Dance With the Devil

Authors: KeairaxSeiaa & Wasurenaikara

Title: Dance with the Devil

Warnings: Boy-love, brotherly love, spoilers up to the recent manga chapters involving the Uchiha, non-con, angst.

Rating: NC-17 (This chapter is also not worksafe.)

Characters: Primarily Sasuke and Itachi.

Pairings: Mmm, ItaSasu.

Summary: Itachi is captured by Danzou and scheduled to be executed. Unable to handle the idea of his revenge being stolen from him, Sasuke confronts his brother and stumbles upon a great deal more than he bargained for. This is a story of hope and despair, of being beyond redemption and knowing you can never go home again.

Chapter Three: Harder to Find What's Right

Downstairs, Itachi was midway through burning breakfast when Sasuke arrived, mood rather unhappy. He wasn't used to this sort of thing, and sheer stubbornness (an Uchiha gene to be sure) prevented him from conjuring an immaculate breakfast for them in lieu of cooking. In Akatsuki, Kisame had this alarming tendency to eat things raw, which upset Itachi's slightly delicate constitution, so Itachi was accustomed to eating primarily take-out and packaged foods, far, far away from his partner should Kisame be catching his own dinner.

Cooking... was really a lot harder than it looked. And standing in this kitchen, failing at this so miserably, well...

Just because Itachi had killed her didn't mean that he didn't miss his mother sometimes. He didn't think he had much of a right to, but he did.

Sasuke stepped into the kitchen, feeling somewhat better. He'd had a hot shower, which had mainly consisted of a few bouts of choked sobs and lots and lots of scrubbing. But he'd also taken the time to gather his thoughts and set a new goal for himself.

Itachi was dying; that was his main goal gone. After what had just happened, he'd felt... lost. But there was something else he wanted: information. He wanted to know what was being hidden from him.

As long as he had a goal, he could make it through this. It had gotten him through his clan's death all those years ago, and it would get him through this, now.

He didn't once glance at Itachi as he limped over to the table and gingerly sat down. "You're burning it," he said calmly, the only acknowledgment he intended to give his brother.

"I couldn't tell," Itachi grumbled flatly in response, sounding much more like an older brother than usual as he finally gave up and tossed the entire pan into the sink. "Fine, we'll just have leftovers." Pride thoroughly wounded, Itachi pulled open the fridge and pulled out a few plastic-wrapped items that made up an traditional Japanese breakfast, the sort that Fugaku had always insisted upon in the morning no matter how many faces his sons made at it. Somehow, Itachi missed this sort of thing now.

Sasuke watched his brother carry the food to the table, squashing the nostalgic feeling that tried to bubble up within him. Instead, he focused on his goal.

"You know," he murmured, lowering his gaze to focus down on the table. "I was thinking how strange it was, that ANBU guards had been posted outside my apartment when you were brought into the village. And you, yourself, told me not to get caught in your cell. I wonder what Danzou would think if he found out I'd spoken with you."

One of the plates Itachi was moving to the table abruptly slipped out of his hands as he stiffened at Sasuke's words, guard momentarily completely shattered. His eyes went wide, mouth falling open as a wave of nothing short of panic flooded through him.

"What are you trying to say?" Itachi demanded, voice whispered to hide the terror in him that he was entirely unwilling to show.

"That there was something he didn't want me to know, and thought I might find out from you," Sasuke responded, feeling a rush of triumph at Itachi's reaction. "Maybe if I let him know that I've already spoken with you..." he trailed off, then, lifting his head to watch for Itachi's reaction.

"You'll die," Itachi answered flatly, voice cold as his expression shuttered off. Itachi had to force down the fear in his heart, force away the sudden impulse to be ill that he and all parties involved had been careless enough to let Sasuke get this far into something that Itachi had destroyed himself to keep Sasuke out of.

"So says you," Sasuke snapped, his expression going cold, as well as he looked up at his brother. "But you haven't given me a single reason to believe anything you say. Maybe I'll have more luck finding out the truth with Danzou."

"Fine, tell me what good the truth will do you, Sasuke," Itachi sighed as he sat down at the table to eat, rather certain that Danzou would not be providing him the courtesy of a real last meal. At least he couldn't complain for the company, disagreeable as he was. "Even if you knew everything, everyone will still be dead. I will still be executed. You will still be thirteen and you will still have nothing. Have you simply become addicted to opening your old wounds?"

Sasuke slammed his fist angrily down on the table. "I have a right to know!" he yelled, losing his temper. "Stop treating me like a child! You're the one who's forced me to be an adult, you can't take that back!" He stopped, then, and closed his eyes, taking a slow breath before he continued. "Unless you tell me, I'll go talk to Danzou. I will. But if you're willing to consider other options, I have an... offer."

