A Home for an Uchiha
Chapter One
Itachi's Homecoming (part one)
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Itachi lifted the thin wooden skewer and took the round green dango sweet pinned to the end of it in one bite. Kisame was watching Itachi, looking quite amused.
Visiting a dango sweet shop was always a good idea. Not that Kisame was particularly fond of dango sweets of course, but a dango shop was one of the few places where Itachi would sit and relax, and Kisame liked that.
Kisame liked how Itachi would take the big ball of dango dumpling in a single bite and then try to swallow it in the swiftest, most graceful manner possible. In the four to five years that Kisame knew him, the thirteen-fourteen-year-old teenager had turned into a young man, but he would still not give up his dango sweets. Itachi was fond of dango like a child, and Kisame was happy to see his young pal sit in peace, even if only for a few moments.
Kisame took a bite of his own dango. He had to admit it; Itachi was right. This shop's dango sweets were really delicious.
Itachi sipped his tea, and as he was putting the teacup down, he whispered:
"Kisame, don't look back...we're being watched."
Kisame grinned, his white teeth gleaming.
So they had aroused suspicion already... that was quick!
Indeed, one would expect no less from Konoha folks. After all, they were two strangers wearing long black cloaks and straw hats; two strangers sitting in this dango shop that was right in the middle of Konoha.
Kisame glanced at the floor.
He was sitting facing Itachi, and with his back to the shop's main entrance; he could not see outside. But guessing from the shadow cast on the floor, he could say that whoever was watching them was leaning against the pillar of the main entrance, casting a long shadow inside.
"Kakashi! What brings you here ?!"
The shadow leaning against the pillar stirred.
Kisame looked at Itachi and whispered:
"Hatake Kakashi?"
Itachi nodded.
It was him indeed...things were getting interesting.
Two shadows joined the shadow at the main entrance.
"Oh, hey there, you two! Getting along pretty well, aren't you? Are you two on a date?", that was probably Kakashi's voice.
"What on earth are you babbling, you idiot! I just came to buy some dango for Anko!", this one was a young woman.
"And what are YOU doing here, Kakashi?!", this was the heavy, low voice of a young man, the one who had called Kakashi first.
Kisame didn't know the two who had joined Kakashi. But it was clear that Konoha forces were gathering around the shop. Maybe they were trying to surround them.
"Me?" Kakashi replied,
"I came to buy sweets to offer to the dead...I thought, why not meet up with someone on my way …"
The shadow of Kakashi's head turned slightly inwards, and he continued:
"I'm waiting for Sasuke…"
Sasuke…yet another name not familiar to Kisame.
Apparently though, that name was familiar to Itachi san. Itachi san's finger suddenly moved over his teacup, and he put his tea down.
"I thought I'll treat Sasuke to some dango... " Kakashi said loudly from outside the shop.
"Sasuke doesn't like sweet things", Itachi san whispered.
Sasuke... whoever he was, this guy Sasuke must have been close to both Kakashi and Itachi.
Kisame knew that Itachi used to work with Kakashi.
Maybe this guy Sasuke was their old teammate.
In that case, Sasuke must be a strong ninja, like Itachi and Kakashi...
Kisame nodded to himself…That's it…That's probably why Kakashi has arranged to meet this guy Sasuke and the other ones here...
And he is announcing it loudly...
He is warning Itachi and him that Konoha forces have surrounded them.
"Heh...how scary", Kisame chuckled to himself and put his cup of tea down. Then he whispered:
"Itachi san, are we taking them on here?"
Itachi was deep in thought,
"No…not here", was all that he replied.
If they didn't want to engage those folks here, they'd got to go right now.
Kisame watched as Itachi reached under his cloak and placed some coins on the table, much more than what those dango sweets actually cost. However, he did not withdraw his hand from the coins, nor did he make any move to leave. He gazed at the outside of the shop from beneath the brim of his straw hat and started tapping his middle finger on the table; as if he was hesitating between going and staying.
But why?
"Itachi san?" Kisame whispered.
Itachi's finger suddenly stopped tapping on the table.
"Here already?! It's not like you to arrive early, Kakashi!" a voice said from outside the shop.
A smaller shadow fell inside the shop next to Kakashi's.
What Kisame saw next, startled him.
Itachi's hand started to shake.
Itachi curled his fingers into his fist and hid his head further under his straw hat. But Kisame could see his face; his gaze locked secretly through the sedge straws of his hat on the newcomer standing outside the shop.
Kisame had never seen Itachi like this.
Could it be because of this newcomer?
Kisame shifted his straw hat and studied Itachi's face.
To his disbelief, he found something that he had never seen on Itachi's face in all the past four years. There was a small, sad smile on Itachi's face, a warm and genuine smile.
Who was outside the shop?
"There you are, Sasuke!"
"What did you call me for?"
"Fancy some dango?"
Sasuke... the guy that Kakashi had said he wanted to meet up there. The guy Kisame guessed to be Itachi and Kakashi's old teammate.
So this was Sasuke! This was the person that Itachi had stayed on to see…! How interesting! He thought that whoever this Sasuke was, he would be the same age as Itachi, to say the least. But even though he couldn't see outside, he could say it, judging from his shadow and his voice. A shadow smaller than the rest, a deep but immature voice. This was the voice of a teenage boy, twelve-thirteen years old, tops.
How come Kakashi had called a little boy for backup?
Maybe the boy was one of those genius kids…
Kisame glanced at Itachi and the shadow of Kakashi…
Indeed…Konoha was no short of genius kids.
Itachi slowly withdrew his hand from the coins and silently but swiftly stood up.
Kisame followed.
As they were leaving from the back door, Kisame heard Sasuke say,
"I don't like Natto, and I hate sweet things…you know that, Kakashi!"
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