Title: Naruto ~ Ballad
Pairing: SasuNaru
Genre: Drama, Romance, Shounen Ai, Shotacon, Yaoi
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto… Don't sue me; you won't gain anything from doing so…
A/N: the plot is mine, if you think there are some similarities to other works and sort, well might be some coincidence or that it couldn't be helped as my thoughts stray there.
Story recall: Sasuke and Naruto were both troubled. Sasuke having a stalker girl and Naruto who have his female friend fight the female friend of his friend.
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Chapter 9:
Sasuke leans against the wall of the west side building where an open field of the soccer is in view. He glanced at his wrist watch to look at the time – 1947, the time is. He waited for Sakura to come whom he asked to meet through people.
As he waits, he recalls the conversation he had with Neji, the decision he made himself in order to rid himself of Sakura's stalking.
Sasuke and Neji five hours ago inside the male bathroom of the university college he studies. There wasn't able to find a place to privately talk where nobody would care about it; though it is by luck that they managed to have the bathroom all to themselves.
Neji sighs after he listened to his friend. He leaned against the white tiled wall. 'Are you really sure?' he asked having doubts. He eyed his friend hoping that Sasuke would change mind. 'If that girl tells the people about it, you won't have any male friends left you know. You already have a few and now you want to reduce it to one? God they will really leave you behind!'
Sasuke saw the wrinkles form on Neji's forehead. He could tell that Neji is really worrying over him. 'You said it yourself, that the only chance she would stop stalking me is if she find something that so shocking that she would want to turn her back on me.'
'I didn't say it like that.'
'It's fine. I just want to get this over with. I don't want to have Naruto suffer because of me this way too.'
'Well you ARE pretty popular. You've received a lot of fair share of stalkers already since you entered the school, a fair number of male enemies. And if you still keep quiet about how you already gave your heart away, they will keep hoping for you to return their love - - continue their pursuit for you.'
Sasuke's eyes remained focused on Neji's forehead filled with wrinkle. He could tell that his male friend is forcing to understand his decision to say out that he is a homosexual.
'And if she asks for proof, what would you give her?'
'If I force a proof to her, I doubt that she would instantly believe me, like I am making things up. She'd think it is a way of rejecting her.'
'Well yeah I suppose. The usual thing you use to deny your admirers is that you have no time for studied or that you got family to worry about.'
Sasuke smiles as Neji continue to enumerate his reasons for not being able to go out or having a girlfriend since he entered the school.
Neji groans, stopped tired from speaking all the rejectin that Sasuke had to do in the past; knowing that whatever he says would not stop Sasuke's decision, he ends the discussion.
'I'm prepared.' Sasuke smiles as if his decision is the only way out.
Neji could visualize what the next school newspaper headline would be like, "SASUKE IS GAY?"
'Well you can still count on me as your friend.' Neji said in a soft voice. 'You can ask me anything if you need help.' He gave his support to his friend.
Sasuke smiles while thinking that it is a good thing that Neji is a good and nice person that he managed to meet; he knew that he is right to trusting Neji.
'Sasuke!' a female voice shouts returning Sasuke back into the present.
Sasuke turned his head, saw Sakura skipping towards him with a smile. He could tell that she is thinking something that is enough to make her happy about.
Sakura skips as she approaching where Sasuke stood. She never imagined that the chances that would come for Sasuke to ask her to talk privately. She looked really happy as she has the chance to get a close up view to gaze on Sasuke's face.
She couldn't see a smile on his face, but seeing him made her heart jump.
Sasuke stood up, faced her with a serious expression. He imagines what kind of face she would make if he would say outright that he is gay. He didn't care anymore if it is guilt or something that drove him to hesitate for a moment; what he worries about most is if Naruto would come to this kind of situation what would his young lover do?
He couldn't believe it that he would suddenly think of such a thing at such a critical moment. He knows he can't protect Naruto if a time would come, but then what if it does. Would the promise he made to protect Naruto with everything he got would become invalid? Would it make Naruto cry?
'Sasuke-kun?' she called his attention as she saw that he is making such a scary face.