It was a stretch. He had no proof that Itachi would even have any interest in what he was offering. But it was worth a try. And if it was going to happen again, which he could only assume it was, then it might as well be on his own terms.

"Of what...?" Itachi sighed, completely unsuspecting as he massaged his temples lightly and poked disinterestedly at his breakfast, wondering when Sasuke had gotten so good at arguing with him. Sasuke's words stung, likely because they were entirely true. If it was on fairness alone, Itachi would have told Sasuke in a heartbeat. But... Sasuke could easily get himself killed with that kind of knowledge. There was no way Itachi could ever tell. Not that Sasuke would believe him even if he did.

The threat of Sasuke running to Danzou still unsettled him, above all else. Danzou was practically looking for a reason to tie up all his loose ends. As soon as he could justify killing Sasuke to the other elders, to Tsunade, it was over. Itachi couldn't even be sure that Danzou wouldn't throw Sauke into ANBU and hope he never came out again. And now here was Sasuke, trying to put himself on the radar.

It was a moment before Sasuke could say the words. But he steeled himself and looked across the table at his brother, feigning confidence. "If you swear to tell me everything afterward, I'll have sex with you and pretend I want it. And I'll never speak to Danzou."

"...pretend you want it," Itachi echoed a little disbelievingly, eyes widening at the very thought. The amount to which his resolve was wavering was very nearly visible as he set his hands in his lap to hide their shaking.

"You want the truth of what happened to be pillow talk...?" Itachi laughed then, sounding almost a little hysterical as he pressed his hand against his face, shaking his head slowly. He gave it another moment's thought. Sasuke already knew enough to be in danger. If Itachi could get him to promise to lie low, then... Itachi could have a few moments of comfort before his execution, pretend that his life had not gone as wrong as it had. Sasuke could be safe, no matter whether or not he believed a single word Itachi said.

Everything just might turn out... okay.

"...fine," he sighed, shaking his head wearily. "But I'm adding to the agreement. You never speak to Danzou, and you never rank higher than Chuunin in the village. You forget you were ever related to me or the clan. Hell, take the last name of the girl you marry, your best friend, your sensei. Just cut your ties with the Uchiha. There's nothing left to hold on to. And as soon as my Tsukiyomi ends, you turn and you walk away from me, crawl back into your bed, and pretend you were never here. Understand me?"

Sasuke hesitated. Itachi was asking him to give up not only his dream of reviving the Uchiha, but also the opportunity to advance as a ninja. But then, he didn't need the Uchiha name to pass on his genes, and those were what mattered. He could pass on the Sharingan whether his children bore the name 'Uchiha' or not. And he knew he had the potential to be a powerful ninja - he already surpassed most of the Chuunin in their village. He would be a great ninja no matter his ranking.

"...Fine," he agreed after a moment, almost exactly as Itachi had just before giving his conditions.

Itachi hesitated once more, wondering if Sasuke intended to keep his promises at all. Once Itachi was dead, there would be no one to make sure Sasuke kept his word, but... Smiling a little tiredly, Itachi nodded at Sasuke, deciding to believe in his little brother and all that they once had just this one time.

"Let's swear on it, then," Itachi murmured, holding out his hand for Sasuke's. "I will tell you the truth, and you will uphold everything you've promised me."

Sasuke paused, staring at Itachi's hand. This, somehow, felt so much more final. He had no problem breaking a promise to Itachi under normal conditions, but when Itachi smiled like he just had - a real smile, tired as it was - he wasn't so sure.

Still, he had to do it. So he lifted his hand and took Itachi's, swallowing thickly as he shook his brother's hand, the handshake more firm than he felt. "Deal."

"I get to collect from you before I tell, don't I?" Itachi asked after he had shook Sasuke's hand, though he did not yet let go. "Probably for the best," he added quietly as an afterthought. "I'm not sure you won't be too repulsed to go through with it after."

Sasuke frowned at that, not quite sure how to take it. He really wasn't sure what Itachi could have done that he thought Sasuke would dislike him even more than he already did. It almost gave him second thoughts about the whole thing.

But he'd made up his mind, and they'd already made the deal. He would go through with this, if only so that the truth of his clan didn't die with Itachi. No matter what it was, he had a right and responsibility to know.

"Yeah. You can... collect before you tell me."

"Come here then," Itachi requested quietly, tugging on Sasuke's hand without really pulling. "Be... be my baby brother again, for a little while." It felt sick to ask, especially with what intentions he had, but he was a dying man and it was all that was left in the world that he wanted. And Sasuke had offered, willingly this time.

