A/N: This is something that just grabbed ahold of me and would not let go! It's something out of my usual style of writing, and it's my first Naruto story, much less SasuNaru (well, implied), so I hope it turned out okay...

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or characters.

Warning: Depression.

Derision Chapter One:
Departure

The wind whipped around him fiercely, catching strands of his golden hair and assaulting his tanned, whiskered face with them. Dull, resigned eyes stared lifelessly up at the ominous clouds above him. He shivered, his usual response to an impending storm. His chilled hands remained in the pockets of his orange cargo pants in an attempt to absorb some warmth from his legs.

Naruto thought back to the days when he had something to be happy about, something to breathe life into him. The simple things like eating Ramen at Ichiraku's, training with Team Seven or anyone in Rookie Nine, his dream of becoming Hokage, faithfully following his own nindo…The harsh reality of his existence had nearly dragged that joy out of him. It had beaten the cruel realization into his very veins that he would never truly belong anywhere.

Monster.

That's what everyone called him. And why not? It's what he was; it's what his body contained. The monster, the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

That's why he couldn't blame them: the villagers. They were doing what was right. Or at least, what was right in their minds. Run out the monster and everything will be fine. Run out the monster and there will no longer be any problems.

If only it were that easy.

Naruto knew better than anyone that life was not that simple. By running him out of the village, Konoha would be damning itself. How many criminals avoided the village like the plague simply because of the fact that the 'Kyuubi boy' resided there? How many avoided it because the son of the famous Fourth Hokage was among them? There were too many for the teen to count.

Eyelids closing over his azure eyes, once so full of potential, he allowed a small sigh to pass through his slightly parted lips before opening the orbs once more. Bringing his gaze down from the clouds, he took one last glimpse at the gates of Konohagakure and, despite knowing what he was, couldn't help but allow one thought to pass across his mind: they're making a mistake.

Turning his back on the place he had called home for seventeen years, he hefted his bag up higher on his back with his right hand, praying that he would find a place to stay before the rain hit.

Thinking back, the young male remembered the events that had lead up to his imminent exile. He had seen it coming. Hell, everyone had seen it coming. The fucking village Elders and their cowardice—they would never have allowed Naruto to stay even this long if it weren't for Tsunade and her sisterly affections towards him.

He allowed a small, sad smile to tilt his lips momentarily as he thought about how flustered she'd been when he'd told her that he was going to leave without a fight. She couldn't wrap her mind around the thought that Naruto—stubborn, hyperactive ninja that he was—would just give up without a struggle. Truth was…he was tired.

He was tired of always having to kick, scream, and claw his way through things to gain the rights and privileges that were freely given to other Konoha citizens. He was tired of walking through crowds and having people part for him, not out of respect or politeness, but out of fear or disgust. He was tired of being mocked or laughed at when he made a foolish mistake. He was tired of not having the courage to tell those who made fun of him that he messed up on purpose, in order to gain a little attention, even if that attention was negative.

But most of all, he was tired of hiding. Of hiding his affection for his teammate, one that would surely be looked down upon and seen as a sin, especially since it was him, the demon child, who possessed these feelings.

But that's not how Naruto saw it. The teen clung to the emotions evoked in him by his comrade, holding on to them for dear life, desperately hoping for a reason to stay sane in a village where he has really only known hatred.

Sasuke.

Yes, he had fallen in love with the stoic Uchiha. And why not? He was everything that Naruto had ever wanted to be, ever wanted to have: his cool aloofness, the sympathetic looks as opposed to disgust, the way he could be so cold and yet have so many admirers. Naruto had to work so hard in order to get someone to see the real him, whereas Sasuke didn't even try.

And yet…that was only what drew Naruto to him: that natural pull. What had made him fall in love was the fact that Sasuke treated him as an equal. Sure, he would look down on him and call him 'dobe' in that cold tone of his, he would insult him in a way that would piss the blonde off to no end and try all that much harder, but Naruto could sense the underlying fondness, no matter how miniscule.

If you asked, he couldn't tell you just when it was that he'd fallen in love. Maybe when he'd first met the Uchiha, maybe when they'd accidentally kissed, he didn't know. What he did know was that the realization had only hit when the boy had left.

He had left with Orochimaru in order to kill his brother, Itachi. Naruto had felt the full force of his feelings then, and was nearly paralyzed with grief, yet he would not allow it to show in any way other than the sadness of losing a best friend. He had to be strong in order to get Sasuke back, in order to fulfill the promise he'd made to Sakura, and in order to keep himself from crumbling to pieces.

It had taken three years, but he'd succeeded in the summer of his fifteenth year. He wasn't sure how exactly it had happened…but it had. And Naruto was grateful for that. The Jinchuuriki was beginning to lose hope, beginning to lose himself in sorrow and pain.

