They are nearly at the Land of Fire's border when Konan suggests they stop for the night. Itachi agrees because the clouds are dark and swelling with rain, so it isn't long before they're entering a shabby two-floor inn on the far edge of town.
Itachi shuts the door on the whistling wind while Konan approaches the front desk. The teen behind the counter barely glances up from her novel before scribbling man and woman in her ledger and tossing Itachi the silver key to a two-bed room.
The Uchiha pockets it and turns to the pale pink hallway when Konan says, "I will see if the cafe is still open. What would you like?"
Itachi pauses, mildly surprised since he can count on one hand the number of times they've spoken today.
Soon though, he says, "Tea and dango."
Konan nods and glides down the adjacent corridor while Itachi heads to the staircase. His feet are soundless on the steps before he remembers there are civilians around and stops avoiding the creaks.
He exits onto the second level, going up to the first door and turning the key in the scratched-up knob. The door creaks open and Itachi steps inside to find two beds with only a foot between them.
Yet he doesn't spare them another glance as he strides into the restroom and locks the door behind him. Approaching the sink, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an eyedropper. Relief washes over him before he even tilts back his head and pours four drops in each eye, not flinching at the chemical sting since his eyes have already been screaming for five hours.
Konan had been watching too closely for him to take his medication before now—probably wary of him after his encounter with Hidan—and he can't risk Pain's righthand finding out about his illness when he's so close to his final battle.
The wind beats against the window behind the shower curtain while Itachi blinks the drops into his eyes. Soon a cool sensation envelopes his burning irises and Itachi sighs—
Memories flood his brain. Itachi stiffens as his shadow clone's thoughts merge with his own, though he's surprised since his clone was supposed to watch over Little Sasuke until he reached Konoha.
Images skip through his head, so one second Itachi recalls following Deidara and Kisame, Little Sasuke in a jar they carry. Then it's dark, the crickets buzzing loudly, and the min-nin flies through the night sky on his hawk.
Itachi edges closer to a lake, intending to follow the little ninja—
The lake is frozen. Itachi's brow furrows at the sign of a jutsu, the sense something is wrong sprouting within him—
A bird screeches. Something falls from the sky. Itachi realizes its a tiny body right before Sasuke crashes through the ice and disappears under the black water—
"No!"
Itachi's fist slams on the sink counter and the porcelain cracks under his hand as his Sharingan blazes to life. Then he's already using shunshin and arriving outside the hotel in a whirl of leaves before he realizes what he's doing.
Wind roars in his ears and his bangs thrash against his headband, but Itachi notices nothing while his Sharingan spins. Translucent ruby flames erupt at his feet, rising and solidifying into a spine, which snaps out into a rib cage. Blood rivers from Itachi's eye as sinew and flesh weave around the skeleton until Susanoo encases him.
The Susanoo stands, towering over the hotel and nearby stores. Someone shouts his name while wings sprout from Susanoo's back. However, Itachi ignores Konan's stunned face through the hotel window as chakra pours out of him like blood.
Itachi grits his teeth, vision twisting at the chakra drain. Yet he grasps his head tight enough to hurt and the pain helps him focus.
"Hold on," he hisses. "Sasuke."
The Uchiha's eyes narrow and he lowers his hand as Susanoo flaps its great wings, rising into the sky. Fields bow and houses tremble under the resulting wind, and Itachi's chest twinges so he clutches his cloak over his heart while Susanoo takes flight over the town.
The few people out on the roads gape at the glowing red figure among the clouds. Some even scream, dropping their baskets and bags and mouthing "Monster!"
Yet their voices are lost as thunder rumbles around him, vibrations in the air rattling Itachi's bones, and rain battering Susanoo's armor. However, all his focus is on moving Susanoo's wings while he glides out of the Land of Fire.
Lightning flashes and stings his already burning eyes, but Itachi doesn't stop. Miles are being covered in minutes as he soars over trees and rivers, cutting through the clouds and scattering their gray wisps.
Suddenly his breath stutters. Itachi coughs harshly, hand tightening on his cloak while his whole body convulses with a coughing fit. But he can't stop. Sasuke needs him.
A cough shatters his lungs. His eyes widen as fire blazes within his chest, blood spilling on his lips. No. Don't stop, not yet.
Itachi wheezes, eyes growing foggy, and though every cough ruptures his throat, Susanoo flies on. The ground blurs and the air seems to grow thinner. Every inch of him is screaming, but he keeps his chakra flowing until a dark shadow emerges on the horizon.
