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: Hoorah! Finally I'm reviewing, I've been planning to do it for weeks. This chapter is a bit of an emotional one with Sasuke, and kind of a transition chapter before Sasuke next sees Itachi, so I appologise for the lack of actual Itachi appearance in this chap - and I give you an angst warning.

Anyway, please enjoy. And leave me a nice review at the end :)

Chapter 5: A Long-Forgotten Past

Turning restlessly where he lay, the boy sighed once more, his eyes closed tightly and his mind begging for his thoughts to leave him be, to give him a rest from his tormenting memories. But no such luck befell him.

"Ah!" Sasuke cried out in frustration, throwing the pillow from his bed onto the ground violently, before turning over roughly to face the wall once again.

Why couldn't he get the picture of Itachi's face out of his mind? The expression his elder brother had left him with as he fled from the criminal's cell the day before haunted him, so full of sadness and disappointment, and something else Sasuke had never seen before and couldn't place - anger? Frustration?

Longing?

"Sasuke?" Suddenly, a voice behind him sounded, from where the person was standing at his door.

Sasuke tensed in return, burying his face deeper into the covers of his bed, as the all-too familiar voice echoed in his mind, silencing the memories of his brother finally. He hadn't even heard the blonde return to the apartment.

"Naruto." Sasuke replied quietly, his tone casual and disinterested, though his mind was in turmoil at the presence of the blonde. What would Naruto think if he knew what had happened with Itachi? Was it wrong, what Itachi did? Sasuke didn't know, but something told him that Itachi was not acting the way brothers usually do with their siblings. Perhaps Sasuke should be ashamed, but he couldn't find it in himself.

There was a silence for a moment, as the young Uchiha heard his friend enter the room, and soon felt the dipping of his mattress under the weight of the blonde as he sat down beside him. "Have you even gotten out of bed today?" Naruto asked softly, concern evident in his tone.

Sasuke did not turn to face him, afraid that Naruto would be able to read what had happened in the expression on his face, and his tone was quiet as he replied; "I have had no need to."

This seemed to speak volumes to Naruto instantly though, and Sasuke frowned in disappointment with himself. It had been the same for the last few days, and he knew Naruto was becoming concerned with his well-being since his reclusion to his room after the last time he had visited Itachi.

Sasuke was sure the blonde was about to speak again and voice his concern, before he interrupted the boy with a forced casual tone.

"Have you finished your investigation with Kakashi?"

Naruto's brow creased at the Uchiha's obvious attempt to change the route of their conversation, and he replied with a frown. "Kakashi-sensei and I haven't found out anything yet, so we'll keep scouting for information on Itachi's capture until the trial is over."

Naruto's frown deepened then, as he had not failed to notice the way Sasuke tensed when he had said Itachi's name. Looking down to the figure of his friend, faced with his back and head of dark, silky locks - Naruto felt the urge to comfort whatever it was that was obviously tormenting his friend.

"Ne, Sasuke," Naruto implored his friend with a pleading tone, leaning closer to the prone figure of the Uchiha, "Is this about him?"

Sasuke's eyes opened suddenly then, and his heart hammered in his chest. He knew what Naruto meant by 'him', and as his thoughts became unconsciously frantic.

'Doe he know? Am I that obvious? I don't even know what's going on with Itachi!'

"Why do you say that?" Sasuke asked in a voice which showed how much he dreaded the answer, and he realised that in saying that he had already given away that his currently pathetic state was, in fact, because of his elder brother.

Naruto was about to say something in reply which would have pointed this out, before Sasuke suddenly turned and sat up on his bed. The Uchiha looked a mess, his shirt was rumpled from laying down all day, his hair was even more untidy than the blonde's, and his face was dark with lack of rest. Naruto was suddenly quite alarmed to see his friend in such a state.

"What did that bastard do to you?" Naruto demanded, sounding outraged for the first time in days, as he reached forward and grasped one of Sasuke's arms to gain the boy's attention firmly, "Sasuke, what happened?"

The Uchiha looked up to him then in slight apprehension, his eyes meet the blonde's for the first time, and Sasuke felt guilty for the worry he saw reflected in his friend's expression. The young Uchiha sighed.

