DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. (Though the OCs are mine!)

Webs of Deception

Chapter Fourteen

I Felt Cut

Itachi re-entered the dining room with a needle and a bottle of black ink within his right hand. His onyx eyes glanced over to the emptied spot where once stood his younger brother. "Where did Sasuke go?" he asked to no one in particular but wasn't surprised when Naruto was the one who answered, "He went out back." his voice barely above a whisper. But that whisper spoke of the regret and quilt he was feeling.

"And yet you're still here." he responded blandly as he placed the needle and bottle by the new member of Akuma.

Naruto looked up at the oldest Uchiha with a blank expression and remained silent. But Miki wasn't so keen on keeping silent, "Why should he go after that prick even after what--" a brutal kick to his shin interrupted what he was about to say out loud in front of the one person who would surely kill Sasuke if he found out what the raven did to Naruto. Miki's head fell to the table with a audible thud at the painful throbbing in his shin. 'Fuck.....that was the same shin as before.'

Gaara lifted an non-existent eyebrow, quite interested in what Miki was going to say. But since the white haired male was tending to his abused shin, he turned his attention to the blond who delivered the blow in the first place. He gave his new Captain a look that silently asked him to finish what the other male was going to say. But Naruto only showed the red head a innocent smile and shrugged his shoulders like Miki wasn't going to say anything that would turn him homicidal.

A sigh left Gaara's mouth, "Fine, I'll let it go for now." he said defeated, as he stare at the blond with emotionless eyes. "But whatever the Uchiha did, better not happen again."

Naruto shook his hand dismissively, wanting to change the subject away from that moment in time and anything that involved the raven haired man. He just wanted to think of something other than him. That's all that's been running through his mind since Sasuke and Sakura came to them with the scroll from Tsunade. And the more he thought about the raven, the guiltier he was feeling. And he didn't need to feel guilty about what he was doing. It was the right thing. Well, that was what he kept trying to convince himself.

"So, what's your mission name anyway?" he quickly changed the subject, which resulted in Itachi shaking his head disapprovingly. He did not like how Naruto was handling the situation with Sasuke. He even knew the reasons why Naruto was practically pushing Sasuke over a cliff and he still thought the blond was being a complete idiot. Sasuke had a right to know these reasons why. And if it wasn't for the fact that Naruto was the one that needed to talk to Sasuke, he would of done so himself along time away. He saw what the blond's idiocy was doing to the both of them. So maybe he needed to meddle just a little bit more to get something done.

"Kaku." he said without even thinking about it. He already knew what his mission name would be years ago.

"Kaku?" repeated Naruto with a questioning look on his face. "That's real inventive Gaara, you know that." his tone full of sarcasticness as the name 'Shukaku' ran through his brain. 'Real inventive indeed.....'

"Hmn. Problem with the name I picked?"

"No! No.....it's just fine!" he reassured quickly while waving his hands, "So, now we have your mission name......all we need is to get you a cloak and mask."

Once the word 'mask' came out of the blond's mouth, Gaara reached down to his side and brought out a mask from a pouch that was hanging from one of the straps around his waist. He lifted it above the table to his Captain's line of vision, to show that he already had a mask. The animal that the mask depicted was a raccoon, which didn't surprise Naruto in the least.

The latter grinned widely, "Well, that solves that one. And we always carry spare cloaks, so that solves the other." he paused shortly, contemplating what else needed to be said. "Hmmmm......you already know all the rules and all that stuff....."

"Neji said that there was something that needed to be looked through that involved me." he stated, taking glances at the papers, folders and boxes littering the dining room.

Naruto nodded his head, thankful that he was reminded. Because he almost forget to tell the red head about that. "Yeah, you know the mission we were on before we came here?"

"Hmn."

"Well, while looking for the target I found this secret room that was filled with a large amount of information about the seven jinchuuriki's and the nine bijuu's. 'Tachi and I took everything that was within that room." Using his hand to point at the contents within the room. "And as you can see, there's a lot to look through."

"Do you know who collected all this?" wondering if it could possibly be a reformed Akatsuki.

