Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The moment he had dissolved into oblivion, deep within Kabuto's hideout but next to his most precious person in the world, Itachi had felt peaceful and at ease. He'd leave the world and its problems behind, passing the torch on for the next generations to come. Unlike when he actually had died, he got pulled out of the artificial shell made of soil and wicked intentions. 

His consciousness had prepared itself to fade away, but suddenly something seemed to have gripped his soul in mid-air, preventing him from taking on his final journey. Despite being reduced to his immaterial very essence, it had been possible for Itachi to make out the source of the power pulling him in. It had been Madara's Chakra that obviously had undergone a significant change. Something all-consuming and energy devouring had tugged at the seams of his being. He couldn't help being drawn in by its force without knowing what was going to happen. 

He had been drifting towards the source for some time, passing battlefields and forests. 
But then, suddenly the connection violently got cut. For a brief moment it had felt like he'd be floating after which an unbearable heaviness overcame his mind. It kind of had felt to him as if he'd witnessed the invention of gravity itself that before hadn't been existing. 

He didn't feel like falling, but rather the earth pulling him in and with that had come darkness clouding his consciousness. The gravel was collecting itself around him once more and the last thing he recognized was himself feeling incredibly confused, passing down through treetops and branches, heading downwards into a pitch black closing in on him, forcing his awareness of himself to waver into nothingness.

☾

Itachi felt cold. He shuddered and recognized the relentless pitter-patter of raindrops on his skin. His skin ... He pried his eyes open and was greeted with darkness. But not that kind of darkness he had expected – it merely was nighttime, still illuminated by a crescent moon. 

His vision was blurry and he slowly started to recollect what last memories he could come up with. He then realized that he couldn't move. The only thing possible was watching the surroundings slowly taking shape and reclaiming his senses. The raindrops coming down directly hit his skin. He would have to be naked for this kind of intense sensation.

Itachi tried to at least move his head, but came up with no response. Now, was he dead or wasn't he? Itachi certainly had as much control over what seemed to be a body again as if it’d be a corpse, but it felt differently than when he died. Everything had gotten muted out, faded at the seams and melting away back then. 
Instead the chilly forest floor and its emanating aroma evaded his sharpening senses with an unusual intensity. The air smelled fresh despite the proximity to the battlefields. 

With more time passing by Itachi repeatedly tried to will his body to react but found it utterly unresponsive still. Instead he recognized himself aching and sore, even hungry and wholly exhausted although just lying there for god-knows-how-long. 

Another day came and went, which was riddled by the sounds of faraway explosions and violent shaking of the earth. The war had to have reached its peak he supposed, still not having the slightest of theories why he was being denied to return to his former peace in the afterlife.

Wouldn't he have experienced it already, he would have suspected himself of not being worthy of it and instead some form of eternal punishment having created himself his very own version of hell. But the longer he was lying there, the less was his memory able to access how the afterlife had been looking like. At first it had been clear as day, but soon the only thing that remained vivid was the certainty that he in fact had been dead.

A strange sleep overcame him around the second evening, right when the roaring of an ongoing battle had shaken the earth the worst. He awoke flustered and agitated as if something of significance had taken place in the time he had been unconscious.

For a while, there had been nothing. Itachi tried to pull forth any recollection about the sphere he had entered after leaving his worldly life behind and found, that he couldn't access anything anymore whatsoever. That was the time, he felt one of his fingers twitch.

Even a little surprised by it himself, he tried to recreate this reaction, just to find, that he could this time bend it a little further and with it also the finger neighboring it.

Loud crashes and blasts, telltailing of a grand fight erupted again and making him fear, that the war might have shifted in its location. Those noises were nearer and sounded all the more devastating for the landscape. It took another day until also those battle roars subsided and by that time, Itachi could already move around his head, close his hands and bend at his ankles. There still was no strength behind it, but the fast progress made him optimistic, that he wouldn't just fade away on the forest floor.

Two more days passed, until Itachi finally was able to crawl on his knees and brace himself against a tree. He had time to think in those days of nothing but pulling at the resistant limitations of his body and listening into nature. The sounds had ceased altogether which could either be a good sign or a devastating one. Reguardless, he would be in no position to join any party.

The fact, that he had to pee himself the last days, was sentiment enough, that he indeed had left the realm of the ethereal an instead had been tossed back into the cold and merciless reality called life. However that would be possible, but he was certain, as by now he had had the chance to look himself over. The hunger and pain he felt should have been proof enough, but him being naturally suspicious he had even bit his finger, to see the very true blood, the essence of his life flow down his wrist.

The only thing he had on him, was the familiar chain around his neck he hadn't taken off for over a decade now. In this state he would be an easy kill and despite him technically having no claim on life, Itachi categorically rejected the idea of just getting discarded like a nobody. It wasn't in his nature to lightly give up.

As he was in no position to walk, let alone longer distances, and realistically wouldn't be for quite some time, he hid behind a bigger tree and watched the road he was near to. Several groups of people he let pass without drawing their attention to him, but when a singular elderly lady came by, to probably come about some food, he tested his voice to call out to her.

At first she had been startled by the look of him, but soon enough drew the unoffered conclusion that he must have belonged to the grand Shinobi alliance and been ambushed by an enemy. Itachi neither confirmed that notion, nor dissuaded her from the idea, as this version certainly would make more sense than anything he could offer. He didn't even know himself what had happened to him.

She had to use all of her strength to prop up the adult male body and take him to her humble house in the midst of this forest. Lucky for Itachi, it hadn't been too far of a journey. The soles of his feet had been cut on their way and the whole of his being felt weak and depleted of energy and Chakra.

The old woman was nice enough to offer him her couch and wiped the dirt from him with a wet towel. Itachi was thankful for the kind gesture, although it being embarrassing to be this vulnerable. He afterwards got covered by a thick blanket and offered some hot stew and water to eventually have the chance to ever come back to health.

"I don't know, if I could ever repay your kindness. I don't have any wealth or a family."

"Aaah, don't worry young man. It's my duty, since you have fought for our country and made it, so that we could all see another day."



"Do you know of the outcome? I haven't heard battle sounds for a few days now, is there a ceasefire?" 

The old lady practically brimmed with joy, while she told him about the end of the war and the reparations having begun. She didn't know much first-hand, as she wasn't one who would be close to the frontline, but she told of grand battles having taken place and also tales of three especially outstanding fighters who had swayed the final outcome in their favor; one of which he recognized as probably being his brother.

He enjoyed hearing all the stories, despite her lack of naming any of the Jutsus or ability to describe anything detailed enough for him to get a clear image of what exactly had taken place, but the fact that their side seemed to have come out victorious was enough for him.

What worried him was the fact, that Sasuke and Naruto afterwards seem to have fought each other and in a way, that caused huge destruction. The lady couldn't report about too many details regarding that, since the two fighter seemingly had ventured towards the valley of the end. All that she knew with certainty was, that the fight had ended in a standoff and rumors were, that both somehow had made up afterwards.

Itachi had to settle with that, as there was no way for him, to leave the small hut and find out more on his own. Besides... he had to be cautious not to get seen by anybody. He still was one of the most sought after criminals at the top of the Bingo-book. Even though his name must have been crossed out, most people would still remember and recognize him.

Konoha's officials might have unearthed the unpleasent circumstances of the Uchiha-massacre and his as well as their own role in it by now, but he doubted, that the details had bled down to the commoners yet, considering the bad light they shed on the official politicians.

He spent his days with `training´, although it comprised of mere flexing his limbs and leveraging parts of his weight onto them. It felt as if he had been in a coma or paralyzed for a long time and having to relearn most of his body's basic functions. The woman had brought him some casual clothes after she went to the market that were a little too short and very humble, but he was thankful nonetheless.

Weeks turned into months of makeshift physiotherapy he conducted on himself, until his limbs finally obeyed him again and he could shift towards light physical exercise again. But fate was when you'd make plans and the gods laugh about them.

In an effort to repay the strange woman's kindness, Itachi had started to do basic chores around the house, such as repairing the roof and collect firewood, just to find her dead body when he returned from a venture into the woods.

She had obviously been killed. It would have been easy to get carried away and just assume some bandits having mugged her, but the house was far removed from any travel route, that might be frequented by merchants. It didn't hold anything of value too and the way her throat was slit looked like an execution.

Just because she had been kind enough to him didn't mean that she necessarily had been that lil'-ol'-lady she had wanted to be perceived as. He had become suspicious before, when some of her sloppy descriptions of war events lacked details even an untrained eye should have been able to register and would normally have been the most logical things to put in words, such as color and nature of a Jutsu.

Who knew if she even was a righteous individual at all, considering her certainly having to have a reason why she hid away from everybody in the depth of the forest.
He buried her anyway behind the house; her worldly sins were none of his concerns and the debt he owed her had nothing to do with whichever atrocities she might have taken part in. If anything, this incident urged him to put his stalling to an end and finally making a decision on how to move forward with his life.

Itachi had a blank slate in front of him. He could vanish, change his appearance and set camp in another land. Or he could face his shadows of the past and turn to what would be the tenfold more complicated route forward. But he hadn't been truthful to the old lady either. It wasn't, that he had no family at all. He had one person left in his life, that might actually want to see him again.

He remembered Sasuke's face, when they had parted in that cave. It was full of sorrow and desperation, lit with an array of different emotions that threatened to spill over, but never had the time to get properly entertained. Itachi had shown him the truth in the very end. He had owed him. In actuality he owed him so much more than that... 

This realization was what became the final straw in his decision-making. For the first time he would try and take his only brother's feelings into consideration and leave it to him, what would come about himself. If the roles were reversed, he'd absolutely want to know that Sasuke was alive. However reflexively the persona he'd become struggled against being dragged out into the light of day, this was what `owing someone´ really entailed. Not the empty phrases all too easily coming across the lips. 

He had deceived his brother one too many times, that he would come back to see to him and then never did. He would have no other excuse than simple cowardice and that he wouldn't have been able to excuse, not even against his own scrutiny. So he instead made his decision and started his way towards Konohagakure.

It felt more than strange. In a way, he would be coming home. He would not sneak in but pass through the main gate and would cause quite the commotion. Over eight months had passed since the end of the war and he should have kicked his butt in gear quite some time ago. But better late than never, right? Right?... 

☾

Itachi had gotten arrested by the ANBU forces as soon as his presence became known in front of the gate. He had figured as much and didn't make any attempt to fight back. The fact, that he didn't wear any weapons, didn't calm his pursuers in the least. `Smart...´

Pleasantly enough he wasn't thrown in prison right away, but instead got brought to the Hokage tower. He hadn't been there in forever and it looked slightly different after being rebuilt after pain's attack on the village. 

The wait in front of the Hokage's office felt strange. It took hours, that one in captivity wouldn't usually be allowed to wait at their highest dignitary's door. It was as if the future he wasn't owed to begin with, was suspended in limbo, neither here nor there. How would the rest of his life look like? Would he be imprisoned, or rehabilitated? Exiled maybe. But he surely would get the chance to speak to Sasuke beforehand, would he not?

"Hokage-sama is awaiting you now."
At that the double door opened and he was led inside by two ANBU securing both of his arms. Kakashi sat behind his desk and looked straight at him, inquiring and making the judgement for himself, if he really was the one who he appeared to be. The first thing that Itachi noticed was, that Kakashi didn't cover his second eye, which didn't hold a Sharingan anymore but looked exactly like his other one.

"Uchiha Itachi..."

"..."

"You can release him. He came here voluntarily, so he won't just pick up and leave."
Reluctantly his guards did release him and left the room, closing the door behind them.

"Now. I can confirm, that you are indeed Itachi, but I am quite surprised to see you here like that. After all this time..."

His forehead threw a few wrinkles in question. The last part sounded strangely accentuated. "What do you mean by `all this time´?"

"If anything, I would have suspected you earlier and not...", Kakashi mustered him from head to toe, "alive. I don't know if you've been made aware of what happened during the last major battle during the war, but despite you and Sasuke having lifted the ties of Kabuto's Edo Tensei, Uchiha Madara, who got resurrected as well, terminated his shackles towards that Jutsu on his own. He afterwards imposed an eternal Tsukuyomi onto the world, which eventually got lifted by the combination of the wielded Chakra of all nine tailed beasts and the ocular power of the Sage of Six Paths aswell as an understanding of the Jutsu itself.

Basically everything went haywire between this world and the afterlife and we picked up numerous lost souls for weeks after, who got bound or released by any of those different extremely powerful Jutsus' ricochet. But none of them got hit by any of them twice, like you seemingly did. You must have been affected by Madara's ultimate release and by Naruto's and Sasuke's ultimate release afterwards once more, since I'm seing you alive in front of me."

"Naruto's and Sasuke's ultimate release..."

"Yes. Indeed it had been those two squabblers, who had eventually pulled themselves together and united both of their most powerful abilities to break through the infinite Tsukuyomi."

"But how was this possible?", Itachi had to be honest, he was quite intrigued and astonished to finally learn some more clear descriptions of what had happened.

"Naruto had been a Jinchuriki for all of his life, but as you know he developed not only the ability to wield the nine-tailed' Chakra, but to also access and holster the nature energy through sage-mode. During the battle, the essence of all other tailed beasts' Chakras were temporarily entrusted to Naruto, who was able to channel them. Sasuke on the other hand is the most prowessed Dōjutsu-user alive, who could match with Madara. During their long fight, Sasuke gained access to the ocular power of the Sage of Six Paths, which means that one of his Sharingan had evolved into it's final form which apparently is the Rin’n’egan. I hadn't known this to be possible either, but it apparently is. Your brother is quite something it seems.
I would have appreciated it though, if he hadn't felt the need to rearrange our whole landscape afterwards in a nervous outburst. After defeating Madara, Sasuke had half-heartedly turned against us in order to follow some crazy crank of his, but Naruto stopped him and they beat each other's brains in. In the end, he calmed down and came to his senses to eventually lift the Mugen Tsukuyomi together with Naruto."

"Is he in trouble still?"

"Let's say he's on parrol, although not really. He doesn't have any official restrictions placed on him, due to his major role in turning the war in our favor. But let's just say the council is breathing down his neck and they dance around each other, both parties flexing their muscles. He does well in laying low for a little while."

"..." Itachi looked to his feet. This was quite some amount of information to digest all at once.

"I know, it's probably a lot. But I cannot have you running loose in the village. Do you have any idea what took me so long, until I accepted you?"

"... No?"

The older nodded. "I had the unpleasant pleasure of meeting with my council on your behalf. I, as well as most Shinobi who hold any influence, are well aware of your sacrifice for Konoha, but the old guard would still prefer their secrets being buried alongside with you. I told them that wouldn't fly anymore, so we will have to come up with a different solution that'll pave a path towards re-integration for you. We didn't come to any agreement regarding the terms, but we could at least determine some ground rules and will hand down the final decision within a few weeks. But I already got to tell you, that may take some time, considering how they fought tooth and nail today."

"... I understand. I'm not here to cause any problems."

"I can guess why you are here, so let me tell you the rest that you should know.
First of all, you will have to accept the fact, that – like any other member of an influential clan – you will have to bow down to the decisions made by and be subjugated to your Clan Head. Times have changed and irreversibly so. Your status as the Uchiha heir had long been challenged and revoked in favour of your younger brother. Although you still have a claim against your family's heritage, your brother has surpassed you in line of succession and the main lineage will continue through him. Will that be a problem for you?"

Itachi vehemently shook his head no. "Of course not." Why would he challenge his own brother on the role, that he had loathed as long as he could think back. Sure, he was the more experienced one and it would take some adjusting, not being the one to call the shots, but as long as they were both safe he could hold his tongue, even though his brother had to still be an adulescent at this point.

"Good. Because I will have to transfer you over into his hands. You are not to leave your clan's compound or disobey your brother's orders. For now you will be his problem and responsibility, so if you'd be causing any major issue, it would be him to blame. Understood?"

"– Understood."

"Alright then. In the meantime I have already sent word to Sasuke, so I assume he has already arrived by now. Should I bring him in?", without really waiting for a reply, Kakashi stood up to walk around his desk and order the door guards to lead the one waiting inside.

Itachi heard the rattling noise of the office's door as if being underwater through his rushing blood. Devoid of the adrenaline caused by omnipresent danger, his body reacted in a more organic way than it would, when being beaten into absolute submission by his will. 

He felt the air shifting behind him, rather than hearing the steps. `Typical Shinobi´

"So it's true...", the voice that spoke was merely two meters away from him, but Itachi couldn't yet stomach to lift his eye.

"Have you been informed about the details yet? It'll probably take weeks until we strike up a deal. Until his clearance, he really should stay out of the public eye. As far as I can tell, his mind seems to be intact and he appears to be in control of his faculties. In that case I don't suspect him giving you too much of a hard time, but you should keep an eye on him regardless. You know... he is one of those, who always think that they'd know best."

"##..."
"Don‘t you worry, I‘ll be taking care of him, so that he can assimilate smoothly. But most of all I won‘t tolerate anyone else causing trouble.“

„I hadn‘t spoken about anyone else yet.“

„We both know, that Itachi would never stir up trouble just because. I will see to it, that there will be no incidents.“

„Mmmmh. Good that I still have at least a few Shinobi with a working brain besides me and not just those muppets, whose capacities end at the exact pointers they‘d been given, like most those in my service.

The laugh that followed was lighthearted and genuine, much deeper than he’d remembered his brother’s voice to be, but unmistakably Sasuke. He couldn‘t even remember, the last time he had heard him laugh like that. Possibly as a very young child, but never after that godforsaken night. 

„Take care then, alright?“, this was Kakashi‘s way of ushering them out and Itachi knew, that now was the time he would have to face the other.
When he had been resurrected against his will, he had an agenda: To stop the Edo Tensei and be done with it. He had the clear perspective to vanish into the pure world again, after this task would be accomplished. Even facing Sasuke for this short period of time, before his provisional body had crumbled, had taken everything he had possibly left to offer.

But then again, through this short lent time he had become aware himself, that he may have been mistaken all along. That there might have been other possibilities that he could have seen, if only he wouldn‘t have completely retreated into himself and pledged to take on everything alone.

“Nī-san.“ An open hand entered his view. 
The address was familiar, but didn‘t hold the awe of a child looking up to him in its tone anymore.

The palm had a few visible marks and calluses and was bigger than he’d anticipated. The wrist disappeared behind heavy, obviously pricey silk. The kimono-sleeve he saw was night-blue and had embroideries in the very same color decorating it, that were as subtle as elegant and could only be made out from a close proximity or if you‘d be especially observant of that kind of thing.

Itachi took in a breath that was slightly too vocal to be comfortable with in public, as this time would be real. This time he had nowhere to flee to. This time it would cost him.
He peered upwards, along the kimono, that out of question was one of the most exquisite ones he‘d seen so far, landed on a neat neckline with white double-pleats, along an elegant neck, jaw, to finally look his brother in the face, who stood right in front of him.

Sasuke held a mild expression and thankfully gave him the time he needed to collect himself — probably needed himself. His face had changed since the last time he had seen him, as the unemotional silvery Rin’n’egan inside his left eye socket influenced his whole appearance. He took it in, how it slightly moved together with his other dark pupil and followed, when he shifted his weight between his feet.

He saw turmoil behind Sasuke‘s dark eye; something straining, but also something determined and reassuring. The Rin’n’egan might be the strongest Dōjutsu there was, but able to convey emotions it was not. Only the slightly fluttering eyelids bore witness of how very well feeling he in fact was. 
Sasuke was collected, but didn‘t even try to appear unmoved, like Itachi had always forced himself to. Even before he had to leave. He had to satisfy too many roles at once and could be genuine in almost none of them.

But his brother had always been different, very expressive and untamed. It nearly surprised him how much different he was from what Itachi had expected. Something between the lines of throwing a tantrum about why he hadn‘t come looking for him earlier, shaking him, crying, asking him impossible questions all at once. Most and foremost he had imagined him smaller and immature.

Itachi was taken aback, that he was the one looking small against the broad frame his brother held, especially imposing through the dignified layers of silk. The hakama accompanying the montsuki was no less exquisite in its makeup and tied flawlessly like to be expected of a Clan Head. Though not one of his age.

Itachi on the other hand was nearly cowering, wearing ill fitting rags in contrast. How could Sasuke be nearly as tall as him already?

In this moment he understood, that his brother's ability to display genuine emotions was never a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of maturity. He was strong enough to be vulnerable. Brave enough, for possible rejection that would follow, despite the hurt Itachi had already time and time again inflicted on him.

“Come on, let‘s go.“
Slowly, Sasuke pried his eyes from the other and strode through the opened door. Itachi followed closely behind, despite him knowing the way all too well. Kakashi had pointed out the Uchiha compound, so he was sure it had to be the main house — their childhood home — they were heading towards.

“Sasuke…“
“Hm?“ His brother looked at him from the side, while continuing their slow but steady pace down the hallway and eventually out of the building.

“I don‘t know why I live. It's not, that I didn‘t want to come back to you earlier… I simply couldn‘t move on my own right away. But I wanted to be by your side, if there would be ever the chance again to. That‘s the reason why I am here now.“

“… I‘m sure that wasn‘t an easy decision. There are many aspects that come into play. I understand.“

“Easy... Yes… and no.“
“I like the yes-part more and am glad that the positive outweighed. But I get it, it‘s complicated. It must also be painful, to finally be nothing but out in the open when you‘ve been used to the shadows. The light hurts your eyes“, he slightly smiled, when turning further to him, “metaphorically. On the downside did your use of Izanami have real consequences now, while you probably thought, that this sacrifice wouldn‘t matter at all. Somehow you always leverage your own demise. Will this become a new habit and I should look out for that, or will you be good this time?“

The voice of his brother mixed his very real concern and the grief he must have felt with something playful to make it easier to overcome for the both of them.

“… I‘ll do my best to be good.“
“Mmhmm. I‘ll have to take your word for it then I guess.“

As Itachi fell a little behind, he observed his brother a little more. His stance was upright, shoulders pulled back in natural confidence. Below his neckline was their family's crest displayed, that he was all too familiar with. Over the years he had always registered his brother still wearing it with a matter of course, while to him it belonged to long-forgotten days, tied to a past without future.

Itachi looked around a bit, as they passed through neighborhoods he once had known, but now were unfamiliar. He saw fleeting faces, none of which he recalled.
“Do you know most of the people here?“
Sasuke mustered him a bit questioningly. “Some of them, maybe a quarter, just from seeing them around. It‘s a small village after all and nearly half are or have been in Shinobi duty at some point.“

“I‘m surprised, that you don‘t live in the inner city. Why do you seclude yourself on the outskirts in the Uchiha premises?“

“It‘s my home, is it not? It‘s my family‘s land. I cannot flee from my heritage, nor from the responsibilities that come with it. Like it or not, I am an Uchiha after all and have accepted my place in society that came with it. I try my best to fill in that spot next to the other Clan Heads, despite certainly many of them would have preferred our name to be distilled down into history books. I won‘t do them that favour.“
“…“

They arrived at the huge staircase lining up to their premises, when the sun started to set. It had been a long day with many unexpected revelations. And it didn‘t end just yet.

After his brother had opened the door to their old home, Itachi noticed immediately how tidy and well arranged everything looked. And a whole lot different.
“You have renovated.“

“Yes, quite a bit. It took months to put everything back together and modernise it while already being at it. The general layout stayed the same, but I had to put new floors in most of the rooms, new appliances, furniture, shoji and paper slides… 

They neatly left their shoes in the genkan and headed towards the kitchen-loft that bordered into an open dining area with a low table and several seating cushions.

“Do you want something to drink?“
“Thank you Otōto.“ Itachi was looking deeper inside the ground floor. In the half-open hallway leading towards the staircase, was their old fireplace. Further in the back would be the tea-room in which they formerly had accepted official visitors and a guest-bedroom aswell as a spare bath.

Sasuke went past him and lowered himself on the spot at the head of the table. This would be his place from now on, Itachi mused. He flinched somewhat, when he got a glass of sake instead of water; somehow since it came from his brother, he hadn‘t made the connection between`something to drink´ and alcohol, but he supposed that Sasuke was old enough now.

The younger emptied his first round right away, so he could refill without disturbing the conversation. “How is your health now?“

“… So you‘re aware. Funny enough, but I‘m fine now. It appears as if I had to die to get rid of my disease, I seem to have left it behind together with my old body.“

“Does that mean your eyesight got back to normal as well? Considering you rely on only one now.“

“Well, that‘s another thing. Since my Sharingan are part of my Chakra nature, their deterioration became an irreversible part of me, just like with the use of Izanami. This is no mere worldly ailment, but something more… fundamental. It‘s still manageable for the most part, but my eye has better and worse days.“

“I see…“, the younger gave him the refill he hadn‘t asked for as well as poured into his own glass. It didn‘t went unnoticed, that Sasuke could down the burning liquid without so much of any outward reaction.

“You seem to like the sake“
“Naturally. I have a collection“, he gestured with his head towards a cabinet inside the kitchen area, that in the past hadn‘t been there.

“A collection…“, he raised his glass to sniff at the aroma. It indeed smelled more pleasant and elaborate than the stuff his Akatsuki comrades would come up with at those rare occasions he would join them in their leisure time. Everything his brother surrounded himself with seemed to be of the highest quality, be it the drinks, the furniture or the traditional clothing he wore and looked quite remarkable in.

“Why are you wearing such formal clothes? Have you attended a special event or had there been an occasion?“

“I was meeting one two people to discuss some things indeed, but I wouldn‘t call it an event or occasion. I like to dress appropriately and enjoy those finer fabrics. If you‘re asking me it‘s a shame, that so many have abandoned a cultivated way of dressing. Practical training clothes are one thing, but I‘ve seen people in joggers and slacks all around town; I have no desire to add to the damage that‘d been done to men‘s fashion. Also, the kimono fit prevents me from looking strange after losing my dominant arm. You of all people haven‘t even noticed yet, right?“

Sasuke‘s face remained unmoved, while that of his brother‘s hardened to stone. He had not.

The lips of the younger kept being turned upwards at the edges, but were pressed thin over each other. His eyes didn‘t leave the other, while he took his right hand and pushed it against his left sleeve to demonstrate, that it was in fact empty until slightly above that place, where an elbow would be expected. He briefly touched, where his body ended and let the wrinkles tell the story, before he pulled back towards his glass again and let the fabric neatly fall back into place, as if nothing would be out of the ordinary.

“Wha—Whe…“, he should concentrate on the most important one, “Why?“

“It was my fault. I was enraged and stupid and way too full of myself. I challenged Naruto in the end, after we‘d defeated Madara. Long story short, the fight ended in Naruto countering a giant Chidori with a giant Rasengan head-to-head. We had both pushed our limits beyond what had been reasonable and both of our Jutsus proved to be equally as strong, so none of them would give. At the time of the impact each of us got our own Jutsu pressed back at us“, he sighed and poured the next round. This time Itachi appreciated it. “Naruto lost his dominant arm also, but got it reconstructed with Hashirama cells a few months after his recovery. He left the village now, to train some more, but most and foremost prepare to eventually become the next Hokage, which he still needs plenty experience for, especially in foreign policies and how the other nations handle things. So he‘s away traveling for an unforeseeable amount of time, probably a few years.“

“Wouldn‘t that have been an option for you too?“
“I‘ve already traveled plenty in my life, I‘m content having a home for once.“
“The prosthetic.“
“No. Physically yes, but no.“ As if clear as day and no further explanation being necessary, he just looked the other way and made it apparent, that he won‘t appreciate a full-fledged discussion about it, especially as the matter being settled anyways.

„How are you holding up? Losing an arm is a big change.“

“…“ The younger looked at him for a while and tasted the sake, as if it would tell him what amount of truth the other could handle at that point.
“It‘s been quite difficult and the transition took time, but I‘m not complaining. It‘s my own fault after all. It reminds me to not get ahead of myself and get carried away too easily. By anything.“

“Hmm. A valuable lesson, for too high of a price.“
“If every price would be negotiable, we‘d deem ourselves gods and not human. That had been tried before and failed miserably, if you‘re asking me“, Sasuke tapped a few times against his empty glass, while looking ahead to the other.

“Maybe we should retreat. You had been on the road for some time I suppose. You should rest up, we can talk some more tomorrow if you‘d like.“ He stood first, but Itachi followed the notion.

Both placed their empty glasses into the sink and Sasuke secured the bottle of sake beside the others in his liquor cabinet.

“Where am I going to sleep?“

“There is only one room vacant. Your old room. I had left it more or less as it was and didn‘t allocate it another purpose.“

“Were you… nostalgic?“
“I would say I was mourning in my own strange way and it had many different phases. You have always been very important to me and I just couldn‘t fathom to eradicate your former presence from this house we‘d grown up in.“

“…“ This was so much more honest than he‘d deserved, but his heart felt both impossibly tight and warm at that confession. Both ascended the stairs together and the younger pointed around the hallway.

At the very end was only a small coffee table and a singular chair, illuminated by the only window and natural source of light. The big shoji right at the end of the staircase belonged to the master bedroom — Sasuke‘s room. It had traditional paper walls facing the hallway, but inside would have solid ones bordering the neighboring rooms. 

To the left was the door to the master bathroom, which was also accessible from Sasuke’s bedroom. One door further was Itachi’s old room, which was a little more modest but still had an adjacent bathroom of its own. On the opposite side had formerly been the weaponry, which Sasuke had transferred to his former childhood room, that could be found to the right of the master bedroom. In the old weaponry he had installed himself a study. Sasuke still couldn‘t understand how his family could have made do without one, but then again he never really saw his father read. What he had been dealing with had probably been too confidential or too dangerous to keep around his family, so that he must have left everything somewhere outside of their home. But since Sasuke was alone, there had been no need for this kind of precaution.

"I'll be in my room now, if anything might come up. But you may want to be alone for a while anyway, I suppose. Have a good night. Try not to be too hard on yourself and don't retreat into your old shell just because things are hard to bear. And don't tell yourself it'd be for my sake.
Don't spare me; there's nothing much left you could throw at me that would hurt me any more than you already did. But it's fine... now it is. It's just the two of us now, so neither of us need to pretend." With that said, he carefully slid the shoji open and vanished behind those thin but ultimately separating paper walls.

Itachi exhaled. He still could taste the lingering aroma of the alcohol on the tip of his tongue and felt defeated in the same extent that he felt content. When opening his own door to the abandoned room he'd spent his youth in, it felt bittersweet in a way. Those were the walls between which he had still felt and now does again. Where he had hoped and dreamed and been devastated.

Everything was clean, which meant that his brother had to sweep up his room regularly despite not inhabiting it. The built-in wardrobe had been repaired, where the paper had been worn down and the wood splintered. Inside was everything he had left behind. Things, that belonged to an old life that didn't fit anymore, same as his clothes he had grown out of by now.

He still changed into a simple dark shirt and trousers, that had belonged to him when he was a teenager. Carefully, he pulled out his old futon and rolled it open in the middle of the room. It didn't smell stale. Sasuke had indeed seen to preserving everything just as it had been. 

`I would say I was mourning in my own strange way and it had many different phases´
Over the extent of all of those years he had done his best to purposefully hurt Sasuke enough, so that he would become stronger, outgrow him, step over his dead body and find a new purpose in life rinsed clean from all the blood that clung to Itachi's memento. 

And yet he had hurt him the worst only when he was gone and those secrets, that were supposed to be buried alongside him, had been dragged into the open. In a way, Itachi had slipped away from facing the ultimate fallout of his actions in regards to what he had done to Sasuke.
Those revelations that had been exposed were never meant to come to Sasuke's knowledge, but yet they did. Perhaps they were always destined to eventually. Itachi used to poke and tease at Sasuke for being naїve and foolish, but he had to admit now, that his brother was indeed quite sharp and far exceeded the potential one would have granted him just concerning his heritage alone.

His brother was the first one of that he knew to evolve his Sharingan to a Rin'n'egan. `Quite something indeed...´

When sleep finally found him, he briefly reminisced about those nights, his sweet baby-brother would sneak into his room and curl his small body against his. 
It was so strange to him, that instead of them clawing their way to the forefront of his consciousness, now, that he lay at the exact same place they had transpired a decade ago, the images seemed to become more dull, resolved in a sense. When calling them forth during night he couldn't bring himself to sleep, they had been impossibly vivid like as if he had recalled them with his Sharingan. They were the only tender memories he'd allowed himself to remain in his heart that he had to harden to accomplish his final goal.

But being here again in reality — his brother in fact being only one room away... somehow made him hopeful towards the future again. Maybe they really would find a way to move forward from this despite all odds. They had defied all reason and even death already, so why not now take on fate itself? For him, Sasuke would be worth it.

☾

He felt warm. Safe if you will. The faint aroma of breakfast crept up to him like a soft lure from another dimension. `Kā-san?...´

Itachi opened his eyes, to see nearly nothing. He lay on his right and had his face buried deep into the cushion, resulting in his only functional eye being mostly sunken in. The limited range of vision was still something he hadn't completely gotten used to and moments like this made it uncomfortably apparent to him.

When he made his way down the hallway towards the small noises emanating the kitchen, he felt a sense of gratitude warming his heart. 
His brother stood in the kitchen, neatly dressed in a grey cotton hakama coupled with marine kosode that had shorter sleeves and made his missing arm a bit more apparent than the longer silken ones he had worn the night before.

"Good morning. Was the night alright?", Sasuke didn't look up from the chopping board he was just preparing mushrooms on to later add into the hot pan the pork and eggs were already frying in.

"... Good morning Otōto. Yes, I've rested well."
Without making so much of a noise, he drew closer and observed the younger making his rounds between the counter and the oven. His hand movements were fast and precise, but still Itachi could beat himself up over the fact, that it had completely went above his head that his brother was missing a limb now when he'd first seen him.
Sasuke was constantly changing out whichever tool he needed to pick up for the following task at hand. He did so fluently, but it took him more time nonetheless.

"Would you like me to assist?"

The younger raised a brow, without turning his head towards him.

"No need, I'm nearly finished. The table has been set already as well, so feel free to go ahead and catch yourself some tea."

"..." Of course he wouldn't need assistance. It was a bit uncomfortable for Itachi to watch still.

The steaming hot rice, together with their breakfast miso, had already been placed onto their low table, so he did as he'd been told and drank his first cup of tea overlooking their garden. Even outside were his brother's efforts evident in every corner. The landscaping had been completely redone and the trees and shrubs were well trimmed and cultivated.

"Here you go."
Sasuke came to the table with the pan in hand and held it over his brother's empty plate. They locked their eyes briefly, which Itachi understood as the implicit invitation to take down his portion out of the pan with his own chopsticks. His brother afterwards came around to his own place and shook loose the remaining contents inside the pan, to let them glide out of it without further help.

Itachi waited for him to come back before they started to eat together. Something that mundain, but still new for their dynamic altogether. He caught himself looking over to his brother numerous times; he observed how he moved his chopsticks between his fingers, how his lips swallowed the food brought up to them and eventually landed on his one dark eye.

"It still feels strange... that new body of mine. When I'm looking down at myself, I recognize every little detail and even find the smallest scars I'd gotten shortly before my... death. But the absence of the illness that was eating at me for years makes me feel like a whole new person. Lighter in a way... younger?"

"You're 22. You shouldn't feel old."

"Right... But I have prepared to die for so long, that it feels strange now to live."

"It'll get even more strange when you eventually discover how being willing to fight and die for something comes much more easy to people like us than the willingness to live for something despite the burden we've accumulated throughout our lives. Trust me on this."

"...
Forgive me but... Do I have a grave? My original body?"

Sasuke continued chewing, but followed the conversation no less closely. He took his time to swallow and took a sip of tea to clear his mouth before continuing.

"Yes. But it's not where we fought. It's deeper into the forest, near a hideout. Sadly, this has to also be the place, where Kabuto collected a piece of your flesh to materialize the Edo Tensei on you. Morbid as it may be, but in the end that was the reason why you became a pawn in his war party and eventually helped Konoha to overcome his scheme. And accidentally got released from your ties to the afterlife entirely yourself. Fate can be incomprehensible at times."

"I don't think I want to see it."

"You mustn't. It's quite far away and there would be no point."
Thankfully his brother didn't ask him why he made this oddly random point in the first place, as it would have been a bizzare request for most normal people. But apparently he wasn't normal and had thought about if or if not he wanted to visit his own grave for quite some time now and just recently came to the conclusion that it would do more harm to his psyche than do good.

Then Sasuke gave him the smallest cue of a smile.
"The longer I thought about it, the more I found a certain detail quite interesting. You'd been so sure about my hatred for you, my wish for vengeance, me being willing to do anything that's necessary to come for you and kill you. You hinted at the process of preserving one's eyesight indefinitely through acquiring the Eternal Mangekyō by transplanting your nearest relative's eyes — clearly in retrospect meaning me taking yours. But that would not have been possible, if I hadn't awakened my Mangekyō beforehand. So you had to still know, that despite everything my love for you wouldn't have possibly been snuffed out but had to burn alongside my hatred for all this time instead. You had to assume that killing you would fracture my heart enough to evolve my eyes into to next stage of Dōjutsu. I cannot help but to find this presumption quite remarkable."

Itachi's hands sank to the table and his gaze followed.
"You're mistaken. I didn't think so highly of myself.
I had expected you to have awakened your Mangekyō before our fight and was rather surprised that you had not. You were still able to keep up with most of my Jutsus though. It was too late to change anything last-minute, so I simply assumed you would store my eyes away for a later time in your life when you'll eventually need them."

"Hmm. Interesting. Then we were both mistaken, as the assumption that I had thought you'd made would have been the correct one."
For a moment, Sasuke let the weight of his last comment settle.

The older sighed and absentmindedly nestled with his fingers across the corrugations of his teacup.
"When did you go through with the transplantation? Immediately?"

His brother shook his head no.
"I didn't even plan on doing this altogether. You know... knowing everything better and stuff. Plus I was extremely hurt and angry about you having strung me along and pretty much planned out what to do for me. Naturally I had to rebel against that and refuse that gift you'd wanted to make me at first. I'd been pretty shaken up and didn't even notice that Obito had cut out your eyes from your corpse before I'd buried you. He had his own plans with me, as did everybody else pulling me in each and every direction. I had strained my eyes extensively within only a few four-, five-month period of time. Like I told you before, finding the willingness to live for something is much harder than raging, edging your way to self-destruction and I just wasn't there yet. I arranged for the transplantation taking place as my eyesight deteriorated at a probably much faster rate than yours did. My hate had found a new home and was out for blood and my glass ceiling of what I'd do for vengeance had already been broken before."

"This sounds... —" 

*chak chak chak* — "Uchiha-sama?"

Both men stood, but Sasuke eyed his brother, the amusement hardly contained in his features.
"I'm sure he's calling me, or have I missed you placing an order for anything between last night and now?"

`Right...´
Sasuke went to the front door, accepting a few scrolls and a parcel that had been sent to him and receipted the items with his seal.

"When will you be leaving the next time? I've seen that you still have a few orders pending and if I knew about your absence ahead of time, I could prevent your items from getting piled up in the office."

Sasuke didn't look up, but read over the addressee of his parcel and made a step to the side.
"That won't be necessary. Next time when I'm away, you may entrust my orders to Uchiha Itachi's care."

The postman shifted uncomfortably, being at a loss. "Pardon me Uchiha-sama... Even the sensitive ones?"

"Even the sensitive ones. I hereby declare that he is granted power of attorney in my absence. Anything else?"

"..."

"Very well. Then have a nice day", the younger left the stunned mail carrier outside and closed the door infront of his nose, still looking over what he'd been sent.

"That really threw him for a loop."

"Mmh. Not my problem." Sasuke strolled back inside his living space and looked over at Itachi after being done with his mail. "You need more clothes. Those don't fit you very well anymore."

"I can't disagree. How does this work now, since I'm not allowed to move within the village."

"I can estimate your size close enough, I know a bit about fits and cuts. You'd just need to tell me what kind of clothes you'd like; which styles and patterns and colors... and I'd see to it, that won't be a problem."

"I like to keep it simple; just casual training clothes and a few pieces for casual wear would suffice — plain dark colors appreciated. Cotton and linen will be fine."
"Hm. Just like the pragmatic person you are", a sly smile crept up at the edges of Sasuke's face. "So you won't want me to get nail polish for you, would you?"

The immediate wrinkles forming across the bridge of his brother's nose, brought forth a genuine laugh from the younger. "Just asking, need to be sure. I'd never get why you guys wore that for the life of me. But you do you." At that even Itachi couldn't suppress a light snicker.

A strong arm encircled his waist and pressed him briefly against Sasuke's right side.
"I'm glad you're here."
The contact had been fleeting and as soon as he felt the other's warmth against himself, it had been gone already.

Itachi would still feel the phantom of his brother's reassuring embrace throughout the next days that followed. Because the truth was: Despite everything, he was glad too.

Chapter Text

Itachi made his way up to the first floor to go see his brother. He saw the faint light illuminating his room through the thin paper walls, but while he approached the room he recognized, that he couldn't sense him. Although Itachi couldn’t think of any particular reason, he approached the shoji carefully and placed a firm knock on the frame. It took a while until something happened, but eventually a shadow appeared against the paper. The door slid half open and Itachi drew back at the sight of his brother, who was now facing him.

Sasuke’s hair looked uncommonly disheveled and a layer of sweat glistened in the dull shine of the fire lanterns illuminating his room. There was also quite a unique, musky aroma emanating from him as well as from the room itself, that crept up to Itachi when the door opened. Although that wasn't the thing that took the older by surprise the most, but the fact that – the second the door started moving – he not only picked up the presence of his brother, but also that of another being within the room. Sasuke appeared to have a guest this late in the evening…

Itachi mustered Sasuke. It seemed that he had already made himself comfortable earlier, so that now his nagajuban and shorter hakama kimono hung loose, giving more view of Sasuke’s upper abdomen than he would normally allow – although both were tucked tight enough still, to not expose his whole chest. 
The skin, which was visible near the seam, seemed to start getting more marred than the rest, but Itachi didn't dwell on it. What concerned him more was the fact, that his brother was missing his hakama completely, resulting in himself staring at Sasuke’s muscular legs beneath the hem.

"It takes me longer now to bind the himo“, Sasuke stated, which resulted in Itachi snapping out of his involuntarily stare.

"It appears that I came at an inconvenient time?“

"It’s alright“, Sasuke shrugged, "what is it?“

"Actually I came here for no specific reason. I thought about us maybe spending some time, but now I realize that you’re having a guest.“

"Give me half an hour – we can meet up in the dining area then.“

"What about your guest?“, although Itachi was certain Sasuke was being aware of him noticing immediately after opening the door, he wanted to still push the matter.

"– Leaving.“

With that said Sasuke slid the shoji shut and closed Itachi off from the scene, that had just played out before him. The cogs in his brain started turning and piecing together the clues, which only led to one plausible conclusion.

The older went to his room and needed the remaining time to think. What was it, that he had seen just now? His little brother obviously had had an intimate encounter with some woman that he afterwards just unceremoniously threw out. If it had been someone special, that he was meeting in private, he wouldn’t have opened the door for him and made it obvious that he wasn’t by himself, would he? So the only option was, that… his little brother had some kind of random encounter? But how could that be?

Itachi just couldn't wrap his head around it. In the past he never recognized Sasuke being flirtatious towards anyone or, for that matter, be driven by trivial entertainment in general. On the other hand, he wasn’t around to watch him mature and become possibly interested in such things. Although, Itachi had to admit that he tended to project his own circumstances onto Sasuke and his own life had never led himself towards the opportunity to engage with anyone.

That was another thing, that deep within bothered him. His brother appeared so naturally at his bedroom door, dealing with the fact that he had been in his room without wearing his trousers with a woman, in such a nonchalant way as if it’d be the most common thing in the world. The Sasuke he'd known seemed to have always been on edge and excluded everyone from getting too close to him. Rethinking that fact, Sasuke wasn’t too outgoing this evening either. He neither had introduced his possible girlfriend to him, nor him to that woman. Itachi had never been with a woman himself and his brother being that open about it irritated him considerably. 

At that moment he heard the shoji rattle again. Following that, a singular pair of footsteps made its way down the staircase towards the entrance. 

`He doesn’t even escort her to the door… I’m wondering what role she plays in my Otōto’s life.´

Without too much thought behind it, he approached the window. From this spot he could clearly overlook the entryway and in full view saw the entrance door opening and closing. But the figure leaving his family’s house appeared to be so different from what he had been expecting. Instead of a slim, delicate figure there were broad shoulders leading up towards sharp, fierce features. Long, orange-red hair, that was bound back at the nape, revealed dominant cheekbones, alert eyes and thin, slightly upturned lips. 

There was no woman leaving their house, but a man.

Itachi froze in place watching the male leaving, practically glued to his very steps and missing not the smallest detail about him. He wore a light armor and carried a sword, which led to Itachi’s thoughts running wild with speculations. While normally staying alert at all times, he practically jumped from his stance when hearing Sasuke’s door being slid open again. He just then realized that he had activated his Sharingan. 

He took some time to compose himself, while behind the walls Sasuke had already made his way down the stairs towards the living area. How should he face his brother, considering what he had just learned by chance? 
He had no idea what weighed down more heavily on his nerves: Having a pre-arranged meeting-up with Sasuke or his own curiosity. When he couldn't stall any longer, he did eventually make his way out the room, following Sasuke’s lead. There was no way out of it now.

Itachi slowly approached the loft. He watched his brother being bent over, searching through the refrigerator. He had fixed his hemlines and was now wearing the marine Hakama from earlier that day again, neatly bound and without any trace of dishevelment. Only when straightening up again, Itachi could still make out the small wrinkles in Sasuke's appearance, since he hadn’t had the opportunity to shower yet.

“Oh, there you are. Come on in and let's sit near the garden”, Sasuke gestured towards his brother and opened two beers that he had just grabbed from the fridge. 
While the older crossed the dimly lit open kitchen, he recognized the way the pale moonlight glistened on his younger brother’s still slightly wet skin around his neck. He accepted the cold bottle being handed to him and went ahead, lowering himself on one of the prepared cushions on the terrace.

For a moment Itachi just looked at Sasuke, taking in the whole of his appearance to grasp a little more of what kind of man he might have become, while the younger was gazing at the stars. 

“I appreciate you wanting to hang out with me, but it’s a little uncomfortable getting stared at the whole time”, Sasuke said playfully, turning towards the other with a smile.

“Well, I’m still stomaching all that had happened in the past and that by now has… completely changed while I was gone in a way that I never would have deemed possible. I never would have imagined sitting next to you again and being forgiven by you for all that I had done…”

“What do you mean by that specifically? What you had to do to keep the peace in Konoha, or you deceiving me?”

“… Sasuke, I –”

“– no need!”, Sasuke gestured conciliatingly, “I’m not known for being a particularly nice person either. In fact, between the two of us, you are most definitely the more admirable one. All the time you were thinking about others while I most of the time had been occupied with selfish reasons and my personal agendas. Even now; I pretty much think I get what your main goal had been all along. You hated the war and people getting killed for avoidable reasons. You wanted to stop the hostility between the clans and the villages with the least blood being shed. And I…”, Sasuke seemed to muse for a bit while drinking his beer, “I actually don’t mind the bloodshed to be honest. I just cannot find it in me to be as altruistic a person as you are. Although I too appreciate the innocent having the opportunity to live in peace, I myself am not the most pacifistic person. But that way I’m also playing my role in this world. I agree with you, that there have to be those, who take on the burden, so that others may have it easier… I just don’t fit the role you had intended for me.”

“I had really hoped that you could have a peaceful life eventually.”

“I guess it just wasn’t in the cards for me. But I don’t mind it.”

After a short silence he added: “But I do hope that you don’t resent me for what I've actually turned out either”.

Perplexed, Itachi didn't know how to reply.

“Let me wrap it up for you: You wanted me to get stronger and self-sufficient to survive, to get along well with the village and grow dear to its ideals, so that I would protect it eventually in the future… to be at peace and settling down, marry, raising some kids and spending my life with avoiding conflicts between the clans and the villages so there wouldn’t evoke any major fights anymore?” 

Itachi was stunned. His baby-brother surely had grown up. Itachi had somehow still believed, that he'd have one leg up on Sasuke and still an influence on his brother’s future life, just to realize now, that he had slipped away a long time ago.

“… don’t you want to answer this to me? I mean honestly. Do you resent me, that I didn’t turn out the kind of brother you’d anticipated?”

