Eyes

Shouts and Whispers

"Lee." Itachi called.

"Yes, Sir?" Lee's monotone voice was clearly one of hostility, even hidden behind his ANBU mask.

"Tell them to close the gate. We won't be leaving tonight." Itachi commanded.

"What?" Kiba shouted, pulling off his own mask. His comrade, Shino, watching silently as always.

"I won't repeat myself. Check yourselves into some rooms and we will regroup tomorrow." Itachi has turned around and had already begun his walk to the Kazikage tower.

"Wait, wait." Kiba called running up beside him.

"Kiba I said-" Itachi begins but stopped when his arm was lifted and placed over Kiba's shoulder.

"Relax, it's gonna take you all night to get anywhere like this." Kiba said referring to his injuries. "Where we heading?"

Hearing a knock on his door Naruto sighed. He had just gotten ready for bed in his matching PJ set that Gaara had given him (Blue and white strips, it was very fancy and soft).

Listening carefully, he heard the shuffling of more than one pair of feet and inhaled deeply trying to see if he could scent whoever was on the other side of the door.

Confusingly, he smelt two familiar scents. Eagerly he opened the door.

His suspicions were confirmed upon seeing Kiba and Itachi stood tighter, Kiba looking thoroughly more awkward.

"Uh, hi again. Just dropping this guy off. Um, catch you later I guess." Kiba looked to Itachi for confirmation before Itachi nodded his head slightly, then he was off.

"Itachi, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked slowly, confused.

"I came to say I'm sorry for how I acted earlier and that-" Naruto watched as Itachi adjusted himself, his hand pressing to his rib cage.

"Wait, don't say anything else. Just..." Naruto gently took Kiba's earlier place and helped Itachi to the sofa in the small room. "Okay?" Naruto asked unsurely.

"Yes, thank you." Itachi smiled slightly, happy Naruto had intentionally or unintentionally invited him in. "Again, I'm sorry for my behaviour earlier, especially after how kind you were to me while I was in the hospital."

Naruto chose then to take a seat on the arm of the sofa. Just out of reach from Itachi. "Yeah, why did you do that?" Although it was such a simple question, the pain that it emulated made Itachi feel guilty he ever thought of leaving without an explanation.

"Honestly?" Itachi breathed.

"Because of the fox thing?" Naruto rushed, it had played on his mind. Naruto hadn't told him, but he had clearly seen during battle. Naruto had decided it was either that or the trouble that Itachi had gotten himself into for Naruto since meeting him.

Itachi looked offended at the very suggestion. "Of course not. Why would you-" his voice took on a darker tone. "No, definitely not," Itachi said, this time voice calmer, more collected. "The fact that you're half fox did throw me off, I figured it out back in Leaf. After your disappearance, I did stop by your house but no one was in. I got worried and broke in and had a look around. I found the scrolls of Kimimaro." Naruto's eyes were wide.

"I'm sorry for breaking in but I don't regret it." Itachi followed up.

"You knew and you still came?" Itachi nodded.

"The reason I was leaving was that... I've never felt as helpless as I did, and still do, waking up in that hospital being told I had been unconscious for two weeks." Naruto's eyes soften slightly, Itachi looked away. "I do not need your pity. I have always been the one who is first awake, first to assess the situation. I don't injury easily. I'm the ANBU captain, next in line to lead the Council and become Hokage. Yet..."