NI:

When Sasuke woke up, it was still dark out and his body felt stiff and incredibly sore. The bed was crusted over, mostly with translucent white and pale yellow remnants of the night he had. He noticed that there were a few streaks of blood, too, but he had expected at least a little of it. Sasuke was a virgin after all, and his Aniki was beyond normal in size, so no matter the amount of lube, there had to be slight tearing.

The other thing the boy noticed, which bothered him more than that, was that Itachi was nowhere in sight, but he brushed it off. Instead, Sasuke focused first on getting into the shower, which was an amazing feat because every step of the way felt like a mile as he limped and winced.

When he arrived in his attached bathroom and looked over the counter into the mirror, he couldn't help but stare. Blotches littered all over his body: his neck, collarbone, shoulders, and chest. None of those body parts escaped the treatment.

As his gaze trailed lower, he noticed oblong markings, which seemed to wrap along his hips, and he ascertained that they had to have been Itachi's tight grip. His thighs were also in bad shape, baring bite marks that trailed up and down his inner thighs.

Purple so dark that it was nearly black, yellow, red, and green filled his vision, and Sasuke snorted when his brain compared his appearance to a modest version of a Jackson Pollock painting. But nothing about the way he currently looked was modest. He looked like he'd been to hell and back.

You mean thoroughly ravaged, a part of his brain whispered. Sasuke didn't dignify that with a confirmation. All he knew was that if the soreness behind didn't prove last night's events, then the marks on his body certainly did.

As if possessed to further prove it, his obsessed side peeked through, urging him to bend over to look at himself in the mirror. The boy peeled his ass cheeks apart, craning his head over his shoulder at his hole. What he saw made him flush and grow hard simultaneously.

His Aniki had been so big that he left his hole slightly agape in the center, the ring of muscles loosened, yet puffy and red from being abused. Sasuke's hole still twitched eagerly for more as if he hadn't been thoroughly fucked a few hours ago.

Just when he was about to straighten up, he saw and felt something clear and milky began to pool its way around his sphincter from the inside, and Sasuke began squeezing and pushing until the remnants of his Aniki's precious cum began dripping down his thighs and onto the tiled floors.

Without much consideration for shame, he reached for his phone, and while pulling one side of his cheeks apart, he aimed the camera at the mirror, making sure to not include his face, and snapped a picture.

A smile stretched across his lips as he set the phone back down and gingerly stepped into the shower. He nearly slapped himself silly after.

God, he was out of control.

Then again, he hadn't expected his Aniki to give it all to him. He had underestimated Itachi's stamina. Even though they had only gone two rounds (he passed out after so he didn't recall a third), the amount of juices that his Aniki released at the end of each was beyond comprehension. It was so thick and hefty, copious in quantity, that when Itachi came the second time, his seed was forced to dribble out the seams and wet the bed… much to Sasuke's disappointment.

Sasuke stepped into the shower seconds thereafter, allowing the steam and hot water to comfort his aching muscles. After he stepped out and dried himself, he searched his closet for clothes that would cover the marks. That was a feat in itself, because his Aniki left marks all the way up to his ear, and the bite marks below reached just above his knees.

It was Saturday, so he didn't have to worry too much about people at school seeing them, and, even though he would be home today, the amount of marks on his body was somewhat unsightly when taken in altogether. His Aniki would probably find a way to tease him more if he saw them, so the boy finally settled on a long-sleeve turtleneck and loose sweatpants.

It was just a quarter after nine when Sasuke stepped out of his room and descended downstairs. The smell of freshly brewed coffee tickled his nose and the sound of fingers dancing along a laptop keyboard echoed in his ears. He stopped just shy of the doorframe between the kitchen and the living room, staring at an elegantly poised figure occupying a stool at the kitchen island.

How was it possible for someone's back to be so fucking sexy?

"Otouto, are you awake?" Itachi murmured as he continued to type. "I made coffee and breakfast if you'd like some."

