One hour became two. Two became four. Naruto lost track after that, his last point of reference an electronic road sign that read 23.30; he assumed that time had continued unabated without his conscious input.

Or maybe it hasn't. It feels like I've been in this car forever.

Jūgo hadn't said a word since he'd returned to the car: Naruto had been in such a stupor he didn't notice the other man get back in until he slammed the radio off. He'd gunned the engine, leaving the petrol station at speed. They hadn't stopped since.

Naruto, on some level, was aware of the implication that seemed to be screaming in the back of his mind.

'Police have reported one fatality.'

But all he felt was numbness. He could feel the tightness in his throat like a boot pressing down on it, the blood coursing hot through his veins, but was disconnected from it all. This was different from before, on the way to the hospital. Instead of racing, his mind seemed stuck, jammed. Only one thought ran endless and repeating through his head.

No. Not him. Not him.

They had long since left the city behind, riding near-empty motorways, the only source of illumination their headlights and the occasional row of streetlamps. Naruto realised soon afterwards that they weren't straying very far from the city itself; somewhere in the back of his mind he registered the huge motorway signs, the reflective blue bouncing off the high-beams. Jūgo often doubled back, splitting off onto side roads that linked them up with yet another long, uninterrupted section of tarmac.

Naruto wasn't initially aware that they were pulling into a service station; he only started to take in his surroundings when Jūgo parked, switching off the engine. It left a few seconds of deafening silence before his driver spoke.

"We should eat, use the bathroom." Jūgo gave him a sideways glance. "Come on."

Naruto nodded, not realising how badly he'd needed to piss until now. He clambered out the car unsteadily, his legs feeling weak. Jūgo walked on ahead, Naruto following. He felt like a zombie.

The lights inside the service station hurt his eyes, the bulbs bright and harsh. He briefly thought about another escape attempt, but it seemed pathetic now, a far away and petty worry. Jūgo wouldn't even indulge him that, holding the bathroom door open and entering after him.

Clumsily, Naruto made his way into a grimy stall, gently pushing the door into place. But the latch didn't quite meet the lock, no matter how hard he pushed: it was crooked, the door not quite flush with the frame. He opened it to try again, but to no avail. A third and fourth attempt, and still nothing.

Something inside Naruto snapped. He slammed the door against the frame, the whole stall rattling. Again. And again.

Naruto pulled his fist back, fingers curled tight into his palm, regaining control an instant before he threw the punch. His hand hung in the air next to his head, trembling. He could feel the echo of the command reverberate through his nerves, the coiled muscles anticipating and ready to strike. And as suddenly as the anger had coursed through him it seemed to seep away, the futility of the effort clear.

"Fuck," Naruto sighed as he lowered his hand, the simple task surprisingly difficult.

After a pause, Jūgo's voice could be heard beyond the door. "You need a hand?"

For a second, Naruto had forgotten about the other man. "No… no, it's fine." It didn't take much effort to lift the door, tilting it into line with the lock. In the blind flash of anger such a simple solution hadn't even occurred to him.

That's how I have to approach this. Keep it together, Naruto.

Naruto didn't initially look at Jūgo as he washed his hands, trying to focus through the fog in his mind.

He's been ordered not to tell me anything. And judging by his reaction to the radio, the news is off limits too.

Naruto took a deep breath, trying not to think about the reporter's words. But he couldn't help it, his brain once again betraying him.

Police have reported one fatality.

Instead of following passively behind Jūgo, Naruto walked alongside him, trying to surreptitiously examine the large man's face. His expression was blank, eyes locked unwaveringly ahead. The only thing that gave away his discomfort was the hard set of his jaw.

He doesn't like this any more than I do.

The two of them passed a small food court in silence, Jūgo making a beeline for a newsagents tucked away in the corner of the room. "Get a sandwich and some water. We'll eat in the car."

Feeling under pressure to make a choice quickly, Naruto quickly grabbed the first thing he saw. He didn't feel hungry – the opposite, his guts felt like they were wriggling – but he knew he needed to keep his strength up. Jūgo paid for both, holding a silver card against the reader until the contactless payment went through.

Naruto tried once again to analyse the man essentially holding him captive. He didn't seem to possess Suigetsu's malice, the savage enjoyment of his work.

So why does he do it?

Naruto suddenly remembered the moment he first saw Jūgo, at Banshee's with Sasuke. And what he'd said as he left.

"Look after him."

It had seemed genuine, too. Like he really cared about Sasuke. Despite everything, Naruto's gut feeling told him Jūgo could be trusted, at least as far as Sasuke's wellbeing was concerned. As Naruto lowered himself back into the car, dinner in hand, he glanced over once more at the man sat next to him. Settling into his seat, Jūgo cracked open his sandwich and made short work of it in methodical bites. Taking a quick drink, he started the engine and calmly drove them back into the night.

Naruto chewed slowly on his chicken and bacon, puzzle pieces falling into place. He still had to fight against the rising tide of panic, but he had started to think logically. That seemed to keep it at bay.

For someone that cares so much, he's pretty calm about this. Uncomfortable, but calm. And Sasuke's kept me out the loop before. I wouldn't put this past him.

The smallest spark of hope caught in Naruto's mind.

I think Sasuke's made it. I've got to hold onto that.

