Complication came to things when you knew the Devil.

Hinata did not know everything, still, about him. Until twenty minutes ago, she hadn't a clue that he had a brother – never mind that his brother was apparently Death Itself! She didn't know why said brother was currently in the body of s young, human boy, and she certainly did not know how he managed to find them.

But she didn't need to know everything to understand a few, noteworthy concepts:

The Grim Reaper was in her family's cabin.

Every moment he spent there was a moment he did not spend doing his one purpose. And;

That meant that, right now, there were a lot of people relishing in a few extra hours of life right now.

Chapter 19

The Devil is a Full-Time Worker

"Looks like you'll have your hands full."

"My hands are already full," Sasuke said to his older brother. Hinata wondered if it was strange to him that he had to look down at a small child when addressing him. If it was, it didn't show on his face. "I shouldn't have to explain it to you, Itachi. I have all of Hell to keep in check. Millions of demons and billions of souls ring a bell?"

"And I shouldn't have to remind you," Itachi started, tone low and serious, sounding strange in his childish voice, "that since I became this thing, over half a million people who have been set to die in the past seven hours are still alive. Does overpopulation ring a bell to you, Little Brother?"

Sasuke frowned, no snide quip leaving him. Itachi was right, even Hinata knew that. Even if it was hard to wrap her head around things, she knew that right now, something in the world was going horribly wrong.

And Sasuke must have realized that, as well, for he finally nodded his head. "I'll see what I can do."

"I'm sure Naruto's already aware of everything," Itachi said. There was a lag in his voice that made Sasuke's frown tighten. "Until this is figured out, do this for me. You've seen me do it plenty of times, so I trust you'll get the hang of it. Remember to be gentle and to always write down the cause of death. Don't forget the paperwork before you sent them to Limbo. And – please, Sasuke – be courteous."

"I know, I know."

Itachi sighed and practically slid down the doorframe of the bathroom. Hinata finished bandaging her feet before hopping off the sink and falling to his side. Sasuke was close behind her, hovering, and she didn't have to see his face to know he was –

Worried?

The Devil?

"What is this?" Itachi wondered, leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling. "I can hardly stay conscious."

"Are you injured?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata gave a quick scan of his body, then recognized the bags under the boy's eyes. "You're tired." When she touched his hand, she felt the dirt and grime cover her fingers. "And dirty. I'll clean you up and take you to bed, Itachi."

The boy gave her a confused look, and she turned to Sasuke, hoping he'd be able to explain in a way his brother understood.

"You're a human now," he supposed, lips twisted, but the displeasure did not reach his voice, "as much as we both hate to admit it. She understands how everything works and will … help you."

The notch in his voice almost sounded like he was asking a question, and Hinata nodded and smiled down at Itachi. "I'll take care of you until Sasuke is back and all is well. You have nothing to worry about."

Itachi gave a tired sigh and tried to nod, and Hinata went to run water in the tub, the pipes shaking as they were suddenly awakened after years of slumber. She told Itachi to take off his clothes, and then followed Sasuke out into the living room.

"This is a pain," Sasuke muttered.

"Itachi will be fine," she assured him. "I'll keep him healthy. Focus on what you need to do."

"That's not the problem." He traced his hands down the side of the front door, preparing the Gates to Hell. "I do not understand how this could happen to him. We don't have souls. We do not just turn human."

Hinata knew. She was as confused as he was, but that confusion could wait. Right now, a tired, filthy boy needed her help.

"You'll figure it out," she said, taking his feathered shoulder in her hands and brushing her thumb against it, trying to calm him in any way she could. "When you're done and things are fixed, he'll explain more, and we can figure this out together. But right now, you have a job to do."

This … felt nice, somehow. Weird, but nice. She felt like a girlfriend – a normal one – who was seeing her normal boyfriend off to his first job. If it was anything really like that, she'd probably have cooked him lunch and written sweet notes on his napkin. But Sasuke was not human, and that was … okay. Because the tension washing from his body as she slid her hands through his feathers was enough for her. He nodded and waited for her hand to leave him, and then he stepped into fire and smoke and left her practically melting in the Hyuuga cabin.

…

"This is a bath," she told Itachi as she scrubbed grime and sweat off his back, glad she didn't have to wear gloves for his normal-temperatured skin.

"Bath," he repeated softly, exhaustion clear in his tone. "Yes, I … think I know this."

