Chapter Text
Mikoto rocked Sasuke gently in her left arm while she held Itachi’s hand with her free one.
Oh, Kushina, your baby boy is so beautiful. I wish you could be here to see him.
They were all gathered next to the incubator holding a small baby, barely two days old.
“Mother, what will happen to him?” Itachi asked as he looked down at the helpless baby, sorrow in his eyes. After all, Kushina and Minato had been like family to him, and their deaths in the Kyuubi attack had been his first time experiencing loss.
Mikoto squeezed her son’s hand and offered him a soft smile. “Don’t worry, Itachi. Your father and I have decided to adopt him, so he will never have to be alone.”
Itachi nodded silently before reaching down into the incubator and putting a finger into the baby’s loose fist. Seconds later, he let out a soft gasp of surprise when the baby’s hand clenched closed as if yearning for comfort.
Watching the two interact made Mikoto’s heart ache for her beloved friend and their Hokage, gone far too soon. But, such was the life of a shinobi. Death was the only thing that was entirely predictable in their line of work.
It didn’t make the pain of loss any less, but at least she could care for their son and protect him from all the hate he would receive as the new jinchuriki of the nine-tails. The Uchiha clan would be able to keep him safe until he was strong enough to do so on his own.
And, looking down at little Sasuke asleep in her arms, she hoped that her own son would grow in strength beside him.
That they would be stronger together, and protect each other when she no longer could.
***
“Hey, Sasuke, wait up!” Naruto yelled as he raced to catch up with his brother.
“You’ll have to catch me first, dobe!” Sasuke hollered back as he picked up the pace and weaved through the potted plants of their family garden.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, teme!” Naruto said with a laugh as he channeled chakra in his feet before exploding forward with unnatural speed.
Taken off guard, Sasuke could only brace himself before a blur of blonde hair barreled into him and they both rolled several feet on the grass before coming to a stop.
“Get your foot out of my face,” Sasuke grumbled, detangling himself from Naruto as the blonde laughed.
“Oh, come on, I know you’re not mad,” Naruto said as he jumped up, still full of energy. “And I bet dad would be proud, huh, since I caught up with you!”
“Proud you cheated, maybe,” Sasuke said with a roll of his eyes. “We agreed to no chakra before tag, remember?”
Naruto scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “Oh, right. I forgot.”
Sasuke was about to open his mouth to remind Naruto that he couldn’t just forget rules when he wanted to until he heard the sliding door open from the house.
“Boys, come inside! It’s time for dinner.”
Naruto's eyes lit up as he looked back over to Sasuke who had just picked himself off the ground, seemingly trying to urge him to speed up with his willpower alone.
“I’m coming, jeez,” Sasuke said as he dusted his clothes off and headed over to the garden hose to rinse the dirt off his feet.
Once they had cleaned off a bit and dried themselves, they headed inside and were greeted with what smelled like freshly cooked-
“Ramen! It smells so good, mom!” Naruto said, practically drooling at the mouth.
Sasuke seemed slightly less enthusiastic as he sat down at the dinner table until Mikoto presented him with his own bowl of ripe cherry tomatoes.
“Don’t think I forgot about you, Sasuke,” she said with a smile before bringing the rest of the food over to the table.
Right as Naruto took his seat at the table, still eyeing the ramen as if he had been starved all his life, Fugaku came through the front door.
“Hello, darling,” Mikoto said in greeting as he took his seat at the head of the table.
“Dinner looks great, my dear,” he said as he gave her a quick kiss before turning his attention to his sons. “How did training go today boys?”
“You should’ve seen me, dad!” Naruto said, perking up. “I caught up to Sasuke so fast with that new technique you taught us!”
“Even though we agreed to no chakra during the tag game,” Sasuke added, defending his loss.
Fugaku nodded with a ghost of a smile on his face. “I’m glad you boys are enjoying your training because, now that you are both six, I’m going to be increasing the intensity. I want you to be ahead of the other students when you enter the academy in three years.”
“What are you going to teach us?” Sasuke asked, eager for new knowledge if it meant he had half a chance to catch up to Itachi.
“I’ve already taught you how to circulate your chakra into different parts of your body to strengthen them. When you both master that, I will teach you the tree climbing and water walking techniques. Especially Naruto. With the amount of chakra you have, you’ll need to learn how to refine and control it as soon as possible."
“I’m going to master everything before Sasuke, dattebayo!” Naruto said, ignoring the dirty look he got from the other boy.
