Chapter 18: Brotherhood

"You must be worried," Kakashi said ever-too casually to the blonde haired boy. He was Naruto's second random visitor of the day and, although he always loved having the Hatake around, he was getting tired of people dropping in on him. Didn't they understand how much he had on his plate? He didn't need Chouza pushing his work problems on him or Kakashi stopping in for some haphazard chit-chat. The day was dark and quiet and all he wanted was a phone call - from his mother, his father, Sasuke...anyone. And yet, he hated each time the phone rang, always picking it up and hearing someone else's voice. Since Chouza's departure, he had been making sure that his most faithful agents called Naruto to keep tabs on him and make sure he was alright. When he saw Kakashi pull up into the driveway, he assumed that's the only reason he was visiting. After all, Kakashi was the most anti-social person Naruto knew; he wasn't one to just show up on a whim.

Naruto sighed. "I guess so," he muttered. "I don't really know what I am right now."

"That's normal in high-pressure situations," he said carelessly. Naruto always hated how cavalier Kakashi sounded when talking about such grave issues. His parents were missing and possibly dead, and Kakashi was too busy smelling the roses to understand. But he knew Kakashi did understand, deep down. He just preferred to stay optimistic.

"Have you heard any news lately?" Naruto asked him. Aside from his group of friends camping out in his home, Naruto had no contact with the outside world. He wasn't sure if it was fear that kept him away from the newspaper or television, or the fact that the ANBU kept him locked up in his home, but Naruto had a sudden distaste for seeing the city. He imagined it desolate and empty, families and children looking out their windows at the empty streets and making sure troops weren't marching in. He knew he was being irrational, and that most of Konoha was told that this was a very low-key situation, but he couldn't help picturing that.

"Nothing entirely new," Kakashi said. He began kicking his heel against Naruto's backboard with his hands slumped into his pant pockets. Kakashi was the only one Naruto allowed on his bed - he really hated people in his room except for Kakashi, who moved freely throughout the large estate as if he were a resident. And Sasuke, whom Naruto would never turn away - that is, when he wasn't a liar.

"Chouza is worried for his ANBU regiment," Naruto stated. One-on-one conversations with Chouza were severely top secret, but Kakashi was the only agent who floated in and out of every social and business circle. He was valued by Danzo just as much as he was by Chouza and Minato and Naruto - he was allowed to know.

"He doesn't have too much to worry about, Danzo is just being Danzo. And, if he stays true to form, his new plan for leadership will fail too," Kakashi mused. Naruto scoffed. "Just as the past plans have."

"True," he replied.

"Besides, I already filled in Chouza on what the Root discovered."

Naruto whipped around from looking outside the window. He took a few eager steps towards Kakashi. "You did?" Kakashi nodded innocently. "What about?"

Kakashi squinted in suspicion.

"Chouza will tell me anyway, he's agreed to keep me in the loop," Naruto swore.

After a few moments of silent deliberation, Kakashi said, "Sunagakure will be announcing the death of your parents tonight."

Naruto's eyes widened tiredly and his dry, aging lips cracked ever so slightly.

"It's all a lie, though."

"What do you mean a lie?" They were alright? They were safe? He could stop pulling his hair out over this?

Kakashi smacked his lips and Naruto read a thorough thought process on his face.

"What is it?" he asked. "Tell me."

"Well," Kakashi's sigh sounded more like a groan. "It seems as though I've already said to much and now it's impossible for me to not tell you the rest."

"Damn right it is!"

"But you have to promise me something, Naruto," his words were clear and defined and serious. Naruto nodded strongly in response.

"Anything."

"You cannot act on these words. You can't do or say anything to anyone about what I'm about to tell you. I know you, and I know how hyperactive and knuckle-headed you can be. You cannot under any circumstances leave this house to try and fix this or get revenge or fight anyone or nothing. Get it?"

