The trio took their next stop on a secluded village within the Land of the Wind's border, located on the edge of the land's vast desert. One reason behind the choice was that Itachi had promised Mitsuki that along the way they would try and visit secluded lands, affected by war, to make sure that she would be able to continue her Miko duty during their journey together. With that in mind, Itachi threw a glance at Mitsuki who was still acting quite out of sort during the past few days they journeyed to exit the Land of Earth .

Along the way, both he and Kisame had subtly tried to talk Mitsuki out of her quiet state. However, their effort had only seemed to make Mitsuki hid the true extent of her guilt better. Worse, not knowing about what was her issue, Kisame was receiving the shorter end of the stick, since sometime his cheering effort turn out to be insensitive or inappropriate considering Mitsuki's concern. As result, Kisame had given up completely, leaving everything to Itachi to handle. Itachi on the other hand, was not sure what he could do. Unlike how it usually goes when he didn't know what was behind her struggle, this time, Itachi knew it far too well. Usually he would wait and encourage her to share what was burdening her with him. Yet, this time it was clear that the issue was her guilt towards him. How could he even start to make her feel better, when he himself had always been struggling with his own guilt? It was unlike telling her not to blame herself would help her to drop her guilt just like that.. Itachi knew that dreadful feeling better than anyone. After all, he had always been in a similar situation as well. Despite Mitsuki telling him again and again to not blame himself, there was no way that he would ever be able not to.. He was thankful for her to try to understand him and his action, but he knew more than anyone, the weight of his sins, how unforgivable it was, and he of all people would never let himself forget. Itachi knew that thinking in such way would probably make Mitsuki sad, but that was the least he could do to repent for what he did, thought Itachi. To carry the burden forever, to his death..

What worried him, however, was how despite struggling herself, Mitsuki had never stopped caring for him and Kisame. Worse, somehow, she had seemed to be even more attentive than ever, reminding him of the time where his condition had worsened last time. But, he didn't think that his condition had relapsed to that point, at least as far as he could tell. He did use his Mangekyou a few time while dealing with the waves of assault that threatened him and Kisame in their previous battle, but as far as he could tell, aside of fatigue, there were no obvious sign of his sickness relapsing just yet.

"Well, what do we do now?" asked Kisame as soon as the trio reached their destination.

"Would you mind handling the lodging, Kisame?" Itachi suggested, subtly trying to separate the group, as well as finding a chance to finally tell Mitsuki about their currentstop.

Even so, he wondered if that was really necessary, after all Mitsuki was the one who could see the disarray, not him. It was as if a crow telling an owl on where to hunt at night, he thought, hesitating. Suddenly, Mitsuki's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Itachi-kun?" she called out in confusion. Meeting Itachi's gaze directly while standing in front of him, Mitsuki tilted her head slightly in questioning manner after noticing how Itachi had grown silent post Kisame's dismissal. "How about me? Do you have any task?"

Finally noticing her gaze on him, Itachi returned her gaze. Then, he couldn't help but look closer into her eyes, observing. The tone in her voice indicated nothing wrong, yet.. Indeed, he felt like something was still out of place. Something about the liveliness that was usually reflected in her eyes, or..

"Come along with me for a while," said Itachi quickly, consequently leading their way up towards the village's border without waiting for Mitsuki's answer.

"What is it, Itachi-kun?"

As soon as Itachi's step halted, Mitsuki brought out her question, unsure of what the man had in mind.

After carefully considering how he would go about the topic during the short span of their travel, Itachi paused for a while, before starting the conversation by asking Mitsuki about her observation of the village so far.

"You mentioned about visiting places that might need your help before, does this place fell into that category?"

Mitsuki was surprised to hear Itachi's word. After all, she had never expected him to actually planned something about it, especially then.. Not when she had just brought misery upon him, intentionally or not. Even during that night she told him about her mistake, she could tell that Itachi was not in the slightest bit angry towards her. On the contrary, Mitsuki knew that Itachi had continued to blame himself even after she told him the fact.

