Ever since the kidnaping, Sasuke had traded roles with Itachi, stepping in to play "big brother" and caretaker for the now crippled young man. He'd taken some time off from school to help his brother adjust, and while Itachi had been grateful to him at first-their parents refused to hire a nurse or let him stay in the hospital any longer, saying he could figure things out on his own-he quickly began to regret accepting Sasuke's offer of help. The younger boy had no regard for Itachi's dignity, which he had proven the very first day after the hospital. He woke Itachi up as gently as he could, helped him sit up, and then slid a pale hand into his elder brother's pajama bottoms. Itachi yelped and tried to push him away, but Sasuke just hushed him. "Sorry, nii-san, but Mom told me to check your diaper periodically." Itachi had no answer to that, but he weakly pushed at Sasuke with his non-broken arm.
His baby brother was insultingly gentle, treating him like a fragile toy that could break at the drop of a hat, or a helpless child who might burst into tears at any moment. The latter was closer to the truth than anyone cared to admit- their parents liked to pretend Itachi hadn't started screaming when Fugaku hugged him in the hospital. (He didn't recognize him at first, all he saw was a man, another huge grown man just like... and then he was screeching like a wounded animal, hitting and scratching his father in a blind panic, soiling the hospital bed without even noticing.) Sasuke spoke just barely above a whisper, moved slowly so Itachi could see where his hands were, and never touched his brother anywhere below the waist if he could help it. He was gentle when bathing him, washing him off quickly without mentioning his mangled legs or what was no longer between them, talking about things his boyfriend had done at school that day.
At first, the coddling was appreciated. Itachi had spent the past eight years in a barn, cold and hungry and in pain, so the gentle words were obviously a welcome change. But when Sasuke took him out in public-just to a tiny bookstore, somewhere quiet with very few people to frighten him-he realized he was embarrassing his little brother. The taller boy helped him out of the back seat and into his wheelchair, squeezing his shoulder gently before pushing him inside. Itachi stared at his lap when they entered the store, avoiding questioning glances from a woman sitting behind the counter. Sasuke ruffled his hair and took him into the adult nonfiction section, scanning the books while keeping up a conversation with his brother. Several minutes passed with no problem, but then a tall man walked into the aisle. Itachi's breath caught in his throat, and he began to suck his thumb nervously. It was a comfort mechanism he had picked up shortly after he was taken, but when Sasuke glanced up from his book he quickly pulled Itachi's hand away from his mouth. "I think it's time to go home, nii-san. You did so well today, I'm proud of you..."
On another outing a few days later, this time to Sakura's house, Itachi tugged on Sasuke's sleeve. "I had an accident," he informed him in his usual monotone. Sakura smiled sympathetically at him, clearly uncomfortable. Sasuke took his brother to the bathroom, where he lectured him as he changed his diaper. "Don't say things like that in front of other people. Now Sakura is going to think you're weird-adults aren't supposed to wear diapers. Do you ever want to come over here again?" "Not really." Sasuke sighed. "That's another thing. Itachi, you need to quit being so blunt about everything." Itachi stared at his brother in shock, years of abuse having left their mark on him. "It's bad to lie," he informed him. "You don't have to lie, just try and sound nicer when you tell the truth."
He began to wonder if he was bothering Sasuke in other areas as well. Going such a long time with only one person around to talk to had made Itachi's already poor social skills completely nonexistant, and he had no problem telling Sasuke exactly what he was feeling at any given moment. Usually, that was "scared". Itachi was terrified of everything, and clung to his baby brother like a toddler clings to a blanket or stuffed toy. He was afraid to leave the house at first, and even though Sasuke was eventually able to coax him outside, he still panicked when men talked to him. There was one particularly embarrassing incident where a man placed a hand on his shoulder, and Itachi punched him in the face. Sasuke had to explain to a complete stranger that, yes, he was the crying young man's caretaker, and, no, he wasn't normally like this. When they got home, Sasuke lectured his brother for almost an hour on how to behave in public.
"Don't hit people. You can get arrested for that, do you want to go to jail?" Itachi whimpered at that, and Sasuke remembered what he'd told his brother about the man who kidnapped him-that he was in jail. "Not the same jail as the man who hurt you. He's in... he's in a different, bigger jail, and he's never getting out." Itachi smiled a little at that. "Never?" "Never, nii-san. Your otouto made sure of that," Sasuke said darkly. Not understanding the implication, Itachi grabbed Sasuke's hand, happy that his brother would protect him.