Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Naruto

Pairing: Itachi x Sasuke

Destiny Rewritten

By: yukuro

Phase One: Impending "If"

Lazy summer beams of sunlight had engulfed Konoha Gakure in a wave of sleepy warmth, drawing out dragonflies and making the air swim with ripples of heat. It was unmistakably summer and the villagers were cheerfully taking advantage of the sweltering, but sometimes-pleasant warmth. An easy feeling of comfort hung in the air, giving the villagers a slight buzz of cheerful excitement. There was, however, at least one villager that still hung about gloomily and aloofly.

Uchiha Sasuke hated summer. He pretty much hated everything, but summer particularly was deeply hated. Summer was the time in the past that he spent the most time at home with his family, his loving mother, strong father, and once kind brother. Summer had too many memories. Uchiha Sasuke hated summer.

He was lying on his bed in the darkness of his apartment when various thundering knocks sounded at his door. Sasuke contemplated to simply ignore the pounding at the door completely, but the sound of his window being pulled open and the curtains being pushed back made him wince at the sudden sunlight. Thoroughly annoyed, he scowled at the figure leaning casually in from the window.

"So," Kakashi began cheerfully, tapping his student's nose, "when are you going to open the door for your dear teammates, Sasuke?"

"Never," Sasuke replied with a frown, reaching out to shut the window. Before he could do so however, Kakashi easily jumped in and patted the boy on his head. Sasuke glared at the jounin before shutting the window and drawing the curtains closed again. "This is breaking and entering, kuso jounin."

"Such mean words from such a cute mouth," tsked Kakashi cheerfully as he headed towards the front door to stop the thunderous knocking. "Don't you know you should treat your elders with respect?"

Sasuke simply glared at his supposedly esteemed elder as the front door was opened and more unwelcome visitors barged in.

"Finally!" Naruto exclaimed with a growl of frustration as he stepped in. Crossing his arms, he commented, "Sasuke must be going deaf."

"Or maybe he just didn't want us coming in," Sakura, ever the observant one, muttered. "Sorry, Sasuke-kun."

Before Sasuke could promptly kick them all out, Kakashi opened his mouth to speak again. "Don't be ridiculous, Sakura! Sasuke just loves his teammates, and he's very happy to have us all over and is now going to get us some tea. Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

If looks could kill, Kakashi might have died then. Still with a deep-set frown upon his lips, Sasuke stopped off to the kitchen to prepare tea.

"He doesn't look very happy to see us," Naruto put in, frowning slightly. His blue eyes followed Sasuke's rather stiff movement into the kitchen. "How ungrateful. We just came to discuss his sixteenth birthday."

Sasuke froze and lowered his head. His grip tightened on the teapot as anger and annoyance began to boil up within him.

"Ah, well, he's just cute that way, isn't he?" Kakashi commented loudly as his eyes trailed towards the kitchen. He could just feel Sasuke's extreme dislike for him at the moment. Although chances were high that the dark haired boy had simply forgotten completely about his own birthday. "Anyway, that's enough about that, Naruto."

When Sasuke returned, he slammed the tea tray on the table before briskly walking towards the door.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called out in confusion after him. "Where are you going?"

"Since you three insist on staying here," Sasuke muttered darkly before stepping out, "I'll go away."

Once the door shut with a click, Naruto felt his eyes narrow at the door as his lips were pressed together into a thin line. The quiet chatter between Sakura and Kakashi faded out in his mind as his thoughts engulfed him.

Sasuke had been acting awkwardly the entire month. In fact, it may have been since summer began. He had always been somewhat antisocial but he never would have left if his teammates had specifically come to visit him. Naruto knew Sasuke was cold, but Sasuke was never that cold. His icy behavior contrasted heavily against the high temperatures of the burning summer days.

He was slipping away. Naruto could feel it. Whether it was a premonition or the very beginning of the problem, Naruto felt the now common awkward unsettlement in his stomach whenever Sasuke's gaze grew cold. The most unsettling part of it all, was that when that gaze grew gradually colder, they seemed utterly soulless, much like that of the very person Sasuke had sworn to kill.

Lips flattening into a thin line, Naruto narrowed his brows and stomped out the door after his teammate, leaving Sakura and Kakashi alone in Sasuke's home. Sasuke was being unpleasant and inconsiderate, and there was nothing Naruto wanted more than to beat the other boy into the ground. If only he could not feel the iciness near the edges of Sasuke's soul, that was what Naruto would have done.