Thunder rips through the air as lightning strikes over the distant mountain. However, Itachi can't hear anything between his barking coughs and ragged breaths while he guides Susanoo down. Almost…there…
He's about to touch down on the narrow mountain path when pain punctures his eyes. Itachi's face seizes with agony as he chokes, Sharingan fading. Susanoo gives a ghoulish howl before suddenly it's stripped away from him like a candle blown out.
Itachi falls, the ground thirty feet below. Quickly he twists around to land in a crouch. Yet a hacking cough slows his turn so his feet hit the ground wrong. He immediately loses his footing and tumbles onto his side, rolling to the edge of the mountain. However, he slaps his hands on the gravelly mud and catches himself before he can go over the cliff.
Itachi hacks out blood, yet the rain washes it away as soon as it hits the ground. Still, it takes a full minute for his coughing to ebb, and even then, his arms tremble while he pushes himself up to his knees. He reaches for the mountainside, clawing it for a hold, and slowly drags himself up.
His knees shake, heart racing, and he falls into a slump against the rocky wall, but Sasuke is so close, he can't give up. Itachi moves to take a step, and nearly crumples right back down. However, his gaze rises to a tall crevice up the mountain path.
Sasuke needs him, so he forces his shaking legs forward. He drags himself along the wall, walking far slower than he wishes as his legs twinge after his awkward landing, and the wind tugs at his cloak. Sweat coats his skin, but the rain cools him until he's shivering.
The weight of water has nearly dragged him to the ground by the time he reaches the fissure, yet he simply ducks into the cramped space and slides against the jagged wall. A dying campfire flickers at the end of the cave. Itachi's breath hitches, the Uchiha spotting the small body laid out behind the charred sticks and embers.
He stumbles faster until he's by the fire and crouches down. "Little Sasuke?" he rasps, reaching for the min-nin.
Frigid skin slides onto Itachi's fingers. His eyes widen as he brings the min-nin close to his face, but he calms seeing the teen's chest shuddering with an inhale. Still, the small shinobi's eyes are closed, his black cloak little more than tatters, and he's unnaturally pale.
His brow furrows at the long white lines marring Little Sasuke all over—healing scars? From what?
The teen's face contorts and a ragged exhale leaves him. It hits Itachi then that Sasuke is in worse shape than he thought, he could be dying.
Itachi tears down his cloak zipper, cups his hand around Little Sasuke and brings him against his chest. Hypothermia and blood loss…even with the min-nin's fast healing, he might not make it.
Yet Itachi will try—will do everything it takes to save him. Because Little Sasuke is his brother, human or not, and Itachi will not let him leave this world before him.
That's a promise he made eight years ago. He won't go breaking it now.
—
The rain stops when Itachi reaches Amegakure. His clothes are damp, hair gangly, and chakra levels low despite him eating a chakra pill. Yet he strides into the tower with a purpose and sidesteps Pain by the entrance.
"Itachi," the Akatsuki leader intones. "Konan has informed me you left—"
"Did she tell you what I said to Hidan?" Itachi stops beside the man, but doesn't look at him as he keeps Little Sasuke pressed against his chest.
"Yes—"
"Then know this." Itachi glares into his Rinnegan eyes. "My threat applies to you as well."
Pain's mouth shuts, and though no shock appears on his face, Itachi senses the man is speechless. Yet it doesn't matter while he passes the Akatsuki leader and hurries to the staircase.
He takes three steps at a time, the stairs blurring under his feet as he frowns down at the min-nin under his hand. The teen is still unconscious, and though he hasn't moved the whole journey, something seems off about his stillness.
Itachi slows to a stop on the sixth floor. "Sasuke?"
He eyes him closely for a few seconds. Sasuke's chest doesn't move. A hand crushes Itachi's heart.
"Sasuke!?" he calls, pulling the min-nin out from his cloak and up to his face.
Little Sasuke doesn't move. He's not breathing—how long hasn't he been breathing!?
"Sasuke!"
He taps the min-nin's chest, shaking him. However, Sasuke's eyes don't open and his head lolls onto Itachi's fingers. The Uchiha's free hand curls up, nails digging into his palm. No…Sasuke cannot die.
Itachi's battered chakra reserves scream as his Mangekyō Sharingan burns to life. His fingers sweep over the min-nin's face, peeling back his eyelids. Little black eyes stare vacantly through him and Itachi clenches his teeth.