“As if you could beat me with that tiny brain of yours,” Sasuke said with a smirk.
“Hey, take that back! My brain is completely normal size, I think!”
Just then, they all heard the front door open, and Itachi walked in, looking guilty because of his tardiness.
“I apologize for being late,” he said as he took his seat.
“It’s alright, Itachi,” Mikoto said while smiling. “We haven’t begun eating yet.”
“Hi, Itachi!” Naruto said with a wide grin, while Sasuke smiled and echoed the sentiment.
“Now that everyone’s here, you may begin eating,” Fugaku said, and everyone immediately began digging into the delicious food.
As Sasuke ate neatly and watched Naruto with undisguised disgust as the blonde devoured his bowl of noodles and meat, Itachi spoke.
“So Sasuke, Naruto, have you been practicing the taijutsu I taught you both? It will be important to know it well before you enter the academy, as I’m sure father has mentioned.”
Seeing as Naruto still had his mouth full, Sasuke spoke for both of them. “We’ve been sparring every day, and I’m still kicking his butt.”
Itachi smiled at Sasuke’s smug tone, and his smile only grew as Naruto practically choked on his food.
“Nuh-uh! We’re totally even, he’s lying!”
“Whatever the case,” Itachi said, hoping to placate both parties before an argument could ensue. “I’m glad you are both working hard. I know you are both going to be strong shinobi.”
Naruto and Sasuke fall silent at the praise, both longing to be complimented by the older brother they both looked up to.
Dinner continued smoothly after that, and, once both boys had cleared the table and done the dishes, they headed off to their room with the promise of an early training session the next morning.
Not quite ready to fall asleep, Naruto flipped through a book on Shurikenjutsu while Sasuke read a book about different Genjutsus. However, the latter was hardly focused on his.
“Naruto,” Sasuke said quietly, catching his brother’s attention. “What do you want to get stronger for?”
“That’s a silly question,” Naruto said as he shut his book. “You know I wanna become Hokage! Then I can be just like my dad! Or, uh, my other dad.”
When Sasuke stayed silent, looking only at the ceiling, Naruto grew curious. “Why’d you ask? Are you thinking too hard again?”
With a quick glare shot in his direction and a pillow hurled at him a second later, Naruto could only snicker as Sasuke sat up to face him.
“I don’t think too hard, you just don’t think enough,” Sasuke said. “But, I dunno, sometimes I don’t know what I want to fight for.”
“What if you fight for our family?” Naruto suggested. “You know, like a protector. That way, I can be the Hokage and you can protect the village full of our friends and family, too! We can protect everyone together!”
“Hmm, that’s…actually a good idea,” Sasuke said after some thought. “Maybe you’re not stupid after all.”
“Ha! You called me smart!” Naruto said with a laugh.
“Not being stupid is not the same thing as being smart,” Sasuke said with a huff as he lay back down, but he couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face.
“Whatever you say, Sasuke,” Naruto said as he crawled under his covers, but he could see his brother’s smile from where he lay.
“Goodnight, Naruto,” Sasuke said a moment later.
“Night, Sasuke.”
***
“Form the Seal of Confrontation…Begin!” Fugaku ordered, and the match began.
Facing Naruto with a confident smirk on his face, Sasuke flooded his body with chakra to strengthen his limbs and dashed forward toward the blonde, attempting to get the upper hand with his speed.
Realizing offense wasn't a viable option, Naruto braced himself and shifted his body into a defensive position, planning to make a counterattack.
Bringing his left arm up for a quick jab, Sasuke watched as Naruto moved to block it with his arms, and within seconds, Sasuke fainted the jab and twisted in mid-air to deliver a vicious kick to the blonde’s head.
Ducking under the kick with a smirk, Naruto didn't wait for Sasuke to recover and grabbed his foot, using the leverage to slam Sasuke into the ground. However, thinking quickly, Sasuke half-managed to lessen the damage by channeling chakra into his arms and pushing back against the dirt as he leapt back.
Although, just as determined as his brother, Naruto didn't let him catch a break and pursued Sasuke as he tried to put distance between the two of them. And, utilizing his monstrous stamina and strength, Naruto released a volley of well-timed punches and kicks as Sasuke struggled to regain his earlier momentum and counterattack.
At this point, both boys are out of breath, and one punch, in particular, hits Sasuke square in the jaw, causing him to stumble back. Foolishly, though, Naruto overextended his punch and leaned too far forward, tipping himself off balance.