It took little time to find the other boy, Naruto noticed. Sasuke had grown accustomed to being in the branches of a tree. As he stepped up to his teammate, Naruto forced a smile onto his face. Hiding his grimace with all his might, Naruto began in an awkwardly cheerful tone, "Don't be so disagreeable, Sasuke. Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei are only thinking about you."

As Sasuke promptly ignored him, Naruto found it more and more difficult to not add "you bastard" at the end of every sentence he spoke. Clearing his throat, he went on, "You never said, by the way, what it is you want for your birthday. Is there anything you wish for?"

Eyes sliding shut for a moment, Sasuke clutched the bark of the tree as his anger and anguish washed over him. As much as he hated it, the image of his brother flashed through his mind. Rising to his feet, he muttered darkly, "The only thing I wish for is something no one can give me."

"Sasuke," Naruto began, tone becoming slightly softer, "you're not alone anymore, don't forget. Even though we're rivals, I still think of you as my friend. Because of that…I want to see the future with you."

Sasuke paused for a long time, silently contemplating Naruto's words. Somehow, those words that should have seemed comforting and warm made him feel cold pain instead. Squeezing his eyes shut, he could only mutter before he rose and took off again, "If the past had not occurred, I would be able to say the same."

In the deepest remnants of his heart, Sasuke feared loneliness and never wanted to leave his friends' side. However, the greater part of his heart forbade him continue such weakness and push hit all away. He was an avenger, and such a duty called for loneliness. No one else was to help him despite how he may have longed for a comforting presence. No matter how painfully Naruto smiled at him, Sasuke had to push him away. His existence could only burn for one person.

He spent the rest of the day lying on the highest branch of a tree near the outskirts of Konoha. The sun circled the earth around him before finally settling on the rocky mountains in the distance. The sun's red glow and the summer's gentle breeze made Sasuke feel at ease and peace, a fleeting feeling that quickly died away as fast as it had come. Leaves blew about before his face, and Sasuke frowned visibly. Someone was disturbing his rare moment of peace.

Not bothering to open an eye, Sasuke scowled coolly, "What do you want, Naruto? Or rather, why are you bothering me again?"

Leaping up onto the thick branch that Sasuke laid upon, Naruto eyed his teammate admiringly for catching his presence immediately. The blond offered a sheepish grin when Sasuke's eyes opened a slit to stare sharply at him, demanding a response. "Sasuke," he began slowly, blue eyes matching Sasuke's dark ones evenly, "please come home with me."

There was silence for a few moments as the wind quietly whistled. Finally breaking away from Naruto's gaze, Sasuke closed his eyes again and rolled slightly to the side. Stonily, he stated, "I'll go back when I feel like it."

Naruto flinched slightly at Sasuke's sharp tone and the noticeable lack of the word "home." Usually, his anger would have gotten the better of him, but today was different. He was on a mission, after all. Seriously, he ignored the other boy's previous comment and continued to coax, "This is serious, Sasuke. Consider it a mission."

"Don't give me 'missions' until after you actually become Hokage, if you ever do," Sasuke snapped coldly in response, making the blond frown. Sasuke's irritability from the morning had not faded, and predictably, Naruto was beginning to lose his patience.

"I really hate you sometimes," Naruto scowled, frown gracing his face. He knew better than anyone Sasuke's cold nature and how well he hid his feelings most of the time, but Naruto could not help but get frustrated at times. He had done his best all day to forget the painful look in Sasuke's eyes when they parted in the morning, but the vision seemed to stick in his mind. If anything, Naruto wanted to see Sasuke smile, or even smirk. Anything was better than seeing those angry and despaired eyes.

In one swift motion, Naruto took hold of Sasuke's hand and pulled him to his feet. Barely giving the dark haired boy to glare vehemently at him, Naruto jumped from tree to tree back towards the main city with Sasuke's hand still tightly grasped in his own. Sasuke was going to kill him later, Naruto knew, but he still held on tightly.

Sasuke was feeling murderous as Naruto dragged him back towards his house. His mind was telling him to wrench his hand out of Naruto's grasp immediately and get the other boy to leave him alone, but it was a rare moment in which his body disobeyed his mind's orders. A heavy feeling was settling in his stomach, despite how he tried to ignore it. He had the feeling something was going to happen, and this would probably be the last time he would be able to see Naruto again.

