Studies and Half-Melodies

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

Author's Note: Midterms are over! Hallelujah! I don't think I can stand another period just sitting there staring at a wall. But now comes a four day weekend, so I'll get more chances to update and a day to go skating. Woo! And this is just a warning, there's gonna be more cursing in this chapter than usual.

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"Words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning and, for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth."-V (V for Vendetta)

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Naruto paused in his writing on the board and looked over his shoulder at Sasuke, who raised a questioning eyebrow. Four months of tutoring had gotten them on terms that were better than acquaintance and not quite friendship. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin had taken on a pasty pallor. He looked exhausted. Apparently their Winter Break hadn't done him much good.

"I just thought of something. You've got Ebisu second period, right?" At Sasuke's nod, Naruto continued. "That's his AP class. Why're you in AP if you obviously don't want to be in it?"

"What're you talking about, 'obviously'?"

"Bio isn't an AP class. Neither is Geometry. They're just Honors classes. You seem…I'd say happier, but that's not really the word…calmer, that's it. You seem calmer in the Honors classes than with the AP classes."

"Do you ever think that maybe it's because they're harder?"

Naruto studied him. "No. You enjoy a challenge. It's why you like Honors, but AP is overwhelming you, isn't it?"

Sasuke tensed, eyes narrowing to twin slits of obsidian. "It's none of your business."

Naruto leaned on Iruka's desk. "Most things never are."

Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, glaring at the blonde. Damn him for being immune to it!

"You're wondering why I care at all, right?" Naruto guessed.

"I was actually wondering how best to make sure no one ever finds your dead body, but that's a good question too. Why do you care?"

A smirk lit the whiskered face. "For reasons that I shall not make known to you. After all, it's not any of your business, is it?"

Sasuke clenched his teeth. "And why would you say that?"

"Because you're supposed to be the good son, the one who got stuck watching his older brother's back and is now stuck in that position. That's why you're in AP classes, even though you hate them. Am I getting warmer?" The question was posed with an innocent tone, but the sapphire eyes were dead serious and maybe a tad bit frustrated.

Sasuke stood up abruptly, spilling the books in his lap to the floor. "My reasons are none of your damn business."

Naruto caught his arm as he started to walk away. "Don't try that now, teme. It's breaking you, I can tell."

"I'm fine." Sasuke's voice was tense and he didn't meet the blonde's eyes. Those damned eyes that saw everything.

The hand on his arm tightened involuntarily and Sasuke suppressed a wince. Naruto was stronger than he looked. "Don't fucking lie to me, okay? You're a friend to me, Sasuke, alright? I don't like to see my friends hurting."

"I'm not."

"That's bull! I'm not blind and, contrary to popular theory, I'm not stupid. How much sleep are you getting?"

"Six hours." Sasuke lied. Winter break had ended three weeks ago. He hadn't been able to sleep more than, tops, two hours for the last week. Semester exams and midterms were taking its toll on him. He wasn't the only one, there were other students looking just as haggard.

Naruto frowned at what he could see of Sasuke's profile, letting the anger cool down as much as he could. "Don't lie to me, teme. You're getting way less than that. Three, two hours?"
Sasuke tried to tug his arm free of Naruto's grip. Damn, what did the blonde do other than play guitar that got him that strength? "If I tell you, will you let me go?"

"Honest answer? Probably, at best."

Sasuke would take whatever he could get right now. "Fine. Less than two for the past week."

The grip loosened, but not enough for Sasuke to break free. "What's keeping you awake?"

Sasuke didn't answer, suddenly finding the carpet patterns riveting.
"I wanna help you ,Sasuke. You've gotta let me in."

Silence.

"Stubborn, snarly bastard." Naruto growled. "Did you try over the counter sleeping pills?"

Sasuke gave him an odd look and Naruto rolled his eyes. "Remember my aunt? I used to…get…I know what's wrong. You get nightmares, don't you? And they come back during stress."

The muscles beneath Naruto's hand stiffened before Sasuke fiercely twisted his arm free. His eyes were glaring and he was half turned away from Naruto, shoulders taut with tension. Naruto recognized the position, had seen it so many times. Medics called it a defensive position. Naruto knew it was more than defensive.

Sasuke concentrated on a spot just above the blonde's right shoulder, unable to meet those eyes. Naruto saw right through it all and that scared Sasuke more than he'd ever admit. He couldn't let anyone in. Last time…

Foolish…Anger cutting him…hands black with soot, ash and burns…a child who wasn't a child…black, white and red candles…was he okay?…Forgive me…what had he done?...Was he well?...Bruyére…spiraling…forgive me…forgive who?...I'm sorry…falling, screaming…foolish…forgive me…what had he done?

Naruto had taken a hesitant step forward, but he froze. Sasuke had crossed his arms and was holding onto them like they were the last sane thing in this world. Maybe they were. The onyx eyes flinched away when they met his gaze for the briefest second. What was wrong?

"…Teme." Naruto tested softly.

Sasuke couldn't meet his eyes. Tears…why was someone crying?... God but it hurt. A ghostly hand was gripping his chest hard enough to hurt, hard enough for him to have trouble breathing. Sasuke made a break for the door, the rather spacious music room giving him a claustrophobic feeling, the locker-lined walls closing in, that high ceiling falling…falling, screaming…And the only thing not moving was the pair of sapphire eyes floating through the entire madness.