The Return of Itachi
Summary: Exactly as the title says. Someone finds Itachi's remains and start experimenting. It all ends in Itachi coming back to life and he's about to take the shinobi world by the storm. At least Sasuke will be happy, especially when his nii-san starts playing matchmaker.
"Is this really necessary?" Sasuke asked for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes and Kisame was wondering how come an Uchiha was acting in such a manner when he always thought of them as pricks that acted all polite and proper.
But then again, no Uchiha had ever been carried over a broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes while they were preparing themselves to enter Konohagakure any minute now. It must be embarrassing, to say the least. Especially for someone who was as arrogant as Sasuke.
Kisame snorted, tightening his grip. "Quite frankly, Sasuke-chan, I don't know you well enough to trust you that you won't run off at the first chance presented to you." As he felt the teen stiffen, the shark dude couldn't hold in a laugh. "Don't take it personally, you have to see where I'm coming from. You left your own village and crush," and spluttering ensued once again, making the blue man grin further. "Behind for power from a man who wasn't even likely to follow through with whatever deal you made. Judging from the way he treated Itachi-san, I'm guessing he was after your body or something."
"Yeah, he was after Sasuke's body alright, if you get what I mean." And Suigetsu was enjoying this way too much for his own good. Sasuke trembled with repressed rage as the albino kept laughing. Damn, he was going to kill that water freak when all of this was over. He would rather face severe punishment than have Suigetsu meet Naruto in person. The two loudmouths would without a doubt get along really great and then Suigetsu was going to blurt out all the things that have happened since Kisame stepped in front of them at the bridge. He would not let the blond know about just how Kisame got him to come back. Especially since he was bound to find out soon enough - if Sasuke is accepted back into the village, that is, when he starts asking for things Sasuke would normally disapprove of but would be giving into anyway. Naruto didn't need even more sway or power over him than he already had. "Anyway, why did you decide to do this? I mean, you have no connection to Konoha or to Sasuke. Why risk execution or imprisonment over a dead guy?"
Sasuke paused in his struggling to first glare at Suigetsu for the way the moron addressed his brother and then he turned his attention to Kisame's answer when Karin did him the favor and smacked the purple eyed boy over the head with a hard fist.
"Well, I am just very loyal to Itachi-san. We were close."
"You calling him with a honorific denies that, though." Karin pointed out while straightening out her glasses. Kisame looked over his free shoulder at her with a glare on his face.
"I just happen to really respect Itachi-san. I respect him as a fighter, as a person and as a philosopher. If I didn't know his actual age, I would have thought him like some sort of immortal or something and that he just liked looking thirteen at the time I met him. I also respect how much he was ready to give up for his village and for those he loved. I respect all of that and I would be calling him with 'dono', but that had made him uncomfortable because of what he had done to protect those things and that person he cared for."
"Nii-san," Sasuke mumbled when he heard this, and coupled with the road he was now very familiar with, causing his heart to throb in pain. How different would things have been if Itachi had simply taken him along or ran away with him while their clan was still planning the coupe? He bet it wouldn't have hurt this much.
"Still doesn't explain your loyalty to a dead man." Suigetsu said, cutting through the thick tension like Kubikirocho would through butter. Sasuke's head snapped up, Magekyo Sharingan blazing in the afternoon sun like two garnets, startling Suigetsu into taking a step back, tripping up Karin, who yelped really loudly as she bumped into Juugo. The two fell to the ground loudly enough for the birds in the nearby trees to fly away in fright, probably alerting anyone on patrol that something strange was going on in the forest.
Kisame reacted just in time to stop Sasuke from lunging at the stupid boy with Kusanagi half out by pinning him harder against his shoulder.
"How dare you say that about Itachi!? You never even met him! I'll kill you, you bastard!" Sasuke let out in a frightening hiss that Manda would be proud of, no doubt. Team Taka just nodded their heads, despite only Suigetsu having been the one to say anything about the older Uchiha.
"While I would have personally ripped you apart for saying that about Itachi-san any other day, I am too busy holding MiniItachi here to do so. But don't say it again or I will personally show you a hell not even Tsukiyomi can make. Got it?" Once again, all three teenagers nodded before scrambling to their feet. "Good, now let's get going. We are almost at the gate."
