"O-OUCH!" Naruto shrieked, his blue eyes widening at the sight of his previously tanned skin that now shone with a bright shade of cherry red.

"Why do I have to be a beauty pageant contestant!" Naruto whined "Why-"

"Why not Zoidberg!" Kiba exclaimed loudly, nudging Shikamaru's chest with force

Naruto glared at Kiba, a pout beginning to form on his plump lips "Why couldn't we just oh I don't know, put glue on Sakura's seat or maybe wrap her ugly pink car in foil?"

Ino sighed, dipping the brush she held in her hand into a pot of hot wax "Because Naruto, we must attack her where it hurts the most!" she said with a frown, her eyes glued to Naruto's leg as she slowly applied a layer of wax.

"B-but"

"We were at the beach, everybody had matching towels! Somebody went under a dock and there they saw a rock! But it wasn't a rock! It was a rock lobster! Aaa-"

"Kiba!" Ino snapped, "His skin won't permanently stay red! Stop it with the lame lobster jokes!"

The brunette stuck his tongue out childishly, his eyes wandering off to Naruto's pained face.

"So genius, how are you going to hide his broad shoulders and accentuate his breast-less chest " Shikamaru sighed, staring at a crudely photoshopped image of Naruto's head on a girl's body.

"Well dear, I have in my possession a special black dress that has a killer feature!" Ino grinned, a crazy look taking over her face.

"Is the dress made of a nice, soft material?" Naruto asked, looking unsure

"Huh? No! It's a great and unforgiving corset! I can tuck in also those lean muscles into a curvy body in no time!" Ino said proudly, her eyes shining with determination. Sakura's time in the spotlight was over, that skanky bitch was going down.

"But-"

"No buts Naru, we decided to commit on this so we are going hard or going home! Now yank your pants down!"

"My whole body feels numb" Naruto grumbled to himself, jamming his old, rusty key into the door that led to his humble home.

He had spent all his afternoon at Ino's house being subjected to cruel 'beauty treatments'.

His hair had littered with several thin white-blond foils, his face had been caked with a million different creams and tonics that had made his skin feel all weird and tingly.

Then the 'white witch' had physically forced him into a tub full of vanilla-smelling foam that had made him feel like freshly bathed dog.

But the last straw was having his eyebrows plucked and his eyelashes permanently curled. He felt like a girl. Being gay did not make him a girl Dammit!

"Home at last!" Naruto sighed, letting the old metal door slam shut with a startling noise. The blonde boy looked at his small place sadly, trying to bask in the miserable silence that enveloped the room.

Feeling hungry, he walked towards the kitchen, ignoring the items that had rested on the floor since the day he left. 'I seriously need to clean this cave'

As he got closer to the pantry that guarded his precious ramen, his foot sank under something fluffy, making a voice shatter the uncomfortable silence

'Happy 14th birthday! I-I...Dobe *sigh* Naruto, we meet as kids and I promised to be your friend for ever, that promise will always stand. May we stay together forever, Happy birthday idiot'

Naruto looked at the old-looking fox plush under his feet. With a gulp, he didn't dare fight the familiar numbness that slowly crept into his brain, invoking a terrible migraine and making his body sag with exhaustion.

Naruto exhaled tiredly, letting his body drop to the floor, suddenly feeling heavy , as if made of lead.

"Sasuke" He whined out miserably "You were the only one left that mattered" His eyes battled his brain to stay open "I am back to zero"

"Always alone, always betrayed" Naruto croaked out, his nails digging into his arm "Always numb, always raw" he applied more pressure feeling his skin break under his nails "Always broken, never repaired" Blood started flowing down his arm, his nails never stopping the scratching motion "Always bleeding, never alive"

Naruto closed his eyes, forcing the few memories of his parents dance through his eyelids. Their faces, smells, sounds, and collections of memories that got shorter and hazier every day that passed. `

"Why didn't you guys take me with you, instead you left me in this silent hell"

Sad eyes opened, tears pooled in the corner, ready to spill

*Ring, Ring, Ring*

Naruto sat up, trying to remember where he left the stupid phone

*Ring, Ring, Ring*

"What could Ino want now!" Naruto sighed, his skin stretching in protest

*Ring, Ring, Ring*

"Show yourself!" Naruto bellowed , frustration running through him

*Ring, Ring-Hello, you've Reached Naruto, I am not here, you know what to do. Beep!*

"N-Naru?"

The golden-haired boy froze, feeling his muscles stiffen and his blood freeze inside of him

"Dob-I mean Naruto , I need to talk to you..." Heavy breathing could be clearly heard, it was as if a man was going through a cardiac arrest "Please, I know I don't deserve it." Strong Inhalation of air "But I want to clear things up. I owe you an explanation, I know that, I also know that you don't want an explanation but I am begging you , please let me explain myself because..."

A long pause, Naruto panted nervously, wanting to stop breathing so he could hear more clearly "Because you can't hate me" A soft whimper "You just can't, someone as pure as you wasn't made to hate..."

"only to love"

"Don't!" Naruto cried miserably "Please don-"

"And I love you"

I am sorry this is short! But I finished uni and will start updating this week!