Ouroboros: Brothers of the Uchiha


Amongst the shinobi of all villages loyalty is paramount. It is the virtue extolled above all else, even in a village such as Konoha. Honour, charity, respect for your foe. In the end all those things were detrimental to one's work as a shinobi. Their clients expect results and the shinobi must deliver, lest their village suffers for it. Thus, their honour is named loyalty. To see the village triumph and thrive was the foremost of all rewards a shinobi could get. At least, such was the case for Uchiha Itachi, commander of Konoha's special assassination and tactics unit, the ANBU.

Wearing his ANBU field outfit along with the cat mask, the grim commander looked down at the ground from his upside down position on the ceiling of the large warehouse. Behind the mask his eyes were calmly watching the warehouse below, scanning every nook and cranny of it. Intel had suggested that a large group of renegade shinobi were in the region and would meet in here. It would be a routine job, were it not for the fact that at least one S-class missing-nin was expected to be present. It was a harsh lesson ANBU had learned during the war, against S-class shinobi they fell flat. Such shinobi would cut them through like a scythe through wheat, necessitating other measures. That was why Itachi had formed what had been named "Tenchuu group", a special cadre within the ANBU specializing in fighting S-class shinobi. Pride went before the fall as they said, tenchuu, "heaven's judgement" was a fitting, if somewhat dramatic, name for the group. Half a dozen of men and women from this group were hiding with him, just waiting for the time to strike.

They had been waiting here for seven hours now, none of them saying anything, none of them even moving. All of them just hid there, amongst the shadows, their white masks turned towards the floor. For many it would be a trying ordeal indeed merely to do this. Itachi didn't even think about it however. It was that familiar to him, this waiting. When it was time to strike he'd start by opening the first gate, reinvigorating his body without anyone being able to notice it. Then estimate how he'd have to leap to be able to strike already before landing. Grab the sword on his back, release the grip on the ceiling and then fall. Aim with the eye, strike with the arm, kill with the mind. It was all routine, even second nature to him.

Starting to work as a shinobi at the age of four did that to you. He had been a little child during the last shinobi war and Konoha, desperate for more men, had sent the by then only four year old prodigy out into the field to serve. He had fought; He had triumphed; He had killed. When the war ended and he was only five years old he already stood on a mountain of corpses, men women, old, young, they had all fallen because they did not expect a little child to be so lethal. He had been celebrated, extolled as the perfect Uchiha and amongst the foremost of Konoha's warriors, even with such illustrious people as the sannin and not the least Namikaze Minato to measure up to.

There were movement below and Itachi calmly took note of it. His heart didn't even begin to pound. It wasn't time for that yet, so it didn't. His entire body was like a well-oiled machine, responding to his commands only, no actions or changes whatsoever were allowed lest he gave his silent permission. Eleven people, six of them looking like simple trash, the shinobi who had become missing nins since they failed a chuunin exam, messed up a mission or some such pathetic thing, the scum of the shinobi world. The remaining five however were something else.

The first of the men down there was the missing-nin Rokushō Aoi, a Konoha traitor who now wore an Amegakure headband. Itachi's face curled in a slight expression of disgust. He remembered that man from his younger years, an instructor who had tried to make one of his pupils steal the word of the thunder god, telling him it was his chuunin exam. The boy had been caught however and Aoi had fled the country, going to Ame. A pathetic, power-hungry traitor serving only himself, Itachi found himself wishing once that Hokage-sama would have approved his request to create a cadre of Konoha hunter-nins like Kiri had. This man was even more wretched than any of the people around him and Itachi could think of few more worthy tasks than hunting him down. Yet, he was powerful, worthy of his jonin rank, and in these last years he'd only have grown further. What more, down below he also saw the trio known as the Criminal brothers, three bloodline users whose abilities put them easily on par with Aoi, if not even beyond his. This despite them not even being shinobi. Lastly, the thief Gosunkugi, a near legend feared equally much for his skill as his bloodthirst, the man gladly killed whomever came in his way. A fine collection of high-level scum indeed. It didn't matter in the end though, they were all dead men.