Sasuke must have stayed quiet for too long, because his Aniki abandoned his laptop a few seconds later and turned in his direction. The first thing the boy noticed was that Itachi's eyes weren't glazed over anymore. They were vivid and bright while his features held expressions that he did not last night. Sasuke cleared his throat when Itachi's eyebrow arched questioningly in his direction.

"Everything okay? Why are you wearing a turtleneck? Isn't it a bit warmer this morning?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke nearly swallowed his tongue. "... Because of what happened last night," he grumbled, a tinge of pink gathering along his cheekbones.

Itachi was on his feet this time, a bewildered expression on his face. His eyebrows furrowed as if concerned. "What happened last night?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

More confusion filled Sasuke's vision, causing trepidation to swallow the boy whole. Something about this wasn't right. What was his Aniki saying? Was Itachi feigning innocence? Did he want to act like none of it ever happened? The roar of his own blood through his veins attacked his eardrums and Sasuke ransacked his mind for the possibilities.

No. He was not fucking okay.

"You… You know what happened last night," he whispered indignantly. His chest grew tight as if someone had sucked out all of the oxygen.

This wasn't good. Either Itachi was fucking with him, or he really didn't remember.

His Aniki frowned, no traces of amusement plastered on his countenance. Usually, Sasuke would see something, anything, but the Itachi before him at this very moment only looked confused and worried. "Talk to me, Otouto. Did something happen last night? Are you hurt?"

Sasuke's eyes stung and he could hardly breathe. Itachi… didn't remember? How could that be? No, that was impossible.

His gaze grew harsh and mimicked his breathing pattern. "Did you sleep in your bed the whole night?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

No.

"Did you leave your room last night? For any reason at all? Get water? Do homework downstairs? Eat?"

Itachi's frown deepened. "No, I didn't."

No. No.

"Do you even remember waking up last night?" he borderline demanded, eyes so sharp that they could have cut through titanium.

"What? You know I don't typically wake up in the middle of the night."

No. No. No.

"You're not pulling my leg, are you?" he whispered, the last string of hope attached to that question.

Sasuke was hyperventilating. He knew he was, but he didn't know how to stop it. Somehow between his swirling thoughts and the dread in his chest, he heard his Aniki speak, confirming all of his fears.

"What's this about, Sasuke? Did you have a bad dream?" Itachi asked gently, his body coming to stand before Sasuke's. "Do you want to sleep with me in my bed tonight?"

"NO!" Sasuke shrieked so loud and panicky that it made Itachi suspicious. His head had snapped up so fast he was afraid he'd get whiplash. Sasuke cursed to himself and attempted to calm down and get his heartbeat under control. "I mean, I thought I heard something, but it must have been the wind," he said quickly.

God, it felt like he swallowed a boulder.

The suspicion did not subside from Itachi's prodding stare. "Are you sure it wasn't a nightmare?" he asked. "You know I always leave my bedroom door open in case you ever need anything, Otouto."

Fuck. His Aniki was way too fucking nice that Sasuke couldn't even be angry at him for forgetting what they did. Wait a minute. Did that mean that Itachi was sleepwalking? It was the only explanation he could come up with….

Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit.

He violated his Aniki when he was unconscious, incoherent to make his own choices with a sound mind.

SHIT, Sasuke screamed in his head.

No wonder his face was so blank. No wonder he barely uttered a few words. No wonder he had a glazed-over look in his eyes. No wonder he didn't remember. Sasuke was so busy being greedy that he didn't even notice the signs.

"I'm sorry," he whispered suddenly, emotions welling up in his chest so much that they were forced out in that apology. It was uttered so painfully, filled with so much guilt, hurt, and sadness, that the suspicion dropped from Itachi's gaze, overwritten by his platonic need to comfort.

