WHISPERS OF DARK DESIRES || ITASASU

Chapter Two: Boundaries need to be pushed, sometimes

The sun was a pale disc, struggling to pierce through the shrouded sky as dawn broke over the Akatsuki hideout. The air was crisp with the promise of rain, heavy with the scent of damp earth and lingering mist. Inside, the remnants of the previous night's revelry were still evident—empty sake cups scattered across the floor, plates left untouched, and the unmistakable sound of snores from several rooms. For once, the notorious criminals who made up the Akatsuki were at ease, enjoying a rare moment of indulgence, free from their usual scheming.

But outside, away from the sluggish warmth of the hideout, the atmosphere was anything but relaxed.

Sasuke's breath came in ragged gasps as he barely managed to dodge a swift strike from Itachi. The training session had started early, as it always did, with Itachi waking him before dawn with a simple order: "Let's go." And Sasuke, driven by something between habit and compulsion, had followed.

There was no holding back. There never was. Every session with Itachi was a battle—a test of wills as much as it was of skill. Today, though, there was an edge to it, an intensity that felt different, sharper. The silence between their strikes buzzed with an undercurrent of unresolved tension, as though their unspoken conversation from the night before had followed them here, lingering like a spectre.

"You're hesitating," Itachi's voice cut through the cool morning air, smooth and detached, but laced with an unmistakable challenge. "That hesitation will get you killed."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, fury surging through him. Itachi was right, of course—he always was—but it only stoked the flames of Sasuke's frustration. The gnawing doubt, the confusion that had plagued him ever since last night, was making him sloppy. His strikes lacked the precision he prided himself on, and every time Itachi countered, that familiar mixture of rage and something darker twisted in his chest.

He lunged forward, a blur of speed as he aimed a kunai at Itachi's throat, but Itachi was faster. With a fluid motion, he deflected the blow and slipped behind Sasuke, catching his wrist in an iron grip before wrenching his arm behind his back. Sasuke struggled, twisting to break free, but Itachi's strength was overwhelming, his control absolute.

"Again," Itachi whispered in Sasuke's ear, his breath hot against his skin. The proximity sent a jolt down Sasuke's spine, making him tense in a way that had nothing to do with battle instincts. He could feel the heat radiating from Itachi's body, the pressure of his brother's grip tightening just enough to remind Sasuke how easily he could be subdued.

And yet, buried beneath the frustration and anger was something else—something primal and unsettling that Sasuke didn't want to acknowledge.

With a snarl, Sasuke wrenched free and spun to face Itachi, eyes blazing with the fire of his Sharingan. He was pushing himself harder now, refusing to back down, even as every muscle in his body burned with the effort. But Itachi's expression remained infuriatingly calm, his movements precise and effortless as he deflected every strike and parried every attack. It was as though he was toying with Sasuke, allowing him to push himself to the brink, only to remind him, over and over again, who was in control.

"Is this all you have, Sasuke?" Itachi's voice was taunting now, his eyes narrowing with a glint of something that was almost cruel. "Or are you holding back because you're afraid?"

The words cut deep, more than they should have. Sasuke's chest tightened as he felt that familiar heat flare up again—the same heat that had haunted him last night, coiling in his gut, twisting with every look, every word from Itachi. It was infuriating, humiliating, but worst of all, it was undeniable.

With a shout, Sasuke threw himself at Itachi, faster and more desperate this time. He wanted to silence that voice, that mocking calmness that seemed to know too much. But it was no use. Itachi was always one step ahead, and with a sudden burst of speed, he caught Sasuke mid-attack, twisting him around and slamming him back against the rough bark of a tree.