Pieces Of You: Chapter 10: Piece Of Me
A/N: So it was a little while since I updated, ne? I'm gonna blame it on my disease this time *sigh* Rheumatism makes my fingers go a little numb and actually makes it harder to type.
Warning for nasty words in this chapter! xD
Anyway, enjoy!
Heavy rain clouds sweeping in over the town, darkening the sky. Raindrops resting delicately at the window panes, an empty reflection in there.
Sasuke was sitting on Naruto's couch and watched the day fade away. It was slowly getting dark outside, and he reached out for the blanket beside him and wrapped it around him tightly. He felt so cold inside, so unsure. His head hit the back of the couch as he closed his eyes and waited for Itachi to call. A voice from the kitchen woke him up.
"Sasuke-kun."
"Hm?"
Kushina was standing at the door with a frying pan in her hand and her red long hair tied up. "Your mom called again. She wants you to come home."
Sasuke slowly opened his eyes. He had been here almost the whole day without having any contact with his mother. He had heard Kushina answering her calls a couple of times, and each time she lied and told Mikoto that he was sleeping when she wanted to talk with him. It was Saturday, fortunately, and Sasuke had spent most of the time with Naruto playing Ultimate Ninja Storm and eating popcorn. He wasn't really used to spend a whole day that lazily, but he simply felt no motivation whatsoever. Now Naruto had finally managed to ask Sakura out and had left for some hours.
He knew that avoiding his problems would only make it worse, but Itachi still hadn't called although he should have by now; they talked briefly yesterday and decided. A small feeling of worry had begun to claw at Sasuke's mind – what if something had gone wrong on his mission?
"I don't want to talk to her", he said after a short while. The red-haired woman sighed. "I already told her that. But you can't break her heart by staying away forever. She's your own parent; you need to talk things out."
Sasuke curled tighter together. Kushina walked over to the young teen and patted his hair lightly. "You know you're always welcome to stay with us, but I'd like to tell you that this is the last night I can cooperate in this. Tomorrow you're going back."
The Uchiha knew his best friend's mother; she could be really stern when she wanted to and she would most likely drag him home no matter if he wanted to. He nodded shortly.
But he had already decided that if Itachi never came back, he would never go home again.
"I'm going to bed", he announced and carried the blanket with him upstairs; a habit he had gotten as a child. Kushina glanced at the clock and saw that it was only just past 5 PM, but she let it pass. "I'll save some dinner for you", she called after him.
Sasuke laid outspread on his air mattress in Naruto's room. He had no idea of how much time had passed, but he had heard his friend's clumsy attempt to sneak into the room soundlessly and change clothes without 'waking him up' some hours earlier. Sasuke's mind was tired, but yet he couldn't sleep. Everything about Itachi was clouding his mind and filling senses, and there was no way out of this labyrinth of obsession and attachment. He was still not sure how to show his feelings, but he knew that something must happen soon, or he was going to lose control. He was imagining, and his brother – his very own brother - was here now in this moment, climbing on top of him, rubbing his skin, stroking his hair and kissing him deeply, pouring so much love into him. But yet, it was all an illusion.
Sasuke felt the tension wrap around his body like a sweet ribbon and he arched his back softly only to be caught by his imaginary brother's arms when he came down from his high. Itachi's soft voice was in his head right now, telling him sweet things and making him shiver and writhe insatiably, rolling around restlessly in his bed. The man's soft black hair was caressing his face as he bent down and kissed him hungrily and with a passion that turned Sasuke into a heated mess on the bed, not knowing what to do with himself.
The sky above them was dark velvet blue and stars were falling, surrounding them with faint, sparkling light. Sasuke's mind was messy, and now it was hard to separate dream from reality. It was raining outside on the dark streets but the enormous sun far away in space that was Itachi reached all the way to his frozen heart and made it open like a flower to the sunlight. He was overwhelmed, filled to his very limit with all the words that got stuck in his throat. As they ate at each other's lips and Sasuke was inflicted with both pleasure and pain a moan was torn from his throat and his heart was racing, making him greedy. Itachi's whispering words in his ear made him want things he never had cared about before. And he heard these words from his mind in his head, a swirling desire burning deep inside.
