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Not only a devil
“Over here!” Someone reported, their sword dropping. The two figures gathered and cautiously approached her, their steps as slow as one attempting to reach out to a stray cat, “One remains.”And whatever they’d said after was muffled from her mind. She didn't know what they’d asked her, and because of her lack of response and her gaze frozen on the bedroom floor she sat on, they crouched in front of her. One with the green sleeve was bold enough to carefully reach his hand out toward her shoulder, and tap it twice. That’s when her gaze flicked up to his terrified face, both of their breathings and heartbeats loud enough for her to hear.She loosened her hug around her knees, realizing once again that she’d been sitting in a corner with her own father’s and mother’s dead body beside her. This time her mind didn’t reset and her heart was rather calm.“What has happened to your people?” One asked, his voice low and in terror. “Every house we checked, we found soulless bodies. You are the only one to remain. What happened?””Who are you?” The words came out of her mouth as a whisper, as she hugged her knees tight again, clutching her dark leggings.“Wanderers, merchants,” the other replied, his tone much brave. “We caught the scent of heavy blood and arrived at the aftermath of a bloodshed. What has happened to the entirety of the Natsuki clan?”She traveled her eyes to meet his, and tucked a portion of her unsecured raven hair behind her ear. Her pupils blackened further, expanding into a flower-like symbol, the edges sharp. It almost hid her rare gray iris, as her sclera blended with it. “Why were you really sent here?”“I was sent here to obey the orders of our Master who demanded we come to the Village of Zankoku to accept the invitation of Natsuki Soraki’s coronation as he was to be announced the new leader.””That’s more like it.”“Hey…What are you…” The fearful man stared at his rambling partner, who slowly turned his head to him. “Why did you say all that?!”“I…I don’t know.”“Was. Soraki was. Not anymore, now,” she interrupted their disbelief in their own words.They looked at her in harmony. “What does that mean?”“The house across from me can answer your questions. You will take your partner and leave. Abandon your Master, even. If your friend dares to defy this, you will slit his throat with the very kunai hidden in your side pocket. Is that understood?”“If he dares to defy deserting with me, I will slit his throat with my own knife.” He stood, his grip on his partner’s wrist. The terrified man shook his head.“Masaru? Oi, oi! Masaru! Let me go! What are you doing?!” he yelled, smacking his arm before Masaru began to drag him away and out of the house. The man shouted, and he shouted a little too much. It began to irritate her. The moment she heard running steps on the ground of her village, she’d also heard a thud the same minute with a loud groan of pain. A choking cough, and then the yellings of regret.”Isamu? ISAMU..?! Wake up! No, NO!” Masaru cried. “Brother, wake up, get up! I did not mean to…Your neck! You’re dying!”And after endless sobs from Masaru, her head had begun to hurt. She grunted as she rose, the bottom of her sandals stepping on her parents’ blood that still flowed. A cold glare down on them, then she broke it and had walked out of the house she’d grown up in, finding Masaru’s face red and rageful.He hiccuped, lifting with his brother in his arms and stumbling backwards. “Your clan was already evil…But you… A devil, you are…A devil! The whole world will know!”“What will the whole world know?” She titled her head slightly.“Don’t you try to use your eyes on me! It was you. You, not only a devil, but a remnant who’d mascarred her entire bloodline!”“Well. It is unfortunate that it is now your duty to inform the whole world. But may luck be with you.”He furrowed his brows in pure anger, but because he knew he was no match against a Natsuki, he hadn’t dared to say another word. The man took off, the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance. She sat on her porch, glancing inside of the manor in front of her. The door left wide open, she was able to see the sightly mess she had created, as her cousin laid in his own pond of blood.A crow flew on top of the roof, causing her to glance up. It sat idle, large and silent, bearing the human’s presence from a reasonable distance. Warm liquid streamed down her cheek, as she touched it with her fingers and stared at the blood unsurprised, because she’d just compelled somebody. The faint rustle of the crow's disappearance led her to sigh while her shoulders rested.“Am I too cruel?”
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I had to be killed
Within the silence of the serene field came muffled sobs of a girl with mutters of curses to oneself. After following it, they were cofounded from the unsightly destruction that was before them. A hundred, if not, more dead bodies laid across what once was green but now red grass.“There she is,” Kisame pointed with his chin toward a tree, where the girl leaned against and cried while staring at her hands in abhorrence. “Is that our target?”“She’s the one,” Itachi breathed. The dismal sky lightly roared, sending down small drops of rain.The two men made the decision to approach her quietly and cautiously while having to skip over several bodies of people who once had a life and a story. After reaching close enough to her that she could detect them, the girl gasped, afraid. She turned herself and saw them, then the end of her dark cloak split into 6, expanding large blades, all pointing guardingly at the two individuals. Kisame drew his enormous sword in defense and instantly attempted to swing off the blades with a jump, but to his surprise, they were undentable. His eyes widened, and he took the opportunity of the girl not getting up to fight physically to place the tip of his sword against her throat. Samehada’s jaws clattered, begging to bite into her skin.She gulped down and lowered her guard, her cloak returning to normal. Despite having enough energy and chakra, she’d given up. She did not want to fight anymore. With teary and desperate eyes, she looked up at Kisame’s face, her primrose lips quivering.“ Kill me,” she whispered, her voice hurting.Kisame’s lips shaped into a devious smirk. “Are your words true?”“Please kill me,” she begged with honesty.With both hands gripping the handle firmly, Kisame reeled back his sword in an angle which would be a perfect slice. “As you wish.” He swung his sword with force, and when the blade was only 10 centimeters away from her throat, the other man interrupted.“Unruly,” Itachi said. “Must you always be so disorderly? We were told to capture her by the leader, not terminate her.”Kisame’s hands froze for a moment, then he sighed. With a chuckle, he sheathed his sword and turned to the unsatisfied man who disturbed his entertainment. “What a way to kill fun…My fault. How should we handle this, Itachi-san?”The rain droplets became heavier and their frequency quickened with the wind. The sky faded darker, and the thunder began to send crooked lines of lightning across it. The girl on the ground began coughing violently, and when she hovered her hand over her mouth, it was splattered with her blood. Itachi glanced down at the girl and noticed that it was beginning to get bad. She was coughing uncontrollably and gasping for air. Just as she stopped out of the blue and her eyes shut while her body leaned to the side, Itachi crouched close to her, holding her from dropping by the shoulder.“For now, we should find somewhere to seek shelter in. The storm could get worse.” Itachi effortlessly scooped up the lady into his arms and carried her. “She is unconscious. Waiting until she’s awake would be ideal.”Kisame nodded. “Then we should do so.”In the cave, the atmosphere was damp, but the bonfire they’d started made it less obvious. The weather outside didn’t improve, and they realized they’d had to stay there longer than expected. The men brought in logs to sit on comfortably, and with Kisame’s unique techniques, they were able to get fish from a nearby lake as well. Their stay wouldn’t be too painful.The girl was out for an hour and more, but when her mind woke, the first thing she was able to hear were the cracklings and the warmth of the bonfire. Although she was aware of the cold walls around her, she was comfortable and kept well-heated. And the foreign scent? It captured her. Whatever cover she had on her, she clutched it tighter, pulled it into her and she didn’t want to let it go. She hadn’t felt so nice before, and that itself felt wrong. Her brows drew together in worry, and she managed to flicker her eyes open which would’ve been attacked by the bright fire if it wasn’t for the man’s figure blocking it. She sat up, the unfamiliar coat placed on her slipping off.“So she wakes! Hello,” Kisame greeted from the other side, sat on a log. “Seemed like you had a good sleep.”She didn’t reply.Kisame’s enthusiasm dimmed. “You’re no talker either. What a pain.”“Where am I?” she asked calmly.“In a cave, of course. The storm’s gotten bad.”“I asked you to kill me,” she said, then her eyes shifted to the man in front of her. Noticing that he wasn’t wearing his coat unlike the shark-man, she assumed that the one on her was his. He just so slightly turned his head enough to side-eye her. His dark eyes glistened with the help of the fire. “You stopped him. Why?”The man didn’t respond. Instead, he returned to skinning the fish.“I don’t understand, you stopped him, why? Why did you show mercy?”“It wasn’t mercy,” he retorted. “It was pity.”She swallowed through her dry throat. “I had to be killed.”“So powerful yet so weak. It’s shameful.” Itachi peeled off the thin layer, dropping it.The girl didn’t know what to say, and she didn’t want to do anything either. She calmed herself and leaned against the wall, her head throbbing with pain. Between her fingers, she felt the coat’s softness. “I thought you two were like the rest. Impatient to be rid of me. If not, what am I of use?”“You will be taken to the leader,” Kisame answered. “He will decide what to do with you. Most likely have you work with our organization. It wouldn’t be an astonishment, considering your plausible capabilities.”She did not like being acknowledged for her abilities, but it couldn’t be helped by them. Everybody craved to dispel it, dispel her, but these men and their group seemed to have a different idea. A clever one, at that, assuming the girl wouldn’t be troublesome.From the silence and her gaze stuck on the empty ground, Itachi sensed her sorrow. Without turning, he added. “As long as you comply with us, there should be no problem. We will take you with us, you have what we can use. Any objections?”She lifted her knees up and rested her arms on them. Her head lowered and snuggled into her sleeves. “Do as you want.”
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Isn’t that so, Remnant?
Her wrists were sore and numb from the rope tied around them. It’d taken almost a day for the weather to calm down, and as soon as they got the chance to leave the cave, they did not miss it. They’d made sure that the girl would not be able to escape, hence why they’d tied her hands and kept her uncomfortably close.Soon, from her silence, Kisame was sure she wouldn’t want to attempt anything even if she desired to. The girl seemed to have entirely given up on her own will.She did not think too much of her condition. On their way, she had either kept her unblinking gaze on the ground or toward the trees. Kisame attempted to speak with her, but she would not respond.From one cave to another, except this one was several times larger and seemed like a hideout. Entering, she spotted 2 individuals who were waiting for their arrival. The woman with blue hair studied her carefully, while the ginger-haired male gave a firm nod. Kisame and Itachi proceeded to approach them with her.“The storm refused to comply with our original meeting, but she is here now.” Kisame brought her forward. “Her blades have been the only ones I was not able to scratch. She might be worthy, Pain.”“She is worthy,” Pain stepped forward, examining her face. The girl avoided looking directly into his spiral, lavender eyes. “Natsuki Akira, the remnant of her clan. You have been quite the topic around several nations, considering the weekly bloodsheds caused by you.”Akira did not comment.He continued. “You have power. You have abilities that nobody can get their hands on, and that’s precious. They are unique and prime.”“What do you want?” Akira asked.Pain exhaled. The other lady moved beside him, her height the same as Akira’s.“Join us. Join us and help us make this world a better place,” she said, her voice soothing.The ginger added. “A place where there is peace, true peace. And for that, we need power. Surely, you possess that. We will collect all of the 9 Tailed-Beasts, and with that immense capability of yours, we can make that happen.”Akira was not sure what he meant by Tailed-Beasts, never having heard it before, and she did not care enough to know.“What have you heard about me? My powers?” She finally looked up at him. Pain sounded much more assertive than the hesitant woman next to him.“The news spreads, and it spreads fast. We have been on the hunt for you since the day you left your village. We know what happened.”Her eyes widened. She did not want to believe him, and Pain made sure she did.“The village of Zankoku, the small clan of Natsuki, was known to have possession over the most powerful ability. Despite their efforts to prove their innocence and their intentions, they were casted out, and for decades, they were forced into isolation. Isolation caused toxicity to grow within their people, and you became a victim of their cruelty.”Akira’s breath hitched.“Whether it was political reasoning or personal spite, you demolished every soul in your homeland, including your parents. You sat in the pool of your very own mother and father’s blood, feeling no remorse.”“Stop it…” She exhaled.“I believe you spared someone. You did a fine job keeping it a secret, as I only found out recently. How is H-”“Keep him out of this!” she shouted, her brows drawn together in anger, and a slight gray aura around her figure then visible. Kisame widened his eyes, and the girl next to Pain had papers floating around her instantly. “Do not try anything with him, never.”“It’s okay, Konan,” Pain shook his head to her, and she lowered her guard. “I wasn’t planning to. He is the least of my concerns. My only concern is you, so join the Akatsuki. Uchiha,” Pain’s eyes shifted over to Itachi. “You will be keeping a strict eye on her until she has proven herself to us.”Itachi peered. “Why me?”“The power this woman possesses isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s a sort of genjutsu , which nobody but the one with Mangekyo Sharingan can counter. You are fit for this temporary duty,” Pain informed, reading the disturbance within Itachi’s face.Kisame huffed with a concerned grin. “So what can she do?”“Compel. Her very presence here is dangerous itself.”“Then why have us bring her here?” Kisame questioned, now wondering if she used any of it on him.“If she had wanted to compel, she would have already. If one is compelled, after finishing their order, they get the sense that they were manipulated. Isn’t that so, Remnant?” Pain turned his head to her.Akira looked to the ground, far more relieved. She did not want Pain to ever dare to speak about him. Pain turned, beginning to walk away in the darkness. Konan gave Akira a look of sympathy, and soon followed the ginger-haired. “Take her, and keep her close, Itachi.”She didn’t know where the men were taking her, but without any exchanges of words, Akira didn’t resist and followed Itachi on the way out. She didn’t mind walking through the forest in utter silence, as she enjoyed her surroundings. Nature calmed her, and she was at ease. For now.On the other hand, Kisame could not handle another non-talkative journey partner. Walking beside Itachi, he slowed his pace until the girl was next to him. Akira stared up at the tall man and his inhumane face as they walked. “Compulsion, huh? That sounds like fun.”She didn’t reply, and instead looked straight ahead.He frowned. “How is silence entertaining for you two? Akira, nee?”“Yes.”“I do wonder, as someone spoken so highly of, why did you give into the Akatsuki so easily?”“Because I don’t want to fight anybody anymore,” she said. “I will go where fate takes me now, without resistance.”Kisame studied her face carefully, and she appeared to be sad. “ Itachi-san , I think you might finally make a friend, seeing you both share relatively similar pasts.”“Foolish,” Itachi commented. “This is nothing more than a baby-sitting duty.”From his tone, she could tell that he was annoyed. Akira wasn’t going to be trouble for him, and she wanted him to know that, but she couldn’t get the words out. Kisame turned his head to her and gave an apologetic shrug.
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I will be there when you need me
Finally, they arrived after what felt like several hours. The sun was nearly out of sight when they stood in front of a large 3 story lodge. Its presence located deep into a forest one can easily get lost into was unpredictable, therefore making it well-hidden.Akira assumed that this place might contain everything a person might need, and Kisame confirmed it. He stretched his large arms out and groaned. “Ah, I can’t wait to get into the onsen right away. My body is exhausted.”The men led her inside, and immediately after the entrance, she stood in a lounge. It wasn’t heavily decorated but it was calm to the eyes and old-fashioned. Right away, she heard a door shut from her right, where a man was humming a tune as his footsteps approached. The three turned their heads to him, and Akira stared in utter embarrassment at the naked man who wore nothing but a towel around his crotch.He froze at the presence of a female and broadened his eyes. “A woman?!” he shouted. “Nobody told me there was going to be a woman here! Why is there a woman here?!”Kisame chuckled. “Should’ve been more careful, Hidan. Is the water still hot? I could use the springs.”“Shut up. GAH , this is humiliating!” Hidan yelled, almost red.Akira flicked her eyes away to anywhere but the naked man, and when she turned her body toward the staircase, she was only introduced to another guy. He had long, blonde hair, and wore a loose dark-gray shirt along with sweats. His expression was nearly the same as Hidan’s, as the presence of a woman was unannounced.“Huh?!” He pointed at her, causing her to flinch. “A lady? Why is there a lady here? Well, not that I’m complaining, hm! How nice!”Overwhelmed, Akira felt her face go hot, and she spun toward Itachi. Searching for cover, she met her eyes with his for the very first time, and suddenly the world around her was gone, and the sounds around her were muffled. They were dark, so deep that one could drown in them. From the first view, she saw malice and bitterness. Usually, a normal being would’ve looked away instantly from fear, but Akira held her gaze despite feeling extremely anxious. It was only because his eyes faded into selflessness and benignity, and she could sense it.Itachi hadn’t seen eyes like hers before. They were gray and glistening, almost making it silver. They were easy to get lost into, as every small detail and lines within her iris were worth admiring.Her stiff shoulders lowered and her heart calmed, feeling warmth from the man’s eyes. He broke their contact and informed the others. “The Remnant is going to be living here now, as a member. Nobody is to make direct contact with her, by the orders of higher-ups.”“Bullshit, nobody said that,” Hidan argued. “You only want her for yourself. I see what you’re doing here, Itachi! Shame!”“ Sou, sou,” Deidara agreed, crossing his arms. “No such rule, hm! ”Itachi sighed, walking past the girl and Deidara and up the stairs. Akira faced Deidara, who appeared to be doing something with his palms. Opening his hands, he held a bunny, which he seemed very proud of."Ta-daa! Not the art I usually use, but this one is safe, and it’s for you,” Deidara confirmed, bewildering the woman. The bunny jumped out and onto her head, making her hold her breath. There was a bunny on her head. A smile broke out across her lips, and Hidan and Deidara refused to take their eyes off her. Akira was easy to make smile, as she found joy in the smallest things.Very carefully, she bowed. “Thank you.”“Remnant, follow,” Itachi sternly called from upstairs. Her smile faded, as she quickly moved past Deidara.“What a gift…” Deidara whispered, feeling the tint of pink covering his face.There were several rooms altogether, 5 on each level except on the 3rd floor, where Itachi had her follow to. There was a balcony toward one end of the hallway, and she could see the night sky. Itachi stood in front of one of the bedroom doors, as there were only two, and unlocked it for her. He handed her the keys, ready to instruct her.“This is your room, Remnant. Everything you might need should be in there, and if you run out, you can restock from the laundry room located near the kitchen. Everybody in this house is independent, and they take care of everything for themselves, including their meals. I will give you a proper tour tomorrow, you need to rest as of now.”She took the keys from the man and bowed. “Thank you, Itachi-san.” Ever since he left his village, Itachi was not used to honorifics or traditional actions. Seeing her use them gave him a hint of back home. “You are not allowed to leave your room alone. Never, until I am with you. The room next to yours is mine. I will be there when you need me. Is that understood?”She nodded.The man turned, going to his room which was only 7 feet away. Before shutting his door, he gave his last words. “Don’t attempt to escape. I’ll know right away. It’s futile.”Akira’s room was bearable. The walls had a basic pattern, and there were minimal decorations in the room. Her first objective was to take a warm bath, as she was nearly filthy from the battle she had the day before. The bathroom was spacious, and luckily, there was hot water.After taking a calm bath, Akira was unable to sleep. Although silence surrounded her, her thoughts made it seem otherwise. She had too much to think about, but at the same time, she felt empty. The screams of the ones she killed not only the day before, but years ago as well, rang in her ear.How sinful her actions were, but how pure her heart was. A girl who merely wanted to escape the cruelty of her village, seeking freedom out into the real world, only to learn that the real world was worse, and freedom was non-existent.
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Please…Will you take me?
The thought of escaping the cabin did not cross her mind even once. It wasn’t because the man told her not to, but rather because she didn’t feel the need to.No matter how late she’d drift off to sleep, Akira always awoke early, before the sun appeared. She splashed her face with cold water and as she dried her face with the soft towel, she’d heard a knock. Leaving the towel hanging, she moved to the door and opened it carefully.Itachi stood there, looking almost sleep deprived. He eyed down at the woman, confused as to why she had been up and fresh so early. He didn’t have his cloak on, being left with a loose black shirt and pants. And a necklace.She greeted him. “ Ohayo-gozaimasu.” Itachi nodded. “You haven’t left, Remnant. I’m gratified.”Her gaze had been lowered, and she was tapping her fingers lightly on the wooden door. Itachi suspected that she was nervous to question him.“You haven’t eaten, have you?” he asked, pocketing his hands.She shook her head no.He sighed, turning. “I will show you the kitchen.”Stumbling forward, Akira reached her hand out to him as if to stop him. “Wait, please. I have a request.”He stopped, waiting for her to continue.“You instructed me to not leave this room alone, so I am asking you. I want to…no, I have to go to a certain place. It’s a bit far from here, but it wont take too long.” Akira caught herself breathing heavily.“Orders so early…” Itachi rotated back to her. “You appear tense. What is so important about this certain place?” “ Itachi-san, I’m not sure how to explain it, but I need to travel there. We will return soon as well, I promise. Please…Will you take me?”How could he possibly refuse her? There was seriousness within her pleading eyes, and whatever it was, it was important to her. She was visibly anxious about the topic.“We’ll go. But must I remind you, Remnant,” Itachi stepped over to her, his eyes dangerously on her. “Any traps or tricks will lead to your downfall. I will not hesitate to finish you off.”Relieved, deeply, she bowed. “Thank you. I highly appreciate it.”Instantly, a wave of regret washed over him. He threatened to kill her and she thanked him after. Just exactly who was she?Itachi led her downstairs and gave her a proper tour of the lodge. The first floor contained everything, while the rest only included bedrooms and balconies. The top floor, where her bedroom was, had the largest and the one with the best view, she thought. Itachi showed her the laundry room, the kitchen, a game room, and her favorite part, the backyard. It was a wide area with a small garden which had a few fruit and vegetable crops. The yard was also large enough to have its own entire onsen, which excited Akira, along with a training ground.He stopped at the kitchen again and pointed with his chin. “Go ahead and feed yourself. All the dairies are in the fridge, keep it organized. The bread and other wheat should be in the cabinet below the stove.”The woman walked toward the fridge and got to work. Itachi did not know what was wiser, to either head upstairs again or wait until she was done. He chose to awkwardly stand there though, leaned against the wall, watching her do her stuff.His stare on her made her a nervewreck. After placing whatever she might’ve needed in a corner, Akira’s hands froze. She gulped down and tapped the counter with her fingers, which Itachi took note of right away. He slightly widened his eyes. He knew.Giving her enough time to continue, Akira placed a pan on the stove with oil while she cracked an egg right into it. Because of her clumsy cooking skills, several shells broke down and swam within the broken yolk. Itachi cringed at that. The toaster went off, and Akira rushed to it. By the time she had placed the burnt bread on a plate, the egg began to give off a strong odor. Her attempt to swiftly hold the pan handle was a failure, as she immediately grabbed onto the pan-plate itself, burning herself.She hissed, her fingers throbbing from pain, then before she knew it, the guy was already beside her. The whiff of his scent had her completely lost, the sting magically withdrawing, and she watched him handle everything much more gracefully than she could’ve. Itachi side-eyed her. “You can’t cook.”Akira frowned. “The egg wouldn’t keep calm, it began to emit a bad smoke-smell…For a lady to not know how to cook, how shameful…”“It isn’t shameful. You simply lack culinary skills. Better I do this than you. Not only would it be a waste of ingredients, you will hurt yourself,” he confirmed.Itachi had no choice but to prepare food for her. If he was assigned to supervise her, he might as well do a good job on it. Once she applied burn-cream on her fingers, she insisted that Itachi make some for himself too. It would’ve been awkward if she had been the only one eating. They sat on the dining table across from each other, silently finishing up their foods. As much as she’d wanted to think that he was an insolent person, Itachi was rather calm to be around.He could say the same for her. Although Akira was a bit of work for him, especially in the beginning days, she wouldn’t be a burden to him, he hoped. What kept him itching was the wonder about what exactly she needed to leave for. Or rather, who? He hadn’t forgotten Pain mentioning that she’d spared someone’s life, and she confirmed that it was a male.They took off soon after having their breakfast. It was easy to get lost within the forest, so Itachi made sure she was right beside him, close. Once he showed her the way out, Akira would take the lead. Although dark and shadowy, Akira found the luxurious trees severely beautiful, and the songs and chippers of the birds added to the tranquility. She was strayed within the sight so much that Itachi couldn’t help but study her. She seemed at peace. As Akira was only inches away from ramming into a trunk, Itachi swiftly leaped in between them, Akira hitting his chest right away. Her foot slipped off the branch, and the second her body leaned back to slip off, Itachi grabbed her arm. Akira’s expression was as if her life flashed before her eyes but Itachi was as calm as ever. He pulled her up and into him, glaring down at her. She hadn’t had her heart beat so fast before“Sorry…” She whispered, her face hot from their distance and his grip.He let go, mumbling before taking off. “Be careful.”So far, Itachi couldn’t sense any danger toward where Akira led them. Crossing several fields, she spotted her destination, pointing over. It was a village he had never seen before. Itachi followed after her as she reached toward the entrance. “They will just let you in?”“They will.” She smiled at the thought of the upcoming event.“I’m wearing the Akatsuki cloak, everybody knows us. They’ll instantly attack. I should wait back here.”“I assure you, they won’t.”“And how do you know?”“Because they’re the only ones who ever accepted me. Village of Shizu, they don’t dare judge one by their past or clan. It’s a home to several pure-hearted people who are welcoming.” She inhaled, stopping in front of the opened gates, made out of logs. “Years of being targeted by everybody I’ve come across, this village is the only place I can trust without having to worry about my death every minute. It’s secure, and I hope it stays that way for as long as it can.”There were no guards at all, and one could just walk in whenever. That’s a lot of trust to put on everybody who comes across the village. Entering, Itachi studied the light crowd. Everybody in sight had a genuine smile on their faces, as if they had nothing to worry about. That wasn’t true, they had plenty, but Village of Shizu was a safespace for a man to live in peace.As they walked through the cordial village, Itachi made sure Akira stayed within sight, and it seemed that she was looking for somebody impatiently. Then, a voice called out from behind. “Ma!” A child’s voice.Akira froze and she turned in an instant, spotting the running boy. Itachi followed her gaze, and he widened his eyes. A glimpse of Sasuke, his little brother, crossed his mind.She crouched and spread out her arms, allowing the boy to hug her. Akira embraced him tightly, rubbing his head. “Oh, Hiroto. How I’ve missed you.”“ Ma! You’re here!” He stepped back, a bunch of his little friends caught up from behind. Hiroto and tilted his head up at the man who stood tall beside her. His sweet grin disappeared. Itachi breathed in, unbelievably looking down at the boy who physically resembled Sasuke. Itachi blinked.Akira noticed the tension between them, and as she reached out to hold Hiroto, out of the blue, Hiroto hugged Itachi’s leg. It seemed that Akira wasn’t the only one who could see beyond his daring eyes. Hiroto strongly sensed Itachi’s sadness in that moment, and felt the magnetic need to somehow comfort the man.“Hiroto!” a friend of his called out. “We have to finish the rock building. Come on!”He let go of the man, and kissed Akira’s cheek. “I be at the park! Come on!”She nodded while getting on her feet, and the little boy sprinted off. Flickering his eyes over to Akira, who herself was as shocked, Itachi muttered. “Care to explain, Remnant? Is that boy your son?”
