Do I Dare Disturb the Universe

Hi, beautiful people. I love you all. I must say, there was only a single guest review that disturbed me to a great extent. I'm not sure if this guest has read my other stories, but my more frequent readers would understand that when someone dies in my story, they never really die. There are so many flashbacks and emotions I have planned that it's safe to say that Mikoto and Fugaku still have an effect on Sasuke and Itachi. Believe me when I say I know my story. Mikoto is still a part of this story. Fugaku is still a part of this story. Nothing is ever over.

Sasuke was strong. He had to be. He had to be strong for his Itachi; brighten his day with a smile as sincere as he can muster. For his Tachi, to always love him and put his needs above Sasuke's own. That's what he did every day. But on the inside, he lived in a never ending death. At night, he suffered, pouring out his tears to the stars, begging them with his tear-soaked eyes to understand his misery. Would anyone ever understand that his heart was no longer his own? Love him so much that they could see his pain?

"Leave me alone." He muttered in agony. It was the fourth time he arose on this chilly night to the saddened face of Mikoto. He rocked and rocked and rocked upon his bed, praying for the sleep he never received just a day after the funeral. Just a day after he decided to let his mother go, she'd come back to haunt him, crying, weeping, begging for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry." Her voice whispered.

"Leave me alone."

He could go to Itachi, who slept soundly in his room, sprawled upon the bed without a care in the world.

He could go to Kisame, who lay in the guest room, snoring in content.

To Naruto who was probably in his lab at this six a.m. hour working on a chemical discovery.

Or even Kakashi, who stayed up all night working with the genius.

But as he saw the sun peek into his window discreetly, the teen stood quietly. Padding out of the room with tears still in his eyes, the man halted, coming face to face with his parents' door.

It was so shocking to realize that it hadn't gone with her. And it took him back.

Back fifteen years to when he was four. Before Fugaku stayed out for hours working working working to fill his will with more money. Before making Obito feel loved became the man's priority and Mikoto only drank wine on special occasions.

Sasuke jumped out of his bed, running to his door as lightning crackled like the roar of a lion.

He stopped as he opened it, wanting to hear soon calmness before running to his parents' room. "Tousan?"

No answer.

"Tousan!"

"Sasuke-kun." It was the voice of his mother as she lifted him off the floor and carried him into her own room. "You have to be quiet love."

"Why's Itachi in here?" the four year old questioned.

"Shh." She shushed him softly.

Fugaku shifted on his side. "Is that small duck?"

"He was afraid too." Mikoto stated, laying the boy down and climbing in too. She scooted close. "Sleep now, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke grimaced softly, more of a pout than anything. "Please leave me alone." He asked.

His feet padded softly against wood as he went to the kitchen. Twenty minutes passed and soon Itachi would wake up, asking about Naruto.

His phone buzzed and the man answered quickly without checking. Anything to get his mind off the guilt that ate him.

"Hello."

"Are you going to open the door for me?" A voice asked. "I'm pulling in."

Sasuke gasped and dropped his fun. Never one that had time to smile, the Uchiha ran outside just as he heard the sound of a car door closing.

He remembered the soft way his father always described the man standing in the lawn. The only son of Fugaku's sister. As a boy, he didn't attract the girls. He was skinny and his cheek bones just gave him a skeletal look.

But it had changed as he grew up. There was only one word to describe the sun-kissed Obito. Where his eyes were the black of fresh nights glinting in the moonlight. His lips were pale and thin and his nose slender and rounded. A prominent jaw curved gracefully around and the strength of his neck showed in the twining cords of muscle that shaped his entire body; strong arms, bold thighs and calves, a firm chest and abdomen. He was an Adonis among the other men. One look and both women and men swooned at the sight of him no matter their sexual preferences. One word passed from his lips had even the straightest of men flushing shades of red that no one ever knew was naturally possible.

He would only be 33 now, the same age as Kakashi. Obito laughed brightly at the open mouth of Sasuke, the obvious shock and wonder of seeing him after seven years. "Are you going to say hello?"

The laugh reminded him of Naruto and Sasuke ran ahead, the morning dew upon the grass chilling his feet.

"Cousin." He jumped into the man's arm, laughing and smiling as the man spun him around.

"Sasuke, how've you been?"

After their reunion, Sasuke pulled his older cousin into the house. "Oh, cousin, it's been a real rollercoaster ride. Kaa-san….she's…"

"I know." Obito murmured, inhaling sharply. "A friend of mine called two days after she died."

