Note: Later in the chapter is my little headcanon about Kakashi feeling guilty about not noticing the change in Itachi when he was under him in ANBU. It might be disproven in Kakashi/Itachi Hidan since I haven't read either of those two yet, but for now, I'm using it since I always liked the idea.
Thank you so much for reviewing Qweanr, RainbowStarMountain, Suzuya, and WarFlower. All these reviews get me so hyped to write. I'm so glad you guys seem to like it! In response to your questions--
WarFlower- To be honest, I forgot to add him in. So, he's been there. Just lingering as he tends to do. More of him in this chapter, though.
RainbowStarMountain- I'm happy you liked it! I didn't want it to be too soft or too graphic. It made me squirm while writing too, so I'm glad it was conveyed. Also, yeah, I decided not to tell who was torturing in hopes it would get reader's gears turning. You are right, though! Ino's dad was in charge of mind-probing at one point, so I stuck him with the job and had Ibiki doing the main torture since he said he specializes in mental pain. As for why I had Ino's dad showing mixed feelings, I feel like he would dislike hurting a teen when he has one of his own, but it's also his job. I like to imagine he was probing gently in comparison to what he could have.
You wanted to see what's going through Kakashi's head, so I hope this chapter will be enjoyable. Unfortunately, they are dead. It was really hard to write since I love Ibiki and Inoichi, but in the Akatsuki's pov they are the bad guys. Also, yeah, I thought it was pretty cute. I mean, they want to help, but realistically they are still kids. As for the 'gruff' way Kisame and Kakuzu talk to Sasuke, I love those kind of characters too! If you like those kind of parent figures, I'd try 'Yona Of The Dawn'. It's an anime with tons of those types of characters. Just get past the first few episodes and it's a really badass anime! It's pretty short, but people have high hopes that there will be a season two. You seem like you'd like it. Also, you can bet there will be (attempts) at cute comfort scenes! I love hurt/comfort. It's one of my favorite things to write.
Qweanr- Yes, all hail Kakashi and Sasuke fluff. Plenty more interactions to come. Quite a few people seem curious on how Itachi will react to seeing Sasuke hurt, so I'll try my best to make it memorable.
I hope you all enjoy the chapter!
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The night in the hotel had been pretty rough. Sasuke had shared a bed with Neji, while Naruto had shared with Gaara. The girls had wound up sleeping together on the couch. The Akatsuki members mostly settled for resting in either chairs that were placed around the room or not at all. Some of the members, the ones who didn't need sleep, decided to stay up and keep watch just in case.
Kakashi was tied to a table leg, Sasori and Zetsu both watching over him throughout the night with a weary look. They didn't trust this ninja, even if Sasuke seemed fond of him. It was three hours past when the ones that needed to sleep fell asleep when they began speaking to the other ninja in whispers.
"Who are you and how do you know Sasuke?" Sasori gave a squat beside the silver-haired ninja, eyeing him wearily. Had this man manipulated Sasuke into trusting him somehow? Why had Sasuke so quickly pleaded for him not to be killed off? Zetsu watched from behind Sasori, arms crossed quietly in suspicion as well. Though initially only using the Akatsuki as a way of gathering power to bring his mother back to life, he had grown quite attached to the children over time. He didn't want to see them hurt any more than Sasori did.
Kakashi shrugged. "I'm Kakashi Hatake. I was in charge of keeping an eye on him when the village had him. He was living with me for the last week or so." he answered simply, figuring Sasuke would tell them when he was able to anyway.
Zetsu frowned from behind Sasori. "What else?" Kakashi glanced at him as he heard his question. "You aren't telling us everything."
A small frown lined Kakashi's masked face as he heard the split man speak. He was sharp, wasn't he? "I was also Itachi's captain before he betrayed the village, so I got to see him quite a bit when he was younger. I doubt he would remember, though." he shrugged. It wouldn't make sense for Sasuke to unless it was a subconscious thing.
Sasori looked mildly skeptical, but he supposed it would make sense. Perhaps that was why Sasuke seemed so skeptical about stopping Kisame when he had. Perhaps, the teen didn't know why he had himself. "Even so, if you're planning on using that against him, we will kill you the moment we see it."
Zetsu nodded, agreeing with Sasori, but not seeing much threat in the other ninja. He didn't seem hostile nor manipulative.
Kakashi shrugged from his position. "If you want to kill me, go right ahead. It isn't like emotional manipulation from me would do any damage anyway. He made it quite clear that he's a true ninja back in the leaf."
