Chapter 9: Divided
It's hot. Like surface of the sun hot, well maybe not quite. But the burning sun shining on his tender skin feels like it. His mouth is dry and feels like it is stuffed with cotton. He can't seem to gather enough saliva to wet it properly. His head feels funny and everything is too damn bright. Sounding like it is close enough to touch he can hear water. Breathing in he can smell the water, it's such a welcome scent he can practically taste the water, making his thirst compounded when there is no water running down his throat. Moving though is out of the question, he is too weak to move yet. Wait he can smell water? It's going to hurt when he opens his eyes. But he struggles to lift his eye lids despite it. He closes them again blinking at the searing pain, like hot pokers in his retina. "Ow! Fuck." He curses though his breath barely hissed over his vocal cords it sounds like a shout. His ears flatten to his head instantly. Everything is too…everything.
As his eyes are already closed he focuses on his senses. His quick mind categorizes everything in an instant. He can smell sand, water and growing things- an oasis. He can also smell lightning, and faintly the smell of dog and soap. But a particular scent teases his nose like a breath of fresh air. It's a scent like a summer day. Warm, bright and playful. It makes him think of wheaten strands, blue eyes and a sunny smile. It was never bright in his mind-scape always dismal. But Naruto had brought a ray of light with that ridiculous smile. "Naruto?" he gasps ears flattening again.
"He is still unconscious." The voice is quiet and calm and right now Kurama appreciates it. "Gaara and I moved you both to the oasis when Naruto dropped to his knees gasping in pain. We were afraid that he was going to lose control so Gaara acted quickly. Once we got on the way Naruto suddenly divided in two." The copy nin shudders at the memory. "I take it that you are Kurama?" Kakashi asks as he sits back and looks at the male laying in front of him. He only had to ask because the man is weak as a kitten and somehow, he'd pictured Kurama more animal like and furry. Aside from a pair of fox ears atop his head of deep red hair and the tails he looks human-ish.
Kurama tries again to open his eyes and this time blinks them open. They are in the shade which helps to lessen the light, but it is still bright; stinging his eyes and making them water. "Sage, I forgot what sunlight was like. Ugh." Everything is still overwhelming but little by little Kurama is bringing it back to tolerable again. Once his youki is flowing again he will be right as rain. "What happened to Naruto?"
Kakashi sighs, "we don't know. One second he was talking and the next is struck with a glowing pillar of light and then he is in pain, his hair growing to his waist and claws on his fingers. Then like he is practically ripped in half, a second body separated from him and began to morph into you. It was terrifying and then Naruto or at least the half that kind of resembles Naruto passed out and you shortly after. That was two days ago. As I said he hasn't woken yet."
"Gods, this is my fault. I made a wish. Naruto is youkai now and I am in my own body. I need to get to Kagome. We need to get to Kagome."
"To Kagome? Impossible. The whole thing left you weakened. You can't even walk." Kakashi states like it's the weather they are discussing and not a miracle. "Maa…When you have gained your strength and Naruto wakes up we can talk, Kurama san."
Itachi rubs his forehead tiredly and looks around the largest room in the abandoned hideout where they had decided to stay for the time being. Sasuke knows the place inside and out and it is no surprise when he shows them where a supply of blankets and pillows and food were kept. "It's abandoned." Sasuke assured after entering. However, upon learning that it was a bolt hole for Oorochimaru, Itachi decided to be safe and stay out of the rooms. Even though Sasuke laughs and tells him it is safe, Itachi knows Oorochimaru and knows that nothing he ever did was "safe." After some discussion, they choose instead to set up camp in the central entry hall.
Kagome moans softly and tosses in her makeshift bed prompting the men to look her way. After a few seconds, she settles and goes quiet. Sasuke looks over at her with a thoughtful expression. Where did she come from and how did she meet Naruto to know so much about him? Had she really raised the dead or did everyone just think she had? She was hiding something. Itachi knew it and he knew it so why didn't Itachi press the matter? She acted weird when he brought up Naruto, so had something happened to the dobe after all?
