"What a shitty movie! Don't you think Neji?" Naruto asked the dark haired boy next to him.
"It was bad, yes." Hyuuga Neji replied. The trio had become much larger. Upon entering the movie theater Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke ran into Neji and Tenten sitting in the far back corner, to Neji's dismay.
"Naruto you're so fun to watch movies with." Tenten beamed. "We should do this more often." Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head slightly embarrassed by the compliment by still welcoming it with open arms, until Neji shot him a glare that felt like daggers. What was his problem?
"Ne-Neji?" Naruto stammered.
"What?" Was all the Hyuuga replied.
"What's your deal the movie wasn't that bad." Naruto stated stupidly, forcing Sakura to wrap her arm around his neck and drag him forwards in what looked like a playful act.
"Naruto?! Don't be so stupid, we interrupted them on a date you idiot!" Sakura whispered to him, then went on to laughing loudly. "Haha! Yeah, that part was so pointless." Sasuke smirked at the scene as he folded his arms and soaked in the nostalgic feeling he was getting. He really did miss being around these guys. Tenten ran up to Sakura and Naruto to continue a discussion they weren't having, allowing Sasuke and Neji to chat.
"So?" Neji asked plainly, slightly glancing towards Sasuke, but not fully turning his head.
"So what?" Sasuke replied, moving his hands to his pockets.
"How has everything been? Have you guys heard from him yet? My mother said yours doesn't come over to chat anymore."
The Hyuuga's and the Uchiha's were close-knit, upscale families. The boys came up in similar homes and were often around each other through out their whole lives because of their family's closeness.
"She not upset or anything, she's just still finding it hard to deal with." Sasuke said quietly, not wanting to attract any attention from their friends up ahead.
"And you?" Neji asked.
"You know how close I was with my brother. I just wish I knew he was alright."
"So he hasn't even called?" Neji let the words slip before he could think twice. "I mean, I'm sure he's fine, it's just-"
"He's not fine. No one just picks up and leaves without any explanation. I feel like something happened to him and he didn't want the family to get involved. Or just me." Sasuke felt more comfortable sharing this information with Neji. He was more mature than both Naruto and Sakura and didn't bother trying to fake interest or give empty regrets. He just listened.
"Hmm." Neji said predictably. "Well all you can do is wait and hope. Itachi is not an idiot. He can survive on his own, wherever he may be. He'll come home, eventually." He said quietly, finally looking at Sasuke who was nodding silently. "Besides," Neji added, "There's no point in being miserable about it, when he comes back, you'll be too emo to handle, then he'll just leave again." Neji smirked at his own joke, and so did Sasuke.
"You're a dick." Sasuke said with closed eyes.
"Hmm." Neji responded.
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"Ok Sasuke! See you later." Sakura shouted to him at his driveway as he walked up it.
"Sasuke! See you tomorrow! We'll do something, like, like, like. " Naruto fished for something to do so that Sasuke wouldn't be tempted to stay inside the house again tomorrow. "Like, I don't know I'll talk it over with Sakura! So be ready to go!" Sasuke let out a tiny sigh of amusement and walked up to his front door, as soon as he placed a finger on the knob Naruto appeared at his side. "And bring your car this time. I'm tired of the bus."
"I hate brining my car into the city, Naruto." Sasuke said calmly.
"Yeah, yeah, 'because vandals like to vandalize nice things'" They said together in harmony. "We won't go into the city then, just come pick me up at 2? Ok?" Naruto's eyes looked pleading and he mustered the most pathetic looking chibi face he could.
"Yeah, fine." Sasuke said, pushing up his front door. Naruto grinned and let out small sounds of happiness. He hugged Sasuke's back, kicked him in the leg and ran after Sakura, Neji and Tenten who had already began walking.
Sasuke entered the foyer of his house and smelled delicious roasted tomatoes in the oven. He sniffed heavily and glanced at the family portrait on the wall next to him. Looking at Itachi made him lose his appetite and when his mother's smiling face appeared from the kitchen to the side of him asking if he was ready for dinner, he turned down her offer and sulked up the stairs and to his bedroom.
Once the door had shut he rested his back against it and slowly slid to the floor in misery. Depressions ugly face had arrived at his door again and Sasuke was unable to ignore it. Sasuke curled into fetal positions and hugged his legs tightly, wishing so badly to be consoled by no one but his brother. Hot tears escaped from his eye sockets and feeling pitiful as he was, Sasuke allowed them to fall down his cheeks or soak themselves in his jeans.
