I think I'm addicted to updating...oh well. Haha it'll be harder to of course when I reach the end of what I have already written though...but that won't be for a little while.

Oh yah! (gives cookies to all reviewers) Thanks! Most of what you guys told me you'd like to see is definately included eventually anyway! Lolz lucky me!

Also, I realize I never specified age, one reviewer reminded...Well I'm not sure if I exacted it, I thought I did a few chapters ago but just in case, they're around 15 or 16...dont worry, theyre not 12!! Lol

Read on, shall we?

-Kitsune

"I.. have to tell someone.. Sasuke.. I don't know what he's thinking about it.. We actually should've talked about this already.. but for some reason we haven't…" Naruto rambled, looking every which way but at Ino. Ino stared. Naruto was fiddling with his hands. She reached out and pulled his hands apart.

"Hey! Stop fiddling, what is it?" she asked eagerly. Naruto sighed and finally looked at her.

"Can I trust you?"

Chapter 15

Help Me

Ino nodded. "Yeah! Of course Naruto. I know at first none of us rookies were really that close, but we've formed friendships. You can tell me." Ino assured. "Now what is it!" She asked next, excitedly. Naruto took a huge breath.

"Ino.. I dunno! Oh nooo what will Sasuke say when he finds out.." Naruto panicked, fisting his hands in his hair. Ino rolled her eyes.

"Naruto. What's going on?" She asked, leaving out the fact that she'd pressured Sasuke about it earlier. The truth was, she hadn't really suspected anything out of the ordinary, she had just noticed that Sasuke was done rivaling against Naruto, and she'd wanted to bother him about lightening up. Naruto was looking down, and Ino blinked, seeing Naruto begin to blush.

"Is it Sakura!?" Ino hissed loudly. Naruto looked up abruptly and clapped his hand over her mouth.

"NO! Sh!" He exclaimed, and Ino noticed that Sasuke had made that same motion. Naruto slowly uncovered her mouth.

"Hah.. it's not Sakura.. Sasuke…me and Sasuke.." Naruto paused, suddenly looking a little apprehensive.

"You and Sasuke what??" Ino exclaimed. Naruto stared at her and paused.

"Good thing she's totally into Shikamaru now.." He thought to himself. Naruto felt himself smirk slightly. "Good.. then she won't hang all over Sasuke. I mean I know she still has a little mini-crush on him but that's understandable I guess.." Naruto sighed and went on with what he was saying.

"Well…" he paused again. "Uuuugh! Sasuke's gonna…" Naruto paused and sighed. "Whaaaat!" Ino nearly shrieked. Naruto squeezed his eyes shut.

"Sasuke and I are—"

"Find Sasuke now!" A voice from the yard interrupted Naruto, and he and Ino looked. Kakashi was in the middle of everyone. Everyone ran to him, and Naruto and Ino glanced at each other, then got up and went.

"He's been gone for about two hours. I have no idea where he might be." Kakashi said. Ino watched Naruto tense up.

"How many of you actually know what's really wrong with Sasuke?" Kakashi asked. Neji and Kiba gave a nod, Ino nodded slightly, and Naruto and Sakura were the only ones that knew completely. Kakashi sighed.

"Well I'm not going into the whole thing, but if you see him and his body is covered in a strange black marking, call me or Naruto." Kakashi said. All eyes went to Naruto. "Why?" Lee asked before everyone else could. Kakashi looked at Naruto for awhile, and Naruto nodded just slightly.

"Because Naruto and I are the ones that know Sasuke the best right now." Kakashi decided to say.

"He isn't in his right mind if he's covered with those markings." Kakashi finished.

"Hm.. let's see. Lee, your whole team is here, so you guys go in a group, Shikamaru, Shino and Kiba, you guys go. Ino, you go with Naruto, and I'll go on my own." Kakashi organized.

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Once everyone had split up, Naruto looked a lot more stressed. He and Ino were up in the trees, moving along the branches at a steady, searching pace.

