Hello Everyone,

Yes, I'm still alive… I'm extremely sorry for the long wait. I started a new job that is taking up all of my time, and I'm pretty sure it's sucking my soul as well.

Well, enough about me. Here is the new chapter. It is sort of filler, and mostly about Itachi and Kiba. I'm not extremely fond of it, but it beats being stuck in a writer's block. However, it does include a few hints on what will be later a big part of the story.

Now, here is a personal request. If you can review, please do. I usually don't like begging for review, but I honestly feel very out of sync with the writer inside of me, and I need all the encouragement I can get. Anyway, somehow it feels like I've missed you all.

Chapter 16, "Seeds of jealousy"

Itachi sipped his drink, as he watched Kiba slice his steak. One hour of silence had already passed. It was just one date, he figured. 'I should bear it for Sasuke's sake'. Plus, hearing Sasuke speak about how much he wanted him to be happy and with someone was encouragement enough. He liked that his little brother cared.

"So, Kiba, what do you do?"

The brunette munched at the meat. He was there by obligation too, unable to refuse Naruto's request. "I have a software company. I'm responsible for client relations and sales."

"Pretty impressive for your age."

"You're the one to talk. The CEO of one of the biggest conglomerates in the world," Kiba said, trying to be polite.

"I'm not self-made. What I've, I've inherited."

"If you weren't good enough, you'd have bankrupt the company by now. You don't have to be modest," Kiba smiled before refocusing his attention on the food. He hated some chit chat, especially when two people seem to be kissing ass because there is nothing else to speak about.

"Naruto and Sasuke, huh. I pride myself on seeing it coming," Itachi stated. "They appear polar opposites, but I guess-"

"As long as they're happy," Kiba interrupted. It wasn't a topic he wanted to talk about.

"Sure," Itachi sighed. It was hard to make conversation with Kiba. The boy seemed only upset, but from what Sasuke had told him, rightly so. "Did Naruto pressure you into this blind date?"

"Pressure?" Was he really going to open this topic? Kiba wondered. "I guess I'm not the kind of person who does well on blind dates. Especially ones in fancy restaurants, with butlers."

"But it's hard to say no to someone you cherish," Itachi stated, stirring the conversation back to the topic Kiba had managed to evade a second earlier.

"The Uchiha tells you everything, doesn't he?"

"If you mean Sasuke, by the Uchiha, then yes."

"Ah, sorry."

"It's okay. I wouldn't like him much if I was in your position. But, it's important to move on."

"Are you trying to tell me not to try and break them up?"

"Not re-"

"Because I would never do anything to harm Naruto. Plus, I'm not that kind of person," Kiba stated, finally done with his food. "We should split the bill."

"Since I chose the restaurant, I'll pay."

Kiba shook his head, signaling that he would feel uncomfortable if Itachi paid for him.

"No dessert? They have a great chocolate soufflé."

"Why not?" Kiba sighed. He wanted the date to be over already, but he couldn't rush the other without looking rude. Everything was going to be reported back to Naruto after all.

Itachi signaled for the waiter to cover over, and then ordered the dessert. Right then, the waiter said, "It will take twenty minute." Kiba almost whined out loud, but fought against the urge. He then looked up at Itachi, a little doubtful about the man. He knew Kiba wanted to leave, why would he suggest a dessert that took forever to prepare? He wanted something, didn't he? Kiba suspected.

"You're very smart," Kiba stated.

"You want to say very sly, don't you?" Itachi smiled. "It's true. I have a hidden motive."

"Which is?" Kiba frowned.

"I really like the soufflé," Itachi smirked.

"Is that all?"

"Well, to be honest, you look upset. I hate it when my dates go home with a frown on their faces, even if they are forced into the date in the first place. So, some chocolate to lift up your mood. Maybe a change in the topic too," Itachi stated. It was true. He hated being a reason for unhappiness.

"Very self-righteous."

"I get that a lot. Am I? Really?"

"Sort of," Kiba smiled. He liked a person who didn't mind a friendly insult.

"I honestly do it with good intentions."

"People aren't mind-readers. If you lecture them, they'll think you think you're better than them."

"I don't think I'm better than anyone."

"Buddy, don't lie to yourself. What you just said about hating it when your dates go home frowning, proves that you think you're better than other people? All people have bad dates. Why can't you?"

"Because I want to be polite?" Itachi shrugged his shoulders. "Should I work hard not to look like a gentleman, so people wouldn't think I'm working hard to be one?"

"I'm not telling you to do anything. I'm telling you how you come off to others. If I were you, I'd say screw'em." Kiba then chuckled, "Did I come off rude right now?"

"Direct, and a little rebellious," Itachi smiled.

"You should work in PR. Even, you're insults sound like complements," Kiba spoke finally starting to loosen up.

"I've only been rude to two people in my life," Itachi explained. "And even then, I felt extremely guilty."

"Where you spanked too much as a child?" Kiba asked frankly.

Itachi suddenly exploded in laughs; "I've never been asked that on a date before."

