As Naruto grabbed onto Sage, the man's eyes flew open and he flinched away violently, slamming his fist against Naruto's chest. "Don't!" He shrieked, backing up and placing himself against a wall. His breathing was heavy, his eyes wild as he stared at Naruto with distrust and fear, his fists tightening slightly and his expression one of fright. "Please," He almost whispered, clutching at his heart and seemingly folding in on himself, placing his head on his knees and folding his arms against his chest. But he wasn't seeing Naruto as the man he was; he was staring at the visage of a man long gone, thankfully killed in a car accident. But his ghost still seemed to haunt Sage, and he couldn't ever look at someone without seeing James' face, contributing to his madness. He was shivering, staring at Naruto, ready to bolt if he moved any closer.

His breath came in short bursts, hyperventilating as Naruto tried to comfort him. He closed his eyes, nodding slightly. Sage didn't speak or move as Naruto held him, trying to steady his own breath. Pain. That doesn't even describe half of it. He thought, squeezing his eyes shut and mumbling something to himself every few seconds, his hands still clutching at his shirt. It took him some time to calm down enough for him to be able to respond to Naruto- almost fifteen minutes. "Y-Yeah." He rasped, opening his eyes and looking up at Naruto.
(This time, Sage depends on Naruto for everything.)