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, explicit sexual content (yaoi), & angst.

Crazy About You

Chapter 2: The Raven

"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming.."

-Edgar Allan Poe

--

Kiba wandered off shortly after that and Naruto easily fell into the background once more, off the orderlies' radar. It didn't last long.

He knew it wouldn't.

Getting caught was always inevitable, but that just wasn't enough of a hindrance to keep him from doing it in the first place. It didn't matter how long it lasted, just as long as it happened.

When he skipped his meds, Naruto felt like he could finally breathe again. His mind filled with that familiar chaos he hated to be without, and he fully immersed himself in it. For as long as he could.

And the best way to do that was to slink off to the coziest corner he could find, tuck himself into it, and wait for the world to upend. Which is exactly what he did. Naruto watched the brunette skip over to a cart of art supplies, looked back down the now empty hall where the raven-haired stranger had been carried off, then turned to face the same chair that he has claimed everyday for the past year.

Naruto wasn't a fan of this place, he was sure that was pretty apparent by now, but it did make his chest feel lighter everytime he saw his safe space unoccupied and untouched. The armchair was old and frail- a frayed, hunched over thing with lumpy cushions and a footrest that only came up about halfway. It was probably a vibrant shade of orange in its youth, but that brilliance had faded and darkened over time. Naruto liked the color. One that was reminiscent of corrosive rust, of an aged dying forest. It was oddly nostalgic for him. Comforting, even.

How strange, he thought, that something with that particular color would be my one bit of sanctuary. That death's gnawing sienna would be the one place I'd go to reclaim life.

There was poetry in that, and Naruto quickly wrote it down before it managed to escape him.

Apart from occasionally rejecting his pills, writing was his one true pass time in the institution. It hadn't always been. Naruto had started journaling on a whim, looking for something to pass the time, and he's been doing so ever since. He found that it helped him cope with his newfound mental stability. It was the one place he could truly be his truest, darkest self, and he wholly embraced it.

He doubted that anyone else would find his scrawlings all that interesting, and he absolutely had no intention of sharing any of it, but it felt good to have it all the same. To have a place to tuck all of his unique thoughts into and know that it wouldn't fade to nothingness. That he didn't have to fully lose himself.

He had quite a few journals at this point, and never parted with his latest one. He reread it often, and everytime he did it felt new- like he was reading the private thoughts of a complete stranger. One he agreed with wholeheartedly. It made him feel less alone in this place, less alone in his head. The same way his illusions did, just with a little more control.

Knowing it's value, its importance, Naruto always made sure to have a pen on hand and he wrote in it often. Consistency wasn't something that he was typically great at, but it was strongly encouraged here and pretty thoroughly enforced. So the orderlies and psychiatrists never pried, never questioned his obsession. He supposed that was at least one good thing about living here.

Maybe the only one.

At least, until the raven-haired man showed up.

Naruto tucked his pen back into his spiral notebook and walked the rest of the way to his spot in the opposite corner of the room. He quickly took a seat, tucked the journal between the cushions for safe keeping, and pulled his legs up to join him. He wrapped his arms around his shins and did what he did best- he stared. And as he did, a new reality slowly began to unfurl.

It wasn't all at once, and honestly it wasn't all that disconcerting. At least, not at first.

Naruto never had any say in what appeared- what he heard or who manifested before him. Sadly, those things weren't in his control. He would have loved to conjure up towering spruce trees all around himself, his very own forest with thick patches of grass to bury his feet into and crows for his imagined friend to tame. There'd be paint dripping from wildflowers that would have been a dream come true for Kiba, and music that required no instrument, no musician- just something in the wind that filled the senses and soothed his soul.

Yes, Naruto would've loved to create his own reality, but unfortunately it just didn't work that way.

So instead of a beautiful serene forest, Naruto saw shadows. They danced against the walls, along the floor, pairing up like wisps of couples clinging to an echo of their past life. He was mesmerized by them, entranced. But his heart raced as they moved faster, panic setting in even before things took a turn for the worst. Like his body knew it would even before his mind did.

Naruto watched with growing fear as those shadows drew closer before merging into one, each pair finding the next, losing themselves in each other. Their forms twisted, elongated, and dark tendrils curled out from under them. They followed along the length of the floor, slowly moving closer to him, intent on closing the distance. On consuming him next.

