Chapter Three

All Over Again

Light filtered through the trees, creating a misty atmosphere and dulling their senses as both brothers moved through early morning training drills. “You’re slow,” Itachi side-stepped a sloppy strike and Sasuke stumbled. “An enemy is not going to slow down because you’re tired, and neither will I.”

Grinding his teeth, Sasuke shot him a dirty look. He struggled to correct his awkward footing and land a three hit combo. It was a short attack, and it shouldn’t have tasked his body too much. I can do at least that much… Despite his determination his left foot slipped, and the first strikes missed by miles. Itachi caught the third and saved him from meeting the ground face-first.

“C’mon, otouto. I know you can do better,” The elder seemed disappointed.

Sasuke’s temper flared and he jerked back out of Itachi’s grip. Much to his chagrin, he knocked himself off balance and fell backwards. Pain shot up his back, and the poor brace of his hands scraped mercilessly along the gravelly dirt. His hands were both bleeding by now, but Sasuke ignored it, and used them to prop himself up.

Sighing and shoving his eyebrows together, Itachi knelt down to examine his hands. “Sasuke, I expect better from you. I know you’re not at your best, but this… This is,” He turned over Sasuke’s hand rather forcefully as the younger fought to keep it from his reach. “Damn, I know for sure you can fall correctly, no matter what the situation…! What’s wrong with you?”

Swearing loudly, Sasuke ripped his hand away and scowled at Itachi. His patience and self-control had reached their ends “What’s wrong with me? You’re going to ask that as a serious question? You asshole!”

Itachi blinked. He knew he should have expected something like this, it was long overdue, but it still surprised him. It had seemed as though they had moved past the things that had transpired between them. However, reality came back to him, even though he wanted to deny it. There had been too much turmoil until now, and Sasuke had obviously been putting off his outburst. It was time to deal with things, and he wasn’t quite sure how he was going to handle them.

An awkward silence filled the air between them and they sat, staring. Itachi remained quiet, not wanting to agitate Sasuke any more than he had. After a moment, it seemed safe to reach out. “I’m just worried. Give me your hand.” Itachi extended his own, hoping the gesture was comforting and encouraging.

Sasuke recoiled. “Like hell you are- I am not giving you my hand!” He pulled his arm to his chest, only briefly realizing how narrow-minded and childish he was acting. For seven years he’d taken care of himself, and he wasn’t about to let Itachi change that. It shocked him to see his brother force his eyebrows together and frown.

“Sasuke…” His hands throbbed, and the gravel in the shallow scrapes was burning. Itachi was watching him with concern. It was something he found he couldn’t wrap his mind around. The past few weeks he had tried to force acceptance of his newfound memories, but some piece of him stubbornly doubted them. Everything had been flying by, and he hated the helpless feeling welling inside. He couldn’t blindly follow Itachi. Even if he wanted to, his conscience wouldn’t permit it. Sasuke’s mind was moving miles per second, and what had barely been a few moments had felt like eternity.

Itachi continued to hold out his hand lamely, waiting without anticipation for Sasuke to reach for it. It didn’t surprise him when his younger brother pulled himself from the ground and dashed into the surrounding forest. As his footfalls faded and the crunch of vegetation died in his wake, Itachi was left without shock or outrage of Sasuke’s refusal to accept his help, only disappointment.


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Aster swallowed hard. “And that was only the beginning…”

Tightening her clasped hands, Tsunade reviewed what she had said aloud, “So, your parents killed you younger brother, and your elder brother killed them… In the mess he was blamed for all three deaths and joined Akatsuki. And that was where your involvement with them began?”

The red head shifted uncomfortably under the hokage’s gaze. “Well… I never had direct contact with a member of Akatsuki until…” Aster forced her apprehension back down her throat and into her chest. Why is this so hard to say? She cleared her throat. “Until Hoshigaki Kisame killed my elder brother.”

