“You know, you could have gone a little easier on him, Sasori. Itachi's gonna be pretty pissed when he sees what you did; and I'm going to be blamed as well.” Kisame cackled, that ever-present grin spread across his lips, showing off his mouthful of razor sharp fangs. He held the limp body of the younger Uchiha over his right shoulder, the boy's weight hardly registering to the 6'4” man. His expression showed no sigh of anxiety despite his seemingly worried words; if anything, Kisame just seemed a little amused with the whole situation.
Sasori, the smaller of the two males, barely even cast Kisame a side glance as the two stepped out of the bitter cold outdoors and entered the mansion in which they called homed. The human servants whom had opened the doors for them bowed, but neither man so much as considered the humans. Sasori merely waved them off, and they quickly scampered away to tend to their duties.
“Don't be ridiculous, Kisame. The boy was not critically harmed. Besides, I believe if anyone is to blame for the amount of force I used, it is Itachi himself. He failed to mentioned that little Sasuke knows how to use a sword.” Sasori muttered emotionlessly, clutching the sword in question tighter in his grasp as slight irritation crossed his features.
During their little squabble with Sasuke, the raven haired young man had managed to slice Sasori's cheek with the annoying blade. Of course, the wound was shallow and healed immediately. However, on instinct, Sasori had kicked Sasuke back against a nearby wall after being cutt. This caused the a small wound to open up on the back of Sasuke's head, and drenched him in the crimson gold, the entire back of Sasuke's white button-up top stained in the stuff. But his wounds were not life-threatening; they had simply been enough to render the boy unconscious.
“When he wakes up, he's going to be quite the handful...” Sasori sighed, not at all looking forward to dealing with the situation. His only relief was that Itachi would have to deal with it and not him. Still…
“Come on, now. We should be glad that precious Sasuke is alive and well. It's quite the pity that Danzo has corrupted his mind so much… but I suppose that can't be helped.” chuckling again, Kisame carried Sasuke up the grand staircase and down the main hallway, eventually coming to the door at the very end.
By then, just about every other member of the Akatsuki had smelt Sasuke's pristine, powerful blood and had come to investigate. Well, most of them remained hidden away in the shadows. Deidara and Hidan were the only ones who were physically visible, Deidara simply glaring from down the hall and Hidan approaching to get a closer look at Sasuke.
“My, my! That brat sure has grown.. and he smells delicious~” Hidan teased, reaching forward as if to grab at Sasuke, but Sasori was quick to slap his hand away and glare at the taller silver-haired vampire.
“What?!” Hidan pouted, earning yet another cackle from Kisame. Sasori was the one who spoke, though:
“Sasuke belongs to Itachi; his blood is off-limits.” His voice was ice cold, and his gaze dangerously narrowed. They all knew that Hidan wouldn't hesitate to try and get a nip at Sasuke's virgin bloodline.
Hidan just let out an irritated 'tch' and rolled his eyes, raising his hands to show he wasn't going to do anything as he backed off. For now.
“Now then. I assume Itachi is getting impatient..” Kisame allowed his words to trail off, and Sasori just nodded, giving Hidan one last glare before turning and knocking at Itachi's door before letting himself in. Kisame followed, setting Sasuke's unconscious figure on the bed.
“I apologize that it took us so long to retrieve him. Sasuke proved to be more… difficult.. than we expected.” Sasori murmured, setting the katana down on the bed beside the young Uchiha's sleeping body.
Itachi would find that Sasuke had grown up well. He was lean, standing at roughly 5'5” with thin muscle beneath his pale, smooth skin. His features were just as anyone would expect of a member of the Uchiha bloodline; beautiful to a point of almost seeming feminine. Especially while he was asleep. His expression was peaceful and soft, his head lulled lightly to the side, causing his shaggy black bangs to obscure some of his features.
Due to the cold, his cheeks were a soft pink, though his thick eyelashes still contrasted against his pale features. He was almost like a porcelain doll. One that Sasori nearly shattered with his carelessness, but he still felt firmly that it wasn't his fault.
Itachi was restless. Hadn't the Akatsuki insisted that they retrieve Sasuke themselves, he would have gone to fetch his own brother himself, although he knew the risks involved were too high to jeopardize on a nervous whim. If he had gone alone like he had initially planned, he would be vulnerable to any of Danzo's ambushes, and should he be defeated, the Akatsuki would be without a leader. It was simply like playing chess, even if waiting behind the forefront of the action made Itachi itch with impatience. This was his brother they were rough-handling out there, after all. If Kisame and Sasori brought Sasuke back with just the slightest scratch on his precious brother's face, he would have wrung their necks himself.
He was still pacing the floor until the two arrived with Sasuke knocked unconscious over Kisame's shoulder. Mostly unscathed, he noticed, spare a few bruises and cuts that he figured coudn't be helped given the circumstances his two best underlings were working with. It even made his chest swell with pride hearing that his brother had grown strong; strong enough to put up a struggle against two vampires who were probably more skilled and powerful than he was.
"This is him?" he questioned with a quirk of his brow, although he knew in his heart that there was no mistaking the resemblance on the younger Uchiha's face. The last time Itachi had seen him was years ago when his brother had been nothing but an infant bundled up in sheets, so vulnerable and fragile, unlike the young adult he had matured into. He had spent so long, worked so hard, and sacrificed so much to be able to witness this moment and feel at ease knowing that his younger brother was finally home where he rightfully belonged. For now, he resisted the urge to approach Sasuke, and turned to Kisame. "And Danzo?" he asked.
"He wasn't there," Kisame cocked his head to one side, squatting to admire Sasuke a bit more closely. "Heh, he does look like you. Can we keep him?"
Itachi didn't have to do more than glare at Kisame to fill the room with a palpable tension. All the Akatsuki members were aware how touchy of a subject Sasuke was to Itachi and how possessive the older Uchiha was of a sibling he had never met since Sasuke's abduction. One by one, the cloaked members slipped out of the chamber, leaving Itachi alone with his younger brother, at last.
His hardened features automatically softened at the sight of the other male laid on his floor, a part of him almost terrified of touching him for fear of discovering that this was yet another dream and Sasuke was nowhere to be found. He knelt, a pale hand reaching out of his cloud-patterned cloak to brush away the inky fringe that covered his face. 'He's beautiful,' was his first thought, his gaze tracing the curve of Sasuke's lashes to his soft, nude lips.
If Danzo was useful for one thing, it was that he had kept his brother alive and fed all these years only for Itachi to reclaim him in the end. Still, Itachi was vengeful, believing Danzo owed him for all of Sasuke's birthdays he had missed and so much more.
Slowly, he lifted the younger male into his arms and moved him to bed, knowing by the time Sasuke would wake that he would be fatigued, famished, and hopefully confused as to why he was there.
Sai sat kneeling on his knee before Danzo, that same, empty smile as usual plastered across his pale features as he awaited his punishment. Danzo had been glaring down at him for a long while now, those eyes of his so dangerously narrowed that Sai was admittedly too afraid to even attempt to look up at him. So he remained on he ground, head bowed and mouth closed.
“This is a grave disappointment, Sai. You and Sasuke were paired together for a reason; because going on a hunt alone is reckless and is little more than a suicide mission. So. Care to explain why Sasuke is gone, and you're here?” Danzo's voice was low and carried a rumble of anger laced beneath the calm on the surface. Sai quickly lifted his head when spoken to, his smile not once wavering.
“Well, sir. You see, I would have gladly gone on a hunt with Sasuke! However… he insisted that he go alone. He was convinced that I would only slow him down, so he left, and, embarrassingly enough, I was unable to tail him.” Sai's words were soft and genuine, though Danzo honestly didn't care one way or another.
Sure, Danzo was the dean of an entire academy of young hunters such as Sai and Sasuke, but Sasuke was by far his more desirable student. However, should Sasuke fall into the wrong hands, he would quickly become a threat to all Danzo stood for. Sasuke could not be found by them. He would sooner have him killed.
“Very well. Gather a small party and go after Sasuke; and don't fail me, Sai.” Danzo gave Sai one last hard glance before dismissing him and turning around to sit back down at his desk. By the time he turned back around to face Sai, the boy was gone. He wasn't one to stick around after being given an order.
He wondered though as he stood in the hallway outside Danzo's office… why was Sasuke so special to him? Had it been any other student hunter that had so ignorantly gone out on their own, Danzo would have simply said they deserved anything that happened to them and not bother himself in the matter. But he was willing to risk the lives of a few so reclaim one…
It was quite baffling.
Meanwhile, after roughly an hour of lying unconscious, Sasuke began to stir. It started with his head rolling to the side, which, of course, caused searing pain to shoot up the back of his skull where he had cracked his head against the wall in his little skirmish with Sasori. However, Sasuke couldn't recall the fight that had happened. Not immediately.
He was more concerned with the unwelcome pain, which caused his expression to twist and his jaw to clinch as a low groan rumbled from his chest. Doing his best to bite back the discomfort, though, the spiky-haired young man slowly shifted his arms beneath his sides and propped himself into a half-sitting position while those dark eyes of his flickered open.
Despite the fact that his vision was swimming, making it hard to see much of anything in detail, Sasuke immediately tensed when he realized he was not somewhere familiar. Then he noticed his katana laying at the foot of the bed, and it all came rushing back to him. He had been attacked by two, whom Sasuke had every right to believe belonged to the Akatasuki based on their attire. And it was a member of the Akatsuki that was responsible for his family's murder.
Shoving his pain, dizziness, and confusion to the side, Sasuke dove for his sword before anyone could leap from the shadows and attack. He swept the katana up in one motion, and fluidly rolled off of the bed, landing gracefully on his feet. The katana already free of it's sheath and held lethally before himself. Clearly, he knew how to use the weapon.
His intent was to come off as imposing and dangerous. However, the moment his feet met he floor, he was come over with a serious bout of vertigo. It didn't seem to matter that he had the will to stand and fight; his wounded head simply wasn't having any of these sharp movements. And on top of that, his entire body felt heavy and weak from the loss of blood. His stomach was crippled and twisted with nausea at every move he made, and it certainly wasn't helping that the roomed almost seemed as if it were spinning by this point.
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke staggered to the side, his left hand gripping the frame of the bed for support while his right hand desperately clung to the weapon. He reluctantly pinched his eyes shut tight and shook his head while exhaling a shaky sigh, hoping that all of this would go away, but he knew there was only one thing that could make him feel any better, and that was his medication. Only problem being that he didn't have any with him. Danzo was pretty stingy with the stuff and only ever gave Sasuke what he needed in the moment. This ensured that Sasuke always came back to him.
He had no idea that what he was feeling was the change between human and vampire; a line he had unknowingly been walking his entire life thanks to the meds.
For years since Sasuke's abduction, Itachi had been researching the very concoction that Danzo had used to dispel his younger brother's true form. It was a potent antidote that could be used as a weapon against the Akatsuki, after all, so inventing a serum that reversed the effects had been his first priority all along. The Akatsuki had tried everything from herbal remedies to chemical formulas, every single one of their potions turning up as a burp from Kisame's stomach whenever they tried live experimentation.
The closest they had ever gotten to Danzo's anti-vampire medication was something Itachi had procured that functioned like a steroid for isolated vampire genes. Essentially, it made them stronger, swifter, and more intelligent, but it had yet to yield any successful results coaxing them out of a dormant state. Would it work on Sasuke? If so, it would only be temporary, but just enough to prove who Sasuke truly was.
For now, he allowed his younger brother to regain his strength and rest while he tended to business sending the Akatsuki out to observe Danzo's next plan of attack. He knew the old man would be fuming over Sasuke's disappearance (ironically enough) and would prove to be quite a thorn in his side attempting to reclaim Sasuke.
This time, Itachi was prepared, and he wasn't going to see his brother stolen from him a second time.
About the same time Sasuke regained consciousness, Itachi entered his bedchamber with Kisame and Pain at his heel. All three of them looked unfazed by Sasuke's defensive stance and more focused on the vial of green syrup that Itachi poured them both. Kisame chugged it down, and Pain only did so reluctantly after observing how it only caused his comrade to burp.
"Well?" Itachi asked.
"It tastes like shit," Kisame bellowed, claw-like hands flexing as the veins underneath his taut skin thickened whereas his beady eyes thinned. "Say, Sasuke over there smells even tastier now."
"Kisame's more or less correct. The medication's working to the effect you desire," Pain took the liberty to summarize what the other Akatsuki had explained in more coherent phrases. "I can smell more. Feel more, but I think it serves its purpose only to enhance what's already there." The Akatsuki glanced at Sasuke and pursed his lips. For what it was worth, Itachi's "remedy" of sorts for Sasuke had tasted "like shit" and the bitter aftertaste lingering on his tongue only made the scent of the younger Uchiha's blood smell that much more delectable.