“How could I ever resent you? If anyone, I should resent myself for missing out on getting to know your true self”.

“ …
I bet you have no idea how many souls rest under the soil now because of me. But I take it; if you don’t want to question my values I won’t push it!”, Sasuke laughed lightheartedly and laid back onto the doorframe a little more. 
After a long drawn out silence the older re-engaged: “And what are your goals now, that the war is over? Everyone is rebuilding the village, trying to find their places in society. What about you?”

“There is no place for someone like me in this kind of a society. Now, after the war, everyone strives to forget the terrors and strengthen the contractual binds between the villages… Nobody wants to be reminded of the ugly side, the dangers and horrors that are still around no matter what. But, you see, a new time of oblivion had just entered the hearts of everyone, since common people can just take so much. Everyone hopes at least for their children to experience better times, without war and distress. Even when it’s a lie.”

“…”

“As we both know, those times are even more dangerous, when it's not even allowed to address the issues around. As far as it comes to me, I’m part of the dark past everybody wants to forget. And that’ll be my destiny. I’ve already talked to our Hokage about the future, actually. He prepares to step down in due time to make way for Naruto, being the perfect representative of the village’s bright future. But he assigned me a role too. I’ll be part of those guardians keeping an eye on the things happening in the unseen, the ugly distorted parts of the village and lands. 
You should recognize this as being the perfect fit for someone like me.”

Itachi felt a sting in his chest hearing that. While the world was finally at peace, there was none for the one person he had wished it for the most.

“In fact I hadn’t told you yet, but I have to leave on a mission in this regard soon. Although the crowd being oblivious to it, there had been an incipient riot on the south-western border. It seems there had been some troublemakers who want to take advantage of the present upheaval, gathering men around them and stirring turmoil and looting. We have to get rid of them at once, so I’m coming for them in a few days.”

“Are you going on that mission alone?”

“Of course. I’m most efficient on my own and besides…
We don’t need additional eyes watching.” With that Sasuke glanced towards Itachi through half lowered lids and Itachi understood the matter without further questions.

After they had been sitting a little longer in what appeared to be a peaceful quiet, Itachi broke the silence another time. “When will you leave?”

“There have to be some more arrangements made with the ANBU, but if everything gets settled smoothly, I’ll hit the road in about a week.”

“Do you mind … what arrangements are there to be made with the ANBU in that matter?”

“You see, although everyone is profiting and no one needs to get their hands dirty, some feel like I’d poaching on their authority. It used to be that if unruly outsiders near our border would plan an uprising, it would have been natural for our ANBU forces to move out and intervene immediately. The political landscape has changed, so that nobody wants to provoke or even give the impression of a conflict anymore. If our ANBU move it’d obviously become a state matter. That's of course true already, and the ANBU know that. It’ll take time for everyone to grow into their new roles.”

“Do you expect the ANBU not following their order and causing trouble?”

“I don’t really think so, they just have to flex their muscles a little bit to keep the peace within. But you’d never know for sure with them, so it’s best to take precautions before anything could get out of hand. There are many new and inexperienced recruits among them, that might cause some drama.”

“Do you know the current players?”

“… I do know one or the other. 
Anyway, it’s getting late. And I absolutely need a shower”, Sasuke said while rising to his feet and Itachi mindlessly followed alongside with him.

While already leaving Sasuke added: “It's been really nice being able to have a chat with you tonight. I really appreciate you inviting me”. With that said he left his slightly taken aback brother behind and glided through the door into the darkness of the hallway.

☾

The next day started to proceeded mostly ordinary and Sasuke appeared to be in a good mood. Even in private he always took pride in his well-kept appearance and at least semi-formal, traditional clothing. It must take him a considerable amount of effort to put on all those necessary layers and belts with only one hand, but Itachi had not heard him complain yet. The older mindlessly observed the other while said one set the table. The pleated neckline of his inner garment was perfectly mirroring the outer layer and appeared immaculate as always. 

Itachi could not tell when he first took particular notice of it, but his brother was `beautiful´. That part of his physique that was visible, bore testament to his life as Shinobi – always tied to a merciless training schedule and used to a life on the battlefield. Although delicate in movement, Sasuke’s hand was muscular, peppered with minor scars and callouses, leading to his firm wrist disappearing under the silken fabric he wore. The muscular neck showing in between the layers bore proof of his little brother no longer being the tiny boy he used to know in their parent’s home. Now it was Sasuke’s anyway and although being younger it obviously had to be him not only being the head of the household but also of their clan. Itachi had detached himself from the Uchiha compound and legacy a long time ago and Sasuke honestly had been the only reason for him to return. 
Sasuke's facial features too had become bolder but also more pointed, highlighting his masculine jawline, elegant cheekbones and fierce features. Itachi caught himself staring at the movement of the younger one’s adam’s apple, when said one’s voice was pulling him off his train of thought.

"Well, what is it?"

"... am I staring at you, Otōto?", Itachi had to snicker at himself at that.

"Just if following my every move since entering the kitchen does count", Sasuke picked up some cold fried vegetables with his chopsticks for topping his rice.

"I just have to come to terms with the fact, that you've grown up so much, that I'm sometimes even having a hard time recognizing my baby brother nowadays."

"Pffft. Whatever", Sasuke raised one eyebrow, but continued with his breakfast.

"... and how handsome you'd become".

That initiated a pause in Sasuke's movements while Itachi just realized what had just slipped his mind.

"... appreciate it, but I'm most definitely not `handsome´. But good to know you think that I'd appear that way", after a second Sasuke decided to add something upbeat to not end on an awkward note, "But you certainly are!" 

His older brother was unsure whether to feel flattered or worried why on earth Sasuke would think of himself as less than. Didn't he know how rare his unique features and admirable physique were?

"Why would you think you aren't perfect?"

"– `perfect´?! Oh, hell to the no", the younger nearly choked on his latest bite, "you're an excellent example of everyone being all too eager to just see whatever they want to. I'm aware, that you're still reminiscing about your picture of me a couple of years ago and I get why one might've called me handsome back then. But I'm not the same anymore. My body... Let's say my body is not only far from being immaculate but what's underneath here –", he gestured towards his neckline, "– really isn't pleasant to look at. It's repelling, actually. But I'm not too keen on making that apparent."

"I was not referring to you as a child!–", perplexed about his impulsive outburst, Itachi held his tongue. A tiny smudge of red embarrassment lit up on his cheeks, which totally irritated him as well as the implication of doubling down on what had been an inappropriate comment to begin with.

Sasuke was stunned as well, so that now both of them were staring at each other at a loss. Finally Sasuke sighed and wordlessly tended to his now empty dishes by piling them. He put his chopsticks within and rose from his seat, pile in hand, and turned toward the sink. Itachi's stomach churned. He couldn't make heads or tails of what feelings he experienced right now, but he felt restless and at a loss. He wanted to desperately say something, anything, but he didn't know what. Without thinking he followed along and found himself pulling back his brother's left shoulder.

As Sasuke turned his face towards him in surprise, his eyes widened a little. Itachi found himself mesmerized by the heterochrome pair trained on him. His brother not only had expressive contours but long and dark lashes that helped reconcile his soulful with his cold eye. His lips contrasted his otherwise fair skin with their dusty hue.

"… Don't look at me like that."

Sasuke's words came down on him like a bucket of cold water. What was he even doing?

The younger averted his body and put down the dishes. "You shouldn't."

Itachi swallowed, experiencing a hot rush between shame and excitement surging through his body. Without any additional comment, he was left behind in the kitchen. There had been no offense in his brother's voice nor disappointment. It felt more like Sasuke being the adult while he himself was being a fool. 

☾

Itachi was stunned. Was what he had been feeling towards his brother attraction? How could that even be? Since Sasuke had to run several errands in the village, he stayed behind, alone with his thoughts and was now faced with playing out this strange possibility.

All his life Itachi had been restless; every step he took he had taken strategically and with precision. He had never really considered indulging in anything just for the sake of himself. He had been so young when the weight of the whole village had fallen onto him – and even before. The life within ANBU and as Uchiha heir had taken a toll on whatever life for himself he might have claimed. Only his few and far between leisure times with Sasuke had been the treat he had been longing for. But also this he had denied himself gradually, the more he learned about their clan's coup d'état and what was on the line. He had to make the hardest decision of his lifetime and had to live with himself afterwards.

Joining the Akatsuki certainly had been a meticulously planned out longterm play for him in which he couldn't afford any mishaps. Of course, there had been enough occasions in which he could have engaged in selfish detours without falling out of character. Nearly all of Akatsuki's members had some private agendas going on for themselves that had had nothing to do with their organization. Some of those had been more professional than others, but he wouldn't be honest to himself if he would blame his complete lack of personal relationships just on his life as nuke-nin. It had been quite some time anyways, until Akatsuki had really kicked its grande plan into gear. 

He had spent all his teenage years as a rogue on the road. He and his partners had stopped by in passing villages and pubs plenty of times. He wasn't oblivious to the looks he got from strangers sometimes; he knew even back then that his Uchiha genes had been good with him. He really couldn't put his finger on why he never even bothered with the possibility of some fleeting entanglement, even if just physical.

Itachi sighed and in all honesty tried to get to the bottom of this. He was perfectly aware that intimate relationships were one of if not the most important forces in most people's lives. In a sense it had been the same for him with Sasuke, but that relationship had been something completely different from what would usually be implied by that. 

It also ought to be normal at a certain age to explore one's sexuality. Although being well past that age, before today he hadn't even really paid attention to that fact. He'd never planned to live anyway. His very existence was tied to his brother's future, born out of his remains. 
Whenever there had been a small spark of curiosity he had immediately been repelled by the necessary closeness that would have been implied. 

`... Is there something wrong with me?´, his thoughts returned to more recent memories. After what he'd learned, he was now positive that his brother was sexually active and at that with a male! Itachi furrowed his brows as he still had a hard time comprehending this. Had his brother always been more intrigued by his own sex or was this a more recent development? How did something like that even happen?

It was especially hard for him to stomach, since he couldn't even bring himself to get close to a woman. `How would he even –´, although being aware of the bare `technicalities´ when it came to human procreation, Itachi couldn't fancy himself with any particular knowledge in that field whatsoever. Sometimes he picked up snippets of gossip between his fellow Akatsuki, but for one, it almost always pertained to some women they had picked up and second, it never sounded any enticing or particularly desirable at that. 

His brother was 17 years old now. Old enough... `But with a male?´ Again, Itachi pursed his nose and shook his head. Maybe he had just been experimenting and not done that?
Possible... But even though he wasn't really aware of how the sexual act would work between two men, he at least was aware of people talking about that generally being a thing. 

When he recollected whatever he did know about his younger brother's life, he realized he didn’t know anything too personal that would give an indication about his romantic past. He had been safe in the village and always ventured out as a team in his Genin-year. Might there have been any intimate contact with any classmates back then? But then again he had only been 12! He was still a kid when he met him at that cursed hotel and subdued him with his Tsukuyomi. 
But not too much after, he went against his village and joined Orochimaru. At that man's hideouts he indeed could have done whatever, since it had been out of even Itachi's sight. But 13, 14 would have been very young still. Later he built his own team and by then he would most probably...

Itachi had enough. It bothered him to no end comparing his brother's speculative experiences against his nonexistent ones. How could he venture that far off topic anyway, when it appeared as if his lack of insight now bit him in the butt. He had always felt protective over his brother, but now that he was stripped of all smoke and mirrors he realized that Sasuke was more than capable of looking after himself. Alongside his initial protectiveness seemingly having merged with something different, creating a whole new potpourri of messed-up-ness, he was developing possibly pathological feelings. Why couldn't he just let his brother be and not burden him any further? Wouldn't that be the least he should do, after all that he had done already? He exhaled...

He couldn't. He didn't even quite understand why that was, since he’d lived a life consisting of renunciation until now. But something deep inside kept gnawing at him that he felt incapable of toning down anymore. It felt like a mixture of jealousy and possessiveness.

Even if he didn't want to, he will had to get to the bottom of this.

☾

The rest of the day passed by quite eventless. After his return, Sasuke changed into lighter attire and proceeded to train sword forms on their premises. He wasn’t really `buttoned up´, as his neckline sat loose enough for exercising and his unoccupied sleeve got billowing up every now and then when in motion. But other than that he appeared neat and tidy as always, not like back in the days when he used to train in just some lofty vest that hung open most of the time. 
Then again, he'd mentioned, that he wouldn't look `pretty´ anymore? Could it be that he was self-conscious about his body after living through his last few major battles?

The older caught himself staring again. He wasn't sure if Sasuke noticed, but if he did he didn't seem to care. With a huff he turned away, forcing himself to look in another direction. He still had to come up with a plan on how to navigate his conundrum of emotions. Whether to talk to his brother or to leave it. But what about actually?

"Hey, Itachi!"

The called one directed his gaze towards his all-too-close counterpart, who had seemingly appeared out of thin air right next to him. While Sasuke looked curious, the older still felt trapped in his never ending fog of thoughts. The sun had started to settle, so that every surface touched by it's light was enveloped in a golden hue. So were his brother's high cheekbones and the sweat rolling down his jaw and the collarbones that were peeking out under the cotton kimono. Itachi started to feel sweaty an uncomfortable himself. Unable to find the right words, both men found themselves in a similar situation like earlier in the day. 

"I told you, you shouldn't look at me like that."

"I'm not sure if I'm able to comply with that, Otōto."

"...", a little defeated, Sasuke gestured for him to settle down on the sunroof with him, placing one cigarette between his lips. A little unsure, he half-heartedly motioned for Itachi to take one if he'd like to, but not to his surprise he passed on that. 

"I wasn't aware that you smoke."

Sasuke shrugged while closing three one-handed kuji-ins. He inhaled through the cigarette between his lips to ignite and afterwards pick it up to blow the fresh smoke onto it to further the ember. He settled down on the deck too. 

"Now, what is it with you?" he inquired.

Defeated, Itachi would have to confess for there to be any chance of moving on from this. "I think we need to talk".

"Uh-oh.", Sasuke tugged on his cigarette, but didn't seem at all surprised by that statement. He continued to smoke in silence without making eye contact, giving his brother the chance of mulling over his words carefully.

"I don't know, it's just... I'm a little perplexed about what to think. I kind of missed your whole life and now that I've been granted the grace of this second chance... I don't want to mess this up. But I do feel some kinds of emotions when I'm realizing you've grown into quite the capable Shinobi now. You're not the same baby-brother I've had in my mind for all of this time, and I'm learning that, step by step".

The younger looked at him now, while slowly exhaling a billow of smoke.

"But that's not all. I'm not that dewy-eyed to be oblivious to...–", a little annoyed at either himself for not finding a fitting phrase or his cigarette being finished. He put it out at the side of the deck and frowned.

"You have been together with someone, the other night" Itachi purposefully left out that he knew it had been a man who visited their compound.

"...correct?", intrigued he gave him room to elaborate.

"I would have to admit, that that irritated me a little bit. I couldn't really put my finger on why, but to be completely honest, to me it feels kind of like I'm ... a little jealous?", the last part flattened out.

First, Sasuke sighed and afterwards put his head back against the beam at a loss.
"What kind of jealousy? Since you should know, there are different kinds."

"I... don't know", he had to do his best to be honest.

"Well, you know Koen and I aren't in a serious relationship or anything like that", he started.

`So that man's name is Koen.´

"But we do see each other every now and then and so far have enjoyed each other's company."

`So that's what he calls it.´

"And you would mind seeing us together again? Him visiting again in the future – since we both know that you're aware of my lover being a man."

That was a gut-punch. Itachi couldn't quite make out if more of his blood rushed towards his cheeks or his loins. He felt hot under his brother's sharp gaze that didn't let up, now that he was spot-on about the real issue at hand.
He swallowed.

Sasuke slowly rose to his feet, which the other mirrored.
"You know, I do recognize the look in your eyes. Even if you won't answer outright, your eye fails to deceive this time. And that's despite me always having thought of you being the genius Genjutsu wielder."

"I guess I would mind".

"Hmhm", the younger confirmed, "and what's your suggestion then?"

The older took a tentative step forward, not sure of what to answer.

"Since, the looks you're giving me are going down a road that most people wouldn't deem appropriate."

Another step, another rush of adrenaline surging through his body, "I..."

"...You?"

Itachi grabbed into the fabric of Sasuke's collar. He held on for dear life, nearly high on the oxygen his blood was chasing through his system. Not able to keep up the eye contact, he instead focused on the wrinkled cotton pooling through his fingers.

But a firm hand didn't allow him his blissful escape and instead cupped his chin, turning it upwards so that they again locked their gaze.

"You are aware, that you're the most important person to me anyway, right? But as for this...", his eyes peering right into his very soul, "You sure you want to go there? You sure you know the extent of what you're getting yourself into? I don't think so."

He did not. But he didn't have it in him to stop himself from falling into the abyss gaping at his feet. 

"Even just thinking about – just entertaining the idea of going that route, you'd have to be aware, that there'd be no return and no recovering from this", the younger intently searched for any faltering in the other. 

Time stood still for a couple of seconds, before Sasuke bent forward, closing the gap between them. The connection was gentle but assuring. Sasuke softly brushed his lips over the other's, making them tender and alluring to the touch. Itachi's heart raced. Every nerve in his system was trained on the kiss and the rush of dopamine it enticed. Kissing someone for the first time – even just being that close felt unfamiliar. He could smell his brother's unique scent oozing off of his hot body after just having finished training. The taste of some lingering bitterness of tobacco merged with the saltiness of sweat.

When they lost contact Itachi was looking into two alert mismatching eyes.
“Itachi, you –!” He was found out. “ You’ve never… been with a man, right?”
Well, that’d be one half of the truth. Itachi – heart still pounding wildly – kept staring at the other.

He still was at a loss for words, but in a way he had received exactly what he had been asking for. Stunned he fiddled with some of his clothes and in a lowered quickly voice excused himself, feeling an intent gaze following him out of the room. 

☾

Whatever had conspired the other day, Itachi couldn't decide how to move forward from this situation. They both had been acting normal throughout breakfast, so that it seemed to be up to him whether he would want to broach that subject again or not. 
But his brother had said that there was no coming back from this... so was there? Or was this all just a mirage, lulling him into a safety that just wasn’t there? 

Itachi stood by the window in his room, watching the monotone pitter-patter of raindrops rattling against the wooden frames of their traditionally built house. Absentmindedly, he touched his lips, retracting the contours with his thumb.

It was just too wrong on each and every level, too forbidden and too cursed, too distorted and ... too inescapable. He was too old to, at 22, just have received his first glimpse of intimacy and his brother too young to be as experienced as it showed. Both of them men, although being the only heirs of one of the most powerful clans of this village, now facing extinction. It would be too selfish and self-serving to indulge just for the sake of their own desires. Their bond was too broken and too sick to ever be salvaged into anything healthy. He felt too out of control in a way, that he had never felt before. 

Itachi couldn't contain himself, even though he knew that what he was feeling was just wrong by any possible criteria. They were brothers by blood and always would be. Him coming back from the dead... and still. Still he couldn't help it. The sparks he felt when recalling their touch spoke volumes to – indeed – him never being able to redeem himself from that rabbit hole he'd fallen into. He was burning for more and forever would, should he be denied.

Suddenly there war a tentative knock on their front door. Since nothing around the house seemed to move, Itachi strolled down the hallway to answer. To his surprise, he didn‘t recognize the middle-aged woman, wearing her formal attire. 

"Good day, Madam, how may I help you?“

Keeping her head down, the lady replied: „Well received, to you too. It’s not you whom I seek to speak to, Uchiha-dono. I’d like to get a chance to talk to Uchicha-sama.“

`… my brother.´

"… sure. Why don‘t you come in and take a seat while I find out about his whereabouts?“

"Too kind of you“.

Both trotted down the hallway, but it did not went unnoticed to Itachi how averse the strange women was. He brought her into a bright tea-room next to the garden. "Would you be so kind telling me your name, before I summon my brother?“

"My name is Tenchi, Uchiha-dono“.

"Tenchi-san, very well“, the name did nothing for him. Before searching the house, he set the kettle for everyone to enjoy some afternoon tea alongside whatever their visitor might ask for. 

"Sasuke?“, he briefly knocked the frame, before carefully sliding open the door of Sasuke‘s bedroom, where he was found lounging next to the window. "You have a visitor.“

A little perplexed, Sasuke’s attention was brought towards the door. “Well Nī-san, I‘d appreciate it if you‘d grant me at least half a second to reply before coming in, would you be so gracious? You don't know what I might be doing.“ 

"It‘s a lady named Tenchi-san, but she insisted speaking with you, as the head of household, I suppose.“ He purposefully ignored the rest.

With an elongated sigh, the younger heaved himself up from his comfortable position. His Kimono hung a little lose, so he tucked both his necklines and tightened the hakama obi: "So she didn‘t tell what her visit is all about?“

"Not at all.“

Sasuke rolled his eyes and stepped in front of Itachi to head downstairs.

"Uchiha-sama!“, the woman stood to offer a brief bow.

"Tenchi-san. Pleasant to make your acquaintance“, Saskue offered a nod to accompany her bow, but made apparent their clear difference in standing. "What brought you here today?“

Itachi at the same time made himself busy with the tea in the kitchen.

"May we take a seat?“, he gestured.

After a short period of silence, the older brought the hot cups and carefully placed them in front of everybody, which indicated that the time of stalling was up.

"So then. What is it you want to bring to my attention?“

"Well, I wanted to acquire knowledge about what you deem appropriate considering the future of my son, Uchiha-sama.“

"Your son…?“ 

"Tenchi, Ukiyo“.

Sasuke didn‘t move a single muscle in his face, but Itachi knew him well enough to know that that name didn‘t do anything for him either.

"…“

"So?“

"So what? What is it that I have to do with your son‘s future?“

The woman, obviously taken aback, gasped for air. "So you don‘t even recognize his name? The name of the boy you –", sliding a glance towards Itachi, she pulled herself together and reined in her volume.

Sasuke raised his brows and finally leaned in a little bit: "So cut the formalities now and talk business. I indeed still don‘t know what I would have to do with your son Tenchi Ukiyo‘s future, so enlighten me, please, as you deem yourself entitled to my attention in this regard.“

"Is it that you just don‘t recognize the name, or are there just so many of them?“, she spat between her teeth.

"Of whom? You speak in riddles. Perhaps yes, I met several people over the years; I don‘t necessarily recall all of their names by heart“.

"Ukiyo is my only son, a Genin under Ino-san‘s authority. He is of smaller stature and has golden blond, middle-length hair.“

Itachi wasn’t sure if some blood instantly left his brother’s face, or if he was imagining things, but something had fallen out of place. 
"Him, yes,“ he slightly nodded. "I think I know who you're talking about now.“

Satisfied, the woman sat back a little, waiting for her opposite to go on further.

"So him then, your son. Now what about his future?“

"Uchiha-sama, we are waiting for you to give him yet a reputable position and secure him some real estate. As his mother, I have to say, that I had been patient, but would like to see some headway made sooner rather than later.“

Itachi was utterly confused, as well as – apparently – his brother. But to Itachi‘s surprise, for Sasuke the situation seemed to be different. He narrowed his eyes, all of a sudden exactly knowing where the conversation was headed.

"Tenchi-san. Nothing would be farther from me than wanting to offend you, but: I have no plans to pull strings for you son whatsoever. Positions? You expected me to secure him positions in the village? You just told me he is a Genin with Ino. Although not the brightest, I‘m sure she‘ll be at least capable of helping her Genin to find a spot in the ranks, no? And as for real estate – how bold of you to ask for handouts like I’d owe you.“

"Uchiha-sama, I went to you as I regarded you as a man of honor.“

"Which is why you think I should –"

"Which is why I had been certain you‘d provide for those whose life had been ruined by your hand.“

"…“

"What possibly could you mean by that, Tenchi-san?“

"Is what I said, Uchiha-sama. Our family will of corse not interfere with Uchiha-sama's agendas, but would at least have expected that he‘d secure Ukiyo-kun's future along the way. He‘s mere 15, if I may remind you, so he doesn‘t know how to look out for himself yet.“

"Very well, but I still don't find it in me why I would be responsible for any of which you‘re speaking of. I asked for nothing of him he was not prepared to give willingly.“

`Now it‘s getting interesting.´

"You!… How can you be so brazen about a young life you have ruined?! I am no such fool as to suspect you harboring any soft feelings for my son – the gods know if you‘re even capable of them – but it‘s your duty to settle this pending matter, considering that you‘d been taken your... liberties with him.“

`Liberties…´

"Oh, so was I not clear enough? How dare you come to my home and question my honor? The audacity to demand favors in lieu of your son – which I see is not here – and make accusations due to you having strange expectations. Again: I'm plenty sure your son will earn all of which you are expecting of him. In due course and on his own.“

"Do you even recognize that you've ruined my son's future? Or are you so oblivious? We are simple people, Uchiha-sama. We have neither title nor estate. My son has no special talent nor sponsors – I hope I don't need to suggest Kekkei Genkai. He had nothing going for him but his humble endeavors in life, but after you… you–. He will never find a wife now, will never settle down and hold a respectable job. The other Genin in his team know and it‘s making the rounds that –“

"If your son doesn't wish for his private life to interfere with his official duties, he should have seen to that. He is a Shinobi after all.“

"But don‘t you understand yet? He‘s not like your kind. He barely passed the school finals, he hasn‘t mastered any special technique. Their band just sees to the simplest tasks until their years of service are finished for them to take on an ordinary job. Which is why he‘ll never succeed from here on out, unless you take responsibility for him.“

"…“

"No.“

"What do you mean no, pardon me?“

"No I will not. As I don‘t deem it my responsibility. At. All. I must agree, the circumstances you‘re telling me sound most unfortunate. But it is yet to be seen if those dire predictions of yours turn out to become true.“

"You think he will find a wife? After you … corrupted him?“

"As I said, I asked of nothing he was not giving willingly.“

"He is mere 15!“

"Are you now turning towards me perhaps being predatory? As if I‘m of old age.“

"– No Uchiha-sama. But you certainly matured differently than us normal people, that you must admit. You‘ve seen the world with all of its gruels far beyond your years, we commoners would imagine. And you know it. My son had been innocent, has he not? And you ruined him for everyone else, without the willingness to take him on.“

"Don't be ridiculous. You sound as if I had impregnated someone and later abandoning them to fend for their own. The business of which your son and I might have had was far less impactful than you make it out to be. But to calm your concerns I ensure you, that business will be hereof concluded. I shall not meet him again and will refrain from any further interference in his life, as per your wishes.“

"So that is all that you offer for his innocence? Pardon me my bluntness, but you have had relations with him, yet you deem it perfectly acceptable for him to deal with the consequences alone?“

"I suspect you might want to have a chat with your son on this matter, not me. I made no promises nor do I retract any now. He got what he sought and it‘s not unique to him, but to all of us to live out our decisions' consequences and take them into account ahead of time.“

"As if the consequences for you would be any comparable to which us commoners face."

"I ensure you, I‘ve had my own share of wrong decisions and paid dearly for them“, Sasuke stood, "and that is all, for the time being.“

A little flustered, Itachi stood as well.

"I’m very… very disappointed in you Uchiha-sama.“

"Very well. As I recommended earlier, you might take your concerns up with your son. And just as a recommendation of mine: Maybe don‘t give up on his abilities just yet. Since he made it to Genin, you might never know which abilities he might grow into one day. Tenchi-san –“, he gestured for the door, "I ought to say it had been my pleasure, but I won‘t be so silly.“

She finally stood as well. "Shame on you Uchiha, I knew your whole breed is no good,“ with gritted teeth the woman made her way to the door.

"Is that so? Interesting, considering the fact you just a moment ago had asked for a laundered position from such despicable Uchiha.“ Sasuke ushered her out the door. "And by the way, just for giggles… as I recall it, your son didn‘t mind `my breed´ at all. So that might be another thing for you to take up with Ukiyo?“, with that he slid the door shut behind the completely bewildered mother.

Now alone in the hallway Sasuke let out an elongated sigh and tussled his hair. He felt uncomfortable and frustrated at the same time. Itachi waited a few meters behind him without a word.

"Anything on your mind Nī-san?“, Sasuke sounded a little on the edge, but knew better than to let it out on Itachi. A few years before he might have, but by now he indeed had matured quite a bit.

"Well yes, I guess. But I‘m a little speechless, to be honest.“

The younger waved: "Oh don‘t think too much of it, this was just quite unusual and strange. Nothing too grand about it – but awkward nonetheless.“

The brothers strolled back to the tea-room, but now opened the gate to the garden and settled more comfortably.

"Do you think you made the right call?“

"Certainly! It‘d been ludicrous to even think of any obligations on my part. I was truthful, I‘ve made no promises, nor have I ever forced or even persuaded the boy.“

`The boy…´
"She said you took your liberties with him.“

"…true, I have. But what – should I have asked if his mommy and daddy knew what he's doing? Ridiculous… But I still do regret my judgement at that time. She was not completely wrong.“

Itachi left room for further explanations with his silence.

"He was innocent, I guess? And I think it is not so far-fetched to assume that I would have corrupted him. But he sought me out, not the other way around. I made the wrong decision to disregard any apprehension. I indulged when I maybe shouldn‘t have“, he stood up and went for the kitchen. 
"You want a beer too?“

"…sure“, the older still wasn‘t quite certain about how to handle the situation.
"I don‘t want to overstep and I‘m aware that you have your own private matters…“

Sasuke returned with two open bottles in hand and gave one of them to his brother. "No worries, go on.“ With that he slumped down on a pillow near the garden-door. 

"What exactly has happened between you and this Tenchi Ukiyo?“

The third sigh escaped his brother. Absentmindedly he loosened his hemlines again and pulled some give in the outer layers of his attire. "What should I say? As you may be very well aware of, there are establishments in which you more likely than not cross ways with a certain kind of people. Those, with whom it‘d be advised to be careful with. Rounin, nuke-nin, prostitutes, foreigners, … me“, he shot a wink towards his utterly fixated brother. This time it was neither caution nor calculations, but Itachi indeed was spellbound. He was intrigued by finally learning some intimite details of his little brother‘s life, that he missed the better part of, but was mortified at the same time, considering where the yet revealed pieces of information most probably will lead to.

"… You? Don‘t tell me you call yourself part of the Riff Raff.“

"Riff Raff? Oh, no you must have misunderstood. The prostitutes – maybe; in addition to some untowardly folks. But the rounin, nuke-nin and foreigners… I wouldn‘t describe them as `Riff Raff´ necessarily, now would you?“, not really waiting for Itachi to reply, he went on, "and I‘d count you into that bunch as well.“

"Hn. I suppose Akatsuki indeed would make it‘s seldom appearances in only those places as well.“

"Precisely. Now – I only ever frequent such inns and bars or hospitalities. Mostly because I hate the superficial smalltalk that comes with polite society, but also because I in some ways belong there. It‘s not a secret in certain circles that I could be seeked out in places like this, I sometimes get some business there as well. And I do enjoy myself from time to time.“

"Elaborate?“

"What else is there to elaborate? It‘s as easy as that.“

"…“

"Well yes, one night this boy approached me, he expected me to be there. He typically wouldn‘t have been my type, but the way he clumsily flirted with me somehow intrigued me“, he roughened through his hair, sporting a small blush, "ugh, I feel a little stupid! I‘ve never had the mother of someone complain. Imagine!“

They both snickered a little, although Itachi still wasn‘t sure of the situation.

"Anyway, we went to a private room upstairs later that night. He was obviously young, but he surely had to have his own reasons. He‘s a Genin, so it didn‘t bother me. You know full well how everyone starting their service is considered an emancipated adult – rightfully so if you‘d ask me.“

Sasuke waited a moment, for his brother to further inquire about his reasoning or anything else, but was met with uncomfortable silence.

"There is really not much of anything further to say. Some days later he came back to the place seeking me out again. Since I enjoyed myself I obliged,“ he shrugged, "and all-in-all it might have been a handfull of times. If anyone had noticed, they must have deliberately followed him to find him out. The inn was full of people I knew, but surely none of them knew him — nobody that would have taken offense at anything that had transpired. I’d deem it the minimum responsibility of a Shinobi to cover their tracks and not get followed around when seeking privacy.“

"…But then again, he's not a very talented Shinobi, it seems.“

"…riiight. In retrospect it really wasn‘t the smartest decision, but I guess since I never appreciated others making judgment calls on my behalf, I in return became a person reluctant to voluntarily meddle in other people‘s businesses“, he stood and readied himself to leave. "Aaanyway. I‘m heading upstairs now. There are a few letters I have to write up a response to.“

"Sure. Don‘t overwork yourself“, both snickered and as the younger took his leave, Itachi felt compelled to one last clarification, "Otōto?“

Sasuke took two steps back, to reappearing behind the hallway wall, locking eyes.

"When you said, that the both of you went upstairs, you do mean to bed him?“

For a moment Sasuke‘s eyes widened and his mouth fell open in surprise, before erupting in a hearty laughter. "Oh my! What do you think? That we made out?! You’re so silly“, without ceasing to laugh, Sasuke finally made in fact his leave and left Itachi alone with his thoughts.

Chapter Text

The next morning started early. Sasuke was his bright and aloof self at breakfast and Itachi busied himself with rearranging his own room. Since he now was going to spend his days within the refines of the heavy, memory-laden walls of the Uchiha-compound again, he needed some change. He simply could not sleep in a room his 13-year-old self had mused over how to secure peace and what pitiful fate would have to come over his clan to make that happen. 

Since he still didn’t know how to engage in casual conversation with Sasuke again, after how they had parted the day before, he was content with spending the majority of the day with renovations and cleaning. His brother seemed to have no objections to it, since he once looked across the hallway, acknowledging his DIY-project, and vanished afterwards, most probably dealing with some of his own matters.

It got late afternoon again, when Itachi was finally satisfied with the outcome of his efforts. 
He was quite surprised, when his absent brother appeared in the doorframe, unexpectedly like a shadow. This time he was wearing a silken kimono under an embroidered hakama, his nintō behind his back. It was obvious that he must have been planning to head outside.

"You made quite the progress today! The room is unrecognizable. Are you satisfied with how it turned out?“

"Hmmn. I couldn‘t live forever like a teenager in a room, that his parents had prepared for him.“

"They‘d be disappointed in mine, would they know. In yours not so much.“

"What do you mean by that?“

Sasuke shrugged. "Oh nothing, just an observation. It amazes me, how nothing kept its same place, but the style stayed wholly the same.“

"You…“ Itachi felt kind of offended, but at the same time Sasuke was not wrong. Sure, he re-arranged quite some bit and built in a dresser or two, but it still looked like a neat, traditional room, following the classical guideline. It had a lower table, some decorative scrolls, now two low dressers that featured some ikebana-work, an orderly cupboard for his books and two massive oakwood chests for several scrolls and weapons. The few clothes he had were tucked away in the built-in wardrobe behind a sliding door, same as the folded futon he was sleeping on.

"Then tell me, how is your room different then?“

"Well,“ he laughed, "it has an entirely different focus I suppose. But that‘s beyond the point. You have anything to do this evening?“

`That‘s exactly the point, but whatever´ “What would that possibly be?“ He offered a sincere smile.

"Then let‘s get yourself a change of scenery, you‘ve been inside the premises for far too long.“

"Would it really be wise for me to be seen outside before the elders had made their final decision about my whereabouts in the village?“

Sasuke squinted his eyes. "Are you a `not so talented shinobi´?“

"Hmm, don’t try me.“ Itachi answered with a grin, full-well understanding the reference. 

A little later, both men gracefully glided over the silent rooftops of the outskirts. The older had no idea of where his brother would lead him, but it didn‘t matter either. They were headed in the opposite direction of the city, so there was no need for an elaborate avoidance of the wall-guards or the Anbu. They‘d both concealed their presence nonetheless. Quickly they passed through a neighboring forest and in no time arrived at a dimly lit hut in the middle of a clearing. 

Sasuke looked him over expectantly and he reassured him by moving to his side. It felt strange, for the first time in forever walking beside his very brother, that he had sworn to protect, but failed so many times. The one that he wanted to grow tall and bright, who instead was now leading him through the shadow parts of society. 

`Do you resent, that I didn’t turn out the kind of brother you’d anticipated?´
No – he did not. He wouldn‘t even mind, if he‘d led him to the gates of hell; he would have followed him. That in mind, this tavern didn‘t look too bad, now did it? 

In a sudden need for some contact, he reached out for his brother‘s hand, but instead only found fabric. He was mortified by his stupidity and quickly hoped, that his mistake went unnoticed, but why would he be so lucky? 

"…“
Of course, he instantly found his brother's gaze trained on his hand touching his empty left sleeve.

"C‘mon, let‘s head inside.“

Flustered, he tagged along. `Oh my…´ 

The door swung open and immediately did a lively atmosphere spill over into the night. The tavern‘s insides obviously were contained by strong seals. Whatever transpired within would'nt easily be noticed from the outside. 

"Uchiha!“, both turned their heads, but Itachi quickly understood that it was his brother that‘d been summoned.
"Long time no see. Care to catch up?“

Sasuke smiled, which was mesmerising to Itachi. His smile did not convey overboard emotions but was no less genuine. A smile, befitting of a seasoned Clan Head, he thought. Someone, that had no need to deceive or to appease.

"Well why not? Then scoot your punk ass out the way so that we both have room.“

It was always fascinating, how well the younger of them could adapt to their surroundings. Itachi knew all too well, that Sasuke‘s vocabulary wasn‘t for the faint of heart sometimes, but he conducted himself perfectly dignified, when tending to official business or being in the presence of people who would not bode well with it otherwise.

For some time he just listened to the group of three strange men together with his brother, catching up and being rambunctious while Sasuke perfectly fitted in. He smiled and laughed, but never crossed the line of being a nuisance or drawing too much attention to them. They ordered a round of something for everyone on the table and chattered on their merry way. 

At some point one acknowledged Itachi looking quite different from his brother, other than their mouth and jawline. The younger didn‘t pay too much attention, but said, that in the past their eyes had been quite similar too. Before his left eye had changed that was. His mismatching pupils dominated the first impression of his face nowadays; only when paying attention, you could find many more similarities reserved to full siblings. 

The circumstance, that his dark pupil was in fact not just similar, but identical to his brother's, Sasuke left out. That of course wasn't the sentiment of their kinship, but more of their troubled past.

The conversations about trivialities went on, but despite his reluctance, Itachi was gradually getting dragged into their conversation. They gave him a little bit of a hard time, what he was up to and all about, but thankfully no one asked him about his past, despite surely everyone by now knew about the man that was Uchiha Itachi.

"You‘ll never guess what happened yesterday“, Sasuke proclaimed, "there‘d been this young-ish Genin who sought me out a couple of times you know? His mother came to my house to complain and was trying to extort me for my influence.“

"Oh HELL to the no!“

"Yikes!! I think I saw a Genin looking for you once, but you weren‘t here. Blonde, bushy-tailed, bright-eyed?“

"I‘m afraid yes. Getting into that mess was a huge lapse of judgement on my part, but I‘d never expected his family to get involved.“

"Good for him, that his parents are looking out for him. It‘s no good letting them stray from the right path.“

"But not too many could pull off enticing Uchiha; there had to be something special about that boy, didn‘t it?!“

"…True, but I don‘t know if it‘d been about him or if I was too impaired to call it quits in due time.“ The second round hit their table. Itachi nothing but listened for the time being.

"His old folks getting involved might be one thing. But threatening the Head of the Uchiha? What did you do, impregnate their son?!“ Everyone was laughing.
"Head of a clan of two people“, Sasuke added.
"Nonetheless. It‘s the status that comes with it. It‘s not my business, but I‘m just curious. Do you know why he was specifically looking for you?“

Sasuke shook his head no. “I have no clue. But what he wanted was quite obvious. He was clumsy but sweet; it had been curiosity that seemingly intrigued him the first night. The other times it was lust he came back for.“

"Stranger things have happened. You are a catch after all!“ The guy embraced Sasuke‘s shoulders with one arm, pulling him in casually and patted his side. "But tell me now: Was it worth it?!“ –  Everyone snickered and joked.

"A gentleman enjoys and remains silent.“ He winked back in a light mood. 

"Oh, you give us nothing, aye?! Haven't I told you guys every tiny bit about me and my lady‘s vacation in the Land of Sand? We never really left the hotel, you know?“

"Sigh, how nice to have a significant other. Don‘t you have a reaccuring thing with someone from the ANBU, Uchiha?“

`The ANBU?´ 

"Nothing serious, we‘re just enjoying ourselves.“

"… when you‘re not deflowering a Genin“

"Oh, you‘re impossible!!“

Itachi‘s face went uncomfortably hot at that.

"And you, Uchiha-two, what‘s your game?“

A little perplexed about the lack of the proper address, Itachi blinked. "… Game?“

"He means, if you‘re `having game´, what your love life‘s been looking like lately“, Sasuke rolled his eyes at the silly question of his fellows. "Let him be. I just wanted him to get some fresh air and not an interrogation, mind you. Besides, if I –  like him –  wouldn‘t know you, I‘d tell you shit. So now: What d'you want to get for the last round?“

The rest of this evening remained rather unproblematic. The group chatted on about one or the other thing and Itachi did his best to engage. He wasn‘t familiar with that kind of lighthearted conversation, but he wasn‘t exactly opposed to it. 

He wasn‘t with Akatsuki anymore and neither was he on an important undercover mission. For the heck of it, he wasn‘t even the designated Uchiha heir anymore that had to keep his face at any time. And his brother was oh-so much better at it, he should have been it from the start. Sadly nobody noticed back then, but it had been the same way, nobody had noticed, that the old ways of the Uchiha-elders only led towards destruction. Strictly clinging to performatives doesn‘t necessarily lead to success; it takes brains and discernment… and the right mind to navigate everything, when it comes to leading a clan.

"You coming?“

Itachi stuck around a little too long, but sheepishly strolled behind his younger brother now.

"I know they‘d been a lot. You never know who you might run into. I hope they didn‘t offend you with anything?“ Both smoothly glided above the treetops towards their family home.

"Oh no, it was quite refreshing actually. And I was surprised how open you were about your private life.“

"Hn, not too much I think. Nothing that had been told was confidential by any means. Everyone of them has serious matters that might get discussed in a more intimate setting, but not tonight, that was just fun and games.“

"Is that so…“ They finally arrived at their compound and swiftly jumped over the wall.

"Do you want to retreat or can I treat you to one more?“

As per usual, the younger deliberately bee-lined to the kitchen and rummaged through the counter.

"One more glass wouldn‘t hurt.“ Itachi never drank more than 1-2 glasses of anything, considering the fact, that he was almost always in danger and had to be alert. But now that he was with Sasuke he knew that he was safe. 
The younger deftly took two cups and a sake bottle in his hand and smilingly gestured for the staircase.

`He had never invited me to his private room…´

The shoji got opened by the back of his hand with the support of his right foot and both entered.
At first the room was only lit by the faint lights emanating through the two windows. Quickly Sasuke sat everything down at a small side table and made himself busy lighting several floor torches.
The room was elegant and the furniture upscale. It consisted of a mixture of traditional pieces and European Art Noveau ones, such as the centerpiece of the room: An elaborate bed with four ornate posts.

The rattling of a window cut through the silence.

"Help yourself.“ The younger gestured towards the sake. He leaned on the windowsill while digging into the insides of his montsuki. A pack of cigarettes emerged; he took one with his lips and pocketed the rest. 
This time he didn‘t offer them to Itachi. Said one poured not only his, but both glasses and took one in each hand, approaching the window.

After getting his cigarette lit, Sasuke estinguished the flame on his fingers and accepted the cup.

He looked fierce and beautiful, illuminated by the warm light of the room and the cold of the streets. After a few tugs he picked up the cigarette between his knuckles to then take a sip of sake. His lively eye was calm and his features indicated, how laid back he was just now. 
Itachi felt honored.

"Your ogling me again. And there you might think the Akatsuki would hire more subtle people.“

Itachi smiled: "And what if I didn‘t want to be subtle?“ Was he getting tipsy?

His brother eyed him while finishing his smoke. "You're telling me. You really are a silly one, aren‘t you?“ He put out the butt and exhaled the remaining smoke into the night. "And you like to play with fire, that much I know. But something tells me, you're all bark and no bite.“

"Hn.“
Itachi hadn‘t left Sasuke‘s space, neither had said one retreated. Instead he got pierced by those calm mismatched eyes and an amused smirk on the lips.

"Very well; since you‘re so comfortable now, why not pick up the conversation at where it cut off before?“

`Oh no…´

"You seemed plenty interested in all of our dirty laundry, but yet came out unscathed. Now, how about you? What were you up to lately?“

"I…“ If Itachi knew one thing for certain, it’d be that he wouldn‘t lie to his brother anymore. "Before I found my way back to Konohagakure, I was quite incapacitated. It took this new body of mine the longest time to reclaim life and accept my Chakra flowing through it. When I could finally move again, I turned to look for you, as I didn‘t really have any other connection or purpose anymore. Tonight was actually the first time that I went out in over a year“, now that wasn‘t a lie, was it?

"Hmmmm“ His brother sceptically squinted his eyes.

"But I have another question.“ He had to come up with a distraction and quick. "You said before, that this Ukiyo-kun was `innocent´ and that you kind of had felt drawn in by that. What did you mean by that exactly?“

"Well,“ Sasuke laughed, "it‘s not as if you‘ve answered my question, but whatever I guess...“ The mocking tone in his voice was obvious. "What should I say? Sometimes it‘s intriguing to face the things that you‘re not. The boy was fascinating to me in a sense, because he‘s the polar opposite of me, but still felt compelled by the darkness.“

"Everything that you‘re not…“

"Well, you spoke of innocence for example, so that's a start. But it's only one of the aspects.“

"But he‘s also younger than you.“

Sasuke gave him that kind of an exagerated snarky look, that Itachi felt compelled to add: "…No? Did I say something wrong?“

"It‘s not like anything would have been different two years ago. Well, except my body, obviously, and I‘d fancy myself being a little wiser too.“

"But at one point, you had also been an inncocent, bright child. I remember quite well how cute you were.“ Both men setteled on the two chairs surrounding the small table and poured themselves another round.

"Sure. When I was five. Good example.“ They both had to laugh about that.

"Then when did you lose that innocence of yours?“ Did he really ask that?

"Well that of course depends on what kind of innocence you're referring to. I‘d think it‘s safe to say, that night when my whole family died – except the one that killed them all of course – and I from that point on was abandoned and left to my own devices. I think I‘d just turned eight at that point?“

"…" `Dang.´

"No offense, but you really could not have expected me to have a childhood after that and enjoying the mundane things. Since that day there had always been some serious matters I had to see to.“

The atmosphere in the room didn‘t really improve by that topic. But Sasuke was in a generally playful mood, so he took it upon himself to lighten it up again. "And if you mean `innocence´ in a different way, I‘d say it was a good four years later.“ He winked and Itachi looked mortified. "You were twelve?!“ 
"Hey! Don‘t look at me like that!“ Bemused he took another sip of Sake. "Of course everyone‘s first `endevours´ are a little clumsy and you're experimenting. There‘d been a few girls that had been swooning over me and the Genin contracts often left plenty of free time, even with the training. Really the hang of it I got when I left the village one year later I guess.“

"You were still a child at that point.“

"Not really.“ The younger weighed his head. "I'd been plenty old enough and besides, you do know the law concerning that just as well as I do. You get emancipated when you finish the academy and join a Genin-team to fulfill your duty to the village.“

"With that logic, I would have been seven! Would you consider seven an appropriate age to…?“

"I would consider someone bedding a seven-year-old a predator. If you‘re asking where I‘d make the cut-off, I‘d answer that at least their bodies should have to had matured. A girl ought to be ovulating and a boy to be ejaculating; it‘d be cruel to force a developing body into a role, that it is not yet equipped for. 
But I hold the same opinion about taking on the Genin-duty. I oppose the stance to enlist anyone not old enough to procreate. I take it that in practice it shifted that way anyway, even though it‘s not completely outlawed to finish the academy early.“

Itachi looked down to his unfinished cup. His vision started to blurr at the seams.
"How much can you drink of that?!“

"Already feeling tipsy, O-nī-san? Plenty, actually. All about practice,“ he joked, "so is now an opportune time for you to not evade my question anymore?“

"I‘m not evading, I just don‘t have anything to tell, actually. I see you're all grown up and confident… I would say, that I‘m proud of you, but that's not it. I of course have no credit in that to be taken in the first place, but my feelings toward you… they are different. I know that you know and since the kiss…“ The last part he muttered, eyes still glued to his deadly grip on the cup.

