車輪の兄弟

Sharingan no Gokyoudai

-Brothers of the Sharingan-

Summery: In which, Itachi has been captured and is being held in Kumogakure. Sasuke must travel to see him, in the hopes of bringing him back to Konoha, or gaining information about Akatsuki. Having to visit the man in his holding cell, with the Raikage refusing to give over the Uchiha murderer, will Sasuke find he still holds a bond with his brother?

Disclaimer: This product is meant for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. Use only as directed. Flammable.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait on an update, but I'm struggling to write much of anything for any of my fics right now, so this chapter is kind of a miracle really. Hopefully my slightly renewed inspiration will allow me to update some more of my stories, but for now this is what I have.

I hope you enjoy this, as I am rather pleased with it as a chapter, and from here on out I plan to speed things up and begin to make the story more eventful. There is constant development between Itachi and Sasuke though, so I hope you all appreciate that.

Enjoy.

Chapter 3: Tea and Doubt

"Stay?" Tsunade asked, disbelief ringing clearly in her voice as she fixed the young Uchiha before her with an incredulous stare. "You wish to stay here?"

Sasuke's face was carefully indifferent as he regarded the Hokage, standing in the office of the Raikage of Kumogakure, where he was faced with ranging looks of surprise and disapproval. Schooling his features, Sasuke nodded, his gaze fixed firmly on the wall opposite him, and not the searching eyes of Tsunade.

The Raikage was seemingly the only one pleased with this suggestion, smiling his wide arrogant grin as he stood up, flinging his arms wide in the fashion he usually presented himself with, as he spoke loudly; "What a wonderful idea!" He praised, nodding enthusiastically to the frowning Hokage, "The boy may stay in my village for as long as he wishes-"

"Yes, well, be that as it may," Tsunade interrupted testily, glaring slightly as she then looked to Sasuke again, and spoke demandingly; "What reason would have convinced you to stay, Uchiha?"

Sasuke let his eyes flicker to hers then, holding her penetrating gaze, as he replied simply; "From the impression I was given by Itachi the night before, I believe if I stay and... talk with him again, I may be successful in extracting information about Akatsuki." And at the slightly disbelieving gaze of the Hokage, the dark-haired boy took a deep breath as he finished with an uncharacteristically pleading tone; "I need to do this."

Tsunade seemed unsure though, her frown returning immediately, before she turned to look at Kakashi - either for support or for opinion, she was not sure - but she knew at least that the copy-nin, having been the boy's sensei for years, would know best what should be done.

And it was then, as Kakashi gave her a firm nod - that Tsunade knew she must allow Sasuke to take this plunge. If he wishes to stay here, where the brother he has been hunting since the tender years of his childhood resides, then she must not interfere.

With a resigned sigh and a look of great agitation, she nodded obligingly, and Sasuke felt his heart lighten for a moment in relief.

The Raikage grinned widely once again at this display of agreement, and spoke jovially once again; "Then we will accommodate you, of course!" He declared, snapping his fingers then as one of his ANBU stepped forward towards him, and he instructed; "Living quarters for the boy, and an escort will be arranged! Send Yamada, as I believe he is already acquainted with the youth."

The ANBU nodded simply, before disappearing with a puff of smoke. Kakashi took the opportunity immediately, speaking respectfully to the Raikage;

"Well then," The copy-nin started casually, "If Sasuke is to stay here temporarily for the period of the case of Uchiha Itachi, which could potentially take months - as we all know," He smiled politely as the Raikage nodded in agreement to this, "Then perhaps myself and a few other Konoha ninja should be permitted to come and go between Kumo and Konoha? To check up on Sasuke, of course, and offer any assistance to the case as may be fit." He suggested, to the evident surprise of the young Uchiha next to him.

Tsunade nodded at this however, seeming to deem it appropriate, "Hai, Sasuke will need to be monitored here. Visits to check on him should be regular."

Sasuke spluttered slightly, and spoke indignantly, "I am not a child!" He protested.