Sasuke, clenching his teeth together, capitalized on this mistake and sent a palm strike sharply into Naruto’s solar plexus, causing the blonde to drop to the ground immediately.
“Match over,” Fugaku said before moving over to check on Naruto.
“I-I’m fine.” Naruto wheezed as he sat up. “I heal fast.”
“That was a great spar,” Fugaku said with a proud smile. “Both of you were excellent. However, Naruto, you need to work on not being so reckless and charging in as you did during your counterattack. Sasuke, you need to not be so confident as you were at the beginning of the match. Never underestimate your opponents. Both recklessness and overconfidence will get you killed once you both become shinobi.”
“Yes, father," both agreed before locking hands in the Seal of Reconciliation.
He smiled before reaching into his robe and pulling out two scrolls. “I have decided that today you will both start the tree walking and water walking exercises to train your chakra control further. I can tell that you are now well-adversed in the clan’s Taijutsu and have also mastered the chakra body strengthening technique.”
“Yatta!” Naruto yelled, leaping up from his position on the ground. Sasuke looked at Naruto in slight shock as he massaged his jaw, wondering why he couldn’t have been born with such recovery speed.
Regardless, Sasuke took the scroll with a calm nod, while Naruto snatched the other one before immediately opening and reading it.
“Sasuke, this is gonna be great! We’re going to be able to climb trees and stuff without our hands, and walk on water too!” Naruto said, grinning wildly.
Sasuke smiled too, as he began reading the scroll’s contents, before he looked back over toward his father. “Thank you.”
“It’s just a part of your training, no need for gratitude,” Fugaku said. “And I believe I am not needed for this, but if you do need anything, your mother is inside. I have some business to attend to.”
After bidding goodbye, Fugaku left, and both boys turned their attention back to their scrolls.
“So,” Sasuke said after reading everything and looking over toward the two tallest trees in their yard. “We just have to use chakra to stick to the trunk.”
“Just you wait, I’m definitely going to make it to the top first, dattebayo!” Naruto yelled, already making a mad dash toward the tree.
Sasuke just watched as Naruto got one foot on the trunk before unceremoniously dropping to the ground, splayed out on his back.
“Sure you are, dobe,” he said before putting his scroll down and walking closer to the tree, stopping about 10 feet back.
Breathing in and out slowly, Sasuke raced toward the tree at full speed and, channeling his chakra into his feet like before, managed to push off one foot before his second foot slipped and he was sent crashing down right next to Naruto.
“Not so easy, is it, teme?” Naruto laughed, ignoring Sasuke’s glare.
“Whatever, I’m still going to win,” Sasuke said as he got up and dusted himself off.
“Not before I win!” Naruto said, scrambling up as quickly as possible before moving back far enough to get a running start.
Sasuke backed up too, before sending Naruto a confident smirk. “Ready, set, go!”
***
For two days and nights without interruption except for their mom making sure they ate, the two boys kept throwing themselves over and over again at the trees. Finally, after amassing far too many bruises and cuts, Sasuke could stand upside down on the branch with no problems, and Naruto was quick to master the technique only a few hours later.
Exhausted and completely out of breath, the two brothers lay next to each other on the grass under an explosion of stars, hands barely close enough to touch.
“We did it!” Naruto said, and Sasuke could vividly picture the ear-splitting grin on his face. “And soon, we’ll be able to walk on water too!
“Yeah, we did,” Sasuke said. “And I’m going to beat you at that, too.”
“You hardly beat me! No, I let you beat me!”
Sasuke rolled his eyes, trying to ignore how much his body ached. He bet Naruto was nearly healed by now—something the blonde was better at, even though he didn’t seem to understand how abnormal his healing speed really was.
“Come on,” Sasuke said instead, sitting up with a small groan. “I wanna shower and go to bed.”
Naruto yawned as he sat up before he remembered there was only one shower, and was up and running toward the bathroom before Sasuke could blink.
“Hey! I called the bathroom first!” Sasuke called after the blonde as he sprang up, determined to reach it first.
“Too slow, teme,” Naruto yelled from the door as he stuck his tongue out before disappearing inside.
Sasuke slowed his pace, already accepting his fate, and sighed heavily. Damn hyperactive Naruto, he never caught a break…but, life certainly wasn’t dull with him around.
Sasuke had to admit that he loved his brother, despite Naruto’s loudness, his boundless energy, and his drive to always be the best.
They just seemed to work, and even with all the bothersome traits of his brother, he had to admit it was fun having someone to pace him and make him want to be better.
