Whatttt? Updating two days in a row? Wow, much great, very impress.

Disclaimer:I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! NOT NARUTO, NOT THE MOVIE, NOT THE CHARACTERS, NADA!

Anyhow, please enjoy this installment of Brightly Dimmed; because I loved writing this chapter.

(P.S: Reviews are my cookies.)

It was annoying, oh so very annoying. I hated having to come back time and time again to see his face. Like, really. Why is he even here? Nonetheless by himself. What was his goal?

"How was everything, sir?" I asked with a steady smile, as always.

He wiped his face. "It was good as usual."

"Would you like any dessert?" He seemed to ponder a little before smirking. I mentally cursed, but held the painful smile on my face.

"How about a night with you?"

"I'm afraid that's not on our menu, sir."

"Not even a number?" I frowned, anger fueling inside of me.

"Why, sir, that would be unnecessary. I'll bring your check out to you." I practically ran out of the area, quickly printing out his check and adding it to his tab as customary to do with all of the Uchiha family. As I brought it out to him I plastered the oh-so-fake teeth displayer and placed the black, leather check holder on his table. "I hope you have a wonderful evening and plan to greet the Uchiha family again soon." Of course, I only said what was expected of me to, but before I got out of his hearing range, I looked over my shoulder and spoke. "Oh, and sir? If you really wanted to contact me, my number has never changed, neither has my address. I'm sure you would've known if you had tried."

Going out into the back for a few minutes until I was sure the man left so I could collect the checkbook with the tip, a fellow co-worker noticed my fatigue. "Hey Naruto, are you alright?" I nodded to the blondie, waving her concerns off as I made my way over to the space he had occupied before. Opening the black leather carrier my jaw almost dropped wide open as I saw what it contained inside. Normally, the Uchiha's left a eighty or-so dollar tip, as they usually came with four or sometimes three, which was still a big tip, but what was inside was three Benjamins. I sighed and placed the cash in my pocket shakily.

Asshole.

It was winter break, which unfortunately, gave me far too much time to just work. Which also managed to give me too much time to see the Uchihas, either as a family or just Sasuke, which was ten times worse. Each time he left me hundreds of dollars, and he visited me almost every day. My co-workers were starting to purposely make sure I was his private waiter, wiggling their eyebrows at me cluelessly. Even though it'd only been three or four years, barely anybody in town stayed behind, and even less of them stayed in the area. Thankfully, my job had no one I knew from a previous time in my life. They were all so clueless.

I eventually started getting calls, text messages, e-mails. All from one number, one e-mail, one all too familiar. I simply ignored every single one of them, every muscle in my body restricting me from blocking or deleting any of the messages, from getting a new number. My common sense was telling me otherwise, but in the end the internal battles left me exhausted beyond belief and I found them not worth my time.

Three weeks passed and my hours slowed as school came back into my life, and I found myself even more distracted than normal. Every time I was working the Uchiha, or multiple of them, seemed to be there. It was like they lived and thrived there, and I found my phone to be like a bomb to my nervous system; every time it went off it caused me to freak out, blow up over the simplest things. It was keeping me far too close to the edge. Against everyone's best interests I turned the damn thing off after four straight weeks of harassment, only bothering to answer the house phone as I knew only Kiba, Neji, or granny would call. Things only got progressively worse from there.

I started receiving gifts through the mail, the only obvious sender being the duck-ass. I never even bothered to open them as I threw them all in my closet in a corner, as it was pretty empty anyway. My interest in college diminished, and even though it wasn't the idea of college itself that no longer appealed to me, but my major. I stopped showing for classes, and once my grades fell low enough I finally came in and admitted my final paperwork to drop it. A few credits shy of a diploma and I gave it up.

Granny and Neji, as well as Kiba, came over multiple angry times to try and slap some sense back into me, but after a week of trying they eventually stopped. Granny came over once more to tell me that she would be out of town for a few weeks, but hugged me and told me that she was still proud of me, even if I had dropped college. She said every one has a path and maybe this just isn't mine.

