Sasuke is steaming. He glares down at the painting he holds in his hands. Neji just walked out with [Name]. His girl. It doesn't make it any better to know that [Name] isn't actually his girl. Just some chick he knows.

He feels a hand on his shoulder, and his rage goes from a boil to a simmer.

"Hey, Sasuke." It's Naruto. The last person he wants to talk to right now. "Can I speak to you for a second?"

Sasuke barely gives his brother a glance but allows him to speak. Naruto shuffles his feet at the tense air around the two of them.

"You know, Ma still wants you to come home."

"I know." His reply is curt.

"She worries about you. And I want you home too."

Sasuke remains silent as Naruto continues. "You're my brother no matter what we go through. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like a burden."

Sasuke feels an edge to Naruto's tone. It's sincere, but at the same time, Naruto is a good actor, and at times, Sasuke can see straight through his act.

"Mom's making you apologize to me, huh?" Sasuke says, staring straight into Naruto's eyes. He doesn't know where he gained the confidence to stare his brother down. As of late, his feelings have been all over the place. He's saying things to Sakura he never would have in the past; his mind feels numb to the social cues of others. Even more, he's found the courage to start courting [Name].

Old Sasuke would've crumbled at the apology and sulked back home with Naruto. But new Sasuke doesn't care. He knows he's a burden. He knows he's unwanted. And he's okay with these feelings. As long as he has [Name], these things mean nothing to him. They're all raindrops that make her rainbow shine brighter.

"No, that's not it," Naruto says. He reaches out towards his brother, but his hand falls short. "I really---"

"I'm not coming back home." It's Sasuke's final answer. It's unwavering and powerful. The sound of Sasuke's booming voice shocks Naruto. Even he is surprised at Sasuke's confidence. "I'm comfortable with Sakura. I'm finding my way through life without any of you."

"Sasuke. You've been off your---"

"I accept your apology. And I'm also sorry for making any of you take care of me for so long. But for now, leave me alone."

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke stalks off, painting in hand. "I won't have to be a burden to any of you any longer."

Outside, thunder roars, but there is no rain. Sasuke spots [Name] standing alone a distance off. Before he can call to her, a vintage muscle car pulls up beside her. Neji hops out of the car to open her door with a smile.

"Neji, you're such a gentleman," Sasuke hears the faint voice of his obsession. He frowns.

Once they're both in the car, they drive off into the night. Sasuke watches for as long as he can before turning away. He finds his car and tosses the painting into the front seat.

A loss pools in his chest, numbing him further. He no longer holds [Name's] attention. Neji does. Just like how Naruto stole [Name's] attention that night. He wants to scream but keeps it locked in his throat.

She is slipping through his fingers as he sits here. The longer she's with Neji, the further away she feels.

All he has left is Sakura. That's it.

He remembers how she's waiting for him, scantily clad too. It doesn't excite him how it once did, but the thought of her waiting for him warms his cold body. The numb feeling sits on standby for now.

"I should return home to her."

He starts his car.

...

[Name] laughs. Neji has been cracking jokes and telling stories the moment she hopped into the car. Although she's only known him for this night, Neji knows exactly how to make her feel at ease. How to make her feel wanted and seen.

"Wait! So you're telling me that Naruto seriously farted in this kid's face mid-fight?"

"Yeah! And he stunk up the whole place!" Neji says, stopping at a red light. The dark clouds flare up with lightning.

"Was Sasuke there?" She asks. Neji shuffles uncomfortably at the question.

"Well, I assume you know his story," Neji says cautiously. Despite his dick-measuring contest with Sasuke earlier, he still cares and wants to protect Sasuke as much as he can as a friend. Not everyone needs to know about his mental illness or his tragic past. "Sasuke was homeschooled up until late high school. This fight with Kiba happened in middle school."

[Name] nods. "Ah, okay. He must've been really lonely."

Neji feels the heaviness in the air and quickly changes the subject. "Ah, I forgot to ask, where do you live? I'm just driving aimlessly right now."

"Oh, right!"

Smoothly, he says, "I mean, I don't mind taking you to my place."

[Name] gives him a coy look, trying not to fall completely for this man. As she gives instructions to her home, she feels his hand on her thigh.

It doesn't bother her.

...

Sasuke arrives home. Well, to Sakura's home. He glances at the painting in the passenger seat. He thinks of giving it to Sakura as a gift.

She could use some art at her house. He thinks, picking up the painting. He enters the apartment with the keycard she gave him and takes the elevator to the fifth floor. The path to Sakura's door feels oppressive. There's anxiety there he's never felt before as he puts his hand on the doorknob.

Sasuke acts like he doesn't hear it, but he does.

The door is unlocked.

He pushes it open.

What he sees before him plummets his mood to the depths of hell.

