The Madness And The Damage Done

by JustHereForCoffee

With Sasuke gone, Naruto has set up a life for himself and tried to move on from the scars his friend left him - both physical and emotional. But a chance meeting sends Naruto head first back into the struggle to save his friend, and into an underworld he had no idea existed in his city. AU Naruto/Sasuke fic in modern setting. Warning guys, this one's a slow burner.

5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Naruto groaned as he reached for the television remote, just an inch or two out of reach; he hurt all over.

He was two weeks into Jiraiya's extreme training, and it was safe to say he'd never done anything nearly as intense. In addition to his kickboxing with Kakashi and his regular mixed training with Jiraiya, he was outside doing yoga and balancing exercises. It was the latter that required the most work: he could see why a lot of top athletes swore by yoga.

The worst of it was probably the stiffness in his abs: they were drawn tight, feeling like they'd tear at the slightest provocation. He sighed, sinking back into the cushions of his couch, content to try again in maybe another minute. After another go he succeeded, finally managing to change the channel. Plugging a cable into his laptop, he brought it up on the TV to play some music. He was in the mood to relax.

Standing was an effort, but Naruto persevered. There was a greater goal in mind: alcohol. Hobbling through to the kitchen, he pulled open the fridge to check the stocks. He had a few cans of beer, vodka (but no mixer), some rum left over from a party… but nothing seemed particularly appealing. He frowned, trying to decide, until a bottle on the counter caught his eye: Bruichladdich, the whisky Sasuke had introduced him to. He had bought it on a whim after his latest paycheck, passing one of his city's numerous whisky shops.

Cracking open the seal, Naruto tipped the bright blue bottle into one of the two wide tumblers he had bought while replacing his broken kitchen-wear. As he was placing the bottle down a loud knocking startled him, causing him to almost drop it. Naruto checked his phone: it was nearly ten at night. Who could possibly be wanting him at this time?

As he pulled open the door, he was greeted by a familiar figure leaning against his doorframe: Sasuke.

"Yo," Sasuke said, a lazy, lopsided grin spread across his face. Without waiting to be invited, he walked past Naruto's frozen form and into his home.

It took a second, but Naruto's brain eventually kicked back into gear. "Um… hi?"

"You don't sound very sure of that." Sasuke teased, not looking at Naruto as he ambled around the lounge. He picked up a framed picture from the housewarming party Naruto had thrown, looking over it for a second before resuming his self-guided tour. He wasn't stumbling or slurring, but it was obvious he'd had quite a few drinks.

He was dressed much the same as the last time they had met, but this time the outfit was slightly more complete: a dark purple tie stood out against the white of his baggy shirt, the only concession of colour in his otherwise monochrome attire. It had been loosened, hanging half unknotted, and several of the shirt's buttons were undone. A plain black suit jacket was draped over his slender form, perfectly fitting his shoulders. Even Naruto could see it was obviously tailored, and probably much more expensive than it looked.

He was looking a bit better as well, most of his injuries having healed in the two weeks since they'd last met. But Naruto could see heavy bags under his eyes, standing smudged against his porcelain skin. There were still the shadows of the worst bruising up his neck too, and a thin, pale line above his eyebrow where he was cut.

"Well yeah, last time you were here I had to replace half my dishes and get stitches in my foot." Naruto replied after a second, his brain seeming to be slightly jammed.

Sasuke winced, the expression unfamiliar on his normally stoic face. "Yeah, sorry about that. I'm rather… irritable when I'm hungover."

Naruto folded his arms. "Irritable?"

"Mm." He paused for a second to glance at the TV, playing music from his laptop. "You're still listening to Avicii? I thought you'd grow out of that."

"Avicii's alright. At least he can sing, unlike half the crap you used to listen to."

Sasuke shrugged, and for a second they stood in awkward silence. Naruto leaned back on his kitchen counter, arms still crossed. "Well I'm guessing you aren't here to critique my taste in music. What do you want, Sasuke?"

Sasuke perched himself on the arm of a chair, looking down at his hands. "The last time we met… you offered to help me, despite everything." He met Naruto's eyes, an anxiety present in them that he'd never seen before. "Did you mean it?"

It took Naruto a second to formulate a response: Sasuke was actually asking for help. "Yeah, yeah of course. Anything you need."

Sasuke's eyes shifted the bottle of Bruichladdich on the kitchen counter, still open. "Well I might need a drink first. It's… not been an easy day."

