Naruto Shippuden Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Preferable Path to Perfection is You ❯ Two Plus Two Equals Five? ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: The characters, items, places etc of Naruto are property of Masashi Kishimoto. These objects are used without permission for entertainment only, not for making money. No infringement is intended.

Chapter 12: Two Plus Two Equals Five?

Not owning a clock in his bedroom didn't mean time was non-existent. Itachi was rather disappointed to learn that fact as he rummaged through his wardrobe for a suitable shirt to wear.

Deidara had gone back to his own place to retrieve clothes more fancy than his usual type- he usually simply brought a handful of casual clothes with him each time he came back and they had gravitated to the drawers in Itachi's room.

Itachi pulled out the red shirt he'd been wearing the night they first went out, running a hand across it lightly. Deidara had moved in- all that he needed was his own key and the acknowledgement that it had officially happened.

But it was irrelevant now, right? Deidara was leaving to chase the dream he'd had for longer than he'd known Itachi, and that was more important.

He slipped the shirt on, rising to a stand with a heavy sigh. He wasn't one for socialising in bars- that was more Sasuke's forte, but he wasn't going to refuse Deidara one last request to spend time together doing something fun.

He strangled the thought that rose once again to remind him the idea of drinking himself into a stupor was appealing, because it meant not having to think about the only person he'd ever opened up to and accepted into his life that wasn't his little brother was leaving.

Deidara had said they should meet at the bar since it was in-between both of their places, so he grabbed his keys and jacket and slipped out into the cold night. He barely noticed the chill for once as he walked briskly through the streets in the direction of the first place they'd gone out together.

Deidara wasn't waiting outside so he slipped in the door, basking in the warmth despite the smoky, loud atmosphere as he scanned the room searching for him. His eyes fell on a familiar figure seated near the snooker table where they had been seated on their first outing, prompting him to step across the room determinedly.

"One, two, three- go!"

He stopped behind the table as he observed his brother knock back a shot on the count of three, slamming the glass down quicker than his blond opponent- Naruto, Itachi recognised. He glared, rather unimpressed at the discovery and even less impressed by the cigarette in Sasuke's hand.

"Uh oh," Naruto uttered- he was sitting opposite Sasuke and had spotted Itachi. "I think you just got busted, Sasuke."

Sasuke turned, eyes widening in surprise at the sight of his brother standing over him. The shock turned to confusion when Itachi beckoned for him to move, seating himself next to Sasuke and snatching the cigarette from his hand.

"What the fuck have you done to your hair?" Sasuke finally asked accusingly, tugging lightly on the end of the high ponytail his brother was sporting.

"I tied it up," Itachi replied simply, as though his brother was asking a rather ridiculous question. Which, really, he was- wasn't it obvious what he'd done with it? There was no need to put such a fine point on it.

"I mean... You look different."

"That's the idea."

"When I say 'different' I mean 'like a girl'. Deidara's influence by chance?"

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" Itachi asked instead, diverting the conversation to where he wanted it to be, which was not talking about his hair.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke countered.

"I'm over the legal age to be here," Itachi countered. "What about you?"

"It's Saturday night?" Sasuke tried, looking hopeful.

Itachi sighed and waved a hand at him, glancing across at Naruto who was looking out of place and giving him a smile.

"Don't worry," he said to him, indicating the shots on the table that were untouched. "I'm not going to berate you. You're not my responsibility."

The cigarette was still smouldering between his fingertips and he eyed it for a moment before holding it up. Sasuke gave him a resolute glare.

"I'm old enough to smoke," he countered to the silent argument. "It's a decent stress reliever."

"Is that so?" Itachi replied, raising an eyebrow before inhaling from it. Sasuke stared at him as though he had grown a second head, taking it back when Itachi held it out.

"No, I don't feel any less stressed, Sasuke," he said after a moment, exhaling smoke and clearly attempting not to cough. "That's got to be a marketing ploy."

"What's got into you?" Sasuke frowned, looking slightly concerned.

"Lend me your ear, Sasuke," Itachi requested, picking up one of the shots on the table and eyeing it for a moment before knocking it back with ease. He put the glass down with a soft tap, glancing across at Naruto. "And I'd like you to either close yours or keep your mouth shut."

Naruto nodded wordlessly, so Itachi turned back to his brother and sighed heavily. "He's leaving."

"Leaving?"