Before Naruto could guiltily admit that he hasn't had the chance to look at any of the papers, Itachi answered, "A group called Ouroboros. And where did Ruri-san and Kyoko-san go?" asking the last one as an afterthought. Deciding to let the Sasuke situation go at least for tonight. But tomorrow he would have to somehow get a civil conversation with his little brother started. That could pose a bigger problem than it appears......

"Hah, beverages!" chimed in Miki.

"A.K.A alcohol." corrected Neji, talking for the first time since he stepped within the room.

"Damn straight! It wouldn't be a party without alcohol! But they wouldn't let me come with! Something about me buying too much....." he trailed off with a shrug of his shoulders. "Anyway, can we get all this business crap done before the girls get back with the drinks? We don't want this party to be stalled just because you two can't get your heads out of you asses for just one night!"

Naruto stared at the white older male for a moment longer before saying sarcastically, "You know Miki, you have such a way with words." and strangely ended it with a fluttered of his eyes. He chuckled when Miki's face morphed into a what the fuck look, then he turned back to Gaara. "To make a possible long story short, we'll here as extra protection for the chuunin exams and me, Ruri-chan and Uchiha are also going to participate in the exams so we can keep a closer eye on Cho." after he said this in one breath, he took a deep breath of air to replenish what he lost.

Gaara's expression didn't change with the information about Uchiha being one of the ones that will be with Naruto throughout the exams, instead he turned his upper body around and stared at Jiraiya. Who was looking at anything other than the intense gaze that was directed at him. "Why would Tsunade-sama put Naruto and Uchiha on the same team even knowing their history?" he asked in a monotone voice, not showing the apprehension that he was feeling with those two being alone with each other for a long period of time that wasn't necessary.

"Oh that's easy!" began Jiraiya loudly, his mind coming up with the logically excuse that Tsunade and him put together as to why she would put them on same team even knowing that it wasn't that healthy to put them together, especially after what happened earier today. But it wasn't the real reason why the blond sannin put them together. Oh no, she had an ultimate motive that she had already planned and if it failed, he had a feeling that she already had a backup plan.

Though what he couldn't understand was why she would put so much energy into getting the two of them back together. She doesn't even like the Uchiha. But he has to admit—grudgingly that is, even to only himself--that Sasuke makes his blond student happy. Even though he really couldn't see why. "Because he's the Anbu Captain and Naruto here is the leader of Akuma. It's only common sense that the both of them would be the ones selected to be put on the team." he finished off with a huge cheesy grin to show that it was good reasoning.

It would have been just that, if Gaara didn't know any better. But he knew how the Hokage liked to interfere in this kind of matter. And having an accomplish within the group--mainly known as Itachi--helped a lot. Gaara kept his eyes on Jiraiya in a calculating way, hoping if he did this for a good amount of time that the other would crack and spill what was really planned.

And it was working because the older sannin began to sweat and fidget on the spot. But dammit, Naruto had to interrupted! "Come on Gaara it's fine. It's only for the exams and besides, it's not like I can't be around him without losing my concentration." Ohhhh, how he wasn't even believing his own words. And apparently no one else was believing his words either, since they were all giving him disbelieving looks--except for Gaara, he was just staring at him with his ever present blank expression.

"God! You guys have no faith in me!" he yelled at them accusingly.

"Not when it comes to Sasuke." said Itachi, okay maybe he won't wait till tomorrow. The moment is just too tempting not to take. "If you just straighten things out with him then--"

"And what about you!" snapped Naruto, finally reaching the end of his rope when it came to the older male. "Don't you think you have some things to straighten out with him?!" his anger rising with how much Itachi kept pushing him with this situation with Sasuke.

"Yes. But I'm not the one that's killing him. You are." he boldly stated, getting quite agitated with the blond.

Naruto's eyes dangerously flashed red and an ominous chakra filled the room as he glared at the older Uchiha. Everyone else waited in baited breath of what would happen between the two. But unexpectedly, Naruto merely stood from his chair and snatched his fox mask and cloak that was laying on the table. All the while sending an Uzumaki glare to the other before turning to leave.

"That's right Naruto, run. Do what you do best." Itachi sneered at the blond's back as the latter existed the dining room.

Once the sight of Naruto was gone, the other five males besides Itachi turned their attentions to the raven like he done something extremely stupid.

