AN: I'm sorry about the very long break. I spent a year without proper access to the internet and then my laptop died so I lost all of my drafts. I finally have both back and am going to try and continue the best I can between looking for work.

Three days could seem like an eternity. No matter how much Suigetsu tried to keep himself distracted by harassing Sasuke, pissing off Itachi and examining everything in the apartment. The feeling of a constant craving would not leave him. Three days had never dragged out for so long, never caused him so much pain. Even his healing injuries seemed minuscule compared to the burning running through his body. Suigetsu groaned and curled himself tightly into a ball.

Both Sasuke and Itachi had left earlier. Sasuke, to go to training with Kisame. Itachi left with Deidara only ten minutes ago. Suigetsu unrolled himself and removed himself off Sasuke's bed. Despite the inevitable fight for the last few nights, Sasuke had always ended up conceding and allowing Suigetsu to sleep in the bed with him. Suigetsu had never woken up and felt safe before. Even though Sasuke constantly picked fights with him, everything was washed away as they fell asleep. It was like a safe haven where nothing could hurt him. Suigetsu felt another stab of pain, it was coming directly from his heart. It took him a moment to realise it was emotional not physical.

Suigetsu didn't want to lose this sense of security. Once he walked out and found what was making his body scream with need then there would be no coming back. Suigetsu would lose himself in a different reality, one that didn't include Sasuke. Even though, at times he thought he may actually viscerally hate Sasuke, there was something that made him feel more connected to Sasuke than anyone else. There was little in his life that really tore him between two decisions. Another wave of nausea rushed over him and Suigetsu was at the door. Sasuke was just a want, this was a need.

The day had blurred into night without any realisation from Suigetsu. His mind was set towards only his goal. There was only one thing getting in his way to finally satisfying his body's need. Money. Suigetsu didn't think he'd be able to rob someone in his state. He was still wounded from the fight with Sasori and the craving was distracting him. Suigetsu knew that he'd most likely screw up and get himself caught. He fidgeted uneasily as he tried to figure out the best solution. His legs started walking towards Chuuko, a street in the down town area of the city. By the time his mind caught up with his body, he was too desperate to care. Chuuko was the best place for males to find company for the night. It was also the best place for desperate people to make quick money.

Rather than presenting himself like a whore, as most of the women did, Suigetsu wandered into an alley off the street. The women were lined up and down the street, wearing very little in clothing. All the shops were strip clubs, illegally run brothels or topless bars. It had the highest recordings of rape anywhere in the city. Suigetsu knew the alley was dangerous but he cared little, his reputation should keep him safe. There was little point standing on the streets, men would never openly come up to him. It was well known however, that it was perfectly acceptable to find male company in an alley. That way it was only the dirty little secret between the two of them. Neither would want to brag about the meeting.

Suigetsu heard someone cough further up the alley and knew he wasn't the only male hoping to score quick cash. Suigetsu absent-mindedly wondered if he knew them but couldn't bring himself to investigate. Half an hour later and Suigetsu was literally beginning to claw at his skin. He felt like he couldn't survive the night if he didn't fulfil his body's wishes. Finally headlights hit Suigetsu's eyes. They blinded him temporarily but he heed it no attention. A car carefully drove up the narrow alley and Suigetsu pushed himself off the wall. The car rolled to a stop next to him.

"Are you…" A man trailed off, looking at Suigetsu through the open window.

"Your dream come true? You bet." Suigetsu flashed a grin. The man wasn't ugly, at least.

"Come on then." The man wound up his window quickly as if to shield from any possible curious eyes.

Suigetsu got into the car and looked at his source of money. The man would have been around thirty five. Dark brown hair was neatly cropped and there were few wrinkles across his face. Suigetsu took in the suit and wedding ring. Most likely known he was gay his whole life but was forced into marriage and denial by a controlling father. Suigetsu couldn't help but feel gratitude to his freedom.

"So, what's your name?" Suigetsu asked causally as he inspected his nails.

"Uh…Yamato."

"Suigetsu. But you can call me whatever you want." Suigetsu gave a sly wink.

"Look… I haven't done this before." Yamato said hesitantly as he glanced over at Suigetsu.

"Ahh, no worries. I have enough experience for the both of us. Just drive to Kiri Park and park down near the river. It's secluded." Suigetsu then fell silent and watched as the lights steamed past him. He wondered what Yamato, though obviously a fake name, thought about him. A young man, not even out of his teens sleeping with random men just for money. Suigetsu felt tired again, his life really wasn't changing. Maybe he should have never left Sasuke's. Perhaps that was his way out.

"We're here." Yamato broke him out of his reprieve.

"Cash up front." Suigetsu said, he hadn't even realised they had reached the park.

"Oh, of course." Yamato stammered and reached for his wallet. "Um, how much?"

Suigetsu resisted the urge to sigh. At least Yamato wasn't disputing the cash up front policy. Far too many times, Suigetsu had found himself fucked then thrown out of the car. "Depends, what exactly are your expectations of tonight?"

"I…I haven't done this before." Yamato repeated an earlier comment.

"Right, you've said that already. So we will go with a bit of everything, give you a taste." Suigetsu leant forward and whispered into Yamato's ear. "But once you've had me, you'll want more than just a taste." Suigetsu trailed his hand up over Yamato's leg and smirked, the man was already hard. "200 for a life changing experience."