"We have to find him.. quick.. he could really need our help.." Naruto was saying. Ino nodded.

"I know…you know when.. we were in the forest for the second part of the Chuunin exams?" Ino asked. They both stopped in a swaying tree branch and remembered.

"No.. I don't remember.." Naruto said, scratching his head. Ino nodded.

"Oh, that's because you were knocked out for some reason. But.. okay have you ever seen what Kakashi is talking about happen?" Ino asked next. Naruto shook his head slowly.

"No.. It's always been stopped before it gets out of control.. Sasuke's always telling me that if it goes without interruption then he doesn't want any of us near him." Naruto said. Ino nodded.

"He.. he was a different person.. you should ask Sakura some time." Ino said. Naruto paused on a tree branch and stared at her as she paused and looked at him back.

"Sakura? She saw?" Naruto asked. Ino nodded.

"Everything. So did I, and Neji was there, and Shikamaru and Chouji." Ino said. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah.. I remember a lot more people being around when I woke up.. I had no clue what had happened. The only reason I even know what's going on is because he tells me…I've never seen it happen all the way…" Naruto looked down along the ground. "We have to find him.. and it's difficult because Sasuke naturally doesn't leave tracks.. it's like.. a ninja reflex of his or something, he's hard to follow." Naruto said. Ino pointed suddenly, facing the opposite direction from Naruto as she crouched on a branch.

"Look! Over there above the trees! It's purple mist…Sasuke's chakra under the curse mark is a purple Chakra!" Ino exclaimed. Naruto gasped and stared. "Really? Ino! Let's go, hurry…this is bad…" Naruto said, jumping to the next tree.

In a few minutes, Naruto and Ino landed in a particularly thick bundle of trees. The air was permeated with the purple chakra, but Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. Ino stared at Naruto, who was beginning to get this look of nervous over-protection.

"Where are you.. Sasuke-kun.. why did you come out here.." Naruto was muttering to himself. Ino was a little ways away from Naruto, peering into the distance from a tree branch, when she heard a slight noise. She didn't know what direction it was coming from, so she looked around.

"In—Ino.." A strained voice was calling. Ino looked in every direction even more frantically.

"Sasuke.. Sasuke-kun?!" She called.

"Down here.." the voice instructed. Ino looked down, then gasped, jumping to the ground where she saw Sasuke, who was slumped against a tree, his eyes closed. Ino got closer slowly, remembering Kakashi's warning about Sasuke not being in his right mind. Sasuke was breathing a bit hard, and the curse mark had completely covered the left side of his body. Purple chakra was radiating from him visibly. Sasuke flinched and began to cough, and Ino snapped back into her senses, running to him and kneeling by him, sitting him up off of the tree.

"Sasuke-kun! Sasuke! What.. what should I do??" She exclaimed frantically as she stared at the pained expression on Sasuke's face.

"I—I can't talk right now.." Sasuke gasped, leaving Ino to figure things out on her own. "Okay.. okay.. ohhh.." Ino fretted, then looked around. "Okay here.. lay down…" Ino directed, carefully laying Sasuke down in the forest grass. Sasuke looked to be in deep concentration combined with the pain of the curse seal. Ino stood up and ran a little ways away, but didn't take her sight off of Sasuke.

"Naruto! Naruto he's over here! Quick, I don't know what to do!" Naruto came running in a few seconds as Sasuke tried to sit up, but Naruto slid to his knees next to him and held him up carefully.

"Sasuke.. Sasuke it's too late for Kakashi's jutsu, isn't it?" Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded. "Y-yeah.. Way—late—Almost.. to the point where—I'd tell you to get out of here but…neither of you would listen.. I'm only in pain.. because I'm resisting…If I were to stop resisting.. I'd be.. unstoppable.." Sasuke panted. Ino nodded.

"You're right, Sasuke-kun, we can't leave you here!" Ino agreed, rubbing his shoulder. Sasuke took a few more stressed breaths and began to groan.

