A/N: HOLY FREAKIN DILDOS I AM LATE. So, remember at the end of chapter four when I was all like "I'm gonna try to post ch.5 within the next week :) 3" Yeah. Whoops. Sorry guys, I got distracted with other things *coughfanfictioncough* and then the dreaded WRITERS BLOCK happened and yeah. BUT I did get inspired to write a SasuNaru AU which I posted the first chapter to a couple days ago. (: I have too many ideas for my own good. I have three one-shots I want to write as well. Stupid brain. Anyway, this is a little shorter than my usual chapters, sorry for that but I'm finally getting back into the swing of things so hopefully you won't have to wait as long for the next chapter!

DISCLAIMER: Kishi-sensei owns the Narutoverse and all of it's characters. I'm just a horny Narutard with a passion for bending pre-existing characters to her will.

Three days without Naruto.

Sasuke sat, panting, on the ground of a seldomly used training feild located near an unsettling dark forest. He had dedicated the majority of his free time to training in an attempt to not only distract himself, but to feel something. Anything. He had hoped that training would be a thrill or at least grant him some form of small excitement. He had been wrong. He felt nothing.

He dismally came to the conclusion that without the real threat of danger a mission offered, training just didn't posess the same adrenaline rush he so ached for. He assumed that sparring with someone may be a little more exciting for him but the problem was that he had no friends to spar with. He briefy entertained the idea of asking someone to spar with him, but, abandoned the idea upon realizing that no one in the village, aside from Naruto, was on his level. Sparring with someone weaker than him held no appeal what-so-ever.

He picked himself up off the ground and brushed the dirt off of his pants. As he turned back towards the village he spotted a pink-haired kunoichi. Right on cue.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura smiled brightly and held up two small wooden boxes. "Time for lunch!"

Sasuke accepted his bento and walked beside her as they headed toward a nearby picnic table. "I thought I told you that you don't need to do this every damn day. I am perfectly capable of preparing my own lunch. And truth be told, I'd prefer to eat alone."

"And I thought I told you that I made a promise to Naruto to make sure that you're eating properly. We both know how Naruto feels about people breaking their promises. I refuse to deal with that. Especially not as a result of your stubborn ass." A vein in her forehead twitched as she broke apart her chopsticks.

"Tch. I don't know what's more annoying, the Sakura that used to swoon over me and agree with every single stupid thing I said or the Sakura that argues, insults me, and forces me to do things I don't want to do." He broke apart his own chopsticks and pulled the lid off his bento.

"Someone has to look after you while Naruto isn't here. And for the record, it's the new Sakura you actually respect and listen to, not the old one. So I'm content with my development, thank you very much." She shot him a pointed glare that he rolled his eyes at.

"Hn. Thanks for the food, Sakura." He graced her with a half smile that she immediately returned.

"You're welcome, ya damn bastard."

"I left you alone with Naruto for far too long. Tch."

~0~o~0~

"What's up guys?" A group of small ninja gaped, wide eyed, at the blond, the girls with hearts in their eyes and pink hues on their cheeks. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, I'm the jinchuriki of the hidden leaf village and I'm going to be the next Hokage 'ttebayo!" He flashed a bright sunshiney grin as he basked in his glory. The children cheered and whispered excidedly amongst themselves.

"Uzumaki-san!" A small boy shot his arm into the air like a rocket and waved it around impatiently.

"Uh...yeah?" Naruto cocked an eyebrow at the boy.

"Is it true? Are you really the hero of the Fourth Great Ninja War?" His eyes were wide with wonder and his toothy grin practically reached his ears.

"Oh...um...well I did play a pretty big part I guess but I didn't do it all by myself by any means. I had a lot of help! My best friend is half responsible for the Infinite Tsukyomi being released." A lot of people seem to forget that. Poor, teme.

"Yeah but you did all the really cool stuff! You were on the frontline the whole time! My dad says you're the hero and you saved us all!" Another boy from the back of the group shouted with pure admiration.

