Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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A tingling sensation, nothing physical rather something forged with years of practice and experience, an almost unnoticeable feeling that caresses the subconscious in such a way that it manifests itself in an immediate bodily response, something so advanced and difficult to achieve that at the same time is completely expected of a ninja of the caliber of Itachi, all ANBU members are required to have an immediate flight response to the most subtle of things, in case of possible danger nearby. Its always the subtle things, things that would otherwise be missed or overlooked, things that someone priviledged wouldnt need to pay attention to.

Is this very feeling, the feeling of being attentive of your surroundings at all times in any type of situation that has saved Itachi's life multiple times and it will continue to do so, because its so ingrained to the very core of any elite ninja that even just the mere idea of ever dispossessing a behavior so innate that it became a second instinct is almost laughable, almost, because in reality its sad, its tragic that the world is so cruel that it forces people as young as toddlers to watch out for themselves to keep from harm. So is how Itachi views it, the reality of the ninja life, being bred and forged in steel, hailed as a prodigial genious the moment you do something remotely remarkable, something the average person could only dream of doing, something unnatural. Its almost laughable.

Itachi just now aknowledges the ceiling he's been shooting daggers at for over a minute straight, unblinking and unrelenting. Tearing his glare from it he slowly sits up and scans around with critical attention, standart procedure for ANBU, or any ninja at that, he stands up. His room is spacious, but even if it was half the length and width it would still be relatively spacious, he doesnt have much decoration, or any at that, his room consists of a small closet, a tatami that he is just now rolling up to store away at that same closet, after he is confident that no fool made the royal mistake of breaking into the main Uchiha family heir's room, a little mirror screwed to the wall, a work desk and a chair, not too much but so is how Itachi prefers it.

The only thing coming remotely close to being of decorative purposes is the framed picture of himself and Sasuke back when they were younger, back when Itachi had yet to join ANBU, back when he still had time to spend with his younger brother, when he wasn't as tainted in red as he now is, that same framed picture now hangs backwards at the back of his closet, hidden from sight as though the air in Itachi's room is corrosive and will destroy such a delicate and precious possetion, Itachi spares it a glance as he stores away his bed before swiftly turning around.

His gaze falls to the window, its dark outside with the only thing announcing the break of dawn being the few bluish patches on the horizon. That tingling sensation, the impending sunlight Itachi registers, that feeling may not be as abrasive in the safety of his own house but he knows that fact would be different if he were to be miles away from home, surronded by camarades -possible enemies- in an unknown place for an indefinite amount of time. In that case, the longer you stay awake and conscious, the more chances of survival you have, seeing it that way changes your perspective, it is a useful skill for a ninja, what a shame that the side effects are chronic insomnia and headaches more often than one would normally get.

Itachi has a mission today, as he did yesterday, and the day after and so on. Today's mission requires him to travel for miles nonstop and come back as quickly as possible, so did yesterday's, and the day after's. But its no problem, he is used to it, he has been trained to withstand dozens if times more and still keep breathing, and as long as he is breathing he will continue to serve his birth home. He has been personally trained by Lord Danzo after all, everybody knows how no nonsense that man is when it comes to discipline, and disciplining Itachi he did, so much so that Itachi doesn't remember what he used to be like before falling prey to the mental bonds of the leader of ROOT, he only knows that he would have hesitated at least a little before opening a faucet in the throat of the ninja of the sand village yesterday.

Thinking about it, Itachi runs a hand through his silky hair, it catches on some sticky spots. Dried blood. Yesterday he was too exhausted to properly clean himself before practically falling headfirst into his quickly rolled down tatami, so was he the day after...

Taking quick steps he opens the door to the hallway and leaves his room, only moments later he is standing inside the bathroom naked, turning on the hot water and bolting inside the shower without waiting for it to properly regulate, leaving a few subtle burn marks across his shoulders and chest, once the water regulates and he is no longer being cooked alive he quickly unties his hair from the usual ponytail and washes away all the dirt and blood from it, he sighs, relishing in the feeling of no longer having the remains of a dead man on his body, he takes a long bath.

When he is done he quickly dries himself up and puts on the clean clothes he took with him to the bathroom, they're practically the same just a clean version.
One would think that after having spilled so much blood you would get used to it, in some cases even learn to enjoy it, but Itachi is defective like that, he cant stand being covered in someone else's blood. Strangely enough that repulsion doesnt come the same way when its about his own blood. Not that he spills it often, or at all.

Looking at himself in the mirror he recalls all the things people, mostly his family, have called him in the past thinking he wasnt listening or out of earshot, things like "He is a strong ninja, there is no doubt of that but if one were to judge him based on looks alone i get how one may mistake him for rather frail..."  "...Out of all the monsters that make ANBU he is the only one who i cant help but do a double take all the time, its just plain ridiculous how delicate someone as strong and deadly as the genious Uchiha heir can look..."  "...If i hadn't known the lad i would have assumed it was a lass~..."  "Itachi-kun's beauty tends to lean more on the femenine side~ have you seen those glorious lashes? It makes ME jealous..."

Subscounciously, almost on reflex to his last thought Itachi brings two fingers up to gently brush against his eyelashes. 

"Itachi-kun's beauty tends to lean more on the femenine side~... It makes ME jealous..."

Bold... All of them are.

Its not like he chose to look like this. He doesnt hate it but he also does not particularly like it. He just wishes people would stop commenting on unnecessary things like one's looks.

Blinking he picks up his hair brush, gently passing it through the silky strands so as not to split it, among the members of his family he is the only one who has hair that can feels almost exactly like silk, though it comes with its side effects. As a child he used to split it constantly, never having been taught how to take care of it since it was considered a femenine thing, as such he always cut it just above shoulder length, that until he and his mother overheard two ladies gossiping about a few unlucky individuals, one of them happened to be Itachi himself, it was a long time ago and he wasnt really paying attention to their commentary but it must have been something about his hair. He doesnt remember much, if there was any confrontation at all between his mother and the ladies, just that right after that his mom taught him proper hair care, he was happy. This must have been when he was around 4 or 5. Its a silly story. finishing up he ties it back down its usual low ponytail and leaves the bathroom.

A few beams of light make their way through the windows facing the horizon, illuminating the already familiar corners of the recidence. Without making any noise Itachi heads back inside his room only to re-emerge fully clothed in his full ANBU gear a few minutes later, sword secured in its sheath at the back. Without wasting any more time and without waking anyone up he leaves the house.

Its a quick assasination mission, nothing too extraordinary. Itachi has done hundreds of those, its not even that far away either, it just requires his squad to sleep outside one night. Nothing compared to what Shisui got.
Itachi straighens to a perfect posture at the gates a moment before his teammates shunshin in front of him, quickly bowing their heads shortly in greetings at each other they promptly leave their village behind. No words are exchanged as they leap through the branches and Itachi would be lying if he said that that bothered him.

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"Oi Taicho, the sky is beautiful ne?"

Ocelot, not a member of Itachi's squad, chosen for this mission due the absence of a member who cancelled at the last minute, long distance and shurikenjutsu specialist, earth style, no known clan affiliations, ANBU member of over 7 years in the field...

"No matter how far from home one is, the stars are always there for you, even in the daylight when you cant see them. Poetic am i right?"

Possibly undergoing some type of mental decompression, judging by the topic he chose to talk about and the subtly dreamy tone. Unlikely that he underwent any type of ROOT training otherwise he would be as silent and still as the other two to their far left.

Nodding in aknowledment but not offering any kind of verbal response, Itachi leans back against the tree tunk behind him and forces his mind to shut off. Ocelot is keeping watch for two hours, Itachi for the rest of the night. He could order the other two to take a few hours off of him but he doesnt really want to bother with trying to fall back asleep, he knows he wont. Usually he'd manage, with all the years spent learning and perfecting all the nessesary skills requiered to survive such a harsh lifestyle, with all the years training under someone as rigid and demanding as Danzo nodding off on command isnt something that should bring such a challenge. But he's been stressed lately, whispers of the coup are rising in volume and the more time passes the more it seems that the voices are growing in number.

Shisui said to trust him, and Itachi does, with his whole life he trusts him and if there is anyone in the world whom Itachi has unconditional confidence of the certainty which those words hold is in his best friend and older cousin, Shisui The Teleporter. That nickname wasn't gifted to him, he earned it just as he earned Itachi's trust.

A subtle tingling sensation wakes him from his rather dissapointingly short sleep to Ocelot watching him, standing a few feet away from him, not too close, everybody knows just how dangerous it is to recklessly approach a sleeping ANBU unit regardless if they're your own comrade or enemy.

Ocelot gives a courtesy nod before laying down on the grass and falling asleep on his side. Itachi sits on a high branch in a tree and guards his three sleeping subordinates from an uneventful night until the first sun ray is visible on the far away sky, Itachi notes with detached admiration how beautiful the stars look, even faded by the upcoming break of dawn, its so enchanting its almost easy to forget the way the man's eyes clouded over as the faucet in his throat drained, to forget that woman's screams from afar, Itachi doesnt enjoy killing but he can understand that such are the consequences of foul play when it comes to such a toxic community as is gambling. Its fortunate that they had been far away enough so as to not been seen since the mission required no witnesses. Or so he would say were it not for his two squad members turning around so fast and decapitating her mid scream, she died with the exact same facial expression she had before she lost her head, Itachi hadn't ordered them to, it was completely unnecessary, but they are ROOT and they follow Danzo, Itachi knows there is no loyalty directed towards him. Their argument, if it can be called that, was to neutralize any possible threats no matter how unlikely they were. Orders from Danzo, there is not doubt.

A beam of light illuminates his upper thighs and he witnesses the sky slowly changing from dark blue to pink and orange. "...the stars are always there for you...", Itachi wishes he could be more present in Sasuke's life. He could at least buy him something when he returns, something that he knows he'll like.