"Why?" Instead of answering, Mitsuki asked with a pained look in her face and shiver in her voice.

Hearing her vague question, and the odd response to his own question, Itachi turned his face towards the girl's and tilted his head slightly, as if asking her for further explanation.

And the calm, indifferent look on Itachi's face as he looked straight at her, only brought more pain and guilt within Mitsuki's conscience, and she found herself unable to hold it back anymore.

"Why are you not angry? Why won't you blame me.. I.."

"Is there any point in doing so?" said Itachi, halfway into her sentence, forcing Mitsuki to pause briefly. Honestly, he had never intended for them to talk about it that early into their conversation, but it seemed to Itachi that the topic's rise had ended up being unavoidable.

Maybe, this talk was what Mitsuki needed from him, he thought.. Truthfully, Itachi was not one to entertain a long, pointless talk that wouldn't change anything, but, at the very least, he could try to put his thoughts into words for her sake, like how he had asked her to before, and just like what she had been doing..

"It wouldn't change anything, nor it would make things better.." answered Itachi without hesitation, finally letting Mitsuki into his own thought about the situation. In the first place, he had never been one to blame other. After all, he knew better, that, in an ever-changing, unpredictable thing that is life, it would be impossible to predict or prevent anything bad from happening, no matter how well planned someone life is. The proof of it was his own, mess of a life. So, no…

"Besides," he continued, "I'm responsible for my own action, as you previously told me.."

"! That's not what I.."

"Mitsuki!" Itachi quickly interrupted, his voice coming out louder than he meant it to be in an effort to stop Mitsuki's retort. And, he did succeed, as Mitsuki sealed her mouth once more with a pleading look on her gaze.

"I told you, I.. knew Sasuke, better than anyone. What kind of person he is, his innocence and impressionable nature.. I knew, Orochimaru was after the sharingan, and I knew he instigated the attack on Konoha," said Itachi with a frown, his gaze shifted towards the vast desert in front of them. "I knew the extent of his cunning and ambition.."

"You said that, indeed, but still..!"

"And.. during that encounter with Sasuke, the decision to use Tsukuyomi on him and hurt him so, was mine," continued Itachi with trembling in his voice, hard as it was to verbalize that which had tortured him so. Clearly, he was no longer running from the fact.

Mitsuki fell silenced as she helplessly watched Itachi's soul flickered in sadness and regret, threatening to dye his beautiful soul. Even so, Itachi wasn't finished.

"I dismissed you before, when you tried to tell me about it the first time.. but seeing how it turns out, I.." regret after regret, remembering how he had snapped against Mitsuki's word at that time, saying how she knew nothing of them, of him.. Even though she was right, and he was just too afraid to admit it..

Hearing his regret, Mitsuki couldn't hold herself back and dashed towards Itachi, lightly tugged onto his cloak, and redirecting his attention towards her.

"Can you stop there?" she pleaded. "I don't like.. seeing you suffering like this.."

The pain in Mitsuki's eye was obvious, but.. how could he ever stop? Suffering is all that he knew of, all that he deserved.. thought Itachi internally as he shifted his gaze away from the girl's.

After all, he was the one who had brought Sasuke pain, the one who had destroyed his past and his future.

Everytime, all he wanted was the best for his brother, yet.. every single action of his dirtied hand, had only drove the knife into Sasuke's soul further. What he had meticulously planned for him, had turned out to make Sasuke's life a living hell, and eventually even cutting off his bond with those who cared for him, who'd help him grow.

Itachi remembered the day of the massacre, his words to urge Sasuke for vengeance, his words about Mangekyou's awakening, how he tried to paint himself as someone who would even murder his best friend for power, yet..

He wondered, if those words of his had ended up isolating Sasuke from everyone.. After all, if Sasuke ever created that kind of bond.. He would then have to sever it…

He didn't really thought of it then, but.. Again, it turned out to be another regret..

