Challenge Me, Make Me Better
For once, Naruto threw himself into his morning classes with gusto. They weren't, he figured, meant to bore him. They were meant to help him. The whole boring thing was just an unfortunate side-effect. He actually learned a little, and by lunch he was incredibly fired up. He sprinted to his dorm to dump his book bag, then sprinted to the cafeteria.
"Yo, Naruto!" Choji said, already in the process of eating a plate full of meat. With Ino already haranguing him he needed to eat more vegetables.
Grabbing enough food to fuel up, Naruto sat down between Sakura and Shikamaru. "Haven't seen you in a few days," he said to Shika. "How are classes and sparring?"
Shikamaru groaned. "Classes are so troublesome. And only girls will partner with me. Girls are troublesome."
Ino leaned across the table to punch him in the shoulder. Hard, by the looks of it. "What's so troublesome about girls?" she demanded.
He rubbed his arm, trying to lean away. "They do shit like that."
"Girls are better than guys," Choji said around a mouthful of beef.
Ino snorted. "Why? Because they taste better?" She shoved him playfully.
Even Shikamaru cracked a grin at that.
"Nah, girls are smarter," Choji said, swallowing a mouthful of chicken. "And prettier."
"And statistically," Sakura added, brushing her cotton-candy pink hair over her shoulder, "we're better Controllers."
"Yep," Choji agreed.
Shikamaru sighed. "That's why they're troublesome," he said, looking at Naruto as if wanting backup.
Naruto grinned and shrugged. "I'm kinda with Choji, man."
The door at the far end of the cafeteria opened, and Naruto waved at Kiba. He had Hinata by his side, and as soon as she saw Naruto she blushed. Naruto didn't think anything of it as the two joined them.
"Hey, man!" Naruto greeted him, and the pair slapped their palms together. "You gonna join us after lunch?"
"Heck yeah," Kiba said. "I met Sasuke's friend, Suigetsu. We're gonna go for a spin. His scores are pretty damn impressive. And I haven't seen him fight yet."
Pleasant conversation went on for another half hour, then the group of friends put their dishes away and headed to the sparring halls.
"So," Sakura said, looking at Ino, "me and Hinata against you and that cute guy we met yesterday? What was his name?"
Ino grinned. "Yuki," she said. "You have a near-perfect memory, and you can't remember his name."
"Gimme a break," she chuckled.
Kiba looked at Naruto. "Me and Suigetsu against you and Gaara?"
"Sounds good," Naruto said, nodding.
In the sparring halls, Naruto saw Gaara, Suigetsu, Neji, and Sasuke. The four of them were known as the princes of The Academy. Apparently all four were from wealthy families. Well, Naruto knew that about two of them. The Hyuga family, like the Uchiha family, were from Konohagakure. They didn't live there anymore, thanks to their active roles in the Imperial Army, but they were from Konohagakure.
As he entered with his friends, Sasuke's ebony eyes found him immediately. Was it his imagination, or was some of the hostility in them gone? Naruto, with Kiba on his heels, walked toward the four of them. Kiba waved a hand at Suigetsu.
"Hey," he said, grinning. "You ready to spar?"
Suigetsu brushed a lock of silvery platinum hair behind his ear and smiled. "I sure am. I've been dying to partner with you ever since you sparred with Sasuke. Never fought with a Controller like you before."
Naruto looked over at Gaara. "Hey, Gaara," he said, grinning. "Wanna spar with me?"
The redhead looked faintly surprised. But he straightened without hesitation. "Yes," he said.
Pleased, Naruto winked at Sasuke and led Gaara up to the sparring mat. The slightly shorter teen took his hands when Naruto offered his, peering up into Naruto's eyes with an unreadable expression.
"What is your third form?" he asked.
"I'll show it to you some time," Naruto said, grinning as he turned Gaara around, their hands linked. "It's really hard for me to control, so I don't like fighting with it yet. You want my first or second form?"
"First," Gaara replied, initiating the link, "for now."
