Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in it.
XVI.
Jakushi always thought living in the house of the noblest Uchiha was like living in one of these mansions her mother used to tell her stories about as a little. Whether it be legends of a princess, captured in a magical palace or just a fairy tale court, bound by a spell, she had formed a rather pompous vision of this house in particular and it wasn't that far from the reality.
When she was little, she used to trail behind Sakura as they both followed Sasuke to his house. Now that she thought about it, Sakura really was crazy back then, never knowing when to stop.
In her child years, Uchiha's house was enveloped in mystery. As a part of an ordinary family, she spent an awfully lot of time imagining how exciting it would've been if she had been a member of a noble clan. Aburame sent chills down her spine if she had to be honest. Having insects under the skin didn't quite create a pleasant picture in a child's head.
Hyuga were unreachable and powerful beyond her imagination. Always somehow too high and with a strange prideful aura around them, wherever they showed up. That's why she didn't like them much. Akimichi were the clan who was the most pleasant company. At least that was the impression Jakushi was left with every time she talked with their members. As for Uchiha, there wasn't a living person that wasn't interested in them.
They were of high birth and with right feared, for the incredible power that was at their disposal. While little, Jakushi often asked herself the question how a clan with purely martial inclination and so much potential, born through a person with an immeasurably destructive wrath, still existed and had not met its end by now? She read and listened to stories about Indra Otsutsuki, considered the progenitor of Uchiha. His character was more used for edification than else. Playing with fire was this clan's specialty and Jakushi was not in the least surprised when that same fire destroyed it in the end.
Before the massacre, Uchiha awoke the interest of many, including hers. The fact that the clan lived in their own district, barely accepted others, established marriages strictly among the members of the Uchiha and shared almost nothing with the rest of the village represented a rather odd way to live for Jakushi. When she and Sakura succeeded in secretly slinking in the district and getting close enough to the home of the noblest family, something in the view always captivated her. There was something elegant and aristocratic in the architecture of it and deep in her heart, she had always wanted to peek inside. Just out of curiosity.
When the massacre happened, no one said another word about Uchiha. The clan transformed into a name in a history of great warriors whose curse brought them to their own demise. And Sasuke... he was like a ghost of a time passed and forgotten. Showing up in front of everyone as a proof that all the stories were once, after all, true.
One way or the other, Jakushi stopped visiting that part of the city long ago. She had no idea that after more than a decade her wish finally would come to pass. She felt naively special once she found herself within a room for guests, intended to be hers for the days she was to spend in the house. Jakushi let her father know, of course, but he acquired the strangest expression when that happened. An expression she'd never seen before on his face in relation to her or any of her decisions. Something like heavy concern. Never before took him so much time to allow her something, which made her think more thoroughly about it.
Her father had lived within a time in which Uchiha's main family was honored and watched upon with veneration, unreachable just as much as the Hyuga. Hajikata still had prejudices toward Uchiha and their position and that was the reason he made his decision was so hard to make. What she was about to do so casually was practically impossible back in his time. But the mentioning of Sakura in the equation softened his worry a bit and he agreed, although reluctantly.
Despite the tranquility, the silence and comfort, Jakushi could not sleep and spent most of the time in thinking, as she usually did with the nights of the sort. She thought about lots of the questions in her head, even about a ridiculous one such as how marvelously Sakura did with the housework. She was definitely going to be a worthy mistress of the house and she sure fit quite nicely. Jakushi almost smiled at the imaginary sight in her head - Sakura, carrying Uchiha's symbol upon her t-shirt, disheveled hair, making breakfast at the spacious kitchen they spent hours in that morning. Тhe happiest girl in the world. She deserved it, for all the years of waiting.
Jakushi had to admit, wandering through these corridors and empty rooms had its distracting effect. Horrible things had happened between the walls of this household, she knew. But time, it seems, had frozen and Jakushi was not frightened by the thought. Only curious.
Fusuma, the wide panels seemingly painted by hand, were everywhere and absolutely breathtaking. As much as they appeared old, she found them incredibly beautiful. Her palms traced not one of the paintings. White laurel, cherry blossoms and something dark violet which she couldn't discern on the pale moonlight.
