All That Glitters ||NaruSasu|| ✔️

The Aftermath

"I'm fine as well," Sasuke assures.

"Now, then," Kakashi starts, sitting on a chair opposite the sofa. "You wanted to talk?"

Sasuke nods, glancing at me before beginning to speak. "Something happened..." he says quietly, "and I wanted to tell you about it. I... I guess I wanted to kill two birds with one stone."

"Huh?" I frown, tilting my head to the side in confusion.

He smiles somewhat bitterly at me. "Remember when you came to therapy with me... and Shizune told me to close my eyes and talk like we were the only two people in the room?"

I nod. "Yeah, I remember."

"I want to do that again," he says. "Or, I want to try."

I nod again. "Okay."

Kakashi listens to the exchange of words silently, not once interrupting or asking questions. I should probably take a memo from him because interrupting and asking too many questions is something of a bad habit of mine.

Sasuke stares at Kakashi for a long time before opening his mouth. "Um," his voice breaks. He clears his throat before continuing. "Something happened last week."

"Take your time," Kakashi says. He's soft spoken and understanding.

Soon, Sasuke closes his eyes and I can't help but wonder if he's imagining he's alone with me or if he's imagining he's alone with Kakashi. A second later, his lips part and he starts to talk. "Naruto walked me home... When I got inside, I was knocked out. When I came to, I was tied up. Everything felt like it was happening so slowly. I couldn't help but think about the last time that kind of thing happened... but it was my brother, not my..." he trails off, unable to say the word. I don't fucking blame him. I really don't. "Again, I just wanted it to be over. I could suffer private humiliation, but then he took me into the kitchen and Naruto... you were tied up, too. Everything was worse. I knew what was going to happen before he even said it. I knew he was going to make you watch..." His voice is getting weaker and weaker as the story goes on. "But it didn't happen... and you saved me."

I glance at Kakashi, who has his eyes closed as well, but other than that he's straight-faced. There's no pity. There's just that same vague understanding.

Sasuke lets out a shuddery breath. "When you were hitting him... it was like you weren't even yourself. You were somebody else... something else. I don't know. You were just... in this craze. You weren't there. I know you weren't there. You blacked out and you just... lost it."

"Oh," I whisper.

"I know you have anger problems," Sasuke murmurs, sniffling, "and I know you used to have fits... and I know we used to beat each other up... but I don't remember it being like that. It was hard to watch."

I force a nervous chuckle. "You said you're worried you'll scare me away... It sounds to me like I'm the one scaring you away."

"You're not," he promises. "You just surprised me, that's all..."

"I just got so fucking angry," I admit shakily, staring down at my bandaged wrists. "I've never felt that before. Not once. I thought he was going to hurt you. For fuck's sake, he said he was going to fuck you in front of me... I didn't want you to go have to go through that. Then he started touching you and... you're right, I just lost it. He said so much sick shit... Just thinking about it pisses me off."

"I know," Sasuke mumbles.

I let out a breath. "I'm sorry," I apologize.

"It's okay," he says meekly.