A/N: It is almost five o'clock in the morning where I am but I was tired of waiting to put this up. Not fair to stick you all with a cliff hanger. I hope y'all are in the mood for a little of the fluffy stuff because there's a bit packed in here. ; ) I'm a lover of fluff after all.

Sasuke felt warm. The smell of grass was in the air. His eyes remained closed. He was laying on something soft.

A pair of hands suddenly rested on Sasuke's shoulders.

"Sasuke!" a raspy voice called out in irritation.

The hands gently shook Sasuke from his slumber. Sasuke's eyes blinked open slowly and attempted to focus. The first thing he could make out was a flesh color, then yellow, and finally two dots of blue. A bright light was behind the figure and Sasuke winced as definition settled in.

"Naruto?" he asked, awestruck.

Naruto smiled at him and gave him a light punch on the shoulder before taking a seat next to him. Sasuke ignored it as he sat up.

Sasuke was shocked as he looked around him. Behind them was a large weeping willow. The bark was old and dark and the leaves hung above them. A bright sun leaked it's light through the cascading leaves and branches. In front of them was a shallow river. The water was clear and flowed lightly over the riverbed. The rocks seemed neatly alined and they shimmered a deep cerulean blue. Beyond that was hills and hills of tall, green grass rolling on into the horizon.

"Where are we?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto shrugged. Sasuke looked at him. His hair and eyes seemed brighter and his uniform had been traded out for a burnt orange t-shirt and relaxed pair of blue jeans.

Naruto gave Sasuke the once over with a tender smile, making Sasuke look at himself. Sasuke was somehow wearing a navy blue button up and a pair of black pants. He fingered the collar of the open shirt still in shock.

"How did we-"

Naruto threw his arms around Sasuke. Sasuke, stunned, became stiff as a board. Naruto buried his face into the dip of Sasuke's shoulder. Naruto smelled sweet. His body was warm against Sasuke. Suddenly, Sasuke felt something wet. Naruto was crying.

"I missed you," Naruto murmured.

Sasuke's eyes grew wide and with one blink everything changed. Sasuke flung himself upwards with a gasp.

The white world of the asylum was back.

"Sasuke?" Ino asked.

The pale blonde hovered over him. Sasuke looked at her with his heart racing and a confused expression on his face.

"A-are you all right?" Hinata asked shyly from the corner.

Ino reached up to feel Sasuke's forehead but he smacked her hand away. She held her hand against her chest protectively.

"I was just going to see if you have a fever!"

"What's going on?" Sasuke shouted.

Hinata and Ino were silent. The lights buzzed away, accentuating their voicelessness. Sasuke's stare was intense, demanding answers. The girl's looked shocked but Sasuke couldn't help but feel they looked guilty as well.

"You fainted, Sasuke" Ino finally answered.

"Y-yeah," Hinata added.

Sasuke continued to stare them down.

"Nobody faints the way I just did."

The door opened suddenly and the three gave imeadiate attention to the intruder.

"I trust you're feeling better?" Dr. Kabuto asked.

As Dr. Kabuto spoke, his glasses glinted. Sasuke tried to muster up his melancholic demeanor. Sasuke was sure that others saw his ability to be cool and collected as simple since it was his nature but Sasuke was as vunerable to emotions like anger and panic as anyone else was.

"I'm fine," Sasuke answered.

Dr. Kabuto did not seem satisfied. He took a few steps towards Sasuke, examining him with critical calculation.

"Are you? The warden was very adamant about your health when he heard about you."

Sasuke looked for some sinster expression but it was hard to tell with Dr. Kabuto. He always appeared to be lying.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked, confused, "He was there when it happened."

Dr. Kabuto laughed lightly and addressed Ino and Hinata.

"I guess he's not doing as good as he seems," he joked.

Ino didn't chuckle but turned around and busied herself with a cabinet. Hinata still stood in her corner, a silent and skittish mouse. Dr. Kabuto turned back to Sasuke.

