Empathy
Author's Note: I got a request for a story with Utakata as the main character and decided to grant it. This is also yaoi story. That means there will be at least one male x male romantic pairing. Some parts of this story will line up with cannon, but it will eventually diverge radically. If any of that bothers you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, I hope you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated.
Chapter Notation: I'm not entirely certain what illness Itachi had. I know that it's the subject of much speculation. So my interpretation of it, may or may not be cannon.
Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no profit off of any of my stories.
Chapter 1
He hated doing this. Itachi hated being part of the Akatsuki and going after the Tailed Beasts, but it was a necessary evil. Unfortunately, he had to capture this beautiful man standing in front of him and bring him back to extract the demon.
That extraction would kill him. Itachi knew this and so did his opponent. His opponent's name was Utakata and as far as Itachi could tell, he was a nomadic ninja.
"You were foolish to attack alone. I was under the impression that the Akatsuki always attacked in pairs." He says as he blows on his pipe and hurls bubbles at him.
Itachi manages to dodge. He had seen many different fighting styles over the years, but bubbles were a new one. For a moment, he allows himself to be briefly distracted by a long forgotten memory.
"If you blow on it, it will make a bubble." Itachi told Sasuke.
Sasuke only four. Everything was fascinating to his brother. Unfortunately, that was swiftly changing for Itachi. He had already graduated from the Academy. The young boy was quickly losing his childlike wonder, but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate moments like this.
Moments when he and Sasuke were just an ordinary pair of brothers. Not ninjas. Just two family members, who were enjoying each other's company.
"Okay! Watch me! I'm gonna make a big one!" The younger Uchiha told him excitedly.
Itachi watched in amusement as Sasuke puffed and puffed. The child was putting all his energy into trying to produce a large bubble. It was rather endearing to put it mildly.
It took several tries, but eventually the boy managed it. If there was one thing that his foolish little brother possessed in spades, it was determination. Sasuke never gave up on anything. It was an admirable trait. One that Itachi hoped wasn't beaten out of him by the demands of the real world.
"Yes, you did. Indeed. It's a very fine bubble." Itachi praised him.
Sasuke was young. He still had Bubble Eyes. If his father wasn't so busy at the Military Police Force, he wouldn't have been able to resist what Itachi called the Bubble Eyes Jutsu. Sadly, the Uchiha knew that he would have to soon.
He was going to be going on more and more missions. It was the natural order of things. That and it wouldn't be long until Sasuke started at the Academy himself. Moments like this were going to be few and far inbetween soon enough.
"It's really pretty!" Sasuke observed joyfully.
"Yes, it is." Itachi replied with a smile as he watched the large bubble float into the air.
The way the light reflected off it produced a rainbow of colors. It was glorious to behold, especially when seen from his brother's eyes. Everything was a wonder to Ssauke.
"Oh no! It popped!" The younger boy said mournfully a few minutes later.
"That happens, Sasuke. Nothing lasts forever. It's important to appreciate beautiful things while they last." Itachi told him.
He didn't know at the time just how prophetic his words would turn out to be. Itachi had loved his family dearly and still did, but he hadn't made the most of his time with them. He had always been busy training or learning how to be the next Clan Head.
When he got older, he scarcely had any time with Sasuke. Though the boy clearly idolized him and yearned for Fugaku's approval. Approval that he would likely never realize he had, now that the other man was dead. Killed by his own hand.
"Ahhh!" Itachi cries out in pain as one of the bubbles hits their mark, exploding.
That was all it took. He tumbled over and started convulsing into a coughing fit. Blood spilling forth from his lips, but it wasn't from
Utakata's attack. Well at least most of it wasn't.
"What the Hell is wrong with you?" Utakata asks in confusion.
The other man was intelligent enough to realize that his attack shouldn't have triggered this reaction. Itachi opens his mouth to respond. He wasn't sure what he was actually going to say, but that didn't matter in the end. He just kept coughing and coughing.
"You're a mess." The Six Tails says simply before bringing his hand down on the back of his head and then everything went mercifully black.
What might have been only a few minutes or days later, Itachi awakens. Was he alive or dead? Had his illness finally claimed him?
He looks around warily trying to assess his situation. A ninja should always be aware of their surroundings. That could very well mean the difference between life and death.
"You're awake. Don't bother trying to run. You're in my bubble now. You won't get out of it." He hears a now familiar voice say.
Utakata had captured him. Why, he hadn't killed Itachi was a mystery. He certainly had the opportunity to do so and a good reason to want him dead. Itachi had tried to capture him and bring him back to the Akatsuki. In essence, the elder Uchiha brother had tried to murder him.