"Another drink's probably not what you need right now, I-" Naruto cut off, suddenly realising the date. How could he have forgotten? "Fine. Hang on."

His mouth set in a hard line, Naruto grabbed another glass. Sasuke definitely needed that drink: today was the anniversary of his parents' death.

Sasuke quietly thanked him as he accepted the offered drink. Naruto placed his own on the dinner table, pulling up a chair. "How many years is that now? Ten?"

"Eleven."

Naruto nodded, not quite sure what to say. He raised his glass in a toast. "To the ones we've lost."

Sasuke met his glass, a sad smile flickering on his face for a second. They both drank deeply, the smoky whisky burning a trail down their throats.

They lapsed into silence again, Naruto realising he was going to have to do most of the talking. "You never really told me much about your parents."

Sasuke shrugged. "I didn't particularly feel like talking about them. I mean… Itachi always had me focused on other things." He spoke his brother's name with such venom, his hand gripped tight around his drink; Naruto feared he'd have to buy yet another set of glasses.

He seemed to relax after taking another drink. "Besides, there's not much to talk about. They're dead. I miss them. And talking won't bring them back."

Naruto was slightly taken aback by such a blunt response but he reasoned that was Sasuke all over, straightforward and to the point. Regardless, it was still a hard statement to follow up; the silence fell on them once more, heavy and thick, punctuated only by Sasuke lifting the glass to his lips. There was nothing he could think to say after that kind of reaction.

After a few more moments of this, Naruto slammed his drink down, jumping up off his chair. "Okay, this is ridiculous."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he stalked over to the fridge, yanking it open. Pulling out the vodka he'd spied earlier and two shot glasses from the cupboard, Naruto filled them with the strong, clear liquid.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I really shouldn't drink vodka these days…" Sasuke began, trailing off.

"Who said any was for you?" Naruto asked rather brusquely, before downing them one after another.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You," he paused, making a face as the alcohol hit him. "Are quite far ahead of me. I mean, we're gonna make a night of this, right? Besides," Naruto added, a mischievous smile on his lips. "You're far too difficult to deal with sober."

"I…" Sasuke began, but stopped, shaking his head with a rueful smile. "Thank you, Naruto. What are we to do then?"

Naruto knew Sasuke didn't need a therapy session: he needed a distraction. They could talk about this on a more suitable day. Now wasn't the time.

Naruto grabbed his whisky and fell back into the couch. "Well since you hate Avicii so much, why don't we start with you picking some music? Anything you want."

"I don't hate Avicii." He carefully perched next to Naruto, setting his drink down on the now-clear coffee table; Naruto had got that far before becoming bored by the idea of cleaning his flat. "I just think his songs are vacuous and boring."

"And stupidly catchy?"

"And stupidly catchy." Sasuke replied without missing a beat. He paused for a moment, then typed into the search box.

"Opeth?" Naruto asked, unfamiliar with the band. "Am I gonna regret giving you control of the soundtrack for tonight?"

Sasuke gave a small, crooked smile. "Maybe. Just give it a chance."

Naruto smiled back, the broad grin coming easily: seeing Sasuke smile, as rare as it was, always made him happy.

Sasuke relaxed back into the couch as the album, Still Life, started. It faded in slowly, a few chords with a somewhat unsettling lead part that pitched and rolled; it reminded Naruto of being on a ship. It moved onto a nice acoustic section, the melody pleasant yet still slightly sinister.

"Well this isn't too bad-" Naruto started, before being interrupted by the sudden intrusion of distorted guitars and a thundering drumkit. "I spoke too soon, didn't I?"

"As I said, give it a chance: it's a concept album. Everything's deliberate, the music telling a story."

Naruto raised his eyebrows. "That may be the most pretentious thing I've ever heard."

"…okay, I'll give you that."

The vocalist had starting singing, a harsh deep growl. "How do you understand anything he says?" Naruto asked, genuinely confused. "It's like listening to a bear singing in the shower."

Sasuke shrugged. "You get used to it after a while. Here." He grabbed the laptop again, putting the lyrics onscreen.

"'I was foul and tainted, devoid of faith,'" Naruto read aloud as the singer screamed. "'Wearing my death-mask at birth?' Well that's fucking grim. What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"It's the story, see?" Sasuke pointed to the earlier lyrics. "'Sigh of summer upon my return, fifteen alike since I was here.' He's returning to his home after fifteen years. The lyrics you read talk about why he was banished in the first place: he didn't believe in the things they did, so they kicked him out to live in a swamp."

