Hey guys and Welcome to SCARS! My first Multi-Chapter story on Fanfiction and just know that it WILL be finished, even if their are long waits between chapters because of school and stuffs :D

Summary -
Sasuke and Naruto have both had traumatic pasts and suffered tragic losses that they are struggling to cope with. Sasuke tried to shut everybody out, fearing that getting close to people with only hurt them and himself in the long run. His legal Guardian, Kakashi wants to help him but is unsure how. All he knows is that Sasuke needs to get close to people and allow himself to love again. Naruto has been hiding from his demons in solitude with no one but Iruka for company. They both know that he has to go back out into the real world but that he also fears the future. Iruka secretly blames himself for everything that has happened to Naruto and wants him to live his life to the fullest.

As fate would have it, Naruto and Sasuke will meet at school and from that point on, they will rely on each other for the support in issues that only they understand. Kakashi and Iruka will try to help them through, but they also have to deal with their own personal issues and try to find balance in their own lives once again. Can Sasuke and Naruto help each other heal from their internal scars and learn to love again?

SasuNaru, KakaIru, Bits of KibaHina and maybe SaiIno

Warnings - This is a boy x boy love story so if you aren't cool with that why are you still here? Um...There will be mentions of abuse but nothing explicit and there will be some swearing and stuff. I intend for this story to remain T-Rated but I'm not sure yet whether it will get to the point here I have to change it to M. Lets just assume that kissing and hand-holding is as far as romantic intimacy goes, shall we?

Disclaimer - The characters mentioned in this story are the property of a very cool guy that is sadly, not me. If they did belong to me, Naruto would have gone a whole lot differently, trust me!

Right, I think that is everything! Please enjoy Scars...

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Scars Chapter 1 - Starting Again

The dusty hallway smelled musty and the air was thick with dust that erupted in small clouds after his every step. He deposited his rucksack by the bottom of the stairs and traced his pale fingers in a pattern through the dust, feeling of nostalgia filling his chest and leaving behind a tightness that he tried to ignore. The house was just as he remembered it, if somewhat more dark and forbidding than it used to be.

He recalled when the hallway used to be spotless and bright, the smell of cooking almost a constant companion throughout the building. A sad smile graced his lips as he tried to stave off the wave of sadness. Those were happier times. Simpler times. He was so caught up in his memories that he didn't even notice the silent presence looking at him with one sorrowful eye.

"Sasuke? Are you alright?"

Starting, Sasuke nodded silently. He placed his hand against the wall, where it was met with a picture frame. Frowning, he wiped the thick layer of dust away from the glass with his fingertips and felt the ache in his heart return at the image of his happy, smiling parents and a younger version of himself and his brother. He bowed his head and let his hand fall.

He heard the other man approach before a comforting hand was placed on his shoulder. "We don't have to do this, Sasuke." He said, his hand tightening when Sasuke stiffened. "We could get an apartment or something until you're ready to come back here. I know it is hard on you and I-"

"Its fine, Kakashi." Sasuke said, turning to try and give the older man a reassuring smile. "I want to be back, it's just..." He cast another look around the abandoned hallway and sighed, "I didn't expect it to feel so...empty."

Kakashi ruffled his hair, something that Sasuke would have flipped out at were it anyone else but his guardian. He found it slightly comforting, in a weird way, knowing that he wasn't the only one who could feel the oppressive weight of what he had lost.

Wordlessly, Sasuke continued into the house, the pieces of his memories forming together again to remind him of the layout. Discovering the open living room and kitchen, he was surprised to see that most of the furniture had been covered with large white sheets to protect them from the accumulating dust. The large family sofa was still there, as was the coffee table that his mother had adored and his father's armchair. The walls were covered with more photographs, likely depicting similar images of his childhood. The electrical items like the TV and laptop that had once been a permanent feature on the coffee table were gone.

"I asked Tsunade to come and do this last year," Kakashi said, entering the room behind Sasuke. "We...We wanted to be prepared for when we got you back."

