How Did it Come to This?

In having lost motivation for a lot of these old fics, I’m trying to finish them off as soon as I can for a number of reasons. 

In the few months that Sasuke had spent with Itachi, he had come to learn that Itachi was so vastly different from the people he had spent the first half of his life with, it was hard not to feel safe with him. 

Sasuke spent all his time with Itachi, sometimes just sitting quietly on the older male’s bed while Itachi read a book, or other times talking in a soft, barely audible voice as they shopped together.

Now, the two brothers were sitting in the living room of their home together, a movie playing on the widescreen TV.  Sasuke’s head rested against Itachi’s shoulder, his onyx eyes watching the movie curiously. 

“What does it mean to love someone, Itachi...?” Sasuke tilted his head, looking up at his brother. 

Itachi smiled down at his sibling.  “What do you think it means?”

The boy didn’t even have to think about this question, knowing what it meant to him.  “To feel safe with someone, and not have to worry about them hurting you.”

Itachi’s smile widened.  “Why do you think that?”

“Because I love you, and you’re so gentle with me, Itachi.  You’ve never hurt me, and you only ever try and make me happy.”  Sasuke offered a shy smile. 

“That’s one way of looking at love,” Itachi offered.  “I don’t think there’s any right way to define love; whatever you feel is the right way is your way of loving.”

“What about you?” the younger asked. 

“Well, I think love is when you want to protect someone and give them all of you.  When you just want to see them smile and the thought of them hurting makes you hurt.  But most of all, when you’d do absolutely anything to ensure their happiness.  That’s what I think love is.”

“I like it.” Sasuke smiled.  He moved onto his brother’s lap, resting his head against the older male’s forehead.   

Itachi embraced his brother, holding him close.  He knew there was still a ways to go with Sasuke’s recovery, but no matter what, he’d be there every step of the way.