"There's no need to be sorry," his Aniki said, drawing him into his arms. Sasuke shivered against Itachi's warm body. Apparently, his mind and body weren't sorry at all as they recalled everything they'd done a few hours ago. "Sometimes, nightmares get the best of me, too."

His Aniki must have thought he was apologizing for yelling so suddenly. Sasuke didn't have the heart or balls to correct him otherwise. He whimpered in Itachi's arms, but his body remained frozen otherwise.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep in my bed tonight?"

"I'm sure," Sasuke said sharply as he recollected himself and detached himself from his Aniki's arms. "I… must have had a bad dream," he muttered like he was trying to convince himself. "I'm spouting nonsense."

His eyes stung even more now, and Sasuke couldn't even begin to imagine the pale sheet of horror that displayed itself like a neon sign on his face.

"Otouto-"

"I don't feel so good," he whispered, cutting his Aniki off as he backed away. He couldn't even bear to look Itachi in the eye, shame filling his being to the core. "I- I'm going to go lay back down."

His Aniki reached out for him, but Sasuke evaded his touch, a torturously low whimper echoing in the kitchen.

"Sasuke, what can I d-"

"Don't touch me," Sasuke whispered harshly. The tears had gathered so heavily at the bottom of his eyelids that, if he didn't get out of there right that second, he would be sobbing in front of Itachi.

A few moments later, Sasuke found himself pressed against his bedroom door, chest rising and falling at an alarming rate as tears dribbled down his face. He covered his face with his hands and released a scream into them, but it came out as a muffled sob. Next thing he knew, he hid underneath his blanket on a sheetless bed. He had tossed the covers and sheets in his hamper earlier and all that was left was his navy blanket, which he had picked up from the ground that morning because his Aniki had tossed it aside last night.

Despite his sobbing, Sasuke could hear footsteps outside of his door. Like all the times before, his Aniki would wait outside his bedroom door like a loyal servant, never intruding on his privacy even though he had a doorknob that didn't have a lock. Itachi merely stood there and silently offered Sasuke his companionship and comfort through the barrier.

Usually, Sasuke would fail the waiting game, lasting only minutes of being sad or angry, and yank the door open only to be greeted by Itachi's embrace. But this time was different. He didn't have the heart to look at his Aniki.

At some point during his crisis, Sasuke must have fallen asleep because, when he opened his eyes, a few hours had passed. A knock on his door had woken him up and Sasuke sat up in bed, immediately realizing it was a bad idea when pain shot up his spine. He ignored it this time though, disheartened, and rubbed his eyes, staring dazedly at the door.

His room had grown rather warm during his slumber, the signs of high noon evident through his drawn curtains. He knew his Aniki was the one knocking on his door, waiting patiently for Sasuke to answer him, and, honestly, how could Sasuke stay silently mad at Itachi, in this whole situation, when it was Sasuke's fault to begin with? Why did Itachi have to suffer because Sasuke had been so fucking stupid and weak?

"Yeah?" he answered, voice hoarse from last night. His bedroom door creaked, but Sasuke kept his eyes on the blanket covering his lap.

"Otouto, I made you lunch," came Itachi's soothing voice. He had a tray in his hand filled with a few plates.

"Shouldn't you be at the library?" Sasuke responded off-handedly, fingers connecting before his vision to pick at his nails.

"I wanted to stay here with you."

God fucking damn. Why did his Aniki have to be so fucking sweet to him?

"Oh."

Itachi sat the tray down with a clack on his nightstand, and Sasuke felt the right bedside move afterward when the man sat down. The boy could smell his Aniki instantly, even from this distance, and he bit down on his lower lip. That was the smell that filled his lungs when they had made love.

Another palm filled his vision and Sasuke watched as his Aniki's index and middle finger hooked onto his thumb, stopping his nail-picking habit. He hadn't realized how badly messed up he was in that second, because, instantly, Sasuke jerked his hand free and shoved both of them underneath his blanket.