Sasuke nodded, "So where's the TV and everything?"

"Tsunade said that she had put all of the electronics in the house into storage. The dust messes them up, apparently." Kakashi shrugged, no knowing the slightest about technology. "We can go over to her place to pick them up at any time."

Wordlessly, they moved into the kitchen and Sasuke felt himself being drawn to the dining table with four chairs. There was a time when in each of those wooden chairs there sat a member of his small family and the pain returned full force when he realised that his family wouldn't all sit around that table again. His eyes began to sting but he bowed his head and refused to cry. He'd cried enough.

"Sasuke..." Kakashi whispered.

"I never realised how much they meant to me." Sasuke said, almost to himself as he sat in the seat that used to be his. There was no comfort in it now – just coldness that seemed to seep into his bones. Now that he thought about it, the whole house felt cold.

"You're not ready for this, Sasuke." Kakashi said, once more placing that hand on his shoulder. "Let's go."

Sasuke shrugged the hand off, "No, Kakashi." He looked up and Kakashi was met with a familiar look that he knew all too well. "I am an Uchiha and this is the residence of the Uchiha family. This is where I need to be, where I should have always been." He took a deep breath and stood up, "I have to do this. If I walk away now...I'm not sure I'd have the courage to come back again."

Kakashi smiled sadly, not that Sasuke could see it. He had seen that same look on the boy's father and brother many times and knew it to be the Uchiha Mask. He had wondered when Sasuke would start to hide behind it and he began to fear that his charge would pull away from the world in true Uchiha fashion. He felt an ache inside his soul as he realised that his ordeal may well have harmed him more than he let on.

"Alright, Sasuke. We'll stay. I'll go and get the rest of the bags." Kakashi sighed in defeat and headed for the door. He paused just before he left, glancing backwards to see that Sasuke hadn't moved from his position by the table.

"I understand that you need to do this, Sasuke. Just promise me that you won't lose yourself along the way. Don't shut me out now."

Sasuke let a small, helpless chuckle escape his lips, "As if you'd let me shut you out."

Kakashi smiled in return, "You know me too well, kiddo."

He left Sasuke standing alone in his childhood home, a place that had become alien to him over his two year absence. After months of trying to find himself in the world again and failing to adjust properly to his freedom, he and Kakashi had decided that they would move back to the place of his birth, to set some foundation of normalcy.

Instead, his ingenious plan had only proven that everything that he had known was gone. His family, his life, his very existence had altered over the course of the past few years and stepping back into his nearly-forgotten past had shaken him more that he wanted to show. Whatever ground he had regained since Oto seemed to be slipping out from under his feet, with emotions he wasn't ready to confront surfacing in the face of his past.

Naturally, he wanted to do exactly what generations of Uchiha men had done before him – bury his emotions and hide behind a façade of indifference in order to live with the pain and suffering that being in Konoha bought. But Kakashi was right. He didn't want to hide anymore and he needed start again. He was yearning to return to how things used to be, should have been, no matter how fragile or temporary that desire may be and he needed to try and let people in. Especially as Kakashi, who was the only one who knew most of what had happened to him.

Having re-gathered some of his shaky resolve, Sasuke took a few deep, calming breaths before venturing out of the kitchen to the stairs. Retrieving his bag, he slowly made his way up to the second floor, the old stairs creaking with his every step. Almost unconsciously, he made his way across the landing to his bedroom and stood outside it.

It seemed strange to him that his bedroom door was closed during the day. When he lived there, this door had always been open so that he could talk to his brother down the hall, answer if his father called and listen to his mother's soft lullabies as she cooked downstairs. It seemed wrong that his door was shut yet appropriate at the same time. After all, there was no one to talk or listen to anymore.