By now, Konan and Nagato had woken up from the hushed voices and had come over to hear what they were hushing back and forth about. Nagato gave a blank look to Kakashi, "He is not a full-blown ninja yet. He's barely a teenager. In case you missed the part where he was weeping the entire time back because of your village."
Kakashi quirked a brow. "I by no means think he's a full-blown ninja. I'm saying he has the heart of one. A good core to start working around."
Konan nodded in agreement, though hesitant. "He does show promise. I'm certain he'll be a great ninja one day." arms crossed over her chest in doubt they thought so for the same reasons. "What makes you think he will?" Personally, she thought he would make a great ninja because of his stealth and bravery. If he was able to hold out an entire week and a half in enemy hands, she was sure he would do the Rain Village proud when he got older. As if she wasn't proud enough already, she mused.
The man grinned under his mask, "His ability to connect with his comrades and captors alike, of course." seemingly thrilled at the boy's attitude. "His endurance too, of course. But the way he's so charismatic without meaning to be is amazing. He escaped Suna by sweet-talking the people set to watch over him. Begging for just a sip of water." he smirked. "Then headbutting them hard enough to knock them out. The skill it must have taken to get the keys off the guy after he was knocked out. Then to slip by, injured! Stunning. That's not even getting into the condition I found him in."
Kisame rolled over from his spot on one of the chairs, "Condition?" he grunted in question.
Kakashi nodded, "He had bruises and cuts all over the place. Holes in his body from kunai being entered and twisted. He shouldn't have been able to walk, let alone run away with those injuries. His endurance is amazing for a ninja his age. It looked like he had used something to disinfect his injuries since they weren't infected. He smelt a bit like honey, actually. Not sure where he got honey, though." he chuckled.
The others only frowned at this, easily able to guess why he would use honey. Kakuzu smirked from across the room, now listening in as well with Hidan. That was his little brat, he knew the boy'd remember at least that. "I waited until he was finished eating to sneak up behind him and grab for him, but you should have seen the way he stitched himself up. I half didn't want to interrupt purely out of surprise."
"He took a thread from a shirt and used it to sew himself up while gagging himself with the cloth. He carried on even when screaming into the cloth. It was damn impressive. Konoha removed a lot of the huge stab wounds so he was easier to manage when he first arrived, but they left some of them once they realized who he was. Even though, he was walking around my house like he owned the place." he mused.
"He was even able to communicate to you all where he was without panicking, and just in time." he mused, seeming unconcerned with the fact he was talking to enemies as he praised the boy. "His communication skills are A-Grade. I've tested and failed hundreds of students to try and find a worthy pack of students. No one's done something half as brilliant before."
Deidara rolled over from his spot on the floor, "Why did you allow yourself to be captured?" laying on his stomach and lightly swinging his legs in boredom. "You've been way too relaxed this entire time. It's like you don't even care that you're captured. You do know that even if Sasuke won't let us kill you, we'll be tossing you in the prison cells when we get home."
Kakashi shrugged. "At least it'll be interesting."
Well, the Akatsuki hadn't expected that. Deidara looked exhausted, "What do you mean, interesting? It's a cell. It has four walls, a toilet, and a bed. You were a lead jonin. Why the hell would you risk something like that over Sasuke? You haven't even seen the kid in years."
Kakashi hummed, leaning on the item he was tied to. "Let's just say I made a promise to someone, a long time ago. Long before you all were in the picture." he mused tiredly.
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Truth be told, Kakashi was tired. He'd been through too much shit in his short life.
His mother had died the night he was born, so that wasn't a great start to his path in life. Still, he was happy to spent time with the man he idolized most in his life-- his father. The man had taught him everything there was to know about being a ninja, from moral codes to how to throw his first shuriken.
Of course, idolizing his father only made him that much more disconnected from his peers. So it wasn't easy when the man went and died, leaving him all alone. After all, he had pushed his peers away long ago. There was no going back after that, he figured.
As such, he settled for focusing on his studies. He didn't care about anyone else until he was put on his genin squad. Not until he met Obito and Rin. It seemed like no matter how much he pushed away from them, they only came back ten times as strong with their support. Even if Obito was a loud idiot, he was his loud idiot.
So when Rin was kidnapped and Obito said they had to rescue her? What other choice did he have? He knew he might have been more intelligent academically, but even then he knew Obito knew best when it came to emotional matters.
So he'd gone after Rin. Killed her in the process of trying to save her. Watched his only friend in a long time be crushed to death on the same mission. It was insufferable. The two rays of sunlight in his life, gone. The only thing left for him to comfort himself with was that he still had his sensei.