She would have asked what he meant by that, but she doubted she would get much of an answer from the state he was in. So she continued to scrub and reminded him from time to time to tell her if she was ever too rough. Itachi never said a word, only relaxed in the warm water, foggily watching the bubbles gather around his arched knees.

…

The t-shirt she gave him reached his knees.

It was all she had, and she made a note to pick up some clothes from the store when she went grocery shopping the next day.

After throwing his clothes in the washing machine, she took him into her room and tucked him into bed.

"I understand the human concept of sleep," he explained as she brought the quilt to her chin. "I've taken many souls when a human passes in their sleep. However –" His big eyes squinted, "I do not know how to do it."

Hinata smiled and sat beside him on the bed. "It's easy," she told him, leaning over to turn the lamp off. "First, you have to close your eyes."

He did so. "Then what?"

"Well, sometimes you wait until you just drift into sleep. If you're exhausted, it usually isn't long." Hinata recalled how, when she was young, her mother used to hum her songs and run her hands through her hair. She was the first to admit she wasn't much of a singer, so Hinata reached over and ran her hands through Itachi's dark hair. His eyes fluttered open for a moment, saw her assuring smile, and dipped back down. "I'll be here the entire time. If you ever wake up, come find me, alright?"

He did not answer, and a few moments later, his breathing went soft and steady. Hinata slowly tip-toed out of the room and laid down on the sofa against the wall, staring out at the darkness, wide awake and head swimming.

…

When Itachi woke up the next morning, there was a hand to his stomach and a confused purse to his lips.

"It hurts," he said, "I think."

Plucking a bag of pretzels from her suitcase, Hinata ripped it open and handed it to him. "You're hungry," she explained. "You need to eat to get your energy back. Have this for now, and I'll make breakfast after getting groceries." He gave the bag a look, and she took a pretzel and plopped it in her mouth, chewing. "Use your teeth to grind it up like this, and then swallow. That's how you eat."

He nodded and did just that, and Hinata went to retrieve his clothes from the dryer.

"Put these back on," she told him, "and then we'll go to the store."

Again, he did so without complaint or question, and she then came to the realization that this was probably the most mature six-year-old she would ever meet.

…

The people at the store were giving her odd looks.

Maybe because she looked way too young to be with a boy Itachi's age.

It made her uncomfortable, and instinct flooded her mind as she grabbed Itachi's small hand and kept him close.

"What is it?" He must have noticed the tension in her face, and she tried to hide it with a smile as she pushed her shopping cart forward.

"I just want you to be close," she said. "Sometimes, people steal kids when grown-ups aren't looking." She cringed at her speech, trying to remind herself she was talking to Death Itself, not a child.

But he did not seem to notice, as a wistful frown came to his lips. "Yes," he said, "I know. I've saved many children's souls who have been stolen away from their families."

His grip on her hand tightened, and she felt great relief as she continued to shop.

…

When they returned back to the cabin, she fixed him pancakes and hashbrowns, and his eyes widened in a child-like manner when she set the food in front of him.

"If this is how you care for my brother," he told her that very moment, "then he is very lucky to have you."

Blushing, Hinata made her own plate before sitting at the table. His eyes watched her closely as she used her silverware to eat, and when he turned to his own food, he copied her movements exactly.

"Not exactly," she said, sipping at her water before sending him a knowing smile. "The immortal don't eat, apparently."

"Unless it's the souls of the damned," was Itachi's half-hearted reply as he stuffed his face with syrup-drenched pancakes.

Well, it was good to know the two brothers had the same kind of humor.

…

Great light and splendor spilled through the room as Hinata was washing plates, and after drying her hands on a rag, she turned to find God standing in the middle of the living room.

"Good morning!" he greeted happily, not at all affected by how odd things were turning out to be.

"O-Oh." Her head dipped in a half-bow. "Good morning. Itachi is –"

"Ah, Naruto." Itachi entered from the bedroom, and it was a strange sight to see a child acting so normal while in the presence of God Himself. "I'd say it's nice to see you again, but circumstances are a strange thing, today."

"So it seems." Naruto crouched down to the boy's level, examining something about him. His soul, Hinata guessed; a thing they all seemed so stuck on. "Well, look at that. You finally found it."

Itachi's head tilted. "I do not understand."

"Well, I mean, there's not much to get. That's your soul."

"Yes," he said, "but … ."

A quiet minute passed as Itachi seemed to think things over. His child-like face was set in a serious expression, and when realization flickered across his narrow eyes, he looked aged, ancient.

"This entire time?" he asked.

