Itachi splashes water on his face over the bathroom sink and wipes it dry with the towel on the counter. He turns the faucet off and stares at himself in the mirror, wondering if the red clouds on his cloak are duller. However, his eyes flick up to the vent and his tear troughs stretch with a frown. It's been twelve minutes since Little Sasuke disappeared in the shaft and he hasn't returned.
The Uchiha wants to call for him, but that might distract the tiny shinobi from his search. Of course, that's assuming Itachi didn't misunderstand him and Little Sasuke isn't actually doing something else.
It could be that the min-nin is investigating the interior of the building for a stealthy escape route. Or maybe he's practicing a religious custom. He did take Itachi's coins and leave them in the vent, perhaps as an offering to a deity. Considering the Uchiha clan had a shrine for their own patron deity, it would make sense if Uchiha min-nin hold similar beliefs.
Itachi doesn't want to interrupt Little Sasuke if he's doing something like praying, especially if this is bringing the distraught ninja some comfort. Regardless, it looks like Little Sasuke might stay in the vent for a while, so Itachi sits down on the edge of the bathtub and considers what to do once his brother's counterpart comes out. Giving him a warm meal and hot bath would be a good start, but it will take more to lift Little Sasuke's spirits… Should Itachi give him a gift? To show he cares?
The soft tap of sandals on metal makes Itachi look up to see Little Sasuke emerging from the vent. His face is blurry at this distance, but as Itachi gets up and nears him, the little ninja's despondent expression and red-rimmed eyes become clear.
Itachi's heart sinks while he offers Little Sasuke his hand. The min-nin clambers on his palm and sits, grip loose on Itachi's curled fingers like he doesn't care if he falls. So Itachi walks carefully to the stairs and down them, not wanting to return the min-nin to his pocket in case the little shinobi is tempted to lock himself in there again.
Thankfully the kitchen is dark and vacant, probably because it's so early. He flicks on the light and goes to the refrigerator, deciding soup will be a nice warm dish for Little Sasuke.
"Would you like some oden?" he asks.
The min-min shrugs without looking up.
Itachi's lips draw to a line and he sets the min-nin on the counter, tentatively saying, "There's a vent next to the oven." The teen's head jerks up. "You can keep searching for whatever you're looking for while I cook..."
Little Sasuke seems to consider it and soon nods. Itachi pulls out all the coins he has in his pocket and offers it to the min-nin who looks surprised, yet quickly takes them all. Though he interrupts the teen when he reaches for his headband.
"Here," Itachi puts down the small tan pouch he carries his emergency pills in beside Little Sasuke. "You can use this to carry them."
The min-nin nods, puts the coins in the pouch and adjusts the string around its opening until he can wear it like a backpack. Itachi reaches to take off the vent covering and puts the grate in a drawer while Little Sasuke runs up the wall and over the cabinets before swiftly disappearing into the vent.
Itachi listens to his footsteps fade, grateful whatever the min-nin is doing in the vents at least pulls the teen away from his despondent thoughts. Though he's curious about what exactly Little Sasuke is searching for, and what his coins are being used for if they're not an offering. It's too bad the teen can't tell him, and also confusing. According to Kisame's books, a min-nin's tongue functions the same as a human's, and clearly Little Sasuke understands human speech. So why can't any min-nin talk?
The Uchiha sighs, though part of him wonders if it's for the best he doesn't hear Sasuke's voice coming from the min-nin. It's hard enough seeing Sasuke's face every day, especially now that the teen no longer hates him. The adoration in his raven eyes aches Itachi down to his bones because sometimes he forgets it's not actually Sasuke staring at him, only to remember his little brother will never look at him with love again.
Itachi shoves away such thoughts and returns to the fridge, pulling out eggs, kombu, daikon radish, leek, tofu, konnyaku and fishcakes he already made—they're out of octopus so he'll have to make do without it. He turns to the cabinet by the oven and performs swift hand signs to undo the seal Konan placed on it since not everyone in the Akatsuki can be trusted with her cooking ingredients. It unlocks and he grabs dashi stock and soy sauce from the shelf inside, setting them on the counter.
