The Jutsu of Surrender

AN: ....Wow. After reading the RP I realized that we did a lot of sex scenes. There are lemons in almost every chapter so far. Anyone want to complain about that? ^.~ Also, my Itachi seems to have become what most would consider a pervert, though for good reason, in my defense. He’s exploring something new, curious at Sasuke’s reactions. Also... he’s developed a love for seeing his brother squirm and this is just another way to do that.

Also, yes there will be more of the Akatsuki... ^^; Ah, Deidara eating pop rocks, and commenting about porn. That was one of my favorite parts of the RP...

Again, worried about keeping everything in character, and that’s why this took so long. There are things (won’t spoil it) that I was reluctant to write, but it still seems in character with the role play. ^^; Ah well... Please review with your own opinions on the matter.

*Since this chapter was deleted by whatever happened with aff, I'm reloading it. Next chapter comes soon~


Sasuke woke before Itachi once more, amused at what sound filled the room. It wasn’t too loud, but it was there. Almost comforting, since he was used to it when he was a child. Itachi’s mouth was slightly ajar, face the closest thing to peaceful that the younger Uchiha would ever see. It was hard not to touch him, to brush the bangs from his face and view his brother’s features more clearly. He knew if he did so, his brother would wake. Deciding to give himself a little more time to wake up, he thought more on his current situation. His life had taken another unbelievable turn; he had left Orochimaru’s compound with Itachi, the last person he had thought he would leave with. A part of him that he didn’t know still lingered had woken and strengthened the more time he spent with Itachi. He used to look up to his brother, to adore him. His aniki protected him when he was small, would let him watch him train. Thinking back, even though Itachi wouldn’t teach him anything, he learned from those times he followed him to the training grounds in the forest.

Running a shaky hand through his hair he looked around, trying to keep his thoughts from the subject he wished to avoid. The room was furnished with a dresser and a table in the center, plain besides that. It figured; Itachi hadn’t plastered his old room in posters or other adornments. That was yet another thing that had hurt him when Itachi left, though he tried to forget it since it seemed trivial. All through his childhood, Sasuke had made things for him. Itachi used to act happy at the little presents, putting them in ‘special’ places in his room. When he left, he took nothing with him. Although now he supposed that helped drive home that his brother was gone, and possibly for good. At least the brother he knew.

There was one thing that lingered from those days, that used to further his pain. Sasuke reached out, fingers tracing the necklace around Itachi’s neck. That was his. His mother opted to keep him busy one day with a project and the results of which were given to Itachi for his birthday. He always thought that Itachi kept it out of spite, to mock his childish feelings toward him. All that had happened now... Sasuke was starting to think that maybe there was more to it than that. Maybe Itachi kept it because he still cared. He wouldn’t have saved Sasuke if he hadn’t. Licking his lips he watched his brother, studying his face. Was this all just a sick part of his plan? Lure him in then dump him back off at Orochimaru’s compound when Sasuke started to care too much... that sounded like his brother. He’d made him watch as Itachi killed his family. Over and over... The thought made him shudder. Maybe that’s what he needed, to remember that. He was getting entirely too close to Itachi but... Somehow his thoughts changed when his brother’s eyes were on him. They made him long for his past, and slip back into old ways. Aniki; he never used that word after Itachi left. Now he whispered it, moaned it even. Something about that turned him on, or the way his own name left his brother’s lips. Maybe now he was officially sick, lusting after his own brother. Or maybe this was right.

Itachi stirred, snores slowly quieting as he woke. Smirking, Sasuke leaned close to whisper in his brother’s ear, “you snore.”

His throat was dry, probably from sleeping with his mouth open. Swallowing to wet his mouth and throat he murmured sleepily “you lie.” Itachi hadn’t slept that soundly in a long time, the result of which was sleeping with his mouth open. It was too early in his attempt to wake up to be embarrassed by that. At least he knew he didn’t snore.

“Then why’s your throat so dry?” Sasuke nipped playfully at his earlobe, fingers stroking his back.

“Mmmm... Slept with my mouth open.” After thinking about it, he sniffed. “And I had to swallow your come last night, that dries your throat out.”

