AN: Chapter 3, not much to say about it.
A tall, young figure strode out of the Uchiha clan temple, fresh from a mandatory clan meeting. A meeting in which one member in particular, a certain someone' first born son, did not attend. Again. The figure kept walking, repressed anger in every long stride of his legs. He passed under a streetlight, illuminating a face twisted in that anger as he spat to the side. The meeting had left a very bitter taste in Shisui's mouth.
'Watch him.' They'd said, 'Watch everything he does, every move he makes, listen to every word he says. Everything. If he shows any sign of treachery, you know what to do.'
Yeah, I do, Shisui thought, and it's not reporting back to you! Bastards. Damned arrogant clan elders. Shisui's fist lashed out and left a nice sized dent in the center of one of the many clan emblems decorating the walls. Just thinking about the meeting pissed him off; he wanted a smoke to calm his nerves. He started to reach into his pouch for his cigarettes, then paused, a comic look of dismay decorating his face.
Shisui was going to be delivering food to Itachi and the two kids later on; if Shisui came anywhere near his best friend with even a hint of smoke on him… well….
I don't wanna get lectured again! The young Anbu mentally wailed,last time was bad enough! The memory of Itachi's last lecture was more than sufficient to chase out thoughts of the meeting. Itachi had let his friend know just what would happen to him if he continued smoking. He had been… very detailed in his description, clinical even. And had made sure the two rugrats had been listening as well. That had been entertaining.
Shisui leaned against the wall near the dent he'd made, tilting his head back and grimacing as his Anbu armor pressed against him oddly. The only reason I picked up smoking was to chase out the stench of blood. Everywhere I go, I'm followed by the stench of blood. Covering for Itachi ain't easy! But that thought brought him back to the meeting; he'd been called in before he'd had more than a chance to rinse off most of the blood from his latest mission, thankfully none of it was his own. This time.
Then began the interrogation, the elders had wanted to know everything that Itachi was doing, everything. Never mind that Shisui rarely ever saw his friend these days, 'I don't know' was simply not an acceptable answer. Except that that's all that they were gonna get. Shisui fiddled with his cigs pack, yearning for a smoke and knowing he didn't dare. He was supposed to have brought Itachi a shipment of food three days ago and he didn't dare stall long enough to wash off the smell of smoke. At least the blood stink was honest enough. Not that I think the brats'll like it much.
Shisui sighed and shoved off the wall, stretching and hearing his back vertebra and left shoulder joint pop. He was so damned tired! Being Anbu was harder than he'd thought it would be. The assassinations were-
Shisui shook his head, best not think about that. Except that it was damned hard to come in from a mission, hands stained and conscience even more deeply tarnished, only to be interrogated about someone whom he hadn't seen in weeks, without even the briefest inquiry about his own well being.
The Hokage had been more considerate, the Hokage had at least looked genuinely worried and concerned. And guilty, but what else could he do but send his living weapons out to maintain the fragile peace? But Shisui no longer wondered as to why Itachi had so easily taken the assignment of rearing and training Naruto and Shikamaru. It hadn't just been that the Hokage had asked it of him, except that it was. With coming to know the Hokage better, Shisui knew that he himself would willingly, eagerly die in his place. And kill, no matter how hard that was. Shisui knew that Itachi must feel the same way about their leader. The Hokage cared. Unlike the elders.
The elders only cared for glory and prestige, of the Uchiha's, for the Uchiha's and only about the Uchiha's. Every person, every figure, every man, woman and child within the clan was only a tool, and only for gathering more glory and prestige.
The Hokage couldn't care less about glory and prestige. The glory of Konoha was only as important as the number and quality of clients it brought in. Every person, no, every living thing within and dependant upon Konoha was a vital, cherished existence. If he could, the Sandaime Hokage would have taken every injury ever inflicted upon his people onto his own body. Not that people like Itachi and Shisui would let him, nor would Asuma, Kakashi or Gai.
Shisui stretched some more, pulling first one arm, then the other across his chest, trying to loosen the muscles in his shoulders. All this thinking about his conflicting duties was making him tense. And that's what it really was, a complete conflict of duties and interests. The clan wanted him to be the perfect tool, the Uchiha representative in Anbu that would gather glory and prestige for the clan. Itachi was no longer doing it, so someone else had to. The Hokage and the Anbu Captain wanted Shisui to do his job quietly, efficiently and with minimum of bloodshed on Konoha's part. Itachi…
I don't know what Itachi wants from me. I don't think Itachi knows what he wants from me. Ever since the younger Uchiha had taken those two kids out away from the city, he'd been acting strange…-er. He'd been acting weird for several months already, ever since that one discussion he'd had with his father. But now the times that Shisui had gone to see his childhood friend, he'd just been acting bizarre, for Itachi.
