Chapter 89.- Still waters
Delicate fingers were wrapped around his arm in what was quickly becoming a familiar gesture.
It was… curious…how easy it was to get used to her touch once more. Considering Sasuke had always had trouble with expressing his feelings, the older Uchiha would often be the one Kagome went to for comfort, always reaching for his hand, openly asking for affection in a manner that wasn't befitting for a child in the main Uchiha household. It didn't matter that she wasn't related to them by blood; Kagome was expected to perform and act in a manner that'd bring pride to the family. Childish behavior wasn't tolerated, never mind how isolated his father made her feel when he reminded her that her family had died because of their foolish insistence on mercy. So Itachi never could find it in himself to deny her.
Not then, not when the nature of her touch changed, and not now, when the implication of her every gesture could so easily damage the reputation she'd managed to build.
For them to indulge themselves in the privacy of the Higurashi ruins and hotel rooms, or when the only witnesses to some of their less platonic interactions were people already clearly devoted to her was one thing, but letting others know how intimate she was with both him and Sasuke could destroy more than one of the masks she used to misdirect others. Part of the reason the Council couldn't just demand their heads on a silver platter was because of the pure, saint-like image she'd created for herself. As long as their actions remained morally clean, they couldn't justify forcing the Godaime's hands. It'd be easy to accuse her of being power-hungry by painting their relationship in a different light. After all, while some Heads had taken more than one partner when their clan numbers were diminishing, that had never applied when said Head was a woman. Anyone looking to smear her reputation would have an easy target to aim for.
Everyone knew what her relationship with his brother was like; it'd be pointless to try to change that perception, but Itachi could remain in the shadows. The only thing was keeping those two safe, if hiding how his affection had changed could facilitate their end goal, he was happy to do so. He swore to protect them and failed once already. Pathetically so. There was no need for either Sasuke or Kagome to worry about his feelings. And yet, that was the one thing both of them adamantly refused to even consider that possibility. It didn't matter that things might get more complicated; they wouldn't pretend their relationship with him was in any way shallow. So her hand remained where it was, resting on the crook of his elbow as they walked through the streets of one of the elusive Taisho compounds, regardless of how many eyes were subtly following them. Even now, as the Taisho had guided them through the family's main building, the only thing that changed was that Sasuke had moved to walk by the girl's side, letting her take hold of his hand. A loud and obvious statement for everyone to see. Inconvenient decision or not, those two decided this was how they wanted to go about this, and he wasn't going to pull away from them anymore.
Bright azure flickered towards him, delicate fingers tapping a pattern in his arm.
Political machinations and diplomacy weren't skills required for the type of work he did for Akatsuki, but he'd been properly trained to take over the clan. He knew what was needed for Kagome's plans to succeed, and he could play the part. Delivering the right information at the right time in the right way would be enough to entice the Taishos to move in the way they needed them to.
There was no pause as the group entered the spacious room that served as the Taisho Heads main office. Their presence had been expected. Golden eyes fell on them before they reached the center, and he took a moment to observe the silver-haired pair. They fit the description the girl gave him, all regal features and elegant motions hiding sharp eyes and strategic minds, and yet, their actions confirmed their bloodlust and love for conflict. Luckily for them, the information Itachi had gathered pointed at exactly the sort of battle that'd make an excellent bait. With one more gentle touch, Kagome finally let go of him, stepping forward to offer a polite greeting.
"Looks like you succeeded." Playful and amused, the Taisho matriarch's eyes revealed nothing.
"So we have," the Higurashi's expression remained kind as she spoke. This too, was a perfectly crafted mask. "Thanks to the information we were so helpfully provided with."
"Oh dear, we were barely any help at all, I'm sure." With a short laugh, the woman opened her fan with a flourish.
"We merely stayed true to the terms of our alliance." Unlike his wife's unreadable expression, it was easy to hear how genuine the patriarch's words were. "It's a relief you were able to reunite."
"That being said, if Uchiha Itachi is here, that means…" The elegant fan rested below golden eyes.
A careful lie had to be constructed to allow Kagome and Sasuke to seek refuge in this place. Their hatred towards Konoha had been disguised by fear for their own survival and a desire to hunt for the truth behind the massacre. Now that he was here, they'd likely be encouraged to share their next plan, and that wasn't something they could afford to do. No matter what kind of deal the Taishos had made with the Higurashi's clan generations ago, the treaties the nomadic family had with the rest of the Hidden Villages would have to come first. Pretending they were content with the idea of settling down in the sanctuary offered by the secretive clan wasn't an option either. And while they could avoid having their movements restricted by feigning all they wished for was to lay low and live as civilians, it'd take far too long to gather the influence they'd need to pull off the revenge they desired. Time they didn't have. So they'd redirect their attention once more with a far more pressing issue that just so happened to allow Kagome to set the board how she needed it to.
