A/N: After this chapter the story will revert into a regular one chapter one, just like 'Week One'. But before doing that, here's a long chapter to make up for the chapters that will most likely be shorter afterwards. Oh yeah...
I intend on building up all the drama I need... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
O-kay, now that that's done, we can get on with the story. Your support is loved~
Warning: Language, OOC, drama, slight violence, etc, etc...
"What...did you just say?"
Shisui let out a sigh, folding his arms on the table in front of him. "I said that your parents have been held captive for the past two years by one of Deidara's bounty hunters."
"And why...would Deidara-no-baka have a bounty hunter after him?" Itachi slowly questioned, casting the thirteen year old blonde a glance.
Deidara suddenly looked very uncomfortable in the tiny room, shifting on his knees.
The three shinobi were gathered in Shisui's cluttered living room, sitting on the ground at a coffee table. The oldest Uchiha was on one side, and Itachi and Deidara were on the other, kneeling next one another. The situation reminded both younger teens of their meeting with Pein the week before, but neither commented. There seemed to be far more important matters to deal with.
Shisui scratched the side of his cheek, looking at Deidara. "You never told him, did you?"
Deidara's answer was to glare in his direction.
Shisui smacked a palm to his forehead. "Kami-sama you didn't."
Itachi looked in between them, frustration beginning to form on his face. "What are you two talking about? What does Deidara have to do with my parents?"
"Right." Shisui stared at the Iwa nin. "Should I tell him, or should you?"
Deidara said nothing.
"Fine then..." Shisui turned his gaze onto his younger cousin, coughing lightly in the back of his throat. "Itachi...I don't know how to break it to you easily but- Deidara's a terrorist that ran away from his village more than five years ago after blowing part of it up. He's got a pretty hefty bounty on his head for that so there are actually quite a lot of people after him."
"I'm sorry," Itachi politely said. "Could you repeat that last bit?"
Shisui raised a brow. "The part about Deidara being a terrorist or the blowing up the village section?"
"..."
"Judging from the silence, I'd say you had no idea about any of this," Shisui idly commented.
Itachi stared at him for a while and then looked at Deidara. "You're a missing nin? A terrorist missing nin?"
Deidara fidgeted. "Um...yeah?"
"And how come you know about this Shisui and I don't?" Itachi inquired, his dark eyes flashing as he turned his gaze onto his cousin.
Shisui gave a short nod of his head. "Well that's because I found out about it on my own. Deidara never actually told me anything. Let's see... I was trying to break into your house about three weeks ago, and I noticed some oddly cloaked guy on top your roof. It wasn't Kakashi because he was still recovering from that pole you hung him from the day before, and there's no one else I know who would think of trying to kill you guys. I don't know why you didn't notice him- he was covered in a really bad genjutsu..."
"Are you going somewhere with this?" Itachi snapped.
Shisui held up his arms. "Relax! Anyway, he left shortly after I kicked him off the roof and beat him up. Apparently he was writing a message of some sorts after watching your movements and was going to send it off somewhere. A bounty hunter by the name of Toshiaki Kaeru was supposed to receive the message apparently. That's what the guy I captured said anyway."
Deidara visibly stiffened at the bounty hunter's name. "Toshiaki...?"
"You know him?" Itachi gave him a hard look.
"Well un..." Deidara looked away. "Before I left Iwa, he was one of the Academy's teachers. And he wanted me to blow up the school with everyone inside."
"Why would he want to do that?" Itachi asked in disbelief.
"How should I know?" Deidara narrowed his visible eye. "The guy was off his damn rocker! Anyway, I told him no, and then he went berserk and tried to kill me. I took off one of his arms and an eye before he ran off."
"That might explain why the letter I intercepted said he wanted to tear you limb from limb and set you on fire," Shisui mused.
"Why do you sound so goddamn cheery about it un?" Deidara muttered.
Shisui waved the blonde's aggravation off, instead looking at Itachi to continue telling him his findings. "Okay, so I placed the guy on your roof under a genjutsu and had him send out letters regularly to this Toshiaki Kaeru- that way I could figure out the bounty hunter's aim. It looks like he found out Deidara had come to Konohagakure quite some time ago and dispatched a bunch of his followers throughout the Uchiha Compound to keep an eye on him. And then he heard about your parents missing and went out on a hunt for them in an attempt to draw Deidara out."
Deidara seemed to be thinking things through in his head. "So he captured parents that weren't even mine, watched my movements practically every day, and I never realized this? He's out on a revenge spree for his missing limb, isn't he un?"
