HAPPY HOLIDAYS KIDS! ENJOY THIS CHAPTER!
The house was silent. But for Sasuke, if felt as if the world was entirely too loud. A buzzing rang in Sasuke's ears. The letter fell from his hand and fluttered to the floor at Itachi's feet. He couldn't breathe...he couldn't...fucking...BREATHE! He was on his feet in an instant, his blood boiling. With the roar in his ears, he tore Itachi's room apart. He did not even know what he was grabbing. All he knew that was he wanted it all destroyed. Throwing items across the room, listening to wood splinter and glass shatter.
The next few hours passed in a blur.
Karin and Juugo noticed something was off with Sasuke and found him sitting on the floor Itachi's destroyed room, his face blank. Karin had quickly called for Suigetsu to find Naruto as she tried to get Sasuke to speak. Juugo found the letter and read it with a sinking heart before handing it to Karin.
"Oh, sweetie..." Karin murmured. Whether it was meant for Sasuke or Itachi, Juugo was unsure.
Naruto arrived minutes later, unsure to what was wrong but desperate to help Sasuke. He read the letter Karin handed him and cursed softly. He gave it back to the girl and slowly approached the Uchiha.
"Sasuke." He croaked, kneeling in front of the older boy and staring up at him. Sasuke stared blankly ahead, his eyes far away.
"He's gone." Was all he said and it nearly broke Naruto's heart. Naruto reached for Sasuke's hand, taking it in his own and giving it a tiny squeeze. Sasuke's eyes slowly focused on the blonde who stared up at him in concern.
"We'll send out a search party. We'll go ourselves. Don't worry Sasuke. We'll find him. You can talk sense into him." Naruto knew he was rambling, but he wanted to wipe that blank stare off Sasuke's face. He wanted Sasuke to say something. Do something. The blank stare was maddening and Naruto did not know what to do to help. Why hadn't anyone known that Itachi was going to run? Why had Itachi run? The letter seemed so final. Almost as if it were a suicide note instead of a farewell. There were so many people here that could help Itachi, but instead he just takes off! Sasuke was lost in his own thoughts, Barely hearing Naruto ramble.
Last night...hadn't they argued last night?
"Sasuke, you can't possibly think that me staying a child is a good idea." Itachi muttered from across the room as Sasuke paced. Sasuke merely shook his head. The light overhead flickered lazily, casting the room in shadows. It seemed like they had argued about this already. Itachi continued twirling his fingers on the table surface, but he watched his brother closely.
"There's no reason for Tsunade to keep working on you. Nothing's happening anyway." He replied dismissively, dark eyes darting over to his brother who crossed his arms and wearily leaned against the wall.
"Sasuke I have to return to normal..." Itachi trailed off as Sasuke glared at him. Why? Why did Itachi have to go and return to his usual age? He was fine now. Sasuke could take care of him now!
"You vomited blood, Itachi! You can't take anymore!" Sasuke snapped and Itachi closed his eyes and released a weary sigh as if Sasuke were a child and this was a stupid little temper tantrum.
"Otouto, you're behaving as if I'm a chil-"
"You are a child, Itachi!" Sasuke cut his brother off. Itachi's eyes narrowed. He slowly stood, watching his brother.
"Does this actually have anything to do with protecting me? Or the more likely explanation. You don't want me as an adult because you have no control over me then." Itachi asked and Sasuke bristled.
"It would hardly matter if you aged. I crook my finger and you'd obey." He sneered, not wanting to admit the nightmares he had been having. Not wanting to admit to his weakness. Itachi shook his head.
"How quaint, Sasuke. Father would be so proud." He replied coolly before pushing off the wall and bidding Sasuke a goodnight. Sasuke did not move from his position for several minutes, the flickering light buzzing softly in the background.
"No."
Naruto blinked, mouth falling shut and looked towards the other boy in confusion.
"What?"
"No search parties. No mission. We're not going." Sasuke stood suddenly, snatching the letter from Naruto. He read it again, his eyes narrowed angrily. Naruto slowly stood and followed Sasuke as he swiftly moved down the hall and towards the living room. Karin shot him a concerned look before darting out of sight. The Uchiha tore the letter in half and quickly set both pieces on fire. He allowed the smoldering pieces to hit the floor and heavily sat on the couch. Naruto stared at the burning paper with wide eyes. It fizzled and curled up in the heat, before turning to dust before his very eyes.
"You're not going after him?" Naruto questioned in surprise. Sasuke had not moved from the couch, staring intently at the wall.
"No." He stated coldly.
"But-"
Sasuke whirled on Naruto, his eyes colder than Naruto had seen them in awhile. Naruto unconsciously The Uchiha's dark eyes focused on the blonde. Bitterness filling them.
"He's made his decision." Sasuke drawled, walking around the cinders and out the door. "And I've made mine."
The night Itachi ran again, he watched the moon. He was slow with packing. Allowing his eyes to linger on his room as it hadn't when he ran after the massacre. He wanted to see Sasuke before he left. To see his brother one last time. But Itachi knew that if he saw Sasuke, his resolve would break. So instead he slid from his window, the moon brilliant and illuminating the village as it had that night many years ago.
He moved silently and unseen through the village, stalling once outside Kakashi's apartment before hardening himself to keep moving. Itachi made his way out of Konoha,with no witnesses but the moon.
He knew where he was going.
There was only one place he could go.
And it seemed Madara knew it all too well. Madara seemed very pleased with himself. As if he knew Itachi would come crawling back all along. He watched Itachi approach the hideout smugly, his scarlet eyes lingering on the boy.
