""The Crane Wife" is a story from Japanese folklore … In the story, there is a crane who tricks a man into thinking she is a woman so she can marry him. She loves him but knows that he will not love her if she is a crane so she spends every night plucking out all of her feathers with her beak. She hopes that he will not see what she really is: a bird who must be cared for, a bird capable of flight; a creature, with creature needs. Every morning, the crane-wife is exhausted, but she is a woman again. She never sleeps. She plucks out all her feathers, one by one." — The Crane Wife, CJ Hauser
The constants in Shisui's life are this:
Death.
Politics.
Funerals.
Itachi.
Shisui tries. He tries so fucking hard to make things right — tries so hard to save Shinju, tries so hard to protect his teammates, tries so hard to help who he can during the Kyuubi attack. The outcomes are impossible to figure out, the Sarurobi family splitting months later; his team surviving, but sensei leaving with one stolen eye — it's a dance against something that feels inevitable, grinding against his bones and mind as the restless waves lull him to fits of sleep.
The feeling of blood seeps out from under his fingertips when he looks at another broken corpse under the crushed rubble, and Shisui wonders why he ever thought he was even allowed to waste the air surrounding them.
Someone shakes his shoulder. "Shisui," Itachi firmly, but not unkindly tells him. "We need to move on. Their chakra is gone."
The roar of the chakra-beast plagues in the background, unconcerned over their petty squabbles as it roars its symphony of hate. Itachi's developed sharingan tracks the movements, furrowed brows the only indication of his focus.
"Next one then," Shisui slurs, shuffling his feet together until he thinks he has enough balance to stand.
It is a miscalculation.
Itachi's five-year-old body manages to catch Shisui's pathetically skinny form, and now the focused stare is on him. Honestly, even he doesn't think he deserves the same glare as the tailed beast destroying their village.
Shisui snorts. "Ya look very scary," He continues to slur, pointedly dragging his eyes up and down all of Itachi's 100 centimeters of height.
"And you are chakra-exhausted," Itachi primly states, rearranging his hands to better support Shisui. His touch is economical, stiff, as if he wasn't used to the feeling of supporting another fallen comrade. "We need to get back to the shelter. Kaa-san will be anxiously looking for us there, and Sasuke is probably crying."
Shisui goes quiet as they walk off, Itachi clutching the fabric of his shirt as if afraid he would flee, legs expertly balancing against the shifting, rumbling ground. "Did you see its eyes?" Shisui half-whispers.
Itachi's lips thin as he pointedly looks forward. "Yes. It was the mangekou."
Shisui thinks of every swear word his mother had taught him all the way to the shelter.
The Hokage summons him after a newly-made ANBU position, the aging faces of Hiruzen's council staring into his soul as they ask Shisui to spy on the Uchiha clan for the good of the village.
Don't give them everything, Itachi's cautious voice had commanded him a few weeks ago. Prolong their escalation as we deal with events within. It takes more than two to start a war, it will take more than two to end it.
Shisui opens his mouth and shakes the devil's hand.
"Don't talk to him," Shisui scowls.
"I'm talking to him," Itachi reaffirms. Shisui throws his hands up in the air in protest, the thick fabric of his ANBU-issued Mist getup rustling in the strong wind.
"We don't need him for the plan!" Shisui hisses back. The weasel mask looks forward, barely gracing him with a glance.
"Kisame-san is an excellent shinobi that has not yet been touched by the blight of future ideals. It would be foolish to not at least get his attention and provide him with an opportunity to re-establish himself," Itachi shoots back, voice irritatingly calm.
Shisui scowls. "'Kisame-san?' Awfully close thing to say," He childishly points out. "And I know there are things you still aren't telling me," He says, spurred on by the ranting flow of his anger from a cumulation of months of arguing and silence on Itachi's end building up the burning embers of his heart. "Don't think I'm always fine with you keeping things from me and then ordering me around all the time—"
"Quiet," Itachi clips out. Shisui stands to attention, shinobi instinct overriding all else as he grips the familiar shaft of his tanto.