"The human prisoner," Itachi tucked another vial of the same medication in Pain's hand. "Try this on him."
Once given the order, the two left Itachi more or less alone in the room with an armed Sasuke. The older Uchiha hadn't bothered to store his brother's katana away, figuring that if there ever was a time for them to clash swords and for Sasuke to direct his blind hatred, it was now. Then, maybe his precious sibling would come to realize that he was still very weak. Itachi hadn't trained and triumphed to become the leader of the Akatsuki, only to fall at the hands of his little brother's swordsmanship.
"You're... not well, Sasuke," he advised the younger male to sit, knowing Sasuke would be experiencing quite the rush of vertigo without Danzo's medication to keep one "true form" isolated from the other. It would only be a matter of a few hours before the concoction would wear off. "And you won't do anything but harm to yourself if you insist on defending yourself in that state," Itachi said. "You won't even put a scratch on me."
He kept his distance, though. Not because he was wary of Sasuke's aggressive state, but he felt as if his feet were rooted in place. This was Sasuke, he was finally home, yet Itachi found himself asking "What now?" A decade or so had waned since Sasuke's disappearance and his younger brother had been raised that his own older brother was his sworn enemy. The Akatsuki had tried persuading him not to find Sasuke again because their lives were too different and he hadn't believed them until now.
The younger Uchiha saw him as a ruthless killer and not the older brother that had carried Sasuke into a closet for safety before Danzo had torn him away and left Itachi unconscious in the midst of corpses and his burning village. Kisame had found him and the Akatsuki had been formed a few years after that. Itachi's motive hadn't changed since then.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Sasuke," he spoke soothingly. "I've been wanting to meet you for a long, long time."
Sasuke jumped when the door swung open, quickly shoving off of the bed frame and staggering to his own two feet as he turned to snarl at those whom had entered the room. His eyes were narrowed and lips pulled into a tight line as he struggled to try and get a grasp of where he was or who these people were. He, of course, believed that whoever they were, they were the enemy. And, after blinking a few times to try and clear his vision a little, he realized just what he was truly up against. This man… Sasuke had seen him before. In the bingo books. He couldn't quite put a name to the face, but honestly, he didn't care to do so. The three 'men' standing before him weren't men at all; they were blood-thirsty monsters. As far as Sasuke was concerned, they were responsible for the slaughter of his family.
And yet, they didn't seem to think twice about Sasuke's existence. They were bussied with trying some kind of liquid.. it was hard t tell what it might be due to the distance between them, but again, Sasuke didn't care about that at all. He was more concerned about the fact that he had no idea how he was going to kill all these guys alone. That little fight against the red haired guy from before and the tall guy with blueish skin, who was currently drinking some of the strange liquid, hadn't ended well.
In the end, Sasuke found himself glaring at the long haired guy who stayed behind as the other two left. He seemed so calm, like Sasuke wasn't currently pointing the tip of his sword at him.
It wasn't until the man began to speak that Sasuke jolted again, snapping out of his thoughts and back to reality as the older male addressed him by name, stating that he 'wasn't well'. “How the hell do you know my name?” The younger Uchiha growled, biting back the pain in the back of his head as he lowered his stance and lifted the sword. The headache and stomach cramps were nothing. Sasuke had been waiting for a chance like this his whole life. In the end, it didn't matter how he knew his name, or why he hadn't killed him by now.
His silent rage only grew louder when the other went a far as to say that Sasuke wouldn't be able to so much as scratch him. The younger Uchiha's eyes narrowed into slits then, lips curled back to reveal canines that had yet to grow into fangs. Still, vampire or not, Sasuke was not some weak human. He was not on par with Itachi – not by a long shot – but he was on a totally different level than any human. The snapping point, however… that came when the man so genuinely told him that he wasn't going to 'harm' him.
Like Sasuke was some scared and weak child in need of consoling. If there was one thing he hated, it was being talked down to like this.
Sasuke was so outraged that his body was physically trembling, his eyes zoned in on the other male's own as a look of pure hatred overcame him.
“You wont hurt me… because I'm going to kill you..!” Sasuke hissed, taking a defined step towards the man before lunging. Throwing caution to the wind, Sasuke charged. With a loud cry, the young man slashed the razor sharp blade towards Itachi's chest, not once taking his eyes from his own.
Admittedly, though, his movements were.. slow. He still couldn't see straight, so his marking was off, and his movement was stiff thanks to the pain spreading from his gut at every move he made.
Danzo certainly had done an impeccable job turning Sasuke into a vampire hunter whose instincts were now honed to kill at the first sight of the Akatsuki's signature attire dotted with ominously crimson clouds. He recognized the rage that blazed in Sasuke's eyes though and knew he must feel the same way he had once felt all those years ago when the younger Uchiha had been taken from his arms. How could he forget that immeasurable anger and the desire to avenge what had been taken from him?
It just pained him more to witness Sasuke reduced to that same fate, brainwashed to believe that his own older brother was the cause for their parents' deaths and their livelihood. If only he had been sooner, he thought. If only he had been brave enough to face Sasuke with the guilt of having lost him to Danzo in the first place. These thoughts crippled and addled his mind, but Itachi dodged the clumsy swing of Sasuke's sword easily, not counterattacking, just as he had promised.
If Sasuke wanted to deplete his own energy going at him with stamina he so clearly lacked, Itachi wouldn't mind. It was easier draining his strength through physical exhaustion than doing so himself.
"You'll kill me, Sasuke?" he confirmed, just a few steps from the younger male now. He moved almost as if he was floating on thin air, his supernatural abilities allowing him to execute superb agility. Even his crimson irises played a role in detecting Sasuke's reflexes and kicking his own to be one step ahead of his opponent. Sasuke too, would have been much more powerful, perhaps to the point of being on par with Itachi himself, but Danzo's medication had quite literally suppressed the peak of his potential. A shame. If anything, Itachi had wished Sasuke would have grown to surpass his expectations of him in combat. "Are you not even remotely curious as to why or how I know your name, Sasuke Uchiha?"
His reticent gaze remained still, the bottom half of his face concealed behind the raised collar of the Akatsuki cloak. The resemblance between the two was striking even if only half of Itachi's face was exposed.
Itachi didn't evade the next attack; instead, his bare hand flashed out of the cloak and grabbed the blade of the katana. Any attempt made by a human to stop a surging blade would have costed them a limb, but Itachi was clearly no human and possessed an incomparable strength than that of his mortal brethren. Still, crimson blood stained Sasuke's katana as Itachi gripped it tighter, his grip firm enough to keep the weapon immobilized. "If you kill me, you'll regret it years from now, Sasuke. I'm not your enemy. I never was." He was smiling a bit under his cloak, amused to see how much Sasuke had grown, and how ironic this situation was to be their fate. "But I don't blame you for believing so. Danzo must have been very convincing for you to turn your blade against me."
He lowered his cloak, resting the tip of Sasuke's blade against his collarbone where one purposeful swipe or jab could easily draw blood, and lots of it. If Sasuke wanted to kill him, now was his chance.
Itachi had been a difficult bounty even for the most astute and skilled of vampire hunters, untouchable even by the Akatsuki themselves, but now he was willing to put his life in the hands of his vengeful younger brother.
"So you tell me, Sasuke," he tilted his head, a small smile tracing over his lips. "Who am I?"
Sasuke's rage only grew stronger when Itachi sidestepped out of the way, making it seem like dodging Sasuke had been the easiest thing in the world. Like it came as naturally to him as breathing, or blinking. It was infuriating that he wasn't strong enough… Danzo had promised to him that he would be strong enough, so what the hell was this?! Why was this guy able to fuck with him like this? The ravenette mistook the question Itachi asked him as mockery, which only added fuel to the fire. Sasuke pushed his body, not caring even a little bit about the condition it might leave him in later, and turned to swing again. He didn't bother to answer the question; his eyes said it all.
Well… until something distracted him.
The man did not try and dodge the blade, this time catching it, to Sasuke's confusion. That, however, wasn't what his mind was focused on. The moment his blade sliced Itachi's palm open, the overwhelming scent of his blood filled the room. Normally, the medication Sasuke took was enough to suppress his senses, so he had never really been able to smell blood before. This blood was not regular blood, though. No, this blood belonged to his own relative. His older brother.
It was common in the vampire world for family members to drink each others blood. As a mater of fact, it was considered odd if that didn't happen. It was an intense bonding experience, especially when a newborn drank his mother's blood for the first time. The newborn would feel what the mother felt, and would experience some of her fondest, warmest memories.
Sasuke had never experienced that. He had never so much as gotten a whiff of his mother's blood, and even if he himself was unaware of it, his body was able to recognize Itachi's scent. It immediately had his mouth and throat go dry and cottony, his heart shuttering and eyes widening as his teeth started to ache. If not for the suppressant of the medication still lingering in his system, who knows what Sasuke might have done at that moment? Still, the way he seemed to withdraw at the scent, nostrils flaring and eyes now focused on the blood trailing down the edge of his sword gave it away.
Sasuke was hungry.
He did a good job at denying himself that, though, instead telling himself it was his illness catching up to him. But the man's words made no sense to him. How stupid did he think Sasuke was? Did he honestly believe that Sasuke would no longer see him as the enemy, just because he said so??
None of this was making sense! Why? Why would he even be saying any of this?
“What are you talking about? Uchiha?” Sasuke managed to snarl from behind his clenched teeth, doing everything in his power to ignore his painful thirst. He did not know his family name, but he knew that the Uchiha were a powerful clan of vampires. Danzo had managed to kill them off, luckily, which was an attest to his own strength. There was only one Uchiha that had not been slain, and it was in that instant that it clicked in Sasuke's min that this guy was that very same person. But…
… why did he look so familiar?
Sasuke's dark, narrowed eyes seemed to widen for a second when Itachi pulled down the collar of his cloak, revealing his face in it's entirety to the young man. There was simply no denying that the two of them held similar features. This, however, just confused Sasuke even further, leaving him at a total loss as the tip of his sword was guided to Itachi's throat. All he needed to do was thrust his sword forward, and that would be the end to this. So why was it that Sasuke felt frozen, his heart freezing for a moment at the sight of that smile spreading over the other's lips?
The smile wasn't menacing or mocking. It seemed genuine. What the hell was going on here?!
Shaking his head, Sasuke tensed, seeming as though he were read to plunge the sword into the other's throat… only to stagger backwards, his breathing having grown hard and uneven at the bizarre mix of things he felt. He still wanted to kill someone, and his eyes still held that rage. But there was also his hunger, which he still blindly mistook for a side-effect of taking too long to take more medication.
And, of course, there was the haunting fact that he looked so very much like Itachi.
“What is this..?” His voice was near silent at first, but that anger never left his face. He took a nub step closer to Itachi, his sword dropping from his grasp as his hands shot out to grab at Itachi's collar and tug him closer while he snarled in his face. “What the hell is this, huh?! Why.. why are you fucking with me??” Sasuke glared directly into the red eyes of Itachi, trembling hands clutching his collar with all the strength he could muster at this point. This had to be some kind of trick. This bastard was playing mind games with him.
After all, what the hell kind of pureblood vampire would make himself vulnerable like that?
If any of the Akatsuki members had been present to witness Itachi baring his neck for Sasuke, so trustful of the man who had all but swung a blade at him earlier, they would have intervened. Although they trusted their leader no matter how crazy the methods to his madness were at times, even some of Itachi's most loyal followers thought that their leader's obsession for Sasuke exceeded some cause for concern. It was borderline unhealthy how much of Itachi's life centered around the younger Uchiha and how much he had sacrificed to see to it that Sasuke would be here, safe.
Instead of killing vampire hunters that should have been the first priority on their hit list, the Akatsuki hunted other vampire clans for fear of any of them attacking Danzo's band of soldiers and, in turn, Sasuke. Itachi's plan had effectively kept Danzo's enemy count low until the Akatsuki remained the most notorious threat to all vampire hunters. It quite literally forced Danzo to pin a target on the Akatsuki's back. So, if not to clash swords with their sworn enemies, the humans, why were the Akatsuki who shared no bloodline with Itachi so faithful to its cause and to their leader?
When Itachi first established the Akatsuki with Kisame as his right hand man, he envisioned their clan of pure-blood vampires to have a league of their own. He had already lost his kin and home once, and he had sworn never to lose either again when he recruited skilled, pure-blood vampires like himself into a makeshift family. Vampire or not, anyone unaffiliated with the Akatsuki were seen as outsiders, and only a few were chosen to become a part of it if only they shared a fraction of what Itachi envisioned of and for his proud clan. So, if they saw that Itachi found it essential that Sasuke be returned home, they were more than willing to believe the younger Uchiha's arrival was for the better.