They begun to talk down on the ground now. Something about an attempt to conquer a smaller kingdom. The arrogance of these missing nin was almost amusing, to think they believed themselves so grand that they could attack and take over entire nations. Itachi decided he had heard enough and made a quick motion with his hand to the other members of his team. They all let go of their handholds in the ceiling and soundlessly fell through the air, their swords coming out of the scabbards.

It wasn't a battle. Said word implies both sides had a chance and even more so time to do anything. These people hadn't. In singular moments they were all cut down, ruthlessly killed without any mercy or pity shown or given. Itachi personally targeted Aoi, his sword piercing the man's rotten, traitorous heart from behind before he could do more than open his eyes wide in surprise.

"What... but..." the man said, staring down at the blade sticking out of his chest. Itachi didn't let him finish, instead he drew out the sword and decapitated the man. None of the others had had any more of a chance, all of the targets were dead in mere seconds and their blood now ran across the floor.

"Dispose of the bodies," the commander of the ANBU said, his subordinates obeying without a word. Once more the trash had been taken out, the scum and wretches threatening Konoha dealt with. For today at least. Itachi knew there would be more of them eventually. They always came again, traitors, enemy villages and criminals, all of them scum who threatened the peace of Konoha. Wiping his sword and sheathing it, Itachi grimly wondered if it'd ever end. Probably not and that was why he was here. Around him the bodies were disposed of by his subordinates who used special seal tags that made the corpses dissolve into a thick, oily smoke that soon would disperse. Within a minute there was not a single trace of the fact that several people had died in here.

"Move out," Itachi commanded now, the Tenchuu group vanishing all in blurs of motion as they leaped up towards the ceiling and out through the open window there. For any outside observer it would have seemed like these missing nins entered this building and then simply never came out again, having gone up in smoke. A well executed mission; through careful and meticulous deployment they were done in moments and were minutes later dashing through the trees outside the town they had been in back home towards Konoha.


"...we set up in the ceiling and when the targets had all entered we struck. They had no time to put up a resistance and were all dealt with quickly. We exfiltrated the area seventy-five seconds later," Itachi finished his report. Kneeling in front of the hokage, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan gave his report with head lowered and humble voice. The yondaime Hokage, the yellow flash of Konoha and its greatest shinobi ever, sat with his hands clasped and his back against the backrest of his chair as he listened.

"That's one headache dealt with," the man said now.

"For now," Itachi added, Minato smiling.

"All doom and gloom as usual Itachi-san?" he said with a chuckle. "Yes, for now perhaps, but it was no less well done for that."

"What is my next mission Hokage-sama?" Itachi continued, the Hokage now surprising him.

"You're going to be on standby for the coming weeks, as will all ANBU."

"Sir?" Itachi looked up. This was unexpected.

"When we intercepted the blood-nins at Hizuri pass we used a special gas developed by R&D," Minato said, "Namikaze Naruto was along for the mission to monitor its effectiveness. However, when he came back he claimed that those blood-nins had to be Orochimaru's creations and that the man must have a much larger network of laboratories than initially thought. He is at the moment on a mission to find and deal with the remaining labs. If he needs to, you will provide backup."

"I understand Hokage-sama," Itachi said, not revealing the suspicions that instantly awoke in him. Revealed only now? How convenient, right after this battle was over he had only happened to remember that Orochimaru's network was bigger than originally thought? And now he was let loose to do as he pleased? Itachi had a bad feeling about it but did not say anything, "the ANBU will be ready to assist."

"Good." Minato said, "he headed out only a few days ago. I doubt he'll call on you this fast. Take that chance to have some time off. Go see your family."

"Thank you for your generosity Hokage-sama," Itachi bowed his head once more. It made him glad to be given this. As an ANBU one was expected to cut off all familial relations for as long as one served. However Minato had several years ago eased up on the restrictions; so long as one did not give away any information one could get permission for family visits. Itachi had not been home for nearly a year and had spent many hours during downtime thinking about his family. If his father had begun to forgive him yet; if his mother was doing well and especially how his little brother was doing. "Is there anything more you need of me?" he was eager now. Even if he didn't show it he wanted to get back to his clan's district as soon as possible. Minato only smiled.