Itachi wants to sigh. She never did answer his or Sasuke's questions. He knows why she didn't answer Sasuke's. It wasn't her place to tell Sasuke that Naruto and Kakashi were together. But his question was justified. He needed to know what had happened so could help her through it. He was a ninja and a genius so it wasn't hard to guess some of the techniques used on her, though he prayed to god that they hadn't been. What about the other members of the four-man team due to arrive? Across the room Kisame glances back at him before poking at the fire with a thick stick. Its peaceful in this place and he glimpses over to where Sasuke is looking at him. When they had laid out the bed rolls Sasuke had put his right next to Itachi's it was a little childish but it had been years since the last time. So he had allowed it. Sasuke's eyes are troubled and Itachi doesn't have to guess why. "Can't sleep?"
"No. I keep running what Kagome told us over and over again in my head. Do you think she will wake up soon so that we can ask her to explain. I can't believe the dobe is coming here. I don't know how to be around him I was such an ass."
Itachi glanced to the woman sleeping next to him and Sasuke in the center of the room surrounded from all sides protectively by the three ninja. She had been sleeping now for a whole day after collapsing in a dead faint. It was strange but it seemed that every time she used her power her skin shimmered just a little and her blue eyes had a little pink in them. "Just be your charming self Sasuke. Everything will work out for the best."
Sasuke rubbed his eyes willing away the burning sensation of tears, he isn't going to cry not again. Before she had fallen asleep she had told Sasuke what she knew of Naruto and how things had been for him after Sasuke left. It wasn't very much but it still left him feeling full of shame. The younger Uchiha rolls on to his stomach and folds his arms under his chin looking at the ground. His tone changes to one of wistful regret, "So he was alone. I always worried about him at night, when I was alone, wondering if he was crying or feeling lost. I cared about him the most, and if it wouldn't have put him in danger, I would have taken him with me. I know he would have followed me without a glance backwards too. Oorochimaru visited Konoha during the Chuunin exam and gave me an 'offer'. If I went with him within the year, he would leave Naruto alone, if not he would take Naruto instead. I was hot headed, but not a fool. Oorochimaru was a freak who got off on pain and power. He wouldn't have bothered with Naruto if the dobe hadn't stepped into save me. He saw what he was, our concern for each other and exploited it."
Itachi sits up arm over his bent knee as he leans forward one leg extended. "Is that why you left Sasuke?" he asks looking at the man his little brother is becoming and feeling a swell of pride.
Sasuke looks up at the ceiling and sighs. "Aa, partly. I needed power to defeat you. I fell for the lie. I don't regret it, saving Naruto from him. I do regret hurting him again and again, but it was better for him to hate me. That's why you did what you did too. You were saving me right?"
Itachi stares up at the unfamiliar ceiling, this is where the healing begins… "I thought I was, but in the end; I made things worse for you. If I hadn't been assigned to join the Akatsuki after the massacre, I would have grabbed you before you saw anything and carried you away from there. I wanted to tell you everything Sasuke, it was just, that I also wanted to keep you innocent just a little longer, you were too smart and I should have seen it then. You still are, well done in tracking me for so long, I only barely managed to evade you. You have gotten stronger, I am proud Sasuke.."
Sasuke smiles into his arms as a blush tints his cheeks under the praise. It isn't often his older brother praises him so openly after all. Then again everything he thought he knew about his brother boiled down to, not a goddamn thing, except he loved Sasuke enough to make him strong enough to survive and that he was too self-sacrificing for his own good. That reminded him of the gap in their strength. He frowned a little, even after all the training and effort it still came down to, "you're still better Nii-san."
Itachi shrugged, Sasuke heard the action rather than saw it. "Not by much and I intend to lessen that gap further, I want to teach you what father did not. I want to teach you the power of the Sharingan. Now that you have the ability and we both have the strength, thanks to Kagome, I want to teach you how to master your eyes. You will need to know to pass it on to your sons and daughters. I can't rebuild the clan without you."