I want him to take me completely, to devour every single piece of me. Sasuke threw his arms back on the bed and he couldn't seem to lay still. His breathing was thick and uneven. A part of him wondered how the fuck he ended up like this, after believing for his whole life that he was asexual or at least straight. And his sexuality didn't matter anymore; it was the fact that they were related that should have made him cringe with disgust. But Itachi's stunning body and the deep emotions in them were turning him on shamelessly and he was lost.
Even though he is my brother, I still want him so damn bad… I want to touch him and love him. And then I realize that it's called incest and it's a crime. A filthy crime, but still as beautiful in my heart.
Sasuke took a deep breath and opened his eyes, feeling the world become clearer when it was all over. He felt so alone now, knowing that this night would not be easy. Where was Itachi? Was he even alright?
He was soon sleeping like a small child, caught in another world where he was together with his brother. How it had felt to wake up and meet the reality for those past weeks… and even now as he slept, he knew somewhere it could not be true. No matter how much he dreamed about it, he had thought it never would come true. After all, everyone had deceived him.
But his sparkling angel was there now, shining his light down upon him from above. Soft raven hair entangled in Sasuke's fingers, scarlet eyes smiling at him. His body was calling out for his very own savior, someone who could take him away from the life he had called his own as long as he could remember. But something was changing; his angel was on its way away from him. Itachi was gone; disappearing like smoke between his fingers and nothing was left. Suddenly he felt haunted in his dreams, but it was impossible to get away in time. Someone was chasing him, and with adrenaline rushing through his dream body he ran and ran through the most unfamiliar and well-known places, but he knew that something was missing.
When he finally reached a safe place, covered by ashes, he knew that he had no choice but to hide. Fragments of an unfamiliar voice were clear, together with absurd images. And there… he found Itachi. But his angel was not strong anymore; he was lying down and his eyes bled red; covering his face with crimson liquid. Sasuke wanted to save him; he wanted to protect that fragile being that once had given him the same safeness. He bent down and wanted to hold Itachi close, to clutch him against his chest, but it was impossible. No matter how he tried he wasn't able to touch his brother – the elder was disappearing further and further away by each moment, and Sasuke was alone. He felt like drowning in blackness and sorrow, but no one else could see and no one else was there.
He woke up sweaty and breathless from his nightmare and buried his face in his pillow to silence the violent sobs that tore through his body. He was scared. No, that was a far too weak word to describe his horror. He was terrified. Something dark and heavy was lingering in the air, sweeping into his heart. Somehow he felt… that Itachi's and his life was in danger. But he didn't know where, or what the threat was. Where did it come from? Crying, trembling and clutching the sheets tightly he could see his brother's red eyes for his inner vision, with fierce white teeth glimmering as he spoke, black hair falling over his shoulder…It was just a dream; he reminded himself as he tried to calm himself down; just a pesky little thing that was not his reality. And dreams never turn into reality, right?
Just a dream, Sasuke mumbled as the tears ran down his face. And now he could remember.
He ran to his brother as fast as his unstable little legs could carry him. "'Niki!" he called out over-joyed. His beloved nii-san was there in front of him. He smiled at him and lifted him up. "Hello there, little brother. I'm home."
Sasuke wrapped his tiny arms around his brother's neck and placed a messy kiss on the pale face inside of the black rain coat with overwhelming affection. Although he was too young to verbally be able to express all of his joy, his 'Niki could understand. Itachi let his hand run through his hair for a moment. "We'll never be apart, Sasuke."