As the stars start to completely dissapear from sight and with a small smile hidden beneath his weasel mask Itachi comes to the conclusion that Ocelot has rather good poetic taste, or at the very least acceptable. The sound of friction against fabric is heard beneath him and so with a breath of pure fresh air he leaps down.

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Its a quarter past three when he returns home, he calls out a quick "Im home" sliding the shoji and putting aside his sandals. He is about to step inside when he gets a weird feeling, its just too quiet and thats wrong, Mother would have normally come out to greet him with a soft smile, mothering him and asking him questions like  "Did everything go well, honey?"  "you arent hurt, arent you?"  "have you eaten anything asides from protein bars and soldier pills? You know how much i dislike it when you leave without even taking anything to eat on the way, dont you know how important nutrition is to someone under develpment?"  or something like that. Itachi now has a very bad feeling. Today is Sasuke's day off, he is a 7 year old kid and although he isnt the loudest they come complete silence like this is almost unheard of. Unless Mother had a fight with Father or Sasuke got scolded by him, or both, but if Father were home his sandals would be here. Something catches Itachi off guard and he mentally berates himself for not noticing earlier.

Mother's sandals are gone which means she is not home but Sasuke's... his sandals are here. Mother hardly leaves Sasuke alone and less now that the relationship with the village is so tense. Could she have left Sasuke alone for a few minutes to go for groceries? But then where was Sasuke? Outside? He would have heard Itachi come in and would have bolted towards him like a little puppy, asking him to train him and help with his homework. Even if he was somewhere in the house he would have heard him, he always seems to hear it when anyone returns back home, or invites himself in for that matter.

Speaking of, Shisui should be back this week, his month long mission passed by so quickly, Itachi spares him a thought before something crosses his mind. He cant feel Sasuke's chakra. That also disqualifies the possibility that he is upstairs sleeping.

A sudden rush of adrenaline fills him, how could he have been so careless and miss all the signs? Is he really that sleep deprived? He shouldn't have kept watch all night on top of his already poor sleep schedule. He hardly registers himself putting his sandals back on before turning and bolting out the door. He stops a few meters away from his house to expand his senses, with no clue at all of where either of them could be right now there isnt anything he can really do. Itachi may be overreacting but he would much rather overreact than let happen what happened 3 years ago, back when his entire world shattered for a little while, back when he was almost forced into an early and bitter goodbye had Sasuke been sucessfully abducted, if it werent for Shisui both him and Sasuke would have been lost forever, one killed and the other kidnapped. Itachi owes a lot to Shisui.

He heard heavy footsteps approaching his way, the uncoordinated kind that are a dead giveaway of ones identity as a civilian. Turning in their direction he made eye contact with a woman with a friendly appearance, her eyebrows were furrowed and her face looked restless but she still had a friendly air, it must be something genetic.

"Itachi-kun, you're back already, thats good. You're searching for the little lad" 

Thats aunt Hiroko, a lady that owns a candy store who used to always give away free candies to Sasuke when he would visit, Sasuke would then trade said candy for easy homework answers from Itachi. Thinking back on it was embarrassing. He focused back on her previous comment, It wasnt aimed as a question it was a statement.

Itachi thought of what to say or do in response, he could say nothing and just nod, it would be fitting for him anyways but such behavior tends to come off as rude and condescending rather than what it truly is, bad social skills. So he instead opted for what he always did, tooth rotting politeness.

"Yes i am, apologies for my boldness but have you seen my brother and mother?"

Itachi was expecting anything, He was waiting for the woman to smile or laugh at him and his very professional personality. He was waiting for her to not say a thing about it or just huff in response, but instead Hiroko rooted him in place with a pitying look, a look that said more than words, a dangerous look to give someone with a presumably missing family member and so much to lose. Itachi was tempted to activate his sharingan and make her talk right there. the only thing stopping him was the fact that she had already opened her mouth and began to speak.

"I saw lady Mikoto carrying him in her arms about 6 hours ago..."

Hiroko closed her eyes, either to remember in more detail or to prove her point was irrelevant.

"She looked so distraught that i couldnt find it in me to stop and question her. The boy looked so shaken too almost like he's seen a g- uh?"

It took her longer to realize she had been speaking alone after the first sentence than it took Itachi to shunshin out of the Uchiha district and outside the compound, he was headed in one direction he was certain he would find them, if what she had been saying was true, and Itachi didnt have any good reason to doubt her anyway.

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Fugaku was having a bad day. But that was a common occurence because Fugaku always had bad days, he could count the good days of the previous 2 years in both his hands and still have fingers left.

So Fugaku was having a normal day.
He was currently sitting next to his wife,the mother of his two sons. Both of them were sitting on one of those uncomfortable hospital chairs, the kind that destroys your spine overtime, Mikoto was slightly hunched over, her pretty hair a mess only covered by the low ponytail she tied it in last minute, she was fidgeting with the fabric of her pants and her calm mask was slipping away in record time. Fugaku, on the contrary, was sitting perfectly straight. Completely composed and dignified as someone of his social standing should be at all times (Mikoto would never say it to his face, much less in such a situation but she thought he looked more like he was defecating). Mikoto was having a worse day than him and he could understand why. From what he heard from her semi-coherent ramblings their youngest son was having an even worse day than them and it all started out of nowhere without any previous warnings or signs so he could totally understand Mikoto's restlessness, though he'd rather her keep it for when they were behind the safety of their home than in plain sight from any prying eyes. These were harsh times to vulnerable and Fugaku wished nothing more than to protect those he loved most.

Unfortunately any attempts at communicating his worries to her were met with hostility on her part so Fugaku didnt think any more attempts in the near future would be the wisest. He should try just once more...

"Mikoto-"

"DONT"

"Hn..."

That was immediate. How unfortunate.

There was the sudden sound of two pairs of footsteps quickly approaching, Fugaku could make out one and the other made themselves known by the amount of instructions they were giving to the other, a nurse. He closed his eyes and could feel rather than see Mikoto perk up as the two people rounded the corner, grunting in aknowledgement when a pair of footsteps stopped just a few feet away from where Fugaku was seated he wondered what took his eldest son so long to get here. Again, he felt Mikoto rise to her feet and throw herself at Itachi, mothering him in all the ways she isnt currently able to do to Sasuke. Fugaku supressed a sigh, Mikoto just couldnt understand that the man in front of her was no longer a child, even if he had certain features fit for a teenager, in both mind and soul he was a fully fledged ninja, forged in the scalding heat of the will of fire, and all ninja of that calber are grown ups, he's not some child in need of saving. Now that Itachi was here maybe he could take Fugaku's place in the waiting room, he didnt want to leave his youngest side but there were just too much work to do and too little time. He opened his eyes with newfound determination in them, he would debrief Itachi first and then leave him in his stead. He only wished Mikoto would give him room to talk to him.

"Thats enough Mikoto"

Fugaku's voice cut through her ramblings like a blade to thin air and he felt only slightly guilty for the disheveled and confused look he recieved on her part. Clearing his throat he turned his attention to his (in his opinion) equally confused eldest son, not that he is very good at reading through his many masks, or good at all considering how little time he spends around any of his family members, but he imagines it must have been a rather unpleasant experience, judging by his more tense stance and the hard look on his otherwise normally indifferent face. Or maybe he is just worried for Sasuke.

Itachi didnt give away any hints or signs of his true feelings, as expected of his genuis son, but Fugaku got the feeling that he seemed slightly more sleep deprived than normal. He wondered how how many more sleepless nights he could take, his performance as a ninja was not affected in the slightest yet and thats what mattered the most at the moment.

"Did you complete your mission without any Inconveniences?"

"Father, how is Sasuke?"

Completely ignoring the question and changing the subject? That is out of character. Maybe he is worried then, he just wished he'd answer his question first. Fugaku fixed him with dissapointed eyes yet Itachi didnt even blink once as he held his father's dissaproving glance, only breaking eye contact when Fugaku himself closed his eyes and sighed, leaning back against the cheap metal chair. He crossed his arms and let Mikoto do the explaining of the situation, she was better at it anyways, and she was present at the time. Fugaku wasnt even a very present father.

Fugaku was having bad day and he had just made it worse. He just hoped whatever was wrong with Sasuke wasnt all that serious, Mikoto tended to exagerate things when it came to their children and from what he heard from the nurse Sasuke is completely stable and healthy.

They should have left with him three hours ago but the boy refuses to come out claiming to not be feeling very well.
With a heavy sigh Fugaku wonders when their youngest picked up the habit of lying to medical staff, he would have to have a long talk with him.

With another sigh and ignoring the piercing glare that action brought form his wife Fugaku yet again laments his worsening day. He closes his eyes and instead focuses on the many possible strategies he could implement to postpone the inevitable.

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Itachi knocks on the hospital door with no little amount of worry. Mother told him what happened with Sasuke and its as equally bizarre as is worrisome. For a healthy seven year old to suddenly faint mid conversation, mouth open wide in laughter, is not normal and the fact that that wasnt the worst part... Itachi is worried, he is very much worried.

But worried as he is he was not ready for whatever greeted him behind that door. His Father might have missed it, which is expected, even his Mother (dissapointingly) seems to have missed it too but Itachi would be hard pressed to not notice the depth of the eyes that turn towards him, almost a blur, and the way they bend slightly downwards, glazing over, almost as if being caught doing something very embarrasing.

Itachi is by no means anything short of a generational genious, he is the very best of his generation, even maybe almost as good a strategist as the Nara clan leader Nara Shikaku Nara, known and feared for that skill alone. He can come up with multiple solutions to a problem almost instantly. But those eyes seem too wide on his little face, too wide, too dark, too deep, that Itachi just kind of freezes in place, not breaking eye contact and not saying anything.

He gains some self awareness mid (staredown?? If it can be called that) and closes the door to the hallway. No doubt their parents are looking at them weirdly.

