Chapter Fourteen
Why?
Thin lips curled into an angry snarl, normally gentle chakra suddenly thick with killing intent.
Why?
Why was the man he'd once looked up to interrupting his mourning? He'd given everything for his clan, for his village, and yet he wasn't allowed this?
This one little, yet so important thing?
WHY?
He was moving before he could stop himself, lunging in the direction of that voice.
Kisame's arms tightened around him, the only thing keeping him from completing the action. Behind him, he could almost hear the snort Obito gave, picture the sneer on his face as he took in the mourning couple's pain.
Luckily, his father spoke before he could try to escape Kisame's arms a second time, the older Uchiha subtly moving to stand in front of his family.
"Why are you here, Obito?" He growled and the masked man snarled wordlessly.
"Don't call me that! I'm here because he," -he thrust his hand in Nagato's direction- "went behind my back and betrayed me! Because your darling brat tortured me! And now, I return to find him weeping in front of, not only his Kage, but clan outsiders and you say nothing! Just another exception for the elite!"
"He lost his son!" Mikoto snapped and something like sympathy flashed in that single visible eye, so quick that everyone nearly missed it.
Everyone but Itachi.
Turning, he met his eldest cousin's gaze head on, his own sharingan swirling lazily, as he silently regarded the man. The killing intent that had been thickening since Obito's arrival vanished completely, and they couldn't help but stare at the blank expression the young ANBU wore.
In his memories, they'd seen how quickly Itachi could mask his emotions, but it was startling to see it in real time, especially given the depth of the grief he'd displayed. Gently removing himself from Kisame's grasp, he took a step forward.
Obito took an unconscious step back, a quick glimmer of fear lighting his gaze, until, to his surprise, Itachi bowed.
"I am Ichizokugoroshi no Itachi [1]. Three months from now, had your plans gone to fruition, I would have killed the entire Uchiha Clan on the order of Danzo. This would've been accomplished on a single night, with your help ." The older Uchiha froze, not daring to move as the other took another step forward, sharingan picking up speed.
"Afterwards, I would've joined you as a double agent. I would've worked to keep the Kyuubi from you, then when your ranks were decimated...I would've died. You try to make it seem like you, like Madara, would have us live in a peaceful world. A world where she lives, but what you are doing...it'll destroy us. You, me. Konoha, the Akatsuki. There is no version of your plans where the world is peaceful because you, like your predecessor, are a puppet to the beings you think you control."
Itachi paused, and Obito fought to look away as the shape in those eyes morphed into the arabesque flower of the eternal sharingan. Just as his vision started to darken into the red/black world of the Tsukuyomi, he heard the final words his younger cousin had to say to him.
"And to think you don't even understand the events you've based your revenge upon. If you did, maybe things will be different."
Just as he wanted to argue, he felt his heart leap into his throat, trapped on the post he'd been nailed to the first time he'd experienced the prodigy's jutsu. Before his eyes, familiar scene began to play.
He saw Kakashi fighting the kiri ANBU to get to Rin. He saw them surround the duo and-
No.
Something had changed.
Kakashi's chidori crackled through the air, but he wasn't aiming at Rin, he was aiming at the ANBU.
Then-
No!
This wasn't right!
She didn't jump onto it.
She hadn't!
But...what reason did Itachi have to lie?
The younger Uchiha had already made it known that he hated him. He watched as
Kakashi's face crumpled in realization, watched as his eye morphed into the mangekyo. He watched as his teammate passed out and his past-self slaughtered the remaining enemy.
From there, the memory changed. He watched through Itachi's memories as his younger brother grew into a fearsome shinobi. Watched as the two fought to prevent the clan from rebelling after the Kyuubi attack.
Watched as Kakashi drowned in his guilt and self-loathing, hiding it behind his ANBU mask.
Watched as his baby brother took his own life.
The clan massacre and Sasuke's torture.
Itachi's guilt and anguish at killing his family.
He watched it all, and as the memories played, he felt the part of himself that had shattered at Rin's death surfacing.
For so long, he had lived in the shadows of his hatred and grief. He'd lived for the plan, because without it, there was nothing else. Yet, as he watched how his plans destroyed the lives of those he'd once cared for, saw the truth of Zetsu's manipulations...he felt remorse.