"Got it." Kakashi knew that reply was subject to change immediately when Naruto heard his words. He knew Naruto. He knew his promise would fall on deaf ears. Naruto was volatile and hardheaded. He was subject to change.

"Chouza will not tell you what I'm about to," he began. "That's why I came over. I'm telling you because this isn't the time to keep secrets from people involved. This isn't the time to begin a civil war within our ranks, when a war against a strong country is looming over our heads."

"I agree. So tell me." Naruto sat down on the floor in front of Kakashi and waited with bated breath. In the back of his mind he filed the fact that Chouza wasn't planning on tell him something despite their agreement. He would be mad about that later.

"A few days ago, Sunagakure had captured a Root agent. They released him with the information that they will be announcing to the general public the death of Minato and Kushina Namikaze. It's all a lie. In turn, they want you to be held ransom. So this means that there's either a spy or someone who will be planted by Sungakure who will come shortly to capture you and hold you hostage in order to get Minato to do their bidding, whatever that may be. Apparently you father isn't going down without a fight, so they want you to convince him - forcibly, of course."

Naruto's vision blurred and he didn't bother refocusing his eyes. He stared into a blankness as his throat dried up and his lungs stopped taking in oxygen. His mind stopped processing thoughts and his muscles went limp.

Sasuke.

So Sasuke wasn't lying. Sasuke really was a horrible person. He was a liar who told the truth and nothing but the truth. The Uchiha's really are helping Sunagakure. They really are trying to take over Konoha. Sasuke really is helping them.

It was a relieving thing to hear in one way, that his parents weren't really dead. His father was putting up a fight. They were both okay. That was good news. But it was bittersweet.

Maybe Naruto had been holding onto the hope that it was all a lie, what Sasuke told him. Maybe he was hoping and praying Sasuke just wasn't ready for love and fled for that reason. Maybe he was hoping Sasuke was taking apart this assignment in the name of love. Maybe he was hoping Sasuke would save the day, be a secret shadow that flies under the radar and rips open the entire operation. Maybe he was having trouble letting go of his first love just like Naruto was.

But he wasn't. He wasn't doing any of those things. Although Sasuke had told Naruto this to his face, it didn't resonate until the unknowing, innocent Kakashi Hatake told him. Kakashi couldn't be apart of Sasuke's web of lies - he didn't even know Sasuke. If Minato secured the Uchiha's name as he was supposed to while on assignment, Kakashi would have never even heard of the name Sasuke, which meant this was the truth. Kakashi was telling the truth which, unfortunately, was exactly what Sasuke told him.

Sasuke was gone. He was helping the enemy. He was the enemy.

"Naruto?" Kakashi said quietly, catching a look of secretive panic on the boy's face.. He placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder and he looked up, erasing his train of thoughts.

"It's okay," he reassured. "Really. It's good news."

"Good news?" Kakashi repeated. Naruto nodded sparingly. "Naruto, I don't think you understand. Your life is in danger."

"But my parents are alright," he insisted. "All this time I've been worried about them, thinking that they're dead. But they're not, they're okay. So I'm okay. I'll get to see them again. I'll get to get in trouble for going to prison again. I'll get to tell them I love them again."

Kakashi breathed out slowly. "Not if you're dead, you know."

"I'll be fine," Naruto waved him off. "I always am." Naruto smiled and Kakashi returned his smile weakly. He was unconvinced, Naruto knew. He didn't care, though.

"So what's bothering you then?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto lifted an eyebrow in confused. "What do you mean?"

"Naruto, I know you," Kakashi smirked. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing," he stated simply with a shrug.

Kakashi stood up and looked the Namikaze up and down. "Mhm," he breathed. He didn't believe Naruto at all. "I just figured you'd be upset and want to tell Sasuke or something."

Sasuke.

Once again Naruto felt the nauseating feeling of the world's orbit coming to a halt. It was the third time in the past two days and he was getting tired of it. He wanted the earth to keep moving onward. He needed it to do that for him.

