My Lover's Keeper

After that explosion; everything happened in a monotone for the Uchiha. How their family refused to take care of them and then they were up for adoption. Of course having that family name meant they got adopted almost immediately.

Both he and Sasuke were taken by mere strangers. He was thankful, it meant his baby brother wouldn't even possibly remember their own parents. It meant Sasuke wouldn't suffer as much as him with the pain of losing their parents. That is what Itachi thought. For even at the tender age of nine, he was far smarter and more compassionate.

At age five, Uchiha Sasuke was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. That's when he became a pity party for all of those around him. His older brother was the only one he actually liked spending time with; something that hasn't changed at all ever since he was a baby.

He was scared, frightened....terrified even due to the way his adoptive parents kept crying and wailing.

It was a tough journey but at age seven he went into remission and he thought he had seen the last of his demon.
When he was no longer sick, he was back to his normal life. He studied only at the best of schools and wore the best of clothes.

But Uchiha Sasuke's life was far from perfect. Behind all those nice things was mental abuse that he was on the receiving end of. Their adoptive parents almost despised him. No, Sasuke was sure, they did.
This was different from how they would be told they should be grateful for being taken in.

Uchiha Sasuke was always compared to his older brother. Nothing he did seemed to ever be good enough. The people, he considered his parents, had told him more than once he was defective.

Defective, yes, that is the word his parents chose to call him.
That's why when he was diagnosed the second time around he truly believed he was defective.

At age eight, he was back to chemotherapy. And at ten, was the last time Itachi had seen his baby brother smile.
Uchiha Sasuke thought himself destined to only one thing; death. So he didn't try to fight, he had given up on everything. On life, on living.

Sasuke thought that dying indeed was easier than living. He could be with his real parents, that is if heaven and hell existed.

He didn't want to think of the higher being which humans referred to as God. He was but a ten year old child, yet already he had suffered so much cruelty.
Was he destined for pain? How would that be juste? How could it be fair for him to be laying in a hospital bed, poison coursing through his veins while another child was outside playing?
What did he do to deserve such penance?

Through all of those questions going in his mind, there was no one to talk to. No one to comfort him, and only the sound of his own monitors reminded him that the merciful death he so wished to receive had too abandoned him.

So he curled up to a ball. Only the pillow under his head knew exactly the amount of pain he felt every single night.

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They say depression is a side affect of cancer treatment. I don't really care what they say. I've been in and out of hospitals my whole life.

Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biotherapy, But nothing seemed to work so far. Lately, I've just been doing it for the sake of my family.

Not like I had a saying in any decision. I was just seventeen and already tired of life. Tired of having people look at me with those same eyes: pity.

How much I loathed people for their fake smiles and their overthetop positive attitude. I wasn't a kid anymore. I didn't need them to sugarcoat reality.
I've accepted my fate when I was ten.

"Sasuke," my brother's voice brought me back from that dark tunnel.

My brother, Itachi, people say we look alike. When I said I'm doing it for my family; I meant him. My only real family that is. We were adopted; a fact that our adopting parents kept rubbing in our face at every goddamn opportunity as if we owed them.

Itachi was now almost twenty-four, he's been living out the house since he turned sixteen.

Me? Well I'm stuck with those two idiots that use me at every fucking gathering as a pet, for another year.

Poor Sasuke this...poor Sasuke that... They gave themselves the freedom to put me in the spotlight every single time just to get attention.

"Did you hear anything I said at all?" Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"No" I confessed. "Sorry I was just thinking...bout...them"

"You won't have to be home for a while...try to relax. Stressing is not good. I'll talk to them, try to convince them to have you stay over with me for a while"

"They'll say no. I bet they are counting the days for when I die. I can already imagine the funeral...and they won't ever let it go." I physically shivered.

"You're not gonna die"

"We both know that's a lie"

"You beat it three times...you can do it a fourth time, one last time"

I saw those obsidian eyes look at me. I was familiar with that look. It was fear, Itachi was most of all afraid of losing me.

"You know I'll do my best for you, Itachi" I sighed

"I know" he planted a kiss on my forehead "I got you some food-.." he looked at his phone and sighed "work...I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow okay?" Another kiss and then he was out the door.

My so called parents could be here any time and I certainly didn't want to deal with any of their exaggerated fake emotions.
I was reading when I noticed a couple of kids walk over to the main area, then a couple more.

