This is part 3 of the series. Much fluff will be included in the next chapter and a suprising twist as well.
Akatsuki, Sasuke (c) Masashi Kishimoto
Please comment and suggest anything! Flames are accepted too!
Time Skip 5 Years
The Akatsuki had adjusted well to the child that had been brought into their lives only 5 years prior. Well most of them anyways. Sasori, Hidan, and Kakuzu still had yet to adjust to their new 'nuisance' as they called him. Kakuzu blatantly ignored Sasuke no matter what the circumstance, Hidan swore when Sasuke was around more than he usually would, and Sasori was just cruel and heartless. However they never anyone else know how they truly felt out of fear of the consequences of the wrath of Konan, Itachi and Pein. Tobi and Deidara adored the little boy and were constantly looking out for him and defending him. Pein and Kisame cared for the boy as well, but more as father figures. And Zetsu was split on the idea. The white side liked the boy and thought he was too much of a joy to consider devouring, while the black side thought he was annoying and looked delicious enough to eat. Sasuke was 5 years old and was a spitting image of his father. He like to run around the base at high speeds and talk to no end about anything and everything to whomever was present. Overall, he was growing up to be a well-mannered boy, but like all 5-year olds, he had a mischievous side. Recently, Pein had made it rain on the village for 2 weeks now and Sasuke was itching to go outside.
"Mommy! What are you doing? I wanna see!" Sasuke cried out of boredom. He had been drawing pictures for all of the Akatsuki and had been busy at work for hours on end. He impatiently tugged on his mother's robe, indicating he wanted to be held. Despite the fact that Konan was obviously busy, she decided not to be angry at his constant interruptions. Like she could be angry at him anyways. He looked so cute in his tiny Akatsuki cloak with the Uchiha symbol on the back of the collar. Besides, whenever he got into trouble, he would just pout and begin to whimper, instantly diminishing the willpower anyone had to be angry and punish him.
"I'm filing a report about my last mission" Konan replied before gently picking him up and setting him in her lap so that he could see what she was doing. She then returned to her work, but before long Sasuke was fidgeting, his 5-year old attention span up. "What is it my son?" she asked as she ran her hand through his soft and silky raven hair. 'He looks and acts just like his father' she thought noticing the resemblance. 'Patient and quiet most of the time, but when he's bored, you're sure to know because he's up and in your face. Its uncanny how much they are alike one another'.
"When can we go outside again? I wanna play outside and go to the park with you and Daddy!" Sasuke exclaimed excitedly.
"Be patient my son." Konan said, turning her son around so that they could face each other. "Your uncle Pein makes it rain so that we can be safe."
"How does he do it? Make the rain I mean. And how does it make us safe?" Sasuke questioned with a curious expression.
'Ahh he never gets tired of asking questions does he?'. "For your first question, Pein has a special ability, a Kekkei Genkai as it is called that…"
"A what?" Sasuke piped in.
'Hmmmm. How can I explain a kekkei genkai to a 5-year old?' she thought briefly before unsurely beginning her explanation. "Well you know how I can control paper?" she questioned. Sasuke nodded, with an expression of fascination. "Well, Pein can do the same, but with the rain. You see, kekkei genkai is just a fancy way of saying that someone has a special ability that is passed down through the generations of a family by blood. Your Papa has one, called the Sharingan, and you'll have soon, I'm sure. Ask him about it when he gets back. Do you understand so far Sasuke-kun?" He nodded again. "For your second question, the rain Pein makes isn't normal rain. Its 'special'. You remember how I explained chakra to you yesterday, don't you? Well his rain can sense the chakra of other people. If there is someone in Amegakure that doesn't belong here, your uncle will know. If that person is dangerous and wants to hurt us, he can warn us ahead of time." Sasuke's face changed from delighted, to a look of horror upon hearing his mother's last statement. He didn't like the sound of someone trying to hurt his mama and papa and his family. Upon noticing this, Konan tried to reassured him by telling him that his family would never let anyone hurt him. She hugged her son tightly trying to comfort him and restore his happy mood. After a period of silence, Konan said "Sasuke, I bet if you ask your uncle nicely enough, he will stop the rain for a little so that you can go outside."
"You think so mama?" Sasuke asked, his mood returning much to the relief of his mother.
