Crossroads (A Naruto Fanfiction)

The Uchiha's

'Don't take it to heart', Father said. I knew there was a reason for that sudden attack, but I couldn't help but become scared of Father after that. I didn't even have the guts to ask him why. Mother hadn't said anything, but I was sure she knew what had happened.

Itachi was the only one I was able to stay comfortable with. His presence gave me a sense of relief that I couldn't seem to find anywhere else. The kidnapping didn't leave me without trauma after all; I became too scared to be alone. I could barely sleep. I become restless in bright places and so other minor details.

The Uchiha's however, they seem to understand this and were able to keep acting normal around me. It was strangely heartwarming. In the anime, you have the impression that the Uchiha's are cold-hearted, hate social interactions, are arrogant and have a superiority complex, but that's not all true. The Uchiha's are introverts with strong walls built up around them. They seem cold-hearted because they're cautious and naturally untrusting, and it's a fact that the Uchiha have pride that can seem overbearing. They take pride in the fact that we are a powerful clan that has a right to authority for being a co-founder of this village, and it's no secret that the Uchiha produced the best prodigies of the generation.

Take Itachi, argued to be the greatest prodigy in this world, back in my old world. Then there's Shisui, who is said to be one of the fastest shinobi's second to Minato. Almost all Uchiha's are made to be shinobi and more than half rank up to become jounin. The pride we have is well-founded with the addition of the Sharingan, but that isn't everything. The pride, the cold-heartedness, the arrogance, that's just the outside. If you're able to break through their walls you'd be able to see what the Uchiha's truly are. Our bond between clansmen are strong. We are a model in loyalty to blood. We protect one another and understand each other without words. Why do you think we are cursed with hatred?

When an Uchiha starts to love something or someone, the love is stronger than what you'd expect. When we lose the one we love, when we are betrayed by the ones we love, the curse takes hold. Obito lost Rin whom he loved, so you could see my point with that.

There are only those few that can fight it. Itachi and Sasuke are the only examples I have. It might seem weird with Sasuke, but I've seen it. It's true that if Naruto wasn't so devoted to bringing him back, he would've continued to be plagued but in the end, he came back, he fought the hatred and returned to his friends where he would later have a family.

Oh, Obito did fight the curse of hatred too, didn't he? He died protecting Naruto, right?

Ah... Now that I remember the anime, nothing about it seemed fiction anymore. I could only imagine them as they were on screen but they were real. Naruto, that boy that despaired more than I ever did, became something. He changed the world and saved so many countless lives. Most importantly, he saved my yet to be brother's life.

"Satsuki?" I brought back my attention across to the other side of our bedroom, to Itachi when he called my name. It was still dark, near dawn, so I could only make out the silhouette of him sitting up from his bed. I couldn't sleep with all these thoughts and stress piled up, so I just lied staring up at the ceiling.

I heard the rustle of Itachi getting up from his bed and coming over to my side. The closer he came, the clearer I could see him. His chin lengthed dark hair, his matching obsidian eyes, his tear doughs. Itachi would grow up to become a handsome young man no doubt. I moved over to make space and Itachi climbed into bed next to me and got comfortable under the covers. I put an arm around his torso and closed my eyes, feeling a hundred times more comfortable. Almost instantly, sleep crawled into my senses...

If Naruto could save Sasuke, would I be able to save Itachi?

The image of a blonde teenager fighting down his demons crawling to grapple him back down the stairs he had climbed up came to mind. The blonde teenager turned around to glare at those offending hands. "I'll bring Sasuke back!" He growled out before continuing to run up the endless stairs.

There was no end in sight but he never stopped.