Disclaimer: I own any OCs in this, the rest is Masashi Kishimoto. Sorry for any spelling mistakes.
Characters age:
Akane, Itachi: 14
Naruto, Sasuke: 9
Shisui: 18
Kakashi: 23
So...I was hired to be Hinata's personal tutor or something like that.
Which meant that Hanabi had already been appointed heiress. To be fair, I must agree with Hiashi-san says Hinata is too nice to be a clan leader. It doesn't mean she is weak though, but her eight-year-old mind would not comprehend that that way. And with Hiashi-san's behavior...well, that's none of my business. The thing is, I was Hinata's tutor to teach her some fuinjutsu. The orders were: find what she can be good at and teach her.
I wasn't complaining, I was paid for that. And the Byakugan was useful when it came to breaking a seal. Why? Well, the method to break a seal is simple. Chakra is circulating within a seal, but there's always a point where the flow is weaker. Usually it's from where we put chakra. The classic method is to let your own chakra in the seal to find where the weak spot is and then you break it by overpowering the seal's chakra by your own.
At least, that's how you do it when seals aren't on living beings, because it's something else then. But, the point was, the Byakugan was useful to find the weak chakra spot and break the seal. So I was training her to do so.
"This," I explained, showing her an explosive tag. "is an explosive tag, very common as a weapon for shinobi. They're also the most basic and neutral seals you can find. I won't ask you to understand what's written on it because then it wouldn't be that easy, but you can deactivate it once it has been activated. Even if you Byakugan can keep you out of enemy trap, sometimes you won't have any other choice than to go in."
She nodded and Ko lead us to a private ground of the Hyuuga compound. Better not use explosive tag in the main house backyard, right? So once we reached it, I realized it probably was like the Uchiha training grounds if not smaller. Yeah, Shisui dragged me there too, and there was Sasuke practicing his shuriken jutsu. Itachi was on a mission I think.
"Because that's the beginning, you don't need to care about deactivate it now, you just have to use your Byakugan to find the weak spot." I told her and smiled to reassure her. She was cute and would become beautiful later, but for now she was shy and too insecure.
"To see chakra in inanimate objects needs a sharp Byakugan Sasaki-san." Ko reminded me once again with a sigh.
"Oh right. Why do I keep forgetting that?" I muttered under my breath and facepalmed.
"I...I can still...try, Akane-sensei"
"Let's do that, if you can't do it we'll work on your Byakugan."
Teach her fuinjutsu my ass. With my little display with Kakashi-san, Hiashi-san just wanted me to make his daughter stronger now she'll be a Konoha shinobi first. But he didn't tell me that because I'm not a shinobi here.
But gosh I loved being called 'sensei' a little bit too much.
Days passed, and Sasuke and Naruto were starting a new year at the Academy, Sasuke's ninth birthday coming quickly. It meant they were going to graduate in three years as Itachi and I turned fourteen. And on that side, apart from that time where I got my diploma, it's still as sterile as ever between us.
Oh, and main event in my life. I ended up as a teacher at the Academy for initiation to fuinjutsu. As it is a complex discipline that not a lot of people choose as a specialty once they were shinobi, I was asked to start initiating kids the year above Naruto's year. It's like an experimental year for now, as it is obligatory for the whole year. But if it works, next year, I would teach Naruto's class, the Rookie Nine, whereas those I'm currently teaching will have the choice between continuing fuinjutsu or stopping it. Because I'm not a shinobi there were some teachers who were skeptical, but once I showed up with my Intelligence Division jacket and my diploma they shut up. Turns out that my diploma is one a few manage to get, and it's mainly when there were experimented shinobi.
I even beat Aunty's record. And oji-chan's record. Technically, I cheated but that still count!
But the surprise on my cousin's face when he saw me at lunchtime was worth it. Sasuke's too. I learned they were hanging out with each other at the Academy too. Always bickering, but together. Therefore, because Shikamaru and Choji were like, the only kids who would be friendly with my cousin, Kiba didn't really count because he would just brag, Sasuke started to talk to them a little.
Also, I had the surprise to meet Hyuuga Neji. The one who died to protect his cousin and my own during the war. I didn't know a lot about him except he used to hate the Main House of the Hyuuga, but I was not expecting such coldness in the eyes of a ten years old.