It didn't matter that Itachi wasn't killing him alone or didn't want to kill him. The point was that the Uchiha knew his actions would have resulted in the Six Tail's death. So did Utakata. So why had he spared him? It didn't make any sense.
"I must admit that I've never been held in such a beautiful prison before." Itachi replies.
It was best not to panic. That was likely what the nomadic ninja wanted. Frightened people tended to have rather loose lips and were more likely to spill their secrets.
Itachi couldn't afford to spill his. Though he needed to get more information about his current situation. What did Utakata want with him? Surely, it would have made more sense to kill him or just leave him for dead.
"You're calm for someone with one foot in the coffin." Came Utakata's reply.
The Uchiha couldn't help, but smile at that. He had had one foot in the coffin for years, ever since that fateful night. There was so much blood on his hands that he knew sooner or later, he would pay for it.
Sasuke would be the one to make him pay. Itachi was certain of that. It had to be Sasuke. For anyone else to take his life would be practically blasphemous.
"No one lives forever. So why should I be upset about my impending demise?" He inquires serenely.
That was why he was grateful to the beautiful man who had captured him. The amber eyed ninja could have killed him with ease and yet, he hadn't. That meant that Sasuke still had a chance to turn the page on this ugly chapter in their Clan's History.
"That's very wise. I doubt there are many who go to their death with such grace and dignity, especially willingly." The Nomadic Ninja says.
Itachi raises an eyebrow. How did Utakata know that he was going to welcome death's embrace. Did he recognize his illness?
"What makes you think that I'm going to my grave, willingly? Perhaps, I've simply accepted that my illness is terminal and have learned to make the best of my situation." The raven haired ninja retorts.
"While you were unconscious, I inspected your belongings. I saw medication for your illness. Lots of it. It will buy you time. Though if you know about that medication, I'm certain you know that your illness is treatable. You don't have to die from it, but it's fatal without the PROPER treatment." The bubble user says.
In hindsight, he should have seen that coming. Any ninja worth their salt would inspect the belongings of their captive. Frankly, Utakata would've have been a fool not to do so and the man didn't strike Itachi as a fool.
"That's all accurate." He says as he glances down at his fingernails.
All members of the Akatsuki painted their nails. He'd likely die with purple nails, even though his true loyalty was to the Leaf Village. For him, dying would be the ultimate symbol of the love he had for Sasuke and his village.
"You also had a family photo in your belongings. I know who you are. You're Itachi Uchiha. You're the Clan Slayer, but you're actions do not match up with your reputation." The other man continues.
Utakata didn't know the truth, but he suspected something was amiss. Did that really matter though? Either Utakata would kill him, Sasuke would kill him, or he would kill the Nomadic Ninja.
Dead men were less likely to tell secrets. Though Itachi knew that it was still possible. Your corpse could reveal a lot about you and that was just one of the many reasons why Uchihas were so paranoid about properly disposing of their Clansmen's and Clanswomen's bodies.
"I fail to see why that would concern you in the slightest. It would be smart to kill me now. It was nothing personal. If you didn't have a Tailed Beast, it's unlikely that I would have attacked you. Orders are orders though." He says.
Sasuke would take his eyes. At least that's what Itachi wanted do happen. After that, he didn't know what would happen to his body. Perhaps, Sasuke would simply burn it. That would be the wisest course of action.
Of course, this was his brother. His wonderfully, foolish little brother. There was really no telling what he would do with his corpse. Though Itachi did know one thing. His name would never be on the Leaf's Memorial Stone.
"Killing you wouldn't make much sense. If I kill you, I still have to worry about the rest of the Akatsuki. You have valuable information that could help me stay alive. Let's start with what happened to your partner. As I said earlier, I know that the Akatsuki like to travel in pairs. Where is Kisame?" He asks.
His question shifts the trajectory of Itachi's thoughts. Beautiful and clever. That was certainly a rare combination.
Not that it mattered at this point, but Itachi knew what his preferences were. Gender mattered little to him. He could appreciate the beauty of the female and male form with equal intensity.
"Why would I tell you where Kisame is? If I do that, you'll likely kill me." Itachi replies.
Utakata certainly was beautiful. Eyes like amber and rich dark brown hair. He had a sleek muscular build that was framed rather nicely in his blue robes.
Not to mention, he had a very nice voice. Itachi had always been gifted with very keen hearing and it had only grown more so recently. Most likely, it was a compensation for his rapidly blurring vision.
"A man who has accepted his impending death, but still doesn't want me to kill him. Interesting. Are you afraid of pain? I doubt that's it. You wouldn't have killed most of your Clan, if you were truly afraid of physical pain." He says thoughtfully.
