WANTED: Itachi Uchiha

Juuichi

If there ever was a moment Itachi wanted an enemy shinobi to ambush him and knock him out, it was now. If the Akatsuki suddenly bombarded their dining room, he wouldn't complain. In fact, he would thank the kami and leave them an offering at the shrine. 

As usual, he had no such luck. 

No enemy shinobi crashed through the shoji screens, instead Itachi was met by an insufferable silence. 

"That's really not necessary, Mikoto-san." Reina replied coolly, briefly catching Itachi's gaze. Indifference. That's what he saw in her eyes. Not hatred. Not anger. Indifference. He wasn't sure what was worse. 

"Nonsense. You can't go through something like that by yourself. Fugaku and I would go with you but we have a clan meeting and I don't know how long we will be."

"Honestly, it's no bother. I've slept, eaten and drank so it's very unlikely that I'll collapse." Sasuke cleared his throat, pointedly looking at her still untouched rice; Reina narrowed her eyes, her nostrils flaring. 

"Still, I'd feel more comfortable knowing you had someone with you. In fact, Sasuke," Mikoto turned her dark gaze towards her youngest. "you go too. I believe Naruto-kun is still in the hospital and it'd be nice if you took him some proper food."

Sasuke sighed in defeat. "Hai, Okaa-san."

"Good, then it's settled."

Fugaku knew how to pick his battles, and facing his wife was an instant defeat. 

Mikoto: 1 - Reina/Itachi/Sasuke: 0

°°°

The trio were a bizarre sight to behold. Itachi and Sasuke flanked Reina, they keeping a safe distance away from the Hitori Heiress. Itachi was practically a dead man walking. He was exhausted and really just wanted to sleep. But he couldn't go against his mother's wishes, the last thing he needed was to disappoint his mother on top of everything else. 

So he plodded on, one footstep at a time. 

"You're gonna have to speak to her at some point, Nii-san. If she is going to be staying with us, we can't have a repeat of today. It was intolerable." Sasuke muttered, his hands shoved in his pockets. 

"I know. It's just not that easy." Itachi sighed, running a hand through his bangs. 

"Sure it is. You apologise, and I mean really apologise. And she hopefully doesn't slit your throat in your sleep." Sasuke smirked, idly kicking a pebble down the road. 

"You're exasperating."

Reina pretended not hear their entire conversation. For elite ninja, the Uchiha brothers certainly had no concept of privacy. She knew Itachi was guilt ridden. It was evident in the purple bruising beneath his eyes and his deflated demeanour. She wanted to forgive him and likely would eventually, just right now she couldn't think about him. She had to think about Baa-chan. 

The hospital seemed to loom above her, its size exacerbated by the dull thud that echoed in her chest. Had it always been so daunting and terrifying? 

"Are you ready?" Sasuke asked. Any former sass the younger Uchiha once oozed was nowhere to be seen. Instead in his eyes was an understanding she didn't think he possessed. Reina nodded. "Alright then, let's go."

Sasuke walked beside her, holding open doors and ensuring she was ok to continue as though each double doorway was a checkpoint and a chance for her to turn back. In a sense they were. Itachi lingered behind, making sure he didn't step too close and crowd the golden eyed kunoichi. To his surprise she didn't slam the doors in his face, instead she lingered, holding open each door for him, occasionally catching his eyes.