Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this fic and I don't make any money by writing this.
EDIT// Love goes to Chibibble for being the terminator of my typos!
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"So now you see it appropriate enough to apologise?" Stab.
--
He was on the top, simply because he was perfect in every way. It was the truth, no denying it. Everyone knew. Well, knew enough to know not to mess with Uchiha Sasuke. Of course, own carefulness was vital in a school with such strict hierarchy, but luck had something to do with not getting noticed as well.
Luck had not been on Uzumaki Naruto's side.
Naruto was too bright, too loud, too happy to not to notice. He stuck out with his blond hair and orange clothing. Impossible to not to tease, bully. To make his life hell.
And that's exactly what Sasuke did. Make Naruto's life hell.
Because not only was the boy downright annoying, he came from low social class, being an orphan and without that much money. Money, along with looks and who you managed to befriend, pretty much marked your place in the school hierarchy. Welcome to the bottom, Uzumaki.
It wasn't like he had anything against Naruto personally, no, aside from the boy's name and where he came from, Sasuke knew nothing of him. Better not get too involved; better not look into the boy's eyes while beating the shit out of him. Tormenting Naruto was just means to keep his position, the top boy of the school, keeping everyone wary of him and make it that much easier for him to get whatever he wanted.
Besides, Naruto always stood up, after every beating, after every insult, every rejection, push, laugh and paper ball directed at him, and managed to smile. The perfect victim. No need to feel guilty, not that Sasuke was even capable of such petty feeling, when the boy just took the beatings and smiled.
Sasuke didn't understand why the boy would still smile, but he didn't need to understand. He only needed to try harder and make sure Naruto wouldn't smile the next time. But he did. It was something Sasuke couldn't take away. It was out of his power. He couldn't control it, the boy's eternal smile.
It was frustrating, especially after that one time when he had almost drowned the blond into the toilet and as he was just about to leave, leaving the dripping boy to gasp for air, Naruto smiled at him. Actually smiled after all he had done. And Sasuke had hated it so much, hated that smile directed at him so much that he beat Naruto up so good he couldn't smile anymore. Unconscious and into the hospital.
Naruto smiled again when he came back to school three days later. Sasuke didn't.
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"You disgust me, Uchiha" Stab.
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Naruto was average looking guy with average grades. But that was enough for him. Although he tried, really tried, there was no need to be the best. No need for perfect grades. The ones he managed to get were good enough for him.
He had an average life, or maybe a little below average, but it wasn't that bad. Somehow he managed to support himself, living alone without any relatives, and that was kind of amazing, he thought. He'd be alright, knew how to look after himself in real life. Unlike those spoiled brats that went into his godforsaken school.
That was one of the thing Naruto wasn't too happy about his life; his school where his mortal enemy resided along with his evil spawn. But it couldn't be helped; there was nothing he could do to change that. Naruto was strong enough to take on all that crap. If it weren't him, someone else might be in his place and they might break, commit suicide even.
That's what he kept telling himself every time dark eyes locked with his. That, and that he was better than them. He wouldn't fight back violently. He couldn't afford that.
This went on for years.
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"I didn't save your life because I thought you'd suddenly realise your mistakes. I did it because it's the law, Uchiha. Without it I'd just let you drown and rot in your own blood." Stab.
--
Sasuke didn't really like to party hard. He hated the feel of alcohol running down his throat. He hated the dizzy feeling it brought and the fact that he couldn't control his body perfectly. He hated teenager's obsession on getting drunk and that he had to take part in it because of who he was.
That's why he drank slowly why the others drank too fast, getting drunk in minimum time, not noticing that he wasn't. And when everyone was buzzed enough to not to notice that he was gone, he left. Always and every time. It was below him, really.
So, once again he had left his drunken associates behind and started his way home. It was already dark outside, dark and cold and he was alone. In a shadier neighbourhood he was used to hang around in. But he wasn't unnerved, what could happen? It's not like people would voluntarily be outside at that hour and in that weather. Besides Sasuke was more than capable of taking care of himself.
And yet the too long shadows and tiny suspicious noises made him want to run, run away fast and not to look back. But it would be undignified; he would not run but walk calmly all the way home.
There were three men ahead of him, slightly older than him, leering at his direction. Sense told him to change direction and get far away from them; pride told him to calmly walk past them, ignoring their very existence. Pride came first, it always won. Sasuke walked past them, ignored their flirting and shouting.
The hand that grabbed his, however, he could not ignore. There was a sickening sound and the man drew his hand away with a loud cry. Sasuke smirked, satisfied as he had managed to dislocate his fingers.
"You little bitch!"
