Hello all, this is my first time uploading onto here, but this is an older one-shot. It's an Itachi angst, and the italics are small flashbacks, anyway I hope you'll enjoy it! Rate and Review, um.. I don't own Naruto. I wish I did~

Tak.. Tak.. Tak..

The slow, sure footsteps of the Akatsuki member thudded evenly against the uneven, worn path. There was a small pause in the low beats as he looked skyward, aiming chapped lips and dull, graying eyes at the snow producing cloud covered sky.

"Another year.." He whispered, the discomfort of the angle that his ponytail caused him to bring his time staring at the sky to rushed close.

"Nii-san! Nii-san! I have a biwfday suwpwise fow 'ou!" Itachi could clearly see the flowers; stems, roots, soil, and bloodied thorns behind his brother's back.

Tak.. Tak.. Tak..

The sound of his skin moving against heavy cloth, woolen in nature, was the only thing that could physically be heard over his sandals gracing the ground.

"Aniki! How are you always so quiet!?" The delighted, raven-headed boy laughed at his brother's surprise tickle 'attack'.

The clan slayer inhaled sharply, icy air flooding his system and grounding him mentally, before he jumped, landing gracefully on the streets where he'd wreaked havoc only years ago.

Tak.. Tak.. Tak..

The Akatsuki member stopped at their door, it was never his, closing his eyes for a moment as he steadied himself

"Take care of Sasuke.." He had asked, his last wish, no, their last wish.. Stop crying, murderer, stop crying..

He hoped that the words still echoed positively, that he had succeeded in someway..

Tak.. Tak.. Tak..

He paused, no sound reaching him, a statute for a moment.

Then, the slayer of a clan collapsed on to his hands and knees, silently sobbing into the bloodstain that was the only lasting remains. The last mark of his former life..

"Aniki! Oto-san finally taught me the Grand Fireball Jutsu!" He had just stared in horror at the child tugging at his arm, a child that was still a year younger than him when he'd learned the jutsu.

Quickened heartbeats passed, fresh tears mixed with long dried blood.

"There is no value in killing the likes of you… My foolish brother… If you want to kill me… curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life… Run away… run away… and cling to your pitiful life. And then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."

Too soon, he stood, no longer an orphan, no longer his nii-san, and no longer an Uchiha..

Tak.. Tak.. Tak..

He passed the spot where he had stolen his little brother's childhood. He did not stop, his unshakable rhythm continuing. He was the perfect ninja, after all..

Tak.. Tak.. Tak..

He left the place he called home again, not so much as turning to look back. The village that defined him, straight down to his bone marrow.

Tak.. Tak.. Tak..

"No matter what.. I am Konoha's Itachi Uchiha.." He promised Danzo, not giving the statement a second thought as he stared at the skeptical founder of ROOT.

He continued into the forest, speed defined as he returned to Kisame's sleeping side. He was still snoring. They both were members of the Akatsuki, and loyal ones. But..

His cold heart, it still belonged to Konoha.

As he leaned against the trunk of a tree, his right hand's pointer and middle finger twitched, as if to remind him that what he spoke was only a half truth. If there had ever been a time where the murderer's lips even twitched up, it was now, when musing that yes; it was mostly Sasuke's small fists that clutched his heart.

"Oi, 'Tachi.. Why didn't cha wake me for watch?"

The Uchiha shrugged, mentally preparing to get back into character, a single thought coursing through him at that moment.

Forgive me, mina.. And rest, please, rest peacefully.