"Sakura," he says, alerting the two bodies melding together in that passionate way he's all too familiar with. The two bodies on the couch stop and dart up. All three freeze in place. He sees the man's face. Lee, from the gym. Deep down, Sasuke knew, but he didn't want it to be real, so he pushed it aside, to the back of his mind.

Sakura covers her chest with a gasp. "Sasuke! You're home."

"Yeah."

Lee pushes away from Sakura, sweat pouring down his chest. Sakura struggles to sit up, using that red lingerie Sasuke bought her to cover her bits.

Sasuke's face is as hard as stone. His eyes and expression give away nothing. Similar to outside, a storm brews in his mind.

"Sasuke," Sakura repeats his name, standing up. Sasuke looks away from her, taking a step back. "It's complicated. But I---"

"I'm leaving." Sasuke stalks towards the staircase as Sakura calls out his name. Sakura follows him, a blanket covering her up. Lee, meanwhile, gathers his things, slapping on clothes as messily as he can.

"Sasuke, please wait!" She watches him bounce down the stairs, and before he can get to the next flight, Sakura grabs his shoulder.

Sasuke spins around, staring deep into her eyes. There's nothing there for her in those black abysses. Not contempt, not love, not even sadness. Just empty, chilling, cold eyes. It sends a shiver down her spine, and her normal instincts tell her to run. Though she still thinks she can salvage what's left of their relationship.

"Sasuke, I love you." Sakura is in tears. It would once sway him, bending him to her every whim and will. Now, it has no effect. "Please! Sasuke. I made a mistake. I won't make it again."

Sasuke turns to continue his trek down the stairs, but she turns him around again. "Please! Sasuke! Don't leave me."

There's silence for once in the apartment building. Only Sakura's shrill voice echoes off the walls. Some of the commotions cause the nosey neighbors to peek out their doors.

"Say something!" She's hysterical now. A point Sasuke had never seen her at, but it's a sight to see. It almost brings a smile to his face. Almost. But seeing her like this makes his stomach clench in a disgusted manner. How could he have possibly spent all this time with such a woman? He doesn't seem to know. The devotion he held for her that's been waning lately is all whisked away. There's nothing left.

"We're done, Sakura."

The look on her face can only be described in one word. Devastated. Snot and tears cover her face. She never thought he'd say those words to her.

Sakura screams. It's an ugly, spoiled girl scream that turns her beet red in the face. A cry that makes her neighbors slam their doors and plug their ears. Sasuke, still stone-faced, maneuvers around her, slipping his shirt from her grasp.

She watches him go, howling about how he can't do this to her. "You can't! Sasuke! Sasuke, I love you! Sasuke, you can't! You can't leave me!!"

Sasuke ignores it. The cold numbing sensation spreads further into his body. By the time he's outside, the feeling extends to his fingertips. He stares at himself in his car window. The reflection is of someone he doesn't know anymore. He looks just as desolate as he feels.

Everything has been taken away from him. His home. His family. His girlfriend. His [Name]. Everything. He has lost everything.

The rainbow in his sky is now obscured by clouds. There is no sunshine. Only rain and dark shadows.

A storm rolls in.

...

"And this is my house!" [Name] says as Neji pulls into her driveway. "Thank you for bringing me home, Neji."

"It's no problem."

A smile graces her face, and Neji's heart pitter-patters at the sight of it. A few raindrops hit the windshield in little bits as [Name] opens the door.

Then all together, a downpour of rain soaks everything below. [Name] squeaks, scattering for her front door. Neji watches as she goes, chuckling at her reaction.

[Name] looks back at him once she gets the key into the lock. She gives a pitiful smile and worries about his travel home.

"Did you want to come inside?" She calls to him over the thunderous rain. Lightning cracks in the distance.

"I'll be fine!" He says, waving at her to go in. She furrows her eyebrows together and opens the front door. There's no way she'll just let him leave in this dangerous weather.

What if his tires give out? What if he slides off a cliff? What if someone crashes into him because of the rain? What if his car gets hit with lightning?

These are the questions that worry her so intensely.

"Please come in, Neji!" She begs him, barely seeing through the rain, even though he's less than ten feet away. "Please! For my peace of mind!"

Neji smiles and gives in. What can he do when a pretty girl begs at him like that? He turns off the engine and exits his car, running to the front door like [Name] did.

With slight ushering, she gets Neji inside. "You can stay here until the storm clears up."

She wipes some droplets off his shoulders and arms. The feeling of his muscles beneath makes her knees nearly buckle.

"What if the storm doesn't let up until tomorrow?" Neji comments smoothly, taking a look around her home.

"My brother is probably stuck at the office right now, so," she trails off, not giving any hints of her motives.

"So," Neji tries to finish her sentence, "You want me to sleep in his bed?"

"I want you to sleep in my bed."

...

A/N: finally, to the point of yandere Sasuke begins.
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns?!