It was as fast as Sasuke, and now he held a long black katana sword in his hands. The well of his chakra was as deep as Sasuke's.
"Hm," Gaara said, "you're as strong as Sasuke said."
"What?" Naruto said, feeling a burst of excitement. "Sasuke talks about me?"
"Yes," Gaara said, performing a few graceful slashes as Suigetsu faced him with Kiba. "Though nothing complimentary, I assure you."
Ah, well, it was too much to hope that Sasuke considered him a friend. Yet. "Well, it'll happen. Let's kick their asses, Gaara. Show me what you got."
Gaara's expression didn't change as he took a defensive stance and waited for Suigetsu.
Naruto divided his attention long enough to glance at Sasuke. The raven-haired Coordinator was watching, and Naruto couldn't quite define the expression on his face. There was a little curiosity, definitely. But his ebony eyes were sort of appraising, as if they were measuring Naruto's performance. It was like receiving a shot of pure adrenaline to the heart. Naruto broke into a huge grin.
He's watching me. Yeah, you watch me, Sasuke. I'll impress the hell out of you.
~o0o~
Gaara was an incredibly impressive Coordinator. Sasuke never got tired of watching him spar. He thought often, He'll be this year's Neji. And because his control was perfect, he handled Naruto with more efficiency than Sasuke. It was actually kind of entertaining to watch them spar with Suigetsu and Kiba. Slouching against the rail blocking off the huge sparring mat, Jugo snorted.
"Guess that lazy Controller finally found someone who can keep him under control," he commented. "Hey, wanna get your tiny ass up there and spar with me?"
Sasuke gave him a flat look. "You're already partnered, so no. It's not even possible."
Jugo sighed. "It's not fair that just because I'm a year older than you I can't bond with you or Gaara. It's bullshit."
On his other side, Neji made a soft sound that might have been amusement. "I'm going to go meet Tenten in one of the sparring rooms. I'll see you two tonight."
Sasuke threw him an absent wave, most of his attention riveted to his two friends sparring each other with their respective Controllers. It was easy to see Naruto's improvement in just two days, and Sasuke allowed himself to feel grudging admiration. Whatever else Naruto might be, he was certainly determined.
As the match drew into minutes, Sasuke found his eyes going back to Kiba. The longer he watched the Controller's unusual form, the more he found himself curious about Naruto's third form. The two pairs couldn't seem to get the upper hand on each other, and eventually they had to end when neither Coordinator could maintain their bond.
Suigetsu grinned. "Let's switch Controllers," he said. "Naruto, change into that big fucking gun."
They linked, and Gaara linked with Kiba. Somehow, they both looked more natural this way. So intent was Sasuke on the fight he didn't even notice another Controller approach him, and he jumped when a cool hand touched his arm. He declined, too curious to see how this fight would end.
Gaara and Kiba took the offensive immediately, Kiba going straight for the gun with gaping jaws. Suigetsu leaped up into the air, the barrels of the gun already charging. But as Kiba neared, the spines all over the gun suddenly began to glow. As one, they flew off the gun straight for Gaara. It forced Kiba to retract to protect his Coordinator, and he did so with amazing speed. The spines bounced harmlessly away.
Suigetsu pressed his advantage, one of the barrels firing. Gaara executed a perfect diving tumble to avoid it, and Kiba once more went for the barrel. The spines had not yet returned, so this time his jaws clamped around it without worry. But even as he began to shake his head to physically dislodge them and break their bond, the spines on the ground began to glow and once more flew at Gaara.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. He's fighting with much more proficiency today. Is it because Gaara and Suigetsu are both better Coordinators? He felt a rueful smile. Like I said before, you and I are poorly suited to each other, Naruto.
Kiba again had to abandon his attack to protect Gaara. The spines retracted back to the gun once Kiba deflected them, and Sasuke could see his frustration.
