Naruto (c) Masashi Kishimoto
But I can still remember what his face looked like,when I found him in an alley in the middle of the night.Tell me what you know! Tell me what you gone and done now!Tell me what you know! Tell me what you gone and done now!Gun would do the trick; get it over with! You're better off;to take all you've got and burn it on the spot!Just to get high, (high)! — Nickelback
"Aw fuck, why do I even have to be here? It's not like he's my brother-in-law or anything!" Kiba whined as he walked with Sasuke towards Itachi's apartment.
"Tch, shut your trap Inuzuka. You're worse than Suigetsu and Naruto combined," Sasuke looked at Kiba, "and that's saying something." Sasuke finished. Kiba shot Sasuke a glare.
"I would rather be with my girlfriend right now, she had a special surprise for me too," Kiba complained.
"Shut the hell up Kiba, you're doing this because Hana asked you to, don't you even care about your sister?" Sasuke asked.
"Hmph, why are you doing this then, Uchiha?" Kiba asked.
"I'm worried about my brother." Sasuke stopped in front of Itachi's apartment door. "He hasn't be answering his cell or his phone, and I'm afraid he started using again, I mean he was serious about Hana, when I talked to him about her, he was like she's the one, Sasuke! And all that mushy romantic crap." Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Don't you do all that mushy romantic crap with Karin?" Kiba asked. Sasuke shot the Inuzuka boy a death glare.
Sasuke snorted. Of course he did romantic mushy crap with Karin, but he wasn't about to tell Kiba that. Kiba grumbled something but didn't bother to say it again. Sasuke pulled out the key Itachi gave him and opened the door. He froze as soon as he opened the door, instantly knowing that something was wrong. Memories from his childhood came flooding back to him. "Something's wrong," Sasuke whispered. Kiba glanced at him and shrugged. The two boys slowly made their way into the dark apartment.
"Why is it so dark?" Kiba muttered, reaching out for the light switch.
"Don't turn on the light!" Sasuke grabbed Kiba's wrist, "He likes it dark when he's shooting up," Sasuke breathed. Kiba blinked.
"How do you know he's shooting up?" Kiba asked.
"I hear Master of Puppets. It's his irunno, his theme for shooting up or something. Plus its dark," Sasuke said. He pulled out his phone, tapped the screen a few times before entering the message: He's using again.
"Isn't that song about the horrors of drug use or something?" Kiba asked, as he nervously shoved his hands in his pockets. Sasuke slipped his phone back into his pocket.
"Yeah, it is."
Sasuke slowly made his way towards Itachi's room. He pushed the door opened and nodded to Kiba who turned on the hall light.
Sasuke's eyes widened as Itachi's gaunt face was illuminated. Hollow black eyes peered up at Sasuke, glazed over due to the drug. "Is he dead?" Kiba asked.
"No." Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he walked up to Itachi. He squatted before his brother. "Just high," Sasuke growled. Itachi gave a soft moan, trying to focus on Sasuke.
"Hana?" he whispered. Kiba watched the brothers stare at each other for a few long and tense moments. Sasuke clenched his fists before punching Itachi.
"Fucking bastard! You fucking bastard!" Sasuke shouted, repeatedly punching Itachi. "How dare you? How dare you fucking put me through this again! You fucking asshole! You promised me! You made a fucking promise! You promised you'd never do this to me again! Fucking bastard!" Sasuke snarled, punching his brother. Itachi gave an insane smile, causing Sasuke to twitch. "Bastard! How could you! I hate you! I fucking hate you!" Sasuke screaming. "Don't you care? Don't you give a shit about me? Your little brother? Huh? Do you? Well do you Itachi?" Sasuke grabbed his brother by the collar of his shirt. "Answer me damn it!" Sasuke shook him before continuing to beat Itachi.
"Sasuke, you're gonna kill him!" Kiba pulled Sasuke away from his brother. The younger Uchiha turned around and punched Kiba in the gut.
"Get lost." He glared back at Itachi, who was laughing in a delirious manner softly. "Haven't had enough, huh?" Sasuke sniffed, fighting to keep his tears at bay. "Well good, because I'm not done beating you!" Sasuke snarled before punching Itachi again. Kiba stared at Sasuke.
"Sasuke stop it! You're going to kill him!" Kiba shouted, grabbing Sasuke wrists again.