"… I assume that‘s another thing I will have to add to the long list of things that I shouldn‘t have done but couldn‘t help myself with.“

"…Are you into men?“

"–?“

"I percieve you sleep with them? However that‘s even possible..."

"! – What did you just mumble?“

"… You did say you bed with that boy and –"

"Yeah yeah, obviously, but what did you say after? However it‘s possible?“

"Well two men cannot procreate, can they? From what I know they don‘t have the physical parts to do so and its usually men and women that would mate."

"From what you know?! What do you know, cause that, Nī-san, sounds troublesome.“

A little embaressed, the older couldn‘t really offer more than a defeated huff, since that pretty much was the extent of it.

"I‘m sorry, I didn‘t want to offend you, but dang; I‘d never assumed you wouldn‘t know. You don‘t know how men sleep together at all, do you?“

"I guess I don‘t." Already a little drunk, he downed the remainder of his cup; it wouldn‘t make a difference at that point.

Sasuke nodded. "Well, the dynamic is usually quite different between just men or a man and a woman, although technically you could perform the same act with a woman as well – so let‘s start there: How adventurous did you get with women yet?“

Now his cheeks were burning. "Not at all, I‘m afraid.“

"Not at all… adventurous?“

"I do know how conception works and about the timing of a woman‘s cycle that has to be taken into consideration, but only technicalities. As to personal experience, I‘m afraid I come up lacking.“

"You‘re not telling me in many words, that you‘re a virgin?“

"I‘m afraid I might, Otōto.“

"Oh god, what have I done…“

"Nothing that I didn‘t want to.“

"…says the virgin.“

"Pffft.“

"But you're so...", he wrinkled his nose at his internal fight for words, striving to not embarress his brother, but still being clear enough to keep going places with their conversation and prevent him from hiding behind his jungle of stylistic flourish, "...old. You were running around with a crime syndicate, certainly in places where all kinds of questionable distractions could be found."

"Would you percieve me as someone being interested in distractions?"

"I know you as someone who's more than capable of managing yourself and being able to follow multiple objectives at once. For the hell of it – do you believe I had just been focused on getting layed? I'd been training to exhaustion most of the time...“

"That may be, but you're circumstances had been different. I had to cut out whichever pieces of personal wants I might have had, to become what I needed to be to fullfill my purpose. There was nothing left that I craved for myself; anything would have felt pointless in the light of everything."

"Mmh. Striking, how you managed to preserve certain parts of your humanity throughout, but not others. ... Did this ever change since you are... back? Your circumstance is different now, so much so that you could want things."

"Did I not have expressed interest just now? Why don't you enlighten me Otōto, what does sleeping with another man entail?" He must have lost his mind.

Sasuke snorted.
"Well just very briefly then, as I figure you wouldn‘t ask anyone else. I‘ll try to keep it PG13.
Unlike when you just relieve yourself alone, when getting excited and actually initiating intercourse our whole body gets aroused. As men we get an erection, but also the rest of our body gets attuned for mating. When you touch yourself sometimes, you‘ll realise that your penis actually doesn‘t only content of the `outer´ part, but can be traced by your fingers further, behind your sac. When touching even farther, you‘re now at your sphincter.“

Itachi was intrigued but uncomfortable. It slowly dawned on him where this might lead to.

"When both men are ready, one penetrates the other there. That could be tricky if inexperienced, since by design it keeps the body shut. It takes both of them to make the recieving body to accept their connection. It‘d be much advised that at least one of the men is … quite accomplished, if the other is not, for it to be a pleasurable experience. If one knows what he does, the backside of the inner part of the penis as well as the underlying prostate get stimulated that way. Both would continue to move together until they reach their climax. 
That‘s it in a nutshell, at least the family-friendly version of it,“ Sasuke shrugged.

"And you did do that."

"And I do do that, yes."

"Curious. Where did you aquire all that knowledge from?"

"Oh, nobody had to tell me, nor did I have to learn about it. I just had plenty of sex I guess? This is also just the tip of the iceberg, it can get much darker than this. But that shouldn‘t concern you, not everyone is a degenerate like me“, he joked.

"… But what if it‘s only you that I want?“

Sasukes eye darkened a shade and he leaned back in his chair. "That‘d be pretty unfortunate, cause I‘m really not the best choice by any means.“

"Neither am I, I suppose?“

"Hn…“ Sasuke holds his hand infront of himself and mustered it in thought, as if he might discover something new about it. "Also your hands have brought many to their deaths, dealt out pain…“

Absentmindedly Itachi reached across the table and touched the other‘s hand with his fingertips, as to which quirked an eyebrow. "I feel content with it, you know? I‘m aware of how much you despise all this violence despite having been an obedient tool in the hands of fate for all this time. But I‘m different.“ He turned his hand and now continued his observations on its backside. "I can coat my hand red with blood, feel the bones snap between my palm, but can use the very same to elicite lust and satisfaction from another body. Sometimes the lines do blurr though…“

Itachi was way too drunk at that point to make too much sense of it, but instead grabbed his hand and pulled him off his chair. Surprised eyes now looked down to him.

"My hands indeed are seasoned in agony and torture. I wouldn‘t even recall when I touched someone tenderly…“ At that he loosened his grip and tried to lightly trace down the other‘s forearm with his fingers." And yet you deem yourself the messed up one?“

"You have no idea.“

"Even if so, I think I could handle it.“ His fingers came up to the palm again and his eyes unmistakenly conveyed pleading.

"That look again…“ Sasuke moved his hand very slow and deliberately forward until firmly encircling the other's jaw and holding it without force.

"How do I look?“

"… Needy.“ Without breaking eye contact, the younger bowed down and got closer to the other‘s face until their noses touched. When convinced that the other didn‘t waver, Sasuke finally captured his brother‘s lips with his own. They must have been slightly parted, because Itachi felt his lower lip  gently caught between them just before Sasuke angled his head even more to melt over his mouth. Itachi basked in the unusually intimate feeling and tried to mirror the movements, making himself as soft and welcoming as possible.

His lips lost contact for just a moment, to yet again be covered by a pair that applied oh so deliciouse pressure and coaxed responses he wouldn't have deemed reasonable. His breath turned ragged. After another repositioning, he felt the other lips parting his own in unison and how the tip of Sasuke‘s tongue deliberately traced the point of their connection before retreating. Unsure of himself, he alighned his own with the edge of his mouth — and sure enough, the other‘s found him again. They brushed briefly, before Sasuke closed their kiss again. The next time he parted them, he licked into his mouth more intently and lingered for a while, letting Itachi‘s taste and explore his a little more. 

With a sigh, the younger straightened his back again. Itachi felt his cheeks burning bright, both from the the kiss and the alcohol.

"You should rest now; also you‘re a little drunk.“

"… and you?“

"I‘m fine, but I‘d really feel uncomfortable if you‘re not thinking clearly and this would go any further.“

`Further?´ Itachi had never even considered something like that.

"You should get a good night‘s sleep now and remember to drink enough water in the morning.“

"As you say, Otōto.“ Itachi flashed a snarky smile, which was reciprocated by a hideous grimace on Sasuke‘s end. 

"Now chk chk, out with you.“ He waved his hand, ushering him outside his bedroom.

"Very well. Have a good night too“, and just like that the shoji slit shut infront of him and Itachi again was left alone in that desolated hallway.

☾

The next morning Itachi awoke with a slightly spinning head. He hadn‘t necessarily drank that much, did he? Although he had gotten quite carried away…
`I told him, that I didn‘t know how men would possibly sleep together##´ Even worse, Sasuke took pitty and infact explained it to him. What an embarressment…

He recapitulated Sasuke‘s words in his head… The concept sounded wholly strange to him, but he trusted Sasuke to – although being brief about it – having explained it acurately. 

He lay still on his futon as the memories kept rushing in.
`He said, that it‘s a little tricky and at least one should be experienced for it to be enjoyable…´
`The whole body gets aroused and ready for the coupling´… `diffent than yourself alone´.

Itachi nearly felt a headache creeping in from his dizzy thoughts. Tentatively he brushed his fingers under his shirt. He felt his tight abs, some scars… A little higher up he cupped one taunt peck. He had never regarded his chest as anything erotic. It was strange to imagine someone else to possibly get aroused by feeling at it. Then again, if being honest he himself tried to sneak some glimpses of Sasuke‘s exposed skin whenever he got the chance to.

Itachi moved his fingers down to his wasteband and losened it. He traced through his pubic hair, down over his half-hard shaft. Normally he wouldn‘t mind at all, but with the new perspective also grew some kind of curiosity. He touched himself and considered the resulting feeling. He noted how his body responded but didn‘t dwell. Instead he ventured further, passing his testicles. Behind them between his legs, he indeed found the firm curvature he never paid attention to before. Here he lingered for a bit, applied pressure and stroked the skin. It felt pleasent, but not how it would feel, when he for once pleasured himself. He traced even a little further and found the contact all of a sudden unexpectedly intense. It nearly felt ticklish, if that‘d be a way to describe it.

With a sigh Itachi pulled himself out of his musing and the shenanigans. He‘d have to get it together and not make a fool out of himself any further. He decided to just go with the flow. There really wasn’t anything in particular he could do.

With a made-up mind and a deep exhale, Itachi made his way out of his room. He heard noises coming from further down the hallway, so he followed them until he found his brother rummaging through an assembly of different weapons.

"Is it time already?"

"Well yes, I've been summoned for the final meeting with Kakashi about the remaining details. I'll probably have to leave at nightfall to not draw unnecessary attention."

"Will you meet up with the Anbu also, like you've planned?"

"Hmmh." The younger kept equipping his diverse pieces of body-near wearable weapon holders. 

“Are you also going to see him before you go?”

The ruffling stopped. 

“Do you have any suggestions of what I should tell?”

Itachi snorted, uncomfortably aware of his overreach.

“…tachi?” The younger had turned around over his left shoulder, still kneeling over his travel attire. His empty left sleeve was still stuck between his quads, offering a rare occurrence in which the loss of Sasuke’s arm got in fact visible. Itachi realized how accustomed he was to overlooking that fact, due to Sasuke always wearing his loose long kimono sleeves nowadays. He should pay more attention.

“Is silence our new go-to, really?” He put whatever he held in hand down on the pile and lifted himself up, casually tousling his hair.

"I... may have blown the severity of things out of proportion and I know I have little to offer in that regard but – you have kissed me, more than once now, so it does have to mean something, does it not? And... I cannot stop thinking about it. I know it's silly and propably hadn't meant anything serious for you, but for me it kind of does."

"... I haven't said that it didn't mean anything to me."

“I don’t know if I could really handle sharing you, but of course it’s your decision what you want to do. It’s your life and I feel like I’ve meddled enough with it.”

“But it would bother you, if I’m close to someone else?”

"..."

"... If I'm sharing my bed with someone else?"

After a brief pause Itachi nodded his head in honesty. They’d just found to each other, were able to form a genuine connection. He wouldn’t mess things up by being deceitful.

“Someone else… other than you?” Normally sovereign with those topics, Sasuke got a little uncertain of himself with his brother — equally as concerned to potentially mess up their fragile bond. At a loss for what to do, he further combed back his hair. He actually looked quite neat when tucking his hair back more orderly, Itachi noticed.

“We haven’t really finished our conversation yesterday, about –” the younger gestured between them, “– us. What is it, that you expect from this?”

Again, silence.

“You know, I’m not sure what you expect of me, but rest assured, that you’re the most dear to me; no one could come between that. I’m going to talk to Koen before the end of the day, don’t you worry. But more importantly I’d like to know what you want.”

“What I want?…”

"Yes. Since being with me, would eventually entail things."

"It would ... ?"

“Sure. I mean: Am I a red-blooded man?” Sasuke got a little uncomfortable with the following silence considering his recently acquired knowledge about his brother. He realised, that his little metaphor didn’t seem to hit home quite the way it was intended. “You know, nevermind that!”

“– Oh!” Itachi froze, blood instantly rushing towards his cheeks. He hadn’t thought about that at all yet, how should he? This whole chapter had been firmly sealed shut until sort of two seconds ago. He wasn't certain about his opinion of what he wanted regarding that yet. 
“Does it matter to you at all, that we’re from the same flesh?” Successfully dodged, while still keeping it truthful.

“I don’t mind too much, actually. I probably sound like a terrible person to you, but I cease to care what anybody thinks about me a looong long time ago. And regarding the gods – oh well. My sins far exceed any measure of divine forgiveness. My cards hadn’t been dealt that way and I don’t live for other’s expectations or norms anymore.”

“It’s incest.” Blunt. Precise. Just Itachi’s strong suit.

“Sure. I’m aware of that. But so are you?…” The ball got served into the older’s territory again. “Allow me to cross the line just for once. Despite not being intimate, have you at any time developed deeper feelings for anybody when you had been on the road?” Sasuke wouldn’t risk another awkward quiet just now, so instead went for a more concrete question.

“I…” He did consider harboring any soft feelings for anyone as little as having any in-fact romantic partners – snow in hell had been more likely than that. “No, I never did.”

Sasuke nodded affirmatively, stepping in closer. “So, ‘you sure you’re not confused about this? Our past had been quite messed up and it would’t surprise me if that would impair your current judgement.”

The look he received was filled with honesty – curious and without any intent of manipulation. Sasuke really wanted to know without swaying him in either direction.

“Hey!” The younger nudged the backside of his index- and middlefinger under his chin and inched nearer and nearer.

Focused on each other’s eyes, neither of them backed down.
Sasuke touched the other’s nose with his and slid their faces even closer together. As their eyes now were exactly opposite to each other, Sasuke lowered his lids and finally stole a kiss. His lips teasingly captured the others, fleetingly pressing against and playfully tugging, brushing over them. Itachi sharply inhaled, letting the intimate ministration happen to him in a sober state.

"You‘re getting yourself into an even messier conundrum.“

“You heard, what I‘ve said yesterday and I meant it.” This time it was the older that closed the space between them. Like the other had done before, he now stared down at his unsure partner until he closed his eyes. 

Itachi stretched out a hand, searching with his fingers until he found the other’s neck to on his part now press longing lips into the man, who welcomed him but this time neither pushed nor took it any further. Instead, Sasuke gave back whichever he received; between smaller pecks and longer, more sensual, drawn out ones he would always engage, but clearly offered Itachi the lead. 

Said one was intoxicated by this new and utterly unfamiliar feeling of warmth and intimacy he never would’ve dreamed of experiencing one day. He had dealt torture and served death without mercy for neither his targets nor himself, but this little paradise, this safe-haven he’d lived up to experience was outside of anything he had deemed himself worthy of.

Finally they had to separate. A summon of the honorable Hokage couldn’t be delayed, even when said Hokage was the forever-unreliable Kakashi. Also, Sasuke had promised him that he would cut ties with the man he’d only seen a fleeting profile of. Even though he’d stated, that he didn’t want to meddle with his Otōto’s life anymore, he couldn’t contain the warm feelings that filled him when thinking of Sasuke making this sacrifice just for him. And: Not for his `brother-brother´ at that, but for him as something more.

☾

Sasuke picked up his pace after leaving the Hokage tower in order to lead the one tailgating him to a somewhat more private place. Finally, when arriving at the farthest training ground at the outskirts of the village, he stopped. 

The other ANBU, which he initially had planned to deal with, had to his comfort been already present at Kakashi’s final declarantion, naming him as the singular one in charge to deal the final blow to the astray upheaval and making it clear to everyone, that the whereabouts of him and/or any information about this non-mission would be off-limits. The particular ANBU he locked eyes with now was one, he had personal dealings with.

“You gave me quite the chase this time. Are you in a bad mood or something?” Koen pushed his mask up on his scalp, now looking like a visitor at a Hanamatsuri feast. 

“We needed to get away so that I could talk to you in private.”

“Oh? I’m honored… How long will you be gone? Not that I’m going to miss you.”

“We need to stop seeing each other.” Short, precise; his brother would’ve been proud of him.

Obviously perplexed, the flustered man jumped down from his post, closing the distance.

“What? … Why?”

“I’ve enjoyed myself around you, but you know that it had always been just that between the two of us. I’m afraid that it’s now time for me to move on.”

“If you don’t just want something casual, we could –“ he got interrupted by Sasuke’s blunt gesture of putting up his flat hand to stop. “I’m not seeking anything more from you, I need distance.” 

Not used to rejection, Koen pursed his nose, unwilling to surrender to his younger lover’s flakiness. 
“So I’m boring you?”

“Why would you always have to put up a fight? It’s not like you’ve done anything wrong or me –“ 

“– I know I’ve done nothing wrong. So why do you –“ 

“I told you before! This has nothing, and I repeat: NO-thing to do with whatever relationship the two of us had shared. We had been fellow travelers that had a thing or two in common and had enjoyed each other’s company.”

“– more than that.” 

“Yes, granted. More than that. And I'd thank you for the time if you’d like me to. But it needs to be over now. Everything has its destined time and ours is over now.”

“You’ll regret that decision sooner rather than later.”

“Well,” Sasuke snorted, “I won’t be so positive on that one, but anyways; I don’t harbor any hard feelings for you. I really didn’t want to make this difficult.”

“But I did, yes?”

At that time, Sasuke intently reevaluated his former life choices to put up with that kind of drama.

“I wanted to politely inform you before I leave. Maybe me being out of town helps to get some distance between the two of us. I still hope that you’ll understand eventually. But even if you refuse, that’ll not change my stance on this topic.” At that he left the red-haired shinobi alone and rushed over the village's roofs, heading towards his compound to deliver his final goodbye before venturing out on his mission.

Itachi watched his brother putting on layer after layer of armor and weapons. Sasuke had changed out his formal clothing for more casual travel-wear in the form of a cotton kimono and a linen bakama, which got topped by further layers of cloaks and garments. 

Sasuke had to be much more concentrated and slower now, only having one hand to tie up everything in place, but he was nonetheless determined and wouldn’t have accepted anything resembling help, so Itachi refrained from even offering. He would have been the same, had situations been swapped. 

He noted how much weaponry his brother took with him, despite being more than aware of the severity of this kind of situation. Possibly the whole peace-treaty relied on the resolution of the uprising conflict and if not being dealt with swiftly and decisively, the offspring of this kind of ideology would spread out relentlessly over the different lands and wouldn’t be able to be stopped anymore.

“I still am a little baffled, that the Hokage sends you alone and without a team.”

“I’ve acted on my own for the majority of my life and it suits me better. Also, he deemed me fitting for this task, not the other Shinobi.”

He didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but wouldn’t want to obscure the fact either, that his brother again would have to face the complete different man he’d become rather than what he‘d planned for him to turn out to. 

“I don’t know when I’ll be able to come back or if I’d have the opportunity to write.”

“Don’t worry about me, I trust you and your abilities.”
 
“… my handwriting is still far from desirable anyway,” Sasuke joked, regarding the fact that he technically was still a rookie in getting accustomed to being left without his former dominant hand, “but I’ll send a falcon as soon as the mission is complete and I’m heading back to Konoha. That’ll give you guys at least some notice.”

“Very well.”

Itachi lightly patted his brother’s shoulder, which by now had reached a similar height as his own. No wonder… Sasuke was all grown up now.

“OK then, I guess…” Both of them were unsure of how to separate and if any affection would be in order or not. “We’ll see each other on the other side,” Sasuke winked.

Itachi wasn’t too sure how funny he deemed this comment, since he associated something completely different with it. He didn’t act on it anyway, put on his composed smile and waved goodbye while his younger brother exited their family’s premises and vanished into the dark of the night.

Chapter Text

Itachi did not feel like sleeping just yet.
He had just seen his younger brother off and now found himself alone in the vast mansion, steeped in memories — good and bad ones. Of course, it was futile to dwell on the time lost or decisions already made. Chances missed. And yet, when silence settled in, fragments of the past stirred in every corner.

Though that life was long gone, he remembered most of it with unsettling clarity. The images had etched themselves into his mind like a quiet punishment, never granting him the illusion that their weight might one day lessen. 

It wasn‘t the gruesome memories of that night that haunted him — the night in which he'd carried out his desperate plan in a last attempt of possibly avoiding a conflict he had been too young to sway in the open. Never those images, that he‘d shown Sasuke of their parents‘ bloodied corpses lying on the floor. Those he‘d only seen in the beginning when he‘d closed his eyes. But since he had remained firm in his decision to carry that burden, those pictures lost their edge; they lived inside of him with clarity but without the bitterness of regret that one would normally expect.

What truly tormented Itachi were the quieter images.
His father reading the morning paper.
His mother preparing breakfast while baby Sasuke chased butterflies in the garden.

Peaceful moments. Gentle ones. Memories he had spent years trying to erase — sealing them away in the darkest recesses of his mind, hoping they would never resurface.
Those were the ones that left grief in their wake.… ate at him with their damning clarity of all that might have been — of how he had wished for their reality to be different; their lives be different. 

They reminded him how he, too, had once been a dreamer; someone, whose only wish had been to become strong to protect. To secure peace. End the meaningless bloodshed.
But that all had been impossible without the greatest of sacrifices. And the price had not been his to pay alone.

He had paid the debt with the blood of others.
With futures that would never unfold and be forever lost.

Now that he had returned, those memories did not merely resurface; they intertwined with a new understanding. The reason why he had despite everything allowed himself to indulge in the quiet recollections of Sasuke sneaking into his room at night — the sole acknowledgment of his past, of his humanity — was painfully clear now.
Until that point, he somehow had still held onto those childhood dreams; the hope, to at least protect his brother. At least make him the one experiencing peace and happiness in his life.

Itachi gradually understood, why those memories, that had consoled him for so long, had begun to fade, slipping further from his grasp, while those other ones, that only brought pain, became overwhelmingly present.
He had killed both of their parents by making an impossible choice, but now it became undeniable that he had also killed that version of Sasuke. The one, that should have had the bright and peaceful future he‘d always pictured him to have. It had become inaccessable in the wake of how Itachi himself had been the one snuffing out the childlike innocence of his little brother, fostering hatred and eventually pushing him towards a life steeped in blood and gore.

Living beside Sasuke now made it impossible to deny the fact that those two versions — the one Itachi had build up in his mind and the kind of person Sasuke actually had become — could not be reconciled with one another. Not only denial, also any attempt to change a made man would be futile. Itachi knew that better than most. 

The only path forward was acceptance.
To meet one another as they truly were— not as those washed-up dreamlike images made up of hopes and long foregone memories.

With acceptance came the honesty. The man Sasuke had become intrigued him. Fascinated him. Drew him in in a way, that he would have never allowed himself otherwise.
The way he looked at Sasuke had gradually changed in the past, without the weight of actual acknowledgement. He had told himself that it was harmless admiration — inconsequential, given his own fate. But now…

Itachi would have never allowed himself to touch that version of his brother that might have been. The one he had destroyed before it could ever develop. 
But the daring one, the one with striking features and sharp mind, the one with a past likely darker than Itachi was ready to acknowledge quite yet. That one had attracted him so fully, that he found himself unable to resist.

Absentmindedly, he kept strolling through the hallway until he eventually returned to the first floor, where their private rooms were located. A strange temptation struck him as he passed Sasuke’s door. He didn’t feel comfortable invading his brother’s privacy in his absence, but he needed something — anything. So instead, he chose to step into Sasuke’s private bathroom, which was connected to the master bedroom.

It felt more casual than invading the actual room itself, despite him already having been invited there before. Since the bathroom had two doors — one leading to the bedroom and one to the hallway — he could easily have ended up there simply out of necessity. Nothing suspicious about that. Well. Mostly.

Itachi wasn‘t even sure what he was looking for or if so at all. Remembering the night he had walked in on his brother having company, he wondered whether this Koen had been given free rein of the house when he’d been there before. Or would he only have been allowed to accompany Sasuke wherever he went? He assumed that this kind of relationship must have introduced a different set of etiquette than that of ordinary guests. Knowing Sasuke to be rather secluded, he couldn’t quite imagine him letting anyone move freely through his personal space. But what did he know, actually.

Despite Itachi being on the premises, Sasuke had managed to sneak that man in without him noticing, which in and of itself was quite remarkable. There must have been deliberate intent behind Itachi not noticing the nightly visitor, which made it all the more noteworthy how quickly Sasuke had abandoned that effort once Itachi knocked and instead allowing him to become aware of the other presence in the room.

Itachi picked up a few pieces of fabric from the laundry basket next to the sink. They seemed to belong to different casual outfits his brother wore for training or on duty, since he never used a uniform; maybe sometimes armor layered on top. Sasuke wouldn’t wash his silken garments with the rest, so those had to be kept separate. Itachi couldn’t tell where they were; most likely there was another container in the bedroom for his more valuable pieces, set aside for professional cleaning.

The fabric in his hand turned out to be a dark kimono, speckled across the front panel with darker stains. Dirt or blood — either way, it wasn’t immediately obvious, as both the marks and the cotton shared a similar hue. He traced the hemline with his fingers before lifting the garment fully in front of him. The kimono mimicked his brother’s silhouette. His gaze drifted to the evenly hanging sleeves.

Frustrated that this ridiculousness was getting him nowhere — least of all any closer to Sasuke — he stuffed the kimono back into the basket. It wouldn’t matter anyway if guests were allowed to roam freely. His brother was meticulously tidy; nothing stood out, nothing revealed any personal trace beyond his obvious fondness for contrast between traditional and modern styles — and, of course, his attentiveness to exquisite craftsmanship and refined mastery.

On the way to his own room, he mulled over their earlier conversation.
`Regarding Sasuke, there won't be any more visits, since he told me he would speak to his...´ There it again, the irritation. How should he reference the person his brother casually regarded as a `lover´... No. Certainly not that! `...Koen.´ He should stick with the name. Keep it simple.

With a sigh, he stripped down for the night. He placed his clothes over the back of a chair and reached instead for one of the loose shirts he usually wore to sleep. After pulling it over his head, he crossed the room, passing the narrow, unassuming mirror mounted on the wall.
Reluctantly, he paused.

He studied his reflection.
The emptiness in one of his eyes was still something he hadn’t fully grown accustomed to. All his life, those eyes had been the center of attention — and now, seeing one of them blind felt strange. In another way, it felt deserved.
Complicated.

The lines beneath his eyes had grown more pronounced over the years, yet his face remained largely unchanged. He lifted the hem of the shirt he’d just put on. In the sparse light filtering in through the windows, his skin appeared even paler. His abdomen cast dark, shifting shadows as he moved. He pushed the fabric higher, exposing more skin, tracing the familiar map of scars — some faint, some unmistakable — earned through years of relentless training and combat.

Tentatively, he brushed his fingertips over his stomach and tried to imagine enjoying someone else’s touch.
It felt almost unnatural — using his body for anything other than a tool.

What would happen if his brother wanted to execute on their ... relationship? At least, Sasuke was aware now of him not having been with anyone before, especially not another man — however he’d figured that out right from the beginning. This might cut him some slack reguarding his lack of experience… 

He had always filled the role of the older brother, the leader, the obstacle to overcome. Later he became the manipulator, the mastermind that supposedly had to have everything figured out. But the truth was, that every form of excellence he had achieved in certain areas — achieved because he had to, in order to survive — demanded absolute focus. And whatever did not serve that focus was discarded.

His brother had once questioned how he had managed to preserve himself as a human at all, while cutting away entire parts of what made one human in the first place.
And the answer, as harsh as it was, lay in sheer force of will — and the denial of any personal need. Mastery demanded honing in on singular targets, aimed at with a precision that was absolute — not juggling between this, that, and the other thing.

Everything he did had to serve the greater good.
Otherwise, it was expendable.

Itachi straightened his clothes and finally decided to retire for the night. He would have to take things one step at a time. They would find a way — somehow. For Sasuke, he would do almost anything.

And yet… if he were honest, a small spark of curiosity had ignited within him. He wondered whether his life might take a completely different turn now. This time, he would not take the lead. Nor was he expected to anymore. For someone who had lived in control for so long, that loss felt unsettling — even uncomfortable.
But Sasuke was the one person he could trust without reservation.

Funny, how life took turns sometimes.

☾

A couple of weeks had passed without incident. Itachi kept the household going; he also kept up with his training routines and enjoyed some leisure time in the garden— small, unremarkable things that filled the days now that he no longer had to remain constantly alert or prepare for an imminent fight.

The peace felt unfamiliar, but not unwelcome.

He had a gut feeling, that Sasuke would return soon. For a brief moment, his instincts flared — measuring distance, presence, intent — before realisation settled in and his senses returned to their calm state. It was surprising that two ANBU would visit the Uchiha compound, but they had just arrived at the gate. They ordered him to follow and appear before their Hokage.

It had been roughly a month since he had been released into his brother's custody. He had done well so far in not leaving their compound or kicking up any dust. Itachi was perfectly aware that no final decision regarding him had been formally issued. 

On one hand, he was sure that Kakashi understood them and had their best interests at heart. But he also knew how state politics worked — and after the great war, things must have grown even uglier, judging by what Sasuke had told him. What Kakashi thought alone would not make it into law. He would have to get the entire council on board to redeem a former Akatsuki member and a wanted mass murderer. He wasn’t even entirely certain about how Sasuke’s standing with the city officials truly was, after his own far-from-pristine actions leading up to and during the war.

Itachi knew better than to ask the Anbu any questions; the established orders were obvious. So they made their way towards the Hokage Tower in silence, while Kakashi, for his part, was unlucky enough to have already started the unpleasant encounter of his day.

☾

Kakashi paced up and down his office, despite normally having his emotions well in check. With an obvious frown, he gestured for the door guards to let the pair who had been picked up roaming around the village’s outskirts inside. He knew that things were going to get messy.

With straightened shoulders, an upright gait, but empty, glossed-over eyes, the former head of the Uchiha clan entered the Hokage’s office, his wife trailing behind him with her face lowered.

“I would have never guessed that you’d make it to Hokage, Hatake.”

“…Me neither.”

As it turned out, the former Uchiha chief and his wife had been among the dozens of Edo Tensei summoned during the war, but had gotten scattered in the process. The ANBU had indicated that they must have wandered aimlessly for some time, which suggested that their faculties had not been restored immediately after the jutsu’s control had been broken.

"So now speak; how come the two of you are still with us instead of returning to where you belong, Uchiha-san?"

Fugaku bristled at the absence of the customary honorific he was used to, but did not act on it.
"How could we return when faced with such disgrace Hokage-sama? How could you allow this cursed Jutsu to be executed — and at that on those who did the most for our village?"

"... Including you, Uchiha-san?"

Fugaku balled his fists. "You should know pretty well, that I did the best I could at that time."

"Actually I don't know too much about it other than the aftermath. It turned out that you were unable to quell a rebellion even within your own clan — your responsibility as one might argue — so much so that your own son had to step in and be burdened with an unspeakable atrocity. No?"

"Itachi did what he deemed necessary at the time as well."

"So you know that he acted on Danzo‘s order with the tacit consent of Lord Third. Good of you to have accepted the inevitable outcome. But have you ever recognized what you've left behind? That your failure burned the eath so badly that, to this day, it has been impossible to restore peace in your house?"

"It was up to the remnants of our clan to reinvent themselves and to restore order to—"

"—What remnants? Itachi and Obito obliterated the entire district that night."

Mikoto's already bloodless face seemed to pale even further. "What did you say?!"

In that moment, Kakashi — previously being quite harsh — regretted having brought up the past in the manner he had. Even though they bore their share of responsibility for the events, he was no longer facing the elders of a rebelling clan, but two parents who were now mere afterthoughts, unable to reclaim the time lost.

"I'm sorry, but Itachi not only had to quell the rebellion but had to assure the village elders that the Uchiha would never impose any threat again. He killed everyone, down to the last generation but your younger son."

Until that moment, Fugaku had not been aware of the full extent of what his eldest had done that night. They had spoken sparsely and from his understanding, Itachi had to find an off-ramp — a deterrent severe enough to allow the village’s societal structure to continue unchanged. Never would he have imagined the fatal scope of the consequences that followed his inflated ego's drive for an uprising.
But it seemed to remain true, that his younger son, Sasuke, had survived like Itachi had pledged to them. 

Fugaku composed himself. The shadow of his being was incapable of feeling any physical pain—or, frankly anything at all — but his mind reeled as the weight of this new information settled in.

"What happened to them?"

Kakashi sighed.
"Since your older son had made the commitment to shoulder all of the clan's guilt, he agreed to leave everything behind and spend his life as a wanted nuke-nin while still looking after the village and his brother from afar. In the end, on one hand he indeed was a genius, but on the other, he was still too young and far too compassionate for this kind of ordeal. He felt trapped and had nowhere to turn to, lacking both the influence and the wisdom that comes with age to still see the light in the worst possible situation. So his only remaining goal in life was reduced to providing his brother with a better future and trying to make him strong. The best way he percieved to achieve this was to pit Sasuke against himself, foster hatred and fuel his desire for vengeance, and with it the desperate need to become even stronger than he was."

Although her shell was unable to feel anything, Mikoto was shaking by now. "And what happened to them? My baby boy had just turned eight when we ... left him. Excuse me, Hatake-sama, how much time has passed? I recognise you being older, of course, but I wouldn't be able to put a number on it.“

Again, Kakashi massaged the deep frown between his eyes. “Well, Itachi's plan worked out `great´, as you might imagine," he scoffed. "The hatred for his brother did indeed push Sasuke beyond his limits and he did everything to gain more strength. When he turned thirteen, he left Konoha and abandoned the village to instead seek out even more power — all in pursuit of his goal to eventually kill his brother."

"...So he's what, thirteen now?" Fugaku inquired.

"Oh no, quite some time has passed since then. Sasuke has indeed become a powerful Shinobi, like you wouldn't know. Of course he had to pay a tremendous price for that and at some point became a nuke-nin himself. In the end, he did manage to kill Itachi... right before he learned the truth about everything that had happened all those years ago."

Mikoto covered her lower face with her palm in shock.

"Later," Kakashi continued, "the Fourth Shinobi War ensued. Long story short, Sasuke joined the campaign at some point and somewhat redeemed his status, although the council hasn't really forwarded any final verdict yet. Like yourselves, your older son was also resurrected through Edo Tensei by the enemy. But unlike you, Itachi somehow got pulled into Ma—" Kakashi stopped himself, remembering, that it wasn't wise to burden those poor souls unnecessarily. "Itachi was struck by some indefinite reincarnation jutsu that restored his own life energy and reconstituted a real body of flesh and blood. After the war ended, pretty much all came to light regarding the unfortunate Uchiha massacre as well as the role our village had played in it at the time. All of that combined has placed us in an even more strained situation with the village elders. Now we can add your appearance to the equation..."

"...
I suppose I understand the difficulty of your position."

"Well." Kakashi laughed without humour, "they're already nervous about your eldest. But what concerns them the most is Sasuke's unpredictability. I'm not even sure what your presence could even add to that, but I guess we'll soon find out. After hearing about you two, the council called for a meeting tomorrow."

"About our sweet baby boy? I don't understand why they'd be concerned about him", Mikoto interjected.

"... Sweet? Oooh! I'm afraid you don't know your son anymore. Actually: At all."

After a moment of deliberation, Kakashi decided to add, "Listen. I once was your son's Genin-sensei and even trained him exclusively for his Chunin exams. You have to know: He is completely different from your older son, and you know that I also knew Itachi pretty well from our Anbu days. Where Itachi may have a gentler nature, your younger acts with hard determination. While your eldest is cold and resolute to the world, Sasuke is hot. He's got a very distinctive personality and far fewer moral restraints. He doesn't feel inherently obligated to Konoha as well, which makes him an extremely dangerous player in the eyes the conservative elders."

"Can we see him?" Fugaku asked.

"Not yet actually. I've sent him on a mission only someone like him would take on. But I've recieved word that he's on his way back by now and should arrive sometime tomorrow. I know it's not ideal, but I have to advise you to remain at the old Uchiha compound with your older son until the council has decided which conditions it intends to impose upon you. I've summoned him here — he’ll be able to fill you in on everything else you may need to know. But for now...," he walked towards the door and knocked twice, signalling the guards to open it, "you are excused. Although it had been pleasant to see you again, I hope you understand, that the circumstances are less than ideal and my only wish for you is that you may continue your peaceful rest.”

At that, the door opened and both parents were faced with their first-born, flanked by two Anbu guards.
Itachi kept his head lowered, a few loose strands of his bangs slipping forward to partially conceal his face.

“Hokage-sama…” Still not lifting his head, he raised his gaze instead. For a moment, he felt shell-shocked — seeing his late parents standing before him again, and in that state.

“Itachi. I’m sorry for the unfortunate circumstances of your parents having been resurrected by the Edo Tensei during the war as well. For whatever reason, it took months for them to make their way back to Konoha—”

“Tsk!“ Fugaku snorted at that.

“—but I am sure, it's just that they were summoned in one of the most remote regions.
In any case, I’ve already briefed your parents on the next steps. The council will convene tomorrow to discuss all of you, and hopefully struck up an acceptable solution. Sasuke is expected to return tomorrow as well. Until then, it is advised that you take your parents with you and await further notice at the Uchiha premises.”

“… Very well.“ What else would fate have in store for him?
He for so long had done his best not to dwell on his parents — not on who they had been in life — in order to avoid constantly reliving the unbearable consequences of his own actions. Now, beaten into submission, his mind short-circuited instead to their final moments; at present, he could envision nothing but their bloodied bodies lying on the ground beneath him.

The door to the Hokage office ratteled shut behind them, leaving the three of them standing in silence. Fugaku‘s glare seemed to pierce straight through Itachi‘s skull.

“Itachi come, let me look at you.“ Mikoto was the first to reach for him, her hands searching over her son. He didn’t stop her but neither did he quite know how to respond. He averted his gaze, yet allowed her to carefully pat him down, taking in his clearly matured features. “What month is it now?“

“… It‘s March.“

"So you haven‘t yet turned twenty-three.“

“Let‘s not dally,“ his father‘s voice carried its usual sternness, though softened by something gentler beneath. “We’re still in the Hokage tower. We should reserve further conversation for our home.”

Itachi nodded and the three of them made their way down the corridor, followed by the same two ANBU who had escorted him there.

“I’m afraid we’re not free to leave the estate,” he told his mother when she glanced at him in question. “What Kakashi said wasn’t merely a suggestion, even if he phrased it politely.”

“Understood…“

☾

At the time they‘d reached the high stone stairs in front of the main gate, they were finally being left alone.
Just before opening the door to what was their house, Itachi decided to warn them. “Many things have changed and not all for the better. I‘m deeply sorry to put you through this again.“

“Your hand was forced, I understand. Kakashi told us what … all had happened during that night. It‘s…—“ 
“—Now, let‘s get inside.“ Although it pained Fugaku as much as his wife, he saw no benefit in torturing them all with what had happened ten years ago. For them time might feel undistinguishable, but he knew well enough that the world kept on turning and that a decade could mean a lifetime for a Shinobi village; especially considering that there had been another major war.

Now silent, Itachi opened up and led them into what had been their former home.

“It looks so different in here now…“

“It does…,“ he replied to his mother, “Sasuke had renovated and rearranged everything.“

“Sasuke-chan did this?“

“Do you want some tea? I can make some.“

“I‘m afraid we‘re beyond the worldly nourishment now. But you go ahead, we‘ll acompany you.“ Fugaku made out the sitting area next to the open kitchen.

Itachi nodded and set the kettle while Fugaku and his wife took it upon themselves to settle at the table. Moments later their son re-emerged with a steaming cup, sitting down as well.

He blew on the hot liquid and glanced over to the head of the table.

“You know… you‘re sitting in Sasuke‘s place now, Tō-san.“

Perplexed, Fugaku looked around. Naturally he had taken the same seat he usually did, as head of household and Clan Head even. “You mean, he is head of the Uchiha now?“

“…“ Itachi didn‘t elaborate on the obvious, but instead just kept looking at him.

“Your eye… what happened to it?“

“Like you I had been brought back to life with the Edo Tensei. I was able to quickly get rid of the mind control and instead dealt with the puppet master. But I had to use Izanami for that.“

“!! Izanami is a forbidden technique, only known by the most advanced Sharingan users and implemented in the most dire circumstances.“

“I’m afraid it was such. Additionally, I’d never imagined getting a new lease on life. I was content. I’d done my best to get Sasuke on the right path and prepared him for the future, or so I thought. In retrospect, I‘ve probably done more harm than good I guess. The whole time I was `preparing´ him for a future, that I would have chosen for him. Silly me only came to realise, that I never took into consideration, what kind of man he grew into and what his own genuine stances in life might be.“

“You‘ve really grown up too,“ his mother mused. “I have never heard before, that you would achknowledge not having every single thing figured out. You would apologize for wrongdoings, but only to get us out of your hair.“ She laughed, “I‘m so glad you got a chance to go on with your life. I still can‘t even imagine, that you have died…“

“Hmn“, Itachi drank. `Yeah…´

“Where are we supposed to rest then? Your brother rearranged everything and certainly hasn‘t anticipated his dead parent would have the need to stay over.“ She was a little surprised herself about being able to joke about that. 

She had long been dead and accepted her fate; it didn‘t matter anymore. The dead didn’t have a sense of time, nor do they hold onto their desperations and grievances once they were able to pass on to the Pure World. It just filled her soul with spirit, that both of her children had the chance to live on.

“Well yes, there should be a guest room ready for occupancy on the ground floor. I know it must be strange for you, not to sleep in your old room, but the master bedroom is Sasuke‘s now — and it has been completely rearranged at that.“

“… It‘s fine. But we don‘t sleep anymore. I guess it‘s a good sign, that you don‘t remember.“

Itachi froze. His father was correct; the longer he stayed with Sasuke, the more he forgot to ever have transcended to the afterlife. In the beginning he just couldn’t recall concrete memories of it, but now his whole death felt merely like an afterthought — like some era of his life that had blurred over with time and been stuffed away into oblivion. Maybe that was indeed a good thing. It‘s not for the living to have a lucid picture of the world beyond.

“We‘re going to rest anyway,“ his father continued, “and you also might need some time for yourself.“

“… Thank you.“

He then showed his parents the guest room with the adjoining bath. When taking his leave after excusing himself, he felt his mother‘s cold arms embracing him from behind. 

“I know we won‘t be here for long… and that‘s a good thing. It‘s unnatural for the dead to walk the living earth. But I‘m glad nonetheless to have gotten the chance to see my sons again, no matter the circumstances.“

“… You have yet to meet Sasuke.“ He gently touched His mother‘s hands with his fingers.

“Yes! My sweet boy…“

“… I would advise you to reconsider your expectations. Even I have changed a lot since then, but Sasuke was a mere child when you died. I‘m afraid you won‘t recognise him anymore. He‘s lived a quite… troubled life so far. That forms a person and even I had to admit that my vision of him has differenciated quite some bit from how he really is.“

“I guess so,“ his father chimed in, “Kakashi had told us a bit about his whereabouts, although I would gladly hear some more. I heard he also fought in the war. I remember, how I took you to an abandoned battlefield when you were little…“

The silence that followed felt heavier than the house itself. Itachi lowered his gaze, already knowing that tomorrow would demand more from him than he was ready to give.
But at least, Sasuke would return. He excused himself not long after.

☾

The next day, Itachi greeted his late parents first thing in the morning and let them accompany his breakfast. Fugaku sat at the head of the table again, but this time Itachi wouldn‘t comment on it.

He had to tell them stories about his time with Akatsuki, what little he knew about his brother‘s upbringing and what else had happened in his life so far. Itachi did well to leave out all too gory details and painted all events a little more upbeat. There was no point in unnecessarily troubling them. That way, they spent the day chatting and his mother grew increasingly antsy.

“It‘s going to dawn already! Why hasn‘t he arrived by now?“

“As I told you before, he will most probably return after nightfall. He has orders not to make the gate guards aware of him entering. Nobody should even know that he had been away.“

“… I still don‘t understand, why they chose our boy, out of all people. And alone at that. Since when is this normal practice?!“

“I’m afraid, Sasuke isn‘t in normal duty anymore. He gets called in for very specific missions that either ask for his extraordinary abilities or need to be dealt with completely outside of the public eye.“

“… Like the Root?“

“No. He‘s directly subordinate to the Hokage and he‘s not organized in any group. He is…,“ Itachi mused and felt heavy, having to acknowledge it openly, “more of an assassin.“

Nightfall came and it had gotten completely silent in the house. All three inhabitants were trapped in their own train of thought, until a high screech cut through the silence. Itachi looked up and saw Sasuke‘s falcon at the window.

“Come, let‘s go to the hallway.“

Both him and his parents ventured to the big window overlooking the never-ending stone stairs that would lead to their main gate. It still took a while until finally a tall black figure appeared, climbing up the steps. The person wore a dark cloak that danced around his body. You couldn‘t quite make out the face, as longish dark bangs concealed all discernible features.

All of the sudden, he halted his movements and stood in the middle of the staircase. He looked straight in the direction of the window where the rest of his family had gathered behind. His Sharingan was ablaze, while the moonlight reflected its cold light off his other pupil.

“He senses that you‘re here.“

With deliberate strides he continued to approach and passed the gate, until he finally arrived at his home.
He slid the door open and entered a hallway in which everyone had already gathered at a distance.

“…“

“Welcome home, Otōto. As you already noticed, we‘re having company…“

Sasuke never withdrew his Sharingan and took his time shedding several layers of clothes. First he took off his cloak, which got followed by several pieces of armor and weaponry. Lastly, he carefully pulled his sword out of his obi and put it next to the cupboard he left all the rest of his stuff on.

“I‘ll see to it tomorrow,“ he murmured.

Finally he stepped into the dim light that shone through the windows. For whatever reason, the three of them had been so occupied by their own thoughts that they hadn’t ignited any lanterns. But right this moment, they were thankful, to first only get a glimpse of their youngest son, instead of taking him in all at once. 
His Sharingan gleamed the color of blood and his features were pronounced and stern. However alert his gaze was, nothing in his posture seemed to betray what happened behind those eyes. 

“O-tō-san,“ he nodded in careful acknowledgement, "Kā-san. I‘d say it‘s good to see you again, but I‘m not so sure if it is. Not only the circumstances…,“ he gestured towards their pale bodies, “but also, some things ought to be left in the past.“

“My son.“ Fugaku stepped forward too, now directly infront of him. Sasuke by now was slightly taller than his father. Both of his sons were. The older nodded his approval. “I’ve heard that you have aquired the Mangekyō. Both my sons have managed to reach a level, that only few are even aware of existing. And here I thought I would have been superior because of my role in the Third Ninja War. Very well. But your left eye…“

Sasuke accepted his father‘s examination. “It‘s a Rin‘n‘egan. It appears to be the natural evolution of the Shagingan.“

“Fascinating… Does it also provide normal vision?“

“Yes, I can see with it. But I cannot unsee; there is no way to redact it. I can only control in which sphere I use it.“

“Darling…,“ now his mother stepped forward, “you‘re so big now!“

“Well, I hope I‘m not `big´,“ his lineaments softened a bit.

His mother reached out and tentatively touched his cheekbone. She brushed down to his jaw, over his stubby skin.

He pulled away. “I was on the road for quite some time and have not slept in three days. Although I cleaned up a little in a river near the village, I‘m far from presentable.“ He retreated towards the open kitchen and turned his back to them. “Do you want something to drink?“
He didn‘t wait for a response and already rummaged through an upper cabinet.

“Our shell of a body doesn‘t require nourishment.“

“It wasn‘t nourishment I was suggesting.“ He already returned with four stacked glasses in hand. “Is it, that your bodies don‘t have to ingest, or is it that they can‘t?“

A little taken aback, they couldn‘t offer anything more coherent, than a: “We don‘t actually know.“

“Well let‘s find out then.“ Sasuke had made his way to and fro his cabinet and placed a yet unopened, intricate looking bottle of Sake in the middle.

As they proceeded to take their seats, Fugaku as well as Sasuke approached the space at the table‘s head, each from either side.
For a brief moment they looked at each other, until Sasuke nonchalantly lowered himself onto that spot, which left Fugaku the place to his right. The older reluctantly but without discussion yielded.