Well, all this thinking and stretching isn't going to get food to that guy and the kids any faster and that's one thing I know I have to do, no matter who I ask. Shisui set off towards his house in an easy lope, one he'd copied from Shikamaru, wanting to make up for the time he'd spent settling his thoughts, although he doubted Itachi would buy such an explanation. 'Sfar's that guy's concerned I rarely have any thoughts to settle! The moment that the youth came in sight of his family's small, traditional style house, he slowed and probed with his mind. His folks were still out, probably at the meeting still. Good. They didn't like how Shisui had been acting of as late by supporting Itachi's decision to serve the Hokage, and not the clan. The young Anbu was getting very tired of arguing with his parents constantly, he had plenty of other problems to stress him without that added on.
The two backpacks were still where he'd left them, meaning that his parents hadn't done a thing to them. Shisui didn't know how to feel about that, his mother was a notorious snoop and for her to leave his packs alone meant that she was ignoring their existence. And by extension, everything they represented. He checked them over anyway, making sure all the scrolls were in order. Why carry multiple bulky packs of food when it could all be sealed away inside several scrolls and thereby carried easier? And right on top, a present from Mikoto, the only Uchiha to support Itachi's decision. Quietly however.
Shisui poked at the second pack, the one made up of his own things, trying to decide if he'd forgotten anything. When he'd been told by the Hokage to check on the kids' progress, he'd also been told to make sure that Itachi wasn't overdoing it, and to make sure he got rest if he was. From the look the old man had given him, that 'rest if he's overdoing it' was meant for Shisui as well. Yes sir, whatever you say, sir! Shisui was looking forward to spending a few days taunting Itachi and teasing the rugrats. He strapped the packs on, made sure they were settled and then took off.
He was almost to the city gates when an Anbu messenger intercepted him with some regretful news.
I'm going to murder Shisui in his sleep if he doesn't show up soon. Itachi's stomached growled and grated painfully. Scratch that, I'm going to murder him the moment he does show up and get someonereliable to play fetch for me. Five days ago, Itachi had sent a messenger bird requesting more food. Four days ago, he'd gotten a message back saying that supplies were on there way. Three days ago, the food ran out and Itachi had had to use survival training as an excuse to get the boys to help gather food from the woods to make sure that they didn't starve. It hadn't gone so well, it was early winter now, one of the periods of scarcity in the sub-tropical forest around Konoha. All fruit was well past ripe and either eaten or rotten by now. Nuts were all fallen and again, eaten or gone bad. Prey was scarce, the stupid young had already come to their ends and older creatures had yet to show weakness. The only things readily available were roots, still full from the growing season, or fish or leafy greens. None of which made for a filling meal.
It also didn't help that all three young people had entered a growth spurt. Itachi hated that reminder that he wasn't even thirteen yet, let alone a full adult. Much as he liked getting taller, having his legs cramp at night didn't make for restful sleep, and neither did a perpetually empty belly.
There was a splash and a child's version of a curse from in front of Itachi. The young Anbu refocused his attention to the scene in front of him, and permitted a small smile to grace his lips. He'd decided to teach the boys water walking as a way to get them to focus and strengthen their chakra capacity and so far they were doing quite well. For a pair of seven year olds that had never really trained their chakra capacity, that is.
Water walking, advanced a skill though it was for Naruto and Shikamaru, was a very safe and easy way to build up necessary skills. By forcing Naruto to focus his lousy control on keeping his feet above the water's surface, Itachi made the blonde sharpen that control. By forcing Shikamaru to push his limit by making him keep his weight above water, Itachi made the brunette push that limit farther back, the same way running to near exhaustion every day meant that you had to run a little farther each day to reach exhaustion. And by having the to boys work on a knee deep, sandy bottomed spring meant that the only injury that Itachi had to worry about was chakra overexertion.
The young Uchiha was also fascinated by how opposite his two charges were. Naruto was insanely powerful, or at least was showing the potential to be. His budding chakra capacity was already over that of most Genins and no too few Chuunins as well. His control of it was so horrible he usually burned through his reserves quickly though. His endurance was mind-boggling, however. Never before had Itachi ever been run into the ground by trying to keep up with someone else, and yet this seven-year-old did it on a regular basis. Naruto wasn't overly smart, but he wasn't stupid either. What he was, was very creative, more creative than Itachi had been first willing to credit.
