A/N: And I'm back! Hopefully I'll start updating more frequently now and back to my ancient schedule. But I forgot to mention last time that I drew a new cover for this fic (if you haven't noticed it by now). This time, it's of Sasuke smiling, which I felt was appropriate.

Anyways thank you all. You may or may not know it, but you are all my motivators to keep me going.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

"Anikkii!" Sasuke shook Itachi who was still sleeping with Kyuubi.

"Hn..' Itachi stirred.

Sasuke was going to climb on Itachi, but he was pushed by Kyuubi's hand.

"Why're you so loud?" Kyuubi scratched his ear.

"N..Naruto said to bring you guys for dinner."

"Doesn't mean you needa be so loud." Kyuubi yawned.

Itachi woke up from the commotion.

"What're you two arguing about..?" Itachi sat up.

"Sasuke's too noisy."

"I..I'm not..!"

Kyuubi grabbed Itachi by wrapping his arm around Itachi's neck area.

"We'll come down soon." Kyuubi smirked.

"D..don't touch aniki..!" Sasuke started to pry Kyuubi's arm off.

"Sasuke, you're hurting me." Itachi could feel both of them pushing and pulling.

"Yeah, stop hurting your aniki."

"You too! You're both hurting me. Stop being so childish."

Kyuubi sulked as he let go of Itachi, and Sasuke pouted while he waited.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to act like that." Itachi apologized.

Itachi turned his attention to Sasuke.

"Otouto, didn't you need to tell me something."

"I'll tell you later.." Sasuke mumbled.

"If that's what you want." Itachi slightly tilted his head in confusion as to why Sasuke wouldn't just tell him.

He then turned and faced Kyuubi. He gave a questioning look, wondering if Kyuubi did something and that was the reason why Sasuke wouldn't say it.

Kyuubi gave a sly smile and raised his hands up innocently. He wasn't sure why Itachi was giving him that look, but he couldn't help it.

"Aniki.." Sasuke played with his sleeve.

"Yes Sasuke?"

"We have to eat.."

"Oh, then let's go." Itachi got up and held Sasuke's hand.

"What about me?" Kyuubi was still sitting on the bed.

Itachi didn't even know what to say. He didn't know why Kurama was acting all needy. Was he jealous? He gave a soft sigh to himself.

"Here." Itachi held out a hand to Kurama.

Kyuubi's ears perked the slightest bit. He didn't expect that Itachi would actually offer him his hand. All his tails started to shuffle around as he got up. He took Itachi's hand in his own and grinned softly to himself. He saw Sasuke lightly glaring at him, but he didn't care. He ignored those angry eyes as they went down the stairs.

Before they went to the kitchen, Kyuubi let go of Itachi's hand. He didn't want Naruto or any of the maids to see.

"What took you guys so long?" Naruto was sitting at the table with the food all ready.

"It's all his fault..!" Sasuke pointed to Kyuubi.

"Don't blame others like that Sasuke." Itachi lightly scolded. "And don't point."

"Hmph.." Sasuke pouted as he slumped down on his chair next to Naruto.

They started to eat and Sasuke felt better when he saw fish on his plate.

"Kyuubi..your tails and ears are out." It was rare for them to be out like this.

"You're right." Kyuubi said simply, leaving Naruto dumbfounded.

"You don't care that the others see it?"

Kyuubi shrugged. He didn't really care anymore. If any of the maids didn't know, then they will have to deal with it. He didn't care if they were scared or hated him.

Naruto sighed and continued to eat.

When they were done, everyone helped clean up. Before Sasuke could talked to Itachi, he and Kyuubi had already left downstairs.

"Where are you going Sasuke?" Naruto asked when he saw Sasuke going downstairs.

"I..I'll come upstairs soon." Sasuke before racing down the stairs.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, but he continued upstairs and decided to finish up any extra work he had.

"Aniki.." Sasuke knocked on the door to Kyuubi's room.

Sasuke could hear Itachi and Kyuubi talking and the piano being played. His ears fell and he knocked on the door again.

The door opened and Kyuubi came out.

Sasuke ignored Kyuubi and brushed right past him.

"Wha—" Was all Kyuubi could say before he heard a click and was effectively locked outside his own room.

"Sasuke?" Itachi questioned. "Did you just lock Kurama out?"

"How come you didn't talk to me after!" Sasuke's ears were still sullen. "Y..you even knew I had something to tell you."

Sasuke thought about it for a second.

"H..how did you even know I had something to say.." Sasuke's eyes started to water. "H..he said y..you were asleep last time."

