SasuNaru, yaoi, OOC and unbeta-read.

Cowritten by XKunoichiofthePaintbrushX so give her some love. And to those anonymous reviewers, please leave your e-mail address so we can personally reply to your reviews. Yoroshiku ne.

My partner and I are dealing with some stuffs RL is ditching towards us so if this fic doesn't get any update next week doesn't mean we abandon it. We're going to finish this so don't abandon us, okay? -hearts-

The dark-haired man who was confined in their bed frowned upon hearing his lover's chuckles. "It's not funny," he snapped, his voice hoarse. He had caught flu three days ago and was being nurse back to health by his companion.

"You wouldn't suffer if you listened to me," the man chided as he sat on the side of the bed and replaced the cool pad on the other male's forehead. "You should go see your doctor," was the plea. It was only then did the pale man notice the worry on those blue eyes and dark rings under them. He reached out to cup a cheek, "It's nice that you watch over me at night but it would do you no good if you keep on going like this. Why don't you rest?"

"I'll do that when you get better," was the calm reply.

He frowned. "You know my nursing skills suck so don't expect me to take care of you with the same manner that you take care of me," he snapped. He was tired at the same time worried for his lover.

"I won't expect anything. I'll be just happy that you take care of me."

Looking at that smiling face, he sighed. "You're really an idiot," he mumbled affectionately.

What would I do without you?

Chapter 7: Of bonds...

Lately,
I'm not quite myself.
Maybe I do need some help.
just my confusion,
trust my delusions.
Don't you regret you met me?
Go through these steps to get me,
Back to where we start,
Before I fall apart.

"Open Your Eyes" -Sum 41

It had been almost nine in the evening when Sasuke had returned home. He could have come home early if not for the general student council meeting. It had dragged to almost three hours with five breaks to give everyone an enough time to cool their heads before resuming the arguments or tackling another topic. It had been the longest meeting he ever had and he didn't want to have a repeat.

Sasuke opened the front door and was about to sigh when he was brought short at the sight of his father walking down the stairs followed by his mother. His father was wearing coat and tie while his mother was wearing a kimono. It was obvious they were going for another party which could probably last until the wee hours.

Mikoto smiled, "Welcome home, Sasuke. Have you eaten-"

"You're late!" Fugaku snapped, his cold voice slashing through the silence like a whip.

"The council meeting ended around eight fifteen-"

"Or you were hanging with your friends," the older male stated. The conviction dripping from that statement had awakened the dormant irritation caused by stupid council members and mixed with his not-so cool antagonism towards his father.

"Fugaku," Mikoto whispered in plead. She was already tired of hearing the two arguing and yet she couldn't do anything about it. How pathetic and helpless.

"In my time, council meeting never lasted that long." He scowled when his son moved towards their direction. "Sasuke!" he barked when the teen walked passed him.

"This is my generation not yours." Sasuke stated in a cold tone as he turned towards his father.

"Sasuke!" Mikoto gasped at her son's disrespectfulness. Fugaku, on the other hand, was about to burst a vein. "Why you-"

"Fugaku, we'll be late for the event," the lady of the house warned the moment she noticed her husband tensing. She desperately wanted to prevent Fugaku from physically hurting their youngest son. After all, a man who is known to show the utmost pride and authority should never sink so low as to raise a hand against one of his children. She sighed in relief when the man relaxed and wordlessly started walking towards the maindooe. She gave the silently boiling teenager a disappointed look before she followed after her husband.

Sasuke cringed at that look and readied himself for the long talk he'd have with his mother the next day. Sighing, he resumed his climb. He almost missed a step when he heard his father's comment before the front door was slammed shut.

"He's a disappointment."

Sasuke clenched his fists overwhelmed by the pain. He swallowed back the lump of tears. He won't cry. Absolutely not. He desperately clung to his crumbling resolve. He didn't want anyone to know how his father's words always make him feel weak and inept. He froze when he noticed the oh-so-perfect Itachi standing along the hallway, no doubt hearing everything.

