Disclaimer: I don own Naruto D8

This time its the prompt choices. Might be a spoiler if you aren't up to date with the manga, read at your own discretion, and let me know wha you think.


86. Choices

Itachi exhaled slowly as he stared at the large double doors in front of him

Itachi exhaled slowly as he stared at the large double doors in front of him. He had finally made his decision. He knew that once he passed through those doors, and relayed his decision to the Hokage, there was no going back.

He reached unsteady hands to grasp the ornate handles. Itachi hesitated a moment, cursing his trembling limbs, and hardening his resolve.

He had to this, he was the only one who could.

With renewed determination, Itachi threw the heavy oak doors open, and was temporarily blinded by the light of the noon day sun that shined in through the large windows that surrounded the Hokage's office.

Itachi heard his Hokage before he saw him, "Itachi-kun."

Blindly Itachi stepped over the threshold and once his eyes adjusted he saw that the Hokage was standing beside his desk, his signature pipe poking out the side of his mouth. Itachi smiled warmly at the sight, one he would surely miss, and bowed deeply, "Hokage-sama."

After a few moments Itachi righted himself, his face becoming a blank mask.

Seeing Itachi's change in demeanor, the Hokage's heart clenched painfully, knowing full well the large burden that he had put on the boy. He along with the village councilors had forced the unfortunate youth into an inescapable corner. Had the Hokage traded places with the youth, not even he, the strongest ninja in the village, knew what he would choose. He truly respected the boy's courage.

The Hokage cleared his throat and came to stand before the jaded teen, "Have you come to a decision?"

Itachi looked down at his feet, his raven bangs falling into his face obscuring the Hokage's view of his face, "Hai."

The Hokage took a puff of his pipe waiting patiently for the teen's response.

Itachi took a deep breath and look directly into the eyes of the wizened man in front him, "I'll do it." T

he Hokage closed his eyes saying a small prayer for the young man's soul, "Very well, you understand what this means for you…" "Hai."

Itachi already knew his duty, the slaughter of his own kin. He would be a wanted man, a rouge ninja, a traitor; this is the part he would play so that the country he loved so dearly would have peace.

"Very well, go and make whatever preparations you must." Itachi nodded in comprehension and bowed deeply turning on his heel toward the double doors. As he reached for the handles he heard the Hokage call his name.

Itachi did not turn back, but stopped and waited for the Hokage to continue, "Itachi I am very sorry, I would never have…" "It's not your fault Hokage-sama, this is the way of things, I will gladly forsake my own happiness, so that others can live here in peace, ignorant to the horrors of war." Itachi's voice was barely a whisper as he spoke these final words. The boy excused himself once again and left the office swiftly shutting the door behind him.

The Hokage sighed deeply as his heart cried for the boy. Looking absently out his window toward the Uchiha district he began to question if this was truly the only option that he had left in face of the clan's trechery. The Hokage knew he would find no sleep tonight knowing that he had made a young boy into a killer.

--

"I'm home!" the dark haired youth called out.

Itachi nearly smirked as he felt a small presence sneak up behind him, "Gotcha Nii-san!!" yelled a small Sasuke as he tried to jump on his brothers back.

However, predicting Sasuke's moves perfectly Itachi stepped out of the way and managed to trap his little brother in a headlock. "Not bad Sasuke, but not good enough!" Itachi laughed as Sasuke pouted and struggled in his grasp, "No fair, Nii-san! Let me go!!"

"What is all this noise about!? Boys behave yourselves!" Their mother chided as she walked past. "Yes, mother." The boys said in unison, as Itachi let go of Sasuke.

Itachi smirked down at him when Sasuke stuck his tongue out at his older brother. Itachi tousled Sasuke's hair roughly earning more threats from the child, and turned to head to his room when he caught sight of his father watching them from the doorway.

"Itachi, where have you been?" Uchiha Fugaku interrogated his eldest son, eyeing him suspiciously. Itachi steeled himself, "I had a meeting with the Hokage regarding my newest mission."

The clan leader raised a brow at this, "Which is?"

Itachi glanced back at Sasuke who had been watching the exchange from behind him. The boy blushed a little at having been caught, but took Itachi's look as a cue to leave. The young boy hung his head and walked down the hall to his room.

Itachi turned back to his father when he was sure Sasuke would not witness the argument Itachi could feel coming on.

"My mission is covert; I cannot speak of it, Father."

Fugaku tensed at his sons answer, "You have been saying that a lot lately, Itachi," his father activated his sharingan, "Everything I have been doing up to this point has been for the benefit of our family and the clan, and if all goes according to plan, everything will get better, but before that can happen you have to play your part Itachi, I need you to stay close to the Hokage and keep me informed on all his movements, don't forget where your loyalties lie, my son."

Itachi nearly scoffed at the way his father had used the word 'son' as a threat, but he held it in and nodded, his dark bangs once again masking his facial features from view. Thinking he had quashed his son's rebelliousness Fugaku pushed passed his son and into the house.

Itachi was left on his home's entrance staring at the cracked Uchiha crest on the wall across from him. Itachi thought the sight was ironic now, knowing that in a few days time… "Nii-san?"

Itachi was surprised to find a small hand in his; he looked down at his blushing baby brother, wondering if he had heard any of the previous conversation. Itachi searched his brother's face and found nothing to say that he had, just a genuine curiosity to know what was troubling his Nii-san.

Itachi smiled at Sasuke, giving his small had a reassuring squeeze. The little boy giggled and beamed up at him.

Itachi turned to lead the boy inside the house once again, however Sasuke ran ahead of him, and dragged him by their joined hands. Itachi felt such affection for the small boy, he was a light in Itachi's dark world.

Sasuke, you will be my light.