August 27, 2015 15:50

Schizophrenia

Disclaimer: I dont own Naruto or any of its people, or methods or ideas or world. Just writing this for fun.

I had a dream about crazy Sasuke and just..have to make a story out of it...maybe eventual Sasuke x Naruto when he grows older..just maybe

•••••

Chapter 1

"Naruto! Going home already?! It's Friday, let's go drinking together!" Kiba yelled from afar.

"No thanks," Naruto snorted", "unlike you, I'm not an alcoholic."

"Hey! I'm not an alcoholic!...I just..like the taste of wine and beer..!" Kiba retorted weakly.

Naruto only smirked and shook his head.

"You're in the denial stage for too long Kiba," the blond sighed as he stuff his record book in his bag and zipped it close.

"Well, it's always denial before recovery right?" Kiba snickered as he swing an arm around his blond friend's.

"Well it doesn't look like you're recovering anytime soon," Naruto murmured. This conversation pops up every Friday night and sometimes, Naruto just give up and went drinking with the mutt and his friends.

"Well...you're such a workaholic," Kiba complained as Naruto placed the orange backpack on his back.

"..Not that good..but still better than being an alcoholic," Naruto chuckled and flicked Kiba's forehead. "And I went drinking with you last week."

"Hey!...what are you talking about? That was two weeks ago," Kiba yelped and grumbled as he rub his throbbing forehead.

"Same shit, different name," Naruto shrugged and waved to his friend. "And tell the guys I apologized."

With that, Kiba watched his friend's back disappeared through the glass doors and into the starless night.

••••

Naruto should've taken a train back to his house, it would've been faster than the 30 minute walk home. But today he finally get to see his patient walked off with a smile adorning her face. She had spent weeks in depression after her boyfriend's death and it felt so...refreshing and victorious seeing her happy again. Naruto loves being a therapist for that reason. To see the process of a person in low spirit recovering was truly a sight. And what a better way to celebrate than to take a walk to enjoy his surroundings? Unfortunately, there was barely any stars in the sky to gaze at, the ones that were present was dimmed by the yellow street lights.

Halfway through his walk home, Naruto stopped in front of a large house. It was like a ritual for Naruto everytime he walks home to stop and look at the Uchiha's household. It used to have four loving family members..but it's only Mikoto and her youngest child now. Thinking about the mother and her son, a sudden pang of guilt hit him. And as if on cue, a droplet of water fell and splashed silently on tan arms. Great, Naruto just have to choose the perfect night to take a walk. Just like his dad did...and never came home again. Naruto sighed and closed his eyes. No matter how much he worked to forget, no amount of therapy or happiness in life could take away the pain and guilt from years ago. Apologizing to Mikoto millions of times could never payback what she lost. Mikoto repeatedly told Naruto that she was fine, that Naruto had no fault in this, nobody was. But he couldn't do it, he couldn't face her nor her son. Eventually, he visited them less and less and less...until it was years since Naruto last saw their faces.

The rain was pouring and pounding on the pavement like millions of bullets shooting from above. And every single one that landed on Naruto felt heavy and agonizing. Soon the weight of his heart was too much to carry and his legs gave out. Salty tears rolled down from cerulean eyes, mixing in with the bitter rain. His lungs hurt and the guilt was eating him from the inside out. Crying was a way to express bottled up emotions that are unexplainable. Laughing is a way to show happiness that cant be convey through ordinary words. They say laughing is the best medicine...so crying is too right? Or is it the deadliest poison there is?

The rain was so loud to Naruto that he couldn't hear footsteps approaching him. He was too deep in his world, painfully and silently crying out his regrets that he haven't got a clue as an umbrella was held above him.

Naruto lost track of the time he spent pounding on the ground and screeching soundless screams and crying his ass out. But he finally noticed a round shadow protecting him from the rain repeatedly shattering on earth. Naruto glanced to his side and spotted small rain boots standing quietly despite the aggressive storm brewing above. Blue eyes could only stare at the red boots and slowly up, as if he already knew who was standing there. His eyes soften as he realized one day, he'll eventually have to face his fear..and today just so happen to be the day. Ocean blue orbs slowly moved up to meet black, cheerless eyes that was staring down at him, observing every little speck and detail there is.

