[It takes a full minute to piece two and two together and when Iruka finally does, it's like crumpling to the ground. What happened? Why is he so small? Is he alone? Is that some kind of joke?! Hey, that's not funny.
He knows who this is.
There is only one older brother to Sasuke, after all. And because he is a child ...]
[He blinks at what he sees and maybe his expression falls a little bit, maybe he feels the plummeting sensation in his gut. What did he think he would hear? Hoped to hear?
That it'd be okay?
Of course not.
Is it naive of him to think that this person - this little boy - would still see Konoha as his home?
Of course not.
The anger staring at him is a very clear answer.
Traitors are not his business.
But if it were a child this small, this young, did it also make it not his business?]
Ah. Well, that's good! As long as you're not by yourself and alone in the woods, then I am glad. Give my regards to your brother.
[The words spill without thinking; good manners never killed anyone. He smiles too.
Walk away, he tells himself.
Forget it.
You can reach me, if you need anything, he wants to say.
[He's confused by the man's smile and his kind words, because Konoha didn't want them anymore...so why was he being nice to him? Was he trying to trick him into going back to Konoha so they could get rid of him like they got rid of his family?
But he didn't ask Itachi to come back to Konoha. He just asked Itachi is he was going home.
And his home is with Sasuke.
The glare in his eyes gives way to a wary confusion, but he's not going to trust anyone from Konoha. Not when there's still so much he doesn't know and Sasuke hasn't thought it right to tell him yet.]
[Iruka curses in his head, left and right. He's a child. Only a child.
He is trying to put two and two together. If he knew of his clan's death, he wouldn't be like this. He'd be asking more questions, intelligent questions, because Itachi is a well renowned prodigy. Everyone knew that.
But he's not.]
Yes ...
[The smiles softens a bit, a little sad, a little melancholic. It's been years since they took care of each other. Iruka thinks, maybe, if things didn't go the way it did, Sasuke would be home and he'd still have family.
Maybe.]
You always have.
[He's just a child.
What if it's not real? An illusion? Why not?]
... don't you think that is strange, though? Sasuke taking care of you?
[Yes it's strange, but Itachi isn't sure why this man would be asking. Itachi's still on edge and his words come out caustic.]
What business is it of Konoha's? Why would you care after what you did?
[Konoha killed his clan and this man thinks he has the right to question him like this? To be nice to him as if nothing has happened and they have done no wrong?]
I shouldn't speak to traitors.
[Because Konoha betrayed the Uchiha in the worst way and Itachi will never forgive them.]
[Now Iruka is the one who is utterly confused. He blinks slowly, staring at the boy in the screen like he's sprouted two heads. What is this nonsense? Clearly, there is something missing in the equation.
And Sasuke already cleared all question he may have had with his warning. Request.
He raises an eyebrow.]
To answer your first question, you're the big brother, right? You sound and look very young.
[He is not cruel as to dump a large crime over a child's head. But he does not know what Itachi knows and quite frankly, his patience is about as thin as cracking ice with everything that is going on.
Konoha? The traitor?
Look who's talking.]
I'm a teacher. Of little kids in the Academy? You're alone, in the woods. It is concerning to a person of my rank. What traitor?
Of course I'm the big brother. Sasuke's just older than me at the moment.
[He's speaking to this man as he is an idiot, because he surely must be. He's knows Itachi and Sasuke, so he should know that Itachi is the older brother.
And this man says he's a teacher? Itachi doesn't recall having him as a teacher or seeing him in the schools that often. Maybe he hasn't become one yet when Itachi is younger. But in the end none of that really matters.]
Konoha betrayed the Uchiha and whether you're a teacher or not, you're still from Konoha.
I know, hence my concern. A very unnatural shift, don't you think?
[He's never had Itachi in his class before. He had Sasuke when he had Naruto. He's never had the pleasure of teaching this one before.
