The second Naruto gave that menacing look from before, the expression he was making when he threatened to behead Zabuza, it reminded Sasuke of his brother. It nearly made him shiver, because it was the exact same face Itachi had when he found his parents dead.

They were dead, because Itachi killed them.

The fact that Naruto held that face of a murderer scared Sasuke, it made something unsettling churn inside his stomach making him feel awful. Whether he was scared of Naruto for having that feature was questionable. He wasn't sure about his answer to that question. Sasuke glanced back to the pair — his Sensei and Sakura. Her expression was serious, her eyes showed an emotion that Sasuke could recognize as resolve. At least that's what it looked like to him.

Standing there felt as if he was invading something very important. Though he never cared, either way, he took it as an excuse to leave. "It's getting late. I'm heading back," he simply said. No response. He wasn't sure if they heard or if they were too engulfed in their own conversation. Or maybe they flat out ignored him, which was out of character of Sakura. He didn't pay much attention to it. He'd take the opportunity to leave without questions.

Kakashi didn't answer their questions from before. Sure, there were bits of answers if he put them together. It didn't help considering the questions overweighed the answers. Sasuke needed to know. That's why he found himself walking the same direction as Naruto went. He had to admit that he surprised himself, curiosity was something very strong after all.

Sasuke knew there was something... wrong with Naruto.

It was a blunt statement.

A statement that was proved even as harsh as it may sound. The proof being an image of Naruto turning from a fool to a smart collective ninja, the proof being the fact that he had been keeping a persona for more than three years, the proof being that he threatened to off someone's head. Something even Sasuke wouldn't think of doing, and that was saying something, because, well, there was something mentally wrong with Sasuke as well.

A mind swarming with dark, twisted revenge that could lead to the worst of bloodlust. The other proof was seeing Naruto having a breakdown. Shaking helplessly crouched on the floor. His hands tugged on his blond locks in a dangerously tight grip, crazed dull-blue eyes and unstable — dazed.

There was something wrong with Naruto — that was a fact.

He looked nothing like both personalities. The cheerful one or the nonchalant one. He looked weak at that moment, completely traumatized. Sasuke could recognize that all too well. It was a shocking sight. Sasuke's eyes widened as he tried to say something. Anything. "Naruto?" There was no reaction from the blond.

He was having a mental breakdown and a bad one at that.

Sasuke hesitated to step forward. His steps slow, restricted and gingerly done. He was unsure of his actions, the idea of approaching the boy made him feel as if he was approaching something that would attack him at any second. He didn't know what made him feel like this, but it was there.

"Naruto?" he repeated.

He didn't respond.

"Naruto!" The Uchiha took the more rough approach as he shook the dazed boy.

Naruto flinched at the touch.

"Naruto." A man reached for him, his figure was a mere shadow in the darkness. "You're a monster, right?" A pause. "Eat this then, okay?" The hand moved towards the young boy's mouth. There was a shrill scream from the young boy.

Naruto's eyes widened as his senses heightened, the energy caused by the sheer feeling of fear drove his every movement. The pre-teen swiftly slapped Sasuke's hands away. Naruto took a hold of the Uchiha's right hand and tugged harshly on it resulting in Sasuke falling onto the ground. "What's was that for loser!?" He glared at Naruto who had pinned him to the ground.

Naruto's let out a breath. At that moment, Sasuke saw — just for a glimpse — his dull blue eyes change into a lighter shade. He could've sworn he saw it again. Albeit, just like before it was gone before one could register if it were real.

"I apologize. I was startled," he replied in a composed manner, freeing the boy. If one were to listen carefully one would be able to hear the slight shakiness in his voice. He scrutinized the recent memories of today and now. The blond-haired boy frowned but was quick to hide it with a poker-face, none of what was revealed by his poker-face did justice to his actual emotions.

Did he just have a breakdown and this Uchiha had seen the whole thing?

He inwardly groaned.

Not only was the breakdown worse than the one he had in the presence of Hinata, but it was much worse. The teammate he barely knew had seen something he shouldn't have seen.

How shameful.

How pathetic.

He inwardly loathed himself for being such a weakling, he couldn't even keep his composure even when reminded of that. It was so foolish of him. His thoughts were interrupted by the other male present. "What were you doing just now?" inquired a blunt yet curious Uchiha. Naruto expected that from him. It was obvious to say that Sasuke knew it was a sensitive topic, it didn't stop him from asking.

Naruto averted eye contact. His poker-face faltered. Sasuke could see that small break in the wall. Just what is this guy's deal? He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. The scowl he wore stayed stuck onto his face. "It was nothing," the Jinchūriki answered with ease. The words were convincing, it almost had Sasuke fooled if not for being in a near-death experience by Naruto's hands.

