November: 18
Fandom: Naruto
Characters: Itachi and Shisui
Summary: On a cold December night, things go a bit differently than usual. One friend goes, another stays.
Warnings: None.
On a bitter December evening, Uchiha Itachi received his sentence for Most Contemptible Plotting Against his Clan, with the vicious attempt to eliminate them. Due to his age, and his relatively good intentions, mercy had been called for, even though the serious charge was compounded with the attempted murder of Uchiha Shisui. The sending off was small, predictably. The only unexpected one there was Uchiha Shisui himself.
Itachi’s headband had been sliced through with much ceremony the morning before, and he wore it like a wound on his forehead. His clothing was unadorned black, and he’d been allowed weapons despite his new status as an exile and missing-nin. Konoha had placed no bounty on his head, offered no rewards. Still, killing him, torturing him, anything was free game now. As soon as he walked out of those gates, he would be officially a criminal.
Shisui watched the proceedings. Sarutobi spoke for a while to Itachi. Whatever he said, the boy’s face didn’t chance. All in all, Itachi looked amazingly composed for a condemned man. He didn’t look stricken or lost. He looked confident, actually. Maybe even a little pleased with himself as he stood and received the official ruling and what it all meant. He looked small among all those great men, his slim shoulders held stiff and square, but still obviously lacking a man’s growth. He’d never looked more a child, and never looked more capable.
Shisui didn’t think everyone there could read all that he did. Shisui had made an extensive study of Itachi’s facial expression, slight though they were most of the time. It came from being someone’s best friend, only friend, for ages on end. Until today, or, technically, the day Itachi had tried to kill him.
Shisui slowly unknotted himself and stood up. He slipped through the trees and over to the gathered people. Sarutobi and Itachi glanced up at him, and the old man moved to intercept him.
“Shisui-kun, I don’t think you should be here. The clan agreed-“
“That he would be banished.” Shisui waved a hand, showing empty palms. “I’d like to have a few words with my cousin before he leaves. At the very least, he owes me an explanation.” Shsiui glanced at Itachi, who gazed calmly back before looking to Sarutobi.
“I do owe him that,” Itachi agreed, shouldering his bag. Sarutobi still looked reluctant. The bruises were still livid on Shisui’s throat, and heavy on his mind. Itachi stepped away, tucking his cloak tighter. Shisui followed, just far enough not to be heard. Shisui glanced at the men and back to Itachi, who angled himself to they wouldn’t see Shisui’s lips.
“What did you want to know, Shisui.” Itachi tipped his head up.
Shisui glanced at the side and then back. “It’s going well, thing aren’t resolved completely, but I’ve gotten at least fifteen others who don’t want war. The rest should come around if I beat it into their heads enough we’d get slaughtered.”
“It’s difficult to explain…” Itachi’s hand moved, scout signing. Try to look angrier.
“You try to look less like you’re being set free,” Shisui countered. Itachi’s lips thinned, but his eyes were on the verge of a laugh. Really, Shisui couldn’t blame him. He wished he were going as well. Still, he set his shoulders and let his hands knot into fists.
“I am sorry.” I’ll miss you and Sasuke.
“You’ll be coming back one day.”
“I don’t think so.” Itachi did smile now. Hit me. Shisui hesitated until Itachi signed again. Then he slapped Itachi’s face, faster than a man could think. Itachi stumbled a little, hand coming to touch his bloody lip. The ANBU were around them then. Shisui felt Kakashi’s hand on his arm, and he managed a decent snarl at Itachi.
“For all we’ve given you, this is how you repay us?” Shisui leaned against the hold. Itachi dabbed blood and shrugged.
“For all you taught me, I am grateful. I only hope you can learn a greater lesson from this.” Itachi smiled-real, soft, personal, and then he turned. He bowed to the Hokage and few elders who had come to see him off then vanished into the night. Kakashi kept his hold on Shisui a good fifteen minute after Itachi had gone, though the elders dispersed within minutes.
The Hokage walked up to Shisui. His withered hand landed below Kakashi’s. “Hate is a hard legacy to carry.”
Shisui slowly shifted his eyes from the space he had last seen Itachi-Itachi and his small shoulder. “Yes, it is.”