"Get up," a little voice said and a hand reached down to the blond. Without much hesitation, Naruto grabbed the little pale hands, a smile adorning his face as he stood up. Naruto couldn't help but chuckled when his head hit the top of the umbrella while straightening up.

"Here, I'll hold it," Naruto said and took the umbrella out of the little boy's hand.

"Do you want to come in?" The kid said flatly, his eyes never blinking as he stared straight into blue eyes.

"Uh.." was all Naruto could manage as a reply, he glanced at the Uchiha's house nervously then look back. The onyx eyes looks like it was dragging him into a sweet candy land, but underneath the cover, it was a bitter cemetery.

"Sorry, I..I cant, have to get home," Naruto apologized.

"What are you afraid of?" The little boy asked, his eyes calculating the blond. Naruto jerked back at the sudden question, it shocked him that this boy just read through him as if he were clear glass.

"Come, the storm will only get worse," the boy said and took Naruto's free hand.

"Wait, wait," Naruto panicked at the thought of having to step inside the house he worked so hard to avoid for years. He tried to yank his hand back as he was dragged through the gates but those little fingers felt like an iron grip. Such strong hands for someone so small and fragile looking. Naruto continued his struggle all the way to the front porch and finally gave up as his feet touch the wooden steps. Naruto grumbled as he pulled the umbrella close and hung it on the hooks next to the front door. Having been to the Uchiha's place for countless times, Naruto pretty much knew every nook and cranny of the house and property. He took off his shoes and dumped the water out of it before placing it against the wall to dry. Every move he made, he felt dark eyes watching and following.

"Am I that fun to watch?" Naruto boasted, a smirk play across his face as he took off his socks and backpack. He held up the soggy orange backpack and zipped the bag open. He pulled out another water and fire proof bag, which fortunately, is where his files were kept.

"...No," the little boy replied after awhile, then he took off his raincoat and hung it next to the umbrella along with Naruto's orange backpack, "but you are weird."

Naruto gasped. He assumed this have something to do with the kid seeing him cried and screamed soundlessly in the rainstorm. Those stuff you only see in movies.

"How long were you there?" Naruto asked darkly, feeling his pride slowly being crushed. He watched as the little boy grabbed for the door knob and paused. Naruto was surprised to see a smile, no, more like a smug smirk on the kid's face. Naruto had forgotten for a long time how beautiful and well crafted the Uchihas are.

"Long enough," the kid snorted and opened the door, slightly blinding them both when lights pour through.

Naruto was surprised when he saw a larger figure jumped the little boy and held him in a tight embrace.

"Where have you been? I was worrying sick about you," a lady voice cried into the little boy's shoulder.

"Mom...I told you before I left, I was checking on something at our gate," the little boy sighed and pat his mother's back. Naruto could only watch as the mother and son hugged. He felt bad just by being here after what happened. Now it felt dreadful to watch what he reduced this little family into.

"Naruto?" The lady asked in astonishment as she looked up at the blond.

"...Yes..hello..Mikoto-san," Naruto greeted awkwardly and raised his hand to wave to her.

"Ahhh!" Mikoto screamed and attacked Naruto. He stumbled when he felt a live human adult jumped him with her arms wrapped around his neck.

"I cant believe it, I cant," Mikoto half muttered, half sob as she hugged the blond.

"Haha...well now you can," Naruto chuckled as he returned her hug.

"Goodness!" Mikoto squealed and grabbed both of Naruto's cheeks and stretched it. "You've grown so much!"

"Missed you too Mikoto-san," Naruto said as his cheeks were being squished and pulled and morph around like it was some clay toy.

"You're wet! What were you doing outside without an umbrella?" Mikoto exclaimed, "come in, come in, geeze you need to get dry or you're going to catch a cold, here, let's get you to a hot bath."