He had already chosen his fate the moment he swore to kill Itachi, Sasuke knew. But just once, he wanted to forget the pain. He still glared with all his might at the back of Naruto's head, and his mind and ego were siding up, hissing that it would better to get away now. Who cared if he were to never see Naruto and those other morons again? Just when his reluctant body began to accept his mind's order, Naruto turned around to grin at him.

"I hate you," Sasuke snapped irritably when they stopped outside of his own house.

"I know, I know," Naruto replied mindlessly, opening the door and pushing Sasuke into the darkened room. "You can hate me all you want later, but right now…"

Naruto swiftly switched on the lights.

"Happy Birthday, Sasuke!" a dozen or so voices yelled out all at once.

A frown set on Sasuke's face when he noticed his—dare he call them—companions scattered about the room with various grins and looks of delight plastered on their faces. There were annoying, variously colored decorations around the room and confetti had been thrown on his hair. Sasuke promptly turned to Naruto and declared again, "I hate you."

As Naruto let out a laugh, the others instantly bounded over to the dark haired boy, thrusting gifts into his arms and shouting out various messages of congratulations. Sasuke attempted to shoot another glare at Naruto, who was presently being complimented by Kiba and Shikamaru for successfully dragging him back. Despite how all others around him were smiling and laughing cheerfully, Sasuke could feel nothing but passiveness settle on his face.

It took several hours for the crowd to finally release Sasuke long enough for the boy to sneak out of the window to sit on the roof. The gleaming midsummer moon stared down at him like an unfaltering eye watching his every move. Sasuke closed his eyes tentatively, but kept his senses alert to allow himself a few moments of rest.

The wind around him whistled softly for a moment, giving him the illusion that he would be able to enjoy the peace for a while, but as fate would have it, Sasuke soon found himself glaring up at Naruto's smiling face again. The blond boy's body blocked Sasuke's view of the round midsummer moon, strangely relieving him somewhat. Sasuke hated when he was being scrutinized too closely, even by the moon.

"What now?" he grumbled, closing his eyes again after resting his hands behind his head.

"You're unhappy," Naruto said blatantly, moving to sit next to the other boy. "I already figured this would be a problem, but I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. Sasuke, it's your birthday. You should at least try to be happy. If not for yourself, at least for others."

"What do others care?" replied Sasuke in a dead tone. "A birthday is just another day as well. Who cares whether I'm just a bit older or not? A birthday only reminds me that another year has passed and my ambition still hasn't been reached. Is that really worth celebrating?"

A pointed frown flittered across Naruto's lips for a moment before he sighed. Truthfully, he admitted, "Honestly, Sasuke, I think you're a conceited jerk most of the time, but more than that, I definitely know you're a good person. It's not shameful to fear being alone. I would know, wouldn't I? You don't have to doom yourself to your ambition. Let others care about you a little. It's not like it'll hurt you."

"What's your point?" Sasuke asked icily.

"My point is," Naruto faintly growled before his tone softened again, "Even if you're not, I'm glad you were born. Just tell me, Sasuke. What will it take for you to smile on this day?"

Another brief silence passed between them. As the atmosphere between them turned slightly colder, even the moon hid behind the clouds to escape the tension. Sitting up, Sasuke turned to glare coldly at the other boy.

"Tell me then, Naruto. Can you raise the dead? The only thing I would ever want is to have my family back."

For a fleeting moment, the image of Itachi flittered through Naruto's mind when Sasuke mentioned his family. It felt as if Sasuke had pressed the image into Naruto's mind through their connecting gazes as he spoke. It seemed, Naruto thought bitterly, Sasuke would never be able to let his obsession with Itachi fade. It was not as if he was unable to, Naruto realized with a bit of despair. Sasuke simply did not want to let go of his memories of his brother.

Standing to return back into the house when he heard Sakura shout out to look for him, Naruto quietly turned his back on his friend. With the moon still shadowed, Naruto said quietly, "Sasuke… Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and I… We're your family now, and to me, you're the only family I know. Just don't forget that."

Tone cold and glare just as icy, Sasuke muttered, "If the past had not occurred, I would have a real family."

"But the past did occur," Naruto replied sharply, eyes flashing although Sasuke could not see them. "Accept it, Sasuke. You know better than to expect pity from me for your lack of family. What you should say is that if you didn't love your brother so much, you would be able to accept us."

