Itachi sat in Nagato and Konan's room. He was on the floor in front of Nagato's chair, Konan standing beside the red-head. Itachi sat on his knees, head bent down to avoid the icy yet pained looks on both Nagato and Konan's faces.
Of all the terrible scenarios in which he had imagined himself being exposed, he had never thought he would feel guilty for hurting Nagato and Konan. Or the rest of the Akatsuki, for that matter. But then, he supposed he never expected them to be so hurt by it. Seeing the brief pained, angry, and sad glances he received from the rest of the Akatsuki had changed his outlook on his mission completely. He felt like the lowest scum, yet did not allow himself to falter. These were S-Rank criminals, not his family, he forced himself to remember.
His family was the village. Or, he had thought they were. Now he knew very well that the village never intended to see him nor the other outcast children as part of the village. They were merely pawns. He knew this all along, yet, to see and feel the betrayal in real-time was much harsher than he could have ever imagined.
At least the Akatsuki had been honest about using him as a pawn. At least they had never sugar-coated it with 'the will of fire' or 'curse of hatred' labels. They were simply 'members'. No more and no less. Itachi felt like such a child for growing so attached to them. Especially when he knew it could have easily become his mission to kill them all. Just like it had been his mission to kill his clan all those years ago. Why did the village have to make him kill everything he loves? Why did he have to grow so attached to his targets? Why was he such a pitiful pawn?
"Itachi. Calm down." he was snapped out of his thoughts and brought slamming back into reality. He loosened his death-grip on his pants, unscrewing his eyes which had been clenched almost painfully. He felt a hand on his back and realized that he had been hyperventilating. He did his best to even out his breathing, doing it rather quickly due to his practice with being stoic. "We need to discuss the...spying."
He could hear it in Nagato's voice-- he wasn't enjoying this conversation any more than Itachi was. Itachi stayed quiet, unsure of what to say or where to start. He was normally a flawless liar, but for some reason, he found himself without any excuses. All he had was the truth. He didn't know how well that would go over with his leaders. "We want the truth. Even if it's simply that you're only here for your village, we want a reason to go along with why you'd agree to such a thing. Why did they send you of all people? You were-- you were barely into your teen years when you joined us. You've always seemed too timid and kind when you thought no one was watching. Why is our organization's information worth not only your life but the rest of your clan's as well? All of them, just to get you into the Akatsuki? Tell us everything."
Konan had returned to standing beside Nagato, Itachi now left alone on his knees in front of them. He didn't know why, but he felt as though all his lies evaporated in front of the two elder ninja. "The reason I was chosen for this mission goes back to before I was even born." His throat was painfully dry as he spoke. "It all started with the founders of the village. Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. They built the village together, yet Madara was hated while Hashirama was praised by not only the Senju but the Uchiha as well. This made Madara angry, resulting in a clash between him and Hashirama. This made the villagers weary of the Uchiha, expecting any one of them to be the next to betray them."
"This created the idea that all Uchiha are backstabbers. It created hate towards the Uchiha, which my clan easily threw back at the village. The hate for my clan increased more and more every day. It only worsened once Hashirama's younger brother took over as Hokage. He put the Uchiha in charge of the police force, leading to the citizens hating us even more. Tobirama's weariness was passed on to his students, Hiruzen and Danzo. By this point, well, there was no stopping the idea that Uchiha Clan was to be watched closely. So many people hated us...just for being alive." his eyes once more downcast.
"The Uchiha were angry at the mistreatment. We wanted to be seen as people, not just a group of cruel ninja who happened to all but double the village's strength. So the leader, my father, made a plan." he could feel the shame and pain burning within him-- if only there had been a better way. "The Uchiha planned to start a coup. It had been in the works for years but I only found out when I was six and graduated from the academy."
Konan interrupted him, "Six? But you don't even enter until you're six. Most kids are barely able to write out a full sentence at that age!" clearly baffled at the idea that he had graduated so young.
Itachi nodded a bit, having got the same reaction many times. "I know. I graduated the same year I entered the academy due to me always being first in all my classes. The teachers saw me use the clone jutsu when I got into a fight, so they brought it up with my parents. Since that's one of the main requirements to pass and join a genin squad-"
Nagato raised a finger, interrupting him with an unsure look as if wondering if Itachi was lying to them. "You got into fights? But you're so-- what's the word-- timid? Meek? Shy?"
