Chapter 10: Manipulation

Spring break was officially over. The campus was lively with the return of students. As always, campus parking was a nightmare especially in the afternoon where most students had their classes. Kyuubi was able snag a spot near the building for his first class. The roof of his car slowly moved overhead, smoothly settling into place as the engine quieted down. He swung his backpack over his shoulder as he got out the car and from the passenger seat, Utakata did the same.

Kyuubi shielded his eyes behind a pair of sunglasses. He's grateful his class wasn't too far a distance, a culinary elective located in the campus center. It was an easy hands-on course, one he shared with some of his friends.

"Damn, why is it so crowded?" Kyuubi rounded the front of his car and brushed off a fallen leaf.

"Forget that. I still can't believe this shit is yours," Utakata said as he delicately traced his finger over the white paint of the car. "This is crazy."

"Don't drool on it."

"I can't help it." Utakata chuckled. "You know how much bank you can make if you sell this?"

"Why the fuck would I want to do that?"

Utakata shrugged. "Just saying."

Suddenly, a loud call from across the parking lot has both of them searching around for the voice.

"Hi Kyuubi!"

Kyuubi waved back to the two friendly faces waving at him. It was Yuna, a pretty brunette girl he's shared some courses with. He knew the other girl that was with her but for some reason couldn't remember her name. They only talked once so it made sense. Yuna, on the other hand, had it in her mind that they were friends since the day Kyuubi had tutored her and she passed her midterm with flying colors.

"Nice car," Yuna shouted. "Itachi got that for you?"

Kyuubi always felt she had a thing for Itachi. He just happened to get Itachi before she had mustered up enough courage to express her feelings. "It was a birthday gift!"

"You're a very lucky man, Kyuubi. How about you give me a ride sometimes?"

Kyuubi raised up his keys. "Just let me know when and we'll go for a drive."

Yuna laughed. "I'll hold you to that." She waved goodbye and her friend beside her did the same. "See you around, alright?"

"Later!"

Kyuubi watched them get into a car that was equally impressive as his own and drive away. Kyuubi waited until they were out of sight before he turned to Utakata with a teasing grin. "Missed your chance again."

Yuna stood the apple of Utakata's eye since the day he first laid eyes on her.

Kyuubi's baffled when Utakata glared at him. "What?" he asked, raising his shoulders. "What did I do?"

Utakata frowned. "Way to help a fella out."

They began to walk to class. Utakata was a handsome guy but of low self-esteem when it came to the ladies. He has turned down the advances of many women who have showed him interest because he felt he wasn't good enough. He later confessed to Kyuubi about his crush on Yuna. Kyuubi was dumbfounded. His friend turned down regular girls but he was willing to go after a high class girl who probably had more guys chasing after her than money.

"I don't know why you think I can hook you guys up. I barely talk to her as it is and when we do talk, it's only when she talks to me first. We're not friends."

"But there must be a reason why she talks to you," Utakata said, eager and full of hope. "You gotta set me up with her, man."

Kyuubi rolled his eyes. "What if she's already taken? She's hot. I'm sure someone's already made a move."

"I haven't seen her with anyone." Utakata was almost begging. "Come on, use your popularity for good."

Kyuubi almost chuckled. "What makes you think I'm popular?"

"Geez, let me think. You're only dating the grandson of a billionaire. You're only driving around in luxury cars that are not even on the market. You're only just one of the most handsome guys I know. Should I continue?"

"Yes, it's very flattering."

Utakata playfully shoved him. "I'm being fucking serious, dude. What I'd give to live your life."

Kyuubi scoffed. "Trust me, you don't."

"Oh, in that case, give me your car."

Kyuubi looked at him incredulously. "Oh, so you can crash that one too?"

Utakata was silent. The shame of drunk driving and crashing his car weighed heavily on him. The crash resulted with a few scrapes and bruises on his body. He was sure his parents were going to kill him. But when he returned home unharmed, instead of the deathly punishment he was expecting, he received a hug and later on an earful. His car was left a total wreck.

"Low blow, dude." He huffed.

Kyuubi smacked him on the head. "You should've known better. You could've gotten yourself killed."

Utakata sighed. "Yeah, I know. You think Itachi'd give me a car if I ask? Preferably one that looks like yours."