He didn't need to look up to know that his Aniki was making a face. The atmosphere in the room shifted.

"What did I do, Otouto?" Itachi asked, distressed. "Was it the teasing last night? If so, Aniki is sorry. I'll tone it down. Please don't be mad."

No, it was me allowing your elephant cock to tear its way into my virgin hole while you were sleepwalking, his brain snidely remarked.

"Sorry I'm being weird," he muttered, lip finding its way between his teeth again.

If Itachi found out what Sasuke had done, he'd hate him forever. He wouldn't look at Sasuke again. He wouldn't love him anymore, treat him so gently and thoughtfully.

"What are you doing?" Itachi questioned suddenly, his tone unappreciative and scolding. "Stop that."

In a flash, his Aniki's thumb was rubbing along Sasuke's lower lip, forcing it to detach from his teeth. He was so startled that he squeaked, but Itachi did not let go, tilting his chin up and holding it in place. "You're bleeding," his Aniki murmured, a glimmer of sadness in his gaze, as his thumb began smoothing over his chin in left-to-right motions.

Sasuke's onyx orbs flickered to Itachi's face. He hated that look, hated when his Aniki was sad, especially if he was the root of it all.

"Look," Itachi said while frowning, bringing his thumb up to show Sasuke. A smeared streak of crimson stained it. "What are you thinking about that's making you bite your lip like that?"

Sasuke couldn't do this. He really couldn't. The proximity, the lips that parted so closely to his, the fresh, groan-worthy scent of the man, and the body that was inches away from Sasuke's sitting form on the bed they made love in was too much.

He scooted away, moving toward the other side of the bed no matter how painful it was to shimmy his hips over, and efficiently broke all contact. "I'm fine," he muttered, ignoring the way Itachi's narrowed eyes clouded with a speck of hurt.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Itachi demanded, the tenderness in his tone replaced with displeasure. "Are you feeling unwell? Did something happen at school? Why are you treating me like a stranger, Otouto?"

"You're not a stranger," Sasuke mumbled, looking away.

The growl that echoed in his ears was brutal and swimming with disapproval, causing Sasuke to wince. "Of course I'm not a fucking stranger," his Aniki hissed. "But you won't look at me. You move away from me as if my touch burns you. Does my presence cause you such inconvenience that you'd go out of your way to avoid me?" Itachi said harshly, before a wave of another emotion filtered into his words. "Have I done something to upset you, Otouto? Tell me so I can fix it."

Sasuke felt indignant. There his Aniki was, always the fixer-upper. Despite his incessant teasing, Itachi was always treating Sasuke like he was a treasure, always looking out for his well-being, always the first to pinpoint his mood, always showering him with sweet platonic embraces and affection, always fixing Sasuke's terrible mood no matter the cause, always bringing him little gifts out of the blue, always turning that gentle smile in his direction.

Always, always, always. FUCKING ALWAYS.

Since he was an infant, his Aniki had suffocated him with his doting and affections, his fondness for skinship and teasing remarks, and his gorgeous, angelic smile.

How the fuck was Sasuke not supposed to fall in love with him when he treated him like that?

"I… found your favorite sleeping shirt in the trash when I took it out," Itachi said, voice growing lower as sadness crept into each word. "I know it's your favorite because I bought it for you for Christmas, and you always wear it to bed at night. It was all torn up."

Sasuke's heart hammered against his chest and he broke out into a cold sweat. Fuck. He'd forgotten he had tossed it in the regular garbage. He hadn't thought much of it at the time because he figured his Aniki would remember what transpired and ignore it. However, after it was evident that wasn't the case, Sasuke had been too emotional to remember such a trivial detail.

"Sorry, Aniki."

Sasuke heard his Aniki sigh and then felt a palm pat his thigh gently before resting on top of it. This time, he didn't thwart his touch.

