A/N: So sorry about the unexpected delay, just as I was actually feeling well, we had a few days of rain and the city's power grid and everyone's internet connection became so frustratingly unreliable there was just no way to do much of anything. I swear sometimes it feels like I'm living in a small town in a little of nowhere rather than an actual city…

Chapter 86.- Sinking

He shouldn't have allowed things to go that far.

It was wrong.

The vow Itachi made was to protect them, to keep them safe no matter what. But while they'd searched for him, it had been evident that there was reservation lurking within them when they talked to them. Even after the older Uchiha gave them the names they wanted, passively accepting their desire for revenge, there was still a tinge of insecurity in their voices, a slight hesitation whenever the older Uchiha left the room. He couldn't say he was too surprised when Kagome clung to him whenever she went to sleep or when he noticed Sasuke's gaze following him when he moved around the room. Trusting others wasn't something they could easily do anymore, and Itachi was the one responsible for it. He should be doing everything he could to help ease that anxiety, reassure them that he wasn't going to vanish on them. Instead, Itachi let himself be pulled along. What drove their actions was likely fear or some sort of trauma response. The right thing to do would be to keep some distance while making it clear he wouldn't go back on his word.

He should've stopped them.

A protector is what his role was supposed to be. Letting his gaze wander was one thing, but he shouldn't know what their skin looked like, flushed and covered in sweat, or what her voice sounded like when breathlessly asking for more, pleasure bleeding into their words. That's a position Sasuke had taken. And the older Uchiha had been perfectly fine with it. Hell, he'd hoped for their relationships to develop that way, there was no reason for him to try to get between them…but it's not like what happened had been a clandestine interaction.

Sasuke had been there and was very much an active participant. Rather than lashing out, his brother had pushed the girl towards him, all but guiding him into blindly chasing his impulses. And that should've been the moment for Itachi to pull away, get some distance, and try to have a talk later once all of them had calmed down, if only for Kagome's sake. She was still tired, struggling to walk around freely, but forget any thought of the girl's need for sleep faded away; following his brother's example, he'd entirely disregarded her exhaustion and kept demanding more from her.

He should've known better.

Yet here he was again.

Delicate fingers pulled on his hair, and he followed along, drinking in her ragged moans. He couldn't deny her. Not when she asked him to help bathe her after they woke up, not when she noticed his reaction to her and offered to aid, or when Sasuke demanded some of her attention. Soon enough they were entangled with each other. And now, every one of his brother's movements pushed her towards him, her back pressed against his chest, and all Itachi could do was let his hands hold her, softly caressing her skin in invisible shapes. He could feel her tremble as her grip on him tightened. He parted from her, a part of him that grew bolder with every touch, enjoying the way her moan blended in with Sasuke's groans. His brother didn't stop, his rhythm erratic; he was close, and Itachi couldn't take his eyes away from the sight of them. Her head rested on the older Uchiha's shoulder before Sasuke pulled her toward him, claiming her lips, and it was all Itachi could do to stop himself from reacting again, even as his hands trailed down. A tug to his hair, her response to his actions causing her to lean back into him.

"Please…" Kagome's whimper on his shoulder was more tempting than it should.

"Too much?" His brother asked, his breathing ragged. "Or not enough?"

"Not…not enough…"

Long nails dug into his skin as both men obliged, their movements speeding up, Itachi's fingers applying more pressure even as his brother's thrusts became frantic. Her voice rose while calling both their names. He'd seen this yesterday, more than once, and just as he expected, it all finally reached its peak, forcing him to take a shuddering breath and remind himself not to tighten his grip on the girl as she fell against him, clearly unable to support herself, groaning when Sasuke pulled away. It took him longer than it should to move his hand away from her center.

Ragged breathing filled the cave, and he tried to focus on the fact that Kagome was very obviously tired, exhausted, and fully relying on him to stay seated rather than the feeling of her warm skin as he gently rubbed the reddened marks on her thighs. Yesterday's bruises were barely visible, but while the girl clearly had no objections to his brother's rougher treatment, Itachi didn't want to burden her body with healing the evidence of the teen's impulsive passion. She'd already taken care of Itachi's desire earlier, and Kagome didn't need him to demand even more of her so soon after being pushed to her limits. Especially considering he shouldn't even be here in the first place. Unable to pull himself from the small room they were using as a washroom, his traitorous gaze drank in the scene. Serene yet carnal as his brother got closer to her…to them.

"Mmmh, I got quite messy again," Kagome said, the smile on her lips sated, satisfied. "Definitely need a bath now, all of us."

"Shall we?" His brother's hand went to her leg, resting right next to his.

With a tired laugh, Kagome gave a weak kick without moving from his hold. There's no way she'd be able to walk on her own back to the room. The kunoichi who managed to place herself in the Akatsuki's hit list was now as vulnerable and fragile as a doll.

"If I let you do that, we'll end up here all over again." Despite her little huff, the girl was still smiling. "We'll never get out of the bathroom."

