~Denial~


Slowly, Sasuke approached, flicking open the locker and stepping past the offensive matter that now littered the ground (AKA all the love notes).

The note lay atop his books, having neatly fallen on top of the pile. Already he could here Naruto's impatient snorts behind him, and he delicately opened the note, eyes scanning the neatly written letters.

Meet me after school in classroom M-3. Sakura.

He quirked a dark brow, before crumpling the note, shoving it in his pocket as he listened to Naruto's complaint about the length of time he was taking.
"Coming, Dobe. Don't wet yourself," he growled good naturedly, before heading to class, blonde boy in tow.


CHAPTER SEVEN:

Sakura paced impatiently, arms crossed tightly across her front and she waited inside M-3. The classroom was a small, mostly ignored room which was never locked when school ended. The lights were never on, and the fans never whirring.

In other words, the perfect place for an after-school meeting which could never be found out.

"What's taking him so long?" she muttered, irritated. Here was another Sasuke-fault. He was always so late.

"Here," came a small, barely audible retort, and he could barely keep a note of sarcasm sneaking into his tones. Of course he hadn't been doing anything that might have distracted him beforehand. Though his scarf was now wrapped exceptionally tightly, and there was still a slight flush on his pale cheeks.
He flicked out his earphones, flicking off his ipod, shoving it in his pocket, and flicking his gaze to her.
"What?" he asked simply, bluntly. Sasuke had never been one to mince words uselessly, and he was not about to start now.

"I want to know what happened between you and Naruto."

Sasuke face froze, and he blinked slowly, instantly on guard. His brow furrowed and he scowled at her, his fleeing mechanism already ready. He would reveal nothing to her... even if Naruto seemed to trust her.
"And why do you assume its any of your business?" he hissed venomously, stance straight and threatening. He had promised the blonde he would be with him in a few minutes; and after one interrogation, he was in no mood to be prodded any further.

However, he could not help inwardly cringing. It wasn't quite that obvious, was it? They had even had a fight that day! S-she couldn't know... right?

"I used to be obsessed with you. I know your habits, and you're acting differently. Completely and subconsciously." She frowned. "Besides, you hurt me, and humiliated me. I think I have the right to know what brought that on."

Sasuke snorted, turning away from her and staring decidedly at a small speck of dus to her right.
"You'd been asking for it," he sneered hauntily, backing up slightly.
She was really beginning to get on his nerves, and the way he couldn't keep that icey disdain in his tone was scaring him. He wasn't... panicking was he?
His heart seemed to be thumping thirty miles an hour though, and already he could feel the colour returning to his cheeks.
"And nothing has happened," he stated in irritation, ready to get out of there.

Veryvery quickly.

"There're two more things," Sakura said loudly as Sasuke turned to leave. "Firstly. Even though you won't tell me your motives, give me your word you won't do that to anyone, ever again. And secondly. I plan on being friends with Naruto again." She looked determinedly at the Uchiha. "I know you're friends with him too. You probably hate me. And I sure as hell don't like you. But for Naruto's sake, we're going to get along."

Sasuke chuckled dryly.
Bitterly.
"Believe me, Sakura, I don't intend to," he snorted indignantly, shuddering at the memory, and hefting his bag higher on his shoulder, restless to leave, as a smirk quirked his lips.
"Hatred is a funny thing, Sakura. I would not waste such strong emotions on you," he replied, before swiftly taking his leave, still smirking that cold, almost evil smirk.
He had a Dobe to look forward to, anyway.

"Hatred may be a funny thing. But friendship is even funnier..." murmured Sakura to herself as Sasuke left. "Friendship will make you accept people who have hurt you." With that last statement, Sakura herself left the room and headed home. Today had been a long day.

"Temee~" sang Naruto happily as his Uchiha returned. Sasuke had been right, that had only taken a few minutes, but those few minutes had been enough to drive the blonde crazy with longing. He hurried forward and tackleglomped the other boy, nuzzling into his neck lovingly.

