Masks
By: Shozetsku
Warnings/Disclaimer/Authoress Notes:
Shonenai and possibly yaoi in later chapters, SasuNaru, cursing, OOC-ness, NO flames please! You have been warned! Haters can click the back button!
I do not own. This is a fanfiction so I'm going to take creative liberties with the characters. And again, just to make sure you can't say I didn't say it: I DON'T OWN! This disclaimer holds for this entire fic. I don't want to say it over and over agiain.
... This is a plot bunny that decided to do a jump kick to the back of my head after being shot out of a cannon. (and I have the scar to prove it.) Unfortunately this particular plot bunny used too much gun powder and the ending got burned off. So suggestions along the way are good! Gah, I need to update my other shit before I put up more shit really, but I have too many plot bunnies, it's like I'm running a bunny farm and they just keep multiplying.

Chapter 1: Hidden Behind the Mask

Sasuke yawned uncharacteristically as he leaned against the bridge railing for the last member of their team and their chronically late jounin sensei. Sakura was enjoying the morning breeze and being Sasuke's mere presence. Sasuke had stayed up later then usual last night doing, what Uchiha's do best, brooding and deep thinking. As he reflected on his thoughts of last night for what might have been the twentieth time in the past twelve hours he chided himself for being so uncharacteristically stupid. But all that late night thought would be put to use when a certain blonde decided to show up.

Another thing Uchiha's were good at, noticing things others normally didn't notice because they don't think to look. Sasuke, personally chalked it up to his sharingan that he seemed to notice these things, but out of all the things he had seen he never once thought to put them all together. If he had he would have come to this rather stunning revelation ages ago, hence his self-rebuking. Oh well, it's no point crying over old scars. (The ninja equivalent to no use crying over spilt milk.) He thought idly to himself.

Naruto came walking up the path whistling tunelessly, Sasuke pushed himself off the railing. He and the blonde had things to talk about. And he already knew how the conversation was going to go too, he had practically scripted this conversation last night.

"Oi! If you start getting here any later you'll start arriving after Kakashi sensei, Dobe!" he called before Naruto was quite at the bridge. Sakura, on cue, started to giggle at Sasuke's not funny at all joke; of course the girl was just trying to curry favor with the object of her affections. Sasuke planned to use that to his advantage. Naruto, as he expected ran the rest of the way to the bridge and, completely disregarding the unspoken rule of personal space, got in Sasuke's face and started screaming.

"Shut up teme! And stop calling me dobe! One day I'll make you eat those words!" He shouted. Sasuke pretended to consider Naruto's words, "About that, I've come to a revelation of sorts. I'm completely embarrassed that I didn't figure this out ages ago but, late is better then never I suppose."

Naruto looked at Sasuke as though he had grown a second head, "Nani? What are you talkin' about Sasuke-teme?"

Sasuke felt like he was experiencing a very long bout of déjà vu, it was scary how well this was working. "I've come to the conclusion that you could have never even graduated the academy, let alone get so far in the chunin exams if you were really as stupid as you act. If you were really that stupid you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time, never mind all those times you could have died on missions."

"What do you mean Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked perplexedly, Sasuke finally understood how Kankuro felt, being a puppet master was really fun. And what interesting puppets too.

"I mean," Sasuke said, stressing the second word, "That the Naruto we know is a façade, not the real Naruto. He's been wearing a mask, so to speak, and he's been wearing it for years. But it's slipped once or twice. I've been talking to Iruka-sensei, you've slipped once or twice haven't you, Naruto? And immediately afterwards you would do something extremely stupid and prankster-ish to make up for it and discredit your slip ups wouldn't you? Isn't that why you painted the Hokage monument that one time? Iruka-sensei said you had been acting strange the day before. And there are more instances, but with each passing year they get more and more seldom, but when something huge happens that throws off guard you slip up again. When the sandaime died? And what about when Hinata was nearly killed by her own cousin? There was no goofy smile on your face then, everyone tells me, 'It was so unlike him.' You've been hiding behind that mask since before the academy haven't you?"

