Sorry for the delay! I've had a lot of things to sort out lately. Hope you enjoy this one :)
Chapter 8. Naru POV
I grab a hand towel; wetting it I press it against his nose as he sits on the toilet.
"I'm sorry..." I sigh as I take the towel away to have a look. I feel around his nose before putting the towel back until the bleeding stops.
"It's okay. You're a rebellious teenager. It's what people do." He takes hold of my hand, pulling it away from him, but won't look me in the eye.
"No, I mean... About your job." He looks up at me slightly and I smile softly at him.
"It's okay. I'm just not allowed to work for a few weeks as punishment for not informing him about the underage kiddies in there."
"Why didn't you?" I wipe the blood from his face.
"I guess I was trying to protect you." He gives me a confused look and I can't help but laugh.
"But why?" I finish cleaning his face, sure that it's not going to start bleeding again.
"It doesn't seem to be broken, you should be okay. And I dunno. Probably because I can't stop thinking of the cute little kid that I used to know." I watch as a small smile appears on his face.
"You're so different to Itachi. You're like the total opposite of him. I don't get how you two are best friends."
"I guess it's because we're so different, that we're so close. At least we were. He's pretty pissed at me too."
"He's been moping around all week." I stand him up, checking his nose once more. "He said he wasn't, but I know he was. Even our parents noticed and they don't see him that often..."
"Come on." I usher him out of the bathroom, readying myself for the hell we're about to enter.
We all sat around the table, except from Deidara who had to leave to go pick his boyfriend up. I also rang the restaurant where I'm working tonight and told them I was sick. Another day not getting paid surely won't do any more damage than losing Kyuubi for two weeks.
"Okay, so I'll lay the rules down here. No snapping at each other," I mainly looked at Itachi. "No getting violent. We will talk this out as adults."
"He's my brother, I can deal with him on my own, Uzumaki."
"Oh be quiet, Itachi. You obviously can't, otherwise we wouldn't be here." He narrows his eyes at me and I sigh. "Itachi, I've been there remember?" I see his eyes soften slightly as he remembers the state I was in when I first arrived back in Konoha. "What better way, than to let someone else help who knows what it's like?" He closes his eyes for a few seconds before squeezing my knee under the table.
"I'm sorry, Naru." I smile and squeeze the hand on my knee.
"What do you mean?" We both turn to look at Sasuke who is sitting opposite us. "And are you feeling each other up under there?" He smirks, but quickly removes it as I kick him. "Sorry." Ignoring his last statement I take a few minutes to consider what to say to him.
"She mean's she's been lower than where you are now." I watch his confused face as his eyes flick between us.
"Sasuke, do you do drugs?" He stands up quickly, his chair falling back.
"What kind of question is that?!" I rest my chin on my hand while he fumes silently.
"It's just a question. Sit down." He picks his seat up and settles down. I pull my jumper over my head before stretching my arm out to him, so that the inside is facing up. He looks at me confused. "You said last night that you didn't notice my scar straight away. It's not the only thing you didn't notice." I lean closer so he can get a better look. He eyes trace over my lightly tanned skin, his eyes stopping where my arm bends. Looking at the tiny scars there. I stretch my other arm out, and he looks over that one, seeing the same. "That's what I mean. I didn't just drink Sasuke. I was on drugs, for a long time."
"I've never touched them..." I bring my arms back and smile at him.
"I know. But you have to understand why Itachi is so crazy about this. I started off drinking and then went on to drugs. He doesn't want the same to happen to you."
"I don't want to see you ruin your life, little brother." Sasuke lowers his head and mumbles something that sounds like 'sorry'.
"Why do you drink so much, Sasuke?" He sinks into his sit but doesn't say anything. I glance at his brother. "Would you prefer it if Itachi wasn't here?" He gives a quick nod but doesn't look at Itachi. I look to his older brother as he stands up, heading to the door.
"I'll bring us some food back."
"Thanks, 'tachi." Before he closes the door, he turns to look at me.