“So sorry.”

Tilting his head, he returned the nibble on his ear, pulling Sasuke closer against him. “If you’re really sorry...” Waking up beside a nude and attractive Sasuke woke other things in him.

Sasuke chuckled softly in his ear. “How did you sleep?” He snickered then added, “besides the snoring.”

“I don’t snore... And I slept fine. You?”

“Mm, best I’ve slept in a long time....... until I woke up to your snoring.”

Slightly annoyed he pinched Sasuke’s ass cheek. “I don’t snore.”

Sasuke yelped in surprise then smirked, laying his head back against Itachi’s chest. “Yes you do. Woke me up, and I watched you do it for a few minutes before you woke up.”

“You were dreaming.”

He nipped at Itachi’s shoulder. “Was not.”

“Mmm... you were... Have any other dreams of your brother?”

Now that Itachi brought it up, he did dream of him. A rather interesting dream he didn’t mind replaying through his mind. “I did... a very nice one.” It must have been what they had done before sleeping that triggered it. He’d had that dream before, a very long time ago.

Curious, Itachi raised an eyebrow, stroking the cheek he pinched. “Tell me what it was...”

“What do you think it was? I’m not describing it.”

“Why not?” Itachi shifted a little then let a devious grin grace his face as his hardened member bumped against Sasuke’s equally hard length. “Tell me and I’ll take care of our morning wood.”

Sasuke grunted, rocking his hips against him in response. “Uhnn... Something we can’t do right now.”

Slipping his hand between them, Itachi caught his and Sasuke’s lengths, fingers wrapping around both as best as they could. He kept down a moan that rose to his lips, instead enjoying this new way of waking up. Licking his lips, he began stroking their members, watching Sasuke squirm a bit and whimper. “Describe it and I’ll move faster...”

The offer was more than tempting, at this point he would have done a back flip if he thought it would get Itachi to pleasure him more. Still, he was getting used to this new closeness between them; a part of him was that child that watched his brother in awe. That inner child made him blush, calling the dream to mind. “Ahh... you... um...”

Itachi chuckled at the blush and the uncertainty in his brother’s tone. “All of the sudden you turn shy... its amusing.” Hoping Sasuke’s need was as much as his own, he stopped. If it was a dream that made Sasuke blush, it was something he wanted to hear.

“Don’t stop,” he groaned, hips twitching.

“Then tell me what happened.”

The tinted cheeks turned to an all out flush, Sasuke glaring mildly at him. “You were fucking me, okay?”

Itachi was disappointed. How basic, to just come out and say it. He knew why Sasuke was hesitating, he wanted to know the specifics. Sighing he started stroking him again as a reward, but slower than before. “Do I have to teach you everything? That’s hardly what I was looking for.”

“Then... nnn... what?”

“Were we in bed?” Itachi nuzzled his forehead, lips and nose brushing across warm flesh. “Were you on your back or on your knees?”

“Nnn... Not in bed, the old.... training grounds back home...” Back then, he might not have minded it, now that he thought more on the dream. “Erm... against a tree, actually.” His breath caught as Itachi moved faster, dream playing out slowly in his mind. It had been vivid, he half expected to smell the musky scent of the woods, hear the low chirps from birds as they watched them panting in unison.

“Hn, interesting... What else?”

“M-mm... we were... training,” the words were coming more easily to his lips, but distracted from coming out quickly. It wasn’t just the hand, but the warm throbbing flesh rubbing against him. “You just... pushed me back... and... mm... kissed me... and...”

Itachi pressed his lips against Sasuke’s forehead, speeding his hand further. “...And?”

Sasuke was quickly losing track of what he was saying, his world narrowing to the sensations he was feeling. “And... it felt... so perfect and... right... and I wanted... nnn, nii-san.”

A part of Itachi jolted at that word, somehow it made everything more real. He could picture Sasuke’s dream now, and let his mind wander as he fantasized. Sasuke moaned, he half heard it through his lust hazed mind, and hid his face against his brother’s chest. A light sweat had broken out on both of them, the air in the room thick and warm. Or it was just him? Itachi ceased to care. His breath stirred the hair near Sasuke’s ear, causing little shivers now and then. “Nnn... Sasuke...”