Another beat of silence and then its broken by one of the most guttural wails Itachi has heard in his life, everything feels wrong and through the adrenaline he feels like he wants to either run or hide, not fight because that is his little brother right there and he wont fight him just because he made a very TRULY disturbing noise that no child should be able to make.

He pries his hand away from his kunai holster (when did it got there?) and scans the room through the red of the sharingan (since when was it activated?)
Before speaking up. Sasuke hasnt pried his eyes off him not even to blink even once. Anything, literally anything would be better than the goosebump inducing silence such an ancient throat sound brought upon. Anything would be better and so Itachi comes up with the first thing that comes to his mind. He shoves his hand inside his ANBU vest's pocket and takes out a small bag of little red rounded fruits that he bought from a local Uchiha stand on his way home and forgot to place on the refrigerator. He forces a small smile and a sweet voice as he very slowly walks over and extends his hand towards Sasuke, he speaks up.

"Do you want to eat tomatoes?"

Sasuke promptly breaks down.

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THANK YOU FOR READING UNTIL THE END <3

Please give me feedback on anything that could be improved i would greatly appreciate it :)

Ps. The tags are there for a reason but i choose to start it on a more lighter note just to give huge whiplash when the tragedy starts <3

This is my first fic ever so im being serious when i say feedback would be appreciated

Chapter Text

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An electric storm. In the darkness of the dead of night the sky lit up with the flash of thunder, quickly followed by a loud roar that made the nearby water puddles vibrate. The wind was calmer than usual considering the storm that was picking up around, but the bitting cold made it unmistakable that the night was cruel and it was only gonna get worse.

A torrential downpour was underway, the small drops of water falling to the ground were just a warning to a worsening weather. Another lightning bolt, this time larger than the previous one, lit up the entire sky, betraying the endless black void above and illuminating the silhouettes of clouds, on a moonless night like this one those momentary flashes were all the light there was to show the road ahead. After a few seconds an even louder roar was heard, which caused some disoriented birds in the distance to fly away in search of a better shelter. 

The sound of a pair of footsteps smacking against wet mud interrupted the symphonic singing of the croaking frogs, hidden inside small holes they dug on the ground. That was all the camouflage this place seemed to offer, underground and in between rocks, there was zero vegetation in such a deserted place. This valley was the opposite of a forest, where there would be trees and foliage here only housed dirt, sand and rocks. There were these huge rock scattered all around, some were shattered in a grotesque reference to the past that took place in here and some were piled on top of each other, untouched and unrelenting, referencing building and skyscrapers. They all varied in sizes with the bigger ones comparable to small mountains. There was mud everywhere too which was understandable considering the rain that by now was falling like a shower, smacking into the ground and blending in with all kinds of its minerals. It would be so easy to slip and fall.

Another dazzling light tore the sky in half, casting magnificent purple sparks that spiderwebbed throughout the endless dark spance above, reflecting its light on the ground below with dizzing intensity and momentarily blinding the eyes that had dared look up. Eyes capable of turning the very earth upside down, eyes that belonged to the man whose mentioned name alone was enough to turn heads or bring anybody to a full stop. If the attention was positive or negative that depended solely on the individual's personal opinion.

The footsteps continued their original course without deviation, taking confident strides as though they had taken this route multiple times in the past. In a way they had. The last time they were truly here was almost 3 years ago. Back when he was still being consumed by fire, a swirling of rage and regret that burned so hot the blood running through his veins it rivaled lava, rage that blinded so much more than any thunder ever could. Enough sorrow and loss for three lifetimes, that, he knew, had changed him in more ways than even he himself realized, and it continued to.

Memories resurfaced the closer he got to his destination. Memories of all kind but above all of that dreadful night, the feeling of complete and utter helplessness as Kusanagi was buried in his chest, falling hard on uneven ground and burying it even deeper, disappointingly failing to get up once again... Or the nightmare inducing moment where the most formidable and invincible man he has ever faced against in his life, second to Naruto, had his abdomen and innards torn away by someone who then proceeded to crawl out of him and attemp to claim ownership of the world... Or the mangled bodies abandoned in pools of blood and the sounds of protest from those unlucky enough to survive the inicial wounds. 

The bloodiest battlefield he ever took part of, the Fouth Great Ninja World War, and he was originally fighting on the enemy's side. He's still greatly ashamed of that, letting himself be manipulated and played like a puppet one can discard at any moment. Even Kankuro treats his marionettes better, or so he imagines because he doesnt really know the guy at all since they just spoke a few times back in the chuunin exams and they weren't exactly civil either. 

He isnt exactly strolling around in here, he has a job to do. He got sent a message by someone whom he owes a lot to, it was more of a request than an order but he begs to differ. He was tasked with perimeter control. Normally, such a simple task would befall on a regular ANBU squad, however there has been a significant rising in chakra levels around this place, and after multiple failed attempts to locate the source it was determined that he was the only one with the ability to. That with the eye and all. Simple enough.

Sasuke has his fair share of regrets, he also has his fair share of sorrows that keep him up at night. Its those scars that fade but dont heal the ones that hurt the most. Currently, there are two people that make the majority of those, making his heart hurt anytime he thinks about them. Naruto is the bestest person he ever had the honor of having in his life, the guy is dumb more often than not and he seems proud to be it. His stubborness beat Sasuke's own and almost 3 years later he's still impressed by the sheer amount of guts it must have taken him to do so.

A fond smile forces its way through and Sasuke doesnt bother trying to hide it. Naruto is by far the strongest most stupidest clever idiot most likely to jump inside an active volcano and come out in one piece if it is to protect his loved ones. Sasuke admires him, he looks up to him and he feels greatly honored to have the oportunity to personally serve him once hes appointed Hokage, it shouldnt be too far in the future considering they're already 20. He will never tell him this directly but he's almost sure Naruto already knows, at least to a degree, if he managed to grow a few brain cells in the time they were apart.

"fucking loser"

Naruto has done for him more than he deserved and he did it without expecting anything in return, not even his presence in the village. Sasuke is still a bit unsure about the true reason Naruto went that far just to save him from his self destructive path but he always gets this dumb confident look anytime Sasuke brings it up, its always the same "cuz we are friends!" reply that Sasuke kind of just gave up trying to understand such an empty head cavity.

 Sasuke doesnt know what he did to deserve him, he regrets hurting him the way he did. But its useless to dwell on the past, he knows that too well.

His thoughts lead him to the person that makes him feel the most controversial about, occupying his mind almost 24/7. Itachi Uchiha. His big brother loved him, he loved him greatly and Sasuke knows that. Sasuke loves him too, he also knows that. But that doesnt take away the sharp pain that crosses his heart everytime he remembers... His name.... His smile and laughter... The piggyback rides he used to give him... The way he used to train him and help him with his homework... His compliments and reassurances of deep and embarrasing insecurities... His preferred method to show affection, the forehead poke, which also served to distance him while keeping him at arms length so as to not involve him in the quickly growing tensions of their family and village... The way that backfired.

He remembers... "Foolish little brother"... He remembers... "Not even worth killing"... He remembers... "Not enough hatred"...

 He remembers... "To test the limits of my abilities"... He remembers... the stone cold mask covering his face, cruel eyes digging into his own as he was choked and slammed against the hotel wall "You're weak... You lack hatred"... He remembers that same mask slipping off his face years later, a relieved smile taking its place at having reached the end of the road. He still has the phantom feeling of that last headpoke, slick fingers coated in his brother's own lung's blood pressing on his forehead only to slide down his face moments later, leaving a trail of blood all the way down to his chin. The soft thunk as his head collided with the wall behind him, slowly sliding down until he hit the ground, his body going motionless as his unfocused eyes stared at the rapidly darkening cloudy sky above, finally, resting.

He remembers... "Im sorry Sasuke... There wont be a next time"

A heavy pang stabs all the way across his heart and Sasuke bring his hand up to rub gentle circles on his chest. His heart tends to do that very often lately so he's not worried about his health, he knows the pain isnt phisical. He has stopped walking, now standing still under the puring rain like a madman, completely drenched and soaking in freezing water, but he imagines a few droplets falling down his cheeks seem warmer than the rest, he guesses that the body temperature on the head is higher than the rest, or maybe it has something to do with his bangs hair thats covering almost half of his face hence guarding some heat.

"...No matter what I will love you... Always"

Itachi's last words, the last time he heard his voice, how could he ever forget such words? He clung to them like a lifeline on the most restless nights. They were like a balm to him, Itachi knew and said exactly what he needed to hear at the right time, its the very reason why he allowed Naruto to save him from the darkness the world threw him into. 

That fateful night had started it all for him, creating a domino effect for future events that nearly cost him his entire sanity, it was an honest miracle he managed to retain enough of it to turn back before it was truly too late. He remembers all the lies and harsh actions, all the ways in which he was hurt. He remembers feeling all kind of emotions, negative emotions that used to plague his mind nonstop until the only thing that remained of him was a broken young man with the only desire in life being revenge. To cut down the person who loved him most, pure and unconditionally, although masking. Then, when all was said and done, all that hatred and violence shifted its direction into the people and place that had truly caused it all to happen. He was always being pushed forward by a singular thought; avenger. That was his life goal, his purpose for living, he didnt mind hurting those who cared about him if it meant to reach that goal he so craved for with all his being, he commited all kinds of unforgivable sins for it that he is so ashamed of still even now.

He never wanted to hurt Naruto or Sakura, not even Kakashi... he never wanted to hurt anyone but they were getting in the way and he was too stubborn to listen. Kakashi had once tried to warn him of this path but he was too stubborn to listen, he thought him ignorant and unworthy to judge him. And the curse mark was wreaking havoc inside his already too messed up head. Leaving the village had seemed like the best choice at that time and while he doesnt regret leaving the place that orchestrated the HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE, UNFORGIVABLE GENOCIDE massacre of his family he still suffers just thinking of what he put through the people that care for him so much. He owes so much to them, Kakashi for trying, Sakura for loving him regardless of what he did to her... He's really undeserving, and Naruto... 