"You passed out on your way to group today," Dr. Kabuto said, "Did you two not tell him? The warden wouldn't have been there, Sasuke. He's usually in his office but once he heard about it, he became very concerned."

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew for a fact that he'd been Orochimaru's office. He knew that he'd fainted there. Everything about it was crystal clear from the dark room to the warden's pale arms. The only thing that was fuzzy was how he got from there, to Naruto and that place and then to the medical room.

"Are you suggesting that I never went to group therapy?" Sasuke asked.

"Indeed, you never made it," Dr. Kabuto replied, "Perhaps you forgot to eat breakfast? I never see you eating, Sasuke. That's very dangerous behavior."

"No!" Sasuke shouted, losing his composure "I went to group today. Naruto and Haku were introduced. How would know that unless I was there?"

"You would if you read the breakroom bulletin board," Dr. Kabuto answered, "Which I'd been assuming you didn't. Well done Sasuke. That's good intiative."

"No! I was there. I know I was there."

Ino slammed the cabinet door.

"That's enough of that, Sasuke!" Ino said, "Dr. Kabuto says you weren't there so you weren't there. Besides, I found you in the hallway myself."

Sasuke shut his mouth.

"Getting fl-flustered," Hinata struggled, "won't help."

Sasuke's right hand formed into a tight fist. He could feel his nails digging into his palms and the strong desire to place his agression. He stared down at his lap, trying to avoid a physcally confrontation.

"I guess I was dreaming then?" he asked bitterly before looking up.

Ino nodded, her gray eyes stern. Hinata, from her corner also gave a slight nod. Dr. Kabuto smirked and Sasuke once again felt angry.

Sasuke said nothing as he stood up from the patient's table. He approached the door but Dr. Kabuto refused to move aside.

"So, you understand now?" Dr. Kabuto asked.

Sasuke bit on his tongue before answering.

"Yes," he lied.

Dr. Kabuto smiled and took a step to the side, allowing Sasuke to exit. Sasuke walked with a falsely casual pace with his fists buried deep into his pockets.

I know what happened. Why are they lying to me?

Sasuke continued down the corridor, his pace increasing.

Sasuke could feel how stubborn he was being. They were being passive but Sasuke knew they were being dishonest. Why would they lie? What kind of place was this?

Was I not supposed to see the warden's face?

Sasuke was halfway to the break room as he began to doubt himself.

Maybe it was a dream. It makes more sense that way.

The experience was a surreal and Sasuke thought about. The more he did, the more he entertained the idea of Dr. Kabuto's story. If he'd been a third party stranger, he'd believe Dr. Kabuto long before he'd believed himself.

Sasuke couldn't stand the idea of not being able to trust himself and decided that he'd find out whether or not he was right. He stopped and leaned against one of the walls. He wasn't even sure where he'd been running to anyway.

Who would tell me the truth?

Sasuke didn't really have any friends. He was never very social and he'd made a point of that. The closest thing he had was Sai but Sai hadn't been there. He could ask Karin but he preffered not to and the others were useless.

Except for...

Sasuke turned around and headed for Naruto's room. His palms felt sweaty as they swayed with his walk. The tempo of his heart picked up. He had no reason to be nervous and yet he felt it underneath his cool exterior.

He was close to the door. He reached for the door's lock. The buttons of the keypad had a tinge of yellow to their glow. His fingers hesitated.

How do I know that he'll be honest with me?

Sasuke turned and leaned against the door. He blew his bangs out of his face and sighed. As he did, he thought he heard noises. He turned his head and pressed his ear close to the door.

It almost sounded like Naruto was humming. Sasuke turned back and punched in the code for the door.

I really don't have any other choice.

Naruto looked at him with innocence and surprise.

"Sasuke," he said, sitting up, " what are you doing here?"

Sasuke took a seat next to Naruto and sighed.

"When was the last time you saw me?" he asked.

