Well Hey there~ I wrote this a long time ago. Like September 2008 long ago. Just something I started when I couldn't sleep. But once again—it's not doing much good sitting in the desktop, so I'll post it up, hoping for someone to read it I guess.
This story is from Sasuke's POV. Just about his experiences after Itachi goes off to college. It's AU of course. None of the ninja things exist, and Itachi didn't kill the family, and Sasuke isn't out seeking revenge. I hope it's not too bad—but what can I say? Hope you enjoy.
Warnings: 1) AU ( I mention something of parents, but it's not a main focus of this at all…) This is written in a type of diary entry/memory flashback style. So, don't try to check the dates and tell me that couldn't have happened then – I know… it's just random honest – I tried though.
2) OCCness is inevitable. i apologize in advance.
3) let me clear up one thing. This story was writen inspired from a personal place in my life. I am from America. Most/all of my writing will have American influence. This is an AU story and I mention most big holidays like Halloween and Christmas and Thanksgiving in this fic. I am well aware that Naruto is written by a Japanese man who is most likely Buddist or Shinto, and the characters of Naruto are probably also Buddist or Shinto, and they probably do not celebrate the Christmas Story, but it is mentioned in here, as well as Halloween Traditions, and especially Thanksgiving (I know that no other country celebrates a day like this in the last week of November. I'm well aware). So please, just accept this fact and do not send a flame for that reason alone. It has happened to me before. Also, I have never been to Japan. in fact, this story is not meant be take place in Japan, or even Konoha for that matter. it is AU (ALTERNATE universe) I do not know where it takes place. It may very well be Konoha for all I know, (but has many American influences). I also have mixed in various Japanese suffix's like Sensei, Nii-chan, etc. so it's not all Americanized writing. If these minor dysfunctional details bother you so much, I ask that you please go read from another, more professional website, or get yourself a Library card, and read Professionally Published works of art. Thank you. That is all.
4) Grammar, spelling, and capitalization errors are bound to slip through. Either because of me not catching it, or not changing my edits. darn technology, huh? please ignore them to the best of your ability.
Disclaimer: all Naruto subjects belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Let's just start.
Dedicated to every younger sibling who goes through the experience of losing their aniki to college.
Patches of the Universe
Written by: Bakura From School
February 23
The idea of my brother going off to college meant everything to me. I was excited that I'd finally get my own room; And he wouldn't ever wake me up too early for school in the mornings. He wouldn't be there to annoy me about making friends; And he wouldn't bring any of his to the house either. Life would be good.
No more 'do this Sasuke.' 'Sasuke, do that' 'Turn your music down Sasuke, it's much too loud'. And maybe I would even repaint the room. I'd give it a nice blue coat – not the dark black we have now with red cloud, and white star outlines. A nice Royal blue. Just plain. No cutouts. No clouds. Oh yes, life would be more than good. It'd be great.
June 6
I gave him a hug when he found me waiting in the crowd after the graduation. Diploma in hand and tassel hanging off his wrist, Itachi looked, I had to admit, frightened: the realization that life had officially started tonight…
We went to dinner, and I guess had a fun time. By the time we were home at eleven, Itachi looked tired enough to die. We drug our old sleeping bags out to the tree house and slept up there, just like we did every first day of summer vacation. I painted his nails while we talked about the highlights of the school year: all of his friends pitched in money to buy him the thousand dollar bass he's always wanted, metallic crimson with the golden knobs, four string. And mine being the last week in Chemistry when sensei let us clean the lab by making a soapy skating rink of the floor.
This tradition never changed and it didn't get old.
"Itachi, what will it be like…next year. Will we be able to do this?"
" Sasuke, we're brothers. I won't break our tradition."
"…good".
July 27 Summer Vacation
Itachi thought it would be fun to do something new and "exotic" this summer, so he searched, and he found White Water Rafting. Our first time out; in bulky life jackets, you felt "safe", but considering all the damn warnings they come up with, it makes you want to jump out of the raft before you get in it. The chances that someone falls off the raft are about fifty percent, and considering my luck, I was part of that top fifty.
When I fell in, I just froze up; I couldn't think. When somebody pulled me, sopping wet, back in, it was my brother…
"Is he alright?"
