Sasuke walked slowly along the edge of a quiet riverbank, the soft sound of flowing water filling the air. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow on the surface of the water. His sharp senses, honed from years of training, guided him to the herbs he was searching for. Kneeling down, Sasuke reached into the underbrush, his fingers gently plucking the medicinal plants he needed. He took his time, carefully picking through the growth and ensuring that the herbs were undamaged.

Balancing on the slippery edge, Sasuke meticulously sealed the herbs inside his giant storage scroll, rolling it up with practiced precision. He moved cautiously, making sure not to lose his footing near the river's edge. When he was done, he strapped the scroll back onto his back and straightened up, taking a moment to glance out over the water. It was peaceful here—almost too peaceful.

Sasuke lost track of time as he continued walking, the weight of his thoughts heavy on his mind. It had been days, or perhaps longer, since he had left Sunagakure and parted ways with Team Seven once more. The memory was bittersweet, leaving a lingering sense of melancholy in his chest. His old teammates still cared about him, which made the distance he placed between them harder to bear. In their own ways, Naruto and Sakura had grown tremendously during their time apart and Sasuke couldn't help but notice how much they had changed, but he also knew that his leaving had a profound impact on them—and on Kakashi as well.

If he had chosen to return to Konoha with them, he knew his fate. He'd end up in prison for betraying the village, and in doing so, he would stunt Naruto and Sakura's growth as shinobi. Sasuke reminded himself that everything had its time and place. His time in Konoha had come to an end long ago and returning now would serve no purpose. He had no home in the Leaf anymore.

As Sasuke mused over these thoughts, something shifted in the air. His body tensed, his senses sharpening. There was a presence nearby—a disturbingly familiar one.

Without hesitation, Sasuke withdrew a kunai from his pouch and spun around, his reflexes as sharp as ever despite his lack of sight. His blade pressed against the throat of none other than Itachi Uchiha.

"Hello, little brother," Itachi greeted softly, his voice as calm as ever.

Sasuke's expression didn't change. His voice, equally calm, cut through the tension. "What are you doing here, Itachi?"

Itachi slowly lowered Sasuke's kunai away from his neck with a firm grip.

"I didn't come to fight," Itachi said, his eyes locking onto Sasuke's face. "I want to talk."

Sasuke could feel Itachi's gaze lingering, especially on his face—his eyes, now permanently closed. There was a longing there, but Sasuke didn't care to acknowledge it.

"You want to talk," Sasuke said dryly, withdrawing the kunai but keeping it at the ready. "Is this about me having to get stronger and kill you?"

"No," Itachi replied quietly, his voice laced with a somber tone.

A moment of silence passed between them before Itachi asked the question that had been eating at him since they met. "What happened to your eyes?"

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to answer. Finally, he decided to indulge Itachi's curiosity. "Orochimaru took them."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly, his calm façade cracking just enough to reveal his shock.

Sasuke remained nonchalant, his tone flat as he continued, "I made a mistake trusting that snake and I paid the price for it."

Itachi's expression hardened, a rare flash of emotion crossing his face—anger. Sasuke could feel Itachi's chakra flare subtly with rage.

"Orochimaru will pay for this," Itachi said darkly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sasuke nodded slowly. "There will be a time and place for revenge, but for now all we can do is wait."

Without warning, Sasuke placed a hand on Itachi's chest. He could sense the failing energy in his brother's body, the weakening of his lungs. It was as though the very breath of life was slipping away from him.

Itachi flinched at the touch, caught off guard by the sudden intrusion.

"How long have you known you were sick?" Sasuke asked quietly, his voice soft but unyielding.

Itachi didn't answer and Sasuke removed his hand, stepping back. "Your disease has progressed significantly. If you continue to leave it untreated you have about six months left to live."

...

Itachi remained silent, though the truth of Sasuke's words weighed heavily in the air. He had known about his illness for some time, but hearing it from his younger brother made it feel more real—more immediate.

Sasuke raised a hand and gently touched Itachi's face.

"Why aren't you reacting harshly?" Itachi asked, his voice carrying an uncharacteristic edge of uncertainty. "Don't you still hate me for everything I've done?"

Sasuke's hand fell to his side, and he shook his head. "I moved past my hatred of you a long time ago, Itachi."

The younger Uchiha's voice was firm but devoid of the fiery anger it once held. "I see you as a foolish man. A man who wanted only to cause pain and suffering to those he cared about the most."

Itachi winced at the words, but he didn't deny them.

Sasuke's gaze hardened. "Was killing our clan worth it?"

Itachi shook his head slowly, his voice barely a whisper. "No... it wasn't."

Sasuke took a deep breath, somewhat satisfied with his brother's answer. "Then we're done here. I'm not going to kill you, Itachi. I could care less about seeking revenge against you."

Itachi blinked, his shock clear.

"The people I want revenge on," Sasuke continued, his voice darkening, "Are Orochimaru and Kabuto. They are the ones who are the target of my ire, not you."

Itachi simply stared at Sasuke speechless as his younger brother turned his back on him once more. The weight of their shared history hung heavily between them, but for now, Sasuke had made peace with his past.

Itachi had decided to stick around, much to Sasuke's dismay. The older Uchiha's presence, while not hostile, felt unsettling to Sasuke. It wasn't that he feared his brother, but there was an awkwardness, a tension that lingered between them. As they walked side by side along the forest path, Sasuke didn't pay much attention to Itachi, focusing instead on his own thoughts. After a few moments, Sasuke summoned Katsuyu with a brief hand sign, the small slug appearing before him with a quiet squelch.

"Katsuyu," Sasuke greeted softly.

