Thank you guys for all your reviews. I wasn't planning to continue this fic actually. Buuuuttttt……shrugs it's a break from the other fanfic I'm writing.
Disclaimer:
Do I even have to state the obvious?
Chapter II: Prologue part II
"How are you these days Itachi? It's rare for us to see you anymore. It seems like that your job as an ANBU captain is eating up all your time." His mom pours some tea at his cup. He nodded to her as a sign of thanks. His younger brother sat beside him eating quietly as so his father.
"Yes. I'm fine."
"It must be tiring for you but we understand. Of course with talents like yours, its no wonder that Hokage-sama gives you far more missions than others. You are an Uchiha after all."
The chopsticks holding the food stopped at midair. Itachi carefully put the food back at his plate and wipe his mouth with the napkin. "I've just remembered. I have duties to attend to."
"But you still haven't finished your dinner Itachi-kun." His mother looks at him with worry as his face remains unreadable.
"It's alright dear. Working as an ANBU captain is a rather tedious job. Loosing his dinner is but only a small sacrifice. Go ahead son." He bowed to his father and stands up.
"Aniki…"
The corner of his eyes met his brothers. He could see the disappointment marking the boy's face. "I am sorry outoto. Ask someone else to help you with your training. "He bowed to his parents and sent a brief nod to his brother. "I'm going."
There was a knock on his door. Naruto looked up from his steaming cup of ramen and wondered. He hesitated for a moment before standing up and opened his front door. His lips slowly stretched to a wide happy smile. "It-chan!" He glomps the older boy.
Itachi's lips curled to a small smile of his own as he kisses the boy's golden mop. "Good evening Naru-chan." His voice was soft and affectionate.
Naruto grinned before letting go and looking at the older boy with curiosity. "Ne, ne Itachi-nii. Why are you here? It is already nighttime." Itachi quirked an eyebrow. "Why? Do I need a reason to visit you?" The whiskered boy blinked before shaking his head and clasping the older boy's hand, pulling him inside the house. "You're so weird." He muttered but that didn't stop the blush that colored his cheeks. Itachi closed the door by pushing it with his foot.
"I'm having dinner right now." The blond boy said as he led the older boy to the kitchen, their hands still clasps together. "Aa…" Itachi replied as their feet padded over the clean wooden floors. They entered the room. Suddenly Naruto stopped, 'Too late!' his mind screamed. Itachi caught sight of the steaming cup of ramen at the table.
"A..ano…" Naruto let's go of the older boy's hand and scratched the back of his head. Itachi walked towards the table and picked up the cup. All excuses made by the blond boy were ignored as he headed to trash bin. He heard a cry of protest behind his back; he looked over his shoulder and saw Naruto close to tears. He held the cup over the bin. The boy practically begged. "Please don't Itachi-nii. That's my last cup of Ramen! I'll do anything! Please!"
The corners of the lips of the young Uchiha twitched. "Anything?" Naruto nodded his head furiously. Itachi's eyes narrowed. "No." He lets go of the cup.
Everything seems to go on slow motion. "NOOOOOOOO!" Naruto screamed as he ran towards the falling cup. He tripped and fell, his eyes widens as he watched the cup disappear to the cruel orange colored container. Distantly he heard his world break like glass. He lays still frozen at the floor, his hand still outstretched. Itachi watch this whole scene with amusement as he slowly walks toward the boy. He kneels down beside the boy and lifts the boy as he stands up. The blond clings at older boy's neck as Itachi carries him at front. Naruto took a shuddering gasp. Before…
"UWAAAAHHHH!" His tears falling like waterfalls, he buries his head at the older boy's shoulder. Itachi pats his back comfortingly as his body shook as he sobbed. "Why! You're so mean."
Itachi deposited the boy at the chair brushed away the tears. He cupped the blond boy's chin and makes him look at his face. "I told you not to eat ramen."