Soon he loses himself in cooking, forgetting about his worry for Little Sasuke and the ever-present ache in his chest when he breathes while he chops up vegetables and peels the boiled eggs.
Though once he puts all the ingredients together and the oden stews on the stove, his gaze drifts to the vent. His brow rises, seeing Little Sasuke sitting on the vent ledge, and his lips purse when he notices the teen staring at the blue flame under the pot of oden.
Itachi recognizes that look on the min-nin's face. He's grown familiar with that expression on his own face ever since he stained his hands with his parents' blood and his precious little brother chased him down with nothing but hate in his newly-awakened Sharingan.
Itachi turns the stove off and Little Sasuke blinks, hopefully forgetting about that dreadful idea in his head as the fire disappears. "The oden is ready." He reaches into the cupboard and pulls out a small bowl, setting it by the stove and grabbing the ladle in the pot to pour some oden into it. "I know you haven't had much of an appetite lately, but you'll feel better if you eat."
The min-nin's lips dip down like he doesn't believe him, yet he obediently sits in Itachi's hand while he takes out Little Sasuke's plastic silverware from his zipper pocket. He goes out to the dining room and sets the bowl, utensils, and the min-nin on a round table before going to get himself some oden.
When he returns, Little Sasuke is sitting on the rim of his bowl and tearing off pieces of fishcake, but his gaze is distant and chewing mechanical. Itachi sits in the chair next to him and focuses on his own meal for a few minutes.
Eventually though he puts down his chopsticks and says, "I got you something."
The min-nin raises his head from scooping broth into his mini cup and blinks.
"I'll show it to you after we finish eating."
The min-nin nods and returns to sipping the broth. Itachi inwardly sighs, having hoped to generate some enthusiasm. Still, he finishes his oden without saying more and thanks Little Sasuke when he sees his bowl is mostly empty.
He lets the min-nin climb in his zipper pocket while he takes their dirty dishes to the sink and washes them. After he sets them in the drying rack and covers the vent, Itachi heads straight up to his room and stops at the door.
"If you don't want it, just let me know, I won't be upset," he assures the min-nin.
Little Sasuke cocks his head, brow furrowing as Itachi opens his door and goes to the bookshelf against the wall in front of his bed. He moves aside some books on the top shelf to grab the scroll hidden behind them. Little Sasuke's eyes widen while he strides to the middle of the floor and performs twenty signs before slamming his palm on the chakra seal.
It shatters, ink burning away as he says, "Your chakra doesn't need to be restrained anymore."
Itachi doesn't notice Little Sasuke's jaw dropping while he goes to the min-nin's table and unfurls the scroll on his pillow. He's going to speak, but the teen crawls out his pocket and hops onto the scroll, eyes roving over the paper before darting to him, gaze asking, "Is this real?"
The Uchiha smiles and gently taps two fingers on the min-nin's head. "Yes," he takes his fingers back, "It's a hawk summoning contract...for you."
Little Sasuke's eyes brighten in wonder, and it warms him to see his gift having the positive effect he hoped for. "Do you want it?"
The min-nin nods enthusiastically and raises his hand to bite his finger. Itachi realizes he doesn't have to explain what to do when the teen crouches to sign his name on the scroll. Yet his lips part at the small Kanji that forms under Little Sasuke's finger and he reads it a second time to be sure.
"Your name," he gasps, and the min-nin looks up from stamping his fingerprints on the contract. "Your name is...Sasuke?"
The min-nin freezes, eyes huge. Shame and fear creep on his expression and Itachi doesn't understand why as he says, "I didn't know you had the same name, I just called you Little Sasuke because you look like him..."
The tiny ninja bites his lips and Itachi considers the nervousness he's radiating. "Am I not supposed to know your name?"
Little Sasuke hesitates, but nods, which tells Itachi he's missing something yet the min-nin doesn't know how to convey what's wrong. So Itachi moves on and bows his head. "My apologizes then, I shouldn't have read it." He frowns. "Would you prefer I stop calling you Little Sasuke since it's similiar—"
The min-nin shakes his head and Itachi guesses the shinobi likes being called something close to his name, even it had been an accidently correct naming. Does this mean all min-nin have the same name as their human counterparts? And if so, why?