Gaara sprang forward, hands beginning to form a ninjutsu seal. Kiba's form abruptly split, and now there were three ethereal wolves rising form his back. All three flew at Suigetsu and Naruto, and this time only one of them had to return to protect Gaara from the spines and a second barrel discharging. One wolf grabbed the gun, the other grabbed Suigetsu.
Sasuke felt himself grinning, his own adrenaline surging from the sheer excitement of the fight. Kiba's two heads shook, tearing the Coordinator and Controller apart, unraveling their bond. Some scattered cheers went up around the sparring arena as the four students faced each other, all grinning. Well, Gaara's face looked the same, but to someone who knew him well he was clearly pleased.
A blonde girl stepped up onto the mat. Sasuke recognized her as Temari, one of this year's most impressive Controllers. She looked at Gaara. "You and him against me and Sasuke." She pointed at Naruto.
Plenty curious to fight against Naruto himself, Sasuke stepped up onto the mat. Gaara, of course, didn't refuse. The two Coordinators linked with the two Controllers, and Sasuke faced one of his best friends. Concentration was the only thing in Gaara's expression, and Sasuke appreciated not being underestimated. While he might not be the better Coordinator of the pair, Temari was the better Controller.
Releasing the enormous fan, Sasuke leaped high into the air, gathering chakra to gain height and momentum. The great fan hovered right behind him in the air, fully spread. Sasuke quickly formed a seal, gathering chakra into his lungs. Naruto had taken his second form again, and the spines on the gun once more flew off, straight for him.
"Child's play," Temari scoffed.
Sasuke snatched the fan and made a wide sweeping motion. Temari gathered chakra into it, and the force of her gale sent the spines flying. Sasuke instantly unleashed his own attack, his most commonly used ninjutsu: a huge fireball. Temari chuckled.
"You and I actually have highly complementing skills," she said.
Sasuke used the fan to sweep his fireball larger and faster. Gaara raised the enormous gun, and a discharge from one of the barrels blasted the fireball apart. Sasuke didn't relent. He knew from personal experience it took Naruto several seconds to power that attack. He spun the fan, sweeping blade after blade of pure wind pressure down at Gaara. It forced his best friend into defense, not a position he usually had to take.
A split second later, Naruto changed forms back to the long black katana. Now Gaara slashed through the rapidly vibrating air, dispersing Temari's attacks. He leaped into the air, the blade a blur in his hands as he lunged for Sasuke. Not about to get into close quarter combat with an expert, Sasuke easily faded away, forming a quick seal for another fireball and sweeping the fan to make it faster and bigger.
As soon as he hit the mat, Sasuke dropped the fan and tucked into a roll. Regaining his feet, he spun to visually orient himself. And only narrowly avoided being hit. Gaara was still right with him. Shit he's so fast, Sasuke thought. Temari was hovering right behind him, one of the very few Controllers who could maintain her form without a physical connection. He grabbed the fan and collapsed it, using it like a staff to parry Gaara's slash with his sword.
Then he snapped the fan open and swept it toward Gaara. It forced his friend to the side to dodge being hit. Sasuke gratefully leaped back into the air to put some distance between them and dropped Temari, forming the seal for another fireball, but this time he made it in three quick successions.
Three fireballs burst from his lips, and he snatched Temari to sweep them along faster and to burn hotter. Gaara could only disperse two of them, the third one he had to dodge. When he gained his feet, his hands were already forming a ninjutsu seal.
Sasuke's eyes widened. "Shit, if that hits us, Temari, we'll lose."
Temari made a vexed sound. "Okay, let's show him one of my secret attacks."
Gaara always carried a large gourd with him into the sparring arena. Sasuke knew where it was, so he didn't waste time trying to locate it with his eyes. He just started moving. Then he saw the first ball of sand.
Temari was up to the challenge. She gathered chakra from both of them, and Sasuke spun the fan in tight arcs. Each one sent compressed air slashing outward, slicing through the sand from Gaara's gourd. He maintained focus on both offense and defense, Temari's chakra surging all around. They were good enough to force Gaara to use Naruto to deflect several blows.
