Chapter One: Love to Hate

Author's Notes: This is a fiction that I had written out before my mother passed away, and after some long and thoughtful consideration, I figured I would post it. This is something completely different from my writing, but I wanted to try it at the time. This is simply now, something to hopefully tide you over till I can truly get back into the swing of writing. I do not know how long that will be. This is the hardest thing I've ever been through and I'm still trying to comprehend a lot, and trying to get into her role and take care of everything. No, this does not mean I'm giving up on fanfiction (and you can take a minute to thank my muses for that). But, I might have to take a longer break than I ever have before to get my head on straight. Is that a surefire thing? No. Everything is up in the air right now, and all I can hope for is that you all will stick by me.
-Nevi

Also: This is like most of my fictions and starts off as a comedy and trickles off. I know certain things shouldn't be happening (like interrupting the POV) but I was having fun and being creative. Try and respect that.

Disclaimer: I don't make money from writing this fiction. I turn the cast of Naruto into puppets for a temporary amount of time and tos my sanity out of the window.

Warnings: Nothing dire. It's rated T because I do that from time to time. So yeah, no lemon.

Chapter One: Love to Hate

Dedication: This fiction is dedicated to my two muses Jen and Taylor, GaaraRocks101 and Thuggy Ninjette for the thoughtful condolences they sent me. Thank you so very much for unknowingly giving me a push to come back to my haven of writing.

I always remember hating him. Uchiha Sasuke, I hated him. Why, I really can't pin point the exact reason. Now, Uzumaki's are loving people, and everyone will tell you that I, Naruto, can get along with everyone, and like all, but not him. I just knew, from the first moment upon seeing the bastard, I hated him. Maybe he was everything I hated, or he had everything I ever wanted, either way, I had some sudden urge to punch him. He transferred out of privet school into my public school, and here's the catch, our families new each other. It took us two days to get into our first argument.

Sixteen seconds after that for us to get into our first fist fight, and despite what thirteen eyewitness reports of my fellow students say, I did not throw the first punch. Yeah, I kicked him, I punched him, and I might have managed to bite off a chuck of his shoe, but I didn't throw the first punch.

I get their argument. Sasuke is a role student; top of the class, douchbag, some how class president, prick, on the track team and the soccer team, walks like a duck, and every single person loves him. Amazing how he can climb up the high school latter so quickly, huh? I swear my gag reflex wants to check me when the bastard walks into view.

You know, for someone who is so 'perfect', that halo of his sure looks like a little rain cloud. Seriously, emo kids piss me off. What do you have to be sad about? Mom forget to give you allowance? Shit, my mom just bitched at me to get a second job, so shut up. Did your flat iron die, because I bet you'd jump off a cliff if you had my hair? You know how I do my hair, I don't. Oh, I know, one of those whiney bitch bands pushed back their CDs, that's why you're so mad at the world. Come on. Smile, would you? It isn't such a big deal. It's a pretty fun thing, you know, life. Crazy theory, right? See, that was all Sasuke. Rich parents, four hour hair style, and I know he listens to cats dying. What? That's what it sounds like.

And Sasuke never smiles. That's my cue for Armageddon. The bastard would smile a real smile. I've seen the dick smirk a lot. You know, the condescending type of shit, and man does it get under my skin. So thumbs up for being a jackass.

But, every teacher loves him. They coo about how he's 'perfect' and 'smart' and blah, blah and I just vomited. All the guys are jealous, and all the girls fight over him. Okay, seriously? I look better than him, thank you very much. Black eyes – boring. Pretty baby blues – hello yours truly. Black hair – boring. Hairstyle – fruitloop. Seriously, I don't know what this kid was thinking.

