Hope you enjoyed your Valentine's Day ^.^
king & lionheart
If only things had been different.
(for mistressinwaiting)
"What would happen if history could be rewritten as casually as erasing a blackboard?"
-Michio Kaku
"Are you all right, Sasuke?"
Itachi turns to look at his brother, his dark eyes clouded in gloom. He knows today is day most dreaded by the younger Uchiha.
Memorial day.
"Itachi—take him!"
A small, raven haired baby boy was thrust into the arms of Uchiha Itachi. His soft hair stuck up in the back, small tendrils curling at his hairline. His eyes were closed, oblivious to the danger surrounding him.
"Run Itachi, please! Don't worry about us!"
Kyuubi, a vast, monstrous creature of nine tails had attacked the village of Konoha. In the short hour since its onslaught, over 100 people had been killed—brave ninjas, civilians desperate to protect their home, children.
Now the Uchiha head and his wife were being called into battle. They had been running low on troops, and word was that the Fourth's wife had been taken hostage by Madara.
"I want you to run, sweetheart. Run far away, and hide, hide from the danger. And please—protect Sasuke."
Itachi never lost his composure, but the dam in his chest was threatening to burst. He nodded obediently, not saying a word, clutching his baby brother like a lifeline. He knew what his parents were about to get into, and frankly the thought scared him.
His mother gave him a soft kiss on his forehead, his father pulling him into a rare embrace. They said good-bye to Sasuke, and flew into the trees, towards Kyuubi.
No matter what they told him, Itachi wouldn't leave the Uchiha Compound. He instead headed to the backyard, where he sat on a bench, rocking his sleeping brother. He began to fuss, soon breaking out in a full wail.
Itachi cooed, "Don't cry, Sasuke… No matter what happens, I will always protect you…"
And in his heart, he already knew he'd be the only one there to protect him.
Sasuke's hand curls into Itachi's, grips it tightly. The small grave marker embossed with the names of his parents is right in front of them, but he stares straight ahead, determined not to cry.
Why did this always make him so sad? He never even knew his parents, being only a few months old when they left him for the last time. Grief was normal for anyone when it came to death, bonds or not, but every time Sasuke even thought about the bodies of his mother and father lying under that carpet of grass, the fingers of woe played with his heartstrings, pulling and tugging forcefully.
He squeezes Itachi's hand tighter. "Can we go?" he murmurs.
Itachi nods, briefly letting go of Sasuke's hand to set down a small bouquet of white roses at the base of the marker, wrapped in red paper. The nin closes his eyes, breathes out a short prayer.
"Come on Sasuke, I'll take you to Ichiraku's."
Just a bit of background on our lil' Sasuke-kun :) Thank you very much to everyone who reviewed last chapter, keep it up!
Amour!