Expectantly Sasuke shot his brother a glance, who understood immediately and opened the bottle for them. Surely, Sasuke could have opened it himself, as it would normally be the custom. But for him having to trap it first between his legs and work around the neck with his singular hand, he decided that that sight wouldn’t do for company. Instead his perceptive brother put down the opened bottle in front of him, to give him the honor of pouring it.
Despite lacking parental guidance for the majority of his childhood, Saske had in time seen to getting acustomed with how to carry himself around polite society.

He stood, held the bottle at the bottom and poured all of them a glass.

Mikoto didn‘t give it more than a taste and from there on out she peppered her younger son with a litany of questions like she earlier did with her older one.
Her son answered most questions matter-of-factly, but didn‘t go the extra mile to encourage further inquaries. 

After a few more glasses and some superficial exchanges, Sasuke suggested calling it a day. Both his parents agreed relatively easily, since they saw how strenuous their son‘s mission must have been. They all stood and his mother gave him a hearty embrace. 

The touch felt unfamiliar — not because it was unwanted, but because it belonged to a past he couldn’t physically recall. Of his brother, he had catalogued every little detail, every minuscule piece of information he had ever come across, but his parents existed in his mind more like abstract ideas than actual people. 
Reluctantly, Sasuke complied and lightly embraced her shoulders with his hand — only for her to jolt backwards immediately.
“Sasuke! Your arm!!“, horrified, she observed, how her embrace encircled not only his upper body, but an empty sleeve.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows, but offered no further explanation. Fugaku had already suspected something like that, since it would have been too odd otherwise for him to just use his right hand all night — especially since his younger son‘s dominant hand was his left.

“How… When did that happen?!“

“A bit more than eight months ago, during the final battle of the war.“ On one hand, he wanted to console his obviously distraught mother. On the other, he wanted to tell her that it had been his own fault, his own stupidity and misjudgement — but she wouldn‘t understand that, nor would she agree.

“Eight months is not that long. Are you managing OK?“

“Considering the fact, that I‘ve just returned from a confidential solo-mission, I guess I‘m considered quite fine.“
Of course he had his troubles. But what good would it do to complain.

Afterwards, they finally parted and he was very thankful for Itachi helping usher them towards the guest room.

“I‘m going out for a smoke,“ he mouthed towards his older brother, who signaled him with a nod. The whole house felt stuffy and small and he needed a moment to breath. In front of the house, he lit himself a cigarette and exhalted the smoke. It was strange. When you lose family while you‘re young, the picture of them in your head tends to blur and become more fluid. Therefore seeing the exact copy of their appearances felt oddly specific — nearly contrasting the image he had preserved in his head.

When finished and walking back inside, he saw Itachi sitting at the table again. Sasuke was actually glad, that he would have the chance to chat with him alone for a bit.

He loosened his tekkō sashes with his teeth and shook it from his hand and forearm. "It‘s filthy. All of it.“ He strode through the room and let himself fall backwards onto the ground after sitting down. "I have to clean everything properly when I‘ve slept and there is daylight.“

"Was your mission successful?“

"Hmmm,“ the younger just hummed affirmatively.

"This is good… You told me that much was reliant on that.“

"… The upheaval had to be extinguished in time, in its entirety. Otherwise it would have spread even further. Also, the looting had increased the commoner‘s suspicion towards the peace treaty. Peace that‘s not peaceful doesn‘t sell…“ He lazily rested his forearm over his forehead while watching the ceiling. 

"How bad was it at the border?“

"Pretty bad! The villagers were angry, but that was the least of my concerns. I‘ll recommend to Kakashi that we should issue some relief, so that the news doesn‘t make the rounds. The much bigger concern was that the rioters had indeed organized themselves and were growing bigger in number by the day. Their encampments looked like an army. They also gathered money, provisions… and many weapons. I think their next step might have been to arm precisely those civilians whose villages they raided before. There were so many of them, it would have been easy to coax them into believing they were a different group,“ he rolled the hurting joint in his wrist.

"I‘m sure you did well, Sasuke.“

"… I‘m exausted.“

"Is there anything I could do for you?“

His brother just shook his head no.

"Maybe I can help you clean your clothes and weapons tomorrow so that you can rest a little more.“ There had to be something to be helpful with.

"No. You already help a lot with keeping our parents comfortable as long as they‘re here.“ He sat himself up again. "I have no intention of pretending, but I guess it‘d be advisable to let them learn as little about me personally as possible.“

"You shouldn‘t have such low self-esteem.“

"Oh, my self-esteem is perfect, my self surely is not! And don‘t get me wrong. I have no objection to my life or my personality. But there‘s no need to torture those good folks who obviously remember me as their sweet little angel. You know them better than I do. You know I‘m right.“

“…“

He nodded his head towards the cupboard next to the entrance. "The stuff you offered to help me clean. Everything is filthy and drenched with blood. I bathed in a stream before coming here, but that‘s not merely enough. Bile, flesh, innards… it got everywhere. It‘s just not obvious because I wear all black and it‘s too fresh for the stench to form.“ 

"… I wasn't aware.“

"Well you shouldn‘t be. Also I usually wouldn‘t sully myself to that extent, but there had been just too many of them, several even seasoned fighters. It was my best option to get really close within the croud.“

Itachi‘s gaze lingered on him for a moment longer. “… Sasuke.“

“Hm?“

Itachi hesitated. The words felt strange on his tongue, almost intrusive. And yet he couldn‘t swallow them back down. “Why do you tell me all of this?“

Sasuke blinked at him, just once, as if the question had genuinely caught him off guard. “… What do you mean?“

“You speak to me so openly. About the classified mission. About what you do.“ Itachi‘s voice lowered, quieter now. “About… yourself.“

For a moment, Sasuke stared at him without expression. Then he exhaled through his nose — not quite a laugh, not quite a sigh.

"… Because everything else would be pointless.“

Itachi‘s brow furrowed.
Sasuke‘s gaze drifted off unfocused, as if he was looking at something that wasn‘t there.

"You do it too, don‘t you recognize?“

“… I do?“

“Yes.“ He tilted his head. „You‘re not wearing that carefully crafted mask of yours that keeps everyone at bay. You‘re not hiding behind fulfilling a role to `always know best´ and know what to say, what to do, what to sacrifice. The one that supposedly always has an answer.“

Itachi‘s fingers curled against his palm.

Sasuke continued, unbothered by the weight of the words.
“In that I‘m not interested in. I‘m tired of it, actually.“ 
A pause.
“And I‘m not someone who particularly enjoys… games.“

Itachi swallowed. “You never were.“

“No. Was not.“ Sasuke‘s lips twitched faintly. “And I don‘t see the point in pretending.“

Itachi‘s gaze flickered. There was something unsettling in how easily Sasuke said it. Not cruel or cold… just final. “… You‘re different from me,“ Itachi murmured.

“Mh. One might easily be inclined to say so, but I‘m not so convinced yet. It‘s not that simple…“
The silence that followed hung heavy over both of them.

“Wait here.“

Itachi blinked, but Sasuke was already moving, disappearing into the hallway without further explanation. The older remained seated and frozen in place, unsure if he might have said something offensive. The house was quiet enough that he became aware of his own heartbeat.

Just a moment later, Sasuke returned.
He carried his sword.

He used to wear it like an extension of himself wherever he went. The blade was still sheathed, but even in its silence it carried a weight that made the air feel a tad bit sharper.

Without a word, Sasuke held it out.

Itachi‘s breath hitched. “… Sasuke.“

“Take it.“

Itachi didn’t move.
“You want me to—“

“Draw it.“

Itachi‘s eye narrowed slightly. His hand did not reach out. “… You‘re aware that this isn‘t normal. To let someone else touch your sword; let alone draw it.“

“Normal is for normal people. I won‘t let just anyone?“ Sasuke tilted his head, impatience creeping into his tome. “Stop thinking so much. Just do it.“

Slowly — carefully — Itachi reached for the hilt, while the Saya remained in the palm of his brother. His tough just lingered for a while, fingers adjusting around the tsuka.

“Don‘t worry, It‘s reasonably clean, although I‘ll tend to it in detail tomorrow.“

The younger watched him closely. Itachi‘s thumb pressed down and let the blade slide free with a quiet, clean sound. The steel caught the dim light of the room — sharp, pristine, almost unnaturally pure. It was heavier than he expected. Not in weight, but in presence. 

Itachis breath stalled. “… This is…“
His brother‘s gaze remained fixed on the blade. “Indeed it is.“
“Kusanagi.“

Sasuke‘s lips twitched. “Imbue it with your Chakra. View it like an extension of your body.“

Itachi‘s fingers tightened reflexively. “It responds.“
“Strongly,“ Sasuke affirmed.

Itachi stared down at it, slightly stunned by the sensation. The Chakra didn‘t merely reverberate like he had expected before, but what the sword echoed became it‘s own source of power. It felt… intimate. Like as if the sword would have a pulse.

“That‘s why I can seal Kuji-In against it. Funny how that is, despite the fact that I aquired it when still having two hands and hadn't really been in need for this specific feature. 
It‘s resonance is part of it‘s inner core though. Those responsive Kunai I‘d commisioned to be made will never reach that level of how this sword responds to me."

Itachi slowly slid the blade back into its saya. The click of the metal settling felt entirely louder than necessary. He exhaled, still feeling the phantom resonance humming in his palm. For a moment, neither of them spoke as if the sword had said enough on its own.

Then his eye caught on the details he had tried not to see. The torn seams. The grime. The faint dark smears all along the hem of his brother‘s bakama.

"How bad are your injuries? There would be no way one could get out of that kind of a fight completely unscathed."

"I‘m alright. Nothing major, just a few nicks and some superficial stuff. Nothing that matters.“

"You should propably rest now.“

"You‘re right. I'm going to...“ He pulled his legs close to him and began unwinding his kyāhan. Since they‘d gotten wet recently, the knots were particularly hard to unfasten. Meticulously but with little progress Sasuke‘s fingers worked them open one by one.
Finally unfastened, he carefully unwrapped his first leg. This kyāhan was torn in several places and surely wouldn‘t be able to be redeemed. He then pulled up the bakama‘s leg and began to inspect the then revealed nasty gash on his calf.

"You shouldn‘t wait for me, this will take a while. Also, I‘ll have to take a quick shower before patching up, if I don‘t want to ruin my sheets. Have a good night Itachi. We‘ll see each other tomorrow.“

A bit reluctant at being dismissed, Itachi reciprocated and made his way upstairs alone. He didn‘t know what he had expected. He wanted to touch his skin, but he couldn‘t risk it as long as their parents were around. Would they not be, would his brother maybe even have kissed him again?

He lay awake for some time, until he heard his brother‘s shoji rattle. Not much later the shower started and he found himself being soothed by that sound.

`He really deserves to rest.´ With that thought in mind, also Itachi eventually succumbed to sleep.

☾

When Itachi arose the next morning, Sasuke hadn‘t been up yet. Instead, he met with his parents, prepared some tea and watched his mother deliberating on whether or not she should try some. When she finally made up her mind, she had to admit that it tasted like nothing to her now.

Much later that day, past noon, the group picked up sounds of commotion from the first floor.

"He woke up!“ Mikoto was delighted and rushed to her feet, heading towards the staircase. 

"Uhm, Kā-san?“ A perplexed Itachi pulled himself up from his seat as well.

But his mother was already halfway up to the first floor when Itachi followed her.
"Wait a second.“

An excited Mikoto swung open the shoji to the master bedroom. "Good morning, darling!“

When Itachi reached her, he saw Sasuke standing in front of his bed. Just then, he had one of the bindings of his hakama wound around the bedpost and secured taut with his foot. The second strand he was winding around the first to form a proper knot, all while holding his halfway tied obi in place with his teeth.
The white nagajuban and emerald kosode had yet to be fastened and were gaping open at the front of his upper body above the obi.

Most of his abdomen was still obscured by the fabric, but they could still see how Sasuke‘s fair, smooth skin from his sternum downwards got darker, marred and increasingly disfigured the farther to his left they looked. Also, where they normally would have expected abs to form, there were no muscular bulges to make out. All they could get the glimps of, was a dark, strangely textured surface that quickly got covered by the garments tucked inside the half-bound obi.

"Don‘t you think you should knock?“ Sasuke released the obi between his teeth, abandoning his attempt to tie the hakama in order to pull his kosode together over his chest.

"Sasuke-kun, I just wanted to—"
"—out!“
The stern look he shot her persuaded his mother to not complain about the order and instead pull the shoji shut again.

"He's not a child anymore, he needs his personal space,“ Itachi tried to console her.

"I overstepped. It‘s hard to reconcile the memories of my child with the young man he has become while we were gone. You at least I remember already being pretty much grown up.“

"… I was way younger than he is now, Kā-san.“

"I knoooow,“ she sighed, defeated, while they made their way back down to the kitchen area. "But I cannot help but still view him as my little one.“

When Sasuke eventually came down, his mother had already busied herself with preparing food. Just because their bodys didn‘t need nutrition didn‘t mean she wasn‘t able to fix her sons a meal.

When her youngest passed the kitchen, he didn‘t comment on the earlier encounter. He now wore his neatly tied traditional apparel and greeted his father in the dining area, who seemed quite impressed by his son‘s choice of clothes. 

"I wasn‘t aware that you young people appreciate such traditional garments.“

"Well, I‘m not on constant duty anymore. I find the fabrics and the styles quite enjoyable. Besides, they favour my build.“

"Hmmhm.“ The former head of the Uchiha also looked over his oldest son. Itachi had settled next to him at the table and had obviously filled out aswell, since the last time he‘d seen him. He had been thirteen after all… Different from his brother's, his clothes looked practical, almost spartan in contrast. Itachi felt the eyes on him but wouldn't look up.

"Don't even start comparing us to one another; that had always been a bad idea," Sasuke chimed in, having registered the tense atmosphere from the corner of his eye while going to the sink in order to fill himself a glass of water. Tea wasn't his first choice after the long night and the days of travel.

"I'm feeling pride in both of my children, it doesn't matter, that you two are different."

"Sasuke-kun, could you please take your brother‘s plate?“

"… Sure.“ He placed the glass he had fetched for himself on the kitchen counter to accept the plate his mother gave him.

He made a few steps, but got called back.

"Wait! First you should definitly get your water, you were on the road for so long, you have to look after yourself.“

A litte irritaded, Sasuke returned to the counter, put down the plate, and grabbed his glass instead. Just as he turned away, he got called after again: „Sasuke-kun!“

The other men watched on from their seats.

Sasuke slowly turned around again, awaiting instructions.
"You should take it all together! Why would you waste so much time?“

"…“ 

First, Sasuke put the glass down again. Then he rearranged the plate towards the edge of the counter, so that a part of it hung over. Finally, he took the glass and captured the rim of the plate between the edge of the glass and his thumb. "`Very well´,“ he made it to the table this time and carefully put down both without spilling, "but why it‘s deemed indignified by you to take two rounds is beyond me, Kā-san.“ He strolled back towards the kitchen area.

"Don‘t be so goofy! Why won‘t you use your other hand instead of playing around?“

All movement stilled at the table and both uninvolved men looked on in shock.

"Why wouldn‘t I… use my other hand?,“ Sasuke repeated in surprise, standing behind Mikoto.

"You boys have two healthy hands, why would you-“, she turned around, now facing her taller son pursing his brows in bemusement. 

"I-I… I‘m so sorry, darling!“

Sasuke erupted in laughter, much to the relief of his parents, who had expected worse. "Absolutely, I should use my other hand! Marvellous idea. I will keep your advice at heart!“

Still snickering, he grabbed himself and his brother some chopsticks and returned to the table.

Mirroring the playful mood, his father added, “You should be careful, Mikoto. Speaking like that might summon the remainders of said arm to come back and haunt you.“

"Well in that case,“ the youngest seated himself, pleased by the fact that his father had left the spot at the head of the table vacant for him, "you can rest assured, because there are none.“

It took a while for Sasuke to look up from his breakfast and realise the questioning look of Fugaku alternating between both his sons.

He sighed. "The arm wasn't cut. You could say it got blown up to smithereens; accordingly unsightly is the remainder and, you know…“ He continued with his breakfast, clearly trying to end this topic again. "Anyway. Have you considered yet, what you‘re going to do?“

Just then, Mikoto joined them after bringing the last additions to the meal for her sons.

"In all honesty, I‘m thankful for the gift that is was for me to see you two flourish and live your lives as good men. But I‘m afraid the world is for the living. There‘s no place for us afterthoughts to walk about. Most probably the council will designate someone who can lift the jutsu so that we can… return to our rest.“

Sasuke nodded approvingly. "That will certainly be for the best.“

☾

After lunch, Sasuke excused himself for some chores he had to see to, although his parents‘ watchful eyes followed him around, since they had no other objective on their own.

He bound back his sleeves with a tasuki, so it was easier to move things around and not get stuck. This, of course, made the outline of his left arm‘s stump visible, which made his mother a little self-conscious. But she made herself busy with cleaning up and tending to the dishes. 
It certainly wasn‘t necessary for their parent to do any work around the house, but the younger let them be, since ther was nothing else they could do while restricted to their compound.

Sasuke brough out a large tin tub to the porch, alongside several bottles filled with different liquids. Next came a few cloths, a brush, and a small hammer. After that, he made several rounds, collecting all the items he had placed on the cupboard the night before. Lastly, he took two seat cushions outside, since he noticed his father lingering around and most probably wanting to join him, but not having the heart to ask.

Appreciative, but without any further acknowledgement, the older settled into his spot while his son brought his last item — his sword.
Sasuke didn‘t start immediately. First, he pulled out his pack of cigarettes from inside his kosode and didn‘t let his father‘s observing eyes deter him from finishing his smoke in peace.

He first pulled his nin-tō out it‘s saya and carefully wiped down and oiled it. Afterwards, he cleaned piece by piece of his weaponry and equipment, most of it still bloody and far less carefully looked after than his sword.
When he was finally finished with the utensils, he turned to everything made of fabric.
He filled up the tub with the garden hose and added several detergents. Before adding the items, he pulled every piece apart and inspected it carefully. Whatever was deemed too damaged got tossed aside to be disposed of later. Whatever was salvageable got soaked first, stains brushed out, and finally soaked again for a rinse.

"Would you like some mōchi?“ Mikoto stuck her head outside.

"… Great choice. Intestines and mōchi, just right up my ally!“ He jokingly grimaced towards his mother.

"Sasuke!“

"Besides, I never liked that sweet stuff. I always sneaked mine to Itachi. He's the one that likes it.“

His mother gasped, while Sasuke remained in an upbeat mood "I think I‘m finished for now.“
With that, he hung the last piece of garment up to dry and pushed over the tub with the help of his foot. 

Out gushed a disturbing brown-red solution.
Itachi watched it seep into the grass beneath their porch.
This was what Sasuke brought home now.

Chapter Text

It knocked on the door, and although his mother aimed to answer, Itachi was quicker.

He unlocked it and found Kakashi standing outside.
Both men shared a difficult history and observed one another for a moment longer than necessary.

“Itachi. I‘m here to talk to Sasuke.“

“…“ He knew he had to respect Kakashi as his Hokage and acknowledged how much he had done for his younger brother. But he still couldn‘t help the unease that settled in his chest. Too much had happened between them from which it wouldn‘t be easy to recover.

“He is on the porch, Hokage-sama, please follow me.“

Sasuke had long since registered the visitor and already risen to greet him.

“What an honor. What brings you here personally, Hokage-sama?“

“Maa, Sasuke, you know you mustn‘t call me that.“

“I know,“ he snickered.

Mikoto, who had trailed behind, offered a further seating cushion for their guest to join her husband and son on the porch. “Would you like some tea, Hokage-sama?“

“Ooh, that‘s so kind of you, but no thank you, Uchiha-san.“

“… Let me guess, you haven‘t packed your eating mask.“

“Well, that too. But I wanted to pay you a visit, so that you can give me the report here.“

“I see. But it wouldn‘t necessarily have raised suspicion if you’d simply called me in, like you regularly do. Besides… your êntourage doesn’t particularly enjoy being inside the Uchiha compound,“ he gestures towards the trees behind their house.

“Isn‘t that even more reason to come?“

Sasuke smirked. “Very well.
I carried out the mission as discussed. It‘d been high time to interfere, if you ask me. I observed the encampments for some time. They were not only looting for provisions and wealth, but hoarding weaponry in extordinary magnitude. I‘m certain it wasn‘t all for themselves but for commoners they most probably planned to recruit.“

“I see. Then we did well to quench the unrest before it could spread any further.“

“Indeed. From my perspective, it wouldn’t have been long until it got beyond the point of no return. Although I‘m not really pleased with you assigning me that mission.“

“Sasuke… You know that there weren‘t really any other prospects who would have been able to carry it out.“

“Nevertheless. I don‘t appreciate that I apparently got demoted from assassin to butcher. I‘d rather see the village‘s leadership deal with such threats ahead of time, rather than when it‘s already close to becoming unmanageble.“

Kakashi, still professionally smiling, looked around.

“Oh don’t hold back. No one here harbors any ulterior motives. What should they trade the intel for? A prettier tombstone?“ That was harsh, but cut straight to the point.

“… How close of a call was it?“

“Pretty damn close. You can speak of a forming army.“

“And how did you manage to deal with them?“ At this point, his father interjected.

“The instruction was clear,“ his son replied calm, “and quite straight-forward. Everyone had to die.“

“…“ Kakashi neither confirmed nor denied his former student‘s crude answer. He merely observed how the pieces fell into place for the older Uchihas, and how their perception of their son shifted by the second.

Sasuke, who very well felt all eyes on him, didn‘t move a muscle.

“How many bodies?“

“I‘m not sure. I‘d estimate roughly around five hundred.“

“Are you sure nobody escaped?“

Sasuke snorted. “I‘m positive. I cut off the whole area first and then moved strategically through the masses. No one could have escaped through the black flames of Amaterasu.“

“Well that‘s good. That means the mission was wholly successful.“ He looked around at him, then added, “But I never doubted you‘d be able to manage.“

“…“

“Also… are you alright?“

Sasuke choked on a laugh and cocked his head. “Sure. I‘d say I‘m as messed up as usual.“

“That‘s…“, Kakashi snickered, obviously relieved by the news of the successfully prevented disaster, “… just great!“

“I take it that none of the events will ever see the light of day?“

Kakashi shook his head no. “We cut throats and tore limbs, but we‘re still only pawns after all.“

“You can say that again. Now. Speaking of politics… has an agreement been reached regarding Itachi‘s continued stay in the village?“

And just like that, Kakashi‘s good mood was sullied again. "There has… That‘s the other thing I came here for.“

“…“ An expectant lot waited for him to continue.

"There‘s good news and bad news…“

“Go on?“

“The council agreed to your brother‘s unlimited residence and unrestricted status like all other citizens. In addition, your parents‘ presence will be tolerated until a designated Shinobi, who is yet to be determined, lifts the Jutsu and releases them into their afterlife. … If the four of you complete a designated task, there is.“

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "That sounds toxic as hell already. What‘s the bad news?“

"… the task, I‘m afraid.
They want to put all of your `unwavering loyalty´ towards the village to a test, and demand proof that you won’t just serve yourself.“ Obviously uncomfortable, Kakashi reached in his pocket to retrieve a scroll. "… I‘m so sorry Sasuke. I did the best I could."

Wordlessly, Sasuke accepted the scroll and read it with a stone-cold face.

"They cannot be serious!“

"I know, I‘m sorry, that it has to come to that —"
"— Are there only degenerates left in your council?! What the fuck, Kakashi!“

"I wouldn‘t argue against that with you,“ Kakashi sighed. “But at least this way you would be fully acquitted and completely excempt from further scrutiny.“

The eerie and unexpected laughter that followed kept all listeners on edge. "You‘ve got to be kidding me. Whoever came up with this. Whoever is that fucked up will never be satisfied!“

"Honey, don‘t be disrespectful. He said it‘s kind of a mission for all of us. We can do that! Maybe we can assist—"

"#!…“ Sasuke turned around sharply and shot his mother an as icy a glare, that she in-fact froze in place.

"Maa Maa… Don‘t punish your poor mother with your mood swings now, when she missed out on your puberty.“ Kakashi rose and put a hand on his former student‘s shoulder, which Sasuke tolerated — to the onlookers‘ surprise.

Sasuke turned his head towards the horizon for a minute, while everyone else held their breath.

"… What’s the timeline on this?“

"If you agree to comply, the ANBU I brought with me ought to set the seal immediately. After tonight the deal is off. You either take it or leave it.“

"Tsk… I‘ve just returned the other night.“

"It‘s not like you‘ve been on an official mission, now have you?“ Kakashi’s hand finally left the other‘s shoulder. “You call the shots.“

"… Whoever is to blame certainly knew about my absence. They're more likely afraid they might get found out otherwise.“

“Maybe, maybe not…“ Kakashi grew serious again. "What’s your decision?“

"…
Fine. 
But they should be certain I won‘t forget the stunt they pulled.“

Kakashi glanced toward the trees and raised his arm into the air. Instantly, two ANBU landed beside him on the porch and silently awaited further instructions.

"What‘s going to happen?“ Fugaku addressed Kakashi, who kept looking at Sasuke until he finally turned towards his son as well.

"… Follow me.“ Without any further explanation, Sasuke strode past his relatives into the house.

"Where are we heading?“ Itachi asked.

"To my bedroom.“

"To where?!“

They moved quickly. Kakashi asked all of them to pause just before entering the master bedroom.

“Uchiha-san.“

Already on edge, Fugaku turned, facing the current Hokage.

“Do you know why I chose your son for this last mission? Although his abilities as a fighter are quite unmatched, I could have compensated the lack of knowledge and excellence with numbers and sent multiple teams at once — even though those, who would have been even remotely qualified, are few and far between. 
The reason I chose Sasuke was twofold. For one, there otherwise certainly would have been casualties. And each additional person also adds risk of word getting out. I needed someone, from whom nobody would be able to get the informations from.“

“…“ 

“But secondly, his mind. I‘ve seen exceptional fighters, but there are even fewer who are able to slaughter without enjoying it.
Most shinobi wouldn‘t be able to do it in the first place — or would get irreperably damaged by it. But those who could, almost without exception fall prey to bloodlust. Sasuke…,“ now Kakashi also addressed his former student, "I’ve known you for quite some time now. You‘re not merciful. But you’ve never been unneccesarily cruel either. … I consider you a friend that I trust, even though I let you down today. I wanted you to know that.“

"… I consider you a friend too.“

"I will leave now. Good luck to all of you, I‘ll hear about the positive outcome by tomorrow.“ With that, Kakashi turned on his heel and left his bodyguards behind.

Sasuke slid open the shoji to his room and led everyone inside. 

The elders had remained silent thus far after Sasuke‘s outburst at Mikoto‘s encouragement. They figured they won’t add anything beneficial to the situation.

Sasuke’s demanour had chanced the moment he‘d read the scroll. His entire body shifted from a relaxed posture to a taught combat stance, as if threats were everywhere — imminent to strike. He was highly irritated. 

Finally, he turned towards his family with an icy expression. His voice came out flat, as if it wasn‘t even anger anymore that radiated off of him. It was something colder. Something exhausted.

“Those guards are part of the Hokage’s inner circle and are to remain silent. You will have to stay here,“ he gestured towards one side of the room, “and the Anbu will perform a unique seal to conceal your presence. Only to me, you will remain visible.“

“But why?“

Sasuke exhaled through his nose.
"… There is an ANBU member I‘ve had dealings with before. Someone obviously took notice of it,“ just his luck, that apparently both of his recent lovers couldn’t cover their tracks properly, "and deemed it a great idea to test my loyalty in forcing my hand into bedding him,“ he cynically made an overexaggerated gesture, "and yours to watch.“ He was pissed.

For his parents, the words did not settle like an explanation. They struck like a physical blow. 
What an unimaginable thought it was for them to be confronted with their son in such a humiliating position — no less the son they remembered as a child only hours ago, a boy whose face they had barely had time to reconcile with the grown man standing in front of them now.

They had barely begun to grasp that Sasuke had lived an entire life without them, that he had become something sharp-edged and hardened by experiences they could not even begin to picture, and yet, despite the obvious maturity of his appearance, Mikoto still found herself trembling, caught between disbelief and instinctive rejection.

While she battled with the sickening notion of her son being forced into exposure of that kind, Sasuke seemed to gradually shift towards acceptance with an ease that was almost more disturbing than outrage would have been, though it became increasingly clear that it wasn’t ease at all, but resignation — something deflated, hollow, a quiet collapse that had already happened somewhere inside of him long before this evening.

How he had wished for their parents to pass through in peace.

They did not need to be confronted with the darkest aspects of him; troublesome enough that they had already witnessed him returning from that mess of a mission, still smelling faintly of iron and smoke beneath all the fabric and composure, but this… this was a different kind of violation, one that did not injure the body but the dignity, and he could not decide whether he was angrier at the council for demanding it or at himself for having become the kind of man they could demand it from in the first place.

Itachi watched his brother shuffle through different emotions. He seemed to settle with something one couldn't exactly call calm. Calm implied peace. This was something else — an absence of resistance. But something shifted in Itachi as well; not because he was shocked — more like he, for the first time, understood the exact language in which the council intended to speak to Sasuke.

Fugaku, though maintaining his stoic front, seemed deeply troubled as well, and Itachi could see it in the way his father’s jaw had set too firmly, in the tension around his eyes — because Fugaku understood sacrifice, had preached it, had embodied it, but he also understood what it meant for a Shinobi’s body to be used not in battle but as leverage, and no ideology of duty could quite reconcile the fact that this would happen to his own child.

Itachi didn’t say a word, as the ANBU were still present. He had to still outwardly emanate killing intent, considering how nervous the one pushing down his neckline for placing the temporary seal was. Given Itachi’s experience with keeping himself in check, his intentions still leaking out were a fair sentiment to their magnitude.

And yet, the irony was that the only person who appeared fully composed now was Sasuke.
The one who earlier had been agitated enough to curse the council and snap at his Hokage. Now he carried himself as if he had already decided that none of it mattered.

`Moody indeed… or simply dutybound?´ 

The ANBU casted their ancient Jutsu while connecting a calligraphic bond between Sasuke and his family members, allocating the three relatives to one side of the room from where the entire space could be observed, but which would not be crossed accidentally.

“This is a variation of an old assassination jutsu,” one of them explained quietly. “Both body and Chakra nature remain concealed by it, for everyone except your anchor and yourselves. Uchiha-san,” he gestured toward Sasuke, “represents your anchor in this technique. Until he dissolves it, you’ll remain in that state. He is to comply with the elders’ requests, but after completing their orders, he will be free to carry on with you as he pleases.”

A pause.

“Please keep in mind that if we get word of something going wrong tonight—”
Sasuke snorted in annoyance and made a dismissive gesture. “As if I had ever failed a mission,” he cut in, voice edged with contempt, “and one in my own house at that.”

The ANBU member backed up slightly, though his emotions remained consealed by his mask, and within moments the team excused themselves, vanishing from the old Uchiha compound without leaving behind any trace other than the silence that settled like dust.

Quiet.
Sasuke was the one to break it.
 “Let’s take the situation as it is,“ he said, tone controlled but stern. “Nobody likes this… arrangement, but apparently I didn’t have a say in it. Compared to other possibilities, this one at least seems to be over with relatively quickly and the only thing I hope for is that you‘ll somehow find a way to get over it — like I will.“

His eyes were hard, his lips pressed together so firmly that Itachi could see the tension in the muscle of his jaw. “It isn’t by choice that I’m having you exposed to this,” he added, “but let’s face it like adults, alright?”

Mikoto’s expression twisted, her disbelief bleeding into something close to horror. “How can you accept this?” she demanded, voice shaking. “How is it even possible for you to consider… and why are you so nonchalant about it?”

Itachi almost wanted to answer for him.
Because Sasuke had long stopped associating his body‘s integrity with his dignity. That he sourced from something else entirely, although dignity wasn‘t what kept him alive in the first place.

Sasuke stared at her as if she had asked something naïve. “…Because I was given the chance to decline,” he said quietly. “And I made the decision not to.”

There was a pause, and Itachi noticed with a strange heaviness that Sasuke wasn’t trying to sound a certain way or putting up a front; this simply was him. Not defiant nor heroic — just someone, who had long stopped expecting life handing him anything other than ugly choices and who had learned handling them at a disturbingly skilled level. 
And he had already made his for tonight.
A bad choice, picked over a worse one in lieu of something of creater significance. 

Itachi couldn’t tell when exactly his brother must have begun to view his own sensitivities as being of no concern and he recognized the pattern all too well. Narrowing of focus. The quiet willingness to let parts of oneself rot away, simply because they were expendable. 
A Shinobi‘s life consisted of sacrifices, smaller and larger ones.
And Sasuke, apparently, had long stopped keeping count.

“We get it, but that doesn’t mean it comes easy to us witnessing our son… or brother… engage in…“ Fugaku had tried to carefully form his words, but got cut off by his youngest son anyway, who obviously couldn’t keep listening anymore.

“ …Engage in what? Getting laid you mean? Oh well… “ his words came out sharp, the bluntness of them forcing the rest into silence.

Mikoto flinched, Fugaku’s expression hardened, and Itachi’s stomach turned.

Sasuke’s gaze swept over each one of them, as if measuring whether they would collapse under the weight of reality. “You have to know that I’m not enjoying you watching me being intimate either,” he said, voice low, “but I cannot make any discomfort apparent under those circumstances. Despite the fact that we might have slept together occasionally, Koen is especially paranoid and he’s an outstanding swordsman. It won’t pay us any favor to risk our wellbeing just because of feeling uneasy.”

None of them answered. Their eyes shifted away, uncomfortable, cornered by his honesty.
Itachi realized then, that Sasuke was not explaining himself to be understood. He was explaining himself so they would not interfere.

“Just so that you know,” Sasuke continued, “I’ll do my best to ignore the fact that you’re here. That’s the only way of getting all of us out of this. It’ll be hard enough to `perform´ with you watching, so don’t act like you’re taking on the difficult part, and besides… you’re no delicate maidens whose tenderhearted sensibilities might be harmed.” His gaze flickered briefly toward his mother, “Hopefully.“

Then he turned toward the door.

“Itachi. One word.”

The called one sheepishly followed behind the paper wall.

Sasuke did not look at him at first, as if he couldn‘t quite afford to.

"I am… so sorry,” he said quietly, and the pause between the words made it worse than any apology spoken with emotion. “But you understand that this is beyond my control. I hate that you’ll have to see this, but…” his jaw tightened. “Do you remember when you had me explain to you how coupling between two men works?”

Itachi nodded slowly.

“Well,” Sasuke said, voice dropping into something more blunt, more resigned, “although my explanation was technically correct, you should know that people couple differently depending on their preferences and experience. Koen and I… we won’t be sleeping together. We will fuck; and there isn’t a more pleasant way I can put it.” His expression remained disturbingly neutral, as if he had long since separated the act from anything personal.

Before Itachi could even form a response, Sasuke shoved the shoji open again, pushing him back into the room as if he wanted to cut off the moment before it could turn into something vulnerable. The gesture was sharp, almost careless. Not cruel — simply efficient. But the wording that he used hit Itachi like a blade sliding between his ribs; not because the phrasing was vulgar, but because Sasuke used it like a term for combat. He felt the need to intentionally prepare him for something.

“I’m heading out now,” he said, scanning the faces of his family one last time. “So the next time we’ll talk will be after this is over. Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
With that, he bowed slightly — barely more than a formality — and left them behind in his very own bedroom.

Itachi kept his expression neutral, because that was what he had been trained to do. But the irony tasted bitter: He had once built an entire life around enduring horrors in silence and now he would be forced to endure something far more personal, while doing the exact same thing.

The three remaining Uchiha stayed silent for a long time.
Mikoto was the first to break.
"Fugaku… I don’t know how you can allow this,” she whispered, voice trembling. “How could they force our baby boy to offer himself to a stranger for sex, just to torture us?”

Her husband exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting to Itachi as if the answer was hanging there.
“I’m not too sure about that `baby boy´ anymore,“ he murmured. “That older brother of his took it upon himself to — in his mind — `save the whole village from war´ at Sasuke’s age. Before Sasuke‘s age actually.“ The snarkiness was quiet, but unmistakable and his wife’s expression tightened.
“Considering the present year he should be… seventeen now? In measures of Shinobi we kind of missed an entire lifetime. And from what I have seen so far… he seems to have lived it.“

“He said they `might have slept together occasionally´…“ Itachi intersected quietly. The words felt wrong in his mouth, but he forced them out anyway. “Considering that comment, I wouldn’t expect Sasuke to be… `a stranger to the concept´ let’s say. So although it’s hard for me to come to terms with my brother being with that man, I’m going to do my part by restraining myself and not disrupt his efforts of keeping us safe.“

None of them could refute that.

And so the waited, settling into the only thing that was left: Endurance.
Bracing themselves for something they could not stop. 
Something they could never unsee.

None of them knew of course, what Itachi had already witnessed one night; that he had already seen that man leaving their premises after certainly simular acts must have taken place. 
Even then, that knowledge had hurt. But not like this. Now his heart seemed to be breaking over it, for a wholly different reason which he wouldn’t acknowledge even to himself.

☾

The sun had already set when the silence was pierced by the rattling of the main gate.

All three of them stiffened instantly, posture snapping into something almost automatic, as if their bodies still remembered mission protocols even when their minds wished they didn’t right now. Part of Itachi recognized the sound not as a visitor, but as an approaching threat. 
And perhaps, in a way, it was.

Muffled voices carried through the thin paper walls of the traditional mansion. They heard rustling from the kitchen  downstairs, the faint clink of glass.

Not much later, footsteps approached the bedroom and Sasuke swiftly opened the shoji with two of his fingers, while the others remained curled around a glass of beer. Both men gracefully slipped inside and he neatly closed the room off behind them. They appeared to be in a light mood with a casualness emanating off of their stances, and yet there was a sharpness in their posture that never truly left. 

Koen, who casually sipped his own beer, stepped a little further into the room while Sasuke started to light the floor torches, deliberately avoiding making eye contact with his family he very well knew was there. 

The moonlight revealed the shape of Koen’s face even before the room gradually lit up by the flames. His elegant features combined with masculine bone structure made his appearance especially dazzling. The long orange-brown hair shimmered with ruby reflections from the fire. He was slightly taller than Sasuke — even though not by much — and seemed to be in his late twenties, perhaps thirty years old. By all means he was beautiful. Itachi registered that in a way one registered a weapon: With detached precision, and the immediate understanding that it could kill.

Sasuke continued moving around the room, not once lifting his gaze.
Not once acknowledging the presence he could not afford to acknowledge.
Itachi understood why. If he did, he would be remembered of the circumstances in which something had to be done.

“Now, care to share what changed for you to seek me out and even inviting me back here?”

“…” Sasuke lazily approached his guest again, while on the way back picking up his glass and taking a long swallow.

“You don’t in fact have missed me, do you? Well – say nothing. I know I won’t be that lucky. What’s it then? Are you bored? Or are you having mood swings?”, Koen sneered, a certain bitterness now tinting his voice. He even sounded a little hurt. “I didn’t believe you’d want to see me again.”

“I thought we might have ended our last conversation on a bad note and that’s not what I wanted. I invited you to make sure you know, that I don’t harbour any harsh feelings towards you. And apparently it seems that I did well by clearing the air.” Sasuke’s fingertips lightly grazed the other’s sturdy pectorals through his Haori with the middle and index finger of his, while still holding the glass.

“Is that it, Uchiha? Then what is it that you want to correct?”, Koen’s body language didn’t soften from Sasuke’s playful stance, but adjusted a little to face the other directly. “I know, it’s just a fling for you, but you not wanting to meet up with me anymore really did hurt.”

“It wasn’t my intention to hurt you, but I was open about what this was from the beginning.” Sasuke put down his glass at the nearby table. Upon returning, he slid his hand all the way not only under Koen’s haori, but straight beneath the neckline of his Kosode as well, directly seeking out the bare skin underneath.

It took only a second for the other to react. Koen violently got a hold of the younger one’s jaw, all the wile not bothering to stop him from letting the hand glide even further beneath the folds of his garment.

“I really hate that cursed eye of yours, you know? The Sharingan you can hold within, but that Rin’n’egan of yours…” At that, after putting down his own glass, he placed the fingers of his now free hand around the socket of Sasuke’s left eye. “It feels like it pierces right through you. How I wish I could just bind it and solve this problem.” With that said, he even tightened his grip, though Sasuke remained completely unfazed.

Itachi‘s vision sharpened. For a heartbeat he felt his own Sharingan itch beneath his eyelid, eager, impatient, almost offended. Koen‘s fingers on Sasuke‘s throat looked wrong in a way that went beyond reason. Wrong in a way that made Itachi‘s hand twitch with the primitive urge to tear him off and break him apart.
Not as a brother, nor as a Shinobi. As something far uglier.

“So you presume I can see through your very soul, but not through a piece of fabric?” With a proper amount of bemusement, Sasuke shoved the entire left side of Koen’s kosode and haori off his shoulder with one singular move, leaving his left chest bare for the slightly chilly night air. “Is that really it? You came with me to joke around, even though you’re already that tense for my touch?"

One could see the newly exposed pectorals contract, a shiver running over the skin. The three left in the shadows nearly felt a simular tremor themselves, taking in what blatantly unfolded before them. That guest of their son and brother was indeed a grown man, now holding their precious one by the neck, while letting him touch such otherwise intimate parts so easily. 

Sasuke didn't waver one bit or play into the dominant gesture. He appeared entirely confident, instead snaking his arm around Koen's waist. With one powerful motion, he shoved their bodies forcefully together, so that even a small wimper escaped the other's mouth. Koen's left hand worked its way from Sasuke's face into his raven hair, while his right slightly slackened without leaving its place around the jaw. Neither of them broke eye contact — until now, when they, fast and raw, closed the final gap between them by locking their lips together. 
The unseen spectators held their breaths even tighter.

The kiss wasn't delicate or tentative. Sasuke hungrily covered the other's lips with his and instantly pried them open, letting his tongue glide between them. Koen engaged immediately, letting it breach their barrier; he opened his mouth wide while tilting both their chins to allow a better angle. His tongue lashed out in tune. A deep groan reverberated through the supposedly empty room. Both their breathing turned more labored and vocal. A guttural sound rose from Sasuke's chest, as his tongue playfully chased the other‘s — darting out and pulling back, licking and smoldering into him. Koen tightened his grip again, this time harder around Sasuke’s throat, and began to nestle at the edge of the younger's neckline, allowing Sasuke to press their bodies together even more. 

There was nothing innocent or childlike in it. Not even the hint of delicacy like one would expect when a man and a woman came together. Their every move reeked of rawness and masculinity.

Fugaku did not look away, though every instinct told him to. It would have been easier to retreat into anger, into disgust, into the familiar refuge of authority.
Yet the sight in front of him refused to be reduced to mere indecency; it was too deliberate, too controlled, too unashamed.
And for the first time since waking into his borrowed existence, Fugaku realized with quiet dread that his son‘s life had not simply been hard. It had been lived in places where no father could follow.

Itachi's heart sank. He watched his brother kissing that other man in a way, that was nothing like the tentative sweetness they had shared not too long ago. This was something very different. It wasn't meant to convey anything precious; it held something more carnal, primal. His little brother's actions were purely erotic. It dawned on Itachi that this, in fact, was a side of Sasuke he hadn‘t even wanted to acknowledge so far. His ferocious brother had to have ceased being a child a pretty long time ago.

Koen's left hand had pushed beneath Sasuke's neckline and cupped his right chest underneath the silken fabric. While easing the grip of his other hand as well, they broke their assault into a few sloppy, closed-mouth kisses, both increasingly panting now. 

Mikoto struggled to watch, her cheeks boiling hot and flushed. Her sexual experiences had never been that blunt. Truth was, she hadn‘t even known what to expect from an all-male encounter when hearing about that task.
On one hand she was horrified — on the other, similarly perplexed. She couldn‘t consolidate the sheer extent of the difference between the grown men now in front of her and the image she had carried of her baby boy. 

Sasuke opened his mouth again to savour the other's lips, but Koen caught his tongue between his teeth and tentatively bit down — not too hard, though. Sasuke snickered and covered his lips conciliatory with his own. The older male briefly let go of him and shook his upper garment, which only still hung from just his right side, now completely off his shoulders. 

The lines of his strong and defined biceps showed perfectly in the flickering twilight of the floor torches. A mild pang of jealousy rose in Itachi, but he couldn't dwell on it anyway. His eye was practically glued to what unfolded between the men in front of him.

After the annoying fabric was down, Koen let himself be pressed into the body before him once more. Sasuke drew his nose over the other's jugular and inhaled the now sweaty, musky aroma of the skin beneath. Sasuke's tongue escaped his mouth once again and traced a trail from the collarbone up Koen's neck to his Adam's apple, where he opened his mouth wider to suck and playfully nip at it. At that, Koen threw his head back and let out a throaty groan. One of his hands found its way into the raven locks again, while the younger one's fingers teased on his nipples. 

Itachi’s fingers curled so hard against his palm that his knuckles blanched and it should have hurt. Maybe it did, he couldn‘t tell.
This wasn‘t the awkward intimacy of youth, nor some clumsy fumbling born out of curiosity. It was something established, seasoned. And it struck him with a sick kind of clarity how Sasuke was someone who knew exactly what to do with a man‘s body and how to make it yield.

One couldn‘t quite pinpoint wether the atmosphere was needy or passionate, but both bodies moved as if it was their second nature — a primal instinct that, in this secluded place on earth, had found the opportunity to unfold, allowing them to give into it together.

Sasuke spread his legs a little, straddling one of Koen’s while sliding them even closer together. The temperature felt hot in the closed-up room, especially considering, that in reality it held not two but five people. Finally, Sasuke took a step back. He turned his body slightly, giving the older one better access to the crook of his neck, while loosening the staps of his tekkō binding with his teeth.

Mikoto‘s gaze flickered, torn between duty and shame, between being the mother who wanted to shield and the woman who understood too well what could not be unseen, yet this was something else from what she knew entirely. Her first instinct was to look away. The second was worse: To stare, frozen, as if her body refused to spare her. 
It felt obscene in its bluntness, unfiltered, almost violent. And the worst part was that Sasuke didn‘t look embarrassed. Not shy, not uncertain, not even remotely like the boy she remembered. He moved with the ease of someone who had learned long ago that bodies were not sacred things, but tools to be used and endured.

Her throat tightened.
She couldn‘t decide what horrified her more: The act itself, or the fact that her son looked like he belonged in it.

The different angle offered a forbidden view of how Koen‘s dark blue bakama unnaturally bulged between his legs. The fabric, normally hanging loose, now outlined a prominent erection. 

Koen appreciated the opportunity to bury his face deep into skin and silk. He tasted the slightly salty surface beneath where toned muscles contracted and stirred with every movement Sasuke made. Koen deeply inhaled the unique scent of his younger lover. 

Itachi watched Koen touch Sasuke and felt something inside snap into place with chilling clarity.
That man‘s hand didn‘t belong there. His mouth didn‘t belong there. His breath didn‘t belong on Sasuke‘s skin and the worst part was, that his brother let him. As if it meant nothing.
As if Itachi hadn‘t already started to think of him as his.

Finally finished with his tekkō, Sasuke shook it off and discarded it onto the floor. He bent down and placed further open-mouthed kisses onto the other's throat, heading downwards. He left a slick trail along the sternum and moved on towards the chest. Nipping at the hard pec a couple of times, he finally stopped at one of the already hardened buds adorning the pale skin. His tongue teased over it a few times before he closed his lips over it and started to suck, humming softly. Not just the nipple, but the entire sensitive area recieved that affection, while his hand ghosted over strong abs.

Koen sharply inhaled with a gasp. His hands fell slack as he allowed himself to be indulged by the full attention of the Uchiha, who now took it upon himself to grope his clothed erection through the fabric. Sasuke‘s fingers traced the outline of the bulge until his hand came to rest at the base and applied the sweetest pressure. With meticulous, small movements, Sasuke began to slowly stroke Koen‘s cock while still sucking at the heated flesh of his chest.
Koen shuddered under his breath but didn’t lift a finger. After an upward stroke, the younger one began to loosen his bakama sashes.