Itachi had no doubt that Sasuke would make a promising vampire of his clan of pure-bloods, undeniably stronger than some of the Akatsuki's newer recruits and then some higher-ups. Who knew to what extent his ability could peak if it had been suppressed for so long? Sasuke was an Uchiha, after all. Their lineage boasted the purest of genes and it was certainly not a force to be tampered with, even with the most potent of medications.
So, Itachi had known it would take only a few hours for the medication to wear off, and he was pleased to see that the withdrawals were drawing out the younger vampire's most primal instincts to feed. Soon, with some proper discipline, Sasuke would be able to control that bestial desire to prey on whatever that bled. He was still so very unrefined, but an unmistakable vampire, at least. Itachi had been right all along: Sasuke was one of them.
This realization only excited him even as Sasuke seized him by the collar and demanded answers with rage that was just as wild as the younger male's awakened thirst for blood. Still, Itachi remained calm, his tone of voice sultry as ever as he spoke. "You're directing these questions to the wrong person." Lithe digits clasped over Sasuke's as they pried each one from the tousled fabric of his cloak, simply to force some distance between them. Itachi had never been fond of such "close-range" altercations. "Perhaps, if I returned you to Danzo, your dear foster father would be ecstatic to answer them for you." He wore a bitter grin that matched the distasteful note that lingered on his tongue at the mention of that kidnapper.
"What did he tell you?" he was smirking only a bit now, quickly hiding the bloody hand that was rapidly regenerating under the sleeve of his cloak. "Itachi Uchiha is a killer? The Akatsuki murdered your entire family?"
Pathetic. He would have thought of a better lie to tell if he were in Danzo's shoes, even if it was pointless given the fact Itachi would have reclaimed Sasuke in any and all scenarios. "Does he tell you these things while he shoves that poison down your throat, Sasuke?" he clenched his jaws simultaneously. "Because he, a weak human, is terrified of who you truly are?
His blood-stained hand seized Sasuke's again, this time to purposely evoke his brother's insatiable thirst for blood. His blood. If anyone was to have a taste of Itachi's pristine crimson for the first time, it wasn't going to be Kisame, nor anybody from his own brotherhood of vampires. It was going to be Sasuke.
"If you can't tell me who I am, I'll tell you who you are," he spoke confidently. "You are Sasuke Uchiha. You are the youngest of two vampires, who was stolen from his village at birth and then raised by his parents' murderer to be the Akatsuki's demise. You were told that Itachi Uchiha was the killer responsible for your pain and agony." His tone of voice, usually unwavering, trembled slightly. "But on that night, I took you from our dead mother's arms and watched our father being slaughtered. He took you from me. He took everything."
He lowered his gaze, unable to say much but attempt a line of sarcastically dry humor. "You could understand why I'm not so... fond of him."
It only pissed Sasuke off further, the way Itachi seemed to be dodging his questions. He kept bringing up Danzo, the man whom had saved his life, but why? Sasuke was a vampire hunter, so why was it that the Akatsuki had not killed him yet.. none of this was adding up. “Danzo has nothing to do with this, bastard.” Thee words quivered with anger as Sasuke jerked his hands back the moment he felt Itachi's own touch them to pry them from his collar. Sasuke had killed many weaker vampires; not purebloods, as they were clearly in a league of their own, but humans turned vampire by a pureblood. For ssome reason, though, when he had been given the chance, he had been unable to kill Itachi.
This bullshit was seriously starting to piss him off. If he didn't get any answers soon, then--
Sasuke blinked in slight surprise when Itachi was suddenly asking him what Danzo had told him. Quickly, though, Sasuke's narrowed his eyes once more and offered the taller male a scowl. He had no intention of telling Itachi anything… though it would seem he didn't have to, because he seemed to know the answer. Which, for some reason, got Sasuke's heart beating unevenly in his chest. Anxiety suddenly seemed to mix in with his rage, a feeling of unexplainable dread overcoming him. He didn't like where this was going.
“P.. poison?” Sasuke muttered, obviously at a total loss as to what Itachi spoke of until the medicine crossed his mind. He growled, then, ready to argue that Itachi had no idea what he was talking about, but before he could open his mouth the other had shot his hand out and grabbed onto Sasuke's own.
Sasuke hissed, eyes wide as the overwhelming scent hit him like a ton of bricks again simply by Itachi's swift movements. And to make matters worse, Itachi had smeared his own blood all over his hand. In a panic, Sasuke tried to jerk his hand backward as he backed away from Itachi, but Itachi's hand was like a vice. And, of course, Sasuke's panic and need to get away from Itachi only intensified when the other started to spew blatant lies.
“Shut the hell up! Do I look like a vampire to you? You think I'm dub enough to believe that?!” Sasuke's voice wavered a little, completely unaware of the fact that he was nearly hyperventilating by now as it all sank in. His entire life had led up to this moment, and that was not an exaggeration. Sasuke's life had been nothing but hate for all vampires, filled with the intense desire to kill them all and avenge his family. He trained daily under the watch of Danzo, every waking moment spent filled with the desire to kill.
So it was understandably a tough pill to swallow, being told he was a vampire and.. and that Danzo was truly the one whom had killed his family. No, their family.
Suddenly, Sasuke managed to jerk back away from Itachi and stagger backwards, tripping over his own foot and landing on his ass with a light 'oof!'. His eyes, however, stared as his hand, which was smeared in Itachi's deep, red blood. God, his throat was on fire..! If.. if he didn't get that medication soon, he was a goner. That was what Danzo told him anyways. If Sasuke went a few hours without taking the meds, his body would shut down and he would die.
Well.. if Sasuke wasn't dead by morning, he'd know Danzo was lying to him. But would that mean Itachi was telling the truth? Shakily, Sasuke rubbed the blood from his hand and onto his jeans, his blood pumping so hard through his veins that he could hardly hear anything else. The withdrawals were so intense now; Sasuke couldn't even muster the strength to stand.
“You're lying,” Sasuke panted, vision blurred now. Was this really the end..? Or.. was Itachi right…?
Had he expected Sasuke to believe him? A wishful part of him did; after all, he had spent so many years just waiting for the right opportunity to tell his younger brother the truth, but he supposed that would have been too easy. All Sasuke had known about his life and Itachi was like a screw driven too deep into his skull and it would undoubtedly take more than convincing words to persuade him to believe otherwise.
Still, he was disappointed. He wondered if he really was too late and if the two would live the rest of their lives as sworn enemies, not brothers. Itachi had been careless, having been too obsessed with inventing the antidote for Danzo's medication that he hadn't thought of finding something to dispel Sasuke's viral hatred. Perhaps... they were destined to clash swords someday, he and Sasuke, but
"I never lie, Sasuke, especially if lying to you hardly benefits me in any way," he confessed. If his words weren't persuading enough, he supposed only Time would tell who Sasuke truly was as his blood lust consumed him whole. "You're lying to yourself, denying who you really are. You don't have to believe me, I'm sure you'll see for yourself in a few minutes that you're not quite human." It tore his heart to shreds seeing Sasuke struggle so lividly with himself, as if Itachi was being forced to watch his own brother painfully transition from man to vampire. Even if it was for a split second, Itachi wondered if he himself had been blinded by selfishness to put Sasuke through this psychological and physical torture. If he had been short-sighted to believe that blood alone would bring Sasuke, a young adult who had been raised to despise vampires all his life, home.
Perhaps...
Itachi pursed his lips, black-painted nails curling into the healing wound of his palm until his frustrations felt far more distracting than the sting of his self-inflicted cut. He had never felt the need to do the unspeakable for Sasuke's good until now, when returning his brother to Danzo would put him at ease. Even if the bastard wasn't his biological father, Itachi had failed to consider that Sasuke had been given a home regardless, just like he himself had formed a clan to feel some resemblance of belonging. Perhaps he and Sasuke were destined to clash swords someday sometime in the near future and only then would Itachi lower his guard to put himself out of his own misery. Losing his parents and the place he dearly called home had been traumatizing, but feeling Sasuke slip out of his grasp a second time was unbearable.
"I can't convince you to believe everything you were told not to," the older Uchiha spoke, defeated. "I am a little disappointed. I thought I could bring you home."
He had brought Sasuke "home" over Kisame's shoulder and offered him shelter at the heart of the Akatsuki manor, but he hadn't understood the gravity of the word he spoke so freely until now. Surely, Sasuke couldn't truly feel at "home" surrounded by his killers, especially in front of the one who had murdered his parents in cold blood.
"Do you want to go back, then?" Itachi asked, clutching his cloak tighter over his bloody arm. "I'll have Kisame and Pain escort you out, and you could let all your human companions know that you've managed to nick Itachi Uchiha."
Sasuke had no idea what kind of turmoil Itachi was going through. Everything in his life had so suddenly been flipped, and he had no idea what to do or believe. Even more so when, out of the blue, Itachi suddenly was telling him that he would let him waltz on out. That he could return to Danzo, and just.. go back living like none of this had ever transpired. For a long moment after Itachi finished speaking, all Sasuke could do was stare at him, dumbfounded.
After that, though, Sasuke managed a scowl despite his deteriorating condition. He glared at Itachi from where he sat on the floor, a weak glare, but a glare nonetheless. He didn't exactly enjoy looking s pathetic, though, and so he was soon to grab the katana and push himself to his feet, wobbling as he did so.
“I.. I can let myself out. I don't need assistance.” The boy growled, completely and utterly winded as he tore his gaze away from Itachi and turned towards the door. On the outside, he had managed to calm down quite a bit. On the inside? Not so much.
With shaky legs, Sasuke made his way to the door and reached out to open it, only to falter as he did so and cast Itachi a sideways glance. Despite the fact that he was glaring at Itachi still, there was no longer the intense need to kill in his eyes. Instead, there was a look of determination burning in those dark eyes of his.
“I'm going to get to the bottom of this. I'll decide for myself whose lying and whose telling the truth. Either way,” Sasuke twisted the knob and jerked the door open, tearing his gaze from Itachi then to glare out into the hallway.
“Either way, Itachi Uchiha, I will be back.” He promised, and then, with that, excused himself from the room. Either he would return to kill Itachi, or… well… he wasn't sure what the alternative was. If Itachi really was his brother (which he still felt seriously doubtful of due to him being perfectly human as far as he knew), well.. then he supposed his return would be less bloody.
Upon opening the door, Sasuke was greeted by the sight of a few Akatsuki members lingering in the hallway.
“Seriously? You're gonna just let him walk out like this? … un… that's irritating.” Deidara, who was smirking as he stood face to face with Sasuke, chided. He was considered the weakest link in the Akatasuki, so he felt pretty proud knowing he was stronger than Sasuke, who was supposedly of the same powerful blood as Itachi.
He had hoped to intimidate Sasuke a little, blocking his path in an almost challenging manner. Sasuke, however, just scowled as he shoved a hand against Deidara's shoulder and pushed him aside.
“Outta my way, loser.” Sasuke mumbled, not even slightly interested in the annoying blonde as he brushed past him callously.
“Why you-!!!” Deidara huffed up, ready to attack, but Kisame simply grabbed his ponytail and jerked him back with a laugh. “That arrogant kid needs to be put in his place! Un!”
Kisame just held onto Deidara's hair as he pouted and whined, casting Itachi a curious little smirk. “You sure about this?” He asked coolly, not particularly minding one way or the other. Like most of the others, Kisame trusted Itachi's choices. It was a shame, though… Kisame was certain that Sasuke would make for a fine vampire.
Meanwhile, Sakura, Naruto, and Sai were on the hunt for Sasuke. Which wasn't really an easy task, given hey had no idea where he was. So, they decided to search the streets of Konoha where he usually hunted.
“Man, that guy's so full of himself! Sheesh, if he'd just listen for once in his life, we wouldn't have to waste our time looking for him!” Naruto whined, arms folded behind his head and a pout of his lips. Sakura was quick to whack him on he head, though, before grabbing his collar and shaking him like a ragdoll.
“How dare you talk about Sasuke! He's the most successful hunter at the academy, you idiot!”
Sai shook his head and sighed a little, wondering why he chose these two loudmouths.
“Perhaps the two of you should calm down so we can find Sasuke quicker… I really don't want to go back without him and face Danzo's wrath.”
Itachi knew this certainly wouldn't be the last time he'd see Sasuke, but he himself didn't know how their second reunion would be like. Would his blood be pouring out of an open wound the next time he'd allow his own younger sibling to drain his life with the blade of his katana? Or would Sasuke finally see the truth in his misled life and seek a fresh start in the Akatsuki? Only time would tell, for now.