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There’s a lot to learn about you, as well
As they strolled through and out of the crowded area, Akira felt obligated to explain a bit of her life to Itachi. After all, she had been the one who insisted he come along. Itachi avoided staring at her, noticing that she did not need to be more uneasy than she already was.It was staggering to him that she was such a young mother. If he had recalled correctly from the description Pain gave him before sending him off to capture her, Akira was only 19, and Hiroto seemed to be around 3 years old. He dispelled the thought away from his head, and only waited for her to speak, even though it bugged him severely.A deep breath, Akira began. “I don’t know how to answer your question, Itachi-san. What do you want me to speak about? Hiroto?”“Whatever helps me figure out why a child is referring to you as a mother.”Itachi regretted that response, causing him slight mortification. Who was he to question that? Why would it matter? She lightly smiled. “Well, he is my son.”Itachi wanted to confirm if Pain was referring to Hiroto earlier when he brought her. Normally, he would not give so much interest to someone, but Akira had so far caught Itachi’s true attention. Her answer wasn’t so helpful, but he would not drag it. “I see.”Hiroto was scrambling around the park, playing tag with his other friends. He spotted Akira and waved, then gave a sweet smile to Itachi.“This village…Is this where you used to live?” Itachi questioned.Akira waved back to Hiroto then shook her head. “No, I do not wish to bring any sort of danger into this place.”“Does he not stay with you?”“I cannot allow him to. I need to keep him safe. Wherever I am, there is danger, I would never risk him. This place gives him everything, so I made it his home. I visit him once every week, which is why I had to ask you to take me here today…Although, he gets very upset when I leave.” She frowned, saddened that she’d have to leave the boy so soon. “I hadn’t found a place to call home, ever. Being on the run can get tiring, though.”Itachi watched her watch Hiroto, with eyes so sorrowful. The doubts came rushing in then. He had wondered if she, someone with such sincere eyes and a soft smile, really annihilated an entire clan, including her own parents.It didn’t take long for the boy to drag his mother into the playground. She didn’t refuse it either, but what caught her by surprise was that Hiroto grabbed onto Itachi fingers with his small hands and pulled him too. “Come on, come on! Hide and seek, nee?” “What, no…” he muttered, quickly becoming flustered when all the other little kids began pushing him too. As much as Akira wanted to grin at that, she held it, afraid that he might find it offensive. He was a serious man after all.The kids ended up having Itachi count to 20. Everybody, including Akira, scattered away to hide. She’d wanted to hide with Hiroto, but he seemed to have found a better and a smaller spot. Simply, she sat behind a bush, hoping not to be found in the silly game.Itachi exhaled. “Ready or not…”It was easy to track their little giggles, and those who were dead silent wondered how he got to them. One of the children even vowed to surpass his sensing skills. After finding the last child, Hiroto, Akira was the only person left to find. They chose to huddle up and decide that they’d find her together.Although it should not have been so difficult, the kids were struggling. Of course, Itachi knew where she was from the very beginning. When Hiroto’s footsteps began approaching her, she stiffened up and made sure to stay silent. With a “ whoosh”, Akira suddenly felt an anonymous presence behind her. She tilted her head to look and immediately flinched, losing her balance. Itachi was crouched behind her, and as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, Akira ended up falling right on top of him.“Ma! Found…you…?”After getting out of the awkward situation and calling the game off, Akira knew they had to leave soon. Every time before she did so, she made sure to meet with Hiroto’s caretaker, and that’s where they were headed. It was a large building, a sort of apartment, where the kind woman and her daughter helped raise children in need.Giving a knock on the door, Akira stood in front of the young lady who was surprised to see her just as Akira was. The lady bowed and greeted them.“ Akira-san , hello! How nice to see you!” She grinned, glancing over to Itachi. The man avoided eye contact, but he appeared off as extremely charming to the girl.Akira bowed. “You too, Shizu. Where’s Yukimo-san? How is she doing?”“She has been resting for some days, just taking a break. I’m taking over for a while. Say…Are you Hiroto’s father?!” She ecstatically questioned, her gaze stuck on Itachi. Right then, he flicked his eyes to her, bewildered.He slowly shook his head. “No, it’s not like tha-”“No!” Akira swiftly answered. “Not at all.”A part of Itachi felt strangely offended by her cutting him off and harshly denying it.“Oh…? Well then…” The discouraged girl signaled Hiroto toward her. “Come in, Hiroto-kun .”Hiroto squeezed his mom’s hand tighter, not wanting her to leave so soon. “Ma…”Akira crouched, facing him. She held her son’s small hand in hers and kissed it. “I understand, my boy. I promise to come again, will you wait for me? Don’t be saddened, nee?” He frowned, eyes teary.“I hope you are eating well, make sure you do. Sleep on time, don’t stay up too late. Remember, hygiene is very important to keep. Don’t bother Yukimo-san too much either, okay? Listen to them.” She embraced the boy after the reminder. “I love you, Hiroto.”“I love you, Ma…Return, okay?” He let go, waddling to Shizu.Akira nodded, standing up. “How could I not?”He smiled like an angel and waved his goodbye to his mother.Itachi felt that it was cruel. It was cruel that Akira had to stay away from her son, but it was for his safety’s sake. Never once Itachi thought that he’d have someone to connect his part of the story to, but there Akira was. Itachi had done the same for his little brother, Sasuke. As painful their distance was, it was merely for their well-being and happiness. Who would dare to bring danger to a loved-one for selfish reasons?By the time they were close to returning to the Akatsuki lodge, the sun was beginning to set already. Itachi expected Akira to speak at least once, but she had been too silent.“You’re clumsy,” Itachi bluntly commented. “Three accidents in a day.”“I should apologize.” She nodded. “And I should thank you. Thank you for assisting me, and I’m sincerely sorry for troubling you.”“It was nothing. I won’t be too disturbed to take you every week, either. These types of meetings with family are essential. Hiroto is a child.”Akira looked over to the man, her shoulders rested. Itachi was different from before they’d visited the village. He seemed less annoyed, and she was convinced that her reunion with Hiroto triggered something within him. It did. “You appear cold yet you have a warm soul. I’d like to get to know you, Itachi-san.” He turned his head to her, her words honest and tender. “There's a lot to learn about you, as well.”How gratifying it felt to be next to a stranger who mystifyingly made the atmosphere easier to breathe in.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
She mustn't be touched
The days were quiet for Akira. She’d overhear Deidara and Hidan complain and whine to Itachi about the injustice he did to them by “keeping Akira to himself”. Although Akira didn’t mind the loneliness and understood why it was mandatory for her to stay in her room and not roam free unattended, she wished she could use the lodge freely.She ate meals that weren’t too fancy and felt awkward doing so around Itachi. She could feel him judging her, making her quite embarrassed. Usually in her freetime, she would read the books that were already put in her room, but the time came where she’d have to re-read them.Akira continued to visit her son, Hiroto, once every week. Ever since Itachi and Hiroto’s first encounter, Itachi denied going inside, and suggested only she went.On the other hand, being assigned to supervise Akira gave Itachi minimum freedom to check up on his brother, and he wasn’t able to see him since. He debated on whether he should take her with him, but by the end of the first month, it wasn’t a question anymore. He was left with no other choice.Akira felt more excited from each knock to her door. She knew every time it’d be Itachi, and everytime she liked to see him, even if it was for a split second he’d come to check up on her. Rushing to her door, she opened it, seeing the man in his symbolic Akatsuki cloak, which meant they’d be leaving.“An occasion?” she questioned calmly.“A mission,” Itachi corrected. “Madara assigned it to us, specifically you. We are to infiltrate the Hidden Mist Village and gather intel about the Six-Tailed Beast. You, Kisame, and I will be leaving shortly.”She gave a low nod as he left down the stairs. If the mission was assigned specifically to her, that’d meant they wanted to see her skills for themselves. Kisame and Itachi would observe her and report back to the higher-ups, so Akira needed to make sure she tried her best. She wasn’t so eager to participate in the Akatsuki, but she might as well not let them down. It was better than desperately searching for the freedom that was never there.Kisame and Itachi waited for her outside of the house. On her way, across from the living room, Deidara had been reading one of the several scattered scrolls on the table. He glanced over to her and instantly shot up. “ Akira-chan! Leaving so suddenly after being hidden so long? Where to?”“Good afternoon, Deidara-san .” She bowed to him as a greeting as he approached her. “My first mission.”He held back a tight grin at the fact she remembered his name. “How exciting…Although, I wish you would push that jerk to let you out of that room, y’know? Nobody should keep a comrade, a woman, shut in a room, hm!” He crossed his arms.“It’s for safety, I believe, so it’s alright. I can understand why it’s this way.”“It’s been well over a month, I think those idiots should realize that you are no threat! I mean, how could you be…? You’re…”She stood there, confused as to why he went all red. Was he embarrassed? Had she done something wrong? It didn’t help Deidara when her alluring gray eyes began filling with worry.“...Nevermind it. Good luck with your first mission. And be careful around Itachi. He can be very unpredictable.”Deidara saw her take off with the shark-dude and the dude he had disliked. He clicked his tongue in jealousy, wishing he’d be assigned a better cell than over-judging Sasori.“How are you liking it so far, Akira-chan? ” Kisame asked as they began their journey. “I noticed you two had gone a while ago, quietly. Not on a mission... Have things already progressed so fa-”“Unpleasant assumptions,” Itachi interrupted, knowing his next words. Kisame loved teasing the serious man, the corner of his lips stretching into a smirk.“I hadn’t said anything. A man was just curious is all.”Akira shook her head. “It’s not like that…We did not go on a mission, I just had to visit an old place.”“I see. Well, my hopes for you two are still high.”“Excuse me?”“My gut tells me the similarity between your very specific pasts will draw you two together. No reason it shouldn’t.” And Kisame truly believed that. Something within him hoped that a guy like Itachi had somebody to speak freely to. Kisame was never spoken to about any of Itachi's personal life, but he was smart enough to pick out that it was worse than imagined.After Kisame’s statement, neither of them spoke on the matter. They both knew the bare minimum of each other’s past, and Akira knew almost none at all. So Itachi had massacred his clan like her, what else“Akatsuki consists of duties that you might find unpleasant, Remnant. I am telling you this right now so you are prepared for your part in the organization,” Itachi informed, feeling the need to. There was no doubt that the girl was pure, and to suddenly deal with atrocious missions was not ideal for somebody like her.Akira wanted to know what she would be asked to do. The last thing she wanted answered was that she’ll have to take more lives. Her quietness led Itachi to continue.“There will be times you’ll have to bring death to certain individuals, innocent or not. That is the Akatsuki.”Her gaze lowered to the forest pathway. “I see. What is my mission today? I’m assuming this is to test and use my skills to gather intel?”“Exactly.”Despite the name of the village, Akira was surprised by the amount of mist within the atmosphere as they neared the Hidden Mist Village. Was she really to blame though, when she was limited to only stay within her village her entire life? And regardless of being able to escape, Akira hadn’t been able to fully see the beauty of the outside world.While they stood within the higher hills, they planned thoroughly. Akira would go to the entrance, and when stopped, she would use her ability against the guards. Usually, if one is compelled by her, by the end of their demanded action, they would be able to figure out right away that they were compelled. But Akira could change that if she could use her genjutsu more strongly, although it may follow with a risk.Once she would enter, she would take her hood off as a sign that they are free to move along with her. From there, the rest would be planned.The men at the gates took note of her presence as she walked down the pathway to the gate. One of them instantly got his guard up while the other chugged his 8th can of beer.“Hey, heads up. A woman coming this way, it seems.”“Woman?!” He threw the can on the side where his litter of previously used beer cans laid. “How astonishing. A foreigner, huh? I can use her. I’m getting too tired with the ones in our village.”As the girl approached them, the mature man stepped up and stopped her by placing his spear sideways in front of her. “Hi, miss. Can I help you?”Akira was nervous and saddened. She did not wish to use her power wrongfully, but she had no other choice. She looked at him and bowed to make it seem casual as the lousy man neared her too. His mind and eyes were dirty, as he shifted them up and down her remarkable figure. Akira tend to wear a tight top usually, and her dark coat with gray outlines hung down her body.“Greetings! Oh, how wonderful.” He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to her cheek. She immediately froze in place, her mind drifting at the worst time. Akira would’ve handled it just fine if she wasn’t attacked with past flashbacks.At this very second, Itachi’s body tended to jerk front, but Kisame gestured him to stay. “You mustn't, Itachi. The Hidden Mist is quick to spread news.”“ Wakkatteru,” he muttered, his Sharingan activating. Kisame turned his head to the man, realizing that it wasn’t just any Sharingan. Itachi had activated the Mangekyo Sharingan. “She mustn’t be touched, that’s my duty, isn’t it? I can finish this right here.”“We have to see her skills.” Kisame chuckled. “Oh, I see. It’s much more than-”And with one strict look, Kisame didn’t speak another word to Itachi. Itachi wasn’t going to use his power unless the perverted man even grazed her skin. As negligent he could be to outsider situations, Itachi could not stand to see a woman be harassed, but more importantly, Akira wasn’t moving, even in defense.The back of the drunk man’s fingers ran across Akira’s cheeks, and from that, she flinched back. “So soft. Your skin is-”“ Amateru-” Akira grabbed the man’s wrist tightly, her eyes redecorating into what was called the Shichumon. Her eyes turned entirely gray, her gray iris blending within. The pupil blackened further, expanding into a flower-like symbol with 8 sharp petals. Looking into his alarmed eyes, she ordered.“Fall asleep. Forever, sleep.” Her eyes met the other man, who too, was lost within her engaging eyes. “You, as well.”The men fell to her feet, hitting the ground.Itachi had wanted to take the chance of burning them with his black flames the moment Akira pulled back, but it seemed that she handled it less savagely. Kisame widened his eyes at the way Itachi was ready to use such power for a small situation.With a deep breath and a head shake, the lady made her way inside of the village. Akira had many strengths, one of them being able to sense strong amounts of chakra, but it seemed that they were liberated to group together. She slid off her hood, and instantly, Itachi and Kisame darted beside her.“How disgusting he was,” Kisame commented. “You dealt with that well, I see your eyes shift while compelling. Say…Will they truly stay asleep forever?”“ Sou-desu,” she replied. “They will be. There is no possible way to wake them up.”Despite having visited Village of Shizu many times, where her son Hiroto lived, she never truly got to explore a village besides hers, in case of any risks. Akira had never seen the tranquility of a normal village before, and Itachi noted that the sight was too foreign to her eyes.“Kisame, head across the town and gather whatever you can about the Six-Tail with the Remnant. I will be moving towards the Jonin rooms. In case of any wrong turns, meet me right out the gates and we will flee,” Itachi ordered.“I have to meet somebody before searching for intel. They have a certain sword I want to inspect.” The half-creature grinned. “ Why don't Itachi-san and the lady go together? I think it’ll be a fine plan.”“Kisame. This is a serious task, we m-”“Out the gates if something goes wrong, right?” Kisame cut him off, walking away, taking pride in his humorous plan. “Roger. Have a good search.”Itachi sighed, accepting the moment. He would go to the destination as soon as Akira finished gazing at the crowd. She looked over to him, noticing his stare on her as a sign of waiting. Penitent, she stuttered an apology and asked him to proceed.The Jonin rooms were all the way to the left of the village. Itachi and Akira first studied the layout from a hill, and then they headed directly toward the building. “Be sure to proceed with caution and carefulness, Remnant. We cannot afford to mess up. The Hidden Mist is known to have strong shinobi.”“I will try my best,” she confidently replied. It wasn’t her goal to let him down, but she didn’t want to over-impress him with her powers either.The building was easy to break through from the back. Just then, a man in his Jonin outfit left his room and spotted them. He drew his brows together. “Who are you two?! You shouldn’t be in here!”“Comply and there should be no problem,” Itachi demanded. “Where is the Six-Tails?”The shinobi glanced at Itachi's coat, his eyes, that soon filled with anger, widening. “Akatsuki, huh? How dare you enter our village? Everybody! The-”“Enough,” Akira met her activated her eyes with the shouting man. “Tell us the whereabouts of the Six-Tails.”He instantly stopped and was taken over. Monotonically, he responded in detail. “The Six-Tails is Utakata, and he has been leaving the village quite recently. He is distant and refuses to speak to anybody, but one of our men saw him near the mountains close to us.”“Good.” Akira focused more into his eyes, extending her compelling ability further. “Forget this, forget us. Continue with your duty.”And with that, Akira and Itachi disappeared with the blink of an eye. The man was extremely bewildered, but went on with his day.Itachi found the task to be quite easy. Usually, his appearance anywhere would create chaos and chasing, but Akira seemed to have got rid of the unnecessary mess. “Intel taken, we shouldn’t stay here any longer.”Akira hissed, holding her head as her eyes bled. Drops of blood ran down her nose and ears, too. She rubbed her eyes first, allowing herself to see. “My first order goes through smoothly, but if my second order requires me to compel them to forget our encounter, it takes more of my strength. It’s nothing major.”To Itachi, it sure as hell seemed major. He hesitated momentarily before taking her words into consideration.“Alright. I will find Kisame. Go wait outside and-”“ Itachi-san!” Akira shouted, her coat splitting up into 6 blades. They stretched out and behind Itachi, blocking the kunai knives from hitting him. Itachi swiftly turned, the two being faced with a blue-haired man and over 30 other shinobis .“So you’re the Natsuki, huh…? That’s how you must’ve entered so easily. It took me a while, but I’ve found you two,” he said, his eyes strictly on Akira. “Another devil joins Akatsuki.”“Ao,” Itachi began. “Hidden Mist Village’s best sensory shinobi. One with the stolen Byakugan. I’m not surprised.”“We’ve got Kisame cornered, and you too. Surrender, you Akatsuki!” Ao yelled. “Go for them!”“I believe you have it wrong, Ao,” Itachi replied with calmness. Akira glanced over to him and noticed his eyes red. It must’ve been the Sharingan, she assumed. “It’d be shameful if I truly was cornered.”Murmurs of confusion swept through them, and Itachi wasn’t there anymore. He appeared from behind them, instantly throwing several shurikens at them. Taking down a few, he told Akira, “I’ll take care of the blue haired, handle the rest, Remnant.”She didn’t want to hurt anybody, and compelling them all at once wouldn’t be an option. Akira was left with no choice but to fight back physically. One of them came at her, weaving signs and blowing fireballs toward her. She jumped high, and sent one of her coat blades to stab him from the back. As soon as she landed, more attempted to harm her. The battle went on and eventually Akira seemed to have lost her graceful control over her defense.Leaping back a good distance, she weaved never-before-seen hand signs and Akira had her 6 large coat blades shatter into small sharp ones, unattached. “ Chisai-ha.” With only one wave of blades to the men, all of them dropped trembling, not a single one of them alive.Ao briefly stopped his actions and gulped after noticing what had just happened. As soon as Akira looked directly at him, he knew that he stood no chance against the best genjutsu user and a Natsuki. He finally found the reason why everybody around the shinobi world, past and present, referred to the Natsukis as the “Unrectifiable Devils”.From this, Ao filled with rage, his movements quickening against Itachi’s. Still then, Itachi effortlessly dodged all of his attacks, his defense perfect. That was until Itachi suddenly froze, crouching, with his hand placed on his heart. He coughed, and he coughed intensely. Ao took advantage of Itachi’s pause to remove his eye patch and use his one-eye Byakugan. Now knowing Itachi’s weak spots, he formed chakra needles, sending them directly to his body. Itachi widened his eyes, ready for the stabs, but Akira was faster.She swiftly maneuvered between them and immediately sent the needles right back at Ao. Itachi couldn’t figure out how, but he could see Akira’s gray aura around her figure. Ao was thrown back and away, injured too badly, and he couldn’t fight anymore. “We’ll get you bastards…” He threw a smoke bomb, disappearing as soon as he could.The woman calmed and turned to Itachi, crouching beside him as her hand reached out to him. Realizing that he probably wouldn’t want any physical contact, she quickly and hesitantly made her distance. “ Itachi-san… Are you alright?”He ignored her hand, silent. Attempting to stand up, Itachi continued to cough, his hand over his mouth. And when his throat sent blood splatters all over his palm, Akira was horrified.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Take your shirt off, will you?