Naruto frowned, eying the lyrics again. Like Sasuke had said, they told a story, but only if you looked hard enough. "Man, this is like Shakespeare in school all over again. What's the point in writing a massive work of art is you have to translate it on the opposite page?"

"It's just fancy wordplay, makes it elegant. The song would hardly last eleven minutes if he just said 'I got kicked out of my home town and now I'm going back for the woman I love.'"

"Eleven minutes?" Naruto exclaimed incredulously. "Why would you even make a song that long?" He paused, listening as it moved onto a new section, with clean singing over sweeping chords and melodies. "Holy crap, this guy can actually sing. What's the point of all the shouting then?"

Sasuke looked slightly exasperated, but explained. "It's about power and expression. The guitars, drums, everything is about that section sounding powerful, and harsh vocals just add to that. It's not necessarily about anger."

"Huh." Naruto took a drink of the whisky he'd just remembered he was holding. "I'd never thought about it like that. I guess it makes sense, but it doesn't exactly sound good to me."

"Different strokes." Sasuke shrugged, picking up his own glass. "You'll like the acoustic bit coming up though."

As if on command, the music slowed down. Soft, gliding acoustic guitar replaced the discordance, the rise and fall of the gentle but passionate vocals creating a very different atmosphere.

"Yeah, I can get behind this." Naruto nodded. "It's really pretty, but kinda sad. Like…"

"Wistful?" Sasuke supplied.

Naruto nodded once more, focusing on the music. "It's a bit of a change."

"Well he's talking about his lost love, Melinda. She's the only reason he's going back, after all. Everyone gave up on him, everyone except her." There was something different in the way Sasuke talked about music, a kind of sadness. In fact, the last time Naruto had heard Sasuke sound like that was just before he'd passed out at the bar. As Naruto turned to face him, his eyes slid quickly to the empty drink in his lap, an odd expression on his face.

Sasuke raised his glass. "Any chance of a refill?"

Naruto nodded, deciding not to pursue it any further: evidently alcohol disarmed him quite a bit, and perhaps it wasn't the right time for conversations that were too deep. He was seeing a whole spectrum of Sasuke that he imagined seldom others had experienced. As Naruto got up to retrieve the bottle, trying not to wince as his abused body complained, he tried to work out what could possibly have got under Sasuke's skin.

Naruto elected to bring the bottle back to the coffee table. Uncorking the vibrant blue container, he asked "So what happens next?"

Sasuke accepted the top up, leaning backing into the couch. "We'll have to listen to the whole thing then, won't we?"

"Who says I'm that interested?"

"Naruto, I've always been able to read you like a book." He smirked, throwing one arm over the back of the couch. "I know you're interested."

Refilling his own glass, Naruto shook his head. "Yeah, yeah, shut up. I think I'm starting to warm to this. It's certainly… different. Not sure about the screaming yet though."

"Give it time." Sasuke replied confidently, the smug smile still lingering. That was a smile Naruto recognised, but at least it was more playful than some of the other times he had seen it.

Placing the bottle on the coffee table, Naruto's brain was still in overdrive: did Sasuke feel he had something in common with the protagonist of Still Life? Naruto had always assumed Sasuke had left voluntarily, but could something have forced his hand? He added it to growing list of questions he had about his friend, but tried to put it out of his mind for now.

Shaking his head, he fetched a few ice cubes from his freezer. Sasuke's disgust as they plopped into his drink was palpable. "Ice? Really?"

"Yup."

"You're ruining a perfectly nice drink."

"Then why does a whisky tasting set come with a water jug?" Naruto asked slyly, holding the glass by the rim as he swirled the offending ice around the amber liquid.

He had done a bit of research after Sasuke had introduced him to whisky. As good a source of information as Sasuke was, he was just the slightest bit biased; his truth was the universal truth. If he was honest, Naruto had never met anyone so sure of themselves. In a lot of ways it was something to be admired.

"In fact," Naruto continued, now his turn to own the smug grin stretched across his features. "Some schools of thought say you can only release the full potential of a good whisky with some water. Ice changes it over time, letting you enjoy all the different tastes in one glass."

The argument didn't do much to sway Sasuke. "Some 'schools of thought'" – the quotation marks were evident in his voice –"are wrong."

Naruto grinned, not in the least bit phased. He planted his socked feet on the table, leaning back into the couch as he took a sip. "Sorry Sasuke, can't hear you over the taste of this delicious, cold whisky." He punched Sasuke lightly on the shoulder. It was like punching a boulder, immovable and uncaring. "Cheer up: at least I'm not drinking it with coke."

