Disclaimer: If I did own Naruto then Itachi wouldn't have killed his mother. Father maybe...but not his mother.
Okaasan no Negai ga Hatasu
Itachi's POV
The first of June is a day for memories and dreams - it is Kaasan's birthday. I have marked it with highlighter on my calendars for as long as I can remember. Today another birthday has come. I won't be taking breakfast to Kaasan in bed today like I did many times before her death. Tousan will not scold me for reverting into a child with a jutsu just to be Kaasan's little boy again for a few hours. I will not enjoy Kaasan's singing and koto playing.
This birthday will not be like the others, as Kaasan is no longer in this world. It is because she is not here that today is a day for memories and dreams. I remember taking baths with Kaasan, until I was no longer old enough for it to be acceptable. I'd rant about anything and everything. She'd be silent, listening closely and carefully to everything I said. I can still remember the feel of her hands washing me until I was perfectly clean, a very warm touch contrasting the cool bathwater.
I can remember how good her cooking tasted and how no matter how late I came home she'd always have a hot meal waiting for me. I can remember the smile she'd give me every night after kissing my forehead and offering her blessings. I can remember that she would never stop reminding me that if I needed to talk she would always have the time to hear me out, and if she did not...well, she would make time.
Nothing ever changed about Kaasan right up until the end. She simply lived her life loving and providing everything she could for her family. On the day of her death everything went the same as usual until evening came around. I had been skipping dinner for weeks before that day. On that day Kaasan brought my meal to me, told me it would be nice if I could make the effort to have dinner with my family every once in a while. She did not forget that I was exhausted however, pointing out that she was aware, but rightfully worried that I was unhappy.
After I'd killed Tousan that evening I couldn't look at her. She could have run away, but instead she stood in the center of the room and waited patiently for me to take her life. I shook the katana in my hand clear of the blood on it. The blood splattered clinging to random surfaces. Kaasan wiped some of it from her face. I had looked up just in time to see it. It was an awful sight. It was just a drop, but seeing it upon her face nauseated me.
Sasuke was on his way home, subconsciously I remembered this and hoped he would be late. Well...more late than he already was. It was a selfish thought I know, Kaasan must've been worried after all...but there were some things I needed from Kaasan before she was gone. The first thing I did, was ask her to sing for me one last time. She did so, looking rather tragic to me for once. I realized what the lyrics of the song were about. Until then I'd never thought much about the lyrics, simply enjoying her voice.
The song was about death, and not just anyone's death...HER death. She had sung about a child who had taken his mother's life...the song was about me. Like always Kaasan became the only person to ever truly see me weak. I cried as it registered in my head. She knew all along it would happen. She knew that I would one day stand there with Tousan's dead body in front of me about to make her my next victim.
"Kaasan...why didn't you stop me?" I asked her that, my voice shaking.
"When you were born Madara-sama came to me. He said you would be great. I was told that I would be nothing more than another tool to bring you closer to perfection. I know what will happen very soon, and in all honesty, I welcome it." She'd responded, not shaken in the least.
"What are you saying?" I'd asked, outraged, and while I wanted to scream, all that came was a weak strangled cry.
"Musuko...you've held this right since you were born." She'd said.
"I don't want to kill you!" I exclaimed quickly, my fear of being responsible for her death coming through very clear.
"It's alright. When a mother has her first child Itachi, that child becomes everything to her. If I must die for you to be even greater, then I do not care. Madara-sama gave me two possible choices for death, your sword or his. I choose yours." She was saying unbelievable things to me then, things I'd never imagined she'd say to me.
"You have done nothing to deserve such cruelty." I'd said, backing away from her.
"Kill him." She'd told me, standing at a perfect distance from me for my katana to run her through right down the middle.
"Kill who?" I'd asked.
"Don't come any closer!" I'd exclaimed, sheathing my katana when she took another step forward.
"Sasuke, you must kill him." I couldn't believe her words.
"Doushite?" Why...I wondered then, and I wonder now.
"Your Mangekyou Sharingan...you will go blind eventually from using those eyes. Kill Sasuke and take his eyes. When you have the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan you will be perfect. Use that power, to make this world a better place." I would not understand her words and order until I was much older.