Itachi watched his brother lowering onto his left knee. Much to his horror, his brother‘s clothes also didn‘t do him the favour of leaving anything to the imagination. On the contrary, the delicate embroidered hakama, Sasuke had chosen to wear that day, flowed smoothly around his waist and pooled the silk right beneath the now unmistakable tent, making itself apparent between his legs. 

In an eerie way, it mesmerized Itachi how both bodies reacted to one another in this carnal play unfolding itself before him — how effortless it seemed for Sasuke to let his bodily needs guide his actions. 
Well, if he was being honest, that wasn‘t actually the case, since Sasuke had agreed to take on this `task´ only for them, Itachi mused.

Meanwhile Sasuke — now being finished with the sashes — threw his head back and allowed Koen to bend down and engage in another sloppy kiss while returning his hand on said one‘s now bare erection peeking through the loose hanging kosode. It took just another heartbeat to untie the kaku-obi with which all of those remaining layers found their way onto the ground. 

Koen, who had finally regained his ability to move on his own, combed Sasuke‘s hair back with his fingers. This affectionate gesture lasted a little longer, while both men were tenderly brushing their lips across one another, lazily darting their tongues out to capture the other every now and then. Sasuke‘s hand moved similarly casual over the erect cock and ghosting his fingers through the wet pool forming in its slit for better lubrication. 

Then, Koen fisted his hand violently in Sasuke‘s hair and yanked his head back, looking him straight in the eyes. Sasuke smirked and quirked one of his eyebrows while squeezing the cock at it‘s base. Koen loosened his grip again, without letting go and allowing his lover to direct his attention on his naked body again. Sasuke didn't waste time and placed open-mouthed kisses along the sweating flesh, only this time without lingering. He trailed the abs down again, but way down, down past Koen‘s reddish pubic hair onto his hairy upper thigh.

Both his parents were getting pale when they saw their son, now licking upwards the inner thigh, opening his mouth and placing wet kisses onto another man‘s penis. And at that, he wasn‘t even shy about it, but lasciviously dragged his tongue up the length and hummed at dipping it into the slit.

Now the standing was the one who had to throw his head back while a pressed moan escaped him — only an octave higher now. On a bent knee, Sasuke glanced upwards and repetitively interchanged smaller nips and soothing strokes with his tongue with one another. 

Much to the disgust of his father, his movements were both methodical and well-versed, eliciting all those delicate moans from its recipient. Finally, Sasuke opened his mouth all the way and allowed himself to welcome the full length into his wet cave. Sasuke‘s face neither seemed disturbed nor as if he‘d be reluctant in the slightest. He hummed while pressing his face into the other‘s crotch easily. 

His moves down the shaft were determined, while the way back to the tip seemed deliberate decelerated, leisurely even, with his jaw hanging slack and tongue massaging Koen‘s appandange on the way out his mouth. Koen‘s panting got labored and he yanked Sasukes hair, forcing him deeper into accepting his member down his throat, which the younger allowed him. The standing one bucked his hips, moaning, whining, tugging on black hair, while the Uchiha played him like a fiddel just with his lips and routined stance. 

He accepted all, whatever was coming at him and obviously didn‘t mind the sometimes too eratic thrusts and pushy grasps that forced him to relax his jaw even further. All the while Koen lost himself in the moment. Sasuke used his hand to massage Koen‘s testicles and prostate while giving him all this delicious indulgement with his mouth.

Itachi could see his brother‘s hand moving near the other‘s balls kind of awkwardly up and down, but didn‘t dwell on it, since to him nothing regarding this night made sense anyway. Their petrified mother and father were just out of their wits, obviously also not prepared for what they were getting to watch. The sight made their stomachs heive, but they knew better then to expose themselves and endanger everyone around with it.

Finally, Koen pulled Sasuke harshly off of him — still panting — and gripping his hand while towering over him. Sasuke calmly let him be and offered no resistance. His arm got yanked over his head quite violently, while his body got forced onto his back. 

At the same time, Koen snatched his discarded obi from the ground and used it to attach the captured hand onto one of the posters of Sasuke‘s bed. There wasn‘t any pushback on getting his only arm immobilized. Technically Sasuke would have been able to free himself from those mere fabrics at any time, but it was for the fun of it; a game just for pleasure. Despite the bordering violent actions of the other, Sasuke's body language shifted into something inviting for the older, completely naked Shinobi. The scene was pure erotic. Sasuke lasciviously smirked with his lips slightly parted, giving off the sensuality he just shared by working the other‘s dick. His kimono hung loosely open, while obi and hakama had been tightly tucked still, letting his legs fall open for the other to get close to him more easily.

After being satisfied with his knot, Koen kissed Sasuke again and started to undo his hakama sashes. The Uchiha‘s erection being fully grown for some time now, finally got freed of the confines of the pant‘s front panel, which led to a low growl reverbarating from his chest.

Although not being able to move, even the signal of him raising his chin was invitation enough for Koen to get closer, oh so much closer. He covered all of the younger man‘s body with his, engaging in one last kiss before something happened, all the elder weren‘t prepaired for.

After stroking Sasuke‘s now freed thick and slightly dripping cock for a few times, Koen straddled Sasuke with one hand on the ground and one hand reaching behind himself. After some timid movements that the elder couldn‘t quite oversee, since the view was obscured by Koen‘s upper thigh, it got inavitably obviouse that the red haired had impailed himself onto the younger‘s erection when he sat back all the way on his lap and tucked his own legs closer on both sides.

Both Mikoto and Fugaku would’t have necessarily thought of Koen being the recieving one in this coupling, due to them seeing their son giving him quite some laid-back attention before, but little did they know anyway about the dynamic between males with other males. Itachi long ago had given up on making any assumptions. 

Koen roamed Sasuke‘s chest, lifting himself up on his toes and sinking down again, deep onto the lap of his lover. He now moved rhythmically, eliciting moans and pants off both of them. His hands found their way from the chest near the head on both sides. 

Their eye contact didn‘t break, much to the dislike of his older brother watching. The way the red haired moved ontop, the way he seemed to be allowed to take for himself whatever he liked didn't sit well with him at all, despite his brother's apparent reactions to it not being lost on him. The longer it played out, the more Sasuke got impatient and engaged in the action by moving his body in tune and casually thrusting his hip upwards into the other male‘s body.

Everything in the room now reeked of sex. The temperature had gotten up, as a sweaty film glistened on Koen’s contracting muscles and the sounds of their panting and flesh slapping together was filling the room in a filthy way.

Koen finally broke the eye contact by bending backwards, letting his jaw fall slack and even deeper moans escape him. Sasuke thrusted upwards firmly, not fighting his only hand being bound.

Sasuke‘s upper body had to settle in an awkward angle, due to the bed-pole he had been bound to being higher than the floor. If he minded he didn‘t make it apparent and instead watched his loose lover climbing higher and higher in extasy, bouncing and clumsily meeting his thrusts.

Finally, Sasuke had enough and with one yank ripped his arm free of it‘s confinement. He slid his formerly slightly propped up torso all the way to the floor and captured Koen‘s cock with his hand. Said one nearly yelped at the sudden contact against his already oversensitive flesh but didn‘t complain about his partner ending this little game.

Their tune changed and Sasuke’s thusts decreased and became more shallow. His hand applied all the sweetest pressure on the other‘s dick, mostly staying in place for the other to thrust his hip into it on his own. 

And Koen did; rolling his hip into the black haired‘s hand by riding himself on his lap. Sasuke‘s cock deeply massaged his prostate, barely ever leaving him now. With a few last uneven bucks Koen began to shudder. He bent his head back and with the longest moan released his climax into the hand stroking him. 

Sasuke, who most certainly had seen it coming, covered the tip with his palm, still massaging the pulsing length through it‘s full release. This way the clothes didn‘t get completely soiled and instead the white semen was now deliciously trickling down the younger one‘s wrist. 

Koen‘s face was all bliss. Satiated but still on his high, he drew out the final moments of his orgasm in not yet stilling his movements completely. Eventually he caught his breath and let himself fall forward, catching himself on his hands.

With a guttural growl Sasuke pushed his knees up, firmly grabbing the other‘s ass and muscled both of them off the ground quickly. With a sigh Koen encircled Sasuke‘s still clothed neck with his lax arms, burrowing his face in the silk on the way. 

It was quite the mesmerizing view to watch Sasuke with his singular arm propping up the completely naked older male. The latter hooked his legs behind Sasuke‘s still tied hakama back panel. The kimono was parted in the center, while still held together by the obi. The hakama‘s front panel loosely dragged on the ground.

In this position Itachi could all too well make out his brother‘s testicles between his legs as well as the thick base of his shaft. Shortly above, the stranger smoothly stretched around his brother, accepting him all the way inside. The sight was lewed, especially how his brother‘s hand was propping up the toned male by grabbing his ass cheeks, coating them with his very own semen.

The standing didn‘t linger and instead quickly twisted around with his mate, placing him on the edge of the bed. He himself not quite kneeled down infront of it, bending over and placing his hand on the other‘s shoulder.

In the blink of an eye the aura in the room seemed to have changed yet again. Sasuke pulled back, just to immediately enter the other again. Koen moaned, not having been quite able to collect himself just yet.

„Now that you got what you wanted, I‘m going to take what I need“

Koen neither refuted nor fought back, but accepted being handled by the younger male now picking up a rigit, merciless pace of penetration.

Sasuke grunted louder, his affect fierce and untamed. He was getting more vocal by the minute, now bending one of Koen‘s legs upwards over his shoulder. The red haired‘s body got even more folded into itself. Between the hard thrusts and the body weighing down on him, Koen had nothing left but to mew and cling onto the silken garment howering over him.

“Haah, Sasuke… so gooood for me…“

“Just take it.“

Without ever closing his mouth, Sasuke by now was vocally panting, chasing his own orgasm in snapping his hip forward into the wide spread man underneath him. The twisted leg didn‘t shield the view of their connection one bit anymore. Itachi briefly asked himself if his brother knew, but soon got drawn in by the hypnotizing display. 

If only he could see a little more of his brother… The stranger had long been stripped of any garment there was, in which way he could see every itch and contraction of his muscular body. Although; there were also visible stripes of Sasuke’s naked flesh. His neckline was all messed up and showed the seam of a prominent colarbone and the dip his sternum made between his — sadly obscured — pecs. Even lower, above his groin, where the still fastened strands of his hakama crossed, the last row of bulky abs and lumbar muscles peaked out. They looked nothing like the discolored upper part he had seen a peek of earlier that day and spread just above dark but neatly trimmed pubic hair, that by now was musky and wet, just above—# 

A sudden shift made Itachi snap his head up. And there it was. Sasuke‘s gaze, sharp as a blade, cutting straight through the dimness — straight through him. Just for this brief moment he locked his eye with another red one, directly focusing him while its owner didn‘t stop. Didn‘t slow. Didn’t even blink, still groaning.  

Just like that, Itachi realized that he had activated his own Sharingan, which probably had drawn Sasuke‘s attention to him. His breath hitched as his brother‘s gaze flickered, somehow knowing.

Itachi immediately yielded his Kekkei Genkai as well as Sasuke briefly closed his eyes entirely, after which his gaze returned to normal and trained down on his partner — as if whatever softness might have been there just a second ago had no right to exist tonight.

A few more moments passed until the younger‘s movements started to falter. With strong last thrusts he reached his peak. While his base and testicles contracted, pouring his very essence within, he steadily kept himself buried. Collecting himself from his high, Sasuke let his head fall over and calmed his breath. 

Koen snaked his arms around the hot body above him. His leg, now being released, fell slack and all the tension in the room seemed to have been unwind at once, leaving behind nothing but an empty stillness that had not yet decided what to become.

Koen reached for Sasuke‘s face, pulling him down to kiss him affectionately. 
But something had changed. Although offering no resistance, Sasuke seemed disengaged. While Koen poured himself into the kiss — softly brushing his lips over the other‘s, nibbling, lingering, caressing — Sasuke merely let him do it. 
There was no repulsion, not even reluctance, displayed on his face. He simply appeared indifferent.

When Koen finally released him, Sasuke supported one of the man‘s hips with his hand as he pulled out. With a quiet exhale, he straightened in front of the bed and tried to slightly cover his wet, still half-hard privates by tightening the hemline of his nagajuban. That one would have to be washed anyway.

With the front panel of his hakama still loose, he crossed the room to retrieve his drink. After he finished it in one long swallow, he then turned back to face the still blissfully spread-out body on his bed, that made no haste of kicking into action again.

“… It shouldn‘t have come to this. This was the last time.“

As if a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped over him, Koen‘s face hardened.

“What did you just say?“

“It would be best for you to leave now, I suppose.“

“You gotta be kidding me!“ He sprang out of the bed and began throwing on the first layer of his clothes. “Couldn‘t you secure one of your other hoes, so that I was good enough for a substitute?!“

“…“

“Speak!“ Clearly hurt — and fuming by now — Koen continued to tie his bakama.

“I‘m very sorry that I came across flaky. That wasn‘t my attention, although I’m aware it certainly appears that way.“

“You‘re… sorry?“ He finished the last knot in record time.

“I was sincere when I told you that I wish you all the best. But that whatever there was between us has to end is also true. This has nothing to do with—#“

The violent slap across his face he had very well seen coming, yet he still didn‘t prevent it. It split his lip.

“You shut up! `Nothing to do with me´ my ass! It has everything to do with me and you should come off your high horse and at least acknowledge what a scumbag you are. You bring me here again, fuck me, and tell me it‘s over — as if being with me was a mistake? Fuck you!“ Furious, he gathered his remaining belongings from the floor.

Fugaku did not flinch. Not outwardly. But something inside him tightened all the same — a reflex older than pride itself.
He had watched battlefields burn and had ordered men to their deaths without hesitation, yet seeing another man raise his hand against his son inside their own home felt like a violation of a different kind. A private disgrace. One that could not be answered with steel.

“… This one I grant, due to the unfortunate circumstances.“ Sasuke wiped the blood  threatening to run down his chin with the back of his hand. “But don‘t push it. You came here willingly, knowing how it would end and I made you no promises.“

“You are—#“
Sasuke ceased the other‘s movement by raising his hand in warning.

“You should leave now.“

Agitated, Koen stormed out of the room, huffing and puffing down the staircase, and left the house with a door slam that rattled through the estate.

For a brief moment everything was silent. Slowly the youngest son turned around and faced his family with a sigh.

Itachi‘s eye lingered on the smear of blood on Sasuke‘s lip. Such a small injury. So insignificant compared to what a Shinobi endured daily.

And yet it felt unbearable.
Not because Sasuke had been hit — but because Sasuke had allowed it. Because he had stood there and taken it with the same composure he reserved for wounds that did not matter. As if he had decided that his dignity belonged to the village, too.

No one was able to speak at first, so Sasuke simply walked to his bedside table and retrieved one of his Chakra-conductive kunai. He tugged down his already ruined neckline to bare the inked seal. Then, calmly and methodical, he formed several kuji-ins against the hilt, leaving the metal glowing in the dark. 

Fugaku‘s gaze remained fixed on his son‘s hand. It was the only thing he could allow himself to focus on. If he looked at his face, he might see something that would make him forget how to breathe.

Without hesitation, Sasuke pierced his skin where the seal had been drawn and let his blood run down his neck. When he realized he was bleeding more than anticipated, he tried to save at least his silken Kosode from being ruined entirely.
With the backside of two fingers, he quickly pulled back just the outer layer at the nape over his left side. Since no arm held it in place, it slid off effortlessly, creating enough distance between the wound and the expensive fabric. His right side remained completely clothed; he looked like a hot mess.

His father cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself. “Is the seal lifted?“

“It is, Tō-san.“ Calmly Sasuke anticipated the inevetible.

“Well… I suppose…“, Fugaku trailed off, unable to finish.

Sasuke cocked his head. “I know. I regret that it had to come to this.“

“… It wasn‘t your fault,“ his mother said quietly, sounding defeated. “Whoever forced us into this clearly had bad intentions.“

“You don‘t say! They‘re sickos.“

Itachi stared down at his feet.

“At least your brother is free of any restrictions now, and they cannot take that back,“ Fugaku added. “Maybe they expected you not to comply.“

Sasuke weighed the suggestion. “Maybe. Or they have had something else in mind — something yet to be revealed.“ He began pacing through his room, as if expecting the others to follow, or at least to breath again. “Maybe they hoped I‘d be insulted enough to attack the council. That would give them all the ammunition they‘d need.“ 

Tiredly, he rubbed over his lower lip with the back of his hand again. “But I‘m not the same as I was a few years ago. It only proves that they know nothing about me. There are plenty of other ways to get back at them eventually.“

“Sweety… are you alright?“, Mikoto soothingly rubbed his right shoulder and a startled Sasuke followed her hand with his eyes.

Mikoto‘s hand had moved on its own volition, as if her body still remembered a child‘s warmth and softness and refused to accept that her boy had been replaced by something sharper. She had expected him to pull away. Instead he simply froze, and that reaction hurt even worse than rejection.
It was the kind of stillness that did not belong to someone who merely was tired — it indicated, that her touch didn‘t comfort but instead was yet another that he simply endured.

“I‘m… fine Kā-san. How nice. Little strange you‘re asking though.“

A flustered Fugaku knew exactly what his son was implying and ushered his wife towards the door.

“We appreciate you,“ he said with a slightly flattened voice. “We shouldn‘t give the council any oportunity to come between us. We‘re Shinobi, after all. Every one of us has had to do whatever a situation demands from us at times.“

“Sasuke…“ Mikoto hesitated. “From what I understood from your conversation… you two have been seing each other for some time? But you didn‘t want that anymore? Do you have… feelings for this man?“

Itach perked up at their mother’s question.

“Tsk“ Sasuke averted his gaze. “No, I don‘t.“

That was clear.

“I’m sorry if I‘m disappointing you,“ he continued, “but we were definitly not in a relationship by any means. We just casually enjoyed each other‘s company from time to time. Well.“ His jaw tightened. “As you could see, it got a little out of hand lately, so there‘s no need to let it grow any more complicated. Nevertheless, he got dragged into my mess tonight unneccesarily. Thus—“ he pointed towards his cheekbone, “—this was granted. But I hope things will settle down eventually if I give it time.“

“Are you sure? I might be not much of a fighter but I do know people. That man seems quite interested in you.“ It was still difficult for her, to consider her Sasuke with a man. But that ship had sailed, even she had to admit that.

“Yes,“ Sasuke said plainly. “And I‘m not. Even less now that he made it apparent. That‘s a problem.“

“…“ His mother admitted defeat.

To salvadge the awkward silence, Fugaku tried to busy himself somehow by collecting his son’s abandoned tekkō. He then stretched out his arm to hand it to him, but Sasuke skeptically eyed his father.

“You sure, you want to touch this hand?“ Amused, he lifted his palm between them.

Fugaku jerked back his arm and let the tekkō fall to the ground again.

“I figured as much. Now out with you. I need to shower.“

Flustered, his parents excused themselves and left the room without further ado. His brother, however, remained. Sasuke rummaged through his things until he retrieved a cigarette. 

“Do you also want to ask me how I feel? If I‘m alright?“ He asked, not needing to turn around to sense Itachi right behind him.

“Not really. I‘m just…“

Sasuke lit his cigarette by the window. “You‘re wondering, whether you‘re alright then.“

“…“ Not too far off.

The younger deeply exhaled a thick billow of smoke into the night.

“You‘re going to be.“ His voice was tired. Matter-of-fact. “And now you‘re free. You can do as you please.“ Another drag. “I still wished there had been another way.“

The words should have sounded like mercy. Instead they landed like a verdict.

Free.

Itachi had spent most of his life carving his own freedom away, piece by piece, until nothing remained but function. Duty. Sacrifice. Silence.

And now Sasuke spoke as if the chains had been external.
As if Itachi had merely been waiting for permission to leave.

He hadn‘t.
He had been waiting for something far more foolish.

For Sasuke to need him again.
For Sasuke to say his name the way he once had whispered it in the dark, when it had meant more than blood and history.

Instead Sasuke looked through him again — calm, exhausted, untouchable — and Itachi realized with a slow, nauseating clarity that he had just watched his brother give his body to someone, who took it and left the rest behind like it didn‘t matter. 

And now the space between them felt like a battlefield. It couldn‘t be crossed. His brother wouldn‘t allow him to come close right now.
“Don‘t…“

“You need to go too.“ He didn‘t look at him. “I want to be alone.“

Itachi nodded and left his brother‘s bedroom, dragging his feet, feeling his emothions battling inside him.

Chapter Text

The next day, Sasuke had already left before Itachi got up. His parents hadn‘t seen him either, so they assumed that he went to Hokage tower to report.
It was easier to assume he was simply busy with duty than to entertain the possibility that he might be avoiding them. But first noon passed, then afternoon. When he did return, it was far too late for it to just have been a report.

He stepped into the compound with the same composed presence he usually carried, polite enough to greet them all properly, but distant enough that it felt as though he was performing courtesy rather than offering affection.
Itachi had remained in the house for most of the afternoon, forcing himself to occupy his mind with scrolls and old texts simply because it felt unbearable to sit idle doing nothing, which would render the thoughts circulating in his head way too loud.

When Sasuke eventually crossed the hallway again, passing him with a quiet nod and a brief murmur of acknowledgement that sounded almost formal, Itachi felt something bitter rise in him — not anger, not resentment, but a kind of cold disappointment that he did not know where to place, because he could not accuse Sasuke of anything without sounding absurd.

So instead he tried something else.
Something harmless.

When Sasuke came past him again later, Itachi adjusted his path ever so slightly, shifting toward the center of the corridor as if it had been unintentional, letting his shoulder drift close enough that his fingertips might brush Sasuke’s wrist, just briefly, just enough to create the kind of contact that could be passed off as coincidence if rejected.

But Sasuke ducked it.

Not sharply, not with hostility, not even with the visible awareness of someone who wanted to avoid being touched — he simply moved half a step aside, smooth and effortlessly, without breaking his stride or slowing down, as if Itachi’s attempt had not even registered as something worth reacting to.

And Itachi stood there for a second too long after Sasuke had passed, his fingers still hovering uselessly in the air, feeling oddly humiliated by the fact that the rejection had been so subtle it could not even be confronted.

That evening, Itachi lay awake in bed far longer than he should have, staring at the ceiling while the compound around him settled into its nocturnal quiet, and the longer he listened to the distant rustling of trees outside, the more his thoughts returned to the same place again and again: the fact that ever since Sasuke had left for his mission, they had not spoken about `them´.

Not once.

Not about what had happened between them before he left.

Not about what had happened in front of them.

Not about what Sasuke had been forced to do.

Not about what Itachi had been forced to watch.

And Itachi found himself wondering, with a heaviness he hated, whether there still was a them to speak of at all, or whether he had mistaken something fragile and fleeting for something that could actually exist.

He was not naïve enough to assume that Sasuke would have had feelings for Koen.

That would have been childish, and Itachi was painfully aware that he lacked the experience to even form proper judgments about what physical intimacy meant when it was stripped of love and commitment and reduced to something more primal, more casual, more transactional — something that could still be wanted without being cherished.

And yet…

Itachi could not deny that the sight of it had done something to him.

Not merely jealousy, though there had been jealousy too, sharp and humiliating, but something deeper: the realization that Sasuke could step into that kind of raw physicality without hesitation, without embarrassment or any visible fracture in his composure, as if he had long since learned how to separate intimacy from necessarily being vulnerable.

Perhaps it had never meant vulnerability for him at all?
Itachi’s chest tightened at the thought.

He had always imagined Sasuke as something bright beneath all the darkness — a child forced into hatred, a boy forced into rage — but watching him now, living beside him now, he could no longer deny that Sasuke had become something else entirely. And Itachi could not decide whether that truth fascinated him or horrified him more.

☾

Another day came and slowly bled into later hours, painfully to endure like watching honey sliding down a flat surfice: Definite in destination, but slow in approach.
It was sometime in the late afternoon when Fugaku finally broke the strange and fragile rhythm that had settled over the compound — a rhythm made of nothing but politeness, of avoidance disguised as courtesy, of meaningless topics stretched thin like silk just to keep them all from brushing against what had been done and what could not be undone.

Itachi had always been quiet, even as a child; that alone did not alarm him. But Sasuke’s quietness was of a different kind entirely, not the tight restraint of someone swallowing words, nor the brittle composure of someone forcing himself through an uncomfortable moment, but rather the unnerving calm of a man who did not feel the need to justify himself to anyone anymore, because he had long made peace with what he was and what he was not.

And while Fugaku could respect that — could even admire it, in the abstract, as one Shinobi admires another’s discipline — he could not accept what it meant in practice: that his youngest moved through their home like a guest in his own life, present only in the narrowest sense, offering courtesy and distance in equal measure, and leaving the rest unspoken as if speech itself would be indulgent.

So when he found both of his sons in the main room — Itachi at the low table with a scroll unrolled in front of him, his posture immaculate as if his spine had never once forgotten how to sit at attention, and Sasuke by the open doorway, half-turned toward the garden with his hair still damp from having washed it again for no reason other than habit — Fugaku decided, very simply, that he was done allowing the air between them to remain untouched. 

He wouldn't let this go on, even though he couldn't fully put his finger on what exactly was the tension between his son's all about.

“You two,” he said, and his own voice surprised even him in its firmness, as though the old authority had never left. “Come with me.”

Itachi looked up at once, attentive by reflex.
Sasuke did not; he only shifted the weight in his stance, which was so subtle that anyone without years of watching bodies rather than faces would have missed it entirely.

“To where, Tō-san?” Itachi asked, though in truth he was far more curious about his father’s motive than about where he intended to lead them. Fugaku gestured toward the back. “Outside. To the training grounds.”

Sasuke’s gaze finally moved, briefly, but it did not stir with irritation; instead it slid across his father with that faintly assessing neutrality he had begun to wear like another layer of clothing.
“For what purpose.”

The phrasing wasn’t insolent. If anything, it was clinical — and perhaps that was what made it sting more than defiance ever could have.

“For the purpose,” Fugaku replied, refusing to let the moment slip away, “of reminding myself that I am not merely a ghost in your home, watching history unfold without being allowed to touch it.”

"How strangely poetic," the youngest drawled, but without the bite to actually offend. His body language spoke of reluctant defeat, as he couldn't really put forth any real argument against his father's wish. He exhaled once through his nose. “If you insist.”

They moved toward the small clearing behind the garden wall, a place that served well enough for what Fugaku had in mind; it wasn’t a formal training ground, but it had always been secluded enough for an Uchiha to test what needed testing without foreign eyes on him. It was the same place where Sasuke, years ago, had watched Itachi perfect his shurikenjutsu until the air itself seemed to obey his hands.

Fugaku turned to face them, then paused. For a brief, humiliating second, he did not know how to begin, not with commands or drills or lectures, but as a father standing before two grown men who he should have known better.

Itachi waited patiently, hands relaxed at his sides. Sasuke stood with an ease that bordered on indifference, shoulders loose and jaw set; yet there was nothing lazy about him. If anything, his stillness radiated the latent tension of a drawn bow.

“You’ve both grown,” Fugaku said at last, and hated how inadequate it sounded, because it was not a compliment so much as a confession. “And I have been watching from the sidelines, as if my only role now is to observe.”

“You were never one to sit idle,” Itachi offered softly.
Fugaku’s gaze flicked to him. “No.”

Then it returned to Sasuke, who remained unreadable. “And yet you make it very easy for anyone to believe you have no need of anyone’s presence.” Sasuke’s eyes narrowed slightly, not in anger, but in mild confusion — as though he genuinely did not understand why this mattered. “I have a few needs that involve others. I simply don’t confuse them with comfort.”

Itachi’s fingers curled faintly against his palm, but he said nothing.

Fugaku drew a slow breath, forcing himself not to reach for authority as a weapon. “Sasuke. Do you see Itachi as your rival?” There it was — the old framing, the clan’s favorite question, the one that had once made men lean forward as if they were placing bets.

Sasuke did not even blink. “No.”
Fugaku’s brows lifted. “No?”

“Why would I now?” Sasuke said, calm enough to be infuriating. “That‘d be pointless anyway. Itachi will always be superior.”

Itachi’s gaze snapped up. “Sasuke—”

But Sasuke cut him off with the smallest tilt of his head, a silent directive not to turn this into false modesty. “You will. You always were. That doesn‘t mean by aeons, and I wouldn‘t go down easily; but I have no reason left to fight you anyway.”

Fugaku stared at his youngest as if looking for the crack, the sting, the resentment that ought to hide behind such an admission, because Sasuke had been pride incarnate even as a boy; if anything he had once burned with ambition so bright it made other people step back.
„But I have been told, that you had even killed Itachi in battle.“ There was nothing — no bitterness, no wounded edge, that just couldn't be.

Sasuke snorted. “You should better call it `assisted suicide´. If reviewed rationally, I have better and worse circumstances in certain aspects now after the war; maybe against an opponent like Itachi the better even outweigh. Itachi is not someone, against who hurling a hundred different Jutsus one after another do the trick. … You may remember my sensei, Orochimaru… he is obsessed with `collecting´ an obscene amount of them and had me learn a pretty amount as well. Although I use barely any of them now—“, something bordering sadness or regret momentarily flickered across Sasukes face, but got quickly erased, “I nevertheless remember all of them and have a deeper understanding when others try to use those against me.
The gap may be smaller now, but that doesn't negate the fact of Itachi's superiority.“

“And that doesn’t bother you,” Fugaku said, not quite a question.

Sasuke shrugged, a motion so minimal it barely displaced his clothing. “Why would it.”

Because, Fugaku wanted to say, because you are an Uchiha, because you are my son, because rivalry is the one language our Clan always spoke fluently even when it strangled us.

But Sasuke did not look strangled. He looked… fine. That, in itself, was unsettling.

“You could ask Itachi a similarly pointless question. He had been groomed to be the designated Uchiha heir, the future Clan Head. And yet, he has to live under me as the head of household, even now that he has returned. Not once did he bring forth even the idea of challenging me on that.“

Fugaku pivoted. He had come out here to catch something real but sensed, that they had entered dangerous waters with their conversation, so if words wouldn’t do it, then perhaps steel would.

“Show me your Shurikenjutsu,” he said.

“Well that’s some change of topics,“ Sasuke’s eyes flicked toward the weapons rack by the side of one of the installed targets, then back. “I never miss when I throw.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

A faint exhale. “Yes, Tō-san.”
Sasuke crossed the clearing and, with a kind of practical efficiency that made ceremony look childish, collected a handful of shuriken and kunai with his right hand only, the limitation neither dramatized nor concealed. He returned, took position, and began.

It was clean — precise, even elegant in the way his body moved to compensate: the shoulder rotating more fully, the torso turning to generate momentum that two hands would have split between them, the wrist snapping with controlled cruelty. The shuriken cut the air in patterns that were not flashy for the sake of it, but deliberately spaced as if he were mapping trajectories for a mind that never stopped calculating. He used the advantage of ricochet more often than would be usual, to cover targets simultaneously, that otherwise would have been aimed at from separate origins. Separate limbs.
He hit every target.

Fugaku watched the rhythm, the speed, the way Sasuke’s footwork anchored every throw as if his whole body compensated for the missing hand. When Sasuke stopped, the silence seemed to settle again.

“You’re holding back,” Fugaku said, because he could not accept the simplicity of it.
Sasuke’s gaze slid to him. “No.”
Fugaku’s jaw tightened. “Then you admit the limitation.”

Sasuke’s mouth twitched not with humor, but with a kind of resigned acknowledgement. “Of course. A single hand will always be inferior in volume and speed compared to two. Even if I compensate. Even if I hit. The physics don’t care about pride."
He paused and studied his father's reacion. "You want to continue this conversation? Also closing hand seals against a hilt will forever be slower and more complicated than weaving them with two hands. That's another aspect I have to by now calculate in.”

Itachi lowered his eyes again, as if the bluntness of that was too intimate in its own way. Fugaku stared — because what he heard was not self-pity and neither bitterness; it was simply reality spoken aloud without melodrama, the kind of realism that came from someone who had nearly died enough times to stop romanticizing loss.

“What is it you want from me, then,” Fugaku asked, voice quieter now, “if not rivalry, not proving, not… anything that looks like the boy I knew.”

Sasuke did not answer immediately, and in that pause Fugaku felt, for the first time since waking into this world again, that he might be standing before a stranger not because years had passed, but because the person Sasuke had become had been forged in places Fugaku’s mind could not even fully grasp.

Then Sasuke said, evenly, “You want to be included. So include yourself. But don’t try to pull something out of me that isn’t there.”

Fugaku’s eyes narrowed. “Then fight me.”

Itachi’s head snapped up. “Tō-san—”
But Fugaku didn‘t look his way. “I never offered Itachi that.”

Sasuke’s expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes sharpened, the way it did when he smelled the real motive under the polite phrasing.
“You never offered Itachi that…” he repeated in thought, then tilting his head. “You’re offering now because this time you can test what you want to know without consequences.”

Fugaku held his gaze, rigid.
“You can push,” Sasuke went on, still calm, “because your body won’t pay for it. You can afford to indulge curiosity when there’s no price-tag attached.”
For a moment it looked as though Fugaku might bristle, but then — perhaps because there was no insult to catch, only a mirror held up — he exhaled.
“Yes,” he said. “Because I want to see you properly.”

The youngest‘s unrestrained laughter filled the air, breaking off a little bit of the tension, as it was genuine.
“Alright then. Let‘s go to a proper training ground.“ As his father didn‘t follow his lead right away, he added, “What? Am I looking like a landscaper to you? The official training spots are tended by the Genin teams; this right here is the land I inherited. When we devastate it, I’ll be the one rebuilding it  and I don’t see any need for that.“

Together they quickly ventured to the training field closest to them and approached it from either side, while Itachi remained at the sideline. Sasuke’s posture remained loose, blade still sheathed and one foot angled casually outward.

Fugaku waited.
“You will not initiate?”

“You have the wrong son,” he answered with a smirk. “Itachi is the one, who always engages first with his Genjutsu.”

Something unreadable flickered behind Fugaku’s eyes.
“Then we shall begin accordingly.”

The shift was instantaneous. Fugaku’s jaw clenched, partly in frustration, partly in reluctant amusement at how blunt Sasuke could be. “And since you won’t...”

Sasuke nothing but grinned; not even remotely friendly, more distorted, competitive — daring him.
Itachi’s fingers curled again, because he knew.
Fugaku’s eyes swirled into red. “...then I will.”

The world around them seemed to shift. It wasn’t with a loud cue, not with theatrical force, but with the subtle shift of Chakra introducing itself that made the air feel as though it had grown heavier.

The oldest’s Mangekyō flared — a sight few had ever witnessed. Interestingly enough, Sasuke didn‘t avert his gaze or tried to dodge the exposure but faced his father‘s eyes head on.

The Genjutsu that unfurled was not elegant or elaborate. It was not illusion for illusion’s sake. It was pressure — an ancient, suffocating weight that wrapped itself around perception and tried to squeeze the mind into compliance by force. For the first time, Sasuke’s posture changed. Not dramatically — he did not stagger or gasp — but the relaxed ease snapped into something precise, and his gaze sharpened as though he was finally intrigued and ready to engage genuinely.

Fugaku watched closely, waiting for the smallest stumble.
Sasuke did not stumble.

The air around him seemed to tighten, as if the Genjutsu had met no gap to creep in, but a wall.

And then Sasuke’s lips parted slightly as he exhaled slowly, controlled, before murmuring almost conversationally, “You are exceptional in Genjutsu, Tō-san,” Sasuke said at last, voice steady within the fractured landscape. “Hmmm, `wicked eye Fugaku´ they called you, for creating imagery that crushes one's senses, unlike Itachi‘s, which is meant to terrorize.”

Fugaku’s eyes narrowed. “And you’re resisting.”
A faint pause.
Fugaku pushed more Chakra into it, as if testing whether the wall would crack.

Sasuke’s jaw tightened, and in that tiny shift Itachi understood its meaning: Not pain or fear, but the exertion of someone who had made resisting a craft, not a panic response.
“You know how they call me, when speaking behind my back? `Uchiha Sasuke´ they say; there is no real need for nicknames anymore. The name alone suffices and tells the story.“

The illusion splintered not explosively, but with a quiet, decisive fracture, like glass under sustained pressure rather than sudden impact. For a split second, Sasuke‘s form appeared flickering all across the training field, his voice fracturing with him, echoing from every direction at once before everything around them settled down again and revealed the standing form right at where it should be.

“That…“
“—was no Genjutsu. Yours would be stronger than mine, so instead of fighting uphill I use my own advantages.“ His own Mangekyō by now bloomed in his right eye, but the Tomoe in his Rin‘n‘egan also swirled. “Your Genjutsu wouldn‘t let up even when I resisted, so I instead appeared everywhere you saw me, so that even your Mangekyō lost the focus of its target that it needs to pin me down.“

Fugaku’s breath came out labored by now and blood was running down one of his cheeks.
Itachi stood very still, because he had just watched something that was not flashy but was, in its own way, terrifying. Fugaku’s voice was lower now. “You’re not the better caster.”
Sasuke’s mouth twitched faintly. “No. But,” Sasuke continued, “I’ve perfected resisting.”

Fugaku stared. “Because of him.”
Sasuke’s gaze flicked to Itachi — brief, unreadable — and then away again. “Among other things.”

Itachi’s chest tightened at that, because it was the closest Sasuke ever came to naming the truth without touching it directly. For a moment Fugaku said nothing, as if recalibrating what he thought he was dealing with. Then he took a step forward, hands lifting, chakra rising again — but this time he did not go for the mind. He went for the direct combat.

Sasuke moved.

His footwork was not just fast, but deceptive; his height changed in brief drops and rises, his center of gravity sliding under attacks in ways that made his body look almost liquid. He drew his sword in a single motion, and the steel caught the light with a clean, cold gleam.

Fugaku had expected power and he found it. But not without strategy.

Sasuke did not meet force with brute force alone, because he could not afford to take any risks; instead he met it with angles — stepping aside at the last fraction of a second, letting Fugaku’s momentum pass him, then returning with cuts that were not meant to break but to claim space, to herd and control.

Itachi’s gaze sharpened, fascinated despite himself, because Sasuke’s kenjutsu was not the kind that dazzled spectators; it was the kind that built on the understanding that a single arm could not block endlessly, so the whole body had to become the defense.

Fugaku drove in harder, testing. Sasuke slipped away again, the blade flicking in small arcs that looked almost lazy but were, in truth, measured down to the breath.

“You’re avoiding,” Fugaku said through gritted teeth.
Sasuke’s voice was calm. “Nah. Don‘t be so quick to judge.”

A beat.
Itachi felt it before he saw it — a thin, crackling edge in the air, a different kind of heat than fire, sharper, cleaner.

Lightning.

Fugaku startled, because lightning was not what he expected to feel from his son first, not from an Uchiha whose legacy was flame.

Then Sasuke’s Chakra shifted. It gathered first as subtle threads along the steel, amplifying deflection into retaliatory charge. Then, without warning, it condensed in his palm — a piercing scream of chakra forming the unmistakable sound of Chidori.

Fugaku’s brows lifted slightly. “I know that Hatake Kakashi had developed that technique.”
“He did,” Sasuke replied, lightning roaring in his grasp as he advanced with terrifying focus. “It needs the Sharingan's focus to control it, so I was the only one he could pass it on to. And I refined it, later.”

Hoping to have found an opening on Sasuke’s defenseless left side while his son’s focus remained on his right hand, Fugaku sought to strike. However fast his movements were, they still got caught by his son‘s Eternal Mangekyō, which, in theory, shouldn’t have mattered, considering he wouldn’t be able to parry the blow in time. But instead of claiming the opening, three snakes escaped Sasuke‘s unoccupied sleeve and wound themselves around the striking hand, biting down with venom.

“##— You have snake familiars.“
“Haven‘t I told you already, that I‘ve learned most of my advanced techniques from Orochimaru?“

Fugaku’s eyes narrowed, impressed despite himself. “So you really do take the body as a tool.”
Sasuke’s expression did not change. “What else would it be.”

Fugaku hissed from the snakes’ fangs separating from him, even without the usual pain, and took a step back, eyes narrowing further. “Then show me what you’ve become.”

Sasuke did not answer. He let the Chakra deepen and instead of hurling a forseeable direct strike towards the other, he shot a condensed spear of Chidori-energy that wouldn‘t be possible to duck anymore, even without the paralyzing poison that didn‘t work on resurrected bodies. 

For a heartbeat the world seemed to flare. A ribcage of Chakra began to manifest around Fugaku, not fully formed at once, but in deliberate stages, each layer a statement of control rather than spectacle. It was not Itachi’s serene inevitability; it was Fugaku’s rigid authority given shape like a guardian.

"Interesting."
Sasuke’s followed suit, rising to parry the other’s imminent strike with one that was darker, leaner, edges sharper. It did not fully bloom into its final grandeur immediately; rather, it formed with a predatory economy — enough to speak, enough to warn. Then, black flames ignited along its structure. Amaterasu.
But the flames did not devour indiscriminately, they wove themselves into controlled streams along the Susanoo’s armor, shaped with deliberate containment rather than chaos.
Fugaku watched, eyes narrowed. “How can you—”

Both of their Susanoos clashed, while still putting on even more layers of resistance, the son's darker in mood, sharper in silhouette, as if the very construct carried the imprint of a life that had been fought tooth and nail. But when the impact hit, did Fugaku's Susanoo catch some of the black pyre that wouldn't stop consuming until nothing would be left but ashes. This time, it did not envelope the armor, it permeated it.

Only when Sasuke recognized the visceral fear in his father’s eyes — the split-second uncertainty of whether his temporary vessel could withstand even Amaterasu — did he strain his right eye and extinguish the flames, blood immediately spilling down his cheek.

Stunned, Fugaku dropped his defense and so did his son.
"You can control the flames and even extinguish them." 

"That's correct." With an understanding, that their friendly spar had devolved into more of a conversation now, he directed his gaze towards his own stretched out palm and again let black flame blossom, igniting against his palm like a small sun made of darkness.
But Sasuke didn't flinch, as another streak of red colored one side of his face. The fire reshaped into a dense, controlled sphere, hovering above his hand like something alive, and yet it did not burn him, did not devour his skin, because Sasuke’s control was absolute. “It's the ability present in my right eye, Kagatsuchi.”

His facial muscles tightened and he let the flame turn to ash before lowering his hand.

Fugaku’s voice was low. “It’s rare to see the Mangekyō powers this thoroughly explored. Your mastery speaks of having had many instances to test them. Then again in the war… you pushed everything.”

Sasuke’s expression picked up briefly, and for the first time there was a hint of something like dry self-awareness. “I indeed exhausted my different Dō-Jutsus in many ways over severe fights I had even before the war, but not only those. I‘ve always pushed myself; my middle name used to be `reckless disregard´,” he chuckled darkly, “but I guess I‘ve became a little wiser by now; I‘ve learned a thing or two about life since then.“

For a moment there was only the rustle of leaves and the distant sound of village life that had no idea what had just stood in this little clearing.

“One more thing.” By now the group was ready to make their way back, when a fleeting thought perked up the corners of Sasuke‘s lips again.
Fugaku’s eyes narrowed. “What.”

Sasuke tilted his head toward the entry of the trainingsground they were just about to pass. An old wooden post stood half-rotted from weather against its railing. “Set that on fire. With your Amaterasu. I bet your other eye holds that power, you‘re the type for it.”

Fugaku’s eyes searched Sasuke’s face as if looking for a trap, although Sasuke clearly had no reason for one. When he sensed his father‘s apprehension, he added “I want to try something.“

So Fugaku’s Mangekyō flared again in tune with is son‘s, and black flames ignited on the post, instantly devouring the wood with their unnatural hunger as a fresh crimson trail ran down his other cheek now. Sasuke‘s as well; he had already smudged over the earlier ones with the back of his hand, but new blood followed, as he concentrated all of his focus on his father‘s flame. He finally beat it into submission and extinguished it before it could spread out any further.

Fugaku stared, stunned.

Itachi’s throat tightened, because he understood what that meant: not only could Sasuke control his own black fire, but also another’s.

“There. I was curious and couldn‘t ask Itachi since he had lost this ability of his.”

Fugaku’s gaze lingered on the ruined post, then shifted back to his son — this time not as a clan head measuring talent, but as a father trying to grasp the shape of what his child had become. His first reflex was to claim him as his son, but then again Fugaku couldn‘t really claim any stake in his development other than mere genetics.
“It‘s a pity that I haven‘t seen you grow up.“ He wiped the blood from his cheek with a motion that looked almost… awkward. “You‘ve become a respectable young man.“

“Hm.“ Sasuke smiled faintly, while wiping at his own face. Who would have known, that he‘d use his Kagatsuchi that often on just an ordinary day. “I‘m glad I‘m not a total disappointment then.“

And then, as if the moment threatened to turn into something emotional and therefore dangerous, they all made their way home in silence. Itachi watched his brother walk toward the house with that same composed grace, and he realized, that hism father had gotten what he wanted, and yet somehow the gap between him and his brother had not closed at all.

The familiar ache settled back into his chest: the sharp awareness that the person he wanted to reach was right in front of him and still impossibly far away.


☾

That evening, Itachi laid in bed and recalled the most recent events. The house was quiet again. He had thought about, how the presence of their parents would tear him apart. And it had. In some ways. Yet there was something else beneath the guilt and all this deep pain, something he hadn’t anticipated; a strange, almost humiliating sense of relief.

It was absurd as it was wrong, and yet seeing his mother in the kitchen again, moving with the same gentle rhythm he remembered, had felt like stepping into a memory that was never meant to exist outside his mind. To watch his father sit on their porch as if the world had not ended, as if time had not been severed… to hear his voice fill the corridors again…
Those were images belonging in the past — or a world that he himself prevented from continue existing — in any case he wasn’t worthy of it.

But not seeing these as an unmoving, finite memory, but already tinged by their actual presence, made it oh-so more real that he may indeed be forgiven by their parents. 

Sasuke may not have intended it, but his distinct personality bled through in every other interaction and in a way their parent‘s behavior shaped around it, became something new that had not existed in the past he memorized. The way they had been confronted with the extent of his maturity may have been most unfortunate, but even before their father had accepted to leave his former spot for his successor that was his youngest son.
And after today… Maybe the confrontation with their other son had even changed them in a degree, that had been impossible for Itachi in their old life. How his father had acknowledged Sasuke‘s accomplishments would have been unheard of in the times that he remembered. Then again, his brother was quite something, when it came to heartfelt connections. He might be reserved at times, but in a unsettling way always open for the most intimate of admissions. Because he wasn‘t afraid of revealing his own vulnerabilities. He was strong enough to embrace their existence without it ever threatening to make him weak.

Itachi had spent years being haunted by the quiet images of what he had destroyed. Now they had materialized again — if only briefly and as mere shadows.
A part of him hated himself, but another part of him… had found closure in it.
Not forgiveness. Never that. But something like a paradoxical ending. Like the world, cruel as it was, had allowed him to witness his family one last time in their home as what they could have become.
It was a gift he hadn’t earned.

And perhaps that was why it unsettled him so deeply.
Because while it had soothed something inside him — something old and festering — it seemed to have done the opposite to Sasuke.
After he had returned, he moved like a man who had been disturbed in his core. As if their parents had returned only to remind him of what had been taken. Or worse — that he didn‘t fit in the picture of their family at all. That he was the sore nail that stood out and was now scratching open the lovingly outstretched hands. Making him the villain, despite Itachi clearly being the one who had to take the blame.

It was almost cruel, he thought, that the same presence could feel like salvation to one brother and like poison to the other.

Then something shifted as he sensed his brother outside, coming near their building. Despite it being quite late, he got up to look out of a window and watch his brother ascending their stone steps, wearing a navy cotton yukata with his wet hair. He looked quite graceful and the clacking of his Geta was the only thing accompanying him on the desolated streets. From what he looked like, he had been to the bath-house. Sasuke had told him before, that he booked a private séparée there if he felt like it. 

`Taking on missions nobody else would, clearly gives you the upper hand when negotiating your salary.´

☾

The next day, a messenger from the Hokage Tower arrived. Sasuke took the scroll without hesitation, broke the seal, and read it in silence. His expression didn’t shift.

“They found a way,” he said evenly, “to lift the Edo Tensei without the one who cast it.”