Ahō flaps her wings above them, readying her position. The leaves of the bushes rustle once, twice, before the small pink nose of a rat pops out.
Shisui grimaces as the rush of deja vu settles into his brain. His memories of life before are never clear, merely operating through a hazy fog of half-remembered questions and vivid feelings, made only fractionally better through the activation of his sharingan. Strategizing with Itachi had been a frustrating process with their clipped accounts, to say the least, especially with—
Their informant shuffles out as Itachi gives the rat summon a standard-issue Konoha pill, his movements stiff and efficient.
"Nikki-san," Itachi says, nodding to the thin figure half-hiding behind a wisy tree. Shisui takes the verbal cue to flicker over and jam a paralyzer into the brunettes' neck, his scrawny body spasming until he goes still in Shisui's arms.
"Three seconds left," Itachi intones. Shisui stashes Nikki's body within a camouflaged mudhole he had dug beforehand, trusting Itachi's eyes to guard his back as he spends a precious moment setting up the scene. "One second," Itachi whispers just as Shisui finishes the job, rushing over to his partner's side in a flash of chakra-infused speed. Shisui's heart beats wildly in his chest, and he vaguely wonders if their enemy could hear it. Most likely they could, and the thought fills him with both trepidation and excitement.
"Well, well, well…" A voice calls out through the dim light of the seemingly ever-present fog. Shisui can almost hear the sharp smile within their tone as he clenches his hidden kunai, tucked safely into his sleeve. The tanto was far too obvious a weapon. "I didn't expect to see a patrol this far out of the border."
Kisame steps out into their line of sight, Kiri headband dully reflecting in the distance. Itachi doesn't respond, wasting no time in flooding out his chakra to snap the woman hidden in the tall tree to their right. Shisui doesn't flinch as Ringo hits the ground behind them.
The affable expression on the man's face disappears, his enormous hand clutching the strangely wrapped sword behind him. The air is thick with the feel of chakra, just begging to be let out, pressing up against Shisui's lungs. "You've got a lot of balls to just wander in here and attack my partner. Indulge me," He says, his tone not deviating from the pleasant lilt of before. The polite tone of voice shows a stark contrast between his monstrous appearance and reputation. It's an ironicism Shisui can darkly appreciate.
"We have information on your Mizukage that you might find useful," Itachi bluntly states. Shisui stays a statue by his side, intermittently checking on Tomodachi's position a few feet away. The bird stays blessedly silent, making no sign that Nikki's body is being interfered with.
"Oh? Why would I be interested in any information concerning that?" Kisame asks, revealing a hint of teeth in a way that could hardly be called a friendly grin.
"Because you are part of a guerilla group taking part in overthrowing the Mizukage, and you need all the help you can get," Itachi boredly explains.
Kisame's hand tightens against the sword's handle as Shisui bends his knees, ready to flee at the first sign of killing intent. The tension is thick as they stare each other down, two pairs of red eyes glaring down into small irises.
Then the mist-nin chuckles, blue shoulders trembling as he laughs and lets go of his weapon. "What are you, twelve?" He patronizingly asks, grinning. Shisui bristles on Itachi's behalf. He wasn't exactly wrong, but it was the principle of the assumed insult.
"Eleven," Itachi corrects.
"Well, Eleven-san, I'm interested in what you have to say," Kisame announces. "You?" He asks, nodding to Shisui.
"You don't need to know," Shisui clips out, tense as all hell. Fuck, but he really didn't feel good about this.
"Probably fourteen, then," Kisame easily answers. "Fresh meat always gets younger and younger."
"In exchange for information, we will require your support in a future endeavor," Itachi interjects, keeping the conversation on track.
"And whose 'we'?" Kisame asks, voice curious.
Itachi lifts his mask up slowly, clearly displaying his movements as Shisui balks in the background. He really, really doesn't feel good about this.
