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 10: Birds of a Feather
"We are but wayward leaves, scattered to the air by an indifferent wind."
- Over the Garden Wall
--
https/drive./uc?id=1rK1ZCdoKdzD6kSIPzunzFUmjS49Y2y8g
This gorgeous work of art was drawn by the wonderfully talented Mia, also known on here as nyarutoo.
I have never had anyone create fanart for one of my stories before and I am still in awe. Thank you, Mia- it's beautiful and I am truly honored.
You lovely readers will soon find that Mia's artwork goes perfectly with this chapter. Sasuke and Naruto will be returning to their favorite chair, a very special journal in hand.
And now that I have you sufficiently curious… shall we continue?
--
Kakashi glanced down, smoothed a wrinkle from his black button up, and reached back to adjust his collar. He left his sleeves rolled partially up his forearms, knowing how much Iruka enjoyed the sight- especially when he gave them a good flex. Kakashi noticed his wandering eye quite some time ago, and still got a kick out of how oblivious Iruka was when he did the same thing back. You would think that someone with that face, that lean tight body, would be a bit more aware of how alluring he was, but his little brunette didn't seem to see any of it.
Not to worry, Kakashi thought. I'll be showing Iru-darling a lot of things tonight.
Feeling confident, cocky even, Kakashi bounded up the front steps and gave the door a gentle knock. He could hear approaching footsteps on the other side and used the time he had left to tousle his hair a bit, knowing it would entice his little brunette even more. At the sound of the lock clicking he dropped his hand and as the door opened, Kakashi offered his most dazzling smile.
One look and Iruka all but melted into a simpering starry-eyed puddle across the threshold.
Christ. If the mere sight of the guy was enough to make him completely lose his composure, how the hell was he ever going to get through a date?
"Hi.." Iruka breathed, his brain and tongue still struggling to find something worth saying.
Kakashi took a step towards him and Iruka was just as tempted to fall into his arms as he was to stumble away from him. In the end he chose to stay frozen in place, waiting to see what he would do next instead.
Kakashi didn't appear to be bothered by his apprehension in the slightest. Rather, he seemed unusually comfortable with him. The unabashed silver fox simply stepped inside, wrapped an arm around Iruka's waist, and pulled him in for a light kiss. It was gentle, but still managed to slam through Iruka with exceptional force, leaving his knees weak and his pulse erratic.
Kakashi pulled back and met his eyes sooner than Iruka would have liked, his hand still lingering at his hip.
"Hi" he answered back, his voice just as soft as his touch.
"Wow.."
Kakashi grinned and Iruka's face reddened.
"No, I mean, umm.. are we.. going, uhh, somewhere?"
Iruka's flush deepened as he stumbled all over his words like a damned fool. He silently chided himself for being so awkward and hoped it would wear off as the night continued.
"Well, that depends."
Iruka raised a brow. "On?"
"Two things, really." Kakashi's fingers moved across his waist, his touch hot as he kneaded against him suggestively. "Whether you want to start with dessert" he murmured. "And just how long you can wait to have it."
Iruka's lips parted, his breath caught, and Kakashi was suddenly tempted to make the decision for him.
"Do you.. want an honest answer?" his soon-to-be uke finally managed to ask.
Kakashi slid a hand behind Iruka's neck, his long fingers teasing his hair. "Of course."
"I think dinner can wait."
Desire bloomed in those dark eyes and despite its incredible heat, Iruka shivered under that stare.
"You know, I couldn't agree more."
Kakashi's grip on his waist tightened as he dragged him closer, one final question on the tip of his tongue before he put the thing to far better use.
"My place or yours?"
--
"It's Gaara, right?"
"I don't recall telling you my name, Kiba."
The brunette shrugged. "I heard the orderlies talking about you."
"And you just couldn't help yourself, could you."
"I guess not."
Gaara gave the brunette an amused look, which Kiba chose to ignore. It only made him want to antagonize him more.
Gaara draped an arm around his shoulders and steered him away from others. "No need to be shy, Kiba. You can just admit that you were thinking about me."
"Is that what you think?"
Gaara was surprised by Kiba's answer, his confidence, and his own faltered for a moment. He was quick to collect himself, however, and chose to assume that the brunette failed to notice.
"I think you're enjoying my attention."
Kiba pushed his arm off his shoulder and took a step back. "You don't know me, Gaara."
