AN: this chapter has been un beta'd because I'm not sure if my current person will still do it so…. Os oh well enjoy and R&R.
italics: english
Bold: memories or flashback
normal: Japanese
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There's so much I've done wrong,
since I've left it hit me so strong,
take my hand and let's
walk through all the times I've lied and hurt you,
those people,
please love them, don't hate
them, we're not above them,
you can have everything but have nothing.
Listen I've got to tell
you something…
-Last words: Thousand Foot Crutch
With that I made a sharp downward movement and we melted in the shadows around the kitchen. We all arrived on the second floor where I told everyone to keep an eye on for the upcoming year and then some if that time were to come in the near future. " Sasuke I want you to watch the two twins, Sakura I want you to watch the girls, Itachi and I will switch between Ron and Harry. I want you all to watch them everywhere they go, including-"
I broke off and looked towards the stairs where the mother of the red heads walked up with an uncertain look. "If you all are hungry there's plenty of food to share with you guys." And with that she scampered off without a second look back to see if we were following her.
"if you're hungry you can go I guess. I'm gonna go and try it. Itachi can you put our stuff in a couple of empty rooms, and put a blood seal on the doors. We'll have to share it'll make it easier to go in shifts when the time comes. Then you can eat if you want to." I dug my hand into my pocket and grabbed my iPod turning it on to Institutionalized by Amery AWOL Smith. Walking down the stairs and back to the kitchen. I didn't know where to sit so I just stood in the door way, waiting for somebody to realize I was there. But what the hell I didn't expect them to realize that I was there that quick.
"Dear, why don't you sit there next to Harry and I'll get a plate together for you. Are any of your…err…friends coming down."
I looked at her and I was like what the fuck does she think that we're friends. But I realized that for someone who doesn't live in Konoha it may seem like that. "Yes I think so. Thank you Weasley for the meal." As I finished talking Itachi and Sakura came down and sat down between me and Harry. I was glad that Sakura had decided to sit there, because I swore to Kami I was going to snap the boys neck.
"Where's Hebi?"
"He's asleep. Whatever he hit, he hit it pretty hard, and it took a lot out of him, so I'm not sure when he's going to wake up Taicho."
"Fine. Arigato."
Damnit. I can't explain it but something feels off. I make a mental note to talk to Sakura about it after dinner. Sakura grabs the forks with the traditional greeting before digging in. Everyone starts to make small talk but they're all avoiding us, which is good I guess, because Tsunade was right, we're here for a mission, not to make friends. But the conversation seems to stop as I reach for my mask to pull it off. A slight nudge against my side brought my attention to my second in command.
" Are you sure you want to do that captain?" Itachi's whispered.
" I don't think it will matter, Tsunade told us we didn't have to show up in uniform so that means that we won't have to worry about them in the near future, so feel free."
I pulled the mask off, ignoring the gasps and blushes. Pulling it off I felt it rustle my already tussled hair, making it slight worse, not that it mattered. It had grown out a lot over the years, it just barely reached past my shoulder and the only short spots were close to my face where I had run into contact with a rouge nin a couple of mission back with my old team, Team 8 or Team Onizuka. I place it face up so that the paint wouldn't scratch off, nor would the mask be destroyed.
"My god you guys sure as hell don't look like your over 20. I'm Sirius and this is well.. my home I guess you could call it. Sorry I wasn't exactly paying attention earlier, I was still in shock, what were your names again?" The man was a haggard man that looks like he hadn't seen sun in years. He had a scraggly beard with slightly matted hair, his clothes were ragged but still looked comfortable. He seemed decent enough I guess, I felt in a way that the client was somehow linked to him, so it was wise if we at least gained some trust, Sakura seemed to be doing pretty well. They all looked decent enough, till they thought that they were being threatened.
Bowing slightly with my head, I answered with a slight smile, "I'm Fox, and the one on my left is Slug, while the one on my right is Itachi. Snake will not be joining us tonight."
"Interesting what's with the animal names? I mean, you know, not to be nosey or anything."
Taking deep thought into what I was going to say I paused before saying, " When you reach our ranks that is when you can get a name like ours."
