Brother

PT: …I now present to you the sequel to my Itachi fic, Lover. This is the final fanfiction of the Uchiha's Pain trilogy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Hey!—that was simple!

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It was every older brother's worst nightmare to do what this man had to do.

This man, as he stood, bloodied by battle, long hair flying loose, staggering as he stepped to his nii-chan.

He had such a good future, years ago. He had all the potential in the world; he was intelligent, a fine ninja, pride of his Uchiha clan. He could have been a hero of Konoha, maybe with enough potential to be Hokage one day.

Instead, he was reduced to this—S-class criminal, hated by the little brother that idolized him, executioner of his own family, allied to Akatsuki.

It's not his fault though, right? Now, it would be hard to tell who was exactly responsible for this. Who would you blame?

Some would say his clan, for betraying their village with their own resentment. And that left the young ninja in a difficult spot of loyalty. Some blamed Uchiha Madara for drowning his clan in a bad reputation. Some would blame Itachi for his choice, saying that there may have been another way; one that could have saved the clan from destruction and his blood from death at the same time.

Those who blamed him would be too optimistic, and not strong enough to realize the truth: there was no 'other way'. If there had been another way to solve the problem in his clan, Itachi would have found it. Remember his love for his home and family. No way would he have overlooked any solution.

The world was harsh, and not fair. One would have different solutions in different situation—be the situation mild as what to name a newborn child, to Itachi's problem—and they wouldn't always have a good one.

When Itachi's clan planned to destroy Konoha—their own home!—the young shinobi was thrown into a question of his loyalty and the love he held to both. It was not easy.

In the end, he chose his home. But it wasn't easy. Life wasn't easy. It's not and it never was.

Take in the facts. Uchiha Itachi had to slaughter everyone he loved, those who loved him, found pride in him, would have given their lives for him. Uchiha Itachi, who went through so much pain, slaughtering everyone who loved him, trusted him.

In the end, he couldn't kill Sasuke. He didn't complete his task.

He couldn't.

He could kill his mother.

His father. His best friend, his lover.

But he couldn't kill his brother. In the end, he gave little Sasuke hatred for him, ripping pain of loss, and even ruined his life.

He, Itachi, who deserved more than what he got for his life's calamities, ruined his life. He would've made his brother a hero.

He even intended for Sasuke to kill him in the end, to make the younger boy a hero.

He, Itachi, who selflessly lost everything for what was most precious to him, would be hated down through history and eternity.

When Sasuke striked him with the killing blow, he collapsed because of it, and what the battle had done to him.

He now stumbled in front of his brother, murmuring, "My eyes."

He would now die shamefully, for his brother. At least the weight of pain and revenge would be off his nii-chan's shoulders.

For one last time, he gazed at Sasuke…he had grown! He himself had the makings of becoming the greatest shinobi in his village. Now his brother was free.

For the first time in his life—since that day, when everything spun out of his grasp—Itachi was at peace.

Uchiha Itachi lifted his fingers and jabbed them into his brother's, his terrified brother's, forehead.

He surged his abilities into his beloved brother, then fell.

His abilities, his last gift for Sasuke, given with love. He hoped that he would leave a mark of protection.

Spots of black appeared in Itachi's vision; his sore body, beaten and broken, felt a sudden warmth.

So this was how dying felt like.

Funny, his life didn't flash before his eyes. But he saw them…he saw them.

Mother, father, lover, friend. Everyone else he had held precious. He even glimpsed his beloved Konohagakure.

Now, that he was leaving, he found a light heat in his heart.

He'd see them all again. He'd be able to apologize, to tell them that he was sorry. To speak to them, to feel their touch again. He was going to join them, hopefully. He'd tell them that he loved them.

Peace and tranquility settled as he accepted the invitation of forever sleep, warmth.

Good-bye…Sasuke…little brother... I'm sorry…

I love you.