Chapter 85.- Intertwined
Higurashi Kagome made first contact.
And the only thing Shikamaru could do to keep himself from banging his head against the desk in front of him was tighten his hold on the bunch of frustrating papers of a report that'd be incinerated once he was done with it.
The short missive Yamato-san sent a few days ago promised nothing new, but reading the full report in person was somehow way worse than anything the Nara genius could've imagined because the man had just confirmed they were somehow even more blind than they were before. Sure, what the ANBU had seen hinted that the encounter between the Higurashi heiress and the Uchiha prodigy did not go well. Sasuke's reported actions after the fact fit well enough with what Shikamaru knew of the boy's behavior, and if this was real, it'd be the best possible scenario for Konoha…though that was still up for debate.
Each and every piece of painstakingly recovered piece of information related to the Uchiha massacre seemed to point to some heavy involvement on part of the village. There were still way too many gaps, so many details obscured and held close by the few people who knew the truth, yet Konoha had to have pushed for it. Even working with whatever documents were hidden away in the Uchiha archives, there's no way the runaway heirs would've gotten the full picture. Sasuke wouldn't have cared. Shikamaru didn't need the psych evaluations to know the boy had a bad temper and would've likely retaliated already had he been alone. But the Uchiha always deferred to Kagome's strategies, and she was far too cautious to move based on unproven assumptions, reasonable as they may be. She'd kept Sasuke in check, that much was obvious, and that was by far more problematic than her partner's impulses.
Because no one in this village could make an accurate prediction of what her actions would be once she got that confirmation.
After the Uchiha massacre, the girl had closed herself up.
She showed only a carefully crafted mask; that's how she managed to fool the village into believing Sasuke's impulsiveness and obsession with revenge were the only reasons behind their sudden leave. All Shikamaru knew about her was how good she was at deceiving people, and he wasn't sure he could win if the girl decided she didn't need to contain her partner's anger. If this was just a shogi game where the pieces would act as they were ordered, in such a match he would win for sure, but humans could choose to move on their own, betray their country, refuse to make the sacrifices required for victory. Someone's allegiance could change at the flick of a coin. Manipulating an enemy during a single confrontation wasn't that hard, but long games, heavy with political manipulations, where people's emotions became the currency, weren't what he was comfortable with. And it looked like that's exactly how Kagome wanted to play. All the while hiding both the face behind that curated image of hers and her real goals.
"What about after?" Kakashi-san sounded just as frustrated as the Nara felt. "Do we have any sightings after that?"
"Conflicting ones. From what Jiraiya could gather, they were seen in different locations on the same days, and then they all just vanished again." Tsunade-sama rubbed her temples, her left hand twitching towards a non-existent sake cup.
"So we got nothing."
No, in a way, they got worse than nothing.
Up until now, the two were treated as runaways who needed to be brought back to the village as their first option. But there was a non-zero chance they'd turn against Konoha, and justifiable anger or not, that'd still mean the Uchiha and the Higurashi would have to be considered enemies. With the sort of sensitive information they had, there'd be no time to be cautious. Tsunade-sama would be forced to act preemptively, and the Council was sure to use that as an excuse to chip away more of the Hokage's power. Of course, Naruto wouldn't quietly agree to an elimination order to be put out. Sure, it was unlikely the blond would betray the village, but he wouldn't comply with a mission like that. Which would, of course, give the Council even more chances to act.
Really, the only thing they could count on now was the one piece they knew almost nothing about.
"Kakashi-san, you were in ANBU at the same time Uchiha Itachi was there, right?" He knew it was a long shot, but Shikamaru had to ask. "Did you ever work together?"
"Different squads, never really had a one-on-one interaction with the guy. All I know about him is what everyone else knew. The boy was as perfect as shinobi as it got: effective, deadly, fast, and as far as anyone could tell, loyal," Kakashi-san said, shrugging.
"We have his psych evaluations." Even as she spoke, it obvious the Godaime didn't think it would help. "There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary unless you count how little issues he had with tough missions."
"Are there any less official records on him we can get our hands on? Anyone he was close to we can contact?" Someone like the Uchiha prodigy wouldn't bear his heart to a Yamanaka inspector they needed a more human connection.
"You do remember this is the Uchiha clan's most valuable asset we're talking about, don't you?" A blond eyebrow rose, as skeptical as it was mocking. "There's nothing those bastards loved more than their secrets, wouldn't uprise me if they got their prodigy to keep to himself."
"Naruto would've interacted with him before the massacre; those three were already close by the time they started the Academy.," Kakashi drawled.
