I don't care if we're in the seventh circle of hell.

"Long time no see, Otouto. You defeated Madara all by yourself. And even gave Naruto a run for his money. I guess you don't need me anymore."

You're teasing, it's a joke. But it's not funny.

"No," I whisper. "I need..." And I clutch at you, my brother. My Itachi.

"Come, let's observe the upcoming battle. I'm sure it'll prove amusing."

You take me by the hand and I go willingly. I have your ring; I took it from your finger on that day. I wear it as a necklace, a reminder. I can feel it, cold and metallic against my chest. I should give it back to you – I don't need memories – now that I have the real thing. But there's no hurry – we have eternity.

"Naruto killed me," I say solemnly, my brain a muddle of questions.

"He set you free," you correct, gently tugging me into your arms.

Just keep holding me like this.

Everything went so wrong in our lifetime. This time, we get to do it right. And we have forever to try.

You let go of my hand and I don't panic, for once. Because you start takigg off your shirt. I drink in the sight.

"I thought you said we had forever," I ask, all innocence.

"I like to get an early start. What do you think, Sasuke?"

Your voice is gentle, caressing my name. And I shiver. You know what I think. I know it's on my face. My blatant desire, the sheer enormity of my love and respect.

And you laugh softly, but not meanly. We compliment and complement each other. We are two parts of the same whole. We complete each other. In this crazy world, to be so sure of this is important.

This time we'll be lucky.

"Let's start with a kiss," I suggest.

"And what shall we finish with?"

In a short amount of time, we are playing the other's body as a captain commands his ship. With grace and power and relentlessness. With ferocity and competence. And then, you are in me, your arms around me, holding me. Gently rocking back and forth, bringing us to new heights of pleasure. And our love that has the fresh sweetness of first love and the vitality of true love condenses, expelling us both into a new world. We are reborn as one with fragments of stardust and cherry blossoms showering us, bathing us in their soft glow. It is there, as we are clasped to each other's quivering bodies, that I know I am home.

Nothing else matters. Just promise me you'll never let go.

~Fin