The two looked at each other, eyes stained with sadness and cold anger neither of them fully understood. They were so alike yet very different and so close yet almost a world apart. Before Itachi could speak, Sasuke had slammed the door to his room.

Sasuke leaned against his door and took big gulps of air. But it wasn't enough to calm him down. Unable to stop himself, he punched the wall. The pain shooting into his knuckles and spreading through his arm wasn't enough to overwhelm what he was feeling. He took his mobile phone out from his pocket when it started vibrating. He looked at the screen.

Naruto.

With another deep inhalation, he ignored the call. He was certain that he would cry when he would hear his friend's voice. It was a condition response of his system after s long of having the blonde as his tissue and his comfort pillow when he thought life was unfair to him. But that was when they were four to six years old and both of them had gotten older and stronger. He was certain that he no longer needed his pillow or tissue and his system should understand and learned that. He plopped on his bed and blankly stared at a wall. Slowly and silently, his mouth moved.

"Idiot." He turned his mobile phone off.

From now on, he'd have to start walking on his own two feet.

-SasuNaru is love-

"His cellular phone is off," Gaara said. At Naruto's request, he had called their friend when he hadn't answered the blonde's call.

Blue eyes were cast down. "I see." Naruto picked up his game control keypad and thumbed one key. "Do you think his dad is behind this also?"

The redhead just resumed their game but not before saying, "Uchiha isn't a person who let his father do that to him."

"Yeah. I can talk with him tomorrow."

"Hn."

-SasuNaru is love-

The five minutes and counting that he had to spend in silence waiting felt like an eternity as impatience clawed inside him. He wanted to see Sasuke. He wanted to talk to Sasuke for a reason he didn't know. It felt like his gut was telling him something had gone wrong and that his friend was hurt and needed him.

His face brightened when he saw the teen emerging from the train station together with other students. "Sasuke," he called out, his voice loud enough to be heard over the chatting and greetings of 'good morning'. He called again when he didn't receive a reaction. Much to his surprise, his friend just walked passed their meeting place. He scowled certain that there was no way in hell that the bastard would miss him. Confused, he ran after his friend and fall in step beside him. "Good morning," he chirped but received no reply. He saw a flash of white from the corner of his right eye and focused his gaze. "Sasuke! What happened?" he inquired quietly, seeing the bandaged left knuckle. "Who did this to you?" He made a move to reach out for the injured limb just like what he always used to do during their childhood days and at that moment time slowed down for Sasuke.

Sasuke needed to feel the affectionate warmth from that hand which would be a balm to his self-inflicted wound but wouldn't that make him feel weak? And right now, he wanted to feel strong… no, had to be strong. He wanted to please his father… needed to hear the words 'That's my son' rather than 'He's a disappointment!' He couldn't show Naruto how close he was to crumbling… he couldn't because…

Time resumed in its usual pace and Sasuke, having decided that he didn't want any comfort, slapped the blonde's hand away. He looked at his friend and hissed, "I don't need you so fuck off!"

The heated glare had stopped Naruto from his tracks but what really made him turn immobile were those words uttered so coldly and in perfect conviction. For a split second, he became a statue, no emotions displayed on his face because he was too shock to feel anything. When pain flashed through his eyes colored with confusion, Sasuke was already few meters away from him. He looked at his hand which seemed to sting now and clenched it wondering what he did to piss Sasuke off.

"Earth to Naruto!" Kiba screamed right into his ear causing him to swing an arm to the brunette who managed to duck just in time.

"You look pale," Shino stated.

Gaara tapped his chest with a book. "You left it at home. Lucky we didn't have any homework."

The blonde let out a forced chuckle and started walking with the rest of them.

"You talked with Sasuke yet?" Gaara asked.

"He was in a hurry." Naruto said with what appeared to be a forced grin.