"I don't know." He replied honestly, and felt the blonde's hand slacken slightly on his arm in relief of his answering him, "I just... don't know if I can handle it anymore." Sasuke replied with a shake of his head.

Naruto spoke softly then, as he told Sasuke firmly; "We'll have him back soon, and Itachi will be punished for everything. Don't worry about that." He reassured, assuming that was what was bothering the Uchiha.

Sasuke almost replied, even to his own surprise, that that was the last thing on his mind - before he stopped short and realised that, realistically, wasn't that what they were there for? But not anymore. He had taken a different path now, he was here for a different reason. He just didn't know what it was.

"I don't know if I can go back." Sasuke finally replied then, "I'm so confused, and... and I'm kind of angry at him, for everything..." Sasuke hesitated, "Itachi is just so..." He stopped short, unable to find the right words to express his opinion of his brother - something he had not ever anticipated to do again.

"Itachi is a criminal, murdering bastard." Naruto seethed, feeling a fierce need to protect his friend and reassure him of who his older brother was.

Sasuke's expression appeared momentarily wounded for a moment though at these words, and he sighed. Naruto just didn't understand - he hadn't seen Itachi, the way his older brother seemed to be almost... happy when he visited him. Sasuke could almost believe this Itachi was the one from his childhood, the man who had given him his first kunai, played shoji with him on the floor, and let him sleep in his room after he had had a nightmare.

But then, the day before... what Itachi had said... could he ever trust his brother like that again? Could he ever be sure that Itachi wouldn't leave him again?

Naruto just couldn't understand.

Sasuke sighed, "I just wish it wasn't like this." He confessed very quietly, and Naruto's expression became pained at the desperation in the Uchiha's voice, "I wish it had been different for us."

Although Naruto didn't understand what Sasuke meant by 'us', the blonde nodded slowly and sadly, before he moved forward and - without a second thought on the matter - pulled the Uchiha into a firm, comforting hug.

Sasuke was only momentarily startled by the action, his thoughts having been on his brother, before he relaxed into the blonde's familiar embrace. Raising his own arms tentatively, he hugged Naruto back, much more gently than the blonde's protective hold on him.

There was a comfortable silence which fell between them then, before Sasuke heard Naruto's voice beside his ear;

"Teme," Naruto spoke with a smile, calling the Uchiha by his affectionately-given title, before the blonde continued with a sigh; "I care about you more than anyone."

Sasuke didn't reply immediately, feeling himself slightly confused by this. It was not unusual for the blonde to tell him caring things such as this, but the way in which Naruto had spoken it was different than usual.

The Uchiha's tone did not waver though, as he replied softly; "Dobe. Stop worrying about me."

Naruto pulled back then, and grinned in reply to Sasuke's words, apparently warmed by the Uchiha's return to normalcy. Sasuke managed a small smile in response, and felt the blonde's hand clasp his comfortingly.

After a moment of this, Sasuke finally sighed and relented to what he knew he should do, feeling his mind at last more quite thanks to the blonde's comfort. "I suppose I should get out of bed." The Uchiha spoke.

Naruto grinned widely at this, "Yatta!" He exclaimed triumphantly, "Out of bed, teme!" He jumped up from where he had sat on the Uchiha's bed, only to then have his expression wilt a little, "Oh, but I have to go see Tsunade-baasan." He informed his friend, looking to the clock on the wall before his expression became dismayed; "I'm late!"

Sasuke waved him off though, "I'll go and see Kakashi, then." He replied easily. He thought that seeing the older ninja would probably be a good move anyway, seeing as Kakashi would probably know better than anyone else how Sasuke should handle the current predicament with his brother, as the Jounin had known Itachi when he was younger - they had even been the same ANBU squad together, something which Kakashi rarely spoke of.

"Right!" Naruto replied happily once again, as the blonde grabbed his black pack full of his gear, and headed towards the door. "I'll see you later, teme!" He called before exiting their apartment as quickly as he had came, the door shutting loudly behind him.

Sasuke sighed as Naruto left, feeling the noise of his mind pick up again in the blonde's absence, and he rubbed his temple in agitation.