Naruto had also bounced back from his ordeal and trauma very quickly and didn't seem to notice pain readily. If Itachi punched him while sparring and made the blonde fall, Naruto would stand up, wipe off the blood and rejoin the fray. The young Anbu didn't like the implications, it was as if Naruto was used to pain, as if he thought that there was nothing at all wrong with his guardian causing him pain. That just struck Itachi as wrong.
But on the flip side of the coin, there was Shikamaru. The Nara boy's chakra capacity was actually a little sub-average, weaker than others his age, just a little. His control was astounding, though, so much so that he usually lasted as long as Naruto. He didn't bounce back as readily, his endurance matching his strength. But, he rarely needed that endurance, for the kid was smart. Really, really smart. His creativity didn't match Naruto's, but it wasn't far off. Itachi had never before been out-thought by anyone, and yet the other half of his young team had managed that as well. He could barely hold his own in a shougi match against a seven year old.
The trauma that Shikamaru had gone through still scarred the boy. The boy had nightmares regularly and shied violently away from all contact if he wasn't fully awake. The first time Itachi had sparred with and hit the boy, the look of wounded betrayal had been breath arresting. Clearly, from both Shikamaru's reaction and from his explanations, he had never been hit before. Spankings didn't count as hitting with Shikamaru. Spankings were a clear punishment, with a very clear wrong-doing preceding them. But pain of any other kind had never been a regular part of Shikamaru's world, which made the attack all the more traumatizing.
Naruto had never been taught basic manners; Shikamaru's manners were simple but impeccable. Naruto had never been taught how to read or write, Shikamaru devoured books that would have made an adult pause with every evidence of enjoyment and his handwriting was good and clear. Naruto was extremely hyperactive, unable to sleep more than ten hours and then unable to sit still to save his life. Shikamaru was like a cat, more than willing to sleep twenty hours a day and able to doze off at the drop of a hat. Shikamaru never needed to have anything explained to him twice unless there was something wrong with Itachi's explanation. Naruto had to have everything explained very carefully and usually demonstrated to him before he got it. Both however, never really forgot anything once they did get it.
The only other things the two really had in common was their budding sense of morality, and their devotion to each other. That and their budding faith in Itachi, which really confused the hell out of him. The only other person who had shown that kind of faith was Sasuke…
"Shikamaru, take a breather and explain what you're doing to Naruto." Itachi instructed as he noticed the Nara boy's increasingly labored breathing. "Naruto, pay attention to what Shikamaru is telling you for once and please, quit overexerting yourself. You're trying too hard and that's what messing you up."
"Hai, Itachi-sensei!" The two boy's chorused before going on to do exactly as Itachi had said. Instant obedience, total faith, totally unlike what the Academy records had described for either of the two. Again, the only one who had ever responded this way was Sasuke.
Itachi felt his brow start to crease with worry and re-schooled his expression to a neutral mask. That didn't erase his emotions however; he was still very worried about his otoutou. The young Anbu knew that his father was undoubtedly furious at his apparent defection. However, Itachi was out of reach and therefore couldn't be 'disciplined'. Mikoto wouldn't stand for bearing the brunt of her husband's anger and had made that clear in the past with meals consisting of nothing but rice gruel. The only other target then was Sasuke, who had been used as a target for Fugaku's wrath in the past…
He had better not, Itachi thought, that bastard had better not harm a hair on Sasuke's head. It took a large effort of will for the young Anbu to shift his attention away from his absent brother and back onto his charges. When Shisui showed up, Itachi was going to ask that he keep an eye on Sasuke when the teenager went back on duty. But wait, if I have him do that, that means I can't murder him. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to be satisfied with maiming him then.
A certain chakra signature pricked at the edge of Itachi's senses. Speak of the devil, almost literately. It was Shisui, closing in on the small base. About damned time. Itachi focused back onto the children, switching on his Sharingan to gauge Shikamaru's energy level.
"Shikamaru, give yourself another ten minutes of rest and then resume the training. Naruto, give yourself ten minutes of meditation to refine your focus. I'll be back in a little while, it looks like we'll finally have a decent dinner tonight."
"Shisui-sensei's back?" Naruto asked excitedly. Itachi mentally bit his tongue against a number of crude responses to that, all of them derogatory towards Shisui.
"Yes he is. Now, to your exercises."