Sasuke was ready, ready kick their sorry asses to the ground and spit on their faces. Even if there were three of them and only one of him; it would be enough, he was enough.
But he wasn't enough, as one of them had managed to land a punch to his stomach. The pain went strangely deep. As if he had been stabbed. Looking at his now blood covered stomach, he realised that that's exactly what it was. He had been stabbed and the man was standing above him, a bloody knife on his hand, leering.
"Take his valuables and let's get the fuck out of here."
And they left him there to die. It was dark and cold and the wound stung, but the worst at that moment was that he was alone. Dying alone in some dirty alley. He was trembling from cold maybe, or then from fear. He didn't want to die, not like this, not in a place like that. Not alone.
It became harder to breathe and harder to keep himself conscious. It became colder and colder and then, suddenly, warmer.
"Oh my God."
Someone wrapped their arms around him and it was so warm. Someone put pressure on his wound and it hurt even more but it was warm.
"H-hang in there, Sasuke! I'll call help."
It felt comforting, someone calling his name. It really didn't matter who it was, he wasn't alone anymore. Everything was all right now. He saw blue eyes before he lost consciousness.
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"Having to breathe the same air as you, it sickens me." Stab.
--
He woke up in a hospital, obviously. Or not, as he had really expected to die, not live. He felt drowsy and stiff and it wasn't nice. But hey, he was alive. He heard some rustling from beside his bed. Naruto was there.
Naruto kept reading some magazine, ignoring him. Ignoring, ignoring, until he couldn't ignore anymore as Sasuke insisted on keeping staring at him.
"What?"
Sasuke didn't say anything, just kept on staring.
"Don't worry; I'll leave as soon as your family gets here."
And Sasuke stared.
"Alright already! I'll leave your bastard ass alone."
Naruto was angry, pissed off and rose from the chair with a huff, ready to storm out of the room, but Sasuke grabbed his wrist. They stared and then Naruto sat back down, reaching for the magazine he had read earlier.
The silence was very, very awkward.
"Why are you here?"
"I said I'll leave if that's what you-"
"No, I just… Why?"
Naruto insisted on keeping his gaze on the magazine. Sasuke didn't feel comfortable looking at the other either, but the ceiling was only that interesting. Naruto seemed hesitant to answer.
"Because it's not nice being in a hospital all on your own; you know, everything's so white and every little sound echoes. People die in this building. Lying on a hospital bed all on your own… it's just not nice. I should know."
Blue eyes were staring at him now.
"You should know that I should know." Stab.
Sasuke's wound wasn't painful anymore. Something else was. It felt like he was drowning.
Naruto turned a page of the magazine, ignoring him again. He wasn't sure if he preferred the awkward company the blond was offering. At least he wasn't alone, it felt comforting…comforting enough to make up for the awkwardness.
The silence continued, turning more tolerable. The rustling sound the magazine made when Naruto turned a page was nice, almost tickling his ears. Nice and comforting, like Naruto's breathing. He almost fell asleep again, but there came a knock from the doorframe. His brother was there.
Naruto lifted his head to watch the approaching Uchiha. Rising up from the chair, he put the magazine away and started walking, passing the taller Uchiha as he went, not saying anything to either of them.
Sasuke's brother turned to look at the retreating blond.
"You're the one who saved him, I assume. Who are you?"
The boy didn't turn to look back, only continued his way out, not even stopping, not pausing for a minute.
"I'm a nobody."
The long haired man raised an eyebrow at that.
"Thank you for saving him."
But the blond didn't say anything, didn't even look back. He just walked away, disappearing from their sight.
"Do you know him, baby brother?"
Sasuke felt like he was drowning.
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"There's no need to hurt your precious pride and apologize for someone like me. I wasn't expecting one from someone like you anyway." Stab.
--
Sasuke didn't like drowning. It was ugly, ugly feeling, weighing his mind. Naruto was the cause of it so he had to go to Naruto: to crawl at his feet, to apologize and to thank him, to toss away his pride and dignity. Just to get rid of that horrible feeling consuming him.
But Naruto wasn't ready to forgive him. He didn't want his 'thank you's and 'I'm sorry's. Didn't need them, despised them.
And as Naruto turned his back on him and started to walk away again, he was at a loss on what to do.
"You can hit me." if it makes you feel better and forgive me.
Naruto stopped and turned around, his eyes narrowed. Naruto smiled a cold smile that made him almost shiver. He spat at Sasuke's feet and walked away.
Sasuke wasn't drowning anymore. He was suffocating.
To Be Continued...
Tsk. I realise there are a lot of these kind of fics out there, but. But, but, but. I love guilty feeling Sasuke. :D
Yes, it's the best Sasuke there is.
Comment & Criticize!