Chapter Text
Itachi knew he only had a few minutes left. The fact he was even still standing was a testament to how strong his will was, how stubborn he was about ensuring Sasuke could get some sort of closure. So even as his Susano’o began to crumble around him, he pressed forward, towards his horrified little brother.
“Sasuke,” his voice was too weak, the blood pooling in his lungs preventing him from raising his voice past a whisper. “My eyes, you-”
In the last, flickering flames of his yellow armor, he watched Sasuke’s eyes widen in shock as Itachi felt a tugging in his chest. In an instant, darkness surrounded him, but he didn’t lose consciousness.
Or, maybe he did, but he certainly didn’t stay that way.
“Uchiha Itachi.” The voice calling out to him was unfamiliar. It was old, with all the gravitas of a man who’d seen a lifetime of struggles, but there was also a sort of kindness that Itachi wasn’t used to receiving (not anymore, not since-). “Open thine eyes, child.”
I can’t , Itachi thought. He was as good as a corpse, so what was the use? Still, he’d always been an obedient child, and it was a trait he hadn’t been able to fully shake even as an adult. To his surprise, his eyelids fluttered open with ease, and though he could feel his Sharingan wasn’t active, his eyesight was as good as it had been before he’d received the Mangekyo.
“Rise.” The command wasn’t harsh, but it was compelling. Itachi turned his head to find its source, wanting to ask this stranger what had happened to heal him so thoroughly after being moments away from death’s door. Even as he tried to process the sight before him, gingerly sitting up to face the man, he realized not only was his sight fixed, but his lungs were clear. His breath came as easily as it had when he was a child, and it was almost painful. To have so much unrestricted access to oxygen after years of declining health… Not even Senju Tsunade could have accomplished it, surely. In fact, only the Sage of Six Paths himself could have pulled off such a miracle.
“That I am, child. The creator of peace, law, and order.”
Oh, he could read minds. That was something they didn’t include in lessons at the Academy.
Another thing his brief time in school hadn’t taught him: how to react when the Sage himself tells you he stopped you from dying for the sole purpose of helping avoid the destruction of the entire world. He wasn’t even given time to fully process the task that lay ahead of him, as, with a single touch to his forehead by the Sage, he fell back into unconsciousness.
When Itachi woke again, he was on a cot in some sort of medical tent. The sounds of battle filtered in from the gaps in the tent opening, clearly a great distance away judging from their faintness. He also realized he was, surprisingly, not chained up or wearing chakra-suppressing cuffs.
Two voices, both female, began drawing closer to the tent, and Itachi hastily shut his eyes and evened out his breathing to mimic the slow and steady pace of sleep. It proved to be a good choice, as they entered the tent a moment later.
“Is that-”
“Shh, Sakura, we can’t let word of this get out.”
Sakura? Sasuke’s genin teammate? That roused Itachi’s interest enough to crack an eye open and peek at the newcomers.Unfortunately for him, the women had been looking straight at him and caught on instantly.
“You’re awake.” The older one, the Hokage’s first apprentice if he remembered correctly, addressed him directly. There was nothing but sternness in her tone, which was more than understandable given his status as a traitor. He pushed himself into a sitting position, swinging his legs over the side of the cot to face her fully.
“You’ve been missing for a month, Uchiha-san. Presumed dead, in fact.”
“If I explain what happened, Kato-san, I’m not sure you would believe me. I can hardly believe it myself, truth be told.” He received an unimpressed look from the woman, and a much more curious gaze from Sasuke’s teammate (Haruno Sakura, first generation shinobi, obsessed with his little brother but said to be the second coming of Senju Tsunade- he’d kept tabs on those close to Sasuke through the years, even from a distance).
“Try us.”
Itachi shrugged, and spoke plainly.
“The Sage of Six Paths took me into his realm and healed me.” Speaking of his rescue, he couldn’t hold back on his own question. “What happened to Sasuke?” He couldn’t bear the grief if something had happened to his most precious person, but if they were allowing him even a modicum of free roam, it didn’t bode well.