"Look, Jūgo…" Naruto started, his voice husky. He cleared his throat, realising he had no idea what to say. This man helped run a criminal empire. Naruto couldn't imagine the things he'd done. The pause stretched out painfully, but he was paralyzed.

Even if he cares about Sasuke, he won't give a fuck about you. How many people do you think he's hurt? Killed? And you think you can change his mind with a few words because he seems to like Sasuke? It's just another job to him, babysit the kid. It's pathetic, it-

"He's alive." Jūgo interrupted his rambling thoughts, voice low. "Sasuke's alive."

Naruto sat dumb for a moment, his brain struggling to process. Slowly, it sank in. "He's okay?"

Jūgo just stared at the road from under his brow, his face grim, hands locked on the wheel.

The panic was back, the thump of Naruto's heart reverberating in his ears. "He's okay, right?"

Jūgo forced out the words. "He's hurt."

There it was once again, the sick weight in his stomach. "But he's gonna be okay," he repeated. It seemed like the only thing he could say. "He'll recover."

Jūgo still didn't look at him, eyes fixed forward. "We'll find out when he wakes up."

(╯'□')╯︵ ┻━┻

Naruto jolted forwards in his seat as the car came to an abrupt halt. For a second neither of the men said anything, before Naruto broke the silence.

"Is this it?"

Jūgo nodded mutely. Naruto scrambled to undo his seatbelt and all but leapt from the door before realising he had no idea where he was going. They were much more central than he had expected. Much of the white sandstone buildings were large Georgian constructions, originals from the city's first expansion. He looked back at Jūgo, moving altogether too slowly for Naruto's liking as he calmly made his way around the car.

The other man took the lead, grabbing a set of keys from inside his jacket as they approached an unassuming row of apartments. Naruto couldn't get across the threshold fast enough, shadowing Jūgo through the modest foyer as their shoes rapped loudly on the smooth tile floor. They passed the ground floor flats, plain white doors and numbers in elegant script, and headed for a staircase at the far end of the room.

Naruto made to climb to the next floor, but Jūgo headed down the stairs instead. Curious, Naruto trailed close behind, following him to the basement level. The smooth white paint gave way to bare sandstone, scrupulously polished, and eventually a large metal door. There didn't appear to be any hinges, but a thick, angular handle on the right, three keyholes running up the side. Jūgo unlocked one after another, pushing when the final key clicked. The whole door shifted smoothly inwards before sliding to the left as he gave the handle a hearty tug.

Naruto barely acknowledged what lay inside the room before pushing past Jūgo and charging inside. He stepped off a small platform on to the wooden floor, his brain finally registering what he was looking at.

It was a large room, the same bare brick walls as outside but adorned with canvases, pictures and scrolls. A large, sleek television was mounted on the wall to his left, a plush three-seater sofa and matching armchairs flanking it. On the opposite side was something familiar, a raised platform made from light wood: it was just like the one from Sasuke's training room. But those details were cast aside, Naruto focusing on the large, open hallway in front of him that led out of the room.

And at the entrance of the hallway, arms folded, was Suigetsu.

"Jūgo, what the hell? You were supposed to take the kid home, not-"

Naruto didn't stop; he stormed ahead, intending to go through Suigetsu if need be. But he didn't budge. As Naruto reached him, Suigetsu threw out an arm to catch him in the chest. Naruto was ready, slapping the limb away with a backhand that sent the shorter man spinning into the wall with a loud thud.

He continued down the corridor, opening the first door he came to: a storage closet. The next, on the left, was a bathroom. As he backed out of the room, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"You wanna do this now?" Suigetsu asked, whirling Naruto around to face him. "Sure, we can do this now. I've got a lot of pent-up anger and-"

Naruto thrust his palm out, cutting Suigetsu off again as he tried to push him away. But he just darted to the side, grinning, his fingers cutting vice-like into Naruto's shoulder.

"Well that was just rude." Suigetsu commented, looking back at Jūgo. "Can you believe this guy?"

Naruto was going to capitalise on Suigetsu's carelessness before a door burst open at the far end of the hall. "Hey! Measure your dicks somewhere else!"

Naruto's head whipped round to see Karin standing in the doorway, gesturing angrily with the pistol in her hand. "I hear you assholes throwing each other about out there, what am I supposed to think? I almost shot you dipshits!"

She seemed to suddenly remember she was still holding the gun, quickly pointing it at the ground. "Seriously. Knock it off." Sighing, Karin flicked the safety back on and tucked it in a holster at her waist.

Suigetsu slowly let go of Naruto's shoulder and backed up, hands held up sarcastically. "Well shit, we all know what a dead-eye you are. I can see it now: Deidara's thugs storm the place and the only damage is to the brickwork."

Naruto ignored him, turning to face Karin. "Is he in there?"

The desperation must have showed, Karin's expression softening. "Yeah," she said gently. "We've been looking after him."

All the fight seemed to have left Naruto, until only the worry remained. "I need to see him. Please."

"What you need," Suigetsu started, moving in front of Naruto once more. "Is to go home. He'll call your needy ass, I guarantee it."

"What, when he finally wakes up?" Naruto stared the other man down, setting his jaw.

Suigetsu threw his hands up, looking over Naruto's shoulder at Jūgo. "You told him? Fucking hell Jūgo, you going against orders now?"

