Chương 9: The Apology

"Don't sweat it, Shin. You had him. Iruka-sensei's the one who called it." Kiba said it before Shin had even made it back to the group.

"I'm fine." Shin gave a small smile, unbothered.

"Still." Shino spoke up from beside him.

"Your strength is something else. You had Sasuke on the back foot the entire time." He paused, then added, "And those leg sweeps. The speed, the angles — where did you learn those?" He said it all at once, which for Shino was practically a speech. Kiba nodded hard.

"Yeah, seriously. I never see you train. How do you just do that?" Shin didn't answer. He shook his head lightly. Train, huh. Kiba's words lodged somewhere in the back of his mind. He'd grown comfortable here — too comfortable. The truth was he'd barely trained at all since settling in. Today's win over Sasuke came down to experience and instinct, nothing he'd built recently. And Sasuke had talent. Real talent. If Shin kept coasting, it wouldn't be long before the gap closed. I need to get serious.

"Let's watch the rest," he said.

"One match doesn't prove anything."...... The afternoon wore on. Round after round, Shin and the others watched from the sidelines. The sun drifted across the sky without anyone much noticing. When the last pair finally finished, Iruka snapped his roster shut.

"That's it for today." He swept his gaze across the field.

"Those of you whose names I flagged — remedial sessions this weekend, no exceptions." A brief pause.

"Those of you who passed — don't get complacent. There's always more work to do." He smiled.

"Dismissed."" Finally." Kiba let out a long breath and pushed himself up off the ground.

"Thought that would never end." Akamaru yawned from his arms, a small, lazy sound. Shino looked tired too, though he wouldn't say so.

"Let's head home," Kiba said, already turning. Shin stretched, rolled his shoulders, and fell in step behind him.

"Come on, Shino."

"Mm." They were almost out of the field when someone called his name. Shin turned. Naruto was crossing toward him — slower than usual, shoulders slightly hunched, the grin on his face a size too wide. Sheepish. Working up to something. Right. Almost forgot about him. Shin had a pretty good idea what was coming.

"Hey," Kiba said, noticing.

"What's up?"

"You two go ahead," Shin said, glancing at them.

"I've got something to take care of." Kiba looked at Naruto, then back at Shin. He pressed his lips together and didn't say anything.

"Come on, Shino."

"..." They left. The field emptied around them until only Shin and Naruto remained. The walk home was quiet. Kiba didn't speak for a while. Then, abruptly:"I wonder what Hana made for dinner." He looked down at Akamaru.

"What do you think? Meat again?"" Woof!"

"You always want meat. You're gonna get fat."" Woof!" Shino watched them for a moment — Kiba and Akamaru running through their usual routine, filling the silence the only way Kiba knew how. When it finally ran dry, Shino spoke.

"You care more than you let on." Kiba went quiet.

"Shin is kind," Shino said, almost to himself.

"..." Neither of them said anything else. Back on the practice field, Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Heh." He laughed first, which meant he was nervous. Then, like he'd just remembered something:"Shin, you were unreal today. Going up against that stuck-up Sasuke and just — yeah, he couldn't touch you. It was awesome." He said it with real enthusiasm.

"And honestly, Iruka-sensei totally jumped in at the wrong time. If he'd just let it play out, you would've won for sure." He kept talking.

"Not that you should feel bad, because honestly, everyone knows you're better than Sasuke. You've got way more time to prove it." Shin said nothing. He watched, a quiet smile on his face. Naruto glanced at him sidelong, gauging.

"Your talent is crazy, by the way. Shuriken in one session. Taijutsu like that. Top of the class in theory. You're basically already the class ace." He was rambling now.

"Not that your shuriken scores should get you down! I heard Sasuke's been training since forever, so that one doesn't count. You'll surpass him easy." He clapped Shin on the shoulder as he said it. Stolen novel; please report.

"..."

"..."

"Uh." Naruto scratched his cheek. Stalling.

"Speaking of Sasuke. That guy. He's got, like, zero friends, right? I heard a bunch of people in class can't stand him." He hesitated.

"But you're different, Shin. You're—" The words stopped.

"..."

"..."

"Shin."

"I..." The easy chatter fell away. Whatever scaffolding he'd built up over the last few minutes started to crack.

"I've been thinking about it. And... this afternoon, with Kiba..." He exhaled.

