"Tadaima" chapter 6: Broken

[ethereal-moonrain]

There were broken pieces of glass.

He looks at the mirror and he sees him instead.

Hitting it hard to causes thousand images of that man to stare back at him.

Someday I'll be like my brother!

There were tears falling . . .

You look so much like your brother now ne?

Are these tears?

Do you--?

It taste bitter.

--love your brother so much?

It feels so unfamiliar.

--To make you hate him this much.

"Sasuke-kun."

"I thought you were asleep?"

"—You're bleeding, let me--"

"Just go, Sakura"

"But at least let me--"

"Just go! Damn it!" Sasuke cried punching the wall with his already bleeding hand, and she clearly understands it. She turns around and left him bleeding on that room, as she lay motionless on the bed.

Later she heard him crawling beside her, but she didn't turn to look at him, as he appears to be counting the cracks on the ceiling.

The rain was pouring hard onto the rooftop. It was loud, lulling both of them to sleep.

He glances over her small figure perfectly fitted on the suppose to be empty space of his bed and with her long pink hair cascading onto the white pillows.

"I— I overheard your conversation with Tsunade-sama this morning."


"You're leaving?"

"Aa"

"It's raining."

"Aa"

"Bring an umbrella"

"Aa"

"H-how long--?"

"I don't know…"

"-How long – would you hold my hand?"

He paused and realized he'd been clutching her hands so tightly. He gave her hand a squeeze and closes his eyes.

". . .forever. . ."

But on that same night he had let go of her hand. . .

Expecting her to grab it back, but she didn't. Maybe he wasn't expecting it, but hoping that she will because . . . if she ever did hold his hand so tightly, he may not want to leave, because he never did want to anyway.

For it was different this time, different from confessing her love just to stop him from going to Orochimaru, it was different from Naruto's rasengan. It was different, too different with the touch of her hand.

"Just promise me one thing Sasuke-kun, go back to your home."

Isn't this your home?

" . . . Wherever could it be." He narrowed his eyes, his lips turning into a fine line.

"Because I know that even you stay, you'll still be far away so I . . . I won't hold you back this time."


'But I . . . want you to.' But those words didn't reach her anymore, only with the lingering warmth of his hand did.

Yes, it certainly did reach her until now.

There were broken pieces of glass.

Do you--?

The rain was pouring hard.

--love your brother so much?

There were tears falling.

His tears were falling.


"Tadaima"
by: ethereal-moonrain

Chapter 6: Broken


The dreams we had and we shared - shattered, broken


With kind words you'd come to soothe me


But I go blind and filled with fear


Would send you away from me


There is no hope in regretting now


All the pain that we could not see


We both knew what we wanted


And we took it believing it free


And we took it believing it free.


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Sometimes—when a flame was push to its limits it disappear, you blow it hard it'll grow, but blow it too much would only leave a trace of the suffocating smoke.

Between silence and void they stood.

"Itachi--?"

The darkness of their eyes was a whirlpool. The space between them, a sanctuary . . .

"You're alive?"

"No--"

I understand.

"Leave."

I understand what you feel.

"You shouldn't have buried me wholly, Sasuke. "

I'm not sure if I'm alive too.

"Leave!" Sasuke banged his hands on the open door and heard his brother laughing at him, taunting him. He saw Itachi performing some seals and so his reflexes got the better of him. He used an in-out kick towards Itachi's hand and manages to pin him onto the windowsill.

"Sasuke—you're just as weak as I remember no—weaker."

"That's a lie!"

"It isn't brother. You're a weakling from the start, a weakling 'till the end."

"That's a lie!"

"You're coward in your own little ways! Even if you could defeat me, burn me into pieces, you're still weak!"

"That's a lie!"

"Just stop it now stupid brother!"

"I'll—I'll prove it to you that everything I've worked for all my life is worth it! And then—and then . . ."


"And then what?" Sasuke glance at his mirror-like image, the eyes of his own brother mocking him. For a split second his tight grip on Itachi loosened a little making the captive escaped his hold.