Sasuke sighed, flopping his head atop the blonde's.

He hummed softly, some tune that was incoherent, completely new, but familiar at the same time. He vaguely remembered humming it once before, naming the song 'Dobe'. He snorted, nuzzling into fluffy blonde hair and clutching the boy close, enjoying the tickling sensation of Naruto's cool nose and lips running over his throat, scarf pull haphazardly out of the way.

~x~

That night, Naruto couldn't keep the small smile from tugging on his lips at all times. Even when Iruka scolded him for coming home so late (Naruto didn't care, the time he'd spent with his Teme more than made up for this scolding...), even when he was forced to do his homework (Instead of spending half an hour the next morning copying Sasuke's work, Naruto had every intention of spending the time more... creatively...), even when he was sent to bed (and his thoughts were plagued with last night; with thoughts of Teme...), the small, slight smile never vanished.

~x~

The subtle slam of the door was all that heralded Sasuke's entrance. The house, was as usual, silent. Deathly cold.
The silence that greeted his arrival was twisted with the bitter murmurs of ghosts long past. Memories that should have stayed forgotten.

If only they would stay silent.

His footsteps echoed against the cool wooden floorboards, so polished they could have been marble. He caught his reflection in them, a pale white ghost, looking almost as spectral as the voices that wafted past him, lazily swirling through his mind.

He shuddered.
Quickly exiting the hallway, he bounded up the stairs.
By the time he reached the top, he was panted, breath ragged, as though chased. Haunted eyes turned grimly backwards, and at once acknowledged the light from the kitchen. The soft warm, inviting glow, and the aroma of cooked food dancing enticingly toward him.

Something was wrong.

He paused, eyes narrowing slightly before he tossed his bag and shoes carelessly into his room. He sat, perched atop the stairs, silently waiting. Watching. He knew this was one of his brothers clever ploys.
And knew that Itachi had far more patience than he ever had.
He crept silently, sliding across the floor in his socks, even allowing himself a short moment of pleasure and pretending he was an ice skater. Pretending the glassy darkness of the oak was the depths of a cool, frosted lake. Pretending that the air was not filled with that heavy, tense silence, but instead carried a pleasant chill. The kind that froze your throat, but made everything seem warmer.
His head peeked cautiously around the door frame, as though he expected to be shooed away. It was all suddenly reminiscent of when his mother made dinner.

How she placed everything, each delicious dish on the table, then called them. Of course, he had always been there first, and peered around the doorway, where his mother would be waiting with her ladle and a sly grin.
It would always end in an uproarious chase around the house, until father stopped them, catching the swinging ladle, a brow raised. Mother would always shush him, and he would scurry into the folds of her skirt, before being ordered to the table.
When father got home, everything was so serious.

He padded forward, slowly.
Itachi was there, that cunning, almost blissfully peaceful smile on his features, eyes closed contentedly. Food was spread before him in a large array, a grand feast by recent Uchiha standards.
And no sign of any packaging. All home cooked.

Sasuke silently took a seat at the opposing end of the table, ignoring the food before him despite the eager cries of his stomach.
Itachi's left eye opened a sliver.
"Wellwellwell, little brother," he purred mellowly. Like always, his voice was monotonous. Something they had picked up from their father.
Sasuke raised a single brow, hands fidgeting in his lap.
"So, do tell me, little brother," Itachi crooned, other eye opened now. He stared his brother down, expression still warm, like the meal around him. Like the beautiful chandelier above them, that Sasuke only just noticed had been lit. The candle light danced and flickered around the kitchen, warm, comforting, reminiscent.
And yet, there was something far too sickly sweet about the whole ordeal.
Something far too... Unreal.

"Who is he?"

The words struck like thunder. The tension that had been brewing erupted like a storm, and suddenly, the stare was far too intense for Sasuke to handle.
"W-what?" he asked, voice cold, level. Icy.
Defensive.
Itachi looked like he might of chuckled.
He didn't.
He let the question hang in the air, words penetrating, ringing, quieter, more terrifying than any of the ghostly whispers.
"Just a friend," Sasuke muttered in response, fists clenched, knuckles white. He was sitting straight, tall. Frozen in place.