After Sasuke made his departure known to the entire clan, the Akatsuki crowded around their leader who looked just as stoic as they knew him for. Even if they followed behind Itachi's ideals, it was often difficult to truly see what plans the older Uchiha had in store for the future. It all seemed pointless, even to Kisame who always stood by his comrade's actions, to retrieve Sasuke only to let him march out of the Akatsuki base without an escort just hours later since his arrival. "If he truly is my brother," Itachi said with resolution. "He'll come back, either to kill me or to join us. But he'll come alone. He's much too proud to ask for help." Itachi knew that the Akatsuki were wary of Sasuke returning to the clan with reinforcements, and perhaps he was a little too trusting for his own good.
"What, so you're going to let the squirt go and hope that he doesn't lead his friends over here?" Hidan hissed in disapproval.
"Are you afraid?" Itachi glared, the malice in his gaze powerful enough to subdue even Hidan who glanced away. "The most powerful hunter Danzo has in his ranks is Sasuke, and Sasuke's potential is crippled and weakened. I promise you, if Sasuke returns with his sandbox friends, you have my permission to kill them. All of them."
This, Hidan grinned at, gripping the handle of his over-sized scythe in excitement. Finally! Instead of the Akatsuki skirting around Danzo's group of child fighters for fear of hurting Sasuke, they were all allowed to eliminate the one thing that stood between the Akatsuki and their goal for world domination. Kisame, Konan, and Pain, however, were the only ones that Itachi was overextending his trust in a younger sibling who had all but stormed out of the clan to return to Danzo. They wondered if Itachi meant what he had said, quite literally granting someone else the permission to kill his own flesh and blood if Sasuke's actions defied Itachi's expectations of him.
"You mean that?" Kisame asked purely out of concern as he followed Itachi into his bedroom. "You only got to meet the kid."
Only when he was in Kisame's presence and his only did he pull out his bloody hand to wash with a damp cloth. "I always mean what I say, Kisame," he spoke nonchalantly. "If Sasuke's so much as a coward to bring his friends back to the Akatsuki, he's no brother of mine, let alone a Uchiha." He stared at the bowl of water now tinged pink with his blood, remembering how aggressively Sasuke's primal instincts had reacted to the scent of it, just like his throat had gone dry at the first sign of Sasuke's pulse.
"He's weak. See to it that Sasori and Deidara keep him safe until he reaches Danzo's camp."
Sasuke wasn't sure whether to believe they would just let him walk out or not. In fact, a large part of him didn't think it would happen. For all they knew, he could lead Danzo right to them, along with dozens upon dozens of hunters. Of course, Sasuke had no intentions of doing that. His whole life, Sasuke had only done what he believed would benefit himself. He was using Danzo as a way to gain power, yes, but he had no real ties to the man and didn't really believed him anything. He had saved Sasuke's life, and in turn Sasuke had killed handfuls of vampires. As for his revenge, that was something he was settling for himself. Which was why Sasuke planned to keep his little 'visit' here all to himself. Well… for the most part. If nothing else, he had absolutely no intention to share Itachi's whereabouts with anyone.
Regardless of all that, though, the fact that they allowed him to stagger his way out really said something to Sasuke. All Itachi wanted to do was tell him 'the truth'? And now he was letting him leave. He trusted Sasuke enough to let him leave with his location. Sasuke tried to think of a reason for Itachi to lie to him as he wobbled down the road leading up to the mansion, but literally nothing came to mind. The only thing he could think of was him trying to use Sasuke to kill Danzo, but based on what Sasuke had seen, Danzo nor any other human stood a chance against the Akatsuki. If they wanted Danzo dead, he would bee dead.
Sasuke wasn't sure how long it took him to get back to the village, but it felt like an eternity.
Oddly enough, the weaker he got as he went, the stronger his senses felt. His eyesight began to sharpen, and while it still hurt to breath, his sense of smell had become twice if not three times as sensitive. And, of course, there was his hearing. Despite all of that, he still barely had the strength to move his legs, instead dragging his feet across the ground in a shuffled manner.
“Sasuke!” A concerned, feminine voice called out from the distance. Sasuke cringed, not needing to look up to know it was Sakure, and she was running at him full speed. “Oh my gosh, Sasuke.. you're… you're so pale! Here, let me help,” Concerned, the pink haired young woman moved to take Sasuke's arm and drape it over her shoulders for support. Everything seemed to slow down as she did this. Sasuke's eyes immediately shifted to Sakura's pale, slender throat… he could see her pulse, watching the heat of her heart intensely. His gums ached again as he watched, nearly losing all sense as he began to lean in without realizing at first.
Quickly, though, Sasuke growled and shoved Sakura away before he could do something he'd regret. What the hell was happening to him..?! Snarling, her turned away from Sakura and waved her off. Whatever was happening, he didn't want Sakura to become aware of it.
“Do I look that pathtic to you, Sakura? I can carry myself, so back off.” He purposely made his words cold and cruel, figuring it would put distance between them. And he was right. Hurt and confused, Sakura backed off a little, her eyes quickly downcast with embarrassment. “O-oh… well, um… o.. okay, Sasuke. Anyways… everyone's looking for you, s-so..”
Catching her drift, Sasuke began to trek towards the academy. Sai and Naruto spotted them along the way and walked with them, Naruto being as loud and annoying as usual and Sai just glad they weren't coming back empty handed. Sasuke did his best to straighten up, putting his all into merely walking correctly as to not draw attention to himself anymore.
“There. The brats back home.. un. Let's heave back.” Deidara grumbled, clearly irritated at having been told to escort Sasuke in the first place. He didn't care what happened to Sasuke; he was an overly cocky little shit! What did it matter to him? Sasori, however, got the feeling they could stick around..
“No. I'm fairly certain that somethings about to go down here… and Sasuke is in no shape to fight.” Sasori murmured, standing quietly and watching as Sasuke entered the building where Danzo presumable waited.
“And?! That's not our problem, un! Itachi just said to make sure the brat gets here safely – that's it! You can stay, but I'm out!” Deidara huffed, turning as if he were about to leave. Honestly, he just hoped Sasori would change his mind and go with him when he realized he was staying alone. Sasori, however, stood his ground wordlessly. This earned a sigh from Deidara, who turned and sat down on the branch they were standing on, defeated.
“Fiiiine. We'll stick around for a few minutes… but I swear, if Itachi gets pissed at us, you're taking the fall, un!!”
Back inside, Sasuke was finally reaching Danzo's office. The others opted to wait outside, figuring that Sasuke was about to get hi ass chewed out for going out alone again.
Danzo was sitting at his desk, filling out some paperwork with his good hand when he heard the door open. Half interested, he peeked up, only to be completely blindsided when he noticed Sasuke's condition. He looked as though he were about to cave to his bloodlust at any moment, and Danzo couldn't allow that.
“Sasuke! Here, quickly, your medicine.” In mock concern, the man pushed himself to his feet and scuffled over to Sasuke, offering him a pink vial of 'medicine' from his pocket. Sasuke glared at the man as he hurriedly shoved the container into Sasuke's palm, gritting his teeth to try and suppress the desire he had to bite into something. However.. Sasuke's did not drink the medicine. He had a plan instead. A plan that he hoped would clear everything up.
“I don't need this anymore, Danzo.” Sasuke growled fro behind his clenched teeth, daringly tossing the vial over his shoulder and letting it shatter against the tiled floor.
“Are you mad, Sasuke?! You know what will happen if you don't drink that. You'll--”
“I''ll what?” The boy hissed, taking a defined step in Danzo's direction. His heart was pumping hard, now, adrenaline goading him forward. “I know the truth, Danzo! I know what you did, and I know what I am!” It was a test. If Danzo was innocent, he'd be genuinely confused and worried. If he as guilty and had something worth hiding, he'd get defensive.
“Wh.. what are you talking about, Sasuke?” Danzo stammered, his eye growing wide in utter shock at Sasuke's unexpected statement. Could it be..? Did he really know?
“You know exactly what I'm taking about, murderer!” Sasuke drew his blade as he spoke, brazenly pushing the act further yet.
Danzo gasped staggering backwards as the sword was pointed at his throat before offering Sasuke a nervous glare. “Hmph… so.. you've come to kill me? Who told you? I know, it was that damned Itachi, wasn't it?! I knew I should have killed that little monster..!” Danzo cursed, but by then, Sasuke was hardly hearing hiss words. He could only stare at the old man, his eyes wide in horror as his words sank in.
“S-.. so… it's… true..?” Sasuke breathed, which, in turn, caused Danzo to look just as horrified. It had been a test?!
Sasuke's shock quickly altered to rage, a betrayed look crossing his dark features as his bottom lip quivered a little. However, he absolutely REFUSED to cry. His life had been a lie.. and this man, HE was responsible. Sasuke had been played a fool his entire life.
Engulfed in his anger, Sasuke lunged forward and slashed at Danzo… but his sword was met with the sound of metal crapping metal as Sai lunged in the way and blocked Sasuke's sword with his own.
“Sasuke, what are you doing?!” Naruto yelled, running into the room after Sai, followed by Sakura.
Cursing under his breath, Sasuke shifted so his back was to the window and his sword was pointed instead at Sai and the two he had once considered comrades.
“He's being controlled by a vampire!” Danzo shouted, which earned a glare from Sasuke. “Quickly, before it's too late. Subdue him and force him to drink this!” Danzo hurriedly tossed Sai another pink vial, to which Sai nodded.
“It.. it makes sense..! When I found Sasuke, he was acting really weird!” Sakura pointed out, putting Naruto and Sai on higher alert. “Alright, then. Naruto, I'll need your help.” “Got it!” Naruto stepped forward so he and Sai were effectively cornering Sasuke, pissing the Uchiha off further.
“Those who stand in my art are my enemy. If either of you make a move against me… I'll kill you.” Sasuke's voice was a low growl, his empty eyes glaring darkly at the two. It was a promise. Maybe Sasuke would not kill them right now, but he would come back when he was stronger, and whoever got in his way would be sliced down. Simple as that.
Sai, however, ignored the thread and lunged forward. Sasuke sneered, giving Danzo one last hateful glare before turning and escaping through the window. He shattered it with hiss sword's hilt as he passed through, and landed outside on his hands and knees, abandoning the sword on the ground. He no longer felt he needed it.
However, as much as he tried, he couldn't stand once he had landed. His body was giving out, leaving him as helpless as a newborn vampire. This would have left him helpless to the hunters as Sai jumped out after him.. but Sasori was quick to respond, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and grabbing Sai by the arm to toss him carelessly aside.
“Deidara, help Sasuke back home. I'll make sure none of these children follow.” Sasori commanded flatly, earning a sneer from Deidara. “This is so lame, un..” Still, he knew not to argue. He really had no choice. So, grabbing Sasuke and pulling him to his own two feet, he all but dragged the weakened Sasuke into the woods.
Meanwhile, it was comeplete child's play to keep the other little hunters at bay. Danzo, on the other hand, simply watched from the shattered window as Sasuke left. So.. his greatest weapon was now a lethal enemy. Seems like Danzo would have to call reinforcements...
"Get off of me, I can walk, loser!" Sasuke growled, earning an equally annoyed grumble from Deidara. "Shut up!! I'd LOVE to leae you behind, idiot, but if I did that it would be my ass.. un!" The two bickered as they made their way through the woods, Deidara reluctantly supporting Sasuke's weight and Sasuke even more reluctant to accept the help.
While the redhead and blonde were out surveying Sasuke's progress towards Danzo's camp, Itachi scattered the rest of the Akatsuki but Pain to gather intel, eliminate more vampires, and recruit promising pure-bloods he had his eyes on. A certain villainous character named Orochimaru had caught the older Uchiha's attention as of late but his target proved to be a slippery catch avoiding the Akatsuki's detection.
But Orochimaru wasn't Itachi's biggest concern; Sasuke was. Even so, he hadn't expected Deidara to return so soon with his younger sibling in tow, both looking more or less unscathed with the latter obviously fatigued from the trip back. He assumed Sasori hadn't returned to keep Sasuke's companions at bay, although he was more than prepared to thin Danzo's band of child fighters even more if they dared to set foot on pure-blood territory.
He didn't look ecstatic seeing Sasuke, although his heart (or what was left of it anyway) swelled with relief. He already assumed Sasuke had confronted Danzo about his grand scheme; otherwise, his dear brother would certainly have given Deidara some more trouble being dragged back. He briskly stepped aside when the blonde all but lugged Sasuke's dead weight to the other side of the corridor and into Itachi's bedroom where he was meant to stay. Transitioning from mortal to vampire was both physically and mentally taxing and now that Sasuke had quite literally exhausted his energy reserve, he needed rest. Trained vampires like himself and the Akatsuki, however, ran on less than an hour's worth of sleep at a time and still performed at their absolute best.
