"I won't let you down"
"What? Kushina Uzumaki is dead? "
Itachi heard his mother's sincerely shocked and sorrowful voice on his way to the kitchen. He stopped, peered cautiously through the doorway and saw his parents in there.
Fugaku ate his food, bored. "Yes, apparently she and The Fourth Hokage died the night when the nine-tailed demon fox attacked."
Mikoto was standing at bench, still looked shocked. She held Sasuke, almost ten months old, in her arms, leaned his little head against her shoulder.
"Why?" she asked.
Her husband grunted. "They sealed the kyuubi inside of their newborn child," he said and scowled.
"Their son? Naruto?" Mikoto asked in surprise. "Why would they do such a thing? Did Kushina's sealing broke? "
"I don't know much," Fugaku said dismissively, though he apparently did. "But they are, in all cases, dead, and their son is the vessel of the kyuubi." He was obviously not happy with it.
Itachi was shocked -was that what happened six months ago, when the village was attacked?
Mikoto continued to gentle cradle Sasuke. "It means of course a great danger for us," she said, now suddenly suspicious. "What if the child loses control?"
"It will be dangerous for the whole village," Fugaku grumbled. "But what is worse is - our noble clan is accused of the demon fox' attack - Konoha blames it on our clan."
Mikoto didn't seem affected by it. "This will also be dangerous for Sasuke, he and Naruto will attend the same class!" she said, worried.
"It's all right," Fugaku said dismissively. His facial expression and tone clearly said: Even if something would happen to Sasuke, I still have Itachi left so it doesn't matter.
Itachi clenched his fists. Poor Sasuke to have such a father.
Mikoto also seemed to have noticed it. She exclaimed: "He's also our son, Fugaku!" Sasuke began to whine on her shoulder.
Itachi walked quickly out of sight when he saw Mikoto leave the kitchen. She put Sasuke in his crib in his room and then returned to her husband. "Itachi?" she called out, unaware that her son was nearby. "Dinner is ready!"
"Yes, kaa-san," Itachi answered quickly and then went to Sasukes room.
He leaned over the crib, watched his little brother whimper and cry.
He stroked Sasuke's forehead softly, let his hand gently caress his cheek. He smiled when he saw his brother stop crying and look up at him, with the same black, pearly eyes as he himself had.
Even if Sasuke was born into a family where bonds and relationships didn't matter, even if his parents were going to let him down in the future, Itachi would always be there and give his brother everything he had. Because he loved Sasuke with all his heart.
"Nii-san is here for you, Sasuke," Itachi smiled. "You don't have to worry about what is to come, for whatever happens, I'm here for you."
Sasukes little hand grabbed Itachi's fingers, wonder in his eyes. Itachis eyes widened when he heard the little words that came out of his brother's mouth.
"Niisan ..."
Shocked, he took up his otouto in his arms. Sasukes first words were ... nii-san.
Itachi had never felt that feeling before that he got now. He felt strangely touched, emotional.
"Otouto ..." he whispered back. He could not help but to smile broadly at Sasuke.
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