The blond boy only sniffed. Itachi sighed and produced something from his pockets. He took one of the smaller boy's hands and held it. He placed an apple and stood up ruffling the boy's hair. He made his way to the blonde's room.
Naruto's eyes are wide in disbelief as he still sat on the chair looking at the innocent red thing on his hand. "An apple? I understand eating apple for breakfast but for dinner? IT-chaaaann!"
The boy whined as the brunette came back to the kitchen this time out of his anbu gear sporting a loose long sleeved black shirt and baggy pants. He leaned at the doorframe wearing his normal black face and was looking at the blond expectant.
"Fine." Naruto grumbled and took a bite at the apple. "Meanie."
Itachi smirked and opened the boy's fridge. Naruto eyes followed the Uchiha as he chew. "ne, ne. Itachi-nii? Are you going to stay for the night?
The older boy came back to the table holding a clear glass and a jug of orange juice. He sat down at the chair opposite of the blond. "Hai. Or is it…I'm overstaying my welcome?"
Naruto shook his head furiously and hid his happy smile behind the apple he's eating. His tan cheeks are slightly dusted with the color of pink. "Iie. I really like it when itachi-nii stays with me and holds me when I sleep. It's warm."
The older brunette's lips slightly curved. 'kawaii.'
Itachi:
The boy's breathing against his chest. Itachi's fingers sent ghost like touches at the blonde's face, outlining the jaw and moving the golden strands of hair off the whiskered boy's face.
It is at night when the boy sleeps that Itachi likes best. When his angel's face relaxes from the mask he always wears.
The gopher hat tipped and fell to the closed eyes of the blond and Itachi smiled. He replaced the hat and bends closer to kiss those soft pink lips. He pulled back slightly to take a better look of the younger boy.
The moon's silver rays illuminating them from the darkness of the room, the golden mop of the boy curled up to his chest glowed like a halo.
The blond mumbled something incoherent at his sleep and started shaking. His brows knitted and there was a frown on his face.
Itachi pulled the whiskered boy closer to his body and made some soothing noises. Eventually Naruto stopped shaking and resumed his peaceful slumber with a small smile on his lips.
The older boy sighed and let the warmth of the blond mingle with his own. He closed his eyes and let the sleep crawl up to him.
Morning came far earlier than it should at Naruto's book. He resisted the urge to whine at the loss of heat from the other side of the bed. He buried his head further to his pillows in attempt to go back to sleep. The smell of something cooking reached his nose and he slowly sat up seeming that sleep won't come back with his empty stomach grumbling loud. He picked up his pillow and slowly walked towards the kitchen.
Itachi placed two pairs of chopsticks on the table as well as two cups, one containing hot chocolate and the other coffee. He is already placing the two bowl containing yakisobas at the table when the sleepy blond came into the kitchen.
"Ohayo It-chan." Naruto yawned cutely still clutching his pillow. His oversized white shirt showed off one of his smooth and slender shoulder as he rubs his eyes. He yawned again as his gofer hat tipped and fell to the ground.
Itachi bends down to the floor and picked the hat as well as pulling the pillow out of the blonde's grasps. "Ohayou." He kissed Naruto's forehead and straightened up. The items in his hands poofed and was gone as he sat down the chair. Naruto followed and sat down on his, no longer surprised and awed by the feat after too many times he saw it besides its too much for his sleep muddled brain to process at the moment. The things are back in the room.
"Itadaikimasu." They both sounded and Naruto immediately dug in. His sleepiness going away by the mere smell of food. Itachi still has his food untouched as he took a sip from his cup of coffee and tuned another page of the newspaper he's reading.
Naruto burped and drank some of his drink. He's still hungry. He eyed the older boy's bowl. Itachi just in time looking out of his paper to get his coffee caught the look. He pushed his own bowl to the blond and picked his cup to drink once more His face is hidden behind the newspaper.
"Arigato!" The blond grinned widely as he viciously attacks the food. There was only a sound of hn behind the papers at the other end.