"I don't want you to be sorry, Otouto. I want to know what's going on. Will you tell me?" Itachi asked, so sweetly and lovingly that Sasuke was back to biting himself again. This time, it was the inside of his cheek.

"I- it's nothing bad," he began. "It was just an accident."

How fucking lame was that explanation? How could he expect the man to buy it when he, himself, didn't?

"You were wearing that shirt last night. I remember because you greeted me at the door, and you looked so cozy in it."

The boy remained quiet. Honestly, there wasn't an explanation he could think of to get him out of this mess, and it seemed like both of them knew this.

"I really liked that shirt," Sasuke mumbled. "Can you please buy me another one, Aniki?"

"Mhm. Of course, my dear Otouto."

More silence.

"You know you can tell Aniki anything, right?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said.

"You know Aniki would do anything for you, right?"

Sasuke felt the hand on him squeeze gently, and, ignoring his aching muscles, he nodded his head. "Yeah," he whispered again.

"You know Aniki also loves you very much, right?"

"Y-yeah," Sasuke croaked, tears starting to fill his vision again.

"Shhh, it's okay, Otouto," Itachi murmured, climbing into bed beside him only to pick Sasuke up like he weighed less than a feather and set him onto his outstretched thighs.

The man stroked down his back as he held him against his body. A choked sob broke free, and Sasuke began crying into the man's chest, his body conditioned to curl into his Aniki's.

"My sweet baby. I wish you would tell me what's eating at you so I can make it better," Itachi murmured. He pressed a kiss to Sasuke's forehead and continued rubbing his back.

"I-I'm s-sorry," Sasuke wailed, fingers gripping tightly onto his Aniki's shirt. "I'm s-sorry, A-Aniki."

"It's okay, Otouto. Aniki is here," Itachi cooed.

How could his Aniki say it was okay so easily when he didn't know what horrible things Sasuke had done? How could he be so forgiving?

Sasuke clutched tightly onto the man while his limbs shivered, sobs wracking his body for a very long time thereafter. "I l-love you, Aniki. I l-love y-you," he repeated between cries, terrified that Itachi would hate him if he ever found out and would no longer accept his love. Terrified that, if he didn't say it now, he would no longer be able to. Terrified that his Aniki would leave him.

Desperation seeped into his words like water into a sponge. His Aniki must have been frowning at that very moment. He must have been, because Sasuke's behavior was way out of character for him, but he also knew that his Aniki wouldn't push him to divulge more than he was willing and ready to.

And Sasuke wasn't. He never will be. He'd take this secret with him to his grave.

A few hours later, they sat at the dining table for a late evening dinner. It was a quiet one, one of the most silent dinners the two of them have ever had together, and it was evident that the uncomfortable silence in the air was as thick and suffocating as rising smoke in a house on fire. Other than the clinking of silverware, the exchange between the two involved Sasuke staring down at his plate of food while Itachi stared wordlessly at the boy.

After Sasuke's declaration, he had not uttered another word for the rest of that day, and he knew for a fact that his Aniki was well aware of his continuous odd behavior. Even when they sat down for dinner, Sasuke had chosen the furthest seat from where Itachi sat, ignoring the deep frown etched in the elder's features when he did so. He had pushed his food around his plate for a good few minutes until he decided he had done his part by joining Itachi at dinner and pushed his chair back to rise, but his Aniki had other plans.

"Sit," Itachi commanded, voice so firm that there was no room for argument.

But Sasuke being Sasuke, hesitated, palms still splayed flat on the table, bit his lip, and glanced slowly at his Aniki. The warning look on Itachi's face told him that the man anticipated his hesitation, and the boy nearly flinched.

"I said sit down, Otouto," Itachi said, this time with a growl.

Sasuke's bum hit the chair so fast that he winced. The ache was evident deep inside him, shooting tingly sensations up his spine, and despite his previous guilt and shame, he felt his cock twitch from Itachi's alpha-male tone and growl, which caused memories to burst inside his brain like fireworks.