"Interesting. Well welcome." With that he turned to the two look a likes that were sitting next him and jumped into a conversation with them.
The girl, Hermione, was the one we had to worry about. She had a tendency to be nosey. "So what rank is that?"
"That rank, which is none of your business, but if you must know, the second highest rank we have."
"And what's the first on?"
Sparing her a glance before diving into my food ignoring her. Jeez I don't think I've met anyone so nosey. And she won't stop pressing the subject. Sensing my chakra lever increase, Sakura along with Itachi glanced at me, before looking at the girl.
"Listen… Hermione right," with a nod Sakura continued, " When we came here we said that we wouldn't be any of your friends. Well, where we're from, asking questions like that is a bit personal insinuating that you want to be our friends. But," Sakura started.
"We also don't have a right to give out such information. We are here to only do our job. Besides we know your past. And we know our captains'. He doesn't have a lot of patience when it comes to something's. Besides you don't wannna have someone find your mangled broken body somewhere. So just lay off the questions. 'K?" Itachi finished in a slightly quieter voice then Sakura.
Visibly shaken she nodded her head yes and started a conversation with Harry and Ron.
"There wasn't a need to scare her Itachi."
All I got was a shrug, and in return I turned the music back up to high listening to Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park.
When this began, I had nothing to say,
and I get lost into the nothingness inside me,
I was confused,
and I let it out to only find that I'm not the only person with these things in mind,
Inside of me, but although they could see the words were real.
Kami it felt so good just to lose myself in the music. The music was the only escape in this world. The only thing that made it worth trying any more. The beats, the complicated mix of loud and soft the only thing that kept me walking one in front of the other. It made some of the lies easier to deal with, lies that I had to deal with on a daily basis. Damn Tsunade, because of her I have to baby sit some runt that I gennin could take down easily. I stood up ignoring the slight twitch of my team, waiting for my command, the command that I didn't want. Laughter filled my head. The mocking laughter that made me try only that much harder. The civilians in the room glanced in our direction, when my team had twitched. I motioned to my team to stay an turning to the red headed woman, Mrs. Weasley, I thanked her. My voice wasn't normal showing the craziness that was happening in my head. The sudden deep pitch of a growl mixed into the high pitch of someone who puts up a front so that they don't have to see the feelings that one was going through. I turned and walked up the stairs.
You love the way I look at you,
While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through,
You take away, when I get there,
I look into the two rooms, looking for my stuff, and I found it in the second bedroom with Itachi's stuff separated onto two different beds.
You love the things I say I do,
The way I hurt myself again just take it back at you,
You take away when I give in
My life my pride is broken.
I undressed, going to bed, Itachi should be able to take care of things for now. I decide that it's too hot for a shirt so I just decided to dress in a pair of long pants that went well past my feet, but at the same time extremely comfortable. Walking next door to the room, that Sakura and Sasuke was sharing I checked up on him before turning in, he looked bad I guess. Not only was the time difference pretty big, but that was a heavy hit, plus the momentum. I turn around to walk back the way I came, when I heard whimpering coming from his bed. Looking back he was tossing and turning saying over and over again, "No. Please don't, I'm begging you please stop." I then walked out of the room ignoring his cries of protest that was filling the room. I walked back to Itachi and mine's room, only to find the ugliest creature standing there going through our stuff and poking around muttering things under his breath.
Turning my music down I could hear him muttering, "Oh my poor mistress, if she knew the scum they've let in her house, what would she say to poor Kreacher, oh the shame of it, Mudbloods and werewolves and traitors and thieves, poor old Kreacher, what can he do…"
"I believe you have no right going through our stuff, now do you?" I asked in a cold voice towards him.