Break:
Itachi:
He padded over the tayatami mats almost soundless as he heads for his room at his house. He's already reaching the stairs when voices coming from the living room reached his ears. He would have left and continued if not for the topic being talked about.
"…not attending. He's spending too much time with the demon boy. Itachi's being brainwashed by that Monster!" the owner of the voice slightly familiar, Itachi's eyes narrowed. He recognized the voice as one of the main representatives of the Uchiha branch.
"I see. It's not good if he's loosing focus. Especially if it's because of that fox. After all, he caries the proud name of the Uchiha on his shoulders." Floated the voice that could only be his father.
"What do we do to amend this problem?" At this Itachi was slightly surprised at the sound of the voice of her mother. He stealthily moved closer at the living room. He pressed himself to the wall, merging with the shadows. He started to sense the different chakra signatures inside that room while keeping his own suppressed.
His hands curled. Almost all of the Uchihas elders are present in that room except for his younger brother. 'Still training to follow my footsteps? Foolish little brother.'
It was again his father who answered the question. "Itachi is old enough and very well talented at his profession; we could not restrict him at whatever he does. However the young fox is another story. We could simply threaten the boy and force him to stop all this nonsense of seeing Itachi. Unless anyone else has other ideas?"
"Why don't we just kill the boy? Surely no one would miss him." One of the people in the room suggested.
There was silence. "The hokage made a rule not to lay a finger at that demon. We could simply make it look like an accident or frame someone else. The hyuugas are getting too high on themselves. It's the perfect opportunity."
Already Itachi was fingering the sharp edges of his sword controlling his rising rage, 'fools.'
"Fine. I agree. It is the perfect opportunity to show those hyuggas their proper places as well as ridding this Village's demon." It was the voice of his father. Itachi stops playing with the blade and clutched the handle hard.
Everything in his sight turns at the shade of red. The wheels of the Mangekyou sharingan spin wildly. A bloodthirsty smile crawled up to his lips, he slides open the wooden doors as the surprised and shocked faces of the people greeted him. The sight of them only fueled his urge to kill like always. But this time he would satisfy the thirst. "good afternoon otousan, okaasan."
"Itachi!"
He ignored his mother's surprised call and he turned to face the others. "Good afternoon as well minnasan. I am back." the doors behind him closed soundlessly.
Sasuke:
Sasuke is running his way back to the uchiha compound smiling. He spent extra hours at the training grounds running over his skills longer than usual. 'I wonder what okaachan and otouchan would say now that I've already perfected my shuriken throwing. Aniki…I will make you see that I could reach your level and maybe then you will acknowledge me.' He paused. The hairs behind his neck stood and he feels that something was prickling his skin. The kind that you get when you're watched intensely. He turned around and looked up at the pillar where felt the gaze was coming from.
'nani?' there was no one. He shrugged his shoulders and continued running towards home.
He was nearing. Somehow the new feeling of dread gets heavier and heavier at each step. 'Nani? Why is it I feel this way?' He slowed down to a walk. The compound is dark and silent. Very unusual since the lights of the paper lanterns go out very late at night and usually the road is loitered by the other members of the clan. 'Where is everyone?' he is getting nervous.
He slid open the door of his house and went in. "Tadaima! Otouchan, Okaachan." He hastily removed his sandals and walked the wooden floors. The house is silent and dark. He headed for the his father's study. "Otouchan?" The room was empty. He headed for the kitchen where his mother should be making dinner. "Okaachan, I'm back." Again there was no one in the room. He felt the rising fear slowly crawl up deep inside him taking root. He headed for the living room and stopped at the door. There was something horrible behind the doors. He could feel it. Beads of sweat trickled down his skin. His skin grew cold and clammy. He's afraid.
It is almost all that he could do not to let his teeth chatter in fear. Slowly his hands rose shakily to the door. "I must…As a ninja I must not show fear. Aniki won't.' He gulped the huge lump in his throat and went in.