But hey, bright blond hair with that just sexed up look – right here! Pale gross skin. Ew. B-e-a-utiful skin? Tan? Gorgeous? Me. My friend Shikamaru is twice as smart and five times lazier. But none of the teachers really give him a lot of credit for his brain power. Hell, girls used to fawn over my friend Neji just as bad till Sasuke arrived. Kiba is captain of the football team and
I don't think anyone knows his last name thanks to Sasuke. So, despite the doom show he puts on, I think he's also an attention whore.

Speak of the devil.

I wonder if I can coax the lion out of the den today.

"Hey teme."

Ever since I transferred to that damn school there has been one burden, one annoyance, and one person that has been driving me up the wall.

Uzumaki Naruto.

For some reason this dobe has made me some sort of target. Like I needed someone else doing that to me. Like he picked me out of the crowd and decided to annoy the hell out of me because the forecast said bright and sunny with a high of idiocy. Everything about him pisses me off. From the first loud, obnoxious, ear splitting words that admitted out of his mouth, down to the bright and ear aching clothes he wore. I couldn't stand him.

It was like some God put him on this Earth just to get under my skin. Every single person laughed at all his dumb antics, poor jokes, and stupid pranks. He acted like he was two and had the brain capacity half the age. Why he picked the fight with me, I really wasn't sure. I was still new and this idiot wants to shout insults in front of the whole class. I had sense enough to sit down and ignore him. Two days later some cord in me snapped, and getting in his face seemed satisfying, till his fist was swinging.

Yeah, no prim and proper Sasuke here. I slammed his head on a desk. I'll admit it. And I might have managed to get acrylic paint magically on the ugliest orange shirt on the planet, but it was in self defense.

I'll always remember I hated Naruto from the beginning.

All the way through high school. All the way up to graduation day. The biggest scene in the history of Konoha High was made due to us. I mean, what do you expect when the dobe is around? I was making my speech and the dumbass decides to get up, yell, run around and throw things. I shouldn't have jumped off the stage, but I did.

"Who knew bastard's could fly?"

"Let me tell my side of the story dobe."

"Yeah, yeah."

Every time I look at my diploma, I wonder how I managed to get my hands on it. We were arrested for the fight, being on public property this time as we somehow managed to wonder away from the place were the ceremony was held.

And now, this.

"He whines."

"And you're just fucking annoying."

I really don't know how it managed to happen. The situation where Sasuke and I managed to get close, well, technically that's a lie. That's why we're here together telling you the story. But, yeah, you're hearing me loud and clear folks. Sasuke and I, close. Like buddy and friends close. Crazy, huh? This guy who I fought every other day including weekends - hospital included - somehow became my damn friend. Oh toilet Gods be good to me! I shall throw up in your basin today!

Anyway…

I told you how the bastard and I met, and we hated each other all through high school and we had some obsession with visiting the Principle's Office. Something happened in college. I got myself into a pretty bad pickle. Who would have thought, right? Yeah, me. I mean, I've gotten myself into some trouble. Like the time I got stuck on the water tower. Or when I locked myself in the trunk of my car. But this one was bad.

And the person that was there to save me was Sasuke. Fucking bullshit, right? Why not Sakura? Or Tsunade? They can hit twice as hard and look three times as good doing it. Or hell, I'll shoot for my dad over the teme. He always gives that 'father look' that scares me from fifty yards away. But here I am, with a gun to my face, and who has the Indiana Jones theme music practically blasting from his ass?

It was when we were both still in our freshman year. University and all that crap. My father bought me an apartment off campus, but the stipulations apparently weren't laid out in front of me. I didn't know there was going to be a roommate involved let alone the most annoying, idiotic person on Earth. I'm betting my brother was behind it. He thought it was funny seeing us together. Something about murder lit a fire in his eyes. But I was so swamped with keeping my grades up for my scholarship I didn't have time to bother with the dobe.

"I had to keep my grades up because of football!"

"Real dedication to your education."

Between the classes and the Library, I only went back to the apartment to sleep. I barely ever saw the little idiot, and you guessed it, the dipshit always picked a fight.
You'd think he'd outgrow it, but apparently not. And, apparently I'm not the only person he did it with.