If it made him so jumpy it had to be something.

Yet again, he came to the same conclusion: There's something wrong with this guy. Sasuke wasn't the type to be too invasive unless it bothered him, he knew when to draw the line. This was where he had to do just that. Once he saw his teammate recover to his old self, he knew he wouldn't be getting answers out of him. Naruto had been thankful he was able to recover as fast as he did, if not he would've been too talkative like before with that mysterious boy.

"Kakashi told me to get you. It's getting late," Sasuke lied dismissing Naruto's own lie. 

"Oh, it seems so." Naruto spotted the slight orange shade appearing in the image of the sky. "Very well, let us go then."

Sasuke's eyes twitched.

You know, his formal talking is kind of annoying.

[-]

There were two layers.

Two layers to it.

It never occurred to him why he made so many of them. Did he truly think that there was only one layer or did he purposely hide that the second was merely a layer and not what actually revealed the real one? His true self.

Kakashi thought it over more than enough times to realize that the layers were only small fragments of the whole-of-it. For someone like Kakashi, it was obvious, since he'd seen what was under those two layers before it they were put into place. Before it was put on to hide what laid under there.

There was a big gap where anything could've happened. Kakashi was unaware of what happened then to make Naruto the way he was, it frustrated him to no end as to what happened during the time they had grown distant. Kakashi sighed. The night sky had already made its appearance for all to see, for all to admire, but to his knowledge, he was the only one star-gazing.

There was a lot to think about and he would rather stay outside where everything was cool. Maybe he liked fooling himself and said that the cool air would affect him in a good way, maybe it was true that it helped cool his thoughts. Though, he was partly outside waiting for his two students to return.

Naruto and Sasuke.

They weren't back yet, he was wondering when they would be back. Sakura was worried too.

Kakashi hummed. "Maybe they're bonding or something. Wouldn't that be nice?" He shook his head at the idea, something he wasn't sure would happen. Naruto and Sasuke were similar in more than one way. Though, even if it wasn't obvious there was a big difference in experience and in maturity, those differences and the similar personalities weren't going to make it easy for them to get along.

One day, they would be able to walk the same path.

"One day," Kakashi mumbled, pursing his hidden lips. "One day," he repeated, but it became a little less convincing.

There had to be something less troublesome to think of, it was a waste making himself believe Naruto and Sasuke would be friends. It was merely wishful thinking that he thought of, it made the sky's view less beautiful. He'd rather think of a different topic.

Unfortunately, if it wasn't that tiresome — headache-giving — topic it had to be the other.

"Sakura Haruno." Kakashi could no longer enjoy the cool air and the stars lighting the dark night. He would say that it was his first time having his own Genin team. That's why everything seemed... different and exhausting. Sakura Haruno. A bright student, but in this conflict-filled world, she lacked the experience to survive. She lacked the right motivation.

She didn't have the right goal, limiting to something else.

Kakashi guesses she learned that. It was obvious to believe so. Her request was proof enough that she found her motivation. Her resolve had come sooner than expected. The only problem for Kakashi was how he was going to fulfil that request. "Now, what am I going to do about this." His eyes unfocused as he held a thoughtful gaze at nothing particular.

"Kakashi-sensei. May I ask why you are speaking to yourself?"

Kakashi nearly flinched. Not at the sudden voice of his 'student', rather the words. The white-haired male tilted his head to look at Naruto and Sasuke who arrived with a few scratches visible. "Um..." a single bead of sweat dropped reaching for his mask. He quickly decided to change the topic. "Training so late?" he inquired, not so smoothly.

[-]

The few days granted to them before Zabuza would show himself were slow. Sakura had been guarding Tazuna, but she felt more as if she was following him around. Sasuke and Naruto practiced their chakra control with the task of tree climbing, Naruto wasn't able to practice his chakra control in all his years of training. It wasn't needed as he was an Uzumaki and a Jinchuriki. 

He'd always resort to jutsu only when it was necessary. Thus he never had many chances to train in reserving or controlling chakra. If he had this chance to then he'd take it even if he would be stuck with the Uchiha. Training for the day finished and Sasuke had the nagging feeling that Zabuza would soon make his appearance, everyone was anxious. As he stared at the ceiling he wondered if that's why Naruto wasn't sleeping, or was it because of what happened a few days ago?

Sasuke shifted to lay on his side to see the empty sleeping bag next to his.

