Birds sang in the crisp morning air as Naruto lay snoring on the grass. He had been out all night training. Not that he wanted the reward but rather his competitive spirit against Sasuke's had flared it's ugly head once again. Naruto knew how to do it but that didn't mean he was good at it, and seeing Sasuke get the knack for it only reminded him why the boy was considered a genius. And then leave it to sakura to blow them both out the water by getting the highest in the least amount of time…

But sometimes it was those moment that lead Naruto to a psychologically dark place. A place of envy and lack of self worth,

After all how could he be the son of the legendary fourth hokage if he couldn't even climb a tree better?

So he pushed himself, and pushed himself because the more tired he was the less energy he'd spend thinking. And it helped that he was too exhausted to go back to the house because he really didn't want to see that pessimistic brat that was trying to prophesy his death.

So Naruto rested too deep in sleep to notice the intruder. And too deep in sleep to notice his life was in danger…..

"Wake up!"

Blue eyes squinted in the light and he looked up to large brown ones,

"You shouldn't sleep here"

"You're surprisingly good at finding the herbs"

Haku said as he watched the blonde boy digging in the grass. He had recognized the headband and the blonde child from the battle with Zabuza but… Haku sighed Zabuza was right he was too soft,

"My godfather often forgot me and i had to scavenge for food and once i ate some toxic plant."

The blond child grinned brightly,

"That old perv was scared out of his mind and after that taught me to identify some things."

Haku couldn't help but smile as well,

"Are you a ninja?"

It was obvious but Haku was attempting to downplay his knowledge,

"Heh! You can tell huh?"

Haku smiled at the innocence of the child in front of him,

"What were you doing sleeping out here though?"

"I was training"

Naruto said pulling more herbs,

"Training why?"

"To get stronger"

"But you look plenty strong already"

"No way! I have to become WAAAY stronger!"

Haku looked at the boy still picking the herbs,

"And… why is that?"

Blue eyes hit Haku in the most unexpected way. The innocent naivety that had once been there was lost in the depth of blue he couldn't describe.

And it was particularly insulting that Haku hadn't seen the start of the movement that lunged toward him. He wasn't completely unarmed, he had some senbon on him in case of emergencies but he hadn't seen the movement well enough to react. And perhaps he just wasn't expecting it and that's why.

Either way Naruto lunged and Haku fell back in the bed of grass eyes frighteningly wide and shocked as though the young boy wasn't restraining him with his body those blue eyes were sinking into the depths of his soul and he felt completely bare.

"Hey lady… Do you...have someone important to you?"

Haku's breath hitched, his mouth gaped a bit but he refused to speak and incriminate himself and instead nodded unable to look away from intense blue eyes.

And then they softened in the most gentlest of ways that almost made Haku want to cry,

"Me too"

Naruto climbed off the him,

"The light was in your face i couldn't see your face clearly"

And Haku wondered if the boy was always this unpredictable. But he thought of what the boy had said,

"Do you… have someone important to you?"

It was a stupid question. Haku only had one person. The person that had saved him and stayed with him. A person that was his everything that he would do anything for. Someone whose words were gold and life all in one; his own personal god.

"When...a person has someone important they want to protect….they truly become strong…"

Haku looked up to see the whiskered face smile maturely at him and he wondered who was older here….

"Yea...I understand that well"

Haku bit his lip. He never once felt envious of anyone else before. With Zabuza by his side he had no reason yet for some reason this boy made him feel jealous.

Because surely his precious people were lucky to have him.

"You will be strong"

Haku got up and turned,

"And perhaps… we shall meet again"

Naruto smiled,

"I hope so it was nice talking to ya!"

"Ah!"

Haku stopped not bothering to turn around,

"I'm a boy by the way"

"WWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAT!?"

Naruto yelled while Haku walked away with a smile passing a dark haired boy.

"Oi loser"

Naruto looked up to see Sasuke after a slight nudge Naruto got up and followed him back to the house, guess they were more worried than he thought.

