Chapter 16
Itachi looked around, his voice gone. He wanted to say something – to start the conversation – but it was like he was born mute. How could he be so calm knowing that knew his brother for who he was that Sasuke was gone? How could he be calm that this person's ex-boyfriend committed suicide ten years ago?
It was hard. He couldn't even look Gaara in the eye because of it. Sighing softly and leaning back against the bench, he looked at the people that were going on with their own business. How come he couldn't have a normal life? A life that actually didn't include so much drama that he felt like he was drowning in it at times.
"It still doesn't sound like Sasuke." Gaara finally asked, breaking the silence that was between them. Looking over at the older Uchiha, seeing something but wasn't sure what it was, he narrowed his eyes a bit.
"You can ask Naruto if you want, or our parents. They'll tell you the same thing." Itachi stated softly, almost expecting the slight breeze to take his voice away. It didn't though. He wasn't sure why he sounded so confident in those words when he felt like the barriers he built up over the years were crumbling right in front of him.
Nodding a little, Gaara turned his gaze away from the older man. This person knew Sasuke better then he did because he grew up with his ex. He wanted answers as to why his friend, boyfriend would do something like that when it wasn't in his nature to think something like that. It made him feel numb, almost as if he was talking about someone that had the same name as the person he knew but it wasn't who he was meaning.
"You're his brother or what?"
"I'm his brother yes. Why?" Itachi questioned as he looked over at the auburn haired man that was beside him. It was hard to believe that his sibling actually went out with someone and hid it so well. He couldn't do that but with the way people called him a genius didn't help the matter either.
"In a way you look like him." Gaara replied and turning his attention back to the man. Lowering his gaze to his lap, he sighed and got up with a stretch. "I have to go. Work. Another time Uchiha-san?"
"Yes." He nodded and stood up himself. Shaking the man's hand, he smiled a little and turned in the opposite direction of the auburn haired man that looked like he was punk or trying to reach out. He wasn't sure, but he couldn't tell when his brother was reaching out.
Cursing himself mentally at for not looking at the signs when they might have been right in front of him, he ran a hand through his bangs. Wincing at a knot that made him tug, he closed his eyes. What was the matter with him? What kind of brother was he?
A pathetic one. That answer was clear. He wasn't there for Sasuke when he needed someone to talk to. He wasn't there to protect his younger sibling like an older one was supposed to.
Opening his eyes, he started his walk back down the path that he traveled to get here. It felt good to walk; giving the Uchiha time to think things through. He had a lot to think through but didn't know it until now.
First he was trying to make sense and possibly find the person responsible of his brother's death. It would give him a little comfort but not enough to make him feel like Sasuke was at peace. Second, he was falling in love with Namikaze Naruto. They were just supposed to be friends helping each other but his feelings were turning into more. He wasn't sure if Naruto felt the same way but he wasn't going to bring the awkward topic up yet. Then there's the fact that he was dying from a disease that attacked his lungs.
Sighing with a hint of a wheeze to his breath, he lowered his gaze to the worn path that stood out from the green grass that made the boarder. Looking up to the sky and trees that towered over him, making him feel small in the process, he wondered what Sasuke was doing. He was probably walking or enjoying his favorite food without their parents yelling at him to slow down.
Letting his shoulders fall, he felt something hit him, making him apologize automatically. It was something that was automatic for him, being taught that manners were important. That was another thing that made him and Sasuke different. Sasuke didn't care about them, he even left off the honorifics and it annoyed a lot of people. Him, he kept the manners going because it got him to a lot of places. A place on the class council, along with others.
Looking at the person that he bumped into, he knew that this person seemed to avoid the sun at all costs. His skin was paler then his and it made him wonder if this person was deathly sick or actually tried to stay out of the sun because of unknown reasons. His eyes and hair were as black as night, much like his but shorter.
"Gomensai." He bowed slightly, showing the apology actually meant something instead of just a word like some did.
An eyebrow rose at the word, the thin line that was his mouth staying still. "It's quite alright. We weren't looking where we were going." He let a small smile grace his features as he took in the other male that was standing a few feet away.
Nodding and walking around him, intent on getting home to take the medication prescribed to him, he swore he felt like he knew the person from somewhere. It was that case of deja vu. Scratching his head, messing up some of his hair in the process, he continued to ponder it.
Blinking, he let the smile grace his face a little more. "Aren't you Uchiha Itachi?!"
Stopping his stride and turning his head to look back at the person, confusion started to set in. How did this person know him? He didn't even know the person. Did he? He looked familiar in someway but it just wasn't clicking.
Taking a breath, hearing it come out as a wheeze, Itachi knew that he had to do something. He didn't want to be rude to this person and come off as a jerk but medicine was one of his top priorities now. "Why do you ask?!"
Smiling to himself, he walked over to the older man and let the smile fall. It wasn't like him to smile unless he was in the studio and actually enjoying his time. Now, he wasn't enjoying his time because it was keeping him from the thing he loved doing. "You know a Namikaze Naruto right?"