"He'll be okay. Can I stop rowing to take care of him?" Itachi…
"Of course. In about ten minutes we'll be coming up to some calm water. You can take him out again, if you'd like…!"
So twice that day I was tackled out of the boat; once by a rapid, and the other by my brother, laughing. We had … fun (?) that day, for a summer adventure, at least.
August 31
Itachi left for college. Most of his stuff is gone; His bass, his clothes, his books and all his paintings. He said it would be better if he got there a little early to get settled in.
I didn't mind much.
The room would be mine, my own school would start in a few days, and life would be good. No worries.
September 3. First day of school.
"The day is September third, six AM."
I hate September third, six AM.
It's the first day of school – and I'm waking up for the first time without Itachi cheering about it. But there also wasn't any breakfast – I didn't feel like eating anyways.
Class Schedule Rundown:
First period – Algebra. Kurenai-sensei. Sucked.
Second: Woodshop. Genma Shiranui and Raido Namiashi. Sucked.
Third period – History with Asuma Sarutobi. sucked.
Fourth period –Japanese. Kakashi-sensei. He showed up the last fifteen minutes of class.
Fifth: Literature. Jaraiya-sama. Pervert. Sucked.
Sixth period: Biology. Orochimaru-sama. Scarred me. Sucked.
Seventh period – Home Economics. Iruka-mother hen- sensei. …Sucked.
Eight period –Art. Jaraiya. again. Sucked. again.
September 4
I called to talk to him about how my first day went…it wasn't that great.
"So, Sasuke, who's your favorite teacher so far?"
"…not anyone. Jaraiya, my literature and art teacher, watches porn on the internet and claims that it's for 'class room research'."
"Ha-ha! And he doesn't get in trouble because he's childhood friends with the principal, right?"
"How'd you know?"
"Same deal when I was there. Just don't tell him we're related—he HATED me! Any other's that creeped you out?"
"Just…Orochimaru. He's…"
"Biology. He's still there? Thought for sure he'd been fired."
"He should be. Him and his intern student seem to act suspiciously friendly with each other."
"PDA"
"Orochimaru- sama has like, 30 years on him. It's sick."
He asked me if I made any new friends, and of course ended up teasing me, and harping on my social skills when I told him no. …maybe things aren't going to change all that much. Right now, I can't say if that's a relief or something to dread.
October 31. Halloween.
I refuse to go inside a haunted house. Itachi had always gotten invites to go to the best haunted house on the scariest night of the year. But, he always turned his friends down to stay with me.
I refuse to open the door to trick or treaters on Halloween night. Itachi had always loved to answer the door, no matter who it was or what time of the day the doorbell rang. But he would always set the candy outside our house to take me Trick or Treating. I went last year too. Despite the embarrassment of a few of the pity stories Itachi told the older citizens, I got half a pillowcase full of candy. I shared it with him since he didn't get any.
This year, Neji, from biology, and his cousin invited me to an annual party. When I got there as a dead tennis player, I realized what a bad decision I'd made when I accepted the invite. People I'd never expect were drunk off contraband alcohol, and dancing to the loud distorted sound coming from the surround sound stereo.
Thirty-five minutes into the party, Neji and Hinata discovered their missing guest in the backyard waiting for a headache to come. They took me trick or treating to get away from the noise, and in exchange, they forced me to be their friend. Maybe now I can tell Itachi that I actually have two friends now. I wonder if he'd be proud or just make fun small number.
"Quality over quantity, Sasuke". At least that's always what Itachi used to tell me.
November 11
I'd call nii-san every night after I was finished with my homework. Sometimes it was at five; seven o'clock his time, and other times it was nine o'clock. We'd talk for as long as we could – usually being until I fell asleep, or until he told me to go to bed or I wouldn't be able to get up in the morning.
Last week something happened where I just needed to talk to him; kind of one of those moments where it's mandatory to spread: 'omg, my first kiss' or 'eee! I got an A+!'. The wreck on the side of the road, bloody corpses strewn around, and you can't help but look because it's just human curiosity…?
…
"Sasuke, what do you want?"
"Guess what happened today!"
"Considering how horrible my day went—"
"oh! … is this a bad time?"
"You better believe it is, little brother."