And it sure beat being alone.
***
“Sasuke! Sasuke, wake up!” Naruto whisper-yelled, and Sasuke rolled over with a groan.
“Sasuke, come on! I’ve been waiting forever for you to wake up!” Naruto said, poking Sasuke with a finger. “I wanna try to do the water walking today!”
“Naruto, we only just finished the tree walking yesterday,” Sasuke said, opening one eye. “Aren’t you still sore?”
“Uhhh, no?” Naruto said, clueless as ever. “Mom says I have to wait for you to start, but you know I have no patience.”
Sasuke took a deep, calming breath in through his nose and out through his mouth before he sat up. “Fine, I’m ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Yatta!” Naruto said, jumping up and down excitedly before running out of the room.
Sasuke took his time changing into his training clothes while doing some light stretches to loosen up his muscles, and after that, he felt relatively normal again.
Walking out of their room into the kitchen, he smelled something delicious and saw Naruto scarfing down tamagoyaki at the table.
“Come have some breakfast, Sasuke,” Mikoto said, setting a plate of food at his usual seat at the table. “You’ll need your energy for today.”
“Thanks, mom,” he said while taking his seat. He smiled as he looked down at his meal and realized his tamagoyaki had been topped with sliced tomato, his favorite food, much like Naruto’s love for ramen.
Within the next ten minutes, both of them were done with their breakfast, and Naruto was out the door as quickly as he could after hugging their mother goodbye. Sasuke hugged her as well and looked down as she ran her hand through his hair.
“Good luck, Sasuke,” she said with a warm smile. “Make sure to let your brother know, too.”
“If he had any patience, I wouldn’t have to tell him for you,” he grumbled with a roll of his eyes, but nodded regardless.
“Sasuke, come on!” Naruto called from outside, and Sasuke let his mom ruffle his hair one more time before he was out the door.
“I’m coming! Waiting a little longer isn’t going to kill you!” Sasuke said as he caught up to Naruto.
“But it will! I really thought I was gonna die of boredom,” Naruto groaned, dragging his hands down his face in exasperation.
“You really are hopeless,” Sasuke said with a shake of his head. “How are you going to sit through class if you can’t wait for me to wake up and eat?”
“Maybe I’ll get more patience before then,” the blonde said with a shrug, and Sasuke fought the urge to hit him.
As they headed toward the clan’s training ground down the main road, people would stop and tell them good morning and ask them how everything was going. It was like this usually, and all of the clan members were friendly toward them.
Outside of the clan, however, was a slightly different story. Whenever they went outside, whether it was for shopping or fun, people always looked at Naruto differently.
It never escalated from the occasional glare or dirty look, especially since they never left the Uchiha compound without a family member, but it bugged Sasuke nonetheless.
Naruto had never done anything wrong, and Sasuke would know since they never left each other’s side, so he didn’t understand why the villagers, and even other shinobi, looked at Naruto with what Sasuke perceived as anger and disgust. Maybe there was some sort of connection with the Kyuubi attack all those years ago, since he knew that Naruto was born on the same day, but he didn’t know enough to pinpoint what exactly about the attack connected everything.
Not like it mattered, though. To him, Naruto was his brother and best friend, even if the blonde annoyed him to no end and interrupted his sleep. Sasuke would never be able to bring himself to hate Naruto, no matter what happened.
“Finally, we’re here!” Naruto cheered, his voice bringing Sasuke out of his thoughts. “I’m going to walk on water!”
“Maybe if you practiced chakra control as much as you yell about it,” Sasuke said with a grin.
With a glare, Naruto, for once in his life, fell silent and sat down, reading the scroll’s contents in deep concentration. Sasuke, too, took out his scroll and read through it once more before setting it down and walking over to the six-foot-deep pond.
The pond was perfect for practicing because it deepened at an incline, so falling in didn’t lead to complete submersion unless one was in the middle.
Stepping in until his feet were fully submerged, Sasuke lifted one foot and placed it so it rested on the surface of the water. Balancing his foot there, he closed his eyes and focused on matching the flow of the water with his chakra, allowing the chakra to move along with the ripples of the water.
Then, shifting his weight off his submerged foot, he began slowly standing up until he was balancing atop the water completely.
“Sasuke, you’re doing it!” Naruto cheered from the sidelines, sounding as shocked as Sasuke felt.
Trying to focus, Sasuke went to add his other foot to the water’s surface, and soon he was standing steadily on the water’s surface. Loosening his tense muscles and taking a deep breath, he attempted to take a step forward, but the action proved too much, and his foot immediately sank, causing him to fall into the water in seconds.
