Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Taking Your Life Back ❯ Remember Me? ( Chapter 11 )

“...Waterfront lane,” Shikamaru smirked over the phone, seeing as Sasuke had no idea where Shikamaru really lived, just somewhere in the area of his own home. Shikamaru tapped his foot on the hard wood floor, snickering as he watched Naruto practically fly out the door.

 

They were perfect for each other.

 

Sasuke coughed as he skid in the snow around a corner, searching for said street. His legs were shaking, eyes frantically darting to signs.

 

`Chestnut, no...Rural, no...Dammit! I have no fucking idea!' his mind screamed at him and clenched his teeth. But he kept it up, running still.

 

Naruto was close to the same predicament. He had no idea which way Sasuke would be coming from, or which way he should go. His eyes quivered in frustration, but he shook his head quickly and darted up the street.

 

`What am I supposed to do? I really can't look him in the face!' Inner Naruto screamed. He shivered as he ran.

 

Sasuke slipped up to the street sign, reading it over. Waterfront! He turned to dash down it, but was met head-on by a blonde boy. They toppled into the snow, limbs crashing against the white powder, rolling to a stop. Sasuke grimaced and grasped at his arms painfully. The snow was burning his skin, as he lay there beside the blonde. Quickly inhaling his breath, he opened his eyes.

 

“...Ah...Ouch,” he uttered out shakily, and finally noting the white slashes on the blonde's face, he snapped his mouth shut. Naruto turned his head with an extreme slowness, big eyes glazed over sad oceans. Sasuke immediately sat up, and so did Naruto, but Sasuke shoved him back down, fists clenched beside his head. The Uchiha loomed over the blonde possessively.

 

“...Did I do something wrong...?” he whispered out, eyebrows furrowed. Naruto's big eyes stared up at Sasuke, still quivering in fear and confusion.

 

“...You didn't do anything wrong...” Naruto whispered back, choking lightly. Sasuke took notice, running a cold hand over his Adam's apple, only provoking the tearful invitation. And so the blonde's eyes watered, salty tears draining from tear ducts. The choking resumed, as did Sasuke's caresses.

 

“...Then why punish me?” He nuzzled Naruto's nose lovingly, pressing a thumb to the side of his eye, wiping a tear away. Naruto turned away

 

“...You wouldn't understand even if I told you...”

 

Sasuke frowned at this. Naruto should have atleast given him a reason! Well...Apart from the Itachi factor, why he wouldn't meet his eyes, why he would barely respond, and timidly at that. He'd chased him for close to 4 miles, and this is what he gets; A lifelessly depressed Naruto? Bullshit.

 

“...Then talk to me,” Sasuke told him, narrow eyes burning through the other boy. Slowly, Sasuke was getting fed up. This Naruto was an imposter; the Naruto he loved being energetic and strong, never one to back down from a fight...Where was he?

 

When Naruto remained silent, he pressed him further. “...If you won't say anything to me, I won't say anything to you”

 

With those words, Naruto finally looked in Sasuke's eyes. Sasuke noted his critical state.

 

His dirty disheveled hair was splayed against white, face tilted up to accommodate the position and height of the dark haired boy above him. A bruise was forming on his face, probably from their tumble just moments ago. White slashed cheeks were pale; pale like he hadn't eaten in days, though Sasuke made sure he ate while he was around, even though the blonde was reluctant. Naruto's arms lay trapped under Sasuke's body, like a mouse under a hawk. Not to mention, he was shaking like a mouse as well.

 

This happened to be the third time Sasuke had seen Naruto cry; Once, finding out he was completely alone and homeless, another during sex, and finally, now. Sasuke watched as Naruto's quivering cerulean eyes breached with tears, spilling from his eyelashes down his cheek in a matter of seconds. And they didn't just stop at that either. He fought to bring his arms up to cover his face as he cried, sobbing escaping his mouth. Sasuke lifted his arms up, palms facing him in defense. As soon as his hands touched his face, Naruto let out the most heart-wrenching noise Sasuke had ever heard in his life. A scream, one that shattered your mind and all decencies, tore from his lips, shaking growing violent, just like it had in the mall, except ten times worst. His cries were desperate, aching, and they broke Sasuke's heart all the same. As he screamed loudly in the snow, his lungs desperate for air, his throat convulsed in choking. He inhaled sharply as one always does when crying, and only continued further, crystal tears not being hidden by pale supposed-to-be-tan hands any longer. Sasuke felt Naruto's knees shake and twitch under him, as he was trying to bring them up to his chest to cry in them. Sasuke did nothing.