They all nodded once again and followed after him while Sasuke allowed his Sharingan to completely fade before letting himself think about all that is awaiting him in Konoha. Tsunade will supposedly forgive him, but that's only if he can get Naruto to do so first and seeing as he had tried to kill the blond multiple times, that forgiveness might not be offered anymore as it had been a few months ago. Sakura defenitelly won't forgive him; he had seen just how much her care for Naruto had escalated in the time he had spent away from Konoha. Everyone from Rookie Nine must hate him by now, if they could even remember what he looked like. Team Gai had never been particularly close to Team 7 while he was still in Konoha, but he heard a lot of things had changed. There was really no one waiting for him there. His entire family and clan had diminished to just him. He had never had any friends outside his teammates and he doubted even Kakashi or Iruka-sensei would welcome him back and he had been to Kakashi almost what Naruto was to Iruka, even if the jonin didn't make it too obvious. After all, he wouldn't have taught Sasuke and Sasuke only his Chidori had he not cared for the younger of the two Uchihas he had worked with. He could have taught it to Itachi, too, but he didn't. The Council will no doubt want him executed, since he had killed Danzo and had attacked the five Kages at the Five Kage Summit.
But what really bothered him was that he really might have destroyed the bond he had tried so hard to severe. If he had managed to make Naruto hate him, Sasuke decided he would kill himself. He had no place otherwise. His home was Naruto now and only Naruto. If he was rejected there, he had nowhere to go and if he had nowhere to go, it will be just like when he was a kid and he didn't want to go home because there was no one there to welcome him.
"Finally!" Suigetsu almost yelled when they were now in front of the gates, startling Sasuke out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw that they were, indeed, at the gates, two chuunin starimg at them in horor while a big group was standing in front of their post, obviously waiting the papers for leaving/entering the village. The Uchiha felt his heart stop when he caught a glimpse of orange, pink and green. He would die before he could lose sight of Naruto, Sakura or Rock Lee in a crowd. He then noticed something purple beside Sakura from his peripheral vision and knew that it must be Ino. The black dressed, pale person sent his temper high-rocketing but he wouldn't do anything to that replacement now. He had finally gotten back, he was not going to be thrown out before he could at least apologize to Naruto.
"Not so loud, baka!" Karin hissed, kicking Suigetsu into his lowrr back and making him stumble, the sound of his big sword hitting the ground along with him drawing the attention of the gathered group. Sasuke wondered if he had paled even further when he saw almost all of Rookie Nine and Lee and Tenten were there, staring at - as far as they could tell - an Akatsuki attack force sent to attack them with one being carried like a sack of dirty clothes.
"This is so humiliating," the raven muttered to Juugo, who gave his leader a sympathetic smile that didn't help him any.
"Bastards, what are you doing here!?" Predictably, Naruto and Kiba were the first ones to open their mouths and Sasuke automatically rolled his eyes and Kisame looked startled when he felt the broody teenager relax.
"Still as loud and as obnoxious as always, dobe."
Silence reigned after that simple, short sentence, awkwardness making Karin and Juugo fidget while Suigetsu was dusting himself off and drinking some of his water with a straw. Kisame suddenly wondered if this was such a bright idea. Finally, Naruto took a step forward, no one knowing how to react to the all too familiar voice and the even more familiar insult that was allowed to be said only by the owner of said voice.
"Sasuke?" The blond moved towards Kisame, the blue man not moving for fear of it being taken as a threat or attack. A tanned hand gripped a kunai as a warning while Naruto circled around to see the face of the source of the familiar voice. Blue eyes widened comically when he was greeted by black - for once - not glaring blue ones set in a pale, handsome face of the person he had searched and trained for for three years. Unbidden, happy and relieved tears sprang to his eyes and Naruto for once had no shame in whipping them away as he stared at his best friend. A huge grin spread across his whiskered cheeks, making the knot in Sasuke's stomach ease up considerable as he jumped onto Kisame's back so he could hang off of Sasuke's neck in an overly happy hug. "SASUKE! You're back!"
"Tch, usuratonkachi." The Uchiha huffed, his ears still ringing even as he buried his face in Naruto's neck, already feeling at home in the blond's presence. He enjoyed his scent, a scent he had gotten so used to on their missions together and that he had then secretly missed when he left. A scent he hadn't dared forget, no matter what, even as he trained to get stronger, grew to be harder and colder, emotionless. Alone.
Yet he will never really be alone if Naruto is still alive, now will he?
''Sasuke-kun!'' Sakura suddenly appeared, tackling Kisame from the front and then Sai (because his teammates were doing it, he figured why not?) and Ino joined in, then Lee and Kisame was starting to wonder if these Leaf shinobi were crazy or something, despite his partner being from Konoha, too. Itachi was probably just an exception, anyway. ''You're back! I'm so glad!''
''Welcome back!'' Ino said, holding on just as tightly as her best friend.