"Hai, Itachi-sensei." The boys chorused again. Certain of their obedience to his instructions, Itachi teleported towards the cabin. The cabin was about the size and shape of a small house, only with stouter, more insulating walls. To one side was a sizeable fenced in enclosure that held solar panels. Next to those was a wind powered well, with an auxiliary motor.
The cabin itself was rather cozy looking. Yes it was small, but it managed to seem more than just functional. It somehow managed to seem inviting. The fact that it was the only house that Itachi had lived in that was devoid of his father's presence hadn't yet clicked with Itachi yet.
It was a two-bedroom, one and a half bathroom cabin with a living area and a kitchen. The larger of the two rooms held the boys, the full bath sat between their room and Itachi's. The half bath, a toilet and sink in what amounted to a closet, lay next to the kitchen/dining area. The living room was the largest area, since it was intended to act as a classroom as well. The young Anbu found that he and the boys were taking most of their meals there as the mentor reviewed the day's lessons to see if they'd been learned properly. On the outer wall opposite the well and solar panels was an attached shed that held the many scrolls that the Hokage thought were necessary for teaching. Itachi had a feeling that he'd be exchanging many of them in a year or so for more advanced lessons.
Just next to the shed, was Shisui, setting down his packs and emptying out the larger of the two. Most of the items were sealing scrolls, those most useful of tools that could hold any number of items sealed within a symbol on the paper. But there was on item that wasn't a scroll.
"'Chocolate flavored tea'?" Itachi read off the label as he picked up the item. Shisui cocked his head and gave him a weary grin.
"Mikoto-san thought you and the boys would like it." He answered the unspoken question.
"'Chocolate flavored tea'?" Itachi reiterated. Shisui's grin widened.
"Aw, c'mon, it's just flavoring, and you don't want to deprive the boys of the taste of chocolate, now would you?" The problem Itachi had, both knew, wasn't the flavored tea; it was the flavor of the tea. Some property of chocolate reacted strangely with anyone of the Uchiha clan. More specifically, with anyone with an active Sharingan. To anyone with the Sharingan, cocoa was a drug. Not a very dangerous one but highly addictive for all of that. One dose, and if you were an Uchiha, you had cravings for the rest of your life. Itachi would know, once when he was four, a kindly old gentleman had given him a cup of hot cocoa while he and his mother were at a fair. Mikoto was set for blackmail for the rest of Itachi's life for his behavior after that.
But because of his exposure, Itachi would get cravings if he even smelled chocolate. But, oddly enough, even though the tea did have a chocolate scent, he wasn't getting any cravings…
"Honestly, it is just flavoring," Shisui said, his tone sincere, for once. "You want me to prove it to you?"
"Yes," Itachi said tossing the package towards Shisui. The older teen caught it easily and started naming off the ingredients. "That isn't what I meant and you know it." Itachi interrupted.
"Hey, can't blame me for trying." Shisui said, that weary smile reappearing. The younger Anbu stifled a frown as he noted the weariness. "Where are the kids?" The teen asked, changing the subject.
"Training." Itachi said curtly. His stomach growled, "And not eating." He added. Shisui grimaced, unsealed a scroll and tossed a rations bar towards his friend. Itachi almost eagerly tore open the wrapper and took a large mouthful. Shisui gaped at that.
"Holy shit, you're that hungry?" Rations bars were infamous for their flavor that was reminiscent of old shoe leather. Itachi merely nodded and took another large bite. "I think… I need to get food to the kids too."
"You'd better," Itachi growled around a half-chewed mouthful, his usual impeccable manners disregarded for the moment. Shisui eyed his long time friend before unsealing another couple of rations bars and indicating that Itachi lead him to the kids. The younger Anbu did so, guiding the tardy provider to the small clearing that held the pool. Naruto was on the verge of the pool, muttering as he tried to step out on the water without sinking in. Shikamaru was still sprawled on the bank, offering advice as he watched the blonde's efforts.
"You're teaching them water-walking? Now? Aren't they still way too young for that?" Shisui exclaimed in a whisper. He didn't want to interrupt the training.
"Naruto's chakra control is nearly non-existent and Shikamaru's chakra capacity matches Naruto's control. Water-walking is a safe, easy way to get them to exercise both. If they fail the exercise, all that happens is that their feet get wet." Itachi explained. He watched the boys for a moment, switching on the Sharingan effortlessly. A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips with what he saw. "They're progressing nicely, don't you think?"