"Live." His Sharingan spins, weaving a genjutsu order. "You have to—"
His Sharingan vanishes and pain shreds across his eyes. Itachi hisses a curse because he doesn't have enough chakra, but Sasuke cannot die. He'll do anything—
Itachi jolts. He hesitates. But no, this is his only chance—Sasuke's only chance. So Itachi lowers himself onto the stairs, sets the min-nin on his lap, and summons the last of his chakra while forming signs.
He extends his elbow and a crow appears on it in a smoke cloud. Shisui's Sharingan stares back at him from the crow's eye socket, and Itachi's expression turns grim as his own Mangekyō Sharingan flares.
"Do not give up," Itachi's pinwheel eyes spin, the last drops of his chakra weaving the genjutsu order. "Do not give up, Sasuke."
Shisui's Sharingan starts turning slowly. However, Itachi throws all the chakra he has into his dōjutsu and Shisui's eye moves faster, accepting the genjutsu order as its own.
Itachi's Sharingan vanishes and he grunts from the sharp pain in his eyes while black spots fill his sight. Yet he lifts Little Sasuke to the crow and his thumb peels back the min-nin's eyelids.
Shisui's spinning eye bores into the teen's lifeless gaze. Itachi waits, blinking back his exhaustion.
"Please, don't give up…otouto."
The min-nin's face twitches before his eyes widen, their ebony hue bleeding into red. Shisui's Sharingan flashes in Little Sasuke's eyes, yet Itachi watches anxiously. Please, please be enough…
Sasuke inhales a raspy breath. Itachi takes a shuddering breath himself, sagging and falling back against the wall. His crow disappears in a puff of smoke while Itachi's arm flops onto his lap and he lets Sasuke's eyes close.
His hand trembles around the min-nin, vision graying and funneling down until Sasuke is all he can see. Chakra exhaustion weighs down Itachi's eyes, yet he smiles.
"Good job…Sasuke…"
His arm drops onto the floor, but his hand stays curled around the min-nin even as a veil of darkness washes everything away.
—
Itachi wakes up gradually to a warm and familiar bed. However, his first thought is of Sasuke. Did he make it? is he okay?
The Uchiha shoots up, muscles crying and eyes flying open because Sasuke had barely been breathing. Is he alive?
"Woah."
Itachi whips around and the world is a mash of dull copper and gray. For a second, he wonders if his eyesight has worsened. Yet soon his vision clears until he sees Kisame leaning against the wall by the door, brow raised.
"Two days," Kisame mutters in shock. "Already awake," he says under his breath.
Or perhaps he says normally, but the pounding in Itachi's ears muffles his voice. His chest is heaving, every breath scalding him like he'd just run a marathon.
Yet Itachi brushes aside his stringy hair and looks to his table. His heating lamp shines down on a rolled-up towel—no, a towel bundled around a small lump.
He throws off his covers, swings his legs over the bedside, and staggers to his feet, nearly falling as his legs get tangled in them. Kisame says something, but he's ignored while Itachi stumbles to the table.
His hands smack on the wood and he grasps the table edge, eyes locking on the towel. Little Sasuke is cocooned in the thick cloth, eyes closed and head barely peeking out of the folds.
Itachi waits to see the min-nin's chest shudder with breath before exhaling in relief.
Quietly, he asks, "Has he woken up?"
His voice is thin and hoarse, but probably still sounds better than he feels.
"No."
Itachi glances over his shoulder. His eyes narrow.
"Was it you or Deidara who attacked him?"
The question hangs like a sword between them, sharp and deadly.
However, Kisame smirks. "More like other min-nin."
Itachi's lips dip with a frown. Yet neither Kisame nor Deidara can utilize ice jutsu and he detects no lie in Kisame's voice.
He turns back to Little Sasuke. The teen takes a ragged breath, mouth parting slightly, and it occurs to him that the teen hasn't eaten for over two days. However, no IV is small enough to fit him and Itachi doesn't have enough chakra for Tsukuyomi.
He'd ask Tobi to try using his Sharingan to save him, but the man is likely still on his mission. So what…what can he do?
"You know," Kisame says casually. "I think I was wrong."
Itachi watches Little Sasuke inhale…exhale…inhale…
"The books said a min-nin with a blood or clan connection to their human owner is quicker to bond and become loyal faster."
Kisame stares intently at him, but Itachi only has eyes for his brother.
