Chapter 4
Itachi moved quietly through the trees.
He was close to what he was looking for; he could feel it. He hadn't exactly worked out how he was going to go about doing what he wanted to do but he needed to try. Especially since now Sasuke had become catatonic after Itachi had shown him the truth of what had happened all those years ago. Worse than that, the stress on Sasuke's chakra system had caused him to lose more feeling in his leg and now he couldn't walk at all. Just adding more things to the list of things Itachi already regretted.
He left his little brother in the care of his teammates and prayed that Jugo wouldn't have an outburst while he was gone. There was only one person who could help them and now was the time. He walked along side the road knowing full well he couldn't be seen by anyone other than who he was looking for. He was too close to Konoha and he wasn't sure he would survive another full-fledged fight with someone.
He turned a corner and came face to face with a certain blond jinchuuriki.
"Uchiha Itachi!" Naruto blurted and he readied a kunai. "What do you want now?"
"Shouldn't you run away?" Itachi couldn't help himself. Old habits died hard. "You're just one person against the Sharingan. Didn't you learn anything from our last encounter?"
Naruto growled. "I can go from one to a thousand in a second!" As on cue, at least a hundred Naruto's appeared. He faltered for a moment. "Aren't you going to attack me?"
"I just came here to talk," Itachi said carefully and Naruto narrowed his eyes. "But this time I want to show you something."
"Well I'm going to capture you!" Naruto declared and ran forward. "Because if I capture you then I can see Sasuke and show that bastard how much of an idiot he is!"
Itachi wasn't really in the mood to play Naruto's games. He was tired and his brother needed sick. He resisted the urge to pinch his nose in exasperation.
Naruto ran forward and immediately Itachi caught him a genjutsu. The world inverted and the sky turned red. Naruto slashed around in the bottomless illusion in vain. Crows circled them as Itachi allowed himself to appear before Naruto.
"I have no interest in fighting," Itachi explained again. "You said before that Sasuke is one of your first bonds."
"He is more of a brother to me than he could ever be to you! I will do everything in my power to save him from himself!"
That's exactly what Itachi wanted to hear. His chest pained him at the expense of chakra regardless of how used he was to using genjutsu.
"And I will take you down so he can stop this crazed desire for revenge."
"You would do anything to save Sasuke?"
"Anything." Naruto's fists clenched. "I made a promise to bring him home!"
"You know Sasuke is a missing nin. He will have to be tried if he does return. Usually the penalty is death."
Naruto faltered.
"And there are those on the council that may not want Sasuke to return or may want to use him." Itachi spoke slowly trying to make the blond understand in not so many words. "There are many that want to use the baby of my clan. Sasuke could easily be turned into a weapon against Konoha if he falls into the wrong hands." Although not right now, Itachi thought.
"Sasuke is too strong for that," Naruto argued. "He would never betray Konoha like that. He wouldn't have reason to."
Danzo is the perfect reason why Sasuke would turn on Konoha.
"But what if he did, would you be able to choose between Konoha and Sasuke? Would you kill your best friend for your village?" Could you make the hard decisions as I had to, Itachi thought. Would you make the same mistakes?
"I would save them both!"
"Don't be naïve. Sometimes ninja have to make hard decisions like this. Who would you save?"
Naruto chuckled. "I don't care that I'm naïve. I would save them both and protect them both. Even if I'd have to die doing so."
A crow forced its way into Naruto's throat. Naruto hacked and choked, tearing at his mouth to try to pull the crow out. Then his blue eyes widened.
Itachi smiled.
"This is my truth, Naruto," he said quietly and they returned to the real world in the forest. "I want to protect my little brother."
"Itachi." Naruto gasped for air. "You…?"
"I want you to make it so Sasuke can return safely."
"Do you know where he is!? Did he fight you?!"
"Yes, he is with me but no we did not fight." Itachi took a deep breath. "He was severely injured after his fight with Deidara. I need to bring him to Konoha so he can receive the proper medical attention."
"What?!" Naruto shook his head. "So you're telling that-that you're actually like…good?"