All of this to say...
"My life is busier than ever!" I whined and let my head fall on my desk with a loud 'bang'. I grunted at the laugh coming from the open window and turned my head to look at them. But my cheek was still flat on the wood. "Shisui, that's not funny! And I'm too young to be a teacher anyway!"
"You're teaching that Hyuuga girl." He reminded me with a smirk.
"That's not the same!" I cried dramatically and got up to take my bento box. "I can deal with one. But twenty of them? It's...stop making fun of me!"
I took a piece of chalk and threw it at him. His laugh just became louder and I blushed in embarrassment. Terrible aim, why do I even bother trying? I put my jacket back on and walked up to him.
"You said you wanted to eat lunch with me because we can't see each other a lot with your missions and my job, so what are we waiting for? Body flicker us away for an hour!"
"Sure mom." He taunted me and put an arm around my waist. I squeezed my eye shut when he started moving and let out a huge breath a relief once we stopped on a tree branch, very, very far from the ground. I sat and opened my lunch, whereas Shisui chose to lean against the trunk. "So, how does your research go?"
"Hum? Oh. I think I understand what happened but I'm not sure yet, I would need to talk about it with my mom. But if I'm right, I might know why we became so famous with our sealing techniques." I said, spotting Hinata spying on Naruto. And Sasuke because they were eating together.
"Unveiling the secret of what made them so famous. Nice Aka-chan." He smirked down at me, smirk I returned. If he knew what I learned...
"Yeah, but it's kinda dark actually. I knew we are good at sealing any kind of stuff, but I didn't think they'd make pact with...never mind, I don't want to spread assumptions around."
"Are you even allowed to tell me this?" He asked me with a frown.
"Are you allowed to tell me what's going on within the Uchihas?"
"Now I am. Part of. And you're much more involved than you should have ever been anyway by now." He replied with a shrug.
"True, but you're alive so shut up. And you're the one who took the risk to bring me here, so you're allowed to know. To a certain extent."
He crouched with a raised eyebrow. "Oh? I'm hurt."
"Don't care," I hummed, blinking innocently at him, "I won't tell you a clan secret."
"I see." He pouted briefly and went back to his previous position. He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at the kids. "What do you think of Sasuke?"
"Sorry?"
"I mean...do you think there is still a chance he might leave the village?"
"Who knows? From now on, there could be another reason as to why he would want to leave. I guess that making sure he knows he'd break too many things if he does so is the best we can do for now. And trust Naruto. No matter what the context is, if there is someone who can talk some sense to Sasuke it's him."
He seemed to muse over it and nodded thoughtfully.
"You care a lot about him, don't you Shisui?" I inquired with a grin.
"The bond he shares with Itachi...I don't want it to break." I furrowed my brows when I saw how nostalgic his eyes were. It was almost as if he knew how it was to have a sibling.
"Aren't you an only child?"
"Now yes. My older brother left in the middle of a battle during the last war and we never heard of him again." That...was unexpected. I never knew he had a brother. Ma, I hadn't really had the time to fully know him before. Another thing to my bucket list, but a happier one: get to know Shisui! He knew my secret after all. "Hey, don't give me that look! That was a long time ago!" He laughed it off and I realized I was looking down sadly. "Now I'm thinking about it, tomorrow I leave for a two-month mission."
"Two months!?" I yelled and stared at him with wide eyes. He winced at the volume of my voice but I didn't care. I would almost be a year since I arrived, and Shisui knowing my condition had been the one I leaned on the most. Probably the reason I didn't lose it yet. Now I'm used to this time but still...
"I'll be fine, don't worry." He told me with fondness in his voice. "Oh, when are you going to face Itachi by the way? It looks like you can now."
"I can. I don't know how."
"Just apologize," he suggested me, getting on one knee next to me. He took my chopsticks and ate one of my fried shrimp. "not bad."
"Thanks, but I cooked it for me. And Naruto because I made his bento. Not for you Uchiha."
"Next time make me a bento too!" He exclaimed with a toothy grin. Well, at least the gloomy atmosphere disappeared.