"The Uchiha clan," Itachi treasonously states. Shisui is sweating now, the hilt of the kunai digging into his wrist as he grips it like a lifeline. One word of this to outside sources would get them killed, if they were lucky. Happy hunter-nins did not make for happy prisoners.
Kisame lifts an eyebrow, shifting his stance to cross his bare arms. Itachi, for some reason, takes his shifting stance as a sign to press on.
"Your Mizukage is under the sway of a powerful genjutsu, led by a man with one eye and a mask. He is using the young kage to impose his own policies upon the Land of Waves." Itachi takes out a scroll from his pocket and puts it on the ground, kicking it over to Kisame's side. "In here are all of the man's weaknesses, your Mizukage's weaknesses, informational sources, the locations of warehouse weaponry, and surrounding towns that would be susceptible to your group's propaganda. Nod if you accept my information. I won't assume any action on your part until it is verified by your sources."
Kisame gives a slow nod, small eyes flickering with some emotion Shisui can't quite place. "Eleven-san, you've piqued my curiosity," He says, slowly reaching for the scroll. "For your sake, I hope this is all accurate." Itachi doesn't respond as the man finishes pocketing the item.
"Another patrol is coming up ahead. You better scatter before then," Kisame says, leaving them with a parting grin before disappearing into the mist, his chakra leaving no trace.
Shisui breathes out a slow gust of air and then rips off his mask. "What the fuck was that?" He very carefully doesn't yell out, voice shifting an octave up as he resists the urge to scream and grab Itachi by the shoulders.
"I had it under control," Itachi says, voice still in that stupidly unemotional state that he knows Shisui hates being used on him. That voice only served to keep things from people, people who now apparently included Shisui.
Shisui points at him, hand still grabbing the bear mask to use as a gesturing prop. "That's exactly your problem," He spits out, "You've always obsessed over things, but now you're a control freak!" He's never insulted Itachi like that before, has never gone so low as to call names, but this— this person is not someone Shisui recognizes. This person is going to get Shisui fucking killed with his secrets, again.
Itachi turns away, and Shisui knows he's hit a mark. It doesn't make him feel any better as his heart hardens in preparation of the excuses he knows are coming. "I'm...sorry," Itachi fumbles out as he turns back, the words sounding unfamiliar. The weasel mask continues to laugh at Shisui. "I'm used to working on my own. In my quest to be more efficient, I've pushed you away. Please accept my apology," Itachi carefully finishes.
Shisui waits a few seconds, waiting for any explanation for Kisame, for the Hokage council, for their clan, for what Itachi meant by 'working on his own.'
Itachi says nothing.
Shisui deflates, all the constant anger and frustration leaving him in one breath. The intense feelings have become too constant now, adrenaline leaving him with the replacement of tiredness and shame.
"It's fine. Let's just go," Shisui mumbles, turning away to grab Nikki's paralyzed body, slinging it over his shoulders. He's never felt so much like a moody teenager than at this moment.
Fugaku sighs from his position across from Shisui, face shifting into relaxed tiredness that suggests that the stick in his ass became slightly dislodged for a moment.
Fugaku stares at him, and Shisui nervously reminds himself that the clan head cannot read minds, no matter the rumors circling the police station.
"Things have gotten more complicated." Fugaku states. Shisui resists the urge to roll his eyes and say, Yeah, no shit. "I need someone to look after Itachi."
Shisui's throat dries. The relationship between him and the elders of the main branch had been tense ever since Itachi became a genin while Shisui quickly progressed into the not-so-secret ANBU subsection. Itachi was born to be the Uchiha's symbolic weapon and eventually lead the clan to victory and strength while the branching members looked on in awe and respect. And then along came Shisui, stupidly flashy with his inventive jutsu and the youngest to have the sharingan in their generation, despite preventative measures taken to conceal it's development. The fact that he had actually awakened it much earlier remained a secret that Shisui very much did not regret keeping hidden.
For Fugaku to so readily admit to his skillset, even in private… It did not bode well for their conversation.