The younger Uchiha kissed his brother’s chest, “Aniki, faster.” Itachi moaned in response, hand moving more quickly. He was so close, but he tried to hold off for as long as he could. Itachi’s heartbeat thundered in Sasuke’s ear, moans rumbling loudly as well. Something in him snapped and he clung to Itachi as his orgasm over came him, body shaking slightly. He bit his lip almost hard enough to draw blood, moaning against Itachi’s chest.

Sasuke curled around him more as he came, seed hitting both of their stomachs. Itachi closed his eyes, pleasure burning his veins not long after his brother’s release. Those whimpering sounds Sasuke made, and the small shivers as the last of orgasm left him, it was too much for him to endure. Yes... he’d hear those again soon. They were addictive. He stopped his hand when both went limp, trying to regain a normal pattern of breathing once more. Sasuke kissed Itachi’s chest, smile faintly registering in the older Uchiha’s mind by the up turning of lips on his chest. “Mmm...” He kissed his hair in response, still too lazy to do much of anything else.

Lifting his head slowly, Sasuke kissed the small mark he left on Itachi’s neck possessively. His aniki, the one that made his mind foggy, but only over their past. Vengeance seemed so outlandish now. Left alone and hurt for so long, only keeping things to himself. No one to talk to, no one to smile at. He hardened himself into something better, in his eyes, something that couldn’t be hurt by being left behind. Nothing mattered right now but being close to Itachi for as long as this peace lasted.

Itachi noticed the spot he kissed, but declined to comment. The boy was being cute, anyway. “Now we’re both messy. Good thing I’m naked...”

“Well, I’m mostly naked...” Sasuke nuzzled his neck, lips teasing it with every word. “Want to take a shower?”

“You need bed rest...”

“I rested all night, and I need to clean up.”

Itachi smirked, leaning away. “If that’s all, then I’ve got it covered.” He lifted the soiled hand and licked it clean, watching him with amusement. The younger Uchiha turned a deep shade of red, watching him through slightly widened eyes.

“Gods, you’re hot...”

With a smug smirk, Itachi slid down the bed, face even with Sasuke’s navel. Looking up at him he lapped the seed from Sasuke’s stomach, their tastes mixed together. Sasuke’s eyes went wide, watching his pink tongue drag across his belly, cleaning up their mess.

“Fuck...” If he were stronger, he had a few ideas of what he’d like to do to Itachi. When he was better, he’d think about that. Itachi probably wouldn’t agree either. Although... the idea of having Itachi moaning helplessly below him was a rather nice picture. Snapping out of his thoughts for a moment, he noticed Itachi reach down, wiping the milky substance from his own stomach. The now soiled fingers were quickly sent into his mouth, sucking them clean in a very suggestive manner.

Sasuke groaned, “anikiiii... You’re going to get me hard all over again.”

“Speaking of which,” Itachi lowered his head to Sasuke’s length, sucking the tip into his mouth. The younger Uchiha moaned in surprise, one hand clutching at Itachi’s shoulder.

“What was THAT for?”

Itachi made a small attempt at looking innocent. He knew better than to think he could actually pull it off. Not to someone who knew him so well. “Just cleaning.” A devious smirk found it’s way to his lips.

“Torturing me is more like it...”

Sliding back up his body, Itachi pecked at his lips. “I love to hear you moan, is that so wrong?”

“Do you?” He leaned in for another kiss, almost purring at the taste.

“Very much so,” he murmured, licking Sasuke’s lips.

Relaxed and utterly subdued by the after glow of his orgasm, Sasuke could barely keep his eyes open. Possibly still recovering from his wounds, but still... he preferred to think of it as something Itachi had helped him achieve. Sasuke whispered back, “well I love...” whatever he was about to say abruptly left his mind, the word love tripping him up. How long had it been since he’d last said or thought of that word? It wasn’t important to him back then, once the weight of his task fell upon his shoulders. Avengers didn’t love, it was something that happened between families, or people that were utterly devoted to the other person. In a sense, it seemed that he might have loved him all this time; he had been completely devoted to killing Itachi up until now. The thought still felt foreign to him... but somehow right.