He turned around and he was even uglier in the front then in the back. He had large eyes that didn't seem proportionate to his body, his nose stuck out very far, with hair growing out of his nose and huge animal like ears, he a grey skin that had layers and layers of wrinkles with a filthy cloth wrapped around his torso. His feet along with his eyes also didn't seem proportionate for something so small. He again started to mutter under his voice again, this time faster and faster muttering things that I couldn't catch. That's when I noticed that he had something in his hand. A long chain, with a brilliant blue for the stone that caught the light even in the dingy light, surrounding the stone were two balls that kept the stone in place. The Hokage herself gave it to me when I had won the childish bet. My eyes wondered in horror before my hand automatically reached for my throat, and not to my surprise I noticed that it wasn't there. I walked to the bed and dropped my mask, and reached for the precious chain. The damn thing actually backed away with an uncertain look in his eye. Before he had a chance to run, I lunged at it.
He screamed this high pitch scream as I tried to rip the thing from his hand. Taking a break from his screaming he bit my hand causing a torrent of blood to pour forth from it. Tired of trying to rip it from him, I wrapped a hand around his neck, and grabbed a kunai from the holster that was sitting on the bed. This caused him to thrash around in horror, causing things to fall off the bed. I heard two different sets of footsteps running up the stairs. One set faster than the others.
"Captain!"
I don't know why but the fact that the chain wasn't around my neck angered me so much that I didn't know what to do and I just lost myself into the redness that was enveloping myself. I was so close to killing him, I wanted to feel his blood run down my hands, and I wanted his lifeless eyes to stare at me in horror; to realize at the last minute that you don't fuck with me. And when it involved killing I got my wish most of the time. Laughter filled my ears, and I knew that what was happening wasn't really me. Sure I was mad as hell, but was I mad enough to kill someone? Picking him up by the throat I throw him through the door way and tossed the kunai so that it pinned his cloth to the wall. His body made a sickening crunch indicating I had either broken something or shattered it. Before I closed the door, I grabbed the chain from his hand and closed the door. Out of the corner of my eye my team was looking at me in an unidentified expression. Even Sasuke had woken up from all of the noise. Ignoring them I walked back to the room, and closed the door.
I went to go play my iPod, but only to find out that the battery was dead. Damn that would only make the night that much harder to deal with. Here comes another sleepless night that would always bring the tormenters.
I slowly drifted off, and I don't know how long that was, but I began to wake up when a steady dripping noise startled me awake. But for my entire 20 years I have recognized this noise and have grown to despise it with all my heart.
An annoying laughter rang throughout the surrounding area. The laughter disturbed the still water causing ripples to form everywhere.
"boy. What seems to be the problem? Didn't you get what you wanted," cruel laughter filled the area. Mocking cruel laughter that made me what I am. What made the village hate me so. "Your such a weakling boy. Hmmm let's see what I can do just to push you any farther. Hmmm maybe this memory."
Suddenly the worst thing happened. He brought up my suppressed memories. The ones that were meant to stay there.
"No," I yelled while running. Laughter was everywhere I looked. People were chasing an running after me for no reason. I turn left only to get cut off in an alley way behind a clothes store.
"Demon-child! You're going to pay for what you did to my family. You're never going to survive this village. We will make sure of it," huffed a man that had a twisted scarred face, leered above me.
"Don't please! What have I done to you to deserve this."
More cruel laughter filled the air. Surrounding me. Enveloping me. Why was asking the same question every time. Every month and day and year. Why? That just seems to be the question of my life right now. My question went unanswered as it has been for the past 7 years. The pain was the same. The same bruising biting screaming pain. Pain that wouldn't leave right away. Blackness came, and I welcomed it with open arms. The darkness was my savior.
Suddenly hands shook me awake. I realized that I was yelling which was being muffled by the pillow that I had laid my head down on.
"Captain. Come on wake up." A voice that I had recognized as Itachi's.
Waking up I look to see that the pillow was drenched in sweat. Itachi was sitting on the bed next to my head, shaking me, with a worried look marring his expression. Faint peals of laughter still fill my head, mocking me forever more.
"Captain? Are you ok?"
"Yah I think so. What time is it?"
"Around three in the morning I was about to wake you up for your shift. Are you sure your all right, cause truth be told you look like shit."
Huh wouldn't I know. My whole life was shit. But hell I bet his was too. Damnit all to hell. "I'll take the shift, go to bed and I'll see you at breakfast. How's Sasuke doing?"