He looked at her, saw her worried expression. He recalled the expression that Neji had when he was talking to his friend. Of course, he smiled. There are people bound to get hurt and worried at the end. Things don't usually go smoothly in life.
She didn't know what made him smile, but it beats seeing his scary expression.
He spoke to her in a calm voice told to her what he must say.
She listened quietly at Sasuke's revelation to her.
At the same time, Neji waited at the library where he could see clearly pass the soccer filled towards the building where Sasuke currently is. He got his eye bound on a complicated looking book he picked up in the library, sneaking peeks at Sasuke each time he finished a page.
He felt a presence standing before him which he shrugged thinking that it is just a passerby that is until the person knocked on his table to get his attention.
Neji looked up, his mouth almost opened as he saw a look alike of Sasuke standing before him. He would have thought that it is Sasuke who is standing before him if it weren't for the scare he noticed on the left eye stretching down as if the there was an attempt to specifically slit the eye.
'You are Sasuke's friend right?' the male asked with a smile.
God even the voice is so close. Neji thought as he stares at the male. This guy and Sasuke could be twins if this guy doesn't look a bit older.
'Uh yes.' Neji answered. He bookmarked the page he stopped to speak to the male. 'And who are you?'
It already came to Neji's mind that the male could be Sasuke's brother or something. He is well aware that Sasuke got adopted by Tsunade only, weren't blood relatives.
The male eyed Neji, he showed a sinister smile enough to make someone feel a cold chill. 'Tell Sasuke that his brother came to visit.'
'Brother?' Neji repeated surprised. He wonders if the male had come to take Sasuke back, but before he could ask, the male already walked away from his table half way towards the counter.
-:-
'Oi, Naruto…' Neji called in a complacent tone as he follows Sasuke inside the living room. He saw Naruto sat with a male on the floor. He wasn't familiar with the male with Naruto, figured that the young blond made a new friend.
Sasuke looked exhausted, left Neji to stay with Naruto in the living room as he head towards his room to take a shower and get changed.
'It's been a while.' Neji said with a smile as he sat on the couch, look at whatever the two males where doing.
Shikamaru nods as if to greet Neji.
'This is Shkamaru.' Naruto introduces with a smile. He looked proud to introduce Shikamaru to Neji, a friend that he haven't had.
'Where is Kiba then?' Neji asked with a smile as his cheek rest on his right palm.
'I asked him to come but he wouldn't.' Naruto informed sounding disappointed.
'He says that Sasuke-san hates him.' Shikamaru spoke coldly as if it wasn't his problem.
Neji's smile disappeared, looked at Naruto busy doing something on the floor with 'Shikamaru. Well Sasuke does hate that kid because of overly touching you.
'What are you guys doing?' Sasuke asked walking in to the living room drying his hair. He looked tired, tried to hide it from everyone in the room.
'Nothing.' Neji smiles as he leaned back on the couch relaxing.
'A project?' Sasuke walked towards where Naruto and Shikamaru sat, bent down to have a closer look; his posterior almost touching the floor.
Naruto sniffs the sweet smelling fragrance Sasuke has. He always liked how Sasuke smells especially after bath. 'Something like that.' He answered with a smile.
Neji looked at Sasuke interact with Naruto and Shikamaru. He couldn't believe that Sasuke would actually talk to Naruto's friend with hate or anything as such. That's a miracle. He thought. Another thing crossed his mind, that Sasuke and Naruto looked real brothers which made him recall about his meeting to a Sasuke-look-a-like or vice versa. He stared at Sasuke smiling with Shikamaru and Naruto.
He couldn't help think that it is better that he should not say anything to Sasuke at the moment, but maybe to Tsunade. He didn't want to see Sasuke fall apart with everything going on.
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Next chapter: Look forward to Tsunade and Neji's talk and how they will react to each of what they will say; and what will Sasuke do about it. There is also more of Sakura and Naruto encounter plus Naruto and Itachi encounter. 3
A/N: Sorry by the way that there isn't any obscenity. You may notice that I've been toning down a bit of it. :p