"Don't hear you complaining.." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Quite sure we need to dress at some point today." Azure eyes glanced up at him. "I'm not sure I can clean myself, though."

"Are you hurt?" Worry bled through his words.

"Just a little sore," she hummed as one of her hands went to hold his. "I'll be fine in a couple of hours."

"Here, I'll hold her while you clean her up."

Words got stuck in his throat. He didn't know enough to figure out if the way she laid limp against him was just her overplaying her exhaustion or if it was genuine, but it hardly mattered. Kagome needed to get clean, and it was the least he could do. Ignoring the whispered questions in his head that doubted his motives, Itachi nodded, carefully letting Sasuke take his place.

They'd truly changed so much.

Forcing his gaze away, he tried to busy himself with the wooden buckets they'd scattered earlier. When the girl woke up complaining about feeling sticky, he'd been unable to reject her request for help despite the fact that Sasuke had taken care of that the days before. He couldn't reject her when she looked at him, hesitation flickering in her eyes and a tired smile on her lips. So he'd carried her to the room her clan seemed to have used as a bath; of course, before he could get her in the water, she needed to be wiped off, but he'd failed to hide his reaction. One touch became a languid caress, and he'd fallen prey to his impulses.

Yesterday wasn't the first time he'd had sexual interactions. For a shinobi, sex was just one more tool to use, and while he'd mostly managed to avoid situations where he couldn't simply use genjutsu to get out of it, both before and after leaving the village, he'd gone through with it more than once. With his skill set, the bulk of the jobs required of him were usually centered around how much blood he could spill to begin with. But when those couple of exceptions occurred, he'd followed through with the act. It had been…sufficient. He'd performed as he was supposed to, and while it'd be a lie to say he didn't feel anything, the emotions had been far from overwhelming enough to shift his focus from his missions' goals. They hadn't necessarily been unpleasant experiences, but they hadn't been noteworthy enough for him to look for one-time partners when he could just take care of himself on the odd instances he felt the urge while on a mission. Not to mention, he didn't want to give his constant watcher something else to talk about. That's why he hadn't expected to just… lose it, his rationality slipping with ease.

Both last night and just a few moments ago.

None of his previous experiences were anywhere close to what he'd felt when she touched him. An unrelenting heat that ate away at his self-control, letting himself get carried away as their voices pulled him further in. There was nothing methodical, no monotone detachment to any of their actions, and all he'd been able to focus on was her warmth and his words, and when Kagome asked for him, climbing on top of him, guided by his brother he gave in. All the while, his gaze refused to part from them.

"Oh, right." Her voice was tired but calm as she spoke to his brother. "Did you get a look at the letters yesterday?"

"Really? That's what you're asking about now?"

"As much as I'd love to keep going until it's time to leave, we do need to know what's going out there." His Sasuke's answer was a huff that went ignored. "There's a lot of details we need to work on, and I need a clear head for that, at least for a little while."

"A couple of your strays caught wind of the explosion, didn't get the chance to check the one from Suna," he said absentmindedly.

"Gonna have to check that…ngh…that one." Her right leg remained limp on his grasp as Itachi went on with the wet cloth; her lazy smile didn't change while he continued. "We also need to…oh…work on the code too."

"Not that we've gotten anywhere there." The boy scoffed.

"Oh, but we have….mnh…quite a bit too." She glanced down at him, but instead of complaining, the girl moved to give him better access. "Itachi may have…may have broken it."

"I just modified one of your earlier sequences. Most of the work was already done." His voice was tight. It shouldn't be, but even with the fabric between them, he could sense her warmth.

"We missed it, though." This time it was a full moan that broke her sentence. "Itachi, you might have to go a little deeper."

Kagome's voice was light as if she wasn't asking him anything out of the ordinary, as if his hands on her thighs were the most natural thing in the world. Words of refusal died in his throat as he finally allowed his eyes to move up and fully process what he'd been doing and see exactly what was in front of him. The outer layer of the kimono she'd covered herself with before leaving the room had come undone early on and now hung off her shoulders, somehow making her look even more tempting as the silk pooled behind her stained with the audience of their pleasure, her form only partly obscured by his brother hold, who'd abandoned any pretense of calm conversation, his lips slowly trailing up her neck, switching between biting and nursing the abused skin with his tongue. Tightly clenched fingers let go of the rag he'd been using to wipe her down.

It wouldn't be just one time.

Last night, he'd repeated empty words, telling himself that he was only doing it as a form of reassurance, that he wouldn't cross this line again…but a part of him had known even then that it wouldn't be just once. Not just twice, either.

Dipping his hand on the clean water, he allowed his fingers to touch her center. The taste of iron filled his mouth as he bit his tongue. Kagome was already sore; she'd said it herself, and that's also the reason she asked him to clean her up. Still, she rocked her hips when he finally touched her directly, softly pushing in. It was more than just their spilled essence. She was getting wet again. Black eyes closed as he felt her tighten around him. She groaned, the sound tense. A strong grip held his wrist before he could pull away.

