Sasuke left school that day as quickly as possible, stopping for only a moment at his locker to gather his books before rushing outside. He wanted to get away from Naruto as quickly as possible, knowing that he would not be able to handle any chance encounter with the blond.
What was that earlier? That look in his eyes... what was he thinking? And the way he blushed like that... could it really be?
Sasuke tried to shake these thoughts from his head; it was too dangerous to even consider that possibility. Indeed, by acknowledging the potential depth of Naruto's emotions, the Uchiha knew that he would be setting himself up for failure. He had to convince himself that this was all just his imagination playing tricks on him, that Naruto was just some annoying kid that he stop thinking about.
It was for this reason that Sasuke wandered over to the Konoha City Park, an expansive, verdant area littered with trees and picturesque hills. He arrived there by no mere accident, for he knew if he were to find O anywhere, it would be beneath one of the park's many trees with his lackeys. Sasuke was somewhat apprehensive about seeking him out, but he knew that he couldn't possibly talk this problem over with Shikamaru or Kakashi. No, they would both read into it, jump to conclusions, and ultimately make things worse for the Uchiha. With O, there was a chance for Sasuke to get the information he desired and escape this whole situation without another relationship to weigh him down.
Unfortunately, this all meant that Sasuke would have to share some personal information with a man he did not fully understand. He felt he could trust O, and had talked things over with him in the past, but the raven-haired boy was not sure how the man would respond to the problem with Naruto. It was a dilemma, for in order to seek O's aid in this matter, Sasuke would have to give up some of his control on the situation, which he was rather reluctant to do.
Thus, for a few minutes, Sasuke simply stood at the top of one of the park's hills, staring down at his confidant sitting beneath a nearby oak. O had not seen the Uchiha, yet, his attention apparently centered on tuning the guitar in his hands, which gave Sasuke some time to think things through.
It's not too late to turn back... I mean, what if he only confirms my fears? What would I do then? No! I have to face this thing head on. If I just ignore it, then it'll only be a matter of time before Naruto becomes a part of my life...
With a calming breath, Sasuke stepped towards his friend, who glanced up from his guitar with a sly smirk, his eerie, yellow eyes shining even in the shade of the tree. Beside him, a silver-haired teen adjusted his glasses and set down his own guitar to watch the Uchiha's approach.
"Ah, why if it isn't Sasuke," O said, running a hand through his long, black hair. "What brings you here, today?"
"I was hoping to talk to you, O," Sasuke replied, before glancing briefly at the bespectacled companion. "Alone."
"Of course," the man replied, his eyes fixed on the young Uchiha. "Kabuto, give us a minute, will you?"
"As you wish, Orochimaru."
Kabuto gave a brief nod to both O and Sasuke before starting off for another tree, where a red-haired girl sat, expertly playing her flute. Once he felt that Kabuto was out of earshot, Sasuke then took a seat beside Orochimaru, trying to figure out exactly what he should say. Seeing that the raven-haired teen had no intention of speaking, Orochimaru began to strum a simple tune on his guitar to ease the tension. Sasuke appreciated this, for it made it clear that there was no pressure for him to speak until he was ready.
It always surprised Sasuke how insightful Orochimaru could actually be. Kakashi had never liked the man; called him a bad influence. Not that it wasn't true – Orochimaru was a high school drop-out, had no job besides his band "Sound Village," and was widely believed to be an avid drug user- but Sasuke felt at least some sort of connection with the man. Maybe it was Orochimaru's complete lack of direction in life that made Sasuke found so admirable, in that it contrasted so wonderfully with his role as heir to the Uchiha business.
Whatever the case, as Orochimaru played his tune Sasuke felt a strange wave of serenity rush over him, washing away his apprehension. Thus, in a few moments, he finally felt ready to speak his mind, and the serpentine man was more than willing to listen.
"So, O... I have a problem."
"I thought as much," Orochimaru said, laying his guitar down on the grass. "Tell me what's bothering you, Sasuke."
"Well, there's this guy at school..."
"I see," Orochimaru interrupted with a sly smile. "So what's the lucky kid's name?"
"It's not like that!" Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes in frustration. "He just ran into me the other day and I haven't been able to get him off my mind since."
"And is this a problem?"
"Yes! You know how I feel about getting close to people like that!"
"Oh, right," Orochimaru mused, rubbing his chin in thought. "I seem to remember hearing a similar thing after we first met..."
"Then you know where this is going. If I don't do something now, then this guy's going to sneak into my life like you did."
"Hmph, what is that supposed to mean?" the musician pouted with a feigned sense of betrayal.
"You know I don't mean it that way," Sasuke replied, realizing his poor word choice. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Shikamaru, and Kakashi... but that's what scares me. I've already lost everyone important to me once..."
"I'm just kidding you, Sasuke," Orochimaru interrupted, placing a hand gently on the Uchiha's shoulder. "You need to stop being so serious all the time."
