A knock at Sasuke's door in the early morning made him shift in bed and squint from the blanket.

"Sorry to wake you, Uchiha-san," the nurse said apologetically, "but you have a visitor."

"I don't want to see anyone," he rasped grumpily before settling back onto the pillow.

There was a hesitant pause before the nurse began whispering to someone else.

She tried again, "But Uchiha-san, I think you'll want to see this one."

"If it's Sakura, tell her to go away."

There came a deep, amused chuckle, one that made him pause. "I'm flattered you think I'm a hardworking medic, little brother."

Sasuke looked up, eyes wide, as Itachi stood in the doorway with a small smile on his face.

"Itachi?" He called out in disbelief.

Itachi nodded to the nurse, who bowed and left them alone. Her footsteps echoed down the hall as Itachi walked into the room, his coal eyes full of the warmth and safety that he remembered so vividly from their youth.

"I missed you, Sasuke." Itachi spoke tenderly as his hand came down to rest upon the boy's head.

Sasuke closed his eyes at the familiar touch. His brother's warmth seeped through his hand and if he concentrated, he could feel the calm steadiness of his chakra pulsing in time with his heart.

"... Me too," he admitted quietly.

Before Itachi could react, Sasuke was reaching for him, wrapping his arms around his middle and pressing his face into his ribcage.

His eyes widened, then softened, and he moved his hand to cradle the back of his head, stroking his fingers through his hair.

The tender moment was only punctuated by the faint chirping of birds outside in the brightening dawn.

The bed next to his had been vacated just last night - Naruto was supposedly living in a hotel room somewhere, leaving him with peace and quiet. Yet it had been lonely; he hadn't slept in a room without him since Aunt and Uncle had been alive.

"Why have you come back?" He questioned, pulling away just enough to peek up at him through his bangs.

"I wanted to come home to you once it was safe to do so," he explained, brushing the teenager's bangs out of his face so he could see his eyes.

His heart sank when he saw just how miserable he looked. The dark circles underneath his half-lidded eyes and the exhausted curve of his mouth made him ache.

"How much have you suffered, little brother?" He thought desperately as he brushed his thumb across the younger's forehead. "I wish I could have stayed to protect you."

"Mother and Father are dead," Sasuke spoke bluntly, sour.

"Aa. I visited their graves just before coming to see you." He bowed his head slightly.

His grip tightened on Itachi's shirt, and he buried his face into it once more.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke."

No response, save for a minute lessening of his grip.

"You were too young to fully grasp the danger you were in had I chosen to stay." Itachi's hand resumed its path through the younger's unruly black hair. "Shisui… Shisui's death unleashed a horrible, ugly side of the clan I never wanted you to see. I thought I would be protecting you by leaving… they never gave me a choice. You, or me."

Sasuke remained silent, ruminating.

"... Have you unlocked the Mangekyou yet?"

"... No."

"Good." Itachi's weary eyes closed. "That means their plan was unsuccessful."

"... So everything… everything was just a plot? To manipulate me?" He asked quietly, his voice trembling.

"It was a plot to manipulate all of us," his older brother gently corrected. "Mother and Father were no less pawns then you or I. Father was to be the figurehead, Mother his enforcer… and if I hadn't left, they threatened to…"

His words died on his tongue, leaving a bitter taste that he tried to swallow down. The memories flashed through his mind as fresh as the day he'd witnessed them.

"I had hoped to spare you the pain they promised me had I chosen to rebel against their wishes," he continued, quieter than before.

"But why ?" Sasuke's voice cracked, and his heart wrenched itself tightly in his chest. "Why would they use me?"

He had no answer to placate his growing anguish. All he could do was stroke his hair as he had when he was but a boy, and pray that he wouldn't let his newfound betrayal cloud his heart.

"Sasuke…" He spoke as gently as he could, patting the boy's shoulders. "I can't stay long."

"Why?" He looked up, brows knit together in frustration and eyes wide and angry. "We just met again!"

"I need to go to a meeting today," he explained, prying his fingers from his shirt and clasping his hands over them. "Once I'm done, I have permission from the head of the hospital to take you somewhere for lunch."

Sasuke looked down, cheeks flushing as he refused to meet his eyes. "... oh."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon." He smiled, poking him on the forehead.

As Sasuke clasped a hand over the spot, grumbling in annoyance, the older felt a tentative peace. Ah, he never changed.