Chapter 13
Itachi entered the room quietly, his sharp gaze immediately landing on Sasuke. The younger Uchiha lay on the bed, his breathing steady but weak, his skin still unnaturally pale. The poison had been removed, but its effects lingered, leaving Sasuke drained.
For a moment, Itachi simply stood there, observing. He wasn’t one to let emotions show easily, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed him. Seeing Sasuke like this—vulnerable, weakened—it didn’t sit well with him.
Sasuke shifted slightly, eyelids heavy as he turned his head toward the door. His lips curled into a faint smirk. "Didn’t think you’d come running."
Itachi stepped closer, his voice calm but firm. "I didn’t run."
Sasuke huffed, closing his eyes briefly. "Tch. Same thing."
Itachi ignored the remark and sat on the chair beside the bed. He studied Sasuke’s face, noting the exhaustion that even arrogance couldn’t hide. "How do you feel?"
"Like hell," Sasuke muttered. "But I’m not dead, so I guess that’s something."
Itachi exhaled softly, his expression unreadable. "You were careless."
Sasuke scoffed. "Not like I planned to get poisoned."
"That’s exactly the problem," Itachi said, his voice colder now. "You didn’t plan. You let your guard down."
Sasuke frowned but said nothing. He knew Itachi was right, but admitting it wasn’t in his nature.
After a brief silence, Itachi sighed. "You’re lucky they got the poison out in time."
"Lucky?" Sasuke let out a weak chuckle. "Didn’t think you believed in luck."
"I don’t," Itachi said simply. "Which is why you won’t make the same mistake again."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
Itachi stood up, adjusting his coat. "Rest. We’ll talk when you’re stronger."
As he turned to leave, Sasuke’s voice stopped him.
"...You worried?"
Itachi didn’t turn back, but after a pause, he answered.
"You’re my little brother, Sasuke." A hint of something softer entered his tone. "Of course I was."
Then, without another word, he left, leaving Sasuke staring after him, a smile on his face.
After that sleep came to him as his body was tired .
___
Sasuke tried to sit up, only to feel a strong hand push him back down onto the bed. He scowled, turning his glare toward the culprit.
“Stay down, bastard,” Naruto said, arms crossed as he loomed over him. “You just got the poison out, and you already think you can act like nothing happened?”
“I can move,” Sasuke muttered, trying again, but Naruto shoved him back with ease.
“Yeah? And I can knock you out if I have to.”
Sasuke tensed, his pride refusing to let him be treated like some helpless idiot. “Naruto, I’m fine—”
“No, you’re not,” Naruto interrupted, frowning. “You look like crap. And I mean even more than usual.”
Sasuke clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Tch. I feel fine.”
“Liar.” Naruto crouched beside him, his expression unusually serious. “I saw what happened, y’know. You were barely breathing, and you think I’m gonna let you just get up and act like it’s nothing?”
Sasuke didn’t answer, avoiding Naruto’s gaze.
Naruto sighed, scratching the back of his head. “Look, just rest, okay? You don’t have to be stubborn about everything.”
Sasuke huffed, shifting slightly under the blankets. He hated feeling weak. He hated being looked after. But something in Naruto’s voice—frustration, concern—made it hard to argue.
“…Fine,” he muttered.
Naruto blinked, clearly surprised. Then, a smug grin spread across his face. “Hah! See? You can listen when you want to.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Shut up.”
Naruto chuckled but didn’t push further. Instead, he stood and ruffled Sasuke’s hair—earning a weak glare in return.
“Good boy,” Naruto teased, walking off before Sasuke could throw something at him.
Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes. He hated to admit it, but… maybe resting wasn’t so bad. Especially when Naruto was the one making sure he did.
___
Sasuke sat in Naruto’s office, flipping through a stack of documents with mild disinterest. His body had recovered enough for basic tasks, but Naruto still wouldn’t let him go on missions, so here he was—doing paperwork.
“This is a waste of time,” Sasuke muttered, tossing a report onto the desk.
Naruto, who was lounging in his chair with his feet propped up, smirked. “Hey, you’re the one who got poisoned. You should be grateful I’m letting you do something instead of locking you in a room.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes, about to retort when a knock came at the door.
“Boss,” a guard said as he peeked in, “Miss Reina is here.”
Naruto sat up. “Let her in.”
The door opened, and a tall woman with long, wavy brown hair stepped inside. Reina was a known weapons supplier—one of the best when it came to securing rare and high-quality firearms. She carried herself with confidence, dressed in a fitted jacket and tight pants that showed off her curves.
“Kyubi,” she greeted Naruto with a smirk before her eyes landed on Sasuke. Her expression shifted, interest flashing across her face. “And who is this?”
Sasuke barely glanced up. “Sasuke.”
Reina chuckled, stepping closer, her eyes scanning him like he was something to be admired. “I’ve heard your name before. Didn’t expect you to be so…” She leaned in slightly, voice lowering. “Handsome.”
Naruto’s expression twitched.
Sasuke, however, looked unimpressed. “I’m here to work, not flirt.”
Reina let out a light laugh, unfazed. “So serious.” She reached out, fingers grazing the edge of Sasuke’s sleeve. “I like that in a man.”
Naruto stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. “Oi.” His voice was sharp, drawing both their attention.
Reina smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction. “Something wrong, boss?”
Naruto’s jaw clenched. “We’re here to talk business, not… this.” He stepped between her and Sasuke, his posture tense. “So if you’re done, let’s get to it.”
Reina raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. “Interesting.” She took a step back, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Alright, boss. Let’s talk business.”
Sasuke said nothing, completely unbothered, but he caught the way Naruto’s fingers curled into fists.
As Reina turned back to Naruto, Sasuke smirked slightly.
“…You jealous, dobe?”
Naruto’s eye twitched. “Shut up, bastard.”
___
Night had fallen, and the city outside was quiet, but Naruto’s mind was anything but. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, arms resting on his knees. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t shake the irritation that had settled in his chest since earlier that day.
Reina had flirted with Sasuke.
Sasuke, of course, hadn’t cared. He had brushed it off like it was nothing. But Naruto? He had felt his blood boil the second she touched Sasuke’s sleeve.
Why?
Naruto ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. “Tch. What the hell’s wrong with me?”
Sasuke had been working beside him for days now, and Naruto had started to notice things—small things. The way Sasuke furrowed his brows in concentration. The way he absentmindedly tapped his fingers against the desk when reading. The way his voice, usually sharp and sarcastic, softened just slightly when he was tired.
Naruto had always cared about Sasuke. That wasn’t new. But this? This was different.
His stomach had twisted when he saw Reina flirting. And when Sasuke smirked and called him jealous? Naruto hadn’t even denied it—because he was.
He let out a heavy sigh, falling back onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling.
“…Shit.”
It hit him all at once.
He liked Sasuke. No—he wanted Sasuke.
The realization sent a strange mix of excitement and panic through him. This wasn’t just rivalry. It wasn’t just friendship. It was something deeper, something real.
And now that he knew it, there was no going back.