"I know so" she replied, but before she had the chance to tell him, her son leapt out of her lap and was running out of the room and through the base looking for his beloved uncle. 'Just don't get into trouble again my little weasel.' Konan loved the nickname she had given her son. It mirrored the one his father had. 'I love you so much and I hate seeing you hurt' she thought before returning to her own work hoping she would finish soon.
"Uncle Pein, Uncle Pein, where are you?" Sasuke cried. "I need to see you!" Sasuke, not paying attention to where he was going, accidentally ran into Sasori. Upon looking up and realizing who he had collided with, he immediately became quiet and shy. "I-I'm sorry Sasori-sama. I didn't mean to r-run into you. I wasn't paying attention. P-please don't h-hur-hurt me…" he whimpered on the verge of tears. Sasuke had already known from an early age that Sasori didn't like him and he had been afraid of him ever since he had spilled some juice on his cloak and Sasori had harshly scolded and hit him a few times for it. Sasuke never told anyone except Deidara about the incident, making him swear that he would not tell anyone else, because he was afraid of what Sasori might do to him if he found out and no one else was watching.
Being in a particularly bad mood from getting back late from what should have been a simple mission, Sasori snapped, "What were you thinking, brat? You don't just run around a dangerous criminal organization like that! You're lucky I don't punish you for that!" Sasuke didn't make eye contact during their interaction, but nodded instead. Sasori then stomped off making Sasuke cringe and back against the wall. A little disheartened, Sasuke continued his search for his uncle but this time he walked slowly, he was quieter and his head and spirit drooped.
"Whats wrong Sasuke-kun? You look like you just lost your favorite stuffed animal to a rabid dog, un" Deidara asked, happy to see the boy after being gone on a mission with Sasori for a week.
"Deidara-senpai!" Sasuke yelled running to the man, arms outstretched. He loved Deidara. He was so nice to him and the artist would defend him from Sasori's 'meanness'. Deidara always looked for him and he could tell him anything with out fear. Deidara scooped the boy up and began tickling his belly. "De-Dei-Deidara-senpai! St-stop that! It ti-tickles!" Sasuke managed to say in between fits of laughter. Deidara stopped tickling the boy, but not before blowing a raspberry on his stomach.
"So how have you been while I was gone, un? Were you terribly bored?" Deidara asked carrying the boy with him on his way to him and Sasori's room. Sasuke immediately began excitedly telling him about everything that had happened to him, and the picture he had drawn for him in his room, and solemnly ended his recollection with the incident just a few minutes prior with Sasori. "Danna yelled at you again, un? And just for accidentally running into him? He needs to apologize to you, you did nothing wrong, un." Deidara said frowning.
"N-no Deidara-senpai! He doesn't need to say sorry. It was my fault. I don't want Sasori any more mad at me than he already is." whined Sasuke struggling to escape from the older man's arms.
"No Sasuke, he needs to say he is sorry." Deidara said putting the boy down while keeping a tight grip on him. Deidara made sure the boy looked him in the eyes before continuing, "He was wrong for yelling at you like that, un. Sasori needs to lighten up, you were just enjoying being a kid, un" Not being re-assured very much Sasuke's expression didn't change much. Noticing this, Deidara added "Don't worry Sasuke-kun, I won't let danna hurt you on my watch, un" comfortingly before picking him up again and resting the boy's head on the his shoulder.
When the pair reached the artist's room, Deidara entered with a trembling Sasuke in his arms and said in an impatient, aggravated tone, "Sasori no danna, we need to talk, un." Sasori, not being fazed the least, merely continued his work on a puppet and scoffed while guessing what the blonde was so worked up about upon seeing the 5-year old in his arms.
"Danna, why must you yell at Sasuke-kun constantly, un?" Deidara asked bitterly after sitting down on their shared bed. He sat Sasuke on his lap, who then turned his face away from Sasori and buried himself in Deidara's warm chest, wrapping his arms around him. Deidara also wrapped his arms around the boy in a protective and comforting way. "Why do you hit him and scold him for things that were accidents, un?"
"The brat should watch were he is going. He should be more cautious" Sasori grumbled, not looking up from his work to acknowledge neither Deidara nor Sasuke.
"He's 5 years old danna, un! He doesn't know any better. He's just a kid, un." Deidara replied, getting more worked up about the situation. "Look at me Sasori!" Deidara ordered. "Look at what you have done to this boy, un! He is terrified of you and what you will do to him if he makes a simple mistake, un. You need to apologize to him!"
