Dangerously Beautiful

Chapter 17 Finished Itachi rubbed his forehead, feeling a few drops of cold sweat fall from his skin and stain his clothing. His entire body felt sore and weak, as it often did when he slept next to someone else, when their legs tangled and their bodies bent and tweaked during the harsh night. A smile came to his lips, even though this was his last day, he was looking forward to seeing Kakashi's extraordinary sleeping face. He reached for the rough prison blankets, pulling them up and curiously staring at the blank space next to him. Strange, it was strange for Kakashi to ever wake up earlier than him; he usually would sleep in for hours if he could. He figured he had just awoken earlier to negotiate with the officers, but somehow when he had not seen his boyfriend by his side, a shiver traveled up his back. His bright black eyes traveled to the cell door as he tiredly meandered over. He couldn't believe that after his long time of being on the run and hoping he would not be caught, right now he felt so relieved. He hung carelessly on the bars, knocking on them lightly to get the attention of the guards around him. Tsunade's ample chest heaved as she let out a long breath, now had come her time, to keep her promise with Itachi or to break it. She had sworn to keep Kakashi in the cell, to keep him from witnessing his early morning demise, but something inside of her continued to churn and tell her it was wrong. Closing her caramel tinted eyes she marched over to the cell, her heels clicking on the cold, cement flooring beneath her feet. "Kaka..." the Fifth Hokage began tiredly before she peered into the cell. "Y-you..." She had to catch her weary body on the jail bars at the sight of him. Many scenarios ran through her mind at the moment, though it became nearly impossible to think of anything other than the painful, stinging shock that was running down her spine. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest, realizing she and the entire staff of the jailhouse had been tricked, and with such elegance and ease. Itachi didn't like the sickening fear in her eyes, the way the Hokage's body was shaking as if she'd seen a ghost. He began to become concerned. "Kakashi..." he muttered, his own heart palpitating quicker than ever, his toes shaking in his sandals impatiently. He was afraid to ask what had happened, even more frightened to remain in the dark. "Where is he?" His black eyes shot open as he grabbed the bars, shaking them back and forth like a trapped animal, his breathing growing ragged, "What happened? What's going on?!" he demanded. Tsunade found it impossible to answer, as she herself still did not understand the entirety of the situation. Her painted fingers shook, raising with the rest of her arm and signaling for the Anbu at her side to unlock his cell. She was positive it would be easier to understand if he was allowed to see, as her voice seemed to have escaped her throat a long while ago. She knew the protective Jounin would be eager to do something like this, but she never suspected it to slide under her scope so easily. She wanted to smack herself silly for not seeing it earlier. The Anbu guards placed the key in the lock, a little weary about letting the traitor out free again. The first spoke up timidly, a slight waver in his tone, "A-are you sure, Hokage?" "Open it!" Tsunade demanded, her voice making an appearance for just a second, as she grabbed her light brown scalp in her fingers, tearing at it and gritting her teeth. There was no more she could say, and truthfully the words could not make it in time to halt whatever scheme Kakashi had thought up last night. The guards pulled open the cell, staring at their own feet shamelessly. At this point, there was nothing they could do to right what had been wronged. The eldest Uchiha bit his bottom lip at their silence, tasting the coppery blood on his tongue and quickly making his way out of the prison door, shuffling his feet and hoping he wasn't too late for whatever stupid ploy Kakashi had thought up. He had always been like that, since the day they met, always wanting to carry the world's burdens on his own shoulders. Unexplainable tears made their way down his cheeks, staining his porcelain skin for a second before falling into his clothing. Sometimes he hated that stupid, caring bastard. Fists clenched at his side before he yanked the gate door open with a quiet slam. Sasuke's entire body quivered, a cold chill traveling from his toes to the back of his eyes. Desperately he clutched at Naruto's warm clothing, grabbing handfuls of the soft material in his hands and trying his absolute best not to scratch at the skin underneath, though emotions were rushing through his system too quickly to recognize. He was angry with the villagers around him who thought of his family as no more than lousy, dirty whores, he was devastated that his brother was about to be put to death, and most of all, disappointed at how weak he truly was proving to be, because he could do nothing about it. Black locks fell in front of his face as he further buried his nose in the blonde's clothing. He didn't wish for anyone to see him like this, reduced to a babbling, crying mess. "Brother..." He quietly murmured, so slightly Naruto barely caught the word beyond the screaming and shouting of the murderously sadistic people of Konoha. 'My brother... Itachi can't die...' The youngest of the Uchiha clan thought to himself, having to drown out the hateful words around him to even gather appropriate sentiments, 'It will be so painful for Kakashi,' he said, lying to himself that it wasn't hurting him at all, though it was obvious to even the nearest bystander that Sasuke could not handle all of this by himself. 'I just want him back as my brother...' He pulled Naruto closer, pressing the blonde ninja's back against the chain-linked fence and pulling their bodies so close that their breaths melded in mid-air. He couldn't help it. He needed this close contact, the comfort of being in someone else's arms at a devastating time like this. Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat, choking back the apparent tears that had gathered in his eyes, trying so hard to remain the pillar of support his best friend needed right now, though inside he too was breaking down to nothingness. It was hard to tell when the noose had been secured around the young Uchiha's neck, the only evidence was the increase in the civilian's unruly uproar, and the incredible volume of insults and bashes they were sending his way. The sound caused both Sasuke and Naruto to lift their heads for a second, seeing as the thick rope draped around Itachi's pale neck, hanging loosely over him like a necklace and tightened by a less-than-sympathetic guard. It was nearly time. "Finish him off!" "Take that bastard's last breath away for what he did to our village!" "Loosing another dirty Uchiha will not be much of a loss..." Without warning, various objects were thrown at the fence, since the angry villagers were not allowed beyond it. Small rocks and bits of trash made their to to the cold gate, some bouncing nonchalantly off and others making their way to the gallows, to further humiliate the one who was about to perish as a tribute to Konoha. Itachi bolted out of the prison, straining his tired legs and searching the large crowd carefully with his sharp black eyes. It had all become a nonsensical blur since he had escaped the cell, his mind was rushing too quickly, and his body was unable to catch up. He forced his way through the villagers, barely making it past some of the tighter-knit groups and spotting his brother and the fox kid among them. The eldest Uchiha let out a paranoid breath, his chest stinging as he expected the worst. He grabbed the two of them by their shoulders, wanting to how what was going on as soon as possible. "Sasuke, Naruto, what's happening?" he questioned, along with a speedy scan of the people around him, some holding long sticks, others tossing rocks past the fence. His heart trembled. Sasuke turned his head, his rival turning only a few seconds later. They both grew deathly silent. How. How How could it be that Itachi was among the crowd, and why was he asking what was happening? What on earth was going on? The young Uchiha took in a breath, "W-what are you doing here?" he asked somewhat rhetorically, half of him expecting his elder brother to remain quiet, as all of them appeared equally confused and utterly bewildered. But, it did not take any of them long to run through the situation in their minds. Kakashi hadn't... he wouldn't, would he? Shivers ran through them before individually they turned their heads to the one who was about to sacrifice himself, and all for Itachi, for Sasuke, and for Naruto, that the youngest Uchiha might hold onto his brother for a little while longer. There he was, standing on the stool and awaiting a death that did not rightfully belong to him, accepting it without fighting or even reconsidering his decision for a second. From the top of the gallows, Kakashi smiled at them with Itachi's own lips, his deeply set black eyes reflecting the early morning sun and conveying a sense of sincerity hardly ever seen on a murderer's face. The three were speechless for a moment, taking in the shocking truth they had come to realize all at once. Sasuke stepped forward, staring at his teacher's coal black eyes from a few feet away, seeing the unmistakable qualities that had made him fall in love with him in the first place. His slender fingers wrapped around the cold metal of the fence, his black eyes shedding what seemed to be his hundredth tear today before he could muster a sound in his throat. "Kakashiii!!" his cries falling upon deaf ears as the crowd's calls overwhelmed his squeaky voice. Itachi was entirely silent, the guard reaching his foot over and kicking over the small chair under Kakashi's feet, and sentencing him to his death. The eldest Uchiha's black, mellow eyes could not move away from the disturbing scene, as his lover fell from his stand, a sickening 'crack' and a 'pop' following. His neck had broken, disappointing some of the crowd who had wanted to see him struggle and suffocate until he had let out his last breath. The Konoha villagers were in an uproar, cheering and throwing up their hands that the murderer, the betrayer of the village, had finally been brought to his rightful justice. Their voices quieted as the body that had fallen as Itachi, quickly transformed to its original body. His gray hair fell in front of his glazed-over eyes; his Anbu uniform that he had recently been wearing was still torn and hung in small pieces of thin black clothing on different parts of his body. He hung precariously from the swaying rope, a difficult sight to lay eyes upon for any of them in the crowd, especially Itachi, but yet, he could not turn his gaze away. His breath had caught in his throat, his eyes felt so dry and warm, though he felt as if he could no longer blink. His chest was aching, he knew he should have been crying, he should have been mourning for the only person he had loved, for the great sacrifice he made for him, for the fact that he would never see him alive again, hear him talk, kiss him, or wake up by his side. However, just as he could do nothing but stare blankly, he found it impossible to shed a tear, th eve everything in his body was telling him it was right. The crowd grew quiet, each of them speaking to one another in confusion, trying to figure out what had happened to the one they had wanted to see dead. Sasuke grabbed his older brother, taking solace in his warm, unmoving arms, resting his head on his chest and weeping into his clothing. Naruto soon joined him, their foreheads pressing together as the younger two grabbed onto their elder for support, knowing inside he was breaking. The young Uchiha choked back his tears, pulling the blonde closer to his brother and making sure they were all sharing the warmth and comfort they needed. ~+++~ Three weeks had passed since that day, the day when the gray clouds overwhelmed the sky and the city of Konoha mourned on of its closest sons. Though the majority of the villagers had only seen the kind Jounin a handful of times, walking down the street, purchasing his groceries, or rushing by them as he tried to catch up to his students an hour or two late for a mission, they still missed his frienauraaura, the daily renewal he would bring with just a smile. Though the people of Konoha had lost a valuable asset, those who knew him more personally were suffering more, having lost a friend, a teacher, a lover... Naruto balled a fist in front of the hospital door, his voice raising timidly, "Can I come in?" he questioned, wondering if Sasuke was still in a bad mood, as he had been a few days ago; when all it took was a few of the blonde's sympathetic words for the young Uchiha to blow up in a typical fit of rage. Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat as he remembered it, stepping shyly inside and poking his head in carefully. "Sasuke?" Sasuke was sitting by his lifeless brother's side; their pale fingers were tangled together in an attempt to bring them closer together. The black-haired boy did not say a word as his best friend and rival entered, simply nodded to allow him passage inside. Naruto held a small bouquet of flowers in his hand, raising them up for a second before placing them at the Uchiha's bedside, "I brought him some flowers..." he muttered, as if he was trying his best to keep the peace, "Has he improved any?" his whiskers trembled a little, fearing for the worst possible outcome. The youngest of the Uchiha clan shook his head in disappointment, the grip on his elder brother's fingers strengthening nervously. His own black eyes trailed over to Itachi's, which were glazed and seemed to stare upwards constantly since that day. "He just lies there, his eyes are open, he can hear us fine, but he..." he paused while trying to withhold his late tears for Kakashi, and his early tears for Itachi, "he just doesn't respond. His body went through so much shock he can't even breathe on his own anymore... If his heart wasn't hooked up to this machine," he mumbled, lazily pointing to the large beeping device in the corner with some sort of spite, "... well, I don't have to explain it." He finished, knowing the blonde was a little slow but he could figure the rest out easily on his own. With a loud creak of the old wooden chair he had been sitting in, the young Uchiha stood, his fists balled up at his side, knuckles fading to white, "What's worse is the Anbu that follow him around like vultures, reminding me every day that even if he gets strong enough to wake up he's going to be taken away from me again, and brought back to face his sentence." His right fist flew backwards into the wall behind him, cracking some of the loose plaster and causing the other rooms to shuffle a bit. "Wasn't what he went through torture enough?" he asked rhetorically, thinking back to a time when he would have wished this sort of harm upon his brother easily, perhaps that's why he was so offended when other people tried to hurt him, it only brought back the terrible hate he had held for him only weeks ago. "He's already dead." Naruto didn't particularly want to agree with him, to admit aloud that what Sasuke was saying was right. He felt a little ashamed that he for once did not have anything upbeat or uplifting to say. His blonde head bobbed in a slow nod, "Sasuke..." he began, wondering if it was too big a risk to speak to him when he was this worked up, "I know there's not much I can do to help you or Itachi. But, I'll do whatever I can..." he promised, playing with his fingers nervously as he spoke. The young blonde pulled a stray chair to his best friend's side, staring carefully at his feet, not wanting to enrage him by looking him in the eye, "Kakashi, I think..." he scratched at the blonde locks that hung in front of his forehead, "I think he did what he did for a reason. I think he knew how much you needeachiachi as a brother." "He's been a brother since the beginning," Sasuke's hand wandered to touch Itachi's lifeless fingers, feeling how cold they had become sent a strange twinge up his back, tears flooded into his eyes so quickly it was almost painful, "But, even so, I still feel like I need to protect him." "So did Kakashi..." The youngest Uchiha turned his head, his eyes meeting up with Naruto's glowing pearl blue orbs and causing them both to turn away in embarrassment. He stared at his brother's unmoving body for a few short minutes, "I'm surprised you're taking everything so well, Naruto. Itachi pretended to care for you, and then ended up just using you against Kakashi and I. You're a lot stronger than me." He whispered, wiping away the few tears in his black eyes and peering back at him for a fleeting second. It was hard to look anyone in the eyes at this point, not when he was crying like a weak bastard, he would hate for anyone to have to see him in this condition. "It's okay..." Naruto began sheepishly, kicking his legs back and forth on the squeaky wooden chair like an impatient child, "From the beginning I knew he didn't really care about me like he claimed he did. It hurt a little to admit that to myself, but it just felt so good to be with someone who told me they cared about me, even if they didn't mean it. Maybe..." he stopped, perhaps it was too soon to tell Sasuke what he was thinking, maybe it wasn't the right time. With a long sigh and closed, tired eyes, the blonde continued, "Maybe I was just trying to replace the one I really cared about, like Kakashi..." Naruto's shy hand lifted off of his own knees and shivered in the air before coming to rest on the top of Sasuke's. The young Uchiha's mind whirred, trying to sort out what had just happened, to categorize it as a confession of some sort, or one of the blonde's sick pranks. Before he could even begin to comprehend what was going on, Naruto leaned forward, placing a quick, sincere kiss on his frigid, pale lips. Sasuke's face flushed a deep pink as they pulled away, in his mind he had always suspected the fox cared for him, but he never knew it was this deep. He covered his face with his hands to guard against any other unwanted and further confusing kisses, looking up to see the wide smile on his best friend's lips, though his bronzed skin was tainted with a few dashes of pink as well. "... I know who Uchiha Sasuke is." Naruto muttered quietly, knowing how hurt the young Uchiha had been that people had only seen him as one of the clan, or Itachi's younger brother. Sasuke hesitated for a long while, unsure of what to say as this revelation had been a complete shock to him. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest for the long time he had been quiet, causing his ribs to sting horribly around the pounding muscle. The blood boiled in his system, and before he could think his decision out, he had grabbed the stupid blonde by the collar of his shirt and pulled him forward into another kiss, this time, initiated by him. Desperately their lips met up, warm and inviting tanned lips welcomed Sasuke's own as they pulled away and quickly joined again, not wanting to loose this feeling that was pumping through their veins. Naruto's hands rose from their subtle positioning to touch his rival's smooth, soft skin, trailing small lines over his cheekbones and traveling upwards to brush the black bangs out of his face. Sasuke let out a droll moan, his eyes squeezed closed tightly as the kiss continued. The feelings that came with the kiss were even more intoxicating than the blonde's sensitive lips, the feelings that radiated off of Naruto, telling him he was the only one he wanted, that the kiss was meant for Sasuke and only Sasuke. He had never felt those warm, incredible feelings he had never known could come along with a kiss. Sasuke cut the feeling's short, pulling his reluctant lips back, his low voice rumbling in his throat, "Naruto..." The blonde could only smile in response, hearing his name whispered by the Uchiha's husky voice was almost too much for him to handle. His entire body shuddered as he pulled closer. "I-I didn't know you ever felt like this..." The dark-haired ninja muttered, closing his eyes as Naruto's rough, calloused fingers brushed the black hair out of his face. Sasuke and Naruto pulled closer, their arms wrapping around each other as they joined in a tight hug. The Uchiha's arms pulled the blonde's waist closer, nuzzling into the crook of his neck and remembering how soothing Naruto's hands were at his brother's-Kakashi's execution, when he was running on an