Sasuke's room was also exactly as he remembered from his foggy memories, though his bed sheets had been stripped and his laptop was missing. However, all of his books, trinkets and furniture were still there. He ran his hands over the worn bookcase, a small smile gracing his lips as he recalled his many hours reading by the window and trying to ignore Itachi. Frowning once more, he deposited his bag on the bed, vowing to hunt down some bed sheets from somewhere, and sat on the ottoman by the large window over-looking the overgrown garden. Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, he forced the window open with a grunt and sighed as the cool evening air washed over his tired features.

As he stared out at the darkening sky, Sasuke decided that things would be different the next day, when he went to school. He had argued with Kakashi about renewing his education as his guardian believed that it was too soon after moving in but Sasuke believed that having a routine that he could concentrate on would help him cope better than being stuck in one place again. He could get used to being outside again instead of locking himself up in the same building for a second time.

He stood abruptly and squared his shoulders, a smirk playing around his lips. "Just you watch, you snake-faced bastard. I'll make sure that you don't win this time. You don't get to ruin my life. Not anymore."

With a new goal in mind and a hopefully happier future on the horizon, Sasuke headed back down through his empty, cold house to help Kakashi with the rest of the bags. He would have his life back.

He just needed to remember how to live.

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A blond-headed boy stirred irritably from his position on the couch where he had fallen asleep some six hours earlier. When the persistent knocking on the front door became louder and even more annoying, he growled lightly and heaved himself to his feet, groaning when his stiff muscles protested to all the sudden movements.

"Alright, alright – I'm coming! Geez, where's the fire?" He grumbled, rubbing his sore neck as he unbolted the door, scowling when his hands didn't seem to want to co-operate with his brain. With a small cry of victory, his flung his door open to reveal that the disturber of his ramen-filled slumber was Iruka, his kind-of guardian.

"Well, you sure took your time, huh, Naruto?" He said cheerfully, his smile decreasing in brightness somewhat when he saw the angry scowl on Naruto's face. "Don't look at me like that, I brought you dinner."

Naruto huffed grumpily, "If it isn't ramen then go away."

"It is ramen."

"Then by all means, come in." Naruto declared loudly, his mood suddenly transformed into that of an over-excited puppy as he practically bounced towards his small table, a predatory gleam in his eyes as he sat down.

Iruka chuckled and shook his head slightly, "You really do have an unhealthy obsession with ramen Naruto. I don't think it's healthy."

Naruto sent the other man and mocking glare, "Just pour the noodles, dude."

Iruka obliged and soon Naruto was slurping his dinner up with abandon, his earlier annoyance completely forgotten when faced with his favourite food. If it was up to him, ramen would probably have been the only thing he ever ate but unfortunately, Iruka was in charge of his food supply and the older man always stocked Naruto's cupboards with a noticeable lack of the noodle-y-goodness.

Remembering his guardian, Naruto glanced up to see that Iruka was scrutinising him sharply, worry lines creasing his forehead. Naruto began to feel guilt spread through him, not that he knew what he should be feeling for, just knowing that he had done something to upset Iruka.

Gulping, Naruto spoke first, "Thanks for dinner, Iruka. That really hit the spot."

Iruka sighed and looked to the side, "I figured it would have seeing as you haven't been eating properly."

Naruto felt his face pale slightly, "W-what d'you-?"

"You've lost some weight." Iruka interrupted and looked up with concern at the decidedly shame-faced teenager. "The fruit I put on the counter last week is still in the bag and I'm willing to bet that the cupboards are mostly full. I noticed yesterday."

Naruto coughed awkwardly, feeling bad for making Iruka worry so much about him all the time. He dropped his happy mask and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, I..." He trailed off, not knowing how to explain himself. Truthfully, he didn't know why he had been neglecting to eat much. He hadn't really noticed until Iruka just pointed it out.

"I know you, Naruto." Iruka said wisely, turning to fully face the teenager with a kind smile adorning his face. "You could eat for the whole of Konoha on a good day but you lose your appetite when you're down about something. What's wrong?"

