Oh, Naruto... Coming to a close... Never thought the day would actually come.

Kusarigama is a chained scythe. Think a more hand-held version.

Enjoy!

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Someone once told Hiruzen Sarutobi there would come a time in his reign as Hokage where he would become numb to an event due to the intensity and seriousness of the issue. After the Kyuubi had attacked the village, after many people had lost their lives, after he had no choice but to continue to serve the village, Hiruzen was sure that time of numbness would never come. He never wanted that time to come because he was sure that would be the moment he would stop caring and truly fail as the village protector.

He wished that had been the case.

That time of numbness had come, but it wasn't because of what happened to Hinata and Sasuke. It wasn't because of the callousness he had witnessed of Hiashi Hyuuga. It didn't even come when he tried to fathom how the birth from such a small child would go—and he feared it would not go well. It wasn't even when guards burst into his office to tell him that Neji Hyuuga and Sasuke Uchiha were fighting in a public space.

It wasn't until he saw two bruised, enraged children trying to kill each other that Hiruzen, for the first time in his life, went completely numb.

When he found them, Kakashi and his team, along with Gai and his team, were trying to restrain the dōjutsu users, keeping them far apart, struggling to keep them from lunging at each other or perform hand signs. Neji's right cheek was bruised, the corner of his mouth bleeding, and there were signs that he had been burned here and there; his Byakugan, for the briefest of moments, intimidated even Hiruzen.

And Sasuke...

He had a black eye, his face was covered in awful bruises and cuts, his bared teeth red with blood, and despite trying to break free, his movements weren't being executed well. It was unclear if he had not used his Sharingan or if he did not have the strength to do so.

The surrounding area was littered with broken objects, craters, dying flames, and people who had not escaped fast enough and were cowering in shops or behind trees.

Hiruzen stood as he was, no one taking notice of him, and tried to understand just what had happened in less than a week for this to have occurred.

"Neji, stop!" Tenten yelled as he broke free, running full force at a distracted Team 7.

"Tenten! Lee!" Gai roared.

Tenten produced a scroll, quickly summoning weapons, and picked out a kusarigama. She swung the weighted chain over her head, taking aim, and hurled it at the Hyuuga. Lee ran, passing the weapon, passing Neji, and turned on his heel. When Neji found himself bound by the chain, Lee kicked with all his strength, aiding Tenten in pulling Neji back. Gai caught him, and in two swift jabs to the neck, rendered him unconscious.

"Watch him," Gai said, handing the boy over.

Tenten took her teammate, rattled, kneeling to the ground. "Did we overdo it?"

"He wasn't going to stop," Gai reasoned, his usual joyful attitude gone. "Lee!" he called, his student rushing over. "You both were here. Why didn't you stop this fight before it happened?"

"I am sorry, Gai-sensei! It happened so fast-"

"There wasn't any warning," Tenten gushed.

"And I, admittedly, truly believed he had a good reason to fight Sasuke. But...after seeing them actually fight..." Lee bowed his head, shutting his eyes. "I am truly sorry!"

"Lee..." Tenten said, conflicted that he was intent on making this more his fault than Neji's. Even she was starting to wonder if she could have prevented whatever it was that got Neji so angry.

Gai stared at the unconscious boy. There wasn't a reason in the world he could come up with as to why Neji was so brutal. Fighting aside, his student was so calm and calculated when he used his techniques, but he saw a completely different side to him.

It was dangerous.

Ruthless.

Gai looked over at Team 7, seeing if they were still having trouble, but jolted when he saw Hiruzen and two of his guards. "L-Lord Third."

Team 7 looked behind them, shocked and slightly uneasy with his appearance. Hiruzen noticed Sakura had tear stains on her cheeks; Kakashi was holding down an injured Uchiha, and...

"What happened to you?" he asked Naruto, referring to his burned clothes and raw skin on his face and hands.

Naruto looked up, one hand raised to his mouth and his tongue slightly out. He dropped his hand bashfully. "I...jumped through Sasuke's fireball."

"Why?"

"To catch him off guard."

"...Did you?"

Naruto smiled brightly, achievement radiating from him. "A little fire can't stop Konoha's greatest."

Hiruzen closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. Two beaten, one shaken, and one burned... When his numbness wore off, he would feel the agonizing effects of seeing these sights.

He sighed, his breathing appearing to be a task, and turned to his guards. "One of you please escort Neji Hyuuga home. The other escort Naru... Actually, both of you take Neji home, and please inform Hiashi that I will visit him soon."

"Yes, sir." They bowed, walking towards the other team.

"Kakashi, please take both Sasuke and Naruto to the hospital. I will be there after I escort Miss. Haruno home."