Naruto held his breath, hoping to go unnoticed, knowing he wouldn't. Whispers filled his head, quiet at first but rising fast until a cacophony of angry voices shrieked in his mind. Their anger and pain jolted through him, making him tremble and he couldn't seem to stop.

Naruto buried his hands in his hair, gripping fistfuls of it, holding on for dear life as they screamed over and over. A fearsome roar cut through their cries as the beastly shadows closed in and Naruto's own screams joined them. He closed his eyes and threw his head back as his terror ripped through his chest and tore from his throat. The others forced out more of them; he couldn't stop.

He could feel hands grabbing him, pinning him down and he lashed out, fighting to get away. Naruto opened his eyes and found the shadows engulfing the orderlies, twisting their faces into inhuman masks without them knowing. Naruto shrank back from them, his screams lodging in the back of his throat, his overwhelming fear silencing him.

They shoved his head to the side, keeping him still, and his desperation broke through.

"Pl-please.."

Something shoved into his neck, invading his body. The shadows- they were being forced into him. Naruto fought harder, but he couldn't stop them. They were inside. Dark splotches took over his sight, blinding him. The shadows drowned his thoughts, pulled him deeper inside, and he was too weak to stop it.

"Don't let them take me" he gasped, his voice fading with the rest of him. "Please.. please don't.. let them..."

His eyes rolled back and he fell back into nothingness.

Just as the shadows intended.

--

Naruto woke up to the feel of unfamiliar hands on his body and immediately thought it was the shadows trying to find their way back inside. His eyes shot open fast. Orderlies hovered over him, their human faces back in place, only a hint of shadow beneath the surface. They were fastening thick leather straps to his wrists and ankles, binding him to a hospital cot. He could feel the starch sheet beneath him and cold hands above. Both made him flinch with discomfort.

"D-don't.." he choked.

The men ignored him as they tightened the straps. They straightened before him and turned to each other.

"That sedative wasn't strong enough" one murmured to the other. "I'll grab a syringe- you keep an eye on him."

"Sure thing."

One man stepped out of the room and another stayed behind. His eyes dropped to the blonde and Naruto noticed something inside them that fueled his fear. There was something.. off about that look, and he immediately knew he wasn't safe being alone with him. He couldn't remember ever seeing this person before and briefly wondered if he was really there. If this person that clearly meant him harm only existed in his head.

Naruto closed his eyes, hoping to force him out of existence, but they quickly shot back open when he felt the cot dip down beside him.

The stranger sat next to him, reached for him. Naruto tried to shrink away from his touch, but his restraints only let him go so far. A hand slipped beneath his shirt, pushing the material up, exposing his torso and the shadows swirling above. Naruto stared down at both of them, equally horrified.

"N-no.."

Those long fingers slid along the waistband of his sweatpants, slowly finding their way inside. "Wait.. wait, wait, wa-"

"Alright, I think this will do the trick."

The orderly hurriedly pulled his hand out of Naruto's pants and yanked his shirt back down. His expression changed from malice to disinterest, a lie, as he pushed Naruto's head to the side, exposing his neck. The other man didn't question any of it. He simply walked over, pushed the needle inside, and sedated his patient once more.

"H-help.." Naruto said weakly.

The orderly slowly pulled the syringe free and patted the blonde on the shoulder. "Don't worry kid, you'll feel better in no time."

No.. Naruto thought as another wave of darkness crashed over him. He looked over at the monster beside him and shuddered as he stared back.

I don't think I will.

--

Naruto was locked in his room, which was more like a prison cell than anything else, for three days after that. His punishment for not taking his meds and for upsetting the other patients with his manic outburst. They let him out for bathroom breaks but escorted him to and from and always kept a firm grip on his arm.

Naruto had not seen the other orderly so far, but he had a feeling his luck wouldn't last forever. He knew what that man wanted, and Naruto wasn't sure he'd be able to stop him.

He considered asking for help, reporting what had happened, but he doubted that anyone would believe him. And even if they did, would they actually side with him over one of their own? For all he knew the rest of them were just like that, but had found other patients to target instead. He wondered if Kiba had also been put through this.

If the raven-haired patient had faced it.

What would he say if he asked him? He had been so angry when Naruto stared at him, when he touched him. Would he help him?