His eyes widened. "OTOUCHAN, OKAACHAN!" his parents lie atop of each other at the floor. The tayatami mats are drenched with blood. He stepped forward only to stop. 'Someone else is in this room!'
Indeed there was someone and that someone was standing near the dead bodies of his parents. The person hidden by the shadows. "Who are you!" What have you done to my parents!"
The clouds outside moved and let the moon's rays shine through the open window. It was his brother.
"Okaeri otouto." Came his older brother's welcome.
"Aniki? What happened to father and mother? Shouldn't the rest of the anbu be chasing the killer?"
His questions was stopped with the shuriken missed hitting him by mere inches. "Aniki?" He asked uncertain. All that he could think of is that his brother just threw a shurken towards his direction and is imbedded deep at the wall behind him.
"foolish little brother." Itachi walked towards him. He steps back as his brother walks forward. "Anik, Naze?" His older brother just kept on walking towards him and he feels the rising fear reach a new level. He never felt such fear before. 'migero! Run. Run away fast!' His mind screamed at him and he complied. He ran away the house bare foot and his brother seems to let him. But so great was his fear that he didn't notice this.
He runs, he passed the old house where his aunt and uncle talked to him happily earlier that morning but now he saw their unmoving bodies. 'Doushite Aniki! Why!' water becomes to well in his eyes that his sight become blurry. It was because of that he didn't saw his brother in front of him. He wouldn't have gotten away anyway. Itachi is fast. So much faster than him.
He was slammed at the wall at one of the houses at the compound. Itachi held him by his collar. "Foolish little brother."
The older boy made his younger brother look up to his eyes where the Mangekyou is activated. Immediately Sasuke's eyes became glazed and he lets go. The body of his brother slumping at the floor. He left and walked away.
In Sasuke's head his brother's voice rang clear. "Hate me, detest me, cling into this pathetic life the worst possible and only then will you kill me."
A small drool of saliva escapes his chin as well as tears cascaded down his cheeks while his eyes remain glazed and empty. The sight of his clan's death forever etched deep in his memory. A single word formed at his lips. "Why?"
Break:
Itachi ran swiftly with the sleepy blond at his back. The rain starts pouring, with the Naruto covered with the older boy's coat he escaped being wet. Naruto tiredly blinked his eyes open, already sleep crawling up to him. The heat of the older boy's body only makes the task of staying awake harder. Why were they running? Why the older boy did what he did? Naruto tried to remember in attempt to clear his fogged brain.
He yawned and scratched his butt lazily as he headed for his bed. He hummed a happy tune. Today was a good day. He wasn't picked on today and his purse gama-chan got really fat because he won at the local lotto at town. He fell down to bed with a smile on his face. Outside there was a crack of thunder.
'There will be a storm tonight.' He remembered the news he heard at the TV being sold at the store he passed earlier that day say so.
No matter. It was a good day. He sighed happily and started to close his eyes when his window suddenly burst open letting the cool winds and soft rain enter his room. "NANI!" Surprised he fell down the bed. He looked up to see an Anbu uniformed Itachi crouched down at his window sill gazing his twin orbs with the sharingan with such intensity.
"It-chan?" the blond called. In a way also asking what the older boy is doing here.
At the sound of the blonde's voice, Itachi's face somewhat grew gentle and the tensed muscles softened. The crimson orbs returned to the beautiful color of onyx.
"Naru-chan." He answered softly and jumped down to the floor. He closed the window and sat down on the bed. He beckons the blond to come towards him.
Bewildered, Naruto complied to the older boy's wishes and immediately he was encompassed at a tight hug. If he could describe it, it was almost desperate.
Itachi let one of his hand tangle at the golden mop and pulled the head of the younger boy closer to him. He smelled the blonde's orange scented hair and lets out a huge relieved sigh.
