Rose Between Wind And Fire
He awoke, located in the mist of pale and tan skin, his hair as messed as the blond and black around him. How things change, it wasn't long ago when they were all on their own paths and each trying to find a place in the world for them selves…
Soft velvet covered his pale milky skin as he slept, dark hair covering his closed eyes as thick lashes of the same shade lightly touched under his eye. He registered a knock on his door but ignored it in favor of sleeping in. After all he had nothing to do today, he could sleep.
The door was pushed open quietly silently the man walked inside looking at nothing but the boy in the bed, the mans blank expressionless face shifted for a moment into a smile. An angel has taken his place in his sleep, rest in peace my darling. The man kneeled in front of the sleeping boys face and gently raised a hand to brush the hair from his brothers face, then let his fingers trail down the creamy skin to the boys lips, his finger tips rested on those soft slightly open lips for a moment before they were pulled away as the younger stirred and eyelashes fluttered open to reveal black sleepy orbs with red swirls in the center, the Uchiha's trade mark eyes.
"Wake Little Brother." The voice was soft and yet commanding.
"Itachi…" Sasuke spoke as he moved to sit up on the bed. The man before him was a beauty beyond any other he had seen, he was strong and graceful proud and stubborn, tall and slim, yet his looks were only that, looks. Before him stood the leader of the kings army who had held the spot since he was merely ten years old, that was long before Sasuke was born. For in hell you never age.
"Yes, Sasuke, now get dressed quickly. Father has words for us." Itachi stood and lightly ruffled his brothers hair before leaving the room as quietly as he entered.
Sasuke stood and began to disrobe, he opened his amour doors and looked for a moment before gathering his clothes for the day and dressing quickly before brushing his hair and heading out the door. His father rarely spoke to them in a formal manner, much less in a fatherly one. Itachi was the one to look after Sasuke when he needed a father figure, a friend, or a teacher. Itachi was perfect. Itachi was the son his father wanted. Sasuke could never live up to his brother. He could never be Itachi.
His father wanted him to become like Itachi.
Itachi wanted him to become Sasuke.
And Sasuke wanted to become…
He shook his head and walked down the steps to the first floor.
"Your both here, now." Fu said as he eyed his sons, Mo smiled lightly at them and sat beside her husband. "I have decided I will be retiring my spot. I will pick one of my sons to take my place." he added for the council around him. "Never before has a king had two sons to choice from, one has always killed the others off by the time the father is to step down. Since this hasn't happened and seemingly wont I must pick one of you my self."
Sasuke blinked behind his cold mask. How hard was it to choice? Itachi was the best of the two he'd be a great King of Hell. It must have been one of those things a King has to do in front of everyone so its known and so forth.
"Itachi, you make a father proud. You have become so much more then I ever hoped for you rule the army with an iron fist and yet not one soldier has anything bad to say about you. Your liege always comes home alive and you have never loosed a battle to date. You know what the enemy is thinking before they know them selves and you plan for everything they throw at you. I'm proud to call you my son."
Itachi gave a slight nod of the head and spoke in his quiet voice. "Thank you, father." Any other son may have found this great praise and reply with comments like 'Its because of your strength… Your blood..' Itachi on the other hand had long since learned to read his fathers words for what they really mean. He admitted Itachi was far stronger and smarter then Fu himself. Questioned how he would handle losing a battle and how he would react to his men trying to over power him.
"Sasuke, you are still young with a lot to learn. I hope you take to the way Itachi took." Fu gave a sigh and continued. "I have made my choice and fell no need to wait any longer to announce the heir to the thrown of Hell. Come forth my sons."
Itachi and Sasuke walked together forward and stopped in front of their father. Fu placed one hand on each of their foreheads. The black light that surrounded the two boys faded and each had a mark left on their body.
"Itachi, the mark on your arm labels you as the Armies leader until you step down. I have given you my power over the dark. Sasuke, the mark on your neck labels you as the next King. I have given you my power of fire. I'm tired now, leave me… All of you."
Itachi took Sasuke's hand as the boy continued to stare at his father, who now looked more his age of century's old. Itachi tugged lightly on his brothers hand and lead him out of the hall as if he were a child of five. Itachi lead Sasuke down the halls and to outside, he stopped and turned to kneel in front of the boy who was still in shock at the news.
"Little brother?" Itachi pushed black hair behind his brothers ears and let his hand rest on his brothers cheek. "Sasuke, listen to me." Sasuke blinked and nodded at his brother. "You do not belong where father has placed you. You do not have what it takes to rule hell. Your heart is not full of hate and you could never watch as men die at your feet. You are not like him. You are not like me. You do not belong here. You need to go."
"You, want me to go, Itachi?" Sasuke looked at the ground.
"I want you, to be you. I don't want you to be him, or to be me. I want you to be Sasuke Uchiha, my younger brother. My only love, the reason I live, the reason I have done all that I have so you could be you and not have to worry about the pressure of hell. Do not make it so I have wasted my life so far."
"Itachi… I can't. Where would I go. They'll find me in Hell. I can't go to heaven, there's no place for me to run to." Sasuke glared at his brother.
"Listen to me, I have never hurt you or lead you wrong." Itachi frowned and shook his head. "Today was just the start. He will start training you, pushing you, making you think like him, be like him. I wont let that happen." Itachi stood and walked away from his brother.
Sasuke watched his brothers fading back before turning and walking inside the 'house'.
The following days were filled for Sasuke, just as Itachi had warned him they would be. If he complained Sasuke was told Itachi never complained, Itachi was far more ahead by this age, Itachi was the master of this. Silently Itachi watched as his brother trained, he watched as he grew angry and even when he was alone with tears in his eyes.
Sasuke laid in bed and watched the flames from the volcano from his window. He knew he was helping the fire grow as it feed off his inner feelings. He looked at the door as screams were heard from the hall, he stood and walked towards the screams, opening the door a crack to see what was going on outside. His eyes widened at the sight before him, his brother was in the hall covered in blood. Sasuke flung the door open and ran to his brother.
"Itachi, are you hurt?" Sasuke tried to find wounds on his brother but was pushed off by Itachi.
"Sasuke." The voice was not Itachi's regular voice. It was dark and bordering on crazy. "Beloved, I've tried to keep you away from him, now he can no longer hurt you. But has the damage already been done. Are you still my Sasuke. My angel in the night?" Itachi glared at the boy on the blood soaked floor. "My reason to live?"
Sasuke stared up at his brother eyes wide in shock. What was he saying? What had he done?
"You must leave Hell." Itachi turned away. "I can't look at you. Leave, or die." He stated as he walked off. Sasuke staring at the grace of his brothers steps and once he was out of sight he rose, heading to his parents room.
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A/N: Fu and Mo, simply because I'm to lazy to type out their names each time when they aren't in the story very long. This is chapter 1, next chapter may be out today if not this week for sure. This is a Heaven and Hell story, yeah but with a twist! Hope you enjoy it!
