I hope everyone is now happy about Itachi because it's time for some more angst!
*** I decided to get fancy and throw in just a single Japanese phrase: Watashi no ai = my love!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
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When One Betrays
Chapter 11: Stronger for You
Warmth and comfort surrounded Naruto when he woke up. He and Itachi had spent the night sleeping under the stars, wrapped in each other's loving arms. This was the first time he and his lover had spent a whole night together and blissful didn't even begin to describe how wonderful it was.
The Uchiha had already woken up and was patiently waiting for his blonde to do the same. His dark eyes gazed down at the groggy teen, finally able to see him clearly. With his vision revived, he didn't want to ever look away from the beautiful boy, but he knew he couldn't stay. Madara was planning a war, and the blonde would need his village to protect him, not just the Uchiha himself.
"What are you thinking about Ita?" Naruto asked when he noticed the far off look in his lover's eyes.
"Pein, the puppet leader of the Akatsuki has killed your sensei Jiraiya. I'm so sorry Naruto" he replied solemnly.
The blonde's brilliant blue orbs filled with tears as he shook his head. "There's no way… not Pervy Sage" he thought.
Itachi held the boy tightly as he cried, running his fingers through his golden hair. He felt guilty for not being there to help the boys master, but there was nothing he could do to change what had happened.
They sat there for hours, Naruto crying softly into the elder's firm chest. As much as the Uchiha wanted to stay and comfort the blonde forever, he willed himself to pull away. "Naruto, I've spoken with Kisame. Pein is planning on attacking the Leaf soon and you must be ready."
The blonde didn't like the way Itachi's voice sounded. It was like he was saying goodbye to him again, just like before he went off to fight Sasuke.
"Sage Mode will be most effective in dealing with the Rinnegan. I rely on chakra based ninjutsu attacks, which are useless against such visual prowess. You must go and train at Mount Myōboku like Jiraiya-Sama did" the Uchiha explained.
Naruto shook his head to the point it made him dizzy. He couldn't possibly be separated from Itachi again, not when he finally had him in his arms. "I don't want to go!" he cried, gripping onto the man's shoulders tightly.
The elder cupped his face in his hands and lifted so that he could stare into the boy's eyes. "Do this for me Naruto; I need to know that you will be able to protect yourself should anything ever happen to me again."
That only made the damaged boy sob harder. He'd barely made it through losing his lover once and knew in his heart he wouldn't be able to stand it a second time. "Don't make me go Ita" he begged, "I can't watch you die again."
The Raven softened his black eyes and kissed the near hysterical blonde. "I will stay hidden until I'm needed. When that time comes I promise to be at your side."
Naruto almost screamed at his words; he was needed already.
As if reading his mind, Itachi smiled and kissed the teens puffy eyelids. "You do not need me Watashi no ai. But the sooner this war is over, the sooner we can be together- if that is what you wish."
Naruto was about to argue further when a thought crossed his mind. If he were to convince the elder not to make him leave, he would get to stay with him, yes, but then if Pein were to come after them, Itachi could die and he would be unable to help. "If I go to train with the toads, what are you going to do?" he asked.
"I will continue to gather intel on what exactly Madara is planning," he responded.
The blonde looked thoughtful for a moment. "Itachi, you always ask me why I wouldn't let you touch me, and for a long time, I didn't have an answer. But now that I've accepted my feelings for you, I can honestly say that wasn't that I didn't find you attractive."
The teen shifted so he could firmly look the Uchiha in his coal eyes, "I love you and I will no matter what reason you give, but I need to know. Why did you kill your clan? Why did you betray the Leaf?"
Several minutes passed before the man answered. He knew the question would come up eventually, but he'd worked so hard to keep his true motives a secret. The Raven looked down at the still innocent eyes of his lover, deciding he wouldn't ever lie or keep anything from him again. "I killed them all because…." He began.
The blonde was shocked to hear that a thirteen-year-old had been forced to make such a horrible decision. He hated this man named 'Danzo' almost more than the one who had killed Jiraiya. If he were to get justice for either his lover or sensei, he had to do as Itachi asked. He agreed to separate from him for now, kissing the Uchiha as if it would be the last time.
***Time-Skip: Pein's Assault***
A huge 'POOF' exploded in the center of the crater followed by three large toad-shaped shadows, shocking the few who had survived. The dust was high in the air, blocking their view of the mysterious figure standing atop the giant amphibian in the middle.
When the wind finally blew away the debris, everyone was shocked to see the familiar blonde haired, blue eyed ball of charisma that they had believed to be dead.
Naruto looked around at the destruction, his anger at the ones responsible reaching an all-time high. He would avenge his master and save the Leaf. He would win this war so that everyone around him was finally safe, and so that he could spend the rest of his days with the man he loved most dearly.
***After Pein does Rinne Rebirth***
The blonde made his way back to the village slowly, knowing he was in for an earful from all his comrades. After departing from Itachi, he'd gone straight to the home of the toads to train without sending any word to them about his well-being.