"Guess we don't lose anything by asking." Yet another long shot, Shikamaru really didn't like their current position. Black eyes turned to the jounin."Think you can meet him today?"
"It's about time I meet the whole team anyway."
Biased as the blond's information may be, at the very least, that'd give them a picture of the Uchiha prodigy's relationship with the younger children before it all went to hell. Lackluster source of information or not, it was better than nothing.
After all, it'd be safer to assume Kagome's attempt to establish contact was, at least, partially successful.
Which would mean they'd have to negotiate with all three of them in one way or another, and wasn't that even more of a drag…
Bargains only ever worked when there was something of equal value to be exchanged. There wasn't a lot the village could offer the two heirs when Sasuke would demand revenge, and Kagome's motivation remained a vague allusion to her old stated goals, but they weren't entirely empty-handed. Tsunade-sama could ensure their safe return to the village and their freedom with a proper cover story; she could even try to offer some kind of justice by having them involved in their efforts to take back the power the Council had stolen. Not the most appealing terms, but it was more than what they could offer to Uchiha Itachi.
Loyalty was the only potential leverage they could use, but so many years had passed since the former ANBU had lived in the village, and the two people he seemed to care for were out of Konoha's reach.
By now, loyalty was as likely as resentment. And both of those responses were deeply tied to emotions.
"Just making sure," Shikamaru started. "Those two never mentioned what their relationship with him used to be like?"
"Sasuke would've broken his own arm if it meant avoiding the topic, and Kagome was always hyper-focused on him." Yes, that was the response he expected.
"We can't keep chasing after them, dammit!" And the tightly bound pressure just exploded; the Nara leaned back as the woman's fist hit the desk, the wood cracking. "Every day those two spend wandering out there is another day Danzo and the Council can use to justify acting behind my back!"
The moment those assholes attacked that group would be the moment any chance for peaceful negotiation would be thrown out of the window. It'd be one thing if their retaliation was purely physical, strong as those two (maybe three) were, they'd have no easy time going against an entire village…but that'd be Sasuke's approach. Kagome was well aware of the sort of damage information could cause if handled in the right way. It could be far more insidious than any poison, spreading faster than a virus and with no antidote that could force people to forget what they heard.
"Call the Taishos then."
"…are we really down to that?" Unsurprisingly, Tsunade-sama wasn't happy with his answer. "Don't we have any other option?"
"Thought you were moving forward with the treaty alterations?" Kakashi asked, pushing back.
"Where did you even hear that?" Irritation bled through the woman's voice. "The changes are harmless; we'll have a bit more information sharing when it comes to targets, maybe some collaboration, but that's basically it."
In other words, the balance of power wouldn't really be altered, but asking for their assistance would confirm there was a potential weakness to exploit. The nomadic clan was a little too unpredictable for it to be safe to bet on their help. The longer they took to figure out what his former classmates were planning to do, the riskier the situation would become.
"Right now, the one we need to focus on is Kagome." Shikamaru frowned. "She's the strategist of the group, and odds are, even if Itachi joins them, she'll still have a big influence on their plans. If that's the case though, she'll be too wary to listen to anything Yamato-san or Kakashi-san could say." They'd shown their hand way too early, and it definitely cost them. "Naruto might get her to start talking, but for that to happen…"
Shikamaru trailed off, letting the silence finish for him.
"If you want to get them to meet any of us, then the Taishos our best option."
"Won't she be just as suspicious of them?" Tsunami questioned.
"She'd go." There was no doubt in Kakashi's voice. "Even knowing it was a trap."
Just like she did with the Shichinintai. Since the girl had so few pieces of her own in the board, there was no way she'd pass on the chance to use someone else's.
A mad dog still needs to be put down.
Those words could just as easily be lies. Whether that was simple misdirection or not could substantially change the estate of the game right now. According to Yamato-san's report, Uchiha Itachi was last seen taking a very visibly injured Kagome with Sasuke and the rest of the group, giving chase. If that was what truly happened, Sasuke wouldn't easily forgive the man. The balance would remain the same. However, if this was a cover (and after her little stunt, the Nara fully believed Kagome was capable of orchestrating something this large), they'd need to be far more careful with their words moving forth. Best case scenario, the Uchiha prodigy's former loyalty would hold true, and the man would find an appropriate lie to calm those two down; if that was it, they could try to reach out and figure out a compromise.
Of course, there were some other scenarios.