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Mikoto’s shoulders sank in quiet relief, Fugaku’s gaze softened as if a weight had finally been removed, and Itachi realized with a strange ache that the compound itself suddenly felt less suffocating. Sasuke only rolled the scroll back up.

The absence of grief was palpable.

Their parents were content, though the word felt almost wrong to use in the context of death and farewell; yet Itachi could see it in Mikoto’s softened expression, the way her gaze lingered on both of her sons with a warmth that did not demand anything from them, and perhaps that was why it felt so painful: Because she was satisfied simply to have seen them alive.

After what they had been forced to endure, after being dragged into a world they no longer belonged to and made to witness things no parent should ever have to witness, they seemed almost relieved to finally be allowed to leave again, as if even their resurrected souls had begun to feel the weight of overstaying.

Itachi found it hard to process.

Not because he did not want them to rest — he did, desperately — but because their sudden departure felt too abrupt, too neat, too convenient, as if the universe itself was trying to close a wound before it had been properly cleaned.

He had expected their presence to tear him apart completely. In some ways it had. But what he hadn‘t anticipated was how it would alter the texture of his guilt.

Because the flashbacks that had haunted him for years had always been unbearable precisely because they were untouchable. Frozen and absolute. They had been punishment, looping endlessly, offering no solution.

Now, however brief their return had been, it had introduced something else into those old images: Movement. Contradiction. A different ending. 
But now he had seen them again, and for the first time in years those memories no longer felt like ghosts clawing at his mind. They felt like something that had been completed. Something that had been allowed to breathe again, briefly, before being put to rest.

Itachi hated how paradoxical it was, but he could not deny it: their presence had given him a kind of closure he had never believed he deserved.

And yet the same could not be said for Sasuke. If anything, Sasuke seemed worse. As if the existence of their parents in his space had not healed anything, but instead had pulled open a seam in him that he had spent years stitching shut.

So the days passed in a strange quiet.

Their parents spent time in the compound, speaking about small things, asking questions they already knew the answers to simply because they wanted to hear their sons’ voices, and Itachi responded as gently as he could, while Sasuke remained present only in fragments — appearing briefly, exchanging a few words, then leaving again as if he could not bear to stay.

Itachi could feel the growing tension in himself.

Because the longer Sasuke avoided him, the more Itachi felt the weight of what had been left unsaid.

Another evening came.
And another.
And still nothing.

At some point Itachi realized that waiting for Sasuke to come to him was useless.

And now, since his curfew had been lifted and his presence in the village no longer restricted, nothing truly stopped him from leaving the compound alone; just possible hesitation and hesitation had never been his thing. So, as the night settled and the compound quieted once more, he finally made a decision. He would go out.

At first he walked around aimlessly. The later it grew, the further he strayed from the village. He finally made up his mind and left for the same tavern, him and Sasuke visited before his departure.

The mood inside was lively again. There were a few questionable patrons, but Itachi had never been someone who required a partner to feel secure.
He didn‘t particulary know why he came here. He also wasn‘t much of a drinker, but he ordered himself a beer anyway. Maybe he came, because he knew his brother did regularly and he wanted to feel connected somehow?

“Isn‘t that an Uchiha again?“, a voice called from somewhere to his left.

“…“ Itachi didn‘t really seek company, but found himself ushered to a table in one of the corners before he could properly refuse.

“Hey, how‘ve you been? This time all alone?“

Two of the three patrons, him and his brother had met the other night, looked up at him with a bright smile. He wasn‘t really in the mood for smalltalk, nor was he ever to be fair.

“My brother has some business to tend to, but I‘d been in the vicinity and thought I might as well swing by.“

“Does he have business or business?“, the one to his left joked.

Itachi averted his eye and murmured something about recent scrolls and sword training.

“…Does he meet people often,“ he heard himself ask before he could stop it, “in private?“

“You don‘t expect us to rat him out do you?!“, the other loudly joked.

He shrugged. “It didn‘t seem to me as if that’d be confidential.“ A lie.

“Make no mistake. He‘s a really private person, likes to keep to himself and only ever trusts a mere handful of people. But I guess you know that. Accordingly no one really knows his dirty laundry besides himself. Of course he has quite some game,“ he said jokingly, “I’ve witnessed him leaving with someone numerous times, but there are barely any repeats and he almost always is the one who approaches. He takes a lover when he feels like it, but nobody really knows anything particular about his lovelife. I‘m aware that he seems quite laid back about it, but that regards only the superficial. Everything juicy he‘s very secretive about.“

“Maybe he has some real crazy fetish?!“ Both strange men laughed. “Uchiha-two! Don‘t you know anything by chance? You live together after all. Any strange noises, anything?“

“Now I’m supposed to rat him out?“ Itachi smiled mildly and was a little bemused how surprisingly pleasent he found the company.

“Do you know what his relationship with Koen is?“ He wasn‘t sure what he‘d expected, maybe the table falling silent, but nothing of that kind happened.
“Who‘s that?“
“… You talked about him having a `recurring thing´ with an ANBU member…“

“Oooh. yeah. We didn’t get a name is all.“ Instead of a grand reaction, they even seemed a bit bored as if being asked about old news that had already gotten stale. “What about him? If you‘d ask me, it‘s pretty simple: He‘s hot!“

The other nodded in agreement. “Even I think he‘s hot and I‘m definitely into women. But I don‘t think they‘ll keep mingling for long. He‘s a typical red-head and Sasuke neither has the patience nor the will to really put up with it. Although, if just limited to the bedroom…?“ Now the talking seemed to muse if to reconsider.

“Hmn. I‘ve seen them together once. My brother didn’t seem too keen about Koen’s advances.“ Was he oversharing?

“Wooow, you two must be incredibly close then!“

Itachi averted his attention towards his beer. Their meeting hadn’t exactly been by choice.

“Do you guys know why he‘s so reserved about his private matters?“

“Not really,“ one of them replied. “But then again it’s probably not his own concerns that make him that way. You know… he himself has quite the thick skin. There‘s barely anything that‘s really bothersome to him. Yeah yeah, he gets annoyed and stuff, but it‘s difficult to really hurt someone who‘d been through what your brother is. But who am I telling that.“

“…“

“You know, he‘d also been wounded really really badly in the war. Not just his arm… I don‘t know all the details, but pretty much his whole left side got blown up and is severely burnt. Kind of same as his friend, Uzumaki. But that one got healed by the Fifth. Only your brother declined… If it‘d been me, I wouldn‘t stand using a fire-Jutsu for the rest of my life, but he seems to just carry on. I don’t think he spares himself much. If anything, he just doesn’t want to burden the people around him with his stuff. At least the ones he cares about.“

`Naruto…´
“Didn‘t Uzumaki-kun leave the Land of Fire for a while to get away and train in other villages? My brother had always been pretty close to him, was he not?“

The one to his right nodded.

“Had they also been… lovers?“

They nearly startled him, when erupting into laughter from his left and his right simultaneously.

“No… no they have not. He regards that Uzumaki-boy as his brother.“ Then realizing again, who he was speaking to, he added “…sorry. But yes, it‘d be as ridiculous as to assume that the two of you would be hooking up. Related by blood or not, they are just family.“

That stung more than anticipated. Sasuke still was family to him too; the most dear one at that. But still there had been some different feeling creeping in. Something was clawing inside his heart at night, eating him alive, burning him when passing Sasuke in the hallway without the ability of getting any closer. That night, when he had looked him in the eyes while still on top of Koen, inside him… he had felt something smoldering low within him that refused to be named. 

It was wrong. It was not easy to understand. Certainly not by those two bar patrons. But him and Sasuke had spoken about it before…
`It‘d be incest.´ `I know that. I don‘t care…´

It was madness. But a madness his brother seemed to share. He had seen it in his gleaming eye right that moment, however fleeting it might have been. Sasuke had been burning as well.

He didn‘t order another beer and after a bit more chatting Itachi paid and left. It didn‘t come natural to him, to ask of something for himself. He wasn‘t used to, but …

It didn‘t take long for him to arrive at their family‘s residence again. Everything was quiet, but there still emanated some faint light from his brother’s window. So he went inside. It didn‘t surprise him, that he indeed found himself gently knocking on Sasuke‘s doorframe.

“… Come in.“

Carefully, Itachi slid the door open without disturbing the quiet. He found his brother sitting at the window reading a book. It was mostly dark in the room with only one singular floor torch ignited, placed right next to him.

“It‘s quite late. You‘ve just returned, didn‘t you? Have you been somewhere intersting?“

“Not really… It‘s good to move freely again.“ Itachi crossed the room until he stood directly in front of the other.

“Hmhmm, I feel you. It‘s good to get out of your head sometimes.“

He smiled: “Have you followed your own advice recently?“

Sasuke was stunned. “What do you mean by that?“

“You’re avoiding me and I think that has something to do with unnecessary assumptions you might have made about me.“

“…“ The younger closed his book and placed it aside. “What exactly makes you think that?“

“Don‘t you know that I can read people?“, he inched even closer.

The smirk he‘d last seen a while ago had finally returned. 
"Bold.“

"Am I not always?“

“Meh.“ Sasuke jokingly swayed his head to both sides. “Debatable.“

“Then honestly: Don‘t worry on my behalf. If you‘re afraid I might not be able to handle something, talk to me instead. You might be surprised“ `of what I‘d be willing to endure for you.´

“Alright. Noted.“ He looked up to him calmly. Itachi didn’t move even a centimeter while the streetlights dispersed their faint light through the window, illuminating his features. The younger observed him for a few heartbeats, before addressing him again. “So you do not feel uncomfortable around me, unable to unsee what you‘d been forced to watch?"

Itachi immediately could have pressed forward with the fact, that he would always be his beloved brother, no matter what he did, but the fact that they were brothers neither was what he was aiming for right now, nor what was prevalent in his heart. 
"I'm well aware, that what happened wasn't what you wanted."

“… You’ve seen me finish. That should be an indication of want.”

”One might be inclined to say so, but I don’t think it’s that simple. You had been forced to comply and you still being able to accomplish bodily satisfaction does — to me — speak more volume of how far you’ve detached your actual wants from what’s physically demanded from you.”

Sasuke’s gaze remained unwavering, despite his fingers absentmindedly tapping against the windowsill. “Observant. Although what else to expect from you. 
But that’s not all that you’ve learned about me, right?”

The older thought about this. He had learned quite a few different things, but wasn't sure what he was comfortable enough to put into words yet. “You went about it so… `easy´ would be the wrong word. As if it didn’t matter at all. Neither your integrity nor what you–... You kneeled down in front of him as if it was nothing.”

“Mmhm. I think you would have to separate two distinct factors here. One would be, that I indeed don’t fight against inevitabilities anymore. If something needs to happen, there’s just no point beating yourself up over it or dragging your feet. Be it fighting someone, who’s cause you share, be it denying yourself reasonable consideration or accepting trade-offs for ideals you'll never enjoy for yourself.
The other is, that I've already done what you've seen willingly before; there was no general contempt in engaging in the act with him. Only this time it wasn't by choice, and if you take the emotions out of the equation, once more didn't really make a difference."

"Is what you've allowed between us–"
“Stop it, Itachi!" He cut in immediately, not harshly, but quick enough to prevent the sentence from forming into something that would have been wrong in a way neither of them needed right now.
"All that I said doesn’t mean, that I don't have anything intimate left to offer,” he sharply inhaled and leant back further. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m far from not being prideful, I’m just… selective with what I tie it to.
My body may be a tool when it needs to be. That doesn’t mean I’m giving myself away. Getting actually close to me — seeing what’s real — isn’t a commodity. It’s not something people just… access because circumstances line up.”
A small pause.
“That part is still mine to grant willingly.”

While both men silently weighed the words that had just settled between them in their own mind, Sasuke pulled out his cigarettes and lit himself one. 
For a while his brother observed him. He observed, how the younger took it between his lips, tugged on it and later released the white smoke again from his nostrils and mouth. 

Hypnotized, he took the cigarette from Sasuke’s lips and covered them instead with his. For once he hadn't carefully calculated before or tailored his actions towards an outcome, but let this sheer impulse compel him to close his eyes and just absorb their physical connection.

Sasuke‘s lips were warm and inviting. He answered the kiss, but didn’t push any further. Instead Itachi lifted and renewed his advances, softly sealing his brother‘s lips and basking in the bitter, yet alluring taste of tobacco. 

He straightened his back again and did something, he'd never considered before. He raised his brother‘s cigarette to his mouth and took a tug of his own before returning it to its owner.

The corners of Sasuke’s lips perked up, while he observed him exhaling the smoke. It was almost lasciviously, how he then raised his cigarette to his own mouth in return and continued his smoke, holding eye contact.

To Itachi, the residue stung a little, but he enjoyed the look Sasuke gave him.

“I don‘t feel any different about you, you know?“

“Hmn,“ the younger faced the window. "It would be easier for me, if I wouldn‘t feel like I‘m ruining you.“

“Pfff#“ ruining him! "I wouldn‘t be exaggerating if I told you, that nobody has ever worried about me like that.“ Itachi genuinely chuckled.
And that was true.

“Bad enough. I cannot help myself. You‘re important to me afterall and I’m afraid that you cannot foresee the extent of what you’re going to get yourself into. What kind of mess I really am.“

“And if so.“ He wasn‘t afraid of getting hurt. On the contrary. If he had to suffer he wanted it to be at Sasuke’s hand. He wanted to live, even if it meant to get hurt. And he wanted him. He finally understood that.

“…“ Sasuke was silent until he finished his smoke. “So you‘re not having body-horrors after that way too graphic display for someone who hadn‘t engaged in something like that on his own?“

“Well why?“, Itachi cleared his throat but remained steady despite the touchy subject. “Just because I don‘t quite understand the appeal of it doesn’t change that I could see that the two of you seemed to have… enjoyed yourselves. So I shouldn‘t be worried.“

“`Enjoyed ourselves´… yeah,“ a slight blush grazed across his cheekbones at his brother‘s observations, “you‘re always so calculated and analytical; when an emotional reaction threatens to spoil what your mind has already determined, you just overwrite it with logic. I wouldn‘t be surprised if you‘ve studied every touch and reaction by now, just to point out where my perception is lacking.“

“That‘s not—“, the faint crimson got thrown right back at him. He wasn‘t angry about the lighter note though; if they could joke about it, then they were mostly over its otherwise dire implication. “I did not study anything and besides I can only analyze what I have a clear understanding of. Is this how you see me, always criticizing you?“

“More or less.“ The other answered with a flat tone, but lips curled up in amusement. “We‘re very different in how we go about things. We may both aim for mastery, but you do through study and precision, absolute control. Alas I‘ve always been the more hands-on type-a-guy. I gain my understanding from trial and error, which of course is far more dangerous, but also creates the crazier memories along the way.“ He chuckled.

“I just was never in the position in which taking risks would have been acceptable. If any misstep means dire devastation you cannot afford anything other than absolute control.“

“But it‘s also in your nature. It always had been.“

“Tomorrow we’ll be on our own again. Our parents will be released and we should rest up now to make their departure as easy for them as possible.“

Itachi agreed with that and therefore bid a goodnight. Just when he reached the shoji to push it open, he heard his brother adding: “By the way, you taste like beer. I guess I know where you’ve been.“

Without turning back and with a smile on his lips he left the room and headed towards his own bed.

Chapter Text

Itachi had never imagined he would ask his younger brother for something like this.

Sasuke had been fairly surprised when Itachi had knocked on his door early that morning, this time to ask if he could borrow some formal wear from him.
He gladly complied and was honestly quite intrigued to try out several silks against his brother’s shoulder, mixing and matching a flattering outfit for him.

Borrowing from Sasuke, of course, would entail wearing the Uchiha crest.

There was no version of formal attire in the Clan Head’s possession that did not bear the fan clearly emblazoned just below the nape, and Itachi had been sorely aware of that before he even raised his hand to knock. The decision had not been an entirely comfortable one, but he didn’t really have any feasible alternative he could entertain.

He ran his fingers briefly along the crest in quiet contemplation. Thankfully, Sasuke's insignia was rendered in kamon size and more elegant; not as large across the whole back as it sometimes had been displayed on lesser clan members and much simpler clothes.

For a fleeting moment, as the outer robe settled into place, he considered how conspicuous the symbol would appear on him again — not because it was unfamiliar, but because its presence implied a continuity he himself had once severed.

He could have ordered himself something without in time, but the gesture would have been far too deliberate. He would stand next to his brother — the young Clan Head — at the farewell ceremony of the clan‘s former chief couple. Him, being their son as well, openly rejecting their very symbol would carry a symbolic that didn‘t sit right with him either.
Besides, this way their parents would see them united beneath the same emblem for one last time. Today was about them, and their departure in peace. He would pull through for them. He simply had to.

When walking across the hallway, his neck practically burned in the awareness. Right this second he was very thankful for his long hair propably obscuring most of it anyway.

It had been more than a decade since Itachi had worn a hakama. He had to admit that donning the apparel felt unfamiliar in different ways; his movements slightly lacking in ease. But when he appeared before Sasuke, his brother immediately doted around him. He pulled and fastened, adjusted the undergarments to align neatly with the outer hemline and flattened the wrinkles just as they were meant to fall.

Itachi had never thought his brother this serious about traditional wear, but then again Sasuke always had had a refined eye for detail — and an unapologetic appreciation for how things should fall, fit, and feel. Perhaps he also appreciated how traditional garments balanced his frame, never drawing attention to what was missing.

When both sons stepped out of the family property in their dignified silken garments, the Uchiha elders could not have been more satisfied with the gesture. Much had happened between them — not all of it good. But in the end, what mattered was how they stood united.

The passing of their parents had been calm and tasteful. Kakashi was there, as well as a few of the Uchiha elders’ old acquaintances who had heard of the event. Some councilmen had to be present too, though they were ordered to remain well behind by Kakashi.

A Shintō priest held a small ceremony, during which the sons and their parents shared one last blessed cup of tea. They passed the intricate bowl from one to the other, and the children ritually thanked their parents for their upbringing, while the parents wished their sons a peaceful and prosperous life.

Fugaku’s gaze lingered a moment longer than tradition required. Not stern. Not proud. Simply assessing — as if committing what stood before him to memory.

Mikoto’s smile trembled only once before settling again. “You have both grown into yourselves,” she said softly — and for once it did not sound like consolation, but certainty.

After they bid their final farewell, the shells their souls had occupied began to crumble at the edges, fraying into something weightless. The ash-pale remnants dissolved into the morning wind, lifting in faint fragments that caught the light only briefly before disappearing entirely.

Both heirs lingered even after the crowd dispersed.

When Itachi looked at his brother, he found him calm and collected — hard to read, as he so often was in public. There was no visible fracture, no trembling restraint. And for a fleeting second, Itachi wondered whether that steadiness was strength… or something he himself had never quite mastered.

“Have you forgiven me?”

For him it was a very hard question to ask, because it acknowledged the possibility of forgiveness at all — something Itachi, for the longest time, would never have dared to voice aloud.

Sasuke lifted both brows slightly and drew in a slow breath. For a moment, he did not answer — not because he hesitated, but because he chose his words carefully.

“We all have made unbearable choices before, when we deemed them necessary,” he said at last. “That doesn’t always mean time will prove us right. And even less that there are no victims to the decisions we make.”

His gaze shifted toward the horizon, where the last traces of ash had vanished.

“Who am I to judge that now?”

Silence settled between them.

Itachi understood.

“Do you need me right now?” Sasuke asked after a while. “Otherwise I’d head out. I could use clearing my head.”

“Mind if I tag along, Otōto?”

A faint, almost imperceptible shift crossed Sasuke’s features before he turned to face him fully.

“I don’t,” he replied. “But we’ll have to find you a companion in that case.”

Itachi was stunned.

☾

Sasuke's hair and long kimono-sleeves fluttered violently in the wind. The sun reflected not only on the silks, but also on the brocade embroideries of their hakama as well. His body moved in tune with the horse he sped across a field that was yet to be cultivated at a rapid pace.

Itachi had to work hard to keep up. Unlike his brother, he seldomly rode horses, but he had to be honest: he appreciated the race. It felt as if everything got light and lofty; as if their bodies got one with the animal carrying them. When he looked over, he noted how naturally confident Sasuke's demeanour was. He easily held the reins in his hand without pulling them too tight and maintained their speed with firmly pressing thighs and his secure seat in the saddle.

It was a rare occasion to get this apparent of a view of the outlines of his left arm through the fluttering of his sleeve. It looked strange, but oddly so, since Itachi knew all too well that concealing what was true didn't change the outcome.

He was fairly out of breath, when his brother finally took pity on him and came to a halt near the neck of the woods to take a break. They led their horses in to let them drink from a nearby stream.

"Was it good?"

"I wasn't aware that you're that big of a rider."

"I casually enjoy it in my spare time. It may be inefficient, but it's always nice to ground yourself and relinquish control for a while to rely on another being." He heartily patted his horse's neck.

"I never thought you were one, to willingly relinquish control."

"True..." he mused, "but not on principle. There are few instances in which I actually can, safely."

"I suppose I never really do," the older confessed, "of course I had to put some level of trust in my partner Kisame, but I would have never called it control."

"Makes sense I guess. The lives we live have been destined to be quite hostile towards our humanity after all. ... Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Considering what little chances we get to — even if just for a fleeting moment — let go of our burdens and the expectations and responsibilities the world put upon us: why did you choose to never be intimate with someone? Why you didn't try and find a mate, I totally get. But why haven't you allowed yourself even this tiniest bit of selfishness?"

"I guess I've never seen it as such; as something that I would desire. What I had witnessed in the past almost always struck me as weakness, like succumbing to lowly bodily lust."

"It can be. It can also be something vulnerable. A way to bond. Or you could view even fleeting relations as something you‘re not lowering yourself to, but to willingly surrender. It doesn't always have to do with losing control, especially not with strangers. But... if you really trust somebody, that could make it very special too."

"When you know you know, I guess," Itachi snickered. "Now, am I allowed to ask you an inappropriate question in return?" 

"Inappropriate?"

"Have you enjoyed this often? A situation I mean in which you were able to completely lower your guard and let go when being with someone?"

"Ough, aren't you way too sober for this kind of talk?" Nonetheless in pretty good spirits Sasuke leaned his back against a nearby tree and began to think about it in earnest. "That's a pretty loaded question and I'm not sure if you'll be able to grasp it just with words."

"Try me."

"Well nowadays — not to be cocky, but — there are pretty few people that could be a serious threat to me anyway. It's not really a risk for me anymore to let myself go with someone. Let's say that one might suddenly pull a kunai or attack me; it'd be laughable to be afraid of that. But this of course isn't the real issue. 
You need to be able to willingly offer up that part of yourself irregardless.
Even at times in which one might force the other to yield and break down their defences. I've had that done to me before, as well as have done it to others. It's a transformative experience, though not for everyone. Ugh, I start yapping... Anyway; I usually do enjoy myself pretty well, but that's because — may it be virtue or vice — I don't tend to overthink anymore. Shame and guilt are poison to—" he weighed his words, craning his neck, "good sex."

"Then I hope I'm not a lost cause," the other joked, stepping forward.

"I sure would hope not!", he reciprocated the mood. "Would this be something you're interested in now? Good sex I mean. You're twenty-two years old." No `already´, but it was implied that most would be pretty much set in their ways by then.

How did his brother manage to turn the tables again? Oh yes... he himself was the one referring to himself as a lost cause. "Honestly, not really. All I could think of being interested in... is you. But I'm not against it either." Another step brought him now right in front of Sasuke.

"Is that so?"

"Would you be willing to put up with me?"

"Depends,“ he winked, "let's see."
Instead of leaning forward, Sasuke kept resting against the bark. He chose to cup his brother's jaw not too delicately and pulled him onto himself with it.

Itachi braced himself by the forearm, that he'd put up reflexively next to the younger one's head. With a smirk Sasuke drew him in for a kiss. He didn't know how much he needed that until he had it. 

This time he didn't taste tobacco or liquor. 
At first, they made a few tentative connections, but Sasuke took it upon himself to deepen the kiss. He nipped on the other one's lower lip with his, when Itachi felt a strong arm encircling his waist. He'd been so distracted, he hadn't even recognized when it had left his chin. Itachi allowed himself to get pressed against the hot body even further, all the while his right arm still hung motionless and forgotten from his shoulder. He had no brain capacity to spare at the moment to come up with something enthralling that might be appropriate.

Instead, he let himself be led through the moment and accepted the notion to part their lips when he felt Sasuke's tongue demanding it. 
It licked against the tip of his just to retreat and breach their point of contact again. However Sasuke was able to still engage with his lips alongside was beyond Itachi. Each time he seemed to conquer more of his mouth. First being the tip, he now found their whole tongues performing a dance.

His head swirled. Their kiss wasn't as hungry and unrestrained like the ones he'd seen his brother share with his former lover, but it wasn't as innocent as the first ones they had shared either. He felt, how fingers were sneaking under his hakama koshi-ita, so that only the thin kimono was still seperating them from his skin. The touch felt even more intense now, gentle caressing circles into the small of his back.

Should he also take the initiative? Should he push his tongue further between his brother's lavish lips or should he even do somethig with this stupid, useless hand of his? He felt hot and heavy and everything around them both seemed to faze out.

Then he felt his brother's leg. 
That in and of itself would have to be expected, since their bodies were pressed flush against each other. What startled him was more the fact, that he didn't feel Sasuke's leg with his leg. He was made painfully aware, that instead of a normally pliable crotch what he was pressing against his brother right now was rock hard. 

"... That's ok." Even though Sasuke obviously felt him flinch and why, he made it a point to not let up his arm's hold around him and instead pulled him in for another kiss.

Itachi stiffened but didn‘t pull back. He answered the kiss, but his thoughts were occupied elsewhere and he felt quite self-conscious. 

“We should head home, it’s time.“ Eventually Sasuke loosened his grip and averted his attention to the horses again.

Without exchanging further words, both sped down their familiar way to the stable to untack and afterwards head home. Itachi was furious with himself. Why had he frozen like that earlier? Only his brother didn‘t seem to dwell on it, he strolled beside him as if nothing had happened; in neither regard.

When he layed on his futon later that night, he again relived his disgrace in his head. What was he even thinking?! As far as he knew his brother must have been quite familiar with something like that happening. … But not with him and certainly not he himself!

If he wanted to pursue this, it would only be a matter of time. He knew where this was heading. And he told him truthfully, that he wasn‘t opposed to it. But it was also true that he never really considered physical touch in earnest.

`But this kiss…´ Now he was angry again, why he messed this up. Or did he not?
`Our whole body will get aroused´... He should absolutely go to sleep now.

☾

He found Sasuke in the garden early the next morning, just as the sun had climbed high enough to cast sharp shadows across the stone tiles. The rhythmic sound of steel cutting through straw had already faded; instead, his brother sat on their porch, carefully wiping down the blade of his sword with a cloth that had long since absorbed carnation oil and memory alike.

For a moment, Itachi did not announce himself. He watched the deliberate movements, the economical precision with which Sasuke handled both weapon and body, as though the act of maintenance itself was a quiet ritual. There was something almost meditative in it. Composed. Self-contained.

He stepped closer.

“You did not sleep long,” Itachi remarked, not accusatory, merely observant.

Sasuke did not look up immediately. “Long enough.”

There was no strain in his voice. No hint of avoidance. If anything, he seemed in particularly good spirits again — which, for reasons Itachi could not quite articulate, unsettled him more than tension would have.

“You are busy,” Itachi continued, letting his gaze drift over the blade resting across his knees instead of his brother’s face. “Errands. Training. Correspondence.”

“Since when is this out of the ordinary?” Sasuke replied lightly.

The corner of his mouth twitched faintly, and before Itachi quite realized what he was doing, he closed the remaining distance between them and sat down next to him, reaching out, fingertips brushing against the fabric at Sasuke’s waist as if merely to straighten a crease that did not exist.

The contact was deliberate this time.

Sasuke’s hand, still holding the cloth, stilled for the briefest fraction of a second. Then, with unhurried ease, he caught Itachi’s wrist — not to push it away, but to redirect it gently downwards, releasing it once it fell back to his side.

“Careful,” he said, almost amused. “I’m still balancing a blade.” The tone was warm. The gesture, measured.
It was not rejection.
And yet it was.

Itachi exhaled slowly, withdrawing a few centimeters. “You are avoiding the subject.”

“I am not,” Sasuke replied, finally lifting his gaze. “You are circling it.”
There it was again — that unnerving steadiness. Not evasive. Not defensive. But giving away nothing out of own volition.

“Yesterday,” Itachi began, choosing his words with care, “you were… remarkably composed.”

“With them?” Sasuke asked.
“With everything.”

Sasuke sheathed the sword and set it aside before answering, as if even in conversation he preferred his hands unoccupied.
“Itachi, you’re not really asking whether it affected me.”

“Then what am I asking?”

“How it feels,” Sasuke replied evenly, “to stand before people who once believed in a version of me that never came to pass.”
That landed.

Itachi did not immediately answer.
“They saw you for who you are,” he said after a moment. “You weren‘t really obscuring anything either, you just tried to skip out on as much friction as possible, but when probed at directly you were being truthful every time.”

“Yes.” Sasuke’s jaw shifted slightly. “I hate to lie.”
A faint breath left him this time more deliberate.
“But the consequences of that still are precisely what unsettle me.”

He eventually stood, securing the saya behind his back again before continuing.

“They did not die thinking I would become what I am now. Whatever expectations they carried for me ended when I was eight. Frozen in time, dead if you will. And then, when they returned, they did not find what they were looking for, but instead were confronted with a finished product they didn‘t order. Someone shaped by war and exile. By blood and obsession, who lives out his own consequences now. Some of it justified, some maybe not. But also someone who can be greedy and selfish at times — not always, but certainly not that dutybound soldier that would have been expected of me.“

The wind moved through the trees.

“Standing before them,” he continued, “I was acutely aware that I was not what they would have imagined. And even if they did not condemn me, I could see the adjustment in their eyes. The recalibration.”

A pause.
Itachi’s gaze sharpened. “You think they saw you as a disappointment?” Itachi asked.

“No.” The answer came instantly. “That would have been easier. I think,” Sasuke corrected calmly, “more that I shattered whatever simple image of their son they had preserved. I am not ashamed of myself. But I am not blind to the fact that I embody things they —”
He struggled for the right phrasing, but his brother did not interrupt or offer any further suggestions.

“When confronted with them, I felt… intrusive. As though I had violated the version of me they had been allowed to carry.” The word just hung there. 

Itachi was very still.
“You were shaped by what happened,” he said at last. `By what I made you endure.´

“Yes.” Sasuke inclined his head slightly. “And I accept that shape. But acceptance does not erase the awareness that I may have wounded them simply by being honest about who I became.”

The garden had gone very quiet.

“I do not need their approval,” Sasuke added after a moment. “I have long since decided where I stand. But I could see how they struggled. That saddened me, as I would have wished a better outcome for them. Even though I am accustomed to being the one who disrupts expectations.”

`There it is.´
“If anyone had disappointed them to the core, then it is always me. And even my circumstances they had managed to accept somehow.”

“I think you are mistaken They must have made their peace with the decisions you had to make a long time ago. Although certainly that‘s another thing that was hard to watch: you carrying it again.”

Itachi frowned slightly. “Carry what?” Guilt? That he had never stopped carrying.

“The idea,” Sasuke replied after a brief pause, “that there was still something left you need to handle and take responsibility for to restore.”

“I do owe them,” Itachi replied.

“You owed them back in the days, and a choice you were never given yourself,” Sasuke corrected. “That is not the same thing. Also it‘s way in the past now. I understand that that‘s not how it feels to you sometimes, but it does for me; certainly for the dead.“ The statement landed harder than intended.

For a moment, Itachi found himself without immediate retort, which was rare enough to be disorienting.

“And this,” Sasuke added, more softly now, “is precisely why I am careful.”

“With me?” 

“With everything that concerns you.”

Itachi held his gaze. “I am not fragile.”

“Oh I know.” Sasuke’s answer came without hesitation. “You are simply not accustomed to relinquishing control.” There was no mockery in it, it sounded even somewhat affectionate. “And even less to be taken into consideration.“

Itachi drew a measured breath, then reached again — this time not for the waist but for Sasuke’s collar, adjusting it lightly as the other had done the morning before. The gesture was more deliberate now, more intimate in its quiet insistence.

“You do not need to be careful with me,” he said a bit amused, despite seing his point.

Sasuke’s fingers closed briefly over his wrist once more — not restrictive, but firm enough to still the movement.

“I do,” he replied. “Because you will not be.”

The cloth still lay forgotten at their feet. For a heartbeat, the space between them tightened with awareness. Then Sasuke released him and stepped back, retrieving the cloth as though nothing of consequence had occurred.

“I have correspondence to finish,” he said evenly. “And you have been thinking too much.”

The tone had lightened again, but the undercurrent remained.

Itachi watched him walk toward the house, the earlier words echoing in a place he preferred not to examine too closely.

`You are not accustomed to relinquishing control.´

Perhaps that was the problem.

Despite having been given the instruction not to think too much, of course he did nothing but for the rest of the day. Who could stop analyzing a problem, just after a possibly crucial piece of the puzzle had been revealed?

When he later had a chance encounter with his brother in the kitchen, Sasuke was in an upbeat mood and offered some chatting on the go. Before he got the chance to vanish up the stairs to his bedroom again, Itachi felt compelled to take the initiative. 

He stood himself in his way.

Not really concerned, his brother shot him a questioning look and cocked his head to the side. 
Now, what exactly was it, that he wanted to accomplish? As if experiencing stage fright, Itachi muttered something incoherent about the pleasent evening and clumsily presseded a kiss on the other‘s lips. 

Sasuke certainly didn‘t duck, on the contrairy, he warmly cupped his cheek and gave him two further friendly pecks, although all the while being already half past him and wishing him a good night.

So there he was again. On his futon. Still thinking. And nothing good came of it. Once known as congenius mastermind-prodigy he was completely at a loss due to lack of experience. That irony was not funny to him. 

There are some things you cannot learn from books afterall — not that he‘d ever read books like that — and in terms of warfare and fighting he understood that pretty well. There is always just so much, that sheer knowledge could do — hence the young age of Genin, so that they could earn their stripes early and grow according to the demands. … … But here he was now.

What made him nervous, was not so much what had happened the last time they were close, but more what had not. There had been no awkwardness in Sasuke’s reactions towards him afterwards, no strained politeness, no subtle withdrawal as one might expect when something intimate falters between two people. His brother had simply continued as if the interruption had been nothing more than a misplaced breath in an otherwise steady rhythm.

And perhaps that was precisely the point.

Itachi knew full well that bodily response was neither scandal nor moral failing. He was not shocked by desire; he was unsettled by the fact that, when confronted with it, his mind had immediately attempted to regain structure, to categorize, to regain command. Even in the midst of warmth and touch, some deeply embedded mechanism had insisted on vigilance.

It was almost insulting, he thought, that his own body had been ahead of him, while his mind had lagged behind like an overly cautious general refusing to advance without full reconnaissance.

☾

The next morning, nothing was out of the ordinary. Sasuke had to run some errands in the village and Itachi busied himself around the house. There was always something to be done. When Sasuke returned, he went straight to a nearby training-ground. 

Although all seemed to be perfectly normal, Itachi felt on edge. He wanted something and he wasn‘t getting it. He almost felt jeallous, when his brother after coming home from his session immediately went for a shower and afterwards locked himself in his study again. But today he seemed to not only tend to official business, but had also planned on reading something he was leisurely interested in for himself.

This time, Itachi would not let Sasuke‘s restraint become an excuse for his own hesitation. He couldn‘t fault him for it, but neither could he continue to hide behind it.

He knocked on the doorframe of the study and entered when called.
Sasuke didn‘t look up, but instead read aloud what he was just writing: “;.-._,.;,.;:, just one second!…;.-:;.-,:. finished!“

Itachi still stood just in front of the door.

“What is it Itachi?“

“I don‘t want to bother you, but when you‘re finished, would you join me for a drink? I‘ll be in my room.“ `That was smooth.´

“… Sure, I could do that. I‘ll need roughly another 40, 45 minutes.“

“I‘ll wait for you then.“

Itachi didn't know what to expect, but he'd already decided at least this much: he wouldn‘t undermine himself again. He was not a boy; he was an adult. Things could very well... go there and if things were to progress, he would deal with the consequences rather than preemptively withdrawing from them.

He had already prepared two glasses and had opened a new bottle of sake which he knew his brother particularly liked. When Sasuke joined him, the other curiously eyed the prepped table. "Is there something up, Nī-san? Why so formal?" He let himself unceremoniously plop down onto a seating cushion. "You should take things more easy."

"...Something in particular?" He poured two and afterwards seated himself. "I'm new at this, so feel free to give me pointers?"

"You're new to serving beverages? I don't think so! Tō-san had you join our clan's official events numerous of times and I'm pretty sure you're aware of how to formally host and then the difference between that and just hanging out."

"HmHmm... that was not what I'm talking about."

"Oh?" Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and took a sip, "What could you possibly mean by that?"

His brother was such a tease...
"I mean, Nī-san, that I'm aware that things got a little awkward because of me the other day and I wanted to apopogize."

Sasuke was unimpressed, even by the interchanged honorific, clearly aimed at throwing him off balance. "You don't need to apologize for anything. You shouldn't force yourself. I certainly don't."

"It's not that I force myself, I do not. It's just..."

A little amused, his younger brother propped his head on the table with his hand. "Yeah, then what was it exactly? Did you really think your body would't react to mine? Or did you get the nerves, ‘cause you thought I might take your virginity right then and there against the tree?"

"-#!" An involuntary blush sprouted on Itachi's cheeks. "Against a tree?!"

He shrugged with his shoulder, sitting up again. "Sure, when you’re on the road in the middle of nowhere... But NO Itachi, I would've never done that to you. There's no need to get in your head, I won't eat you alive!"

"I — No, I haven't thought that. It's just that my reaction was subconsciously." 
`Both my reaction and my reaction to my reaction.´ 
He was officially a clown now.

"That's totally fine. We can take it slow, no problem."

"No!"

"..." Both men were equally surprised, by Itachi's blunt reaction. "… No?"

The older sighed. "That's not what I meant. I do want to be close to you and I want to feel you. I... do want to take the next step, but I'm having a hard time initiating."

"..." Sasuke calmly finished his glas. "So, you want to take `the next step´. You sure 'bout that?"

"Yes." Well that wasn't all too confident, so he added: "But you would have to bare with me, because I don't know what I'm doing for once."

"I figured."

"#...
It‘s not that I don‘t trust you. That wouldn‘t ever be of question. I just… It doesn‘t come easy to me to be vulnerable. To accept reactions from myself that I didn‘t explicitly allow. I never fully lower my guard, let alone relinquish control. But it seems, that being close to you make my defenses waver and that scares me more, than any physical implication. Still… If anyone, it‘s you who I want to allow to see me like that; even if that means that I have to turn against my own nature."

“See, and this is what I meant by not wanting to force you. You shouldn‘t go against your nature, just to aquired something you think you need to.“

„It‘s not like that, it‘s… I guess my nature is conflicted and wants different things that contradict each other.“

Sasuke observed his brother intently for a while. His eyes didn‘t relay what he was internally battling about, but he seemed to have eventually come to a conclusion when he tapped twice with his fingers against his empty glass before straightening his back, making himself ready to get up.
"Come. It's damn bright in here. What else have you planned? Deep cleaning?"

"I'm not such a cave dweller like you."

"Hey! I just like the atmosphere. And I certainly don't need it that bright for my sight." He rose and began to extinguish the lights across the room, while Itachi watched him from the center.

“Well, I do nowadays.“

Sasuke hesitated for a second. He hadn‘t considered his brother‘s impaired eyesight, as he barely talked about it and never made it apparent.
“...I‘m sorry. How bad is it today?“

“It’s manageable. I‘m seeing enough, don‘t worry.“

He thought for a brief moment if he should change course, but made the decision to follow through. "You still don’t need to memorize each stain on the tatami tonight, so less light will be fine. You can‘t use any more self-awareness right now and this will help. Now, come here." Sasuke let himself rest against the windowsill.
The light coming from outside was still bright enough to sufficiently see, but it blurred all the edges.

Itachi carefully approached and took the hand that was extended to him. Sasuke pulled him in closer and brought his hand to his lips.


He gently brushed them over Itachi's pulse and kissed his way towards his fingers to then return to the wrist again. "I'll show you something." With that, he now let his tongue draw out of his mouth and licked across the other's palm, which let the hairs on Itachi's forearm rise.

"How often have you bitten your hand for a summoning Jutsu? Numerous times I take it."

"Of course. Measly fifteen years ago in the academy?"


Sasuke snorted. Right. His genius brother wouldn‘t rely on the kuchiyose to control his familiars. "Then bite me now." He brought both of their hands to Itachi's face.


"..." The older wasn’t sure why his brother would ask for such a thing of him right now, but he complied since the request was easy enough.
He bit down on the skin between the thumb and the index finger. 
Not sure how to proceed, he let go and looked questioningly at the one opposite of him.

Sasuke snickered and licked up the blood, that was now trickling down both of their interlocked hands, before it could fall and ruin any of their clothes. 

"Do you remember, how I told you that our hands can bring pain and destruction, but also pleasure?" He grazed his teeth over the other's skin. "We are capable of both dire opposites."

He caught some of the flesh and slightly sucked at it, just to later smooth it over with his tongue.

"Now bite me," an amused dark eye was trained on him.

A little unsure, Itachi tried again and put the other's palm to his mouth. This time he captured the skin between his teeth and held it in place without drawing blood. Tentatively, he extended his tongue and ran it across the surface. It felt calloused against him, more pronounced in texture than the skin on other body parts would be. It was a somewhat strange experience, but somehow exciting as well.

Sasuke let go and put the arm around his neck, to then guide him to change their positions. "There you go." Now Itachi was the one leaning against the windowsill, while Sasuke engaged him in a kiss.
His lips felt warm and alluring. This time Itachi instantly responded by parting his own and inviting the other in. The younger hummed into his mouth and evidently enjoyed their closeness as well.

"Your problem is, that you have the wrong expectations and that you‘re an over-thinker. You feel the impossible need to have everything under control at all times. When you've read about human procreation, you reduced it to anatomy. The picture you made up in your head is too pristine, something to predict and calculate." To make a point, he briskly sealed their lips again, to immediately take Itachi's breath away with the following assault of his tongue.

He then kissed the small expanse of skin behind an ear and gently caressed it. "Real intimacy has nothing to do with perfection. It's raw, messy…" He licked his way down the neck, placed open mouthed kisses around it and sucked at the skin covering his Adam's apple. "Unreasonable. Lewd."

The other's actions elicited goosebumps from Itachi. Every contact, every breath his brother took against his skin was too much and not enough at the same time. Strangely overwhelming, but not demeaning and definitely not unwanted. He basked in how the softness of Sasuke‘s skin felt sliding against his neck.
He registered how gentle fingers where pushing under his shirt and lightly ghosting over his abdomen.

The touch was feathery light, but he still was aware of every single digit roaming across his body. 
When he felt a palm cupping one side of his chest, Itachi tensed up.

Sasuke withdrew his face from the other's neck, but didn't cease his hand's ministration. He watched over his brother's expressions while his muscles drew tight underneath his palm.

Itachi wasn‘t entirely sure, why his body reacted as defensive as it did, despite him having no rational objection to getting touched by his brother at all. He didn‘t flinch away this time or tried to evade, but his nervous system was still highly alert.

"..." Eventually Sasuke pulled out his arm from underneath his shirt. "Give me your hand."

Itachi obliged and offered up his palm.

The younger took the wrist and gently directed it under his own neckline. He brought the palm to his right pec and let it's fingers rest just beneath it.

"You once broke two of my ribs right here." He let their hands travel the tiniest bit further and gave the other time, to explore the long since healed bones beneath his fingertips.

Itachi looked him in the eyes.

"You remember it, don't you?"

The older didn't respond, but just nodded affirmatively. It wasn‘t a happy memory, nor were the circumstances that had forced him at that time, but his brother‘s expression didn‘t hold any contempt or regret. He just calmly looked at him with soft and patient eyes.

How was he supposed to react to such a thing? The firm resistance underneath his palm didn‘t feel fragile or vulnerable at all, but he knew fairly well, that that didn‘t mean, that even this very body wouldn't break under enough pressure.

Sasuke then directed his hand upwards again, covering his nipple with it. His chest was bulky but firm, nothing like a woman's breast. Itachi tentatively brushed over the bud with his fingers and mused over how it perked up. This was interesting; there he would have never touched an opponent.

"We're not fighting right now. There is no need for you to brace yourself." He leaned forward into the older male and made even more physical contact, while nuzzling his face into the crook of Itachi's neck.

He teasingly nipped on the earlobe and followed the motion by licking alongside his jaw.

"Just let me worship you."

Itachi closed his eyes and felt, what his brother's ministrations did to him. His hand remained under Sasuke's nagajuban while he enjoyed how he, this way, became aware of every movement of his arm. Sasuke was right; he had never been finicky regarding physical contact when it pertained to using force. But in a way, he had yet to learn the enjoyments of a tender touch. 

"—##!" A firm palm cupped his clothed erection, which led to him immediately retrieving his own and find purchase on the stabilizing windowsill.

Itachi felt hot and cold at once. The unyielding presence against his trousers made his erection now painfully obvious to him.

Two attentive eyes kept watching while he struggled to keep his composure. Unsure of what to do, he simply froze in place and let the other decide what was going to happen. He had made up his mind before. It bothered him that he was unable to add anything of value to their circumstance. On the other hand he felt selfishly intrigued. 

`Just let me worship you´ — why his magnificent brother of all people would say such a thing was beyond him. But it felt… right in all of its wrongness. 

The instinct to regain control flared up immediately; to compartmentalize in order to steady himself and order his thoughts towards a safer objective than what was going through his head right now. But this time he would not obey it. He trusted Sasuke‘s restraint and he would not retreat again.

Seemingly satisfied with the absence of a complaint, the younger grabbed the hem of Itachi‘s shirt and pulled it up, so that he could nip and tease across the exposed chest with his mouth.

"AAh#—" He tried to temper down his responsiveness, but it was increasingly hard, considering all of his body suddenly feeling that trecherous, tingling heat. While one of his buds gut sucked into Sasuke's mouth, he registered how his waistband got unfastened.

When his brother‘s eyes flickered up in quiet assessment, Itachi met them without wavering.
His pulse betrayed him, his body already responding beyond discipline — but he held the gaze deliberately, almost challenging.

He was still here.

The same fingers that just undid his clothes‘ restrictions, deftly slid inside not only his trousers, but his boxers as well.
All of Itachi‘s muscles tensed up, but at the same time it felt good. Fingernails grazed down his shaft from the tip on to the base and took hold of him there.

The older gasped and loosely hung his head. Cold air teased his now wet nipple and let it harden.

"... Sasuke#" His brother didn't hesitate to seal his lips, preventing any possible objection before it could manifest. He was nevertheless rather sharing this sensual kiss than imposing it, licking into Itachi's long since defenseless mouth and started to slowly stroke his length in tune. 

"Hmmm," the younger openly sighed into the kiss. For just a moment, his hand left its current occupation to grab a firm asscheek instead. Itachi inhaled violently through his nose. 
It felt strange. Never in his whole life did someone ever took hold of him there. The touch also wasn't cautious or measured — it felt honest in a special kind of way. Determined and sure of itself.

His brother broke their string of kisses to now push both his trousers and underwear down to his knees in one swift motion. Itachi flinched at having his privates exposed so blatently. Sasuke used one of his heels to step in the middle of the bunch now gathered between the legs, to direct everything further to the ground.

Itachi complied the unspoken request and entirely stepped out of everything. For a fleeting second, his gaze honed in on the other‘s appearance — the dark montsuki, loosened at the neckline yet still immaculate, framed him with almost improper elegance. Itachi adjusted his focus, the slight blur at the periphery a reminder rather than a hindrance. 

His brother caged him in closely against the window and continued to stimulate his hard cock, that was now openly straining upwards. Strong fingers alternated shallow strokes with deliberate ones that brushed over his tip, spreading precume for further lubrication.

Itachi‘s head was swirling, but it helped, that he could lean onto the other's strong shoulders, if even just a bit.

"Itachi."
It took some willpower, to force his eyes open and look at Sasuke again. He found his features being relaxed and inviting, his half lidded eyes inquisitively trained on him.
"Look down."

