Heyyy people~! I know, I'm updating, its amazing. Like I promised, now that my other story is finished, I'm going to be focused a lot more on this. I'm excited because, let's face it, Sasuke and Naruto are just meant to be together. I thank you all for being so patient with me as I attempted (almost unsuccessfully) to finish my other story without wanting to stab myself in the jaw.

This chapter is a little mushier than some of the others, because the entire story can't be about Naruto pulling amazing pranks on bullies. This is really where their relationship is starting to bloom. I know its short; deal with it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated characters, settings, etc. This story and all elements of the plot are property of EverPlotting

CHAPTER NINE

A Subtle Crescendo

After talking to Sasuke, Naruto felt better. Not completely all together one hundred percent, but better. Taking to someone had been nice. Sort of. He later had snuck into a bathroom stall – feeling suspiciously like a gossipy female – and attempted to call his brother. The line had been busy.

Figures.

The bell rang dragging Naruto from his thoughts, as he sat on the suspiciously clean floor of the bathroom. Stupid bell; it was annoying. Naruto sighed. It always seemed like whenever he wanted to be alone, there was always people, and the bell was going to unleash a sea of people.

Naruto decided not to go to class; he wasn't going to be able to focus anyway.

He moved from the bathroom to the hall, and leaned against the navy blue lockers. He sighed again as he watched the world pass by. The steady currents of people were hypnotic, relaxing even. They were all so uniform, so proper.

Naruto inwardly cringed. Try as he might, he could never be as up tight and politically correct as most of the other boys at his school.

The second bell rang. Naruto sighed for what seemed to be the millionth time today. He really didn't feel like going to class. It wasn't like he was going to learn anything he couldn't catch up with later.

Naruto began to wonder why he had even come to school anyway. He shook his head. It was the depression of the day talking.

After deciding not to go to class, Naruto began to wander the halls. Somehow he ended up in a part of the building he'd never seen before. He'd memorized the map, but Sasuke had never actually given him that tour.

He examined the sculptures and the sporadically painted doors and the differently styles ceiling tiles and concluded that he'd located the art wing.

He heard a sweet piano melody wafting from one of the rooms. He opened the door slowly to see if he could glimpse the musician. A boy with long dark hair sat at the piano, but Naruto's eyes strayed to him for only a moment.

The room was about the size of two classrooms. Maybe a classroom and a half. In it was a piano, a few chairs and come closets lining the walls. Naruto sat down in one of the chairs and proceeded to absorb the tinkling of keys that spelled out a melody he thought he recognized as Mozart, but he couldn't be sure. He felt his mind drifting into a form of meditation until his thoughts seemed to ebb and flow with and from the music itself.

And the final notes sounded, Naruto was snapped out of his trance. The piano player didn't seem to notice the blond boy's presence, and Naruto didn't acknowledge the other. The brunette glanced momentarily at the blond, and then looked up again quickly, studying Naruto's features.

"Naruto?"

Naruto glanced up to see a familiar pair of pale irises. "Neji?"

"I didn't realize you attended school here," Neji said, sounding somewhat skeptical.

"I only started about a month ago," Naruto replied with a shrug.

"Well," Neji began after a few moments of awkward silence, "I'm going now, so if you want to use the practice room" – he gestured in no particular direction – "feel free."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you."

Naruto watched Neji leave and then sighed. Thoughts of politics flitted briefly through this mind, but he shook his head quickly to dispel them. Naruto shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around the room. He spotted a door on one of the wooden closets that was slightly ajar. Naruto walked over, opened the door wider, and peered inside. A small smile appeared on his face; a familiar glint flashed momentarily across his previously dull eyes.

LINEBREAKER

Sasuke sighed as he stared at the clock, completely blocking out his droning professor. His thoughts kept traveling back to Naruto. Sasuke wondered how the other boy was doing and if it was such a smart idea to leave him alone.

Especially since he hadn't shown up to class. Again.

Sasuke walked out of his class with the prompting of the bell, and headed for the courtyard. Both he and Naruto had this period free – not that having class seemed to matter much to Naruto today. After several minutes of walking he heard a faint sound. Unfamiliar music. Sheer curiosity directed his feet to take a shortcut through the art wing. As the music grew louder he recognized the amplified sound of an acoustic guitar.

Pushing open the heavy door, Sasuke was surprised to see Naruto.

The blond was beginning a song that sounded familiar, though Sasuke couldn't quite remember the artist. As Naruto's fingers plucked at the strings, the song seemed to pluck at Sasuke's very soul. There was a lot of emotion behind this simple tune. Naruto sang no words but Sasuke could catch faint humming and mumbling of lyrics.

When the song came to a conclusion, Naruto breathed out deeply. Sasuke too, released a breath hadn't even realized he was holding captive. As soon as he did, however, Naruto perked up.

"Who's there?" the blond questioned, though it took on the tone of a command.

Sasuke started to panic. How was he to explain that he had been spying on his best friend. He and Naruto hadn't really known each other that long... what if Naruto accused him of being some kind of stalker?

"Who. Is. There?" Naruto repeated. "You might as well come out."

Sasuke opened the door all the way, revealing himself; a slight blush barely visible on his pale cheeks.

"Sasuke?"

"Um, hi Naruto," Sasuke replied sheepishly. Naruto just raised a questioning eyebrow. "See, I was looking – then I found, or heard – er – but then it was – and, um... You play really well Naruto," Sasuke concluded, finally giving up on the rest of his story.

Naruto raised both eyebrows in surprise. "Really? Um... well, that wasn't even my best." Naruto looked from the guitar in his lap to Sasuke. "Do you want to hear something else?"

Sasuke paused for a second, and then nodded. Naruto's missing grin returned in full force to his face and with it came the sparkle in his oceanic eyes.

"Okay.. let's see..." Naruto muttered as he plucked a short melody and a few chords. He adjusted a string or two – tuning – and then played a final loud chord to test the volume of the amp. "Alight. Here we go." Naruto breathed deeply before he began to play a complex, Latin sounding song.

The sound was enchanting. Sasuke felt as if the music was calling to him. Enchanted, he felt the world around him melt away. It was beautiful, and Naruto looked so right with the guitar, as if it was an extra limb; a part of him.

When the song reached it's conclusion, Naruto closed his eyes. Time seemed to stand still. When his eyelids flew back again, he looked deeply into Sasuke's black orbs, as if searching for something. Sasuke was slightly unnerved; not because Naruto frightened him, but there was an intensity to his gaze and Sasuke feared breaking the connection.

The bell rang.

"Stupid, evil, sadistic bell," Sasuke thought as he glanced at the clock.

Sasuke looked back, but the moment had passed, the connection vanished. Naruto gave Sasuke a soft smile.

"You're an amazing musician Naruto," Sasuke said quietly.

Blue and black connected briefly once more before Naruto and Sasuke left together for class. No trace that the two had occupied the music room remained.

Only their eyes would remember the moment.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed! It's admittedly a bit cheesy, but so is love.

I really have nothing else to add here. Only that you can (hopefully) look forward to more updates. Yeyy!