Then the sand changed shape. It formed what looked like a huge hand. Shit, Sasuke thought again, letting go of the fan. It hovered parallel to the floor, and he hopped onto it. The fan immediately flew away from the sand, and Sasuke formed the seal for a fireball. It struck true, sending a shower of sand everywhere. Sasuke knew that was far from a victory, and he quickly grabbed the fan to parry Gaara's next attack.
Sure enough, Gaara had lunged upward, slashing at Sasuke. He collapsed the fan and parried yet again.
His internal clock told him this had only lasted about two minutes so far, and Sasuke was beyond thought. He loved sparring with Gaara or Suigetsu. They were so skilled their battles seldom ended in decisive victory, and the absorbed all of his attention.
"Behind us," Temari said. "That's a damn persistent jutsu. Get us a little more height, and I'll take care of it."
Sasuke didn't parry Gaara's next slash so much as avoid it. He threw the fan down and hopped onto it, and Temari sailed up higher.
"Okay," she said, "you stay right where you are."
Her chakra surged again, and this time she channeled his too. The air vibrated wildly around them, and in two seconds she'd whipped up a cyclone. That fist of sand slammed into it and burst into harmless particles. But Temari didn't stop there. She sent out smaller cyclones as the sand tried to reform, scattering the grains further and further. Sasuke dimly noticed the gathered students yelping under the rain of sand.
The second she finished, Sasuke had already formed a dozen seals for fireball. The flames burst down toward Gaara, and he swept Temari over and over, creating blade after blade of violently spinning wind. It forced Gaara into a completely defensive position, unable even to counterattack. Sasuke wouldn't be able to keep this pace up for very long, but neither would his opponent.
Then Gaara met his eyes, and the very faintest hint of a smile teased one corner of his mouth. A split second later, all the air was crushed from Sasuke's lungs. His bond with Temari shattered, and that enormous fist of sand slammed him down onto the mat so hard black spots danced in his vision.
Who could say how much time passed. Seconds? Hours? Warm hands gripped his shoulders and helped him sit up, and a familiar voice murmured in his ear,
"That was fun. You're getting better."
Sasuke looked up at Gaara, and his friend looked somewhat fuzzy. Then he turned his head and saw Naruto, concern written all over his attractive face.
"You okay?" Naruto asked, brows drawn.
Attractive? Sasuke thought, mind hazy. Since when do I find idiots attractive? He accepted Gaara's hand to heave himself upright. Temari grinned at him from where she was watching.
"That was definitely the best fight I've had yet. We'll be doing that again. Soon."
"Except next time it'll be me and Sasuke kicking your ass," Naruto said, grinning at Gaara.
Who didn't reply. He led Sasuke down off the mat, and he vaguely heard a lot of voices clamoring and exclaiming over the epicness of that fight. By the time Gaara had Sasuke seated, his head was feeling clearer. He almost smiled.
They would definitely be doing that again soon.
"Gaara?" a girl's voice asked. "Feel like another match?"
Sasuke lifted his head to see Sakura smiling at Gaara. His friend nodded, giving Sasuke a mild look. Naruto waved him toward the mat.
"Go on, I'll look after him."
"I don't need looking after, idiot," Sasuke snapped. Rather, wanted to snap. It came out as a somewhat mellow statement. And what exactly the fuck was up with that?
Naruto just chuckled. "Sure, sure. You were fucking awesome out there, Sasuke. I could watch you do that all day."
Sasuke almost said, "You weren't so bad yourself." Almost. Fortunately he had better control than that over his mouth. All he said was, "Hn."
"You all right?" Naruto said after a second. "I'm gonna go back out there if you're good."
"I'm fine. Don't be a pain."
Another chuckle. "All right, all right. Pick this up tonight at our usual spot? Usual time? Okay, see you then!" He waved as he jogged back toward the mat.
Sasuke sighed and didn't bother protesting. What was the point.
