asgardmeridiem | We are never, ever, ever, getting back together.

We are never, ever, ever, getting back together.

Who: Naruto Uzumaki & Sasuke Uchiha
What: Things
When: Day 343
Where: Somewhere in some district.
Rating: PG-13 for dumb ninja bfs

He was still sulking. Only, it wasn't really sulking at all because he had a totally valid reason for moping around over the last few days. His last meeting with Sasuke had gone terribly, and adjusting to a life that didn't involve at least seeing his best friend for something to eat at least was taking it's toll on him.

It wasn't that he needed to spend time with Sasuke, or anyone else for that matter to be the happy, carefree individual that he tended to be. Only, he couldn't possibly hold on to that carefree feeling. There was absolutely nothing he could do to make Sasuke stop blaming him for what had happened, and by this point, Naruto was beginning to feel completely and utterly at fault, despite Gaara's reassurances, and those of the other people who had been affected deeply by the events of the previous week.

So, he's wandering through the city, trying to find something to occupy his mind with. He wasn't needed at the job he'd managed to get himself, and he vaguely wondered if that was because of all the mistakes he'd made the other day... perhaps he was on the hunt for a job, or to bump into a friendly face. Anything to make him stop thinking about that.

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Sasuke didn't care. If Naruto was going to overreact to some offhand comment, why should he waste his time and energy going after him to fix it?

Okay, so maybe the little 'offhand comment' had been a snide remark referring to the blond's murderous habits of the week previous, but still. Sasuke had spoken to him, followed him, even sat down to eat some of that god damn ramen with him so it wasn't as if he hadn't made any effort. He'd done nothing wrong and Naruto was just over-reacting again, like he does with everything.

Which is why, ever since that day at the festival, Sasuke had intentionally avoided having any contact with him. In retrospect this.. wasn't actually any different to how things usually were since Sasuke practically never visited or messaged Naruto anyway. The only difference was the radio silence which irritated him even more- not just because it meant that Naruto was actually angry over this but also for petty reasons. How is he meant to ignore all his messages if they are never sent?

Anyway as he was outside, making his way home from somewhere and thinking over all this stuff, Sasuke looks up at the street ahead and happens to see a familiar ninja walking towards him.

Immediately he frowns. Even more than he had been already. Great.

It was a good job that they weren't actually talking about any of this, because he definitely hadn't been over reacting to anything.

He'd thought it was all fine, perhaps that Sasuke had really forgiven him, which he didn't think was too much to ask for since everyone else seemed to accept that the things they'd done weren't their fault. He was mad, sure... but also hurt.

Naruto didn't spot Sasuke right away, too busy looking at one of the signs in a nearby shop window. When he read the part that said 'experience required' at which point he was pouting when he turned away.

Not the best thing when he was met with the sight of one Uchiha Sasuke. His eyes widened, but instantly he frowned, folded his arms and turned his head away... except the way he was looking at Sasuke out of the corner of his eyes as he went past.

He wasn't going to say anything first. Nope. Sasuke's watching the entire time as he continues to walk forward, eyes fixed on Naruto. But he doesn't say anything.

Not even as he steps right past the other ninja.

"Tch"

It's all that is heard, let out under his breath as he turns his head away.

They're probably inches from each other when they finally wander past, closer perhaps than they are even when they used to intentionally walk together.

But Sasuke's sound makes him huff loudly, glancing across at his friend and then turning his head away completely.

If Sasuke isn't going to say anything, he isn't going to say anything either. He definitely isn't going to look back over his shoulder either.

Nope, yes he is. Only for a moment though, just to check, but Sasuke's still walking away from him.

There's that awkward moment where Sasuke looked over his shoulder to spot Naruto doing the very same, looking back at him.

But he still doesn't say anything. He quickly turns back but stops walking for just a moment, mostly because now he does expect something to be said.

Perhaps it's the fact that Sasuke is looking at him too that makes him keep looking. So he sees when his friend stops, and for a moment he does the same, turning to one side to better look at him.

"That's all you got?" Because scoffing at him is a much less painful than the last words they'd exchanged.

Sasuke does the same, not yet willing to turn around and fully face the other ninja.

"Why? Going to run off and sulk again if I say anything else?" Like the last time.

His heartbeat is thudding in his head by the time Sasuke obviously turns to consider him, and the words that come pinch, but not nearly as badly as the last time.

"You wanna keep blamin' me for somethin' that ain't my fault?"

This time turns around and practically sneer in Naruto's direction.

"Didn't I already tell you I knew it wasn't all your fault?" All. You still stuck the knife in him. Literally. Though he knows it wasn't fully on purpose and acknowledged this.

Easily frustrated by Naruto as always, the next line is said on purpose, just to strike at that open wound.

"You want me to keep blaming you? 'Cause I can do that just fine."

The moment Sasuke turns, he does the same. There's no way he would ever let Sasuke have the upper hand in something like this, and he knows now he's getting his attention at least.

"Yeah, an' then like five minutes later you were... talkin' about it again."

Five minutes, an entire day. It's all the same thing.

Also, ow.

"Can't you just stop-- bein' a dick about everythin' all the time?"

It's less of a frown, all over again. Instead, there's that hurt look. The one you can totally gloss over.

"Stop being so sensitive." He made some comment about it, sure. But he made it as he was sitting down planning to have some of your precious fucking ramen so the odds are it wasn't meant to be serious, that much should have been obvious.

