Those who know of Itachi Uchiha know he is a formidable shinobi, one feared in the lands; they know of his past, the tribulations he has witnessed and the horrors he has committed. But there are only a mere handful of people that know his story, the tale tarnished and twisted having passed from mouth to mouth. Those close to him know his character they know that amidst his silence he has the words to change a nation yet he is biting his tongue; after years as a faithful servant to the village the grief he has endured will never be known to all.
To the majority he would remain one thing.
Itachi Uchiha: The killer of the Uchiha clan.
By some miraculous stroke of fate he was back in the village that had once tinkered the twines of fate and condemned him to the role of a villain; he was now walking through the dust littered streets as a free man, not as the rogue he was once considered. But his new life did not come without its ploys, everywhere he went he could hear the rumours of elderly women their words stinging more harshly than newly sharpened senbon. Yet no remark passed his lips, Itachi accepted their viper like tongues and made no attempt to come to his own defence even when he was slandered in newspapers, news of his return splashed across the gossip columns.
He was an outcast in his own town and not one person would give him the time of day.
All bar one.
The academy was as hectic as usual, stray kunai's flying through the air whilst Iruka-sensei was having one of his usual outbursts as tiny tearaways attempted to escape through the unmanned door. Itachi strode along the corridor his zuri making a dull thud as he went; he found being back in the academy nostalgic as years of memories flooded back to him with every step he took. He didn't mind going back to basics it would give him the small piece of refuge from the cruelness of shinobi life he so most desired: A fresh start.
So absorbed in his nostalgia it took Itachi a few moments to realise that a young boy sat before his feet, he rubbing his backside with a look of dismay splashed across his features. Itachi blinked and held out his hand to the young ninja, a quiet smile plastered on his pale face.
"So much for our ninja like reflexes." Itachi murmured warmly, the boy blinking a few times before laughing and scratching the back of his head nervously as he took the elder shinobi's hand gleefully.
"Ahh Itachi-sensei! I see you've caught our culprit!" A soft voice called out from down the hallway, a short kunoichi appearing with an amused smile twisted onto her rosy lips. The young ninja immediately cringed and lowered his head like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar; Itachi stared at the gold eyed young woman, it taking a few moments to register her use of honorific towards him.
"Come here you, you little bugger. Are you trying to put Iruka-sensei into an early grave?" The young woman asked, an amused tone loitering in her voice as she knelt at eye level with the now embarrassed student, his cheeks flushing as she ruffled his hair in an affectionate manner. Itachi watched as she gently reprimanded the boy before standing to her full height, which he noted was not much, she smiled standing behind the pouting boy, her hands laid upon his shoulders in an almost motherly way.
"So, what do we say to Itachi-sensei hm?" The gold eyed kunoichi asked as she poked the pouting child in his cheek awaiting his reply.
"Gomenasai Itachi-sensei." The young boy mumbled before scampering off back to class, only before glancing back at pair. Itachi stared at the young woman with a slight look of incredulity splashed upon his face; he was unsure how she knew his name or just exactly what she knew of him. But a part of him was glad of the normal interaction; it made coming back that bit more bearable.
"How rude of me, I'm Reina Hitori! Iruka-sensei's assistant, well more like reinforcement." The now named kunoichi giggled warmly and bowed lowly, her chestnut locks falling forward and creating a curtain in front of her freckled face. Itachi blinked momentarily before returning the bow glancing at her out the corner of his eyes as they began to walk along the panelled hallway.
"What did the boy do?" Itachi murmured, still unable to make the freckly kunoichi out, she was so different than the other people who had crossed his path in the recent weeks and he found her…refreshing. Reina smiled up at the dark haired male noting how he had an aura of introversion radiating about him; she knew of his past and every obstacle he had overcome and she admired him and respected him for being so commendable.
"He decided to draw Iruka-sensei in…well, let's just say a daring outfit…" Reina giggled, her smile widening at seeing Itachi's lips twitch into the faintest of smiles; a low chuckle rumbled at the back of his throat at the thought of his elder comrade reacting to such a scene. Itachi gazed down at the laughing kunoichi feeling his stomach flip a little at how blissfully cheerful she was and to him, a once convicted criminal: it brought a genuine smile to his lips.
Something told him that things were going to get a lot easier now that karma had brought Reina Hitori into his life…and he was certainly grateful.
It wasn't long before the pair were like two peas in a pod, Itachi being the calmer, sturdier pea and Reina being the more cheerful and quirky pea. But never the less their friendship was something that Itachi held dear to him; knowing that he had at least one ally amidst the array of chin-wagging gossipers put his mind at ease.
The pair sat on a park bench, a playful breeze nipping in between the branches of a nearby sakura tree; Itachi watched Reina silently as she relished the fresh air, a smile creeping onto his lips. He admired how the warm sunlight caressed her pale skin gently, accentuating the many freckles that inhabited her face and the many shades of honey that twinkled in her ochre orbs. Reina sighed happily, leaning her cheek against Itachi's shoulder something which he had grown accustomed to as their relationship blossomed; admittedly Itachi savoured their close contact every small brush of skin that they exchanged sending sparks between them.
But their sentimental moment of peace was not long lived, across the way a gaggle of women peered over their newspapers at the pair, a low murmur of chit chat tainting the once peaceful atmosphere. Itachi sighed lowly to himself and continued to mark exam papers in attempt to push their vicious slander from his mind; Reina glanced up at him, noting the sudden change in his mood her eyes shifting to the cause of his discomfort.
"You know…If they're going to gossip about you, at least give them something interesting to gossip about…" Reina murmured quietly, an amused smile creeping onto her lips as the gaggle of women strained their necks in attempt to hear her words. Itachi quirked a brow glancing down at her over the brim of his glasses, a glimpse of curiosity sparking in his obsidian orbs.
"And just what do you suggest I do?" Itachi replied gently, occasionally ticking the scrawl inhabited paper as he continued to ignore the pointless chatter from across the park. It was then that Reina chuckled mischievously a tone which sent chills down the length of his spine. Slyly Reina manoeuvred herself from his shoulder her eyes glancing over to the now staring women, their mouths gawping from behind their newspapers.
Itachi felt warm breath roll over his cheek, with his intrigue eating away at him he turned to where the tepid breeze had come from only to find a pair of lips press tenderly against his own. He could hear the gasps and declarations of outrage erupt from the women but there was something in that kiss that reassured him imminently; Reina kept her lips against his for the briefest of moments, her lips twisting into a smile as she pulled away to see a light shade of rouge dusted on Itachi's cheeks.
"Rein~" He began, his eyes wide in shock.
"Shh…Just let them read all about it, it'll be in the paper tomorrow." Reina chuckled resuming her place against him, unbeknownst to him a light blush filling her own cheeks. Itachi stared down at her, his lips parted in surprise before they twisted into a ghost of a smile.
They could read all about it all they liked, it was one thing he'd happily let them believe.