"Itachi doesn't like you." Kyuubi said it playfully but deep down there was some truth to it. He didn't like any of his friends.

Utakata scoffed. "Does that guy like anyone?" He chuckled. "I'm sorry, man. I support your relationship. But the guy's fucking scary." Utakata held the door open for Kyuubi and followed in after him. They continued along side by side. "That shit at your party was wild."

"Yeah, I wish you guys hadn't seen that."

"What was it all about, anyways?" Utakata asked. "Deidara came in and said he just had too much to drink. All I know is, I've had a few too many and I've never acted like that. It was like he wanted to fucking murder that guy."

Kyuubi sighed. "Don't say it like that."

"Why?" Utakata shrugged. "I'm just stating what I saw. How'd you get him to calm down?"

Kyuubi could still feel the scream clawing at his throat as Itachi's foot relentlessly kicked his stomach over and over again.

"Just talked to him," he said softly.

Utakata could tell Kyuubi didn't want to tread on the subject anymore based on the look on his face. He clapped his hands and he raised a brow when Kyuubi flinched from the noise.

"Are you good?" He laughed. "You really jumped there."

Kyuubi exhaled a shaky breath. "I just got a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

"I got this big project due. Around the same time as finals and papers. I'm tryna figure out how I can balance it all."

Utakata brought his arms behind his head. "Don't know why you chose such a hard major. Should've went with finance like me. That's where the money's at. Didn't your boyfriend do finance?"

Kyuubi sighed, again annoyed with the mention of the last person he wanted to talk about. Thankfully, they had arrived at their class. They quickly changed into their chef uniforms and moved over to their assigned section in the kitchen. There, their friends Yugito and Saiken were already seated snacking on apple slices.

"Hey," Kyuubi said, awkwardly.

Saiken stood up and hugged him. "You look good."

Kyuubi noticed the reluctance, the difference from their usual embrace that felt more affectionate. "Thank you." Saiken said nothing as he sat back down. "Are we okay?" Kyuubi asked him.

Saiken nodded and forced a smile. "How's your allergies today?"

Kyuubi hid his discomfort behind a fake smile of his own. "Better."

"Glad to hear it."

Yugito held up her apple slices above her head from Utakata's reaching arms. "Go get your own. There's some in the fridge."

"I just want one." He again reached for the bag. "Come on, stop being selfish."

"Move!"

"Here." Saiken slid his remaining slices across the table to Utakata.

"Thank you." Utakata eagerly popped a slice into his mouth. "See, that's why you have no friends." He dodged the rag Yugito swung at him.

"What are you then, idiot?"

Saiken stood up. "Let me talk to you outside, Yuta."

Utakata gave him a bored look. "I just sat down. Tell me here."

Saiken began heading for the door. "Outside, Yuta."

When they are gone, Yugito turned to Kyuubi and patted the seat beside her. "Come here, let me talk to you." She swiveled around in her chair, silently studying him.

Kyuubi looked at her strangely. "What?"

"What's going on with you?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sure?" Yugito rested her head on the back of her hand. "You seem out of it, lately. Don't quite seem like yourself. Something going on with Itachi?"

Kyuubi turned his eyes from her, too ashamed of the lie he knew was coming. "No, it's just stress with it being the last semester and all. It's just very… stressful."

Yugito didn't quite believe him. "Are you sure that's all? Even your eyes look dimmer."

"I just need some sleep." He tried to reassure her with a smile.

It was then Yugito noticed the healing wound at the corner of Kyuubi's lip. "What happened there?" She pointed to it with her finger.

"I was using my phone in the bed and it just fell on my face." He laughed to make it more believable.

Yugito shook her head. "Damn, I hate when that happens." She finished the last of her apple slices.

Kyuubi looked at the table across from his section and caught Aiya Saito's gaze on him. She was his boyfriend's ex and also the woman that had been the cause of Itachi's many infidelities. She has never hesitated to use that against him, taunt him. The more Kyuubi did his best to ignore her, the more she terrorized him.

Kyuubi scowled when she winked at him. "Today's not the fucking day." His foot tapped anxiously beneath the table.

Yugito followed his eyes to Aiya and she sighed. "Just ignore her."

Kyuubi clenched his jaw. "She says something to me I'll fucking rip her head off," he muttered.