Worse, he felt guilt stronger than anything he'd ever felt before because he had never wanted innocents to suffer. Shisui, the sweet younger brother he had mourned for when he had fallen at Kannabi bridge.
Itachi, the first Uchiha outside of his brother to look at him as something other than a failure. Who'd once helped him carry groceries for a lady because he was already late.
Sensei, who had been a father figure to their team, and taught them so much.
He destroyed, and in some cases, took their lives. How had he lost his way?
Gods, Rin would be so disappointed in him.
As the vision came to a close, he felt his eyes burning with tears he'd thought had long since gone dry.
As he watched Itachi and Sasuke choose to go back in time, he felt his once cold heart soften.
Something needed to change.
Finally, the vision ended and he found himself staring into the mangekyo sharingan of Itachi.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then...he pulled the kid into a hug.
*/*
Of all the outcomes he'd expected to come from showing Obito the truth of Rin's death and the future, this hadn't been one of them.
Standing stiffly in the older Uchiha's arms, he found himself unconsciously seeking his husband's gaze, bewildered. Kisame gave a wan grin and shrugged.
"I- words cannot express how sorry I am." The masked nin rasped. "I've committed so many sins. All for the sake of vengeance and I-"
Itachi huffed. "People rarely understand that the most vicious motivation a human can have is love. Love makes us want to protect, and yet that protection can lead to anything from bitterness, to hatred. As shinobi, we are taught to protect what we love above all things and worse we have the ability to start wars when we don't. Learn from your past and the future it could've led to."
Obito sighed turning to the others. Immediately, he found Shisui watching the proceedings as if he were unsure if he should hug the masked nin or punch him. Taking the choice from his brother, he released Itachi and pulled the other into a tight embrace. Like the former, Shisui froze in his grasp then melted against him.
"You ever hurt my otouto again and I'll kill you myself." He growled and the missing-nin smiled, hearing how the teen's vice cracked briefly.
Finally, something struck him and he turned his attention back to Itachi, who'd found his way over to Kisame.
"How did you find out about Zetsu? Your memories never said."
Sasuke turned to his brother, then scowled as he saw the secretive smile playing on his lips, suddenly realizing how Itachi had known.
"No fair. She said three gifts each! You got your shark, and both sharingan!"
Itachi chuckled. "She granted me memories of what would've happened had we not traveled back. It was the true reason for my pain the day we returned. According to her, Kisame didn't count as a gift because she would never have separated us anyway. He mopes too much."
Kisame glared at him, but his gaze held little heat.
"I don't mope, Itachi-san."
Itachi and Nagato gave him a deadpan look and Sasuke snorted.
"You rarely left your room."
The shark turned his amber glare on him. "Itachi-san would've haunted me if I hurt you. So, I stayed away."
The heir sighed, leaning heavily against his husband who's arm curled around his waist automatically.
"During your excursion, she cleaned Zetsu's influence from your conscious. According to her, this life was supposed to be a happy second chance for us, which wouldn't happen in Zetsu's plan came to fruition. However, it is up to
Hokage-sama if you return home."
Obito nodded, but his eye was glued to the silverette standing further back, trying to look at anything but him.
"Kakashi," The hound stiffened, mismatched eyes locking on the floor as his shoulders drew up in preparation to protect himself. Obito's gut twisted.
"Can we talk?"
Naruto glared at him, cerulean eyes flashing deadly crimson. "You better not hurt him."
He almost raised an eyebrow at the protectiveness before remembering that the kid had once been his teammate's student. This said he nodded firmly.
"I won't." He promised, watching as his former friend finally looked up, guilt and pain dancing in his eyes.
"I won't." He repeated and after a moment, Kakashi nodded.
A/N: Shorter than normal, but what can ya do? Three more chapters of this, can you believe it? This chapter was more of an Obito redemption. I couldn't see Itachi killing him, even if he wanted to. After all, he's still trying to cope with everything, and adding more blood on his hands won't do that. This said, there is no redemption for Danzo, so...
[1]- Itachi, the clan (kin) killer (according to Naruto wiki)