Author's Note: The setting is still in the ninja world, but pretend as if the series never happened. Don't know if you guys would like this. The idea just came at the spur of the moment. But I promise that this is quite interesting to say the least. The characters are not mine except for Ayume but the plot is mine though. Yaoi, incest.

By the way, Itachi isn't Sasuke's brother and Sasuke isn't the last survivor of the Uchiha clan but Itachi is the one.

Title: Precious

Chapter One

Edited by: Black Fox

                 Darkness falls on the quiet village of Konoha. Every child and adult is silently sleeping in their beds, the quietness and peacefulness of the air protecting their dreams; all, except one. A tall shadowy figure walks into the night; he sways at times as if he's falling. But still continues onward, seemingly in no direction.

                In truth, he really has no idea where he is going or what he was doing walking around in such an ungodly hour. Cold air clings to the earth like a leech, a bitter, harsh wind slaps at his body like an angry wife. That was what he is feeling inside: bitterness. He neither felt nor acknowledges the coldness, just walking continually to an unknown location, letting his mind wonder.

                "Ayume …naze….naze…?" The man whispers softly, his voice full of sorrow. " Naze Ayume…"

                He pauses in his journey as if waiting for an answer, receiving nothing in return. The silence of the night greeted him as if trying to comfort him. He felt neither comfort nor safety.

                 Itachi's feet had carried him to a familiar place, where his wife's grave stood. The glazed look in Itachi's red eyes disappeared, being replaced with never ending sorrow. Tears slowly descended from his eyes as he sank to his knees, broken. Behind a tree, a shadow moved, walking towards the broken man silently.

                "Itachi, it's time to go home," Kakashi told his long time friend and comrade. Too afraid to touch the man from fear of breaking him completely, Kakashi decided on just looking. " Iruka's worried sick over you."

                "Kakashi… I don't want to go back. I can't continue to live on without her! I tried, I swear, I tried really hard, but… I can't take it anymore!" Itachi cried out into the night not bothering to disguise his cracking voice. Kakashi sadly look at his friend, not sure what to do. He was never good at comforting people; that was Iruka's job. But his lover felt that Itachi would respond more to him than Iruka; thus Kakashi's predicament. Looking up to the sky, he wished that the pain Itachi was feeling would go away and everything would just return to normal, back when Ayume was still alive. But he knew that running away wouldn't help anyone, especially his friend.

                Kakashi sighs silently and returns his gaze back to Itachi, renewing his spirit to help his companion in his time of despair. Truthfully, for all the times they had been together, both in childhood and adulthood, he never seen Itachi like this. Sure, the man had some sorrowful times, but not like this.  Itachi was always smiling, laughing, teasing. Heck, he made it a habit to irritate the copycat ninja and his life's goal to force Kakashi to remove his mask, permanently. He was, most of the time, extremely annoying to be with, but Kakashi wouldn't trade Itachi's company for anything.

                He remembered when Itachi never lost his smiling face no matter what the circumstances maybe and he forced Kakashi to do the same, saying that the ninja was way too serious for his own good. Then Ayume came. She turned the tiger into a pussycat within minutes. Itachi was putty in her hands and Kakashi turned the tables around, finally having the opportunity to tease the last survivor of the Uchiha clan to no ends.

                Itachi was always extremely possessive over Ayume. She was his life. But still, Kakashi never expected that Itachi would take it this hard.

                Itachi's usually long glossy hair looked like some cheap rag, his clothing were dirty and torn to pieces from over use, his body thin from lack of food and his eyes… Itachi's normally bright shinning eyes were now lifeless, and broken.

                Kakashi kneeled down besides the man looking at Ayume's tomb.

                "Itachi, I don't know the intensity of your pain. I can't even phantom it. All I know is that, Ayume is not gone. She is here," Kakashi softly said, touching his heart. " She is in here and most definitely there with yours as well."

The Uchiha turned to look at the man beside him, surprised at his words. He stares at the smiling face of Kakashi noticing that his friend took his mask off. His eyes look down to Kakashi's hand and he too touches his own heart feeling the soft, steady beat. Minutes passed and Itachi finally stands up. He closes his eyes and lifts his chin up, finally feeling the cold wind around him. But, doesn't feel cold anymore.