"You know, 'cause you might have been raised up to feel guilty. Psychology stuff. I took a course in college."

"Well, I was obligated to follow a certain standard even as a child. And I was punished if I didn't live up to the expectations," Itachi smiled. Did Naruto tell Kiba about how their father was? He couldn't have figured it out on his own. "My dad was really strict."

"But not strict enough with your brother. Excuse me, but he needs a guilt complex."

Itachi had a lot to say to the previous statement, but it was all too personal. He could ask Kiba to excuse Sasuke, since Sasuke had learned a lot of bad habits to make up for his insecurities. But he couldn't possibly discuss his brother with a stranger. "You'll warm up to him eventually."

"I don't think so," Kiba stated, finally seeing the waiter come up with the dessert.

"Try it, and let me know what you think," Itachi pointed at the dish. As he watched Kiba take a bit, he asked, "How about your childhood?"

"Remember how you told me I'm rebellious earlier?"

"Sure."

"Well, when I was seven, I headed a revolution."

"How so?" Itachi smiled.

"The school canteen stopped selling any junk food, and started selling fruits and stuff. And I was already forced to eat my mom's shit food," Kiba paused noticing that he had just cursed.

"It's okay, go on."

"I had to eat it, or she'll… It hurts just thinking about it. So, the canteen was my only resort, and they just took it away. So I got all the kids to do a hunger strike."

"Did they go back to junk food?"

"No, the strike lasted about thirty minutes. I did, however, get publicly humiliated by my mother."

"You were only seven."

"She still does it. My dad, he got away. Lucky man," Kiba stated. "Oversharing?"

"No, it's okay, but I'm starting to fear you're mother a little," the other began to dig in. "Did you come out to her?"

"Not really. I don't think I officially came out before. Only Nara knew about my it for a long time, and I only recently told Naruto. How about you?"

"My father knew about it when a photo of a guy and I was published in a newspaper. I was just eighteen then."

Kiba frowned. It was a really horrible way to be forced out of the closet. "How did he take it?"

"Well, it was a dark time in my life. For a month, he wouldn't let me see Sasuke because he didn't want me to… infect him, I think."

"But he came around?"

"Well, you could say that. He died by a heart attack. I was so angry, I didn't go to his funeral," Itachi said it all with a smile, as if hiding some inner pain. "That was the first person I was rude to."

Kiba remained silent, staring at his dessert's spoon. Usually if someone had told him something this heart breaking, he'd stand up and give them a long hug. But He didn't know how the Uchiha would react to physical intimacy. He didn't want to send the wrong message.

"Check please," Itachi asked the waiter with a smile. When he turned to Kiba, he mumbled, "I guess I couldn't make you smile before you go home after all."

Kiba smiled, silently.

"I'll pay. I'm sure Naruto we'll ask about all the details, and we want it to sound like a proper date," Itachi explained.

"Thank you," Kiba nodded.

Once the bill was paid, they walked out to the parking, as Itachi chitchatted about the work he had the next morning. The minute the valet looked away, Kiba pulled Itachi in for a hug. The Uchiha stood in shock, feeling the other's body warmth engulf him. At first his shoulders were tense, but soon they relaxed. He wrapped his hands around Kiba's back, before feeling Kiba pat his back as well.

He then watched silently as Kiba got in his car, and drove off. No one had ever hugged him like that before. Sasuke, maybe, but he was usually the one doing the hugging. It was true when Sasuke told him Kiba didn't know anything about physical boundaries, but he didn't mind it. It was actually pretty sweet. He only told that story to three people, and the reaction he got was… Nothing like Kiba's.

XXXXX

Just before unlocking the door to his house, the door swung open, and Naruto jumped on him. "How was your date?"

Kiba lifted Naruto up, in a hug, with Naruto's legs wrapped round him, and walked to the living room. Sasuke stood there glaring at both of them, as if he wanted to rip Kiba's arm. Kiba ignored him, setting Naruto on the ground.

"How was your date?" Naruto asked again. "You can tell me in front of Sasuke. He promised he wouldn't meddle."

"It went well," Kiba stated.

"So, are you going on another date?" Naruto followed Kiba around as he started changing, Sasuke following the both of them like a guardian, hating the fact that Kiba's body was more ripped than his.

"I don't know."

"Tell me all the details."

"Well, he is not a cheap bastard. So that's a good thing," Kiba mumbled eyeing Sasuke.

"Hn."

"Did you kiss?" Naruto asked.

"Not really."

"Did you like him? Could you imagine yourself sleeping with him?"

Kiba froze, looking at Sasuke again, and then back at Naruto. "We'll talk about this later. Okay?"

Naruto pouted, before walking out of the room, and pulling Sasuke away. "Call your brother, and ask him how it went."

"Not while we're here. And what's with you hanging all over Kiba earlier. I'm not just a vibrator!"

Naruto whined, "His my friend."

"He loves you."

"That's why you should call Itachi and see how it went."