~o0o~
After noon/early evening classes were over, Sasuke didn't head straight to the sparring wing. He headed back to his shared room, and along the way he spotted Neji with his Controller, Tenten. When Neji saw Sasuke, he said something to Tenten. The slightly shorter girl waved to him and jogged away. Neji fell in beside the younger Coordinator.
"You feeling okay?" he asked. "Gaara took you down pretty hard today."
Sasuke's lips quirked in something torn between amusement, irritation, and satisfaction. "That was the closest fight we've ever had," he didn't really answer. "Normally he completely crushes me."
Neji gave a half-smile. "You two have never sparred paired with a Controller. I caught up on our scores, and you might be interested to know you shine brightest when paired with Temari. Her wind complements your fire jutsus perfectly."
"I'm not surprised," Sasuke said, palming the door lock and pushing his dorm door open. "I actually really enjoy sparring with her. She's incredibly talented."
"Her averages are a little lower than Sakura's," Neji said, nodding, "but her potential is greater. I have a feeling Temari will challenge her for the top spot in their class. She's a very versatile Controller."
And Sasuke liked her personality. She took charge in a way that didn't feel arrogant. It was actually comforting, somehow. He also liked that she transitioned between taijutsu and ninjutsu quickly and efficiently. "Did you want something?"
"Do you have to see Kakashi in the morning?" Neji asked.
"No. Not for another few weeks, as long as I gain some weight." Sasuke sighed and stacked his books neatly on the room's long desk. "Which I'm working on. I ate a lot more today than I usually do. I guess sparring so regularly is good for my appetite."
That, and he hadn't used in two-and-a-half days. Normally he took a dose every single night.
Neji studied his face. "You and Gaara want to come over tonight?" he asked presently. "It's been a few days."
Sasuke hesitated. Then felt a bolt of surprise when he realized meeting Naruto to keep practicing was becoming so appealing it made him hesitate over using Poison. When the hell had that happened?
"Yeah," he said at length. Any longer and he would start to suffer from withdrawal. Poison may not have negative side effects when it metabolized, but that didn't mean the substance wasn't highly addictive.
The older teen paused again, his pale eyes searching Sasuke's face. "I know you didn't want to partner with Uzumaki," he said. "Should I be concerned?"
Blinking, Sasuke supposed Suigetsu hadn't told their other three friends what Naruto had done. Ah well. They should all know, since Naruto had seen all five them using illicit substances.
"He saw me shoot up," he said, "at lunch a few days ago. He promised not to tell anyone. All I had to do was agree to partner with him once."
Neji's eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. "Just the once?"
"Yeah," Sasuke said, lifting one shoulder in a shrug.
"So the next times were all your choice?" Neji insisted.
Not something Sasuke had really considered. It surprised him a little. "Yeah," he said again. "They were."
"Why?" Neji demanded. "Your scores together are abysmal. Why would you spend so much time with him?"
An altogether more puzzling quandary. Sasuke found himself shrugging again. "I don't know. It feels . . . different, with him. I'm so drained and worn out I just . . . pass out and sleep until morning. It's . . . different."
Expression bordering on a glare, Neji continued to study him as if weighing his words. "Is he taking advantage?"
Sasuke snorted. "I doubt it ever even crossed his mind to take advantage. He may be an idiot, but he's an honest one. I'm gonna go get some food. You wanna come, or are you gonna keep interrogating me?"
All at once, Neji relented. "I'll join you. I could use a snack before Tenten and I wrap up for the evening."
Sasuke said nothing else, grateful Neji let it go, grateful for his concern. He may not exactly like being fussed over, but he appreciated it just the same. They made their way to the cafeteria together, and Sasuke ate more than usual. I guess my appetite returned a little. At some point, Suigetsu joined them.
"Yanno," he said as he sat down, "I don't know why you're so opposed to partnering with Naruto. I love his second form. Don't get guns a lot, and I've never seen such a fucking huge one."
