Love for a Brother

AN: This chapter contains illegal drug usage. I do not condone any such drug usage, and do not recommend doing such drugs in any way, shape, or form.

It was as if that look had been one of dismissal, but Sasuke didn’t dwell on that thought. If he had to admit that he had been emotionally wounded by a look, he’d die first. Instead, he walked to the table and sat across from Itachi.

“Finally decided to grace us with your presence?”

Ino suppressed a giggle.

“I could ask you the same question,” was Sasuke’s reply.

Now it was known that he had been upset by the bastard’s absence. Smooth. The room was now thick with tension, and Sasuke had Itachi’s full attention. The two stared at each other while Sasuke tried to discern what exactly the look Itachi was giving him meant. Was it guilt?

Ino cheerily clapped her hands after a lengthy moment of silence, “Well, we’re all here now!”

The spell between the brothers broke and they looked away from the other, the air evermore tense than but a moment before. Ino glanced worriedly at Itachi, but he ignored her and reached into a greasy paper bag to retrieve the food he had purchased for Sasuke.

Suddenly Sasuke felt guilty for ever saying anything in the first place. It’s not like Itachi intentionally avoided his family for so many years. There was no way that he ignored Sasuke on purpose…

Itachi reached over the table to hand Sasuke the chicken sandwich he had purchased for him. Sasuke merely took the sandwich without looking at Itachi, opened the wrapper, and took a bite.

“So, how are your grades?”

“They’re fine,” Sasuke said through his mouthful of food. He savored the taste of the tomato and chicken. Itachi had remembered his favorite sandwich… Of course he had, he was his brother after all.

Sasuke suddenly looked from Ino to Itachi, swallowed the food in his mouth, then asked, “How…did you two meet?”

Itachi looked at Ino, then Ino looked to Sasuke, “Well, after middle school, you, Naruto, and Sakura went to different high schools than Shikamaru, Choji, and I, but our university week was the same week as yours. Anyway, Sakura and I ended up hanging out at a nearby coffee shop after our tour at Itachi’s university, where we bumped into him. He looked so much like you that Sakura and I had to ask him if he was related to you.” Ino made a wild gesture with her hands, folded them together, and smiled looking back to Itachi, “And we hit it off from there.”

They smiled at each other for a moment, and Sasuke frowned. So much time had passed between them. It wasn’t as if Itachi wouldn’t live his life like he was waiting for someone, least of all his brother. Maybe that was Sasuke’s problem. All these years he had been waiting, for what he no longer knew.

He took another bite of his sandwich and chewed slowly as he watched the couple across the table from himself. He couldn’t help but think that something was off…

They both looked back at Sasuke to catch him scrutinizing them, before turning back to their food.

“Have you chosen which university you’ll attend yet, Sasuke?” Ino asked sweetly.

Sasuke’s eyes shifted from Itachi to Ino to answer her plainly, “Not yet.”

“Ino plans to attend the university that I attended.”

“If I can get in!”

“I promised to help you, didn’t I? Besides, it’s simpler than you think. You just have to-”

Sasuke zoned out after that until he realized he was taking the last bite of his sandwich, he had eaten his food much faster than he thought he had. With the jovial conversation between love birds, he was easily distracted it seemed. Especially with the inner turmoil that seemed to rage through him. He felt hopeless and lost, angry and jealous all at the same time. He also felt betrayed even though he knew that Itachi had a girlfriend for the past month. Originally he had ignored the information his mother had passed on. It was a ludicrous idea that Itachi had a girlfriend, and even if he did, Sasuke had imagined someone a little more cultured…imagined someone a bit more like himself.

“-a detailed personal experience that explains exactly who you are, and what goals you plan to accomplish.”

“I know, but I can’t think of any one experience like that…”

“Once you dig deep enough, you’ll think of something you’ve never taken time to look at properly and suddenly understand what it means to you.”

Sasuke could feel Itachi’s eyes on him, but didn’t look up, just stared at his hands folded on the table top. He wanted to leave this situation, and that was his plan when he stood from the table, balled up the paper his sandwich was wrapped in, and tossed it in the trash can on his way out of the kitchen.