"I'll have Naruto make it. Want some disgusting ramen?"
With the face he made, it was a clear 'no' and it made me laugh. He joined me seconds later.
He's strong. He'll be fine.
A month passed since Shisui started his mission. In that month, I unveiled the secret of that kinjutsu. My mom just confirmed my thoughts, as she suspected part of the secret for some time now.
As you know, Uzushiogakure and the Uzumaki clan in particular were known for having a long life. They created thousands of seals, most of them lost by now. However, no matter how good of a Seal Master you are, creating a seal, a powerful one, takes time. It took me ten years to fully master that dojutsu seal of mine. Between knowing if it works and controlling it to make it harmless or not takes a lot of time and control, especially when you don't use paper at some point.
You could say that having your boyfriend not really see you is a good motivation.
Almost not passing the second task of the chuunin exam because of the sharingan too.
With that huge longevity came a strangely powerful chakra. The Uzumaki clan and the Senju clan were distant blood relative, and from what I found, when our ancestors were still pretty close related, one of them realized his youth would not last forever. And working and creating seals take a lot of time, time an old person won't necessarily spend working. So, he used his strong chakra to summon an entity from another world.
Yeah, that Shinigami.
That guy, I didn't find his name so let's call him the Summoner, made a pact with the Shinigami through his chakra and own blood. In exchange of half his life span and his soul when the day would come, his soul would be thrown back at a point of his life. A certain point of his life.
The one which predated his biggest regret in life. For the Summoner, it was leaving his wife for a time to fight and came back to see she had been murdered and that her corpse were half eaten by crows.
Very graphic huh.
The Shinigami accepted for his soul was bound to end up in his stomach the day he died, no matter if he summoned it or not. The Summoner was able to save his partner and while he got a family of his own, created many other seals. But the day arrived that he died, during a battle with his brother because the wife he saved had betrayed him by falling in love with his brother. When the Shinigami appeared, the Summoner asked him if the soul of his brother could take his place as he deserved eternal damnation more than him. The Shinigami did not care as long as the soul had a strong chakra and blood like the Summoner.
As he died, he went peacefully in the afterlife while his brother was digested for eternity in its stomach.
That was the story of that kinjutsu, and how so many seals were created so fast. By having a second chance.
But it does not stop here.
With the wars raging, many Uzumakis felt regret. Those were the one chosen to be sold the to the Shinigami to make the clan stronger. But they were not careful enough. When one would not deliver the soul of a close relative in their place to the Shinigami, they were sent in its stomach, and the next person to summon it would have to stock the soul of the previous one in their seal.
Why? Because the pact linked the one to summon to the summoned one. If they does not break the seal at one point in their life, they would live with a seal representing the Shinigami's stomach.
Confusing huh?
When one would give another soul to the Shinigami, it meant they were given the opportunity to break the seal anytime, and the soul of the relative would then, erase the Shinigami's stomach. From any souls he had gained at that point. Of course, anyone would break the seals immediately.
From what I learned, bearing souls does not really do anything, except occasional pain if one is extraordinary. Or more like the chakra is extraordinary.
That was basically what happened. I sold my soul to the Shinigami, who felt I had a lot of regrets letting Shisui go that day. Because after, I always thought that, if I followed him, I would have had Danzo arrested because of his creepy way, my friend would not have died, my mom would have been in Konoha and I would have never met Sasori and gave him my trust just for him to kill my mother. The man I loved would have had a chance of not being a pariah. Sasuke would not have been traumatized and I could have offered a family to Naruto much earlier. In exchange I gave him half my lifespan. So...I have a regular lifespan now. Not that I cared about that fact. It was just that technically, I had...oji-chan's soul in my seal. Very, very strange.
And I had to free my soul from the Shinigami. Oh, I would not give mom's or Naruto's soul, no no no, too easy. I had at least one other close relative somewhere. I just needed to find him and free myself or keep the seal and deal with the consequences of my actions.
That technique was created to create more seals in the beginning, but ended up being one to fix what you thought were your mistakes. It was from a good intention but turned into a really dark technique, as I read it, some would carelessly use it because of some grudges. So, when Uzushio was founded, it became a forbidden jutsu. They had more than enough seals to make them one of the strongest clan in the world and did not need any other 'sacrifices'.
