Chapter Text
“What the hell?” Naruto murmured, getting irritated as he stared at his screen. A minute ago, his team on his video game was winning and climbing up the ranks like crazy. Now, some other player showed up and started killing all of them.
“Shit, he got me,” his friend Shikamaru said into his headset.
“Naruto, you gotta win this for us. Don’t let this guy kill you! If my ranked status gets any lower, Shikamaru says I can’t play anymore,” his other friend, Choji, urged.
Naruto rolled his eyes, watching his screen on guard. He almost lost it as the opposing player rushed him from behind and slashed him before he could fight back. The huge red letters saying “You Lost” filled his screen and all he could do was stare in shock.
“This asshole!” he almost slammed his mouse on the desk. The guy’s username read Avenger_42. “God, even his username is stupid.”
“Yeah, and yours is much better FoxyWhiskers11,” Choji mocked, followed by a rumble of laughter.
“I was ten when I made that. Stupid game won’t let me change it anymore!”
“It’s whatever, the guy was probably hacking or something anyway,” Shikamaru said, “See you in class tomorrow, Naruto?”
“Yeah. Bye, guys.”
He got off the game and headed downstairs to eat his last home-cooked meal before he went back to college. Iruka was working on the stove with his back turned. The food was what Naruto hoped was ramen, but with the smell in the air, he knew it was probably some vegetable soup concoction. Iruka’s been trying to get Naruto to eat healthier or something. It was nice he was trying, but with Naruto's current diet on campus, it was a wasted effort.
“Naruto,” Iruka glared at him over his shoulder. “What did I tell you about yelling over video games? You’re lucky I even got you the PC to begin with. I expect you to shut up while you’re using it.”
“My bad. Some guy was beating me in a game.”
Iruka just shook his head and slid a bowl of vegetable soup over the counter. Naruto sighed and grabbed a spoon.
……………………….
The next day, Iruka dropped Naruto back off at his university. He’d only gone home for the weekend, but now he couldn’t go back for at least a few months with his schedule.
Naruto had the misfortune of living in one of the oldest buildings on campus, meaning he had a shoebox for a room and a communal bathroom he shared with a ton of guys. He had a weird roommate, too, and their room had the crappiest AC system known to man. Considering it was his third year living in this building, he was used to it, but after a weekend in his own bed it was just depressing.
He rummaged through his bag to grab his keys when he got to his door. Seeing his door alone lifted his spirits. It was filled with colorful sticky notes from other residents in the building, all praising his soccer skills.
"You carry the team!"
"Kick Sandstorm ass this season"
He got inside and tossed his bags on the floor. He was instantly on his bed and audibly groaned into his pillow. Naruto did like college, to an extent, he guessed. He liked being on the soccer team and all his friends, but he hated the actual college part. His grades weren’t great, and he was positive that the only reason he was even admitted was because he played soccer.
As he usually did, his roommate, Sai, had uncomfortably stared at him the moment he walked in. The dude was so quiet, and his smile gave Naruto the creeps. He couldn’t be too mad about it since he’d done a random roommate assignment, so it was really the consequences of his own actions.
“Hello, you’re back!” his oddly formal voice said across the room. “Do you not have class soon? Your writing class? It begins in around ten minutes. And don't forget your bag for practice as well.”
"Come on, Sai, I just got back," Naruto closed his eyes and adjusted his pillow. "I deserve a quick nap or something before-"
He was interrupted when his phone's ringtone pierced the air. Naruto groaned, but he answered when he saw it was from Shikamaru.
"Hello? Dude, I'm trying to nap. This better be important."
"Nap? You can't nap, you're coming to class," Shikamaru said. It sounded like a warning.
"What if I just skippe-"
"You're not skipping!" Shikamaru yelled. "Not today. I was talking to some guys on the team earlier, and I heard something."
Naruto sat up, suddenly curious. "Heard what?"
"Won't say unless you come to class."
"Dude, can't you just tell me over the-"
The phone beeped, signaling that Shikamaru had closed the call. Typical.
Naruto, too curious to skip anymore, took a quick look in the mirror. He guessed he looked half presentable with his orange hoodie and baggy jeans. He gave a quick goodbye to Sai and made his way to class.
He was late, as per usual, with the professor already going on about their new assignment. He grabbed the seat next to Shikamaru, who was already half asleep in the back.
“Wow, look who showed,” Shikamaru mumbled before yawning.
Naruto slammed his notebook on the desk with extra force. “Of course I showed. You can't just tell me you know something and not say what!"