Gaara shook his head, "I think you went too far with that."

"Hmn."

Naruto stalked down the hall while shoving his arms in the sleeves of his cloak. His ears picking up the slight sound of the stitching straining from the brutal treatment he was giving the material. 'Fucking asshole! Thinks he knows everything!' he thought angrily as he tied his cloak in place.

'I happen to agree with said asshole.' chimed in Kyuubi from the blond's head. Who snapped back with, 'Who the fuck asked you?!'

'You should know that I will give my opinion without being asked. I'm just generous like that.'

He secured his mask on his face and lifted his hood to cover his blond hair just before reaching the front entrance. And just his luck, at the same time that he was about to leave the house, Ruri and Kyoko came back from retrieving alcohol. "Ah Taichou, are you going somewhere?" Ruri asked curiously when she spotted the blond. But he merely ignored them and continued passed them and down the path.

'I don't want your generosity Kyuu! I just want to be left alone! I just want.....' he trailed off before he could say what he really wanted, what he believed he couldn't have. 'Just leave me alone Kyuu.....' and with that, he jumped to the nearest roof.


Sasuke had himself leaning against the rough surface of a tree trunk, that was located a resemble distance from his house. Light from the late-day filtered through between the branches of the trees, illuminating the shaded forest. The birds that lived within the forest could be heard chirping happily in the distance. Which had the raven, who was presently staring blankly at a kunai swirling around his finger, holding down his instinct to hunt down those damn birds and killing them for taunting him with their un-welcomed happiness.

Maybe he was being spiteful but he didn't want to see or hear anyone or anything happy when he wasn't. It just hurt to know that other people had the happiness that he wanted and could of had if it wasn't for some blond that left him alone. That left him......

That has been running through his mind throughout the whole day. 'He left me....' Not died but left. Betraying everything that he did and said to the blond when he stepped one foot outside of Konoha. True, he didn't know the answer to that one question of 'why' he left but he knew that he left. And right now, at this very moment, that's all that mattered. 'He betrayed me....'

The finger that swirled the kunai stopped, resulting in the kunai to slow and eventually stop as his mind unwillingly brought up the memory of when he found out that something went wrong with Naruto's supposed mission.....


The sun shown brightly down upon the figure leaning against the reddish-orange railing. The boy's head tilted upward to gaze at the clear blue sky. The blueness reminding him of a certain blond boy's eyes that he loved so much. Since no one was around, he let a small smile appear on his features when he thought of it.

It's been three days and four nights since their night of pure passion and three days and three nights since he found out that his dobe was sent on a mission. And through those days, he obviously hasn't seen Naruto and for some odd reason it made him slightly nervous. Because a part of his mind hoped that, that night truly meant everything to the blond as much as it did to him.

When he first woke up that day and found out that Naruto was no where in sight, it scared him. Because the first thing that popped into his mind was that it was some kind of one night stand. Until he saw the note on his nightstand and read the contents. He scowled at the defenseless piece of paper, maybe he didn't like being left with a simple note when it could have had a tan and warm body lying next to him. That would have definitely been better.

But he partly accepted what was written. Partly meaning that after half a days worth of waiting for the blond to show back up, he went to check with the Sandaime. And the old man confirmed what the blond wrote and said that he sent him on a two to three day mission.

'Damn him and sending my dobe on a mission on the morning right after we.....damn old man.' he thought as he closed his eyes. It didn't matter anyway, his dobe was coming home today. And god, he couldn't wait to see his face again. To see those sparkling sapphire eyes and his bright smile. To feel him underneath him, writhing with his hot breath against his skin. His member began to harden at the images from that night flashed in front of his mind's eye. Giving him a slow replay of that night's imitate events.

A deep throated groan escaped through his slightly parted lips when he thought of him entering Naruto's tight hole. The feeling of the blond's muscles wrapped around him and just knowing that he was inside of the one he loved. He didn't care that they were still young, it just.......felt right.

He was instantly brought out of his replay when a annoyingly familiar shrilly voice asked franticly, "Sasuke-kun are you alright? I heard some kind of groan coming from you. Like you were hurt or something. Are you alright?"