Either Sasuke was dead and Itachi was the last Uchiha (the man masquerading as Madara didn’t count, not when he’d done what he’d done), or someone found out the truth behind the massacre. But Danzo had been interim Hokage when he’d gone off to face Sasuke… Had so much changed in a month?
The battles raging on outside, as well as the shinobi symbols the women wore in place of the usual Konoha insignia, assured him that it could and had.
“Sasuke-kun killed councilman Shimura and then attacked the Kage Summit,” Sakura finally spoke, but the hesitance in her voice made him think something else had happened between those events. “He said he wanted to destroy Konoha for what it did to you.”
Itachi’s chest clenched painfully. Everything he’d done to shield his little brother, to protect him from the realities of the corrupted Foundation beneath Konoha so he would feel safe in his home… It was all for naught. He’d failed, as an older brother and as a shinobi.
“Tsunade-sama needs to speak with you,” Shizune’s announcement broke through the beginnings of his spiral into shame. Turning to Sakura, she asked, “Will you be alright to watch him alone?”
Sakura studied him for a moment before giving her answer.
“I think if everything that we’ve heard is true, I’m safer than I have been since before the war.”
Itachi wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. He was still gathering his wits as the flaps of the tent fluttered closed behind Shizune, leaving an awkward silence to fill the space between himself and Sakura.
“You really hurt Sasuke-kun, you know.” Her voice was soft, but there was an edge of something beneath it that made him ever more aware that she wasn’t a person to be trifled with. Of course, he’d already known that. She couldn’t have fought Sasori and won, even with the assistance of Lady Chiyo, without being an incredibly capable shinobi. Senju Tsunade wouldn’t have kept her as an apprentice for so long if she didn’t have a spine of steel beneath her soft, spring coloring.
“I know. If there had been another way…”
Her hand reached out, resting atop his as they sat folded neatly in his lap. Despite her specializations requiring so much use of her hands, the skin he felt was soft, with only a few minor calluses on her fingertips. (They reminded him of his mother’s hands, velvety but strong even after years of retirement.)
“But there wasn’t , was there?” Itachi didn’t get a chance to respond before Sakura withdrew her hand and stood to attention as a powerful chakra signature approached the tent. A split-second later Senju Tsunade breezed in, looking every bit as angry as someone in her position was likely to be. He was so focused on her that he nearly missed Shizune activating a privacy seal near the entrance.
So it was to be an actual talk, rather than a straightforward death. No matter what the Sage might have requested of him, if Senju Tsunade wanted him dead, he would end up dead.
“Uchiha! You have five seconds to tell me why I shouldn’t execute you on the spot.” She paused, the anger softening into irritation. “But that’s what you’ve wanted this whole time, isn’t it?” She swore under her breath, directing her words towards the apparently-deceased Danzo (spending an eternity in the intestines of the Shinigami would be too kind for him, after what he’d done to Shisui). He couldn’t stop the corners of his lips from quirking up just the slightest bit.
“What are you laughing at? Do you know how much paperwork I’m going to have to do after this war is over?” Amber eyes narrowed at him, but there wasn’t any killing intent behind them. “I ought to make you do it yourself as punishment.”
She didn’t waste any time getting into the interrogation, not even dismissing her two apprentices to do so. It showed a level of trust that impressed Itachi- especially regarding Sakura, given she was only sixteen or seventeen. Then again, he’d been entrusted with such levels of responsibility at an even younger age.
It turned out that someone told Sasuke the truth of the massacre. His money was on the man masquerading as Madara, since he was the only one who could be aware of the full details- he’d been the one to take the lives Itachi wasn’t capable of (the blood of all those children were still on his hands, regardless of whose blade carried out the deed). However, Sasuke had only shared bits and pieces during his attack on the Kage Summit, and the records Tsunade had been able to find in Konoha were so thoroughly redacted as to be useless.
In the end, Itachi had to recount his entire story, with only a single interruption for Shizune to excuse herself to help tend to an incoming platoon of wounded shinobi. On one hand, it felt good to be able to share the full story with someone. On the other hand, he saw the pain behind Tsunade’s eyes when she realized her teacher had allowed for some of it to happen.