Naruto thought about this.

"I don't know," Naruto answered, "We didn't meet that long ago."

Sasuke looked Naruto in the eyes. They stared back at him, an ocean of innocence.

"Did you see me at group therapy?" Sasuke clarified.

The waters of Naruto's eyes darkened and he turned away.

"I don't know," he said quickly.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the shoulder. Christ, was Naruto a beautiful boy. It was almost painful how he didn't want to look at Sasuke. It was like trying to get a child to confess.

"Naruto, tell me the truth."

"I don't know," Naruto repeated.

"Naruto," Sasuke said sternly.

"I don't know!"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by both shoulders and turned the blonde towards him. His dark eyes searched for eye contact. They were demanding it.

"Naruto!"

Naruto pushed Sasuke off of him and turned away. Sasuke's arms were still outstretched as Naruto sat there denying him answers. Sasuke looked straight forward and put his limbs to rest.

"When was the last time you remember seeing me?" Naruto asked, breaking the quiet.

Sasuke glanced back. He wanted to say that the last time they saw one another was in group therapy but he tried to think of any other occurences.

Suddenly, it hit him.

"Is that why you won't answer me?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto was silent still refusing him. Sasuke felt both a little ashamed and angry. Of course, the anger prevailed.

"What are you, some kind of girl?" Sasuke asked, "So I stayed in the room with you. We don't need to discuss it. I was doing my job."

Naruto looked up. The hurt in his eyes was near unbearable.

"You said you cared," Naruto said.

"I never actually said that."

Naruto may have asked Sasuke if he cared but he hadn't answered. Naruto was silent as his hand traveled under the pillow. Sasuke watched but didn't understand. Perhaps it was a comfort thing. He ignored it.

"Even if you said you did," Naruto said, "It would have been a lie, right?"

Sasuke didn't know what to say. It wouldn't have been a lie. Sasuke didn't like lying and he wasn't the type to tell others what they wanted to hear.

Naruto's hand stopped underneath the pillow. It slid back to him as a fist. Sasuke realized what was going on but Naruto moved too quickly. He made way for the exit with a handful of pills.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto before he could run out the door. The two fell over and Naruto scrambled to put the medications in his mouth. Sasuke pinned him down and grabbed his face harshly.

"Spit them out!" he shouted.

Naruto struggled to get his face away, not having swallowed the pills yet. Sasuke put his knees on Naruto arms and grabbed Naruto's top teeth with one hand while the other took a firm grip on his lower jaw. He pulled with all his might, digging his nails in Naruto's flesh.

"Stop it, right now!" Sasuke shouted.

Naruto's locked jaw showed the slight opening and Sasuke quickly moved his hand from Naruto's jaw to his bottom teeth. His arms shook as he tried to pry open Naruto's mouth.

"Damn it, you -idiot!" Sasuke strained, "I won't -lose you!"

Naruto's once clenched eyes widened. Sasuke finally forced Naruto's mouth open enough and grabbed the sides of Naruto's face, making it impossible for Naruto to close his jaws without biting the inside of his cheeks. Sasuke reached his fingers in and dug for the pills, managing to get three. He cast them aside.

"Spit them out, Naruto!" he commanded.

Sasuke no longer looked cool and composed. His hair was in disarray and his eyes looked wild. He was a mixture of anger and panic. Naruto stared at him, asonished, and pushed up a pill with his tongue.

Sasuke was surprised at the offered pill and did with it as he'd done with the others. Naruto then pushed up another, the pill waiting to be plucked as it sat there wedged in Naruto's lips. Sasuke grabbed it and repeated.

Seven pills later, Naruto's mouth was empty of medication. Sasuke, exhausted, forced himself off of Naruto. He sat on the floor, against the bed as the andrenaline began to drain from his body.

Naruto shifted to lay on his side. Sasuke watched him as his heart attempted to return to a normal pace. He could hear nothing but the beat of it in his ears but as it lowered, he could hear Naruto sniffling.