Itachi shakes his head. It wouldn't be appropriate to ask such questions when min-nin names are apparently not supposed to be known by humans—perhaps they're sacred to min-nin?
"Okay, Little Sasuke." The teen smiles slightly, looking relieved Itachi is still using his nickname. "Do you know the hand signs to summon?" The ninja nods. "Would you like to try it now?"
Little Sasuke flexes his hand, fingertips lightly stained with his blood as he weaves the boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram seals. He jumps to the table and goes to lower his hand, but looks back at him. Itachi smiles encouragingly and the teen grins back before slamming his hand on the desk.
Smoke bursts around the min-nin and a shrill cry resounds from inside it as the gray cloud disperses. Soon Itachi sees a hazel brown hawk on the desk gleaming in the rays of the rising sun. The min-min is staring up at the summon and the hawk eyes him back, unspoken words passing between them.
The hawk bows its head and Little Sasuke steps up to it, hand landing on its chest and stroking its feathers. Slowly a grin tilts up the teen's lips and Itachi decides now to ask, "Would you like to fly it?"
The min-nin practically jumps in excitement as he nods and Itachi walks over to his dresser, opening the top drawer and pulling out his counterpart's saddle. He walks back and offers it to Little Sasuke whose face lights up in recognition. The teen quickly drags the saddle out of his hand and the hawk ducks, allowing Little Sasuke to push the saddle on its back and climb on to strap it around its neck.
The bird shrugs its wings in preparation while Little Sasuke sits down on the saddle and grabs its reins. Itachi unlocks the window and pushes it open, the hawk hopping over to the ledge.
Little Sasuke wiggles in excitement, face aglow in the morning light while he looks back to beam at Itachi. Then he turns ahead, exhales all his nervousness and gives the reins a light tug.
The hawk leaps into the air, falling for a second before its wings spread open wide.
The bird shoots up, soaring off into the pink and violet sky and flying higher and higher until Itachi can't tell it apart from the clouds. The Uchiha starts to turn away when the wind billows in and he picks up the faint sound of elated laughter. His eyes widen because he's never heard Little Sasuke laugh, yet soon his lips hitch up in a smile.
Neither he nor the min-nin are free from the Akatsuki and Tobi's plans, but right now the world consists only of them, the hawk, and the open sky. Even if it's for just a moment, they've escaped reality, and in this world without the disease eating away his lungs and that terrible night, Itachi is more content than he's been in years.
—
The afternoon sun wakes Itachi hours later, the Uchiha blinking groggily when something moves in front of his face. Itachi has grabbed the kunai taped under his bed frame when he realizes it's Little Sasuke lying fast asleep on his pillow.
He immediately slips the kunai back into place and slowly pushes himself up on the bed, careful not to awaken the min-nin buried under his soft cloth so only his spiky hair sticks out. Was the sun too bright on Little Sasuke's table? Is that why he moved to Itachi's pillow?
Itachi soundlessly slides his feet to the floor and stands. He stifles the cough caught in his chest while he grabs his cloak off the bed headboard and puts it on. He's brushing his hair in his dresser mirror when a familiar connection hums in his head and he frowns as Pain's voice speaks.
"Everyone, come to the mid-level meeting room in fifteen minutes. There's been a development in the Akatsuki's goal that we must discuss."
The connection ends and Itachi sets his brush down, eyes narrowed. Pain must be talking about the Mizukage being under the Akatsuki's control, and wants to discuss how this will impact their current hunt for jinchūriki.
Itachi ties his hair back and glances at Little Sasuke. There's no need to wake the min-nin for the meeting, so he opens his dresser drawer, takes a granola bar out of it, quietly tears the wrapper and leaves it by the min-nin in case he wakes up.
Itachi exits into the hall, not locking his bedroom door since everyone who could bother Little Sasuke will be at the meeting.
He heads down the staircase, expression cooling as he runs into Deidara also going down the steps. The teen glares back at him, but his eyes are bleary like he barely slept and he merely grumbles intelligibly under his breath before ignoring him.
