Chapter 6

AN: This is another AU where the massacre never happened. Enjoy!

Itachi: age 18

Sasuke: age 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

It was a beautiful day in Konoha and Itachi was on his way home from a three day mission.

His body ached as he was itching to get rid of the blood that stained his tired frame. What he really wanted now was a nice shower followed by a good nap.

The prodigy stepped into his house and slipped off his shoes.

"I'm home." he called out as he neatly placed his shoes beside the door.

No reply.

Itachi frowned. His family usually greets him when he comes home, especially Sasuke. And although he doesn't glomp Itachi when he gets home anymore, his little brother still gladly greets him.

As the prodigy headed towards his room, he quickly recalled that his parents were away for a very important meeting and Sasuke was on a mission with his genin team.

Itachi smiled fondly.

He still couldn't believe his otouto was already a genin. It seemed like only yesterday Sasuke was just a tiny little baby. Pretty soon he'll be going on missions like his own…

The older Uchiha felt a bit repulsed by the thought as he proceeded to take off his uniform and head to the bathroom for that long awaited shower.

By the time he was finished, exhaustion weighed down on the prodigy's shoulders as he laid down on his bed.

Itachi sighed contently as the comfiness of his bed surrounded him. After a long mission, a nap is what he truly needed.

Getting more comfortable, Itachi finally dozed off.

A couple hours had passed before Itachi woke up from his well deserved nap. He stepped out of his room, wondering if anyone had returned home.

It didn't take long for him to realize that he was still home alone. Not knowing what else to do, Itachi headed back to his room to write up his mission report for the Hokage.

Writing the report didn't take long however, it was a fairly straightforward mission. Itachi rolled up the scroll and headed towards the front door, planning to deliver his report to the Hokage.

As soon as the older Uchiha opened the door, something, or rather someone, decided to collapse on him.

The prodigy's sharp reflexes allowed him to catch whoever had fallen, but upon contact he immediately knew it was Sasuke.

"Sasuke?" Itachi said slightly confused but more alarmed.

"N-nii-san…..?" Sasuke replied as he gripped onto his brother.

The older Uchiha was about to question his brother further before he felt a thin trail of liquid slither down his arm. He looked over to discover that it was blood.

Sasuke's blood.

Itachi's heart sunk as deep as it could go.

"Otouto you're bleeding," he said, concern clear in his voice. "What happened?"

"I.…I don't know….." Sasuke managed out.

Itachi sighed in disapproval, but before he could say anything, blood spewed out of Sasuke's mouth as he went into a violent coughing fit.

The prodigy's eyes widened in horror as he watched his baby brother's face twist in pain, blood rushing out of his system through wild coughs. Itachi got a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. He barely ever felt this, but he knew it was pure fear.

Snapping out of his daze, the older Uchiha picked up his brother and went full speed towards the hospital.

Itachi burst through the hospital doors and immediately called out for help.

Medical nins swarmed around the two Uchiha as the older raven reluctantly handed his brother over to them. They rolled Sasuke away on a stretcher as Itachi was told to sit in the waiting room.

The Uchiha prodigy wanted to refuse and demand to follow wherever his little brother went, but decided against it as he slumped down on one of the seats.

Itachi ran his hand over his face as a swirl of emotions raged in his chest. It scared the prodigy to see his baby brother in pain like that. He has almost never seen Sasuke in that much pain before, just thinking about it made him sick.

But why did Sasuke wait? If he knew he was injured, why didn't he tell any of his teammates or at least head to the hospital himself? Itachi could not believe how dense his little brother could be sometimes, especially towards himself. If he continues to be a hazard to himself, he might end up dead…

Itachi's blood turned to ice as fear gripped his heart.

That's what really scared him. Sasuke dying.

He knew it was unreasonable to think something like that, but there was always the possibility. Itachi could very well walk out of this hospital not having a little brother anymore, and that fact terrified him.

What would he do without Sasuke? His precious otouto? Ever since his little brother was born, Itachi loved him with all his heart. Sasuke always managed to make him smile and brighten his dark life. He would do anything for his foolish baby brother. What the hell would he do if he had to live without him?

"Itachi?"

Itachi was pulled out of his thoughts as he heard a familiar voice call his name. He looked up to see Shisui standing in front of him.

Shisui frowned as he took a better look at his best friend.

"Hey, what's wrong kiddo?" he asked as he took a seat beside Itachi.

Itachi glanced at his friend. "I'm 18 Shisui. I think I'm a little too old for you to be calling me 'kiddo'."

"Ah, but I am older than you, so I get to call you whatever I want." the body flicker teased with a grin. "You'll always be a kid to me anyways."

Shisui was expecting at least a small smile from his friend, but the same grim expression stayed locked in place.

This wasn't good.

"What's wrong Itachi?" Shisui asked, his face serious. "Did something happen?"

"Sasuke came back from a mission injured," Itachi muttered. "Severely." he added.

Shisui nodded as everything started making sense. He knows how much Itachi cares about Sasuke, he must be taking this pretty hard.

"What happened?" he asked.

Itachi went on to explain what happened to his brother, his grim expression never leaving his face.

Shisui sighed.

"Hey, don't worry Itachi. Sasuke will be alright." he said, putting a hand on Itachi's back. "Just try not to overthink it."

"Too late," Itachi deadpanned.

Shisui grinned at his friend.

"Of course, why am I not surprised?" the body flicker said lightheartedly. "But Sasuke is strong. You of all people should know that. He will be okay."