Aiya's red coated lips tugged up into a smirk. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Why don't you find something else to stare at?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." She chuckled. "I just saw you whispering over there and thought maybe you were talking about me."

Kyuubi gave her a long look. "You wish I cared that much."

"Oh, but I'm sure you do." She chewed loudly at the gum in het mouth. "How's Itachi by the way? What's he been up to since graduation? I would ask him myself but I wouldn't wanna cross any boundaries."

Aiya was cunning, playful. She was tall and slim and could be easily perceived as someone of little threat. But her words were cutting and she always knew just the right buttons to push.

Kyuubi chuckled humorlessly as he continued to tap his foot aggressively beneath his chair. Yugito saw he was struggling to keep his cool. She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and he quickly shrugged her off.

"Don't let her get to you."

Kyuubi breathed in deeply to calm himself. He tried his best to ignore her but she kept talking, mocking him.

"How's his temper these days?" She popped the gum in her mouth. "We may have only dated for a few weeks but I know how he gets sometimes."

"Shut up," Kyuubi said through gritted teeth.

"Must take a lot to be with such a violent man." She laughed. "Or maybe you're just after the money so you don't care." Aiya's friends at her table laughed, co-signing her as she grew more bold. "He treats you well, no doubt from the car we all saw you pull up in. We can all be so lucky."

Kyuubi stood up and abruptly made a start towards her. When he reached the table, one of the male students, Daisuke, pushed him from getting any closer.

"Touch me, again. I fucking dare you." Kyuubi shoved him back. Suddenly, his arm was grabbed and he turned around angrily, his face softening when he saw it was only Yugito.

"Daisuke, sit down," Aiya said calmly. "He's not going to do anything." She turned and stared daringly at Kyuubi. "He knows what his boyfriend would do to him if he touches me."

Kyuubi almost broke free from Yugito. "You ever wonder what I'd do to you if you were a man?"

"No, but I know what your boyfriend would do."

"Stay the fuck away from him!" Kyuubi warned her. "He'll never come near you, you fucking slut. You think you're hurting me? He can barely stand the sight of you."

"Then why did he ask me to spend the weekend with him?" Her expression was sincere as she continued. "I stayed over at his house and looked after him. Apparently, you were too busy to come over. You should be thanking me for taking such good care of him."

Kyuubi lunged at her, frustrated when Saiken returned just in time to hold him back.

"Kyuubi, calm down." He struggled to hold Kyuubi in his arms.

"You bitch!" Kyuubi sneered.

"Be sure to call me the next time you're busy."

Yugito punched Aiya in her face, knocking her into the table. Daisuke stood up and came to his friend's defense, courageous at first, but then second guessing and stepping back when Utakata came and stood protectively in front of Yugito.

"Trust me bro, you don't wanna go there." Utakata gave him an eager smile and like a dog with its tail between its legs, Daisuke chose to pick his fight another day. He turned and tended to Aiya who was holding her face in pain.

"What on earth is going on here?" The chef's voice sounded through the room loud and stern. She placed her hands firmly on her hips. "Am I talking to myself?"

"It was my fault, chef," Kyuubi said softly. He calmly removed himself from Saiken. "I'm a bit restless and taking it out on my peers."

The class said nothing in Kyuubi's defense.

"Do you need to take a walk?"

He walked over to the front where the teacher stood. He unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it off. "May I please be excused for today's class? I'm not feeling too well."

The instructor nodded understandably. "Looks like you need the rest."

"Thank you." Kyuubi headed for the door.

In the empty halls, Kyuubi slumped against the wall. He brought his face into his hands and screamed. He was so angry, he was shaking. His heart was racing and his throat felt sore from holding back his tears. He wanted to believe she was lying. Deep down, he knew she wasn't.

—

Hinata swept the marble floors of the living room. She looked up when someone entered the room and was startled to see Kyuubi quickly walking towards her with his fists balled by his sides.

"Kyuubi, what's the matter?" she asked, urgently.

"Was she here?" Kyuubi asked her softly in return, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hinata looked puzzled. "Who?"

"Aiya!" he suddenly screamed. "Did she stay here this weekend?"

Hinata shook her head. "N-no. It's just been us and Itachi."

Kyuubi did not believe her. He took another step towards her and she backed away, fearful. "Don't lie to me, Hinata. Please."

