Chapter Text
Itachi knew something was off the moment he slid open the door. The house was quiet as it usually is, however not empty.
Sasuke trotted in the house behind him, kicking off his right sandal with all the grace a 7 year old could muster.
His left sandal got stuck so he busied himself with pulling it off while continuing his stories from the day, even after Itachi had told him he would listen later.
“Anyways, like I was saying that pink haired girl was staring at me AGAIN, I don’t know what I did to her. It’s not even just her! A bunch of the girls are always staring at me, I think they’re planning something, or maybe–" Sasuke stopped mid story when he finally looked up and saw him standing there.
Fugaku Uchiha.
Itachi peered back down at Sasuke. His younger brother's shoulders drawn back defensively, almost trying to make himself smaller. That enthusiastic energy was sucked away in an instant, just one of the many talents of their beloved father.
“Hello father,” tried Itachi.
“You’re home.” Fugaku said. Not even a hello back as he looked the two boys up and down before turning back into the house.
“Why is he home so early,” said Sasuke quietly to his brother. The poor kid sounded terrified as if he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Sasuke, it’ll be fine alright? He probably just wanted ... to eat dinner with us for once” said Itachi, trying to lift Sasuke's mood.
Truthfully Itachi didn't like the implications of his father being home so early. Ever since Mikoto's death, their father has thrown himself into work, hardly making it home before dark, let alone before Sasuke’s days at the academy.
‘What if this has to do with the coup?’ Itachi though worriedly, ‘the timing wouldn’t make sense but what if-’
He needed to stop spiraling before even making it fully inside his home. Especially with the splitting migraine and ache in his chest growing... This was going to be a rough night.
“Lets go,” Itachi murmured, putting a comforting hand on Sasuke's shoulder while guiding him forward. He could feel his brother tense up with anxiety.
Sasuke always cared more about what his father thought than Itachi ever did, and Fugaku always thought less of Sasuke than he did Itachi. It was really an unfortunate arrangement.
They rounded the corner and went into the dining room. The boys found Fugaku sitting low at the table, his posture rigid, formal, and unwelcoming. His eyes lifted and met Itachis, not even sparing a glance to his youngest.
Itachi bowed his head, Sasuke froze before Itachi nudged him to also bow his head. Fugaku scoffed at the interaction and finally glanced in Sasuke's direction.
“Do they not teach you to respect your elders at the academy anymore? It’s not Itachi's responsibility to teach you these things.”
“-rry” Sasuke murmured, his head still down.
“Speak up boy!” shouted Fugaku.
Sasuke flinched and looked up at his father who was currently staring daggers through him. “Sorry father,” Sasuke finally said, his voice quivering.
“Gods what kind of timid shinobi did I raise?” sighed Fugaku, “At least I have one successful son” he said, glancing back at Itachi.
‘Wow really showing the love today huh? Not to mention YOU didn’t really raise either one of us,’ thought Itachi sarcastically.
The three of them stood in silence for what felt like eternity as Fugaku appeared to be assessing his sons.
Itachi's head was killing him, it's honestly a miracle he was still standing. All he wanted to do was curl up on the floor of a dark room and maybe vomit up half a liter of blood while he was at it. But he couldn't just walk out and leave Sasuke here alone with his father.
Finally Fugaku spoke. “Sasuke, leave us. I need to speak to your brother.”
Itachi half expected his brother to argue and go on about how he was grown and should get to be involved in family matters now. But all the fighting spirit was sucked out of the boy after one glance from Fugaku.
Sasuke silently bowed and shuffled away without even a glance up at Itachi, ‘poor kid’ thought Itachi.
Once Sasuke left the room the atmosphere shifted, and the room somehow felt colder than before.
Fugaku turned his back to the table and beckoned Itachi to come sit in front of him.
Of course Itachi immediately complied like the “good little soldier” he was. He was mostly just grateful for the chance to finally sit down, as the corners of his vision had started to go black a second ago.
Itachi kneeled, his head bowed to his father, who stood and paced across the room with his hands crossed behind his back.
“Itachi,” he began, voice low and monotone. “The clan elders met yesterday evening while you were away.”
A beat. Itachi said nothing.
