Present times...

The alarm clock went off and Sasuke sat up disoriented, yanked from his slumber. The chill in the room crept onto his shoulders. He looked at the futon besides him that was empty. Still or already? The sudden wave of anxiety poured down on him. Hadn't nii-san returned home already?

He needed a while to get his bearing. Oh, everything was ok, Sasuke sighed. He fell down on the futon again trying to steal a few more minutes in the warmth of the bed. Yesterday they buried the hatchet, which apparently neither of them knew where it came from. Everything those days was so strange, from their so called 'fight' to making up and brotherly time together. Better nii-san not leave him ever again. Finally he rolled to the side and got up.

Shuffling of the door announced his entrance and Sasuke found his brother in the kitchen corner, keeping the saucepan in one hand and trying to clean the stove with the other one. The smell of burnt milk pervaded the flat. The man turned his head and welcomed him with the wide smile and observant eyes, as if probing teen's mood.

"Oh you're up, otouto. Ohaio."

"Mhm, why are you even awake? Don't you have a day off or something like that?"Sasuke murmured, still sleepy. It was surprisingly easy to slip back into the old dynamics of their relationship.

"Dozou," the man picked up two plates from the counter and brought them on the table. "And the cocoa will be ready in a sec..."

"Mhm," Sasuke complemented the effort, although he wasn't particularly hungry.

They sat down at the low table and started breakfast.

"Would you like me to walk you to hospital?"the older man was all eager and generous with his attention, again.

"I'm not five," the boy answered full-mouthed.

"How about picking you after work?"

"Still not five, but if you insist, then don't be late." he cut the topic seemingly harshly, but it was just teasing. Itachi cracked a smile. But then this look came back. A worried gaze.

They ate in hurried silence. Sasuke left the unasked question lingered in the air. He just wanted to enjoy a peaceful morning, he didn't have strength for any quarrels.

"Thanks for the breakfast!" he nodded in goodbye. Nii-san's fleeting hand brushed his elbow, as if the man needed tangible reassurance Sasuke was well.

"And I'll be waiting for you at the gate!" Itachi shouted but the door already shut.

Itachi finished his breakfast in leisurely manner, but the rest of his good humor dispersed the moment he recalled the task before him. Sasuke's seals. He promised himself that he would face the issue during his leave and he had already spent one day getting round to it. At least he should do some research to know what they were dealing with. So the first step was to copy the pictures from Sasuke's notebook, he decided. It was something doable at least.

Nonetheless the sheer thought sent a shiver down his body. One week ago, at times like this, Itachi would have a strong drink or would have jumped into whirlpool of cases at work, that required his full attention. Oghh, to be honest he would love to have a cigarette now, but fortunately his more responsible side had thrown away every packet he was aware he had. Instead he put his hands into the sink and started to wash the dishes.

When there was nothing else to be done, nothing else he could justify his procrastination with, Itachi finally set down to rummaging through Sasuke's things. The idea felt like treason to their wobbling trust, but how could he care about privacy when so much was at stake?

He pushed himself to the task, despite the sudden spin in his head. Thinking became hard, thoughts tangling before reaching his consciousness, but he meticulously checked all the possible places - on his part of the shelves, behind a wardrobe and even under tatami - paying attention not to leave traces of his inspection. It took him hours; he felt like in a trance, moving persistently, even though his mind screamed contradictory commands. He was terrified of what was coming next.

Yet Sasuke's notebook was gone. He had looked in every nook and cranny. Itachi's hand were shaking in exasperation. He dropped to the couch and hid his face in hands to suppress the urge to laugh maniacally. Nothing concerning his dear brother could be just simple.

So what now, was he to casually ask Sasuke to undress? There was no possible way he could convince him to show him his seals again, and the notebook with the patterns drawings was supposed to give him some material to work on for a while. Or an excuse, a pretence of doing something that matter, he thought bitterly.