“We must leave. Kisame will catch up to us soon, let’s exit,” Itachi demanded, taking off abruptly.As they ran through the forest, it took him a while but Kisame did catch up with them. He was covered in blood entirely.“My apologies, I got tangled up in some trouble…” He smirked. “Any updates on the Six-Tails?”Akira nodded. “Along the mountains…They said Utakata visits the mountains quite often. If I may ask…What are Tailed-Beasts? And Jinchuriki…?” She finally questioned terms she’d never heard of. “Tailed-Beasts are exactly how they sound, and there are 9 of them. They are monstrous creatures with tails and each has a tail depending on their number order. A Jinchuriki is simply a vessel for the Tailed-Beasts. We are looking for Utakata in this case, Jinchuriki of the Six-Tailed-Beast. Along the mountains, huh? That should be easy, that’s assuming he has no guards around. If so, it may cause a little chaos, but we can capture him.”“No, we are not capturing him. We only had to get an update on his health and whereabouts,” Itachi corrected. “Right now, we are going back to the lodge.”Purposely, Akira slowed her steps until she was beside Kisame. He glanced at her, confused, but quickly noticed her worried eyes. “ Kisame-san… Is Itachi-san ill?”“Now what makes you ask that?”“...He was coughing too badly during the fight. Is he-”Then again, Itachi proceeded to cough, except this time it tended to be worse. He halted when his body trembled as he nearly fell, but Akira was quick to reach for him as his head went against her shoulder while she lowered herself to sit on the forest floor. She held his shoulder to avoid him completely laying on her. Itachi’s body leaned on her chest and she asked Kisame for water.Akira helped Itachi take sips of water in his mouth and instructed him to take deep breaths before gargling it out. She had never seen such bad symptoms of sickness before. “You’re ill…Will you come with me and allow me to inspect this, please? If I can study this well, I can find a cure.”“What makes you think you can help? There is no cure,” Itachi refused harshly, moving off her while he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, leaving her shaken.“This is not serious. Let’s-”“This is serious…” Akira rebutted. “Those are splatters of blood on your hands, it’s perturbing to see you like this. I insist, please.”“Remnant-”I want to help,” Akira clearly stated, sternness in her words. “So lower your pride and allow yourself this once to be helped, you are in a vulnerable state.”Her words were too foreign to Itachi. Slowly, he side-eyed her and perceived the seriousness and pleading within her face, it seemed as if she wouldn't give up no matter how sternly he stood his ground. “You’ve got guts, Remnant. I commend that.”“Well,” Kisame started after assuring himself that Itachi was not going to punish her for her risky statements. Itachi’s reaction surprised him.“His illness truly seems incurable, we have searched for years. What makes you think you may have the ability to help Itachi? Where will you take him?”Akira had her gaze on the long-haired man. With a deep breath, she decided. “My village.”Itachi surrendered to her and the two headed toward a different direction than Kisame. He didn’t want to “ruin their time together”, and had other duties, or so he claimed. Itachi felt uncomfortable with another individual figuring out his illness but it couldn’t be restrained. Not once has he been spoken to in such a manner with such words, probably the sole reason he was prompted to follow. It wasn’t entirely because of Akira’s eagerness that he went, he also took this opportunity to learn more about Akira’s village and her. Whatever Pain gave him was not enough.The closer they got to the destination, the farther away they were from any other lands near them. The sun had already begun to sink, and he wondered if she was even leading in the right direction. “What is the name of your village, Remnant?”“The Village of Zankoku, it’s a small land among rocky hills. I understand it’s taking long, but we’re almost there…”With her feet on the hill she never thought she’d stand on as a child, it was nerve-wracking for Akira to look down at her prison once again. In the company of the silence loud enough to make the slight breeze sound like a storm, the haunting aroma lingering, and the absence of souls, Akira remembered the night she left as if it was yesterday.All they were left with was the moonlight and echoing footsteps as they walked through the quiet street. House doors remained half-way opened and plenty of windows were shattered. In some buildings, Itachi even caught a glimpse of decayed and rotten bodies. Had she felt no remorse for what she’d done? He studied her eyes to look for his answer but all he could see was emptiness. Arriving here confronted Akira too gravely as she could once again hear the memorized, ingrained screams.With a left turn and a couple of more steps, they stopped in front of a small unusual cottage. It was different and oddly distant from other houses, as if built to stay separated.“My mother lived here. No…rather kept here.”“Kept?” Itachi repeated.Unresponsive, she stepped ahead and grabbed the doorknob which glowed golden from her touch. She twisted it open and suddenly stopped, being faced with utter darkness. Itachi moved beside her, and with two fingers pointing up in front of him, he managed to create a small candle-like floating fire.It was covered in dust, the entire interior. They were introduced to a fine living room with the kitchen right behind it. Down the short hallway, only 2 rooms, a bedroom and a bathroom. The cottage could barely allow two people.“What are we doing here, Remnant?”“There’s a basement beneath the dining table. My mother studied medicine and beyond, creating what may be considered forbidden in many lands now. Her recipes were effective and powerful.”“Stronger than the Sannin, Tsunade-sama’s?”“...who?”“Let’s proceed.”After moving the furniture aside, they could see an entrance. She used her blade to properly open the wooden door, and from there, they used the ladder that was already placed inside. Weaving the webs out of his face, Itachi looked around the too-organized room. Books, many books on the shelves, jars of whatever, equipment and tools, and several scrolls. His sight stopped at the framed picture of a small baby, immediately assuming that it was Akira.“This is her lab…” A faint smile on Akira’s face. “Will you take a seat on that chair while I find a couple of necessities? We shall hurry otherwise your condition might return.”It was far-fetched for Itachi to obey, but Akira was puzzling and unlike any other he had met. He watched her dust off and put on a white coat, then her fingers smoothed up her hair into a fine ponytail. She laid out a notebook she'd taken out from a drawer along with a few scrolls she had opened. He blew the floating flame on the tip of his fingers, directing it to the flambeau torches and lighting them. Finally, once set, she turned to Itachi who had been unnoticeably staring at her movements.With a scalpel, tubes, and a cotton swab, Akira maneuvered over to Itachi. “I’d forgotten much she taught me as a child. I used to watch her with great interest, her hands always moved delicately. Worry not, things come back quickly if they were once memorized. I looked over a journal, she made notes on how to check the deadliness of a disease or an illness. Allow me to collect just a few drops of blood from near your collarbone, and to make it less uncomfortable, you can take your own sample of your saliva.”While she unscrewed one of the tubes, she bluntly requested. “Take your shirt off, will you?”“Pardon?”Akira froze. Grateful to the torch lights hiding her red-tinted face, she shook her head and stuttered. “N-no, your cloak, I meant. It’d be easier…I apologize.”Itachi unbuttoned the layer and slipped it back and off, revealing a short-sleeved gray shirt. Although having seen him before, Akira was in awe of his torso figure during that moment. It wouldn't be described as muscular, but maybe rather toned. Hesitantly, she stepped closer thinking the distance would’ve been enough, but it wasn’t. She struggled to angle the scalpel correctly, but Itachi didn’t have time for such delays. With his feet, he pushed the back of Akira’s leg in, having her stumble closer and into him.He knew she was clumsy, so he prepared for her to trip right onto him. Akira did, but she caught herself with the side of her hand pressed against his shoulder. As she looked at him with her eyes slightly widened, he looked at her with his disinterested ones.And there it was, a skip of her heartbeat.Akira carefully stood straight and without any other unnecessary contact, she got to work. She gestured for him to tilt his head a little to give her fine access, and from there she made a small cut on his collarbone. “You mentioned she was kept here, your mother. Why is that? And why a hidden lab?” Itachi lightened the thick atmosphere. He could feel Akira breathing heavily for whatever reason.Whatever dripped down his skin, she collected into one of the tubes. “The answer isn’t a word or two. My mother was a samurai, and the only samurai of our village.”“Samurai?” he repeated, having rarely heard of them.Akira nodded. “Born a fine shinobi with outstanding chakra, but she didn’t appreciate a shinobi's lifestyle. My father, a shinobi, loved her at one point during their youth years, but not so much once he found out my mother was pregnant with me. She wanted to change the world for me, yearned for the Natsuki clan to not be deemed as non-existent anymore. She wanted me to grow up seeing the world outside of our cramped village, but it all seemed…’too much’ for my father.”Once she gathered enough blood, Akira applied a small bandage and patted it down lightly. “So she put up fights every day. Eventually, my father, the leader, grew tired of the arguments and cursed her into this cottage right before my birth. This basement was known to nobody, and she turned it into a fine lab where she created remedies to help the pure hearts in our village. She used the purest herbs, mostly rare and effective ones that exist in almost unreachable places. Her biggest project was being able to create a potion that once consumed, immunizes one to compulsion. Within the Natsuki clan, we call our eyes Shichumon, and they could be used against one another.”Itachi was handed the swab and Akira walked away. “So it must’ve been chaotic.”“I assume so, the toxicity was too much to handle. The minute the higher-ups found out, they stole it from her and locked my mother in one of the cells. She sealed this cottage shut with her unique ability and had the print of her hand and mine be its key. My father and his men unannounced mixed the potion within the water system and were able to compel the weak and treat them as slaves. Puppets. I guess that is all.”“How come you came to murder your blood, Remnant?”Akira inhaled. If Itachi were to step inside this village, he might as well deserve to be answered.“I was put under my father’s care and she apologized to me every time I visited her. I couldn’t understand why until I was old enough to feel his neglect and his unfair liking towards his stepson more than his own blood daughter. Eventually, I wasn’t even allowed to visit her, only once a year. I came here when I felt sad, wishing my mother was beside me. On my 16th birthday, he granted me permission beforehand to see my mother, but by the time I arrived, she lay in a pool of her own blood. They claimed she took her own life."That last line was spoken with detestation, some coldness."My mother was murdered. So nobody lived to see another daylight after that night.”It was a strong reason, Itachi thought, and a personal choice, it seemed. Akira might not have been able to handle the pain she was washed over with and did what may have calmed her soul. The topic wasn’t easy for her to speak on, as her voice was quiet and nearly breaking.Itachi moved next to her, giving back the used swab. From there, she opened the small performing mat on the table. Akira placed a beaker on top of it, which contained a certain sort of clear liquid on it. The notebook on the table read that once the blood and saliva were mixed into the liquid, after weaving the given signs, colors should indicate the seriousness of the disease. Green meaning common, purple meaning rare, and black meaning one in a thousand.Akira followed the instructions carefully, and once she followed the hand signs, she was faced with more than a color change. It turned to black, but at the same time, it began to evaporate. Quickly, she flipped the pages to find out what it meant, evaporation. And next to a bolded star, she read the scribble, “Limited time remaining…”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
You’re dying…
Akira stared over her shoulder at the man who stood staring at the letters. His expression was calm and rested, as if the news was not a surprise to him.“You’re dying…” she whispered out.Itachi blinked, stepping away from the table. “We’re finished here, let’s leave.”“You knew? How can you go on with your days knowing you can die any minute?”“Of course, I knew. In life, there is no dodging death. Wrap everything up and come on, Remnant. Playtime’s over.”Akira shook her head strongly. “We are not going anywhere.”“What?”“We came here to create a cure and it is my promise that I will, so will you please sit down?”“Or what?” His voice deepened as Itachi moved close, glaring down at her with his activated Sharingan. “You’ll tell me my pride’s too high?”Akira was backed into the table until she couldn’t move anymore. Stricken, she stammered. “N-no, what? I was just…I was just upset back then. I didn’t mean it.”“Why? Why the eagerness to help me and waste your time here when I have done nothing for you? When I can just kill a burden like you anytime, create a sob story, and report it to Pain? What is keeping you here with me?”The horror of it all was that it wasn’t the first time she’d been called a burden. Her shaking hands balled into fists, her nails digging into the skin of her palm. Gathering her usual breathing pace, Akira asked. “Don’t you have the will to live?”“Those without futures keep no wills.”“Then, somebody to live for? ”His sealed lips answered for him. Despite their close distance, she turned around with her back facing him.. Akira began what she needed to do. “It’s not only me who has sensed your truth, but so has Hiroto. You are a good man and you deserve to live. Whether it be parents, siblings, friends, or a lover, as you live for them it is wise to stay away from death’s hands.”Itachi huffed. “This is ironic coming from you. You were begging us to take your life just a bit over a month ago.”“I was not thinking,” she retorted. “I was being selfish. My son Hiroto deserves the best life possible, and I will not allow myself to die until it is ensured. Now that I have samples, I can begin on the cure using stored herbs and medicine my mother has left behind. It will be a long night…but it should be done by morning. You can rest if you’d like.”Did he have to go to such lengths for a reason he could not find? What good did it do after insulting and scaring the girl if she was only genuine and benign? Maybe Akira wanted him to be buried in debt so that when the time came, she would be able to use him. The thought wasn’t so convincing after watching her work the entire night in pure silence, all for his sake. He stood away and behind, leaning against the wall as he observed her every movement.Visibly, the lady had a fine figure, he perceived. Her arms seemed fragile yet her working wrists and hands were firm. The way she manipulated her fingers to cooperate was careful, and her gray eyes sometimes reading off a book, or so focused on her task made him come to the conclusion that he could watch Akira work the whole night without blinking. Eventually, she glanced at him, but his stare never left.“Why did you stop back then, at the Hidden Mist Village?” Itachi promptly questioned. “You seemed to have lost grip of reality and gave no reaction until he touched you.”While stirring her developed paste, she looked away and frowned. “Men can be disgusting, right?”“Commenting such a thing in front of a man. I expected better.”With a melancholy smile, Akira was unsure whether she could answer Itachi properly. “I don’t have decent experiences when it comes to men. When I was still here, they…didn’t do great things to me.”Itachi's eyes slightly widened at the few words. Taking note of her trembling voice, he did not force her to continue. “Oh…I see.”Panicked, she faced him and quickly shook her head. “Don’t think of it too far, it wasn’t fully terrible…! I mean, it wasn’t…They didn’t really-”“Remnant.”Akira didn’t realize it, but she was in tears.Itachi followed Akira to her village to learn of her and her past, and what he got was a story of the most broken woman who suffered through an unthinkable series of events.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
They’re gone now, it’s just us here
“I just don’t want you to think low of me, I want to correct myself. My cousin’s men merely touched me, but they wouldn’t be heard of after they attempted. I still hold my virtue.”Hiroto’s very existence may have caused him doubts about the last sentence, but he dispelled the thoughts. Itachi didn’t know how to comfort her but he made an effort to use helpful words.“It doesn’t matter, you do not owe me an explanation. They’re gone now, it’s just us here. Let’s move on from the topic. How much longer will this take? It’s been hours.”“By the time the sun is up, it should be finished,” Akira inhaled then proceeded to thin her paste. “‘There’s a lot to learn about you, as well.’ you said a while ago. You know most of my past now, may I get to know some about yours?”The question was irresolute since Akira worried that Itachi might not have wanted to begin a conversation about himself. On the other hand, Itachi thought that it was only fair that he shared, but he did not want to give her what she did not ask of. “I will grant you 2 answers to 2 questions. I don’t wish to give you a history lesson.”“That sounds fun.”“Well, then. What do you want to know?”“Your family, perhaps?”“They’re are dead, except for my little brother.”Akira assumed he was the reason Itachi may have surrendered himself to wait until Akira found a cure. “How did your parents die?”“I killed them,” Itachi bluntly admitted, his words clear.“...That's a little dark, hm?” she commented knowing she was no different.“Same can be said of you.”“So, your little brother…What is his name?” Akira asked.“Uchiha Sasuke. A little older than Hiroto, and this is over 2 questions.”“Oh, yes, I apologize.”The rest of the night went quietly. Itachi thought he would be able to stay awake but he couldn’t help but close his eyes yet still aware of his surroundings. Meanwhile, Akira worked endlessly. Using all the ingredients written in her mother’s recipe book, she modified them, and put them together properly to get what was desired. She was so focused she couldn’t even realize that she was starving and her arms were going rather numb.But all of her efforts may have been worth it. She finished as soon as the sun began to rise, and with a smile on her face, she turned to Itachi’s resting body which was sat on the ground, almost waking him up in excitement. Akira decided to wait, her gaze down on the man. His coat was still off, the light of torches in the room against his tan face which was disturbed by his dark, graceful hair strands. The way his eyes relaxed brought peace to her heart and she smiled. He was incredibly charming, and she wondered randomly if his skin had been warm or cold.“Quit staring. It’s quite shameful,” he muttered, his eyes slowly opening.Blushing, she turned her head away. “I could say the same to you gazing shamelessly at my back.”He got on his feet, instantly towering her. “So it is done?”She nodded. “ Sou-desu nee. Take this twice a week, this jar of pills should last some months. Here, have one now…”Unscrewing the top, Itachi reached for one of them until she lightly smacked away his hand. The action was very out of pocket and she earned a strong glare from Itachi.“What?”“Dirty hands, be more mindful,” she said upsettingly, taking a pill out herself. She held it centimeters away from his lips. “Here you go.”“This is absurd and out of duty. I can feed myself quite fine-”And the pill was shoved into his mouth. Akira closed the jar back up. “Chew. They’re chewable.”As he chewed in bewilderment, he watched her observe him intensely. Once he swallowed the pill, the two stared at each other awkwardly. “Remnant, what are you-”“Do you feel something?”“What?”Just then, near Itachi’s physical heart, he felt something lift off and it felt more...free to breathe somehow. His entire body felt sturdier and more controllable, and he gave a nod after feeling the change. “I feel it.”“Ha…haha!” Akira laughed, celebrating. “Yay! This is great! This is…”She suddenly stopped, standing in front of him. Her eyes slowly closed and losing her balance, Akira fell onto Itachi. He caught her immediately, shaking her. “Remnant? What happened? Wake up.”But she wouldn’t respond. Itachi would’ve panicked at this out-of-place incident, that was until he heard her light breathing and sighed. Akira had fallen asleep from overworking herself.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
I will not let her go
The gentle clutch of her body against another was divine, the fast breeze only adding to the sensation. Akira had uncontrollably fallen asleep from lack of rest, food, and energy, leaving Itachi to take extra care of her as he decided to take her back to the Akatsuki lodge. They’d been out too long and it was time they returned.He briefly looked down at her face peacefully snuggling further into his body as he carried her, leaping through the woods. The miles to return were long and although he was sure he’d be able to carry her with no problem, he wished she would wake up. Not only did it appear wrong, Itachi felt slight anxiety lingering within him. Anything could’ve happened. Whether it be stepping on the wrong branch, the sudden lack of balance within his feet, or the view of her being his distraction, the last thing he wanted to do was to accidentally hurt somebody he was set to protect.It was the familiar scent, his scent, that Akira could not get enough of. In the condition she was in, she could nearly dream a pleasant dream. Then again, the comfort of it all worried her, her eyes weakly opening. The sun was past rise, the day warm. Her gaze trailed up from his torso to his face so focused on the way ahead. Even though panicked, Akira decided not to move. “ Itachi-san?” His next step was to the ground as he landed facilely on his feet. Blinking down at her, Itachi inhaled. “Can you walk?”Completely embarrassed, she nodded. Itachi carefully put her down as she stood, refraining from stretching her sore arms. “I fell asleep? I apologize for putting you through the trouble.”Itachi walked this time, getting ahead of her. She noticed his signature Akatsuki cloak was back on as she followed behind, not expecting much of a conversation. While she did what she loved doing the most, admiring nature, Itachi wondered how to explain to her how he felt better physically after taking the medicine she had made. He looked over his shoulder.“Explain to me, Remnant. My pain is eased, why?” Itachi’s statement came out as a question. He couldn’t comprehend thanking her just yet, although he should have.“Ah.” She caught up beside him, ready to speak on the topic. “Your illness is a rare one, there is no understanding of how it was developed and what is it exactly. The closest explanation and comparison of your illness would be a pulmonary vascular disease, a condition that affects your blood vessels along the route between the heart and lungs. My mother would've explained it better, but to summarize, your heartbeat may feel normal your heart is pumping oxygen-poor blood into your lungs, weakening them severely. When you overwork yourself, especially when using ninjutsu , taijutsu , or genjutsu , your heart will speed up first before suddenly dropping to its slowest point, affecting your lungs and giving you unwanted symptoms. Difficulty of breathing, coughing up blood, increased blood pressure. If it stays too long, it will cause heart failure. Your illness isn't doing mercy to your survival. What’s worse is that it is a permanent disease, uncurable.”“Then, how come your pills have affected me?”“What I made is merely a temporary cure. A mixture of dried herbs, some sacred ones that can only be grown with the seeds my mother had left behind. And worry not, I’m sure I can make longer-lasting ones with the amount we have left now.”He turned his head to her. “Longer-lasting ones?”“Yes,” Akira nodded. “I can keep trying to improve on the medicine with its effectiveness lasting possibly longer than a year.”Her gaze met his dark orbs while he squinted his eyes in incredulity. “Why would you ever do that?”She thought of it herself. Even though austere and cold, as somebody who was able to sense one’s true intentions and emotions with the untold power of her eyes, Akira knew he had a soul greater than an average human. And if she could help someone like him live, help him live, she would not let the opportunity go. After all, he had somebody to care for, his younger brother. Although she did not entirely understand her duty in the group she was brought in, the Akatsuki, she obeyed what she was instructed just as a way to escape the mistreatment the outside world offered. Besides listening monotonically to their orders, she could at least share kindness with those around her, specifically Uchiha Itachi who deemed her as a burden.“Because you deserve it.”As soon as his lips parted to respond, Itachi abruptly flicked his head to his right, sensing danger. Quickly, the two took a leap back and far, evading the kunai knives thrown at them. Itachi’s Sharingan took over his iris and Akira’s coat separated into blades like a scorpion would raise its tail when facing a threat. From the darkness between the trees emerged a couple of men, their expression strictly on the girl. While Itachi inspected the enemy shown forth, Akira had already figured out why they were there.“We only want the girl,” one of them stated. “Give her to us and we will have no problem.”Itachi’s body moved forward and in front of Akira, signifying that he would not let that happen. “Walk away.”A man around his mid-20s with a stubble stepped up.“Huh. If it isn’t the Uchiha who mascarred his own blood and joined the Akatsuki. History does repeat, hasn’t she done the same?”“Why do you want her?”“Don’t act so fooled. You power-hungry Akatsuki are no different from us, we want her for the same reason. It’s either she is used for her glorious abilities or she is killed. I’m sure you know of the hell-like bloodbaths she’s caused. Now, hand her over, Uchiha. Otherwise…Not only will we take her by force, we would also love to meet your brother, Sasuke Uchiha.”Itachi’s eyebrows rose at those words. “I will not let her go. Nobody threatens my little brother and lives.”Itachi had them under his genjutsu from the moment they met his eyes. Catching all of them off guard through an illusion, his body scattered into a flock of crows before Itachi appeared from behind them, sending a strong kick to one’s face. He grabbed the fist of the other who came to attack and twisted his arm as it broke, sound of a crack, and Itachi pushed him with brute force into a tree far away. The tree snapped into two, falling onto the man. Another threw shurikens at him, and Itachi took the hits, or so the smirking attacker thought.“Behind,” Itachi uttered before digging a blade into his nape. As the guy’s smile fell along with his body, Itachi looked over at Akira, around 3 men surrounding her. She could perfectly handle it, and Itachi knew this, but he felt that he could use and stretch his abilities without the problems he faced before taking the medicine.
“Susanoo.”
The reactions were what a regular person would have. They stared in horror, trying to say words but all that came out were inaudible mutters. Their legs were shaking, and as they made the effort to run off while yelling, Itachi’s large Susanoo, a large humanoid creature with red and orange vapor levitating behind him, was sent after them as it slammed them all like ants with just his fists. Itachi left one man out on purpose, the victim's eyes not believing the barbaric murders. “Wherever you came from, go back and tell them to give up. She stays with m-...She stays with us.”The traumatized man did not let go of the opportunity to escape and ran for his life. As the Susanoo slowly disappeared, Akira, untouched and unscratched, stared in pure disbelief. “That…”“No signs of my illness. I commend you. This week,” Itachi began. “Someday soon this week, we will be going to Konaha since I can’t leave you by yourself yet. I need to see my brother.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Thank you, Remnant
“I’ll have ya know,” Hidan placed down a card on the dining table, sat across from Kakuzu. “ Jashin-sama will help me out on this one. You’re bluffing.”Kakuzu scoffed, flipping his card over at the same time as Hidan. Ragefully, Hidan slammed his deck of cards on the wooden surface. “Damn it, damn it! Next time for sure! And not only that, but Akira for sure too. Mine! She’ll be mine!”“Shut up, idiot.” Kakuzu grumbled.“What is she to you, Hidan? An object to pass around?” A voice said who Hidan wished he hadn’t ever heard. Itachi walked into the dining room, his hands hanging to his sides. Hidan clicked his tongue.“You must be having a fun time considering your constant missions. Or so you claim.”“Was the word delivered to Pain regarding the Six-Tails?”“It was,” Kakuzu responded, his focus on clearing the desk. “Reminds me, he wants you and the girl to see him in the Hidden Rain soon.”“Tell him I won’t be attending for a while. I have things to do my own.” And with his statement, Itachi left the lodge and caught up beside the waiting girl.“ Things , huh? He totally likes her, doesn’t he?” Hidan’s face scrunched up in aversion.Throughout the time, Akira wondered what other powers Uchiha Itachi possessed that were absolutely incredible to her eyes. She understood why Pain had assigned only Itachi to supervise her and was sure that Itachi would completely be able to overpower her when needed.It was the day they went to Konoha , Itachi’s homeland. As Akira remembered, it was to check up on his little brother who was threatened by random strangers. Although hesitant, Itachi didn’t mind taking her along as he always took Kisame. If she was going to stay with him, it did no good to keep important aspects of his life from her.“Have you taken your medicine?” The girl questioned, breaking her gaze from the dark trees. Out of all the days, this one had been extra calming to her heart as the sky was filled with gray toned clouds with the possibility of light rain at any time.He gave her a single nod.She smiled which he couldn’t see. “That’s good. This village we’re going to…”“It is my birthplace. I grew up there.”“Hm,” she nodded. “If you did kill your clan, wouldn’t your brother hold a strong hatred against you? Unless he doesn’t know.”“He knows it well and he surely will come after me one day. I encourage him to.”“Are you going to show yourself to him right now?”“No. We will watch him from afar, that is all. Follow my steps when we get there.”The road to Konoha was bright and the name was well-deserved. Out in the free world for years, Akira had seen several villages from afar, all which rejected her, but Konaha had been the only village that gave her positive feelings. She questioned Itachi if they were going to do the same they had back in the Hidden Mist, but he shook his head, explaining that he knows how to enter without any unnecessary ruckus.As expected, it was incredibly lively inside. Every individual had something to do, giving genuine smiles and greetings to each other. She even caught a glimpse of a sensei training their little students, finding it absolutely adorable. Teengers were seen helping the elderly carry their stuff to their destination, and some helping their parents run errands or do daily chores. While they stood on a strong branch of a tree, she scanned the entire place with her amazed eyes. “ Waaa… This is your home? It must’ve been nice, nee? Growing up in a place like this with the villagers so kind…”“Hm. Sasuke must be on his training as well, unless he has left for a mission.” Itachi left her to follow, but she stood there for a moment to capture the scene for some more seconds. He noticed how she must’ve craved to have a place like this to call home, but not even a minute of her life would be so blissful. Eventually, she caught up with Itachi.On one of the training grounds next to a river, a little boy stood out with yellow hair and orange jacket, shouting complaints to who seemed to be his sensei, a fine silver haired man who kept his hands pocketed. The pink haired girl gave a strong punch to the screaming boy, scolding him for being so disrespectful. There was only one left to notice, who she was sure was Itachi’s little brother. He wore a blue jacket, and silent, he only looked away from the chaos that was inches away from him, thinking what others may not have guessed. Akira glanced over to Itachi who stared at his little brother, his brows nearly furrowing.“He seems to be safe,” Itachi said. “That’s all I needed to see.”Suddenly, Sasuke began walking off. “I’m going to go now.”The other three watched him leave, bewildered, and before the other kid could stop him, Sasuke was already out of sight. Itachi hadn’t known where he was off to either, but he wanted to follow his brother for a little bit longer. Akira didn’t question this decision of his.Sasuke went far away from the others, entering into the forest. He followed the sound of the river until he stopped at a point, staring down into the water. What did his reflection remind him so much of that he had picked up a pebble to create a ripple that destroys that reflection?“He looks just like you, and even has a baby face,” Akira commented, her expression sweet. She mischievously looked over Itachi and urged to make a light-hearted joke. “I bet you looked just like him as a child. A bit more chubby perhaps.”“I was not chubby.”“Hard to believe when I can see you so well right now.”Itachi turned his body to the girl, stepping in closer to intimidate her. “Are you implying that I am chubby, Remnant?”In fact, he was not. She was given the opportunity to study his face, and he had fine cheekbones that weren’t too harsh. His admirable features were worth the gaze that felt dangerous to keep. The way his brows lined up perfectly, strands of hair disturbing the view of his eyes, and his eyes? His eyes were another universe that drags you into it with just one glance without the need of any powers. The stories they told, the intentions they hinted, was a man even worthy of such words?A strange sensation Akira felt, her light grin fading. Her heart trotted so swiftly she thought she may have even heard them. Her palms were moist from the gathered sweat, her face going warm. Unable to break her contact with his orbs, Akira attempted to step back, but her lack of balance had her slip. She yelped, and Itachi could’ve held her arm to save her but instead, he rushed away and out of sight.Akira fell on her bottom from a distance, frowning, a couple of leaves fell on her. She got up on her feet, hissing to the pain from her hips.“Who’s there?!” Sasuke yelled, pulling out his shuriken and throwing a few but she jumped high and rolled front to dodge them, landing perfectly.“J-just me!” She stuttered.“Show yourself.”Akira nervously looked above but Itachi wasn’t there, and so she proceeded. Appearing in front of the child, he scanned her from head to toes, his Sharingan eyes taking over. “You’re not from around here. Who are you? Why did you follow me here?”She had to come up with something quick. “Water. I wanted water, I did not follow you.”“Yeah, right!” Sasuke weaved a few signs. “ Fire style: Fireball jutsu! ”Akira had her coat split into two blades this time, expanding and blocking herself from the flame. Once Sasuke stopped, using her incredible speed she switched places with her cloud clones, and she sent it to directly attack Sasuke from the front. Sasuke smirked. “Cheap attacks won’t work on me!” He mercilessly ended up kicking the clone, only to realize that it had mixed in within the atmosphere. He stood there bewildered, soon turning around. Akira was near the river now, facing him directly 15 feet away.“Sasuke, right? I won’t hurt you, I promise.” He widened his eyes. “How do you know my name? And why should I believe you?”“Well, um,” she gulped. “Don’t, then. But would you like to see a trick?”Sasuke raised a brow. As he was already looking directly into her eyes, she activated her ability, compelling the child. “Drop your kunai hidden behind in your hand. Come here.”His Sharingan disappeared and Sasuke hypnotizingly did exactly as he was told, and once he fulfilled her order and snapped back, Sasuke was quite shocked. “That jutsu… you may be strong after all.”Silently, they passed their time sitting by the river. Sasuke was never the one to allow a complete stranger to stay, but her power had him hooked, as she expected. He wanted to know more, he wanted to know if it was even possible if he could ever learn such a thing.“What clan are you from?” he asked.“One nobody knows of.”“Unlike women, men actually know a lot of things, so tell me.” Sasuke folded his arms with a hmph and avoided eye contact. Suddenly, he was smacked on the head.“Ouch… Oi ! What the hell?!”“You don’t ever say such a thing about a woman! They indeed know a lot!” She angrily glared at him, causing him embarrassment. Red faced, he clicked his tongue.“Whatever.”“For someone with a baby face you hold quite an attitude.” Akira chuckled.“Wha- baby face?!” Sasuke shook his head. “You appear out of nowhere and insult me. What is your deal? Why are you even here?”Akira sensed Itachi’s familiar chakra from the hill above, and she spotted him. Saddened to realize that he would not be able to meet his younger brother, her shoulders lowered. She was aware to not say anything regarding anything, but Akira felt the need to somehow help Sasuke.“Sasuke,” she began, her tone soft. The two looked at each other. “You must realize that everything has a reason. Find that reason before making your decisions.”“What are you saying?”With the last smile of sympathy, Akira inhaled, activating her eyes once more. “Forget about me, forget you ever met anybody here. Be wise. Blink once for me, will you?”And with the blink of an eye, Akira was gone from his sight. Sasuke was confused as to why he was sitting next to the river, and quickly made his way back to the village.Akira returned to Itachi, standing beside him as they watched Sasuke take off. She turned her head to Itachi in order to speak, but couldn’t believe what she saw.With a light huff and the crack of a gracious smile, Itachi spoke. “For the medicine and advising my brother…Thank you, Remnant.”
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Let’s walk in the rain together
They walked through the deep forest underneath the sky which was engulfed with a blanket of dark gray clouds and sent down sprinkles of water. It grumbled louder every couple of minutes, awaring an incoming rainstorm. The rustles of their footsteps against the forest floor were keeping Akira connected to the real world instead of allowing her to overthink the moment Itachi smiled and thanked her.The feelings she felt were unlike any other before. They were unrecognizable but connected to the presence of the Uchiha. Now every time she would glance at his profile, Akira’s stomach would tighten. Even though she couldn’t figure out what was making her become so nervous about him, it was quite obvious that Akira had begun to develop romantic feelings toward this man, whom she’d barely known but her to recall, he had been the only one to tolerate her existence. She appreciated the minimum she got.“Your stay at the Akatsuki will be long, Remnant. I suggest you do daily training to keep in shape and improve your skills as much as you can. You probably have noticed that the yard contains a storage room. It holds equipment that can come in use,” Itachi recommended. He figured that instead of her being kept in that boxed room, Akira could use some freedom.She nodded, the raindrops thickening and becoming more noticable. “Starting tomorrow morning, I will.”It began to rain, which gradually got heavier and heavier. “We should find shelter for now,” Itachi suggested. “It’ll only get worse.”Akira stopped walking, her head slightly tilting up to the sky. She breathed in, letting the cold raindrops land on her face. Oh, how she must’ve felt standing beside the one she adored in the weather she craved.“It’s the feeling of freedom, the mindset of simplicity that the rain and gray skies bless us with. Itachi-san,” she said in a soft tone. Akira turned her head to him with her cheeks visibly tinted pink. She smiled. “Let’s walk in the rain together.”The words that needed to come out from his throat retreated, Itachi only exhaling at how carefree and genuine she felt in that moment. He did not respond nor could he have have denied the offer.From walking through the pouring rain, both of their coats were soaked. There wasn’t much conversation between them besides the planning of visiting Hiroto, which would be soon. As they entered the lodge, nobody seemed to be present. It led Itachi to think of the possibilities, wondering if he too should be somewhere rather than beside the girl who just began to strip off her cloak.Not wanting to cause a mess over the wooden floor, she slid off the fabric from her body and carefully folded it. Beneath that layer stuck a no-sleeves gray top to Akira’s torso. Her pants were a bit flowy, but her overall outfit gave away her physique a little too well. She grabbed a bunch of her wet hair and slid it to one side, allowing her hand to rub her sore neck. As she fully opened her squinted eyes, they soon directed right toward Itachi.He was blatantly staring. Briskly, Itachi took his unfulfilled eyes off her and swallowed while maneuvering toward the kitchen. “Go to your room, I’ll have food ready in a bit.”Ashamed, she opened her coat again and messily laid it across her chest. “...Yes.”After taking a quick shower, Akira made her way downstairs where Itachi placed the last plate of dish on the table. “Just in time. Have a seat.”“Thank you for the food,” she bowed as she sat down on one of the chairs. Itachi sat across from her, setting his own plate with the luxurious food. Akira was truly grateful, but at the same time, she felt awful. “I apologize for having you go through so much trouble with only my presence…I can’t begin to comprehend how annoying it truly must be to look after me. If I can help you in any way…”“There is no need,” he replied as he bit the fried fish filet pressed between the chopsticks. “Besides, it is my duty to look after you, that is what I was assigned to. Nothing more.”The words were unintentionally stern, reminding Akira why he was truly around her. Quite hurt, she picked up her chopsticks and began eating in silence. When her gaze laid on the table, he took the opportunity to study her despairing expression. With her gray half-moon eyes, even he wasn’t sure if his own words were true.
