AN: LMAO! (Wipes tear from eye). Oh I just have to reply to some of the fantastic reviews! I don't normally do this but you guys seem to be asking a lot of questions that are too funny to leave alone.

Emina: No, it's not just you! Kishimoto is SO a closet shounen ai fan! Count all the yaoi positions in the start of their fight! I cried with glee at that episode. Thank you for the review!

Lena: Oh, I love your theory but alas, Sakura and Ino are not lesbians. This will be made quite clear later on ; ). Thanks for reviewing!

Iceheart: You think I was trying to make it sexy? Odd. I'm sorry if it offends you but it is a well-known cure for sleepy eyes. All it is is dampening the fingers not slobbering all over them! Maybe you should try it sometime. And there will be more licking I'm afraid… : D! But if it makes you feel any better just don't think about it. Nothing is slobbery in my fic, thank you! Thanks for the review all the same!

And to those that theorised about the band members: Kukukukuku!

Chapter Four: Stumbling Your Way

As the night went on, Naruto believed he must have imagined the whole thing. Sasuke was his usual arrogant, brooding self and barely recognized him through dinner. Kiba would shoot him questioning glances across the table to which Naruto would shake his head and help himself to more Naan bread. He could obviously tell that something was worrying him. Was it that obvious?

The meal was surprisingly well prepared, Naruto decided he would have to buy chocolate for the two girls more often. Afterwards they watched a bit of TV together and Naruto would have appreciated the time more if his mind hadn't been so filled with alarming thoughts that he had to keep on squashing them to the back until they crept forward again, which was frequently. He excused himself early claiming that he had a headache and shut himself in his room and lay in bed with the lights off for a long time before he got to sleep.

The next morning he was woken by the usual annoying alarm clock but Sasuke did not come to tell him to get up. Naruto wasn't sure how to feel about this but he got up anyway and stood outside the busy bathroom like a watchman. Sakura came out and he almost knocked her over in his rush to claim it. He mumbled a few apologies as he closed the door and had the first shower before breakfast of his second year. When he finished, taking his time of course, Sasuke was leaning against the banisters looking extremely pissed off. Naruto gave him a wink and skipped downstairs before thinking about regretting it and had a decent breakfast where he was not screamed at and merely listened to Sakura and Ino's ritual argument. The topic interested him somewhat.

"Don't be a pig, Ino, of course he doesn't think of you like that!" Sakura meowed.

"And why not? I've got a better chance than you, fat-head." Ino hissed, her claws almost visible.

"You've got less chance of hooking up with Sasuke than… than a…"

"Hippo?" Naruto interjected, digging his spoon in his yoghurt pot as he leant against the counter and surveyed the scene.

"Than a hippo!" Sakura finished.

"Well, you would say that wouldn't you? You practically are one." Ino replied childishly.

"Take that back!"

"You know what? Screw you, Sakura, you're obviously so green with envy you can hardly stand straight." Ino said dismissively and chucked her plate in the sink violently before strutting out.

Naruto observed that Sakura was swaying quite treacherously but decided to keep his mouth shut for once, wished her a good day and slipped his shoes on out in the hall. Sasuke trooped downstairs behind him, still towel drying his hair and mumbling obscenities like a madman, which Naruto was beginning to consider he really was.

"Not ready yet?" Naruto said sneeringly.

Sasuke glared at him and seemed about to say something acid but rushed off, throwing his towel on the bottom step. Naruto shrugged on his coat and waited patiently and smugly for Sasuke to return. He did, hair scruffed up and damp with the black cloud growing and thickening above his head, threatening a storm. Naruto was confident that his sun would pierce it. He opened the door as Sasuke pulled his shoes on.

When they were a distance up the road and nothing had been said Sasuke threw his tantrum.

"Don't do that again." He growled angrily, obviously trying to contain himself and almost twitching with the effort.

"Do what?" Naruto smiled pleasantly at him.

"You know fu-!" Sasuke paused and visibly calmed himself, running a hand through his sodden hair, "You know what."

"Well, how about you ask Sakura to take her shower later? She doesn't need to have one that early anyway, she never has lectures or anything when we do." Naruto maintained his cheerful tone, "Besides, why are you getting so worked up about it?"

"Because you did it on purpose just to annoy me!" Sasuke cried. Naruto was impressed that Sasuke could actually raise his voice beyond a hushed hiss.

"Now that's not fair…" Naruto pouted sarcastically, "Did you like the message I left on the mirror?"

"You're not funny, Uzumaki."

"Oh! We're on last name terms now, are we?"

"Shut up."

"Tell me, Uchiha, why do you wait for me? Why don't you just walk on your own?"

"SHUT UP!" Sasuke screamed and stopped in his tracks, he clutched the side of his neck as if in pain, "You drive me so crazy! Why can't you just shut the hell up?"

Naruto hesitated; perhaps he had crossed the line. He said nothing and they walked on for a few more minutes in silence again.

"Why do you wait for me?" Naruto asked calmly.

"Because I want to." Sasuke continued to walk and grew colder. Naruto had yet to decide if this was better than his anger but he was determined to keep his head up and the sun shining.