Jūgo didn't say anything for a second, an intensity burning in his eyes. "He deserves to be here."

"Well, you know what that means." Suigetsu turned to face Karin, eyebrows raised. "Your call, Dirty Harry."

Karin was about to reply, but stopped herself. It took visible effort. "Naruto stays, I guess. Come on, you can see him. Shoes off first." She shrugged. "You know the rules."

(╯'□')╯︵ ┻━┻

Naruto pushed open the door, heart hammering in his chest. The room was bright, the soft light dancing across the pale furnishings. He felt his bare feet transition from wood to a thick rug. But his eyes were fixed on the low bed in the right-hand corner. Two monitors sat by it, one emitting a steady series of beeps.

It was everything Naruto had feared. Sasuke lay deathly still, a fine sheet over his waist and left arm thrown above his head. Bandages covered his forehead and ribs, dark bruises covering what Naruto could see of his bare chest. His right foot was also wrapped up and propped on several pillows, thin trousers rolled up to the knee. Something bulky was secured under the gauze, strapped tight to his ankle.

Naruto took several hesitant steps forward until he was at his friend's bedside. Now that he was closer, he could see the full extent of the damage: Sasuke's right shoulder was swollen and discoloured, and the opposite arm bore a row of fresh stitches across his triceps. Something similar to the object on his ankle was packed under the dressings on Sasuke's chest, wet where it touched the bandage.

With difficulty, Naruto finally tore his gaze away to look up at his face. Sasuke's expression defied the severity of the situation: he looked oddly serene, the slight frown he seemed to perpetually wear gone. Naruto could have fooled himself into thinking his friend was merely sleeping. But the illusion was broken by the tiny cuts covering his face, the binding around his forehead.

Naruto found it hard to look at, but couldn't focus his eyes anywhere else. Sasuke just looked so… fragile. Like a glass-spun bird, Naruto was afraid he'd break with even the slightest breath. It was like watching a car crash, sheer horror contending with morbid curiosity.

"Do you want me to walk you through it?" Karin asked gently. Naruto nodded mutely, his eyes not leaving Sasuke. In truth, he'd forgotten she was there.

He caught Karin's nod in his peripheral vision. "Okay. We'll work from the bottom up. He's torn the ligaments in his ankle. I'm pretty sure it's just a high sprain rather than a fracture, so if we ice it and keep it strapped up it shouldn't be a problem."

"You're 'pretty sure?'" Naruto asked, eyebrows raised, finally looking at her.

Karin threw him a reproachful glare. "I'm working with what I've got. You get me an x-ray machine in here and I can tell you for sure, but for now that's all I can do."

He realised she was right. When Naruto looked at what he could see of Sasuke's foot, all he could see what a blotchy, bruised mess. Karin had strapped it up tight, with what he now knew was an ice pack tucked underneath. It was more than he would have thought to do.

Sasuke trusts her. That should be good enough.

Karin continued as though Naruto hadn't spoken. "He's got some broken ribs. Nothing we can do but cool it down a bit, prevent swelling." She gestured offhandedly to another set of ice packs bound loosely to Sasuke's chest, the skin red, purple and irritated. "But mostly it's just gonna hurt like a son-of-a-bitch."

Now that she'd got in her stride, Karin sounded a lot more confident, more professional. "Here's where it gets messy: dislocated shoulder. See where the shoulder's all swollen at the rotator cuff, same type of bruising as the ankle?"

She leaned over Sasuke to point, Naruto's gaze following. "Looks like some more ligament damage. It's not quite as bad, thankfully, but it might be susceptible to pop out again further down the line. On the other side we've got some stitches. The wound shape made this a nightmare to close, but it's looking good so far."

Naruto's stomach dropped whenever he looked at the line that sliced up Sasuke's arm, the thick blue stitches viscerally tying his flesh back together. It was deep. "What did that? A knife?"

Karin sighed, pursing her lips. "Bullet, actually."

"Holy fuck." Naruto didn't know what else to say.

"Yeah. An inch closer and that graze would be a hole through his arm. He should count himself lucky." Naruto could tell from her tone of voice that Karin didn't approve. There was something else too, like frustration but lacking the edge. He couldn't quite work it out.

"What about his head?" Naruto asked, eyeing the head bandages warily. "Is that why he hasn't woken up yet?"

"At this point it's hard to tell. He's got two head wounds, at the front and back. The one on his forehead's fine, it's the one on the back I'm worried about. It stitched together okay, but I've no idea of the effects until he wakes up." Karin bit her lip, pausing for a second. "That's not the worst of it though."

Naruto couldn't form the words. He could only stare at her, pleading.

Karin sighed, hand reaching under her glasses to rub her eyes. "After I'd finished patching him up, I got his vitals set up on the monitor. Thought I was just being paranoid, but I noticed his O2 sats were a bit low. Gave him some oxygen but it wasn't helping much, he was almost hypoxic and-" Karin shook her head, smiling very slightly at Naruto's confusion. "Sorry: Sasuke didn't have enough oxygen in his blood. Too little and it's lights out, especially in his condition."

There was no trace of that smile now. "I had a hunch, but I needed an x-ray to confirm it. I read a paper recently on using ultrasound scans to diagnose in the field, figured it was worth a shot. And I found exactly what I was afraid of: there's serious bruising in Sasuke's lungs.