Hinata glanced down shamefully. "Kyuubi, I can't get involved."

"Was she here?" Kyuubi shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. "Please, just tell me."

Hinata began to tremble. The two other housemaids rushed in hearing the commotion.

"What's going on?" Sakura kept her eyes on Kyuubi while Ino attended Hinata who appeared visibly shaken up.

"Oh, the pair of you. I bet you'll love to rub it in my face. Get a laugh out of it." Kyuubi chuckled but there was no amusement behind his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Sakura asked.

Kyuubi paid her no mind and bolted for the stairs. Sakura rushed after him. By the foot of the staircase, she shouted. "Kyuubi, Itachi's sick. He doesn't need this right now."

At the top, Kyuubi swiftly turned and collided into someone and was held before he could fall. He felt the strong grip around his arms and looked up to see Hidan smiling down at him.

"Careful." His dimples were in full view as he widened his smile. "What's the hurry?"

Kyuubi removed himself from the hands still holding him. "I need to see Itachi. Where is he?" He sounded desperate.

"Sleeping," Hidan replied. "Why?"

"Was Itachi with his ex recently?"

Hidan had a teasing grin on his face. "Which one?"

"Aiya Saito."

Hidan studied Kyuubi for a moment, doing well not to give anything away from his expression. After a while, he asked softly. "Why do you think she was with Itachi?"

"She told me herself."

Hidan hid his irritation behind a humorless laugh. "Did she? Why would you believe anything she has to say?"

Kyuubi couldn't take anymore of the blatant misdirection and brushed past Hidan. He was almost to Itachi's door when his arm was caught in the same strong hold that kept him from falling. Kyuubi glanced up at Hidan, his irritation expressed on his face.

"Why are you so upset?"

Kyuubi pulled his arm free. "Because he doesn't get to do this to me." His voice broke into a soft whisper. "Not with her. Not again."

Hidan didn't know how to respond. He stood aside and allowed Kyuubi to walk away, going against Deidara's request to keep Kyuubi as far away from Itachi as possible. Hidan has a mind to go after him. He knew the kind of mood Itachi was in. Things wouldn't end well. Still, he doesn't move and instead a small smile crept over his face.

"This is really none of my business."

—

Itachi was asleep in his large bed when Kyuubi entered the room. Kyuubi watched him sleep for a while. Itachi was very tall, but looking at him now buried in the large duvet, he almost looked like a child. Kyuubi saw the thin layer of sweat coating his face, listened to his shallow breathing. He could tell Itachi was really sick. A few days ago, he would've cared, would've laid down beside him and cuddled him against his chest. Now, he felt absolutely nothing, and the more he stared the at him, the angrier he became. He reached for the glass of water on the night stand.

Itachi jolted awake, desperately gasping for air as the water filled his nose. It trickled down his face, down to his bare chest and as he wiped the water from his face, he groaned in exhaustion. He turned around and found Kyuubi standing there with an empty glass in his hand.

"What are you doing?" He sounded tired, his words slow and drowsy.

"Get up. We need to talk."

Itachi violently shrugged off the damped sheets and stood up. "Move out of my way." He pushed Kyuubi aside and rounded the bed to the opposite side. "Talk about what?"

Kyuubi remained where he was, watching as Itachi dried his face with a towel. Then, he was coughing and Kyuubi could hear the sickness in his chest. He was told Itachi only had a mild case of alcohol poisoning but looking at him now, it seemed he was battling a bad cold as well.

"Hello?" Itachi raised his arms, urging Kyuubi to speak. "You better have a fucking good reason for what you just did or else you're not leaving this fucking room."

Kyuubi could hear the weakness in his voice and maybe that's why he didn't feel anything regarding Itachi's threat.

"She was here, wasn't she?" He wanted to look Itachi in the eye but Itachi kept moving around, evading his gaze. "She was in our bed, wasn't she?"

"Who?" Itachi asked, disinterested.

"That whore!" Kyuubi suddenly shouted. "Don't play stupid with me. You get a little fever and so you call her to come and take care of you? What the fuck is wrong with you? Two days! In our fucking bed! How could you do this to me?"