"Good is a relative word, Naruto-kun. Would you like to see Sasuke?"
"How do I know you're not trying to trick me and capture me?"
But Itachi didn't miss the slight dilation of Naruto's pupils at the possibility. It made him…he wasn't sure but it pacified his mind to know that there was someone else with Shisui's determination to save everyone, some else that wanted to protect Sasuke as much as he did.
"If I wanted to capture you, you were quite helpless in my genjutsu, I could've taken you then."
Naruto thought for a minute. "I mean…maybe…"
Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose. He needed to sit down. His own problems were worsening. He didn't want to admit it but even the Sharingan was beginning to fail at keeping his vision clear.
He started walking away, hoping, that the blond would follow. He knew Naruto would but he also knew that Naruto wanted to hide in the trees and pretend Itachi didn't know he was following. Itachi would have laughed if he thought he still could. He hadn't laughed in years not since he was very young before he was even a genin.
He blinked, trying to focus the blurring trees in front of him.
He felt like he should feel something.
And maybe he did but he wasn't sure what to call it: wistful?
…
Itachi walked into an out of the way hotel in a small-unnamed town.
The former Akatsuki definitely wasn't his old self even Naruto could see that. He didn't wear his robes anymore and there was a resoluteness in the way that he moved now that Naruto couldn't describe. It was like Itachi had finally let the weight of the world crush him. Naruto still wasn't sure if he believed what he had seen in his mind. Itachi was a master of illusions after all and this could clearly be just another trap. Though this seemed a little out of character for the proud Uchiha prodigy.
It was too sneaky. If Itachi wanted Naruto, he would be tactful not sneaky. He would respect Naruto's dignity. At least that was Naruto's impression of the man.
But a part of him believed what he had seen. There was too much in those images, those memories, to be just an illusion. He saw the pain that was in Itachi's eyes when he was about to kill his parents. He knew that pain: the impending isolation that Itachi was resigning himself to. Itachi knew that if he killed his clan, he was signing his own death sentence at the hands of his innocent brother.
Naruto didn't agree with the logic. He would have found another way. There had to have been another way. There always is no matter how naïve and stupid that may sound. But he did see the anguish on Itachi's face.
He followed Itachi into the hotel and down the hallway. The door at the very end was left ajar. Damn it, Naruto thought, he knew I was coming.
He took a deep breath. Maybe he should have gotten Sakura or Kakashi? Oh well, he could handle it. He would handle it. For Sasuke…if what Itachi had shown him was true and what he had said had been true as well. He could hear arguing from inside.
"Why do you talk to the birds?" a man was saying irritably. "It's weird. And why don't you make them do something useful like rescue Karin or something?"
"Because birds don't bother themselves with the affairs of humans."
"That's a dumb reason."
Naruto stepped into the threshold of the room and all speaking ceased. He was confronted with Itachi sitting cross-legged on the floor with a fresh cup of green tea in his hands. There was an orange-haired half naked man standing by the balcony beside a white haired water ninja with sharp teeth. Naruto turned his eyes to the far corner.
His breath caught.
It was Sasuke.
The raven was leaning against the wall, staring blankly and wrapped snuggly in blankets. A plate of untouched rice and a bowl of miso were placed beside him. Sasuke made no indication that he was aware of Naruto's presence. What did Naruto expect though? The last time he had seen Sasuke, the Uchiha had tried to kill him before running off with Orochimaru…again.
"What the hell!?" the white haired ninja shrieked. "Itachi! You brought a Konoha ninja here! This is the last thing that Sasuke needs! He doesn't want to go back, he wants to kill you—"
"I am very aware of my brother's intentions, thank you, Suigetsu," Itachi said calmly. "Thank you for trusting me, Naruto. These are my brother's companions, Suigetsu and Jugo."
"Hey, what's up with Sasuke?" Naruto asked ignoring Itachi's pleasantries.
"What the hell, don't be rude!" Suigetsu barked. "I'll kill you!" He drew his overlarge sword, grinning evilly.