''We missed you, Sasuke-kun!'' Lee happily cried and nuzzled the raven, making Sasuke's eyebrow twitch and before they knew it, everyone, including poor Kisame, were on the ground. Except Naruto, who Sasuke had held to his side. Or maybe it had been Naruto who had refused to let go. No one could tell, not even the two boys themselves, all they knew was that Naruto was still holding on to Sasuke for dear life and the older teen wasn't complaining.
''Jeez, still as much of a jerk as ever, I see.'' Kiba said as he and the now very,very big Akamaru made their way over towards to the stunned group. Team Taka could not believe that their leader came from a village with people this touchy-feely or go lucky. If it had been any of them who had done this, they would have received a Kusanagi to the gut or a Chidori to the heart. So not fair, or so Karin thought.
''What are you doing here?'' Shikamaru had the sense to ask, keeping a wary eye on the returned Uchiha, now really the very last one beside the madman Madara. Shino and Chouji kept silent at his side while Hinata stayed with Tenten in the back, both kunoichi observing the handsome boy with sharp and untrusting eyes. Sasuke regarded them with bored eyes while Kisame kept his own gaze on the two chuunin who were staring at him warily. Ah, they must have fought someone from the Akatsuki and barely survived. That would explain it. Karin was glaring at Sakura while Suigetsu sized Kiba up, the two trying to decide who was the alpha dog as they moved in circles around each other, Lee getting dizzy watching them and needing Juugo to hold him up.
It was HInata's quiet but demanding voice that brought their attention back to the matter at hand. ''What have you done with Neji-nii-san?''
Black eyes looked at her as if she were a crazy annoyance he would rather not deal with. And maybe she was, Sasuke hadn't quite decided yet with her. ''What?''
''You did something to Neji-nii-san, didn't you!? Why else would he disappear so suddenly just before you came back!? What did you do to him!?'' Hinata demanded, screaming at the top of her lungs, Byakugan activating and lunging at the Uchiha. An open palm made to hit him, but Kisame easily took out Samehada and blocked the two boys from sight and harm. Hinata, seeing the sucking properties of the sword, stopped before it could absorb her chakra. She still glared at where she could see the Uchiha through the sword, but he didn't seem affected and it had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn't see her glaring.
''Do you honestly think I came all the way from the Land of the Waves in one day to return to Konoha, just to mess up my meek chances of being accepted back by getting into and winning a piss fight with Neji? If so, then you are seriously delusional or mentally challenged. Not even Naruto would think that. Or Suigetsu, for that matter.''
''HEY!'' The two mentioned boys yelled in protest, making Sasuke snort, which in turn seemed to terrify his new teammates. The Konoha shinobi stared at them as though they were retarded, since they looked like they were expecting Sasuke to breathe fire like a dragon or something. Then again, Uchihas do have an affinity towards fire.
Naruto turned back to his returned teammate and stared him in the eyes, as if trying to read into his very soul, making Sasuke want to fidget. Finally, after a moment of silence, the blond spoke. ''So, you haven't even caught a glimpse of Neji? Following you maybe?''
''That's impossible.'' Kisame stated confidently. ''My tracking and sensory skills are almost unmatchable and from what I know, Karin,'' he pointed to said redhead, who waved. ''And Juugo,'' he said, next pointing to the tallest teen in their group. ''Have excellent mastery of them, too.''
Tenten snorted, crossing her arms over her white clad chest as she walked up to Kisame boldly and jabbed a finger at his chest hard enough that it was definitely going to leave a bruise. ''So what? Neji's a genius! If there's anyone who could evade all three of your detections, then it's him!''
''Then why didn't he attac-'' Juugo's question was ignored as Kisame swiped away the little girl's offending finger with an annoyed frown and a twitching left brow.
''Listen here, girly, as I'm about to break your little bubble of obliviousness.'' Tenten opened her mouth to protest or retort, but the blue man wasn't going to give her the chance. ''I have lived, traveled and trained with an unmatched genius for six years. I know, for a fact, that only Itachi-san can find me and that's mostly because he knows for what to look for. But I also know for a fact that I can find everyone but Itachi-san, if he's really giving it even half his effort. So just back off.''
''Well, it's very obvious Neji's going to match him easily, then! Especially since he's got his Byakugan!'' The Chinese girl said confidently.
''So what?! If Itachi-san were still alive, it wouldn't have mattered if he had Rinnegan! Leader felt intimidated by Itachi-san. And let's not forget that your little genius fell short in front of who? Kidomaru?That's pathetic.''
''He was only thirteen then!'' Tenten insisted.