"Now though, I think the books got it wrong." Kisame's smirk becomes audible as he says, "It's not just the min-nin who bonds."
Itachi's lips press together. Yet he's tired, too tired to think, and too tired to care what Kisame or the Akatsuki think. They can kill him now and he wouldn't fight it. Sasuke…he wished he could fight him, uphold Shisui's wish to restore honor to the clan, and send his human brother home…but what does it matter? What does anything matter if Little Sasuke dies?
Kisame's cloak rustles as he stands from the wall. "Well, that's what I told Leader-sama anyway. He seemed to believe it and has changed your current assignment back to just caring for the min-nin, and saving it if possible."
Itachi's brow furrows while his partner walks out the door. However, the man pauses in the doorway.
"Though the truth…is there really such a thing for guys like us, Itachi-san?"
He waits. Itachi considers answering, but doesn't say a word. The moment passes and Kisame laughs.
"Yeah, that's what I thought too."
The Kiri-nin leaves, shutting the door behind him. Itachi is still for a second before staggering over to the knob and turning the lock.
Then he wobbles back to Little Sasuke, his expression crumbling. He collapses into the chair and his head falls into his hands, elbows hitting the table. What is he supposed to do? Sasuke cannot die.
The teen shudders with a ragged inhale and Itachi closes his eyes, releasing a frustrated hiss. Sasuke is alive, but for how long? None of the Akatsuki are medic-nin and finding a doctor with the control to not use too much chakra on his small body is unlikely.
Itachi glares at the table. He thought Kisame's books might have some helpful information, but the fact Kisame hadn't done anything except keep the min-nin warm told him they don't... Nobody can save Little Sasuke in the approximate day the min-nin has left before he starves—assuming his lungs don't give out first.
A presence appears by Itachi. His head snaps to the window. A pigeon leaps off from the outside ledge. Itachi calms, his gaze dulling while the bird takes off and glides into the dawn-lit sky. Little Sasuke's laughter echoes in his head as he recalls the min-nin riding his hawk for the first time.
"I'm sorry." Itachi looks down at the comatose min-nin, whispering, "I'm so sorry."
The Uchiha bows his head, eyes burning.
"Sorry, Sasuke."
"Another time, okay?"
Itachi raises two fingers and reaches to lay them on the min-nin's head, gently stroking his hair.
"Sorry, Sasuke…"
He closes his eyes.
"I don't think there's going to be a next time…"
A tear rolls down his face.
—
Itachi wakes up with his head pillowed in his arms. His eyes flutter, confusion layering his mind. His chakra is still recovering, so why did he wake up?
A breeze brushes over his bare arms. Itachi stiffens. He didn't leave the window open. Hastily he relaxes to appear unconscious because someone is in here, and it's not an Akatsuki member.
Everyone except for Pain, Kisame, and Deidara should still be out on their missions. Kisame wouldn't intrude and Deidara isn't foolish enough to sneak into his room again. Pain wouldn't have woken him up so easily—
Soft taps on the table. Itachi's heart clenches. He knows those little footsteps.
He peeks open his eyes, desperate hope rising inside him. The lamp's circle of light is blinding, but soon his vision adjusts. Little Sasuke lies in the towel, unconscious, yet Itachi's eyes widen at the min-nin beside the teen.
Konan's counterpart is staring at Little Sasuke, brow furrowed and two fingers pressed against the teen's neck. Itachi wonders if he's dreaming, hallucinating possibly, but then he senses someone's stare.
Itachi's eyes swing up to the open window. A min-nin with ebony hair gazes back at him from the sill, fear and horror twisting his face. However, Itachi can't speak before the min-nin jumps off the ledge and he jerks up as the min-nin whisks out four kunai in each hand, flinging them at his chest.
The Uchiha lurches to his feet and the kunai strike the chair. Yet he hisses as a blade rakes across his back, shredding through his armor weave. He twists around, whipping out a kunai from his pouch, and cuts through a paper shuriken stained red.
Itachi pivots back to see the dark-haired min-nin landing beside Konan, their expressions wary.
"Wait," Itachi raises his hand plaintively. "I—"
Tiny paper shuriken whirl from Konan and spin into a wall around the table. Between the spinning paper, Itachi glimpses both min-nin sprinting toward the window.
Itachi's eyes widen and in a blur of motion, he flicks out a paper tag before tossing out his kunai after them. The blade slices through the paper shuriken and flies out the window in front of the min-nin, the paper bomb attached to it sizzling.