And now, it was time for Itachi to ease her task.
"I was ordered to stop the coup d'etat my father was planning to attempt," he said, only after Kagome nodded her approval at him. His voice didn't falter as he betrayed his clan or his village. "The method chosen to accomplish that goal came to be known as The Uchiha Massacre."
"Sarutobi-dono agreeing to such a thing is…" Dismayed, Taisho Toga shook his head, a hand coming to his forehead.
"Minato-sama's passing must've weakened him more than we predicted if he allowed for such a crude solution." Lowering her fan, the matriarch faked a sigh. "It also increases the probability that the Higurashi's betrayal came from a closer place than we'd thought too."
"Konoha was the first village to be established, and yet…"
"To call this news troubling would be an understatement. I understand how important it is to dedicate enough time to consider the ramifications this may have," Kagome spoke once more, contrite words carefully commanding the conversation before things could go in a useless direction. "However, I fear there's a far more urgent situation we must pay attention to."
"Urgent?" The interest dripping from that one word was the first time Taisho Kimi allowed some of her honest feelings to show.
"It involves…well…all the Elemental Nations, really." This time, the girl's voice was hesitant, her eyes glancing around in a pantomime of nervousness before falling on him again. "But it's incredibly intertwined with both the Uchiha clan and Konoha as a whole, so…"
Vague words chosen to let the quiet implications fall over the Taishos worked as planned when the silence stretched between the two Heads. It wasn't a refusal to share the information they held, even though it was clearly confidential, but the girl's earlier assertion hinted at their intention to contact meant they could only tell what they learned to someone who'd be able to fool a Kage. According to what Kagome had observed, out of the two Heads, the patriarch was the kinder and more traditional one. Itachi could see it just from the way he'd spoken about Sandaime-sama just now. The man had valued Konoha as an ally and respected the Third as a fellow shinobi the distress in Toga's voice was like him would try to dissuade them from attempting anything extreme; at the very least, the Taisho matriarch, on the other hand…her amused facade hadn't faltered in the slightest. It was Taisho Kimi who reached out to Team 7 and she was the one who pointed Kagome in the direction of the underground archives hidden under the Higurashi there was someone in this place who might go along with the girl's plans, even if it meant disrespecting tradition or dishonoring their word was the clan's matriarch. Asking for one of the Heads and their heir to leave the room was bordering on insolence, and yet…
"Well then, what are you waiting for, Toga dear?" Closing her fan, she used it to point at her son. "You too, darling."
"Pardon?"
"You can't tell me you think your poker face is up to par, dear. Sesshoumaru, darling, yours still needs some more work, too." This time, the woman made a shooing motion with it, crimson lips never losing their smile. "If I believe you can pull it off, I'll let you know; otherwise, just wait until we meet with their envoy."
"Whose envoy?"Sasuke's sharp question didn't hide his unhappiness as he spoke out for the first time.
"Oh my, with all this excitement, it almost slipped my mind." Reaching into the folds of the elaborated obi, the silver-haired woman produced two letters. "Senjuu Tsunade-sama has asked us to act as intermediaries. It was never our intention to pressure you into making any decision, but based on what you just said, a meeting with Godaime-sama or whoever she chooses to send is unavoidable."
"Indeed, this does simplifies things." Slow and pensive, the girl took the offered letters, making no move to open them.
"We won't renege our promise."Taking her demeanor as a sign of worry, Toga hurried to assuage nonexistent fears."Regardless of the information you've acquired, you and your companions will find a safe haven in our territories."
"All that's well and good, but off you go, dear. Urgent matters take priority. So shoo, now." Playfully repeating the motion, the Taisho matriarch all but kicked the two men out.
Kagome's instincts were as sharp as they'd been before, and she'd grown more adept a incorporating those into her cold readings. Things were going mostly how she'd predicted. Taisho Kimi was willing to forgive their brazenness as long as she got amusement out of it. Still, Itachi wouldn't make the woman careless. A leader whose actions were based purely on whims would only bring ruin to those who followed them, and the Taisho clan remained as strong as ever. While the silver-haired patriarch may very well be the strongest shinobi in this place, but in terms of wit, it seemed like she'd proven herself to be superior enough for her husband to let out a resigned sigh and motion his silent son to leave the room with him. Unusual as this marriage was rumored to be, there was trust between the leaders.
Trying to go with the plan they'd come up with wouldn't work anywhere else. Concentrating power in a single person carried far too many potential troubles; that's why every other clan, Hidden Villages, and countries had set up systems that divided and managed the power entrusted to them. A decision that could affect the entire clan would need to be approved by several people, each with their own interests to protect, but that wasn't the way the Taishos operated. Absolute loyalty on both sides was required for a place like this to work, making it extremely easy for the thing to collapse, but it worked in their favor now since all they had to do was convince one person.
