Title: Around and About
Summary: There is a story to be told.
Setting: AU
A/N: Prologue of something new. Really going to try hard with this one - discussion is welcome in reviews, and I will always answer back.
Enjoy!
Around and About
Prologue
.
"I believe the general response would be to terminate the endeavor."
"Be quiet, Itachi."
A hint of a smirk.
"Otouto, you are not thinking this through."
"Not every move I make has to be calculated. Maybe I like living in the moment."
"How... teenaged of you, Sasuke."
"I said, be quiet."
"Alright," the elder conceded. And Itachi remained quiet, as he watched his younger brother study the cliff before him. Itachi observed the height – around forty meters or so – and glanced surreptitiously back at Sasuke. A determined light was in his eye.
This was not going to end well.
True, there was a ravine underneath them, and while it did look rather deep, one couldn't be sure about it. Itachi was not keen on the idea of testing the depth.
Especially with the "cliff-diving" method.
Personally, Itachi could not see the appeal behind these idiotic actions, but then he had always acted older than his age. Maybe this was the kind of thing one did when one was young. Well, if Sasuke continued at the rate he was going, he wasn't going to survive past his thirteenth year –
"I'm going to do it," muttered Sasuke.
"I promised Mother I would bring you back alive. That was a promise I intend to keep."
"Nothing's going to happen to me."
Itachi chuckled. "With your luck? Highly doubtful."
A sulky 'humph' was all Itachi gained in reply.
"No one is dying while I am captain of this mission," Itachi spoke calmly.
"Yes sir," Sasuke replied sarcastically. Itachi quirked an eyebrow, but otherwise made no comment on the blatant insubordination directed at himself. The younger Uchiha brother sprawled himself out on the ground lazily, shirtless and apparently enjoying the sun on his bare skin – his eyes were closed.
"Not a vacation," said Itachi.
"And I didn't ask for your opinion," Sasuke darted back. He leaned up on his forearms. "And I'm still going to jump off this cliff."
"Suit yourself."
And then Itachi stood up, stretched, and began to walk away, confident in his bluff. Usually Sasuke would play with the idea of doing what Itachi had forbidden him to do; chewing on it in a few intense moments of indecisiveness. Then his frown would deepen, but his forehead would relax their wrinkles, and he'd amble behind Itachi, trying to keep up with his older brother's advantage of longer legs.
It had recently become easier for Sasuke to catch up with Itachi, but nothing else had changed.
Itachi turned around.
"We have ways to go yet, Otouto."
Sasuke's back was turned to him, looking down at the stream of water, some forty meters down.
"... Sasuke."
Because Itachi never questioned Sasuke's loyalty.
Because while everyone expected much from Itachi, only Itachi expected much from Sasuke.
Because Sasuke always, always followed after him.
The sun was setting, illuminating the trees in golden light; a cool, darker blue was threatening its presence at the tips of the horizon.
Sasuke slowly turned around...
… and grinned.
…
And then jumped off the cliff.