"Introverted." Itachi murmured. "It wasn't by choice. I normally got into fights when I was either protecting my idiot classmates from the elder kids or the elder kids came to get revenge on me for beating them in a fight. I didn't normally fight back, I usually just dodged everything." he shrugged a bit, easily thinking back to the boys who had thrown rocks at him. It seemed too distant-- so ironic that those same boys were either dead or lived in fear of him.
Nagato and Konan had to admit-- knowing Itachi-- they had never imagined him the type to face bullying in his younger years. Itachi gave them no time to comment as he moved on past the uncomfortable topic. "So, I was a genin at six, learning of the coup against the village. My father and the other clan ninja swore me in as a spy into the village since I was the most trusted by the village. They trusted me because they thought I had the will of fire."
"I stayed as a genin for four years. I became a chuunin at age ten. During those four years, I served as a spy for my clan into the village. Giving them information and future plans. I suppose I was pretty early to the spy work, so it was something I was good at from an early age." he breathed out. "I hated spying." though he spoke that more to himself than them, he knew they'd heard him.
His fist clenched slightly, not quite ready to speak of his beloved Shisui, but knowing it would be necessary soon. Perhaps he could make them understand why he'd done it all. "Once I turned eleven, I was put in the ANBU under Kakashi Hatake. He was my captain."
"Kakashi- the one in the prison?" Konan asked as if unsure it was possible for them to be the same person. After all, Itachi had barely mentioned him before!
"Mhm. He was my captain back then. We were pretty close before I was given my mission. That's probably why Sasuke seems to trust him so much-- he probably remembers him from back then, even if he doesn't remember him well. Perhaps a subconscious thing. I can't be sure. None the less, it was when I joined the ANBU that I was given orders to spy on the Uchiha clan. Orders I carried through." he admitted.
Nagato quirked a brow, clearly finding the idea interesting. "So they placed you as a double agent on both accounts. That's smart but incredibly cruel. Were they not worried you'd betray them for the other?"
A shake of Itachi's head quickly disproved this. "My clan trusted me as their heir and the village trusted me as one of the best ninja prodigies. Neither side thought we'd betray them." momentarily lost in thought as he thought back to all the work he and Shisui had done to protect the village and clan.
"You say 'we'. So there were others in the same situation?" Nagato inquired to the wilting younger ninja.
A hesitant nod came from Itachi, the shinobi clenching his teeth to avoid falling into another hyperventilation. "S...Sort of. My elder cousin, Shisui, was involved too. He was in the ANBU too, spying in on the clan. Our clan never forced him to spy on the village, though. I suppose they didn't trust such a sweet and kind ninja to be able to do the dirty work. So they set me as the main connection to the village. They didn't expect the heir to the clan to put it in danger. We were working together with the village. We didn't want a war to break out over senseless hatred. We'd both grown up during the war. We'd both seen and lived through it. We didn't want that for the next generation. We wanted them to live free of the war's burden."
"You'd of been no older than four or five during the third war. How could you even remember such a thing? Nagato and I grew up during war filled times, yet we barely remember anything from before we were seven or so." Konan questioned, never really having thought about the fact that Itachi and Deidara were both young enough that they would have been children during those wars.
"I wish I had forgotten." Itachi gritted out. "I wish I could forget. Your first kill isn't something you tend to forget easily, though." he smiled bitterly. "My father was one of the main fighters. He wanted me to see what it was like so I'd never be careless with my life. So he had me watch from atop a cliff while the fighting went on. Slicing, blasting, tearing, crying, yelling. I remember it well. I went down to look them over, shocked at how cruel it was that so many had to die. Someone cried out for water and I gave it to them despite them being an enemy. In turn, they tried to stab me, so I had to end them first."
Itachi explained, biting back the urge for his eyes to water, "Pointless fighting...pointless deaths...all of it could be avoided if wars were stopped preemptively. So that's what Shisui and I wanted to do. We wanted to stop a war by stopping the Uchiha and village from fighting. Shisui was going to use his Sharingan to force the Uchiha to calm down and pull back. But Danzo, fucking Danzo." allowing a curse to pass his lips for the first time in an eternity. He had grown to hate that man, even if he tried to hold himself back.