It had been so ever since that day Sasuke happened to see the boy breakdown in the middle of a forest. They would go to sleep and Naruto would leave in the middle of the night to go outside, Sasuke would be either asleep or between awake and asleep. He would hear Naruto leave professionally silent, but he'd soon fall asleep completely after. The next day Naruto would be sleeping there or folding his sleeping bag.

Now, was different, Sasuke couldn't sleep. The longer they waited the more impatient he felt, it lingered too much for him to feel the least bit sleepy. He heard the door open causing him to close his eyes in an attempt to hide the fact that he was awake. Why? It would be awkward. Period. Naruto, as he assumed, had stopped his movements. There was a pause, but he assumed that he went back to his sleeping bag judging the sounds. 

"I feel like a caterpillar," he heard the tired voice say.

He almost shook his head and called him ridiculous. He heard a sigh and it was silent. Sasuke didn't dare open his eyes until he heard soft yet deep breathing of someone who was sleeping. He turned to lay on his back with a sigh. Sasuke would've thought the boy was peacefully asleep, but he noticed deep breathing became short breaths. Sasuke glanced at the blond and quickly noticed his uneasy expression.

Nightmare? Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He was seeing a lot of new colours being added to his teammate. He kept mumbling something under his breath. His voice barely audible, but Sasuke managed to decipher. The words slipped out of Naruto's mouth with pain and difficulty.

"Dan... zo, please... no."

The dark-blue haired Genin narrowed his eyes at the name. It sounded familiar, maybe he heard it being mentioned by his brother once. It was a long time ago, so he was unsure. Without realizing, Sasuke had turned to his side staring at his teammate in bewilderment. Everything about him was like a lock that couldn't be opened. 

There was a feeling of the lock breaking - just slightly - to reveal something when he saw Naruto's state. His eyebrows that had furrowed twitched in such a way that it almost looked equivalent to the shivering from before in the forest. Is this why he waited until everyone in the house fell asleep before returning to the room to sleep? Sasuke would believe so.

"No," Naruto raised his voice slightly and turned his back towards Sasuke. The said pre-teen felt his curiosity grow. Wondering just what was his dream about that a supposed important man was mentioned. "I... I am not hungry."

Sasuke processed the words, utterly dumbfounded.

You know what? Never mind, I don't want to know.

ᴵ ᵏⁿᵒʷ ᵐᵃⁿʸ ᵒᶠ ʸᵒᵘ ᵈᵒⁿ'ᵗ ˡⁱᵏᵉ ᶜᵉʳᵗᵃⁱⁿ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳˢ.

ˢᵒ ʰᵉʳᵉ'ˢ ᵐʸ ᵖᵒⁱⁿᵗ, ᴵ ᵘˢᵉ ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ᵃˢ ᵃ ʷᵃʸ ᵗᵒ ⁱᵐᵖʳᵒᵛᵉ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳ'ˢ... ʷᵉˡˡ... ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳ. ᵀʰᵉⁱʳ ᵖᵉʳˢᵒⁿᵃˡⁱᵗʸ. ᵀʰᵉⁱʳ ᵃᵗᵗⁱᵗᵘᵈᵉ. ᴵ'ᵐ ᵐᵃᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵐᵃʲᵒʳ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳ ᵈᵉᵛᵉˡᵒᵖᵐᵉⁿᵗ ʰᵉʳᵉ ⁱⁿˢᵗᵉᵃᵈ ᵒᶠ ᵗᵃᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵒᵘᵗ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳˢ ᵒʳ ᵐᵃᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉᵐ ᵘⁿᵇᵉᵃʳᵃᵇˡʸ ᵒᵇⁿᵒˣⁱᵒᵘˢ. ⁽ᴹᵃʸᵇᵉ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵃˡˡ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳˢ, ᵇᵘᵗ ʸᵒᵘ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵐʸ ᵖᵒⁱⁿᵗ⁾

ᴵ'ᵐ ᵗʳʸⁱⁿᵍ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵗʰⁱⁿᵍ ⁿᵉʷ, ˢᵒ ᵍᵘʸˢ ᴵ ʳᵉᵃˡˡʸ ʰᵒᵖᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵉⁿʲᵒʸ ⁱᵗ ᵗʰⁱˢ ʷᵃʸ.

ᴬⁿᵈ ᴵ ᵖʳᵒᵐⁱˢᵉ ᴵ ʷᵒⁿ'ᵗ ᵐᵃᵏᵉ ᵐᵒʳᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉˢᵉ ˡᵒⁿᵍ ᵃᵘᵗʰᵒʳ ⁿᵒᵗᵉˢ.