Sasuke hummed in agreement, his face neutral once more. "Small mercies."

The album had moved into a nice acoustic number, the gentle wash of strings and the mournful tone of the singer creating an eerie, haunting atmosphere. Naruto squinted at the lyrics, trying to make out more of the story.

"What's happening now?" He asked, giving up on the twisting metaphors and vague wording.

Sasuke sat forward, scanning the screen for a second. "The Outcast is meeting Melinda for the first time in 15 years. But she's become a nun, married to God and everything he hates. He tells her she's been brainwashed: "What came and distorted your sight," see? He wants her to run away with him, give it all up."

"Damn, shit's going down."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, leaning back into the couch.

"So you worked all that out yourself?" Naruto asked, curious as to how he could untangle such flowery language. "I mean, 'carry your weight, you are flawed as all of us?' How do you make sense of that?"

"It's not that hard really. 'Carry your weight' means take responsibility for your life and happiness, and 'you are flawed as all of us' is just a statement: nobody's perfect, we all make mistakes. He feels not going with him would be one of them." He closed his eyes, his tilting his head back ever so slightly. "But no, I didn't work them out myself. Some of the fans pieced bits together, and an artist did a set of paintings about them."

Naruto blinked, surprised. "Wow. That's some dedication."

Sasuke grinned a teasing smile, his mouth pulling up at one corner. "See? You don't get that sort of passion out of Avicii fans."

"Well actually-"

"-I don't wanna hear it." Sasuke cut over him, waving his hand dismissively.

"You're a massive tool, you know that?" But despite his friend's stubbornness, Naruto still couldn't stop smiling. Sitting here with Sasuke, just enjoying one another's company, it felt right. It was a kind of comfort Naruto hadn't felt in a long time.

They sat in silence for a while, just letting the music wash over them. It had picked up once more, morphing into another dark, dramatic song. Sasuke explained more as the story unfolded: The Outcast was hiding in a cathedral, waiting for Melinda to make her decision. If the people in charge caught him there, they'd kill him, and the lyrics describe him growing more and more paranoid.

Naruto was beginning to understand more of the way the words fitted together with the story, deciphering more and more on his own. "…dammit," he sighed, running a hand through his thick hair. "I think I'm getting hooked on this."

"Even the screaming?"

Naruto made a face. "I can tolerate it. Especially now I know it's not just cause he stubbed his toe or something."

Sasuke exhaled through his nose in what Naruto had come to recognise as a laugh of sorts. He was getting used to reading his friend's body language again, the small, subtle cues slowly coming back to him. It was all about the subtext with Sasuke: even though he'd had a few drinks, he could still be an inscrutable bastard.

"Still," Naruto continued, pleased he'd amused Sasuke at least a little bit. "The Outcast's a bit creepy, isn't he? Melinda doesn't see him for fifteen years and he just shows up out the blue and says 'I love you, run away with me.' He's asking her to abandon her faith for him."

That strange look crossed Sasuke's face once more. "What if she doesn't know what she wants? He hopes she remembers the person he used to be… and can forgive the person he's become. And he's scared he'll put her in danger. It's why he stayed away so long."

"Hmm…" Naruto took a drink, pondering the presented dilemma.

"There's no easy answer, is there?" Sasuke asked, helping himself to another glass of whisky, topping Naruto up as he did so. "Maybe if he truly loves her he'll leave her be to protect her."

"No." Naruto put his glass down, reaching a decision. "If he really respects her, he'll give her the chance to make a decision." He got up to get another shot, almost tripping over the Xbox controller lying by his couch. Finding his (slightly askew) balance again, Naruto scooped it up, placing it gently on top of the kitchen counter. As he went to pour the shot, he caught Sasuke staring at the Xbox as if seeing it for the first time.

"When I was younger…" he paused, as if deciding whether to continue. "When I was younger, I always wanted one of those. My father would never let me though."

"Seriously?" Naruto asked, looking over his shoulder as he fished around in the fridge for the vodka. "Why?"

Sasuke smiled slightly. "He insisted it was a waste of time: the only things I should have had time for were my studies and my training."

Naruto frowned, downing yet another shot. He could feel the alcohol taking effect, his fingertips numbing as he reached the pleasant buzz of tipsiness. "There had to be a reason though, right? I mean I'm sure he wasn't just a hard-ass for the sake of it." He snapped his fingers, suddenly remembering one of the rare insights Sasuke had previously given him about his parents. "Your dad was a policeman, right? Maybe that's why he was so protective of you."