"See, the problem with getting caught in an explosion isn't the blast itself, it's the pressure wave that follows it. Your lungs are hollow by design, they aren't made to withstand shockwaves like that. The change in pressure damages the alveoli and interferes with the gas exchange, which explained the hypoxia. It's called a pulmonary contusion."

"So Sasuke was inside the building when it blew?" Naruto ran his hand through his hair, sighing deeply. "How did he even survive?"

Karin dragged a chair over for Naruto, settling into her own. "Here's the thing: as much as I disagree with him sometimes, he's the boss. Jūgo was told to keep your involvement to a minimum. But hell, I don't think Sasuke was expecting anything like this." She rubbed her eyes again. She looked tired. "Honestly, I don't know if we did the right thing bringing you here. But you'll be safe. Out of everything, that's his top priority."

Naruto knew he should be more annoyed about that: Sasuke had promised to stop lying to 'protect' him. But it settled in the back of his head, tiny in comparison to the all-consuming worry that scratched at the inside of his skull. If anything, he felt guilty for what little anger there was. There were more important things to focus on for now.

After a significant pause, Naruto finally replied. "I wish he'd prioritise himself a bit more." He glanced up at Karin's sad smile, trying to concentrate. "So, how do we treat this? You've got a plan, right?"

"That's just the problem." Karin seemed to have trouble looking at the man opposite her, her jaw clenched. "There's exactly nothing we can do about it."

"Wait, does that mean-"

"Hey, don't panic." She cut across Naruto sharply, her voice pure authority. "The odds are in his favour, but only just. If we're lucky, this resolves without issue in a week. I don't have the right equipment to call it myself, but textbook answer is there's between fourteen and forty percent risk of death."

Naruto didn't respond, instead leaning forwards in his seat to rest his elbows on Sasuke's bed. His heart was pounding, and it was like he could barely hear Karin. All that seemed to register with him was the methodical tone of the vitals monitor. It was as if that was the only thing that kept Sasuke tethered to him, the sound of his heartbeat.

"Hey, Naruto? Did you get that?" Karin's presence suddenly re-established itself. "Naruto?"

Naruto closed his eyes, trying to breathe deep. "Sorry, I was… sorry."

Karin nodded sympathetically. "I was saying we just need to keep an eye on him. We're taking it in turns. You can help, if you like." She pointed to a spot on the monitor. "See this line here, where it says O2? If it drops past a certain point, it'll sound a warning tone. All you'd have to do is give him some more oxygen until it reaches a steady level."

Naruto didn't think he was capable of doing anything else except sitting right there next to Sasuke. Karin stood up and stretched, before showing him how to use the oxygen mask. Naruto tried to burn everything she said into his brain, determined to memorise the instructions.

"Okay," Karin paused, failing to suppress a yawn. "I haven't slept all night, so I'm gonna take the spare room before Jūgo and Suigetsu realise only one of them needs to stand guard."

(╯'□')╯︵ ┻━┻

The air was still, save for the steady, robotic pulse of the heart monitor. Naruto knew he should be grateful for it, for any indication that his friend was alive: the longer he was here, the more Sasuke looked like a corpse. But in the emptiness of the windowless bedroom each little beep drilled its way into Naruto's skull, irritating his raw nerves.

He took a deep breath. As much as he wanted to smash the machine against the wall, they needed it. He knew it wasn't necessary, but Naruto's eyes darted across to the monitor anyway, scanning over the oxygen reading. Ninety five percent: still within acceptable limits.

Naruto had quickly memorised Karin's instructions: apply supplemental oxygen if the O2 sat drops below eighty eight percent; any other significant drop will sound an alarm to get help; any unexplained bleeding, get help; anything weird at all, get help.

"Better safe than sorry. I don't think I'll be lucky enough to get a full night's sleep anyway." Karin had said, glancing down at her phone and noticing the time. "Or morning's sleep. Whatever. But if you need me, wake me."

For a few minutes everything was quiet, followed by a brief – but intense – bout of shouting. The door clicked open slightly and Suigetsu's head appeared around it. "I'm on guard for the next eight hours."

He did not look pleased about this fact.

"You need food, bathroom, I'll be by the door. We need eyes on him at all times." Although Suigetsu kept up a tone of bored indifference, his eye didn't meet Naruto's. In fact, he avoided looking at the bed entirely.

"Don't fuck this up," was his parting advice. Before Naruto could reply the door slammed shut, and the room was once again silent.

Time once again lost meaning. It was just him, Sasuke, and that damn heart monitor. And all Naruto had been able to do was stare blankly at his friend's face, eyes unfocused, waiting.

Eventually Naruto sighed, looking away. He pushed himself off the chair, body aching and protesting; evidently he'd been sitting for longer than he thought. Stretching out his tired form, he looked around at the rest of the room for the first time.

Sasuke's bed was in the far left corner, low to the floor. It was much like the one in the other flat, but wide enough that it looked almost square. Judging by the small bedside table, Naruto guessed that Sasuke usually slept the other way round, head to the wall. The table was a pale grey wood, the grain and knots running throughout a misty white. It was bare except for a small lamp, but there was a shallow drawer that ran underneath the top.

A matching chest of drawers sat to the left of that, closer to the door. A single photo frame was propped up on top of it: Sasuke's parents, the picture he'd taken from his old home. Despite himself, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

I'm glad he kept it.

