Warning (?): Possible Sasuke/Naruto in this story?

If you don't like that then I think you should... not read this story... maybe? I don't know. Do whatever you want, you've been warned. Peace, out.

Chapter 2: The Beginning Of The End Of The Beginning: (Act II)

Summary of the chapter:

"Go right ahead and ask them." Sasuke nods towards Sakura and Sai, a self-assured smirk stretching the corners of his lips. "Ask them if they can see me."

The darkness surrounding him feels overwhelming in the worst kind of way.

A thick, vivid veil of black is slowly engulfing him in its claws, he tries to part his lips, to scream, but he is paralyzed. Sizzling panic settles deep into his bones. He thrashes in the suffocating hold, trying to break free of the unseen chains. Until he sees something-

No. It's someone.

Sharpness pierces him, at the height of his chest. In the deepest recess of his mind he knows exactly what this feeling is.

Fierce, unbridled guilt comes to life inside of him like the first spark to a raging fire. It sets him alight with burning unforgiveness.

He knows exactly who this someone is.

In the distance he can only catch a glimpse of a half-turned face and the distorted reflection of glowing redness. But it gives way to an innocent, dull shade of gray that reminds him of what he thought had been the better days. At least for him.

He makes another attempt at freeing himself, but when he manages to extricate his hand and reach in the distance…

He is already gone.

Darkness cascades upon him in waves, asphyxiating him, robbing him of his last breath-

"Sasuke!"

.

.

.

Naruto startles himself awake with a scream.

His heart is pounding somewhere deep in his throat and his body is trembling ever so slightly, feverishly, the lightest of tremors running through his fingertips. Beads of sweat line his brow and his breath comes out in rapid, ragged and heavy exhales as he tries to understand what happened.

Almost as if he just remembered to, he quickly scans around the room. He sees his bed, his furniture, the few scrolls and clothes thrown on the floor, the light streaming in through the half closed blinds. Finally letting out a shaky sigh, he wills his tense muscles to relax. He is currently inside his apartment, where everything is as monotonously familiar as usual… everything is fine.

It was just a dream.

Only a bad dream.

Team Seven is once again busy with the chores of the day. Which had involved another mission that Naruto has started referring to as 'time-wasting', and yes, he has yet to come up with an original name for them. Although this particular 'waste' only took away most of their morning, so they found the shade of a sturdy oak tree and decided to take a break and have an early lunch this time.

The grass feels crispy under Naruto and there is a distinct earthy smell surrounding them. It looks like it might start to rain any minute now, just like yesterday, and somehow the combination keeps him focused and at ease. It's enough to take his mind off of things as he pretends to listen to whatever Sakura is talking about, while Sai is… well, he doesn't really know what Sai is doing now, but who cares, Sai is weird anyway. He lets her chatter fill the empty space inside his mind and it is quite relieving, actually.

It doesn't go over his head how Sakura keeps throwing subtle glances to the amount of food he is taking with each bite. But he pretends not to notice it.

When there is a lull in conversation, they end up focusing on eating and taking a breather. Naruto alternates between looking at an anthill not far off from him, moving around the food in his lunchbox with his chopsticks without actually eating it, and catching the last glimpses of blue in the sky that is getting engulfed by the gray clouds.

As he stares at the blue slowly meshing with the gray, he is reminded of something. But he can't quite grasp what it is, can't find the energy to keep remembering, so he simply decides to ignore it. At one point he feels so relaxed he might just fall asleep right then and there.

"So... how is it going?" There is hesitance in Sakura's voice when she breaks the silence that has befallen over their group, but Naruto doesn't quite catch it.

"What?" He asks back absent-mindedly.

Her words come out quieter and just a tad more indecisive. "...The therapy."

If he had had his mouth full now, he might have choked.

Now this is a can of worms he is not very willing to open.

Another change that had taken over his life was… this. After the recent events, the people in his life had apparently deemed hooking him into therapy sessions a good enough decision. Tsunade was the first to bring it up, of course Kakashi didn't have any objections to it and with how concerned Sakura was about it she had practically forced him to go as soon as she heard of it.

Of course what they also deemed good enough was taking this decision for him without exactly thinking of consulting him first. But, whatever, it was not like he was going to put up a fight anyway. He was too tired for that. In the end he had reluctantly accepted, hoping the sooner he started the sooner it would all be over.

Naruto takes a sip of water because his mouth feels dry of a sudden. He nods once. "It's fine."

Sakura's eyes fill with surprise. "Really?"

No. Not really.

Naruto thinks about the first meeting with the therapist. The office stuffed with books which had the weirdest titles he didn't even want to think about, the uncomfortable chair he had to sit in for almost an hour, the bland walls he stared at pointedly because he couldn't even hold eye contact for more than three seconds.