Scenarios were Uchiha Itachi's attachment to those two was stronger than the ties binding the shinobi to a village he'd been estranged from for almost a decade now. And in those…things went real bad, real quickly. They had no time to lose.
Gods, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to meet his friends for lunch…he might just lose to Asuma-sensei for their shogi match today.
Somehow, it felt like time wasn't really passing.
For the last handful of days, Itachi had quietly agreed to stay inside the storage facility, not venturing outside for any reason, not even to get fresh food. Apparently, the two of them had been constantly watched ever since they were in the village, only escaping the surveillance when hidden behind a reiki-laced barrier. There were some places light seeped through, letting them keep track of time, but they'd mostly stayed in the same room due to Kagome's condition making reality feel like a hazy dream.
Despite her insistence on staying awake, the girl could barely keep her eyes open for more than a couple of hours at a time before exhaustion pulled her back into a calm slumber. Running out of reiki, Sasuke told him that first day, could leave her in a more vulnerable state than regular chakra exhaustion, though it wasn't something that happened with any kind of regularity, so it wasn't all that concerning. Of course, Kagome was quick to confirm that she'd be fully recovered in maybe three weeks, there was no need to worry. Still, it seemed like his brother was just as determined to stay by her side as Itachi felt, so they'd adjusted themselves to her waking hours. So here he was, lying on top of a bunch of futons, doing his best not to move, and Itachi still struggled to believe he wasn't asleep.
Looking at the girl to his right, the older Uchiha could see traces of the child he left behind.
The pale skin, the midnight hair, both traits that helped her blend in with the rest of his clan remained the same, and though she'd lost much of her more childish roundness, the waves of her loose hair helped soften her features. Of course, the shade of blue from her eyes was unchanged, just as bright as they'd been back when they lived in that seemingly perfect world from their memories. Vivid azure shining in a bold statement that set her apart from his family. He'd memorized her face when he left, to the point that he could've painted her portrait without problems even while plunged into darkness.
Of course, he'd memorized Sasuke too, fully aware he wouldn't get to see either of them until the time of his death.
Countless times he'd imagined how they'd look.
Year after year playing with the idea of how they'd change, doing his best to pretend he didn't know that with every passing day, his predictions became more like guesses. When his sight began to fail, disappointment still crept in. It really wasn't a surprise; he'd known from the beginning that'd be his fate. Being part of Akatsuki meant overusing his sharingan was as much an inevitability as staining his hands with innocent blood. Both of them had been talented children, but it'd still take them several years before they became strong enough to kill him. There'd been no doubt in his mind he'd be blind when the time for their final meeting came.
But he could see them now, not just the vague outlines drawn by the flow of their chakra, but their actual, physical bodies. The hues of blue shining in their hair as the light changed, the shadows emphasizing their initial forms. All of it was visible to him once more. And it was impossible not to let his gaze follow their every move. And each and every time he found himself staring at them, Itachi kept noticing something new. Sometimes it'd be the different shades of gray and black mixing in his brother's eyes; others, it'd be how graceful Kagome's hands looked as she played with unruly strands of midnight hair. Small, inconsequential details the Uchiha prodigy couldn't help but find entrancing.
Ever since the entrance to this place closed, Itachi's mind kept being pulled in opposite directions, a part of him hyper-focused on cataloging every similarity and slight change to the children he once knew, way too busy trying to process all the information they'd found in the Uchiha archives, the unsettling discoveries made in the ruins of the Higurashi compound, the heavy implications of what Konoha had done. It was all too much and somehow, not enough at the same time. Honestly, it felt like sooner or later he'd open his eyes to a void of darkness, sleeping in a cheap motel while hunting for the next person in his ever-growing list, doing what he could to keep from going after the people he loved the most.
He could feel the girl's warmth right next to him, confirming the sight his newly recovered senses gave him, grounding him.
Guilt became a constant companion ever since he got promoted to chuunin, and it grew ever more present after he left them behind, learning of the dangers hidden inside the village had made it worse. His dreams now showed him a myriad of possible scenarios. The coup had to be stopped; even if he disregarded what the Konoha had done, it would've put the two of them in danger, but surely there had to be another way out of it. Itachi was capable enough. He should've been able to take the two kids and run off. His father would've tried to hunt them down, but they were clever children; had he explained what was going on, they would've understood the need to be low. Sasuke might've been less than happy, but Kagome would've been satisfied, and more importantly, a civilian life in a small rural town or some busy city would've kept them away from the Akatsuki's radar and the Council's greed.
A brush of long hair against him lured his attention back to the girl.