What seemed like a life time later, Suigetsu watched the headlights disappear into the distance. Once the lights blinked out of existence, he dropped to his knees and his stomach rebelled on him. The meagre contents wrenched their way upwards and spilt onto the ground. He finished vomiting and leant back on his heels. After a moment, once his stomach had settled down, he stood back up and slowly made his way up to a door. Yamato even had the decency to drop Suigetsu off here. Suigetsu ignored the pain radiating from his lower half. His ribs hadn't enjoyed the experience either.

The sound of his knuckles hitting the door echoed around his head. Suigetsu had to resist the urge to lean against the door. The poorly kept door swung open to reveal a towering man. Most of the man's body was covered in clothes and even his face was masked.

"What do you want?" The man asked in a gravely tone.

"Kakuzu. Let me in." Suigetsu then pulled out the money. Kakuzu was in charge of all funds for the Akatsuki. Suigetsu knew that under the mask and heavily layered clothes, that Kakuzu was littered with scars. The man wouldn't let anyone past his door if they had less than a hundred dollars.

Kakuzu grunted in acceptance and pulled Suigetsu through the door before slamming it shut again. Suigetsu fell onto an aging couch and listened as Kakuzu relocked the door with a key and deadbolts. Being the debt collector of Akatsuki earnt the man a lot of enemies. Suigetsu dropped all of the money onto the coffee table. He didn't want any left over.

"What are you after then?" Kakuzu asked after picking the money up and counting it carefully.

"Something now, something for later." Suigetsu said with a non-committal shrug. Now that he was actually here, his urges had died down. Suigetsu wasn't sure whether it was because he knew that the wait would be over soon or if he actually didn't want the drugs anymore. The thought briefly crossed his mind of getting up and leaving again.

"Here." Kakuzu placed a syringe into Suigetsu's hand. "It's ready to go."

The thought was flushed out of Suigetsu's head as he clutched the syringe. It was heroin. Kakuzu didn't use most of the drugs he sold. Only heroin and on occasion, cocaine. If it was ready to go that meant Kakuzu had just prepared it with intentions of personal use. Suigetsu gave Kakuzu a pointed look. "It won't take me long to ready another one for myself. I don't want the responsibility of picking you up when you drop from withdrawals."

"Who said anything about withdrawals?" Suigetsu sneered out, feeling defensive and somewhat ashamed of the state he was in.

"Please, you're no better than the rest the drug addicted scum that come crawling to my door and begging for just a little, only a little. And then a little more. Pathetic." Kakuzu looked up from preparing a syringe. "Oh don't look at me like that Hōzuki. You don't think I know everything that goes on? Itachi informed us all his little brother brought home a beaten mongrel."

"Mongrel? Maybe. But I wasn't beaten, just…knocked around a bit." Suigetsu shrugged with a careless grin. He hadn't taken real offence to the last part of Kakuzus' sentence. Admittedly the first part made him grit his teeth in anger. He wasn't sure if it was anger at himself or Kakuzu for having the audacity to say such things.

Suigetsu wasted no more time in tying a tourniquet around his arm before finding a suitable vein. It wasn't too difficult as Suigetsu rarely injected his drugs. With ease Suigetsu pushed the heroin into his blood stream and dropped to the couch as the instant bliss rushed over him. All thoughts of the last few days floated away out of reach and Suigetsu felt himself relax deeply into the couch.

It was a surreal feeling and Suigetsu couldn't think of why he had almost hesitated on taking it. He didn't think upon on it for long as it was difficult to grasp any thought for long. It was freeing in a way, to no longer have to worry about anything. Even if it was just for the time the high lasted. Suigetsu's surroundings were almost a distant reality. He was vaguely aware that Kakuzu had settled himself on the couch next to him but it seemed so far away that it had no impact on him.

Time passed slowly, or perhaps quickly. Suigetsu didn't need to be aware of time, it was just another restriction that people allowed themselves to be pulled into. After what both felt like the blink of an eye and endless hours, Suigetsu felt everything slowly come back into focus. He took a deep breath and forced his body to move upright. Everything blurred but it was nothing that he wasn't used to after years of various drug use. Suigetsu rested his head into hands, elbows perched onto his bony knees. It allowed the dizziness to pass quicker and before too long he was able to fully sit up.

Kakuzu was either asleep or in a heroin high state. Probably both. Suigetsu was about to jab the miser in the ribs despite the repercussions. Never jab a sleeping lion, or something like that. Suigetsu wasn't able to form the proper wording in his mind. It was something that he continued to think on it until he forget why he was trying to think of it in the first place.

"On the table." Kakuzu grunted without opening his eyes.

Suigetsu startled out of his confused state and then finally remembered how his train of thought had come to lions. On the table was a clear bag filled with small pills. More than what he had the money for. If his thoughts were clear then he probably would have hesitated, waiting for the catch. Instead he snatched the bag and shoved it deep into the recesses of his pocket. "Thanks. See ya later." Suigetsu waved even though it was pointless as Kakuzu still had his eyes closed. It seemed like the polite thing to do, or maybe-

"I have no doubt." Kakuzu replied, cutting in Suigetsu's running thoughts.

Once he was outside, Suigetsu tried to take in everything but found himself overwhelmed. Instead he just focused on walking. The sun had slowly started its ascent into the sky and Suigetsu felt disorientated by the starting day. He had thought it would still be dark. Out of habit he started to walk to Deidara and Hidan's before remembering he was no longer allowed there unless he started giving them money. His hand reached into his pocket before realising he'd spent all the money he'd earnt last night. Or was it still the same day? Suigetsu reassuringly put his hand into his other pocket and grasped at the bag, it was still there. It didn't matter whether he had a roof to sleep under. He could float through the day with no concerns.