Chapter 17

The harsh sound of someone bursting into his room was an unwelcome way to wake up. His loud obnoxious roommate apparently had a death wish, for he knew he wasn't supposed to walk into his room so casually. Itachi groaned one time in warning, opening one eye, unable to spot Kisame's exact position due to the darkness in his room. What time was it? 5 in the morning? It seemed way too early to be awake, and that was coming from him, who had always been an early bird. His threat apparently went by unnoticed as Kisame dangerously approached the windows pulling the curtains open, revealing the bright daylight. He apparently was unaware of the danger he was in, because he was way too cheerful.

"Time to rise and shine Uchiha, Pain wants to have a word with you"

Itachi's eyes shot wide open, and he sat up way too fast. Pain jolted up from his wounded arm from the sudden move, and he hissed at it, resisting the urge to touch it with his hand. He hadn't had any painkillers in a while, he was expecting the pain, he was surprised he had managed to sleep as much ignoring it. It was only 10 am, why would the leader of Akatsuki want with him at such an ungodly hour.

"Son of a bitch" he muttered, getting up from his bed, looking at the dressing on his arm, and frowned as he noticed it was soiled. He shivered as he was only wearing a tank top and his jeans from the night before. He was so tired he hadn't thought of changing into something comfier and had only taken off his shirt as it was bothering his wound. His roommate stared at him with his idiotic expression as he opened the window, apparently, he had decided to be annoying that morning, and his deathly glare wasn't having the hoped effect for the Hoshigaki was still in his room.

"Hey, sleeping beauty, he is in the kitchen, waiting for you" The idiot happily reminded him, and Itachi growled, deciding if it was worth going through with his homicidal plans toward his roommate, who was gawking at him like the idiot he was, apparently unaware of his nearing doom, or just ignoring it.

"Wait a minute...he's here?"

His roommate just gave him a confused look.

"That's what I just said. I swear, you don't listen to me when I talk..." the tall man complained as he proceeded to pick something up from the floor, shaking his head at the confusion in his room, worsening Itachi's irritation towards him, who picked up his pillow to throw it towards the man who ducked just in time before it hit his face.

"So rude Itachi, I'm only trying to help you"

"Get out of here, before I throw you out the window, along with our boss" he muttered as he got up, pulling his hair out of his face into a low ponytail that rested on his shoulders, as he struggled to calm his nerves and his growing irritation towards his boss.

How dare he come into his home and disturb his sleep. He had barely had any and wasn't in any mood to deal with him. He carded his hand through his thick black hair and huffed in annoyance. He didn't want to think of the reason that had caused his sleepless night, it just wasn't worth it. In a very remote angle, somewhere deep inside him, he regretted the way he had treated the blonde girl. He didn't want to admit it or feel anything that had to do with her and their very tense encounter, a task he was surprisingly having a hard time with. Since when had he softened so much? And why couldn't he shake the image of her concerned blue eyes out of his head?

"You actually care..."

He closed his eyes, trying to block the memory from the night before. H

"Oi, Uchiha, get out of your daydreaming, Pain has been waiting long enough for you to grace him of your presence"

Kisame's loud voice brought him out of his daze, and he was secretly grateful for that. The Hoshigaki didn't need to know though.

"Fuck off" was his only reply, as he stood from his bed and walked towards their small living room. Maybe his conversation with Pain would burn enough of his brain cells so that he could forget how shitty his life was and forget the whole events of that past night, along with those blue eyes that apparently liked to torment him at any given time.

He wasn't surprised to see that Pain was sitting there on their small, disheveled couch, gracefully drinking a cup of coffee, as if he was in his own home. His boss liked to radiate power wherever he went, which usually wouldn't bother him, but there in his own home, it unnerved him greatly.

"I didn't know you were such a heavy sleeper, Itachi"

The Uchiha groaned, poorly hiding his annoyance and irritation towards his boss, and took out a chair from under the small kitchen table flopping in it.

"Why are you here?" he asked, cutting the pleasantries. He wasn't in any mood for any of them. He put a hand down his pocket to retrieve his pack of cigarettes and lighter, turning one on immediately, not caring that Pain didn't like the smell of smoke. A fact he was aware of after working with the man for many years, he also knew that if anyone could get away with that kind of behavior it was him, so he wasn't surprised when the other man didn't bat an eyelash at his actions.

Pain smiled, and nodded to Kisame, who quickly took the cue to leave dashing out the door without saying a word. Itachi hid his surprise at the action, he didn't like to show his thoughts, so he kept his expression neutral and his usual carefree behavior.

"I have spoken with one of my spies in Konoha"

The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow and inhaled the smoke from the cigarette. The words had sparked his interest. If Pain had felt an urge to come over to his shitty apartment to tell him, it had to be important. Still, he didn't want to give Pain any satisfaction and seem too eager to find out the reason for his visit.

"So, this is why you decided to come here at this ungodly hour?"

The other man chuckled, and Itachi watched him carefully. It was rare to see such glee in his boss's eyes. It was interesting.

