Despite the title, this is ItaSAKU, not Uchihacest. I promise =D.

I would like to thank whomever discovered that you can use a line of OOOOO as a way to subdivide your story in Word that actually gets carried over to this site.

Ch 1: hunger

Hidan was not happy. He rummaged through the cupboard in the combination kitchen/living room area of the Akatsuki's latest hideout, but he couldn't find anything to eat that wasn't spoiled, rotten, or past its expiration date. Meanwhile, his stomach was growling like a tortured animal.

Hidan cast his eyes about the room and found the other Akatsuki members doing nothing, as usual.

"I'm hungry," he announced. "Kakuzu, go buy some food."

"No. Food here is expensive."

"Eh, you're just cheap," Hidan complained.

"What did you say?" Kakuzu made to rise from his chair.

"Nevermind," Hidan said quickly. "I'll make Deidara do it."

"I ain't going anywhere, un," said Deidara. "I'm in the midst of creating a masterpiece." He took a piece of clay from the pouch at his hip and inserted it into the mouth in his right hand. After his hand chewed the piece of clay to the proper consistency, Deidara fashioned it into the shape of a wing and attached it to the hummingbird-shaped creature he was working on. As soon as the hummingbird was finished, it promptly flew into the wall and produced an explosion that shook the dwelling to its foundations.

Sasori entered the room through the hole in the wall, raising his singed eyebrows. "You call that a masterpiece? I call it a hole."

"If all you're going to do is criticize, why don't you buy Hidan some food, un?" snapped Deidara.

"A little hunger hones the senses and sharpens the mind," replied Sasori.

Hidan threw an expired milk carton at him. "What the hell? You don't need to eat."

"Eh?"

"Aren't you a puppet?" Hidan demanded. When everyone stared at him, he pointed at Sasori and said, "He's a freaking puppet!"

"Well, if you're so hungry, why don't you pray to your Lord Jashin for some food?" Sasori retorted.

Hidan reached for his scythe. "Teme-"

Itachi rose from his seat by the window. Hidan, Kakuzu, Sasori, and Deidara watched him warily. "I'll go. Shitsureshimasu."

He threw open the door and left the hideout.

Deidara shivered. "Itachi-san is scary, un?"

OOOOOOO

Itachi stepped out into the sunshine and took a deep breath of fresh air, savoring the silence. He realized that he had forgotten his Akatsuki cloak and forehead protector, but he didn't care. Sometimes, he had to get away from his fellow Akatsuki members. He hated how they constantly fought over frivolous things. Itachi accepted that fighting was a necessary part of his life as a shinobi, but he took no pleasure in it and he could not understand those who did.

The Akatsuki were currently stationed outside the hidden cloud, a small village that seemed perpetually torn apart by the chaos of war. As he picked his way through the rubble that was all that remained of the outer two-thirds of the village, Itachi couldn't help but think that there had to be a better way for people to settle their differences.

Why do we do it? he wondered. Why do we wage wars when we know that all they will bring us is more pain and suffering?

The inner third of the village was packed with orphans and refugees. They shuffled around aimlessly with dispirited looks in their eyes. They had nothing to do all day and no money for food. Most of them just waited to die. If they were lucky, they would be taken to the hospital at the top of the hill, where they would at least receive one meal a day.

The hidden cloud's marketplace was located in the center of this throng, operated by and serving the few who had been lucky enough to escape the loss of their homes and livelihoods. Many of the shopkeepers kept large sticks by the entrances to their shops, which they used to "discourage" beggars and thieves. They were polite enough to Itachi though, once they realized that he had money.

No sooner had Itachi finished his shopping than a little boy came up to him, clutching his pant leg and staring hungrily at his groceries.

Itachi handed him a small piece of bread.

The boy grabbed the bread and immediately ran over to a young man who was propped up against one of the buildings. The man was so gaunt his ribs stood out clearly against his flesh, and he appeared too weak to stand on his own.

The boy shook him to get his attention then held out the piece of bread.

"Hayate-niisan, tabete."

The man smiled and patted the boy on the head.

"Arigatou, Tonbei-chan."

Itachi stood still as the memories crashed over him. How many times had he patted Sasuke on the head like that and seen the boy's sweet smile? The jealousy and the longing were intolerable.

Itachi stumbled and fell to his knees, coughing uncontrollably. His basket of groceries fell to the ground. The food he had bought spilled into the street and was immediately set upon by a dozen hungry urchins, but Itachi hardly noticed.

I wish I were dead.

Itachi struggled to his feet but was immediately hit by a wave of vertigo that forced him back to the ground. He coughed into his hand and was terrified to see that his palm was covered in blood. When unconsciousness claimed him, he welcomed the darkness like an old friend.

OOOOOOO

Meanwhile, Tonbei felt guilty that he hadn't thanked the nice man for the piece of bread. His mother would have scolded him if she were still alive. He looked around and eventually found him slumped on the ground at the next street corner. At first, he thought it was funny to see a grown man sleeping in the street. Then he saw the blood. And, no matter how many times he shook him, the man didn't wake up.

OOOOOOO

Japanese phrase guide (Chapter 1):

Teme- generic term of insult

Shitsureshimasu- a polite way to take one's leave

Oniisan, niisan- older brother

Tabete- eat

Arigatou- thank you

***Important: Please forget the hidden cloud village that you know from the filler or whatever. I needed some "blank slate village" that we didn't learn too much about in the show for me to create as a place where Sakura and Itachi meet, but honestly, I couldn't think of any good original village names, so I used the hidden cloud, which at least is not one of the main villages in the show. This will be my only canon error, or at least the most major xD. If anyone wants to suggest another village name that I like, I will use it for my original village.

Also, if you like this story, please read my HidaSaku AU Peer to Peer. The premise may sound stupid, but I promise that it is a great story, which I like much better than this one.