Fire

Event happening before the monster attack.

9

Two weeks ago Sasuke was busy thinking about his dream, what those eyes had meant, why he could never reach them in his dreams and most importantly why Itachi had appeared in his dream that one time he was at Deidara’s office.

He was not bothered by Itachi’s cameo appearance in his dream, but he was intrigued. It showed that Itachi affected him more than he was aware. As his big brother, Sasuke had major respect for him and It wasn't strange but Sasuke need to know more.

Deidara had asked Sasuke about his childhood, about what type of siblings relationship did he and Itachi had. Of course they were close.

“There's only two of us,” Sasuke admitted.

First and foremost when Deidara asked how Itachi was as a brother, Sasuke remembered the good memories because he had plenty of that with Itachi. Itachi was a good brother and Sasuke was certain that even if they were married and lived oceans apart, they would still be able to maintain their close bond despite arguments are anything coming in between.

But as sons to business parents, Itachi and Sasuke had to endure a lot of unwanted opinions from people who liked to compare between them two. Itachi was a fast learner, very obedient, outgoing and was popular among their aunties. On the other hand, Sasuke was reserved, quite dependent on his mother and Itachi for attention and companion, and was never comfortable in a public situation if there was no immediate need.

When Itachi was 10 year old, Sasuke remembered his father bringing home a school bag saying that Itachi’s bag was needing replacement. Sasuke saw the bag and was instantly jealous over it, so when Itachi was busy demonstrating the bag in front of their parents, 5 year old Sasuke had gone to his room to sulk. When dinner time came, Itachi had wondered why Sasuke was so solemn and moody. Sasuke declined to explain and their parents didn’t bother to ask him, only noting that Sasuke had no need for a school bag since he had all his things at the school and at their study room.

That night Itachi talked to Sasuke about his new bag, saying that Sasuke would have to be patient with some things. The sulky preschooler was silent when Itachi began explaining. Sasuke didn’t understand why their parents can’t buy two of the same bags since they work and they seem to have fine things in their life. In response Itachi showed him children with torn bags and some even brought plastic bags to put their books in, and bring that plastic to school. It took awhile before Sasuke realized that these people were unfortunate.

Itachi had explained that though their parents were capable of buying them a bag for everyday of the school year, there was no sense in buying things and wasting. Not that giving Sasuke a bag was a wasteful thing to do. It was just more practical to not buy something when you have no need for it. Sasuke was confused and it took him years before he finally understood the difference between need and demand.

On the surface, Deidara interpreted Sasuke’s dream as a deep seated want to emulate his brother but something was holding him down. The blond dream interpreter had used a dream reference manual to interpret Sasuke’s dream. He said the interpretation was only his view and opinion. It was all up to Sasuke to believe in it or not.

Deidara said he would need a few days to prepare an in depth report of what Sasuke’s dreams meant and what he should do if it was bothering him in the future. Deidara’s parting words were, “dreams are windows to your soul, sometimes it means something, but sometimes it's just a play of your mind.”

A week ago his dream report had arrived at his apartment. But Sasuke declined to open it, just putting it on his dining table until he had time to browse over it. He had put off opening it until today.

There was nothing on tv and Sasuke glanced at the report. Slowly he stood and grabbed for the envelope, wondering would his life change.

Sasuke had just started living on his own about a year ago because Mikoto wanted him to be independent and manage his own personal life though she was sure that Sasuke would only spend all his time being a hermit at home. Sasuke didn’t bother to find a housemate since he was apprehensive about the housemate bringing in strangers. He also never brought anyone home, preferring to visit Itachi’s and their parent's house, than the other way around. Sasuke spent little time at home, preferring to spend it at the office, events or at his parent’s house about 7 kilometers from here.

Sitting on his sofa Sasuke flipped to the last page of Deidara’s typed report regarding his dream. The segment was titled…

Prologue

While this report is based on a five year research and case study, it is in no way should be regarded as the formal answer to the meaning of this person’s dream. Each person would be the best judge in how to handle their dreams and nightmares. I could only advise and offer my insight on the dream world. For a more precise description please contact me for a sharing session.

Sasuke chuckled, Deidara still managed to promote his business at the end of his report. That was a good business strategy,quite annoying but it helped the company to.achieve at least a percentage of attention from the public though he was sure he would be burning the report after he was finished reading it.

Sasuke then started reading the ten page report. It started with analogy on dreams, the exact words Deidara had told him.

“Dreams are windows to your soul, sometimes it means something, but sometimes it's just a play of your mind.”

Then it had two pages of ‘Definitions of elements’ present in Sasuke’s dreams and what it could symbolise. Elements like the eye, what red might mean, why there was resistance in a dreamer unable to approach his dream subject, and why someone is present in a dream.

Sasuke flipped the case study describing him and went directly to the page on interpretation of his dream. He read it for a quiet ten minutes before closing it and putting it on his coffees table.