Once again, he was taken aback by him and had to move fast to recover. "A few days just isn't enough for you, is it? Then, how about you let me get to know you a little better, hm?"
Gaara stepped close and slowly ran his hand up the brunette's thigh, making his intentions clear. "Wanna see how far we can go before they make me stop?"
The brunette took a quick step back, hitting the wall behind him. "Stop" he breathed, just as surprised by the wall's presence as he was the redhead's brazenness.
Gaara grinned. Now this he was familiar with.
"Sorry, doesn't count unless you're one of them."
Gaara nodded his head towards a group of white-clad orderlies that were currently preoccupied talking down several heightened patients. He slid a hand up to Kiba's hip and dug his fingers into it with bruising force, adrenaline humming under his skin, making him jittery with excitement. He couldn't believe how much he was getting away with here. How little the orderlies had seen so far.
"How many fingers do you think I can get inside of you before they notice?"
Kiba gave him a sad look, which was not the one he had expected to find. And absolutely not what he wanted. Gaara's eyes hardened, but he forced his voice to stay casual, his smile devilish and playful despite the two cold pits above.
"If you were going to say three, I'm gonna be honest- I think I could do more."
"Do you push people away on purpose?"
Gaara's grip on the brunette slackened in his surprise and his arm fell back to his side as the words traveled through him, as they left their mark.
"What..?"
"Do you really want to do those things with me" Kiba pressed, "or are you just trying to scare me off before you get too close?"
Gaara stared at him, suddenly at a loss for words.
"I see" Kiba said quietly. "So, it's both. Then maybe I'll give you a taste of both."
While Gaara's brain was still struggling to catch up Kiba leaned in, quickly checked that they weren't being watched, and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. And then, just as quickly, he walked away.
Reality finally kicked in, but by then it didn't matter. Kiba had already told an orderly that he had made another patient uncomfortable and asked to be put in his room so he could 'reflect on his actions'- leaving him completely out of reach. And Gaara was left even more stunned than he was before.
He had never seen anything like it.
This particular toy of his was proving to be far more unpredictable than most. Gaara had expected those wide innocent eyes of his to belong to someone who would be easy to intimidate, to manipulate, but this one definitely didn't make things that simple. Kiba was attractive in a way that stood out from most, naïve enough to keep Gaara interested, but he was also one to push back and call him on his bullshit. And Gaara was surprised to find that he actually didn't hate it.
Usually when his little companions pushed back hard enough, he'd either lose interest, his temper, or both. He'd lash out, lose them one way or another, then move onto a new challenge without a second thought. But for some reason it was different with Kiba. Gaara had never been so drawn to someone like this before, and he couldn't make up his mind on how he wanted to handle it.
Part of him just wanted to bend him over and claim him without abandon, to taste every inch of him and watch his eyes roll in ecstasy and forget about everything else. Another part of him simply wanted to tear him apart- slowly, cruelly, until there was nothing left but fear and resentment.
Gaara wanted to earn his affection just as badly as he wanted to inspire his hate, and yet neither seemed completely feasible. He knew he had managed to make Kiba anxious, that he was nervous when he invaded his space, and yet he didn't avoid him. Kiba didn't run when he approached, but he never came to him on his own accord either. He tried to move past him when he cornered him, but eventually backed down and just talked to him when he couldn't escape.
Was he just placating him, trying to keep it seem casual to avoid harm? Or was the guy truly unbothered by his presence once he accepted that he wasn't going anywhere?
And why was Gaara so fucking hellbent on figuring him out? The blonde from before- with his secrets and that feral boyfriend- they were entertainment. That's what he was really after. A way to pass the time, to keep himself sufficiently amused and everyone else at arm's reach. That was what he wanted. But those two were still locked up in isolation and Gaara had no choice but to settle for this new toy instead.
Kiba was nothing but a quick fix to a temporary problem. One that would be replaced just as quickly. He meant nothing to him. Just a means to an end.
That's definitely all this was.
As soon as Blondie and the raven-haired bastard were back out in the open, Kiba would fall to the wayside. He would have served his purpose and wouldn't need to do so again until those two were inevitably locked up once more. This infatuation that Gaara felt, the desperation that made him want to cling to Kiba and refuse to let him out of his sight- it was temporary. He wanted to taunt him, to break everything that mattered to him, because that's what he always did.