"Sorry… you could've just not answered—"
"And have you call back every three minutes?"
"…"
By that time I hung up the phone. What else are you supposed to do when you just get bitched at just because you wanted to tell your brother that you received a two-hundred dollar award for something you wrote in literature class.
The next day he didn't call me; and I didn't call him either… too afraid that he may have been busy. I guess he never was the one to call, only just humored me whenever I managed to dial his number.
…couldn't you have humored me one more time Itachi?
…
Today, surprisingly, he called … wanted to speak to Mom.
November 20
I got a C- on my literary essay.
It's too bad Itachi isn't here, or else he would have sat down with me, read my work, and helped me correct my mistakes for the next one I write.
Maybe I just got discouraged, maybe I just didn't care.
Maybe I never should've.
November 24. Thanksgiving.
The previous week, Itachi called to speak with mother, and asked permission to bring home a few friends that had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving. Of course she said it was 'just fine. The more guests the more thankful we'll be'; so I also asked if I could bring someone: his sister was working and his brother had already made plans; his parents were dead.
So we sat around the table and introduced ourselves before serving dinner. Itachi's 'friends' made me inwardly cringe. Kisame: blue hair, strong build, pale skin that also had a blue tint to it… I think his favorite color may have been blue – but that's just a guess. And Deidara: the boy that I had, for about three seconds, mistaken for a woman. Shock of bright blond hair, high pony-tail, bangs swooped over his eye.
…I guess they were no creepier than who I'd brought; Blood-red hair, 'Ai' tattoo on his forehead, sea foam green eyes: Gaara. But he was what I had, and he wasn't that bad in all honesty.
November 25. "Black Friday"
My mom and dad work business. They're not home much- and I guess just like any other teenager, I don't care. I never really knew them, didn't get the chance to. Last night they left for New York for an early morning business meeting; they'll be back Wednesday
And ever since Itachi could drive, we've gone out the morning after Thanksgiving for the 'Black Friday' shopping sales to get early Christmas presents. Apparently, since Kisame and Deidara came here with Itachi, they had to stay the night and would also be coming with us. Itachi had ever so kindly, (note my sarcasm), suggested that I "invite Gaara, it'd be a fun time for us to bond our friendship" … Yeah, Whatever. But, none the less Gaara said he'd come and went home to get some money and tell Kankuro and Temari, his brother and sister, where he'd be for the next eighteen hours; he came back and slept over, all five of us in mine and Itachi's room; we pushed the futons together.
At 4:30 the next morning we all woke up to the sound of an overly charming alarm clock and went into the kitchen to warm up leftovers for … breakfast. Just before five I was in the backseat smashed between a slap-happy blond and my blood-haired friend. Deidara kept running his hand over the back of my hair, claiming that "Itachi's is silkier, yeah", tch; And Gaara was staring out the window giving off one of the 'do-not-talk-to-me-before-I-talk-to-you' looks. Well… at least he isn't grouchy in the mornings...
...
November 30
The snow came late this year.
I did call Itachi despite my dreaded fear and told him it was finally snowing here. He was jealous, and practically cried to me at how it hadn't snowed there for the past two years. I told him he should come home so we could make a fort then go skiing. He thought it was a "wonderful idea, but too bad", he had finals coming up in a week and had to be there to get the notes.
December 24. Christmas Eve
My parents broke news to me that for Christmas day and the week after, they'd be in Hawaii. They couldn't bring me because the trip "was a gift from the company", personally I just think they didn't have room for me in their lives anymore.
Itachi called from the college on the first, and said that he'd be over for Christmas. Mom told him of her plans for Hawaii, and Itachi couldn't have sounded more excited that he'd get to spend Christmas alone with me; He said we'd tell stories, check out our gifts, and he said he'd even help me with the school projects that I'd be sure to have over the Holiday break.
Even though it had only been a month, I was excited to see my brother again. Christmas was family time right? And even though mother and father would be away, Itachi and I could have rule-less fun, probably more fun than we could with parents here.
The same morning mom and dad left, I baked cookies and straightened up our bedroom. I left the cookies sitting out in front of the furnace that night so they'd be slightly stale in the morning, just the way Itachi preferred them. I went to bed anxious.