Not to mention it wasn't as though Itachi was so far past salvation that it was laughable he even continued to hold onto things like remorse and guilt and conscience.

Sasuke hesitated, not having expected this from Itachi. He'd expected his brother to want to fuck him, not to want... What was going on? The Itachi Sasuke knew had no desire to have a little brother.

Still, he'd made a deal. So Sasuke slid out of his seat and moved around the table, keeping his hand in Itachi's and looking down at his brother for a moment before setting himself gingerly in Itachi's lap.

It felt both very wrong and very right at the same time.

Sighing quietly, Itachi shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around Sasuke, cradling him close. It took him several tries to get the placement of his arms just right, as Sasuke was much bigger than he was in Itachi's memory, but he managed to find a position that felt comfortable and at home to him. Smiling to have found it, Itachi pressed his cheek against Sasuke's hair and simply... sat there for a while, letting all the pain of all the years soak out of him.

It felt a little bit like being reborn, and he could not help the few tears that escaped him, falling quietly into Sasuke's hair and against his neck.

Soon, fairly soon, probably, Itachi should stop this and do the things Sasuke expected of him, the things he wanted to try with Sasuke willing, even if it was all pretense. Soon. Surely.

Right now, though... he just wanted to sit like this for a little longer.

If someone like him was ever allowed into a place like Heaven, Itachi imagined that it would not be anything spectacular. Just this. A quiet house, and the feeling that he wasn't alone.

Sasuke was shocked to feel Itachi's tears, cold and wet in his hair and against his skin. Itachi didn't cry. Itachi had no reason to cry, because he had no conscience, no love or warmth whatsoever. But it was happening. It had to be another trick...

But it didn't feel like a trick. His brother was holding him so carefully, like he was the most precious thing in the world...

When Sasuke linked his fingers with his brother's and squeezed gently, he told himself it was because he had made a promise to his brother. He was simply fulfilling that, nothing more.

That small gesture, no matter how insignificant it may have looked or seemed, meant the world to Itachi and he weakly squeezed back, so grateful for this chance that he could barely find the voice to speak. Catching two fingers under Sasuke's chin, he gently turned Sasuke's head to face him, no trace of last night's violence in any of his actions. It was almost as though he was an entirely different person.

"Kiss me...?" Itachi requested softly, hand moving to thread through Sasuke's hair.

Sasuke had to take a slow breath to steady himself, memories of the night before assaulting him - Itachi's mouth crushed against his, hard enough to bruise, his hands all over him, a kunai cutting off his clothes, the pillow against his face as Itachi--

No. That was over. He was doing this willingly, this time, on his own terms. He leaned up and pressed his lips to Itachi's, lifting his free hand to cup his brother's cheek. "Mm..."

Their kiss left Itachi a little breathless and, looking embarrassed, Itachi sat back a little and made a noise that sounded suspiciously like desperately stifled laughter. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so happy, so... free. Liberated from the cage he had been born into.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that, otouto...?"

Sasuke flushed, annoyed by Itachi's laughter. And what the hell was that question supposed to mean? Was it a compliment, or was he making fun of him. He pulled back a little to scowl up at his brother. He was supposed to act as if he wanted Itachi, but there was no amount of desire in the world that could make him less pissy. He just wouldn't be himself. "Well, if you don't like it, I could always not do it. And what the hell is that supposed to mean, anyway? The only people I've kissed are you and--"

He cut himself off before he could finish, eyes widening at what he had almost said. That did not count as a kiss!

"And...?" Itachi prompted, sounding perhaps a little bit jealous as he reached out and ruffled Sasuke's hair a little roughly. "It was a compliment, at any rate. At least you picked up on kissing faster than you picked up on kunai throwing. My little brother isn't helpless after all! That's a breath of relief..."

Sasuke's scowl deepened as he pushed at Itachi's hand, firmly of the belief that he was far too old to have his hair ruffled. ...Especially by the ruthless killer of his family. "I picked up kunai throwing just fine! I was top of my class. And has it occurred to you that I might have picked it up even faster if the so-called genius of my family had bothered to help me more?"

"Do you think I had an older brother to help me, or that our dedicated, nurturing father ever had time to spare me either?" Itachi shot back, unable to express how impossibly good it felt to talk to Sasuke like this, like nothing was wrong and had never been. Then he had the decency to look a little guilty, remembering the circumstances then that had led to his gross neglect of his brother. He had wanted to train him, honestly. But his hands had been tied. Still were, actually. Now a little bit more literally than then.

"I wish--" he began, then stopped himself before he blurted out his useless thoughts. What use was wishing that he could make it up to Sasuke now? Sasuke was perfectly capable as a shinobi in his own right now, and beyond that, Itachi was a felon about to be executed. This place, this game of pretend... it was all beginning to get to his head.