Would he join in..?

The voices were gone, the hallucinations forced back to the far recesses of his mind, and Naruto felt more alone than ever. He wished he had someone to turn to, someone he could count on.

A friend.

The loneliness was closing in on him, swallowing him whole, and he silently pleaded for it to stop. For someone, anyone, to save him from this isolation.

He wished he hadn't.

When they came in to bring him food, that man stepped into his cell, and Naruto's panic got the best of him. He grabbed the fork beside his plate and lunged at him, the feeble plastic clenched tight in his fist. He would stab out those eyes that cut through him, that devoured him. A look he couldn't stomach.

Eyes he couldn't face for another second.

He managed to catch him off guard and knock him to the ground. The prongs were closing in fast, but the other orderly moved faster. He grabbed Naruto's wrist and wrenched it back with brute force.

Naruto gasped as the man pulled him away, as he forced his arms behind his back. He bucked against him, snarling, feral in his rage, but the hold on him refused to relent. The man he despised rose to his feet and a hint of a smile flickered in his eyes as he faced off against the savage blonde.

"Let's get him on the cot" he said with authority. "Looks like we'll have to sedate him again."

It didn't take much to force him on his back and tie him down, and once again Naruto was in the same position he was before. The other orderly suggested staying with him, but the man insisted he'd stand guard and finally the other took the hint and went off in search of a syringe.

"That was a nice try, Naruto" the man whispered, "but it wasn't enough."

He palmed the blonde's lap, eliciting a whimper in response. He seemed pleased by his reaction. But he clearly wanted more. A lot more. His hand slipped into his pants, under his boxers, and grabbed his length. Naruto froze, eyes wide and unblinking as he squeezed hard.

A cruel smile pulled at the man's face, making him seem far less human than Naruto's worst hallucinations. Naruto trembled as that sadistic grin drew closer, as the hand roughly jerked against him.

"You'll be mine soon enough."

--

Naruto jolted against his restraints as the lock on his door shifted with an audible click. He swallowed hard, willing his heart to stay in his chest as someone slipped into his room. He held his breath as the person turned the lock, sealing them both inside. Naruto wanted so badly for him to be a hallucination, for all of this to just stem from some demented part of his head, but the pills have been back in his system for days.

Everything about this was real.

Naruto opened his mouth, prepared to plead for mercy, struggling to find the right words to go in the right order, when he finally turned around to face him.

And it wasn't the man he had been expecting.

A million questions flooded his mind all at once, and he was paralyzed under the onslaught. When he did finally find his voice, he settled on a question that was far less important than the rest.

"How did you get in here..?"

The raven found his eyes and a smile pulled at his own. "I'd say you have bigger concerns" he said smoothly, taking a step forward. "Like, what am I going to do to you."

All the blood drained from Naruto's face. He watched the raven who wasn't an illusion move closer and despite his curiosity he couldn't help but try to pull back from him- from that dark smile and the sharp glint in his eyes. Naruto knew that look, and hallucination or not it had always terrified him.

For good reason.

The raven stepped over to his cot and Naruto pulled closer to the wall. The clink of his restraints brought Sasuke's attention to them and Naruto floundered for the right words, hoping to say something before his helplessness encouraged anything else.

"I-I'm sorry" he said weakly. "I really didn't know.."

Dark eyes shot up and narrowed on his pallid face. "Didn't know what?" he grated out.

"That you're real."

Sasuke stared at him, studying everything he could see and wondering over the things he couldn't. "And what made you so sure that I wasn't?"

Naruto felt uncomfortable admitting it, but it didn't look like he had a choice. The only way out of this was by being honest. He could, he would, but it was a hell of a lot easier to do when he wasn't in his right mind.

"Well, the most interesting ones never are."

"And what makes me so interesting."

"Your eyes" Naruto said automatically.

Something dark slid over the raven's features, warning Naruto to proceed with caution.

Sasuke's lips curled as he spoke, but there was no humor behind it. "Because my eyes are so cold and unfeeling. Yes, I've heard this one before."

Naruto shook his head. "No" he replied. "It's their.. depth, I think. I was curious to know what's inside."

Obsidian pools hardened. "There's nothing inside."

"I don't think that's true."

