Light our Shadows

Ch 10: You're Stupid

Naruto and little Sasuke were sat out on the front stairs of the Uchiha's house. Even though Sasuke had told Mikoto they wouldn't be back that day, after everything that happened, Naruto figured the best place to bring the kid was back home. She was still cleaning the mess Sasuke had made in the kitchen when they arrived. Fugaku had already gone to work at the police station. Naruto was thankful the other man was gone. After the way they'd quite literally stormed out Naruto was in no rush to see him. Shisui had to go too but Naruto didn't blame the kid. They'd taken up so much of his time. He made sure to thank Shisui for his help.

Little Sasuke had woken up a bit ago physically and emotionally drained. He got close to becoming hysterical again for a few minutes when Mikoto refused to let him go out searching again but he'd calmed down greatly since hearing his older self was searching for Naruto's younger self. It helped to know he was the one still looking. The boy had a cup that he couldn't even fit his little hands around settled in his lap. It was so tall it stood up to his chest. The boy drinking through a blue bendy straw.

"Drink all that tomato juice okay? We need to get your energy back up. Sharingan drains lots of chakra. I'd give you some of mine but your body's so tiny I think if I even gave you a drop you might get your Rinnegan and that'll just drain your chakra worse. That'd be real bad."

"Rinnegan?" Sasuke paused in his drinking. He looked at Naruto curious. "What's that?"

"It's like a sharingan but way more cool. Only downside is it's always active and draining your chakra." Naruto laughed a bit as he leaned back on his hands. "Man it's so weird knowing more about dojutsu than you do. You're usually the one telling me all about 'em."

"Really?" Little Sasuke wondered eye brows rising. "I know a lot?"

"Course you do. You're super knowledgeable bout all kinds of jutsu and stuff." Naruto grinned that signature eye closed smile of his. "You're a real genius Sasuke."

Sasuke's smile fell away. His eyes flicked down to the ground. His posture slumped. He bowed his head and slowly swirled the straw in his cup in a circle. He watched a spiral form in the liquid completely morose.

Naruto's eyes blinked open. He'd expected Sasuke to barrage him with more questions after that comment. Wanted to get at least a few more excited really's out of him. Instead... silence was all the hokage got. Blue eyes studied the subdued boy. Naruto knew what that slumped over posture meant. He recognized this abrupt silence well. Sasuke was too tiny to look as down as his adult self. Naruto nudged him with his leg. "Hey, Sas, what's with the shadowy bang thing? We were havin' such a nice chat."

"You're wrong." The kid mumbled out, shoulders sagged. A complete change in demeanor from before. "Genius..." Sasuke slumped further. "... that words not for me."

"Huh? Not for you?" Naruto's eyebrows scrunched in confusion and concern. What the hell was little Sasuke talking about? What did he mean that word wasn't for him? "Sasuke..."

"Don't Sasuke me! You're wrong!" Sasuke snapped his voice raising, fingers clenching around his cup. "You're an idiot! You don't know anything!"

"Sasuke." A heavy hand rested on the boys small shoulder. Naruto looked him dead in the eye. "I know you."

Kid Sasuke's mouth parted but no words came out. No sound. Just a breathless gasp. Naruto, he'd used such an irrefutable tone that any protests the little boy had died before they could even be born as thoughts.

"You're special, Sasuke. Believe me." Naruto insisted,  "Geniuses like you are really rare."

Those words had never been applied to him before. Not in all his life. Rare? Genius? Him? Naruto was such an idiot. It was always his brother who got compliments like these. Never him. This feeling...what was it? He'd never experienced it before. He was being seen in this moment. After so long of being overlooked and feeling like he was worthless. The attention was so foreign, so overwhelming. The surety in Naruto's eyes, in his voice, it was too much for little Sasuke to handle. He looked away stubbornly only to catch sight of his older self, and brother, appearing with little Naruto in tow.