"He stole Shisui's eye. I barely arrived in time to rescue him. When I did, Shisui told me. He said I was the only hope left for our clan and village. He entrusted me with the fate of both, giving me his remaining Sharingan. He said I had to do whatever it took to defeat Danzo. Whatever it took to ensure the safety of the village. Whatever it took to protect the clan. Whatever it took to stop a war from breaking out. Then he was...he...the cliff..." head downcast in shame to the point his forehead was touching the floor. "He was gone. He killed himself and left the rest to me."
Moving his hand up a bit, Itachi wiped at the slowly building tears of frustration. "Then the police force had the nerve to hint at the idea that I was the one to kill him. I guess they thought I was jealous or something of the sort. As if I would harm Shisui over such a petty idea. Besides, I could never defeat him. He was far above me when it came to our skills." he hissed, as though he were in physical pain from the thought.
"So you killed them out of anger of being blamed then came here to make up for your mistake in the eyes of the village?" Konan suggested. She frowned a bit as Itachi shook his head.
The younger ninja looked beyond tired now. "No. I delt with the blame. The reason I had to end the clan was that the coup was being rushed with Shisui's death. The village wasn't willing to wait anymore and I couldn't go shoving blame onto an elder. Danzo gave me the choice-- side with the Uchiha and fight against the village or side with the village and end the Uchiha clan. He said Sasuke could be left alive on the condition that I killed the clan and ended the coup. They didn't want him to be against a leaf ninja because it would cause him to later seek vengeance on the village. So I had to be the one. If I had joined my clan not only would civil war break out, other countries would take it as a chance to attack while the leaf was weak."
His face was twisted into a pained scowl. "I sought out Tobi because I sensed him within the village. He was hiding so I knew he was a missing-nin. I requested that he help kill off the clan. He agreed. Once it was all over, he offered to let me join the Akatsuki. I agreed since I didn't have anywhere else to go. Danzo's orders were to run as far away as I could and hide until Sasuke came to kill me. The plan was changed so that I would watch the Akatsuki from the inside and provide information from afar while I waited for Sasuke to seek me out and end me. It never got to that...well...for obvious reasons."
A heavy silence filled the air, Nagato finally sighing after a bit. "So we were only a bonus to the destruction of a village threat. You truely only came for a mission. What a fool we've been to allow you to slip through the cracks."
Itachi paled a bit, unsure what they planned to do since it was obvious they wouldn't hurt Sasuke by killing him. "I...I did only come for the mission, but I truely have come to support the organization!" pleading was such a strange act for Itachi's normally noble spirit. "I care for the Akatsuki members! I see Deidara like an aggravating younger sibling- I enjoy my talks with Sasori- I like bickering with Hidan and Kakuzu- Kisame's the one I love almost as much as Sasuke- You're both so incredibly important to me- I love the kids- You all treat me more like family than most of my own did! I stopped sending the leaf reports only a few months after you took the kids in, they barely got any information! I even took the time to slowly remove my support from the leaf as to not draw suspicion to the Akatsuki! Don't take this away from me, please...please. I'll do anything."
Nagato eyed Itachi wearily. They had to do something about him- he had been giving out information- but he did seem truely remorseful and willing to pay them back. Originally, he had considered kicking Itachi from the village or at least from the organization. Now, he wasn't so sure due to one question looming over his mind. "Itachi, you say you were told to join by the village elder. Meaning you were all but forced. Do you even want to be a part of the Akatsuki anymore?"
Itachi gave Nagato and Konan a baffled look as he glanced up at them. Had they not been listening to what he said? He enjoyed being with the other members and helping them with the more pleasant of the village tasks. "What do you- yes, of course, I do. That's what I just said, Nagato-San." his voice edging on confusion and mild aggravation. Why didn't anyone ever listen to him, he mentally sulked at Nagato's apparent ignoring of his words. Here he had thought they were having an actual open conversation, too. So much for trying to show his opinion on things.
The young Uchiha let out a noise of surprise as he felt a hand lightly knock him over the head, knocking him out from his sulkings. His hand lifted to the stricken spot on reflex, looking up to send Nagato a soft glare of bewilderment. What was that for? Was his opinion truely so annoying he was stricken for it? He wasn't prepared to see the look of mild amusement on Nagato's face, however. Why was he amused? Were his pleas for forgiveness that pitiful? "What was that for?" he couldn't help but ask the elder ninja.