"Why Itachi?" He moaned, somewhat loudly, half hoping for him to respond. "Why didn't you take me with you?" Sasuke allowed himself to cry for a few minutes then carried himself to his body. His head swam from crying, he had a pounding headache and a stuffy nose. His eyes were burning and his face was salty, but he avoided going to clean it, knowing that he'd probably run into his parents and they'd question his blood shot eyes. Sasuke took the micro foam coke can pillow Itachi had given him for ha-ha's. They were 5 years younger and 11 yr old Sasuke was at the local fair whining for a soda.
"Brother I'm thirrrrsty." Sasuke moaned. "Just buy me a soda, please?"
"No, Suke. Soda's loaded with calories and sugar." Itachi said parentally. He took a moment to glance back at Sasuke and grin. He loved to tease his younger brother. Sasuke pouted and folded his arms.
"Since when are you so worried about being healthy?" He grumbled. "You're always eating dango." Itachi gave a tiny, airy laugh then turned around to face his little brother. They stared at each other soundlessly and Itachi glanced over at a stand near by behind Sasuke.
"Hmm you want a soda?" He asked.
"Yes, brother." Sasuke said somewhat impatiently.
"Fine, wait here." Itachi walked off into some booth leaving Sasuke to glare at passers by stubbornly. When Itachi had finally returned he carried whatever he was holding behind his back. He had the softest expression when he looked at Sasuke and at that point in his life, Sasuke could never understand why. Itachi was always nice to him, no matter how big of a brat he was being. Sasuke couldn't recount a single occurrence where Itachi yelled at him or had gotten anything more than slightly annoyed with Sasuke. Sasuke looked at his brother inquisitively.
"Do you have my soda behind your back?" He asked, peering behind Itachi.
"Yes I do." Itachi replied.
"Well! Let me have it." Itachi then produced an enormous soda can shaped pillow and handed it to Sasuke, with the tiniest smile his facial muscles could muster. Sasuke grabbed the pillow and growled.
"Brother! I can't drink this!" Itachi grinned at Sasuke once more, his enraged little brother amusing him to no end. He beckoned to him like he normally did when Sasuke had become angry with him and Sasuke came close quickly as his forehead was prodded with two of Itachi's fingers.
"Forgive me Sasuke. I just don't want you to get fat." Sasuke rubbed his forehead.
"I'm getting too old for this you know?" He half asked, half informed.
"Never." Itachi pushed Sasuke's bangs out of his face then pulled a small orange juice from his pocket and handed it to him. "Let's go home now. It's getting late."
Sasuke rubbed his forehead with his left hand, while he squeezed the pillow with his right and laid on it. A few unhappy moments later a knock came at Sasuke's door.
"What is it?" He called
"Are you sure you don't want any dinner? I can bring some up to you?" His mother offered.
"No. If I get hungry I'll come down and make something later." He replied.
"Alright." Mikoto agreed. She did not speak again, but Sasuke could tell she was hovering by the door.
"Anything else?" He added, wanting her to leave.
"The family is coming over tomorrow." She said calmly, hoping the news might cheer Sasuke up.
"The family?" Sasuke asked, unsure of whom she was referring to. "Can you be more specific?"
"Sai is going to be spending the rest of the summer here." She said with the same tone as before. With this piece of information Sasuke jolted up. Unlike in his mother's mind, Sai and Sasuke did not get along. Itachi didn't even get along with Sai when he came around. And now Sasuke would have to endure him alone for two months.
"Why mother? Tell him to stay home. I don't want any company."
"Sasuke don't be like that!" She replied aghast. "Sai is your cousin and he's always welcomed here. Besides his parents and him have already left and will be here tomorrow afternoon."
"So auntie and uncle are staying also?" This made Sasuke calm down. With his parents around Sai wouldn't be as annoying.
"No, they're staying just for this weekend, your birthday, then they need to get back to work." Sasuke swore under his breath. "It'll be fun. You, Sai and...Well, you guy's always have a good time." His mother trailed off momentarily, but her unwillingness to say Itachi's name only brought Sasuke's mood down more. What was wrong with mentioning him? Was his name supposed to be taboo or something? The more Sasuke thought about it, every time he tried to confide in his parents about Itachi they would change to subject and tell him to not worry about it. The situation was starting to make Sasuke paranoid. Did they know more than he did about his older brother? If so, why hide it from him? He was about to be 18 years old. He could handle anything they could throw at him. Was a little solace too much to ask for? Sasuke began to get angry and when his mom began to babble about how him and Sai would have a good time together he cut her off.
"Alright mother. I know. I'll have fun with Sai this summer." He said it so mechanically he couldn't image it not hurting his mother's feelings.
"Oh, ok Sasuke-kun. Goodnight. Sleep well." She said softly.
"You too." He replied, feeling slightly remorseful but not enough to dwell upon it.
After a few moments thought of how he would handle Sai over the summer, Sasuke had a terrible flashback about the first time him and his older brother had became intimate. The day Sai had walked in on them.