He didn't know, he didn't know.

Naruto had simply spent the night.

In his bed.

But that didn't matter. Wasn't that much of a clue, was it?

Itachi's smile slowly faded, his eyes hard. Cold. Colder.

"So. You have been entrusted with our family's honor." He paused. A statement.

"And yet you choose..." he paused again, distaste, disgust, clear upon his features.

Sasuke was frozen. Stuck in his seat. Like all those years ago, Itachi scared him. Terrified him. Striking his very being to the core, making shivers run involuntarily down his back, animalinstinctsscreaming;

!

But he couldn't move. Couldn't speak. No reflex was coming to his defense; his pale, lifeless mask forgotten at the door.

But Nii-san! Nii-san I didn't mean to it was-an-accident-I'm-sorry-sorry-sorry-

"And yet, you choose to shame us. Our family name; soiled." The vehemence in his voice, the sheer distaste struck him the worst.

Shame, he was never as bright as Itachi.

No, not quite as gifted as your brother, are you?

Huh, I though Uchiha's were suppose to be genius'.

He shuddered, eyes shut tightly, and his fist slammed into his desk. Always in his brother's shadow. The brother who never had time for him, yet was perfect in every way. The brother who would succeed their father, and become head of police. The brother who once again brought true honor and pride to the Uchiha household.

He shuddered, unable to run. Trappedtrappedtrapped. Memories kept flicking through his mind, and the voices that still haunted the house shrieked high in his ears. Wailingwailingwailing.

Sasuke Uchiha what HAVE you done!

And suddenly, the fires weren't so warm. Shadows danced, biting back the light, sending dark lines down his brothers face, flickering strangely against his own features. Sending chills cascading down his spine, and mind suddenly turning very very blank. And he was still frozen, straight as a ramrod, stuck in his chair as though chained. Chained by duty. Chained by honor. Chained by a well-worn promise to his Mother years ago.

She huddle him closely in her lap, smiling down. Her smile was so bright, so sincere, it made him smile too. Smile through the tears at her flour stained face.

Mother was always busybusybusy.

She gently wiped away a tear, cuddling him closer. She smelt so nice and warm. So comforting. Like home cooked meals and neatly made beds, and love and family. He snuggled tightly, refusing to let go.
She gently cradled his chin, so he had to stare back into those deep, chocolate brown eyes, that glittered warmly in the sunlight. Melted.

"Now Sasuke," She crooned slowly, stroking his hair till the sniffling stopped.
"I want you to promise me something, little one," She continued softly, voice so sweet, so calm, he would promise her anything. The world if she wanted it.
"No matter how big and tough your big brother seems... No matter how well he seems to be upholding our clans honour..." she paused slowly, smiling softly at him once more. He snuggled closer in her lap; these moments were so rare, so precious, he would make sure never to forget.
"You must uphold it too. One day, you will be the heir to the clan. The one passing on the legacy of noble Uchihas. I'm sure father told you we trace back all the way to when there were still ninjas in Konoha? Our clan is as old as the city itself. And I'm entrusting that to you." She chuckled quietly, grabbing his nose and wiggling it slightly, before giving him a quick kiss on the forehead, and returning to the kitchen; Mother worked all day, and all night, making sure Father was happy.
He never quite understood how that worked.
He smiled softly too, looking towards the sky.
"I promise Mother. I promise."

"Now, now, little brother." Itachi stood, an ominous figure. Shadows flickered once again against his features, and his tone returned to something that was a cross between distaste and a monotone. He sounded like Father.

Sasuke cringed, gaze quickly flicking away.

"We can fix this. Your 'Nii-san' has thought of everything," the man purred, using the old nickname Sasuke had given him. And yet somehow, sounding not quite sane. Not quite... his brother.