Perhaps Kakashi would have some idea of how he should handle all this Itachi business. In any case, if Sasuke was to return to see Itachi again - he felt sure that he would need some kind of advice to get him through it.

He would not have another breakdown over Itachi's actions again. Next time, he would be able to handle the older Uchiha - he would gain some control.

The one thing Sasuke had not taken into consideration some hour ago when he had left he and Naruto's apartment, was how he was going to find Kakashi. He had no idea where the Jounin was, and the man seemed to be exceptionally good at hiding when someone wanted to see him.

It was nearly an hour and a half's worth of searching later, that found Sasuke finally standing in front of his grey-haired sensei, said Jounin looking to him casually before arching his one visible eye in a smile, as he leaned against a large oak tree near the borders of the Kumogakure forest.

"Yo, Sasuke," The man greeted casually, noticing how the boy seemed slightly out of breath, "Have you been training?"

Sasuke looked up to fix the man with a glare, as he walked towards his sensei. "No, I've been searching for you, all over the village." He replied tersely.

Kakashi merely blinked at him innocently for a moment, before he smiled once again, "Oh?" He replied questioningly, "I've been here, reading." The grey-haired man informed his pupil, though they both knew this spot had been deserted only a short while ago.

"Whatever." Sasuke replied carelessly, before coming over to lean against the large tree beside his teacher.

A moment of silence filtered between them then, both of them taking a moment to enjoy the quiet of the forest around them in the late afternoon. Kakashi was no longer paying attention to the Icha Icha novel in his hand, and it was with a resounding snap of the book closing in his hand and moving to put it back in the pocket of his Jounin vest, that Sasuke realised how much attention Kakashi was giving him, as the man spoke finally.

"What is weighing on your mind, Sasuke?" He questioned casually, clearly leaving an opening for the youth to divulge the reason of his seeking the Jounin out. "I have not see you for a few days."

Sasuke did not hesitate to speak openly to his sensei. "I am confused." The boy informed, as he saw from the corner of his eye as Kakashi nodded to him, and he sighed. "I have never been so lost in my own mind."

Kakashi nodded again, understandingly, as he replied; "The reunion of you and your brother has been long anticipated." He told the youth, "We can only expect that you would struggle with it, but you must remember, that Itachi is probably suffering as much as you are. He is not immune to this."

Sasuke felt his expression become unguarded, as he crossed his arms over his chest and thought on Kakashi's words. Could it be true that Itachi found this hard as well?

"Itachi acts strangely around me now..." Sasuke continued hesitantly, careful of how much he should tell his teacher, especially now that Kakashi fixed him with a very attentive look, as he continued, "He talks to me without anger or taunting... and he seems almost... upset when I leave him." Sasuke's voice was nearly a whisper as he then finished with; "I don't understand."

Kakashi was quiet for a long moment then, as he seemed to be thinking deeply on Sasuke's words, trying to make sense of what must be going on between the two brothers. "Itachi hasn't seen you for a long time, Sasuke." Kakashi spoke evenly, "It would be normal to expect that he is acting differently around you, now that he is faced with you again. It would be reasonable even to assume that he holds a level of guilt for your past."

There was a semblance of doubt that hung in the air at this statement, and something in Sasuke told him that it was not that simple, but he didn't voice this thought. Instead, he turned to look at Kakashi as he told the man; "Itachi said something to me, the other day..."

The Jounin's attention visibly peeked at this, anticipating Sasuke next words. He had wondered why the young Uchiha hadn't yet returned to see his brother, and after what Yamada had told him of Sasuke's state after he had last left his brother's cell, Kakashi had thought that something might have happened.

"He told me..." Sasuke hesitated, wondering at once whether he should tell Kakashi about this, before he finally relented and finished the feared statement, "That he would... never leave me again."

The silence that followed this was tangible in the air, as Sasuke saw the slight shock that filtered over Kakashi's face. There was a long moment in which Kakashi seemed to be thinking over the youth's words, before he asked Sasuke carefully;

"What did you say, in return?"

Sasuke felt himself frown at this, as he remembered his frantic reaction in the cell. "I yelled at him to get away from me." The boy confessed quietly, before finishing with a small amount of shame, "... and I started crying, before I just... left."