Shikamaru laughed, clearly happy with himself. “Fine, I'll tell. Based on what they've heard from Kakashi, we think we’re getting a new guy on the team today,” he whispered with a hand cupped around his mouth.
Naruto’s eyebrows shot up. “But the season already started.”
“Yeah. He’s some transfer. But I heard he might be from a rival team since he was signed from a really good team, apparently.”
Naruto leaned back in his chair and fiddled with his pencil. Their biggest rival team was the Sandstorms, but there was no way someone from that team would transfer to Konoha University. Naruto couldn’t imagine anyone on his team transferring to theirs, and considering the rivalry was at least semi-mutual, he’d hoped it would be the same for them too.
Naruto got frustrated just thinking of the Sandstorms. Their entitled coach, Orochimaru, gave him the creeps just looking at him. Their annoying players and the way they’d overdramatize every single little push to get Konoha’s team red and yellow cards. He hated all of them, like that red-haired guy without eyebrows, Gaara, and the nerdy guy Kabuto.
But, without a doubt, the one that plagued him the most was Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto's hand formed a small fist at his desk, and the familiar irritation and pang of guilt hit him whenever he thought about him.
As if he had read his mind, Shikamaru said, "Imagine it's Sasuke or something. That'd be sorta funny."
Naruto almost laughed at the thought. "That'd never happen. Not ever," he said with confidence. There was no way Sasuke would leave the Sandstorms. He'd made that incredibly clear, and the last team he would transfer to was Konoha. Not with Naruto on the team.
Shikamaru and their whole team knew about Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry. In every game they played against each other, there was so much pent-up anger and frustration between them that even the college articles wrote about it, saying they were in a constant "race to the top."
It was true that Naruto and Sasuke were in constant competition because they wanted the top spots in the league, but Naruto rarely talked about the other reason they had this anger between them. Shikamaru, Choji, and his other friend, Sakura, knew bits, but other than that, he'd told no one. He liked to keep that part of his childhood all to himself.
Realizing he was going down a spiral, he tried to distract himself, even attempting to pay attention to the lesson. Then he remembered how boring this teacher was. He really should've skipped.
After what felt like years, class ended, and Naruto followed Shikamaru to the field for practice. On the walk, they speculated just who the new guy might be.
"What if it's No-Brows?" Naruto suggested.
"Gaara? No, I doubt it. The guy's brother's on that team too. What about the other red-haired guy?"
"I really hope not. That guy sucks."
They went back and forth for a while, which is what probably made them late. When they got there, all their teammates were already gathered around Kakashi, their coach.
They quickly set their stuff on one of the benches and got ready. They were sitting on the side of the field with their backs turned to the huddle, but Naruto still had an ear out to listen while he put on his shoes and drank from his water bottle.
Kakashi was getting straight to the point, starting the new introduction.
“Let’s make our new member feel welcome, okay guys?" he sounded almost threatening, like they all had to prepare themselves. There were footsteps on the grass in the distance, and even with his back turned, Naruto sensed the sudden change of energy in the air. Gasps and whispers among the team already broke out.
"Ah, here he is. Everyone, welcome Sasuke Uchiha to the team.”
Naruto almost spat out his water.
Sasuke?!
Naruto felt his heart speed up, and he had to cough a few times after the water clung in his throat.
No, Kakashi had to be mistaken. Maybe this was another Sasuke Uchiha, or some prank. Yeah, that had to be it. There was absolutely no way this was him
Naruto heard chatter and muttered greetings from the group, and he slowly turned his head. His eyes instantly locked with Sasuke’s. His Sasuke's.
Sasuke froze, pausing his handshakes with the others to meet Naruto's gaze. His eyes were the same dark, demanding ones that challenged Naruto for years. His hair was as black and tousled as it was before, his skin just as pale. Naruto could still envision his little group of fangirls hovering over him in grade school.
His jaw fell to the floor.
Naruto had seen him a few times throughout the years they didn't talk. It was exclusively when they'd verse in matches, but still, Naruto knew how Sasuke had grown, having seen him and met his eyes.
This time felt completely different. At least before he could mentally prepare himself, but now? No warnings. Nothing. It was always Naruto for Konoha and Sasuke for the Sandstorms. That's how it worked. It was the only way Naruto could handle the damn pain he felt every time he was reminded...
How was he supposed to handle this now? With Sasuke on his team?
"Whoa, dude," Shikamaru whisper-yelled beside him. "I was just messing around before. There's no way."
Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out.
Pulling him out of his thoughts, Kakashi called, “Naruto, Shikamaru, what are you doing at the bench? Introduce yourselves.”