Itachi's beautiful face faded away for Sasuke's inner vision and his head felt heavy from sleepiness. Damn it… the tears wouldn't stop falling no matter how he wiped them away. He curled up to a small ball in a futile attempt to keep himself from shattering and wrapped his arms tightly around his knees. A sorrow and a pain, caused by a terrible loss, was waking up deep inside of him like a roaring beast that had been awakened from its deep slumber, and now he couldn't restrain it anymore.
He felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, hesitantly, wondering if he would be strong enough to take that step… to actually jump. But when he thought about it, he had already jumped. And now all that was left was the fall.
Itachi was in his life for real and Sasuke for the first time felt the indescribable pain of being so cruelly separated from his sibling return with full force, like an extended reaction that finally reached the surface. And now it was too late to stop the enormous waves that were thrown against land.
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Cold, orange street light lightening the puddles of water. A sky as black as the dead itself hovering above, only artificial light falling on the lifeless body lying in a puddle. The rain falling endlessly, drowning the world in pouring wetness. Something depressing with the whole view, a fallen man.
Sasori bent down and shook the shoulder of the person on the ground. "Hey, get up or you'll be run over by the next bypassing car. Can you hear me?"
The black-clothed body remained motionless. The red-haired man sighed.
"Leave him there, un", an offended voice was heard. "I don't care at all. I could show with a bang how many fucks I give about his sorry ass, but I can't 'cus I don't give a single fuck about him, un. Let's go, danna."
The other glanced at his partner. "Be it, but it's our business. We have to help him or Leader-sama will punish us. Help me getting him on his feet."
The blonde artist snorted and sent Itachi a wry look that the man obviously didn't notice. He was lying with his face against the wet asphalt and groaned lightly. Sasori noticed the amount of the damage now – the black-haired man's arms were completely covered with blood. He helped Itachi to stand up and examined him with a mix of boredom and tiredness. Deidara demonstratively took hold of Sasori's hand and continued to glare at Itachi.
The man seemed distant, and the redness in his eyes faded away to its usual dark grey color. His face seemed worn and tired, and the scars beneath his eyes were deep and defined. Sasori started walking down the road, supporting half of Itachi's weight until the man regained some of his strength and could stumble his way to their hide-out.
"You look like Kakuzu dragging a drunken Hidan home after a night out", Deidara muttered jealously where he trailed behind them.
After much muttering from Deidara and patience from Sasori (who forced himself to remain patient because of his mission) they finally got into the apartment that they had bought with a false name. Itachi stopped right inside of the door, looking around confusedly although he had been there before.
"Sasuke", he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else before he collapsed.
Sasori's eyes widened. "I think he has gotten an internal bleeding! Deidei, hurry up and bring him to the bed, we must treat him immediately!"
"I don't want him in our bed", the blonde muttered, still pissed.
"There is no room for argumentations. You know very well that it is our responsibility to care for Itachi and Kisame if something goes wrong. Don't make me repeat it again, brat."
With slight difficulty, mostly because of Deidara's unwillingness to help they carried the slim body to the only bedroom and placed him on the middle of the double bed. Itachi turned his head from side to side restlessly, mumbling something, and his arms were spread in an unnatural angle. His tight dark shirt had gotten a big dark stain over the chest – blood spreading rapidly from a wound.
"Maybe it's not as serious as we first thought", Sasori muttered as he hurriedly but carefully dragged the shirt off the wounded and started examining him. "The wound doesn't seem to be very deep."
"That would be a shame, un", Deidara muttered. He kept a close distance to his partner all the while.
"Bring me some alcohol", Sasori ordered hurriedly without looking at him.
"We don't really need to, you know. Just open the wound and let the blood flow", Deidara muttered. "Some pain has never hurt anyone, un."
Sasori sighed. "Don't make me impatient, brat. I've worked with poisons and I know how pain in a big enough amount can immobilize the body and create worse effects. And we need him to go numb for a while, or he might start vomiting. There might also be an infection, seeing as he has most probably been hurt with a filthy weapon. If he gets soil in his blood, it's over."
