A/N - Aye folks. Early post. Was gonna save this for our New Years chappy, but it was so easy to write after last cliff hanger that I couldn't resist.

Rest easy my silly readers.

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto

Song used of this chapter - Bijou Winters x Leian Limms - Skin Sketches (Kyson Remix)

The next day Tayuya refused to speak to me. Eyes low and exhausted, she drove us both home in silence with the music too low to comfort. I had so many questions besides the obvious ones floating my head, but I knew she wouldn't have answered them even if I asked. To be honest, I doubted she would acknowledge me if I had spoken at all. From where I was sitting I could feel her struggling to keep it together long enough to make it back to the apartments, and I could only imagine the relief she would feel with finally getting rid of me.

I would feel more hurt about it all if I wasn't more worried about her to be in my feelings.

Despite all that I knew, in the elevator riding up as my floor neared, I stared ahead and began softly, "Tayuya-"

"Five more floors Ino," she cut off, voice flat and quiet, "Five more floors is all I need."

My stomach churned with hurt, yet it wasn't like I imagined any other outcome. Still, biting my lip to gain so courage, I began again while looking over at her, "I just want to know if you're okay."

"I'm fine," she bit out harshly, practically snarling.

I flinched and fell quiet again, and left when my floor arrived without saying anything else. And she didn't bother to stop me.

The days afterwards were the worst, because they were days of absolute silence that ate away at me more and more. I had texted her the day after we both got home, but she didn't reply. I tried again once more the day after that, but she continued to ignore me. It was going on a week in a half, and I was growing uneasy and scared. The more I worried over each night that passed, the more I tossed and turned when the sun fell at the possibility of her doing the exact same all alone.

It was eating me up inside.

I finally knew what kept her up. Why she always looked so exhausted. Why she preferred not to close her eyes when everyone else in the world slept peacefully at night. It would have been different if I hadn't seen the signs, if I hadn't noticed something was off, if I hadn't caught how tired she looked all the time. But I did, and I knew that this wasn't an every once and awhile affair.

Something haunted her each and every time the stars littered the skies.

And just knowing it was something she was trying to deal with on her own tore me into pieces with absolute worry. If I knew more, if I could just talk to her about it, maybe I would be more at ease. But after seeing it first hand and not even being tossed any other sort of explanation, I felt choking at the thoughts of the unknown.

Unable to last any longer, I broke and messaged her out of pure desperation; Why are you avoiding me... what did I do wrong?

It was a cruel thing to say, because in the mere moments I knew Tayuya, I figured out the bare minimum of who she was. And as expected, she wouldn't allow me to sit here continuing to think that something was my fault, especially if she thought I wasn't in the wrong and I wholeheartedly believed that I was.

Which I did...

Don't do that Ino...

My heart began to pick up speed as a rush washed over my chest. Smiling miserably, I replied, Don't what... worry?

Don't corner me. Try to twist this up into something that is about you. It isn't.

The blow to my chest shortened my breath, but I hadn't expected her to filter. I knew she would throw a jab right back. All the same, I responded, Not about me? After something like that, you think I shouldn't be involved?

You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. And it was stupid of me to fall asleep while you were there in the first place.

Something about the response flared anger, Oh, so the smarter thing would have stayed up all night and try not to fall asleep at the wheel the next morning?

Dont.

But I was furious with the combination of her lack of response, responsibility, and indifference about the whole situation, as if it should be swept right under the rug. Jaw set, I furiously replied, Don't what Tayuya? Speak perfect sense?

Don't sit here and toss out some words like you know something. You don't. You're stomping the fuck around on a subject you're oblivious about. Don't pretend you're entitled to something. Don't slick your words to put me on the defense. And don't assume I'm some poor bird that needs nurturing. Just don't and fuck off.

I stared at the message for a very long time, but eventually it hurt too much so I ended up tossing my phone away further down my bed and staring at the wall until I could keep the stinging of my eyes at bay. Eventually I managed to fight back the pathetic tears and simply walked out of my room without the device.

The rest of the day I pretended I was fine, but every so often I would think of her words and feel the painful twist in my chest.

X

Later that night, despite the harsh exchange of words, I worried about Tayuya while staring up at my ceiling in my colder than normal bed. Another hour may have passed before I had the courage to unlock my phone. I had heard the alerts of different messages earlier, but wasn't up for another lash from Tayuya so ignored it all even though it could have been from everyone else.

I had in fact gotten a few from my friends and Tenten, but there was two from Tayuya; one that had came in only minutes before I had decided to climb into bed; and one that had came in an hour after her last rant message.

The one an hour after her rant read; And so you know, I would have gotten us home fine. Don't you think I'm kind of used to this shit by now.

The other was only three words, the few that will forever have my pulse racing at the sight of them; Are you up...

My heart sank as I noticed how long ago it was sent. Nauseated by the hours that had passed, I quickly replied that I was up, but felt a choking remorse from not replying sooner. I should have checked hours ago, should have made sure she was alright. Instead I was hiding like a idiot because I let a few words hurt my feelings.

Just when I was sure I wasn't going to forgive myself, she returned my message; Go back to sleep. I didn't mean to wake you up.

I bit my lip as I quickly replied; I've been up this whole time thinking about you...

It took her awhile to respond; You can't say things like that Ino... I already feel like shit.

A sad smile pulled my lips; It's true though.

Again the minutes passed and no message came. I was growing worried, but practically jumped out of my skin as my phone began to ring with a call. Frantically picking up to stop the noise, I answered nervously, "Hello?"

"Go to sleep Ino," A soothing voice ordered softly, and at the sound I felt immediate relief. I hadn't heard Tayuya's voice in so long, yet it sounded exactly the same.