"Told you she can take it." He shouldn't recognize the lust in his brother's voice, but it was so obvious to him now. "A little pain doesn't hurt."

"Should I…keep going?" Itachi asked, opening his eyes to try and see her reaction.

"It feels good, Itachi." Ragged, her breathing came in pants, azure eyes not quite focused…but not in pain. "Just…a little more."

"Alright." He couldn't deny her.

When his brother noticed the prodigy wasn't going to move away, Sasuke's hand left his wrist, wandering to her chest. Itachi swallowed down a groan of his own even as he resumed his motions as gently as he could. So much of last night had been about both siblings; the least he could do was make sure he didn't accidentally hurt her. Impressive healing factor or not, with or without her explicit consent, he didn't want to push her limits too much.

Black eyes snapped back to her at the sound of his name, and his gaze couldn't help but find the various bruises and scratches left on her. He should be worried about the colors adorning her flesh. They shouldn't be there anymore. Despite all the years and all the changes they went through, Itachi knew what it took for her body to show marks. For all their lack of proper restraint, the prodigy knew they didn't go that far. Even if he didn't know for sure how much time had passed, nothing but the newest marks should be left on her. She was still so tired, weakened, and vulnerable. And it was all because of him. Because she healed him, pushing herself this far. Because he left. So he relaxed his hold on her while slowly increasing the speed of his movements, carefully adding one more finger, his attention focusing solely on her response, on the moans and mewls falling from her lips and the way she trembled as she found her release.

Careful, the Uchiha prodigy pulled away, the feeling of her wetness on his fingers testing his restraints. Hastily grabbing the discarded cloth to wipe away their combined fluids, Itachi instead found the couple in front of him once more, and he stopped.

Every single time they met after he left, Itachi noticed there was always lingering tension in their frames. There were blades lying in wait under her words, his brother's eyes always looking for threats. It made sense; they'd been living while being chased for years. They were wary of everything and everyone around them, never lowering their guard. All of it was missing now, pushed back even if for a single moment as they basked in the afterglow.

"Thank you, Itachi." Breathless and satisfied, the girl closed her eyes for a second. "That was perfect."

"I thought I was the greedy one," Sasuke scoffed against her neck.

"Mmmh, what I said was that you were greedier." This was relaxed banter they were comfortable with. "You wouldn't have stopped."

"You wouldn't have wanted me to stop…you didn't want him to stop either."

"At some point, we need to get dressed," she said again before turning towards the older Uchiha, her gaze flickering down before offering her a sheepish smile. "Did I…make things difficult for you again?"

Playful worry laced her words as her eyes moved back to his lap, yet there was an apology in her words, but her voice was void of anger and distrust usually present when she talked about their plans or tried to piece together what happened. Her expression was sated as she rested in his brother's arms. As for the youngest Uchiha, his gaze softened as he nuzzled his nose in the girl's midnight hair, and any hint of the aggression guarding his motions faded away. For just these moments, they were happy, content, and unburdened, and Itachi couldn't bring himself to pull his eyes away.

Because the contrast hurt.

Leaving them as he had…Itachi had always known they'd get hurt. He'd personally exploited their own personal hells and plunged them into it, but he'd soothed his guilt by reminding himself that their suffering was what would let them survive. That wariness that was so painful to watch would keep them alive. He'd thought he'd understood the consequences of what he'd chosen to do. But when the comparison was this evident, there was just no way to ignore it. He could've taken them with him, hid them all away, and given them a life free from that unending paranoia; instead, he'd taken it all away from them, and all they had left were stolen moments while fighting battle after battle against those who'd brought their families to the brink of extinction.

Nails dug into his palm as he closed his fists. Already he'd given them the list of names they wanted, even though he knew what that'd mean for the village. He'd made his choice; he'd placed them above any other. If they wanted revenge, Itachi would give it to them and protect them until they were satisfied. Retribution, justice, or simple revenge…it didn't matter; he'd fight for whatever it was they wanted him to fight. And this…this tangled mix of carnal desires was something he should've stopped, something he should stop…and something the two people he loved the most wanted. They'd made it abundantly clear, pulling him in every time he'd attempted to put some distance. Closing his eyes, the older Uchiha pushed himself closer to them and let his forehead rest against Kagome's, drinking in the unique blend of scents heavily hanging in the room, listening to Sasuke's breathing so close to him.

"It's fine…it's all fine."

"Love you, Itachi." Tired arms wrapped around his neck, and for a heartbeat he couldn't breathe. "Missed you so much."

"I'm right here, I won't leave again." It was a promise, a new vow for their sake.

"Don't you dare break that now," Sasuke grumbled from his spot.

This is what they wanted…what right did he have to deny them?

Especially when he could feel a craving taking root within him; soon it'd turn into an unfathomable hunger he wasn't sure he wanted to control.

He should've known better than to ignore his parent's advice.

