The last time he saw clothing so small– it was for his little brother, Sasuke. And he wore them so well…
It’s a nice memory to hold onto.
“Do you think you’re ready?” He remembers what it was like to follow his Mother around when she was pregnant. Often complaining of pains in her back and feet, needing help with tasks she usually took care of completely on her own. Itachi’s work would be minimal, and Wy would bear the real effort of the ordeal.
He never really thought about it before. Itachi reaches up, draws his hands back, from his bangs to the end of his low ponytail. Was there truly a reason behind it? Maybe not.
But he doesn’t need to answer the question it seems, as Sasuke’s found something far more interesting.
Teuchi nods. He turns around and begins to work on the orders for the two.
“Oh! So you have a day off! Nice! Hey me too! At least I think I do…I don’t remember any training being assigned,” Naruto says before trailing off to mutter to himself. He turns to face the counter and sets his arms on the counter while he as he thinks. After he a few moments he gives up with a shrug.
“So what do you plan to do after we’re done eating,” he asks turning back to Itachi.
This is a losing battle.
“Perhaps I will return to train with Sasuke.” Father has been giving him more attention of late, and Itachi won’t be one to get in the way of something he’s also wanted– for Fugaku to prioritize his little brother. But if Father is busy as well…
Naruto scrambles down the main path, a hurried look on his face. He’s wrestling with his orange jacket as he runs. His arm isn’t going through the damn sleeve! Damn it! It’s all knotted and folded!
Focus directed away from where’s going, Naruto slams into someone’s back. Stumbling back, he snaps his attention forward and blinks a few times.
“Crap! I’m sorry! I wasn— hey you’re the bastard’s brother,” Naruto says with a smile. Rubbing the back of his neck, he gives a sheepish laugh.
“As I was sayin’ sorry I ran into ya, I was..uhhh…trying to put on my jacket.”
The bastard is not a way he’s heard of Sasuke being referred to before, and it stalls Itachi momentarily with a sharp blink. Yes, indeed, Naruto is correct, he is Sasuke’s brother.
“I’m Itachi.” He’s given his name before, yes? “And you are Naruto.” He remembers.
Greetings aside, he’ll step in and help for a moment. Might as well let him get on his way.
The hallway is splattered with fresh blood, and Itachi can make out entrails and a kidney. The man’s headband bore the insignia of a shinobi from the land of Grass.
Spies and attempted assassinations were less common than they used to be. A test of a village’s abilities to repel unwanted intruders and to keep their highest ranked officers alive.
Still, Itachi frowns. He wishes this matter could have been handled without resorting to ending a life.
“Please simply incapacitate people in the future. My shinobi will take care of them.” Her help in keeping him safe was greatly appreciated, but could stand to be toned down quite a bit.
And duck he does, turning his head to see one of Sasuke’s plush shuriken flying right past his head, hitting the wall with a solid smack. It bounces once, before laying still.
“Absolutely.” He can see why Wy would be worried, but this is a task he wants to take on today.
The child, a healthy son of seven months, babbles in his sling on Itachi’s back, content with being able to see everything behind him. Itachi holds onto a bag in his right, packed full with every little thing Wy could think he could need during the day.
“We’ll be back tonight, mm?” And he’s leaning down, gently, asking for a parting kiss before heading to the Hokage’s tower.
His skin, his clothes…even a good part of his hair.
The only positive out of this sight is that he currently isn’t dripping…but Itachi can’t say the same of the classroom Iruka had to be in when it happened.
Such was the risk of teaching jutsu to a classroom full of adolescents.
Itachi crosses his arms, leaning his left side against the doorway. His brows draw up. He won’t laugh, at least.
“I think green is more your color.” That’s the only thing he’ll say.
“Your first time is supposed to be special.” Is it? He questions the statement as soon as he says it. Sure, people still talk about their first time, but he’s never heard of a shinobi whose first time story included roses and candles. He has never heard anyone discuss sex between men at all, except with vague metaphors and disdain in their voice. Maybe this is how things are supposed to be.
Their conversation isn’t getting them anywhere anymore, and Itachi is looking around like he wants to get up for the day. Now seems like a good time to drop the subject and move on. Hopefully, the rest of their day won’t be too awkward.
“Do you want to get washed up while I make breakfast?”
That was…Hm.
Bad wording. An implication that it was not worth sleeping with him. It was enjoyable, and he didn’t have any plans of escape, nor even moving to a different bed.
But he will nod. Concede for now. “I will.” Just his regular morning shower, and then he will do some light tidying while Iruka makes them both food.
His surprise is written across his eyes, however with his ANBU mask in place it reminds hidden.
He didn’t think he would find anything, much less anyone on this assignment. Despite his voiced reservations, Kaka- ah Hokage-sama wanted to be certain of it.
He drops from his perch, landing gracefully on the forest floor.
“Hokage-sama’s assumption was right, he did not release you from the Edo Tensei.”
For a split second– he feels some sort of undue pride. Every generation of shinobi became stronger than the last. In some cases, the gap was closed and breached quite early.
He used to be so adept at avoiding tracking– even by Hyuuga, and Inuzuka. Especially the insects the Aburame were so fond of. And yet here he is, discovered! Found, hunted down efficiently. It alone is enough to make him stop, if only for a few moments. No sense in starting a chase immediately. Not when he should take his time and set up some genjutsu, in what remains of his eyes.
Itachi could explain he isn’t a threat, but…he’s yet to know what the Leaf knows about him. It would cause too much confusion to explain he meant no harm and simply wished to leave.
“And who is acting Hokage.” That is the question Itachi will bring. He is avoiding the intel on purpose.
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