Sasuke's arm drops back down underneath his long black cloak as he resumes his walk, he really should get out of the rain but he finds it calming so he doesnt bother with shielding himself from the pouring water, besides, his destination is now visible ahead, just in the middle of that huge crater that used to host an even ridiculously bigger tree, the one that used to be a monster from nightmares. He still remembers it even 3 years after the war.

...Naruto gave him everything he needed. Nothing short, nothing less. Sasuke will make sure that all his sacrifices and hardships will not be in vain.

He remembers the route, he had gone as far as creating a mental map around from all the times the events of the bloody war repeated themselves in his mind. And even if he didnt remember the route, which he does, it would be nigh impossible to miss the exact location that fiendish tree had sprouted from given how the ground was still heavily corrupted with its chakra, a disgusting shade of brown and black underneath the rain soaked soil that he was able to identify through his rinnegan.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sasuke came to a stop at the edge of the massive crater. The view from up there would be terrible in the darkness had he not had the sharingan to help him scan across. It was completely empty, not a single soul could be made out, not even a single corpse, cloth or weapon. The retrieval division had done an amazing job clearing the inside of the crater, it was worthy of applause, and Sasuke would have, had he had two arms and a much less broody personality.

Thunder struck in the distance, yet again illuminating everything in its wake, leaving a trail of light in the sky that slowly dissipated and Sasuke took that as his cue. He leaped down, uncerimoniously landing at the center, right where the corrupted chakra was the strongest. Immediately he felt something off but he couldnt quite place it. The chakra was, originally, underground and dormant, but the moment he step foot on it he felt a slight pull as it rose above to be on ground level. It felt viscous, thick in a way that chakra shouldn't be, he felt it through sensory, Sasuke himself could not understand it, but there was more to it.

It was moving. But strange, Sasuke first assumed it moved idle, like water, before he took a closer look as saw the way it moved with purpose, almost as if it was alive. Then he took an even closer look and noted three things about it: first was its shape, or shapes because the thing had about 9, no 10 tentacles that circled clockwise around a big circular mass at the center. The tentacle-looking apparitions seemed to be slowly unrolling themselves from the 'main body?' that was the mass at the center but were not quite separating themselves, it was like peeling something in circular motions and Sasuke had never even imagined chakra could do that, the possiblity of the 'tentacle thing' being all just a strange seal didnt stay on his mind for long, had it been a seal his rinnegan would undoubtly have made the connection. This was pure chakra acting on its own accord, and it was all invisible to the naked eye.

The second thing Sasuke noted was that while he was busy with his earlier observations the tentacles had unravelled the entire mass and had met eachother at the center, then proceeded to change direction to spin counterclockwise, a dark hole that seemed more like a portal to the void opened, Sasuke was reminded of his own portals to different dimensions and was suddenly hit with a very strong urge to move away and so he took chakra to his feet and leaped high, resolved to stay afloat as long as possible while he analized it. 

The third thing that Sasuke failed to notice until it was too late was how the chakra he had channeled to his feet so irresponsibly like that was devoured and forever lost inside the void. Something in the air snapped and Sasuke realized, then, he had made a mistake. It was, in fact, a seal, that had managed to fool his strongest eye and he had fallen right into its trap, activating the mechanism and letting it eat away at his own chakra.

But regardless, he didnt worry too much, it was all under control. He was an S class ninja, the strongest ninja on earth, he shared this position with the most noble, incredible person alive, whatever the seal was about Sasuke was gonna analize and deactivate it, he was gonna keep the world safe from the shadows, that was his duty, his promise of atonement after all the sins he had commited. His promise to Naruto and to himself. He could deal with a time/space seal, he had experience with them after all.

Opening his purple eye, he resolved to scanning the seal once more before making a move. The seal itself had no indicator of it being one, then maybe the answer was somewhere else. He thought that if the hole that seemed like a portal to the void had activated the moment he stepped foot on the ground then maybe there was some sort of source keeping it active somewhere close by, a sensor that noticed his presence and notified the seal itself. In that case the seal would be parted in at least two, its rare for a fuunijutsu to be but he's seen it before. If there were more parts of it keeping it active then maybe they were hidden somewhere close by, inside the crater itself... perhaps they held some kind of hint on how he might deactiv-

"! ! !"

The fourth thing that Sasuke failed to notice altogether were the phisical manifestations of the chakra-tentacles shooting themselves at his direction and managing to latch on three, both legs and torso wrapped tightly by something that should not be able to wrap onto things, but it felt as though they had just appeared there... Hadnt he jumped slightly higher?

Sasuke felt the immediate pull of being drained from the inside, then the hole that previously could barely fit two people inside the dark void expanded around to the size of a small house and Sasuke's adrenaline spiked as he grasped the seriousness of the situation.

His mind went into auto-drive, he shoved the cloak aside, drawing out his sword, Kusanagi, and swinging it, sucessfully cutting across one, but when he tried to swing at the second the movement felt odd... Slow, uncoordinated... Backwards.  He was moving backwards.

"!! !! !!"  

Sasuke paled, he tried to make a noise of protest but his mouth and vocal chords didnt respond to command.

He swong the sword again, this time backwards, cutting across the same place and the fiendish thing he had previously trimmed re-connected, as if sword slashes worked like glue.

Sasuke tried to fight, he activated his mangekyou but the moment he used any ability there would be a strong pull from deep inside his chakra coils, not even his susanoo lasted more than half a second.

To his honest surprise he realized that while the tentacles were slowly eating away at his chakra, as long as they were all connected to him he didnt move backwards anymore, as long as he didnt cut one off he would move normally. The relief was short lived the moment he gazed down and saw... Void. Just a huge black nothing, with only the three tentacles attached to him remaining, the was nothing else, no crater, not even visible ground at the far away distance. He couldnt see the ground but he could feel, he could feel it moving... Could feel the chakra embedded in every little pebble, every grain of sand, every little water droplet, even gusts of wind...

He could feel every last living being... He could feel the entire chakra of the world moving backwards. He never felt so high in his entire life, not that he had ever taken drugs before but he felt HIGH he felt like he was VIBRATING and he sluggishly wondered if this was how Karin felt when pushing her sensory skills to the limit. He was thinking slow and meaningless things, with great effort he tried to focus. Then he felt something above him, in the sky. Looking up, at first he didnt understand what he was seeing, there were so many light trails of all colors all across the sky, all in varying sizes and intensities overlapped with one another, there must have been millions. Sasuke gaped, unable to process anything around him, thunder hardly shone green or yellow or even pink, and where had the thunderstorm gone to? The black sky remained but now he wasnt so sure it wasnt also part of the void.

The colorful lights were everywhere above him, Sasuke wasnt a genious but he was still really smart and he knew that that wasnt how a thunderstorm looked like, even a profound fool would be able to tell. Whatever that demonic seal was about it was affecting the ground, the sky... and moving chakra backwards, like it did to him?

A space/time seal...

Three apparent safe locks to keep him (the activator) safe and away from the seal's effect...

The carnivalistic lights above him and the rapidly backwards-moving chakra all around him...

He wondered if he was dreaming, or maybe he inhaled something without realizing it... Suspecting genjutsu would be insulting to his persona but he tried it anyways, "Kai!", it wasnt surprising that nothing changed, so it wasnt any of the above. It wouldnt make sense to inhale something out in the open in the middle of nowhere while raining. And, while disoriented and at the top of an adrenaline rush, Sasuke was certain everything felt far too real to be a dream, he also remembered everything previous to being in this surreal situation, a dream would not feel like that.

He felt high but he had seen and lived the effects, and everything pointed to a previously unheard of and unbelievable conclusion. He could feel it, the absurd amount of chakra that make up for an entire planet going backwards.

Backwards... (in time?)

He knew, even if all he could see all around being endless darkness and dazzling lights, lights that were forming a strange but oddly familiar symbol above him. It was a browish green circle with an eight edged star inside, with another smaller and slightly greener eight edged star inside it and yet another even smaller and greener eight edged star nearing the center, which had a small black circle.

Sasuke knew he had to move now or face the consequeces but he was painfully aware he had little safe choices to pick from in that situation, if any at all. He spared a thought for the people down there but shoved it all back inside, there was no time to grieve for whatever had happened to anyone, he had to focus, otherwise things would be damned. The lights were moving im patterns and drawing runes that caught his attention, he encoded them with the rinnegan, they were ancient and carried a lot of symbols that he couldn't make out but he was able to figure out enough to realize what the seal was about. There were three creators of that seal, but he did not get to read their names because something else attracted his attention, the way it worked explained rather simplistic. It was a seal to gather all of the chakra back to its original source, back to the individual whose it belonged to, through means of history erasure. 

Using a separate space that doesnt follow the laws of time (the void) to trap phisical forms, and forcing all the existing chakra from that same source to repeat the exact same route it travelled through for over a thousand years, just backwards.

All the chakra back to Kaguya.

Then, when its done, the void'll dissipate once only one source of chakra remains. Leaving behind a perfect copy of how the world used to be, including living beings.

A seal that would turn the world a thousand years back. Sasuke, for the first time in three years, felt awfully mortal, fighting against a force far beyond his comprehension. Kaguya was a force to fear and he was not looking forward to having to fight her all alone. His limbs felt weak and he didnt know if it was the chakra drain or the helplessness.

If this was about Kaguya then that symbol must be from her clan, the Otsutsukis. He remembers the situation with Hinata, the Otsutsukis seem to also want their princess back.

Sasuke prepares himself for whats to come, even if he cant read anything about the tentacle-things he figures they're the reason for why he's still here. He's being actively used to make work of the seal and he cant let it happen. No matter what, his job is to protect everyone, and he put the world in this situation, albeit accidentally. If he cant slice down one because the slash will get undone, then he'll have to slice at the three of them simultaneously.

