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(Me): See? That wasn't so bad.

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(Me): sulks Fine…

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Chapter 21: Broken

Naruto had run after Sasuke once he realized that he had taken off, but by the time he was in the hospital parking lot, Sasuke was long gone. 'Damn that was quick!' Naruto scanned the area but didn't see any sign of the raven. 'Why the hell did he leave so quickly? There is something seriously going on that Sasuke is not telling me.' Naruto clenched his teeth in anguish. 'I was respecting his privacy by not pursuing him on it, but now I have to know.'

Naruto involuntarily shuttered when he remembered all the injuries that Sasuke had sustained since he known him.

(Flashbacks)

First it was at school…

"Hey Sasuke." Naruto said a few feet away from Sasuke's desk in homeroom. Sasuke, who had his head down lying on his desk, looked up when he had spoken his name. Iruka wasn't in yet and probably wouldn't be in until the bell rings. That should be enough time for Naruto to get his point out and make it back in time before the bell rang. Sasuke's hair was uneven and covered his face, concealing it away from Naruto's view. Naruto had a violent urge to reach out and move the lose strands away from his face. Naruto didn't wish to speak with his hair. He wanted to talk with Sasuke; look at the dark pools he has for eyes and tell him the news. Besides, the hair only hid the boy's natural beauty. Not that his hair wasn't beautiful. It's just that Naruto liked the look of his skin on contract to his hair and his eyes. This was most unbefitting.

"Hm? What is it dope?" Sasuke's voice sounded dull and far away. That bothered Naruto even more than the hair thing did.

"What's wrong with you?" Naruto was surprised when he heard concern within his words. Then again, if Sasuke were injured or sad, Naruto would want to help make it better. He was an asshole sometimes, but he was not heartless.

"Oh, I just had a rough night last night." Sasuke finally reach up and moved his hair away from his face. Naruto nearly broke out into a smile seeing his face again, but the sight made him gape at him in revulsion.

Sasuke's face, which was usually flawless and handsome, was much paler than it should have been. His eyes looked darker with dark rings surrounding them, like he just broken his nose or something. The bottom of his luscious full lips was slightly split with dried blood overtaking it.

"What happened?" Naruto was now really concerned and he didn't care who saw or anything.

Sasuke shrugged like it was no big deal. "It doesn't matter. Let's just say it is a job hazarded."

"Who did this to you?" Naruto couldn't tell why, but suddenly he was furious. What had Sasuke done? Sure he was a pain in the ass sometimes, but Sasuke never would hurt anyone. Whoever done this must have been some real fuck job. Naruto's teeth were clenched and his fingers curled into tight fists at his side. It was like he was ready to punch the kid sitting right in front of Sasuke if Sasuke said that he had done it.

"It doesn't matter Naruto. Let us just leave it at that, okay?"

The night that Naruto made love with him…

Sasuke tensed his body. "Careful Naruto. My back is killing me."

The next morning…

The sun moved upward in the sky and a ray of orange light crossed Sasuke's face. His face scrunched up in discomfort. Naruto feared that the already accursed sun had awoken his lover from his sleep. However, Sasuke merely stirred. He rolled over to block his eyes from the sun and fell back asleep. This caused some of the covers to loosen around them. Naruto let out the breath he didn't realize that he was holding and continued to watch Sasuke sleep.

That's when Naruto saw something glisten on the sheets. Against the brilliant white silk of Sasuke's sheets, a spot of red glistened in the morning light. The spot was misshapen, like a huge drop of wine, but much thicker than any normal liquid. Next to it, there was another drop, but this one was older, like it had been sitting for some time.

Blood. Sasuke was bleeding.

Sure enough, when Naruto looked at the other boy's back, he saw cuts decorating his skin. Some were nearly healed while others seemed to have been recently reopened. It looked like someone had taken a rake to his back. Or…maybe it was claws. But come on! What is the likeliness that a cat or whatever could scratch up his back that bad without him noticing?

That's when Naruto remembered last night. Sasuke was complaining for a moment that he was being a little rough. Maybe he was feeling pain the whole time. The thought made Naruto disgusted with himself. All he cared about last night was being with Sasuke, not Sasuke's well being or anything like that. But still… 'What could have done this?'

Naruto decided in the end to worry about it once Sasuke wakes up. Naruto sat up as gently as he could so not to wake his lover. He stretched, getting used to the feeling of being out of the bed. He took one more quick look around Sasuke's room before deciding to get up. Swiftly, he grabbed his clothes that were askew around the room. Once Naruto was fully dressed, he went to take another look at Sasuke's sleeping form. However, he was pleasantly surprised. Sasuke was sitting up watching him with intrigued eyes.