God, he was beyond help.

His fingers fiddled in his lap, taking care to not brush against his groin lest he make things worse for himself, and his gaze shied away. Anywhere, but at his Aniki's face, which was contorted in a mixture of frustration, sadness, and anger.

"Why are you so nervous?" Itachi demanded. His eyes had narrowed into slits as he exhaled harshly out of his nostrils.

"I'm not," he denied instantly.

"Why can't you look at me then?" Itachi's voice fell an octave. "I thought we sorted this out, Otouto."

"I'm sorry…" Sasuke whispered. His Aniki sounded so sad. Sad because Sasuke was being a brooding masochist. But it was so hard to let something like that go. He spent a beautiful, orgasmic, butterflies-in-his-stomach magical night being loved by his Aniki only for it to be a lie. It was hard to get over that in a span of twelve hours.

"You are treating me like I don't exist, Sasuke. You won't talk to me, you won't go anywhere near me, and you can't even look at me. You are the only person in the universe who is not allowed to ignore me." The man's voice slowly increased with each statement until it reached an octave akin to one that a parent would use on a misbehaving child, making Sasuke whimper and bite down on his lip harder. "So you're going to tell me exactly what happened. And you're not going to leave any details out, or so help me God, I am going to pry it out of you. Do you hear me?" Itachi hissed.

"...Y-yes."

"Tell me. Now."

He'd rather go to hell than tell Itachi the truth, so Sasuke scrambled his brain for a reason, any suitable reason that would quell Itachi's suspicions. It had to be something believable, not trivial, because his Aniki was too smart to not know the difference.

"I… um, I had a fight with someone I'm seeing," he finally said. He knew that didn't explain why he was ignoring his Aniki, but it would explain his shifty mood, and at the moment, it was the best Sasuke could come up with.

After he had spoken though, there was not a peep out of Itachi. The boy found that extremely odd, because the man had been demanding answers from him up until then and, when he had finally given one, he received nothing in return. Sasuke looked up, fearing the worst.

Immediately, he gasped.

A vicious glare pierced his soul. It was filled with so much fury that Sasuke could see the man's pupils constrict from his seat afar.

"What did you just say?" Itachi whispered quietly at first as if in shock. Sasuke knew the man had heard him because he had spoken clearly even though it wasn't loud, and his was the loudest his voice had risen all day.

Due to his silence, he was hit with another question. It was less cordial this time. Much less cordial.

"What the hell did you just say, Sasuke?" Itachi hissed.

Sasuke opened his mouth, but any words he intended to voice were cut off.

"What do you mean 'you're seeing someone'?" Itachi said through gritted teeth. "I hope you don't mean what I think you mean, Sasuke."

The boy's eyes slid back down to his tense fingers in his lap, shutting his eyes tightly at the onslaught of words. He couldn't even retort if he wanted to. Better to let his Aniki focus on something else for a change instead of his odd behavior. He hated lying to Itachi, but he couldn't think of any other way around it.

"No. You are not allowed to 'see someone.' You are not allowed to see anyone. If anyone fucking touches you, I am going to kill them," Itachi snarled, palms slamming onto the table as he rose from his chair. The dinnerware rattled underneath his brute strength.

Sasuke's head snapped up abruptly and his eyes widened in panic as if he could not believe what he had just heard. The glare in his direction grew feral, unbelievably cold, causing a shiver to run down Sasuke's spine. It left Sasuke a mess. "A-Ani- I… w-what?"

"Did you hear me, Sasuke?" Itachi snarled. "I don't fucking care who it is. Break up with them. Now."

Despite the man being two seats away at the table, Sasuke didn't feel any less cornered, the suffocating feeling of Itachi's hovering presence and unimaginable words crashing into his chest so hard that it felt like someone had placed a boulder over it. Sasuke swallowed so hard that it drew Itachi's gaze to his mouth before it flickered to the turtleneck he was still wearing.