"Why.. don't you just blame me instead..!?" Mitsuki was close to shouting, and her word pulled Itachi out of his mind's down spiral. "That way, you won't have to blame yourself and suffer like this.." begged Mitsuki, the pain in her voice palpable.. Indeed, she'd rather Itachi blame her, and hate her.. than himself. He, whose heart was filled with scars, yet still loved.. He, whom for everyone he hurt, tore a scar into himself, again and again, until nothing was left except for festering wounds and pain.. He.. who was so dear to her she couldn't bear to see him crumble..

But, Itachi didn't get it.. Why would he do so, why would he burden someone with his sins? So, Itachi remained quiet.. still refusing to put the burden of blame on anyone else but him.. And so, Mitsuki saw another flicker of self-hatred within Itachi's beautiful dusk colored soul.

And she wondered, how could he had taken on so much.. This mortal, barely an adult.. Burdened with responsibility far heavier than he should ever have been asked to bear..

Yet he moves on.. Even if he had to drag his feet..

Yet he still loves.. Even if the world hated him..

For his brother, for the world that he lives in, for peace.. for duty...

And then.. even in the end, he plan to…

Mitsuki felt her heart bleed for him. Everything he did, for what? There was no salvation for him ahead. All he had been through and endured so far.. for what? For his dishonourable death, for a sad end to his life, to be despised unjustly both in life and death..

Was this really what he wanted? If things were different, if there's another way.. would he still have chosen the same?

Was it really, the only way?

Mitsuki knew for sure, that at least, she didn't want that for him. Yet..

Thinking so, would be as if going against Itachi's wish.. even though she had promised him from the start that she would not intervene.

Yes, she still wanted to help him survive long enough to fulfil his wish, she had promised. That was unchanged, yet, there was nothing she wanted more than to take back her words, right there and then. She didn't want his story to end that way, after all.. Yet, she saw no light by the end of the tunnel they were in. Not unless she went against his wish and broke the tunnel itself, but.. when that happen..

Maybe for once, then, he would despise her, forever.. And then, she would lose him, either way. Which one was correct, which one was better, and which one would be more painful for both of them to bear, she didn't know. Was it letting him to continuously march on the path that he had set, and fulfil his wish of doom? Or, disappoint him for ruining everything, for breaking her promise, for letting him trust her.. and let him live even longer in his suffering?

There was still so much question in which she didn't have an answer to, and second by second, it piles up..

Even so, her wish remained the same..

Mitsuki's clutch on Itachi's cloak grew tighter, even if the two of them was still avoiding each other's gaze.

"Itachi-kun, I.."

I love you..

But she couldn't say that. Not like this.

"At least.. let me take responsibility for my own mistake.." said Mitsuki, her gaze casted down towards the pile of sand under her.

Let me carry a part of your burden…

"You can reprimand me, you can be angry, you can ignore me.. just.."

Don't carry your burden alone..

"Don't ever think that everything was your fault alone.. Don't carry the burden of my sins for me…"

Instead, share some of your burden with me..

"Or I wouldn't be able to face you, nor the heavens above.."

And then, mustering her courage, she looked up. And then, her pleading gaze met Itachi's pained one.

"Don't take responsibility for my action, I knew you've always done that.. but.."

"I'd rather.. hurt than see you hurt…"

Itachi felt a pain in his heart, and an unfamiliar, indescribable sensation, and it made him uncomfortable. Before he could realise, a word slipped out of his tongue, barely a whisper.

"Why?"

Mitsuki returned his word with a questioning gaze of her own.

"Why would you go that far.. for me?"

He, who didn't deserve any semblance of forgiveness with his clan's blood on his hand.. He, who no longer had any other future than death.. He, who could only bring pain to those around him.. including her.. eventually..

Hearing his question, Mitsuki looked straight into his eyes, and answered without hesitation.

"Because.. you're that much important for me.."

Him?

