Disclaimer: The characters of Naruto and settings are all owned by Masashi Kishimoto not me.

-Epilogue-

"GYAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The loud obnoxious voice coming from the Konoha village was no one other than Naruto.

He laughed at his piece of work with a wide grin. It was the graffiti on the wall of the great Hokages. The 3rd Hokage's assistants were scolding at Naruto from below, but Naruto mind it. It was an every day thing.

"SHUT UP YOU IDIOTS! None of you guys could do something this horrible. But I can! I am incredible!" Naruto says so proudly and then continues on with his graffiti until he catches off balance from certain voice.

Iruka sensei breathes in deeply and shouts at the top of his lungs, " WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING DURING CLASS TIME? GET DOWN HERE, YOU MORON-!"

"Guys! Listen up! I'm gonna be the greatest Hokage in Konoha-ttebayo! So guys! Be prepared for the great Uzumaki Naruto~!"

The usual hyperactive joker once again screamed out his speech like every other day with the most enthusiasm compared to the rest of the classmates after his performance of 'sexy no jutsu' and getting scolded at Iruka sensei again, including the continuation of the lecture on the subject of the graffiti. Everybody sighed and some of them told him to shut up but Naruto ignored them giving everybody a wide smile and big thumbs up sign. Iruka shouted into Naruto's face with such extreme that Naruto squints his eyes from the wind and his hair blew back with a huge force.

The whole class started to laugh at Naruto and Naruto gave a pout to Iruka sensei.

"It's not like its permanent~ and besides, they aren't good enough for the great Uzumaki Naruto! I'm gonna surpass them all!" Naruto demanded, grinning but a furious shout was thrown back at him full force.

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU SURPASS THEM OR NOT IT IS YOUR DUTY TO RESPECT THEM AND STOP WITH THESE FOOLISH PRANKS RIGHT NOW OR I WILL STUFF YOU INTO THE FISH TANK UNTIL YOU BECOME A FISH AND I'LL KEEP YOU THERE SO I CAN KEEP AN EYE ON YOU 24/7 SO YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF MY SIGHT TO PULL PRANKS EVER AGAIN!"

Naruto glanced at the small fish bowl tank that was on Iruka sensei's desk and had a small eye contact with the fish who seemed to say don't come into my personal bubble.

"Awwww, but Iruka sensei... If you do that, then I can't train and become the greatest Hokage in Kono-," Naruto complained.

"THEN I SUGGEST YOU BEHAVE!" Iruka boiled with rage, and feeling Naruto hit a danger zone, he stepped backwards with a twitching smile that he tried best to make while he apologised, trying to calm the angry devil in burning flames.

Naruto walked to the back of the class to his seat, and when he passed a certain raven, the raven "Hn" ed at Naruto causing Naruto to glare at the stoic boy who ignored it completely.

This stoic boy, who was good at everything and anything, was Naruto's biggest rival, not to mention Naruto was the worst at everything and anything, and Naruto had to definitely surpass that raven.

Naruto sighed and got himself seated ready to sleep through the boring classes of school.

But when he closed his eyes and entered a different world to the one in reality, he would always see the past and see a certain raven smiling at him and sharing laughs, one that doesn't ever exist on the face of a stoic raven ever again.

Naruto went through his recent memories, which was about half a year ago.

-flashback-

"Oh, by the way," Shikamaru stopped in his tracks and walked back to Naruto, "here's something for you."

Shikamaru handed Naruto an envelope directly into Naruto's hands before once again, taking his leave with Chouji trailing after him.

"Um, hey!" Naruto stopped the two before they disappeared out of his sight for that day.

They both turned around at the small blond sitting upright on the floor.

"Um...w-why... why did you s-suddenly want to be-become my f-f-friend?" Naruto asked nervously, without making eye contact.

"Because a certain person came up to us and crouched down to his knees, begging for us to take care of you. Not that we minded becoming your friend if he had just asked us straight," Shikamaru replied before shutting the door.

Sasuke...