"Do you think someone is after Itachi?" He blurts out, because Shisui can't keep his mouth shut to save his life. He probably shouldn't judge too much Fugaku's exasperation of him — he certainly feels enough of it within himself.
Fugaku pauses, sharp eyes piercing into Shisui's. "Do you think someone is after Itachi?" He asks back, clearly not expecting Shisui's question. There's an awkward silence as Shisui tries to sparse out if he should answer with ANBU, politicians, the Uchiha clan, or Itachi's own recklessness.
Wrinkled fingers reach out towards his shocked face, one dark eye boring into his skull as they inch closer, closer—
"We had a squad in Iwa recently recognize him. I fear it's only a matter of time before his image becomes displayed in the bingo book, if it hasn't already." He settles on, forcing the lump in his throat down. Fugaku settles down at the words, body relaxing into his previous state.
"The issue isn't specifically external." Fugaku states after a silent lapse. He holds up a hand at Shisui's indignant expression, "It is not with another Uchiha member. However, certain...reports have come forth regarding mission casualties. Mainly, Uchiha casualties." Fugaku maintains his calm expression and cadence, but Shisui spots the slight tightening of his left hand. "The number of Uchiha members on active shinobi duty has drastically dwindled when compared to other clan members, especially when we consider the fact that Konoha has officially entered an era of peace."
Shisui doesn't even dare to breathe. Fugaku doesn't give him the chance to and continues the damning statement, ripping it off like a clotted, bloodied bandage.
"The majority of the casualties have had extensive physical damage done around their skulls, or to their bodies as a whole."
"Sharingans missing?" Shisui forces out.
"The ones that didn't activate it before death were left alone." Fugaku answers, voice grave. "However, increasing reports show them being taken or missing from non-sharinganed Uchiha." Fugaku sighs, leaning back into his chair. "Damn that Hatake, but he made our situation so much worse by letting everyone know that activated eye transplants were possible."
Shisui tries to subtly swallow, forcing himself to keep focusing on Fugaku's words. He thinks he knows what Fugaku is going to ask of him, but the rest of this information is something new, something that wasn't known from Before. It's enough to tilt Shisui's world and leave him grasping at straws.
As if knowing what Shisui was thinking, Fugaku levels him with an intense stare.
"You're close to my son." It's not framed as a question.
Shisui stiffens. "Yes, Fugaku-sama."
"He's young, isn't he?" Fugaku states.
Shisui does not sweat. "He is younger than me, Fugaku-sama."
"Young enough to be impressionable, do you think?" Fugaku asks, leaning in.
Shisui has the horrible thought that maybe the conversation has shifted into a different topic entirely. "Possibly, Fugaku-sama. Itachi is very smart."
Fugaku's eyes narrow. "Still on a first-name basis I see." Fugaku grunts. "Very well. I will ask you not to simply look after Itachi, but to directly report his concerning behaviour to me, and only me. A lot of unsavoury individuals are looking at him closely, and he needs to be reminded of his place here in the clan. Understood?"
Shisui quickly bows in submission, obscuring his furrowed brow. Now this, Shisui remembers.
Shisui clears his throat, pulling himself up to level their gazes. "I'd like to ask a favor of you too, Fugaku-sama."
Fugaku raises an eyebrow.
"Listen, I just think—"
"No," Fugaku calmly asserts.
"You won't even go to other clans about this!" Shisui blurts out, waving his hands. Fugaku slowly lowers the report in his hand, staring at Shisui like Sasuke just informed him he wet the bed.
"That is an assumption that is flagrantly wrong, Shisui-kun," His clan head states. Fugaku goes back to the report in his hand. "No one will back us, and the Uchiha are being pushed into a corner. That is the end of our discussion, and I advise you to not bring it up within the next clan meeting. Don't make me regret letting you shadow me at my workplace."
Shisui thinks, trying to pull the conversation back into his corner. "Have you talked to the Hyuuga?"
Fugaku looks like he just swallowed a lemon, eyes determinedly fixed on the paper in front of him. He doesn't answer.