Shisui was rubbing his head in frustration. "Kids this age aren't supposed to have control or a real capacity! They're supposed to be kids!" He whisper-yelled. Itachi gave him a blank stare, not comprehending the argument. After all, at age seven, he'd been well on the way to graduating from the Academy. Shisui eyed the look and gave an explosive sigh. "Sorry, forgot I was talking to a prodigy here." Itachi blinked as Shisui stood.
"Hey, Naruto, knock that off for a sec. Both of you come here." He called to the two boys.
"Shisui-sensei!Food!!" Naruto cheered, racing up the small rise to tackle-hug the teen and then beg like a baby bird for the rations bar. Shikamaru followed more sedately, and not only because he was fatigued. Itachi noticed and appeared behind the boy, laying a reassuring hand on the child's shoulder, ignoring the way the boy flinched at the touch. Shikamaru still had a ways to go.
Night had fallen on the little cabin and the four within were relaxing after a large, much-anticipated meal. Shisui had laid claim to the shower to finally get the rest of the blood off of him and had luxuriated in the peace. But not the heat, the water heater that Anbu was able to muscle out here wasn't that large and Itachi couldn't really argue for a larger one, seeing as there was a natural hot spring not too far from the cabin's position, one of the deciding factors for its location.
But the peace had been welcome enough. Shisui didn't have to plan for his next mission; he didn't have to keep an ear out for enemies, or his parents. He didn't have to plan an argument against the clan council. He could just be… who he wanted to be. Itachi's friend, Naruto and Shikamaru's other care giver. The kid, the prankster, someone who wasn't all that important.
The water was really getting cold now, so with a sigh Shisui stepped out and grabbed the towel that was on the counter and dried off, leaving the towel on his head when he was done. He dressed quickly and walked out to the living room and saw something that he never would have thought to see in his wildest dreams.
Against one wall there was a small couch, big enough for two adults, three if they were close friends. It held Itachi, Naruto and Shikamaru perfectly, especially since Naruto was practically sitting in Itachi's lap. Naruto was holding one end of a book, Itachi the other end and was listening to the blonde read the story out loud, occasionally correcting Naruto's pronunciation of this or that unfamiliar word. Shikamaru was curled up in the corner opposite Naruto, listening and trying to stay awake. His expression made it clear that he was tired from the day's exertions, but that he still wanted to be a part of what was happening.
It was a cozy, domestic scene; and the words 'cozy' and 'domestic' had nothing to do with Shisui's understanding of Itachi.
The teenaged Anbu leaned against the hallway doorframe, just staring at what he was seeing. A realization percolated into his mind finally. Itachi was happy here; truly, genuinely happy. The younger Anbu had not been happy back home, with his clan and particularly with his father. The Anbu missions had been an escape for him, a legitimate excuse to get away from his father. That didn't mean that he liked the missions, but it did point to the fact that he'd preferred the assassinations to being in his father's presence. Shisui didn't know what to think about that.
He felt eyes on him. Shisui looked up, when had he looked down?- to see Itachi staring at him. It was a very un-Itachi-like stare. There was no anger or hate in the gaze, no frustration or contempt; it wasn't even his patented emotionless stare. Itachi was just- looking, mildly curious, but undemanding. There was a hint of challenge in it, 'go ahead and make a comment about this', but nothing demanding. Shisui met the stare and then moved to chair near the couch to listen as Naruto read about ancient myths surrounding the first clans to populate the valley, tactfully ignoring the way Shikamaru roused to full awareness as Shisui sat near him.
It was the first truly peaceful evening Shisui had had for months. No wonder Itachi was happy here. Shisui dreaded the news he was going to have to tell, but that could wait for the morning.
Shikamaru sat and stared at Shisui-sensei, the words the teen had spoke a chaotic babble in his ears. Then the meaning sunk in and the boy lowered his chopsticks to his plate, hand shaking, just slightly.
"Oh." He said. Shisui-sensei's brows creased in concern.
"Shikamaru-kun, I'm sorry…" He said.
"I-It's no-not yo-your fault-t." Shikamaru said in as calm a voice as he could manage. Damnable stutter! Ever since that one ni- since that had happened, he stuttered when he was upset. No matter what he did, no matter how slow he spoke, that stutter betrayed him.
"I know, but that doesn't stop me from feeling sorry for you-"
Shikamaru stood up abruptly, "I've had enough breakfast." He interrupted, gathering his dishes to take to the kitchen. "I should probably join Naruto and Itachi-sensei now."