Sasuke is a ninja, hes a warrior and a protector from the shadows, he is brave and he will do anything to preserve the peace both Naruto and his brother sacrificed so much for, and so he lifts up his arm and swings hard and mercilessly.

They get cut all at the same time but they dont stop clinging to him. The one wrapped around his torso snakes its way and makes itself at home inside his mouth and down his throat. Sasuke doesnt even have time to gag as the slippery, bitter abomination from hell curses his stomach with its putrid taste. He registers the other two moving to follow suit but his main focus is now on the rapidly approaching ground-void. 

He falls. Then he blinks. Then he stifles a scream. And the moment he falls throught the endless darkness the moving chakra stills. Freezing before slowly starting its movements forward. One last thing crossing Sasuke's mind before succumbing to fatigue.

Did I protect it?... Your peace

...

*****************************************

...

"...ke.."

"...suke?.."

A voice breaks through the haze of slumber. Sasuke barely registers it, he's too tired to think and just wants to go back to rest.

...

"...AT....ON....WHAT....ENED?....LOOK AT..."

"..."

Annoying

All he hears is noise, and he's so very tired... he cant make out what its being said, its as though he's hearing things from under water. He doesnt know if the voice is directed at him or someone else, now that he thinks about it, that voice sounds familiar but he cant quite place it. Its a female voice and its very familiar but he's way too tired to dwell on it. 

"...SASUKE!"

There, he understood now. Its a name, HIS name being spoken, someone is calling for him. With surprise, Sasuke feels himself stirring from his sleep. That seemed to wake him up for good as he blinked awake a few times. Sasuke was Immediately dazzled by blinding white light all around him, he could only make out a silhouette in front of him, but then his eyes gradually focused and he was able to distinguish it. There was a woman kneeling in front of him.

He reconized her, of course he did, because that woman was his mother. It had been so long since he'd last seen his mother that he couldnt help but be awed at her sight. He cant believe he thought of his own mother as annoying, he might be going crazy.

Leaned down so close to him, looking at him so intently that she was all that Sasuke could see in that direction. He had always considered his mother to be one of the prettiest women he had ever met, but just pretty didnt cut it.

Mikoto, was her name and Sasuke found it fitting, she was precious. He didnt know what he did to deserve seeing her once again but he was so glad. He had missed her greatly...

Then their surroundings came in to view. He was laying on the cold wooden floor inside his childhood kitchen. The whole place looked very colorful, with lots of thoughtful décor scattered around, a vase with flowers of different colors in it sat at the corner of the countertop, pots with household plants in the corners of different rooms, photo magnets stuck to the fridge and an uchiwa fan with the Uchiha clan logo dangling by a string tied to the frame of the kitchen window, swaying lazily by the warm breeze of fresh air coming through the windows and open backyard door. The whole place was beautiful and homey, but nowhere near as much as his mother.

She was beautiful, she was gorgeous. Her dark eyes twinkling in a way that only mothers's could, her delicate skin a pale colour telltale of the Uchiha's, illuminated by the sunlight that made her almost glow. Her long, dark hair pooled at her shoulders and neck, folded strands falling forward and around her face, remarking her soft features. She had an air of love and tender care around her. She looked absolutely divine, at that moment she looked like an actual goddess. Screw Kaguya. She was frowning, creasing the skin between her eyebrows, a weird look on her, but it didnt make her any less radiant. She was really beautiful, a true stunner.

Then it hit him. His MOTHER, his MOM was RIGHT THERE, KNEELING in front of HIM, LEANED down so CLOSE to HIS face, SHE was FROWNING and SHE was BREATHING. SHE was BREATHING AND ALIVE.

"Uff... Darling, you gave me a scare... What did I tell you about sharing important things with me!? Feeling faint IS important!" 

Sighing to regain her composure, Mikoto's expression softened, she took her hand up to stroke her son's cheek. Sasuke was rooted in place unable to tear his eyes off of her, he didnt want to blink, lest he wakes up from this beautiful illusion and his mother dissapears from his life once again.

"You know how much I dislike it when you and your brother keep secrets from me... so why make your wellbeing one?"

Her voice was sweet even when reprimanding, a soft tune that calmed the swollen hearts, he could hear it for hours on end. But right now, her voice didnt have that calming effect on him, in fact it was the opposite as he stared loose jawed at his not so deceased mother chide him for something that he didnt pick up all that well.

"Just tell me if you're feeling bad next time, alright?" 

Memories of the previous events came to his mind like a train crash...

Backwards... in time...

His thoughts seemed to freeze along with the rest of him, this couldnt be happening... It was not possible.

"Sasuke, can you hear me? Please answer me"

Sasuke started to shake, he was feeling lightheaded but still couldnt stop looking at her, he was in a trance. He felt vulerable, about to shatter, she was right in front of him and he just needed to stretch out his hand and touch her to confirm that she was real but he couldnt, he was frozen all over, unable to even tear his sight off her, he felt cold all over, dizzy.

He heard her continue to speak but by then he was losing his senses. He vagely felt himself being grabbed and yanked upwards by his underarms, Immediately followed by a subtle but constant bounce and a change in lighting. but by then everything felt distant and fading, and so he succumbed yet again to the nothingness that had brought him here in the first place...

...

*****************************************

Beep

Beep

Beep

The incessant mechanical beeping sounds drilling into his eardrums woke him up from the comfort of slumber, Sasuke stirred, blinking away sleep a few times before his eyes adjusted and he took notice of his surroundings. An uncomforably white ceiling greeted him, the kind that house the ill and the dying, he hasnt been underneath one in a while, he's not often ill nor dying.

He looks to the side, there is a subtle pressure at the top of his, rather small, hand where an IV is connected to him, dripping a clear serum into his veins.

Frowining down at it, Sasuke slowly made to sit up but is pushed back down by a hand on his shoulder.

"Take it easy, now would you? You just woke up from a long nap and there is no need for you to faint again. Give it a few minutes before you try to sit up again"

A male nurse, around 30, wearing standart medical attire with a clipboard tucked underneath an arm. 

He looked average with no evident clan features, he looked like a chronic insomniac, maybe he should be in bed instead of Sasuke.

The nurse clicked his tongue and ran a hand over his face, looking at Sasuke as though he had just committed a crime.

"I swear... Lately we have received more faint patients due to overwork than actual critical conditions... Brats nowadays just dont know how to lay down a kunai... Where are the guardians in such situations? Making breakfast?... I swear I've had it with child soldiers..."

That last sentece was whispered, likely to himself, but heard nonetheless. Sasuke was not that offended at having been called a brat, he was pondering. He's reminded yet again, of course he remembers, the seal, how the earth itself was swallowed, the lights, the runes... The written messages... chakra going backwards to a time long forgotten... back to the ancient moon goddess... The explanation of how the seal worked, waking up as a child with his mother by his side.

Sasuke stopped the seal before it was too late but as he's sitting there, feeling out of it, he's all too aware of the consequences that were thrown at his face. He grips the bedsheets anxiously, feeling how the blood drains from his face. he still has the phantom feeling of his chakra draining, being gripped by essentially chakra tentacles and forced to witness the end of the world as he knew.

It would be too rare for a dream to be this realistic, rare, but not impossible. Still, Sasuke doesn't think this could be a dream. He's back, he's really back to his childhood. He feels faint again.

Sighing, the doctor slammed a hand on his head rather brutishly, presumably in an attempt at petting that had Sasuke almost jumping in surprise.

"Dont worry, you have nothing. We've run all the nessesary studies on you and they all came out immaculate. And your chakra levels are normal for a kid your age, its likely that you fainted due to physical wear rather than chakra exhaustion"

Straightening, he continues "Give it at least ten minutes then feel free to go home with your mom and pops. Whenever you feel like it just walk out, they're waiting for you outside"

Hearing that both of his parents are outside the door, so close to him makes his heart catch. He wants to run out and see them but he's also terrified to do so. He doesnt know how he'll react and truthfully he doesnt think he's ready to return to his childhood home, he doesnt think he's ready to confront his turbulent past. He doesn't trust himself enough. He doesnt know many things, he realizes he's acting more like an actual child, running away from his fears instead of facing them head on like the independent ninja he is, but he cant force himself to care, he really doesnt feel like he's ready.

Sasuke would have to stay at the hospital for a little while, so he will have to make up symptoms and sleep overnight. The nurse seemed tired, but lying to him was way easier than considering the other option. 

The nurse just gave him a flat look in return, surely able to smell the lie but still tied up by duty and morals. With an incoherent mumble and a quick nod he left the room, quickly closing the door behind him and leaving Sasuke alone with his intrusive thoughts.

Finally alone, Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief. He had a lot to dwell on and he didnt know where to start, he'll first take out his uncomfortable IV...

...

*****************************************

"Dont worry about it chief, we got this!"

"I appreciate it, i'll make sure to send you your overtime"

"No need boss. This is what comrades are for, we have got your back"

"We're glad we could be of service to you, Fugaku-sama, please allow us"

"Hm... very well, thank you all for your hardwork, you're really doing a lot for the cause"

"Hai! Best wishes Fugaku-sama!"

...

When Mikoto's shadow clone appeared at his office's entrance with the news, Fugaku dropped everything and rushed to her side as fast as possible. The police members were very understanding and offered to manage the station in his absence. Fugaku was initially skeptical but got convinced after a short debate, his son's welfare was more important than meaninglessly bickering with his subordinates.

Rushing in would call the attention of those who hadnt by now already noticed the Uchiha clan head entering the hospital, no matter how he was truly feeling he had to keep up appearances, he had a duty to fulfill and could not take excessive risks in times as tense as these.

After a brief explanation, the receptionist directed him to the third floor and fifth door, without further ado, Fugaku wasted no time moving. In all honesty he was very worried, what Mikoto described could be brain damage and Fugaku did not want to dwell on that possibility.