Everything with Kiba was the same as it's always been with everyone before him, and with all of the ones that would come after.
…Right?
Gaara had almost had himself half-convinced of that truth- the one he's always known, always clung to- but it slipped when he saw Kiba again. Just as it had everytime he's tried to talk down his feelings for the last three days.
Gaara couldn't figure it out, but somehow that little brunette had found a way to tear his sense of self to fucking shreds.
And what was even more bewildering-
he didn't want him to stop.
So despite the whirlwind of emotions tangling his insides and clawing their way through him, Gaara made his way straight for Kiba that morning- the same as he had every morning. The brunette no longer seemed surprised by this, and he didn't need to look up to know who was so eagerly approaching. So this time he didn't. Kiba continued to ponder his canvas, a brush in hand and a smear of red paint across his cheek. Gaara eyed it, wondering if it was on purpose or just a bizarre coincidence that he always managed to get the same color on his face, before turning his focus back to the rest of him. He gave his best impish smile and raised a hand to finger the ends of his shaggy auburn hair.
"Fancy finding you here.."
Cinnamon eyes, flat and utterly unimpressed, slid his way. Kiba eyed him briefly before shifting his attention back to his art.
"How about doing something constructive for a change, hm?"
Gaara blinked, surprised by the mouthy brunette yet again. But he wouldn't let him have the last word- not this time. "Did you have something in mind?" he said suggestively.
Kiba either didn't hear it or didn't care to acknowledge it. Either way it irritated him. Gaara was about to make those feelings clear when the brunette finally spoke.
"Do you like art?"
"Life drawing" Gaara replied smoothly. He stepped close, forcing the brunette to look at him again. Just as he had hoped. Gaara shifted closer and this time Kiba matched his progress with one quick step back.
Much better.
Gaara closed in, easily backing him into a corner. Before Kiba could do anything to stop him, Gaara took hold of his wrist and shoved it to the side, keeping his paintbrush away as he slipped his fingers along the waistband of his sweats. The brunette trembled under his touch, and Gaara's smile widened.
"How about we take these off. You can model for me."
"Are you like this with everyone?" Kiba said quietly.
"And if I said yes?"
Kiba pulled his wandering hand away, but Gaara had yet to free his wrist. He glanced at it briefly before returning his gaze back to those cold jade eyes.
"I'd ask why I never see it."
Gaara's grip on him tightened as a rush of anger slammed through him. "You think you're special?" he growled.
"Not at all."
"Good."
Gaara said it with a sneer, but it curdled the second the word fell from his lips. He didn't mean it, couldn't even stand the feel of the word in his mouth, and Kiba knew it. He didn't know how, but it was clear that he did.
"What the hell is it going to take for you to hate me?" Gaara muttered, a thought he immediately wished he had kept to himself.
Kiba raised a brow. "Is it easier for you that way, Gaara?"
Gaara's fist flew before he had time to think about what he was doing. Those words, that truth, it twisted his gut, his mind, and he couldn't stand it. He punched Kiba across the face, hard, and watched as he crumpled to the ground.
Usually it would leave him with a sense of victory, at least some semblance of satisfaction, but this time he only felt regret. It left a bitter taste on his tongue and made his chest ache. He wanted to take it back, to fix what he had undoubtedly broken, but he couldn't undo what was already done.
It was the first time in ten years that he wished he could.
He knelt beside the brunette, watching him struggle to sit up. "Kiba, I-"
Gaara wasn't sure if he would have apologized to him or not. It wasn't something he was accustomed to doing, but it had felt like something he may have done if he hadn't been tackled to the ground at that exact moment. He struggled to look up at him, trying to find those dark eyes as the orderlies manhandled and restrained him, but Kiba went out of his way to avoid seeing him. Gaara called out to him, refusing to give up, but Kiba wouldn't respond.
As the orderlies pulled him out of the room, Gaara couldn't stop wondering why it hurt so bad to see him turn away.
--
Both Naruto and Sasuke were forced to stay in their rooms for four days after the latest incident. Sasuke probably would have been locked away longer if it weren't for the swooning nurses and his deceiving flirtation.
Truthfully he was relieved that he didn't have to act on it- he wasn't sure that he could. Sasuke usually wasn't above feeling up a few dresses for favors, tasting a few clueless lips as he swindled his way out of trouble, but things were different now. His sights were set on one person and one person only, and while he wasn't usually the loyal type, this time was different.
