I had walked past the empty Uchiha complex a thousand times, but after hearing Itachi's story I found myself staring in fascination at the abandoned buildings. The once prospering village had fallen victim to time and decay. It was late, the sun had long since set. Yet I could feel eyes watching me as I leaned against the wooden entrance trying to stop the whirlwind of thoughts that spiraled through my head. It was the only way I could save Sasuke. I killed my mother and father in our home...that was when Sasuke walked in to see the blood dripping from my blade. I tried to shake Itachi's velvet voice out of my mind. There was something about his words...something memorizing, and I found I could not stop myself from seeing the images they conjured up. I stared up at the slightly grey building, it sat in the middle of the whole complex, the same building that Sasuke walked in to find his parents dead. My chest tightened painfully making it increasingly difficult to breathe. I tore myself away from the decaying post and started off towards the woods. My muscles groaned in protest as I twisted through the air leaping from branch to branch. The feeling of being watch gradually lessened the farther I got from the Uchiha complex, and for that I was thankful.
When I got back to the hut Itachi was asleep huddled close to a crackling fire, I was mindful to keep a respectful distance between us. It was a far cry from the comforts of the Uchiha compound, but for now it provided shelter and a clever genjutsu placed by Itachi would keep us safe from unwanted visitors. It was a fair distance away from the village, but close enough to avoid any ninja from the other lands. It had been built by Sasuke and Naruto years ago during a rainstorm when we were training with Kakashi-sensei. I was thankful that all of them seemed to have simply forgotten about the little hut and had avoided it ever since. I cast a glance up at the tree I sat in while I watched those two brainless bulls try to actually work together. A smile found its way to my face, it was a nice memory, pure and untainted. Even though it was nothing spectacular I was thankful for the shelter that it provided. I sat huddled by the fire, each crackle set my teeth on edge. I stared at Itachi over the yellow flames, his shaking shoulders let me know that he was still breathing.
I was exhausted from our previous healing sessions, my chalkra did not have the opportunity to replenish before I had to begin again. I could sense his weakened chalkra, as he struggled for each breath he took. I knew that if I did not continue to heal him that he would die, perhaps more peacefully than he deserved. Something deep in my gut was screaming at me that he deserved to die...again. I did not realize that I had slipped my hand onto the hilt of the kunai blade until I was unsheathing it.
It was unusually heavy in my hand as I approached his still form. He was a man that had caused so much pain and unnecessary suffering, he had murdered women and children. What right did he have to live when he had taken the life of so many others? My hand began to sweat uncontrollably as I struggled to get a powerful grip on the blade. My mind was clear of all ration and irrational thought, all that remained was the deafening noise of static. With a shaking hand I raised the kunai and drove it deep into Itachi's throat, his voice only came out as erratic garbles. He thrashed around for a few moments more before he finally gave in and stopped moving. The fire reflected off of his beautifully deadly feature now marred with crimson. His long Raven black hair spilled over his shoulder, revealing a face that was too familiar for comfort . For an instant Sasuke was there staring back at me with hallow eyes. What had I done? I was no better than him now. One final time I took the kunai blade and sunk it into my own chest...right into the heart. I collapsed nect to Itachi's lifeless body. What a sight we would be when they found us.
A strong burst of pain made me shoot my eyes open as I came face to face with Itachi. My breathing was so erratic that I suppose it must have awoken him from his sleep. A dream...that was all it was...it meant nothing. Although a tiny voice in my mind would not let me forget the image it left behind. The freedom I felt when I saw Itachi's bleeding form, the relief. I shook my head, he was innocent. No matter how hard it would be for me to prove it, no matter what I had to sacrifice, I would. My eyes snapped up to the warm curve of his jaw, my nose was over powered with the smell of earth and fire that clung to him like a second skin. The bandage was once again firmly tied around his eyes, yet somehow I still felt as though he was watching me.
"If you are going to kill me, then let it be quick," I did not realize till now the pain that woke me up was Itachi's wrist crushing my own. In my hand I held a kunai blade, I suppose I must have grabbed it in my sleep. To my surprise he slowly brought my hand up to his neck, so that the tip was pressed firmly against his flesh.
"Let me go, I am not going to kill you. We are here to save your brother," I ripped my hand from his iron grasp, a look of disappointment quickly passed his features. In that moment I wanted to slap him for being so selfish, yet I knew he never acted without just cause. I brought my hand up to touch his cheek, but I was met with nothing but thin air. I spun around to find the actual Itachi looming over the doorway, a smirk graced his lips. Was it a test? And more importantly had I passed?