Disclaimers: Naruto isn't mine. This is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, angst, references to suicide/ suicide attempts, sexual content (yaoi of course), & referenced/ depicted child abuse.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Chapter 20: New Words & Old Tones

"Forget about understanding others. There are times when we don't even understand ourselves."

-Garima Soni

- - -

Kakashi smiled over his mug of coffee, taking in the guests at his breakfast table. Sasuke, who usually had the face of someone who ate roadkill well past it's prime, seemed tense but happier. His eyes constantly wandered over to the blushing blonde next to him, and he even caught a few smiles. He was clearly infatuated with the boy, and it no longer seemed to be one-sided. While Naruto looked self-conscious, every time he met the raven's eyes there was still a softness there.

Ahhh, young love.

Kakashi's eyes shifted over to his sweet Iru-chan. He looked a bit embarrassed himself, but he wore it well. A light pink over his precious freckles. Not really thinking about it, Kakashi leaned in and kissed his cheek. Iruka pushed him back, eyes wide.

"I couldn't help myself" the silver fox said with a wide grin. "You just looked so damn cute."

Sasuke slammed his chopsticks down, glaring at the man. "Can you just try to keep it in your pants while we're still in the same room?"

Kakashi's eyes slid over to the raven. "I could say the same to you, Sasuke."

Naruto choked.

"We're not the ones who fucking went at it with a couple teenagers in the next room!"

Iruka jerked his head over to stare at the raven. "Wait- what? What are you talking about?"

Sasuke stared at the two blank faces incredulously. "You seriously don't remember? You two came back completely trashed, falling all over the place-"

"Sasuke, it doesn't matter" Naruto tried, "just let it go."

"Why should I?" he snapped back. "We're supposed to just pretend we didn't leave last night because we could hear them-"

"Oh my god" Iruka dropped his reddening face in his hands, utterly embarrassed. "I don't remember any of it" he said behind his hands.

Naruto looked sympathetically over at his guardian. "It's ok, Iruka-san. Really, it's not a big deal."

Kakashi took a bite of his eggs, the picture of nonchalance. "We can look at this as a teaching moment" he said calmly.

"For who?" Sasuke snapped back.

"Well, maybe you picked up on a few things from us. I mean, you two do seem closer" he said, looking pointedly at the blonde.

"Jesus Christ" Sasuke grabbed Naruto's arm and hefted him to his feet. "Are you two staying here or going to Iruka's? I'd like to be at whatever house you're not at."

"Hurtful" Kakashi said, "but fair. Iruka, darling? Where would you like to stay today?"

His boyfriend was still drowning in his own misery, so Kakashi decided to answer for him. "I think we'll stay here for now. You two have fun." He sent a wink their way and watched with amusement as they stormed off before returning his attention to his brunette. "It's ok, dolphin."

Iruka peered up from between his fingers. "How does this not bother you?! They heard us- oh my god.. what did they hear?"

"Well.. you are quite the screamer."

Iruka paled.

"I'm kidding, darling. It's fine. I'm sure Sasuke was looking for any excuse to bring him back here."

Iruka considered this. "Really..?"

"Absolutely. He is his adoptive-father's son after all."

That won him a smile and a playful shove.

"You're ridiculous" Iruka said behind a strained laugh.

"I'll be whatever you want me to be, my love."

Tears filled those chestnut eyes, sending a sharp pang through Kakashi's chest. He gently cupped his dolphin's face, searching his watery gaze. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

Iruka gave a forced laugh and quickly swiped at his eyes. "It's nothing. Sorry- I don't know why I'm so emotional today." He scratched the back of his head with a wide plastic grin, a nervous habit Kakashi had come to understand. He grabbed Iruka's arm and pulled it back down, watching the smile slip as wide surprised eyes found his.

"Talk to me, Iru."

The brunette dropped his gaze, suddenly feeling shy. "It's just.. well.. you never said that before."

Kakashi tilted his head. "Said what?"

