Chapter 10

The sun rose earlier than usual the next morning, anxious to birth a new day. The glare of the sunlight shun brightly through the wide rows of ceiling to floor windows within the luxurious apartment, bouncing off the white furniture and illuminating the setting in a fresh morning glow.

Kyuubi entered the living room, his eyes squinting in an immediate reaction to the invading light. He allowed himself a moment to adjust to it before walking further into the large space. His feet came to a sudden halt when he saw his problematic brother sat in the adjacent kitchen, his head in his hands and body slouched over in the tall bar stool beside the large counter.

Kyuubi was cautious as he approached the kitchen. He's well aware of the events that had taken place in the previous night. Sasuke had called him just a few minutes passed midnight asking if Naruto had returned home. When Kyuubi responded with a concerned no, Sasuke went on to detail the specifics of the altercation that had taken place. Kyuubi had stood up abruptly, heart racing as he pondered where his brother had ran off to in the middle of the night.

Naruto was unpredictable and very emotional. Kyuubi's mind began to fill with unsettling thoughts as to where Naruto was and whether he was safe or not. He had stayed up the rest of the night waiting for Naruto to return home. After some hours passed, Kyuubi's not sure when he fell asleep but when he had woke up with a jolt, he found himself snuggled in the comfort of his bed rather than the couch. He quickly rushed out of the bed and into the living room to find his brother home safely.

Kyuubi watched his brother with a worried expression. He's growing tired of the rebellious act. His maternal instincts are yelling at him to confront his brother and lecture him over his actions. He can't bring himself to do so knowing fully well the emotional turmoil the teenager was currently in.

Since their childhood Naruto had often illustrated his strong connection to Sasuke, always wanting to be by the boy's side. When Sasuke was around, nothing else seemed to matter to Naruto. No one else mattered. It was as if the existence of Naruto's whole world relied on Sasuke's presence alone. Kyuubi could imagine the heartbreak his brother was experiencing. He understood how severe the pain felt being that he had experienced it once himself. It took him three years to heal. Sometimes, the hurt lingered making him wonder if he truly had recovered.

Kyuubi strolled over to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice. He poured himself half a cup, his soft gaze remained on his brother. Naruto was awake but did not acknowledge his presence. Once again, Kyuubi found himself afraid to talk to his own brother, scared he might say the wrong thing to set off the irritable teen. He brought the cup to his lips and took a few sips.

Naruto finally looked up, his hands running over his face as he groaned in exhaustion. He felt like utter shit. His entire body ached, his head pounding aggressively.

"You want some breakfast?" Kyuubi asked with a careful tone. His hold on the cup tightened when Naruto's blue eyes met his own. He's answered with a simple shake of the head no. Silence lingered between them. Kyuubi's hesitant. He wanted to avoid the conversation. He also knew as a big brother he should try to comfort his little brother.

Whether Naruto wanted to hear it or not, he needed to say something.

"Sasuke told me what happened last night." He began. He's gathering ingredients to make breakfast as he spoke. "Are you okay?" A stupid question obviously, however he didn't know what else to say.

Naruto remained quiet as he watched his brother attempt to avoid his eyes by moving around the kitchen grabbing this and that. He's extremely exhausted. He had spent most of the night getting drunk in Kiba's car, fooling around and having meaningless drunk conversations that he can't even remember. He's feeling the brutal aftermath of betrayal and hangover this morning. So much, he can't bring himself to even comprehend his brother's words, let alone have a response to them.

"Here." Kyuubi stood by his brother, a cup of water in his hand and two white pills in the other. He waited patiently until the items were retrieved from him.

"Thanks." Naruto mumbled before swallowing the pain killers with a single gulp of water. His head was back in his hands again. His thoughts were all over the place, anger and blame fighting to justify the right emotion for him to feel at the present time.

"Naruto, are you okay?"

Naruto aggressively pulled away when a gentle hand was laid on his shoulder causing his brother to flinch away. "Don't touch me!" He spat harshly with sharp blue eyes.

Kyuubi's hand fell slowly to his side. His teeth sinking into his lower lip as he shook his head and returned to prepare breakfast. He didn't say anything else. For the past ten or fifteen minutes he simply prepared breakfast. He made sure to make extra for his brother. He knew Naruto would be hungry later on.

Naruto removed his hood from his head as he stood up. He turned around to leave but found his feet stuck to the ground. It would be easier to let everything go and sleep, wake up and pretend everything was okay. Just as he often did. Get drunk, have sex, sleep it off, the next day would be a new start. This time however, he couldn't bring himself to fulfill the routine completely. He knew Sasuke's decision did not affect him alone, Kyuubi was affected as well. If in fact Kyuubi knew what Sasuke had done five years ago, why would he accept Sasuke so willingly just a few days ago. His thoughts ran free on the idea, keeping his feet at bay and the pounding in his head worsening.

"What did you and Sasuke talk about inside your room?" His hoarse voice matched his current physical state. He's barely able to keep his eyes focused on his brother as his vision clouded over with forming tears and fatigue.

Kyuubi continued to mix the batter, his eyes refraining from gazing at his brother's wounded expression. He couldn't bear it. "He just asked how I've been. That's pretty much it."

Naruto accepted the answer eagerly. "Did you know he convinced his family not to adopt us?" He asked with an accusing tone. A lone tear fell down his cheek from fear of the answer he'd receive.

"Itachi just told me we couldn't stay with them. He didn't give me a reason." Kyuubi answered softly.

"How can you still love him after what he did?" Naruto furrowed his eyebrows in both anger and confusion as he wondered if he could be capable of loving someone who claimed to love him but would let him go so easily.

Kyuubi simply smiled. "It's not that easy to hate a person you invest your heart in." He finished mixing the batter and settled it aside. He wiped his hands with the cloth laid over the marble counter top. "Itachi was and still is the love of myself. He also gave me my son. As much as I want to hate him I can't bring myself to do so." His eyes finally met his brother's as he said lastly. "Hating him would only cause me more pain."