emotional roller coaster. A knock at the door clearly did not give the two enough warning, as their guest stepped inside sheepishly. "Good afternoon..." Iruka chimed, his eyes curled up into friendly arcs. He blinked a few times, a light pink coming to his dark cheeks, "Oh, um... well, I'm sorry I interrupted..." he muttered, having to hold back the urge to bow over and over in apology. He scratched at his brown scalp curiously, wondering how on earth his worst student and his best student, the ones who previously hated each other with the worst kind of contempt, could now have become so close. He casually shrugged it off, figuring he was happy if the two of them were happy. His chocolate-colored eyes scanned the dank, depressing room, the grays and faded whites of the hospital garb and equipment was already a sickening start, minus the unmoving body that sprawled out on the bed before him. "How is he?" Sasuke shook his head, already slipping out of his best friend's loving arms and now looking upon his weak brother, "It doesn't look like he'll ever wake up again..." he mumbled softly. Their kind and caring teacher pulled at the skin on the back of his neck nervously, knowing how uncomfortable and awkward the air around them had become, "You two should get a break from this hospital... You two probably need a break after all that's happened. I'll take you out if you'd like..." he offered, wanting to take them away from the horrible situation the young teens had unwillfully fallen into. "No." Sasuke interrupted before Iruka was even given the chance to tell them where he would take them, "I'm staying here. If I leave and the Anbu take him away, I won't be able to forgive myself." He explained, thinking it perfectly logical in his own way. Iruka placed his hands on his hips, knowing his excellent student had never been one for going out with anyone, even so, he figured he could tempt Naruto out for a bite, "What about you?" he questioned, his heavy hand coming to rest over the young Genin's blonde scalp, "Wanna' come get a quick bite at the Ichi Raku?" Naruto looked over to his best friend's side for approval, debating inside of himself whether it was right to leave him when he was this depressed. "Go, go, get your mind off things..." The Uchiha muttered, waving his hand for the two of them to leave. The blonde still wasn't convinced, "But, but, but..." his arguments were cut short as Sasuke's lips captured his own passionately, shutting him up for a total of three, maybe four seconds, before the hurried kiss parted. The youngest of the Uchiha clan grinned widely, "Go dumb ass." Naruto growled, his eyes reddening as his arms and legs flailed in mid-air, Iruka already grabbing him around the waist. Truthfully he couldn't get as angry as he used to with Sasuke, but sometimes he was so, he was so... The thoughts left his frustrated head as his brown-haired teacher carted him off for a bowl or two of ramen. Sasuke smiled widely as the door was once again closed, leaving his brother and himself alone in the dank room. For a moment hearing Naruto yelling and shouting while Iruka pulled him off to the Ichi raku reminded him of a much simpler time, when they lived as they should have been living now, as the kids they were. But it was not uncommon for young ninjas to mature much faster than children raised in more traditional upbringings due to the overwhelming duties and life or death missions. Even so, for a short second, Sasuke was reminded of that time, that is until he turned back to his brother's still body. His chest ached terribly thinking of what his teacher had done for him, Kakashi had given up his own life-so Itachi could live. When he thought about it he knew the caring Jounin would have gladly done that for any of his students or friends. His lately overworked eyes shed more countless tears for Kakashi, for what he had done for his brother. His forehead tiredly fell onto the papery sheets, his teeth clenched together and gritting terribly to hold back the warm, salty trails that were marking his pale skin. Even if he was sure Itachi couldn't hear him, he wanted to talk with his older brother, like most families. "Ita-" he stopped, that was much too formal, "Brother..." he began once again, "I loved Kakashi, he cared for me and protected me like you used to..." his hesitant fingers trailed small shapes over the top of Itachi's hand before grabbing it tightly for support, "You were lucky to have someone like him to care for you, to give up his own life for you..." he muttered, feeling a bit of jealousy well up in the pit of his stomach, knowing Kakashi cared for his brother and not for himself. "He gave up his life so that you could live..." He repeated, thinking perhaps that Kakashi's sacrifice might have been in vein. If he gave up his life to give Itachi a life of his own, then why was he just lying theret evt even moving any longer?! His cheeks reddened, his neck snapping up to stare his elder sibling right in the face. His small hands gathered at Itachi's shoulders, grabbing him angrily and shaking him back and forth, "Wake up! Don't you care that he killed himself for you?!!" His shouts caused his voice to crumble and shake, "Get up, that's what Kakashi would have wanted you to do... Do you not care about him enough to listen to his last wish?" He yelled rhetorically, grabbing his brother's shoulder blades tightly and growling. "Don't you care?" The birds chirped happily, swinging on the long electrical cords that snaked around Konoha's corners and alleyways. They hopped about the poles and stared down upon the magnificent city below them. Naruto stared up at the few birds above the Ichi raku carefully, pushing the noodles in his bowl around a few times, pulling them in small circles, and then untangling them. Truthfully this might have been the first time Iruka volunteered to pay for his entire order that he just didn't have an appetite. "I've never seen you so down that you didn't eat your ramen..." The brown-haired Chuunin joked, slurping some of his own order into his mouth and quieting once again. The sky above their heads was a dismal gray, the clouds even seemed to drip like dark ink blots over the atmosphere, it was a fitting day for such weather. Iruka stared up, watching as the small bluebirds above their heads grew tired of this condition and glided fearlessly into the brighter forest. Iruka's facial expression grew very solemn, his eyes closed and he released the wooden chopsticks from his grip for a second. "The loss of Kakashi is an incredible loss for Konoha." He started, feeling a bit as if he was giving the Jounin's eulogy, "He was a great soldier and a good friend to everyone in the academy." Naruto felt tears trail down his whiskers at the mere thought of his teacher, of the many times he was late and theyld gld go through their usual routine of "Sorry I was late, I was..." and he