"Let me go Kiba! He deserves it! He fucking broke his fucking promise! He's a fucking lair! Damn it, let go of me!" Sasuke struggled against Kiba and was able to pull away, only to slam his fist into Itachi's jaw. "You're nothing but a fucking lair, Itachi! A fucking liar! How does it feel to know I hate you! Bet it doesn't feel good does it? How does it feel knowing Hana hates you? I thought you loved her?" Sasuke shouted.
"Sasuke, stop it, let's just go and call the cops," Kiba said.
"I sad fuck off!" Sasuke snarled. Itachi moaned softly, bleeding from his mouth and nose. Sasuke screamed before punching Itachi some more. Sasuke didn't noticed that Naruto had arrived nor was talking to Kiba to figure out what was going on.
"Sasuke, you're going to kill him if you don't stop!" Naruto shouted. He wanted to go to his friend and pull him off his brother, but Kiba held him back. "Sasuke!"
Itachi moaned a few softly. He was slowly coming down from the high, and he could almost feel his brother's fists against his body. Hell, he deserves Sasuke's animosity towards him right now, he wouldn't like himself he saw himself doing this. "Hit… I need… I need another… hit…" Itachi muttered. Sasuke punched him in the gut.
"Want another hit, Niisan?" Sasuke spat. Itachi looked up at his brother with lost eyes, he opened his mouth to say something but Sasuke slammed his fist into his face. "Shut up! Just shut the fuck up! Whatever you have to say I don't want to fucking, hear it! I just fucking don't!" Sasuke shouted, tears cascading down his face. "Just tell me what you want?" Sasuke asked. Itachi didn't respond. "Do you want to die? Is that it?" Sasuke stood up, grabbed Itachi's gun, and tossed it at his brother's feet. "Well there's the damn gun! Go shoot yourself! Put that bullet between your eyes! I don't give a flying fuck!" Sasuke shouted. Itachi looked at the gun and then at Sasuke. "Because it'll be a lost faster if you just blow your fucking goddamn brains out than over dose on heroin! I won't have to suffer! Mom and Dad won't have to suffer! Hell, Hana wouldn't have to suffer!" Sasuke shouted. Itachi looked away. "So, what do you want Itachi?" Sasuke asked.
"Another… hit," Itachi breathed, his head lolling around. Sasuke screamed and moved to punch his brother, but at that moment, Naruto pulled free of Kiba's grip and wrapped his arms around Sasuke. The younger Uchiha boy began to kick air and struggle against Naruto's grip.
"Why? Why break your promise? You promised me that I'd never catch you high again! You promised—Let go of me, Naruto!—me you'd stay clean!" Sasuke cried, glowering at Itachi. "What happened? Why did you break—Naruto, let me fucking go!—your promise? At least tell me that much before you go kill yourself!" Sasuke shouted. Naruto let Sasuke go, and Sasuke crumbled to the floor and smashes his fists against the carpet. Tears running down his cheeks.
"What are we going to do with the drugs?" Kiba asked. Sasuke glanced at the drugs near his brother.
Itachi moaned softly. There was something important, something his drug-fried brain struggled to remember, because he wanted to, no…needed to remember, but he just couldn't remember what was so important. "…Another hit," he muttered. Sasuke stood up and punched him again, staring down at his pathetic image. Sasuke sniffed, wiping his bloodied hand across his face, smearing his brother's blood on his pale skin.
"Fuck this," he muttered before gathering up Itachi's drugs. "Fuck you!" Sasuke snarled, tears dropping onto his hands. "Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!" he growled, shoving the needles into the metal box and forcing the lid close. "Fuck you and fuck everything!" Sasuke grabbed the metal box and headed towards the door.
"H-hey! What about us?" Kiba shouted, yelping when Itachi's hand grabbed his wrist. Naruto watched as Sasuke left the room without answering Kiba's question.
"H-Hana?" Itachi gasped, staring at Kiba with haunted eyes. Kiba yanked his wrist away.
"No, her brother, Kiba," he said.
"Just watch him, he'll be back," Naruto grumbled, remembering when he and Sasuke were eleven and Sasuke had found Itachi like this.
The cold autumn air wasn't that comforting but to Sasuke it was a blessing. He watched the drugs burn with angry onyx eyes, memories of the first time Itachi went through this flashed before his mind's eye and he shuddered. Sighing he brought the cigarette to his lips. "There you are!" a voice said. Sasuke turned to see Karin, in sneakers, navy blue jeans, her lilac coat, and a royal purple scarf with matching hat and gloves. He took the cigarette away from his mouth.
"Hey," Sasuke mumbled meekly. Karin walked up to him, glanced around before wrapping her arms around his neck. Sasuke sighed, slumping slightly into her embrace; the cigarette dangling limply from his fingers.