"Sounds about right," Shisui said.
"When were they captured?" Itachi asked, also trying to figure out why he hadn't noticed all this going on around him. He would have had to be distracted heavily every day for hours on end-
He stopped his train of thought on one word.
Deidara.
Itachi's eyes turned to slits.
"I'd say your parents were taken by this guy about a month after they left for their vacation," Shisui told him, seemingly oblivious to the change in his cousin's mood. "The intended time for them to get back was the next day. But they probably ran into Deidara's hunter and...well you know the rest."
Itachi frowned. "My parents are perfectly capable of fending off one man."
"Not when they're drunk off of tequilas and wearing beach hats," Shisui muttered.
"..." Itachi's frown deepened as he turned to look at the blonde next to him. "What are your intentions?"
"My intentions?" Deidara looked at a loss. "To...settle down somewhere...?"
"You're lying." Itachi stood, brushing his pants down before looking at his cousin. "I appreciate the information. I'll be going home now."
"Wait a second," Shisui said, also getting to his feet. "I talked to the Hokage-sama about this in advance and requested a personal mission to go out and retrieve your parents. It's been approved already- and I intend on setting out at the end of this week to search for this bounty hunter. You're already on the roster to go but-" he paused, eyes trailing to the unmoving blonde on the floor. "But it's your decision to make if Deidara tags along. After all, the man is after him."
Deidara snapped his head up to Itachi. "Itachi..."
"..."
"Well?" Shisui prodded.
"...I'll go," Itachi said. "But don't count on this little moron over here to come."
Deidara blinked. "What? But hey-!"
Itachi gave him a cold look and then walked away.
Deidara watched Itachi leave the house before casting Shisui a worried look and running after the fifteen year old raven.
Shisui ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily. "This is not gonna be good..."
~X~
Deidara had finally caught up to Itachi by the time they entered the main Uchiha household, and now he was running behind him in an attempt to get the older teen to stop. "Will you stop walking away for a minute un!"
"Why should I?"
"At least give me a chance to explain-" Deidara said, almost ramming into the raven's back as he came to an abrupt halt.
"There's nothing to explain," Itachi coldly said, turning around to face him.
"I have plenty to tell you though hmm!"
"You're a nukenin who has been living in the same house as me for the past three years," Itachi said, his expression blank. "And now a bounty hunter is after your head and has kidnapped my parents as some sort of ransom."
"It's not my fault un," Deidara insisted, holding out his arms. "I didn't know he would chase me all the way out here. And I didn't know he had spies planted throughout the area. He was really a weak guy when I left him back in Iwa yeah! And it wasn't like you or anyone else noticed the guy in the village either! Only Shisui did!"
Itachi brought a hand to his face in anger. "You've been walking around like a magnet for trouble this entire time and you're telling me you didn't realize it even once?"
"No." The blonde looked annoyed. "You can't just put all the blame on me un. You're the one that insisted I join your family. You should have made me tell you about my past before doing something so stupid!"
"Well forgive me for trying to help you out!" Itachi yelled at him. "You don't deserve to be an Uchiha!"
Deidara ripped his shirt over his head before pegging it at Itachi's face. "Then take your stupid clan symbol back!"
"Cut it out!" Itachi tore the thrown shirt off his head, throwing it to the floor in between them. "Don't get angry just because I found something out about you that you should have told me to begin with!"
"I didn't want you to know because I knew you'd act like this!" Deidara shouted at him, visible blue eye flashing. "Am I not allowed to keep personal secrets now hmm?"
"Not when it involves my parents!" Itachi shouted back. "Kami- didn't you think of the consequences? You're a missing nin for Kami's sake! And you've been hiding out in my house pretending to be someone you're not! You brought all the trouble from your old village into Konoha! You could have endangered any one of us- but all you care about is keeping yourself safe?"
Deidara glowered, lips tightly pressed together. "That is not all I care about," he ground out. "And if you paid any attention at all to the things that went on around you, you would have realized that a long time ago un."
"I paid perfect attention to the things around me," Itachi snapped. "Oh- I'm sorry, did you want me to find out you were a terrorist bomber and turn you into the Hokage? You were playing all of us from the very beginning, weren't you? Just so you and your bounty hunter buddy could make money off of the prestigious Uchiha Clan!"
"You think I did all of this on purpose?" Deidara openly gaped at him.
Itachi glared. "Do you have anything to prove me otherwise?"
Deidara seized him by the front of his shirt, snarling fiercely. "You are a blind idiot Itachi. A bloody blind idiot."