"No.. Sasuke no, stop, what do you want me to do?" Naruto asked frantically. Sasuke opened his eyes finally, and once again they were being forced to use Sharingan outside of his will.

"I—I don't know—what needs to be done—" Sasuke gasped, a few drops of sweat sliding down his face. "Bad…pain—Ah!!" Sasuke suddenly gave a short cry of agony. "Sas—Sasuke.." Naruto murmured, and Ino watched carefully, everything beginning to make sense as Naruto and Sasuke's hands found each other, squeezed together over

Sasuke's chest. Sasuke stirred uncomfortably in Naruto's hold, and his free hand that wasn't squeezing Naruto's flew to the curse mark and clamped there as Sasuke began to outright scream in pain.

"Sasuke! Breathe! Come on, please.. please don't let this happen!" Naruto was pleading. Ino stared at the entire thing, scared that something bad would happen.

"What's happening to him?! Naruto where's Kakashi-sensei? He can help, right?" She asked frantically, her hand resting on Sasuke's chest. Naruto looked up only briefly from Sasuke, who was visibly shaking from pain.

"Yeah.. yeah.. we have to get him away from here.." Naruto nearly whispered, gazing down at Sasuke, holding him closely supported against himself. Sasuke briefly held in a few stressed gasps of pain, but eventually let out an even louder cry than the first one. "Sasuke!! Sasu-koi!" Naruto exclaimed, getting more stressed by the minute. Ino stared blankly at the two. "Koi…koi? Naruto.. you called Sasuke-kun…koi. Koibito." She said slowly and quietly. Naruto looked up sharply, staring.

"I.. I did..? Hm.. I did, didn't I.." Naruto murmured with a nervous smile, his cheeks turning pink.

"Dobe—" Sasuke paused to cough. "—you.. you didn't.. I—can't believe—Ahhh!!" Sasuke paused in his shock to give a strangled shout of pain.

"I.. I was going to tell her anyway…"" Naruto stammered, staring at her with a very slight frozen grin. Ino stared at them in shock.

"N-n-no way.." Ino stammered, glancing back and forth between them. Sasuke opened one eye to peer at her, gritting his teeth through the pain.

"Okay so it's true—don't act so shocked—you—you pressured me about it earlier—" Sasuke forced out. Ino still had a shocked, frozen stare on her face.

"You.. you guys like each other.. that's why—" Ino was interrupted as Sasuke began to almost sob in pain.

"Get—me—out of here—" Sasuke's voice was getting shaky. "I'm.. going to lose it—this.. stupid—seal—" Sasuke choked out, his hand still squeezing Naruto's.

"Ino, get Sasuke's other side.." Naruto ordered. They held Sasuke up and carefully pulled his arms around their shoulders, supporting Sasuke under the arms while they supported him with their arms around his waist.

"You—you don't tell—anyone." Sasuke growled breathlessly, glancing sideways painfully at Ino.

"I promised Naruto. I'm just surprised Sakura hasn't found out.." Ino mused as they walked, Sasuke supported in the middle.

"We...we know she won't take it well." Naruto said with a nervous chuckle. Without warning, Sasuke suddenly fell completely limp between them, forcing them to stop and ease him to the ground.

"Sasuke-kun!" Ino exclaimed. Sasuke gave a few stressed breaths.

"I—went away—because—I knew it would—happen…" With that, Sasuke fell unconscious. Naruto got himself situated and lifted Sasuke off of the ground.

"No.. oh no.. don't do this Sasuke.. We really have to hurry up and get him to Kakashi.. If he wakes up, it's all over.." Naruto murmured.

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Almost as soon as they got Sasuke back to the yard and Kakashi came to them there, the curse began to enflame, and completely spread to the other side of Sasuke's body. Sasuke was laid out on the table, out cold and completely limp. Everyone else came back slowly as Kakashi began drawing symbols around Sasuke's head on the table, then finally marked a few around the curse seal itself. Kakashi began chanting, then suddenly formed a few seals.

