Favourite/Alert Note: Thanks to everyone who has alerted and favourite'd this story! It's great to know you guys want to read more. 3

Italics [in the first section] = flashback

bold used with italics is for emphasis while in flashback.

DISCLAIMER: I in no way own Naruto, the show, the manga, or the character. If I did [and I'll be honest here], I'd... Have done something entirely different. 8D

Last Time;; "Ne, Itachi-san, you don't look so good… Did something happen?"

Immediately, much to Naruto's shock, both brothers stiffened up, paled far too much, and the atmosphere turned tense. Looking from one brother to the other, Naruto was visibly confused, obviously wondering just what the hell was going on, whether he had said something bad, and yes, whether he had indeed interrupted a conversation that had been revolving around the abandonment of him. He couldn't help but re-ask his question, the last one anyway, directing it to both brothers this time, rather then just Itachi.

"Did… Something happen…?"

Instalment 8ight;;

SIGN. [part 2]

"We've arrived at the compound, boss."

Itachi hummed in understanding, gazing out of the dark tinted windows to the large building that was coming up into view, enjoying how smoothly the car ended up sleeking onto the driveway, coming to an equally smooth stop in front of the large gates that led to the house. Now Itachi was a good man, and a good boss too; he had to give credit when it was due - and most certainly, Kisame was one of his best drivers to date. Not only did the man drive perfect, but he followed orders without questions, even when you told him which turns to take, or how to drive - the man did it wordlessly. As well as being obedient, he didn't ask questions, kept his mouth shut, and could be trusted to give his honest opinion when Itachi needed outside views. Like whether a client was worth it or not. And the older man always had some sort of fish snack on hand. Oh, and he doubled over as a bodyguard. Add the fact that the man had blue freaking hair and you were good to go.

Kisame was Itachi's personal driver and personal bodyguard. And Kisame actually got along well with Minato.

That alone had Itachi giving the blue haired, fish-loving man a pay-rise, because not once in Itachi's life had the Uchiha seen someone other then himself who could handle the eccentrically blonde haired man. Sure, there were people who were able to get through a couple of hours and then swear to never do so again now and then; but joke and play and converse and plan and plot and be so bloody perfect with a man like Minato… Unbelievable.

But it was too bad that Minato's wife Kushina hated Kisame, and Kisame didn't seem too fond of the wife either. Whenever the two were even in eye-range of each other the atmosphere would crackle with tension and poorly hidden hatred. Though honestly, it was mostly Kushina; Kisame was just returning her feelings back with a pink ribbon on top. Anybody that disliked him he disliked back. That was just the kind of person he was. But why Kushina hated the man was unfathomable; Kisame was capable of perfectly handling both Itachi and Minato for days on end, not at all perturbed by their strange dynamics of a relationship. It even seemed to entertain him. Oh, and the blond haired genius and blue haired muscle both had another thing in common.

They loved torturing Sasuke.

Every time the younger Uchiha was in range; heck, even when he wasn't, the two would seemingly plot, without even exchanging a word, then speed through their work in excitement for whatever they'd just come up with. Itachi had actually started feeling sorry for Sasuke, and had tried countless times to help out his little brother when he was in the clutches of the other two. That was; until Minato used his… Unorthodox skills to get rid off the elder Uchiha. Let it be known that a pink-haired Uchiha was not a happy Uchiha. And thus, since that time; Itachi had allowed the two to do whatever the hell they wanted to Sasuke, due to fear for his own measly life. Or as the past hinted; his own measly hair.

He liked it black, thank you very much.

The car, having stopped for a few moments to pass the security guards, began creeping through the large, now opened, gates, eating up the road as it reached the Namikaze Compound. Though honestly, it could be called Uzumaki Compound too - the married couple still had no clue which surname to take. What ever could be the big hold-up, you ask? Well, other then the fact that Minato pretty much thought the surname Uzumaki was damn cool, and Kushina had too much of an ego for a damn woman to take the name of a man; there was the fact that it was practically unheard of for a man to take his wife's surname. The two had actually had a child; almost as soon as they got married [hinting that neither really cared for the 'no-sex-before-marriage' policy], but unfortunately the child hadn't survived a little mishap the little group of three had some time ago. Remembering back on it; Itachi could very well remember just how badly it had affected Minato, and the fact that Kushina had never quite been the seem after that. Her current seriousness, current no-game attitude was due to the son they had called Kyuubi, whose name now could not be uttered for fear of disappearing from the face of the earth, nor was legally known by anyone other then the two parents and Itachi.

