Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

I'm back from Florida, minna! Yosh! And my uncle asked if he could be my father :sniffle: since he can't really have any kids of his own, and since I don't really have a dad who wants to spend time with me. God, I love him to death. All of you, pray my uncle Jimmy stops smoking so he doesn't die of cancer soon TT If he dies, I swear to god I'll go crazy and murder my grandpa ... :sweatdrop:

I have to say, I really like this chapter. While writing Sasuke's memories of Itachi, I actually felt sad.

Day four- Visiting his grave

A lone figure stood behind a tree, shoulder-length orange hair fluttering in the rough breeze. The person turned and dark red eyes with cat-like pupils followed every movement Uchiha Itach made. Moving out of its hiding place, the person smirked and approached the male.

Itachi looked up, his black eyes spotting someone through the darkness.

"I have a favor to ask of you," a younger looking Kyuubi purred, walking out from the shadows into the moonlight, the chain around his neck shimmering. As soon as the light touched his skin, Shukaku appeared beside him, the brunette still holding a blank expression, as always.

Itachi stepped back, his school bag falling from his shoulder, hitting the thick layer of leaves that covered the ground. He narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you two?"

"You need not know our names," Kyuubi chuckled as he leaned back against his lover, "but what you should know... is that I'm going to use you for something."

The older Uchiha scowled, "Did Leader send you?" he snarled, "I've told him before that I'm not buying those drugs anymore."

Letting Shukaku run his hands up his naked arms, Kyuubi smiled. It wasn't a normal smile, it was a crazed one. He didn't answer Itachi's question. Instead, he moved forward, Shukaku's hands falling away from him. Then, he turned, giving his companion and sultry smile, "Love," he whispered.

The brunette caught Kyuubi's eyes, then Itachi's, causing the raven's heart rate to speed up.

Itachi clutched his chest, his vision blurring. He stumbled, landing on his back in the thick sheet of leaves. His mouth was open, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath, his eyes wide, but dull.

Kyuubi bent down and ran his fingers down the Uchiha's jaw, "Blame Naruto-kun for this," he smirked, fangs glistening, "he's the one that will kill you... and you're little brother."

xXxXx

Sasuke stared out the bullet train window, his expression blank.

The two teens were currently on a train in Kyushu, heading to the Kunisaki Peninsula. When Naruto had called Ino and told her that they we're going to be around Beppu, the girl'd invited herself to go along with them. But instead of riding the train with them, she chose to meet them both there.

"Don't look so miserable," Naruto said with a slight smile. He felt horrible too, but he wanted them to visit Itachi's grave with smiles on their faces, to show him that Sasuke was still able to find happiness, even beyond death, "cheer up a bit, ok? I know, how about we play the kissing game?"

Sasuke remained still for a moment, but eventually turned, eyebrows raised, "Kissing game?"

"We see how many times we can kiss before having sex. Whoever touches below the waist first loses!" the blond grinned stupidly.

The raven chuckled and turned in his seat, crossing his arms, "This train is too crowded to play something like that."

Naruto shook his head rapidly, "Uh uh!" he bent forward and pecked Sasuke on the lips, lingering there only long enough for the angel to peck back. He pulled back and laughed. God, he loved being with Sasuke.

"That was hardly a kiss," Sasuke smirked, forgetting about his previous terrible mood.

"Mmm, want another?" Naruto licked his lips.

"Damn homosexuals, keep your sins to yourself," an old woman growled from her seat across from them. Her husband was next to her, glaring at them.

Sasuke glared back, letting red bleed into his eyes. That definitely made the old woman shut up, and caused her husband to look away.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the couple, immediately pulling it back in when the bullet train came to a halting stop, the speakers coming on overhead.

"You are now arriving at Shouin station, on the outskirts of the Kunisaki peninsula and Usa."

Lifting up the small brown bag he had brought with him, Naruto got up. He took Sasuke's hand and they menouvered themselves through the large crowd of people, the blond yelling a slow moving people and their doddling children.

