Hi Guys! I can't believe it's been nearly a year since I've updated! I've had up to chapter 19 written since last year but just never got round to updating. I've just gone through my previous chapter and the AN in each was 'sorry for the delay'! Well sorry this time for the very long delay, but I've started writing this again, So I'm hoping to get at least 1 or 2 chap's posted each month, hopefully more. Well let me know what you think! On with the fic!

**Update, also I've changed the time scale in which Naruko's parents died, mentioned in chap 2, so that it fits in with the later chapters as I got the timescale mixed up . they died when she was about 15, not 17.**

Chapter 14. Sasu POV

I shout after her but she just keeps running. I'm about to follow, but Itachi's hand stops me.

"Don't. Let her cool down." I don't look at him as I walk past him back into her apartment and look for her keys. They wait outside as I turn her lights off before locking the door and placing the key under her doormat. I didn't see her mobile lying around so I quickly text her to tell her where her key is. "Sasuke..." I ignore him and climb into the car, waiting for them to get in. We all sit in silence as he drives back to ours without dropping Deidara off. I huff, he must be staying the night. I check my phone but there's no reply.

I check my phone again for about the 100th time, but there's still no reply. I send another quick text, asking her to reply so I know she's okay. I lie back down on my bed, fiddling with my phone. It's after midnight, but I can't sleep. A few minutes later I get one back;

'Thank you.' I sigh, dropping it on the floor. I look to the side and see the sketch book that she looked through that time. Getting up, I walk to my desk and unlock the bottom drawer with the key on the chain around my neck. I pull out the new sketch book that I'd bought last week and look at it for a while. Grabbing a pencil and rubber, I take them to my bed and sit cross legged. Picking up the pencil, I chew the end a bit thinking of how to start. I make a few strokes, doing a rough outline of a large fox, giving it nine tails like Naruko's fox crystal. Then I draw the outline of a girl lying against the fox before adding detail to the fox's tail, making it lie across the girl slightly.

An hour later, I finish off the detail in the fox's face; its eyes half closed looking softly at the young girl sleeping. I yawn and stretch my arms above my head. Putting the stuff back in my drawer and relocking it, I look out the window to see a car pull up outside. I squint and realise its Naruko's friend; Kiba was it? He gets out slamming the door behind him before walking up to our front door. I head out my room and bump into Itachi in the hallway, looking a bit flustered. I watch as his hand flattens his hair slightly and follow him down the stairs. He hurries down, as if to get there before Kiba starts banging on the door. Our parents wouldn't be exactly pleased to wake up to somebody kicking our door down.

"Don't you realise what time it is?" I stand back slightly as my brother addresses him. I look behind me to see Deidara coming down the stairs, his face also slightly red. What the...

"Time isn't exactly an issue here, Uchiha." I stop thinking about the flushed situation as Kiba punches Itachi in the face. "I hope you're happy with yourself." I look at his fist, still clenched as if he's going to hit him again. I move forward,

"I think you should go." Kiba looks at me quickly before turning back to my brother.

"Not until I'm finished with this bastard. Do you realise what you've done to her? You're supposed to be her best friend but you're just causing her more pain."

"I apologised for what I said. Not that it's any of your business." Kiba snarls at him.

"It is my business when you're fucking with my friend! Can't you see what you're doing to her?" Itachi hangs his head slightly. I watch as Kiba's eyes look past us to Deidara; both their faces are still slightly red and I realise they've been sweating...

"I'm not 'fucking' with her." Kiba's eyes flick back to my brother and steps forward, pushing Itachi slightly.

"Yes you are! You and the blondie behind you are! Just tell her that you are fucking gay for each other so she can get over you!"

"Keep your voice down." I look up at Itachi's face, realising he didn't actually deny Kiba's comment...

"Like hell will I! She's fucking in love with you, you bastard! And you're both taking the piss!" He points past Itachi to Deidara. "And you! You know exactly how she feels and you ain't got the guts to tell her what's really going on!"

"I tried..." Me and my brother both look back at the blonde male; me in confusion and Itachi angry.

"You did what?"

"It was before 'us'. I tried to tell her that you're gay, but she wouldn't listen..." Hang on... my brother's gay?

"Of course she wouldn't listen. Who would want to hear that?"

"I think you boys should go to bed now." I turn around to see mother standing at the bottom of the stairs. "You're lucky your father can sleep through an earthquake. You know what he would say. Sort whatever this is out tomorrow." She lets her gaze fall on me. " Sasuke, bed. You have school tomorrow." We watch her walk back upstairs before sighing in relief that is wasn't father.

