Chapter 20 (Part Two)

Kyuubi picked up the small card from his lap and read over the short message. He turned his eyes firmly on his brother. "Where did you get this?"

Naruto crossed his legs, carefully watching his brother's stern expression. "From the flowers that came for you the other day," he answered.

There was stark silence in the room as Kyuubi again read over the card. He frowned, concentrating intensely on the familiar cursive signature at the bottom. His eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Why did you keep this from me? Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I was curious."

Kyuubi stood up. "Curious? Naruto, you always just go too fucking far."

"What are you getting so riled up about?"

Kyuubi had to take a moment to just breathe, otherwise his anger would've took over and made the situation more stressful than it already was. He sat back down. "Naruto, I thought Itachi sent me those flowers. When he came here tonight, I said thank you and everything. Do you realize how stupid I must've looked?"

"Why would you think it was Itachi in the first place?" Naruto asked, mocking his brother with a laugh. "The man hates you." He instantly regretted the words the moment he saw the hurtful expression on Kyuubi's face. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I didn't mean it to come out like that."

"Yeah, you did," Kyuubi said, his eyes downcast as he studied the card in his hands. "You're not wrong. I know he hates me."

Kyuubi has endured Naruto's mockery for far too long to start believing for a second that he did not mean them. The card also seemed to mock him. How could he be so stupid? After all, flowers usually came with a card, and he hadn't even thought to look for one. It was an honest mistake. The timing had been too perfect, too coincidental. After his fight with Itachi, he innocently assumed the flowers had been sent as a remorseful gesture from the man he loved. He would have never imagined three years later, he would be hearing again from all people, Akito.

"You had no right to take this."

Naruto scoffed. "With all the fucking lies you tell, you can't blame me for being curious."

"Just admit this one time that you were wrong."

"I will, when you start telling me the truth."

"That's not fair."

"Answer the fucking question, Kyuubi!" Naruto frowned, growing increasingly annoyed with Kyuubi's stalling and self righteous lecturing. He didn't know much about this Akito guy, but the little he did not know made him wary. He could be someone potentially dangerous. As if they didn't have enough trouble on their plate. "Who is he?"

"He's a friend," Kyuubi said, so softly he thought maybe Naruto did not hear him. "When I left Tsunade's place, I spent my first few nights sleeping at the park. I would wake up early in the morning so I could sneak back into the house to take a shower before Tsunade would wake up. One morning, you actually caught me."

"Yeah, I remember. Get to the point."

Kyuubi looked at Naruto, a remorseful smile on his face. "I was terrified. I thought, if you were able to catch me, what was stopping Tsunade from catching me as well. She would kick you and Jay out, sent us to foster homes. I couldn't risk that so I decided to stop coming altogether. I remember I would sit at the park for hours just crying and missing you and Jay like crazy."

"Get to the point, Kyuubi."

Kyuubi was silent for a moment.

"There was this guy who used to come to the cafe I worked at. He came there almost everyday around the same time and each time he came, I noticed him constantly staring at me as he ate his breakfast. I won't lie it was creepy at first, but something about him was charming and the more he stared at me, the more I found myself staring back. Until one day, he finally approached me. He interrogated me, curious to know why he always saw me on the same bench when he would bring his son to the park."

"For whatever reason, maybe it's because he reminded me of Itachi, I felt comfortable around this stranger I barely knew. I confided in him, told him everything that had happened between Tsunade and I. I thought he would call the police, you know like a model citizen would. Instead, he offered me a place at his home. I said yes because I had no other options. I should've been afraid but I wasn't. Strangely, I trusted him."

Kyuubi saw the unreserved judgment creasing Naruto's features, the blatant skeptism on his face.

"To answer your question, Naruto. Akito is the reason why I'm here today. Why any of us are here I should say. I don't mean to sound dramatic but, I owe him my life."

"That's quite a debt," Naruto said after a long while. "How did you ever repay him?"

Kyuubi's not quite sure what Naruto's trying to get at. "What do you mean?"

"You were gone almost a whole year. You're saying that whole year, you were with Akito?"

"Yes."