And Itachi only knew because he was no imbecile. Minato had been emotionally dead for at least a year or so; Kushina had shut off all and any remaining signs of femininity to the point that she had become a tsunami of cold, cruel judgement. After the particular mishap, the hospital had been helpless in who to call; and on seeing that the only person Minato and Kushina's cell phones had in common being the name Itachi, they had called him and informed him of what had happened. And in all the years of family pressure, of being in the social spotlight, of his irritatingly imposing father, homosexually-active mother and the countless imbeciles surrounding him, Itachi had never felt so helpless before. Ah, don't get him wrong, he didn't go crazy, nor did he start feeling sorry for himself, nor run around like a headless chicken or anything else completely out of character like that - but nevertheless, he had never felt so helpless before in his life. On hearing from the doctors what had happened he hadn't thought much of it; shit happened, people died, move on and get over it, but when he had first laid eyes on Minato [Kushina had been held in another room for some small wounds], when he had first seen the dead, hollow, cerulean eyes that had previously seemed so alive to the point of making even Itachi look human, when he had seen the dull, dust-filled blonde hair now looking woody… That's when the… Inability to know what to do had washed over the elder Uchiha.

Itachi would never forget that look.

"Boss, we're here."

Breaking free from his musings, he stole a glance through the dark tinted windows at the gates - the house was not truly big, just very well built - and opened the door, stepping out and closing the door once more only to lean on the sleek black sedan, looking every part the Uchiha that he was. They would have to visit Sasuke and the A.I. today; it would be good to drop off after the meeting, especially so considering all three of them would be together. Ah~ Hopefully the apartment would be in better state then it had been a while ago when he'd first dropped off the A.I. Just thinking back on his little brother's expression made Itachi's day. His little brother truly was too cute for his own good.

The dark-tinted window of the driver's seat rolled down, a spike of blue hair sticking out, propped up by an arm on the window sill [do cars even have window sills?]. Itachi rose an elegant eyebrow towards the blue-man, not at all perturbed by his driver's lack of professionalism. After almost two years with Kisame; he'd become more of a family friend then an employee. Not to mention the guy was crass, crude, and blunt. And he hadn't exactly seen Minato for a while now; so Itachi could only assume he was excited.

"Yo!"

And there was Minato, in all his blond-haired glory, that creepy smile on his face more genuine then most would have thought. Kisame began grinning madly; waving a hand like crazy, and Itachi could only raise the already-raised eyebrow further as Minato practically jumped through the driver's window, now half in half out; a string of rather colourful curses coming from the bodyguard as he was most-likely molested in his seat-belt. Soon after, Kushina glided out of the door, her heels making clacking noises as they hit the pavement; strong, precise, cold. She gave a nod in Itachi's direction; always impersonal at the start, and gave no indication of acknowledgement to the Minato-filled Kisame, climbing into the back of the car without a second glance.

Itachi mentally shrugged, not really caring much for the woman. The Uchiha and the Uzumaki were not friends, merely acquaintances through Minato. It had always been like that, and always would be. At most, Itachi would be Kushina's husband's-friend, a distant 'family'-friend - and only after that particular accident. Itachi didn't care. He didn't need the attention of an ice-prick woman, he had a thousand more begging to bear his children, including some simply begging because they couldn't. Kicking what little he could see of the still-half-way-inside-the-car-window-Minato, Itachi moved to the passenger seat next to the drivers, satisfied when he heard Minato seating himself next to his wife. Kisame tried to regain some resemblance of an orderly appearance, but the damage had already been done. What Itachi had thought to be Minato molesting Kisame had turned out to be Minato with-scissors molesting Kisame. The suit the other wore [only because Itachi had been adamant on that] was cut in places, the black tie had been lopped off, and there were very small and inconspicuous blue strands of hair in places other then the driver's head.

Glancing in the mirror, Itachi could see a very satisfied Minato.

"To the meeting, boss?"

"Indeed."