"Oh...uh, that's super cool that he thinks that and all and you guys are really awesome but I really wasn't the sole hero through all this. There were a lot of brave shinobi that played an important role. A lot of people risked, some even gave, their lives and everyone fought with everything they had. Everyone involved was a hero, ya know?" He scratched the back of his head and smiled at the awe-struck kids.

"Um, Uzumaki-san?" A small boy with glasses peered up at him over the head of a blushing kunoichi. "Your friend, the one who helped you release that jutsu, that's Sasuke Uchiha, right?" He pushed his glasses up as he awaited Naruto's response.

"Heck yeah! He actually played a huge part in our victory. He fought like a beast. I would know, I've got a nine-tailed fox inside of me." He laughed as he patted his stomach.

The children all whispered to themselves and frowned.

"My dad says he's a bad guy! Dad says he's probably up to something! Be careful Uzumaki-san, don't let him trick you!" A small timid girl spoke desperately.

"Yeah! My parents said the same thing!" Another child towards the back exlaimed. The rest of the children nodded in agreement.

"Woah guys, I totally get why they think that but you all have my word, he can be trusted now. I've known him a loooong time! No worries, 'kay? He won't do anything bad to me or anyone else." the small ninja stared back silently with uncertainty in their eyes. "So listen up fellow ninjas! I'm here to tell you all about being a true shinobi!"

The children cheered excitedly and sat up straighter. Naruto smiled at their enthusiasm and breifly encountered nostalgia as he thought of his younger days.

"First off, you need to find your own ninja way! Your nindo! Mine is to never go back on my word and to never give up!" There were stars in their eyes as he spoke, admiration radiating from their wide grins. "Always train hard and never stop wanting to get better, protect your comrads no matter what, and be proud of your village, never forget your roots!"

The blond rambled on as the young ninja gave their full attention to his passionate speech. His heart warmed with every cheer and smile he recieved. More than ever, his dream of becoming Hokage burned bright within him. Guiding and inspiring people was in his blood, this was his true calling, he was born to be a leader.

~0~o~0~

The room was spinning, his head was pounding. Sasuke clutched the porcelain bowl as his body shook and the sour feeling in the pit of his stomach rose up through his chest and into his throat. His body was betraying him, forcing him to purge what little food he had eaten. It wasn't uncommon since the start of his medication. He was lucky to keep a meal down and today he was not so lucky.

He leaned back on his heals and wiped his mouth. He stared blanky at the tiled floor, his body swaying as he watched the small squares change their sizes and dance around. With weak knees and blurry vision, he attempted to stand and failed. A few tries later, he gave up. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

Within a few hours, his eyes flickered open. He looked around in confusion before he realized what had happened. His stomach growled angrily at him, prompting him to get to his feet and make his way to the kitchen. With a sigh, he turned away before even attempting to search for food.

What's the point? I already know how this ends...

He took a seat on his couch and stared at the floor.

I hate this medication. I fucking hate these stupid side effects. Is it even worth it?

Naruto's face flashed in his head and he sighed.

I won't break my promise, dobe.

He leaned back and covered his face with his hands. He almost missed being angry all the time. Because, at least when he was having fits of rage he was actually feeling something. Now, he only felt numbness or sadness. But, worst of all, he was feeling weak. That emotion was something that was extremely unwelcome to the Uchiha. Weakness was never an option.

Tap, tap, tap!

Sasuke uncovered his face and stared blanky at his front door. He raised an eyebrow in confusion and got to his feet.

Who the hell could that be?

And then, he recognized the chakra signiture.

Oh, what the fuck could she possibly want?

He opened his door slowly, poker face firmly cememented.

"S-Sasuke, could I p-please have a word with you?" He narrowed his eyes slightly at her boldness. What was she thinking, actually showing up at his own home?

"Go away, Hinata. I have nothing to say to you. Have a nice day. Or don't." He began to shut his door when her foot stopped the action.

"W-well, I need to ask you s-some questions. Please." She stared back desperately at him. Every ounce of her energy was focussed on refraining from fidgeting. The stuttering couldn't be helped much, but, she was trying as best she could to be persistent and stand her ground. She wasn't leaving without a clear head. No way in hell.