"Itachi, I'm not referring to whether or not you enjoy being around the other members. I mean being in the organization itself. Do you enjoy going on missions for us? Do you enjoy taking part in the monthly meetings? Do you want to continue working as a member of the Akatsuki?" Nagato elaborated to the younger Uchiha, who looked a bit baffled by Nagato's question. Oh, so he was paying attention, then. Itachi supposed he hadn't paid enough attention to the question, then. It was worded to be a quick question, though, so he supposed he couldn't be held accountable for Nagato's strange wording.
The raven-haired ninja opened his mouth, shutting it briefly, then opened it again. How the hell was he supposed to answer that, he mentally noted. He didn't enjoy going on missions where he had to kill people just because they were 'getting too nosy' or because they were 'stuck up'. Truth be told, he hated most of his missions. It felt like his heart was being torn out every time he went on a homicide mission. He was a pacifist, for hell's sake! Of course he disliked committing such horrid acts.
Not to mention, the monthly meetings were their own form of torture-- having to sit and talk money and mission reach for hours on end. Missions he didn't agree with morally to begin with! Had he not been trained for years to be a stone-hearted ninja, he would have fallen into rants of rage or discomfort during many of their talks. He did occasionally mutter in his complaints of unnecessary deaths, but they never seemed to be taken into consideration if it didn't help them get more cash or the job done easier.
He disliked nearly everything about the Akatsuki, besides the people involved in it. Having his comrades by his side was one of the few things that made the missions bareable. That was something he had picked up while working under Kakashi, he supposed. Even if he wouldn't admit it as easily as the silver-haired ninja, having his teammates with him made things much easier to manage.
He loved being able to partner up with Kisame and watch his back. He loved knowing that Kisame was strong enough to back him up if needed, too. It was one of the only ways he had stayed sane during the last few years, working as a spy. His connection to the kids and his comrades kept him down to earth.
On the rare occasion he got set on village duty and was left to simply protect the villagers or assist Konan with village issues, he was completely happy. An entire day without having to break any of his morals was like a gag being momentarily removed. It was a breath of fresh air, if he was honest.
A rare breath, though, and in the end, it was always the people he loved working with. Not the actual work. He supposed that was what Nagato and Konan had meant when they asked the question. So they had at least listened to him, then.
Itachi pressed his lips together, eyeing the elder ninja wearily now that he had considered this all. "I enjoy working with the members and villagers. I don't particularly care for the work of the Akatsuki as most of it doesn't fit my moral code. However, I will continue working under you if you wish for me to. I only ask that you not force me away from the kids or other members. I am aware you have no reason to trust me, but I speak the truth when I say my reports ended years ago. I can still be of use to you, if you'll allow me to be. Have me stay in the Akatsuki, have me watch the kids, have me set working somewhere in the village for you. I'll do what is required of me."
After all, if they were willing to listen to what he had to say, that was a good sign. Even his own village and clan had rarely done that. As conflicting as it was, he owed Nagato his loyalty. He owed the Akatsuki his loyalty. "I know I have no room to ask for anything, but I just want to do what it takes to stop the conflict. I thought I was right in choosing the village, but they betrayed me just as I betrayed them. I think it's right to leave the Akatsuki, but I don't know. I could be repeating my mistakes. I don't know where I went wrong. I must have chosen the wrong way for peace. I miscalculated somewhere. No matter how I think of it, it always comes back the same. Maybe my way was wrong. Maybe...you got it right. Maybe your way is what's best for the world, even if it's more unpleasant."
His head was bent down into a bow, making it impossible for him to see the uncomfortable looks on Nagato and Konan's face. He felt so conflicted. The village he loved had just spit in his face. His baby brother was hurt. The other members were hurt by his betrayal. Nothing felt right.
Nagato stood, the older male pacing a bit back and forth now. He sounded tired as he did so, not trying to hide this fact as he spoke. "Itachi. You truely do wish for peace, don't you?" easily able to understand where the younger ninja was coming from as he spoke. He was lost. Unsure where to go now that the idea his dear friend had taught him had at least somewhat failed. Losing Shisui must have been like when they lost Yahiko all those years ago. Nagato had felt the same confliction, it just seemed Itachi had held out longer than him. It seemed the only real difference between Itachi and he was the way they had gone about wanting peace. Despite everything, Itachi was still a pacifist, though Nagato himself had turned to the route of a sadist.