As Naruto was being dragged inside the house, the whole time he noticed the boy standing still and was just staring at them impassively.

"Umm..auntie-" Naruto mumbled as Mikoto dragged him in by his wrist.

"Oh! Haha, of course, you're grown now, cant just show an old lady like me everything?" Mikoto laughed.

"Mikoto-san, I have no idea what you're talking about, you look hell a lot younger than me," Naruto chuckled in reply.

"Aww, don't flatter me," Mikoto blushed and touched the side of her face.

"I wasn-" Naruto said but was quick cut off.

"Here, take him to the bathroom for mom okay?" Mikoto said to the little boy. Her son simply nodded and took Naruto's other hand.

"No, I meant-" Naruto began but was once again interrupted.

"No I insisted, I'll make your favorite snack and you can have them when you're done," Mikoto sang as she headed to the kitchen.

Naruto sighed as Mikoto turn around the corner.

"She sure is excited," Naruto said softly.

"She's just happy that you finally came over," the boy added as he too watch his mother walked off.

"Alright, strip," the boy said, looking Naruto in the eye, making it more like a command.

"What?" Naruto snapped.

"The longer you stay in those wet clothes, the higher chance of you catching hypothermia," the little boy explained as he grabbed on the legs of Naruto's pants and yanked.

"Woah!" Naruto yelped as he managed to hold onto his underwear before it was dragged along with his pants.

"Give me a warning next time!" Naruto growled, embarrassed from having a kid pulled down his pants so easily.

"If you understand, go ahead and continue, I'll get you a towel," the boy simply said and he walked off with the wet pants.

"Wait, where are you taking my pants?" Naruto panicked. He felt really exposed right now and if Mikoto came running at this moment, he'll die of embarrassment.

"The hamper, you're welcome to follow," the boy added and continued his way up the marble stairway.

"Since you asked, I'll come along," Naruto retorted and followed the boy while unbuttoning his white dressed shirt.

••••

"Here's the clothes, and the shower room is in that door," The boy said as he took Naruto's wet shirt and handed him dry clothes.

"Oh thanks," Naruto muttered and looked down at the dry bundle of clothes in his hands. He briefly wondered who clothes it used to belong to. Oh goodness, the feeling is bubbling up again and he'd hate to show his baby side to a kid for the second time.

"It used to belong to Itachi," the little boy mentioned as he watched Naruto. It's as if he can read the blond's mind and answered the question out of his own amusement.

"Oh..." Naruto replied quietly. Had this been under normal circumstances, Naruto will be weirded out as fuck if a person answered a question he never asked out loud, but the name blinded him. "Itachi's.."

Feeling eyes boring into him, Naruto suddenly snapped out of it...only to see the little boy observing him impassively.

"Your name.." Naruto asked awkwardly while fiddling with the soft fabric in his hands.

"What? You forgot? Yet you remembered Itachi's?" The boy asked monotonously. His eyes staring deep into ocean ones. And its cracking Naruto's nerves every second there is.

"S..Sousuk-" Naruto started but was cut off.

"Sasuke, the name is Sasuke," the boy muttered and made his way to the hamper. "8 years yet you haven't changed."

Naruto could only gaped at the boy ahead. If he remembered correctly, this kid was still freaking chewing and drooling on baby toys eight years ago, how the hell is he supposed to know Naruto?

"You're going to catch a cold if you keep standing there with your mouth opened," Sasuke shouted from afar and his voice slapping Naruto out of his Lala land. Then he realized the pun Sasuke just made and chuckled.

"Right," Naruto answered before making his miserable way to the fancy bathroom.

•••

The moment Naruto dipped his feet into the hot bath water, he felt all of his bad chemicals float off.

"Heaven," he sighed as he laid underneath the warm water. He wanted to stay here forever and never have to leave and deal with stresses in life. Then suddenly, Naruto jerked up in realization.

He wanted a bubble bath.