"Fine," Sasuke stated, walking towards the balcony. It wasn't as big as the one at Shikamaru's place, but Kiba won't be able to listen to their conversation out there. "I'll talk to him alone, and then I'll tell you what he told me."

"Okay," Naruto would have preferred direct response, but no problem; it gave him the opportunity to talk to Kiba alone as well.

Sasuke closed the balcony door, behind him, and then waved For Naruto, who had glued his face to the glass door, to shoo away.

"Hello brother."

"How was it?"

"Naruto is with you, right?"

"I'm alone right now. So, you didn't like him, right? I was sure of it."

"I wouldn't say that. He seemed warmer than the people I usually date. Frank as well. A little too frank. He put me on the spot a few times. He even asked me if I was spanked as a child."

Sasuke hissed, "I knew he'd do something like that. He has no sense of boundaries."

"I guess, but I… didn't hate it. I told him about how I came out to father."

"Seriously? Him? Why?"

"I don't know. He was talking about how I have a guilt complex-"

"The idiot said that? He really went too far."

"It's okay. I think he meant well. To be honest, it freaked me out when he said it. I thought you told him. I liked him."

"You did?"

"Don't sound so shocked. You know…" Itachi paused before mumbling. "He hugged me. I think he felt sorry for me."

"He walks around hugging people-"

"Yeah, but, I liked it. I think I might've needed to be hugged, and my cute little brother doesn't let me hug him anymore. Plus, Naruto said he has a nice penis."

"Niisan!"

"Okay, okay."

"I don't want to have this image in my head all day."

"As if I can ruin sex for you." Itachi teased. "I thought you'd be less shy, now that you're a man."

"I've always been a man."

"Sure," Itachi humored the other. "Anyway, I don't think he likes me much. I'm not his type."

"Fuck him."

"Language, Sasuke."

"Sorry. How can somebody not love you?" Sasuke whined a little. He had hoped internally that Itachi would be the one wanted, rather than the one wanting. "Probably, cause he's still in love with Naruto."

"Sasuke, I'd like to tell you something."

"Yeah?"

"Don't be jealous of him."

"I'm not jealous of him! He just wants to steal Naruto, and now you."

"He is not stealing anyone. He's close to Naruto, and will always be. It might make you jealous, but… You've taken something he thought was his. He's the one jealous of you. So don't try to separate their friendship."

"He'll come between us-"

"He said he wouldn't. I believe him. He doesn't seem like the kind of people who'd hurt someone on purpose, even someone who had hurt him."

"He managed to brainwash you in one date."

Itachi chuckled, "I love you, little brother, so I'm telling you what I think is best for you."

"Don't call him back."

"You sound very confident- One second. Someone is calling."

"Who-"

A few minutes later, the waiting beep stopped, and Itachi spoke again. "Sasuke, I need to go now. I'll call you later. Be safe."

"Ita-"

Sasuke stared at the phone in his hand, Itachi had hung up on him. One dinner with Kiba, and he was already ignoring him for the dog boy. Sasuke hissed internally.

XXXXXXX

Itachi walked into the hospital room hesitantly, eyes fixed on a bruised up Sai, laying in the hospital bed. His washed up skin tone contrasted with the red on his busted lips, and the blue around his eyes.

"I was disoriented when I told them to call you. You can leave," Sai whispered.

"What happened?" Itachi asked, raising his hand to touch the other, but then wavering, and quickly tucking it back into his pocket.

"I know you like to play the nice guy role, but don't feel obligated to-"

"What happened, Sai?" Itachi asked once more, this time, his voice more commanding.

The boy paused for a second, fidgeting on the white bed. "I went home with the wrong guy."

Itachi bit his bottom lip, livid at the attacker. Something inside of him was blaming Sai but he chose to keep his thoughts to himself. It wasn't the time or place to blame the victim after all. "He attacked you?"

"Well, I'd say I fell off the stairs, but stairs don't rape you." Sai joked, yet Itachi wasn't laughing.

"…"

"Say it."

"Say what?" The words hardly exited Itachi's mouth. He was feeling oddly exhausted and drained.

"You know you want to say it."

"Hn."

"Just say you deserved it for being a whore. That I brought it on myself," Sai smiled, his cheeks trembling. "That ah… uh…"

He covered his face and chuckled, "Ironic how he took someone by force that I wouldn't given him anyway?"

"…"

"You know what I really can't wrap my mind around? How come I feel so…" He dropped his hands to his side "So violated, when I never cared for my body much before."

"…"

"I guess it is sort of funny-"

"Sai."

The boy froze, and ogled at Itachi, awaiting the other's words. "Yes?"

"…"

"Yes, Itachi?"

"I'm not blaming you, so stop blaming yourself because you're afraid I'd say it first. In fact, you don't act composed in front of me, like you're not falling apart inside."

"You'd wish, just to prove that you were right-"

Sai spoke normally, putting up a brave face, until Itachi's arm began to massage his back with a few soft strokes; he broke down in tears and blubbers.

- To be continued-

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