"... that was my fault." Shin felt something shift in his chest — a small, quiet thing, like a string being plucked. Naruto took a slow breath and bowed his head. His hair fell forward, hiding his eyes.

"I just talk, you know? I say I'm going to be Hokage, I say I can do anything, but..." His voice softened, almost laughing at himself.

"I can't. I can't do any of it." A beat.

"Kiba was right."

"I'm an idiot."

"I really am an idiot." His voice trembled. His shoulders shook.

"..."

"Shin, I just — I'm sorry."

"..."

"We're still friends, right?" A long silence.

"We are, right? You'll forgive me." He kept asking, like he needed it said out loud to believe it. When he finally lifted his head, there were tears on his face. His eyes were wide and searching and just a little afraid.

"Shin..."" Naruto." Shin called his name — not gently, not harshly. Just clearly. Naruto went still.

"Stop apologizing." Shin stepped forward and set both hands on Naruto's shoulders, steadying him. He waited until Naruto met his eyes.

"You didn't do anything wrong." He held his gaze and spoke like he meant every word.

"Naruto. We're friends."

"We've always been friends. We'll always be friends." Naruto stared at him, a few inches away, unable to speak.

"... Really?" Shin nodded.

"Thank you." Naruto's voice cracked.

"Thank you, I — thank you, Shin..." The tears came again, and this time his face broke into a smile through them. He laughed, and cried, and couldn't quite do either properly....... Not far off, two figures stood side by side in the shadows of the tree line.

"Happy now?" Shino said.

"..."

"Let's go," Kiba said quietly. He turned and walked away, unhurried, not looking back. The sun was sinking fast. The whole world had gone amber and gold, and it stretched Kiba's shadow out long across the ground ahead of him. Shino watched him go for a moment. Good, he thought, without quite meaning to. Really good.

"I'm home." He appeared in the entryway the way shinobi always do — no sound, no warning. Just there. He was older than a boy his age should look. Fitted black combat gear, mesh underlayer, long dark hair tied loosely back. Two faint lines ran down his face from cheekbone to jaw, a detail that made him look harder than he was.

"Welcome home, Itachi. Long mission?" A woman stepped out from the hallway, still wearing her apron. Mikoto's voice was warm, unhurried.

"It's fine, Mom." Itachi smiled and sat at the edge of the entrance hall to remove his shoes.

"I'll need to head back out after dinner, though."

"Again?" She blinked.

"Tonight?"

"There's another assignment. It's not urgent, but better to finish it today." Mikoto looked at him the way mothers do.

"You work too hard." Itachi didn't argue.

"Where's Sasuke?"

"Back training field. He's been out there since he got home from the Academy. Still hasn't come in." She nodded toward the rear of the house, her expression going soft with mild exasperation.

"I don't know what got into him."

"I'll check on him." Itachi rose, slipped past the inner door, and stepped outside....... The training field behind the Uchiha compound was large enough to feel empty with just one person in it. Sasuke stood in the middle, alone, driving kicks into a wooden post. Over and over, no rhythm, no pause. Like he was trying to knock something loose from inside himself. Itachi leaned against the doorframe and said nothing. He'll hurt himself. He waited anyway, letting Sasuke work until he couldn't anymore.

When Sasuke finally doubled over — hands on his knees, breathing hard — Itachi spoke. Nothing came out. He pulled the words back. Sasuke felt the gaze. He turned." Brother!" His face lit up instantly. He straightened and moved to run toward him — then his legs buckled on the first step, and he pitched forward. Itachi was already there.

"Easy." He caught Sasuke under the arm and guided him to the door, settling him on the wooden step at the entrance. Sasuke leaned against him and didn't say anything. Itachi crouched and rolled up Sasuke's pant leg without asking. The skin underneath was swollen and shot through with broken capillaries. He'd been at it for a long time.

"Wait here." He went inside and came back with the medical kit. He set Sasuke's leg across his lap and started cleaning the bruising, hands careful and slow." Hsss—" Sasuke flinched, jaw tight.

"Hurts?" Sasuke shook his head quickly. Itachi kept working.

"What happened today?" Sasuke's hands closed into fists.

"... Taijutsu sparring. Afternoon class."

"And?" A long silence. When Sasuke finally spoke, he barely got it out:"I lost." He wouldn't look at his brother. His gaze went sideways, down, anywhere else.

"Is that right." Itachi didn't make it a big deal. He finished applying the salve and reached for the bandage wrap.

