Disclaimers: Naruto is someone else's, this is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes strong language, graphic adult themes, violence, angst, a good friend, and eventually yaoi love.

Hard to Read:

Chapter 7

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Naruto cried out as a powerful electric jolt rushed through his fingertips and up his arm. He could feel his body convulse as raw energy surged through him, and he clamped his teeth down on his bottom lip to hold back a scream.

"Damn it, Naruto!"

Sasuke wrapped an arm around his waist and snatched his wrist with the other, wrenching him away from the seal. Sasuke felt a shock travel out of Naruto's body and into his own, and he gritted his teeth against the pain. "Nnnn!" he groaned as he threw their bodies backward, holding Naruto tight.

As soon as they were away from the opening in the floor the convulsions started to fade, until they were gone altogether. Sasuke let out a long exhale when he finally felt Naruto's tremors stop. He released the blonde moron, sat up, and turned to glare down at him.

"What the hell were you thinking?!"

Naruto pushed himself up from the floor, sitting face to face with the fuming raven. "Me?! What-what fuck was that seal?!"

"Why is there blood on my floor?"

Naruto blinked. "Wha-?"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's wrist and pulled his hand close to examine it. There was a large gash across his palm, and it was still bleeding heavily. "When did-"

Sasuke thought back to Naruto in the kitchen- when he ran out to see what happened, the blonde claimed his leg was injured. Sasuke believed him because he saw blood. He sliced his hand so when he held his leg and I saw it, I'd assume he actually did injure it. When the hell did Naruto get so goddamn sneaky?

"You think you're so clever, but you're still a fucking baka.." Sasuke muttered as he got to his feet, pulling the blonde with him. "Come on. I need to wrap this."

Naruto pulled his arm, but Sasuke's grip on his wrist tightened. Dark eyes narrowed on him. "Stop making everything so goddamn difficult."

He yanked him across the destroyed room, through the remnants of what was once a door, and across the hall into the bathroom. He forced Naruto to sit down on the edge of the tub while he collected supplies. Once he found what he needed, he knelt down in front of the blonde, and gently took his hand.

"I can wrap it myself, Sasuke." he mumbled, feeling uncomfortable.

Sasuke paused and looked up at him. "And I should just trust that you would?"

Naruto's eyes snapped over to his. "You don't trust me anymore, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha narrowed his gaze. "The feeling appears to be mutual, Naruto."

He didn't know what to say. Sasuke had always been the more observant one between the two, and there was no use denying something so incredibly obvious. Especially if Sasuke was feeling similarly towards him. That part was surprising to Naruto, though.. but, I mean- he did see me in the woods.. with the knife, when I tried to-

He looked away. I'm sure a lot of his feelings towards me changed after that.

Sasuke went back to cleaning and dressing the wound, leaving Naruto to his existential crisis or whatever the hell he was doing. When he was done, though, he grabbed Naruto's chin in a tight grip and forced him to look over at him. He scanned his face for a moment, then locked onto deep blue eyes watching concern float to the surface only to be pushed back down.

Sasuke clenched his jaw. "Do not go anywhere near that seal again."

Naruto swallowed. "It's a blood seal.. isn't it?"

The Uchiha's face hardened.

"So, you're the only one who can remove it.."

"And I have no intention of doing that."

Naruto pushed Sasuke's hand away and ran his fingers through unruly blonde locks with his uninjured hand. "Why are you doing this, Sasuke..?" he said quietly.

He watched Naruto carefully as he spoke. "Maybe I want to know why being alone with me is suddenly so horrifying to you.."

Naruto looked in to his face, and was surprised to see that Sasuke actually looked.. hurt. He watched as he grabbed the first aid supplies, got to his feet, and walked away before Naruto had a chance to respond.

And Naruto let him, because what was he supposed to say..? He couldn't tell him the truth, but he didn't want to make up a lie that would just hurt him more. So, instead he sat with the guilt of that along with all the other feelings that went with being trapped in a house, alone, with Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke busied himself in the kitchen, needing a project- something to keep himself busy. He wanted so badly to either punch Naruto in the face repeatedly or hold him in a fierce embrace, or maybe both? So instead of destroying or terrifying him, he decided to cook for him.

What the hell is going on with me?!

Sasuke wasn't this guy. He wanted to destroy people who hurt him, torment the ones that amuse him- he wanted to break his ties with Naruto so it wouldn't hurt to take away everything that matters to him. And instead- instead he's forcing the blonde to live with him to make sure he doesn't fucking hurt himself.

What do I want from this, he thought as he diced various veggies.

How long am I going to play fucking house with Naruto before I give up and let him go? And what's to stop him from just trying it again as soon as I do?

A floorboard creaked behind him. Speak of the dobe..

Naruto nervously cleared his throat. "Umm, do you want any help..?"

"I'll pass. I've seen what you do with knives." Sasuke snapped.

He closed his eyes. Fuck..

"I didn't mean-"

"It's fine."

Then he heard Naruto walk back down the hall. "Great" he murmured to himself, slamming the knife harder than necessary into the cutting board.

"Just fucking great."

Author Note:

Xoxox

Ok~ onto the next one.