I got slowly from bed holding my IV. My curiosity got the best of me...sue me.
I got out of my room and saw as kids ran beside me holding balloons and candy.

The nurses were handing out balloons and candy to the kids. This wasn't unusual. Every once in a while someone just decided they care and spend a little bit of money on useless shit like this. As if Candy can heal their illnesses.

Some rich snob who hired this cheap ass clown and spent two hundred dollars on candy or some fucking celebrity visiting to get their name on the front of page. Judging by the lone photographer it was the latter, this would just make it seem more organic like someone just happened to recognize them and took photos.

He walked towards me, what kind of clown face is that anyways with painted whiskers? He handed me some candy which I just yanked from his hand.

The room went quiet and the head nurse had ordered me back to my room.
"Whatever...like some candy can fucking fix me"

"Sasuke! Watch your mouth!" The nurse reprimanded me whilst escorting me back to the room.

I thought that was the first and last time I would see that idiot clown. I was wrong.

For the next fourteen days, he came every single day wearing a different costume and bringing different gifts.
Each time he made sure to hand me something and each time I equally threw it on the ground.

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Naruto had been trying for fourteen days straight. That is half his summer vacation already wasted failing to make every child happy in the pediatric ward.

What annoyed him most was that he was failing because of just one.
He approached the Nurses in the reception desk.
"Neh-san" he dolled up his voice "what does that Sasuke kid like?"

"We'd love to help, Naruto-kun but...he keeps to himself...it shouldn't matter...you're doing a great job with the rest of them...."

"Ha...I guess so..." He said but it was beating on him like a drum "can I visit him?"

"Only if he agrees to it, don't force him. His room is last down the hallway, Uchiha Sasuke you can't miss it"

"Thanks Neh-san!" He smiled and walked there. Soft knock on the door, Sasuke looked at the clown outfit not even lifting his eyes or giving time to the blond to speak.
"Nope! Get out..."

To his surprise, the clown complied. For the remaining fourteen days it, he would visit and bring him a different gift.

Only at the last day, the mystery clown didn't come. No knocks on his door, no gifts entrusted to the nurses. He sighed in relief. No more of that weird clown. Except when he sat down on his bed, he kept looking at the door expectingly. This person came for a whole month without missing a day.

He almost believed they cared and for a second he heard his annoying voice down the hallway.
Sasuke quickly held his book and pretended he was reading.

He cleared his throat preparing to say no but the waft of the familiar sweet dumplings hit him.
"I figured out what you like" the person in front of him wore normal clothes. Some jeans and a black shirt, hair as yellow as our eyes perceive the sun to be. The whiskers that the raven thought were painted on the teen's face were actually real.

All in all the idiot clown didn't look bad at all without that weird outfit and makeup.

"I don't like sweets" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Ah but these aren't just any sweets...they are the best Dango in all of Konohagakure, from your favourite shop!"

Sasuke remained indifferent. "Impressive, how did you collect so much wrong information?"

"But...that's what...your brother said you liked..." Naruto's voice dropped. He was disappointed. It broke his heart.

"Better luck next time" Sasuke saw him from the corner of his eyes as he put down the paper bag, bowed to him apologizing for disturbing him then left. His once high spirits were crushed.

The raven enjoyed the Dango, smiling at the thought someone who only knew his name bothered so much to make him happy.

The blond, Sasuke thought, was no rich snob judging by his normal clothes and he certainly was no celebrity. Those actions that once bothered the Uchiha were now almost endearing.

His so called parents came for him after their work time was over. He was all ready by the door with his one hundred plushy. He had at least ten bags of plush toys of all sizes and colours.

His parents hugged him and cried. How nobody saw through his adoptive parents' act was beyond him. For him the act was as clear as day.

The drive home was quiet, at least from Sasuke's side. The adults kept talking about the new school he was going to go to, about how they were understanding of his condition.

But all the words fell on deaf ears as somewhere in the busy streets of Konoha, alll he could see or think about was that blond.

He got up to his small bedroom, so small it just barely had his bed and dresser. By all means the house itself was big, they had another room for him. That one was for show, he could only be in it if they have guests. That is where all his plushies were taken. With the exception of an old small green dragon plushy that he kept for himself.