"So,? Whatever could the Akatsuki be planning to warrant this level of urgency?"
There it was, a clear attempt to take him off guard. Allowing silence to linger for a second, Kagome visibly hesitated before turning to him.
"Itachi?" She gave the cue.
"Akatsuki's stated goal is to gather the power of all nine jinchuurikis to use it to create a weapon to enforce their idea of peace." Despite revealing such an absurd fact, the Taisho matriarch's poker face remained firmly in place. "However, the problem is the real leader's objective."
"The real leader…isn't the one known as Pain, I presume." Again, she opened her fan.
"He presents himself as the one who thought to create the group, and while I don't have the exact numbers of those who know the truth, most members believe him to be the one in charge." The fact that this clan had managed to get this much information was undeniably impressive. "He is simply being used as a figurehead."
"Because so many of its members were notorious in the villages, we chose to let them be…it seems we were too lax…I don't believe this was what dearest Kagome was referring to, do go on." The woman's contrite expression was flawless.
"Rather than forceful peace, the true purpose of that organization is simply to destroy every Hidden Village, starting with Konoha." Finally, something seemed to flash through golden eyes. 'And the man behind it all called himself Uchiha Madara."
"Wha…the fuck does that mean?!" The yell came from his right; Suigetsu, it seemed, wasn't great at hiding his emotions.
"Quiet, Suigetsu." His brother's irritation was caused by having to be more subtle than he'd wanted to, but it fit this situation, too. "Or get out."
"Didn't that guy die ages ago?!"
"I wasn't able to verify his identity; it could very well be someone simply borrowing the name." Black eyes narrowed slightly, playing along at being annoyed at the interruption. "That said, that man does possess a sharingan and is proficient enough to have perpetrated over half of the Uchiha Massacre."
Meeting that man had almost derailed his original mission. He had no way to know who the man behind the mask was, but just as he couldn't confirm his identity, there was no way to deny it either. It was a chilling idea that such a man might've survived until this day, bearing such hatred towards the village he created and his own clan. At the time, however, Itachi was far more preoccupied with keeping Kagome's existence a secret. He'd managed to ensure Sasuke's survival by lying about his intention to take his eyes, but there wasn't a convenient lie that'd guarantee the girl's safety. The relationship between Uchiha Madara and the Higurashi ancestor was supposed to be less problematic-ridden than the one with the Senjuus, but he couldn't gamble with her life. If the masked man really was his ancestor, he might've been able to recognize what clan she belonged to just by looking at her. No new orders were given to target her specifically even after her existence came to light with the Chuunin exams, but discarding that possibility still felt too hasty.
Jumping to conclusions was how he'd failed the first time.
Laughter destroyed the silence that had settled over the room after his words. It was a mirthful sound, not quite abandoning the pretense, but close to the fan on the lady's hand closed against her chest. It was slight, almost imperceptible, but there was bloodlust seeping through. The love for battle the nomadic clan was infamous for still ran strong in the veins of their leaders, one of them, at least. He could understand why the woman put Kagome on edge. If the girl was right, there's no way the Taisho matriarch wouldn't take the bait.
"Urgent might just be an understatement," she said after she finally regained her poise. "My darling husband will have to wait to hear this, I think." She fanned herself slowly. "As far as how this should be handled…"
"Regardless of whether that man is who he claims to be, it's unlikely he isn't a member of my clan; dealing with him is part of my responsibility." It wasn't time for Kagome to take the reins again, not yet.
Of course, internal affairs should be handled properly." Kimi's vaguely amused expression was back in place. "Can I assume the head of the Uchiha clan is now Uchiha Itachi?"
"My brother was always meant to be the Head; I never had any interest in the position." They'd agreed on that beforehand. Had Itachi's original plan succeeded, and those two returned to the village, Sasuke would've surely left all the political issues to Kagome anyway. The boy had never been interested in diplomacy.
"A reasonable decision." The silver-haired kunoichi nodded before turning to Kagome. "Is it safe to assume the Higurashi matriarch will join in this endeavor?"
"Thanks to our intervention in the Suna incident, the Akatsuki were already targeting us…even if they weren't, pretending nothing is happening won't be helpful to anyone." Now that the patriarch wasn't in the room, there was no need for the girl to keep up with the facade, but this was the type of game they were playing.
"Yes, I do believe that would be the most appropriate response." With a quick wave of her fan, the woman's grin widened. "But that's enough for today. You all must be tired; we weren't sure what to do about your accommodations, so if you need another room…"
"No need to worry about that. A bedroom like the one you lent us before will more than suffice." And this was the time for Kagome to retake control of the conversation.
