It's early days in this fic, but it'll be narusasunaru. A bit of everything. Warnings for swearing and drug use. I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.

Xxxxx

A pale hand lay limp over the side of the couch, fingertips trailing on the dark carpet. They twitched and then groped around for a few moments before grasping a slim phone, bringing it into the owners line of sight. Sasuke brought his left hand to his forehead, massaging his temples as he noted the time on his phone and the messages displayed on the bright screen.

"Sakura is just worried about you." A voice drifted from the archway across the room.

"Sakura spends too much of her time on useless things." Sasuke responded smoothly, transferring his phone to the coffee table and dragging his hands down his pale face. He was supposed to meet her for lunch in town, but her lunch break was due to start in half an hour and he knew he wouldn't make it.

"You shouldn't cancel on her. She's just worried about you." The man repeated, voice low.

"I won't make it in time anyway." He argued, his hands resting on his abdomen as he glared at the man across the room. His dark eyes were sharp, despite the dark circles beneath them.

Itachi sighed. "At least message her." He turned and disappeared down the hall.

Sasuke's face drew down into a glare as he pushed himself into a sitting position and snatched the phone from the coffee table, shooting off a quick message. He wanted to throw it back down onto the glass table in front of him, but instead stood and shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans, striding over to the kitchen. He filled the kettle and flicked it on, spooning coffee granules into a cup as his phone started vibrating. He drew it out and stared at the screen, waiting for it to stop ringing as he leaned against the counter. The kettle whistled and the phone stopped, only to start up again moments later. He filled his cup and stirred, petulantly punching the answer button and bringing it to his ear.

"What?"

"Sasuke, are you okay?" A concerned voice buzzed down the line. Sasuke could imagine the look on her face as he listened to her voice.

"I told you I'm fine. I slept in." He continued stirring his coffee, before removing the spoon and placing it in the sink.

"You slept in? That's not like you." He glared at the opposite wall, mouth downturned and angry.

"Hn. I had a late night." Sakura sighed down the phone.

"Are you sure you can't meet me for lunch? The air might do you good, I can take a later lunch and we can go to the pub on the corner."

"Another day." He announced, picking up his coffee and placing it at the table. He seated himself across from it and took a sip. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Sasuk-" He hung up the phone, placing it on the table across from him. His temples throbbed and he massaged them with long fingers, his head down. He took a sip of his drink, burning his tongue slightly. He pressed it against the roof of his mouth.

"You need to take better care of yourself. " A deep voice chastised from the kitchen entrance.

"I seem to be doing okay so far." Sasuke muttered, dark eyes hooded.

"You could be doing better."

"Why are you even here?" Sasuke growled, glaring dangerously at Itachi. His tone rose as his fist hit the table,shaking the coffee cup. "Just get the fuck out of my apartment."

Itachi stared at him for a moment before turning and exiting the room. Sasuke let his fist unfold and sat still, listening to the noises around him. He could hear the traffic from the roads below his window, but the air in his apartment was still and stagnant.

"Itachi." He growled, fingers splayed on the wood of the table. A few moments of silence passed and he pushed himself up from the table, striding through the apartment. He checked each room, not finding his brother in any of them. "Itachi!" He snapped louder, wrenching the front door of his apartment open and glaring down the corridor. His hair was dark and limp around his face as he scanned the space around him.

He heard muttering down the way and he watched as a man with brunet hair picked up a cardboard box from a small pile and carried it through the open door of another apartment.

Sasuke grunted and slammed the door shut, retreating into his bathroom to shower. The heat of the water helped his head clear, and he felt better once he emerged, towel around his waist. He used a pale hand to wipe the steam from the mirror and stared at his reflection. His eyes looked sharp and alert. Angry. His eyebrows drew downward and he ran a hand over his face. He felt a tremor run through it, and he cursed inwardly.