Sakura blinked up at him, shaking, unaware of her resurfacing tears. "B-but I-"

"Now, now," he said softly. "Your dedication to stick by your team is highly admirable, but you have witnessed quite a bit. By now, I'm sure this incident has been spread throughout the whole village, and it is best to get you to your family before they worry. Come," he gestured, extending his arm. "Let's go."

Sakura got up, legs shaking, and allowed herself to be led away.

The remainder of Team 7 watched them go. It was Kakashi who finally broke the little trance they were all in.

"Can you stand?" he asked Sasuke.

"I'm fine." Sasuke tried to get up, but winced, feeling an immense pain in his side. He hissed, but felt himself slightly choking on his own blood. Sputtering, he tried to intake air, but everything was suddenly so painful.

"Right." Kakashi picked him up, much to the Uchiha's discomfort and embarrassment. "I think some things may be broken." He looked down, seeing Naruto picking up things off the ground. "Naruto, let's go. You're going to get an infection playing in the dirt like that."

"Look." Naruto stood, showing his sensei what he had gathered. "He lost some teeth."

"Put those down," Sasuke wheezed.

"I want them."

"Put—them—down."

Naruto stuck his tongue at him, pocketing the three molars.

Sasuke glared at him, annoyed for reasons he couldn't understand, and spat blood at the blond's feet.

Naruto screeched, jumping back. "What the hell?!"

"Enough," Kakashi said, exhausted. "Let's go. You both need help."

The third Hokage concluded he didn't like it when children cried. When adults cried, they were usually at their breaking point because life as they knew it was too much for them; they were overwhelmed and need to recharge. However, when children cried, they didn't really know what was going on or why they were crying. That is, they sensed a rift in their lives, but they didn't fully understand what it was.

When he returned Sakura to her parents, she cried upon seeing them, not able to say much through her distress. He explained to her parents that a member of her team had clashed with another and it was a shocking experience for their daughter.

But it was far more than that.

It didn't take much to realize this wasn't a case of Neji fighting Sasuke. This was a Hyuuga attacking Sasuke. Or, in their eyes, punishing Sasuke. If problems like this were going to continue to arise, then he needed to do something to protect Sasuke, and after Hiruzen decided he was not going to tell the Fire Daimyō, he had to do it his own way. However, there wasn't much he could do without one of those instigators finding out. And now the Hyuugas were just as troubling...

When he arrived at the hospital, Naruto had been given some salve and his hands were wrapped up. Sasuke was in the bed, his shirt removed as a medical ninja used healing chakra to tend to his side. His face was swollen mostly on his left, and his black eye looked darker than when he had first saw it. Kakashi was at his side and offered his greetings.

"Hey, old man." Naruto grinned, pulling something out of his pocket. "Sasuke lost some teeth. Can I keep them?"

"No," Sasuke croaked.

"Why do you need them?" the Third Hokage asked.

Naruto clenched his hand, frowning. "I just do."

"...As long as you don't plan to do voodoo with them, I don't see why not." He walked to Sasuke, who must have forced himself to frown because the act looked quite painful. He looked to the medical ninja. "What all does he have?"

"Besides the bruises, he has severely fractured ribs, but it should be mostly healed in the morning. He'll have to take it easy for a day or two."

"And his teeth?"

"They were loose anyway," Sasuke muttered.

"All three?"

Sasuke grunted. "It's not the first time I've been hit in the mouth."

"I see..." He turned his attention again. "Kakashi, Naruto seems to be well enough, so can you please escort him home?"

Kakashi stood. "Yes, sir."

"Wait!" Naruto protested. "I can get home just fine on my own when I'm ready!"

"What he means," Kakashi said, "is that we have to leave now."

Naruto frowned, crossing his arms and glaring at the Third. "How come you're giving all this special treatment to him, old man? I never received this much attention from you."

Hiruzen smiled. "I never knew you wanted my attention so badly."

"I don't! But I'm more interesting than, Sasuke. I mean..." Naruto scrunched his nose. "Not lately, I guess. He's got all this weird stuff going on with him, and-"

Kakashi grabbed Naruto by the collar, walking out the door. "Let's go."

Naruto's protests echoed throughout the building; the Third Hokage pulled up a chair next to Sasuke's bed and sat down.

"I'll give you two the room," the medic nin said, handing Sasuke a bag of ice.

When she left, the Third smiled woefully. "My sincerest apologies, Sasuke."

The boy shrugged, holding the bag to his cheek, staring at the bed sheet. "I might as well get used to it."

"This will not happen again."

Sasuke merely laughed, rolling his eyes.

The man rubbed his chin, clearing his throat. "Did Neji give a reason why he attacked you?"