Itachi felt his heart being crushed. His ears fell as well when he realized what he was doing to Sasuke.

"I'm sorry Sasuke.." Itachi felt terrible. "I was awake..but I don't know..I just felt so comfortable. I'm really sorry for ignoring you..it was wrong of me."

"I..is it because you like him.." Sasuke never saw Itachi act this way.

Itachi suddenly got flustered, but he tried his best to hide it.

"I..I don't like him.." Itachi defended himself. "Even though I do like spending my time with him.." He quietly mumbled. "I..just got distracted."

Kyuubi was still outside and he could hear what Itachi said. He was both bothered that Itachi blatantly said he didn't like him, but he was also glad that Itachi said he liked spending his time with him.

"Anyways..!" Itachi quickly tried changing the subject. "What did you want to tell me?" He calmed himself.

Sasuke ears perked and he started to glow when he remembered about his ring.

"L-look!" Sasuke lifted the ring from his necklace and showed it to Itachi.

"What's that?" Itachi questioned. "I saw that earlier actually."

"Naruto gave it to me! He asked me to marry him..!" Sasuke couldn't stop smiling.

"Really?" Itachi was surprised.

"Mhm!" Sasuke beamed. "Look here!"

Sasuke showed Itachi the inside of the ring.

"Are those your names?" Itachi had a hard time reading it at first, but he was able to get it in the end.

Sasuke nodded.

"He has the same on his too." Sasuke continued to play with the ring.

"I'm really happy for you Sasuke." Itachi kissed Sasuke's forehead.

"I hope Itachi will find happiness soon too." Sasuke whispered.

"Thank you otouto." Itachi smiled.

"Even if it's Kyuubi.." Sasuke quietly added.

"I'm still here you know." Kyuubi banged on the door.

Itachi jumped from the banging. He wondered if Kyuubi heard what they said.

Sasuke quickly hugged Itachi and gave him a tiny grin. He let go and scampered out the room, unlocking the door in the process.

"About time." Kyuubi said. "What the—"

Kyuubi had to make way for Sasuke who came out the doors.

"Don't you dare lock me out of my own room again!" He yelled to Sasuke.

Sasuke paused before going up the staircase. He faced Kyuubi and stuck out his tongue, then ran up the stairs.

"You let yourself get locked out." Itachi decided to chime in.

"Yeah?" Kyuubi pushed Itachi out of the room and locked the door on him.

Itachi silently stood out the door before speaking.

"That's really childish of you."

"Ugh!" Kurama groaned.

He heard the door unlock and Kurama came out.

"You make my head spin." He sighed.

Itachi tilted his head.

"I didn't do anything though?"

"That's not what I meant." Kurama mumbled.

Kurama went back in his room and Itachi followed.

"Are you still going to teach me?" Itachi was referring to the piano.

"Yeah I will." He sat down on the piano bench.

Itachi sat down next to Kurama, but he suddenly felt nervous.

"Did you, uhm, hear what Sasuke said."

"What, about Naruto giving him the ring?"

"Ah, yeah." Itachi didn't want to bring it up if Kurama didn't know.

"Good for him really. About time Naruto has someone." Kurama was being honest.

"What about you?" Itachi asked.

"What about me. Why do you want to know?" Kurama started to pressure Itachi.

"It's nothing." Itachi quietly said.

Inside, Kurama was grinning, but he kept his nonchalant feature. He had heard everything Itachi and Sasuke had said, but he decided to just keep that as a secret.

Sasuke was upstairs and hugged Naruto from behind.

"A..are you working?" Sasuke asked.

"Hello Sasuke." Naruto put his pencil down and held the hands wrapping around him. "Yes I'm working."

"When will you be done?" Sasuke tilted his head.

"Soon, but this is just extra. I don't have to do this right now." Naruto explained.

"Humm." Sasuke's tail started to sway.

"Ah that's right, I forgot to get you your balloon today." Naruto said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay!" Sasuke forgot about it anyways.

"Do you still want it?"

Sasuke let go of Naruto and slipped onto his lap instead.

"It's okay, I don't really need it.." Sasuke said as he touched the ring.

Naruto wrapped his hands around Sasuke. He buried his head between the Sasuke's neck.

"I'll buy you one tomorrow anyways." He mumbled.

"O..okay." Sasuke could feel Naruto's hands roaming on his body.

Naruto nibbled on Sasuke's human ear, making him cave inwards.

"I..it tickles." Sasuke covered the ear Naruto was nibbling on.

"I've been wondering, can you hear with all of your ears?"

Sasuke nodded.

