Kakashi and his Raven

Sorry, no lemon here either. Got to take care of business at the beginning, then the relationship and the past towards the end of this chapter. Lemon next chapter.

----------

Remarkably, Itachi had waited. It was nearing dawn.

“There’s a secret way into Konoha?”

“The forest near the Uchiha compound. If the Uchiha shrine is still there.”

“It’s still there.” Kakashi pulled Itachi up, putting his arm over his shoulder.

The entrance to the tunnel that ran into the Uchiha compound was built into a living tree a quarter mile from the wall that enclosed the village. Though Itachi wanted to walk on his own, he wasn’t strong enough to make it far without Kakashi’s help.

Kakashi cautiously opened the door at the end of the tunnel. Dark and silent. Kakashi used his Sharingan to see in the dark tunnel, but lit a torch now.

“This is a bunker. There’re rooms this way.”

Itachi leaned against the wall as Kakashi opened one of the doors. Dust. “No one’s been down here for at least fifteen years.”

“It’s the only safe place for me within miles.” Itachi pushed passed Kakashi and collapsed onto the bed. “What’s left of the compound?”

“It’s all gone. The Third bought it all from Sasuke. The only thing left is the shrine.”

Itachi’s face went dark at the mention of his little brother.

“Down the corridor, open the vents. It’ll clear the air.”

Kakashi nodded. “Then I’ll go back through the tunnel and report in. I’ll try to get a break from missions and I’ll bring supplies.”

“Thank you, Kakashi.”

“Sleep.”

-----

“The descriptions did sound like Sasuke and Orochimaru so I searched the area, I found nothing. If they had been there, they moved on quickly.”

“I’m sorry to be sending you out on missions like this,” Tsunade said. “I know how hard this must be on you.”

Kakashi tried to look as tired as possible, but he needn’t have tried, he was exhausted. “I’m taking you off the active roster, get some rest.”

“Thank you.”

Sakura was waiting outside waiting to see her master. She was surprised to see Kakashi. “Kakashi-sensei, how are you?”

“Tired. Thank you.”

“I mixed up some soldier pills. Give you some energy.”

“I’d appreciate it. Thank you.”

Sakura was a good girl. She’d help her sensei even if it was dangerous or illegal. Until she knew who he was harboring.

Kakashi went shopping. Then he went home. He’d wait until nightfall to smuggle the provisions to Itachi. So he slept.

Sakura felt odd about going to Kakashi’s home. She waited patiently for him to answer, not really sure he would. He did.

“I brought the soldier pills.”

“Thank you Sakura.” She didn’t make to leave and he could take a hint. “Want to come in?”

“Thank you.”

Once the door shut, “Thank you for your help. He seems to be recovering, but he’s still very weak.”

“Anything I can do.”

“And thank you for not asking who he is. He’s an old friend, but no friend to the village.”

“His chakra felt familiar.”

“He has family here, that might explain it.”

“Oh. If you do need any more help . . .”

“Thanks. Remember, not a word to anyone, not even Naruto or the Hokage.”

“Not a word.”

-----

Kakashi was at little perturbed that he should be shocked Itachi hadn’t left yet. The man had tried to kill him twice. Hospitalized him for . . . And that was before he had cause. Before he lost Sasuke.

Itachi was sitting up. He’d washed most of the blood off his skin but he still didn’t look well.

“I picked up a change of clothes for you.” Kakashi was only 4cm taller than Itachi, so thought he was a good judge at the size. “Sakura made you some food pills to restore your chakra. They taste like hell, but they’re the best.”

“She’s the one on your team with Sasuke.”

“While Sasuke was here. I’m sorry Itachi. I tried to stop him.”

“No, it’s not your fault. It’s my fault he fell into Orochimaru’s hands. I knew what Orochimaru wanted, knew he’d go for Sasuke. Sasuke’s growing strong; he’ll destroy Orochimaru when he’s done with him. You taught him many of the skills he needs. Thank you, by the way, for keeping your promise to me despite everything.”

“You do still love him, don’t you?”

Itachi didn’t answer for several seconds. “I killed my entire clan, all except for him. I left him to live a lonely, miserable life. I’ve left him in the hands of an evil, maniacal, monster who wants, in a sense, to murder him. And you have to ask if I love him?”

“Yes.”

“Construe what answers you wish.”

“The Itachi I knew could never let harm befall his little brother.”

“Enough Kakashi.” So like Itachi not to raise his voice. He never spoke unless he had too, never fought unless he had to, never used more movement than was necessary; he was the essence of stillness. If not for his skill and looks, one could spend every day near him and never notice him, never miss him when he was gone.

They sat in silence for a minute.

“Well, are you going to tell me what happened?” Itachi said nothing. “Okay. Let me help you change out of those bloody clothes.”

As he was helping Itachi into the black outfit he brought, Kakashi found his face near Itachi’s blood soaked hair; he couldn’t resist inhaling the smell. “Still smell like warm ash and a forest wind.” And blood.

Itachi froze, but did not pull away. Itachi finished dressing and sat cross-legged on the bed.

“I’ll leave you if you don’t need me.” Kakashi made to leave.

“It was Kisame.” Kakashi stopped.

“You’re more than a match for any Shinobi in the world. You could probably have killed every Hokage without breaking a sweat.”

“Can you keep a secret? Even if it may give Sasuke, or even Naruto, a tactical advantage against me?”

“I’ve never betrayed a confidence and I never will. Especially yours.”

“I’m going blind. If that happens I will be completely useless to Akatsuki.” Kakashi was so shocked, he had to feel around for the chair and sat. “Kisame on his own is not much of match for me. But he has an enormous amount of chakra and his sword, Samehada, absorbs chakra. I didn’t see it coming. All I could do was get away. He knows I’m not dead and if you hadn’t found me, he would have, and killed me. I don’t know how you found me, but . . . thank you.”

“I was running down a lead on Sasuke and Orochimaru; a dark haired, handsome, young man with red eyes in the company of a man who did not look human. I didn’t consider it’d be you and Kisame.”

“Thank you for not killing me when you had the chance.”

“I can’t kill you. It’s still true you know: it will kill me if you die.”

“Don’t say that. You still love me? Even after Tsukuyomi. That’s pretty unforgivable.”

“Seventy-two hours of torture. But it was also seventy-two hours in your presence. I wasn’t thinking about the pain. You could have made it worse. You were always so careful with your jutsu.”

Itachi never spoke unless he had to. Some things didn’t need words. Kakashi didn’t even see Itachi move, but he was there in front of him pulling his mask down.

Itachi had changed; he now kissed like he moved: languid, but purposeful. The kiss was more intimate than sex itself. But his little raven still tasted like licks of fire. And blood. Tasted like fresh blood.