Debt
by Anime-Sweetie07
Once you're in, you can never get out. Uchiha Itachi will learn that the hard way when he gets in over his head after joining the infamous Akatsuki gang. College isn't what it seems anymore and if you think you can run and hide – think again. How far would you go to keep your sibling safe?
Take the fall and run to heaven.
All is lost again, but I'm not giving in.
Backed into a corner with know where else to run, Itachi will have to make sacrifices and decisions that will put his life at risk in order to keep Sasuke safe. The bond between brothers has no limit; however even the prodigy of the Uchiha family has a breaking point.
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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. Naruto and all of its characters respectively belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Chapter One - From Leaf to Rain
The beginning of fall meant two things: the changing of the leaves and a new school year starting. The foliage, once many shades of greens, now changed into deep reds, yellows and oranges; surrounding the Village Hidden in the Leaves with an array of assorted colors. The Saturday morning air was crisp and many people were still tucked away in their homes, waiting for the sun to rise just a little higher before they would allow themselves to get up and begin their day.
The same could not be said at the Uchiha household. Itachi was currently moving some boxes into the back of a small moving trailer he had rented for the weekend. Turning when he saw Sasuke struggling with one of the boxes, he set the box he was carrying down before jogging over to help the younger of the two.
"Itachi why can't I just stay with Uncle Teyaki and Aunt Uruchi?" he asked furrowing his brow when Itachi came to help him bring the box into the trailer.
"Hn, because despite what they may say," Itachi began before walking up the small ramp to place the box down, "They don't have any room."
He ran his arm across his forehead wiping the perspiration from his skin. Following Sasuke back down the ramp and towards the house, Itachi grabbed a bottle of water and opening it quickly, not hesitating to take several gulps.
"Besides," he continued as he leaned against the frame of the front door, "This way we will be able to stay close to each other when I start at the University," he said.
Obsidian irises watched as Sasuke walked over to the couch and plopped down on it, slouching back. Setting the bottle down beside the door he walked over and sat down next to his brother, draping his arm around the younger's shoulders.
"It's not fair," Sasuke pouted, his own onyx hues glancing up at a family portrait that still hung on the wall.
"I know otouto," Itachi whispered, his gaze following to where Sasuke was looking. Seeing the picture he sighed softly. "It'll be ok," he reassured the younger before he gently kissed the top of Sasuke's head.
He stood up silently before walking over and taking the picture from the nail on the wall. He stared at it for a moment before tucking it under his arm, grabbing another small box and taking it out to the truck.
After a couple more hours, they finally had everything that they were going to take loaded up in the truck. Making sure that the furniture was covered, all utilities unplugged and all of the doors and windows were locked, Itachi took one more walk through the house making sure they had packed and loaded everything they needed.
Once finished, he walked outside where Sasuke was currently saying goodbye to some of their family and his friends from the Konoha Ninja Academy. Locking the front door he walked over, handing the spare key to his Aunt Uruchi.
"Call if you need anything dear," she said giving him a tight hug and a quick peck on the cheek.
"I will, thank you," he said before looking up at his Uncle Teyaki.
"Just like your father," his Uncle said with a grin before shaking his nephew's hand firmly. "Never let anything stop him from doing what he needed to do."
"I'll make you proud Teyaki," Itachi said firmly.
Pulling away Itachi looked over to Sasuke waiting for him by his truck – a 2009 Toyota Tundra. He grabbed the last of the bags, walking it over and placing them in the back of the truck with some of the other items that couldn't fit in the trailer. Taking one last glance at their house, Itachi opened the cab door and got inside.
"Ready?" he asked looking over at Sasuke before putting the key in the ignition, bringing the vehicle to life. Sasuke nodded silently, staring out the window as the truck began to move.
- -- - -- - -- -
It was about a day's drive to the Village Hidden in the Rain (hahaha)*. They stopped a couple times along the way for restroom breaks and some food; arriving at the apartment sometime around midnight. It was, of course, raining when they had arrived and compared to the vibrant colors of Konoha, this village was a dull grey with not many trees; instead it had multiple buildings and sky-rises lining the streets.
They carried some of the smaller bags into the apartment – they would wait until morning to unload the boxes from the trailer. The apartment was bare for the most part; some simple furniture and kitchen utensils. For the price he was paying monthly, it wasn't all that bad – two bedrooms, one bath and a kitchen and living space. Itachi had only been living in the apartment for about a week before he got the call about his parents.