"Let me help yo-" Shisui said, rising. Shikamaru flinched and mentally cursed himself for his fearfulness. There was no harm to be found in Shisui-sensei, Shikamaru knew this. Why else would Itachi-sensei trust this guy if there wasn't a good reason? Maybe this fearfulness was part of the reason that-
The reason that the Nara clan had disinherited and disacknowledged Shikamaru as a member of the clan.
Shisui-sensei had just told him this, clearly waiting for Shikamaru to wake up this morning. Itachi-sensei had given the boys- at Shisui-sensei's insistence- a half holiday, letting the boys sleep in late. Naruto was incapable of staying still for too long though, and had gotten up only a little later than the usual hour, just after dawn. Shikamaru had taken full advantage of the half-holiday and had caught up on some sleep. He wished he hadn't. Maybe if he'd gotten up earlier he could have avoided this painful news.
He moved numbly into the kitchen, carrying his mostly full plate. When he'd woken up, he'd been starving. Now he felt like he was going to throw up the little he'd gotten to eat. Shisui followed him into the kitchen.
"It's not all bad news," The teen said, a little desperately. "From what I heard your parents protested the vote but were over-ridden by the rest of the clan."
"My- my f-fo-former p-parents, th-they have an o-over r-ride veto p-power, if th-they want-ted." Shikamaru corrected with an emotionless voice. His gaze was fastened to the plate he was washing, as if it were the most fascinating thing he'd seen in his life.
"We don't know all the details though," Shisui said, his voice coaxing. "There could have been other factors involved that forced your parents into withholding that power."
Shikamaru shook his head, his stomach twisting further. "Th-the c-c-c-council respects-cts d-da-Shika-ka-kato th-though. Th-they'd-d do wh-wh-whatever-er he s-said. Th-they a-al-always di-did."
"Not if they felt powerfully about something though." Shisui said gently. "Emotions were running high during the trial. And I know you're smart enough to know how people feel about Naruto."
"Why!? What did he do wr-wr-wrong? H-h-he's just a k-k-kid like me! Wh-wh-why do people ha-ha-hate him s-s-so much? Wh-wha-what did he do wr-wrong?" Shikamaru demanded, emotions finally breaking forth. "What did I do wrong…? Wh-why d-do th-they hate-te me?"
Shisui reached out carefully and lay a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. The boy flinched for a moment and then flung himself into Shisui's chest, sobbing. Gently and very, very carefully, the teen crouched and cradled the boy against him, stroking his hair and making soothing noises. Shikamaru shivered with conflicting emotions, but the primary one was the pain of rejection. He wanted comfort and badly. Shisui was willing and able to provide.
"Hush, hush, it's not your fault and it's not Naruto's. You've done nothing wrong, hush.."
"S-s-s-so wh-wh-wh-why?" Shikamaru choked out between body-wracking sobs.
Shisui sighed softly, "I can't tell you. It's a capital offense to talk about why people wrongfully hate Naruto." He said. Shikamaru looked up at him, eyes and nose red and streaming.
"Why?"
"All I can say is that people are fearful of what Naruto represents to them, and therefore they hate him." Shisui explained, "It's nothing that Naruto has done or has control over. It's what was done to him that they hate. It's stupid and wrong of them to react this way, but there it is."
"S-s-so wh-why d-d-do th-they hate-te m-me t-too?"
"They very stupidly think that what was done to Naruto has contaminated you as well. But Itachi and I don't, nor does the Hokage, or the rest of Anbu for that matter. We know the full truth, and we know that you are a very normal little boy, and Naruto is also a normal boy who carries a very unfortunate burden. But that's all I can tell you."
"Oh," Shikamaru said, hiccupping a little. "… My tummy hurts."
Shisui laughed gently, mostly with relief that the outburst was already over, and petted the boy's hair, "How 'bout I make you some tea and then see if you want something to eat after that, hmm?"
"…'Kay." And that was when Naruto and Itachi came in.
Itachi's body was on a set schedule that he rarely was able to overcome. Up at dawn, rain or shine. Shisui didn't have the inner clock, but he was willing to bend to Itachi's schedule and so was up minutes after Itachi had risen that morning. This allowed them to talk in peace for a while.
Shisui had told the bad news, the Nara clan's utter rejection of Shikamaru's actions. Itachi could have predicted this, and had in fact been waiting for some kind of negative reaction. He'd been expecting a number of demands from Shikamaru's parents for the return of their son, but when none had come within the first few weeks, he'd been suspicious of a move like this.