"Oh my, now. I'll need to steal you away for a night. Impending doom or not, we can always take a little break." The suggestive implications weren't exactly hidden as the Taisho matriarch covered her lips with her fan. "I'm sure we can pull the sweet princess away from my boring husband. We should wait until Sango-chan is back. I don't believe she has much experience, but she will need the information eventually."
"It'll be my pleasure." Kagome's smile didn't falter.
The change in tone was drastic enough to give anyone whiplash; still, the Higurashi girl seemed to adapt to it without missing a beat, taking over the conversation and steering the topic into scheduling and directions to the wing being lent to them in the main building, successfully in asking an unmistakeable declaration and stopping the suddenly openly invested lady from going too far into more inappropriate topics. He'd successfully delivered in a way that'd provide them with enough breathing room while enticing the Taisho matriarch into following along; that was all Kagome needed from him, so there was no reason for him to feel guilty about leaving the girl to control the situation after this. She was clearly capable. And yet, staying quiet together with the others left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Kagome was too young to be this proficient in something like this.
Every child within the Uchiha household was expected to excel.
Being good wasn't enough; they were supposed to master every skill they could, to become assets that could be used for the clan's benefit. Back then, he'd thought the standards demanded of them had been unfair, and it was partly because of Itachi's success. His father wanted them to match his achievements despite acknowledging how difficult that would be. In Uchiha Fugaku's ideal world, Sasuke would've been a useful but ultimately disposable soldier, willing to throw away his life for the clan, while Kagome would be pushed into the role of matriarch, who'd strengthen the Uchiha bloodline by producing a few kids while also using every bit of her political influence for the benefit of the family who'd never seen her as anything more than a convenient chess piece. His father couldn't be bothered to spare even a sliver of affection for them, and yet, he wanted the kids to die for his sake. It wasn't fair.
In the end, the one who'd pushed unreasonable expectations on their shoulders was Itachi himself.
Using their insecurities, turning them into traumas for his peace of mind had been just as cruel if not more than what his father had done. Making Sasuke obsessed with strength out of fear of loosing the one person he had left, asking Kagome to learn how to navigate the minefields of political games while taking care of his brother's emotional needs. He loved them more than anyone or anything else in this world, and he'd hurt them more than anyone else had been capable of. Destroying their childhoods with his own hands in a misguided attempt to protect them. Looking at them now, as he followed them out of the room and into the elegant maze-like corridors, it was impossible to deny they overcame every obstacle. His parents would be proud of what they'd accomplished if not for the fact that they were planning to use the skills they'd mastered to destroy every bit of the Uchiha legacy they could get their hands off.
Painful as the road had been, they were free now to fight for what they wanted to.
Azure eyes looked up at him, likely feeling his gaze. Never interrupting the warm, polite conversation the girl had with the maid guiding them, she stopped closer to him, delicate fingers gently wrapping around the door of his arm once more.
Forgiveness wasn't something he deserved, but he'd gotten it anyway. Perhaps he shouldn't have accepted it so readily, but he couldn't stop himself from reaching back, even when he knew he had no right to it. He couldn't help but take comfort in her touch or stop his mind from conjuring memories that definitely weren't appropriate. He willed himself to look away but failed. It was getting harder these last few days; then again, this is what she wanted. Besides, there was still a way to spin this in a way that wouldn't entirely destroy her reputation. After all, she was younger than him, more impressionable. On paper, Itachi was the one who should've more experience, exploiting her good nature and sincere feelings wasn't an impossible story to sell.
Cold reading was a skill she'd perfected over the years; it helped her take control of whatever situation she was in and get them through hardships.
She was good at it; that's how she'd kept her and Sasuke alive when they lived under Orochimaru.
Dealing with someone like Taisho Kimi still tired her far too much for her to feel confident about their interactions, even when things appeared to be going her way. It was exhausting to be put on the defensive in an area she was supposed to dominate. The fact that she was likely doing better than most of the people who'd faced the silver-haired woman despite the girl's young age was cold comfort. For their plan to work, she had to minimize as many variables as she could. What she was trying to do could easily backfire, powerful individuals didn't take kindly to being used as convenient pieces for somebody's personal revengers. Failure would earn them a sea of enemies; living the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders would be a lucky ending for them. Not that Sasuke was the type to lower his head and live underground. They were being too ambitious; trying to take on one of the strongest Hidden Villages was far too dangerous, yet Kagome couldn't bear knowing the people who'd tried to tear them apart were still alive and enjoying their power.
Their deaths were the only thing that'd satisfy her.