"You said you borrowed money from a friend to rent this apartment. That friend was Akito?"

"Yes," Kyuubi replied.

"That's a lot of generosity from a stranger who most likely just wanted to fuck you, assuming he's gay." Naruto leaned forward, draping his arms between his crossed legs as he looked at his brother. "What did you have to do in return for his 'generosity'?"

Kyuubi was not stupid. He has a habit of overestimating the good nature of people but he's not stupid. He knows exactly what Naruto's insinuating. Often times, Naruto mentioned it whenever they got into a fight. Naruto didn't have to plainly state it for Kyuubi to know exactly what he was referring to.

"Naruto, contrary to whatever Tsunade may have told you, I'm not a whore. I had no sexual relationship with Akito."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe."

"Why?" Kyuubi asked, truly heartbroken. "Why is that so hard for you to believe?"

Naruto ran his fingers through his freshly washed hair. "You expect me to believe the son of a drug lord took you in, provided you with all these things, and he didn't ask for anything in return?" Naruto cocked his head to the side, furrowing his brows. "How fucking stupid do you think I am?"

"How did you know?"

Naruto abruptly stood up, wincing when he felt a sharp pain from the rushed action. For a moment, he forgot he was injured. Kyuubi rounded his bed just in time to catch Naruto when he doubled over.

"You shouldn't move so fast." Kyuubi held him by the waist, helped him to stand up straight.

Naruto quickly shrugged him off. "Don't touch me, I'm alright. I should've known this would be a fucking waste of time."

"Naruto, please." Kyuubi earnestly reached out, quickly drawing his hand back when Naruto hastily spun around.

"Don't fuck with me, Kyuubi. Every time I think you've changed, you just prove me wrong. Just be honest for once in your fucking life. Who the hell are you trying to fool, huh?"

"I'm not."

"What are you hiding from me?"

"I sold drugs," Kyuubi said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I sold drugs for Akito. That was the favor asked of me."

Naruto carefully sat back down, eyes focused on his lap. He felt the bed shift as Kyuubi sat down beside him. He doesn't know what to say. He expected just about anything but not this. Their father had been a lawyer. He prosecuted cases against drug traffickers, drug dealers. They were young at the time, but even then Naruto knew fairly well their father's strong disapproval for that kind of lifestyle. The last thing he had expected was this. This was the ultimate low both of them could ever reach and yet, here they were.

"You sold drugs?" Naruto asked softly, still trying to convince himself of the fact. "No, you didn't."

"Yeah, I did," Kyuubi whispered. He felt the full weight of Naruto's disappointment double the weight of his own, weighing his shoulders further down. "If you just promise to listen, I'll tell you everything."

—

Akito was a man in his late twenties when Kyuubi had met him. He was handsome, tall, with features comparable to Itachi's. Kyuubi secretly admired his high cheek bones, his sharp gaze that at times was so gentle, his charming smile that resembled Itachi's so much that it was unfathomable. He could have passed for Itachi's older brother, the only stark difference, Akito's tanned skin.

It was two months into Kyuubi's stay at Akito's mansion when he was first introduced to Akito's lover, a beautiful woman with long wavy red hair and big round eyes of the same green shade as his own. Her name was Rachel. It was then Kyuubi understood Akito's interest in him. Kyuubi had smiled at her when Akito introduced him and in return, she had frowned. Then, threw the drink in her hand in Akito's face. She was angry, tried to get through Akito's arms to attack Kyuubi. Kyuubi had stood back and said nothing.

That night, Akito came by his room. He set down his glass of scotch on the table as he usually did and tucked his hands inside the pocket of his suit. He smiled that same charming smile at Kyuubi, again enticing him with a false image of his ex lover. Akito explained the reason behind Rachel's reaction. He admitted that he had expected that sort of reaction from her. When Rachel wasn't around, he had a habit of finding new toys to keep him entertained, some newer and some older, each time resembling more and more like the one he already had.

