Chapter 27: Known Secrets!

A/N: I'm thinking of changing the rating because I'm a paranoid person, so plz... HELP ME!!!!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be sitting on my bed, struggling to find a cheap ballpoint pen. So, no, I don't own it. Kishimoto-sensei does.

"Human talking."

'Human thinking.'

Flashback

'Non-human thinking.'

"Non-human talking."

The creature- a strange mixture of dolphin and horse- stared at the other being in front of them. They both layed in a temple, the first creature watching the other with confusion.

"Why are you here?", the creature asked curiously, but its voice still held politeness and meant no harm.

"Why not?", the other being replied, "It's not the first time I've visited."

"But no one's yet to take your visits seriously.", the dolphin-horse hybrid said, as it gazed into the other's ruby orbs.

The other creature chuckled at the dolphin-horse, shaking its head at a joke only it would understand.

"I never asked."

The creature stirred from its slumber and blinked at the strange dream. Although dreams like that would occasionally pop up, the creature felt that there was something more to it than previous times.

'Hopefully, nothing too problematic.', It thought to itself with sigh before falling asleep once more

(Iwagakure: Outskirts of Town)

Han was a man feared by many, including his own village, and not many would seek him out, except Onoki, who had given up on assigning shinobis to keep an eye on him, and on rare occasion, Roshi, the other jinchuuriki of Iwa. Therefore, he found his surprise entirely appropriate when a child- civilian, he assumed by the baby fat- approched him and sat beside him.

They were both sitting in front of a beautiful pond, hidden by the giant rocks. Han had been lazily tracking several fishes that were swimming in peace with his light brown eyes.

'Something's wrong...', he thought as he watched boy, who had deep blue hair and eyes several shades darker than his own.

"Hello. Are you lost, little one?", He asked softly, yet his deep voice made him sound naturally threatening- at least, to a child.

To his surprise, again, the young child grinned at him, not at all scared.

"Nope. People said this was the closest place to the village that you like to hang around.", He chirped happily, deciding to take up Han's earlier mission of following the fish.

"Is there a reason for looking for me, child?", he inquired, staring at the rather knowing grin on the young one.

"You're a jinchuuriki."

Han gave the strange child his attention, and when he was about to reply to the comment, the child added something that changed his view on the boy ,both literally and metaphorically.

"So am I.", the child stated, before closing his eyes, destroying the fake appearence that he had been using.

Han had taken a kunai in case the boy did become a threat, but his worries were ill-founded, because the only thing the boy did was give him a show of trust by showing him his true appearence.

Crimson hair stood in spiky locks and sapphire orbs glimmered with mischief, as his previous, knowing grin became a gentle smile.

"Can we be friends?", the child asked innocently.

Han smirked.

(Kaze no Kuni: Random civilian village)

Itachi sat on the roof of the hotel he was staying at, his onyx eyes gazing at the shining stars.

He felt a presence appear behind him, that moved to sit beside him.

"Akane.", he addressed her, "I hope your business was successful."

Akane, sitting with an eerily blank face, clenched her fists.

"Successful alright...", she muttered, her voice as blank as her face.

Although he didn't show it on his face, Itachi was starting to somewhat worry at the strange behaviour.

"Is something bothering you?", he inquired, his gaze turning from the ebony sky to the girl beside him.

"Why did you kill your clan?", she asked suddenly.

In that instant, he felt his blood turn to ice.

'Wasn't she visiting Konoha?', the more he thought about it, the more his inward panic grew.

He didn't let it show.

"Because I wanted to test myself.", he answered calmly, knowing, by the way anger twisted her normally cheerful face, that she found out.

She grabbed his collar, and pulled him towards her, close enough to whisper without anyone else hearing, her deep lavender eyes burning in rage.

"Don't you dare give me that. Why was it that they gave a 13 year old this mission? Why did you even follow such a stupid order?", she whispered in such a calm manner, so unlike her, that Itachi couldn't help but wonder if this was why the world saw fit to label her as deadly.

"Because I had something to protect.", he softly replied, his coal eyes looking into her wrathful ones with tired sorrow.

Akane loosened her grip on his collar and her face softened. Her arms tightly wrapped themselves around his neck, while Itachi froze at the contact, not knowing what to do.

"When was the last time you had a shoulder to cry on? When was it that you were allowed to be weak? Crying in silence won't heal anything, so please...", she whispered gently, pleading for one chance.

A familiar pain- something he thought he buried forever- emerged in full force, and before he knew it, his eyes were burning with the tears that, for once, he was allowed to shed.

Before he knew it, he found himself trusting this girl.

Before he knew it, she became an ally.

Before he knew it, he found himself crying freely.

He hid his face because he knew he wouldn't be able to look at her without feeling the shame he hid for so long. His own arms held her tightly, his emotional state dulling his rational thoughts.

All she did was smile and hug him, as if both of them weren't criminals that the world hated.

'I've been fighting fate since I was born. I'll fight yours as well.', she grinned as she watched the stars, knowing that the boy ('What else would he be?') still needed time.

She won't give up.

Uzumakis don't give up.

That was the most angsty thing I have ever written. Seriously. But I doubt anyone disagrees with the fact that Itachi deserves love. I find it emotionally painful to know a 13 year old was forced to kill his entire clan. Come on! That's all I have to say...

Sayonara!