As The Kyuubi no Yoko in Naruto

The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beep of monitoring equipment. Naruto lay still, appearing peaceful in his unconscious state, but the ANBU guards at his door betrayed the tension of the situation.

The Third Hokage stood at the window, his aged face reflecting in the glass as he watched the village below. Behind him, a cat-masked ANBU delivered their latest report.

"The chakra readings have stabilized, Lord Third. But..." The ANBU hesitated. "The patterns are different now. More... integrated."

"As we feared," the Third sighed, turning from the window. "The seal isn't weakening - it's evolving. Changing in ways we don't understand."

"Should we summon Jiraiya-sama?"

"Already done. But what concerns me more is his mental state." The Third moved closer to Naruto's bed. "Those memories he described... they weren't delusions. They were too specific, too accurate."

"Could the Nine-Tails be influencing him?"

"Undoubtedly. But this isn't the violent corruption we feared. This is..." The Third's face aged years in moments. "This is something far more insidious. The fox's memories bleeding through, making him question his very identity."

In the hallway, medical ninja consulted in hushed voices about chakra patterns and psychological evaluations. The word "unstable" echoed frequently, along with "traumatic break" and "identity dissolution."

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Across the village, in the Uchiha compound, Sasuke sat alone in his room, processing what he'd heard about the night's events. The ANBU who'd informed him had been careful with their words, but the implications were clear - something had changed in his friend.

But they didn't know what Sasuke knew. About the imprints, about Naruto's ability to see them, about the Nine-Tails being more than just a sealed beast. About their conversations in this very room just days ago.

He wondered if this was part of their plan - his friend and the ancient being sealed within him. A way to hide their true relationship behind a facade of instability.

His Sharingan activated unconsciously, searching the corners of his room where Naruto always seemed to look. But without the Nine-Tails' intervention, he could see nothing but shadows. That brief glimpse of his parents' forms felt like a distant dream now.

The air felt heavier somehow, the way it always did when Naruto said the imprints were gathering. Was something happening now? Were they trying to communicate? But without Naruto here, without the Nine-Tails' power...

Sasuke's hands clenched in frustration. He needed to see his friend, to understand what game they were playing. But the ANBU had made it clear - no visitors until they determined Naruto's mental state was "stable."

The irony wasn't lost on him. They were trying to protect Naruto from exactly what he seemed to be deliberately becoming.

A knock at his door broke through his thoughts. Another ANBU - this one in a bird mask.

"Uchiha Sasuke. The Hokage requests your presence."

Of course. They'd want to question him about Naruto's behavior, about any signs he might have noticed living together.

"Now?" Sasuke kept his voice neutral, remembering how Naruto had explained the importance of careful responses when dealing with ANBU.

"Yes. Given your... unique living situation with Uzumaki Naruto, your insights could be valuable."

Sasuke stood, mind already working through what he could and couldn't say. He needed to support whatever game Naruto and the Nine-Tails were playing, without revealing how much he actually knew.

The walk to the Hokage Tower felt longer than usual. Villagers whispered as he passed, their conversations a mix of concern about the "unstable demon boy" and pity for the "last loyal Uchiha" who had to live with him.

If they only knew how backwards they had it. How the supposed demon had been more family to him than anyone since the massacre. How the "unstable" boy had saved his life that night, guided by the very being they feared.

The Hokage's office was crowded when they arrived - several council members, ANBU commanders, and medical specialists all gathered to discuss the "Naruto situation."

The Third Hokage sat behind his desk, looking older than Sasuke had ever seen him. "Thank you for coming, Sasuke. Please, sit."

Sasuke took the offered chair, aware of every eye in the room studying him. They were looking for signs - signs that living with an "unstable jinchūriki" had affected him too.

"How long has Naruto been..." one of the council members began, then paused, searching for the right words. "Different?"

"Different?" Sasuke echoed carefully.

"Displaying unusual behavior," a medical nin clarified. "Speaking of memories that aren't his own. Showing signs of... confusion about his identity."

Sasuke considered his response carefully. Whatever game Naruto and the Nine-Tails were playing, he needed to support it without revealing too much.