Naruto, of course, gave a bright smile. "You kept missing it. Ah, not that I blame ya. The one soul we always seem to overlook is our own."

Hinata stepped into their circle, feeling out of place. "I'm sorry," she piped, "but could you … explain it to me, please."

Itachi patted his chest. "This is my soul," he explained. "All this time, I've had one. Even in my original form, I've had one – it was just never with me. It was out in the world, wondering for however long it's been. Knowing Naruto, I'd suspect since the start of everything."

"Something like that," Naruto snickered.

"This entire time," Itachi continued, "I thought I did not have one. But I do. It was just always in another vessel, and when I finally found it, it sucked me in."

Head feeling light, Hinata sat herself on the couch before her legs gave out on her. "But … how have you never noticed it?" she asked. "Y-You – you're Death. Unless I don't understand it well, you know … all the souls, don't you? Because when someone dies, you take it from them."

Itachi hummed, then said, "Hours ago, when I was speaking to Sasuke – I was exaggerating some. It's not that souls continue to live when I do not come to take them, but they start over if I take too long. Ah, what's the human word for it –"

"Reincarnation," Naruto added.

Itachi watched her face, saw her realization, and continued. "Before just recently, I've never been aware of this soul. When the mortal vessel holding it dies, I am not there to take it to Limbo, and reincarnation begins. It was only by chance did I come across it this time. There was another soul in need of me, and once I took it, I recognized the soul of this child. He was dying, but when I approached, it called to me and sucked me in. When I regained consciousness, I was in this body, stuck in this world."

Hinata gave a small nod, trying to wrap her head around things.

"And Naruto," Itachi concluded, "knew this entire time."

"I know everything," God said with a laugh, shifting before curling with humor.

Recalling how he was aware of her and Sasuke's argument, Hinata added, "And he just never tells anyone."

"Ruins the fun." He scratched the back of his glowing head. "And besides, it's better for others to figure it out. Tough love, but deeper, remember?"

Itachi shook his head and eyed one of the windows. "And how is Sasuke doing?"

Naruto snickered. "He's a quick learner. But don't worry, I already have someone in mind. He'll be back to that selfish, sinful bastard in no time!"

…

Naruto eventually left – busy being, and all. Hinata checked the time, saw it wasn't even noon, and fished for her phone from the suitcase. It had been a while since she checked it, and she wanted to make sure Kurenai had remembered that she had the next two days off.

But the moment she clicked her phone on, a bright red notification popped up on her screen.

Amber Alert.

It was in her area. A young boy had gone missing. Six-years-old. Black hair and dark brown eyes. Last wearing a back shirt and cargo pants. Went missing some time yesterday. Name: Itachi –

"O-Oh my God!"

She rushed out of her room as he came in to hear what caused her such a terrible scream, and she yelped and grabbed onto his shoulders to prevent them from colliding.

"Itachi!"

His eyes were wide, and for the first time, he truly looked like a child.

"D-Did you run away?" she asked, falling on her knees to be at his level. "Your parents are looking for you. They sent an amber alert for you!"

His brows furrowed. "I had to leave," he said. "I had to find my brother."

"Yes, but –"

Oh, God.

All the stares at the store. Did those people think she had kidnapped him? God, why didn't she think of this sooner? Of course he came from somewhere. Of course there was a family out there looking for him.

"You should have told me," she explained. "Your family must be worried sick."

His gaze dipped. "I see."

"Where did you come from?" she asked. "Do you remember?"

"My memory is messy," he tried to explain. "When I was forced into this body, my memories and the boy's were merged. We are one, now, but I still cannot understand much of his memories. But I … remember a face. A woman. I think she was –" And then, startlingly enough, Itachi began to cry. "M-Mom. I … ran away from Mom."

Bewildered, Hinata did the first thing that came to her mind and wrapped her arms around him, pressing his face into her shoulder. Again, it was all so odd. A small boy crying into her shoulder seemed normal, but then she would remember this was Death, the brother of the Devil, and her mind would go spiraling.

"It's okay," she whispered, "once Sasuke's back, we'll get you back to her."

Small hands tugged at her sleeves. "What is this?" His question was watery and quiet.

Smiling, she replied, "A hug."

"Hug," he repeated, then leaned into her. "I think I remember this, too."

"I'm sure your mother hugged you all the time," Hinata said. "And when you get back to her, she won't stop hugging you."

…

They were still in the hallway, his face still in her shoulder, when she asked a question.