Feeling the beginning of a slight headache coming on, Naruto just shrugged and laid his head on his folded arms, the soft fabric of his jacket feeling good against his skin. "I'm not sure," He answered honestly. When Iruka raised an eyebrow he sighed and said, "I guess I just have a lot on my mind, lately."

There was silence for a moment before Iruka spoke up, "You've been losing sleep as well, haven't you? You never fall asleep during the day so you'd have to be pretty tired. That and you don't have as much energy as usual."

"Okay, can we stop with the psychiatric evaluation, please?" Naruto grumbled, burying his head even further into his arms, "It creeps me out how observant you are sometimes. And I'm not losing that much sleep."

"You have those dark shadow things under your eyes."

"Okay, okay! So I'm not sleeping to well either. Happy now?" Naruto snapped irritably, his bad mood well and truly reformed. He felt slightly guilty for being angry at Iruka, after all the older man was only trying to help, but he could have done without the interrogation.

Iruka looked slightly shocked but his face quickly softened, "I'm sorry, Naruto...I'm just worried."

"...Yeah, I know."

They sat in silence for a while, Naruto trying to stave off the headache that loomed. He glanced up at Iruka to see that the older man was staring at the table; a faraway look in his eyes that Naruto knew meant trouble – It meant that Iruka was blaming himself for something.

"Iruka, I-"

"Have you been having nightmares again, Naruto?" Iruka interrupted, his piercing gaze once again fixated on the tired teenager and Naruto half-wished that he had stayed looking at the table.

He considered lying for a moment but soon remembered that it was useless seeing as he was a terrible liar and Iruka would see right through him anyway. "Yeah."

A pained expression crossed Iruka's face momentarily and Naruto felt a stab of guilt for making his guardian feel so responsible for him. "It wasn't your fault, y'know." He said gently, reaching over and placing what he hoped was a reassuring hand over Iruka's.

When Iruka stayed silent, Naruto decided that it would probably be best to try and move the conversation along so as not to let Iruka wallow in his self-allocated guilt. "I only think they started again because of going back to school tomorrow."

Iruka thankfully seemed to snap out of his brooding at join in the conversation again, "Why is that? Are you still scared of the place?"

"...I don't think it's that." Naruto said, shifting so that he was lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, his one arm tucked behind his head. "I think...I'm scared of being alone again."

Iruka blinked. "Alone? You'll be surrounded by people and nothing can happen this time, I promise."

Naruto shook his head vehemently, "No. It isn't about that, it's about having next-to-no friends and...I guess I just got used to it being just the two of us these past few months."

His guardian shook his head, "We've talked about this, kiddo. You can't keep yourself locked away in here forever and I can't keep checking in to make sure you're still alive. You have to start again, sooner or later."

When Naruto remained silent, Iruka took this as hesitation and quickly continued, "But if you don't want to go back tomorrow that is perfectly fine. I can go and talk to Tsunade and tell her you aren't ready yet or something."

"I do want to go back." Naruto said, so quietly that Iruka could only just make out his words. "I know that I need a new start but..." He sighed heavily for what felt like the millionth time, knowing that he was not going to get rid of his headache anytime soon. He jumped to his feet to stand by the open window, the cool evening air feeling welcoming and kind.

"But?" Iruka prompted.

Naruto gazed out at the horizon, feeling that there was something out there waiting for him. "I know that something big is coming my way, something different that is going to change everything." He smiled to himself at his own prediction, knowing without a doubt that he was right.

"The thing is...I'm not sure if it will be a good change or a bad change yet. We'll have to wait and see."

So, what did you think? This is my first multi-chap thingy that is actually going well for once! Seriously can I get some feedback guys? Was it good? Do you need the next chapter as soon as possible? Should I give up on writing altogether and join a cult of bad-writers? Do I need shooting in the head? TELL MEH!

So Yeah...Thanks for reading and please keep a lookout for future chapters! :D

Bai Bai!~