"I'm sorry Sasuke," Karin whispered and pulled away. He broke the cigarette to his lips and blew smoke at the sky.
"You aren't supposed to be smoking," Karin chided as she took the cigarette from him. She took a drag and blew smoke in his face. He snorted, waving his hand from back and forth to clear the smoke.
"Neither are you," Sasuke replied.
Karin flushed. "I have no idea what you're talking about!" she snapped, and tossed the cigarette into the fire. "See! I'm not smoking! Geez!"
Sasuke stared impassively at her, before his lips twitched up into a fleeting smirk. "Just like hold times, huh?" he said leaning against the wall. He pulled out the nearly empty pack of cigarettes. He looked at it before tossing it into the fire. "If Itachi is gonna get clean, I might as well stop smoking."
They fell into a comfortable silence. Sasuke could smell the perfume Karin wore, how it mingled with the cigarette smoke. He looked at her, noting the slight pout on her lips, the fire reflected in her glasses. Slowly, he inched his hand closer to hers until their fingertips were brushing. They held hands like this often when they were both street kids, just a barely-there touch, to assure each other the other was near. "So…" Karin began, "Itachi is using again, huh?"
"Yeah," Sasuke said. "He is."
"That sucks," Karin said frankly. "What are you going to do?" She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Sasuke didn't reply, instead he continued to stare into the flames. Karin felt him link their pinkies together. "I can call a rehab center," Karin said turning to face him and pulling out her phone. She also broke contact with their hands. Sasuke grabbed her hand that held the phone.
"Don't," Sasuke whispered, not looking at her. "I can take care of him, don't call any rehab center," Sasuke looked at his girlfriend. "Please Karin?" he asked. Karin looked into Sasuke's eyes, the orange-yellow lights reflecting in his black orbs.
She broke his grip; put her phone away before grabbing his hand in hers. She rubbed it between her gloved ones before blowing on it. "Your hand's freezing," she said. "I won't call the rehab center, but at least let Sakura know. She can help; her aunt's a doc—"
"No! Nobody! Not even Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, yanking his hand away. Karin sighed, and shoved her glasses up on her nose.
"Don't yell at me Sasuke," Karin spat. "I'm only trying to help! If you're going to sober your brother up, you're gonna need IV drips. Sakura can get you those."
Sasuke flinched, eyes falling to the flames again. Karin was right. She was nearly always right when he was too emotional to think. That was one of the things he loved about her, the ability to keep a level head in stressful situations.
"Karin, I… I don't know why I'm bothering to help him," Sasuke grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I hate him so much," he breathed.
"He's your brother." The girl folded her arms over her chest. "Family." She smiled, though it was rueful. Karin dropped her arms, inched closer to Sasuke, before resting her head on, his shoulder and linked their pinkies together.
"I know but… argh, I can't believe he started using again," Sasuke muttered, taking her hand.
"I know Sasuke, I know." Karin gave his hand a squeeze. "Everything will work out alright," Karin assured him.
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Karin." He turned slightly to look at her. "You've been always there for me. Ever since we met, you were standing strong besides me, giving it to me straight when I needed it. " He pecked her lips lightly. "Thank you," he breathed.
"You're welcome Sasuke," Karin said. "I only ever wanted to make you happy." Sasuke was about to say something when his cell phone rang.
"Damn it." Sasuke pulled away, grabbing his phone. "What? Kiba, slow the fuck down! Now, what's going on? Uh-huh… shit! Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes. In the meantime, tell Naruto to hold him down if he gets violent!" Sasuke closed his phone.
"What's wrong?" Karin asked.
"Itachi's withdrawal is setting in." He ran a down his face. "Fuck!" he shouted.
"You need to calm down Sasuke!" Karin snapped. "Otherwise you won't be able to help Itachi!"
"Right." Sasuke nodded. "He's my brother, I don't want him in a rehab center," Sasuke looked at the dark blue-black sky.
"I'll call Sakura and tell her you need IV drips, you get back to Itachi's apartment," Karin said.
"Thanks," he said and pecked her cheek before heading back to the apartment.
Sasuke winced when he entered the apartment. "He's screaming," Kiba said, covering his ears in a fruitless effort to block out Itachi's shrieks. Sasuke noticed that Inuzuka boy's face was pale as milk and his red fang tattoos were a sharp contrast.