I woke up extra early this morning to be able to frost the cookies, and head to the fish market to get the freshest catch for sushi tonight. Itachi and I always made it for Christmas eve, despite the popularity of the usual ham or turkey.
"No Itachi today, Sasuke?"
"He's at college Mr. Fish monger," I always called him that, ever since I was five, "He'll be here this afternoon though."
"I see, surprising him with the dinner?"
"Something like that, got anything fresh?"
"Three minutes ago. Fifteen pound tuna."
When I got in the door there was a message waiting in the answering machine. It was Itachi. He …couldn't make it home this year, said something about his band getting a gig that was "once in a lifetime" at a last minute "super cool" campus party. I wondered if I could take the fish back to the man for a refund; probably not. Who cares anyways. I threw the tuna in the freezer and went on a walk, hoping I'd freeze to death in a sudden freak blizzard.
My hair was frozen when I got home two hours later, apparently Mr. Sun thought it convenient to stay hidden today. I poured a glass of eggnog to sit down by the fire when the phone rang for a second time that day.
"Hey, uh… Sasuke?"
"…Gaara?"
"Yeah. You're not doing anything for Christmas, are you?"
"No. I'm not. My parents are in Hawaii and my brother's at some party. Why?"
"Do you want to…celebrate with my family?"
"Overnight?"
"Yeah. If you want."
"When?"
"Now's good."
"20 minutes?"
"okay"
It was the simplest conversation, yet now I had somewhere to spend the holiday. I got my bag and threw in pajamas, clothes, and my toothbrush, hair gel, deodorant, and my MP3 player. I took the cookies with me to Gaara's house; maybe his older brother would enjoy them.
I didn't really think about gifts until about three minutes before I was ready to go, but I knew I should probably give something as thanks to Gaara and his family for letting me intrude during Christmas.
I took a warm scarf from my closet, the one my dad brought me back from a business trip to Africa. It was thick, black, and had strange native markings stiched in with purple thread. I thought maybe Kankuro would enjoy something like it. I only saw him once, and maybe that won't account for anything, but he looked like the type of guy that would wear it.
I gave Temari the perfume that I'd bought for mom, but never wrapped it because I found something that smelled better.
Thinking of a gift for Gaara was difficult, maybe it was because he was actually a friend. I finally decided on a heavy metal CD. The one I bought Itachi. It's not like he'd miss it. He never knew anyway.
December 25 Christmas Day
Last night Gaara's family shared with me their family traditions. We decorated the tree; I didn't even put mine up; while telling the Christmas story of Baby Christ in the manger. We built a snowman, had a snowball fight, and drank hot chocolate while playing monopoly 'till 2 in the morning. Gaara and I were chased to his room after that because "Santa's coming! Santa's COMING!", we listened to Kankuro and Temari laughing and joking, just like family, something Gaara said only happened during this season. He smiled more tonight than I saw in the last 5 months. I wondered if it only happened during this season too.
At 7:00, I woke up smelling bacon and toasting bread. Gaara was gone, but replaced with a red and fuzzy white Santa hat. I brought it downstairs, not sure if Gaara forgot it, or if I was expected to wear it. I wasn't going to. In the bottom threshold, I was tackled by a highly caffeinated Kankuro, who told me, "goodmorning,MerryChristmas,Putonyourhat,andcomeeatcomebreakfastTemari'sagoodcook!"
"Santa" really did come, I guess. There were nine boxes small, tall, wide, and square piled beneath the tree. I ran to Gaara's room to retrieve my gifts for the family and when they were distributed, surprised and shocked, I was to find three gifts addressed to me: a pewter ring, a pair of knee socks, and the newest CD album to the best band in the whole world: "Relying on my Shears" This was from Gaara, I could tell.
I contemplated and compared what my Christmas with Itachi would have been like. Which would have been better: ours or this one?
…Gaara's was this year anyway. Though I'm still puzzled at how, or why the hell he knew to call me.
December 31 New Year's Eve
This is the first year of my life that I won't be bringing in the New Year with my brother.
So instead, I went to a calm house party that Chouji was throwing. There were just 13 of us there, so we played Truth or Dare for the majority of the night, and then watched movies after dinner until midnight.