So they began driving off. Exiting the compound, making little talk. In any other case, if the car was only occupying Itachi, Minato and Kisame, the latter two would have been chatting away like old friends, Itachi simply watching out of the window. But Kushina's presence always made things solemn, always made things seem… Serious; and for once, Kisame didn't bother trying to fight the power as he always did - by striking up conversation with her husband, out of all people, and dropping hints of insults towards the woman every now and again. Like: "I see your ears are still intact and not bleeding." and "Do you ever get night terrors? I know I would if I were you." A solemn silence encased the car as it drove out of the married couple's house, hitting a main road, the car sleeking like a lounging panther - Itachi loved this feeling the most.

And it was here that the inevitable happened. Every soul, once climbing into a car, gave themselves over to the risk of an accident. There was, is, and will never be a way to prevent an accident; if it is written down in stone by whatever ruler of fate, then it will happen. Of course, that doesn't imply driving like a madman, or walking blindly into the middle of the street and choosing it as a convenient picnic spot - quite the contrary. It would be considered wise and responsible to drive within the limits established by whatever government ruled that land, as well as looking right, left and right again when actually crossing the street. But even then, in the end, the grand design of things can not be allowed to be messed up due to your one pathetic excuse of a life still existing. Meaning if your time is up. It's up.

Hopefully you'll go out with a bang~

Reaching an intersection, Itachi noted that the green light was still green, more so as the car continued to glide towards the middle of the four-way. Kisame was to the left of him, and he remembered distinctively looking over to his driver's side, planning on speaking - though what he had been planning to say he could not remember - only to notice the chaotic swerving of a car heading in their general direction. With mild amusement, Itachi remembered noting how closer it seemed to be getting to them, especially so considering cars from the left should be at a stop due to the red light. With noticing the car, whatever he had been planning on saying was changed to making an offhand comment about the speeding car; believing that Kisame was fully well aware of it - though his belief was refuted only moments later. About to speak to Kisame, Itachi only then finally noticed that Kisame's attention was perfectly focused on the road in front of him. Itachi only then noticed that the car really was in a risky situation where it could collide head on with them. From the corner of his eyes, Minato seemed to have caught onto Itachi's poorly concealed expression - slightly wide eyes, lips parted in a small 'o', left hand slightly raised -, questioningly turning to see what the eldest Uchiha was looking at.

Itachi never got a chance to see Minato's expression. By the time the other just turned his neck, the car made an almost sickening collision with their own, no words spoken [or shouted], the only noise being of metal crashing into metal, of their own whiplashes sounding as if their necks had snapped apart, of the sickening pain overriding their systems. Itachi, being the furthest away from the collision, blinked open his eyes, wondering when he had closed them, slowly realising that his senses were acting very dull. After a few more blinks of his eyes, he noticed he was on the floor, pavement was underneath him. The second thing he noticed was that his body ached all over. He felt too groggy [strange, he didn't think Uchiha's could feel groggy] and disorientated [granted, he had just been in an accident] to take an inventory of his injuries; so he skipped right ahead to the next thing to notice.

Sound. At first, it started off as a dull whisper, then a small beat, as if the drums to a slow song, slowly getting noisier, more sounds joining the first. He could distinctly hear the crackling of fire, the sound alluding me, followed by the sounds of whispers, which soon became the voices of people [and not exactly low ones too]. Mustering up what he could [because hey, there were three other people in his company], Itachi tried heaving himself up on two arms that seemed to hold no energy, raising an eyebrow at his arms which seemed weak all of a sudden; finding amusement in the fact he was dealing with this whole situation in odd detachment. Once properly propped up on his arms, he raised his heavy head to look straight in front of him, and blinked countless times to get rid of the sudden nausea and blurriness that invaded his whole being. The first thing his eyes latched on were blue. A blue shock of hair, only recognising it to be Kisame after minutes of pondering. Slowly turning his head, he searched for his other two companions, seeing no blonde that indicated Minato, and no woman that indicated Kushina [she was a woman, who knew whether her hair colour was real or not?]. 'That settles it,' he thought, dragging his body up to his knees, then successfully getting up to his feet without stumbling [Uchiha's do not stumble, no?], making his way over to his driver carefully, with purposeful steps. It would do no good to trip up on his own feet when he could see splats of red on the blue hair.

By the time he had dragged Kisame away from what he'd noticed to be the two cars on fire, the ambulance had arrived, and still feeling oddly detached, he waved them off to find Minato and Kushina for him, perfectly content in having found his driver. Ah, but it would be bad if Minato died. Or Kushina. No, nobody will die. Who dies from a stupid thing like a car crash?

