Inferno (A Naruto Fanfic Book 4)

Chapter 7

As I woke up, I took a deep breath. Smells... dammit... I slowly opened my eyes and saw Itachi. How? He was still sleeping, but my head was on his chest, and his arm was wrapped around me. I tried to get up, but per usual, he tightened his hold and woke up.

I frowned and pushed him off the bed. "What was that for?"

I smirked. "I felt like it."

He got up and flopped back on the bed. "At least you slept."

I moved away from him. "Yeah, I should go. I told Chihiro I'd be there."

He looked out the window. "The sun isn't up. She's still sleeping."

I rolled my eyes. "Then, I'll be there when she wakes up." He pulled me back onto his chest and closed his eyes. "Really?"

He opened one eye. "Sleep."

I pulled away from him and rolled off the bed. "Not sleepy." He sighed, sat up, and watched me go into the bathroom with my clothes. As I pulled off his shirt, I noted it carried his scent as I examined it, I noticed something else.

I walked back into the room. "Itachi, where is the Uchiha crest?" I looked up and noticed it wasn't on the clothes he'd put on either.

He shrugged. "I don't wear it anymore."

I blinked at him. "They're your family."

He took the shirt from me. "Sasuke and my mother."

As he walked away, I hugged him from behind, and he stiffened. "Don't turn your back on your family, Itachi."

He sighed and turned in my arms to look down at me. "I didn't. My father disowned me that day. That's what he wanted to speak to us about."

My eyes widened. "You were his heir."

He stroked my cheek with one finger. "Not anymore, Sasuke's the heir now." I frowned, and he put his finger under my chin. "He asked if it were between you and the clan who would I choose. I chose you."

I blushed and averted my gaze as he leaned closer. "I told you, I was asked to kill them once for Sasuke, I chose him. I told you I would do the same for you."

I met his eyes. "If I had known..."

He shook his head. "I regret nothing." I had stopped breathing and could hear my heart beating wildly in my ears. My eyelids fell as he leaned closer and his lips brushed against mine. I leaned into him as his hand wrapped around my waist.

The kiss was sweet and slow. He curled his fingers in my hair, and I gasped. He pulled back, and I turned my head, blushing. He smiled and kissed my cheek. "Cute." About time you got that over with.

I scowled. "I hate you both." Both Itachi and Kurama chuckled, and I stepped away. "I need to go."

Itachi looked disappointed. "I..."

I quickly kissed him on the cheek and dashed out the door. "No stalking." I looked back and saw him holding his cheek, blushing. I smiled. Stupid Uchiha...

I crept into Minato's house and froze when I saw him sitting on the couch. "Have a good time?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Never known you to wait up."

He sighed. "Every time you leave, it's a question of when you'll come back."

I sat across from him. "That's my fault..."

He shook his head. "I should've stopped it before it started."

I shook my head. "If you had, I would've hated this place and the people in it. I enjoy wandering around."

He smiled sadly. "All those people..."

I smiled brightly. "They're great, right? Even the criminals."

He chuckled. "To think... someone from every village was here. From villages that hate each other... people that hate each other."

I nodded. "I saw, and I loved it... for the most part."

He looked mystified. "If I had stopped it... that wouldn't have happened."

I sighed. "I was angry at first when it happened. Especially since Danzo had me kidnapped when I refused the first time, but the more I time I spent out there, the less I wanted to spend here."

He nodded. "I can understand that."

I smiled slightly. "Everyone has a dream or goal that they want to accomplish... Before leaving here, I didn't have one, but over time, after meeting all these people... I want what happened that night to be real. I want real peace between all the nations."

He sighed. "That means you won't be staying."

I shrugged. "I will for a time, but I'm not even sure if I can. I'm technically still exiled and have no wish to become a Leaf nin. You know this village isn't very good about keeping their exiles out."

Minato smirked. "Lord Third had no interest in exiling you, and the Anbu and higher ranking officials love you. Unless the council was going to keep you out themselves, there was no stopping you."

I laughed. "Well, that's nice to know." I thought for a moment and looked out of the window. "I can't stay Minato, especially now."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

I smirked. "I want true peace. That stunt we pulled at the wedding in no way helped to foster that. In fact, I bet a lot of people blame the Leaf for what happened."

Minato nodded. "They all waited outside the hospital, you know. They wouldn't leave until they saw for themselves you were okay. Then they set up shifts so someone was always there with you... or Chihiro, as I should say."

I lowered my gaze. "I have a lot of apologizing to do. They won't like that Chihiro is still married to Shisui. Pein has already threatened him once before the wedding, like me, he won't tolerate much."

He chuckled. "There are a number of people who would gladly kill him. One wrong move, and I'm sure they'll grab the chance. You two really are the most protected ninja of the Five Great Nations."

I smiled. "And the most feared, but no one here would understand why."

He shrugged. "I'm sure one day we'll find out."

I frowned. "I hope you never do." If you did... you'd never see me the same way after...