"Bossy, Otōto," he replied with a lazy smirk.

The other snickered at that. "Please call me Sasuke as long as I have your dick in my hand, otherwise I feel like a pervert."

The older quirked an eyebrow, but then saw for himself how his body twitched and responded intuitively. He couldn't help himself but slightly rocked his hips.

"You have no idea how stunning you look right now, do you?" Sasuke lasciviously dragged his mouth one last time over the other's jugular to then lower himself to sit back on one knee and bend the other leg for comfort.

Without any warning, his mouth joined his hand and he deliberately licked alongside the already wet appendage.

"hhaaaah##" It was as if he'd gotten etectrified. He immediately tempered down the sounds he was making, feeling a bit flustered.

"Don't hold back. No one is here except for us. Huuhhhm", to further emphasize his point, he vocally hummed against the other's lap while now accepting more of the length into his mouth.

"Aaaah#!", he felt weak. He had to ground himself by clinging to the projection behind him, nearly clawing at the wood. Sweat ran down the valley of his spine, while all he could concentrate on was the utterly unfamiliar, yet all consuming heat as his blood rushed through his loins. 

"Oh, you rile me up." Satisfied with the reaction, Sasuke rewarded the standing with a few more hearty pumps with his hand, while his tongue lapped up the drops of precum that were instantly forming. "Look at how deliciously you're melting for me."

Just why was his brother such a god-damn tease — it was beyond him.
The sensation was incredible, all the more so with Sasuke’s cheeky remarks urging him on, and he cautiously tried what it would be like to loosen his reins just a fraction. Itachi’s eye traced the untouched fall of fabric circling Sasuke’s nape, bearing his own family‘s crest — so composed and intact and in stark contrast to his own steadily unraveling state.

"Just let go..." the younger nipped at the side of his shaft, while pressing two fingers against the glans. When satisfied, at how the other shuddered at that, he roughly dipped the tip of his tongue between the wet slit.

"Aah. gods..."

Tantalizing lips engulfed his erection and he couldn't suppress a shiver when he fealt himself making the connection to the back of the other's throat. Sasuke's deep humming reverberated through him. When the sensation became too much to bear, he roughly grabbed his brother's face and pulled him back.

Sasuke didn't seem to mind. With a smirk, his hooded eyes looked straight up at him. The silvery Rin'n'egan shone otherworldly in the moonlight. With a relaxed expression he let his mouth fall open to lazily encircle the tip just with his tongue without fighting the restriction that held himself in place.

The sight was way too erotic and looked ultimately easier than it most propably had to be. Still with Itachi's hand on his jaw, this time resisting the hold, he pressed his mouth back into his lap.

"### This feels incredible."

"…“
Deliberately, Sasuke applied more pressure from his hand motions, whenever just teasing with his mouth, or vice versa: changed into grazing across his fingertips more lightly, whenever applying suction and more force with his lips. 

Itachi by now was in bliss and rocked forward with his hips, pulling his partner into the movement all the while panting and gasping. At once, he found himself pushing against the other‘s palate a little too harshly for his liking to not be concerned.
He had to have hesitated in a way that drew attention, as it caused Sasuke to pull back and reassure him.

"Don‘t worry about me, you‘re not gonna break me.“ The certainty in his voice paired with the underlying challenging note made it crystal clear that he meant it.

That said, Sasuke lifted his hand to redirect all of Itachi‘s member back into his mouth and curled his fingers around to stimulate the length whenever pulling back.

“Uuughh … hah“, Itachi felt himself being enveloped by the most wicked, hot wetness and felt his lower stomach tighten.

The younger edged him further and further while tolerating more and more erratic thrusts, that he began to reign in with his hand on the other‘s hip to not disturb a pleasurable rhythm between both of their motions.

When it felt as if he was leaking and hot pressure built up between his legs, Itachi helplessly tightened his grip on the other‘s neck to alert him.
“aaah… what should I do?##“

Due to the inability to verbally respond, Sasuke answered with a low groan and a brief double-tap with two of his fingers. He didn‘t halt his ministrations whatsoever, which should serve as further affirmation.
He had been perfectly aware of the telltale signs all along, more even: had cataloged every minute reaction to certain stimulations, that were unique to his brother, and filed them away for future reference.

Mere moments later, Itachi found his release. Without a single thought left in his brain, he jerked his hips forward deeper into his brother‘s mouth. He spilled and kept going, riding out his orgasm while still clutching the other‘s head and the wooden plank behind him for leverage.

This had to be one of the most intense moments Itachi had ever experienced — mercifully on the non-lethal end of the spectrum. He felt high and satiated while his knees had turned to jelly.

When he looked down at himself, he watched Sasuke slowly releasing his softer getting member and how he made sure to still caress the stimulated flesh with fleeting kisses and smaller licks.

By the gods, he had just ejeculated inside his brother‘s mouth. Even worse, he had pressed himself deep inside his throat for his release, that was—

“—Hey! You back on earth with me?“

“I… I don‘t know,“ he said sheepishly. It propably was for the better, that he got pulled from his crazy-train of thought before it left the station.

Itachi felt like he‘d finally regained back his faculties. He was sweating and leaning half-naked — and the more problematic half at that — against the window, while his counterpart was still fully clothed.

“… that felt absolutely amazing.“ His voice was still hoarse after having been strained more in one night than probably whole years before, and brushed his thumb over the other‘s cheekbone. Sasuke gladly reciprocated by catching it and placing his soft lips ontop.
“My pleasure.“

“… Now… what about you?“ He pushed himself off of his position to make a carful step towards Sasuke, who fixed his slightly disturbed neckline and smoothed over his hair. 

He stood. “I‘m plenty fine, don‘t worry about me.“

A little flustered, Itachi's eye searched the floor and got hold up at the pile of his clothes, unsure if he should pick them up or leave them for the time being. “You sure?“

“I‘m positive.“ Sasuke‘s arm wound around his neck and tenderly pulled him close to his own body. “You should rest now and get a good night‘s sleep,“ he wispered in his ear. Sasuke placed a longing kiss right between his temple and his blind eye before separating.

Itachi felt a little uneasy about how much he’d enjoyed tonight and what little Sasuke must have gotten out of it. Also generally: would he be able to do the same for him? He couldn’t really imagine taking someone's dick in his mouth, but Sasuke‘s?… He even found his own cum a little repulsive on the few occasions he would indulge himself in getting some release. Sasuke had avoided his lips just now, maybe he should…

“…“ Sasuke turned around once more as if he‘d felt his brother staring a hole in the back of his head. He was already at the door, but added: "Don‘t rack that poor brain of yours too much. Mine tastes a little different anyway. Some find the taste unpleasent and some enjoyable, you‘d have to figure out for yourself what rows your boat. To me, it turns me on to no end, but I‘m filthy anyway. Hope that helps! Get some rest now.“ He knocked twice on the doorframe and vanished.

“…“ Itachi looked down on himself and felt, how his sweat had gotten cold and now resulted in his shirt uncomfortably clinging to his skin.
`I totally need a shower…´

Chapter Text

“I want to sleep with you.“

Sasuke slowly tore his eyes off the scripture he was just intently studying. “I beg you pardon?“

"... You heard me."

Both men had been sitting across from each other in quiet for some time now. Since their intimate encounter the other night, Sasuke's demeanor towards him hadn't changed one bit. 
Despite Itachi's head swirling with countless scenarios and possible implications, Sasuke seemed to have been wholly unaffected. He'd been warm and was joking around...  he'd been just his usual self and if Itachi wouldn't remember — vividly — exactly what they'd done, no one would assume.

Itachi wasn't even sure if it was a good or a bad thing, that his brother was completely unfazed. He on the other hand felt even more antsy now under the looming pressure of the uncertain. 

Sasuke made it easy for him to fall back into their natural dynamic without anything awkward standing between them. But Itachi wasn't sure, if that still was what he wanted. He didn't solely see him as his kin anymore or as his family he needed to protect. Well, still his family, certainly the one dearest to him... but he also felt some kind of way about him in other regards.

He was captivated by him, his wild nature and sharp mind. He admired his physique and his movements. Itachi felt utterly attracted to him in a way, that even he knew was reserved for lovers alone.

And Sasuke had engaged.
He had accepted those feelings and even reciprocated. He took him for what he was, broken, inexperienced, it didn't matter. He instead showed him how to indulge — and he couldn't help himself anymore.

It was as if a thirst had awakened inside of him that he couldn't quench; whatever he'd gotten he wanted more. He was addicted to the drug that was his brother, even though he didn't fully understand it. It was a selfish desire, one that he felt for the first time in his life.

He'd learned before, that Sasuke was quite the sexual being and therefore Itachi couldn't put it off any longer. Despite feeling clumsy and unsure of himself, he wanted him... He needed him.

The younger looked at him perplexed.
"Where does that come from all of a sudden?"

"... It's probably normal to. Also, I'm aware of you having needs that should be met. And I want it too. I'm twenty-two years old after all, there would be no point in waiting really.“

"My `needs´ won't be of any concern. And I wouldn't say there would be no point. I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for. You‘ve got quite the nerves and it should be a memorable experience — why else waiting for so long?", he tried to make it sound light, but the worry still bled through.

"Do you... find me physically attractive?"

"Don't be silly. You're drop-dead gorgeous."

"And I feel attracted to you too. My nerves won't get any better I'm afraid, but that doesn't change the fact that I do want to sleep with you." 

The younger exhaled an elongated sigh and massaged the bridge of his nose.
"You‘re really going to be the end of me, Itachi."

At that the other had to smile.

They returned to their tasks afterwards and readied themselves to heading out. The day before, Sasuke had completed a short mission, but today he wouldn't be able to dodge the expectation to attend an official, large-scale clan event. Even though he himself had no concerns to raise, it was important that he'd show his face. If he'd flake out, the council and the other clans would soon view the Uchiha as an afterthought. He had to be present to stay relevant and keep their influence. Besides... you'd never know what you might learn from the gossip that was circulating at those kinds of events.

The official part was mostly centered around a generational change ceremony for a few major clans in the village. Itachi was tagging along, despite not being able to join his brother on the grandstand since he wasn't a Clan Head himself.
The venue rotated between the main clan‘s atriums — this time it was the Aburame who hosted.

When the leads of the clans took their designated spots on the stand, Sasuke stood among them certainly not as the youngest, but as one of the most closely observed. All of them had gathered in full regalia while the air hung heavy with incense and quiet calculation.
There were those with their chests puffed out, prancing around, and then the others who deliberately shriveled into the background, making it all too obvious not being present by choice.

Sasuke was different; he wouldn‘t make his own thoughts apparent for anyone and displayed nothing but slightly reserved politeness. He offered measured responses, but listened more than he spoke, allowing others to underestimate the extent to which he was cataloguing every word.

When the council members held their opening speech his gaze was trained sharply on them. Not for one second had he forgotten what they had done to him, but wouldn‘t give them the satisfaction of having control over him. Oh no he would not.

From where Itachi was seated to the side, he had an unimpeded view of his brother’s profile — the precise line of his jaw, the way the loose Haori framed his shoulders without a single crease out of place. His posture was neither rigid nor lax; it carried the deliberate ease of someone who knew exactly how much space he occupied and intended to use all of it.

The formal proceedings concluded with the customary exchange of bows and restrained applause. One by one, the Clan Heads descended from their ceremonial spot and dispersed toward the long tables prepared for the reception.

Sasuke stepped down last.
His expression had not altered once throughout the final addresses. Polite. Attentive. Impeccable.

He was only a few strides away from the long table — from the seat prepared for him beside Itachi — when Koharu’s voice halted him.

“Uchiha-sama”

He turned with measured grace.
“Councilor.”

She did not smile fully; her lips merely curved enough to suggest civility.

“It is… reassuring,” she began, folding her hands into her sleeves, “to see that despite recent… irregularities, you remain committed to appearances.”
A pause.
“And that your family stands united.” Her gaze shifted briefly past him — toward where Itachi waited. “Not everyone would be so accommodating, after certain… tasks.”

Sasuke did not blink. “How fortunate, then,” he replied evenly, “that the Uchiha do not measure loyalty by comfort.”

Koharu’s eyes narrowed just a fraction. “Yes. One could almost mistake it for devotion.” Her tone turned faintly syrupy. “Though I do wonder whether your brother shares your tolerance. Some would find such… appetites distasteful.”

Sasuke’s gaze cooled — not sharpened, not flared. Cooled.
“My brother,” he said calmly, “is not so easily repulsed.”
A beat.
“Nor so easily manipulated.”

Silence stretched between them.

Koharu’s expression did not falter, but something calculating flickered behind her eyes. “How very reassuring,” she murmured.

Sasuke inclined his head.

“And how very observant of you.” He did not wait for dismissal. 
It‘s not that he necessarily seeked the last word, he simply turned and resumed his path to the table.

When Sasuke finally took his seat beside him, Itachi didn‘t look at him immediately.

He didn‘t need to. The set of his shoulders was unchanged. His posture remained composed, his hand resting lightly near his cup while the sleeve of the other side pooled onto the seating cushion.

To anyone else, he was unbothered.

Itachi watched the line of his profile instead. The jaw held a fraction tighter than before. The stillness too complete, attention trained forward, not on the festivities but somewhere beyond them. From his position directly next to him, he could only see the forever cold Rin’n’egan that emphasized his brother‘s hardened front even more.

Anger, in Sasuke, was rarely loud anymore.
It compressed.
It settled behind the ribs and sharpened the edges of his silence with a pressure forceful enough to create diamonds.

But only someone who had known him as a boy would recognize it, one who had once stood opposite that fury, when it was still so openly displayed, and survived it.

Itachi for his own part hadn't forgotten about what they'd done to their family either. He was increasingly proud though, how controlled Sasuke acted. Whenever he'd seen him as an adolescent, he'd always experienced him as somewhat impulsive. Those impulses probably still pulled at him, but he was obviously able to restrain himself and chose to act rather deliberately when it came to important matters.

Itachi did not reach for him. He merely shifted his cup a little closer to Sasuke’s hand — close enough to brush knuckles if either of them moved a fraction.

A silent acknowledgment.

He had seen.

And Sasuke, without turning his head, let his fingers rest against his brother’s for the briefest second before withdrawing.

The council applauded something in the distance.

Sasuke did not join.

In actuality, Itachi by now had developed a certain fascination for his brother's left eye. It would move and follow directions, but since it didn't contract it appeared completely lifeless; in a way like a prosthetic made of metal.

It gave Sasuke an air of detachment, that he didn‘t necessarily held all the time. Only Itachi knew how much of that coldness was deliberate.

A murmur rippled through the atrium as one of the senior Hyūga finished his toast. It drew attention away from the council table just long enough for Sasuke to lean slightly toward Kakashi, who had been lingering near one of the wooden pillars bordering the hall.

The nod they exchanged was subtle. Sasuke rose without ceremony.

From Itachi’s vantage point, the movement appeared unassuming, effortless. The sleeve on his left side shifted with the motion, settling into that familiar straight line against his frame as he crossed the courtyard toward the far edge of the atrium.

Kakashi did not greet him openly. They stepped aside, partially obscured by one of the carved support beams. The conversation was brief — too brief to be casual. Kakashi spoke first, head angled slightly downward. Sasuke listened without interrupting, expression unreadable. Only once did his jaw tighten, barely perceptible, before he gave a curt nod.

Whatever had been said was not meant for the table.

Moments later, Sasuke returned to the main gathering as though nothing had transpired. But he was intercepted before he could fully reclaim his seat. The Inuzuka delegation had drifted closer, led by a young woman whose confidence bordered on recklessness. She greeted him — unbothered by hierarchy — with an easy grin and a familiarity that would have been inappropriate had it not been wrapped in playful boldness.
Her laughter rang a shade too bright to be pleasant.

She leaned in as she spoke, brushing her fingers against the fabric of Sasuke‘s haori for emphasis once, then again.

The Uchiha did not step back. He did not encourage it either. He responded with measured civility, gaze level, posture unchanged. If he noticed the proximity, he did not grant it significance. When she attempted to prolong the exchange with some lighthearted jab about his `reputation´ he merely inclined his head and replied with something dry enough to dissolve the flirtation without bruising her pride.

It was expertly done.
Which, for reasons Itachi did not care to examine too closely, irritated him more than clumsiness would have.

Eventually the Inuzuka retreated, amused and none the wiser.

Sasuke resumed his seat, the transition seamless — whatever had been exchanged with Kakashi was already filed away.

Itachi, however, had not quite managed the same composure. His gaze lingered a fraction too long as Sasuke reached for his cup. He withdrew it just as quickly — but not quickly enough.
His brother noticed.

He did not turn his head immediately and draw further attention. Instead, he lifted the cup, took a long sip, and only then addressed him with a measured amount of bemusement.
“If you keep staring like that,“ he murmured under the swell of distant applause, “people will assume I‘ve grown a second head.“

Itachi straightened slightly. “I was merely observing.“

“Dangerous habit,“ his brother replied lightly, “You tend to see more than is convenient. And then sometimes even what isn‘t there at all. I haven‘t developed an appetite for `wet dog´ all of a sudden, if that‘s what‘s bothering you.“

“##!“ — Sasuke was purposefully putting him on the spot, entirely enjoying how his carefully perfected mask would not slip up the slightest, while still being certain that he would be affected by his playfulness.

The younger exhaled through his nose and darkened his expression again.
"How easy it comes to them to sweep everything under the rug." He gestured with his head towards where the council sat. "Just mere weeks ago we were on the brink of political escalation at the border, but since they have me to take care of the rebels for them, they're once again at it, openly stuffing their faces, smiling falsely and making deceitful promises."

The remark lingered between them a moment longer; Itachi could not deny the truth in it, though he wouldn't have expressed it so crudely himself.

The night went on and he not only watched the acts and musicians, but more often than not let his eye wander to the specimen beside him.
He observed, how his features were both masculine and elegant alike. He had matured quite some bit... Itachi was intrigued, how the other's Adam's apple moved when swallowing his liquor and how the tip of his tongue sometimes darted out for a split second to wet one of his lips.

It was dangerous, how easily his focus strayed, but also nice to indulge. Danger didn‘t deter him from a lot of things in the past.

When Sasuke had resumed his seat earlier, the sleeve on his left side had gotten tangled beside Itachi’s thigh.

For a moment, he hesitated.
Then, with deliberate nonchalance, Itachi gathered the edge of the fabric, picked it up and draped it across his own leg, smoothing it once as though merely correcting a fold.

No one would notice.

The fabric was cool at first touch, heavier than it appeared. He let his fingers trace along the seam absently, thumb brushing over the embroidered details near the cuff.

The other didn‘t pull back and instead curled the edges of his lips into a genuine smile — the first of that evening. “Enjoying yourself?“ Sasuke murmured without shifting his gaze from the council table.

“They seem to be,“ Itachi replied innocently.

Sasuke‘s mouth twitched faintly. “Give it a week and they‘ll be back to clawing at each other‘s throats.“ 

At that, Itachi allowed himself the faintest huff of agreement. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his wrist as he sat down his third, now half-full glass.
"Let this be your last for now. I'll need you sober later," he whispered to his ear.

It was hard to contain the forming blush and even harder to focus on what little of the event was left.

☾

The night air was pleasantly mild for this time of the year. It was nice to slowly stroll the neighborhood streets he'd walked nearly a lifetime ago. So much had changed since he'd left the village. Several attacks had left whole districts demolished that had to be rebuilt. Families left and others died. Few new came and settled, since the village was naturally suspicious of foreigners and seldomly let someone move within the city walls. 
It was nearly a miracle that they'd accepted him in again also, since for all intents and purposes he felt like a foreigner too.

His time at Akatsuki had changed him... 

"... Sasuke?"
"Hm?"

"How long have you been with Orochimaru?"

"Roughly three years. But he wasn't always around and there'd been times when I was on the road as well."

"Three years is a pretty long time."

"Hmhm" They were finally near their own family's district, "and I've learned quite some bit in this time. Not only fighting skills and Jutsus, it formed my character too, I suppose. In my Genin-year I still was quite immature and easily irritable.“

"An immature twelve-year-old, we can't have that."

"You know that I couldn't have afforded it. And neither did you."

"..."

After a moment of silence, the younger added: "You know... I'm really not bitter about it. Some things simply had been inevitable and I had to live them out. I turned out the way I did because of what shaped me. Some may look at me with regret, but I myself am content. Besides...," he unlocked their gate. They were home. "I was lucky enough to get you back."

Still outside, he brushed back some of Itachi's locks and leaned in for a sensual kiss.

The older hadn‘t seen that coming, considering they could technically be seen by somebody, but he didn't really care. The hell with them anyway. He wasn't ashamed of what he felt for his brother. If only they were alone in this world...

The kiss started sweet and delicate. Tender fingers were toying at his hair and a thumb stroking his cheekbone. A pity, that his field of vision was restricted due to the loss of his left eyesight.
  
But instead Itachi closed his remaining eye as well. He deeply inhaled the familiar scent that was oozing off his brother. Itachi felt bolder by now, so he pulled the other in with one of his hands sneaking behind his back and the other across his hips.

"Hmmmn#" The younger one intensified the kiss and gently pressed both of their bodies against the door frame.

He could have stayed there forever. 
There was no urgency or impatience in the way he dominated his mouth, but unwavering devotion.
"... We should probably take it inside, shall we?"

"I guess that's appropriate." Itachi smiled, still very close to the other's lips. 

"Well I don't know about that." Sasuke pulled them both inside and slid the door shut with his foot. "If you're asking me, things could get even dicier inside. What I had in mind wasn't exactly `appropriate´." He sealed the other's lips again without giving him a chance to complain.

Sasuke navigated them both through the hallway in a little bit of a waddle since his brother for whatever reason still didn't let go of him. 

At the foot of the staircase he finally grabbed the other's hipbone to bring some distance between them, which caught the older's attention. "But we could also take it slow and leave it at that. ... When we cross this line things will never be the same."

"... I want you." Itachi put one hand against the other's upper body where his heart was. "... all of you."

Without saying anything further, Sasuke climbed the staircase.
Itachi followed and wasn't too surprised, that he was led to his brother's room instead of his. Sasuke immediately began to light his several fires all across, which provided the room with a nearly cozy ambience. 

Itachi was glued to his brother's every movement and would have to admit that he even felt a bit curious. He sat down on the foot of the other‘s huge European bed and watched, how Sasuke would slip out of his haori to drape it over a chair. Afterwards he approached and Itachi searched his soulful eye for what emotions might be prevalent in his brother right now. Despite his extensive experience in reading people, he couldn't tell.

Sasuke was a little surprised as to why his brother would sit down on his bed expectantly like a bride on her wedding night, but he was aware that he'd probably felt a little self-conscious about how to behave. He would make do and lowered himself down onto his knees in front of him.

Gently, Sasuke nudged the other's chin and kissed him. This time, he didn't dwell too long, but soon worked his way down his jaw. 
Everything that needed clarification had been said before, so now was not the time for further discussions. He knew exactly what was expected of him and he would certainly deliver. How could he not?

He released his tongue to draw wet trails down the slightly shivering skin and grazed his teeth over it while his hand sought purchase of Itachi's hair. 
"Do you always keep it up, or wouldn‘t you mind if I opened it?" His head was still buried in the crook of the other‘s neck.

The older nodded, despite the simple affirmative not really giving a coherent answer. His brother understood nonetheless. He made quick in loosening his ponytail and letting the hair flow freely over his back.

The truth was, that Itachi rarely ever opened up his hair, but in this instance he didn't mind. 

Sasuke combed with his fingers through one of the strands and brought it to his lips.
"You're breathtaking."

They engaged in a tender, but longing kiss. Itachi felt confident and slipped his tongue inside the other's mouth. Sasuke held himself back in favor of allowing the other to explore him, taste him... When Itachi had to break up for air, Sasuke left for his collarbone that stuck out from underneath his loose shirt. The other had to spread his legs a little, to allow better access to his body at that angle.

"Take off the shirt."

It was a simple command; simple enough for Itachi to comply even despite being no longer capable of too much thinking. He pulled the garment over his head, a little unsure about where to dispose of it. He couldn‘t just throw— “Toss it.“ As if he‘d heard his internal struggle, Sasuke gave him another direction. 

He instantly felt those deftly fingers on him, roaming, kneading the flesh that had served him as nothing but an armor for all of his life… an intoxicating mouth followed suit. 

The air in the room grew way too heavy to breathe. If on that night of their first sexual encounter Sasuke had been exploring, then this night he was conquering him. 
His brother alternated well-concidered pressure with feathery-light kisses. When seemingly satisfied with the gasps he elicited, he snaked his arm around Itachi's torso and pushed the hand from the waist on up up up the other's spine. Meanwhile, he focused on one side of his chest. 

While he drew the most electrifying sensations from him, Itachi could do nothing but to comb through Sasuke‘s dark hair and tentatively touch whichever parts of the shoulders he could reach from this position. He wasn‘t entirely sure yet what exactly he was after, but inquisitively felt at one of the round deltoid muscles. It was hard and reassuring, the silk covering it was exquisite… His whole body tingled. 

The strong hand on his spine was on it‘s way down again, while Sasuke sucked the nipple on the other chest, he thus far had neglected, into his mouth.

Itachi felt intrigued by the double-neckline he was presented with when looking down. He had grabbed men by their neck before, handled them, broke their bones… He pushed one hand underneath the teasing fabric and touched the hot skin underneath. He liked that feeling quite a bit.

“…“ Sasuke allowed him to explore his upper back underneath both layers, while his own hand returned to the small of the other‘s back.

Just like that their mouths found each other again. The younger made a point in groaning into the other, tasting him, fill his very senses. His hand pushed under the waistband and that way made his rounds slowly to the front. 

They were really doing this.
It was still strange to Itachi how his body reacted. All of his skin felt tingly and raw. `Was this what you meant by saying that the all of our body gets attuned for mating?´

He allowed himself to get pushed back further down by those demanding lips that traveled along his torso. His back sank into the soft duvet and he closed his eyes for just a brief moment to take in the sensations. The mattress beneath felt so different than his futon; fitting in a special kind of way.

His brother had already untied his pants without him taking explicit notice, and slid them down alongside his boxers. They quickly got disposed of, before he settled back onto the floor between Itachi's legs. 

Sasuke continued with his caresses on the lower body now. Dexterous fingers ran up and down toned thighs, eliciting goosebumps all over. A devilish mouth visited every centimeter, leaving behind wet trails of salvia and drew sweet little gasps from his victim.

He also gave some attention to the evident erection, but much less then he did the other night. Leisurely he would drag his tongue over the pulsating flesh or encompass it fleetingly with his lips, just to move on. 

Itachi took in, how his brother‘s hand gained purchase of his left thigh right beneath his glute to, that way, spread his legs further and angle his hip more upwards.

“… No scar.“ The younger nuzzled his face into the curly hair of the rear thigh and drew a wet line with his tongue where the other had once gotten struck by Sasuke's trick shuriken. “The cut was so deep, it should have left one.“

“…“ Itachi needed a second to get his thoughts in order before he replied. 
“… No. I died before my body had even begun to heal. The same with my arm; it was burned rather badly by your flames.“

“Hn…“ The younger‘s eyes flickered up momentarily, before settling down again onto where he held up his brother‘s leg. “Good.“ Their past had been complicated, and though violence in and of itself did not unsettle him, he had no desire to see the evidence of their last fight etched into his brother’s skin.

His tongue traveled further down towards the soft tissue right at the edge of the other‘s pubic hair. His hand angled the hips even more upwards, leaving the other completely exposed to him.

Itachi immediately tensed up. It wasn't that he was scared; he certainly would put his body through any kind of strain there was without even batting an eye. It was rather a sense of shame that hindered him. 
He knew by now what was going to happen and that this... part of his body was going to partake, but that did not make him any less on edge.

A foreign shock ripped through his body like lightning, violently tearing him from his thoughts. He shot up, which earned him a diapproving groan from the younger man, who had pressed his face between his legs and was now placing open mouthed kisses against his sphincter.

Sasuke made fast in securing his pelvis in place with a vice-like grip, hindering the other from flinching away. He no less refused to be deterred from again licking at the even tighter clenched down muscle.

The older was horrified, and if he wasn't able to pull back, he at least tried to rapidly close his legs, which didn't quite work out for him as the other had positioned himself right between them.
"###Haaah! You can't!!"

"hhgh..# 
You have no idea what else I can do..." He deliberately sucked and nipped at him in response. "I could eat you alive..."

His voice had dropped so low, that it ran a shiver up his brother's nape. It sounded dangerous, almost like a threat. In contrast to all the affection, this was the first time he'd caught a glimps of his brother's feral side again, which he'd recently become aware of very well existed.

The worst part was, that it felt incredible. The stimulation elicited by that wicked tongue raked through his body, leaving him choked up and flustered. Never would he have been able to even imagine such a feeling — even less from such a dirty practice.

When confident, that apart from fidgeting his brother wouldn't try to escape, the younger let go of the unsteady hips in favor of pushing the tip of his index finger inside, quickly followed by his middle one. The wet-coated barrier was easy enough for him to breach, despite Itachi's body obviously resisting.

Sasuke still accompanied his fingers‘ actions with intentional strokes of his tongue, first lubricating but also sucking at neighboring skin, clearing it of excess wetness. His main objective wasn't to penetrate deeply, but rather to focus on relaxing the uptight entrance.

He gingerly worked his moist fingers in and out, either alternating or inserting both together, to further the stretch he was imposing on the body being at his mercy.

"You—...just... c'mon.“ Itachi helplessly grabbed at the other's sleeve in hopes of pulling him on top of himself, but Sasuke refused.

"No.
We have all the time we need." Inbetween sentences he now busied himself again with nibbling and caressing the other's inner thighs and buttocks. The index finger applied more pressure towards one side, which made it easier for him, to also push his tongue forward.

"UUUgh##" It was absolute madness. Blood was rising to Itachi‘s cheeks and he pressed the backside of his hand against his mouth as if the gesture alone would help him prevent even more vulnerability leaking into the already charged atmosphere of the room. The other for once couldn't scold him for it, as he was licking and sucking at his flesh. He certainly would have otherwise; there was no point in holding back.
When Sasuke's lips let up for just a bit to instead caress the convex perineum, he made sure to add his middle finger and spread them apart in order to massage the tight muscle even more. 

Again and again did that wicked tongue find its way between Itachi's legs and lapped at what Itachi would have considered the most indecent part of his body.

"You're extremely tense," Sasuke mused, looking over his brother's clenching abs, "I need you to get a bit more loose.“

"!### hhhah... Doesn't matter."

Sasuke smiled. "Hm. I know you could take it. But I would hurt you in that case and that's not what we're doing right now." He pushed his fingers inside further until his knuckles touched the buttocks. He didn't pull back again, but supported the lower hip with his thumb on the right and the remaining two smaller fingers on the left, so that he could move the whole body atop of the mattress by rocking his hand inside.
Funny, how a little experience could make up for a whole missing limb. It was an incredible sensation to have your whole body set in motion by that most intimate of a touch.

Itachi desperately clung to his sanity as he did to his brother's collar. But his fingers fell weak, same as his will power, especially when Sasuke chose to come down on his lap again and lick at his by now helplessly leaking cock. 

Sasuke continued with his ministrations until his brother was positively reduced to a panting mess.

"### hah... Besides… I know of something that's definitly larger than my fingers." 
Playfully nicking one of the hipbones, he gently retreated his hand and rose to his feet. Itachi felt the matress shift under the weight, when two strong knees straddled him on either side. Sasuke's hand wrapped around him from behind and scooted them both further up the bed.

Itachi looked up into the mismatching eyes of his gorgeous brother. His hair hung wildly in his face and the trapezius muscles were showing due to Itachi having messed up all of his formerly neat attire.
What Itachi saw was a bold man with broad shoulders and fierce features, not a teenage boy. 

With a serene attitude, Sasuke sat back on his heels and gave the other space to prop himself up on his shaky elbows.
Itachi's eye darted all over the body presenting in front of him. The proximity didn‘t help his breathing to calm down even the slightest. He instead was now given a prominent view of the noticeable bulge just beneath the hakama's front bow.

Slowly, Itachi sat up even more and reached to untie it. He carefully undid the upper binding, while avoiding to make contact with anything else as if otherwise possibly disturbing the atmosphere. As if one falty assumption, one misplaced demand might—

"... You are allowed to touch me."

"..."
After the main bow was loose he reached around to pull the koshiita out of the kaku-obi and with it lowered the trousers' backside. There was only the crosstie of the frontpanel left, which he undid as well and afterwards leaned back on one of his elbows again. Crunching up this whole time wasn't the most comfortable thing to do...

His own body was one thing, but his brother‘s…
Sasuke patiently followed the hand that was now reaching out with his eyes. 

Itachi tried the waters by feeling at the firm resistance with the backside of his fingers through the fabric.
Then, parting the drooping layers, he delicately slipped his hand underneath. Sasuke didn't wear any additional undergarment so that the older was instantly met with warm, velvety flesh. He wrapped his long fingers around the appendage and pressed them down a little.

Touching another man's privates felt strange. When touching himself, obviously the sensation of his crotch was prevalent and not that of his hand. His brother was hard.

Sasuke pulled back the silken layers around his lap, so that the other would have the unrestricted view of what he was doing. The younger let him explore a little bit, enjoyed the sweet attention and gratefully moaned into his brother's ministration.

Itachi stroked the length and watched on. He'd seen him before, but that time didn't count. It hadn't been for his eyes to see, but now... He appreciated, how generous his brother was with the noises that he made. It took the edges off the tension a little bit. Sasuke wasn't ashamed for being openly sexual and made a point of it.  

The older explored a little further, touched the shortened pubic hair and afterwards cupped the heavy feeling testicles in his hand. His own were drawn up a little tighter, while his brother's seem to be a bit larger and hung lower. 

He put his hand on the obi, which was the last obstacle that held the remaining robe together and gave Sasuke an inquiring look.

"... you might, but I wouldn't recommend it."

Searching for another answer, he deemed the expression of Sasuke's dark eye being a little tarnished. Itachi let up, which was followed by the younger lifting himself off the bed.

For just a split second the older Uchiha wasn't sure if he misstepped, but the other just got rid of the pile of fabric that was his hakama. 

Sasuke stood next to the bed and reached for his own erection. Three Tomoe whirled into his eye, which encouraged Itachi to give in to his temptation to do the same. Being with Akatsuki had let him nearly permanently wield his Kekkei Genkai and it tried on him not being able to record moments of much greater importance now; such as being with his brother and finally getting to know him.

He watched how Sasuke stroked himself a few times, rougher than he had done, pressing upwards. The slit released a generous amout of fluid, which skillfully got spread across the whole expanse of skin. It was almost mesmerizing.
He felt his heart beating in his throat and his senses heightened by the use of his Sharingan. 
All that he wanted was... 

He reached out to him. 
"... I need you."

The younger complied and reentered the bed. He settled between Itachi's legs and after navigating his cock behind the other's backside, he lowered himself to lie on top of him, resting on his forearm.

They finally joined their lips again. Itachi's head was swirling. He felt desperate, as if drowning if not drinking up all that was his brother. 
He only ever felt just how sweaty he was, when the silks got stuck to his arms when he wrapped them around the one on top.

Both men were gasping and panting into the kiss they shared, both highly aroused by now. Sasuke was rocking both of their bodies with his hips, which set them into a rhythm. Itachi felt how his backside was slick and how the long, hard appendage slid up and down between his buttocks while the other's tongue took his breath away. 
He was ready...

Something shifted and they got a little more distance between their abdomen again. Sasuke smiled at Itachi and twisted the other‘s lower body onto its right side, which flipped Itachi‘s left leg over. Sasuke's own left stepped inbetween from behind, while he placed his right on the outside.

"You are so perfect."

Sasuke aligned himself without breaking their eye contact. He pushed forward against the resistance and paused after his tip breached the barrier.
He then withdrew his hand to again bend down and cup his brother's face.

Itachi didn't mind the slight pain that shot up his spine; he was more on edge than anything. 

"... Don't hold your breath." Sasuke introduced the same slow movements from earlier. "Try to relax."

Each time he pushed forward a bit more than he has retreated and was soon sheathed inside his lover. The other felt it, when the pelvis firmly pressed against him and rose his overturned leg off the bed to instead hook it over Sasuke's hipbone.

"Hmmmah## such a natural."

The hightened thigh opened up his hip more.

"hhaah##," he felt so incredibly full and strange and consumed. The stretch, coming from the other's girth, indeed exceeded anything that he'd experienced before. It was overwhelming in a sense that he hasn’t been accustomed to at all. He tried to follow his brother's direction and willed his shaky breathing to normalise.

"You're so good." Sasuke kissed and nestled at the other's jaw — the luxurious hair spread across the sheets — and licked up the sweat that was forming in the crook of Itachi‘s neck. He buried his head there, while escalating his slow rhythmical movements to shallow thrusts, letting the other feel their connection.

"##uugh" The sensation was too much of everything, but Sasuke‘s heavy breaths next to his ear somehow grounded him. They were gasping and moaning together... being one.

The resistance of his body, that had betrayed him so many times before, seemed to have finally lessened a bit. Itachi still clung to the back of his brother's neck but began to let his shaky hands roam again. Over the nape first, they brushed through loose strands of hair, traced one ceekbone. His thumb found the rise of the Adam's apple, drifted lower to a collarbone and beneath it, to the smooth skin underneath the collar. He allowed himself everything that had been forbidden for all those years. 

A scarlet red eye was watching him — same as his own, since they were of the same blood. Two sides of the same coin, melting together...

He received the sweetest kiss, both soothing and promising, before the other straightened up a bit more to free his only hand.

Sasuke's palm clasped the uncared for erection straining against the abs and stimulated the tip with his thumb.

The hand that had fallen into Itachi's lap didn‘t take from him or demanded; it rather granted and merely delivered on a silent plea that wasn‘t voiced but still hung unmistakably in the air between them.

"!!##Oh gods..."

The changed position also allowed the younger to intensify his thrusts. He nearly pulled out, to steadily re-sheath himself without being too rough. 

"Iaaah#hnng—" Something else happened, but Itachi didn't understand.

"There you go." The younger didn't let the desperate clawing on his shoulders dissuade him from continuing with this pace, expertly stimulating both the other's prostate and dick in tune.

Every time Itachi felt his brother deep inside, it was as if he'd experience a small climax, or at least that's what it came closest to to him. With each thrust his cock was leaking more fluid. His whole body burned and he couldn't do anything but hold on to Sasuke.

The younger knew that the other probably wouldn't last too long due to their extensive foreplay. He read Itachi's reactions and carefully offered a few harder thrusts.

The older faltered into the sheets, moaning through his orgasm that struck in waves. The intensity of losing focus — even despite his Sharingan — spiraled into something exquisite, something unique Itachi deemed impossible to replicate. His fingertips turned numb, while he strangely became aware of his toes flexing upon the incoming shockwaves of ecstasy.
Right as he became somewhat lucid again, the stimulation on his now oversensitive cock stopped and Sasuke leaned down again. A tender gaze that relayed more than words possibly ever could. 

Soft lips brushed over their counterparts and engaged sloppily. Itachi found himself cupping his brother‘s face and leaving his palm there, even after the other straightened up again.

For a split second Sasuke thought about just leaving it at that, but he wanted Itachi’s first time to be a special experience and it might tarnish the memory if his partner wouldn‘t also finish. He just didn‘t want to overwhelm him, so he chose a faster but rather shallow pace instead, that wouldn't create all too much friction that might irritate the already strained flesh.

He loved how Itachi was watching him — still clouded by lust — and brushing his lips with his thumb. He all too willingly opened up to let his brother‘s fingers trace his teeth and meet his tongue. His jaw fell slack, which also let his groans flow out more generously. 
Sasuke knew that his brother would record it all with his Sharingan, but he was fine with that. Everything he offered up to him was his to take. When he chased his own orgasm, his head inclined and he grabbed at Itachi‘s asscheek to firmly pull him in, complementing his motions.

It was pure bliss when he came. It wasn’t so much about the bodily satisfaction for him, although how could he not relish in the sight that spread out beneath him. His undoing was the honor to be allowed this close to — not his body — but his brother’s heart where he was vulnerable.
And he intended to repay him, bit down with measured force on the thumb rendered lost and forgotten between his teeth, dragged his tongue across the tip. Sasuke made sure not to close his eyes even in the thrashes of lust that made him spill inside the other’s heat; he had no desire to shy away and hide; on the contrary, his brother deserved to see it all.

After he rode out the edges, he let himself slouch down for the final time to keep rocking into the man underneath while loving on him.
Even after he had spent himself, he let them both enjoy their connection a little while longer and indulged in extended kisses, nestling his nose against the other‘s temple.

“I hope I could deliver and didn‘t disappoint you.“ He cheekily whispered into Itachi‘s ear, who responded with a snort. “This was…,“ he didn‘t know quite what to call it, “unbelievable.“
“… at your service.“

Sasuke let himself gently slip out and plopped down on the bed behind his partner. Sadly, he didn‘t have the arm to embrace the one next to him, but he tried to snuggle up as best as he could with the rest of his body to still provide the reassuring feeling he wanted to relay.

Itachi was glad. Still quite overwhelmed, but glad nonetheless that he‘d gotten the chance to live through that moment with his most precious person. With the one most important to him and having been able to at least offer him something of value in return, even if the one in question might not really view it that way.

Even now Itachi could make out both of their heightened heartbeats thrumming in tune and the heat that was enveloping him from behind, offering nothing but unfamiliar closeness and a degree of adoration he was utterly unprepared for, but that still warmed his heart.

The younger sighed.
“I‘m sorry, but would now be the right time to tell you that I‘d have to leave in a few hours?“

Itachi raised his eyebrows, propped himself up and looked at the other inquiring.

“Kakashi instructed me that I‘ll have to leave before dawn on an important mission. I didn‘t tell you earlier, because I wanted us to enjoy this night regardless.“

“… How long will you be gone?“

“I don‘t know for certain. There are a few things to investigate, that apparently no other team could be entrusted with. I‘m quite discreet and even more importantly: it doesn‘t move the tides when I get sent. I‘m off the grid in a way.“

“… That‘s just the way it is I guess.“

“… 
Itachi. Do you want to go first, or shall I?“

After receiving an unsure look from his brother he added: “We should probably both get a shower, although I wouldn‘t object to falling asleep just like we are.“

Itachi took quick account of his surroundings and saw his stomach as well as the duvet he was laying on sprinkled with his milky semen.

“I‘ll go first.“
It probably would have been the more comfortable choice to keep resting for a little while longer, but he felt antsy now and the pressing need to clean himself up. The thought alone, that Sasuke's release would not be washed away, with him having finished inside, already made him feel some type of way. It was a sentiment of great trust and intimacy that exceeded the immediate.

“… You should use my bathroom. There are several yukata to sleep in next to the shower; you can just grab one if you like.“
Without facing the other again, Itachi swung both his legs out the bed, stood up and went straight to the adjacent master bathroom.

The door shut close behind him. 
The bright light was in stark contrast to the atmospheric illumination of the bedchamber. He mustered himself in the mirror and found his hair in disorder as well as several wet trails along his skin, but no bruises or marks of any kind.

His brother had been gentle… 
Itachi still felt a bit funny on his feet as his system returned to normal. He wouldn‘t have anticipated being this much affected by something as mundane as having intercourse, but it had been so intense with Sasuke. It had looked different than when he‘d seen his brother with that other man, but…
`Otōto…´

He stepped into the spacious shower and started it. The cold water ran over his arms and body, rising the little hairs on its way. Everywhere that he had been touched, altered... His body always had been just a tool, the means to serve his people’s interest. It was strange, how his body was capable of experiencing so much more after he thought he had tested it to its limits before.

Also, how a man‘s body could react to another man… he slowly reached between his legs. 
`#!´ He was still touchy, but different than the last time he‘d explored himself there, he was slick and loose.
Then again, when Sasuke demanded entrance to his body, it eventually complied and accepted their connection like it was meant to be. Strange, how something that to him felt like a once in a lifetime event could be something to engage in numerous times.

When he left the shower and toweled up, he realised that he‘d left his hairband. The promised yukata were indeed right at disposal so he took the first that lay on top. It felt a little strange not to wear underwear, but his brother seemed to do so regularly. After he fastened the obi, he looked himself over in the mirror one last time.

He looked a bit unfamiliar in the yukata and with open hair but it kind of matched his mood. When reentering the bedroom, Sasuke seemed to have just finished changing the sheets. His kimono was still completely messed up and their clothes scattered on the ground. Only he had straightened out the layers around his lap again, so that he won‘t be fully exposed anymore.

“Hey. Was the shower nice?“

“HmMmm.“

“I‘ll hop in real quick as well. You can stay with me tonight, if you like?“, he wasn‘t all too sure about his suggestion, but he didn‘t want them to part just like that.

“… Sure, I could do that.“

With a smile, the younger left for the shower, so that the other was alone in Sasuke‘s room. The hours in which he and his parents had waited for his brother to return that one time had technically been more than enough to study every centimeter of it, but it still felt unfamiliar. Maybe because he knew, that Sasuke had been with other men in this bed before?

Itachi made himself useful and picked up their clothes. The hakama was pretty; surely the whole outfit his brother had worn today had to be quite pricey, but Sasuke didn‘t seem too prissy about it. The other pieces certainly had to go to the dry cleaners after tonight.

Right as he had also folded his own clothes, he heard the water stop. 
His brother looked very neat when he stepped outside. Sasuke also wore one of the yukata, orderly folded across his body and nothing like the mess they‘d made of his former attire. 

“Thanks for tidying up.“ Smiling, he went to open the window and let himself sit on the sill. 

“Don‘t mention it. … It‘s quite late, when will you have to leave?“

“Probably in around 3-4 hours. I should be gone before dawn as usual.“ He fetched himself a cigarette and lit it. “Itachi… You might reconsider if you really don‘t want to rejoin the ranks. You‘re too young to retire and simply do nothing. I assume that won‘t do you any good.“

“What is there I could do? As former Akatsuki they surely won‘t let me re-join the ANBU — the ones with the highest confidentiality clearance. As Jōnin I‘d need a team and I‘m also sure nobody would want to entrust Konoha‘s future shinobi to me.“

“… You should speak to Kakashi. Even for me he found a solution and went as far as create a role that formerly didn‘t exist.“

“Do you like your role?“

“Well! Since not many would be able to fill it but me, that wasn‘t really ever the question. Besides — as I just told you before — I need to do something usefull with my life as well and that way I can be of good use for the village and simultaneously don‘t get rusty.“

“I see…“

“And it‘s not so much, that they won‘t entrust Konoha‘s future Shinobi to me. I‘m quite confident that — to the contrary — they‘d love me to pass down some of my techniques. It‘s me who refused. I‘m simply too damaged for that and the other role fits my personality better.“

Unsure of what to do, Itachi‘s eye wandered to the bed. “You‘ve sneaked into my futon numerous times when you were little, Otōto.“ He pushed back the duvet and sat down against the headboard. “It will be a little strange, now that we are both grown,“ he snickered.

"You are mistaken `Aniki´. You can rest assured, that it won‘t be the same anymore. What once was, first got lost, but now is ultimately altered."

“…“

"No matter where I am or when the signs on your body vanish; even when I die. Our souls have been marked.
We've committed the ultimate blood-sin. There's no redemption for that. We consummated it."

"... So you did mind."

Sasuke casually swayed his head both ways, considering.
"I'm not made of stone, you know? ... I'm a quite troubled one." He tugged at his cigarette. "The last thing I wanted to do... the one thing I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself for would have been tainting you. To sully you with my darkness.“

"You know I'm also not an angel."

"Oh, I know." He took a last blow and finished off his cigarette. "That's why I went along. I'd seen it in your eye quite early on, actually. That you wanted me, my body.
I'd do anything for you, you should know that."

"And so do I. My existence in this world is already high treason against the gods. An encore after the curtain had already fallen. There was no redemtion for me anyway."

"..." His brother didn't add anything further, neither refuting the point made nor voicing any agreement. Sasuke left it unclear how his final position would be on that, but instead made his rounds to extinguish the floor torches one by one.

The bed shifted, as the younger joined him under the duvet.

"Enough of that. You should sleep now and recover. I will try and not to wake you up when I'm leaving." The older complied, sliding a little further down to then let his head rest on one of the cushions. The bed was spaceous enough to fit them both comfortably and despite there being just one huge blanket they were under, their bodies didn't touch.