Kagome had held onto his hand that first day, weakly pulling on him to get him to sleep together with the younger duo, just as they'd done when they were children, piling together while he amused them with stories and fantastical tales. He shouldn't. The physical affection between them was obvious. Exhausted and weakened, there wasn't much she could do, but Sasuke didn't bother to hide the way his touch lingered on her skin, not to mention every so often, his brother would lean over to kiss her lips. The interactions were short, nothing overly explicit; still, the nature of their relationship was undeniable. He couldn't quite silence the persistent voice in his head telling him he was intruding in their personal life. Every time he was about to stand up, slender fingers would tug at the fabric of his sleeves, silently asking him to stay, each time that happened Sasuke only rolled his eyes and nodded while moving closer to the girl's left side.
That was all it took for all of his arguments to fade away, so here he was, watching Kagome snuggle to his side, his brother's arm wrapped around her torso.
It should feel wrong…yet a part of him wanted the moment to last a little longer.
As tired as she was, Kagome would likely manage to sleep through slight movements, but Sasuke would still wake up if he were to move, leaving him no choice but to keep lying down. In the shinobi world, vulnerability carried lethal risks; slight changes in the environment were enough to disturb an experienced ninja, that's what they were. Forcing himself not to move, the older Uchiha swallowed down the newest bout of guilt. Now that he was here with them, there was no point in letting himself be overwhelmed by his past mistakes. What truly mattered now was figuring out what to do now that they were together.
"Hmm…morning, Itachi." Kagome blinked, her eyes struggling to stay open.
"You should sleep some more." Keeping his voice low was probably pointless, but he did so anyway. "It's probably still early."
"But you're already awake. Besides, it's not like it matters, does it?" She asked, lazy smile on her lips.
"Interrupted sleep isn't nearly as beneficial for recovery," he said, despite knowing he wasn't going to win. "If you prefer a dozen naps…"
"So little faith." With a playful huff, she gave his chest a weak hit.
"Don't even think about it, Kagome," Sasuke grumbled, clearly awake but sharing his brother's concern over her health. "Just go back to sleep."
"I haven't even said anything yet." Azure eyes flickered back, pouting before looking at him. "But I would rest easier if I could confirm everything is working as it should."
"Pretty sure I was still mostly carrying you last night."
Rolling her eyes, Kagome turned a little to continue with their back and forth; there was an ease to their banter that hadn't been there before. Petty fights used to be common, and even after Sasuke learned to tone down his temper tantrums, they'd still managed to genuinely annoy one another every so often. It'd be pointless to ask what caused this change; Itachi knew what it was. He'd forced them to grow up, destroyed any chance to live a normal life.
The children he remembered would never hesitate to ditch their training sessions if it meant they could play around. But this argument was too practiced; their light-hearted discussion about overworking themselves had to be a common disagreement. Before he could begin feeling like an intruder, a soft hand went to grab his, her warmth as reassuring as it was grounding.
"Chakra-based diagnostics are not taxing." Her gaze was back on him, making it impossible to look away. "This is the first time that jutsu's been used, I need to make sure everything is working correctly, and my chakra reserves were never that drained anyway."
"And that's how you'll rest better?" Again, Itachi was giving in.
"I promise," the girl nodded, satisfied with getting her way.
There was a slow wariness to her movements as the girl pushed herself up, but it was leagues better than how she was compared to when she woke up. If Sasuke backed down, it probably meant it wouldn't hurt her, so he followed suit, giving the girl his hand when she extended hers. The usual green of medical ninjutsu shone through as she went through a series of seals he couldn't quite recognize, eyes closed in concentration before relaxing with a sigh.
"Everything seems right," she said with a sigh, but he could still hear concern in her voice. "You haven't felt any pain or discomfort during these last few days?"
"Nothing abnormal."
"Good." Leaning on his shoulder, Kagome continued when she noticed he recognized her uneasiness. "Kabuto's modified diagnostic is far more in-depth than regular ones, but I guess I'm too used to my own. It still feels lacking."
"If you're done confirming something you already knew, then eat something before you pass out again." Sasuke had sat up as well.
Kagome huffed once more but backed down with a smile, moving to take the offered rations with a smile. To think the boy who'd sulk over having to share her attention for an hour or two with someone else uncaring of how much it hurt her had grown on to be so careful about her health…reminding himself to focus on the present, Itachi took his portion, letting the girl fill the silence as she went through the difference between the regular chakra diagnosis, and what she could get from her family's jutsu. A harmless topic that could fool him into thinking they had all the time in the world.