Kagome had healed him body and soul, granting to him the same gift she had Itachi; that their eyes would never lose their light. What power did the Sharingan have if the use had no risk of blindness? The younger brother swallowed unsure of how to respond to the last part. Itachi has been accepting and loving up to this point, but he is still afraid to say the wrong thing. Still afraid Itachi will leave him again, it's always been there, that fear. Still he assumes it is better to come clean so there will be no misunderstandings later-
There is an awkward silence, Sasuke takes a quick breath and as he exhaled spoke quickly "Nii-san, ano I like guys."...Well I like Naruto, so that means the same thing right...? Breathe out, breathe in. It isn't that he thinks he is gay, but he's been in love with the dope forever it seemed. And saying I'm Narutosexual just sounds plain ass wrong. Truthfully, he doesn't care what gender the blond was born he loved Naruto, plain and simple. He is not however going to explain that to anyone. He hides his eyes unwilling to see the disappointment in his brother's. His heart beat seems louder in his ears as he holds his breath waiting for the scathing and angry remarks.
Itachi shakes his head, a smirk pulling at his lips...he knew the thoughts racing though his brothers head because he had done the same. Still he pretends ignorance to tease Sasuke: "Oh...oh...then that is why you protected N-"
A sharp intake of air as his fear turns to embarrassed relief "Shut up!" Sasuke says pulling his blanket over his head and rolling on his side with his back to his brother. He feels Itachi lay down on his own bed roll. He doesn't want to think about Naruto after confessing his secret but the thoughts won't stop coming into his head. How should he act? How should he be around Naruto after everything?
Knowing he has no chance with the blond he loves and had loved since Naruto had put his life on the line to save him, hurts like hell, but still doesn't compare to the pain of thinking he is with Sakura. He has to be, Naruto had crushed on her for as long as he knew him. He knew of course, immediately after hearing Naruto spout out about the pink haired kunoichi that Naruto was straight, likely in love with the woman Sakura had become; and that all hope of being the one at his side loving him and receiving his love is now gone. Naruto would be happy with her right? So-
That is alright they can be friends. Best friends- but it still hurts thinking of them together Naruto's mouth on hers...as he kisses her lips. Oh, god… Naruto's kisses with him were, at least the first time "accidental". Sasuke can only wonder if his kiss is still straightforward and focused. Just like Naruto has always been. They had kissed twice and if the second time Sasuke just happened to brush his tongue with his own, that made it better. Back then Naruto had complained about that kiss a lot. Now he knows that kissing Naruto and kissing a woman are two very different things.
Sasuke still can't forget her kiss. The softness of her body against his unyielding frame it was unlike anything he'd ever felt. He knew now firsthand how sweet a woman's lips actually were and the knowledge surprised him...ah, her lips; soft, warm and malleable. His thoughts after the instant irritation that flared through him were: "oh so that's a woman's kiss." Even now he doesn't know what triggered the desire to turn and kiss her. Her kiss... her kiss had affected him and made him burn with desire just as hot as thinking of the blond, so did that mean he liked both? Well lovely, turns out I can be affected by a woman for once, his woman; that doesn't complicate things at all does it? Sasuke remembers the crazed look and violent aura around the Suna shinobi, he remembers the monster. He covers his eyes with his hands, licking his lips. He can still remember her taste and the way her body is pliant against him for that brief moment. If he closed his eyes he can feel her against him as she breathed. He wanted that, why did Gaara get to have her? What did he do to deserve that beautiful and sexy woman beside him? Wait Itachi called her his heart and soul… so was she Itachi's or Gaara's? Confusion clamored with the jealousy that is short lived, he had no reason to be jealous at all.
Why had she kissed him? He had to admit now that it is in all likely-hood the only way she would have gotten him to stop and listen. So was it simply shock value? That had to be it but he can't find the will to be mad at her for it. Wait if she is Nii san's woman then if they marry she will be my sister. Hmm… Itachi sighed and it snapped his mind back to the conversation that had been going between them and he feels more awkward having let his mind wander. Especially having thoughts like he was about Kagome.