He entered his bedroom and dressed quickly, pulling a long sleeve t-shirt and trousers on swiftly before running a hand through his dark hair. He dumped the damp towel into his washing basket before putting on a pair of socks and wandering into his front room. He crossed to the bookcase, opening the wooden box on the shelf directly in front of him and pulling a white bottle out. A few pills rattled against the case as he popped the lid and tipped one into his waiting palm. He noted the two left and snapped the lid shut, placed it back in the box. He crossed to the sofa and lowered himself onto the cushions. The pestle and mortar was still on the coffee table from a couple of days ago, so he placed the pill in and proceeded to grind it into dust. He tipped it out used one of his business cards to position it in a tidy line, before rolling a ten pound note. He lent down and heard a tut. He froze and looked up, his hand shaking slightly.

"It's not okay to keep letting yourself in here." Sasuke bit out, leaning back into the blue cushions.

"Someone's got to keep an eye on you. You should eat something." Itachi looked down at the coffee table, eyes disappointed "I thought you weren't going to do that any more, Sasuke." He chastised mildly, seating himself in the arm chair and nodding at the powder.

"I wasn't. And now I am. I'm capable of making my own decisions." He levelled a look at Itachi, who sighed.

"I care about you, I don't want you doing that here."

"Hn." Sasuke felt a dangerous laugh float up his throat, dark and malicious. "Okay." He rose from the couch and stalked out of the room. He grabbed his coat and shoes and stuffed his keys and phone along with his wallet into his pockets, pulling the front door open and slamming it behind him.

The corridor was bright and it hurt his eyes.

He strode towards the elevator, hands in the pockets of his coat. He passed the open door he'd noticed earlier and saw the back of the same brunet.

"Where do you want this box?" He heard the man say as he passed by. He heard the muffle of someone's reply as he pushed the button to signal the elevator. He waited a few moments, staring ahead before the elevator let out a ding to signal it's arrival, and as the doors opened Sasuke stepped forward.

"Wait! Can you hold-" The brunet appeared in Sasuke's peripheral, hand outstretched as he marched forward hurriedly. Sasuke pressed the button for the bottom floor, ignoring the protests of the other person.

"Dick!" Was shouted and Sasuke snorted lightly as the elevator drifted from the tenth to the ground floor. He stepped out into the lobby and then through the large glass doors into the November afternoon. The wind whipped haphazardly around him, throwing a rush of leaves down the street. He braced against the cold as he walked, pulling the collar of his coat up around him.

Sticking his hand out he hailed a black cab and gave the driver Karin's address before burying himself in the warmth of the back seat. Karin's was a brief journey across London and Sasuke settled in for the ride.

Xxxxx

"Well your neighbour's a grade A cock, congratulations." Kiba grumbled as he wandered back into the apartment, carrying two duffel bags. He dumped them in the entrance to the sitting room and collapsed onto the carpet. "That's all of it." He stretched and yawned.

The blond strode in from the kitchen and handed Kiba a bottle of beer. "Thank fuck." He flopped down next to him and plucked the television remote up from the carpet and pointed it at the screen, turning it on.

Whiskered cheeks stretched into a wide grin as he thumped Kiba lightly on the shoulder. "Thanks for your help."

"It wasn't free, it's your round at the pub tonight." Naruto groaned as he flopped backwards.

Xxxxx

Sasuke knocked persistently on the heavy wooden front door, shivering in the wind. He felt eyes on him. The sun was low in the sky but it was still early, not even 5o'clock. He glanced over his shoulder as a man passed by, long black coat shrouding his figure. Eyes locked briefly with his. Sasuke stiffened and pounded on the door again, face forward.

He heard heavy footsteps approach the door before it was wrenched open. "Would you stop fucking poundi- Sasuke?"

"Let me in." He demanded, glancing over his shoulder. She moved aside and motioned him in, surveying the street before shutting the door. Sasuke walked through her house, entering the living room, Karin hot on his heels.

"You didn't say you were coming, are you low?" He was sat on the couch, coat open but not off. There was a coffee table in front of the couch and Karin sat kneeling on the opposite side, hands working swiftly as she tipped two pills out of a bottle.