Itachi's red eyes flashed.
"Fine!" Suigetsu stomped past Naruto angrily. "I don't want to be here when Sasuke shoves a chidori through both of your chests anyway!"
The man named Jugo turned away to look out over the town.
Naruto moved over to Sasuke and knelt down. The Uchiha still did not react. "Hey, Sasuke, what's up?"
"He can't hear or see you, Naruto-kun." Itachi's voice was soft and saturated with regret. "He's been still like that for a few days now since I showed him my truth and it's making his condition worse." Itachi moved to where Naruto was kneeling beside Sasuke. "My brother used chidori on himself to neutralize bombs that had been implanted into his bloodstream but unfortunately they left his leg nearly paralyzed. But now neither of his legs react."
Something twisted in Naruto seeing Sasuke like this. It was so different from who Sasuke really was. This couldn't be Sasuke. It must be some cruel trick. His veins felt as if they were on fire and he gripped Sasuke's shoulders. The kyuubi within him growled threateningly and his chakra spike as if he had thrown oil on fire.
And that chakra scorched through his fingers right into Sasuke.
"Wake up, you bastard!" Naruto screamed. "Why does it always have to be you!? It isn't like you to give up at some little hiccup in your plan."
"I don't think my truth is a hiccup," Itachi said quietly beside him.
"I need to fight you!" Naruto screamed louder as if maybe he could break through Sasuke's deafness. He leaned in and pressed his nose against the raven's. "You said once that when two ninja of the same level smash fists that they could see into one another's heart!"
"Naruto—" Itachi reached for him but Naruto pushed him back.
He could see the red chakra gathering around him, adding more power and a feral growl to the tone of his voice. His nails grew sharp and pinched Sasuke's frail shoulders. "I saw what was in your heart just as you saw into mine that day, goddamn if I let you waste away!"
Sasuke twitched, his head turning slightly.
Itachi and Naruto held their breaths but then the younger Uchiha slumped back against the wall, staring into nothing. The left one was just slightly cloudier than the right one. Why did you have to leave, he thought angrily. Why did you have to let this happen? I tried to bring you home and I failed—I won't fail again.
Naruto was shaking.
He did not chase Sasuke to bring him home, just to find him and let Sasuke waste away into himself just because his brother turned out to be someone different that what everyone expected. Naruto didn't care that he wasn't sure if he believed Itachi's story. He did believe in Sasuke.
He looked back at Itachi. The man's face was too pale and there was a sheen of sweat glazed over his skin.
"Naruto," the older Uchiha said softly when the blond had finally calmed. "You have to bring Sasuke back to Konoha and protect him. I can't do anything for him here. His teammates can't help him and…"
"And?" Naruto's eyes were huge. This couldn't possibly be happening! Itachi was a murderer.
"…I'm afraid for Sasuke."
Something inside Naruto seemed to shatter and understand without understanding. Because he was who he was, he smiled at Itachi and gave him a thumbs-up. "I'll protect him," he promised. "It's my ninja way."
"You truly are a unique one, Naruto-kun." Itachi regarded him for a moment but his features were softened. "Here's what you need to know. Sasuke is both blind and deaf. His ears were blown out due to Deidara's explosion and I believe he lost his sight due to an infection that spread. Also, he used Chidori on himself, which severely damaged his chakra system and maybe even his nervous system. Tsunade is the only one who might be able to help him."
Itachi's shoulders heaved with breath as he started to lift the catatonic injured raven. He told Jugo to pack whatever Sasuke owned and the orange-haired man obeyed quietly. Itachi's body shuddered unnaturally as he passed Sasuke off to Naruto. Naruto felt the boy physically stiffen in his arms. He was like a doll, his legs hanging limply and uncannily. Itachi helped Naruto position Sasuke on his back; Sasuke's head fell limply on his shoulder. It made Naruto's stomach turn uncomfortably.
Itachi coughed violently into his hand.
"You don't look too good, Itachi."
"Don't worry about me. Just take Sasuke back."
