"Itachi breath!" Shisui put his cold clammy hands on the man's thin shoulders. Itachi looked over his should at the man, rage burning in his eyes, "Kakashi can handle this,"
"He should even have to!" Itachi growled. Shisui's eyeless gaze offered no comfort to the panic Itachi felt in his bones. He watched thick dark blood dribble down to slip over Shisui's grey lips. "There is no excuse as to why a simple c rank mission should become a fucking A!" he knew he might be overreacting a little. The rapid decay he was seeing in Shisui was a clear sign of that but he couldn't help it. He knew Kakashi could handle Zabuza but the three genin with him could not...should not have to! "I have to go to them,"
"Whoa there," Shisui said, his voice sounding fully submerged, "You need to take ten steps back. Itachi you know you can't do that. Give Sasuke and Naruto more credit they've been working hard and Sakura's turning out to be a good kunoichi,"
"They are just genin!"
"And you were too once!" Shisui raised his voice a little startling Itachi. He froze pressing his face into his hands. Itachi took a deep breath, releasing it as Shisui eased him back into his seat.
Itachi was grateful he was in his office alone. He had gotten the news his brother's simple escort mission had been suddenly moved up to an A only moments ago by one of his ANBU. He was waiting on Hiruzen's word to send out a team of ANBU should they need it. However, and much to Itachi chagrin, Hiruzen had given Itachi no immediate indication. His thoughts raced as to how he could simply deal with Zabuza himself. How he could get them home safe and then deal with the lying client who put his brother's life in danger.
"Itachi," Shisui's voice reached him again. Itachi blinked realizing he had been staring off into space. He took a deep breath once more. He felt like he had switched to manual mode. His eyes shifted Shisui's bloated form. It hurt to look at. "You trust Kakashi right?" he asked, earning a nod from Itachi. "And we both know he'd give his life before letting a comrade die on his watch." Another nod.
Itachi felt childish for his outburst. But he could not deny that he still felt trapped in his own village. He pressed his fingers to his temples feeling an ache forming. Anxiety still lingered in his chest and settled in his joints.
"They will get out of this," Shisui's voice sounded distant even though the "man" was right next to him. Itachi could see him place a bluish hand on his back but he could not feel him rub the circles he knew the real Shisui would have. He forced himself to relax. There was only one thing he could do now. Wait.