"Sasuke?" he repeated and his tongue instantly recoiled; he hadn't spoke of that name since he last saw him lying on his doorstep all bloodied and beaten by his own fists. "You know his name?" Naruto asked carefully. "That's impossible."

"Naruto, I'm not stupid. I can spot Uchiha's from a million miles away," he said matter-of-factly. "Jiraiya spoke of his name at the gallery opening and I knew it was a foreign name. It was very Uchiha-sounding so I put two-and-two together. It only seemed plausible that Minato would choose an Uchiha to be your bodyguard, after all. They seem to be the only ones strong enough to keep you in line," he joked lightheartedly.

Naruto looked at him in a quiet reply. He heard him and listened to him and he understood what Kakashi was saying but he didn't get any of it.

"You know Sasuke?" he heard himself say it over and over again in his head, unable to wrap his mind around it. All he could think of was the night on the rooftop. Sitting in front of the Hokage's Monument. Marveling over Sasuke marveling over the monument. Listening to Sasuke's tragic love story of Obito and Kakashi as told by him. Being kissed by him. Secretly liking it and secretly believing his story completely, but being too prideful and stubborn to admit it to the Uchiha. He remembers he went to sleep well that night, unlike most nights. He slept with a smile that night. He felt a faint smile creep onto his lips at the memories, but quickly swiped it away when he realized what he was thinking of.

"I've never met him before, but I assume all Uchiha's are the same - well," Kakashi hesitated greatly and Naruto looked up at him curiously. "Most of them, at least," he added in a mumble, picking at his lip with his thumb. He chewed his cheek in thought as if he subconsciously believed he had said too much. "Well, at any rate," he continued, standing up. "Uchiha's make damn good bodyguards and you would do well to stick close by him," he said.

"Deal," Almost immediately Naruto felt guilty for lying to his best friend. Kakashi was like an older brother to him. He didn't like lying to Kakashi. Anyone but him.

"And don't trust anyone but the usuals," Kakashi warned. The anti-social streak in him had him heading for door only minutes after his arrival. "Like me or Chouza. Don't trust Danzo or anyone else you feel uncomfortable around. Trust your bodyguard. He's an Uchiha. He knows what he's doing." Naruto already knew that fact, up close and personal. "Stay safe and guarded. I must leave for now, but I'll come back later to check on you."

"Right."

Naruto walked Kakashi down to the front door.

For some reason, Naruto's gut was wrenching and puzzled. He felt confused and a mixture of anxiety and hope fluttered about and he clutched onto his stomach in self-hatred. Why was he still holding on to a hope that Sasuke was going to be a good guy? He had every reason to hate this man. So why? Because Kakashi trusts Uchihas? Maybe, but the last time he trusted one he was blinded and heartbroken. Kakashi was just stupid. Blind in more ways than one. He shouldn't trust Uchiha's like he does. Naruto couldn't fall down into that rabbit hole, too. He had to be on the lookout and yet... Sasuke.

Sasuke.

"Kakashi-" he spoke abruptly. Kakashi turned towards him in foyer.

"Yes Naruto?" he said nonchalantly. "What is it-" before he could finish his question, Naruto had him by the arm and was dragging him towards the private office off of a back room in his home. He shoved him into the office and shut the door behind them, locking them in.

"I need to tell you something, and I need you to tell me something in return."

Sasuke stood outside of the doors to the chamber that held Minato and Kushina Namikaze captive. He clutched onto a kunai with two hands, full forced. He breathed in through his nose and out of his mouth a few times to catch a regularity in his breathing. He was nervous? This was rare, especially for him. He was never nervous. Hopping up on adrenaline, maybe, but never nervous. Is this what it felt like to betray your family? He was about to find out.

Sasuke entered the chamber door and shut the large metal slab behind him, pushing the steel lock into the door jam so that he was alone.