The silence between him and Itachi is growing and becoming heavier the longer it drags out. Sleep is no longer an option, he sighs raising his hand to brush through his fringe of hair that falls in his eyes. The blanket over his head makes the air feel stagnant and thick even though he has an opening for fresh air. He involuntarily twitched as he heard Itachi take a breath to speak. Here is comes.
"I can't judge you Sasuke. I have had my share of male lovers. I guess the clan was doomed from the beginning. I had come to favor the stronger gender as well. I thought I was never going to be affected by a woman…at least until now, until Kagome." Itachi smiles looking towards her sleeping form. A thought trickles through his mind and he looks down at his younger brother sternly. "I have to say this though, now that I have the chance, don't ever kiss my Kagome again. Or I will tell Naruto you slept with Oorochimaru. Or who is that little protégé of Gai's?" He says in a soft whisper.
Sasuke's head snaps up and over with the force of his shock and horror. "Lee? Eww Nii-san! But I didn't!" Sasuke squawks indignantly sitting up. "Naruto would be livid! Oh god!" Even if Naruto was straight that would irritate him on both counts. But it isn't like Itachi is wrong about one of them. He isn't proud of it and in fact wishes he could forget. It had been part of his education that the snake had deemed necessary. At least he had waited till Sasuke was turning eighteen. The bile rises in Sasuke's throat as flashes of the memory flit through his mind. "God Nii san, don't say things like that."
Itachi sees the distress on his brothers face and it isn't hard to piece together. But he doesn't show the upset he feels for Sasuke. "Don't kiss Kagome and you don't have to worry." Itachi states with a smirk reaching out to ruffle his hair. Itachi laughs at the disgruntled glare. This moment laughing with and teasing Sasuke is a moment to treasure. His eyes drift to where his little soul slept and he silently thanks the kami for sending her. It doesn't take long for Sasuke to smile again and for that Itachi is grateful.
Hearing his laugh, Sasuke grins wryly to himself; figures that the last remaining members of the Uchiha would be thus inclined. He frowns returning to his earlier thoughts; his heart is set on Naruto, at least he'd thought that was the case. No other woman besides Kagome had lit his fire thus far in his life, so if it isn't her- he isn't sure there will be another female he can stand let alone procreate with. He opened his mouth to reply when a sound shattered the quiet. He sits up quickly his eyes snapping to her writhing figure. The sob is out of place with the laughter that had been there.
Sasuke's gaze locks on the tears pouring from her eyes. Her hair is a midnight cloud of inky darkness spilled on the stone floor and her bedroll. If she hadn't been crying he would have found her deliciously sexy all disheveled.
"She is going to be your sister one day otouto." Itachi whispered in his ear before moving closer to her side.
Sasuke blushed having been caught. "I wasn't looking Nii san!" he complains looking away. His sister…so she is Itachi's, goddamn lucky bastard… As if sensing him close she reaches out, her small hands fisting in his shirt. Her face pressed into Itachi's chest, Sasuke can't make out what she is saying. He doesn't like the worried glance Itachi casts towards him. "Nii san?"
"Is the woman well?" Kisame asks Itachi before noticing how the woman is looking at him having woken. It isn't the same disdain as he had had his whole life, it is curiosity.
"I'm fine. Sorry for that. I had a nightmare." Kagome says softly. Please let it be a nightmare…Wait what, why didn't I notice? She stands up to venture closer to the blue nin who caught her eye and her senses. Slowly she reaches out her hand and lightly touches his. He jumps at the sudden shock her touch causes. She smiles as he rubs his hand not sure what she is doing or rather trying to do.
"Kagome, what are you doing?" Itachi questions but he doesn't do anything to stop her. He merely watches waiting for something to happen. Beside him Sasuke pulls a kunai just in case. "Kisame don't touch her." He adds knowing that is all it will take for Sasuke to spring forward and attack but also to remind his partner that Kagome is off limits.
"You are Kisame?" she asked instead of answering the question, "may I ask you a question?" He nodded slowly his eyes full of suspicion. She is well aware that her question isn't going to ease his discomfort, but she has to ask. Something in his aura feels off like he is ..."Why are you here? You are pretending to be something you hate, why?"
