Stockholm Syndrome

Sasuke's POV

Mom clenches my hand but moves out of the way when Sakura and Naruto stampede into the room at about 10 miles an hour and leap onto my bed throwing their arms around my neck in a simultaneous twin hug.

"Sasuke!" both squeal.

I wrap my arms around them both. "Hey guys, plan on killing me yourselves? This is a good vice grip." I choke out flinching at their combined strength. Both loosen their grips and sit back, still on my hospital bed.

"Sorry, man," Naruto mumbles. "How are you doing? When Sakura called and told me what happened I ran all the way up to the hospital myself to see how you were." Naruto tells me.

I bink, "Naruto, that's like 7 miles from your house."

Sakura nods patting my shoulder. "I know, that's what I said. The moron came running in at light speed like his ass was on fire and insisted on seeing how you were while drenched in sweat and panting like a dog." I laugh and wrap my arm around my best friends necks.

"Aww, my idiots care." I joke.

"Hey!" Naruto and Sakura exclaim.

"I'm not an idiot," Sakura mumbles. I laugh and ruffle both of their hair. Sakura swats my hand away while Naruto hugs me back, embracing it. He was always like that. My loyal blond Afro haired friend Naruto. He was my first friend when I moved in. He lived down the street from our first house here.

It was almost a week before I was let out of the hospital. They gave me a bill of good health. I was finally set free after a week of pure and utter hell! I was forced to sit my butt for the entire time but the last two days. My chest was still healing and straining too much would reopen my wounds. So even thought I'm heading home I still need to go and see a doctor if my wounds reopen and if I am feeling extremely raw on that wound for it might be infected.

Still, I need a lot of rest, and if I thought that mother was a protective mother hen before the truth was out about Itachi and me getting shot, she is like super mother hen now. We have not once talked about Itachi or the insident for the past week, yet it still lingers over our heads.

Itachi has been speaking a lot more, not nearly as much as he used to, but a tremendous improvement to what he used to be- you know, saying nothing at all. But now, now that we are at home and in our own family privacy I'm sure that we will be talking about it. I can tell mom, dad and Itachi have been dreading it just as much as I have am. So when we all sit around for lunch there is a thick awkward silence that floats over us.

"Mother, father," Itachi says softly. "I know you want to say something, so please just come out and say it..." His dark hair covers his face.

Mom takes his hand and rubs her thumb over the back of his hand. "Itachi, why didn't you tell us about this... about what happened to you. I mean," she uses her other hand to cover her mouth to hold back a sob. "But papa and I could of help. Why didn't you come to us?"

Itachi looks at mom, then dad. "I... didn't because... because... Sasuke... I couldn't risk him..." Itachi looks at me for only a moment before his face is hidden in his hair again. He seem ashamed, like he felt bad about something.

"I'm okay," I whisper. "I'm fine, because you were protecting me Aniki."

Itachi looks over at me and for a moment all we could do was stare at one another. But then, Itachi smiles. So small so light- a ghost of a smile- but a smile none the less. And I love it.

I love my brother.

I knock lightly on the door and wait for the OK to come in.

"Enter," Itachi calls through the thick wood. I open the door to see my brother sitting on his bed with a new notebook in his hand and a pencil in the other.

I grin, closing the door behind me. "Another one? What is that one? Like the 10th one since you got here?" I walk around and sit down on the bed in front of my older brother.

Itachi looks at me skeptically for a moment before looking back to his book and scribbling down more of his brilliance. I watch his large black eyes read over what he had just written again before closing it neatly and putting it on his nightstand right next to his bed and looks over at me with a knowing look. "7th book actually, and I'll remember that when you ask to read it."

I hold my hands up in defeat. "You win. No more comments."

Itachi's eyes flicker to my chest, his eyes instantly turn sad. "How is your chest feeling?"

"Boney," I joke. Itachi cracks a light smile. "Serious though, it feels fine, I saw the doctor yesterday before you went to bed and she said that I was going to be fine and that there was nothing to worry about. I healed up brilliantly. She says I am good as new, and you know what? I feel great."

Itachi looks into my eyes, seeing whether I am lying or not. He must of dictated that I told the truth for he nods. "Good."

I pull up my shirt to reveal my chest and the discolored scar on my chest just below my lungs, barely missing it. Itachi leans forward and runs the tip of his long pointer finger over the healing wound. My skin gets goosebumps and I blush. Fortunately, Itachi is too engrossed in checking the wound to notice either.

I'm gay. I know that. I've know for quite some time. Sakura and Naruto know it, Sakura's mom knows it, my parents know it and so does my brother. What none of them know was that I'm not gay for some random boy at my school or at my work. I'm gay for the only boy that made the biggest impact on my life, that I couldn't possibly live without.

My Aniki.

When he was unable to tell me anything, I felt so bad. I wanted him to be able to talk to me and tell me what is wrong and how I can help him so it really messed me up when he was so close to talking and then started to recede back into himself.

Does he know what he's doing to me everytime he touches me? Everytime he looks at me? Everytime he hugs me or wrestles with me? When he confids in me things he doesn't tell anyone? When he sneaks into my room at night to let me know that he was going out to see a friend and wants me to cover for him with dad? How about when I'm upset and don't feel like talking and he pulls me away from everyone and holds me in his arms and just sits there whispering random things into my ear until I'm ready to talk?

How can he not notice?

My brother is ungodly intelligent but sometimes he is completely oblivious. I mean it could be as clear as day and he wouldn't notice it, but when you try to hide it that's when he notices something is off and moves in to figure it out. Because if there is one thing that my brother hates with all fiber of his being- it's lying and being a douche. My aniki can be the sweetest person in the world, or he can make the sturdious, cold blooded man in the world sob uncontrollably.

Today is the day, I deside. I'm going to tell my handsome brother that I'm in love with him.

Incest.

What does he think about that?

"Itachi," I say lightly. Itachi sits back and looks me in the eye to show he's listening, his hand leaving my body but the warmth remains. I drop my shirt. "What do you think about incest?"

My aniki raises his thin black eyebrow. "What do you mean? Like do I support it or not?" he asks, eyes full of curiosity. I nod.

"Yeah."

"Well," Itachi sighs, putting his hands behind his head. "I don't mind, really. I mean, if you love someone, who cares if they are your family or not? If you love them then you should be with them- if they love you back." He adds the last part quickly. His eyes dart from the ceiling to me. "Why do you ask, otouto?"

I can't lie to you, aniki.

"I love you, Itachi," I say slowly.

"I love you too Sa-" he stops, staring at me with widening eyes. "Oh... wow."

A/N: That's what I would say if my brother told me that he loved me. well, sorry for the late update! Let me know what you think! Rate, review and have a good day!