After hearing about this threat Deidara brought some whisky and quite willingly, while still putting on a face of disgust, helped to hold Itachi's head up while he forced him to drink the strong liquid. The black-haired man coughed violently for a bit but it seemed to work as a quite effective drug that left him all done on the bed. Sasori bandaged his chest and checked his vital functions while his partner stayed in the background, glaring at the man on the bed. At some point past midnight Kisame showed up together with Kakuzu and Hidan.
The later was laughing and joking, obviously drunk while his partner was rather grumpy. Hidan never seemed to take anything seriously. None of the men thought about calling an ambulance; they knew that Itachi was quick to recover and they didn't want any connection with people seeing as they were criminals themselves.
While Deidara complained loudly about Kakuzu and Hidan doing nothing useful but fucking like rabbits in the kitchen, Sasori and Kisame sat with Itachi who was still unconscious. His breathing was even and they knew his strength was quickly returning. There was something with him that was hard to break down, and even though he had accidentally let down his guard after talking with his brother on the phone, being taken by Yakuza and after managing to escape being thrown out on the street bleeding half to death, he was alive.
"It's like Zetsu said", Kisame grinned, "He is ridiculously strong. And all that blood… it's a wonder that he didn't start vomiting all over."
Sasori gazed a moment at the empty bottle of sake on the night stand. That would keep him drugged for a while.
When morning came Itachi had slept deeply without waking up a single time, only mumbling something in his sleep. He slept the whole day and around midnight he woke up again, clear-minded but tired, and was able to talk with his partner within a few hours. Groaning slightly from pain, he changed clothes while Kisame reported to Pein on the phone.
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Sasuke sat in the kitchen and counted the ceramic tiles on the floor over and over; creating patterns with his gaze that only he was able to follow.
"Come on, dattebayo", Naruto complained. "Are you just going to sit here the whole day and play huffy? Move your lazy ass so we can do something fun!"
Sasuke answered by simply laying his head down on the table like a tired dog.
"Fine, be like that then", the blonde boy answered. "I'm going out. Have fun with my mom."
"She's been a pain in the neck lately", Sasuke muttered. Not that he was ungrateful for what Naruto's parents did for him; he just didn't want anyone else to push him in his own matters. Naruto stopped. "I know. It's a wonder that she hasn't cracked anything yet." Looking around hastily as if he was checking for hidden microphones, he added:
"I think she is on her period."
Sasuke struggled to keep his face neutral. Naruto always managed to make him smile.
Instantly catching the change in his friend's mood, the blonde pretended to attack him and they had a playful wrestling match on the floor. However, it ended hastily when Sasuke tried to get Naruto off him and the other turned a chair over.
Silence…
Then a roar from upstairs: "NARUTO! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
"Sorry", Naruto called nervously. Kushina didn't say anything else though, and they sat down on the floor in a neutral position.
"You should be grateful for that mom of yours"; the blonde boy said and nudged his friend. "If my mom found out that I almost burned the school down –" He had lowered his voice dramatically so that Sasuke almost wasn't able to hear. "- Then we would get a taste of the Red Hot Habanero - a mad monster punching everything within reach." He shuddered, reminding just how angry his mom could be sometimes, and what she had told him: With my long red hair flying, as I beat my bullies half to death, I gained another nickname -
Sasuke shrugged, getting back to his previous mood when he was reminded of Mikoto.
"While your mom is like 'Sasuke darling may I please clean your room for you?'", Naruto muttered. "I actually think you're spoiled."
"I'm not!" Sasuke defended himself immediately. Inner anger flared up, quickly and unstoppable. "At least you have a father who cares about you! –"
He bit his tongue hard to stop himself and Naruto looked at him shocked. "Wow, man, chill out. I didn't mean it like that…"
"Forget it", Sasuke muttered when his phone started vibrating. Hope spread through his body like a drug and he snapped it open, ignoring his friend's wondering gaze. Naruto had known Sasuke since kindergarten, but he had never seen him react like this. Sasuke was caught up, the world stopped for a few moments. "Hello?"