He laughed until he was crying. It rang true, everything the dream interpretation said was things he had thought about from time to time, but he kept shoving them away for later. Today they all came crashing in him.

Sasuke palmed his face in a mix of emotion: happiness, sadness and regret. Regret was something he had been shoving to the back of his head, regret regarding his life in general. He felt like he had a quarter life crisis, like everything he did was mediocre.

Sasuke flipped back to the page on Definitions of Elements, looking at what the eyes and redness meant. They were defined as, “ Raw energy, force, vigour, power, courage, impulsiveness and passion.”

Deidara had mentioned that redness in eyes could mean, “deep emotional and spiritual connotations.” So Sasuke closed his eyes and remembered the red eyes looking at him, he never saw whose face the red eyes belonged to, but those e eyes were enough to catch him. The swirling red commas or tomoes as Deidara had called were moving in circles before settling in its place and calling Sasuke to it. Based in its description, it symbolizes power and raw force which Sasuke knew he was lacking. He couldn't reach those eyes time and time again because he was reluctant to escape his comfort zone. Like right now he had been stalling his mother's demand for him to head the New Media Department because he thought he was too junior for that post. So he kept changing departments after a year to gain experience until he was finally in his current department under Itachi. He loved his job at the campaigns department, mostly because he could his brother every day since they were no longer living under one roof. Their mother sometimes came by the office especially after Itachi returned from overseas work visit. Sasuke was very comfortable and he realized this was what the dream meant.

He needed something raw, a wake up call from his current state. In a nutshell, Sasuke was stagnant in life, work, relationship and with his own self. He had led a life with no challenges, maybe except when it came to his relationship with his family. They weren’t the most dysfunctional nor were they the most happy, but that one thing kept him afloat. He was making himself dull and complacent, and underneath it all he damaging himself.

What was Itachi doing in his dream. Itachi was part of the thing which made Sasuke be where he was. He was happy just sitting by Itachi letting his brother shine, he thought that was it. His dream meant that he wanted the same thing happening to Itachi but was too afraid to be just that. He was younger than 30 year old Itachi, who in time will be promoted to a higher management position. Sasuke thought there was no leader material in himself, he was better off working along than managing a team of people like Itachi. They were involved in the entertainment business and Sasuke knew he didn't have the ability to face their clients and still be himself like Itachi. His nii-san was a people's person unlike him.

Sasuke realized that he had been afraid of pursuing his full potential all along. He had been hiding in his nii-san’s shadows for a few years now. His mother had told him that she would be waiting for him to fill the position, but Sasuke realized that she wouldn't be waiting forever. Filling the position as head of New Media wasn't just about getting an upgrade, it was also realizing that he had to grow up and see that life is not just about himself.

Sasuke looked around his house, at the barren model style he had adopted for his comfort. There was nothing which screams unique, and that was something Sasuke kept in his life. All throughout his life, he maintained a constant style which is very self dependent and lackluster. He barely had friends if not for his office mates who respected him as a good employee of Uchiha Works, and subtly as son of the big boss.

Sasuke got up and walked to his balcony and stopped by his apartment’s sliding doors separating his living room and balcony. He peered from the sheer curtain to the pool just outside his balcony. Sasuke’s apartment was on level three. He could just jump from his balcony into the pool of he could manage a ten meter gap from his balcony to the pool. Sasuke shoved that thought away and smiled at himself.

If his office mates were to know about the silly things sometimes swirling in his brain, they wouldn't be treating him like right now. He was only human no more different than them.

His officemates mostly talked to him on a working basis except Sakura. She was the only one who never let his status as the boss’s son to intimidate her friendship with him. She was the only person who cared to talk to him after school ended. Sasuke closed his media social account awhile back and only kept his emails because it was standard communication tool. He never found joy in updating his daily activities or anything to his friends. With his family was another story, he knew his father had a network of security all over town to keep an eye on their precious sons.

Sasuke marvelled at Sakura, she was single and that was weird because she took care of people around her like a mother hen. She was always extending invitation to Sasuke to have lunch with people he could tolerate. She knew his comfort level and that was something Sasuke had just now realized.

So his dream was just about him afraid of branching out for his future. Sasuke laughed again until he lay curled on the floor. He needed a long talk with his ini-san tomorrow morning.

“Good morning Sasuke, how can I help you?” Itachi asked without taking his eyes off his laptop.

“With my life,” the younger man said.

Sasuke closed the door behind him, noting that his brother was wearing his jacket suit. So he checked his time and saw that it was 15 minutes past eight am. His brother would be out the door in fifteen.

Itachi glanced at his brother's unusually casual clothes and sunglasses. “Heading somewhere directly after work?” he asked.

Sasuke plopped on his brother’s sofa and took off his sunglasses.

“No.I just couldn't be bothered with ironing today and mom told me we can dress casually anyway.”

Itachi smirked, “You never dressed casually at the office unlike half of the others.”