 

He watched as the sobbing didn't soften, but grew louder every moment Naruto stayed unkempt. This was likely to draw a lot of attention, as people don't want to be disturbed on Christmas.

 

...The depressing reminder remained in his head; naturally narrow eyes watching Naruto cry his heart out under him.

 

He lost everything he had...and on Christmas Day...

 

“...Come here, Naruto...” he said in the quietest voice he could, slid his body off the blonde and to the side, and sat in the deep snow. Naruto immediately rolled over onto his stomach and jumped him, hands clenching to Sasuke's scarred back, and seeing as those same hands had clawed at him last night in the same way, he thought of it as a caring gesture. Though he was most likely wrong, he had hopes, like the things Naruto had had dashed.

 

The blonde clawed new tears in Sasuke's skin as he cried loudly in the crook of Sasuke's neck, sobbing and shaking as Sasuke returned the embrace with less to no furiousity and scratching. Resting his head on the groove of Naruto's shoulder, Sasuke sighed and narrowed his eyes further.

 

“...I'm sorry...” he whispering, noticing Naruto's sharp inhalation. Naruto's tremors became erratic, and Sasuke believed them to be almost non-related to his tears. He had thought Naruto would get sick, if he was just walking around with some pants and a blanket in such death-defying weather. And not to mention, this immense almost painful stress was bound to try something on his immune system.

 

Sasuke had never seen Naruto so torn apart in his life. Not even Naruto's big fight with Gaara could compare to this...

 

Sasuke had admired Naruto all through school, every year of it, skipping a few if Naruto transferred. Though this was something that most people would think of, such a popular and smart boy being so envious of a friendless and annoying idiot of a brat...Though Sasuke admired Naruto for everything he didn't have...Enthusiasm, determination, cheerfulness, carelessness, and supposedly blonde hair were all things on Sasuke's wish list. If only Sasuke had told Naruto that sooner, they could have been best friends forever.

 

Sasuke had actually advanced Naruto, in their early days. He'd sit close to Naruto when he had a chance, which was above often, and Naruto would glance at him. Sasuke would keep the act up, raising his head to point his nose snobbishly at the blonde, questioning the brat's authority. Naruto would growl low in his throat like an animal and utter a curse word, and when it was heard by their teacher Iruka, he'd be forced to sit in the corner while Sasuke laughed loud enough for him to hear. When it wasn't caught, Naruto would send a quick glare before turning away with a huff.

 

If only they knew that when they turned away, the other would smile so happily, it brightened any dim room.

 

Sasuke has had a fan girl committee since he was atleast four. Daycare would always have so many girls overpopulating the boys, it practically killed Sasuke. He'd push them away and tell them they had cooties, like any other toddler would. He wasn't interested in girls yet, well, atleast not until he turned thirteen, and even then he wasn't interested. But to turn away from the girls, he had to turn to a boy.

 

When Sasuke noted he had only seen Naruto cry three times, that was a lie.

 

Sasuke had first, and very firstly, met Naruto in daycare. They were so little; they didn't know any better. Sasuke had trotted over to the sunshine boy, huddled to himself in a corner.

 

“Hey! I'm Sasuke! So...Whacha doin'?”

 

Naruto had looked up at him with such sorrowful eyes filled with tears, Sasuke almost fell backwards. With that, he had broken down to childish sobbing, bringing tiny fists to rub his big blue eyes. Sasuke kneeled down in front him, making him seem even smaller than he already was. His eyebrows furrowed above big ebony eyes.

 

“Why're you crying?” he had asked.

 

“My mom and dad are DEAD!” he answered angrily, crying even louder.