Something sympathetic seemed to register in Kakashi's gaze for a minute then, to hear that Sasuke had cracked under the pressure of Itachi's words. Kakashi almost felt that Itachi should have known better than to say such a thing, but caught himself before he could finish the thought. After all, even in the face of everything that had happened, of who Itachi was, it was still an undeniable truth that Itachi was Sasuke's older brother, and there would always be something between them that forced them towards each other - the same thing that had stopped Itachi from killing Sasuke, all those years ago.

"And, god," Sasuke continued after a minute, shame still tinting his now-mad tone, "I was just so angry with him! What right did he have to say that to me? He left me in the first place! He left me all alone!" Sasuke swallowed past the lump that formed in his throat, closing his eyes as he breathed irratically and attempted to slow the harsh beating of his heart. "And I was just so afraid." He whispered, though he didn't voice what it was he had been afraid of.

Before Sasuke had even time to register it, he found Kakashi had wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling the youth into him in a fatherly half-embrace.

"It is understandable, Sasuke." Kakashi told him then, his tone more serious than the Uchiha had heard it in a long time, and Sasuke found the Jounin's monotone voice soothing as he leaned into the man's side, "And you should take some time to think over whether or not you want anything more to do with Itachi. No one is asking anything of you, and you need to think about what it is you want. If you could... get past whatever hate you hold for your brother, though... then perhaps it would be best for everyone, especially you." The Jounin stated gently.

Get past his hate? Sasuke thought with wonder. He had never anticipated to be told he should do that. His whole life had been centered around Itachi, around his revenge against the brother that killed their entire family and, for some reason, had left him alive. To think that he could get past that... that he could live without the daily torment of knowing his older brother was the one he must hate, was almost incomprehensible.

And yet, more frightening of all, Sasuke found himself not wanting to hate Itachi anymore. How had his life changed so much over the course of only a few weeks? He wondered.

"I don't know what to do." Sasuke replied to his sensei, his tone quiet and sounding incredibly lost even to his own ears, "How do I stop hating the person who took everything from me?"

Kakashi took a deep breath then, as he mulled over the young Uchiha's words. "Sasuke," He spoke to the boy placatingly, "If you feel this way, then you must get it out in the open. You must not bottle up these feelings that you have harboured since childhood." As Sasuke looked up to him then, the boy's face questioning, Kakashi elaborated. "You must speak to Itachi about this, if you ever want to move past it. If you have something to say to him, then you must say it - and be done with it."

Sasuke expression was slightly surprised by this advice, as he gazed up to Kakashi's serious expression. His sensei, the only father figure in his life since he was six years old, was advising him to forgive Itachi for killing their family? Since when had Kakashi thought Itachi worthy of forgiveness for all he had done? Sasuke wondered.

"Do not get me wrong," Kakashi amended then, as he saw the slight confusion in Sasuke's expression, "Itachi has done many terrible things in his life. He has betrayed our village, joined the criminal ranks of Akatsuki, and most of all, he had murdered his own family, save for you."

Sasuke cast his eyes to the ground then, as the reality of all this hit him, and he frowned. It was true, no matter how Sasuke looked at it, Itachi was a criminal - and he had done too many wrongs in his life to change.

"But..." Kakashi spoke again, and when the Jounin saw the slight hope that filled Sasuke's expression, he hesitated. For a moment, the man questioned whether or not it was right to tell Sasuke this, but seeing the almost-pleading that the boy was trying to hide, Kakashi knew it must be said.

"There was once a time, when Itachi was not who he is now." Kakashi stated, his voice soft with remembrance of such memories, "When he was not a criminal, and he served our village with respect, when he had a caring family and his life was normal... at least for the most part."

Sasuke's face shone with wonder as Kakashi said this, and the man's voice was even quieter as he told the boy with certainty, "There was a time when Itachi loved you more than any other in his life." Kakashi stated, and Sasuke almost choked with the emotions that hit him at the words. "When he would speak of you with pride in his voice, and his only comfort would be to return home to see you, his only little brother." Kakashi looked away for a moment then, as he added quietly; "There was a time when he would tell me these things."

