Chapter 9
Itachi stared at his father for a moment, he had completely forgotten about what his father had asked him, or rather told him. He turned and looked at Sasuke who was sitting next to him and was giving his father the same look he was.
"I finished my mission early," Itachi spoke in an emotionless tone, turning back to face his father. "It was completed ahead of schedule and we didn't see why we should just hang around when we could go back home and turn in the documents without risk of being attacked before we returned at the scheduled time. It would have been foolish to sit around in the enemy territory with their stolen documents in our possession, and besides, I missed Sasuke."
"You missed Sasuke? What exactly did you miss about him, hmm? The kisses you gave him or the baths you guys took together." Their father's eyebrow twitched as he stared back at Itachi, remembering all the moments he had walked in on his sons.
"Incase you didn't know, we only bathed together once, and it was because he's my brother and I care about him. Plus he's too foolish to understand any trouble he could be getting himself into. Someone needs to make sure he stays out of trouble."
"Well, I'm glad you got the whole loving your brother thing out of your head now. I don't want you to be close to him again, you hear me?" He began to calm down, believing that the feelings that Itachi harbors for Sasuke have dissipated and no longer exist. Of course, the feelings have never left, but grew. What he doesn't know can't hurt him, right?
"Yeah I hear you. But can I at least spend time with him?"
"No."
"Honey, please," their mother said in a soothing tone, holding her husband's hand. "At least let them spend time together ok? I think it's a good thing that they spend time with each other."
"Ok fine. But you better not kiss him at all."
Sasuke's jaw dropped slightly and a disappointed look filled Itachi's dark eyes.
"Honey..."
"Ok, fine. I'll let you, but you know what kind of kiss you better not give him, correct?"
Itachi and Sasuke both nodded. Their father had a shocked look on his face which quickly fadded as he stared questionly at Sasuke, and then at Itachi. Sasuke had to come up with something quick or else his father would know, what happened earlier.
"I'm not sure what your talking about but...uh...I think I kinda get it..." Sasuke spoke nervously, hoping his father would buy it. Itachi held his breath, but didn't let it show.
"Ok Sasuke. You don't really need to know that much anyways."
Their father bought it, but was still a bit suspicious of the two. Itachi sighed and breathed fresh air, glad that his father isn't as cruel. The counseling he had been taking has truly paid off. Both, the psychologist and his wife told him that he should back off and relax, and especially to stop stalking his kids. For the rest of dinner, they seemed like a normal family. Their father wasn't shooting any glares at his son, and there were no awkward silences. Every time the two brothers looked at each other, they smiled and silently celebrated their victory; they are now allowed to spend time with each other.
"Mom, can I sleep with aniki tonight?" Sasuke asked his mother as he helped her carry the dishes to the sink.
"I don't know. Why don't you ask your father if it's ok?"
Sasuke turned to his father scared he would say no, but to his surprise his father silently nodded. Sasuke's face lit up and he cried out several 'thank you's before running down the hall to his brother's room. Itachi was getting ready for bed when he was suddenly tackled by a small black haired boy.
"I'm sleeping with you aniki!" Sasuke clung to Itachi in a hug. Itachi just smiled and patted Sasuke on the head before prying the young Uchiha off of him. Sasuke looked up at his brother. "Hey aniki, can you read me a story?"
"Aren't you a bit old for bedtime stories?" Itachi lightly laughed.
"Yeah, but I want you to read to me! I'll go get a book!"
Sasuke jumped up and took off for his room before Itachi could even answer him. When Sasuke returned they dressed in their pajamas and got in bed. Sasuke cuddled into his brother's lap and handed him the book to read. Itachi let out a sigh, and then smiled and began to read to Sasuke with his chin resting lightly on his brother's head. Sasuke followed along with his brother's reading and smiling after ever other sentence. After every page turn, Itachi lightly kissed Sasuke in the head and continued reading. Their mother poked her head into the room and smiled at the sight of Itachi reading to Sasuke. When she returned to her room her husband was sitting in bed thinking.
"Aww, that was so sweet." She spoke aloud so her husband could hear. He looked up at his wife.
"What's so sweet?"
"Itachi's reading Sasuke a bedtime story."
"Isn't Sasuke a bit old for them?"
"Yes, but it's just so sweet. Oh, honey do you remember when we used to go out all night and Itachi would babysit Sasuke for us?"
"Yeah I remember."
Their mother climbed onto the bed and snuggled close to her husband.
"Every night, when we got home late, I would check on Sasuke and you know what I always found?"
"What did you find sweetie?"
"Sasuke would be fast asleep in his crib and in the chair next to it would be Itachi sleeping with a book in his arms. Turns out that every night he read Sasuke a story to help him sleep."
Mr. Uchiha smiled and started to think that maybe, just maybe he had the whole thing wrong. Maybe Itachi did just want to spend time with Sasuke; maybe he's just being too paranoid. But in truth he was right, of course, but he's starting to think Itachi just wants to be a good older brother to Sasuke.
After Itachi was finished reading the story, and just like back when Sasuke was a baby, his younger brother had fallen asleep. Itachi smiled and tucked Sasuke in and cuddled close to him. It felt so good, being near Sasuke. Itachi didn't know why he began to push Sasuke away from him when he got older. Now, he just wants to make up for lost time. That little feeling he has for Sasuke was sure enough love, but it is far too much to be brotherly love. No, it's much greater than that you feel for a sibling or a parent. It was love love, and he wanted to show Sasuke how he feels more than anything, but he can't because it's wrong, for him, or anyone to love their brother in such a way. He's going to have to try to keep it hidden, or else he might end up committing incest. He lightly brushed the hair out of Sasuke's face and kissed on the forehead before drifting off to sleep.
"I love you, otouto, more than I really should."
to be continued...