Raising an eyebrow, knowing that he should be walking instead of chitchatting, he narrowed his eyes a bit. Since his sibling's death, he became a little guarded because he knew that people liked to hide their true selves from others. Nodding slowly, he kept his gaze focused on the person, waiting for any sign that this person was up to ill intent.
"Good. I'm Sai. I work with him at the office." He offered his hand with a small smile still settled on his lips. Looking at the man that was a little paler from the pictures that were on his coworker's desk, he wondered what the matter was. He wasn't going to ask even if his curiosity was getting to him. He was going to appear polite to this person that his coworker seemed to rant about at times.
It made him sick but he was going to keep that feeling to himself. On the inside he was narrowing his eyes, fists ready to punch the blond's mouth to shut him up. He wanted to scream at him, call him a homo, anything, to show that he detested homosexuality.
But here he was keeping a smile on his face, trying to appear friendly to this person.
Itachi felt a roll of disgust in his stomach at the name that Naruto complained about. Seeing this person for real, he swore he wanted to do something but wasn't sure what. Sucking on the inside of his cheek, trying to appear calm when he felt every nerve itch at the possibility that he might actually get into a yelling match.
It was unheard of for him to do something like that. It was completely out of character for him but when it came to protecting the ones that he cherished he would do anything. Putting on a kind smile, leaving it there, he didn't shake the person's hand. He just nodded. "It's nice to meet you Sai. Naruto-kun told me a lot about you. He told me that you are interested in the arts."
He gave a short nod, wishing that the blond didn't get into his business but it can't be helped. As long as he continued to give him work that he was supposed to sign, letting him have free time, then it didn't matter. He was going to put that blond through hell and back for being the way he was.
"Yes I am. I'm actually surprised that idiot can remember something. I can't count how many times he had to do something over again because he forgot to do something. It's quite pathetic." He let a little venom into his tone, letting a hint of how he felt toward the Namikaze out toward the Uchiha.
Narrowing his eyes at the insults that were being thrown at him, telling him that the person that opened his home to him wasn't doing his job, made his nerve jump in anticipation. It was like the part of him that was the complete opposite of him – his yang side – was ready to punch this guy in the face. He wanted to but the condition he was in wasn't going to allow him to do such actions that might throw him back in the hospital.
"Naruto isn't like that. He's the hardworking type of person unlike some out there that's taking benefits that others do need." He hissed back, letting his own malice out into the open.
Smirking, he laughed softly and to himself. "He's worthless. He should be fired."
His hands automatically balled into fists; a form of relaxation. He had a little problem of squeezing his hands until his nails dug into his skin and make him bleed at times. He wasn't sure if there were scars but he wasn't going to look at that moment. The only thing that mattered was this person insulting his friend and infatuation.
"No comeback. Nothing? That's kinda surprising coming from someone that lost his brother to something. I forget what it is but I heard Naruto cry about it."
Taking a sharp breath, pushing Sai into a tree, he glared at the person. No one was going to get away with insulting someone that was so kind hearted; someone that was willing to do something for someone else. He knew Naruto was willing to give the shirt off his back to someone that was homeless if it made the world a better place. He knew that blond better then anyone else – besides his parents.
He wasn't going to let anyone try to make it sound like the Namikaze was a lazy bum that wasn't working his weight at the job he had. No one was going to talk down about someone that was willing to stay late to get something done or help someone that was struggling at what they were assigned.
"Never! And I mean never Sai! Never talk about Namikaze Naruto like you know him since you two were kids because you don't. If I find out that you say anything that will hurt Naruto's feelings or his image that he worked so hard to build then I will find you. When I do, I will harm you so bad that you'll be the one in the hospital." The Uchiha threatened with narrowed eyes, his hand shaking at his side.
He smiled at the side that Naruto possibly didn't know about. He liked seeing the feisty side of people because it meant they actually were alive. Grabbing hold of the man's shirt, holding him close and narrowing his own coal black eyes, he continued to let the smile linger as he spoke, "Naruto is pathetic. Get it through your thick head Uchiha Itachi. You'll realize it soon enough. When you do, I pray that it isn't too late."
"He isn't —" he cut himself off, feeling the pain echo in his lungs only to travel up into his mouth. Letting go of his shirt and covering his mouth, covering the coughs that were spilling out of him, he knew he overworked himself. It wasn't a good thing because he didn't want to burden anyone or make them worry.
Keeping his gaze on the person that was really a fiend in disguise, he backed away. It wasn't over. He knew that along with this person that was on his enemy list. He wanted to keep going but his health was more important then trying to knock some sense into someone.
"It's far from over Sai." He muttered to himself and started home, hoping that the sable haired man wasn't the type of person that would attack someone with their back turned. It was even more cowardly to attack someone that was ill to begin with but he started it when he started to diss Naruto.
He continued to smile at the ill person. He was going to continue to attack Naruto no matter what. If it caused this person to get into a hacking fit then he'll continue every time he saw him. It was a good idea.
Okay, I haven't really worked in this in ages because I've been in a writer's block and I've been trying to get over it by Rping with some of the most awesome people in the world! XD so I thank them for helping me get over it little by little. Please review. Also, I hope you liked Sai's character.