“Sasuke? I thought we’d spend some time together before mother and father got home.”

Sasuke merely looked over his shoulder at his brother quickly making up an excuse, “I have a winter project to work on.” Before Itachi could respond, Sasuke was already climbing the stair.

“Something seems to be bothering him…” Sasuke heard before he reached his room, but ignored it. He felt trapped, like everything was falling around him, and he couldn’t think of a better way to escape. Snatching his cell he stabbed a few buttons and brought it to his left ear. It rang until a cheerful voice answered, “Sasuke!”

“Naruto, you doing anything?”

“Nah, just hanging with Kiba and Shino until the bash tonight. Why?”

“Come pick me up.”

“Something wr-”

“Just honk when you get here, ok?”

“Ok, but-”

Sasuke cut him off by pressing the ‘end call’ button, and sat down on the edge of his bed.

He thought about how he may have to explain to Itachi or to their parents where he was going, but most of the time they didn’t care. Usually Sasuke just left a note on the foyer table. Something along the lines of ‘Went to Naruto’s, be back late.’ would suffice. Though, Itachi he couldn’t predict. He was sure Itachi could sense his discomfort, could reason why he wanted to get out of the house.

Naruto only lived a street over. They had been friends practically before they were out of the womb because their mothers, Mikoto and Kushina, had been good friends. Their family lived only a few houses down then, before Naruto’s parents died in a car crash. He was moved into his uncle Jiraiya’s house one street over quickly after. Naruto was young then, and the accident had not seemed to affect him as much as it would have an older child, at least he never showed it if it did.

Sasuke found a pen and paper while he mused, and jotted down his usual note. He stood there a moment over his desk, staring at his note, then moved to stare out of the window down at Itachi’s ‘Vette.

Just when Sasuke started to think Naruto was taking too long, his metallic orange Pontiac Grand Prix pulled in behind Itachi’s Corvette. He turned off his car, got out, and walked around Itachi’s classic sports car. Kiba hopped out as well to gawk at the fine piece of machinery. They were talking, but they couldn’t be heard.

He turned from the window, grabbed his jacket, his note, and walked out his door. Down the hall, down the stairs, and into the foyer to slip on his shoes. He left his note on the foyer table, and ignored the couple in the living area as he unlocked the front door, opened it, and stepped outside and away from the situation inside.

“You forgot to honk,” Sasuke stated matter-of-factly as he closed the front door quietly.

“You would’ve forgotten too if you drove up behind this hot momma.”

“Yeah. Let’s get out of here before I’m missed.”

“This is Itachi’s ride?” Kiba asked pointing at the black sports car incredulously.

“No, it’s my mom’s,” Sasuke answered sarcastically.

“Tch. No need to be an ass…”

Sasuke opened the rear passenger door on the driver’s side of Naruto’s orange car, and slid inside. Kiba slid into the front passenger seat, and finally Naruto, giving a longing look to Itachi’s ‘Vette, slid into the driver’s seat.

“Damn, your brother has some class,” Naruto commented just as he turned the key of his car and shifted into reverse.

Sasuke looked out his window just as Naruto backed out into the street and saw the sheer curtain in the living room window fall back into place. He stared at it, trying to see what was on the other side until he could see it no longer. Five short minutes found the boys back at Jiraiya’s house. It went by in a blur for Sasuke who just stared out the window while Naruto and Kiba were talking about Itachi’s Corvette.

All three slid out of the Grand Prix and were walking to the front door before Sasuke spoke, “Naruto, you got some?”

Naruto looked over his shoulder and grinned that huge grin of his, “What do you think we were about to do before you called?”

Smiling back, Sasuke stepped through the front door and made a bee-line for the basement stair tailing the other two, instantly realizing that the one who had stayed behind had obviously been busy.

“Weak, Shino!”

“Hey! He brought the stuff, be grateful he’s going to share.”

Sasuke breathed deeply of the intoxicating smoke wafting through the basement. It was a lovely sweet smell.

“Did you think I was going to wait?”

He stared at the TV in front of the couch he sat on. He was laid back, relaxed, staring fixedly at the screen with squinted eyes behind his round glasses.