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I have no intentions of going easy
The sun shone upon them for the most days, allowing fine training weeks. On the first day, Itachi introduced Akira to various options of techniques that would allow her to perform in the yard. From there, all he had done was escort her and supervise. He watched her pretty closely. Some days she wished to train longer to rid her boredom, but ever since recognizing her feelings for Itachi, Akira made sure to refrain from burdening him as much as she could by not asking for what was not necessary.Weekly, she would also be taken to meet her son Hiroto, but every time Itachi would wait outside Village of Shizu.The child once sat beside his mother on a park bench as they counted the fine and unique rocks he had collected. Off topic and suddenly, he asked about the man.“Ma, where is that man that came with you a long time ago?” Hiroto questioned.Akira glanced over to her son for a moment before smiling. “He has been busy. Why, my love?”“Hm…My heart feels feelings when Hiroto meets new people…I got nice feelings from that man. That man is a good man, nee?” “Hm,” she nodded. “Sou-desu, I think you are right. Now! I’ve got 13 rocks here, and you?”“7! Ma, Hiroto would like to see him again,” the child requested, his eyes positive.Akira had thought about it often.In her training outfit, which was an dark green tank top and black capri leggings, Akira sent a strong kick from the side to the artificial tree made to bear such power. Sometimes, Hidan or Deidara would watch her train in amazement only to be shoo’d away by Itachi every time. Once, they’d been bickering with each other until Itachi came along, and after a couple of thuds Akira heard, Hidan and Deidara did not return since.Hand-to-hand combat was one of Akira’s weaknesses, as she mainly and only used her abilities which required her to fight from a distance. Pacing up, she sent another kick with a fast spin, then a straight punch with her right fist, a side punch with her left. She’d been practicing for quite a while.“That won’t get you anywhere, your attacks are not sturdy,” Itachi called out, leaning against the wooden frame of the yard’s entrance door. He crossed his arms, Akira unaware of how long he’d been watching her. “It’s almost time to head inside.”“Wait, please,” she controlled her unsteady breathing. “Will you please teach me? I could really use some guidance.”“You want me to train you?”“...please?”Itachi signed, pushing himself off the door frame before making his way toward her. The girl inhaled her excitement and mentally prepared to focus. “I have no intentions of going easy. Hand-to-hand combat is a serious and effective skill to have. And considering the frequent encounters we have had with your enemies on hunt for you specifically, this would be mandatory to have.”He wasn’t wrong. Recently on their journeys and missions, they have been attacked too many times. Although she would’ve eliminated every single one of them on sight, Itachi was there to have them flee away with his genius threats and strategic offense.Itachi placed himself beside her, facing the tree like her. “Listen, despite the opponent’s height and weight, it is fairly easy to bring one down. What you need to focus on are movements and vital areas to target.”“Such as?”“Every body part has its own.”As a visual learner, Akira had to ask. “May you please demonstrate it?”Itachi stared at her for a second as if she’d asked something regretful. With the swift grab of her wrist, he pulled her into and in front of him. His body pushed against hers from behind and he placed two fingers on her neck near the nape.“For the neck,” he began. “This area would be the weakest. You would get a better hit here with your hand rather than your feet, but it is possible. The torso,”Itachi slid his hand down her side, pressing into an area. Just the lightest gasp, a shudder escaped her lips. “…a strong kick here would restrain them from continuing their moves constantly.”He leaned in his head, his lips right next to her ears for the tensed woman to hear his mutter. “Shall I go on or is this enough demonstration?”Akira’s breath was held in the entire time and she hesitantly nodded. He let go of her and watched her face erupt with scarlet. She felt as if her heart would escape her any time.Casually, Itachi pretended like his touch didn’t cause her goosebumps. “Moving on, speed, angles and timings. For larger impacts, shape your hand or feet more pointer, otherwise for less impact. These factors play a decent role as well. Attack me with all your might, Remnant.”“What? What if I hurt you?”“You can’t hurt me. This is just to show you what to expect when you put the 3 components together.”Was it really a surprise that she was put on the floor after Itachi was not so merciful? Akira panted hard, making an effort to sit up as she watched Itachi walk away with his hands pocketed.“Itachi-san… have you taken your pills?”“I believe you asked me that question this morning.”“Ah…I’m sorry. Um, would you be willing to make an appearance in front of my son some time soon? Hiroto wonders about you.”The man stopped midway. “Is that so?”“You don’t have to, but do give it a thought…” Akira requested. “Please?”His shoulders relaxed. “...We’ll see.”As Itachi entered back inside of the lodge, Kisame stood a few feet away. “Son, huh?”Itachi huffed as he moved past Kisame. “You were listening. How treacherous.”The shark-guy snickered. “Something I tend to do. Don’t lose hope with her, though.”Itachi shot him a death-filled glare. “Nani?” Kisame’s smirk widened, his hands up in surrender. No, nothing.”
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It’s been a while, I was stuck with finals. I’m back now that summer is here, and I will be sure to upload and update often :)
Akira!
Everyday, Akira woke up as early as a bird and immediately headed out to the yard for training. Itachi would usually appear an hour later, his eyes clearly begging for sleep. He oversaw her training and had her practice hand-to-hand combat with him to keep her skills fresh. Woman or not, he did not go so easy on her but day by day Akira improved. Right after training, Itachi would head inside to prepare breakfast for the two as Akira still had no culinary skills. Ashamed, she would wait.Some days they’d have missions, mainly consisting of infiltrating villages, and Kisame would tag along not having anything else to do. He usually teased them as he would with anybody else, but Kisame truly felt that both Akira and Itachi would only gain from each other if they became close, and finally, Itachi would have somebody to comfortably speak to. Kisame respected Itachi and only wanted what was best for his pal.To Akira, it seemed that Itachi showed no romantic interest toward her whatsoever. She wouldn’t even try to hint her feelings that grew stronger every glance, yet Itachi would still constantly remind her that it’s only duty that’s keeping them together. How dare I even think about being cared for, she thought. She had no right to do so, she had done horrible things, so she began loosening the grip on the hope she held.Akira had gradually began to empty out her mother’s lab from the Village of Zankoku. It wasn’t so easy for her to travel back and forth constantly to improve the medicine made for Itachi, so the two men assisted her. The winter was the perfect time to shift everything into her own room.As Akira, Kisame, and Itachi carried boxes, they moved through the forest with the last of tools and whatnot from her mother’s lab. She would not need to return to the place with stinging and burning memories ever again. As they neared a bridge, the sky began to send down white flakes of snow that landed on their coats. A glisten swiped across her eye when Itachi looked over at her admiring the snowfall.The woman softly spoke. “So pretty…I guess winter has come after all.” “Damn right. Has to be one of my favorite seasons,” Kisame casually commented. “I get to-”A few small boxes fell from Itachi’s stack, making everybody stop on their feet. It seemed almost intentional with the unbothered look on Itachi’s face. Akira was only carrying one box, so she stepped forward to help. “Here, Itachi-san, I can take some.”“No need,” he replied, swiftly picking up what fell.“Well,” Akira gave him a look of confusion. “You’re carrying plenty, I can take some from you. It’d be less troubling for-”“If you worry so much about my troubles, you might help by staying back. Don’t get so liberated as you are only here because of duty.”Akira’s brows nearly scrunched up together, her glare on the man. “I am trying to help.”Itachi reciprocated, his tone strict and his voice raising. “Remnant, I don’t need your help.”“I see the Akatsuki never fails to surprise me every time,” a voice she had never heard before tuned out.“Kabuto,” Itachi recognized. Kisame placed down the carriers he’d held, his grip moving on his sword as he and Akira turned to the direction where the boy stood. Kabuto wore purple attire with his hair silver and tied back. “So the Akatsuki…or should I say you managed to get your hands on her. And couple fights already? Should I be shocked?” He spoke, almost amused.The snowfall got heavier. Itachi finally turned to the guy, his face subtly showing annoyance. “With what orders had Orochimaru sent you to fulfill this time?”“What else?” Kisame huffed, replying for the boy. “Same old, same old.”“Actually,” Kabuto shook his head, a nasty smirk from his lips. “There will be no futile attempts on Uchiha Itachi anymore. That is long gone. With his mercy, Orochimaru-sama had ordered me to kindly request you to hand over the girl.”Akira sighed.“Now it’s nothing personal,” Kabuto quickly added. “We all know everybody, including the Five Great Nations, are after her. Why keep somebody who is potentially a threat to your group? What do you say, Itachi-kun? Let’s settle this peacefully.”“I refuse. Now what?” Itachi blankly responded, his tone and eyes daring.“Itachi-san, let me just quickly finish him right here,” Kisame insisted.“Oh?” Kabuto raised his stupid glasses with his finger. “I was hoping you would say yes. What a shame. Well then.”The boy disappeared strangely quick, both Kisame and Itachi finding it odd for their encounter to be without any attacks or physical conflicts. Akira had already started taking off extremely frustrated and upset, but not from the strange boy’s demand of giving her up as if she were an object. She had made up her mind to not speak to Itachi for a while.Leaving Kisame alone in complete confusion yet little understandment, and Itachi with no surprise but slight guilt, Akira could not think straight when heading back to the Akatsuki hideout lodge.She knew it was not right to blame him for pointing out the obvious, and she couldn’t do anything if he didn’t think of her as anything more, but she had never felt this oddly furious before. His words impacted her.She kept her decision. For the next few weeks and missions, Akira did not interact with Itachi whatsoever unless it was important, such as visiting her son, Hiroto.Once, she returned from a tiring mission which required heavy battling. Her combat skills were much better, and she let her anger out in those, sometimes doing a bit too much. When Itachi would inquire, she would simply walk away. Kisame noticed it all, sighing at Itachi and leaving him clueless as to why she acted such way.As she entered the lodge with Kisame and Itachi only a few minutes behind, she planned on heading straight for her room. As soon as her shoes were off and she was leaving, Itachi called her.“Remnant.”Akira stopped right before getting on the stairs, refusing to look at him. She waited.“Pain had wanted to meet with us a while ago. We should be heading there some time this week.”She couldn’t sense Kisame’s presence. She lifted her foot to continue, but Itachi spoke again.“Don’t walk away from me,” he demanded strictly. “I’m not dense. I notice this utter behavior of yours-““I’m the one acting utter?” She replied, turning herself to face him. Her eyes were teary, causing Itachi’s to widen. “For goodness sake, I only ever try to help you, and you can’t even allow me to do that. Even if it’s a little thing.”“I never need help, it isn’t your place either. Why do you ever try?”“I try because I have done messed up things in my life,” Akira spoke sternly and quick, no stop to what she’d wanted to say. “I killed my entire bloodline in cold blood with no remorse and even after being ‘freed’ from them I did not stop there, I killed hundreds, nearly a thousand who attacked me every week. I took lives of the people who once had a future and plan, I stole that from them. I hated myself and I begged you to kill me but I was given another chance and if I can even help a bird build its nest to earn an ounce of redemption, then my rushing heart can finally feel the little peace it offers. You should know. We’re nearly the same. Don’t you know…? But you push me away every time.”Her rant had the man speechless for a minute. Akira was breathing heavy from all that talking, her gray eyes shining from the pool of tears that had yet to fall. Itachi slightly drew his brows together. “I did not ask for an emotional backstory.”She stared at him, her heart stopping. A tear escaped and ran down her cheek.“Ruthless,” she uttered before running up the stairs.Akira wasn’t going to cry over a man, but she felt depressed. For the entire night, she sat against her door which she kept locked. Upset or not, Akira still cared for the boy. Her tired eyes glanced up at her table in the corner organized for her lab station and she decided to get to work. She washed her face and freshened herself up, tying her hair into a low ponytail before putting on gloves. She sat down on her chair, working to improve Itachi’s medicine.Akira’s lack of cooking skill was in Itachi’s memory. He had prepared a tray for her, and after finishing he thought he went overboard and fancy with the dishes. He considered removing the vegetables surrounding the fish to make it look less nice, but he exhaled and carried it up the stairs as it was. He knocked once on Akira’s bedroom door but there was no response. She hadn’t eaten anything all day, including breakfast. He set the tray outside of the bedroom. “There’s food outside your door. Eat when you can.”And with that, Itachi went back to his room.Her eyes begged to give up and fall asleep, but her hands wouldn’t stop working. Eventually when the night casted utter silence and darkness, it was way past midnight when her face lit up. She ran her last test and smiled. “I did it…”She happily emptied the pill shaper and put them all into a jar. Now instead of taking them once a week, Itachi would only have to take it once every 4 months, which was a great difference. She was filled with excitement so much that she quickly got off her chair and rushed toward the door to tell him without considering if he was asleep or not. She’d forgotten all about their quarrel. “Itachi-san…I think I did it!”As soon as she grabbed the door handle and pulled it open just a little, a hand wrapped around her neck from behind which eventually covered her mouth. Whoever it was sushed her in her ear. “Be a good girl and do as I say.” A raspy voice ordered.Itachi was asleep for a while. Every time he closed his eyes, his mind drifted away and showed him nightmares he wished he did not have to see so often. Waking up to escape one of them, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. Even during the cold night, he was somehow sweating. He glanced at the clock and it was quite late too, making him wonder if Akira had eaten her dinner. He reached for his shirt and put it on before he left his room. Itachi looked down to his right and saw the tray still there, full. Taking a few steps out of his bedroom, he noticed from the thin line of light that Akira’s room door was slightly open. A strange and unusual feeling took over him as he knocked. “Remnant?”His heart started to race faster when there was no response. His body tensed up, stripping away any tiredness within him.“Are you in there? Answer me.”His breathing had gotten heavier every exhale. He knocked using his sturdy knuckles.“If you don’t answer, I will walk inside.”And on the mental count of 3, Itachi walked inside. The jar of pills were halfway spilled over the floor as he looked at her lab desk. She had been working not too long ago. There was no presence of anybody in the room and the window was left open, allowing the room to become freezing. He was panicked.There was no hesitation in his choice to roughly put on his unzipped cloak and rush out. He followed the fresh trail as far as he could but they began to become less obvious and that could’ve only happened if somebody recently covered them up. He heard a rustle in the trees, his Sharingan activating as he threw several kunai at the destination. The sound of running through the forest was audible as he chased after them. He could not see the enemy, and their presence was suddenly gone. Itachi did not realize he was breathing like never before. They were clones.“Remnant…” he whispered. When his mind went blank with the possibilities of what could’ve happened to her or with her, Itachu shouted. “Akira! Akira, where are you?”
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It’s always Remnant, never my name
Itachi continued to run toward the direction even though he could not sense any of her chakra. He feared he was going the wrong way but he did not seem to stop until coming across stairs that led to an underground hideout. He noticed the carvings on the wall, 2 snakes, and knew it was Orochimaru’s.Itachi moved toward the gates and weaved a few signs, instantly burning it down. He was encountered with a long hallway lit with dull torches and he ran until he spotted Kabuto walking out of a room.The glasses boy looked at Itachi with his eyes bit widened. “Itachi-kun? So you have found this place. What brings you here-”Itachi gripped the boy’s collar roughly and activated his Sharingan. “Where is she?”“What? Oh…So Orochimaru-sama really did bring her here.”“Where is she?” He dangerously repeated as if he would end his life in an instant. “If she is hurt, you will not live to see another day.”Kabuto knew better than to upset Itachi. Hesitantly, he replied. “I really have no idea, I had no part in this. I was only ordered to warn you about it. Usually for important subjects, he would take them to his personal lab.”Not wasting a second, he resumed to rush down one maze of a hall, checking from door to door. Itachi then came across the door that was patterned differently than the others, and swiftly brought it down with a single strong kick.His eyes immediately landed on Orochimaru, who held an open scroll and a chemical glass tube. Itachi then glanced at the cell in the corner containing an unconscious woman’s bare body. Akira’s bare body.Orochimaru wore a smirk on his lips. “ Ara ara… You really chased after her, and all alone too. You must care for her deeply, Itachi-kun.”There, he lost it.The battle between Orochimaru and Itachi brought mass destruction to the hideout. While Itachi fought against Orochimaru’s summoned snake, he thought of it as an obstacle, burning it using Amaterasu. Instead of using genjutsu , Itachi used only physical attacks against Orochimaru. He wanted to make sure that every single hit brought pain to Orochimaru deep until his bones were fragile. Orochimaru wanted to keep her at all costs, but noticing that all of Itachi’s attacks were heavy and knowing that Itachi could’ve taken his life at any moment, he thought he’d rather keep his life. If Orochimaru hadn’t fled his own hideout, that would be it for the Legendary Sannin .Itachi didn’t allow himself to take a steady breath so he rushed to break the metal rods of Akira’s cell. He got down and burnt off the cuffs that connected to the wall, freeing her violet wrists. He took her into his arms and shook her. “Wake up. Remnant, wake up right now.”The familiar scent returned to Akira with the warmth she’d felt the first day they met. Itachi was holding her, she realized. She swallowed, her eyes weakly opening.“Remnant…Remnant…” Akira mumbled weakly. “It’s always Remnant, never my name, nee? ”He let out a rough sigh, taking off his cloak. He wrapped it around her shoulder, covering her body. She was wearing nothing but her undergarments. That petrified him. “You look weak, so weak. What did he do with you?”Drops of sweat ran down his moist skin. Akira’s brows drew together when she noticed the blood trail that ran down his cheek. She put her hand to his cheek, using her thumb to wipe it off. “Itachi-san , your eye…It’s bleeding.”Even in the worst of times, she worried for him. His heart squeezed. “Answer me. Did he touch you?”Her eyes slightly widened. “He wanted to run tests on me, I couldn’t fight back. He injected me with a solution, I don’t know what, but it took away my strength. My chakra.”“He didn’t touch you?”“No, no he did not.” Thank god, he wanted to say. Instead, he was silent for a while as he held her, just looking at her. He hadn’t realized how exhausted he was until Akira too, met his gaze, her safety bringing him immediate peace.“You’re so careless,” he finally spoke. “You should have your guard up at all times.”“I was working on the medicine… Itachi-san, I think I successfully upgraded it.” There was excitement within her weak voice. “You won’t have to take them often anymore, only once every 4 months. I want to make them better, I will keep working on them.”She remembered that she was supposed to be upset at him. She lifted herself and slid out of Itachi’s touch, her back leaned against the wall. She turned her head away from him.He watched her in confusion. It was quite random, but he wasn’t dense, he’d known she was not happy with him. Slowly, his fingers crept onto her ankle. She flicked her gaze at his touch first, and then at his face. After, Itachi hovered over her, making her heart race as his hand traced up until below her knee. She looked up at him with hopeful eyes as his other arm wrapped around her lower waist which she easily let him access. It would only take a push to close the distance between them.
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I thought I was a burden to bear
Just as she thought he would do something romantic, Itachi picked her up abruptly yet gently, bridal carrying her. What a fool she was to get her hopes high.He was sure to grab her coat on the way, it was essential to her ability. It seemed he was going to carry her all the way back to the Akatsuki hideout. Akira was still very weak, she needed all the rest she could get. It was already cold and flakes of snow began to fall and rest on his thin gray shirt and his bare skin. He adjusted his coat on Akira to assure her comfort while he walked during the snowfall carefully, avoiding waking her up. Entering into the lodge, he made his way to her bedroom and placed her down gently. He decided to leave his Akatsuki coat on her as it would be appropriate and made a futile attempt to ask.“Can you eat right now?”No response. She even began to lightly snore. How peaceful she looked as she slept, he thought. The sun was already coming up. Itachi took the tray of food previously set outside her room door and took it downstairs, he would prepare a new one for her when she woke. She had not eaten for too long. Itachi cleaned up the mess that was made in her room and collected all the pills back into the jar, setting them on her table. Her room was already well organized and mostly neat, so that was less work for him. Itachi even swept the floor and once finished, he headed to his bedroom.He would not sleep, he did not plan to either. Itachi laid as he stared up at the empty ceiling.For the first time ever since leaving his little brother after the night of the Uchiha massacre he brought upon them, his heart ached unexplainably. Not understanding why, he knew Akira cared for him and she was the sole person who made him feel cared for. Despite her past teaching her over and over to born hatred and keep it for the deceiving world, she did the opposite. She never failed to express her cordiality and wore genuine smiles never to be forgotten.She didn’t belong in a criminal organization like the Akatsuki. Even though her powers had to be one of the deadliest he had come across, much like an old friend of his, Shisui, her heart was too pure. Akira even had a child to take care of. And even after every cruel turn life greeted her with, Itachi perceived that Akira seemed to have given love a chance.Itachi feared he might’ve been, too.The rate of his heartbeat increased from just mere thoughts. Thoughts of loving. Itachi was not stupid, he knew Akira sent her signs his way, but he did not know how to respond nor did he want to. He did not let or even want her close, he could not allow himself to love and care for another person, because every time he did so, he was faced with great adversity.She just wouldn’t stop trying, though. Why wouldn’t she stop?He didn’t know if the welled up tears in his eyes were from the burn the ray of sunlight sent his way or his overwhelming and rushing thoughts. He still refused to shed a single tear.After two or three hours, he knocked on her door to check up on her. She was usually an early bird, but she didn’t respond this time. Even if it wasn’t appropriate, out of concern for her safety, he opened the door slightly. Akira was awake as she laid on the bed, just not asleep. Her eyes looked heavy while they just stared out the window. She turned her head to look at him, there wasn’t a kind smile on her lips like she usually had.“I’ll bring you food here. You need to gain your strength back.”As the door closed again, she clutched his coat that was over her. She pulled it close and took in his scent and she prayed to never let go of it. What did saving her mean to Itachi?Itachi tried to prepare her breakfast as soon as he could. Sasori was downstairs already and out of his puppet shell, mending something. He ignored Itachi’s presence, and so did Itachi, until it was brought up.“Did he poison her?” Sasori asked, his focus still on his tool.Itachi was still for a while as the sounds of the frying egg filled the kitchen and the living room. “She’s fine.”“He could’ve done worse, Orochimaru is selfish. He wanted to use her.”Akira’s footsteps were heard as she came down, freshened after a shower. She was very slow and once Itachi saw her, his body jerked toward to help her but he didn’t move. “You’re supposed to be resting, Remnant,” Itachi stated.“I’m quite alright. I can’t lay for too long, my body will ache,” she responded, peering at the pink haired man. She didn’t know who she was seeing so she stared.Sasori felt her stare and then patted his puppet shell to let her know. “Sasori. I usually stay in this.”“Oh,” she bowed painfully. “Good morning.”There was no denying that she was too generous, even toward people she barely knew. Itachi finished preparing the food and set it down on the table.As only she ate, Sasori broke the quietness as he got up, about to leave. “We will be having a meeting next week. Pain ordered you to give a report on Akira and how she’s been for the past months.”Once Sasori was gone to his room, Itachi watched outside the far window. He wasn’t particularly looking at anything.“Why did you come after me?” Akira questioned. Itachi turned his head to her, Akira’s gaze avoided his by looking down at the plate. He didn’t respond, so she glanced up at him through her siren eyes.“I thought I was a burden to bear.”But the truth should never leave his mouth.“You are an important aspect to this organization. We can’t let others have their hands on you, for you benefit the Akatsuki. As my duty, I couldn’t let you die.”As soon as he finished answering, she got up from her chair in regret with the empty plate in her hand and went to the sink. “Thanks for the food.”