Exhausting or not, as long as it let them move forward, the anxiety was well worth it.
Not that it made having to handle the tangled webs Taisho Kimi wove felt any less tiring. Of course, having Suigetsu launch a rather rude interrogation didn't help matters, especially because Sasuke had been on edge from the moment they woke up this morning, and his mood only soured further with every question lobbed at her. Truthfully, Kagome appreciated the older teen's input. Sasuke trusted her a little too much to doubt her strategies, and while Itachi would never let them act on a plan he thought hopeless, she wasn't sure how willing to oppose her he'd be when she was actively exploiting his guilt. She needed someone to try and poke as many holes in her plans as possible; Suigetsu wasn't quite a strategist, but he was sharp, and his survival instincts were strong. He'd apparently been too shocked to momentarily forget how irritable Sasuke became when he had to deal with the Taisho's main family like this. It would've been easier if they'd planned at least some of their revelations, but she needed his honest reactions to sell her concern about the information Itachi revealed to them. Kimi was way too observant, and Suigetsu wasn't that good of an actor. At least she didn't have to struggle with Juugo's reaction; he'd been isolated from the world for so long, and the only thing he cared about was the relief from the mania of his bloodline limit caused that was granted by the Higurashi power.
Letting out a tired sigh, Kagome threw herself onto the sofa of their borrowed bedroom, disregarding the grace and elegance she usually tried to portray. The idea of dragging the boys to their futon and just taking a nap or straight out sleeping until it was time for dinner was tempting. She'd recovered enough that she wouldn't be a liability if they had to fight, but the nightly healing she'd been doing for the last few weeks meant she hadn't had a chance to feel fully rested since before she healed Itachi's eyes. Timing was essential; strategies had to be made as soon as possible; she couldn't put off reading the letters from Konoha.
"Do you really need to do that now?" Sasuke asked as he saw her taking out the letter.
"If we want to be prepared, yes." Her gaze lingered on the one with the open seal. "And it seems we got a bonus."
"That's intended for the Taishos," Itachi said, peering at the letter as he sat by her side.
"It's the petition Tsunade-home sent." Reading through the characters, she didn't bother to push down her scoff."Vocabulary is pretty neutral, just asking them to act as the intermediaries without explaining why."
Of course, the letter's mere existence denoted their desperation.
Rogue nins were either hunted down or forgotten about by their villages once their bounties were set out. The way Konoha had chosen to treat her and Sasuke was unusual; the other nations had doubtlessly noticed it, too. While the Taishos were less involved with the rest of the countries, they were still an unpredictable power, and by sending these letters, they'd all but admitted their two missing nins held something of value. Tsunade-hime must've known that, yet she chose to send it anyway. In fact, the petition did far more than that; it validated the legitimacy of the information the three of them had given the nomadic clan, not that the Hokage had any way of knowing that.
A low hum escaped her as she leaned against the older Uchiha, his arm immediately moving to wrap around her shoulders as she threw the unopened letter to Sasuke.
"Want to do the honors?"
"Fine." Sitting on her other side, he sighed for a second before beginning to read. "…aware of the extenuating circumstances behind your departure. You didn't have to finish listening to the message I sent before, I knew you might have some misgivings about a private meeting, but I believe there's value for all of us in establishing communications." The younger Uchiha snorted, rolling his eyes. "I'll send an envoy to a neutral place chosen by a third party."
"Kakashi-sensei had a hand in it…someone else helped write it, though," the girl mused, resting her head on Itachi's shoulder.
"The Naras tend to serve as aides to the Hokage; they've never answered to either Council," the older Uchiha offered."Jiraiya-sama would be not her option."
"Can't be bothered to write this herself." Unsurprisingly, Sasuke's voice dripped with derision.
"Politics isn't exactly her area of expertise, I only met her a few times, but it was pretty obvious." Lazily pulling up her knees, the girl did her best to think back to their encounters. "She was chosen for her power and fame despite how ill-suited she is for the more delicate parts of the job because the Council needed a symbol. At least it looks like she's aware of it; having someone else take the lead in this is the smart thing to do."
So figuring out who was behind that letter would let her come up with a few potential scenarios for her to workshop. Tsunade-sama was probably quite paranoid after learning how much power the Council had successfully hacked away from Sandaime; she couldn't have trusted many people with what she was doing. It'd surpass her if more than five people were involved. And since neither the Godaime nor that ANBU were involved with the strategy, she just needed to prepare for the other three. The affection that pushed Kakashi-sensei to spend months looking through the Uchiha library would be enough to handle him. The real problem came with the other two. Jiraiya-sama was likely fond of Naruto, but there was no guarantee the man would hesitate to crush them to protect the village, and he was known for his sharp wit. And if Itachi was right, the last one would be a Nara…the clan notorious for producing one genius after another.