Leaving this man here went against everything Naruto stood for. He could not leave someone who had suffered like he suffered, worse than he suffered. Especially when they looked as sick as Itachi did.
Sasuke's head moved slightly side to side as if trying to listen. His breath was hot against Naruto's neck.
"Please," Itachi said. "I failed with Sasuke. I am a disgrace and should have known better than to overlook my own arrogance."
Naruto could sense the worry and the love the man had for his younger from. Naruto wasn't as stupid as everyone believed; he picked up on certain things. This was one of them.
Itachi loved his younger brother and his village to the point where his own life meant nothing to him.
Because who would care about the man who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his village and his brother.
So that was the kind of decision he was talking about, Naruto thought.
"Come home, Itachi," Naruto said. "I don't know how but I will try to protect you too!" And when I'm Hokage, I will make sure something like that will never happen ever again.
"Tell Suigetsu we've gone back to Konoha," Itachi said quietly to Jugo. "Meet us there if you wish but let us travel alone."
Naruto beamed.
…
Sasuke was home.
But it wasn't at all how Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi had wanted it to be. Sasuke had been unconscious in the hospital for three days while Tsunade tried to stabilize his chakra system and return movement to his body. He only seemed to be aware when Naruto was around screaming about this and that.
("Baaa-chan, just fix him already!
"This isn't as easy as it looks, brat.")
Sasuke would suddenly have a flare in activity—turn his head, blink his useless eyes or clench his fists. Tsunade had repaired his chakra systems as much as she could and his injured leg. Sasuke would be fine…if he would only wake up. However, she couldn't do anything for his hearing. The infection had rendered his left eye completely inactive and she restored as much of his sight as she could but she wouldn't know how much that would be until he woke up. He needed to start regulating his own chakra again and then everything would work itself out. Of course once he did wake up, he was going to be questioned and his punishment decided.
That's what Naruto had occupied his time trying to work out. Sakura and Kakashi were helping his case too, trying to put all the blame on the curse mark rather than Sasuke. Naruto wasn't too articulate so he was thankful that his teammates were helping it. When Sakura and Kakashi presented their case it was so detailed and persuasive that even Naruto tried to force himself to actually pay attention.
Meanwhile, Itachi was hiding out in Naruto's apartment disguised as a civilian. Kakashi was suspicious and followed them constantly. Thankfully, Itachi wasn't known as the Uchiha prodigy for no reason. Naruto couldn't believe the disguise jutsus Itachi could perform. It was like watching someone paint.
Of course, it was obvious that Itachi didn't want to be living in Naruto's cramped little apartment. He wanted to go home…to the Uchiha compound. Though that would look way too suspicious.
Naruto entered the hospital as he had started doing after breakfast when Tsunade ran up to him.
"There you are, brat!"
"What's up, grandma?"
"Don't call me that!" She slapped him upside the head. Her face sobered. "He's comatose, Naruto. His chakra system and body in general were overloaded. He'll need time."
Naruto blinked. "Comatose…like in a coma? How long?"
Tsunade shrugged. "I wouldn't know. It's up to Sasuke to pull himself out of it."
"Can I go see him?"
"You have to wait. I just got finished with his healing session…but…" She smiled slightly. "Later today." She laughed. "Maybe. This little Uchiha is being a little bit of a brat. Even more so than you. I guess he wasn't expecting to end up in Konoha and he nearly blew out a wall."
Naruto's fists clenched but his face was all smiles and sunshine. "I'm going to haul his ass to Ichiraku's when he gets outta here!"
"You think he'll go willingly?"
"Well of course not but I don't care."
Tsunade laughed but then her face sobered. "Naruto, you do understand that Sasuke is profoundly deaf and probably still very much blind. On top of that he's suffering for temporary paralysis from all the overload. He needs to go through rigorous rehabilitation—"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Naruto said waving his hand. He caught Tsunade's eye. Itachi had told him as much already. He had thought of a solution. "He'll just live with me. I'll take care of him. Don't worry, he won't escape or anything." He clenched his fists determinedly. "Not again."