Iruka cleared his throat. "Ahhmm.. well, you know.. love."

Kakashi grasped his boyfriend's chin and lifted his face, forcing their eyes to meet. "Iruka, I love you."

Chestnut eyes widened and Kakashi offered a small smile. "That same thought has been in my head since the day we met" he admitted. "At first, I think it was lust that I called love. But it didn't take long for it to be love too." Kakashi sighed. "I thought I'd scare you off if I said it too soon."

Tears slipped free, descending into the small dimples Iruka's smile made in his cheeks. "I don't think you could ever scare me off, 'Kashi."

The silver fox tilted his head again, eyes filled with mischief. "Is that right.."

"I don't think I've ever loved anyone the way I-" Kakashi wrapped his hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a searing kiss. He left his swollen lips and moved to his jawline, kissing his way up to his ear. "Care to prove it?" he murmured.

Iruka shivered. "Haven't you.. mnhnn.. had enough yet?"

"Never" his silver fox breathed. "I could never have enough."

- - -

"You're gonna hate me for this-"

"Then don't."

Sasuke sighed. "I.. should probably help you bathe again."

Naruto quirked a brow at the raven sitting across from him at the kitchen counter. There was no school today because of some bullshit holiday no one cared about, so he was once again stuck with Sasuke's constant company.

It wasn't exactly a terrible thing, but it was draining. Sasuke was just getting too comfortable with him, and it felt like his space being invaded was never-ending. He craved a little alone time, but the Uchiha seemed pretty hell-bent on not letting that be an option. The rest of their Sunday together dragged and so far the morning was.. tense. And still, Sasuke didn't seem to get the hint.

Naruto eyed the insistent raven. "Nice try, Sasuke. But that is definitely not happening."

"Why is everything a fight with you?"

"Why are you always trying to get me naked?!" Naruto shouted back.

"Because you're fucking hot, Naruto!"

Naruto blanched. "You- you did not just say that."

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's not even what this is about."

Naruto looked doubtfully at the raven. "Right.."

Sasuke glared at the stubborn blonde as he fought to keep his anger in check.

Naruto met his glare with one of his own. He did want to clean himself up, and it wasn't all that successful when he did so alone, but he didn't want to keep needing people to help him. Needing him to help him. He wanted them to be on even ground, but he constantly felt like he was a level beneath him. It was frustrating.

Naruto wanted to keep arguing his point, but then an idea came to mind- a potential compromise that he hoped Sasuke would at least consider.

"If I let you help me" Naruto said slowly, "will you go home after that?"

Sasuke's jaw clenched. "You don't want me here?"

"A little alone time would do us both some good."

He watched the raven tense up, his hands curl into tight fists. "Says who?" he growled.

"You're seriously telling me you don't want some space to just do your own thing?" Naruto tried.

"No" Sasuke said between grated teeth. "I don't."

"This shit is ironic."

Sasuke impatiently waited for him to continue.

"Remember when you were avoiding the hell out of me?" Naruto asked. "Hell, I'm always the one who's hunting you down to try to hangout with you. I'd never think that it'd be.." his voice trailed off. "I'm not saying I don't want to hangout with you" he said, "but maybe some time would-"

"And if I refuse?" Sasuke interrupted, eyes burning.

Naruto swallowed. "I.. I don't know."

"I said we can take it slow. Do you not trust me?"

Naruto sighed. "That's not it. I just thought.."

Sasuke rose to his feet and slammed his hands down on the counter, startling the blonde. Deep blues stared up at him with alarm, a look that made Sasuke's chest tighten. "I'm going to get some air" he growled. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." He pulled on his shoes, grabbed Naruto's house keys, and slammed his way out the door.

Naruto let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "That.. did not go well."

- - -

Sasuke came back a while later- once his anger had cooled to a manageable degree. When he walked in the door, he could hear running water from upstairs.

Goddamnit, Naruto.

