Of course. the nightmares just had to pay him a visit during a mission.
Team 7 was currently on a mission in the country of wave, and Naruto and Sasuke had been doing the tree climbing exercise for hours and Naruto was thoroughly exhausted. He was ready to just collapse and curl up into a ball and sleep away the next day. but the nightmares wouldn't let him.
Sasuke settled into the bed roll across from Naruto's and closed his eyes. Naruto followed suit. Just as he was closing his eyes, he noticed that something felt different from usual. He had an odd sensation that he was slowly sinking. "no" Naruto thought. "not this..." but it was too late.
Suddenly Naruto was no longer slowly sinking, but falling so fast that everything was a blur. but that didn't make it any less horrible. Naruto could see people screaming for help. he saw Sakura running and crying, stumbling over herself as she tried to get away from..him. every one in the village was running.
He could see familiar faces flitting in and out of the crowd. Sakura, Sasuke, Skikamaru, Ino, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Choji, Kakashi. they all scared, hurt, and betrayed. Kakashi ran forwards and tried to restrain him. Naruto watched his own hands, already slick with blood, rise and wrap around Kakashi's neck. He struggled for a moment before going limp.
"no...No. NO MORE! I don't want to see this. stop! LET ME GO!" Naruto screamed in his mind, trying desperately to free him self, to no avail. the night mare was not finished yet.
The crowd continued to scream and run. Naruto murdered them easily one by one. Anyone who tried to oppose him didn't stand a chance. neither did those who ran. Naruto felt sick.
Naruto watched himself in agony as he killed his friends. Hinata ran towards him bravely. "Naruto! please! listen! this isn't you! pl-" she didn't get the chance to say more, for Naruto had leapt forward and dug his claws (since when did he get claws!?) into her chest.
He threw Hinata to the side like a rag doll. Sakura hiccuped and stumbled, falling to the ground. Naruto advanced on her, watching her desperately scramble to get up. "Nar-" in a flash his fingers sliced through her neck. Naruto easily wiped out the rest of his friends. finally, Sasuke was the last one standing.
Naruto began to walk towards him. "run. fight. don't just stand there! i don't want to hurt you!" Naruto thought. Sasuke was just standing there. he wasn't trying to run or fight. he just kept standing there, watching Naruto advance. Naruto reached him in no time. Naruto leaped on him, pinned him to the ground, and began to rip him apart.
Sasuke wasn't fazed in the slightest. He just kept watching Naruto. when Naruto was finally done shredding him Sasuke whispered, barely audible. "I trust you." The agony Naruto felt in that moment was like nothing he had ever felt before. He stood abruptly and looked at the mangled bodies of his friends lying around him.
He looked down at his hands, still dripping with blood. "i did this." he thought. "all of this." He began to scream. he grabbed his head in his hands and doubled over. the pain was to much. the scene of his dead friends disolved, and he was suddenly floating in darkness.
From the darkness, a huge red eye opened, and a laugh shook the place. "you haven't even scene the worst of it." the voice laughed out. The scene dissolved again and he could hear a voice in the distance, calling his name. he felt an odd sensation, as if he was being pulled through water,and then he finally managed to open his eyes.
Sasuke was looking down at him worriedly. "Naruto?" he asked. "oh thank god. i'm back in reality." "I'm f-fine." Naruto stuttered. Sasuke looked at him incredulously. Naruto became aware that he was trembling. He sat up and pulled his knees up to his chest to try and hide it. Sasuke looked at him for a moment.
"did...did you have a nightmare?" He asked finally. Naruto nodded miserably. Sasuke sighed and sat down next to him. "you need sleep." he muttered. "I'm not going back to sleep. ever." Naruto replied shakily. Sasuke rolled his eye's. "look i have nightmares to. so... how about we.. face them together." Sauke muttered the last part as if he were ashamed to admit it. He probably was.
Naruto looked at him, slowly piecing together what he meant. when it finally clicked, he could feel his cheeks darken. "oh.. right well.." Naruto tried to make a coherent sentence but failed miserably. Sasuke looked up at the ceiling, then at Naruto. Naruto looked at him. the tension continued to build up until Naruto finally couldn't take it anymore.
He layed down and scooted over to make room for Sasuke. He looked at him expectantly. "well?" Naruto asked. Sasuke slid next to Naruto and layed on his side, watching him. Naruto shifted onto his side so he could look back at Sasuke. They stayed like that for a few moments. Sasuke reached up and brushed Naruto's bangs from his face. Naruto shivered at his touch.
and just like that the memory of his nightmare came flooding back. he gave little gasp and made a sound like he was being strangled. Sasuke blinked. "Naruto?" he asked. Naruto said nothing just wiggled forwards until he was curled up next to Sasuke, His face buried in Sasuke's chest. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto, and rubbed slow circles on his back. slowly but surely, Naruto's trembling stopped.
"Thank you." Naruto whispered. then, thinking better of it, he added, "I trust you."
"The feeling is mutual." Sasuke replied. Naruto sighed with relief. Sasuke trusted him. He couldn't let him down. there was no way that he would ever let the nightmares win.