The two brothers were making the most of the room fighting with their hands bearing the little space the room provides them. Sasuke went for the offensive, trying to make his punches reach its target. While on the other hand Itachi only blocked every attack Sasuke throw onto him. But unfortunately for Itachi, Kakashi entered the room alerted by his presence. The newcomer quickly adopted what was happening and so he went on Itachi's back and hold him using both his arms, now Itachi couldn't use both his hands. Itachi looked at Sasuke and leered.


"Sasuke! Use the chidori! NOW!" his sensei exclaimed, tightening his grip on Itachi.


"What a great tag-team! Superb!" his grin grows wider. "Now what would you do next Sasuke?" It was suspiciously obvious that Itachi was just hiding his strength to mock both Sasuke and Kakashi.

But Sasuke was just trembling his left hand was holding his right wrist but didn't use the chidori. "What are you doing Sasuke!? Do the chidori NOW!" Kakashi shouted again looking at his student. "NOW!" he repeated but only sees Sasuke still trembling.

"Tell me Sasuke. It isn't really the safety of Kakashi that you are being weary of am I right?" Itachi's sharingan eyes went back into its black ones.

That's a lie!

"Tell me one more thing Sasuke. Are you afraid to kill me? Is twelve years enough for that flame of revenge dies?" With that his body turns into ashes, leaving a dark mark on the floor as if it was burned. Leaving the other two puzzled.

Uchiha Itachi left but his voice echoes so clearly on Sasuke's head.

He didn't know what he is doing, but he was sure that he doesn't want to kill his brother all over again. Because twelve years is enough, for him to remember how he still love his brother. As much as he wanted to deny it, he was still that boy who was yearning to be like his brother, he was still that boy who yearns for the affection . . .

That's a lie!

Because before there was an orphan boy, before there was an avenger, there was just a boy. And that was him.

That's . . .

a lie?

But one thing is for sure. If Itachi was the one who killed the whole Uchiha clan, it was Sasuke who killed his own self.


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"How many times do I have to remind you not to call me that?"

"'ba-san! 'ba-san! 'ba-san!"

"Uzumaki Naruto! I'm serious here!" the boy or rather the man saluted Tsunade his grin growing wider. "I'll listen! I'll listen!"

"Finally." Tsunade heaved a sigh massaging her forehead with closed eyes.

"Ano sa! Ano sa! You won't mind if I take this fruits to Sakura-chan right?" Naruto who was currently investigating Tsunade's office for some other things he could get, was stopped death on his tracks when he sees something familiar. Something that reminds him of his past, their past.

"How did this get in here?" Naruto turn his gaze on the fifth hokage, in a serious manner for a change. "Oh—Kakashi left it there. Why? Is it bothering you?"

"—no." Tsunade eyed him suspiciously and clasped her hands together in front of her face, elbows flat on the wooden table as she sat there. "Why is that photograph affecting you too much just like Kakashi?"

"Okay! Okay! I won't ask."

"Why did you call me here anyway?" He narrowed his cerulean eyes on the floor noticing its coolness on his feet while he was wearing shoes.

"To ask some—questions."

"Name it."

"What do you love most?" Naruto looks at Tsunade and smile, his real smile.

"Is that it!? Off course it's my ramen and Sakura-chan!" he paused looking at Tsunade's expression patiently waiting for him to say something more.

"And all the people of this village." Tsunade nodded and smile to him.

"I'll call you some other time. Be sure you are prepared. I'm going to give you a test."

"Test?"

"Yes, a test. For now you're dismissed." She stood from her chair and went towards the door. "And for the fruits—you could take them." Naruto stares at her back and followed. "I'm going to check up on her. Why don't you come with me?".

"Hai!" Naruto dashed off ahead of Tsunade carrying the basket full of fruits from the office.


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"Are you sure its okay Hinata-chan?" Kakashi asked holding the doorknob. "Kakashi-san, Sakura is my friend too."

"Alright then. If you need something just call us, Sasuke and I will be at Sakura's old room to tidy things up things in there." He twisted the knob and opens the door for Hinata.

When Kakashi closed the door and looked to where Sasuke is, he found the boy gone. He shook his head and headed towards the direction of Sakura's previous hospital room.