"I know you remember many souls, but … do you remember the ones from years ago?"

He nodded, and said into her sweater, "Hitomi Hyuuga. Your mother, yes? You want to know about her."

Words got caught in her throat for a moment, and she had to clear her throat to speak. "D-Did she … pass peacefully?"

"Yes." The answer made her shoulders sag in relief and sadness. "But she fought me terribly. She had two daughters and a husband she was leaving behind, she told me. She wanted me to put her right in that body so she could at least hug you one last time. I'm – I apologize I couldn't let that happen. It's not my job to bring people back to life."

Her eyes stung, and she tipped her head back and blinked. "It's o-okay."

"Sometimes, I go to Heaven to visit the souls. Your mother is always by the gate, waiting for you. She's always watching out for you."

Hinata gave a broken laugh and hugged him closer, this time for her own comfort, and again, no words of protest left him.

…

It was nearing dinner, and Sasuke was still not back.

"I worry, too," Itachi admitted when he caught her looking at the door for the tenth time that hour, "but I have faith in my brother. He'll be back."

Placing a plate of brownies on the table, Hinata sat at the table. "Is it a hard job?" she asked. "Did it hurt to see all those dying people?"

"You have to understand that for me, it was my purpose. I did not have human emotions when I was in my original body." Itachi's curious, child-like gaze stared at the treats before him, plucked on from the top, tested it with a small bite, and then gobbled the rest of it down. "But now that I think about it with all these confusing feelings inside me, it sounds sad, doesn't it?"

"For many, it is," Hinata said, trying to think of how to explain it. "There are different cultures that treat death differently, but I think for the majority of people, when they hear someone has passed – especially if it's someone they know or are close to – they feel sadness. It's just how we are."

"Mmh." Itachi took another brownie, scarfed it down, and gestured out to the wilting flowers outside the window by the table. "They're dead now," he told her, "but when your Spring season comes, new ones will replace them. You have to remember, Hinata, that when decay comes, rebirth is close to follow."

…

The second she heard heavy footsteps on the porch, Hinata went into the bathroom and started up the bath.

She heard Itachi open the door as she squirted in soap, watched the bubbles form, and wiped her hands on her shorts before coming to the doorway to see Sasuke stepping inside, sighing.

The Devil, she knew, did not get tired. But he had that look that he had on the bus when they were coming into town, and her heart sank with worry.

But he still managed a smile – yes, smile, she could hardly believe it herself – when he greeted Itachi and placed a hand on his head.

"I'm home," he said to both of them.

And Hinata didn't know how ready she was to hear those words until just then.

"Welcome back."

…

Another figure had entered with Sasuke, but Hinata hadn't even noticed him until a rather loud yawn echoed through the cabin.

He was … well … he was definitely something.

"Shikamaru," Itachi greeted, none too surprised by the sudden appearance. "I wasn't … expecting to see you."

"Wow, look at that." The thing – it had wings, she was pretty sure, so was it an angel of some kind – bent down to look at the young boy. "Your own soul. Congrats, or whatever."

Sasuke was already at her side, yanking her towards the bathroom. He must have recognized the sound of the running bath and put two and two together. But she stopped him and asked, "Who is he?"

"Shikamaru," was his short, rough reply. "Meet the new Grim Reaper."

"You?" Itachi mused. "That's unexpected."

The three-faced, four-winged angel-creature shrugged. "Hey, for all I know, Angel of Death is a promotion from Guardian Angel. As long as I don't have to deal with that line anymore, I ain't about to complain."

Itachi hummed, then glanced at his brother. "Have you taught him anything yet?"

"No." Sasuke went back to pulling her with him. "You do it. I'm busy."

And when the bathroom door slammed behind them, Sasuke was already stripping, and Hinata yelped and turned away.

"Stop being shy," he told her as he stepped into the bath.

"Sorry." She knelt down and tugged on her gloves. "It was sudden, and you startled –"

Her wrist, which was protected by the rubber glove, was yanked forward, and Hinata was sent into the tub. Clothed. With Sasuke taking up most of the room.

When she tried to get out, he growled a single "Don't" and leaned his face against her shoulder, the heat of him sinking into her sweater and spilling down the rest of her body. Hinata moved slightly to get into a more comfortable position and pressed her hands against the backs of his shoulders, fingers tracing the sharp blades there.

"I missed you," she whispered into his hair.

"Of course you did." A moment later, and then, quietly, "Me too."

Chapter 19 - End