On the opposite side of the room was an odd set of wall cabinets in the same grey wood as the other furniture. It was at least a metre deep, taking up the whole right side wall and some of the far one too, continuing around the corner. The cabinets themselves stopped a distance along the far wall before terminating in a glass-topped display case.

Naruto wandered across the room, wanting to get a better look. A large section had been taken out of the right hand side where it met the back wall, almost a third of the total length. Smaller cupboards ran along the top, a set of drawers along the bottom.

This must be where Sasuke likes to sit.

A few folders and a laptop lay across the smooth grey wood, a cushion and blanket strewn haphazardly in the corner where the cabinet met the wall. On a whim, Naruto propped the pillow against the side and folded the blanket up. It was a deep navy blue, incredibly soft to the touch. He could vividly imagine Sasuke bundled up in there, reading a book or something; in his head it was almost like a nest, somewhere he could be safe.

Neat cubes of various sizes were arranged neatly to the left of this, most covered in row after row of books. The corner section had a tall set of wardrobe-like doors running from floor to ceiling, arranged so they could still be opened despite the ninety degree angle. But it was the display case that really caught his eye.

It reached Naruto's hip, a simple glass box on top of a black cabinet. The bottom was lined with what looked like velvet, several shuriken nestled in specifically cut indentations arranged in a row at the front. And at the back, propped up perfectly horizontally, what was unmistakably a sword.

Some people collect anime figurines, I guess Sasuke collects weapons…

It was a fair bit shorter than a traditional sword, more machete-like in length. It had no crossguard, the white hilt the same width as the scabbard. There was little ornamentation, just a simple black bar running up the middle of the hilt, interrupted about halfway along with a small insignia that Naruto couldn't quite make out. He leaned in closer to get a better look, and stopped dead. He recognised it.

The Uchiha fan.

Naruto's body reacted instantly, heart rate accelerating before his mind caught up with it. He'd become very familiar with the feeling over the last twenty four hours.

This isn't just a collection: he uses this.

Suddenly Naruto wanted to be as far away from this room as possible. He backed up a pace or two, eyes locked on the display case. He couldn't seem to look away.

Come on, focus! Breathe, find your centre…

The thought seemed to come from nowhere, but it helped. He took a deep breath, then another.

The Uchiha thing could be on the sword for a bunch of reasons. Doesn't mean he goes around cutting people up with it.

His chest loosened, stomach unknotting: he'd overreacted.

You know what Sasuke's like: that could be some sort of heirloom. A family thing. Yeah, it'll be something like that.

Naruto's breathing became more even, steady. He broke the death-stare he'd held with the sword and blinked several times, no longer hearing his pulse roaring in his ears.

I guess I've had plenty of practice at this today…

After checking the monitor again – still fine - his gaze settled on Sasuke once more. But try as he might, he couldn't get that image out of his head: his friend, sword in hand, like the personification of Death itself. Naruto shook his head.

I need a fucking break.

He cracked the door open and peered down the corridor. "Yo… Suigetsu?" he called softly. "You about?"

After a second or two Naruto geared up to shout again, but Suigetsu's head peered round the corner from the living room. "Huh? Speak up dude, Jūgo snores like a motherfucker."

"Y-yeah." Naruto could have kicked himself for the stutter. "You said to tell you if I need the bathroom…?"

"Sure." Suigetsu's head disappeared, and he re-emerged a moment later to amble down the corridor. "Oh yeah, your phone's on the coffee table if you want it."

Naruto nodded his thanks as they passed each other, grateful that he'd escaped without the sort of wind-up Suigetsu usually favoured.

"I don't have to tell you not to do anything stupid, right kid?" Naruto heard from over his shoulder. Suigetsu was leaning against Sasuke's doorframe, that unsettling smile pulling at his sharp features. "We don't exactly want to broadcast our location here. Try not to take selfies all over the place, okay?"

Naruto just rolled his eyes and continued into the living room.

"Hashtag twink!" Suigetsu shouted after him.

Suigetsu wasn't lying: Jūgo was practically shaking the floor. He was passed out on the black sofa to Naruto's right, legs still hanging off one end. Naruto carefully stepped around Jūgo's feet to retrieve his phone from the coffee table in front of the couch, groaning as he saw the amount of notifications piled up on the lock screen.

He made to leave, not wanting to wake the big man up, but paused at the hallway's open-plan entrance to look back: he hadn't been paying much attention when he'd first come through, and the room was… interesting, to say the least.

The room was larger than most, but the low ceiling made it feel less expansive, cosier. It was darker than Sasuke's bedroom, trickles of light filtering in through apertures in the roof. Their design was like a mechanical iris, the circular shutter reminding Naruto of the fan in his bathroom wall. Pondering the design, it took him longer than he cared to admit to realise it was sunlight: it must have pipes leading to the roof.

Sasuke's definitely had a hand in designing this place.

The huge metal door was the most obvious place to start. It looked like it had been designed to take a bomb hit. As much as the thought made him wince, Naruto had to admit he felt safe behind it.

Safer than I've felt in a while, anyway.

The little platform stepping up to the door was something Naruto had read about: it was like a porch to take your shoes off, wooden cubbies next to them for storage.