He kicked off his shoes and ran up the stairs two at a time, hoping that he was just paranoid but having a hard time keeping horrific images from flooding his thoughts. He ran over to the bathroom and threw open the door.

"Naruto!"

"Christ!" Naruto flinched as the door slammed open and his backside slid against the slick porcelain tub. He yelped as he flew back, his head crashing to the bottom with a violent splash. Sasuke rushed over and grabbed him, pulling him back to the surface. Naruto grabbed his arm with his unbandaged hand, gasping for air as he was hoisted up.

"What the hell were you thinking?!"

Naruto coughed out a lungful of bath water and shoved out of Sasuke's arms. "That wouldn't have happened if you didn't just barge in here!" he choked, rubbing the bruise already forming on the back of his head. "Why can't you just fucking knock!?"

"I told you not to do this without me" Sasuke yelled back, his rage making a full return.

"That's not your call to make!"

Sasuke glared at the soaking wet blonde, eyes trailing from his narrowed eyes and mop of hair plastered to his whiskered cheeks, down to his bare chest. His attention started to slip lower, but Naruto quickly brought his knees together to cover himself.

"Get. Out."

"Why don't you come on out and fucking make me" Sasuke snarled back.

"God- why is it so hard for you to leave me alone?!"

"Why do you suddenly want to be?!" Sasuke shot back. "Why won't you just let me help you?"

"You don't get it."

"What don't I get?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't like relying on you for every little thing, ok? I don't like feeling so fucking inferior to you."

Sasuke stared at him. "Naruto, you have one working hand. That does not make you inferior. It's fucking temporary."

"I know. But that doesn't change how it feels."

"So what do you want?" Sasuke asked, unable to hide his frustration. "You want me not to help you when you need help? I can't just ignore that shit, Naruto. That's not me."

"Sasuke. I have literally seen you avoid helping people everyday."

"They aren't you."

"And I'm not-"

He froze. He had almost made a horrible mistake. A horrible, callous mistake. But when he looked up and saw the pain in those dark eyes it was like he already did. "Sasuke, I'm sorry. That came out wrong. I just-"

Sasuke clenched his jaw. "I didn't tell you his name for you to use it against me."

Naruto dropped his head.

"Are you done?" Sasuke suddenly asked.

"What..?"

"The bath, Naruto." His eyes shot up to meet his. "I'm asking if you are done in here."

"Oh.. umm.."

He tugged at long blonde strands, and Sasuke realized that he hadn't gotten around to washing it yet. Or maybe he realized that he couldn't. Sasuke was pissed at the baka, but he would still help him. He grabbed the shampoo and scooted closer. "I'll wash your hair" he said, his voice low, distant.

Naruto shivered. The words were considerate, but the way he said them.. he sounded so cold. Just like the old Sasuke- the one who wanted nothing to do with him. He knew it was his fault, but he didn't like this.

Naruto scooted further away, shaking his head. "You sound different" he said quietly.

"Because I'm pissed off" Sasuke said between clenched teeth, "but I don't want to take it out on you."

"I'd rather you were just mad" Naruto murmured. "I don't like when you sound like this."

Sasuke grabbed his chin and lifted his face. "Like what, Naruto?"

"Cold" he said, shivering under that dark impenetrable gaze. "You sound cold."

"So what would you like me to say instead?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head. "It's not what you say.. it's how you say it. It's the tone.. you sound like you did before- when you didn't want me near you."

Sasuke dropped back and tossed the shampoo to the side. "I can't win with you, can I?"

Naruto just stared at him.

Sasuke sighed as he roughly dragged his fingers through his hair. "When I want to get close to you, it's too much- I'm moving too fast, I'm not seeing the real you. But when I take a step back, I'm cold and distant. If I care too much, if I want to help, I make you feel insecure and if I walk away and leave you alone you're fucking reckless." He looked over at the blonde. "I just want to stay close to you. I don't understand how to do the rest of it."

