Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ - When mistakes are made - ❯ one ( Chapter 1 )

"I love you."

 

"PFFFFFTT!!!"

 

The next moment Sasuke found himself covered with Ramen - face, hair and his favorite black shirt. He looked at the boy in front of him whose eyes were as wide as a pair of tomatoes and who had noodles hanging from his nose.

 

"Wha--what did you say?" the said boy asked, making the noodles adoring his nose like New-Year's decorations, jump with every movement of his lips.

 

Sasuke mentally slapped himself. What was I thinking…?

 

"Never mind Naruto. Eat your dinner." Or whatever is left of it.

 

As soon as that thought passed in Sasuke's head, images of Naruto eating his favorite dinner from Sasuke's mouth filled his barely conscious mind. Him and Naruto, sharing a noodle, each one at one end… simultaneously making sucking motions with their cheeks, forcing the noodle to slide further into their own mouths… after few failing attempts to keep the noodle intact their lips finally meet halfway. Mouths open and tongues slide out to lapse at the remaining part of the noodle… a battle of tongues ensues…

 

Shaking his head violently, Sasuke whispered "Never mind" again, as thought those words had the power to clear his head. Recalling the reason that he had noodles draped over his ears and shoulders, the boy blushed furiously and bolted out of the ramen shop.

 

Seeing Sasuke blush had slapped Naruto out of his gaze. When the words "Never mind" finally caught up to him, Sasuke was already gone. The blond stared at his half eaten bowl of ramen and contemplated which one of the two he liked more. Deciding that dinner could definitely wait, Naruto wiped his face with the first thing he grabbed and was about to turn and leave when he noticed that he wiped his face with Teuchi's apron.

 

"Oi Naruto!"

 

The said boy flinched and bowed his head in apology, his face growing redder with every minute.

 

"In any other circumstances I would have hit you with that huge pot over there" Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, pointed to the grayish thing standing in the corner," but I think that you have a much more pressing matter at hand."

 

When Naruto looked up not quite understanding what the man meant, he saw him smile and pat the blond's messy head. He then added in his usually warm tone.

 

"Love doesn't wait for you to come around, boy. If it's offered to you on a silver plate, grab it without hesitation! You might not have another chance."

 

Not quite believing his ears, Naruto nodded nevertheless. Did he notice? Was I THAT obvious…? Deciding it didn't really matter, the boy grinned at the owner of the shop and with a loud "Arigatou!" ran off. He had a certain not-so-cold-after-all bastard to find.

 

 

---

 

 

Sasuke stood on the lake water, looking at the fishes swimming beneath his feet.

There are indeed many fishes in the sea but there is only one blonde dobe in the village that I happened to fall in love with.

 

Spotting two fishes, one black and the other golden, touch each other as thought they were kissing, Sasuke remembered his very first kiss. It was that awkward and totally unintentional touch of lips he shared with Naruto when they were still in the academy. He grimaced at the memory. It was clear from that day that it will never repeat itself. Why did I have to be such a fool and hope that Naruto's feeling might change?!

 

Irritated, the boy kicked at the water, scaring the black fish while the golden seemed to stare at him, daring him to do it again. Glaring back at the animal, he was about to kick at the water again when he was surprised by a poke in his ribs.

The unexpected action made him lose control over his chakra and plunge into the water within mere seconds.

Gasping underwater, Sasuke felt the water rush into his lungs. I'm going to die.

No... No!

He squeezed his eyes shut and started kicking at the water, thrashing his arms helplessly as he fought the lack of oxygen in his lungs. No I can't die now! Not like this… not before Ita—

His thoughts were cut off as darkness engulfed him, and the last thing he saw was a golden fish that he could swear was smirking.

 

 

[- 10 minutes later -]

 

The darkness started to dissipate as colors once again filled his eyes. Blurry images, but images nevertheless. I am alive - was Sasuke's first thought. Maybe that thought came into his mind due to the fact that he ached all over, every muscle. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that tanned fingers were pinching his nose and familiar soft lips covered his own, blowing hot air into his lungs.

Seconds later Sasuke was coughing up no little amount of lake water.

 

"Are you COMPLETELY out of it?! Why were you standing there if you knew you can't swim?!"

