In some part of his mind he knows that Itachi's death is not entirely on his shoulders, that it was an event planned by people that weren't himself. That he was guided very purposefully along that path by Konoha elders and Itachi himself, even if he regularly toed the line and stretched the limits of it as much as he could. And yet...
His guilt doesn't care. It hadn't cared when he woke up in the hospital, age eight, and returned to a compound stained with blood and empty. Only him, alive. All it did was grow larger.
It hadn't cared when he learned the truth about Itachi, bound by Obito and desperate to pin the blame on anyone else. It grew larger.
Now, that one apology is all he can do to lessen it even a fractional amount, and he hesitates in taking a step forward. No. Even if he wanted to embrace his brother, he doesn't know that he'd have the courage to go through with it. It doesn't pass his tests or seem wise; subjecting Itachi to that without warning could be damaging to both of them, couldn't it? ]
I knew you would say that. Still... know that I forgave you a long time ago now.
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In some part of his mind he knows that Itachi's death is not entirely on his shoulders, that it was an event planned by people that weren't himself. That he was guided very purposefully along that path by Konoha elders and Itachi himself, even if he regularly toed the line and stretched the limits of it as much as he could. And yet...
His guilt doesn't care. It hadn't cared when he woke up in the hospital, age eight, and returned to a compound stained with blood and empty. Only him, alive. All it did was grow larger.
It hadn't cared when he learned the truth about Itachi, bound by Obito and desperate to pin the blame on anyone else. It grew larger.
Now, that one apology is all he can do to lessen it even a fractional amount, and he hesitates in taking a step forward. No. Even if he wanted to embrace his brother, he doesn't know that he'd have the courage to go through with it. It doesn't pass his tests or seem wise; subjecting Itachi to that without warning could be damaging to both of them, couldn't it? ]
I knew you would say that. Still... know that I forgave you a long time ago now.