Naruto bit his lip, guilt rushing through him. He didn't mean to make shit so complicated, but he could recognize that he did. While he still felt like Sasuke was.. a lot, and that he could use some space, he also knew that Sasuke was going through some heavy shit right now.

Maybe he just needs you and this is his way of showing it.

Naruto scooted closer to the edge of the tub, reached down, and picked up the toppled shampoo bottle. He held it out to the raven with a small smile and anxious eyes. "Can you.. can you wash my hair?"

Sasuke glanced up, noting the discomfort in his eyes and the obvious effort to move past it. He wanted to stay mad at the blonde, to have a reason to blame him for being this way, but he couldn't do it. Not when he looks.. like him.

And yet.. not?

Naruto was starting to look more like, well, Naruto to him. He saw Minato's smile in his fox-like grin, his eyes when those deep blues looked up at him. He heard it in his laugh and felt it in his touch, and yet.. sometimes all that was there was Naruto.

It was hard to accept that he might be letting another piece of Minato go every time he connected with Naruto, but he wanted to be close to this blonde. He wanted to be in his life. And not because he wanted someone else. He would always miss, cherish, and love his sweet Minato, but he was starting to have those feelings for someone else.

Someone entirely different.

"Can I join you?" he asked, already knowing that it was a resounding no, while unable to stop himself from hoping for a little closeness.

"Don't push your luck, Teme."

- - -

Tuesday morning was a frantic one. They woke up late and it took them longer to get ready because Sasuke had to help Naruto manage with one hand, much to the blonde's annoyance. They ended up having to jog the last couple blocks to school to avoid being late.

Sakura noticed the two running in together, and a deep scowl consumed her face and filled her eyes. There was something off about the two of them coming in together. After what happened at her party on Friday, she started to wonder if there was more between the two than she initially thought. She decided she would gather the Sasuke fangirl club at lunch to discuss it.

And maybe to find a way to stop it.

She might be able to accept that Sasuke was cold to anyone who approached him, that he was dark and mysterious and would stay that way, but she couldn't look the other way as he got close to someone else. Especially if that meant he was gay. She wasn't ok with him being that far out of reach.

Whatever Naruto had over him- whether that be blackmail or some sort of tactics to seduce the raven- they would find a way to stop it.

They had to.

As she walked into the building, in absolutely no rush since her first hour teacher favored her, she ran into one of the many fangirls and decided to get the ball rolling.

"Ino!" she called over, waving her hand.

The platinum-blonde glanced over her shoulder, smiling when she spotted her pink-haired partner in crime. They had been rivals for quite sometime, that is until both realized that they were stronger together than they were apart. Of course, they both still wanted Sasuke for themselves, and would never be ok seeing the other with him instead, but that was not a worry at this point. So, for now they were friendly with each other. Sakura definitely led Sasuke's fangirl group but Ino was a close second, so they met often.

The blonde excused herself from her current conversation and walked over to her friend. As she got closer, she noticed the distress written all over her face and immediately felt a swirl of concern deep in her gut. "No" she said, eyes widening. "Don't tell me he's dating someone.."

Sakura shook her head. "Not that I know of, but we definitely have a problem."

Ino raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Sakura locked her gaze with Ino, her agitation palpable and already seeping into the the other girl's eyes.

"Naruto."

The blonde looked surprised. "But.. he's a guy."

"I know."

She realized what she was saying, and her concern doubled. "Shit. He can't be.. can he?"

"Obviously not. Naruto must be doing something- messing with his head or maybe tricking him into. Either way, we have to stop him."

Ino tilted her head, considering this. "Did you have something in mind?"

Sakura smiled. "Actually" she said, eyes shining with mischief, "I have a few."

Author Note:

"Cinnamon, you know what happens next.. don't you?"

Removes gloves, flexes angst-hooves*

"Ahh, my lovely angst horse. I knew I could count on you. Shall we?"

Mischievous horse-grin*

"Neigh."