Itachi couldn't comprehend the meaning of Mitsuki's word, honest as her gaze was.. Why would he be, after all? He had never deserved it..

Then, he recalled the conversation he once had with "Inaba"..

"Hey, Itachi-kun, do you know what made you so special? Why 'Mitsuki' latched herself unto you?"

And the sparkle in her eyes as she told him the answer to that ridiculous question, one by one..

"Do you want me to spell out the other points one by one? You know, so you'll appreciate yourself a little bit more?"

No.. he said. He didn't deserve that, he thought. After all..

"If.. you hadn't met me, you wouldn't need to suffer as much," words spill from Itachi's lips, his expression unreadable, yet pain was apparent in his soul. And so, in fairness Mitsuki replied in honesty. After all, she had given a thought about it before..

"That might be so, but.."

Pausing, she locked her gaze with Itachi's, her hand still clutching his cloak as determination slowly filled her eyes.

"If I were able to choose again, I would still chose this again, over anything else.."

Itachi heard Mitsuki's answer loud and clear. Yet, he still didn't understand.. Why?

"After all, you've brought so much color to my life.. You, Kisame, and everyone we met along the way.."

"Even if it pained her?" Itachi pondered silently. An incomprehensible feeling rose within him

"Because of you, I remembered.. you were the one who gave me courage to face my own past.."

"Even though she suffered, through every memory?" Itachi frowned in disbelieve.

"I wouldn't trade everything away, for anything.. and.."

Mitsuki released her grip on Itachi's cloak and pulled her hand close to her chest, locking her fingers with each other, as if praying.

"Even if the whole world is your enemy, I.."

I'll still love you..

"I'll always be on your side.."

Itachi felt a squeeze in his heart, and in his stomach.. It's painful, yet also warming. But still, he didn't know how to react.. After all..

It was hard, impossible to believe..

Yet Mitsuki's eyes which was still fixed on his were brimming with honesty and determination.

.. and he had done nothing to deserve it, he thought to himself.

Yet the moment he would argue otherwise, he knew Mitsuki would never let him be..

He didn't know what to feel.. He didn't know what he felt..

"What is.. this feeling?" he thought to himself, his expression unreadable, as so many different emotion swirled within him, threatening to burst from inside of him.

Yet somehow, Mitsuki saw how Itachi's eye had softened.. despite his quietness, despite the troubled look on his face. Selfish as it was, she took it as a form of agreement, and it lightened the burden in her heart in some way.

So, smiling, Mitsuki went back to Itachi's first question, giving him the long due answer.

"… and to answer your question, yes, this place will do."

Seeing the sudden change in Mitsuki's expression and the suddenness of her answer to his earliest question, Itachi broke out of his train of thoughts, confusion filling his head. Overwhelmed, all the answer that he could muster was..

"..Oh, glad to hear that.."

And just like so, Mitsuki burst with light, unburdened laughter which rang clear in Itachi's heart and warmed it up.

"Help me, would you?" Mitsuki asked Itachi suddenly, accompanied with a playful glance of hers, just before she turned her body towards the dessert, once more.

Albeit unsure of how he could even be of help, Itachi nodded quietly as he found his heart filled with an unrecognisable mix of emotion.

Meanwhile, Mitsuki vowed to herself..

Kisame was right, she thought.

She needed to be strong; she needed to pull herself together.

Strong enough to carry her own burden, strong enough to spare Itachi from the pain she would cause him otherwise.

Yet, unknowingly to her.. Within her, Itachi had already saw a different kind of strength than his own.. and, regardless whether he admitted it or not, it had casted a tiny light, within his own darkness that he thought would never disperse.

Author's note:

Song Insert: Tuyu's - What Kind of Ending are you looking for.

I imagine Kisame being very confused after all this hahah if they suddenly seems ok after this.. Also, 1 more step towards maturity for Mitsuki, because heart and kindness alone is never enough.. (recently learned from beloved sphene of ffxiv :'))

This chapter also damn hard to write ughh