"I don't like this babysitting business one bit, un!" Deidara complained on his way out of the master bedroom, fixing the wily strands of hair that Sasuke had tousled on their scuffle here. "He's your brother!"
"And he might be your superior one day," Itachi responded crassly. If the Akatsuki were to have a successor, he wanted nothing more than for it to be Sasuke. But, secretly? He had always fantasized of running away, far away, to settle peacefully somewhere with Sasuke where nothing could tear them apart again. He had these whimsical dreams often but he knew they were just that–whimsical daydreams–when he looked around and counted just how many lives he was also responsible for. Not only was he Sasuke's brother, but he was a leader and mentor to many of the outcasts that he had taken under his proverbial wing. He owed them the promise of shelter, protection, and family in exchange for their undying loyalty. He wondered if Sasuke would be up to that task one day, of caring for the Akatsuki as his own family, just like the clan had always supported and protected him in their own way.
Just as Deidara had carried him back to the Akatsuki manor for help. Just as Sasori returned with open wounds littered over his body.
"Sasori—" Itachi rushed to the redhead's side to catch him just as he collapsed.
"Don't worry, I didn't lead them here," Sasori coughed into a closed fist, hacking up his precious blood. "They put up a fair fight. I tried to—" A strangled apology was the last thing Sasori muttered before he went limp in Itachi's arms, thankfully alive, but unconscious. It seemed Itachi had been shortsighted and underestimated what damage the weak could do in numbers. Or, had Danzo trained his young soldiers well as Itachi had hoped while the Akatsuki had waited leisurely for them to grow stronger? Sai, Sakura, and Naruto were their names. Sasuke's friends. Itachi had only granted them mercy for the time being as they had been the closest people Sasuke had to call a family, but they were disposable now. The Akatsuki was Sasuke's home.
"Keep watch for Danzo's hunters," he instructed Pain, who was more than powerful enough to handle three runts. Itachi carefully transferred Sasori into Deidara's care who promptly whisked him into the infirmary.
"And if they find us?" Pain's steely gaze narrowed over the high collar of the cloak.
"Kill them. I have what we need," Itachi said with resolution. "Maybe drop their heads off at Danzo's doorstep as a thank-you gift for taking such good care of my Sasuke." His tone of voice was sarcastic at best, even if he would have actually gone through the trouble of making that grim delivery, just to prove that the Akatsuki had no reason to hold back anymore. If they wanted Sasuke, they would quite literally have to walk through Hell and back for him.
With Pain dismissed on surveillance duty, Itachi returned to his bedroom, shrugging off the dense cloak to reveal tight-fitting, black clothing underneath. His skin seemed even paler, but he was certainly not emaciated. Taut, toned muscles rippled under his pristine skin, the cotton of his shirt defining the art of his torso just to leave more to the imagination. As often as Hidan and Deidara taunted him for being all sticks and bones under his cloak, which they had never seen him without, Itachi was surprisingly well-built, donning the body of a seasoned fighter and the perfect genes of the Uchiha.
This time, he sat on the edge of the bed and handed Sasuke what looked like a pea-sized rice cake bundled in some steamed leaves. It was a natural remedy he had invented to help newborn vampires control their "urges" for feeding, subduing them only so it would help them function normally. "I know you must be sick of being handed things to eat or drink," he said. "But this will help suppress the blood-lust."
He knew the medication would only neutralize Sasuke's blood-thirst, but now that his vampire abilities had awakened, he needed sustenance. All vampires did, in exchange for actual rest or food. Itachi fed off of Pain and Kisame's blood every now and then, and only a pint or two was enough to last him weeks until his next feeding. Human blood was far too weak and watered down, but vampire hunters made delicious appetizers with the copious amount of adrenaline pumping through their veins constantly. But Sasuke? He needed something more potent. After all, he had gone nearly two decades without a single drop of blood and it surprised Itachi how he had managed so long. Sasuke hadn't even fed from their mother and was severely lacking the nutrition he needed. As his only biological relative, offering his own blood was the only thing he could do for Sasuke.
The Akatsuki would have been jealous how Itachi exposed the bend of his own neck so willingly to Sasuke whereas he would have hidden it behind the high collar of the Akatsuki cloak any other time.
"You'll also feel better feeding. You've been without proper sustenance for years," he withdrew a small blade from his belt and nicked himself across the skin of his neck, the wound deep enough to draw thin lines of crimson like sap being sucked out of a tree. Sasuke's fangs weren't nearly as sharp enough to break his skin as they were, but he was sure his pure blood was far more potent than the dried residue on Sasuke's hands. "Go ahead, Sasuke. Don't fight your hunger."
Sasuke honestly had no idea what he'd do or say once he was face-to-face with Itachi again. He had kind of tried to kill the guy.. his only family. Which Sasuke was still very unsure how to feel about. He never even knew he had a brother, and now, all of a sudden, he was learning he not only had a brother, but he was also a vampire. Not just any vampire… but a vampire of Uchiha descent. And there was also the crushing realization that everything he had worked for all these years was a lie. Sasuke was so lost in shame and confusion that he couldn't even look at Itachi as Deidara all but carried Sasuke past him, his eyes glued to the ground in a weak glare.
When they finally reached Itachi's room once more, Sasuke simply collapsed onto the bed with an exhausted huff. He closed his eyes and melted face first into the soft mattress, his entire body relaxing as he laid there. For once, he didn't feel the need to be on edge. He just felt so tired, but the overwhelming thirst kept him from any kind of true rest. He had to remind himself that there was no time for rest, anyways. There was so much that Sasuke wanted to know, but.. he had no idea where he should even begin! He was used to being alone… so how was he supposed to talk to someone who was his brother..?
Shrugging all of those questions to the back of his head for now, Sasuke shakily pushed himself up from the bed so he was instead in a sitting position. Just as he managed to do so he noticed someone enter the room and glanced up to see who, only to tense up a little upon noticing it was Itachi. He tried to smooth his features out and look a little more inviting, but Sasuke's go-to expression was a glare for any situation. However, there was no menace in those dark orbs of his this time around as he stared up at the older Uchiha. Instead, he seemed nervous… but not afraid. Just unsure of what to do.
However, one thing he did do was take in his brother's appearance. He started, of course, with his eyes. They were such a bright red, contrasting against pale flesh in an admittedly beautiful kind of way. In fact, everything about Itachi's features seemed perfect. Not that beauty was ever something Sasuke ever considered, but even Sasuke knew Itachi was unjustly attractive.
Shaking that off, though, Sasuke reluctantly lowered his gaze to take in now Itachi's body. Well, what he could see of it through the form-fitting clothing anyways. His shoulders were broad and strong, his muscles lean…
His attention was grabbed when, suddenly, Itachi was handing him something.
Quirking a brow, Sasuke was quick to give the older of the two another little glare until it was explained that this would help suppress what he was feeling. Hesitantly, then, Sasuke reached out and accepted it. And, with just as much uncertainty, Sasuke popped it into his mouth and, after chewing it a moment, sorely gulped it down.
He gagged a little when he did, hand lifting to grab his throat, which felt like tearing open as he swallowed the solid sustenance. It was like his body wanted liquid.. and Sasuke grew ever nervous at the specific KIND of liquid it desired.
Well, as painful was it was to swallow, the remedy did help. He was able to relax a little, some of his energy immediately returning to him, allowing for him to sit up a bit straighter and sigh as the burning in his throat started to ever so slightly ebb away.
That brief moment of relaxation, however, was quickly dashed when Itachi was exposing his neck to Sasuke and talking about how he'd feel better once he had fed.
“W-wait a second--!!” Sasuke stammered, eyes wide and nostrils flaring as, once again, the fresh scent of Itachi's blood filled the air. His heart fluttered and caught in his throat painfully as the scent hit him, his eyes glued to that spot on Itachi's neck where the blood now flowed freely.
For a moment, all Sasuke could do was stare wide-eyed. He wasn't sure even HOW to go about drinking the blood, but was far too prideful to ask such a stupid question. Should he just lick it up? Suck it? Bite??
There was also the turmoil within himself as the 'human' part of him reminded him that drinking blood was disgusting and wrong.
However, Sasuke was in too deep this time. He was too hungry, and Itachi's scent was simply too powerful for the starved boy. All of hiss hesitation was thrown to the way side as primal instinct kicked in. He had simply been too long without the nourishment he needed.
Slowly, Sasuke would move closer to Itachi, inch by inch, until his quivering fingers curled against the front of Itachi's tight top. Breathing heavily, Sasuke all but climbed into Itachi's lap as he brought himself towards his brother's precious blood. His warm breath ghosted against Itachi's skin as he moved in closer still, allowing his eyes to flutter shut softly as, finally, he caved.
Sasuke's tongue raked up a bead of Itachi's blood, earning a pleasant grunt from the boy as the rich, deep taste slithered down his dry throat and filled him with warmth. There was no way to properly explain the way it tasted and felt; it was the best thing he had ever experienced. It had the boy leaning in and nipping at Itachi's throat as he sucked the blood from his wound, clearly hooked at this point as he drank slow and deep. He was messy and lacked any form of kill at the task, as shown by the beads of blood that escaped the corners of his mouth and ran down his chin, but that didn't so much as register to him as he drank as much as he could before the wound could begin to heal.
When that time did come, Sasuke started to bite harder at Itachi's neck with his dull fangs. The childish, impatient, hungry part of him did not feel satisfied, though he had definitely had more than his fair share. Still, he had yet to earn any kind of control. The primal part of him was simply greedy and wanted more.
As he fruitlessly bit at Itachi's neck his eyes would slowly flutter back open, and this time, when Iatchi looked down at him, he'd be met by two bright red eyes peeking up at him from beneath dark bangs.
Itachi was very much pleased that Sasuke had caved without much of a fuss this time, which really went to show how powerful and manipulative blood lust could be at its peak. Soon enough, Sasuke would learn to harness the ability to control his urges but that was a skill that was earned through frequent meditation and discipline, both things that Sasuke lacked at this time. But he would learn. Itachi would teach him everything he knew, and he had no doubts that Sasuke would make a prodigal vampire due to his familiarity with both the human and vampire world. Danzo's teachings would come in handy if he ever were to succeed the Akatsuki clan someday.
For now, Sasuke was but a day-old vampire, only just learning to feed with Itachi's help. He welcomed him, his back resting against the bed's headboard to keep himself stationary while Sasuke experimented with different ways to draw the most blood out of his healing wound. It felt like Sasuke hadn't developed the special toxin in his saliva that helped slow the coagulation process of blood, allowing it to flow more freely for lengthy periods of time, but at least he was trying. Itachi chuckled as he felt the dull pain of the younger Uchiha's fangs scraping his skin, the pressure just barely enough to bruise but not break his outer layer of flesh.
He allowed Sasuke to dig at his neck some more for the sake of practice, wanting to coax the younger Uchiha's true self out of its shell as quickly as possible. "You're going to suck me dry, Sasuke," Itachi chuckled, one arm casually slung around his brother's waist and the other hand pushing flat against Sasuke's chest to interrupt his feeding. He grinned once more at the sight of crimson smeared all over Sasuke's muzzle, assuming that his neck more or less looked the same but with unsightly bruises left where his brother had none-so-gently gnawed at. "Now, that's my Sasuke," he cooed, slender fingers reaching up, gently brushing aside his brother's inky fringe that covered his glowering red irises. They were beautiful and clear–just like his own–and it completed the vampire look Itachi had always known him to be.
"It's wasteful to feed like this. I'll teach you how to feed properly," he said, and when he smiled, the razor-sharp edges of his own perfect set of fangs appeared. Now, it was his turn. He had no doubt Sasuke's blood–although the medication's effects were just fading–would be more potent for him than Kisame and Pain's combined. He had longed to connect with Sasuke like this, to drink his brother's essence and feel a dead part of him breathe again. Itachi tilted his head and parted his lips, his incisors flawlessly aligning with the younger Uchiha's jugular vein and puncturing it with a quick and painless prick. The enzyme coating his fangs caused the blood to flow freely from what only looked like two pinpricks on the bend of Sasuke's neck.
Slowly, his tongue snaked up the column of Sasuke's neck and his lips expertly closed around the open slots, forbidding any of the crimson to spill out of them. As he fed on his brother's warm, virgin blood, his irises flashed a deeper crimson and the veins on his toned arms thickened. He felt power surging through his bloodstream, igniting parts of his mind he never knew could be unlocked this way. Hungrily, his tongue swirled around the holes and his lips suckled, the meticulous, but repetitive pattern making it so that he could finish feeding and leave Sasuke with just two freckles on his neck to show for the experience.
As the wound was slowly closing, he gave the skin one final lick and even left Sasuke a kiss of gratitude along his jaw, mostly for being such a cooperative meal.
