An Itachi Fanfiction [EDITING]

Meeting

I arrived just as Nagato began telling his story.

I stayed hidden.

This wasn't my moment.

It was Naruto's.

So I remained in the shadows and listened.

Nagato spoke of pain.

Of war.

Of hunger.

Of losing his parents.

Of meeting Konan and Yahiko.

Of three orphaned children trying to survive in a world that had already taken too much from them.

Then he spoke of Uncle Jiraiya.

My chest tightened at the sound of his name.

He spoke of being trained by him.

Of learning from him.

Of believing in his dream.

Of forming the Akatsuki with Yahiko and Konan.

Not the Akatsuki I knew.

Not the organization that hunted Jinchūriki and killed anyone who stood in its way.

A different Akatsuki.

One born from hope.

Peace.

And then he spoke of Yahiko's death.

Of Hanzo.

Of betrayal.

Of being forced to choose between the life of his best friend and the life of Konan.

I closed my eyes.

For the first time, I didn't see Pain.

I saw Nagato.

A broken boy who had lost too much and chosen the wrong way to survive it.

That didn't forgive what he'd done.

It didn't erase Uncle Jiraiya.

It didn't erase Konoha.

But it made him human.

And somehow that made everything hurt more.

"Did you come here to kill me?"

My eyes opened.

Nagato wasn't looking at Naruto.

He was looking toward me.

Naruto turned, surprised.

I stepped out from the shadows.

There was no point hiding anymore.

For a moment, none of us spoke.

Then I nodded.

"Yes."

Naruto's eyes widened.

I kept my gaze on Nagato.

"I thought I could avenge Uncle Jiraiya."

My voice shook slightly.

"I thought if I saw you, I would hate you enough to do it."

Nagato watched me silently.

"But after hearing your story..."

I swallowed.

"I don't think I can."

His expression didn't change.

"I don't need your pity."