In fairness to Sarutobi Hiruzen, he hadn’t given the order- he hadn’t even been made aware of it until after the fact, although he’d let Danzo’s power go unchecked and didn’t challenge him once the truth came to light. Then again, exposing Itachi’s status as a double agent would have gotten him killed, and that was without factoring Madara into things.
Itachi’s only chance at escape had truly been death, but the Sage denied him of it. Saw something within him that was worth a second chance, at least enough to send him back to fight in the Fourth Shinobi War. That part seemed easier for Tsunade to digest than the fact her teacher had allowed something like the Uchiha Massacre to happen.
“With the way this war is shaping up, we might all be seeing him, kid.” With a huff, she turned to leave the tent, shouting over her shoulder for Sakura to keep an eye on him while she went to deliver the news to the Yamanaka clan head, who would broadcast the message to the entirety of the troops. After all, Uchiha Itachi suddenly arriving on the battlefield without warning would cause more harm than good- the chaos would be a perfect chance for an enemy attack.
Alone in the tent with Sakura once more, he felt the tension in the air begin to dissipate. She looked upset, sympathetic but not overly pitying. As though her heart broke for him, when he’d only been doing his duty to the village. In an attempt to distract her from her thoughts, he asked his other pressing question, now that he knew Sasuke was alive.
“Would you tell me a little more about what’s going on? And how we get to this point in a month?” Tensions had been high, yes, but not enough for all this.
He listened carefully as Sakura tried to explain everything, filling in the gaps that Tsunade’s bare bones description left behind. The situation seemed even worse than what Itachi imagined, and to discover the true power of Zetsu in combination with Madara’s plans to resurrect the Ten Tails? Well, he wasn’t one to think highly of his abilities, but the Allied Shinobi Forces would need all the help they could get.
Itachi was put to work as soon as the message was sent out- even to himself. It was a disconcerting feeling, but he’d gotten through far more uncomfortable situations than that. The shinobi on the battlefield also looked ill at ease, but aside from a few loudly shouted protests, the crowds seemed to part silently as he made his way to the location of the epicenter.
He at least had one non-hostile face beside him as he did so, thanks to Sakura’s accompaniment. His former ANBU captain, Kakashi, looked as though he’d seen a ghost when Itachi finally landed beside him. Once he regained his wits, he tried to play at nonchalance.
“It’s really you, huh?” There was only the slightest tremor to his voice, and had Itachi not been so attuned to it, he would have missed it altogether.
Fortunately, they still worked well together after nearly a decade, even as the war raged on, day turning to night and the shock of Kakashi’s former teammate being the true identity of the man behind the mask. It was Sasuke whose reaction was (understandably) the most severe.
Upon seeing Itachi alive and healthy again after their last meeting, he was so distracted that it nearly cost him his life. Had Itachi not always been hyper aware of his little brother’s safety and stepped in to prevent Obito from spearing him, it would have spelled disaster.
From there, the war progressed in such a haphazard, rushed manner that it felt as though they’d fought for weeks and not hours. The casualties were likely enough to match the death tolls of previous wars that had dragged on for far longer, too. And with the introduction of the real Madara, things grew even more complicated.
The highlight, even amongst all the destruction, was watching Sakura recover from having a large metal rod shoved through her torso (courtesy of the revived Madara). Itachi knew that it was only thanks to his Sharingan being activated that he was able to process the encounter. He watched in muted fascination as the lines of Tsunade’s infamous Creation Rebirth technique snaked down her face and the fibers of her muscle and skin knit themselves back together.
She made a truly formidable opponent. If Itachi were allowed to live past the war and return home, he wondered if she’d be willing to spar with him. That passing thought wasn’t allowed to linger, however, as he had to return to the fight in earnest. The looming threat of a goddess was too great to be ignored.
He wasn’t able to assist as much as he hoped, but he did manage to protect Sakura from being enveloped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi by scooping her up into his Susano’o in order to shield her from the moon’s effects. When he turned to try and shield Kakashi as well, he found the man had somehow harnessed the power of his own (or rather, Obito’s).
