Sasuke sat quietly on a couch in the Common Room, lazily watching television with Shikamaru sleeping beside him and Neji sulking in the chair across from him.
"What is the point of being here?" Neji asked randomly, his pale eyes cast down to his lap. Sasuke could see the sadness that was in his eyes, that uncontrollable hopelessness that just drives Neji deeper into the depression he suffers from.
"To get better?" Sasuke replied, looking back to the television. Neji sighed at the response and looked up at the television, leaning back further in his seat.
"Lee, cut it out!" A shout erupted from across the room. Shikamaru woke with a start, sitting up from where he was laying on the couch beside the black-haired boy and peering behind the couch. Sasuke and Neji turned as well, grinning slightly at the sight behind them. Lee was sprinting in circles, at a speed that Sasuke did not even believe was humanly possible. However, he was not only sprinting, he was pestering Kiba, who was caught in the middle of Cyclone Lee.
"Kiba! Join me in enjoying our youth! Run with me and feel the amazing power of prowess flow through you!" Lee shouted back, his energy unrivaled by anything Sasuke had ever witnessed. Kiba growled under his breath, annoyance clear on his face. He abruptly stuck out his foot, which Lee collided with instantly. The bowl-cut boy shrieked in surprise, tumbling forward before hitting the back of the couch with his back.
"I told you to cut it out!" Kiba spat, walking over to Lee with malice in his eyes. The boy that had fallen scrambled to his feet, holding his hands up defensively in front of him.
"But Kiba, you must embrace your youth!" He argued back. The brunette reached a hand out, grabbing Lee's green t-shirt roughly and pulling him closer.
"Shut the fuck up, Lee." He threatened. Sasuke raised his eyebrows in surprise, not having witnessed Kiba's anger until now.
"Kiba, chill out. You're being so loud." Shikamaru drawled, his eyes half lidded. Said boy looked over at the narcoleptic, scowling before shoving his victim back to the couch and stomping away. Lee heaved a sigh of relief, turning to thank Shikamaru.
"Thank you, Shika-," Lee stopped when he looked at Shikamaru, who's eyes were already closed once again. Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned back to the television, which had been changed by Neji to a news channel. There was a photograph of a man on the screen, and a woman was speaking.
"Han was a 32 year-old man who was found dead yesterday afternoon. Han was the vessel of the demon ruler, Kokuo, however, no sign of Kokuo has been reported." The woman said.
"Wait, Kokuo?" Neji asked, glancing over at the other boys.
"Naruto said Kokuo was dead, but how could he have known that?" Lee asked, leaning on the back of the couch.
"But wait, the guy is dead. Not necessarily the demon, right?" Sasuke pointed out, causing a silence to fall over them.
The door across the room opened, and four people walked in; Iruka, Naruto, and Gaara followed closely by Kakashi. Sasuke noticed Kiba jog over to greet them as usual, but something was different. Naruto did not speak, he simply stared down at the ground while Gaara replied to everything Kiba was saying. After the blocks were removed from their hands, Sasuke watched Naruto cling to Gaara's arm like a small child would their parent. He was wearing an orange hoodie and black pants, no shoes. Gaara wore a deep red shirt and black pants. Watching for a while, Sasuke looked closer at the blond.
His hair was disheveled and Sasuke could see bandages on his wrists that appeared as if they went further up his arm. As they made their way across the room to wear the television was, Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto. He looked pale, and tired, moving very slowly beside Gaara. He was dragging his feet as he walked, his knees bent slightly more than they normally would be when one is walking. Sasuke noticed a bandage on Naruto's forehead, stuck right in the middle like a giant sticker.
"What happened to your head? Some one knock some normal into you?" Sasuke joked darkly, a mocking smile on his face as they approached. Gaara tucked Naruto behind him, his glare sending nothing but the notion of death to Sasuke as he stared back.
"Do not speak to him that way." Gaara warned through clenched teeth. Behind him, Naruto looked up to see Sasuke, their eyes meeting. Naruto's oceanic eyes were dark blue, underlined by dark black circles that could pass for bruises. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot, as if he had been crying or straining to do something for a long period of time, adding to the exhaustion that graced his face. Sasuke shifted his focus back to Gaara, scoffing lightly.
"Like you could ever tell me what to do." He remarked, before turning his attention back to the television.
"C'mon Naruto, let's go to the art tables." Kiba said softly behind the unfolding scene. He gently took Naruto's arm, guiding him away from Gaara until he held onto Kiba's arm and slowly headed to the tables. Sasuke briefly watched the two go, feeling the tension rise when Naruto left Gaara's side.