Of course, those not bearing the Uzumakis blood and chakra would not have enough to offer to the Shinigami to throw their souls back and will end up in its stomach for eternity, until they were released.
But now I knew how I ended up here, I had two things in my mind.
One: old Sasuke told me how Orochimaru freed the souls of the Hokage. In theory, if my seal represented the stomach of the Shinigami, if he were to wear that mask and cut his stomach open, the same thing would happen to me.
Two: a certain sentence gave me shivers. From what Mito-sama wrote herself, a friend of hers used that seal to save Tobirama Senju, the Nidaime, from being killed in battle. But she also wrote that 'the one who uses that seals will carry the weight of what should have happened to their close ones on their shoulders'.
Nice right? Just...wonderful.
But now something was clear.
I was selfish in my previous life.
Now was the time to be selfless.
"Hey midgets, how far are you in chakra control in class?" I asked them, reading on a branch of the tree in the backyard whereas they were both practicing calligraphy beneath me. It was summer and the weather was nice to make them work outside.
"We can stick leaves to our foreheads, why?" Came Sasuke's answer, who didn't even look at me. I ignored Naruto's mumbles on how he still could not do it.
"What about we stop fuinjutsu a little to discover you chakra nature?" That got their attention as they both looked up. I got down and sat in front of them. I raised a finger and the voice I used in class came out. "You are aware that in the elemental jutsu, you have five categories right?"
"Fire, Wind, Water, Earth and Lightning." Sasuke responded immediately whereas Naruto was completely lost.
"Yep. Because you can use the Fire Ball Jutsu, you have obviously a Fire affinity Sasuke, like all the Uchihas."
"So why do want to do it with him too?" Naruto asked with crossed arms and puffed cheeks. I pressed one and smirked when he pushed my hand.
"Well, you do not know this as you have not graduated yet, but one of the required thing to become a jōnin is to at least have two affinities. It is a very common thing. I've even heard that the Sandaime can use all five of them!"
"Jiji can do that!?" Naruto yelled with wide eyes whereas Sasuke did not seemed convinced. I smacked him on the head.
"Do not underestimate a Kage Sasuke. So, as I was saying, what if you knew what affinity you have? That will help you once you are genin." Sasuke's and Naruto's eyes lighted up at the prospect of learning new jutsu. "Okay, I need to get things first but I'll let you know when we will do that."
As soon as I said that, a Hyuuga appeared in the tree.
"Hey Ko, what's up?"
"Hiashi-sama requested your presence." He told me and left right away. Asshole. He didn't even apologize for intruding like that. It seemed like the legendary Hyuuga politeness didn't apply with me. Or he's hurt I made him play tag with Hinata to improve her Byakugan. Or because I made him hide a lot of stuff with me around the village to improve her Byakugan. He's like my reluctant assistant.
"Well, that's it for today children," I announced and stood up, stretching myself in the process. "I can't make them wait so behave until Itachi or your mom comes to pick you up Sasuke."
"I thought you were all coming over for dinner tonight?" I cursed under my breath. That's right, Mikoto-san had been bugging my mom for days to know when she would be free so that the three of us could come over for dinner.
"Right. Well, you both stay here and you don't open to strangers okay? You'll tell mom I'll join you there. Don't break anything!" I yelled as I put my shoes on and left, slamming loudly the door behind me.
Hum...the four hours I have per week with Hinata were done, so that was something else. I didn't like that, not at all. And I've been feeling sick all day. It was becoming a recurrent thing and it was just getting worse.
Just great.
I took a deep breath when the Hyuuga Compound came into view. I walked with confidence over the two guards, declined my identity and followed another Hyuuga. At my surprise, it was not at the Hiashi-san's house, or even in what I came to know was the Main House's quarters. We ended up in the middle of beautiful houses, but smaller.
Everything was the same, but smaller.
That was the Branch House's quarters.
We stopped in front of one of the biggest house and a servant opened the door. She rushed to a room, a bedroom, and I gaped at the sign in front of me. Oh, it was not the stern of Hiashi-san, or the old man who probably was his father next to him. It was the old man in the futon on the floor, and the Hyuuga seal on his forehead. Look, I knew how it looked like. It was green.
