Disclaimer: I own no one and nothing

Title: Secrets of the Forsaken

Fandom: Naruto

Status: Willing to give it to an experienced writer with at least one completed multi-chapter story. Send me a line and I will get back to you with an answer and some more info about the fic.

Summary: Two ninja, cursed by events they could not control, and the secrets they come to share. Innocent!Itachi and Secretly Fem!Naruto

Preview

Itachi looked down at the still figure of Konoha's number one most surprising ninja, an almost imperceptible frown on his pale features. He wasn't quite certain why he had saved Naruto. From a purely logical perspective, it had not been a wise move.

Seven years, it had taken him seven years to win his freedom from the man he had been forced to call master. Of course, even once that monster was dead the Uchiha's problems had not ceased. Itachi was well aware of how the world viewed him. In their eyes, and that of his home village, he was the worst kind of filth. A kin-slayer. Plus, there had been the matter of the Akatsuki.

The group of S-class missing nin would have hardly been willing to let the Uchiha leave, and if they had ever realized he was spying on them. Well, it hadn't happened so it wasn't worth mentioning. In the end, Itachi had managed to solve all his problems in one fell swoop. He had allowed his little brother to kill him, a fire conveniently destroying what was left of his body.

Even after all these years, it hurt to know how much Sasuke hated him. But Itachi knew there was nothing to be done about it. If he had tried to tell him the truth, his little brother would have never believed him. No one would have. Dying had really been his only option if he wanted a chance at freedom, and now he was risking everything.

Ah well, it was too late to second-guess his decision now. Not after all the hassle Itachi had gone through to save the other by faking the demon vessel's death. The Root agents had really done a number on the younger man. Naruto wasn't healing right either, a number of seals having temporarily restrained Kyuubi's chakra.

Someone should have taken care of Danzo years ago. The warmonger was only becoming bolder in his old age. Attempting to assassinate a member of his own village. The Uchiha could only hope that this time someone would take care of Ne for good.

Itachi knelt next to the blond. Stripping off Naruto's outer clothing in order to better tend to the wounds. His dark eyes narrowed as he turned him over, catching sight of the small genjutsu seal on the other's lower back. What was this? The Uchiha had to admit he was curious. Perhaps the nine tailed fox had had more of an effect on its vessel than was readily apparent.

Carefully, the Uchiha repositioned his patient so that the blonde's forehead was resting on his shoulder. It took Itachi several tries to successfully break the seal, but he did do it. Naruto's body shimmered briefly as the illusion dispelled, the jinchuuriki's true form revealed.

If anyone had been around at that moment, Itachi's reputation as an emotionless automan would have been shot. A slow flush worked its way up the Uchiha's neck to his cheeks, turning them a deep red. Quickly, he slid Naruto's half-naked form off his lap, throwing his cloak over the young woman's form to preserve her modesty.

Itachi wasn't quite certain what he had been expecting when he broke the seal. Fox ears perhaps? Whatever it was though, this wasn't it.

To those of you following "Phantom of a Thief", sorry. Life kind of blindsided me.

I'll try to get the next chapter up in the next couple of days.