"How long have you been up?" Naruto dared ask.

"Not long."

"Very descriptive."

"That's what you keep me for right?"

Naruto wanted to laugh and scowl at Sasuke's ever-witty mouth, but he was still bothered by Sasuke's condition. It wasn't the time for messing around. "Sasuke, what happened to you?"

Sasuke's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, not quite comprehending what the blonde was getting at. "What do you mean?"

"Your…back!" Naruto pointed with his right index finger at the injury.

Sasuke turned his head around and looked as far down his back as his gaze would allow. "Oh, that." Sasuke muttered facing forward. Sasuke gave Naruto a reassuring smile. "It's nothing."

Naruto had to stop himself from having his jaw drop. 'Did he just-? Why would he-?' "Sasuke!"

"What?"

"It's not nothing! It's most defiantly something. Tell me what happened!"

"I had an accident."

"With what? A lawn mower?!"

This time, Sasuke was the one scowling. "No, it was a weed whacker. That's more believable than a lawn mower."

"Just tell me the truth."

"There's nothing to tell." Sasuke answered firmly.

And then recently with Sakura's father…

"I paid for him! I was promised him! I did not donate fifty thousand dollars only to be denied my reward."

"SASUKE IS A PERSON YOU SON OF A BITCH! DON'T YOU EVER CALL HIM A REWARD EVER AGAIN!"

"Bah!" He shouted. "How dare you speak to me in these ways? Didn't Pein-sama teach you a lesson the other day?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Pein-sama contacted me the other day asking for another donation like he always does every few months. I told him I wouldn't give him any money because you two refused to give me service. So if you haven't been punished recently, then you can expect it soon." Mr. Haruno crossed his arms, proud of himself for once.

Naruto froze. "Pein-sama? Who the hell is Pein-sama?"

Mr. Haruno's smirk faded and compete terror took over. His already worried face turned paler and he quickly covered his mouth like by doing so he can make the words come back. "You don't know Pein-sama?" he finally asked.

Naruto thought for a minute. Punishment? What kind of punishment? Who the hell would-?

Then Naruto remembered all the cuts that littered Sasuke's back, fresh blood staining the clean sheets from where Sasuke had reopened the wounds. Pein-sama punished him for not being with Sasuke. 'Is Pein-sama…like Sasuke's pimp?

"I take it you're not in the 'circle'?" Mr. Haruno asked painfully slow. Naruto had no idea what he was talking about. But he was now going to find out. "Where can I find this Pein-sama?"

Mr. Haruno tensed and his whole body shuddered. "I cannot say."

"Tell me!" Naruto demanded.

"I don't know where he is. No one does! And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. He'd murder us all on the spot like he did the Uchiha family."

"The Uchiha family?!"

Mr. Haruno covered his mouth again. "Oh dear! I said too much!" He ran out of the room quickly to join Mrs. Haruno and Sakura in the dining room. Naruto stood there for a moment in silence before going out to join them.

(End Flashbacks)

So whatever was happening to Sasuke is because of this Pein-sama guy. That much Naruto knew. But each time Naruto tried to ask Sasuke about it, Sasuke would get defensive and tell him not to worry about it. 'But it is something to worry about, isn't it Sasuke?' Naruto thought. But no one he talked to seemed to want to tell Naruto anything. Was this Pein guy that powerful? Even Mr. Haruno (the son of a bitch) was afraid to say anything. Naruto felt cold all the sudden. 'This Pein guy killed Sasuke's parents and maybe he tried to kill Itachi. But, if he's a pimp…no, he can't be a pimp. Pimps don't go around killing families, at least not in the way that this Pein guy did.

Naruto almost laughed. 'Man, he sounds a lot like the Godfather to me.' Naruto wasn't intending to take that seriously, but once it was in his mind, he could not ignore it. 'Wait, killing people, arranging car accidents, getting money from rich people who fear them and then rewarding them with sex! It sounds a lot like…!'

Then it hit him. 'Oh fuck! Sasuke is part of a gang! And that makes this Pein guy a gang leader!' ((A.N.// Finally! He puts it all together!))

"But why would he join a gang?" Naruto asked himself. "All it seems to do is hurt him. Not just physically either."

(Another flashback) ((A.N.// This chapter has a lot of Flashbacks just so you know.))