“It’s not like we’re going to run out anytime soon, Kiba, you know me better than that.”

Naruto hopped on an easy chair situated beside the couch while Kiba hopped over the back of the couch to flank Shino on his left. “Gimme that!” Kiba snatched the blunt from Shino’s pinched fingers and drew deeply on what was left. Slowly Sasuke rounded the arm of the couch to sit on Shino’s right and Naruto’s left. Somewhere, Naruto procured his own freshly wrapped blunt, put it to his lips, and searched for a lighter. He patted his pockets, and stuck his right hand in his right pocket. Smiling in victory he jerked the lighter from his pocket and lit up.

“What took you guys so long?”

Letting out his withheld breath slowly, Naruto answered Shino’s question, “Had to check out Itachi’s new ride.”

“What is it?”

“70’s Corvette,” Kiba replied.

“1974,” Sasuke clarified.

Shino nodded, staring blankly at the TV that produced minimal sound. Sasuke vaguely wondered why Shino was watching with the sound tuned so low, but he realized he really didn’t need a reason.

A tan hand entered Sasuke’s peripheral, and he looked to Naruto’s proffered hand. Gladly he took what Naruto offered. He could practically already feel his heart speed up as he brought the blunt to his lips and took a long drag. Fuck, if he ever needed this, now was the time. Replaying the events of the day he very slowly let out his withheld breath, and quickly took another hit.

Sasuke relaxed into the couch and stared at the TV while he thought about earlier and focused on getting rid of such stress. He took one more drag then passed the blunt back to Naruto.

Itachi…

Kiba fiddled with the channels and turned the volume up after a moment, and all four boys just sat in silence and smoked. Naruto passed back, and by the time Sasuke had a few more hits he was beginning to feel the affects. It was a nice feeling, a welcome reprieve from real life. Now nothing mattered, he suddenly lost the need to give a shit.

The others had a conversation with everyone and no one in particular while Sasuke just sat there and thought to himself. Soon he felt his mouth heat up and dry out, he needed something to drink.

“Anyone else want something to drink?” He suddenly asked before rising unsteadily. Sasuke knew where the refrigerator was, and knew Naruto would just tell him to go get something if he was thirsty or hungry.

Kiba was already digging into a bag of Cheetos Puffs and was somewhat sharing with Shino.

“Yeah!” Rang the chorus.

As he moved to the stair on sluggish feet Naruto caught and tugged at his shirt. Sasuke looked down into his smiling happy face. Sasuke looked at his best friend, really looked at him.

“Grab some Oreos, ‘kay Sasuke?”

Sasuke couldn’t help but smile and repress laughing at such a face that Naruto was making, then made his way up the stair and into the kitchen. He opened a cupboard and grabbed a glass, held it under the faucet, and turned the knob for ‘cold’ water.

He was so parched he downed the whole glass without taking a breath. Breathing deeply after, his eyes caught movement out of the kitchen window. The swaying movement caught his attention like a bright beacon.

Before Sasuke knew what he was doing, he was walking out the back door to see the object better. The thing swayed gracefully before stopping, repeating, and moving swiftly, then slowly. Dark hair fluttered gently with the movements, and Sasuke moved closer to the short hedge separating Jiraiya’s yard from his neighbor’s. He was almost touching the hedge now, and the person gracefully swaying suddenly spun around to face him.

Piercing golden eyes trained on him, and Sasuke suddenly had a shock of panic grip him. His eyes grew wide and he wondered if this person could tell if he was currently in an ‘enhanced state of mind’. Sasuke reasoned with himself that he had black eyes, that it was hard to tell if he was high or not, but he couldn’t help but think that his situation was probably obvious to any onlooker. Calming his sudden paranoia, he looked back at the one with the curious gaze.

His hair was long, black, and silken like Itachi’s. It shined in the winter sunlight streaming down through the tall bare trees in the man’s backyard, and Sasuke couldn’t help but stare. He was shirtless, a fine sheen of sweat glittering on his pale skin, despite the temperature.

The man regarded him, tilting his head to the side slightly, “Are you lost?”