𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 | itachi/sasuke uchiha

chapter forty three

"I'll stay."

There is pain in your voice as you word your thoughts; the idea of leaving everyone you love, including Itachi, behind in Konoha made it all the more worse for you.

There are sighs of relief from around the room as you announce your decision: you would stay in the Land of Storms for the benefit and furtherment of the nation and its interests.

"That is wonderful news, my Lady-"

"Absolutely splendid-!"

"We'll finally be able to get this Land back on track!"

Your smile is forced as the six council members exchange words of delight and happiness, eager for you to begin your reign as rightful ruler of the Land of Storms and its inhabitants. You feel a hand on your shoulder and look up to see Itachi, smiling proudly. The decision you had made was not a light one; you'd basically left behind everyone who cared for you back in the Hidden Leaf to start your own new life here, in your birth land. The thought of your family being so far away from you made you sad, but then again, people were relying on you. Surely you wouldn't be so heartless as to abandoning people who need you just so you can be with the people you want, right?

Itachi clears his throat, making everyone in the room pause and stare at him.

"What do you think you're doing?" murmurs Naruto under his breath, eyebrow twitching. Meetings obviously aren't his forte, and he's just absolutely buzzing to get out of the room. You smirk at the thought of this restless boy being Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village one day.

"I'm staying too, then."

You slowly turn around to stare at the crow haired man, gawping at him incredulously.

"That is, if you don't mind," he adds, seeing the looks of confusion on the councilors' faces.

"But Lady Tsu-"

Naruto is cut off with a wave from the elder Uchiha's hand.

"Dealt with. You don't mind me staying behind with you, do you, [Name]?" he asks almost sarcastically. You furiously shake your head.

"N-No! Of course not! I just- what?"

You're flabbergasted as to why Itachi would leave behind everything he had to stay with you. He isn't obliged to do it like you are, so why is he choosing to?

"I see you have other things to discuss, Lady [Name]!" pipes up the elderly female councilor from the other end of the table. "We'll call this meeting as over!"

Still slightly confused, you say your farewells to the councilors and make your way out of the room, still light headed and flanked by Naruto and Itachi.

"I'll leave you two to it then, huh?" grins the blonde, scratching the back of his head as you exit the building. "If you need me, I'll be in Sasuke's room! Ja ne!"

As he strides away from you and Itachi, the first thing you say is "Did he just say he'll be in Sasuke's room?"

Perverted images flash into your mind and you snicker, making Itachi roll his eyes at your childish behaviour.

"And you're supposed to be the almighty daimyō of the Storm?" he snorts, pushing you forward as you make your way down the main road. A few people recognise you and greet you with low bows, while others just stand and stare from a distance.

"I'd rather be a Kage," you smile, slowing down your pace and falling back into step with Itachi. After a few minutes of no talking, your silence screams "EXPLAIN!", so explain he does.

"When you came to Konoha, Hiruzen had your return all planned out right from the start, every little detail, from using a holiday as a cover to approaching the village council. Well, I guess the only detail he missed was the fact that I'd obviously want to stay with you, which is why Lady Tsunade was under the impression that I'd be returning with Naruto and Sakura."

"Itachi... why are you staying?" you ask in a soft voice, biting your lip. You had to let it out. You take a deep breath.

​"You're free, Itachi. You have a choice. You have family and friends and a career back in Konoha- you don't have to leave them. You have everything back home for you. Everything. But you're throwing it away all to stay back in a country you don't even have any ties to? Throwing everything away for what? Me? Or this promise you made to my mother? Like- come on. You know, and I know, that staying behind probably isn't the best thing for you. What would the Hidden Leaf do without you? It's bad enough they're losing one of their shinobi, but two of them? I dunno man, it's all just really surreal to me, to be honest."

Itachi's silent as you keep at it, word after word.

"I'm just confused, Itachi. I don't know why you would give up everything you have for nothing in return."

You've now frozen in your tracks, staring at the ground. Itachi stands behind you, towering over your body.

"You're confusing yourself, [Name]," he murmurs quietly. You whip your head around and face him, a vein popping on your forehead.

"HEY! I AM N-"

Your words are cut off as Itachi's lips crash onto yours, making your breath hitch and your eyes widen in shock. He draws away from you, smirking as you begin to blush a deep shade of crimson.

"Have you shut up now? Good." His voice is firm now, almost as if demanding your full and undivided attention.

"Like I said, you're confusing yourself. It's pretty obvious I'm staying behind to be with you," he says, shrugging. "You are my everything, [Name]. All this talk about leaving behind "everything I have" back in Konoha? Figuratively, you are my everything, and if my everything is here, then I have nothing back there. Right?"

You open your mouth to say "Wrong," but then shut it again as you realise that his logic actually makes sense.

Damn you and your smartness, Itachi, you think with a scowl and a frown on your face.

"What are you trying to say?" you ask waspishly, your ego getting in the way of admitting you had been confusing yourself after all. Itachi grins and puts his hands around your waist, pulling you to him so that you're pressed chest to chest with each other.

"I'm trying to say I love you."