"Two days?" Itachi leaned against the door of his bedroom, his hands pocketed inside his sweatpants. "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

Kyuubi grabbed Itachi's phone off the night stand and hurled it at him, missing his head by an inch as the phone crashed against the door and fell to the floor. He held Itachi's gaze when he began to slowly walk towards him.

"She told me you called her and asked her to stay the weekend." He stretched out his hand against Itachi's chest, keeping him a safe distance away. "Did you call her to come over? Answer me, yes or no."

When Itachi said nothing, simply looked at him like he was crazy, Kyuubi roughly pushed him. "Say something, you asshole!"

"You look crazy."

Kyuubi raised his hand and smacked him hard across the face. "Don't!" Kyuubi doesn't know what to do. He's so in distraught, he gripped at his own hair and pulled roughly at the red strands. "You drive me insane!"

Itachi grabbed Kyuubi and pushed him over the bed, hovered over him and pinned his arms against the wet sheets. He clasped a hand over Kyuubi's mouth, using the little strength he had to hold him down.

"Calm down." Kyuubi continued to thrash beneath him. "I said, calm the fuck down." Kyuubi finally settled, his chest heaving up and down as he breathed heavily against Itachi's palm. "Will you listen and let me talk?" When Kyuubi reluctantly nodded, glaring up at him, Itachi removed his hand. "She's a liar and she's desperate. She's baiting you and you're falling for it. I didn't call her. I didn't tell her I was sick. I didn't ask her to come take care of me. They're all bullshit."

"You're lying."

Itachi moved off the bed and coughed into his elbow. "Believe whatever you want."

"No, it's not that simple," Kyuubi said, standing up. "Give me a reason to believe you."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Tell the truth!"

When Itachi looked him up and down, mocking him with a laugh, Kyuubi raised his hand to hit him again but missed when Itachi moved away, his hand brushing against Itachi's chin before he's violently shoved away.

"Once was enough."

"Isn't that rich coming from you." Kyuubi wasn't backing down. "My boyfriend that's not satisfied until I'm beaten black and blue."

"Cry me a fucking river," Itachi drawled tiredly. "Poor you, poor you, when do I get a chance to play the fucking victim, huh? I was sleeping in my bed and you barge in here and throw fucking water on me. Then you accuse me of shit I didn't even fucking do. You have no faith in me. That's your fucking problem. Not mine. A whore will be walking past the street and tell you I slept with her and you'll find some reason to believe her. If there's no trust left in our relationship, then what the fuck are you still doing here? Why are you wasting your time with me?"

"I've tried to leave, but you always find some way to force me back."

"Force you?" Itachi laughed at him. "Trust me baby, it doesn't take much to get you crawling back into my bed."

"Coming from the guy who purposely made himself sick and called my phone begging for me to take him back."

"And I bet if I kissed you right now, you'll get on your knees and suck my dick." Itachi instantly regretted his words the moment he saw the pain that flashed through Kyuubi's eyes. But he said it with intention to hurt Kyuubi and so he won't apologize.

Kyuubi nodded his head, a newfound resentment growing inside him. "This is it. I'm done." He silently walked past Itachi and left the room.

Itachi reached for the empty glass on the night stand and hurled it at the wall, the glass instantly shattering into pieces.

"Fuck!"

He screamed so loud the maids downstairs heard him.

—

Later in the evening at the university, professors started shutting their doors as their classes started. Kyuubi ran down the hall to his last class of the day. He took a moment to catch his breath before he quietly entered the room.

"Sorry for my lateness, Professor. I had a family emergency." He has become better at lying.

After leaving Itachi's house, he drove himself home and cried. In the kitchen, he opened the top cabinet where his father kept his liquor. Kyuubi just took one look at the bottle before he ran to the sink and emptied his lunch. Memories of the night he tasted his last alcohol surfaced, unpleasant and vivid. It was a stupid mistake he had made. One that caused him a fractured arm and a set of broken ribs. That night was also the first night he met Deidara.

The professor called to him just as he was about to take his seat. Kyuubi sighed as he followed him outside. "Yes, Professor?"

"Kyuubi, I have some news that I think might interest you," said the professor. "There's an internship opportunity available oversees in the U.S that I have decided to recommend you for. That is if you are interested."

Kyuubi was indeed interested. "For what company?"

A smile found it's way on the professor's face. "Tesla."