"He's always been different," he finally said. "The village made sure of that."

The subtle accusation made several council members shift uncomfortably. The Third's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Has he spoken to you about these... memories?" another councilor asked.

"Sometimes he talks in his sleep," Sasuke offered, mixing truth with calculation - knowing any outright lie would immediately be found out. "About being sealed. About darkness. But I thought it was just nightmares."

The medical specialists exchanged meaningful looks. The Third's pipe remained unlit in his hands, forgotten.

"And his behavior at home?" the medical specialist pressed. "Has he shown signs of... instability?"

Sasuke thought of all the times he'd watched Naruto interact with invisible imprints, all the conversations with his "dream-father" that now made perfect sense.

"He talks to himself sometimes," Sasuke said carefully. "Stares at things I can't see. But he's always been like that. The village's treatment..." he let his voice harden slightly, "it's not surprising he developed... coping mechanisms."

More uncomfortable shifting from the council members. Exactly the reaction they probably wanted.

"And you feel safe? Living with him?" one councilor asked, earning a sharp look from the Third.

"Safer than anywhere else," Sasuke replied truthfully, though not for the reasons they might think. "He's my friend. My brother, really."

"Brother?" The word sparked murmurs among the gathered officials.

"Yes," Sasuke met their gazes steadily. "When everyone else avoided me after the massacre, he was there. Even with his... peculiarities."

The Third studied him intently. "And these peculiarities - they've never seemed dangerous?"

"No more dangerous than leaving two orphaned boys to raise themselves," Sasuke responded, letting years of buried resentment color his words.

The silence that followed was deafening.

"I see," the Third finally said, his voice heavy. "And recently? Has there been any change in his... peculiarities?"

Sasuke thought about how to play this. They needed to believe Naruto's condition was deteriorating naturally, not suddenly.

"He's been more confused lately," he offered. "Ever since graduation preparations began. More... lost in thought. Talking about feelings and memories that don't make sense."

The medical specialist was taking rapid notes. "And these memories - did he ever specifically mention the Nine-Tails before tonight?"

"No," Sasuke said truthfully. "But he would sometimes say he felt old. Like he'd lived for a lot longer." He paused - not a lie, for Naruto spoke of the sensations he got when he saw the memories of imprints.

Sasuke then continued as he added, "I thought it was just his way of dealing with being alone."

The guilt in the room was palpable now. Every adult present had played some role in maintaining the silence around Naruto's condition, in allowing the village's hatred to fester.

"And now?" the Third pressed. "How do you think we should proceed with his... care?"

Sasuke met the old man's gaze directly. "You want to isolate him? Lock him away? Make him feel even more like the monster everyone claims he is?"

The words hit their mark. Several council members flinched visibly.

"That's not-" one began, but Sasuke cut them off.

"He needs stability. Normalcy. People who don't look at him like he's about to break." He let his Sharingan activate, adding weight to his next words. "He needs his brother."

The Third studied him for a long moment, pipe still forgotten in his hands. "You seem very... protective of him."

"Someone has to be," Sasuke replied evenly. "The village certainly hasn't been."

Another uncomfortable silence. The medical specialist cleared her throat. "Lord Hokage, given the unique bond these two share, perhaps keeping them together would be beneficial. A familiar presence might help ground Naruto's... sense of self."

"Or expose the last Uchiha to unnecessary risk," a councilor countered.

"I'm not leaving him," Sasuke stated firmly. "He didn't leave me that night, when Itachi..." He let the sentence hang, watching their expressions shift at the reminder of how they'd failed both boys.

The Third finally lit his pipe, taking a long draw before speaking. "Very well. You may continue your current living arrangement, under increased ANBU supervision. But Sasuke," his eyes grew sharp, "if you notice any significant changes in his behavior, any signs of deterioration..."

"I'll let you know," Sasuke agreed, already planning how to relay this conversation to Naruto and his tenant.

"You may go," the Third dismissed him. "And Sasuke? Thank you for your... candor."

As Sasuke left the office, he could hear the heated discussions resuming behind him. They were playing right into whatever game Naruto and the Nine-Tails had planned.

He just hoped he'd played his part correctly.