Three Necessary Lies ✧ Text | Action

[jikogisei]

It would have been nice to have my abilities back seven days ago. My travel time would have been cut in half if I could have just walked across the water instead of having to detour through the mountain.

Does anyone know exactly what's going on here?

Private to Sasuke

I'm a few hours away from Mahogany. [Look, he updated you. A little late but it's still an update.]

Action

[To anyone who finds themselves along Route 42 they may find themselves faced with a dark-haired Uchiha in a burgundy robe. He has his Growlithe traveling along with him and looks like he has a clear goal in mind. Itachi won't stop for anyone but he won't mind them coming along if they like.]

Comments

[beforethedarkness]

[He nods, pausing before starting to lead Itachi up the stairs and to his room. It's an awkward walk, but once they're in he closes the door and sighs heavily.

Where does he even start...]

[jikogisei]

[Itachi will take up a position near the window, leaning against the wall. He waits as the other collects himself -- attempts to figure out what to say.]

[beforethedarkness]

...

When we talked last time... I said I didn't have to forgive you. You did a lot of horrible things, even if I understand why you did them.

[jikogisei]

I know.

[And he understands. Itachi will never force Sasuke to forgive him.]

[beforethedarkness]

[He has to take a moment to breathe, still not looking at Itachi before he walks towards Itachi. It's about then that he probably does something completely unexpected.

He hugs him, tightly.]

I don't have to, but... I want to.

[Whether or not he wants to admit it... He needs this.]

[jikogisei]

[For a moment he doesn't do anything. Doesn't move, doesn't even breath while Sasuke hugs him tightly. Then he rests his hands on his brother's shoulders.]

Sasuke.

[beforethedarkness]

I... I... I needed time to think it over. To sort out my feelings. And you did hurt me, a lot, but...

[He sighs, shaking a little and pulling himself in tighter.]

You did it all for me and... I just want us to be brothers again. I want to forgive you.

[jikogisei]

[He doesn't push Sasuke away, but completely wraps his arms around him.]

I did what I thought was best for you. What I thought was the only way. It wasn't until later that I realized there was another one and that was you. I think you could have changed father.

[beforethedarkness]

[He nodded, still burying his face into Itachi's chest as he took another breath.]

...

[Unfortunately, no words manage to leave him and he just holds on tight.]

[jikogisei]

[The silence will stretch on for a moment while he just holds his brother.]

I was wrong. I was wrong to put you on a path of my choosing. There are parts of it that I cannot regret [Like drawing Orochimaru out to rid Sasuke of him and protecting him in general.] but I never stopped loving you. You're strong, Sasuke. Stronger than I ever was.

[beforethedarkness]

I'm not strong at all...

[Sasuke mumbles the words, shaking his head as he clings on tighter.]

I've always tried to get stronger but... With what I do to get power... How is that strength at all?

[jikogisei]

[He raises a hand to gently pet Sasuke's hair.]

That's not the kind of strength I was talking about. You have a strong heart, a strong will. I wasn't strong enough to save everyone. I sacrificed our clan, myself. You would have done differently if our roles had been switched.

[Itachi ran from war and his sins, Sasuke would faced it.]

[beforethedarkness]

[He makes a little noise at the hand but does nothing to dislodge it, having to take a moment to breathe as he opens his eyes.]

You did whatever it took... What could I have done differently?

[jikogisei]

[Itachi shifts his hand from Sasuke's head to put it on his shoulder.]

I think you could have changed father's mind. That you could have stopped him.

[beforethedarkness]

I was a weak and cowardly child. What could I have done that would have changed him...

Always... Right until the end... He was always looking at you, even when he was looking at me he always compared me to you, to how wonderful you were...

[jikogisei]

That is not true. You were strong and determined.

You made him look at you, made him hear you when he was so obsessed with his plans. I ran away while you would have chased after him.

[beforethedarkness]

[Sasuke doesn't answer, instead just clinging to Itachi and resting his weight against him for the moment. Still, he isn't quite sure he believes Itachi; he's only ever known his father to compare him to Itachi until he was sure that Itachi was a 'traitor', and only then...]

...