When Sasuke Met Naruto (SasuNaru)

- Chapter 1 -

Sasuke Uchiha sat lazily at his lunch table, resting his head on his hand as he stared off into space. He was not bored, per se, but simply disinterested in what was going on around him. Glancing around the crowded cafeteria, the Uchiha could see his peers talking in their little cliques, from the jocks talking loudly in the center to the nerdier students doing their homework in the corner. What Sasuke feared the most, however, were the fangirls, who were currently prowling the cafeteria searching for their prey.

It was for this reason that Sasuke had chosen to sit in the back of the cafeteria, hoping that he might remain hidden long enough to enjoy his lunch in peace. As he poked at his cold pasta with a fork, though, it became clear to the Uchiha that he would not be able to eat regardless of the fangirls' presence.

"Having fun, Sasuke?"

Without even glancing up from his food, Sasuke gave a half-hearted chuckle before responding dryly. "It's not like you to start up a conversation so willingly, Shikamaru."

Taking a seat across from the raven-haired boy, Shikamaru, slouched forward and rested his head on the table. "Hey, it's troublesome, but it's my duty as your friend to make sure everything's all right."

"I guess there's no sense in trying to hide something from you, is there?" Sasuke sighed, finally looking his lazy friend in the eye. "It's Sakura and the rest of those banshees again..."

"Don't give me that," Shikamaru said curtly, eyeing the Uchiha suspiciously. "They've been looking all over for you today. One of them was afraid you had moved away over the summer. Now what's really going on?"

Damn... I thought I had him with that, too...

"Okay, you got me," Sasuke started, leaning in closer so that he and the Nara could speak in private. "It's just... well, it's our junior year. I guess I'm wondering if this is really worth it, that's all."

"Welcome to my world," Shikamaru stated with a sarcastic smirk.

"I don't mean it like that," the Uchiha replied defensively. "Look, I know my education is important and all that. If I'm going to help Itachi with the company, I'll have to have those skills... but I'm just not sure if it's what I want."

"Oh?" the lazy genius asked, though his face showed no surprise. "The Great Uchiha is going through an existential crisis, huh?"

"See, I knew you wouldn't understand," Sasuke muttered, shaking his head in frustration as he turned away from his friend. "I don't know why you picked today to get so nosy, but –"

"Take it easy, Sasuke... I was just joking," Shikamaru said consolingly, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I know what you mean. Sometimes it feels like we have no real control over our lives. Don't forget, my parents are sending me here from halfway across the country. You think I want to have that kind of pressure on me?"

"Of course not," Sasuke replied, his moodiness shining through in his tone. "You'd rather just live a nice, simple life and go wherever the wind takes you..."

"Exactly," the Nara continued, choosing to ignore the raven-haired teens sarcasm. "You're feeling this way because you don't want to be forced down a path that you'll regret later in life."

How does he know all of this?

"I had a similar problem a few years ago, but I decided it was just too troublesome to think about," Shikamaru stated with a matter-of-fact tone, as if he had somehow read the Uchiha's thoughts. "Trust me, all you need to do is find something that's worth living for, and the rest will sort itself out."

"If you say so," Sasuke said flippantly, his gaze shifting back to his cold meal.

"Hey, I'm your friend, Sasuke. You'll get through this just fine," Shikamaru said reassuringly as he rose from his seat. "Unlike me, you're actually motivated. If you just keep your eyes open, I'm sure you'll find that reason to keep going."