Summary: "We're like Romeo and Juliet. Minus the fact that you're not thirteen, our families don't hate each other and we didn't commit a double suicide. You're not planning on faking your death, have me go nuts and poison myself, only to find out you were alive all along right before I die then have you really die...right? I wouldn't put it past you you know." NaruSasu

Enjoy

Sasuke

"I never asked but what was it like being away from me? I know how awesome I am and how you can't live without me – oomph!"

"Idiot. Let me speak and you'll find out."

Rubbing at his stomach, Naruto glared.

Learning Naruto would be gone for the entire summer had me jumping for joy.

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying. Now shut up and listen"

At first all I could think of is I no longer have to share my bed, I wasn't being forced to stay up until four in the morning, "just because", I didn't have to listen to a voice that grated on my ears incessantly.

"So what will your plans be for the summer, Sasuke?" Glancing up from his cereal, Sasuke gave his mother a puzzled look.

"Uhm, do what I usually do?"

"But, sweetheart. Naruto won't be here."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I do have other friends, Mother." She gave him a sweet smile.

"I know, dear. But...aren't you a little sad?"

"About what?" Honestly, all he wanted to do was finish his breakfast, shower, get dressed then head out to Naru - ...oh.

"He'll be fine Mother. Like he says, he does have other friends." Sasuke shot his older brother a wary glance.

"I do have other friends. My world doesn't revolve around Naruto, you know!" Hearing a shot grunt, Sasuke shrunk in his seat.

"Please do not raise your voice at the table, Sasuke." Sasuke looked towards his Father but was only shown the back of that morning's newspaper.

"Yes, Father."

"Well, I think it would be a nice change, playing with other people. You know how much I love little Naru but change isn't a bad thing."

Sasuke didn't realize he was angry until he winced when his nails cut into his skin, he fists were clenched so tight.

"So what are we doing for your birthday this year? It's a special one! You're going to be ten! Oh, my baby is getting s big!"

"Same as every year. The gang will come over for a pool party, you'll make everyone a nice cake and Naruto will end up making me some nasty, horrible, poisonous thing that I can't put in my mouth but I'll pretend to like it anyways, then Naruto will end up keeping me awake all night because you always end up putting too much sugar in your cakes and get him all hyper."

"I thought you liked that cake!"

"I only ate it because you made it for me. The thing was as hard as rock, idiot!"

Sasuke heard Itachi scoff "You obviously haven't been listening, brother. Naruto won't be here for your birthday. He'll be in Quebec."

"Oh please, he'll come back before that. We've never missed a birthday. It's like tradition." When he got no answer, Sasuke looked towards his mother, only to receive a look full of pity. Glancing towards his Father, hoping the man would give him the answer he desired, Fugaku sighed and shook his head.

"I-I'm finished my food. May I be excused?" Before anyone could give an answer, Sasuke was up off his seat and in his room.

"See! I knew you were upset!"

"Whatever."

"Awe, Sasu-bear!"

"What'd I say about calling me that?" the raven growled out.

Chucking, Naruto wrapped his arms around the irritated Uchiha and nuzzled Sasuke's face with his own. "I think it's so cute that you were so upset!"

"Hn, so did Itachi, apparently."

There was a knock on the door but Sasuke ignored it, finding that glaring up at his ceiling was much more important.

"Really, Sasuke. Sulking doesn't suit you."

"I'm not sulking."

"Hm, pouting seems to suit you though."

"I'm not pouting!" Sasuke felt the bed dip as Itachi sat down.

"We've told you time and time again that he wouldn't be here, Sasuke. Why are you now getting upset?"

When Sasuke refused to answer, he latched on to Sasuke's ankles and pulled the younger Uchiha towards him. "You asked for it" Before Sasuke could scramble away, Itachi gripped the young boys sides and started tickling him.

"Hold it!"

"What?"

"Itachi...tickled you?"

"...yes."

Naruto burst out laughing the image in his mind too funny to comprehend.

"Why is that so funny? You know Itachi and how he is."

Wiping at the tears that had collected at the corners of his bright blue eyes, Naruto chuckled. "I know, I know. But sometimes even I see him as the scary, money-hungry man people believe him to be. True, the image goes away instantly why I remember seeing him in a frilly pink apron one year during Christmas, but I never thought he'd ever tickle you! That's just too funny!"

"You think him tickling me is more funny that Itachi Uchiha in a frilly pink apron?"

"Yup" Naruto said, nodding his head enthusiastically.

"Moron".

"Uncle!"

"See? Was that so hard?" Sasuke gave his older brother his most deathly glare. Not that it would work of course. Itachi himself had the scariest glare Sasuke had ever seen, also, when he was lying on his bed panting, eyes watery and cheeks in pain, Sasuke's glare held no power.

"I hate you"

"Yes yes, we know. Now, what's your problem?"

"..."

"Do I need to punish you again?"

"No!" Sasuke yelled, scrambling back away from his brother only to land on a heap on his floor. When he looked up at his brother, he saw the mirth dancing in those dark eyes. "I really hate you."

Itachi just raised a brow. Sighing, Sasuke got back on his bed and held a pillow to his chest. "We...we've never really been apart before. Ever since we met people having been putting us together. We've always been together. Now he's not going to be here for an entire summer and it...it doesn't feel right."

"Keep going"

Clucking his tongue, Sasuke continued. "It's almost like its one big joke. He'll be here tomorrow, and the day after and the day after that. But he won't be and I don't like it. It wasn't until you guys started talking about my birthday that I finally realized that...oh. He won't be here. At first I was happy. An entire summer without the orange blur? Awesome. Then...it wasn't so awesome."