His back was towards the room but he could sense the presence of people along with him. He took another last, large breath before turning around.

And there they were. Chained and shackled by their hands and feet, side by side in the middle of a dark room, a single spotlight shining down on them like the full moon. They were tired and thinner than they were the last time Sasuke saw them. They were dejected and humiliated, but there was a strong and stubborn glint in their pasty, hooded eyes.

Sasuke said nothing, but he raced forward towards the shackles that bound them. He went after Kushina first and ran at full speed, charging as if he were about to run straight through her. She let out a frightening, shrill scream at the sight of a Sunagakure agent coming at her with a knife and squeezed her eyes shut. Minato let out a cry of helplessness and watched instantly as the kunai missed his wife and broke the chains that captured her instead.

Kushina opened her eyes slowly before realizing one of her arms was free. Before she could react, Sasuke was breaking the rest of the chains off of her.

"I'm...I'm free," she looked down at her mobile hands and clenched them tightly, balling her fingers into fists and then out again. She wove her arms together and took a few steps in place before stretching her stiff muscles and limbs. "Minato! I'm free!" she laughed jovially as she watched the Sunagakure troop break her husband away from his chains as well. Sasuke stood back and watched as he collected his wife into a big, happy hug as she began to cry.

"Wait," Minato spoke, his voice raspy, as if he had been silent for a long time. He lightly pushed his wife behind him in protection. "Who are you and why did you do this?" he asked sternly.

"I'm helping you," Sasuke said back monotonously.

"But why?"

"Because," Sasuke said, putting away his kunai. "I'm not a Sunagakure citizen."

Minato seemed reluctant at first, but couldn't complain or argue. He had no proof against this claim and he had just been saved by this masked man.

"So who are you then?" Kushina perked up.

Sasuke hesitated before he responded. "I'm one of your own," he said simply.

"You're a Konoha agent?" Minato questioned. Sasuke didn't reply. He didn't want to lie to the Hokage, but he also had no interest in explaining what exactly he was doing here. Sasuke knew Naruto hated him. There was no point in bragging to Naruto about how he rescued his parents; even the truth couldn't save their love at this point. At least, not to Sasuke it couldn't.

"Well, well thank you," he spoke with an impressed and grateful tone. "Thank you very, very much," he whipped up Sasuke's hand and began shaking it vigorously. "Your dangerous efforts are extremely appreciated, I can assure you that," he was talking rapidly, a sign that he was excited (Sasuke learned that tick from Naruto). "Sir, can I have your name so I can thank one of my own in person?"

"That won't be necessary," Sasuke retorted uncomfortably, caught off guard by the question.

"Please, sir," he pressed. Sasuke caught a wary look from Kushina, bravely cowering behind her husband, her hand firmly on his small shoulder. Minato's eyes were thankful and eager and his handshake continued on and on. Sasuke figured he wouldn't stop until the mask was off.

"Well," he hesitated. "Alright."

Minato and Kushina took a step back and Sasuke removed the ceramic fox-faced masked from his head and stepped into the white spotlight. The light was bright and was near-blinding. Dust particles floated within the air in the full luminescense of the glow and Minato and Kushina squinted to see. When she caught a glimpse, Kushina jumped back, yanking Minato with her, and let out a scream.

"Traitor!" she called out. "You're helping them!"

Sasuke put his hands up in a motion to calm her down, but Kushina was relentless. Minato was staring emotionally, looking over and over at Sasuke's bare face in the spotlight. His face looked lonely and betrayed and his hand had made it's way up to where Kushina was holding his shoulder.

"Please-"

"You're one of them," Kushina said through gritted teeth. "The Uchiha's are helping Sunagakure!"

"Shh!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" she lunged to smack him, but Sasuke dodged the small attack. Minato quickly grabbed ahold of his wife to contain her.

"Let go of me!" she shook him off ferociously. "This man is a liar!" she pointed at Sasuke rudely. "He's been in on it this entire time, Minato! He's been living in our home, taking care of our son! And he's a traitor!"