"I need NOT apologize!" Sasori shouted angrily, making Sasuke cringe, and cling tighter to Deidara tears beginning flow. Sasori turned in his chair to face the two. "ME? ME? Are you serious? HE is the one who ran into me! HE is the one at fault here! HE needs to be more cautious! This is an S-CLASS organization, not a daycare!" Upon hearing this Deidara was pissed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. 'I know danna is cold sometimes, but this isn't the time for that. He has this boy deathly afraid of him. Why does he have to be like this?' Deidara wondered. "No its not a daycare, its better, un. This is his home!"
"No it is not! HE IS NOT WELCOME HERE!" Sasori yelled insanely angry.
"Oh I see, un" Deidara said quietly. Then adjusting to face the sobbing boy, "I'm sorry Sasuke-kun that danna is such a jerk to you, un. He just doesn't know how to show he cares. And if doesn't know how to do that, he doesn't know how to care for me, un" he said sadly. Deidara then got up with Sasuke in his arms and proceeded to leave the room with a disappointed look in his face.
"Where are you doing brat?" Sasori demanded.
"What does it look like I'm doing, un? I'm leaving you. I'll be back for my stuff later. I hope you will change your mind about apologizing danna, un." he said before exiting the room.
'He is choosing that boy over me? Humph!' Sasori angrily thought. After cooling down a bit he began to regret his actions. 'What have I done?' Sasori thought. 'Because of my cold and heartlessness, I have lost the stupid br-, I mean Deidara. See, even in my mind I'm heartless. Why can't I change this? Why can't I change me? It doesn't have to be a big change' he pleaded with himself. 'Just enough to get Deidara back' . At once, Sasori returned to the work on his puppets trying to think up how he would get his little artist back and trying to forget his big mistake.
Once they were a good way down the hall, Deidara wiped away Sasuke's tears. He traced soothing circles into his backs while making soothing 'shoo' noises. Once the boy was back to his old self, Sasuke's stomach rumbled and roared.
"Are you hungry, un?" Deidara asked. Sasuke nodded instead of speaking, still being a bit shaken up by the artists' fight. "Me too. What do you want to eat, un?" the artist asked.
"Uuhh, I want…" Sasuke answered deep in thought. "I want some tomatoes! Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!"
"Just tomatoes, un? Are you sure you don't want a sandwich to go with those tomatoes?"
"Yahyahyahyahyah! A sandwich! With lettuce and tomatoes and cheese and bread … and …" Sasuke cried, wanting to be put down so he could walk there himself. Sasuke wasn't usually very independent, mostly wanting to be carried everywhere and have everything done for him, but when he did want to do it himself, no one obliged.
"Wait for me, un!" Deidara shouted trying to keep up with the rambunctious 5-year old. That was another thing. Sasuke very rarely was tired. The caring Akatsuki members were amazed at how he was always up and about doing something.
When they got to the kitchen, Sasuke ran to the table and sat down, eagerly awaiting his meal. Deidara smiled at the boy, before grabbing a plate and opening the fridge to collect the things he needed for their sandwiches. After getting them, he quickly made their sandwiches and cut Sasuke's into 4 pieces so he wouldn't eat too fast. Not that it helped much, for Sasuke was starving.
"Shank 'ou Deidawa-shempai!" Sasuke said with a large grin and his mouth full. " Its vewy gowd!"
"I'm glad you like it, un. Don't eat too fast though, You'll get a stomach-ache."
After the two finished their meal, Sasuke desperately was trying to put his plate in the sink by himself. Deidara mentally laughed at the boy's futile attempts at helping out. 'He is so cute when he is frustrated' he thought before getting up and taking the plate from him, placing it in the sink along with his own. Deidara reluctantly told Sasuke he had to file a report about his last mission and that he would see him later. Although disappointed, Sasuke hugged the older man then remembering what he was originally going to do and he soon was on his way. Sasori took this opportunity to come out from the other side of the wall to talk to Deidara.
"I'm sorry Deidara" Sasori said quietly so no one but the two could hear. "I was in a bad mood from our mission and I was wrong and I'm sorry."
"I'm glad you realize you were wrong danna." said Deidara partially relieved. "But I'm not the one you should apologize to, un"
"That I won't do. It was truly his fault!"
"Come on danna" said Deidara with an uke-ish smile on his face. "The boy is deathly afraid, un. Its not good for him to grow up in a state of constant fear."
"I'll do it only if you decide not to move out" Sasori said grinning.