Naruto turned around so his back faced his brother's concerning gaze. His hands came up to wipe away the silent tears that fell. His brother's confession has him contemplating about expressing his own feelings. There was a second of hesitation before he finally compelled himself to express his feelings.

"He was like a brother to me you know. He was more of a brother to me than you ever were." The bitterness within those last words has Kyuubi struggling to swallow the lump in his throat. "We were inseparable. I loved him. How could he have done this to me?" Naruto's voice broke, his words barely audible as he continued. "Did he hate me? Was I just a bother to him?" His words are barely audible while he struggled to speak through his sobs. "Why does everyone leave me? Why is it always me?"

"Naruto…"

"Don't!" Naruto's voice strained as he yelled. He breathed in deeply to calm himself, warm tears running down his face. His eyes are red and puffy, his nose running and dripping down from his chin. "Just don't." He said gently.

His feet felt heavy as he walked over to his room and crawled into his neatly made bed. He curled into himself, his body small over the large bed. In his moment of solitude, he gave himself permission to break down. His loud sobs are muffled in the pillow he buried his face into. In that moment he reflected on himself. He's been hurt too many times. He's at a point where he can truly say he's used it. He should be numb to the pain by now. So, why did it continue to hurt so fucking bad. As if his heart was physically breaking apart in his chest. He's tired of being the victim. He's tired of being in this pitiful state. Crying his eyes out, contemplating once again why. Why it was so damn easy for people to hurt him without an ounce of consideration to the damage it was causing him inside.

Why there seemed to be no one on this fucking planet that truly cared.

Kyuubi's fighting sleep while he waited for Shizune to open the glass doors that led to the exclusive site for the celebrity he was assigned to tour around. The department store will officially open a few hours. The meeting was planned early as to make it easy for the celebrity to come in and out without attracting attention. What perfect timing than before opening hours.

Kyuubi muffled a yawn as he contemplated why he had accepted to do the job in the first place. He stood behind and watched Shizune pull open the black curtains that hid the scenery from everyday shoppers. He took a step forward when the eager manager motioned for him to enter.

"Extravagant isn't it?"

Kyuubi stepped through the wide open glass doors. He was in awe as he took in the large setting. Shizune had summed it up pretty accurately. It was most extravagant.

The matte black carpet matched the black painted ceiling. The white walls complimented it perfectly, matching the empty pristine glass drawers and merchandise containers arranged neatly around. Crisp polished white clothing racks were aligned by the walls, black and white mannequins stood beside each set.

"Mr. Uchiha created this design himself. He's a man who knows exactly what he wants." Shizune's also in awe even though she has witnessed this place many times. "The interior decorators did an excellent job, absolutely brilliant. I'm sure it would be to his liking." She assured with enthusiasm.

Kyuubi's listening partially. At the moment his attention was seized by the several large framed pictures displayed on the walls of the man of the morning, modeling some of his unreleased pieces. He's entranced as he walked over to a head shot photograph as if Itachi's intense gaze physically pulled him forward. Kyuubi's fingers delicately traced over the square glass frame, his touch lingering over the slightly parted lips. He's mesmerized by the beautiful man in front of him. Itachi's confident eyes seemed to bore into his soul. He felt vulnerable from just the picture, the fast pace of his own heartbeat reaching his ears.

Kyuubi was so captivated by the picture he became startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned with haste and was met with Shizune's worried gaze.

"I'm sorry, I was lost in my head for a second." Kyuubi apologized as he quickly collected himself. He glanced over once more to the large image on the wall before lowering his eyes to observe the tan shoes he wore.

Shizune's red coated lips tugged into a wide smile. "He is a very beautiful man, isn't he?"

Kyuubi looked at her sheepishly. "Yes, he is." His cheeks flushed red as he rubbed the nape of his neck. He returned his hands into his pockets nervously, his white button up shirt lifting up in the process.

The duo continued to explore their surroundings. Shizune explained to Kyuubi exactly what he needed to do when Itachi arrived, which should be in a few minutes. She instructed he refrained from casual conversation with the man. His job was to simply show him around the place and to stand by, ready to answer any question the celebrity may have. If he could not answer a question, he was to refer to her. In the meanwhile, she would be in her office, taking care of some personal work.

Personal work? The woman was practically quivering with anxiety, barely able to keep her hands to her side. She's pulling and tugging at her dress and hair every minute. Kyuubi knew the sole reason she entrusted him to do this was because she couldn't handle the task herself. He won't judge her too hard, he understood completely.

Itachi was a very intimidating man. His commanding presence alone was enough to have the people around him vulnerable and unsure of themselves. If not for his past relation with the man, Kyuubi knew it wouldn't be just his palms sweating from anticipation.

After further explanation, Shizune was briefed that Itachi Uchiha had arrived through a short phone call. They exited the exclusive room into the department store and walked over to the front of the prestigious store. Kyuubi felt his heart in the pit of his stomach. His fingers drummed against the soft fabric of his dark jeans while he tried his best to maintain his calm facade.

Shizune stood across from him on the other side of the wide entrance doors. Her red expensive shoes went well with her black elegant fitted dress. She applied a quick coat of gloss on her red lips before quickly pushing the item back into her purse.

Kyuubi watched the woman's tensed expression quickly transform into one of enthusiasm at first glance of the long awaited guest. She welcomed the well known celebrity into her store with a firm handshake and an overbearing smile. Kyuubi found himself smiling when Itachi kissed the back of her hand in a warm greeting. He's pleased to know the man had not lost his charm. He stood by silently while the two conversed shortly.

He had expected an introduction yet he's caught off guard when Shizune introduced him with kind words and a soft smile. Shivers are sent through his body when Itachi turned and laid his chocolate eyes on him. Kyuubi met his gaze, his delicate features tensing as he welcomed the intimidating man before him.