"Top of your class, you said?" Itachi picked up on instead, diverting the subject. "That's good to hear. I always knew you had it in you."

Sasuke wondered, briefly, what it was his brother had been about to say. He hadn't heard Itachi speak this way since the massacre, and his brother had briefly sounded so... wistful. But Sasuke pushed the thought away, refusing to believe that Itachi regretted not training him as he had once wished him to.

The praise was unexpected, as well, and Sasuke was forced to conclude that this was all some kind of act to set some sort of... mood that related to their childhoods for perverted purposes. "...Thank you," he said slowly. "But it's not that big of an achievement. I didn't graduate early or anything."

"Probably for the best. You had to grow up fast enough as it was without getting shipped out to foreign countries," Itachi dismissed, unable to keep from sounding slightly bitter. Then he let it go, sighing heavily before he smiled again, deciding it was time he lived up to Sasuke's expectations.

"Back to my bedroom, then...? Or... Any requests? This is my world, after all."

The panic was back for a moment, but Sasuke firmly reminded himself that this was his own choice, on his own terms. He hated that after last night, he felt like some part of him had been irreparably changed - that one wrong move or gesture from his brother could send him into a panic, where before it would have merely infuriated him. Fury was much more respectable, in his opinion, than irrational panic.

"Yeah." Sasuke slid out of Itachi's lap, waiting for his brother. "Your bedroom is fine." He thought, at first, that it might be easier to do it somewhere else, but he didn't want to associate that with any other part of his family home. He didn't want to walk through it later, years after Itachi was dead, and remember where he'd had sex with his brother.

Nodding, Itachi stood and took Sasuke's hand, leading him back in the direction they had come. As badly as he wanted this, he was surprised to find that he was barely thinking about the sex that was to come at all. His mind was filled with, instead, how he was going to tell Sasuke the truth, how to phrase it, what to explain. It was going to be hard, but... He had done this to them. If he had done it, he could certainly talk about it, and it clearly meant enough to Sasuke that there was nothing his brother wouldn't do for it.

Shutting the bedroom door behind them, Itachi released Sasuke's hand and gestured to the bed. "Sit down. You can undress yourself if you'd prefer," he instructed as he reached behind him to pull the tie out of his hair.

Sasuke nodded, distantly watching Itachi's hair fall over his shoulders. He moved over to the bed and sat down as Itachi had told him to, then reached down to tug his shirt over his head. "You seem distracted," he pointed out, for lack of anything else to say to break the tension as he stripped himself.

"You're asking me a very big question," Itachi answered with a heavy sigh, then offered Sasuke a quiet sort of smile as he stepped closer to the bed. "Even a genius like your aniki needs to think over something like that." Then, noticing that Sasuke was rather desperate for a distraction from what he was doing, Itachi shook out his hair and pulled his own shirt off as well to put them on... more level ground. So that they were partners in this, this time. Itachi had already proven well enough that Sasuke was his, so he did not feel the need to reassert that fact by forcing Sasuke to get undressed alone.

Sasuke was surprised when Itachi's removal of his shirt actually calmed him instead of sending him into another panic. He wasn't even sure why, exactly, just that somehow it felt better.

"Hn. You're full of yourself," he said, continuing their conversation as he leaned back and pushed his pants down his hips.

"And who helped me get that way?" Itachi challenged, crossing his arms over his chest briefly. It was difficult to tell whether or not he was teasing, but he did appear to be having a time with holding his frown in place. "Thanks to your mouth running off at school, I had a fanclub. Of eight year olds, no less."

Sasuke couldn't help a very slight smile at that. "See? I was getting revenge, even back then. Now who's the genius?" He kicked his pants off, letting them fall to the floor, then tossed his boxers after them. That done, he remained on the bed, now completely nude, his eyes not quite meeting Itachi's.

"So you're psychic in addition to an avenger," Itachi sighed rather fondly, smiling a little helplessly as well. "Now who's full of himself?" Sasuke honestly was practically perfect as far as siblings went. Now if only life had allowed them to enjoy that fact at all.

Smile faltering a little at that thought, Itachi shook it away and finished undressing himself before he joined Sasuke on the bed.

It was only after a few moments that Sasuke glanced over at his brother. He'd been avoiding looking at the older boy once he'd started taking his clothes off. He hated that Itachi was attractive. It would be so, so much easier to hate this if he were ugly.

But he wasn't. Itachi wouldn't be so goddamn perfect if he weren't good-looking, too. Even before the massacre, people had started noticing. Itachi had been the strong one, the talented one, and the good-looking one.