Almost unconsciously his gaze falls back down on his food and he plays with his chopsticks for a moment, before quickly looking up again. He starts eating just to have half of an excuse to not elaborate further. "Yeah. Really."

"That's good, Naruto. That's really good." Sakura's voice is soft and hopeful and there is a genuine gleam of relief crossing her features.

Naruto doesn't like lying. He has never liked it, and he never will… but what he's come to hate most is seeing the disappointment in the eyes of the people he cares about.

So, he forces out a little smile. "Yeah…"

Because what else can he do when he sees how happy Sakura is from the news? She needs it, she needs to be happy and focus on her own life, what she certainly doesn't need is to get weighed down by his problems. He doesn't want to worry her… he has never wanted to worry anyone…

"Wait, let me get this straight. You go to therapy now?"

Naruto actually ends up choking this time.

The mouthful of rice goes down the wrong pipe and he coughs, beating on his chest to try and get a breath in. Sakura is by his side almost immediately and he would appreciate the help, honestly, if the 'pats' weren't hits to his back. And Sai, of course, doesn't raise a finger, but simply watches like he is trying to study what is happening in front of him and use whatever he learns later in life, in most probably the wrong way, if someone were to choke right in front of him.

Naruto would have half a mind to complain about it, but he doesn't have time to think much, or at all, when he hears that voice again.

"That is... unexpected, to say the least."

He freezes.

Because that's not a new voice, it is not just a random one either. And it is definitely not the voice of a stranger.

Slowly, Naruto cranes his neck to see behind him. The sight alone is almost like a hit and his lips automatically part in a silent gasp.

Sasuke.

There he is, leaning on a tree with his arms crossed, one foot down and the other planted on the trunk, looking like the epitome of nonplussed. While Naruto feels like his world just turned downside up.

"Go right ahead and ask them." Sasuke nods towards Sakura and Sai, a self-assured smirk stretching the corners of his lips. "Ask them if they can see me."

Naruto manages to un-freeze for a moment, which is strange considering his body and mind are mostly made up of icy shock, but it's enough for him to look at Sakura's eyes. However, if not for the concern he sees there at his sudden choking bit, she seems normal. Unfazed. The same goes for Sai.

Naruto is possibly going out of his head. Why isn't Sakura freaking out? Why isn't Sai ready to attack? Why are they not so much as looking over at him?

"I..." Naruto's heart is working into overdrive, beating so hard he's starting to fear it will jump right out and leave a gaping hole behind. He tries to grasp at Sakura's forearm, tries to get her attention in some way, because for some reason even his words seem to have frozen in his throat and he can't seem to get past this stuttering mess. "C-Can… y-y-you... I-I-"

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Sakura rubs gentle circles over his back, not taking her eyes off of him. And that is what is seriously worrying him because Sasuke Uchiha is standing just a few feet away and instead she is acting like-

That's when it hits him

…like she can't even see him.

Naruto's eyes snap back to Sasuke's figure in astonishment. The racing of his heart is increasing and somehow it feels like a puzzle piece is finally starting to click into place.

"No, they can't." Sasuke puts into words what he had just been thinking, but he doesn't stop there, only adding more to Naruto's plate. "You are the only one who can."

To say Naruto is in shock would be the biggest and most pointlessly pointed out understatement of the year.

At the moment, his thoughts can all be summed up into a singular, explicative question, which is:

'What the actual fuck is going on?'

A sudden breeze rushes past them and his attention flickers elsewhere without him being aware, distracted by the newcomer. It's one of the ninjas who has come to relieve them of their turn in today's mission.

It takes a few seconds for the exchange to sink in, and for Naruto to get to his feet, but almost immediately he berates himself for being caught up in the sudden interruption and quickly spins back around.

Sasuke is nowhere to be seen.

Sakura and Sai stare after their teammate as they part ways. Naruto declines the offer of making plans for later and waves off their concern- well, mostly Sakura's concern, Sai doesn't seem perturbed at all, or maybe that's just his default facial expression?- saying he feels a little under the weather and intends to go home to sleep it off.

"Today he… how do they say it?" Sai mumbles to himself as he takes out a book and flicks over a few pages, finally settling on one and reading out loud. "'He looks like he has seen a ghost.'"

Sakura sighs quietly in concern.

Naruto might be going crazy.

….It can't be anything but this, right? Two days in a row… it's just not happening… how even-…

Similar thoughts are going around in a loop inside his mind as he makes his way back to his apartment, feeling more than just a little paranoid.

His eyes linger over the streets, over the people he passes by, torn between thinking it's all a bad dream he has yet to wake up from, and thinking he will see Sasuke appear around the corner any minute now. But the second option sounds far less appealing than the first, so he speeds up the pace to get back home as soon as he can.