Tsunade blinked and Sakura gave a small start from beside the desk. The blonde hokage recovered quickly, processing the information. “You no doubt wanted revenge…” Aster nodded slowly. “It strikes me as sickly ironic that you come back to this village flanked by two members of Akatsuki.”

She nodded again. “It is.”

Sakura, who had been silent the entire time, caught Aster’s eyes now. “Did you get your revenge?”

Without hesitation for once, Aster replied firmly. “Yes. Yes, I did.” Her sudden confidence silenced the room, and she could see more questions bubbling behind Sakura’s lips. “It was everything I hoped it to be. I have no regrets about what I did…” Returning the minty green gaze, she continued as though she had read the girl’s mind. “Sasuke is a completely different story.”


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The door flew open to an empty house. The living room before Sasuke was bare and undecorated, but he paid it little attention. Slipping inside quickly, he grasped the handle and leaned against it, shutting the door. A burning sensation shot through his hands again. Vaguely he realized he should wash the scrapes, or at least rinse them, but he wasn’t about to take the chance of encountering Itachi anytime soon again.

He wanted to groan aloud as it dawned on him, yet again, that he was living with his elder brother. There was no escape. Except maybe… Sasuke was hesitant to think of the third door down the hall on the second floor as ‘his room,’ but he didn’t know what else he could refer to it as. Deciding his injured hands could wait, he took the flight of stairs as quickly as possible and swept into ‘his room.’ He didn’t bother with the lock. If someone really wanted in, a metal latch wouldn’t stop them.

Sighing with relief, as though some weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Sasuke flopped onto the bed backwards. This time he let a small moan escape him. The sound was filled with an agony at his growing self-hatred and confusion. He was disgusted by how he had lost control during the training session, and how he now hid an unfamiliar room. What’s wrong with me? Sasuke rolled over to face the wall and swore softly to himself. Isn’t that what Itachi asked me just then?

Closing his eyes to block out the thought, he was forced to remember how sleep had eluded him the last few weeks. Now was definitely a bad time to play catch up when he was behind on rest, but it was suddenly exceedingly tempting. Letting his body relax, he gave in to an exhausted slumber.


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Standing shakily, Aster stretched her legs. They had fallen sleep during their extensive conversation, and the pins and needles feeling was near unbearable. Wincing and biting back a whimper, she covered with a short recap. “That is everything that happened up until I left Konoha a second time… It was the same night as Uchiha Sasuke left to the Sound.”

Sakura diverted her eyes at the mention, and Tsunade nodded in confirmation. “We will continue this discussion tomorrow, then.”

Even though it seemed like the Tsunade should have been asking a question, it was delivered as an order. “Of course.” Aster bobbed her head in a bow, leaving through the office door, instead of the balcony.

After she left, silence took hold in the room, broken only by the older woman’s shuffling of papers. Sakura clenched her hands uncomfortably. Something had been bothering her the entire time, and now she stared at Tsunade expectantly. The hokage refused to acknowledge her curious gaze, and continued with her work.

Finally, Sakura’s patience reached an end. “Tsunade-sama…?”

“Yes?” She was careful not make eye contact.

Biting her lip and swallowing her apprehension, Sakura inquired steadily, “Why… Why was it you had me here too? Wouldn’t you usually have Shizune?”

Tsunade turned, giving her student her full attention. “Quite the contrary actually. Usually, I don’t have anyone with me.”

“Then… Why me this time? I’m not involved with this matter…”

The hokage raised an eyebrow. “Are you?”


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Itachi let his shoulders drop and relax, but he still felt tense. He would have to track down Sasuke sooner or later, and he desperately wanted it to be later. Unfortunately, it seemed that sooner was the smarter choice. Giving the small forest clearing one last wistful glance, he set off in the direction in which Sasuke had dashed off.


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The steady crunch of small twigs under Aster’s feet was extremely un-shinobi-like, however she was too worn to care much. It had only been a conversation, a little Q and A about what she had been through, but it had been incredibly tiring. She breathed deeply, trying to steady the sluggish stop and go rhythm of her heart. Wincing, Aster realized the attempt was useless. She leaned against a tree, defeated mentally.

