Warning: Talk about cancer. I know it can be hard on some people.
Enjoy!
"Before we start, I need you to know that I am not specialized in palliative care. I'm a forensic psychologist and I do some counselling when I don't have any cases to work on." Naruto said.
He was still trying to hide his surprise at seeing one of the best lawyer of the country sitting in the seat across from him. If someone had told him that he would have Itachi Uchiha asking for his professional help, he probably would have laugh hysterically.
"I'm aware of that. Believe me I looked you up before coming here." Itachi stood up from the chair and started pacing in Naruto's office.
Naruto watched Itachi walk around his office and did not say a word. He was not going to push him into saying anything. If Itachi needed to gather his courage or to organize his thoughts, he could take all the time he wanted. Naruto did not have any other clients afterward and pressing Itachi did not seem like a good idea.
It took at least 10 minutes before Itachi talked again. "Could you not write what I'm saying? I'd rather have this completely off records."
"Of course." Naruto pushed himself away from his desk and stood up. He walked around his desk and sat in one of his single seater couch. He felt that he had to come to Itachi as an equal and sitting behind his huge desk made him appear in power. This was definitely not the good approach with Itachi.
Itachi sighed and came to sit in a similar couch in front of Naruto. "I don't really know how to begin…"
"Tell me about your diagnosis."
Itachi crossed his legs and began. "Three weeks ago, I went to the hospital because I had a small car accident and I bumped my head on the wheel. It was something minor, no concussion or anything but they still ordered a CT scan. So I got in there with a bruise on my forehead and got out with a malignant glioma on my amygdala. It cannot be surgically removed."
Naruto did not want to interrupt, but Itachi seemed to have a hard time saying more. "How advanced is it?"
"Stade 3. I had another scan a couple days ago and it's growing. Fast. They think I might have 2 years left. Best case scenario, I have 3 or 4 more years but I spend the most of them on hard drugs and doing chemotherapy. I had time to adjust to the fact that I'm going to die."
"Three weeks is hardly enough time to realize that your entire life is going to change. You might still be in shock. It often happens when people learn that they have an important illness."
Itachi sighed and briefly closed his eyes. "Shock or not, I'm mostly worried about my brother."
Naruto nodded briefly. "Yes, it can be as hard, sometimes even worst, for family members to learn about the disease."
Itachi's answer was a low whisper. " I haven't told him yet."
"Are you planning on telling him?"
"Yes, of course! It's just… He had a really hard time after our parents died in a car accident six years ago. He doesn't really talk about it but I know he still hurts a lot because of this and I don't want to rub more salt in the wound. He's already so dark and sad. I am going to tell him, but I don't know when. Or how."
The way Itachi talked, it did not sound like the revelation was going to be in the near future. Naruto had heard from fellow psychologists that on occasion, people with lethal disease did not reveal it to their family and friends. They preferred to live the rest of their life fully without anyone worrying for them and would reveal the disease only when it was almost time to passed, or not at all. Naruto definitely did not know for sure how he would react if he was the one with the disease. However, he knew for sure that he would want to know if someone close to him was dying.
"There is no easy way to break this type of news to someone. I have this feeling that tells me that you want some advice on this from me, but I definitely cannot tell you the perfect way. Not everybody react the same way to such news, and I have no idea how your brother would react. If you had more time, waiting until your brother is in a better place could be good, but you don't have time to wait."
"Could you help him?" Itachi asked.
" I don't know. Therapy is not for everyone. If your brother does not want help, there's nothing to be done."
"What if I convince him, could you help in such short time?"
"It's possible. Benefits can follow the first session and we usually know if it's going to last after a couple months of biweekly meetings. Your brother will need to be willing. You can give him a little push to help, but in the end it has to be his decision."
Itachi exhaled. "I guess I'll have to use my persuasive power to show him that he needs it. It's going to be hard, he's definitely not the sharing type."
Naruto chuckled. "I believe that."
Itachi smiled and looked at his watch.
"Oh and Itachi, if your brother does come in here, you know that I can't tell you about any progress we make. I can't even tell you that he came." Naruto added.
"Of course, Dr Uzumaki." Itachi stood and extended his hand. "I think it's time for me to leave. I'll come back some day."
Naruto stood and shook his hand. "Please, just Naruto. Would you call before our next… little chat. I wouldn't want you to come all the way here when I'm not even there." he said smiling.
Itachi smiled politely and took his leave.
Sasuke was still trying to write when he received a text from his brother around 8 pm:
I'm done for the day, did you have dinner yet?
Sasuke's stomach rumbled, he had not thought to each much this afternoon. He was too busy trying, and failing, to write something new. It was time for him to put his pen down and do something else. He could pick up the work where he left it tomorrow.
No, wanna meet at that italian restaurant?
I'll be there in thirty.
Sasuke stood and left his office. He should leave right away if he wanted to be there at the same time as Itachi. It was a short drive to the restaurant but the traffic tended to be heavier on Friday nights.
He quickly put his shoes and went to his blue metallic Mercedes AMT GT. He got there in twenty minute and was lucky enough to get a parking right next to the restaurant. There was still a lot of people around since Springer Market Square closed at 10 on Friday and parking places were often rare around it.
