A/N: I know I should be working on all of my other fanfictions, and I am but I'm trying to make the ideas flow together better. It's a work in progress. So I took a little break to write this random little one shot just for the hell of it. Just an idea that popped into my head. Enjoy!

Skeletons

Sasuke stared at nothing in particular. He was scowling at nothing in particular, as always. Naruto wasn't the only one now who was whispered at in the streets. It had been a mixture of pity and fear. But not one of them could understand the skeletons locked away. Not one of them would ever fucking notice how much it hurt to walk through that door every single day of their existence.

Sakura with all her fawning over him didn't take the time to realize that everyday was a struggle to keep all of those memories locked away. All of those painful recollections would make it too difficult to keep going. Sakura didn't understand. How could she though?

And Naruto. Sasuke was aware that Naruto knew what it was like to be alone. But how could he feel the constant ache of having lost what he never knew? And Sasuke desperately wished that someone would understand.

Kakashi was obviously trying. Sasuke had to commend him for his attempts at trying to make the skeletons a little less painful, but no matter how hard he tried, it would never go away. His sensei knew the never ending cycle of suffering that went with living. Their skeletons would never leave them alone. Not ever.

Maybe that had been why he left. Sasuke didn't know, but he knew that he regretted making that choice, five years ago. The skeletons were still there, and everyday he kept going he was driving himself closer and closer to insanity. Because hearing Sakura's voice begging him to not leave and Naruto asking him why were added to the skeletons hiding in the back of Sasuke's consciousness. And they would never ever leave him alone.

So maybe, maybe, he could hold onto the good memories. Who knew, maybe one day he would end up in Konoha's psych ward screaming at nothing but distant memories. That is, if Naruto ever managed to drag him back. But Sasuke did not want to lose his mind to those skeletons that were slowly clawing their way out of the recesses of his memory. Because what he really wanted most of all was to hold onto all of those skeletons. That way, just maybe, all of those good memories could keep him out of that darkness for just a little longer.