"Fugaku-sama," Shisui says, voice sweet, "Didn't we have an agreement for me to develop more diplomacy skills? I can think of nothing more diplomatic than a historic meeting between the Uchiha and the Hyuuga. Why, just knowing that a meeting is taking place would boost morale and get people talking about something other than the issues we've been having with the police—"
Fugaku throws the document down like it burns. "If I take you, will you stop needlessly bothering your Clan Head?" He pointedly asks. Shisui is pretty sure he heard a murmured 'Worse than his mother…' in there. He grins.
Hyuuga Hiashi frowns down at Fugaku, pale eyes purposefully showing his dissatisfaction with the situation.
Shisui stays by the shoji, head angled towards the floor as he sits down with a ridgedness he feels all too well as the unofficial protogé of Fugaku. Hopefully, the clan head won't look too closely as to why Shisui is here instead of Itachi.
"Why is the Uchiha heir not attending?" A Hyuuga official bluntly asks as they all sit down. Shisui winces.
Fugaku sits like a stone has been pushed to his back, hands clenched on his thighs. "Itachi has responsibilities within Konohagakure that need to be attended to. I'm sure you understand, Hyuuga-sama."
Someone huffs in the corner, and Shiusi barely resists the urge to throw visual daggers in their direction. Anyone who would have done the same within the Uchiha clan would have been dismissed immediately.
Hiashi pays his constituents no mind. "It is understandable, although regrettable," The clan head states. The thin figure of his daughter shifts in the background, her calloused hands nervously twitching. "I thank you for your patronage. It has been too long since our clans have spoken."
"Indeed," Fugaku remarks, delicately ignoring the fact that the Uchiha and the Hyuuga have been in a tense power struggle since the beginning of the Warring Clan period. "I thank you for your hospitality," He stiffly states. The tea in front of him remains untouched. Shisui resists the newfound urge to bite his nails.
"I wonder, however, as to what reason this meeting is occurring, Uchiha-sama," Hiashi exclaims, "Has there been an issue with the medicinal plant agreement we so recently contracted with you?"
Fugaku shakes his head. "No, I would not bother you with something so trivial, Hyuuga-sama. Shisui-kun has the matter covered." Pale eyes turn to him with concealed emotions. His eyes stay rooted to the floor, barely daring to breathe as Shisui self-consciously remembers a stray stick being stuck in his hair before Fugaku pulled him away for the meeting. Fuck.
Fugaku plows on. "I'm afraid that the matter that I've come to discuss with you today is more... delicate in nature."
The goosebump-inducing eyes shift away. "Oh?"
"There have been some concerning reports coming from members of my clan regarding increased targeting relating to their doijutsu under unusual circumstances. We also have at least six ongoing cases of personal relationships developing outside of the clan for the express purpose of achieving hybrid offspring out of the clan's influence. I wanted to confirm with you whether or not this was an insular issue or something more sinister," Fugaku bluntly states. It was something Shisui both hated and appreciated about his clan — for all of their genjutsu tricks, the Uchiha did not have the same affinity for those defenses within.
Hiashi slightly raises an eyebrow. Shisui maçably wonders if he plucks them himself or makes his slaves do it. "The Hyuuga do not take as many missions as the Uchiha do. There are no issues within my clan," He confidently states. "Perhaps your members simply require more guidance," Hiashi says, and now those pale, unnerving eyes are back on Shisui. His spine tingles from the stare, the back of his feet barely raised in case of an opportunity to flee. The compound had felt wrong to Shisui the moment he stepped in, only a handful of eyes peering at him in disbelief and fear as the too-clean walls and floors echoed his footsteps. Now, he feels the clan head's words seep into the room, bringing with it a promise of impersonal suffocation. He frantically tries not to stare at the clothed forehead of a Huuyga sitting behind him.
