Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
A/N: My first attempt in writing a multi chapter. I dedicate this to my first reviewers namely CCRox4Eva, eluniumtherareore and subtle.touch. I'd like to let you know that it meant a lot!
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The Fate of the Flower: Her Past Haunts Her
Chapter 1 – The Uchiha Settlement
She had been asleep for about a year now and yet she couldn't have looked any better. Her face lay there, framed by her pink hair, looking so innocent and carefree.
Team 7's Naruto, Sai and their sensei Kakashi visited her, as they often do when they weren't on a mission. They looked at her and smiled sadly, each mentally beating themselves for letting this happen to their precious flower.
But later that day, her peaceful expression swayed. Her fingers twitched and her eyes started to open, revealing her emerald green orbs.
And with that awakening, everything changed.
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"It's been a while."
The raven haired boy looked down on the village that he once called home. And it still is, he hoped. A sentimental shine flashed in his obsidian eyes.
Three leaf village anbus appeared and tackled him down. This was expected. He was, after all, a traitor. They tied him up and dragged him to the Hokage's office. He made no room for hesitation.
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"You've got guts to waltz back here, Uchiha."
Tsunade looked at him sternly.
No side comment. No arrogant retort. No annoying "hn".
The Godaime's features softened, "Tell me everything."
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"Foolish little brother."
Sasuke glared. It took enormous will to stop himself from attacking his sadistic brother right there and then. He decided against it. He needed answers, and he would get them now. He ignored his body's aching to rip Itachi to pieces.
"Why?" Sasuke asked, his eyes searching for Itachi's.
"…"
Itachi closed his eyes as the horrors of his past crept back to haunt him once again. He opened his eyes and met his brother's gaze.
"I didn't," he started. An uncomfortable feeling settled in his stomach. "I did not murder our clan."
Sasuke winced, unbelieving.
He saw it. Her parents lay there in a pool of blood and his brother stood there. His hands outstretched in a killing position. His fingers stained with the blood of his family.
If you want to defeat me, hate me brother. You must hate me.
'You didn't see him. You just assumed,' a voice whispered the young Uchiha's head. Once again he sought his brother's eyes, he wanted to know. He wanted the truth.
"That night," Itachi finally continued, "the Akatsuki came and murdered everyone. Our clan has long opposed them. They came to get rid of us once and for all."
Awkward silence. Itachi breathed in heavily.
"I-I saw t-them," he stuttered quite un-Uchiha-like. "I-I saw them all die. Right in front of my eyes. And I couldn't do anything. No, I didn't do anything. I was a coward. I was weak. I stood just there–". A pained expression surfaced from the elder Uchiha's features.
"I stood them and watched them all die!"
"Then why?!" Sasuke exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me? I believed in my heart that you killed them. I hated you!" He clenched his fist.
"You don't understand."
"What is there to understand?!"
Itachi looked away again. "I deserved your hate. I'm a failure as a son and as a brother." He shooked violently. "I didn't want you to end up like me, a coward – worse than a traitor." His voice grew hoarse. Both Uchihas were not accustomed to conveying emotions. Not after the incident.
Sasuke clenched his fist tighter.
"I joined the Akatsuki to become strong. Strong enough to overturn them. Strong enough to avenge our clan. I–" Itachi wasn't able to finish. He flew back and hit the wall.
Sasuke had punched him square in the face.
"Look who's talking like a fool!" he yanked the still dumbstruck Itachi by his shirt.
"You could have told me. I wouldn't have been alone. I wouldn't have suffered. I WOULDN'T HAVE LIVED IN HATRED AND DESIRE FOR REVENGE AGAINST MY OWN BROTHER!" Sasuke yelled, pouring out the repressed emotions he had held back for years.
Itachi then punched him in return. This time, it was the younger Uchiha who flew back surprised.
"I didn't want to involve you!"
Punch.
"And you think I'm not involved?"
Punch.
"You were still young!"
Punch.
"Hell, you were not that old then!"
And this continued until both brothers could no longer move. They fell on their backs and gave in to exhaustion. They fell asleep. The survivors of the Uchiha clan laid there with unknowing smiles on their faces…
Smiles that are seldom seen on the face of an Uchiha.
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Sasuke retold the event to the Hokage, leaving out of course the more personal details. He already felt uncomfortable divulging his story, he didn't need to bother with the embarrassing sentimentality.
"I joined the Akatsuki afterwards with–,"
The blond Hokage shot up, "You what?!"
Sasuke looked at her sternly. She sat back again and cleared her throat, "Continue."
"I joined the Akatsuki afterwards with my brother's commendation. We managed to persuade the Akatsuki into entering a war with Orochimaru. They defeated Sound, but in turn lost men, and the ones left suffered great casualties. We took this opportunity to overturn them. We succeeded in completely defeating them."
The raven haired boy finished and awaited Tsunade's response.
The Godaime knitted her brows as she digested this information – Itachi's innocence, the demise of Orochimaru, Sound and Akatsuki… not at all easy to take in all at once. Not knowing what else to say, she asked, "So, where's Itachi?"
Sasuke frowned and lowered his head, hoping his raven locks were long enough to mask the sudden sadness that filled his eyes.
He gulped hard, attempting to unfreeze his turned-cold throat. "He died," he muttered almost incomprehensively, "during the siege on the Akatsuki."
Tsunade nodded sympathetically. After an awkward silence, she smiled. "Well then, welcome back… Uchiha Sasuke."
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"TEME!"
A blond boy rushed and punched the unexpecting Uchiha as he stepped onto the street. Before the attack even registered, Uzumaki Naruto held the dark eyed boy in a death grip hug.
"What the– Oi dobe, get off!"
Naruto started swaying him around, a foxy grin plastered on his face.
"Get the fuck off me!"
This time, Naruto obliged. Sasuke sighed and ran his fingers through his locks. "How's it going, dobe?"
Before the blue-eyed blond could answer, a poof came out of nowhere, as well as a familiar silver haired jounin.
"Yo!" their perverted sensei, Hatake Kakashi greeted. As usual, one hand held his all time favorite, Icha Icha Paradise. He smirked behind the mask that hid half his face.
"Kakashi," Sasuke acknowledged.
"So finally, you're back from being lost in the path of life?"
"Hn."
They shook hands in all formalities.
"Team 7, ei. So where's Sakura?"
Naruto and Kakashi exchanged looks, their expressions turning grim.
They averted their eyes to anything but the boy that awaited their answer.
Finally, Naruto spoke, still not brave enough to look in those obsidian eyes.
"Sakura is…"
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A/N: That's chapter 1! What do you think? The plot is still blurry, I promise to clear some of it in the next chapter. Anyways, expect plenty more flashbacks. I like clarifying things, hehe. Hope it's not confusing you.
About the Sasuke-Itachi part, it's a bit mushy, I hope you don't mind. I did emphasize that both were uncomfortable with the scene.
Please review, I would appreciate it oh so much! Thank you for reading!!