Sasuke's pov

I'm only here to check up on Naruto, not because I totally miss him or anything. I saw Menma out on the street and he said he was home. He usually visits me after he gets back but he didn't do that so I'm just here to check on him. That's all this is.

The Hokage let me in the house, it being a normal thing for me to be here. He said the doctors wore Naruto out so he was just resting. That made me worry a little more. Whatever Naruto's sickness was, it's been getting worse, and no one can find out what's wrong with him for some fucking reason. I just want to see these doctors one time so I can find out what the fuck is going on.

I opened the second door to his room, making sure to close it behind me. The room was dark, almost pitch black. The curtains were drawn shut and I refrained from turning on the light. From where I stood, I could hear his faint breathing. I activated my Sharingan, allowing me to see Naruto's body.

Naruto's chakra has always been weird to see. He always shone so brightly. His body wasn't just his own though, and I think that was part of the reason. While he had his own, bright blue chakra, there was another dark orange chakra flowing simultaneously along with it. I honestly wouldn't have believed this was happening inside of him if I didn't see it every single time I used my Sharingan.

I sat next to him on the bed, staring at him.

I reached out to touch him and he didn't budge. Normally, Naruto was a really light sleeper, but for some reason he was dead to the world right now. I would be too, in this super dark room, on this comfortable ass bed. I love Naruto's room.

The only thing I could imagine right now is that this is what Naruto was doing to me a couple of days ago, sitting next to me, watching me as I slept. I know he does it all the time, so I've gotten used to it, but it still scares me sometimes when I wake up and see a dark figure hovering over me.

I didn't want to touch him because I knew he'd wake up then, and he seemed really exhausted so I wanted him to be okay. I don't know what the doctors did to him, or said, but I'm assuming it's bad if he's acting like this. This isn't the first time either. Sometimes Naruto will disappear for up to a month and come back and sleep for days at a time.

My only guess is that whatever they do makes him super weak and tired. I've gone over every possible reason why Naruto could be sick, I've tried to do everything I could to help, to cure him of this unknown ailment, but nothing works. And the worst part is he just acts like nothing is wrong until it's time for him to leave. That's the only time he'll actually tell me what's going on and he'll get super clingy and everything. I think he's scared of the doctors.

I've seen the scars on his back and on his body and they haven't healed. It doesn't make sense why they haven't. Speaking of wounds, I have this fucking mark on my back that appeared literally out of nowhere.

I didn't even fucking notice it until Shisui pointed it out two days ago when I was walking around shirtless. He said it looked like a burn mark but it didn't hurt in the slightest, even when they were all poking and prodding at it. They never gave me an answer on what it was, just said I should ask Naruto, which is another reason I came here.

Naruto's eyes opened and he stared at the ceiling. "What time is it?", he asked, not even looking at me.

"Maybe two thirty, somewhere around there."

He covered his face with his hands and groaned, swearing under his breath. I knew Naruto had trouble sleeping, he always has. It's not obvious, maybe I just know because I know him. Even when we're in bed together, sometimes he'll just lay there with his eyes closed, trying to fall asleep. He'll eventually go to bed but it won't be for that long, maybe a couple hours. I think the most I've seen him sleep was six hours.

He finally looked at me, asking me to turn on the light. I turned on the tv instead, laying down next to him. He looked at me confusedly and I pulled his head onto my chest, covering his eyes.

For some reason, Naruto sleeps better when he's with me, when he's touching me in some sort of way. Holding my hand would've worked just fine, but I didn't want that so I went with this instead.

Naruto wrapped his arms around me, his blond hair tickling my chin as he moved. I pulled my throw blanket over us and he got more comfortable, cuddling up to me. I smiled. He's such a kid sometimes.

I felt his eyelashes fluttered against my hand as he opened and closed his eyes until he finally shut them. He wasn't asleep yet though. He moved again so that his ear was right on my heart and I could feel him relax as he exhaled contently.

"Want me to tell you what I did while you were gone?" I asked quietly.

