Oh wow, I'm so sorry guys I honestly didn't meant to take this long. I feel really bad but I got stuck with an english essay and some deadlines for scholarships were coming up and I've been a little busy with that. Thanks again to dramagirl, your PM's really give me a kick in the ass so I can stop procrastinating.

And I just have to say... OMG I cannot believe I've never written anything with Sasuke and Kiba in here before. I could have sworn until just yesterday that I'd written a certain scene in but come to find out that I had only written it on paper (which I can't find) and not in the actual chapters . oh how that annoyed me. So yeah, that's why the only time with Kiba in the story had been when he'd bullied poor Naruto.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Concrete Angel

Chapter Nine:

Sasuke tiptoed cautiously into the living room. All was quiet with Emi laying unconscious in a wide arm chair, a half empty beer bottle on her lap. If she moved just an inch, it would cause the bottle's contents to spill onto her lap. He'd do that himself except he did not want to risk waking her.

After stepping over broken glass and figurines, he found himself at the bathroom door which he opened slowly, keeping one eye on the snoozing blond in case she responded. He slipped in silently, grabbed all the medical supplies he could find and a few towels, wetting one in the sink then returned the way he came, picking up a throw pillow and blanket on the couch as he went.

Downstairs in the cold, damp basement, Naruto sat up on his 'bed', waiting for Sasuke to return safely. And even though he knew the raven would be coming back, he tensed up when he heard footsteps, terrified they might belong to his aunt. He didn't know what he'd do if she'd done something to the only one who cared for him. He'd probably no longer have the will to live. Luckily, a relieved sigh escaped his lips when Sasuke's silhouette appeared at the landing. He could go on.

"You okay?" Stupid questioning considering the circumstances, Sasuke knew, but he asked it anyway.

"Naruto just nodded meekly.

Kneeling down, Sasuke dumped all the supplies on the thin blanket, except the damp towel which he kept in his hand. Naruto eyed it suspiciously, and reflectively moved back when Sasuke shifted closer, raising the towel to head level.

"I'm just going to clean the blood." Sasuke spoke in such a soft, assuring voice, Naruto could only nod dumbly.

Softly, Sasuke began dabbing at the blood on his face and neck, working his way up. With the raven being only inches away... Naruto could only stare at him breathlessly. He felt strange being so near, face to face, with the one he secretly loved, as he was being taken care of. He was surprised Sasuke couldn't hear his heart, for it was beating so rapidly against his rib cage that it made the broken ones somewhat hurt.

Sasuke paused in his movement and shifted his gaze to meet Naruto's eyes. It was as though he were seeing right into his thoughts and Naruto shivered with anticipation. He was taken completely offguard when the raven gently but suddenly drew him into a tight embrace.

"Uh... Sa...Sasuke...?"

He was silent for a while, but eventually he spoke, "I was so scared." his voice was but a whisper and was slightly choked, like he was holding back tears.

Naruto blinked, feeling a pang in his heart. He'd never heard someone admit that they were scared so emotionally. He wanted to say something to ease Sasuke's worry but not only was he unable to find his voice, he also couldn't find the right words to say.

"I thought I'd lost you," Sasuke's voice was on the verge of breaking.

Naruto, coming out of his daze, hugged him back comfortingly. Not knowing what else to say, the blond murmered, "I'm sorry."

Sasuke coughed when he choked on one of his soundless cries, "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault." He emphasized the word, none, to make sure Naruto knew he was not to blame for Emi abusing him.

Feeling Naruto nod on his shoulder, Sasuke gave him a squeeze and breathed hard. He did not release the blond from his hug, however, until he recovered from his emotional outburst, and even then he only backed away to the fairest degree.

Naruto trembled as he found Sasuke's dark eyes once again seeing through him and into his soul. He swallowed the lump rising in his throat with a great deal of effort when Sasuke's face moved closer into his personal space The blond couldn't think coherently enough to close his wide eyes and as Sasuke's lips were but centimeters from his own, a loud smash from upstairs caused them both to jump back from each other. Both their eyes made their way to the stairway and watched intently, fear clearly shining through.

When no further sound was heard, they simultaneously released the breaths they'd been holding in.

"She must have dropped the bottle on her lap," Sasuke whispered more to himself then Naruto, who just nodded as his mind tried to wrap itself around what had previously happened.

"I'd better bandage you up. Head first." Sasuke held up the gauze he'd retrieved from the cabinet in the bathroom.