Very… Japanese.

His peoples' culture was represented on the walls too, long scrolls and kanji-adorned canvases hanging at regular intervals. There were other designs too, mostly impressionistic washes of colour; reds, blacks, blues and purples, all shades perfectly balanced.

Half of these probably cost more than my flat. Bastard.

The training platform dominated the left side of the room, easily taking up two thirds of the space. It looked identical to the one Itachi built: Naruto knew Sasuke wouldn't have spared any expense in its imitation, down to the rare wood. The remaining space on that side of the room was taken up by a shelf with a clutter of items spread over its length.

Naruto was about to examine the shelf when Jūgo gave a particularly loud snort; he figured he better leave. The bathroom was first on the left, he remembered, locking the door behind him. It was a wet-room, similar to Sasuke's other flat but much brighter. The walls and floor were a soft heather grey tile, large slabs at least a half metre across. Double sinks sat underneath a huge mirror, towels neatly folded on the side.

He's taken all the things he liked from the old flat and just… recreated them.

He washed his hands, catching sight of himself in the mirror: it wasn't pretty. The countless hours in the car, a whole night without sleep, they had taken their toll. His eyes looked glassy, unfocused, expression slack. In fact, the longer he looked at his face, the less he seemed to recognise it.

Naruto slammed the cold tap on, cupping his hands together and quickly bringing it up to his face. He might have overdone it somewhat, water splashing over his collar and across the floor, but the cold shock felt good. His hoodie discarded on the floor, Naruto peeled the t-shirt off his tired body; he hadn't realised how sweaty he'd gotten over the course of the night.

After what Kiba would have affectionately called a 'whore's bath,' Naruto dabbed himself dry with one of the spare towels. That alone made him feel altogether more human, more in control. He couldn't really do anything about his top, but he didn't particularly fancy walking about shirtless.

That's Sasuke's job.

The bathroom door clicked softly behind him, Naruto making sure to close it quietly; he didn't feel comfortable here, not with Sasuke out cold like this. He made practically no noise without his shoes as he approached Sasuke's door, but paused as he reached for the handle. He could hear Suigetsu talking.

"…let you go in alone. Hell, I shouldn't have let you waste Jūgo on that goddamn kid. He's gonna be the death of you, I'm serious." There was a pause, and Suigetsu sighed. "I know. I'm a hypocrite. Just… wake up soon. Please."

He sounded sincere. It wasn't dramatic, his voice unwavering and low. He just sounded… sad. It was the most genuine Naruto had ever heard him, not wrapped in layers of sarcasm and venom.

He cares. He might be a total asshole, but he actually cares.

Naruto didn't breathe as he hovered outside the door, but it appeared Suigetsu was done. Giving it a few moments to make his arrival less conspicuous, he walked into the room and tried not to look guilty. The other man said nothing, but he wasn't quite as good as Sasuke: Naruto could see how worried he was.

Suigetsu made to leave, but Naruto stopped him at the door. "Hey… I never said thanks. For getting him out of there. So... thanks."

Suigetsu didn't immediately reply, looking back at his boss. "He pays me well enough. You can thank me if he wakes up."

The door slammed shut after him. Naruto sighed, scratching the back of his head.

I might have been wrong about him.

Naruto sat down, once again reading over the monitor's display, pondering the enigma of Suigetsu as he prepared to sort through the influx of notifications on his phone.

(╯'□')╯︵ ┻━┻

"So, no surprises then?" Karin asked, kicking the door closed behind her; both hands were busy braiding her wet hair.

Naruto allowed himself to smile a little. "Nothing to report."

"Good," Karin nodded, tying off the end of her plait with a bobble and leaning over Sasuke, frowning. "He's looking a little feverish. Temp's not too high, but should maybe think about antibiotics…"

She trailed off, shaking her head and sighing. "Never mind. It's nothing."

Naruto was about to object, but managed to stop himself: he had precisely zero medical training. As he'd told himself before, he needed to trust her.

"You should get some rest Naruto," Karin glanced over at him as she ran a stethoscope over Sasuke's chest.

"Nah, I'll be okay." Naruto blinked slowly, finding it hard to lift his eyelids. Karin just raised her eyebrows. "I wanna be here. In case he wakes up."

Karin bobbed her head sympathetically. "I understand, but you're no use to him exhausted. I'll get you if anything changes, okay?"

He hated to admit it, but she was right. Rising unsteadily, he made his way through to the living room. Jūgo was also up and about, looking up as Naruto walked in. He gave a brief nod before fixing his eyes back on a tablet propped up on the coffee table. It went between three different CCTV images in ten second intervals, each of a different angle outside the flat.

Monitor everything going on around the place… smart.

"Suigetsu's already taken the guest room," Jūgo said suddenly, not looking at him. "But you can sleep on the sofa if you want. There are blankets in the cupboard."

Naruto contemplated the offer, but he'd already sat down. After pushing himself to stay awake so long he was beginning to feel a little fuzzy around the edges. He gently lowered himself down on the soft fabric of couch, easily long enough for him to stretch out on, and pulled out his phone. Struggling to concentrate, Naruto loaded up his alarm app, one eye almost shut.

Is 4pm now, so when should I…

The phone slid gently out of his grasp, and Naruto was asleep before it hit the sofa next to him. He slept dreamlessly until a hand gently shook his shoulder. It took more than a few tries to rouse him.

