Angel Of Darkness
Chapter Ten: Chest
He was feeling guilty-again.
The rationality that he faced then and there was that feeling guilty was one of the most annoying things in the world! Izuna was known for never feeling guilty because when he did things, he did them with a purpose.
The purpose was always clear in his mind but this time, he kept wondering why this was not. This had started out as a clear idea but he kept on wondering why he never told his mate, sooner than now. When he had the chance of not feeling so guilty that the feeling was eating him up alive.
Glancing towards the boy in the living room, he took in Sasuke's spiky raven hair and the way he carefully wrote in his notebook. No, he did not regret what he had done, after all it had given him Sasuke, but he did fear what Madara would think and it made him feel guilty still for hiding it.
The longer he hid it the more the guilt grew.
For one, several things had happened over the course of the past two months.
When he had started this game of duck, duck, goose, he had not expected it to end up with Madara and Itachi trying to dig up each other's pasts. First, it had been that Hashirama, Madara's Ex-boyfriend. Then Madara had retaliated with Fugaku, whom ended up pissing Itachi off and for a whole week Itachi had walked out of school. The young vampire had gotten into trouble with the school, and had been on a tight leash when it came to other privileges other hand, but then he had to retaliate with tagging someone they had least expected him to find, especially in that school.
Well, it came as a shock, but apparently, their mother had been reborn and was currently residing in the body of a freshman fifteen-year-old girl. It had brought upon a long lecture that Madara had ranted about the next time he saw Itachi he was going to make him wish he had never messed with their mother.
Izuna had been scared that Madara would realize that since he had found him he could tag him and make him spill the truth-but the dumb man had instead ended up going for Namikaze Kyuubi, and currently the one person that Itachi was avoiding like the plague.
After all, he had been the one to murder Itachi in the past…he had been Itachi's lover in the past.
Time was passing by, his guilt was growing and he needed things to start moving again. Glancing towards Sasuke once more time, he finally decided it had to be done. He got up and tapped him on the shoulder. Sasuke whom had been in the middle of finishing the notes for his essay looked up and arched an eyebrow in question.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I have a favor to ask you," he said, and then crouched down to Sasuke's level. "I figured out who the next goose is, but I need you to go to them, get tagged, and tag someone new,"
Sasuke blinked twice, before he frowned and tapped his chin with his pencil. "Why can't you do it?" he asked. "I'm sort of busy,"
Izuna growled, and reached for Sasuke to pinch at his cheeks, "We're supposed to be playing this game, not being good kids in school. Stop trying to be normal Sasuke," he growled as he stretched the young boy's cheeks and Sasuke kicked at him, demanding that he let him go. "So get off your lazy ass and just go,"
"But" Sasuke said as soon as he was let go. There were other things he rather be doing than playing this stupid game. He just couldn't understand Izuna.
"No buts Sasuke,"
"Look," he started, wanting to tell him that he could just tell Madara. He didn't need this game to tell the truth. But of course, Izuna was stubborn.
"Sasuke, please,"
Sasuke sighed, "Fine, who is it?" he asked.
"Namikaze Kyuubi," Izuna said, "and of course, the word trigger is our last name." Sasuke nodded his head and got to thinking. Why was Kyuubi chosen of all people? It made no sense. "Can you go right now?"
"Um," Sasuke looked up and when he saw how desperate Izuna was nodded his head. Anything to get him out of the room and away from his 'mother' whom seemed to scare him right now.
Standing up, Sasuke neatly piled his books and notebook on the coffee table and rushed out the door.
He was glad that Naruto was not here to follow him. He had gotten lucky that he and Gaara had an afternoon class to attend. Sasuke had dropped his in favor for a later one, just so he did not have to be in the dorm room with them.
It was starting to drive him batty with how Naruto was so clingy but at the same time trying to steal his man, and then his mother whom just kept complaining about wanting to be with Madara… Gaara was cool. He had no problems with the quiet red head.
Then there was Itachi…a ball of mystery that seemed to get out of his reach each and every time and yet at the same time he was too scared to get too close and being caught. He just knew that Itachi was trying to get him to let his guard down…Sasuke needed to be careful.
Walking back onto campus, Sasuke found himself searching all over for Kyuubi.
He didn't find him until Naruto's and Gaara's class was over, and along with them Kyuubi and Itachi both came out. Naruto was of course, talking animatedly to Itachi and Sasuke felt jealousy surge through him.
How dare the blond keep making moves on his mate!
It was getting frustrating.