Itachi brushed his lips over Sasuke’s, but paused at Sasuke’s whispered words. They both seemed to tense to this idea, as if it would bring everything they’d had up to this point crashing down. Sasuke cracked first, shaking his head lightly and applied more pressure to the lips against his own. He didn’t want to ignore the problem and kiss. This was serious, and something that needed to be addressed. The older Uchiha leaned back, frowning a little. “What was that?”

“What was what?”

“What were you going to say?”

“Nothing,” trying to distract him again, Sasuke reclaimed his lips. His brother reluctantly went along with it for a moment then broke the kiss.

“It wasn’t nothing.”

“Yes, it was.”

It wasn’t, they both knew it, and only Sasuke wanted to avoid the subject. “Hmm...” Itachi didn’t know if he should let it go and ignore it, or pressure his brother into speaking. Problems never went away by ignoring them, that was something he knew well.

Sasuke saw the indecision on his face, anxiety tickling the back of his mind. Because of his slip, Itachi might think he was weak. If he thought that, then he would abandon him again. Unable to look at him anymore, Sasuke rolled over, facing the other direction.

Itachi blinked in surprise. “Sasuke?”

“Hmm?”

This beating around the bush was annoying. “What the hell?” He prodded his hip gently, not wanting to hurt the marred skin.

“Nothing, really.”

“If it was nothing, you wouldn’t be acting like this.”

“Just...tired.”

Itachi raised an eyebrow. “Hmm... suspicious that you’re acting that way only after mentioning love.”

Sasuke stiffened at his words. If Itachi knew, did he want him to admit it so he could throw him out? Throwing back the covers, the younger Uchiha sat up, turning to climb out of bed.

Snorting in disgust, Itachi grabbed his arm. “Lay down, I’ll leave if I’m bothering you so much.” Itachi stood, walking to the dresser to find pants to wear. His stomach was rumbling, reminding him that he’d had little to eat for a couple of days.

“No,” Sasuke’s eyes widened, hand half lifting from the bed as if he was going to reach for him, “I...”

Itachi glanced back at him over his shoulder, hands still rummaging through the drawer. “You have to pee?”

“....Not at the moment,” Sasuke didn’t know what to think at that remark. “Why?”

“Then why else are you trying to get up? I’ll leave, I don’t mind.”

“No, I don’t want you to leave.” He lowered his hand, putting it in his lap. Sasuke stared dejectedly down at his lap, unsure how to make things comfortable between them again.

“Then you just want me to shut up?” Pulling out a pair of black pants, he closed the drawer then easily pulled the soft material over his legs and hips. It had small strings to tie it with, but he preferred to leave it open. More comfortable that way, letting the waist band of his pants settle low on his hips.

“No...”

“Then tell me.”

Sasuke shook his head, “I..”

Pushing away from the wooden dresser, Itachi headed for the door. “Never mind.” Maybe he didn’t really want to know that badly. Especially something that would get him in trouble, if Leader ever found out. “If its that hard to talk about, don’t tell me.”

Sasuke looked up at him, “it was nothing. You said you loved hearing me moan, I was going to say the same thing.” He forced a smile, one that was met with disbelieving eyes.

“You’ve never been a good liar, Sasuke,” he said, continuing on to the bathroom door. Itachi could feel Sasuke’s eyes on him, but he tried to ignore it, closing the door behind him.

Stupid... Sasuke looked down, pulling the robe around him before laying on the bed. He had shown Itachi a bit of weakness, and now he was annoyed with him. Though part of him knew that their idylic time together couldn’t last. Would Itachi take him back to Orochimaru? Or to Konoha? His eyes widened. Would Itachi wipe his memory of everything that had happened, to make him forget where the Akatsuki were located?