Children (active shinobis or nor) weren't supposed to wander out of sight of the adults he'd been told that over and over again until the boy could hear the words in his dreams though he seriously doubted his father's warning referred to ending up in a fight with a very annoying boy around his age because the fool kept switching between insulting him for his rock skipping skills and getting utterly depressed whenever he gave even the slightest pushback to his bullshit. Rolling his eyes, the boy couldn't keep himself from growing. This was not what he'd call dangerous, but then again, he supposed his family wasn't entirely wrong either…because as clownish as this guy was, it was clear he was also a shinobi and more than likely quite skilled too, judging by the way his wrist moved when he threw his rocks.

Every bit of common sense and logic mandated the boy turned and left; even killing the fool and risk getting into another conflict would be smarter than this, and yet, there was no way in hell this would've turned into any kind of fight…foolish as it might be on his part, the boy wanted to stay here for a little longer. Regardless of the battles either of them had been in, the wars going on away from the creek had nothing to do with children like them. This was just a bit of a friendly competitive game between kids. If this guy was happy not to ask for his surname, then staying here for a little longer couldn't hurt, right?

"Would you mind sulking a little to the left? You're massacring the plants."

Black eyes snapped to his right, fingers itching towards his hidden weapons, barely stopping himself before grabbing one of his hidden weapons.

A girl around their age dressed in white and red, long hair left unbound, was watching them with a small but amused smile on her face. She was standing close to them, a basket full of plants and herbs on her hands. Just like with that guy, he couldn't hear her walk even though regular civilians would've definitely made a scandal walking through the forest, not to mention, while the boy couldn't recognize every single plant in her basket, half of the ones he did recognize were poisonous.

She'd spoken out loud first, calling attention to herself.

"Huh? Aren't these just weeds?" the fool asked, eyes wide and curious as he looked down at their feet.

"Only if you don't know how to use them." The girl's grin didn't falter, her explanation kind. "If you boil it and grind it into a paste, it can help fight off infections."

"Really?! I had no clue!"

"Not much of a surprise there," the boy muttered under his breath before crossing his arms. "Takes more intelligence than just throwing a rock."

"I'm sorry…I know I'm not that good with medicine…didn't mean to make it obvious you're just as bad as me… or worse." Glancing at him, the clown crouched on the seemingly medicinal herbs once more.

"Are you going to apologize or insult me?!" This wasn't him snapping; this was a rational reaction after what he'd had to endure so far. "You little…!"

"Like I said," The girl's voice stopped the next word from getting out his throat, her brow quirked as slight annoyance appeared to seep in. "Could you please argue a few meters in any direction, please?"

Embarrassment rushed to the surface. Sure, he still had a long way to go to become an outstanding shinobi, but getting sucked into a discussion because he just couldn't get the last word wasn't something he should be allowing to happen. At least he wasn't the only one, going by the bright red on the fool's cheeks. Mumbled apologies fell from his tongue before he could catch himself as he moved away from the patch of herbs that apparently were not weeds.

Forcing himself to pretend indifference, the boy took a second to study her hands as she crouched down and began to dig around the plants.

His and the fool's were rough, full of calluses and cuts, the result of a life where they were taught how to wield a blade at the same time they learned how to walk. Theirs were exactly what he'd expect from a shinobi's hands. But this girl's were smooth and without a single scratch despite the green stains on her fingers. It wasn't just that those were a civilians hands, though. There was obvious expertise in the way she moved, skillfully digging out the plant without destroying its thin roots. She knew what she was doing that much was clear, and there should be hints of that, yet there was nothing. It was weird, and he should be concerned by the irregularities, but if he wasn't feeling any danger from the clown, then he was getting even less from the girl, and really, if she was what he thought she was, it was evident the girl didn't want any trouble either.

"You could help out," she said from her spot on the ground. "Unless you prefer to just watch me?"

"Can we?" the clown asked, hopeful gaze bright.

"I'm fine." Shaking his head, the boy took one more step back. "Honestly, I'm not sure anything he did could be called help either."

"It's not that hard, I promise. Come here." A delicate hand waved him over.

For a moment, he considered just leaving or going back to his rock skipping but gave up with a grumble and knelt on the ground. This weed wasn't poison, at least, and if he could get it back to one of his clan's medics, maybe it could help with their injured, so he mumbled his agreement and paid attention to her explanation, trying to imitate her delicate motions only to frown as the plant refused to give an inch. Narrowing his eyes, he gave a pull, a curse rising in his throat as the weed tore apart, leaving him to fall on his ass. The loud sound of the clown's laughter was just a little less irritating when he could hear a soft giggle join in. None of those sounds had any cruelty in them, and for once, he didn't mind it too much when a stranger came near him as he sat back up.

"Don't just pull it." Gentle hands grasped his and guided him. "It's all about knowing your own strength and finding the right compromise."

"Like this?" His question was less reluctant than it probably should be.

"Got one!" The fool celebrated with a jump before turning to the two of them and offering a smooth rock. "Say, why don't you join in? Think you can get it to the other side?"