Kisame's heart began to pound with alarm. She had seen through him so easily. Yes, he loved the solace that can be found in battle but he lived for the fight not the kill. He is cruel when he has to be. He wants to look away from the crystalline blue eyes stripping him to his soul. He had always been shunned because of his willingness to fight and later for his willingness to kill even those he called friends. But he hadn't always been that way.
Many years ago he had been a child, a lonely confused child who didn't understand why the other children ran from him or why he looks differently than they did. He only understood that he was the same age and they didn't like him. They picked on him for having blue skin and sharp teeth and he fought. He kept fighting until the day he will never forget, when he killed his tormentor. The boy was picking on him as before, but that day something inside Kisame snapped. He didn't remember how it happened but when he came back to himself he was sitting on the chest of the larger boy and he had his hands wrapped around the boy's throat. The eyes full of disdain before were frozen forever in a look of terror he no longer could feel. Kisame had jumped to his feet and retched till there was nothing left. He felt sick and dirty.
No one spoke to him after that. No one dared. He became the village pariah. Unwanted and unwelcome he had no home. When offered a place in the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist he took it without hesitation. But his comrades in arms never trusted him, never. "What are you looking at woman?" He says his voice betraying how nervous he is, her eyes are different. She isn't afraid of him and he doesn't know how to handle the calm acceptance there in her oceanic depths. He jumps a little as she rests her hand once more on his.
Kagome sighs. "I am looking at a man who is still lonely inside. Your eyes tell me that you still want to be accepted and welcomed someplace- any place. Your aura tells me that you want to have a friend so badly that you are willing to kill to have companionship. You want to not be feared, am I right Kisame? Will you let me be your friend? I can see the doubt in your eyes and I have to tell you that your unique skin and features are not the strangest thing I have ever seen. In fact I think you are rather handsome. Your features carry an honor that not many can understand. You have youkai blood, you are descended from a kami. Did you know that?"
"What kami? What friendship?" it is the least polite thing he had said when not fighting for a long time. But he is confused. Surely the girl is lying when she said she had seen stranger. His skin is blue and he had gill like marks in his face. That isn't strange to her? And handsome? What is her game? She belongs to Itachi. Her eyes spoke only genuine honesty. "What is the strangest thing you have seen." he asked not quite able to stop the words.
"Eh, hmm I wouldn't be able to really narrow it down to one. The human faced fruit comes to mind though. Talk about creepy. This youkai tree devoured the dead and grew fruits with their faces. It still gives me the shivers. Then there were the skeleton birds flying in the place between life and death, they were strange. The giant hair ball that tried to eat me might rank up there...or the birds of paradise youkai who wanted to kill me...Nope I would have to say the strangest is Jaken, I think he is a kappa, but he looks different and so maybe he is an imp...Either way the guy had an unhealthy obsession with his lord if you get my drift."
"Nii san, what is she talking about? Who is she really? Human faced fruit? Place between life and death? Giant hairballs? I don't get it Itachi." Sasuke wants to say she is lying but something inside him whispers, maybe she isn't
Itachi moves behind her and pulls her back into his arms after he sits down. She shudders, her thoughts darkening "Naraku takes the cake hands down. It isn't how he looks that made him strange; it is how evil he is. He destroyed precious bonds between siblings turning them against each other by force and then watching after he removed the "puppet strings" as the sibling attacked one another until one of them would lay dying so that he can watch the survivor's pain and guilt devour them alive." Her voice took on a somber tone.
Itachi rested his chin on her shoulder offering her silent comfort. "I will never forget the day Naraku trapped me by stealing the face of one I cared a lot for, and used me as a hostage to kill his... lover in front of him. Making someone choose between love and friendship is so wrong. How can you possibly decide which is more important? He should have chosen her; even though she tried to kill me on more than one occasion, I was willing to die for them to be happy." Kagome blinked shaking off the memories noticing that the hand under hers had turned upwards and is now holding hers. A large blue knuckle wiped at her cheek. She scrubbed at her eyes with her wrists. "Sorry. The nightmare." She says in apology.