"Everyone stand back." Kakashi said quietly. Everyone backed, Ino having to discreetly pull Naruto away herself while also tugging Sakura away by the wrist.

"What's wrong? Is Sasuke-kun going to be alright?!" Sakura exclaimed.

"He should.. but I have to hurry." Kakashi said, and walked over and stood behind Sasuke's head, then placed his hands down on either side.

"Release!" Kakashi shouted, and there was an abrupt explosion of purple chakra from Sasuke's body. After a few long seconds of trying to block the explosion, everyone looked up, squinting until the clouding faded. When it did, they all crowded around. "Sasuke…Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, shaking him. Kakashi laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Hey, hey. Calm down.. let's see if he wakes up." Kakashi said calmly. Sasuke stirred a little, then gave an unconscious sigh of release, the curse marks fading from his skin.

"He looks okay!" Naruto exclaimed with a cheerful smile.

"Buuut he may not wake up for awhile. Like two days, awhile." Kakashi said with a slight smile. Lee noticed Naruto's anxious actions and expression.

"Naruto-kun. Sasuke-kun will be fine! You look concerned." He said, coming over to Naruto and Ino. Ino had one hand on Naruto's shoulder from behind, and Lee did the same. Naruto continued staring blankly at the table, where everyone was gathering around Sasuke and Kakashi, asking Kakashi questions about Sasuke's curse.

"Hey.. hey, give him some air.." Naruto said quietly, leaning over the table.

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Later that afternoon, only Lee, Kiba, Ino, and Shikamaru were left, and they all stood in a row watching curiously while Naruto and Sakura were leaning over Sasuke from opposite sides of the bed, pointing in each other's faces.

"Look I don't care what you were going to do beforehand, I think he'd rather wake up to some soup!" Sakura shouted at Naruto. Naruto growled.

"Sasuke doesn't even like soup!" Naruto yelled. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "He likes Ramen, like I do, and he likes Teriyaki stir-fry. He'd rather wake up to that." Naruto said more quietly. Sakura gave a frustrated exclamation, and crossed her arms angrily, sitting in her seat by the bed. Naruto glared at her and plopped down in his seat on the other side of Sasuke's bed. They both suddenly glared at the others, who were staring at them blankly.

"What??!" they both shouted. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and found a couch, Kiba sat down to play a game with him, and Lee and Ino came on over to Sasuke's bedside, Ino on Naruto's side and Lee on Sakura's side.

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It had been a around 60 hours since Sasuke had passed out, and Kakashi approached the bed. Sasuke was still completely asleep, flushed from fever. Naruto was looking a little pale.

"Naruto?" Kakashi asked. After a few seconds of delay, Naruto blinked and looked up from his slumped position leaning on the bed from his chair.

"Hm.. Sensei.." Naruto murmured.

"You have to sleep, Naruto. It's dangerous to stay up this long. Sasuke will wake up soon." Kakashi told him. Naruto shook his head exhaustedly.

"No.. Sakura.. slept.. I have to be awake then…he'll need someone when he wakes up.. and it'll be me who…" Naruto concluded, then paused for a long while and nearly nodded off. Kakashi was just about to say something else when Sasuke actually did groan, slowly lifting a hand to his shoulder, and then shifting his position slightly. Naruto looked up from being splayed out on the bedspread.

"Sasuke…" He called, waking up just a bit so that he could lean over Sasuke's face. Sasuke looked like he didn't want to open his eyes, and like he was in a small amount of discomfort.

"Naruto—Naruto-kun.. it.. it hurts.." Sasuke groaned reluctantly. Naruto nodded.

"I'll take care of you.. What.. what do you need Sasuke.." Naruto mumbled, his eyelids falling shut. Kakashi watched as Naruto dropped out, Sasuke catching Naruto on his chest. Sasuke pushed his hands through Naruto's hair a few times, then looked up at Kakashi.

"How long was I out.." he asked.

"60 hours or so." Kakashi answered. Sasuke nodded.