While I had dropped school, Neji, Gaara, and Kiba hadn't, which made my social life pretty much non-existent. This meant that my days consisted of work, the simple act of forcing food down my throat, ignoring dark-haired vamps, throwing away mail and turning my phone on to charge it. There was a few days when I didn't see not one of them, and even didn't receive any type of mail or messages, but it ended almost as quickly as it came.

This time it was simply Itachi and his date, some ginger so pretty and fragile-looking that she must've been a model. I greeted them as usual, my smile a little more natural as it always seemed to be around the eldest sibling. Once I came out with their drinks, ready to order, his date excused herself and I was left to take just his order.

"So what can I get you, sir?"

He wasted no time in answering. "Chef's special, please. Same for Melanie." I nodded, thankful for his quickness.

"Sure thing. I'll be back with your orders very soon." I was beginning to walk away when his voice stopped me. He held a power to his baritone that Sasuke could never. He was power itself, in a more handsome, sinful way.

"Naruto…" I gulped softly as I waited for him to listen. When I realized he was waiting for me to acknowledge him, I turned back around to look at him. "Don't think I've forgotten about you, little blonde." He smiled gently at me, my mind at ease at his big brother presence.

At least one of them is tolerable.

As I was leaving for my shift that night, one of the supervisors pulled me aside.

"Yes, Marie?" I questioned calmly, hoping I was doing everything right.

"I've been a little concerned lately, as your peers have been." I sighed internally, already knowing where this was going. "You've been working every day pretty much for a few weeks. I've also noticed that there is a particular group of people who seem to come by every time, just for you. And even though I hate to lose business," she chuckled softly, licking her lips to bring her back into a serious mode. "I think I'm going to cut your hours in half." I nearly choked, groaning softly. "I'm sorry Naruto, but it's for your better health." I turned around to leave when she grabbed my shoulder.

She stared me straight in the eyes and hugged me softly. Through the soft interaction she turned to whisper into my ear. "These things are not always my choice. I know you quit school. If you need some cash or something to occupy your time, I can schedule you so you can always have a second option." She pulled away quickly, giving me one more look of sympathy before busting back into the kitchen.

Guess it's time to find a second job.

Since it was only six pm, I decided to take the bus to the central city business district, where all the shops were. Only being a few minutes away I arrived quickly, clinging to my light jacket to help shield myself from the wind. I went into a few shops, finding an ATM and swiping my card and entering my pin number to check my balance. It had been almost two months since I had bothered to check it, and I was a bit afraid I'd find not much in there.

'Uzumaki Naruto, account number 908-76546-01: Checking account, balance of $2,078.93.'

I lost my words, my jaw dropping. Had I really been working that much? I hadn't even cashed any of Sasuke's ridiculous tips. How could there be so much? Sure enough I checked my transactions to make sure there was no way any random amounts of money could appear, but alas, all of it was simply paycheck after paycheck.

I can't believe this. How have I not spent any of this yet? Oh, yeah. That's right; you've been a reclusive, not spending money on books for school or bothering to buy any of the new softwares for school or wasting money on booze and clubs with Kiba. Your consoles have even missed you.

I shook my head, withdrawing a few twenties just for on-hand cash and exiting the menu. Walking around I strolled around the square, buying some random desserts and sushi and various snack items. When I came to a clothing store I halted, but then pushed myself to walk in. I browsed through the options, giving it a big 'What the hell' and deciding on buying a few pairs of those expensive, silk boxer briefs that make your lower regions feel like heaven. In addition to those I bought a new suit and some shoes, almost tearing at the hole it left in my wallet. Leaving the store I smiled, genuinely happy for once in a while. I don't I have ever been able to pamper myself this way before. I was so content in the items I had bought that I didn't even notice I ran dead smack into someone, and I apologized immediately.

"I'm so sorry, I just-" When I looked up to see who it was I smiled yet again, relief filling me. The dark, tall Uchiha looked down at me and returned the action, the grin soon disappearing as he seemed to remember something. I was about to open my mouth when he stopped me urgently.