Kyuubi had already figured it out for himself. He saw a new side to Akito, one that was so different from Itachi. Itachi would never do such a thing. But, Akito would. And the worst part, he did not see anything wrong with his actions, with the way it affected Rachel, as if her feelings simply did not matter to him. Kyuubi thought he would be turned away, and his fears proved true when Akito insisted he leave in order to avoid Rachel's wrath. Kyuubi had no where else to go. He had gotten comfortable with Akito. The man had been so kind. He even went as far as to stop Tsunade's boyfriend from going anywhere near the house again. Kyuubi hadn't asked how he had done it, but Akito assured him it was taken care of and true to his words, it was. Naruto had assured him of it.

Kyuubi wasn't ready to leave. He wasn't ready to leave Akito's side, to leave this false perception of a life with an older Itachi that he had created for himself. It gave him some peace amidst the chaos. He was desperate to stay and Akito had seen it in his eyes. He asked Kyuubi to work for him alongside the housemaids and he would pay him, treat him as he did the rest of his employees. For some months, it worked. Kyuubi did whatever Akito asked him to do around the house. They were simple chores, often little things that required him to be around Akito.

Rachel saw everything. The look in Akito's eyes when Kyuubi was around and she became angry. She wanted Kyuubi out of her house, far away from Akito's luring gaze. Behind Akito's back, she struck a deal with Kyuubi, one that was on her terms. She would allow Kyuubi to stay and in return, he would take part in their business, face the same risks as everyone else did.

Kyuubi had said yes.

It didn't take long until Akito found out. Kyuubi remembered how angry he had been, but not with him, with Rachel. He heard him yell for the first time, saw him raise his fist to the wall. Kyuubi thought everything would stop there, but the next day, Rachel asked him to do a job with one last client.

It was there Kyuubi met Yugito for the first time. She was undercover. Kyuubi thought she would arrest him. Yugito saw the fear in his eyes and dropped her cuffs. Yugito urged for him to give up his supplier. He said no. Akito had been good to him, and Rachel had plotted for him to be arrested. He could give her up, but Kyuubi knew she would turn on Akito to save her own skin. Yugito allowed him to stay with her for some time, taking a chance on him and giving him a new start.

Days later, Kyuubi bumped into one of Akito's men. He was given a large envelope with more cash than he's ever seen in his life. Kyuubi pulled out the small card inside and read aloud the message.

"Always thinking of you. Hope you're thinking of me too."

—

Naruto listened quietly as Kyuubi finished his story, read over the same message he had received back then. Naruto didn't know how he should feel. Finally, he got what he wanted, the truth, and it's not at all like the one Tsunade had told him. Kyuubi wasn't the good for nothing whore Tsunade said he was. Kyuubi had not abandoned him like she said he had. Kyuubi wasn't living a happy life like the one Tsunade had told him over and over again to spite him. No, she was just a bitter woman still strung on the fact that her younger sister was able to make something of herself and marry a rich, successful lawyer while she had to live a life worth nothing.

Tsunade was a liar, he knew this. Yet, somehow, he had allowed her to twist his mind into thinking such awful things of his own brother. Even when he wasn't around, Kyuubi still looked out for him, still protected him. Thanks to whatever Akito had done, Naruto never saw the face of that bastard again, never felt the touch of his grimy hands on his skin. It wasn't just him who was suffering. Kyuubi was suffering too, going against everything he believed in, everything their father taught them was wrong. Kyuubi sacrificed everything just so he could have a place to live. Just so one day, Kyuubi would be able to get them all together again.

"Fuck," Naruto held his head, his stomach twisting into knots. "I didn't know."

Kyuubi hesitantly reached forward, placed his hand over Naruto's shoulder, a smile on his face when Naruto didn't shrug his hand away. "Don't beat yourself up. I didn't want you to know."

"No," Naruto said, burying his face in his hands. "She said such awful things about you and I — I fucking believed them. I believed them because I was so fucking angry that you left me. Left me to live with that fucking bitch."

"I couldn't take you with me. Where would you stay when I was at work? And Jay, poor Jay couldn't sleep at the park. He would've caught a cold or worse. Plus, someone would've eventually reported us and we'd all get sent to a foster home."

"We could've stayed with dad's family in Konoha."