Chouji's dad made the best food I've ever tasted. It made me wonder if Chouji, for his love of food, would go into culinary arts and take over his family's business. For dinner he made us a breakfast of pancetta corncakes, with poached eggs, strawberry-orange-raspberry smoothies, and a quiche Lorraine on the side.
When the clock stuck midnight, he cracked open a bottle of champagne and let us all have a class, even though we were all minors. We went around the circle, toasting to our new personal resolutions.
It was fun. Different; but fun. We all slept in until 10 the next morning and then went to the near-by park for a game of soccer. Our team won, thanks to me and Neji.
February 23
It's been a year since my life was supposed to be ideally perfect.
April 22
I remember the conversations Itachi and I used to have in the back yard. Always one day every summer month, we'd mutually decide to camp outback under the stars.
"So what about it Sasuke, do you want to be an astronomer when you grow up?"
"...nah… it's too big… makes me feel too insignificant."
"Oh? Then what do you want to be?"
"I wanna be you!"
He was perfect. He was Itachi, my big brother.
He's the one I'd go to when I got a paper-cut, when I didn't understand my fourth grade math homework, when I longed to play hide-and-go-seek at seven o'clock in the morning.
But…
…I don't want to be like you anymore Itachi…
June 5 First day of Summer Vacation
The Last day of school.
Thank you, Jesus. You got me through 180 days in Hell.
Itachi didn't come home, even though his classes ended 10 days ago. He told mom that he got a job out there that pays big-time money and wouldn't be coming home for the summer. …Our tradition was broken, and Itachi was never coming back, I figured.
… maybe I wasn't thinking when I asked him, but someone had to replace my brother right?
"Naruto, can I paint you're nails…?"
"WHA-? Teme! …why?"
"It's a tradition I shared with my brother… I'd paint his nails, then we'd tell our greatest moment of the school year."
"I didn't know you have a brother!"
"yeah. I…used to."
"…oh. I'm sorry Sasuke."
"…So can I?"
He offered me his fingers, and asked what my favorite part of the school year was; Not bringing up our previous conversation at all. He was so predictable: just as I expected his favorite moment to be the time he won the certificate for an all expense paid all-you-can-eat Ramen at 'Ichiraku's' for a year. I admitted mine to him: At a new school, my best part was making three amazing friends.
For once in my life, I was thankful for that annoying blonde that followed me through my first 7 classes; he's really not that bad. He's… a good friend.
June 9
I called Itachi today, it was his birthday after all.
I still remember the time when he tried to make me an eight layer cake for my eighth birthday. He had to use 5 pounds of powdered sugar for the frosting alone. Ever since, we've always done something for each other in numerics. When he was 16, I got him a fish tank with seven angel fish, two puffer fish, two clown fish, four hermit crabs, and a star fish. Sixteen fish in all. He gave me 11 shades of fingernail polish. …I still have the dark purple one.
I was greeted by the enthusiastic voice of that bimbo,
"Where's Itachi?"
"Un! Who do you think you are just asking a question like that, yeah!"
"It's Sasuke." He paused for a minute, either thinking or conversing with someone. It was probably the latter, but no one could ever be sure with Deidara.
"Well he's not here, un. What do you want?"
"oh. Could you tell him I said Happy Birthday. And… Can you ask him to call me back?"
"I will do sweetie!"
Maybe I'm over judgmental, or maybe it was just wishful thinking when I called…
But…
I don't think he ever got the message.
July 23
Happy Birthday to me.
I don't really know what I was expecting. I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed in my parents who left for Nebraska! on their son's day of birth; or my older brother who, if it hadn't been for Deidara, I'd assume was dead.
I didn't bother with a cake—they never taste good anyways, and I have no money or need for any gift; This is probably why, after you've reached 30, birthdays stop mattering.
Neji called from England and said he wished I was there with him or visa versa, and that he'd "save some accent" for me. I sometimes wished I lived in a different country. Australia might be nice.
I finished putting on tennis shoes right as Gaara called; he said he'd be coming by my house in a few minutes, and to be ready to leave. If that's not a convenient coincidence, I don't know what is.
He came to the door with a handkerchief and blind-folded me, leading me back to his car where his brother was driving. I figured Temari was in the passenger seat because I could smell the perfume I gave her.