The relief at Sasuke being home was short-lived, however. He soon discovered that the Uchiha was not the same as he was when he'd left. He was colder, not that he was kind to begin with, but he'd always give subtle hints, at least towards Naruto, to show that he cared.

But no more. Sasuke avoided Naruto like Naruto imagined one would avoid the Grim Reaper. And that's when Naruto's world shattered. He had lost his one grounding force to life. He no longer cared what happened from that point on. He didn't try to prove the villager's wrong about himself; didn't try to show them that it was not he who was the monster, that the true monster was merely taking up residence inside him. He just…shut off all his emotions, one by one.

There was one emotion that he could not dispel, much to his displeasure: his love for the Uchiha. He found that it was stronger than any feeling he had ever felt. Naruto believed it to be both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that he had something to hold onto, something to make him feel human. But it was a curse for that same reason. If he were human, he could be hurt. And he was sick of being hurt.

So when the Ambu had come to his ragged apartment, demanding that he come before the Elders, he had not protested, had not questioned their right to be there, their right to take him away from his home. Instead, he had gone quietly and cooperatively, only to be brought before the Council for a trial. One that Naruto honestly didn't believe he deserved. And yet he still said nothing about the situation. Why? Why hadn't he spoken up?

The answer was simple: he was done. Done with everything, anything, nothing. Confusing, yes, but when was anything in his life ever anything but?

When he arrived, he noticed that nearly every ninja in the village was there, save for the guards that were constantly posted at the gates. Like a magnet, his blue eyes found and locked with those of dark onyx even before his gaze rested upon the Hokage and Elders. Not even a trace of worry lay in their depths and despite wishing otherwise, Naruto felt a pang in his chest at the knowledge that Sasuke just didn't care.

He dragged his eyes away from his secret love's with an effort and focused on his superiors. He knew what this was about. He had been warned that if he chose to continue training, continue growing stronger, then despite the fact that he had shown nothing but loyalty towards his village, he would be perceived as a threat.

And he was. Naruto was declared guilty and, ignoring the protests of Lady Tsunade and the small group of friends he had managed to acquire, the Elders sentenced him to live a life of exile, never to return to the village.

After the trial, he had been escorted back to his apartment to gather his things. He was permitted no visits, no way to say goodbye, and he was to leave immediately. Unjust as it was, he walked along meekly and quietly, providing no resistance.

Naruto turned his gaze to the ground, coming out of his thoughts. And that's how he had ended up in his current situation.

His right hand still on the strap of his bag, he pulled his other out of his pocket. Bringing it up to his face, he stared at it for a moment before reaching it up and pulling off his headband. The precious headband that he had procured from the first person to ever care about him: Iruka-sensei.

Looking at it, he felt his throat clench and his eyes sting, yet he refused to allow himself to cry, at least not until he was safely away from the village where he would not be seen. He would give them no more reason to ostracize him.

Running his thumb gently, shakily, over the smooth coldness of the metal, he had to fight the rare bout of rage he felt as the pad of his digit passed over the now jagged mar in the forehead protector he had so lovingly taken care of. Across the Leaf Village symbol was a jagged slash mark; the mark of a rogue. The mark of a traitor.

And yet what had Naruto ever done to be branded as such? Exist? The blonde allowed a bitter laugh to escape his throat. Yes, just because he was born into this life, he was hated. The Gods must be laughing at him right now, at how his life turned out. Poor little Uzumaki Naruto, his life was fucked before it even began.

The laughter died quickly, but a wry, strained smile remained before that, too, dissipated.

Turning on his heel, he began to walk away even while he replaced the headband in its former position. Sometimes…sometimes he had thought of leaving the village. Of packing up and forming a new life for himself in some other village, some other country, even, where no one knew him, knew what he was. But foolish as he was, he had believed that he could open the people's eyes, show them that he was just like the rest of him.

Idiot.

That's what he was; nothing but an idiot. How naïve he had been in thinking that he could change anyone's views on him. It was laughable. Yet Naruto surely was not laughing. Far from it.

His left hand deeply tucked in his pocket once more, his right fisted around the strap of his bag, Naruto lowered his head and halted in his tracks, furious breaths causing his chest to heave violently. And now he was marked as a traitor. Everywhere he went now, it would be known who he was, what he'd done, what was inside him. And it was all because he was too much of a coward to leave all those years ago. Hell, even a day ago would have spared him the humiliation.

But…damn! Tears flowed freely now down the blonde's cheeks, despite his earlier resolve to not allow it. Swiping at them harshly, almost to the point of brutality, he took deep, calming breaths before continuing on his way, never to look back…