I do not own Naruto.
He was angry. Actually, angry was an understatement. He walked through his house, eyes narrowed dangerously, as he made his way to his mother, who was in the backyard with Sasuke.
"Mother," he growled out when he opened the door. Sasuke widened his eyes at Itachi's expression and ducked behind his mother. Itachi felt slightly guilty at this, but his anger was renewed when Mikoto was unfazed. "What is the meaning of this?"
"The meaning of what?" Mikoto asked innocently. Itachi raised his chin in defiance.
"Shisui told me." He stated flatly. Actually, he forced Shisui to tell him when his cousin messed up with a cheerful 'See you at dinner tomorrow!' "Since when did we celebrate my birthday? Or invite people I don't know?"
"You're still a kid," Mikoto sighed. "You shouldn't be missing out on these things. And you really should make more friends; you barely have any your age."
"Mother," Itachi began, closing his eyes in an attempt to calm himself. "This marriage foolishness needs to stop. I do not want to marry Ayano, and I don't understand why you are trying so early anyways. You're not going to find someone who would marry us when we're twelve."
"Actually," his mother giggled. "Since you became ANBU you were 'legally an adult.' So all you have to do is get the guardian's permission."
"I'm either a kid or an adult, Mother," Itachi reminded her with gritted teeth. She was about to reply when Sasuke interrupted.
"Ayano-san?" he asked. He thought for a minute, then glared defiantly at Itachi. "I'm gonna marry her first!" The other two Uchihas looked down at him. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Itachi would be on the ground laughing.
"There, you have a willing groom," Itachi stated, motioning to Sasuke. Mikoto just sighed. "And Shisui, you suck at spying."
Said boy jumped down from a tree, scratching his head nervously. Itachi just glared at him to take his anger out on something, and Mikoto looked at him scoldingly.
"You weren't supposed to tell him!" she complained. Shisui held up his hands in surrender.
"Hey, if I didn't, he would have invented new torture methods to use on me," he defended. "And I was not looking forward to getting my ass kicked."
"Shisui," Itachi sighed.
"Right. Sorry Sasuke." Mikoto sighed again.
"Well we already told Mari-san and Ayano-san, so the dinner is still on. See you tomorrow, Shisui." She stood up and tugged Sasuke inside, who was protesting.
"Byee," he waved lazily. Almost as soon as the door closed, he felt a dark aura coming from a certain Uchiha.
"Hey, Shisui-nii," Itachi called cheerfully. Shisui immediately tensed and looked at Itachi. He hasn't been called that since Itachi was four.
Itachi held up a kunai and had a fake smile plastered on his face. Shisui gulped. "Wanna spar?"
"What did I do?!?"
-xXx-
"How many more orders for today?" Ayano asked as she lay the slip on the counter.
"Just one," Teyaki replied, bringing out a bag. "This one is to 4102 Ran road, to a Mrs. Yoko."
"4102 Ran, got it." She grabbed the bag and dashed out the door.
The people in the compound didn't glare at her anymore, but she was ignored. She rather preferred the change and it made her feel less self-conscious. After having her bag checked by the guards at the gate, she set on finding Ran road. She had to walk a bit of a distance to get there, and she regretted wasting her energy in a hurry at the beginning. The building was an apartment complex she had never been to. She made her way to the fourth floor and found room 102. Knocking lightly on the door, she tapped her foot patiently, wiping a sheen of sweat from her brow.
"Yes?"
"You had a deliver-" She cut herself off short and stared wide-eyes at the man in front of her.
Brown eyes met brown in shock.
"...Ayano...?" the man breathed. She wiped her face of all emotion and thrust out the slip.
"Please sign here and here," she said flatly, pointing to each spot. The man nervously signed the slip and the bag was thrust into his arms. Ayano was already walking away.
"Wait!" he called."Ayano, wait!" She stopped and turned around to glare at him.
"What do you want?" she spat. The man looked hurt, but didn't back down.
"I wanted to tell you that I still love you and your mother, I always-"
"Don't you dare!" Ayano hissed. "You always loved us, right? Then why the hell did you cheat on her!?"
"Honey? What's going on?" A woman walked out of the room and looked in confusion at Ayano.
"Not now," the man said quickly.
"Who is this?" the woman asked. "She looks like you." Ayano merely grimaced at the woman and turned around to walk away.
"Ayano!"
"No, Dad!" she yelled, whipping back around. "This time it's my turn to walk away!" And she did just that, but turned around and ran instead.
By the time she reached the compound she was panting, and there were tears in her eyes. The guards didn't spare her a second glance as she ran through the main gate. There were barely any people out in the streets, and she made it to the bakery quickly.
"I'm back!" she called, trying to steady her voice. Teyaki and Uruchi were back in the kitchen.
"So soon?" Uruchi asked, walking out, but there was no one there. The slip lay on the counter by itself.
She ran to where she thought the park was, remembering when Itachi had pointed her in the direction. She found it easily. There was a small area of grass with a single tree, and off to the side there was a lake. A dock jutted out into the lake and she ran to the end of it and threw herself down, drawing her knees up to her chest and burying her face in her arms. She let out a shuddering breath.