"No Itachi-san, go and be with your family."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." That was Itachi's last words before he sunk into the floor with a shadow jutsu. Quickly heading to the ANBU complex, Itachi changed into his civilian garb and made sure to quickly work through the few papers still on his desk before heading out. One of his Tenchuu operatives stopped him on the way however.

"What is it Tenzō?" he asked.

"Forgive me for holding you up commander," the man said, "but shall I handle any incoming missions while you're out?" This was that which Itachi appreciated the most in Tenzō, the man was a flawless team-player. Itachi could have told him to take it over mid-battle and Tenzō would do it without any hesitation. Yet, there was no need for that in this case.

"We will be on standby," Itachi told him, "Namikaze Naruto is out on a mission and we shall back him up if needed."

"Roger that sir," Tenzō saluted, Itachi returning the salute and heading out. It was yet early in the day, Sasuke should still be at the academy. Should he perhaps surprise him there? No he decided, it was for the best to keep a low profile still. Instead he took the long way around town, making sure to not be seen by too many. Not that he needed to but old habits were hard to shake. Even more so was the mentality that made him think of what it implied that Namikaze Naruto was out in the field on his own.

The man was a snake; there was no other way of putting it. So much was convenient about the Hokage's son; he conveniently had revealed his master's vile experiments and conveniently gotten the job to kill him himself; conveniently not knowing of the many labs hidden in other nations but only conveniently realizing it now. Was that enough to warrant suspicion? No, but it was a start. Coupled with a service history that was classified or simply not documented thanks to Orochimaru's secrecy in all he did there was a perfect breeding ground for a potential threat. That the man today was easily one of Konoha's five finest shinobi made said proposition one with unpleasant and far-reaching consequences should he really be the traitor-in-the-bud Itachi suspected he might be. Yet all this was just idle talk, coincidences that might be somewhat contrived but nevertheless plausible. What really unnerved Itachi was his eyes.

Cold, serpentine eyes that promised nothing and held everything out of sight, eyes that glowed with ambition. Ambition, that thing which to shinobi were a vice as true as gluttony or wrath. It burned like a bonfire in him, Itachi could tell. He doubted there was anything Namikaze Naruto would not do if it advanced his interests. For now it was the labs and his research but the same had been true for Orochimaru. After a while that interest had gone over to devotion, then to obsession and in the end there had been nothing that couldn't be justified in the name of science to Orochimaru. Naruto was as cold as that man, he spoke with a detached perspective on all things, made everything just part of one great equation in which science stood at the top value-wise. He had no familial attachments to the village thanks to his family giving him to Orochimaru so early on, he had no iron-clad bonds that a team gave, he had nothing but the work he demanded more for constantly. Itachi couldn't trust him, his senses screamed "threat" whenever he thought of Namikaze Naruto and Itachi was not one to disregard those instincts.

Crossing past a small park, Itachi saw something fly past him a few meters away. At first he tensed but realized after a second what it was. He watched passively as a small child came running out of the underbrush, chasing after the cardboard shuriken he had thrown. A pair of other kids came running as well, crying out to each other arguing about something. They were perhaps seven or eight, several years still from graduating. How strange to think that at that age he had been a shinobi for years already. He was grateful that that system had been reformed and twelve made the minimum age for shinobi service, he couldn't ever remembered having played a game like that. Indeed, did he even know how? Starting your service at four years of age destroyed you in many ways. Itachi had realized it more and more in these latest years. In many ways he considered himself a normal man. He loved his family, respected his father, honoured his mother and indeed adored his little brother. Despite all the times his duty came between him and Sasuke Itachi would gladly devote his entire life to his beloved little brother, as he had sworn to himeself twelve years ago when he had held the then infant Sasuke in his arms.

