“That..depends. On who they were, and the resources they provided.” Itachi’s answer is a bit too technical. He hadn’t lost anyone through death before. But really, the answer could be a number of things. It all differed whether it was a parent, or a sibling, or someone who was a sole provider.
“Usually they get by.” That was what had to happen. Shisui was going to lose his Father soon, and he simply had to keep going.
Naruto remains behind the tree for a few seconds more. Hoping with all his heart that wasn’t meant for him. So when he peeks and see the older’s kid looking in his direction, he curses under his breath. Some bad word he heard making his way home one day.
“Shit.”
He pulls away from is safe spot and scratches the back of his head.
Unsure what to do, he didn’t think this far, he scuffs his sandal against the dirt ground.
“Ummm are ya related to Sasuke ‘ttebayo,” he asks.
“I am his elder brother. Itachi.” They do look…a bit alike. Itachi thinks Sasuke takes after their mother, though, while Itachi unfortunately takes after Fugaku.
The cursing isn’t a bother to him, even if Itachi doesn’t curse himself. He doesn’t expect Naruto to act like the other children he sees. The boy’s all alone.
Ew Sasuke. :3
[[ FIGHT ME NARUTO ]]
Headcanon Game – A to Z (NSFW)
Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)
[[ About a few minutes afterwards, lmao. He doesn’t have much stamina and isn’t one for many rounds. Sex is best just before bed. ]]
N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)
[[ There’s quite a lot he wouldn’t do. Public sex, scat, piss, ABDL, CGL, bondage, BDSM, etc. Someone like Sasuke would have more leeway into convincing him into things, but he’d reach a point where he’d say no. ]]
L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)
[[ Privacy is the key word. Prefers bedroom above all. In modern AUs where they have a house/apartment/flat as long as the location is secure, near any room in the house will do, including things like kitchen, living room and bathroom. ]]
He’s trying to secretly follow him. Sasuke always goes with this guy after school. Naruto can’t help but wonder. Is he getting special training sessions with him, ‘cuz each day it seems Sasuke just comes to the classroom more and more improved.
Not like he’d tell him, but sheesh! Where is that jerk getting better like that all the time?
It has to be this guy he’s told himself. He’s seen Sasuke leave him with him the most. Feeling like he’s gotten too close, Naruto hides behind a nearby bench and peeks at him from around it.
He’ll find out Sasuke’s secret once and for all!
That’s the boy that Sasuke complains about when he comes home. About being bothered. Of course, Itachi doesn’t share the same sentiment of irritation.
He knows who he his, and he knows what he is. The boy needs a friend, but… Itachi doesn’t think he can be that one. He’s too busy.
But he can spare a few minutes out of his day.
“I see you there.” He wasn’t called a genius for nothing.
Naruto sits at the edge of his bed, reading over the last line with one thought: fuckfuckfuckfuckfuc- i fucked up. Tugging on his hair, there isn’t a clear answer to why he did it. It just slipped….and he didn’t stop it. Of course it come to bite him in the ass. Itachi had been, still is probably, a strong shinobi. He would find Sasuke.
Now all of that is coming to mind. He frowns, why couldn’t it hit him when he lied in the first place? Honestly how long did he expect to keep a prodigy on some ghost trail? The blond rubs his face and let’s the letter dangle between his legs. Slowly the small paper falls from his grip as Naruto let’s a humorless chuckle escape his lips.
That’s probably the only personalized line he’s gotten from the bastard. All his previous reports have been formal and to the point. There’s never comments giving insight to how he’s doing. No personal touch. Yanno he’s accepted it, never held it against him maybe teased him but that that’s it. It’s simply Sasuke he concluded. The moment Itachi is mentioned, or in this case comes around.
Viola.
Goddamn asshole.
The letter reaches Sasuke some weeks later, just as the sun is setting. Itachi and he have been traveling as a pair since then. He’s delighted to see how Sasuke has come to deal with the world, and is seemingly at peace. The village may not be his stable home for now, but maybe in the future.
When Sasuke decides he is ready. Truth be told, though Itachi traveled far and wide with Akatsuki, he never really had the time to explore. There was always a mission at hand, or someone to hunt down. Seeing the sights, learning about people…that was a chance he never got. And Sasuke wants to spend this time with his brother, time that will inevitably end should he choose to go back to the Leaf.
The hawk picks at the remainders of their grilled fish as Sasuke smooths out the letter over his lap. Not a whole lot is written, but he immediately squints at the excuse Naruto provided.
Naruto…was stupid. Sometimes. Often, alright. But why would he not employ other tactics to ferret out a fake.
“Does anyone else know about…you.” Sasuke presents Itachi with the odd question, but his brother catches on, even if giving him a sharp blink beforehand.
“No. Unless Naruto-kun himself shared the information, which I had asked him to keep a secret.”
…Right. Sasuke’s not fond of that point, but it’s done and he’s not really in any position to fight it viciously now.
“There shouldn’t have been any reason to suspect me as an impostor when the information that I am not violent nor antagonistic is not readily available.” Itachi continues, saying what Sasuke’s thinking.