Naruto opened the envelope and took out a letter with Sasuke's neat hand writing scrawled upon lines of it, trying to communicate with Naruto.

Naruto,

I am sorry that I couldn't do anything for you. I feel so hopeless as I haven't done anything to keep your smiling face. It hurts to see your tears, so Naruto; I have asked people I know to have you as friends. I'm sure that old man can't threaten a whole bunch of kids. Though I think it's a bad idea if I still stay by your side. I left you by their hands, and I know they aren't bad people. I hope you get along with them because I asked them to walk you to and from school, just in case of things. And as you read this, I think you will be placed into another flat. I went to ask the Hokage for a change of home. I hope this makes your life a bit easier. It will at least keep you away from that crazy people in that pub. I'm sorry this pretty much all I can do. I hope this will make your life a bit easier. I will always be on your side no matter happens Naruto. Don't forget that. I will always trust you. We'll always be friends. I promise.

Naruto smiled and wiped away the tears that came down alongside both cheeks. He looked up at the trees through the window as he felt as if someone was watching from there, but seeing nothing, his eyes averted back to the letter, and swapped the papers around to read the second page.

It was a scenario Sasuke had made out for the two.

Naruto, to be acknowledged by the village people, you have to achieve something great and earn the respect. Aim to become someone important to the village, and you will never have to feel shunned by people. Let us become strong together and train hard so no one can pull us apart again. We are bound together by a strong bond, so I'm sure the day will come where we will be able to spend time together again without any interference. Hate me, despise me, and become stronger than me. Make me your rival. That is the only way for us to be closer together without anyone going to tear us apart anymore. Act it all out and so we are the only one's who actually know what kind of real bond there is connecting us together other than rivalry. And perhaps act out being in love with a girl who likes me. If you are close to that girl, you would naturally be close to me. I hope this works out. Good luck, usuratonkachi.

Naruto made a barely audible laugh at the last word.

"Bastard, you got too many girls for me to choose from..."

-end flashback-

"...up. ...ke up."

Hmmm...?

Naruto stirrs.

"I said WAKE UP, NARUTO!"Iruka sensei screamed.

Naruto jumped up in his chair, very alert now.

"How dare you graffiti over the great Hokage-samas and on top of that, isleep in my class!/i" Iruka sensei lectured Naruto and Naruto's face drooped with boredom, covering his ears with a casual "yeah, yeah," reply.

Iruka twitches from anger, and then suddenly grabs Naruto by the scruff of the neck and literally drags him out of his chair and out to the corridor and all the way to the great wall of Konoha.

"I'm won't let you go home until you clean all of it," Iruka sensei growls from above, his arms folded and watching Naruto intensely from anger..

"Like I care... It's not like I have anyone to go home to," Naruto shot back.

Naruto looked back down and continued wiping the graffiti.

Yeah... It's not like Sasuke will be there for me anymore...waiting for me to come home and say 'okaeri'... while I say... 'tadaima'...

Iruka sensei's face falls as he knows what Naruto is thinking about. He had heard all from Sasuke the plan that he set up for the two, and he was willing to help, but he couldn't help but notice the loneliness that was coming from Naruto.

"Naruto.,."

"Now what?" Naruto glumly looked up and waited for another lecture.

"Well...um... if you clean all this up, I'll buy you some ramen tonight," Iruka said with a little embarrassment, feeling a little father-like and having a soft spot on Naruto.

But when he saw Naruto's face lit up, he felt it was worth it.

"OK! I'll work hard! I WILL!"

And so with extremely high motivation, Naruto scrubbed and scrubbed as he was going to get treated by Iruka sensei to his favourite food shop, Ichiraku ramen-ya.

A new year started and already the day where all the genins were going to be placed into a team with a jounin teacher assisting them came.

Naruto's supposed-to-love Sakura went up to Sasuke once again for the umpteenth time which Naruto grew tired of and not being able to stand the jealousy of her position for being able to talk to Sasuke freely, he jumped up onto the desk in front of Sasuke and glared at him.

Both boys glared at each other thinking the same thing, 'What the hell do you think you're doing!'