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She is important to you
The Akatsuki members gathered a week after. Hidan bickered as usual and Deidara yelled about his achievements in art, their partners Sasori and Kakuzu telling them to shut up. As Itachi and Kisame stood side to side, Akira ended up standing all the way across from them, next to Sasori. Kisame could sense that Itachi had done something to upset her yet again.“When are you going to stop?” Kisame asked.“Quiet, Kisame,” Itachi rudely responded.The shark huffed with a grin. “How did you know what I was speaking of?”Pain assigned special missions for some of them and discussed further on “the plan” and how everything was crucial to achieve it. He reminded the goal of the Akatsuki, to bring peace into this devious world, and so on. Beside him stood Konan who was quieter than anybody present. She was observant and took note of everything. Everybody went silent when Pain called Akira’s name. Itachi’s eyes were on Akira the entire time he mentioned her, his strict gaze softening from every response of hers.Pain questioned Akira, his tone as harsh as it was the first day they met. “You were taken by Orochimaru last week, I heard from Sasori. Of course he knows the Akatsuki hideout location. What did he do with you?”Kisame’s eyes flicked to Akira as he had not known of this.“That son of a…” Deidara furrowed his eyes.“He injected me with a solution that took away my chakra. I don’t know what he was planning to do with me, but he did take blood samples,” the woman replied.“Did you fight back?”“I could not.”“Do you think you would’ve been able to?”“If I had my chakra, yes.”“Woo! Yeah! That’s our girl! ” Hidan cheered but it became awkward quickly.“That’s a bold answer, it’s good Itachi was there to get you.” Pain looked at Itachi. “Despite a crooked past, has she been a worthy member of the Akatsuki, proven her abilities and loyalty?”“Yes,” Itachi responded. “It is just as you had assumed, her abilities are beyond what many of those I’ve met could reach.”“I doubt she surpasses you.”“She does not.”Pain nodded. “Then it is decided she is a true member. I will assign her more heavy tasks later. She no longer needs your supervision, she shall roam free.”Although disapproving, Itachi showed nothing. Kisame gave him a light nudge and leaned down to speak quietly. “Rid of a burden or the loss of a lover?”The meeting was called off, and Akira waited outside for both Kisame and Itachi. There was concern within her safety in the hideout Pain wanted to discuss with Itachi. Nonetheless, Itachi said the following words to assure Pain.“I will protect her.”Itachi began to walk out. Konan, who stood near the exit, spoke right before Itachi left. “Do you care for her?”Her blunt question had him frozen. He sent a sharp glare at her, his eyes squinting. Konan noticed the denial within his expression. “Perhaps you don’t, you are Uchiha Itachi after all. In whatever case you do,” Konan began as she was walking off. “Don’t make the same mistake as I did, and do not let the opportunity pass.”While walking back to the lodge, Kisame noticed the silence between the two. Usually Akira would say something, but she had been strangely quiet.“She was captured by Orochimaru, huh? And you saved her. So why is she upset?” Kisame asked Itachi.“I don’t know.”“Konan’s question was a bit blunt, something even I haven’t thought of seriously. Do you actually hold feelings for her?”“One’s fate is so miserable that they sincerely cannot, even if they wish to.”“One’s fate does not control their feelings, so don’t use crooked wise words to hide anything. We are in the Akatsuki, our death is to be expected any time. Perhaps not yours, maybe hers-““She’s crucial to the group, I won’t let her die.”“…I get it, but waste your time and luck and you will live with regret. Stop pushing her away, I see that, you know? And crucial or not to the group, she is important to you. Say otherwise and I will think of you as a bad liar, even if that means my head gets cut by your hands.”Kisame caught up to Akira. She looked up at the tall guy as he gave his freaky grin.“Freaky,” she called him. Kisame frowned.“We all should go for a fishing trip. We are running out of seafood back at the lodge anyways. And plus, winter is calming down a bit.”Akira nodded. “Sure. I’ve never caught one before, it’d be nice to try.”“Great.” Kisame turned his head to Itachi. “Let’s go later this month.”The snow had nearly melted by the end of winter. Now that Akira had her right to go anywhere, which disturbed Itachi somehow, she returned late afternoon while Kisame waited for her. He knew about her child and asked her only a few questions about him. Akira didn’t mind answering either. She had gone to see Hiroto one morning, and the boy was already 4 years old, she couldn’t believe how fast he was growing.“Sorry I’m late,” Akira said as she entered, her face cold. “It was his birthday, I wanted to do as much as I could for him.”“No worries, you’re on time. So now we’re ready, so let us head out now,” Kisame announced as he began to leave.“You’re dragging me into this…” Itachi muttered.“You’re a good fisherman. With that Sharingan you can probably empty out the lake!” Kisame joked.The lake they arrived at was beautiful. Because the sun was just beginning to set too, the bright yellow and orange hues reflected upon the water. Akira crouched near the shore and touched it. “Oh, cold. Are fish usually active when the water’s super cold?”“Yep, always,” Kisame responded as he pointed to a certain spot. “That place is less shallow and easy to cast. We can head over there.”“Kisame,” Itachi sternly said. “The rods?”Kisame looked down at the single one he held. He chuckled. “Ahh, how shameful of me, I only brought one, so here,”Kisame shoved the rod to Itachi. “I will go and bring back two more. The bait is in the bag. I’ll be back before dark for sure!”“Before dark? This is foolish.” Itachi wasn’t dumb, he knew what Kisame was planning, and he strictly wasn’t up for it.The shark man began rushing off. “Have fun and catch as many as you can! We really really need it.”Akira got up as they both watched him take off. Standing in awkward silence, they exchanged a glance. It would be a troubling evening.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
I fell in love
The tranquility of the lake and their surroundings and the silence Akira and Itachi shared was loud, as even the faintest rustles were audible to them. They could hear each other’s steady breathings as they sat beside the water, the rod casted into the lake, waiting. Kisame was sure to not return.Akira looked everywhere but at Itachi. Itachi thought she was more mature than what she was giving him, but when it came to him, Akira was quite stubborn. She still practiced her taijutsu everyday, but walked away from the training yard the second Itachi came over to help, like he always did, passing by him so coldly. He noticed her minimum usage of words, her unwilling tone when she had no choice but to speak to him, and her storm-filled glares she sent toward him every now and then when they were out on a mission. Her continuous silent treatment, despite Itachi being the same way, was getting to him badly and left him uneasy.Ever since being permitted to roam free within the Akatsuki, Itachi had no idea what she was up to most days, and he always felt the need to bug in but he remembered he had no right over her anymore.Or rather, no excuses to be around her.“Was Hiroto’s day all right?” Itachi broke the quietness, genuinely wondering about the child. He thought about Hiroto quite a lot, especially after Akira told Itachi he wanted to see him.Akira responded, her gaze on the lake water while the two were sitting on a large boulder. “Even though I got him all he asked for, he still seemed off. He enjoyed quite a lot with his friends, though.”Poor child. “Will his father be visiting to see him?” Itachi asked.Akira flicked her head to him. “What father?”Itachi took advantage of her confusion and finally looked at her face, her silver gray eyes almost captivating. “…Well, your former partner? Will he not be coming to see Hiroto-kun? ”“What?” Akira slightly squinted her eyes as if it’d help her understand better.“…What? Your former partner, is he not-”“No,” Akira immediately cut him off, her eyes slightly widened. “I’ve never had a partner let alone birth a child-”Itachi’s stare was like the air was visible to him. “He’s not your biological son?”“No.”“You have no former partner?”Akira’s face lit red with embarrassment, her tone lighter. “What? Never. Did you think…?”Itachi inhaled like the heavy boulder on his chest was lifted, but why was it like this? What business did he have in any of this? What did it change? He didn’t know.Itachi’s tone was stern. “You lack skills when it comes to any sort of clarification. As an Akatsuki member, you are to be more clear, especially toward people you-”Akira sighed in partial relief and blinked away from him. “And there goes Uchiha-san’s grumpy attitude again.”“Grumpy?” Itachi lowly repeated to make sure he was hearing right. He was offended and irritated, truly, his eyes narrowing to her, as if ready to say the sharpest words. “You-“Suddenly, the tip of the fishing rod bent as the bell clung onto it shook. Itachi swiftly stood up and grabbed the rod, Akira getting up in excitement beside him. A fish had bit on the bait, as Itachi was pulling and reeling in. It was all effortless for him, and if he truly wanted to catch fish it would’ve been done within seconds because no normal shinobi waits to get his fish, but using his Sharingan as well as kunai skills would be cheating. And too quickly to leave Akira.A faint grin took over Akira’s lips as she saw him take the fish out of the water and unhook the creature’s mouth, holding it upside down by the tail. It was the first time she saw real fishing.Itachi wasted no time to squint his eyes at her again since her words taunted him. “You called me grumpy, that is disrespectful considering I’ve helped you with your combat trainings, cooking you food, and saving your life. Do you realize how immature and unthoughtful your words are? It’s quite unbelievable that-”Itachi’s lecture rant was quickly disrupted when the flopping fish in his hand slapped his face. Itachi stood there, in absolute shock, his lips parting a little.Akira stared at him.He stared at her. She slowly grinned, and not being able to hold herself back, she burst out into a hysterical laughter.“You…” He said to Akira first but then to the fish. “You…that was unnecessary.”“Are you scolding the fish?!’ Akira continued to laugh, her cheeks red. “Me first and now the fish?! Hahaaa!”He watched her completely entertained by how he got smacked by a stupid fish, the welled up tears in her eyes glistening. She soon caught up to his gaze, her laughter calming to soft chuckles until she eventually stopped.The scene was beautiful, as they stood across from each other next to the lake which reflected the ombre sky. The sunset gave the early evening mixes of colors, a calm serenity to their surroundings.Itachi lightly huffed, breaking their eye contact as he started to take off, once again, scratching off a romantic moment. “Grab the bag, we’re done here. This fish is going to be dinner.”Akira did not become heartless over the weeks she ignored him, everything took a heavy toll on her as much as it did on Itachi. Subconsciously, she would step over and reach out to Itachi to say something but would force herself to physically stop and turn away. Every time she would glance at him from the side, he was so worth admiring that her heart refused to stay still. And his voice always got to her mind, his words regardless of bad ones or good ones repeating in her head until she was asleep. She loved the guy, but he made it so hard to fully do so.Night fell upon them as they continued to walk through the forest. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so frustrated and the silence was not helping one bit, it was killing her. Itachi felt his palms sweat while he walked in front of her, the beat of his heart unsteady. There was a new unease in Akira, a lump in her throat. Itachi had encountered many emotions, this one was one he had not even anticipated. Akira didn’t want to speak anymore, she needed to. Because within the next minute, both would lose their composure they always held.Akira stopped walking. She whispered. “ Itachi-san. ”Itachi paused, but did not turn.After some heavy seconds, Akira swallowed. “How much longer are we going to stay like this? I can’t understand, why, why…why is it that…am I not being clear enough? I gave so many signs, was I too, too difficult to read or understand? I-I’m not getting it,” she stuttered hardcore, her mind hazy. “What am I doing wrong?”Itachi turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing.She met her eyes with him, redness taking over, like she was going to burst out crying any second. “ Itachi-san , I know I barely know your past, and I know that I barely know you, but I fell in love…” “Remnant, stop,” Itachi said in a hushed voice.“I see beyond the darkness in your eyes, you felt different from the rest of the world and that alone made me believe, it made me want to live, not just survive,” Akira almost whispered, her voice breaking.Itachi stood in absolute silence, the two just staring. That was until something within Akira snapped as her expression turned into one filled with frustration.“Do something!” She shouted, stepping towards him and shoving him a bit. “Am I such a burden? You’re always pushing me away, you save my life for the sake of the Akatsuki…You never even say my name!”Itachi’s face had a stern look on it yet he didn’t dare to move against her while she was being aggressive.“I trusted patience and I gave you the best version of myself in hopes you would recognize me for me, not for the Akatsuki, but you don’t!” Akira pushed him again. “You always brought up and shoved the fact I am with you and you are with me because of the Akatsuki, and only the Akatsuki, like I, myself, am nothing. Say something!”“You want me to speak? I resent you,” Itachi began. A light gasp escaped Akira’s lips from his blunt statement as her movements stopped as well as her beating heart. Itachi’s brows furrowed. “With what mindset did you join the Akatsuki, a criminal organization, with what intentions? In hopes to find somebody? To find love?”He stepped forward, almost backing her. Itachi’s tone was harsh as it raised louder every word. “What do you know about me? Nothing, you know nothing. You are unaware of the actions I’ve taken, the horrible, terrible things I’ve done, the lives I’ve taken, you know nothing. You’re not in love with me, you’re in love with the version your mind created of me. You’re anything but difficult to understand, I know well you’ve cared for me.”“Then why? Why, Itachi? What have I done to be resented by you?!”“I resent you because I think of you,” the Uchiha yelled. “I think of you so often that it’s disgusting but I cannot stop, Akira . My life is a novel with endless series of tragedies over and over and over. Everybody I love suffers, everybody I hold dear loses, that is my fate. And I would rather curse myself than drag you into it.”Akira watched him ramble in disbelief, not ever having seen him lose so much of his calm.“You’re not a burden, no. I would be selfish to love you and be loved by you. I’ve done nothing to earn let alone deserve what you want to give me. Therefore, I plead with you, forget me, desert your feelings for me.”Itachi lowered his voice. “You were captured by Orochimaru, I didn’t save you for the Akatsuki, I saved you because I came to care for you so much that I never second-guessed my decision to go find you. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you at that very moment. I hate you because I never planned to say any of this, Akira.”Emotions make one so, so weak and vulnerable, Itachi always believed. He breathed heavily, unable to trust any of his own words because they were not the words of his mind but his heart.“I don’t understand,” Akira shuddered.“I know you don’t.”She breathed shakily, her face gray. “I have said all my heart had wanted to scream, but perhaps we are on the opposite ends of the Earth. I am not asking for anything back, but thank you for hearing me.”The air was so thick with amounts of indecision and tragedy. Itachi glanced away as he turned, continuing to walk away back to the lodge, leaving Akira alone.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
My presence is not needed Akira kept tossing and turning every other minute. To rest wasn’t even on Itachi’s agenda.Everything felt so messy. They both were equally lost. Itachi was clear about Akira’s feelings towards him, but Akira was unable to tell how he felt for her.Truth was, he cared. He cared about her, and it pained him so much. He made an oath to himself the day he left his younger brother Sasuke after mascarring his clan. He promised to never hold anyone or anything dear to him again.But there he was, not being able to do his daily routines properly ever since that night.They both didn’t speak to each other, and this time Kisame sensed something more different than just anger or frustration. It was sorrow.Akira still looked at him. Itachi was correct, she knew nothing about him. But his eyes told enough stories, said enough about himself. One of Natsuki clan’s abilities were being able to sense one’s intentions and emotions, and that was why she didn’t give up on him so quickly.But now it was all futile. She had already said all she needed to, and if he wanted to, he would have made himself clear in front of her. But he didn’t, so Akira took his silence, his own confusion as rejection.It was the first time she had loved and confessed, it was hard to not dwell on it. But she continued to survive, doing her daily chores in the Akatsuki and attending meetings and missions when needed.Akira, waking up early like always, had decided to finally cook by herself. She prepared breakfast, starting with frying an omelet and toasting bread from the dough Itachi made a few days ago. Hidan was the first one to notice her presnese that morning, and after a flirtatious conversation, he left in the name of “Lord Janshin’s calling.”She was wearing a loose off-white shirt at the moment with simple pants. She heard footsteps on the stairs as she looked over, seeing Itachi, his eye bags clear.He was surprised to see her cook, a disappointed expression on his face. “Why are you cooking?” He asked as she was doing his duty.She glanced back at the frying vegetables. “I thought I’d cook today. Would you like some?” She softly asked, turning and pointing to the counter with stools.Itachi sighed a bit, moving over as he judged the eggs. “I already see a shell,” he lied.She was embarrassed as she looked away, turning off the stove. “I apologize.”They ate in silence within the next moment, Akira sitting a stool away from Itachi. He glanced at her occasionally, noticing the dullness in not only her face but her energy as well, as if that night had taken away something from her. He got up once they finished, picking up her plate as well to go wash them.“I wasn’t finished,” she said.He looked at her momentarily. “That vegetable has been on your plate for 8 minutes now.”She was staring down at the counter as Itachi took the plates away into the kitchen, washing them. Akira asked, “How has Sasuke been?”Not that it was any of her business. Itachi had checked up on him the day before while Sasuke was making unnecessary comments to Naruto.“Fine,” he said. Itachi did not want to ask about Hiroto.Akira inhaled. “There’s a spring festival in Village of Shizu this weekend. Hiroto wants me to stay with him.”Itachi stayed silent.“He wants you there, too.”Itachi continued to wash the dishes. “My presence is not needed.”“That is what I told him,” Akira said firmly. “But he wants to see you. He said it is his wish.”“I have only met him merely once,” Itachi replied. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the child, Itachi was rather feeling guilty for purposely staying away, which was because he found the child very likable from their first meet.“I shall not force you then,” Akira said. “I will leave tomorrow evening. Do let me know, if you reconsider.”On the day, Akira waited for him by the door. For nearly an hour, yet Itachi did not dare to leave his room. She left by herself.Once she got to the village, she surprised her son, sneaking up behind him and covering his eyes. “Guess who?”The boy chuckled. “ Ma, you!”He turned as Akira hugged him while being crouched. “Is my Hiroto excited for tonight?”“Yes, yes!” He said as he pulled back. “But Itachi-san?”Akira held back a frown. “He was busy again today.”“Oh…” Hiroto said, looking at his mother. “Okay.”Hiroto’s friends began to gather near him. “Then? What shall we do while we wait for it to start?” Akira questioned, patting his head.Hiroto thought for a moment, looking down at his mother’s outfit. “ Ma , you always wear this and the coat. It’s a festival, wear new?”Hiroto’s question was almost a demand. She nodded. “ Hai, hai. Then I should. Does Hiroto have an outfit too?”He shook his head. “ Mada, mada!” Akira grabbed his little hands, grinning. “Then we will go shopping together!”The kids around him cheered, as they then made their way to a store, as some kids led the way. They knew the area better, since Akira never left one side of the village which was where Hiroto usually lived. The streets were new to her.They entered the store, as they were able to find Hiroto a kimono right away, the store-lady helping them along with Hiroto’s friends. It was a very adorable small yukata, a traditional light robe, colored calm green. Akira on the other hand, was struggling. Hiroto got caught up with preparing and playing with his friends as the children left the store. Akira was searching the entire place, cloth by cloth, looking for something she’d like. They were all so pretty and fancy, she didn’t know what to pick out.“They’re all so nice…” She said to herself quietly, placing her hand on a yukata that she’d checked 3 times. It looked quite suitable for her. It was a dark maroon clothing with black and light pink floral printing and a black obi belt. It really had her attention.“If you keep coming back to it, you might as well get it,” a man’s voice said.Akira flicked her gaze to the individual next to her, his eyes on the yukata.She widened her eyes. “ Itachi-san? ”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It’s beautiful…Don’t you agree?
“You’re quite indecisive,” Itachi stated. “Where’s Hiroto?”“What? You’re here?” Akira was shocked.“Do you not see me?” He looked at her. Itachi wasn’t wearing his Akatsuki cloak, but rather his gray shirt and pants.Akira didn’t even know what to say, and she decided to leave the topic of his presence in case she drove him away. “Will you be buying something as well?”“It’s only appropriate. I already came here forcefully, and the last thing I would want is to be bizarre at a festival.”“I never forced you.” Akira frowned.Itachi stood there awkwardly. “Your glares during the week already said enough. I shall get myself proper attire.”Akira called over one of the workers to assist Itachi, as the guy showed Itachi all the options. Meanwhile, Akira purchased her clothes as she went to the changing room.It fit her well, surprisingly, since it was first time after years she’d bought herself a dress. She barely remembered how to put her hair into a fancy bun, but she managed. She shortly stepped out of the changing room, looking around for Itachi, but it seemed he was either gone or was changing. She was looking at accessories now, as she found 2 different sets of hair pins that would go very well with her outfit.Itachi muttered, like he was bothered. “This is quite-”She heard Itachi’s voice as she turned around, her gaze on the pins, as she cut him off. “Should I go with the flower one or the simple one? Both look nice, no?”After hearing no reply, she looked up at him. Itachi was in his dark gray in the shade of brown yukata, with a black obi belt around his lower waist. The yukata had lines as a pattern, and it looked very nice in her eyes, his light tan skin and his low ponytail went well with his outfit. Itachi wore it like it was usual for him to dress this way.His gaze was stuck on Akira herself.“I-it looks very n…nice on you,” Akira stuttered, the last thing their situation needed was her compliment.He felt his face heat up, his heart racing. Akira was gorgeous at that moment, and he felt uncomfortable with himself thinking this way. The way her obi belt wrapped around her upper waist gave her well-colored yukata a stunning look. “The flower clip is better,” Itachi quietly said, glancing away.As they walked out of the store, they looked like a newlywed couple. Akira was holding a bag with hers and Itachi’s regular clothes. The two kept their distance, as Akira knew for sure she was blushing. There were lanterns and beautiful lights hanging almost everywhere and everybody was wearing good apparel. The streets were beginning to fill up a lot as Itachi scanned around. His eyes then went towards Hiroto’s voice. “Ma! It’s almost…starting…” Hiroto’s words slowed as he saw Itachi, then he dramatically gasped. “Itachi-san! ”Itachi didn’t smile, but his eyes lit up seeing the little boy that resembled Sasuke so much. Hiroto ran to the man, hugging his leg as if it meant the world to him. Itachi was uncertain, but he patted Hiroto’s head. “Happy late birthday,” Itachi said.“Thank you!” Hiroto looked up at his mother and Itachi, grinning so brightly. He grabbed Itachi’s index finger, pulling him. “Together! It will be so fun! Come on, come on! We get snacks!”Itachi hesitated for a moment but his body followed along the boy. Akira stepped forward a bit as the two of them went ahead of her. “Wait, Hiroto! Not too many snacks, please!”The crowd got greater and it was hard to see where they went. She tried to catch up with them, but she couldn’t find them at first. She then saw the first snack stall and noticed Hiroto jumping up and down as he held Itachi’s hand. She moved over to them but as soon as she did, they already purchased the food and went across the street to the next stall. Akira sighed. “Where the…You two, please!”And it went like this for the next 20 minutes, as Akira was getting exhausted chasing them through the filled streets. Of course Itachi knew and he even told Hiroto that they should wait, but his excitement was too great with Itachi. Itachi followed Hiroto everywhere, letting him buy whatever snack he needed. The two had their hands full with mainly Hiroto’s snacks, as Akira finally stood beside them, holding her side to catch her breath.“ Hiroto-kun ,” she said sternly. “I am not fond of this, this is very bad. You are to stay with mama, you got it?”Hiroto frowned at her, his puppy eyes gazing up at her. Akira’s own glare glanced at Itachi. For a moment, Itachi was truly startled.“What?” Itachi asked.“You should have waited for me.” Akira sounded truly upset. “And you let him buy so much junk food, that’s not healthy! You should know this. Have you been paying for his snacks?”The old woman in the stall handed Hiroto his cotton candy. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I am sure the father means well and only wanted his son to have some fun. You two are a very good-looking young couple. May lord keep you both together like this always.” She sincerely smiled.Akira was flustered as she momentarily widened her eyes. Itachi had a blank expression on his face. For some odd reason, none of them said anything against the old lady’s words.The three of them began walking again, Hiroto rushing towards a face-painting stall. Akira and Itachi were standing beside one another as he was holding Hiroto’s snacks. She smiled at Hiroto’s joy.“He is very fond of you. Hiroto seems to like you very much,” Akira stated softly. Her gaze dropped to the ground. Itachi got straight to the question he’d wanted to ask. “How did you come to find him?”Akira glanced toward him. Her voice was quieter. “Hiroto may not be my biological son, but he was the only child of the Natsuki clan the day I decided to put an end to our blood. He was a son of two victims who suffered from cruelty and were eventually killed by the higher-ups.”Itachi took this new information in, imagining the tragedy.“Hiroto still has Natsuki blood, perhaps that’s why he cares for you so much.” Akira had a sad smile.“What does that mean?”“…We can sense people’s true nature in a way. Besides our Shichumon, our sensing ability is quite strong too. Your eyes are dark and shallow, but Hiroto and I can see past it.”Her response reminded him of her feelings towards him. Perhaps that is why she admired him despite not knowing much about him. Akira had to admit, it was very blunt and almost childish of her to confess her, what she called, stupid feelings to Itachi while being in a criminal organization. She was almost frowning until Hiroto was done and stepped towards them.“ Ma , I got a tiger, do you like it?” He giggled, lightly touching the paint.Akira smiled at him. “No, no don’t touch it. Yes, I like it very much. Very well done!”Hiroto’s friends found him, as they were surprised to see a man who stood close to him and his mother. A little girl squealed. “ Hiroto-kun! Is that your father? He’s so handsomeee!”“Woah, his hair is so long,” a little boy had said. “Is he the same man from before at the park? He’s so cool! Well, whatever, the fireworks are about to start. Come on!”“Okay okay!” Hiroto excalimed, running away with his friends. Akira worried immediately, going after him. Itachi didn’t know what to do so he followed.“Hiroto! Hiroto, wait! Don’t you run off!” Akira shouted through the loud crowd but he was out of her sight. She sighed, slowing her steps. She decided not to stress too much over it, since he practically lived at the village and knew it better than her. Plus, Village of Shizu had to be one of the safest ones.Itachi stopped right beside her, still holding Hiroto’s melting ice cream which began to drip down his hand, and holding packs of chocolate covered breadsticks in the other. Akira frustratedly sighed, taking the ice cream cone from him. She threw it away in a nearby trash can, as she took the napkins he also held, and she began to wipe off the melted ice cream from his hand.Itachi was caught off guard by this, she was like a mother acting like it was the father’s fault for all of it while she wiped his hand.Suddenly, the fireworks started, which startled Akira a bit as she was pushed closer to Itachi with the crowd getting larger. She didn’t realize it, but they were standing by the lake, at the most perfect spot to view the fireworks, a large cherry blossom tree right next to them. The fireworks were so bright in the star-filled dark sky, her eyes not leaving the sky, while his never left hers. He felt fireworks inside of his own heart when he looked at her silver eyes admiring the view. He followed her gaze to the sky too as they both watched the fireworks, the large moon shining along. Not a second of it was a waste. The cherry blossom petals were falling and some landed on top of her head. She was unaware of this but Itachi had taken note of it.Akira sighed. “It’s beautiful…Don’t you agree?” She looked over at him, noticing his very obvious stare. The look on his face lit through the darkness.His hand moved on top of her head, taking off the petals one by one.Everything in that moment was perfect.Her cheeks covered with a faint blush as her heart raced. They were standing very close as her gaze dropped to the ground. It only hurt her knowing that this would progress into absolutely nothing. Itachi wouldn’t have allowed it.Once he was done, she gently smiled, a true smile, looking up at him. “Thank you.”That’s when Itachi met hope.