"Do you always do whatever you want?"

Sasuke pulled his shoulder bag further up and didn't reply.

"Sasuke?" He touched his shoulder blade and Sasuke swung round sharply. Naruto flinched, expecting to feel the sting of a fist to his face. But it never came. Instead he felt arms around his shoulders and back in a tight embrace that he couldn't move from, "S-Sasuke!" He choked into Sasuke's neck and shoulder, "Sasuke, stop it." He noticed a strange white scar on it, "Please let…"

"I hate you." Sasuke said hoarsely.

Naruto froze, "Get off me." He spat and tried to wriggle free. Sasuke clung tighter. Naruto could feel his jaw moving, as if muttering something silently, "Get off me!" Naruto began to feel terror grip his insides like a cold wet cloth, "Would you…? Just… Sasuke, I don't hate you! Get off me, I don't hate you!"

The warmth left Naruto as Sasuke backed off and wore an unintelligible expression.

"What was…?" Naruto started but Sasuke was looking behind him, past his shoulder. He turned to look but Sasuke gripped his arm and pulled him forward hurriedly.

"Nothing. We're going to be late." He said, forcing Naruto to walk forward with him at an unnatural pace, something Naruto had not heard before tingeing his voice. It was unmistakeably fear.

As Sasuke focused all his attention ahead, Naruto looked over his shoulder behind him. There was nothing there.

Naruto couldn't concentrate through his lecture. The lecturer droned on in his usual drowsy tone and Naruto didn't hear a word. Thoughts buzzed through his head like irritating insects and he could hardly capture one before another flew to him. Sasuke sat next to him, calm, serene and focused, his head down, hair falling forward, almost touching the page as he scribbled notes in his long fluid handwriting. He writes like a girl, Naruto reflected. He was oblivious to the trauma of Naruto's train of thought. But then, Naruto supposed, there must be something wrong in there to make him act the way he does. It was blindingly blatant even to Naruto that Sasuke was a little disturbed. But he was not scared of him anymore. The cold gut feeling had been replaced with something that Naruto guessed was pity.

I'm going to find you out, Uchiha. I'm going to crack your case, Naruto thought, gazing at him determinedly and chewing his unused pencil.

At the end of the lecture Sasuke didn't wait around as he normally did. In a reverie he started leaving with Naruto, saying nothing, wearing no expression. Naruto almost began to worry but as they passed the door Sasuke was called back.

"Sasuke!" The lecturer called, concern etched across his features.

A little informal for a teacher, Naruto frowned. Sasuke stopped and looked up and back but did not reply. Naruto stayed where he was, almost feeling that it was his duty to stay by Sasuke. The lecturer gave him a look out of the corner of his expressive eyes that held every signal of mistrust. Naruto folded his arms across his chest defensively.

"Sasuke, is something wrong?"

"Kakashi-sensei…" Sasuke's eyes were glazed, unseeing. He looked drained.

Sensei?

"Sensei?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

Sasuke blinked, clearing his vision, "I'm fine. What business is it of yours, anyway?"

Naruto held his breath. Dr. Kakashi Hatake, to Naruto, looked almost wounded. A shadow passed over his face before he blinked it away and smiled meekly.

"None, indeed. If you're as fine as you say I won't bother you." As he said this he shot Naruto another squinted look of suspicion, "Mr. Uzumaki, isn't it?"

Naruto nodded, a fixed expression of distrust in his eyes. Kakashi said nothing more but turned away and picked up his papers. The session was clearly over.

Sasuke briskly left the hall and Naruto followed, trying to comprehend the last few moments but giving up.

"I don't want your pity, slacker." Sasuke said suddenly. Naruto was baffled, could he read his mind? "I'm not some charity case that you think you can take on. I'm a big boy now, I can take care of myself."

"Sasuke, what are you talking about?" Naruto said.

"Don't try and protect me. Don't ever think about doing that bodyguard routine again."

"I wasn't trying to…" Naruto started but Sasuke cast a hand in a sharp gesture for Naruto to shut up and turned and stalked away. Naruto hesitated and then rushed after him saying nothing when he reached his side and matched his pace. They walked home in silence.

"Practice!" Was the first thing Naruto heard as he entered the house and was confronted by an excited looking Kiba.

"Practice what?" Naruto said pulling a face and beginning to wonder if everyone he lived with was mad.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten already?" Kiba replied raising an eyebrow questioningly. Naruto looked blank.

"The band! We have an audition tomorrow morning, remember?" Kiba rolled his eyes.

"Oh! Oh yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, "Shit?"

"Big steaming pile of camel shit."

AN: Not quite sure why it was camel shit. Seems like something that might steam I guess… although it's hot in the desert and you don't generally see steam coming from… normally dry and crusty… mumble, mumble… BUT ANYWAY! Yeah! Actually getting back to the real theme of the fic now. What's that? This story HAS a theme? YES IT HAS A THEME! The band, remember? Geez… Thanks again for the reviews! Love you lots and lots! Especially you.