A comforting lie.
Bold as these two were during their encounter in Suna, it was clear they were working with some sort of timeline. Especially considering who else they'd involved with their actions.
Finding out they'd somehow gotten the Taishos to provide a safe haven for them had been…unexpected. He'd known the clan participated in the chuunin exams with Sasuke and Kagome, but that was about it. The idea that the elusive nins movements were related to the young couple had crossed his mind but he'd disregarded it. It made more sense for them to be expecting Orochimaru's attack. In hindsight, there had been more wishful thinking involved in that assertion than he would've liked to admit. Shocking or not, however, it'd been a smart move to use an obscure treaty nobody knew about to get protection and access to valuable tools. Saying he didn't feel conflicted about them revealing highly confidential and extremely sensitive information with outsiders would be a lie, but it kept them safe.
More than what the village had managed.
They were working on a timeline, they'd involved powerful external agents; they didn't go through all that trouble just to have a family reunion.
When talking to the Konoha shinobi in Suna and back in the abandoned ruins, Kagome was confident, taking control of the situation with ease. But he'd noticed her hesitation whenever the topic got a bit too close to whatever strategy they had, redirecting the conversation to more neutral areas. It was subtle, barely noticeable, yet he could still see slight hints of her childhood tells. She was unsure about bringing it up, and there could only be one reason for it.
So long as Itachi kept quiet, the small bubble of suspended time they were living in could last for a few more days.
Running away from undesirable information was what got him here in the first place. He'd vowed to protect them back when they were so small and defenseless and did so again when he agreed to follow through with that one order. No matter what, Itachi would do everything in his power if it meant keeping them safe, and because of that, he couldn't remain in this blissful stretch of suspended time. Ignorance about them, their goals, their motivation, was the reason he got caught off guard when they left the village to follow Orochimaru. It couldn't happen again; the stakes were too high.
For their sake, he had to crack this pleasant dream.
"What comes next, then?"
"Hmm?"
"Finding me was part of the plan." It wasn't a question. Azure eyes flickered towards his brother. "What comes next?"
Yes, hesitation was definitely there as they went through an entire conversation in only a few seconds. They were wary. And it felt like his entrails were being crushed. Cautiousness was a good thing. He'd wanted them to be wary of him, and he should be glad they didn't immediately drop their guard just because it looked like he was on their side. They were being smart about it. At this stage, naïveté would get them killed. It stung anyway.
"In order to put a stop to the constant conflicts between clans, Konoha was created," Kagome started, voice low and calm. "It was meant to help shinobis protect each other, but isn't it funny…all three founder clans are on the verge of extinction. The three of us and Tsunade-hime…we're all that's left.
"Once upon a time, Konoha may have lived up to the ideals our ancestors worked for, but that's not the case anymore." Shaking her head, the girl moved to rest on the wall, hugging her knees. Her voice was colder now. "Rot has spread over, and those with power don't think twice before destroying entire clans; even now, Tsunade-hime doesn't have enough control over the team sent to chase us, her decisions are constantly undermined. Who knows if she'll ever be able to retake the full power of the Hokage or how many people will be sacrificed in the process…sometimes, to clean up the rot…you need to burn it off."
Carefully chosen words were painting a dire picture. The girl wasn't trying to hide she'd been preparing to explain their goals. It was obvious in the way Sasuke had yet to say a word, letting Kagome weave that perfected image she chose; there was no subtlety in it. But it's not like what she was saying was wrong.
Of the three once great clans, only four people remained alive; even if he were to disregard every bit of evidence they'd given him, that'd still mean the village was severely incompetent. There was far too much smoke for there not to be a fire. If the new Hokage tried to be subtle about fixing the corruption stewing within the Council, she'd end up failing. Diplomacy had a limit, and it looked like the village had reached it. That said, if they were being so careful with the wording, they probably…
"Of course, that's not the whole truth." Her slow cadence faded, words rougher this time even as she moved once more to look at him. Azure eyes lit with something he'd never seen there before. "Honestly…I just hate them."
"Kagome!"
"It's not like there's any point in hiding it, is there?" She didn't turn but didn't shake off the hand that landed on her shoulder as Sasuke tried to stop her. "It's not like you'd ever be happy to forgive and forget, and I'm tired of all the lies we have to live with. I don't want to have to hide things, not between us."
There was some hesitation in his brother's eyes as looked at him. "They thought they could use and discard as they wanted. Why shouldn't we get revenge?"