No matter which Nara was the one the Hokage chose to trust, they'd make for a tough opponent. Slender fingers went to play with long strands of straight black hair, and she felt Itachi's hold on her tighten a little.
Gods, she wanted to sleep, for the rest of the day or just fifteen minutes, it didn't matter. Cuddling was a bad move for her to make if she wanted to stay awake, but neither Uchiha would purposefully keep her awake. If there was one thing they'd always put on first was her health. Not that a little sleep disruption was a health issue, but they seemed perfectly happy to worry about small things. Softly pushing away from the older Uchiha, she reached for the letter, willing herself to read the words, searching for anything else she might've missed. She'd need to go through this again tomorrow, just to make sure, but she couldn't make a habit of acting like she had in her two-week recovery period.
"And one of those people will be the envoy." Clearly knowing what she'd been trying to not get comfortable, Sasuke pulled her to his side.
"More than one, she might try to send all three of their strategist."Irritation seeped through her voice. "Though I suppose how many we'll meet; depends on how well she can fool the Council."
"Jiraiya-sama will be the main envoy, he was already tracking Akatsuki's movements," Itachi added.
"We'll have to be more careful then." The girl shook her head, trying to push away but failing when Sasuke pulled her back, "Take control from the beginning."
Konoha was drowning; they didn't know how much she and Sasuke had, they had no clue if evidence of the Council's actions existed in the first place, and they could only guess what the relationship between her and the Uchihas was like. With how much of a disadvantageous position the Godaime was in, her envoy would've no choice but to try to bluff their way through the negotiations. After all, they didn't have much to offer them aside from laundering her and Sasuke's reputation, after all, there was no way to explain away the Uchiha Massacre without damaging the village's image severely.
By having Itachi hide away, they'd be able to maintain the current uncertainty, making Konoha's official movements easier to control. The older Uchiha had spent far too long in the shadows, though, and she wasn't about to let that continue. Still, she'd debated about when exactly would be the best moment to make his presence known. Using her hesitation and concerns as an excuse would likely give her two or three days of discussions before she had to agree to some sort of deal, and showing up to that first meeting with only Sasuke at her side would allow her to cause a massive disruption to the envoy's strategy. It'd also mean she'd have to take a more defensive stance until that point. She could handle Kakashi-sensei, and while her odds against someone like Shikamaru were not great in matters of pure intellect, the game she was playing involved far more volatile components, the types she was a master at manipulating Kakashi-sensei or a Nara; she felt confident about facing either. Against someone like the toad Sannin, however…
Remaining passive for the first meeting might make it impossible hard to derail the negotiations to her liking.
Of course, a flawed offense would have the same effect.
With Itachi by their side from the start, even Jiraiya-sama would have to be careful, and flaunting the intimate nature of their relationship would put the Sannin on edge, but was it enough to throw him off balance.
They couldn't afford to get a top spot in Konoha's hit list just yet. As much as she hated the idea of working with the people who'd discarded Itachi as soon as was convenient, she couldn't pretend it'd be a good idea to let the man calling himself Madara do as he liked for much longer and to get rid of them, they'd need more pieces. Pieces she wouldn't be able to get after openly turning against Konoha. They needed these meetings to end with a tentative alliance. If she faltered, if Jiraiya managed to trip her up, they'd have to rework everything, and they'd risk losing the pieces she'd already taken over. Something that'd disturb the Sannin's rhythm…
Ah…she did have such a thing.
"Sasuke…" A flick of her wrist had a thin needle between her fingers; practiced motions had it twirling among her fingers. "Do you remember where I stored it…the only research documents we didn't burn away?"
"The ones from him?"
"Yes, I put them all together, didn't I?" She asked, finally pulling away and standing to pace around the room. "I haven't thought about them for so long I almost forgot about them."
"They should be somewhere with your poison research…probably, but why do they matter?" As always, mentions of Orochimaru only made the younger Uchiha's mood.
"I told you they might come in handy later, didn't I?" The smile on her lips came easy. "This is just the time to use them."
"Kagome?" Itachi's confusion was natural.
"I believe I just found the right approach to use with Jiraiya-sama." She still needed to actually find the documents themselves, and the details needed to be figured out, but she had a start now. "You'll be with us from the start, won't you?"
"Are you sure you want to start being that aggressive?" He knew what she was going with then.
"Mhm, it'll be too much of a gamble otherwise." His worry for her reputation was touching and infuriating at the same time; still, she sat back down, hugging his arm. "We can still let them wonder how honest you're being with us if you want."
