Chapter 5
Things were changing.
A single narrow eye gazed down at the village below contemplatively, their owner able to feel the winds of change right down to his bones.
Since the reports of Shisui Uchiha and an unknown man entering the village, he'd had his Ne up in arms. So far, he'd yet to hear anything, but he doubted he wouldn't soon. Sarutobi, for all he was a peace-loving fool, was cunning and ruthless when he needed to be. There was little doubt in his mind that Uchiha would share the specifics of their last encounter with Sarutobi but he was prepared.
His gaze found a head of crimson hair walking calmly through the village, followed by two others and he smirked vanishing in a swirl of leaves. He reappeared in an underground infirmary two dark haired people lying on the beds. The first was a woman, her body slender beneath the blue gown she wore. The other was a male, his face twisted into a scowl even in his unconsciousness.
He was very well prepared.
*/*
Kakashi was late.
Kakashi. Late.
The world was ending.
Wide onyx eyes stared down at the watch around his wrist then back up at the three genin in front of him noting how, despite the fact that one of their sensei were three hours late, they didn't even seem worried.
What. The. Fuck?
Sakura, the only female amongst his new students, seemed to take pity on him, patting his arm placatingly.
"Kakashi-sensei is always three hours late to everything barring missions."
"Kakashi? Stiff, rule-abiding Kakashi? Late?"
The mini clone of his sensei snickered. "I think you might have the wrong person. Kakashi sensei is the most laid-back person we know."
A poof of smoke alerted them to the arrival of the subject of their conversation and Obito's eyes widened as he took in his former teammate, the man's face buried in the orange book he carried and- was that porn?!
"YOU'RE LATE, BAKAKASHI!" He yelled and the younger man hummed.
"Hm?"
"LATE!"
A single grey eye looked up from the pages, dancing with amusement. "Yes well, you see, there was a cute little dolphin that needed comforting before class and came to me. Apparently, he ran into a ghost named Shisui."
The three genin blinked. "That…is actually very plausible." Sakura said stunned and Naruto's eyes widened.
"You better not have touched Iruka-sensei, ero-sensei!"
Obito just stared at his teammate stunned.
Before his death, Kakashi had been the most rule abiding person he knew and punctual to a T. He'd always arrived on time, not a minute before their set time, nor a minute after. Hell, he'd kicked Obito's ass for being four minutes late once, and the sneer on his face had hurt nearly as much as the hits.
Had Kakashi really changed that much?
A book hit him in the head, startling him from his thoughts.
"Pay attention, idiot."
He scowled, sending his teammate a dirty look.
Nope, must be imagining things. He was still the same asshole, he'd been all those years ago.
Yet, even as the thought crossed his mind, even as he listened to Kakashi tell the genin the layout of their training for the day, he knew that it was a lie.
Kakashi had changed.
It was just a question of how much.
*/*
He'd been expecting this.
Tired chocolate eyes closed as their owner registered the presence behind them.
"Good evening, Itachi-Kun."
"Sandaime-sama." His guest replied, soft voice deeper than he remembered it being. Then again, the last time he'd seen the child, he'd been just entering his teenage years, balancing delicately on the cusps of adolescence and young adult. For a moment, he hated his village and the Uchiha clan for what they had turned the once innocent child into. He hated himself, for using the fruits of their labor to protect his village.
"I assume you are here about Team seven's mission?"
For a moment, the teen was silent. "Are these men a threat to Sasuke-kun?"
The elderly hokage sighed and turned to the younger shinobi. "No. In fact, he may be safer than he has since you left the village." He paused, meeting the garnet gaze of his subordinate. "They are Shisui-kun and Obito-kun."
Itachi froze, disbelief strong in his gaze.
He continued on, keeping his dark eyes locked on the stunned teen. "It's been proven with Kakashi's nin-hounds, DNA, and a chakra signature exams. To prove Shisui's identity...I told Team Seven the truth of the massacre."
"Hokage-sama!"
"No, Itachi! I should never have allowed you to go through with that mission. We could've found a better way to deal with this! You are only eighteen years old and while your tenure in the shinobi corps is nearly as long as the veterans of the last war, it has also scarred you just as deeply. Following the third exam of the upcoming Chunin Exams, I am terminating your mission with the Akatsuki and declassifying the truth of the Uchiha Massacre."
Pure horror crossed the child's features mixed with a shadow of desperation before he wiped his face of all emotion and bowed.
"Hai, hokage-sama." He replied impassively and with nary a warning, he was gone.
Sarutobi sighed, hat shadowing his face.
"I'm sorry, child. Its for your own good."
*/*
Sasuke knew.
He'd put so much thought and planning into making sure that Sasuke would never know the truth of the massacre, that he would maintain the vision that their Clan was proud and noble. He'd paced every pawn and shard into place, anything to keep Tobi, Danzo, and Orochimaru from sinking their claws into the younger Uchiha and the Sandaime had ruthlessly crushed it.
He'd taken his sacrifice and discarded it, as if it were the mere whims of a child and he didn't- he didn't know what to do.
Every moment of his life since he'd cut down his parents had been with the thought that one day Sasuke would kill him and give him the chance to repent for his actions.
He'd done it with the belief that his otouto would be safe and care for, at least as much as a shinobi could be.
It was a belief he now knew was unfounded.
Blank onyx eyes stared ahead sightlessly, a swell of emptiness encompassing their owner like a long lost lover.
Dying at Sasuke's hands, redeeming their clan, it had been his only goal for so long, and that goal was gone now.
So what did he do now?
Strong arms wound themselves around his waist and he allowed his husband to pull him back against his chest, ignoring the tears that well up and spilled over from his own deadened gaze.
What did he do now?
TBC...