Both boys avoided each other's eyes like the plague as the raven looped the gauze around Naruto's head, from his forehead, down just above his ear, to the lower back of his head, and back up over the other ear to repeat.

"What else other than your arm is hurt?" Sasuke's question startled the blond, who'd rerun the closeness of the raven's lips over and over in his mind.

"Uh... ribs." He answered shortly, keeping his eyes on an upside down box which he felt more comfortable with than his friend sitting right in front of him.

"Okay, you'll have to take off your shirt."

This time Sasuke's unsure words brought Naruto's blue eyes to look into his own, which did not look back, in surprise.

"What?"

"Your shirt. I can't wrap the bandages over it." Sasuke kept his gaze on a box of band-aids, questioning why he'd bothered picking those up, just to keep his mind off the blond and what he'd almost done.

"Ok..." Naruto blinked, then nervously attempted to remove his shirt with only one hand. Though it was in vain, for it proved impossible for him in his current state. "Um... could you..." Before he could finish speaking, his face flushed red and he clammed up instantly.

"Uh... yeah..." Sasuke's own voice shook, and he kept his eyes low as he carefully brought the blond's shirt over his head and arms, being extremely gentle with his right arm. He placed it to their side before picking up the gauze once more and wrapping it around the injured's chest.

All the while Naruto's cheeks reluctantly remained a deep shade of red. He just couldn't think right with Sasuke this close, and after what had almost happened, he could just lean down an inch and... At the thought of their lips touching, his cheeks' color deepened and his blue eyes widened.

Sasuke didn't even notice this, or much of the blushing. He was too busy debating over whether he'd been too forward and frightened the blond, or if he was only making matters worse. Either way he'd stay and help the boy with his injuries and attempt to keep him from the harm of his aunt, at least for a little while. But he didn't want to be the cause of his discomfort. Though... he didn't seem too negligent against his almost being kissed, but what if he was just too shocked to protest? All the Uchiha had managed to do was contradict himself over and over again as he wrapped the gauze around Naruto's chest before finally clipping it off.

"Now the arm," he spoke absent mindedly, not really knowing how to treat an arm that had been ripped from its socket. So he figured he'd better put it in a sling, just to be safe. Carefully he raised Naruto's arm into the correct position, Naruto wincing and biting down on his bottom lip in pain. Sasuke cringed, staring at the blond's arm with sympathetic eyes.

It didn't take long for Naruto's wounds and bloody areas to be fixed up and cleaned, and once the raven was finished Naruto was allowed to sit back on his thin 'bed' covered with the blanket Sasuke had snatched from the couch and his head was held up with the pillow. Sure he wasn't as comfortable as he'd been at Sasuke's home, but it was as comfortable as he'd ever been at this house. It was all because of Sasuke, all because he'd cared about the lonely, despised, abused boy considered to be doomed the moment he was born.

Sasuke sat at the end of the bed, packing the medical supplies back up. Both were dreadfully quiet, having not made any sounds after the last bandage was placed on Naruto's torn skin. Naruto's left hand fidgeted with a loose thread on the blanket, the silence was unnerving and he was attempting to work up the courage to speak for Sasuke certainly didn't look as though he'd strike up a conversation any time soon.

"...thank you..." Naruto muttered, causing Sasuke's head to tilt in his direction. "...for helping me..."

"You're my friend, I wanted to help you." He stated simply, then continued to roll up the excess bandages.

After a moment Naruto spoke again, only louder. "Why... why did you come?"

Sasuke stopped in mid-action and raised his head to look at the blond thoughtfully. "I was worried about you. It was my fault you hadn't made it home yesterday and I was worried she'd..." he cut himself off, not wanting to board that depressing train of thought, "I was worried something horrible would happen..." He didn't add that something did, instead he returned to organizing the supplies.

Naruto sat dumbstruck, uncertain of what to say. He didn't want to seem weak, but the only thing that seemed worthy enough of being spoken was... "I'm glad you did..."

Sasuke glanced up, a soft trace of a smile crossed his lips.

"I'm glad I have a friend like you." Naruto smiled heartfelt and sighed easily.

Sasuke's smile gradually disappeared from his face and he stared at the blond with a sad expression. Naruto, of course, was oblivious to this expression as he'd already leaned back and closed his eyes.