All this time, and it felt like Naruto had a much better chance at getting Itachi than he did and Sasuke was feeling like he was losing. He wouldn't doubt it either, because Sasuke wasn't an expert at getting the attention of potential mates.
Damn it all, Itachi had been the first.
Sasuke could feel himself maturing, but at the same time he was feeling distressed. His chest tightened and Sasuke swallowed hard as he tried to will the feeling away. He was here for a reason anyways.
Taking all his determination, Sasuke steeled himself and made his way over to Kyuubi whom was trying to get into the conversation Naruto seemed to be having with Itachi. Sasuke moved fast, and caught Kyuubi's wrist in his hand, making the red head gasp and turn to him. Sasuke gave his best wide eyed pleading look as he captivated the red head.
"I need you," he said in a husky tone, and pulled Kyuubi along.
Kyuubi's eyes hazed over in a matter of seconds as he nodded his head and willingly followed Sasuke as the boy urged him to run.
Itachi watched with perplexity and an insane feeling of both jealousy and possessiveness grew in his chest as he watched Sasuke sprint away with another male. How dare another man get close to his submissive…
"Was that Sasuke?" Naruto asked, as he was slow to catch what had just happened.
"Excuse me," Itachi said, walking away from Naruto to follow after Sasuke and Kyuubi before he lost track of them.
Naruto pouted and was about to complain about wanting to hang out with Itachi, but the man was already sprinting down the hall and away from him.
"Man, and here I thought I could finally get him to ask me out," he pouted as he turned to Gaara who looked at him oddly and decided to leave Naruto pouting as he headed to his next class. Naruto slumped, following after his brother.
Sasuke lead Kyuubi through the full crowd currently on campus. It seemed like everyone was getting out of class right now to head to their next lesson. Sasuke didn't care. He rushed Kyuubi through the crowds, keeping a tight grip on his wrist until they reached the empty halls of A-building.
There he let go of the red head whom dropped to his knees panting hard and the spell wore off of him.
"Huh, how did I end up here?" he asked, looking around the moment that he regained his breath. Sasuke stood still, thinking about what he was going to say.
He really didn't know why Madara or Itachi would choose the red head of all people as their target. Could Itachi had chosen him in case he got too close?
Sasuke was sure that couldn't be it, after all, Itachi would want him to get close. Tagging Kyuubi really wasn't going to give him an edge to that.
Itachi probably had a better chance if he tagged him directly.
Or maybe Izuna directly- his mother needed to get a few things off his chest.
Sasuke pursed his lips, and then walked close to Kyuubi and crouched down in front of him. "Uchiha?" he said in an uncertain tone. After all, he was sure that if he was friends with Itachi, he had already heard the term. It further proved that he had already heard it when he looked at him oddly and his eye started to twitch.
"Uchiha? Is that all you have to say?" Kyuubi snapped and Sasuke scowled.
"Madara?" he asked.
"No, I'm not Uchiha Madara," he pointed to himself, "I'm Namikaze Kyuubi- now," he said as he pushed himself to a standing position, "I have to get to class,"
Sasuke growled, "I know that you are not Uchiha Madara," the raven hissed, "I'm just trying to figure something out, so can you take a seat!" Sasuke harshly reached out to grab the man around the collar and tugged him down until he was on his ass, flat on the floor. Sasuke brushed a few strands of hair from his face, and looked at him harshly. "You are not leaving until I get you to spill your guts, got it,"
"Huh" Kyuubi's eyes were wide.
"Izuna!" Sasuke tried.
"You're INSANE!" Kyuubi countered.
Sasuke glared at him and was about to snap at him in return when the doors to A-hall suddenly opened and Itachi walked inside. Kyuubi's eyes lit up the moment Itachi was inside, and he tried to stand up again, only to get kneed in the gut by Sasuke whom was getting tired of him.
"Itachi," Sasuke said in a tight tone and crossed his arms, "Leave, this has nothing to do with you,"
Itachi sent Sasuke a harsh glare and then looked at Kyuubi whom was rubbing his stomach. Fuck, had his mother sent Sasuke to try and get Kyuubi to pass on the label of the goose?
There had to be no doubt now that Madara had really tagged the red head- and it was not something Itachi was looking forward to.
Too many reminders of the past and pain- something he would have rather left buried.
"What's going on here Itachi?" Kyuubi asked when he saw the serious looks on both raven's faces and how each looked like they were unhappy. The seriousness of it all was starting to give him a frightened complex. He was scared and that was something new to him. He didn't usually get scared, but both of these guys were scaring him. "Are you two going to ignore all my questions?" he snapped.