Before she could fully rest her weight on the solid truck, a hand caught her elbow, and pulled her upright. Aster jumped, almost attacking the person behind her.

“Itachi?!” She gave him a tired glower. “Why is it you feel the need to sneak up on me and scare the living daylights out of me?”

He shook his head, letting an arm drop around her waist. “I didn’t sneak up on you; you were being careless and had your guard down. Or more correctly, you were completely spaced out and had no guard whatsoever.”

An embarrassed blush crawled over her face. “Don’t rub it in.”

“No snappy comeback?” Itachi continued to purposely irritate her. “How unlike you…”

“No. No snappy comeback. Happy?” Sarcasm was thick in her voice, but annoyance was absent.

He replied without missing a beat. “Yes, in fact, I am.” Aster only shook her head, supporting her weight against him as they started to walk.

They fell silent as they meandered towards their destination, enjoying another newfound luxury. A long forgotten feeling of peace controlled the atmosphere, and the values of green and brown around them blended in soothing patterns. Neither wanted to speak, in hopes of holding on to the moment’s serenity as long as possible. In the end, it was the shrill screech of a bird flying through the canopy that shattered the mesmerizing spell.

Aster turned in his arm, catching Itachi’s eyes easily. “So… I thought you were training Sasuke…” She watched him wince. “What happened now?” As unexpectedly as the carefree moment had crept up, it was gone.

“We had… a falling out…” Itachi spoke slowly, still unsure of the accuracy of his own words.

“Speak.” Aster waited, staring straight ahead. It wasn’t until she looked back up at him did she see the disbelieving look on his face. “You speak to me, and I’ll listen.” She elaborated.

He shook his head, whether to clear it or dismiss her odd manner of speaking he wasn’t sure. Even though it wasn’t in Itachi’s nature to be open or obedient, he was both as he answered her without qualm. “I should have been expecting this, maybe even tried to prevent it…” He started out cryptically. Aster stared, waiting for him to explain. Itachi sighed, realizing the subject wouldn’t be dropped. “He hasn’t let go of his hatred.”

There was a tense silence as she sucked in a shaky breath. Aster folded her arms, steeling herself. “I think… I think it would be unfair to ask him to cast aside almost seven years of his life in a few weeks.” She set her lips in a grim line, deciding on the best phrasing of the next part. Aster continued slowly and deliberately. “I’m not saying that holding onto the past the way he does is alright, but… It will take Sasuke time to separate himself from it. I believe that we will need to be…. Patient…. Very patient.”

Itachi nodded in agreement. “Definitely.” They sat in mutual quiet, not needing words to know the other’s thoughts on the near future.

“So… Hold on a second,” Aster jerked her head up as a sudden realization hit. “What exactly happened?”

“We were training and,” Itachi paused, remembering his failed attempts at brotherly support, “I think… I may have pushed him too hard.”

Now she seemed surprised. “It took him this long to blow up at you? He hasn’t fought with you during training until now?”

“Only when I had him spar.” Itachi replied simply. The way she was piecing things together and drawing some obscure conclusion unsettled him. Is there something she knows about Sasuke that I don’t? The idea of not understanding the person he had spent a lifetime trying to protect perturbed him.

“Wow.” Aster’s eyes widened and she stood straighter. “I’m actually impressed he held himself back so long…”

She watched Itachi’s gaze flicker in a quick review of the last few weeks. He agreed quietly. “Yes… I have to say I am too.”

Itachi lowered his eyes to the ground, drifting into thought. His ill-formed musings were shattered as Aster scuffed her foot across the ground. “We should at least find him quickly, then. I doubt he won’t get into some kind of trouble wandering around and all heated up.”

After spending a moment to piece together her jumbled words, Itachi stood, nodding in a reproving way. “I would be surprised if Sasuke was just ‘wandering around.’ He’s probably sitting at…” he paused, still unsure of how to address the housing given to them by Konoha. “home.” Itachi finished, hoping the word wouldn’t draw much attention.