Naruto looked at each picture as they were handed to him. They were amazing. Each picture was completely done with pencil and shaded with pencil. Even with the black and white style, they looked so lifelike, so real, like Naruto could touch Sakura's hair and feel its softness through them. These were pictures Naruto thought he could only see in an art museum. They were so real! The emotions each picture contained! It was like Sasuke could pull the emotions out from other people during these moments and put them on paper. It was so surreal that it was possible to draw like this.

"You're really good." Naruto said as he looked at the picture of Sasuke's brother. Itachi looked a lot like him, but older and with longer hair. "Do you have any with me in it?" he asked.

"Yes." Sasuke answered without hesitation. "But I submitted them."

Naruto turned curiously to Sasuke. "Submitted them?"

"To the art thing with Deidara." Sasuke sighed. "He wanted me to put them in the art show in Kyoto. But I said no."

Naruto's eyes widened when he remembered that day.

(Flashback within a flashback)

"If you must know," Sasuke began in defeat, "and knowing you you'd find out by your own means by the end of the day so it doesn't really matter if I tell you or not. But anyway, Deidara was just asking me a quick personal question." He answered.

"Which was…?" Haku pressed. Naruto was astounded how well they seemed to act like normal teenagers. They were prostitutes for crying out loud! There was nothing normal about their situations or their choices in life. Naruto gritted his teeth. He didn't want to be here. He was in a totally different class then these people were. They were low status. It didn't matter how much money they made in one evening, being a prostitute was not sophisticated nor did their kind belong in his proper society. Just being around them made him sick.

"He was just asking me if I was willing to add my artwork to the art show in Kyoto next month." Sasuke shrugged like it was nothing. Haku seemed ecstatic and jumped up in joy. It was so sudden, Naruto also jumped up, but in his case it was fear.

"Wow Sasuke! That's great! I always knew you'd get submitted into that thing!" Haku's smile was genuine, unlike Naruto's slight scowl, Sasuke's playful smirks, and Shino's impassive face.

"-But I said no." he added quickly, shooting down all Haku's hopes.

"What? Why?" Haku stared at Sasuke in despair.

"All our hopes are on you Sasuke," Shino added. "We need you to rise above this life and go to a place where Haku and I cannot go. That is the only way we can live: Through you and your dreams."

"Why? What is Sasuke's dream?" Naruto asked before he thought about the question. Even so, he was still curious as to why Sasuke was accepted into the National Art Show and why he had turned it down.

"Never mind!" Sasuke said quickly and he saw that Haku had opened his mouth. "I just didn't want to. End of story."

(End Flashback within a flashback)

"Well," Sasuke continued, "Now he wants me to add them into the national art show in Tokyo. The winner gets a full scholarship to the art school in Tokyo and a million dollar grant to do with what they will and has their artwork added to the National Museum of Art."

"And you submitted them?" Naruto was almost excited for Sasuke. With a million dollar grant, he can give up prostitution and take an honest job.

"Not exactly. To get to Tokyo, you have to go through preliminaries. Only the top twenty go on to Tokyo. I submitted them to the preliminaries only to prove to Deidara that they couldn't go to Tokyo. They weren't good enough for all that. But…"

"But what..?"

"They passed. I got the invitation last week saying that they would be in the national art show this spring and I got an all expenses paid trip to Tokyo for the occasion."

"That's great Sasuke!" Naruto was suddenly very happy. "I'll go with you! I want to see these pictures as well, especially since they are me." Naruto stopped jumping for a minute. "I'm not naked am I?" he dared ask thinking of Titanic.

Sasuke laughed. "I can assure you that you are fully dressed." But then Sasuke's face fell. "But I don't think I'll be entering. I'll probably drop out soon."

"What?! You can't! Don't you want that money and that scholarship?"

"Sure. But…it's complicated."

"What's so complicated?" Naruto felt his temper rising.

"It's that I don't think he'll…" Sasuke put whatever he was thinking out of his mind and took a deep breath. "Don't worry about it. The art show is a long way off. I'll think about it."

"Fine."

(End Flashback)

Naruto wanted to hit something he was so angry. Why is this happening? How can the man he loves not tell him anything about this? Naruto knew though. Sasuke didn't want him to get involved. Sasuke was trapped in it but Sasuke didn't want Naruto to be trapped in it too, but what about Shino and Haku? Did they know? What about Itachi and Kyuubi? Did they know as well? Was Naruto the only one kept in the dark about this? Were the others in a gang as well? There were a lot of things that Naruto didn't know. But the biggest question was, does this change Sasuke and my relationship?