" Arigatou Kakashi. Honto ni Arigatou…"

~~~~~

Two weeks later:

                 Itachi sat down heavily on the chair, with a soft "thump" resounding throughout his silent room. Wiping away the sweat on his forehead, Itachi sighs out aloud.

                "Man! I have forgotten just how hard it is to take care of a baby," Itachi mumbled to himself.

                After finally feeding, cleaning and changing the diapers, Itachi finally was able to put the bundle of energy to sleep. But sometime in the night, the baby would wake up crying once again.

                A sound coming from the door caught Itachi's attention. He looked surprise for a moment, before smiling slowly, feeling the familiar chakra of his eldest son. A mini version of Itachi stepped into the room and walked towards his father's chair. Sasuke, age three, was the spitting image of his father Itachi. His ebony hair cut short and a headband was place to keep his bangs from getting in the way. His eyes were jet black, just like Itachi's, before he used the Sharingan too much forever staining them red. Sasuke's face looked almost girlie if not for his strong chin.

 Climbing onto Itachi's lap, Sasuke settled comfortably into his father's embrace as Itachi combed Sasuke's hair out of habit.

                "What's the matter Sasuke? You are supposed to be sleeping," Itachi curiously asked his son.

                "Otou-san, I miss Oka-san," Sasuke answered. Itachi stiffened, but slowly relaxed. Looking at Sasuke, Itachi smiled warmly, though it didn't reach his eyes.

                "I know. I miss her too."

                 Itachi watched as Sasuke buried his head on his shoulder and started to cry a little. He patted his head and rubbed his small back soothing his son, knowing that comforting words were futile to the boy. For a child his age, Sasuke was smart, a genius even. He took his mother's death like a man and understood his father when he disappeared for two days. Itachi knew Ayume's death affected the boy greatly; after all, he was only three. But Itachi appreciated Sasuke for showing strength beyond his years.

                However, unlike most children his age, who were only starting to speak, Sasuke had no difficulty in that department. Then again, with Itachi's bloodline and as well as Ayume's, it really wasn't that surprising. Itachi knew that Sasuke would probably outshine most children and maybe even the adults, because of his genetics.

                "Gomen nasai Otou-san for being weak," Sasuke softly told his father, afraid to look at Itachi. Itachi lifts Sasuke's chin up to look directly at Sasuke's puffy eyes. "

                "It's not a weakness to cry Sasuke. Those who claim that are the ones who are the weaklings. They are afraid to acknowledge their flaws and pretend to live in their own world. That's the lowest of low. Remember that Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled slowly at his father and nodded. "Now then, you better go to sleep now or else tomorrow you won't be able to enjoy your very first picnic that Iruka is preparing just for you."

"Hai, Otou-san." Sasuke hugged Itachi and, quickly went towards the door.  Before Sasuke completely left, he turned around and asks, " May I go look at Naru-chan?" Itachi smiled again and nodded his head in approval knowing Sasuke would go anyway even if he said no. The kid made it a habit to always go to Naruto's nursery before going to sleep. It's was as if Sasuke couldn't go to sleep without looking at his baby brother. "Just make sure you keep quiet. I don't want you to wake him up." Sasuke smiled and bid his dad goodnight before leaving the room.

Sasuke entered the dimly lit up room of his baby brother, making sure to keep his footsteps as silent as possible. He quietly crept to Naruto's crib and just watched his little brother sleep.

The moonlight illuminated the baby, brightening his sun-kissed hair. Sasuke reached down and pulled the sheet up to properly cover the baby, afraid that he might catch a cold.

"Yakusoku Naru-chan, I'll always protect you," Sasuke whispered as he touched his brother's cheeks, outlining the whisker-like scar.

 Flashback, three weeks ago:

                 Sasuke was waiting patiently for his new baby brother to arrive when his father was pulled over by a doctor. Itachi went ballistic, Kakashi having to hold down the guy as Iruka tries to calm him down. Sasuke looked with curiosity at his father then turned to his mother, she was breathing heavily, doctors and nurses rushed to and fro in panic.

 Sasuke stood up and walked towards Ayume as she called him over. She motioned for Sasuke to give his hand to her. Ayume took hold of it and squeezed it tightly. She looked her son in the eye and smiled a painful and sad smile.

"Sas-chan, listen carefully to Oka-san. Your new baby brother, Naruto-chan, is very special and because of that, people might try to hurt him both physical and mental," Ayume started to say. Sasuke's eyes grew big not understanding why anyone would want to hurt his baby brother just because he was special. "I know you won't understand yet, but you will when you grow up. I won't be there anymore and I want you to love, cherish and protect Naruto-chan. Can you do that, Sas-chan?" Ayume whispered, having a difficult time speaking. Sasuke looks at his Mother's sad eyes and answer with passion,

"Hai, Oka-san. I won't let anyone hurt him. I promise that I'll protect him."

 End of Flashback.

                Sasuke still didn't understand why his mother said that. Naruto was just a baby, a very cute one to boot, so why would they want to hurt him. He was so adorable with his yellow-golden hair, baby-blue eyes and cute smile. Come to think about it, he almost resembled Ayume, except he is a boy.

                Sometimes, Sasuke would see his father looking at Naruto with pain-filled eyes. Every time Sasuke asked why, Itachi would just answer that it is not yet time to tell him. Sasuke wouldn't badger him anymore, but his curiosity was still there.

"Sa, sweet dreams Naru-chan."