It sounded like a threat, so Naruto grudgingly walked over, his cleats crushing the grass beneath his feet as he stomped.
“There's nothing to say. We all know who he is," Naruto muttered. He meant it as a jab, but it came out weaker than he intended.
"Naruto," Kakashi warned.
He swallowed and put out a hand, seeing he had no other choice.
Sasuke said nothing, silently shaking Naruto's hand, looking just as frustrated, as if he wasn't the one who joined Naruto's team. They stared at each other with what probably looked like fury to everyone else, but Naruto felt a plethora of emotions at that moment. Anger was one of them, but he couldn't ignore the familiarity and hint of pain that passed between them, too. Or at least he felt it on his end. He could barely begin to guess what Sasuke was thinking at that moment. It was almost funny since he used to believe he understood him more than anyone did.
Memories started to flash in Naruto's head, the same ones that always seemed to make their way back whenever he saw him.
The long practices. The sleepovers. The games. Their final moments, too, as much as he hated thinking about it.
He'd never been so confused.
He was sprung out of it when he heard the team breaking off the huddle. It was just the two of them left there. Naruto looked him up and down, scrunching his nose. "What the hell are you doing here? You... How are you playing for Konoha, Sasuke?"
Naruto was very aware that his voice was shaking. He sounded pathetic.
Sasuke quickly pulled his hand out of his as if the touch burned. "Practice is starting, dumbass."
Then he was gone.
Naruto was practically seething, his brain scrambling to decide what else he should do to get some sort of answer. He caught a familiar head of white hair by the bleachers, and he wasted no time.
He angrily got in his coach's face. Kakashi clearly saw this coming.
“Kakashi, you admitted him? You could've at least told us before! What's going on?!”
He sighed. “Because I knew you'd react like this. He’s an extraordinary player and you know it.”
“He's from the Sandstorms. They literally made us lose our chance at the finals last year!”
“We lost because they had stronger players, like Sasuke. He's an Uchiha, Naruto,” Kakashi countered as if that was supposed to mean anything.
Naruto groaned. He hated hearing the “Uchiha family” crap. Yes, they had a reputation when it came to soccer, he could admit that much. Sasuke’s brother, Itachi, was the best player in the league before he went pro, and so was his father, Fugaku Uchiha, before him, but that didn’t automatically make Sasuke a legend. He wasn't born with some innate skill. He got good on his own.
The Uchihas had all played for the Sandstorms, though, so why would Sasuke transfer to Konoha all of a sudden?
"You know, I was told you two used to be on the same team. And that you were best friends," Kakashi said after Naruto's prolonged silence.
Damn it, Kakashi knew? "Who told you that?!"
"Dunno," he shrugged. Even through his mask, Naruto could tell he had a smug smile. "Is it true? You two must have a history somewhere. It would explain a lot."
Naruto tapped his foot on the grass, embarrassed. "Well, yeah, but..."
"Okay, so what's the problem?" Kakashi asked.
"We're rivals!" Naruto said instead, crossing his arms over his chest. He decided it'd be best for Kakashi not to know the extent of it.
"I know, but now you're teammates again. Get used to it," Kakashi warned.
Naruto scoffed. “I’m not happy about this,” he glared, pointing his finger accusingly at his coach.
“Couldn’t care less. Go do your warmups.”
Naruto begrudgingly followed his teammates. Instead of doing their usual warmups, he decided he would try his luck talking to Sasuke again, or else he was going to lose his mind. If he was gonna join his team after being on the Sandstorms, Naruto deserved an explanation.
He found him quickly and grabbed his shoulder to get his attention. Sasuke turned to look at him and got instantly irritated. Naruto didn't get what the bastard was so annoyed about. He should've seen this coming.
“What do you want?”
"You know what I want!"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I don't, actually."
"Why'd you transfer here? It doesn’t make any sense," Naruto basically yelled.
He clenched his jaw. “That’s none of your business.”
Now he was getting pissed off all over again. Not like he was surprised. Sasuke was never one to admit anything. He tried to walk off, but Naruto caught up with him.
“Sasuke, I'm serious! Does it have something to do with me? Are you a spy? Were you sent here to make my life hell? What is it?”
“You think I'd switch teams just to annoy you?" Sasuke scoffed, "You haven't changed a bit, Naruto."
Then, he had the audacity to shove past him.
It looked like he was gonna go with his fake "I don't care about anything other than winning" attitude again.
Naruto cursed under his breath and jogged to start practice. He wasn't the only one who didn't change.