"Yes. I do. I've wanted to stop pointless fighting for a long time. From the very moment I saw my first blood-shed, I knew I wanted it to end." Itachi confessed, eyes closing briefly in a moment of sadness. It seemed that everywhere he went, his loved ones dropped like flies. The only exception to this had been the Akatsuki and the kids so far. He wanted peace-- he wanted them to be safe.
Nagato looked out the window, a moment of silence filling the room. "You have stopped a lot of pointless fighting. You often interfere when one of the members is ready to start a pointless fight. You often act as the peacemaker even within the hideout. Not to mention the war you clearly stopped by sacrificing your clan and happiness. All the while, you were only a teenager." a small frown fitting his lips. "You gave up so much, so early. Your chance to become a man of importance. Your title of a prodigy ninja. Your family. Your home. All for Sasuke and Shisui." he was quiet once more, his mind going in so many directions. No matter which way it went, though, it seemed to fall on the same conclusion. "You truely were a kind child. Shisui would be proud of what you've done."
Itachi froze a bit at the familiar words, his shoulders slumping a bit despite himself. He had followed Shisui's words as best he could, yet people still ended up gone. So many innocent people were ended that night, by his own horrid hands. He told himself he had to press on no matter what, he always had. Seeing the village so eager to hurt Sasuke had him doubting his ways, though.
"Don't look so guilty, Itachi. It doesn't suit you." Konan pipped in, the older ninja moving to sit beside him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. It seemed looking after the kids for so long had increased her maternal instincts. "You did what you felt was right. The entire choice was...rigged. You were groomed by the village and your clan to be a tool. You were only a teenager, one given little chance to do anything but obey. To force you to make such a choice was wrong. You made the best possible choice in a bad situation. You should be proud." the woman lightly rubbing his back, much to Itachi's confliction.
He was twenty-three. He was an adult-- he wasn't supposed to let these things get to him. He wasn't supposed to crumble in front of Konan and Nagato just because they showed the smallest amount of sympathy or comfort.
Nagato supposed years of mental neglect plus having to spy and take care of children while doing so would do that to one's mental health.
In a rare moment of release, Itachi allowed himself to indulge in Konan's comfort. He rarely accepted it from anyone besides Kisame, but this was different. It wasn't the comfort a lover would give, this hug felt more motherly. Though, he couldn't be sure since his parents had never really been physically affectionate. He leaned into the hug a bit, briefly clenching his eyes.
"You shouldn't have had to make that choice." Nagato finally seemed to of gathered his thoughts. "You're older now. Stronger. Smarter. Child prodigies are still children. I'm not saying you were wrong. I'm saying you never should have had to make the choice, to begin with. You did well, playing your part for peace."
Nagato moved to kneel beside him, "Let us help you. Though you're young, you've helped open my eyes to what I've been doing. While you were honoring Shisui, I was spitting on Yahiko's grave. After hearing what you have to say, I think he'd be proud if I joined your line of thought rather than continue as I have." he looked conflicted but gave Itachi a firm squeeze on the shoulder.
"Let's spread peace rather than pain. Together. I know you said you have no interest in the Akatsuki's current missions, but join me and Konan as a leader of the organization as it reforms. Share your ideas. Let us listen to you. You aren't just a tool for us to use as we please. You're our comrade." he nodded solemnly.
Itachi was quiet for a moment, swallowing down the ugly sob that was holding itself in his throat. "I...would be happy to truely join you as a comrade. Let us make the world a safer place." he smiled tiredly, eye bags painfully clear as he did so. Nagato and Konan couldn't help but feel like they had neglected Itachi and Deidara both, now.
Their kids are nearly the same ages now as Itachi and Deidara had been when they joined. They saw the children as precious beings and were ready to hunt down anyone who hurt them. Yet they easily sent Itachi and Deidara off on mass homicide missions without any regard for how it would affect them. They knew that the children were different from those two, but they couldn't help but feel they had failed by neglecting their youngest members' mental states.
For that matter, all of their members' mental states were in shambles. Over the years, they had profited off how broken the members were as an excuse to 'spread pain'. Now, they knew they had only been spreading the shattered hearts of their shinobi across the nation. They would have to make things right if they wanted to truely spread peace. They would go to every last village to pick up the missing pieces of each member if they had to.
The meeting was interrupted as the door creaked open. Three pairs of eyes fell on the teen in the doorway, much to his discomfort. Shit, he hadn't known they were in the middle of something, otherwise, he would have waited until another chance came up. Neji's mouth tilted into a frown as he saw the scene in front of him.