In fact, once he is behind the safety of his door everything is back to normal.

That is, until he turns around.

"Hey." Sasuke greets, once again sitting on his bed and once again looking so at ease it's almost like he owns the place. "Took you long enough to get back."

Naruto almost falls from the shock.

"…Y-You…" He shakes his head, plastering himself to the door and hoping he would fuse with it somehow, or wishing that the ground would just open up and swallow him whole by this point. "-wha…how…n-no…no, no, no, no… this is not happening right now…"

"Talking to yourself over there?" Sasuke tilts his head in his direction and his tone suggests Naruto is being mocked. "I hear it's one way to sort through the thoughts. Don't know about it actually being effective, though."

Naruto decides to ignore whatever is coming out of his mouth, opting to continue shaking his head in disbelief. In a brief moment of panic he even closes his eyes, as if that will make everything disappear.

And when he opens his eyes again, he still finds Sasuke there. Of course.

…Well, to be honest his poorly devised plan of having people disappear by closing his eyes never seems to quite work out, maybe he should start thinking of more efficient ways.

Even so, in his mind he is still trying to actually rationalize the situation and draw a possible explanation for… well, this.

"Did Orochimaru send you here to take the Kyuubi from me?"

This is it. This is the rational explanation he comes up with.

Of all things to do in this scenario, Sasuke fucking snorts. "You're kind of reaching a little over there, don't you think?"

"Did you come here to kill me and take the Kyuubi for yourself?" But Naruto can't seem to stop drawing his own rational conclusions.

Sasuke tilts his head back and stares up at the ceiling, as if he is actually thinking about whatever is spilling out of the blond's mouth, and hums in contemplation. "Now, I'm no expert, but you have to admit that does sound like a poorly executed movie. It would definitely end badly for one of us, maybe both."

Completely ignoring whatever Sasuke is talking about, Naruto keeps going. "…Oh God… are you here to murder me and take my place as the new me?" He practically gasps in horror at the thought.

And, okay, maybe he should have eaten something more substantial because he definitely feels lightheaded and not conscious enough to be aware of what is actually coming out of his mouth. And, okay, he is also definitely reaching by this point. But his brain is being turned upside down, there are currently a thousand scenarios- most of them absolutely crazy- he is coming up with and he bets some of the girls wouldn't even mind that outcome. Kiba would definitely be fine with it, the idiot.

"Again, no expert in this field, but that does sounds like a comedy. There's definitely ground for jokes in such a scenario, don't you think?" Sasuke keeps answering with the same easy-going and diverted tone, as if it's no big deal and whatever Naruto is saying is actually too ridiculously stupid to give it an ounce of seriousness.

"Well, I'm glad you seem to have kept your sense of humor." Naruto mutters in a flat tone. Then stops in his tracks, brows furrowing as he thinks it over. "…Actually, I don't think I have ever heard you crack a joke before… do you even have a sense of humor?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes, he almost looks offended. "Of course I do, you just never understood it."

Naruto deadpans. "I doubt that."

"You want an example? You have no idea what sarcasm is if you're not the one being sarcastic."

"That's not true!"

"It actually is."

Naruto is ready to rebuke, but he stops short. Because in the moment he starts noticing things he had not before.

For example, the fact that Sasuke is not carrying weapons with him, at least not anything visible, his katana is definitely missing. His clothes are different too, instead of the outfit Naruto had last seen him in, he is now wearing some dark pants, a lighter short sleeve unbuttoned shirt with the collar coming up to his neck, and a darker, sleeveless shirt underneath.

Even his hair is different, being shorter than Naruto can remember, and pushed a bit to the sides, except for the fringe falling messily over his eyes and replacing the bangs parted in the middle he had last seen him with. Naruto thinks if Ino and the other girls were to see him now, they would probably swoon all over him.

Coupled with that playful smirk that seems to be part of his every facial expression, everything about Sasuke's appearance screams casual. It's strange, but it's almost as if Naruto being given the shock of his life by finding his ex-teammate in his room for two days in a row is nothing short of a casuality, a pure coincidence.

These, however, seem useless details compared to what comes to attention next and how it should have probably been the focal point.

His chakra. Or lack thereof.

No matter how much he is trying, Naruto can't sense any type of chakra coming from Sasuke. It's almost as if it doesn't even exist.

"…Where's your chakra?" He asks like an idiot, but he can't help it, he feels like an idiot. And he feels stumped, and uneasy, and small for some reason, like he can't handle what life is throwing at him.

"I don't have it." Sasuke answers in the most lighthearted tone one could possess.