"No," Tsunade replied tersely, her gaze scolding as she fixed him with a glare then that could not be argued with, "But you are young, asking to temporarily live within a village you are unfamiliar with, and be permitted to visit your criminal brother." She told him unreputably.

Huffing slightly in annoyance, Sasuke did not reply, knowing any counter complaint he could have given would be shot down.

"Very well," The Raikage answered hesitantly then in response, "If Konoha ninja are to come and go between the two villages for the period of the case concerning the placement of Uchiha Itachi, then I will permit as many as three other Konoha ninja to visit Sasuke at any one time - including Hatake-san."

Tsunade nodded at this, and seemed to have no problem with that compromise. In the end, as long as someone was making sure that Sasuke was all right - she was comforted about his staying.

Kakashi laid his hand on Sasuke shoulder in a way which seemed to tell the youth that the matter was final, when he felt that the boy was about to protest. Sasuke sighed instead, showing his minor irritation, but nodded as well in acceptance.

In the coming weeks, he would merely have to adjust to his new arrangements. And as Yamada appeared suddenly in the room, informing Sasuke with a smile that his room was arranged and all was ready for him - Sasuke told himself that he was doing this for a reason. His brother would no longer haunt him.

He could do this.

Standing in the center of his new living quarters, the young Uchiha gave the room a once-over, and sat down on the couch behind him with a sigh. Perhaps it was partly the knowledge that Yamada was standing outside his door like a watchdog, or perhaps the fact that he had really made the decision to stay here in Kumo, but either way Sasuke felt himself ill at ease.

The apartment they had supplied him with was accommodating though, very well set up in fact, much nicer than his flat back in Konoha at least. With an unlit fireplace in front of him, and the warm afternoon sun shining in through a window on the wall to his left, a kitchen behind the living room he sat in, and a door which led to a bedroom and adjacent bathroom to his right, Sasuke knew he had been given good living arrangements for a reason. If he was happy, in turn it helped Kumo's relations with Konoha.

Unfortunately, negotiations over Itachi had not gone as easily as Konoha would have liked. A full case has been raised between the Raikage and Tsunade as to who has rights to take Itachi, and it may be months before Konoha is given privilege to take Itachi back to his home country for persecution.

Still though, the young Uchiha felt he could not enjoy the homely flat he had been given, as he walked to the room that would serve as his bedroom, with only his backpack of personal items next to his new bed - he felt his mind plagued with the events of his visit to Itachi the night before.

As he sat on the soft sheets of his new bed, he remembered the experience of being with his brother. That soft voice reverberating in his mind hauntingly, those hard eyes so filled with unknown thoughts and feelings, the cold fingers that had brushed his arm...

Sasuke shuddered at the memory of the feeling of being in that room, the holding cell which housed Itachi, no more than a mile from where he was now - where the very air had seemed to suffocate him, the presence of Itachi too much for him to handle.

And what he had said...

'Will you visit again?'

Sasuke had known instantly that he would, that somehow, Itachi still had a hold on him, and the mere thought that his brother - whom he had waited years to find, had wanted to kill almost for as long as he could remember - was so close, was enough to push him onwards, enough to draw him back.

Did Itachi want him to visit? A voice inside of Sasuke somewhere, told him that Itachi only wanted to kill him - just as he almost had so many times before. And yet... he had been asking for him, hadn't he? He had expressed that he wasn't even sure if Sasuke would come. But he had. And then the man had tried to touch him...

To grab him, hurt him, he was sure. What other reason could he have, to reach for Sasuke in such a manner? But then again, the look in Itachi's eyes had not been one of malice, almost imploring, hopeful. The mere fact of this scared Sasuke greatly though, as he was not familiar with this side of Itachi - or, more accurately - he remembered an Itachi from long ago who had once touched him without the intent to hurt, had held him and spoken to him as softly and hopefully as last night.