Sasuke kept quiet as they walked through the station, his fingers still laced with Naruto's. He watched the interactions of people around him. How young teenage girls laughed with their friends, how they smiled and hugged their boyfriends, or how the elderly spoiled their grandchildren rotten with candy from the station shops. Looking to the right, he saw a group of businessmen talking to each other about an upcoming board meeting, one of them not really paying attention, looking off past his co-workers to oggle at a very well-endowed woman buying a local newspaper from a side stand.

Tightening his grip on his lover's hand, he continued to watch everyone around him, listening to their conversations, to their jingling laughter that made him feel hollow inside. He'd never really enjoyed being around too many people, but right now, he regretted that. He'd never get to interact with anyone ever again, never get to hear their conversations or fights, never receive anymore stupid smiles from hormonal women that thought he was attractive...

He'd be shut off in a world where it was dark, soundless, and cold.

"Kakashi said his grave was somewhere over that hill," Naruto pointed up to a rather large hill that was covered in green grass and various types of flowers. Atop the hill was a giant sakura tree that was bare, waiting to blossom once again as soon as spring rolled around.

Sasuke looked up at it, the site reminding him of a very familiar hill that Itachi used to take him to when he was a child. He smiled bitterly and walked out of the station with Naruto, the bright light making them both wince.

"I wonder where Ino is," Naruto wondered out loud, looking up and down the stone path outside of the station, "she should be here by--" he was suddenly tackled from behind, his hand being ripped away from Sasuke's. Then he hit the pavement like a sack of potatoes.

"Hi!" Ino chirped from her comfortable spot atop Naruto, "I brought sake," she held up a paper bag that was carefully wrapped around a large glass bottle, "Mom said that pouring sake over Itachi's grave will give him a delicious beverage in Nirvana," she smiled brightly.

Sasuke smiled a bit, "He didn't drink sake."

Ino's happy expression faultered, "H-he didn't? Oh... well, it's the thought that counts, right?" she got up and straightened out her light blue skirt, "come on, Naruto! Let's get going before it starts to snow!"

Naruto groaned and got up, "Damn, you're skinny, but you're as heavy as a cow--" he then received a swift kick to the head.

xXxXx

Alone, under the large sakura tree, stood a grave. The headstone was small and cracked, the name "Uchiha Itachi" barely visible under all the caked dirt and eroded stone. The grass that covered the grave was tall and a dark green, needing to be trimmed desperately. Naruto, Ino, and Sasuke stood a good feet away from it. The two blondes didn't want to make a move until Sasuke did.

The raven inhaled deeply and walked forward, bending down in front of the headstone, his fingers running along the barely visible words. He thought back on all of the times Itachi had mentioned how he wanted to die, and where he wanted to be buried. He had never actually mentioned it around Sasuke, just their parents, but a smaller Sasuke had overheard them talking one night when he couldn't fall asleep.

He wanted to live a full life, die of old age... and he wanted to be buried by the river, so his soul could float downstream and enter the ocean, he smiled, despite the pain he felt in his chest, he wanted to roam the seas, he wanted to be able to travel through them and see the entire world...

-----

Itachi had his hand on Sasuke's head as they both watched the sun lower itself behind the expanse of ocean. The orange, red, yellow, and pink colors melted together, soon fading away to a dull black that was dotted with little blotches of white.

A small Sasuke sipped away at a soda his brother had bought for him, his dark eyes matching the color of the sky. He pulled the straw out from between his lips and looked up at Itachi.

"Ne, Aniki, how come you and Otousan were fighting?" he asked the older Uchiha. Earlier that morning, Fugaku and Itachi had gotten into an argument over something Sasuke didn't really understand.

Itachi sighed and led them both back down the path that would wind around the woods, then back to the bus stop, "He wants me to take over his business once he retires next summer, but I refused..." he looked down at his younger brother, "so he got angry with me," he then gazed up at the twinkling stars, "But... in the end, I gave in. I started thinking about our family. If I don't take over once he retires, who will make enough money to support us?"

Sasuke cocked his head to the side.

Itachi chuckled, "I shouldn't be talking about finances and housing with you," he patted Sasuke on the shoulder, "It's just... I need someone to talk to about this. You're all I have, Otouto," he smiled kindly.