The voice he heard next was painfully comforting. "Sasuke."
"Itachi", he breathed, overjoyed. It was such a relief for both of them to be able to hear the other person's voice, finally.
He could hear the elder taking a deep breath. "Are you okay?"
Sasuke burst out: "Yes, are you? Where are you? I –" He couldn't help this rush of emotions now, how he had started rely on Itachi for his whole survival. Now he just wanted his big brother to be there with him.
"I'm fine, Sasuke. I…was wounded some days ago, but there is nothing you should worry about. I will be coming home to you and your mother soon."
Sasuke chewed at the inside of his cheek for a moment, and he was pained again. "You can't."
He could hear unconcealed surprise in his brother's voice. "What happened?"
Sasuke closed his eyes, pushing away the bad memories. "I'm… not at home now."
"What about Mikoto?" Itachi seemed to be sensing it all already with his sharp intelligence. Sasuke got defensive, feeling how those bad parts of his personality got the best of him.
"We've… fought. I… I don't ever want to return home. I just can't take all this… I just had enough. "
"Don't say anymore, Sasuke." His brother's voice had become soft, understanding. Sasuke gritted his teeth when he felt his yearning claw at his heart and his voice became slightly more desperate. "I don't want to see her ever again! I'm not going home, even if you force me. Everyone can force me, but I'm not going."
"I understand." The younger couldn't make out any feelings but worry in the other's voice. "Don't worry; I'm not angry with you."
Sasuke pressed his nails against his palm fiercely. "Damn it…" He closed his eyes tightly. "I miss you. I want you to be here right now with me. Itachi…"
"Hush", the elder comforted him. "I'll be with you before you know it. Where are you staying at the moment?"
"At Naruto's", Sasuke mumbled. It felt like Itachi smiled into the phone. "Wait for me." Some seconds passed, and he continued: "Otouto?"
The younger struggled to keep his voice intact. "Yes?" he croaked.
"I love you."
Sasuke could feel something burn beneath his eyelids and he opened his eyes. "I know."
After some seconds, he interrupted his brother who was about to say something and he whispered: "I love you too. Too much."
After he had hung up, he could feel insecurity filling him. He realized that he had become far too obsessed with Itachi in a too short period of time, and he could feel that if something went wrong – if, just if, Itachi didn't take this as seriously as he did, then he would break.
.
A whole little eternity later, Sasuke was still sitting in Naruto's couch and looked up when he heard his name being called, softly.
And there, standing at the door, was the person that immediately could reassure him that even with all his imperfections, flaws, insecurities, trouble-makings and defenses, he was perfect. He was standing up before he knew it, hurrying over to the elder.
Itachi took him in his arms and embraced him tightly, and Sasuke was falling into him, pressing himself against the elder's chest. He felt vulnerable and overcome with longing.
Finally, they could finish everything that belonged with the extended confession. Sasuke took a deep breath, feeling completely content by being in his brother's company. This was like every dream he had had, but even better. He could really smell the unique, sweet scent that was lingering on Itachi's pale skin and feel his soft hair through his fingers.
And when he looked up at that face nothing else existed anymore. Itachi bent down and rested their foreheads together, still keeping his arms around his torso. Their lips were so close, so close, and Sasuke had to hold back with all his strength to not kiss him madly.
Now he was actually happy that Naruto's parents were out shopping and Naruto had gone out with Sakura, and they had the house for themselves. He dragged his brother to the big couch in the living room and held his hand in his the whole time. The firmness, smoothness of that warm hand was what kept him alive.
They sat down tightly together and Itachi looked him deeply in the eyes. "What is troubling you?"
"It has nothing to do with you", the younger said smoothly. "I'm just so glad that you're safe. I was… so worried about you. What happened?"
The elder was obviously not buying his attempt to switch subject, but he answered nevertheless. "I… was captured. A stupid mistake, I was too unfocused. But I managed to escape after fighting one of Yakuza's men."