Declaring herself as her group's strategist hadn't revealed much at all. There's no way Kakashi-sensei would've ever believed the meandering long-term strategy they'd been using until now was Sasuke's, and the story they'd tailored for the Council still had her taming the Uchiha's worst impulses. But there was still one angle they could use to downplay how much control she had of this group. There were three possible reasons to explain how the three of them were together. No one would accept that this was just what every one of them wanted; even if it was true, most people would jump to the less charitable options. Either Kagome herself was the one using the siblings, or one of the Uchihas had managed to fool his sibling along with the girl. To someone who knew them, said Uchiha could only be Itachi.
She'd rather just let everyone know the truth that Sasuke and Itachi were hers.
Not because she wanted their power or influence or whatever other nonsense people would come up with, but because that's just the way things were. Both Uchihas belonged to her, and she was theirs in return. This possessive obsession that consumed them would only grow stronger and that's just what she wanted.
If Itachi wanted to play the villain a little longer, she supposed that was fine too, as long as she didn't have to retrain herself from touching him as she wished.
"You can be as confrontational as you like," Kagome added, smiling at Sasuke.
"Are you sure you really mean that?" The younger Uchiha asked, brow raised. "Don't blame me if blood is spilled then."
"Within reason," Kagome rolled her eyes.
The boy huffed as he leaned towards her, his hand tilting her chin. There was hunger in his kiss, a feeling of starvation as he pushed her back, making Itachi change positions so he could hold her, too. One kiss, then another, refusing to part even when they started to run out of breath. He was pent-up and stressed, and she couldn't really blame him.
Being painfully aware that they could never get away from the eyes that followed them whenever they were outside of a reiki-laced barrier, there were lines they never crossed while they traveled through open fields. Usually, they could use some time for themselves when they stayed at inns, even if they often had to keep things short to keep to their schedule, but her nightly healing sessions had out into this as well. Sasuke was used to it, of course, it's not like they spend the entire day in bed. The last week of her recovery had started to create bad habits on him as well.
Lips trailed down her neck, hands skillfully untying her obi.
He'd complained so much about helping her dress up when they were children, but he was certainly taking advantage of what he'd learned.
"Mmh, I'm tired." She groaned as she leaned back a little more.
"Don't move then." His tongue was on her skin, hands pulling back layers of reinforced silk. "You're the one who insisted on going to that last town."
"Needed to…to keep our image clean."
Rough fingers unstrapped the weapon pouch tied around her legs, and quickly went to pull down her shorts.
He'd stop if she pushed him back. He'd stop, apologize, and then feel guilty about not reading her signals correctly for at least a week. He'd never, not once, tried to keep going after she pushed him off, but he hated the fact that she'd had to do that even though that rarely ever happened, and most of those times had happened back when they were still learning each other. She'd misread him too, back then. A low sigh fell from her lips as the cool air hit her bare skin. She was tired, yes, but today's meeting had stressed her out too. Tomorrow, she'd had to start analyzing the pure sample of that damn poison, and they'd have to go back to her family's scrolls. Her days would certainly be busy from tomorrow on. Behind her, the girl could feel Itachi moving closer to her; he wasn't actively helping his brother take off the layers of her kimono, but he moved his hands to allow the fabric to fall off.
"Should I…?" Concern laced his voice; he was always so careful.
"It's fine." He followed along as she pulled him into a kiss. "But you'll both have to do all the work."
"As if you haven't been craving this for the last few weeks," Sasuke scoffed, before biting down.
"Didn't say that." A moan slipped from her lips, and she reached back to pull on Itachi once more. "Spoil me a little."
"As much as you want." The older Uchiha's words were followed by his lips on hers, the gesture soft and gentle, contrasting with his brother's tight grip on her thighs.
She'd get a chance to sleep later, once they were all sated once or twice.
He was going to need more than one drink before the night was over.
Consistent correspondence wasn't something Jiraiya was used to. While he was technically still a part of Konoha, the Sannin had spent over a decade acting as an independent agent, gathering as much information as he could while sending back anything that felt useful. It was comfortable enough; he could polish his literary skills while appreciating the unique views the Elemental Nations had to offer while doing something that'd still help keep the village safe without having to go back. After realizing Minato's brat needed more help than he'd thought, the man accepted the fact that he'd have to frequent Konoha, and when Tsunade informed him the Uchiha massacre may have been an official mission approved by Sarutobi-sensei, Jiraiya had wanted to bring the old man back from the dead just so he could yell at him for an hour or ten because how the fuck did the old man let something like that happen?
It'd be cruel to blame Tsunade for asking him to help with that. Neither of them could tell for sure who was (maybe even unknowingly) acting for the Council, or gods forbid, Danzo. Those kids could have a bomb on their hands, and such an issue required the type of delicate touch his fellow Sannin simply didn't have. So he'd agreed to act as a long-distance consultant while chasing whispers about the runaway heirs to the list of rumors he hunted.