Realization dawned on his face too late for Sasuke to run.

"Is that why you're wearing that ridiculous turtleneck in this weather?" Itachi growled. He received his answer when Sasuke stumbled out of his seat, attempting to disappear from the room, but Itachi was one step ahead and cornered him against the wall. "Answer me, Sasuke. Is that why you're wearing that shirt?"

His Aniki's voice was deceptively soft in close range, but the uncultured look in his eyes made it known otherwise. Sasuke shook his head vehemently, and even though it was futile to create space between them, he continued to press his back as close to the wall as humanly possible. "N-no, Aniki," Sasuke said, staring up teary-eyed at his looming Aniki.

"Take it off," Itachi murmured, gaze flickering down Sasuke's torso.

"P-please, Aniki…. Don't m-make me…" Sasuke whimpered, clutching onto the hem of his shirt.

"Don't make me ask twice, Otouto," Itachi said.

With trembling fingers and hesitation so massive that it made him dizzy, Sasuke began to lift the hem of his shirt. He did it so incredibly slowly, revealing his pale, blotchy skin inch by inch, until his shirt was abandoned on the floor.

A wisp of cold hair hit his bare skin, hardening his nubs instantly. Aside from the harsh breathing that tickled his face, Sasuke could not understand what emotion exactly was displayed on his Aniki's face because it was so distorted and convoluted. Ultimately, he knew it was nothing good.

Like he had said, his body looked like a Jackson Pollock painting. Full, circular sets of teeth marks littered his body: one at the base of his neck, one on his shoulder, and one around one of his nipples. That did not include the ones between his thighs. The hickeys must have looked worse than this morning, having the time to blossom into purple, blue and green, and bruises enveloped his upper wrists from where his Aniki had held tightly onto him while he made love to him.

Sasuke exhaled a shaky, quiet breath, too terrified to make a single noise. And that reasoning came a second later when his Aniki's hands clasped onto his shoulders.

"Who was it?" came Itachi's first whispered words. Sasuke thought that maybe the man was so stunned he had a hard time speaking…. That was until he grew hysterical and his behavior grew so volatile it was beyond comprehension. "Who did that to you? Tell me. Who the fuck did that to you?!"

Sasuke wanted to swallow his tongue. Maybe, that way, he would have an excuse not to answer his Aniki. This was not the direction he intended the conversation to go when he made up his reason. In fact, he would not have even come close to guessing that his Aniki would lose his marbles over something like this. He was screaming. Borderline terrifying. The house shook under his wrath as did Sasuke's legs.

"It's n-not what y-you think, A-Aniki," he sniffled. Sasuke's hands reached out to grip onto the hem of Itachi's shirt, clasping the fabric tightly around his fingers as if he thought it would prevent Itachi from burning every house on fire before he found the culprit. He could feel vibrations tingling along his grip and realized Itachi was trembling, too.

"Did someone… Were you… raped?" Itachi forced those words out, his deadened tone and words causing Sasuke to flinch.

"No!" the boy shrieked automatically. "No, Aniki. No. I'm o-okay. I'm not hurt."

"This… This is not okay. Not okay," Itachi began as if mumbling to himself. Suddenly, he was a few feet away from Sasuke, pacing back and forth in the dining room. His hands were threaded through his hair, messing up his once neatly groomed ponytail as he muttered strings of statements to himself. Most of them were impossible for Sasuke to understand, but he picked up some phrases.

'Fucking piece of… I can't… angel… going to kill… how dare… mine… my Otouto….'

More and more dread filled Sasuke's lungs as he watched his Aniki pace while whispering to himself. Finally, a minute later, he grew alert and stood stock still when Itachi snapped his head in his direction, bestowing upon him a look that he could not decipher.

"You are going to sleep in my room tonight," he ordered, finality in his tone. "Aniki is going to take care of you."