"One herb isn't enough, not even for a single salve, but if it's a competition, I could be the judge." Shaking her head, the girl laughed.

"I'm in!" And again, the clown jumped in excitement. "What do you say?"

He should say that was a stupid idea. If his father found that he was playing around with an unknown shinobi after helping another dig up herbs, the boy would be in for some punishment.

Just once wouldn't hurt. As long as he was careful with the information he let out, his secret could remain safe, and no one would get hurt. Annoying as the clown was, this whole thing was kind of fun. Not to mention, in a way, it was evidence that his dream wasn't as impossible as basically every member of his family thought. So long as their surname remained a mystery, they could be here at this stream, coexisting in peace, no drop of blood needlessly shed. Maybe it was silly to try to hold onto his ambitious goal, but the boy would take what he could get. Minutes turned into an hour with obnoxious laughter and soft comments made time flow by in an instant. And since the other two were still here, he'd wager a bet they thought so too…though part of that was likely because, at the end of the afternoon, he still couldn't get these damn rocks to the other side.

"Here," the girl said, offering two bundles of herbs to them. "Mix this with aloe vera in a 2:1 ratio after preparing it as I said, it'll make it more effective."

"You're amazingly nice, you know that?"

"Why?" The boy didn't want to distrust her, but he still wanted an answer because the fool was right. "Why give us this?"

"Why would I need a reason to help others?"

Ah, he knew who she was, or at least, he knew who she was with. In all of the Elemental Nations, there was only one clan that'd raise someone who'd give an answer like that. He hadn't heard any rumors about that family being in the area; then again, conflicts were heating up North. Hell, those crazy guys had been seen there, so he supposed it made sense for them to be here…and it was a really good thing surnames didn't come into play because he was pretty sure his clan had been less than neutral when it came to that family.

If anything, this little revelation should be another sign for him to treat this as a one-off occurrence and never come back to this stream. As fun as this afternoon as some sort of pleasant daydream that could've been so easily shattered with only three names. Not mentioning this meeting to his father or any of his clan elders was already pushing it a lot, but as he looked up from the bundle of herbs to the other two, he knew they'd be back here. It was obvious from the overly energetic wave and gentle nod. Even though none of them said anything about meeting again, without any guarantee that their next meeting would go half as well as today, they'd return to this place. And so would he. Foolish as it may be, the boy would keep chasing this dream for as long as he could, hoping for the impossible. Because maybe this meeting was a sign that he wasn't the only one wishing for a change.

A low groan got stuck in her throat as she blinked, trying to get her sight used to the dim lighting coming from the few candles that remained lit, fingers closing around locks of black hair.

Short strands, that was Sasuke then.

Kagome could feel him stirring lightly, his breathing hitching only to slow down again as he pretended her slight movement wasn't more than enough to wake him up. The sound of a second person breathing right next to her, however, remained steady, threatening to lure her back into a sleep she hadn't been planning for in the first place. They were supposed to be working on decoding her clan's scrolls, but the girl genuinely couldn't remember at what point she fell asleep. Even with two sharingan users working together with her, progress was slow and tedious, and despite having worked for a couple of hours on it, they weren't even halfway past the first scroll. As interesting as the tale that was slowly forming was, the text clearly held nothing more than the myths and legends surrounding the creation of her clan; the fact of the matter was that they didn't have enough time to go through piles of stories before finding anything related to the treaty with the Taishos. Itachi was right though, with families as old as theirs, even myths could give important context, so she'd insisted on going through the whole thing.

Falling asleep had not been part of the plan.

There were a hundred things that needed her attention. Their strategy had to be changed, details had to be tweaked, entire parts would have to be thrown out thanks to the information Itachi gave them, there wasn't enough time for her to be lazy. Her understanding of the board was drastically different now, and for them to stay ahead and be sure nothing was slipping through the cracks. And really, she would've preferred to get the specifics of the treaty first and work to find the context later, but she worked with what she had. Honestly, she should be frustrated at the loss of time, but it'd be a lie to say she wasn't expecting something like this.

Reiki exhaustion was always devastating; out of all she'd gone through for Orochimaru's testing, that's what she'd hated the most. Weakened to the point that even lifting her wrist was a struggle, all she could do was stay in that small, windowless room, waiting for Sasuke to finish with his schedule while trying to focus on his chakra signature. Entirely powerless and unable to keep her eyes open just so the Sannin and his slavish assistant could fill in those charts, but if the price to pay to give Itachi back his sight was being chained to the bed, Kagome would gladly pay it. Although, if she was being entirely honest…the girl couldn't say this experience could even begin to compare to this last week.