Some male nurse guy patched Itachi right up; adding a little bandage here and there, taking care of some cuts and scrapes, checking for concussion - the whole deal. Kisame needed to go to the hospital; something about broken limbs and a concussion, Itachi paid no attention to it. Kisame was the driver, and considering from what side the car had come from, obviously the fish-obsessed man would need a trip to the hospital. As Kisame's boss, it was Itachi's responsibility to go with the idiot. And so he got into the ambulance car, claiming to be whatever it was the ambulance said could only go with him - something about family or spouse…? Obviously, even in his slightly disorientated state [which others took for cool and serious], he would have chosen family - it wasn't his fault these imbeciles of health securities couldn't see that Uchiha Itachi looked nothing like the blue-haired Kisame. Honestly, such imbeciles.

It only dawned on Itachi, while halfway to the hospital with Kisame lying unconscious on a stretcher, that he had left behind Minato and Kushina, who he had no news about, who probably hadn't fared much better then Kisame, let alone him - especially Minato, who had been sitting right behind Kisame, while Kushina was behind Itachi. A quick question to the driver with the radio ensured that the pair had been found and where being taken to the same hospital as them. Uchiha Itachi did not freak out, nor did he show any signs of agitation, nervousness [for being the only one apparently unharmed - much] or anything else remotely different from the cool exterior of professionalism he always exuded. People knew who he was. They did not know Minato, nor Kushina, especially not Kisame - but they knew him. Everybody knew Uchiha Itachi, and it would be bad for the company, as well as anything else, if he didn't act anything like he usually did. In fact, acting like this [which was actually a sense of detachment rather then control] would bring him much praise. Oddly, he found himself giving a mental thanks to whatever deity was up there that the cars hadn't exploded while he had been there. They could explode after for all he cared.

That would be too much of a bang for him.

It was hours later; with a perfectly awake and grinning Kisame [albeit heavily bandaged with casts here and there] that Itachi found himself being called to a private room with some doctor, and receiving the news that Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato hadn't made the surgery they'd both received due to a whole list of things that should not be happening to bodies; once more filling Itachi with a sense of dread and - dare he say it? - panic that he had only received before when the married couple had previously been in an 'accident'.

It seemed the married couples + cars were not a good combination.

- - - -don'cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? ;D- - - -

"Come with me…"

Itachi looked up, wondering when he had gone thinking through everything that had happened not only yesterday, Sasuke's voice bringing him out of his reverie. The little A.I. still looked apprehensive, wary, and heartbreakingly enough scared - as if he was dreaming up the worst possible scenario's that could ever take place for him. The words Sasuke had spoken came back to Itachi, and he let his eyes look into the face of his little brother's, finding himself marvelling at just how much alike his brother looked to him, enough that someone who knew neither of them would think they were twins were it not for the minuscule differences.

Naruto looked at Sasuke warily, his emotions so obvious that Itachi now finally understanding the phrase "wearing ones heart on your sleeve", wondering how an emotionally inept Uchiha like Sasuke had been able to get along with Naruto. Abruptly, Sasuke stood up, moving the pillow he'd been sitting on with a foot, indicating that he had been serious. Naruto followed his movements with his eyes, and heck, so did Itachi, because he'd figured he'd be the one to break it to Naruto. Among the organization of the funeral, noticing countless of people and all the legal stuff, informing Naruto had been the worst low point of what Itachi knew he had to do. Ah, but telling Kisame had been pretty bad too. Itachi had come to learn that a serious Kisame was… Eyebrow raising to say the least. But for Sasuke to do it, well… Maybe he had missed something important…? Ah yes, the little virus episode which had ended up with the whole apartment trashed…

Surely the two had bonded over such a thing.

"Sasuke--"

"Come on, dobe."

The eldest Uchiha watched on as Naruto slowly began to calm down slightly at what Itachi found to be a very interesting insult, especially so considering his little brother had said it in more of a fashion one would do with a pet name rather then an insult - and Naruto had reacted to it as evidence to it being exactly that; a pet name. Seeing that the two had obvious business to attend too, Itachi stood up from his own seat, dusting off his clothes that he had yet to change - more out of habit due to fully well knowing no amount of wash would get return the suit back to it's previous state - grabbing both the boy's attentions. Nodding his head to Sasuke [an affirmation that he was indeed leaving], Itachi felt the need to confirm, and warn, his cute little brother.

