On Probation (Naruto Fanfic: Itachi)

It was only a week later, with only two months and three weeks of probation left to go. But it was almost as if he had never left. The Uchiha compound was full of life. Most people smiled and waved at him as he walked by, as if the past four years hadn’t even happened. The wind flowed through his long hair, tucked behind his ears without a ponytail holder. The Hyuga kid had taken it down for him when he traded out his slashed headband for Hayate Gekkou’s over-the-head headband.

Itachi pushed opened the main door of the central building in the compound, the old police headquarters. It had been turned into a community lounge of sorts for those who lived in the compound now. As Itachi shut the door behind himself, his gaze swept the room. The space was dominated by a large sectional sofa with a few storage cabinets scattered throughout. Only one person was in the room, sleeping in one of the recliners.

Even though Itachi had healed his body, Itachi knew that sleep was still precious to Hayate so he didn’t bother the man as he walked into the kitchen and prepared a drink for himself. When he came back into the lounge area, he noted that Hayate was still sleeping. Setting his drink down on a coaster, Itachi climbed into the chair on the far end of the sofa.

Hayate flinched into wakefulness and blinked at Itachi.

“Sorry,” Itachi told him.

“It’s okay,” Hayate responded. “I didn’t even hear you come in.”

Itachi smiled. “Well, you are a civilian now,” he said.

“Yeah,” Hayate said. “A housewife and future mother. I’ll probably be the babysitter for everyone else’s kids.” He laughed then dropped his gaze. “My body is just going to continue to deteriorate.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you haven’t coughed once since I came in,” Itachi said.

“I’ve been sleeping for the past six hours too,” Hayate said. “Usually I wake up coughing.”

“That’s good,” Itachi replied, taking a sip of his cold beverage.

“What happened to the Kaguya after the fight?” Hayate asked.

“I want to say that Orochimaru was fatally injured but knowing him, I doubt that’s possible,” Itachi began. “But the Sound Five fled with him. So my guess would be he went back to the Sound Village.”

“Oh,” Hayate said.

Itachi wondered briefly why Hayate had been asking but he didn’t ask. The Kaguya kid had caught his attention too. He had, after all, been the only participant in that fight to have landed a blow on Itachi, splitting his shoulder open. Itachi wondered what would happen between the two of them in a one on one fight.

A long pause settled in the air between Hayate and him. It wasn’t uncomfortable at all. In fact, Itachi was quite warmed by the other man’s presence.

“What will you do after your probation?” Hayate asked then.

Itachi looked up, having not expected the question. “I haven’t quite decided yet,” he answered. “I was thinking maybe I’d want to be a jonin and train genin squads. You know, I never had that sensei student relationship that most shinobi do.”

“I know the feeling,” Hayate said. “My first sensei was Orochimaru before he tried to kill me and ran away. Then we got stuck with a lazy guy who wanted nothing to do with us.”

“From the Nara Clan?” Itachi asked and Hayate nodded. “But you’ve always had friends right? Kakashi and the rest?”

Hayate nodded. “Yeah.”

Itachi looked down at the dark liquid in his cup. “I’ve had the Akatsuki these past few years but I’ve never had a true friend,” he said. “They’ll probably just as quickly stab me in the back as I would them.” Itachi shrugged.

“You’ve had a true friend for a week now,” Hayate offered.

A small smile stretched across Itachi’s lips. “Thanks,” he said and they were silent again.

“Hey, you’re a sword user?” Hayate asked.

Itachi lifted the blade on his back out of its sheath a few inches in response.

“It would mean a lot to me if I can train you to use my family’s technique, the Dance of the Crescent Moon,” Hayate said. “I’m the only person left who can use it, since the shedevil was killed in the battle.”

“I would be honored,” Itachi replied. “Who’s the shedevil?”

“Uzuki,” Hayate said. “A purple haired member of the ANBU Black Ops. It’s a long story.” He smiled at Itachi. “It’d mean a lot to me if you were to someday train my son, too.”

“Of course,” Itachi said. He couldn’t help but get the feeling that Hayate was setting him up to teach a son that wouldn’t be able to learn from his own father. Itachi frowned at the thought. He’d continue to strength Hayate’s body as long as it would hold up.

“Come here,” Hayate said.

“Huh?” Itachi set his cup aside and walked over to Hayate.

“Come here,” Hayate said again and Itachi leaned down so that his face was close to Hayate’s. Hayate reached up and pulled forward a lock of hair on either side of Itachi’s head. He positioned the bangs to frame Itachi’s face, similar to his own. “There.”

Itachi smiled and retreated back to his chair. “Thanks,” he said.

The front door opened suddenly then and a purple haired shinobi ran in, slamming the door behind herself. “Hey, do you guys know anything about a body on the ground at the compound gates?” she asked, glancing over both of her shoulders.

Itachi held up his hands. “I haven’t a clue.”

“He looks dead. Do you think he’s dead? Can you escort me over there?” Anko asked frantically.

Glancing over at Hayate, Itachi said, “Are you talking to me? You know I have no authority over anything.”

“Maybe I should get the ANBU. Should I get the ANBU? I’ll get the ANBU,” Anko said. She turned just as suddenly as she had entered and yanked the door opened. “Ahhhh!”

Itachi was alert immediately as Anko slammed the door again.

“He’s here. He’s here,” she whisper shouted. “It’s him!”

Hayate frowned and looked over at Itachi. “I don’t think there’s anyone out there,” he said.

Itachi started to shrug but the door opened then. Anko screamed again and ran across the room to hide in the bathroom as a shirtless, whitehaired man walked into the room. His green eyes followed Anko’s flurry of movement as she ran into the bathroom before darting the other direction to take note of Hayate. Finally, those green eyes locked onto Itachi, who despite the obvious danger of the situation could only think to blurt out a joke.

“Right there,” he told Hayate.

“I thought I would find you here,” Kimimaro Kaguya said.

“Why have you come here?” Itachi asked.

Before Kimimaro could answer, a fireball shot out of the bathroom. His bones sprang up out of his skin to defend himself. He tilted his head to glare over at Anko, who squeaked again in fear.

Kimimaro turned his gaze back to Itachi as he started walking towards him. Itachi sat up straighter on the couch but did not rise. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as his nerves screamed danger.

“You look different,” Kimimaro commented as he slowly moved forward. The white haired boy stopped directly in front of Itachi, bending down just as slowly.

Many defensive jutsu flashed behind Itachi’s eyelids as he blinked once. There was any number of different things he could come up with in the span of that heartbeat that he could do to fend Kimimaro off.

Kimimaro pushed his face into Itachi’s and covered his lips in a kiss. Itachi tasted blood on Kimimaro’s mouth as he pulled away. Itachi’s eyes were wide. He was so startled by the action that he had been made completely vulnerable, let his guard down.

Without saying anything else, Kimimaro paced over to the wall and leaned against it, dissolving into a coughing fit. Itachi stared at him, stunned, as the door opened and the resident ANBU, Yamato, came in. He took in the scene for a moment before shouting, “Don’t you move!” at Kimimaro.

The next flurry of activity in the room was completely lost on Itachi. He didn’t move from his position on the couch, holding Kimimaro’s blood in his mouth with the memory of his kiss on his lips. Kimi, he thought.