[Fic] Just An Ordinary Day: Drabble #24
Title: Just An Ordinary Day
Main Pairing: SasuNaru
Rating: PG
Summary: Sugar highs, puppies and lovers' tiffs... It's just another ordinary day for Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. A series of drabbles on their relationship with each other and the people around them.
Drabble Title: Masks
Genre: Angst
Summary: Hide your face from the world.
Naruto knew that the prejudice against him because of what was sealed inside him would never really go away. Maybe it would fade a little, but it would always be there, like a dark shadow lurking at the back of his mind.
The people of Konoha had hated him for too long to change their opinion of him.
Still, Naruto had thought, had hoped, that the Anbu would be different.
But it was not.
Which was why he was standing in the middle of the Anbu’s common room, clutching the mask in his hand so tightly the porcelain was in danger of cracking.
The Anbu members did not jeer at him and throw him dirty looks like the kids did back when he was still in school. No, they were in fact so courteous and friendly to Naruto that the blonde almost wished he were back in school. Because he could see their true feelings in their eyes.
Hostility. Dislike. Hatred.
At least the kids in school were honest about what they felt about him.
It hurt him that even now, they still couldn’t accept him as an equal. They were supposed to be the best of Konoha’s shinobi - skillful, intelligent, calm, levelheaded. And yet they could not get over the simple fact that Naruto had the Kyuubi locked inside him.
Naruto stared at the new mask his Anbu captain had given him. It was so beautiful, hand made and painted with red and black swirls. But Naruto hated it, hated the way the fanged mouth of the mask looked like it was laughing at him, hated the way the slits that served as eyes on the mask tilted up almost evilly.
“Well, Uzumaki, do you like it?”
Naruto lifted his head. His captain and teammates were smiling at him. Such talented actors…unfortunately, they had not quite mastered hiding the emotions in their eyes.
“I think it suits you very well, Uzumaki.”
The hidden meaning in the friendly words was not lost to Naruto. But he smiled. He smiled and nodded happily.
‘I’ve been wearing a mask longer than any of you have, you bastards’
“Thank you for helping me choose this mask, taichou. You have really good taste.”
‘I don’t even need one to hide what I’m feeling anymore.’
And he left them gaping at his retreating back, wondering how their subtle insults had been turned into compliments to the blonde.
- - -
When Sasuke returned home from patrol duties, he found his lover sitting on the living room couch. Naruto still sported his new Anbu uniform and was holding his mask close to his body, staring blankly in front of him.
“Naruto?” the Uchiha called tentatively.
Naruto did not answer, but raised dull blue eyes, looking like he was going to burst into tears any moment.
“What’s the matter?” Sasuke demanded, startled. He hurried over to sit beside Naruto on the couch, gently pulling Naruto into his arms. “What’s wrong?”
“They hate me,” Naruto mumbled into Sasuke’s chest, his voice laden with unshed tears.
“Who?” But it was a stupid question, and they both knew it. There were few in Konoha who didn’t hate Naruto.
Wordlessly, Naruto held his new porcelain mask up for his lover to see.
A fox.
Sasuke stared at it for a moment.
“I think it suits you very well.”
Naruto started at the words, having just heard them coming mockingly from his captain’s mouth not an hour before, but Naruto could tell that although Sasuke’s tone was offhanded and disinterested - the exact opposite of the way Naruto’s captain had said it, he meant every word he had said.
Neither mentioned the fact that no one ever received the fox mask. Not after the Kyuubi incident. To be given a fox mask was the worst insult one could get in the Anbu.
“And does it really matter what mask you get?” Sasuke asked impatiently. “You don’t even need one.”
His lips latched onto Naruto’s neck, making Naruto forget everything except the hot breath against his skin.
“You’re already wearing one, usuratonkachi,” Sasuke murmured. “And I’m the only one who ever gets to see you unmasked.”
End.
Main Pairing: SasuNaru
Rating: PG
Summary: Sugar highs, puppies and lovers' tiffs... It's just another ordinary day for Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. A series of drabbles on their relationship with each other and the people around them.
Drabble Title: Masks
Genre: Angst
Summary: Hide your face from the world.
Naruto knew that the prejudice against him because of what was sealed inside him would never really go away. Maybe it would fade a little, but it would always be there, like a dark shadow lurking at the back of his mind.
The people of Konoha had hated him for too long to change their opinion of him.
Still, Naruto had thought, had hoped, that the Anbu would be different.
But it was not.
Which was why he was standing in the middle of the Anbu’s common room, clutching the mask in his hand so tightly the porcelain was in danger of cracking.
The Anbu members did not jeer at him and throw him dirty looks like the kids did back when he was still in school. No, they were in fact so courteous and friendly to Naruto that the blonde almost wished he were back in school. Because he could see their true feelings in their eyes.
Hostility. Dislike. Hatred.
At least the kids in school were honest about what they felt about him.
It hurt him that even now, they still couldn’t accept him as an equal. They were supposed to be the best of Konoha’s shinobi - skillful, intelligent, calm, levelheaded. And yet they could not get over the simple fact that Naruto had the Kyuubi locked inside him.
Naruto stared at the new mask his Anbu captain had given him. It was so beautiful, hand made and painted with red and black swirls. But Naruto hated it, hated the way the fanged mouth of the mask looked like it was laughing at him, hated the way the slits that served as eyes on the mask tilted up almost evilly.
“Well, Uzumaki, do you like it?”
Naruto lifted his head. His captain and teammates were smiling at him. Such talented actors…unfortunately, they had not quite mastered hiding the emotions in their eyes.
“I think it suits you very well, Uzumaki.”
The hidden meaning in the friendly words was not lost to Naruto. But he smiled. He smiled and nodded happily.
‘I’ve been wearing a mask longer than any of you have, you bastards’
“Thank you for helping me choose this mask, taichou. You have really good taste.”
‘I don’t even need one to hide what I’m feeling anymore.’
And he left them gaping at his retreating back, wondering how their subtle insults had been turned into compliments to the blonde.
- - -
When Sasuke returned home from patrol duties, he found his lover sitting on the living room couch. Naruto still sported his new Anbu uniform and was holding his mask close to his body, staring blankly in front of him.
“Naruto?” the Uchiha called tentatively.
Naruto did not answer, but raised dull blue eyes, looking like he was going to burst into tears any moment.
“What’s the matter?” Sasuke demanded, startled. He hurried over to sit beside Naruto on the couch, gently pulling Naruto into his arms. “What’s wrong?”
“They hate me,” Naruto mumbled into Sasuke’s chest, his voice laden with unshed tears.
“Who?” But it was a stupid question, and they both knew it. There were few in Konoha who didn’t hate Naruto.
Wordlessly, Naruto held his new porcelain mask up for his lover to see.
A fox.
Sasuke stared at it for a moment.
“I think it suits you very well.”
Naruto started at the words, having just heard them coming mockingly from his captain’s mouth not an hour before, but Naruto could tell that although Sasuke’s tone was offhanded and disinterested - the exact opposite of the way Naruto’s captain had said it, he meant every word he had said.
Neither mentioned the fact that no one ever received the fox mask. Not after the Kyuubi incident. To be given a fox mask was the worst insult one could get in the Anbu.
“And does it really matter what mask you get?” Sasuke asked impatiently. “You don’t even need one.”
His lips latched onto Naruto’s neck, making Naruto forget everything except the hot breath against his skin.
“You’re already wearing one, usuratonkachi,” Sasuke murmured. “And I’m the only one who ever gets to see you unmasked.”
End.