"You know we couldn't," Kyuubi said softly. "Shisui would've-"

"Found out. I know, I know." He frowned. "What about Akito? You could've brought us there to live with you."

"Akito was a temporarily solution," Kyuubi explained. "So, was Yugito. I wanted a permanent place for us, on our own, without having to rely on anyone for anything."

Naruto laughed softly to himself, shaking his head. "You know, we don't deserve any of this. Especially you, you've been through so fucking much and I definitely didn't help make it easier for you. When does it all end?"

"Soon, hopefully." Kyuubi took up his tea, took a gentle sip. He frowned at the cold temperature before he placed it back down. "I'm gonna make some more tea. You want some?"

Naruto was aware of Kyuubi's attempt to lighten the mood, but he wasn't so willing to play along. He was scared, and so should Kyuubi. This shit was far from over.

"I have this odd feeling," he said softly, his blue eyes peering helplessly up at his brother. "I feel like the worst is yet to come. Don't you feel it too?"

Kyuubi looked down at his hands, felt the goosebumps rising on his arms. Yes, he felt it too. Since that moment he got out of the car with Asumi and felt as though someone was watching him. Ever since he got off that elevator with that strange man, he's felt uneasy. If he was to dwell on it, he'd go insane. He had a son to think about. He couldn't afford to lose his mind, go back into that dark place where fear held him captive.

"This time around, I feel it will be different," Kyuubi said, his lips pulling into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "So, more tea?"

"Grab me a beer." Naruto ignored the disapproving look his brother gave him as he moved off the bed.

"I warned you about that fake I.D, didn't I?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

"Yeah, it's whatever until you get caught."

"I won't."

Kyuubi quietly left the room. Inside the kitchen, he greeted Asumi who sat by the dining table, snacking on a banana with a book in her hand. "Care for a cup of tea?"

"No, thank you, Kyuubi." Asumi smiled, then suddenly frowned. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" she asked softly.

Kyuubi leaned against the counter, waiting patiently for the water to boil. His fingers drummed nervously against the marble countertop. "I guess. Itachi said not to really pack anything, so at least that takes away that stress."

"You'll be leaving your home for an unprecedented amount of time. You don't really know what will happen after tomorrow, there's a lot to consider."

Kyuubi looked down, his eyes studying the sandals on his feet. He sighed, lifting his head up to retain the tears that started to gather in his eyes. Again, the uneasiness came back and took hold of his body. He thought back to five years ago when he lost everything, the possibility of it happening all over again, his son that was sleeping soundlessly just in the other room.

"Um…" He closed his mouth at the sound of his shaky voice, the stubborn tears still burning at his eyes. "I trust Itachi," he said softly. "And I trust you. Everything will go well."

"It will." Asumi said, a warm smile on her face. She returned her eyes back to her book, said nothing else as the kettle screeched into the silent night.

Kyuubi sat down and handed the single bottle of beer over to Naruto. He took a sip of his tea and hummed in delight at the soothing taste. He smiled at Naruto, his brother returning his kindness with an odd look. It was obvious Naruto still felt uncomfortable being so close to him without them screaming each other's heads off. Kyuubi didn't mind it though, he had longed for a moment like this for years.

As he continued to study Naruto's features, he became reminded of how much Naruto looked like their father. The same golden hair and determined blue eyes. Kyuubi also saw the bruises, the small wound over the corner of Naruto's mouth, the swollen eye he knew was hidden behind the white eye patch.

"So, this Kiba guy, " he said, careful as he analyzed Naruto's reaction. "Is he, um, your friend? Jay from time to time mentions him. Says he always promises to take him to the park and teach him how to play soccer."

Naruto brought the beer to his mouth and gulped some of its liquid down. He licked his lips, laughing softly as he looked up at Kyuubi who looked back at him expectantly. "Yeah, he's like a friend."

"How old is he?" Kyuubi asked.

"He's a year older than me," Naruto replied.

Kyuubi nodded, a wide grin on his face as he became immersed in the small information he's given. "Is he the one you asked my permission to get on birth control for?"