"Hn." He didn't elaborate that his apartment felt suffocating and that Itachi never seemed to leave. Karin readied everything quickly before proffering two neat lines in Sasuke's direction. She licked her lips and gazed at him through hooded eyes. "You can't stay, Suigetsu is coming over soon." She nodded at the lines before them. "Or I can tell him something came up. He can come tomorrow?" She licked her lips and cocked her head lazily to the side, watching as Sasuke lent forward and inhaled the white powder through his nose. His mouth hung open slightly as he fell backwards, eyes closing. He heard a sharp intake and felt the couch dip as Karin nestled into his side, long legs pulled beneath her. He made no move towards her, but she needed no encouragement. He said nothing as his mind fell into a haze, everything numbing from the outside in, cloudy and preferable.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, cosy and hidden.

"What the fuck!" A sudden rush of cold air beside him alerted him to Karin having left his side. He blinked bleary eyes open and saw Karin slumped on the floor in front of Suigetsu, arms stretching upwards towards him. "I told you he's not to come here!" The sharp toothed man stomped forward as Karin snagged hold of his arm.

"He's a friend! I just gave him the stuff, you didn't see, he needed it!" She defended resolutely, pulling herself to her feet. "It's not your fucking choice who I have over here."

"He's enabling you! You don't need shit like this Karin!" Sasuke opened his mouth to retort that Karin was enabling him, not the other way around, but his tongue felt heavy. "Get the fuck out." The pale haired man demanded, Karin pleading with him desperately. "I'll call the fucking police."

Sasuke glared as he rose from the couch, but it was half-hearted. He felt better, his mind was warmer and calmer. He wasn't in the mood for a fight, he'd got what he wanted.

Without a word to either of them he left the house, the sound of the pair arguing sealed off as he shut the front door. He held his hand out in front of him and noted how steady it was. He sighed minutely and hailed a cab home.

Xxxxx

He'd had a surprisingly peaceful night. Itachi had stayed away and Sasuke felt better for it, preferring the quiet of his apartment. He rounded the street corner, heading for the coffee shop. There was a Costa closer to his work building that he preferred, but they were renovating.

He had headphones in, but he removed them as he entered the premises, turning the music off on his phone. A blue scarf was wound securely around his neck and he loosened it as he joined the end of the line, hands finding their place back in his pockets.

"Hi, what can I get you?" A brunette asked him, peering around the till.

"Cappuccino, medium, take away." Sasuke uttered, producing his wallet. The girl scribbled his order onto the cup and asked for his name without looking up. She passed his cup down and took his payment, Sasuke moving further into the shop to wait for his order.

"Yaaaaaaaaah!" A guttural scream rampaged from behind the barista's station, the seated customers startled and looking around. Sasuke frowned, taking a step back.

"Shikamaru! I can't shut the thing off, bloody give me a hand here!" The blond man bounced around, clutching his right hand in his left and gesturing madly at the steam the machine was emitting.

"Jeez Naruto." Was the exasperated response, a man who could only be Shikamaru coming forward and turning off the machine. A couple of female customers giggled, others tutting at the drama.

"We need a new machine! This one is stiff as balls!" Naruto whinged, cradling his scalded hand. Sasuke took in the man's unruly blond hair and bright blue eyes, tinged with pain.

"I've told you before not to wind it too far, Naruto!" Shikamaru chastised, muttering as he fiddled with the machine. Naruto stood waving his wounded hand around, trying to cool it down, a pained frown on his face.

"Run it under the cold water." Sasuke ordered, stepping forward. The occupants of the shop continued their previous chatter. Sasuke found himself peering around the coffee machine, watching the blond hop about in pain.

"Oi! Don't tell me what to do!" Naruto hollered, glaring at Sasuke whilst bounding towards the sink to his left and jamming his hand under the cold spray. He let out a sigh of relief, his face tinged red with the pain. He pouted, staring straight ahead, but Sasuke could see his shoulders relax slightly. Sasuke's eyebrows were drawn together as he glared at the back of the other guys head.