"Get the hell off of me Iwa!" Itachi exclaimed, grasping the blonde's forearms in an attempt to shove him away.
"Not until you hear what I have to say Uchiha!"
"I don't want to hear you so shut up already!"
"Why don't you make me!"
Sasuke came running down the hall within the next moment, eyes wide and Naruto beside him.
"Stop fighting!" Naruto shouted, running in between them and trying to push them apart.
"I've been trying to change un," Deidara said, digging his nails into Itachi's wrists.
"You haven't changed one bit," Itachi hissed. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were planning to blow this entire village up."
"What was that?" Deidara narrowed his eyes. "You sonuva-"
"BREAK IT UP NOW!" Sasuke hollered, fists clenched at his sides.
The two older teens blinked in shock, staring first at each other and then to the two kids watching them.
Sasuke pulled Naruto to his side. "Nii-san..."
"Don't even think about sleeping in my room tonight," Itachi muttered, pushing the bomber away from him.
"I wasn't," Deidara spat before stomping down the hall.
Naruto started to run after the Iwa nin. "Wait-!"
Sasuke tugged on his friend's arm. "Let's just go to sleep Naru-chan."
"But Sasuke..."
Sasuke gently pushed the protesting Naruto into their shared room, looking over his shoulder to look at Itachi before turning away without a word.
But he didn't need to speak for Itachi to understand.
The glare Sasuke gave him was more than enough.
Day One: Fork In The Road (in making a decision)
Itachi woke up the next day, feeling groggy and sick to the stomach. He ran a hand over his face with a groan, wiping the sleep from the corners of his eyes before sitting up and looking around his bedroom.
It was empty just like when he had fallen asleep at three in the morning, waiting for Deidara to come back.
The blonde obviously hadn't- if the perfectly made futon across from him had anything to say.
Itachi grabbed his hair-tie off the dresser beside him, pulling back his hair and stumbling out his bed.
He threw off his clothes and grabbed a towel off the back of his desk chair, wrapping it around his waist before exiting his room. All he needed to do was take a soothing shower to calm his thoughts and overwhelming emotions. Then he could rationally step back and think through what Shisui had told him. He walked down the hall to the bathroom, glancing at his younger brother and best friend's door as he passed.
They hadn't said anything to him after the argument the night before.
Damn. They probably think this is all my fault... Itachi thought with an annoyed growl. Well, even if it was his fault, it wasn't like he was going to go around and admit it aloud. After all, he wasn't the one who had gotten his parents kidnapped for two years over a seven year grudge some bounty hunter held.
Even so...
It was Deidara's fault more than his own!
Itachi pulled open the bathroom door with unnecessary force, bringing a body along with it.
Deidara, who had been opening the door to leave, stumbled forward with his hand on the knob.
"Deidara?"
Deidara looked up, staring at him with his visible eye wide.
Itachi stared back.
A thick cloud of tension and awkwardness passed between them as Deidara took his hand off the knob and shuffled out the doorway into the hall, a toothbrush and bottle of shampoo in his hand.
Itachi stepped to the side, looking at the half-dressed blonde with a wary expression.
"..."
"..."
Deidara pressed the bottle he had been carrying into the older teen's hand to break the silence. "Here. I ran out of mine so I took yours," he said.
"You used my shampoo without asking me?" Itachi asked, weighing the plastic bottle in his palm.
"I figured...you wouldn't mind," the Iwa nin muttered, looking down.
Itachi frowned. "It's half empty."
"It's just shampoo un!" Deidara suddenly shouted. "Stop jumping on my case!"
Itachi didn't know what happened, but in the next instant, Deidara was sprawled on the ground with a giant handprint on his face.
He had a feeling it was his, judging by the sting on his hand.
"So is that how you solve all your problems?" Deidara scowled, pushing to his feet. "You just hit everyone hmm?"
"Shut up!" Itachi stalked into the bathroom.
Deidara followed him inside. "You can't avoid this situation. Stop pushing me away and let's talk it out!"
"I don't want to talk to you," Itachi snapped, turning on his heel to shove the blonde out the small room. "So get out!"
"Bastard-"
Itachi slammed the door shut, pressing his back against the door as he breathed heavily and closed his eyes. He listened to Deidara hesitate outside and then storm off down the hall, presumably to get changed. I can't talk to you yet...because I don't know what to do. With a slight headache, he stepped away from the door and opened his shower curtain.
His eyes bugged out of his face.