He looked through all the bottle on the metal rack just on top of the bathtub. Then finally, hidden behind bunches of shampoo, was a orange bottle. Naruto reached up and grabbed it off the metal shelf. 'Bubble bath shampoo for ages 2 and up, it leaves you smelling like an orange for days.'

Hm..Naruto wasn't sure he want to be smelling like an orange for days but beggars cant be choosers. He shrugged and squeeze a bunch out and watched as it floated slowly to the bottom of the bathtub. Well, that didn't go as expected. What a pathetic excuse for a bubble bath bottle. Well, its been so long that he forgot and assumed the bubbles would appear once it touches the water. He closed the cap and placed it back on the shelf then stare silently at the soap on the beneath his feet. What to do...

Sasuke snapped up from his book when he heard a loud thud coming from the bathroom. He quickly made his way down the hall to see what was up, but the moment he reached the door, he heard laughter erupting from inside. His hands hesitated on the doorknob, wondering if it was safe to go in. After awhile, Sasuke retreated his pale hands and stood at the doorway from a bit. Then he finally decided to go back, that is, until water leaked out from under the bathroom door. Without hesitating this time, the boy grabbed the handle and turned it. He was greeted with a Naruto splashing his arms in the water as if intimating a chicken being drown.

Now Sasuke understood where the water was coming from, not from Naruto drowning, no it wasn't, but because every single time Naruto flapped his arms, a gallon of water overflowed from the tub. Sasuke stood there and crossed his arms while staring at the blond. It seems Naruto was having so much fun he didn't even realize Sasuke was standing there, once again seeing an embarrassing trait of Naruto Uzumaki. When Naruto came to his senses, finding a kid standing there watching him was too late. Way too late.

••••

"Dry your hair," Sasuke said as he handed Naruto the hair dryer.

"Thanks," Naruto mumbled while he buried his face in his hands. Sasuke had caught him playing in the water like some drowned dog and he even cleaned up after Naruto's mess.

Sighing, Sasuke climbed on the bed and stood behind Naruto. He smacked the blond's head lightly as if to say 'straighten up'.

"Ow.." Naruto grumbled and leaned his head back as tiny hands begin ruffling through his hair. Warm air blew softly into blond locks and on the back of his ears. Naruto felt surprisingly relaxed, sitting on a soft bed while warm air contrasting with his cold, wet hair made the environment extremely..good..for...a...nap...

Sasuke glowered at the blond head resting on him and shortly, soft snoring noises followed. He switched off the hair dryer and grabbed the gray pillow to placed underneath Naruto's head. Hearing soft footsteps coming toward the room, Sasuke quickly throw the blanket on top of the sleeping man and made his way to the door.

Mikoto jerked back a bit when her son opened the door abruptly without her ever nearing hearing distance of the door. It's her son, yet he never fail to amaze and..surprise her.

"Hey, where's Naruto?" Mikoto asked, poking her head into the room.

"Dead," Sasuke answered flatly, when his mother stared at him in horro, he quickly corrected, "asleep. Dead asleep."

"Oh my, how nostalgic..." Mikoto said, covering her mouth as if she's about to cry.

Sasuke glanced back at the sleeping human on the large bed.

"Yeah, sure is," Sasuke breathed, so low his mother could barely hear the words.

••••

"Ugh..." Naruto groaned as his eyelids fluttered open. He never felt so good after waking up before. His body feels amazing, when he gets home, maybe he'll get a higher quality bed. Though he didn't remember ever getting in a proper sleep position, Mikoto must've moved him. Now he felt really bad for wasting her water and then making her waste energy putting him to sleep. Naruto suddenly felt some soft, and warm..thing feathered over his arm. On instinct, he immediately retracted his arm and turned toward the source. Expecting to see some ghost but all Naruto saw was the little boy earlier curled up in a ball with a book next to him, and he couldn't help but smiled a little. No matter how tough Naruto gets, his weakness will always be children. They're such innocent angels that should be kept away from the horror of the world, a fragile treasure. Naruto carefully draped the blanket over Sasuke and picked up the book lying there. The cover was blank and dark blue. Curious, he flips to the first few pages, he chuckled quietly as he read a few lines about ninjas and an imaginary wonderland. So this is the type of books Sasuke likes to read, how typical of little boys. Naruto was the same...except he didn't bother with thick chapter books like this, with words but no pictures. If he could, Naruto would always choose picture-only comics to read when he was little. Naruto ran his fingers through the fine pages of the book and randomly flipped to a page. He scanned through it and a phrase caught his blue eyes. "I laugh maniacally, then take a deep breath and touch my chest- expecting a heart to be thumping quickly, impatiently, but there's nothing there, not even a bea-"(1)