"I..I hear better with my ears." Sasuke touched his cat appendages.

So he considers his cat ears as his own. Naruto smiled and squeezed Sasuke.

"Well I love your ears, they are very adorable."

Naruto started to touch Sasuke's ears. He forgot about his previous desire and all his attention turned to Sasuke's ears. He gently poked it, causing it to flick.

"You felt that right?"

Sasuke nodded.

He continued to lightly touch it and poke it, making it twitch.

"S..stop it." Sasuke leaned away from Naruto.

"But it's so cute."

He poked Sasuke's ear once again.

"Stop it..!" Sasuke itched his ear.

"Aw, don't be like that Sasuke." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke saw Naruto aiming for his ear again. He quickly got up from Naruto's lap as he held his ears so Naruto wouldn't touch it again.

"Noo!" Sasuke ran out of the room while holding his ears.

Naruto ran after Sasuke.

"Let me just touch it for a little bit more!" Naruto teased.

Sasuke continued to run until he hit a dead end in one of the rooms. He saw Naruto close in on him, and he was still holding his ears. In the past, Sasuke would be terrified, but right now he wasn't. Instead he was laughing.

"What's so funny." Naruto started to grin.

"Nothing!" Sasuke couldn't stop smiling while holding his ears.

"Come here." Naruto opened his arms.

Sasuke let go of his ears and hugged Naruto.

"Got you!" Naruto hugged Sasuke while rubbing Sasuke's ears.

Sasuke made a surprised yelp.

"Cheater.." Sasuke mumbled.

"When did this become a game?" Naruto laughed.

Naruto picked up Sasuke since he had refused to let go now. He carried Sasuke back to their room. Sasuke started to hum quietly while laying on the bed.

"What're you humming?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke shrugged and continued to hum. He had told Naruto to finish up his work. He simply waited for Naruto on the bed while losing himself in his daydreams. But he ended up falling asleep while waiting for Naruto.

Naruto knew this was most likely going to happen. He tried doing his work quickly, but it wasn't quick enough. He smiled when he saw Sasuke peacefully sleeping on the bed.

"Am I bad brother."

Itachi and Kurama were taking a break from playing.

"Why do you say that?"

"You heard Sasuke earlier right.." Itachi sighed. "I feel that I'm not spending as much time with him anymore."

"And why's that?" Kurama asked, even though he knew the answer.

"It's because I'm distracted from being with you." Itachi said without much thought.

"Then why don't you just spend time with him."

"But.." Itachi started.

What was this feeling? Why did he feel conflicted upon spending time with Sasuke and ...Kurama?

"Hm?" It was extremely hard to pick up on Itachi's mood drop of confusion.

"Nothing." Itachi said as his ears twitched. "I just like spending time with you." He admitted.

Kurama's tails started to shuffle around. He had a hard time controlling them, which was very rare from him. He stomach started to get butterflies. He almost felt ill.

Was it always so hot here?

Kurama's heart felt like it was going to burst. He's never had such an experience. Was he happy that Itachi said that? Or was he sick. He couldn't tell.

"Are you okay?" Itachi saw discomfort on Kurama's face.

Kurama almost shuddered when Itachi touched him. He gripped at his chest, trying to calm himself down.

"I'm fine." He said in a not-so-convincing voice.

Itachi wasn't convinced.

"I'll go tell master." Itachi started to get up.

"No!" Kurama grabbed Itachi's wrist. He didn't want Naruto to see him in this state.

"I'm fine." He repeated.

Itachi stood there awkwardly. Kurama wasn't letting go of his hand.

"Uhm." Itachi started.

"Sorry." Kurama let go of Itachi's wrist.

"You're acting really strange." Itachi sat down next to him. "Are you sick?"

Itachi put his hand on Kurama's forehead.

"You're running a fever!" Itachi got up.

"Oh I am?" Kurama faintly laughed at himself.

How pathetic. He couldn't believe he got so weak. He feared it may have been from his irregular schedule change. He had changed his usual sleeping patterns for Itachi. He usually slept during the day as well since he worked at Kakashi's bar at night, but lately he's been spending that time with Itachi, teaching him the piano and such.

"I'm tired.." Kurama mumbled, even though he had slept earlier. It just wasn't enough.

"Lay down. I'm getting master no matter what you say." Itachi started to leave.

"Ah, don't leave." Kurama grabbed Itachi clothing, but his grip was too weak.

He watched Itachi leave. When he left, he curled into himself. He felt so agitated. He groaned loudly as he punched the wall, causing his knuckles to bleed.

Just what was happening to him.