Sasuke stormed over, grabbed a fistful of the blonde's shirt and yanked him up, forcing their faces close. Naruto gasped as Sasuke's hold on him tested the restraints around his wrists, pulling him taut between the two of them.

"W-wait-"

"You want truth?" Sasuke snapped. "Here's some truth- it's your fault that I was locked in my fucking room for the last three days."

His lips pulled back, revealing sharp canines and his serrated wrath- one that promised pain.

"And I'm going to make sure you regret it."

Naruto tried to turn away from those dark vengeful eyes bearing down on him, but Sasuke grabbed his jaw fast and forced him back.

It was too late for him to look away now.

"Don't think you're getting out of this one. I have you right where I want you.

Naruto swallowed, mind scrambling to find something to say, a way to calm his fury. "You were mad before I touched you" he pointed out. "Why?"

"You were the one staring, asshole."

"I told you- I thought you weren't real."

"Sure."

"I'm schizophrenic!" Naruto shouted in his panic, seeing no way around it. "That's not- its not uncommon for me, ok? I didn't mean any offense by it."

The raven paused, seemingly taken aback by the admission. "You're on meds."

"Only when I take them."

Sasuke arched a brow. "Aren't you the devious one.."

"Not everyone wants to be here" he said quietly.

"And you think I do?"

"I don't know. Like I said, I just found out that you're real."

Sasuke leaned closer, his hair teasing the blonde's face. "And what if I decide to punish you anyways?"

Cerulean eyes widened, but the rest of his expression remained flat- his emotions trapped somewhere inside.

"I can't stop you."

"No, you can't."

"But I.. I don't want you to hurt me."

Something tightened in Sasuke's gut, something akin to guilt. He didn't like it, but it did affect him nonetheless.

His hold on the blonde loosened and he simply watched as he slipped from his grasp and dropped back onto the cot. Naruto winced, shutting his eyes long enough to break their trance on the raven. Sasuke slid his gaze lower, shifting to the scars.

"Did someone do those to you?" he said quietly. "Or did you do them to yourself?"

Naruto's brows furrowed. He slowly opened his eyes, but kept them downcast, avoiding the raven's penetrating stare and all the things he didn't want to see inside.

"Does it matter?" he murmured.

Sasuke glared at him, irritated that he kept those eyes hidden- that he refused to look at him, to answer him. He wouldn't tolerate that from anyone.

The blonde was no exception.

Sasuke grabbed his jaw hard and jerked his head up, forcing their eyes to meet. He saw fear in those cerulean pools and pushed down the fresh guilt it elicited.

"Answer me" he growled. "Who was it that cut your face like that- you or someone else?"

Naruto gave him a pained look. "Both."

Sasuke sat back, his hand slipping from his face. He didn't know what to say to that so he said nothing, but that didn't keep him from wondering about it. He wanted to know what he meant, but he wasn't willing to push further. He didn't want him to think that he cared. In fact, he didn't want to care at all.

Sasuke dragged his fingers through his hair, forcing back long ebony strands and swirling thoughts. He sighed then glanced back down at the bound blonde before him. "I don't even know your name.." he muttered.

"It's Naruto."

"I never said I wanted to know it."

Naruto dropped his gaze, and Sasuke took the moment of reprieve to study his face. "I didn't expect to see you like this" he said slowly.

His eyes slipped lower, finding their way to the cot Naruto was forced down on, the straps cinched tight around his wrists and ankles. On closer inspection he could see deep bruises circling beneath each band. Like Naruto had fought like hell to be free of them.

His eyes narrowed.

"How long have you been like this?"

"Schizophrenic? Or locked up in an asylum?"

A vein in Sasuke's jaw clicked. "I meant how long have you been restrained to this cot?"

Those blue eyes shot up and landed on his furrowed brows, his inky-black stare, the tightness around his mouth as he clenched his jaw, but he didn't speak. How could he? Naruto had never seen that kind of concern- from anyone. It was so foreign to him he barely recognized it.

"Answer me" Sasuke growled, irritated that he had to keep demanding for him to do so every time he asked a question.

"I.. don't know" Naruto admitted. "A while, I guess."

"You guess."

"Well, they didn't exactly leave a clock."

Sasuke looked less than amused.

