Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or the cover picture.
One: Aniki
Sasuke grit his teeth, seething as he stared at the back of the water towers. His eyes narrowed at the sight of them, frustrated beyond belief. One of them barely had a dent in it, no sign of the chidori he worked so hard to perfect, while the tower opposite almost had no back, the metal shredded, scattered a few feet before him in the alleyway, and he bristled. How was it that the dead last had gotten better again.
Not defeat, a sinister voice hissed in his head. Never defeat, because he couldn't lose to him, and he refused to be defeated by anyone until he beat him.
But it wasn't fair! How had the dead last of their class, the idiot, the hopeless case who failed not once, not twice, but three times before he graduated, managed to get so powerful since they left that waste of time they called the academy! He was a dunce, yet people offered to teach him as if he was the rookie of the year, as if he was a prodigy.
He hated that word, because it was what he tried so hard to be, yet he never could be, because in their eyes, it was always about him. It was never about Sasuke, no, it was always about his Prodigy older brother, and he hated him for it, but he didn't because he was his Aniki and he loved hi-
No. He didn't love him. He was a monster, who destroyed everything precious to him, and ruined his life. How could he love someone he wanted nothing more than to kill viciously, just like Naruto-
His eyes widened at his train of thought, promptly cutting it off. His teammate may have been given stupid luck, but that didn't make him like him.
Because that was all it was. Luck.
Was it though? The voice returned, and his fists started clenching as it continued. He would have to possess some talent to get where he was, wouldn't he? And with the amount of power he's gained in such a short time… maybe he is a prodigy.
Blood was starting to trickle from his tightly closed hands, and suddenly his heart was a lot louder than he thought it was. His emotions frenzied as the voice chuckled, a raspy laugh that sent shivers up his spine.
Naruto could never be a prodigy. He was too stupid to be that horrid word.
Was he? He seems to be quite similar to Itac-
"Don't say his name!" he snarled to himself silently, as if even thinking it would bring him back into his life to ruin it.
Your precious Aniki and him are one in the same. Both have ridiculous talent-
He was not that talented.
They're smart, hideously smart, in the most deceptive ways possible.
Th-that wasn't true.
And the idiot boy is nearing that age, isn't he? That age when Itachi destroyed everything you held dear, that age when you lost everything, that age when there wAs NotHInG-
"Shut up, shut up, shut up-"
His hands fisted his hair, as he started to hyperventilate, because this was not happening, and he needed to get out.
What will you do when-
He stumbled away, away from the alley, away from his team, away from everything that could hurt him.
-he comes for you-
Was he panting? Was he not breathing? Was that why he couldn't think, why he couldn't feel air, why he was running away?
"Run, run and cling to your pitiful life."
Where was he? How did he get there? He didn't know, he just knew he had to get away, away before it happened again.
-and takes all that remains of you?
He slinked against the trunk, and when did he get in a tree? His hands clenched his hair painfully, as he twisted his eyes shut forcefully, not allowing himself to see what other horrors would be waiting for him, as his knees brought themselves in front of him, some sort of vague shield while his body trembled. He forgot what air was, he forgot to breath, because it was going to happen again, and why didn't he see this coming, why did he get clOse TO PEopLe?
What will you do? The warbled voice chanted, and it only added to the convoluted chaos swirling in his mind, but there was one thing he fought to hold onto, one drop that remained in the clouds opposed to slashing at him with powerful gale force winds;
Never again.
A wistful clarity slowly contorted upon itself, brief glimpses of broken pictures and words dashing before him, slowly catching their meaning as time collapsed in on itself.
He knew what he would do.
He wouldn't let himself be hurt. He would leave. He would become powerful. He would break his bonds. He wouldn't be broken.
Never again.
A mad grin crossed his face as the pain lessened, losing feeling as his hands moved to form a chidori, blue lightning racing down his arm, garbled chirping flying from it, as though it feared what would happen next. Sasuke raised his hand, staring at it, imagining it coated in their blood, while he held their standing corpses aloft.
Never again, Aniki.