Majestic piece of writing!

Your descriptions are impressive not only because they capture the physical but also more importantly, because they fulfill a function beyond that: they perfectly mirror Itachi's welter of emotions as he simultaneously observes his little brother and ponders on his decisions to make.

The deliberate slowness of the pace is also carefully managed and very fitting. It demonstrates the weight that Itachi bears on his shoulders and at the same time, his grave determination to make sure that Sasuke would live a better life.

And your ending has such a powerful image! It feels like finally hitting the ground after a slow-motion fall, and you just lie there, bleeding.

Thank you so much for this. Write on!

(I told you I do come check out other people's work _)

This made me want to go watch Naruto again. I must confess that I hadn't seen it since I was a young girl, although I do remember enjoying it greatly- it's just that when it started to come on t.v. again I had a job and couldn't be there to catch it.

However, I really enjoyed this (someone a long time ago spoiled the fact that Itachi died for me, so I wasn't surprised by the ending to this!) and now I really need to go back and find the episodes (or at least the manga) online.

I love the way you've brought out Itachi's troubled thoughts about his young brother and what he knows is about to happen. It really hit home when he said this line:

"... Itachi would rather Sasuke grow to hate him, despise him, rather than tarnish the young boy's knowledge of both their clan and their village."

I have a little brother myself (I'm four years his elder) and I understand the pain behind these words. In one sense, he wants what's best for his brother, and yet he knows that what's best may not be what will make the young boy happy. This is very a very powerful internal conflict.

I'll wrap it up now with this: You've brought these characters into a light not unlike that of a tragic Shakespeare play. It was very fun to read and it's definitely going into my favorites!

Your writing style is amazing and tugs at a person's heartstrings and makes it so easy for readers to visualize the story and it's surroundings! Love this story.

This is beautiful. Thank you for writing and sharing this.

That was - - - -

I can't even speak (type). You captured something tremendously, achingly beautiful here. I am more impressed than I have words to express. This is composed so eloquently, with the technical precision of an exceptional writer, AND the flowing emotion of a true artist. I can feel everything here so strongly, and it definitely rings completely true to Itachi's personality and the realities that Kishimoto has crafted for him. I absolutely LOVE your symbolism, allusions to the things (and people) to come. Exquisite! I am heading to your profile now, to see if everything you've posted is anywhere near as exceptional as this. BRILLIANT WORK! ENCORE, and BRAVO!

This is good. I love the Uchiha brothers :)
This story seems to hold a lot of promise, I'll definitely keep reading