Itachi stood tall, dressed in a sophisticated black suit, with a black button up tucked underneath and a matte black tie snug around his neck. A silver chain bracelet hung loosely around his exposed wrist, his long dark hair pulled into a bun at the back of his head causing his strong features to become more prominent, his angular jaw sharp and matching the intensity behind his gaze. His attire enhanced his confident personality, the color black complimenting the fair complexion of his skin ideally.

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Mr. Uzumaki."

Kyuubi knew Itachi well enough to know there was a hidden message behind the simple greeting. It was mainly obvious in the subtle glare that he's given when Itachi turned to face him. The way Itachi's thick brows furrowed together was also a clear indication of the man's irritation of seeing him here. Kyuubi wanted to say something to lessen the gradually building tension, anything. A simple greeting back would perhaps do the trick, but he couldn't find his voice.

In his head he had expected this to go by much smoother, he can't even open his mouth. He's not sure the reason behind his momentary paralysis, he can't even fathom why he had accepted to do this job in the first place. He knew something like this would occur but had foolishly hoped it wouldn't.

A low clearing of Shizune's throat has Kyuubi leaving the comfort of his mind and embracing reality. He offered his hand and a tight lipped smile to Itachi, his emerald eyes melting into the dark brown ones that stared back. His mouth parted in shock when his hand was grasp gently and a soft kiss is pressed to the back of his hand.

He's quick to retrieve his hand from the man, forbidding himself to be affected by the affectionate gesture. His hand drummed the quick pace of his heart on his leg, his eyes lowered to yet again observe the fascinating shoes he's worn several times. He's fighting back tears, his chest clenching as he desperately wished the feel of Itachi's lips that lingered on his hand meant something more.

For it to withhold the same affection it once brought to him, that had his heart racing and his cheeks growing warm. He refused to view the action as anything less.

Kyuubi had long accepted that Itachi and himself were no longer together romantically. They had both agreed to live as strangers, the only thing tying them together being the son they shared, if that. He shouldn't be surprised that the man no longer harbored intimate feelings for him. His part of the bargain was to do the same.

If he had not been the cause of their break up, maybe it'd be easier for him to let go of the past just as it seemed Itachi had so easily done.

"Next time be kind enough to wait for me, Itachi."

Sasuke approached the store with two of his body guards by his side. He has a warm smile on his face as he walked over to stand by his brother. "Or at least tell me the name of the store so I can find it with ease." He finished scolding his brother with a roll of his eyes when the man watched him as if he suddenly didn't understand Japanese.

"My younger brother Sasuke." Itachi introduced in his usual empty tone and stoic expression.

"Welcome."

Sasuke accepted the woman's hand with a charming smile. He greeted the manager with a few words then walked behind his brother as to not disturb the discussion that had picked back up between his brother and the beautiful woman. His feet are stilled when he comes face to face with Kyuubi.

What an interesting convenience? Sasuke thought. A convenience he found way too profound and could only be explained by the power of the universe wanting the two to reconcile. He hastily glanced back to find his brother watchful gaze right on him.

Sasuke cleared his throat and stood back. With Itachi here he knew he couldn't converse with Kyuubi. He glanced around the store in nonchalance, knowing his brother's skeptical eyes remained on him.

"Mr. Uchiha," Shizune called, her forced smile in place. She's momentarily distracted by the glistening diamond earrings prompted in the ears of the man who turned to face her. "Mr. Uzumaki will be accompanying you on this short tour if it's alright with you." She said in a high pitch tone that gripped Kyuubi's attention.

He's never seen her like this. It's rather refreshing to see his high maintenance boss crumble like this.

"I don't mind at all." Itachi nodded his head to further validate his words. His natural intense gaze has the woman before him struggling to hold it.

Shizune bid her farewell to the brothers. She nodded to Kyuubi in a silent gesture to make sure he was alright. When she received a nod in return she made her exit, her heels loud against the tiled floors.

Sasuke tucked his hands into the pockets of his loose fitted pants. His abs exposed once again in the sheer crop top he wore that had his famous last name printed over it in large, white bold letters. His short dark hair was swept to the side accentuating his natural 'bad boy' appearance.

Kyuubi eyed Sasuke from head to toe, his eyebrows rising in shock by the bold outfit. Honestly, what was it with this kid and always feeling the need to show his abs. At this point it was becoming rather ridiculous. Was this a signature thing for him? Again he did a one over at the teenager. He couldn't see anyone else being able to pull off that outfit apart from Sasuke. It was also evident that the clothing was probably one of Itachi's pieces, seeing as it had their surname on it. Or it could've been custom made, he wasn't sure.

That reminded him, he had a job to do. He probably shouldn't be standing here for this long, eyeing his ex partner's younger brother.

"Umm.. so the room is back here." Kyuubi cursed himself for sounding so unprofessional. He's happy Shizune wasn't here to witness it. When Kyuubi saw Itachi take a step forward he turned without a word and walked through the store.

"Remain here, I'll only be a moment." Itachi said strictly to his company for the morning.

The two women nodded and returned into their uniformed stance. "Yes sir." They replied in unison.

Sasuke went to follow his brother who had walked away. He paused and looked to his bodyguards who followed after him. "Stay here as well." He started after his brother when the two men nodded to his request.

Charlie and Jackson stood a few distance from the women, their stance more relaxed as they began to converse among themselves.

As Kyuubi neared the secluded section, his nerves became sporadic when he heard footsteps whisper behind him. The glass doors are already unlocked when he arrived, leaving him the task of simply drawing back the dark curtains. He stood aside to allow the brothers a view inside.

Itachi marveled at the creation that depicted his imagination perfectly though his stoic masked remained. As he roamed the area calmly, he greatly appreciated the fact that his money did not go to waste. Beside him, Sasuke glanced around, equally impressed by the extravagant setting.