Damn it...

"Naruto?" Sasuke called softly.

Naruto laid on his stomach and then pushed himself up. He sat with his entire body faced away from Sasuke. With harsh fist, Naruto wiped away at his face.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked.

He doesn't deserve this.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and crawled towards the determined blonde. He sat directly behind him. Sasuke could feel Naruto's warmth in front of him. He couldn't help but notice how good the blonde smelled. It wasn't just that he was clean. He had a natural scent to him, sweet and light. It was like...

That dream...was it a dream?

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Naruto said quietly, "I should have waited. I'm sorry."

"Shut up," Sasuke said as he put his arms around Naruto.

Sasuke's heart seemed to slow and he almost felt like Naruto's had too. Sasuke no longer cared what was wrong and right between a staff member and patient. Even Sasuke could see that what this poor boy needed at the moment was a hug. Sasuke would never admit it but he felt more than obliged to give it to him. He wanted to give it to him.

"Don't ever do it again," Sasuke said in Naruto's ear.

Naruto didn't move as Sasuke embraced him. Sasuke couldn't help himself. He actually enjoyed the physical contact he was making. It felt good. It felt healthy and right.

"Why?" Naruto whispered.

Sasuke tightened his arms wanting to take Naruto in. Sasuke had stopped thinking at this point and chose to not care about his position as a staff member or his cool deamnor. He'd say and do what he wanted and what meant too.

"Because, you idiot," Sasuke said, "You don't throw away beautiful things."

Naruto relaxed into Sasuke's arms. He put his hands on top of Sasuke's. Sasuke put his face into Naruto's shoulder as he whispered;

"I won't let you."

They stayed quiet for a few minutes and stayed as they were. Sasuke never felt so in place before. Naruto had scared him enough to want to beat sense into him just moments ago but Sasuke had already forgiven him. He was safe now. He was safe in his arms and damn it all he was never going to let the little idiot ever try anything like that ever again.

"You were there," Naruto said suddenly.

Sasuke's arms turned stiff. Slowly, he released Naruto and sat on the bed. What did he mean? Was he talking about group therpay or...that dream world?

"They told us not to say anything," Naruto said before getting up and taking a seat next to Sasuke.

Sasuke was right. Something was going on. As crazy as it was, the staff was trying to trick him out of his memory but for what reason? What could Sasuke possible have done or known in order to be lied to so grandly?

"Did they say why?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto shook his head, his short blonde hair going into a small frenzy.

"We weren't worth giving a reason, I guess."

So Naruto didn't know. Sasuke felt like Naruto was useless in that moment but quickly lamented since Naruto had provided the proof Sasuke needed for himself.

Sasuke was determined to find a reason. He stood up and began making way for the door. Why had they lied to him? What were they trying to do? And why Sasuke?

"Wait," Naruto said.

Sasuke stopped and turned around. Naruto stared at his knees. His cheeks were red. His fingers played at the blanket. All of Sasuke's determination seemed to disappear.

"Don't go," Naruto whispered.

Sasuke hesitated. There were more pressing matters at hand but-

He still needs me.

Sasuke took a seat next to Naruto again. The bed was small and creaked as Sasuke sat back down. Naruto's fingers fidgeted with his white, cotton blend blanket. Sasuke waited until Naruto finally broke the silence by taking a deep breath.

"I used to live in a small town," Naruto spoke, "where I guess they were unaware that witch hunting was over. My mother died giving birth to me and my father committed suicide a few days later. I guess death runs in the family, huh?" Naruto began.

Sasuke was as silent and emotional as a stone. Naruto gulped and continued.

"Anyway, the town assumed that I was some sort of demon spawn. They gave me to the church to have them cleanse me. They ended up trying to do it all my life."

Still, Sasuke showed no expression. Naruto was telling him some very importnat things and he wanted to listen.