'Letting Sakura be so close to you as if you don't care being her boyfriend!' Naruto thought.

'Wanting us to get caught!' Sasuke thought.

They both glared harder as if it will make a difference in sending the message in telepathy, though it was entirely impossible for them to know what the other was thinking. And strangely in the middle of a glaring competition, a boy at the front leaned back and tried to put his arm on the table behind him, not knowing Naruto was there. The arm bumps into Naruto's back and without a second to spare, Naruto was thrown forwards where his lips accidentally crushed against Sasuke's. It felt like the time stopped and they were both shocked as if they turned into stone and hit the floor of the sea.

As soon as they found their senses back, they turned around and gasped.

Sasuke's heart thumped wildly in his ribcage with his blood running cold from the outcome, the revelation of the connection between the two. But Naruto's blood ran cold for another reason. He felt the very dark and very dangerous aura flaring from all the girls in the class.

"Na~ru~to~" Sakura growled, shooting daggers with her eyes at the poor blond. Sasuke heard this and turned around to see the angry crowd of black bulls seeing red before their eyes.

"W-wait, Sakura-chan," Naruto tried to smile his best, not wanting her to come any closer, trying to explain that it was an accident, but not a chance given, he was beaten up by the girls before he could choke out anything from his mouth.

Naruto leaned his head on the desk with bruises, sighing, while Sasuke looked at the blond with a smirk hidden behind his laced fingers.

Usuratonkachi...

With Iruka's help, they managed to get Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura in the same 3-man-cell with a jounin named Hatake Kakashi, who partially knew about Naruto and Sasuke's situation by Iruka's information and had the boys put into the hands of Kakashi. Kakashi didn't like this sort of thing and sighed but gave in since he had interests in that raven head boy, the last of the Uchiha clan.

He found it amusing to see how the two boys acted as if they hated each other, but see Sasuke's concerns in his eyes over the smaller boy.

When getting the bells off Kakashi, Sasuke offered Naruto his obento.

When Naruto fell down a waterfall, Sasuke caught him before Naruto reached the bottom.

When the boy, Haku was attacking the two, Sasuke protected Naruto until halfway through, when the tables switched round.

At a certain mission one day, Kakashi told the two boys to stay in a room separate to Sakura's room and Kakashi's room when they normally only had two bedrooms, separated by gender.

"Why do I have to sleep in a room where there's only this bastard with me!" Naruto shouted like a toddler, stamping his foot. Sasuke sighed at Naruto's immature behaviour. They both didn't, or rather couldn't see Kakashi smirk behind his mask.

"I thought it's about time you two should be together alone without any interference," Kakashi replied.

"HUH!" Naruto growled in annoyance, but Sasuke caught up pretty quickly and glared at Kakashi as if daring him to do anything that will upset their situation right now.

"Now, now, Sasuke. Don't kill me with that glare of yours. I was told by Iruka sensei about most of what I need to know. Just relax and talk about... uh, other than training or fighting to get to know each other more," Kakashi hinted in a bored tone as if they've been in this situation many times before.

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly while the small orange figure beside him had question marks floating all over his head, trying to figure out what his sensei just said, but without further talking Kakashi walked to his room raising a hand before he disappeared into his own room.

That meant Sasuke had Naruto all to himself, without any worries about who might be overhearing or watching. Sasuke smirked at pulled Naruto into their room with Naruto's exclamation of "Wah!" with the sudden movement.

Sasuke quickly closed the door and Naruto tried to keep himself balanced, then turned around to Sasuke to shout.

"Oi! What was that fo-mph!" Naruto staggered back, slamming onto the door and then Sasuke had pulled Naruto into a tight hug.

"Sa..Sasuke?" Naruto whispered in shock his hands at his sides, trembling.

"It's okay, Naruto. Kakashi gave us time for us to be together alone... to talk...to spend time like we used to," Sasuke said, covering his smile behind Naruto's shoulder, his emotions overcoming with joy.

"K-k-k-k-k-k-Kakashi sensei knows!" Naruto gasped.