~~~~

Three years later:

                "Jiraiya! Get rid of these frogs this instant!" The fifth Hokage shouted with rage. Jiraiya looked at her innocently.

"I didn't do it, Tsunade-chan."

 *BONK* 

"Don't you 'Tsunade-chan' me! You know that Naruto-chan is afraid of frogs ever since you gave him that surprise 'Frog-cake' for his third birthday," Tsunade yelled at Jiraiya, sending him a death glare that said 'Obey or I'll set ten ANBU forces on you and hunt you like a beast'

" Aww… Come on Naruto. They are really harmless. Come on, try and touch them," Jiraiya coaxed the small child hiding behind the fifth Hokage. The now four year old Naruto peaked shyly out from behind Tsunade and looked at Jiraiya with a frightened look. One frog jumped up and lunged towards Naruto scaring him. He "eep" and buried his head in Tsunade's robes. Tsunade gave Naruto a sympathetic look and before glaring some more at Jiraiya; Jiraiya sighed and un-summoned the frogs.

"Mou, kid you are weak to be afraid of frogs," Jiraiya mumbled to himself, unfortunately, Tsunade heard him and gave him a hard punch in the head.

"It's your fault anyway, Jiraiya. If you had thought of a better present, Naruto wouldn't be afraid of Frogs!"

                "Hai, hai."

"It's okay Naruto-chan, they're gone now," Tsunade told the child. Blue eyes and whiskered cheeks peaked out from behind her. Satisfied to see no frogs, Naruto step out from behind the woman and look at Jiraiya with sorry eyes.

"Gomen ne, Jiraiya-ji-san. I'll try to be stronger." Yup, he heard the pervert sennin alright.

                Tsunade's glare returned full force, this time, enough to make Jiraiya squirm. Jiraiya sweat dropped and ruffled Naruto's hair.

"Nah, Naruto. It's okay. It was my fault after all." Naruto had a uncertain look on his face, not sure to  believe Jiraiya's words. Jiraiya smiled as if to reassure the boy. Naruto broke out into a shy smile.

The ANBU soldier that was stationed outside the door, knocked softly to get the Hokage and two other occupants' attention.

"Hokage-sama, Uchiha Sasuke is here." Naruto's face lit up like a firefly when he heard his brother's name. Tsunade smiled at the happy expression on her young friend's face.

"Let him enter."

                Naruto didn't mind having Jiraiya and Tsunade for his company, but he preferred to be with his brother all the time; thus, when the six-year-old Sasuke entered, Naruto latched onto his big brother giving him a hug.

"Konnichiwa Onii-chan!" Sasuke was push back a little bit by the small force that hit him, but managed to steady himself and hug his brother back.

"Konnichiwa Naru-chan. Ready to go home?" Sasuke ask, looking at Naruto's beautiful eyes. Naruto nodded and ran to a corner to get his bag as Sasuke greets the two adults. "Arigatou Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sennin for taking care of Naruto today."

"Betsuni Sasuke-kun, bring him over anytime. He's always a good company," Tsunade told Sasuke with a smile.

"Yeah. I like teaching him new stuff," Jiraiya's rough voice added in.

"I'm ready, Onii-chan. Bye-bye Jiraiya-oji-san, Tsunade-hime. Thank you for taking care of me today," Naruto told them shyly. The two nodded and said their good byes as the two children left.

"Sa, who would have thought that Naruto would be so shy. Itachi was never shy when he was a child. And Sasuke is quiet but never shy," Jiraiya commented. Tsunade just smiled, but her eyes were sad, looking at where Naruto used to stand.