Kisame's face softens in a way no one had likely ever witnessed and if they had they were dead. "I believe you are the strangest thing I have ever seen. You would have died for your friend's lover even after she tried to kill you?"
Kisame's eyebrows had drawn together with what is to Itachi, a very rare expression. To Kagome it is just pain and needs to be comforted away. She looks at him as she answers his question. "I would have died one thousand times over, just to spare him the heartbreak of her death. Seeing him cry was awful, especially knowing that if I had been stronger, seen through the trap she would have lived. It was my fault. Everything that happened was my fault."
Suddenly she is not sitting in Itachi's lap, but she is facing Inuyasha. Naraku laughing in her ears as he holds both her and Kikyou in his tentacles, his voice mocking. "Choose the one to die and I'll let the other one go." The horror on Inuyasha's face as he realized that he was helpless was burned into her mind. Kikyou's artificial body had been defiled, abused but she had done it to spare Kagome that. It was obvious the way her clothes were torn what had occurred and the grief in her hanyou's eyes had been so heavy.
"Choose me, Inuyasha. Save Kikyou." The words had fallen so easily from her mouth. "It's alright, Inu-"
"I'm sorry, Kikyou! I can't let Kagome die!"
She looks at her hands in a way both of them were familiar with. Both of them had looked at their hands that had killed so many with the same regret. Kisame is bothered by the action and covers her hand with his other hand engulfing her smaller hand completely. "You wish to truly be my friend?" he asked uncertain of her answer for a moment and then filled suddenly with relief as she smiles through her tears. She is warm and even through the pain in her eyes she is beautiful.
"I do, Kisame."
He feels the blood color his cheeks in a way he hadn't feels for years. "Do whatever you want." He says quietly as he dropped her hands surprised to feel her slender fingers still wrapped around his larger blue ones. She hadn't let go. Suddenly Kisame understood the sentiment Itachi had expressed that he would kill him for touching her. He would willingly do the same. He would protect her now even if it meant certain death. One glance at Itachi and Sasuke told him that both the Uchiha's felt the same.
"I would rather cut off my own limbs than lay a finger on her, I am no saint and she still wants to be my friend." It is obvious now that Itachi has his brother that he has no more use for the Akatsuki. "Are you leaving the group Itachi san?" Kisame asks knowing already the answer. Time is growing short and already they have missed the check point to meet up with Deidra and Toby.
Itachi removed the Akatsuki cloak from Kagome's bedroll and folds it over his arm. He no longer needs to pretend, that is another gift she has given him. He no longer needs the disguise. Konohagakure had- no Danzou had betrayed him and his clan. Now he has to make it right. It won't change the blood on his hands, but if he and Sasuke can work together to rebuild somewhere, he can be content.
"Yes, I have to go, Kisame. I have accomplished my goals. I will be taking Kagome home, where ever that ends up." Kagome nods with a soft look leaning back into Itachi. Sasuke walks over and offers her a hand up. She takes it and Itachi stands up too.
"Can I follow you a little longer Itachi san. There is no point in returning to the organization now. Kagome is here." He isn't used to feeling a sense of longing to stay anywhere but he cannot even imagine leaving her now. Something about her warm blue eyes called to him. He also isn't one to have premonition like feelings he left that to Itachi but he had the sinking suspicion that if he doesn't go with them he will regret it.
"If you like." Itachi says dropping the folded black and red over a stone protrusion. He isn't planning to take it with him. Where he is going he would have no need of it or the organization. By leaving it behind he is telling the world he is walking away from all it stood for. He turned and clips his ring into the clasp of the cloak. Now he is just Uchiha Itachi once more. He looks back at Sasuke and Kagome, "Why are Naruto and Kakashi coming here, I told you I would take you to Suna to talk to Gaara"
Kagome sighs looking at the floor. "I have to right a wrong, I accidentally brought back Naruto's parents. I did something unforgivable Itachi."