Sasuke grimaced. "He didn't have to. It's not like he didn't have a reason."

"You can't let this get to you. What he did was wrong and uncalled for, yes, but understand he is not fully to blame."

"Right. Because of me-"

"That's not what I mean. Sasuke, the Hyuuga household... The Branch Family, that is... If they are given orders by someone of the Main Family, whether or not it is implied, they do as they are told, and that can lead to very rash decisions. I know this is tough for you, but you cannot allow yourself to become what they perceive you to be."

Sasuke's frown deepened. "So just let them attack me and not fight back? I'm not just-"

"I will have a talk with Hiashi. I assure you, this will not happen again, but if anyone tries to provoke you, you have to walk away from it."

Sasuke looked at him, his battered face speaking for itself. "Yeah." He lied down, pulling the blanket over his head. "We'll see how well that works."

Hiruzen tried to think of something to comfort him, but that wouldn't do a lot of good when he failed at protecting him, twice. At this rate, Sasuke would become closed off from people—everyone he knew—and then he really would become corrupt. He had to prevent that from happening, but he didn't—know—how.

"Have you eaten?" Hiruzen asked.

"I don't have much food," Sasuke muttered.

Hiruzen jolted, concealing it well. "You don't?"

"I haven't been out."

"I see... Well, I can take you shopping later. Are you hungry now? I can get you something to eat."

"I can't chew."

"Something soft to chew then? Perhaps you want something to drink."

Sasuke didn't move for a long while. When he did, he rolled for a bit, moving the blanket so that his face was exposed. He wanted to ask the Hokage why he was on his side—why he wasn't treating him the way Hiashi, Hinata, or Neji had treated him—but if it turned out that this wasn't sincere, that no one was really looking out for him, he knew he would break.

That Night

He was pleased.

When Hiashi found his bound, unconscious nephew had been escorted not only by his team but guards of the Hokage as well, he had been very pleased. Neji did more than he thought he would, but, of course, he couldn't let it show.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hiashi's low voice rumbled. He was seated in his quarters, and across from him sat his ever gracious Hokage.

"Do not act coy," Hiruzen said. "You expect me to believe that Sasuke's current condition is not partly your fault?"

"In what way? I wouldn't dare raise a hand against a child."

"You manipulated your nephew into attacking him."

"I did no such thing. I merely told him of Hinata's predicament. Considering their ages, Neji would be the prime protector of my daughter; I can't help how he goes about doing that."

"I see. So, you told Neji what Sasuke did was not of his own free will?"

Hiashi closed his eyes briefly, rolling them. "I did advise you to watch that boy. What my nephew does with the information he is given is out of my hands. If you wish to protect the Uchiha, lock him up in a place that we cannot infiltrate."

"You listen to me, Hiashi," Hiruzen said, his voice a low boom bouncing off the walls. "Whether or not the fate of your daughter is fair has nothing to do with Sasuke. Against my better judgement, I have allowed you to speak ill of the boy, but putting his well-being in danger is the most vile thing yet. You even risk your own nephew so long as your own hands remain unsoiled. This is your final warning: If you so much as cause a scratch on Sasuke from this moment on, I will consider the treaty between your clan and this village void, and you can take the entirety of your family to whatever Great Nation you see fit."

Hiashi said nothing, his cold stare battling the aged man's. If he was in a lesser mood, he might find that threat quite insulting.

"Very well. I will leave him be."

Later That Night

Hinata sat in bed with a lamplight on as she read a book. She was given a lot of books today; it made her wonder if she was considered bedridden.

It was a relief to finally be by herself. Servants and nurses had been in and out to give her vitamins and made sure she ate properly. She didn't particularly like being woken up from her various naps just to eat and take pills (she'd vomit more often than not), but now she couldn't even sleep. For some reason, she had laughed about it when she realized she was wide awake, and now she was unusually attentive to a story about adventure and destiny.

There was a knock at her door, causing her emotions to deflate. She had already eaten dinner, so she was going to have to suffer through more pills.

For the baby.

She shook her body, focusing on the words in front of her. "Come in."

The door didn't move, and she heard no one. She looked at it, prepared to call out, when it slid open. She turned her head, gripping her book tightly.

"Nii-san," she whispered, her stomach knotting. "Um... Y-you shouldn't... I thought you left hours ago."

Neji didn't move or give any indication that he was going to say anything. At this, she felt her eyes water. She was used to Neji's behavior towards her, but he could potentially make her whole situation worse. He always told her she was wasting her time as a ninja, so what would he say if and when he finds out she no longer was one? What would he do once he found out she had gotten pregnant?

Tell her he told her so?

List all the reasons why it was her fault this happened?