Both genin walked through the forest the quiet a peaceful reprise from the chaos they had thrown themselves in. Naruto walked behind Sasuke with his hands behind his head. Whether he admitted it or not there was no reason to doubt the guy was cool. Dark hair, black eyes, pale skin, with his hands in his pocket he just exuded coolness. Naruto blinked,

That reminded him…

"Hey Sasuke i had this weird dream…"

Sasuke sighed not even bothering to look back,

"Honestly tell me something i haven't heard"

But Naruto brushed the snide remark off. Instead he stayed quiet and it was only then that Sasuke looked back at contemplative eyes,

"Tell me...What would you do...if someone important to you betrayed you and took everything precious to you away?"

Sasuke stopped looking back at Naruto who was staring at him waiting for a response but he simply turned and kept walking refusing to answer.

"The person who did it was someone you really trusted too…"

Someone he trusted…. He could think of one but...Itachi would never, and to take away what was precious to him…. He couldn't imagine Itachi killing their family. He shook his head.

"In my dream you sought revenge."

That would make sense,

"You wanted power and you didn't care how you got it…"

Tis the Uchiha way,

"Sakura was there, she was crying. Kakashi and… a lot of other people. They all tried to stop you"

Sasuke stopped again turning slightly this time to look at his teammate. Naruto stopped too, his dream scarily vivid and a feeling…. He raised his hand to his chest feeling a phantom pain.

"Naruto…?"

"Would you…"

Sasuke watched those blue eyes turn to him with a sorrow he had never seen before,

"For the sake of your revenge…"

Sasuke's heart started racing

"If i tried to stop you…"

A tan hand clenched at his chest.

"Would you kill me?"

So let's say Itachi did betray him. And let's say that he killed his family. Of course he would want revenge. All Uchiha's held grudges and were vindictive as hell. And gaining power… well forget it, it was engraved in their blood to seek power. So he could imagine that no one would be able to stop him. That Sakura would cry? he could see it….

Sasuke took a second to look at the orange clad Ninja.

Naruto and him weren't all that different. They were born into the ninja world without a choice. Due to their family lineage they were expected to succeed. Always in the shadow of someone greater; Naruto and his father, Sasuke and his brother. They didn't have a choice to stop, they didn't have the option to run. Fight and kill that was how they were raised. The pressure and burden was stifling and Sasuke knew that though Naruto acted carefree he was only bottling the darkness in his own heart.

A darkness they both shared,

Loneliness.

….

But they weren't alone. When Sasuke felt like drowning Shuhei was there. And he was sure likewise Kakashi wouldn't leave Naruto to disappear in the darkness. That's why…

"Would you give up?"

Naruto blinked as he looked into dark eyes,

"Even if i tried to kill you…. Would you give up on me?"

Because if there was two things that Sasuke knew about Naruto was that he always kept his promises and that he never gave up.

They really were similar. They bore the same pain and loneliness. Like two sides of the same coin. Sasuke knew Naruto's pain and he was sure Naruto knew his. So even though they fought and argued, even though they mocked each other and got the other in trouble, there was no doubt in Sasuke's heart what they meant to each other…

Naruto gave a huge face splitting grin,

"NEVER!"

And Sasuke turned,

"Then what does it matter. "

And he began to walk away. Because he was sure if he ever did fall into darkness he probably wouldn't be able to get out on his own. He'd hurt those he loved and be blinded, incapable of seeing the light.

"Oi! Wait up!"

That's why someone… if there was someone like the sun who wouldn't give up on him.. That would do anything… that even if he tried to kill would still stand up and face him…. If there was just one,

"Oi! Sasuke slow down! I'm tired ya know!"

He was sure he'd be pulled out of that darkness and brought back to the light.

Sasuke smiled and he was sure that the only person who could do that would be….

"SASUKE!"

His best friend.

As you can see the dynamics are slowly visibly changing and there will be more of that as we go along hehe