Yet, duty, that one word made it all fall away, left him only with ice and steely focus. Already now he had nearly forgotten how to smile, his face never showed emotions and he needed only the faintest nudge in that direction to have duty claim his mind as well. He was a machine, struggling to maintain his humanity when he never had had a chance to develop it. If it hadn't been the demands of the clan it had been those of the village. Sasuke was one of the few things that could trumph it and Itachi loved his brother so dearly for it, especially as he was halfway a pariah with half his clan these days.

Walking by the river on the ridge there, he thought of that time four years ago. The hostility between his clan and Konoha was at its apex. The clan was poised to perform a coup d'etat and usurp control over Konoha. If it hadn't been for the decisive and forceful leadership of the Yondaime Itachi had little doubt his clan would be dead now. Itachi, loyal to Konoha and remembering all he had seen in the war, had been unable to stomach the thought of a civil war. No more wars, not ever, he couldn't bear the thought of another conflict like that. He had, in the end, revealed it all to the Yondaime, who had done something absurd.

His parents had both been called to the Hokage's office, both of them, and when they had entered Itachi had been there, hiding behind the door. He had placed his sword across his father's throat, pushing his mother against the wall and holding a Kunai towards her throat. The Hokage had calmly sat in his seat watching the whole thing. When he had spoken it had been calmly, even coldly. He had told Fugaku that he would not have the peace of Konoha broken, not even for the Uchiha, and with one command he'd have Itachi slit both their throats and then go down to the Uchiha district to kill the rest of them. Unless, the man had said as Fugaku had stared into his son's eyes with anger and the pain of betrayal glowing in them as fiercely as his mother's shock and horror. Unless the Uchiha were willing to listen to an offer he had for them. His father, faced with either death or paying attention, had had no choice. Alone he might have tried to fight, his pride was great, yet with his wife there he hadn't dared. So Itachi had been called off and his parents had sat down in front of the Hokage who calmly had given them his offer.

His offer had been ROOT, an underground ANBU faction who had been discovered to have their hands in dozens of clandestine and, even worse, unauthorized operations across the nation. The hokage wasn't planning on accepting that anyone went over his head, not the least the ANBU. So therefore he wanted them apprehended like the criminals they were. Other ANBU could have handled it, indeed the Hokage could have hand-picked a force he'd have led into their base. But instead, the Uchiha police could do it. It would be an unparalleled operation, one that would make all of Konoha shake to its foundations. Yet what more, when the Uchiha police were discovered to have dealt with something as massive as traitorous ANBU it would reflect well on them, incredibly much so. Their reputation had always been as tyrannical and unreliable people. But with something like this their reputation would swing over completely. The hokage would have no other option than to reward their loyalty and sacrifices. The rules forcing them to live in a certain district most certainly would have to be abolished now that it had been shown that having an Uchiha policeman in the neighbourhood was the best security insurance one could have. Not even the ANBU were safe from their justice, how could anyone think they were corrupt when they struck that deep? Due rewards and honours would rain over them, the stigma which had made them resent the village getting a deathblow in the process.

ROOT, or death. Minato had asked the question frankly, clasping his hands. His parents had at first been silent, Itachi unable to see their faces which no doubt had been awash with confusion and uncertainty. Yet, in the end Fugaku had relented, accepting Minato's offer and abandoning the clan's planned coup. Two days later they had struck all over Konoha, completely wiping ROOT out as all its operatives fought to the death. And as Minato had said, the Uchiha had become the heroes of Konoha. The Hokage had spun their supposed tyranny into being simply utter devotion to justice, no matter when and where it was needed. The Uchiha had become heroes, the coup had been averted, the clan had lived... and Itachi had become a traitor, a pariah in his clan. Only his mother had forgiven him even after all these years, Sasuke being blissfully ignorant about it all. It was strange that the place he had longed so much to visit would be so cold to him. But what could he do? He loved his family and the village equally.