Sasuke stared as he poured Obito some tea. "You were here the day of the funeral. Why didn't you go?"

"I was respecting Oba Mikoto's wishes."

It was a silent agreement to not speak of the scorned relationship Mikoto created with Obito. After the death of Fugaku's sister, the man had brought in Obito, who was only eighteen at the time with no money to get through university.

It was the spark of how much Fugaku worked and the spark of Mikoto's alcoholism. Mikoto had never once treated Obito well. She blamed him for small things, favored Itachi and Sasuke, and hit him on occasion, daring the man to hit her back.

When Sasuke was twelve and Obito had finally gotten his masters degree in Aerospace Engineering, his only job offering was out of country. Mikoto made sure that if he left, he'd never enjoy the chance of returning.

Fugaku smiled brightly, rubbing the hair of his nephew's head. "I'm proud of you kid. You know?"

A twenty six years young Obito blushed deeply as he fixed his tousled hair. "Yes, I know, Oji-Fu."

"Hai. But you did it all alone. No one else in this home knows much about engineering or science. I did law and Itachi is going for business, so It's good to know that you did this alone."

Obito laughed and hugged the aging man. "I didn't. I had you all to help me."

Fugaku sighed. "I'm going to miss you, kid. The kids...they love you. But you're going to miss your train if you don't stop crying."

A boisterous laugh rang through the living room as Obito picked up his bags. "Yeah right, Old man. You're about to cry. That's why you're rushing me out."

"Itachi! Sasuke! Come give wishes to your cousin!"

Loud padding on the stairs came seconds before Obito was tackled by the main Uchiha boys. "Itoko." Sasuke whined. "Why do you have to go so early?"

"I've stayed long enough, kid. And I have a degree now."

"Did you like being here?" Itachi questioned quickly.

"Are you kidding? I loved being here."

A sound of a train sounded and Obito's lips formed a soft 'O.' "That's my train. It'll only stay for forty minutes, but I'd like to be seated."

Obito grabbed his suitcases once more. "I love you guys."

"You're not leaving yet." A raspy voice cut through the soft air like ice. All males turned to Mikoto as she stood by the door, bottle in her hand.

Fugaku moved first. "Mikoto, love. You must go to bed no-"

"No." She stated sharply. "He can't stay here. He can't stay here for eight years and nt give back." She began to walk forward, dropping the liquid upon the floor, her grabby hands and fierce dark eyes on Obito's.

"We put him in your will. We wasted money on him and he can't pay us back after that stupid degree?"

It was then Mikoto had began to struggle violently in her husband's arms to hurt the confused and hurt Obito. "Obito! Just go, kid!"

Obito nodded at his uncle and began speeding toward the door. Somehow in someway, the intoxicated woman had broken free, grabbing a candle upon the table.

She had grabbed Obito's shoulder harshly.

It only took seconds for the oil and fire that was so beautifully smashed against Obito's face to consume the flesh.

The flame had no culture, no pity, no mind, yet it consumed whatever it pleased. It's only criteria was if it could take flesh and reduce it to ash or something molten and foul, then it would. The flames burned hot, short and violent, with no care of what was left behind.

Mikoto had intentionally burned Obito with a candle and the mark would remain forever.

After rushing him to the hospital and having his face bandages, it was Fugaku who took the fourteen hour drive to Kiri just so that Obito could make it in time for his first day at work.

The scabbed skin on the left side of Obito's face was crucial and ugly and still, he was a handsome man. From that moment on, each time Sasuke stared into a chimney, it wasn't fire he saw.

Though the hot tear-drop danced yellow in the home, he saw Obito.

Obito blinked hard and Sasuke knew that the man wanted to keep his mind off Mikoto, if only temporary.

He knew that he would sooner or later have to face his complicated feelings toward the woman, and so would Sasuke, but now it should be a happy reunion.

"How are the brighter things?"

"You'll never believe this." Sasuke smiled softly. "Itachi is improving. Itachi is doing so well in his studies. In everything. And he remembers love, Itoko. I thought that was never possible, but it was."

"Is Kisame still around?"

"Yeah. He's sleeping in the guest room."

"I need to kick his ass again." The man joked, making Sasuke laugh. "What happened all of a sudden?"

Sasuke bit his lip. "It's hard to explain and it can't be proved without reasoning, but four months ago, we got a neighbor. A famous scientist."