Sasuke gave a dry chuckle. "That's what my mother always insisted. She could put a positive spin on anything, told us that Dad just wanted us to be able to look after ourselves after all the things he'd seen… and he was a good cop too. Even when they promoted him, he always focused on 'putting the bad guys away.'" A short snort of humourless laughter escaped him. "Too bad it got him killed."

Naruto winced: from what he'd heard, Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha had been the victims of a brutal gang retaliation. Sasuke's father had managed to cripple a large portion of their operation. In return they'd taken his life, and that of Sasuke's mother too.

"I guess that explains where you get your iron-clad sense of justice then." Naruto said diplomatically, trying to ignore Sasuke's last comment. "They gave you your strength, Sasuke. Sounds like a lot more than some parents gave their kids."

"But at what cost?" Sasuke asked, scowling into his drink. "I was raised like a soldier. I didn't have a father, I had a drill sergeant."

Naruto put down the shot glass he'd been rolling around his hand. "It's more than some people had, Sasuke." He said flatly.

He looked up at Naruto guiltily, regret written over his face. "Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

Naruto held his hand up calmly, looking Sasuke hard in the eye. "It's okay, I don't mind. I mean you're right: I've been alone from the start. I've no idea how it feels to have those bonds and lose them."

Sasuke looked away, the familiar words burning. "I wish I hadn't said that. It was cruel, and-"

Naruto cut him off. "Considering what else you did to me that night, I think that's the least of your concern. But you were right: I was naïve to compare my situation to yours. I can't begin to understand how it must have been for you, just like you have no idea how I feel." Naruto paused, unsure how to phrase his next thought. "But I think I'm starting to understand what it's like to have a proper family."

Sasuke smiled gently. "Jiraiya, right? You always speak so highly of him. It's nice to hear."

"Not just him." Naruto clarified. "Sakura, Kiba, Hinata, all of you. The way everyone's described family to me… it's how I feel about you guys."

Sasuke stared off into the television, the blood-red album cover of Still Life filling the screen. "Even me?"

"Especially you." Naruto shrugged. "I might be new to this family thing, but I know you're supposed to forgive them when they fuck up."

Sasuke's grip on his glass tightened, his expression darkening. "No, Naruto. Some things are unforgivable."

There was a terse silence, the dark, heavy music appropriate with the sudden shift in tone. Panicking, Naruto did the first thing that came into his head; it just so happened to be grabbing the Xbox controller and lobbing it at Sasuke.

"Catch!" he blurted a second too late, as the black remote flew directly at Sasuke's head.

Sasuke snatched the controller out of the air without trying, seeming only mildly surprised at the sudden turn of events "An interesting murder weapon, to be sure." He commented dryly.

Naruto bit his lip. "Yeah, sorry. That wasn't supposed to be as…"

"Borderline homicidal?" Sasuke cut in with a sly smile.

"I was thinking dangerous, you drama queen." Naruto smiled, glad to have distracted his friend once more.

"I think that's the most innocuously anyone's ever called me a queen…"

"Well I'm not sure what 'innocuously' means, but I'll assume you aren't too offended." Naruto laughed, pulling open one of the drawers of his TV cabinet and tossing games on the coffee table. "Here, let's start with this one, see how you handle a shooter."

Powering up the console, he slid the disk in and crashed back on the couch with a controller of his own. "Okay, video games 101: Left stick to move, right stick to look…"

As Naruto rattled off the different buttons and their respective functions, Sasuke listened raptly. He occasionally nodded, looking at the controller and turning it over in his thin, dextrous fingers.

"Think you've got it all?" Naruto asked as the title screen loaded up.

"I'm a fast learner," he replied, eyes fixed on the screen, the cocky half-smile once again adorning his pale features. "Bring it on."

(╯'□')╯︵ ┻━┻

"How the fuck are you this good already?" Naruto asked, slamming his controller down a bit too heartily on the coffee table and rolling up his sleeves. "Best nine out of, emm… twelve?"

Sasuke could barely contain his grin. "I don't mind beating your ass all night. You're too predictable."

"Sorry I didn't read your book Sun Tzu, war's just a past-time for me."

Sasuke's smile dimmed, an annoyed look flitting across his face. "It's basic tactics, Naruto. If you weren't such an idiot you might think to use them too."

