"I think that's quite enough for today, Matatabi."

Kurama placed his hands on his younger brother's shoulders, his gaze blisteringly intense as he dared Matatabi to question his decision to leave the kitchen despite her threat. Shukaku appeared from the kitchen with Chomei not too far behind, arms crossed over his chest, uneasiness increasingly building up within him at the heavy atmosphere that enshrouded the room. They didn't hear what Matatabi had said before they exited the kitchen. All they knew was that Kurama had somehow gauged out when it was time to make an entrance and interrupt whatever was going on between Matatabi and Naruto.

"Get in my room," Kurama murmured softly. "Chomei and Shukaku will be there with you if you want to talk."

Thankfully, Naruto didn't seem as shaken as Kurama would've expected. He quietly stood up with a slow nod, his apologetic smile voicing what couldn't be said between them with their audience closely watching them, leaving the other four in the living room to deal with whatever has to be dealt with.

After a few moments of motionless staring, Kurama frowned and looked towards the other two men who had been standing behind him the whole time as quietly as they could.

"I did say that you will be there if he wanted to talk, didn't I?"

"…You did," Shukaku confirmed stiffly. Chomei didn't seem as willing as he was to be on the receiving end of Kurama's irritation.

"Then what are you still doing here in the living room when Naruto is obviously in my room? Are you expecting that he'd want to hold a conversation telepathically?"

Chomei didn't even have to think twice before dragging Shukaku with him into Kurama's room, knowing that saying something or anything else would further agitate the already irritated man. They had experienced first-hand how it was like to be in the presence of a positively livid Kurama. They most definitely didn't want to go through it again, now that they were grown men.

As the sound of the door closing rang clearly throughout the living room, Kurama sat on where Naruto was sitting, his deep inhale filling in the silence that now overtook them as soon as Chomei and Shukaku left.

"He… changed, didn't he?"

Matatabi turned her head to look at Kurama. At the very least, she could understand why Kurama was irritated. She stepped on a landmine and no matter how unwillingly she had done so, it won't change the fact that she did. And this particular landmine, she thought grimly, was a recently planted one.

Following his trail of gaze and finding that he was staring at nothing in particular – because Matatabi was sure that a lamp wasn't particularly an interesting object to be stared at -, she asked, "What?"

"That's what you're thinking, right? You're probably finding it hard to believe that he's the same Naruto whom you used to visit when he was just a mere child."

"…I can't quite bring myself to deny that," Matatabi acquiesced with a small hesitant smile, dispelling yet not entirely getting rid of the tense atmosphere. "He looks a lot like Shukaku."

"With those tattoos on his face, the lobe piercings, and the dyeing of his hair, I can see why you'd think he looks like that raccoon." The woman chuckled at the familiar moniker. "It's been five days and Naruto is becoming more and more like Shukaku than me, his very own brother."

At that, all traces of faint amusement vanished. Matatabi's eyes narrowed and the smile on her face was replaced with a frown.

"…What exactly happened, Kurama? I doubt that Naruto is the type of person to welcome any sort of change."

Kurama stared at her and exhaled loudly.

This was going to be a long conversation.

Chomei glanced at Shukaku and he just knew that he'll be doing most of the talking. He was standing by the door; frozen rigid and possibly more shaken up than he'd like to admit at being subjected under Kurama's dark stare. Shukaku could be a lot of things and being a prideful douche was one of them. But he can't, despite all his efforts, stand up against a slightly irritated Kurama who might as well be a ticking time bomb that wouldn't hesitate to violently amputate and dismember everyone within his field of vision while smiling warmly like the terrifying demon he was. Kurama might be all smiles and laughs but that was what made him terrifying- he was unpredictable when he snaps. And Chomei would rather not be an encouragement of any form to make said man angry.

"I'm sorry."

All of Chomei's rather unpleasant thoughts came to a screeching halt.

He blinked in surprise as he gave a puzzled frown, vaguely noticing how Shukaku chose to sit beside the teen instead of standing near the door - undoubtedly wanting to hear what could be a little too soft to be heard - but ignoring it in favor of focusing all his attention on the blue-eyed youth who found it necessary to apologize for some reason.

"What are you apologizing for? There's nothing to apologize for..."

Naruto shook his head. His eyes narrowed and he smiled weakly.

"Did Kurama tell you anything about why he needed you to come here?"

Shukaku and Chomei shared a look. He hadn't.

One day, Kurama just calls them, asks them to do him a favor by allocating time from their packed schedules for his younger brother for reasons that he refused to offer. They wisely chose not to ask any questions since this was the first time in a while that Kurama ever asked for literally anything. The man always managed to get by on his own; from looking after Naruto despite being merely five years older than his younger brother and to managing his parents business which they have left for their sons to inherit. It was a little scary how he had managed to get past through it all with his sanity intact.

"…No," Chomei admitted as he took a seat on the other side of Naruto. "He didn't tell us."

"Well, then," Naruto sighed as he pushed himself to scoot back a little so he'll have enough room to fold his legs and hold them to his chest, "I guess I'm supposed to tell everything?"

It was Shukaku who answered, much to their surprise.

"No. You don't have to." He pinched Naruto's cheek, earning a satisfyingly loud yelp. "Unless you actually want to tell us, then don't force yourself."