"I loved playing pranks as a kid, I still kind of do, but they didn't appreciate it. They kept saying the demon had come back. I ran away from the church when I was eight but I never left the town."

Sasuke listened as Naruto spilled out his life story. Naruto went through every person and every prejudice. He felt himself hate the world more and more as Naruto recounted every detail. He also felt himself care for Naruto as he realized just how much he'd been through. It frightened Sasuke that he was feeling for another human being but he was paralyzed by his overwhelming sympathy. Eventually, Naruto's story neared the present.

"The visiting business man, Iruka I think," he said, "Thought I'd better be suited to an orphanage in the city but several suicide attempts later, they decided to have me committed."

Sasuke didn't know what to say. What does anybody say after a story like the one Naruto told? The words, 'I'm sorry' came to mind but Sasuke didn't dare to utter them.

"Please," Naruto said, looking at Sasuke, "Don't pity me. Iruka did that and it didn't help."

"I don't pity people," Sasuke snapped, pulling out of his paralysis.

"Good," Naruto replied, "I hate being pitied."

Sasuke turned to his side and stared at Naruto. He was such a strange guy. How was that he always wanted to die and yet he smiled so much? Was it always false?

"Why do you act so happy?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto grinned at him.

"If you smile hard enough," Naruto answered, "People won't worry about you, not that they did in the first place. But at least this way, I make them think I don't need anybody."

Sasuke knew that there was more to it than that. Sasuke had seen him genuinely smile. He knew there were real moments of happiness.

When he looks at me...

Naruto smiled at Sasuke.

"Y'know," he said, "I think I figured you out!"

Sasuke felt his eye twitch. He glared coolly at Naruto.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Naruto continued, "You do care about me!"

Sasuke hid the sudden panic he felt from the statement.

"What makes you think that?"

"You care about me because you won't say that you care about me," Naruto said with confidence, "You won't admit it. Now, I'm not sure if it's because I'm a patient or if it's because we're both boys."

Naruto put a hand on his chin in mock thought. Sasuke, irritated with Naruto being right, grabbed a pillow and hit him with it before turning away.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted.

"I'm tired," Sasuke replied, turning over to lie down "Stop talking already."

There was a beat of silence. The bed creaked as Naruto stood up from the bed. Sasuke heard a few footsteps but chose to ignore it. Naruto sat back down on the bed and then laid down beside Sasuke.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto whispered, "Look at me?"

Sasuke turned his face towards him.

"No, like turn towards me?"

Sasuke grunted but did as he was asked. His breath halted as Naruto looked up at him. The bed was a single and there was very little space between them. They were a little too close for Sasuke's comfort.

Naruto put an arm around Sasuke's torso and pressed his face against Sasuke chest. Again, Sasuke's heart slowed. Naruto looked serene as he closed his eyes, drifting to Sasuke's beat.

"I wish I'd known someone like you, Sasuke," Naruto yawned.

Sasuke was hesitant but eventually he put an arm around Naruto. He knew that he shouldn't have but, whether he wanted to admit it or not, he wanted to. Naruto's warmth and scent came over Sasuke once more providing a sense of comfort. He felt oddly at peace as he cuddled the suicidal blonde. Sasuke wasn't sure what was going on, both between himself and Naruto and the situation with his fainting, but at the moment his didn't care. He felt as if he had something important in his arms and knowing that it was safe there, he started to fall asleep.

A/N: So I apologize for any typos I may have made. I revised this the other day and I've read it over so many times before that I just could not bring myself to read it again. Nonetheless it is done. And now I want to get my shout outs to my reviewers said and done! HappPlaice: I kind of want you to figure out what's going on but at the same time, I hope to surprise you a little. ;) mooloo95: A bit loony? Brother's got some shit going down! JennyEbs: No pupils means that I have taken their souls and they are now my lifeless puppets! Mwahahaha! ...ha ha? No? Okay, no. That's not what it means. D: Until next time everybody!