'I would be better if you weren't here.' he mentally sneered. And how the hell did she get so close without him noticing. Must have been so involved in his memories that he just didn't bother to take notice of his pink haired annoyance approaching. You would think that would set off some kind of alarms or something.

But he had to admit, she was definitely the perfect mood killer. Just her mere voice got rid of his 'problem'. Well, at least he now knows that when he doesn't need an erection, he knows who to think of. He wonders why he hasn't thought of her to begin with. Maybe because Naruto was usually around and it would do no good to even try.

"Hmn." he responded blankly as he went back to staring at the sky. Unfortunately leaving Sakura to her own devices. Which concluded with her rambling on and on about one thing or another. He just simply tuned her out as best he could and waited until Kakashi relieved him from his human torturer.

And that didn't happen for another two hours when a puff of smoke appeared in front of them. When the smoke cleared, there stood Kakashi and the first thing that Sasuke noticed was that the older man was without his perverted book within his grasp. He lifted an eyebrow at the thought of Kakashi without his usual book. It was kind of odd. You usually never see the jounin without the damn thing. He was so used to seeing Kakashi with the book that now it made it seem that he was missing a arm.

And the second was the solemn expression showing on the older man's face. Something was wrong, he knew because Kakashi rarely had such a expression. Hell, he didn't know that the man's face could turn that serious. Since in the sense of normality, the man was insane. So it must be bad.

"YOU'RE LATE!!!" Sakura screamed the usual upon the silver haired jounin's late arrival. But when she noticed that his book was no where in sight. 'Eh...'

Kakashi took a barely noticeable breath, "I was in a meeting with the Hokage, with other shinobi that will partake in the searching." his voice showing that there was no lie present in what he was saying.

"Searching....?" echoed Sakura, "Searching for what?"

Sasuke's brows knitted together when their sensei's face showed more solemn. He waited patiently for the other's answer as he watched the older man's muscles in his jaw clench and unclench. Kakashi opened his mouth and all but whispered, "Naruto."

"Naruto?" repeated Sasuke, wanting to make sure that, that was the name that was said. 'Please let me be wrong.' he begged himself but when Kakashi sullenly nodded his head, the world around him seemed to shatter. 'No....'

Tears were brimming Sakura's eyes as she particularly screamed out, "Naruto! Why are you searching for him?! What happened?!"

"We don't know if anything happened. The last we heard from him was when he contacted the day before that he was returning. But he still hasn't come back and there hasn't been any other contacts that he was running late or anything. Before I was informed of this, a search party was sent out to find him. Only one came back but thanks to the severe wounds he received, he died before anyone could get anything from him." He paused shortly, dreading what he was going to say next. "Since the shinobi that were sent to search for Naruto were of Anbu stasis, they concluded that it's of a low percentage that Naruto would even be alive. So now......search groups have been formed to search for the bodies of the three missing Anbu and.....the body of Naruto....."

Sakura was, by now, sobbing and crying her eyes out. Her hands covering her face as salty tears cascading down her cheeks. The force of her sobs shaking her body fiercely.

Sasuke just stood......his eyes not really seeing what was in front of him as his mind tried to comprehend what his sensei just told them. Each word that was spoken sent a stab of pain to his heart. 'No no no, Naruto can't be dead.....he can't be.....' He felt like all the air was being sucked out of him. He found it so hard to breath. How can everything be fine one moment and then the next you find yourself underneath an invincible force that was slowly crushing you.

Somehow he managed to find his voice through this all too familiar anguish, "B-But Naruto could still be a-alive. Right?" Wanting the reassurance from someone other than his own mind. He needed it....

But that need wasn't fulfilled when he saw Kakashi lower his eyes to the wooden panels of the bridge. He bit the inside of his cheek until it bled. The coppery taste sliding over his taste buds and flowing down his throat as he swallowed deeply. His mind desperately pleading to any God that heard him, 'Please let Naruto be alright.....please......'


Sasuke's eyes closed at that memory, not wanting to remember the pain he felt when he and Sakura received the news. He thought that was the worst pain he ever felt but now he was starting to wonder that. Because the pain he was feeling now, seemed so much worst. It was the betrayal that made it worst. It made it hurt more, because it made him doubt completely of what the blond said during their night together. He didn't know if it was true.