"He's going to the other end of the country for an art scholarship."

"Ah. Does he...?"

"No."

"Are you going to...?"

Itachi laughed shortly, eyeing the shots on the table in front of them. They really did look quite tempting. "I don't know."

"Then what am I supposed to tell you?"

"The quickest way of getting intoxicated that isn't going to land me with a hangover in the morning."

Sasuke laughed outright at that, picking up another one of the shots and handing it to him. "Sorry," he shrugged. "I can't help there. Alcohol can have that effect I'm afraid."

Itachi knocked the shot back with another heavy sigh. "I see," he remarked, putting the glass down. "I guess I'll just have to take that, then."

"Take it easy, won't you?" Sasuke told Itachi as he ventured to pick up another shot. "You don't usually drink so you'll probably-"

"Are you insinuating I'm a lightweight?" Itachi cut in, taking the shot anyway.

"No," Sasuke clarified, looking a little nervous at his brother's sudden change of behaviour. "I'm saying you are, not just hinting. Anyway- Deidara's here, I can see him over at the bar."

"Excellent," Itachi sighed, snatching the cigarette from Sasuke again. "Thanks, Sasuke."

Sasuke watched him go with an expression that screamed he felt he had been dreaming, eventually turning back to Naruto thoughtfully.

"I never thought I'd say this," he said quietly. "But I think we're going to have to keep an eye on him tonight."

Deidara was looking at Itachi with an equally amazed expression on his face, eyes falling on the cigarette in his hands. He was holding two glasses of what looked like cola, having just retrieved them.

"Where did you get that?" He asked slowly, nodding to the cigarette.

"I confiscated it from my brother."

"That doesn't explain why you're smoking it."

Itachi shrugged and ignored the bitter ash and burn in his throat as he inhaled from it once more, indicating with one hand for Deidara to follow.

"You've taught me to try new things," he explained as he led them to a table near Sasuke's. Close enough to keep an eye on him, but not close enough to stifle him. "Small gardens, wasn't it?"

"I didn't quite mean like that."

"You didn't?" Itachi asked, eyes widening marginally in genuine surprise.

Deidara raised an amused eyebrow at him. "No. There's nothing wrong with trying new things, but you have to be comfortable with whatever it is you do, yeah. You can get rid of it."

Itachi did so gladly, taking a long sip from the drink in front of him. He frowned, unable to taste any alcohol as he had been expecting and, truthfully, hoping for.

"What's in this?"

"It's just coke- I thought you'd appreciate starting slow, yeah."

"Get something with alcohol," Itachi ordered lightly. "If we're going to drink, do it right."

Deidara rose without complaint as the unvoiced section of the sentence flittered through Itachi's mind. As always, he kept his expression neutral- if he was going to try new things and act like a normal person, he needed the courage to do so.

He had limited experience with alcohol and had never overindulged in it before, but he'd been present when his brother had. He hid his smirk behind his glass as he looked across to Sasuke, remembering one particular evening that had ended with his brother wearing some things that were best left to construction sites.

Deidara had approached his brother's table. Itachi watched them in interest and attempted to make out what was being said, but he was unable to do so. Deidara, the crafty devil, had one hand obscuring the side of his mouth as he if just known Itachi was capable of lip reading.

"Hey," Deidara was whispering, crouching down next to the younger Uchiha. Sasuke eyed him cagily, another glass moments from his lips. "What's going on with your brother?"

Sasuke thought very carefully about his answer before giving it, knocking back the shot and fixing Deidara with an unreadable expression.

"Itachi's perfect, remember?" He reminded, also having the sense to recognise he needed to put one hand to the side of his mouth. He didn't miss Itachi's glare from across the room at doing so. "He hates to lose control of things."

"So he's okay with the idea of getting completely trashed? How does that work?"

"You heard me," Sasuke repeated slowly. "He hates losing control so he'll do anything to stop it."

"I don't-"

"You are both really fucking stupid," Sasuke snapped at him, rolling his eyes and sending Deidara scurrying without another word.

He glanced across at Naruto, resting an elbow on the sticky table and laying his face against his palm. "Naruto? Can we restart the night? I feel like I'm stuck in some kind of strange dream."

"More drinks?" Naruto suggested with a grin.

"Why the hell not?"

Itachi was entirely unsure what events led to him leaning up against the wall outside the bar they'd been previously inside attempting not to throw up on his shoes, but he knew alcohol was involved somehow.