"Is that so? You have questions for me? Well I have a few for you, as well. My first question is how did you ever acquire such amazing bravery to actually come to my house? The second is, what could possibly be going on in that boring little head of yours? That's rhetorical by the way, I don't actually care. And, lastly, what ever gave you the idea that I would actually give you any of my time? I've already wasted too much of it on you already." He crossed his arms and glared at the blushing girl. Only this time, her face had the expression of anger painted over it, and not embarrassment.

"I'm not leaving until you answer my questions. It will only take a moment, please, Sasuke I know how you feel about me...and truth be told, I'm not fond of you either. But, this needs to happen. I need closure, I'm sure you don't care about that, but just hear me out." She glared intensely at the impressed Uchiha. He never would have guessed she'd have it in her to stand up to him.

Whether it had been the result of pure curiosity or a mild from of respect, something had prompted the Uchiha to step aside and allow the Hyuuga girl into his home. She nodded curtiously and stood awkwardly in the center of his living room.

"You can sit down, you know. Tch." He rolled his eyes as he took a seat in a chair near his sofa. He crossed his legs and rested a cheek on his hand. Preparing for the sleep induced coma she was more than likely going to send him into. "Well?"

She sat gracefully and smoothed out the fabric of her skirt. With every ounce of courage she had, she forced her head up and made eye contact with the raven-haired nin. "Before Naruto told me he had no interest in furthuring our relationship...things were going very well. So, as you may be able to imagine, I was very confused by his sudden conclusion..." She shifted awkwardly in her seat and could feel her cheeks warming. "And...and, I couldn't help but notice that you seemed quite displeased with him seeing me...you always pulled him away or glared at me..." Her concentration broke and she began to fidget with the ends of her hair, twirling silky strands between her fingers.

"Yeah, that wasn't exactly a secret, Hyuuga. I don't like you and I definitely wasn't fond of the idea that my best friend would be wasting his time with someone like you. So is there a point to this?" He picked at the fabric of his chair, making his boredom apparent.

"I have the suspicion that you may have been the cause of his sudden detatchment. It's the only thing that makes sense to me. Everything was going so well, he seemed so happy, and then your anger became increasingly obvious and then out of nowhere he tells me he doesn't want a relationship. So I came here to ask you, are you the reason for this? Did you convince him not to be with me?"

"Hn. How pathetic. You really think it was because of me? Let me tell you something about Naruto, since clearly I know him better than you do, he is too kind for his own good sometimes. That sweetness you recieved from the dobe was nothing more than pity. All of those dates he took you on? The result of his persistent friends pushing him towards you. He felt pressure to start a relationship with you. But, in the end, he knew it wasn't what he wanted. Of course I was there the whole time attempting to open his eyes to all of this, but ultimately, it was his own decision. Because while he can be too kind, he also knows what the right thing to do is. And in this case, the right thing to do was to stop leading you on."

The blood froze in Hinata's veins. She stared at the floor and blinked away the tears that had begun to form in the corners of her lilac eyes. "No...you're lying...you have to be. He seemed genuinely happy and you, you were just too selfish to see him happy with anyone else. You wanted to keep him all to yourself!" She clenched her fists and sunk lower in her seat.

"You can tell yourself whatever you want to. Whatever helps you sleep at night. But, you came here for an answer and I've given it to you. And whether or not you believe me, has no effect on me what-so-ever. I told you the truth, take it however you want." He flicked a piece of fuzz off of his arm rest and yawned tiredly. "Now are we finished here?"

"You're in love with him aren't you?" She kept her eyes on the floor as she spoke, heart racing.

"Are you really so delusional that you'll come up with any excuse for him to not want you? Are you truly so arrogant to believe that the only way he'd ever pass you up is if someone pryed him away? Open your eyes, Hinata, he isn't interested in you. You're boring as hell and he just couldn't stand it any longer. I had nothing to do with it. You drove him away all on your own, you saved me the effort. So actually, I should be thanking you. So thanks for being so boring and pathetic." He smirked as he shifted his position.

