Dreamcatcher

By Airyo

Storm - 3

Sasuke stared at Itachi's closed door. He could sense his brother's controlled chakra on the other side, though this time, there was a thrum of tension through it that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

Something was horribly wrong.

Itachi had returned late, appearing as if he'd spent his time at the training grounds rather than on a date. He'd walked past Sasuke without even seeing him. This had been the part of their familiar script where Itachi was supposed to lecture him, to poke him on the forehead and promise retribution to his cute little students. But there had been no threats of forced counseling, no hints at hellish training schedules...nothing.

"Itachi?" No response. Sasuke knocked again. "Itachi?" Nothing."...Aniki?"

"Please leave me be, Sasuke." Itachi sounded tired, even beaten. Sasuke flinched at the lack of the favored epithet and what remained of his courage fled. He could guess the why, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know the how of what made Itachi act like this.

Sakura and Naruto were just as lost as he was. Hanabi was refusing all contact from Sakura, and Naruto's clones hadn't been able to get close enough except to report that Hinata and Itachi had spoken, and then parted ways. After several days of no change, Sasuke decided to go back to the source and pay a visit to the Hyuuga estates.

"Uchiha-sama, you're not welcome here," one of the guards said coldly.

"Let someone of importance be the judge of that," he sneered. The guards couldn't actually prevent him from calling on Hiashi, even if they all knew it was just an excuse to gain entrance. Sasuke smirked when the guards grudgingly let him in.

He made it approximately five steps into the courtyard.

Sasuke neatly evaded the blur of hands glowing with blue chakra, turning to face the Hyuuga heir when he was a safe distance away. Energy seemed to hum around her. She was livid.

"Out," she snarled as she charged him again. Sasuke leaned just out of reach, repressing the urge to activate his Sharingan. He'd fought Neji before, and somehow, this brat was even faster. He leaped high to gain himself some time, knowing that the Hyuuga family Jyuuken had poor range and mobili-

Hanabi matched him with an equally high jump, unrelenting in her attack. Her dark hair streamed around her like snakes, pale eyes turning his soul to stone.

Sasuke suddenly realized that he'd taken on Akatsuki less scary than the demon before him. Vaguely he remembered Sakura's lectures about a phrase regarding hell and women scorned. Sasuke frowned in thought as he twisted midair and landed on the roof. He immediately jumped away again, with Hanabi on his heels.

Did Sakura mention anything about overprotective brat sisters?

Fingers skimmed his shoulder. Sasuke's eyes widened when his left arm went numb. When did that happen? Cursing, he flickered through the one-handed seals of a mid-range fireball. Just enough to singe the ends of her hair a little. He drew in a deep breath.

"What is going on?"

Hiashi's voice was a crash of thunder through the chaos, and just as effective in enforcing subsequent silence. Sasuke choked back back his heated chakra as he and Hanabi dropped to the ground. They bowed their heads.

"Nothing, Father," was the meek reply. "Sasuke-kun and I were just sparring."

If either noticed the faint smoke curling from Sasuke's ears and nose, neither mentioned it.

"I see," Hiashi said skeptically. He was interrupted by an older Hyuuga who drew him into a murmured exchange.

"...hasn't been sleeping at all...hasn't reported..."

Sasuke leaned forward, pushing chakra into his ears.

"Have the nightmares worsened, then, Hiyoshi-san?"

Hiyoshi nodded grimly. "She'd taken wandering the kitchens more. Hikaru tried to get her to talk, but she won't say what happened between her and that Uch-"

Hanabi took the opportunity to elbow him in the ribs, conveniently closing two tenketsu that made it painful to breath. Sasuke wheezed indignantly. The Hyuuga head dismissed Hiyoshi with a nod and looked back at him with a knowing look in his eyes.

"Uchiha-san?" Hiashi asked for confirmation. "Is what Hanabi says true?"

"Just...sparring..." Sasuke managed. Any other reason would imply he was trespassing. He won't cause more trouble for Itachi.

Even if a certain annoying brat deserved a good beatdown.