Itachi finished what he needed to do then washed his hands, avoiding eye contact with the mirror. Everything was all screwed up. The plan would have worked so much better if Sasuke hadn’t said anything, if he didn’t have to be reminded by that damn snake’s actions of how his brother used to be. It was like he was eight again, but more of a sexual being than before. Back then the thoughts he had were less than appropriate for a boy in the ANBU, let alone of a brother. They’d been pushed to the side, to be considered childish and thus ignored. Now that Sasuke was with him, and they were... doing those things he had daydreamed of, the thoughts resurfaced. It inconvenienced him for Sasuke to care for him; the way he made it sound, it might have been more than just caring. The thread of his plan was slowly unraveling, mind whirling from it. No, this was how things had to be, dammit, and if they were then he would think of something else.

Reemerging from the bathroom lost in thought, he didn’t notice the look on Sasuke’s face. Maybe the snake had broken the boy, and his rescue didn’t help either. It reinforced this new side of him, one that he didn’t know how to react to. The screaming, hating Sasuke... that was what he knew, and how to treat the best. Absently he ran his hand through his hair, padding softly toward the bed.

“Itachi?”

Snapped out of his thoughts, he looked up, “what?”

“What is it?”

The older Uchiha sat next to his brother, eyes on the floor. “Mm, just thinking.”

“About what?”

Smirking, he glanced at Sasuke. “About what you’re trying to hide.”

Blushing, he looked away. Stupid older brother and knowing him too well. He preferred it when no one know what to expect from him, or when he was lying. “I’m not hiding anything, stupid.”

“Fine, then what you’re doing a horrible job at hiding.”

Sasuke scowled at him. “Okay, say I’m hiding something. What do you think it is?”

Itachi paused to think about the question. “...I have no idea,” he said, frowning at the younger Uchiha. Sasuke rolled his eyes in response, shaking his head a little. “Tell me.”

“...No.”

He sighed, frustration quickly building. If he were any younger, he’d just flick him to get him to be quiet about whatever it was he was being annoying with. “Give me a good reason not, and I’ll leave you alone about it.”

“You won’t like it.”

“You don’t know that.”

“...Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t.” Fully annoyed, Itachi held back from smacking him. “You haven’t seen me in how many years? Even back then you still didn’t know me that well.”

Sasuke winced, fists clenching. That was low, even if it was true. Half mad at Itachi, and half mad at himself, Sasuke blurted out, “I was going to say I love you.” Good, that would shock him.

Itachi blinked, unsure how to process that bit of information. He had thought that was what Sasuke might have wanted to say, but to hear it... Reluctantly he admitted that he was indeed attached to his little brother. In love? Maybe not. There was something there though. It annoyed him to no end, to know there were still weak feelings in him. Leader didn’t have to know that, or he’d use it against him. Besides, it would tick him off, to know there was still some part of Itachi that Leader couldn’t control. Inwardly smirking, he let himself feel, just to be thumbing his nose at that bastard. “It sounds better when you’re closer.”

Looking up, Sasuke blinked in surprise. “What?”

Laying next to him, Itachi pulled his brother closer. Maybe they both were being idiotic, returning to a time that held some peaceful memories between the two of them. When they were younger, Sasuke would sneak into his room at night from a nightmare or some scary movie he had stubbornly stayed up watching. Itachi disliked the little blanket hog being there at first, but the way he would curl around him, the way he smelled... Even if he had a mission the next day, early morning or what not, he would let Sasuke stay, face pressed against his hair, arm over him protectively. They both slept more soundly then, finally having a place to relax. “It sounds better when you’re like this...” This was the one part of his past that he didn’t mind remembering, even if he wished to burn the rest from memory.

Sasuke’s eyes widened, slowly curling around him out of old habit. He wasn’t small anymore, but he fit, oddly enough. The small part of him that was screaming that this was all wrong died away. If he met his clan in hell, and they made him suffer for not avenging them properly, he wouldn’t care. He hadn’t felt wanted, or close to anyone in a long time. Itachi took it all away, and now he was giving it back. “I... love you... aniki.”

“Because I’m your brother... or..” he let his voice trail off, wondering if this was just a ghost of their past.

The younger Uchiha glanced away, unwilling to think deeply on the question. “Both.” Itachi started stroking his back, muttering acceptance at his answer. It was too good to be true, and maybe part of him liked making himself suffer. If he asked what he wanted to ask, he would more than likely get a negative response. “Do you?”