It was special because that was the first one Naruto brought him. It smelled exactly how he thought the teen would: a fruity delight, so he held on to it as he fell asleep.

He wondered what name the blond had. After all, he had never asked or made an attempt to converse with him. He wondered if he would ever see him again.

One thing was for sure, Uchiha Sasuke dreamed of the clown.

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Sasuke was driven to school. His father telling him to let the teachers know if he didn't feel well. Then he mumbled about how he was troubling everyone around him all the time.

The first day seemed to go fairly well. His new classmates seemed to know all about his condition. For in their eyes lingered the most hated look, that of Pity.

Girls have thrown themselves at him at every possible occasion but he did not care.

One thing caught the attention of the Uchiha. For his entire first month at the new school, the teachers always asked for an Uzumaki Naruto that never showed up.

The next morning however, it was a different story.
"Uzumaki Naruto" the teacher called that name again. Sasuke heard it countless times but thought nothing of it, just some dumb asshole who absents all the time.

But lo and behold the husky voice that he got used to hearing in the hospital came through.
Sasuke looked ahead of him for once, seeing unruly blond hair, his heart raced waiting to see the rest of his features.

And he did get to see him when he walked to the only emtpy seat beside him.
Naruto's body stopped moving when he saw the pale teen.
"Teme,"

Sasuke just looked away hiding his embarrassment. The blond teen was visibly angry, something he wasn't used to...only Itachi ever got angry and even that was a rare occasion.

The two teens had zero interactions, Sasuke from time to time glancing at the blond who seemed to be surfing the world with his mind and not giving two shits about the lesson.

Come lunch time, most of the able bodies of their classmates brought lunch to eat with him. He didn't care who sat but he cared who didn't.

"Naruto" a voice called from the doorway. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah just a second" the blond replied getting his schoolbag and leaving.

Sasuke watched as the blond teen walked to a dark haired teen, who wore his hair up in a ponytail. His uniform was a mess, tie loosely around his neck and he could recognize that lazy smile.

He was the photographer from the hospital.

"Don't trouble your mind with those two, Sasuke. They're nothing but a disaster waiting to happen. They miss classes constantly and go vandalize buildings..." The boy with long brown hair and light purple eyes kept talking about crimes he heard they were caught for.

But Sasuke couldn't believe the guy who spent one month trying to desperately get him to smile was that bad of a person.

After lunch the blond was not back. Sasuke was intrigued, what did it feel like to vandalize a building anyway? how does one do it?

Sasuke was lost in thought when he noticed his teacher had slipped him a note as he walked by his desk.
"Go to the nurse's office" he looked up at his weird teacher.
He quietly got up and out of the backdoor.

Sasuke placed his hand on his forehead, he could feel a slight fever. Maybe his cheeks were flushed and that was how his sensei knew to send him to the office.

He got there, slightly out of breath. It took a bit convicing but Sasuke managed to just rest in the nurse's office without her contacting his parents.

"Hey, kid...I'm gonna be late so just wait by the gate" he read the text from his father and sighed.

"Sasuke-kun, are you feeling better?"

"Hai," he replied but she still took a reading of his fever "it's a bit higher than normal....it always is...that's normal for me" he replied.

"I'll call your parents" she informed worried.

"That won't be necessary. Otou-san is waiting for me outside" Sasuke got out of the bed and walked the empty hallways of school. He could hear his classmates right outside in the schoolyard. They seemed to have trivial worries. But two voices despite being low echoed in the hallway and he found himself eavesdropping.

"So what did you two do this time?" Their teacher asked.

"Just the usual,"

"No arson?" The adult and the teen chuckled at the obvious inside joke, but then it quickly died out "what's wrong?"

"You should talk to him. I don't like it that you're still not talking because of me"

"It's not because of you," 

"I'm not a kid, Kakashi. Look just talk to him, he's been withdrawn since you two broke up..."

"Okay...okay...I'll come with you-..."

"No, you are gonna go by yourself. And I'm gonna go take Sasuke his stuff"

"I'm the adult here" Kakashi sounded defeated.

"Start acting like one" Sasuke could imagine the blond rolling his eyes as he said that.

He heard footsteps so Sasuke resumed walking pretending he had never overheard any of their conversation.
But the blond stopped right as he saw his classmate.
"Sasuke, I thought you were home"

Sasuke didn't reply. Rather say, He couldn't reply.