"Not too shabby, brother." Sasuke complimented. His fingers danced over the glass exterior of the large drawers, his eyes glancing over the elegant decor. It's very much his brother's taste. He's not the least bit surprised that the color black was the theme.

He engaged into a conversation with his brother. He's assuring his perfectionist older brother to not make any changes. Itachi's thinking bigger and better, he wanted to do more. Sasuke convinced him against it. He's sure the revelation of his brother's new project to the public will have the media talking for weeks. It's perfect and does not need any altercations. Still they continue to argue over the matter.

"So um.." Kyuubi began, stopping briefly when the brothers faced him in perfect synchronization. "Do you have any questions?" He bit the inside of his cheek when Itachi suddenly started towards him. He's counting to ten in his head to remain calm.

Itachi peered down at the shorter man through his thick dark long lashes. His eyes rolled over Kyuubi in a calculating manner, his mind debating over his next course of actions. He can't seem to make a decision and instead simply stood there, his height towering while he watched the smaller man beneath with intent.

Kyuubi felt scrutinized under Itachi's cold eyes that once seemed to do nothing but stare at him with love and adoration. He felt as though the air was sucked out of the room. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, a red tint over his cheeks as he melted under Itachi's gaze. Just the closeness of the man has him growing weak and yearning for nothing more than to engulf the man in tight embrace and never let go.

He so desperately wanted to feel Itachi's sturdy body against his own, to melt into his arms and breathe in his soothing scent. He smiled blissfully at the thought, he wondered if Itachi still smelled like vanilla. It was a scent that didn't quite fit the man's personality but he loved it nonetheless, it was a sweet soft fragrance. He used to fall asleep and wake up to that scent.

"Let's not meet each other again, do you remember that?"

He missed that smell. He missed Itachi's soft lips that tenderly embraced his own. He loved the way their lips fit perfectly together like the last two pieces of a puzzle.

"That was the agreement we made."

As if they were made just for each other. He missed Itachi's sweet taste, his warm embrace and loving stare. He missed everything they had. He wanted them to be a family like Itachi so desperately wanted them to be. He wanted...

Kyuubi's forcefully taken out of his thoughts from a harsh searing pain in his jaw. His mouth stuttered open as he gazed up in confusion, his green eyes immediately widened in fear from the hatred burning in the dark eyes that glared down on him.

"What game are you playing?" Itachi's stoic expression was long gone an angry mask now in place. His hand clenched tightly around Kyuubi's jaw as he lost himself completely in his moment of sudden anger. The corners of his mouth are tugged into a snarl, his nails digging in the soft skin as he struggled to control himself.

Kyuubi's eyes trembled from Itachi's intense hostile glare. His jaw was hoisted up roughly causing his face to further scrunch up in discomfort. "Ss-stop." Kyuubi can see Itachi closing his eyes to fight back his anger but the hold on his face only tightened, his small hands fighting to pull away the strong arm that he often eagerly welcomed in an embrace but now wanted as far away from him as possible.

Itachi sunk his teeth deeply into his bottom lip, needing to feel something else but the anger that completely over took him. Hurt and anger rushed through him like a river through a broken dam, the emotions he's willed away for the past years rushing in full force without warning. Itachi opened his eyes in hopes that seeing the man he had devoted his heart too would calm him.

Kyuubi noticed this and his hands slowly fell from Itachi's arm that remained it's tight grip on his face. He inhaled as his eyes struggled to find a small glimpse of the Itachi within those hard cold foreign eyes. "Y-you won't hurt me." He managed to say in a whisper, the words fragile and uncertain as if convincing himself more so than Itachi. He watched apprehensively as Itachi's tense body relaxed and his hold on him flattered until the hand around his jaw finally fell from his face.

Kyuubi moved back quickly as he made sure to leave a safe distance between himself and the man he no longer knew. His hand massaged his sore cheeks and jaw while he gazed uncertainly at the man that had never used force against him. He's afraid. He knew Itachi would be upset seeing him again but he had not expected this sort of reaction. He had not expected Itachi to physically lash out.

A sympathetic Sasuke could only stand by and watch the scene before him. As much as he wanted to intervene, he knew it'd be wise for him to stay put. In his agitated stance, he watched his brother with a deep frown, bewildered and ashamed by his brother's actions.

Itachi watched his hands with panicked eyes. His hands trembled before him, his chest heaving up and down. He pondered over his actions, he's not like this. He doesn't lose control, he doesn't lose his temper, he is not quick to violence. So why, how could he have lost control so easily? Of all people, why had he harmed the person he loved most in the world?

"Kyuubi..."

Itachi said in a gentle soft tone. He took a step forward but stopped abruptly when Kyuubi cowered back.

"I understand that you are angry with me," Kyuubi spoke softly. "But that does not give you any right to put your hands on me in that manner."

For the first time in his life Itachi couldn't find his words. He's watching Kyuubi with eyes full of guilt and sadness. On the outside he seemed passive while on the inside he was at war with himself, ashamed and angered at his actions. He wished nothing more than to turn back time. He's caught off guard when he heard Kyuubi's soft voice invade the air.

"I should've said no when Shizune asked me to do this. I know I should've…" Kyuubi hugged his arms around himself tightly. "But I couldn't. I wanted an excuse to see you again. I know we promised each other we would stay away from one another for the sake of our.. my son."

Kyuubi felt his body tense from the automatic change of the pronoun. He had accepted the fact that Itachi wanted nothing to do with their son yet he always found himself making the mistake of referring to Jay as theirs rather than just his.

"But I just couldn't stay away. It's selfish of me but.." Kyuubi silenced himself when he watched Itachi begin to walk away. His eyes followed the man who neared him, stopping so he stood by his shoulder. Kyuubi felt uneasy when Itachi gazed at him with so much sadness, he truly believed Itachi would shed tears any minute.