“The situation in the village….has accelerated.” His father turned to face him as Itachi met his gaze.
‘Fuck fuck fuck, not another word’ Itachi internally panicked.
Fugaku's jaw tightened, the slightest crack in his usual calm as he looked away from Itachi's eyes. “The coup may need to be initiated sooner than we had initially planned.”
The other shoe dropped.
Itachi's heart skipped a beat, his head pounded and yet somehow his face remained perfectly neutral.
“I understand.” he said quietly hoping that his father would leave it at that for the night. The pain in his head was starting to become unbearable.
“No.” His father stared at him, his eyes no longer wandering around the room. “You need to do more than just understand. You need to be prepared. Your loyalty must not waiver from the clan”
The words landed on him like stones, which really wasn’t ideal thought Itachi ‘one of his cousins got crushed to death by stones, he was a good friend of Captain Kakashis, NOW that caused some clan drama with the whole eye thin’– god the migraine was making him delirious. He needed to focus back on his father.
“Do you understand me?” Stated Fugaku his voice filled with not only pressure but…fear?
His father was actually scared, Fugaku was losing his grip on the clan and he knew it.
‘Did he really need to do something this drastic to gain their support again??’ thought Itachi bitterly.
Fugaku stepped closer, just enough so his shadow fell over him, realising Itachi's full attention wasn't on his father.
“I said, when the time comes. You will stand with your clan.”
This time it wasn't a question.
Itachi bowed his head, trying to hide the pain in his eyes.
“Yes father.”
Fugaku exhaled, relief or disappointment, Itachi didn’t know. He couldn't find it in himself to care either.
His father dismissed him with a curt nod, “good, go get ready for dinner, we will eat as a family tonight.”
Itachi stood, nodding his head as he turned to leave and make his way down the hall to his room.
He finally slid open his door and practically collapsed onto his floor.
Gods his head was worse than it's ever been, the walls felt as if they were closing in around him.
‘FUCKKKKKK, why me?’ Itachi thought tiredly to himself.
He made his way over to his bed and lay face down on his mattress. An all too familiar feeling bloomed in his chest. He was far too tired to even think about the conversation he just had with his father, let alone deal with… well deal with whatever this is.
He was just going to shut his eyes for a couple minutes, that's all he needed to survive a dinner with his father and then straight back to bed, he would NOT have an episode in front of his father, it was embarrassing enough having his captain see him in that state.
‘Just five minutes and I’ll be good-’ Itachi thought before closing his eyes…
‘BANG!’ his door flew open.
‘So much for five minutes’ thought Itachi tiredly rubbing at his temples.
He glanced up from his mattress to see Sasuke shuffling into the room.
Itachi must have had a nasty look on his face when he saw Sasuke slow, suddenly feeling unwelcome in his big brother's room.
“Sorry, I didn't realise you were sleeping,” murmured Sasuke embarrassedly.
“Wait,” Itachi started, “it’s alright, I can rest later we have to go eat dinner in a minute anyway, come sit.”
He waved his little brother forward to come sit on the bed with him. Sasuke's mood seemed to improve seeing as Itachi wasn't upset with him, on top of his fathers usual nasty demeanor towards the boy.
Itachi sighed his head was still pounding and that feeling in his chest just seemed to get worse. He couldn't send his little brother away though, the poor kid already felt rejected by his father, he wasn't going to let him think the same of Itachi.
Sasuke leaned into his brother and began to fidget with his hands. He clearly wanted to tell Itachi something, probably more about his day.
“Did you want to keep telling me about the rest of your day? Something about a pink haired girl right?” Itachi tried.
Sasuke stayed looking down, apparently the hangnail on his thumb was the most interesting thing in the world at the moment.
‘Not going to complain about sitting in silence,’ Itachi thought to himself, closing his eyes… for about three seconds before Sasuke shifted.
“Was father complaining about me?” questioned Sasuke timidly.
Itachi wasn’t expecting that.
Itachi wasn’t blind, well, wasn't blind yet he had started to notice his vision was getting worse but that's besides the point, of course he noticed the way his father behaves towards Sasuke. He just assumed Sasuke well, didn't.
