𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 | sasuke uchiha

9/29

"I'm so sorry, [Name]..."

The Uzumaki tried his best to offer his condolences to [Name] as she choked in the middle of telling her story, then burst into tears. He gingerly raised his hand to her back and gently began rubbing circles, trying his best to sound encouraging. The two sat on a park bench underneath a cherry blossom tree on the front lawn of their school, half an hour after they'd been let out.

Now in their first year of senior high school, [Name] and Naruto Uzumaki were inseparable.  Speculations began that he had become closer to [Name] than he had to Sasuke and Menma, making many people raise their eyebrows at their 'friendship.'

[Name] shook her head and fervently tried wiping her eyes, hiccuping in the process.

"S-So anyway, I don't know where I'm going to end up, because my mum wants to take me and my brother to somewhere far away so he can't find us again, a-and he wants to go stay with his girlfriend... b-but I don't want to leave..."

A fresh wave of tears overwhelmed the girl again and she broke into further sobs, making the Uzumaki's heart ache at the sight of his best friend so sad. This wasn't the [Name] he knew; the [Name] he knew was optimistic, loud, and lively. This [Name] was a train wreck waiting to happen, and the thought of it unnerved him. For once in their friendship, he didn't know how to cheer her up.

"[Name]..." he murmured, doing the only thing he could think of: he pulled her into a hug. She received it well, and crumbled into his arms, sobbing loudly.

"I'm s-sorry for staining your u-uniform..." she wailed slightly, noting the marks her tears were making on the front of the Uzumaki's white blouse. He chuckled and brushed her hair out of her face.

"It's fine, [Name]. Just let it all out."

In that moment, [Name] [Surname] felt that, despite the terrifying hurricane that was her life, someone actually cared about her. Naruto's very warmth made her feel safe and secure, and her sobs began to die down, albeit slowly. 

Naruto sighed, and kept his arms wrapped tightly around [Name].

"Take your time, [Name]. Don't worry; you won't be leaving Konoha under my watch," he added helpfully. [Name] nodded and lay her head against his chest, breathing in his scent. It was rough and relaxing; she felt as if she could stay in his arms forever.

Her eyes began to droop, when suddenly her heart leapt with a strange, foreign feeling. Eyes widening in shock, [Name] carefully glanced up to see if Naruto had noticed anything. Nope. But his eyes were closed, and his chin rest atop her head. She shook it off, and re-settled back into the Uzumaki's arms.

There it was again; that strange, terrifying feeling. Why did she feel so... elated? Just moments ago, she'd been a blubbering mess... now what? She felt... weird.

"Naruto," she said suddenly. "What does it feel like to... um... wait, I forgot. Never mind."

The Uzumaki merely chuckled in response.

"Let me know when you remember," he said softly, his strong, solid arms still gently wrapped around her waist. She nodded, and they sunk back into their previous positions. At his touch, the weird feeling returned, and [Name] mentally battled with herself over it.

Nope no no no stop right now no-

oH MY GOD WHAT IS THIS-

Oh dear Lord.

[Name]'s eyes widened in a mixture realisation, shock, and fear.

"Naruto," she said abruptly. "What does it feel like to be in love?"

Unwillingly, she leaned out of the Uzumaki's grasp to get a better look at him. He chuckled and scratched the back of his head, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight. This very gesture alone took [Name]'s breath away, and she squealed, covering her mouth with both hands, beginning to get flustered.

What the hell what the hell what the hell

"Well... it depends on how developed your love is for them, you know? I mean, you can love anyone- the way that I love you is different to the way I love Menma, and then it's different from the way you love your family. But being 'in love'... I guess when you're first developing love for someone, your heart's just all over the place. You're unsure of whether it's love at all, and you're kinda half half with the notion of even falling for them, mostly because you're scared. Once you get past that stage, though, everything becomes a little clearer, and seeing them makes your day brighter, no matter what happens. You begin to see them in this whole new light, and become obsessed with everything they do. I'd call that the infatuation stage. A good example of them would be duck butt's fangirls- just a bunch of blinded, infatuated girls."

They both laughed, but [Name] quietened down to allow the Uzumaki to continue with his explanation. Now she was just hanging on his every word, eager to hear what this new feeling could be.

"If you make it past infatuation, then I sure am glad for you. Once you're past the infatuation stage, you begin to see them not as some otherworldly being, but as a real person with real flaws, just like you. To me, I think that once you are able to fully appreciate, understand and know that person and all their flaws, that's it. When you fully learn to accept someone for who they are, regardless of who they might be or what they may have done... that's when you're in love, [Name]. Does it make sense?"

The [Surname] and the Uzumaki locked eyes, [e/c] staring into blue and vice versa. [Name] slowly nodded, surprised at how sage-like Naruto had been in that very moment.

"Why, do you think you love someone?" he chuckled, leaning forward and ruffling [Name]'s hair. She laughed, and playfully pushed him back.

"I know what you're thinking, Naruto, and no, no one else could ever take your place in my heart," she said softly, placing a hand over her chest. She sighed, then blew her bangs out of her face. She suddenly felt much happier than she had been when the conversation had started more than half an hour ago.

"I really don't want to go home anymore these days," she sighed, pouting and leaning on her elbow. Naruto chuckled, and leaned in forward so that he was right in front of [Name]'s face.

"Well, why don't you just come stay with me and Menma then?"

"Really?"

"No, of course not. You're tacky and I hate you. Stay away from my house, you whore."

The two laughed, and [Name] leaned in forward to hug the Uzumaki. He looked surprised as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thanks, Naruto."

He chuckled.

"Any time, [Name]. Any time."

Am I... in love with my best friend?