Disclaimers: Naruto is not mine, sadly. This is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, sexual assault, torture, sexual content (yaoi), & angst.

It's All In Your Head

Chapter 72: Doubt

--

Sasuke placed a hand on his blonde's shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. He saw the fear- in the way his body stiffened, in the slight trembling of his hands, the furrow of his brow. He hated to see it, but he understood. Naruto had been through too much, and it showed. Now more than ever.

It was clear that he didn't want to doubt Kakashi, but it was difficult not to when he was thrown back into something far too reminiscent of his past.

One that I just got done throwing back in his face.

Naruto flinched, but refused to share his thoughts. And while a part of Sasuke was relieved that he didn't have to hear it, on some level the silence was far worse.

"You can't make us stay here.." Naruto breathed, trying to sound stronger than he felt. Trying to remind himself that this was Kakashi- not Itachi. He was safe with him. Even if another Uchiha who had hurt him stood by his side. Even in a hideout nearly identical to the one he had been kept prisoner in. Even though he was keeping him here against his will. He was safe..

Right?

"You and I lived together for a long time, Naruto" Kakashi said quietly, seeming to read the very thoughts that plagued him. "You know you have no reason to fear it."

Naruto shook his head. "That was different. You were helping me. But this-"

"That's exactly what I'm doing now."

Sasuke shot him an incredulous look. "Really? And how is forcing him to stay here with you 'helping him'?"

"Both of you are staying" Kakashi reminded the raven. "And Sasuke- I would have thought you of all people would know how dangerous the Leaf is for Naruto."

Obsidian eyes narrowed, but he didn't get a chance to respond before Kakashi's attention shifted over to the blonde once more. "Naruto, those people.. they don't deserve you. After everything they've done to you- do you really think you should stay in Konoha?"

Pain flashed in his eyes, and it immediately pissed his boyfriend off.

"That's not for you to decide!" Sasuke snapped.

"Then who, Sasuke? You? We both know they will use any tactic to bind his hands." His eyes found wide blues once more. "Naruto, I know you feel like you're turning your back on them, but it isn't a good idea for you to stay there. Especially with me gone."

Naruto swallowed hard and stumbled back- away from Sasuke's protection and Kakashi's insistence, away from the silent threat watching close by and the table and teacups that normalized it all. This was all just.. too much. He felt cornered, trapped- like everything from his past had started all over again.

And he couldn't do it twice.

Kakashi could see it in his eyes- the desperate need to get away, to run, and he couldn't let that happen. Or rather, he couldn't let him try.

"Naruto, listen to me. You know how they treated you when Sasuke left."

The blonde jerked back, horrified that he would bring that up. Why is he doing this? Why-

"They are going to get comfortable, just like before, and-"

"It's not the same."

All eyes locked onto the raven as he made his way over to his blonde- who seemed both reluctant and relieved to have him step in.

"Naruto isn't the same person he was back then. He knows how to stand up for himself, and he's not alone." Sasuke reached out and gently took his hand, waiting for the inevitable rejection and pleasantly surprised when it didn't appear.

"We don't need to run from this" Sasuke continued. His eyes hardened as they narrowed in on their sensei. "So why are you really keeping us here?" he asked, not bothering to hide the accusation in his voice. "Is it for him? Or is it for you?"

Naruto's head shot up at that. He was feeling embarrassed and found himself retreating further from it all, but the idea that Kakashi was trying to trap him here for his own benefit- that was enough to draw him back in. It was.. shocking, to say the least.

Even more so since he had yet to deny it.

"Kakashi..?"

The silver fox vehemently shook his head. "No. That's not- that's not what this is."

Sasuke arched a brow, his disbelief apparent. "Really."

"I know you both might not understand, and I'm sure it's hard to believe, but Naruto shouldn't go back."

"Because you're not there" Sasuke said snidely.

Kakashi took a step towards them, his frustration growing stronger and driving him forward. "You don't know what it was like when you left, Sasuke. How much he suffered. How much I protected him from. They're not going to stop. They never did before."

Mismatched eyes slid back to the blonde. "You already know that, Naruto."

Naruto roughly dragged his fingers through his hair, disheveling locks as tangled as his thoughts. "I have to figure these things out for myself, Kakashi. This.. this isn't right."

His eyes dropped to the floor.

"After everything that happened with Itachi, you have to know why this would bother me.."