Deidara had been too nervous to buy the more than the first drink- which had been finished in seconds- but apparently Sasuke wasn't, happily flitting past the table with the occasional mixed drink for him that tasted suspiciously like more than a single shot.

"Uchiha Itachi?" He heard a voice from the doorway near him, glancing up to see two people from his class looking at him inquisitively. He gave them a short wave, ignoring their surprise.

"That would be me," he replied, sounding marginally slurred. He blinked in astonishment- he was certain he had banished any outward signs of his excessive alcohol consumption. He was standing up straight, after all, even if he was using the wall for support.

"You look awful. Are you alright?"

"Fine," he replied airily. Which he was- apart from the nausea he felt absolutely, one hundred and ten percent fine! How could he look awful?

"You don't normally come out, do you? Are you sure you're alright?"

"He's with me, yeah."

Deidara had appeared in the doorway, clutching what was either a glass of water or neat vodka. Itachi hoped it was the latter, disappointed when Deidara joined his side and he discovered it was indeed water when he was handed it to drink.

"You need to slow down," Deidara said quietly. "We've been here an hour and a half and you can barely stand already."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm standing, aren't I?"

Deidara removed the glass from Itachi's hand and pried his other hand off of the wall, looking sympathetic when the action sent Itachi to his knees. He picked himself back up as gracefully as he could, leaning back against the wall slowly as Deidara handed the water back with a sigh.

"Didn't you want this?" Itachi pointed out. "You said we should get 'so wrecked we can't walk straight'."

"I was thinking we might crawl home around two am, not eight thirty," Deidara pointed out. "Come on, drink that water and come back inside, yeah. Are you still feeling sick?"

Itachi didn't respond, sipping the water and refusing to answer because it meant saying 'yes'.

He had no idea what Sasuke had said to Deidara, so was unaware his brother had been right. If he didn't drink he would brood, and if he brooded he would earn Deidara's attention.

The idiot would hound him about what was wrong until he snapped and told him 'you're leaving and I don't want you to' and while Itachi wanted to tell him, doing so while horrifically inebriated wasn't quite how he wanted things to go.

Itachi had found the easy answer to that potential issue- every time he opened his mouth he would sip something first and let his brain process whatever it was he had been intending to say before his mouth did. So far, it had worked. He had to be careful though- too much alcohol would lower his guard more than intended and that just wouldn't do.

"I'll see you inside," Deidara told him when Itachi had been staring into space for a while, lost in his thoughts. "I'll buy you another drink but you aren't getting it until you drink that."

Deidara indicated the water Itachi was still clutching before heading back inside, leaving him to slip down to the floor next to the wall. Deidara was right- he needed to slow down, if only to stop the spinning in his head. He stared down into the water, breathing deeply to try and sober himself. It took a few minutes but the oxygen began to take effect, helping the dizziness fade a little.

"Hey."

He glanced to his right to see Sasuke standing in the doorway, looking a little awkward. He stepped outside and seated himself next to Itachi, wrapping his coat around himself as he did so.

"I can't believe I'm advocating this, but you need to tell him."

"He's going to be happy," Itachi replied bitterly. "Why should I be selfish and change that?"

"Because I honestly think he'd rather be here with you than on the other side of the country."

Itachi mulled that thought over for a moment, sipping the water wistfully before replying. "Why do you say that?"

"He and I just had a little chat."

Itachi glared at him sharply, relaxing a little when Sasuke shook his head in answer to his question. Though, considering neither of them could usually stand to be in the same room as one another, the idea of a 'little chat' was still disconcerting.

"No, I didn't say anything," Sasuke clarified. "That isn't my place. I congratulated him-"

"You did?" Itachi interrupted, looking impressed.

"Well, I did want to tell him to hurry the fuck up and leave, but I have your interests at heart, not mine," Sasuke shrugged. "I asked if he was looking forward to it, that's all. He said 'yes and no'. I asked if he could elaborate and he said something that proves to me just how clueless you are."

"Go on."

"He said you told him to go. Are you stupid? That isn't how that kind of thing is supposed to work. If you want him to stay you're supposed to say so- he isn't a mind reader."

"No," Itachi disagreed. "As his friend I'm supposed to support him in whatever he wishes to do. He's wanted to go to that college for a long time, Sasuke. Who am I to take that from him?"