The little raven grasped the hand that was on his shoulder and squeezed it tight. For some reason, he felt as if something terrible would happen if he let go. He didn't really understand what his brother was talking about... but the tone of voice Itachi had used made his stomach lurch. He kept his grip firm, but once they reached the bus stop, Itachi patted him on the head and pulled his hand away easily, with no effort at all.

As Itachi sat down on the bench and patted the spot beside him, asking Sasuke to sit with him, the small boy looked at his tiny hands, wondering why he couldn't keep his grip. He had let the large hand go so easily...

He didn't know that soon, Itachi would break down under pressure, would start doing drugs to try and drive away his depression...

He didn't know that in the future, Itachi would return home at midnight every evening, screaming in pain as he tried to find a sharp utnesil in the large home. That he'd be crying and shaking, wanting to get the imaginary bugs out from under his skin.

He didn't know that it would just be him and his big brother all alone in their mansion, both of their parents constantly leaving them alone to go on business trips and company outings.

He didn't know... he didn't know that he'd be sobbing on his empty bed, praying to God, asking why he wasn't strong enough to keep his grip on his Aniki's hand that night.

------

Sasuke was oblivious to his own tears, until warm fingers ran over his face, smearing the salty drops over his flushed cheeks. He looked over to see Naruto, the blond smiling sadly to him, his cerulean eyes clearly sending a message that told Sasuke, "let it all out."

And he did.

He fell forward and gripped the tall grass, his nails digging into the soil that was moist from the morning dew. He tightly shut his eyes, hot tears leaking out from between long lashes, running down the bridge of his nose, and dripping onto the cold earth. He could feel Naruto wrapping his arms around his shoulders and soft, silky locks of hair brushing against the nape of his neck as he cried.

Ino kept still, next to the bare sakura tree. Her pale blue eyes watered, but she had no right to cry while at Itachi's grave. She didn't dare shed a tear while Sasuke shed his...

"Why wasn't I strong enough to keep a hold of your hand?.!" Sasuke yelled as he dropped his head, dark hair covering his eyes. His shoulders shook violently and he tightened his grip on the grass, tearing some of the long pieces out of the ground. Gritting his teeth and coughing on a sob, he yelled again, "Why couldn't I help you when you needed me the most?.! And--and... fuck...!" he sharply snapped his head back so he could look up at the bright blue sky. The beauty that was around him seemed to be taunting him... mocking him... "I hated you so much after I regained my memories! I saw you as the traitor of a brother who murdered me, your little brother!.! B-but..." he let Naruto's fingers caress his skin soothingly.

-----

Itachi stumbled through the hallway that led to the kitchen, his body shaking, his nails digging into the skin of his arm, drawing blood, tearing open his veins. His eyes were wide and foggy as he made it into the kitchen, quickly yanking open a drawer, but it was pulled out of the counter and it clattered to the tiled floor.

He fell to his knees and searched through the eating utensils that fell out of the drawer, finding a sharp steak knife under the spoons and forks. He looked at it with a crazed smile before tigging it into his skin, his breathing ragged and shallow.

"G-g-get the b-bugs out...!" he pulled the knife out and watched the blood flow out and drip onto the floor. He dug his fingers into the open wound, clearly upset and mad that no bugs were coming out. Slicing the knife back and forth across his arm, he continued to wait for those irritating insects to climb out from his wounds.

"A-Aniki...?" Sasuke stood in the doorway to the kitchen, his eyes wide and full of fear, "wh-what are you..?"

"The bugs are crawling all around inside of me!" Itachi cried, continuing to slice open his skin, "help me get them out, Otouto... they're eating me alive! Please!.!" he yelled desperately, "help me get them out... You're all I have, Otouto, you're the only one who can help me...!" he fell forward, the large amount of blood loss causing him to fade in and out of consciousness, "Please..."

But instead of running forward to help like he always did, Sasuke stepped back and ran away, the wooden floor creaking under his heavy footsteps.

"Otouto..." Itachi dropped the knife, his chest moving up and down slowly as his eyes closed, thick lashes brushing over pale cheeks.

Sasuke ran into his room and slammed the door shut behind him. Leaning back, he slid down to the floor, eyes still wide. His body shook and he buried his head in his hands, scared to admit that he was afraid of his brother now. The drugs he took got worse and worse every week... and he was scared that his brother would attack him, would kill him...