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Stay with me, Remnant. Their time together fulfilled Hiroto’s heart. He was tired and exhausted as they all walked to the apartment where his caretaker lived. Akira knocked on the door as the old Woman, Yumiko, opened the door this time.Yukimo smiled brightly, surprised to see her. “Ah! Akira, nee? Wow, so good to see you, and this is…Hiroto’s father? Hello!”The elderly woman was looking at Itachi, who was holding the sleeping boy comfortably. Itachi awkwardly stood there.Akira embarrassingly shook her head. “No, he is-”Itachi cut her off, replying to the old woman. “Hello.”Yukimo grinned. “I see Hiroto is asleep. Here here, I will take him now.“Wait,” Akira said, as she took her son carefully in her arms from Itachi and kissed his forehead. She closed her eyes, softly sighing. “I love you, Hiroto. Today was fun, hm?”“ Ma …I had too many snacks…” Hiroto mumbled in exhaustion. “I love you…Also, Itachi-san? ”Itachi looked down at the boy who called his name.“..Thank you for coming,” Hiroto said, his sleepy face had a small smile.Akira softly smiled at Hiroto. “I will see you again, Hiroto. Soon, okay? Be a good child.”Two of them left the village and were walking through the forest while it was quite late at night.The charismatic moment under the cherry blossom tree by the lake with fireworks replayed in Itachi’s mind, over and over. Akira’s smile ached his heart the entire way. It was because she smiled at him, he felt what he had resisted to believe in.Hope.It was not easy for Itachi to feel or even think this way. Itachi was a wise man and he had a habit of planning and standing by his morals and rules. He hadn’t expected a distraction that’d keep him from his goals, there was a reason he did everything he did, from joining the Akatsuki to threatening his own little brother, Itachi always had a plan in mind. They were going to get crooked if Akira’s presence continued to alter Itachi.Both of them changed back into their regular outfits before leaving since Akira’s cloak was essential to her ability. Akira was silent and observant as usual when walking through a forest since she adored nature. Itachi felt terrible for treating her how he had all along, and he thought about his words and how they affected a soul like Akira’s. He thought about it so often that he physically could not bring himself to rest. Itachi really did want to let her know that he too cared, but the mere thought had him sweat.But he was desperate.“Remnant,” Itachi quietly called out.Akira turned her head to him while they came to a stop. “ Hai? ”There was hesitation at first from the man, until his eyes suddenly widened.He rose his voice. “Remnant, duck!”Akira quickly crouched, as Itachi sent a single kunai to bring down 3 arrows directed towards Akira. Itachi’s Sharingan activated. These were chakra-generated arrows. He scanned the tree-lines, assuming to find 3 or 4. But there were a total count of at least 30 people, all of them potentially after Akira. They all wore a headband and an Anbu mask, they were from the Hidden Stone Village. Itachi analyzed the situation within half a second with the use of his Sharingan, as he took out a set of shuriken, throwing several at the speed of flash at the closest men, hitting a few. Some others hopped off the trees, and Itachi maneuvered closer to Akira.She got up and they stood back to back while she activated her own ability, muttering “Chisai-ha”. Her coat split into 6 large blades this time, stretching out and getting defensive like a scorpian would with its tail that could kill. “They’re here for me,” she said.“Should I be surprised that you, Uchiha Itachi, are protecting your kin? Both murdered their own bloodline, look at how well you two bond,” a man spat out, fire set on his palms, ready to shoot at the Uchiha.A lady in a similar attire to the man spoke from a different direction. “Cliche, the man protecting the woman. Love birds already? It’s been a year since she joined the Akatsuki, I guess it only makes sense. Hand her over, Romeo, we could really use her.”“She belongs to the Akatsuki,” Itachi said forbiddingly, weaving signs. He used Fire Style, Fire Ball Jutsu, blowing one that was larger than the forest trees. Leaves caught on fire and some people burned, their screams loud. Several shurikens were thrown at them, and Itachi only reciprocated them using his own shuriken while Akira used her coat blades. She protected herself with two of the blades, while the rest 4 stretched out further to attack those nearby.Akira was not going to kill, she had given up on that, at least to those who came for her. She had already taken so, so many lives. And to think Itachi had to deal with this, too, she felt horrible.Combat didn’t go on for too long, but these were Jonin level Shinobis, all trained so well. Itachi could hold them off perfectly fine, whether they be in a distance or coming to physically get a hit on him, his skills were unmatched. And while Akira could keep them off, there was a woman who had gotten close enough to get to tackle her down.Akira’s defense got weaker, as her eyes widened. The woman threw a punch at her, but Akira moved her head in time, blocking the next strike with her wrist. Akira was weak in hand-to-hand combat, but she tried to recall everything she trained with Itachi. Akira managed to use her feet to push away the woman’s thigh with force, and with the right amount of speed, she pinned the woman down. Akira sent several hits to her face, and none of them were underestimated. Her punches were fierce, the lady battered and bruised. This anger of Akira’s, where was it driven from? But still, she hesitated as the woman began crying in immense pain. She was muttering, begging for her life.Akira’s fist stopped and she was breathing heavily. How could she injure this woman so badly? She was a middle-aged looking woman, she might’ve had a husband, a family, children. Akira used Shichumon, her eyes flooded with gray and her pupil expanded into a flower with sharp edges. “Please, go. Go away. Go back to your home,” Akira said to the woman with a pleading tone. The woman’s body stopped struggling, getting under her compel.Akira’s reluctance was a mistake and didn’t slide without a consequence, as she was shot on her side with a chakra generated arrow. Her body tensed and it felt like it had turned to ice. Physically tensed, she fell on top of the woman. She shoved Akira off, fulfilling Akira’s order as she ran away. Akira was on the ground, her eyes closed.The conditions of the forest worsened, it was burning and the fire spread expeditiously, the ashes and smoke making it strenuous for shinobis to keep up their battle.“Retreat!” Somebody shouted in dictation. “Get the girl, retreat!”Itachi stopped to turn and look at Akira on the floor. He sent an inconceivable kick to his opponent, rushing down beside Akira. He thought he had taken out anybody hiding in the treelines, but apparently not. At his panic’s demand, he pulled the arrow out of her side as he bridal-style carried her, holding her carefully and firmly. He activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.Her eyes could barely see, but she noted it, and mumbled. “No, please. No. Your eyes…Your pills…” “I took them. Stay with me, Remnant, breathe.” His voice was shaky. He had to flee or she’d bleed out. Itachi summoned his susanoo to take out the last of their enemy, and the red giant of flames did not hesitate to mercilessly dispose of them. The shinobis of the group were already in a bad condition, the forest floor covered with their blood and burnt bodies, and the shrieks of the injured were terrifying. Estimated of 4 out of 30 were still alive, 5 if he could find the one who shot her, but Itachi sprinted off before hopping onto the branch of a fresh tree, escaping.Itachi was never this swift before. His eyes darted towards the sound of running steps as he hopped 2 trees over, spotting the man with a set of a bow and arrow. Itachi’s brows drew together, and with the use of his Mangekyo Sharingan looking right into the man’s, he put the man under Tsukuyomi.He was on a chair with darkness surrounding him, but even a darker figure stood in the distance as if he was watching him, it was Itachi. The man tried to scream but his voice didn’t come out. And from all sides, his own arrows darted at him, hitting him in every square inch in his body. It stopped his chakra flow, his soul a feet away from death, but the arrows were gone. Then again, it happened. Then again. And again. Until his throat bled from screaming in agony. Perpetual torture.“Sasori! Save her,” Itachi nearly begged Sasori in a panic when he burst inside the Akatsuki lodge, Akira in his arms. Sasori looked partially baffled, putting his puppet costume aside that he was working on. “She isn’t waking up, she was hit by an arrow.”Sasori was far from a medic, but because of Itachi being pushy, he scruntinized her condition and her arrow wound. The arrow was not only chakra generated, it had poison, and thankfully, Sasori had more than enough knowledge to find an anti-poison without having to use the main poison. Apparently, the poison spread quickly within Akira’s body to the point she was nearly paralyzed during her unconsciousness. Sasori saved her before it became permanent.Itachi refused to leave her bedroom that night. When Kisame returned from his mission, he heard of it through Sasori and went to check up on Itachi. Of every question asked and comments made, Itachi had been deaf and unresponsive to them all. Kisame figured this was nerve-wracking for the Uchiha, and left him alone with Akira. Itachi sat on a chair right beside her bed as still as a statue, watching her face and torso back and forth to make sure she was still breathing. Her face was a bit pale, but her body temperature was fine.In the silence-filled room, a silence-filled mind, with Akira’s unmoving body yet conscious mind, she heard words. This voice had said many things before, but it never called her name. How would it sound if it said her name?But it was saying so many things.The cruelty of battles and wars. The unfair life of a shinobi. Uchiha Shisui. Hatake Kakashi, the Anbu. Danzo. Uchiha Sasuke. Besides Sasuke, who were they?The Uchiha’s fall, the massacre. His mother and father.“ I killed them. ” Akira heard. Konohagakure, Pain, Akatsuki, dedication.“ I don’t want them to hurt my village. ”Itachi blathered like he was speaking to her.“ Can you understand? ”He then concluded.“ I thought I could not afford to love anymore. ”With much vexation and dejection, a man who always stayed calm and collected had failed to let his mind process. So vulnerable, he spent every hour of the night to fill her with the story of his life. She imagined these events in her head, how gut-sickening it was.Akira could throw up. Because of Akira’s stillness, even though she was claimed to be fine by Sasori, Itachi was worried sick, a bit too literally. The sun began to show itself, dusting the sky with shades of soft colors. Itachi stopped speaking a very while ago. His weary gaze moved towards Akira’s lab corner, which she used to create medicines out of natural herbs. Itachi noticed pills that looked similar to the ones she made for his sickness before. She was still working on trying to make their effect last longer. This ached him abundantly. He felt a tickle under his nose, using his fingers to lightly tap it. There was blood. His nose was bleeding from inconceivable distress. The man used his cloak sleeve to wipe it off, but it returned. The flow was heavier each time he swiped and rubbed it off.Akira drew a sharp yet shaky inhale, a soft and quiet groan followed after.Itachi’s breath faltered. “Akira?”
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My heart and my love, are they justified?
It was almost an unrecognizable voice. Not only did it say her name, the tone of it was congenial, worried, and so soft.Her eyelids lifted halfway, glancing to her left. She tried to sit up as Itachi raised from his chair and rushed toward her, grabbing her shoulders carefully to try and make her stay put. She needed to rest. Her expression shifted into worry when she looked at him, a frown on her partially dry lips. “You’re bleeding…”Akira’s hands gently grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him a bit, her thumb running over the blood that dripped down to his upper lip. There were tears in her eyes, they poured out of her reddened eyes one by one. There was a lump in Itachi’s throat, he felt so weak with their faces so close and her consistent care for him.He exhaled a bit, his breath unsteady while he looked into her gray crystal eyes.“I thought I lost you,” he whispered.“Never,” she said.Using the back of her hand, she wiped away her own tears, not knowing what to say, except, “I understand.”His eyes squinted slightly. “What?”“I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice breaking. She couldn’t look at him. Her heart hurt so much. “You never deserved any of it, none of it.”Itachi froze. She heard everything.He had never felt so fragile before.If he didn’t feel for her, then why? Why stay with her the entire night and reveal his deepest secrets to her? She pleaded, looking at him. “I understand, but I don’t get it, why…I don’t...Please, tell me.”Even she didn’t know what she was trying to say. Akira’s hand was still on his cheek, as Itachi leaned himself in. She wrapped her arm around him, the other hand on the back of his head, taking him into an embrace. He was conflicted by this physical contact, but his mental and physical exhaustion couldn’t allow him to move away. Nor his heart. His head lowered toward her collarbone as his face pressed into it. Itachi held her lower waist, pushing himself further into her to lay her down, in a way, half of his upper body was laid on top of hers. His eyes were closed.“Akira,” he said her name in a warmhearted tone.This made her heart skip a beat hearing her name again come from his mouth, and so sincerely, too.She sniffled a bit, tears still flowing down her cheek. Despite knowing the main points of his past, his struggles, and his sins, Akira’s care for the man only heightened. “I still want to love you, Itachi-san . I know you more now. My heart and my love, are they justified?”Akira knew she couldn’t promise him the peace he deserved, but she could promise him love. Akira was willing to do anything to ensure that he felt cared for.It was his anxiety that was keeping him from being loved, and his crumbled-self to love. Fear crept into his mind.After thought, Itachi spoke quietly. “I will lose you.”“What if you don’t?”He held her tighter, careful not to hurt her wound, hiding his face into the crook of her neck. The man was so tired. He was dozing off.“Can I rest?”She nodded to the out of the blue question. “Yes.”“You won’t go?”“I’ll stay.”“Won’t be kidnapped?”She smiled a little. “No.”Itachi fully laid his body beside her, his eyes were closed not only because of the exhaustion but to avoid the embarrassment. His face neared her neck again, snuggling into it. His Akatsuki cloak was uncomfortable but he was far too tired to take it off. He really was asleep already.She looked down at him, his face holding a precious and gentle expression. His light tank skin had dirt on it, it was like he really hadn’t moved away from her ever since the battle. She felt guilty for his exhaustion and condition, he was dragged into a fight that was hers to deal with. His breaths were slow and steady, the warmth of it tickling her skin.Itachi had never slept so peacefully. He gave into peace, he accepted hope. The heat of her body made it impossible for him to part from her, the softness of the skin of her arm over his, and the rhythm of their heartbeat matching made it feel like they belonged. His scent was her reason for feeling so rested. Akira recalled the day they first met, where he had put a coat over her. His scent stained her ever since and she craved it.They were asleep for hours.Kisame walked in on them so close together, sleeping. His eyes popped out in surprise; was he seeing right? Kisame felt glad. The shark man chuckled. “It’s afternoon, you two.”Akira opened her eyes, looking at his giant blue figure in the doorway, his Akatsuki cloak on with his usual sword on his back. “How is your wound?”Akira barely spoke sleepily. “It’s better.”“I see. Enjoying your cuddling session?”She glanced down at the man laying so close to her, his lips near her cleavage. She fully opened her eyes in shock, it was like she had a fever dream before this. Itachi’s eyes flickered open, looking up at her first. He looked like he was lost and woke up in an entirely different universe. He sat up and was speechless when he saw Kisame.The two men were staring at one another. Kisame gave the creepiest toothy grin. “I won’t tell.”And he walked out, closing the door.Akira and Itachi exchanged a glance, both of them equally shocked over how they got physically close and had been caught. A faint blush spread through Akira’s cheeks.Once showered and cleaned, Itachi was already in the kitchen, making brunch. Akira too was freshened up, her dark, partially wet hair falling down to her shoulders. Kisame and Sasori were the only other ones in the lodge, sitting on the stool while they were purposely silent to make it awkward for the two of them.Itachi noticed Akira come downstairs. His stern tone matched his usual, default self. “The wound will deepen, go rest.”“It was shallow,” she responded calmly. “I can manage.”Her eyes flicked towards Kisame who was smirking. Akira’s cheeks faded into a light pink in embarrassment, Itachi simply did not react to any of it. Sasori knew the minimum, but he saw enough to know Itachi somewhat cared for the woman. Both Kisame and Sasori were not interested in spreading this information.As they all ate breakfast in utter silence, Akira sat next to Sasori and across from Itachi. It was a moment of awkward silence.“Pain needs to speak with Akira and you,” Sasori said to Itachi, his voice flat. “In regards to the sudden attack.”Akira glanced up at the salmon-haired man, then looked over at the Uchiha. Itachi simply did not look anywhere else but his plate of omelet.He had his own predictions.
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I wasn’t warned I’d meet you
So his predictions were right.Summoned in the area were Akira and Itachi, and them only. Pain was silent for the first few minutes, Konan beside him like always. “Over the course of several months, the word of Remnant’s presence in the Akatsuki spread greatly. It came to affect the larger villages and now they are sending their Anbu teams to do their dirty work, do you agree?” Pain asked Itachi specifically.Itachi was unresponsive. So Pain continued.“I had teams infiltrate the village they came from, to gather intel on what they intend to do with Akira. To capture her would be a benefit to them, and to kill her would be a benefit to the world. As we know, no village is a saint, they will use her. The last of Natsuki with such abilities that is just a level below the Uchiha’s is like a golden prize, and it has gone from competing against each other to working together to get her. Before joining the Akatsuki, her massacres were so great that many didn’t and don’t mind if she is killed. And knowing that she works with the Akatsuki now makes them more enraged.”“Pain,” began Itachi. “What are you suggesting?”“That she is a threat to the Akatsuki. They will eventually target us more often than before. If this worsens, which it will, Akira will be exiled from the organization. I cannot have the group under any attacks when it isn’t even our intention yet.”Akira was looking at Pain’s Rinnegans , unsure of what to say.“ Konoha , your village, might be planning something greater than the rest, don’t you think?” Pain asked Itachi.Itachi’s expression remained the same. Pain switched his gaze towards Akira.“Remnant,” he began. “This is a major battle that is yours to tackle. While your eminent abilities have certainly been useful to the Akatsuki, I cannot keep you if this dilemma does not die down. Whether you fight them off or kill them or be killed, it is none of the Akatsuki’s concern. Is that certain?”That annoyed Itachi.Akira nodded, she was quite understanding of this. “Roger, Pain-sama. ”Konan’s attention was on Itachi, she was trying to read him. Impossible.Hopping through the forest trees, their steps on the branches were the only sounds around. Again, like always, Akira was observing the surroundings, noticing the little details like the colors of the leaves or the patterns on a tree, even though she had seen it several times.This time, Itachi was watching how her silver eyes glanced from subject to subject, how genuine and curious they were. Eventually, she felt a sharp stare from him as she looked over at him.Akira tilted her head a bit and softly smiled at him.An arrow hit the left side of his chest. Or that’s what he felt. He tensed up as he flicked his gaze away, lowering his face further into the collar of his Akatsuki cloak.“ Ano nee... I’m very grateful that you rescued me. Many times now,” she said, her voice as gentle as the sweet whistle of a breeze.“Yeah.”Silence, again.Itachi was being awkward, didn’t he want to speak about anything? Akira wanted to know what he thought of her, what he wanted to do, but she didn’t push for him to give a response. She knew it was difficult for him.The forest they were moving through was the one where she confessed her love for him for the first time. Akira didn’t think too much of it, she knew they were going to pass by the lake where Kisame once abandoned them.The sky was visible now with no surrounding trees while they began walking down the path close to the lake. Personally, Akira had never been in lake waters before simply because she feared stepping on something strange or the weird texture of the surface beneath her feet. And the unclear water made her afraid of what could be under there.Itachi had been thinking about Pain’s words. He wanted to know Akira’s take on it. He spoke, nearly saying her name but he stopped, wondering if he should say Remnant instead. No, he couldn’t. It was a strange, trivial debate in his head.“What will you do?” Itachi asked. “If you’re exiled? Will you kill those after you?”Akira’s gaze moved toward him. She shook her head. “I don’t want more blood on my hands. I’m unsure of what I will do if I am to be exiled.”He thought back to when she hesitated to kill that woman in their battle, even if the woman was an enemy.Itachi’s tone began stern, even strict. “You simply do not belong in the Akatsuki. Aside from your shinobi abilities, a human like you should not be associating let alone involving herself with a criminal organization.”Akira thought back to why she even joined in. She barely understood their goal. She was just tired of fighting to keep herself alive, allowing fate to take her wherever. She didn’t want to think gloomy, so she made a lighthearted joke. “Why? Are you calling me sensitive?”“Yes,” he responded with no hesitation.That caught her off guard as she looked at him. Each step they took got them further from the lake shore slope, but rather to the heightened shores.“ Nani-yo? Do you mean it?”“I do.”Itachi wasn’t intending to come off as rude. He sincerely believed she was soft, and he even thought he did a good job complimenting her.She felt offended as she interpreted it wrongly. Usually calm, towards Itachi, Akira felt more emotions than she should've, taking his words to heart. She stopped came to a halt as she scoffed a bit, Itachi looking back at her before coming to a stop too.“Grumpy. Grumpy as always. If I’m sensitive, then you’re grumpy,” Akira spoke neutrally, her arms crossed.“I’m not grumpy,” Itachi stated, glaring at her.“Sure you are. I’m not sensitive. What, you take me for a child? Ridiculous.”“Compared to your behavior and a child’s, you might as we-““I’m not a child!” Akira rebutted, her brows furrowing. “Why do you have to be so rude, always? Don’t you have manners when around a woman?”“Manners? So you speak of-“Itachi was cut off yet again by Akira, he disliked that, but this woman had the audacity. “Yes, manners. You lack them. If you don’t quit it, then I will-“Will what? ” Itachi deepened his tone, piercing into her eyes as he took a step closer. “Throw me into the lake?”Akira pushed him and threw him into the lake.The Uchiha’s eyes widened, as he had practically no time to react. The situation was not worth activating and he partially expected this reaction, anyway. As his body splashed into the blue-green water, Akira quickly covered her mouth with both of her hands, in revelation that she actually shoved him. Itachi managed to swim up to the surface, drenched as he eyed up at the lady, his Sharingan activated. Akira stepped back before turning around, wanting to make a run for it but she only rammed into Itachi’s tall figure. He used his genjutsu to make believe she could escape. Within seconds he took off his Akatsuki cloak letting it drop on the grass, as he, without any hesitation, crouched enough to pick her up and hang her over his shoulder like a rag. Itachi began to walk towards the lake.“Stop- stop, no.” Akira kicked her feet up and down, but his grasp was so tight, actual panic filling her voice. “ Itachi-san , gomen! Gomen-yo! Gomennasai! Please, it wasn’t my intention, I’m sorry! Please don’t I really don’t like lake waters, I’m scared- NO!”She yelped as she was tossed into the water. Itachi stood idle, watching down. Akira could swim, but her fear of what could be in there drove her into a panic. She pushed her body up to the surface, gasping for air. She looked around firstly, then glanced down at the water in horror. “No, no! Please! Get me out of here! Itachi!” Her tone, it was so different and genuine. She even left out the honorific in his name. Itachi observed her for a minute; was she just acting? He crouched, looking down at her.“Why? It does no harm-”Her cries began as Akira had visible fear on her face. She begged. “Get me out! Please!”He couldn’t just pull her out, she would have to swim to the shore, but she was refusing to move, constantly checking her surroundings. Itachi jumped back into the water, maneuvering himself toward her. He planned to stand on the water using his chakra control to help her get up as well, but she jolted to him in an instant, hanging onto him for dear life. Even her legs, they wrapped around his body. Her breaths were heavy and she looked genuinely afraid, her eyes scanning the water.“Please get me out,” Akira pleaded, her voice so innocent, she was scared.With the lack of his movement and unresponsiveness, Akira turned her head and glanced down at him. Itachi was staring at her intently, his dark eyes softening. He slowly placed his hands on her waist, almost like he was unsure of this action. Her heart began to race. Itachi attempted to pull her away a bit, but she was hanging onto his shoulders.“We will have to swim to the shore,” Itachi stated. “You will have to move by yourself.”She almost shook her head. “I don’t want the-““I’m with you,” he assured her, his voice genuine, quiet yet so ear-filling.The two swam to the shore, Akira considerably close beside Itachi until she could get on her feet as soon as she could, then she had rushed to the land. Her soaked coat felt so heavy as she unzipped it, pulling it off her shoulders and shaking her arms a bit to get them to slip off. The woman folded it and twisted it, draining it off water. She turned her head to look over and saw Itachi’s shirt lifted half-way, as he had twisted it to get the water out too. Her glistening eyes widened a bit at the sight of his light-tan waist, her cheeks feeling hot.Itachi turned around and caught her stare before she quickly looked away.Without her coat on, Akira was wearing a dark gray compression half-sleeve shirt that hugged her torso too well, the outline of her chest and curves of her breasts were emphasized. She wore black palazzo-looking pants which were drenched, and overall, the figure of her body was obvious.Itachi’s pulse seemed to pick up, never has he looked at a female this way. He lowered his gaze, carefully walking out of the water.“Kawaii nee… ” Akira whispered under her breath.She was a terrible whisperer.Itachi tripped. Akira turned around, confused and shocked, rushing to him. “Huh?! What happe…nd…haha…ha! Ahaha!”Just as she was reaching out to help him, Akira burst into laughter, sitting on the ground beside him.“The Uchiha fell? Really? You?” She said, chuckling. “How?!”Itachi just refused to look up, he buried his face into the pebbles.The Akatsuki lodge had everybody there, including Deidara, Sasori, Kisame, Kakuzu, and Hidan. Hidan got a bad feeling of the two being soaked when they returned, a look of jealousy and disappointment taking over Hidan and Deidara’s face.In the process of falling because of her unthoughtful compliment and the effect it had on the Uchiha, Itachi had grazed his arm on a sharp rock. It was long, but it wasn’t anything major, but Akira insisted Itachi let her tend his wound once he was changed. Both of them, clean and dried, were in Akira’s room. The silence that followed was comfortable while he was sitting on her lab corner chair and she was standing, putting a simple bandage around his arm. She almost wanted to smile, she didn’t know why. Perhaps it was a side-effect of adoring somebody or being in love.And oh, the toll she took on this man. Itachi was in a state where he had began to accept his feelings towards her, even though he would be gambling by placing his trust in fate’s hands. She was his reason for feeling that hope was restored within him. “Then?” Akira asked in a soft tone, placing the kit aside once she finished patching him. Akira was mature about this and get to the bottom of it through communication. “Is this a fine time to ask you?”She wasn’t looking at him, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable or pressured.Heavy seconds passed yet he said nothing.“…I just need to know,” she said, her voice quieter. “I won’t be upset, I will respect it.”She admitted there were moments where she wasn’t acting her best. Akira had only felt troubled because of Itachi’s constant attempts to drive her away. Itachi did it intentionally. There was no doubt in her personality that she was a wonderful woman, one worthy to stand beside an Uchiha, but could not have her get too attached to Itachi. That was because when he trusted fate, it drove him to darker places. Itachi was in a state of confusion when he noted her feelings, he felt lost, unable to find responses to his own thoughts, feelings, nor emotions.Itachi spoke confidently, his voice flat with the hint of sternness, his usual tone. “I cannot afford mutual love.”She briefly looked at him before dropping her gaze on her desk. Akira was silent and she was not so surprised. Her hands continued to organize the table.“I thought,” Itachi added. “I thought I could not afford mutual love. Mutual care, mutual emotions nor feelings. I was affirmative.”Akira looked at him with a hint of confusion. “What changed?”Momentarily, he shifted his gaze to meet Akira’s.“I wasn’t warned I’d meet you.”
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The woman before him
“Love is not without risk.”