Sasuke nodded into his shoulder, loving the familiar smell of Naruto that was soaked into Naruto's trademark orange clothes. How he missed them so much. Naruto hesitantly moved his arms up to embrace Sasuke as well, then finding confidence, hugging back tightly.

"I missed you," Naruto said through sobs, "I missed you so much, Sasuke..."

They were always so close, yet so far that they couldn't tear away the wall created between the two.

"I missed you too, Naruto..." Sasuke whispered.

The two lay down side by side on the futon laid right next to each other and they laughed and talked about many things that the two missed out on each other.

"Hey, Sasuke..." Naruto said quietly after their laughter died down, "thanks for the letter... the new residence... and the other friends..."

"..."

"Sasuke?"

"That was nothing... I couldn't even protect you and your smile..." Sasuke muttered, lowering his gaze from the ceiling.

"Sasuke~," Naruto whined, "stop being an ass because you did everything for me. Everything I dreamed, I wanted and you helped me out of that miserable life. I don't call that nothing!"

Sasuke looked down at Naruto's side where his black shirt was raised slightly; showing a small, thin line that wasn't healing quick, meaning that it had been a pretty deep one and Sasuke could only wonder how much pain it would've caused Naruto.

"That... did you get it while you were in the village by yourself?" Sasuke said quietly.

Naruto looked at Sasuke and looked down to see where his eyes were set on. He quickly pulled down his shirt and hid it away from Sasuke's sight. Sasuke sighed and put an arm across his forehead as if he admitted a defeat.

"Sa~suke~, its not your fault!" Naruto growled, angry at himself for carelessly revealing his injuries for Sasuke to spot when he didn't want Sasuke to worry.

"I'll be more careful, na?" Naruto said with a fake smile, but Sasuke didn't move and kept his eyes hidden under his arm. Naruto pouted, and tried to lighten the mood.

"Hey, remember the day I accidentally kissed you at school? That was soooo funny!" Naruto suddenly said sitting up, laughing out loud truly laughing at the humour he felt.

Sasuke lowered his arm slowly to cover lower where he was blushing in embarassment and peered at Naruto who was clutching his stomach, hurting from laughter.

"I...remember... so well, the face you made! Soo funny! I wish I took a picture!" Naruto gasped through his muffled laughter.

Sasuke growled, and glared at the blond, but slowly his facial expression softened at the sight of the laughing blond, making himself smile. After the laughter subsided, Naruto turned to Sasuke.

"That was the first time I kissed you. Do you remember the first time you kissed me?" Naruto asked with a smirk. Sasuke blushed and denied that he kissed but tried to run through his memory, not finding such incident.

"You don't remember?" Naruto frowned, "it was that time when I was mute, and I refused to eat."

An image flew into Sasuke's mind and the blush came back full force.

"Th-that wasn't a kiss!" Sasuke stuttered.

Naruto grinned, "oh, re~ally? Then what was it?"

"I only did it because I thought it would calm your feelings... cause mother used to do it all the time," Sasuke explained.

Naruto nodded suspiciously with a wide grin to which Sasuke glared.

"Sometimes it's really hard to keep this up, Sasuke..." Naruto sighed, lying back down.

Sasuke looked across to the blond.

"We can slowly become friends now. I think we have enough people on our side..." Sasuke said after a moment of silent thinking.

"Really?" Naruto asked quickly, widening his bright azure eyes towards Sasuke.

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, "only one step at a time though..."

Naruto nodded and rolled over to hug Sasuke into a suffocating hug.

"Na...ruto... you're gonna kill me!" Sasuke gasped, and Naruto loosened his grip looking up at Sasuke with an apologetic smile. Sasuke smiled back and pulled an arm over Naruto.

Their exciting moments reach their limit to exhaustion and their drowsiness overcomes them, allowing them to sleep together with their arms wrapped around each other.

"Naruto... you are my only true friend, and I will always protect you..." Sasuke whispered lastly before he fell asleep.

I will always protect you...

-(end)( to continue reading this story without the backstage story, read NARUTO, following onto NARUTO Shippuuden)