Naruto thought hard on that one. Did it? Did he feel the same way as he did before he figured it out? Naruto laughed out loud as he asked himself that question. 'Of course it doesn't change anything. I still love him all the same. He is still Sasuke and I will find a way to free him.' Naruto frowned. 'There has to be a way out of this.'

Naruto felt someone tap his shoulder and he turned around only to see that no one is there.

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Itachi sighed as he laid his head back on his pillow with care. He was tired again. Why he did not know. He was asleep for years so why he wants to sleep so much was beyond his medical knowledge. Kyuubi helped Itachi lay comfortably. Since Naruto went to see Sasuke, Kyuubi decided that this was the best time to speak with Itachi alone. That was another thing that made Itachi curious. "Kyuubi? Why are you here?" he asked.

Kyuubi stared over at Itachi from the guest chair he was sitting in; a look of hurt was plain across his face. "Do you not want me here?" he asked.

Itachi shook his head. "No, I want you here. But I've been out of it for three and a half years. I figured you'd have moved on by now."

Kyuubi chuckled. "Moved on to where? Canada?"

"You know what I mean." Itachi wanted to throw something at him, but he didn't have enough strength in his arms to pick them up. He used all his energy just to hug Sasuke earlier. Now, he was exhausted.

Kyuubi shook his head too. "Naw, you're the only one for me. Besides I did see you every week."

Itachi's eyes widened like saucers. "You saw me every week? Here?"

Kyuubi nodded. "Every Friday I could manage. If not then I'd see you on Saturdays."

"For three and a half years?"

Kyuubi nodded. "For the first six months, Sasuke came here everyday to see you, but he doctors told him that if you didn't awaken within the first three months then the chance of you ever waking up was slim. I guess by then it got harder for him. He started coming less and less. Pretty soon, he only came on special occasions." Kyuubi looked into Itachi's eyes. "I think it was getting to be too hard on him. Like every time he spent with you in the hospital was just another reminder of how you were no longer with us. I think he couldn't take it anymore."

Itachi closed his eyes. "I understand." He opened them again. "But why did you still come?"

Kyuubi smirked. "To keep you updated."

"With what?"

Kyuubi shrugged. "I know you probably couldn't hear me, but I just talked to you while you lied there; things that were going on and what not. It made me feel better about your tragedy when I thought that there could be a chance that you were listening to what I was saying."

"So," Itachi paused. "You haven't dated anyone since…"

Kyuubi shook his head. "Not a soul."

"I wish you did. If something happened to you, I think you'd what me to get on with my life. The same thing goes for me." Itachi scolded but couldn't stop the smile that played across his face.

"Well, I don't have to worry about that now. We can go back to the way thing were and no worries about-" Kyuubi said until his face turned hard as he remembered something. Itachi noticed and stared. "What is it Kyuubi?"

"Oh no…I forgot…" he muttered.

"Forgot what?" Itachi asked.

Kyuubi bit a piece of his nail off. It was a nervous habit of his and Itachi knew it. "What's wrong Kyuubi? You want to say something to me."

"I don't want to say it, but then I have to."

"What is it Kyuubi?"

Kyuubi sighed heavily. "I just remembered something, that's all."

"What did you remember?" Itachi inquired.

"I forgot, I kind of did get together with someone while you were…gone." Kyuubi confessed. "Damn!" he shouted.

Itachi shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with that Kyuubi. I was out of it for three years and-"

Kyuubi shook his head. "You don't understand. I feel so bad about this."

"It's alright Kyuubi."

"NO IT'S NOT ALRIGHT!" he shouted. He quickly lowered his voice when Itachi stared at him is surprise. "I didn't mean…I just wanted to help…I'm sorry Itachi."

"What are you talking about." Itachi said finally. It wasn't a question anymore. He wanted to know.

"It wasn't a date." Kyuubi told him. "It was just sex. That was it. He asked for my help and I couldn't refuse."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Just sex?"

"Yes," Kyuubi confirmed. "Just straight out sex."

"Who needed help like that?"

Kyuubi gulped. "That's what I'm afraid to tell you. I'm not sure how you'd handle it."

"Who?"

Kyuubi remained silent for a minute. He was nervous. He knew Itachi would forgive them both, but still, coming out and saying it was a pain in the ass, especially like this. He took a deep breath and said very lowly, almost at an inaudible whisper. "Sasuke."

Itachi heard it and sprang up in the bed, his energy restored. "My brother? My brother Sasuke?" Kyuubi could no longer speak; he merely nodded and looked on the floor.

Itachi squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. "You fucked my little brother? Just fucked him? No strings attached, no reason to it fucked him?"