Characters: Itachi and Shisui
Summary: On a cold December night, things go a bit differently than usual. One friend goes, another stays.
Warnings: None.
On a bitter December evening, Uchiha Itachi received his sentence for Most Contemptible Plotting Against his Clan, with the vicious attempt to eliminate them. Due to his age, and his relatively good intentions, mercy had been called for, even though the serious charge was compounded with the attempted murder of Uchiha Shisui. The sending off was small, predictably. The only unexpected one there was Uchiha Shisui himself.
Itachi’s headband had been sliced through with much ceremony the morning before, and he wore it like a wound on his forehead. His clothing was unadorned black, and he’d been allowed weapons despite his new status as an exile and missing-nin. Konoha had placed no bounty on his head, offered no rewards. Still, killing him, torturing him, anything was free game now. As soon as he walked out of those gates, he would be officially a criminal.
Shisui watched the proceedings. Sarutobi spoke for a while to Itachi. Whatever he said, the boy’s face didn’t chance. All in all, Itachi looked amazingly composed for a condemned man. He didn’t look stricken or lost. He looked confident, actually. Maybe even a little pleased with himself as he stood and received the official ruling and what it all meant. He looked small among all those great men, his slim shoulders held stiff and square, but still obviously lacking a man’s growth. He’d never looked more a child, and never looked more capable.
Shisui didn’t think everyone there could read all that he did. Shisui had made an extensive study of Itachi’s facial expression, slight though they were most of the time. It came from being someone’s best friend, only friend, for ages on end. Until today, or, technically, the day Itachi had tried to kill him.
Shisui slowly unknotted himself and stood up. He slipped through the trees and over to the gathered people. Sarutobi and Itachi glanced up at him, and the old man moved to intercept him.
“Shisui-kun, I don’t think you should be here. The clan agreed-“
“That he would be banished.” Shisui waved a hand, showing empty palms. “I’d like to have a few words with my cousin before he leaves. At the very least, he owes me an explanation.” Shsiui glanced at Itachi, who gazed calmly back before looking to Sarutobi.
“I do owe him that,” Itachi agreed, shouldering his bag. Sarutobi still looked reluctant. The bruises were still livid on Shisui’s throat, and heavy on his mind. Itachi stepped away, tucking his cloak tighter. Shisui followed, just far enough not to be heard. Shisui glanced at the men and back to Itachi, who angled himself to they wouldn’t see Shisui’s lips.
“What did you want to know, Shisui.” Itachi tipped his head up.
Shisui glanced at the side and then back. “It’s going well, thing aren’t resolved completely, but I’ve gotten at least fifteen others who don’t want war. The rest should come around if I beat it into their heads enough we’d get slaughtered.”
“It’s difficult to explain…” Itachi’s hand moved, scout signing. Try to look angrier.
“You try to look less like you’re being set free,” Shisui countered. Itachi’s lips thinned, but his eyes were on the verge of a laugh. Really, Shisui couldn’t blame him. He wished he were going as well. Still, he set his shoulders and let his hands knot into fists.
“I am sorry.” I’ll miss you and Sasuke.
“You’ll be coming back one day.”
“I don’t think so.” Itachi did smile now. Hit me. Shisui hesitated until Itachi signed again. Then he slapped Itachi’s face, faster than a man could think. Itachi stumbled a little, hand coming to touch his bloody lip. The ANBU were around them then. Shisui felt Kakashi’s hand on his arm, and he managed a decent snarl at Itachi.
“For all we’ve given you, this is how you repay us?” Shisui leaned against the hold. Itachi dabbed blood and shrugged.
“For all you taught me, I am grateful. I only hope you can learn a greater lesson from this.” Itachi smiled-real, soft, personal, and then he turned. He bowed to the Hokage and few elders who had come to see him off then vanished into the night. Kakashi kept his hold on Shisui a good fifteen minute after Itachi had gone, though the elders dispersed within minutes.
The Hokage walked up to Shisui. His withered hand landed below Kakashi’s. “Hate is a hard legacy to carry.”
Shisui slowly shifted his eyes from the space he had last seen Itachi-Itachi and his small shoulder. “Yes, it is.”