Even that didn't last for long, though. The man was dead, dying a hero just as he had begun to connect with his classmates. Just as he thought he could carry on, his last shred of light had been taken from him. In its place, though, a new light had appeared. Naruto Uzumaki.
The boy was so sweet, even as a newborn. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to keep the promise he had made Minato. The promise to always look after the then-unborn baby. It just... it hurt too much. Everyone he had ever loved had died. It drove him insane to look at the small bundle and worry about getting attached to him. If he got too attached, he was sure Naruto would die too.
So he never got to know him. He never stepped in as he heard the others whispering around the boy, isolating him. It hurt so bad to not step in, but he was far too heartbroken to take care of him.
He tried to numb his emotions. He remained in the ANBU, following through on his heartless duties for years. He lost and gained a lot of comrades, but the one that had always stuck with him was a certain Uchiha.
The boy was barely eleven-- most kids were barely graduating at that age, some entering in their senior year. Yet, here he was, in the ANBU. Their first mission together had been rough. The boy had killed without remorse. Kakashi had been shocked since the boy seemed so sweet and gentle outside of battle. It was only later that he realized the rumors of him being a 'cruel captain who would kill anyone who wasn't willing to strike down opponents' or something along those lines. They had sprouted up after his teammates continued to die, yet he survived despite his efforts to save them.
It was strange. Itachi didn't seem to fear dying by his hands for refusing to kill immediately. No, it was like he saw it as his responsibility to live. It was like the small Uchiha was chained down to earth despite his lack of interest in the world.
They went on many missions. Itachi didn't die. In fact, he saved Kakashi quite a few times. Slowly, a bond of trust was formed. Trust that Itachi would be different. That he wouldn't die. Soon enough, he had taken the boy under his wing. Always going out for dango after a mission, training off-the-clock, and visiting each other occasionally.
It was on one of these visits he learned what was keeping Itachi chained down to earth. A little boy. Only three years old the first time he saw him. The way Itachi had lead him into his house, but quickly became ambushed by hugs and babbles from the little boy was shocking. The way the seemingly miserable and empty pre-teen coddled the little boy, telling him that he had to wait a bit before they could play. There wasn't a doubt in Kakashi's mind that Sasuke meant everything to Itachi.
Which was why it was so shocking when the pre-teen entrusted his safety to him one night. Kakashi hadn't known at the time why Itachi was so pleading. Why he was so desperate to get his agreement to watch over little Sasuke. Why he was so relieved when Kakashi finally gave in and agreed.
It made sense a little too late. When the clan was destroyed, Kakashi was one of the first ones on the case. He'd seen Sasuke wailing in the streets at anyone who dared to come near him. He's watched the boy run back inside his house and throw a fit when anyone came too close to the dead bodies of his parents. He'd watched it all.
He had also felt it when the boy's eyes had landed on him, back then. When they'd widened in recognition, a newly hurt look spreading over his face. He'd felt it as Sasuke ran away from his attempts at coming closer, crying at him not to kill him. It was only then that Kakashi realized that, in the six-year-old's mind, Kakashi was allied with everything Itachi did since they had been friends.
He had tried to fix his wrongs. He tried keeping his promise to Itachi, to protect Sasuke. The boy wouldn't allow it, though. It seemed like he was trying to completely block him from his memory. So Kakashi tried going back to Minato's promise. Only to have Naruto reject him on Sasuke's suggestions. He supposed Sasuke had told him about how he was allied with Itachi, so the blonde wouldn't go near him.
Kakashi was still trying to get along with them when the now-famous kidnapping had occurred. He had been at home when he heard the radio flicker on about the 'sudden kidnapping of five children'. Of the 'missing Hyuuga, Uchiha, Uzumaki, and Sand Village' children. He'd searched everywhere, but they were gone. He'd never be able to keep his promise to his dear friends.
He had regretted it for years now. It still haunted him at every corner. Every time he walked past the Uchiha compound. Every time he entered the Hokage Tower. Every time he looked up at the judging monument of the Fourth Hokage. It ate at his soul. The guilt was overbearing. He couldn't focus on reconnecting with the others anymore.
In his eyes, he didn't deserve to be their friend. Not Guy, not Asuma, no one. No matter how much they tried, he rejected it until they had given up. The children disappearing was the last straw for him to snap into dispair,
So to see they were alive and well? To see that they were loved? It calmed him. Besides, if he went with them, maybe he'd get a chance to apologize to Itachi for not helping him sooner. If only he had paid more attention to the slowly hollowing eyes every time they met.
Then maybe Itachi wouldn't have gone mad and killed his family.
