Blood of the Broken, Scars of the Spiral (there are whirlpools in our veins)

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Grief knits two hearts in closer bonds than happiness ever can; and common sufferings are far stronger links than common joys."

-Alphonse de Lamartine

//

Having Sasuke over, Naruto quickly realised, was... different.

He didn't talk much, he didn't ask too many questions (something Naruto was grateful for), and he wasn't all that good at house work, besides cleaning anyway.

Naruto's face morphed into one of shock and horror when he learned that Sasuke couldn't cook.

"I never had too," was his excuse.

Naruto took him fishing and taught him how to fry rice that day. It was sticky, and salty, but Naruto was proud regardless.

Second, Sasuke clearly didn't understand the Yūkaku. Didn't quite understand their social customs and structure. So used to a life of aristocracy and the upper echelons of society that the red-light district was a completely different world to him.

It's okay though, he'll learn.

Sasuke had a keen interest in Naruto's seals, and would watch him practice into the night. And Naruto taught him, not everything of course, clan secrets were secrets for a reason afterall, but shows the Uchiha boy the fundamentals, and his chest swells when he watches Sasuke practice his calligraphy.

In a way, it's like having a brother.

Kurama, much to Naruto's dismay, doesn't like him in the slightest.

"Uchiha are scum," they snarled, red-hot chakra coming over him like a sandstorm, "They bring nothing but misfortune."

Naruto raises an eyebrow, "But what if Sasuke's different."

"Do not mention that...thing in this sacred place," Kurama muttered, pointed teeth flashing and crimson dripping, "Uchiha are treacherous bastards. It only makes sense considering they're the traitor's," Outsutsuki Indara's, "descendants. Lying thieves, the whole lot of them. It's no wonder they ended being their own demise."

"Kurama!" Naruto gasped, unable to tell whether he was offended or amused, possibly both, "That's mean! Don' say that!"

But Naruto couldn't blame them. Kurama's experience with Uchiha's had been less than pleasant afterall.

(Madara can burn in the deepest of the nine pits of hell, Naruto concludes, he deserves it)

Mito's response, while more open to Sasuke's presence, was laced with warning.

"I can not agree with what the Kyuubi-"

"Kurama." Naruto interrupts, voice sharp with disapproval, "Their name is Kurama."

"I can not fully agree with Kurama," she smiles, sea-green eyes sparkaling with mirth, "as one of my dearest friends was an Uchiha. However," Mito says sharply "I will not lie and say that they aren't prone to madness." She cups his face gently, "Be careful angel-fish, do not trust to deeply, or your kindness will only cause you pain."

He does not take her advice, because when he looks at Sasuke, with his fragile pride, and night terrors, he doesn't see a madman. He sees a little boy, who was just like him, who wants nothing but to be understood.

Speaking of which, Sasuke seemed to be having a nightmare right now. Sasuke's whole body shuddered as violent sobs ripped from his throat; he sounded like he was dying. Naruto thought a part of him was, the last vestiges of any trust he had in the world.