Itachi's perfection had only made Sasuke hate him more, after he'd left.

"Still you," he answered.

"Fair enough," Itachi sighed, shrugging his defeat as he leaned in to kiss Sasuke. The hunger was still there, insatiable as ever, but he was much more careful with it. He cupped Sasuke's cheek with one hand, his free arm winding slowly around Sasuke's waist.

"Does it still hurt from last night...?" he asked quietly when he briefly broke the kiss, the hand that was on Sasuke's cheek stroking through his hair.

Sasuke averted his gaze, trying to force his muscles to relax, one fist clenched tight as if around a kunai. After a few moments, he was able to relax enough to lift one hand and hold on to Itachi's bare shoulder.

"Not bad," he answered. He was a ninja, he dealt with pain on a regular basis. Granted, this was a different kind of pain, but not something he couldn't endure.

Nodding at Sasuke's answer, Itachi hesitated a moment to think before he smiled a pained little smile and brushed his lips over Sasuke's again, savoring the feeling.

"Tell me... Would this be easier for you if it you enjoyed it...? Or would it be easier for you if it hurt again? I could show you pleasure, beyond imagining, but... Which would you rather?" he went on to ask quietly.

Sasuke looked up at Itachi in surprise, honestly not having expected that. "...Today I want you," he whispered after a moment. This was the agreement they'd made. "I'll enjoy whatever you give me."

Itachi was able to smile again then, touching their foreheads together as he stroked Sasuke's cheek with the back of his hand. It felt good, just then, to be a condemned man. Just for today, Sasuke wanted him. Today was all he had left. And so... He could afford to pretend that Sasuke would want him for the rest of his life.

"A man of honor, aren't you?" he murmured, almost glowing with pride. It was a terrible thing to feel, because everything Sasuke had become had so very little to do with him. Everything that was wrong with Sasuke was his fault entirely, but all the good things... That was someone else's doing. It was wrong of him to take pride in that, but he did. When all was said and done, Sasuke was still his brother.

"You must get it from our mother," he added a little bitingly, sounding a little as though he was only speaking to himself. Then he shook all the thoughts away and gently pushed Sasuke back against the sheets.

Sasuke fell back against the bed, frowning at Itachi's last comment. Why would Itachi hold a grudge against their father? Hadn't he liked Itachi best of all? If anything, a grudge against Mikoto seemed to make more sense - she'd shown Sasuke more of her attention, though probably only to undercut their father's favoritism.

He shook those thoughts off, though, and tried to focus on the here and now. He looked up at his brother, dark eyes framed by black bangs. "Mm..."

Climbing over Sasuke, Itachi leaned down for another kiss, bringing them close enough that their chests pressed together for the first time, skin on skin. It was a feeling that Itachi savored, the closeness of it, the comfort of another person. It made Sasuke more than just another partner. It made him a lover to Itachi, and that distinction meant the world to him.

Sasuke couldn't help the shudder that went through his body. If he closed his eyes, this could almost be someone else over him, touching him... but he had promised to want Itachi. And, somehow, opening his eyes just slightly and seeing his brother's face, no trace of the Sharingan, didn't disgust him. He wanted to hate himself for that, but this was what he was supposed to be doing, anyway, so instead he let it happen for the moment. He slid an arm around Itachi's neck and moaned softly, as if he'd been aching for this, this closeness with his brother, all his life.

Maybe he had.

That sound fueled Itachi's desire, making it ache within him more deeply and sharply than he had ever known. He shivered, shutting his eyes momentarily as he kissed the corner of Sasuke's mouth affectionately, brushed kisses all along his jaw and down the line of his throat. He lingered over the artery that was there, feeling Sasuke's pulse course beneath his lips, and nipped lightly. To be permitted to get so close to a place on the body every ninja of every age knew to guard closely gave him a stronger sense of belief in the illusion they were making.

One hand slid down Sasuke's side, fingers mapping out Sasuke's body, memorizing every dip and curve, every spot of sensitivity. His other hand slipped between their bodies, between Sasuke's legs to very carefully handle him, his touch patient and attentive.

Another soft noise left Sasuke's lips, this time completely by accident. His hips arched off of the bed and into Itachi's touch, the arm around his brother's neck becoming less forced and more desperate as his fingers found Itachi's dark hair and curled into the silky strands.

"...Itachi..." he managed, voice breathless.

"Otouto..." Itachi murmured back, nuzzling Sasuke lightly as the word tumbled from his lips, voice full of all the affection and acknowledgment that Sasuke had once sought from him. He began to stroke faster, increasing pressure just slightly to heighten the pleasure when a thought occurred to him that made him pause altogether.

