Tired of It All

Chapter 17: The Other Side

"

Are you just going to stare at me?" Naruto cocked his head to the side. Itachi shook his head with a smile across his face.

"I need to get home, Make sure Sasuke is okay." Naruto watched Itachi with concern as he walked to the front door.

"He is still my brother." He closed the door with that last sentence. Naruto fell back on the couch and let out a deep sigh. 

The drive home was silent, The older Raven was almost distracted. His eyes were drying up from how little he blinked. When he finally made it home the moment he opened the door a hand collided with his face, SMACK! For a breif moment his eyes watered and widened after, it was the shock of being slapped. When he finally finished processing what happened he realized his assulter was his mother. Her eyes had pools of tears in the corner of them,

"Why would you hit your brother like that?!" Her voice was shaky and cracked.

"What would your father say?!"

Itachi grabbed her wrist gentle to make sure she didn't make another sudden decision to slap him again,

"If you knew what was going on with your son, you would understand," Itachi's composure was calm, serious.

"The school said he got into an argument with another boy, then you went and punched him, why would you do that?"

Itachi sighed "Mother he was the one who started the argument, he was the one acting irrational. If father was here and knew what was going one I'm sure he would think that otouto needed to grow up." He moved his Mother out of his way and headed towards Sasuke's room, leaving his mother with that as his only explanation.

The Raven knocked lightly on his brother's door before letting himself in.

"Otouto?" He whispered just in case his Kid brother was still asleep.. or more appropriately knocked out. A loud grunt let him know that Sasuke was awake, and very unpleasant but no matter he didn't have patience to walk on eggshells for his brother,

"I'm glad you're awake, I didn't want to hit you so hard--" Sasuke cut the rest of his sentence off.

" Then why did you hit me? Why would you help that.. that Faggot?!" Sasuke's harsh wording took him back a bit.

"Is that really how you see him? Didn't you used to be best friends? And if he is a faggot what exactly does that make me?" The silence after between them made the air more tense as Sasuke tried to find his answer.

Before he could Itachi continued "Since you seem to hate faggots so much then do you perhaps hate me?"

Sasuke had never thought of the world 'hate' and his brother in one sentence, he never thought about hating him. Sasuke honestly didn't know how to answer, he never thought the day would come were his Nii-san actually asked how he felt.

"No... no, I don't hate you.." the words came from his lips so slowly, trying to put word in front of word.

"Yo..you just make me so damn angry!" His fist now clenching on his lap.

Itachi narrowed his brows as he listened

"you leave.. you leave for so long, you show others affection, you come back and act as if everything is normal and never make anytime for me, you're acting almost like dad," he stared at the floor as if it had all the answers.

"So why? Sasuke, why do you hate Naruto?"

His eyes redirected to his Nii-san. If he actually thought about it He didn't really hate Naruto either, the Blond always acted as if he was Sasuke's brother. Maybe that was what made him act so harshly "You.. were never really here for me to lash out at you... but Naruto.. he always was. Being around him just... pissed me off more! When he said we were like brothers... when he pushed to be closer..." his jaw tensed, grinding his back teeth.

"Then he came out... it was just to easy... it keep going from there. The anger would go away for a bit but it alway came back! I didn't know what to do so I did what I knew!!"

Sasuke took a deep breath, "and now seeing you hang out with him so much lately.. "

Itachi placed the tip of his index and middle finger on Sasuke's forehead "Foolish little brother,"

Sasuke stared at Itachi for a few minutes

"I.. guess you want me to apologize to the Dobe huh?"

Itachi nodded "That would be best, not now though, give him a break, I'm sure he doesn't want to see you. I wouldn't."

Itachi got up and left Sasuke's room, closing the door behind him. His thoughts wandered to the Blond boy they spoke about, what was he doing? He didn't seem very happy when he dropped him off. Itachi walked back to his car, ready to go back.

 
Naruto was sitting on his bed, head between his knees. Pain pulsed through his head and all he wanted was for it to stop. He beat the palms of his hands to his temple's,

"Stop!"

His face cringed and twisted in pain. He grinded his teeth and pulled at his hair. He let himself fall back against the couch and took deep breaths, trying to calm himself.  His breathing was heavy, he got up to pour himself a glass of water. His nerves felt calmer but his head still ached. He had more control over the tears that wanted to pour out.

His thoughts wondered to places it shouldn't, what he wanted, he shouldn't.. but Itachi wasn't there this time, no one else would get hurt, no one. 

Itachi had a hard time getting to the Blonds house, traffic was heavy and slow. By the time he got back to Naruto's place the sun was setting, he was sure his mother didn't mind him being out so late. It was sprinkling outside, very lightly, the Raven quickly made his way to the Blonds door.

Knock! Knock! Knock! The Ravens heavy knuckles clashed against the door repeatedly. He waited patiently for the sweet Blond to answer. He was pleased with himself knowing he was helping his friend. A smile plastered across his face, small and soft.