“So close,” Naruto said emphatically, waiting as Sasuke pulled himself out of the water.
“Walking is much harder than just standing,” Sasuke said as he took off his soaked shirt. “Your turn.”
“Thanks for the advice, but I’m going to do even better than you, dattebayo!”
He didn’t even last a second, and Sasuke couldn’t hold back a laugh as Naruto dragged himself from the pond, completely soaked.
“Don’t laugh, teme, it’s not funny,” Naruto said with a small glare.
“It’s a little funny,” Sasuke said before standing up from where he was sitting. “Now, come on, let’s see who can walk first.”
“You’re on!” Naruto said, accepting the challenge.
After five days, Sasuke could walk and run on the water, and by eight days, Naruto was just as good. Originally, he had been discouraged that it had taken him so much longer, but he had quickly cheered up once Mikoto had made ramen for dinner once they’d both succeeded. Safe to say, he’d forgotten he’d ever been upset in the first place, which Sasuke found amusing. Some things never changed.
***
“You both have been working hard,” Fugaku said a couple of weeks later at the dinner table, startling the boys with his sudden display of affection.
“Thanks, dad, but I know you’re just trying to make me feel better,” Naruto said, looking down as he picked at his dinner. “I can’t even perform a simple clone. I mean, Sasuke did it on his first try!”
Mikoto placed a comforting hand on her son’s shoulder and offered a soft smile. “My darling, I know you'll master it soon enough. You’re not one to give up just because it’s hard.”
Fukagu looked at his youngest son in silence for a moment before nodding to Itachi in a silent exchange. The elder boy’s eyes widened as he understood the message behind the gesture, slightly shocked by his father’s choice but agreeing with it nonetheless.
“Naruto,” Itachi started, catching the boy’s attention. “Father and I have been discussing this lately, ever since we first introduced the academy jutsu to you both, and we have decided to teach you a different clone method.”
“Like what?” Naruto said, perking up.
Sasuke, too, looked up from his plate, curious as to what Itachi could be referring to.
“Do you remember how I graduated early from the academy?” Itachi asked instead.
Naruto just about leaped out of his seat, mouth agape. “You’re going to teach me the shadow clone!?”
Itachi chuckled a little at the blonde’s enthusiasm. “Yes. It’s a powerful technique that can make use of your large chakra reserves, and the clone’s memories will be transferred back to the user upon dispersal, allowing for increased training speed.”
“I never knew it could do all that,” Naruto said, absolutely thrilled as he turned toward Sasuke. “You hear that, Sasuke? I’m going to train ten times faster than you!”
Sasuke looked less than pleased as he looked at Naruto and Itachi, considering how much of a disadvantage he would soon be at, but before his thoughts could continue to spiral, Itachi continued.
“Sasuke, you will have a new clone technique too,” he said, and now Sasuke was fully listening. “Since you have lightning and fire chakra natures, you will be learning the lightning clone jutsu. This clone is tangible and, once dispersed, it will send an electric current into the attacker. Although they won’t take multiple hits like the shadow clone.”
“Wait,” Sasuke said, looking confused. “I don’t have as much chakra as Naruto, so how will I be able to use it?”
“As a tradeoff for its decreased durability, it doesn’t take as much chakra to use, which makes it ideal for you,” Itachi explained. “And, the clone’s memories will be transferred back to the user, same as the shadow clone.”
Sasuke looked over at Naruto with a smirk, excited to be back on even footing. Naruto only stuck his tongue out before turning back to his dinner with a small pout.
“I expect you both will learn these techniques with the understanding that they are significant jutsu that are not to be trifled with,” Fugaku said in a serious tone. “And I expect to see you at the training ground by sunrise tomorrow."
“Yes, father,” they both replied quickly, sitting up straight in their chairs.
Fugaku looked pleased by the response and, with a nod, everyone returned to their dinners.
***
“My darling, must you teach them such dangerous techniques?” Mikoto asked, walking out to join her husband on the engawa. “They are only six this year.”
Fugaku stood solemnly as he stared up into the night sky, deep in thought, until she touched his hand. He turned to face her, the lines in his face forming deep creases.
“I know you must think I’m rushing them, my love, especially in peacetimes,” Fugaku said. “But while Konoha may not be in a war with the world, war is still brewing.”
“I want better for them,” Mikoto said quietly, thinking about everything and everyone they had lost. “I want them to grow up safe and be happy. Itachi’s been through so much for his age already.”