"Ah..." he began, sounding a little bit breathless and perhaps even a little bit embarrassed. "Sasuke...? Have you ever had... any sort of experience in this?"

Sasuke blinked open his eyes, looking thoroughly annoyed with Itachi for stopping. "What? You're the one who said I'm a virgin, what do you think? And why the hell does it matter?" Really, who asked something like that in the middle of getting somebody off? Couldn't he just... move his hand a little, and maybe...

This had to be some kind of brotherly thing. They'd missed most of the years of brotherly teasing; this was an equally annoying substitute.

"Well I'm sorry, normal boys know well enough to touch themselves," Itachi sighed, shaking his head at Sasuke's attitude. Cute as it was. God, how did he manage to find every part of Sasuke appealing? Down to all the annoying little character quirks, honestly.

"But I should go slow, then. Wouldn't want to overwhelm you and have you wake up overstimulated," Itachi went on to say, kissing Sasuke briefly on the cheek. "It's not pleasant." And without another word, he picked up where he had left off, slower this time, free hand sliding idly along Sasuke's smooth thigh.

Sasuke opened his legs a bit wider, releasing a pleased moan as Itachi returned to touching him. "Nnn... how... would you... know...?" he mumbled, a slight crease forming between his brows.

"Jealous?" Itachi countered, wondering if answering wouldn't ruin Sasuke's life further and end this little excursion early. But, well... He let himself give up the information, figuring both that it was a feeling he would have to get used to, and he really did want to see if Sasuke still felt any remnants of his childhood possessiveness of his brother.

"If you must know, back when I used to ask Mom if I could sleep over at Shisui's, he was asking his mom if he could sleep over at our house."

Sasuke stiffened, finding that he was jealous. The realization surprised him, and he sat up, pushing Itachi's hand away. "Let's do something else, then," he murmured, irrationally angry at his brother.

But, damnit, he'd be way better at this than Shisui had been. Itachi would enjoy it more with him. He could learn quickly. He slid both arms around Itachi's neck, kissing him deeply, shifting onto his knees to press his body against his brother's. "Mmmm..."

"Something el--" was all Itachi managed to get out before Sasuke caught him off-guard with the kiss. His eyes widened at the suddenness of it all, surprised by Sasuke's enthusiasm above even that, but he melted quickly into it. Confused as he might have been, there was no way for him to resist how earnestly Sasuke was putting himself into this. Moaning quietly himself, Itachi let his eyes shut and brought his arms around Sasuke's waist to hold him close, kissing back.

Determined, now, to beat Shisui, Sasuke slid one hand to Itachi's back, tracing and kneading the muscles he found there. Meanwhile, he slid one knee between Itachi's legs.

He bit his brother's bottom lip with a triumphant smirk, opening dark eyes just enough to catch the look on Itachi's face. "Aren't you supposed to be a prodigy? What's taking you so long? I thought you wanted to fuck me."

"Maybe that's your failing, not mine," Itachi challenged, though he found himself flushing rather pink at Sasuke's words. Flushing? Pink? Itachi couldn't even remember the last time he blushed. When Sasuke was a toddler, maybe. That day he had seen the girl who lived across the street get married and had come waddling home wearing the flower coronet she had given him to tell Itachi that he was going to grow up to be his bride.

Never since then, surely.

Clearing his throat, he narrowed his eyes and took Sasuke by the shoulders, bringing their lips together in a hard, deep kiss before he pushed Sasuke back against the bed and spread his legs, sliding one hand up Sasuke's inner thigh to brush over his entrance teasingly.

"I won't keep you waiting since you're so eager to feel me inside you, but don't blame me if it's too much for you."

Sasuke briefly wondered just what he'd gotten himself into, but whatever it was, he was too far into it to stop now. And he would prove that he could be better at this than anyone else Itachi had ever been with, no matter what he had to do.

He arched his hips, looking up at his brother and licking his lips slowly. "Mmm... about damn time. Do you know how long I've been waiting for you, Aniki?"

The sight of him nearly made Itachi choke on his own breath and he abruptly felt very, very graceless compared to Sasuke. His own baby brother, for God's sake. Sasuke had never, ever been able to make him feel like a fish out of water, and the fact that it was Sasuke who was still practically a virgin, not him, simply iced the cake. Itachi almost felt the need to roll over and beg for mercy.

As it was, he had his pride, both as a man and as Sasuke's older brother. He forced himself to rise to the challenge, as tantalizing and utterly seductive as Sasuke currently was.

"I never imagined you had it in you, otouto," Itachi replied, putting emphasis on the fact that he was speaking to his little brother. "I presumed you were still a child, but I was wrong," he allowed before he smirked darkly, pushing two fingers past Sasuke's lips.