"Let's assume I do kill Sasuke and get such power, where do you fit into all this? Why must I kill you to become greater?" I do not understand, even now.
"Even if you left me alive, things could not go back to how they were. I would like for my life to stop here. I don't want to hear of your accomplishments anymore Itachi, I want to see them all for myself. For that, you must kill me. I will watch over you. This is not the end, musuko. It is the beginning." Somehow I found comfort in those words and managed to kill her.
"Thank you, my dearest. Please fulfill my wish. Sasuke must NOT kill you." Those were her very last words to me.
Retrieving the sword I used to kill Kaasan, I exit my room. Tobi is waiting, his mask gone from his face. Deidara is damning my clan to hell from behind the door to the room he'd come out of. He's still upset about losing to Sasuke even after using his best move and is ranting about how his art could not have lost to my brat of a brother. Madara sighs against the wall and I smile briefly, heading into the room across from mine.
Normal POV
Deidara lay curled up in pain healing from his battle with Sasuke. In the very last few seconds before he'd died Madara had used a jutsu to save him leaving the explosion to do its worse. Not only was he still getting used to the knowledge of who Tobi really was, he was trying to get used to the fact the man was in love with him. He'd fucking hated Tobi, so why was he feeling like a lovesick schoolgirl all of a sudden.
"Deidara, you okay?" Itachi asked, sitting on the bed, and looking down at him.
"When I'm better, I am going to kill your fucking brother, un!" The bomber replied.
"Iie, watashi wa sono tasuku wo mitashite iru izure ka ni narimasu. Anata dake no kyuusoku." Itachi said seriously.
"Why did you leave him alive in the first place?" Deidara asked.
"I needed him to get stronger. The stronger he became the better his eyes would serve my cause." Itachi replied, leaning down and kissing Deidara on the forehead.
"You'd better come back alive." Deidara said, wrapping his arms around him.
"I will." Itachi assured him quickly.
"You know, Madara really does love you Deidara, give him a chance." He added in a whisper to his ear.
"He's your shishou right?" The blond asked, watching Itachi get ready.
"Yes, the best in the world." Itachi replied, stopping at the door and looking back at him.
"Take care, otouto. I'll be back in a week tops." He said, and then he was gone.
Madara walked in silence with Itachi to the exit to the the Akatsuki's chosen base. There was somewhere Itachi wanted to go before his battle with Sasuke, he knew this. Mikoto was a extraordinary woman, the least she deserved was a proper burial. Madara and Itachi had given it to her. The other bodies, Konoha could keep for all they cared, Mikoto's they could not. It wasn't the type of burial one would expect though. Kisame was at that site now waiting for them. They were almost to the exit when Deidara came flying towards them on one of his birds. Konan was flying, right behind him.
"Get on, yeah. I'm going with you." The bomber said, landing.
"Dei you're not in any condition to be going anywhere." Itachi protested quickly.
"Maybe so, but I want to watch this fight un! And maybe just maybe get a hit on that bastard." Deidara retorted.
"Konan how could you let him do this?" Itachi asked, turning his attention to Akatsuki's angel.
"Pein said it would be fine. He's practically completely healed according to Kakuzu's tests." She replied.
"It's not like I'd heal any faster while knowing you were in danger, I'd go crazy in that room." Deidara admonished honestly.
"I'm tagging along too." Konan said.
"You're like a worried kaasan." Madara commented, settling down behind Deidara on the bird and wrapping his arms around the bomber's waist.
"You hurt me and I will fucking murder you." Deidara warned.
"One chance is all I'm gonna need sweetheart, I swear." Madara retorted unfazed.
"You've been hanging around Hidan too much, otouto." Itachi said, before turning into a crow.
"I'll go like this, you know, let you two have your moment and all that." He explained.
"I suppose you're right about me Madara." Konan said suddenly, after being silent all the way to the burial ground.
"Hm?" He turned his attention to her, eyes showing slight confusion.
"Anata-tachi ga...watashi ni wa kodomo no youna monodesu." She replied.