The ice in her veins melted and came to a boil. She stood from the sofa and glared at the amused Uchiha. "You didn't answer my question, Sasuke. Are you in love with Naruto?"

"So pathetic. Do you really-"

"Answer me!" She blushed furiously, her knees shook. Anger wasn't an emotion she was used to and it was draining and terrifying her.

"That's none of your damn business, Hyuuga." His voice was calm and collected, only serving to anger her further.

"You are. You're in love with him, too. And you manipulated him into thinking I was wrong for him. But, if you think you'll be a better match, you're wrong. You're a terrible person...selfish and mean...if you really loved him you would have just let him be with me. I actually care about his happiness and I would have been good to him. You will only cause him pain." She fought back her tears and she stood defiantly.

Sasuke rose from his seat and crossed his arms. His dark eyes met her misty lavender eyes and she shuddered at the dark vibes that emminated from him. Despite the threatening look in his eyes, he spoke cool and steadily. "Let's get something straight. You have no right to speak of me in that way. You do not know a thing about me or the relationship between Naruto and I. Furthermore, you do not have any clue what would be best for Naruto or what would make him happy. Do you think you know him? Do you really? Because I do. And I know that you can not offer him what he needs and wants. You need to accept that he doesn't want to be with you and just stay the hell away from him. If you cause problems in the future, I will not be as tolerant as I am being this evening. That is a promise."

Tears flooded from her eyes as she bowed her head. "I knew it was a bad idea to come here...what else could I have expected from you? I never should have listened to Sakura, this was a mistake." She wiped her tears and turned away. "You win, Sasuke. You can have him all to yourself just like you wanted. But, just know that when you hurt him, you'll be all alone again." And with a flash of blue-black hair the door slammed behind her.

Sakura, huh? So she sent her...I'm going to need to have a talk with her then.

He felt a small amount of irritation build within him. What business did Sakura have getting in the middle of things? Furthermore, why would she send someone he clearly dislikes to his home? He had to get to the bottom of things and make sure that she stayed out of his personal affairs in the future.

He sighed and slipped his sandals on. He needed some fresh air anyways.

~0~o~0~

As he made his way through the crowded streets he kept his eyes on the ground. The death glares and insults had been far worse since Naruto had left. But at the current moment, that was not what was bothering him. The fact that someone had been following him for several blocks had him far more concerned.

They're hiding their chakra...this could be bad.

Deciding he'd had enough of this little game, he turned into a narrow allyway. He stood in his battle stance with his hand in his pocket, clutching a kunai knife. Within seconds, four anbu were surrounding him.

"Uchiha, Sasuke." The anbu directly in front of him spoke darkly, his voice deep. "Did you really think you'd get away with killing Danzo with just a slap on the wrist?"

This must be a former root member from the foundation...god damn it.

"Really?" The raven sighed. "Is that what this is about? You know, that scum deserved what he got. I'd kill that worthless fuck again if I could. I don't know why you root members thought he was so great anyway, he wasn't that strong of an opponent. I was far more advanced than he was at just sixteen. Clearly." He smirked and pulled out his kunai, twirling it on his middle finger.

"How dare you speak of Danzo that way!" A short anbu spat from behind him.

The raven turned his head and rolled his eyes at the masked man. "You're a fool to disagree."

"I hope you don't plan on using that kunai, Uchiha. Have you forgotten about your probation?" the anbu in front of him spoke again, a smirk hinted in his tone.

"If I am attacked I will defend myself. I'm sure that if it's an act of self-defense-"

"Self-defense? And who is going to believe you, Uchiha? I doubt the counsel will believe a traitor over a dedicated group of anbu." Another member to his side spoke this time, his voice monotone and deep. "Just accept your punishment."

By now, Sasuke should have been fueled by rage. He should have been wiping the floor with them and enjoying his victory. But, right now, he wasn't feeling much of anything. No thirst for blood, no battle adrenaline, nothing.

"Now." The anbu in front of him spoke again and signaled the other's to attack.