"You're right... maybe I'm just over-thinking this whole thing," Sasuke said, shaking his head in confusion. "But still... I don't want to take that chance."
"Well, then, if this kid is bothering you that much, you can always just get rid of him."
"What do you mean, 'get rid of him?'"
"Oh, you know, blackmail, threats of bodily harm, actual bodily harm..."
"No!" Sasuke interrupted, much to Orochimaru's amusement. "Look, I don't care if you are kidding. I don't want to just get rid of Naruto–"
"Naruto, eh? It's nice to have a name for this mystery man," Orochimaru said with a satisfied smirk.
Shit... I didn't mean to let that out... He's probably analyzing that slipup, too...
"So, let me get this straight: you want to get this 'Naruto' out of your life, but you don't want to get rid of him all together. Is that right?" the serpentine man asked, gesticulating in the air as he spoke. "I must say, Sasuke, it doesn't sound like you quite know what you want to do yourself."
"No, it's not that," Sasuke replied, feeling quite foolish for revealing unnecessary information. "Look, I don't want to get close to Naruto, but I don't want to hurt him either. Do you know what I mean?"
"You're concerned about this kid's feelings, Sasuke? Since when are you so soft?"
"I'm not soft," the young Uchiha responded defensively, shooting his friend a quick glare. "I could get rid of him tomorrow if I wanted to."
"But you don't?"
"As a matter of fact, I don't. Naruto's been through a lot, and I don't want to make him suffer any more, all right?"
"I don't understand, Sasuke," Orochimaru began, a slight frown crossing his pale face. "If you want to get rid of him so badly, why does it matter what Naruto's been through? You treat most people like obstacles, why should this kid be any different?"
"Because... because Naruto's just special, okay?"
Sasuke froze immediately as these words left his mouth, a slight shiver running down his spine as he saw Orochimaru's lips curl into a familiar smirk. Clearly, the serpentine man had gotten just the information he wanted out of the young Uchiha, for he now stood up and stretched, guitar in hand.
"Well in that case, Sasuke, I'm afraid I can't help you."
"What? Why the hell not?" Sasuke exclaimed, rising to follow after his friend.
"I think you know why, Sasuke," Orochimaru replied enigmatically before reuniting with Kabuto, leaving a stunned Uchiha in his wake.
Indeed, for a moment, all Sasuke could do was stare off into space, shocked by how the conversation had gone. Soon, a cool breeze blew through his hair, and he suddenly realized what Orochimaru meant.
Am I... am I in love with Naruto?
xxxxx
Naruto Uzumaki burst into his apartment that afternoon, his face covered in sweat after having run all the way from school. Kiba had to stay after for track practice, meaning that the blond only had to share the apartment with Akamaru for a couple of hours. This was perfect, for Naruto really needed some time to himself, and he intended to seize this opportunity
As he kicked off his shoes at the door, Naruto heard a distinct yipping at his ankles, but he chose to ignore it for the moment; Akamaru could wait a while to be showered with attention. Thus, the anxious boy continued on his way to the bathroom, where he stripped out of his sweaty clothes, struggling somewhat from nerves. After a few moments, though, he stepped into the shower, pulling the curtain closed as he turned on the water.
Naruto stood there for quite some time, staring absently at the bathroom tile as the hot water rushed over him. He had taken Kiba's advice that day and studied Sasuke closely, trying to figure out just why he cared about the Uchiha. It had taken him some time to realize it, but when the two of them locked eyes during Kakashi's class, it hit him: he was in love with Sasuke.
No... it can't be that. I just care about him, that's all!
Naruto ran a handful of water through his face, his breathing accelerating with his rushing thoughts.
Yeah, I can't be gay. What about that crush I had on Sakura? I didn't just make that up! No, I just feel like I understand Sasuke... because of his parents and everything.
Naruto knew, however, that he was only fooling himself. Yes, he had felt something for Sakura a few years before, but this was something far more intense. When he had thought about Sakura, all that came to mind were her eyes, her hair – superficial things. With Sasuke, though, Naruto saw the pain behind his onyx eyes, understood his strange relationship with Shikamaru, and wanted to have a similar connection.
Dammit... what the hell am I gonna do? I can't possibly tell him how I feel... he'd hate me! If he doesn't all ready, that is... Then again, am I really sure about this? Okay, Sasuke's hot – this is an undeniable fact – but does that really make me gay? I mean, I've only known the guy for a few days!
It was all a bit much for Naruto to take in, and as he shut off the water in frustration, he realized he wouldn't be able to do this on his own. At the same time, though, this was not exactly a matter that Naruto felt comfortable discussing. He really didn't want to talk about his sexuality when he was not entirely sure about it himself, but he knew that he needed to talk this over with someone so that he could better understand his feelings for Sasuke. Of course, Naruto knew there was only one person he could confide in: Iruka.