The redhead nodded but watched his friend from the corner of his eyes. He saw a flicker of raw pain on blue eyes as their owner cast them down. As much as he wanted to ask, he didn't, knowing Naruto would only lie.

-SasuNaru is love-

Things had been awfully silent between Sasuke and the people everybody at school labeled as his friends. Even though Sasuke had walked ahead of them, he wasn't in their room when they walked in. He had only entered the room when the teacher had checked their attendance and was about to start the day's lesson. During breaks, Sasuke would leave and disappear even before one of his friends could approach him.

Sasuke stared at the clear blue sky and closed his eyes as the breeze blew by at the place where he was- the place only selected council members have access to. Sasuke sighed. He wasn't blind. He saw the looks Naruto was sending to him. They were looks of confusion and hurt and although it pained him, he was too fragile to let the blonde confront him in his current state. He had to avoid the blonde, but unbeknownst to Sasuke Fate had decided to intervene in their pathetic game of hide and seek.

Naruto had been walking along the overpass when he saw his slippery friend coming from the gym and walking towards the main building. Sasuke was alone, his mind supplied and he saw it as an opportunity that he shouldn't ignore. He dashed forward with one thought in mind...

I won't let you go.

Sasuke's muscles tensed and his graceful steps faltered when he heard his name being shouted from the other end of the hallway facing his back. Instead of stopping, he continued walking commanding himself not to turn around for every call of his name. He only halted when a hand gripped his arm.

"Have you gone deaf? Why are you ignoring me?" he heard Naruto growled. His voice was thick with anger that hid his pain.

Sasuke didn't glance at the blonde. He knew that once he would, he'd see hurtful blue eyes and his resolve together with his control of his emotions would crumble to dust. When that happens, he and Naruto would cry together and on each other's shoulders giving and taking comfort in this empty hallway bathed with the afternoon sunlight. He couldn't have that, not when his closest friend had said a long time ago that-

"Why won't you hear me anymore, Sasuke?"

"I've matured now Naruto, and I no longer have time to play these childish games of yours," was the other teen's caustic reply.

"Childish games?" Naruto echoed in a hollow voice. "What do you mean by that?" But the dark-haired man had shrugged his hand off and was already walking away.

"What do you mean by that, you asshole?!" he shouted as he crumbled to his feet. With tears falling down on his cheeks, he watched Sasuke's back and noticed how he squared his shoulders like that of a man going in for a battle and perhaps Sasuke was about to and the battle wasn't one that Naruto would ever know or would ever fight in his life. Looking at his friend's back, Naruto realized that Sasuke really had matured earlier than him, Gaara, Shino and Kiba. He had all left them behind without even looking back. Ouch. Did it have to hurt like this? he wondered. And then he was chuckling while crying because he found things painfully funny and amusingly painful.

That day, Naruto had told his three other friends that he won't wait for them after extra curricular activities because he had a splitting headache. Gaara had offered to walk him home but Naruto had calmly refused. Even though the redhead didn't understand the reason, he understood that the blonde needed a time to be alone so he didn't insist his offer.

With loneliness as his companion, he made his way to his platform and was able to catch an early ride.

"Sasuke," he breathed when he was staring straight into obsidian eyes the moment the train halted at the next station. Just as quickly as he assumed that it was Sasuke, he realized that 'Sasuke' was taller and dressed in casual khaki pants, V-neck sweatshirt and blazer. "Itachi," he murmured just as the door slid open.

"Naruto-kun," Itachi uttered with a slight nod. Although there were few seats available, he stood beside the blonde and watched the latter's reflection. He placed a hand on one shoulder and still looking on their reflection, he said smoothly, "Let me take you somewhere else."

"Eh?!" Naruto said as he looked up.

"Come with me. Let's get off at the next station." And to make sure Naruto would follow him, he didn't take his hand off from the teen's left shoulder.