Kakashi was sitting in his bathtub. His bathtub filled with bubbles and a battleship which he was currently sinking with a rubber duck.
And he was singing.
"Listen to your heart~ Before, it tears you-"
"Get the hell outta my bathroom!" Itachi yelled, kicking the silver-haired man through the room's tiny window.
He stood seething in the middle of the tiled floors with nothing but a towel around his waist and bottle of used shampoo in his hand.
A vein popped.
There was a draft.
Day Two: Sasuke and Naruto (they're smarter than they get credit for)
Naruto and Sasuke were out in the main household's flower garden, planting new seeds so fresh flowers could come in with the changing season. They had been working outside for little more than an hour in order to escape the frequent shouting matches between Deidara and Itachi, finding summer heat to be more welcoming than the burning glares the two older teens were giving one another.
Naruto's thoughts were swirling around in minor turmoil as he dug a tiny hole in the same patch of dirt he had been digging through for the past five minutes. I wonder what the problem is...? Is it about us? About me? They're never this serious... He pushed his bottom lip out a bit.
Sasuke was actually thinking of nothing but the necessity to plant good-looking flowers so that they grew up strong and beautifully. Then I can show Ino just how good I am. Tch. She's always talking about her shop... Well our garden's just as good! He fiercely grabbed a spare spade by his side. I'll show her... he thought, eyes gleaming and large flames rising up behind him.
Suddenly Naruto stopped digging with his miniature spade, rocking back on his haunches with his face scrunched in worry. "I can't take it anymore!" he cried out, startling his best friend.
"What's the matter with you?" Sasuke asked, small brow raised.
Naruto huffily threw his spade down into the pile of dirt he had just dug up, crossing his arms. "Ever since yesterday, all Itachi-nii and Deidara-nii do is give each other the cold shoulder! They ignore us completely and don't even talk at meals!"
Sasuke let out a tiny sigh, setting down his own spade in a more controlled manner. "It's just a fight Naru-chan."
"It doesn't seem like one of their normal fights," Naruto told him. "This one has something more behind it. And they're not telling!"
"Maybe they don't want us to get involved," Sasuke mumbled, picking up a package of daisy seeds they hadn't opened yet.
"I'm lonely though," Naruto whined. "I mean, I like you Sasu-kun, I really do. But I want to hear the voices of my other brothers too."
"They'll be fine."
"The tension between them is horrible!"
"We just need to give them space," Sasuke insisted. "Everything will be okay tomorrow."
Naruto glanced at the Uchiha and then sighed. "If you say so Sasuke..."
Sasuke looked at his shorter friend and then handed him the pack of seeds he had been holding. "Here."
Naruto blinked. "What...are these for?"
"So you can plant them in your head," Sasuke said with a snicker, starting to head inside the house. "Maybe then something will grow inside."
Naruto gaped wordlessly before stomping after the now laughing raven. "Sasuke-teme!"
Day Three: Friendly Advice (or it was supposed to be anyway)
"I can arrange for you to be on a long-term mission," The Third Hokage said, smoking his pipe calmly. "Naturally you won't be getting paid since it's not an actual mission, but it'll allow you to leave the village without being classified as a missing-nin."
Itachi bowed his head slightly. "Arigatou Hokage-sama."
"No problem Idachi."
"It's Itachi."
"What?"
"Nevermind."
Hiruzen turned from where he stood on the very top of the Hokage Tower, looking at the young raven beside him. "Are you sure this is what you want to do? What does your family think about it?"
"Half of my family is currently being held captive," Itachi murmured, overlooking his village. "I haven't discussed anything with anyone else yet."
He could see the Academy just letting out their students, the kids inside running out laughing and talking with one another. It looked as if Iruka was walking Naruto and Sasuke out again, Deidara and Shisui coming up from the Academy gates to pick them up. Itachi watched as Deidara and Iruka got into a glaring match, Shisui laughing as he shooed the two kids behind him.
The Hokage thoughtfully hummed. "I trust your judgement Idachi."
At least get my name right, Itachi thought with a popped vein. "I will take care of this problem as soon as possible."
"Do what you need to sonny."
"...Hai."
The two stood in a silence for several minutes.
Itachi turned to say something else to the Hokage after a moment, finding that the man was nowhere to be seen. He deadpanned. "Where did he go...?"
"Have a nice trip!" Hiruzen cheerfully said from behind him.
Itachi blinked in surprise. "What are you-"
The Hokage pushed him off the top of the building, laughing merrily. "Bye!"