But that Itachi was dead. He had been there the day he died, and in Sasuke's mind, his brother had lay on the bloody floor of the Uchiha mansion right next to his parents, murdered by the foul Akatsuki ninja which now lived to haunt Sasuke's mind. His brother was dead, and he need only remember that the next time he saw the shadow that Itachi had become.

Reaching for his travelling pack then, Sasuke opened the front pocket and took out a medium-sized pouch - a precious treasure, which he took with him everywhere he went. Opening the pouch with special care, the young Uchiha extracted that which it held - a framed photograph, and gazed at the picture within.

When the Uchiha mansion had been abandoned, the residents massacred and Sasuke left as the only survivor, nothing had been touched. Although Sasuke had not returned since, he imagined that if one were to venture within his old home, you would find that every set of china, every last piece of clothing, would be still in place - right where they were left. But before he had left for the last time, after being found laying near his dead mother and father, his brother no where to be seen - he had taken one thing. This picture, a photograph taken not but weeks before the infamous Uchiha tragedy - which had hung in the hallway of his home, and that he had always been fond of.

As he held the picture in his hands once again, nostalgia took over him, and he gazed at the only remaining evidence of his childhood. The picture was simple in every way that a family photograph should be, with his mother and father standing proudly - his mother's face alight with a charming smile, while his father held his usual neutral frown - and in front of them, was a small Sasuke, smiling brightly at what he remembered being an enjoyable day for him. But what stopped his gaze short, made his heart speed up slightly, and his mind fill with confused emotions and words, as it always did when he focused on this part of the photograph - was the image of a young Itachi, seeming disinterested as usual, standing beside him obligingly.

The picture was Sasuke's only view of his family, and he treasured it as the only remaining testament to the fact that he had once belonged. A sense of mourning overthrew him then, and he felt himself overwhelmed. Putting the picture on his night-stand, Sasuke breathed deeply and looked away - attempting to regain control of himself despite the sudden onslaught of emotion.

For a moment, he wondered what had come over him, before he sighed. It must be his recent reunion with Itachi, he told himself - it must have dug up old remorse, opening old wounds. Just then, he wondered if he had made the right choice in staying.

Shaking his head then of those thoughts, he stood up. Perhaps it was time he go to see Itachi again, and see what kind of information he could get - if any. Because he was determined not to loose sight of his mission, and his duty here.

Walking out of his bedroom and towards the door of his new flat then, Sasuke gave himself reassurance. If he had anything to do with it, Itachi would get his just punishment.

Making his way along the same path he had been shown the night before, with Yamada silently at his side, Sasuke found the trek to the criminal holding cells of Kumogakure was not as ominous in the light of day as it had been in the dark. Avoiding the village occupants all around them as they travelled, Sasuke and his escort soon reached the large overbearing gate that surrounded the holding cells, and the young Uchiha felt himself filled with purpose.

He would get through this, and help Konoha against the Akatsuki. And more than that... he would help himself move on from the nightmare that is his brother.

Approaching the guards standing at the gate to the compound beyond, Sasuke fixed them with a superior look as they gazed to him, and then to Yamada questioningly.

The ANBU was polite, smiling in a friendly manner to the guards, as he informed them; "Sasuke-san is here to see Uchiha again."

"Criminal nine?" One of the guards questioned, to which Yamada smiled in the affirmative.

The guards nodded instantly, as Yamada gave Sasuke a reassuring glance, and they continued on towards the holding cells. Walking through the lighted halls, Sasuke's nerves grew irritated as he became anxious, his heart thumping as they drew closer to the door which housed his brother - made obvious by the large kanji symbol for 'nine' painted on the door.

"Ready to go in?" Yamada questioned Sasuke quietly.

The dark-haired boy knew he had free reign to come and go, as had been expressed to him as he had left the office of the Raikage this morning - Kakashi had told him he can visit as often as he likes, and that the copy-nin would be there to talk to if he wished. And yet, when Sasuke stood here, despite the support Kakashi offered and how that comforted him to know his sensei was on hand should he need him, the young Uchiha found himself feeling quite alone when he stood at the door to his brother's cell.