Itachi doesn't acknowledge him, too busy considering why Tobi isn't with his partner. Yet his question is answered when he reaches the tower's middle floor just as the masked man is slipping into the meeting room. Deidara picks up the pace to catch up to Tobi and Itachi walks in after them.
Konan and Zetsu are already seated in the stone chairs around the large circle table. Pain stands beside the kunoichi at the head of the table while Zetsu sits on her left. Tobi and Deidara are moving to chairs on the right so Itachi walks to the left side right as the door opens.
Kisame glances around curiously and smirks at finding Itachi, coming over to sit beside him. "It's strange, having all of us physically in the same room." He grins. "Also dangerous since not everyone plays nice with each other." His voice lights with amusement. "Then again, wouldn't be very interesting if we all got along."
Itachi nods, but can't reply as the door flies open and bangs into the wall.
"Hey, heretics!" Hidan lowers his foot from where he'd kicked the door, a wild smirk on his face and hand clutching the scythe slung over his shoulder like he's readying for a fight.
Though his arm falls off his weapon when Kakuzu brushes past him to sit near the back of the table. Hidan scowls, but takes a seat beside his partner, dropping his scythe on his lap and throwing his feet on the table. "So everyone's here…" He cocks a brow. "So what's this development that made you drag all of us from our missions?" He scowls. "You better have a good reason for interrupting my ritual to Jashin-sama!"
Nobody reacts to Hidan, too used to his antics, and Pain doesn't even look at him as he replies. "There is great news I must share with all of you. Recenlty Kisame and Itachi took the min-nin to Kirigakure and it successfully used its Sharingan to bring the Fifth Mizukage under the Akatsuki's control."
Silence fills the room. Then Kakuzu's eyes widen, Hidan's jaw drops, Tobi gasps and Deidara shoots up from his dozing.
"WHAT!?" the blond screeches, leaning forward. "W-what does that mean?"
"It means," Pain replies, "The Mizukage has willing given us information on Kiri's missing jinchūriki, as well as assigned a team of hunter-nin to help us track down and capture the jinchūriki." He looks to Itachi. "You and Konan will be meeting with this team tommorow."
The Uchiha nods, though inwardly he's as shocked as Kisame looks that he's being sent out with Konan.
"The rest of you will be working to bring the other Kage under the Akatsuki's control." He gestures towards the plantlike Akatsuki member. "Zetsu has attached some spores to the min-nin and one of them has absorbed enough of its chakra to use the Sharingan." His eyes shift to Tobi. "You and Zetsu will take this spore to Konohagakure and ensure the spore reaches the Hokage so she will willing give us the Nine-Tails jinchūriki."
"Aww," Tobi's pout is audible through his mask, "I'm not going with Deidara-senpai..."
"No," Pain says flatly, "Deidara and Kisame will be taking the min-nin to Kumogakure." Itachi tenses. "There it will place the Raikage under our control so he will give us Kumo's two jinchūriki."
"I don't believe that will work," Itachi says coolly, and Pain regards him. "The min-nin can't understand orders unless we show him them through genjutsu, and even if I show him what his mission is before he goes to Kumo, if the plan needs to change during the journey there no one will be able to explain that to the min-nin."
Pain seems to consider his concern and Itachi hopes it was enough to dissuade him because he doesn't trust Deidara with Little Sasuke and the shinobi world won't fair well if another Kage is put under the Akatsuki's control. Though he's planning to break the genjutsu placed on the Mizukage, it would complicate things if he has to break more Kage free from genjutsu.
"I understand your concern," Pain finally says. "But I'm sure Kisame can figure out how to convey something to the min-nin if the need arises."
Itachi's eyes narrow, though he forces himself to nod. This isn't good, Little Sasuke could get hurt under Deidara's watch and three Kage may fall under the Akatsuki's control in a matter of days if he doesn't think of something now.
Itachi only pays half-attention to the rest of the meeting, mind on potential plans and calculating their chances of success. It's not until after the meeting ends and he's heading back up the stairs to his room that he decides which plan to go with.
He opens his bedroom door and quickly shuts it behind him. Little Sasuke's cloth is flat and the granola bar empty on his pillow, so he turns to the min-nin's table, saying, "Little Sas—"
Sunlight streams through a jagged hole in his window and glistens off the broken glass scattered across the table. Itachi strides over, Sharingan flaring and darting all over the windowsill until he spots Little Sasuke.