So he wasn't dismayed to hear about it, only concerned about how Shikamaru would react to it and was in fact a little relieved that he didn't have to worry much about the Nara's any further. It was Shisui's other bit of news that had Itachi dismayed.
"You arecommanded to attend the next clan council meeting. They told me to tell you that you are to appear or suffer the council's punishment…"
Shisui had been clearly unhappy relaying that message. Itachi was smart enough not to shoot the messenger even without Shisui's dismay to sway him. But that still didn't lighten Itachi's mood upon hearing the summons. It took Naruto to do that.
The dear child had come out a few moments after Shisui had finished speaking, sleep rumpled and rubbing his eyes. He'd glanced over at his guardians and had whined for food just moments before his stomach had repeated the plea. What was Itachi to do but to make breakfast for him? Never mind that fussing over his ward gave Itachi the perfect excuse to not think about the meeting he was going to be forced to attend.
Naruto seemed to instantly convert food into energy and had demanded that Itachi continue with his training- that is, if it was alright to do so when Shikamaru was still asleep? It was, and Shisui waited behind for Shikamaru, leaving Itachi to focus on trying to get Naruto to properly channel his boundless energy into the proper taijutsu forms. No small task, regardless of how Naruto tried to do well. The real problem was that Naruto often tried too hard, and often messed up as a result.
The youngest Anbu decided to call it quits before Naruto hurt himself with his over-enthusiasm at having his sensei all to himself. Besides, with all the energy they both had been burning off, it was time to get another bite to eat. Now that Shisui had finally delivered the food. Itachi still had to punish his childhood friend for being so late with that delivery.
Thinking as he was about getting a snack and beating the snot out of Shisui, two of the growing preteen's favorite things at the moment, Itachi was taken mildly by surprise when he'd entered to kitchen and saw Shisui holding a crying Shikamaru. But it was a good surprise however twisted that may seem. Shikamaru wasn't flinching or fighting Shisui while being held. That meant that the boy was finally getting over some of his fearfulness at being touched. At least by Shisui. Itachi made a mental note to see if he could get more friendly strangers to visit to break Shikamaru of his fear.
Perhaps Gai-sensei could help Naruto with his taijutsu. Itachi was going to have to run that idea by Shisui.
Speaking of Naruto, he had bounded over to his best and only friend, demanding to know what was wrong and how he could help and don't cry- please?
"Shikamaru will tell you when he's ready, not before." Itachi chastised when the young brunette had buried his face in Shisui's chest, avoiding the barrage of questions from the hyper blonde.
"But! But! But!" Naruto really did try too hard sometimes.
"Leave him alone for a bit and help me make a snack." Itachi said firmly.
"And some tea too, if you would." Shisui said, standing and guiding Shikamaru to the half bath to wash his face. Itachi nodded and sunk himself further into these small, domestic things. Anything to keep from thinking about the clan and the rest of the outside world.
It was only four days later that the messenger bird came, bearing news that would disrupt the small 'family'. The next Uchiha meeting was in two day's time and Itachi would come, as would Shisui. The 'or else' didn't even have to be written. The two young Anbu only had one day to try and find someone to baby-sit the boys. Shikamaru could be trusted not to blow the place up, but Naruto? Better not to risk it.
Itachi proposed Gai, since he was worried about Naruto's taijutsu. Shisui proposed that Itachi was a total mental case who was trying to traumatize his wards into complete psychological reclusion.
"Are you completely out of your mind?!" Shisui raged outside the cabin. It was night and the two youths had spent the entire day trying to get the two boys to learn proper taijutsu forms. So Itachi proposal had a basis at least. No one was better at teaching taijutsu than Gai. The… 'delightfully eccentric' Jounin had taught Itachi and Shisui advanced forms in fact. "Shikamaru is just now coming to trust me, Naruto is highly impressionable by anyone who gives him a kind word and you want to sic Maito Gai on them both? Are you nuts?!"
Itachi sighed and rubbed his ear discretely. "Gai-sensei knows to tone it down for shyer people-"
"Ha!"
"- And he's never once suggested that Naruto is influenced by the Kyuubi, or is the Kyuubi itself. As such, he's ideal- er, more or less- to watch those two and to teach them. He's also energetic enough to keep up with Naruto." The last was said with exasperation tinged with the barest hint genuine fondness. Shisui couldn't help but wonder at the changes taking place in his friend. True, Itachi had always had a 'soft' spot for children, relatively speaking, and for Sasuke in particular, but real fondness? Or maybe Itachi was just showing a side to himself that he'd kept hidden from the clan, and Shisui was merely witnessing it.