The more the raven thought about all of this the more pissed off he became. And while it didn't take much to send the Uchiha into a downward spiral, he felt like he could justify it this time. Those bruises- they spoke volumes. Something wasn't right here, and he intended on finding out what.

"Why would they leave you like this?"

"I tried to stab someone's eyes out" Naruto replied, choosing to be honest and to finally answer his questions without further prompting.

Sasuke arched a brow. "With what?"

"A fork."

"What made you decide to do that?" Sasuke asked.

"You don't seem surprised" Naruto said instead, avoiding the subject.

"Aren't schizophrenics usually violent?"

Naruto glared at him, annoyed by the assumption. "Then what's your excuse?"

Sasuke looked amused by his sudden fire. And more than that, he seemed to approve of it. "Is there a reason you're avoiding telling me?"

Naruto's unabashed, unblinking stare made a full return- a habit he has never been able to shake. Sasuke's heart hammered violently against his chest in response but he couldn't exactly explain why. Something about it just..

It got to him.

He wasn't sure how to put it into words, but it came with a rush of new feelings- emotions he wasn't sure he was ready to face.

"Yes" Naruto finally replied.

Sasuke gave him a curious look. "Are you going to tell me that reason?"

"I'm not sure."

"Why's that?"

Naruto gnawed at his lip, and now Sasuke was the one who couldn't look away. He found himself unconsciously licking his own as Naruto's teeth worried at his bottom lip. When he realized what he was doing he quickly pulled his tongue back inside and looked away.

"I don't think you'd care" Naruto said, his voice low, dejected, drawing the raven back to him.

"You're right" Sasuke said, his voice sharper than he meant for it to be. "I don't care. About anything."

"I would tell you if you weren't real.." Naruto said almost wistfully.

"Is that so.."

The blonde nodded, his eyes still locked on the person who wasn't a hallucination, and yet still felt far from real.

"And why's that?" Sasuke pressed.

"They listen."

The raven grated his teeth together, eyes flashing. "And what am I doing right now?" he snapped.

"You came in here to hurt me" Naruto pointed out.

"And your illusions never want to hurt you?"

Naruto couldn't deny that he had a point. "But they.."

"They what?"

"They always come back."

"And that's a good thing?"

Naruto's brows furrowed over his never-ending stare, pain flickering in their depths. "Sometimes."

Sasuke felt his anger slip to the wayside, which was a pretty rare occurrence for him. Without a word he carefully unbuckled the straps around Naruto's wrists and ankles, freeing him from the cot he never should have been tied down to in the first place. One he was clearly desperate to escape.

He watched Naruto slowly sit up, rubbing circulation back into his hands, wincing as he pressed down on the deep purple splotches marring his wrists.

"You were afraid of something" Sasuke said, another thought he hadn't meant to say out loud.

"Yes."

It still surprised Sasuke how honest Naruto was, how utterly unfiltered his replies were. If he asked the right questions he was sure he really would tell him everything. What a wonderful, dangerous thing to be. He decided to push those boundaries, to test that theory even further.

"Of someone."

Sasuke could have almost sworn that he saw tears but Naruto must have blinked them away before he could get a better look. It already answered his question, but the truthful blonde once again forced down his walls and answered him.

"Yes."

"You know what, Naruto."

The blonde tilted his head, his focus still wholly on the raven perched on his bed. He looked so hopeful, so innocent, and it clawed at Sasuke like nothing else ever had. His eyes hardened, and with it his newfound resolve.

"I think I just found a new target."

"Instead of me" Naruto said, filling in the gaps.

Something dangerous flitted across those dark pools, a flash of malice. Naruto was relieved to not be on the receiving end of it.

"I think it's about time I got my hands on a fork."

Author Note:

I love angst.

God, I just fucking LOVE it.

It trots around in my brain constantly, and I have no interest in fighting it. Probably something that I should be concerned about, but in place of therapy or any amount of self-reflection I have chosen to blame an imaginary being in my place. That's right people, I'm talking about Cinnamon the Angst Horse.

Some of you know him well from my other stories and either thoroughly enjoy his presence or fear the crap out of it. And a dark cruel part of me hopes it's the latter. I adore all of you lovely readers, I do, but darlings let's be honest- I was always going to torment you. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it.

"Cinnamon, dearest. I think it's time for chapter 3, don't you?"

angst neigh*

"That's my good boy."