Great, what now? Naruto thought, exasperated. Certain things, innocent enough to Naruto, seemed to set him off.

Sasuke shook his head as he leaned forward. He pinched the bridge of his nose, running the hand down his face until it came to rest at his chin. "Sorry, that was rude. I'll… I'll try and work on that. I've been around the wrong people for too long."

"Maybe you need to rethink who you let into your life." Naruto said, trying to be delicate. That his new friends were a bad influence was apparent, but the fact that Sasuke could see it spoke volumes of the position he was in: he was deliberately putting himself in this situation.

He must feel like he has no choice…

"Can't. It's a work thing." He answered in clipped tones. He obviously didn't want to talk about it, but Naruto was more than a few whiskies deep and relentless.

"Then quit. You don't have to be miserable just to earn a paycheck."

"It's not about the money, my parents left me plenty. It's…" Sasuke seemed unsure how to phrase his sentiment, another rare sight for Naruto. "It's like a stepping stone. I need this job to get my next one."

Naruto wouldn't give up that easily. "Is it really worth it though? If these people are changing who you are for the worse, what's the next job going to do to you?"

Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously, a hard edge to them. "No one changes me."

"You were always a bit of an asshole Sasuke, but that shit you pulled the last time I saw you? I hate to break it to you, but you're different."

Sasuke went quiet for a second, his eyes slowly sliding to the floor in front of him. "Look at your arm, Naruto." He whispered. "I haven't changed a goddamn bit."

Before he could think, Naruto's eyes darted down to his arms. The sleeve, so casually rolled up earlier, put the ugly scar on display.

And Naruto was suddenly a million miles away. He could see it as clearly as the day it had happened: he had missed the punch, Sasuke grabbing his knuckles as they sailed past him; the snarl, almost bestial, twisting Sasuke's face as he smashed his palm into Naruto's forearm; the horrible snap that reverberated through his entire being as the bone snapped; the red mist that exploded from his arm, with pain enough to send a man mad.

Naruto blinked. He was clenching his left fist completely involuntarily, so hard that the knuckles had turned white. He stared at it for a second, confused, before releasing it. The pink was restored to his hand in patches, his fingers numb as the blood returned to them.

"So why did you do it?"

Sasuke avoided his eye, still staring at the floor. "You really want to know?" He took a deep breath. "I knew you wouldn't let me go unless I hurt you. A lot."

"That's not what I'm asking." Naruto could hear the agitation in his voice: reliving the event again had really shaken him up.

"No, I suppose not." Sasuke sat in silence for a few seconds before moving to get up.

Without thinking, Naruto's hand shot out, grabbing him by his loose shirt and wrenching him back onto the couch. His arm locked in place, shaking with the intensity of his grip, rigid lines of muscle drawing his skin tight.

"Oh no you don't. You owe me some fucking answers." The words were out of Naruto's mouth before he even had a chance to think, like someone else was speaking them.

Sasuke seemed surprised, but his hands rose slightly, immediately forming a defensive posture. "I don't owe you shit, Naruto."

"Eighteen months of hospital visits says otherwise."

Sasuke seemed to waver for a second before his expression hardened. "You want it this way? Fine." He leaned forward, looking Naruto straight in the eye. "I did it because you were slowing me down. You, Sakura, everyone. I needed a clean start and I got it."

He tried to slap Naruto's hand away, hooking his left arm under Naruto's, but only succeeded in bringing the two closer together: Naruto had a grip of steel. They stared each other down, faces barely six inches apart. "And you wouldn't believe how strong it's made me, Naruto."

The anger began to bubble over in Naruto. He wanted to hit Sasuke so badly, to make him suffer twice what he'd been through…

And why shouldn't you? A voice seemed to whisper in his ear. That bastard has put you through more pain than anyone. Doesn't he deserve it?

Just in time, Naruto managed to reel himself back. He released Sasuke, getting up and striding to the opposite side of the room. Shutting his eyes, he tried to calm his mind. That anger, that malicious hatred, it wasn't him.

Exhale. Breath. Find your centre, the core of your being, and immerse yourself in its calm flow…

As they had many times before, Jiraiya's words managed to temper Naruto's anger, soothing his racing mind. Sasuke's words still pissed him off, but he decided to try give him the benefit of the doubt: today must be unimaginably hard for him. He turned round to find the aforementioned man quietly drinking on the couch, eyes straight ahead.

"It's really fucked you up, hasn't it?" He asked, knocking back a fair measure of the amber whisky.