I mean, walking back, I could hear the dobe from a distance. A part of me wanted to keep walking, and leave him to his business. He sure as hell liked to pick fights enough. When I heard the sentence 'Let's kill the little shit' it slapped even me across the face. Sure enough, Naruto picked the wrong fight, with the wrong guys. If the day came when the dumbass learned to keep his mouth shut, I'd take it as my cue for Armageddon.

Don't listen to him. I had a damn good reason to talk to them! Who beats up on a woman? She was screaming for help, and apparently my superhero theme song died about halfway through because turning the corner about two guys turned to eight. I still kept yelling so she could get away, and while my heart sung a hero's song, my brain screamed that she better be calling the cops.

But, it didn't seem like it mattered.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!"

Brilliant line, right? I know damn well the ugly mugged guy closest to me heard the shaking in my voice, but hell, wouldn't you? There was an immediate uproar of voices, and they all took a step forward in a threatening way, and I swore my bladder threatened to spill in a chicken-shit sort of way. What? I have my moments!

"What kind of man hurts a girl! You fucking cowards."

Ever heard of provoking something? Yeah, there I go again. And this time it wasn't Sasuke. Every time I look back on it, two years later, those sentences seem dumber. I think it's because
I pushed the buttons of eight very grown, very scary looking guys.

The second I heard the words, "What the fuck is your problem?" I had I feeling I interrupted the wrong thing, but even if Sasuke didn't save me, I knew I did the right thing. Well, until I heard the metal slide of a gun.

"Let's kill the little shit."

Yeah, wrong damn fight.

"Uhh…"

Yeah, brilliant comeback, right? That's what I said as I back into a wall. Awesome plan, you know? Have you ever had eight behemoths staring you down like you're dinner? It's pretty scary. I think, at the time, I was wondering if my dad was going to resurrect me just to beat me himself.

But then I felt the cold of the barrel being pressed against my forehead, and I went cold.

Did he tell you about that stupid look on his face? Probably not.

When I walked behind CVS, he looked like he was about to cry. No, that was not the reason I helped the little shit.

"Liar!"

"Go back to the Fox Cave, dobe."

"Fuck you, bastard!"

Anyway, I did the one thing I shouldn't have done. I opened my mouth. Yeah, that's right, I helped. I helped the one person in this entire world who I didn't want to help. The one person in this world who I couldn't stand.

"The fuck are you doing?"

Brilliant line, right?

Can you guess what happens next?

Yup, I got the bastard shot. The gun going off made me duck, but it took me a blink of an eye to tackle the guy to the ground. It felt like a second later the police were there, and somehow, I ended up on my knees with more guns pointed up me. More crap happened.

"Tell them the story idiot."

"I'll tell it how I want to."

"Hn."

All right, since princess butter cup here is going to whine, I'll tell you. Maybe because he gets off on my humiliation.

"Your humiliation is my drug."

"Bastard."

"Idiot."

ANYWAY! I'm guessing some clerk heard all the commotion just with me for the cops to get there so quickly when Sasuke was shot. I was tackled to the ground, face first, and put in handcuffs. I was lined up on my knees with the jack fucks that shot the bastard. Which by the way, I forgot had happened up until that point. I was so blinded by trying to distract them that I forgot.

The EMT's were all over him and I couldn't get a clear view, and without even realizing it, some officer was taking me out of my cuffs and apologizing saying something about doing his job. I'll admit that part was a haze. People shouting, officers and medical teams everywhere. Someone came up to me and shouted something about being grazed by a bullet, and here is a life lesson kids. Don't get in a scuffle with someone who has a gun.

"Sixteen stitches later and that's all you've got to say?"

"If you're going to get your enemies shot, make it count."

I don't remember a lot. I remember the loudest sound I've ever heard in my life, instantly followed by the worst pain in my life.

"Pussy."