There, sitting on a chair, bitting her nails and looking almost ready to faint herself was Mikoto, who instantly caught his eye and motioned towards the seat next to her.

She looked a mess and the fact that Fugaku could emphatize didnt take away that she looked a total mess. She was the Uchiha matriarch for god's sake, she represented the entire clan and the fact that she had only had the decency to put on a ponytail to cover her disheveled hair, but worse of all is that she was BAREFOOT. She had asked Fugaku to bring her pair of sandals to the hospital because she forgot to put them on. He was mortified. This was not going to reflect well on the dignified image of the Uchiha clan.

"You look sleep deprived and about to develop another crease on your face"

That was plain rude.

"... I did not say anything"

"but you were about to, how many years have we been married again? You think I dont know exactly what you're thinking about?"

Mikoto had a point, and they have known eachother for longer. It would wiser to share his opinions with her, she doesnt like it when Fugaku keeps things from her, he handed over her pair of sandals and thought over his words carefully.

"Hm... Things are not going well between our clan and the village, for safety reasons we should not reflect-"

"our SON is in that room, Fugaku. Dont lecture me on how I look when our son has been behind that door for over forty minutes." 

She had put on her footwear in record time, surely she had at least some from shame about stomping in like the wild. Even the Inuzuka would be in disbelief.

Also, forty?? Why didnt she send a message sooner? Anything could happen in that long a time and Fugaku would be none the wiser...

"...I wasnt thinking right... I should have informed you the moment I handed him over"

"Hn... you should have" Crossing his arms against his chest, Fugaku thought he could at least agree with her on something.

Forty minutes... And no updates? He could hardly blame his wife for being so impatient, he guesses the doctors are working on him restlessly, but that would mean that Sasuke is in no good shape.

How could something like this happen? Sasuke was at home, Mikoto was there, he was safe and healthy but all of a sudden he collapsed and needs immediate medical care? Where is Itachi right now? He should be back today at noon so there may be a few hours until he finds out. Should he send him their location? No. Itachi is very capable so he will figure it out quickly enough, if anything the subtle scare would help him lay down the role of the overprotective older brother a little bit. Once he sees how it only affects his training schedule and does little to prevent things.

"Mr. and Ms. Uchiha, good morning and pardon the inconvenience. We have good news, your son Uchiha Sasuke is stable and doesnt seem to have any injuries whatsoever. He is currently undergoing studies to determine the exact cause of his episode, so please we ask for your patience while we take care of our patient."

"Ohh, thank god..."

Mikoto all but purred and Fugaku supressed the urge to sigh, she really doesnt listen to him. So his son IS fine and they have just neglected to inform them. Nontheless Fugaku has to keep professionalism for two, seeing as how his wife is too busy composing herself and publicly showing weakness...

"We will, thank you for taking care of our son, doctor"

"Its our duty, Uchiha-san, no need to thank us whatsoever, please feel free to wait in place as we discharge him once he's woken up"

Mikoto stared after the retreating doctor, likely going to see other patients before looking back at her husband, who was frowning and stressing out more than usual, Mikoto knew that asking him to take it easy from time to time was an useless endeavor, the man didnt know how to relax.

"...Uchiha-san... He called me that... But im positive had I been someone like Hiashi I would have been labelled -sama"

Mikoto sometimes wondered how such things could cross his mind and leave his lips without him taking a moment to ponder if they should or should not.

"You're just being paranoid, you're reading too much into little things"

"Hm, do you have the right to say such a thing when only a few minutes ago you almost decribed to me a potentially fatal disgnosis on our youngest son?"

"This conversation is over."

Mikoto's voice takes on the sharpness only used when she's truly irritated about something, that thing more often than not tends to be Fugaku himself. It leaves no room for arguments.

Fugaku closes his eyes and leans back against the chair, rather than an endless back and forth he gives up trying to make her understand, falling into silence for the rest of their stay. Its better this way.

...

*****************************************

Up until two hours later. When a very tired-looking nurse steps out and informs them that Sasuke chose to stay in bed rather than go home. Fugaku doesnt know what he did to raise such a problematic young boy, he'll have to have a chat with him sometime later.

Fugaku resolved to stay until his eldest got here, then he'll go back to work. Mikoto is not so pleased by this and is giving him the silent treatment, Fugaku doesnt get her at all, it would be much more productive to return to working at the police station than to sit still, but he'll humour her nonetheless.

*****************************************

Sasuke has been through a lot in life and he knows that experiences shape a person, he has many experiences of all kind and the most memorable are not really positive ones. Experiences harden people, they make you durable and resiliant. Coming out of them alive makes one confident in one's own strenghts which will help in future trials and harships.

But as Sasuke is sitting there, gripping the bedsheets, looking out the window, relentlessly thinking about his current predicament, trying to come up with the best course of action, all the while fighting to keep down his rampaging emotions, Sasuke is painfully aware of his lack of experience on this matter.

He is living in the past, exactly as he was over a decade ago. There is nothing. He tried reaching for his chakra but was met with awfully low reserves, just like that nurse had said, they were normal for "kids his age". He tried calling out his sharingan but there was no pull behind his eyes, nevermind his mangekyou. His chakra control was acceptable but nothing like what it used to be, and more importanly, both his eyes were back to charcoal black. He had lost his rinnegan, that was the lowest blow for him. His rinnegan was his most trusted power, it was what allowed him to cheat the laws of the universe, having it meant having a constant feeling of safety at that no matter how bad things got in a fight he always had an ace up his sleeve. He had lost it. He had lost it all, all powers, most of his chakra training, his fruits of labor...

He had nothing... No experience that would help him soften the blow. Just a few hours ago he was whole, and now...

Also, just a few hours ago he had seen a living ghost, and the guilt he feels at calling his own mother like that feels all too fresh. She was alive, and he is a child, he had been called a child too.

And its all his fault, because he didnt land a few feet to the side. He doesnt know how to feel about this, it all feels unnatural, wrong, false... Its not normal and as Sasuke stares absentmindedly out the window he cant calm his drumming heart which is actively trying to jump out of his chest. Taking deep breaths, with his child lungs, does also feel unnatural.

On the other hand... His mother is alive, and so would be the rest of his clan, its not an easy thing to accept, not after everything that happened.                    That would happen Sasuke corrected himself with a spike of dread. He could actually stop the future from coming to life, he could stop all the deaths, the war... the massacre... Sasuke's breath comes out shaky, teeth clenched and fists trembling. He CAN stop things before they take place...

But he has to first accept his current situation before moving on to planning, although the situation in question is not easy to accept at all...

Sasuke shuffles out of the bedsheets, they're light but still heavy for his underdeveloped muscles and he would rather not be held back anymore than he currently is. Dressing him in a hospital gown was unnecessary and it just makes him breezy but maybe that was the point. Outside the window the sun beats mercilessly, leftover heat from summer in an atumn day, the trees sway in the gentle wind, their yellow leaves littering the streets and civilian born children playing to crunch them.

As he watches with detachment Sasuke feels out of place. There are no Uchiha children younger that him, but even if there were they would not be permitted to play outside the compound like the rest of the village, that knowledge doesnt bring him over the edge like he thought it would, its more like a dull ache than the agonizing fury he used to feel a few years back, before Naruto beat his sanity back into him.

Naruto... What have I done... Would he blame Sasuke if he were here? This is no minor slip up, this is world shattering. Naruto... Is gone. HIS Naruto is gone, gone with the rest of the world, The only hint of a juggernaut future is him alone. That, he knows, he cant let happen. At any cost. But first he'll have to come to terms with everything around him, he will sleep at the hospital today and maybe also tomorrow, if they kick him out then he can sleep at the park or inside the forest, anywhere but at his childhood home, he doesnt trust himself that much. He will have to avoid anyone that might give him whiplash. He'll plan out something and act from the shadows, thats what he's best at, and eventually, when he feels ready... He will first take things slow, calculate things and weight his options, staying in control. Controlling his situation... That trait reminds him of...

The door slid open, startling him out of his thoughts. He doesnt know how long he has been absorbed in his own head but it feels all too early for another nurse to come check up on him yet again, maybe he shouldnt have lied... 

All his composure flew of the window the moment he jerked his head towards the door and saw, standing at the doorframe, looking right back at him, someone who shouldnt be standing in the first place. Someone who he hadnt seen in a long while, who he thought would never see again. 

Suddenly there was no air in the room, apparently it was blown away by the motions of the door.

Sasuke knew from the start that if his mother was here, then so was his brother, he pretended that he didnt exist. He purpusely avoided thinking about him because he knew that if he did, even just a little bit...

Sasuke, just like with his mom, couldnt tear his eyes off of him and Itachi didnt say anything, just stood still at the doorframe staring right back. There was a clicking sound as the door closed, the inducing silence was tense.

It was then, as he felt a creeping burning crawl up his temples directed right towards his eyes, he knew with absolute certainly, he wasn't ready to face him at all. His throat streched and he had just enough sense to stifle what would have been a loud cry, even he was momentarily stunned by the sound that came out of his mouth but that was short lived.

His head was punding and his were eyes wide open and drying, just like his mouth. There, in front of him, was his biggest heartache, but shorter... and alive...

His head felt like glass shards and his eyes were on fire. He was flooded by flashbacks... Of that night... Of that hotel... Of that shrine... Of that war...

"Foolish little brother..."

"Not even worth killing..."

"You lack hatred..."

"...How much can you really see?..."

"Im sorry Sasuke, there wont be a next time..."

Itachi stepped forward, then again, and again, little by little making his way over and Sasuke's recollection broke as he stared wide eyed at his brother's gentle approach, how he buried his hand into his ANBU vest only to take it out a second later. He watched as he slowly inched towards him until they were right in front of each other.

"...You dont ever have to forgive me..."

"...And no matter what you do from now on, know this..."