"Don't be stupid. Sasuke needs a lot of care."
"Sakura can just come over or whatever. But trust me, baa-chan. I know this is what's best for Sasuke. We can live in the Uchiha compound. He knows his way around there."
"Naruto—"
"Pleaaseeeee! Baa-chan, this is important. I can help Sasuke. I really can. It can be my mission. Sure, I don't know any blind or deaf people but I'm loud. I'll make him hear me." Naruto's face softened. "And I can take it when he lashes out. I'm the only one that can take it…trust me."
Tsunade stared at the Uzumaki for a long moment.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"That's what I said, brat."
"YES!" Naruto jumped into the air, fist pumping. "I'll go move my stuff in there now and then I'll get him later and—"
"Naruto, his sentence is still being—"
"It probably needs cleaning though. God I hope they're no ghosts there. Has anybody lived there since…since…since—"
"Sasuke might be imprisoned."
Naruto was silent. "Why?"
"It's what Danzo thinks is best. Sasuke is a traitor after all."
Naruto growled. Itachi warned him about Danzo. That bastard who had manipulated a thirteen year old into thinking killing his family was the only option there was.
"Tell this Danzo guy to shove it!"
"Naruto—"
"I bet he doesn't even know Sasuke. I bet he's just after his Sharingan too. That's all everyone cares about when they talk about Sasuke. Sharingan this and Sharingan that. What's so great about—"
"Naruto—"
"And HONESTLY who does this man think he is waltzing around giving orders—"
"NARUTO!"
Tsunade slammed her foot into the floor shaking the entire hospital. "Just go get the compound ready. I won't let him imprison Sasuke. Beyond leaving Konoha to Orochimaru, Sasuke generally hasn't committed any heinous crimes. It'll probably just be community service."
Naruto made a face. Sasuke doing community service? He laughed to himself.
"Now get out of here, Naruto."
Naruto was about to turn when he suddenly calmed and thought about Sasuke. His best friend really couldn't see and couldn't hear. Sasuke hated feeling weak let alone helpless.
Man, he was going to be one cranky Uchiha.
But Naruto wouldn't let Sasuke succumb to loneliness again.
He remembered when he was little when he first realized there was someone else like him. He had seen Sasuke sitting on the dock while he was walking home from school. They were little then and he had gotten embarrassed when they made eye contact. He had made a face and turned away.
His heart ached with regret.
Maybe if he hadn't been so angry then, maybe—
"Baa-chan…what can we do for Sasuke?"
"I'm going to have an audiologist check his ears now that he's awake and see if hearing aids can help him," Tsunade said slowly. "But Sasuke will probably need to learn sign language to communicate more effectively with an interpreter because this hand-spelling is not effective at all. That is, hopefully, when he regains the use of his hands. I'm afraid the last genjutsu he was subjected to was just one too many things for him to handle when his system was already so fragile. Then there's his blindness. At this point, Sasuke will no longer be able to be a shinobi."
Something broke inside Naruto.
"I will find someone who can help him learn how to live in his new situation. It would help if you learned more about it yourself, Naruto. Since you want him to live you so badly."
The blond frowned at Tsunade's last remark. At least he had Itachi to help him but she was right. He needed to be proactive as well.
He thought for a moment.
"Baa-chan," he began tentatively. "Is there a way I help his chakra system? I mean the kyuubi…?"
…
Sasuke woke with his head pounding and hot pins and needles all throughout his body.
It was so dark and quiet.
His muscles tensed for a moment and he panicked unsure of where he was and what was going on? What had happened to him? He sat bolt upright looking around wildly shoving away what he thought were hands. But he fell back almost immediately unable to hold his own weight. His fingers moved along the bed sheets and clutched at whoever was beside him. He spoke but he couldn't hear his voice! It smelled of anesthesia—
I will always love you.
His brother!
Everything that he'd seen. His parents' dying. Itachi had…had saved him. Where was Itachi?
Calm down, he told himself. You are a ninja.
