Chapter 11 - Bath Time

If anyone would have asked Naruto what his favorite thing is, he would have answered: Ramen. If anyone would have asked what his second favorite thing is, he would have answered: baths. It seemed as though a hot bath was the only time he preferred silence. Between the constantly hectic life of a new Shinobi, he felt in control by being loud, but between the gentle soothing movement of warm water, he felt detached. All he wanted was to listen; listen to the drips from the faucet, the gentle swooshes of water against the edges of the tub, the enhanced echo of his breathing under the water, and most importantly, listen to his own thoughts.

True, a bath would become Naruto's most relaxing destination after a long day. Where he'd shed all his worries and stresses, where he'd take steady and slow deep breaths of steam, and where his thoughts would be blurred by the thumps of his heart against the water. This bath, however, seemed to do none of its purposes; he seemed to have been removed from his own surroundings. The water wasn't warm anymore, and it didn't feel soft. The heavy steams had faded a while ago, the towel on top of his head and the drippings were setting a rhythm to this tweak of a doubt, a hint of a haunting thought that ghosted over him. He didn't know why or when it started, all he knew was that whatever it was, it was promising to steal away all the love that's been filling his life for the past 5 years. It was promising to steal away the one person that bestowed it. For all the sense of reasoning he had in him, he couldn't push that irrational feeling away. It drove thin icy needles of fear through him; fear of the loneliness he once suffered through, fear of being lost in a fight he didn't have a chance of winning, fear of being forced to go back to the nightmare that was once his life. He remembered all the time he had to stand on his own; a time when trusting people was a luxury he couldn't afford, when he saw only threats and judgments. Then… a man with eyes of black-flames came into his life. He wondered how could one person drive away all these sorrows, how one person can be so resonating in a world filled with darkness. And the darkness faded… slowly, his heart no longer twinged whenever he closed the door and was left in silence, his stomach didn't twist whenever he smelled home-cooked food from his neighbors' houses, and he was finally, but gradually, seeing life under a whole new light.

But… why did he feel like all this was going to be taken away?

A cold drop of water slid down the back of his neck, sending chills down his spine. He submerged his head wishing the water would drown away those grim nightmares. Maybe the liquid filling his ear would quiet away the tireless voices that taunted him.

If only he was so lucky.

It didn't take long for his body to crave air; his ears beeped, and his starved heart pumped harder, louder. The sounds filled Naruto's head and for a few moments he was distracted. He didn't care how utterly absurd his method of relief was, he was just glad he found one. With every passing second, he felt number, his head felt lighter, and a promise of escape of all those irrational fears approached.

The sounds the water did quiet away were of Sasuke's. If he hadn't been calling out for so long, he wouldn't have dared open the door to the bathroom. He knew how sacred Naruto considered his baths, and he knew for a fact that this wasn't going to end well for him. Although the young Uchiha was always one to keep his emotions in check, he failed when it came to that certain blond. Standing outside the door and getting no response made his calculative mind list all the terrible scenarios that would delay Naruto's reply. For some reason, which he could only define as having a weak blind-spot, he couldn't fight those thoughts away or come up with less terrifying reasons. The last of those caused him to take a deep breath, turn the handle, and hope that if there isn't anything wrong, he will suffer from Naruto's rage for only a week.

The door handle twisted, the door opened and dark anxious eyes carefully scanned what became an extremely odd scene; Naruto, a disturbed blur clouded with a blond halo under water. Sasuke's first instinct would have been to save Naruto from what seemed to him to be drowning but the blond beat him to an overreaction and emerged from his watery calmness hurling an object with raging speed connecting square into Sasuke's face.

A moment of silence passed; Naruto frozen in his lunging angry posture, dripping water into the tub. Sasuke, still at the door, also stood frozen, in shock, a small yellow rubber duck latched on his face.

The terrified toy eventually started squeaking its way down and Naruto knew it was going to probably reveal a look of pure fury promising a storm of violence and fear. He knew the black flame of a man would be beyond reconciling. So what should he do?

PANICK!

For the first time, the mind in that blond head was working with such speed that it impressed itself. He knew he had two options; be killed or…

He went with the second choice not quite knowing what it is, but whatever it was, it would be better than the inevitable. He quickly bent down and picked up another rubber toy that would become his second victim- or the main weapon of his own murder- and launched it in the same direction as the previous, again, hitting the target- a beautiful pale face- perfectly.

At this point, the confused golden boy didn't know whether to compliment his own aiming skills, run for his life, or… apologize?

No! He shouldn't apologize. It was Sasuke that walked into the bathroom interrupting his lovely bath time. Well… supposed to be lovely. He can't be completely honest to say he was enjoying this one all that much.

Naruto stared. The marble skin was flushed into a burning crimson and those deep dark eyes. They've always been captivating, mesmerizing, and almost always terrifying. They were now ice-cold, and seemed to be suspended in place. All characteristics of a nearing explosion… but… something was different.

Then, the eyes shifted to the side, the color settled on his cheeks, and Naruto was left in utter confusion.

"The hell are you doing?" The blond finally blurted.

"I was calling your name and you didn't answer." Sasuke spoke with a controlled voice, but not making eye contact. An odd behavior from someone who seemed to possess the ability of glaring into people's souls.

"Well I'm obviously busy!" His voice was condescending.

"I see." Still, eyes were averted.

"What's wrong with you?!"

"I told you, I came to check on you."

"Not that! I mean, why are you looking away?" Patience was never Naruto's best virtue.

Sasuke simply raised a long, thin finger pointing at the tanned body's central mass, making Naruto look down and realize the final aspect of this puzzling situation.

He was standing, in his tub, dripping water, completely and utterly naked! A rose shade creeped on his chest and cheeks, and he tried covering whatever he could with his hands but there was simply too much exposed. Which brought him to another realization; Sasuke was still in the bathroom which meant one thing.

"PERVERT!" He raised an accusing finger. Then again, his mind was never that impressive with deductions.

"I'm not a pervert!" To be accused of over-protection might be tolerated but the young Uchiha will not allow such immoral indictments to be attached to his family name- the fact that no one knew he was an Uchiha didn't seem to matter.

"Yes you are!"

"I was just worried something wro-" And Sasuke had to duck to avoid a third assault. "STOP THROWING THINGS AT ME!"

"GET OUT!"

There was nothing else to be done. Sasuke, quickly and with the slightest bit of irritation- to let Naruto know that he thinks he's uncivilized- slammed the door behind him and walked away.

What on earth has gotten into him?

The truth is, the young Shinobi himself had the same question on his mind and he didn't know the answer either. He settled into his lukewarm water again and hugged his knees. He felt vulnerable and distracted. As if he was being possessed by a demon that whispered his worst nightmares. His thoughts were an incomprehensible sea, but he had one prayer.

Please, don't take him away.

~Author's Note~
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