"You'll deal with this, I presume?"

"Hn."

After establishing eye contact --do not mess this up-- in the Language of the Uchiha's, Itachi gave the little A.I. a reassuring pat on the shoulder; because honestly spoken, out of all the Uchiha's Itachi was the most… Emotionally stable - he could smile. He could act surprised, irritated, and all those other emotions normal people felt - he just did it in a very Uchiha-like fashion; I.e. beautifully. His act of socialising rewarded him with a small smile and a nod of a blonde head, and soon after Itachi left the apartment, looking at the door after he had closed it, his curiosity with what was happening inside far larger then normal.

Either way, he had to leave, had business of his own to attend, for instance, changing clothes, not to mention passing word of the recent couple of hours to those that were not already aware of it. Hmm… He'd have to speak to Kakashi too… Their were only two people who were linked to the married couple through means other then business, and Itachi was not looking forward to informing them about it.

Aah, hopefully Minato's bank account would hold enough for a suitable funeral.

* * * three, is the magic number! * * *

With Itachi gone, Sasuke turned back to Naruto, his mind fully well resolved with how he was going to do this. The two, while having not known each other for long, had always been blunt with each other, painfully so, and Sasuke found no reason why this time anything should be different. What was important was not how to strike the blow - no matter how soft he could make the news, it would still sting the same - but how to deal with the obvious afterwards. If everything went well [and he was an Uchiha, dammit, of course they would go well], then Naruto would cry [even though he didn't want -huh?- the dobe to cry], Sasuke would comfort [or try to, he knew he lacked… Skills in that department], and hopefully Naruto would get it together and they'd be able to live happily together for eve----

…

Swearing mentally, he led Naruto back to the bedroom they'd come from this morning, Sasuke's bedroom looking suddenly inviting as hell to the blonde boy. A firm hand manoeuvred the blonde to sit on the bed, Sasuke looming on top of him in what Naruto should have found an intimidating pose, but only found it to make him feel safe. A brief hesitation seemed to cross over Sasuke's handsome features, but seconds later the Uchiha was seating himself next to Naruto, moving so he was facing the blonde, legs crossed, satisfied when Naruto followed his example.

"Dobe, I want you to listen to me."

Now, facing each other, it was obvious that both males utterly understood the meaning behind their seating position. Sitting crossed legged, with their knees slightly grazing, they were leaving their facial expressions open to the other - there would be no hiding behind hair bangs, because the position wouldn't allow them to hide much - no trying to keep a cool mask of indifference, and Naruto felt his breath hitch at the mere sight of a pair of unguarded onyx eyes. He couldn't tell the difference between obsidian and onyx, all he knew was that neither words would never do justice to the seamlessly endless black of the Uchiha's eyes. Unknowingly to him, Sasuke seemed to be experiencing a similar reaction the moment he looked into big, cerulean eyes, the blond hair falling around said eyes in such a perfect manner that Sasuke felt he was illegally taking a peak at God's creatio---

---Just what the hell? Frowning at his strange inability to control his own thoughts, the Uchiha decided to return back to the main point of discussion. Namely breaking it to Naruto two of his most precious [oh no, he did not notice the jealousy raging in his stomach] had most likely moved on to hell, or nothingness, or - if a next life really existed - were waiting to be reincarnated to a snake and a fox. He couldn't be bothered to label the animals to the names. Heck, both would do fine as either.

"Dobe," So much easier to say then the damn idiot's name. Fishcakes? Seriously? What had he been thinking? "While you were busy freaking out and trashing the apartment-- No. Do not give me that damn look. As long as you won't go around breaking my damn plasma TV's I couldn't care less about the place. Hn, in fact, we'll go to the DIY[1] store or something and redo this whole place." The panicked look of guilt disappeared slightly from Naruto's gaze. Where the hell was a DIY store around here anyway? "So… Itachi was in a car with… Minato and his wife…" Cerulean eyes widened once more in panic, God, Sasuke hated that look. "They… Naruto. Dobe. They… Got into a car accident, some idiot crashed into them… You saw how Itachi looked, he went straight from the accident to the hospital and then here, obviously so we would hear it from… Less pleasant sources."