Openly express how glad he was this happened at all?

She couldn't deal with that for months on end... She couldn't deal with Neji during this whole ordeal.

"Hinata," Neji said, walking toward her rather slowly, "I...know."

She looked at him, confused, but was startled by the bruises on his face. "O-oh..." She reached for the ointment in her bedside drawer. "I have-"

Neji stopped her, singed hands a sickly color, prompting her to look at him. His face was unusually hesitant—scared even.

"You're pregnant."

Hinata retracted her hand, pulling away from him in every way possible. "What are you talking about?"

"I know Sasuke did this-"

"No," she groaned, low and drawn out, her world shattering. "Not you... Not you."

"Hinata-"

"Stop!" she choked out, refusing to cry in front of him. "Don't... Please don't say anything to me. I-I'm finally calm now, so please don't tell me-"

"Hinata, I-"

"Neji, don't-!"

"Let me help you!"

The heiress' throat tightened, confusion lacing her eyes. Neji's fierce glare was on her, but his eyes appeared glassy. Tears? Was he...crying?

He sighed shakily, shaking his head. "You must have a pretty—awful—view of me if you think I'd still... After knowing what... You must... You..." He laughed, his face immediately morphing into hate, and yanked his hair. "You must really despise me... For Sasuke to force himself on you, and you not tell me about it... For you to not tell anyone in the family about it..." He looked at her. "Why wouldn't you..."

Hinata stared at him, eyes wide with confusion and apprehension, and it sent his already chaotic emotions into tortured mayhem. She had no clue what he was talking about. Of course she had no clue. He's trying to ask her why she didn't come to him, but why should she come to him for anything? Why was he trying to blame her for not turning to him when he never encouraged it? What made him think that he would have even cared—that he would have done anything if the situation hadn't turned out like this?

It infuriated him that she... That she couldn't... That she didn't...

Neji yelled, frustrated, falling to his knees, face pressed firmly into the bed. Hinata was immediately asking questions, her shaky voice trying to comfort him, and it made his anger grow, the tears falling as his yells continued.

Even in a situation like this, she couldn't turn to him, and he hated himself for it.

Sasuke awoke, still in the hospital, and his mouth ached terribly. The Hokage had left hours ago with promises of buying groceries tomorrow, and that had been enough to ease him.

But, again, that had been hours ago.

He could still taste blood, and the bitter metal aftertaste made his throat hurt. His pain medicine had worn off, but he tried sleeping through it just so he wouldn't have to call a nurse. He lied in bed, waiting for the pain to subside, but it throbbed, making his mouth feel uncomfortable and warm. He exhaled, hoping to relieve the pressure, but the air stung. He brought a hand to his cheek only to find that it was swollen and sensitive. His breathing picked up, one arm going over his eyes, and he tried not to heave, eyes welling.

This wasn't fair.

He couldn't get a break.

He was tired of life. He was tired of not having family; he was tired of having people in his life that could trick him into believing he did have one; he was tired of people looking at him like he was more than he was; he was tired of being treated like he could handle the weight of the world just because his last name was Uchiha. He couldn't do this anymore, but no one was here to relieve him of it all.

Sasuke exhaled, ignoring the wetness, and turned to his side. He came into contact with something hard keeping him from freely moving about the bed, and it only added to his distress. He was overcome with anger, the madness consuming him, and he rammed his hand down on it forcefully.

"Wha-?!" Naruto shot up, his head appearing at the other end of the bed. He looked around the room, his eyes lidded, mumbling to himself.

Sasuke stared at him, trying to process what he was seeing.

"No, I got it," Naruto slurred. He got out of bed hands first, and stood, stumbling towards the table at Sasuke's side. "S'okay, I got it." He picked up a bottle and struggled to open it.

Sasuke watched the boy's rushed, sloppy movements, and occasionally focused on the foggy way his face was set.

When Naruto finally got the bottle open, he poured pills into his hand and struggled to put away the excess, some of which fell to the floor. He set the bottle down, lidless, and picked up a glass of water.

"Here, eat 'em." He shoved the pills in Sasuke's mouth with his palm, then, with no hesitance, brought the glass to Sasuke's mouth, to which water fell both in his mouth and all over the pillow.

Sasuke floundered, taking the glass away and sitting up. He swallowed the pills and water instinctively, cringing as the liquid came into contact with his gums.

Naruto mumbled again, crawling into bed and over to Sasuke's other side. "Right, okay." And Naruto fell back asleep.

Sasuke stared at him.

And stared.

And stared.

He frowned, not able to logically explain...

"Why is it always you?"

When his medicine kicked in, he set the cup down, flipped his pillow over, and went to sleep.