"Yeah, and Superman here cried."

"Did not!"

Take a fire poker and let it sit in the fire for an hour. What I then want you to do is to take it and shove right near your shoulder, left side. That's where I was shot. Front side, left side of my body, near my shoulder and it shattered my collar bone just to add a point. I blacked out, and I'll tell you that before he does.

"Damn straight I'll tell them."

Well, each time I came to, what I see is there is the same blond idiot babbling next to me, bloody bandages across his chest the entire time with EMT's yelling at him. Always moaning about killing me. Fuck he whines a lot. It's ten times worse when he's upset.

"I thought I got you killed jackass. Do you have a soul?"

"No."

I don't remember a single part of arriving at the hospital, anything about being in the emergency room – anything. When I woke up, someone was next to my bed.

He's flattering himself, I was dead sleep.

"With your head on my bed."

The doctor's worried me sick with this crap about 'blood loss' and 'surgery' and 'serious' and all that crap. What worried me even more was calling his father. See, my dad could give a look, but Sasuke's dad has it just stuck there. Like he sniffed something foul and never forgot it.

"Watch it dobe."

"Just quoting you."

But yeah, here we are. Crazy right? We met each other's parents for the first time that day. Despite how many times they met each other, and despite how well they knew each other, we met them. My mom was hysterical, and when she hugged I about cried from the pain. My dad and Sasuke's dad talked to the cops that had shown up to talk to the bastard and I. Two father looks bought us time to get our bearings and get this doped up bastard time to get off the drip. That's how you get all Uchiha-ness out the window folks. Morphine. By the way, I saw Armageddon coming. Fucking freaky.

Have you tried not to smile while hooked up to that crap? I heard Armageddon that day too. Once I realized Naruto hadn't said a word in three hours, I figured I was fine with the world ending. At least it would be peaceful.

"My voice is angelic."

"That angel sounds like it got punched in the throat."

He was released the next day, and I followed eventually. We went to court, we recovered, and we moved on. But…

"Yeah, yeah…I get it. I'll go to my room."

Things changed. Awkwardly. They changed. When I realized simple tasks were practically impossible, he taunted me with the usual things of fan girls. When I came home the first day back from class with a ripped shirt, a missing shoe, and one of my pant legs gone, he changed pretty quickly.

Idiots have hearts.

All the embarrassing stuff. I know he won't tell you about it. He'll just say we changed and leave it at that. Well, I'm a damn good friend. I helped him type up his papers since he always looked like he was going to cry. He needs to give up that pride thing, you know? After I realized he wore the same shirt four days in a row, I started helping him change his shirt. I got a few death threats but it was better than smelling him. I started helping him changing the bandages because it just looked difficult. I saved him from his brother taking him to get all his medication, and did you know that his antibiotics smell like rotten eggs?

So, my days of hanging out at the apartment doing jack shit of nothing turned into looking out for Sasuke. Yeah, I know it seems damn comical, but it is what it is. I carried his bag instead of those insane ass fangirls. Scary. And I know what you're thinking. You're a bitch. No, I'm not. I owe this bastard my life. This jacked-up stupid son of a bitch, the guy I started hating, I end up owing my life. I got kicked off the football team for him, lost my scholarship and everything because I was too busy looking out for him. It doesn't matter.

So we ended up spending almost every waking moment together. Of course we're going to end up being friends. What more do you expect?

Oohh. OH! I know what you're getting at.

Like him? You mean…what the fuck is wrong with you? Just because he helped me do all that stuff? Because we spent all that time together? I mean…

Well, it was a good time. It was fun. I got a best friend out of it, you know? But…

I can't answer that.

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Author's Note:
I need to know if you all want me to label when it's Naruto and when it's Sasuke (if it's too confusing for some).
I haven't planned the post dates for this considering I'm still trying to wrap up the last chapter, but I'm going to try and space it out just a little – again – so I can tide you all over till I come back.
With love,
Nevi