Thus, after drying himself off quickly, Naruto wrapped a towel around his waist, picked up his dirty laundry, and started for his room, once again ignoring the attention-starved Akamaru that rushed to his feet. After sealing the door shut behind him, the blond dropped his sweaty clothes onto a pile in the corner, dropped his towel, and began scouring his drawers for some new duds. Soon, he was dressed in some orange shorts and a black T-shirt, at which point he slumped down on his bed, lying back on the blue sheets in exhaustion.
Well, here goes nothing...
Reaching over to his nightstand, Naruto picked up his phone and began dialing the familiar seven digits, gazing absently out the window to his side. Big, gray clouds were gathering outside, waiting to dump their contents out on the earth. Naruto didn't really think much of this, though, but instead anxiously listened to the phone ring on the other end. What if he wasn't there? What if he was there? What was he going to say?
I really should've thought this out better...
"Hello?" came a genial voice on the other end, jarring Naruto out of his thoughts.
"D-dad? It's me, Naruto."
"Naruto! How are you? School going okay and everything?"
"Yes, yes, everything's fine," Naruto replied, trying to mask the anxiety in his voice. "I just have... a problem, I guess."
"A problem? What is it? Is everything all right? Are you –"
"Dad... I think I'm in love," Naruto interrupted with a sigh.
The blond could hear shuffling on the other end, and he knew it could only mean one thing: Iruka was getting comfortable. It was a relief, in a way, to know that his adoptive parent was taking this issue seriously. After a few seconds, the familiar voice returned with a calm, understanding tone.
"Naruto? You still there? I'm ready to hear all about it now."
"Well, there's someone at school..."
"Wait, it's not that Sakura girl, is it? I thought I told you she was just a pretty face..."
"No, it's not her. I learned my lesson," Naruto said, rubbing his cheek unconsciously where the girl had struck him, "It's someone else."
"Well, are you sure it's not just a crush?"
"That's just it... I'm not really sure," Naruto sighed, closing his eyes in frustration. "I've never felt this way about anyone else before..."
"Do you mean, like – gosh, how do I say this – physically?"
"Well, yeah... I guess," the blond began, a touch of red rising in his cheeks. "But it's more than that... oh, I can't explain it..."
"Naruto, I think I understand. This is clearly important to you, but have you tried talking to her yet?"
"Well... no, not really."
"And why not?"
"I dunno... I'm just don't want to be rejected again..."
"What kind of reason is that?" Iruka asked, taking on a stern tone. "Unless you tell her how you feel, how will you ever know if she feels the same way?"
"But... it's not that simple," Naruto replied, struggling to hide the real reason for his trepidation.
"Talk to her, Naruto. You'll thank me later."
"Dad, wait!" the vulpine boy began, only to be cut off by the hum of a dial tone.
For a moment, Naruto simply stared at the phone in his hand, overwhelmed with disappointment. It wasn't like he had expected a significant revelation, but he still hoped for some better advice than to just talk to Sasuke. He could've come up with that on his own. If only Iruka knew the whole story – that Naruto was in love with another guy – he might have given some greater insight. The blond was not quite ready to reveal that about himself, though, and for a similar reason, he knew that talking to Sasuke directly was out of the question.
"Dammit, Sasuke... why do you have to make things so hard?"
With a depressed sigh, Naruto rose from his bed and started out of the room, trying to figure out how he could possibly settle this problem. As he flung open the door, however, all thoughts were erased from his head as a familiar brunet tumbled into the room.
"Kiba?"
"Oh, h-hey, Naruto," Kiba said, glancing up at the blond with a sheepish smile. "Gai ended practice early, so I was gonna see if you wanted to grab some pizza..."
"How long have you been here?" Naruto asked, his voice dangerously low.
"What do you mean? I just got here..."
"What did you hear?" Naruto continued, grabbing his roommate by the shoulders.
"N-nothing," Kiba stammered, averting his eyes to the floor.
Naruto froze, recognizing the truth in the dog-boy's eyes said: he knew. "Don't fucking lie to me, Kiba! You heard everything, didn't you?"
"Naruto, just calm down," the Inuzuka replied, tentatively placing a hand on the blond's shoulder.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
As these words left his mouth, Naruto swung with newly clenched fist, striking Kiba in the jaw. The dog-boy fell stunned to the ground, giving the blond the perfect opportunity to make his escape. He rushed through the hallway, past a concerned Akamaru, with angry tears forming in his eyes.
No... I'm not ready! Why the hell did Kiba have to find out...
Naruto rushed out of the apartment into developing storm, the rain falling heavily outside the awning. Behind him, the blond could see Kiba stumbling out onto the wet cement, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth. In his dazed state, though, the dog-boy had no chance of catching up, and soon Naruto vanished around the corner into the storm.