Kyuubi's eyes lit up. "Tesla?" He was in awe. "Are you serious?"

"This is a new program they are providing for international students. With your academic success and your skills, I strongly believe you will excel and it will be very beneficial to you for your future career."

"I'm so grateful, Professor."

"Yes, well, I will email you the papers so you can educate yourself more about it," he said. "Of course, there's also the matter of applying so make sure your resume is in order."

"Thank you, Professor." Kyuubi bowed his head respectfully.

"One more thing, Kyuubi." The professor fixed his glasses properly over his face. "Would you be able to tutor a classmate for extra credits? Not that you need it"

Kyuubi thought on the request. Frankly, he didn't need the extra stress. At the same time, he also couldn't bring himself to decline, not after his professor had given him such a generous opportunity. He imagined that was the reason why the man had chosen to tell him the good news first.

Kyuubi walked two seats down from his usual seat and sat next to a familiar face. It was a face he has never spoken to, but saw in his other classes as well.

"Yahiko, right?" When he received a nod, Kyuubi smiled and introduced himself. "Kyuubi, nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure."

Kyuubi's startled by how gravelly his voice sounded, rough and deep. "So, I hear you need some extra help understanding some of the topics."

"Jiraiya gave me the heads up a week ago that he would find someone to help me out if I had any hopes of passing his class." Yahiko chuckled. "I just didn't think he would choose you, Red."

"Red?" Kyuubi raised his brow.

"Is that your actual hair color?"

Kyuubi nodded. "From my mom."

Yahiko reached out and touched the soft strands. "You sure you're not lying to me?"

Kyuubi laughed modestly. "Why would I lie about something so trivial?"

Yahiko shrugged. "To make yourself look cool."

Kyuubi rolled his eyes. "That's just stupid."

Yahiko leaned back in his seat. "You're not fooling anyone, Red." He laughed. "You strike me as the type."

"To lie about hair?" Kyuubi looked at him incredibly. "I find that insulting."

"Didn't mean to offend you." Yahiko grinned. "I believe you. I know you're not a liar."

Kyuubi noticed he had a nice smile, the kind that reached his eyes. "Open your notebook. Show me your design for the project."

Yahiko did as he was told. While Kyuubi was focused on analyzing his work, Yahiko admired his soft features. "Daisuke told me you and Aiya got into it earlier today. Something about Itachi Uchiha."

Kyuubi glanced at him. "Mind your business."

"No, no, believe me I'm on your side." He folded his arms behind his head. "Aiya's like a sister to me, but she can definitely be a pain in the ass sometimes. She knows how to get under people's skin. Some friends and I decided to spend the weekend at my parent's beach house. Something fun to do before we returned to school. While we there, a crab bit Aiya's foot and wouldn't let go. She was a screaming mess but it was the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. Bet you wish you were there to see it for yourself."

Kyuubi sat up straight. "Wait, you were with her this weekend?"

Yahiko pulled out his phone and opened his photos app. "Here, I got some of it on camera. It doesn't compare seeing it in real time. It was hilarious."

Kyuubi paid close attention to the date and time on the video. Yahiko showed him other pictures and videos and the date and time were different intervals between Saturday and Sunday. There was no way Aiya could have been at two places at the same time.

Kyuubi felt his stomach twist into knots. "What did I do?"

Yahiko saw the look on his face and became worried. "Something wrong?"

Kyuubi pushed his hair out of his face. "You mixed up these two parts right here. Fix it." He slid the book back to Yahiko.

Yahiko studied his work. "Oh, shit."

Kyuubi sighed as he hung his head. "I'm losing my mind." He felt like vomiting all over again.

—

Itachi waited outside Kyuubi's home in the dark. He sat on the ground, his back against the wooden door. His fever had surged up again, worse than before. He felt like his whole body was on fire, but he still chose to drive the long distance to Kyuubi's house. He thought he could sleep off the altercation. He was wrong. He had too much pride to let Kyuubi have the last word.

Kyuubi returned home late after class had ended. He fidgeted with the keys in his hands as he walked up to his house. "Get out of my way, please."

Itachi stood up. "I came to talk to you. I've been waiting out here for you for an hour."

"Why didn't you wait inside?"

"Your brother wouldn't let me in for obvious reasons," Itachi replied. "And by the looks of it, your parents aren't home either."