"You crazy old man!" Itachi yelled, though his shouts went unheard as he plummeted towards the ground.
~X~
Five minutes later he found himself covered in dirt, scratches, and in front of the Haruno household.
"I just hope she's in a good mood today," he mumbled, ringing the doorbell.
He didn't have to wait long- the door swinging open less than a minute later to reveal a small pinkette with large green eyes.
"Hi Itachi-san," she greeted.
"Hello Sakura," Itachi said with a strained smile. "Is your mother home?"
Sakura bobbed her head, eyes wide as she ran off inside her house. "Kaa-san!" she called.
"Coming, hold on..." the woman's voice echoed outside.
Itachi shifted uncomfortably. The cut above his left eyebrow was bleeding into his eye.
Then there was a new figure in the doorway, looking at him with twinkling eyes.
Itachi sighed. "Good day Haruno-san..."
Sakura's mom grinned at seeing his state. "Well look what the cat dragged in," she teased. She wore a light blue summer dress that showed off her pale skin and long legs. But Itachi wasn't staring at that.
He was staring at the happy expression on her face. A brow raised. "You look-"
"Don't ruin it boy," Sakura's mom interrupted, still looking pleasant. "Why did you come to my house then? Especially looking like you just fell off a cliff and tussled with a bunch of rabid animals."
"It was the Hokage and Inuzuka Clan coming back from their daily vet check-up," Itachi muttered. If he didn't know any better, he'd say the Hokage planned his fall in accordance to the rabid animals he landed on top of.
"Ah." The woman crossed her arms, leaning in the doorway. "So- spit it out already."
"I'm having..." Itachi averted his gaze, scratching his cheek with a mud-coated finger, "...a bit of a problem. And I don't know how to go about it exactly," he slowly said, making sure not to stumble over his words and say something he didn't mean to let slip.
Sakura's mom stared at him with her bright blue eyes, smiling gently. "Do what you think is right Itachi-kun. No one can help you."
"What!"
"Meaning," she said with a laugh. "That you'll have to make this decision on your own. Don't let others cloud your judgement."
Itachi gave her a dark look. "I don't let others cloud my judgement."
"Not even your siblings?" she innocently questioned.
"...Not even them," Itachi growled, finding himself getting angry in the presence of this beautiful woman who was obviously toying with him.
"Then get some guts and MAN UP!" Sakura's mom roared, kicking him off her doorstep.
Itachi scowled, looking over his shoulder while rubbing his sore backside. "I think she's given me more bruises than help..." he muttered. "But still..." He sighed deeply, turning his gaze to the rapidly darkening sky.
I've known the answer to this all along, haven't I...?
Day Four: Left Behind (fun and games are over)
"Itachi-kun~"
"You sound like Orochimaru."
"I know hmm. Pretty cool, right?"
"Go away."
"But I thought you'd want company un," Deidara said, frowning in his direction.
"Not yours," Itachi grumbled, casting the blonde a sideways glance.
They were walking through the village, picking up groceries. Or Itachi had been anyway. Deidara came out of nowhere and started pestering him. He wouldn't have minded it so much had he not been carrying so many bags and had a hefty decision plaguing his mind.
"Do you want help?" Deidara asked.
As to whether he was asking in regards to the bags or Shisui's mission, Itachi had no idea. Either way, his answer was the same.
"No."
Deidara made a motion to snatch a few bags. "Let me help you..."
"I'm fine," Itachi muttered, moving his arms out of the way.
The younger blonde sent him a heavy glower. "You are not fine."
Itachi began walking ahead. "Well I don't want to be bothered right now," he said.
Deidara tried to reach out and grab the back of Itachi's shirt, but tripped over his own feet and went sprawling onto the ground. He raised his head and glared at the older raven's retreating form. "Itachi wait!"
Itachi stopped, looking over his shoulder. He ignored the stunned villagers that were watching them and said, "Get up off the ground. Uchihas don't grovel."
"I'm not an Uchiha un!" Deidara shouted at him, making no move to pick himself up.
Itachi felt his eyes turn to slits. "Oh really?"
The Iwa nin shook his head, getting into a low bow. "I'm sorry! I knew I shouldn't have stuck around as long as I did and I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen to me! I'll do anything I can to help you un. But you have to let me!"
"..." Itachi turned his head back around, beginning to walk away. "Get up."
Deidara clenched his fists in barely restrained anger. Dammit... Why won't he let me talk to him? Stupid bastard!