Fugaku moved until he was fully facing his wife, and cupped her cheek with one hand. “You know I want all my children to live long lives, but I also know that goal can only be achieved if they are strong. We will not live forever, my dear, and we must prepare them for when they must fight alone.”
“Fugaku, you don’t support the elders, do you? What they’re planning is-” she began, but Fugaku interrupted her.
“No, I will never agree with the elders, no matter how ostracized we are from the village. Our family is more important to me than anything,” he said, but his expression darkened as he averted his gaze. “But I don’t know how long I will be able to stop them.”
***
“Focus,” Fugaku demanded, his face stern. “You will both be joining the academy in a month and need to be at the top of your class. Do not bring shame to this clan.”
“Yes, father!” Both boys yelled in unison, eyes shut tightly in concentration. Over the last three years, training intensity had increased dramatically, and now they were standing atop the pond in horse stance while holding a leaf to their foreheads with chakra alone. In addition, each boy was maintaining four clones.
Sweat dripped down Sasuke’s face as he tried to maintain his composure. Briefly, he opened one eye to see how Naruto was doing and was surprised by how calm his brother was. Once again, he found himself jealous of the blonde’s endless stamina, but instead of hindering him, it only pushed him to work harder.
And work they had. By now, Sasuke could form a maximum of eight clones and utilize four in battle, a feat that even some chunin couldn’t accomplish, and Naruto could form hundreds. Not only that, but their chakra control was impeccable after years of drilling chakra control exercises, and even Naruto now had the control of an average chunin. Their taijutsu was also nothing to scoff at either as both boys sparred daily and ranked as high-genin.
All before even setting foot in the academy.
Suddenly, Itachi appeared before them and looked toward Fugaku, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts.
“Mother says lunch is ready. And yes, we all have to come,” he added when Fugaku went to open his mouth.
With a splash, Naruto released his control and submerged himself in the cool water, with Sasuke following his lead a moment later.
“Ah, I thought I was going to die!” Naruto exclaimed as he dragged himself from the pond.
“You’re telling me,” Sasuke grumbled, equally as drained, if not more so.
“Dry off, both of you, and quickly,” Fugaku said, motioning to some towels lying on the grass. “We don’t want to keep your mother waiting.”
Both boys nodded rapidly and hastily moved to dry off, not wanting to risk their mother’s ire. Itachi watched on with an easy smile, allowing himself to relax slightly under the sun’s warm rays until his father’s voice reached him.
“I didn’t expect to see you today,” Fugaku said, approaching his eldest son. “You’ve been so busy as of late.”
“I could say the same for you,” Itachi said. “Mother says you’ve hardly been home.”
“Yes, well, there have been many meetings to attend as of late,” he replied, not quite able to meet his son’s gaze.
The tension was broken abruptly as Naruto threw himself forward into Itachi for a hug, smiling widely.
“Come on, come on, I’m starving!” The blonde said, practically vibrating in anticipation.
“Alright then, let’s go,” Itachi said, smiling genuinely as he ruffled his brother’s hair before he turned toward Sasuke. “Ready?”
“Hn,” Sasuke replied as he picked up his and Naruto’s towels before moving over toward the group.
Minutes later, they all reached home and were greeted with steaming bowls of soba that smelled heavenly.
“Hello, dear,” Mikoto said, kissing her husband briefly as he sat down.
“Hello, my love,” he said, motioning for everyone to take their seats. “What’s the special occasion?”
“Is it too much to ask for us all to eat together?” she said with a pleasant smile. “You and Itachi are always so busy nowadays, I thought it would be nice to have lunch together as a family.”
“Thank you, mother,” Itachi said sincerely, although there was something indecipherable in his expression.
“Yeah, thanks, mom!” Naruto said, eyeing the noodle dish like a starved wolf.
“Thanks,” Sasuke echoed, especially pleased since soba was one of his favorite meals.
As they all began eating, Mikoto faced her eldest son. “So, Itachi, how is Izumi? And Shisui, how is he doing?”
“They’re both doing well,” Itachi said with a small smile as he looked up from his meal. “Izumi is genin-ranked now, and Shisui is a part of Anbu, like I am.”
“I’m glad, and I hope you are all staying safe,” Mikoto replied, to which Itachi nodded.
Naruto and Sasuke hardly paid attention to the conversation, too tired and hungry to listen to small talk after the hours of training they’d done that morning. However, they did miss their brother, especially since Itachi was often away either training or on missions.