It irks him as much as it makes him curious where this boy is getting his logic from.]
Traitors wouldn't give a second though to lost children. What nonsense are you talking about? An accusation like that shouldn't be thrown around so easily.
[He speaks as if he doesn't know. Did Konoha hide what they did so that everyone else wouldn't realize what it would do to those it didn't like anymore? Even from their own people?
But he could be lying. He could be someone out to trick them, but Sasuke hasn't said anything, so maybe he's not. Itachi doesn't know who to trust anymore except Sasuke.
His little brother wouldn't lie to him. Itachi always knows when he's lying.
So this man must be out to trap him.]
Konoha ordered the execution of the Uchiha clan. And you're all guilty for letting it happen.
[Iruka is beyond silent. He doesn't know how to react.
A child would never say a thing like this unless he hears it from a parent or his guardian.
So is this how Sasuke wants to play it? He couldn't think of a better excuse? A better explanation?
The irriation flares above everything else. Even if, for discussion sake, the brothers is right in their words ...
Konoha would never order for such a thing.
Genocide. It's in inhumane. Konoha wouldn't stand for it! They hadn't even been at war at the time!]
Such things weigh a lot. You shouldn't throw accusations like that so easily. You should know better. Konoha would never - where did you get this conclusion from?
I can assure you, I have not a single clue what in heaven's name you are talking about.
[He can't do this, he can't lie anymore. Itachi would know his sins. Would know his mistakes. Would know why he's been walking around with a mark of the missing criminal seared to his person.
But this boy ...]
I really don't.
[He does not know if a child can see his earnest answer, or how he really isn't lying.
He needs to talk to someone.
To satisfy his curiosity.
Because Konoha wouldn't - will never - stand for something like this. Uchiha is - or was - a part of Konoha. It's beyond ridiculous!]
[Itachi doesn't feel justified when he hears the tone of the man's voice. He sounds confused--maybe he's as confused as Itachi is--and insistent. Like he really believes what he is saying. Like he truly believes that Konoha could never do such a thing.
Itachi wants to believe too. But Father taught him better than to give into illusions just because they were nicer than reality.
So when he responds he's still defensive, but not as angry.]
You don't know, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Sasuke wouldn't lie to me.
He knows who this is.
There is only one older brother to Sasuke, after all. And because he is a child ...]
Hey.
[Or looks like one ...]
Where are you? Are you hurt?
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But where he knows him from does put him on edge.
Now he does not know who to trust.]
I'm fine. [He speaks with little emotion or inflection.] I'm with my brother.
You're from Konoha, correct.
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Not his business. Village traitors aren't usually his business. Especially here.
Still. Iruka worries a little bit. This is still a little boy ...]
Yes. I am. [Taps his forehead protector.] Are you both ... going home?
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[Where is home? What is "home ( ... )
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That it'd be okay?
Of course not.
Is it naive of him to think that this person - this little boy - would still see Konoha as his home?
Of course not.
The anger staring at him is a very clear answer.
Traitors are not his business.
But if it were a child this small, this young, did it also make it not his business?]
Ah. Well, that's good! As long as you're not by yourself and alone in the woods, then I am glad. Give my regards to your brother.
[The words spill without thinking; good manners never killed anyone. He smiles too.
Walk away, he tells himself.
Forget it.
You can reach me, if you need anything, he wants to say.
But he forcefully swallows the words.
And turns a blind eye instead.]
... do take care of yourselves, hmm?
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But he didn't ask Itachi to come back to Konoha. He just asked Itachi is he was going home.
And his home is with Sasuke.
The glare in his eyes gives way to a wary confusion, but he's not going to trust anyone from Konoha. Not when there's still so much he doesn't know and Sasuke hasn't thought it right to tell him yet.]
We're together, we take care of each other.
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He is trying to put two and two together. If he knew of his clan's death, he wouldn't be like this. He'd be asking more questions, intelligent questions, because Itachi is a well renowned prodigy. Everyone knew that.