"I don't like this village," Sasuke said stubbornly as he trudged the bags down the hall towards one of the rooms on the right.
"Hn, Sasuke, give it a chance," Itachi said as he carried his own bags down the hall. "I am sure it won't be that bad."
Itachi saw Sasuke pout before the younger collapsed onto his bed. Itachi turned towards the room opposite of his brothers and placed some of his bags down onto the floor. Pulling out the picture that used to hang up on his wall, he placed it on the night stand beside his bed. He opened one of the bags and began getting himself ready for bed knowing that they had a busy day ahead of them tomorrow.
"Nii-san," he heard his brother say from the door once he pulled a clean shirt over his head. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"
Itachi looked up at the question, seeing his brother staring down at his feet nervously like he did when he was younger. The elder couldn't help but smile as he pulled back the blankets on his bed.
"Of course otouto," he said softly waiting for the younger to clamber into his bed.
Sasuke smiled, walking over to the bed before scooting up under the covers. Itachi got in next to the other, pulling sheets up over the two of them. He rested his head on his pillow, watching as Sasuke squirmed around to get comfortable.
"Goodnight Itachi," Sasuke mumbled, yawning silently before closing his eyes.
"Goodnight Sasuke," Itachi replied, watching the younger for a moment before he too closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.
- -- - -- - -- -
Monday morning, the Uchiha brothers both set off for their first day of classes. Itachi drove Sasuke to Amegakure High; luckily he had been able to convince the principal of the school to enroll Sasuke in late after explaining their current situation. He promised to pick the younger up after his own classes had finished. Itachi had kept his college schedule the same to match the hours of Sasuke's own school schedule.
Driving towards the University of Amegakure, he pulled up into one of the parking spots in hopes to meet up with his elder cousin, Shisui. His cousin had promised to show him around campus for their first day of classes. They were to meet in front of a large brick building, however as Itachi got out of his truck he noticed that almost all of the buildings were brick. Sighing, he reached into his pocket to grab his phone in attempts to call his cousin.
"Oi, Itachi!"
Turning around when he heard his name, Itachi looked up and saw Shisui waving at him with a large grin, walking next to a rather lazy looking male with spiked, silver hair. Itachi's lips curved up in a small smile, though keeping his calmed expression as he gave his older cousin a hug once they were together.
"Little Tachi, this is my friend Kakashi," he said introducing the two using Itachi's nickname; one which Itachi himself wasn't too fond of, "Kakashi, this is my cousin Itachi."
They shook hands, getting the normal means of introduction out of the way before they began walking across the campus together. They made small talk; discussing their classes and Itachi listened to Shisui and Kakashi give him a small lesson on what professors to take and which ones to avoid. The two were juniors this year and seemed to know just about everything that happened on the campus and around it. With some time left before their first class, they walked over to one of the free tables in the main quad of the campus.
"So, Itachi, are you going to be staying with Shisui?" Kakashi asked as he sat down on top of the table, letting his backpack rest beside him.
"Hn, no," he replied sitting down on one of the benches. "My brother, Sasuke, and I are living in an apartment a couple miles away from here."
"Your brother is not staying with your parents?" he questioned looking down at Itachi somewhat perplexed.
"They were-…" Shisui began.
"They died in an accident, last week," Itachi said softly cutting his cousin off.
Kakashi looked between the two curiously. "I'm sorry for your loss," he finally responded leaving it at that.
Looking up across the quad they were sitting in, Itachi noticed a group of students walking through the main quad. There were nine of them, and each wore a black jacket with a small crimson cloud patch embroidered onto the right shoulder. They each walked with their heads held high acting as if they owned the place; and with the way people were moving out of their way, it seemed as if they did.
Obsidian hues quickly scanned each of their faces until he stopped at the one at the front of the group. His body grew rigid just by looking at the male's placid demeanor and the chilling aura around him; he assumed that whoever he was, he led the group. Itachi watched as the group settled themselves down at one of the empty tables in the middle of the quad.
"Shisui," Itachi said, keeping his eyes on the members of the group. "Who are they?" he asked.
"Who?" Shisui asked before he followed his Itachi's gaze towards the group in the center of the quad. His brow furrowed slightly before looking back down at his cousin. "That's the Akatsuki."
Author Note
* - You lost the Rain therefore you must go to the Grass (inside joke between inu-spike). We were having a debate on who got which village in the story and I won.
And you just lost the game.