and Sakura would return a vigorous, "Liar!!" Memories of their first meeting had been swimming through his mind since that day, and only caused further tears to trickle off of his chin. He wiped at them furiously. "... Just wish everything would go back to normal. He would be alive..." The blonde mumbled quietly, continuing to stir his ramen and allowing it to get cold in the frigid, dreary afternoon air. Iruka folded his arms in his lap, staring down at the ground below his feet and feeling as the cold air entrapped his toes, "That might not be for the best. While everyone would be alive, Kakashi would be enduring the torture of not having Itachi by his side and Sasuke would be enduring his mixed feelings for his teacher." He explained, trying as best as he could to convince his former student of how much they had all gone through in the past months. The young fox drudged on, "Yes, but they would all be alive." He finally decided the ho gro growling in his stomach could no longer be ignored and pulled his chopsticks up, guiding the soft noodles into his mouth and slurping them up hungrily. He kicked his feet back and forth, feeling incredibly powerless and weak when he noticed his sandals did not even touch the ground yet. Naruto pulled a fish cake into his lips and chewed, thoughts dancing in his mind, "I wish I could have been the one to die instead of Kakashi, since Sasuke cared so much about him..." His heart palpated heavily just thinking of what pain and agony the youngest Uchiha was experiencing right now. The young teen continued to kick his tanned legs back and forth anxiously, staring at his meal. He stopped suddenly, feeling Iruka's hand touch his own to quiet his shaking knees. Naruto's sky blues eyes trailed upwards to meet the Chuunin's, seeing the wide smile planted on his face and knowing it was somewhat contagious, causing the ends of his lips to curl. "Despite anything Sasuke felt for Kakashi," The scarred instructor spoke softly, leaning in closer to his student, "I'm sure he would not have preferred you to die instead." "Iruka..." Naruto began sheepishly, stirring his now freezing cold soup and poking at the fish cakes and vegetables curiously, "Do you think... I mean, do you know anyone who... who ever... Well, I mean," he stammered, scratching at his own hands, "Do you think it's possible for someone who cared for someone else to... fall in love with another person?" Before he could even finish the question, the dark-haired Chuunin was already positive of what his former student was babbling about. "Yes." He answered simply, sincerely believing it to be true, "I'm sure, I have to believe that, in order to continue living..." A smile came to his bronze-tinted lips, accompanied by a nervous twinge that traveled up his back, he simply hated when the air became quiet and awkward. He let his hand plop down on Naruto's head to interrupt the silence, messing up his blonde locks playfully, "You should get back to Sasuke. I think he really needs you at a time like this." The blonde nodded enthusiastically, "Thanks Iruka!" he chimed happily, wrapping his arms around his teacher's neck and pulling him into a tight hug before hurrying back to the hospital, leaving the Chuunin in his own solitude. Sasuke pulled his right arm under his head, feeling the soreness it still held from the long fight with Kisame nearly a month ago, the long scars along his body still marking that day. His eyelids felt incredibly heavy, and before he knew it, he had drifted off, his hand still holding his brother's protectively, he wanted to make sure even if he was asleep the Anbu vultures wouldn't be able to take him away. He awoke in a vast, seemingly endless area of pitch-black nothingness, taking a few steps and hearing his sandals echo against the cold floor. The young Uchiha rubbed his eyes, figuring it was just an unusual dream until he heard 'his' voice call out to him, "Little brother..." Sasuke turned, looking for the source of the sound desperately. His black hair fell in front of his eyes as he spun around, hearing the words echo all around him. "Little brother..." Again he turned, this time discovering a change in the otherwise black setting, seeing his elder brother kneeling down by a pool of clear blue water. Above his head a magnificent sky blanketed over them, accompanied by long lengths of beautiful clouds. It was incredible scenery he was sure Itachi had created with his own array of illusionary techniques. There were tall trees extending as far as Sasuke could see, leaves on them flailing in the cold breeze that blew past them, a few birds flapping their wings and chirping right down to the last detail. Sasuke walked slowly to his elder sibling's side, feeling the grass under his bare toes, it all felt so realistic, he almost forgot he was dreaming. Gently he sat by Itachi's side, seeing how intently he was staring at the flowing length of river and turning his gaze upon it ell.ell. Curiously he dipped his fingers in the water, feeling the cold rush against his skin. This dream was beginning to become too real, it was becoming a little too intense for him. "Itachi?" His brother didn't answer, his black bangs hung in front of his eyes, though it was obvious his stare hadn't left that calmed stream laid out in front of him. The youngest Uchiha leaned over, letting his head rest on his brother's shoulder lightly before he spoke again, "I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier... I was just so depressed that Kakashi is gone." Itachi's shoulders shivered at the name, his eyes finally strayed away from the water bank, focusing this time on his own hands, which were stained with thick traces of blood, which only seemed to snake further up his pale arms. His crimson eyes moved back to the cold river, seeing the haunting faces of all the Uchiha family members he had viciously butchered, along with the other people he had killed since then. Finally the eldest Uchiha spoke, though his voice was soft, "Before... I could kill anyone without thinking twice about it. If I received orders from the Anbu captain, I would kill without any hesitation. Even when I murdered my own family, my own parents, I wasn't thinking of anything other than measuring my own ability." He quieted, twiddling his own blood-soaked fingers, "But now... Sasuke..." He paused again, the emotions catching in his throat as his younger brother turned to him. "It hurt, didn't it? Loosing your family, loosing all of those close to you..." Sasuke was a little taken back by such a question, he had never thought that the ninja way Itachi had chosen would affect him this negatively. He never knew killing another person could be so difficult, not when he had been taught at the academy that killing among ninja was common. He reached his hand hesitantly over to his brother's body, brushing against Itachi's long black coat and noticing how warm