Nodding once to show he was prepared, Sasuke steeled himself as Yamada opened the door to the cell slowly - and the boy took a deep breath before he walked in.

The last words he was parted with from his ANBU escort were; "Remember, push the red button, and I'll open the door immediately." Before the heavy metal barrier was closed behind him once again - locking him into the room in which dwelled his brother.

It was immediately the light of the room which hit Sasuke, such a stark difference from how the room had appeared before - with only the moon to light it, now Sasuke could actually see the contents of the room properly. The low table and two futon cushions on either side of it that Sasuke had seen the night before was what drew his gaze though, as he immediately spotted the figure of Itachi sitting on one of the cushions - facing the door.

His eyes penetrated Sasuke, and the youth felt himself freeze once again, as Itachi stood up from the low table. The expression on the older Uchiha's face was once of barely-restrained pleasure, and Sasuke felt himself once again inexplicably confused. What did that mean? What did Itachi want from him?

The older Uchiha's voice was soft though, when he finally spoke, breaking the silence that had unknowingly fallen over them in the lightly-coloured holding cell; "I had hoped you would come again." He told Sasuke confidently, relief evident in his voice.

Sasuke did not reply, standing perfectly still - once again struck and paralyzed by the presence of his brother, as thought faced with a ghost. The youth's eyes were held by his brother's, and he was immediately defensive - doing his best to hide his fear, apprehension, and above all, his emotions.

After a few moments in which Itachi seemed merely to look at Sasuke, reveling in his brother's arrival, the elder slowly sat down again at the low table - which Sasuke now noticed had a tea tray placed apon it.

"Sasuke," Itachi said his name slowly, his eyes now breaking away form the boy's as he looked down at the kettle and tea cups on the table in front of him, "Please, join me for some tea." He implored.

Despite Itachi's casual tone, Sasuke more than hesitated - the mere invitation set his mind wiring, his emotions alight, and his fear gave itself a new edge in the face of Itachi's passive attitude. Despite the environment of the cell - which was rather more relaxed than Sasuke would have guessed the night before - and his brother's complacent behaviour, the dark-haired boy was not able to allow himself to accept that Itachi meant him no harm.

And indeed, despite all of this, Sasuke forced himself. He was here for a reason, he needed to do this, for the Hokage, for Konoha, and for himself.

Walking slowly, apprehensively, Sasuke made his way over to the low table and the other futon cushion to one side of the homely cell - feeling only slightly put at ease for the fact that Itachi obligingly averted his eyes, so as not to make the younger feel any more uncomfortable.

Sitting down on the cushion opposite his brother, Sasuke watched as Itachi immediately began to pour him a cup of the sweet-smelling tea - and it was a paradox to see those hands, hands that had once reaching for his neck and snapped his wrist, now most innocently pouring him a drink - with the best intentions of sitting together, with his brother.

With these thoughts running through his mind, Sasuke took several silent, deep breaths and calmed himself. This was a delicate situation - he needed only comply with his brother's wishes, and get them to a point where Sasuke could question him and gather information about the Akatsuki. Then when they were back in Konoha, he could watch the young man die a painful death - just as he had dreamed for years.

All he had to do for now, was feel out the field - regain some semblance of normalcy between them, in which they could talk.

Itachi's hard, cold eyes flickered almost hesitantly to Sasuke then - as though he were unable to restrain himself from looking again, the expression on his face once more one of appreciation - although he seemed to have gotten more of a hold on himself since the night before.

And just then, when Sasuke found himself struggling to mutter even a word to show he was going to be open to Itachi's apparently innocent, friendly attempts at interaction, the young boy noticed as Itachi flinched as he set down the kettle once again - and Sasuke realised he must be in pain.

"Your wound." He spoke, his tone harsh and his words coming out fast in his nervousness, as Itachi seemed surprised to hear him speak. Sasuke gestured lamely to his waist in explanation, where he now noticed bandages could be seen under elder's shirt.