''So what? Itachi-san was an ANBU Captain at thirteen and he joined the order when he was eleven. He got his Sharingan at eight and mastered it in a matter of months. He graduated from the Academy when he was only turning seven and he entered the Chuunin Exams, alone, when he was ten and became a chuunin all on his own.'' Sai and Naruto let out whistles while Kiba could only utter an impressed ''Damn,'' while Kisame went on. ''And let's not forget he defeated an entire clan of geniuses and a Sannin when he was thirteen, too. So your genius falls rather short, either way.''
The weapons mistress sputtered for a few moments, everyone so intent on watching the two fight over who's better that they never noticed two more figures joining in on their rather strange group. ''Maa, maa, what's going on here?'' Kakashi asked, not looking up from his book. He hadn't sensed any danger from the group so he had assumed that it was one of their usual fights. But Yamato had seen and he was trying to tug Kakashi's book out of his hands so that the jonin would look up, but the silver haired man just insistently kept the book in place.
''They're trying to decide who's a better genius, Neji or Itachi?'' Chouji happily informed the two adults while Shikamaru just tsked at their antics.
''Eh? What brought this on?'' Kakashi blinked, looking down at Chouji, who he was standing by.
''Well, Hinata-san accused Sasuke-kun of being the reason Neji-san hadn't yet returned from his training this morning-''
''Sasuke?'' Kakashi interrupted Sai's explanation and finally looked at their guests incredulously, instantly noticing that Sasuke and Naruto seemed to be joined at the hip. Rather strange, if you think about it. After all, Sasuke was still dressed in his Akatsuki clothes, and Akatsuki hunted people like Naruto. Not to mention that Sasuke had tried killing Naruto more than once. ''When did they get here?''
''Some ten minutes ago.'' Shukamaru answered lazily but still never taking his eyes off of Sasuke, since he had Naruto by his side. Especially since Kisame was there, too. If this was some sort of trick, all they'd have to do was run, Naruto already in their possession. Well, run and tie the blond up. No doubt Naruto will fight them and try dragging Sasuke back into Konoha.
''Do you know why they're here?'' Yamato asked, also watching Sasuke and Naruto.
Ino shook her head as she joined them. ''Hinata accused Sasuke-kun before he could even begin responding. We can only guess now.''
''He came back because that's his older bro's will or something.'' Suigetsu muttered, not daring say anything bad about Itachi again after the reactions he got last time. He was not nearly as suicidal as everyone pegged him to be.
''Because it was Itachi's will?'' Kakashi repeated, not quite believing his own ears. Team Taka nodded, since it was obvious their leader was a little too preoccupied with feeling up his blond best friend. Really, those two looked to be in a world of their own. ''How come he changed his mind?''
''Kisame-senpai used some sort of reverse psychology or something.'' Suigetsu said with a shrug.
Karin copied the action. ''Said something about Itachi not being happy with Sasuke destroying Konoha.''
''He also mentioned a person named Naruto.'' Juugo added, watching the birds fly overhead. It was a flock of crows, which somewhat surprised Juugo. They hadn't seen much crows at all, yet there was an entire flock here.
''Figures he came back for that idiot.'' Kiba said, his hands behind his head, still occasionally looking between the two still arguing about Itachi and Neji. ''Never thought that big guy would be an Uchiha's lap dog.''
''More like guard dog.'' Karin muttered, remembering all the threats he gave just for insulting Itachi.
''So Sasuke really changed his mind only because Naruto and Sasuke were mentioned?'' Kakashi asked, incredulous, not really sure what to think about that.
''Really?'' A voice behind them asked and Suigetsu rolled his purple eyes. ''Yeah, yeah. Jeez, you'd think with how obsessed he was with him it wouldn't be so surprising.''
''Especially since he realized his bond with his brother was one of his two most significant bonds.'' Karin said with a sigh.
''Do you think the other is with this Naruto person?''
''No way, Juugo! The other one is with me, obviously.'' The glasses wearing girl said, only to get punched viciously by a very angry Sakura. ''Bitch, what was that for!?'' And just like that, another fight ensued.
''We chased him for three years and all we'd have had to do was tie Naruto and Itahci up and dangle them for Sasuke to take as bait?'' Yamato questioned to himself when another voice behind them spoke again and they turned around this time, greeted with a sight that stopped both fights.
''Then why the hell didn't he just come back!?'' Neji yelled loudly enough that maybe even his ancestors heard him, startling Kisame and Tenten out of their fight. Sakura and Karin stopped fighting when everyone stopped talking, staring at the space next to Neji and the two girls looked up too, to see what had stopped all commotion. Their jaws dropped when they saw the two long haired geniuses the other two had been fighting about, staring at them with two very shocked expressions, only Neji's was mixed with disbelief and aggravation while Itachi looked like he was over the moon with happiness.