his body was underneath. Everything felt so real, and Sasuke wanted to believe it was. Itachi stared back at him with sincere ruby eyes, looking incredibly intent, "Sasuke, I need you to do something for me..." The dark-haired Genin nodded enthusiastically, glad to do anything to help his brother at this point, "I'll do anything." "Take me to him." Sasuke cocked his head curiously, wondering what he was talking about, hearing the birds chir ove over his head for a few seconds before the environment around them quieted. "Huh? "... Take me to Kakashi." His younger sibling was outraged, "What? Kakashi sacrificed himself so that you could live. I can't throw that away!" he shouted, waving his arms furiously, though he felt nothing but sympathy for Itachi. "I can't let his life go to waste..." A faint whisper, so quiet it was almost overwhelmed by the rolling stream of water by his side. Itachi grabbed Sasuke's shoulders in his hands tightly, facing him with desperation in his eyes, "I can't live without him. It's impossible... Please, Sasuke, just do me this one favor and... kill me." "I don't want to kill my own brother!" The youngest of the Uchiha brothers returned, tears arriving in his stinging eyes at the mere thought of it. Itachi focused on the water, seeing the blurred faces of the Uchiha clan, his own family, that he had killed brutally. His brother joined him quietly, staring into the depthless length of water, seeing his mother and father, still side by side, as they had been when they died. "Was the burden really that heavy?" Sasuke mumbled, catching Itachi's attention, "Carrying them all on your shoulders for so long..." "Kakashi knew that, but he cn't n't watch me die. That's just the sort of person he was to give up his life so easily for mine." Sasuke focused on his mother's face, seeing the care and kindness in her cold, dead eyes, the care she used to direct at him and his brother whenever they were feeling down. He touched his forehead and recalled the many kisses she had planted there before he went to sleep every night, a slight blush coming to his pale cheeks at the thought. Finally, after a long time of silence from the two of them, the young boy spoke up, still staring though his mother's delicate black eyes, "Wake me up." Itachi obliged, the illusion he had created fading into the once black background it had been, the sky pulling back, the trees disappearing seemingly into thin air, and the water evaporating into the air. Sasuke stood taking only a few steps out of the black abyss before he woke up in the dismal hospital room. His vision was hazy for a second or two before his dark eyes focused, seeing his brother's lifeless body, noticing his brother's hand was covering his own. Sasuke's heart pounded. He had never killed anyone before; he had never even come close to finishing someone off like this. His hands shook nervously, the blood pumping in his veins. It should be easy to kill someone off without concern, he had learned at least fifty ways to murder at the academy, but putting them to practice was a completely different matter. He gritted his teeth, looking over at the cord connected to the machine that caused his brother's heart to palpitate on its own. He had said it himself earlier, that without it, Itachi could not survive. The words seemed to hold a completely different meaning now. His eyes filled with tears, streaming down his cheeks and into his collar. Was this the right thing to do? Could he do it? His fingers touched the cord carefully, the young Uchiha biting his lip. "Is this the right thing for me to do...?" he asked, his breathing labored. Itachi's body had not moved in weeks, and yet, Sasuke felt his brother's cold hand strengthen in his own, holding his tightly in his grasp. Sasuke grabbed the cord, and pulled it. Naruto hummed, sliding his hands into his pockets and letting out a groan. He kind of felt awkward walking back to Sasuke after what he admitted; there was a strange air in the hallway on the walk over, that was for sure. His toes twitched, his ankles felt weak, but he was determined not to turn back. That was 'his ninja way.' He scratched at his de sde scalp, stepping on the squeaky hospital floors and hearing nothing but the sounds of his own breaths, and the soft voices of the doctors and nurses around him, that is-until he heard the scream. The loud sound radiated down the halls and captured the attention of everyone around him. It was a low, male voice, and it... it almost sounded like Sasuke! His pearl blue eyes narrowed as he sprinted down to Itachi's hospital room, worried, no panicked that something had perhaps happened to the two of them. Damn, he knew he shouldn't have left him there alone. Dammit, dammit, dammit. Why was it taking so long for his slow, stubby legs to get there?! His heart pounded, nearly jumping out of his chest and doing the Charleston on the floor. Finally he arrived, grabbing the doorknob and swinging it open desperately. "Sasuke?! Are you okay??" He shouted, seeing his best friend had fallen over on the ground, his pale hands were covering his weeping eyes. "What's wrong?! What's wrong?! What's wrong!!" The blonde continued to repeat, his own nerves could not calm yet without knowing for sure that they were both safe. Blood boiled in his face, causing his normally tanned skin to have a rose tint, a vein in his neck bulging. He breathed loudly, "Sasuke, talk to me!" he begged, having to shout over the loud crying the Uchiha was accompanying him with. Sasuke tried to calm himself, though he still could not help the tears that came to his blank black eyes, "It's over." Naruto tilted his head, that was certainly like Sasuke to avoid telling him what had happened and instead spout out some nonsensical blurb that only he himself could understand. His mind was racing a mile a minute, searching the room for anything out of place until he finally realized something. When they both had quieted, the room was completely silent. The machine that had been forcibly pumping blood into Itachi's heart... had been silenced. Itachi himself... had beenenceenced. The blonde's reaction caught as an inward breath in his throat, causing him to cough softly. The whiskered fox turned back to his best friend, already having figured out what had happened, and knowing how much Sasuke needed him right now. His arms wrapped around the Uchiha's shoulders, pulling him closer and holding his warm body. A shiver ran up his spine, '... So he killed him so they could be together... It must have hurt him to kill his own brother...' simply thinking of it caused him to shudder and pull Sasuke closer to him, knowing he needed all the comfort he could get right now. "Shh... shh..." Naruto cooed, rubbing the Uchiha's back softly, leaning over to kiss him on the forehead over and over to remind him he was there, by his side. "Sasuke..." He mumbled, pulling the