"Shh, don't speak. You don't want to be here. I would ask you what you're doing but you need to leave, right now." My brows knit together out of confusion.

"W-What?" He seemed fidgety, looking at his Rolex and looking around him. "What the hell are you-"

"Get the hell out of here Naruto!" I jumped due to his tone.

"Naruto?" My heart already racing from the shock of the elder's tone, it only seemed to speed up as I turned to look behind him and found a younger version of the Uchiha. "Naruto…"

I really need to listen more often.

"Shit…" I scratched the back of my head nervously. "I should listen to you more often.

"I told you to leave."

"And why would you say that?" There was an edge to Sasuke's voice as usual, goosebumps raising all over my skin in reaction to it.

"He obviously doesn't want to see you, Sasuke. It still annoys me how you can never catch a hint."

I chuckled. "He's got that right for sure." Taking this as my opening, I turned swiftly and began speed-walking towards the bus stop.

"Naruto! Don't you go thinking you can escape me!" I flipped the asshole my 'special' finger behind my head. "Dobe!" My heart twinged.

I avoided his yells and his brother's attempts at stopping him, my heart working double time to keep me under control as the bus arrived. I ran in order to catch it, barely making it inside in time for it to leave and leave the duck-ass behind dumbfounded.

Thanks Obama. No, I mean really. For the transportation. Great timing.

When I got home I made sure to lock my doors and turn my cell phone off once again, thinking about how I probably should keep it with me in public. Not too long after I heard several obnoxious knocks on my door, persistent and haste.

Why did I know you were coming?

I tried to ignore them, but after ten minutes of just knocking I growled angrily and threw it open after unlocking it. "What the hell do you want!"

He seemed taken back a bit, which did seem to calm my fury down a little.

Stupid duck.

"I want to talk to you, Naruto."

"Too fucking late, asshole. You had four years for that." He sighed.

"Haven't you ever heard about forgive and forget?"

"You expect me to forgive you?" I chuckled to myself. He shifted uncomfortably as I held the silence. "After everything, you expect forgiveness?" My chuckles turned into soft laughs. "Really? Oh, and even better! You expect me to forget this?" It turned into an all-out laugh, my body laughing merely out of anger. When I stopped and looked back at him I saw his cold and hard expression as always, clearly trying to hide his emotions. "I think you're mistaken. You must have the wrong guy. Surely it could be some other guy you fucked over in the past years. What, was he just as foolish and easy as me?"

He didn't reply for a few seconds, thinking about his answer before letting it spew out. "Just hear me out, I-"

"No!" I slammed my fist against the door, causing it to bounce back against the door frame. Sighing in order to calm myself down I spoke again. "I've already heard enough." I started to shut the door when he took initiative and stopped the motion.

"I'm not letting you slip away again,"

"Slip away?" I took a step back, staring at him out of pure hurt and disbelief. "Slip away?" This time the words were breathless. "You left me."

"That's not how it was, Naruto. You know that."

"I listen to you, every single night!" I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes and urged myself to stay strong just a little longer. "I was the only one who broke your shell just enough to get to know you, and then I was the only one who listened to you during your anger-filled rants, I was the only one who stayed up with you until three a.m. so you could fall asleep because the nightmares were so bad, I was the only one who was there for you when you found out that your family wasn't really dead! When your brother came back and left again! You had nobody, Sasuke. Nobody but me. And you took advantage of me, you used me and then threw me to the side so many times I can't even remember when the first began and the last ended." I let a tear slip away, the dam begging me to let it just fall into pieces, but I urged it strong again. "You left me in this deep, dark hole I couldn't get out of. So don't tell me that I 'slipped' away, because I sure as hell didn't. Now leave my fucking complex; you're disturbing the other tenants." I slammed the door and made sure to lock it, collapsing almost immediately after against it, sliding down and let the dam break.

God damn Uchiha.

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Love you all, see you soon!