"Well well well. Welcome back, my dear." he stepped forward in the sunshine as Itachi gripped his backpack.
"Madara-sama." Itachi bowed, his eyes dull.
"Come now child. We're family. Surely you will allow me to hug you?" Madara held his arms open, expectantly and Itachi hesitated. The elder scoffed and moved forward to grasp Itachi by the scruff of his neck and pull him against his chest, arms enveloping him. Itachi stiffened, mouth pulled into a thin line.
Madara pulled away and grasped the boy's shoulders, smiling slightly. He reached and roughly pat the boy's cheek.
"My beautiful boy. My perfect little boy." He cooed and Itachi ducked his head, Madara's sharp gaze filled with mirth.
"Find a room for our boy." Madara called out to Zetsu. "He's back home."
Itachi spent the next week cooped up in the hideout. He did not dare wander far. He could feel Zetsu watching his every move. It seemed that everyone knew something he didn't. It made his skin crawl when Obito would greet him, his one eyes staring through the mask. It seemed he knew something Itachi didn't. It seemed as if everyone knew something that he did not. Itachi was not even sure if he wanted to find out what.
The hideout had been transformed and was no longer a hovel. It was confusing to Itachi who knew without any doubt that the Akatsuki had dissolved. Was Madara trying to start up a new organization? Itachi often trailed after Madara. Unable to do anything else with no missions. Obito and Zetsu disappeared often for places unknown, leaving just Itachi and Madara behind.
Itachi tried to keep himself occupied within the base. Yet he felt as if he was walking on eggshells. He didn't have a place here and he knew it. Madara took this in stride, his flamboyant pleasure never ceasing. Itachi knew the man enjoyed keeping him as a child. He didn't understand why however.
Each night Itachi felt weaker than the last. His joins ached and his eyes burned. Even sleep did not help with the pain. Instead his dreams were plagued by vicious nightmares. His brother would appear before him. As he had haunted Itachi's dreams for years. Sometimes as a child, crying and screaming for Itachi. Sometimes as a teenager, silent and hating. Itachi did not know what hurt more.
This night, nearly a month after running for Sasuke and Konoha. Itachi dreamed again. He was in a hall, reminiscent of the one where he and Sasuke had first met when Itachi had been deaged. There were no lights and Itachi was blindly walking through the darkness, groping the walls.
Footsteps began to approach and Itachi tensed as he prepared himself to face Sasuke again. The steps became louder and through the darkness, Itachi could make out a faint yellow light, and a silhouette within that light. Itachi squinted at the person, realizing that it was not Sasuke approaching him at that leisurely pace.
"Shisui..." Itachi murmured. Shisui Uchiha approached his cousin, bathed in that golden light. Shisui's eyes twinkled as he looked at the younger boy.
"'Tachi." He greeted, voice amused. Yet he kept moving. Moving away from Itachi and down the darkness of the hall that seemed infinite. Itachi watched as Shisui walked slowly down the hall, fingers trailing over the walls.
"Where are you going?" Itachi called, his voice echoing eerily down the hall. Shisui did not turn to face him, and continued to move forward.
"Forward." He called back and Itachi nearly rolled his eyes at this. He followed after his cousin as always, eyes mystified. He heard Shisui chuckle up ahead. The younger raced ahead but Shisui seemed unreachable, always so close, yet too far. As he had been the night he fell. Close enough for Itachi to have felt the heat on his fingers. yet to far to grab as he fell backwards into the abyss.
Itachi continued to follow, eyes focused on his cousin's back. The Uchiha emblem glared at him. Shisui kept moving, as if he had a destination in mind. Wherever forward was, Shisui was going and Itachi would follow. As he always had. Yet the further he moved, the heavier his feel felt. Shisui was getting further and further away and Itachi could not reach him.
"You have to wake up 'Tachi. You've slept too long." He called over his shoulder. "It's time to wake up." He kept walking and Itachi raced towards him, fingers outstretched. His hands grazed over Shisui's before the other boy vanished.
"Wake up."
Itachi's eyes flew open as if an unseen force had struck him in the stomach. He lay still for a long moment, his breathing coming in sharp gulps. His hair stuck to his face in sweaty stands and he pushed it away with shaky hands. Slowly he pulled himself into a sitting position, leaning forward and rubbing his eyes. His heart was racing wildly in his chest as if he had just been running.
He struggled to his feet and a wave of vertigo sent him back down. His shook violently, breathing deeply. Fingers groped for something to help him stand and he did so slowly, legs shaking violently as a newborn colt. Finally he managed to take a step forward followed by another, his legs still shaking.
Itachi stumbled to the bathroom and flicked the light on. He gripped the sink, turning on the faucet and splashing water onto his heated skin. It dribbled down his cheeks and chin and he stared dully as it fell into the sink. Absently, he wiped his face with the side of his arm. Itachi looked up at his reflection in the mirror, taking in his worn out expression. He had never felt so worn out before. Not even when Sasuke had drugged him. He turned to return to his bed, desperate to finally rest, before hesitating. A frown slowly spread across his face. He stood very still, his breath ragged. Turing back to the mirror, without opening his eyes he reached forward and gripped the sides of the sink, white knuckled.
Silence hung in the tiny bathroom. Itachi's breathing had caught in his throat as he stared ahead. The Uchiha stared at himself in the mirror, shaky fingers reaching out to touch his reflection. He could barely breathe. The same dark eyes and pale skin were present. The same slender fingers touched the mirror, pale and fragile. But it had changed. His reflection had changed. A child no longer stared back.