"I hate them, Itachi." There was a plea in the girl's voice. "We're less than sacrificial pawns to them, tossed around and destroyed when they please. My family trusted them, and all they got was a bunch of broken ruins; the Uchihas were systematically pushed to the edge and wiped right after. They would've had us kill you, and then what?
"What would've happened to me had you not finished that mission earlier than expected when we were children? They didn't waste a moment to place different guards on us. What would've happened to us had we stayed there after they suddenly changed all of our watchmen?" Emotion was bleeding through, fear and frustration blending together into anger, making her voice rougher. "I want them gone, Itachi…some days, I don't even care how much collateral damage is left. I just want them to suffer, payback for what they did to us."
For as long as he could remember, Itachi had hated the actions he had to take as a shinobi, but he'd been proud he could help protect the village. Keep those he loved safe. He'd remained loyal to Konoha no matter how disgusted he felt at what he had to do. That's why he'd trusted them with the information about his clan's treasonous intentions, why he accepted that mission and took his parents' lives with his own hands. He'd believed Sandaime's words and left the most important people in his life behind. He'd been wrong to do that. It was a stroke of luck that led the two of them to uncover the truth behind the Uchiha massacre; his original plan would've gone off without a hitch, and the truth would've been buried together with him.
Even though his relationship with his parents became strained, Itachi was still raised as the clan's successor. And although his father's intentions for bringing Kagome in became fairly evident later, he was still expected to know how to navigate diplomatic situations. He knew all too well the weight of the information he held; in many ways, it was his lifeline, an insurance policy to make sure the Council would keep their word. So long as they feared the repercussions of the truth coming to light, they were safe, but once that was gone…even if they kept quiet about it, just taking out the people involved in the massacre would put the village in a vulnerable position, but he could remember what it felt like to get back home only to find Sasuke, panicked and desperately screaming that Kagome was missing. He'd never be able to forget what it felt like to see Konoha's pariah, stubbornly biting an unknown shinobi despite the violent hits he was getting as if his life depended on it, because thrown over the stranger's shoulder, hanging limp and glassy-eyed, was Kagome.
Unceremoniously killing the kidnapper had been the wrong move, he'd known that…but he hadn't been able to stop himself from lodging his sword in the man's throat. For the first time since he'd taken up the blade, Itachi felt no regret, no second thoughts about the consequences or the potential value of the life he took.
That man tried to take the girl away from him. That was all that mattered to him then…and now, someone had tried to take him away from them.
Rage and hatred overwhelmed him in an instant…and he could see those emotions reflected in their eyes.
Sasuke had warned him they'd changed. They had. In many ways, he could barely recognize them. Yet they were still the same; the one thing that'd never change was that he loved them. If revenge is what they wanted, if he could confirm what they were saying was true…confirm Konoha's betrayal towards their clans…then he would make sure they remained safe.
"You'll need a list, then," Itachi said calmly.
Love was a tricky feeling.
People would live and die for it. It could motivate someone to stand firm to protect their principles while also making them turn their backs on everything they'd believed. Despite it all, Kagome wouldn't call it unpredictable; there were certainly ways to use it to her advantage. So the girl learned to control it. All of the people that formed her fledgling information network loved her in one way or another. The emotion born out of carefully calculated actions and deliberate words. She knew exactly what to do to get the responses she wished for, and yet, there was no denying that things were different this time.
She was supposed to stay on script. Remain ambiguous about the real motivation behind their actions. Yet when the girl saw his eyes, those black eyes of his, there was regret in them.
Lying had become an art she reviled but excelled at, she'd learned the delicate ways to intertwine the truth with the lies and how to let silence paint the image she needed. It was tiring. And one mistake could bring everything crashing down, leaving a trail of casualties in its wake. In order to keep Sasuke safe, Kagome was willing to carry as many sins on her back as she needed, but hurting Itachi, deceiving him…she couldn't do it. Taking a gamble, she let it all out, hoping his love for them would be enough.
It was.
He chose them over the village. Gave them the list of targets they'd been after ever since they learned the truth. Yet there was no wave of relief washing her anxieties away. Because Itachi's love was real and selfless, it was as pure as it got. Already, he'd shown how willing he was to sacrifice himself for their sake. If he convinced himself she and Sasuke would be better off alone, he would leave. The same love that brought him back to them could easily take him away. It scared her. It angered her. Because though the girl knew why the Uchiha prodigy decided to do what he did, logical explanations did nothing to soothe the hurt and the fear they'd been living with for years. Cruel as it may sound, his love wasn't enough to make her feel safe. And Sasuke didn't need to say anything for her to know he felt the same.