But he's not.]
Yes ...
[The smiles softens a bit, a little sad, a little melancholic. It's been years since they took care of each other. Iruka thinks, maybe, if things didn't go the way it did, Sasuke would be home and he'd still have family.
Maybe.]
You always have.
[He's just a child.
What if it's not real? An illusion? Why not?]
... don't you think that is strange, though? Sasuke taking care of you?
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What business is it of Konoha's? Why would you care after what you did?
[Konoha killed his clan and this man thinks he has the right to question him like this? To be nice to him as if nothing has happened and they have done no wrong?]
I shouldn't speak to traitors.
[Because Konoha betrayed the Uchiha in the worst way and Itachi will never forgive them.]
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[Now Iruka is the one who is utterly confused. He blinks slowly, staring at the boy in the screen like he's sprouted two heads. What is this nonsense? Clearly, there is something missing in the equation.
And Sasuke already cleared all question he may have had with his warning. Request.
He raises an eyebrow.]
To answer your first question, you're the big brother, right? You sound and look very young.
[He is not cruel as to dump a large crime over a child's head. But he does not know what Itachi knows and quite frankly, his patience is about as thin as cracking ice with everything that is going on.
Konoha? The traitor?
Look who's talking.]
I'm a teacher. Of little kids in the Academy? You're alone, in the woods. It is concerning to a person of my rank. What traitor?
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[He's speaking to this man as he is an idiot, because he surely must be. He's knows Itachi and Sasuke, so he should know that Itachi is the older brother.
And this man says he's a teacher? Itachi doesn't recall having him as a teacher or seeing him in the schools that often. Maybe he hasn't become one yet when Itachi is younger. But in the end none of that really matters.]
Konoha betrayed the Uchiha and whether you're a teacher or not, you're still from Konoha.
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[He's never had Itachi in his class before. He had Sasuke when he had Naruto. He's never had the pleasure of teaching this one before.
It irks him as much as it makes him curious where this boy is getting his logic from.]
Traitors wouldn't give a second though to lost children. What nonsense are you talking about? An accusation like that shouldn't be thrown around so easily.
[It's an honest question.]
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But he could be lying. He could be someone out to trick them, but Sasuke hasn't said anything, so maybe he's not. Itachi doesn't know who to trust anymore except Sasuke.
His little brother wouldn't lie to him. Itachi always knows when he's lying.
So this man must be out to trap him.]
Konoha ordered the execution of the Uchiha clan. And you're all guilty for letting it happen.
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A child would never say a thing like this unless he hears it from a parent or his guardian.
So is this how Sasuke wants to play it? He couldn't think of a better excuse? A better explanation?
The irriation flares above everything else. Even if, for discussion sake, the brothers is right in their words ...
Konoha would never order for such a thing.
Genocide. It's in inhumane. Konoha wouldn't stand for it! They hadn't even been at war at the time!]
Such things weigh a lot. You shouldn't throw accusations like that so easily. You should know better. Konoha would never - where did you get this conclusion from?
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[And if Sasuke says it's true, Itachi can only trust him, and know that Sasuke wouldn't lie to him about something like this.]
And all because you act like you didn't know, doesn't mean you're not guilty.
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[He can't do this, he can't lie anymore. Itachi would know his sins. Would know his mistakes. Would know why he's been walking around with a mark of the missing criminal seared to his person.
But this boy ...]
I really don't.
[He does not know if a child can see his earnest answer, or how he really isn't lying.
He needs to talk to someone.
To satisfy his curiosity.
Because Konoha wouldn't - will never - stand for something like this. Uchiha is - or was - a part of Konoha. It's beyond ridiculous!]
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Itachi wants to believe too. But Father taught him better than to give into illusions just because they were nicer than reality.
So when he responds he's still defensive, but not as angry.]
You don't know, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Sasuke wouldn't lie to me.
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