Sasuke couldn't help the tears that filled his vision as he gazed to Kakashi hopefully, and he asked, his voice more pleading than he had ever heard it before; "He said all that... to you?" He asked, wishing more than anything else that it would be true, that his brother had once loved him as Kakashi said he had.

After a moment of stillness, the Jounin nodded with certainty, and the man reassured himself as he saw his young student wipe his eyes of his tears, that he had done the right thing in telling him this. It was only right, that Sasuke know that Itachi had not always hated him... that perhaps he had never hated him at all.

"Do you... do you think he stopped thinking of... of me like that, Kakashi?" Sasuke asked hesitantly then, turning a meek expression up to his sensei as he asked weakly, "Do you think he started hating me, when he killed our clan?"

There was something that struck Kakashi deeply then, to hear his young student speak of the deaths of his family members with such confusion, and a clear undertone of hoping that it were not true. That Itachi, his only living relative, and once most beloved brother, had not come to hate him.

Kakashi's voice was definite when he spoke then, and the man was sure his answer was true. "No, Sasuke." He answered, his voice absolutely sure as he told the boy, "He didn't."

Sasuke sniffed then, as words failed him and he struggled not to cry. He had never spoken of his brother like this to anyone, he was comforted that Kakashi knew this as he pulled the boy further into his protective embrace. To think that Itachi might have once loved him, as he still so remembered loving his Aniki, was almost more than Sasuke could bear to believe.

There was a long silence that stretched between the two as they simply stood then, leaning against the large oak tree behind them, on the border of the forest of Kumogakure, only but a mile away from the subject of their deep and meaningful discussion.

The next Kakashi spoke, the man's voice was more controlled, yet every bit as soft, as he told his young charge. "Itachi is only human, Sasuke. I believe there has to be a part of your older brother still inside of him somewhere. And he is only worthy of your forgiveness, if you wish to give it to him."

Sasuke nodded then, as he pulled out of Kakashi's embrace, and the man placed both hands on the youth's shoulders to look at him. Their eyes met as a significant gaze passed between student and teacher then, and Sasuke knew that was all that had needed to be said.

The rest of the day passed quickly, as Sasuke and Kakashi eventually parted ways - Kakashi returning to the Raikage tower in the village to continue the negotiations over Itachi's trail, giving Sasuke one last fatherly, supportive hug before the young Uchiha was left alone.

Sasuke had then spent the rest of the day wandering about the village of Kumogakure, thinking over the situation with Itachi, what Kakashi had said, and what he now needed to do. Eventually, along the course of Sasuke's aimless walking, the sun had wavered and fallen behind the far mountains of the horizon, and it was late at night before the boy finally returned to the apartment he shared with his blonde-haired friend.

Stepping in through the door to their apartment, Sasuke found all the lights where off, and after a quick inspection of the blonde's room, he found Naruto had already gone to bed and fallen asleep.

Walking back to his own room, Sasuke wasted no time in falling into his own bed, and snuggling under the covers with a weariness he hadn't been aware of carrying, as he felt the heaviness of sleep claim him.

The last thought Sasuke registered in his mind before submitting to the bliss of night's silent rest, was the resolution that he indeed did have a few things that he needed to say to Itachi if he wished to move past the hate he had been forced to carry all his life - and to do so, he would return to Itachi's cell tomorrow, to tell him what needed to be said.

He could do this, Sasuke knew. He could finally stop hating Itachi.

A/N: Er, sorry if this was a bit of an over-dramatic chapter, but it kind of needed to be done. I promise it was important, and the next chapter will actually have Itachi in it! Well, I do hope to recieve love in review-form for my update...

ALSO! I know many people don't read my A/N's, but please listen to this small announcement: I have started an original Yaoi story on Fiction Press, the sister site of FF! Please, if you like my writing, I encourage you to venture to the following link to read the story, which is called 'Panic Soldiers':

http : / / www . fictionpress . com /s/ 2493040 /1/ Panic (Underscore) Soldiers

Minus the spaces, and the (Underscore) is, of course, to be replaced with an actual underscore. There is also a hyperlink in my profile if you wish to check it out that way.

I hope to hear from some of you, if you go to read my new original story!

And so until next time,

-Emerald-