"The police department is really determined to solve Minato's case, after all these years, they are bringing out the big guns"

"What do you mean?"

"Jiraiya is in town, isn't it ironic?"

Itachi frowned at that. The man was Minato's adoptive father and had worked for many years with the special forces of Konoha. After Minato's death, grief stricken, he had made the brash and sudden decision to travel the world to try and ease his pain, at least that was the official version. He hadn't been back to Konoha since. His return could be caused by different factors. It could mean that the police were having a hard time working on the case and needed some backup from people that were present at the time, that could probably help identify some clues, or that something very significant had come up and that Jiraiya's presence was needed to further help investigations. He wasn't sure which one it could be, but neither of them was of any significance to them. They still didn't have any true lead to find the Code, and the old man's presence could only make their search worse.

"Ironic? And why would that be? If anything, this makes the whole mission much more of a challenge"

Pain leaned forward, looking Itachi directly in the eyes.

"The man hasn't been seen in Konoha for almost twenty years, Itachi. Him coming back right now could mean a lot for us"

The Uchiha wasn't convinced. The unexpected return of a person that deeply involved in the case in such a delicate moment was anything but casual, as was Pain's excitement.

"You think he knows about the Code"

"I think he was aware of its existence back then, and that it was the main reason for his sudden departure"

Itachi still didn't understand why he was sharing all this with him, and not with the whole group, they were all involved in this damn search. He didn't understand why Pain had stormed to his house and was sharing all that information.

"It's a possibility. But if he knew where it was it would already be in the police's hands. He is not sloppy despite his carefree behavior; he is actually very dangerous. It's not going to be easy to steal information from him, plus, after our attack, the precinct and everything around it will be heavily guarded, we don't have a chance to infiltrate, not unless something major happens that might take the attention away"

"Like a distraction"

"Yeah, but that would be very difficult to stage, and I don't trust many people with such a task"

Pain smirked, crossing his legs and relaxing in his seat as if he had been waiting for Itachi to come up with that plan the whole time.

"Well, that is why I'm here. We might have that chance very soon"

Itachi looked at his boss with a serious expression. He had a funny feeling that whatever was coming next was going to be a game changer, and that he wasn't going to like it one bit.

"Shisui Uchiha's wife has apparently made the decision to take him off life support in the coming days. The whole precinct is already making funeral arrangements"

Itachi stiffened at the words, his free hands gripping the edge of the table, trying to not display any emotion at the unexpected news. He managed to keep a straight face, but he had to lower his hand that was holding the cigarette for he could feel his control slipping and he couldn't be caught by Pain, not at that moment, he would become suspicious, and it would only be another annoyance he would have to deal with.

"Are you okay?" Apparently, though, his boss hadn't missed his struggle, and Itachi cursed himself for not doing a better job at controlling himself.
"I just wasn't expecting that. I thought the day would never come"

He quickly justified himself. He couldn't allow his feelings to get in the way of his mission.

"Well, it took him long enough, after all, Shisui was meant to die the day he was shot. I mean, it's just typical of you Uchiha's you don't go down without a fight"

"What do you want me to do?"

Itachi cut his boss short, he wasn't in the mood to fool around before, even less now.

"Straight to the point as usual. During the funeral, when everyone will be distracted and giving their respects to Shisui and his family, I need you to infiltrate the mayor's office and look for any sign or clue that might help us. I have a feeling he is storing some very important information"

Itachi stood up nodding at those words. His face was as emotionless as usual, Pain couldn't tell what he was really thinking, which was nothing new with the Uchiha. Although he had seen a small hint of emotion at the mention of Shisui's death, he had no reason to doubt the Uchiha's loyalty. He did make a note to watch him more carefully though, he couldn't afford to be betrayed.

"Very well. When the bastard does die let me know, and I will do as you, please. Now get the hell out of my apartment, I need to rest, and this arm is hurting like a bitch"

"Cranky as usual huh Uchiha? Maybe you should find that whore of yours I'm sure she would gladly help you get in a better mood."

Itachi didn't say anything, but simply left the room, sure that his boss would show himself out, or maybe Kisame, who he was sure had been standing outside the door the whole time decided he had enough of waiting and would see him off. That day had barely started, and he already had enough of it.

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"I'm telling you; my bag is not that heavy" Naruko whined as she walked with Gaara, who was ignoring her, walking a few steps ahead of her. He had shown up after her shift at the hospital ended, unexpectedly. She had been happy to see him, despite not being in the mood to see anyone.

"You had a long day at the hospital, you looked like you barely slept, plus you have work this afternoon. Can you just let me help you without complaining?" the redhead said as he turned his head to look at her, smiling at her small, cute frown.

"It doesn't mean I can't carry my own stuff," she grumbled, crossing her arms on her chest all but resigned. Gaara sighed and stopped in his tracks turning towards the girl, who didn't notice, and bumped into his chest. She looked up at him, meeting his green eyes.