Itachi placed his hand on top of his brother's head and ruffled his hair. "You'll be fine. Like Mother said, it will be a good change. You two rely so much on each other without even realizing. Before you know it, he'll be back and jumping all over the house in no time." Poking Sasuke's forehead, Itachi got up and walked out.

The day Naruto and his family were leaving, Sasuke was like a chicken with its head cut off. He was running all over the house, either trying to keep busy or continuously checking his reflection.

It was his father who stopped him from walking into the bathroom for the twentieth time that morning. "Enough. They'll be here soon. And why do you keep checking how you look? It's just Naruto, not some girl you have a crush on..." Sasuke would have burst out laughing if it weren't for his father grip on his head getting tighter and tighter.

His eyes were as wide as they could go and his mouth was slack. Sasuke started whimpering from the pain, that was when Fugaku released his son and started calling for his wife. Sasuke gave his father a confused look then started walking to the bathroom. Then the doorbell rang.

Sasuke turned on his heel and was running to the door, almost colliding with his mothers back. Giving her son a shaky smile, she opened the door.

"Happy Early Birthday Bastaaaaaa-Mikoto!"

Giggling, Mikoto took the plate from Naruto's arms "Sasuke's right behind me. I'll just go put this in the kitchen."

Sasuke moved back to let both of Naruto's parents in the house then closed the door behind him. Both he and Naruto just stood there on the front steps, neither saying anything.

"I'm sorry I won't be here for your birthday." Naruto said his head down.

"It's fine"

Stealing a glance, Sasuke saw the flash of hurt that passed in Naruto's eyes before the younger boy smiled. "I'll make sure to talk to you though!"

"Who said I wanted you to call me?" This time Naruto didn't hide the hurt or the anger.

"You're such a jerk! Why do I ever bother with you! God!" Naruto was about to run into the house but Sasuke caught his wrist.

He didn't have the courage to look up into those bright blue eyes "I-uhm. Thank you. For the cake. You made it again, right?" Sasuke could practically feel the grin Naruto was now showing, teeth and all.

Looking up, Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Alright. Let's go in so we can have a piece and let our moms take a ridiculous amount of pictures."

"Yeah!"

As they were leaving, the four of us stood at the door to send them off. Kushina had her hand on Naruto's shoulder. He turned back once and before I knew it the idiot had run to us. Reeling back, I stared wide-eyed at his panting form.

Then he hugged me.

He hugged me.

I didn't know what to do. The feel of his arms wrapped around me somehow made me feel safe, in a different way from when my family held me though. It frightened me so I did the only thing that popped into my head.

I pushed him.

I could feel mother's shaking form and knew she was trying not to laugh out loud. Itachi had some weird look on his face and Father looked like is head were about to explode.

"I hate you too, Bastard!" He yelled at me as he ran back to his parents, waving. Rolling my eyes, I was smiling. Nothing like his. Only Naruto had the kind of smile that could warm a person from the inside out. But it seemed to make him happy so I kept it on my face as they drove away even though all I wanted to do was chase after them and bring him back.

Before I knew it the weeks flew by. I had friends over almost every day to pass the time but it wasn't the same without Naruto there.

It was finally July 23rd, my birthday. Like I said, I had the usual gang over for a pool party. Mother went all out with the food as usual, the sun was shining and it was hot out. But no matter how blue the sky was or how hot the sun beat down on my body, something was missing.

It wasn't until half-way through the party that Father pulled me aside and lead me to his office. Thinking I had done something wrong, I was confused when he pushed me in his chair and booted up his computer. Explaining to me that he and Minato had talked, they set up a way for Naruto and I to talk so that we could see each other which I thought was pretty cool.

The moment his face popped up on the screen I felt I could breathe easier. As usual, he couldn't keep his mouth shut so I didn't really hear anything that he said. The thing is, I don't really need to listen to is words, and all I did was listen to his voice. To me, it was like background music. Not the crappy kind you hear in an elevator but the kind you put on when you're home all alone to help you feel safe and not so alone.

"You know, you could at least pretend to be listening to me." That shook me from my thoughts.

"I thought it was my birthday. Why should I be the one listening to you?"

"You never talk!" Touché...

"What if I have something to say?" I smirked. That got him.

"Oh! Sorry! What's up birthday boy?"...or not.

"Stop laughing" I mumbled "it's your fault I have nothing to say!"

"How could it be my fault? I'm in a different province!"

"Exactly!" seeing the confused look on his face I sighed and explained myself. "When you're not here...I've got nothing to talk about. Not that I talk much anyways since you do all the talking for the both of us."

"Sorry 'bout that"

Shrugging my shoulders I said "I don't mind. Like I said, I don't really like talking..." both of us were silent, again not knowing what to say. That is until I heard Kushina burst into the room.

"Naruto! What are you doing on that computer with the door closed?! Are you doing dirty things?" Naruto's face was priceless. I started to laugh, really laugh, as if he were still here. It was then that I realized I hadn't truly laughed since he was here.

"Mom!" I heard him yell, which only made me laugh even harder, clutching my stomach from the pain. "S'not funny, jerk"

"Happy Birthday jerk face!" Squinting at the screen, I saw him give me one last smile before he mother was sitting before me, apologizing over and over again. I just smiled and told her it was no problem. Letting her speak, I couldn't help let the small smile escape.

"Oh Sasu! You were too cute as a kid! We should have done this years ago!"

Sasuke pushed Naruto off of him and jumped off the couch. "So you're saying you like me better as a child?" Turning to face his distraught lover, Sasuke smirked "Peeeedddoooooo" letting the word roll off his tongue Sasuke started laughing and ran out the back door, a screaming Naruto on his heels.

Hope you all liked it! And sorry for taking so long to update.
Bad Maria. Bad!
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