His lips, unlike Sasuke's, was impeccably clean, just slightly tinged redder than before. "How do you feel now?" he asked, almost asking himself the same question as he felt more empowered than he ever had before. So, it was true that vampires often reached their fullest potential feeding on pure-blooded relatives. Or, was it the bond? When he had fed from Sasuke, he felt... a mixture of emotions he had admittedly felt before: rage, fear, and even loneliness. Itachi's ability to synchronize with who he fed from was so powerful that he even saw glimpses of Sasuke's memories. Of Sai, Sakura, and Naruto. Of Danzo. Of the days the younger Uchiha had spent alone.
He wondered if Sasuke could feel something similar, because some of Itachi's most significantly happy memories involved Sasuke. Surely, his brother could feel the immeasurable warmth that welled up in his chest–the pride and love–he felt for him?
"It's... been a long day for you, Sasuke. Your body will still need time to adjust, so you need some rest," he spoke out of concern. "I'll be here if you'd... like to ask questions later. I also have something I want to give you."
It was a gift Itachi would give to Sasuke if the latter was in better condition. Itachi had been preparing it for years as a late present for all the birthdays he had missed and he hoped it would hold some significant meaning to Sasuke as it had for him. And, from the looks of it, the younger Uchiha did need a new weapon. His gift was a wakizashi melded and fashioned from all the metal parts that had survived the night of the Uchiha massacre. Even the blade that had slain their parents had been melted to forge the wakizashi's core, and Sasuke's name engraved on the metal to state its rightful owner.
As Sasuke gulped down his elder brother's blood there was no denying the strength he could feel coursing through him; each gulp alleviating the weakness and replacing it with a feeling of power. That, however, wasn't what caught his focus. It was the deep, raw emotion that flooded through him as his brother's life flowed into him. The feelings that conveyed into via Itachi were things Sasuke had never come close to feeling before, and so he had no idea how to react. There was love.. so deep and rich. It had Sasuke's heart throbbing hard against his ribs, a light, fluttery feeling spread throughout his stomach. It was a feeling that had him blushing a little, his previous stresses simply melting away from him and leaving him light and carefree. Was this how Itachi felt towards him…?
Along with the warm, happy, foreign feeling though, there were darker emotions as well. Not towards Sasuke, but Danzo. Feelings Sasuke understood well compared to love; feelings such as hatred, bitterness, and coldness. Sasuke found that he wasn't just feeling the emotions, though.. he could actually SEE Itachi's most powerful memories. Memories of when he saw Sasuke for the first time, holding the newborn Uchiha tenderly and lovingly… the way their mother, a woman who was beautiful beyond belief, smile so gently at her two sons, and the pride in their father's grin.
And the agony of Danzo tearing that all away. It was too much for Sasuke to take in, so a part of him was glad to have Itachi tear him back to reality by lightly pressing against his chest to urge him away from his throat.
Sasuke seemed to snap back to reality, then, eyes wide and lips parted ever so slightly as he tried to digest all of these feelings. Breathlessly, Sasuke peeked up at Itachi as the other grinned down at him, Sasuke's blush only deepening and his regular little glare returning to his face as she glanced quickly to the side. He wasn't quite used to this sudden.. affection. He wasn't used to being looked at by someone who loved him so much, nor was he accustomed to the gentle was Itachi brushed Sasuke's hair from his eyes.
“Wha.. what's it matter how I drink the stuff?” He muttered, struggling to try and 'open up' to Itachi's kindness. What he wanted to say and what he actually said were two different things. He WANTED to tell Itachi that he was thankful, and that he was.. happy. Or at least he assumed he was, as the feeling was so foreign to him. But he was o used to needing to be defensive and calloused that it was exceedingly difficult to let his true words find their way out.
The teenager visibly tensed a little when he noticed Itachi's own fangs. They were so sharp and long, whereas Sasuke's own were still dull and small. Of course, that wasn't exactly what Sasuke was thinking about as Itachi leaned in. Not that Sasuke was afraid of the pain, assuming there would be any. It was just the idea of being so vulnerable to someone… would Itachi feel Sasuke's own feelings, and experience some of his own experiences?
Sasuke kept his eyes on Itachi's own until he reached Sasuke's neck. Only then did he close his eyes again, a small gasp escaping him and his body lurching just a little as the other's fangs broke his skin. Not that it hurt, he just had braced for it to at least feel a LITTLE painful. It didn't, though. In fact, it was almost a relaxing experience. He sighed softly and relaxed, fingers remaining ever so gently curled into Itachi's shirt and his neck stretching a little to expose more of his throat to the older Uchiha.
Itachi would be able to feel Sasuke's current turmoil; the way he desperately wanted to just smile at Itachi and tell him he was so glad to be home, but he had no idea how to remove he steel he had formed around his heart. He'd get small glimpses of the day's Sasuke spent training under Danzo, who told him love and kindness were for fools, and that the only thing that mattered was the power to kill his enemies. Friends were useless and would only slow him down…
Sasuke remained relaxed in tachi's lap until the other finished, doing something then that really had Sasuke flinch; he kissed him. It was a light peck on the jaw, but.. well… Sasuke had never been kissed. He recoiled a little and his face went as red as a tomato, quickly lifting his hand to rub at where Itachi had kissed his flesh before almost bashfully rubbing the blood from his mouth once he saw how clean Itachi had managed to feed from him. Maybe he really did need to work on how he 'ate'…
Sharking that aside, though, Sasuke turned his shy little glare to Itachi when asked how he felt now.
“I feel better.. but, I mean..” He rubbed the back of his neck, his mind going back to all of the memories he had been given by Itachi's blood. “I don't need to 'adjust'..! We.. we should go and take out Danzo!” he sneered, glaring tiredly down at his hands as he released Itachi's shirt. “I don't.. I don't need to rest. I need to get stronger, and then I need to kill that bastard..!”
Despite his strong words, Sasuke found himself slowly but surely sinking against Itachi. His body was going through a drastic change, and needed rest. Despite what he said. Sighing, he closed his eyes and rested his head against the other's shoulder, his own body resting against Itachi's own the more his body relaxed.
Itachi was surprised when Sasuke declared that they needed to hunt Danzo, but the brief look of amusement subsided into one of gentle, doting adoration as his younger brother's weight sunk against his own. He wondered if this was Sasuke's way of making up for all those years Itachi nor his parents hadn't been there to nurture him as a child. Everyone–even Itachi–needed someone to care every now and then, and no matter how prickly Sasuke was on the outside, he was still very tender at heart.
"Get stronger, for what purpose?" he asked, unintentionally distracting Sasuke from the rage he felt towards Danzo. "Hatred alone is not enough." Itachi had learned that the hard way, when he realized his vengeful ambitions alone couldn't bring Sasuke back, nor could he become stronger with hatred as fuel. Then, he had realized love was a more powerful motive and trained solely to protect Sasuke, even if he could only see him from afar. If he had allowed hatred to consume him whole, Itachi wouldn't have been able to gather the Akatsuki and promise every one of his comrades a home. He wouldn't have been able to gaze upon Sasuke like this if every piece of his heart was charred black. Would Sasuke understand what he was trying to say? Perhaps not, but that was a lesson for another time.
"If I had acted out on how much I loathed Danzo years ago, I would be dead," Itachi mused. He would have charged blindly into Danzo's camp with nothing but a sword at his side and unrefined fighting skills, giving his enemy yet another trophy to add to his growing collection of young hunters. "You need your strength." He supposed this was what it felt like to "nag" like an older brother and have a younger brother to nag.
He curled an arm around the small of Sasuke's waist, reclining his body so both of them would be a bit more comfortable. He waited like that for what felt like hours until Sasuke fell asleep, doing his best not to rouse the younger male awake as he laid him to his side. Itachi thought it was amusing how Sasuke still looked peeved in his sleep, like his brows always had something to worry about. He gently brushed away his inky tresses and tucked his own Akatsuki cloak over Sasuke's shoulder. Black complimented him well.
He also slipped the sheathed wakizashi underneath Sasuke's arm, hoping his younger brother would find the gift to his liking when he awoke. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be there to see his brother's reaction firsthand as he had some business to attend to first.
It was pitch black outside when he left the manor. The others assumed he had gone out to settle the final score with Danzo, but he had taken a detour searching for medicinal herbs to treat Sasori's wounds. The Akatsuki was his first priority, after all. Human medicine rarely worked on vampires so they needed to improvise, and Itachi had done much research on toxicology and medicine, even more so than he trained to become physically stronger.
Just as he had finished plucking a satchel full of wild mushrooms and roots, he heard a rustle in the background and instinctively knew he wasn't alone. The brats that had followed him weren't stealthy at all, giving away their location just by their adrenaline-rich blood alone. So, Danzo's prized pets had finally come for his head, haven't they?
"You!" Sakura pointed accusingly at the older Uchiha who still had his back turned to the three. "Where's Sasuke? I know you were the one that brainwashed him! He's our friend, give him back!"
Brainwashed him? Now, that was a new excuse in Danzo's book of fibs. Itachi turned to them, entirety of his face shining beneath the moonlight since he wasn't cloaked like he normally would be. It would be a friendly, visual reminder for them to remember who they shouldn't disturb or even mention Sasuke's name to. If anything, he felt like he needed to introduce himself and explain why it was so ironic the three thought he had stolen Sasuke. "And if he doesn't want to leave?" he asked them, quite amused at how persistent they all were to retrieve Sasuke. Were they doing so out of fear of punishment? Or were their bond with Sasuke that strong? "You seem to be under the impression that we kidnapped him."
He saw Sakura and Naruto, but one was hiding somewhere... Itachi knew there were three. When Sai pounced out of the canopy, his blade clashed with Itachi's in sparks and metal clangs. It was a fun attempt at an ambush. In just seconds, the three were rushing in with their jaws clenched and blades bared, while Itachi dodged their attacks more often than he countered them. He had no reason to kill them and even if Sasuke would deny it to kingdom come, the three were his acquaintances—maybe even friends—and Itachi didn't want to be the one to put a blade through one of their hearts.
Meanwhile, back at the manor, Deidara and Kisame had returned from their own excursions outside, the former looking peeved. "We're back on baby-sitting duty again. How annoying, un!" he whined loudly enough for everybody in the manor to hear. "What's so great about that twiggy twerp anyw—!"
Kisame slapped a broad hand flat over the lower half of his mouth when he picked up distressed signals from Itachi. Itachi fed frequently from Kisame so their bond was considerably strong; strong enough for Kisame to feel whenever his partner was in trouble. "It's the three musketeers," Kisame grinned. "Three-to-one. This should be interesting."
"Well, shouldn't we go help him!" the blonde shouted.
"Where's the fun in that?" the shark-like man smirked, his beady eyes turning towards the room Sasuke rested in. "It'll be more interesting to see where the little squirt's loyalty lies, don't you think?" Kisame wondered if Sasuke felt the connection with Itachi stronger than he did, because as soon as he finished his sentence, he even felt an unsettling warmth throbbing against his side. Itachi had been stabbed.
Sasuke was unaware of the fact that he had fallen asleep until he woke with a start when he felt something in his side. A jab of sorts, that hurt enough to have the boy jerking upright with a hiss as he clapped his hand over where the sensation came from while looking around in confusion. He was alone, and upon further inspection, his side was perfectly fine. And yet, something was definitely off. Panting softly from the startled awakening, Sasuke tried to relax a little as he took in his surroundings. He was still in the room, and despite the total darkness, he could see just fine. He supposed that was thanks to his awakening new abilities as a vampire. But what was this odd feeling that he couldn't seem to shake..?
Confused, Sasuke blinked as he realized then that there was a sword in his arms. Was this what Itachi had wanted to give him? Sliding from the bed, Sasuke tenderly lifted the wakizashi and unsheathed it, his eyes lighting up and heart skipping a beat as his eyes grazed over where his name was imprinted on the sword. He wanted to admire it some more, but that weird pressure in his side only grew. It didn't hurt him, but it refused to go away, as if it were fighting for his attention.
So, sheathing the sword, Sasuke moved to the window and shoved it open. He really had no idea what he was looking for; he was driven on pure instinct.. until he inhaled deeply and smelt it. The scent was strong, and he knew it well despite it being a new scent to him. It was Itachi's blood.
Instantly, Sasuke's sharp eyes narrowed and he all but lunged out the window and landed gracefully in the tree just outside. The cool night air kissed at his face and bare arms, blowing Itachi's scent ore in his direction, allowing the boy to easily assess where the scent was coming from thanks to his newfound abilities. He snarled, then, red eyes practically glowing in the darkness as the mere THOUGHT of Itachi being injured crossed his mind. He had only just barely been reunited with his brother, and he refused to let anything come between them.