Before Sasuke could move he felt a pinch on the left side of his neck. A warm feeling spread through his veins and his legs wobbled beneath him. His body felt as if it had be submerged in a pool of gelatin.

"W-what..is..this?" He eyes widened, practically popping out of their sockets as he collapsed to his knees. "What the fuck did you do to me?!" His body, no matter how hard he tried, would not move. His limbs felt heavy as if they were cemented in place.

"We have sixty seconds, make this quick."

The shorter anbu kneeled in front of him and grabbed a fistful of his raven hair, pulling it harshly, causing the Uchiha to wince in pain. The anbu spat in his face before slamming the Uchiha's head into the ground. A foot collided with his ribs as an elbow crashed down on his back.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

He was powerless. He couldn't move, and he still wasn't feeling the rage he should have felt. He hated feeling this way, he just wasn't himself. Why wasn't he pissed? Why wasn't his rage taking over him and forcing his body to move? Why hadn't he done anything sooner? He knew if it hadn't been for the medication he'd have taken them out as soon as they appeared, just out of simple annoyance. But he felt nothing, so he did nothing.

Warm crimson slid down his face, a sharp ache stabbing at his forehead. His chest burned and throbbed with pain. Fists crashed into the side of his face, kunai slashed through the flesh on his back and arms. These people weren't using jutsu or any sort of technique. They were just there to torture him.

Then, he stopped fighting it. He foccused on the kunai blades slicing his flesh and found the stinging pain almost exhilerating. He was finally feeling something. The pain was so great it was all he could think about, the rest of his thoughts melted away, the sadness, the worry, everything. Another kick to the ribs and he scrambled backwards, leaning against the wall, panting.

"Shit, our sixty seconds is up." The apparent leader of the group nodded towards another anbu who quickly snatched Sasuke up by the front of his shirt and threw him back against the wall.

"He...he's just standing here. He isn't fighting back. I don't think I'll even need gentle fist, he's given up already." He released the raven's shirt and watched his body slide to the ground. He sat there limp and defeated.

"Must be the pills she's got him on. She said he'd turn into a zombie but I had thought her to be exaggerating." The leader of the anbu shrugged and bent down in front of the raven. "Well, Uchiha, I have to say I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping for a fight. Although, seeing you look so dead inside is equally as satisfying really." He slammed his foot into the raven's stomach, a grunt escaping his mouth as he fell forward. "Have fun crawling home, scum-bag." Grabbing Sasuke by the hair, he bashed his head into the brick wall behind him and tossed his body aside.

With a signal from the leader, the four anbu flickered out of sight.

~0~o~0~

Sasuke stood in front of his bathroom mirror, staring at his bloody reflection. His hand came up to touch his cheek, tracing the freshly aquired bruise. His dropped his hand and balled it into a fist.

"Never again. This is never fucking happening again." He scowled as he flung the medicine cabinet open and pulled out the transparent orange bottle. "What he doesn't know can't hurt him." He tossed the bottle into the waste basket and turned quickly on his heel, storming into his bedroom.

With trembling hands, he retrieved his weapons pouch that was lying in the pile of his recently worn clothing. He pulled a kunai out and sat on the edge of his bed. The blade glinted in the artificial light of his room before catching the reflection of his beaten face. Closing his eyes, he pressed the blade against the pale flesh of his arm. As he inhaled, he slid the blade across, slowly, and crimson ran down his wrist, dripping onto his lap. He exhaled, sweet release.

He finally felt something.

A/N: Oh poor Sasuke. Shame on me. So much shaaaame! But like I said before, I don't imagine Sasuke's return to Konoha to be sunshine and rainbows. I think that boy would suffer. I mean, come on. The guy is traumatized and shit. Also, I mentioned this in a reply to a review before but I don't think I've ever said it here, everything I write for sasuke (the medication, side effects, certain behavior etc) is all written from experience or the experience of someone close to me who has educated me on the subject. I don't mean to offend anyone or romanticise anything. I'm just portraying Sasuke's return as I imagine it would go considering everything he's been through and how the citizens of Konoha will most likely view him.