Recap: Deidara's explosion had left his deaf and blind (wonderful). The chidori to his body had severely crippled his chakra system and when Itachi put him under genjutsu he had…he had…
Okay so that's all he remembered. He sniffed. It smelled like he was in the hospital. That would make sense considering that he was injured. But where were the others and what hospital?
His hands were still clutching someone's shirt and he finally realized how little strength he had.
He frowned and slumped back in the bed weakly.
He had the strangest sensation that someone was speaking to him. There was suddenly hot breath against his cheek. He sniffed and his frown deepened.
"I'm deaf, Naruto," he thought he said.
He whacked the face away from his own.
So he was in Konoha.
How the hell did he end up here? It was not a place that was friendly with Itachi so why—then where was his brother. He needed to remain calm. He would get nowhere if he panicked especially considering his condition.
A warm hand took his own. What did the dobe want?
Healing.
What? When did Naruto become a medical ninja? The hot pins and needles sensation returned and his muscles twitched. That didn't feel like normal healing chakra.
He blinked a few times and stared about. It took a few moments but he started to realize that there were…shapes and shadows all about him. He didn't have any depth perception to any of it but he could see something other than nothing.
He opened his mouth but said nothing. It was weird speaking when you couldn't hear. He shivered as the pins and needles increased dramatically and he got a vague sense of…red chakra.
Demon chakra.
He looked toward Naruto's shape and realized it was glowing faintly a mixture of dueling gold and red chakra. He wondered about his Sharingan…
Suddenly Naruto pulled away and his chakra dissipated into the shadows. Another shadow entered the room and pulled at Sasuke's hand. He tried to pull away when he realized they were writing something out. He grumbled what he hoped was silently to himself.
Ears.
The shadow snapped headphones over his ears. They then proceeded to write on his palm.
Hear?
He shook his head. His stomach churned when he felt the headphones vibrate with sound. He swallowed as panic rose in his throat when the gravity of his situation began to set in. He was deaf … and blind. He tried to control his breathing but he thought he felt Naruto stiffen as if attuned to his emotions.
Suddenly there was a low beep in his right ear.
He lifted his head and tapped his right ear. The shadow did a few more tests. She shone lights in his eyes. He told them what he saw and what he "heard." The shadow left.
Naruto grabbed his hand before turning to leave.
And Sasuke did something he thought he would never do.
He squeezed it and help it for a moment. His whole life was flipped inside out what did it matter what he did now. He was useless. He was nothing now. He couldn't be a ninja like this and everything he had lived for, killing his brother, was shattered.
He had given up everything and gained nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
He was deaf, blind, alone, and useless. Where was his brother? He gritted his teeth in anger. His brother had done this to him! Despite everything, the man had put him on this path of destruction.
Naruto's hand was warm when he squeezed back.
…
The interrogators had finally left, leaving Sasuke in the terrible nothingness.
He had been in the hospital for a few days now. Naruto had been visiting almost every day since he woke up and everything seemed to be a in state of delicate flux. That was why he had tried to tell the interrogators everything he knew and prayed they hadn't captured his brother. Those Konoha bastards, he clenched his teeth. They would kill Itachi even after it was their fault for forcing him into this situation.
But he didn't want to do anything suspicious…and he wanted desperately to get back to how he was. He was helpless like this. He was a disgrace to his family like this.
He hated the smell of antiseptic and chemicals. He could feel the warmth of the sun pouring through his window and the inconsistent draft against his breeze when the door opened or closed. He didn't bother turning his head to whoever was here. There wasn't much of a point.
He had the vague notion that they were speaking.
He cocked his head to the side. Could he hear them? He sniffed the air and it smelled like grass and…ramen?
He almost burst out laughing. It figures it was Naruto. It figures that he could hear that loud asshole.
He licked his lips. "I've told you this every day that I can't hear you, moron," he hoped he said.
There were hands suddenly on his shoulders, helping him sit up. He leaned heavily in Naruto's grip, his body completely robbed of any strength it once had. He could move. Everything worked but his strength was just gone.