Itachi's gaze was trained on the ceiling; too much still rummaged through his mind and he was hyper aware of the other being right next to him. The smell of shampoo and freshly laundered cotton mixed with the still faintly lingering aroma of burnt tobacco and the freshly extinguished flames.

When he finally risked to turn his head, he found his brother's head mere centimeters from his on the cushion; he was lying on his side and had his eyes solemnly shut despite certainly not sleeping already. He has to have committed himself to getting at least a minimal amount of sleep, before leaving for his early mission, and it bore testament to a lot of trust to render himself unguarded regardless of Itachi next to him remaining awake for some time still or not.

"...
Sasuke?
Do you regret it?"

"Such a loaded question." The other groaned, his voice evidently already ready for sleep. Without opening his eyes, he inched just a fraction closer to bridge the minute gap and nuzzled into the other's hair. "Never. I'll cherish this honour you've graced me with. My soul belongs to you. And so does my body."

☾

When he cracked open his eyes, it took some time to orient himself in the darkness surrounding him. Everything was quiet. The space behind him, where his brother had slept, was empty now. Instead he could make out a silhouette in the corner of the room.

His eyesight was always worst right after waking. For a while nothing would properly settle — outlines slipping if he tried to focus on them, shapes refusing to stay where they should.

Even once his eye adjusted to what little light was coming through the windows, the image remained unreliable. He could make out his brother quietly moving things around, preparing to leave, but the picture he got was uneven — parts of it sharp, others strangely blurred.

He recognized, that Sasuke must have already changed out of his yukata and was now getting ready to leave. It looked as if he didn‘t wear a shirt yet, as he was still changing. But the way the outlines of his body appeared felt strange and somewhat distorted. 

The younger had his back to him and secured something around his thigh. Itachi saw how his back moved and how the right side, that was faintly illuminated by the outside streetlamp, made perfect sense to him while the left side seemed off.

The older could make out the stump that Itachi knew had to be there, but the contours were different to what one would have expected. While the deltoid still was intact and merged into the bulging bicep, the arm didn‘t just cut off at a certain point. It went on surprisingly long down to where the elbow should have been, but the contours got strangely thin and ragged, uneven in a way his mind couldn‘t quite resolve.

Also the waistline didn’t seem right. It wasn‘t smoothly emphasized as it should. His brother‘s waist didn‘t seem symmetrical from the vantage point he had.

Itachi was tempted to activate his Sharingan and understand, but his brother‘s voice caught him before.

“Itachi… you should go back to sleep.“
Just like that Sasuke stood and threw a shirt over his back and secured it in the front.

“Don‘t worry, you didn‘t wake me.“

“You have far too great perceptions for not getting alerted when I‘m leaving, I‘m sorry for that.“

Sasuke accepted his brother following him around with his eye while packing and finally put on a travel coat as the final layer.

Itachi lazily remained under the covers and waited patiently for the younger to approach. Neither of them had something to say, really.

`Don‘t be sad
Be careful
Look after yourself
Don‘t get hurt
I‘ll be back soon
Please come back to me
I‘m sorry I have to
… Don‘t leave me alone in this world´

Two dark eyes looked into each other without a word. The younger lowered himself to his knees and kissed Itachi for the last time this night. His lips were soft and reassuring, but also longing and desperate, as if his departure meant he had to tear himself from what meant life itself to him.

To a certain extent it was true anyway. There was no place on earth he wanted to be right now, other than at Itachi‘s side. But it wasn‘t meant to be and he had to go.

The life of a Shinobi demanded numerous sacrifices. It didn’t matter your hopes and dreams, your aspirations… you had to follow orders for the good of the village, to earn your right to live. And sometimes, you would even have to give up that life, so that at least those precious to you might survive.

Chapter Text

He couldn't quite believe it had come to this.

Only a day ago, he had been lying beside Sasuke, convinced that the life he had regained was meant to be lived quietly. Yet here he was again — standing in front of the Hokage‘s office.

"Come on in."

The door opened and Kakashi initially didn't look up when the other entered.
"Itachi, long time no see. How are you guys doing?"

"... Interesting question, Hokage-sama, after that special task you bestowed upon us last time."

"I've been at the funeral-ceremony..." He lazily pried his eyes off the paperwork he was working on and was met with a stern expressionless face staring him down. "Look, it's so funny to me... Usually you would expect Sasuke to be the hot-head, but when it comes to your brother, you seem to adopt his temper. Your brother on the other hand adopts your usually more pragmatic approach when it comes to you. He would get himself in trouble ten times till dinner, but your safety he wouldn't risk."

"..." Itachi knew, he shouldn't press any further, but he was still furious that his family had to go through all of this just for his sake. Besides… he found himself as much as jealous. Sasuke was his now.

"I guess that's not why you're visiting me, correct? Especially when Sasuke long since had reported back to me that everything had gone by uneventfully with said task. Which means that you‘re free now. You should be thankful for that second chance."

"Rest assured Hokage-sama, I am. Which leads me to the reason why I came. My brother actually sent me to speak with you, because he worries I might get stir-crazy if I remain a freeloader. I wanted to ask you, if there might be any role in which I could still serve the village, even after all those years of absence."

Intrigued, Kakashi crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back to consider.

"Sasuke is right... It might not be beneficial for a shinobi of your caliber to just idly sit by, while your younger brother goes on solo-missions. Besides, it'd be a waste to not put your exceptional talent to use."

"... I'm willing to accept whichever role you deem fitting for me."

"How is your health? Does the loss of one of your eyes affect you at all?"

"My health is quite good. What ailments had troubled my body are left in its grave. My eye…," absentmindedly he touched it, "I didn't sacrifice it in vain. The Edo Tensei possibly wouldn't have been lifted otherwise or at least not at that time. With it, I lost the ability to cast its Mangekyō-related Dōjutsu, while I still hold another in my right eye."

"I see... Well. Thanks for the openness Itachi, so I get to offer you the same in return.
Although I would very much appreciate you rejoining our ranks, the council will most probably be furious about it. They ideally want to hold both you and your brother on a short leash, as they view you as a liability. In short: They're afraid of what they cannot control.
But— they outmaneuvered themselves with that bizarre decree they concocted. Since you guys complied, they have no leg to stand on to disapprove of you being reinstated."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. What role will I fill from now on?"

"Oh, wasn't that obvious? Since it fits your personality and extensive experience, from the present day on your status as ANBU member will be restored. But the present peaceful times allow me to cut you some slack on the workload. Your schedule won't be as full as it used to be and I'll see to it to not wear you out. Technically you've done enough for this village to last a whole lifetime, but it won't bode you well to get reduced into uselessness either."

Itachi stilled. He'd never thought, he'd have to serve as an ANBU again.
"Excuse me Hokage-sama, but are you sure, that this is a good idea?"

Kakashi's eyes gleamed provocatively.
"Either you take on the role I'm offering you, or you refuse. I know of the challenges you have. All of us older Shinobi, who've seen the gruesome old days and the consequences of the wars have some. You'll have to figure it out and live with them like all of us do or you should indeed consider retirement. It's up to you."

"... Yes Hokage-sama."

"Good! I'll inform the council — which will be very pleased — that we could win over such a promising and talented fighter to keep serving. I already have a first mission for you, just to get your feet wet again. It's a simple one. You'll have to find a certain merchant, who blackmailed one of our Genin-teams that crossed his path. I‘ve got notice of it way too late, since they tried to sweep it under the rug on their own but, like most secrets, that had only made the situation worse. Find him and find out what exactly it is that he knows." He tossed Itachi a scroll with all of the relevant information.

"Very well. And what should I do afterwards?"

"..." Kakashi mustered him for a brief moment. "This decision may be up to you. Depending on what kind of intel he'd acquired and what his contacts are, it might suffice if you'd permanently erase his related memories. I suspect he‘s just a regular thug and no one to be worried about all too much."

"... Thank you."

☾

By the time he had reached his home, a delivery already awaited him outside the main residence, sealed in the official lacquered crates reserved for the village's special operatives.
He really had to have pissed those council members off. 

Inside lay several newly fitted ANBU uniforms — not relics or salvaged remnants from a boy who had last worn them at thirteen, but tailored sets befitting the former Akatsuki he was now. The grey chestplate was lighter in weight than he remembered, but all the heavier with memories, none of them good.

The black undershirts were short-sleeved as he remembered them and would leave the small expanse of his upper arms bare, that would once again reveal his affiliation that had been carved into his skin more than a decade ago. 

The few sets of tekkō rested cold and utilitarian beside it, as did the shin-shields that offered more protection than traditional kyāhan would. But the most notorious was the standard-issue ANBU chokutō that lay sheathed, indistinguishable from a hundred others.

And then there was the mask.

He did not unwrap it immediately. He already knew which one it was.

The council had never reassigned it. They had not even cleansed it. They had never dared to circulate it among the ranks. It had remained stored — archived, almost — because everyone knew what it represented.

The Clan-Massacre Mask.
Back in the day it had been made for him anyway, since it depicted an `itachi´.

When he finally lifted it from the cloth, the dried blood was still visible along the jawline and near the carved slits of the weasel’s eyes. 

His kin’s blood.

He had worn it that night.

He had stood above their bodies in it. Only Sasuke had not seen him wearing it, at least not him.

The memory did not return in fragments; it struck whole. Of the metallic scent of slaughter thick in the air, pictures of the familiar streets he had grown up in, beneath lanternlight and falling ash. Sasuke and he had walked some of those streets together yesterday.

Next, he remembered the sounds. Not screams. The thud of bodies collapsing onto wooden walkways. The wet drag of sandals through blood-slick stone — a smearing sound. There had also been wet sounds last night, when his brother‘s hips had met his. Had those been anything alike at all? 

The flutter of crows taking flight as chakra signatures vanished one by one had been all around him. Same as Sasuke's huffs and groans and uncalled-for praise that had been falling from his lips so freely it was astonishing. Despite him knowing what type of animal he was, that he was a mass-murderer — and still. And Sasuke?… was an executioner, that was different. Nevertheless, what he had felt was neither mercy nor delusion, but somehow nothing short of actual connection.

That night, the scent of demise had been everywhere, thick enough to taste. It had clung to the inside of that godforsaken mask, mixing with his own breath, turning each inhale into something cursed and irreversible. It had not concealed him from others, it had sealed him off from himself.

At one point that night, he had removed it to walk towards his childhood home. The home he now lived in again. The porcelain had already been streaked red at that point, as though the role had fused with the skin beneath and demanded to get forcefully ripped away for the ultimate atrocity. He had to pay at least their parents the respect to stand before them in dignity and not as a coward. There would be nowhere to hide from what he had been about to do.

Then, yes; then Sasuke had seen him. Not in the porcelain, but in the blood covered uniform he would now wear again.

Mere moments before, Itachi had stood in that tea-room alone, his own breathing forcefully calming down while the seemingly undying stream of tears had to be choked off. In that moment he had to kill one last human being — that was himself. 

The implication had sounded deliciously close to that luscious salvation that death would have provided, but there had been no escape for him. No easy way out to slip away.
The singular reason he was not allowed to end his own life right then and there had been simple and absolute: Sasuke.

He had to live long enough to be killed by him.
To give him purpose.
To die by his hand so that the story of their family would resolve cleanly, and his future may be a bright one.

That had been his only horizon, the hope it implied almost palpable on his tongue when musing over it at night, almost tasting his demise and finding the utmost satisfaction in that thought.

In the early years that followed he had made himself numb to the excruciating terror threatening his sanity in order to keep his mind functional. His rational brain had long comprehended that he had been guilty, but not wholly culpable, but a psyche — even conditioned — could only take so much. 

He would never associate himself with anything noble or just; maybe as a tragic figure that had no right to claim anything of its own — be it wants, feelings or a future. His future had died that day alongside his relatives, but he gladly gave it up as any further implication of it would have made something crawl underneath his skin.

Then again, now Sasuke very well made him feel things. Want things. Told him to be perfectly fine with taking up space again. Gradually he had even convinced him somehow, as he trusted Sasuke in this so much more than he trusted himself.

By the time he had reached roughly Sasuke‘s age now, he for the most part had filed away the ignominies of the past and simply poured every ounce of focus into living out his plan and inevitable fate.

Itachi put the mask down with a heavy sigh. He collected a washcloth from the guest bathroom on the ground floor and began wiping away whoever‘s blood had found its way into his home again today.

It had brought forth many memories of a time in his life he had eventually migrated from. Those would forever be a part of him, but he was in a different headspace now. He no longer was the hollowed-out shell that forced his feet to move forward until the finale was reached of a play he himself had orchestrated around laying the foundations of his brother‘s future.

`Being willing to fight and die for something,´ Sasuke had said not too long ago, voice low and disturbingly certain, `comes much more easy to people like us than the willingness to live for something.´
Standing in front of the insignia of his old life now, he understood with uncomfortable clarity how right his brother had been. Living had been the heavier sentence.

Then again, even though his single purpose in life seemed to have remained the same, it had put on a whole bunch of additional layers. Standing next to Sasuke, he in a way had managed to find a strange form of peace regarding his past. Both of their shared past. Somehow… things felt strangely possible again.

He fastened the armor around his torso.

The chestplate pressed against his ribs with a suffocating familiarity. The weight of sanctioned violence. Of obedience. For years he had remained in the shadows, believing himself still part of Konoha and protecting it quietly, acting as its unseen deterrent. Convincing himself that despite its rot, it was still worth safeguarding.

But after what the council had done recently — the task they had imposed upon his family — the quiet calculation behind their decrees ... he found himself asking something he had never dared to articulate before:

Could they truly be one people?

He had always known Konoha harbored darkness. He had served that darkness. He had embodied it.

Yet watching how easily corruption circulated and once-held righteousness decayed, how authority cloaked manipulation, how even Genin teams nowadays tried to hide their own misconduct instead of reporting it...

He could see it now — perhaps for the first time — why Sasuke regarded the village with a gaze that was no longer unquestioning but with a level of contempt bordering on disdain that Itachi never held even after he had seen its worst.

If he were completely honest, there had been a strange satisfaction when he recently learned that Sasuke was the one who had killed Danzō. Itachi had never permitted himself that move. Removing Danzō would have destabilized the fragile equilibrium and endangered Sasuke’s safety, so he had chosen containment over retribution.

Sasuke had chosen differently.

He had acted.
`My former middle name was `reckless disregard´.´ — Oh he could see that. And Itachi, despite everything, had felt something dangerously close to pride. His brother had grown stronger than him in ways that mattered.

Itachi headed out as soon as he was finished putting on his old attire. It felt strangely familiar, yet completely foreign since he had become a completely different man in the meantime.

He was not only in a different headspace, but he'd also matured and gotten wiser.

Itachi passed through Konoha's gates without ceremony and headed for the general vicinity indicated in his mission scroll.

Night had already fallen by the time he located the merchant’s trail. The man had been careful in the way only small criminals are careful — too cautious for his own standing, paranoid enough to leave a pattern. Itachi tracked him through the lower market district, across shuttered stalls and damp alleyways that still carried the day’s refuse and stale sake.

The scent of oil and fish clung to the air.

He found the merchant behind a storage shed near the outer wall, counting coin by lanternlight. Two hired men lingered nearby — poorly trained, but armed.

He descended from the roof without a sound.
The first guard barely had time to turn before Itachi’s hand struck the base of his neck, severing consciousness with clinical efficiency. The second reacted more quickly, drawing a kunai and lunging.

The blade sliced through air where Itachi had been a moment before.

He caught the man’s wrist and twisted it, forcing the weapon loose. The other’s pulse thrummed rapidly against his firm grip and it reminded him uninvitedly of something entirely different. 

Itachi‘s every move was precise as ever, routine movements against an opponent way below his level. Nevertheless, he would never be so careless and risk underestimating anybody prematurely.

As the merchant himself eventually became aware of his predicament, he looked up too late and found a murder of crows plunging down from above.

The illusion didn't unfold gently but efficiently. The warehouse dissolved into a black backdrop. The crows multiplied, wings beating against the man’s perception until he fell backward, clawing at nothing.

All the while the second guard drew a sword in the futile attempt to fight the Anbu off. Itachi stepped in with controlled precision, instantly being out of the weapon's reach. For a moment he was so close to the other man who didn't even have enough time for fear to sink in that he could feel the bodyguard‘s sharp breath graze across what little of Itachi's skin was exposed.

For the briefest fraction of a second a thought intruded. The place where he felt the slightest tingling disturbance was also where Sasuke’s mouth had been at his throat. Sasuke’s breath warm against his skin.
Itachi's own dark hair against white sheets and the steady weight of a body that bore proof of the absurd intimacy of having been wanted rather than needed.
Sasuke.

The contrast was stark.

The brutality with which the heel of his wrist made contact with the other‘s jaw let the guard's head snap back so rapidly, that the nerves in his neck compressed and let him collapse next to his comrade on the floor. Evidently he had to have bitten his tongue in the process, as a thin arc of blood splashed through the air.

It struck Itachi’s bare left upper arm, warm, nearly viscous.
It splattered across the skin where the old ANBU tattoo marked him.

His nervous system recognized the sensation. 
Red across pale skin revealed under light grey.
Red across the tekkō that night.

For a split second the warehouse was replaced with the Uchiha compound and he stood again over bodies.

His brother’s high pitched scream ringing.

But the memory quickly got replaced by a different sound, a much lower, guttural groan that couldn‘t be considered a scream and didn‘t hold any terror, but instead a level of trust and appreciation that had been foreign to Itachi.

The present snapped back into place as he spun around, facing the merchant weeping beneath the illusion of a thousand crows tearing at his mind.

Itachi removed the mask.

He moved through the man’s memories with ruthless ease. The Genin in question had initiated contact. They had gambled with classified information, convinced they could control the outcome. When the merchant threatened exposure, they had panicked and attempted to conceal the incident.

Cowardice compounded by arrogance.

But then there was another detail becoming sorely obvious: their captain had been absent. Conveniently absent; all the time.

This left two possibilities, perhaps three. One: they had indeed been acting on their own and outsmarted their captain, who normally shouldn‘t slack off and know where his subordinates are when on a mission all the time. Two: he had been absent on purpose to either turn a blind eye or even made the suggestion to begin with. The third option was, that their captain had already meddled with the merchant‘s memory and painted his Genin as culprits, but that was highly unlikely. Even if true, there would have been severe repercussions against him for not preventing the whole instance as the one responsible.

Itachi erased all the acquired information together with the connected correspondences as well as what little he had seen this night. When he withdrew, the merchant slumped, mind stripped of any leverage.

The blood on Itachi’s arm had begun to dry.

He looked at it. There had been a time when blood defined Itachi. When his worth to the village was measured exclusively in silence and precision. Now, though he wore the same uniform, the same mask, he did not feel consumed by it.

Now he had something else.

He did not wear this armor for Konoha alone. He wore it because he chose to. Because he intended to live, even though that was harder to commit to than dying.

The night did not feel the same as it once had. He was not the boy who slaughtered his clan. He was not the ghost who drifted in the Akatsuki’s shadow. He was a man who had returned — officially — to a village he no longer viewed without question.

He secured the mask once more and disappeared into the night.

The mission had indeed been simple. But when he moved through the darkness now, it was not only for Konoha.

It was for the one who had once seen him in this uniform, standing over their parents’ bodies — and had still chosen to let him back into his life. He had a home to return to.

☾

"What are you wearing?"

Itachi startled at the low voice that he hadn't anticipated.
"... Otōto. You're back."
Standing in their kitchen, he must have been deeply immersed in his thoughts to not have become aware of the other's presence the second he had entered the premises, but then again it must also have been his nervous system feeling instinctively safe around his brother not to be alerted by him drawing near.

"I take it that you followed my advice and spoke to Kakashi." The younger mustered him critically while approaching, "and I'm not surprised he wanted you back as an ANBU. But that attire..."

Itachi flinched back when the other reached for his shoulder.
"Does it pain you, seeing me like that?"

"...
No."

The younger pulled out his own sword and placed it on top of his travel coat.
"But I see that it puts you on edge." Sasuke moved deliberately slow, carefully examining what might go through his brother's head, weighing how to approach.

"It's just that I thought I would never have to wear that again... and you to see me like that once more."

"Mmhmm. Last time I saw you in it was when you'd shown me the rest of your memories from that night."

`That night´ was what he would always refer to, when speaking about the massacre with his brother. He avoided being more blunt, but he didn‘t see it as cruelty to breach the topic at all either. Feigned ignorance would be the greater insult — not acknowledging that something of this magnitude had happened. By now he had a pretty good picture of what it had done to Itachi and that alone needed acknowledgement in and of itself.

After the other had fled his touch, the younger lazily leaned back against the countertop and crossed his legs.

"Your arm," he pointed out from across the room without a gesture.

Unsure, the older looked down at himself and found the blotch of dried blood on his left upper arm again, right around the area of his tattoo, that was now visible again.
"..."

"Did you make a kill? I don't remember you getting bloody that easily..." Harsh words, that were void of ill intent. "Are you alright?"

"No I didn't, I'm... fine. My mind had probably been elsewhere.“

"Oh? That’s curious. Then where would that be?"

Itachi shrugged. "I'm feeling... oddly alive again. Even more than I used to before. I'd been a dead man walking for the better part of the last decade, but now..." This time he was the one stepping forward, reaching out to touch the promising warm skin, just above the neckline. "You did this to me."

He probably shouldn't be that needy. He shouldn't feel all those knots in his stomach when he looked at his brother, but he felt drawn in by him like a moth to a flame. And Sasuke lit him ablaze all too willingly in response.

"I've been missing you." Just like that, Itachi's hands found their way around the other's neck and pulled him closer, embracing him in a tender kiss. 

He didn't know when this had happened, since when he needed his brother's touch more than air. It used to be enough just watching from afar for all those years and now he couldn't even stand the distance between them while talking.

He brushed his lips over Sasuke's, tasted him, dipped his tongue ardently inside. The other took a surprised inhale through his nose at how keen the advance was, but willingly responded nonetheless. 

Something had happened to Itachi, which he couldn‘t fully understand. It was as if he had bitten into the apple of Eve and now couldn't come back to the contentment he'd once held before.

`If we cross that line, it's never going to be the same anymore.´
His brother had been right.

"You're aroused," the younger said matter-of-factly against his mouth, sizing him up.

"... Possibly." It was embarrassing how his body betrayed him, but he couldn't help himself. It was madness, how his flesh demanded something he had lived without all his life, but it wasn't the satisfaction he sought, it was the ultimate connection to Sasuke. To be embraced by and bound to him. He'd never felt so complete before in his life.

Helplessly, he pressed his armored chest against the other's muscular pecs. Being selfish felt so unfamiliar that he wasn't sure how demanding he could really be; how far would he be going before it became too far?

"Please Sasuke, I need to be close to you..."

“`Please´? Oh my.“ A little smirk emerged on the edge of the younger's lips and a strong hand encircled his waist to cup one of the glutes, pulling him close.

The older gasped at the intimate gesture, although he shouldn‘t have been surprised after openly challenging Sasuke. He just was that kind of person, who instantly took people at their word.

"What exactly is it that you need, `itachi´?"

“I—…“ Itachi‘s mouth opened and closed, as he still was at a loss at how to describe what his treacherous body desperately craved. “Just you.“

“Mmhmm“ The younger responded to the non-answer with another open-mouthed kiss. “Something tells me, you‘re thinking about something more specific. Could it be this?“

Itachi wanted to look up questioningly, just to drown in a swirling tornado of fire that was the other‘s Sharingan pulling him in and replaying all too vivid memories of a night that he certainly wouldn‘t forget anyway. 

He saw Sasuke‘s perspective, how he himself was filthy wet while his brother gingerly buried his tip inside of him. How Sasuke prevented his length from entering all at once, but gently kept rocking further with his hips until he had eased himself fully inside.

When he snapped out of the vision, he was beet-red. That of course didn‘t slip by a visibly amused Sasuke. “You‘re so sweet. You‘re lucky that I started recording just then and you‘re off the hook for the foreplay.“

“—##!“ `the foreplay…´

Itachi‘s whole body froze — except his stirring cock that twitched at his immediate association.

“!—“ Sasuke instantly reciprocated by pressing himself closer, making it clear, that the reaction of the other‘s body didn‘t go unnoticed. “Ooooh, you‘re not happy about that, you especially liked that part, huh? Well, if that‘s the case, I‘ll gladly revisit the part in which I lick your ass and work you open with my tongue.“ His voice still held a great level of mischief but had also dropped to a lower, sultry octave.

“—You!“ Itachi half-heartedly tried to escape Sasuke‘s grip by pushing against him, but there was no real effort behind it. His knees were already weak and the objection lackluster as his face couldn‘t possibly get any darker.

The younger snickered. “Mmmmh, learning something new about you every day. My chaste virgin brother also likes it, when I talk dirty to him. Well — not a virgin anymore…“ At that he vocally hummed against Itachi’s mouth, coaxing it open to engage him in an especially devoted kiss. He dragged his tongue all over the other‘s, made sure to visit every centimeter of it and deeply interlocked their lips.

When he finally broke their contact Itachi had to nearly gasp for air and Sasuke smilingly began pulling at his tekkō-bindings with his teeth. Somehow that simple act carried an unexpected charge; how he bit at a tightly fastened knot, pulled at it with his mouth and repositioned the loosened himo between his teeth to take it apart even further. 

Itachi was well aware why his brother had to do this and that he probably also fastened the tekkō that way, but still…

“Well then. Shall we start to mess you all up? How could I possibly deny my insatiable lover?“

Itachi shakily exhaled and — now free of his brother’s restricting grasp — staggered a few steps backwards. Why he did so he wasn‘t sure. It was a subconscious motion as his body thrummed with adrenaline. But it was also clearly egged on by something else, as it was clearly neither threat nor fight his excited body expected. The younger slowly stalked after him with amusement evidently displayed in his features. 

“Where are you heading, Itachi? Which room do you prefer?“

At that, Itachi halted. He thought for a second before his gaze darkened. He was indeed already majorly messed up. 
Without a word he turned around and went further into their home. Into the tea-room.

He registered his brother following him and when finally turning around — Sharingan ablazing — he looked into the melancholic counterpart in his younger brother‘s gaze, who stood across from him near the entrance.

“Interesting choice.“ Sasuke slowly untied the weapon-holder that was strapped across his thigh. Itachi‘s heart was beating out of his chest from excitement, while the other seemingly intended to take his merry time. 

It was that very room he‘d last been seen in his Anbu uniform; the place where he ended the life of both of their parents. The place, where also both of their own first lives ended.
He didn‘t know what exactly it was, that he was looking for when choosing this place. Maybe he wanted to overwrite his memories of it, or maybe he wanted to feel as defenseless again as he‘d felt on that godforsaken night. He was even less sure, if Sasuke would comply, as he clearly had to have some inclinations of his own, judging from the smidge of reluctance that had slowed his movements.
Whatever it was, his time to overthink was up, as the younger finally crossed the room with a loaded expression.

Sasuke drew near, so close that they could feel each other‘s breath across their skin, but instead of closing the final gap both men waited. Itachi, in quiet anticipation of the other‘s response. Sasuke, in unabashed curiosity about how confident his brother really was.
Instead of manhandling him or pushing him to the ground, as Itachi had expected, Sasuke quietly lowered to one knee in front of him and pressed his head into his clothed crotch.

“You‘re turned on and yet you‘re still unsure of yourself.“ His hand reached between his legs to grope at one of his buttocks while simultaneously starting to loosen the waistband with his teeth, kind of similar to the way he did earlier with his tekkō. The breath that brushed over the narrow strip of skin exposed by his pants' cinch being tugged down, sent a faint shiver down Itachi's spine, raising the fine hairs at the back of his neck. Or perhaps it was the sight of the other's tongue deliberately aligning the strings into position before biting down at them and pulling them apart. Once that was done, Sasuke hooked his fingers under the boxer‘s waistband and pulled them down down down his ass together with the pants.

“Take them off.“
There was something non-negotiable in his voice, but it wasn’t a threat. Itachi complied quickly, fortunate that he had already removed his shin guards earlier so that he didn’t have to fumble for long. He was still somewhat self-conscious, standing in the middle of a room naked from the waist down with an erection, but he slowly became more tolerant of it.

The devilish brother of his took it upon himself to lavishly lick at his whole length from his balls to the tip without breaking eye contact.

“Aaahgh, Sasuke.“

“Hmmm-ah. You‘re delicious in so many ways Itachi, d‘ you know that?“ He intentionally flicked the tip of his tongue over the others glans before dipping it into the slit. The immediate jolt was met with a reassuring squeeze on his butt. The younger nipped playfully with his teeth before again engrossing the whole length with his wet muscle.

Sasuke used only his mouth. His fingers by now found the crack between his cheeks and teased his most sensitive spot. In the front, he gently brushed the crown with the pliable lips of his by swaying his head from left to right without offering to open them up for it on his own.

“Huuugh, don‘t you want it? Please, don‘t hold back. Put your dick in my mouth, like you probably wanted to all day.“ He stuck out his tongue, just a little bit, to kitten-lick at the droplet that formed at those words. He withdrew his hand and ran it across his lips to now fully extend his tongue between the index and middle finger. Humming, he played with them, letting it slide upside and down again to coat them with his salvia, making a show of it.

“What’s it you‘re waiting for?“

How could his brother be so impossible and simultaneously absolutely right about his foundings of him at the same time? With a grunt of frustration, he grabbed the kneeling one‘s hair to at the same time angle himself with his other hand and forced the smug face into his lap.

Sasuke all too happily accepted and accommodated the unsteady movements coming from the older Uchiha. Likewise his fingers found their real agenda again and started to breach the barrier while his mouth pleasured Itachi‘s cock.

“Uuuhgh, hah#“ It felt strange and kind of uncomfortable when the tip of his brother‘s index finger pushed inside, but at the same time it was unbelievably exciting how his member got engulfed and sucked at by Sasuke‘s hot mouth who knew exactly what he was doing. The digit slid deeper and he in response pushed his erection forward, all the way against the other‘s palate.

The kneeling one did take it without objection and continued with his ministration unperturbed. His thumb added to the stimulation by starting to massage the prostate, when Itachi was already becoming a moaning mess. By pinching both fingers together and applying pressure from the outside and inside simultaneously, he tugged open the tight ring, urging it to relax.

“Look at you finally giving up on holding back — using my mouth for your pleasure…“ Sasuke took it upon himself to slide a little further between his legs to mouth at the compact balls. The sensation was maddening; when the younger closed his lips over both of his testicles and sucked at them, Itachi started to question his sanity.

Satisfied, Sasuke retreated his hand and followed up with an as clear as thrilling instruction.
“Spread your legs for me. Wider.“

Sasuke briefly leaned back supporting himself on his arm to scoot between the standing one’s legs and immediately afterwards get ahold of one muscular glute, pulling it to the side.
“Gaaahh##, oh gods, Sa- ‘ke#…“

He had stiffened his tongue and pushed it forward into the still resisting muscle. He swirled it, lapped at the seams and sucked at the sensitive surrounding. In tune he released throaty groans of approval, while still spreading the cheeks for an easier access.

Itachi‘s legs were trembling, since this time he had nothing to ground himself on. He had to stand on his own two feet; even worse: spread his legs willingly to allow such a disgraceful practice to take place to begin with. It tickled and stimulated and let his dick twitch with arousal. His brother didn‘t seem to care about his troubles and instead made a point of orally serving his nether regions completely unashamed.

“Haaah, you‘re so sweet. I think you are ready for my cock now. So… how do you want it?“

Itachi blinked. Was he supposed to think?

Sweating and shaky as he was, the best he could come up with was to finally let his legs give in and lower himself to the ground. He sat back under scrutinizing eyes and pulled the other on top of him while leaning back.

“Hmmm, Missionary. It‘ll be a little tricky with just one arm, but I‘ll make it work.“

As the younger leveraged his weight onto his forearm right next to his brother‘s shoulder, he bent down to engage in another fierce kiss.

Itachi didn’t really know what to expect, but he really just tasted Sasuke. There was nothing untowardly about his lips, regardless of where they just had been. Could it be, that this act really wasn‘t as offputting as he‘d formerly imagined?

Sasuke‘s singular hand was cupping the side of his face, angling his jaw while both of their tongues engaged in an extended dance. The older bucked his already sensitive crotch against the clothed one above. He could feel the other‘s hard-on through the rough linnen fabric and found it deliciously exquisite to grind them both together.

Finally, the one on top shifted somewhat and released his hand to reach in between them. Itachi perked up but soon realised, that Sasuke was leaning on the remainder of his left arm. He rarely ever saw him move that thing, no less use it for anything… 

He had to have been distracted enough to miss, when exactly the front of the other‘s bakama had been loosened and pushed down, as all of the sudden his flesh was met with flesh.

“#hsss“ Itachi‘s sharp intake of air was followed by him holding his breath altogether. As the slick hard appendage of his brother got lined up against his entry he tensed up again.

“…Itachi. Are you getting the nerves again?“ Sasuke lovingly leaned down to briefly cover his lips with his own. “I‘m going to be gentle, I promise.“

He steadily pushed past the barrier and breached it.

“!##hahh…“
“Relax. Don‘t fight it.“
The younger traced the outlines of his lips with his tongue and parted them both the same way he dexterously worked his way inside Itachi.

The older clung to the other and pressed both their clothed upper bodies together. He felt positively suffocating from the pressure that seemed to thrum through him, consuming him whole.
Itachi was pretty much aware of size and girth of his brother‘s dick, but just why did it feel so overwhelming and as if he‘d get stretched beyond his limits?

When satisfied with his seating inside of the other, Sasuke’s palm got hold of Itachi‘s straining erection instead and stroked it alongside to the circular motions of his hips.

The older gasped and pulled at the other‘s hair who answered with a hiss. It was too much of everything. His bent legs shivered while his neck started to burn where Sasuke had pulled down his turtle-neck before and was now starting to nip and suck at the sweating skin. He felt how Sasuke‘s pubic bone and testicles were firmly pressed against him already, but still continued to rock inside so that both intertwined bodies would glide back and forth over the tatami.
The tatami…

“Is this what you needed from me?“

Itachi‘s eye was facing the ceiling. He had seen this room numerous times, but never from this perspective. His breath got caught up in his throat and he tilted his head.
His vision softened further, pushing the room into a distant blurr. The shadows on the floor merged into pools of blood… but something didn‘t align. The moon had been full that night, it hadn‘t been that dimly lit as it was now. 

Itachi‘s thumb brushed over a smooth and warm surface, delicate in texture… it was alive underneath his grasp, shifting and pulsing with bloodflow. 
A guttural groan reverberated through the darkness. It originated from himself without him noticing before, as though the sounds simply happened through him — was that truly the case?

Another wave of inexplicable sensation washed over Itachi‘s being, so hot in its nature against the coldness of death and condemnation coming from the tatami. It was accompanied by an unbearable fullness pressing inside of him, forcing out sounds and doubts alike. 
His nose tingled. There were strands of hair brushing over it that weren‘t his own and still looked so alike.

“##!“ Wetness spread across his jugular, followed by suction that let the rest of his skin crawl in tune while his whole lower body convulsing from the sheer intensity of just everything that he felt. Itachi turned his face upwards again to be met with Sasuke‘s wild expression. The pupil of his dark iris was blown out, his nostrils flared, but features thoroughly relaxed and affectionate.

Whatever thoughts might have occupied him before, there certainly wasn‘t space for any of it anymore.

All that his senses could still make out was his brother. He felt, how Sasuke was physically filling him, but also domineering his every thought, how he left his skin tingling and his lungs filled with the smell of sweat and sex. How his cock massaged his inner walls, while his own got stroked alongside, but not too much to reach his peak too fast; it was captivating.

“#haaah… yes… Sasuke.“

“You‘re so good Itachi… You like this feeling, don‘t you?“ He slid down his hand below the perineum, so that his own dick had to pass through his spread fingers that brushed over the other‘s strained entrance.

“You enjoy the feeling of your body still resisting and how you stretch out around me... What else is there that you want me to do to you?"

While Itachi‘s left hand still remained in the other's black hair, his right encircled the waist and held him firmly against his armor. Both men moaned alongside their movements.

"You... #aaah“ His eyes flitted close for just a fraction of a second; just to let himself be embraced like this, to be this close was… 
and Gods did it feel good.
“Just make love to me—"

At that, Sasuke had to snicker. "You're really so sweet."

`You truly are a gentle child...´
Their father's last words echoed in his mind.

"We're already doing that."

Itachi’s reflection on his blade had trembled — he himself shaking like never before. 
Sasuke steadied the other's hips and pulled out further to introduce a slow, but determined pace. Itachi gasped at the other’s weight somewhat grounding him. 
The past slid off, finding nothing familiar left in Itachi‘s mind to hold onto. Each time the other pushed inside until their hips met caused him further friction, but Itachi's resistance was already crumbling.
"This isn't an illusion, we're both here right now."

The air that got knocked out of his chest left him more and more vocally with every movement.

"If you want, you can try to hook your legs behind my back; it's going to be deeper that way, find out if that's too much yet or if you like it."

"UUughmm oh gods..."
His brother was right. Although he thought the penetration couldn't get any more intense, it in fact did when he angled his hips upwards and linked his further bent legs at the ankles.

Something deep inside felt like melting. His neglected cock kept leaking on its own against his abs, while the intense stimulation from the inside robbing him of his sanity. "You're... so good##."

"Hah#. And you're taking me so well. You're absolutely gorgeous."

While leaning back, relishing in how his body now would accommodate the tantalizing deep thrusts, Itachi‘s right hand started to wander again. He would spread his legs, letting his brother take over his very being and on his part caress the small expanses of skin that he could reach around the collar.

It wasn't enough, so he let his hand slide in deeper behind the fabric. Despite his hands still being clothed by his armor, the ANBU tekkō left out the fingers — enough for exploration. While being engulfed by the feeling of coming undone, he pushed even further to cup the pec — but didn't find what he was looking for.

The younger flinched but still kept up his movements. Only, his face had already been trained on Itachi‘s when he looked up at him, both questioning and irritated.

Sasuke said nothing, but kept panting in tune with their rhythm and tolerated the other examining what shouldn't be that way. The other's fingers didn't find a firm curvature, but hard, knotted lumps and deep gashes inbetween. The texture was strangely coarse and uneven; he tried to brush over where he'd expect his nipple to be but came up with nothing.

Itachi's eyebrows crunched together but his brother offered nothing for an explanation. 

"Hhh# Does this... feel good?"

The younger slowly shook his head, but his mouth didn't indicate any particular displeasure about the question.

Even more concerned, Itachi went in deeper, which led to his fingers tracing even more obscure textures and noticed an unnatural hollow above his waist.

"I see, I've given you too much free rein."
With that, Sasuke tucked his own legs in and sat back on his heels. He immediately lifted Itachi's lower half by the sacrum and scooted his own spread legs under, letting him sit in his lap bent over backwards.

His former interests out of reach now, Itachi could do nothing but loudly moan into what was a particularly exciting spot that his brother was now angling towards. 
The firm singular hand was pumping his exposed cock again, while Sasuke's hips snapped up faster, sharper. 

For just a moment, everything dissolved into something like bliss. Unlike their first, this time around he could feel his orgasm building up. His heart was beating out of his chest and the delicious heat kept pooling in his lap as his balls tightened. Then he found his release. 

Itachi closed his eyes while he accepted the shockwaves of his climax washing over him, spurting his seed all over his body and clenching down on the hard piece of flesh that was buried deep inside of him.

Sasuke's moans had increased in tune. He wasn't sure what turned him on more: how his hot lover tightened even further around him, or seeing him come undone, sprawled out before him. By now he would easily slide in and out of the wet passage and feel his blood boiling.

"#... -'tachi. D' you got a mission t'morrow?"

“..." Still coming down from his high, his older brother couldn't comprehend.

“Itachi?" With still no reaction coming up, Sasuke quickly pulled out and got ahold of his cock. With a few hard and fast jerks he reached his peak too and released a guttural groan while ejaculating multiple loads onto his brother's privates and stomach in front of him.

After he'd spent himself he lolled his head back, being both tired and a little amused: "Uuuuugh, you'll really be the death of me."

Pulling himself back together, he slid his legs from under Itachi's lap, carefully lowering him down onto the tatami.

"Well, this one has to go to the cleaners for sure."

Itachi propped his upper body onto his forearms, to better assess what the younger was pointing towards. Not only his slowly softening penis was completely covered in cum, but his light-grey armor was thoroughly soiled as well. "..."

Sasuke chuckled: "I could have aimed a little better, but to be fair, most of it on your uniform had been yours anyway,“ he lightheartedly pointed around, "while I concentrated on the more interesting area,“ he winked.

Sasuke stood and pulled his half-hanging bakama up again, but didn't bother to tie it up. Instead, he gathered the strands and tucked them under his elbow to be able to make a quick round to a cupboard and collect some tissues that he offered to his brother.

"... Thank you.“ The older smiled as well, while superficially wiping up the obscene amount of ejaculate he was covered in. "Now what was it again? Sorry, I wasn't in the right state of mind to answer any questions."

"Doesn't matter. I just wanted to know if you're out on a mission right the next day, but I decided to not take the chance."

"..."

Sasuke sat himself down on the floor right beside him and chose to elaborate further, as his former explanation didn't seem to cut it.
"You see, when you... have sex like that, your body somewhat adapts to it. Usually you would be firm and tense, but afterwards, you will stay a bit soft and... loose, still for some time. If I had come inside you and you had to exert yourself physically right after, my sperm would probably leak into your clothes."

"##!", there was the undeniable blush again, but the carefree smile of his brother reassured him, that he was being serious.

"On your first time, you'd been even more nervous and didn't quite relax as much, and I wouldn't have forced it either. This time you were able to open up much more to me and I wanted to spare you the annoyance", he leaned down for a quick kiss on the lips, "I enjoyed it very much, thank you."

"..."

"You might be sore tomorrow if just a little bit, but it shouldn't be too bad. You want to go shower first?"

"No, you can go ahead."

"Very well," the younger tucked his loose bakama with his elbow again and rose to his feet. Just as he arrived at the entrance, he heard his brother calling after him.

"Sasuke. What's wrong with your abdomen?"

Slowly he turned around.
"Pretty much everything. What do you need to know?"

"What does that even mean? What exactly did I feel?..."

"...
I've gotten wounded quite extensively. I've thankfully healed up, but there's no further change to be expected at this point. Whatever my body is today, it will remain that way."

"..." The older helplessly opened and closed his mouth again.

"If there's nothing further, I'll head for the shower now. If you'd like, we could later sit on the terrace together for a bit."

Itachi let out a defeated sigh with his nose. "Sure, I'd love that."

With a curt nod, the younger vanished from Itachi's view and he was left in the cursed tea-room alone. With another sigh, he let himself sink back onto the floor and watched the ceiling. Still half-naked, he replayed the scenes from before. How good it felt, to be this close to Sasuke, how he could enjoy himself as well...

`Oh boy...´ He still didn't know how to navigate what was his new life now.

Itachi gathered the scattered pieces of clothing from the tatami one by one. The room had fallen quiet again. For a moment he stood still and looked around.

Nothing had changed.

The same walls.
The same low table.
The same pale mats beneath his feet.

And yet the space felt profoundly different from the way it had before.

Earlier that evening the room had seemed suffocating, heavy with memories he had once believed would never loosen their grip on him again. Now the air felt almost strangely neutral — as if the weight had shifted elsewhere, displaced by something far more immediate and difficult to categorize.

He let out a quiet breath and finally left the tea-room behind.

The mirror in his bathroom greeted him with an image he had not expected to see that night.

The grey plates of his ANBU armor were smeared in several unfortunate places, the polished surface catching the light in a way that made the stains almost impossible to ignore. Hours earlier the uniform had carried an entirely different gravity, pulling memories of blood and violence from places he usually kept sealed away.

Now it looked… thoroughly debauched.

Itachi stared at his reflection for a long moment. A quiet huff escaped him.
Somehow it seemed almost fitting that the garment once associated with sanctioned killing had now been rendered obscene in such an utterly undignified fashion. Sasuke, he suspected, would find the irony highly amusing.

After washing up and changing into something more appropriate for their home, Itachi finally stepped out onto the terrace.

Sasuke was already there, having a smoke.

He sat back against a beam, the loose folds of a light sleeping yukata resting comfortably around his frame. One bare foot was planted against the wooden boards, the other leg casually fell open to the side, toes curled slightly against the cool night air.

Itachi paused for a moment before approaching.

The moonlight traced the clean lines of Sasuke’s lower legs, highlighting the subtle play of muscle beneath. The otherwise pale skin visible above the ankles was covered by black curls of body hair making them appear a shade darker. Due to his relaxed position, the yukata parted slightly around his knees and exposed more of his legs than would have otherwise been appropriate in public.

Itachi realized only after several seconds that he had been staring.

“… I’m doing it again.”

Sasuke didn’t even bother turning around and steadily exhaled a billow of smoke.

“Context,” he replied calmly, perking up the corners of his lips. “You assume what? That you‘re not allowed to look now?”

Itachi exhaled quietly and sat down beside him. For a while neither of them spoke. The evening air was cool, as it was still early in the year. Somewhere in the distance a night bird started calling.

Eventually Itachi broke the silence. “…It was reckless of me to go into the tea-room like that.”

Sasuke glanced sideways.
“Was it?”

“It was… a lot.” Itachi folded his hands loosely in his lap. “Everything lately has been. I suppose I’ve been existing in somewhat of a liminal state. Not quite there, not quite here.”
He kept searching for the right words.
“It used to feel like I was purposefully compartmentalizing those memories, they were vivid as they formed but forcefully kept at bay at all times. Now it feels more like… an echo.”

Sasuke listened without interrupting. After a moment Itachi continued. “I didn’t take into consideration how that choice of place might also affect you.”

The younger Uchiha tilted his head slightly.

“… To grow up without parents undoubtedly left its marks on me, but still. Tō-san I had seldomly interacted with; Kā-san I knew a bit better, but always as `kā-san´. Never really as an independent person of her own. What really hurt me was the utter destabilization of pretty much every constant in my life I had known. And the reason being the one person I have had a real connection to — despite my young age.“

His voice remained calm, and he paused.

“Then seeing you dying without having understood… burying you after.”

“You were the one who buried my body?“

“—Who else?!“ Sasuke looked almost offended by the mere suggestion that anybody else could  have put his remains to rest. “… After everything else, that really was the one thing that finally broke me.“ His expression remained surprisingly relaxed.
“…and sent me spiraling down a rather dark path.”

“…That wasn’t so long ago.”

“No,” Sasuke agreed quietly. “It was not.”

His lips pressed into a thinner line for a brief moment, though the overall ease in his posture never really vanished. It wasn‘t that he hadn‘t suffered severely; he had simply embraced the associated pain into his life and woven it so deeply into himself that it had become another thread in the fabric of who he was. All of it could have destroyed a lesser person but he rather accepted his deeply embedded wounds and carried them with pride rather than obscuring them.

The silence returned.

Itachi studied him again. Only this time his gaze caught on something else. Small red scratches marked the side of Sasuke’s neck.

“…Was that me?”

Sasuke blinked. He lifted his hand, touched the area the other was fixating on briefly and shrugged. “Probably. It‘s not as if I would allow just anyone to come close and touch me like that”

“I didn’t realize.”

“That’ll be gone in no time, it doesn‘t matter.”

Still, Itachi reached out. His fingertips brushed lightly across the marked skin.

Sasuke didn’t move away. Instead he leaned into the touch ever so slightly and lowered his lids just a fraction; an almost imperceptible reaction that made Itachi’s chest tighten in a way he hadn’t quite learned to interpret yet.

“…Good night, Sasuke.” He rose to his feet.

Sasuke looked up.
“Already?”

Itachi nodded.
“I think I should try to sleep.”

For a second Sasuke simply watched him, something unreadable flickered briefly across his face. He had half expected Itachi to remain beside him, perhaps eventually follow him inside. Apparently that possibility had not even crossed the other man’s mind.

“…Alright,” he said after a moment. “Have a good night, too.”

Itachi disappeared back into the house.
Sasuke remained on the terrace for a bit longer, the faint night breeze moving through the loose sleeves of his yukata.

“…Huh.”

Then he leaned back even further against the beam and looked up at the sky.