Further down the road, Itachi was scowling, shifting his abnormal amount of groceries in his arms uncomfortably. Why can't he read between the goddamn lines? Deidara-no-baka!
Day Five: Tense Atmosphere (thick as a brick)
Dinner that night in the Uchiha main household was full of bad aura and dark vibes. Naruto would try and strike up a conversation every now and then, but all he got in reply were short answers. Even from the normally talkative Deidara he looked to in times of trouble. When he looked to Sasuke for some sort of an answer, his best friend would only avert his gaze.
"Um..." Naruto opened his mouth to comment on what lovely weather they were having, despite the fact that it had been the same for the past few days. But he never got a chance to remind everyone that it was burning hot out and dark because Itachi suddenly spoke.
"Why are you staring at me?" he snapped at Deidara.
The blonde pursed his lips. "Because I'm trying to catch your eye but you're not looking at me hmm."
"What do you want?" Itachi's face wasn't getting any happier.
"I want to talk to you."
"No."
"But I really need-"
"No Deidara," Itachi sharply cut him off.
Sasuke worriedly looked in between the two older teens.
Deidara slammed his fist on the table. "Dammit Itachi!"
"Not at the table!" Itachi angrily shouted.
Deidara narrowed his eyes, pushing his plate back before getting to his feet and storming out the room.
Itachi sighed in annoyance, throwing down his chopsticks. "Please excuse us," he grit out before standing up and following after the blonde.
Naruto kept his gaze down, fiddling with his chopsticks as he and Sasuke were left in an uncomfortable silence. "...Sasu-kun?"
"What is it Naru-chan?"
"Are things ever gonna get better?"
"...Who knows..."
Down the hallway they could make out the sounds of their older brothers yelling at one another.
"Don't create a scene in front of Naruto and Sasuke..."
"I'm not trying to. If you would just talk to me about this un-"
"You're making things even worse than they already are!"
"You want me to fall at your feet and apologize again un? One time wasn't enough huh!"
"I didn't tell you to apologize!"
"Well what do you want me to do?"
"Leave!"
Both Sasuke and Naruto looked over as Deidara practically ran past the kitchen.
Sasuke looked at his best friend with wide eyes.
Naruto shook his head and stood up, stumbling out the doorway. "Where are you going Deidara-nii?" he called.
Deidara paused at the front door, jamming on his sandals. "I'm...going out for a bit un," he said with a strained smile.
"But-"
"He'll be back," Itachi said, suddenly behind Naruto. He stared at the Iwa bomber with his arms folded and eyes narrowed. "Won't you now?"
Deidara scowled and then left, slamming the door shut behind him.
Naruto stared.
Itachi muttered something inaudible under his breath and turned around, heading back to his room. He was stopped only once by his younger brother who glared at him with flashing dark eyes. "What do you want Sasuke?" he irritably asked.
Sasuke scrunched his face up and then pivoted on his heel. "You're both being stupid," he said.
Itachi watched the tiny raven walk to his bedroom and then sighed, rubbing his brow tiredly as he left the darkened hallway.
Naruto looked as his family broke three separate ways and then slid down the closest wall, the faint traces of a smile on his face before he buried his head in his arms.
And he cried.
Day Six: Cousins (when all else fails...)
Itachi ran the doorbell in front of him impatiently. He had not only woken to an empty bedroom, but an empty house as well.
If everyone was trying to avoid him, they were doing a pretty good job of it. So far, none of the other Uchihas inside their Compound would answer the door once they sensed it was him outside of it.
Which was why he had gone to his last resort.
Itachi pushed the doorbell he was at once again, almost punching it in. "Will someone answer already? I know you're in there!"
"..."
Itachi sported several tic marks. "OPEN UP!" he roared, drawing back a leg to bust the door in.
Luckily for the door, the person inside thought it might be a good idea to answer before they were killed.
Shisui opened the door with a blinding smile. "ITACHI-KUN!" he shouted with joy.
"Where's Deidara?" Itachi asked, getting straight to the point.
"Oh Deidara-kun?" Shisui placed a finger to his chin in thought. "I wouldn't know. He didn't come here after your fight last night if that's what you're wondering. I'd try the Haruno household though. It's where Naruto and Sasuke were headed today."
Walking straight into the lion's den! Itachi thought with a violent twitch. "Right...thanks." And then something occured to him. "Wait. How did you know about our fight?"
Shisui rolled his eyes. "Itachi the entire village and surrounding countries know," he said. "Maybe if you used your inside voice, it wouldn't be such a problem."
Itachi popped a vein. "Shut up Shisui!"