Emotionlessly he opened his jacket and an apparently too big white shirt, and showed his bandaged chest. "I was stabbed, fortunately not very deep, but I lost consciousness after a while. Sasori and Deidara took care of me." He smiled a bit, and as usual he looked perfectly gorgeous even with his tired face and slightly bloody bandage. "But they got the idea to drug me with alcohol first, thinking I couldn't handle the pain."
He seemed slightly amused, even after this, but Sasuke felt sick.
"I'm causing you so much trouble."
The look in Itachi's eyes changed. He reached out to touch the younger's cheek, and Sasuke let it happen. Insecurity was sweeping in over him, but he loved the elder's touch. A part of him wanted to leave the room, and tell him to stop, but another part was holding its breath with anticipation.
"No, how could you ever", the elder breathed softly as he leaned closer; "You're the reason I'm still alive." Sasuke could feel his cheeks heat, but still, he wondered. He knew that in order to keep himself from breaking at some point, he must doubt. What did Itachi want? What did he really want?
Did he just want his little brother back, a brother that he barely knew, but wanted because it would give him a sense of having a family?
Did he want Sasuke for who he was, because he really loved him and was interested in his life and welfare, caring about what he thought and felt?
Itachi seems to be crazy about you, Sasuke…
Or… had his real intentions nothing to do with Sasuke as a person? What if he just liked messing with other people's minds, just wanting… sex?
Maybe he is just a sick pedophile who wants to get into your pants?
Sasuke hated himself for even thinking the thought. But he had to know.
Itachi frowned slightly upon seeing the thoughts collide in his eyes, but nevertheless leaned closer as if to kiss him. Surprising them both, the younger raised his hand and stopped him. Itachi froze but didn't pull back. His eyes got that concerned look again. "What's wrong?"
Sasuke looked down in his lap, unsure how to express himself. "Earlier, you said: 'We can't.' Then you said 'I can't' when I tried to kiss you. And now you want to kiss and everything... It went so quickly for me." He raised his gaze and looked almost apologizing at the elder. "I'm not the kind of person who throws himself into new situations, all the time. We can't go any further until I know what you really feel for me. If you're not sure, then I want to stop here, right now. You are my brother, but what I feel is so much more. I need to know. I love it when you say that you care, but I'd rather be alone than betrayed and lost again. My whole life I've been feeling incomplete."
Sasuke lowered his gaze again and could feel Itachi looking at him, intensely.
"Only if you... if you can complete me, then we can proceed." He swallowed hard. "I feel... vulnerable and... unsure. I'm going to break if you betray me."
Itachi closed his eyes. So frail, his baby brother... He looked at Sasuke again, seeing how lost he seemed, being all by his own in this, confused to the very limit.
Carefully he wrapped his arms around the younger body and lifted him into his lap. Sasuke looked at his hands. "All my life mom's been saying 'I love you.' She said it every single day, and soon it didn't mean anything to me. Do you know how sick I got of hearing that? 'You're the only one I have.' I felt as if her whole life depended on me. Sometimes I wish she would say 'I have many else in my life besides you.' What I want is someone that truly... love me, not her desperate way of 'loving' me so I won't run away or anything. It's as if she's afraid what I might do if she doesn't show me enough affection each day. But it all seems so... empty."
Itachi gently entangled his finger's with Sasuke's, listening closely while still feeling his heart skip a beat every time he inhaled a little bit of his little brother's sweet scent.
Sasuke was relaxing a little bit in his arms, showing that he accepted the touch while still not enjoying it thoroughly. "I feel that everyone is so untrue. I really don't know who to trust anymore. There are many people who adore me, but I don't know which would really... do anything for me, you know." He stopped, took a deep breath and finally turned around and faced his brother.
"So I wonder... if you... you know, sometime back then, when we lived together, when we were both kids... I know I was little, but... Did you ever... Did you...?"
Itachi tightened his gentle grip around him. His voice was grave and soft.