He should’ve known the continuous behaviour of his father towards Sasuke would catch up to the boy, Itachi just thought he could get other things under control before having to deal with family issues.
‘I mean honestly I’m thirteen goddamn years old, why is everything my problem?’ Itachi was annoyed.
“Of course not Sasuke, what makes you think that?” He prompted his brother to speak. Hoping that if he got to voice his concerns he would feel better and drop the family drama for a minute.
It's not that Itachi didn't care. Of course it wasn't, it was the exact opposite: he loved his brother and wanted the best for him.
He really just had much more important things to deal with such as, Danzos genocide, the coup, and well the impending civil war between his clan and the village when both of those plans failed. Oh and not to mention the fact his own body seemed to be slowly killing him.
He looked over to his brother, realising his vision was starting to blur.
“He always says I’m too sensitive and weak. Or that I’m not cut out to be a shinobi.” Sasuke took a breath before continuing clearly frustrated, “and whenever you're away on missions, he always compares me to you. I do something and apparently you figured it out when you were five. It's not fair!” He paused, looking towards Itachi to see if that upset him before continuing quieter.
“Do you think he regrets having two sons?” mumbled Sasuke.
Itachi's heart broke, wow his chest genuinely hurt. That's not a good sign.
“Of course he doesn't regret having two sons, ok?” Itachi responded.
“Then why is he so hard on me all the time, he doesn’t act like that towards you.” Sasuke complained.
‘If only you knew..’ Itachi thought.
“He just pushes you because he knows you can become even stronger than me.” Itachi assured him. He knew it wasn't true, his father was just an ass, but whatever Sasuke needed to hear in order to be content for the next little while would do.
“Really?” Sasuke's eyes lit up. Of course the prospect of being better than his big brother would lighten his mood.
‘I mean at the rate I’m deteriorating the old lady up the street will be stronger than me.’
“Of course Sasuke, I see it too. You're going to be the greatest shinobi in the village.” Itachi smiled at his brother.
‘Yah really hit it home with that one Itachi, God my chest hurts’ thought Itachi.
Sasuke's mood did a complete 180, he was back to being the happy younger brother Itachi was used to.
“Thanks big brother, I knew I was overreacting,” Sasuke smiled and hugged him.
‘Well thats one problem solved’ Thought Itachi pessimistically
—
A few minutes later, Sasuke and Itachi made their way into the dining room. The table had been surprisingly set by Fugaku. This already felt wrong. Fugaku was seated at the head of the table, arms crossed, face neutral.
“Sit,” he practically ordered.
Sasuke's short lived good mood was once again gone, as he folded into himself seated across the table from Itachi.
The silence dragged as the three men picked at their food. Fugaku for some reason avoided speaking to Itachi, he guessed the man had nothing more to say to him after their prior encounter.
Then Fugaku finally spoke.
“...How is the academy?” he asked.
For a second Sasuke didn't answer, assuming any words his father said were directed at Itachi.
Itachi nudged his foot under the table, and Sasuke looked at him. His older brother nodded his head towards their father prompting Sasuke to answer the question.
‘Perfect Sasuke loves talking about the academy, maybe this dinner won’t be so bad,’ Itachi was optimistic for once in his life.
“O-oh. Um. It's fine,” Sasuske said, still clearly apprehensive but continued. “We had shuriken practice today. And I got second place on the sparring bracket last week.”
Fugaku raised an eyebrow. “Second?”
Sasuke swallowed. “Y-yeah”
‘Well fuck, so much for a peaceful dinner.’ Itachi internally signed.
“So not the best.”
It wasn't even said with anger, just pure disdain. As if Sasuke's existence had personally disappointed him by daring to be anything less than perfect.
“I mean, I don’t think Itachi got less than first before right? ” Fugaku glanced at his older son.
Itachi glared back he was far too irritated and in far too much pain to even try and show his father any respect.
Sasuke shrank into his chair. “No, but I…”
Itachi cut in, “Sasuke is top of his year in ninjutsu, and one of the best at chakra control. And not to mention his taijutsu has improved immensely. Iruka Sensei says he’e one of the most promising in the class.”
“Being promising isn't the same as being the best,” his father sneered.
Itachi's jaw clenched so tightly his vision began to go black.