"No matter what-"

Fighting back emtions, Sasuke tried to still the subtle twitch of his lips. Itachi was in front of him but he saw him blurry, he realized he was smiling and that felt so much more painful than it should. It was overwhelming, his face and especially his eyes burned but he couldnt blink, he couldnt break eye contact. Itachi's lips parted and it took a while for Sasuke to understand the words spoken rather than the sound itself.

"Do you want to eat tomatoes?" 

Itachi's voice, devoid of its cruel coldness, a sweet, carefree tone he only ever used with him, back when they were children, back when things were simple, back when neither were comsumed by self-loathing. Sasuke felt himself break from the inside out, hearing his voice was the last drop, he couldnt take it anymore. His eyes watered before he broke down crying right there, tears raining down his face as he sobbed uncontrollably, his tears mixing in with spit and snot all the while Itachi stood frozen in shock, it would be hilarious if it wasnt so tragic. Sasuke still couldnt tear his eyes off of him and so he closed them shut, he missed him, he missed him so much but he never realized just how much. Itachi sat down silently and just comforted him. Sasuke allowed it, he needed the comfort and he didnt have any fight left in him regardless.

In the hospital room, the only thing that could be heard were the relentless screams and sobs of a heartbroken child who occasionally gasped for air, and the subtle sound of friction on fabric as his back was rubbed in gentle circles.

"I will love you... Always."

Chapter Text

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The light tapping of barefoot footsteps made their way across wooden floor, stopping outside a closed door, gently nocking and patiently waiting for the "come in" in response. Slowly opening the door and setting the tray on the desk and sighing when no further aknowledgement was made. Sometimes teenagers were just difficult.

"I made you dinner, eat it while its still warm"

Mikoto had cooked a delicious vegetable broth, she had first thought about sneaking chicken in it, his eldest son absolutely despised any sort of meat, so consequently he did not have the necessary nutrients for his demanding lifestyle, but figured he would notice and this wasnt the right time to demand a proper nutritious diet from him. She was fine as long as he ate something, which was probing to be too much to ask for seeing as how he'd starve himself if food wasnt brought directly to him.

No response from him at all. Sigh. She would appreciate a little "Thanks, mom" or even just a nod or a quick diggin in to his serving, but he was too transfixed inside that head of his, sitting on his desk's chair, back straight while resting his head on his left hand as though it weighted on him, pretending to be occupied with his mission report as if Mikoto could be fooled. Who was it that taught him mental gymnastics after all?. Taking place behind his eldest and leaning in for a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around him for extra assurance, she took a deep breath, relishing in the rare moment of intimacy she just created. Mikoto didnt have to think too much about what was it that was bothering him.

"Everything is okay, nothing is wrong with him. You already heard the doctors, they found nothing wrong with him... You're just paranoid because you havent been sleeping well. Eat your dinner and go to sleep"

As if sensing the lack of effect her words had, she added "How are you supposed to be there for him if you also faint? Leave the report for tomorrow, you can afford to hand it late for the first time, just get some sleep alright?"

Itachi, exacting on himself as he was, seemed to somewhat agree with that as he rolled the scroll closed. Victorious, Mikoto pulled away from the onesided embrace to let him pick up the spoon, blow on it and then begin to eat the broth. She vagely lamented not adding chicken to it.

"I think something happened to him... He never shoo'd me away before, much less while ill..."

"...At first I thought he cried because he didnt like the tomatoes... I didnt have the time to wash them"

Mikoto smirked, Sasuke wouldnt cry over tomatoes, he was too big for a fit like that. But the amusement didnt last long because it was true that that reaction had been unexpected. Itachi had told her everything, from the moment of his arrival to the part where he had been kicked out of the room and banned from coming back. That must have been a low blow for him, Sasuke is always his first priority and to have been rejected so bluntly like that must still hurt. Itachi was right, something had happened to him but Mikoto would be hard pressed to guess what that something was, one moment he was laughing and the next on the floor unconscious...

Mikoto understood how he felt, she worried for him too but Sasuke is not Itachi's responsability, he shouldnt feel responsible for his wellbeing, they should. Mikoto wished her eldest son would have gotten to enjoy childhood, but his innocence was stripped away from him so savagely... Mikoto, as much as she tried for peace's sake, was never able to forgive her husband for that particular event. The thought was pretty jarring... Its one of the many ways they have failed him as parents. Perhaps its understandable that he'd prefer to spend time with his younger brother rather than them, Sasuke hasnt done anything irreversible and left behind scars that sting even to this day.

"Sasuke is not ill, and im sure he did not cry over some dirty tomatoes, whatever that happened to him has nothing to do with you. That doesnt mean that its not worrisome that he'd rather sleep at the hospital than at home... But even so, promise me you're gonna go to bed early"

"Hai..."

Sometimes, Mikoto thought, she wished her son would talk just a little bit more. It was futile prodding him at this point, Mikoto gave a small smile and left Itachi's room.

As she walked down the stairs, careful not to apply too much pressure on her aching right knee, her mind kept on wandering towards strange places. It had all been so bizarre, out of nowhere...

Why did he cry like that when he saw Itachi?... Why did he seemed like he also wanted to when he saw her too? Mikoto could remember it vividly...

The beautiful morning hadnt lasted long, Sasuke had just got down the stairs, energetic sunray as ever. Everything was normal, perfect. But then things had turned so scary...

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Quick feet padded in out of sync ritm, rushing over from upstairs to the the kitchen and sliding to a halt at her side. Bringing up her hand to cover her mouth, Mikoto couldnt hold back a soft, amused chuckle at that beaming smile that greeted her, she got a cheerful laughter in return.

Her youngest was such a blessing to her, he was her world, the company that never failed to be by her side in the mornings and at night, he was always like that, just a darling little happy hairball that was constantly to the brim with energy. Speaking of hair, he looked like he had fallen out of bed.

Still keeping her smile glued to her face she shook her head, she was cooking their breakfast right now and so she couldnt really fix it for him lest she'd leave his hair full of egg. Good thing Fugaku wasnt home to highlight every little 'imperfect' thing around him. Their children were perfect just as they were, he needed to learn how to properly show affection before they developed an inferiority complex.

Well, just Sasuke. Itachi didnt have the best relationship with his father... And Mikoto, as much as she loved and devoted herself to her husband, could understand exactly why. There are some mistakes that cannot be fixed with a simple apology...

Sasuke was bouncing on the balls of his feet, trying his best to look at what his mother was cooking, and Mikoto just couldnt resist the urge to bend down and give him a little peck on the forehead. Sasuke blushed and pouted, muttering something about not being a baby anymore, but he instantly beamed again when she extended a little spoonful of tofu broth for him to try. Mikoto was satisfied with her life, she loved her children so much...

"Is it good~?"

"Mhm! Hai! Yummy~"

"Is that so? Im so glad~"

Chuckling, Mikoto tried it herself, in her opinion it lacked a little bit of salt, but the salt container had run out while she was cooking... They were going to have to bring a bag off the shelf from behind them. But she was sooo occupied... How fortunate it was that her little hero was right by. He was always excited to be of help to others, perhaps that was the part that she found the most endearing of him.

It wouldnt take him long to come rushing back to her side, Mikoto would have to use the few seconds she had to sneak in the small pieces of bacon before he turned around, her youngest wasnt always selective with his food but he had picked his dislike towards meat from his older brother... He looked up to him, even in smaller things like this, Mikoto was more than slightly annoyed the first time little Sasuke had boldly declared a personal vendetta towards meat whereas Itachi looked almost proud, he had done a good job of looking away when she turned towards him though, so she could not confirm even to this day. She huffed, being a mother could be a handful sometimes.

"I have it! Mom look! I reached it!"

There, jumping off a chair he used for height, hugging a bag of salt with both hands and a face splitting smile was Mikoto's reason to wake up everyday. She right smiled back, feeling fulfulled in life. Gosh how she loved her children so much.

"Good job, Sasuke! Now be careful not to drop it or-... Hun?"

It was so sudden and without warning, Mikoto heard a 'thunk' and now Sasuke was on the floor. He just fell backwards out of nowhere, smile still stuck to his face, eyes rolling back and salt bag smashing to the floor, opening and spilling all over the entire floor but she wasnt paying attention to that unimportant detail.

"Hunny? Sasuke?"

He was laying motionless, sprawled with his arms by his side like a magazine caricature. When there was no response from him she put down the utensils, turned off the stove and never taking her eyes off her son she quickly rushed over to him. She felt something drop in her stomach, she felt confusion and fear and more. What had just happened anyway? Had he hit his head on something? Maybe he hit his head against the shelf but she hadnt heard anything, maybe he did but she had failed to notice since the boiling food made too much noise. She came to a stop at his feet and knelt down, sharingan activated and tilting his head back and forth in search for blood, sighing in relief when none was found she tried calling out for him, but no matter the volume she used she could not bring him back.

She was full on panicking at this point, she had taken his pulse, his temperature, had lifted his knees up for better blood circulation but all she got was a vague groan and a subtle head tilt. She was about to pick him up when he opened his eyes, Mikoto was so relieved she had lost her composure, if she had been alone right there she didnt doubt she could have cried. But Sasuke looked out of it, at first it seemed normal, at least after a fall like that, he had fainted out of nowhere, they would have to go and get him checked. But after a few seconds she saw... Confusion... Terror? in those big, innocent eyes that had Mikoto's thoughts racing. Things only went downhill from there.

Why was he looking at her like that? Surely he couldnt think she was mad at him for dropping salt all over the floor... Sure, it was gonna be a workout to clean but regardless, why was he looking at her... like that? Mikoto tried calling out for him yet again, but there was no response, zero indication that he was listening to her, Mikoto had only so much patience and when he started quivering that patience had long run out. It took her barely a minute to pick her son up, holding him tightly against her chest and running out of the compound... Years-long leg injury forgotten as she leaped from rooftop to rooftop back outside. Only back at the hospital, in mild discomfort, panting and sitting down at the waiting room she gazed down and saw... 