"He… Hear what…?"

Sasuke found his fingers itching slightly, itching to touch something, to fumble about nervously and make him seem less like an Uchiha then he already was. Since Naruto had popped up out of nowhere, the male was finding it increasingly hard to keep his air of… Well… Superiority, to put it bluntly, intact.

"Come on Sasuke, I know you didn't start this just to tell me they got into a stupid little bump with another car. What… Happened?"

The Uchiha sighed, giving in to his fingers, the right hand immediately rising up with it's given permission to comb through his already-ruffled hair. "Minato and… Kushina… Didn't… Make it."

With the news finally out of his lips, he wasn't shocked nor worried when he heard the first choked sob, saw the blond lean down, the mop of incredibly bright hair dropping down with gravity to hide it's owners face. The position did no good, since Sasuke could still see the tears dropping, could still hear the sound of a heartbroken soul, knowing full well that he could do nothing about it other then just… Be there. As cliché as it sounded.

He moved forward slightly, his limbs feeling awkwardly longer then usual, wrapping his arms around the crying blonde, hoping to whatever fate Neji always babbled about that it would be good enough and things would turn out well. Naruto found himself leaning into the hold, digging his face into the other's still bare torso, wrapping his own arms around the other's chest, his hands grabbing onto Sasuke's shoulders from behind.

It hurt him - he had been expecting it the moment Itachi had come that something bad had happened, and had pretty much figured it out when Sasuke mentioned a car and the two people who had always treated him kindly, but it still hurt, still hurt like hell to know that they were gone, that the two people in the whole world that had treated him like a human were gone. Minato had been nothing to Naruto but a father, Kushina like a stern mother - Naruto remembered the other scientists saying that she seemed to actually become human around him, and that had always made him feel proud, if nothing else. But for them to be gone… It just made the fact that Naruto really wasn't human… Real. He was some sort of really-cool robot, a piece of fancy metal, artificial. He wasn't really a human, definitely not… Was he?

"Dobe. What a stupid question."

The blonde started, looking up with puffy and tired eyes to meet clear onyx, the Uchiha looking down at him with a scowl fixed perfectly on his face. Had Naruto said that out loud? He guessed he must have, because that was the only question he had asked. And of course it was stupid, there was no way he could be human - he really was an idiot for even thinking that he might be, or taking Minato and Kushina's affection for anything but for the good sake of their project. Ah, wait, Sasuke was still talking… Huh? He really was still talking, but right when Naruto began paying attention, Sasuke went quiet, frowning in irritation when it became apparent Naruto hadn't heard a thing he said.

"Idiot, tell me, what makes a human?"

Surprised and taken off by the question, Naruto stared up at the other's face, seeing nothing but seriousness in it's depths. He thought a second, not feeling like talking too much, so wondering how to surmise such an answer as quickly as possible. It was visible when the answer finally popped into the blonde's head, and Sasuke couldn't keep the amusement hidden for the life of him. Even going as far as for his lips to curl at the corners at the answer he received.

"A heart. Something I don't have."

Such an answer amused Sasuke greatly, so, still holding the boy around him, he decided that this little development might in fact lead to a better direction. "And what, pray tell, is a heart?"

Naruto seemed miffed by the questioning answer, his brows furrowing as he wondered why Sasuke was asking him such a dumb question. He was an A.I! Meaning he was, like… Really clever! Not only that, but come on! He was a med student too! Granted, for not even a month yet, but still! And so, frowning at Sasuke - which actually looked like a pout - he decided to grace the teme with an answer.

"Well d'uh!" Not that he was going to make it any easier. "It's an organ that pumps around blood and shit!"

For some strange reason [but then again, Naruto really never understood the strange complexity of the Uchiha brain] Sasuke seemed to find this even more amusing, to the point that the small inconspicuous curl of lips became an amused smirk, Naruto frowning at it before he finally noticed just how close his own face was to Sasuke. He was looking up after all, and Sasuke was looking down, and the A.I. once more felt miffed by the brightening warmth behind his cheeks; indicating that he was blushing. Before he had time to turn around or do some other blushing-virgin move, Sasuke began speaking again.

"And tell me, oh dear intelligent fishcake," Blush forgotten, the A.I. bristled at the tag. "Whether or not you have an organ that is pumping blood around you or not."