It was all so fascinating for her that she lost track of time. The perfection of every detail was absorbing and she strayed, in a dreamlike condition and when she finally snapped out of it, the sun was already rising and she was forced to return to her room earlier than she wanted to.
It was hard to part with that mystical feeling she had acquired in the meantime, scrutinizing the paintings in a silent reverence like an archeologist who had stumbled across a relic. Moreover that she rarely had the opportunity to delight in observing or creating art, currently occupied with the position of a shinobi. The dark hours of the night were, however laughable that statement was, most fitting for an art of any kind. It was quiet, calm and beautiful.
A few hours later, Jakushi and Sakura ate their sandwiches, sitting on the grass next to a tree. Jakushi held a shield around the two of them because apparently Itachi and Sasuke weren't going to let them have a lunch in peace, demolishing a great area of the forest with their training. After an indefinite amount daggers and shuriken hissed around the two of them, some of which hit the tree, Jakushi raised her shield with a shake of her head.
"They'll slaughter each other. Be sure to keep some chakra in store." Sakura looked at her, heavy annoyance written on her face. "Soon we'll have to heal burns."
The rumble of two titanic forces wasn't that impressive, in fact, it grew more and more irritating with the time. Sakura just couldn't stand it anymore. Actually, what she was truly concerned about came quickly to Jakushi's mind. No one who went up against Itachi came out unharmed, that was what has been and probably will be. And Sasuke wouldn't give up so easily. Anyway, just as they both thought the fight's about to end, Naruto showed up from behind and decided to join in immediately.
"See ya later." He winked at them.
"Don't you dare!" Sakura shouted, standing up to stop him but he was already far, quickening the pace to a run.
"I bet you'd beat at least two out of three if you go." Jakushi couldn't help but laugh.
"You bet I will." Sakura sat back next to her friend, frowning. "Although Uchiha are born to wage war and understand its nature perfectly. And Naruto controls his power for as long as he can remember. The only one who acquired everything subsequently is me so I'd conclude it's best I remain in the medical department for now."
She started plucking the grass next to her feet.
"Who will heal if we all jump into a fight? I, at least, think before waving my fists..."
"I will." Jakushi smiled. "And Ino. Don't expect a process of thinking from individuals born to wage war."
"Yeah, if I am to search for it, I'd rather head to Nara."
"Well, actually, Itachi is not to be underestimated." Jakushi narrowed eyes, noticing something vividly orange in the distance.
"He is a genius. Doesn't really fit into the category of normal people."
"If that will calm you down, I'm normal. And I have no special powers." Jakushi winked at her.
"You always make me feel better." Sakura chuckled and enveloped her knees with hands.
After the ground quaked once again and both rested in silence for a while. Jakushi couldn't remain indifferent to the inquisitive looks Sakura cast her way, piercing through her every minute.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Care to explain what's going on?" Sakura parried with another question.
At least the rumble stopped. Jakushi sighed. They were probably done already.
"There's nothing to explain."
Sakura furrowed, opening a brief pause between them.
"I thought about the nightmares you said you're having a while ago. The black bird?"
"Yes. It looks like I found it." Jakushi raised her eyes to her.
"That's what I'm worried about. Your nightmares don't stop."
Jakushi raised a brow.
"How do you know about this?"
"You passed by the kitchen last night, didn't you? During hours in which people usually sleep."
"I'm sorry I woke you up." Jakushi averted her gaze and both sunk in a longer silence.
Sakura took a breath sharply.
"Please think rationally for a moment. Something is happening and we don't know what. Did you notice the unusual rise of patients in the hospital? It's getting worse."
"That probably has nothing to do with me. Or-"
"Too great of a coincidence to be accidental."
"And? What should I do?"
Sakura was half-scared, half-worried and opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the presence of the other three, approaching.
Jakushi was completely aware of what Sakura meant to tell her. But she couldn't just tear apart, forget or feel nothing. Although everything inside her alerted with red light. Something really wasn't right. Except for the nightmares, lately, she received these strange flashes. After it happened for the third time, she realized it wasn't exactly her vision, it was something else.