"DAMN IT! SOMEBODY GET ME SOMETHING! HANA! HANA! HANA!" Itachi's hoarse voice echoed through the apartment. Sasuke walked into the room to see his brother crumpled in pain, sweating and crying. Naruto was crouched near him, ready to get hold Itachi don't if he got violent.
"Naruto took the gun away from him when he started screaming," Kiba said, holing Itachi's pistol. "Gave it to me to hold on to."
"S-Sasuke… h-help m-me… oh god it hurts… HANA! HANA!" Itachi screamed. Sasuke turned and found Itachi's set of handcuffs.
"What are you doing?" Kiba asked.
"Naruto, help me get him on the bed," Sasuke said, walking towards his brother and best friend.
"Right." Naruto grabbed Itachi's legs as Sasuke looped his arms beneath Itachi's armpits. Together they hauled him onto the bed. He began to thrash.
"HANA! HANA!" Itachi screamed, bucking against the grip Naruto and Sasuke had on him.
"Naruto, hold his feet down." Sasuke instructed as he crawled onto his brother's chest and began to coolly handcuff his brother to the bed.
"Are you sure that's necessary?" Kiba eyed the handcuffs.
"It'll keep him from hurting himself," Sasuke replied, ripping off a piece of silvery duct tape. "And this is to muffle the noise so the neighbours don't call the cops." Sasuke slapped the duct tape onto Itachi's mouth. His cries were muffled somewhat.
"Sasuke? Sasuke are you in here, Karin called?" a voice asked. "I heard screaming?" The newcomer said and looked around and her eyes fell onto Itachi.
"Hey, Sakura!" Naruto gave the pink-haired girl a wave and drew Sasuke's attention to her.
"Hey," Sasuke said with a little nod. "Yeah, it was him. Thanks for bringing the IVs." He dragged the coat hanger closer to the bed and found a hanger in Itachi's closet. He smirked as he slipped the hanger onto the highest hook. "There, an IV drip stand," he smirked.
"Clever," Sakura set the IVs down and took one to Itachi's bedside. She sat down and waited for Sasuke to free Itachi's left hand. "Karin filled me in. Neji is outside in the car waiting for me. So, I can't stay long."
"Are you sure you know how to do this?" Kiba asked, watching Sasuke tie the tourniquet around Itachi's arm.
"I've never done it before myself, but I've watched my aunt do it plenty of times. Heh, for a heroin junkie he has some nice veins in his hand." Sakura grabbed the needle and waited until Itachi's veins popped up more.
"Her aunt?" Kiba cocked his head.
"Tsunade, her aunt. Sakura and her parents moved up north, around the time I turned twelve. She eventually came back for high school and is living with her aunt as she attends," Naruto said.
"Thanks for giving my life story Naruto," Sakura growled and tossed back some pink tresses and speared Itachi's vein, swiftly pulling the needle out, leaving the tiny plastic tube in. "Of course you could've always asked me Kiba." Sakura smirked as she slapped some clothe table over Itachi's IV to keep it in place. "There, that should do. Make sure he doesn't rip it out okay, Sasuke. You know how to change it?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah." Sasuke nodded.
"Karin forgot to remind you, that since you'll be helping Itachi get better you'll be missing school," Sakura pointed out.
"About that… could you or Karin take notes for me?" Sasuke asked.
"I'll tell Hinata. She's the best at taking notes!" Naruto piped up. "Plus, I can bring you them."
"Thanks Naruto," Sasuke said.
Sakura glanced at her watched and tucked some hair behind her ear. "Anyway, I have to go. Call me Sasuke if you need any medical help. Like I said, Neji is waiting for me downstairs," she said, gave a little wave and left the apartment.
"I better get going too," Naruto said. "Later bastard."
"See ya, idiot," Sasuke replied.
"I'm going too," Kiba said before Sasuke could protest. Sasuke watched as the Inuzuka boy followed after Naruto.
It had been about three days since Sasuke found Itachi. "Is he doing any better?" Naruto asked, holding some papers for Sasuke. "I brought your notes."
"Well, at least he isn't screaming anymore," Sasuke pointed out. "And thanks." Sasuke took them. "Wow, Hinata has really nice handwriting."
"I know." Naruto grinned. "It's been than my chicken scratch penmanship."
"True," Sasuke sighed. The boys jumped when they heard a knock on the door.
"I'll get it. I bet it's just the pizza boy with my food." Sasuke walked up to the door and violently yanked it open. "Oh." He looked at Hana who was standing in the doorway. "Hana?" he said.