He went inside one of his favorite restaurant, Casa Domenico, and asked the hostess a table for two. He did not have to look around to know that Itachi was not there yet, he would have text him if it was the case.
The hostess settled him near the window and brought water. Sasuke pulled his phone out and he barely had the time to text Itachi before he entered the restaurant looking at his phone.
Sasuke did not have to make a move, Itachi saw him the second he raised his eyes. He smiled at the hostess and joined Sasuke at the table.
"Hey, Sasuke! How was your day?" Itachi asked.
Sasuke grunted. "I'd rather you tell me about your trial for now. I need to eat something and what I have to say will make me lose my appetite."
Itachi chuckled. "There's not much to say." He made a sign to the waitress nearby. "Let's order first."
The waitress came to their table with two menus. They both already knew what they wanted so they ordered right away.
"Alright…" Itachi started as the waitress walked away. "I lost my trial."
Sasuke almost choked on his water. "You what?!"
"I lost. Drastically. It barely took the jury 30 minutes to reach the verdict."
"What happened? I thought you were well prepared."
Itachi sipped some lukewarm water. "The prosecution brought a witness without telling us. I was a little impressed, I didn't know that Senju was such a sneaky man."
"A single witness destroyed your entire case?"
"Yes, Sasuke. Don't twist the knife will you?" Itachi responded. "The guy is a psychologist and he threw the word 'psychopath' in his testimony. Of course people got scared, pretty much everyone associate this word with 'homicidal maniac'. I tried to cover it the best I could but it was all improvisation and I didn't really have time to think about it."
"Damn, he really got you." Itachi glared at him but luckily they were interrupted by their waitress. They both thanked her and started eating in silence.
Half-way through his brasato, Itachi inquired again. "Well, what about you?"
Sasuke stopped eating and sat straight in his chair. "Nothing particularly good."
Itachi stared at him with insistence to make him continue.
"Did you know that Kakashi was about to throw me an ultimatum? I know you speak with him sometimes." Sasuke muttered.
"I did not know, but it was bound to happen. You've been working with Kakashi for five years now, I'm not surprised that horror and drama are not enough anymore."
"Are you saying that I am not enough?" Sasuke said, raising his voice.
"Sasuke, of course you are. I don't care if you are a writer, a doctor, or even a cook. I'm just putting myself in Kakashi's shoes and I understand that a publisher would ask for a change if your books are not selling."
Sasuke sighed and stabbed his roasted chicken breast with his fork. "Sorry, I know. It's just… I tried but I can't. My stories always end up messy."
"Have you thought about consulting someone?"
Sasuke snorted. "Seriously? You want me to see a shrink, and what? Talk about how sad and difficult my life as a millionaire is? Fuck off, Itachi."
"This is not about how rich you are! Since mother and father died…"
Sasuke interrupted him. "Let's not talk about this."
Sasuke putted his utensils down. "I'm not hungry anymore, I'll head home."
Sasuke stood and left the table, leaving Itachi alone with his food and wondering how in hell he was going to break out his bad news to his brother without broking him further.
"I swear to you I almost crap my pants in there, Kiba!" Naruto took a big gulp of beer.
Kiba was laughing under his breath as Naruto gesticulated while explaining the rest of his story. "Just calm down, bro. It's not like it was your first rodeo, you've done trials hundreds of time before!"
"It's not the same!" Naruto half shouted. "I was testifying against Itachi Uchiha. Itachi Uchiha, Kiba. I totally demolished his defense." Naruto was whispering by the end of his sentence.
Kiba sighed and shook his head. "You do this all the time! I don't see why this time should be different. It's not like the dude is going to come kill you in your sleep."
Naruto just banged his head on the bar and didn't answer. Of course he was a little upset about the trial this morning. Itachi Uchiha was a legend amongst lawyers and his hands had became wet the second he saw him at the defense table, but that was not what he was concerned about right now. Itachi had been in his office less than two hours ago and he could not tell anyone! What with patient confidentiality and all.
He was still surprised to be alive. When he had first saw the man at his door, Naruto had thought Itachi was there to settle things with him. After all, there was a lot of rumors around the court saying that the man was more than just a lawyer, that he had some big connections and was sometimes the mastermind behind his client's crimes. Naruto certainly did not believed that after speaking with the man for several hours. Itachi definitely had the brain to be a criminal, but he was just too nice. Naruto was impressed by the man, especially after seeing him keeping complete composure while talking about his illness and his family.
"Talking about sleep, let's get a cab before I pass out here." Naruto left his stool with a swift jump and started walking towards the door.
Kiba grabbed his coat in a hurry and caught up to Naruto. "Dude, you had like half a beer and it's barely 10 pm on a Friday night."
Naruto held the door for Kiba to pass before him and smiled. "I guess fighting crimes makes you sleepy."
Once again, not a doctor. I'm working with Grey's Anatomy knowledge and my Biology of Cancer class.
Next chapter should be around the 28th. I'll be on vacation next week and there is no wifi. See y'all!