Summary: Sasuke goes through Itachi's old things that were found at the old Akatsuki hideout and finds a letter.

Ages: 25

Category: Meh, just Sasuke centered with Itachi letter. Small Team 7, little bit of SasuSaku.

Note: This one made me cry. It probably won't make you cry, but whatever.

《♤》《♡》《♤》《♡》《♤》《♡》《♤》《♡》

Sasuke looked down at the cardboard box that sat, alone, on his bed. His back was leaning on the headboard, and he had his legs pulled up to his chest, staring in --almost fear, at his brother's box.

He inhaled, then exhaled.

He had to open it. He had to do it.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

He tentatively lifted his arms away, (they'd been crossed over his knees) and lifted the flap. He inhaled sharply at the sight of himself, grinning, at age six.

Itachi had a picture of him and Sasuke. Smiling innocently, Itachi had ruffled his little brother's hair, apparently oblivious to the fact that in a few months he'd be murdering his entire family.

Speaking of entire family, there was the Uchiha family picture. Fugaku in the corner was looking annoyed, basically like Sasuke whenever he took pictures. Mikoto was smiling brightly beside her husband, happy. Itachi looked indifferent, yet happy in that quiet way of his. Sasuke had a dopey grin on his face, his six-year-old self being a happy little boy.

Sasuke couldn't help but smile at the two pictures. Itachi had written on the back, too, in his scrawly handwriting.

I failed them. Was written on the back of the last picture.

I miss him. Was on the first.

There wasn't much else in there. A notebook Sasuke decided to check out later.

And an envelope, with Sasuke's name in Itachi's scrawly handwriting written on the front.

The name scared him.

Sasuke.

It was addressed to him. Sasuke's hand shook violently as he picked it up. He forced himself to open it, hands threatening to drop the 2 papers Itachi had left for him.

Hi.

If someone is reading this, one of two things has happened. 1, I died, and Sasuke is the one reading this, or 2, it's just me rereading this and forcing myself to accept my fate.

Yeah, I'm going to assume it's Otouto going through my stuff.

Well, if it is you, hello. I'm thinking that if you're reading this, you killed me, huh? You must be so proud.

But you must've figured out the truth somehow, so you're not so proud, are you? Are you sad? Do you miss me? Your nii-san, the killer? Or do you still hate me?

I'm writing this because I know I won't be able to tell you in person. I really hope you get it.

I guess I should get to the point.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Sasuke. I'm sorry I ruined you life by killing our parents. Leaving you lonely. I ruined any chance you had a making friends, making you revenge driven. I'm sorry I never told you the truth, even though I've had several opportunities to.

I'm sorry I couldn't face you, I'm sorry I was so consumed by guilt I was too scared to talk to you. I'm sorry I betrayed you. I was the big brother. I was supposed to be the one you could trust, the one you could come to with anything. I was supposed to take care of you. I had promised Father and Mother that I would. I made sure you were okay, got constant updates on you from the Third, but I had still betrayed you.

I had promised you I would always be there, right? I didn't keep that promise.  I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry you grew up alone. You could've had me. Maybe if you had come with me, or I had stayed around you would've turned out differently. I would've turned out differently. Maybe I wouldn't be dying right now.

I should've done more to stop the coup d'etat. Maybe I could've done more. I was too scared. And too weak. I'm sorry I was so weak. I'm sorry for all the suffering I put you through, all the confusion of me being the bad guy. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you.

I'm really sorry for hurting you, and I'm sorry that I never told you how much I loved you, how much you meant to me so long ago, so you would've at least had a little faith in me.

I'm really sorry that you're alone now. It's up to you how you live your life from here on, but I want you to know that I am so proud of you and how you turned out. You are an amazing Uchiha, and definitely worthy of being the last. Father would've been proud.

I don't deserve your love. I definitely don't deserve to live. But did live. And I did have your love. Its okay if you hate me now. I wouldn't blame you. The least I can do is let you kill me, and try to be worthy of all the things I don't deserve.

I love you, Sasuke.

Don't forget that.

-Nii-san.

Sasuke's eyes blurred, and for the first time in years, Uchiha Sasuke broke down and cried. He cried and cried, cradling the kunai that was in the box with the letter. It was Itachi's kunai, one that he had used. He had touched.

"Sasuke!" Naruto ran into the room and looked at his friend. "What's wrong?!"

Kakashi poofed in there from somewhere else in the house and put down the book he'd been reading earlier. "Naruto, shut up for once."

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura launched herself at him and hugging him tightly.

Sasuke tried to stop crying, he really did, but he just looked at the letter one more time and more tears slipped down his cheeks. "Damn it, why am I crying?" He whispered into Sakura's hair.

"Those are called emotions, Sasuke," Kakashi smirked. Then he realized how insensitive that was, and stopped. "Good to know you feel them too."

Meanwhile, in Sasuke's lap, Sakura was reading Itachi's letter to figure out what was wrong, and she started to sob. Sasuke noticed, but didn't stop her, so it was okay. She was crying quietly, gripping poor Sasuke like he was a lifeline. For anyone who knew the truth about Itachi, that letter was sad. Naruto looked at the two of them like they were crazy.

"LEMME SEE! LEMME SEE, DATTEBAYO!!!" Naruto grabbed for the letter, but Kakashi just blinked and took it first.

He read it quickly and winced. "Wow, Sasuke."

Naruto pouted. "GIMME IT, SENSEI! I WANNA READ TOO YA KNOW?!"

Kakashi handed if off and looked at his student. Oh, Sasuke. How am I going to help you?

Sasuke stared off into space as Naruto read the letter. Sakura played with his hair a little, trying her best to comfort him. He was grateful, but he was just numb. He couldn't speak.

"JESUS, TEME!" Naruto shouted, eyes filling with tears. "YOU HAD ONE HECK OF A BROTHER, DATTEBAYO!"

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun." Sakura whispered, hugging Sasuke tightly. "I can't believe..."

Kakashi winced again. He knew what Sasuke was feeling, and sympathy was not what he needed. Sasuke looked at Kakashi as if he knew Sasuke's mind, and he expected him to know what's going on. 

"You hurt, huh?" Kakashi sighed. "Feel like it's your fault?" Sasuke nodded a little. "It's okay to stumble. We're here to catch you."

Naruto nodded enthusiastically, wiping his tears. "Yeah, Teme! You will always have us."

Sasuke looked around at his friends-- no, family, with a new light of gratefulness. What did he do to deserve people like this in his life?

He thanked them, smiled a little, and went outside. He claimed it was to clear his head, but they knew it was a lie. One look from Kakashi told Sakura and Naruto to give him some space.

He stopped at the porch, closing his eyes. He could kind of feel his brother's spirit hovering above him. It was comforting. More than he knew. "Hi, nii-san." He started talking to the wind.

Sasuke smiled full on, too more tears sliding down his cheeks. "You don't have to worry about me anymore. I have Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi-sensei to take care of me. You can rest easy."

He didn't need to say much else.

Except for these last things.

"Thank you for loving me, even when I tried to kill you. I regret that every day. I'll try my best to live my life in a way that would make you proud, because that was your intention since the beginning. I just want to let you know that I forgive you, Itachi," He whispered. "That I love you, and I'm sorry too."

And just like that, a 12 year old revenge quest dissipated into the wind.

Up in heaven, Itachi smiled down on his little brother. "I love you too, otouto. And you already make me proud."