"I see you enjoy reading other people's things without their consent," a voice erupted from behind the covers. Jerking up from the familiar voice, Naruto slapped the book closed.

"Oh..sorry," Naruto mumbled and handed the book to Sasuke, who took it without losing eye contact. Naruto briefly wondered how a kid so young managed to keep eye contact and attention on one thing for so long.

Naruto diverted his eyes away from black ones. That's when he begin to wondered what time it was. Tan fingers reached out to the curtains just behind the bed's headboard, his fingers curled around the fabric and pulled it apart.

"Dawn barely touched the surface of earth," Naruto breathed in wonder as he stare at the plains behind the Uchiha's property. Green lush and trees surrounded the grass field, it was even more beautiful with the sky violet and a tint of pinkish orange highlighting the bottom.

"..5:54," Sasuke said as he watched the fascination glittering in ocean blue eyes turned to shock.

"How'd you know?" Naruto inquired. From the look on his face, Sasuke assumed that Naruto thinks Sasuke as some smart, full of wisdom kid who know the exact time just by looking outside. A little smirk played across Sasuke lips as he pointed to a spot on the wall behind Naruto. Blue eyes followed the little finger and spotted a ticking clock up near the ceiling.

"Hah, 5:55," Naruto corrected smugly.

Sasuke shrugged and shot right back, "time change old man, no answer stay right forever."

Naruto whistled at the boy's response.

"For someone so little, you sure have a witty mouth," Naruto chuckled and ruffled the kid's head.

"Hey, is my clothes dried?" Naruto asked briefly.

"No, it's still in the hamper," Sasuke replied as he watched Naruto slid his feet off the bed.

"Not staying for breakfast?" The boy asked flatly while Naruto muttered something about picking up the clothes later.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Naruto huffed,"Have work."

"It's Saturday, I thought therapists have an easy schedule," Sasuke inquired, tilting his head to the side curiously.

"That's where you're wrong," Naruto hissed and poked the little boy's forehead. "I'm an expert, you know time can get busy for us."

"Dream on," Sasuke mocked silently.

"Is Miko- your mom awake? I want to greet her before I leave," Naruto mentioned while stretching his limbs. When he used to visit here and have sleepovers, Mikoto-san always wake up early to enjoy the morning beauty. Back then Naruto didn't understand what the hell that meant but he seen it now.

"Should be," Sasuke shrugged and snuggled back under the blanket.

"Alright, see you later kiddo," Naruto waved and walked out, closing the door behind him.

••

Soft humming sounded throughout the empty halls as Naruto took his time walking around the large house. It was still pristine and beautiful, just as he had remembered it. Then he briefly wondered who took over the Uchiha's company after Fugaku's and Itachi's death. He checked a few times and the company was still as large or probably larger than before. He guessed Mikoto must've hired someone smart to take over in her stead because he knows she's not the business type. As he made his way to Mikoto's room, he decided to ask her later while having those favorite snacks of his.

When he spotted a familiar door, Naruto excitedly ran to it. He considered Mikoto as her second mother before he start avoiding her and now it felt great to finally be back.

Naruto approached the door and knocked on it lightly. The door creaked opened, pitch black darkness oozed out from the room. Naruto stared at it oddly, maybe she isn't in here, but Mikoto never leaves her door open, she always close it tightly after entering or leaving.