"I'm sorry." Itachi looks straight at Kiba. "I didn't mean what I said to her, I was just trying to protect Sasuke. And I will tell her when I figure out how. It's not exactly easy to tell someone you're gay. I'm trying to sort it out with my father first." Right, so he's just admitted it... so why's it so hard not to say the same to her? Kiba sighs.

"I'm sorry too, mate. I shouldn't have come round mouthing off. I may not have known her as long as you, but she means the world to me. She's one of the guys." He runs his hand through his hair. "Look, I doubt she'll want to talk to you any time soon but I'll try talk her round into coming to you. It might be better that way."

"Thank you. Dogbreath." Kiba smiles before heading to his car. Itachi closes the door and we stand in silence for a few moments. My head is buzzing; first the scar incident, now Naruko is in love with my brother but he's gay. With Deidara. I rub my forehead with my thumb and finger as I feel a headache coming on. "Sasuke..."

"I'm going to bed." I walk off, in desperate need of an asprin or something.

"Wait." I stop halfway up the stairs and turn my head slightly.

"I get why you couldn't tell her. What I don't get is how you couldn't tell me." I looked at his pained expression. I feel sorry for him, I know it's got to be hard, but I can't help but feel hurt that he's not only kept this but something about my past from me.

"Sasuke, I..."

"I'm your brother, 'tachi. You should know you can tell me anything." I don't give him a chance to answer as I walk up the rest of the stairs and head to my room. Without turning my light on, I fall on my bed, lying on my side. I hear them come up and stop outside my door for a few moments, before carrying on.

A few days later (Friday).

Sitting in English, I let my mind wander as I look out the window. I can see the school field; it looks like some class is preparing for the sports day in November. Trust Mr Morino to pick November and not a warm month. Blonde catches my eye, and I watch for a few moments as she instructs some kids how to throw the javelin. I scan my eyes over my class, resting on the kid who's reading out from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet; Lee.

"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo? Deny thy father, and refuse thy name." Mr Hatake doesn't even seem like he's paying attention...

"Come in." I look to the door as somebody knocks before entering. Shizune, the head's assistant, walks over to the English teacher and says something to him. He looks up at me. What have I done now...

"Sasuke. The head wants you. Run along now." I put my book in my bag before following Shizune out the door and down the corridor.

"Whatever it was, I didn't do it." She looks down at me and laughs.

"You're not in trouble, Sasuke. Tsunade just wants a word with you." She opens the head's door and ushers me in, closing the door behind me. Leaving me alone with Satan. I cringe slightly at the amount of times I've been scolded in here...

"Sit down, Sasuke." I do as she says and wait for her to say more. I watch as she signs a few bits of paper before turning her attention to me. "I hear you're making some progress in most of your classes." I nod. As well as assignments, I've started studying for the upcoming exams, and re-sits, with the help of my teachers and occasionally Naruko... "I'm glad to hear it. Now here are the dates for your re-sits. Some have been moved to before Christmas, the rest are after with your other exams." I take the slip of paper from her. "I'm assuming you know the payment schedule for these exams." I look at her confused. I'd actually forgotten about that... "I'm guessing that's a no. Naruko hasn't spoken about it to you, has she?"

"No. She hasn't..." I can't believe I'd forgotten about the cost of them.

"Didn't think so." She sighs, before taking her glasses off. "I hope you appreciate what that girl is doing for you. She's given up quite a bit of time to earn to money for these." I look down as my hands, the guilt building up. "I just hope her own studies don't suffer."

"Of course I appreciate it. But..." I shift in my seat and sigh.

"What is it Sasuke?" I look up at her.

"I don't want her to pay for it. She can't even pay her rent sometimes according to Itachi. I don't want her to risk losing her home because of me..." She links her fingers together, resting her chin on the top.

"Then tell her. You could always speak to your parents, Sasuke. It'll be hard, but I can talk to them too." I shake my head.

"I can't." We sit in silence for a few minutes.

"Then why don't you get a part-time job? You could help pay towards it, or pay her back once you've earned enough. Obviously you won't be able to work loads, because you need to focus on your studies for this year and to make up for last year. But I don't see how one day or evening a week would affect it." I guess I could. That Lee works in the kitchen at the restaurant Naruko works at...

"I'll try." She leans back before putting her glasses back on and reading through some papers.

"Good. Now get out. School's almost over." Just as she says that, the bell signalling the end of the day rings.

"Thanks, Miss." I walk out, pulling my shoulder bag over my head so it rests at my side. I've not spoke to Naruko since Wednesday; she seems to be avoiding me at school. I don't blame her. But, it kind of hurts I guess...