"Thank you for your time and your answers, Hyuuga-sama," Fugaku curtly imposes, standing up. He nods to Shisui before bowing to Hiashi, uncurling the tight rope of tension in Shisui's frame even as he mourns the failed talk that lastest all of — he checks the position of the sun outside — ten minutes.
"And to you as well, Uchiha-sama," The clan head politely says, unmoving from his zabuton. None of the Hyuuga attendants watch them as they leave, eyes unblinking and mouths unmoving — even the young Hyuuga heir. It's more unnerving than Shisui would ever admit.
"That was a shit-show," Shisui hisses as soon as they were well a mile out of the compound. He knows that their bloodline was in their eyes, not their ears, but with those yokai of a clan, one could never be certain.
Fugaku levels him with an impressive stare, frustration and annoyance clear on his face. "That was the Hyuuga at their best. Be respectful," He commands, but Shisui can hear the tightness in his voice as well. Shisui doesn't dare say anything else, mind turning as he thinks about the events of the day.
"What did you think of what they said," Fugaku abruptly asks.
"Um—" Shisui begins, suddenly feeling like he is being put on trial, "Their comments eliminate the possibility of this occurring through all members with doijustu? I think that was good confirmation."
Fugaku thins his lips, letting Shisui vividly see the similarities between him and his sons. "And if they are lying?"
Shisui almost stumbles on their route home. For all his lived years, Shisui was never put in a position that asked for his opinion. He was supposed to be a grunt, a soldier — sometimes a double-crossing one, yes, but still someone who was brought up to not ask questions towards authority. He now feels terribly naive.
Shisui takes Fugaku's questions more seriously, thinking through the consequences and motives for the Hyuuga. "I've heard that their seal destroys their eyes after death," He answers, "So there might be a lower number of Hyuuga's eyes being taken, but that doesn't mean they're not being targeted. Uchiha stay in the village, usually. I don't think the Hyuuga go on a lot of missions either, not like the Nara or the Yamanaka." He turns towards his clan head with the implied question. Fugaku nods to confirm.
"They are offered many opportunities for missions, but they decline the most out of any Noble Clan," Fugaku says as they walk, birds cheerily chirping in the background.
Shisui pauses. "So they have the least overall casualties for missions, mostly because they decline them. That's what makes them one of the most populous of the clans, with the exception of the Uchiha, which gives them more political power. More members, more seats at the table. If they came out and admitted that too many of their members have been killed, that would show weakness," He turns to look at Fugaku, "Like we just did."
"It was another gamble that we lost, Shisui-kun," Fugaku states, not looking at him as he speaks. "If they came clean about their records, we could work together to solve the issue. But they're a hungry clan, Shisui-kun, just like the rest," Fugaku pauses, stopping on the grass, leaves rustling in the summer wind. "Our issues are not between me and the Hokage. This is about the Uchiha and village. Do you understand now?"
Shisui swallows and lowers his head, staring at the green blades below. "Yes, Fugaku-sama."
"I quit the ANBU," Shisui tells Itachi, body leaning against the small bridge attached to the onsen's property, ignoring civilian stares. That gives Itachi pause, and he turns to Shisui, regarding him with dark eyes.
"I don't see how my father would allow you to do such a thing. Some would construe such an action as unhonorable." He states, voice measured.
"He was the one to suggest it," He lies. Itachi looks at him from the corner of his eye, and Shisui waits for him to call his bluff.
"I suppose he would," Itachi says, surprising Shisui. However, he continues, "I'm sure he would take another Uchiha member off active duty if the member offered my father something better in return." The statement is pointed, a leak of impatience following Itachi's tone. Get to the point, goes the unsaid. Looks like someone missed their beauty sleep.