weeping mess that was the young Uchiha forward so their chests touched, feeling his heart pump gently against his own. "You did what was right... They're both together now, Sasuke... You made them happy." He assured him, thouis wis words were probably not enough to soothe his best friend. Sasuke nodded slowly; staring off into the long distance behind the blonde and whispering softly in his ear, "Don't let go of me." Naruto nodded vigorously, "I won't." ~+++~ Hm, that's how it was five years ago now that it happened, not that we were able to forget it so easily. It was an event that changed our lives, that was for sure, and maybe the lives of those around us. But we managed to move on, as one does when any tragedy hits their life. We're both around the age of 17 now, actually, Sasuke's birthday is in a few days, he'll be eighteen. Argh, I still have to figure out something to get him!! Anyway, back to the subject... It was hard for him after Itachi's death, to loose his brother and the last bit of his family at the same time, within the same timeframe of ing ing Kakashi, who he really cared for. I felt a little jealous of the feelings he had for him, but now I know it was a little immature to want him to myself so badly. Ahh, so it's morning already. I couldn't sleep last night, my mind was plagued with thoughts, I hadn't even noticed that day had broken until those annoying birds outside started yapping. My bed was so soft and comfortable; it was nearly impossible to peel out of it, though I knew I had too. I stammered to the mirror, scratching at my pajama top and looking at the doggie nightcap that covered my wild blonde hair. Most people would have grown out of it by my age, but 'he' thought it was cute, so I didn't want to risk taking it off. After changing into my nl cll clothes and greeting the warm morning outside, I decided to take a walk. There was hardly any signs left in the lively town that we had been attacked not lon long ago, everything seemed to return to the way it was before the war. It was amazing how Konoha survived so well for all they had been put through. I suppose the story Iruka told me was right; all the people of this town have a 'soul of fire.' It was a nice day, the sun was shining, the clouds wandered the sky but they didn't try to take away from the radiating light above, even the people seemed lively. Everyone I passed on my way was grinning widely, so I smiled back, glad to see the villagers smiling at me, as it was a much pleasant change from the glares they gave me during childhood. I crossed my arms behind my head and continued on my way, a smirk nearly plastered on my face. "Hi Shuri..." I said, waving my hand enthusiastically over to the local grocery worker and smiling at his daughter. I don't know why but she always blushes when she's around me. I put the thought out of my head. It was nice to see the rest of Konoha was in a good mood, but truthfully there was only one smiling face I wanted to see today. I hoped he was in a good mood; some days with him were more like torture... Ah, ah! That's not what I meant, I meant, some days he's in a bad mood, but any time I spent with him is enjoyable... (Most of the time) Ah! There's Sakura. I sprinted over, seeing she had her nose buried in a book again. Ever since she discovered about... me and Sasuke, she gave up her search for love and decided to improve her ninja skills. And she's getting really talented too! Though her and Ino compete like Gai and Kakashi used to. Last I heard the score was even at 62-62. I waved her over, his whiskers curling into a smile, "Hey, Sakura!" I called. She had barely noticed me, but I made sure everyone I spoke with noticed me, that was just one of my good traits. She finally turned to me, a smile not-quite-equal to mine on her lips. "How are you, Sakura?" I asked, shoving my hands in my pockets and wobbling back and forth on the balls and heels of my feet. Sakura tossed her short pink hair behind her shoulders with a grin, her green eyes fluttering a few times, "I've been doing a lot of studying lately. I think the next tie-breaker between Ino and I is going to be an easy win..." she said, almost guaranteeing it to me. I have to say, even if she was more enthusiastic and determined, her recent competitive streak was a little bone chilling. It seems she knew why I had pu her her over, as she had a nervous smile on her face, a slight blush in her cheeks, "You're always such a nice guy, Naruto." She mumbled, finally slamming her book closed and looking me directly in the eyes, "Even though I'm a little disappointed, I knew from the moment we all met that he had eyes for someone else. He always looked out for you for than me, and his eyes were always focused on you." It was hard to receive all this welcome praise, I wasn't used to it, and I always knew it made my entire face turn beet-red, "Stop, you're embarrassing me..." I begged, scratching at my blonde hair impatiently before my blue eyes met with her green orbs again, "Oh! I'm going to see him. You wanna' come?" I decided I should ask, she was probably planning a party out for his birthday anyway, she probably needed to ask him a few questions. "No, that's okay..." Sakura insisted, with her usual charm. I let out a laugh, "Geez, his birthday's in a few days..." I mumbled to myself, wondering if she perhaps had any good ideas on what to get for him. I hoped she would, I was getting desperate here. I mean, what does Uchiha Sasuke like anyway-besides weapons and tea... "It is?" I nearly fell over, though it was a good feeling to know she was not still obsessing over him, that he and I could go out together without feeling guilty for how we may have been hurting her. I pulled at the long whiskers on my cheeks and smiled, "Well, I'll see you later!" I'm not sure she heard me; she had once again buried her face into that Ninja Arts book of hers. Oh well. It was a long walk to the Uchiha home, it was nearly on the outskirts of town, but it was always well worth the trip. The early morning light poured down upon the enormous residence, panning through open windows and seeping in through the cracks of the home. I remember seeing many people out and about in this area when I was younger; I suppose I should have figured out what happened when they all vanished. All that was left were the solitary Uchiha symbols that flapped back and forth in the wind. It used to be a proud symbol. Well, it wasll all a proud symbol. I pulled back the long Uchiha cloth hangings, ing ing them in my hand for a minute. They felt so cold and lonely. I wish that stubborn brat would finally take up my offer of moving in with me instead of inhabiting an empty house. A blush ran to my cheeks, I would enjoy living with him. I made my way to the front door, knocking softly on it and waiting for him to answer. Hm, it was taking a while, maybe he was still sleeping, or maybe he was