[It's not even so much that he doesn't - it's that he can't. He's lived too long with Itachi being the mastermind, the instigator, the bane of his life. If Itachi is here - if Itachi showed himself - there's gotta be a connection. Nothing else makes sense in Sasuke's narrow, jagged world.]
[So he can't just leave. As scared as he is, and as much as he knows that Itachi is faster and stronger and better... he can't just turn away. Can't ever turn his back on the other, know that he's here and nearby and probably watching if Sasuke tries to run. Can't stomach the idea of running.]
[So he sheathes the sword, if a little clumsily with the size of it, jumping back to increase distance as he makes the hand seals for Housenka. Itachi's faster than he is and that's way too dangerous up close with a weapon that's sized wrong for him, but he's good with his fire, shuriken-driven or not. Even if part of him knows there's no way he's good enough.]
no subject
[He doesn't say it, but does he really need to?]
[It's not even so much that he doesn't - it's that he can't. He's lived too long with Itachi being the mastermind, the instigator, the bane of his life. If Itachi is here - if Itachi showed himself - there's gotta be a connection. Nothing else makes sense in Sasuke's narrow, jagged world.]
[So he can't just leave. As scared as he is, and as much as he knows that Itachi is faster and stronger and better... he can't just turn away. Can't ever turn his back on the other, know that he's here and nearby and probably watching if Sasuke tries to run. Can't stomach the idea of running.]
[So he sheathes the sword, if a little clumsily with the size of it, jumping back to increase distance as he makes the hand seals for Housenka. Itachi's faster than he is and that's way too dangerous up close with a weapon that's sized wrong for him, but he's good with his fire, shuriken-driven or not. Even if part of him knows there's no way he's good enough.]