Ah, so maybe Naruto had actually inflicted some brain damage on the Uchiha back when he had been infected. Or maybe Sasuke was really a dumb person underneath all the intelligent outer… Masks! Yeah! Nobody would be stupid enough to ask such a question, and he voiced this fact rather bluntly too.

Unfortunately, the reaction of a growing smirk [that was now oozing of smugness] wasn't what Naruto wanted, but he didn't have time to dwell on it as Sasuke suddenly untangled himself away from the embrace, the suddenly missing warmth almost bringing a whine out from Naruto. Sasuke didn't move to get off the bed though, or go anywhere in fact, only bent down slightly and grabbed one of Naruto's legs with both hands, moving it out so it was outstretched, bringing a satisfactory yelp from the blonde male. He unceremoniously twisted the foot [with another yelp] in the general direction of Naruto, not pushing it into a position that would certainly be painful, but enough that Naruto only had to lean a bit to look at the sole of his own foot - which is possible when one is sitting.

Feeling hell of a lot curious, the blonde A.I. peeked at the sole of his foot, straining slightly to see it, grabbing the damn limb with his own two hands to steady it. There, in not a pretty fashion, were countless evidence of recent cuts, some still looking raw - heck, all of them still looking raw. Experimentally, he squeezed one of the larger ones, watching as crimson liquid oozed out, the blood looking beautiful - wondering whether it was normal to think blood looked beautiful. He looked up at Sasuke, letting go of his foot, and shrugged. "Your point?"

Finally, the smirk slowly left the face, much to Naruto's own satisfaction, but was glad when Sasuke moved to sit comfortable again, in front of him, crossed legged once more - mimicking the seating arrangements himself. Sasuke tsk'ed, an odd sound coming from the Uchiha.

"Was that not blood, idiot?" The Uchiha asked, receiving a nod and "Teme!" from the blond. "Well then, you have a body, yes?" Another nod, brows furrowing in distaste at the tone Sasuke was using on him. "So, you have a body and a blood; gee, we're really getting places here."

"Just hurry up and get to the point, teme!"

The smirk came back on the pale Uchiha's face full force, and Naruto would be lying if he said he wasn't curious where Sasuke was taking this.

"When you cut yourself, your wound kept on bleeding, like any other normal persons. That's because more blood is getting to that area, thus leaving through the wound, and that's because there's a heart, the organ that pumps 'shit', in your chest, pumping 'shit' around. Now, that means, you have an organ pumping your blood around your body, and hence, aah, wait, and because of that -- since I doubt you know such a word as hence -- it means you have a heart - the thing that makes humans human."

Silence ensued, Sasuke smirking in victory, while Naruto practically gaped like a fish at him - which was befitting of him, those lips were surely meant to be open in such a… Enticing manner, not that the Uchiha thought so. Oh no, the Uchiha just thought the fishcake looked like a fish. And found humour in that thought. With seconds ticking by, Naruto could only stare and process the information, his mind successfully distracting him from an emotional breakdown of pure joy by randomly reminding him of the trashed apartment. Sasuke broke out of his slight… Inappropriate thinking about lips and fishcakes, only to hear Naruto's curious question.

"… DIY store…? Can we get orange pant…?"

…

"… Fine."

[1] DIY: Those goddamn furniture and paints and the whole house-making-stuff shop. Dunno if it's called DIY or DYI or--... I'm sure it's DIY... o.O

So there you have it! The next chapter. Albeit, slightly shorter then most of my other chapters; but god I've been writing long ass chapters before haven't I? Either way; expect lots and lots of... Yaoi-ness in next chapter. Oh yes, this is where stuff happens. And I had fun explaining in far too much detail the drive of death. You can see some Deidara references in there. Cuz I wuv Deidara. 3 And I'm thinking up of some other pairings-stories I could use in the AI-verse. Anybody up for a KakaIru? Or a ItaDei? 8D I honestly haven't done anything remotely like those two, but hey, this IS my first Sasunaru [and second fanfic altogether] anyway, so... Hah! I'm going to whore myself out and ASK the WORLD for COOKI---... Reviews. o.o

Ya. Reviews. Pl0x. Kkthnx.

On a side note; Kisame shall forever be a driver in my eyes. That, and a bodyguard. No seriously.