The reincarnate eyed the small lump with distaste, staring at the being before him. It was filled with malevolence and spite, a harbinger of chaos and destruction, and it would most certainly try to kill him at some point.

"I know what you are," Zuko said solemnly, seriously.

Dark eyes blinked innocently back, set on a chubby face with a healthy rosy glow.

"You won't fool me. I'm too canny for that. It's simply impossible for me to have a normal sibling. Impossible! You're going to grow up to be a fire-breathing psychopath, become crazy and obsessed with hunting me down, and then devote your life to killing me for being a disgrace to the family. It's inevitable."

Just like Azula, Zuko thought but didn't say.

"Itachi!" Mikoto scolded, frowning. "I know you weren't happy with a sibling, but you shouldn't say that to your baby brother. You're usually so mature, I don't know what's gotten into you."

"But mother!" he protested at the unfairness. "Look at him!"

Zuko brandished baby Sasuke's adorably chubby face at his mother.

"Can't you see his innate evil?"

Both Mikoto and Fugaku paused their chopsticks over their breakfast and stared at him incredulously. Sasuke took the moment to start burbling.

"Ub bub bub bub."

Zuko's new parents laughed and Mikoto lifted his younger sibling out of his hands and cradled him closely.

"Aren't you adorable!" she cooed, wiggling her fingers at the baby.

The Fire Lord reborn gazed at his parents in horror, before shaking his head and heading for his sandals.

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"I'm going to find Shisui!" he called back and left swiftly before he had to endure the insanity further.

That morning, the Uchiha heir could be found ranting to his cousin and best friend about the evils of younger siblings, and how his brother had only existed for a month and had already conned his parents into thinking he was harmless.

"You should see them Shisui! It's sickening how easily they fell for his act. I was trying to enlighten them just this morning, and after I revealed his true nature, he starts doing this adorable baby talk. A coincidence? I think not! The timing was way too perfect, I know it's all an act, it must be!"

Zuko paused and gasped in a huge breath, but before he could continue was halted by the sound of Shisui's snickering. Said snickering swiftly devolved into rib-cracking howls of laughter.

"Oh my gosh, I can't breathe. Itachi I can't take it anymore, ahahaha!"

"I don't know what you find so amusing, cousin," Zuko spoke through gritted teeth with a threatening undertone. "This is a serious situation; I have a demon masquerading as my younger sibling! He'll grow up and when everyone sees his true self, it'll be too late!"

Shisui controlled his laughter with a great exertion of will.

"Itachi," he broke off to giggle some more before clearing his throat. "Just give it some time, you'll warm up to him I'm sure."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Not bloody likely," he muttered under his breath.

The days slid by and Zuko simmered in watchful paranoia, waiting for a sign that would prove his suspicions correct. He didn't have to wait long.

It was October and his parents were out, leaving him to mind the spawn when an ominous atmosphere descended upon the village. Like the world was holding its breath, the air stilled and the more sensitive people tensed, waiting for … something. Then there was an explosion and Zuko could see a massive red beast roaring and whipping appendages around wildly in the distance.

He spent some time simply gaping before he shot to his feet, his head snapping around to look at the wailing bundle that was Sasuke. He picked him up, but before he could move further one of his clansmen barged in, shouting:

"Itachi-sama, you must hurry to the shelters!"

Zuko nodded, already running past him. The rush of panicked people streaming toward the mountain was overwhelming, and the sheer terror in the air was thick enough to choke on. The toxic feeling of the beast on the horizon compounded things, making it difficult to even breathe.

The shelters were full of crying people and terrified civilians, all huddled together, desperate and shaking.

"What… what was that?" One of the kids asked timidly, the question hanging in the air.

"It's a demon," Zuko responded grimly, looking down at Sasuke who hadn't stopped crying.

And it's come for its progeny