The sound of his son reached Minato's brain-dead head and suddenly his mind began turning again. He looked Sasuke square in the eye. "Where's my son," it wasn't a question.

"Naruto is fine," Sasuke said reassuringly. "I promise you that."

"Liar!-" Minato held her back and motioned for Sasuke to continue.

"He's still in Konoha at home, unchained and unguarded. He's probably better off that way, honestly," he continued.

"Then why are you here?" Minato chose his words carefully.

"I'm here to break you two out and return you to Konoha," he told them the truth. He could see it in Minato's eyes that the Hokage was already convinced Sasuke was telling the truth. He was quick to trust, Sasuke noted, but this time it was a good quality for him to have.

"But why?" Kushina spat interrogatively.

Sasuke breathed out. "It's a long story," he looked away and licked his lips. "A long story." Minato cocked his head to the side. Kushina shot Sasuke a mean, puzzled look, but her body language seemed to comply with the idea of leaving this city with him.

Wordlessly, Sasuke ushered the couple out of the cell, out of the Sunagakure building, and a mile west of the city where he parked his stolen taxi car.

"What do you want to know?" Kakashi asked.

"I wanna know what happened with Obito Uchiha," he said quickly; for some reason he found himself scared to say that name aloud, especially in the presence of Kakashi. He had never heard anyone mention the name to him, and on the rare occasions that he and his father or Jiraiya discussed it, the name always came out in a whisper.

Kakashi's neck reacted a slight, stiff motion and Naruto noticed an uncomfortable posture set into the Hatake's body. Naruto swallowed hard and half of his heart regret asking - but he needed to know. He needed to know how much of a liar Sasuke truly was. He felt bad that that was the reason he was asking his dearest friend such a painful question, but it was important. He needed to know this.

"Obito Uchiha, huh," he said breathily. Naruto figured he hadn't said that name out loud in years. "Where is this all coming from?"

"I'll tell you soon enough," Naruto replied. "Please tell me the story, though."

Kakashi and Naruto sat down on the carpeted rug and he told the Namikaze the story about him and Obito Uchiha. It was the exact same story that Sasuke told to Naruto. He explained that the two were working on a joint assignment together and that they became friends. Soon after befriending one another the two became lovers but, because Obito was an Uchiha, their love was forbidden. They tried to conceal their love but someone caught on to Obito sneaking out of the Uchiha territory to see Kakashi and told the authorities, fearing that Kakashi was simply using Obito to spy on the clan. The Uchiha Clan asked Obito to denounce his love for Kakashi and say it was all a lie and that if he did so, they would both be free. If he did not, they would both be killed. Obito, to save Kakashi's life, said it was an unrequited love. On the day of his execution, Kakashi snuck into the Uchiha Clan territory to rescue him, but Obito refused, saying that the clan would find them and kill them both. He was trying to push Kakashi out the door when he slipped and took Kakashi down to the ground with him. During the fall Kakashi landed wrong on a weapon and his eye was gouged. Obito forced him to leave the Clan territory to seek medical attention, and was killed the same night. For a while it was all unknown to Konoha, but because the Uchiha's began relentlessly seeking Kakashi to take him out (just in case), he was forced to come clean to Minato and his ANBU official's, which sparked the rumors about he and Obito in the first place. The Hokage intervened and told the Uchiha Clan that if they did not stop, their services would never be used again. The Clan shortly after ceased all search parties for Kakashi Hatake.

"So...so that all really happened?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

"That's exactly what happened," Kakashi said, looking off into the distance, daydreaming. "From beginning to end."

"He loved you," Naruto said. "So he sacrificed himself to protect you."

"Yeah."