"What the hell?" Naruto really doesn't have any other words. Except, he does. He has a mess of words clogging up his vocal cords that he wants to let out, but finds himself unable to. "…That's impossible… "

"Is it?" Sasuke asks back, like him not having chakra is normal for some reason.

"Are you suppressing it?" Naruto narrows his eyes in wariness, even if there is a burning curiosity inside of him because he just wants to find out what is actually going on.

"No." Sasuke shrugs, looking natural, and composed, and sincere of all things. "I just don't have it."

Naruto scoffs. "You're lying."

But Sasuke raises a brow, staring at him as if he is perplexed by his continuous denial. "And why would I lie?"

Oh, Naruto has a hundred and one reasons he could think of right off the bat.

He makes a sound that's something between an annoyed sigh and an incredulous huff. "What are you talking about? You'd be dead without your chakra."

Sasuke doesn't say anything, simply staring at him like he is trying to prove a point and all that does is make Naruto feel uncomfortable. His body wants to draw in on itself and it feels like a storm of needles is falling all over his skin. The building tension has cold sweat gathering at his nape in anticipation of something- anything that might happen next.

"Sasuke…?" He doesn't know what he is expecting, but he needs to hear something. He needs an answer. He needs to know he is not just going crazy.

"You don't believe me?" Sasuke's question comes off quieter this time, more serious, as if he is worried Naruto might really doubt him.

Naruto almost scowls at the thought, because why should he believe him? Actually, why should he believe anything this guy is saying? For all he knows this could be anyone, and he could be here for any reason at all, most of them involving Naruto as a possible target. He has to defend himself, he has to do something, to fight him… but- his body just won't move.

He is stuck in place, as if his limbs stopped taking commands from the signals his brain is sending over and just decided to give up after Sasuke's appearance. But there is a part of him, a small, almost insignificant part inside of him, that doesn't think his reaction is completely due to the shock... There is something in Sasuke's eyes he can't quite decipher, all he knows is that it reminds him of the Sasuke he knew- and Naruto, for a moment, thinks that no one would ever be able to fake that. It feels too real to be a simple play-pretend.

"You're not him…" He whispers, but it's uncertain, like he is trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

Sasuke keeps looking at him with those eyes. "…If I am not him, then who am I?"

Naruto doesn't know.

"…Who are you?" He asks back with the lightest waver in his voice. He tries to take control of the situation, of his thoughts at least, but everything is all over the place and a little too overwhelming at the moment, his brain is working overtime to try to keep him to cope. He doesn't even leave him the time to answer because it seems his mouth is working overtime too, trying to put order inside his messy head. "You… you're not really here." Naruto concludes, because he knows this can't be real… can it? No, this can't be Sasuke. He really can't. Even inside his head he sounds desperate to believe so.

"Are you-" Naruto falters for a second, hardly being able to think. "…What are you?"

"What? Nobody taught you it's rude to objectify people?" There it is again, that playfulness to his tone, cracking a joke, and Naruto still has to wrap his mind around the fact that apparently someone with Sasuke's face is capable of making jokes and giving smirks that look friendlier rather than more menacing. But Sasuke is also giving him this doubtful look, like he is as bewildered by the question as Naruto feels by his appearance.

His brain comes to a halt and the otherworldly scenarios just spill right over his head, which is more than clear by the question he asks next.

"…Are you a ghost?" He blurts out in the heat of the moment.

And, alright, it is ridiculous, he knows it is, but everything about what is going on inside this room is kind of ridiculous anyway, so why not go for the craziest possibility yet?

Sasuke's eyebrows draw to the center of his forehead in a show of confusion, but his expression does hint at amusement too when he lets out a quiet chuckle. "A ghost? You know what, I think you might really be onto something here. Add in a sprinkle of some other spiritual being and an unbreakable bond, too. And there you have a plot for what might end up being a mildly popular sci-fi movie." He leans forward and puts his chin on his hand, elbow resting just above his knee. He looks comfortable, as if what is currently taking place is normal, an everyday conversation happening between friends. "Ever thought of a change in career? I'll say, you could try for movie director."

"…Are you-" Naruto stops, frowning. "Are you making fun of me right now?"

"Am I?" Sasuke shows him once again that edgeless type of smirk that doesn't belong to him.

"Wait-" Naruto shakes his head as if to rid it of all the rushing questions, but that is impossible given that there are a million and more fighting in his mind.

However there is one that remains the more prominent over the rest.

"...Why are you here?"

The corner of his mouth lifts up in what turns out to be a sympathetic smile. Naruto doesn't really understand why Sasuke makes that kind of expression, until he is answering.

"I was hoping you'd tell me that."

. . .

A/N: Please, let me just say: That is not the real Sasuke… or is it?