《 Every face wears a mask 》

♧ Chapter 6: Relapse ♧

!!!WARNING!!!This chapter contains an explicit self-harm scene. If you're easily triggered please do not read.

Sasuke POV:

Just as I promised yesterday at 7:30 I was in front of Naruto's apartment complex. I noticed just how bad it was looking on the outside, too. All the people here seemed poor or dangerous. Five minutes passed and then another five. Naruto still hasn't shown up yet so I went to look for him. I knocked on the door. No answer. A minute later I heard someone running to the door.
"I'm so sorry Sasuke the alarm didn't ring." he said guilty.
"Just come in I'll be done in a second."
"Hn."
I followed him inside. His apartment looked cleaner today. Naruto was chaotically running around the room looking for his cloths. He started to change, probably forgetting that I was there. Unexpectedly I noticed several scars on his stomach and back. He is so slim. 

Before he could put his hoodie down I took a hold of it and lifted it back up.
He looked at me confused and embarrassed.
"Who did this?" I asked
He pulled away, put his hoodie back down and looked at the floor.
"These are the scars that were caused by my two foster families or bullies."
He said as tears start rolling down his face. I'm such an idiot.
"I'm sorry, Naruto" I said softly.
He quickly whipped away his tears.
"Don't worry it's the past."
Then he put his jeans on.
"K, I'm done, let's go we are going to be late."
We hurried to school. We arrived there 5 minutes after it rang. When we entered the class the teacher wasn't there, yet. Oh yeah I completely forgot that we have the first class with Kakashi. He's always late.
As we entered the class, many people stared at us. Some of my fangirls immediately came running to me. Annoyed I went to my seat, put my headphones in and started at the window.

Naruto POV:

As I was about to sit down, Sakura and Ino came up to me.
"Naruto, move. I want to sit next to Sasuke- kun."
"No, I will sit there, you big forehead."
I looked at the two girls confused. I don't really like conflicts.
My anxiety kicked in. As I was about to move somewhere else someone spoke:
"What are you doing, dobe? Will you sit down already?"
I looked at Sasuke and then sat down.
Sasuke gave the two girls a Can't- You- See- That- I- Am- Not- Interested- In-You- So-Leave- Me- Alone glare.
I chuckled at the scene. Sakura was about to hit me when Kakashi walked into the class and the two girls had to go take their seats.
"Hn"
"Good morning class, so today we will..."
...

During the first break my stomach started growling again. Fuck.
Sasuke pulled out his lunch box. He had two sandwiches again and gave me one of them.
"Thanks" I smiled gratefully.
"No prob."

....

During the 3rd period I heard some of my classmates laugh. Do you know that moment when random people laugh and you immediately start to think what you did wrong or what's so laughable about yourself? Yeah it was one of those moments.
"He's such a freak..."
"I heard that..."
"Disgusting"
"What a loser"
I kept hearing lines from their conversations and immediately realised that they were really talking about me.
Breath Naruto, breath. As soon as the class was over I stood up and rushed into the bathroom. I went into one of the stalls and locked myself in. I immediately sank to the floor and broke down crying.
How pathetic, always ending up crying into some disgusting school bathroom. I'm such a fucking loser. My mind was killing me. Even though Sasuke told me to stop I can't. Last night I tried to throw away all of my razor blades. And I did all except one.
I pulled it out then pulled up one of my sleeves.
I can't take this anymore. It's too much. One cut.
I'm ugly and disgusting. Two cuts.
I'm a disgrace, a nobody. Three cuts.
Blood started dripping down my wrist.

Sasuke POV:

I was listening to music when I noticed Naruto leaving. At first I didn't think much of it.
The break is soon going to end so I went to the bathroom.
When I entered the bathroom, I heard silent sobs. Somebody was crying. Not just somebody...it must be Naruto.
Worried I started knocking at the door. No answer.
"Naruto, it's me, please open the door."
No answer.
"Please"
There was a grave silence. He was hesitating. Suddenly the door open. What I was saw made my heart hurt. Naruto was a mess. His eyes were puffed and red. Tears were still rolling down his face. Blood was streaming down his wrist.
I panicked and entered the stall closing the door behind me.
I immediately took some toilet paper and tried to stop his cuts from bleeding.
"What happened?" I asked worried.
"I'm sorry I relapsed...I ...I..." he started crying again.
I pulled him into a hug.
"Shh...it's okay...you can tell me later. I'm here now you're not alone."
I felt him relaxing into the hug. He clung on to me as if his life depended on it as I tried my best to calm him down and stop the bleeding.
After a while he pulled away.
"I'm really sorry" he said looking at the floor ashamed.
I lifted his head so that he will look me in the eyes.
"What happened?" I heard people mocking me and laughing at me in class. It's starting all over again. It's always the same. Why does everyone hate me, Sasuke? What did I ever do to them?"
My eyes soften and my expression sadden.
"It's not about you. It's about them. You did nothing wrong. People are envious and cruel. Do you think that if they talked about themselves anyone would listen? No, of course not. Don't let them influence you so much. You are you and you do you, no matter what. People talk behind your back? Well damn you sure got yourself a fanclub."
I said trying to light up his mood. He smiled a little and that made me smile, too.
"Thanks, Sasuke. You're the best, ddattebayo."
"Now we're already late to class so let's go to the nurse office. I'll help you bandage your arm."
He nodded.
We left the stall. Little did we know that someone else was there.
...

When we entered the nurse office she wasn't there. Good.
"Lift up your sleeve"
Naruto did as told. I cleaned his wounds. He had 5 cuts. Two of them were quite deep but fortunately not too deep. He started whining.
"Just hold on a little longer"
When I was done cleaning them I put a bandage around them.
"All done."
"Thank you"
"Since we're already 30 minutes late to class let's go on the rooftop."

There were no clouds in the sky.
"Why didn't u tell me? I would have made them to shut up."
"I guess that I am not used to having a friend, yet."
"Give it to me."
"What?"
"You know what am talking about."
Naruto looked at the floor ashamed before pulling his razor blade out of the pocket.
He hesitated at first but then handed it to me.
"Now, every time you feel the need to cut you have to come to me and ask for the blade. If we really can't solve the problem together then I will give it to you. Is that fine with you?"
He nodded.
"Do you have any other sharp objects?"
"No, don't worry. I threw them all away last night...because you told me to stop cutting. I hate it, too. But that one blade I couldn't throw away."
"It's your first, right?"
"Yeah, how did you"
"As I said before I've been there, too. Itachi did the same with me. I really do know how you feel. I will try my best to help you to stop doing it, too. I'm your new best friend, right? You don't need this anymore."
He looked at me with his deep beautiful blue eyes. The pain that they reflected made my heart hurt.
...