He loved them, yea right! If he did, then he wouldn't have cheated on Mom! And he was actually living with the girl he cheated with! Had he gotten over it that fast? Did they not mean anything to him? Probably not, the way he shot them down every single time they wanted to spend time with him. Or, I don't know, they way he just walked out of the door without a word and only came back a week later because he ran out of money. And with that woman attached to his arm!
She was shaking, trying to keep back tears. It was his fault she was living here.
"Hey."
She whipped around with a gasp to see Itachi standing on the dock behind her, raising an eyebrow down at her.
"Uruchi got worried when you left so suddenly. She went and asked your Mom if you were okay, but she said she hadn't seen you. She and Teyaki and Uruchi are out looking for you." She sniffed and turned back around.
"It's no big deal," she muttered.
"Is it?" she heard Itachi reply sarcastically.
"What do you care," she snapped at him.
"Well, seeing as how I'm supposed to be looking for you, I'm taking you back home." She stood without a word and turned around to start walking home, purposefully hiding her face. "What happened?"
"None of your business." she muttered. She couldn't hear him as she walked, but she had a feeling he was right behind her.
"It's not healthy to bottle up emotions." Hypocrite.
She didn't reply, and heard him sigh behind her. The rest of the walk was silent, with the only sound being the shuffling of her feet. When they got to her house, no one was there. She grudgingly walked inside, and after a moment's pause, beckoned Itachi in.
"Might as well wait here," she muttered. "Living room's over there," she motioned towards it. "Seeing as how you've never been in my house before." Itachi blinked, then smirked.
"Shisui told me you found out it was him," he stated as he walked to the living room.
"Yea, he practically gave it away," she called from the kitchen. "Didn't act like you at all."
"And you know how I act?" he glanced at the pictures lining a bookshelf.
"Well, he was too loud." She walked back from the kitchen with dango in her hand. "He played the part well in front of the parent's, though, but Sasuke kept looking at him funny." Itachi chuckled, but then raised an eyebrow when she glared at him suddenly. "And, come on, 'corrupt you're little brother'? I'm only rude when need be."
"Oh, really," he replied dryly.
"Yes, really," she shot back stubbornly, taking a bite of dango. He glanced at it.
"That actually tastes good?" he asked. She blinked.
"You haven't had it?" He shrugged, going back to looking at pictures. "Good lord, are you even human?? It's like the best thing on earth!" He raised an eyebrow when she ran back to the kitchen and came back, holding another stick. "Here." She handed it to him. He stared down at it. "Be careful of the arsenic in it though, wouldn't want to get a stomach ache." The corner of his mouth twitched and he took a bite, chewing for a few seconds. "Well?"
"It's good," he admitted before taking another bite.
"I knew it!" she exclaimed. "Nobody can resist dango!"
"Ayano?" a voice called from the front door.
"In here, Mom," she called back. Mari rushed into the room, seeing Ayano and enveloping her in a hug.
"Kami, where were you??" she checked her for injuries. "I was worried sick!"
"I'm fine, Mom," Ayano protested. Mari noticed Itachi.
"You found her?" Itachi, probably having whiplash from the sudden change of events, nodded unsurely, and looked openly surprised when Mari hugged him. "Thank you so much!"
"Um," he stuttered. Ayano grinned at the sight.
"Mom, you're making him uncomfortable," she stated flatly. Mari let go of him, apologizing.
"Mari-san? Did you find her?" Uruchi's voice sounded from the front door.
"Yes, she's here," Mari called back. Uruchi walked into the living, then placed a hand over her chest.
"Oh, thank goodness," she sighed.
"Where were you?" Mari asked, turning to her daughter. Ayano hesitated, unsure if she should tell her mother. The only thing it would accomplish is making her upset, though...
"She felt sick and went to the lake to cool off," Itachi spoke up. "I found her asleep on the grass."
Ayano stared at him, shocked, and Mari put a hand to her daughter's forehead.
"Are you okay, honey?" Mari asked, concerned.
"I'm fine, now," Ayano assured, moving away from her mother's hand. "It was probably just some bad dango." Mari frowned.
"Next time come home, though, okay?" she asked. Ayano nodded. She turned to Uruchi.
"Should we go find Teyaki-san and tell him we found her?"
"That's probably a good idea," Uruchi agreed. She smiled at Ayano. "It's good to know you're okay." Ayano smiled back, and Mari gave Ayano a short hug before they left.
"That was...kinda awkawrd," Ayano admitted.
"Bad dango, eh? Maybe you ate the stick with the arsenic," Itachi suggested, his lip twitching up. Ayano allowed herself a brief grin.
"Why did you help me?" she asked. Itachi shrugged.
"You looked like you didn't want to tell her what happened," he told her. Ayano blinked.
"Thanks...I guess," she told him.
"Hn." He bit off the last dango.
I have now gained more respect for Sakura! I hope she's still just trying to kill him, though, and not actually trying to leave...
Review and I'll give you Itachi!
Itachi: Do I have any say in this?
Me: You and every fictional character are at the mercy of fangirls, so, no.
Itachi: -/.\-*