An Itachi Fanfiction [EDITING]

Reliving the Past

A while later, the clearing had grown strangely quiet.

The battle was over.

The immediate danger had passed.

But the air still felt heavy with everything that had happened.

Ino sat beside Sakura fixing what remained of Sakura's unevenly cut hair while the others rested nearby.

Naruto complained loudly about being hungry.

Chōji offered him chips.

Shikamaru muttered something about everything being "such a drag."

Normal.

Somehow, that almost made it worse.

Meanwhile, I sat alone at the edge of the cave opening with my knees pulled against my chest.

My thoughts wouldn't stop spinning.

Father.

The curse mark.

Sasuke.

The Sharingan.

Everything felt like it was collapsing around me all at once.

Then suddenly—

Someone knelt in front of me.

I looked up.

Sakura.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then quietly, gently, she said:

"You look like you have a lot on your mind."

Her green eyes softened slightly.

"Sometimes talking about it helps."

Not demanding.

Not pushing.

Just...

Offering.

Around us, the others slowly fell silent.

Waiting.

I realised then that there wasn't really a point hiding it anymore.

Not after today.

Not after him.

I took a slow breath.

"My father's name is Orochimaru."

The clearing went dead silent instantly.

"He's an S-rank criminal," I continued quietly. "He used to be a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf."

I swallowed hard.

"My parents were both members of the Four Legendary Sannin."

Several people gasped softly.

"My mother's name was Chiharu Uchiha."

The reactions around me sharpened immediately.

I forced myself to continue before I lost the courage.

"My father killed her."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

The words felt strange spoken aloud.

Heavy.

"I was three years old," I whispered. "I woke up in the middle of the night after hearing something crash downstairs."

My throat tightened painfully.

"When I got there..."

I could still see it.