Nagato was standing over Itachi, a dark look on his face. Meanwhile, Itachi sat wrapped in the arms of Konan, the woman pausing the rubbing of his back as they were walked in on. Neji felt a pinch of nervousness fill him as he noticed this.
Though the Akatsuki members were close, there was of course a certain distance between Nagato, Konan, and the rest of the members. After all, even if the children had long since banished the idea that any of them would die on missions, Nagato and Konan were still technically the bosses of the organization. To have them so openly showing concern and affection for Itachi must have meant something was off. That wasn't even mentioning the exhausted look on Itachi's face.
Neji was startled out of his observation by Konan, who stood from Itachi and motioned Neji over. "It's alright. You're not interrupting anything. What is it, honey? Did you have a bad dream?" she guessed. Why she did so despite Neji not having come to her for his nightmares in years was beyond him. He flustered a bit at the idea but shoved it to the side. This wasn't about him.
"No, I came to talk to you about..." he awkwardly looked to the side when his eyes reflexively fell on Itachi, the teen crossing his arms in an attempt to steady himself. "Sasuke."
Nagato frowned at this, the young Hyuuga not usually so hesitant or shy about a topic, no matter how uncomfortable it was. "Did something happen?" he asked as Neji finally made his way over. Nagato sat in his chair, the elder ninja motioning Neji to join them.
Neji sat on the nearby bed, crossing his legs lightly. "Not exactly. It's nothing urgent. It's just something he said a few days ago, about when he was taken by the other villages. He left out some of the...details. When he was talking to you all about it, I mean."
A small frown formed on Itachi's lips, his mind quickly switching into protector mode. "How exactly did you learn these details, then?" knowing Neji and Sasuke had always been more rivals than anything. He doubted Sasuke would choose him of all people to seek comfort in. Honestly, it would surprise him if Sasuke had sought comfort at all after the event.
"Well, Naruto and I kind of took him outside to train with shuriken a few days ago." he felt the scolding look radiating off all three of them, the teen lightly grabbing onto his pant leg for comfort from the looks of disbelief. "We noticed he was acting weird so we wanted to talk about it. We figured going into the woods with him would be for the best since he was kept locked up in the house while he healed. He seemed stuffy, so I figured fresh air would help him feel better."
Nagato scolded, "We specifically told you all to keep him in the house during that time. He might have been mostly healed, but he still could have gotten hurt and worsened his injuries. What if an enemy had somehow got in and we had no idea where you were?"
Konan nodded, crossing her arms lightly. "If he wanted to go outside, he should have told us. We could have let someone join him and he could have wandered around a bit while still being safe. You and Naruto could have gotten him seriously hurt. His injuries still weren't recovered fully."
The teen nodded a bit, lightly playing with his hair as the guilt sank in. He had known it at the time, but it seemed a fair risk considering how pained he seemed to be. "I know. I'm sorry. We were just worried about him."
"Did the others know about this?" she questioned, quirking her brow a bit at the teen. She understood where he was coming from, but that didn't make it any less dangerous for the two of them to risk. Not to mention Sasuke had actually gone along with it behind their backs!
Konan took a light breath. Truth be told, she understood why Neji had done it. He had been worried. It still didn't take away the risk they had put Sasuke at. Though Nagato's rain made it all but impossible to sneak into the village, they needed to understand that even he wasn't invincible.
"Sort of. Karin and Hinata stopped us halfway to the woods. Gaara tried to remind us dad said that he needed rest, but Naruto talked them into joining us by saying that I was with them. Naruto said he would be safe because I'd be there to protect them in case of an attack. Then they ended up coming along because they figured if we were attacked, they'd be there to help too." he explained.
Itachi sighed a bit at that, rubbing his temples. While he didn't like that his injured brother was put in possible danger, he had to admit the kids had at least thought it through. "Well, it's good that you traveled in a group, at least," he admitted. "What was it he did that you found so alarming, though?" deciding to cut straight to the point.
A frown crossed Neji's lips, the teen only momentarily glad Itachi had changed subjects. "We were practicing with shuriken and I mentioned that we were worried about how closed off he seemed. He got angry when we pointed this out and threw a shuriken at me. He sounded so disturbed when he talked."