-----

"But that anger was covering up my true feelings about my death..." Sasuke started, "I--I think back on the day I was shoved over the cliff... and I realize, that at that moment, I was happy. I was glad that you were finally going to kill me. All my fear of you cutting me down while you were high... it made me feel so guilty. You were my brother, I shouldn't have been scared, I should've helped you no matter what! But I backed out like a coward!.! I refused to help you, even though you kept getting sicker and sicker... more addicted, unable to control yourself... and the day that you killed me, right when you wrapped your hands around my throat... I remember feeling elated... feeling so damn happy that I was finally going to die," he chuckled bitterly, "I was a morbid thinker, wasn't I? But... I was so happy because I deserved it. I had already killed you before that very moment, leaving you to take more drugs, to let them erode your personality, to take away the Aniki I loved..."

Ino covered her mouth, trying to hold back her tears and sobs.

Sasuke cut off the rest of his words and pulled his arm up to wipe away the tears that were drying on his cheeks and lashes. He leaned back, hinting to Naruto that he was about to stand up. Naruto hesitently moved back and got up, helping his boyfriend get to his feet.

"Getting all of that out... helped me, I suppose," Sasuke stated as he stood up, his voice hoarse from all of his yelling and crying. He looked back down at the old headstone, "Aniki... I know now that you never meant to kill me... and that--" he smiled sadly, "that makes me feel horrible. You never wanted me dead, even though I had done nothing to help you when you needed me the most..."

"Sasuke-kun," Ino whispered, her voice shaking.

Sasuke turned to her and gave her an un-Sasuke like smile, "Don't cry, I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" both Ino and Naruto asked at the same time. Naruto hadn't thought his lover would break down like he did.

"Yes..." Sasuke grabbed the strap of the brown bag Naruto had slung over his shoulder, "could you take the stuff out?"

"Huh? Oh!" Naruto zipped the bag open and pulled out a photo and some smooth stones. Handing them to Sasuke, he smiled.

The raven placed the rocks down along the bottom of the headstone, letting his fingertips linger on them for a moment, "They're from the river you used to take me to every day after I came home from school. I'm sure you miss going there and dipping your feet into the water at the edge of the boating dock..." he then sat the picture behind them, making sure it wouldn't blow away. It was a photo of them together, Itachi smirking at the camera, Sasuke holding up the trophy winning fish he had caught one summer when he and Itachi entered a fishing contest for fun...

"I wish I could at least be with you in death... but the path I chose will only lead me further away," he smiled bitterly and lifted the hood of his coat up over his head. He turned to Naruto and Ino, "we're going to head home now, Ino, thank you for coming here with us."

Ino ran forward and hugged her friend, kissing him softly on the cheek, "Anything for you, Sasuke-kun," she pulled away, "but we forgot to pour the sake," she commented.

Sasuke took the bag from her and pulled the bottle out, taking off the top. He quickly poured all of its contents out onto the headstone, drenching the rock from top to bottom, "I know you didn't like sake, so I hope me doing this won't get you drunk in the afterlife," he joked weakly, "you always said you despised drunks."

Naruto rubbed Sasuke's shoulders soothingly, "Come on, let's go... Do you want to go see your parents?"

Sasuke immediately shook his head, "No. My parents probably don't even think about me anymore. After Itachi started doing drugs, they left the house and hardly ever came back, constantly attending business meetings in other parts of Japan or in another country. They wanted nothing to do with us... even my mother who I thought loved us..."

Naruto wrapped an arm around Sasuke's shoulder and they both started walking back down the hill, Ino waving good-bye to them as she ran down the steep slope, towards the bus stop across the street from the station.

Before they were under the station's roof, snow began to fall from the heavy clouds above, falling into both males' hair, melting. Sasuke let his hand be taken by Naruto and they made their way to the approaching train.

xXxXx

By Itachi's grave, a transluscent hand moved down to touch the photo, but the fingers only went through. An echoing chuckle was heard by no one on the hill, as well as a faint, mumbled word.

"Otouto."

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Much love to Itachi! May you rest in peace!