𝐔𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐡𝐚 - An One-shot

The problem with mantras

"Act like an Uchiha. You must do that until the end of your life"

Sasuke was always told to make the best decisions. No matter when, no matter what.

"Remember this. Always think rationally and logically. You mustn't ever lose control of your emotions."

That was what his father would often tell him. Over time, it became like a mantra.

"Missions are orders. You must fulfill those, no matter what it costs."

Even after his father died, Sasuke found himself many times, repeating those words he got drilled into his head all those years ago.

"We Uchiha are silent observers. Never tell anyone about your thoughts. You never know which ally actually lives up to that title."

Over and over and over and over and over and over. He would continue to repeat them until whatever was bothering him went away.

"If someone does bad to you. Have revenge. That's what we, Uchiha, do."

The time, that passed until that happened didn't matter. Sometimes, it'd take thousands of repeatings.
But it always worked out.

For instance,
that time, after it happened. He began to enjoy the idea of revenge on that man.

Or the other time, when he had met him. That day, he felt like he was reliving everything of that day. But eventually, it resulted in his desire for revenge to grow stronger than ever.
Whether or not that was a good thing?
Looking back at it, it probaly could've worked way differently without that meeting.

The words of his father were his mantra and the reason he was able to come this far. It was what kept him going during his darkest times. A rope that he could grab onto.

Few people tried to hold him back.

Naruto. He always tried to bring him back.
"Come home, Sasuke"
'Home'. Laughable. He never viewed that place, full of memories of those times, a 'home'.
"You and I are the same. I can understand you."
He felt like throwing up. Understand him? Ridiculous.

Then there was Sakura. She has always liked him. Just like her other teammate, she chased after him. Trying to take him back home.
"You can still come back"
Coming back? After everything that happened? Just going back to his old, 'happy' life? As if his whole reason for survival doesn't boil down to accomplishing this mission?
"Sasuke-kun. Please."
There were moments he just wanted to do as she said. Going home, live a peaceful life and not having to worry about anything.
"Let's go home together, okay?"
How much he wished he could do that.

No matter how many times he would have to repeat those words, it always worked out.

That was, until now.

Now, he wasn't exactly sure. Remember how he said the mantra was the reason he could come this far?
That was a lie.

In reality, his father's words were only an excuse. They were his excuse to say "I came this far because of them". But that wasn't true. It was the hate for his 'brother' that had kept him going. He was never making the best decision. He was never keeping his emotions in cage. All his actions were the polar opposite of what his supposed mantra told him to do.

He simply didn't want to admit that everything was going just like Itachi had told him to.

Even when he kept Naruto alive in the Valley of the end and he told himself to 'become stronger without using the methods of Itachi', that wasn't actually true.

Guess there are some things that are bound to happen. Everything was going according to Itachi's plan.

Whatever. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore.
Itachi is dead. And it was Sasuke's fault.

Was he happy? He didn't know.

What was this unsettling feeling looming over him, as his gaze wanders around the remains of the Uchiha Hideout?
He didn't know.

But that didn't matter.

After all, Sasuke acted like an Uchiha. And he was going to do that until the end of his life.