Naruto struggled at the school the next day. He should have stayed home to rest, any normal person would rest for at least a few days before attempting to get around a busy school; Yet Naruto was not normal. He could not just stay home, since he really did not have much of one in the first place. Plus, he knew his injuries would only multiply if Emi received a message that he had been absent from school. Not like she cared about his education, she just didn't want him ruining her reputation and causing people to think she couldn't even keep a boy in school. Sasuke found that very hypocritical, seeing as how she obviously didn't care if people thought she abused a defenseless boy. However, most people of Konoha thought so badly of Naruto, they'd turn the other eye if they knew of Emi's violence; pretending Naruto just got into fight. Fights he'd picked himself and deserved to get injured.

Sasuke scowled at these thoughts all day, even scaring a few of his classmates with his dark look meant for the aunt which was nowhere in sight. That day everyone was unnerved due to the angry, "I'm-going-to-kill-someone" aura emanating from him; Even Kiba, who you might call his obnoxious best friend, was uncomfortable to be near him.

"Are ya sure you're okay dude?" Kiba asked for the umpteenth time that class.

Sasuke responded the way he had to every other time he'd been asked this question, he nodded.

"Whatever you say, but if ya plan to kill someone make sure I'm nowhere near you at the time. I don't wanna be charged with being an accomplice." He joked, but the raven didn't laugh, which made him frown. "Oh come on man, lighten up before you suck me into that dark, depressing pit you call a mind."

"Mind explaining to me what is so much more important than my math lesson, Inuzuka?" The teacher, Ibiki, spoke roughly and strictly, looming above the brunet with a scowl about his scarred face.

Kiba had never been on Ibiki's good side, if the man even had one, and got in trouble regularly.

"Well, sir, I could tell you plenty things more important. The excess plastic on movie cases we all throw away, burnt out candle wicks, the death of a cockroach."

Ibiki returned Kiba's sarcastic smirk by glowering darkly. "If my lesson bores you so, I suppose I'll just have to give it a little more excitement." He paused for dramatic effect then addressed the entire class. "Add pages 117 to 121 to your homework."

"What!" Kiba exclaimed amongst others who only dared to groan or cry in protest. "But we've already got 114 to 116!"

"Exciting isn't it?" Ibiki chuckled manically to himself as he returned to the front of the classroom so he could finish explaining some algebraic problem.

Kiba, however, sunk down in his desk as he received evil glares from everyone around him and smacks from those close enough.

Sasuke shook his head, slightly amused. He was actually happy his friend was a sarcastic moron. It'd taken his mind off his previous dark mood and those surrounding him must have noticed for they seemed much less tense and more relaxed than before.

Naruto sat uncomfortably in his English class, he had a killer headache and his right arm was a great inconvenience. He was glad they were in the Shakespeare unit, it meant he didn't have to do anything in class because the teacher wouldn't pick him to read a part even if he did raise his hand. Thus, all he had to do was sit, listen and flip the pages of Hamlet.

It was halfway though the class when a boy walked in unexpectedly, interrupting Hinata who was reading the part of Ophelia. He said not a word and wore a scowl upon his pale face. He had flaming, spiky red hair, which was unusual in Konoha to say the least, but what caught Naruto's eyes was the thick black make-up around his eyes and on his lips. He had never seen a boy like him before, no boy in the small town of Konoha that Naruto had ever heard of wore make-up like that... or make-up in general.

"Can I help you?" Kurenai-sensei turned and asked the redhead, it showed in her voice that she was annoyed with him disturbing her class in the middle of Hamlet - she adored Shakespeare more than Sakura and Ino adored Sasuke.

He didn't answer, just stared and held out a paper to her. She took it, read it over and nodded to him in a "fine-I-won't-kick-you-out" sort of manor. "You can sit..." she didn't even attempt to introduce him, instead she scanned the class and only found a few empty seats around the blond. "...in front of Uzumaki."

The boy glanced in the direction she pointed and stared with eyes that seemed dead. They scared Naruto but at the same time he felt an odd comfort, as though something about them was familiar.

As the redhead walked down the isle, he kept his eyes always on the blond until he turned to sit. For some reason, as Naruto gazed at the fiery hair before him, he felt a strange, unexplainable connection to this new boy.

ooOOoo! Can anyone guess who the new kid is? I know it's so difficult but... hehe, just kiding.

Oh and just in case you were wondering, that classroom scene with Kiba was not the original scene I thought was already in the story. Since I couldn't find it I had to use what I could remember to mix it in with current stuff.