Naruto tried to swat Shukaku's hand away with a glare. He was, however, obviously failing to make it anything close to menacing from the gratitude present within his eyes and the relieved smile that pulled on his lips.

Rubbing at his abused cheek and wincing – because damn, Shukaku was like a crab when he pinches -, Naruto laughed and relaxed, knowing that even if Shukaku hadn't said what he had, he would still say everything. He just felt more at ease now that he knew that they weren't going to push.

He took in a deep breath and began.

"I… saw my best friend in a way that I shouldn't."

First step into the story and they were frozen stiff in trepidation. Naruto's eyes weren't glazed over as if he was reminiscing; in fact, he looked like he was doing his very best not to. He resolutely stared at the ground and continued.

"It wasn't as if it was love at first sight. As far as I know, until a year ago, I was a healthy straight guy. In fact, prior to my sudden… realization, I thought I was totally head over heels for another childhood friend of mine who always hung out around us." He gripped the tip of his bangs which were dyed black, twisting it a few times between his fingertips before letting it fall over his forehead with a small sad smile. "But life is an asshole."

He blew out a sigh and fell back on the couch, his expression vacant.

"She liked him, instead."

"…Wait, so," Chomei said as he tried to match everything that Naruto said up so far, "If I'm correct, you said that you liked your best friend. But you also said you were head over heels for another friend of yours who… liked him instead? So this 'best friend' is a male?"

Naruto bit his lip and murmured, "Yeah."

Leaning forward and resting his elbows on his thighs, Shukaku asked, "What made you realize?"

Naruto's face scrunched up in thought as he tried to think of what started it all.

"I realized when I… failed my math test."

Shukaku looked extremely unimpressed.

"You found out that you liked your guy best friend who you have been with for three whole years one day because you failed your math test?" Chomei deadpanned.

Embarrassed, Naruto quickly shook his head and tried to explain.

"No, it's not- well, yes, technically I realized that after failing the test but not in that way!"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Give me some time to make some sense out of it then!"

Shukaku and Chomei shared a look, simultaneously saying, "We are."

Naruto slapped his hand over his face, exasperated. "Look, I failed my math test and Sasuke insulted my intelligence like that bastard always does every single day – that damn prick - but after that, he offered to help me and Hinata-chan said how lucky I must be to have a friend like Sasuke and all and then that night I happened to think about things and I never think about things because things happen when I think and that night after thinking, it just hit me and things did happen-"

"Breathe, Naruto, breathe! Jesus fucking Christ, you didn't have to shit it all out like your pride depended on it!" Shukaku nearly screamed.

"It kind," Naruto panted, "It kind of did!"

"That made sense." Chomei nodded. "Somehow."

Shukaku ran his fingers through his hair and rolled his eyes. "Somehow."

Ignoring Shukaku's remark, Chomei asked, "And so, what does… Sasuke have to do with anything as to why Kurama had asked us to come here?"

Naruto tensed and he blew out a shaky breath.

"He… well, he kind of has the same situation as I do but his brother works far away. So, you see, his brother has problems with work and he wanted Sasuke to come to Suna for a while for his safety and..."

"…You said- Naruto, you did say that you saw your best friend in a way you shouldn't and that you realized this a year ago but… you couldn't have possibly… you couldn't have kept it to yourself for an entire year now, could you?"

Chomei's eyes widened when Naruto nodded his head with a remorseful smile.

"I held it in. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, after all. I couldn't take the chance."

The words slipped out before Shukaku could stop them.

"But you took it when you found out that he was leaving."

Naruto froze and held his breath as if he was afraid of making any sounds. His eyes were downcast, his smile strained and his body all but trembling from the effort to stop himself from doing anything that he wouldn't want to. He just sat there for a few minutes, conflicted, before nodding.

"I did. Like I said, things happen when I think too much. I was scared that he might never come back but I doubted that. Even still, knowing that it – the thought of Sasuke never coming back - wasn't completely impossible pushed me into finally saying it. And he… he refused me, telling me that he won't see me that way. It was fine, really. I expected it. But I hoped that there might be a chance - no matter how slight - for him to acknowledge and possibly even reciprocate it..."

He gritted his teeth as he pressed his face into his knees.

"I know I'm not exactly being the smartest one out there by choosing to run away and bothering Kurama with his work, especially when he has enough with being the head of the business that our parents left behind, but I… I thought that if I could be selfish this once, just this once… I'd be content."

"Is this why you were apologizing?"

Naruto forced a smile.

"Yeah."

"You don't have to apologize," Shukaku stated casually. "Really, it isn't as if we were forced to come here. Chomei and I wanted to see how much you've grown even before Kurama had called us. So really, don't apologize."

Chomei nodded and grinned. "Besides, I'm sure that you'll be alright. You're strong, Naruto! You aren't brought down easily!"

Within his chest, Naruto was feeling many things.

But one emotion stood out from the rest.

It was doubt.

He has two days, and after that, he'll have no other choice but to confront Sasuke.

Will… will he really be strong enough by then?

Just hearing Sasuke's name was enough to mess with his head. Can he really bear seeing him, standing in front of him and speaking with him?

Will he really be alright?