And awkward silence fell over the entire group, Neji and Itachi staring at Team Taka, Team Gai, Rookie Nine, Sai and the two jonin and two chuunin, while said larger group was staring at the two pale individuals they had been discussing.
Only for it to be broken when a blur suddenly latched itself onto Itachi, glomping the older Uchiha, almost as if out of nowhere. But Itachi seems to have been expecting it because his arms easily came up to hug his dearest little brother close to himself, enjoying being able to hold Sasuke like this again after six years. Sasuke was shaking against him, his face buried into Itachi's neck and his cheek pressed tightly against his older brother's pulse, listening and feeling to the proof of his nii-san's presence and life. He held on tightly, afraid that if he let go, Itachi would disappear, like in so many of his dreams these nights.
And Itachi had no qualms about it. He was just content to hold his little brother close, after all the pain he had put Sasuke through, the younger Uchiha deserved whatever he wished for and it would seem holding onto his older brother was all he needed. The thought made Itachi extremely happy and his sighed happily as he patted Sasuke's head to comfort the boy.
''Nii-san...'' Sasuke murmured into Itachi's ear, tightening his hold a little more, earning himself that wonderful chuckle he hadn't heard for so long. It felt a lot longer than just the six, seven years they have been apart. ''Nii-san.''
''I'm back, Sasuke. If you want, I think today would be a nice day to teach you a jutsu.'' Itachi said with a gentle smile and he felt a tear slide down his neck. He tightened his own hold on Sasuke, not believing he could actually do this. This was really happening. He was really back in the world of the living and he was really holding his little brother again. That somehow made it all seem worth it, all the pain, the sickness and the hardships. He buried his own face in his little brother's hair, breathing in his scent. ''I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. For so many things, otouto.''
''Don't,'' the younger of the two choked out, still not letting go of his brother. In fact, he was still wrapped around Itachi like a monkey, holding onto him with both arms and legs. It would have been comical had the sight not been so heart moving. It took them a whole of ten minutes to calm down enough for Sasuke to let go of his brother, yet both Uchiha stayed very close, observing the changes in each other. Sasuke, of course, noticed that his brother's eyes weren't the same and Itachi was happy to note that his own eyes had stopped Sasuke from going blind. The premenant frowns that had been on their faces for the past seven years slipped off and both brothers enjoyed their first genuine smiles and small laughs in just as long, longer still for Itachi.
When they felt two presences approaching, they surprised Naruto and Kisame with two smiles. Naruto instantly grinned back at Sasuke, a light pink dusting his cheeks while Kisame muttered something about falling in love all over again. Itachi just chuckled at his partner and his bluntness when the two teens registered what the blue man had said and a Chidori immediately appeared in Sasuke's left hand. Had it not been for Naruto to hold him back and calm him down - especially when the older of the two former Akatsuki swooped in to kiss his partner passionately enough to make even Kakashi blush - Kisame would have been dead by now. Instead, Sasuke settled for standing really close to the blond while he growled at every move Kisame made.
Itachi, of course, noticed the intimate proximity and smirked. And despite there now being tons and tons of things that need to be prepared and taken care of - the spring cleaning of the Uchiha Compound, checking out Itachi's story, getting rid of the corrupt advisers, clearing Itachi's name, giving both Uchiha brothers rewards for killing Kabuto and Orochimaru, finding a place for Kisame in their ranks, studying all of the information they knew on Akatsuki (and yes, Itachi did have a smug look on his face as he explained that Uhciha Madara was still very much dead and that it was their older cousin, Kakashi's old teammate, Uchiha Obito behind the mask of Tobi, much to everyone's surprise and Kisame's anger for getting fooled so easily the first time he met the man)'the fact that Itachi now has Uchiha Madara's already Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan eyes, the ANBU escorts that will no doubt be necessary for some time, the ranks they deserve and so on - all of that official stuff that will no doubt give Tsunade a headache for a month after she is finished, Itachi still found it in himself to smirk at his younger brother.
''So, Sasuke, when were you planning on bringing your boyfriend over for dinner?''
The sputtering that ensued from both boys assured them that the future will be a bright one and that they will all somehow be just fine. It was a nice thing for Itachi to return to after his many years of hard work for this very peace.
The days that followed in Konoha were never the same again, the village filled with laughter and excitement that many would envy them for years to come.
OWARI
A/N: And there it is! Just a short story that popped into my head without warning and I just had to get it out. Hope you liked it and I would appreciate all review and comments left. I hope to hear from you but for now, goodbye and see you again!
R&R