Here is where Itachi paused and looked worry. " I think we may have to send him back. Mind wise he's ok I guess. I think the shock of the past few months are catching up with him. That and a few other things. I doubt that me coming back was helpful any. Plus the whole Orochimaru issue. Captain…. Naruto I don't think he's mentally stable right now. I think we made need someone else and send him back home. Earlier he was restless and mumbling in his sleep. I think the only time he woke up was earlier when you … went after the creature."
I had figured out as much. But damn that made things complicated.
Growling I stand up, and go for my bag. Reaching inside I feel the smooth stone that was resting atop of my clothes. I reached for it and picked it up. I stare at its wonderful hue of blue thinking of the world that it has seen and how it has changed. Sighing I place it on my bed and turned to Itachi. But much to my slight embarrassment, I realized that he was starting to undress and had nothing on except for his ANBU pants showing off a nice lean and slightly muscled chest and stomach. There were very few scars blemishing the milky white skin. His arms weren't over muscular nor were they ropey. They had just enough muscle to show his years as a ninja.
A stirring down south brings my attention back to earth and I notice that I wasn't the only one checking someone out. I was even more turned on by the fact that it was like I could feel his eyes taking off the rest of my clothes. Not that I had much on except for a my pants and under that I had nothing else. When his eyes finally reached mine we both blushed slightly and looked away. We were on a mission and that meant we couldn't get sexually involved. But that didn't mean we couldn't stare. I grabbed my outfit for the day including my belts.
Damn this was not the time to start trying to get frisky with my second in command when we had a mission on hand. I jump in the shower to take a quick cold one to get rid of the raging hard on I was supporting. After a few minutes the shower wasn't helping so I just decided to help myself. Wrapping a hand around the tender skin I slowly pull my hand from the shaft all the way up to the head. Hissing I kept moving my hand up and down picturing Itachi. The way he looked and smelled. Almost there I picture Itachi giving me the blowjob of the century. The feeling that raced through me on my orgasm was extremely breathtaking. Stream after stream flew out and hit the bathroom floor.
Damn that felt fucking overwhelming. I grab my soap and rubbed soap all over in a quick rushed manner so that I could get on duty. Getting dressed I didn't bother with putting on all the belts and decided to just let the pants rest on my hips. This was the second day here and I was already getting used to the layout. I walked around occasionally hearing a whisper coming from one of the pictures about filthy Mudbloods and such.
An hour passed and I was bored out of my mind . I grabbed my iPod out of my holster on my thigh and turned it up about half way so that I could still hear whatever was going on around me. I heard creaking and went to go and see what it was only to find out it was the creature that I had threatened. I went up the stairs and checked in each room. I heard rustling from one room and tapped softly so that when I did go in I wouldn't scare anyone. The door opened only to reveal the mother of the red heads dressed and heading down the stairs.
"Yes dearey? Is there something I can help you with?
"Just checking to make sure everyone is alright. Are you heading down stairs?
"Yes why?"
"Doesn't matter. Just doing my job."
With that I went to each room and stuck my head in if it didn't sound like there was someone in the room. Everyone except Potter seemed to be sleeping soundlessly. He kept muttering something about Voldemort. Taking my leave I head up to the next floor where the others were sleeping. At the top of the stairs, where the rest were. After a quick look in each rooms I headed up the last flights of stairs. I heard a snuffling crunching noise coming from a room on the left. Taking precaution, I walked into the room after grabbing a kunai from my holster. The sight that met my eyes was not really expected at all.
Inside was an animal that resembled a horse with wings. The body was a dark grayish white with speckles of lighter grey. Looking down at where the hooves were suppose to be were talons that looked like they could rip the human body apart. His head had an extremely sharp beak that looked like it could also do some serious damage too. Folded around his sides where what looked like wings.
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The morning we got the ok to send Sasuke back to get someone else I went to go wake him up as everyone else was getting together. Again he was mumbling in his sleep but this time it wasn't about Orochimaru as it was the last time. He was mumbling what sounded like an apology for leaving. That in the end he didn't want to. He was trying to make a friend happy. To make him realize something but that it didn't turn out that way. He had just stayed and now he doesn't want to leave. To cause hurt again like last time.