The problem resided in the fact that the three of these flashes occurred when she was close to a person in particular. Whatever it was, it was connected with him. What if she was blind to the truth? What if she turned into a weapon of mass destruction without her even knowing? Uchiha were the gods of illusion and she had fallen in love with one.
Jakushi swallowed the rising fear within her and tried to not focus on that for the moment. Perhaps the problem wasn't Itachi, she hoped it isn't. Because she had waded in the deep already, too attached to admit it. Everything about him made her so happy.
Judging from the view, Sasuke had the worst wounds, after him Naruto, less injured. And Itachi was almost untouched, apparently gotten off lightly. Except for the few burns on the hands, there was one vertical cut below the ribs. The line was so precise that Jakushi identified the cause right away. Steel blade. Only katanas sliced that way.
"What happened, did Sakura muddle with your head?" Itachi asked with a smile and sat on the grass next to the girls.
"Shut up." Sasuke hissed.
Jakushi shifted silently and hugged him from behind, careful with the wounded places on his skin.
"Breathe." She warned in his ear through a quiet chuckle, feeling how he blocked every movement, freezing every time someone neared him that much. It was partly sad, partly sweet. It seemed like he wasn't going to get used to another touch soon. Or maybe he didn't want to.
When her hands illuminated with warm green light, he slightly winced. At least the wounds weren't serious with him. Sakura had an awful lot of work to do.
"You've always been the stronger one." Sasuke moaned and directly dropped down next to Sakura who, on the other side, gave him an awry look, not in the least touched by the severe injuries on his hands and body.
"Did I say something about the chakra? As if we're obliged to drag ourselves behind them every time in order to fix them." Sakura glanced at Jakushi and remained surprised by the view but she quickly came to her senses and her anger fixed back on Sasuke, whose head already rested on her legs. "I'm not a first aid kit, you know."
"Isn't there help for me?" Naruto attracted the attention to himself, finding a good place to rest, with his back on the tree.
"You should've dated a med." Sasuke gave an advice, eyes closed.
"Very funny," Naruto replied in a low voice, distinctly angry. "Loser."
"You're not controlling your chakra very well. I can tire you out before using half of mine."
"Shut your mouth. I'm not the one who fell first."
"I've never fought Kurama and Susanoo simultaneously."
"Excuses." Itachi joined in between their ardent exchange of words with his usual calm tone.
"What?" Sasuke opened his eyes and heaved up a bit but Sakura pushed him harshly back down and he exhaled indignantly.
"You have a Rinnegan." Itachi shrugged. "So many possibilities."
Sasuke narrowed eyes.
"Next time, I and Naruto will fight you. To see how you'll manage."
Itachi smiled.
"Agreed."
"Don't." Jakushi rested her head, still leaning on his back. "You won't defeat two of the most powerful shinobi in the world alone."
"I'll never know if I don't try."
"You're never tired of advising, aren't you?" Sasuke murmured.
"It's not like you listen," Itachi defended himself, his eyes lowering to the ground.
"I don't wanna fight him, he's up to something," Naruto spoke again after the brief pause.
"Coward." Sasuke struck him right away. "Itachi has no chance against us."
"No, thanks. How many years did you spend in perfecting your techniques?"
"What kind of a question is that? Since I can remember."
"You've got the Rinnegan for a year or something." Naruto folded hands. "Your techniques are unstable."
"And you're such a specialist."
"I'm not fighting freaking crazy Uchiha that controls his chakra perfectly."
"Fine." Sasuke cut him off coldly.
He exhaled once again, with exasperation. That was the usual reaction for him when he lost in an argument, Jakushi thought, seeing Naruto leaning back with a smirk. She thought about that latest conversation for a second and was a little surprised. Never in her life she'd heard Naruto refusing a fight. How much exactly did Itachi scare him with that training just now?
"And he's way smarter than you, dumbass."
"You-" Sasuke fumed through clenched teeth, ready to stand up and fight him but Sakura's force kept him on the ground.
"Stop it!" She pushed him down, on the verge of her patience. "Can't you just lay still for a few seconds?"