“I’m not sure...” Long story, and telling it would ruin his plans.

“Oh.... Okay.” Sasuke tried to sound as if he accepted the answer, but it was still hard to hear. At least he wasn’t kicking him out, that would have been worse.

The tone of Sasuke’s voice made Itachi’s heart twinge. Kisame was honestly the only person he trusted anymore, but Sasuke seemed to be trust worthy as well now. They were in it together, like it or not, and it was possible if Sasuke heard why he had planned what he had, then he wouldn’t object to it. Itachi sighed, trying to swat away the unease he felt. “Listen very closely, because I’m only going to say this once...”

Sasuke watched him warily, “okay...”

“Leader was there, around our family back then. He was a friend of father’s... It’s a long story but... they were the ones that showed me the secret area under the shrine. The one that held all of our clan’s secrets. Leader insisted that I attain the mangekyou...” Sasuke’s were wide, fingers spreading over Itachi’s chest. “It was either kill you... or kill Shisui.” The elder Uchiha’s eyes glazed over, memories playing before him. “I know you were young, and you didn’t see him much... but he was more than a close friend of mine. We were together and...” he loved him, as much as a thirteen year old could. They both felt older though; death, blood, sacrifice... that brought changes in people, maturing them even if they weren’t ready to. “I couldn’t kill you. I even tried, but I hesitated, that time I struck you with the shuriken after our parent’s death.” He felt Sasuke tense in his arms, ignoring it. Of course that was a sore subject between them.

“I... Itachi...”

“Shh. I’m not done.” Sasuke closed his mouth, biting his lip. “I’m sure you remember the rest.” He hoped, since going through it again would make him want to kill something. “After I killed him, Leader came to me and told me about the Akatsuki, and said I would be welcomed there.” Itachi sniffed, “he also told me that if I left they would force you to tow the line, and you would have to go through the same things I did. I didn’t want that to happen, you weren’t strong enough. So I killed them all. I would have just taken out our father, but there was something else I wanted from you. I needed your hate, and I knew destroying any ties you had to the soft life you had would do that.” Impressing that onto him, making him watch it, that was important as well. If he hadn’t then the troublesome child might have disbelieved him. Troublesome, trusting child... “I needed you to kill me, the only person I knew would become strong enough to do so, and someone’s hand I wouldn’t mind dying by.” Itachi closed his eyes. “I’m tired of being Leader’s puppet, and tired of remembering my past sins...”

“So let’s leave, aniki... both of us together, let’s just get out of here and go somewhere where you don’t have to remember.” If they both could forget, then maybe there was a chance of being happy.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I told you, I have a plan.”

Sasuke hesitated, “what is it?”

Itachi cupped his cheeks with both hands, leaning his forehead against Sasuke’s own. “I can’t leave, I can’t feel, I can’t love until Shisui has had his revenge, and you have to take it for him. You have to be strong enough to kill me. I’m not the suicidal type... and it wouldn’t be good enough for him.”

His eyes widened at Itachi’s words, pulling away from his hands. “Itachi... stop. I can’t.”

A flicker of pain lit Itachi’s eyes, then left, leaving the normally emotionless coal eyes. “You will. You have to.”

“No... Itachi... I love you...”

“If you do, then give me peace.”

“No...” How would that bring him peace?! So much for his wiser older brother.

Itachi shook his head, “we have three years together until our agreement is up. We’ll deal with that fight when we have to.” If he had to push him into fighting, he would. It should have been obvious to Sasuke now that he was good at hurting him enough to fight.

“There won’t be a fight.” Hurt and annoyed, Sasuke looked away.

“We’ll see. Until then....” Itachi stroked his cheek with the back of his hand, “we can live like this, like two people who love each other would live.”

“But you don’t...”

“I might.... I don’t feel much for anyone anymore, but there’s always been you... and I’ve always...” Itachi sighed in frustration. Stupid brother, pulling his mind from where it should be. “Dammit, don’t make me deviate from my plan.”

“You said you couldn’t love anyone until Shisui has been avenged... and that will kill you... so...”

“So?”

“So you can never love me, ne?”

