Be Human
Because really, that's all he wanted.
~.~
A/N: This is the first of hopefully very many.
Uchiha Itachi wasn't a religious person. After witnessing Hidan's relentless praying and bizarre rituals, he was confident that he never would be. Even if he were granted the chance at a new life, one in which he wasn't hated, sought after, and fucked up, Itachi was still sure he wouldn't be spiritual. Then again, why did it matter?
As the wind violently blew through him, fluttering his robe, he wondered why he had let his mind wander off so far as to think about religion. Rain fell from the heavens harshly and in sheet after sheet, obscuring his already deteriorating vision. The stark darkness was the rain's faithful companion and they seemed to both band against him, doing everything in their power to impede his traveling.
The moon, his usual associate in situations as the one he was currently in, did little to aid him, and this added to his already built up irritation. Usually he was more long-suffering, but, for some reason, he wasn't really interested in coping. It might have been because his humanity was catching up with him, or because he knew his death was approaching.
Itachi wasn't quite sure.
When he saw the faint light of a lamp and the sign of a familiar, traditional Japanese café, the oldest Uchiha found himself relaxing. The rendezvous point that Kisame had chosen, Itachi knew, was for his benefit. It was true that he enjoyed traditional Japanese cafes. Among all of his internal anguish and regret, there laid somewhat of a soft spot for his old hobby.
It had been because of his mother, her words often echoing throughout his mind. "Enjoy the little things, Itachi. They'll be the hardest to hold on to." A smile and a soft hand gliding through his hair would follow. Then she would softly pad away, her motherly scent wafting behind her. Itachi had made sure to kill her especially fast as that if he waited any longer then a second, he might stop himself and fall to tears. Sasuke favored her much more then he would have liked.
Sticking a hand through the flap of the café, Itachi walked inside, appreciating the warmth and aroma. Through his dripping wet straw hat, he thoroughly observed the inside of the café, noting there were no other customers except for one, sitting in the far right corner. She stood up and promptly came to greet him, a cigarette perched in between her fingers. She couldn't have been much older then Sasuke, perhaps eighteen.
"Oh, you're soaked. I wonder how long you had to be walking outside to become this drenched."
The voice was accompanied by the smell of cigarette smoke and, to Itachi, this slightly threw things off. He wondered why he hadn't smelled it earlier. Staring at the cigarette, he figured that she must have just lit it.
"Well, sit anywhere you like," the girl said. "As you can see, seats are not short in supply." And then she chuckled, "Oh, and smoking won't bother you, right? I usually do it when all my customers leave."
To answer her question, Itachi reached for her hand, and gently took the rolled up piece of what he considered shit, dropped it on the ground, and smashed it. It did indeed bother him. He took a seat on the closest wooden bench, and let his arm rest on the clean, wooden table.
The girl laughed and shrugged. "A man of action, huh? I would have gladly put it out myself, but hey, you know what they say: the customer is always right. So, what would you like?"
Itachi watched as she tightened the cloth wrapped around her brown hair, and turn to him, an amused grin gracing her lips. When he didn't answer right away, she proceeded to tighten her apron.
"Green tea."
"Coming right up!"
She was out of place. The girl, with her charismatic speech and gleaming green eyes, didn't belong in the café. Itachi had expected to be greeted by a decrepit old man or woman, their time of death nearing just as his was. He didn't expect to be smiled at, playfully spoken to. Perhaps it was her youth. Perhaps it was the way she reminded him of a girl he once knew and loved.
Itachi wasn't quite sure.
He was somewhat woken out of his distant thoughts as a cup was set before him, the steam curling and rising. Along with the cup, the girl sat opposite his direction, another cigarette nestled between her fingers. She had yet to light it. Itachi briefly wondered if she dared.
"I could so easily kill you," He told her, wanting to see her reaction. Although they both knew that he wouldn't.
The girl laughed softly, even though nothing was funny. "I encounter many missing nins and S-ranked criminals everyday, you're not my first Akatsuki member either. Some are coming and others are going. I have yet to be killed. But, think about it. Who else would make their favorite tea?"