"I still say we should try and find someone else." Shisui said, getting back to the argument.
"Whom else is there that will regard Naruto as he is? We've gone over everyone else that the Hokage's cleared, and they are all busy." Itachi countered.
"Crap… Poor Shikamaru…" Shisui sighed. "Just make sure to warn Gai-sensei that if he even thinks about bring kid-sized spandex, we're having a bon-fire."
"Of that you may be certain." Itachi said in a steely voice more typical of him. He took out a pen and quickly wrote the request on the thin rice paper that the messenger birds carried. When he was done, he whistled to the black bird that had been sent with Itachi for correspondence. The bird, half hidden in its favorite tree near the house, cocked its head then flitted over and let Itachi push the rolled up message in the tube attached to its leg.
"Maito Gai." He told the bird. It stared at Itachi with its bright black eyes for moment, then took off in a flurry of wings.
"I hope this isn't a mistake." Shisui said.
So do I. Itachi thought.
Gai arrived the next morning. Shikamaru remained plastered to Itachi's leg throughout the entire introduction, a look of horrified disbelief plastered to his face. Naruto had hidden as well, but childish fascination at the strange and unknown had lured him out from behind Shisui, especially when Gai offered no violence or hurtful words. Just a lot of proclamations about the 'Fires of Youth!' and the 'Power of Hard Work!'
"I'm afraid we have to get going now." Itachi said, interrupting another of Gai's speeches. He was having trouble seeing past the spots made from the Jounin's smile.
"You're leaving?" Shikamaru squeaked, clinging tighter to Itachi's pant leg.
"I'm afraid I have to." The young Anbu said, trying to disentangle his pants from Shikamaru's grip.
"Shisui-sensei's staying though, right? Right?!"
"'Fraid I can't" The other young Anbu said, grimacing before sliding his Jackal mask over his face. Both of the Uchiha's were in their Anbu armor. Naruto broke his fascinated gaze to stare at his care-takers, aghast.
"DON'T WORRY! I SHALL TAKE PROPER CARE OF YOU TWO BOYS AND FAN THE FIRES OF YOUR YOUTH WITH MUCH HARD WORK! HA HA HA!" Maito Gai said in his softer voice.
"Yes, you do that." Itachi said, trying to revive hearing in his left ear, mentally grumbling about how all of his acquaintances were trying to deafen him.
"You can't leave! You can't! You can't!" Shikamaru yelped, increasing his death grip on Itachi pants.
"I have no choice." He said, wondering if he was going to have to use genjutsu to get away. Not that he really wanted to leave but… Troublesome…
"FEAR NOT! YOUR GOOD FRIEND ITACHI-" Gai backslapped him, nearly making the young Uchiha face plant into the ground, "-WILL RETURN AS SOON AS HIS FAMILY BUSINESS IS DONE!" Shikamaru squeaked at Gai's proximity and fled into the cabin.
"Was it something I said?" The Jounin asked, modulating his tone to something approaching normal. Shisui groaned and shook his head while he fussed with his pack.
"Shikamaru still suffers uncertainty due to the attack." Itachi said softly so that Naruto wouldn't overhear. The blonde was huddling next to Shisui again, not wanting either Uchiha to leave.
"AH! DO NOT WORRY THEN! I SHALL WORK WITH HIM TO STILL HIS FEARS AND INVIGORATE HIM WITH THE FIRES OF YOUTH!"
That's just what I'm afraid of, Itachi thought, sweat-dropping. No choice though, there was no one else available who would treat the boys fairly. Better they be mildly traumatized now, than brutalized again by someone who thought Naruto a demon, and Shikamaru demon tainted.
Shisui finished tying off his pack and stood, nodding to Itachi. The younger of the two nodded back and slid his Raven mask down. Time to go.
"We'll be back in a few days." He said to Naruto. "Try not to create chaos until then."
Naruto rolled his eyes uncertainly at Gai before nodding tentatively. "'Kay."
"Look out for Shikamaru."
"'Kay!" The blonde's voice was stronger now. Itachi still hesitated.
"Ra-ven…" Shisui growled. The younger Anbu stifled a self-conscious flinch and a sigh, then took off, running from the city that now seemed a cage.
Questions and comments welcomed. Tell how the charas are shaping up, I don't want to get too OOC, or if I do, I want the reasons to be evident. Thanks minna-chan!
I don't like this chapter that much, it's an example of telling not showing. It's just… ugh. But it's here, so… meh.