The voice stayed with him as he spent the next week caring for Sasuke. All the villagers would stare in disgust and anger that the Uchiha prodigy had been hurt. All fingers pointed to one person, Naruto. He didn't want Sasuke hurt but, he somehow managed to put Sasuke in the firing range every time. He felt sick with himself. He had let Sasuke get injured. He had hurt his Nii-San. It was his fault.
Since that day, Naruto didn't eat. He was quickly losing all fat on his body and becoming skin and bones. He was almost that anyway without the extra help. Guy did his best to comfort Naruto but, this was his first time. He couldn't find the words to truly help Naruto, or Sasuke. Once Sasuke had noticed what was happening to Naruto, he tried to stop it. He would offer his own food to him, but the blonde would always refuse. "He won't eat your food, he'll think he's hurting you, making you starve." Sasuke understood that but, he couldn't do nothing! He was frustrated, they all were. Kakashi had tried to help as well but Naruto was a stubborn child.
Today, Guy was called for a mission. It was in the village so he could get back to the boys asap. However, he still felt uneasy. "Guy, we need you to watch over this store…" He was handed a scroll that marked the designated shop. "Someone has been stealing from them and we need someone to stop them." Guy nodded. "Can I ask, why am I receiving this job?" Lord Third nodded before sighing. Guy knew then that he wouldn't like the explanation. "Because we believe the thief to be under your care. The owner believes they saw a child with spikey hair and bright eyes." Guy gritted his teeth. The owners were blaming Naruto. He felt anger boil. Naruto has been recluse all week, there is no way it's him. He clenched his fists but held his tongue. This was a mission from the Hokage after all, he has to take it. He calms himself before nodding and making his way out. He will catch the real thief and shift the blame from Naruto.
Night arrived and Guy perched himself on the next roof over. The store had been baron for a few hours now. He didn't know how long the thief would wait before showing themselves and decided it would be best to leave the boys with Kakashi for the night. The silver haired man had quickly accepted, which seemed strange but, Guy was grateful.
He waited and waited. Eyes trained on the shadows. Watching for any movement that seemed suspicious. There! A figure, the size of a small boy, was lurking in the shadows. Scoping the shop to make sure no one was around. Guy watched as the boy skilfully made his way into the shop. This definitely couldn't be Naruto. He was still too shocked from last week to be this proficient. He watched as the boy went in and then emerged a moment later holding a stuffed dinosaur. This kid was stealing toys! Did they not have a parent to buy them one? In one fail swoop, Guy landed in front of the boy. "Stealing is bad you know." He watched as the boy jumped in shock then compose himself so he was ready to fight.
The boy looked at him and he was finally able to see the blood red eyes of the thief. They boy looked astonished. "Tou-Chan?!" Guy couldn't believe it. It was someone he was caring for stealing, but why? "Why are you stealing Sasuke?" Sasuke looked at him with guilt and sadness. "Because Naruto needs my help." Guy understood wanting to help Naruto but, how would stealing a stuffed dinosaur help him? "How would stealing help him? He will only be shunned more once people hear that the Uchiha is stealing." He looked down, pain all over his features. "I know but, we lost ours." Guy was taken back. "Lost?" Sasuke nodded. "When we moved into Naruto's apartment, people kept starting fires. In one of those fires, our favourite dinosaur was burned. Naruto was crushed, he had gotten it for Itachi's birthday and Itachi had said we had to take care of it." "I see. So Naruto felt like he had let Itachi down by the toy being destroyed, but why? Itachi had killed the clan at that point." Guy now wore a feeling of guilt as he watched Sasuke scrunch his face in pain. "I don't know why. For a few days, it was like he still believed Itachi was a good person." Now he understood. Naruto was in denial.
Guy sighed as he pulled out his wallet. He placed enough Ryo down to pay for everything Sasuke stole and picked him up to take back to Kakashi's place. "I understand why now but that doesn't make it ok, understand?" Sasuke nodded and hugged Guy. All anger with the boy flew out of him from the single embrace. "I really am turning youthfully soft."
They arrived back to Kakashi's and Guy let Sasuke down. He was told to give Naruto the toy but to also apologise for stealing things. He nodded happily before wishing the two elders a good night. Guy sighed and Kakashi laughed. "Tough having kids huh?" Guy looked over and saw that his face was deep into another Icha Icha book. Boy did he hate those things. He was tempted to give Kakashi another lecture on how he should 'be showing a lovely lady his youthful side' instead of perving over one in a book. However, he was pooped. The night had been long and unpredictable. He settled for another sigh.
Then he remembered. He looked at Kakashi with determination and cleared his throat. Kakashi looked at him from the side of his book and his one visible eye widened. "Kakashi, I need to see your eye." Kakashi coughed as he closed his book. "What? But you can see my eye." Guy shook his head. He needed to know. "The other one." Kakashi was going to refuse, he only ever showed his eye in battle. However, when he saw that Guy was serious, he sighed and opened the closed eyelid. Guy stared intently for a minute, making Kakashi a little uncomfortable, before sighing and resting his head on the back of the couch. "So he's done it then…" Kakashi looked confused as he closed his eyelid once more. "What are you talking about?" Guy looked at him with a look of both pride and worry, startling Kakashi. "Sasuke has activated it." Kakashi gasped. "The Sharingan?! At such a young age?" Guy nodded, "He was using it to help him steal." Kakashi nodded with a similar expression to the one Guy had been wearing.
They sat in silence, thinking of all the possible scenarios Sasuke would have had to be able to activate the Sharingan. Then it hit them. One week ago, Sasuke had protected Naruto from something not many would have seen. They believed it was highly likely that at that moment, when the brick was soaring through the air, Sasuke's eyes changed so he could see it. Changed so he could save his brother. It made sense. Both men agreed on that. They both also agreed to not tell Naruto. If Naruto had known it was to protect him, he would retreat further into his shell.
With the matter closed, the two headed for their beds. "Naruto? Why won't you answer me?" Guy looked at the door to where Naruto and Sasuke were sleeping and sighed. Naruto is so recluse that he barely even speaks to Sasuke anymore. "Naruto? NARUTO?!" Without hesitation, Guy bounded into the room. He looked around to spot Sasuke holding the bed covers with a face of pure horror. Gut looked at the bed and noticed…nothing. No one was there. He ran over to Sasuke and tapped his shoulder, forcing him to look at him. "What happened?" Sasuke shook his head, tears dripping onto the quilt. "I don't know. He hadn't been answering me and I got mad so I came to pull the covers away so he has to talk to me and then… It was just pillows." Guy looked confused and worried now. "Are you sure he was here the entire time?" Sasuke shook his head again, the tears falling faster and faster. "I don't think he was here to begin with." Sasuke finally broke down and hugged the covers close.
Guy looked around the room frantically before noticing a trail. A red trail that led out of the window. Sasuke must have been too caught up with apologising to notice it. There was no forced entry though. That means, Naruto left on his own accord. Guy gritted his teeth as Kakashi entered the room. "Hey, what's goin- What is that?!" Guy clenched his fists to stop himself from crying. "Kakashi,, watch over Sasuke. I have to find Naruto." Kakashi simply nodded as Guy leapt out of the window and followed the trail. "Where did you run off to at a time like this?"