Maybe it was because of the ever-present hum of reiki on the back of her head, or perhaps it was the fact that at any moment she opened her eyes, she could find one of them right next to her, but this time around, this constant in and out of consciousness almost felt like a dream. In moments like this, with the last tendrils of shapeless dreams clinging to her, Kagome could practically see it. Returning to the past they lost or wishing to change what already happened was pointless, but the future wasn't set in stone. It wouldn't be impossible for the three of them to disappear, even without the Taisho's help. Sasuke wouldn't be happy about it, but Itachi would certainly appreciate not having to turn his blade towards the village, and between the two of them, convincing the younger Uchiha should be doable. Away from the shinobi world, they could have a simple but peaceful life. No need to worry about survival or unknown, potentially ancient enemies. She could try to be happy with the knowledge that the broken pieces of her little world. Remained safe and mostly in her hands. Just the three of them in some remote place where no one could find them.

Except she wouldn't really be happy, would she?

Because even now, the girl could already feel it stirring within her, that unmistakable desire for revenge, whispering the names of the list Itachi gave them. It was demanding and unrelenting.

Itachi shouldn't have to wonder at the changes in their appearances. Sasuke shouldn't have been forced to be so attuned to her slightest breathing patterns. Honestly, none of this had to happen. Kagome would've been happy to let herself be used as a tool, faithfully serving the village so long as she could stay together with those she cared for. But the people on that list decided they wanted more. They were the ones who stole that piece from them; their actions were the ones that plunged them into this nightmare…it was only fair for them to have a taste of what they created.

Vile and petty as revenge was, the girl didn't care. All of those people deserved to suffer. She wanted their blood on her hands and their screams filling her dreams. When they thought Itachi might be behind the tragedy, Kagome had stomped it all down, her affection for the Uchiha prodigy overshadowing the pain and the hurt. Now that she knew who the ones behind it all were, that no lingering emotions were smothering down the flames of her rage, there was nothing she could do to stop it. Sasuke may have been the one obsessed with revenge before, but he didn't have to say a word to convince her to look for retribution. She'd been the first to ask for revenge and hadn't hesitated to take control, pulling the strings of their plans. Ruining Konoha wasn't something she'd agreed to... it's what she desired.

Slender fingers hovered over pale skin, not quite touching him; Itachi may not wake up from her tiny motions, but he'd notice her touch.

Despite knowing what she wished for, Itachi had accepted her. He'd helped them destroy what he'd tried so fiercely to protect by giving them those names. He'd accepted her advances, following her lead with just a hint of hesitation that was sure to disappear before the week was up. Still, that wasn't enough. Being willing to kill most of his family spoke of loyalty that was far too strong to just vanish, but it'd yet to turn into hatred. It wouldn't really surprise her if a part of him still silently wished for the village to be innocent of a least one of the tragedies that destroyed their families. He wasn't about to betray them, but whatever pride the Uchiha prodigy had in the village refused to die a fast death. Lucky for her, that wasn't anything she couldn't crush.

Careful and deliberate, the girl let her fingers finally touch the skin of the Uchiha's prodigy's cheek.

"Kagome?" Sleep clung to his voice as black eyes blinked. "Was it a nightmare?"

"Not really, I was just…thinking." She let her palm rest against his cheek.

"Go back to sleep," he said, his right hand mimicking her actions. "You need to rest."

"I'm doing better now, promise." Leaning into him, she offered the Uchiha prodigy a smile.

Looking at him, she could see the worry plain in his gaze, and she could feel nostalgia tempting her to give in and go back to sleep, following his advice without a second thought like she'd done a hundred times before as a child. But there really wasn't enough time to get lost in another dream, so she kept her eyes open even as she snuggled a little closer to Itachi without forcing Sasuke to move from his spot. Moments where they could both relax and rest were so rare that she wanted him to stay like that, if even for just a minute longer. Just because she couldn't let herself fall back asleep, there was no reason to let go of this warmth.

"How much further did you get?"

"You're not going to rest, are you?" His voice was calm, but she could still hear the barest hint of amusement. "About a quarter is left."

"Mmh, we should go back to the scrolls," she said without moving from her place.

"Should we, now?" Oh, now she could hear a hint of laughter in his words. "I can keep going while you two rest."

"Pretty sure you need the rest more than me…in the long run anyway." Slender fingers moved to trace the lines of his face.

"Late nights are something I know how to deal with." Unsurprisingly, he didn't take the bait. "You shouldn't worry about me."

Just as self-sacrificial as ever, and that's precisely why she still worried.

Being impatient could easily backfire when she was already rushing. Even if Itachi was following her lead, it'd take some time for her to fully twist that pure love of his until it turned into the same unstoppable obsession she and Sasuke shared. But knowing that did nothing to soothe her nerves when she noticed the shadows of those patterns rearing their head. Azure eyes glanced down at the younger Uchiha still pretending to sleep. Truthfully, she should prioritize her plans; making a mistake with the info they had could be fatal, but right now, the girl was more concerned about making sure the Uchiha prodigy was so chained to them he'd stay no matter what.