Naruto didn't know what to think now. Sasuke, a liar and a traitor through-and-through, told the truth about the single most important detail Naruto knew about the clan? Sure, there was the incident with Madara Uchiha, but Naruto wasn't alive for that. He didn't hold any special vendetta against the clan for that. His true hatred for the clan dwelled from the lie story he heard about Obito Uchiha. He hated the Uchiha's because he was one of the few to hear down the grapevine, that Obito Uchiha blinded Kakashi and betrayed him. He hated the Uchihas because one of his favorite people was hurt by them. And Sasuke, knowing this, told him the truth.

"I never discussed it with anyone or told anyone in Konoha the full and true story because I was trying to protect the clan. I told your father as much as I had to in order for him to intervene. Obito loved the Uchiha clan, he wasn't trying to put his family in harm's way. But the heart wants what the heart wants," he spoke solemnly. "And he wanted me. And even his love for his clan couldn't break that from him."

"And you loved him back," Naruto figured. "That's why you protected his clan even after his death? Even after they killed an innocent lover? Because you knew he wouldn't want that embarrassment and shame on them?"

"Exactly."

Naruto looked away and his eyesight drifted off out the window. Hearing all of this... it opened so many doors. Sasuke could still be out there? He could have possibly meant it when he loved Naruto? It was all the truth? It was a tough idea for Naruto to wrap his head around; he had spent the past fifty hours reluctantly convincing himself that Sasuke was the face of evil and that he was the worst type of human being. So badly had he not wanted to believe that and now? Now he had reason to keep his hopes alive that maybe, just maybe, Sasuke was out there for him.

"So why did you want to know this? And what did you have to tell me in return?" Kakashi asked, moving on.

"Oh, right," Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "Well, you see-"

"This is about Sasuke, isn't it?" Kakashi asked, cutting off his sentence.

"How did you know?!"

"I know you all too well," Kakashi crossed his arms and smiled triumphantly. He loved when he was able to read Naruto's mind.

"Ugh!" Naruto dramatically threw himself back onto the ground and rolled around. "My life sucks," he complained.

"Tell me everything, Naruto," Kakashi beckoned casually, leaning back and getting comfortable. "I've got all day for you."

"May I have my mask, please?" he asked Minato politely. Minato took the Konoha ANBU mask off of the floor and handed it to Sasuke. Driving back into Fire Country territory, Sasuke had changed back into his Konoha ANBU uniform, just in case he was seen with the Hokage in tow. He muttered a 'thank you' to Minato and put his mask on.

"You know, kid," Kushina spoke up from the back seat, staring aimlessly out the window. "This is a total betrayal of your clan."

"I know," Sasuke agreed.

"You must have a good reason to do this, then," Minato piped in, sending a musing grin over to Sasuke, who didn't catch the feeling the Hokage wanted him to. He winked at the Uchiha who looked away awkwardly.

"I do," he replied promptly.

"Whatever, or whoever, you're doing this for - you must really love them, huh?"

Sasuke pulled the car over to the same curb he had the taxi driver pull over to prior to his unassigned trip to Sunagakure. He looked over at Minato, who kept the same smile on his face. Sasuke couldn't help but sneer at the Hokage in an embarrassed, grimacing sort of way and he became happy that he was wearing a mask in that moment. He wasn't glad to see such a strange, jolly expression from the Hokage, but was very glad that the Hokage couldn't see him blushing. Did he know about Naruto? He couldn't possibly, he's been away for a month, after all.

"Yes, well," Sasuke cleared his throat and whipped off his seat belt. "This is where we part ways," he instructed. "I was planning on you two taking this taxi back into Konoha. I can travel back to the Uchiha clan territory on my own time."

"But what will you tell your clan when you get back and without Naruto?" Kushina asked, concerned. After the hours-long car ride, she began to trust the Uchiha once more, and her platonic love for the male returned back to her.

"I'll make do," he assured the woman, who wasn't reassured in the slightest bit. In truth, Sasuke still hadn't the slightest clue of how he was going to get out of this one or what he was going to tell his father about the failed assignment. Failing assignments - especially huge ones - wasn't tolerated.