Shocked I stumbled backwards. Bringing back way to many memories. The memory of what Sasuke had truly made me and the hearts he had broken.
Here he was again. The man that had betrayed me and the village. This was the man that had a piece of my heart and was deciding on how to break it. He was standing with two others; there was a time when it was four but Juugo died. It was the girl and the one that seemed almost impossible to kill. they were standing behind Sasuke just like in a way everyone else was standing behind me. Sakura and Sai were closer then Kakashi and Jariya just slightly behind Sakura and Sai.
"Naruto."
"Sas- Uchiha."
Hurt flashed across his face, before it was quickly hidden again. He must have realized that after the last recent failure of retrieving him I had given up hope. Now I could care less about the heartless bastard. Under Hokage orders were my team only here. We were ANBU and this was our job.
"Sasuke Uchiha we are hereby required to bring you into the council to serve justice. After receiving your letter at 800 hours yesterday morning the fifth Hokage, Tsunade along with the council required my team to bring you in at all costs. Preferably alive. Will you come?"
"What the hell Sasuke! You can't leave us," Karin was close to tears. "We had all become close during our travels together. Why are you going to just leave and throw us all away? Especially for someone who gave up searching for you?"
"Your right but for searching for Itachi for almost four years I've decided that I was going to go back home. I'm sorry guys I really am." With that he turned and looked them in the eyes.
The two of them were extremely hurt but it wasn't Karin that told him something else.
"If you're so sorry then, why the hell give us the impression you cared. Tell me. No tell us why we deserve that much."
"because they were originally family. I can just hope that the will accept me back."
I didn't know what the hell to say or do I was just there. I was mad because I knew in reality he cared more for Team Hebi then he did for Team Seven. The bastard is the one that made me as I am. He's the one that made me so cold, and made me turn my back on my friends that in a small way cared. Even if their dislike was stronger than their caring it was still there.
"Uchiha?"
"Naruto, why won't you accept him. I think we should give him a chance. Please for the team and if not the team or you for me, please I really need this." Her bright green eyes glistened and became watery, before overflowing and falling down her eyes. Looking in her eyes I knew that forgiving wasn't up to me anymore. I had made up my mind a while ago. But she hadn't and she wanted this opportunity to be able to do it.
"Uchiha we need to go."
During the whole exchange Sai was quite. He only knew Sasuke from his file and didn't know him enough to say anything. Except for one thing. "Sasuke Uchiha I would like to thank you for leaving. Because had you not left I wouldn't have the best people on my team. They have opened my eyes to many things that are foreign but now aren't just because they care and helped me. Thank you."
I turned to go as the signal to leave.
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When we reached a clearing, I dropped down and walked to a rock sitting down taking a deep breath. It seemed like every second I was with Sasuke it seemed as if I was getting madder and madder and the laughing wasn't really helping any. "Sakura can you please grab some wood. Sai can you get some food."
Their sharp yes's filled the air. I finally looked up to see that Karin and the other guy, who's name I hadn't bothered learning were still following us. They along with Sasuke, Kakashi and Jariya were all staring at me. Kakashi started to walk around getting the camp together and setting up the tents. One for the girls and two for the guys.
Without looking up I questioned Sasuke. "Do you really know where Itachi has been these past years? Do you know anything about what has happened these last few years?"
Silence filled the air answering my questions for me. And I didn't like the answer.
"You know a lot of us have changed. We all grew up and in a way forgot about you. We remember you and what you did. But we forgot about you. We moved on. We all got a life. Sakura used to be so hung up on you it was driving me crazy you just don't know. She moved on and now you won't believe who she's dating. Everyone forgot about little angsty Uchiha. We are all in a small way happy now that we have given up our pointless dream. We have fallen in love and buried loved ones. Who are you to just drop off some letter saying meet me in some clearing and I'm ready to come back. What if we don't want you to come back."