Kyuubi had wanted Itachi to display some sort of emotion, the man having had worn a stoic mask since their first encounter. Now that he's finally given what he's been wanting, he couldn't bring himself to accept the heart clenching wounded look on Itachi.

It's much more than guilt beneath the sadness, it's immense anger and hatred for the fact that Itachi had swore that he would never hurt Kyuubi, that he wouldn't become the angry man that the cycle of abuse consisted of.

The victim growing up to become the abuser. Itachi promised he wouldn't be a statistic. Kyuubi can't begin to imagine the self hate Itachi was going through.

Kyuubi looked desperately at Itachi his heart clenching when Itachi eyes stared straight into his own. He hoped Itachi can find some comfort within his gaze but the man only turned and walked away. Kyuubi went to go after him but a startling grip around his wrist and a gentle tug on his arm kept him at bay.

"Sasuke, I have to.." He began to protest but silenced himself when Sasuke merely shook his head no. He turned back and found Itachi far from his sight and nearing the entrance doors. His breathing became uneven as he pondered if he he should go after him or take Sasuke's advice. The hand around his wrist fell from him and he turned to gaze worriedly at Sasuke.

"Let him be alone for now. He's angry, give him some time to cool off." Sasuke advised in a calm tone, his hand ran through his soft tresses.

Kyuubi shook his head and began to pace. "This is all my fault, I shouldn't have accepted to do this. I knew it would hurt him but I did it anyway for my own selfish reasons."

"You were assigned this task, there was nothing you could do." Sasuke said soothingly. "My brother loves you deeply Kyuubi. It's time you told him the truth."

"No." Kyuubi shook his head vigorously as he eagerly dismissed the idea. "I can't put him through that." His voice broke, a sob escaping him without permission. He forced his tears back. He wouldn't be vulnerable not right now, not here. "I can't tell him." He forced back another sob. "I can't bear to hurt him anymore."

Sasuke was silent. Just the other day, Kyuubi had agreed to tell Itachi the truth about what had happened all those years back. He's interested as the sudden change of mind but refrained from seeking an explanation. "You can't protect him forever. Your protection is doing nothing but hurting him more. Tell him the truth."

Sasuke hesitated. "Or I will."

Kyuubi gazed up abruptly, anger clear on his face. "It's not your story to tell."

"You're absolutely right. It's not. Nonetheless I love my brother, very much." Sasuke's firm gaze matched his tone. "He lived five years without his son. He lived five years blaming himself, believing he was at fault. His actions today showed me he's still hurting to the point where he's acting out of character." Sasuke stepped closer, his eyes stern and his brows knitted together tightly. "How long do you plan on torturing him like this?"

"And what about you? How long do you plan on torturing Naruto?"

Sasuke's thrown off by the sudden attack. He breathed in calmly to maintain his composure, he won't make the same mistake as his brother and lose himself. He ignored the harsh tug at his heart strings, his calm expression remaining as he thought back to the beautiful boy he had turned away.

"Why lie to him. What do you expect to achieve by causing him to despise you?"

"I'd rather he hate me than you." Sasuke said monotonously, a dangerous gleam in his eyes that has Kyuubi calming down and becoming careful of his next words.

Kyuubi's heart ached as his mind flickered back to his brother.

"The hate Naruto has for you is unbelievable. The way he speaks about you and the intense glare in his eyes when he even so much as thinks of you. I understand you two were never close but Naruto needs you more than he needs me. You're the only family he has now."

"I already know you don't.."

Sasuke raised his hand, silencing Kyuubi in an instant. "Let me finish." He took a few steps forward so he stood closer to Kyuubi, he needed his words to be heard loud and clear. "I will play the part of the villain for now, but you must also play your part. Naruto must believe it was because of me that the both of you left and not because of what happened between you and my brother. You must also promise me that my sacrifice will not be in vain and that you will try your hardest to restore your relationship with your brother."

"It's not that easy"

Sasuke nodded in agreement. "The role of a sibling never is." He then paused for a moment, his bottom lip sucked in between his teeth as he pondered over his next words. "You've seemed to simmer down a bit. It's perhaps time you became a bit stricter with Naruto. Words alone won't be enough to get through to him."

Kyuubi sighed in exhaustion. "I'm just… so fucking tired." He admitted. He loosened his long hair from the neat high ponytail it was in and sighed in relief when he felt the hair rush down to the mid of his back. His fingers combed through the lengthy hair, some strands falling over and framing his face, making his appearance that much more of a female.

"Sasuke, your brother's calling for you." Charlie said with a casual smile, his muscles bulging in the tight white v neck he wore.

"Tell him I'm speaking to the manager. I'll be right out." Sasuke responded in perfect English that rivaled the American native's own.

"As you wish."

Sasuke waited until he was sure Charlie was far away before he gave Kyuubi a last glance. His eyes raked over Kyuubi's feminine features that was now enhanced by his long red hair. He understood how his brother had fallen so easily for the man.

"I'm leaving tomorrow night." Sasuke gave a sad smile when Kyuubi looked at him in disbelief. "Now that everything is in place, there's nothing keeping here."

Kyuubi's silent as he observed Sasuke. The way Sasuke spoke in his usual void tone made it clear that the teen wasn't very happy with his life. There was also a feeling Kyuubi had, as if Sasuke was running from something or someone. He then realized that he didn't know much about Sasuke apart from the fact that he was his lover's brother, his brother's closest friend and a person who was there when he needed someone the most. Apart from that he doesn't know Sasuke's interests, passion, concerns, hopes and dreams.

Sasuke seemed to be the hero, always there to help and be there for those who needed aid. But who was there for him when he needed aid? Why did he always seem to be the most serene person in the world but never seemed truly happy.