"But you don't want to be his friend," Sasuke pointed out. "You want more than that, so different rules apply. Trust me, I don't think he'd be very upset if you went in there and told him how you felt."

Itachi waved a hand at him, tipping the water he was holding into the bush next to him. "Tell him I drank that, would you?" He requested, slowly pulling himself to his feet. He swayed but stayed upright without the support of the wall, ignoring the scathing look Sasuke was giving him.

"And if I don't?"

"I'll tell the barmaid you're underage."

"You vindictive prick," Sasuke muttered, pulling himself upright as well. "Fine. You will get home in one piece tonight, won't you?"

"I'm sure I'll manage."

Sasuke eyed him for a moment, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. "You're going to be so fucked up tomorrow," he remarked before heading back inside, leaving Itachi to glare at the spot he had just been standing in.

Once he got back inside, Deidara had kept his word. Another alcoholic drink sat waiting for him and Sasuke gave him a wink, indicating he'd kept his side of the deal. Itachi gave him a tiny smile back, sitting back down and looking slightly guilty.

"Drinking game?" He declared after a moment, picking up the shot in front of him and knocking it back. It was against his better judgment, but he had long since stopped caring.

Deidara looked undecided before he sighed and nodded. "Why not?" He agreed with a shrug. "If you're not going to take it easy there's no reason for me to then either, yeah."

"Then I'll get the drinks."

"Itachi?"

Itachi opened his weary eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the street lamp directly above his head. He brought his hand up as a visor, squinting and trying to remember if Itachi was even his name, let alone what he was doing lying on the floor underneath a streetlight.

Deidara was kneeling next to him, looking a little hazy as well. "Oh, you're not dead," he commented lightly.

Itachi really rather wished he was. His head was pounding and he couldn't see straight- attempting to get off of the floor was going to be absolutely impossible, but was entirely essential.

He couldn't even make out his surroundings except for the blinding light above him, which he waved a hand at in an attempt to make it stop. Deidara laughed slightly, shaking his side.

"Come on, we have to go home. You can't lie in the street like this."

"Where...?" Itachi tried, swallowing a few times to moisten his throat. "Where are we?"

"We were walking home, yeah. Did I win the drinking game? I think I can stand up but I know you can't."

Crawling was undignified, Itachi told himself, but it didn't stop him doing it because Deidara was correct in his assumption. The action caused Deidara to almost howl with laughter, putting a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Not so perfect now, yeah," he commented. "Take it slow and stand up. I promised your brother I'd get you home safely."

"I'm never perfect around you."

Itachi spoke the words that were invading his mind without even thinking about it, clenching his fingers on the pavement below him as he pushed himself to a stand. Deidara grabbed him immediately, supporting him as they began to walk.

"I can't be imperfect without you," Itachi continued, his voice tormented. "I can't bring myself to do it."

"I'm sure you'll get by," Deidara replied far too soberly after a moment of quiet contemplation. "You were doing just fine before I showed up."

"I was doing terribly before you showed up."

"No-one could tell, yeah. Isn't that what you wanted in the first place?"

"No," Itachi whispered. "But I have to be perfect, don't I?"

"I know," Deidara replied, sounding a little more sober. "That's why we haven't had the conversation we need to yet."

Itachi blinked a few times, halting and putting a hand to the fence they were next to. "Conversation?"

"You and I both know what we need to talk about," Deidara told him evenly. "It has to be you, Itachi. I can't start it, yeah. Your need to be perfect- it's more important at the moment, right?"

"More important?"

"Than me."

"No!" Itachi replied immediately, but his eyes screamed yes because nothing was more important than the complex- Itachi's happiness included. The look didn't go unnoticed by Deidara, who gently pulled on Itachi's arm to get him walking once more.

"Don't lie," he whispered. "I've had enough of the lies and the shields and all of that."

"That's all I know how to do," Itachi snapped back at him. He hadn't disguised the bitterness but the words themselves spoke his true mood well enough. "I only know how to be perfect. I don't know how to be me."

"If you talk now you're going to regret it," Deidara told him softly after a long pause, sounding regretful. "If it's so important to you, tell me tomorrow if you can remember this conversation, yeah."

"Will you still be there in the morning?" Itachi asked, looking at him with anguished eyes that threatened to break Deidara's heart.

"Yes," Deidara nodded certainly. "I'll be there."

Chapter End