There was a vulgar comment lurking around unspoken, but Sasuke let it remain that way. "Obviously I'm not opposed to it, since I've been practicing with him for the last two nights, and tonight I'm doing it again."
"Wow, really?" Suigetsu said between bites. "You must really like him, huh?"
The automatic denial that sprang to Sasuke's lips died without a voice. It was untrue to say he liked Naruto, because the guy irritated him and drove him a little crazy, and all too often Sasuke wanted to punch him. However, it was equally untrue to say he didn't like Naruto. Sasuke had a hard time disliking people who showed they cared about him but didn't treat him like some glass flower who might shatter or fall apart at any second.
The only word he could use to describe how he felt about Naruto was complicated.
So he shrugged. "I guess I like how he challenges me."
Suigetsu grinned, but it was a softer expression than his usual smirk. "That's a good reason to keep it up," he agreed. "You mind if I borrow him tomorrow night, though? I'd like to spend some one-on-one with him. I tell ya, I'm crazy about his second form."
Sasuke snorted. "He's not bonded to me, you don't have to ask my permission. But I wouldn't mind if you did. There are a couple Controllers with whom I still haven't been able to practice alone, so it would be great if you could distract him."
With a soft laugh, Suigetsu leaned back in his chair. "Distract him, huh? Yeah, he is pretty fixated on you. Probably wants to fuck you."
"Why does everything have to be about sex with you?" Sasuke muttered.
"Sadly, it's never about sex with me," Suigetsu whined. "If it were, there would be a lot more sex with me. Yeah, I wouldn't mind nailing your lily white ass."
"How can you be sure you haven't?" Neji said in a ridiculously contemplative voice. "You two get pretty sloppy when you're high."
"Very funny," Sasuke grunted. Sometimes he did wake up with the impression that he'd gotten . . . sloppy . . . with Gaara and Suigetsu, they were very close. Sometimes the three of them woke up sticky. Sometimes he'd wake up with the sweet taste of Reef in his mouth knowing he hadn't smoked it.
But he'd know if they'd gone any further than grinding or petting. Some kinds of muscle pain were pretty much impossible to miss.
Suigetsu heaved a deep sigh. "All right fine, pretty Raven. You keep turning down my advances. We'll see you tonight, yeah? I don't like this staying out all night business."
Nodding, Sasuke stood up to put his dishes in the proper receptacle. "I'll see you later."
In the sparring wing, Naruto was already waiting for him. As soon as he saw Sasuke, he straightened from where he was lounging against the wall, grinning. "Turnabout's fair play," he said. "Last night I made you wait. You ready to get started?"
"Yeah," Sasuke said, pushing past him into the room they habitually used.
Inside, door locked, Sasuke started removing his boots and socks and arm covers. This time, Naruto did the same, and Sasuke was a bit distracted by how strong his arms looked. Firm muscle rippled beneath taut golden skin, making him look a little older than he was. Nineteen, maybe. Not for the first time, Sasuke thought how attractive he was. It was hardly unusual for him to think that about the same sex, but it was unusual for him to think that about a male other than Gaara, Suigetsu, or Neji.
Finding someone attractive outside his close circle was too . . . vulnerable.
"Wanna practice basic exercises for a while?" Naruto asked. "I think now that I know how to do it, I want to keep practicing at it. Until I'm really fucking good at it."
"Sure," Sasuke said, sitting down on the mat and folding his legs.
Naruto chuckled. "You're being real agreeable tonight. We've been in the same room for at least three minutes and you haven't thrown out the 'i' word once."
"Hn," Sasuke said with a tiny smirk. "Idiot."
"Oh, there it is. I was starting to think I had your not-evil twin."
"Let's just focus," Sasuke said, slightly uncomfortable with this easy atmosphere. "Start with a chakra sphere. Maintain it as long as you can. Once you lose concentration, we'll start over."