"The others I can understand, but Zetsu and I too?" He was curious.
"Well...a long time back you were more like a big brother, but after you took up the persona of Tobi, yeah I admit I worried about you like a kaasan. Zetsu is a little of both." She replied, thinking about it while she answered.
"You and Pein were like siblings to me to. I never thought I'd heal from the pain of losing Izuna, but you two managed to change that." Madara said, a few minutes later.
"Shishou, while we're criminals, we are a family aren't we?" Itachi spoke up, from his perch on Madara's shoulder.
"I don't think even Pein ever thought of it, but Itachi's right wouldn't you agree?" Konan hesitated to speak, feeling enlightened suddenly.
"Konan's always been like a Kaasan to me, ever since I was recruited by Akatsuki. Everyone else was annoying at first, but I've formed bonds with all of you that I wouldn't want to see break." Deidara admitted.
"I suppose we are like a family, a dysfunctional one, but a family nonetheless." Madara voiced his agreement mere seconds after Deidara had spoken.
By nightfall the four reached the burial ground. Madara helped Itachi lift a secret plain of earth, revealing the passageway to Mikoto's resting place. Deep underground Kisame was waiting for them. The floor was carpeted in flower petals and Itachi quickly went to set a bouquet of white plum blossom and cherry blossom flowers down on the crystal coffin where Mikoto's body was. It was perfectly preserved.
"The time draws closer Kaasan. Soon I will fulfill your wish." He said, staring at her longingly.
Madara, Deidara, Konan, and Kisame kneeled a little ways behind him praying silently, paying their respects to the mother of such a great man. Like magic, the sound of Mikoto's old koto filled the space, her voice following. Itachi knew this song too well though the last he'd heard it had been a haunting memory for him. He wasn't scared anymore. His mother knew...she forgave. He was still her son, no matter what.
"Arigatou, Kaasan." He said, after it was over.
"Minna, watashi no kaasan no negai, watashi ga sore wo hatasu tame." He turned to the members of his new family.
"As if you need us for that, but I'll help." Kisame said.
"I did say I was going to get a hit on that brat didn't I?" Deidara flashed him a victory sign, grinning devilishly.
"Protecting the student is the role of the master Itachi, of course I'll help you." Madara said.
"Besides, I promised her I'd take care of you in her stead." He added, eyes traveling to Mikoto's body momentarily.
"Arigatou minna." Itachi said, unable to keep himself from crying.
"Itachi showing weakness?..." Kisame studdered, freaked out.
"Now you've done it guys." Konan said, wiping his tears away.
"Let's go get Sasuke shall we?" Madara inputted after Itachi had recovered his composure.
"Yes, let's!" Itachi exclaimed, eagerly leading the way.
In another two weeks it had reached Konoha that Sasuke had been killed. They found his body terribly battered. His eyes were missing. At the Akatsuki base everyone was celebrating Itachi's victory and the fact he had gained the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. This led to Pein and Konan, Madara and Deidara, Kisame and Itachi fucking like wild animals all night long. Hidan and Kakuzu had spread blood and cum just about everywhere at the base. Zetsu had simply left the others to their insanities and gone to find some people to feast on. With no-one to give him a limit he fed on an entire village worth of human flesh that night.
A/N: A little one-shot that popped into my head after reading a few others. I hope you enjoy. PLZ RNR!
Japanese to English:
Kaasan - Mother
Tousan - Father
Musuko - Son
Otouto - Little Brother
Shishou - Master
(Insert Name Here)-sama - suffix used for one whom deserves high respect.
Doushite - Why
Iie, watashi wa sono tasuku wo mitashite iru izure ka ni narimasu. Anata dake no kyuusoku. - No, I will be the one who fulfills that task. You just rest.
Anata-tachi ga...watashi ni wa kodomo no youna monodesu. - You guys are...like children to me I guess.
Minna, watashi no kaasan no negai, watashi ga sore wo hatasu tame. - Guys, my mother's wish, help me fulfill it.
Arigatou Kaasan - Thank you, Mother.
Arigatou Minna - Thank you, everyone.