This one was crimson red. And it looked he was in pain. He was sweating streams and his face was frozen in a painful expression.
"I am no medic," I told them as I quietly walked forward. The elder shot me an icy glare but I could not care less. I had to keep a cool temper and not return his glare and say out loud what I was thinking. "what do you need me for?"
"I told you about about the cursed seal. We need you to check his." Hiashi-san instructed me as I kneeled next to the bedridden person. I put my left hand on his forehead and formed the tiger sign with the right one.
The cursed seal could destroy the brain cells. By frying them. They're kinsmen, but they treat the Branch Members as their dogs. And right now, I could feel that the seal destroyed too much. His brain was beyond repair, thus the crimson color it had taken.
I stopped my analysis and clenched my fist.
"That seal has been used for generations, hasn't it?"
"Yes, and we will keep using it." The elder answered gruffly. I did the best I could to not scowl and set my eyes on Hiashi-san instead, who seemed more open-minded.
"That man, is he important?"
"The Branch House elder."
"He's as good as dead."
I heard someone gasping but the only thing I saw was Hiashi-san painfully closing his eyes.
"The Branch House heads and elders, how closely related are they to the Main House?"
"Close."
"I know you know that this seal can destroy brain cells, but did you know that appending a seal, especially one like this, directly on the brain is synonym of slavery and is basically forbidden? That seal cannot be removed. When a seal is placed on a living being you need to make sure there is a way to remove it." I said coldly, trying my best to keep my anger from rising. I saw the elder opening his mouth and I beat him to it. "As I said to Hyuuga-sama before, I do not care about how this clan deals with his kekkai genkai. However, as the Seal Master that the Clan Head decided to call for this case, I need to be blunt with you. That seal is alienation, and I would not be surprise if, in the case of Branch members who are not closely related to the Main House, they would be like hypnotized when their duty are mentioned. When closely related, they can speak up their mind, even if after the seal is activated, they still have the freedom of thoughts."
"Please, Sasaki-san," Hiashi-san said, raising him arm to silence the elder, "explain us what you mean by it is 'forbidden'."
"Fine," I sighed and made myself more comfortable, "a seal is made of chakra. There is a rule that says that when a seal is placed on a living being, it must be linked to the chakra system of that being so that the two chakra mix. Placing a seal on an organ is extremely dangerous and not recommended as the chakra in the seal can slowly burn an organ. You can think of it as, when something is out of the oven, you need to put on a glove to avoid burning your hands. Right now, none of them have gloves on. Even if you don't do anything, the cursed mark is slowly burning their brain. That's why when a seal needs to be put on an organ, there is an extra layer fill with healing chakra that has to be recharged. Were there any Hyuuga who died of insanity?"
The lack of answer was enough to make me release an angry sigh. What recklessness, use a seal you do not know the full impact on the human body. I used my finger to point at the old man next to me.
"The seal must have turned that color to say that man has reached his limits. He's nothing more than a vegetable now."
I glanced at the entrance of the Uchiha compound with glassy eyes. They put the old man to sleep, there wasn't any other option at that point. But I didn't know why I let that touch me so much. A clan is family, but they still would treat them that way. I knew it was bad, but that...that was much worse than expected.
"What are you waiting for?" A stern voice asked behind me. I turned to see Fugaku-san standing there.
"I was lost in thoughts, sorry."
"Hn. Follow me."
And I did, staring thoughtfully at the ground.
"Fugaku-san, can I...ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"As a clan leader, the most important...is it to protect your dojutsu or your clan's members?" I asked in a quiet voice. I guess this old man's condition and to think he was not the first one increased my distaste of powerful clans.
"From your questions and how you look lost, I'm guessing you're returning from the Hyuuga compound?" He replied, not giving me an answer. I made a small noise confirming his conclusion and I heard him sigh. "I can't give an objective answer, as the sharingan disappears when an Uchiha dies unlike the Byakugan. But, for your own good, do not get involve between the problems of the Main and Branch Houses of the Hyuuga clan."
"That's my intention but...it doesn't mean it can't anger me."