"He was up the whole time.." Sasuke correctly guessed. Kakashi came closer as Sasuke winced while he adjusted himself, sitting up in bed with Naruto's head in his lap.

"You look like you've been through hell, Sasuke." Kakashi said, coming all the way to the bedside. Sasuke closed his eyes and smirked.

"Isn't the first time.." he muttered jadedly. Kakashi stared at him, noticing that there was a different look in Sasuke's eyes…different from the look they had worn just a few days earlier.

"What is it Sasuke…is it hate? Frustration?...Loneliness? Murder…?" Kakashi wondered in his mind. He found his answer next.

"I'll kill him.. I'll kill him for doing this..." Sasuke was saying, staring blankly at the opposite wall. "Orochimaru…and I'll kill my brother.. for leaving me alive." Sasuke's gaze dropped, settling on Naruto's sleeping form. "He doesn't deserve this..." Sasuke murmured, fingering Naruto's hair. Kakashi sat down beside the bed.

"Deserve what, Sasuke?" he asked, watching Naruto along with Sasuke.

"He doesn't deserve having to keep watch over someone like me. It should be the other way around." Sasuke said dryly.

"I think you're wrong about that Sasuke." Kakashi said after a few seconds of silence. Sasuke kept staring at Naruto, playing with the wild blonde hair that he loved to touch.

"Why.." Sasuke said plainly. Kakashi folded his hands.

"Well, Sasuke. Naruto's never had anyone to watch over. He's never had anyone close enough to him to want to be watched over. And you. You've haven't had anyone watch over you for years and years. I think it's about time you both watched each other." Kakashi said simply. Sasuke's stare was becoming glassy.

"I'll still kill Itachi. Eventually.. I'll leave here.. when Naruto can't follow.. And I'll kill Orochimaru first, then.. my brother.. I will kill him.." Sasuke said, almost in monotone. Kakashi stood up, doubting that Sasuke was in his right mind.

"Sasuke you need more rest. Badly. I suggest you take it." He said. Sasuke continued staring darkly, slumped against the headboard of the bed, and said nothing. His hands remained frozen in Naruto's hair. Kakashi left the room silently when Sasuke didn't respond at all.

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Naruto woke up very slowly with Sasuke's head on his chest. He looked down curiously, and realized that Sasuke's body had a way higher temperature than it should have. He stayed where he was and stroked Sasuke's hair, which was damp with sweat. As he looked down, he noticed that Sasuke was nearly as white as the sheet, but his cheeks were flushed nearly blood red.

"He's ill.." Naruto whispered in the darkness of the room. It was 3AM. He wrapped Sasuke in his arms and buried his face in Sasuke's hair.

"Mm.. smells like blackberries.." Naruto murmured. "How'd he do that?" Naruto asked himself aloud in the next second. He shook his head at his own silliness. Sasuke suddenly stirred a little, with a slight, nearly incomprehensible groan.

"Sasuke?" Naruto whispered to him. He saw Sasuke's eyes open partway. "Sasuke, you don't look good.." Naruto said quietly as he sat Sasuke up, facing him. Sasuke sat weakly, his head bowed.

"Naruto.." Sasuke murmured. Naruto stared at him curiously.

"Is.. something different about you?" He noticed right away. Sasuke looked up slowly at Naruto.

"Naruto.. you're awake.." he said hoarsely, his hand pressed against his stomach. Naruto swallowed hard, getting nervous.

"Sas—Sasuke? You—you're really.. really pale.." Naruto stammered, staring hard at him. Sasuke gave a sickly smirk.

"I'll kill him…for cursing me...I'll slice him to pieces.. bloody little pieces…" Sasuke whispered, staring blankly, but not directly at Naruto. Naruto stared at the sadistic smirk on Sasuke's face.

"You're—You're scaring me…a-a lot.." Naruto gulped, reaching for Sasuke's hand. Before his hand got there, Sasuke suddenly gripped his wrist with a slap, making him jump.