"It-chan. Itachi-nii? O-genki desu ka?" Naruto pushed away slightly enough to able to look at the older boy at the face. Worry marking his face. The clear baby blue eyes shows nothing but pure care and concern.
The older boy only smiled as if he made up his mind or something. He pulled the boy close for a soft kiss and Naruto blushed deeply.
A few seconds later they pulled away. A tinge of pink still dusts the blonde's cheeks but that doesn't stops his worry as well as curiosity. "It-chan. What is wrong!"
The older boy shook his head and merely moved the stray hair covering the blonde's cloudless blue eyes away "Naru-chan. Do you love this village? Are you willing to spend your whole life here with all those hatred aimed toward you?"
Naruto's brows furrowed in thought. He answered as if uncertain. "I don't like the glares but I still love the village Itachi-nii. If it takes that long to make the villagers acknowledge me as you do then yes."
Itachi frowned slightly and stood up.
"Itachi-nii?" Naruto's worried gaze never left.
The older boy looked at the blond with his blank face. "I'm leaving Naru-chan and return seems unlikely." He captured the blonde's eyes with his own. Once more he could feel himself drowning at those endless blue pools. "But you could come with me."
"It-chan's leaving? No!" The blond suddenly attached himself to the brunette. He buried his head at the older boy's body. "Itachi-nii…Itachi-nii is the only reason I could smile and be brave everyday. Itachi-nii is the only one that cares for me besides the old man. I like you too much." The boy's eyes are glassy as he looked up to the face of Itachi. "I don't want you to leave without me It-chan. I like you more than this village."
Itachi smiled widely and Naruto stared. Itachi never smiled that widely before and it was genuine. The older boy ruffled the blonde's hair. "Pack your bags as fast as you can. We'll leave as soon as you are ready."
The sound of rain lulling him to sleep, he no longer could keep his open. Naruto fell into a dreamless slumber.
Itachi:
Itachi ran with bullet like speed at the roofs while the sleeping blonde's warm breath ghosts his neck. He immediately stopped with caution, careful not to wake the blond. There are shurikens thrown the roof in front of him. His eyes narrowed and turned crimson. He could make the Hokage's form even from the heavy rain, he made no move however. If the old man's intentions were to kill them then the shurikens would not be purposely missed.
"Itachi." The old man stopped in front of him in arms length.
"Hokage-sama." He answered back.
"Still polite even after you killed your clan I see." The third is dressed in his armor. "I was trained this way Hokage-sama. Pardon me if I could not see the connection of my clan's death with my mannerism." The Uchiha replied back.
This time the old man's voice lack its previous warmth. "Where are you taking Naruto?"
Itachi's made a step forward but the third's staff stopped him. The staff is poised against his neck. He merely looked back at the Hokage with the same cool demeanor he always had, "I'm taking him with me."
Sarutobi's eyes narrowed. "Leave him here Itachi. Naruto isn't like you. He's pure and innocent and aspires to take my position not like…"
The wheels of the Itachi's sharingan swirled wildly as he cuts his superior from his sentence. "Not a murderer like me hokage-sama? Or not like my family who intends to do the same to him?" He moved his head away from the staff and continued walking towards the village gates while the old man still stands there as if frozen by the new information. "Hokage-sama. The villagers are doing him great harm. I've already stopped other attempts on his life by random people. I respect you because you are different from all these fools. Don't give me a reason to take that back."
Itachi already has passed the old man when Sarutobi lays a hand on his shoulder stopping him. He tensed at the touch but stood still.
"Bring him back and make him a ninja of the leaf when the time comes. He has his dream to fulfill. I will let you go but if you don't agree, I'll send hunter nins to chase both of you. And you know that even you're the most talented ninja of konoha, you're still young and can't survive the world."
The old man let go and a smirk crawled up to itachi's lips, not that the hokage could see with his back turned to him. "I'll think about it." Once more Itachi resumed his running. This time the third merely watch them leave.
"I am sorry yondaime. This is the best I could do to protect your legacy for now."