An Itachi Fanfiction [EDITING]

Truth

Sasuke woke slowly.

For several moments he simply stared at the ceiling.

Then his eyes shifted toward me.

"You knocked me out."

"You were trying to tear yourself apart," I replied quietly.

His gaze flicked to the ropes around his wrists.

"And he tied me up."

"He was being thorough."

Normally that might have earned a sarcastic comment.

Not today.

The room felt hollow.

Empty.

Like something important had been ripped out of it.

Because it had.

Itachi was gone.

For a long moment neither of us spoke.

Then Sasuke looked away.

"Itachi was my enemy."

The words made something inside me snap.

"No."

My voice came out sharper than I intended.

Sasuke looked back at me.

"No," I repeated.

"He wasn't."

"He murdered our clan."

"He saved it."

"He tortured me."

"He protected you."

"He tried to kill me."

"He died protecting you."

The room fell silent.

I could feel tears burning behind my eyes.

"He loved you, Sasuke."

My voice broke.

"He loved you more than anyone."

Madara stepped forward.

"And that's where the story begins."

Neither of us wanted to listen.

But neither of us stopped him.

So he began.

He spoke of the founding of the village.

Of Hashirama.

Of the Uchiha.

Of betrayal.

Of fear.

Of discrimination.

Of the slow destruction of trust.

And for the first time in my life, I watched Sasuke truly listen.

Not argue.

Not scream.

Not threaten.

Just listen.

As though every word was another stone being added to the weight already crushing him.

Then Madara spoke of the coup.

Of Fugaku.

Of Itachi's role as a spy.

I saw Sasuke physically recoil.

"My father?"

The question came out barely above a whisper.