While Nagato wasn't particularly happy about the way they had all kept this a secret, he couldn't fault them either. It was true that the Akatsuki could be a bit...overbearing when they were worried. The fact that there were previously ten members made it overwhelming for obvious reasons when any one of the children got hurt. "What did you all talk about that made him loosen up so much? I did notice he relaxed quite a bit the other day when we came home."
"Well, long story short, he said he was feeling bad because the Akatsuki always came home with injuries worse than his yet he was the one making a huge deal out of it. We told him that you all were way more experienced, but he didn't seem to buy it. So Hinata suggested that he talk about it to make himself feel better. He agreed, so we asked him about what exactly happened with Tobi." Neji explained.
Nagato frowned a bit, understanding. They had questioned Tobi the moment he returned without Sasuke, forcing him to spill every detail. So it was easy to understand why Neji was disturbed by what Sasuke had most likely told him. He didn't interrupt as Neji continued, "We talked about how he was tortured and things of that sort. I won't go into detail since I doubt he'd want me to. That's his business, if he wants to tell you." after all, he had promised Sasuke that he wouldn't tell them about the details. It was understandable that Sasuke didn't want to be coddled, but there was some information that had to be told.
"There are just a few things I think you should know for his and everyone's benefits," Neji explained. Seeing a nod and three pairs of attentive eyes fall on him, he began.
"First of all, Sasuke got caught because he was trying to protect Gaara's siblings. They're also apparently the ones who tortured him. Sasuke saids they seemed like they were lashing out at the idea that Gaara was unsafe. Sasuke seems to understand why they did it. It's almost like he's emphasizing with them." he sounded a bit exasperated at that-- his little brother had quite the duel perspective. "Gaara seemed upset by the mention of his siblings doing such a thing. Even if they never were the closest, they are still siblings and its clear they're worried for him. I know you've all heard the rumors."
He shook his head back and forth, as though merely annoyed by Suna's actions. "They're saying that Konoha is laying low after the thrashing but the sand village is ready to pick another fight. I don't doubt that we can take them if push came to shove. The thing is, they're being reckless with their search. Tearing apart smaller villages in search of where we could be hiding Gaara. Villages that we have treaties with. I know this is all surely old news to you, but that's beside the point. We'll have to take action against them soon or risk the complete destruction of our allies as well as their trust in us."
Nagato nodded, having started receiving the reports from the small villages merely yesterday. "I'm not sure how you could know about all this since the information just arrived in yesterday morning, but yes. It's true Suna is trying to close in on us. They are being led by two teenagers. With both of them in a blind rage, it's no surprise they're exhausting their village's resources in search of Gaara."
A tight frown fit on his face as he mused, "The only reason I've hesitated to crush them now is Gaara. I know he still holds a certain degree of understanding in his siblings, and it's clear that they're willing to go to hell and back for him. Their motives are clear, and to be fair, understandable. What they're doing makes me want to use all mighty push on them each individually, yes, but I find it quite hard to do when they're around the same age as you."
Itachi inspected his nails, sighing a bit in thought. "Yes, raising and parenting six children will make you a bit hesitant to use extreme force on other young ones. If you feel uncomfortable with it, I could go after the two. I could kill them fairly easily when it comes to our skill sets. This way Gaara won't see you as the villain, and you can continue on-" being silenced from his analysis as Konan cleared her throat. He stopped, quirking a brow at him.
"Itachi, what did we just get done discussing?" she scolded lightly. "You will be taking on no such burden." she corrected, keeping things some-what unspecific since Neji was in the room."Now, if you'd like, give us the 'Itachi' answer. Not the shinobi answer."
The Uchiha seemed mildly embarrassed as his idea was shot down, not having thought about it much due to it being his auto-set response to situations such as this. So, they wanted his 'Itachi' answer? He supposed that meant the more peaceful ideas that were always floating in the back of his head. The ones normally dubbed 'immature' or as 'wishful thinking'.
"Well, I suppose it would be easy enough to simply talk." seeing the looks on the other's faces, his lip curled into a slight sneer. "Don't ask my opinion then tell me it's a foolish idea. Either take my 'shinobi' plans or don't ask at all if that's how you're going to be. What kind of plan did you expect from a pacifist?"
Neji looked puzzled at the three older member's bickering but said nothing as Nagato shook his head. "No, no. You're right. Let us at least hear you through before making assumptions. It's just...unusual compared to how we normally handle things."