Naruto had already guessed that that was what Sasuke was up to, but he still didn't understand how he managed to get away with so much because of it. Nevertheless, he was grateful for it. He wasn't sure that he was ready to face that new guy again without him, and was relieved that he wouldn't have to. Initially, that is.
The more he thought about it though, the more he wondered if it was the better choice. Naruto didn't know how much the redhead knew about him, how much of his journal he managed to read before he showed up. How much would he reveal to Sasuke? What if he said something to him the next time they came face to face?
Having his own past shoved in his face was already horrifying enough, but at least it was nothing he didn't already know. Naruto couldn't stand the thought of Sasuke finding out things about him like that. Especially the kind of things he kept in his journals.
Maybe I should be doing this alone.
But that chance disappeared the morning he was escorted back into the community room. Because as soon as he stepped into it, Sasuke was already rushing to his side. Luckily, the redhead he dreaded seeing again was nowhere in sight, so his worries dwindled. There was always a chance that he would come in later, but at least for now he was safe. And his secrets left unexposed.
Naruto let Sasuke take hold of his hand, which the orderlies continued to let him get away with for some reason, and pull him over to their chair. The raven made a detour along the way to grab a notebook and pen without commenting on either, before settling in his spot and pulling his blonde down with him.
Naruto eyed the supplies in his hands momentarily before finding his eyes, his wide almost expressionless gaze locked in place. Sasuke smiled at the familiar look, that unblinking stare that initially drew him towards the blonde in a fit of rage and somewhere along the way became a source of his unending infatuation.
"Why did you.." Naruto let the fractured question hover between them, knowing he didn't need to bother finishing it.
Sasuke handed the notebook and pen over. "For you."
Naruto gave him a curious look. "I already have a journal" he pointed out.
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
"Then why..?"
"This one's different."
"Because it's blank?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Christ, Naruto. No- it's different because this is one you can share with me."
When Naruto still looked hopelessly confused, Sasuke decided to clarify further- though admittedly his patience was fading pretty fast.
"You don't want anyone reading your other ones, right?"
"Right."
"So, I won't" Sasuke said simply. "But that doesn't mean I want you to keep everything from me. I figure this journal could be ours. One that you're willing to let me read."
Those cerulean pools grew, understanding flickering in their depths. "I.. I've never done that before."
The raven gave him a crooked grin, one that made his heart skip a beat.
"We'll have a lot of firsts together, Naruto. I thought you knew that by now."
The blonde blushed, which Sasuke thoroughly enjoyed.
"So.. is that a yes?"
Naruto tilted his head. "A yes to what?"
The raven grated his teeth together, barely able to contain the countless angry things he was tempted to spew all over him. "Naruto. Will you write in this fucking journal with me."
Ok, fine. It didn't come out exactly as he had planned, but in his defense he could only handle repeating himself so many times. As far as Sasuke was concerned, that was a pretty tame reaction to it. And Naruto didn't seem too bothered by his short response, so he decided not to worry about it.
"Yes. I'll use the journal" he finally agreed. "But.. I'm not sure what to put in it."
"Well, when you can't find the right words to say, you can just write them down" Sasuke said, knowing that it was a constant issue for the blonde. "And you know.. maybe you can start sharing some things about yourself."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. Your past?"
Naruto flinched.
"Your family?"
His face paled.
"What kind of illusions you've seen..?"
Naruto looked like he was going to be physically sick.
"Ok, why don't we start simple."
Sasuke took the pen from his horrified blonde, and the notebook, and opened to the second page, choosing to leave the first one blank.
Just in case.
He drew a line down the center of the page and wrote his name on one side, and Naruto's on the other. He saw his blonde give him another curious look, but he didn't ask yet and Sasuke didn't explain. Instead, he added a title across the top then handed the notebook back to Naruto. The blonde had a difficult time tearing his gaze away from Sasuke, as he always did, but he managed to force himself to look down and read what he wrote.
Favorites.
"Favorite what?"
"Exactly. That's what we'll start with."
Naruto's stare returned and Sasuke took the notebook back.
"Hmm.. let's start simple. How about… favorite food."
He wrote 'food' on each side of the divide and handed it back to Naruto.