"You have no fear," Itachi quietly observed. Whether he meant to say it aloud, or it just came out was unknown to the girl.
She began to twist her cigarette. "Fear is only taught. And why should I be afraid of you? You shouldn't fear what you don't understand. I know deep down inside, you're much like me. You're human. Despite that cold look in your eyes, somewhere, you're there. I'm sure of it."
Itachi brought the cup of tea to his lips, breathing in the hot steam and the soothing aroma. Perhaps if he were human, he would have indulged in more conversation with the girl. He would have expressed to her how much he enjoyed the tea that she had made. He would have found her brown hair and green eyes attractive. He might have even made love to her if they had met enough times.
But he wasn't.
The girl uttered words of hope to a monster. She didn't know better, he could tell by the look in her eyes. She didn't know who she was talking to.
"You know, a couple days ago, there was a young man who came up in here. He looked a lot like you, stern, dark eyes and all. He was giving me the same look you give me now. It's this look of self hate and it's fucking horrible."
The Akatsuki member set down his empty cup, the tea drunk in one full setting. The rain seemed to let up if only by a little bit, thunder and lightning seemingly still at odds. Kisame was late.
"You seem upset."
The cigarette had been flicked away and the girl sighed. "I have my moments. I'm sorry. Not smoking and seemingly hopeless criminals tend to make me irritable. Here, I'll get you more tea to make up for it."
She stood up, clutching the cup and disappeared in the back.
Itachi sighed, closing his eyes for only a moment. Women and their emotions. Perhaps the largest difference between the two genders. One might have found it necessary. Itachi found it be a hindrance. To feel. It seemed almost foreign to him. Apart from his earlier feelings of irritation and fatigue, when was the last time he had really felt anything?
A funny thought slid into his array of thoughts, he was indeed a hypocrite, but he had no time to mentally scold himself as that the girl returned, a cup of steaming tea once again placed before him. Only this time, she carried no cigarette.
"It's on the house. Now, since you've had the first cup, do you still intend to kill me?" She said lightly, a coy lift of the brow.
The question was left unanswered as that at that moment, Kisame stepped inside, damp and with a toothy smile, his small eyes filled with a sort of disturbing excitement. Itachi sighed. He had just killed someone.
"Oh? Am I interrupting something, Itachi?"
Itachi would usually ignore a rhetorical question as such, but that night, he didn't. "Nothing at all."
Kisame let out a throaty chuckle. "Someone's in a good mood."
The young owner of the cafe scoffed. "If this is when he's in a good mood, I'd love to see when he's pissed."
Kisame turned his beady gaze toward the woman. "I love mouthy women," he said as he took a seat across from Itachi, removing his straw hat. Itachi wondered if it was for his benefit, or for the woman's.
"I love customers who pay before they leave, Kisame."
"Lousy service deserves lousy pay."
She was tightening up her apron once again. "Go fuck yourself," Soon after, she disappeared in the back, the flap fluttering behind her.
Itachi eyed his partner, wondering what his relationship was with the woman, as that she knew his name. However he already knew why Kisame had indulged in the playful, perhaps even flirty banter with the woman was because of his fresh kill. It always seemed to put Kisame in a good mood.
"Any intel on the four tails location?" Itachi asked, pushing his empty cup away from him.
Kisame shook his head. "If he knew anything, it died with him." He grinned again. "Although I did get his address from his pocket. The poor fucker's family might be willing to spill."
Itachi briefly wondered if they should spend the time interrogating said family. That then lead to the thought of how much time they really had left. It was something. If they were hasty, their efforts might not be in vain.
Reaching into his pocket and grabbing out money for payment, Itachi set it on the table, the cling audible. He stood up.
"Leaving already, are we? You must be in a rush." Kisame uttered, standing up.
They had been no more then a few feet away from the oddly charming traditional cafe that both Akatsuki members heard a yell.
"Tip next time, you cheeky bastard!"
Kisame let out another throaty laugh and Itachi closed his eyes and continued walking. About a few minutes later, Kisame pointed out, with thought. '
"She makes some damn good tea,"
Itachi could only sigh and agree.
"She does,"