"You're asking me if I ever loved you?"
Sasuke rested his head against the elder's shoulder and nodded. "I can't take more lies and empty promises. All I want to know if you really care. And with that I mean if you care about how upset I am right now. Because, if you just think I'm pretty like everyone else does, then I don't want to see you anymore. I can't start anything with you if I don't know what you really feel. "
Itachi didn't answer at first. Then, after a long pause:
"You're a good kid. Let me tell you, little brother, how I feel." He looked Sasuke in his eyes and all the young teen could see was a snow-white sincerity. Maybe that was the truthfulness Sasuke had been searching for so long.
"At first I'm sitting with you in my lap, a chubby little toddler whose vocabulary only consists of the word 'Niki' and we know each other so well. I can tell you about everything and you will laugh that way that makes my heart fly in my chest. And then, when I find you again after nearly twelve years, I feel that nothing has changed, all those years are gone, but still, you've changed. Suddenly I see a healthy and popular teenager, surrounded by his friends, knowing things that I don't. You don't remember me, you don't remember how I sang you to sleep, fed you, kissed your little feet and tickled your belly when you were little. And I realize how much I've lost. I've lost all those years watching you grow up."
Itachi's face was heavily painted with sorrow, and his eyes were so emotion-filled that it made the younger boy's heart cringe in his chest. Itachi gripped his hands and Sasuke could feel that he was slightly trembling. Suddenly he felt the urge to cry.
"I won't make this more complicated. I love you, Sasuke. I've loved you since I saw you for the first time at the hospital and no, don't tell me I'm lying. I'm your brother and those two years we had together when we were little... if you hadn't been there, I think I wouldn't have managed to go through our parents' fighting. I've loved you this whole time more than my own life. You've been everything for me, and you still are."
The younger felt Itachi press his face against his neck, despairing. "I will say 'I love you' in all eternity if it can make up for all those years when I couldn't say it to you, but I know that won't help. But now I won't ever leave you again, Sasuke. Nothing will bring us apart. "
He placed a soft kiss on the back of Sasuke's neck, but the younger shook his head, holding on to the elder's hands tightly.
"Make no promises. I wouldn't survive if you broke one."
Itachi raised his head and they looked at each other for a moment. "So what do you want?"
Sasuke leaned forward and his lips searched Itachi's. There was so much he wanted to say, but couldn't express verbally. He needed love. He needed someone who would tell him the truth. The elder immediately understood and they connected in a soft, despairing kiss. Sasuke pressed himself against the elder, needing him like he needed oxygen in this moment. Thirsting for him.
Itachi took a firm grip around his sibling's face and kissed him with such intensity that the world started to spin for Sasuke. Right now, but only now, he felt healed. A tiny bit at least. They broke apart for a moment and while they gasped for breath, Sasuke could feel a healthy blush adorn his cheeks. Itachi smiled and saw it too. It was somehow easier to breathe now.
Itachi started kissing him again, this time much deeper, slower and sweeter. Sasuke closed his eyes and let out a soft moan, feeling warmth spreading over his chest. This was deep warmth, like a seed lying under soft earth to slowly turn into a flower, fed by sparkling water and a kind sun.
He became more eager and gripped his sibling's face in impatience. Their tongues met and nothing, nothing had ever felt better than this.
"I love you, Itachi" he mumbled and looked up at his brother, stunned. It was the second time he ever had said it and it tasted good; it felt good to be able to say it and mean it with his whole heart.
Itachi hugged him tightly and nuzzled his neck. "I love you too, Sasuke. More than anything else in the world."
The younger leaned his head against Itachi's chest and tried to catch his breath. He wrapped his arms around him and sighed. Then, he finally found the right word. It had been lying on his tongue for such a long time and finally found its way past his lips.
"Thank you … nii-san."
"From now on, you'll never have to feel alone or scared", Itachi mumbled against his hair. "I will keep you safe, and you will never have to fear anything."