Uzumaki Naruto, Blond hair, Blue eyes, Whisker birthmarks, Contagious smile, a more contagious laugh.

This blond teen spelled trouble. He was dangerous. Indeed he was more dangerous than any of their classmates had ever told the young Uchiha.

"Teme," the croaky voice brought him back to reality. But as Naruto placed his hand on Sasuke's forehead, he suddenly felt the weight of his classmate on top of him.
"Sasuke?" He held him and carefully eased him down "Kakashi!" Naruto called and quickly turning his attention to Sasuke.

The grey haired man walked out hearing the urgency in Naruto's voice. He got his phone out calling 119 when he saw the new student passed out. A student who, he was well aware, was sick.
"He just suddenly passed out" he had used their schoolbags together to elevate Sasuke's legs.

The raven opened his eyes to meet the cerulean ones of the blond.
"Hey welcome back...do you know where you are?"

"School"

"What day is is?"

"October 1st"

"Can you lift you right arm for me?"

"I just fainted...not the end of the world" Sasuke replied lifting his right arm.

"Sassy even when just regaining consciousness" Naruto noted to himself "the ambulance is on it's way...stay on your side, if you're lucky the EMTs won't take you to the hospital"

Sasuke complied only because of the last sentence the blond said. He definitely did not want to go to the hospital. In front of him, Naruto sat on his knees.

Even now, Naruto only had a concerned look painted all over his face. He didn't seem to have any pity for Sasuke. He didn't make any conversation other than what was necessary.
"They're here" Naruto informed as he saw Kakashi lead them to where they both were.
Sasuke's eyes were fixed on Naruto. Who just held their schoolbags and followed with a slight sprint.

That look of someone who truly cared.

The few students that remained in school ground took videos of the event. Kakashi tried to deter the Teens from doing so but it wasn't until Gai showed up with a speech about how un-youthful their behaviour was that had completely made them lose interest.

Naruto went back inside remembering his yellow umbrella. When he got out, the ambulance had left and so did the students. The clouds were heavy with tears. Thunder rolled in the background and lightening stroke silently from afar.

He closed the school gate after him and felt a couple droplets falling at a faster rate signifying that it would, in a matter of moments, rain harshly. He rushed to open his umbrella, as lightning stroke he could so easily spot the Uchiha sitting on the bench outside of the school.

Naruto got closer and just covered the Uchiha from the rain.
Sasuke looked up, his hair damp and his eyes tired. Naruto didn't know if that was just the rain or if Sasuke had been crying.

"Didn't you leave already?" He looked away, hoping to god Naruto hadn't just heard him cry.

"No, I forgot my umbrella inside...when I got out there was no one there, I thought they took you to the hospital. Didn't Kakashi Ni-...I mean sensei offer to take you home?"

"He did...But Otousan said he would pick me up. He told me to wait here." Sasuke looked down cursing himself internally.

"But it's-..."

"He said to wait!" Sasuke lost his temper yelling at the innocent blond in front of him.

"Then I guess I'll just have to wait with you, dattebayo?" Naruto casually spoke.

"I don't need your pity...I don't want it...I don't-..."

"I don't pity you." Naruto said softly, his voice lost in the sound of rain. "I'd have waited with any of our other classmates..."

"Why?"

"Stupid personal reasons"

Before he said anything, his father had honked; stopping his train of thought abruptly.
"Sasuke!" The man called, he wouldn't have bothered getting out of the car if he hadn't seen the other figure.

The man helped his son in the car, Naruto handed him his school bag.
"I put the homework assignments with your papers. Kakashi sensei is forgiving with deadlines but not so forgiving with not delivering the papers. In his words: if you don't deliver the paper you better be dead. Although, he...really ever said that to me"

"I wonder why" Sasuke couldn't help but let a small smile dance on his face and with that his father sped up.

"Was that....a smile?" Naruto tugged at his school cardigan, his heartbeat accelerated and he felt the air was so thin he was going to pass out.

Naruto remained still trying to hold on to every little bit of that fleeting moment. He had asked Iruka before what it's like falling in love. He remembered being so angry for getting a vague answer "you'll know when it happens"

This was the moment Iruka talked about, the moment time stands still and two hearts start beating as one.