xaArzie: I have always looked up to big brothers and I'm pretty sure Sasuke did too… enjoy guys! And review!
The S-class missing nin looked down upon the village he could never return to.
"They're too dangerous"
He watched as the town's folk scurried about their business, oblivious to his presence. Even in the city rat-race, still, most of them wore cheerful expressions as they bought, sold, haggled and even stole as part of their everyday lives. He stood in silent awe of how naïve the world has become.
"What about Sasuke? He's just a little boy…"
In a distant pasture, not far from the training ground and the stadium, he spotted a team of three and their mentor. One of them, he recognized to be the host of the nine-tailed fox, seemed to be strapped to training pole. He's observed him in that state for the fifth time this week, and it was only Thursday.
Nearby was the pink haired kunoichi he was always with and that frosty haired Juonin who held his face at such importance, he seemed so ashamed to flaunt it. They were laughing at the little blonde boy strapped to a log.
Overseeing the scene was another ninja, a boy, with jet black hair and resolute dark eyes. He wore the village's symbol on his forehead protector and a top symbol the Akatsuki knew all too well at the back of his blue jersey.
"He's gotten too close to his brother. We can't take that chance."
Itachi's eyes fell on this young boy, about eight years younger than himself, as he took several kunai and jumped in the air. While of the ground he threw all but one of them out in every direction. Using that last one, he guided each kunai in the right direction to their respective targets. Every single one hit bull's eye.
"They're too skilled, too strong. If we let them get any better they'll be too difficult to control. They are already a liability."
He smirked at the familiar training routine. When he last saw his brother, the most he could get right was one.
He watched the girl cheer frantically and his mentor place a proud hand on his shoulder. The blonde boy was fuming in his pole from the other end of the clearing.
"They'll have to go."
"They're my boys, my little boys." She wept.
"They're a threat."
Behind the closed sliding door, a young man of about sixteen stood at the doorway, his clenched fists trembling.
"It's either them or us and the safety of this village." He heard from the other side.
Proud of his own accomplishment, Sasuke wore a bright smirk as they walked away from the clearing, leaving the fox boy behind. He was becoming stronger everyday. As of now, he was the best and only getting better. Soon he'd be good enough to on by himself and pursue his real goes… and Itachi knew it.
Every time he held a kunai or any weapon, the same yells and shrieks replay in his mind. Whenever he'd see someone in all black, especially in the dead of night, he shivered. Even the sight of his own Sharingan made him remember and fear sometimes. It was the same crimson hue, the same spine-tingling feeling as that fateful night.
"They have to die."
The sight that probably disturbed him the most was whenever he'd see a little boy walking beside or on piggy-back of an older boy. Whenever he saw brothers laughing and talking together, he had the sudden urge to snatch the little boy away into safety. Nothing ever let him trust older men again.
"You were our parents. Do you even know what that's supposed to mean?!" he said, his voice shaky but his grip on his sword firm. "You were supposed to protect us. You were supposed to be on our side but instead, you went with those fools!"
Steady and precise, he brought down his weapon on the small, trembling body of the woman in front of him. Shutting his own eyes tight, he heard the metal touch and pierce through skin. He heard the splash of blood and felt it splatter on his feet. Still shaky himself, he opened his eyes and starred at the messy corpse of his mother.
This would be a sight he would never show him. Sasuke did not ever deserve to see this.
Standing at that hilltop this very moment was a proud older brother. He was beaming with pride from the bottom of what little heart everyone thought he had.
He could fend for himself now. If any threat aroused he wouldn't need his brother's help or anyone else's for that matter. Most importantly, no one will ever treat him like a helpless little boy again.
Itachi watched from his hidden lookout at the little boy he once knew as his little brother.
Soon, he knew Sasuke would come after him. He knew that was all his heart ever wanted to do, kill him and avenge his family. He had tried many times before but he wasn't ready. He wasn't strong enough. If they had faced off then, he was sure Sasuke would die, so he ran.
No older brother would ever let his younger one go into battle unprepared.
He refused to face him until he was ready. When that time came Itachi promised not to run. He'd come to Sasuke himself, if that's what it took.
"Train. Train hard so that one day you'll be able to kill me."
All these years he'd been watching his brother do just that. He waited and waited until Sasuke was strong enough to kill him. He's kept himself alive all this time for that soul reason.
Uchiha Itachi was a murderer. He was a heartless, cold blooded assassin who would go to hell for all the lives he's taken.
He was also full of pride.
The only person he would ever allow to take his life was this young, dark haired, light skinned young boy he was watching right now. The only person whom he'd ever allow to punish him for his deeds was the person he'd hurt the most. Nobody else deserved the honor.
It was taking too long. All the Akatsuki wanted now was to be put out of his misery.
The guilt, the blood, and the pain that stained his hands were beginning to accumulate. He's been carrying this burden for more then a decade and he can't take much more. He longed for the moment Sasuke would finally slice of his head or pierce through is heart so it'd all be over.
Until then, he'd be waiting and watching.
Uchiha Itachi was a little young boy who loved his little brother and looked out for him when nobody else would.
"Train hard, Sasuke. One day you will kill me and we'll both finally be at peace."
He whispered into the breeze. It carried his low, rough voice through the trees and into the clearing. It reached the younger Uchiha's ears and tickled it. He brushed it off irritably as if were an annoying little bug, a bug that kept following him everywhere and just refused to die away.
It would never just die away. Not until he killed it.
When that happened, he'd put his family at peace. His heart would be content… knowing only what it was told and never wishing to learn what no one dared tell him.
Brothers will always be brothers. They look out for each other. It's their job.
Uchiha Itachi loves his brother.
Author: This is a tribute to Itachi. To all those people, who like me, never really believed he was all that bad.