If he was judging the factuality of it with Naruto's actions, then he lied about everything that he said. Everything.....And that's what Sasuke was beginning to believe. And he couldn't take the pain that came with believing this. It was too much. He needed something to take it away. Even if it was only for a moment......That's why he was intently staring at the still kunai dangling from his finger.

It's been close to four years since he took his emotional pain away with physical pain. He remembered how the physical pain overshadowed the emotional and that's what he wanted. He wanted to feel in control when his emotions were not. To feel the twisted rush when he saw his blood flowing from the wounds he created.

He swirled the kunai around once and gripped it within his hand before he removed the white arm protectors and the black forearm length glove from his left arm. Once these items of clothing were removed, small vertical and horizontal scars could clearly be seen, which littered his whole lower arm. If his other arm was bare, then you would see the exact same thing, scars from his past.

His eyes glanced back and forth between the kunai in his right hand and to his scarred covered arm. Some people would think that he was reconsidering what he was about to do, but no, he was wondering where he was going to start. This was an act that meant something--creating pain in order to get rid of pain. He found that ironic, that in order to get rid of something emotional, you have to do the same thing physically. Weird huh....

Sasuke straightened his arm out and held the kunai firmly against his skin in the middle of the inside of his arm. He pressed down slowly, digging the blade deeper and deeper in his skin the harder he pressed. He watched in weird fascination as blood started bubbling around the blade of the kunai. After another moment of just pressing down, he slid the blade across his skin. Closing his eyes at the feeling that always came with the self mutilation.

Freedom.

He re-opened his eyes and looked down at the deep cut that he created, which also resulted in blood sliding down on all sides of his arm and dripping to the forest floor below. It was only a moment that he was free from his emotions. A moment that was too short. This was one of his problems, one of the reasons why he stopped before. He couldn't get enough. And with each time he did this, he would cut more, cut deeper. Because he wanted the pain to just go away--to be rid of it.

His hand subconsciously positioned itself above his arm to cut again. 'It won't hurt if I just do it one more time.....'


Meanwhile, Ruri and Kyoko watched as Naruto left the premises with worry written all over their faces. The both of them glanced at each other before they hurried to the dining room. The bags within their hands swinging in their rush. "What's wrong with Naru-chan?!" Kyoko asked before Ruri had the chance.

They both placed the bags on the table as Miki said, "Ask Itachi? He's the one that ruined the party before it even got started." He reached forward and grabbed one of the bottles from inside one of bags. "Oh alcohol, how I need you with all this drama that's draining me." his voice melodic as his hand tilted the bottle so he could read the label, then uncorked it and took a big swig of the liquid, a little dripping down his chin. The liquid burned burned slightly as he swallowed it in one gulp and used his other hand that wasn't holding the bottle to wipe the excess off of his chin with his cloak sleeve.

Ruri looked over at the older male, "Itachi-san?" she asked firmly while taking off her mask that hid her face.

The raven stared blankly at her for a long moment, knowing she already had a inkling why Naruto was pissed off. "I told him the truth of what's he doing to Sasuke. And I took it upon myself a long time ago to keep them both safe. Even if it meant hurting one so I could save the other's life." The tone of his voice showing no regrets of what he stated tonight.

"But you keep pushing too hard, Itachi-san. It hasn't even been a day since Uchiha-san found out about Taichou." she was about to go on but Itachi interrupted her before she could continued. "That's true but Naruto has been around Sasuke for over a week now and he still holds onto his ridiculous logic that he, in the long run, would only hurt Sasuke if they both get romantic attached to each other again. And by the time he even comes to the conclusion that this logic is idiotic just by himself, Sasuke will already be too broken to repair or worse, he would be dead."

"Y-You don't think Sasu-chan will--"

"SASU-CHAN!!" bellowed Miki at the female red head but everyone ignored his outburst. Itachi didn't even have to hear the rest of what Kyoko had to say to know what she meant. "Yes, I do."

"I know that brat has always been unstable but damn, to kill himself! I may not like him but I just can't see that arrogant ass going to such extremes!" commented Jiraiya.