"Seriously though..." the seventeen year old Uchiha placed his hands on his hips. "Your business is practically out everywhere now. The Hokage-sama was thinking of paying you a visit last night, but Obito convinced him otherwise. Now the Hokage-sama is trying to have cameras installed on every house inside the Compound- so you'll need to take care of that at some point."
Itachi turned to the side, groaning loudly in exasperation. "Just what we need..."
Shisui looked at his younger cousin, eyes smart and calculating. "Have you made up your mind?"
Itachi stared at him. "Yeah..." He turned around and started walking down the porch. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Shisui watched him vanish from sight and then closed his door, staring at the interior of his house. A wry smile spread across his face.
"So this is how it is huh...?"
Day Seven: Resolutions (and knowing things won't be the same)
Itachi sat on the edge of his bed, wrapping his upper arms with the last of his training bandages.
His bedroom was dark, the first signs of dawn barely breaking through his curtained window. He tied off the bandage on his left arm and then stood, silently moving across his floor to his closet. He grabbed a fishnet shirt and old Uchiha shirt he had cut the sleeves off of before pulling them both over his head. He had already been wearing his grey shinobi pants, and his shinobi sandals were at the front of his house.
With a light sigh, Itachi made up his bed and then turned to leave the room, grabbing the katana Shisui had given him for his birthday on the way out.
He glanced back only once to see the softly breathing form of Deidara, smirking. "Sorry...but this is one thing I won't let you do with me," he quietly muttered.
And then he shut the door.
Deidara waited until Itachi's footsteps had retreated completely before sitting up. His hair fell over his face like a cloud. "You won't let me...huh?"
He reached over to his dresser and grabbed his kunai holster, sliding out of bed and picking up the hitai-ate Hiruzen had given him a year ago. In less than a minute he had thrown off his night clothes and changed into his usual shinobi attire which consisted of a fishnet shirt, fingerless gloves, black pants, and midriff grey vest. After securely fixing his holster onto his right leg, he laughed to himself.
"That's real funny Itachi..."
Deidara tied the Konohagakure headband on with a smirk.
"I don't ever recall letting you tell me what to do un."
~X~
Naruto listened to the fading sound of footsteps and then turned away from the door, looking at Sasuke who was calmly sitting on the edge of their bed. "Deidara-nii and Itachi-nii have left."
Sasuke glanced up at him. "It's okay."
"It's not okay!" Naruto glared at his best friend, stomping over to him. "They might not come back!"
Sasuke grabbed the blonde by the arm, staring at him with a serious expression. "They'll be back for sure Naru-chan. We just have to trust them and allow them to do what they need to." He stood beside his friend, smiling slightly. "Until then, we need to cover for our older brothers!"
Naruto blinked. "You..." he grinned, wiping the tiny tear from the corner of his eye. "Of course we do! I'll get the spare sticks of dynamite from the pantry, and then we can blow up the bank!"
Sasuke whacked him over the head. "That's not what I meant baka!"
"Itai!"
~X~
Itachi stealthily walked down the dirt roads of the Uchiha Compound, glancing side-to-side as he did so. He hadn't bothered to leave a note behind; there would be no point. The Hokage would later inform them that he had been sent out on a long-term mission and his date back was unknown. Sasuke and Naruto would continue going to the Academy in his absence, and Deidara would-
Itachi raised a brow to himself.
What would Deidara do?
After all, his main target of torture was kind of leaving the village for a while.
The fifteen year old raven shook his head. Whatever the bomber did, it would either be productive or cause Konoha to lose another bank. Still... Itachi couldn't help but feel as if things wouldn't go as he wanted. Nothing ever did anymore, and this time didn't feel any different. Something was off. He wasn't alone in wandering outside his house...someone else was too...
Itachi's eyes widened. No. He did not follow me out here-
"Shouldn't you be keeping your eyes in front of you hmm?"
Itachi came to a halt, eyes narrowed as his gaze landed on the blonde in the middle of the road. "What do you think you're doing?"
Deidara's smirk was easy to see, even in the dark. "I thought I'd take a morning stroll un. What do you think I'm doing out here?"
"Going home," Itachi shortly replied, walking ahead.
Deidara clotheslined him before he could pass. "I don't think so," he said as Itachi took a step back and rubbed his sore throat.
Itachi glowered at the blonde. "Just go back, will you? I have some business to take care of- and you won't stop me."
"I never said anything about stopping you," Deidara said, lifting a brow. "I'm coming with you un."
"No you're not."
