Naruto never believed Neji when he spoke of Fate. He never believed that Sasuke was evil. Sometimes, though, Naruto wondered if he was wrong. It was unlike him to second guess himself, or sit and think, but he couldn’t help it.

“Dobe, wait! Let me explain,…please!”

"Why bother?" Naruto turned threateningly towards Sasuke. "You wouldn't take me seriously anyway."

Flowers had come earlier that day. They were signed, but Naruto hadn’t bothered. He simply threw them away. Had he known any fancy fire juustus like Sasuke, he would’ve burned them.

“I never intended it to go so far, to mean so much… Naruto!” Sasuke’s pleading eyes watched him, and he could see himself. He had never seen Sasuke this broken, but at the same time, never so evil. “Well, Uchiha, that’s your fault.”

A small card had come in the mail. It looked hand made and hand written. Naruto secretly put it under his bed for safe keeping. He turned to his bathroom and scrubbed his cheeks like usual.

“Ha! That’s right, Ino-pig! Sasuke’s dating me. Soon, he’ll ask me to marry him, after all, we’ve already…” Sakura broke off with a blush, and Ino simply looked livid. “He LOVES me!”

Naruto sat on his counter and counted his yen. Perfect! He had exactly enough for a bowl of steaming, delicious ramen. Ramen never failed to brighten him up. Some drowned their sorrows in sake, he drowned them in broth. When he got to the stand, however, he was greeted with a genial smiled. “You’ve already been covered, lad.”

Naruto listened closely, the wailing got louder. “Sakura! Foolish girl! It was a one night thing, now GET OFF ME!” Sakura pleaded, but to no avail. “It was only because you looked like Naruto.” Sasuke’s heavy footsteps got louder and louder, until the black haired boy threw open the door, only to find Naruto crouched there, listening. Sakura’s cries turned to howls of anger. “NARUTO!”

Sasuke, with his head down, walked across the street slowly. Naruto was walking the same way, in the opposite direction. Suddenly, two forces clashed together, good and bad, destiny and fate, hope and loss.

Maybe, Naruto thought, as he surveyed the little town from the comfort of his boyfriend’s lap, maybe... Sasuke’s not so bad.