"Master Sasuke," the slug replied in its calm, echoing voice.

Their conversation began as though Itachi wasn't even there. Sasuke asked Katsuyu about the herbs he had collected earlier, and the two of them engaged in quiet, mundane discussion about their uses. Meanwhile Itachi followed behind, struggling to reconcile the version of Sasuke who now spoke calmly to a slug with the vengeful boy who had once tried to kill him without hesitation. He vividly remembered the younger Sasuke, consumed by rage and hatred, intent on avenging their clan.

Itachi glanced at his brother's back, watching as he walked with steady purpose. How much time had truly passed? How had Sasuke gone from that boy full of fury to the composed, almost serene young man before him?

Sasuke's voice broke through Itachi's thoughts. "Are you still following me, Itachi?"

Itachi gave a small nod. "Yes."

Sasuke turned slightly, his expression unreadable. "Would you like to take a break from traveling?"

Itachi nodded once more. "That sounds good."

The two brothers settled under a large tree, the afternoon light filtering through the leaves. Sasuke took out some dried fungus from his pouch and began feeding it to Katsuyu, who accepted the offering gratefully. Itachi sat beside him, observing silently.

Sasuke glanced at Itachi. "Why are you still following me?"

Itachi's eyes lingered on his brother before he responded, "I've taken some time off from the Akatsuki."

His response was vague and he didn't offer any further details.

Sasuke didn't press. Instead he pulled a tomato from his storage scroll and carefully sliced it with a kunai. Itachi watched as Sasuke ate the tomato in silence, each slice cut with precision.

"How long do you plan on staying?" Sasuke asked between bites, licking the tomato juice from his fingers.

Itachi remained silent, his gaze distant, but Sasuke didn't push for an answer. Instead, he shifted the topic. "You should look into treatment for your disease, Itachi."

This time, Itachi's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected Sasuke to show any concern for his well-being, not after everything he had done.

"I don't want you to die," Sasuke continued, his voice flat but sincere. "I'd prefer if you stayed alive and lived with what you've done to our clan. That would be punishment enough for your crimes."

Itachi absorbed his brother's words, nodding slowly. He had always expected Sasuke to seek vengeance, to want his death as retribution. But now, as he sat beside Sasuke, he realized that the young man had grown beyond the vengeful child he had once been. Sasuke was level-headed, mature. He no longer carried the curse of hatred that Itachi had feared would consume him.

"Sasuke," Itachi began, "Are you a medical ninja?"

Sasuke gave a small nod. "In a way, yes."

"Can you... treat me?" Itachi's voice was quiet, almost reluctant to ask.

Sasuke smiled, the expression faint but noticeable. "I'll see what I can do."

They decided to head to a nearby village to rest for a while. Before entering the village, Itachi removed his Akatsuki cloak, folding it and tucking it away. Sasuke rented a room at a small inn, paying the innkeeper in silence. Once they were inside the room, Itachi sat on the bed while Sasuke set about his work.

Sasuke approached, his hand glowing faintly with chakra as he checked Itachi's lungs. The damage was clear—Itachi's disease had progressed and his breathing was labored, though he tried to hide it. Sasuke mentally noted a few things, silently taking stock of his brother's condition before moving away to the kitchen counter. He unpacked supplies from his scroll and began preparing medicine, grinding herbs and mixing them with practiced precision.

Itachi watched Sasuke quietly, his eyes following each careful movement. He hadn't known that Sasuke had become this skilled. The younger Uchiha had grown in ways Itachi never anticipated.

Katsuyu, who had been resting nearby, slithered over to Itachi and settled into his lap. Itachi stared down at the slug, feeling its cool, smooth texture as it rested there.

"You've grown a lot, Sasuke," Itachi said softly.

Sasuke continued working as he responded, "I lived with an old man for a few months. He was a healer who helped me adjust to my blindness. He and a woman named Fumiko taught me everything I know. Katsuyu and the creatures of the Shikkotsu Forest just helped me refine those skills."

Katsuyu confirmed Sasuke's story, it's soft voice echoing in the quiet room. "It's been a while since I've taken on a student, not since Tsunade Senju herself."

Itachi raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Very few people have ever traveled to the Shikkotsu Forest."

Sasuke nodded, continuing his task. "I might get someone to write me a letter for Sakura and Naruto, tell them how I'm doing and maybe include a few trinkets I've gathered from my travels."

At those words, Itachi's heart gave a small, involuntary beat. The bonds Sasuke had with his old teammates hadn't been severed despite everything.

"The bond is still there," Sasuke said quietly, as though he sensed Itachi's thoughts. "Even though I don't plan on returning to Konoha—there's no place for me there anymore—I still want to have a relationship with them."

Itachi nodded, relieved that Sasuke hadn't given in to the curse of hatred. "I'm glad you've found peace with that."

Sasuke finally finished preparing the medicine. He handed a small bottle to Itachi. "Take one dose twice a day. If you run out come find me."

Itachi accepted the bottle with a quiet nod.

After a long pause, Itachi asked, "Could you ever forgive me for what I've done?"

Sasuke's response was measured. "Forgiveness will have to be earned."

Itachi nodded, knowing that Sasuke's answer was fair. He stood, preparing to leave the inn. As he exited the room, Katsuyu, still resting on Sasuke's lap, spoke softly.

"You're very thoughtful, Master Sasuke, helping him despite everything."

Sasuke sighed, leaning back in a nearby chair. "Death wouldn't be punishment enough. Living with what you've done... that's the real punishment."

The room fell silent, save for the quiet crackling of the lanterns on the walls, as Sasuke and Katsuyu remained in the dim light, deep in their own thoughts.