"You're so loud Naruto." Shikamaru complained, finishing off Sasuke's drink order. "Sorry about that." He drawled, passing Sasuke his drink.

"Hn." Sasuke placed the cardboard cup in a drinks holder and exited the shop, heading for his work building. Naruto glanced over his shoulder and watched him leave.

Xxxxx

"Well you're not going to be much use to us for the rest of the day." Shizune stated, looking at Naruto's hand and tutting. She was lent against her desk in the back office, Naruto standing sheepishly by the closed door.

He gave a sunny grin, cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. He ruffled his blond hair with his good hand and gave a shrug. "Sorry Shizune, it was an accident."

"You might as well go home." She waved a hand dismissively at his apology and rounded her desk to sit down. "It's not too bad but I imagine it'll be sore for a few days. Shikamaru logged it in the incident book?"

Naruto nodded as he opened the door and backed out, "I'll keep you updated!" He announced, waving as he went. He strode down the short corridor to the employees room, pulling the tie on his apron and slinging it over his head. He stuffed it in his locker, wincing as he shrugged into his jacket and swapped his shoes for sneakers. He put his phone in his pocket as Shikamaru peered round the door.

"Shizune sent you home." He stated.

"Lucky me." Naruto pursed his lips as he rummaged through his locker. "Now I've got no excuse not to start uni work." He pondered, mostly to himself. "Are you coming to my house warming on Friday?" Naruto questioned,

Shikamaru sighed. "Sure. I'd better get back to the shop floor. It's just TenTen and Shino out there." Shikamaru headed back out front, Naruto close behind. Naruto waved as he left, stepping out into the breeze and heading for the bus stop home.

Xxxxx

Naruto dug through the cardboard boxes in his kitchen, growling when he couldn't find what he was looking for. He'd spent the majority of his day on a bean bag in his front room, laptop open on word as he tapped out his coursework. He felt a cup ramen was a suitable reward, however apparently the contents of his kitchen didn't agree.

"What the fuck, man?" He grumbled, giving up and placing the box back on the floor. He glanced at his watch, noting the time. "Damn." He strode into the living room, snatching up his jacket and flipping shut his laptop lid as he passed. He winced slightly as he pushed his injured hand into his coat. He shrugged it the rest of the way on and exited the apartment, locking the front door. He heard the elevator doors shut and looked up as he pocketed his keys. A man with dark hair was walking towards him, scarf wound tightly, keys in his hands.

Naruto raised his hand in a wave, jingling his own keys. "I just moved in across the hall, I guess we're neighbours." The man arched an eyebrow, dark eyes narrow and unfriendly.

Naruto noted the brief look of recognition in the others eyes. "We've met." Sasuke dead panned, striding passed him and heading for his own front door. Naruto dropped his hand and frowned, turning and following the other with his eyes.

"I think I would have remembered." He stated, lips pursing slightly at the man's unfriendly attitude.

Sasuke inserted his key into the door, turning it in one swift movement before glancing back at Naruto and pushing the door open.

"Ah!" Naruto muttered, eyes lighting up as he remembered the dark haired man. He heard the other slam his door roughly. Naruto winced at the noise. He glanced at the elevator, then swung around and headed for the other's front door. He knocked loudly and took a step back. He waited, then knocked again.

The door was wrenched open.

"What."

"I'm Naruto."

"I know, you were wearing a name tag." Sasuke muttered, moving to close the door.

"Don't be a bastard. What's your name?" Naruto questioned, holding the door open with his good hand. Sasuke glared at him.

"Get your hand off my door." He ordered.

"Tell me your name and I will." Naruto pouted slightly, blue eyes stubborn. Sasuke let out an annoyed sigh and pushed harshly, jarring Naruto's hand as the door clicked shut. Naruto fumed and pounded on the door a few more times, to no avail. "Oi! You absolute bastard!" He shouted, waiting a moment for a response before turning on his heel and marching down the corridor to the lift. He pushed the button angrily, eyes glaring holes into the elevator doors.

Xxxxx

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