What had become evident in these last handful of days was that they couldn't afford to lose him again.
Nostalgia was a dangerous tool to use when it could also affect her, and from the moment the girl opened her eyes, she'd been abusing it, doing her best to walk that fine between making Itachi remember who they'd been and make him realize they weren't children anymore. More than once, Kagome found herself falling into old habits, unconsciously folding and going along with whatever rest he suggested, something she'd noticed Sasuke often did too.
For as long as she could remember, she'd been together with the younger Uchiha. They were a package deal, equals. Itachi was different; he'd taken care of them, and it seemed clear to her that he intended to do so again, and whether they liked it or not, it looked like a part of them craved his care.
Being together brought a sense of comfort she'd almost forgotten.
Azure eyes flickered towards the Uchiha prodigy as he sat by her left, reading the scrolls they'd copied from the Taisho estate. He looked more comfortable now that their motivation was out in the open; he'd also stopped trying to sleep in a different bedding, though that was most likely because her reserves finally recovered enough for her nightmares to make a return.
Years ago, she and Sasuke learned to swallow their screams and control their panicked motions. Waking up to accidental hits and kicks was hardly a pleasant experience and neither wanted to worry the other. Apparently, however, the combination of the loss of tension from knowing they were finally together and her leftover exhaustion did the trick for her dreams become more vivid and managed to outdo all of her self-control, leaving her to wake both Uchiha's with panicked yells and weak flailing. Sasuke didn't waste the chance to exploit his brother's sense of guilt a little more. Hardly the method the girl would've chosen, but she couldn't complain about it being effective. He stopped pulling away from her touches, even going back to his old affectionate actions. It wasn't enough, not for either of them, but it was a good start.
"I'm getting water." Sasuke stood up, leaving the scroll he'd been analyzing in a small pile.
"Check for messengers on the way, will you?" Keeping themselves informed of what was going on outside of the safety of this barrier was still important, so Kagome had her shikigamis drop whatever report they carried through a small opening. "It should be around time."
"Right, can't forget your pets."
With a huff, the younger Uchiha left the room.
One full week of inaction was unsurprisingly getting on his nerves.
Sasuke had never been the type for slow, complicated plans, and though he could force himself to let her play her games, he always struggled to maintain his calm. They'd gone back to their effort to break the Higurashi code in an effort to keep themselves busy, and the consistent failures weren't helping at all. There's nothing she'd change about him, but there was a reason Kagome was the one in charge of their long-term strategy. It's not that he was bad at it; the boy simply didn't have the patience. Not that spending years trying to figure out the key to her ancestor's scrolls was all that enjoyable for her, but she could take the mind-numbing repetition. Going through the different combinations meant she could allow her mind to wander, play around with various ways to rearrange their plans now that an unknown Uchiha was involved while her hands moved on autopilot.
Slender fingers tapped the scroll in her hand.
This really was such a mess.
"Do you have the original version of this, Kagome?"
"Huh? I think so, let me see…" Idly, she went through the pile before passing the ancient text and leaned over, trying to see the notes Itachi had been taking. "Did you figure something out?"
"Maybe, I thought of something while going through your list." The older Uchiha was writing something down.
"Oh?"
Fighting off nostalgia at the sight of his scribbled notes, Kagome focused on the series of characters the Uchiha prodigy had circled. It wasn't simple in the slightest, but he seemed to be using one of their previous attempts as a base, modifying a few aspects every so often.
Curious, the kunoichi let her gaze fall on the scroll she'd taken from the Higurashi compound outside Konoha, carefully going through the process. From characters, to numbers, to coordinates, and back to characters. It was repetitive and annoying, having to go back to the modified grid, but…the first few words she managed to decode seemed to make sense. They had nothing to compare it to, of course, it was still leagues better than anything they'd gotten so far. He might've actually done it.
And this was just the perfect chance, wasn't it?
The low thrum of reiki from the shikigami Sasuke kept with him was getting closer. The exact details of their plan were never discussed; there was no need. He wanted Itachi to be chained to them just as much as she did; they were both willing to go as far as it was necessary. Maybe there had something wrong with her from the start; she never did feel guilty about the lives she stole. Perhaps it was Sasuke; he loved to see her anger and her hatred breaking through her pacifist facade, but it hardly made a difference. They kept dragging each other further down that unending void of obsession, and they wanted him to drown too.
Her arms wrapped around the prodigy's neck, a gesture easily returned.
In one swift motion, she pulled him down, brushing her lips against his.