"Fine, but I'm still mad at you until you make up with Sasuke-kun, un" said Deidara sighing.
"Aw come on Dei-chan! I said I would apologize to him!"
"Don't call me that danna, un! Besides you still gotta make it up to me as well"
"Well, there is one way" said Sasori with a seductively cunning grin on his face before picking the younger artist up bridal style and carrying him to their room. (You can pretty much guess what happens next between these two XP)
Pein was seated at his desk in his room when he heard a few knocks on the door and "Pein-sama! Pein-sama! I wanna talk to you!" Recognizing the voice, Pein smiled. A rare thing indeed because he rarely showed emotion to anyone except the boy and his parents, and then only in private. Pein was also very affectionate for the boy and was constantly looking out for Sasuke. Similarly, Sasuke was one of the only two who could call him by his real name and get away unscathed.
"Come in Sasuke-kun" Pein said with an even rarer delighted expression. Sasuke then ran into the room and threw his arms around his uncle, giving him a great hug.
"Uncle" said Sasuke after he was set in Pein's lap. "Mama told me how you can control the 'special' rain in our village and how she could control paper and how me and Papa have a Sharingan cuz it was in our blood! That is so cool!"
"I know" Pein said smiling.
"Well I wanted to know if you could make it stop for like just a second so that me and my mama could go outside and go to the park and play but you don't have to if you don't want to but pppllleeaasseee?" Sasuke asked as nicely as he could, even going so far as to give him the infamous puppy dog pout. 'Damn. Did he breathe at all during that question? And how am I supposed to say no to that?' Pein thought. 'Here I am, leader of the most dangerous criminal organization in the known world, being reduced to putty in this child's hands.' "Well…."
"Pretty please, with a cherry on top?" Sasuke asked again with an even more anxious expression.
"Well, alright. I mean it has rained for 2 weeks straight. A few hours of no rain might not hurt."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Sasuke cried giving his uncle the tightest hug the strength in his tiny arms could muster. Pretending to be caught in Sasuke's hug, Pein playfully teased him by saying "Can't breathe!". "I'm sorry" said Sasuke releasing his arms. "No its ok little weasel." Pein said receiving a pitiful punch in the arm from the boy. "Don't call me that!" he said. "You just don't know how strong you are Sasuke-kun!" Pein said. "I bet you could beat even Kisame in arm-wrestling with the strength in those arms."
"You mean it! You really mean it!?"
"Of course." Pein replied ruffling the boys hair a bit. "Now go on and have some fun for me too, ok?"
"I will!" cried Sasuke as he ran out the door carefully shutting it behind him.
Once again Sasuke was not paying attention to where he was going and ran into another cloaked figure. Thinking it was Sasori again, Sasuke looked at the ground and immediately said "I'm sorry Sasori-san. I wasn't watching where I was going"
"Who are you talking to Sasuke-kun? Sasori is nowhere to be seen." the figure asked.
"Papa! I missed you!" the boy cried recognizing the voice as his fathers. Sasuke leapt into his father's arms hugging him tightly and nuzzling his head into the crook of the older man's neck.
"I missed you too. How have you been, my son?" Itachi asked gently running a hand through his son's hair.
"I thought you were never gonna get back!" said Sasuke so happy that his father was back. 'Now mama and papa and me can go outside together!' he thought.
"Kisame , Hidan, Kakuzu and I got a little held up on the way home. There was an ambush and well, it took longer than expected to deal with it" replied Itachi. "Nothing you need to worry about though. Now, what were you running at break-neck speed for?"
"I asked Uncle if he would stop making it rain for just a little while, so that me and mama and now you can go outside and play and go the park! And he said yes! And now you can go with us too!" chirped Sasuke energetically.
"Is that so?" Itachi replied playfully, setting his son down but taking his hand. "Tell me everything, Sasuke-kun on the way to our rooms."
"Aren't father and son weasel so cute?" Kisame joked as he entered into view causing Sasuke to shrink back ever so slightly. Sasuke was afraid of the large, blue man with sharp teeth and afraid that he would get him like the monsters under his bed would. Secretly, Sasuke knew the man would never dream of doing any such thing, but he still feared him anyway.
"Don't call me that!" they said in unison, adding to Kisame's amusement and he couldn't resist laughing.
"Hi Kisame-senpai" said Sasuke shyly. "Papa said you were ambushed, are you ok?"