In truth, he didn't know what to tell them. Somehow 'sorry guys, after I lost consciousness from trying to heal Itachi, Sasuke took me captive to rape me and then it turned out Itachi wasn't dead and he saved me because we've been secret lovers' didn't sound right any way he tried to word it.
*** Later That Day***
Naruto sat on one of the cots in the small hut Yamato had built for the villagers. He stared at Tsunade, wishing that his energy would return so that he could try to heal her like he did the elder Uchiha.
A soft knock roused him from his frustration. It was Sakura who peered in at him through the open doorway. She had tears falling down her face, but he didn't know if they were out of happiness for him being alive, or sadness from her sensei being comatose. He eventually decided it was a mixture of both.
Being mindful of his own injuries, he slowly walked out of the building and found himself surrounded by his comrades. Iruka pounced on him, squeezing his pain-wracked body, but he didn't care. Naruto hugged the man back tightly, elated that he was able to see him again.
"I was so worried about you!" he sobbed into the teen's neck.
"I'm sorry Iruka-sensei, I didn't mean to upset you" he murmured back.
It was obvious on their relief filled faces that they expected an explanation for his absence. When the brunette pulled away Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I haven't been completely honest with you all" he started, his face turning pink.
The shinobi went and stood next to the large piles of timber to have privacy while the blonde told them what had happened.
"Well, you see, uh… I kind of… might have… fallen in love with Itachi Uchiha…" he choked out, wincing when he saw the multiple shocked and disturbed faces.
"So that's where you were?" Sakura shrieked, her face red with anger and confusion.
"NO! No… When I ran off it was because my clone found out where Sasuke and Itachi were fighting. But when I got there, Itachi was really sick and dying so I used a technique I'd learned to heal him. I didn't think it had worked and passed out. When I woke up, I was with Sasuke…" he explained.
Ino and Sakura perked up at that information, but Shikamaru started to glare. "What did he do to you Naruto," he asked, his eyes narrowing further.
The blonde gulped, leave it to the Nara to figure out it hadn't been a pleasant encounter. "He umm… well… he isn't acting like himself right now… and uhh… he kept me captive with chakra restraints…"
Shikamaru and the older shinobi seemed to be the only ones who were able to decipher why Naruto looked so ashamed and embarrassed to be talking about what happened. They lowered their heads, most already knowing how Itachi had abused the boy in the past.
Naruto grunted to clear his throat, he hadn't missed the realization that crossed many of the faces. "Anyway…It turns out that my jutsu did work and Itachi came to rescue me... He said that Pein was going to attack here and that only non-ninjutsu attacks would work so I went to train with the toads."
"Why didn't you tell us you were okay Naruto? We were worried sick about you!" Kiba shouted.
Guilt and shame crossed the blonde's face, "because I knew I'd have to tell you about Itachi" he mumbled. When he looked around, he could see he had been right to worry about spilling his secret.
Anger welled up inside him, he wouldn't let them hate his lover for something that had been out of his control. "But it wasn't his fault! Some asshole named Danzo forced him to kill his clan."
The accusing faces immediately contorted to shock, especially Sai's and Yamato's. They knew what kind of man Danzo was, and it wasn't a stretch to think he would have done something so despicable.
The blonde looked at the ex-Root member, expecting him to say something. Sai then turned to the wood-style user, knowing that he couldn't utter a single word about the man with the seal still on his tongue.
Yamato sighed loudly, "I can't say if it is true because I've never actually seen the order, but it wouldn't be the first time Danzo had an entire clan eradicated" he responded.
The shinobi murmured amongst themselves, trying to determine if they should believe what Itachi had told Naruto. The boy seemed thoroughly convinced, but he also always saw the best in people. It was also possible that being rescued by the elder Uchiha, if that was what really happened, skewed his perception.
But when Naruto crossed his arms and steeled his face, they knew it didn't really matter. Once his mind was made up, there was no changing it.
***Time-Skip: 5-Kage Summit***
Itachi watched his lover get to his knees to beg the Raikage to spare his little brother. He knew that Naruto loved him, and not Sasuke, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. The blonde was simply too good for both of them, but he'd been lucky enough to win his affection.
The elder Uchiha had intel suggesting that his sibling was headed towards the summit to kill Danzo, having been told of the truth of his clan's massacre. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, wishing that he had never been forced to commit so many atrocious acts and that he had never twisted Sasuke's mind.
If he had just had more faith in his brother, Naruto would have never been hurt so deeply, and the youngest Uchiha wouldn't have seemingly lost his mind. He loved Sasuke dearly, almost as much as he now loved the blonde, but he wasn't sure if Sasuke could be saved anymore.
But if his lover hadn't given up on the young Raven even after the terrible things he'd forced him to do, then he would have faith that Sasuke could be redeemed. Regardless of the boy's decisions, he would love him always and patiently waited for the moment to tell him so.
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Don't worry my pretties! Sasuke will have his comeuppance eventually!
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