（ in this, at least, there is little point in concealing his true motivation. the path he had envisioned when he was younger than sasuke is now was a line like a knifeblade from tang to tip, and it always ended with his death. he had walked it unerring. of all the things he ever had cause to fear in his life, his own death had never been among their number. ）
I had not intended for my reasons to ever be known to you. It was my hope my death would bring you peace.
（ his mouth quirks, something humourless and flat. ）
Another failure, I now realize. I did not calculate —
（ — a great many things. chiefly among them, that sasuke would ever be more than what he was made. that he could act outside of itachi's own carefully orchestrated plans was not a consideration he had held at thirteen. sasuke had always been so obedient. it was hopelessly naive to assume then he would remain as such.
itachi loved him, but what he loved was the child he had all but raised, who he had taught and trained, over whose shoulder he had absently read academy homework and committed sasuke's childish answers to memory. he loved something that no longer exists. and although his love has neither been lessened or lost, it is... difficult, to look at him now without seeing the boy in whose orbit he had been so helplessly caught. ）
no subject
（ in this, at least, there is little point in concealing his true motivation. the path he had envisioned when he was younger than sasuke is now was a line like a knifeblade from tang to tip, and it always ended with his death. he had walked it unerring. of all the things he ever had cause to fear in his life, his own death had never been among their number. ）
I had not intended for my reasons to ever be known to you. It was my hope my death would bring you peace.
（ his mouth quirks, something humourless and flat. ）
Another failure, I now realize. I did not calculate —
（ — a great many things. chiefly among them, that sasuke would ever be more than what he was made. that he could act outside of itachi's own carefully orchestrated plans was not a consideration he had held at thirteen. sasuke had always been so obedient. it was hopelessly naive to assume then he would remain as such.
itachi loved him, but what he loved was the child he had all but raised, who he had taught and trained, over whose shoulder he had absently read academy homework and committed sasuke's childish answers to memory. he loved something that no longer exists. and although his love has neither been lessened or lost, it is... difficult, to look at him now without seeing the boy in whose orbit he had been so helplessly caught. ）
— on you.