Itachi's heart drops, seeing the min-nin standing on the building's side four yards down with only the chakra in his feet keeping him from plummeting over 60 meters to the street below. Little Sasuke glances back with dull eyes and a desolate expression before staring ahead and Itachi realizes he knows what the Akatsuki is planning.
Maybe the min-nin left the room to find him or he was searching through the vents again, but somehow the teen ended up by the meeting room and heard everything. Now the teen is trying to stop the Akatsuki's plan the only way he knows how.
"Stop." Itachi shoves open the window and stretches his arm down, but Little Sasuke is far from reach even as he bends over, and according to the law of gravity, if the min-nin jumps, he will hit the ground before Itachi can catch him. "I've already figured out a way to sabotage Pain's plan so don't do it."
Little Sasuke doesn't turn around and Itachi's teeth clench, heart beating hard enough to break his ribs. Even though Itachi might save him, the fact Little Sasuke feels hopeless to the point he'd do this makes Itachi want to set the whole tower on fire and watch the Akatsuki burn.
"Sasuke." The min-nin twitches. "Don't you trust me?" he asks, fear and desperation stretched across every syllable.
The teen turns slightly, but his eyes are shadowed by his bangs, so Itachi continues. "I know how to stop the Akatsuki and how to get you home, but if you do this you'll never get to see your family and friends again, you'll be leaving them alone… You'll be abandoning your brother, so please."
He's begging, but Itachi doesn't care, he'll drop to his knees and bow with his head to the floor if it convinces Sasuke not to leave him like this—only Itachi gets to leave the world this way, not his otouto.
Little Sasuke raises his leg, and Itachi's breath hitches at seeing only one foot keeping him from falling. Yet he plants his leg behind him and Itachi understands he's backing up, returning inch by inch until he's right under his hand.
Itachi quickly grabs him, unable to wait another second uncertain if the min-nin would change his mind and plummet.
"You…" He brings Little Sasuke to his face, tone harsh and expression a mix of anger and fear. "You promised not to hurt yourself and yet you…" He shakes his head, cutting himself off because the min-nin's mournful eyes says he already regrets what he did.
"If I had came a second later you would have been…" Itachi steps back to drop on his bed, releasing the min-nin on his lap so he can pinch the bridge of his nose. His jaw clenches, keeping in his words because if he goes on he'll end up breaking down like he hasn't in years.
A small pressure pushes against his thumb and he sees Little Sasuke leaning his head on his finger before wrapping his arm around it—the closest to a hug he can give.
The teen looks up, apology clear on his face and Itachi sighs. "It's alright, you just scared me."
The min-nin hugs his thumb again and Itachi takes a deep breath to steady himself, expression becoming neutral while his heart calms. "Okay, now let me show you the plan."
He casts a genjutsu over Little Sasuke and starts telling him the details of his plan. After a few minutes he ends the genjutsu and Little Sasuke regards him with owlish eyes. Itachi smiles and gently taps two fingers on the min-nin's head since his forehead is too small to poke.
"Are you ready?"
Little Sasuke blinks and his expression falls. Itachi's lips quirk with amusement, though his heart is heavy. "Why the long face? I thought you wanted to go home."
The min-nin's frown deepens and he stares at Itachi with a question in his gaze.
Itachi shakes his head. "Don't worry about me, just make sure you get home safely."
The min-nin's face falls further and Itachi has a feeling he knows this will be the last time they see each other. In two months Sasuke will have to leave Orochimaru to avoid the Sannin stealing his body, and once he does, he'll go looking for Itachi. He won't hide from his brother, they'll end up fighting and Sasuke will defeat him.
Itachi isn't sure how much the min-nin has figured out, but decides not to address his encroaching death as he gently moves the teen to his zipper pocket. He then grabs the soft cloth off his pillow and gets the min-nin's other things out of his drawer, packing them in a storage scroll.
Soon the Uchiha is going out the door, but stops in the entrance and whispers, "I will miss you too." The min-nin gapes while he continues. "But you have to go, for the safety of the shinobi world and Konoha."