Naruto jumped at the unfamiliar surroundings, confused for a moment until he remembered what had happened the day before. He'd been hoping it would fade away on waking like any other nightmare.

"Hey." Jūgo sat back in his chair, removing his large hand from Naruto's shoulder. "I'm gonna order Chinese, you want anything?"

It took his brain a second to click into gear. "Umm… Kung Pao?"

The next thing he knew Jūgo was waking him up once more, this time holding a plastic box under his nose. Naruto grunted, pushing himself up into a sitting position and taking his food. After leaning forward to grab a pair of chopsticks from the coffee table, he found himself just sitting there, staring into space. It felt like his brain was wrapped in cotton wool. He was distantly aware that Jūgo was saying something, but it felt a million miles away.

"Naruto?"

Naruto suddenly registered that Jūgo was in fact saying his name. "Sorry. What?"

Jūgo frowned, looking concerned. "I asked if you're okay."

"Yeah, sorry. Just… tired, you know?" He broke his chopsticks apart, concentrating on his food instead of the man next to him. "How is he?"

In his peripheral vision, Naruto could seeing Jūgo pick up his own container. "No change."

They ate in silence. Naruto snuck a few glances at the huge man in between bites: if he felt as awkward as Naruto did, Jūgo didn't show it.

How do you make conversation with a guy like this?

Jūgo put his chopsticks down, setting his food on the coffee table. "I wanted to apologise. For last night."

Naruto paused, chopsticks halfway to his mouth. Sighing, he carefully lowered it. "You were just doing your job."

"And since when has 'just following orders' been an excuse? I'm culpable for my own actions."

Naruto met Jūgo's gaze; he was staring expectantly, fingers linked in his lap. He didn't quite know how to respond.

"I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for you." Naruto said eventually, shrugging. "You could have dropped me off and been on your merry way, but you didn't. I'm grateful for that."

Jūgo didn't seem to be expecting that response. "That's kind of you to say." Another pause. "For the record, I… disagreed with Sasuke about this."

Naruto frowned, prompting him to elaborate. "Keeping this from you. Making you think your friend was hurt. I told him it wasn't necessary, that it was cruel." Jūgo shifted his weight on the chair, obviously uncomfortable. "He said that if you knew, nothing short of a body bag would make you leave."

I think that's the worst part: he was right. That just pisses me off even more.

"I think," Jūgo continued slowly. "He wasn't exaggerating. Was he?"

Naruto didn't respond, eyes fixed on his food.

Jūgo nodded, retrieving his container from the coffee table. And that was the last he said of it.

They didn't talk much after that; Naruto had only been asleep a few hours, and he found himself crashing again rather quickly. Rising only long enough to grab himself a blanket, he settled back down on the sofa. It took him much longer to drift off this time.

(╯'□')╯︵ ┻━┻

"Naruto, get up. Sasuke's awake."

Naruto jolted awake, instantly coming to this time. In the half-light of the living room all Naruto could see was Jūgo's face looming over his. Before he could register how unsettling this was, the man was gone, making his way out of the room. Naruto scrambled up after him, heart pounding in his chest as he practically ran down the corridor.

For a second he was frozen by the door, unable to quite process what he was seeing. He almost didn't believe it.

He's okay.

Sasuke definitely didn't look his best, but he was awake. He was alive. Karin was currently trying to stop him getting up, Jūgo and Suigetsu standing off to the side, but he wasn't having much luck: it seemed like even the smallest of movements was taxing Sasuke.

It was hard to gauge Sasuke's reaction to seeing him burst through the door, breathless. His face was flushed from that small exertion alone, teeth gritted against the pain, but quickly switched to a neutral expression as soon as the door slammed closed behind Naruto. The corner of his mouth twitched in what might have been a tiny smile.

"So we're all in agreement," Sasuke said as he lay his head back onto the pillow. "That went pretty well."

The rest of them all replied at once, talking over one another.

"That was the opposite of well-"

"Are you mental?!"

"You have to be fucking kidding-"

"Ballsy, I'll give you that."

Sasuke just waved it away in response, stretching one arm and wincing slightly. Karin eventually got everyone's attention by rather violently slamming her hand on the heart monitor and yelling "Everyone that isn't Sasuke out of this room, now!"

"I want to speak to Naruto first." Sasuke said, glancing over at him, his eyes lingering for a second.

"No can do," Karin shook her head bluntly. "Tests first."

Sasuke nodded, throwing an apologetic look to Naruto. He nodded, catching the door as Jūgo held it open for him.

Waiting in the corridor, back leaning against the wall, the anxiety returned. Sasuke was okay – the worry he'd felt had overridden everything else. Now that Naruto knew he was safe, all the thoughts in the back of his head started to take centre stage.

The strongest, most demanding one was anger: it was galling to once again have the wool pulled over his eyes. It felt demeaning, like Sasuke didn't trust him. Most frustratingly, Naruto completely understood why he'd done it.

That doesn't make it okay though.

He realised he wasn't even angry at Sasuke. He was angry at the situation. And he was afraid. He had been aware of the danger his friend was in, but this brought it into sharp focus. He had been worried about cuts and bruises, superficial things; this was life and death.