“I’m perfectly capable of protecting my cute little student, you know,” Kakashi called to him, tone light but with a hint of a threat behind it. Itachi had to tamp down on a sudden, childish urge to roll his eyes.
“Thank you, Itachi-san.” Sakura’s voice drew his attention to her, emerald eyes large and soft. He managed to keep a solemn expression as he nodded, even as his heart fluttered.
“It was the least I could do, Sakura-san. You’re one of the world’s most powerful shinobi, it would be remiss of me to let you fall prey to the Infinite Tsukuyomi when the battle isn’t yet over.” Her answering grin was blinding in its intensity. It was all he could do to release her so she could help the others fight Kaguya.
He regretted that decision when the goddess began throwing bones that turned the objects struck into ash. Sasuke was protected by his own Susano’o, and Naruto had some ridiculously flashy cloak of chakra from the Kyuubi that offered similar defense, but Sakura? Not even the Creation Rebirth technique would be enough to bring her back from such a blow. Kakashi must have realized he was in a similar position, chakra depletion forcing him to abandon his own chakra armor.
Itachi stepped up to assist as best he could, but the power imbalance was too great. Inevitably, he knew it would fall to Sasuke and Naruto. When his own attacks began to hinder the flow of the team, he stepped back to observe, and to protect Kakashi if a stray bone flew their way.
It was there, from within the enclosure of his Susano’o, Itachi watched in a strange mixture of horror and anticipation as Sakura launched herself across the field and directly at Kaguya. She would die, and his gut twisted uncomfortably at the realization. They’d only just started getting close over the past few days, but now she would be-
Alright?
His eyes widened, Sharingan catching every minute detail as her fist made contact with the goddess and she didn’t crumble into dust . Not only that, she got back up and tried to ready herself to fight again as Kaguya went reeling from the hit directly into Naruto and Sasuke’s reach.
Itachi always assumed he’d loved Izumi as a child, despite their youth and inexperience with feelings. But standing there, witnessing the strongest kunoichi on the planet? He knew his heart would only ever belong to Haruno Sakura from that moment forward. His father had once warned him about the attraction Uchiha had for strong partners, no doubt in an attempt to make sure he guarded his heart against enemy shinobi, but to experience it first hand was an entirely different matter.
Even as the relief of finally sealing the goddess sunk in and Itachi released his Susano’o, he knew there were still things left unfinished. Namely their business with the Sage, When Itachi was pulled along into the bizarre meeting between the god and Team Seven, he expected to be put to rest at last. After all, his job was done. He’d helped as much as he could to stop the world from collapsing, and now that it was over, there was nothing left.
Except…
He glanced at Sasuke from the corner of his eyes. Maybe he could begin to make amends. It would never truly be enough, not for what he’d forced Sasuke to endure, but if the Sage had healed him after spending years as a walking corpse, then anything was possible.
I could finally live in peace. His eyes slid to Sakura at that thought. Only for a moment, and then they returned to the Sage.
The Sage, who was looking at him with a knowing glint in his eyes.
Ah yes, the mind reading.
Contrary to what Itachi assumed would happen, the Sage didn’t immediately smite him from existence. He didn’t even hint at returning Itachi to his original condition, or letting him pass over to the Pure Lands to finally be at rest. Still, he held his breath until the very moment they were released from the Sage’s realm.
Of course, his foolish little brother set about making trouble almost immediately, challenging Naruto to a final showdown. Sasuke’s motivations were less pure than Naruto’s, to say the least, considering he plainly stated his goal to be destroying Konoha. Even as Sakura and Kakashi tried to talk them down, it was clear Sasuke wouldn’t be swayed. It was honestly a little painful to watch, but he stayed out of it, a silent observer.
At least, until Sasuke attempted to put Sakura in a Sharingan-induced genjutsu so he could run off without having the others tag along. That was when Itachi finally stepped in. Physically acting as a barrier between her war-weary form and Sasuke’s red and purple eyes, he met his gaze without hesitation.
“Do you truly think this a wise course of action, Sasuke?”