After finishing his bowl, Naruto tuned back in. “Itachi, can’t you train with us for the rest of the day? We’ve hardly gotten to see you, and we miss you.”
“I never said that,” Sasuke said, as he looked up from his soba.
“You didn’t have to,” Naruto said pointedly, before fixing Itachi with his best puppy-dog eyes. “Please, Itachi? Won’t you show us something cool?”
Itachi looked hesitant momentarily as he looked between Naruto and Sasuke, but finally gave in with a sigh. “Yes, I believe I have time.”
“Yatta!” Naruto cheered, throwing up one fist in triumph.
Sasuke’s reaction wasn’t nearly as vocal, but it was obvious that he was just as excited since he quickly finished his meal and began clearing everyone’s plates with Naruto’s help.
Once the table was cleared and dishes cleaned, both boys were itching to head out and spend one-on-one time with their brother, so Mikoto and Fugaku sent them on their way with a short goodbye.
Moving along the main path, the three brothers walked at a leisurely pace in the direction of their usual training ground. However, as they passed the site, Sasuke looked up at his brother in confusion.
“I thought we were going to train together?” Sasuke asked, a little disappointed. “Where are we going?”
“Don’t worry, Sasuke,” Itachi said as he looked down at his little brother. “We’re going to train, but in the forest today.”
Naruto, who was listening absently, perked up then, eyes shining. “Are you going to teach us that shurikenjutsu you’re always practicing?”
Itachi only smiled but didn’t answer, deciding to torture his little brothers just a little. They were almost there anyway, and within the next few minutes, the group reached their destination: a secluded area in the clan’s woods with multiple targets set up on the ground and the surrounding trees. However, Itachi may have overestimated Naruto’s patience, as the blonde looked like he would explode at any moment.
Sasuke, looking over at Naruto with a hint of concern, turned to his older brother. “Itachi, tell us why we’re here, or else Naruto will probably die.”
Itachi chuckled lightly, allowing himself to show his emotions in the presence of his family. “Alright, I’ll tell you.”
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out several sharpened kunai, causing Naruto to point frantically around at all the targets.
“I was right! I knew you were going to teach us!”
“Yes, Naruto, you were right,” Itachi replied. “Today, I’m going to teach you both how to throw multiple projectiles, kunai in this case, accurately in different directions.”
“But, we already know shurikenjutsu,” Sasuke said, looking rather confused. “And, besides, don’t we need the sharingan to throw them as you do?”
As Naruto visibly deflated at the mention of the sharingan, Itachi quickly spoke. “You don’t necessarily need the sharingan. It’s all about timing and precision, something I know you both have.”
Naruto brightened again, and Sasuke looked excited as well to finally learn his brother’s coveted technique.
“Now, watch me closely,” Itachi said as he backed up until he was in the center of the targets.
Inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes, Itachi suddenly leaped up into the air in an arched backward curve until he was upside down, and only then did he ready eight kunai in his hands.
Gracefully, as Naruto and Sasuke watched on in awe, he released them in sets of two with sharp flicks of his wrist in various directions before pulling several more out from his weapons pouch. Spinning around in the air with each throw, he released the last of his projectiles with perfect precision so that the kunai bounced off each other and into the targets.
Performing one last flip, Itachi landed on the ground in the very same place he had begun and listened as all the kunai embedded themselves into the wood, each hitting a bullseye.
“Wow!” Naruto exclaimed. “You’re amazing, Itachi!”
“Yeah,” Sasuke murmured, at a loss for words. Their brother truly was a genius, and he now understood why everyone always called him that.
“Thank you,” Itachi said as he walked back over to them. “And now, it’s your turn to try.”
“Heck yeah! You’re on!” Naruto yelled, fired up as he clenched his fist.
“I bet I’m going to master it first,” Sasuke taunted as he picked up a kunai.
Taking the bait, Naruto pointed at both of them. “Now you’re both on! I’m going to be the best, just you wait and see!"
As the boys began practicing throwing multiple kunai at once, Itachi stood back and observed silently, deep in thought. He loved his family, and he loved his brothers most of all, having always felt the need to protect them.
But now, he was faced with an impossible choice—his family or his duty—as Konoha faced an internal conflict that threatened the future peace of the village.
And it was tearing him apart.
***
Late that night, Itachi sat atop their house's roof, mulling over his thoughts much like he had that afternoon. His intelligence was regarded by most as a blessing, but as of late, it seemed a curse as he tried to stop the thoughts and doubts that threatened to consume him.