Jakushi was just about to cease the healing technique when a sharp pain pierced her somewhere below the heart, making her recoil from Itachi at lightning speed. She instinctively pressed the spot where the pain came from and her eyes saw blood. It flowed lavishly from a horrible wound on her chest and hurt like nothing she had felt before.
A groan escaped her lips.
What was that? The pain was... real. And her hands were all in blood, her lungs refused to give her the needed oxygen.
"Jakushi?" She heard Sakura asking, wondrously calm. "You alright?"
Another groan wrested out of her as she stepped back in horror. She couldn't breathe through the crushing pain. But within the second she made the second step everything disappeared. There was no blood, no pain, nothing. As if nothing happened.
Jakushi raised her eyes. Did anyone see- Her gaze rested on Itachi who was positively as frightened as she was. Probably her sharp movement drew his attention. He peered into the spot where previously her wound gaped open for a few seconds before meeting her eyes.
"Jakushi?" It was Sakura again.
"Yes, what?" Jakushi put on a smile on her face, hiding her trembling hands behind.
Sakura raised a brow.
"I'm fine, just felt nausea all of a sudden." Jakushi forced a laugh in order to distract her. It wasn't very authentic but it was something.
It seems Naruto and Sasuke hadn't noticed a thing. But Itachi was horrified.
"You sure?" Sakura asked again, clearly not convinced.
"Yeah."
"Careful with that technique. If you're tired and you haven't slept you can hurt yourself. You are pale." Sakura explained.
"You're right." Jakushi shook her head. "I want too much of myself sometimes. I'll rest a bit."
Sakura slowly turned her head back to Sasuke and left her alone.
Jakushi stepped toward Itachi's still figure. She sat in front of him and for a moment they just looked at each other. They were too close to the others and there was no way they could discuss anything. He took her right hand and scrutinized her palm carefully.
So far with her theories that the anomalies were connected only with her. It was crystal clear that she wasn't the only one to see it all. The thought of Itachi being the other witness didn't calm her down much. Never before had she experienced such a vivid hallucination. Continuous and extremely realistic.
They couldn't speak about it in the others' presence now and it maddened her. She needed to speak, desperately. Her eyes questioned. Did he see what she saw, again? He nodded.
"Can I..." Jakushi's voice trembled and she coughed. " Can I continue with the technique?"
"No." Itachi pulled her in a hug and she understood why.
Her shivering soon stopped and she felt a couple of times better within the warmth his body radiated.
"Are you going to tell them?" He whispered in her ear.
The only way they remained unheard was that one.
"Of course not." She replied with the same whisper. "They'll blame you."
"Better blame me than you."
"I'm scared." She tightened her grip, suddenly remembering the terrific pain she felt. "What was that? Who does it to me?"
"Someone probably has control over your consciousness."
"If it was only mine why did you see everything too?"
He remained silent and for a moment neither of them moved.
"I don't know." He exhaled angrily. "I hate not knowing."
"They're getting even more annoying than Ino and Sai," Sasuke remarked evenly and Jakushi blushed with the realization that both probably looked odd from aside. No one hugged for that long. She leaned back slightly, for a moment averting eyes to the other two.
"Get a room," Naruto mumbled from behind. "Thought you had plenty at your estate."
Jakushi looked down. Her head was a mess. The pain was absolutely real, that was not something she'd easily forget. Was she under some kind of hypnosis she wasn't aware of?
"Do you trust me?" Itachi reached for her hesitatingly, speaking out with his quietest tone.
As if he heard her thoughts.
Did she trust him? A good question. How do you trust someone who doesn't trust even himself? Jakushi raised her eyes to his slowly, still terribly confused. Too confused to be certain in the answer.
I don't see one good motive to revive Itachi Uchiha except doing some serious harm.
Tsunade's words echoed in her mind with the clarity of a ringing bell.
"Don't look at me like that." With his unique keenness, Itachi felt her hesitation almost immediately. "Please don't."
"I shouldn't trust you. I shouldn't have even met you. Why-" She cut her own sentence off, looking away. It wasn't fair. Why did it have to happen to her? She didn't want any of the pain. As if she hadn't enough of it with that bloody war that still haunted her. Not a day had passed in which she felt completely happy. That feeling seemed to have passed her by.