For weeks since that night, Akira’s words repeated in Itachi’s head. They were too simple for a man so orderly and collected. To risk would be a sin in his rule of books, but how long could he live his life planned before fate interrupted him? No, fate already had. On an early morning woken from the sweet melodies of the birds in the midst of dusk, he remembered his word to supervise Akira on the training ground. When he got downstairs in the Akatsuki lodge, Akira was already up and active, practicing her skillful kicks. He saw her through the small window in the kitchen, observing her in appeal. The kitchen showed no evidence of activity, and apprehending that she was empty-stomached, he sighed in disfavor before putting a pan over the fire and cracking an egg onto the hot oil.With a plate of two egg sandwiches, Itachi stepped out into the yard as Akira noticed his presence in the distance and paused momentarily. She smiled at him.“ Itachi-san ,” Akira said.“Empty stomach training is no good,” Itachi said, moving to and standing under a tree in casual dark trousers and shirt.Akira jogged over as she wiped the sweat beneath her jaw. Not willing to unwrap her hand wrap, she sat down on the grass. “Oh, if a woman could cook…”He sighed as he, too, sat in front of her, looking at her wrapped hands. The man glanced at her gentle-expressioned face after, feeling conflicted.He scanned around for a moment as if searching for threat. Nobody was around nor were the very few members in the Akatsuki lodge awake.Itachi placed the plate on his thigh, getting a hold of one of the sandwich properly. He moved it towards Akira as she took a bite of it. Mouth full, she muffled. “I was starving.”He was careful not to let the sandwich fillings drop. “…Yeah.”Fate interrupted him on the day of his very first encounter with Akira. The Uchiha noticed her surrender to life, he pitied her and considered her weak. Week by week, with no choice but to be at her side, he learned about her—she wasn’t weak—and her life. It began to irritate him because it mesmerized him. How could a woman who walked through paths of blades and thorns with bare feet still manage to smile?Her laughter one evening while they were chopping vegetables was one he thought as strangely graceful. Her slender hands, too concentrated, were shaking while she was trying her best to cut scallions, to earn his approval. She’d claimed she would get used to it after a few cuts which had already taken her minutes, and the noodles were about boiled. Itachi used his elbow to move her to the side, taking over the knife.Akira stood her ground, shaking her head. “No, I got it, I promise.”“The sun has already disappeared. It’s taking too long for just two bowls of ramen.”Her excitement and curiosity raised at the mention, letting Itachi take over. She leaned against the kitchen counter, pulling on her fingers.. “Ramen…I look forward to it. They speak so highly of ramen, is it truly so good?”Itachi’s hands moved quickly, cutting the scallions flawlessly, expressionless. Akira told him before that her village never had any of the treats or dishes or stalls that she had seen in other villages. He found it the most depressing she had not had the most basic meals and snacks. “It is hard to believe that you haven’t had a taste of it.”They both sat across each other on a zabuton , the bowls on the chabudai , a short-legged table. The steam of strong scented broth pat her face, her silver eyes curious. She was enraptured by the amount of toppings the meal had. They both picked up their chopsticks, saying in harmony, “ Itadakimasu. ”Akira watched the man take a bite first. She noticed how he had the spoon right under the noodles he’d lifted, drinking the broth right after slurping the noodles and eating it together.Akira attempted to do the same, taking the noodles into her mouth before blowing on the hot meat broth and drinking it. The woman’s eyes were delighted and widened, glistening with a shimmer. The rest of the bites she took were almost unstoppable, filling her mouth. Akira felt like she could cry from the satisfaction.She caught his distinct stare as she froze, slowly swallowing and wiping her mouth with a napkin. Her cheeks were reddened from both embarrassment and the greatness of the food. After Akira’s betrayals, bloodsheds, battles, and events of misfortune, Itachi added on to her tragedies and made her feel of no importance. It was for the sake of her attachment to a crumbled man. He did not think he even deserved the love she offered him, he wanted to continue feeling pain. He believed he would bring her no good. But, oh , the woman she was.A woman so generous, a woman of tranquility. Nature cheered from her gaze, he thought, her observing eyes sending a breeze of lingering comfort when she’s present. So forgiving, so gentle. How could she still trust anybody, and out of everybody, him? The man who made her cry?They sat on a tree on their way back from a mission for a snack break. She ate onigiri he prepared only for her. Akira took bites as she observed the forest surrounding out of habit. She looked at him, noticing his stare. She glanced down at her snack, then back at him.“Do you want some?” Akira asked.“No,” he answered. Itachi found her facial features so feminine and beautiful, was all. “I’m not hungry.”A rustle was heard within the leaves of the near trees, before a crow glided onto their branch and sat closer to Itachi than it would next to a normal human.“Oh, but he is,” Akira said, leaning back a bit. Itachi shifted his eyes down at the crow, offering it his wrist. The crow stepped on his Akatsuki sleeve, ruffling and shaking its feathers. With two clicks of Itachi’s tongue, the crow flapped its wings, sending air through Akira’s medium length dark hair.She watched in amazement, her eyes widened a little. “It listens to you?”The man scratched the head of the bird, bringing it a little closer to her. “Do you fear it?”Akira scooted away a bit. “It’s…a big bird.”Itachi took note of her movement and stopped, keeping the bird to him. “Crows are nice. They are intelligent.”Akira only observed, peeking over at the bird. She broke off a piece of the onigiri , cautiously giving it to the bird. Itachi noticed and he very slowly and subtly moved his arm, with the crow, closer to Akira.The bird pecked at the rice she held, startling her, making her yelp. “ Eee! ”She narrowed her eyes at the crow.The crow tilted its head.Akira tilted her head.She offered it food again, gradually feeling more comfortable feeding it. The bird plopped off Itachi’s wrist and goofily walked onto Akira’s lap. She fell into a small panic. “ Eh- iya iya iya! It will bite m-”“It won’t, just stay still,” Itachi assured her.The bird’s beak clipped onto her cloak, lifting itself to reach her shoulder. Then it hopped onto her head, residing there. It was a heavy bird.Akira was frozen as she tried to look up, then glanced at Itachi. “What’s it doing?”“It likes you,” Itachi replied, lost within the look on her surprised face.The crow moved down to her shoulder, then her arm. It played around with Akira’s hair with its beak. Akira smiled, her cheeks faintly blushing. How could she ever forgive the deceiving world?The winter greeted them with flakes of snow falling outside of the Akatsuki hideout. The lodge was empty of members so the man took advantage and decided to clean the living and the dining room. There was faint radio playing in the background, occasional podcasts and weather reports, or pieces of music. Soon they would countdown to midnight for New Year’s Day. On the stove was boiling tea, it was about time so he put down the cleaning rag near the window and rushed into the kitchen. Itachi turned off the gas before looking over at Akira who was assigned to put the washed pillow covers back onto the couch cushions after she practically insisted on helping. She seemed frustrated, struggling“What’s wrong?” Itachi asked, concerned as he stepped out of the kitchen and over to her. She sitting criss-crossed on the floor, looking up at him. Her hair was half down and half up into a short messy ponytail.“The zipper won’t close,” Akira answered as she handed him the cover with a sigh of surrender. She stood up beside him, watching him try. The zipper was stuck, so he added more force to it. It would not budge. Itachi put it closer to his face, examining it. His eyesight was not so good, so he had to concentrate.While he was super focused, Akira’s silver eyes glanced at his tan skin. His side bangs fell so elegantly on his face, as her eyes shifted down to his neck. She saw his necklace and was intrigued. It looked like it was made out of raw materials, so filled with curiosity, she reached for it as she gently touched one of the three metal circles.Itachi was startled by her sudden move, glaring at her. She quickly moved her hand away, bowing a little. “Sorry, I wanted to see the, eh...”He watched her awkwardly. The tension for the next half-minute was making Akira nervous. Strangely enough, he took a step closer to her, a greenlight of allowance. Akira’s heart raced as she eyed up at Itachi, who wished she’d stop looking at him with those eyes. She glanced down at his necklace again, as she lightly pinched the material of the string, gently rubbing it.“Was it a gift?” She questioned, her voice trembling from their closeness.Itachi shook his head.“Oh. Does it mean anything?”He shook his head.“Oh. For style? How did you find it? It’s very well-made.”“I didn’t know this was an interrogation,” he commented.Akira stepped back, letting go with a nervous smile. “ Gomen, I didn’t mean to.”The woman turned and put on a cover on the other couch cushion. She felt his presence leave so she assumed he went back to cleaning the windows in the dining room and moved on from the moment.Only to see his necklace being handed to her.Akira confusedly and quickly shifted her eyes up at Itachi who was in front of her suddenly. Did he just walk around the sofa to stand in front of her instead of just calling her to get her attention? What a guy.She lightheartedly snickered at not only his awkwardness, but his consideration. “Really?”The man did not respond. But she took this once in a lifetime opportunity and grabbed the necklace, putting it around her neck. Akira felt super important and childishly powerful.“Then? Does it look nice?” She asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.His expression was neutral as he crossed his arms. “Not really. It’s just a necklace.”It was like she was shoved into a pile of icy snow, a subtle pout on her face. Akira learned that the moon could crash on Earth and Itachi would still not be anywhere near romantic or complimenting.Akira sighed. “Grumpy man. I think it looks good on me.”Itachi narrowed his eyes in irritation. “Give it back. I will not share when I am insulted.”She put her hands behind her back and stepped back a bit with a cheeky look. “Nuh-uh.”He stepped forward.She stepped back.Again.And again.To push it a little more, she leaned in, whispering. “Grumpy man.” Akira began to grin, as she turned to rush off but instead Itachi stood on the other side too—his speed was incredible—making Akira halt and her clumsiness brought her to lose her balance. Itachi widened his eyes a bit, quickly stepping in and holding her but their legs tangled up, making both of them fall onto the sofa. His weight was more than hers, so he brought her right down with him, Akira on top of him. Their bodies invaded each other’s personal space drastically, as he was firmly holding her shoulders still. Itachi let go out of panic, but that only caused her upper body to jerk closer to him. She avoided getting any more closer by swiftly clutching the couch’s hand rest. Their faces were so close—his necklace hanging from her neck.The quiet and slow jazz in the background from the radio did not help. Awkward.Akira’s breath got heavier, as her body twitched a centimeter closer to him. When was it ever that they were this close? All alone? With a racing heart, Akira glanced down at his lips but her anxiety was too much. She attempted to move away from him but suddenly Itachi sat up, crossing the limit and the line she thought they had. His body was already touching hers but barely, her hips right on top of his lap. Her head tilted a bit, taking a shaky breath. God, she could kiss him. And he hoped she did.“ ..AAAND the New Year arrives in just a minute, isn’t that something? We have the countdown ready, so drinks up people, it’s gonna get exciting! ” A man on the radio exclaimed.“Ooh, fireworks,” Akira said happily as she moved off him. “Let’s get on the roof! We might get a view.”As she left before him towards the backyard, Itachi felt like he could drown. The wave of embarrassment got to him as he rubbed his face, calming himself and his body. He was severely disappointed. What kind of woman was she?Itachi quickly moved off the couch, following her out. He used his basic shinobi skills to hop onto the roof of the back porch before hopping onto the actual roof. Akira had just taken a seat as she patted the space beside her. Itachi sat there, his fingers locking and his arms resting on his lifted knees. It was cold but there was no snowfall at the moment. They both were silent for the next seconds, waiting and gazing out into the night sky with comforting silence.A small ball of light left a trace of line in the sky as it went off into a firework, followed by many others.On the rooftop, it felt refreshing to be next to the person who could make the simplest things matter, because the small things were the ones that brought joy to the heart. It was a new feeling for the Uchiha, for he had never met a being like her. She was incomparable, he thought, for unless it was the moment of peace in the era of calamities.Akira made him feel new.Itachi inhaled, his eyes on the blasting sparkles in the sky. That’s when he felt a kiss on his cheek. He froze up, unable to take his next breath. It was considerably dark and chilly but his cheeks were warming up, giving off a shade of maroon. Itachi was baffled as he turned his head to look at Akira.She watched him for a moment before smiling. Her hands were shaking so she hid them beneath her thighs.It was beautiful. In that moment, everything was.He considered forever with the woman before him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
My devotion to you
They never titled or claimed themselves as anything, but to say the least, the two were lovers. Besides the taunts from Kisame and the side-eyes from Sasori, nobody batted an eye. Deidara and Hidan continued having delusional thoughts and their commentary and their arguments on who would win the girl over.
It had been nearly a year since Itachi accepted hope and change. Over the months, it got awkward sometimes, mainly because of Itachi’s lack of words. He was silent a lot of the time and unresponsive, but the man did tend to show his care through his subtle actions. He would check up on Akira often and cook her meals she preferred. Sometimes when she was in her lab corner too long, he would cut up fruits and just set it on her table instead of convincing her to stop—she was just stubborn. Their rooms were right next to each other’s but they still maintained to be careful and professional. Never once had they gotten physical, but it made it easy for them to visit one another while being discreet.
Missions were still carried out by Akira. In regards to the attacks they anticipated, there were rarely any or at least very small and easy to dodge. Though it should’ve been a relief, Itachi sensed that it was odd but he did not overthink it too much as Akira continuously told him that it was hers to worry about, not his. He wanted to argue back on those discussions but it wasn’t like he needed her permission to worry or protect her.
Akira once told Itachi of her wanting to meet his younger brother Sasuke again. She learned that due to unfortunate events, Sasuke had willingly left the Village of Konoha and was seeking the power he yearned for from Orochimaru. Itachi could not do anything about it but watch his little brother from the shadows, ensuring his safety, and it had been a very while since that day. Akira nearly scolded Itachi on this matter, telling him that he needed to speak to her about events that would flood his mind. He was not used to sharing pieces of information about his life with anybody, but she let him know he did not need to bear his burdens and pain alone. Not anymore.
Akira’s presence made Itachi feel like an imposter to himself, as his thoughts were considering possibilities he would’ve never considered before. He tended to fall into a state of anxiety, thinking if he could ever manage to resolve issues he left behind. He thought, perhaps if he came clean about his intentions to the village, to his younger brother, he wouldn’t need to walk down the path he planned. Itachi didn’t have to be a mastermind and manipulate his life. For an amount of time, he thought he was going insane for even thinking of such things. Surely, he was not. He was only giving himself a chance to happiness.
Perhaps one day he could sit beside her on the porch of their house. Just the mere thought stirred his heart.
Akira was a woman worth the change of his plans. Itachi thought accepting her love and loving her would be a bundle of mess like the series of chaos in his life. Somehow, she turned it all around. His illness he possessed was a major threat to his life, but with the help of Akira’s pills designed specifically for him, Itachi could live and he desired to stay alive now. He could live and solve his problems. He could live and be with his younger brother, his only family. He could live and stay beside the woman so dear to him.
The woman who weakened the iron barrier of his heart.
The storm on the way to a small mission was getting too intense. The mission was to tail a certain man, but the erratic weather made it not possible for them to reach him in time. The two needed a place to reside for the time being, and being in the middle of nowhere, their last resort was to find a cave. There was a cave high up on a hill that was barely visible due to storm fog. As they carefully made their way up, Itachi was close behind her to make sure she did not lose her balance.
The cave was spacious and considerably neat. Without taking off their coats, Itachi used one of his fire style
jutsus
to start a small bonfire on mere rocks. They both took off their cloaks and laid them flat into a corner and then sat close together in front of the fire.
Akira shuddered before glancing at the man beside her. Though he never looked lively, Itachi also did not seem so cold either. Not only to her, but to everybody. Itachi was willing to be approachable. She brought out the best in him. It was just his inability to communicate normally, so when he sensed she was watching his face she found so precious and the fire reflecting in his dark orbs, Itachi ignored it purposely. He was nervous because he wouldn’t know what to do or say despite them being close in understanding and comfortability.
She moved her hand over to his, their fingers intertwined. She lifted his hand and kissed it, catching him by surprise. Akira was affectionate unlike him, she preferred small romantic gestures whether she was giving them or given them. Itachi looked down at their hands, his thumb slowly rubbing her hand. He was not good at expressing his love, but it was all from the bottom of his heart.
During the quietness, Akira gave a sigh that appreciated the tranquility in her life. The sweetness of doing nothing meant so much with a man she loved endlessly. He made her feel like she was brand new. The world and their past had been so loud, so noisy, demanding their miserable state. But with one another, just the simplicity of sitting next to each other made them feel like they were home.
Home.
They rested against the wall and didn’t speak about anything specifically. The storm calmed after an hour or so and Akira’s attention was completely locking outside. Itachi had his eyes closed for a while, until he felt Akira stand up. He looked up at her walking away. He didn’t speak and only observed her.
It was like she was hypnotized to step outside. It was raining, and Akira would be damned to not appreciate the blessing rain. She drew a long breath.
The Uchiha saw her tilt her head up a bit, letting the droplets on her face. She stood like that for a few seconds, not a thought of irritation from the cold or wetness crossing her mind. Akira was so beautiful in Itachi’s eyes. She was a pure-hearted woman with a face so captivating and starry eyes that not even the moon was worth comparing to.
Akira turned her head to look at Itachi, as her eyes lit up. A faint blush took over her face and Akira smiled at him so wholesomely. She looked lovely to him.
The man’s gaze softened.
The spring storm passed overnight though it was still sprinkling. They’d fallen asleep resting their heads on each other, but when Akira woke up she was unable to find Itachi. The sun was barely out and it was unusual for him to be up before Akira. The woman stepped outside of the cave as she called out.
“Itachi?”
She moved along the path, scanning the trees with her eyes in case he was there. Akira continued to walk on the cliff until she saw him sitting on the edge of it. The woman moved over to him and sat beside him. Itachi glanced over at her and looked like he had been awake for a while.
“What got you up so early?” She asked.
He looked away out into the horizon. The colors of the sunrise were starting to show. “I was waiting.”
She rubbed her eyes. “Waiting…What for?”
“You.”
“Oh okay,” she said, yawning. “Why?”
The man did not reply, he was expressionless at the moment.
Akira didn’t know why he was quiet. He looked more serious than usual.
“Is everything okay?” She asked worriedly, observing.
His right hand was fisted closed but he reached for Akira’s left hand with his thumb and index, holding her delicate fingers.
“Everything is fine,” he said. Itachi’s gaze was down at their hands. He let go of her fingers and with the support of his left hand gently holding her wrist, Itachi slid a sort of darkish ring onto her left hand’s ring finger.
Akira blinked.
“What is this?”
“Commitment,” he responded. “My devotion to you. It isn’t diamond, it’s onyx stone, but-”
Her eyes looked at his face. “Are we married?”
He finally looked at her, speechless. “Wh- I…is that what it means?”
Akira looked so serious. She seemed teary. “This isn’t humorous, what is this?”
The poor guy was genuinely lost. He didn’t understand what he was trying to do either. He just wanted to commit to the woman. The term marriage wasn’t even in his mind. Had he lacked so much normality that he forgot that when a man and a woman commit it was referred to as marriage? From the realization, his lips parted in utter confusion and surprise.
“I am not sure,” Itachi said in a hushed voice.
Akira’s heart pounded rapidly. She shut her eyes and shook her head, maybe she was thinking wrong. But how could one even interpret this wrong? She turned her head towards the sunrise as she opened her eyes with a small smile, panic in her voice. “I didn’t mean to assume wrongly. That’s out of our league, I underst-”
“Akira.”
She turned to look at him almost immediately. “Yes-“
He kissed her forehead while she held her breath. Her eyes widened.
The rising sun shone a ray of soft light on their faces, their silhouette glowing.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
You should stop talking
“Mother, I don’t need-”Akira cut Hiroto off and dramatically hissed, placing her hand over her heart like she was hurt. “ Itaiiiyooo …What happened to ‘Ma’? Are you too old for that now?”Hiroto sighed as he sat down on the pavement next to Itachi. “Tell her, Itachi-san. I’m 5 years old now, nearly 6. And plus, ‘mother’ is more formal and respectful.”“Factual,” Itachi said, nodding his head.Akira frowned, crouching in front of Hiroto. “You will always be my baby.”“But I am not a baby. So please, mother…”“You cannot just randomly decide, Natsuki Hiroto!”“Okaa-san, mo, yamete-kudasai,” Hiroto pleaded. He looked at Itachi as he grinned brightly. Itachi was his favorite person. “Nee, nee! There’s a new manga I’ve been waiting for, you both should come. My friend is waiting there too, and the book store is new and huge. You and mother can find something for yourselves.”Itachi nodded as the two of them stood up. Akira looked so defeated. The three walked through the streets of Village of Shizu, Hiroto in front of them with his hands pocketed, walking all smug. Akira’s brows furrowed. Itachi noticed her feelings about Hiroto’s sudden decision to act so differently—he personally found it quite adorable on the child.Akira and Itachi were free of missions for a while as the recent objective of locating all the Jinchuuriki was achieved, including Naruto, the Jinchuuriki of the strongest Tailed Beast, the 9-Tailed Beast. With true honesty, Itachi believed that as long as he is training and a pupil of Master Jiraiya, with the boy’s passion and ambition, even the Akatsuki couldn’t harm him so easily.While Hiroto and his friends chattered over the manga, Akira was too distracted hawking over her son in jealousy and devastation to notice Itachi reading a certain book he found. She made a face.“He thinks he’s a big kid now.”“He kind of is,” Itachi said.“He’s still kind of a toddler.”“Not really.”Akira turned to this man who was constantly disagreeing with her. She gave him a look before glancing down at his book and decided to take revenge. “What’s that? Make-out tactics? You haven’t even kissed anybody yet.”Itachi closed his eyes in embarrassment. “No, I was just…This is the book an old captain or friend of mine in the Konoha Anbu reads. An unhealthy amount. It was written by the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, an incredibly skilled shinobi.”“A legend, you say…writing novels on..? What is the book even about?” Akira asked as she tried to peek but he shut it. “I’ve purchased it already while you were too busy glaring at Hiroto. He’s been gone for the past few minutes while you were trying to criticize and embarrass me. Let’s go.”Her eyes widened as she looked for Hiroto again but he really wasn’t there.The two stepped out of the store as Akira was absolutely heated. She was going on and on about how different Hiroto became from the last time she met him which was only a week or so ago. Itachi bought two fried chicken on sticks for themselves, taking her to the empty garden by the lake. He silently ate his chicken pieces while they sat under the tree and Akira ate hers aggressively while complaining. Itachi attempted to calm her.“Maybe you should try to politely share your feelings with H-“Akira cut him off frustratedly. “Share my feelings? And the next thing you know he’ll say ‘oh, mother I am far too old to consider feelings’ and then what?”“Well, you do not know that for sure. You won’t until you tr-“She cut him off again. “It is absolutely inconsiderate and rude of Hiroto to just walk off like that. And he prefers you! I am so sure he does!”“That is not possible, you’re his mother, he-“Itachi was cut off yet again by her rambles. He was losing his composure and gave up on speaking to her. For the next few minutes, Akira’s mommy-temper did not go away. They both had finished their snack a while ago so all he could do was sit there and listen to her rants. His eyes glanced down at her lips, intrigued. He recalled what he read in the book.Itachi narrowed his eyes, his focus entirely on her lips as they moved while they spoke. Her words were beginning to muffle out in his mind and all he could hear were the beats of his own heart.“You should stop talking,” he warned.Akira got even more angry, darting a glare at him. “I should stop? Really? I thought you could at least understand a bit but- why would I even expect you to understand, of course you wouldn’t understand, you aren’t a woman being ignored by your own child and-“Itachi leaned himself down and tilted his head slightly, planting a small kiss on her lips while she was in the middle of saying something. Their eyes met, and for the first 3 seconds, she blanked out before realizing what just happened. This was their first kiss.Akira did not know how to react, and so instead, she continued to speak but her tone was much, much quieter now. “…that is a rude interruption, he needs to understand that I am his mom and he must-““You talk too much,” Itachi muttered, kissing her again, for longer this time. Akira breathlessly kissed him back, her hand gently grabbing the side of his neck. He put his weight against her until her head was laying on the grass, and he kissed her slow.Seconds passed and they were trying to get used to it. It might’ve been a whole minute with their lips locked together. Itachi moved his lips down to her throat, pecking a kiss there, then to the side of her neck. It was his kiss on her neck that made her softly gasp. He paused for a moment, before testing his theory. The tip of his tongue came to play in part, and he deepened his kisses on her neck for a bit until he heard a,“ Oh..”Itachi froze at her sensitivity.Akira quickly placed a hand over her mouth, her cheeks scarlet in intense embarrassment. He couldn’t get himself to look at her but he did get off her, turning his head away.She sat up, turning her head away to the opposite direction, her hand still covering her mouth. Akira noticed that the tree they were under was the one where he had taken the cherry blossom petal off her hair during the spring festival.Hiroto lived with old lady Yukimo who took care of several children, so right before darkness, Akira informed her son that her and Itachi would be renting a room in one of the inns. Though upset, Akira still embraced her son before sending him off.After having a simple dinner from a food stall, Akira and Itachi rented a ryokan room. It was quite refreshing as the Akatsuki lodge was getting tiring and uninteresting and it was hard to find time alone.But even now that they had alone time, ever since their kiss they had not exchanged a word.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
…can we make love?
Without further confusion, both of them focused on getting themselves ready for bed. Akira set up their futons together on the tatami matted floor only a foot apart. Itachi decided to use the restroom to change out of his trousers and shirt and Akira took that opportunity to change in the room. By the time Itachi was out, Akira had already turned off the room lights. She was in front of the vertical standing mirror, wearing her light, silky kimono robe she packed for sleep while brushing her hair. She glanced over at Itachi and scanned his dark yukata robe, as he stood near her, focused on adjusting the darker colored belt around his lower waist. Akira noticed a string of thread on his side, as she stepped over, reaching her hand out and taking it off.Itachi noted her gesture and looked at her, to which Akira responded with a small smile. His gaze shifted towards her dark hair that she continued to brush, as he stepped closer until he was behind her. The man’s eyes traveled down her body, making out her figure through the silk robe she wore. The curves of her hips, how the clothing closed in around her slim waist, and as his eyes traveled back up at her chest in the mirror, he held his breath. The outlines of her breasts were beautiful with great shading underneath them to indicate their largeness. He wondered of her skin, if it’d be soft to the touch like her hands, or perhaps softer.He wondered if he could make her make that sound again.Akira noticed his gaze through the mirror. There was obvious tension between them ever since earlier that day and it’d only gotten heavier with his stare. Akira swallowed, deciding to break the silence they stood in.“It's beautiful weather out, no?”The man reverted his perverted gaze and nodded, his head turning towards the glass balcony door. Droplets of rain fell from the night sky, a nice view of the nearby mountains from their room. The crescent moon sent a few rays of moonlight into their dark room.Itachi was a grown man, and he understood what he was feeling. He just didn’t know it would be this urgent. The thought of them getting into action with her beneath him gave his lower region a strange reaction. He did not know his body would be this needy.After all, he was just a man.Itachi turned his head back to her reflection. Although he was partially embarrassed, his need was just stronger. He inched closer to her, putting a hand onto her waist. He quietly, almost innocently said, “Akira?”The woman froze in place, her hand stopping. Her gray eyes looked at his dark ones through the mirror, as he took the hairbrush from her hand and let it drop onto the floor.His love for her overrode any other reason he wanted the night to be theirs. He felt the duty to pleasure her, and give her what would keep her satisfied. He wanted to let her know that even in a state of extreme vulnerability, she could trust him to take care of her. He wanted her to feel safe with him and to prove to her that he was capable of learning and treating her body the right way.“Yes?” Akira said, but it came out like a whisper.Itachi’s hands did not dare move from her sides. His head leaned close to her neck and her ear. “…can we make love?”Akira, in fact, did not know what he referred to, but the term “love” made her cheeks faintly blushed. Her head tilted slightly, indicating she was lost.“I’d like to have sex with you,” he said, his bluntness making her body go tense. Itachi moved his fingers towards the knot of her robe, gently fiddling with it with intentions to open it. His lips grazed behind her ear, placing a light kiss. “Is that all right?”Akira thought the beat of her heart might’ve been loud enough to echo in the room. She shut her eyes, swallowing when his lips touched her skin, his breath sending her shivers. It was severe nervousness she was faced with, but her hands trembled with anticipation.“Akira?” “..hm?”“You can say n-”“Yes,” she said, barely. She opened her eyes in realization.The long night was spent on Itachi investing most of his time into studying nearly every inch of her bare body using his hands and lips while they laid on the futon. Their heavy breaths and share of sensual kisses filled the room, but what also lingered was a new level of comfortability and perennial trust. The devoted acceptance, appreciation, and tenderness from Itachi gradually eased Akira, getting rid of her tension. With the proper care that he provided her, Akira felt safe sharing her soul and body with him. Solemn whispers were exchanged with the background of soft pouring rain drops.
“Are you sure?” He’d say.
And she’d answer, “…I’m sure.”
The faint thunder blended with the sound of their pounding hearts. In the moment of peak vulnerability, with a quiet gasp escaping her from his push, the man held his woman gingerly with concern of her comfortability.
“Tell me to stop. Am I hurting you?”
“Itachi!”
“I’m here…”
His movements were ever-so-slow, allowing her to adjust into the unfamiliarity of the delicate situation; he could never cause her pain. Their eyes exchanged feelings words could never decipher.
“Is this okay? Does it feel okay, Akira?”
It was an unforgettable memory yet a clouded haze, in which they discovered a new experience together. Each thrust earned her reaction and each moan earned his affection. The pilled sweat occasionally dripped down his skin while the moonlight kissed the smooth skin of her shoulder. His half-moon gaze watched her expressions of pleasure while they made love, hearing her call out his name in a state of extreme fragility. It was faithfully special, filled with purity and unconditional love. Akira’s current surroundings, her past, they faded when she looked at him, his dotting eyes. Her fingers traced his chest, not knowing she delivered him warmth by doing so. His bangs dangled from the front, some of the strands sticking to the sweat on his face. When his head buried into her neck, he let out low grunts and breaths, not pulling up before leaving sweet, sensible kisses, as his hips rocked back and forth, sending pleasure and tingles all over her body. Their scents and small huffs mixed in as her legs unwillingly began twitching. Akira had an arm hooked around his neck, the other soon clutching onto his open yukata. It was a stomach-twisting feeling when she felt overly sensitive, letting out a soft cry of,
“I love you.”
With all the bridges burnt in his life, all the haunting mistakes, he knew he did at least one thing right.To be young and in love was euphoric, because what better than to look at the face that made one blur the havoc of the world?Akira woke with the early morning as always, a soft smile painting her lips when she saw Itachi sleeping on his side. With his hand under his head, his shallow breath grazed his arm. She studied every aspect of his facial structure, noticing all bits of his features, from his remarkable stress marks to the texture of his light tan skin. The darkness under his eyes was evidence of his lack of rest in general, but he slept no differently than a baby at that moment.Itachi quietly muttered. “You’re staring.”Akira’s grin grew. “Am I?”The woman leaned in to place a loving kiss on his cheek. And for a moment, he smiled.His precious, morning smile.It faded away quickly and he let out a heavy exhale in almost disapproval, which inspired her soft kiss to turn into an attack. She pecked his nose, the corner of his lips, his lips, his ear, the side of his forehead.“Akira,” he said, shifting to lay on his back as he turned his head away slightly.
“Hai?”