Naruto watched as Kyuubi rocked back and forth like a giddy little kid. He took another gulp of the cold beer. "Yeah," he whispered, as if he was suddenly ashamed.

Kyuubi nodded, silent for a while before he slowly asked. "Is he nice to you?"

"Sometimes."

"What about the times when he's not so nice?"

Naruto brought his hand to his mouth, laughed softly. "You want to know if he's the one who did this to me?"

Kyuubi gave him a sympathetic smile. "Is he?"

"Yeah," Naruto replied, zero hesitation behind his soft reply. "He, um, he has a temper and I guess I just push him too far sometimes."

"Doesn't make it right, you know." Kyuubi replied, a sad look on his face. "Or excuse what he did to you."

"I know."

Naruto began toying with the half empty bottle in his hand. He thought about Kiba, saw his handsome face in his mind as he remembered their last happy moment together, the three words Kiba had said to him and how eager he had been to strip him out of his clothes afterwards.

"You know, he's um, his mom, she has this condition. She… her mind isn't stable sometimes, and Kiba, his father didn't really treat his mom so nice and sometimes, he would just sit by, helpless as his mom and dad got physical. She, um, would sometimes say really awful things to Kiba, blame him for the reason his father would treat her so horribly. She tried to kill him when he was just a kid. Twice."

Kyuubi set the cup down on the nightstand. "That's awful."

"Yeah, it is," Naruto replied, his fingers spinning the bottle in his hands. "The second time, his dad caught his mom when she tried to drown him in the tub. He called the police and they took her away. Some time later, his parents divorced. His dad is an out right asshole, barely ever there to actually take care of him. His mother is locked away at some asylum and when he was just a kid, he got tossed around between his grandparents and his dad who he sees maybe four times out of the whole fucking year. It's really fucked up."

"It is." Kyuubi saw the sadness in Naruto's eye and he knew Naruto was thinking about this Kiba boy and somehow blaming himself. "Naruto, I don't want to lecture you. I know how much you hate it when I do. But, it looks like you're using Kiba's unfortunate circumstance to excuse his horrible behavior towards you."

"Don't you do the same thing with me?"

Kyuubi opened his mouth but found himself speechless. "Um…"

"I get what you're saying," Naruto said, looking at his brother until Kyuubi returned his gaze. "We broke up. It's over, whatever we had. So you don't have to worry about me."

"I can see you care a lot about him."

"I do." Naruto sat up, a wide smile on his face. "I mean, he's breathtaking. He's so handsome, a head full of curls, the greenest eyes I've ever seen. And his body, I mean, his fucking body."

Kyuubi chuckled along with Naruto, the brothers appearing for an instant as two giddy school girls fawning over a crush. "Okay, he's gorgeous I get it."

"Yeah, and it sucks because he knows he's hot. He has an ego the size of fucking Mount Rushmore."

"Does he know he has this hold on you?" Kyuubi asked. "Is that why he thinks he can treat you any kind of way? Because he knows no matter what you'll stick beside him? Cause' he's so irresistible?" Kyuubi saw the frown form over Naruto's face, the sudden questioning look in his eyes as if a new revelation had suddenly been unveiled to him. "Do you ever wonder if it's just maybe lust that you have for him and nothing more than that?"

Naruto had thought about it before, but only for a brief second before he completely disregarded it. He was sure what he felt for Kiba went far past lust. He genuinely loved Kiba. So then, why was it always Kiba's muscular body the first thing that always crossed his mind whenever he thought of the athletic boy?

But, why couldn't it be both? Why couldn't it be both love and lust? Why did it have to be just one or the other? He genuinely cared for Kiba, cared about his traumatizing childhood. He cared if he had eaten, if he had gotten home safe from practice, if he had heard from his father, and when he had, Naruto would then rush over to either successfully console Kiba after his father had yet again broken another promise to him, or would take on the full force behind Kiba's fist after he would stupidly say something against Kiba's father, something that was true, but Kiba would force himself to see as a lie. Even after all this, Naruto still stuck beside him. No, it wasn't just lust.

Or was it too much lust?

"I don't know," Naruto whispered, the hopelessness sounding through his short words. "We've always been complicated."

