Recovery(KakafemNaru)

Twenty four

***Itachi***

I sat across from Jiraiya-sama  in a rundown tea house on the side of a dirt road. I sipped gently on my green tea as I adressed the toad-sannin before me. "Will she be okay?" I asked referring to my Kitsune who I have left behind.

Jiraiya snorted. "You know better Itachi. She won't be okay when you are gone and it will take a long time before she is able to bounce back to her old self"

He doesn't think that I don't already know that doesn't he? I never wanted to leave her, in fact it was far from my plans to leave her side again. But fate can be so cruel honestly, and I've accepted long ago we can never be.

"If I had my way" I looked up to the eyes of the sannin. "I would have given you her hand"

Jiraiya-sama must have caught my slight quirk of lip because he quickly added dryly: "But someone had to be a complete idiot and tell her they wanted to die by their brother's hands. Honestly, you brats"

I sighed before closing my eyes and replying calmly: "I wouldn't have much longer  to live either way. My eyes are slowly killing me, I couldn't burden Naruko with such a thing" I rebutted. "Thank you Jiraiya-sama, I would have taken care of Naruko dutifuly"

"I know brat, that's why I have chosen kakashi"

I took a sip of my tea again before speaking once more. "But why not my brother Sasuke? You know he loves her too"

in all honesty I don't realy fancy the idea of Naruko marrying Sasuke. Far from it in fact. But he is still a worthy candidate(even though I will keep that oppinion to myself till my death) and I have been watching him for years.

His love for her is genuine, strong. I just happen to be the luckier brother who she chose to have a place in her heart rather than him. 

Jiraiya-sama grunted before placing down his cup and eyeing me sternly. I remain unfazed. "I will be honest with you Itachi. I will admit that maybe before, years ago, I had also considered Sasuke a good spouse for my goddaughter. I saw the attraction, I saw a good future for her as an Uchiha. But your idiot of a brother had anger and jelousy issues and abandoned her when she needed him the most as her pillar!" I flinched when Jiraiya-sama slammed a fist on the table.

"He saw he was getting nowhere with her. He hated Kakashi for unknowingly capturing her heart, and he wanted her to focus on him even a little bit. It angered me when he left her side when she needed him the most"

And yet he's chosen Kakashi Hatake. The very first person to abadon her before Sasuke did. The first one to break her heart and make her cry. I narrowed my eyes at him. Isn't it too  early for him to be showing favorites? but I'll leave that be. I trust the toad-sannin. He has seen something in Kakashi-senpai that I haven't, that I've missed. I'll just have to trust them with their tricky plan, even if I won't live long enough to see the outcome.

"Kakashi-senpai....you have chosen well Jiraiya-sama. Is that why they are together alone. So they can court?" I arched a brow slightly.

"Unfortunately that is not the case. Naruko has taken it upon herself to help Kakashi return to the forces after a regrettable situation" Lacing his fingers together Jiraiya-sama mentioned sternly. "It is my hope that by the time they return to the village they'll be in the stage of dating atleast" he sighed heavily and suddenly looked tired. Not just tired, but tired like the old man he realy is.

"If not, then I have no doubt Tsunade will force her hand and carry out sensei's will and Naruko will follow without hesitation"

"A marriege of convenience, just for the sake of marriege" I replied. "And am I safe to assume that, Tsunade-sama has chosen my foolish brother as her candidate?"

"Indeed" the toad-sannin replies.

We were silent for a while. Neither of us know what else to say. I decided to break the ice by changingthe topic of Naruko's fate, to my progress with the Akatsuki. I later revealed Konan to be an ally and had almost lost her life against Pein. She was holding back, hesitating to kill him. In the end we had the entire Akatsuki slaughtered.

"Where is Konan now?"

"Resting. She's in a safe place Jiraiya-sama I can assure you" I assured him. He nodded understandingly before finishing his tea. "I will take my leave, Itachi, it was nice talking with you again" he turned his back on me and was about to leave, but then he stopped and faced me.

"Despite everything, Itachi. You are still, and always will be, Itachi Uchiha of Konohagakure. Not a killer, but a protector. And Naruko's knight who shealded her from pain as best as you can. You would truly make a worthy husband for her, if only fate hadn't been so cruel"

A small smile etched on my face as I repeated Jiraiya-sama's words in my head.

Kakashi-sempai, take care of her. If you squander this chance we are giving you I will find a way to rise back from the dead and kill you myself.