And just like his brother, Kyuubi felt as if Sasuke lived a forced life that he had no control over.

"Naruto won't forgive you, you know."

"I hope with time he will understand." Sasuke stretched out a hand and cupped Kyuubi's cheek. He ignored the weird stare he's given and simply traced his thumb over the soft skin that had reddened from his brother's assault. His dark eyes narrowed in remembrance. "My brother loves you, don't forget that." He smiled when Kyuubi nodded, He lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to Kyuubi's forehead.

Kyuubi's eyes remained close, even when he felt Sasuke's hands leave him and his presence disappear. He allowed himself to remain in the comfort of his mind for a while longer. With a slow exhale his eyelids lifted open and welcomed the empty room. He sighed in exhaustion, his heart and stomach finally calming down. With his mind still unease, he exited the site and drew the dark curtains close, leaving behind his worries and stress.

He dutifully headed over to Shizune's office. The women greeted him with excitement and eagerly began to question him. Kyuubi feigned perfect nonchalant and explained the ordeal, leaving out specific details and instead expressing the brother's amazement for the design. His tone matched Shizune's hyper one while answering the many questions thrown his way whether with a blatant lie or exaggerating the truth.

After the woman had calmed herself and restored her usual stern expression, Kyuubi asked if he could work for the day. He needed a distraction. He couldn't go home and reflect over the events of the morning. He bowed gratefully when Shizune said he could. He exited the small office and into the vacant conference room right next door. He sat down and leaned over the desk, his arm outstretched over the long table as he laid his head gently over his arm.

He glanced over at the clock hung high on the wall. An hour or so until the store opened. He wished for nothing more than for sleep to take over, if just for a few minutes. It didn't take long until his eyelids fluttered close and he's engulfed into the world of unconsciousness.

Naruto slept soundly on his bed. He's engulfed deeply into the sheets, his head laid over a soft pillow while he hugged another one close to his chest. Drool formed at the corner of his lips, his mouth gaped ever so slightly letting out quiet snores. He's so deeply gone in the land of dreams, he doesn't feel the small body that straddled his chest and had been watching him for five minutes or so.

Jaron sat over his sleeping uncle's chest. He's dressed in a cartoon T-shirt and grey shorts. His big light brown eyes watched the still body beneath him intently. He's bored. His mother's been gone for a long time and he's grown bored with the television. He wants to play, go to the park but he's too small. He needed his uncle to take him.

So he eagerly strolled into his uncle's room, climbed over the large bed and simply watched his uncle waiting for him to wake up. But he's growing impatient. He kept glancing over the clock on the wall as if he understood it, his teacher did it a lot so he imitated the act. He looked back at his uncle and frowned when he finally figured out that the teenager wouldn't wake up anytime soon.

Jaron turned over his uncle's head so Naruto faced the ceiling. He then poked his little finger into his uncle's cheek before eagerly bringing it back. The sleeping teen didn't stir. So Jay did it again, and again and again but nothing.

Finally fed up, he pulled at his uncle's hair with his small hands. "Naru! Wake up!" He shouted cutely, his high pitched voice reaching the peacefully sleeping teenager.

Naruto groaned in annoyance. He's woken from his peaceful sleep in the most unpleasant way. His eyelids struggled open, his bright blue eyes peering through his thin lashes and meeting the precious angel that hovered over his face with an innocent smile.

"Are you awake Naru?" Jay whispered, his head tilted to the side. His left hand removed from the tousled blonde hair and poked gently into his uncle's tan cheek. He giggled when a groan sounded from the tired teen.

"What are you doing, beautiful boy?" Naruto mumbled, his eyelids heavy as he fought the urge to turn over and cover his head with the large blanket spread over him.

"Mommy's gone and I'm bored." Jay pulled himself of his uncle and climbed off the bed. He made a quick dash out of the room and within a short while returned with a small note in his hand. He climbed back onto the bed and handed the groggy teen the note. "Mommy said give this to you when you wake up."

Naruto sat up and retrieved the note. He read over the nice penmanship with blurred vision and sleepy eyes. He sighed and threw the note to the side, yawning as he stretched out his limbs.

"Can we go to the park Naru?" Jay asked with big puppy eyes and a wide smile. He went back to straddle his uncle lap before he began to play with the teen's messy bed hair.

Naruto merely watched the boy, feeling small hands lift and tug at his blonde locks. He smiled, a tired look over his face that read it's too fucking early for all of this, yet he couldn't bring himself to be annoyed.

"You look like a marshmallow." Jay said randomly with the straightest expression. He's refreshing to his uncle's puffy eyes and cheeks that were a result of all the crying he had done. Jay then grinned, his small hands squeezing his uncle's cheeks. "You have a marshmallow face. A big fat marshmallow face."

Naruto broke into a soft laugh. He shook his head at the boy's words. "You're so silly." He glanced over at the clock to find out it was a few hours into the afternoon. He's been asleep for a long time yet he was still exhausted. "No park today Jay, I'm too tired."

Jay pouted his lips and raised his brows in confusion. He began to sniffle when Naruto lifted him off his lap and settled the boy beside him. "Why can't we go?" Jay asked.

Naruto turned to remove the covers from his body when he saw his cellphone and other items his brother had taken from him laid over his bed stand. He instantly reached over and brought his cellphone into his hand. He's delighted when he found the charger connected to the butt of the phone, his phone charged completely. He tugged off the charger and went to check his missed messages which were mostly from Kiba and some new ones from his brother.

"Naru.." Jay whined as he began to tug at his uncle's long arm. He's genuinely upset when his uncle ignored him. He stood up on the bed and once again started to tug at the blonde locks, desperate to gain his uncle's attention.

Naruto winced and hissed when he felt a soreness in his scalp from a particular hard pull. "Ow, Jaron cut it out." He turned his upper body slightly and brought the small five year old into his arms. He playfully wrestled the boy over his lap and rested his arms over the boy's back to keep him still as he continued to read his messages.