"Write your answer on your side, and I'll write my answer on mine."
For some reason Naruto continued to look confused and Sasuke was already regretting starting this.
"Can you try not making this difficult?"
"I just don't understand why you care what my favorite food is."
Sasuke sighed, his exasperation palpable. "Stop trying to understand and just answer the damn question."
Naruto thought for a moment before scrawling something down, then returned the notebook. Sasuke glanced at his answer and raised a brow.
"Ramen? Your favorite food is ramen."
"Is that bad?"
"Isn't that just what they give like everyday here?"
Naruto shrugged. "Isn't that kind of the point? We get to have it every day."
"Opposed to?"
"Not having food every day."
Sasuke paused at that and something heavy settled in his chest. He eyed that sweet honest face, the scars he had yet to explain, and suddenly wanted to know everything there was to know about him.
"Naruto.. did you not have food everyday before you lived here?"
The blonde tilted his head, genuinely puzzled by the question. "Did you?"
"Yes" Sasuke said automatically, like the answer should be incredibly obvious. Like it shouldn't even be a question. "I did. And you should have too."
"I guess that's true.."
"But you didn't" Sasuke went on, knowing Naruto would answer honestly.
"No."
Sasuke dropped his eyes to the notebook once more. Suddenly this game wasn't as fun as he thought it'd be.
But at least I'm getting some answers, right?
"Aren't you supposed to write yours too?"
Sasuke sighed, wrote his answer and handed it back. Naruto read it and a hint of a smile flickered on his face, easing some of the tension that had found its way between them.
"Tomatoes?"
"What's wrong with tomatoes?"
Naruto shrugged. "Nothing, I guess. They just aren't very exciting."
"And ramen is?"
"It's filling. You would need a lot of tomatoes to feel full."
Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't think you understand how favorite things work."
Naruto didn't respond, and for once Sasuke was actually relieved by his silence. He decided it was best to move on to another category, which hopefully would be a little more painless than the last.
"Ok, how about favorite animal."
Naruto grabbed the pen immediately and jotted his answer without hesitation.
"Well that was fast. What'd you put?" Sasuke took the journal and looked down. "A fox." His eyes lifted to his blonde and he couldn't help but smile. "Seems fitting."
"What's yours?"
"Crow" Sasuke said as he wrote it down.
"I know someone who controls them" Naruto blurted out without thinking. "Funny.. you kind of look like him too."
Sasuke gave him a bewildered look and Naruto quickly realized his mistake. He tried to figure out how to take it back, how to change what he said, but it was too late. Sasuke had locked onto it, and he wasn't letting it go that easily.
"Someone who controls them."
"No, I mean.. I just meant-"
Those dark eyes widened. "An illusion."
Naruto's mouth snapped shut which made Sasuke all the more curious.
"Why are you so afraid to talk about them?"
"I'm not afraid."
"Then why won't you tell me?" Sasuke pressed.
"I don't want you to realize how crazy I am."
"I know why you're in here, Naruto. I know you hallucinate. Did you seriously forget how we met? You thought I was one of your illusions."
Naruto bit his lip. "I know."
Sasuke studied his face for a moment, trying to read what was always so perfectly hidden. "You can trust me with this, Naruto."
"… I know."
"But you won't."
Sasuke didn't realize how much that bothered him until he said it out loud. But once he put voice to it, he couldn't shake that feeling. Like fuel to an ever-present flame, it ignited the rage inside of him, and Sasuke couldn't hide it. He shot to his feet, the notebook clenched tight in his fist, eyes burning as he glared at his silent watchful blonde.
"You see me at my worst every fucking day" he snapped. "But you won't let me see this side of you? Why the fuck do you feel the need to hide from me?!"
Naruto wanted to respond, but he didn't know how. He could see that his silence was only making things worse, but he was sure that his words would do the same and the fear of that kept them lodged deep in his throat. He could see a few orderlies take a step towards them, already preparing to intervene.
But I just got him back.
"S-Sasuke. Please, let's just talk, ok? They'll take you away again if you-"
"Do you even want me here?"
"Yes" Naruto all but shouted. "I don't want you to go."
Sasuke glared at him a moment longer before finally sitting beside him once more. His anger was far from over, but he seemed to have convinced the staff that he had regained his composure. For now, at least.
"Tell me about the man I look like. The one that controls the crows."