Shinobi weren’t supposed to doubt their orders, nor were they supposed to feel. They were tools for the village to ensure its survival.
But Itachi couldn’t escape the images of Naruto and Sasuke as he held them both as babies in his arms, or when they would chase each other through the yard without a care in the world.
And, when he slept, all those happy memories would fade away, and he would have nightmares, such terrible visions, where all he could see was their blood staining his hands and the echoes of their cries in his mind, haunting him.
Realizing his hands had begun to shake at the thought, he clenched them tight and stared up at the moon, praying to Kami for an answer to who he should choose.
“Itachi?” A small voice spoke, startling him. He’d been so lost in thought that he hadn’t sensed their presence.
“Why are you up here?” a different voice asked, and Itachi turned around, only to be met with Sasuke and Naruto as they climbed up to meet him.
“Why are you both still awake?” He asked instead, knowing that they should be long asleep by this hour.
“We never heard you come in,” Sasuke said with a shrug as he took a seat to the right of Itachi, while Naruto took the spot to the left.
Itachi didn’t speak and only looked at his two little brothers in silence, feeling the weight of his choice slowly consuming him.
Naruto, seemingly sensing that something was amiss, leaned his body into Itachi, soaking in his brother’s warmth against the cold night air. Sasuke followed suit, and they all sat in silence for a few moments before Itachi finally spoke.
“If you had to choose between your duty as a shinobi or this family, which would you choose?”
The words slipped out before he could stop them, and both boys looked up at him with confusion, rather startled by the sudden question. Itachi kept his expression neutral and forced his body to stay relaxed. It would be alright if it were just them, after all, they were only nine and had no idea of the current conflict threatening to destroy the village from the inside out.
“That’s a dumb question,” Naruto said without further hesitation. “I’d choose our family.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes but nodded. “I don’t usually like to agree with him, but I would also choose our family. I mean, what would be the point in fulfilling my duty if I had no one to fulfill it for? If I had no family or friends? There would be no point in living.”
No point in living…and no duty if not for others’ sake.
“Thank you,” Itachi said quietly. “For answering my question.”
***
“Either align with your clan, launch the coup d’état, and die along with your clan; or side with Konoha, save your little brothers, and then help us eliminate all the other Uchiha. The elders will wage war with or without your father’s permission,” the man said, his expression void of all emotion. “Will you accept this mission?”
Itachi faced the man with a steeled expression. “I will not, and you are wrong. The elders will not commence with the coup d’état because we have killed all the traitors. Your spies are no more, Danzo.”
Danzo’s eyes widened before they hardened into a glare. “You told your father about these meetings.”
“Yes,” Itachi replied, his tone cold. “I will not allow you to hurt my family.”
When Danzo stayed silent, Itachi continued. “And he was not the only one I told.”
Suddenly, 20 Anbu came out of hiding, and another man entered the room, his presence powerful enough to strike fear into even seasoned shinobi.
Itachi dropped to one knee and greeted the elderly man. “Hokage-sama."
The man gave a brief nod in the Uchiha’s direction before he turned and faced Danzo, his gaze unflinching.
“I am disappointed, Danzo. I never believed you would go this far. We are meant to foster peace, not war and bloodshed. I thought you would understand this, but perhaps not.”
With a wave of his arm, he gestured to the Anbu. “Detain him.”
The shinobi quickly followed their leader's order, and Danzo was apprehended in seconds. As the man struggled in their hold, Hiruzen walked forward until he was a foot away from the traitorous man.
“You were even going to try and kill Naruto and Sasuke, the boys I consider my grandsons, and for that, I will show you no mercy.”
Motioning Itachi over, Hiruzen stared down at his former ally with no remorse. “Kill him.”
Itachi didn’t hesitate for even a moment and stabbed Danzo in the chest, twisting the blade sharply before yanking it out with a sickening squelching sound as the flesh tore.
Danzo fell to the ground limply with a grunt of pain, but summoned the strength to look up at Itachi, and grinned as blood stained his teeth.
“This isn’t the end,” he said with his dying breath before his eyes dulled and he went still.
Itachi looked down at the deceased man and couldn’t help but believe his words, a sense of foreboding sinking in his gut.
“Don’t worry, Itachi. He’s gone now. You and your family are safe.”
As much as Itachi wanted to trust the Hokage, he found that he couldn’t. And, if his instincts told him anything, he wasn't sure that even the Hokage could stop what he felt was to come.