Naruto was nervous. This was the first time he would be going out alone with the intelligent and perfect Itachi and he suddenly felt inferior. No matter how many times he told himself that it was just Itachi, his nervousness was still there.

-SasuNaru is love-

The place Itachi took Naruto to was a café which had an interior of a library. It had leather seats, lacquered tables and book-filled shelves. There were paintings of different themes too hanging on some walls. As if the interior design wasn't enough, a wisp parched papers hang in the air and classical music was played in a low volume. It was a perfect place for bookworms.

Itachi took his cup of coffee and leaned against his chair. His eyes were discreetly focused on the silent Naruto, quietly studying him.

"You seem to be contemplative today," Itachi said with a slight teasing note to his voice.

"Everything is transient," Naruto stated, bitterness staining his words.

The Uchiha looked a bit surprise but his emotionless facade didn't change. "There are things that are transient and things that endure."

Blue eyes looked at him innocently before the blonde asked in a very quiet voice. "Are bonds one of the latter?"

"It depends. But if they are, both parties must be ready to let go." He watched as blue eyes became hooded with something he couldn't put a finger on at that moment. He took a moment or two to ponder before he asked, "Is this about, Sasuke?"

Naruto shook his head too quickly for Itachi's taste. The man sighed mentally.

"Things constantly change-"

"I know!" The younger male snapped between nibbles of his cookie.

"And Sasuke is fighting a battle which he shouldn't have, but he is foolish-"

"Don't say that!" the teen growled. He was irritated whether it was because of his companion's indifferent calmness or Sasuke being called a fool as if it already a fact, he didn't know. Guilt bloomed within him and he lowered his voice. "You don't know anything about him."

A slight frown marred the older lad's face at that statement. He none-too-gently placed his cup on its saucer with a chink and replied coolly, "We both know a different side of him that the other doesn't. I'm his brother and you... his friend."

But if they are, both parties must be ready to let go.

Naruto could have said a lot of things but he remained quiet. With Itachi around, he knew how to be tactful and when enough was. He was always scared of provoking the man and he knew how close he was at that moment in doing that.

I'm not letting you go so easily.

Itachi decided to remain quiet realizing how volatile the younger teen's temper was. He was aware that he hadn't answered the other's question and that the whole matter was unresolved but there was another time for that. Right now, it was a good time to shut up and keep his thoughts to himself.

When they were done, Itachi paid their orders ignoring Naruto's insistence that he'd pay his own.

"I'll accompany you home," Itachi said as the two walked towards the train station.

"Eh? You seem to have a lot of free time today," Naruto said.

The other male just smirked. He didn't have free time. He made free time because he was certain that if he didn't, he'd step over the border of madness. He slightly rolled his shoulders, loosening the muscles that were aching under the heavy burdens he carried since birth. Like their last few minutes in the café, the two didn't talk. The dark-haired man was busy enjoying the silence and time he had stolen. The blonde, on the other hand, was too tired to say anything or do anything but go home.

"Thanks for today," Naruto said when Itachi refused his invitation to go inside the house and have dinner with him.

Itachi nodded. He called Naruto's name as the blonde turned to walk past the gate. The teen looked over his shoulder and winced as two fingers poked his forehead.

"What the hell is that for?" he demanded as he clutched at the forming mark. Itachi just chuckled softly.

"That's the spirit," was all he said turning away and began stepping down the graveled path..

Confusion disappeared from blue eyes and Naruto smiled. The first genuine smile he had since his confrontation with his friend. When he walked inside, a cheerful 'I'm home' echoed throughout the Uzumaki household.

Itachi stopped walking and looked at the dusky horizon with longing-tinged eyes. At that moment, hundreds of thoughts fluttered on his mind like birds and with the inner strength that he had achieved throughout the years, he crushed them all swiftly and cruelly so. He tore his gaze from the view and resumed his silent journey back to his home.

TBC