Naruto closed his eyes again, suddenly exhausted. He leaned against the kitchen counter with both hands. "I'm sorry Sasuke, that was uncalled for."

"Don't be. If it weren't for me you wouldn't be this way."

Naruto sighed, opening his eyes. "That's not strictly true. Remember Neji?"

Sasuke laughed slightly. "Yeah. You fucked that kid up."

Naruto nodded, before realising that Sasuke couldn't see him. "Same thing."

"And it's just as well you did." Sasuke got up, following Naruto around the couch with his drink and sitting opposite him. "He was never an ass to Hinata again after that. Haven't since seen someone literally have sense knocked into them before."

Naruto didn't laugh. "It isn't funny. You know why I never got fostered for more than a month? Apparently no one wants to take care of a kid with 'explosive anger issues.'"

Sasuke raised his glass. "To us – irredeemably fucked up."

Naruto stared at him for a few seconds, both eyebrows and drink elevated, before grinning ruefully.

Sasuke smiled, this one seeming more genuine. "That's more like it. Come on dickhead, get a drink. Don't leave me hanging."

Naruto laughed, running to the table to top himself up. He figured he probably shouldn't drink too much more, but it looked like Sasuke wanted to bury the hatchet as much as he did.

Taking his glass, once more full, back to the kitchen, Naruto tapped it against Sasuke's.

"So," Sasuke started as he put down his empty drink. "When did you start seriously training?"

"You really have to stop with that clairvoyant shit Sasuke." Naruto laughed. "A few weeks ago. How could you tell?"

"You were struggling to get off the couch earlier." The amusement in his voice was palpable.

Naruto awkwardly scratched the back of his head, just needing something to do with his hands so he didn't sink into the ground from embarrassment. "Fuck, you saw that?"

Sasuke just raised his eyebrows. "The abs are always worst, aren't they?"

"That and the yoga," Naruto grumbled.

"I won't lie, the idea of you sitting still for more than five minutes is quite laughable."

Naruto tried to sneer at him, but was unable to keep a straight face.

"So what made you start?" Sasuke continued, seemingly interested in the conversation. "Training seriously, I mean."

"Honestly?" Naruto asked, still a bit embarrassed. "How easily you kicked my ass."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to look uncomfortable – he was definitely easier to read with a few drinks in him. "Well you had to recover after… you know."

There was an awkward pause, Sasuke opting to take a drink. Naruto followed suit.

"Was it… was it difficult?"

Naruto looked down at his drink. "The hardest thing I've had to do."

When he looked up again, Sasuke seemed torn. A finger tapped against his drink rapidly, and he seemed to be chewing the inside of his lip.

"Naruto…" he began slowly, even for Sasuke. "There's something I need to-"

But he was cut off: a sharp buzz cut through the air, Sasuke's head jerking up like a dog hearing a whistle. He all but leapt off his chair, slightly unsteady on his feet, rummaging through the pockets of the jacket strewn lazily over the couch. He pulled out an ancient flip phone, missing his first attempt to flick it open. He finally succeeded, jamming it to his ear and saying nothing, only listening. For just a second Naruto saw something alien to him in those eyes, something he'd only seen once before.

Fear.

Naruto's stomach dropped: what in the Hell could scare Sasuke Uchiha? He didn't know, but whatever it was must have been terrifying. Sasuke seemed to sober up pretty quickly, his face resolving into the neutral mask that Naruto had come to know so well.

He's hiding something.

Sasuke snapped the phone closed and stalked up to Naruto, shoving his arms quickly through the sleeves of his jacket. He took the drink from him and placing it down on the counter.

"Sasuke, what-"

"Naruto, listen closely," he spoke quickly, putting a hand on Naruto's shoulder. Both the pace and contact were unusual for Sasuke. "I'm really sorry, but I've fucked up. There are people on their way here. They're gonna say they're cops. They aren't."

Naruto pushed Sasuke's hand off him. "What? Who the fuck are they?"

"I owe them money. They must have people out looking for me…" He trailed off, seeming to have an epiphany. "Of course, the guy who let me in. And-"

"-I thought you said you had plenty of money?" Naruto cut in again, confused: his story wasn't making much sense

"I do, but I'm not paying them on principal." He grabbed Naruto's arm. "Look, it doesn't matter. All you need to know is that under no circumstances you let them in."