Sighing, he walked around the last corner, seeing something that made his day a lot better. Sasuke was approaching the district entrance from the other direction and Itachi smiled to himself slightly before vanishing in a blur of motion. As fast as he could, he leaped over the wall and took up position by the entrance, standing there with his arms folded and his back against the wall. When Sasuke entered, it was with a surprising amount of emotion in his movements. Unlike Itachi, Sasuke had never lost the way his body language telegraphed his emotions, making it easy for Itachi to see what was going on. He was frustrated, angry it seemed, and what more he hadn't even noticed Itachi.

Shaking his head to himself, Itachi now leaped forwards, taking Sasuke by the shoulder and now he got a reaction. Sasuke startled, spinning around and kicking backwards with a decent amount of skill and speed he struck at Itachi's head. Itachi dodged under it, using the leg that passed over him to flip Sasuke over and send him back first into the ground. Landing with a grunt, his little brother quickly sat up but stopped when he saw who it was who currently was hunching down in front of him.

"Niisan?" he asked, his eyes wide behind those hilarious thick glasses he wore so the girls would leave him alone. It had been at Itachi's suggestion he wore those, Itachi nevertheless not ever planning on admitting it had been a joke, not when Sasuke had so passionately gone for the idea.

"Not quite good enough yet Sasuke," he said, his face showing none of the happiness he felt at seeing his little brother again.


"Niisan?" Sasuke asked, not believing his eyes at first. His older brother Itachi was currently hunching down in front of him, looking at him with his eyes as calm and as sharp as always.

"Not quite good enough yet Sasuke," he said calmly. While he was berating him, Sasuke nevertheless was overjoyed by seeing his older brother for the first time in over a year. He stood up quickly, Itachi following suit.

"When did you come back home?" he asked. His brother was always away doing his job as ANBU commander. To see him home like this was as rare as could be.

"Only just now," Itachi said, starting towards the main building and Sasuke quickly fell in beside him. "You still use the glasses," he said now, Sasuke remembering himself and taking them off.

"Yes," he said, a bit awkwardly. He hated those things, they might be just window glass but he never the less got headaches all the time from them. Still, they worked. "They've worked perfectly, I'm not bothered all day any longer." It had been Itachi's idea. When overhearing how he was driven up the walls by the girls in class pestering him all day about dates and whatever Itachi had handed him the glasses without a word, Sasuke understanding first a few days later. With the glasses, some water to ruffle his hair and some slight alterations to his posture and walk Sasuke now could attend his classes without the swarm of pestering fangirls that took a seeming pride in ruining his concentration. And it all was so simple, as expected of ANBU commander Uchiha Itachi.

"That is good to hear," Itachi said, "How is school going?" Sasuke flinched at the question. Ugh... that question normally would have been a source of pride, now it was like prodding an open wound.

"Well..." he begun, "Kinda good I suppose," he eventually finished weakly. Itachi looked at him instantly, his big brother's eyes drilling into him.

""Kinda good"?" he asked and Sasuke felt somewhat queasy.

"Yeah..." He said before taking a deep breath. "I've slipped down to third in the class." It was humiliating! How could he be expected to ever equal his brother if he was outdone not only by Satutobi but also... it was so humiliating!

"Interesting," Itachi said, face totally passive. Uh oh. He was disappointed. Sasuke could tell it. "Second I could have understood, but third? Who is this new contender then?" Ugh, did he have to reveal that? It was humiliating enough to know who it was himself, to have his big brother hear about it was even worse!

"It..." he begun, bracing himself, "it is Namikaze Kimiko." There, it was out, the one who had surpassed him and knocked him down to number three was the hyperactive, overly cheerful, ever grinning bimbo Kimiko! The class clown, the girl who seemed to have a brain consisting of cotton candy and pixie sticks! Now Itachi stopped and Sasuke flinched again. He knew it, his brother was dumbfounded by it. Where had he done wrong? How could she of all people have surpassed him! "It's just in the physical subjects and-and she's climbed to the upper third in chakra control, her average rose above mine, but I still am top in the jutsu practices!" he begun fearfully, turning around to explain himself. Itachi only walked past him, putting one hand on his head.