Itachi took a long while before he spoke, mulling over how to respond. “You don’t want to love me... After I die, you can go back to Konoha and live in peace. Our family will be avenged, and you can live your own life.”

“So you really can’t.” He was being stubborn, he knew, but he wanted to know.

“I can’t.”

Sasuke’s body stiffened. Complete happiness had been within his grasp, and now it felt like his light had been yanked away from him once more. Being with someone that wouldn’t allow themselves to feel for you... how horrible. Still... better than nothing at all. “Oh.”

“If I did, you couldn’t kill me, right?”

“Even knowing you don’t, I can’t kill you now...” His dark eyes stared at the covers.

“Just say that you can.” Itachi snapped, annoyed that telling Sasuke had changed his mind. Or maybe it was that love thing... Either or, he didn’t like Sasuke deviating from what he had planned for him.

“Fine. I can.” Sasuke sat up, ignoring the loudly protesting scratches on his body, not even flinching as pain raced up and down his body. He ignored Itachi’s questioning grunt, slipping out of his arms and off of the bed. “I’m sorry for wasting your time and effort... bringing me out here... but I think I should go back to Orochimaru-sama’s...”

Itachi twitched at the use of sama, glaring at Sasuke. “Why?”

“I can get training with him, too.” He remembered the drawer that Itachi had pulled pants out of, and staggered toward the dresser. Get dressed, and some how make it back to Orochimaru-sama’s compound. The sound village shouldn’t be too far from where ever they were. Maybe Itachi would tell him how to get there. Behind him, chakra flared, startling Sasuke into turning around quickly.

“I just got you out of that hell hole, and you want to go back?! Why the hell do you think I told you all of that?!” Confide in him, and this was what he got? Ungrateful little brat. Sasuke flinched, taking a step back. Clenching his fists, Itachi stood. “I thought you were going to stay, I wouldn’t have said all of that shit if I thought you’d leave me!”

“You just want me here so I can kill you in three years,” Sasuke quickly retorted.

“I wanted you to stay with me like we were! But you’re right, that’s too much to ask for. Leave, if you fucking want to. If you can’t tell why I said all that, then you don’t get it at all.” Stupid otouto.

“Then tell me, Itachi! I told you I loved you, tell me why you told me that!”

Dense then. Not stupid, just very dense. Itachi ignored him, turning to head for the door. He needed time to cool down. Maybe spar with Kisame to relieve some tension.

“Itachi, don’t!”

“Why? You want to leave so badly... I’ll be further away if you left to the sound village, than just leaving this room will take me.”

“I don’t really want to leave... I just... thought...”

“Stop thinking and start listening.” Sasuke obediently went silent, watching him with guarded eyes. “Which would you rather have; be with me here, be... care for very...” Itachi looked away, mumbling, “dearly... or go back with the snake and have him hurt you? Even sleep with you again, and I doubt his anger has lessened any, so it may likely be a repeat of what he did before I took you away.”

Whispering, Sasuke lowered his gaze, “I’d rather stay with you, aniki...”

Itachi pointed to the bed. “Then sit your ass down, you’re still hurt!” The younger Uchiha hobbled over to the bed, wincing as he sat back down. Running his hands through his hair, Itachi turned back to the door, opening it. “I’m going to get us some breakfast. I’ll be back...”

Sasuke nodded, staring down at the covers. “Aa.”

“Lay back down,” he waved his hand at the bed. Sasuke laid down, pulling the covers over him. The older Uchiha walked out, almost slamming the door behind him. He didn’t know what he wanted anymore; for Sasuke to listen to him, or for him to hate him again. “I shouldn’t have said anything,” he murmured under his breath.

Sasuke flinched as the door shut, pulling the covers up to his head. His body ached from his misguided attempts to leave. Ignoring his present situation, his stomach growled loudly. Sasuke put a hand on it, shivering at the scratches there. Broken skin, bandages here and there... was it worth it to get this far? Close to Itachi, learn the things he wanted to know, even receive some bit of attention that the child he used to be craved. No more pain, no more loneliness. For a price; what lay at the end of the three years was something he’d try to avoid thinking about. At least he was here. Maybe during that time, Itachi would change his mind... As unlikely as that was.