"Almost forgot, I saw your Landlady earlier." I cringe, waiting for what she said to him. "She said you better pay you rent on time this month. Naru..." I wave my hand at him.
"I will, I will." He frowns but leaves it at that and closes the door behind him. I sigh, I was hoping he wouldn't find out about me not paying last month's rent on time...
I put a cup of coffee down in front of him as I settle down on the couch with him. "I'm thinking of getting a television. Might put it on the wall right there," I point at the wall opposite us. "You know, just in case you steal my bed again and make me stay on the couch." He blushes but I continue smiling, waiting for him to start talking. Itachi did mention to me once that he had to go get Sasuke from hospital not long before I moved back here. He didn't go in to it much, just happened to mention it when I told him how long I'd been dabbling in drugs and that.
"My parents..." I turn my head slightly to show that I'm listening, but not quite looking at him. "They want me to be like Itachi..." I can understand. His parents are really nice people but they expect a lot from their sons. "Dad wants me to go into the business for a while, like Itachi did."
"But you don't want to." He shakes his head slightly. He opens his mouth to say more, but shuts it again. "You know, it's better talking to someone that you don't know very well about this kind of thing. Give you an outsider's perceptive."
"How can you act all immature one minute, but so serious and wise the next?" I shrug my shoulders and take a drink of my water, I couldn't bear to drink another coffee. "I'm not my brother... I hate business, it's boring. At first, I did try. I took it on for my GCSE's, but..." He turned to look at me and I felt my heart go out to him. He just looked so... sad. "I'm failing all my subjects. I barely turn up to my lessons..."
"And your parents don't know?"
"They think I'm passing, that I'm getting good grades... because that's what I tell them when they bother to ask."
"What you going to do when you get your final grades and they want to see proof?"
"I don't know... please, don't tell Itachi. He'll think it's his fault or something..." I ruffle his hair before pulling him in for a hug.
"I won't." We sit like that for a few minutes before he sneaks his arms around me, and I feel my t-shirt get a bit wet.
"I don't want to disappoint them, but there's no way I can pass now without them finding out..." I pull him back up but he wipes his eyes before looking at me.
"I don't have a lecture until noon tomorrow. How about I come see your teachers with you? We'll not tell them everything, but the jist of it." He nods his head and gives me a small smile. My phone starts ringing so I run around trying to find it. Picking it up I hold it to my ear,
"Uzumaki."
"Ah Naruko, I wasn't sure whether you'd be in bed or not with you being ill." Oh, I forgot about that little lie. "It's Gai, I was wondering if you're still interested in completing a placement within a school setting." I drop back down on couch, bringing my legs up to rest them on Sasuke's lap so I can half lie down.
"Yes I am, Gai. Did you get my email?" He tries to tickle my feet, so I dig my foot in to his stomach.
"I did, yes. But it appears that you're the only one interested in a placement this year. All the other students seem to either already have a part time job somewhere or they want to work in a leisure centre. So it seems pointless to interview myself; I've had a quick look through your file so I don't see it necessary." I hear the ruffling of papers and smile. I've only been in his office once, but it's a mess with papers scattered everywhere.
"That sounds a bit too good to be true, sir."
"Aha, found it! Yes yes, I know but it's a good opportunity, and this isn't the first time this has happened. I've been in contact with Konoha High and made you an appointment to see the head tomorrow morning if that's okay with you? I thought the sooner the better, you know."
"Err, sure I can get there. What time?" Damn, that's Sasuke's school...
"Tsunade said that she should be free all morning, so just pop by anytime. You don't have me until 12 so that gives you plenty time to go sort it out. Come and see me after the lecture, and I'll get you to fill the appropriate forms in."
"Sure. See you then." He says a quick bye before hanging up. I stare at the phone for a couple minutes before dropping it on the floor and moaning. Sasuke raises an eyebrow at me. "Looks like I'm going to be working at your school, squirt."
Let me know what you think. Next chap should be up sometime this week or next :D