In that moment, a long, black, familiar-looking limousine pulled up and parked by the curb in front of the taxi.

"Is that my car?" Minato asked, surveying the limo. When the chauffeur opened the car door, Chouza Akimichi left the backseat and began walking towards the taxi. The three jumped out of the yellow car and met Chouza on the sidewalk. He was standing sternly with his shoulders back and two ANBU agents flanking a few feet behind him.

"Chouza?" Minato asked. "How did you know we'd be here? You have fantastic timing, by the way."

"We received a message early this morning saying that the Hokage and his wife would be here around this time today. We knew it wasn't just a hoax because the person knew a Konoha ANBU password that is classified; only an insider would know this password, so we figured it must be the real you!" he greeted Minato with a warm, hearty handshake, but Minato pulled him in for a hug. Kushina followed suit and Sasuke watched from behind the mask.

"You must be the one who called me," Chouza turned to Sasuke, who nodded silently in reply.

An ANBU password? He didn't know any ANBU password, at least none that he knew he knew. Sasuke thought back to what it may be, but found no answers. While in thought, he didn't realize Kushina had already relocated to the back of Minato's limousine along with the ANBU agents and Chouza. Minato lovingly placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"You should come back with us," he said quietly. "Naruto will be happy to see you."

Sasuke scoffed. "I don't think that's a good idea," he responded. "I don't think he'd be too happy to see me, honestly," he shoved his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet awkwardly. "He hates me now."

Minato wordlessly moved towards the limousine, but looked back on Sasuke once more. "You're wrong, you know," he told the young Uchiha. "If my son loved you even half as much as I can see that you love him, then he'll be forever waiting for you to return."

Sasuke's heart pounced into his stomach at this and watched blankly as Minato climbed into the back of his car and drove away back into Konoha.

It was over. Everything. It was finally all over.

-NSNSNSNS-

"So that's why Obito was killed last week?" Sasuke had asked Itachi. He plopped down on the back porch and let his short legs dangle off as he swung them back and forth in a kicking motion.

"Yeah," Itachi said in a sad tone. "I'm heartbroken, honestly," he told his little brother. "I loved him as if he were an elder brother to me."

"Having an older brother is nice," Sasuke smiled, trying to cheer up his brother in the cute, little-brother-kind-of way. Itachi affectionately placed his hand on the boy's head and scratched him in a petting motion.

"Good thing you have one, then," he said. After a few moments, he looked at his little brother and said, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" Sasuke leapt up and began tugging on Itachi's ponytail and arms and shoulders. "Tell me a secret Itachi! Tell me a secret!"

"Alright, alright," he smiled. "But you have to promise you won't tell anyone about this. Not even mom and dad."

"Really?!"

"Really."

"Okay I promise you I won't," he told him. "I swear it!"

"Okay, okay," Itachi mused. "Obito told me a super top secret password into the ANBU of Konoha," Itachi told his brother, whose eyes widened like the moon and his mouth opened.

"For real?"

"Really," Itachi laughed. "Wanna hear the secret code? He learned it from Kakashi, whose an ANBU agent."

"Of course I wanna know the secret code word, Itachi!"

"It's the word 'Amaterasu'," he whispered. "Don't tell anyone. But always remember that, just in case there ever comes a day that 'Amaterasu' comes in handy for you." He plucked his brother's forehead with two fingers before escaping into the house, leaving his younger brother to stare up at the clouds and dream of the day when he'd be able to use the secret code word that he could barely pronounce.

Aaaaaand we're done! With this chapter, anyway!

Just so everyone knows, This story will end at Chapter 20. Only a couple more chapters to go!

ALSO:

I HAVE A NEW STORY OUT!

It's in my profile, it's called "A New Year of You and I". I'd love it if you guys would al go check it out and read it! Thank you so much!

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