"I don't know what your trigger word is," Sasuke started to say before Itachi cut him off.
"I know it," he said in a dead serious tone. "It was Madara the one who chose it after all."
Sasuke swallowed and nodded his head. He gave Itachi an apologetic look, "Mom wanted me to…"
"I know," Itachi cut him off. "But mom should have never sent you in the first place to get this," Itachi sighed softly, letting his anger melt away. He wasn't mad at Sasuke at all.
Sasuke bit his lower lip, feeling out of place. Had he done something to displease Itachi now with him? He sorely hoped that it had not snubbed his chances with Itachi any further than Naruto had already wormed himself closer to Itachi.
"Itachi," Sasuke whispered.
"It's not your fault," Itachi said as he looked at Kyuubi, "Guess I was just running away from having to face this,"
Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked at Itachi, "What?" he asked.
Itachi shrugged, and Kyuubi felt so utterly lost and confused. "You two are starting to get on my nerves with your vague discussion around me. I'm right here, can you two clarify what is going on?" he begged, trying to make sense of the situation.
Itachi crouched down before him, feeling his chest become heavy as he spoke the words, "You killed me," Kyuubi's head snapped, and his eyes glazed over in a haze. Itachi could hear Sasuke gasp, and he decided not to look at him.
It was better to just get this over and done with right now.
Kyuubi reached out, and pressed his hand to Itachi's arm, "Goose," he said and then Kyuubi' eyes filled with tears and pure regret as he clutched his chest, "And I'm sorry, but I love you so much!" he cried.
Sasuke frowned, and glared at Kyuubi.
Love…not loved- that meant that Kyuubi could possibly still be in love with Itachi.
"It was back in 1815 that I was asked if I wanted to bring you back to life. And I decided that yes, I wanted to see you alive once more. What no one knows is that the thought of you coming back as a monster had crossed my mind more than once—but I couldn't bring myself to care about that. I needed you back- but after everything was said and done, I can't remember anything past that."
"You don't need to know," Itachi said.
Sasuke was curious though, and couldn't help himself, "How-why did you kill him?" he asked and Itachi turned to Sasuke with wide eyes. Sasuke wasn't looking at him though, he had a hard look on his face and it was directed at Kyuubi.
"Itachi was the most handsome person you could have ever met back in Konoha. The day that Itachi had been born, there had been a large earth quake that had marked the day down in history. Itachi was a rich kid, raised and born in the finest of ways. He was highly coveted by many and the moment that I saw him I been rendered confused by him… but soon I was obsessed with knowing more about him" Kyuubi started retelling and Sasuke's hands clenched at every word but he remained attentive and resolute to listen to everything until the end.
Itachi on the other hand couldn't help but go back all those years, and remember everything as if it had been just yesterday.
Konoha Village, 1809
Itachi had just turned fifteen years old when he had decided that today, being his birthday, was his day to do whatever he pleased. At the time it meant getting as far away as he could from his parents. Since the day he had been born his parents had kept a tight leash around him. No matter where he was, went, or what he did, he could always expect to find one of his parents just a few steps away, always keeping an eye on him.
When Itachi had hit puberty at thirteen as most boys did, his parents grew a bit more distant and started to leave him some privacy. At least that is what they had wanted him to believe. Soon enough Itachi found that they could open the locks on his door if they needed, and they still had a way to get into the bubble of privacy he felt he had finally earned, only to learn that they never wanted to let him out of their sight.
Getting up earlier than them this morning, Itachi had rushed out the door and away from the tall house they called a mansion, where he felt constantly trapped.
For once, he was going to do what he wanted. And that is what he did. He headed to every shop alone, and Itachi indulged himself in treats-but found it hard to start a decent conversation with anyone. It was like language was something he knew, but when carrying out a conversation it became a foreign thing. He was used to having people avoid him and not talk to him. But now that he was here it was like the world wanted to talk to him and he didn't know what to say back.
That was, until a boy with fiery red hair and a vibrant spirit bumped into him.
"Hey watch where you're going,"
"Shouldn't you?" Itachi calmly stated in return.
The red head of course had never had anyone tell him off- especially in a manner that lacked any real anger or conviction. Instead he blinked and looked at the boy before him, trying to place a face to him. He didn't think that he had seen him around here before. "Who are you?" Kyuubi decided to ask. Itachi had tilted his head curiously before shaking his head and deciding to walk away from this boy. But before he could walk away completely, Kyuubi had placed a hand on his chest to keep him from going any farther and looked directly in his eyes. "I'm serious!"