"It'll sound crazy to you.."
"Does it look like I fucking care?"
"No."
Naruto sighed, then took the notebook and pen from Sasuke and flipped to a new page. His hand moved fast as his mind flickered back to the man he used to always see outside his window. He could see him clear as day, in his head at least. That long ebony hair that hung in thick curtains around a pale angular face. His eyes were dark like Sasuke's but sometimes the light caught them in a way that made them seem almost red- a drop of blood in spilled ink.
He had scars on his face too. They carved a path down from the corners of his eyes and followed the curve of his cheek- paving a perfect path for future tears to follow. A long cloak hung heavy on his shoulders, almost like he had his own set of wings. Just another dark omen among crows.
Naruto sketched all of it, his hand darting across the page without pause- like he had drawn it a hundred times before. Crows fluttered around the man and a murder of them rose above his head, spiraling until they were out of sight. Until there wasn't enough paper to follow their trail.
Sasuke watched in silence as Naruto's art, his illusion, unraveled before him. He didn't even know he was capable of drawing, and at first he was simply impressed by the masterpiece he created. But as more details brought the image to life, his mind was pulled in a completely different direction.
"You saw him a lot?" he said quietly.
Naruto nodded. "He was always outside my window. I.. actually kind of miss seeing him." Something pained flickered in Naruto's eyes as he looked back up at him, surprising Sasuke.
"He was one of the nice ones."
"Did he.. talk to you?"
Naruto's stare was back and Sasuke made sure to meet it, to show him that he wasn't shying away from this. That hearing about his hallucination didn't make him want him any less.
"No. He only talked to the crows."
"Is that what made him so nice?"
Sasuke could have sworn he saw a hint of a smile, but if he did it didn't stay.
"Maybe."
"What made you like having him around?" Sasuke asked, not ready to let the subject drop just yet. This was the most Naruto had ever revealed about himself- he didn't want to ruin the chance to know more.
"The crows felt like.. protection, I think. Like they kept me safe. He was the one who put them there. And.."
"And?"
"He has scars too."
Sasuke glanced down at the drawing, only now noticing the deep grooves in the man's face. "You felt like you could relate to him."
"A little."
Sasuke eyed the drawing a bit longer before meeting those heavy blues again. "He looks sad."
"He does."
"Does he always look like that?"
"Yes."
Sasuke paused, searching for the right words before he spoke. "Are you always sad, Naruto?"
The blonde was quiet at first, and Sasuke stomach dropped. Thankfully, he didn't let the silence last too long. "I used to be."
"And now..?"
"Now.." he said slowly, "now it seems like I'm only sad when you're gone."
Sasuke took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Then I'll try my best to stay."
Naruto felt a smile pulling at his face once more, one that he hoped looked far less alarming than the many he had practiced unsuccessfully in the mirror. And while Sasuke's beautiful dark eyes always beckoned him in, and it was incredibly difficult to pull away from them once he started, Naruto could feel something else pulling him away this time.
It was like an itch in the far recesses of his mind- one that he couldn't ignore. The sensation gnawed on his nerve. He bit his tongue hard, trying to force back the feeling, but its presence was getting stronger. He bounced his leg to ease the feeling, but his anxiety spiked with its pace and he quickly changed tactics. Dr. Kakashi had taught him a way to self-manage rising panic attacks and manic outbursts- at least, before they got too strong. Naruto tapped his feet one at a time- left, right, left, right- forcing his mind to file the chaos back into order.
Sasuke placed a hand on his knee and only then did Naruto realize that he had been calling for him, his voice getting louder as his concern went unanswered.
"Naruto? Hey, talk to me- are you ok?"
The blonde blinked. He was surprised to find that he wasn't staring into Sasuke's eyes as he usually was- which was probably just as surprising to Sasuke. No, his gaze had been lost in someone else's.
Naruto furrowed his brows before finally tearing his distracted blues away from the eyes he had drawn to the ones staring back at him.
The real ones.
"Yeah" he said, "yeah, I'm ok."
Sauske was shocked.
Not because it was the strangest thing for someone to say, not because he had any particularly alarming look on his face. It wasn't even necessarily because he had lost Naruto's attention for a moment there when he was staring down at his own drawing.
No, Sasuke was completely thrown off guard because Naruto was lying.
And they both knew it.