Well at least he had been able to see this before he died. Itachi doubted that he'd ever enter any version of a Blessed Realm, after his death. Still at least now he knew what angels looked like. That was something.
"I'm not afraid of physical pain and I'm not going to tell you what you wish to know. You are only wasting your time by keeping me here and your supplies. I doubt a Nomadic Ninja carries around enough supplies for two people." He reasons.
"That's true about the supplies. Maybe, I should just drag you to the newest village and have the Leaf send someone to get you. I'd likely make quite the large bounty off it. The man who killed the Uchiha Clan has to be worth something." Utakata comments.
Itachi didn't believe that the man was after money. He doubted that even Utakata sincerely believed he would fall for that. Nomadic Ninjas generally didn't adhere to that lifestyle because they wanted to get rich.
That and those amber eyes didn't hold greed. They were sad, intelligent, and curious. The elder Uchiha brother would have recognized the emotion of greed in those ethereal orbs easily, but it was nowhere to be found.
"If you were after a bounty, you would have already turned me in by now and we certainly wouldn't be having this conversation." The Uchiha states plainly.
Instead what he saw shocked him. Empathy. Utakata didn't know the truth. There was no possible way that he could have known the truth, but those eyes felt as if they were piercing through his very soul.
Perhaps his illness and his loneliness were playing tricks on him though. He was seeing things that weren't there. Why would a man who had tried to kill feel empathy towards him?
"You're right. You're a bit too clever for your own good. Now, why do you have that picture? It doesn't make much sense. You murdered your entire family, but are sentimental enough to carry that with you?" Utakata asks.
Maybe, he had some sort of Mind Reading Jutsu. There were all sorts of Jutsus and some of them were of the Interrogation Variety. It was possible. Though Itachi didn't think it was likely.
Surely, he would have noticed. If a Jutsu like that had been cast, he would have noticed. He wasn't that far gone. Was he?
"I keep it as a reminder that those who have great power shouldn't be afraid to use it. You're wrong though. I didn't kill all of them. I spared Sasuke. My brother. This is a matter of public record." Itachi taunts him.
Whatever the case, Itachi wasn't going to allow Utakata to lay all his secrets bare. There was a chance that Sasuke might find out the truth, if he did that and that was just unacceptable.
No. Everything that he had done, he had done for his brother's sake. So that one day, the younger Uchiha could live a normal, happy life. That wouldn't be possible, if the truth got out.
"I have wondered about that. Why did you spare him? You can't tell me that it was merely because his age. A man who would kill hundreds of his own kin, wouldn't care about such a trivial detail." Utakata says.
This was not a topic of conversation that Itachi wanted to be having. He was simply going to have to change it. Yes. That's exactly what he must do.
"If you're wondering why I don't seek treatment, it's very simple. I can hardly walk into a hospital for the procedures. I'd be recognized as a Criminal Ninja immediately." Itachi says.
"That's true, but I think we both know that you could get around that. You could get around it easily with a Transformation Jutsu. All you would have to do is go to a civilian hospital. The Bingo Book lists you as a genius. Someone with your brilliant mind would have been able to realize that with ease. So I'm forced to conclude that there is another reasons. I just don't know what." The amber eyed man admits.
Curiosity was a powerful force. Unfortunately, it wasn't one that Itachi could indulge in at the moment. He needed to get out of here as quickly as possible and find Kisame.
"You can speculate as much as you want. I'm going to find a way out of this bubble and then I shall take my leave." The Uchiha informs him bluntly.
Beautiful or not, Itachi had a mission. He was going to fulfill it and he certainly wasn't going to be stopped by bubbles! After all, the Will of Fire still burned strongly within him in its own way. It would take more than a few bubbles to put that out.
"I suppose we shall see if that's indeed the case. I believe you killed them, but I don't believe that you did it for the reasons that everyone else seems to believe. Your voice gives away nothing, but your eyes give away a great deal. Of course, none of this is really any of my business." He says as he pours himself some tea.
Itachi was suddenly reminded of his own thirst. How long had he been unconscious? It could have been minutes or it could have been hours.
"If your going to bore me with your questions, you should at least have the decency to put me out of my misery or give me a drink at the very least. You're a very poor host." Itachi states.
"My apologies. I'll admit that it has been awhile since I last had company. Forgive my lack of manners." He says as he pours a glass of tea for Itachi and places it through the bubble.
Itachi didn't bother trying to escape. There was no point. If the man felt comfortable enough to reach into the bubble to give him something, there was a good chance that meant he wasn't going to be able to escape anyway.
"Thank you." Itachi says as he sips the tea.
He did feel better. Obviously, he had been dehydrated and likely still was. That implied that he had been out for awhile. How long though?