Looking up the clearing was a blur as my tears pooled in my eyes. As they fell I saw that Uchiha was crying too.
"Naruto," he started in uncertainty, "You changed. Where is my sun, my friend, my brother?"
Looking at him I stated it in the only way that I could. " He died after we met up at Orochimaru's hideout. This is the new me. The new team 7. And just get use to it." I walked up to him and looked him in the eyes, before reaching my hand up and wiping away his tears, only to have more fall.
It was true when he refused to come back he had killed what was left of his sun. And I don't think that it was going to come back. Because of him, he had taken what had made me who I am. I was a weakling. So I trained and trained and rose my way through the ranks. I was perfectly happy with my current team. This was just a mission and I couldn't let it get mixed up with my personal feelings.
Wiping away a tear that had ran to the corner of his mouth I remembered what had almost been. But now it wasn't and in a way I was happy I had found someone new and a lot better. I turned and walked to one of the tents that was already prepared not caring who else was to bunk. I didn't care about anything right now. I just wanted life to go back to its shitty lifestyle again. In a way I missed the comments and the stares of hate. This mission made me welcome them more in a way. I feel into a restless sleep thinking about the past and what was going to happen in the future.
Morning came and someone was nudging me awake. Looking over I saw that it was Kakashi. I was glad I only had to bunk with Jariya and Kakashi and none of the others.
"Naruto are you going to tell him about Itachi?"
"I haven't decided yet. I know I should but I might just leave it to Itachi himself."
"I don't mean that. But yah that's important. I mean are you going to tell him that … you are now in a relationship with his brother."
I didn't answer and just got dressed not bothering to leave the tent. After sliding on the black clothing I looked up at Kakashi, "Yes. I'll tell him, I just don't know when.
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At the Konoha west gate, our two groups went our separate ways. We watched Uchiha say goodbye to his new friends that he had made. It hurt to know that Sakura didn't get the same good bye. It hurt to just see that they understood why he was doing what he did. Sakura and I would have said the same thing…right?
I turned a cold shoulder and waited for everyone to say good bye so that we could walk to the Hokage tower. I heard a whispered conversation obviously not meant for my ears but heard none the less.
"Naruto… how much has he changed? In all the time we were a team I don't think I have ever seen him so made in my life."
"Sasuke," Sakura stated in an unsure voice, "A lot has changed in the time that you were gone from here. Naruto has changed a lot. He's quieter. Harsher. He's cold. He doesn't trust just anyone any more. I think that he only trusts his ANBU team more than us his friends. All because of what had happened. He doesn't have any dreams. He is now truly living the shinobi definition. He is nothing more than a tool for Konoha. No more than someone who does the dirty work that no one else will do at the time. So yes in short he has changed we all have. We had no other choice but move on after you made it perfectly clear that you didn't want to come back. Personally all I want to know is why come back now? What's the point?"
"At first it was because I missed him. When he stopped searching, I figured he was just bidding his time and training. But now that I think about it, I guess he just moved on, I guess he forgot about me. Truth be told I had thought that you all would welcome me with open arms because in my mind you two were still the same gennins that I remember. But also after almost three years looking for Itachi I realized that, I can't live my life the way I'm doing it now. I just wanted a new life," Sasuke stated.
"So basically you thought we were all going to just drop everything for you and make sure you comfortably left off. Well Sasuke I'm sorry to say this but your wrong. I'm going to tell you this now, but this will most likely be the last time that you will probably ever see me or Naruto. Hell this will probably be the last time I will ever see Naruto. I owe him so much but most importantly I owe him a thanks. For all the times he saved my life."
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To be continued
AN: ok so hopefully this has quelled a little bit of dark-kitsune-chan's hopes of ItaNaru. Sorry it's a bit late. But with school starting soon I haven't had a chance of doing much. Umm to answer the other half of dark-kitsune-chan's question of how Sasuke returns well I'm not sure yet. Lol. Hopefully this little bit will help answer a little bit. The reason I stopped here is because I really wasn't sure on how to finish this. If you have any ideas or want to help me with it just email me at:narugaa. narutachi gmail .com just take the space's out.
