Where We Belong

Chapter III

Amegakure, 27 years ago...

- Would it be too intrusive or unwise of me to say that you've been more thoughtful than usual lately, Itachi?

The Uchiha didn't even bother to give his Akatsuki partner a sideways look at that question. Instead, he sighed deeply as he continued gazing at that horrible black night Amegakure offered them as a commonplace sight every day. Kisame Hoshigaki sighed and shook his head but, in his case, in a clear sign of frustration. Sometimes it was difficult to get the younger man to speak and patience wasn't Kirigakure renegade shinobi's forte exactly. After a moment thus the man of imposing figure and about ten years older than his partner, with curious shark-like features (including his teeth) and black eyes sighed yet again and asked Itachi if he needed another couple hours to rest before leaving for their next destination. The ponytailed ebony-haired man finally faced Kisame with his Mangekyō activated and responded that he should probably take some more rest; however, he wasn't sure that their leader would allow him such luxury.

- To hell with him! You know? Sometimes I wonder if he's even human in the first place... You stay here and get some rest; I'll go on behalf of both of us when he calls us...

Itachi was a man accustomed –trained even- to perfectly mask any feeling or emotion under an ever-impassive façade. However and for some inexplicable reason, Kisame had always been able to at least partially break it. And that hadn't been the exception, for the Uchiha's once again onyx eyes opened slightly in surprise at the tougher man's unexpected display of genuine concern. Sometimes Itachi had the feeling that the Samehada wielder knew more about him than he was letting on. And that that had probably been the reason why Kisame had chosen him after his first assigned partner -and former Bloody Mist Legendary Swordsman like Hoshigaki himself- was killed during a mission in their native village, Kirigakure. He was shaken off his thoughts when a (sadly) familiar sensation began growing in his chest and, before his pale blue-skinned partner could even realize that, the ebony-haired man asked him to leave him alone for a moment. Just as patience wasn't Kisame's greatest virtue, neither was curiosity. Therefore, he simply nodded physically and verbally, repeating the young Akatsuki his earlier piece of advice before exiting the room.

Another Akatsuki member –the only woman- was walking by the rooms a few minutes later when she heard what she could clearly identify as heavy coughing. Konan was only a couple steps from the place the sound came from and, besides, she also knew who that room belonged to as well. As a matter of fact, along with her partner Nagato and that who called himself 'Tobi', she was the one that knew that den best. Along precisely with Nagato and Kisame Hoshigaki, she was besides the eldest member of the group, while the man that occupied that room was one of the youngest besides the Iwagakure shinobi he had recruited along with the Kirigakure swordsman. The blue-haired and orange-eyed Amegakure kunoichi thus knocked on the door twice calling out to the man inside and, when no answer came back, she opened the door slowly. Itachi could barely lift his face upon realizing that the door had been opened and his unfocused gaze could hardly make out the silhouette of the person approaching him slowly.

- What is it, Itachi-san? It doesn't even look like you've suffered a superficial wound... I must admit, though, Kisame looked worried when you two returned from your last mission. And that's something admittedly hard to see in that man...

- Just give me a few minutes, Konan... It is not the first time this happens and it won't be the last either. However, I'm afraid I can't say more than I already have...

- Do as you please but, for the time being, lay down for a minute...

The woman walked over to a small table beside her partner's bed and served a glass of water from a jar, handing it over to the man. Konan noted with undisguised concern that his partner drank the contents of the glass almost as if he had not had a single drop of water in days. On the other hand, only at that moment did she notice the more than obvious dark circles under his eyes. She sighed and, leaving another full glass on the table, she turned to the ponytailed shinobi and commented that there wouldn't be any more assignments at least for the rest of that day. But, in case that any might appear eventually, she would ask Nagato to send someone else. He was one of the most powerful members of Akatsuki; they needed him to be in top shape or else there would be no point in his staying there. Itachi gave her a faint smile in response. He didn't know Konan all too well yet; not as much as he knew Kisame at least. However, he could say without fear of being wrong that her words did not reflect what she truly thought.