Obito took a hesitant step towards the trio. He knew it wasn't his place to speak on this, but the look on his boyfriend's face- he just couldn't ignore it. "Kakashi cares about you, Naruto" he said. "He just wants you to be ok."

"By putting me in a cage?" he snapped. "And I'm supposed to trust anything you say?"

Obito drew back. He wasn't surprised by the hostility, but it didn't feel great to be on the other end of it.

Kakashi sighed and went back to his brunette. He gently ran his fingers through his hair, hoping to ease his tension, before returning to the table. He kept his back turned as he collected their mostly untouched cups, busying himself to avoid the hurt in Naruro's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I still think this is the best call. And I have to go with my gut on this."

"You're the one who taught me how to break through barriers" Naruto pointed out. "What makes you think you can keep me here?"

"You can try if you want" Kakashi said quietly. "But I have spent enough time with both of you to know your strengths.. and your weaknesses."

The thought sickened Naruto, and he could sense that Sasuke felt the same way.

"I can't believe you would do this to me" he murmured.

Then he turned on his heel and stormed across the room and out the door, ready to test that theory. If nothing else, he needed to get away from Kakashi. Because right now he couldn't stand to even look at him.

Kurama?

I'll try, kid. But..

I know.

Naruto was too distracted to block his thoughts, but Sasuke didn't comment on it. He just joined him in the clearing and stayed by his side as they approached the barrier. He activated his sharingan and studied the massive structure, looking for a weak point, but he had yet to find one. He glanced over and watched the Nine Tails' chakra consume his blonde, reddening his eyes and tearing at his flesh. Naruto bit back a feral scream as he launched an attack.

Then another.

And another.

Failing every single time.

After enough failed attempts Kyuubi's chakra faded along with Naruro's energy and the two were once again left utterly confounded as they stared into the distorted space around them.

How is this possible? Naruto thought.

He has Obito, Sasuke answered. If anyone knows how to contain Nine Tails chakra, it's probably him.

Naruto hadn't even thought of that, but it made sense. And as the thought echoed through him, his alarm doubled. Kakashi really is going to force us to stay here..

It doesn't make sense, Sasuke thought back. This isn't like him.

Naruto looked over at the raven, surprised to hear his exact thought repeated back to him. "It makes me feel like I don't really know him at all.."

Sasuke shook his head. "That's not true. Something changed, Naruto." I don't know why he's suddenly like this, but there has to be a reason. We just have to figure out what it is. That's the only way we're going to get out of this.

Naruto chewed at his bottom lip, concern flashing in his eyes. But how long is that going to take..?

Sasuke's chest tightened. I don't know, he admitted.

I don't want to be here, his blonde thought sadly.

I know.

Naruto surprised him once more by grabbing his hand and interlocking their fingers in a fierce grip. His hand was cold, and Sasuke was eager to warm it- to bring back some of the life that seemed to have drained away from him.

I'm still mad at you, his blonde thought stubbornly, but I.. I need you.

I'm here, Sasuke replied. I'm an asshole, but I'm here.

Naruto offered a strained smile.

"Better than nothing."

--

Eventually the two had to admit defeat, as difficult as that was. With shadowed eyes and weighted hearts, they slowly made their way back to the house, feeling listless and uncomfortable. Neither were thrilled by the prospect of going back inside, but they knew that they had little choice in the matter.

When they stepped over the threshold they shared a sigh of relief. Kakashi and Obito had retreated to their room, and they didn't come back out at the sound of their return.

A small win, but a win nevertheless.

Neither had the energy nor the patience to face them. Dawn was already creeping into the dark, setting it aflame and spotlighting their long sleepless night. A heaviness dropped over them, exhaustion settling deep in their marrows.

Hand in hand the two dragged their feet down the hall and into the bathroom. They lazily freshened up, doing a half-ass job of it but too tired to care, then made their way to the open door at the far end of the hall. It led to a bedroom- small, unused, and windowless. Typically that would bother them, but right now they welcomed the lack of light.

Naruto shed out of most of his clothes and crawled into bed as Sasuke locked the door and quickly did the same. They collapsed side by side, their eyes fluttering closed and breathing growing steady faster than expected.

Sweet dreams, Naru.

A simple habit, but it stuck more after the horrific nightmares his blonde had the last time he had slept. Naruto tried not to think about the weight of his words as he echoed the thought back to him.

On second thought, let's just not dream at all.

Sasuke smiled.

No dreams, Naru.

He could sense his blonde falling deeper, but he shared one final thought before oblivion completely consumed him.

No dreams, 'ske.