Rough Beginnings

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto nor do I make any money off this story.

Ack! Sorry it has taken me so long to get this updated! School is taking over a large part of my life as it rightly should. Not that I have to like the lack of free time. Hope you all enjoy!

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A loud crash resounded around the base as the door flew open crashing against the wall. Everyone gathered in the living room turned to watch as a fuming and soaking wet Kisame stormed through the door followed by a seemingly calm Itachi. The sharp sound of the shark's teeth clacking together could be heard in the dead silence. The Uchiha quietly shut the door behind him knowing that any loud sound could set off his angry partner. Upon closer inspection both members’ cloaks were torn and shredded.

"That's the sixth pair of cloaks that you two have destroyed!" Kakuzu exclaimed not at all happy that he would have to replace their cloaks again. "It's only been one and a half weeks since the last pair!"

"Well don't go blaming me you greedy bastard!" Kisame snapped forcing the masked shinobi to lean back in surprise. "If Itachi would just listen to me for once we wouldn't end up in the same situations over and over again! Then we wouldn't have to replace our cloaks every two weeks!"

"What the fuck happened?" Hidan asked warily. He had never seen Kisame snap at Kakuzu like that before. The shark's normally passive demeanor had completely disappeared. It really had to be serious to cause that man to snap like that at his best friend.

"He's just overreacting." Itachi stated simply though he quickly regretted it. By speaking it caused his partner to turn and face him. He much rather would have the man ignoring him like he had the past few days. Facing the shark when he was this angry was a frightening prospect. He refused to back down which caused the larger man to let out an animalistic growl. He could safely say he had never been more terrified of any one person in his entire life.

"Overreacting! I'm not overreacting! For month now I've had to save your scrawny ass from getting kidnapped because you can't kill your own fucking ANBU! I'm tired of having to do this for you and I'm plain sick of it!" Kisame yelled his teeth snapping sharply to punctuate the end of each sentence. "I'm not always going to be there to protect you! I'm risking my life to save you and you're acting as if it doesn't matter!"

"I don't need protection Kisame." Itachi stated flatly keeping his expression stoic. "You don't need to fight them off and kill them for me. I can take care of myself."

"Oh really? So why is it then that I keep having to run after them to get you back! From what I can see you can't protect yourself!" To those who knew the shark they could hear the concern riding in his voice. To Itachi however he just sounded like an inconsiderate brute. He's just overreacting to something that was none of his concern. "Get some common sense you stupid kid! I though you were supposed to be a genius!"

"How dare you..." Itachi stated narrowing his eyes at his large partner. "I'm not a kid." Before the shark could retort a powerful presence entered the room. He was glad to have his partner's attention turned away from him and towards their leader. He was not sure he could hold his own temper in check for much longer with how the shark was going on. He was also the only man that could stop the large man should he get out of control.

"That's enough Kisame." Pein ordered in a low tone. He was not sure what was going on but he did not appreciate the glare that Kisame threw his way. He had to admit though that he was curious as to what had set the shark off. He had never in these many years of knowing Kisame had he seen him like this. The shark looked just about ready to take down anyone that dared get near him. He shifted slightly to look past the shark and into the face of the seemingly uncaring Uchiha. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." Itachi replied simply. It really was not a lie. He refused to kill those that he had once called allies. He was finding it hard to just dispose of them like Kisame did. He might have murdered his family but he had cared little for them with the exception of his brother. These men were once his friends and subordinates. Besides, he had not even been captured this time around so why Kisame was reacting like this now he had him baffled. "He's just being a brute."

"That's for me to decide." Pein warned having heard the growl released by Kisame. The shark was beyond angry and he now knew that it had to do with the Uchiha. "Kisame, calm yourself before I am forced to do it for you." He watched as the shark tried to relax his posture. His stance was aggressive and his muscles were tensed ready to spring into action. "Now explain yourself."

"Itachi is being an idiot. The brat refuses to fight off the ANBU following him. I've had to take them on numerous times on top of the Kiri Special Forces. He's not only asking for his own death but mine as well if he keeps this up. He's endangering the whole of the Akatsuki with his selfish thinking." Kisame growled out trying to remain composed in front if Pein. It was proving to be a difficult task. He really just wanted to turn around and beat some sense into his partner. "He's being a spoiled, bratty child throwing a tantrum. He needs to grow up."

"Shut up you damn shark. What the hell do you know?" Itachi finally retorted his own temper flaring. He was so tired of his partner treating him like a child. He was anything but a kid and he wanted Kisame to acknowledge that. "Now get out of my way you hideous beast before I make you." Sadly the explosion came before anyone could move to stop it. The shark whirled around just as Itachi reached to shove the man out of the way; his teeth snapping together only inches from his hand. Between that and the pure rage in his eyes Itachi was forced to take a step back. Before he really knew what was going on he had sent his partner collapsing to the ground trapped inside the Tsukiyomi.

"What the fuck!?" Hidan exclaimed as his partner jumped up and rushed to the shark. "What the hell was that for Itachi?!"

"What do you mean what was that for?" Itachi asked furiously. Did they not just see his partner try and attack him? He hand had been raised, his teeth bared and the threat in his eyes was more than enough incentive for him to defend himself. "He was going to attack."

"He wouldn't have laid a hand on you." Sasori stated emotionlessly going over to help Kakuzu with the unconscious shark. "He doesn't lay a hand on anyone unless they are his enemy or they really deserve to have the shit beat out of them. The worst he would have done is hit the wall. You have nothing to fear from him. He was bred to be polite and have manners. He would never strike someone he cared about."

