Chp 1—Ita pov
Itachi walked along the main hallway of the Akatsuki lair. He traipsed out of the dank cave hideout, out into the open air of the thick deciduous forest. He needed to cool down and get out of the "crowded" hell-hole before the morning rush for breakfast. A morning walk would do just the trick.
The early birds chirped in the early spring crispness, serenading Itachi as he wandered. Devoid of cloak, he only wore his favorite pajama pants and a knit sweater. Being from the land of fire, Itachi liked it warm. Unfortunately for him, genetics had not been kind and had branded him with perpetual coldness, a fact he despised, though he wouldn't let the others know.
Itachi soon found a patch of forest floor, lightly bathed in sunlight, covered in soft grass. He sat down to rest, leaning against a nearby tree. Perhaps he wouldn't go back for breakfast—perhaps he'd just stay here the whole morning and go back in the afternoon without anyone knowing. 'Then I'll grab some lunch,' Itachi thought, 'and escape before being press-ganged into any of Sasori and Deidara's stupid games.' Pein and Konan were gone, anyway, so it wasn't like there were going to be any missions. He could stay out here for the entire week if he wanted! He thought he might just do that.
He didn't remember closing his eyes for a short nap, but when everything turned pastel-colored, he figured he might as well sleep it off.