May it be his assumptions were all wrong? His memories inadequate? What grounds did he really had? Seals were a part of shinobi's world after all, widely used. It surely wasn't more cruel than executing shinobis for minor disobedience, than death squadrons treading on the heels of missing-nins, than assassinating faithful warriors because of politics, than sending children to risk their lives on missions, no more cruel than ordering to... discard loyalties toward your clan... and your family...

Stop it, stop it! Itachi needed to focus on the present task! The flat suddenly felt too small, its well-known interior draining his will. He grabbed his jacket and dashed outside for a break. Sharp autumn air hit his face and stung at his eyes, drawing involuntary tears. It carried earthy humid smell. He breathed it in, cooling his blood down, letting the grounding feeling spread through his body.

Maybe he got fixated on the seals, yearning for Sasuke's problems to take tangible form? At least he had to check them. But life was not a fairy tale, there were no magical artifacts, no trick that would solve everything at once and for good. He had just a slight assumption something was off with the seals; it was based more on the emotions of that moment, not quite credible measuring tool back then due to their fight. And even though he, by chance, might be right, then what? Manipulating with the bindings was extremely dangerous both because of possible health issues for the seal bearer and Sasuke's precarious position on the Konoha political plane.

Who was he kidding? There was everything wrong with the damned seals! With their situation!

An elderly couple passed right beside him, engrossed in a conversation and that finally brought Itachi's attention to his surroundings. If that was a mission he could pay for the lack of focus with his life. He was instantly ashamed of his inner outburst, hoping his external shell didn't show the world how much off-balance he was. The last few days made him so weak, acting on unbridled emotions.

A middle-age woman with deliciously yellow coat crossed the street, a small kid treading by her side. Along the alley last flowers inclined their heads caught by the weather, crimson petals were covered in hoarfrost. Richness of colors and forms was a feast for Uchiha's sensitive eyes. It made Itachi wonder, feeling odd, drifting again. People all around were carrying out their daily errands, unaware of the turmoil in his head. Peaceful life unfolded like a beautiful movie before him. Was this really his village? He hardly ever allowed the thought, but the home he truly dreamt of was long gone.

Konoha was their place, their safe haven. Putting sentiments away, no ninja could survive alone and Hokage had opened her arms for them. As long as Sasuke was there, it all made sense, they were creating their own new place in the world. It all could be all right. It had to be.

Kikuta head was going to explode any moment. The man rubbed his temples through the whole conversation with Hatake-san, but it helped little against the throbbing in his skull. The heavy smell of cigarettes pervaded the air in his office, making him both slightly suffocating and itching for another smoke. Kuroshima was getting impatient. It was going to be a hell of a time.

"With due respect, Hatake-san, we should focus on tracking and sensor skills the most. Please rearrange the training program," he restated his point.

"You're right, Chief, these are our priorities, yet, there is little we can teach here the trainees about moving in their own territory. That's why this must take place in situ. Also, I won't be able to send more combat-oriented shinobi outside the village," silver-haired jounin explained again.

And so it went on. He might be getting to old for that.

Kikuta believed ninjas were a special kind of people who shared a common trait: stubbornness. Apart from that, they walked around in a veil of mystery and even when you managed to squeezed out something from them, you were left with the impression there was so much more underneath the underneath.

Hatake-san was one of the most sensible and competent ninjas in the village, but the fact that 3/4 of his face was covered by a mask, didn't help now reading his attitude to Kikuta's proposals. During previous cooperation, the jounin won his likings because of his flexible attitude and the ability to see a broader picture, not only the immediate mission goal. This time he was strangely stiff. POD's head understood that Kakashi-san had his own guidelines, probably from Hokage herself, but it was just so frustrating for Kikuta not knowing what was negotiable and what was not. He really needed Itachi-kun for all that ninja contacts, the man had his way with them (or with Hatake, but it was already enough).

"And once again I must emphasize it's too few people that are allowed to take part in the training in Konoha."

"Chief, we won't be able to keep an eye, of course just in case, on more than fifteen visitors."

"Are you telling me it's too much for Shinobi Forces and POD to handle? They are no shinobis, just a bunch of guys who want to protect their hometown and befrienden Konoha for that purpose!" he miffed, "what danger do they pose? I'll tell you where is the real risk for our village- in Kuroshima falling."