Itachi seemed even more surprised at his brother's asking, but settled himself down immediately and nodded as he looked down to the bandages which wound up under his shirt, all the way up to his chest.

"It is not a great damage to me." He informed his brother, in a tone which suggested the youth should think nothing of it. "A mere oversight on my part." He added as a weak explanation, as though there were nothing else to it.

Sasuke saw through this immediately of course, and his wondering on what had happened to cause his injury and, in turn, his capture, rose to the dark-haired boy's mind once again - but he ignored these thoughts, attempting to concentrate instead on engaging in civil conversation.

Ignoring the cup in front of himself, Sasuke was content to watch as Itachi drank serenely from his cup - although the youth was not quite able to banish suspicions that Itachi could have easily poisoned his cup if he wanted to. Resolving himself not to drink the tea and attempt to remain calm, Sasuke let all comments on Itachi's wound slip from his mind, and allowed his eyes roam the cell instead.

The seemingly ever-open window to his left blew in a cool wind, the sun shinning into the room and giving it a warmth that seemed almost unnatural in any place that held Uchiha Itachi. The bed to the left then drew his attention, as he noticed the bright red sheets that covered it - and Sasuke knew immediately that Itachi must have requested the colour scheme.

Stilling suddenly then, a chill running through him as his eyes grew wide, Sasuke felt Itachi's fingers touch his cheek - brushing back a lock of his dark hair which had fallen in front of his roaming eyes, and the boy felt his heart thump cruelly against his chest as the cool fingers tucked his hair behind his ear intimately - feeling himself momentarily shocked.

His fingers lingering only a moment longer on the silky locks of Sasuke's hair, Itachi then drew his hand back, not wanting to push the moment any further than he had - and Sasuke felt rather shocked that, not only had Itachi taken advantage of his momentary lack of attention by touching him, but that he himself did not feel outraged at his doing so.

Letting his wide eyes flicker to Itachi's then as he turned back to the elder, he saw that the young man's eyes were alight with some unknown emotion - and also a gratefulness for the contact they had just had.

'What... what is with that look in his eye?' Sasuke wondered to himself, his face unknowingly taking on a look of wonder as he gazed at his brother, and the young Uchiha felt his emotions flare unexpectedly as he witnessed Itachi's features soften as they gazed at each other.

The loud creaking of the door surprised them then, as they looked away from each other hurriedly. Sasuke raised his eyes to seek Yamada standing at the now open door, and decidedly ignored the surprised look on the ANBU's features as he witnessed the two brothers sitting and apparently drinking tea together, not looking the least bit hostile.

"Yes?" Sasuke asked irritably, more upset than he would have thought at the interruption, as he fought the blush that might have covered his features.

"Do excuse me, Sasuke-san," Yamada apologised quickly, before hurrying on with his reason for entering, "But there is someone outside for you, an Uzumaki-san, who is demanding to see you - immediately, as it were."

'Naruto?' Sasuke thought in surprise, and it showed on his face for a moment, before he seemed to gather himself together and nodded to Yamada that he would come.

Looking to Itachi, Sasuke felt very close to apologetic as he saw the nearly-disappointed look his brother gave him, before the young Uchiha scolded himself and stood. Letting his eyes rest on Itachi's for only a moment longer as the elder Uchiha watched him, Sasuke gave a light nod to Itachi and saw the elder relax slightly - an unspoken understanding that he would return again.

And as Sasuke left the cell once again, hearing the heavy metal door to the cell close behind him with a creak and a clang, he felt the air thin again as he left the presence of his brother - and his heart gave an unexpected ache for it.

What was happening to him? He wondered, as he shook his head slightly and followed Yamada down the hallway, to where Naruto was waiting to see him.

Whatever was going on, Sasuke felt sure that the presence of the blonde would no doubt complicate things.

A/N: There we are, the long-awaited update. I hope you all enjoyed, and I do hope my reviewers remain faithful - as I feel in dire need of feedback on this. Please review for me, and I shall try with all my might to update soon.

-Emerald-