"Do not underestimate that girl Sasuke," he said calmly, "she has a special gift." Sasuke felt a bit ambivalent there. On one hand it was good Itachi didn't become angry at him, on the other, what was that "gift" all the adults talked about in such hushed whispers when it came to her? It came up all the time, for some reason apparently that little bimbo was supposed to be super-special in some way. Yet the only special he could see about her was the kind of special that never left the mental age of three. Still, Itachi wouldn't lie so he just swallowed his irritation at the whole thing and caught up with him.

"Doesn't matter really," he said, "I'll surpass her and Sarutobi both. It was only recently that he snatched the first place in the kunai throwing and I'm working all day to become better at it. He'll never snatch the first place in ninjutsu and I know how I'm going to surpass him in taijutsu." Sasuke wasn't going to be satisfied with third place. His big brother wasn't going to be it either, nor would his parents. That he even was that far down, however temporarily, was a disgrace, and he'd snatch the first place out from under both Sarutobi and that bimbo Kimiko's noses.

"I do not doubt that you will," Itachi said as they entered the house. Sasuke now felt a sting of worry. For some reason his father and Itachi had been on as bad terms as could be for years now. He knew his father was home too, he wasn't looking forwards to this meeting.

"I'm home!" he cried out as he took off his shoes. Might as well get it over with. It was like eating bitter medicine, just swallow the thing as fast as you could.

"Welcome home Sasuke!" his mother said from the kitchen and Sasuke took a breath in relief. At least his mother still loved Itachi. She'd be overjoyed, "how what school today?" his mother asked and Sasuke decided to surprise her.

"I brought someone home with me today," he said, hearing how his mother quickly came over towards the corridor to say hi. When she entered she froze in her steps at first, wide-eyed she looked at the man now standing beside Sasuke. Itachi bowed to her now.

"Forgive my intrusion," he said formally, hardly having stood up straight again before their mother was upon him.

"Oh I can't believe my eyes!" she said, overjoyed, "It's been so long, why are you saying that? This is still your home. Come in, come in. When did you get leave? You should have told me, I would have made food for you too!" Yep, mother was ecstatic, Sasuke could tell from how she started to babble. Itachi accepted mother's ministrations without any objections and Sasuke smiled. It was great to see mother this happy. She hadn't been like this since last time Itachi was home. They were both ushered into the kitchen and Itachi was seated next to Sasuke, their mother rushing to the stove and starting to work on something. She, at the same time, swiftly set the table for Itachi as well and Sasuke guessed that she was going to try to increase the amount of food she was making mid-cooking so that Itachi could eat as well.

"How long will you be home?" he decided to ask now, noticing how straight Itachi sat, he sat with the legs perfectly folded, back straight and arms folded. Perfect posture, Sasuke guessed he could balance an entire stack of books on Itachi's head.

"I do not know," Itachi answered, "more I cannot reveal." Sasuke shrugged at this. Of course he couldn't. He was in the ANBU after all.

"Have you heard the latest news by the way?" mother said, "apparently Sasuke has gotten a new rival." Ugh, why did mother seem to find that adorable for some reason? Sasuke dreaded what would come now.

"Yes," Itachi said, "Sasuke informed me of Namikaze Kimiko having surpassed him in the ranking average."

"Yes," Mother said and looked back with a smile, "I'm so much reminded of your father and I when we were in the academy." Sasuke let his face fall forwards now and banged his forehead into the table. Oh no...

"Is that so?" Itachi asked, looking towards her.

"Yes!" mother said cheerily, "Right down to a T almost. It wouldn't surprise me if something more than sparks started flying there soon."

"Mother!" Sasuke objected fervently, "She passed me by in the rankings, she's a challenger, just like Sarutobi, where do you get that idea from?" This was unbelievable!

"Still," Mikoto said, her smile angelic, "I can't ever remember that Konohamaru-kun provoked such a massive reaction from you. I barely have to mention her name and you go up in arms. That kind of passion can often turn to another kind sweetie."