She seemed to pay the word no mind, but consider his reasoning. Aster studied his eyes and then conceded. “You would know, I guess.” With that finality, they headed back in silence.


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As they stepped in the front door, Itachi inclined his head towards the room belonging to Sasuke. “I can feel his chakra, he’s upstairs.” Slipping his shoes off, he started toward the stair case. At the bottom he stopped, feeling Aster’s eyes on him. He paused, turning over choices in his mind. Concluding the inner debate, Itachi held her gaze more firmly. “His hands are injured. I doubt he took care of them.” He stepped aside. “I’m no medic, and I doubt he’ll receive me kindly.”

Aster narrowed her eyes. “I’m not a medic… And what makes you think Sasuke will enjoy having me intrude?”

He sighed. “Back to arguing?” She gave him a wry smirk in reply. “I already tried to be civilized with him, and we can see the current results. Go.” Itachi pointed towards the top landing with a small grin that didn’t reach his eyes. Aster scowled back. “Please.”

“Better.” She sighed. Then turning serious, “I need some warm water, cloth, and it’s very likely whatever happened will require bandages, won’t it?”

Itachi nodded, remembering how he had scolded Sasuke for falling incorrectly. “I can get warm water down here, bandages and wash cloths should been on the second floor.”

Without further hesitation, they parted, gathering items quietly. In a few minutes time, they returned to the foot of the staircase. Itachi handed Aster the bowl of steaming water as she draped hand towels and bandaging over one arm. In unspoken agreement they parted, Itachi to rest on the plain couch, within eyeshot of the second floor landing, and Aster up the steps, towards Sasuke.


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Aster shuffled as quietly as she could down the hall. It was peaceful and tranquil, the last she wanted to do was disturb that feeling. She stopped in front of the door she knew to be Sasuke’s, gathering everything in one arm. The door creaked as she gently pushed it inwards. There was no discernible movement, and Aster stepped inside lightly.

Surprise caught her off guard, and she froze, staring at the bed. The window light had a hazy effect, and fell on the foot of the bed in odd dappled patterns that followed rippling sheets. White-blue folds were twined with Sasuke’s feet and ankles as he lay half curled and fast asleep, facing the wall. Aster smiled to herself. He didn’t look like the distant, irritable sixteen year-old boy that had stalked the hallway earlier this morning. As she set her supplies on the nightstand nearby, she was tempted to let him sleep. He looked peaceful and childish; it seemed wrong to wake him. But it had to be done. Even from her poor vantage point, she could the damage done to his hands. He’s going to get that infected… She realized ruefully.

Forcing the decision, Aster tapped him on the shoulder softly, hoping to rouse Sasuke gently. His eyes flew open at the touch, and he jumped up right- or at least gave it a good try. Propping his body upright required the brace of hands, which he found to be rather painful at the moment. Sasuke had fallen back on his elbows before noticing who was at his bed side. Instead of relaxing, he tensed even more.

“What are you doing here?” Sasuke’s voice was yielding with sleep.

Aster sighed. Apparently he only looks innocent and carefree when he’s asleep. “I heard about your hands,” she answered matter of factly, motioning towards the water and cloth on the table.

“My hands are fine,” his reply was instantaneous, near automatic.

He’s going to be stubborn about this, isn’t he… Aster gave him a reproving look. “Will they still be fine when all those scraps get infected? Let me wash them.”

“I can wash them myself.” Sasuke narrowed his eyes in defiance.

Crossing her arms, she came back quickly. “I don’t believe you. If that was true, they’d already be taken care of.” Without leaving room for argument, Aster picked the slightly cooled bowl of water and a cloth, sliding onto the edge of the rumpled bedspread.

Sasuke sighed, still too tired to resist as much as he might have liked. Then he caught sight of the gauze. “You don’t need to bandage them. They’re just scrapes.”