Tiny Sasuke's oversized cup tumbled from his hands. The tomato juice spilled on the front stairs. He leapt to his feet. Naruto watched the little boy sprint away with a smile though his eyes were pained. He'd always thought Sasuke started feeling worthless the way he did because of the massacre. His husband didn't like talking about his family or his past. Naruto respected that to a certain degree. Made his assumptions accordingly with what little information he could get. But looking into his younger selfs eyes...that feeling was already there plain as day. It just about killed Naruto to realize it-to witness it. How could someone as amazing as Sasuke feel like they would never be good enough?

Itachi barely withheld a groan as he saw little Sasuke sprinting towards him. His eyes flit to the sky begging for strength. He opened his arms, bending his knees to brace himself. He waited for his little brother to barrel into him like always. Knock the wind straight out of him. Except to Itachi's surprise little Sasuke used him like a spring board instead of greeting him with a hug. Sasuke kicked off his bent leg, his small hand pushing his off his brothers shoulder to get air born. The Uchiha teen stumbled forwards barely even catching himself.

Itachi turned to look behind him just in time to see his little brother tackle the little Naruto right out of his older self's hold. Adult Sasuke let it happen with a flicker of a smile. The two boys went crashing to the ground. It was a miracle they both didn't break their skulls or dislocate their shoulders.

Little Naruto tried to scramble away fearing the worst. Young Sasuke was gonna kill him! "Ah!" He got to his knees but little Sasuke had already grabbed his ankle and was pulling him back down.

"Get back here! I'm not done!" Kid Sasuke pulled him, pinning his legs down." The tackle was just the beginning loser! You're in for it!"

"Sasuke, don't be mad! I'm sorry-!" Child Naruto put his arms up in front of his face to shield himself from the punches that were definitely about to come as he was flipped over.

Except, they didn't. Arms circled around his middle. Little Naruto froze. No way. His arms slowly lowered from their defensive position. But he was. Kid Sasuke was hugging him. Little Naruto didn't know what to do. He'd never gotten a real hug like this before. It was warm and tight and...from Sasuke of all people.

"You're so stupid, Stupid." Little Sasuke muttered into his shoulder. "You can't just disappear like that. It's not okay." Sasuke pulled back and fisted his hands into the blonde's shirt. "Understand?" He glared as he shook him. "Not okay. Say it! Say it's not okay, Stupid!"

"It-" Little Naruto struggled. Sasuke he'd...he'd actually cared? He did. Sasuke cared. He blinked his eyes. "It's not okay."

"Good." Little Sasuke let him go and punched him. "Never do it again!"

"Sasuke you're supposed to be nice to your friends." Itachi sighed tiredly. He gave up on his brother. He would never listen. Itachi trudged back home. He closed his eyes, his head was killing him. He needed to lie down. Screw his mission. Shisui could handle it. He ignored Naruto's adult self on the front steps. He didn't care what he was telling him. Itachi refused to watch either of the younger boys his head was killing him. If he had to listen to any-Itachi slipped on Sasuke's spilled juice. His head collided with the door frame.

"Ah!" He looked down at the ground eyeing the tomato juice there. "Damnit Sasuke-!" Itachi swore truly at his wits end. His fist banged against the doorframe. He held a hand to his head. Fuck that had hurt. Typically he was careful never to let his anger towards Sasuke show. Then again today was not a typical day. His head was actually killing him. That blow hadn't helped at all.

Itachi glared at both the young and old versions. He kicked the empty cup at them both. It rolled uselessly down the road between them. Both Sasuke's stared blankly back at him with raised eyebrows. The same what's your problem expression? Itachi could already hear the whining complaint of it's not my fault you stepped in it big brother from them both in his head. Frustrated, wanting to ring his brothers neck, young and old alike, Itachi turned and went inside slamming the door shut behind him.

Naruto winced. He'd tried to warn him.

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Here's another chapter guys! Stay tuned for more!