"What do you mean by obvious reasons?"

"He has banned me from ever coming inside your house. Apparently, if I show my face at your house again, he'll call the cops." He frowned. "Thought we agreed our relationship problems stayed between us."

Kyuubi expected nothing less from Naruto. His brother couldn't hide his emotions to save his life. "I didn't tell him anything. He walked in on me changing and saw my bruises. He kinda figured it out for himself."

Itachi turned and again coughed into his elbow. Kyuubi saw his shoulders trembling and he saw then that he was shivering. He's been waiting outside in the cold for an hour all while he's seriously sick. Kyuubi doesn't know how he was still standing.

"Come on." Kyuubi grabbed him by the hand and led Itachi round back to the garage. Itachi leaned against the wall for support while Kyuubi stood a few feet in front of him. Kyuubi shrugged off his backpack and tossed it aside. "Okay, you wanna talk? Talk."

Itachi moved towards him. "I need you to believe me."

Kyuubi stepped back from his advance. "Stay right there."

Itachi obeyed.

Kyuubi sighed, his eyes trailing down in shame as he remembered the pictures on Yahiko's phone. "I let her play me," he said softly. "I was already angry with you and I allowed her to get inside my head and… and I just couldn't get her words out. The thought of you two together." His eyes found Itachi's. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't trust you."

"I don't fucking care about any of that," Itachi said. "I just need you. I need you by my side."

"I feel awful," Kyuubi admitted. "But still, even knowing, some part of me still wants to believe it's true. That you slept with her even though you promised me you would never do it again. Look at me and tell me I'm wrong."

Itachi reached out and grabbed Kyuubi by the waist. "It doesn't matter."

"It does matter," Kyuubi said, almost pleading. "Give me a reason to stay. Just tell me."

"You're wrong." Itachi tightened his grip when Kyuubi tried to pull away. He leaned down to kiss him but was rejected.

"No, this doesn't change anything between us," Kyuubi told him bitterly. "Just because you're innocent this one time doesn't excuse your behavior this past week. It doesn't excuse the way you've been treating me."

"You're not innocent either, lover."

Kyuubi was stunned. "Excuse me?"

Itachi frowned. "I'm trying. I'm doing everything I can to make amends. I'm doing something. What the fuck are you doing?"

"Here talking to you," Kyuubi shouted. "Instead of on the phone with the police for the countless times you've hurt me."

"You willingly give yourself to me. Why doesn't it bother you then? Why is that different? Because it's your choice?"

Kyuubi was silent. He doesn't know what to say. Itachi made a good point. What was the difference when it was his choice versus when Itachi loses control. It was wrong either way. Itachi was right. He wasn't so innocent either. Kyuubi sighed and started a slow pace back and forth as he thought deeply over their relationship.

Itachi leaned back against the wall when a wave of dizziness washed over him. "I don't like hurting you, Kyuubi," he said, his voice was so meek it almost sounded unrecognizable to Kyuubi's ears. "You gotta know that."

Kyuubi walked over and held his face, felt the heat of his skin against his palm. "We need therapy, Itachi."

"No," Itachi replied sharply. He hung his head low. "No, I'm not doing that."

"You don't have a choice," Kyuubi said sternly. "That's the only way you'll get me back."

Itachi removed Kyuubi's hand from his face and stood up straight, his tall stature looming over him. "I said I'm not going."

Before Kyuubi could say anything else, Itachi fell forward and slumped against him. Kyuubi struggled to hold his weight as Itachi rested his head against his shoulder.

"You need to come inside the house," Kyuubi held on to him, concerned when Itachi managed to gather enough strength to stand back up.

"I'm going home."

"You're not driving in your condition."

"Then, you drive." He reached inside his pockets and threw his keys over to Kyuubi. "Take me home."

Kyuubi caught the keys, a frown on his face. "Itachi, I want us to go to therapy."

"Kyuubi..."

"If you say yes, I'll stay the night with you. I promise I won't leave. Not until tomorrow for class." Just like before, he's being reeled back in. He allowed Itachi to stare at him, searching for some kind of insincerity. He finally conceded when he found nothing.

"Yes."

He didn't have the energy to fight anymore. He was too tired.

Please comment and let me know what you guys think so far. Do you think therapy will be enough to help them?