The jounin sighed. At least the gesture looked like a silent agreement.

"I'll try to reorganize shinobi's missions to have more people at the disposal during the visit. No promise though, Chief."

Kikuta leant in his armchair, the throbbing in his head subsiding alongside with the frustration. Maybe he still had chances to take Umi for winter holidays, when they closed the first round of the Kuroshima project.

Slowing down didn't do him good, especially because it was forced, Itachi decided. He wasn't able to push forward the seal issue. Not from home, at least. He recalled he made some sketches the night he saw the seals, and the papers lay in his office now.

Determined not to touch liquor anytime soon and having no immediate goal on the daily basis that would consume his energy, he ended up with too much time to brood. Time he could use on something useful, like working for Kikuta-san. Or helping Kakashi in training, but ... among other issues, his boss wouldn't appreciate Itachi throwing himself into another commitment, especially when POD were made to believe Uchiha stepped down because he needed more time for personal matters.

His relationship with Sasuke steadily improved. He was grateful for that, but it wasn't such an achievement taking into account they were just mending what their fight had destroyed. And there was only so much time they could spend doing things together, before his full attention started to bear hard on otouto. Also, it turned out there was just never the right moment for heart-to-heart conversation. He wouldn't risk another argument. Otouto seemed to understand their new dynamics and played it to his advantage.

The sensation of waiting to start working for real was familiar, well-engraved in Itachi's body. Akatsuki's missions used to drag indefinitely. He spent multiple days just waiting out unfavorable circumstances, often in a sorry inn of some hick town, cursed with Kisame's repetitive humor and his own thoughts. He hated those moments, because his mind started to wander to dangerous grounds. It was the same now and the further he went, the sicker he felt.

Work was his escape, his relief, his medicine. As Mikami-san had pointed out, he had never gone for longer holidays. He threw himself into action the moment the Council had dismissed the charges against him one year ago and hadn't stopped since. Who could blame him for that?

Speaking of Mikami-san, he still had to apologize to her... It was the right thing to do, yet surprisingly hard. The woman would demand explanation he... was not ready to give.

Tsunade couldn't say she was surprised, when it turned out the knock on the door belonged to Uchiha Itachi. She put down the medical file and sighed, trying not to give away how much she didn't want to have this conversation right now - or ever in fact.

The young man entered and straightened his pose, greeting her formally, as if he was still one of the Anbu.

Ever since she started seeing him wait for Sasuke-kun at the hospital entrance, she had been suspecting he was getting round to talk with her in less formal circumstances and here he was. There was only one topic lingering between two of them and she really didn't have the answers for him. Also, even though she only got rather vague explanations from ever loyal to his friends Kakashi, she could put two and two together and in the effect, she wasn't pleased with Itachi-kun latest behavior.

"Itachi-san, what can I do for you? Please, sit down," she moved a pile of aprons from one of the chairs at the side of her desk and pointed it to her guest. The other chairs were crushed under the towers of piles. Her hospital office was a place where work actually happened and she neither needed nor cared to keep it presentable for potential visitors.

"Hokage-sama," the man stayed in a respectable distance, "please forgive me this intrusion. I let myself skip the official request of a meeting-" he spoke courteously, even though two weeks ago he asked for a talk at her own house at the incredibly early hour.

"Yes, Itachi-san, please sit down, I'm sure that'll be more comfortable for both of us." She didn't want to have this conversation, but it didn't mean she would make it hard for the Uchiha boy.

Despite the uneasiness, he got to the appointed seat. Tsunade moved back and nonchalantly sat on a windowsill. The young man's face was a little paler, the neck vein pulsated in fastened rhythm, but other than that his face remained stoic. There were a good few facets of Itachi Uchiha. The current one - a peaceful, respectful and obstinately assertive introvert, who acted as if he was twice his age. She heard he was able to become a charismatic and charming companion in his work related missions as well. She hadn't forgotten there was also an emotionless killing machine inside him. Huh, she wasn't going to dwell on it, every ninja was like this. Take it Minato-kun, the nicest and deadliest person in one.