And try as he might, Naruto couldn't see any way out. Sasuke was currently on a knife edge between his old life and something more, and if his injuries said anything it was that he'd have to stay balanced for a while longer.

He told me it would take time… I guess the only choice I have is to be patient.

It didn't seem like much of a choice.

His scars ached once more, a kind of stinging numbness. Naruto tried to rub some feeling back into his arm, but it persisted. Swearing under his breath, he wondered how long he'd have to wait.

It wasn't long: Karin emerged from the bedroom, gently shutting the door behind her. "He's looking better. I'd give it a few days to be sure, but…" She flashed a small grin. "I think we're in the clear."

Naruto sighed, some of the tension leaving his body; he didn't realise he'd been holding his breath. "Thank you."

Karin shook her head. "I wish I could take the credit, but all I did was patch him up. Our boy heals fast, I guess. I told him he should rest, but he insisted on speaking to you first. He's loaded up with enough painkillers to keep him stoned for a good while, so I wouldn't expect too much from him."

He found Sasuke looking surprising lucid. He was examining the stitches on his left arm, his concentration not wavering even an instant as the door clicked shut behind Naruto.

"You shouldn't poke at it." Naruto sighed, lowering himself into the seat at his friend's bedside.

"Hmm." Was the only reply he got, Sasuke continuing to trace the ridges of his wound with the tip of a finger. When he was satisfied, he looked up at Naruto as if seeing him for the first time. "It's good to see you."

"And you. Especially good to see you in one piece. More or less."

Sasuke glanced down at his body almost sheepishly, resting his head back on the pillow. "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"You didn't just worry me, Sasuke." Naruto ran a hand through his hair, frustration getting the better of him. "I thought that was it. I spent half the night convinced you were dead, and the other half wondering if you'd ever wake up. That's not just worry."

Sasuke frowned. "You thought I was dead?"

"Well yeah. After I heard about your flat, and Jūgo wouldn't-" Naruto suddenly realised that Sasuke wouldn't know the details: he'd only just woken up. He started again. "We got to the hospital, and Sai wasn't there. He was fine. Jūgo took my phone before I could call you."

Naruto paused, going over the events in his head once more. Suddenly it clicked into place. He'd been too distracted to notice it before, but Sai's mysterious non-visit to the hospital had lined up far too well with Sasuke's flat going up.

That bastard. He arranged the call.

He couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice. "But I suppose you knew that part already, right? It was a good plan. Guaranteed to get me out of the way."

Sasuke said nothing for several seconds, his eyes shut. "I didn't want to do that, Naruto. Believe me, it was the only way."

"You could have asked me."

"We both know how that would have gone." Sasuke sighed, opening his eyes again. "I'm sorry I had to lie to you, Naruto. But I won't apologise for protecting you."

Naruto knew he was being sincere, and it just pissed him off more: part of him wanted Sasuke to be a dick about it, just so there'd be an excuse to have a shouting match.

Why does he have to be so goddamn right all the time?

"I understand." Naruto eventually replied. "But don't ever expect me to be happy about it."

Those hard eyes softened somewhat. "I appreciate that Naruto. More than you know." It was gone as fast as it appeared. "But why did you think I was dead?"

"Right," Naruto tried to remember how much he'd said before he'd side-tracked them. "I knew we were taking too long to get back, that something was wrong. I was away to book it when he was refilling the car, but I bumped into the radio, and… well, an exploded apartment and one dead doesn't exactly inspire confidence."

"And what did Jūgo say?"

"Nothing." Naruto looked away. "Not until morning anyway."

Sasuke breathed deep before answering. "This is my fault. I'm sorry Naruto, that must have been hard for you."

"I'd say I'm used to it from how often you've dicked me about before, but I'd be lying." Naruto knew he was being harsh, but the anger was bubbling up inside him once again.

"You have to understand, Naruto," Sasuke tried to push himself up on his left arm, but couldn't quite manage it. He sank back into the bed, jaw clamping shut for a second. "This was always going to be an all-or-nothing gambit. The way Deidara operates… I thought that if I lost, there wasn't gonna be much left of me. Jūgo was told to keep you away from it until I was able to call in the all clear, or…"

He left the sentence to hang, Naruto shaking his head as he figured out what Sasuke was trying to say. "You mean the only reason Jūgo kept me prisoner all night without any answers is because you didn't think of it?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself. "That's… actually pretty accurate, yeah."

An awkward silence stretched between the two of them. Naruto knew he should be livid at the way he'd been treated: using Sai to lure him out of the apartment, spending all that time thinking Sasuke was dead simply because his friend hadn't even considered it… but all he could think was what that said about Sasuke.

Part of him was sure he'd die. At the very least he thought it was a possibility.

It scared Naruto, how readily Sasuke seemed to leap into mortal danger. And this time had almost been his last, but the only thing Sasuke seemed concerned about was apologising.

Time after time, and he's never been scared for himself. Only for me.

The realisation made Naruto feel ashamed. He been so caught up in his own feelings, his own interpretation of events, he hadn't even thought of Sasuke's perspective.

I can't judge this on half the facts.

It was Naruto that broke the stillness. "Tell me everything." Before Sasuke could reply he smiled, adding "And yes, I really want to know."

Sasuke couldn't completely hold back a small grin, exhaling deeply through his nose and closing his eyes once again. "Okay."