"Neither can I." chimed in Neji, "As his subordinate, I'm around him on all missions and personally I can't say that he's suicidal. What do you think Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru's eyes didn't even leave the page he was reading as he began simply, "He is." which surprised a few. "He just hides it well. And I have to agree with Itachi and that it all roots from Naruto." He paused shortly as his brows creased together. "If I remember a text correctly...." And everyone within the room knew that he had. They didn't know why he even bothered to say that. ".....that this...obsession has something to do with Uchiha genetics." Then he fell silent, indicating that he wasn't going to say anymore.

"Hmn. I'm surprised that you even know about that. Not many do." stated Itachi as he folded his hands together on the surface of the table.

The lazy nin shrugged his shoulders, "I was bored. Thought breaking into Uchiha's house and reading some of his families secret scrolls would liven up my life." Many occupants of the room blinked in shock at the jounin. Not that he broke into someone's home, that he actually would even bother to do that much work without being ordered to.

Ruri was the first to break the shocked silence by unintentionally accusing, "You've never said anything about special genetics or the like."

Itachi's eyebrow quirk at her, slightly surprised at the accusation showing in her voice. "Have you told me about your families specific genetic traits?"

A light blush dusted her cheeks as she opened her mouth but decided to close it again, not really knowing what to say to that. He smirked at her lack of response. "It's not something you bring up in a conversation. I haven't even told Naruto about this trait of my family." Then he fell silent and appeared that he wasn't going to continue, until Miki asked, "Are you gonna tell us or not?" Believe it or not, he was actually interested to hear this.

Itachi sighed and began his explanation with slight reluctance. "It's a behavioral genetic trait that runs in the Uchiha lineage." pausing shortly, thinking of how he would word this. Also, this gave enough time for Kyoko and Ruri to settled themselves in their previous chairs. "It's similar to what demons and hanyou's would call 'mating'.....but there is differences between the two. In my family they called your other half, abikaasa(1), the one that an Uchiha chooses to be with emotionally and sexually. But unlike demons and hanyou's, an abikaasa is normally subconsciously chosen and sexual intercourse and ritual of marking the person isn't required for a connection with the chosen person to be formed."

"What does this have to do with Sasu-chan attempting suicide?" Kyoko asked while Miki's eye twitched at the familiarity of 'Sasu-chan'.

"Sasuke chose Naruto as his abikaasa at a very young age--" Before he could continue on, he was interrupted by Ruri asking, "How young?" Her interest intrigued with the kind of connection that was between her Taichou and Uchiha-san and how long this connection has been forming.

Itachi's jaw clenched slightly and glared at being interrupted. "If I remember right, a month or two after his seventh birthday."

"That's a really young for a boy to choose another person he wanted to spend his life with."

"He didn't consciously choose Naruto. As I said before, his subconscious chose his abikaasa." he informed her as his onyx eyes bore into hers.

"Then how did you know that Taichou was Uchiha-san's abikaasa? Is their some kinds of signs or something?"

"Yes there is. Uchiha's naturally have high levels of pride and an already built in superiority complex. So when Sasuke started taking an interest in some boy, where he didn't have any interest in anyone before, it became obvious. Especially when, as Nara-san put it, became to obsess over him."

"Then Uchiha doesn't really love Naruto. It's only an obsession." chimed in Gaara with his voice hinting the danger of such a thing being true.

"I didn't say that." he said as he turned his head toward the red head further down the table, then asked out of the blue. "As being a jinchuuriki, do you consider Hyuuga-san your mate?" Hoping to prove a point that will help the blond's very over-protective friend like brother to help understand situation.

Gaara's eyes only widened a fraction at the unexpected question thrown at him. The surprise remained in his eyes for another second before it went back to showing nothing. He blinked once then gave his one word answer, "Yes."

"And what did you think it was when this unknown emotion appeared?"

"Infatuation." was the immediate reply. He knew this because he spent months pondering over what the unfamiliar emotion was.

Itachi smirked, already expecting that kind of answer from the red head. "Then, in the beginning, you wouldn't classify it as a feeling of like or love?" This resulted in Gaara's eye to twitch and both of them to narrow as he replied in a slight growl, "No." Knowing that he—unfortunately--had lost this argument. 'Damn him and his over-protectiveness of that damn younger brother of his.'