"I'm going."
"You're not."
"Itachi-"
"I said you're not going!" Itachi yelled. "Good grief Deidara! Would it kill you to back out of my space for once? You haven't stopped clinging to me since the day you met me! You're like- like some sort of frickin' barnacle that refuses to let go of its victim!" His bloodline limit activated in anger. "All you've ever done for me is cause trouble. My brother is now under your very horrid influence and the Hyuuga Clan is at a constant war with us! I used to very respected and within the Hokage's good graces- and I'll be damned if you ruin this opportunity for me to redeem myself and save my parents who you got into this whole mess to begin with!"
"..."
"..." Itachi blinked and then deactivated his Sharingan, taking a step forward. "Look Deidara-"
Deidara stepped away, lips set in a tight line. "I came to help you."
"I know that," Itachi brought a hand to his head, sighing heavily. "I didn't mean what I said. I took my anger out on you and-"
Deidara turned on his heel and started to walk away.
Itachi noticed he was heading for the Compound exit and ran after him. "Where are you going?"
"I thought it'd be obvious," Deidara muttered.
Itachi clamped a hand onto his shoulder in an iron grip, forcing the younger blonde to look at him. "I told you I didn't mean it! Why are you leaving?" he asked in frustration, staring into the only blue eye his could see.
Deidara gave him an odd look, both of his brows raised. "The village gates are that way. I thought that's where we were meeting with Shisui."
Itachi stared at him. "...What?"
"Shisui wanted us to meet him at dawn." The Iwa nin pointed to the sky before moving it to the path he had been walking down. "We'd meet at the gates and then leave to find out where this stupid enemy shinobi is holding our parents. Wasn't that the plan un?"
"..."
"..."
Itachi took his hand off the blonde's shoulder. "You're not angry," he said.
"And I'm not a 'frickin' barnacle' either," Deidara snidely replied, starting to walk out the Compound again with Itachi at his side. "I know this is my fault so I'm not mad. You, however, have every right to be upset. That's why I want to help you un. After we get our parents back, I'll figure out somewhere else to go. Pein offered a place in his club..."
"What are you talking about?" Itachi questioned, not bothering to spare the bomber a glance as they headed through the village by rooftop. "You're not leaving."
Deidara jumped alongside him. "You don't know what tou-san and kaa-san will think of me."
"I don't care."
"They might hate me un."
"Who doesn't?"
"Itachi."
"Look- we'll worry about it when it happens." Itachi finally looked at him. "Right now we need to stay focused on the task at hand. This is a mission after all you know."
Deidara let out a tiny laugh and then skidded to a halt at the edge of the building they were on. "I know un."
Itachi noticed the outline of Shisui's figure in the distance and then smirked. "Oh and Deidara?"
"What?"
"This village would never let you leave."
Deidara cocked a brow as the raven jumped down. "Huh?"
~X~
Shisui smiled as Deidara and Itachi came into view. "Well good morning my lovely cousins~" he sang, flying towards them with his arms outstretched.
Itachi brought up his foot, kicking him in the face. "Cut it out!" he shouted with a popped vein.
"Ow! I was just trying to be nice," Shisui cried to himself.
"Well don't," Itachi muttered, removing his foot.
Deidara grinned, placing a comforting arm around Shisui's shoulder. "It's okay. He's just grumpy he didn't get his Shinobi O's this morning un."
Shisui sadly shook his head. "I should have known..."
"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Itachi asked with his brow twitching.
They ignored him completely in favor of sobbing on one another's shoulders. "You know," Shisui said, wiping his tear-filled eyes. "I just try and try, but it never works!"
"I know Shisui-kun, I know," Deidara weeped.
Itachi folded his arms, leaning to the side with an eyebrow raised. "Shouldn't we be heading out instead of standing around here?"
"Of course," Shisui stepped away from Deidara, coughing lightly.
"..."
"..."
Deidara looked in between them.
"SHISUI!" Itachi shouted.
His older cousin grinned. "I spaced out for a second there."
"I don't care..." Itachi ground out with a dark glower. "Let's just get going."
"Right. I'll fill you in on the plan on our way to the first village," Shisui said, turning and motioning with his hand. "For now you guys follow me."
Deidara and Itachi exchanged a glance before nodding.
Within the next second, all that was left in their place was a swirl of leaves and a boulder.
They were officially on duty.
A/N: And there you have it. They're going out on a mission to rescue Itachi's parents who apparently can't save themselves :P
Do you wanna find out what happens?
Next update will come shortly.