Itachi was not so sure that he believed that statement. It was hard to believe that the shark would have that much control over himself. Looking around though showed that everyone was behind Sasori. Their expressions were that of someone looking at a child who had just gotten in trouble. He hated those looks and turned his face to the wall so he would no longer have to see them. He had only done what he had out of self defense.

It was then that he realized that this is what Kisame had been talking about. He was refusing to defend himself against the ANBU after him, yet when his own partner turned on him out of anger he had immediately sent him into the Tsukiyomi. Those trying to capture him meant him great harm were the shark had just been angry from concern and worry. His hard expression softened slightly at the thought. He knew he was in trouble and deep inside he knew he deserved it.

"I swear, if you break one of my best shinobi you're going to pay dearly." Pein warned. He watched as the boy just nodded in response. He looked to Deidara who immediately went over to look after Itachi. He watched silently as the blonde managed to put the younger man into a small conversation. Letting out a sigh he turned his attention back to the unconscious shark. "Will he be alright?"

"He should be fine. Doesn't look like Itachi was really trying to damage him. You do have good control over those Genjutsus that's for sure." Sasori stated with slight admiration. He knew that Itachi could break the minds of his victims if he so chose. This just showed he had great control over the powers that he possessed. "He's drained but should only be out for a few days at most. He's never been under such a thing before."

"He'll be a little groggy when he first wakes up but his vitals are nice and strong. He's too tough for something like this to break him." The amusement was obvious in Kakuzu's voice. Itachi was sure that had the mask been off he would have been smiling. "We'll get him to his room; I don't see the need to take him to the hospital wing. He'll be fine. Itachi you'll just have to keep an eye on him, can you do that?" The glare he sent the Uchiha's way showed that he did not have a say in the matter. He watched as the boy gave a slow nod and decided to take it. It was only a matter of moments before Zetsu and Hidan came over to help move the shark.

"Itachi, I do believe that we need to have a talk. Deidara, make sure that Tobi doesn't get in trouble." Pein added on causing the blonde to groan. Despite his protested he moved from Itachi's side over to where the child-like man was seated; blissfully unaware of the commotion going on around him. He had been too busy putting a puzzle together to notice. "Come with me Uchiha.

"Yes Leader-sama." Itachi replied quietly knowing that he had made a fool of himself. He followed behind Pein with his head bowed slightly. He had never felt so foolish before. Back in Konoha he had never felt like this. There he could do no wrong, here it seemed that he had trouble doing things right. It was the first time he had ever felt his actual age. He refused to show how ashamed he really was though. It was not the Uchiha thing to do. He may have despised his family but there were bred and trained into him that he would never be able to get rid of. Showing any sort of weakening emotion would be one of them.

Upon entering Pein's office he took a seat across the large wooden desk from where the older man sat. "Itachi, I know this has been a hard transition for you but Kisame was only doing this for your better interest. He cares about you and doesn't want to see you get hurt or taken away. I guess there are some things you should probably know about everyone here before you do something that gets you into trouble. Not everyone here had Kisame's sense of control when they get angry. I know you don't like to talk to the others but this is just to head things off."

"Every single one of these men had been through hell. Each of their lives are ones that I wish I could go back and chance for them. And even being the leader of this groups I don't know all that has happened to them. I don't make them relive their pasts just to sooth my curiosity." Pein let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair. He looked into Itachi's eyes not bothering to be stern. The Uchiha really needed to hear this. "You came from a privileged life Itachi. Everything was pretty much handed to you on a silver platter. You are a genius and a prodigy the likes of no other Hidden Village has seen. Everything comes easily to you. That is not the case for everyone here."

"Most of my men have been abused in more than one way throughout their lives. Many have horror stories that I never wish to hear again. I even know that some have faced even worse than others. You have to also understand that each was considered a freak in their village and they had to fight desperately for not only the respect from their peers and superiors but also for their lives. These men have nothing left and they have no patience to be called anything disrespectful. They have tried all their lives to be considered normal so insulting them can easily lead to your death." Pein leaned forward and placed his folded arms on the top of his desk. "This is all they have left...when I found them they had nothing left to live for. You didn't have to do what you did. You had your life made back in Konoha. These men had nothing but a long and lonely life ahead of them. I watch them all suffer every day for what their villages did to them."

"What happened to them?" Itachi asked his curiosity winning out over his common sense. What could have happened to all these men that they were hurting enough to turn on their own in anger?

Pein let out a sigh as he watched the young boy. He was still far too young and innocent to understand. Anyone else would immediately understand the abuses he had been talking about. He could not blame the boy for being naive; he was still to young and innocent to know how cruel the real world was. He was lucky in that respect. Closing his eyes he bowed his head allowing himself to show just how weary he was.

"I'm afraid that these stories aren't mine to tell. It's up to each of them if they wish you to know. Some might willingly tell you a bit of their past just to help you understand. But don't push them should they not want to delve too deep. I know you have this term but you are still just a child. You have an innocence that no one here ever got to have. Listen to Kisame and start seeing those ANBU for what they really are. They are your enemy now and you need to treat them as such. He's afraid of loosing you as a partner because you are second guessing. Let him be your mentor and he will help you grow. You're risking everyone here and I can't accept that. If an incident like this happens again I'm afraid your life is forfeit."

"Yes Leader-sama..." Itachi replied his mind trying to wrap around everything that had been said. Was his life really that much of a paradise compared to everyone here? He stood as Pein dismissed him and he slowly made his way from the room. He was more confused then he had ever been. He really needed someone to help clear this up before he lost more than his temper.

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Know what? I really like how I wrote Pein in this chapter. I’m quite proud of him at the moment. ^_^