"I would like to ask you about the next council considering my brother," Itachi was polite enough not to point out the hearing was becoming due.

Hokage wrapped the tails of her sweater around her and crossed her arms.

"There have been complications, Itachi-san, I'm trying to reinstall a new supervisor for Sasuke-kun," she stated as a matter of fact. If she wasn't the best med-nin in Fire Country, she might have missed a slight flinch that shook man's hands."It also reached me that you had a disagreement with Captain Yamato."

"Yes, my lady," he simply confirmed.

She didn't need to say, how unfavorable it was. First, she had to dismiss her trusted man she vouched for. It caused an avalanche of suspicions directed both at Uchihas and at her. Apparently some cogs didn't work in this system. People must have been wondering whether it was because Sasuke's behavior, Yamato's failure - what meant Tsunade's mistake in judgment, or it was all her behind-the -scenes scheming to overrule status quo. Secondly it left the position of a supervisor vacant and opened the debate about custody over younger Uchiha once again. And now, Itachi - the parolee's brother, legal guardian and actual care-taker went violent on Yamato. She didn't need to remind the public right now that Itachi was a former S-rank criminal who committed atrocities holding to the idea of protecting Sasuke.

"This time, I might be forced to appoint somebody from the clans." She was not to beat about the bush.

Itachi were silent for a longer moment.

"Is there something we can... offer? Can... POD provide some help?" Year ago Itachi sort of blackmailed the old council. But through all the months till now, he refrained as much as he could from involving into politics, and from using his position at Kikuta's organization for personal matters.

She gave him a long scrutinizing look. She didn't doubt in Itachi's devotion to the village, and she personally even liked both brothers. Their presence reminded her of the old Konoha, filled with black-haired Uchihas fraternizing with other shinobis and civilian, sato being home for everyone, despite one's family or origin.

Yet, she couldn't shake off the feeing Itachi was a ticking bomb. The last situation, although minor, showed it clear that Itachi would do anything to protect Sasuke. Whoever had custody over the boy, gained the leverage. Not that Konoha was a bunch of wolves that just waited for the proper moment to jump at each other throats, but as a Hokage she had to predict and prevent every grim scenario. It was much easier for all of them with Sasuke safe in prison, she bitterly though. But she was not sending the kid there again.

"Make sure any of you don't cause troubles, keep an eye on each other and I'll take care of the rest. Wouldn't hurt if Sasuke started to socialize with co-workers, too."

The mask of Itachi's face didn't change, but the muscles in his neck relaxed. Good. Hokage and the Uchihas played in the same team and what Tsunade needed the most from Itachi was his trust in her.

The young man stood up and bowed to her respectfully. She smiled at him reassuringly and dismissed him with a nod.

Windows of her office allowed the view on the hospital entrance. Apparently it was already four o'clock as a wave of people poured from the door.

Itachi, a black figure, already stood at the gate. When the crowd faded, another dark figure emerged. Sasuke soon joined his brother, who welcome him with a poke on his forehead. The teen crossed his arms, as if offended, but Itachi grinned and pushed him into walking.

Their body language spoke volumes. None of the boys show this aspect of his personality to the outside world. Itachi - always serious and reserved. Sasuke, depending on the mood - brooding, or trying to be invisible to the word, dissociating.

The Uchiha brothers reminded her also about one more thing - her late otouto Nawaki. Itachi and Sasuke, with all their tragedies were really lucky people. They still had their loved ones at each other side.

AN: 20191102. Finally an update :) As I probably said, at some point the story grew larger than expected and it caused a lot if issues to be fixed. So I'm working both at pushing the plot forward and rewriting the old chapters (I'll update them once and for good when I'm finished). I appeciate feedback, your comments aleady helped me greatly to pay attention to some matters in the re-writing proccess -and most importanty - it keeps me motivated knowing there are people who read and maybe wait for more.

Special thanks for ever supporting ystv and for Daastan Go who took their time to review.