Itachi nodded, taking a breath. It was much different than the normal hack-n'-slash technique they normally used to deal with issues, to be fair. "Think about it. They're lashing out with worry for Gaara. If they know that he is well and safe, they'll most likely stop. Especially if they realize that by striking us, they are striking Gaara. While it's true that we have killed their father, it doesn't seem like he was the best man. The sand villagers themselves often admit to disliking him as a person. I imagine that if they're this worried about Gaara, they chose to side with him instead of falling into their father's brainwashing. So, in short, their relationship probably wasn't the best anyway."
"If we can get them to just sit down to talk with Gaara and one of us, they'll see that he is safe. If they see he's safe, some of their lashing out will stop. It'll take some time, but we may be able to use this to create a positive relationship with Suna. If we can do that...well, having connections within a large village is more than useful. We could use them as we pleased, should the safety of the children come to risk." he explained.
Nagato and Konan both looked unsure but decided that putting their trust in Itachi's plan might just be the best thing. After all, the sand siblings were only teens. They were more likely to fall into line with the peaceful option than experienced leaders. It was their heart leading Suna so far, not their brains, it seemed.
"I understand." Nagato nodded. "It seems like the best course of action. The only issue would be Sasuke. Wouldn't it be a bit painful for him to see us chatting over lunch with the people who beat him nearly to death?"
Konan nodded in concern but sighed a bit. "It'll be hard, but we'll have to sit him down and have a talk about it. This is a great opportunity to not only gain inside connections but also to ease overall relations. To have them as allies would help ensure the children's safety in the future. He loves his family dearly, even if he's bad at showing it sometimes."
Neji nodded, huffing. "While we're on the topic of Sasuke, something else happened to him that you guys don't seem to know." all eyes once more fell on him. "He's been self-conscious about his scars. He saids they make him ugly. We told him this wasn't so, but I don't think he believed it much. He seems uncomfortable with himself. I gave him my jacket to borrow after he said that, but he hasn't taken it off since. I haven't tried taking it back since it seems to comfort him, even if he isn't really talking about it."
Konan frowned at this, "I dislike the idea that he's thinking of himself like that, but I'm not sure what we should do. Maybe we could buy some Hashirama cells off the black market? Those are a bit sketchy, though. I don't want to risk getting them while they're laced or fakes." she noted.
Nagato nodded, "It's too big of a risk. We could find a better healer, perhaps? Tsunade Senju is still alive. It would be hard to track her down, but I think we could do it with Zetsu's help." he suggested.
"No, that won't work." Itachi sighed. "The other member's attempts to locate Zetsu haven't improved any. He's been missing since Tobi was killed. There's no way to send him out if we don't even know where he is or whether he's an ally anymore." having heard about their search of Zetsu from Kisame.
Neji cleared his throat, "I actually have some experience with this kind of thing." he mentioned. "Hinata used to be really self-conscious about her lack of strength when she was little. It was more a mental worry than a physical one, but I believe the logic still applies."
"Hinata's mother used to give her jackets or hoodies to wear. I don't know what it was about them, but they seemed to comfort her. I suppose it's because they sort of engulf the person who's wearing them. My aunt used to compare them to a comfort blanket for people who are too embarrassed or feel too old to walk around with real blankets. Maybe getting him some long-sleeved shirts and full pants instead of the shorts and T-shirt he normally wears would help. Plus a hoodie or two would probably too." he suggested. After all, it had helped Hinata in the past.
He added in, "Plus, it would probably help him more than trying to force his body to heal. Kakuzu once told me that it took time for him to get used to his body being all stitched up. Perhaps him having less revealing clothes would give him some time to become more comfortable with how he looks. I know long sleeves aren't normally his style, but maybe just adding a few into his closet would help. It's been a while since we got new clothes anyway. We're all overdue for some new clothes so you can take us to freshen up our closet and suggest a few of them there." he noted, motioning to the slightly tight shirt he was wearing.
Itachi nodded, "That is true, you all are overdue for some new clothes." he agreed. "So. We need to invite Suna over to discuss peace, have a talk with Sasuke about why it's necessary, and go clothing shopping. Not exactly what I thought our new missions would be, but I'm not complaining." he mused.
Konan rolled her eyes at Itachi, though she looked mildly amused at his point. Fair enough. "Not to mention look further into giving you and Sasuke's little friend in the prison more breathing room. Spirits, you're just as big of a handful as the children are, Itachi."