Words had never been Sasuke's forte; she'd learned that early on in their lives. Actions were what mattered when he was involved, and while Kagome would like it if he could just speak his mind when he was bothered, the truth was that it wasn't really necessary. By now, she knew him better than she knew herself; if he was upset or pleased by something, the girl would know with a single glance. Of course, he knew her just as well. It worked more than well enough for them. But Itachi was a different story altogether. He'd always been willing to talk and calm down her fears, taking his time to choose the right words to soothe her. Getting him to rely on them wouldn't be an easy task when he clearly still saw them as charges to be protected, and to a degree that worked in their favor, his sense of duty towards them combined with a dose of guilt was what prompted him to value them over the village. It'd be risky to entirely throw that away, but she'd need him to start relying on them eventually.

For now, she could start by chipping away at whatever sense of belonging he still felt towards Konoha while drowning him in them.

"If I were to believe Sasuke every time he said something like that, he'd look like a panda." The girl let out a soft laugh while pulling a short strand of hair between her fingers. "I'll give up on the scroll if you agree to be my pillow for a little longer?"

"That's not an agreement to sleep." Long fingers began to comb her hair, trying to coax her back to sleep, no doubt.

"But it is a compromise," she said, letting out a sigh. "I just…like to see you…you know, with us."

"Kagome…" Itachi trialed off.

"I know, I know." Not bothering to hide the slight reluctance in her words, the girl smiled. "I'm sorry. I know we're being a little clingy…or a lot."

"That's not…you don't have to apologize for that." And that was definitely guilt.

"Even if the whole world turns against us, the three of us will stay together." The words caused both boys to startle. "I remember how scared I was, how lonely…"

Uchiha Fugaku had always been adamant in correcting even the tiniest and most insignificant slip of the tongue. Higurashi Kagome was not part of the clan or the family, but it wasn't until that time that she realized that she didn't belong; there were no blood bonds tying them together. Her biological family was gone...who was to say the Uchihas wouldn't just vanish, too?

She remembered breaking down after barely making it to her room. Crying wasn't something welcomed in the Uchiha household, no exceptions. Itachi was the one who gave her something to hold onto back then, assuring her that no matter what, she wouldn't be abandoned. He'd shared that promise with Sasuke only a little while later, though without the context, and it soon became something they all repeated whenever one of them needed encouragement. Judging by how the younger Uchiha tensed under her fingers, he didn't need her to explain the context either. Gently combing back his hair, Kagome gave out a sigh when he didn't move. Back when they were kids, the girl hadn't wanted Sasuke to pick fights with his father on her behalf, and after the massacre, they'd been so busy trying to put the pieces back together, she'd genuinely forgotten to share the details she'd hidden before. Thankfully, it looked like he understood this wasn't the time to demand specifics. The man was dead anyway.

"We didn't leave the house after you left, you know." They should have. Sandaime shouldn't have allowed a pair of children to live in that ghost district, and Itachi knew it, too. "When we realized what happened, we'd sometimes go to your room…when the dreams got bad…reminded ourselves of that promise. We did the same when Orochimaru's tests got too rough."

"Tell me, what can I do?" Her words hurt him, that much was obvious, but she needed him to drown.

"Just…" Azure eyes flickered down before staring back at him, her voice soft. "Hold onto us this time around?"

Hesitation flickered in his eyes for a heartbeat before he leaned down, the brush of his lips against hers light. The gesture was meant to reassure her more than anything else, but Kagome smiled anyway as she kissed him back, letting it remain chaste and innocent. It was the first time he'd touched her like this without needing her to start their contact. They were twisting his morals, pushing every limitation until they broke, and that was without mentioning how unusual this little arrangement of theirs was. Hesitation wasn't unexpected, but she'd seen the hunger in his eyes, felt the heat his touch both yesterday and earlier this morning, easily breaking from its restraints after she pushed a little.

Onyx black eyes were focused on her as she pulled back. His gaze was soft, kind, and completely unguarded. She really was being cruel, disguising those small reminders of their pain and what the village had allowed to happen. It was a small and subtle thing that'd keep on mounting, piling up until every last dredge of loyalty he still felt towards the village was destroyed by hatred. It'd probably take longer than she'd like for him to be swallowed by the abyss like they had, but so long as Kagome made sure to tie that sentiment together with his guilt and their pleasure, the change would be inevitable. And while she had to be cautious with how pointed her comments were, there was no need to be subtle about the affection she wished to receive from him. So the girl rested her palm on his cheek and pulled him back to him.

It wasn't chaste this time around, her tongue demanding entrance as she tried to close the distance, even as she felt Sasuke's hold on her shift.

"I don't think this counts as a compromise." He didn't push her back or pull away.

"Physical exhaustion won't set my recovery back," she said, eyes wide and innocent, the hand on his cheek moving to comb his hair. "Please?"

"Best way to get her to rest is to tire her out." Finally giving up on his act, Sasuke sat up while taking her hand in his."Stubborn and spoiled is not a winning combination."

"Who're we talking about again?" The girl rolled her eyes but brought their intertwined hands to her lips to leave a kiss on his. "Love you too."