"Hey Sasuke, uhm… I just came to uhm… how's your brother?" Hana mumbled.
"You came to see him didn't you?" Sasuke asked. Hana nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Yes," she chocked on her sob.
"He's in the bedroom," Sasuke whispered. "Though I wouldn't recommend you seeing him. He's out of it. Doesn't recognize anyone. Not even me."
"I see, but… still… I want to," Hana breathed.
"Do whatever you feel is best then," Sasuke replied with an indifferent shrug. Hana mutely nodded and entered the apartment.
Sasuke followed her, staring at her with apathy. Hana was sitting next to his brother. Itachi's hands were still cuffed to the bed and his knees were tucked up against his chest. She brushed his sweat drenched bangs out of his face. Itachi was shaking, with tears cascading down his face and his nose was running. Soft moans of pain exited his mouth and his eyes had that unfocused look due to the fever; his cheeks flushed as well. All induced by the withdrawal from heroin. Sasuke leaned casually against the doorframe. "Just to give you fair warning, he won't even remember you were here when he comes to," Sasuke said.
Hana looked at the young Uchiha with sad desperate eyes. "I know, but I just can't leave him, suffering like this. I still love him," Hana replied forlornly, before looking at her boyfriend; there was nothing left of Itachi. His eyes were hollow lifeless voids; it broke Hana's heart to see him so broken, so vulnerable. There was a noise at the door, which Naruto went to investigate while Sasuke cocked his head in that direction.
"Sasuke, pizza." Naruto said.
"My food is here. Stay as long as you like, just don't expect anything." He looked at the Inuzuka woman. "I'm coming Naruto," he called before leaving Hana with his brother. Hana watched the door close, before curling up onto the bed next to Itachi.
"H-help m-me…" he whispered raggedly, his eyes wide and fearful. "St-stop th-the p-pain…pl-please…" he begged, reaching out to her, like a dying man reaching for the angels he sees. Hana cried silently as she took his shaking hand.
"Shh, I'm here Itachi, just calm down," Hana whispered, brushing his wet bangs out of his face.
Itachi gave a weak smile. "Th-thank you… my angel," he breathed. Hana chocked on her sob as she pressed her forehead against his, a sad-happy smile on her lips.
"Yes, Itachi," she breathed, "I am your angel."
Itachi stared at her blankly for a bit longer, before he rolled over groaning loudly in pain. Hana broke down and hugged him. "It's going to be okay Itachi, just don't fight it, please, I love you," she whispered sadly, hugging him tightly. She could feel his body tremble; she could hear his moans of pain.
"Ha-na…" he gasped.
"Itachi, I'm here! Itachi," Hana said, not daring to roll him over.
"Want… Ha-na," he forced out. Hana blinked several times, as cold reality settled neatly into her gut. She wasn't here to him. To him, she was gone, far away from here. "HANA!" Itachi screamed. He began to thrash about; Hana stared, unable to speak, as her boyfriend jerked back and forth, trying to free himself while screaming her name at the top of his lungs. So stunned, she was, that she didn't even hear the door open or see Sasuke run towards the bed.
"Hana, move!" Sasuke shouted. Hana moved as she watched mutely as Sasuke sat on Itachi's chest.
"HANA! I WANT HANA!" Itachi screamed.
"Shut up Itachi," Sasuke growled as he pulled out his roll of duct tape.
"DAMN IT! TELL ME WHERE HANA IS!" Itachi screamed, pulling against the chains. Sasuke tore off a piece of duct tape.
"Shut up," Sasuke growled.
"NO! HANA! HANA!" Itachi shouted before Sasuke slapped the duct tape over his brother's mouth.
"You should go," Sasuke muttered not bothering to look at Kiba's sister. Hana nodded dumbly, leaving the apartment, trying in vain to get Itachi's screams for her out of her head.
And so ends Act VII.
This is the second to the last act. The final chapter will be posted Friday night. Personally, this is my favorite chapter. I don't know why. Probably because we get to see some of the other characters besides Itachi and Hana and see how Itachi's drug abuse effects them.
In the original posting it was just Kiba and Sasuke, I added Naruto cause I think Naruto would be by Sasuke's side helping him through this difficult time. Also, in the original, Kiba's girlfriend was Ino. I changed this and left his girlfriend a nameless person.
The final chapter starts to lighten up, and the conversation between Karin and Sasuke alludes to the prequel fic I plan to write.
Sasuke is 18 (and so is the Konoha 11, Karin and Suigetsu).
Save an author; leave a review.
Cheers!
-Nemo