As for that last remark, the scowl on his face manages to worsen, the stare he is giving Naruto turning hard and cold.

"Just because I acknowledged that it isn't your fault, that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."

The step he takes is the first time he intentionally moves toward Sasuke, reaching out a hand and sweeping it across him at Sasuke.

"You think I'm happy about it?" The pathetic look is gone, thankfully - but there's a fire in his eyes all over again. Sasuke is the most important person to him, and sometimes he wonders if even the village is a close second in his grand scheme of things.

It's what makes this all so much worse. "I remember everythin' too, but they ain't my-- they ain't my feelin's but I feel it, 'cause I was there doin' that stuff. You keep bringin' it up like I don't know."

He'd go on... but he's not sure Sasuke needs to know that it keeps him up at night.

The moment Naruto steps forward so does Sasuke.

"Then what? What, Naruto." He's losing patience again and the stress is obvious in his voice.

It wasn't as if the whole ordeal hadn't taken its toll on him either, but for very different reasons. Mostly over how he had let himself begin to believe all those stupid peptalks. or how he'd let his guard down enough that he let his closest friend kill him without even putting up a fight. And why didn't he? He could have, if he had tried harder.

"What is it you're asking me to do? Forget about it like it never happened?" Not happening.

He pauses, mid step and sets his foot down, eyes fixed on Sasuke. That voice is one he's heard before - many times. It's strange that the sound brings him some kind of comfort.

Even he struggled to understand their friendship, but he knew for sure that he didn't want it to continue like this.

"I don't know why don't you-- make it even?"

"Make it even?" It surprises Sasuke enough for a split second of confusion to pass over his face before it returns to cold stare. He's trying to determine if this was some sort of joke... but he can sense the seriousness.

Which causes him to scoff once again because was this guy for real? "Make it even? What, you want me to kill you? To slice you open and leave you, to watch as there's nothing you can do about it? Would that make you feel better?"

He can see the surprise, no matter how quickly it passes, and maybe he knows it's a ridiculous thing to ask of him, but he'd spoken to Sam about it and... it was sort of her suggestion.

Only minus the death part.

But--

"Would it make you feel better?"

Despite his words Sasuke is thinking more along the lines of fighting rather than actual killing. Would it make him feel better? Short term, yes. But in the long run, no. Probably not, anyway.

"Is that your solution to everything? Let people beat the shit out of you?: He remembers what was Naruto had said about Karui. About letting her punch him half to death just because he felt bad for her or whatever the hell it was.

This was exactly what he'd been afraid of. Sasuke wasn't stupid, and although getting beaten up hadn't really helped Karui, he thought perhaps things might have been different for his supposed best friend.

Sasuke has a way of being able to point out the flaws in pretty much everything he does though.

"No."

He pauses, taking a breath and puffing it out. "You're angry though, right? Might help."

He's moving closer again. No matter how long they have known each other he never understands the way Naruto thinks. Why he even offered up such a moronic suggestion, or the fact that he seems to think it could actually help. He doesn't get it and it frustrates the hell out of him.

He doesn't say anything, but now he is within reaching distance and an arm suddenly darts out, grabbing the collar of Naruto's jacket and yanking it forward. He doesn't say anything but he doesn't need to- the expression on his face, full of anger and frustration and the temptation to just hit him is all there.

He shouldn't be alarmed that he'd been grabbed, but it shows on his face no matter what he might say later. The step it takes to close the gap and be held where Sasuke demands it is tricky, if only because he really doesn't want to fall right now, but he's upright, and instantly reaching up to curl his fingers around Sasuke's forearm.

This is it though, isn't it. The tables and turned, and it will help right? If Sasuke can just take out all that anger and hate on him, that will make everything right again. For the moment. The other stuff will come, eventually...

"G'on."

The words barely have time to leave Naruto's mouth before Sasuke's clenched fist is flying forward. He wants this? Then fine.

There's a sharp thud as it makes contact with the blond's cheek. Enough to make Naruto tilt backwards before the hand on his collar is yanking him forward again before letting go.

"Better? Or you need another?"

Edited 2013-10-20 00:43 (UTC)

He barely has the time to brace himself, which adds to the pain that explodes the moment Sasuke's fist connects with his cheek. As if his hiss of pain wasn't enough, when Sasuke finally lets go of him he reaches up to touch, dropping it again seconds later.

He can taste blood.

"... Ow. That was ha--"

It was supposed to be, he's sure.

"Do you feel better?"

"No."

He's still annoyed, pissed off, everything else that he was feeling thirty seconds ago. Nothing has changed.

Except now his hand hurts too, dammit.

As for Naruto, he's still nursing his cheek and moving his jaw in strange directions to see if it helps get any feeling back in it.

"... Oh."

Crap.

Well, there's only one thing for it right? This is how it's always been.

and that's a fist flying your way, Sasuke.

He isn't expecting it, not after the whole 'hit me and feel better' deal. Which is why he isn't even looking at Naruto when he finds himself stumbling backwards, eyes wide with shock before he feels the burning pain in his nose and realises what has happened.

Falling backwards a couple steps before regaining his balance, his fist immediately curls up again, aiming back at Naruto's face once again. A foot also kicks out, aiming to sweep past the other ninja's feet and cause him to fall.

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remember when they were going to just keep on walking and not talk oops

yeah about that SORRY

B)

X(

X-(

X((((

>:|

>:| yourselfffff

no u

er no

uh yes

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