Sasuke stared down at his hands, picking at the fabric of his sleeve. “...I’m trying.”
“Thats the problem,” Fugaku said coldly. “Try less. Do more. This clan doesn't need another child who collapses under pressure.” Fugaku glared back at Sasuke, “Do you remember Obito? Do you really want to end up like him? I mean you don’t even have a useful eye to give someone.” Fukagu spat at his younger son.
Itachi slammed his chopsticks down before he even realised he’d moved.
“Enough” he said sharply.
Fugaku’s eyes snapped to him, narrowed.
“You do not speak to him like that,” Itachi continued, voice low, steady, dangerous. “Sasuke should be proud. He works harder than anyone else in his class, and he's already stronger than I was at his age.”
Sasuke's head jerked up in surprise.
Fugaku scoffed. “You’re lying and coddling him. He’ll never grow into anything if you keep holding his hand.”
“And you'll crush him long before he gets the chance to grow at all,” Itachi fired back.
The moment the words left his mouth, his head pulsed, sharp white hot pain cutting up his spine and through his skull. His breath stuttered. The room tilted.
Fuck. Not now
Not in front of him
Itachi pushed back from the table. “Excuse me,” he muttered, standing a bit too quickly.
Fugaku shot him a cold look. “We are not finished.”
But Itachi was already moving down the hall, one hand pressed into the wall to steady himself as his vision blurred. He barely made it into the bathroom before the world turned sideways.
He braced against the sink, gasping as the pressure in his chest tightened. His throat burned. Then–
He coughed hard into his hand.
Red.
Shit
Another cough ripped through him, and more blood splattered into the sink. His knees gave out and he sank onto the cold floor, head spinning.
‘Stay awake,’ he begged himself, ‘just stay awake’
But the darkness pulled him under.
Back in the dining room Sasuke hesitated at the table, eyes fixed on the hallway where Itachi disappeared moments ago.
Fugaku didn’t look concerned. Irritated, if anything. “He will return when he gets himself under control.”
Sasuke's frown deepened. Something was wrong. Itachi had looked… off, ever since he ran into him on his way home. He pushed back from the table.
“I'm going to check on him.”
“Your will do no such–” Fugaku started, but Sasuke was already jogging down the hall.
He shoved the bathroom door open, and froze.
“Itachi?” he whispered.
HIs brother was slumped on the floor, pale, shaking, blood staining his hands and the edge of the sink. HIs eyes were half lidded and unfocused.
“Itachi, can you hear me?!”
Panic shot through Sasuke like lightning. He stumbled backward, voice cracking as he screamed for his father.
Fugaku appeared in the doorway a heartbeat later, annoyance already on his tongue, until he saw the state of his son.
The colour drained from his face.
“Itachi…” he breathed, stepping forward so quickly Sasuke hadn't even seen him move.
He knelt beside his eldest, turning Itachi gently onto his side with care Sasukes had never seen from his father.
Itachi barely responded, chest heaving slow and shallow.
For the first time in Sasuke's life, his father looked afraid.
“Get your sandals. We’re going to the hospital. Now”
Sasuke stood unmoving, frozen in shock.
“NOW SASUKE”
Sasuke sprinted, at least his father knew Sasuke would want to be there in case the worst happened.
Fugaku lifted Itachi into his arms like he weighed nothing, his son looking like a child for once as he carried him to the doorway. His composure cracked, fear radiating off of him. He couldn't lose his son the same way he lost his wife, urgency rolled off him in waves.
Within minutes they were rushing through the compound, Fugaku barking orders at guards demanding them to run ahead so medics would meet them at the entrance.
“Was that Fugaku?” Sasuke saw some grey haired man say to a weird guy in green. He recognised the grey haired one but couldn’t bother to think why.
The two of them kept running through the streets, Itachi hanging limply in his fathers arms, all the colour drained from his face.
They finally made it to the hospital doors, when they were stopped by two of the clan's elders.
One of them stepped forward. “Fugaku, we need to talk the–”
“Move,” Fugaku snapped, pushing past without a second glance. “My son needs a doctor.”
The elders exchanged furious looks.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
A clan head who needed the hospital, was a clan head who couldn’t afford a war.
And they knew it