"Who?"

"Naruto Uzumaki." Sasuke whispered with a slight blush.

Obito's mouth opened. "Don't joke with me."

"I wish I was. I looked like a mess when I met him."

"Sasuke….Naruto Uzumaki? The genius?"

"Hai."

"What does this have to do with my cousin? Did he do an experiment on Tachi?"

"None at all. He befriended him."

Through their letters, Obito knew well enough about the discrimination that Itachi faced for who he was. How he thought. So it came as sarcasm to him.

"He smiled at Tachi or something?"

Sasuke laughed. "No that's the thing, Itoko. Naruto and Tachi have this chemistry with one another. They talk, laugh, learn, do everything with one another. There are some things Naruto says that only Tachi understands. They're best friends. Oh, Obito...you'd have to meet him or ask Tachi about him. Him and his father are so lovely."

Obito watched his younger cousin for some time. "Oh, Kami. Sasuke, don't tell me you have a small infatuation with this kid."

Sasuke blushed. "Shut it. Come on. Tachi's going to be waking soon."

Obito shook his head with a soft smile and followed the young man upstairs. They peeked into Itachi's room, finding the 24 year old still sprawled upon his back, legs in jagged motion. Obito opened the door, moving in only to be grabbed by Sasuke.

"Itoko. He's still asleep."

"He's about to wake soon anyway. I want to see his reaction without you telling him that I'm here."

Sasuke was silenced as Obito sat near Itachi's torso. The creak of the bed made the man murmur and turn, shifting in the bed.

Obito moved once more with a bright smile, making Itachi groan and hit the bed. But still, his eyes remained unmoving.

A shift once more on Obito's part and Itachi's dark loving eyes shot open, moving around to find the villain of his sleep. When they caught Obito's matching orbs, they stilled in silence.

Itachi remained staring, neither frowning nor smiling as his eyes briefly roamed the scar upon Obito's handsome face.

Obito smiled brightly, waving. "Goodmorning, cousin."

Itachi gasped for a millisecond before he tackled Obito to the ground. "Cousin! How you come? Did you go by train?"

Obito laughed as Itachi kissed his cheeks. "Haha. Tachi! Okay! Okay!"

"You staying? You wanna come to my birthday party? It's almost here, cousin. One month, cousin. One month. That's what Sasuke told me."

"I'm...haha...I'm staying, Tachi. I'm staying for good."

Itachi gasped and finally moved back. "Forever?" His eyes were wide and even Sasuke stilled in hope that Itachi was right.

Obito smiled softly and rubbed Itachi's hair, looking back at Sasuke too. "If that's alright. I can stay forever if that's alright."

It was Sasuke who jumped onto them then, throwing his arms around Obito's neck as Itachi laughed loudly. "Yes! Itoko, you can stay forever."

No one could understand it, but Sasuke now. Obito was the last of three smiled that ever made the teen feel good about himself. Meeting the man when he was only four and Itachi was nine, Obito taught them everything, made life fun when Fugaku had to work. To Itachi and Sasuke, Obito was their Kakashi.

Itachi laughed as Obito tickled his side. "Cousin. You have to meet our friends. Naruto. That's his name. That's my best friend!"

"So I've been told."

There was loud running up the stairs that quieted them and Kisame stopped by the door. "What's happenin-"

He froze, a large smile on his face as Obito stood. "Obito-san."

The engineer nodded and went for the hug.

Kisame laughed. "Oh...shit. It's been seven years. How've you been?"

"Good. Well. I needed to come back you know? Take care of my family."

Kisame nodded. "I understand. It's been...rough these couple of weeks."

Obito bit his lip. "Well come on. Let's eat. That drive made me hungry."

"Are you? I'll call Kakashi and Naruto so that you can meet them."

Obito rubbed his stomach. "Oh..believe me. I always made a mistake of shopping on an empty stomach. And when I was hungry and shopping I always went to the snack Aisle."

Sasuke laughed at the random story. "And?"

"I can say that I am a proud owner of aisle four." Obito smirked.

A knock on the door sounded and Sasuke laughed softly, getting up from the table to greet Kakashi and Naruto.

When he opened the door, Naruto rushed in with an arm full of glass beakers, tubes, and vegetable oil.

Kakashi stood behind him with a sheepish smile.

"Where's Itachi, Sasuke? I need to show him this immediately."

"In the kitchen. My cousin is here as well."