Shisui forces himself to grin, making sure the corners of his eyes lift up to fit the expression. "You caught me, Itachi." He says. Itachi turns to him, body language interested. Shisui dramatically sighs, "I didn't want it to get out like this, but…" He trails off, face theatrically thoughtful. Itachi leans in almost imperceptibly, "I've decided to start having an affair with your father." He finally states. Itachi rolls his eyes to the heavens, face wordlessly praying for strength from the gods. He turns his back to Shisui, dismissing him with even steps. Shisui jogs a little to catch up, continuing the charade, "He's just so handsome and charming I couldn't help myself. I once even heard him say 'please' to a stranger a week ago! I know this is a lot to take in, but I feel as if we could connect better this way." He slings an arm over Itachi, knowing he's too much of a polite pushover to physically brush it off, "I think we could start things off by letting you call me your new Tou-san." He pauses. "Your New-Otou-san."
That seems to be the tipping point for Itachi as he walks faster towards the direction of the compound, Shisui following his heels. His hands leave Itachi's shoulders, but he leans into Itachi's ear, smile wide and eyes twinkling in forced mirth.
"The coup is still proceeding and getting closer by the minute," He mutters, voice as low as he dares, "The outside clans refuse to publically back us. We're untouchable, and not in a good way anymore. Your father asked me to keep an eye on you."
Itachi rolls his eyes, body language relaxed and uninterested. "We can't expect things to turn around so quickly. Did you tell the elders about your mangekyou, this time?"
Shisui's smile turns into a more genuine smirk. "Careful, you're almost becoming an optimist." He glances around one last time, making sure no snoopy civilians or ninja are paying too much attention as they walk through the forest path, leaves purposefully crunching under their feet.
"They don't know of it. I haven't told anyone. I've managed to convince Fugaku-sama to take me out of ANBU so we can focus more on the diplomatic side of things, with you acting as the show of might, but the situation outside of the clan is worse than we thought."
Itachi spares him a glance before darting his eyes around the treeline. Ahō, sitting on a tree perch above, takes off to scout the area.
"Worse?" Itachi pushes.
"Our peace talks aren't going anywhere — the clans refuse to touch us. The Akimichi have gone so far as to politely decline an audience. Fugaku-sama informed me that our shinobi numbers are dwindling, with corpses missing and mutilated." There's a hitch in Itachi's walk as he talks. Shisui grimaces in empathy. "Yeah. Looks like I wasn't a special case."
"Tou-san hasn't said anything about that in clan meetings," Itachi points out, voice hesitant.
Shisui turns to properly look at him, narrowingly avoiding a fallen branch.
"I don't think he wants the coup either, 'Tachi," He solemnly proclaims. "Can you imagine the chaos if he told everyone about it? Of course, people have their suspicions, but for the clan head to publicly acknowledge the suspicion would mean Uchiha marching into the Hokage office this second."
Itachi frowns even harder, eyes staring off into the distance as he thinks. "Then what are they waiting for, if not a chance to pounce?"
"I think they're putting their hopes on you," Shisui solemnly says. Itachi doesn't say anything for a while, digging his sandals into the soft dirt beneath their feet.
"And you aren't?" He asks back in a soft tone.
Shisui gently, pitifully smiles. "We're in this together, Itachi." The words ring hollow, filled with an undercurrent of bitterness, so unlike the optimistic speech he made lifetimes ago. It seems as if each kill and suicide chipped at something within the depths of Shisui's soul, scooping out more and more each time. He wonders if Itachi feels the same, but the space between them feels wedged, the stress of the repeating circumstances forcing it to go deeper, deeper, until Shisui feels like he can barely see the boy in front of him, much less ask for something so potent.
The Shisui of sixteen years of age would have asked it. The Itachi of thirteen years would have answered. They are not those people anymore.
"C'mon, I can feel Sasuke-chan planning to sabotage me for your time." He says, turning towards the Uchiha compound. It takes a moment for Itachi to follow back.
Notes:
START OF ARC TWO OUT OF THREE, WOOHOOOO!
Sorry for the late chapter, I'm in my senior year of college and just got into a new relationship. 'Nough said. I have a few more chapters written out that need to be edited, and other sibling work I've been trying to finish for a while.
We're back with the basic emojis! If you're a shy reader or just don't know what to say, please feel free to express yourself with an emoji in the comments:
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