"Can you just let me do this for you?" He had said it so simply and in such a sweet way, that she felt guilty for being such a brat with him. It wasn't his fault she was in such a bad mood. For that, she had to thank the damn Uchiha brothers. One for being such an insensitive asshole, and the other one...well, everything about him just made her sick to the stomach, but at the same time, she couldn't stop thinking of their conversation from the previous night.

"Stop trying to see something in me that is not there anymore"

"Naruko? Are you okay?" She realized that Gaara was still in front of her, waiting for her to say something, and she suddenly felt ashamed for thinking about the Uchiha. Her cheeks reddened, but for the wrong reason, as she felt his green eyes fixed on her.

"I...I'm sorry, it's just that with Sasuke's sudden departure...my fight with Sakura...I am just not the best company these days." She tried to explain, although that was just a part of what was really going on in her mind. Deep within her, she knew the reason for her inner turmoil was caused by the feelings that the older Uchiha had awakened. She still wasn't sure what they were, but she knew that she just wished she could stop feeling them. She didn't want anything to do with him, but seeing him the night before, all their conversations, and the memories, had caused a sudden shift in her. She couldn't still comprehend them fully, she just knew she hated them and was trying hard to suppress them.

Gaara smiled sweetly, and she felt a pang of guilt as his hand crawled up her cheek in what was a sweet gesture, but that made her sick to her stomach.

"I understand. I'm here if you need me, you can talk to me, you know that right?"

Naruko swallowed again. This time to push back nausea that she felt crawling in her stomach, stemming from her inner turmoil. He didn't deserve her coldness, her confusion. He was too nice for her. She was just a troubled girl who brought nothing but misery to those around her. A few days ago she had been excited to spend time with him. She had been genuinely interested in the calm and gentle boy. In just a few hours her whole world had been shaken and her beliefs had crumbled in front of her like a tower made of cards.

"Thank you. I'm just not ready for that right now" she explained, trying to smile up at the red-headed man who smiled back. He nodded, and in an unexpected gesture, wrapped his arms around her, in a protective and enveloping hug. Naruko took deep breaths, trying not to let the tears escape her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of him, he didn't deserve to see her miserable because of someone else. He didn't deserve all of that. And that's when it hit her. Her feelings, the reason she felt that broken. She wish it was someone else there, to comfort her, The same person that had caused her misery. Someone who would probably be incapable of showing any affection or devotion like he was doing right now, but she couldn't help but yearn for his touch, for his embrace. Like many years ago, when he had been the one to make her feel better. And that was it. What made her finally crumble and realize what she had been unwilling to admit up to that moment. In a few brief encounters, Itachi had sparked long-forgotten feelings that she couldn't control and that she didn't want to feel, but she couldn't help herself. She was surprised, she was usually so slow in such matters, and she had surprised herself this one time. She also knew that they had to remain her deepest and unspoken secret. She could never reveal to anyone what her deepest thoughts were, there was no way she could ever act upon those feelings. She just had to try and move on from them, it didn't matter how painful it would be. Itachi had made his choice, and so would she.

"I think...I really need to go" she muttered, pushing back, freeing herself from his embrace, unable to look him in the eye from the shame.

Gaara looked confused for a few seconds but didn't do anything to hold her against her will.

"Wait. You don't look like you're okay. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? We can go to Ichiraku"

Naruko faked a smile, despite feeling like she wanted to die.

"I'm sorry, I'm going to be late for work, you know Haku will be really upset if I show up late. I will call you tomorrow, okay?"

She knew she wasn't being correct with him, she felt as if she was playing him. She shouldn't give him false hopes, not when she knew she couldn't return his feelings. But, on the other hand, maybe if she did give him a chance, she would be able to push away those forbidden feelings and be free of them. She knew it wasn't the best option, as she knew that Gaara deserved to be with someone that truly cared about him. Was she being selfish in trying to keep him close to her despite being finally aware of what her feelings were? Yes. She was acting like the horrible person she knew she was. And while the thought of messing with Gaara's feelings was painful, it would be more painful to not have him as a distraction.

"Be sure you do, okay?" He asked, wanting to be reassured, as he looked her straight in the eyes as she pushed back tears. She could only nod, incapable of speaking at that point.

He smiled sweetly, and she broke more inside. Why did it have to be this way? She broke down even more when he leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips, gently caressing her cheek as he did so, and she really wished she was dead at that moment.

"This is to make sure you do"

She nodded, before grabbing her bag and running away from him as fast as she could. She couldn't stand to look him in the eye, even less to be in his presence anymore.

"When did you turn in such a horrible person?" was the only thought on her mind, as she ran towards Kubikiri. Her heart was heavier than it had ever been.

Author's note:

I'm back! I'm sorry for the delay of maybe (oops) two years. Life happened and I wasn't able to pick up this story until recently. I haven't forgotten you guys, I have read your reviews, and I am determined in finishing this story, and Quarantine in Love?, it's just going to be a slow process, so bear with me, as I will try to keep both stories running as much as possible and update whenever I can.

Thank you for sticking with me, and for your support, and your reviews and thoughts are always appreciated!

Thank you!

Darkshadows92