Thirty minutes later we stopped and I was healed of my short term disease. The result of the drive was unreal. It was the start of a trail head and the pine trees were so thick I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me.
All four of us hiked up. It was rigorous. And apparently all three siblings had done this before—I proved to be in worse shape than I thought.
At the top, we came to a look out ledge of a waterfall with a cliff that was probably 30 feet high if not more.
"Look Out!" I heard Kankuro yell as he flew past me.
He jumped. He jumped. He JUMPED!
He came back up seven seconds later releasing a victory yell. It was …apparently safe.
"It's your turn Sasuke." Gaara was talking to me.
"…what?" I wasn't jumping. If a river scared me half to death, there was no way I was pulling this one off.
"Come' on Uch!" How Kankuro climbed up the 35 foot drop in mere seconds I couldn't tell anyone. "It's perfectly safe"
Peeking over the edge to only see rocks that were sticking out five feet didn't place a solid foundation on my confidence. I wasn't doing this. Not in MY life time.
"Oh by the way, Sasuke, Happy Birthday" I hit the water. Coming up to see Gaara cannon balling right next to me, I realized he shoved me. My friend's older brother just shoved me off a cliff.
Gaara came up smiling. The first one since Christmas. "You alright."
"Yeah"
Conquering my fear of 30 foot water falls wasn't something I expected to do on my fourteenth birthday. But I did jump willing…fourteen more times.
If I wasn't tired enough after coming home, my day wasn't over yet when the blond Dobe came over. He insisted he was taking me to dinner tonight.
"…let me shower first." I smelled like river. "Make yourself at home."
He took me to the least expensive ramen shack in town, but told me that despite their cheap prices, they have the best quality food. Secretly I agreed, and he bought me whatever I wanted: a tofu, onion, and vegetable bowl sounded good at the time.
After our dishes were cleared, he pulled out a box. It was "brightly" wrapped in filthy newspaper that had been smudged and read one too many times. Paper doesn't matter.
This was the first and last box I was going to open today.
Inside, just sitting on top was a bottle of, surprise surprise, nail polish. It was bright orange, and I had to look at him funny. Maybe it was for next year…
The box wasn't empty, but underneath more newspaper tissue was a smaller box.
I lied…one more box.
It was a pocket knife with a polished rose quartz handle. It was beautiful and looked extremely expensive. Knowing Naruto lived alone, there was no way he couldn't have been saving his money for it.
"Thank you…Naruto."
"Happy Birthday, Teme."
I don't now why people stop celebrating their birthdays after age 30.
August 2
Often we get summer storms. The power goes out. And, don't tell anybody this, only Itachi knows… I'm slightly frightened by the dark. It's always scared me, never knowing what's there or if there's something lurking around a corner – the unknown.
When the power went out – even up to last year— Itachi used to light a candle in our room – and then we'd steal the chairs from the kitchen—usually ramming into the doorframes and walls as we brought them upstairs—and we'd stack them up, and put a blanket over the top and make a fort. He'd get more candles and bring them underneath our black and blue sheets, and maybe a flashlight or two. And we'd snuggle under his comforter while he'd tell me some bogus story he made up about grandma and grandpa living in the safari before they had my dad. It made me smile. I haven't smiled since last August.
The power went out again; it was dark outside, darker inside. But I didn't light a candle, didn't build a fort, and didn't tell grandpa's story. Maybe I'm too old for it anyways…
September 4
I got rid of Itachi's futon; it was taking up too much space. The room's still black, with red cloud and white star cutouts.
Life isn't as good as I thought it would be without my brother here.
It's missing something:
Laughs
Memories
…but Memories are all I have left… small patches that hold together my mind. That keep me from going insane.
They're the patches of my universe…
Because life isn't as great… (as I thought it would be)… without a best friend…
END.
Lol angst. Well that was it. To be honest "Patches of the Universe" came from my literature class. And I figured the idea fit perfectly with this which I was already writing. The concept is explained in the last entry.
I hope you don't hate me for this. Whatever-I'm a sucker for an angsting Sasuke.
Please Review, comment, flame, and tell me what you thought about his story.
Thank you very much for reading. And I hope all you have a good time with life.
Hold on to the memories and small things that actually matter. You will miss them once they're gone. They'll never come back.