just slow because of 'that.' ... Oh! Here he comes, I could hear his footsteps. I smiled in anticipation, brushing back my blonde hair and straightening my clothing. Sasuke pulled the door open slowly, his black eyes staring above my head, though he soon pulled his face down to my eyvel.vel. He had grown in the five years since then, his hair was longer, the back was tied in a very short ponytail, and even though he seemed to be aging like Itachi, he was definitely still Sasuke to me. It took a few seconds but eventually a smile came to his pale lips. Ah, it was so nice to see him smile once in a while. "Hi Naruto." I blushed; he always found some way to amaze me. Five years ago, having to kill his own brother became so traumatic that he slowly lost his vision. He was completely blind now, but he always knew when I was smiling. I spoke softly, really wanting to push that bastard back into his bedroom and not let him out four hours. But I had other things to attend to... "Sasuke, I was going to go out today. I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me to visit them..." I mumbled, a little embarrassed about these emotional moments of awkward silence. End it, dammit. End the silence, Sasuke... He grinned back at me, "I was just waiting for you sk msk me." Damn him, he always knew exactly what to say to make me want to melt away in his arms. I let out a long sigh and held my hand out to him, grabbing his hale fingers in my own. He always felt so warm. We walked to the cemetery, hand-in-hand, no words passing between us. Most would have considered it an uncomfortable moment, but he and I were smiling the whole way. There was no need for words. When we reached the graves that read 'Hatake Kakashi' and 'Uchiha Itachi' I stopped him, whispering softly into his ear that we had arrived. He waved me off like an annoyance and knelt down, touching the cold stone of their graves with his fingers, tracing the carved names carefully, a smile on his face. It was convenient and also telling that their graves had been put side by side. Normally they would have never buried a traitor with such honor, placing him in the cemetery for Konoha's heroes, but we had swayed Tsunade again those five years ago. She really was the 'Legendary Sucker.' After he had traced out the entirety of their names he reached into his back pocket. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was doing for a while before he pulled out a small slip of paper. "I still have it, from that day." It was the note Itachi had written to Sasuke before he died, the note that told us both about his... execution. The edges were torn and the paper had yellowed, but I knew I could recognize it any day. Sasuke's voice lowered, "Though I can't read it." I plopped down by his side caringly; leaning on his shoulder and placing a feathery kiss on his chin, "Want me to read it?" He didn't answer, so I plucked it out of my hand, letting out a cough before I started with the first line: "'Sasuke, tingting you know of what is to come, I will be executed tomorrow morning. Validate your existence, Sasuke, and Everyday live only for yourself. Forget the clan and the Uchiha symbol On your back. Remember your true friends and cherish them. As for Me, I'm sorry I could not be a better brother to you. Every time I wanted to say it I couldn't-I love you, little brother.'" I looked at it over and over again, reading the words back to myself silently and turning the paper around. "There's something strange about this note. Does Itachi always write this poetically?" I questioned, knowing he cared less about that right now, and more about covering up the obvious tears that had come to his blank eyes. "How should I know...?" Sasuke returned angrily, trying to wipe away the signs of weakness before any passers-by could see him. He touched the grass under his knees softly, reaching outwards to the cold stone again as I continued to strain my brain, trying to figure out what was so 'weird' about this note. I turned it to the side carefully, thinking the yellow paper might dissolve in my hands, "Hey this is weird... The first letter of each line..." I peered at it again, making sure I was right. Sasuke, who apparently never noticed the awkward wording, cocked his head curiously, looking over at the voice next to him. "If you read the first letter of each line, it spells out something... L-I-V-E-F-O-R-M-E." I scratched my neck, reading it out-loud a few times before I understood. "Oh! It says 'live for me.'" I stopped, hearing the Uchiha next to me start whimpering; actually it was a far-gone attempt to choke back his own tears. He covered his leaking eyes with his hands, shaking a little as I wrapped my arms around him. I made sure every minute of every day Sasuke didn't know he was alone. I had decided a long time ago it was my mission in life. I pulled him into a tight hug, hearing him let out a positively breath-takingly low moan. "Since I can't hug the two of them, I guess I'll settle for the dumb ass." Sasuke said with a sarcastic grin. I wanted to smack him, but when I opened my mouth to yell, that bastard kissed me. Again, I would be angry if I could have remembered... why I was... angry... or even... what my... name was... I closed my eyes before reaching up to cradle his jaw line in my hands, my calloused, rough fingers running over the silkiest skin I had ever touched in my life. He wrapped his arms around my neck, and we continued to kiss under the bright sky. At that moment I promised to myself that I would make sure we would never be apart, to make sure the two of us would be together forever, so that when the two of us died, our graves would be side by side too. Though two leaves had fallen, a flower budded where they had landed. ~+++~ The End. Yes, it's over. I never thought it would happen, but it's finally OVER! Oh thank god... Well, I guess this means I should start working on the other fics I'm delved into >.>;;; Or, I could take a vacation for at least a week. Haha... Please review... even if you're lazy like me and you read the whole thing without giving me a word, review the end XD please. Anyway, I hope everyone liked this fic. I spent much of the school year and a majority of my summer writing this, (which explains some of my grades XDDD) I really hope the ending was good, cause it took me a while to decide how I wanted it to end. Sasuke's blind >.< But oh well he and Naruto are happy ^^. My next few fic ideas are mostly SasuNaru, but theres a KibaAka in there I want to get to XD It's not beastiality so don't worry. Maybe I'll write a ShiIta, cause Shisui is such an unappreciated Uchiha... Okay, I think I'm rambling now. Thanks for putting up with this, and Fanfiction.net kicking this fic (three times), and kicking me (six times), and all the crappy downtime on Adultfanfiction.net. ^^ Arigatou Gozaimasu yo. PS: Chibi blind Sasuke says 'review puweese.'