"I am well aware. You've told me once and twice upon the phone." Naruto smiled softly, walking into the kitchen, unaware of Obito's amused eyes.

He sat his equipment upon the sink and Itachi stood and cam next to him. "What's it this time, Naruto?" The man asked.

"Refraction, Ita. I'm going to make objects seemingly disappear. Refraction is when light changes direction and speed as it passes from one object to another. Only visible objects reflect light. When two materials with similar reflective properties come into contact, light will pass through both materials at the same speed, rendering the other material invisible."

Itachi nodded and prodded the beakers and tubes. "What kind is this one?"

"It's Pyrex glass."

"Pyrex glass." Itachi repeated, squinting as he grabbed a tube and felt around it. "We gonna make this invisible?"

"Precisely. Now watch. I'll fill the beaker halfway with water and pour some vegetable oil in after." Naruto did as he spoke and Itachi gasped as the vegetable oil remained atop the water. "Why do you think this happens."

"Density!" Itachi yelled in excitement.

"Yes. Vegetable oil has a lower density than water, making it float. Now watch carefully." Naruto poured some vegetable oil within a small tube and pushed the tube within the mixed solution.

"I can see it in the water, but not in the oil." Itachi murmured.

"Of course. Pyrex glass and vegetable oil have the same Refractive index, making light pass through them at the same speed."

"Can we do the big one?"

Naruto smiled at his best friend. "You go ahead. I already tried it."

Itachi never lost his smile as he poured the vegetable oil in the large beaker and placed the tube all the way in.

He gasped. "It's gone, Naruto! It's invisible!"

Naruto nodded.

"How did you discover this one?"

Naruto smiled sheepishly. "This one was also an accident. I was attempting another solution before this came about."

Itachi pulled his blond hair. "You always find stuff on mistake."

"Hai. I'm just one lab accident away from becoming a supervillain."

The silence that ensued was temporary as both man caught each other's eyes and burst into a set of laughs, coughing, and laughing again. Itachi pushed Naruto playfully. "Bad, Naruto! You can't be evil."

They continued to laugh until the calmed down and Sasuke told them it was time to eat.

"Musuko." Kakashi called, a bright grin on his face. "This is Obito-san, Sasuke and Itachi's cousin."

Naruto smiled and shook the man's hands. "My name is Naruto."

Obito nodded. "I know, kid. You never get things wrong do you? That's amazing?"

"It can be bad. I was kicked out of my freshman year calculus course for telling my teacher of his errors." The blond smiled, sheepishly, embarrassed of his own blessing.

He walked into the room, eliciting gasps from the students and small giggles. "I regretfully acknowledge my offense. This class was hard to find." He stated, unaware of the fact that his unpunctuality was not the reason why the girls were giggling with one another.

He looked toward his profession and gasped. "Akiyama-sama? The Aito-san Akiyama?"

The professor smiled smugly. "Yes. It is me. It's nice to see another intelligent being."

Naruto shook his head, incredulous. "I assume you've gotten quite used to miscalculation. I read your pre-prints. Both of them. One on Nazi scientists and the other one on, uh... non-linear equations, and I'm extremely confident that there's not one seminal or innovative idea in either one of them. This class will be a waste of our time."

The students began laughing and Aito's face turned grim. "Leave my hall this instant."

Naruto bowed politely, confused on what he had done. "Have a good day."

Obito laughed boisterously. "Uh...kid. I think I can get used to you. That's amazing. You're amazing." He said as a matter of fact. "More in personality than mind. Has anyone ever just told you that?"

Naruto blushed deeply as Kakashi rubbed his hair affectionately. "Many times before and I predict there will be many times after."

They ate in silence for awhile until Obito looked up. "I think Sasuke had a small crush on you."

Sasuke blushed and dropped his spoon. "Itoko." He muttered as Obito began to drink his water.

Naruto nodded with a smile. "Of course. I myself am deeply infatuated with him. From the moment I saw him retrieving Ita from the water tower, I wanted to have sexual intercourse with him."

The water that Obito was drinking was spluttered out across the table and Kisame grumbled as it his him.

Obito laughed and laughed and laughed as Kakashi shook his head. "Musuko." He chided softly.

"Oh. I must abide by social norms. I acknowledge my offense."

Obito calmed down. "You're fine, kid." He laughed again as Itachi grabbed napkins, attempting to dry Kisame's shirt. "Has anyone ever told you how blunt you were? Do you usually say what's on your mind."