“An impostor would only have public knowledge, and choosing to speak with Naruto of all people would be asking to be captured, or worse.” Only the real Itachi, whom had spoken with Naruto, would have the bravery to be friendly.
“He’d a friend with him at the time. A shinobi from Kumo, but I’ve no reason to suspect anything has happened between them.”
Sasuke doesn’t like the implications. Teeth gnash temporarily, and his only response is a tch as he rocks his knee to release some of the building frustration.
Naruto was jealous…but why? Of all people, Itachi was the least threatening. And he was so ready to excuse Naruto’s stupidity, but he’s not alone with his thoughts anymore. Itachi can provide a point of view or an explanation he might not see, and Sasuke can do the same to him.
The minutes drag on, and Itachi silences himself to watch Sasuke, brows drawn up in concern. Naruto was his friend, right? And Itachi had been nothing but friendly to him prior. So why the dishonesty, why the attempt to keep the brothers separated?
Sasuke knows. It hits him after the sun is fully set, the only light coming from the campfire; just enough for Sasuke to quickly write a response, handwriting slightly tilted by using his knee as the surface.
Nothing’s going to happen to the village.
Send me ‘👤🔀👤’ for our muses to switch bodies for one thread. || Accepting
The situation is….not ideal, to say the least.
Itachi had been attempting to keep a low profile, far away from the village and its happenings, but it’s difficult when the reflection you caught in the window was of blonde hair and blue eyes.
This meant the woman he woke up next to was….
Itachi doesn’t think he can manage to pull off Naruto’s personality. The bandaged right hand curls into a loose fist, working his way through the home room by room, trying to find any sign that this isn’t real.
A tug on his leg reveals Naruto’s daughter, exuberant and insistent that he sit down for breakfast. Itachi can’t find the will to tell the child no, knowing he must do something to correct this soon.
Naruto listens to Itachi’s story, trying his best to keep up and make sense of this. His blond brows knit together at the parts don’t make sense to him. Itachi had been dead but then he just woke up? What kind of weird jutsu was at play here? Was there a new evil bad guy they had to go after?
Naruto finds himself pumped at the idea. Anything to get out of that stupid, boring lecture for his Hokage studies. He’s about to suggest the idea, bright blue eyes eager and excited, only Itachi mentions Sasuke and he just deflates. Right. Of course he’d like to see his brother. Sasuke would just love to see Itachi too.
All movements on Naruto seems to stop for a single second. Sasuke would want to see him. Then he’s back to normal. Smile on his lips, but his blue eyes are dimmer than before. Before he can stop himself, he’s talking back to Itachi. Giving directions that are wrong. Sasuke was there months ago. He’s probably far away from that place.
However it wouldn’t be a direct lie. Sasuke haaad been there.
Naruto uses that to comfort himself. As he directs Itachi in the opposite direction of where his brother is. “He mentioned being somewhere up North, near the Land of Waterfall I think? The teme’s not all too big on details,” he says with a smile.
“Maybe you can still catch him if you set off soon,” he says.
“Thank you.” As of right now, Itachi doesn’t think Naruto would lie to him. After all, their last interaction had been on an extremely positive note. Itachi gave him some wisdom he’d need on his journey to Hokage. Trusted him to treat his little brother right.
But he decided the last time that he was through hiding from Sasuke, so it only seemed right to catch up and announce himself. Sasuke could decide what to do from there. He bids his goodbye, and moves on undetected. Village security had weakened since his teenage years, with no overarching threat present.
–
But Sasuke isn’t there when he arrives. Itachi doesn’t think anything of it yet, Sasuke is likely moving at his own pace, and he doesn’t know Itachi is trying to meet up with him yet.
It seems off that there aren’t any signals Sasuke’s been here recently, however.
Itachi can’t keep going back and forth between Naruto, so he decides to locate his brother with his own extensive network. It provides fruit, but his discussion with Sasuke yields a problem.
He’s been lied to.
Sasuke’s next correspondence ends with a tantalizing line:
Why did you lie to my brother.
Naruto offers Itachi a smile.
“Sasuke must be stoked you’re here,” he says scratching his cheek. The smile dims somewhat. More than stoked he tells himself. Shaking that thought from his mind, Naruto finds himself unable to say anything for a moment.
Until he finally remembers the question he wanted to ask when he found out somehow Uchiha Itachi was with them.
“How did ya…yanno not go with the others by the way?”
Itachi does not miss the falter in Naruto’s expression. Thinks about what it could mean, for a few moments, during the time Naruto seems stuck for his next question.
He’ll bring it up later, perhaps.
“I did. At least, for some time.’ He clearly remembers saying goodbye. Returning to the other world.
“I then found myself at the floor of the cave. At least two years have passed since then.” The village he once called his home, rebuilt. The war, over, hopefully for the last time. And his brother….traveling.
Though Itachi would stand by any decision his brother made, he was hoping that Sasuke would return, and make a home there, and stay. He hasn’t actually seen his brother, yet.
But he also doesn’t plan on hiding.
“You wouldn’t happen to know his whereabouts, perhaps.” A rough answer is fine, he doesn’t expect an exact location. Itachi knows he can’t go back to the village. With asking Naruto to hide the truth, he’s just a criminal walking in, somehow still alive.
UchihaSavior 