With haste, Sasuke jumped from the tree and made a dash in Itachis direction. It was a bit difficult to control his speed, but Sasuke had spent his life training and knew how to handle his own body and movements, so at least there was no chance of him running into a tree or getting caught on a bush. There was also the great help of his improved vision, allowing him to see the scene from a great distance opposed to needing to be right up in the action to know what was happening.
It was Sakura, Naruto, and Sai… and by the looks of things, Sai had stabbed Itachi in the side, and the three of them were attacking him at once. Rage was quick to boil over in Sasuke, bearing his dull fangs as, in a flash, he lunged between Sai and Itachi, sword drawn and easily blocking Sai's attack.
“S-.. Sasuke!!” Sakura gasped, the three hunters faltering their advances and jumping back a little as shock overcame them. Sasuke had always been fast, but just then, his movements had been to quick for even Sai to pick up on. Not only that, but.. “Sasuke, your eyes..” Sakura breathed, her voice quivering as she took in the blood red that swirled angrily in Sasuke's orbs.
“What the hell did he do to you, Sasuke?!” Naruto stepped forward, growling as he glared over Sasuke's shoulder towards Itachi. Sasuke, however, hardly paid attention to Naruto's words as he turned to glance at Itachi with a worried look on his face.
“You alright..?” Sasuke tried to keep his cool. He WANTED to rush over and see for himself if Itachi was okay or not, but Itachi wasn't about to die from one of Sai's pathetic attacks. It was surprising enough that Sai had landed a blow, but Sasuke chalked that up to all of his former 'comrades' attacking at once.
“Sasuke.. w.. what's going on here? Why are you worried about him? He's the enemy-!” Sakura began to speak again, but was cut short when, in the blink of an eye, Sasuke had gone from standing in front of Itachi to standing between the trio, blade pressed coldly against Sakura's throat as he glared into her eyes fiercely.
“The enemy is Danzo, and anyone who stands in my way.” His words were dark and emotionless; far different than the tone he used with Itachi. This had Sakura quivering with fear, hurt and confusion written all over her face. “But.. why…?”
Naruto and Sai glared at Sasuke now, but stood back, not wanting to trigger Sasuke into slitting Sakura's throat.
“Yeah, Sasuke. What the hell's come over you? Why is it that Danzo is suddenly the enemy?! We're your friends, damn it!!” Naruto grit his teeth, glaring helplessly at Sasuke. A flash of anger twitched across Sasuke's features as Naruto so loosely used the term 'friends'.
“A 'friend' is someone who understands you. Someone you share a mutual bond with… but you don't understand me, and we have no bond.” Sasuke's words were calloused and flat. “You never did, and you never will.. and if you value your lives, you'll go home, and never cross paths with me again.” Letting his words sink in, he withdrew his sword from Sakura's throat and turned, stepping back towards Itachi.
“Sasuke, I don't really care who you consider your friend and who you don't. We have been given an order, and we intent to fulfill it.” Sai's words were clear, and, as Sasuke turned to approach Itachi, Sai lunged in to attack.
Sasuke was aware of his every movement, though. He could hear the folding of Sai's cloths, the air around his sword as he swung it.. he could hear the way Sai's heart was beating fast and hard in his chest, and the way his breathing seemed to grow shallow and quick as he made his attack.
And Sasuke responded accordingly to these sounds, spinning around and ducking beneath Sai's sword while slicing forward with his own. He made a point to stab the waizashi exactly where Sai had stabbed Itachi, only deeper. He made sure to avoid hitting vital organs though, instead stabbing in through Sai's side between his ribs and watching as the tip speared clear through Sai's back. Sai screamed in pain as he flew back a few feet from the impact, landing on his side and curled in pain as blood began to pool around him.
Sasuke just glared at him, watching the way Sakura and Naruto rushed to his side.
“He'll bleed out if you don't take him back quickly. So.. what will it be?” Sasuke offered them an empty stare as he spoke, flicking his blade to rid it of Sai's blood.
“Sasuke.. you've become a monster.” Naruto, whom was knelt beside Sai, said in an unusually quiet voice. He looked to Sasuke, and when he did, Sasuke recognized a look of pure horror on his face. Sakura as well, though she was busy with trying to stop Sai's bleeding.
“If you truly knew me, Naruto, you'd know I've always been one… now leave. And if I ever see you again, I wont hold back. I will kill you.”
Perhaps this was for the best. A quiet part of him didn't truly wish to kill them, not at all. However, Sasuke was not one to let people get in his way. They might have considered him to be a friend, but he had never let them into his heart. It was easier to make them hate him then it was to try and get them to see his way. They would never understand… and he had no interest in explaining himself to anyone.
Was this all a part of his plan? Yes. If he willed it, Itachi could have toyed with Danzo's pets like they were just prey before he'd kill them, one by one, but the opportunity to test how strongly Sasuke was tethered to him and where his younger brother's loyalty truly lied wasn't to be passed up. He fended off the attacks with awe-inspiring dexterity and grace, leaving himself unscathed but his assailants without energy.
So, when Sai managed to lunge forward and successfully skewer Itachi's side with his blade, the three of them were genuinely shocked. The sword hadn't even sliced clear through his torso from the lack of force exerted behind the motion but what Itachi did next horrified Sai, Naruto, and Sakura. Instead of pulling himself off of the blade, his bare hands gripped the katana's steel and tugged it to slice clear through his body. Naturally, the deeper wound drew more blood, fast enough for Itachi's ability to regenerate to function slower than usual.
Only when Sai realized what he had done did he tear the blade from Itachi's body cavity, the wound already healing after drenching his entire front in the thick, pungent crimson. The Akatsuki knew his whereabouts now, and if they didn't, the scent of Itachi's blood lingering in the air was potent enough to be able to track. Maybe, although it was hopeful thinking by a long shot, Itachi thought Sasuke would be able to sense him from this distance, and he was pleasantly surprised.
Even the Akatsuki would have been shocked at Sasuke's sheer force of will and how he had lunged between the two to defend Itachi from an incoming attack. Itachi had initially thought Sasuke would hesitate in the face of his friends and allow his hatred for Danzo to be watered down by their convincing words, but the younger Uchiha was mentally and emotionally stronger than he had thought. Maybe a part of this had been expected, but Sasuke injuring Sai wasn't. Even by a glance, he knew the stab wound wasn't fatal unless it was left untreated for a while, but Itachi was more or less entertained by the fact it was there in the first place. Had Sasuke hurt Sai to make his own peace with everything Danzo had done to him? Or had he intervened to protect him?
The question still lingered in his head as the three left, lugging Sai in critical condition. "That's no way to speak to your friends, Sasuke," he chastised lightly to lighten the grim mood, gently thumping a bloody hand on top of of Sasuke's head. The injury to his side kept him hunched over for the time being, so he left the satchel of herbs in Sasuke's possession and pressed a handkerchief over the bleeding wound to accelerate the healing process.
Although his stoic facade made it difficult to recognize, Itachi was the happiest he'd ever been for the longest time. He didn't even mind the moonlit stroll back, nor the constant pang of pain that occasionally throbbed in his side until it eventually ebbed. None of that mattered when he was walking with the only person that truly was worth his time in a forest that looked too much like the landscape of a dream. Surely, he believed he could walk through it forever if it only meant spending more time with Sasuke and ensuring that they wouldn't be apart ever again. Both of them had lost too much and suffered so long at the mercy of one man who was still very much a real nightmare to them.
"The Akatsuki," he started randomly, feeling that this would be a good time to "catch up" and explain just what he had been doing while Danzo had been training Sasuke to be the best vampire hunter. After all, if Sasuke was going to be a part of it, and eventually its successor, he needed to know everything, and Itachi trusted him wholeheartedly with that information. "Was a family I started after I lost you. It was the only way I could gather enough strength and numbers to bring you back, but it's a lot more than what I brought it together for now. We're all vampires, loyal through thick and thin, and I hope that one day you see comrades and brothers in them as I do."
He had no doubts that it would take some time, especially since Sasuke had gotten off the wrong foot with Kisame, Sasori, and Deidara at first, but Time was an amazing pacifist that allowed even the most contrasting of souls to meet in the middle. If Sasuke was a true Uchiha, Itachi knew that the Akatsuki would naturally follow the younger male's leadership.
"They watched over you as I did. Kept enemies at bay while you grew, mostly," he explained, glancing over and noticing that Sasuke was wielding his new wakizashi now tainted with Sai's blood. "They'll teach you things I can't teach you myself." He himself had learned quite a bit from them: Pain's patience, Kisame's strength, etc. Itachi paused, noting Sasuke's silence. "You do want to learn, do you?"
Sasuke was silent at first as he watched the three young hunters wobble away with Sai, keeping his gaze on them until the trees blocked them from his view. Even when he felt Itachi's hand rest atop his head, and heard his comment. Slowly, though, he shifted his gaze up to Itachi's face before giving him his signature glare. “I don't have 'friends', Itachi… if there was one thing Danzo was right about, it's that friends just get in the way. You asked before what it was that I want to get stronger now, and I think this is a perfect example of why; I have someone worth protecting now, and I want to get stronger to do that. 'Friends' will only slow me down.”
As he spoke he tried to keep that glare of his, but seeing Itachi hold his side like it hurt him distracted him and evoked yet another look of worry from the younger of the two. “… what can I do to help..?” He murmured quietly, not exactly the best at needing to ask such things. He really wasn't used to caring, to be honest, but it was like Itachi was literally a part of him. Like sharing their blood with one another had sealed their fates together. Though, Sasuke was curious about something…
“How.. did I feel it when you got stabbed?” As he asked the reluctant question he just as hesitantly moved closer to Itachi, allowing him to rest an arm over his shoulder and use him as a crutch as he held the herbs he had handed him.
Quietly, Sasuke listened as Itachi explained the formation of the Akatsuki. It did confuse Sasuke quite a bit, the way he described the members as a family. He held them in such high esteem… were they truly so close? It baffled Sasuke. He looked up at Itachi with a furrowed brow and a frown on his lips, conveying his confusion without the need for words. Still, he continued to listen until Itachi was through speaking, leaving him with a question that he didn't fully know how to answer.
“They protected me?” Sasuke repeated, his expression softening a little bit. “But why? Why would they protect someone they don't even know? They don't owe me anything… I don't get it.” Frustrated at his inability to wrap his head around the matter, Sasuke held up the wakizashi and sighed as he admired it after using his shirt to wipe the blood from its surface. Brotherhood, huh..? Well, considering Sasuke's seeming inability to make friends, it sounded like quite the feet to successfully join the ranks of the Akatsuki if they were truly so tight knit.
“I do want to learn…” the boy mumbled, sheathing the blade once more and holding it dearly in his clutch as his eyes moved to the ground. Shaking his head, he decided to change the topic of the time being. Maybe he would join the Akatsuki, maybe he wouldn't. Either way, he just wanted to stand by Itachi and protect him as well as help him kill Danzo.
“These herbs.. are they for, um...”
“Sasori.” A soft, feminine voice rang out from in front of the two, where a gorgeous woman was standing. She, too, wore the Akatsuki robe, meaning she had to be a member, but Sasuke had not seen her before. Her expression was smooth and gentle, and she carried a very stoic and serious air about her. “He was injured while keeping your former comrades at bay, whilst doing his best not to kill them. For your sake, Sasuke.”
“And.. you are?” Sasuke murmured, not wanting to sound rude, but she HAD kind of appeared out of literally nowhere.
Her warm, amber eyes seemed to widen a fraction of a hair for a moment, before she realized she had not introduced herself to the young man yet and offered him the smallest hint of a smile. Not many outside the Akatsuki knew who she was; she was very much the shadow that guarded the Akatsuki closely. She was a silent killer to any and all threats that got too close for comfort.
“My name is Konan. I only came here because I sensed Itachi may be in danger, but I see he is in very capable hands.” Her warm words were directed towards Sasuke, who in turn puffed up a little and glared off to the side, not sure if she meant what she was saying or if she was talking down to him. “Yeah, well.. you should have arrived sooner...” He mumbled, nearly coaxing a chuckle from Konan. He may not know her, but she had spent a large amount of time protecting him as well over the years. Clearly, he meant well, but lacked the social capacity to show it.
“Yes, of course. My apologies.. In any case, be sure to thank Sasori.” And, with that, Konan gave a brief smile to Itachi before vanishing. She would, of course, be watching. She was the Akatsuki's guardian Angel, after all.
Blinking in surprise, Sasuke watched her disappear into thin air only to sigh after a few moments passed. “… this is already complicated.” If he couldn't so much as speak normally to a woman who was probably complimenting him, he felt pretty doomed about succeeding in his attempts to socialize with the rest of the Akatsuki.