The raven's smirk lengthen, "Then you shouldn't expect a seven year old to." He full-heartedly enjoyed winning arguments with the red head--especially this one.

Kyoko felt completely confused about the whole thing and this confusion showed on her features. Her face was screwed up in a look of concentration as she let out a exaggerated growl and threw her hands up in the air. "But what does this have to do with Sasu-chan's suicidal problem?!"

Itachi audibly sighed at the girls inability to read between the lines. "To put it in simple terms, Uchiha's only love once, period. There's no ands, no maybes, there's only that one and Sasuke experienced losing that one person. And in my family there were two groups that these people were separated into. The first one were the ones that deal with the loss and still live a reasonably enjoyable life. The other were the ones that just couldn't deal with the loss of their abikaasa. They would usually go into a deep depression and lock themselves away, physically or emotionally, from everyone else. And the two people that I knew of that this happened to, eventually committed suicide."

The red headed female nodded her head in understanding but that didn't answer another thing. "But that doesn't explain why he's still like that, Naru-chan's back. So, shouldn't he be fine and not taking of his own life?"

"I think you misunderstood, this genetic trait will simply make him unable to intimately love anyone else. It won't stop his other emotions that he's probably feeling because of Naruto. Which, thanks to the episode of hitting Naruto numerous times, clearly shows that he won't stop suffering unless everything is cleared up."

Miki took another long swig of his alcohol, which by now was slightly below half, and slammed the bottle back down on the table, catching everyone's attention. "That's it! No more of this depressing shit! You!" he exclaimed while blatantly pointing his swaying finger at Ruri. "You have a tattoo to do on our shiningly new member's neck!" He wanted to get away from this emo-ness of a subject that involved the younger raven. Because he was beginning to wonder, even if he didn't like seeing his friend get hurt, if Naruto didn't have what the raven did coming to him. 'Damn these two are going to drive me nuts! Or drive me into a permanently drunken state.....'

While Ruri was rising from her chair and walking around the table to Gaara, she asked to the oldest Uchiha, "Does Uchiha-san even know about this abikaasa business?" She grabbed the needle and ink that was on Gaara's right, then placed the bottle of ink on his left and kept the needle in her hand.

Gaara stood, swirled his chair around and straddled the seat with his arms encircling the back of the chair and laying them on the table. His head leaned forward over the top of the chair, exposing the back of his neck to Ruri behind him.

"I don't believe he does. But I also could be wrong." answered Itachi as he stood and walked to the kitchen to retrieve himself a glass.

Ruri nodded absentmindedly as she lowered her hand to one of her pouches attached to her waist. She opened it and stuck her hand within, only to pull the limb back out three seconds later with a sealed antiseptic wipe. She tore the package open and took the wipe out, bringing it to the back of Gaara's neck and wiping the area clean. Once done she disposed of the wipe by throwing it to the table. Then she held her hand out toward Miki, in a silent demand of something that was on his being.

He gazed at the hand for a long moment, his alcohol hazed mind not comprehending what the hell she wanted from him. "Miki-san, match." she reminded sternly, which caused a look of comprehension. He fumbled with one of his own pouches that held his matches, mumbling under his breath, "Damn, piece of shit.....won't open....." he let out a couple of colorful curses as Itachi reentered the dining room with a clean glass in his hand.

Itachi used his other hand and dug into one of his pouches, effortlessly bringing out a match for Ruri. He handed the small stick to the younger woman as he stated to the almost drunken Miki, "Don't bother." Which the latter was silently thankful for, because his pouch was being a complete ass to it's owner. He bet other pouches wouldn't do that to their owners.

Ruri lit the match and passed the needle in her hand through the flame to disinfect the thin piece of metal. When she thought it was done, she removed the needle from the flame and blew the flame out, disposing the mostly charred stub on the wipe from before. "Now Gaara-san, please refrain your sand. This is going to sting some." she informed as she leaned closer and lowered the needle closer to the other's neck.

He replied with a simple "Hmn." and that's when she began the long procedure of creating the Akuma tattoo.


1) Abikaasa--mate/husband or wife in Estonian.