Occam's Razor

Half of My Soul

Hearing footsteps, Naruto glances up from his feet where they dangle out of habit— kicking his legs just enough to rock the swing— enough to look normal. For someone on a swing. Just because he has no where better to be doesn't mean people needed to know that— especially if those people were assholes named Uchiha Sasuke.

Still, Sasuke is the last person Naruto ever expected to come up to him out here. Long after most of their classmates had been herded home by their parents and siblings. Typically the jerk just blew in and out of the place, without giving Naruto a second glance— like all the others. But here Sasuke is, storming up to Naruto from across the Academy courtyard, without explanation. Looking even grumpier than usual, which is saying something.

"What do you wan—" Naruto grumbles only to snap his mouth shut as Sasuke's hand snaps toward his face without a word—

Naruto flinches, wondering what the hell he could have done to piss Sasuke off this time— he hadn't even done anything. Y'know— today, at least.

Time seems to stand still for a moment as Naruto waits for it, too caught off guard to defend himself— which he totally could have because he is just as good as Sasuke, if not better. But the expected blow never comes.

Instead, Naruto bites back a yelp as a something touches his face— his eyeball. Or eyelid. Whatever. Sasuke is touching him— weirdly soft, considering what a aggressive shitbag he is the rest of the time.

No one ever touched Naruto. Most went out of their way to avoid it actually. Parents pulled their kids out of his path, muttering meanly about mating their son or daughter to a monster. ANBU picked him up by his coat tails, instead of grabbing his arm or shoulder like other adults do with kids who are kicking up a fuss. Shopkeepers shoved him out their doors with broomsticks, all to avoid putting hands on him.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto waits some more, for the other shoe to drop. There must be some reason Sasuke would do something like this— and Naruto can't think of a single one he likes.

Sasuke's hand pulls away.

Naruto opens his eyes. Only to find Sasuke looking at his own fingers with a scowl that looks as confused as it does angry.

How dare that asshole look confused when none of this made any sense and it was Sasuke's fault. Naruto is the one who should be confused here, not him.

"Oi—" Naruto says, "What the heck was that, y'know?"

"... Hn," Is all Sasuke says, before turning and walking away as quickly as he'd arrived.

"W-what the fuck dickface?" Naruto shoots up off the swing, shouting at his back, "Don't just do weird stuff and walk away, ya know!"

Sasuke doesn't look back.

Naruto falls back onto the swing seat with a huff—

What a bastard.

"Do you think I have a soulmate?" Naruto asks, snapping his chopsticks apart.

His ramen isn't ready yet— Teuchi still going through the motions of preparing it behind the counter— but no point in not being prepared.

Iruka smiles at him from the next stool over, drumming his fingers against the stall's counter, "Of course. Everyone has a soulmate."

Naruto likes Iruka-sensei a lot. He never made Naruto feel stupid about his questions— as long as they weren't about book stuff he was supposed to have read but didn't.