 

Sasuke chose not to answer and kept on cleaning his lungs of any remaining of water. He was already embarrassed enough that he almost died in the calmest Lake in Konoha and he didn't need Naruto to rub it in. He hadn't planned for Naruto to find out he couldn't swim, that he was just like a cat - afraid of the water.

A pussy cat… and with that thought he threw up again.

"Oi Bastard! Are you listening or should I punch the water out of your ears first?!"

 

"Leave me alone." Sasuke growled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and thanking Mother Nature that it was summer and he wore sleeveless shirts. Sasuke didn't know if he was angry with Naruto's questioning or with his own weaknesses.

 

"So the kitty grew claws again, huh?" was the calm response that managed to throw Sasuke off. The Uchiha turned to him with a questioning look in his eyes.

 

"What does that supposed to mean…?" he hissed.

 

Standing up, Naruto passed a hand through his messy hair and only then did Sasuke notice that the dobe was as wet as him. Feeling his anger flare even more, the Uchiha turned to look at the ground. He was sure Naruto will keep on reminding him about this embarrassing "Rescue" of the Uchiha prodigy. He couldn't stand knowing that the dobe would laugh his ass off at his little inability, but he braced himself for it nevertheless. He'll make sure the whole village knew by tomorrow morning.

 

Now Sasuke began doubting his love for the Dobe. He thought he loved the boy because he wasn't like the rest, because he was different. Oh he is different… Sasuke thought with disdain, He's worse.

 

But Naruto wasn't laughing. He wasn't even smirking, something that Sasuke would have surely done if their roles reversed. The blond only sighed and brushed his hair back again.

 

"Why are you always being such an asshole, Sasuke? Does it make you feel good when you snarl and growl at everyone?"

 

Sasuke gave the boy a mocking glance. "Why… does that make you shiver, scaredy-cat?"

 

The raven haired boy got a glare he could almost call offended, but the emotion was gone within an instant. Naruto was no longer the twelve year old loudmouth. He was seventeen now and although he still raised his voice here and there, he knew how to keep his emotions at bay when needed be.

 

"I can assure you that it wasn't me who was shivering and scared shitless only minutes ago."

 

Hearing this, the raven haired boy greeted his teeth, getting angrier with every moment. I knew this would eventually come.

 

"So what now Naruto?! Feeling haughty huh?! You saved my ass! Again!"

 

Seeing that Naruto's face betrayed no emotion, the Uchiha felt something within him snap. Something he was sure he shouldn't have let loose.

 

"You saved me! Naruto, the most hated shinobi of Konoha, saved the Uchiha genius!"

 

Sasuke didn't know where those words were coming from, but he felt a deep satisfaction when the blond's emotionless mask broke and something shone in his eyes. Something Sasuke never saw being directed at him.

Sasuke knew that what he said was mostly childish and silly, but he couldn't stop himself now. The taste of victory was too much.

 

"Well guess what, Dobe! I can learn swimming in few days; I can turn my weakness into strength. But you, Naruto, you can't change what's inside you. You will always be the monster everyone will abhor. You will never be respected so you better give up on that FUCKING DREAM OF YOURS!"

 

Trying to get his breath back, Sasuke watched the series of emotions that passed on the blond's face. It flickered from surprise to confusion, to hurt and finally to betrayal. Once again Sasuke did what he knew best - he betrayed Naruto. He betrayed their friendship and their rivalry and he betrayed his own feelings.

 

"That's right." Naruto whispered, his voice strangely calm. To Sasuke it sounded tired… resigned. Realizing what a huge mistake he made, Sasuke's eyes widened and he gulped audibly. Whatever he and the blond shared was fragile, and Sasuke managed to smash it in front of the blond without giving it second thought.

 

"Goodbye, Uchiha-san." And with those words the blond was gone.

 

Never, not once in all their years of friendship, has Naruto called him 'Uchiha-san'. It was always either 'Sasuke' or 'Bastard' and sometimes even just 'Oi', but never 'Uchiha-san'. Naruto didn't even keep formalities with the Hokage.

Suddenly Sasuke was covered in cold sweat. He was trembling as he watched the wet spot where Naruto stood just a moment ago.

He now understood. Referring to him in such a formal way was Naruto's way of showing that they were no longer friends. For Naruto, he wasn't even a rival or an enemy anymore. He was nobody, just like the rest of the citizens, and he meant nothing to him.

 

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