"Love shouldn't be complicated," Kyuubi said calmly.

Naruto laughed. "You're one to talk." He saw the puzzled look on Kyuubi's face and frowned at it. "Everything you've gone through, who was it all for other than me? Other than Jay? Even now, you're still willing to be with him after everything. Knowing the danger that comes along with it. How's that any different from me?"

"Itachi's never raised his hand to hit me."

"Yeah, and what's to say he ever won't?" Naruto questioned him firmly. "With us, it's different. He fights with his friends sometimes too. And they never make a big deal about it. Only thing is I can't fight back. Instead, I just whine and bitch like a female."

"That sounds more like his words than yours." Kyuubi watched Naruto turn his his eyes away from him. Right there and then, he knew he was right. "Naruto, he's said this to you?"

"Once." Naruto shook his head. "Twice, I don't know. Let's just fucking stop talking about it."

"Okay, I don't want you to get upset." Kyuubi stood up and went inside his drawer where he pulled out a box. "Want one?"

Naruto looked at the box of fruit snacks, chuckling as he stretched out his hand. "Thought you said you were against processed foods?"

"Well, once in a while I get a craving for it. It's not all the time I feel like leaving my room to make a healthy snack."

"You're fucking insane."

Kyuubi chuckled. "How does that make me insane?"

Naruto ripped the small bag open, bringing a handful to his mouth. He watched his brother do the same and suddenly he doesn't feel as awkward as before. "How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"I don't know," Kyuubi replied. "Itachi said anywhere from days to weeks."

"You sure you don't want to pack a bag?"

"Itachi said that I'll most-likely have to move from place to place so bringing a luggage will just slow the process. Anything that I need, he'll have someone on his team buy for me."

"Just you?" Naruto asked. "You haven't mentioned Jay at all."

Kyuubi frowned. "Jay will be with Itachi. Asumi will take him to meet Itachi by his private jet and Yugito will drive us there. She'll have some officers tailing us just in case something happens."

"If that's the case, why can't Jay be with you?"

"It's what Itachi planned. It's safer for Jay."

"And what about you?" Naruto asked. "If shit hits the fan, what happens to you then? To Yugito?"

"Naruto-"

"No, this is weird," Naruto spoke up. "Clearly, Itachi's willing to risk your safety over his son's. That's why he's having Jay with his elite body guard while your with fucking Yugito."

"Hey, Yugito is more than capable of protecting us. She's an officer. That works in my favor. It'll make Shisui think twice about getting caught up in the law. That's why he does everything in the shadows."

"You keep saying 'us'," Naruto said softly.

Kyuubi gave him an odd look. "Yes, you and me. We'll be traveling together." He saw the frown on Naruto's face and he too frowned. "Why do you seem so surprised?"

"I wasn't planning on coming with you and Jay."

Kyuubi abruptly sat up. "What?" He shook his head. "No, you're coming with us. It's not safe for you here."

"I have Sasuke, I'll be fine."

"No!" Kyuubi stood up. "No, wherever Jay and I go, you come with us. We need to stick together through this."

"Not this time."

"Naruto!"

"It's my decision."

"You don't get to fucking make a decision." Kyuubi caught himself, calming himself down when he saw the anger crossing Naruto's face. "What I mean is, I won't be able to leave knowing that I'm leaving you behind. You're just sixteen years old."

"And I was just thirteen when you left me alone for a whole year."

Kyuubi's frown deepened. "That was different."

"I know and I'm not shaming you for what you had to do." Naruto licked over his lips. "I have school. I can't just get up and leave."

"Since when was school that important to you?" Kyuubi laughed. "Your grades sure don't show your interest."

Naruto nodded, a grin on his face. "Okay, we're hitting below the belt now?"

"Why are you really staying?"

"For me," Naruto said with a firm voice. "I'm not a kid anymore. I can defend myself. You don't have to look out for me anymore. You've spend your whole life doing it. Not anymore. Now, is the time for you to look after yourself."

"You're my little brother, Naruto," Kyuubi said. "I'll always put you first."