"Mikoto-san?" Naruto called out as he placed his ear near the door. Having not receive any reply, Naruto slowly pushed the door open. The first thing he notice was how cold this single room was compared to the rest of the house. Naruto racked his brains to see if Mikoto have any need-cold-air-to-sleep problem but encountered none. It was dark and blue eyes was having a difficult time adjusting, yet he can still kind of make out a figure laying on the bed. Naruto quickly ran his finger up the wall in search of the light switch and then he felt a plastic bump on the wall and pressed hard. Nothing happened. Feeling confused, tan fingers aggressively and repeatedly jabbed the button yet no lights explode throughout the room. Considering the amount of sound Naruto was making, he was surprised to get no response from Mikoto. One thing Naruto know for sure is Mikoto was not a deep sleeper. Then he suddenly remembered about the lamp next to Mikoto's bed and waltz his way to it, hoping he wont accidentally step on a mouse trap or something.

Naruto was a grown adult and he felt many pain through all his years alive, but he swore, nothing felt more painful then his toe jamming hard into the bed's leg. Within seconds, Naruto collapsed on the floor and silently gasping in pain, all the while clutching his swollen toe. Curse humans for making something so damn dangerous. After a few minutes of resting and recovering, Naruto finally propped himself up and pat around the bed to help navigate his way to the lamp. That is, until his fingers accidentally landed on something, warm, wet, and sticky. He quickly pulled his hand back and observed the liquid in the dark.

"Ew, okay, that was not meant to be touched," Naruto whispered in disgust as he wiped it on the carpet. From the look of it, its some black oil littering the bed and that was not good. He carefully crawled along the bed, the feeling of the sticky oil still lingering as he made his way to the lamp. His hand hover around to search for the lamp's leg, when he felt the metal pole, he happily stood up and pulled the string. Dim, yellow light flood through the entire room. There was a brief moment and the lights was swiftly turned off just as it had turned on. Naruto's hand shook as he gripped tightly on the string. His fingers slowly pulling on the lamp switch again. Don't you dare fingers, don't you fucking dare pull. Despite his mind telling him to stop, his heart couldn't obey.

Click.

And the lights once again danced to a twisted tune around the room. Naruto couldn't move, his limbs wouldn't move, they're frozen in place and the only thing that belongs to him were his eyes. His eyes were looking, taking in everything. He looked down at his hand and realized, oh, that wasn't black oil, it was something more coppery...and red.

She was holding a knife in her pale, nimble fingers. The sharper side of the blade facing up. Blood. Blood. Blood. Blood. Everywhere. Mikoto's blood tainted the whole bed, turning it into a beautiful maroon color. With her hair flowing out, she looked like a doll floating gently in a river of red.

"Naruto?" A voice rang out. And immediately, the lights clicked off as the voice near. Naruto stood there, his fingers slowly letting go of the string and dropped to his side.

"Are you okay?" A gentle voice once again asked. Unconsciously, Naruto reached down and grabbed a clean part of the bed sheets. His hand automatically cleaned off the red substances stuck on his fingers.

"Don't come in, your mom is sleeping," Naruto said, his voice devoid of any emotion. His feet took small steps toward the little figure standing at the doorway.

Sasuke stood and watched as Naruto sluggishly came his way. He observed the blond's face when he stepped into the light. Nothing. His face had nothing on it.

"Is...everything..alright?" Sasuke asked, reaching for Naruto's hand.

Naruto jerked his hand away when he saw the incoming contact.

"Yeah...everything will be fine."

••••••••

You know what got me into the mood of writing this dark part!? Not cuz my kitchen shelf is empty, no, not cuz my favorite mug broke, no no! BUT ITS BECAUSE I RECEIVED MY CLASS SCHEDULE FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND NOW I'M PISSED! *pant pant* I sometimes wondered if you need to be crazy to write about crazy people but hey, look at me, I'm perfctly normal.

I know I have my other the day you kiss me blah blah blah story to continue before I start this weird one but I couldn't help it...

(1) American Psycho -Bret Easton Ellis

August 29, 2015 13:14