"I have never said that." He said as we stopped in front of a huge house. Actually, I avoided the Uchiha district as much as I could. The Uchiha opened the door and muffled voices could be heard. "I'm home!"
"Ah, welcome back," Mikoto-san greeted him when she appeared in front of us. She smile warmly at me. "and hello to you Akane-chan. We were waiting for you two to arrive." She informed us wheres I muttered a quiet 'hello' while taking my shoes off. I followed them to their dinning room, where mom, Naruto, Sasuke and Itachi were already sitting. Fugaku-san, as the head of the family, sat alone on one side, whereas Sasuke and Mikoto-san were in front of mom and Naruto. Guess who was in front of Fugaku-san and next to Itachi? Yep, me.
The conversations started and were more animated than I thought they would be. The adults were talking between them, with Itachi's occasional interventions. I think that mom, having a better control over her temper than Aunty Kushina, had a better chance to get along with Fugaku-san anyway. And she was friend with Mikoto-san already. As for Naruto and Sasuke, they were calm. Even my cousin. Mom must have told him to behave.
However, I was spacing out for most of the meal. The truth behind the cursed mark of the Hyuuga and my body slowly telling me something was wrong exhausted me more than I thought.
"Akane-chan, do you want me to cook you something else? You barely touched your meal." Mikoto-san asked with worry, making everyone look at me. I gave her a faltering smile and was ready to answer but Fugaku-san beat me to it.
"She's probably just tired."
I nodded and ignored my mother's sharp eyes on me. And Naruto took that as a chance to steal half of my food. I rubbed my neck and stood up.
"I'm sorry but I'm going home. As Fugaku-san said, I'm exhausted and wish to have a reunion with my bed. Thanks for the hospitality and the food Mikoto-san." I bowed apologetically and walked away. I shoved my hands in my pockets once I was outside and stared at the ground. It was twilight already. I could feel nausea coming.
"I'm walking you home Akane-san."
I raised my eyes to notice Itachi walking next to me. I didn't feel him coming, when did I even feel him coming, and did not say anything. I just kept walking. For long and silent minutes where I could only think of a the wonderful meeting my face would have with my toilets once I was home.
"Something is really bothering you." Itachi stated next to me, not even glancing at me.
"What makes you think that?"
"I've been walking next to you for ten minutes away from your place and you didn't try to run away from me." He explained smoothly, stopping in the middle of trees. Oh, we were where Sasuke trained at his shuriken jutsu.
"Do you want me to run away now?"
"That was just an observation I made thanks to your usual behavior around me. I don't know what's bothering you but you should not keep it for yourself."
"I have to keep it for myself idiot, that's called confidentiality." I spat and frowned. Oh, I was losing my temper. Bad, bad move. His eye twitched, barely but I was it. "Oh, am I getting on your nerves now? Then don't stick your nose in my business!"
I was truly losing it and he frowned deeply. I turned away and started leaving but a kunai grazed my cheek. My eyes turned icy cold, what the Bloody Mist taught me resurfacing suddenly and I ran to him at full speed to punch him. He caught my fist, and if it was surprise I saw in his eyes, it disappeared as soon as it appeared.
I jumped back when his grip on my fist loosened up a little and went back at him, throwing punches and kicks at him. He blocked them. But as I went faster at him, he ended up using his sharingan to avoid my blows. As flattered I could be that Itachi thought I was an opponent worth his sharingan, it made me explode. This, would make him blind one day. Even though he probably hadn't awaken his Mangekyo Sharingan yet, it was too...
The Bloody Mist style taijutsu Yagura-sama taught me? I lashed it out on him. And it was not like the taijutsu taught in Konoha. I mean, in Kiri, Konoha-nin were called Konoha-softies. Because it's just so laughable a village that privileged team work when you're from a village that privileged success. And the success of a mission means to make sure no one is going to come back.
That's the Bloody Mist for you.
So it was logical my taijutsu was violent, brutal and aiming at the weak points of the human body. Joints, places where bones were not protecting the organs and the spots that could incapacitate your enemy, even just briefly. That was enough to kill. And Itachi noticed that, as he started to adopt an offensive posture.