He softly nodded.

"Well, the first day, I spent it with Itachi, Shisui, and Dei. We walked around town buying stuff and just looking around, we also got to meet this girl Shisui was talking to. Her name Hana, she's really pretty. Dei liked her too, he said she complemented Shisui really well because of her personality. I think you'd like her too. Then again, you seem to not care for anyone who isn't me."

He laughed a little at that and I smiled. I always notice the way his face contorts into disgust or boredom whenever someone who isn't me or his family tries talking to him. It's worse when they try talking to me.

I continued talking. "Anyways, that's all we did the first day. The second day, Deidara wanted to go see what the caravan was about so they dragged me along because I told them I was bored. Sumani was there and he kept talking to me but Itachi was obviously puppy guarding as well and he stopped talking to me after he saw my hickey. Speaking of which, two things. One, my family was freaking out about that hickey. They thought I got drunk and made another mistake but I just told them it was from you and they were all ooh and aah-ing. It was funny. Second, I have this like burn on my back, I don't know what it is. I can't really see it, just barely when I look in the mirror. My family told me to ask you about it so I will when you wake up."

"I was really bored without you, y'know? I was super worried too. I always am whenever you leave, especially because of everything that has happened before. Y'know, the close calls and the exhaustion from going there, and whether or not you eat and sleep enough. I know you should be fine because you're with the doctors but I don't know... It's hard not to think about the worst-case scenarios. I know you're strong and capable, but it doesn't stop my mind from going there."

He reached out, his fingers brushing mine in a comforting gesture. His touch was always warm, reassuring in its familiarity.

"Anyway," I continued, "yesterday was mostly training. Itachi decided it was a good time to hone some of my skills. He's relentless, you know that. But I think I managed to impress him a little. Shisui even joined in, and you can imagine how that went. It's always a competition with those two. After a while, me and Deidara were just watching them go blow for blow."

His body shook as he chuckled. He knew exactly what I meant. Training with Itachi and Shisui was intense, almost brutal, and Itachi was always so strict, even with Shisui telling him to lay off me. My brother loved me to pieces, but he never hesitated to raise his voice at me during training.

"Last night was quieter," I said, my tone softening. "I spent most of it in the forest, just thinking. Sometimes I need that space to sort through everything. You know how it gets, all the noise in my head. The solitude helps. And before you get all jealous and start plotting, no I don't go there because I saw that ANBU there that one time. I just like being there."

Naruto hummed in acknowledgment. Naruto never talked a lot whenever I ranted or just blabbed on like this, but he would always take in every single detail and he'd remember it like he was the one it all happened to. That's how good he listened to me. But even without words, he had a way of making me feel understood, less alone. Sometimes, when I rant, I forget what I talked about and he'll relay it back with more details than I let on. He'll tell it better than I ever could.

"And then today," I added with a small smile, "I started counting the hours until you'd be back. It sounds silly, but it's true. The days feel longer without you. Everything feels different. I was sitting around, always waiting, wondering if and when you'd pop up in my room to say hello and that you missed me like always. But you didn't do that, so I got really worried. I was too in my head so I started wandering around town to try and get my mind off things when I saw Menma. He told me you were at home sleeping and I came over to see you. Now, here we are."

He squeezed my hand, his grip weaker than it would be if he was cognizant. It was moments like this that reminded me why I held on so tightly, why I never wanted to give up on Naruto when I was younger, why I revel in the feeling of him wanting me.

"So," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, "that's what I did while you were gone. Nothing too exciting, but it's always better when you're here."

He nodded, and for a moment, we just sat there, the silence between us comfortable and filled with unspoken words. It was enough, just being here together.

His breathing slowed and moments later I knew he was asleep.

I ended up putting something on the tv, laying my head against the headboard while Naruto slept on my chest.

I smiled, pressing a kiss against his forehead. "I love you," I mouthed, barely making a noise. He still has to wait another two weeks for me to actually tell him.

Tbcccc