Where We Belong

Chapter II

- Do you feel any better?

The black-haired retired Jōnin asked in genuine concern once she noticed her temporary guest open his eyes slowly. It had been a day and a half since they had met and Kurenai and her daughter decided to have the Uchiha staying in their home until his condition had improved at least a bit. Itachi had been right in the end; he must have been definitely incubating a strong flu who knows for how long since even after almost two days of rest he had signs of fatigue and even fever. The man opened his slightly glazed onyx eyes and gasped as if he had suddenly choked in his own fluids. To her sheer horror, Mirai noticed that that had not only been the case but that it hadn't exactly been saliva what he had chocked in. The Uchiha sat up rather abruptly and holding his chest just above his his heart as if prey to an unsurmountable pain. Only seconds later and with his last ounce of strength he pushed the younger Jōnin aside before a coughing fit struck him. Deep red blood spilled both over his grey shirt and the darker burgundy mosaic of the living room floor. He quickly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth after a couple of minutes and, looking up at the two Sarutobi, he apologized, admitting that he was hoping they would never see him in such a state. However, it was clear that whatever the means to bring him back might have been, it hadn't unfortunately eliminated his illness.

- Wait... -Kurenai said as her crimson gaze opened wide in utter horror rather than shock –What do you mean by 'illness' exactly?

- The Sandaime would keep it from you because I practically begged that he did... That was one of the reasons why I accepted to kill my family and be framed a traitor to Konoha. I even took Shisui Uchiha's alleged suicide as my own responsibility...

The older Jōnin remained silent, simply listening to what he had to say. After all, it was true that they had been told very little about Itachi's involvement both in ANBU and in its secondary unit.

- Yes; as I mentioned the Rokudaime, Shisui made sure that his body disappeared but he didn't kill himself...

He took a deep breath when he noticed that the effort was already taking its toll on him. That was usually the most common consequence of those episodes. It was also true that they were visibly worse whenever they occurred amidst a battle or any other tense situation whatsoever though. The hand of the younger crimson-eyed woman offering him a glass of water brought him out of his thoughts and the man whose onyx gaze still looked visibly crystallized shook his head apologizing to both mother and daughter for what had happened. Itachi took the glass in his slightly trembling right hand and, after taking a couple sips of water he lifted his face to them, smiling lightly in thanks. Kurenai was about to ask whether he needed anything else when a couple soft knocks on the door took all three of them by surprise. However, the first to react was, curiously indeed, the older Uchiha, who stood up on still shaking feet and stated as low as a whisper that he was afraid Kurenai would no longer need to deliver Shikamaru's message to him for the person they talked about was waiting outside. She was nevertheless too reserved rather than shy to confront those still alien to her.

- You seem to know her pretty well...

- A spy must know exactly who he must spy. There was an only person I would have never been able to spy on and that was the very person I turned to when I massacred my Clan. Do you wonder why? Because he himself was an Uchiha and he knew more about me than I did... He knew I would never dare laying a hand on my only brother and would instead wait until things ended as they did... It was only a misfortune that I was too weak by then to hold up against him for as long as I'd have wanted to...

Again he could feel his body slowly giving in to fatigue. However, he needed to hear from Konan what it had been decided about her stay in the village. He was a native from Konoha so he wasn't whether it would be easy for him to leave again. But very deep in his heart and even though he didn't understand why very well, he felt that things wouldn't be the same if his companion was eventually rejected. He laid a still trembling hand on the doorknob and opened the door slowly after realizing that it was unlocked. Konan's orange eyes opened wide in sheer horror upon seeing her companion's unhealthily pale countenance and, shortly after Itachi let her in, the blue-haired woman asked whether he had been having trouble with his illness again. He looked as though he hadn't slept for the last two days as far as she could tell from his appearance. The moment she realized the Uchiha wasn't alone, Konan turned with eyes wide open at the Sarutobi pair. She obviously didn't know who they were. One of her fine blue brows arched only slightly, though she chose not to question the two women. Instead, she took a deep breath and gave them a tiny smile, explaining to them that the Rokudaime and Nanadaime Hokage had mentioned a bit about them to her. Also her rather silent companion, but she had chosen not to interrogate him further, admitting that now she understood how alike Itachi was to him. It appeared that none spoke without being asked and, when they were, they were prone to using as few words as possible. That statement not only served to make Itachi gain some of his face's natural colour but it even caused an ever so faint crimson to adorn his cheeks. Shaking himself off that momentary shock, he admitted that it looked like she had had quite a thorough chat with the Hokage's advisor. Konan's expression regained her normal seriousness though the ebony-haired man knew that what she had to say wasn't as serious as her face showed. It was just her usual demeanour; the way she had always acted before anyone else except two people in Akatsuki. Those were precisely Nagato –her partner and friend- and him.