Warmth

Chapter 12

Sasuke

Izumi had a small cottage away from any major village. Only small towns miles away.

Izumi invited us in and offered us a seat in the living room. The place didn't look any different from the last time I was here, after I killed Itachi. "I'll go warm some tea." She scurried to the kitchen.

I look over to a confused Hinata sitting next to me. "I am not the only living Uchiha." I said only causing her to look away in more utter confusion.

Itachi couldn't bring himself to kill Izumi. He loved her. Therefore he brought her here and she remained here. Itachi came to visit her twice every month after the massacre.

Before he died he put me in a genjutsu showing me all that happened, including Izumi in this cottage. I ran here afterward, busting through the doors to a startled Izumi. That night I cried on her floor for hours as she held me.

*Flashback*

"It's okay" her false statement only made me cry harder. It's not okay. I know she is trying to comfort me, but how could she? I just killed the love of her life.

"I killed him" I forced out.

"I know, I know." she rocked me back and forth as she held me, running her fingers through my black locks.

"He was sick, ne. He couldn't bear the thought of letting that disease take him out." She stopped rocking and stared out the window at something I couldn't see. "He wanted you to hate him. He wanted to shield you from the truth for a purpose. He wanted to die by your hands."

I dwell on her words as she takes my face to hers, resting both her hands under my cheeks. "Now he wants you to live. He wants you to let go of all the rage and hate. He wants you to forget revenge. He wants you to get back the childhood that was taken from you. He wants you to make friends, find your soulmate, and settle down. He wants you to build a family no one can take from you" Now she was crying with me. "He wants you to be happy."

*End Flashback*

That was two years ago. This is my first time back since.

Izumi came back with two cups of hot tea, setting them in front of me and hinata on the coffee table. "So what brings you two all the way out here?" She questions looking from Hinata to me.

"Does the name Mamoru ring a bell?"

"Not at all." I tell her how he captured me then Hinata. Then how we broke out and killed him.

"What is his Jutsu?"

"He becomes engulfed in a blue aura. If he hits any chakra point, it shuts down and has the Domino effect on all other surrounding chakra points. Soon the person's chakra system shuts down."

"Who was he working for?"

"We don't know. That's why we are here. All I've heard is that they work on the moon or with the moon. I don't know. Some bullshit."I say quite disappointed.

"Ōtsutsuki" she mumble barely audible.

"What?"

"Nothing." she speaks shaking her head. She got out a piece of paper and began writing. "There's a man in the town over. Very intellectual. He has been on many travels and was a feared shinobi in the land of the mist." she handed me a piece of paper and began rubbing her eyes. "Tell him your story. Maybe he can help."

"We will. We should go now." I say standing.

"No. No please stay you two must have been traveling a while. There's always tomorrow." She says now rubbing both her eyes.