Naruto pretended not to be affected by the somber look on Kyuubi's face. "Tomorrow starts your journey by yourself. Without me holding you back. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me and I'm not sure I can ever repay you. But, this time around, I'm aware of everything. I can look after myself."

"Please," Kyuubi pleaded. "Come with me."

Naruto shook his head. "I can't."

Kyuubi sat back down, swallowed down the tears. He can't force Naruto, as much as he couldn't force Itachi to reconsider Jay being separated from him. Naruto wasn't a child anymore. He was capable of making his own decisions. He should have faith in his choices, have faith in Sasuke's capabilities to keep him safe just as much as he trusted Yugito to do the same for him.

Again, his stomach coiled at the thought of tomorrow, this imminent feeling that he can't shake off, this feeling that something would go wrong.

"I don't want to leave," Kyuubi said, finding the courage he needed to confide in his brother. "What you said before, about this feeling that something bad will happen, I feel it too." He shook his head as the single tear fell from his eye. "I don't know what to do."

"Did you tell Itachi?"

Kyuubi shook his head. "He hates me. I couldn't tell him anything. I was scared I would just get in his way. That he'd hate me even more."

"Despite what I said, I don't think he hates you," Naruto said softly. "Itachi's a better man than that."

"He hates me." Kyuubi cried, sucking in a sharp breath as another sob ripped through him. "I don't want this. If he truly still cared about me, he'd listen to me. He would know that I don't want any of this. What if something happens? What if something goes wrong?"

"What would you rather do?" Naruto said quietly. "Spend your whole life running? Leave behind everything and start over and over again until it becomes a cycle? Jay doesn't deserve that. You don't deserve that. Itachi understands the only way out of this is to confront it head on. No more running."

Kyuubi wiped the tears from underneath his eyes. "No more running." He listened to the words, tried to convince himself, tried to believe them. "No more running."

"You sound like mom when she used to scold us about running in the house."

Kyuubi laughed, across from him Naruto doing the same. He reached out, held his brother's hands and smiled at him. "I'm gonna miss you."

"I'd say it back, but I don't wanna lie." Naruto grinned. "It'd be nice to have the apartment all to myself. I'll probably throw a party the first night."

"You better not."

"No, I won't." Naruto assured him. "I'll be too busy missing my little guy."

"How are you going to tell him tomorrow?" Kyuubi asked.

"I won't," Naruto replied. "It'll just be another day of me going to school."

Kyuubi nodded. "He's a smart boy. It won't take long for him to notice you're not around anymore."

"I'll call him every morning before school and every night before he goes to bed." Naruto looked over his shoulder to the clock on the wall, saw it was nearly midnight. "It's getting late. I should get some sleep. I have to be on time tomorrow. Meeting with the principal."

"Do you need to go back so early?" Kyuubi asked, his voice full of concern. "You should consider at least taking a few days off. Get some proper rest."

"No, I'll be fine. It's nothing serious."

Kyuubi frowned. "You don't think this is serious?"

Naruto let go of his brother's hands, stood up from the bed. "Don't start, alright. I'll see you in the morning."

"Wait, hold on."

"What?" Naruto spun around.

Kyuubi smiled as he slowly walked towards Naruto. "I'm really glad we got to do this. I feel like a new chapter is just starting for us and it sucks that we have to be apart."

"Yeah, well, it's not forever."

"I'm going to miss you." Kyuubi opened his arms. "Hug?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, turned to leave. "Good night."

"Tomorrow then?"

Naruto quietly shut the door behind him. He walked over to the kitchen where he discarded the remainder of his beer. He then went inside his nephew's room, saw the child sleeping quietly in his bed. Naruto sat down quietly, his hand softly caressing Jay's hair out of his face. He clenched his jaw as his eyes started to water. He has never been away from his nephew. They have always been together. He can't imagine the coming days without the sweet boy running around the apartment, bursting through his room without knocking. His soft laughs, his kind eyes, his big smile.

Naruto sniffled as he felt the silent tears rush down his face. "I'm gonna miss you so much, baby boy. What am I going to do without you?"

—

New chapter! I'll try to post another hopefully next week.