Granted, he hadn't found anything that Kakashi hadn't classified as carefully crafted, but if they weren't good at selling stories, they wouldn't have been able to leave Konoha without a price on their heads in the first place. They were certainly on his priority list. Even now, he should be on his way to Ame to confirm his suspicions instead of entering the only bar of the small civilian town in the middle of nowhere, trying to, at least figure out which Uchiha was acting as her bodyguard. Then again, Jiraiya guessed he wasn't the only one who'd been forced to change his plans because of what happened in those abandoned Higurashi ruins. From what he'd heard before Coming here, the Akatsuki's movements had shifted since Uchiha Itachi had vanished from the surface of this planet. Just like his brother and the Higurashi girl were so fond of doing, so there may be more time for Jiraiya and Konoha to act.
For him to get an urgent summons to return to Konoha so Tsunade could get a personal debriefing. It was written between the lines, not so much in code as in vague references to their past missions. It made it almost impossible for others to know what she'd been trying to tell him (partly because of how clumsily planned out it was), but it was also a gamble since Jiraiya could've easily missed the hidden message. Honestly, it might've been between for him to have missed it; since that way, the Sannin would've felt no guilt about ignoring the damn letter. He couldn't do that. Not when her request to serve as an envoy for a talk with a foreign dignitary could only mean she'd finally gotten desperate enough to reach out to the Taishos. It'd take about a week for him to get back to Konoha, and he'd have to linger in the vicinity until the Taishos sent word back. Well, their matriarch was famed for her beauty and he hadn't gotten as much of a look with the mess that had been going on during the invasion, so he might get some inspiration for his books at the very least.
"What can I get you?" The professional friendly greeting from the bartender snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Strongest thing you've got." And it wouldn't be enough. "And keep the bottle close."
"Tough times?"
"You could say that," the Sannin laughed as he sat at the bar, quickly grabbing the cup. "This certainly helps to lift the mood."
"Aye, traveling all the way here is never easy. What brings you to our humble town? Maybe I can point you in the right direction.?" Ah, there was the honest wish to help that was only ever found in places like this.
"Looking for inspiration, you see, I'm a great writer." With a forced grin, the toad Sannin took a gulp of his chosen sake, alcohol burning as it went down his throat. "Currently working on my next masterpiece."
"Hope you're looking for something peaceful then; not much happens 'round this parts…though…there was the celestial maiden." The tone of the bartender's voice changed from general happiness to something akin to awe.
"Nothing wrong with a bit of peace," Jiraiya started, trying not to make his interest overly apparent. "What's this celestial maiden you're talking about."
"Ah, that's what we call here, ye see. There was an illness spreading on these lands here, no one gave us a second thought 'cos there weren't enough coffins, but the damn coughing never left. Then this girl shows up at dusk and spends all night long healing our sick and ill. Never resting, not once. Didn't turn a person away no matter what they were wrong with, refused to take even a single coin." The initial awe in the man's voice had turned into admiration as if the bartender really was talking about a mythical being instead of a trained killer.
Just like the trapped shinobi the Higurashi had liberated from Orochimaru had spoken about her. Couldn't really fault him when the bartender's own daughter was apparently one of the many people here who were healed by the Celestial Maiden. Thinking back about the old myths and legends circulating around her clan, all of her actions fit neatly with what one would expect from a Higurashi matriarch, coming to a place like this just to help others. Truthfully, that family didn't seem to fit with the bloody world shinobi lived in, that said, perhaps that's exactly why they'd remained here. Of course, according to Kakashi, the girl was a little too calculating for those merciful visits to be motivated solely by her desire to save lives. He hadn't paid much attention to her three years ago, but clearly, he'd made a mistake.
It'd be better if it had truly been a mistake.
Drinking the rest of his cup of sake in one gulp, the Toad Sannin willed himself to laugh as he pushed for more information. Introducing a new angel-like character to his book would be a good idea so if he could just get a description of her appearance, her words, how they realized she was here, how she vanished without anyone noticing. More importantly, did the bartender mention a mysterious man who'd trailed after her every step for the whole night as a shadow and how they interacted with one another? And if he was asking for more drinks, then he needed to justify his subtle interrogation; well, he could regret it tomorrow and blame Tsunade for the hangover.
A/N: Hopefully the grammar in this isn't too bad, Grammarly decided to be a pain in my ass, crashing every 5 minutes or so and it was almost impossible to get through this, not to mention I somehow managed to get sick and the antibiotics never seem to kick in soon enough so I did my grammar check with a bit of a fever, constantly sneezing and an itch on my nose that just wouldn't go away…
Anyways, thanks for reading.