(runs and hides behind her computer)…Sorry, I know, it's been a long wait! I guess you could probably thank swine flu for this. Yes, I said it. I'm currently bed-ridden with the lovely little virus. And I've had this chapter on my computer FOREVER! I know some of you want to kill me because of all the other stories I've posted lately without updating BA…but no worries it's almost done. (tear)…

Mood music for this chapter definitely would be David Usher's Black Black Heart. The song really describes Gaara's role in this story, plus it's addicting. Anyways, I've got to thank my incredibly loyal reviewers for not just reading this, but Sweet Disease and Mystified. I'm so happy so many of you are enjoying them as well! I'm on to updating them as well…Please remember to REVIEW! Thanks ;)

Izzy's Question of the Week: Any good anime recommendations? I just got done with Black Butler!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I would be in Japan smoozing up with all the other manga authors…

(Bitter Addiction-Chapter 9)

"Black, Black Heart…

What would you offer more?

Why would you make it easier on me to satisfy,

I'm on fire.

I'm eating all your kings and queens,

All your sex and your diamonds.

Black, black heart."

-David Usher, "Black, Black Heart"

Animals, no beasts.

That was all Naruto could think of at the moment.

You know those programs on the discovery channel that depict the life of wild animals? The cruel fate that causes a snake intent on devouring a mouse, instead be eaten by a hawk? Naruto had, and now believed that those sorts of twisted events could still happen in the human world. It took all of five minutes to make him believe it.

He had no idea how ferocious his close friend, his confidant-the man who'd left him ten, sincere voicemails, Neji Hyuuga could be. Or maybe he'd severely underestimated the cruelty Gaara had within him. Afterall, if there was someone to blame, Naruto could thoroughly pin it on him.

Like a mouse, in-between two predators, Naruto was silent and immobile against, pressed up against the wall of his own bedroom. He warily watched two lean-bodies throw punches, and tumble onto the floor. Neji hadn't even waited for a reply from Gaara, before rapidly decking the potential…He shuddered at the thought. Thankfully so, God knows…God knows what could of happened.

"You fucking cheat…you should know when to stop."

A fist collided with Gaara's cheek, a cut rising on the skin to match his bloody lip, curtesy of Naruto. However in response Gaara only spit out blood, and punched Neji squarely in the nose. It was so hard, so defining it made Naruto wince.

"Tsh, admit it. I did what you never could."

Naruto wondered at how Gaara could still sound so terrifying when wounded. Neji held his nose, as Gaara leaned over him.

"I simply…took what I wanted. Life's a matter of taking, not giving," He aimed another square fist at Neji's face, but he retaliated by grabbing the oncoming hand. He twisted it to bring Gaara kneeling beside him. Drops of his blood specked the white carpet.

"Fool, if that's all life is, than you would be content, you would happy instead of a fucking psycho."

Neji rotated his wrist. Oh shit…He's not going to… But Neji didn't stop. He pulled back Gaara's hand until there was a sickening snap. The break only spurred Gaara to kick his leg furiously at Neji's chest. As if that was his reflex towards pain.

Neji sucked in deep breath at the carefully aimed kicks, and reacted in return with a few of his own. Naruto could hear the sound of teeth clicking and the scuff of knuckles. This is enough. I'm tired of this. Something raw inflamed within him. A fire that hadn't been lit in ages, a flames that had been burnt out and replaced with contentment alit once more.

Breathing deeply he charged forward, and rammed himself into Gaara, managing to squirm in front of Neji in the process. He could hear Neji sniffing behind him through his bloody nose. How long has it been since I've seen Gaara this wild, this out of control? It had to have been college. Or maybe the real Gaara had been in disguise all this time? Just like how Sasuke had fooled him.

"Get out," he seethed. Gaara was holding his arm tightly, a nasty bruise was forming alongside his cheekbone. It's definitely broken. For the life of him, Naruto couldn't summon any guilt…and he was perfectly happy about that. I've gone too easy on him. I thought I had fixed him. He watched as the crazed man stood up straight, and smoothed out his disarray clothes.

"Are you deaf?! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

Pushed past reason and logic, Naruto gave a good, hard kick to his shin. Whether it was out of surprise or pain, Gaara toppled over gasping. At first it appeared that Gaara was crying, but even that couldn't bring Naruto to reach out a comforting hand. He stood up once more, not crying, but laughing. A crazed, maddening laugh rang throughout the messy apartment.

"Where have your manners gone, Naruto? I thought we werefriends?"