"How long was I unconscious?" Itachi asks.
"About three days. Your body needed the rest. I can get you more tea, after you've finished that glass. I want answers. I'm entitled to them as we both know that the Akatsuki won't give up." He states.
That was true. The Akatsuki were going to get all the Tailed Beasts. That was their main objective at the moment. They were both dead men walking.
"I can't give you that information. If you let me go though, I can make it quick. I'll die only a few months, after you anyway. There is no harm that will come from releasing me. You're not delusional enough to believe that you can outrun the Akatsuki forever." The raven haired man says.
"How kind of you. You're offering to kill me softly? That's such a tempting offer. Let me think on that. No. I think that I'll pass on that. Don't underestimate me. The Akatsuki will not take my head that lightly." He hisses at him.
It wasn't his head that they were interested in though. The Akatsuki wanted the Six Tails. If Utakata wasn't the host, it was doubtful they ever would have come after him.
"It's not your head that they care about." He whispers.
"I know that. It was the principle of the thing. I want to know two things. How to avoid the Akatsuki or defeat them and why." The blue robed ninja informs him.
The first was understandable. He wanted to live. The Akatsuki were a threat to that goal. It was only natural that he would want to avoid them or defeat them.
It was the why that was more confusing. Though Itachi suspected he knew what the other man was referring to. He hoped that he was wrong, but the Uchiha doubted that he was.
"A quick death is your best chance to avoid the Akatsuki and I'm afraid that I don't understand your second question." He lies with ease.
On some level, it disturbed Itachi. It disturbed him the ease with which lies escaped his lips. Once upon a time, he had been an honest person. An honest person who had watched his innocent baby brother, blow bubbles. Those days were long gone though.
"I think that I'll take my chances as a member of the living. Thank you, for your concern though. I mean why did you kill them? Why did you kill your family? I've looked at your files. You were the Leaf's favorite prodigy and you were certainly beloved by your Clan. It doesn't make any sense." Utakata continues.
"I killed them to test the limits of my abilities. I was stronger than them and that was that." Itachi answers him stiffly.
"Then why did you spare Sasuke?" The other ninja asks knowingly.
Once again, Itachi was struck by the feeling that this ninja could peer into his very soul. He knew that he was lying. How the other man knew, Itachi wasn't sure. He just knew that he did.
"Why do you care?" Itachi volleys back at him.
"I know that it shouldn't matter to me. There is just something about you that doesn't fit with what I read in the book. You're a bit of an enigma. You killed your entire Clan and yet, you carry their picture. You're ready to go to your death with dignity and yet, you clearly wish to live and carry medication with you. It's all rather perplexing to say the least. That and perhaps, I'm merely bored." Utakata says with a sly smile.
That sly smile had him feeling like an Academy Student again. It had been awhile since Itachi had given anyone more than a passing glance. Unfortunately, he was certainly doing so with the other man.
The other man who was his target. The other man who he was going to have to kill. The other man who shouldn't be anywhere near him, but insisted on saving his life.
"Yes, I would wager that it's merely the last part of the equation that holds the largest appeal to you. I wouldn't think that being a Nomadic Ninja would be such a dull lifestyle. If you're really so dangerously bored that you are willing to converse with your future murderer over tea, well I would say that you should consider another career choice." The Uchiha counsels him sagely.
"That may very well be true, but I'm still going to get answers out of you." He counters.
Itachi sincerely hoped not. Though he knew that it was a possibility. He really couldn't let his attraction to the other man get in the way. Sasuke. Sasuke still needed him.
His foolish little brother might not realize it, but he did. Sasuke needed to kill him to secure a sense of closure. Now was not the time to be focused on getting a lover.
"You're certainly welcome to try, but I feel that it's only fair to warn you. You're wasting your time." The raven haired ninja warns him.
It didn't matter how attractive Utakata was. It didn't matter that he was intelligent and apparently empathetic. Brave and more than a touch foolish. His fate had been sealed long before he was born.
The Uchiha Clan had been on the outskirts of the Leaf Village for generations. That was naturally going to sow the seeds of discords. If their Clan hadn't plotted a Coup, the Leaf would have attacked first.
"I think that I'll take my chances. Though I believe that a change in tactics might very well be in order. Perhaps you're the sort of man who prefers the carrot to the stick." He replies smoothly.
Could it have been prevented? Possibly. In the end, it didn't matter. They were all dead. All of them, except for Sasuke.
So lost was Itachi in his thoughts that Utakata's words didn't register at first. Carrot? Stick? What on Earth was he talking about? That was the last thought on his mind, before Utakata slips inside the bubble and Itachi felt the other man's lips on his own.