Itachi wasn't the least bit surprised when Konan appeared seemingly out of nowhere, although to the trained sense, he had sensed even the minute palpitations of her blood coursing through her steadily beating heart. It just took a while to detect where she would physically appear, but her presence, as always, was welcomed. "Thank you, Konan," he murmured with a slight bow of his head. "Sasuke arrived just in time." That phrase was an understatement because Sasuke had exceeded his expectations by arriving literally just minutes after he was stabbed.
He looked upon the spot she had just been after she vanished, mustering up an airy chuckle at what Sasuke considered a predicament. "It's not so bad," he assured him in the most brotherly way he knew how, a tone of voice he himself wasn't adjusted to. It was strange being so stoic and callous to the Akatsuki but tender and compassionate to his own brother, although both sides were of the same coin and he only showed he cared in different ways.
Itachi then remembered what Sasuke had asked, about how he had felt connected enough to feel the burn of his pain as if they shared one body. "The Akatsuki are tethered to each other in similar ways. By feeding on each other for sustenance, we also gain their energy that flows infinitely through us. Depending on how strong that bond is, the more we're able to feel of the other person's emotions... and occasionally pain," he explained. It was a reliable tactic to use when notifying the Akatsuki of imminent danger but it was also a way to truly link souls with the individuals that were of importance. Sasuke, despite being a newborn vampire, was still able to feel Itachi's pain. "We're brothers. Even if we weren't vampires, it's natural for us to share our suffering, perhaps not particularly in this way."
When the pair approached the manor, Kisame and Deidara greeted them at the entrance. They had only let their guard down after Kisame felt that all was right with Itachi's energy, which meant that the squirt had gotten there in time to execute the older Uchiha's plan seamlessly. Kisame knew, of course, that the whole scene had been for the sole purpose of proving to the Akatsuki and himself that Sasuke's ties with Danzo had been severed completely. It certainly helped to ease the tension in the clan, especially among the few Akatsuki members that believed Sasuke had every intention to turn on them. It would still take some time for some of them to warm up to Sasuke, just like it had taken years for Pain and Hidan to even breathe the same air as Itachi.
"Sasori?" he asked Deidara, ignoring the concerned glances his bloody outfit received. "Here, they're medicinal herbs and mushrooms. You know what to do with them." He transferred the satchel of medicines from Sasuke to Deidara, confident that the blonde would be able to heal Sasori in no time at all with the knowledge every Akatsuki had acquired from Itachi's brief lectures on toxicology and basic medicinal procedures.
After briefing Kisame on what had happened, he retired to his bedroom with Sasuke. "Do you want your own bedroom, Sasuke?" he asked purely out of concern that his younger sibling might not like having to be cooped up in the same bedroom as him, although the space was more than accommodating for two people. "I can have that arranged for you." None of the Akatsuki spent more than an hour or two to rest, but private bedrooms were certainly useful to have some time alone.
Without another word, Itachi pulled the tight black shirt he wore over his head, the sticky residue of his blood clinging to to his perfectly healed skin. Not even a scar was left where he had been speared, but blotches of crimson remained.
"So, have you decided?" he asked, tugging on a new cotton shirt that was a bit more loose than the first one he wore. "Your next course of action. Are you planning to stay here, with me?"
“I see..” Saskue murmured at Itachi's response, noting that the sensation in his side had vanished, which indicated that Itachi's wound must have healed by now. It made him wonder.. had Itachi allowed himself to be stabbed on purpose? Not that it really mattered. Itachi was okay, and hopefully, they wouldn't be seeing Sakura, Sai, or Naruto again. That, however, was wishful thinking at best. Like Danzo was just going to take Sasuke's escape with a grain of salt. Just thinking about Danzo had Sasuke tensing, biting at the inside of his cheek angrily.
Sasuke was silent and observant as he and Itachi finally made it back, greeted by Kisame and Deidara. Of course, Sasuke had yet to learn their names, so he would just refer to them as the blonde guy and the tall shark-looking guy for now. He could already feel the tension between himself and Deidara, though, the two sharing an irritated glare as Sasuke handed him the herbs. It wasn't really a look of hate, as the two didn't know each other enough TO hate the other. But they definitely looked like they wanted to bite the other's head off. And, if Itachi and Kisame weren't there, who knows what would have happened?
And yet, they behaved as well as they could for the time being, Sasuke letting out a small 'tch' and Deidara following up with an irritated 'un!' as they parted ways; Sasuke tailing Itachi, and Deidara going to tend to Sasori's wounds.
Once alone with Itachi, Sasuke sighed and gently placed the weapon down atop the bed. He would ask Itachi more about it later, but for now, he really needed a bath. He still felt a bit tired, but nothing major. He wasn't tired enough to sleep anymore, he just felt like he could lay down and stay that way for hours.
As he set the sword down, Itachi asked if he'd like his own room. Thinking for a moment, he cast a glance over at Itachi and bit the inside of his chee gently. Would it be weird if he said he'd prefer to share a room with Itachi? He was generally a solitary being, but.. he felt as though a lot of things were going to change now.
He just didn't want to come off as clingy or desperate to be by Itachi's side, so he had to play it cool, shrugging as if it didn't generally matter. “It's just a room, right?? I really don't see the point in going through the trouble of setting up my own room… I mean, yours is perfectly fine.” He murmured, glancing at Itachi just as the other was peeling his tight shirt off to reveal his toned upper body, his side smeared in fresh blood.
He wasn't starving anymore, but the sight of Itachi's deep blood against his pale flesh just did something to Sasuke. It made something inside of him ache, chills running up and down his spine as he eyed the blood shamelessly.
“You, uh.. you said not to waste, right?” The teen asked under his breath as he moved to Itachi's side, allowing his guard to lower a little now that it was just he and Itachi. His face burned a pale shade of bashful pink and he nibbled at his bottom lip, big red eyes beaming up at the other as he leaned down to lick at Itachi's blood-stained flesh. He was able to refrain from trying to nip at him for now, but that was only because A) he wasn't starved and B) he knew his fangs weren't sharp enough to succeed.
Whatever the case, Itachi's blood was too perfect to go to waste, so Sasuke eagerly lapped it away. At being asked when he planned to do, though, he licked up the last bead of blood and withdrew, licking his lips now to b sure he got any and all of the blood.
This allowed Itachi to put on the new shirt, while Sasuke contemplated the question. Was it not obvious..?
“Of course I'm staying with you… where else would I go?” Shrugging, Sasuke looked down at himself and cringed a little. “I could probably use a bath, though.. and a change of clothes.” Dried blood, both his own as well as Itachi's, covered his skin. His loose white top was ripped up and stained with blood, as were his black pants.
Sasuke was full of surprises today, wasn't he? Itachi noticed the stark difference in the way his grouchy sibling treated the rest of the Akatsuki and him, like he could be quite the stubborn bull to one and a docile doe to the other.
This was how it was supposed to be. Itachi had suffered too long in solitude, and while the Akatsuki were suitable companions at times, they were just antisocial as Sasuke and preferred to be beckoned only when needed. He had missed this feeling of belonging somewhere and having someone to protect and love unconditionally, although he had never stopped feeling the way he did for Sasuke since the day he was born.
He paused, studying Sasuke's expression and noting the way he looked shifty at best, as if he was trying to hide a secret that was already in plain sight. It was amusing and endearing to see his brother struggle with the simplest task of opening up and admitting he wanted to be there. But, even if weren't explicitly expressed, Itachi understood the true meaning behind Sasuke's silence and awkward attempts at redirecting the question. "You're right. It is just a room. I'm sure you'll be using it more often than I will, anyway," he agreed, deciding to play along, just to save Sasuke the embarrassment of having to confess that he preferred to share a room. Maybe Sasuke was more of a cuddle type than he let on.
When Sasuke approached him, only to stoop low enough for the bloodstains smeared down his side to be lapped away like it was jam, he was surprised. Sasuke had adjusted sooner than he had expected to consuming blood as often as he had today and was becoming a full-fledged vampire at an alarming speed. "Nothing goes to waste," he repeated with a smug grin, his thumb caked with the rusty flavor of dried blood brushing over Sasuke's lower lip. Hadn't kissing been considered a taboo thing to do between brothers, Itachi would have loved to bite Sasuke's plump lower lip and taste how much more velvety the blood was when it tinged his lips crimson.
"I wasn't expecting you to stay. All my life, I've only wanted you to know the truth," he admitted, although he would have been lying if he said he hadn't wished for Sasuke to stay and join the Akatsuki. "Now that you do, you're your own spirit. You're free to do whatever you'd like. I can't control you, no matter how firmly Danzo believes that's possible." If Sasuke wanted to explore and find himself on his own terms, Itachi wouldn't have intervened but kept a close watch over him, anyway. Even if Sasuke wanted to return to Danzo's camp for whatever reason, he would have allowed it to be so. In the end, all he wanted was for Sasuke to become the master of his own fate instead of being overshadowed by somebody else's.
If he truly wanted to stay, Itachi would have welcomed him with open arms. "You're always welcome here, Sasuke," he said, heading into an adjoining bathroom where he ran the hot water for his bath. "And speaking of welcomes, you're welcome to take a bath with me," he offered. The herbal formulas soaking in the waters would relax them both and Itachi acknowledged that the two needed some rest after the day's events.
Once the steaming water was at the perfect level and temperature in the spacious tub, he undressed leisurely, every single piece of clothing falling away like petals from his body. He unraveled the rubber band that kept his hair bundled in a loose ponytail, letting the silky tresses fan behind him.
"There's a bathrobe for you," he gestured to the pair hung behind the restroom door. "I'll see if I can find clothes that match you." He was taller than Sasuke by a head or two so his own clothes would be a bit over-sized. He reminded himself to ask Deidara or Sasori for a spare change of clothes, something that Sasuke could easily slip into since the three of them were similar in height and stature. If he had known Sasuke would be joining the Akatsuki so soon, Itachi would have prepared a closet full of clothes beforehand, but he supposed he had been shortsighted in this aspect.
Slowly, he sunk into the water, elbows resting against the edge. He beckoned Sasuke closer and into the water with a slight tilt of his hand and a "come hither" motion of his fingers. "Come here, Sasuke. I want to see how much you've grown."
Sasuke nodded lightly when he was told he had free will as to where he went and what he did, but that didn't alter his mind at all. “All I want now is to kill Danzo, and stay with you. I've never felt this sensation before; like I truly belong somewhere. I'm not going to let Danzo get in the way anymore, and.. I… I guess that mean's I'll also need to get along with your comrades.” He stammered, willing tto give anything a shot for the sake of being with his brother.
Shaking that off for the time being, Sasuke curiously moved and followed Itachi into the bathroom connected to his bedroom. And, not surprisingly, the bathroom was huge! Sasuke did well at suppressing his look of awe as he looked about the room, but Itachi's next few words completely took him off guard. “Share a bath?!” He puffed up, body stiff and eyes wide. It wasn't like he had never been in the bath with another male; at the academy, there were bath houses. However, this was a bath tub! A very spacious one, yes, but… gulping, Sasuke glared to the ground and fought off another ridiculous blush as Itachi started to undress. Right there before his eyes.
Perhaps it was normal for brothers to bathe together. Sasuke wouldn't know, and Itachi seemed perfectly fine with it. And, well, the younger of the two Uchiha's didn't want to seem shy or nervous while his brother was so calm and cool about it.
That, however, hardly seemed possible when Itachi began to coax him over. Sasuke looked over towards Itachi only when he had submerged himself within the water, but that didn't help much, as the older Uchiha was absolutely breathtaking like this. Hair down, body relaxed and bare, surrounded by steam as he lifted a finger and beckoned Sasuke on over.
Sasuke simply couldn't refuse Itachi.
So, trying to act as nonchalant and levelheaded about all this as Itachi, the boy succumbed. “Yeah, well, fine. I guess.” He murmured, unable to slow the way his heart rate had suddenly begun to beat rapidly. Lifting his hands, he unbuttoned the torn up and dirty white button-up top and set it aside, revealing his lean frame to Itachi. Given a few more years and he'd maybe grow closer to Itachi's height, but for now, he was shorter and not was sculpted. He was soft, but with the faintest outline of muscles beneath his pale, flawless flesh.
He did, of course, stand as tall as he could as to look more grown than he probably was. Next came his pants and, soon after, his boxers. This left the young man totally exposed to Itachi, even his member, which even when flaccid was clearly a little bit larger than the average teenager.
Of course, once naked he made it a point to quickly slide down into the hot water as well, the steamy water soon enveloping him from the torso down as he settled in beside Itachi. He sighed a little as he did so, the hot water kissing at his flesh and the herbs unwinding his stiffened muscles.
Right now, Sasuke didn't want to thinking about Danzo, his former teammates, or the Akatsuki. It was admittedly nice to just be near his brother in solitude… even if they were both naked.
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