The min-nin slide to a stop and jump back towards the table as the bomb goes off outside, flames shattering the window and throwing glass pieces into the air. Itachi's Sharingan flares and he lunges toward the table, hands snapping out to catch the min-nin.
His hand closes around the small Konan, but he's stunned when her companion whirls back with incredible speed and slices a kunai across his other hand. Yet Itachi ignores the sting and grabs the dark-haired min-nin.
Both min-nin tense up in his grip, though Konan is expressionless, and the other glares. However, neither tries to escape while Itachi brings them in closer.
"I know min-nin can understand human language." Konan's face twitches while the other min-nin gapes. "So listen, please."
His Sharingan fades and Itachi allows his face to fall. "Sasuke is dying, he needs your help."
Shock flashes on both of the min-nin's faces while he lowers them to the table. "Please." He sinks to his knees and lowers his head to the ground. "Help my brother."
Itachi waits, uncaring how the glass shards cut into his palms and legs. Nothing happens. However, Itachi doesn't hear the patter of feet, so keeps bowing until something brushes over his head.
Itachi looks up. Konan is in front of his face, her paper wings beating while her amber eyes stare intensely into his. Slowly, the kunoichi raises her hand.
Her thumb rubs against her fingers. Itachi's lips part.
"You…want money?"
Konan continues the motion, her neutral expression unchanging.
Itachi shakes off his surprise and carefully gets up. Konan flies over him, keeping her distance while he stumbles over to his dresser. He opens the bottom drawer, pushes aside his cloak and reaches for the small money pouch beneath.
The coins jingle while Itachi carries them back to the table and unclips the pouch, setting it down.
"It's not much," he says, side-eyeing the min-nin. "But I can get more if you…"
He trails off as an origami sheet flutters past his face and sweeps under the pouch. It rises, lifting the money off the table and gliding out the broken window.
Itachi turns back.
Nobody is there. The Uchiha's face wrinkles with uncertainty. Did the min-nin agree? Will they help Sasuke?
Itachi looks out the broken window. He doesn't know. All he does know is that if Little Sasuke dies, he'll take him down with him.
—
Itachi pours tea into a cup. He puts the silver kettle back on the stove, grabs his tea, and strides out of the room while swiping up a bento full of dumplings. He's not hungry, though he hasn't eaten more than microwaved ramen all day, but if Sasuke wakes up by some miracle, he'll need something to eat.
Itachi pulls open his bedroom door, yet stops, hand tightening on the knob. The window is open, the plastic sheet he'd covered it with flapping in the wind.
The Uchiha looks at the table. An empty towel lays open there. Itachi hurries to the table, but Little Sasuke is nowhere to be found.
However, Itachi reaches down for the object left in front of the towel, carefully pinching it between his fingers.
The miniature paper crane gleams gold in the sunlight.
Itachi's breath hitches, face wracking with emotion. Little Sasuke…he's in good hands now.
The Uchiha deposits the food on the table and takes the crane to his dresser. He opens a drawer and sets it on top of his clothes.
He may not have a thousand paper cranes, but maybe one is all he needs for his wish to come true.
—
Itachi goes to bed feeling oddly light and wakes up more refreshed than he has in months. His chakra flourishes throughout his body and his muscles barely ache as he sits up.
Yet his peace is interrupted when a washcloth hits his chest. Itachi eyes the hand towel rolling into his lap before turning to his dresser.
The dark-haired min-nin from earlier stands on top of an open drawer. He glances back warily, one of Itachi's kunai tied to his back though it's almost twice his size.
Itachi raises a brow. "If you wanted a kunai, you simply had to ask."
The min-nin stares flatly at him. Then he turns away from Itachi and hops into the drawer, continuing to rifle through his clothes. He's listening, but pretending not to like Little Sasuke used to. Maybe acknowledging human language is a taboo in min-nin culture or they're just not used to having a human try to communicate with them.
Regardless, Itachi wonders how the min-nin version of the Akatsuki met Little Sasuke. He's certain now that the teen gave his coins to them, perhaps as payment to rescue him. Though if that's the case, why didn't they help the teen until now? Sasuke was in Ame for over a week before leaving on missions. The min-nin had plenty of time to help, so why did they wait?
A rattling makes Itachi refocus. The min-nin stands on the dresser next to Itachi's pill bottle. Itachi frowns while the min-nin eyes him.
