Return to Innocence
At the end of all things, he watches as everything falls apart, shatters into thousands pieces and lays scattering at his feet. Nothing matters any more. This is it. It's over. Everything is over.
No joy, no glory; no pain, no nothing. All he can feel is numbness. His sensei's words rings again in his head.
"Those who fails, dies; those who succeeds, lives in emptiness."
Long ago, he had made his decision to walk this path. A path that he alone can walk. He had locked his heart and thrown away its key so far that it can never be found again. Not even he can hope to find it.
"Sasuke-kun, don't leave. Stay with me."
"I'll bring you back even if it means I have to break your arms and legs. I'll bring you back."
Fools. They are all fools. Only fools will attempt to make him stay or bring him back. He supposed even fools will eventually give up. Not them. They are more than fools - they are stubborn fools, the most stubborn kind he had ever seen. But he is more stubborn still.
He abandoned everything he had and left that fateful night. He never looks back since. The path he had chosen is long and hard but it suits him just fine. As long as it makes him stronger. Stronger and stronger until one day he is finally strong enough.
He sees only red now. The colour of blood and raw hatred. Fire burns. Blood spills. Life lost. Yet his hatred is never enough. Hate becomes him. Soon he is no longer human. Red demon, they call him. A demon that brings nothing but death. Let all fear him and despair. One day, he'll make him fear him and despair.
He had waited so long for this moment. Neither is surprise when it finally arrives - the day when the wheel of destiny spins and sucks everything in.
Without another word, he lunges towards Itachi. His mind is bent on a sole purpose - he'll kill this man, this time. This is his absolute destiny. Destiny beckons and he follows unquestionably.
Long and hard, they fight. Metal clashes metal. Soon day turns into night. As fate has it, it is a night of full moon, like the night of the Uchiha massacre. Their speed is blindingly fast to civilian's eyes. Only the trained eyes of shinobi can catch two blurry figures under the silvery moonlight. But there is none to witness their magnificent fight.
At last, Itachi falls. The very same man who was once God to him falls before him. God is invincible. He knows now Itachi is no God, far from it. Even if he is God, he had still brought him down himself.
"Why?" he asks the inevitable question. One word is more than necessary. He knows Itachi already knew exactly what he wanted to ask before he even speaks.
Why did you do it? Why did you let me live?
But Itachi doesn't answers.
"WHY?" he asks again. He demands an answer this time.
Why didn't you answer me?
"Because…" Itachi's voice is almost inaudible. He strains his ears to listen as Itachi mouths his last sentence, "…we're brothers."
Itachi's voice fails with his last breath. His red irises revert back to dull onyx and his eye lids slide down half closed. Itachi looks as if he is smirking with his half-lidded eyes.
"W-h-y?"
Why did you say this to me?
Sasuke crushes next to his brother.
Because we're brothers- Because we're brothers- Because we're brothers…
Then he laughs hoarsely, ignoring the blood that is choking his throat. In the midst of his choke, he can feel something wet on his cheek. It must be the rain because he has no more tears to shed. There is nothing more to live either. He closes his eyes and let himself sinks deeper and deeper into the abyss.
His eyes snap open instinctively when someone suddenly pokes his forehead. His mind is in utter confusion when he suddenly finds himself watching a thirteen-year-old Itachi sitting at the front door steps of their house as he wears his sandals.
"Sorry, otouto. Maybe next time," Itachi says almost apologetically. Itachi's shadow towers over him as he rises to his feet, preparing to leave. His brother's forehead protector is gleaming flawlessly when it catches the sunlight.
"Aniki?"
Itachi turns and looks at him, looking a little surprise. He pauses as if he momentarily forgets what he wanted to say. Itachi waits for him patiently until he finally says softly, "Come home safely."
"Aa."
He watched his brother left home that day.
He finally remembers now - the beginning of all things.
A/N: Yet another Sasuke/Itachi fic from me. I really look forward to watching their final show down if there is any. In the meantime, I'm content just to write about them. Thanks for reading.