"You have to believe me." The color of his face slowly disappeared as he noticed that her reaction didn't change at all. "I don't want any of this. I don't want anyone to suffer."
What if all of those were lies? Jakushi tried to back off a little. She needed to back off. In order to think straight. His presence dimmed her mind way too much. Any attempt of thoughtfulness was annihilated as soon as she made contact. Her whole figure separated from him. A little distance wouldn't kill him. In fact, he preferred distance, didn't he?
It was a good choice.
Jakushi sat back on the grass, completely apart, ignoring the tormented expression he had on throughout the whole motion she enacted in front of him just now.
"Don't leave me alone."
Jakushi turned his way. He sounded as if the words were kept as his best and last trump card. Was that all a game to him? Could be. But something about the way he looked told her that these words were whispered by necessity. Heavy necessity. He never spoke unless he had to, that's what she learned while spending this whole time in his presence. Even a game, his supplication was most sincere. There was no one who could falsify desperation or frame fear to that extent, however great of an actor.
Damn it.
"Come on! I'm out of here." Naruto shouted out. "I'm sick of you, people. Gross."
"If I leave you..." Jakushi exhaled, finding a brief moment in which she'd manage to detach her lips from his. "You'll fall apart."
Itachi didn't answer but it was of no use, anyway. She had pushed him back and they both laid on the grass undisturbed until he didn't shift her slightly away.
"Hurts." He reminded with a guilty smile and she recoiled at the very second, ascertained that that smile was fully capable of making her forget he had a deep cut on his ribs. A cut she had to take care of.
"Sorry." Jakushi moaned and sat next to him, renewing the healing technique as soon as she was able to.
He did, however, heave up to a sitting position, using the help of her hand in the process and she chose to remain quiet. Her heart was already beating faster but sometimes she could actually hear it, as it happened now. She often missed noticing the impact every single one of his touches had on her. Especially in the last days when he created the unusual habit of searching her presence, and more specific, the contact with her skin, in various ways and on various occasions.
Although he made these contacts look perfectly accidental, she believed they were intentional. He seemed to make attempts at fooling her that he was the one she had to rely on, that he was experienced, well-mannered and capable. But she knew better than that. He didn't know a thing about relationships of the romantic sort, that was the truth. Not because he was bad at them but because he had never allowed himself a bond of the sort and neither did the circumstances.
Jakushi was pained to witness that struggle. That's what war did with him, amputated his ability to love. Moreover, what he previously remembered of love had the form of extreme devotion and sacrifice.
Jakushi knew she had to find nonverbal ways to teach him what romantic relationship looked like. For starters, it was two-sided and he had to learn to rely on her too. So far he had no progress, judging from the way hе still disagreed when she searched contact with his skin. She supposed it will all be fixed, in time.
After a while, they both realized in had become oddly quiet and their gazes shifted on Sasuke and Sakura. It was quite clear why Naruto had left. Apparently, Sakura too had forgotten about her healing technique, bending down at an impossible angle so that she can unite her mouth with Sasuke's. It looked so ridiculous and uncomfortable that Jakushi couldn't help but laugh, followed by Itachi.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Glad to have you.
I've passed six out of seven exams so I'm good now, I should be able to write more often. Also, the plot of this fic turned out really grand in my head and it seems it's going to be pretty long. Which means a lot of waiting from your side. Hope you know that. I did warn in the beginning, didn't I?
P.S. A side thought: Honestly, though, what's with people hating on Sakura so much? I never understood that part of the fandom. She's equally worthy and great to me as every single one of Kishimoto's characters. And why not a good match for Sasuke, too? Canon!Sasuke has that kind of a loss only a selflessly loving woman is able to ease (never fully of course). I don't see any of the other female characters having the power to cope with it. (I don't think Ino was ready for such dedication of soul... rather a dedication of body, as I see it. Don't get me wrong, she is an awesome character but I can't imagine her ever knowing Sasuke as deeply as Sakura.) I don't know, guys. I was just pondering over this for months and I'm starting to think I'm the only one that thinks this way. Sorry for the long note. Until next time!