Soon Itachi understands his expression and sighs, "I'm sick." He looks out to his window. "I don't have much longer."
The min-nin's face hardens and he looks between the pill bottle and Itachi twice. Itachi's eyes narrow. The min-nin movements are oddly familiar… Could he be a Konoha-nin?
Yet Itachi is the only Akatsuki member from Konoha, and the only other missing-nin with dark hair and eyes is—
He shakes his head. He shouldn't assume when he's never seen Tobi's real face. Also, he's unsure if this min-nin is even an Uchiha.
Another washcloth flies at Itachi, but he snatches it out of the air and lowers it to his lap. He cocks his head, curious. Is the min-nin really robbing him? Or rifling through Itachi's things, perhaps to learn more about him?
The air whirls into a vortex beside Itachi's bed. Itachi quickly stands and grabs the min-nin in his hand towel while a figure emerges from the vortex. He brings the min-min close to his chest and the tiny shinobi squirms, kunai nicking Itachi's already bandaged hand.
"Get out of my room," Itachi seethes as Tobi arrives.
"Is the min-nin dead?" the masked man asks, unbothered while his eye scans the room and narrows on the empty table. "If he is—"
"Get out of my room," Itachi repeats through his teeth, glaring fire.
Tobi brushes past him and goes to the broken window. "You can retrieve a replacement—"
Amaterasu flares over Tobi. The man cries out in shock and pain, tearing off his burning cloak while a vortex whirls around him. Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan eye bleeds, veins bulging as the man stumbles in the vortex and disappears, his burning cloak drifting to the ground.
Itachi's Sharingan fades and he clutches his throbbing eye while the black fire eats away the cloak's red clouds until not even ashes remain. Itachi opens his hand with the min-nin in it.
The little shinobi stares at him, jaw hanging open at the black flames. However, Itachi just walks over to the dresser and sets the min-nin on it before using the hand towel to wipe the blood from his eye.
"Do you understand now?" Itachi looks to the min-nin who has closed his mouth, though still seems stunned. "I have nothing left to lose."
The min-nin's brow furrows, and some indiscernible emotion gleams in his gaze. Slowly, he nods.
Itachi sighs, eyes closing. "So take care of my brother…he's all that matters."
His eyes open and Itachi isn't shocked when he finds the min-nin has disappeared.
—
Itachi is drinking tea at his table when the plastic over the window peels open from a corner. He turns, and his tea nearly slips from his hand.
Konan's counterpart and the dark-haired shinobi carry a stretcher into the room. Little Sasuke lays in it, a black t-shirt peeking out from the white sheet tucked around him.
Itachi hastily lowers his tea as the min-nin lay Little Sasuke on the table. He looks to Konan's counterpart while the woman lets go of the stretcher and regards him.
"Is he going to be okay?"
Konan inclines her head. Relief rinses away the tension in his shoulders as he sighs.
"Good." Itachi's eyes lighten. "Thank you."
Konan doesn't react, but her expression softens the slightest bit, and she raises her hand. A folded origami sheet slips in from the window and flies over to Itachi.
He catches the paper, quickly unfolding it. The sheet is blank. Itachi's brow furrows, having expected a message since min-nin could write.
The Uchiha raises his head. "What—"
The min-nin are gone. Itachi is surprised, but soon smiles. This must mean their business is done.
A choked sound interrupts the quiet. Itachi looks over to Little Sasuke as the teen's face scrunches with pain.
"Little Sasuke?"
The Uchiha leans forward, hands hovering over the teen while the tiny ninja's eyes flutter open. His groggy gaze finds Itachi.
Joy bursts in Itachi's chest, his hands pulling back. "You're awake—"
"Nii-san."
Itachi freezes. His eyes grow impossibly wide. Then his chair is clattering to the floor and he's on his feet, mouth opening and closing while his lips tremble.
"Sasuke," he whispers. "You…you can talk!?"
The teen has already closed his eyes so Itachi's question rings in the silence.
To everybody who was worried about the Chibi Akatsuki, know that your worry was unintentional, but I decided to run with it anyway ;)
Thanks for all the wonderful comments, you guys are the best :D I'm so glad you're all enjoying Chibi-Sasuke's journey even as we near the end of it.
Next time: Itachi struggles to deal with his newfound revelation while Little Sasuke recovers and find a way to get the min-nin back home…
I hope everyone is enjoying their winter break/time off and I'll see ya next year!