Chapter Text
Sasuke POV:
After class was over Sasuke dragged himself out of the academy and to the place that cause him nothing but anxiety. His pace was slow. Slower than normal and his hands were shaking.
That caused him to spiral and recall the dark red sky. His clansmen who he had to avenge. His mother’s crumpled body and his father’s lying by each other swimming in the red blood. When he got to the Uchiha compound he began to walk in so he could get to the clans training grounds. Whenever he walked through the empty streets. The street didn’t have any noise aside from the occasional chirp of a bird. He looked to the right to see his cousin slashed, dropping down clutching his side only to loose his breath.
“Sasuke.” He jumped the memory once in his head fell away. Before turning to see Shino directly out the compounds entry point. He wanted to run over and talk about bugs. He wanted to tell Shino how he wouldn’t ever kill him but that it still consumed his dreams but instead he turned away from Shino and continued to walk away. His shaking hands clenched, causing his nails to dig into his skin. His vision began to blur though. Not like when he faded to a memory or how he was never really seeing or existing since the massacre. Before exhaustion completely took over his form and his body hit the ground and his eyes closed.
Consciousness returned to him when he felt someone standing over him. His eyes slowly opened only to see Shino’s black glasses staring at him. He jolted up. Knocking his and Shino’s heads together.
“Are you okay, why, you fainted and,” before Shino could say anything else Sasuke was trembling and pushing off the ground to stand up. Sasuke needed to get away he didn’t want to kill Shino. He didn’t want to bring danger to anyone and he wanted to stop the butterflies that seemed to erupt in stomach at the sight of Shino. He wished he didn’t feel so warm and comfortable around Shino.
“I have training to get to,” Sasuke said. Before shakily taking a step forward. Then another. Only to crumble. Shino’s arm clasped around Sasuke’s arm steadying him.
“You should go to the hospital, why, because you fainted, are unsteady, and,” but before Shino could finish he was interrupted by Sasuke trying to pull his arm free.
Sasuke tried to pry his arm away but he was far too weak but he absolutely refused to go to the hospital. That was where
“I don’t need to go to the hospital so let me go.” Sasuke said. Looking at Shino. He felt pathetic.
“I cannot let you go, why, cause I have a suspicion that you won’t be able to stand without my help.” Shino replied. When he smelled something sweet and flowery, the forest, and grass. “Hn,” Sasuke replied. No one spoke. Sasuke’s gaze was focused on the ground and Shino’s gaze was on Sasuke. “I could walk you home, why, that way you don’t have to go to the hospital and can get back safely.” Shino said. Sasuke instead of a reply simply began to walk to his house. Shino followed still supporting him to the best of his ability.
“Do you want to lay down? Why then you can rest.” Shino said.
Sasuke just hned and tried to remove himself from Shino. Only for Shino to continue to support him. Sasuke was sleep deprived and shaky. So he couldn’t do much than try to pull away weakly a few times before Shino adjusted his glasses.
“Where is your room?” Shino asked. Causing Sasuke to take a step in the direction of his room. His exhaustion crippling him, but Shino continued to walk beside him supporting Sasuke with his arms, it was embarrassing Sasuke didn’t want to seem weak he wanted to
“Can I stay? Why, you fainted and it’s best you’re not alone.” Shino requested. Sasuke nodded without thinking before crumbling onto the bed in front of him. Awkward silence began to fill the room. Sasuke began to stare at the ceiling when Shino spoke again.
“You’ve been avoiding me, why?” Shino asked. Sasuke just stared at the ceiling. He didn’t know how to explain it, his hands clenched and he couldn’t stop thinking of his nightmares where Shino would die by his hands. He shook. Staring at the ceiling, wondering why this was his life. He wondered why he hadn’t just died in the massacre, and how he’d be if Shino hadn’t spoken to him. Perhaps it was the mental exhaustion, the physical exhaustion, or maybe he didn’t want to just go back to the constant training.
Sasuke continued to stare at the ceiling he could feel Shino staring at him. His fingers crunched the blanket he laid on before glancing at Shino. Then the words tumbled out of his mouth, “I don’t want to kill you.” Sasuke said his voice shaking.
“Why would you kill me?” Shino asked. After what felt like an eternity.
“If I want to kill that man, he said,” Sasuke started tears began to pool his eyes which he frantically blinked away, “he said that I had to kill my closest friend if I wanted to be able to kill him. To avenge the clan. But I don’t want to I would never kill you.” Sasuke said, he continued to blink trying to dismiss the tears that continued to try and threaten to roll down his face.
“Then don’t,” Shino said. Sasuke looked at him. Shino looked back through his black shades.
“Then don’t?” Sasuke asked he felt small. Shino nodded in response. Causing Sasuke to chuckle. Before bursting into giggles. Then don’t it repeated like a mantra in his head, but then he remembered the blood of his clansmen’s. How they’d been slaughtered so effortless just to test his abilities. Was it truly possible to not to not
Was it possible to have a friend? He without thinking shakily pushed himself up warm water running down his face before throwing himself onto Shino and hugging him. He felt like it’d all be okay as long as he was by Shino. If Shino was bothered he didn’t say anything. He just stood before eventually wrapping his arms around him.
He could avenge the clan without killing anyone, except for that man. Eventually the exhaustion caught up to him and he couldn’t hold himself up resulting in Shino hugging him tighter. Before eventually helping him back onto his bed.
“Friends?” Shino asked.
“Friends,” Sasuke said before drifting to sleep.