Itachi looked at his friend gratefully. "Thank you, Shisui."

Shisui winked at his friend. "Anytime, kiddo."

"Excuse me. Are you Sasuke Uchiha's older brother?" A medical ninja asked.

Itachi stood up from his seat. "Yes. How is he?"

"He's alright now. We managed to stop both the internal and external bleeding. However, it was a close call." the medical nin said.

Itachi's blood stopped cold.

"Your brother was poisoned by a toxin that eats away at flesh." The medic nin informed "This toxin however, prevents the victim from noticing they've been poisoned until it has already eaten a moderate amount of flesh. The poison did a fair amount of damage to your brother's insides, but he should be healed in a few weeks. Good thing you got here when you did."

The older Uchiha stood there as thoughts rampaged through his head. If he had gotten here even a minute later, Sasuke would be dead.

He wouldn't have a little brother anymore.

The very thought killed him inside.

Itachi was brought out of his thoughts as he felt a hand on his back.

"What did I tell ya?" Shisui said playfully as he sensed his cousins distress. "I knew the loser would be okay."

The prodigy couldn't help but feel some sort of reassurance from his cousin's statement. He's right. The important thing now is that Sasuke will be okay.

There's no point in dwelling on what could've happened, although Itachi still felt like his heart could stop at any moment...

"Would you like to see him now?" The medic nin asked.

The older Uchiha nodded as the medic nin began walking down the hall.

"Tell the brat I said get well." Shisui said with a grin.

Itachi smirked.

"Will do." He said as he followed the medic down the hall.

Itachi's eyes immediately fell on Sasuke's sleeping form as he entered the hospital room.

Seeing his brother in front of him caused a wave of protectiveness to wash over the older Uchiha. A strong urge to hold on to his brother and never let go overwhelmed him, as if he would disappear if he did.

Itachi took a seat beside Sasuke's bed as he carefully watched his baby brother's bandaged chest rise and fall.

He sighed as he reached out for brother's hand.

Nothing hurts him more than seeing his brother like this. All he wants to do is protect him, but there's always something in his way. The prodigy would go through anything to prevent his little brother from any pain.

Watching his little brother almost die in front of him was unbearable.

Seeing the pain in his eyes and not being able to do anything to help caused a gut wrenching feeling to settle deep within the elder's soul.

His foolish little brother just meant so much to him…

Itachi's attention snapped back to Sasuke as he felt his brother stir.

Sasuke winced as he slowly opened his eyes.

Relief flooded through the older Uchiha as he watched his brother's eyes focus on him.

"Nii-san?" Sasuke whispered hoarsely.

"Sasuke," Itachi replied, his voice full of emotion. "How are you feeling otouto?"

The elder reached out and began fondling his brother's hair.

The young Uchiha sighed. "I feel like I've been eviscerated or something." Sasuke looked at his brother, his eyes slightly wider. "I still have my stomach right?"

Itachi couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face. His brother was just too cute.

"Yes Sasuke, you still have your stomach." he replied as he lightly poked it.

There was a brief moment of silence before the prodigy continued.

"You really scared me today otouto." he said quietly.

The young Uchiha's eyebrows went up slightly.

"Nii-san, scared? It must be the end of the world or something." Sasuke chuckled out weakly, immediately wincing in pain afterwards.

The young teen was expecting his brother to laugh with him or at least smile, but he didn't. Sasuke glanced at his brother and saw a grim expression on Itachi's face.

Sasuke frowned.

"Aniki? What's wrong?"

Itachi instinctively tightened his hold on his brother's hand.

"You could have died today, Sasuke." he replied, his voice devoid of any emotion. "I could have lost you otouto."

Sasuke stared at his brother dumbfounded. The thought of death scared him, but what really made him feel terrible was forcing his brother to go through what happened. He hates seeing his brother like his. He knew it must have been hell for Itachi, scaring him like that.

"Nii-san," Sasuke began. "I don't even know what happened. One minute I was fine, the next minute I was bleeding everywhere."

Even with Sasuke's lighthearted tone, Itachi still didn't budge.

The young Uchiha sighed inwardly.

"I'm sorry for worrying you like that nii-san," he said. "I had no idea it would turn out this bad."

"It's not your fault." Itachi replied, his voice still distant.

There was a moment of silence. Sasuke watched as his older brother consumed himself in his own thoughts, probably thoughts about him. He isn't letting this go easy, huh?

Well of course he isn't, he's Itachi.

"Hey," Sasuke said as he poked his brother. Itachi fixed his gaze on the young Uchiha who was looking directly into his eyes. "I'm okay nii-san. I'm right here, still with you. Don't worry, I'm gonna be alright... please aniki."

The young Uchiha kept his gaze on his brother, hoping that he somehow managed to comfort him.

Not a moment passed before Itachi wrapped his arms around his brother and held him close, not wanting to let go anytime soon.

Sasuke nuzzled into his brother's embrace, enjoying the familiar warmth his brother always gave him.

"Otouto," Itachi said, his voice strained. "I love you so much."

The young Uchiha smiled.

"I love you too nii-san."

The older Uchiha subconsciously held his brother closer as he kissed his head.

"Sasuke?"

"Hmm?" The younger hummed out.

"Be more careful next time." replied the elder.

Sasuke sighed contently as he held on to his brother.

"I promise."

AN: Awwwwe! I love them! Did you notice I put Shisui in this chapter? I'm thinking of putting him in other chapters as well.

Please review!