"Heeeey, not fair." Jaron whined as he thrashed around to get free but to no avail. "You're cheating." He exclaimed suddenly, as if they had been playing a game from the beginning. He groaned and eventually tired himself out and laid still, his attention seized by a lose string in Naruto's bed spread. He began to play with it with a carefree smile.

Finished going through his messages and social media following, Naruto sent a quick text to Kiba before tossing his phone to the side. He smiled and turned over his nephew so the boy faced him. Naruto then began to tickle the boy's exposed tummy, igniting a fit of giggles from the little boy. "Who said you can pull my hair huh?" He grinned widely when Jay tried to reach over to tickle him back but his small arms unable to reach him. "Say your sorry and I'll stop."

Jay squirmed in his uncle's lap, his loud giggles and playful screams filling the room. "Never!" He shouted out breathlessly.

Naruto continued his tickle assault. A bright gleam in his eyes from watching the adorable boy laid over his lap. "Say it or I won't stop." Naruto's long fingers tickled all over the child's exposed tummy and neck.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Jay finally announced his defeat and Naruto's fingers abruptly stopped. Still the boy continued to laugh, his bright innocent eyes meeting his uncle's loving gaze. He lifted himself up and crawled over to Naruto, his arms encircling his uncle's neck and the child nuzzled into his uncle.

"How about we have a picnic instead of going to the park?" Naruto insisted with a soft smile. He turned his head and pressed a kiss to his nephew's chubby cheek. His smile widened when Jay nodded his head eagerly and snuggled into him more. "I love you, beautiful boy."

Jay smiled, his chubby cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Love you too." He spoke the words softly as if Kota who was miles away would hear him and tease him for it later.

Naruto had dragged himself out of bed and had taken a quick shower. He wore comfortable black sweats that were a size bigger and hung loose over his hips, a fitted blue shirt clung onto his skinny flat body. His shoulder length hair was pulled into a messy bun, his bangs kept out of his eyes while he maintained intense concentration on the meal he was currently cooking.

While moving back and forth, he watched the five year old in the living room playing on his tablet. Naruto could swore that boy never put the damn thing down. He had told Kyuubi not to get it but like himself, the boy's mother couldn't resist those puppy eyes of his.

Naruto's just about done setting the table with the food when the doorbell sounded through the apartment.

"Mommy's home." Jay shouted with excitement, eagerly running over to the white door. He pushed down the door handle, using both of his hands to pull the door open. His large smile faltered for a moment, disappointment filling his eyes before quickly being replaced with delight.

"What's up little man, long time no see." Kiba strolled casually into the apartment as if he lived there. His hand ruffled the small boy's long hair messily.

Jay ducked his head from the invasive large hand but soon relaxed, looking up happily at the teen he's met once or twice but was extremely fond of. Jay tilted his head in slight confusion when he saw the teen was shirtless, his toned and muscular upper body exposed.

"What happened to your shirt?" Jay questioned loudly, his eyes squinted and lips pursed cutely. His little brain couldn't fathom why the teen was walking around without a shirt.

"I lost it." Kiba answered with a bored tone. His eyes were currently captivated by the beautiful blonde walking back and forth from the kitchen to the living room.

"Jay go wash your hands." Naruto instructed. He had finished setting up the food and stood up straight, his eyes following after the hyper boy that ran into the bathroom. He walked out of the living room and met Kiba who stood by the kitchen.

"You seem better today." Kiba voiced his observation with a soft smile. His arm snaked around Naruto's small waist pulling the smaller teen into his body. He doesn't waste a second and lowered himself down, his plump lips seizing Naruto's soft parted ones into a gentle kiss. Kiba closed his eyes, leaning into Naruto as he angled his head to deepen the kiss.

Naruto hastily pulled back, his hands pressed against Kiba's hard chest and it's then he's reminded that Kiba did not have a shirt on. "Where's your shirt?"

Kiba leaned back against the counter behind him, his hand tugging Naruto closer to his body. He stared down at the teen that gazed back at him worriedly. He smiled and lowered his head to place a quick peck on Naruto's lips. "I was over Lee's place. We were playing a few video games and then strolls in his loser step dad. He's drunk and going on about Lee not doing some shit he told him to do." Kiba glanced around aimlessly, his fingers playing with the hem of Naruto's shirt.

"Next thing you know he's tackling Lee on the ground and punching him. I'm telling Lee to fight back but he won't so I step in. The loser's drunk out of his mind and grabs my shirt and rips it while attempting to get me off him."

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked in genuine concern. He's gazing all over Kiba's body searching for bruises and cuts. He lifts Kiba's hands and noticed they were bruised slightly, he's guessing from Kiba punching the man.

Kiba's wearing a large grin that resembled that of a wolf. It's refreshing to see how much Naruto cared for him and valued his safety. No matter how many times they fought or hated each other, it was times like this that had Kiba willing to change and truly wanting to be the genuine guy Naruto deserved.

"I'll get the first aid kit and clean you up." Naruto made to leave but Kiba's firm hold kept him in place. He turned around confused but met a smirking Kiba.

"I'm fine, relax Luna." Kiba assured Naruto using the playful nickname he had given Naruto when he discovered Naruto's strange obsession with wolves. Kiba's hand settled over Naruto's cheek and caressed the bronze skin beneath. His hand then traced down onto a purple bruise tucked beneath Naruto's jaw and memories of last night quickly flood into his head. A satisfied smirk made its way onto his face. "Your so beautiful." He complimented with blissful eyes.

Naruto smiled at the sudden compliment without perceiving much of it. Kiba has his endearing moments, times where Naruto could truly believe the teen cared for him. He's starting to fall for Kiba but won't allow himself to do so. After all only fools would fall for Kiba's type, and he hoped he wasn't a fool.