Anger welled up furiously inside of Sasuke, his sharingan eyes appearing in a flash. But still, Naruto stood calmly without movement, Sasuke's killing aura hardly fazing him.

"Naruto…" Sasuke growled warningly as the other boy turned his head slightly to glare back at him with equally sharp and dangerous eyes.

Before either one could say another word, Sakura popped her head out of the window and gazed up at the two on the roof. Seeming to not notice the heavy tension between the two, she called out, "Naruto! Come down and help us clean up!"

Any other day, Naruto would have complained loudly before actually going down to help, but that night, as Sasuke continued to glare at his back, Naruto jumped nimbly off the roof and back into the house in complete silence. Sasuke would come around, he thought to himself as Sakura shoved a broom into his hands. By the next morning, Sasuke was sure to have forgotten completely about all the stupid things that had happened today. Naruto closed his eyes. They were friends after all, weren't they?

---

The ceiling he stared up at was blank, similar to the expression he wore as he laid on his bed. Finally closing his eyes for a moment, Sasuke rolled to his side. Reopening his eyes again, he gazed out his window just in time to see a dark cloud drift across the moon, making the outside world seem completely black. Sasuke could not remember if he had slept at all yet, his weariness outdone by his restlessness.

In a few hours, the anniversary of the day of his birth would be over. Sasuke had received plenty of gifts he had deemed worthless although he had accepted them without a fight, knowing that Naruto and the others would never let him get away without accepting gifts on his birthday. Of all the things he had received, although expensive some seemed, none of them had value. The only thing Sasuke wanted was the only thing he would never be able to have.

Lifting his arm to drape over his eyes, he remembered Naruto's words. Quietly, he muttered to himself, "The only thing I want, Naruto, the only thing that will make me smile on this day, is to have my family back."

A cold breeze blew into the small bedroom, but Sasuke did not move. His skin tingled, attempting to warn him of something, but his arm suddenly felt too heavy to move at all. Sasuke parted his lips slightly to breathe in the fresh air. Strangely, he felt a phantom touch skim across his lips. His sleepy mind was more than ready to accept the touch as caused by the wind, but when solid lips met his gently, Sasuke instantly snapped his eyes open and threw his arm back to his side.

At the sight before him, Sasuke froze. His breath was trapped in his throat, and his heart felt limp from shock.

"Long time no see, little brother," Itachi said smoothly, licking his lips slightly. His usually sharp and dangerous eyes seemed amused and mocking suddenly. "I suppose I should admonish you for leaving your window open like that and not even noticing when someone stepped in. Still as careless as always."

Clenching his fists, Sasuke glared at his brother's silhouetted frame before reaching under his pillow to pull out a kunai knife. Itachi remained unfazed, even as Sasuke brought the weapon dangerously close to the other's neck. "What the hell," Sasuke began angrily in a slightly choked tone, "are you doing here? Are really you so eager to die?"

"How can I possibly miss today?" Itachi said simply, still with his ever-calm and smooth tone. Closing his eyes and disregarding the weapon that drew closer to his neck, Itachi went on without a care, "I know what you desire. The only thing you want. Don't you know? I'm the only one that can give that to you."

"Shut up," Sasuke snapped in a harsh snarl, eyes narrowing. "For all I care, Uchiha Itachi, you are not my brother. My brother is dead."

"Harsh words, little brother," replied Itachi calmly, eyes still closed. "Since it's your birthday, I guess you deserved to be spoiled for a little bit."

Brightly glinting sharingan eyes snapped open at Sasuke, making the younger Uchiha immobile.

"I suppose," Itachi said slowly, rising to his feet and pulling the kunai out of his brother's frozen hand, "I should give you the gift you've always longed for."

Sasuke wanted to respond. He wanted to yell in fury and lash out and attack. But his body could not move. Slowly, and ever so slowly, his eyelids began to feel heavier. The world around him was growing darker and the sight of the midsummer moon began to fade and grow dim.

"Happy birthday…Sasuke."

The last thing Sasuke remembered seeing was the moon fading behind another dark cloud as Itachi carried him with ease out of his home and out of Konoha Gakure.

Tsuzuku.

--- --- ---

A/N: Ok, not much of the pairing in this chapter, but I'm getting there. n.n; This first chapter is kind of uneventful and such, but it was necessary for set up. Ah, but it at least gets more interesting in the next. I hope you'll stick around to read it. :D

Thanks for reading!