"Sasuke!"

Naruto's throat feels as if it's tearing apart at the seams, his voice nearly dead from constant shouting. He jumps deftly through the trees, keeping the Uchiha within eyesight.

"Sasuke!" he shrieks, his voice almost cracking. "Why are you running away from me?"

His question, just like all others before it, is only met with a bitter sort of laugh. This isn't Sasuke, this can't be Sasuke. Sasuke may be a huge asshole and kind of an idiot but he wouldn't do this. Would he?

"Sas-" Naruto's cry is cut short when he crashes into Sasuke, sending the two barreling out of the treetops and spiraling towards the ground. Sasuke seems to be caught off guard to the point that he can't retaliate or prepare himself for impact. He lets out a grunt of pain as they hit the forest floor and notices Naruto clinging desperately to the back of his shirt.

"Sasuke." The boy's voice wavers ever so slightly. "Come on, don't do this."

Sasuke merely scoffs in reply. Naruto doesn't see it but he's sure he's rolling his eyes as well.

"Come on, Sasuke." He sounds as if he's near tears. "Come on. We gotta go home."

To Naruto's surprise, Sasuke pushes himself up, slamming the blond into the tree behind them.

"Home? What a joke." As if to illustrate the point, Sasuke begins laughing again, sounding not so much bitter anymore but simply hateful, menacing. "Konoha is no home of mine."

Naruto opens his mouth to respond, but before a word can leave his lips Sasuke whips his head backwards, slamming Naruto's against the tree behind him. The sickening crunch of breaking bone comes as a shock. Naruto removes one hand from Sasuke's back and gingerly touches his nose. He grits his teeth, both in pain and anger as he brushes his fingers over blood.

Sasuke takes advantage of Naruto's surprise and grabs the hand on his shoulder. He squeezes tightly around Naruto's fingers and pulls them off of him. Sasuke stands and flips Naruto over in one swift motion. Naruto lets out a choked cry of pain, a bit of blood spattering from his mouth.

"You should give up before you hurt yourself," Sasuke says scornfully. Naruto finds himself suddenly paralyzed, unable to do more than watch as Sasuke stomps on his leg. Sasuke grabs Naruto's arms, places a foot on his back, and - in an almost melodic manner - proceeds to snap his arms. Sasuke backs away, allowing Naruto's limbs to flop to the ground uselessly.

"You're just pathetic."

With that, Sasuke jumps away out of Naruto's sight.

"Wait! Sasuke!" Naruto feels like he's choking. "Sasuke, come back!"

It hurts, it hurts him so much but he just breaks into sobs, tears rolling down his face. Naruto feels like he is nothing but worthless.


Naruto's eyes snap open. He doesn't feel quite panicked but definitely worried. Frightened, maybe. He's had this dream, and variations thereof, more times than he could dream to count. And every time he can only hopelessly look beside him and hope Sasuke's still laying beside him.