"That does make sense," Itachi said now, Sasuke looking at him with horrified eyes.

"What?" he asked, nearly shouting, "You're insane, both of you, and besides, what would I see in that bimbo even if I was interested in girls! She's a hyperactive shrimp of an air-headed dobe!"

"I find those traits quite endearing actually," Mikoto said sweetly, "She's not as dumb as you think. Didn't she outsmart you during a baton run a few weeks ago? Kushina told me that Kimiko had been overjoyed that she managed to outsmart you. That girl might very well already have her eyes on you sweetie." Now Sasuke groaned and hid his face in his hands. This was absurd, he couldn't believe this was happening! A rustle from outside the room made him look up for a second, his stomach turning cold when he saw his father entering the room.

Upon seeing Itachi, Fugaku's face turned ice cold and the mood crashed through the floor and into the basement. Still seated, Itachi bowed towards father respectfully, a gesture not reciprocated in any way.

"Forgive my intrusion," he said once more, Fugaku remaining standing in the doorway.

"A rare sight to see the ANBU commander at my table," he said with a gravelly voice. "I find myself wondering why. Is there so little for the ANBU to do?" Sasuke winced, gritting his teeth and letting the whole thing play out. There was nothing he could do so he just kept his mouth shut and sat there obediently.

"A situation arose that permitted me to take a few days off," Itachi said politely.

"I see," Fugaku said, "You were no doubt eager to escape from your duties."

"It was Hokage-sama's suggestion," Itachi continued, "He insisted that I took the chance to visit my family." Fugaku snorted.

"I have little doubt of that," Sasuke's father was not just cold, but outright hostile, "My memory has not faltered if that is what the man thinks."

"Now dear," Mikoto came to the rescue, speaking with a soothing voice as she came up and put one hand on his arm, "Itachi has not been home for almost a year and he just got here. Don't worry, there will be enough food to go around. It's done in just a minute, take a seat." She seemed almost saintly, her smile the very essence of soothing friendliness. Fugaku eventually sat down by the table and the most awkward dinner in nearly a year officially started. No one said anything, Sasuke not knowing if he even could. The mood was so oppressive that he had a hard time even swallowing properly despite the fact that Itachi was as cool as a cucumber, Fugaku not looking anywhere but straight at his food and Mikoto acting like everything was all right with the world in an attempt to smooth things over. Itachi was soon done with his food and mother was on it in an instant.

"Here Itachi," she said, "have some more." She moved to scoop up some more stew in Itachi's bowl when Fugaku came with another remark.

"I am sure the ANBU commander isn't planning to eat us out of the house," he said snidely. This time however something happened. Mikoto's head snapped to look at him and Sasuke, who had looked at his father, only barely saw the flash of red in his mother's eyes. It was so fast he might as well just have imagined it, but Fugaku froze, a look of shock flashing over his face for a second. Sasuke tensed up as well, being already as tightly wound as the strings of a shamisen. The moment of shock soon vanished and Fukage put down his chop-sticks.

"Thank you for the meal," he said tersely, getting up and leaving the room with a near storm cloud hovering over his head. The mood sunk to a possibly even lower point now and Itachi put down his chop-sticks as well.

"Thank you for the meal," he said as well, "I will visit Teyaki-san for a while." With that, he got up and retreated as well, leaving only Mikoto and Sasuke in the kitchen. Mikoto gave up a slow, shivering sigh now and hid her face in her hands, Sasuke feeling it like his stomach had turned into concrete and his mouth was dry.

"Mother..." he said after a while, "what is all this about?" he couldn't comprehend it, it made no damned sense at all! Mikoto sighed once more, giving Sasuke a sad smile.

"Your father..." she begun, "he is a very proud man. Sometimes... sometimes that pride makes it hard for him to admit he was wrong." Sasuke didn't say anything, he didn't want his mother to have to deal with him being snide as well, but that was little comfort to hear. Pride was one thing, but why had father for over four years now been utterly cold to the son he once had praised without any reservation? He hated this, hated having his father and brother at each others' throats, hated that his mother had to smooth everything over all the time and hated that he seemed to be the only one that didn't have a clue as to what was going on.


