Hidden Villages

I: Friendless

Sasuke honestly felt like crying.

Today nothing went his way starting with his father not attending the entrance ceremony. The adults there kept talking about how cute and adorable of a little brother he was, but he didn't manage to make a single friend. Of course, Uzumaki Naruto was able to make friends despite getting into trouble not once, but twice in one day.

Leaving the classroom, Sasuke clutched the picture nobody else looked at in his hands, but the edges became slightly crushed as his lip pushed together in frustration. He walked home slowly, almost as if he knew someone would ask how things went. His dark eyes remained glued to the ground so he didn't see Uruchi sweeping in front of her bakery.

He did, however, hear Aana and Noren run past him giggling. One of the two said, "I can't believe those girls wanted to be friends with us."

"Yeah, we're of a noble clan and they're not."

Neither girl from the Uchiha clan noticed he had a less than stellar day, but the fact both girls in fact stood the chance to make friends despite not wanting them made his throat tighten even more than it already did. Sasuke took a deep breath not wanting anybody outside of the head household to see him cry, but even then he didn't want them to see how miserable he felt.

He arrived home to a quiet household and slipped off his shoes while still clutching onto the piece of paper nervously. He walked down the long hall which connected their rooms looking for the other members of his family, only to find nobody in the room where everyone gathered.

Sasuke sat down on the cushion and let his head hang down as he hid his drawing in his lap. Eventually the head of the household came in and sat down at the end of the table while his wife worked on preparing the family dinner. She brought him a drink, but paused upon seeing Sasuke. "Oh. I didn't see you come in Sasuke. If you let me know you were here, I could have gotten you an after-school snack, but it is rather close to dinner time now."

Sasuke simply sat there staring at the picture which remained hidden on top of his lap. The cup of tea was set down in front of his father. The man lifted it up watching him carefully while the lady of the house slipped away so she might finish making the family dinner. "So..."

The child swallowed. Mentally, Sasuke wasn't sure he liked where the conversation might go."

"How was school today?"

"Okay." Sasuke continued looking at the table and the sliver of drawing which stuck out from underneath.

"What did you do today?"

Sasuke found himself muttering so that his father couldn't hear him.

"Speak up Sasuke. You're normally not this complacent."

"I drew a picture."

"Oh. Did you bring it home."

Sasuke nodded his head. The paper crinkled some more as his fingers tightened slightly.

"May I see it?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Sasuke." The man set down his tea and motioned for Sasuke to hand him the piece of paper."

Sasuke slowly lifted up the piece of paper just as Itachi came into the room. The paper now sat on top of the table. The older brother sat down and let his body relax. "What have you got there?"

"Picture..." Sasuke's words were barely audible.

"Itachi, can you pass me the picture Sasuke drew in class today?"

"Yes sir." Itachi's fingers reached out and Sasuke glanced up. He almost felt betrayed by this action. The paper slid across the table with a wooshing sound and Fugaku took the piece of paper in one of his big hands to look it over.

"It's a bit wrinkled."

"Sorry..." Sasuke's throat tightened as his eyes continued looking at the table. He didn't see Itachi watching him carefully.

Mikoto came in carrying a tray of food and set it down so she might start setting up the table. Fugaku set the paper down. Her thin fingers reached out for the picture. "What a lovely picture? Did you draw this lovely picture Sasuke?"

Sasuke swallowed. Despite the words sounding like a compliment he didn't feel complimented. After all, his father didn't like how the picture was wrinkled.

"What else did you do today Sasuke?"

He didn't answer her question verbally and just shrugged his shoulders, but now both Itachi and Fugaku were looking at him.

"Did you make any friends?"

This question made the small child tense up and his eyes widen. His mother that morning mentioned the fact she wanted him to make friends, but he didn't succeed in doing so.

"Do you at least know any of the children's names?"

"Uzumaki Naruto." There was no way he'd forget that boy's name, given the incidents which occurred today or the way the boy boldly announced himself. Sasuke felt his chin begin to quiver as his mind wondered if he should have been more bold in the way he introduced himself.

"Oh. You should try making friends with that boy." His mother's words made Sasuke look up in horror. "I bet he could use a friend, given that he's been traveling with one of his guardians until he was old enough to enter the academy."

The look on his mother's face was one of utter tranquility, as if she didn't at all know what she'd just suggested. Sasuke felt his lip tremble. Without thinking he stood up and ran towards his room. He heard his father voice. "Sasuke! Get back here!"

"Don't." Itachi spoke up as Sasuke got farther away. "In case you didn't notice, Sasuke likely didn't have a good day at school today." He also heard his older brother say. "I'll go and talk to him."

Sasuke flung the door to his room open and collapsed onto the futon. He buried his face into the pillow and arms. His chest soon heaved from the sobs escaping from his small body. He didn't stop crying when Itachi came in and scooped him up into his arms and wrapped him into a big hug. He didn't ask what was wrong. Itachi was simply there, and in Sasuke's mind that was enough.