I didn't know how, it was probably because my movements were unpredictable. Maybe it was because my brain wasn't responding anymore and that my body was acting on his own as if the sharingan was a deadly threat. But in any case, I had him cornered against a tree. I punched him in the face, only for my fist to hit the tree when he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
But my body kept going, punching the tree as hard as I could. My body was evacuating all the anger I had accumulated. Not just the one from the Hyuuga, but...I didn't know which one, but I was evacuating my anger and it felt good. I never lashed out like that against Kakashi-san during our spars.
"FUCK!" I screamed with one last blow and I rested my back against the tree, sliding along it to sit on the grass. Itachi approached me carefully after having witnessed the show and sat next to me.
"Are you feeling better now?" Ah, so that was his plan. Making me lose control.
"Yeah..." I mumbled quietly. I brought my knees close to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. Maybe now that he saw like that was the time for me to apologize. "I..."
"I don't know what you've seen today, but you should not let it bring back painful memories." He told me and stole a glance at me. I widened my eyes. Was it...what I was doing? But with wh...
Oh.
Oh.
The therapy was supposed to help me, but what the Hyuuga clan does to its Branch Members made me remember...my father. How he turned arrogant about his own capacities. How he thought he could be the one to bring peace during the war, even though he had already fled Kirigakure. How he was ready to kill anyone who could give away his secrets.
"I hadn't realized it...how did you..." I started and fought the lump in my throat.
"Yamanaka-san's therapy sessions...are harsh."
I would have never made the connection if our role were reversed. Itachi...he sees much more things in people than I thought.
"Thank you Itachi." I said softly, staring at the grass. "And I'm sorry. For being such a bitch to you all this time. You didn't deserve it." I shot him a quick glance and hid my face in my knees when I noticed his surprise face. And his surprise eyes staring at me. "You...you reminded me a lot of someone I lost a long time ago and..."
"So that was the reason then," he whispered softly and sighed, "I forgive you. Sasuke seems to really be fond of you and of what you teach him, I wanted to make sure you were trustworthy."
"How what just happened could help you with that?" I asked with curiosity as I raised my head.
"It showed me you had things you had to deal on your own. Now that...I mean..." Was...he struggling to find his words? "Shisui and you are friends...would it be okay if...if..."
"If we get to know each other?" I finished for him and he nodded sheepishly. He...really looked like the introvert teenager he was right now. It was weird. To see him without that facade he could have built. "You're really bad at human interaction, aren't you? Well, I did give you the impression I hated you so the way you're acting right now is quite logical." Was it a slight blush on his cheeks? "Okay, let's do this. I love cuckooflowers and I used to hate water when I was a kid. I was scared but someone knocked some sense into me. Well, I'm from the Land of Water, so you better fight your fear of water!"
"You're not from the Land of Fire?" He asked, dumbfounded.
"Nope. And you should bring me home because your plan made me even sicker."
He frowned and put his hand on my forehead, his other hand on his own. I closed my eyes. It was not because it was Itachi, or anything like that. But his hand was cold and it felt good.
"You're burning."
He created a clone, probably to tell mom, and the real one pulled me on my feet. I let out a gasp of surprise when he carried me bridal style.
"Itachi! Tell me beforehand if you do that!"
He shrugged and I rolled my eyes. Yep, that was what I thought.
I felt absolutely nothing for him. He was carrying me, I was close to him but nothing. Why? Because that, that was a kid. I fell in love with old Itachi through scars, pain and sadness. This one? Nothing. And I want it to keep it that way. Not because falling in love with him again repelled me that much, but I would make sure the scars that brought us together in my past life would stay mine only, and not his.
Right now, he was such a sweet kid.
He left me at my place and went home when my mom and Naruto came back. He asked me to rest.
Two days later I was admitted in the hospital, screaming bloody murder because I was burning from the inside.
Thanks for reading ! And feel free to leave reviews ! Thanks for the reviews, following and putting this story in your favorite.
nevvy: I'm glad you like the fighting scene ^^. There's tricky because, I'm used to write in French and there's always the question of 'will they understand what I mean?' And we have a long way to go if Itachi ever starts feeling things for her, but now they're on friendly terms! Isn't that awesome ?