He didn't wait for her to follow his move, taking her lips in a hurry, wasting no time in fighting for dominance, his free hand moving to tug at her hair, forcing a moan out of her before letting her get some air. His breathing was irregular as he parted, and the girl didn't fight the urge to let out a soft laugh. He'd always reacted like this whenever she used the word, and it seemed Itachi was the same. She'd noticed how his expression changed this morning; Kagome could feel his heartbeat racing now. Both Uchiha were so utterly enchanted by that word. They craved it, even when what she felt for them had long since stopped being true. What she felt wasn't fickle or restricted; it wouldn't change no matter what happened, but neither of them appeared to notice the difference. Well, Kagome didn't really mind; she'd call it whatever they wanted to make them happy, even as she took Itachi's love and warped it.

And by the look of it, Kagome really wouldn't have to do much to tempt him.

"Go on then," Sasuke's voice was rough as he looked at his brother. "Spoil her."

"Feel free to join in whenever you want."

Not giving the Uchiha prodigy time to think about it, the girl turned to him, quieting down any questions as she moved to get him above her. He didn't hurry, but he didn't fight it either, his gaze finding his brother before returning to her after seeing what she'd seen. Despite his jealous nature, not only did Sasuke not mind sharing her affections, but when Itachi was the one touching her, the boy enjoyed the sight. That's why he was so eager to join her, to have her together with his brother. She'd needed the boy to reassure the Uchiha prodigy that he was fine with their intimacy last night, his active participation hadn't been required. Of course, she hadn't complained; it made things easier for Itachi, it made things more pleasurable for her.

If Sasuke wanted a show, she was more than happy to give him one, and given how Itachi relaxed into her kiss, he wouldn't mind too much, either.

For as long as the boy could hold himself back, anyway.

Long fingers trailed down her neck, an almost imperceptible caress that stopped as he found the fabric of her kimono. Slender fingers grasped his hand, slowly guiding it to the sloppy knot tying her improvised robe together. She could feel him falter as he found the end of the silk ribbon, but it lasted not a second before giving it a weak pull. With a content sigh, the girl mirrored his actions, pulling open his haori. Long nails lightly traced warm skin as she let her arms find their way around his neck once again. Anticipation built up within her as long fingers gently trace patterns on her side before traveling up, his touch feather-like.

The younger Uchiha was all passion and intensity; his self-control never lasted long enough for their encounters to be soft. Of course, he had no reason to be when she could be just as rough. Pain had never been any deterrent, honestly, if he was the one causing it, Kagome welcomed it eagerly. Needless to say, his brother would never treat her the same way. Itachi had always been so careful with her. The idea of hurting her, even if on accident, even if just for a night, would likely end up hurting him more. Even yesterday, in the midst of everything, the Uchiha prodigy was so tender, holding her as if she was a fragile doll, his touch almost a worship as careful notions, teased her closer and closer to climax, the slow build-up almost painful, making her beg just as surely as Sasuke could. That said, he'd relinquish control without a second thought, and the contrast between the two of them touching her at the same time was just addictive.

A low moan escaped her as she felt lips trailing down her throat, her skin heating up, flushing even more when the girl's gaze found Sasuke's breathing ragged as theirs.

"Sorry, I was…not that careful." Gently, Kagome caressed the red lines on the sides of his neck, the marks of her passion.

"You don't have to be," he sighed against her flesh. "Just do whatever you want to do."

"Can I? Is there a time limit?" Lust was creeping into her voice, and she didn't bother to hide it.

"No time limit."

"Can't take it back now," she grinned, placing her hands on his shoulders but not pushing or pulling. "I am a bit tired, but you said you'd tire me out even more, didn't you?"

"Is this what you want?" He wasn't talking just about sex right now, and he wasn't just asking her.

"Wouldn't be here if it wasn't." Black eyes bore into the older Uchiha; Sasuke had also noticed.

"Itachi…" Kagome trailed off, cupping his face and guiding his gaze towards her. "Is it wrong?"

"That…doesn't matter."

With that, he moved down her body, warm tongue tasting her skin and a long finger ever so slowly entering her, reaching for the spots he'd learned about yesterday. Slow, deliberate motions had a whimper escape her lips. Before she could move a tight grip closed around her hips, stopping her before she had the chance to speed the motions by herself. Groaning, azure eyes opened to find Sasuke staring at her. His patience lasted less than she'd thought. And he wanted to see her unravel. Frustration built up as she tugged his hair, forcing him to swallow her gasps even as she failed to escape his grasp as he pushed her down when a second finger stretched her out. It was better this way; if she lost control and pushed too far, it might work against them. It was better to just let Itachi set the pace and play with her…really…temptation worked best when it was subtle…she'd feel him inside her anyway.

Thoughts scattered, her legs shaking as she shattered.

Questioning eyes found hers, looking for discomfort. A wordless nod was enough for Itachi to move, helping Sasuke lift her up, letting her settle within his arms before Itachi aligned himself. She tasted herself on his tongue as he filled her. His hesitation wouldn't last for long.