Chapter Fourteen
Itachi's eyes fluttered open his eye sight still blurry, it took him a few seconds to recognize his surroundings. He felt something warm and wet on his forehead, him being familiar with this position before, he already knew it was a wet cloth, being placed on his forehead. He glanced to his right, fully opening his eyes, something yellow was moving around. His eye sight finally returned to normal, and he recognized the yellow blur as Naruto.
"Sasuke! He's awake!" Naruto yelled, his cerulean blue eyes, widened in happiness and joy. Itachi felt his happy aura already rubbing on him. Sasuke quickly entered the guest room to see his brother, fully awake. A smile was plastered on the said Uchiha's lips, making his face lit in joy. It was very strange seeing this new emotion for Sasuke, the same could be said about Naruto.
The tired Uchiha looked at both of the teens, confusion washed on his features as he slowly sat up."What happened?" He asked as he placed his hand on his forehead, removing the wet towel. His face pale, than it already was. Naruto slightly shrugged as he glanced at Sasuke then at his older brother. "We don't know, we just found you laying unconscious by the door. Do you remember anything?"
The Uchiha placed his hand on his chin, trying to remember what he had done before collapsing when he entered. He leaned on the bed's frame before he answered with: "I was out to get groceries, that's when I felt dizzy on the way back," Sasuke sighed as he took a chair and sat on it, clearly worried about his older brother's health, despite him trying not to show any sign of worry. "Why would you go out on a weather like this?" He said pointing at the large window, trying not to raise his voice.
"We needed them." He answered simply.
"Then why not get one of the maids to do it?"
"If you haven't noticed Sasuke, none of the maids are here, they're out with mother and father to receive their raise." Sasuke sighed, leaning back in his chair in defeat.
"When will the weather get better?" The quite blond asked, as he cupped his shoulder with his right hand, showing signs of him being nervous.
"The weather is showing no sign of getting better," Sasuke answered. Crossing his arms over his chest, his left hand fiddling his gray colored shirt, in attempt to show no signs of boredom, but that of course failed as both Naruto and Itachi, noticed how bored he really was.
"You guys can leave, I feel much more better now, thanks to the both of you." Itachi smiled.
"But Itachi-" Naruto was cut off by the older Uchiha.
"I'm fine Naruto, please don't worry about me, I'm sure I just caught a cold." Naruto sighed in defeat, if there was on thing the Uchiha's were known for it was for them being very stubborn. The teens both slowly got up to exit the room, but Itachi's voice cut Naruto once again.
"Wait, Naruto," The blond stopped in his tracks and glanced at Itachi, slightly confused. He turned around fully facing Itachi that was still on the bed.
"Why is your cheek swollen?" Itachi asked with a hint of concern lingering in his tone. Naruto didn't quite know how to respond to this, should he lie, or tell him the truth? Him being nervous, he began pulling on his long sleeve, confusion plastered on his tan face.
"I um,"
"Someone bullied you again, didn't they?" Naruto gave up, knowing what he said would obviously make him a liar, he slowly nodded his head, secretly wishing that he had no more question for him.
A sigh escaped the said Uchiha's lips, as looked at Naruto, his dark orbs showing both saddens and concern for the blond. "Don't push yourself too hard and don't stay alone." The Uzumaki smiled at the way Itachi was concerned for him. He nodded before finally exited the room.
As soon as Naruto left the room Itachi sighed once again, still worried about Naruto's health. The dark haired male will always worry about the blond, no matter what state he was in, which showed how much he actually cared for him, for no practical reason at all.
Naruto slowly walked down the halls, up stairs straight to Sasuke's room, he was slightly worried that spending time with Sasuke would make things awkward hence he apologized once again. He took a long breath as he placed his hand on the door knob slowly twisting it, to open the door. There the dark haired male was siting on a couch, opposite side to the window, just like his earlier position. He glanced up from the book he was reading, only to go back to reading again, slowly shifting from his place.