…his eyelids, his under eyes, his jawline, his chin, almost every centimeter of his face. And repeat.“Are you finished?”“Mm...No...” Akira replied, sticking to repeatedly kissing his lips.Unexpectedly, with his eyes still closed, he wrapped his arms around Akira and pulled her into an embrace as she giggled. He locked her in place, preventing her from getting up.“Let go, please,” she kindly requested.“Negative.”Akira bit his chest lightly which made Itachi’s grip loosen a little and open his eyes. She took the opportunity to fully move her body on top of his, straddling him as she leaned down to kiss his lips. Itachi gently held the sides of her head, his thumb caressing her cheek as he, too, engaged with the kiss. When she pulled back, her silver-gray eyes melted into his dark, barely-opened ones.“Last night?” Itachi asked, hugging onto her and moving her off his body then laying her beside him. Akira’s heart softened. “Fervent.”“Hm. Souna no?”“Souna no ne. A night away from the Akatsuki was worth it.”“..I learn that we cannot be trusted alone.”“Surely.” Akira placed her head on his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat. Itachi gently stroked her hair, tucking some of it behind her face. Her arm wrapped around his waist and her finger tapped to sync the beat of his heat.The ability to lay still without feeling hollow was foreign to Itachi. He had somebody to hold now, somebody pull him away from the burning blazes in his life and provide him the ethereal existence of peace.Nothing ever worked before because he hadn’t met her. But she was there now.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
We will survive through this…we have to
Hilarious, the next day. Out on a mission, in the midst of waiting for their victims to appear, Kisame blurted out what he could not ignore.“I wonder why your guys’s smells are mixed together.”Itachi felt like he had been electrocuted.“That shark-smelling sense of yours is not too professional,” he commented.“Well, sure. Say, Akira-san . How did those marks end up on your neck? They seem rough.”Kisame knew damn well what he was doing.Akira was startled by his question as she quickly placed her palm against her neck. “I um, I fell.”Kisame creepily smirked. “Youngsters…”“Enough of this, Kisame. Focus on the mission.”In a tone of defense, he spoke, feeling dramatically insulted because he was the one who brought them together in the first place. “ Psht. Can I get credit, at least?”The Uchiha loved her in spite of his deep fears that if he trusted fate too much, it would separate them. But their past lives of cruelty could never hold them back nor come in between their love. He used to feel vulnerable allowing himself to love and receive love, but after spending nearly 2 years with Akira, Itachi knew he was at the peak of his life and he appreciated and cherished every minute of it. Gradually, the nightmares that kept him up almost every night intruding his mind were fading away, until they never returned.He was a man of few words, but reached that level of comfortability to share small conversations with her, whatever it may be. Often, without thought, he told her stories of Sasuke as a toddler. His description of Sasuke’s adorableness made Akira smile and chuckle, listening to him with all her focus. It felt good to have somebody waiting for you after being exhausted from a tiring mission. It felt good to be in her embrace, to listen to her sweet voice, and feel the touch of her angelic skin. To lay on her despite being a weight blanket and to just listen to the sound of her heart beat and her slow breaths. Akira was a woman he was truthfully comfortable being around. They shared many of his morals, values, and beliefs, but she wasn’t his reflection either. Akira taught him that it was a matter of mindset that dictates how you will live your life. He did not need to fear fate and manipulate his life.Itachi’s life with Akira felt like a fever dream.Problems arose between Akira and Itachi, but not relating to their relationship.Pain’s recent summoning was regarding all of the Akatsuki members’ intake on what recently had been going on in their villages. Itachi hadn’t visited Konoha in a very while, so other than him and Akira, of course, everybody was aware and looked considerably surprised. When the news broke to Itachi and Akira, they were practically shaken.“Majority of the Anbu corps?” Itachi repeated Pain’s words, his tone struggling to stay deadpan.“Yes. Whether they are allies or not, they are joining together for this certain task—The task to either capture or finish off Remnant. Although I doubt capturing will be an option anymore because I see a pattern. None of them want a shinobi with abilities so manipulating. Shinobi with utter abilities are looked down upon, I’m sure you as an Uchiha would know.”Itachi stayed silent just as everybody else did. They shifted their gaze towards Akira.“Please leave this to me,” she said without hesitation. “I understand and even insist that the Akatsuki stays out of this dilemma that is directed towards me. It is a problem for me to face. I shall handle it.”Itachi’s piercing glare flicked towards Akira.Deidara and Hidan muttered in annoyance.“Leave it to me and I’ll kill them all,” Hidan declared. “They won’t dare touch you!”Deidara added, “I will use my art to scare them away, hm! They won’t ever show their faces again.”Pain stared at Akira for a moment before speaking. “Very well. It won’t be long until they all hunt us individually in search of you. Make your decision quickly and act upon it. Your exilation will be declared through Konan, and the moment you get the word, your presence shall be as far as it can get.”Akira nodded. “ Wakarimashita. ”On their journey back, Itachi was dead silent, not even wanting to glance at Akira, the girl he so observed while walking through forests. When Akira entered her bedroom inside of the Akatsuki lodge and was just about to close the room door, Itachi abruptly pulled the knob from her grip. She turned to look at him as he stepped inside, backing her before he shut the door behind him using his foot. “ A problem for you to face? ” Itachi repeated her words, his tone stingy. “I’d be damned if I allow you to recklessly deal with this issue alone. Do you understand? Do you understand the graveness of the situation?”Akira only began to speak. “ Itachi-san , I understand that you’re upset. I just do not want you dragged into th-”“You do not get to decide that for me!” He practically yelled. Never once had he raised his voice on Akira. His loss of composure and temper was evidence to the direness of the conflict. “Do you understand? We are speaking of Anbu, shinobi as skilled as us, teams coming together from several villages despite being non-allies. For the past year they’d been waiting, calculating the plan to bring you down, hence the lack of encounters and attacks we’ve had. And you believe you can ‘handle’ this by yourself? Are you sick?”The two of them were silent. He turned away from her and shut his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, inhaling and trying to maintain himself.Akira reached out for him. “Itachi, please-”“No,” he cut her off, his voice quieter, looking at her again. “No.”“Itachi. Hear me,” she demanded strictly, but her voice never failed to remain its gentleness. “Before I met you I was able to survive, wasn’t I? I defeated several, did I not? So why are you doubting me now, my Itachi? Why not have faith in me?”“Because you won’t kill them,” he responded straightforwardly. “I know this. You would not kill a soul. Ever since that day, the day I found you, you have not killed a single man who came after you. You hesitated to kill that woman and it almost got you killed.”“She had a life ahead of her.”“And you don’t?”Itachi sharply exhaled, his eyes nearly begging. Akira almost wanted to frown. She moved over to her bed and sat down on the edge of it, her head lowered. The man kneeled in front of her, taking her hands in his.“ Anata,” he began, his tone much quieter. “I am here with you for a reason, am I not? You can refuse, but I will fight you to fight beside you. I will protect you. We will survive through this…we have to. Together, nee? ”Her heart ached, breaking bit by bit. Akira leaned her forehead against his, nodding a bit. “Together.”Itachi sighed, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Your hardships are mine. I cannot lose you to a world so hostile.”Akira squeezed his hand, forcing a small smile. She kissed his lips. “Grumpy man.”“I did not intend to raise my voice.”She embraced him as his arms wrapped around her torso, his head against her chest.That night, from her eyes to the pillow ran down her tears. In a cruel dilemma, Akira was restless, keeping her soft sobs muffled against her blanket. She wanted to rush to Itachi next door, she wanted to grab his hand and run, “ Run with me, ” she wanted to say. She wanted to have their own place, their own house they could consider home, and she wanted to live with him and have him beside her so that she could point out his awkward gestures and cause him a hint of strict embarrassment. She wanted to have his dawn rises, his midnights, and she wanted to be stained with his scent. She wanted to raise Hiroto with him.She wanted to have a family with him,Children.To deem a man like him to a battle that was hers, she could not dare to risk his life, strong or not. Itachi had suffered enough. She hoped for his forgiveness.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Where is she?
On his way back to the lodge from a check-up on Sasuke at Orochimaru's hideout, Itachi took out a pill from the small jar Akira had prepared and filled for him. It was the last pill in that pocket jar, so he looked forward to getting back and watching her restock it or even prepare the medicine.He looked forward to seeing her face, her moon-like eyes.Strangely, Itachi began hearing faint explosions in the distance. He leaped through the trees quicker, figuring that they were coming from the direction of the Akatsuki lodge. The closer he got, the more the earth shook. He narrowed his eyes once he neared the area, trying to get a view.The Akatsuki lodge was being destroyed and blown up, Deidara standing on a craft of his in the air, throwing down clay bombs like he was spreading flower petals at a wedding. Itachi was with no words as he stopped at a safe distance. Itachi shouted. “Deidara! What are you doing?”“Ahh, Itachi.” The blondie stopped for a moment before he lowered his craft to ground level. “Believe it or not, the lodge has been found. Some group of guys were spying on us and they escaped when we found ‘em, except one though. He said his people would arrive in no time to defeat us. So foolish, hm .”Itachi stared at the rambling guy.“But Pain told me to destroy this place since we won’t be living here anymore. I hope we find a better-”“Akira,” Itachi interrupted. “Where is she?”Deidara’s expression turned into one of annoyance. “Konan came.”Itachi’s eyes widened. He stumbled back, turning around and quickly sprinting off while Deidara was shouting nothings at him. Itachi’s heartbeat was quickening. If Akira was exiled, where would she have went? To Hiroto?No,She wouldn’t risk his safety.He nearly lost balance trying to hurry. Once Itachi arrived at the Hidden Rain Village, he entered Pain’s facility unannounced. Pain turned to see the alarmed man.“Where is Akira?” Itachi demanded rather than asked.The orange haired man with several piercing in concerning locations was not fazed nor startled by his presence.“She learned of the lodge’s exposure where the majority of the Akatsuki eat and sleep being found out,” Pain told Itachi.“That doesn’t answer my question.”“She’s been exiled.”Itachi activated his Sharingan, stepping closer. “Pain. Where is she?”Pain stood unflinching.“Itachi,” Konan suddenly arrived, standing on the window sill, breathless and soaked from the rain. The Uchiha’s eyes darted towards the blue haired woman. “She’s gone to fight on her own. I scouted, there are over 400 shinobis. She’s probably arrived by now.”Itachi was frozen.“Go,” Konan said, her expression in a slight panic. She raised her voice. “Go!”The forest they walked through together that once looked so peaceful but now was an obstacle slowing him down. Itachi was sweating, his body tensed and his guard up at all times. His heart felt as if it would burst any moment, the thought of her in menacing danger made it hard for him to breathe.In the distance he heard dying chatters, unsureness and confusion filling him. A battle was to be loud, unless…Itachi’s hands grew weak. He hurried, and after a few minutes that felt like hours passed, he breathlessly arrived.Within the silence of the serene field passed by a breeze of tension for he saw no dead bodies like he did the first time he was there. The ground was clear instead, it was green, he saw no red grass like he did the first time he was there. The dismal sky was gray but he did not feel a hint of small drops of rain like he did the first time he was there. His eyes darted near the isolated tree in the middle of the field that willowed over a scene that locked his muscles.A few men of Anbu surrounded a body on the ground, some crouched and some standing. Their words weren’t too clear to Itachi.
“We could still take her…”
“Nah, it wont…plus she’ll bleed out within seconds…”
“..her abilities…you know?”
“We should go…avoid it, let’s just leave.”
They all prepared to leave and just before they could walk off, Itachi threw several kunai and shuriken aimed their way. They sensed it and managed to dodge it, as they turned to see the Uchiha with eyes so raging. The free throws were to catch their attention, and as they put on their guard, two of them charged to attack Itachi, and the moment they swung their weapons, he was not there, but rather behind the other two. Itachi grabbed one’s nape, slamming his head into the other’s with force that assured physical brain injury. The attackers swiftly turned around, one of them summoning a rope of fire, lassoing it over Itachi to wrap him. The Uchiha, although with activated Mangekyo Sharingan, did not use any major genjutsu. He leaped back before sprinting himself toward the attacker with the lasso, sending a swift punch to his gut. The man spurted out blood from his core, much of it leaking from below his Anbu mask, flinging off with great speed until his body tumbled and landed on the ground, tangled in his own rope of fire, his neck snapping. The final attacker, the coward, begged for mercy.“No, please,” he said, horrified, with little hope that the Uchiha who approached him with an aura drowned in darkness would let him live to see another day. “Please, Please! Spare me! I won’t harm any-“Itachi kicked the man’s lower abdomen, flinging him into the air as Itachi too jumped, sending a spin-kick to his jaw, and then using his other feet to slam the guy’s head straight down. He hit his face right into the ground 10 inches deep.Itachi landed on his feet, his hands trembling and shaking. His widened, blurry eyes flicked towards the woman under the tree, laying with blood that hid within her dark attire. He stumbled forward, once, twice, before he rushed over to her. He got on the ground in a swift manner, taking her into his arms. “Akira,” he said, his eyes scanning her entire body that was stabbed in every direction, some in vital areas, multiple shuriken blades dug into her skin, still. The cloth over her right thigh was burnt off, her skin of that area a dark shade of red and purple. Her face had many small cuts, blood drooling out of the side of her mouth. If he could see hundreds of bodies on that field instead of hers, he would not waste a breath to accept it.He could not accept this.Her entire body overall was bleeding immensely. A normal being would simply be presumed dead.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
No after
Itachi’s hands stained with her blood as he shook her, his mind blanking out. He put his face close to hers, trying to feel her breath. He put his ear on her chest, listening for her heartbeat but his chaotic mind would not allow him. He used his fingers to check her pulse.It was there, but slow.“Can you hear me? Talk to me.” Itachi shook her body, a sob escaping him. “Akira. Akira, talk. Talk to me, please.”She wouldn’t respond.The Uchiha slid his arms under her, one under her nape, and the other under her thighs. He got ready to lift her, to take her to a hospital. “Itachi…” He paused right before he was getting up.Akira’s quiet breath trembled, her chest feeling a sharp pain.The man’s breath hitched, his grip on her tighter as if to not let her soul get taken away from him. “Akira, I’m right here. Akira,”The woman treasured how her name perfectly rolled out of his tongue every time.“Stay with me. Stay with me, I’m going to get you to a hospital.”“I want to talk.”“We are going to the hospital, we will talk after-““No after.”A sense of betrayal washed over him.“Don’t do this, Akira! You said together. Why?” Itachi’s tone was harsh, he was yelling. “Why, Akira? Why are you doing this to me?”Her eyes opened halfway, her beautiful silver iris meeting his dark and devastated eyes. She just looked at him. And every second she did, Itachi wanted to break down.“You don’t have to forgive me,” she began. “I didn’t mean to lie to you. I couldn’t find you in time and there are piles of burdens on you already, Itachi, I didn’t want you to carry mine too.”“You believe this is better for me? Don’t give me that, Akira, that’s bullcrap!"“It’s not just you, I thought of Hiroto, I thought of Sasuke. They will be safe now, they will not be targeted because of me anymore. When I sensed truth in your eyes, Itachi, I knew you would be different from the rest of the world, and you are, Itachi. You are deserving of all the positives, Itachi, don’t you ever forget that. A glance from you effaced the imploring demands of isolation and distance, and your sole simplicity saved me from deeming this world a malediction or claiming myself as a presence in need of an exorcise. You allowed me to love just as you allowed yourself to after self-conflict, and together we made the most cherishing memories, Itachi, I do not regret a moment with you. Right now, please…don’t be mad. I want us to talk.”Itachi found utter sincerity in her words that did not hesitate to pour out while his pooled tears fell one by one out of his widened eyes. He looked at the blood oozing out of her rapidly and creating a puddle. He wasn’t ignorant. He knew she wouldn’t survive, also hence her quick words. His palm cupped one of the leaks on her body in fruitless hopes, his hand painted with the blood of his lover.The Uchiha’s grip on her loosened and he let her rest in his arms gingerly.“You’re all I have,” Itachi said as if telling her the simplest fact. His now-soft voice was breaking. “You are the only one I have, can’t you see? Can’t you see what you have done to me? Akira, I found tremendous hope through you. You made me feel odd, you made me desire to have a future, Akira. It could…it can be us, Akira, I can disentangle and fix everything, I promise. I was prepared, I planned. We can leave the Akatsuki, we can find a home inside a small village. We can raise Hiroto together, I can train him. Akira, we can have our own…”Itachi needed to stop to breathe, he was holding it.“Children?” She said.He replied, “With your eyes.”“Your face.”The man frowned.A tear rolled down the side of Akira’s face.“You taught me how to live, not just survive,” Itachi whispered quietly. “When I saw you, I saw my future. I felt free. The delicacy of your love salvaged me from the wreckage of my life of torturous tribulations. You made me feel human, Akira. You made me feel.”The silence between them got so suffocating that even the soft rumbles of the darkened evening sky were ignored by his conscious. Itachi’s gaze never left her graceful face. With every minute that passed, he could see her face getting paler, her delicate iris he always got lost in.“So many months together but I’ve never heard you say it...”Itachi took her hand in his. He had a lump in his throat. “Nee.. ” Akira whispered. “Please, just once…”“Aishiteru. ” His voice broke, as he kissed her hand. “I love you Akira, I’ve loved you for so long, I want to keep loving you, so please,”He sobbed, his eyes wanting to shut but he needed to see her.“I love you, Itachi, so much,” Akira said, her hand squeezing his hand with all her strength, which was very little. She didn’t want to leave, no, she wanted to cling onto his warmth.He just found bliss, how could it be stolen away from him so quickly?“You’re being unfair. I’m losing you.”“I’m sorry.”Her eyelids closed, covering the light he always met in her gray eyes. Her hand’s grip loosened on his alarmingly, as Itachi’s heart stung. His mouth agape, the quietest of shudders escaping his lips. The rattling trees stopped, just as the enraging wind and the screeches of the harsh breeze. The nature was still, the minimum daylight of the unseen sunset fading into the darkness of the clouds. One could say it was silent, almost too silent, though Itachi’s mind screamed in agony at the wicked twist of fate.An hour.And two.Three, then.So dark and cold, the midst of night. So disturbing, the crickets.The very bit of dawn welcoming cordial hues of calm colors.Calm the sky, but not his heart.Never his heart.Lay in his arms was the body of his lover. He stared down at her with his own eyes of lifelessness.Numb, his body, his mind, and his heart.How foolish he was to fall in love. He was a walking curse and now a crestfallen man. To think he ever considered leaving everything behind for a woman who changed the way he viewed the world for a period of time because she gave him the peace and hope he missed all along his life. Peace, where he could breathe and experience the freedom of allowing himself to feel and love. Hope, where he thought of living a life where he did not need to excruciate himself, not anymore, and resolve the problems he drowned in. He felt sick to the stomach.Peace and hope, some mere myths.“Catastrophic, truly. I pity you, Uchiha Itachi.”Unflinching, Itachi did not look up at the deep voice that came from above while he was sitting under the willow tree, holding no-more Akira. “Madara.”“It seems like you could not fulfill your promise of protecting her, your own wife. It must be a tragic feeling,” Madara said in a tone which suggested Itachi was to blame.Itachi felt a sense of discomfort thinking that masked Madara may have watched him from the shadows even he could not sense. Due to no response, Madara continued to speak.“It happens to us Uchiha more often than we can predict. The world nor treacherous fate has ever been on our side, Itachi, are you really surprised? You are soft, weak. Perhaps you should-”“Leave,” Itachi demanded, his voice insentient.“As you wish,” the voice said. “I do have to say, though. It was commendable, her faithfulness to you. Her everlasting fidelity.”
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Forgive me, Sasuke…but this is it
The last of his medicine was taken that day. The night she became his beautiful memory was the night he lost his will to live. Deidara and Hidan were depressed and angered by her death. They liked the girl, romantically or not, her presence made the mood within the Akatsuki slightly less unpleasant and gloomy. She had a gentle nature to her in contrast to the aggression of the criminal organization. Sasori thought it was unfortunate, and Kakuzu did not bat an eye at the news.Konan was a kin to the man. She could understand.The destruction of the Akatsuki Lodge left very little, but Akira’s bedroom was almost untouched. Itachi did not think to try and produce the medicine himself, despite the scrolls of recipe and the availability of resources. Unintentionally often, he visited the empty, dust-collecting room. He saw the herbs she grew in the pots near her window die and hunch day by day. Every time he entered, Akira’s lurking scent brought back her presence, Itachi felt her close to him. But she was not there.The forests he once walked through beside her were now taunting reminders of her loss. The uniqueness of the leaves and the details of nature that he once found beautiful began to seem dull, as if they were longing to be gazed at through shining eyes. Him, too. Gray skies and large misty clouds were not just indications of the weather anymore, they were alarms that frowned upon the sudden disappearance of a cherubic soul. Him, too.Akira’s small smiles when she caught his stare, her attempts to lock her hand with his while Kisame focused away, her soft whispers to fluster and distract him of his chores, her gentle touch that still traced on his skin, these loops of recalls ate him alive.He was left to bear these sweet, tormenting memories.His nightmares returned, surely intensified. For weeks, Itachi did not speak. Kisame saw the dejection in his eyes, deeming him as a scripted soul who lived a life of a repetitive routine. Akira’s lingering absence affected the man gravely yet subtly. Itachi did not refuse meals and got through missions just fine. But everything was far worse than before Itachi met Akira, somehow. Kisame favored Akira and wished her existence, because again he had to deal with a quiet, inanimate man on missions.The only comfort Itachi was left with were icy droplets of rain she used to intently let touch her skin. So he stood outside a certain cave, keeping his head tilted up until his face was numb from the coldness.His illness worsened and the Uchiha went back on the path with his former plans that were disturbed for a moment by what felt like a fever dream. Itachi sparred with his little brother, Sasuke, whom he drove to immense hatred to the point he had the unwavering intention of killing Itachi. “Itachi, what I’m seeing right now is you dead at my feet. ”But then unarmed with no power to attack and now way to escape, Sasuke stared in horror at the giant orange chakra flames of Itachi’s Susanoo while Itachi’s bruised and bleeding self limped towards him, backing him to a broken wall. The closer he got, the more Sasuke’s legs trembled in fear and he breathed shakily, more so when Itachi moved out his arms towards what seemed to be Sasuke’s eye. Of course he was not going to kill his little brother. Then, an unexpected smile from Itachi. His weak voice.“Forgive me, Sasuke…but this is it. ”Two fingers tapped Sasuke’s forehead, soon sliding down his face as Itachi fell down next to his feet.That was his end.The truth and the story of Itachi’s life was unraveled to Sasuke by the orange-masked man who claimed himself as Madara, leaving the teen in utter incredulity.”…but Itachi,” Madara began, “had killed his friend, his superiors…had killed his lover, and his father, and his mother.”He crouched in front of tied-up Sasuke, whose eyes were broadened.”The only one he could not kill…was his little brother.”
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The worst is over
It was a petty and regular occurrence but Itachi always disliked the sharpness of the sunlight. So every time he used to open his eyes, his face was nearly scrunched.But this time, he opens them softly and effortlessly. He sits up on what seems to be a lawn beside a cabin he could not recognize. He does not know where he is, but he finds the tinted gray sky and the faint chill in the atmosphere so calming.“Itachi,” she says. “You’re here?”He remembers the voice all too well. His eyes widen, his head turning to look at the woman in a beautiful yet simple dress beside him.His Akira.He is silent, his mouth agape. His brows furrow in bewilderment before swallowing hard and speaking under his breath. “ Anata… ”Akira’s signature gray eyes greet him so warmly as she smiles with a hint of excitement which faded into an expression of worry. “I did not hope to see you so soon…”Itachi does not want to ask where he was. He feels he belongs, somehow. This foreign land felt like home. Sprinkles of raindrops begin to fall onto them as he tilts his head up slightly. “Will it rain?”“I think it will.”“You love the rain.”“I do.”He looks at her, a frown wanting to take over him but he could not afford that. He leans into her, wrapping his arms around her torso while his face buries into her neck. He inhales her like she was the oxygen he was missing. “Akira…”She softly chuckles. “That tickles.”“Yeah?” He quietly mutters.Akira embraces him, caressing his back comfortingly. The man sighs a huff of great relief, his eyes glancing down at the grass they sat on. He reaches and plucks a small flower, pulling back from the hold. He gazes intently at her graceful face, tucking a portion of her hair behind her ear.”..it wasn’t fair,” he says, placing the poppy in her hair.”I know. I’m sorry, Itachi.”Itachi cups both of her hands with his, kissing her forehead. Akira plants a soothing peck on his cheek before looking into his eyes.”The worst is over. You’re with us now.”“Us?”“Itachi!” Calls out a woman from inside of the cabin’s backyard door that slid open. He shifts his gaze up to see his mother standing with a spatula and a rag. The woman grins brightly.His grip loosens around Akira, and he widens his eyes. “Mother?”She waves her hand, then gesturing for them to come towards her. “Get inside, you two! It will rain!”Itachi lets go of Akira, quickly standing up and rushing to his mother on the steps. The man holds her hand in utter disbelief yet gratefulness while she looked at her son. He kisses his mother’s soft fingers. “ Nee , your father also wants to see you. Greet him well,” Mikoto instructs.Behind her steps up his father, Fugaku’s arms crossing. Itachi stands straight, taking an inhale.“Father…”“My son,” Fugaku says, his voice as stern as always.“I’m so sorry, mother, father…Please, please forgive me-“His mother cuts him off. “We forgive you, Itachi. You’ve suffered so much. We understand.”“You’ve done well. We’re proud of you, son,” his father adds.Itachi does not know what to say anymore. He was just at ease.Akira steps beside him, joyful to see Itachi at such relief. Mikoto smiles at Akira. “And you really did pick a wonderful bride.”“Bride…” Itachi glances at Akira.His wife.The young woman gives him a cheeky look with a small grin.Itachi sighs, his heart fluttering. “Yes. Yes, I did.”“We don’t want the stew to get cold. I like it warm. Let’s get inside, it will rain, anyways,” Fugaku insists.The parents turn around, heading inside with an exchange of words with each other.Akira grabs Itachi’s hand, looking at him softly.“Shall we?”
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To complete Everlasting Fidelity sent a strange sense of gratification upon me. What was supposed to be just a piece of writing, a fan-fiction, ended up becoming my first completed project—one that was worth spending days and months on.It was a journey writing this, to say the least. Although I am sure I could have done a far better job with events, vocabulary, and descriptive writing, I hope it got the point across and sincerely wish it was worth your valuable time.Natsuki Akira quickly became a character I grew attached to. I had her personality set in my mind, and I would be damned if I failed to express her character through my writing or made her sound completely off and corny. Akira was a woman of tranquility, who had a beautiful, calming aura to her. She had great appearance and was quite modest, but her mere presence that brought peace overrode her physical attractiveness. Polite and gentle, her purpose was to be a sort of kin to Itachi, same morals but a different, positive mindset, and endless hope. Her simplicity was something that stood out, she was the most balanced woman with no extreme sides but leaning a bit towards serenity with a sweet nature.I would like to point out an unbelievably common misconception and problem within the Naruto fandom which I would very much like to clear up—Izumi Uchiha does not exist. She was not written or made by Kishimoto and she not appear in the manga, as well. She is almost an equal to a filler-episode character, and a careful fan would know this. Those wondering of the novel where Itachi trapped her into a genjutsu and gave her a remarkable life; for your own sake, please search the writers of these novels. Once again, almost none of them were written by Kishimoto himself. The only non-manga thing he admittedly says to be canon was Naruto’s wedding movie.Personally and undeniably, it is very much odd that a girl would crush on a boy she shared a clan and blood with. Itachi does not deserve such a thing, and knowing his personality through Shippuden, I simply cannot see him ending up with somebody like her. Itachi also showed 0 signs of romantic interest. Frankly, I strongly believe his partner would rather share most bits of his character and have similar experiences to develop a stronger understanding, communication, and comfort, but also not somebody whose mind works exactly like his—every man has a flaw and a partner should be able to help them with it. Clearly, Izumi was not that. But worry not, she does not even exist.In chapter 32 of my writing, towards the end in a sentence of Madara’s, I underlined the word “lover”. It is rumored that it got lost in translation from Japanese to English manga, and that the “lover” was never mentioned. Nonetheless, I included it. What I find very much thrilling is that we know that Izumi never existed, so who was this lover mentioned by the man who watched Itachi’s life so closely? Surely, this woman could not have been from his childhood days nor his village, but somebody who he rather met during his attendance in the Akatsuki. Who exactly is this mysterious woman that the Uchiha might’ve admired and supposedly caused her death? We will never know and never get a hint of straight answer, and I am so joyful that it is that way. This allows the reader to be left with amazement and ideas or theories.And Everlasting Fidelity was mine.Hi, I say as I end of this letter. My name is Ri, I am a writer who has a strong passion towards writing as I am in the midst of writing a draft belonging to a book of mine. I do not particularly wish to create any more fan-fictions, but if it kicks in, I might throw a single chapter scene. I have very specific views that are not really accepted easily by the Naruto fandom, but I wouldn’t change a single thought of mine. Itachi will forever be a character who is dear to me, and thank you for reading this story a well as this letter. （＾∇＾)ノ