𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐔 || 𝙇𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙨

flashbacks

└───❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚┘

I can't put my finger on it, but Sakura seems familiar somehow..
——
-7 years ago-

(Clarification- In this AU, Itachi is 8 years older than him)

I awaken to the feel of my mother's warm touch, her fingers brushing my hair out of my face.

"Sasuke dear, time to wake up."
She whispers quietly as not to startle me. She crosses the room and switched on the small lamp, casting her shadow against the wall.

"Don't you want to visit big brother Itachi?"

I turned over on my right side, groaning. "He left us, what does it matter."

I turned my face to the ceiling, mumbling "it's not like he.. cares."

My mother looked at me with concern as she sat beside me, stroking my hair. I blinked sleepily as I adjusted to the light "That's not true at all Sasuke." She holds my cheek filling it with warmth.

"He loves you a lot, he's just staying with your grandparents for his studies, something you might do someday." She pulled me into a tight embrace, poking my forehead with love after—
an act of love the Uchiha expressed their emotions through.

"Now let's get ready so we can see him as a family, okay?"

———-

We arrived at Aokusa city, my mother marveled at the site while my dad kept calm and looked unmoved.

My grandparents house was pretty big, we were greeted by handshakes and hugs, but where was Itachi? I craned my neck to the right and left, trying to peak past my Grandpas broad figure. Grandpa Madara startled me by shaking my hand with a strong grip, looking at me with a smirk.

"And your Sasuke huh. Itachis been talking about you quite a lot."

We only met grandpa Madara once, when I was too young to remember. All I know is that he's the head of the biggest police force in the state. Mother said Itachi went to study here because he was learning through him, as well as diplomatic + Leadership training over the whole summer.

I eyed him with suspicion, muttering under my breath. So this is what Itachi chose over our own house. "Hmph, I don't see the appeal."

Madara lets out a hearty laugh at me, and I'd just realized I said that out loud. Itachi emerged out from behind Grandpa Madara with a tired gaze and outlined eye bags, a change I didn't know could happen in merely 2 months.

His eyes land on me, softening as he pats my head, "Sasuke."

He turns to our parents politely
"Mom, Dad. This is a surprise."

In that moment, Itachi didn't look like he was a mere 17 year old, he had a look beyond his years. It seems as if all the expectations from the family has changed his face and soul.

——-

We only stayed for a few hours before heading back, apparently unable to take too much "time out of his studying."

My mom has me at a park that's on the way home, I sit on the swings silently as I look out into the darkening sky.

As much as I wanted to be alone, there was a girl, sitting on the other swing who insisted on stealing multiple glances at me. I boldly turned my head to her finally and frowned,

"Who are you" I question her firmly.

Expectedly, she turns her head away fast, just like everyone else in elementary school.

I scoff at her response and give a half heart- swing out of boredom, noticing my mom's the only parent here. Where are her parents?

I push my feet off the ground, going higher with each push as I zone out, one particular strong push was too hard and set me tumbling.

I hiss, annoyed at my ignorance. I grasp my knee as the pain flares up, I had a scrape.

The pink haired girl rushed over, leaning over me as she gasps. She quickly rummages through her bag and sits down beside me.

"Here. Give me your leg." She insisted confidently as she opened her hands.

I was hesitant but also hiding my teary eyes, I moved forward my leg as I look away. I loosened my grip on all the emotions I had bottled up, this fall was the catalyst.

"My grandma is the best medic ever, I can fix this so don't cry." She smiled at me with complete confidence in what she said.

I shift, surprised at her finding me out. She was surprisingly perceptive, I was concealing my eyes this whole time.

"Im not crying."

She ignored me as she was in complete focus, disinfecting it as she bandaged it slowly. She finally knots it and snips off the excess cloth with ease.

"All better!" She jumped up beaming, and offered me a hand. I took it without a thought, instinctively I had a feeling I owed her that.

"Do you need help walking to your mom?" She questioned with care.

I pulled away from her hand, "no. im fine."

I start to limp slightly over to my mom, the girl paused- it seemed she was about to say something, but quickly ran the other way as the distant echo of a bell rung in my ear. I looked back at her, and turned away quickly when I realized so did she.

I finally reach my mom who gasps worryingly, noticing the bandage on my leg.

She bends down to my level, sounding impressed.

"Did you do this yourself Sasuke?" She asks with amusement. 

Before I can respond, a single cherry blossom petal floats through the air, drifting down between us and landing on my nose, releasing a giggle from my mom as she picks it up.

—

My body lifted from the sheets, hazy and sweating from the sudden awakening.

I caught a glimpse of the dream I'd just had before the memory left, the faint image slipping through my mind like sand. As much as I tried to grip onto it, it left my mind within a few seconds.

One thing that didn't leave my mind was a pair of green eyes, a shade too familiar, too certain to me that haunted my mind like the plague.