'I hope that Naruto would last. Kami-sama, please make the villagers understand. Don't let them destroy such an innocent child.'

~~~~

"Did you have a good time, Naru-chan?" Sasuke asked Naruto as they walk home hand in hand.

"Um! Um! Tsunade-hime showed me this storybook about how Konoha became Konoha. There were a lot of pictures and stuff. But she wasn't able to finish the story because she had to attend a meeting. Demo, demo, Tsunade-hime promised me that next time, she would finished the story."

 "So, what did you do while Hokage-sama was at the meeting? You didn't destroy anything did you?" Sasuke continued to ask, a grin on his face. Naruto pouted.

"Mou, Onii-chan! Of course I didn't." Sasuke just laughed. "Jiraiya-oji-san showed me a neat trick though. He taught me Bunshin no Jutsu, but I can't do it. Jiraiya-oji-san said that I'm too young and I can't control my chakra yet. Then he went into a long and boring…"

                Sasuke wasn't listening to Naruto's story anymore when they enter the market place. Sometimes, Sasuke wished that they didn't have to take this route when going home. He flinched as he started to hear the adults talk, not even trying to keep their voices down.

                "Look, there's that demon child. Poor Itachi-san and Sasuke-kun, having that kid of burden in their house hold."

 

"Yeah, they should have killed him instead."

               

 "They must be frightened at night knowing that such a demon lives at their house."

               

                "Poor, poor-"

 "Urusai!" Sasuke screamed in his mind. He wanted to shout at them, to leave Naruto alone, but in doing that, Naruto would notice the stares and the whispers. He knew that oblivious Naruto didn't notice the looks of hatred the adults sent him, he was too caught up in retelling his day to his brother. Even if he notices, Sasuke doubted Naruto would be able to guess that they are referring to him. Sasuke couldn't risk letting Naruto know what was happening.

                 Deep inside, Sasuke knew it wouldn't be long before he finally did and being the shy child that he was, he was bound to grow uncomfortable. Sasuke knew that Naruto wondered why he was never allowed to go out of the house alone, without company. He knew Naruto wondered why he wasn't studying to be a ninja like some of the children his age. Sasuke knew (change to knew) that Naruto wondered a lot, but didn't try to ask them because he knew they wouldn't answer the question. He knew because he used to ask the same question as well, until he finally got the answer. 

But…sometimes, he wished that he didn't know.

Four months ago:

 "Otou-san," Sasuke called Itachi as he entered the room. Itachi smiled down at him and motioned for him to sit down on the bed.

"What is it, Sasuke? Is something bothering you again?"

 "Otou-san, why didn't you enroll Naru-chan in the academy? He is the right age now," Sasuke asked. Itachi's smile went away and he looked down on the floor.

"Come here Sasuke. I think it's time to tell you," Itachi softly told Sasuke. Sasuke went to his father's embrace, his heart beating wildly. He would finally know the big secret!

 

"As you know, Naruto is very special. Before he was born, even before you were born, there was a demon, the Kyubi. It raged all over Konoha and almost destroyed this village. The Kyubi was responsible for our clan's death, me being the last survivor. The Yondaime was only able to seal it inside a cave because the Kyubi was too strong to be killed. But then it cannot be sealed inside the cave forever. Two years after you were born, the seal was slowly weakening; the Kyubi was getting his strength back.

                Your mother was also the last survivor of her clan. Her clan was the one who were the overseer of the Kyubi. They were the sacrifice for the Kyubi.

                I didn't approve of it at first. I refused to let Ayume be the sacrifice, but The fourth told me that Ayume wasn't going to be the sacrifice. He said that he only needed a body to seal the Kyubi in. And the choice was unanimous. They choose Naruto because the day he was going to come was the same day the seal would be broken. I couldn't let the village down. The Kyubi killed a lot of people once; I didn't want that to happen again. So I agreed.

 After Naruto was born, the fourth Hokage died since he had to use his life force to make sure that the Kyubi won't take over Naruto's body. After awhile, I found out that the Kyubi affected your mother. Ayume already knew, but she didn't want to let me know. She told Yondaime not to tell me, she begged him not to. So she died. The villager's adult knows about the demon that lives inside Naruto. They hate Naruto for it. I don't want Naruto to know because he might blame himself, thinking that it was his fault that Ayume and the Yondaime died."

 Itachi started crying softly, feeling the pain of losing his wife and as well as sadness for his son, knowing that he would never live a normal life.

 

End of Flashback.

               

 "It's not his fault! It's not Naru-chan's fault that the Kyubi was sealed inside him!" Sasuke wanted to scream out loud. He hated the villagers! They were so close-minded. Sasuke knew that their attitude would soon transfer to their children. Even though the Fifth Hokage already forbade everyone who knew to spread it, it still didn't stop the children from following their parent's example.

                Sasuke's hold on the boy tightens; Naruto didn't seem to notice as he continued on telling his big brother what a wonderful day he had.

 End of Chapter One.

Author's Note: Ne, ne, ne, what do you guys think? I know that Naruto isn't shy, but I think that that would be his attitude if he did have a family to love him. He won't need to get attention because he already has it.  I know that it is pretty weird. Oh well, please review everyone. I won't mind Flames…I guess… ^. ^;