Fingers curling into my sheets, I said just as quietly, "You thought calling me would get me to sleep faster?"

There was a pause and a soft laugh before she sighed, "You haven't changed."

"It's only been a week, of course I haven't," I answered, smile pulling at my lips as I added softly, "Your voice hasn't changed either."

"I guess you were expecting something a bit harsher," she muttered bitterly on the other end, "About earlier-"

"It's ok," I cut off, though my heart sunk at the mere mention of the message, "You've dealt with my lashes, I can deal with yours."

Another sigh danced from the other end, "Can I be completely honest about something?'

With my heart nervously beating faster because I didn't know what to expect, I replied quietly, "Yes."

"I've missed you..."

My stomach flipped as I tried to pull my smile away from a grin, "I've missed you too."

She sighed again as she went on, "This whole thing... it isn't something I like to talk about, isn't something I like very many people to know."

"Oh," I started as I began to frown, "Yeah I get it. I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize," she cut in gently, "I'm not saying this so you'd have to apologize. I'm telling you because... I don't know, don't you want to hear it all?"

I bit my lip and nodded, admitting quietly, "Yes..."

"Thought so," she said softly, and I heard a smile in her voice, if only a small one. After a moment she took a breath and continued, "I get defensive about it because they aren't my strongest moments Ino... For some reason this one flaw in my life seems more like a weakness then something I can't control... So I shove when people get close to figuring it out, and I lash when people find out and worry. You did both so fast I... didn't know how to react properly."

I curled into my sheets in hiding, feeling guilty about both. But I swallowed my apologies, I knew she wouldn't have wanted to hear them. Instead I listened carefully.

"They usually aren't that bad," she went on, shifting as she fought to get more out but failed as she let out a tired breath, "But it isn't a big deal that you need to lose sleep over, so don't worry about it alright?"

Silence settled, because I couldn't bring myself to lie. I couldn't agree and promise I wouldn't worry; these last couple of days proved it was against my power to just brush it off as something minor, especially with flashes of her scratching at her sheets in cold sweat continuously blinked within my mind.

When the silence went even longer, she sighed, "Yeah, not that easy huh? Never is..."

"Sorry," I offered, feeling guilty. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being a bother and was hovering for some reason, "I get it's something you'd rather keep to yourself but... since we're friends..." I paused, waiting for some sort of objection. I heard a soft snort that sounded more wary than amused, but it wasn't an objection, "I'm just not that type of person Tayuya..."

"Yeah I know," she sighed out, sounding more tired than usual, "Which doesn't sit well with me. Part of the reason I tried to keep myself scarce around you."

I blinked, surprised at that bit of information, "Seriously?"

There was a pause before I heard her offer quietly, "Sorry."

But I only breathed out a wary laugh, "That explains a lot actually."

"Hmm," she hummed with interest, "Like what?"

"Like how you're a complete different person with your friends around, but if I'm lingering you seem... distant." I explained with a small frown.

She laughed before sighing, "Yeah... it's a thing sorry. Don't take offense. Those guys, they've been around for a very long time. It's hard to act like the distant emo kid when they are around."

I smiled, but the curve didn't quite reach my eyes, "Yeah I get it."

There was another lingering pause before she spoke, "It's hard to keep that act up with you around too, just so you know."

Smile lifting a little more, I whispered, "Really?"

"Mhmm," she hummed in a tired sort of way, "But I'm only telling you to ego boost you. You sounded so sad with your little sighs of distress."

A laugh bubbled up my throat as I countered lamely, "Shut up."

"Mm, fine. Not like you can sleep with me making such a ratchet," she submitted with the suggestion of closing our conversation, but the thought caused me to tense.

Unable to help myself, I pleaded softly, "No..."

Silence danced between us before she mumbled, "You can't stay up all night."

"You can't either," I countered, but instantly flinched at my mistake. Biting my lip, I apologized, "Sorry... too soon."

She laughed humorlessly, "It's alright, I have to get used to it sooner or later... but Ino really, I'll be fine."

But I couldn't stand the thought, just imagining her spending another night by herself was shredding me apart, especially now that we were talking again and I could actually do something to prevent it.

"Please," I attempted desperately while rolling to my side.

Sighing a curse, she muttered, "Would it help if we stayed on the phone?"

Warmth spread my chest as I nodded, curling into the phone, "Yeah."

"Alright, then I'll be right here while you sleep," she assured warily, "Now go to sleep Ino. It's late."

"Ok," I muttered sleepily, eyes already closed but the drowsiness slowly laying its full weight on me, "Good night. Sweet dreams."

In the darkness my mind was searching, I was sure she was smiling, if only slightly.

"Good night Ino."

(1) - Like it. Chill, relaxed, the stuff I used to write to. Plus I think it went well with the chapter pretty well so.

Hey, heres chapter 7. Stage built, match set, let the games BEGIN!

Not much to say besides the fact that I hope you all have enjoyed your Holidays! My leave is offically up and I'm headed back to great ol' California. Quite literally, I mean I'm in the air port posting this.

Long lay over, don't ask.

Anyway! Read review, tell me what you think! As always I appreciate the support and love those who decide to give me an ounce of their attention

Oh, and sorry for all the mistakes last chapter. Guilty I had a lot of them. OH WELL. JUST LOVE ME. OVER LOOK THEM. IM SOO SOOO SORRY.

Shycadet LOVES YOU SO MUCH. HAVE A GREAT NEW YEARS IF I'M NOT BACK BEFORE THAN. Set some goals and do awesome things like you do ALL the time.

Out.