"Okay, but I want to get in some time with my second form," Naruto said. "It was awesome as sin fighting you with Gaara today, and even if it's just a tiny bit, every time I fight with my second form it gets a little easier to control. And like Kakashi-sensei said. It's really fucking powerful!"
Sasuke blinked, feeling a sudden twinge of unease. "You've been talking to Kakashi-sensei?"
"Well, yeah," Naruto said. "He's really fucking good. Oh, don't worry. I won't break my promise. I like partnering with you way too much to betray your trust like that."
The words, sentimental and foolish, left Sasuke unexpectedly disarmed. He actually felt a tiny hint of heat rise in his cheeks, and he did what he usually did when confronted with something he didn't want to face. He deflected with hostility.
"You're such an idiot."
"And as usual, you're an ass," Naruto retorted with obvious good humor. "Ready to get started?"
~o0o~
By nine, Sasuke unraveled their bond for the last time. They'd spent most of the last three hours doing exercises that were less and less basic. While Naruto's control (and Sasuke's for that matter) had only improved a little, they were able to maintain their bond for almost fifteen minutes at a time. It was unusual to improve so much so quickly so early in their first year.
Most of the reluctance and animosity Sasuke felt toward Naruto was gone.
"We usually go until midnight," Naruto protested. "C'mon, we've still got plenty of juice yet."
Sasuke put his socks and boots back on. "Not tonight."
As soon as he stood up, Naruto loomed into his personal space. "Why not? What's wrong with tonight? What's so different from last night?"
Annoyed, Sasuke glared up at him. It was maybe two centimeters of height, but somehow it felt like twenty. "I can't keep that pace up forever."
"You're gonna shoot up, aren't you?" Naruto demanded. "Sasuke -"
"Shut up." Soft, cold.
"Please don't," Naruto pleaded, reaching out and gripping Sasuke's arms so tightly it hurt. "What we've been doing works, right? It's been working? So stay here with me again. I'll -"
"Just shut up," Sasuke snapped. "Yeah, okay fine. It's been working. But you know how drug use works, don't you? I'm fine now. But it's not going to be so much longer until I start suffering from withdrawal. What then? You gonna sit by me and hold my head over the toilet while I puke up my guts? While I have a fever so high my blood starts to boil? I'm addicted, Naruto. You can't take a drug like Poison and not get addicted."
Naruto glared at him in what looked like helpless fury. "Why did you start using anyway, you fucking idiot?"
A muscle in Sasuke's cheek twitched. "We've been over this." He hit Naruto's hands away. "I'm not talking about it anymore. Now get out of my way."
"Fine," Naruto said. "I won't stop you. But don't do it there. Do it in your room, I'll stay with you. Make your roommate stay with that Neji guy."
"What? What the fuck will that accomplish?" Sasuke snapped.
"I don't know!" Naruto growled. "I just don't want you to go through this alone!"
"I'm not alone," Sasuke said, storming past him. "My three best friends are always with me, it's always safe. So get the fuck off my back."
This time, Naruto didn't stop him. But he could feel the heat of the other teen's anger surging at his back. He ignored it and jogged back to the dorm wing. Throwing a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure Naruto hadn't followed him, he went straight to Neji's room.
Jugo, Suigetsu, and Gaara were already there, the older redhead halfway through a Reef joint. Neji let him in, and Sasuke threw himself down onto the couch between Jugo and Gaara. A convoluted tangle of emotions roiled through him, and Naruto's angry voice wouldn't shut up in his head.
More than just angry. Anger, he could deal with. There was hurt mixed in there, somewhere. That, Sasuke hated. Reaching up, he snatched the joint from Jugo's fingers and took a deep pull. The sweet smoke filled his lungs and made him feel lightheaded.
"God damn it," he hissed, waving a hand when Neji offered him the needle. He clenched his teeth and finished the joint in two more pulls. "Just make me another one of those."
Fucking idiot Naruto. Only this once, he promised himself. Only this once would he let Naruto have any say. Just this night, then he was done letting the blonde have a say.