Naruto said nothing, his face was resolutely straight, Sasuke faltered a bit. Naruto was supposed to flare up and try to defend his mask till the very end. But the shorter boy didn't say a word, and he didn't look like he was going to for a while now. He was, in fact waiting for where Sasuke was going to go with this, depending on that, he would react. So Sasuke continued.

"On that note I have decided to make you a deal. If you can go seven days and seven nights without your mask I'll never say another unwarranted harsh word against you ever again. But if you trip and fall on your face or fall into a trap it doesn't count, everyone should be told off when they do something stupid, after all."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, "You've put some thought into this. Fine I'll accept your challenge on one condition."

Sasuke smirked, his plan had worked perfectly! "That condition is?"

Naruto smirked, "If I'm going to drop my mask, you drop yours. For seven days and seven nights. No masks, no cheating, you can't just put up your mask when others aren't around and you can't only half ass it either. This is now a test of pride, if you can't hack the real world without your precious mask you lose."

Sasuke hadn't bet on this, but now he couldn't back down. "My mask?" he sneered at Naruto, "What makes you think I have a--"

"Don't bother lying to me. I'm not as stupid as I act, remember?" Naruto said coldly. "So? How 'bout it? My mask for your mask, seven days seven nights. First one to retreat back behind their mask loses. Winner claims the prize of their choice after the week is done. Why the prize of their choice? Because when I win I don't want all that work to be for you not to call me dobe anymore, I've never really cared one way or the other since I realized it was a part of your mask."

Sasuke cursed in his head, but wouldn't show it. "Tomorrow then? Give you one day to cling to your mask before saying goodbye to it for a week?"

Naruto scoffed, "What do I need a grace period for? Isn't the delay more for you? But the day has already started, so tomorrow it is then."

Sasuke snarled and was about to retort when Kakashi turned up in his usual puff of smoke. "Sorry guys! I was lost in a good book."

Automatically, Sakura pointed an accusatory finger at him and shouted "LIAR!"

Naruto cut in. "Actually Sakura, he could actually be telling the truth this time." Sakura, out of sheer shock, deflated immediately.

Sasuke stared at the blonde. What the hell? He said we start tomorrow but he didn't pretend to fall for Kakashi-sensei's lame trick and he called Sakura out for falling for it! Is he starting early to try and show me up? Sasuke mentally shook himself. Think! Sasuke think! You've never actually interacted with Naruto without his mask on; you have to be prepared for everything.

Naruto shot a small smirk at Sasuke, then quickly changed moods, "But that doesn't change the fact that you're late! Pay up!" he shouted pointing at the masked jounin mop-head.

Kakashi's visible eye widened, "That was today? Not fair. And I have a legitimate reason too." Kakashi dug into his pocket and took out his wallet, then threw a wad of cash at the boy. Naruto counted the bills.

"You're short, cheapskate-sensei! You lost the bet, now pay up!" Naruto shouted holding his hand out expectantly. Kakashi scowled, but forked over the rest of the allotted cash. The days mission was a boring D-rank. Team seven was about to go their separate ways and head for home when Naruto stopped Sasuke.

"Meet me at the bridge at dawn. I've been getting tired of my act lately, and I want to see your face when I take off my so called mask." Naruto said flatly, and without further ado. He walked away, tripped fell on his face, turned the corner and was gone.

"Dawn huh?" Sasuke murmered to himself. "Kuso! This is going to be one long, interesting week."

End chapter 1

... What the hell is this? Not even I know. It's a mix of, rock music, watching the end of the "SAVE Rukia!" story arc from Bleach, eating junk food and Mongolian stir fry (which is delicious!), and reading angsty sasunaru fics. O.O scary...

... I was thinking of chapters going day by day but we'll see how that goes. Any other pairing preferences? I take suggetions!

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