"Yes." Kyuubi whispered.

"Why?" Itachi demanded.

'Because of Pein." Kyuubi explained.

"Pein-sama?" Itachi spoke the name carefully. "Why would Pein-sama want you and Sasuke to fuck each other? You're not in the Akatsuki." Itachi asked bitterly.

"He didn't. He wanted Sasuke to sleep around with other people."

Itachi froze. "What?"

"Sasuke is in the Akatsuki. He joined after Pein forced him to after you fell into a coma."

"SASUKE'S IN THE AKATSUKI!" Itachi's body shook from strain and from shock. He buried his face in his hands. "No…no…no." he spoke. "It wasn't supposed to be like that."

"Pein wanted Sasuke to sleep around with some of the Akatsuki supporters." Kyuubi continued. There was no point withholding information from Itachi. He was bound to find out sooner or later and it best to get the worst news out of the way so that it could be dealt with as soon as possible. Then maybe both Uchiha brothers could try and recover. "Sasuke had no choice in the matter so he came to me and asked me to be his first. He wanted it to be someone he knew and trusted rather than some stranger just using him for his body. That's why I…" Kyuubi broke off. Itachi got the rest.

"I understand Kyuubi." Itachi laid back down on his bed, tiredness overtaking him again. "It does hurt but I know you both did it to do the right thing." Itachi stared back into Kyuubi's reddish eyes. "Thank you, for looking out for Sasuke while I was gone."

Kyuubi smirked. "You'd have done the same for Naruto."

Itachi nodded. "Yeah, I would." Itachi turned to gaze out at the setting sun from his window. "I respected Pein-sama and gave him my services. He got angry with me and I've accepted my punishment like anyone else. But he has gone too far."

"Itachi…"

"I won't forgive him Kyuubi." Itachi told him. "He can mess with me and I'll put up with it. But he messed with my brother and I'll kill the son of a bitch." Kyuubi noticed that Itachi was murderously angry. "When I rubbed Sasuke's back, I could feel the roughness of cuts. Pein-sama has done more than defile him; he's hurt him too." Itachi threw his fist on the top of his bed, making the metal frame groan in complaint. "Why didn't Sasuke say anything while he was here!?"

"I think he's ashamed Itachi. He loves you Itachi. Sasuke doesn't want to tell you that he is some bastard's whore anymore than a kid wants to show his parents a failed test. He doesn't want you to see him differently."

"But he is different Kyuubi." Itachi argued. "He's my brother and there is nothing in this world that he can do that is bad enough for me to stop loving him, but he's growing up and therefore he is changing. It can't be helped. It's the way of life."

"So what are you going to do?" Kyuubi asked finally.

Itachi growled. "I already told you. I'm going to kill Pein-sama." Kyuubi grinned and leaned in to capture Itachi's lips. When they broke apart, Kyuubi laughed saying, "Now there's the Itachi I fell in love with."

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Naruto debated whether to go back into the hospital, wait in the parking lot for Kyuubi (Kyuubi drove his own car and Naruto came with Sasuke) or just take a taxi. In the end, Naruto decided just to wait. Kyuubi was probably talking to Itachi and didn't want to be disturbed. And if Kyuubi didn't come out in the next twenty minutes or so, Naruto would take a cab home.

Naruto sighed and turned his heel on the sidewalk and stalked over to Kyuubi's car, which was in a space not too far into the lot. Naruto grumbled when he leaned against the car door. He should have asked Kyuubi for the keys. Kyuubi could take a cab home. He was probably going to stay a while anyway! Naruto waited for only ten minutes, the whole time thinking about Sasuke. Then he remembered that he was going to break up with Sakura tomorrow. Great. Just something to look forward to. It wasn't that Naruto still wanted to be with her. Hell, he's had enough of her shallowness. But still, no one likes making someone cry unless they were angry and Naruto wasn't angry right now.

A siren brought Naruto out of his thoughts when an ambulance drove wildly up to the hospital doors. Immediately, a couple EMTs jumped out of the vehicle before it came to a complete stop and rushed towards the back. A stretcher was dragged out with the silhouette of a boy lifelessly laying on it. Curiously, Naruto walked a few steps to see who it was. The person's skin had turned blue from the lack of oxygen. It wasn't a good contraction to his long dark hair. Naruto gasped, recognizing the boy.

It was Haku.

Naruto felt tears spraying out his eyes. His vision blurred as they dragged the Haku into the hospital with great haste. But Naruto knew enough about medicine to know it when he saw it.

Haku was long dead.

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…………………………………

T-T

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