"So you did this to yourself because of that?"

"..." Itachi wound the bandage slowly, without rushing.

"Losing once doesn't mean anything," he said.

"You lose, you find out what you're missing, you come back better. That's how it works." He tucked the end of the wrap and set Sasuke's leg down.

"What doesn't work is tearing yourself apart so you can't train at all." Sasuke was quiet for a moment.

"... You've never lost." Itachi laughed — a small, genuine sound.

"Who told you that?"

"Nobody had to."

"Then nobody was telling you the truth." Itachi thought for a moment.

"There's someone who's beaten me every single time at shuriken. Still hasn't changed." Sasuke considered this.

"You mean Shisui-nii."

"He's years older than you," Sasuke added, deadpan. Itachi's smile twitched.

"... Yes, well." He reached over and messed up Sasuke's hair.

"Losing is how you grow. That's all it is."

"..."

"Sasuke! Itachi! Dinner!" Mikoto's voice floated out from inside.

"Your father's home too — come wash up!" Itachi stood.

"Give me some time and I'll work with you on taijutsu. Properly. Deal?" Sasuke looked up. For a moment he just stared. Then he nodded, hard and fast." Yes."

"Good." Itachi offered him a hand.

"Think you can walk?"

"I'm fine."...... Fugaku was already seated when they came in. He was a man who occupied rooms differently than other people. Composed, arms folded, expression closed. He'd come back from somewhere and hadn't changed yet, still carrying the weight of whatever the day had been.

"Father. Welcome home." Itachi bowed. Sasuke bowed too, quickly, heart doing its usual nervous thing whenever his father was in the room.

"Mm." Fugaku's eyes swept over Sasuke, then settled on Itachi.

"I heard you're going out again tonight."

"Yes."

"What's the mission?" There was a pause. Short. Deliberate.

"I'm sorry. I can't say." The room went tight. Sasuke didn't move.

"I'm your father." Fugaku's voice dropped.

"I know." Itachi didn't flinch.

"I'm sorry, Father."" Itachi." Fugaku stared at him.

"Don't forget — you're an Uchiha first. A Leaf shinobi second." Itachi said nothing. He stood there and let the words land. The silence stretched until Mikoto came in from the kitchen, setting plates down with quiet efficiency and the particular smile of a woman who had navigated this particular tension many times before.

"Both of you, hands first." She addressed Itachi and Sasuke without looking at either of them directly.

"Yes." Itachi bowed to his father once more and went. Sasuke followed, casting one glance back at Itachi's retreating shoulders. Something was wrong between them — between Itachi and his father. He didn't have a word for it yet. Just the feeling.

"Sasuke?" Mikoto's voice, gentle.

"—Ah." He snapped back and hurried toward the kitchen....... Dinner was quiet. No one spoke. Mikoto kept refilling their bowls. Fugaku ate without expression. Itachi was focused and still, the way he always was when he was about to leave again. Sasuke ate and tried not to look like he was paying attention to any of it. After the meal, Itachi disappeared to his room to gather his things. Mikoto drifted to the doorway, watching the dark outside.

"He's been so busy lately."

"He's ANBU," Fugaku said, eyes closed, tone flat.

"That's expected."

"That's because you pushed him in." Mikoto's voice had an edge it rarely showed. Fugaku didn't answer. Then he looked at Sasuke. Sasuke sat up straight without meaning to.

"Sasuke."

"Yes, sir."

"Your class had taijutsu sparring today." Sasuke's hands tightened under the table.

"... Yes."

"Did you win?" The fists under the table went white. Fugaku watched him. The silence answered for him.

"I see." He said nothing else. He stood, walked to his room, and was gone. Mikoto waited a moment, then came to sit beside Sasuke. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's all right. He cares — he just doesn't show it. You know how he is."

"..."

"One loss isn't the end of anything, Sasuke."

"Sasuke?" He was staring at his knees.

"... He won't even yell at me." His legs had started to throb again from kneeling too long. He didn't move.

"Sasuke..." Mikoto gently drew him upright.

"Don't read too much into it. He's tired. You both are." She cupped his face in both hands and looked at him.

"Go to sleep. Everything looks different in the morning." A pause.

"... Okay, Mom. You should rest too." He pulled together something that looked like a smile, turned, and walked to his room. His father's eyes were always on Itachi. If I get as good as Itachi— I can't lose again.