“True, they are only scrapes. But, they’re on your hands,” she paused, waiting for Sasuke to get the idea. In the silence, Aster pulled one arm away from him and wet a cloth. When it didn’t dawn on him immediately, she continued. “You use your hands all the time, the wounds are bound to get infected. As minor as they are, they need to be bandaged.”

“Oh.” Sasuke winced as she rubbed the scrapes with the warm towel. “That hurts,” he mumbled lamely, still highly irritated.

Aster chafed his skin a little harder. “You have gravel in the cuts. This is going to hurt.” He pulled back, but she kept a firm hold on his wrist. “Hold still.”

Relenting at last, he agreed to hold the water bowl in his lap while she cleaned and bandaged his unfavorably placed lesions. When Sasuke stopped struggling with her, he found her touch soothing, and he could feel healing effects beginning. It made him want to go back to sleep. He relaxed, letting his mind wander. The way she took care of him reminded him of something. I can’t quite remember it… Something… a long time ago… With a start, he realized what the last few moments had coaxed from the depths of his memory.

She picked up on it immediately, gazing at him from under her bangs while still wrapping his right hand. “Yes, Sasuke-chan?”

That only made the memory clearer. A thumb ran over his cheek, massaging a foul smelling salve into his burns. It stung and he wiggled, the wooden porch creaking slightly under his young body’s weight. Gentle laughter wafted to him and a soft voice told him to be still. Obeying as best as he could, he allowed nimble fingers to place small bandages on the burns. At last the woman kneeling in front of him pulled away. She smiled and brushed the hair off of his forehead. “All done, Sasuke-chan.” He forced a grin in return, even though it agitated his singe marks. “Thank you mother.”

Sasuke did a double take of Aster sitting across from, finishing the wrappings. Before he could fully think through his words, he blurted out, “Nee-chan, you act like you’re somebody’s mom.”

She raised her head and blinked, unsure what to think. “I act… like somebody’s mom…?” she questioned slowly.

“Never mind.” Sasuke diverted his eyes.

Aster didn’t press the subject and continued about her work quietly. In a few minutes she released him. “All done, otouto.” He nodded, staring at his wrapped hands. Shifting slightly, he felt the bed rise under him as she stood and gathered the used water and wash rags. Sasuke leaned back against the wall, thankful for the retreating lag of Aster’s footsteps. He closed his eyes, listening to hushed creak of the door. It didn’t click immediately.

Spinning back around slowly, Aster took another glance at Sasuke’s reclined form. “Otouto…” He nearly jumped out his skin. The more she called him that, the more he was reminded of Itachi. She continued without noting his subdued reaction. “You should sleep.” He nodded in response and was answered with the gentle click of the door handle.


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Aster padded down the stairs after depositing the bowl and towels in the second floor bathroom. As she reached the landing, her eyes roved the room for Itachi. He was nowhere in sight, but she could clearly feel his chakra. Sighing to herself, she shuffled to the couch, which had its back to her. Just as she expected, he had fallen asleep, sprawled on his stomach and breathing softly. Aster reached over, brushing his hair back and shaking his shoulder lightly.

He rolled onto his back, watching her with a heavy-lidded stare. “Tired?” She let a small smile take her expression.

“I haven’t been sleeping well…” Itachi muttered, still not completely awake.

“I can tell.” She came around and prodded him until he sat up. “This is a bad place to fall asleep. We have a room and bed for a reason.”

Itachi shook his head. “It’s the middle of the day, I shouldn’t be sleeping.”

Aster laughed at him. “No, you’ve been out for a while, it’s late in the afternoon.” She pulled his arm over her shoulders. “Besides, I think you should be properly rested before we… talk.”

“About what?” He inquired keenly.

She brushed it off with a wave of her hand. “Later. Now is a good time to rest.”

Itachi shook his head, but didn’t argue. As they climbed the stairs, he leaned on her, and she felt a tiredness in him that went deeper than a lack of sleep.