"I already do", Sasuke mumbled and breathed deeply of his scent.
Itachi frowned slightly. "What is troubling you?"
Sasuke looked up at him. "Loving someone more than your own life always means that you have something to fear."
The elder suppressed a tender smile and let his fingers run through Sasuke's soft hair. "I won't die on you. Look at me, little brother."
Obsidian met obsidian and Sasuke scowled. "Don't look so sad, Itachi! It's not like I would ever allow anything to happen to you anyway."
His brother smiled. "I know." He leaned down and rested his forehead against Sasuke's, after giving it a quick kiss.
Their fingers entangled and Sasuke closed his eyes, enjoying Itachi's body heat so close to himself. "Never go, nii-san. Never ever …"
He received a glance of sincerity before Itachi nodded. "Never."
Sasuke tilted his head upwards in a silent request that his brother accomplished. As they lay down on the couch, so tightly pressed together as it was possible, the elder mumbled: "Will you go and talk with Mikoto tomorrow?"
Sasuke nodded calmly against his chest before he closed his eyes.
When the Uzumaki family returned home together with Sakura they were all quite shocked over the stunning sight of their guests. Naruto and Sakura gaped, unable to understand why Sasuke of all people would be sleeping like a puppy on the couch, tightly hold by their Math teacher – their own fucking teacher – like they were a couple or something. And none of them were stupid; by seeing the two Uchihas, both pale, black-haired and unbelievable similar, they realized that Sasuke and Itachi shared a deeper bond that they had thought.
"Siblings?" Minato asked weakly, putting down the shopping bags he was carrying.
"This is so touching", Kushina mumbled and put a blanket over the sleeping two; ignoring her son whose eyes were about to plop out at any moment, and Sakura's excited giggling in the background. "I just can't throw them out. I guess I will have to call Mikoto again."
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xBxuxBxbxExlx9x7x
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Fugaku rose from the floor. The smell of alcohol was surrounding him in a daze, and he stumbled around half to death from anger. He was going mad. Uncontrollably and insanely mad. He wanted to kill something. Misuse of alcohol mixed with some drugs was what made him like this, and no one was going to stop him.
When Itachi came here to pick up his last things some days ago, Fugaku had searched through his jacket pockets for any money, but the only thing he found was a damn magazine. He had been about to tear the damn thing apart or use it to wipe his ass when he saw the headlines - Genius 13-year old wins the Smart- He had immediately recognized the goddamn whore kid on the first page, and he had gone mad.
He didn't know how he managed to fool Itachi, but now he was standing here clutching the same magazine. Heh, he had stolen it from that foolish prick.
He stared at the emotion-cold, pale, almost feminine face surrounded by black hair and he knew what to do. He knew where they were.
He was going to punish them. All of them. For leaving him like this, for betraying him.
He would start with the whore. The false bitch he once had married, how she dared to leave him. How she had dared to talk about child protection services and the lives of her children.
Mikoto belonged to him, and if she had escaped, then it was his role as her ex husband to kill her. Yes, he would punish that whore so dearly. He would break Mikoto down from the inside out, rape her, violate her and then kill her with a bullet through that pretty little mouth. She'd experience real pain again. He'd torture her, and laugh as she screamed. Because she had gone too fucking far. How the fuck could she think that she could just escape and moreover take his kids?
Some people would call it honor, the way he was determined to hunt down his young ex-wife, but to him it was all about revenge. No one betrays Fugaku Uchiha and gets away with it.
Then, that goddamn whore kid. It had filled him with disgust already from the beginning – the way the little scared body writhed and screamed as he beat its mother. Yes, that disgusting whore kid that Mikoto dared to call his own son would die. And if Itachi was there, trying to protect his dear 'baby brother', then Fugaku would punish him too after forcing him to watch as he broke down Sasuke part by part, until he begged for his life.
The hate was boiling in his mouth and he gripped a knife in a steady grip, knowing that no one – not even the fucking cops – would be able to stop him now.
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