How Sasuke Can Kill Itachi
Chapter dedicated to Xerxes93
Most bitter are the quarrels of brothers. - Latin Proverb

Itachi Uchiha snapped open his red eyes and shivered. Sweat poured off his body, soaking the sheets beneath him. After five minutes he was able to get his breathing under control, just before his partner, Kisame, walked in. "Yo, everything all right? Is it another side effect of that sharingan?"

"No..." Itachi trailed off. The shark-man shrugged and left the dark room. As the door soundlessly shut, Itachi shook with the remembrance of his dream.

Sasuke, the only Uchiha he didn't kill and his little brother. "He must hate me, he must hate me, he must hate me," The oldest Uchiha muttered his mantra over and over to himself, seeking comfort in the words for he knew deep down, there was only one way Sasuke could kill him. And he couldn't die, not yet; he still needed Sasuke to hate him. Itachi brought his hand close to his face; he couldn't tell if the blurriness was from the darkness of the room, him still shaking, or his failing eyesight.

The mangekyo user took a deep breath. Recent memories of his nightmare/dream pelted his mind, taunting him of what could so easily happen.

"Aniki! Aniki! You said you would train me!" A younger version of Sasuke cried while running up. Itachi paused and turned. With every step chibi-Sasuke took, Itachi felt himself softening. But he couldn't be soft. The clan wouldn't allow it; if they found out they might try and taint his innocent little brother to become like him. The two brothers already looked so similar; nearly everyone in the village compared them to one another.

Once chibi-Sasuke came within range, Itachi jutted out his forefinger and flicked the little boys head. "Sorry, maybe next time."

"But you promised!" Whined chibi-Sasuke as he rubbed his poked head. Suddenly the scene changed from a street to a grassy field and chibi-Sasuke began to grow. Itachi stepped back, watching his formerly cute little brother become the angst ridden teenager he now was.

"Aniki, you promised." The slightly older Sasuke seemed be crying, if his raising of the arm to wipe his eyes was any indication. Taken aback, Itachi calmly replied, "Run, and live like a coward-"

"BUT I DON'T WANT TO!" Sasuke cut Itachi off with his scream. The older brother tensed as Sasuke looked up. Those eyes...

Filled with some emotion Itachi had very little experience with. He remembered his mother used to give him that same look. "Itachi! You...you...you killed them...all."

"I had to test my-"

"I don't care about that!" Sasuke took another step closer. Itachi felt himself starting to shake, even though it was just a dream. In some legends, mangekyo was rumored to have the ability to see the future. Could this be a possibility of what was to come? He could not let this happen.

As Sasuke kept coming, ironically Itachi was drawn to the fact that his forehead protector held a shallow gash over the Konoha symbol. No...It was impossible. Desperate now, Itachi called, "You must hate me. If you ever hope to kill me you must hate me. You don't have enough hatred to kill me yet."

Sasuke smiled. Itachi was extremely freaked out, even though he didn't show it. HE IS SUPPOSED TO HATE ME! "Silly big brother, how could I hate you? We're brothers, why would I want to kill the only family I have left?" By this time the boys were only centimeters apart. The red eyed Uchiha gulp; he wanted to run away from his black eyed brother, but pride refused to let him.

Sasuke reached up and clutched Itachi's black robes with admiration pouring off him. "Were brothers Itachi, I...I lo-"

The cloaked man grabbed his brother's shoulders. "I killed them all! Don't you understand that! I. Murdered. Our. Whole. Family."

Sasuke's head dropped. "I know. But they were mean to Aniki," Sasuke's head shot up and he grinned a grin worthy of Naruto on ramen. "I love you Itachi-niisan! I want to be with you forever!" He jerked his hand down and used the tension created as leverage to pounce on his big brother. Itachi felt his heart explode.

"Hn." Itachi grunted with not the least bit trepidation. If that was a vision of the future, then was Sasuke going to become a missing-nin and come to be with him! Itachi got up and threw on his Akatsuki cloak, once again an emotionless drone. "Kisame, how far from Konoha are we?"

"Eh? Konoha? Thinking about going after the Kyuubi-brat again huh. About a week I guess if we take our time."

"A week." Itachi considered. No. That dream was just too creepy. He didn't want to risk seeing Sasuke right now. Judging by their last encounter, he hated him at the moment, which was enough. Itachi laughed at himself, like Sasuke would ever abandon his village. Last night was just a nightmare, nothing else.

Sasuke stood alone in the Uchiha mansion. Before him, nailed on the wall, was a family portrait. He concentrated solely on the figure of his brother. "Why..."

And with a violent sneeze, Sasuke's attention was rocked away from the picture. "Damn fangirls must be talking about me." He walked out and locked the door heading for the bridge to meet his teammates. Clenching a fist in annoyance the avenger growled, "Naruto. How did you get so strong? Itachi..." For a split second an emotion called love graced Sasuke's features before changing to indifference. "I will kill him."

END.

It's only illegal if you get caught. - Anonymous