“Time for a change maybe,” Sasuke smirked back.

Itachi finished typing and closed his laptop. He walked over to Sasuke and perched on his side’s armrest.

“Now, what life are you talking about?”

“This?” Sasuke pointed his finger to himself.

“What seems to be the exact problem?”

“Well…” Sasuke started. Suddenly he was wary that Itachi would be laughing at him. But this was his brother who held him while he cried from falling down a flat ground.

“I think I want to change my life around. I want to explore my full potential.”

Itachi smiled and let out a low laugh. “That's what I've been egging you on, and you only wanted this after I appeared in your dream?”

“No, that wasn't it. I've realized it long ago, but I was afraid.”

Sasuke grimaced and bent forward, his eyes fixed into his shoes. “I am afraid of the inevitable, I was always in your shadows for the longest time and I was comfortable being just that.”

Itachi frowned and moved to sit beside his brother. “I am more concerned about you feeling like that, you don't have to change just because of me. You have to be your own person, but you make me feel guilty about my shadow.”

Sasuke smirked and turned to see the playful smirk on his brother's face.

“You are always joking around even when I'm like this,” Sasuke pouted. He hadn't pouted for awhile now. It was childish but Sasuke wanted to feel childish right now.

“It's about time you realize that we have been pushing things at you and you don't take it until you realized something. Mom said you aren't like me, I was an obedient child while you rebelled all the way. But mom being mom just told me and dad to wait. Look, you finally accepted it became you wanted it.”

Sasuke let those words sink into him. He realized that his family know more about him than he thought. Then he felt Itachi’s smirk on him.

“Don't you have somewhere to go?” Sasuke asked and glanced at his brother's jacket, it was new for sure. And then he saw a glint on his brother's ring finger. He pulled his brother's hand onto his face and saw that it was a platinum engagement ring.

“What’s this?” he let go of his brother's hand and frowned. If his nii-san was getting engaged it was a total surprise. dO I mom and that know about this?”

“Yes. She proposed to me this morning.”

“Who?” Sasuke demanded. He hardly saw Itachi going out with anyone. To think back, he never knew who his brother's girlfriends were.

“It took me by surprise too. We had been the longest of friends and she suddenly popped the question while I was making coffee.”

“Tell me who is it Nii-san?” Sasuke whined. He really was bothersome when he needs to be.

“You'll meet her at dinner tomorrow night. Be home at 7.”

Sasuke pouted again. Itachi would carry his secret to the grave if he needed to.

The next day Sasuke continued to bug his brother for his future sister-in law’s identity. But Itachi just shoved him aside verbally and bribed Sasuke if he would just stop asking. Sasuke agreed and asked for a motorbike in return. Itachi just rolled his eyes at his brother's childish acts.

Itachi thought he was finally free from today's brotherly assault. He was preparing a paperwork for a new account when Sasuke said.

“Maybe I need a wife too?”

Itachi’s eye widened at his brother’s statement. “What the hell Sasuke?”

He saved his documents and looked at his not so little, younger brother but surely a naive one.

“Yeah. I need a companion.”

“That's absurd. You don't just marry for the sake of companionship or because of this quarter life crisis you're having. What are you thinking Sasuke?”

Sasuke paused and thought, he might taking things drastically but it was a change. Maybe he needed someone to knock reality into him. Someone who could work with him on any kind of situation.

“This is real nii-san, I need someone.”

Itachi sighed and searched his brain for an idea. As mature as he was, the couple, marriage and love subject was something he was very new in. It was unlike his love for his family which knows no bound.

“How about someone you already know?” Itachi thought about Sakura, that was someone who knew Sasuke for a long time. And if he wasn't mistaken, Sakura was one of the few person who have had lunch with his brother.

“Hnnn.”

“So?”

“I need someone else. She's a friend.”

“And why is a friend a bad choice for a wife?”

“She already has a perception of me, the old me. I don't want that.”

Itachi sighed, “Sasuke really, you can't want someone to be an ideal version of your dream girl. She does not exist.”

“In that case, I'll do an audition?”

Itachi sighed again but then smiled. He realized Sasuke was the same old inside, still insecure and afraid. But if he wants change, Sasuke would have to do it on his own pace.”

“Just do what feels right for you. If she turned out to be a failure, don't reject her without explanation. Tell her your intentions.”

“Thanks Itachi, I'll get on it right away. Maybe I should ask Sakura to help. It would be awkward to push this campaign alone.” Sasuke smirked at his own words.

Itachi took his jacket from his chair and wore it. “I'm off now. You want to follow?”

“Hnnn,” Sasuke said.

“Well then see you later little brother.”

Sasuke led his brother to exit the office when his eyes fixed onto Sakura’s green eyes.

“Hey Sakura,” he greeted.

Itachi smirked when he heard Sasuke spoke. He would sure love to see how this played out. Exiting the office he inwardly wished his brother good luck in his wife finding mission.