http://narutimate.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] narutimate.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] paixaorpg2007-07-30 12:43 am

Sadness and Sorrow [Complete]

Character(s): Naruto and Itachi
Content: Naruto returns to the hotel after this.
Setting: Actua Are {F3}
Time: Evening
Warnings: Angsty Naruto None.



Naruto felt horrible as he opened the door to his hotel room. Although to him horrible was an understatement. He was a bundle of exhaustion, anger, frustration, shame, sadness and probably another good dose of negative feelings. He made a straight beeline for the bed without even really looking where he was going and flopped facedown on it. Burying his head in the pillow as deep as he could, he bit back tears of frustration.

He let him go, damnit! That bastard Sasuke had gotten away again. Somewhere in their chase Naruto had somehow lost him and, no matter how he tried or where he looked, couldn’t find a trace of the said bastard. Why was it that every time Sasuke was so close, he slipped away again? He had made a promise! A promise to bring Sasuke back. So why couldn’t he...?

Letting out a shuddery sigh into the pillow, he collected himself to prevent his voice from faltering. "Itachi?" came the muffled call.

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-07-30 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
Itachi had been looking through his journal since he returned to the hotel room. He was entirely grateful to Larxene for helping him get home. Without her, he probably wouldn't have been able to find his way back. And it bothered him that someone was so negative about her. He wouldn't allow someone else's bad experience ruin his positive one, not with someone that he had just met. After all, it was the personal experiences that mattered.

The Uchiha heard Naruto return and looked up to see the blond collapse onto the other bed. He looked to be in bad shape, and even though he couldn't do anything to help, Itachi stood and moved to go do... something.

"Itachi?"

"I'm here, Naruto."

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-07-30 02:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Itachi watched Naruto with unveiled concern. He didn't like seeing his friend like this. The clenched fists told him that Naruto was miffed about something, and he thought he had heard something, but he couldn't be sure. As it was, Itachi sat down on the floor beside the bed, so that he could watch Naruto with a greater ease.

At Naruto's smile, Itachi offered his own back. "I'm fine. A rather nice woman helped me find my way back to the hotel... What about you? You really don't look okay..."

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-07-30 03:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Itachi nodded. Larxene had been nice. And even if no one else believed him in that regard, he knew it to be true. Part of him wondered if he'd ever see her again... "She seemed very friendly. It was quite nice of her."

Itachi continued to watch and listen. "I'm sorry, Naruto. Maybe we can go look for him later? After I get my memory back?" It was an offer of help, even if it might not do either of them any good in the end.

"And if you're tired, why don't you rest? I'm sure that a little sleep isn't going to make things any worse for you..."

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-07-30 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Itachi smiled as he considered Larxene. "Her name was Larxene. And like I said, she was rather nice." He kept repeating that, saying it like it would convince the rest of the world that she wasn't as cruel as some people thought. After all, if she were as Timon had said, wouldn't she have taken advantage of him?

If Naruto were concerned about Itachi's friendship after Itachi got his memory back, he had nothing to fear. He was younger than the Itachi that had been after him, after all. "I do, too. And it is, especially when I'm getting confronted with situations where I feel like I should or need to know things."

The Uchiha regarded Naruto again. "Are you sure?"

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-07-30 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Itachi was startled by Naruto's exclamation and his sudden grab. "I'm fine, Naruto. Honest." Why did everyone seem to think Larxene would have hurt him?

"Please listen to me." Itachi spoke carefully. If there was anything he was sure of, it was this. "I don't care who she might have hurt, or what she might have done. I'm not going to base my opinions of her on what someone else says. Not when I haven't had the negative experiences with her that other people seem to think of as prevalent.

"Let me make my own mistakes, if it comes to that."

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-07-30 07:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Itachi nodded at Naruto's comments, looking down at his journal and the comments that he had recieved. At least he was smart enough to leave him go in this matter. And Itachi did appreciate that. There was another who seemed so sure that he was going to get hurt by her... and it bothered him that people seemed to think that he couldn't take care of himself. He wasn't sure why, but he did.

"I will be." It was more than an assurance. It was a certainty. After all, he'd have his memory back, soon, right? So he'd know things he didn't know now, right?

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-08-10 03:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Itachi just sat there and watched Naruto for a while. He was glad that Naruto trusted him enough to take care of himself. After all, amnesia or no, he was his own person. Shouldn't he be allowed to take care of himself without concern for being babied?

Restlessness was creeping in on Itachi and he shifted, still regarding Naruto. Their conversation about Larxene had side-tracked other trains of thought, and the Uchiha was considering what they had left behind.

"Naruto, you said you wanted to go do something... like what?" Conversation was better than an awkward silence reached by an agreement to disagree.

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-08-11 04:26 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm sure the hotel has food..." Itachi offered. He didn't know about ramen, but surely there would be food. The Uchiha didn't seem fond of the idea of going back to the restaurant they had met Sasuke in. No, he didn't want to go back there when there was a chance of Sasuke laying in wait...

"Festival?" Itachi looked at Naruto questioningly. A festival? "I... ah, sure... Festival for what?"

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-08-14 03:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh?" Itachi said, considering the comment. Foundation Day? How long ago had this city been founded, then? And was that really something to celebrate? How did you celebrate a founding, anyway? He followed Naruto's movement, watching him set the journal down. So the things were good for more than just talking to people, hmmm....

Itachi looked back up at Naruto. "So, to the festival tomorrow? Should we order room service or something tonight, then?" After all, Naruto still needed to eat.

[identity profile] redeyesatnight.livejournal.com 2007-08-22 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
Itachi offered a smile. It was good to have some kind of game plan, especially when it didn't involve having to deal with memories he didn't have. Certainly it took a load off his mind.

And between them, food would be on the way, so it was more than time to relax. Itachi was looking forward to it.