Surprisingly when Kakashi get there, Sasuke was already in there. He stood to where the broken glasses are scattered.

"I can't—seem to erase my reflection . . ." he stepped on the glasses without flinching on the sound of the cracking glasses below his feet. "Do I—look like him so much?"


Someday I'll be like my brother!



"Am I—completely a shadow? A reflection of that man?" he gritted his teeth and took another step.

You were—the one who followed him right?

Don't . . .

Don't interfere with my life.

Didn't I—told you that I was an avenger?

I don't care if I pass the chuunin exam or not. I'm here to test my capacity. For all the strong people are here.

It was to test my capacity. It was essential.


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"Father . . . and mother. W-who did--?"


On the far right side, underneath the tatami mat. Is the Uchiha clan's secret meeting place. . .



"Why . . . did you . . ."



"It was to measure my capacity."



". . . About my capacity, I've lost all hope for this pathetic clan. It was essential."




"My childish games with you leafs is over."
Don't . . .



Don't go!

"I know what happened to Sasuke's family. But a thing like revenge . . . can never bring anyone happiness. It couldn't give Sasuke-kun's happiness. But I . . ."



"Like I said. I am not like the rest of you. We have different paths that we must walk on. At first, when we were completing mission as a team, I thought that was my path. But after everything, my heart tells me that I am an avenger that is why I'm alive. I could never be like you or Naruto."

---I will not allow anyone to take away my path, even if it is you. Sakura.---

" . . .Do you . . .plan to be alone again? You were the one who told me the pain of loneliness. Right now I feel that loneliness too. Even though I have family and friends . . . but without Sasuke-kun in my life . . . To me—to me—I'll still be lonely as you are!"

"These are just the new steps we must take, on our individual paths."

"I . . . I like Sasuke-kun so much I can't stand it! I'm willing to do anything for Sasuke-kun. I'd kill for you! Anything you want me to do I'll do it for you! I'm begging you please stay! If—if that's not possible then please take me with you!"



"You—really are—annoying"



Don't!

There is no hope in regretting now


Don't go!


All the pain that we could not see


"Sakura-chan" In deepness of the night, in the shallowness of fate.


We both knew what we wanted.


"Thank you." And he left her there, not able to hear that she was indeed precious to him.


And we took it believing it free


--If you could, then please—wait for me.---


And we took it believing it free.

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"Kakashi—does Sakura lives on her own?"

"Not actually—she's with her daughter. Well, that's when Aiko is not with Tsunade."

"Oh."

"Are you worried Sasuke?" Sasuke assumed that Kakashi was smiling, as he pathetically holds the broom sweeping the floor filled with the shards of glasses Sasuke has stepped on minutes ago.

"Do you—visit her often?" Kakashi continued to sweep the floor not minding Sasuke for a while.

"No—only when necessary as to give her missions or--" he paused and transferred the pieces of broken glass on a dustpan. "—cleaning up her house."

"Aa."

"But she does come very often."

"Hn."

"Since you are away, you don't know the things that's been happening here." Kakashi leans on the door and open his book. "I caught her reading my previous volumes of Icha Icha Paradise." He flipped another page, looking totally absorbed on what he is reading.

"If you haven't been reading that, she may not even know that 'that' thing exist."

"Probably. Hey—don't you like to read it too?" he smiled to Sasuke and waited for a response.

"Shut up and stop reading that perverted book already!."

"Hai!" then he flipped another page, ignoring Sasuke.

It's forty-five minutes after twelve in the afternoon. So far Konoha and the people in it are safe. So far it isn't in shambles like the broken glasses that was stepped upon earlier.


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Author's note: is it confusing? Well then let me put some daylights in your mind. . .

First, the whole original series happened (although it is not yet finished. I just assumed some things that happened.) Let's just say that the whole Orochimaru ordeal happened, and that Sasuke leave. But in this fic Sasuke came back (I won't go on detailed on this part) and after some years he left again to search for his brother.

Now, Sasuke was gone five years away from Konoha, and Sakura followed him, met Itachi blah-blah and the story goes on.