Little Sasuke frowns and Itachi's hand tightens around the scroll. However, both of them know he's right so the teen doesn't protest as he goes downstairs to where Konan, Kisame, and Deidara are waiting by the door.
Expressionless, Itachi hands the scroll to Kisame. "This is everything you'll need to care for the min-nin."
Little Sasuke peeks out his pocket and Itachi stares down at him with a final goodbye on his tongue, and that's why he doesn't notice the scythe swinging towards his chest until the blade falls toward Little Sasuke.
—
Sasuke hears the familiar sound of metal slicing through air and spins back to see a gigantic scythe bearing down at him and Oki-Itachi. He leans back in his pocket, knowing he won't be able to move in time right as there's a squish of metal cutting through flesh.
The Chibi blinks, staring at the scythe tip motionless in front of him before it drops from the purple-eyed Oki's hands and clatters on the floor. He looks up to see the sycthe-wielder staring with a shocked expression at the kunai in Oki-Itachi's hand.
Sasuke thinks Oki-Itachi deflected the scythe with his kunai until the purple-eyed man tips over and crashes to the ground, and he gasps as the man's head rolls off his neck. He whips back to Itachi, but his expression is blank as if he didn't just murder a fellow Akatsuki member. Won't he be in trouble—
"Owww!"
Sasuke jumps and twists around to see the severed head's mouth curling with a grimace and purple eyes blinking—he's alive!? HOW!?
"Gaah," the head groans, left eye twitching in pain. "Don't you know how much that hurts—"
"Shut up."
Sasuke's eyes widen at the hiss, and he looks up to see Oki-Itachi's Sharingan narrowed at the severed head before he strides over and picks up the head by the his hair, ignoring the man's cry of pain.
"What are you—"
"I can't kill you," Itachi cuts off the man, blood red eyes whirling. "But the Amaterasu I can summon with my eye will burn you for three days."
Sasuke's mouth drops as does Kisame and Deidara's while Konan looks stunned and the headless man gapes.
Oki-Itachi's voice quiets to a low growl. "Amaterasu will melt the skin off your skull and burn the oxygen from your lungs before you can scream, and though you'll regenerate, you will merely awaken to the same fiery agony over and over and over for 72 hours."
Oki-Itachi leans into the man's face. "Do not ever threaten the min-nin again, Hidan."
The lack of a honorific on the man's name drives home more than Oki-Itachi's threat how angry the human Uchiha is because his brother is always well-mannered.
Oki-Itachi lowers Hidan's head to the floor who doesn't react, face frozen with terror while his eyes follow the Uchiha who walks over to Deidara. The blond steps back, gulping audibly, but Oki-Itachi merely offers his hand to Sasuke.
He climbs into his palm and Oki-Itachi holds him out to Deidara. "Feed him five times a day, savory or salty foods, no sweets or sour flavors."
The blond stares at Oki-Itachi like he's speaking another language, so the man sets him on Deidara's shoulder and moves back. "Have a safe journey," he says like he's talking to the humans, but his eyes shift to Sasuke for a second and he knows this is his goodbye.
Sasuke nods as the man turns and goes to Konan's side, the woman watching him like a hawk. Itachi doesn't seem to notice all the other Akatsuki members gazing at him with some fear, but mostly shock.
Yet as Deidara slowly steps out the building like he's resisting the urge to run, and Kisame follows him while repeatedly glancing back at the human Uchiha, Sasuke understands why Oki-Itachi threatened Hidan. It was a warning to everyone not to mess with Sasuke, so even after he escapes, he'll be safe from the Akatsuki.
Thank you, Oki-Nii-san, Sasuke wants to say, but he's not allowed to. So Sasuke just watches Oki-Itachi until Kisame walks out the tower, shuts the door, and he catches a glimpse of Oki-Itachi's raven eyes shifting to him before the door hides him away.
Thanks for reading, reviewing, and supporting this story. We're officially 10 chapters away from the end (technically 9 since the last chap is an epilogue) and I couldn't have gotten this far without all of you 😊
Next time: Chibi Sasuke tries to follow Itachi's plan, but an unexpected challenge arises...
Till next time, take care, everyone!