Naruto sputtered.

"Friends?! You motherfucker-"

A pale arm, one of comfort and strength, wrapped around Naruto's waist, holding him back from attacking Gaara again.

"You heard him. Leave, now. You can expect a restraining order in the very, very near future."

Gaara sneered, and spit on the carpet. He aimed one last insane glare at Naruto, and rampaged through the living room, knocking off picture frames left and right. Naruto winced at the glass that split and cracked upon impact. He was so wrapped up in fury, he could barely hear anything else other than the throb of his own head.

Leaning on Neji, he remained silent. Neither spoke. Neither had to. They just sat. Somehow, the pair ended up on the couch. Naruto resting in the quite solace of Neji's embrace. Past tears, and anger. Only lost in thoughts. He compared Neji analytically to the same position that he and Sasuke had been in naught two weeks before.

Sasuke had always felt the need to fill the silence between he and Naruto, as if they would disappear if he didn't. But Sasuke had never been a good talker, so there had always been a movie, the television, music…always noise between them. Their relationship required a background to be stable, Naruto realized. Maybe we were loosing each other long before this, before Gaara, before this nasty affair.

Naruto compared them to a storm, a hurricane that comes in the dead of night that you were only slightly expecting. After the damage is done, you're supposed to pick up the pieces…but what if that life doesn't fit anymore, what if that home is no longer home? Do you leave the shards where they fell?

That night he didn't fall asleep, and neither did Neji. They only sat there, silent in each other's arms. It's true what they say. Silence makes the real conversation between friends. Not the saying but the never needing to say that counts.

******

Gaara made it past the dingy alleyway between his and Naruto's complexes before he let his façade slip and allow his wound to show. He grunted, and limped the rest of the way back to his front door. Damn Neji. It would've worked out. He vaguely wondered if his older sister had been right. If he was indeed relapsing again, and needed medical attention once more. It was only a passing thought, and he stomped it as quickly as it came. Damn anyone that gets in my way.

Due to the ache that seemed to be getting worse, it failed to catch his attention that he also had a visitor. Stumbling through the doorway, Gaara wiped his hands off on a dirty dish rag. Oh, how he hated blood. He was a masochist and a sadist. But he loathed the feel of his own blood. A secret he would never tell.

"You're injured."

The surprisingly soft voice caught him off guard. Another thing he hated. Being surprised. He sneered, and met the face of Sasuke Uchiha. Lovely, another piece in my plan that has gone awry. He was good sex. He was a good pawn. That was all, Gaara repeatedly told himself. He wasn't looking for a boyfriend.

"Why are you here?"

The face that remained so cold and uncaring during work slipped, and an earnest look of hurt emerged. He wasn't blonde, and he didn't have sky blue eyes. He's only a darker version of Naruto.

"I thought that maybe with the whole breakup that you and I could move in together…uh, for a more permanent stay."

"You guessed wrong. You come over when I say so, not just whenever you feel like it, ugh."

Gaara held a hand to his mouth. His body was betraying him. Damn this body. Damn this world. He fell forward, intending on hitting the floor painfully, but that…that man who was replacing his precious person came forward, keeping him from collapsing.

"You shouldn't push yourself, too far. I know. I do it all the time." There was sarcasm in his voice, the familiar Uchiha tone.

"I'm fine," he mumbled gruffly. He didn't want some…whore's embrace. He only wanted a tan body wrapped around his.

"You're a liar. Also like me." Against his will, the lean man was able to pull the majority of Gaara's weight onto his shoulder. Together they stumbled back to the velvet bedroom. With an odd gentleness, Sasuke settled him in to the bed, and left only briefly for bandages.

"Tomorrow, you've got to go to the hospital. Or better yet, I'll take you."

"Why?" Gaara snapped. "Why are you doing this?" I'm not your friend. I'm not your "lover." You're a pawn. You should know that. From the solemn look that overtook Sasuke's features, Gaara guessed that he already knew that.

"Because…we're alike. Both devils, both destroyers of the people around us. I figure that we were meant for each other."

There was only partial amusement when he spoke. They said nothing else as Sasuke tended to the most heinous of Gaara's wounds. After he was done, he curled around Gaara, who neither acknowledged him nor pushed him away.

Though Sasuke pretended to close his eyes, that night neither found sleep. Both for entirely different reasons. He also imagined that he hadn't heard Gaara's ominous words in the dry hours of morning.

"We are each our own devils, and we make this world our own hell."