Naruto mentally sighed and sat down, beside the large window, placing his head on the back of his palm, just like before. Just what should he do about Sasuke? He apologized two times and he didn't accept. He was just tired off all the shit currently going on in his life, he wanted to have a reason to live again, but as he thought about it, he did have a reason. There were people in his life who had helped him, both; Tsunade and Itachi, have at least asked him how he was. Even at Itachi's current sickness, he still asked Naruto how he was and how he got those bruises on his cheek. The blond female, had signed a whole paper for the field trip, taking responsibility for him, even though no one else would. That had to be something special, those two people in his life had to be worth fighting for. Plus, Naruto already promised himself to never give up anymore, he wouldn't let anything get in his way anymore, he was sure of it.
"How long, did my manger give me a vacation for?" Naruto suddenly asked, in a bit of a cold tone, not ripping his eyes from the window. The Uchiha, flinched at Naruto's attempt to make a conversation with him, he grew a bit anxious. Closing the book and placing it down, he looked at the other male, still noticing him staring at the view the window held.
"For a week."
"Okay." Came Naruto's simple yet scary reply. The other teen, sighed scolding himself, for his short reply also. He took a deep breath and looked at the other.
"Naruto, I want to be your friend again." This caught the blond off guard, he looked at Sasuke furrowing his eyebrows, sighing a bit as he pulled on his long sleeve in attempt to calm down.
"Not this again," He whispered, but loud enough for the other male to hear.
"I'm serious Naruto, I made a mistake," The Uchiha's eyes scanned Naruto features, trying to read his reaction towards his apology but he remained silent, giving no response whats so ever. Sasuke decided this was his Que to talk.
"I'm very sorry for hurting you, it was a huge mistake I made,"
"If you really were sorry, you would've apologized earlier." Naruto said harshly, coldness lingering in his tone, noticing he had no problem talking to Sasuke without stuttering or looking down anymore, he was completely fine, and he was relived about that.
"I didn't realize I was this wrong until now,"
"Well, it's too late for apologizes, I've been through hell because of you." He said his attention completely focused on the Uchiha, as he got up. Sasuke rubbed his forehead and got up as well, facing the Uzumaki.
"I..I know, that's why I want to make it up to you," He said his orbs reflecting sympathy towards the blond.
and after along pause he continued "I wanted to be there for you, I really did."
"Then where were you, when I needed you?!" The blond couldn't take it anymore, he finally lost it and rose his voice. Sasuke was taken a back by Naruto raising his voice, he gulped the lump in his throat, trying to look away, but of course he couldn't.
"Where were you when they beat the shit out of me almost everyday?! Oh that's right you never cared!"
"I do care! That's why I want to be friends again! So I can protect you!"
"No! You don't want to become friends, face it the only reason you do, is because you feel guilty!" Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise, he felt his body freeze, he felt time slowing down, he felt his heat drop, he felt something he didn't know he would feel in years.
Fear.
Did it finally come to this? Was he going to lose Naruto forever?
"Just stop lying, if you actually cared, you wouldn't leave me there when I needed you the most." The angry teen clutched his hands into fists, staring deeply into Sasuke's eyes that reflected shock and another emotion he couldn't make out.
"And I'm glad, you didn't return my feelings, Sasuke," He brought his hand to his face, removing some of his golden strands from his tanned face. "Because, then I wouldn't get to see this dark side of yours." He scoffed, grabbing his bag, swinging it over behind his back, soon exiting the Uchiha's room.
Sasuke just stood there speechless.
Naruto for once in his life felt like he accomplished something, he felt like he finally did something right by telling Sasuke off. Just before Naruto wanted to leave he knocked on Itachi's room, to see him one more time before leaving. After a 'come in' was heard Naruto entered smiling a bit as he saw the older Uchiha.
"Ah Naruto," Itachi, was organizing some papers he had on his desk when Naruto entered.
"I was just about to leave, I wanted to say, hope you feel better soon,"He smiled. Itachi felt his lips being brought up to a sincere smile.
"Thank you," The teen nodded with a smile, before exiting the room. He finally made it to the door and exited the whole Uchiha mansion. He felt relived, he had been there for hours straight since it was raining, he thanked god that the rain stopped as soon as he had a argument with Sasuke. Things would've been very awkward for the both of them and it maybe could've gotten even worse.
He sighed in relief, gripping tightly onto his bag, as he felt the cold breeze hit his face.
I'm not a burden.
This chapter is dedicated to Chonan :)
I wanted to thank them for their support.