"I will not hesitate to kill you. If you pose a threat to him, then you will die." The redhead said fiercely, icy eyes burning with rage. Sasuke frowned, standing up from where he sat and resting one hand casually on his hip.
"Really? Kill me? Ha, I'd like to see you try." He shot back, feeling the anger rising in him. Gaara moved quickly, too quickly for Sasuke to react. In a fraction of a second, the black-haired boy felt something solid collide with his face, sending him stumbling backwards as he held his nose. Once he regained his balance, something in Sasuke snapped. The anger coursed through him, causing his hands to shake as he balled them into fists.
"You're going to pay for that." Sasuke seethed, raising a fist to return the punch that connected with his nose. With a shout of effort, Sasuke put his full weight behind his punch, intending to meet Gaara's face within a few inches. Something else, however, something that was much closer, met his fist instead. Just before contact, a loud "Stop!" echoed through the room but had not been fast enough. Sasuke's hand connected solidly with something hard, it being sent backwards into Gaara, unsteadying him. Blinking before lifting his eyes to meet what he had punched, a small feeling of regret washed over him. Naruto had fallen back into Gaara, who caught him before he fell. Blood soaked the bandage that was on his head, beginning to slide down his face thickly.
"Naruto?" Gaara asked quietly, holding the barely conscious boy close to his chest. Naruto's eyes were dull, blurrily looking over at Sasuke.
"Please… don't fight." His voice came out a hoarse, and raw. Sasuke dropped his arms to his sides, watching the blonde's face carefully. It was then that Sasuke noticed Kakashi and Iruka running toward the group, the altercation having happened quickly and without warning.
"Why?" Gaara asked, his eyes darkening into their demonic gold. "Why shouldn't we?" he growled.
"He doesn't-," Naruto took a strained breath, before his eyes slid closed. "understand," fell from his lips before he was unconscious. Kakashi was beside Sasuke then, a hand firmly on his shoulder. Iruka had run to Naruto, assisting Gaara in lifting him up. Sasuke watched them walk away, seeing Gaara's shoulders tremble as he walked, fighting back the rage he felt stirring in his body.
"Sasuke, I'd like to take you back to your room." Kakashi said flatly, although Sasuke knew it was more of an order than anything. As they walked out, with the other boys watching them in stunned silence, Sasuke tried to understand. What was it that he did not get? Why did Naruto protect Gaara? Why did he feel so bad about hitting him?
xXxXxXxXx Previous Night xXxXxXxXxXx
His wrists were raw and torn up from metal chains holding him. They bled and ached, some areas cut through almost to the bone. Blisters and burns littered his chest and back, making every movement immensely painful. Nothing brought his body comfort enough to sleep. He had been tossed back in his room, like a used toy being tossed into a toy box, at close to 2 o'clock in the morning, and it was now 7 o'clock.
Naruto bent his knees slightly, wincing with a groan of pain that spread across his skin. His knees had been scraped up badly from kneeling on the floor and attempting to get away from his captor. He opened his mouth to take a breath, though his lungs did not wish to cooperate as they refused to fill and empty properly. Many of the breaths he took were shallow and ragged, burning his throat each time. His chest was pounding, heartbeat inconsistent still hours after his test was completed. He could not open his eyes, it hurt too much. He could not identify sounds, it was too hard. Everything was just too much for him. Tears rolled down his face; he was not even sure if he was in his own bed.
Suddenly, a gentle hand was on him, lifting his arms in order to wrap his wrists and the few burns that ran along his upper arms.
"Naruto, I'm so sorry." Gaara's voice was quiet, soft. A small sense of relief filled Naruto, knowing that Gaara was there; his brother was with him. And that meant he would be alright. Gaara always protected him and cared for him.
"Kurama," a different voice came from the boy wrapping Naruto's arms. This voice was deeper, though almost on the verge of comical. It was boisterous and tense.
"Shu," the demonic growl came as a sigh from Naruto's lips.
"Why did you let it get so bad? You're gonna kill him." Gaara spoke again, though it was truly the voice of Shukaku.
"He can handle it. My vessel is strong."This time, the voice of Kurama entered Gaara's mind, as Naruto was no longer able to move.
"We must get rid of Orochimaru, we need Naruto alive. We cannot lose another kingdom's ruler." Shukaku growled, Gaara's hands working a bit faster at the bandaging, now moving on to Naruto's torso.
"Soon. The Uchiha boy, he can help." Kurama's deep, rough voice reverberated throughout Gaara's head, causing his body to shiver.
"Ah, yes. He could be useful. Rest now, Kurama." Shukaku bid his farewell before Gaara's voice returned.
"Naruto, I will always protect you." He promised, earning the smallest of smiles from the blonde boy.