Later that evening, as the sun was beginning to set and the sky was red, Sasuke came in from his evening training, he was heading for the bathroom to take a quick shower before bed. However, passing by one of the hallways he could hear agitated voices and he stopped. Leaning against the wall, he glanced in towards it and could see that it was coming from one of the rooms further in. The voices were his parents, no doubt about it. Sasuke stood there in the darkness for a while, wondering if he should try to sneak closer. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they were arguing about what had happened today and eventually he made his call, beginning to move closer. That was when a hand landed on his shoulder, Sasuke looking back with a gasp as his heart leaped up into his throat.

It was Itachi who stood there, having stopped Sasuke from moving closer. His brother, framed by the twilight shining from outside, shook his head and nodded in the other direction, away from the room. For a moment Sasuke was about to tear himself from Itachi's grip but he realized his brother wouldn't yield on this and in the end he followed him to the porch outside the house. Sasuke sat down and let his legs hang off the side with a sigh. Itachi meanwhile leaned against the pillar nearby and for a second they both were silent.

"You're not going to tell me anything more than mom is, are you?" Sasuke asked eventually. "About what is going on that is," he added after a second.

"I don't know what she said," Itachi answered.

"That "dad is proud and can't apologize easily" pretty much," Sasuke told his brother. Itachi was silent for a while.

"I can tell you this Sasuke," his brother said eventually, Sasuke looking up at his big brother now, "something happened four years ago," Itachi begun.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked, suddenly eager to hear what this was.

"We were sworn to silence about it," Itachi said, disappointing him, "It left, however, scars in our family."

"And that's why all this happens," Sasuke said bitterly, "and I still haven't got a clue about anything." Itachi now sat down next to him, looking him straight in the eyes. A small smile now came over his face.

"Do not fret little brother," Itachi told him, "sometimes, it is best to not know some things. You are unaware of this thing and what caused it and that makes you free. That's how you will surpass me one day Sasuke, because you are free, you can live in Hokage-sama's great future one day without carrying with you the shadows of yesterday."

"That really doesn't make a lot of sense niisan," Sasuke said with a sigh.

"I know," Itachi said, "and pray that it never does." With that, he looked back towards the setting sun, not saying anything more. Sasuke shrugged after a while as well. He guessed there was nothing more to be said on this matter and chose to just enjoy the dusk together with his big brother. Despite everything that was it was good to have his big brother here with him. A smile settled on his face as he looked at Itachi.

"Hey," he said, "Tomorrow, do you want to teach me how to throw kunai again? The teachers said I'm the best in the entire school."

"I should have time for that, yes," Itachi nodded. Kunai throwing, yes that had been quite some time since they had done that. Since before the averted coup in fact. Itachi saw how his brother shone up at his yes and Sasuke now held up his hand with the pinky out.

"Is that a promise?" he asked now, Itachi now actually chuckling. Clever boy, he remembered how many "I'm sorry, next time" Itachi had given him back them and eventually he raised his hand as well, the two brothers linking their pinkies.

This was what Itachi lived for, what he would fight for and if needed die for. His little brother's smile, his happiness, his future in this brighter new world Minato-sama would usher in. Someone like Itachi was not fit for that world, he was too broken, too single-minded. He was in many ways a broken soul going on auto-pilot. Yet he could help this new world to come, deal with the less cut-and-dry sides of the struggle. Minato-sama's world would come and Sasuke would get his rightful place in that better place, Itachi had sworn that years ago. If he had to more and more adopt the tactics and mindset of the very group whose destruction had made him ANBU commander to achieve this then so be it. If he had to arrange "accidents" for whomever opposed Minato-sama, so be it. If he one day would have to kill Namikaze Naruto, a man seeking only his own advancement and who mercilessly used his father for it, so be it.