"Many times before." Naruto mumbled.

Their attention was focused on Itachi, who, with a deep frown, moved away from Kisame. "I can't dry it, shark-man." He whispered, staring directly at Kisame. "You just have to take off your shirt."

His suggestion was serious and hinted. Sasuke blushed in deep embarrassment, wondering idly where his brother had time to even think of such things.

Obito laughed once more, this time Kakashi along with him.

"What happened in these months? I come back to someone actually liking Sasuke and Itachi being a pervert." the engineer said between giggles.

After their hectic breakfast, Naruto decided to snatch Itachi up, saying he needed help with something on the town.

Kisame and Kakashi went on to work, leaving Obito and Sasuke to find a pass time.

"What do you want to do, Itoko?"

"You know…" Obito trailed off. "I want to see her grave. I want to see both their graves."

"Your nightmares won't stop either?" Sasuke whispered.

"No. And I know why. It's because we haven't forgiven, Sasuke. We have to forgive Mikoto and ourselves. So that they next time we meet, we'll love each other for real that time."

Sasuke grabbed his keys. "Come on."

Naruto and Itachi laughed with shopping bags in their hands. "I knew Sasuke would not let us go anywhere if I told him we were buying things for his and my date, so I told him I needed help with an experiment."

Itachi nodded as they began their walk back to the car. "He won't know, Naruto. He won't."

They began putting the bags in the backseat of Naruto's car. "Hey!" Someone yelled.

Naruto and Itachi turned around, finding a young man with purple eyes and white hair storming over. "Did you steal that, you retard?"

Itachi frowned softly, shaking his head. "No. I didn't. I'm sorry."

Naruto grimaced, angered that Itachi had actually responded to the derogatory name. "Who are you?" He asked.

Tee white haired man said nothing as he began storming toward them. However, his motion was stopped as Naruto held up a hand. "Do not come over here." He warned.

His purple eyes smirked. "What? You scared?"

Naruto's blue eyes roamed the scrawny body compared to his. "Oh I'm terrified. Mortified. Petrified. Stupefied….by you."

Itachi laughed loudly as the man growled. "What'd you say, bastard?"

He stormed over, and to Naruto's own surprise, it was Itachi's fist that connected with his jaw. The man stumbled back.

"Leave us alone." Itachi pleaded softly. "We just want to be us."

The man held his cheek, and looked around. When he noticed there was no one around, he cursed and stormed off.

Naruto remained in a state of shock as they got into the car. He could have scolded Itachi and told him to abide by social norms. But he remembered with each breath the discrimination his best friend faced.

Pity; Gossip; Distrust; Avoidance; Social rejection.

Instead of getting angry with the man, Naruto shook his head. Itachi was perfectly normal. Like others, he could get fed up too.

And Naruto didn't know if it was the disappearance of his parents or the fact that he was trying to understand the love he and Kisame once had, but Itachi had no tolerance for the hate he received from others.

"Itachi...that was amazing. From my view, your fist was going at a rate of two meters per second. Extraordinary."

Itachi laughed. "I don't like him. He's always mean to me."

"He won't be anymore."

They both laughed.

"That was my problem." Sasuke muttered, staring at the grave before him. "I tried so hard to pretend I didn't love you, but I did. I'm sorry, kaa-san."

"Obito forgives you and he loves you. So much. And sometimes...he's sorry too. Sorry if you ever felt like he stole Fugaku from you. You will always be the only woman in my life."

Sasuke wiped his eyes as Obito kneeled next to him, his prayers and conversation with Mikoto silent.

He did love his mother. He forgave her for every mishap and downfall. He forgave himself too. Now, it was time to live and rise in that living.

So...uh.. Who else expected Obito to return? Review friends. You all always do. I wanted to really show how much Naruto influenced Itachi's progress. And I think they are the cutest of friends. To mark up any confusion, yes Obito's mother died when he turned eighteen. He had little to no money on his own, so Fugaku brought him in to pay for college funds. And it helped. In eight years, Obito got his masters in Aerospace Engineering. Mikoto felt that Obito was taking all Fugaku's time, so while Fugaku stayed out working tomake sure there was enough money in his will to give to Obito, she resorted to drinking. This is why Obito feels guilty.

Question of the Chapter: Should there be something between Obito and Kakashi? Or is KisaIta and NaruSasu enough for you all?