There was someone writing in his hand.
Home.
Thanks for that, Sasuke thought angrily.
There was another shadow with Naruto and they fiddled with Sasuke right ear. They were putting something in his eardrum…it was cold and plastic.
He felt them hit a button and—
"Did it work?" a fuzzy voice registered beside him. "Sasuke…CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"
Sasuke winced but couldn't deny the rush of relief that flooded him with that idiot's voice.
"Not so loud, baka!" he said but he still couldn't really hear himself. He heard his voice but couldn't register the words.
He was aware of a woman speaking but he couldn't make out her words either.
His stomach fell. "I can't really understand you though. I understood Naruto but…"
A hand squeezed his shoulder and more speaking ensued.
He shook his head. "What?"
"Tsunade-bachan said it's a start!" Naruto said.
Figures that Naruto would have the only voice Sasuke could understand in this hell.
"You're being discharged from the hospital and put into my care," Naruto continued and Sasuke glared at nothing. "I've been using Kyuubi's chakra to try and perform what Ba-chan calls a miracle. But Sakura's going to come over and help you with physical therapy."
So Tsunade couldn't give him back his ears and eyes.
Why couldn't have Deidara just killed him?
He was suddenly lifted from the bed and settled in what he assumed was a wheelchair. His stomach tightened as he felt Naruto fastening seatbelts around his unsupported torso to keep him from falling out. Again he asked himself why didn't he let Deidara kill him? If he had known that this would happen…that he would end up like this.
But he couldn't deny the relief he felt when they exited the hospital. The smell of the warm village was a relief after being cooped up in the hospital. He could smell venders selling food and the dust in the streets. He leaned his head farther back into the pillow that supported his neck. He couldn't kind of hear the bustling of people in the village but he couldn't register anything distinctive. Sometimes he heard a bell or a voice call out but that was it. He could feel their stares and their movement but nothing more. It was a weird and unnerving world. He had nothing.
And he didn't even know where they were going until he felt Naruto lifting him out of the chair and then carrying him into…a house. The temperature dropped slightly and he smelled must and dust. This was an unoccupied house and from the movement of the air, it was very open and rather large. So it wasn't Naruto's house.
"Where am I?" he asked.
He was gently laid back into a bed. The sheets were musty and needed to be washed. But it felt…familiar. His chest tightened when Naruto grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
"The Uchiha Manor," Naruto answered.
Sasuke took a ragged breath and turned his head from side to side but there was nothing to be gained from that. His earing aid didn't help with dimensions of what was around him.
He clenched his fists weakly.
How in the world did he end up in Naruto's care? Naruto couldn't even keep milk from spoiling let alone care for someone besides himself. Naruto never had anyone to care for in this way. Not that Sasuke needed any—
Shut up, he told himself. Maybe if you would stop being so arrogant and prideful then you could actually heal and get out of this situation.
"Oi!" Naruto was screaming, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts. "Are you hungry? I think…" Naruto's voice was lost. Did he walk away or something? Sasuke couldn't tell. He really couldn't hear much. There was a knocking…somewhere.
"Naruto…?" Sasuke croaked trying to articulate his voice better. "You can't…speak so lowly. I still can't hear you."
There was suddenly a hand gripping his. It was shaking and Sasuke was aware of little wet droplets on his stilled skin. Was Naruto crying?
"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Naruto practically shouted. "I should have been able to save you."
Ugh, Naruto couldn't ever keep himself together. The idiot was always running into situations screaming and not thinking about the outcomes. What right did he have to criticize Sasuke?
The hand gripped tighter and for some reason, in Sasuke's world of nothingness, silence and darkness, he found himself wanting to hold on to something. It wouldn't mean anything. Nothing he did could mean anything. He was nothing. He was helpless.
He should die.
So his weak fingers grasped Naruto's back.
…
A/N Sorry this is taking me so long to get out. I've been crazy busy and have had no time to write! Anyway let me know how you liked this chapter if you liked this chapter!