"Now let's see if you can keep up."

Sasuke's eyes reflected his acceptance of the challenge, never losing Itachi's gaze as he ran his tongue around his brother's fingers, gripping Itachi's wrist so that he could move his head slowly, mimicking a very different sort of action. "Mmmmm..."

Itachi was unable to keep himself from shivering at the sight of it, having half the mind to make Sasuke make good on his teasing. But that sort of thing wouldn't do much for Sasuke, and the point (well, the point of it now) was to show that he was still the older brother in the relationship and that being bested by his little brother was against some very fundamental cosmic law. So he allowed Sasuke to continue a few moments longer, drawing in his breaths a little quickly as he watched every movement of Sasuke's lips, every flick of tongue.

"Enough," he finally managed to force out, pulling his hand back. Without any prelude, he brought his fingers to Sasuke's entrance once more, this time pushing both in only enough to tease. He intended to have Sasuke begging for him before they were done with this.

"Ah...!" Sasuke bit his bottom lip, curling the fingers of one hand in the sheets. It was still a little sore, but this entire thing was surprisingly less painful when it was on his own terms.

And when there was some competition involved.

He twisted his hips, gazing up at his brother with pleading dark eyes, so similar to the ones which had once looked up at Itachi and begged for his big brother to train him. "...Can't you do it more than that, Aniki...?"

"Hm? Like this...?" Itachi prompted, sliding his fingers in to the second knuckle, working them in and out a little as he did. Very soon, he would be in deep enough to search for a spot he wasn't sure Sasuke was aware existed.

Sasuke groaned, losing Itachi's gaze as his head fell back. No! He was going to lose, at this rate! "More..." he murmured, parting his legs wider. "I want you inside of me, Aniki..."

Itachi could feel himself mentally stagger, breath catching in his throat. It was all he could do to resist giving up his pride and taking Sasuke then and there. The only thing that held him back was the thought of getting to see the look on Sasuke's face when Itachi found that sweet spot, showed his little brother how he didn't begin to know what pleasure was. Of hearing the the noises Sasuke might make. So he held on, clenching his teeth as he thrust his fingers fully into Sasuke, searching.

Sasuke was in the middle of smirking triumphantly at Itachi's reaction to his words when something happened. He wasn't sure what it was, exactly. All he knew was that one second, he was thinking he had this competition in the bag, the next he was writhing on the bed, eyes squeezed shut as he was overcome with a sharp burst of pleasure.

"...A-Ahh...!" What the hell?!

"Found it," Itachi commented almost impassively, doing a fair impression of Sasuke's previous smirk without really realizing it as he tauntingly brushed his fingers over the spot, waiting for Sasuke to drop his guard even a little before pressing down hard. He had to control himself, though. It would be a pity, as tempting as it was, if Sasuke was to come from only this. Though then there would be no way to deny that Itachi had won...

...well. Even Itachi wasn't that cruel. So he was careful, gauging how much more Sasuke could take.

Sasuke actually whimpered. Whimpered. And not out of pain. At least that, he could claim, was vaguely respectable. But Itachi had his fingers in his ass and had made him whimper. That was just undignified.

And he didn't give a shit.

"God! Aniki, do that again! Now!"

"Since when do you get to order me around?" Itachi asked lightly before he obliged all the same. Somehow, it was impossible to resist Sasuke when he got that way, when he was so endearingly adorable while trying to be tough. Like a kitten baring its claws. It had always been one of Itachi's favorite parts of Sasuke. He spent a little longer stimulating Sasuke that way before he stopped again, withdrawing his fingers completely.

Leaning up, he caught Sasuke's lips in another deep kiss before he pulled back, smirking faintly. "Now. I'm going to give you two choices, Sasuke. One is you admit you got in over your head and beg to feel me inside you. Two is you stay stubborn and I make it so you can't come, then toy with you until we cycle back to you agreeing to choice number one."

Sasuke glared weakly up at his brother. He wanted more than anything to demand that Itachi either fuck him right this second, or stick his fingers back in and do whatever the hell that was until he came. But he had a feeling that wouldn't go over so well.

Instead, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, sliding one hand down Itachi's body and stroking his fingers teasingly up and down Itachi's length. "How about a mix of the two?" he asked, still a bit breathless as he kissed the corner of Itachi's lips. "You fuck me, and I give you a nice 'thank you' afterward." His fingers curled around his own brother's length, stroking slowly. "I think that would be the nice... brotherly thing to do, on both our parts..."