Itachi narrowed his eyes and slammed the palm of his hand on the boy's forehead and pushed him away from him, before going on in his merry little way. For the rest of the day, the boy followed behind Itachi, watching him closely. Watching as Itachi struggled to interact with people. Watched as Itachi couldn't tell the difference of when someone was joking with him to when one was being serious. Itachi didn't ever seemed to pick up on the humanly cues of friendliness and because of that sometimes came off as rude for either walking away or not saying anything.
Throughout the whole trip the boy never smiled.
Kyuubi had to wonder why that was.
What was even more scary was the security guards that came rushing down the streets every now and then, and Itachi would hide. He was so good at it. He had to wonder if he had practiced. It wasn't until the sun was setting that Itachi told him that he had to go back and there was nowhere else he really wanted to go-not even his own house.
"Why wouldn't you want to go to your house?"
"Mother and father will be there and both will be furious,"
"Why?"
"I'm not supposed to leave the house without permission,"
"Well, if they are so mean and you decide to run away, I'm Uzumaki Kyuubi! You can always come and find me!" the boy grinned so brightly, "My parents wouldn't mind you coming at all!" he added.
Itachi nodded his head once, and then ran off.
Kyuubi was confused. He had at least expected the boy to give him his name.
But now, whenever Itachi decided to escape he would come find Kyuubi and ask him to show him around. For over a little of half a year, Kyuubi didn't know Itachi's name and made no move to ask, until one day not knowing this information became unbearable. "So, what is your name?" he asked.
"Itachi," Itachi answered and like always simply walked away.
"Although Itachi was always so clueless about the world, I wanted to be the one to show him everything. I wanted to teach him how to interact with people, hold his hand in public, and be his so terribly. We had been hanging around each other for so long I thought that maybe Itachi felt the same and I kissed him," Kyuubi let out a sobbing chuckle. "All he could say after I kissed him was 'what was that about?' God, he was so frustrating,"
Sasuke blinked and looked towards Itachi.
Itachi noticed this and turned his head to look at Sasuke. This was the boy he wanted to make his future mate, but should he be hearing this? Itachi wanted Sasuke to look at him favorably, not like he was incompetent.
"Now that I think about it, Itachi never did say that he loved me or wanted to date me, but since I kissed him every now and then I kind of hoped it would be implied that he and I were dating. That he belonged only to me and then to come- after all those years of us being together, for him to come and say that he would no longer come and see me? That he no longer wished for my friendship? What was that all about I thought there was more to us!" Kyuubi let out a strangled cry.
Konoha Village, 1815
Uzumaki Kyuubi was considered Itachi's closest and most trusted friend when it came to affection and his secrets. Although Itachi rarely had any real secrets that he had to keep, but he most certainly never kissed anyone else, or even touched anyone else. So when his parents told him that he was going to have to get married and explained in deliberate detail that sexual intentions were meant between only married people-he feared hurting Kyuubi.
So he did the only thing that seemed sensible in his mind.
"You're going to leave him?" Madara asked.
Itachi nodded his head. "Yeah, it's time I stopped all the childish ploys after all,"
Madara back then had been a man that lived in a small hut in the village, and had introduced himself to Itachi as his great, great, great, ect, grandfather. Itachi had not believe him, probably would never have since the man didn't look that old. But at the same time it was like the man had gained his trust and Itachi really did start to see him as a sort of grandfather.
"Do you really want to be married?"
Itachi blankly stared at him. "Is that question even necessary?" he asked. Madara sighed, and shook his head. Itachi shrugged, and walked out of the old hut in search of Kyuubi.
When he had found Kyuubi, he had immediately stated his intentions for the meeting and left. He had never expected for Kyuubi to find him a week later, in the garden of his house. At first he had wondered what Kyuubi would want-and he was punched in the face for the curiosity that he held. Kyuubi had then yelled, cursed him, and said things that had hit him hard in his chest, and made his heart ache. And then the hands were on his throat—
"I have to admit that compared to my larger body size, Itachi was thin and seemingly fragile, but he proved to still be incredibly strong. Itachi hit me back several times in return and fought for his life, but in the end, my anger and blind rage won out. My intentions were to choke him and make him feel pain, but I shook him to hard, or my hands twitch too violently, I don't know. Before I knew it I had snapped his neck and Itachi's body fell limply against mine." Kyuubi took a deep breath, "at first I thought that he had given up, that my words had gotten to him and that maybe he had reconsidered my own feelings- but I was being selfish. I was being so selfish."