"Of course! With me and your Dad side-by-side in battle, no one can touch us! We are the best team there is!" Kisame said in a gruff voice.
"Guess what?" Sasuke asked becoming more comfortable with his father at his side.
"What?" asked Kisame.
"Mama and Papa are gonna take me outside and to the park so that we can play! We are gonna have so much fun!" With these last words, Sasuke broke free of his father's hand and was running down the darkened corridor to their room. When he noticed that his father wasn't following, he called out. "Daddy, what are you doing? Uncle said we only have a few hours without rain! We are losing time! Come on you slow-poke!"
"Ok, ok Sasuke I'm coming. I just have to discuss something with Kisame-san. Hold on for just a moment." Itachi called back to his son. "Kisame, would you mind doing my part of the report for me? Sasuke is really itching to go outside and I don't want disappoint him. Plus I'll never hear the end of it from Konan if I do." Kisame grumbled, but then agreed to do so. Upon catching up with his son, he took the boy's hand in his own and they walked back together.
Konan was peering out the open window in her and Itachi's room and enjoying the sudden change of weather. It was around noon and the sun was just coming out from behind the rain clouds. A large rainbow had been painted across the sky. 'Its so beautiful' she thought. 'I wish Pein wouldn't make it rain for such long periods of time. I could really enjoy seeing this more oft-…' was as far as she got because she turned at the sound of the door opening. At the sight of her two favorite people in matching Akatsuki cloaks, hand in hand as well, she felt she just had to say "Awww, look how cute my two little weasels are!" before running over and embracing them.
The two males' cheeks were a shade of pink and they said in unison "Don't call me that!" as they hugged her, further increasing Konan's point.
"Guess what mommy?" Sasuke said elatedly.
"What my little weasel?" Konan said as she received a pitiful 5-year old death glare from her son.
"Daddy says that me and you and him can go play outside and go to the park since uncle made the rain stop!" Sasuke exclaimed.
"Really now?" she said sweetly. "Go change out of your robe and into some normal clothes while I talk to your father." Konan knew it would not look good if people saw 2 Akatsuki members with a child. They would naturally assume the wrong thing and then they would create a problem that could only be solved by violence and she didn't want to put her son through that. Once Sasuke was out of earshot, Konan said nervously, "How close did they get?"
"Close" Itachi replied. "They were waiting just 10 miles from here. It won't be long before they find out Akatsuki's main base of operations." Itachi kissed a worried looking Konan, before going to change his clothes as well. 'What will we do?' Konan thought. 'They're getting closer and closer to finding us out. Its only a matter of time now…… What will we do when they finally realize the truth? I just hope that we can capture the remaining bijuu and create peace in this chaotic world before that time comes.' The blue haired kunoichi sighed and then began to change herself. She decided upon wearing the normal village black pants, and black and white fishnet shirt. When Itachi came out with almost an identical look, they both laughed.
"Momma! I need your help!" Sasuke yelled before tripping and making a loud 'thump' on the floor.
"I'm coming sweetie" she replied. When she entered her son's room, she chuckled. He was stumbling around trying to stand up, and trying to fit his blue shirt with the Uchiha crest on the back collar on backwards. His hands and arms were caught in a position almost impossible for him to break free of by himself.
"Its not funny, momma! I'm stuck!" he said annoyed that his mother was laughing at him when he was in need.
"I know, I'm sorry Sasuke-kun" Konan said as she pulled it around and fit it on right. "It's just that you looked so kawaii like that."
"Lets go, lets go!" Sasuke shouted as he ran from the room.
"Aren't you forgetting something, son?" Itachi asked. When Sasuke didn't respond for a few seconds, he hinted "Your sandals."
"Oh, I forgot them. I'll go get them. Be right back." he said as he hurried and put them on. "Ok I'm ready lets go!"
"Ok now hold on tight, kay Sasuke? We will be there sooner than you think." Konan said as she prepared to turn them all into paper for easier travel. It was difficult already to change herself and someone else at the same time and 3 people might be a problem. This wasn't an easy task to accomplish, but with her and Itachi's precise chakra control combined, she was sure they could pull it off. Itachi placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on Sasuke's, while Sasuke tightly held Konan's leg. Konan performed a series of handsigns and the 3 three slowly dissipated into innumerable sheets of paper. Once each person had completely transformed, she began to shape them. Each individual sheet of paper folded into a paper airplane that then flew through the open window and out into the fresh, rain scented air of Amegakure.