soon after the bell rang. But he couldn't be worried could he? As the blond thought more on the subject he realized that this semester they didn't have a class together and he never saw him in the hallways. Lunch was the only time Sasuke could be aware if Naruto had been to school unless one of his friends informed him about his presence.
Perhaps the raven was worried... only for a different reason, Naruto thought. Maybe he was worried that Naruto was going to do something that he was expected to and Sasuke was keeping an eye on him to make sure something like that wouldn't happen.
And Naruto being Naruto concluded that it had to be the latter. Thus, Naruto decided not to go to the tree and instead go to the empty hallway he had sometimes gone to during the winter when he found it too cold to go outside. He no longer wanted the raven to be his watch guard and hopefully he wouldn't find him.
As usual when the bell rang Sasuke left his class, headed to the cafeteria to buy food, which wasn't the normal disgusting cafeteria food it was actually good, and then made his way to the bleachers. However this time, Naruto wasn't already sitting on any side of the tree. He was even sitting or standing anywhere in sight. "No need to worry," Sasuke thought, "he's probably just in the bathroom or something."
But as the time passed he didn't show up and more worry entered his mind. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen him today. Though I don't usually... but what if his aunt finally killed him... what if he's in the hospital or lying dead on the ground. She wouldn't call anyone if he was... she'd probably leave his body somewhere out to rot..."
These thoughts continued as he glanced back to the tree, and halfway through lunch he couldn't take it anymore. He had to find him. And if he wasn't at school he would go to his house after school. But where could he be if he was at school? Sasuke listed all the normally crowded places, library, gym, jock hall, the lobby, any doorway, the benches upstairs, the cafeteria, any classroom (though not crowded, it would be unlikely for him to go into an open one)... he would have to be downstairs somewhere or outside.
Walking through the hallways downstairs he had not yet spotted the blond. Passing by the cafeteria he was forced to stay and sit there for a little while before coming up with an excuse to leave. Down at the end of the stretching hall there was a fork between the computer lab and the music room. These hallways were fairly empty. A few people passed by every now and then but no one actually stayed and chatted with a group of friends. And finally Sasuke had found him. He was alone, leaning against the wall. The raven just stayed at the corner to watch him while keeping distance between them. To Sasuke he looked so angelic. His soft blond locks of hair falling across his face. His closed eyes flickering gently, cueing that he was not actually sleeping.
A loud crowd passed by behind him and Sasuke turned around on impulse. However it was only a group of seniors whom he cared not for. Rolling his eyes he turned back around to find that the blond he had been admiring from afar was no longer afar. He was right there in front of his face with a hint of annoyance in his eyes. Before he could even speak or get over his apparent shock, Naruto spoke, his voice harsh.
"Why do you keep watching me?"
He couldn't get the words to come to his head or even organize in his mind, his voice had betrayed him and now he was silent.
"Is it because you're watching to see if I'll do something horrible like my mother had done?"
Now Sasuke was inwardly panicking, Naruto did think that he was like all the other ignorant people. But somehow, he was still silent even though right now he wanted so desperately to clear things up.
"Just give it up. Leave me alone... okay? I'm not like that." And then he turned, ready to go back to his silence and never see the raven haired again.
But Sasuke couldn't have that, he had to fix things and perhaps start things. So he reached out his hand and grabbed Naruto's arm gently, the blond jumped but Sasuke kept him in place. "I know."
Naruto's hopes fell when he saw him. He was there again, he had found him and he was watching him. He didn't know why he thought that he wouldn't be able to find him, it wasn't that big of a school and there were only some select places that someone like Naruto, as if there were others, could go. But as Naruto felt his eyes upon him, he had to know for what reason he had followed him. He had to confirm his suspicion. So when Sasuke turned his back, Naruto opened his eyes and walked up to him in near silence.
Turning the raven looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car and Naruto had to keep from laughing his expression.
"Why do you keep watching me?" his voice was colder and stronger than he intended. Sasuke didn't respond however, just stared back at him.
"Is it because you're watching to see if I'll do something horrible like my mother had done?"
Still he said nothing, what was with him? Why wouldn't he talk back? He couldn't be afraid, could he? But his look hadn't displayed fear, Naruto didn't even think the boy was even capable of that. He waited longer for a response, but the longer he waited the more uncomfortable he felt.
"Just give it up. Leave me alone," he paused before adding, "...okay?" Guess Naruto wasn't the type who could give an order. But either, now he would leave him alone and hopefully he'd never find the Uchiha watching him.
However the blond jumped in shock, pain and fear when Sasuke grabbed his upper arm in the exact same place where the glass had struck him.
"I know." His soft, velvet, cool, understanding voice caused Naruto's heart to skip a beat and make him forget all about the pain pulsing from his arm. He could no longer breath, nor move, but in a good way. But more importantly, he couldn't believe that he'd said that.
The two boys stood in silence, Naruto didn't know what he was going to say when Sasuke let go of his arm.
"I don't think that about you Naruto."
His heart all but stopped. Sasuke had said his name... and not Uzumaki... he had actually called him by his first name. That had never happened before, not even a teacher during role call had said his first name. Tears were welling up in Naruto's eyes and that confused him even more. He refused to cry while being beaten or in pain and yet the tears surfaced when a boy called him by his first name. But no just any boy... Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke hadn't called him "Uzumaki" with disgust in his voice. And further more, he had said that he didn't think of him as a murderer.
"H...how..." Naruto's voice was so soft that he didn't think the raven could even hear him.
"What?" His voice was still soft and cool, coaxing Naruto to speak.
Which he did, only louder this time. "How do you think of me?"
His silence indicated that he must be thinking, trying to get his words right.
"I think of you as... Naruto, a boy who is always alone and depressed."
Naruto sighed, he knew it. Sasuke only pitied him...
"And as a cute blond who would look gorgeous if he smiled."
And there went Naruto's heartbeat... again. How was he able to say these things? Naruto could only wonder. Why was he trying to break down his walls and barriers.
Shock and panic took over when Sasuke began to turn him around. After what he had just said there was no way Naruto could look at him with a straight face. Trying his hardest to avoid eye contact but the calming look in his dark eyes drew him in, just like the first day he had seen him.
"Naruto..." Before Sasuke could take the conversation further the bell rang loudly, startling the blond.
"We'd b-better get to class..." Naruto said weakly before taking off down the hall and heading for the stairwell.
Okay, guys I'm sorry if this doesn't sound as detailed as it should. In the jotnotes from when Sasuke found Naruto up to the end I had written it in first person POV and as I was going through it I had to translate it without loosing all these thoughts and emotions that aren't always displayed in omnicient POV. Hope it didn't sound too bad.