Sasuke clenched his hands, as he stared hard at Kyuubi. He couldn't believe it. Out of all the things Kyuubi could have murdered Itachi over.
How could he, if he claimed that he loved him- how could he hurt him?
"The guilt that gripped me then, when he was limp and cold…I wish I never had. I wanted him alive- and yet I panicked and I decided to throw his body into the small pond that they had there. and since it was lack of air that killed him and with medicine and doctors not being as advance as they are today- he was deemed killed in suicide by drowning." Kyuubi let out a shaky breath as he reached his hand over his chest, over where his heart could be, "I was off the hook that I was not going to pay for my misdeeds by going to jail, but I felt like I was already paying with the heavy feelings and hurt that were on my heart. The misery that befell me, all of it, was eating me up alive,"
"That's enough already," Itachi hissed, not wanting to hear more of it.
"But there was hope! And it came in the form of a dark angel that allowed me to give Itachi a second chance in life. I don't know how, or what happened from then when I dug up your grave, but I knew that I was happy."
Itachi was about to snap at him to shut up, but instead Sasuke stepped forward and punched the man in the face. Itachi was startled by this. He quickly got to his feet when Sasuke moved to punch Kyuubi again, and this time caught his wrist.
"Stop Sasuke, what's the point to punch him now after everything has been said and done?" he asked, but Sasuke turned to him, and he was surprised to find the boy with tears in his eyes. Sasuke was crying for him…?
"He hurt you- how could he. It wasn't fair,"
"Shh," Itachi found himself pulling Sasuke to his chest, and lightly caressing his back as he soothed him. "It's alright, I'm alright. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for him anyways."
Kyuubi stood up, rubbing his jaw, "I just want to apologize to you Itachi, for everything. And I want to say that I'm glad and so happy that you have had a second chance to live life. You can be happy now you know, with whomever you want." Kyuubi smiled, wishing the best to Itachi from now on. Because deep down, so deep, he still loves Itachi so much but this time instead of letting any anger or jealousy get the best of him, he just wants Itachi's happiness.
"I already know that," Itachi said in a calm tone, his attention focused on the soft spikes of Sasuke's hair. The feel of Sasuke's warm body pressed to his was such a comfort that Itachi hadn't known he needed.
"I'm glad," Kyuubi repeated. He watched as Itachi comforted Sasuke in his arms, and in return Sasuke comforted Itachi. Although it hurt him, he accepted it. If this was going to be Itachi's happiness, then so be it. Well, everything was said and done, and Kyuubi found himself losing consciousness.
The moment that he did, Sasuke pulled away from Itachi's arms.
"I'm sorry," he said, rubbing at his eye.
"Why are you crying anyways?" Itachi asked.
Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know, I just feel so overly emotional-just shut up" he hissed and Itachi moved towards him again, ducking his head to Sasuke's level and then pressed his forehead to Sasuke's.
It was a dominants comforting gesture, and Sasuke gasped as he got caught up in the sensation, and warmth. Sasuke purred, returning that same sensation back to the dominant.
For a moment both were left mesmerized by the feeling, and then Sasuke frowned. "Why are you comforting me? I thought you like Naruto," he huffed, turning his head away.
"He's human,"
"So, you can turn him and he'll make a perfect submissive for you,"
"I think you're perfect,"
"Sure you do,"
"You're perfect," he said, pulling Sasuke back towards him, and nuzzled his nose with Sasuke's. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, and nearly dipped his head in to kiss Itachi, but ended up pulling away from him.
It was too dangerous right now to be this close to Itachi.
"I'll leave you to clean up the mess," he said, referring to Kyuubi. Itachi smirked.
"He can clean himself up," Itachi said as he followed after the small submissive, "Why don't you and I go out of school and get something to eat,"
"Mom's going to be waiting for me," Sasuke said as he picked up his pace.
"Blood?" Itachi playfully inquired, although he knew he was going to get turned down.
"No," Sasuke ran off, and Itachi followed after him.
When Sasuke made it near the dorms, he found himself alone. Itachi had eventually stopped chasing him, and this seemed to mean that he was currently still holding back on him.
Sasuke sighed in relief and headed into his dorm room. But once he was inside, he was faced with the hopeful look of his mother and he wished he would have taken up Itachi on going to get some food.
"So? How did it go?"
"Terrible," Sasuke grumbled as he moved to pick up his work.
"But you managed to get it right,"
"Right," Sasuke said, but decided not to mention that Itachi was the one whom was currently the goose.
Izuna could use a break.