 

“...Well, ya know what? I never see my parents anymore! I wouldn't even know if they were dead or not! I can barely remember what they look like!”

 

Naruto had choked to a silence, looking past his fists at the boy in front of him who was smiling broadly. A hiccup escaped.

 

“...You don't?” he questioned. Sasuke nodded quickly. A tiny frown appeared on his face, though.

 

“Yeah, and my brother's mean to me! Always giving me noogies before he takes me to school! That's why my hair is always so messy! And then he pokes me in the head and I got a little bruise one time! But sometimes he's nice. He takes me out to dinner sometimes! Gets me lots of tomatoes, `cause I like tomatoes! You should come with me sometime! What's your favorite food, huh?”

 

Naruto's lip quivered, surprised Sasuke had just revealed his family nature.

 

“...Ramen,” he answered shakily, his little voice wavering. Sasuke wrinkled his nose at him.

 

“...Eh, I guess it's okay...Tomatoes are still way better! And they're good for me! Or atleast that's what Itachi Ni-san says.”

 

Sasuke smiled holding out his dirty childish hands.

 

“...So what's your name?”

 

Naruto sniffed and wiped at his tears, a quiet smile on his lips.

 

“...Naruto.”

 

“Naruto? Like the fish cake? Those things are weird!” Sasuke cried out loudly, smiling like never before. Naruto let out a weak laugh to accompany his shallow smile, placing his hands in Sasuke's. Sasuke helped him up quickly, holding his hand all the way to the sandbox.

 

“...You want to be friends, Naruto?”

 

“...You want to be friends, Sasuke?”

 

They smiled at each other, squeezing their hands together.

 

“...Then we're friends now...”

 

---

 

Sasuke was doubtful Naruto remembered anything of the time they met. Or maybe he cherished it the same way Sasuke did. Then again, the one thing scientists still couldn't do was read someone else's mind involving emotions. This was sometimes even impossible for the person in control of the mind itself. Confusion was a great factor of emotion, not being able to decide which one you wanted to stick with. Sasuke had felt like that hundred of times.

 

Naruto had not been able to calm down at all, every part of him shaking uncontrollably. Every stroke, every caress, brought Naruto to further tears, so Sasuke quit with his efforts. But wiping away the tears made Naruto hold his desperate breath, and Sasuke was grateful for even the smallest reaction. Lying in the snow, a heaping mess of Naruto on his chest, he began to shiver from the cold. Slowly sitting up, he brought Naruto up with him. His tear stained red eyes glanced up at him wearily, and Sasuke slid a hand through his hair.

 

“...Calm down...I'm taking you home,” he whispered. Naruto hiccupped.

 

“...But I don't have one of those...” he answered. Sasuke shook his head.

 

“...Yes you do...” a kiss hit Naruto's temple and with habit, he closed his eyes to cherish the feeling. Slowly standing, not wanting to rush Naruto into anything, he held out his cold hands with a smile.

 

“...Need I explain?”

 

Naruto laughed hidden in a cough, taking the offered hands slowly in caution. Shakily standing up, he wiped his eyes roughly, nervous laughter echoing through empty tones. They held hands as they walked rather quickly back to Sasuke's house, seeing as it was only five blocks away, though he had ran in every direction possible to find Naruto already near his house. All the way, Naruto repressed his tears, choking heard occasionally. Stepping up the concrete steps, still not breaking the holding of hands, Sasuke checked if the coast was clear before slithering inside and up the stairs in a matter of minutes. Up in his room, Sasuke quietly shut the door behind him, eyeing the still disheveled and depressing state of Naruto, whose lips quivered roughly as another set of tears appeared. Sasuke pressed against him, arms around his hips and kisses at his temple. Naruto would have responded, if Sasuke hadn't dropped them to the bed. Naruto let out a squeak, and Sasuke just nuzzled into his collarbone.

 

“...But Itachi-”

 

“-I'll just have to protect you, now won't I?” Sasuke answered before Naruto could even finish. Naruto let out a shallow laugh, and as Sasuke threw the blanket over their cold tired bodies, he laughed a little louder.

 

“...I'm sure you'll do just that...”