There was something admirable to be found in how Sasuke could still summon the presence of mind to tease Itachi so damn effectively, causing the elder brother to shiver and tense at his younger brother's soft touch upon him. A draw wasn't so bad as a loss, and even Itachi had to admit that Sasuke deserved it. Swallowing, Itachi wet his lips and kissed Sasuke again, sighing.

"Fine," he growled, batting Sasuke's hand away before he took Sasuke by the shoulders to force him back down, parting Sasuke's legs with his hands and positioning himself. Unable to wait any longer than he already had, he thrust in slowly, trembling a little with the amount of effort it took him to keep himself from going faster than Sasuke could handle.

Sasuke took a slow breath, trying to keep from tensing up. He pushed all thoughts of last time from his mind, focusing on the feelings alone. It wasn't bad, now. It was... well, it hurt, but beyond that, he could feel Itachi inside of him... That shouldn't be a good thing, and he didn't want to think about why it maybe was.

"...Itachi..." he managed, eyes closed, brows drawn together.

A smile found its way to Itachi's lips at that and he quietly whispered Sasuke's name in return, glad that Sasuke was thinking of only him even now. Once he was fully buried in Sasuke, he held himself back, giving Sasuke time to adjust properly this time.

"Tell me when, okay?" he instructed softly, brushing his thumb over Sasuke's lips.

Sasuke parted his lips, allowing the barest impression of a kiss to Itachi's thumb. "...I'm okay," he whispered after a few moments, slowly letting his eyes flutter open so that he could look up at his older brother.

Drawing in a deep breath, Itachi nodded before he began to move. He built his momentum gradually, carefully angling each thrust to brush against Sasuke's sweet spot. Each of his breaths began to come more sharply, more shallow and more unsteady, the prayer of Sasuke's name whispered on them.

Sasuke's head fell back. He was unable to pretend anymore, to participate in any sort of competition. He couldn't think, he could hardly breathe, all he knew was that every one of Itachi's thrusts was causing jolts of pleasure and God, he was going to embarrass himself, he'd never last more than a few minutes...

Able, somehow, despite the near overwhelming buzz of pleasure humming in his mind, to notice that Sasuke was holding himself back, Itachi touched the side of Sasuke's face to get his attention, voice slightly hoarse as he spoke. "It's okay to come," he murmured, knowing that Sasuke couldn't be expected to last more than a few minutes under these circumstances. Even Itachi could feel his own stamina dwindling thanks to Sasuke's earlier efforts.

Those words spoken, Itachi shifted himself lower so that Sasuke's arousal rubbed between their moving bodies.

Sasuke looked briefly grateful before he whimpered again, Itachi's body moving moving against his length with every thrust. He could feel the pleasure building inside of him, could smell Itachi all around him, and God, he smelled just like he always did, felt just like he always did just so, so much closer and, for once, focused entirely on Sasuke...

He spilled between them with a sharp cry, lifting his chin as his body shuddered in pleasure. "Aniki...!"

If Itachi thought anything Sasuke had done up until now was potent, he had been mistaken. The sound of Sasuke crying out for him at his moment of release was far, far more than he could stand. For all the times he had dared to dream such a thing, hearing it was so much more intense, so much better that there was no way to put it into coherent thought. He managed one last, hard thrust before he came inside of Sasuke for a second time, though this time exhausted him in ways he did not know how to express.

Near bonelessly, he pulled out and then immediately drew Sasuke into a fierce, possessive embrace as though he never intended to let go. As though it was at all possible for him to hold on to Sasuke through determination alone. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could feel his chakra draining.

His Tsukiyomi would not hold much longer than this.

There was so much to tell, as he had promised, but... He was not as honorable as his brother, it seemed. He let himself stall, wanting to clutch on to this peace just a little longer.

Sasuke was so exhausted that he didn't protest as he was pulled into Itachi's arms. Instead he remained there, soft breaths ghosting against his brother's bare skin, breaking the relative silence of the room.

It was a long time before he was even able to speak. But once he could, he wanted answers. "...Itachi," he whispered.

"I know," Itachi answered a little hoarsely, holding on for perhaps another few seconds before he released Sasuke and moved to sit at the edge of the bed. Pausing there, he ran his hand through his hair and then silently dressed himself, tossing Sasuke's discarded clothes to him once he was done.

Sasuke caught his clothes, gaze never leaving Itachi as he began tugging them on. Was his brother trying to get out of telling him the truth? To hell with whether or not he'd really enjoyed it, if Itachi tried to get out of this after what they'd just done, he was going to kill him himself when they got out of here. The executioner could just wait his turn.

"It's a long story. Boring, too. You're probably not going to like any of it," Itachi warned a little grudgingly, sitting with his back turned to Sasuke still. "But if you really want to hear it..."