"No need to be scared…the only ones that need be scared are my enemies..." Sasuke murmured solemnly, still staring rather aimlessly. Suddenly Sasuke swung out of bed and stood up shakily, making a wavy line to the doorway before Naruto finally snapped to his senses and got up.

"Sasuke, Sasuke-kun! Stop, sit down…"

"No." Sasuke rejected bluntly. Naruto watched Sasuke plod outside.

"Where are you going?!" Naruto exclaimed in the dark. Sasuke's hand was still on his stomach.

"Tired of.. being in bed.. I can't get.. stronger by being.. in bed.." Sasuke stood facing the forest, still wavering while Naruto quickly came to him, handling him by the shoulders. "Please.. don't do this crap to yourself.. you need.. hot food, some hot green tea, and rest. You're delirious!" Naruto told him, trying to get him to go back inside. Sasuke felt Naruto's hands shaking, but didn't move for a few seconds. He then stumbled away to the nearby large rock and leaned behind it, heavily vomiting.

"Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, standing there powerlessly before going over to stroke Sasuke's hair and rub his back. Sasuke stood up shakily, stabilized only because Naruto was there, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Why do you.. always have to.. love me…baka..." Sasuke slurred, his eyes still closed. Naruto sighed with a little bit of relief at the fact that Sasuke wasn't raving about murder any longer, and began to carefully lead him inside.

"Because you need it…Sasuke-kun.."

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When Kakashi came in at 9AM, Sasuke looked a lot healthier, but was still a little pale, and flushed at the cheeks. Naruto had him sitting up against some pillows with a steaming mug of green tea.

"You look like death." Kakashi said plainly as he came on over. Sasuke nodded slightly while Naruto smiled at Kakashi.

"Ohayo, sensei!" He greeted energetically from sitting on the bed beside Sasuke.

"Whoa, did you get your sleep?" Kakashi asked with a grin. Naruto glanced at the floor, remembering last night's scare with Sasuke, but then looked back up.

"Not really.. but I'm good." Naruto excused.

"Sasuke, you rested, right? Because you were extremely sick last night. I don't think you even knew what you were saying." Kakashi said. Sasuke calmly sipped the tea.

"I knew." He said simply. Kakashi dismissed Sasuke's slightly dark vibe and sat in the chair beside the bed. He observed Naruto saying something to Sasuke, and noticed that both of their lips were flushed and moist. Kakashi rose an eyebrow.

"How obvious is that…kissing.." Kakashi thought to himself. He continued watching Sasuke. He was definitely still different than from before the incident with the cursed seal. Naruto seemed to be aware, but behaving like nothing was changed. Sasuke was currently emitting a very dark, very reserved aura. Naruto seemed to love him all the same, Kakashi noticed. He briefly wondered how it was for Naruto, making out with someone as dark and normally brooding as Sasuke. Kakashi rose both eyebrows at his own thought. He watched as Sasuke was seemingly absentmindedly rubbing the curse seal with one hand while sipped tea from the cup in his other hand. Naruto was across the room messing with a plant and asking vacant questions about it, but Sasuke wasn't paying much attention; he seemed purposely distracted by some unknown issue.

"But it's not very unknown, is it Sasuke…despite his being a bit out of his mind last night.. he still knows what he was saying.. He's changed.. and that murderous intent of his.. it's in his eyes.. if he's not careful, it will only fuel the curse.." Kakashi thought to himself as he stared at Sasuke, who was currently paused with the edge of the mug to his lips, staring blankly into the steam for way longer than normal.

"He's so powerful under that curse.. he'll want the strength…to kill Orochimaru and his brother. I assume now that he's struggling with just that…struggling with his present life.. and his future life as an assassin.. with two men to kill.. What will you do Sasuke? Are you thinking that the life of a deadly assassin has come upon you sooner than expected? Are you rushing your strength?"

Uh-oh, Sasuke-kun is slipping...is he going to give in!?!??

-Kitsune...