Itachi froze, his form tensing under her touch. He didn't shove her away though, he stood still as she moved, but he begun to relax within her hold.
She'd noticed how his gaze lingered on her, on them, it was most likely out of genuine curiosity; he was just trying to come to terms with the changes to their physical appearance, but it was too soon for him to be used to it. So she'd twist it. She'd take that pure, selfless love of his and taint it, drag him down together with them until he couldn't bear the thought of parting with them.
Slowly, she pulled back a little, not letting go of him.
"Kagome, this is…" He was flustered, his brain catching up with what just happened.
"You shouldn't be that surprised." Sasuke's voice seemed to echo through the room as he came in. "You always spoiled her."
"Sasuke, this is…!"
"Like you're any better," the girl scoffed, a part of her amused at the way the Uchiha prodigy was clearly panicking within her hold. "You're way greedier than I am, Sasuke."
Itachi's hands on her shoulders lost their strength; his confusion was painted on his expression. Even as a child, Sasuke had been extremely jealous, doing everything he could to monopolize her attention. His consistent displays of affection were likely seen as a warning, or, at the very least, a loud reminder that she was off limits. Yet here he was, walking slowly only to sit back down beside her, right arm lazily wrapping around her waist, and a complete lack of aggression in his gaze.
Unsure of his reaction when actually seeing her together with his brother, Kagome never asked him to participate. Variables had to be reduced as much as possible, but Sasuke's reassurance would be indispensable for Itachi to fall. The girl had wondered about it, though, and it looked like her suspicions were right; there was no need to worry about him. If anything, he was just as interested in helping her as she was in getting their hands on his brother.
"Just give her what she wants." There was amusement in his voice as well.
"Don't push us away, Itachi." Her words brought back those black eyes to her. "Stay with us, don't leave us again."
Unfair didn't begin to cover what they were doing right now, cornering him like this, basically pushing themselves onto him, but they couldn't let him go. If she was being honest, Kagome would've rather taken things slower, confirmed all her assumptions and tested the waters, but they didn't have the time. They couldn't afford to get to the Taishos without being sure he was chained to them. Most of all…she was impatient too. Worried that her emotions would grow too wild to control, Kagome made sure not to think about the marriage contracts her guardians had prepared. She was Sasuke's as much as he was hers. A part of her had always been fixated on Itachi. He was the last missing piece of her broken little world. She refused to give him up. These last few days, with the Uchiha prodigy by her side, the thought would hover in the background.
This wasn't just to keep him with them. Kagome wanted him.
Conflating rejecting their advances with abandoning them was cruel yet effective, as he stopped trying to move away, allowing her to guide him back to her.
It was soft and tentative, never attempting to take control. Slender fingers grasped straight black hair, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. There was no time to go slow, and Itachi seemed all too willing to follow her lead. Behind her, Sasuke's hands were moving, playing with the ends of her obi. She didn't hide her smile as she parted for air, her breathing short. She recognized the look in Itachi's eyes, the way they darkened with a hunger she knew was reflected in Sasuke's. Already, she could feel heat pooling within her. Her hands softly tracing invisible figures over the fabric of his shirt. Getting nicked by a hidden weapon would ruin the moment, and she needed him to act on his own as well. Instead, she let the younger Uchiha untie the intricate knot, the thin layers of her kimono not quite slipping from her shoulders as Sasuke pulled her back, lips taking hers in frantic desperation. It wasn't something he hadn't done before; this wasn't a new position. But Kagome could feel his eyes on them. Itachi's grip on her arms tightened.
Not enough…this wasn't nearly enough.
And Sasuke clearly felt the same as he guided her to sit on Itachi's lap, moving so he could remain behind her. His actions a bold statement of what he wanted right now.
"Stop holding back," Sasuke mumbled against her neck, his gaze locked on his brother. "She can take whatever you give her."
"Promise you'll stay with us, Itachi."
"I promise."
He was the one who leaned forward this time, rough fingers cupping her cheek as she rested one arm around his neck, the other finding Sasuke as he kissed her neck, gently pushing down the outer layer of her kimono. Yes, pure love would never be enough but it would suffice as the bait to drag him down to them. They'd promised it when they were children after all, the three of them would be together no matter what.
A/N: Another long chapter…I swear the length of these are getting away from me, but hopefully it makes up for las time's delay, and hopefully next one won't be such a monster of a chapter, I swear this fix is longer than a novel now.
As always thank you guys for reading and any and all reviews/comments/criticisms are greatly appreciated.