“Stay out of it, aniki.”
“If you’re determined to turn against your comrades yet again, I’ve truly failed you.”
Sasuke reeled back, as though he’d been slapped. Then, regaining his composure, he leaned forward and hissed.
“You failed me when you killed everyone I loved.” Ice shot through Itachi’s veins, guilt twisting his stomach in knots until bile began working its way up his throat
“Not everyone,” he countered. “You have your team-”
“They only held me back. Konoha ruins everything it touches! You of all people should recognize that,” Sasuke spat, eyes narrowed and tomoe whirling. “You should be helping me burn it to the ground, not trying to make me play house with a bunch of sniveling weaklings.”
“Sasuke-kun, you don’t mean that.” Even as she pleaded with him from behind Itachi, Sakura sounded resigned.
She didn’t even receive a response for her efforts, and in the blink of an eye, Naruto and Sasuke vanished over the horizon, headed to have one final showdown.
“We should go after them.” A small hand came to rest squarely on his arm, Sakura poking her head from behind him to watch the horizon.
“Let’s give them a few minutes,” Kakashi piped up. “And then we can watch from a distance.” A very far distance, given the damage both boys would be able to deal with all the new talents they’d cultivated.
Sure enough, the Valley of the End, where the fighting had all but stopped by the time the trio followed, was being reduced to a pile of rubble. The heads of Hashirama and Madara were gone, the rock visages decapitated by what looked to be a landslide. Itachi scanned the area, the deathly silence making him uneasy, until he was able to finally pinpoint Sasuke. An equally battered Naruto lay beside him, both boys staring up at the sky and murmuring something to one another.
“There,” he pointed, and he, Sakura, and Kakashi wasted no time in rushing over. There was too much blood and too few limbs.
Sakura seemed to snap into a sort of medic mode, putting aside the tears she undoubtedly felt in favor of trying to stop the blood loss and fix what damage she could on the both of them at the same time. The three of them whispered to each other, hopefully apologies from the boys for behaving so foolishly. It seemed whatever was said wasn’t pleasing to her, though.
“Shut up, both of you! You’re both so- so stupid !” The tears thick in her voice let Itachi know that all would be well between them, in the end.
And somehow, his admiration for her only grew that much stronger. To be subjected to such emotional turmoil right after a war, coming so close to death and losing everything and everyone she loved, and to still have tears to shed? He wasn’t sure why his little brother had rejected Haruno Sakura for so many years, but Itachi wouldn’t let it stand.
If Sasuke wouldn’t appreciate her for the amazing woman she was, he would.
“Stop mooning over my apprentice, brat.”
“I apologize, Tsunade-sama.” Even as he spoke, he couldn’t quite tear his eyes away from Sakura, who glanced up from where she was chatting with Naruto near the open door of the Hokage’s office and blushed upon finding he was looking at her.
For a woman who could crush his skull with a flick of her pinky, she was adorable.
“I’m going to slam you in a jail cell with your brother if you lay a single hand on her, Uchiha.” Tsunade’s voice was loud enough to carry, because Sakura let out a squeak of mortification.
“Shishou, Itachi-san is a good man! Besides,” she protested as she marched over to face down her mentor, “There’s no way he’d be interested in someone like me, right?” She turned to Itachi for validation of her very incorrect opinion.
“I am.”
“ See ? He’s-” Sakura was in the middle of gloating when his response sunk in. “Huh?!” Her double-take was amusing enough to draw a chuckle from him before he explained himself.
“I’m interested in courting you, Sakura-san. If you’ll allow me.”
There was a spike of killing intent, but not from Tsunade- instead it came from behind him, in the direction Kakashi-taichou was standing. He wasn’t the only one upset, though.
“No way! She’s only got eyes for the Bastard! Right, Sakura-chan?” Sakura ignored her shouting teammate in favor of studying Itachi. He stood still, trying not to shiver as her eyes dragged languidly up and down his form. And then, finally, her bright green eyes met his own dark ones as she gave her answer.
“Alright.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Tsunade take a swig from her open bottle of sake.