"What the fuck have you gotten yourself into Sasuke?"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. But I'm gonna need to ask you a favour: you need to punch me in the face." He checked his watch, swearing under his breath. "Look, I know you don't want to, but-"

Naruto cut him off once again by punching him square in the nose. He put a bit more power into it than he probably should have; he guessed he was still holding onto a bit of anger from earlier.

Sasuke's head whipped back and he stumbled, quickly regaining his footing. "Fuck," he cursed, drawing out the word, hands clutching his nose. He looked up at Naruto, blood running down his chin, and grinned. "Perfect. Okay, gonna have to…"

Sasuke trailed off, knocking a standing lamp over, the bulb shattering. "What the fuck dude?" Naruto exclaimed, "Are you gonna destroy my flat every time you're here?"

"Sorry, I need to make it look authentic: you're going to say I tried to rob you. You must have left the door open. You punched me in the face, then I jumped out the window."

"You jumped out the…?"

Sasuke continued as if he hadn't heard him, tipping over a chair. "You've never seen me before, you don't want to press charges, and remember: don't let them in. Ask to see badges. They won't have them."

Naruto was struggling to keep up. "Wait, slow down. Sasuke!"

There was a hammering knock on the door, a young man's voice calling out. "Excuse me, sir! This is the police. Do you require any assistance?"

"Too late." Sasuke said, running to the window, wrenching back the curtain and throwing it open. He turned back for a second with a brief half-smile. "See you around Naruto."

And then he jumped.

Naruto ran to the window after him, just in time to see Sasuke land. He hit the ground hard, feet first, dropping down into a roll. Springing up again he stumbled, smashing shoulder-first into a parked car. The alarm triggered as he bounced off it, staggered once more, then turned to run off into the night. The pounding on his door increased in intensity, the young man's shouting more insistent. Naruto stepped away from the window, almost tripping over his armchair. The alarm's wail following him into the flat as he made it to the door, yanking it open.

Standing before him were two men, both rather short. They wore matching coats of black, punctuated with red clouds; that was where the similarities ended. On the right, arm extended from slamming his fist against the door, was a young blond man, his long hair pulled up into a high ponytail, a large fringe covering half of his face. As he uncurled his fist, Naruto thought he could make out a mouth tattooed into the palm.

The man on the left had a thin, boyish face, but something in the way he carried himself told Naruto he was older than he looked. While his partner wore a smirk, this man was much more composed, his movements stiff and robotic. It gave Naruto the creeps: it was like the second man was a puppet.

"Excuse me sir," The blond man began, pulling out a photograph from inside his coat. "We received reports of a dangerous criminal in this area. Have you seen this man?"

Of course it was a picture of Sasuke. It was obviously taken at a distance as he was in a large crowd, all other faces blurred for clarity.

"Y-yeah," Naruto stuttered, not entirely acting his nervousness. "This asshole just broke into my flat!"

"Are you okay sir? Is he inside now?" The blond man asked excitedly trying to see past Naruto into the flat. He ended most of his sentences with a small 'hmm,' like he was trying to clear his throat.

"No, I punched him in the face and the crazy bastard jumped out the window."

The man on the left spoke up, his soft voice almost child-like. "May we come into your flat? He may have left evidence behind."

Naruto pretended to consider it, then quickly added. "Do you guys have badges or something? You could be anyone for all I know."

The men looked at each other for a second, but were interrupted by a phone ringing. The red-haired man answered it, spoke barely two words and hung up again.

He turned to his partner. "The boy's right, Sasuke's on the move. Jumped out the window. Let's go."

The blond man threw a quick and insincere thanks at Naruto before turning to hurry back down the stairs. Naruto slammed his door shut, double locking it before he felt safe. He practically ran to the window, shutting it and drawing the curtains tight. Only then did he feel a bit better.

What the fuck had Sasuke dragged him into? Were they loan sharks, the kind you heard about in old gangster movies that broke kneecaps? Naruto didn't care to find out, but the thought of people watching his flat left him feeling rather violated.

He'd had quite enough excitement for one night: it was time for bed. As he stumbled through to the bathroom to brush his teeth, something Sasuke said kept running through his head

"I did it because you were slowing me down. You, Sakura, everyone. I needed a clean start and I got it."

There was still something bugging him about their little exchange. It seemed too cruel, too deliberate, even for Sasuke. He wasn't angry or upset, like any other time he'd been spiteful. It was too… clinical.

And then it hit him. He didn't know why he hadn't seen it before: Sasuke was lying.

Naruto didn't get much sleep that night.