Yeah... Fugaku was gonna be sure to share his 'thoughtful opinions' with her and she honestly wasnt sure how much of them she could take right now... Oh right, she completely failed to inform him... Mikoto hoped he wouldnt be too upset as her shadow clone skillfully made its way outside the hospital, avoiding detection to not bring any more embarrasment her way, she could tie down her hair at the very least, good thing she always kept her tie in her pocket...

This day couldnt get worse for her.

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The wound in the muscle of her leg throbbed and her knee burned. As she laid in her bed, gritting her teeth, Mikoto promised herself that tomorrow she would not get out of bed, Sasuke wasnt here and Itachi wouldnt stay past sunrise anyways. And Fugaku... He'll sleep at the station just like always, the clan's growing dispute with the village wont let him rest longer than nessesary. Not even what's nessesary...

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Barf

Barf

Phieugh

Ugh...

Mortified would be an understatement, Sasuke was going to puke once again just at the sight of it, floating in the toilet water like two pieces of shit. He had vomited two disgusting things. They looked like a small octopus, but not... these apparitions looked more like two brown poops than tentacles. And they had shrunk to the size of his thumb.

He had been feeling something heavy moving in his stomach for a while now, guess what it was. He was gonna puke anytime soon now... but werent there three instead?

It doesnt matter

He feels numb, cold. He might not sleep tonight, or ever again.

How did it all come to this? And how many times he asked himself that very same question? How is he supposed to pick himself up and live his life? He just turned down his family because he cant bear the thought of looking, talking, breathing in the same space as them... And now, down the drain goes, those delicious tomatoes.

He had broken down, he couldnt take it anymore and when Sasuke had barely calmed down and stopped crying, he had just kicked him out and ate them alone... Its should be a silly little thing but he feels like a criminal. Itachi looked taken aback, surely he must have thought he heard wrong when Sasuke muttered to him to leave and dont come back, he feels guilty but it cant be helped. Sleeping at the hospital, away from familiar faces is the only thing keeping him sane, its gonna take him a while to adjust and he needs to have his space meanwhile. He has been thinking a lot, his thought are all messy and tiring. Sauske wished he had his powers back, things would be so simple if he did.

Well, he thought this was at least something.

Through the bathroom mirror, two red lights reflected off of its surface, two one tomoe sharingan eyes staring right back at him. Sasuke had felt the migraine the moment Itachi had walked through the door, he had barely kicked him out when the entire world began to tip off and spin, he had felt that horrible dizziness all too familiar to him, he had felt faint for who knows the time today but had managed to remain concious. He, once again, awoke his sharingan, this time though at only the sight of his previously dead older brother, and his mother also played a big role in it.

Not much of a difference anyways, but at least...

Flushing down the toilet and standing back up he closed the bathroom door and made his way back over to the bed. Sasuke wasnt the best planner, he used to just follow his heart and it always worked out, at least up until now... Right now though he has to plan, he cant just power his way through a better future with his current strenght. He doesnt even know what future he wants. One without Danzo for sure, that bastard has to die sooner rather than later.

He has to save his clan, thats his first priority. His mother, his father... his brother. Itachi is not an easy topic for him, he's conflicted, its a complex situation that he will have to figure out later but not now.

Then there is also Naruto... 

He has lost so much more than he thought he had, the life that he built is gone, the future, harsh as it was, is also gone, all his achievements and victories, all his triumphs and loses, all the pain, his ups and down... They're gone. Except the pain they're all gone, Sasuke is back to before it all started for him, and he's still horrified.

Its only been a day, there is still time to adjust.

Its just starting, he needs to take things slow, think things through before he messes up, he has already set up suspicion on himself by acting on his emotions, but how should he have reacted to all this? He needs to keep a tight hold on himself from now on, he cant afford to do worse.

He's tired. Sasuke spent the better part of the day unconscious but he's still tired, climbing on the bed, he lays down and feeling himself doozing off, this was all just too mentally taxing and all he wishes for at this point is to give in to slumber. But there is something moving inside his hospital gown, lightly brushing against his abdomen and he cant focus on his sleep, he turns, bringing a hand to scratch his tummy. But all he does is reach inside before he shoots up, sitting still and pulling whatever is it thats messing with his sleep.

There, inside his tiny kid hand are two things, two things he has just flushed down the toiled alongside his own puke that he confirmed himself had gone down the drain. What the fuck. He saw them go down, he did not stuck his hand down there at any moment, Sasuke wouldnt reach inside a toilet and not because he's squeamish, He's been living a nomadic lifestyle for years, those things stopped disgusting him long ago, but there would be no reason to do that, he's tired but not stupid. He gets up once again, throws them out and flushes the toiled before going back to bed, only to shoot up once again as something tickles his stomach, he pales, reaches back inside and sure enough... He had thrown them away twice... Sasuke has his fair experiences with strange jutsu, but to tie something to oneself to the point that it keeps coming back when discarded, he doesnt have a clue about that, not one.

He eyes them intently, their color is a reddish shade of brown, maybe a few lines of green here and there, they look just like little octopus legs and the things keep moving. Its disgusting however he looks at it, maybe he shouldnt have thought them as poop... His sharingan still feels unnatural on his body when he activates it, there are small waves of chakra that emanate from the tentacles, dissipating into thin air and repeating the process. Its all harmless, neither corrosive nor ill intented so Sasuke continues his examination.

"So, its still active..."

The seal must still be having some effect, he could try to destroy them, maybe cast a quick fireball that he's sure even his body could manage, but it wouldnt be wise to destroy something harmless that he has no knowledge of, there could be an actual reason as to why they're attached to him. He's doubtful as to why there are two and not three, after all there were three of them keeping him above ground and also three of them going down his stomach.

Whatever, he tucks them underneath his pillow, the last thing he needs is a nurse trying and failing to take them away, or someone finding out their origin and sending T&I down on him... He will deal with this in the morning, he has plans for the next days and would rather be restful for them.

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Its early morning in the village, the sun paints the taller buildings a shade of orange, casting strange shadows across alleys that could be mistaken for lurking silhouettes by the untrained eye. Inside the Hokage tower inside his office, the ruler of said village overlooks it through the open window, taking deep breaths of morning mist air while pondering on the most important subjects up to date.

Hiruzen has been the third Hokage for years, his ruling has been hard and arduous, he has led his men into war to defend Konoha and its citizens, has been the front line of many bloody battlefields and has lost way too many comrades, but never has he let his beautiful home fall into ruin, he protected this place for decades, never once failing to come out victorious from every battle he took part in, he was a legend across the five great nations, admired by his people and feared by the outside world. They even nicknamed him 'God of shinobi' in honor to his legacy, a name he shares with the founder himself and Hiruzen could not be more proud of himself for everything that he accomplished in life.

But that had been decades ago... He is now an old man, tired and overworked. If only Minato were here, if only the kyuubi hadnt escaped on that horrible night...

But its useless to dwell on the past, Hiruzen has spent the vast majority of his time on his second ruling praying for his next successor, and now that he had found himself a pair of possible candidates... He sighed. There is no doubt that he could have handled the situation of the kyuubi better. Fugaku's men were always there for the village when the time came to act but things have changed ever since that night. Hiruzen wishes for a reconciliation with the Uchiha clan but with each passing day that hope slowly wanes, its fortunate that he has such loyal ninja willing to report on their own clan for the village's sake. Shisui got sent away for a long while, it couldnt be help that only he fit the criteria for the mission paramenters, but once he comes back, they, along with Itachi will have to discuss on their next moves. 

"Hmm... You could nock next time"

Swiflty and silently as the wind the door had opened and been left ajar, a man with an indefferent expression dragging himself inside uninvited. Hiruzen could detect that chakra signature kilometers afar, and if anything he didnt have to turn around to know who it was, there was only one man in the entire village capable of showing such open disrespect towards the chair.

"Hiruzen, there is no time for you to be wasting like that. You do understand the delicate times in which we are currently living. You need to put a stop to this"

"I am working on it Danzo. There is no need for you to worry, as the Hokage I will see this crisis over"

And he will, because this is his home too, the village he swore an oath to. He will not let war break out between his people while he's alive and breathing, even if it means to take drastic measure. The entire village is under his protection and so he will try his best to ensure safety on all sides, a feeling that his old friend doesnt seem to share with him.

"By the time you decide to make your move it will be far too late! All you need to do is to let me handle this situation and it will see itself fixed by sunset. You're not taking proper action Hiruzen!"

Hiruzen put up with far too much coming from his council, but Danzo held a record for lines crossed that he could not afford to be expanded. He could not let him take part in this. Danzo's actions are always for the village's benefit, but the man lacked a limit to how far he could go for what he considered to be the greater good. Hiruzen knows just how much he distrusts the Uchiha, that distrust was adopted from their mentor from a long time ago, and its all thanks to the second founder, Madara. That name never fails to set him on edge, the Uchiha are always dragging behind a ghost of their past, and a planned coup from them seemed to have pushed Danzo's buttons. He cant let him do what he wishes.

"Silence Danzo! it is me the one who makes the rules here, the Hokage is me... And as your Hokage I order you to stay out of this matter unless I order you to"

"But!-"

"Dont test me Danzo! you dont actually think I have forgotten your past deeds, dont you? This conversation is over. You're dismissed"

That shut him up. He looked ready to blow up but no amount of glares would change his mind on this matter and Danzo knew it, and so with a scoff he turned.

"You will regret this..."

The door slammed and after a few seconds of silence Hiruzen sat down and picked up his pipe. He was old and tired and the stress was only making him grow older by the minute, he needed a successor as soon as possible but they were undergoing a crisis and he needed to be here for his people. Danzo was an unpredictable man, he could not let his guard down near him, he had to stay alert or else it might happen what almost happened a few years ago.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he felt a growing headache at the base of his skull. What would he do without his pipe?