"What if he presses charges?" Naruto ignored the cold hands that roamed over his warm skin underneath his shirt. His body was pressed into Kiba's own. Naruto could feel the entirety of Kiba's strong muscular body, every inch of them touching as he gazed up into the onyx eyes that peered down at him with darkened pupils.

"I didn't think you cared this much about me?" Kiba asked with a wide grin that showed his sharp canines.

"Some one has to." Naruto replied, his finger playing with a lose strand of hair that fell over Kiba's face.

"He was drunk. He's gonna wake up tomorrow and not even remember what had happened." Kiba assured Naruto with lustful eyes. He seemed almost deprived as his eyes lingered over Naruto's pink lips. His tongue ran over his molded lips as he pressed his hips into Naruto's needingly.

Naruto's arms pushed against Kiba removing himself and creating a short distance between them. "I made us a picnic." Naruto informed with a pep in his voice. He turned to leave and once again felt himself being pulled back. This time he doesn't get a choice to protest when Kiba's lips slammed into his own. Naruto squirmed, taken aback by the sudden action and tried to once again push Kiba away. He gasped loudly when Kiba's lips moved down to now assault his neck with wet kisses.

"What would your brother do if he walked in and saw me fucking you right here?" Kiba's mouth lingered kisses against Naruto's soft skin, his lips latched to the tan skin as he sucked and bit down harshly causing Naruto to wince. His tongue swirled over the red mark, his teeth grazing the spot as his hold tightened around the body pushing against him.

Naruto was finally able to remove himself from Kiba who had loosened his grip after he had finished creating another small hickey beside the one from the previous night. Naruto simply sighed as he felt Kiba's hand wrap around his neck but not applying any force. He simply blinked and waited in annoyance until he felt the hand loosely leave from his neck. "Can we eat now?"

Kiba only smirked finding Naruto's annoyed expression cute and amusing. He quickly pecked Naruto's cheek before following the blonde over to the living room. Jay was seated opposite of them enjoying his small bowl of rice and other samples of the meal Naruto had prepared, his attention held by the cartoon movie displayed over the large screen.

"Why do you insist on coming over my place when you live in a paradise like this?" Kiba prepared himself a plate, his bruised hands aching with each movement.

Naruto admired Kiba's muscles that flexed with every movement he made. "This isn't my paradise." He answered with a mouth full of rice. "Plus, I'm not exactly jumping at the idea of my brother hearing me have sex in the next room."

Kiba doesn't say anything else, too busy downing the delicious food. They ate in silence for a while, both teens also entertained by the movie on the large screen. Kiba would occasionally catch Naruto staring at his exposed body, fueling his ego even more.

"Hey, what do you say about a road trip?" Naruto settled his half empty plate of food down, bringing the opened bottle of water to his lips as he took a sip. "To Konoha."

"You're home sick?" Kiba asked with an empathetic gaze. He understood more than anyone else how it felt to be homesick. He can't remember the last time he saw his parents.

"Something like that." Naruto answered, picking up his plate and continuing where he left off. " I was thinking tomorrow. Are you in?"

Kiba finished the last of his water bottle. He leaned back against the couch, his long toned arms brought and folded behind his head. "What do I get in return?"

"What do you want?"

Kiba replied with a grin. "Something special."

Naruto took a chance on his next words, his playful nature taking over. "You already have me."

Kiba scoffed. "What's so special about that?"

Naruto's waiting for the ending, where Kiba would laugh and say he was just playing. That in fact Naruto truly was special to him. He kept waiting, seconds turned into minutes, but those words he desperately wanted to hear never came. He made sure he showed no signs of being affected by those words and simply asked Kiba to tell him what he wanted.

Kiba stared at Naruto with a blank stare. He had ignorantly said the words without fully grasping the effect it would have on the teen beside him. He had expected Naruto to be his usual emotional self and stand up and begin to curse him out. But instead, he's caught off guard Naruto continued to eat seemingly unbothered as if his words did not affect him at all.

Kiba sought out the time as he glanced over the television cable. He made a "tch" sound when he realized he would be late. He had soccer practice today and being one of the best player on the team, he knew the coach wouldn't let him hear the end of it if he missed practiced. He stood up and combed back his messy dark hair from his eyes.

"Hey, do you have a shirt I can burrow?"

Naruto stood up and strolled into his room. He came back into the living room, tossing the black material towards Kiba before sitting back down.

Kiba noticed the shirt was one of the many few Naruto had stolen from him. He shook his head in amusement and pulled the shirt over his head, pulling down the material and straightening it over his body. His slender fingers combed back his hair into place as he walked around the couch.

"I'll text you later."

Naruto threw back his head over the couch, his puckered lips meeting Kiba's in a quick kiss. "Don't get arrested." He said in a lazy tone. He watched his nephew smile widely when Kiba ruffled the boy's hair in farewell. The closing of the door signaled to Naruto that Kiba was gone. He sat his empty plate down and leaned back comfortably on the spacious couch.

"Naru.."

Naruto's cerulean eyes met his nephew who stared back at him with a wide accusing smile.

"Do you like Kiba?"

Naruto blinked at the unexpected question. There was no way in hell he would allow himself to like some one like Kiba.

A person who didn't value him and was ashamed to be seen in public with. A person that could tell him the sweetest things in the world but could easily turn around and spew the most hurtful things. A person who can just stand by and watch someone he claimed to love be hurt and not lift a finger to do anything about it. How can he like a person like that?

That wasn't even a question yet Naruto found himself chuckling softly as he gazed at Jaron's innocent face, the boy's smile reaching his ears in anticipation for his answer. Naruto smiled and shook his head in disbelief.

"Yeah I do."

He answered softly.

He could easily lie to himself, but he couldn't lie to his precious nephew.

Long ass chapter I know but if you got through it, thank you. Let me know your thoughts.