RIYE CHP 1
Redemption In Your Eyes
By AsterUchiha
Chp 1: The Longest Walk
"Why?" Kakashi stepped forward, still tense and distrusting.
Itachi sighed. "Would you rather fight? It's certainly not in your best interests." He said all of this slowly, clearly aggravated.
"I'd rather fight!" Aster jerked her arm in Itachi's grip, yelling in his ear.
Turning slowly to face the entire group, Sasuke crossed his arms. "Would it make you feel better if we let you tie our hands?" He was quickly tiring of the arguing. Even though he wasn't completely sure of what his brother was planning, he had a few reasonable guesses.
"No… I doubt that would do much good." Kakashi gave his former student another wary glance, but he seemed to be giving in.
He was about to continue when Naruto cut in. "I think it would do a whole hell of lot of good." He glared at Sasuke, turning white with rage.
Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke watched Naruto in shock. I never thought it would come to this… Sasuke lowered his gaze again. "Naruto…"
"Shut the hell up!" Naruto fought to keep his voice level as hurt and betrayal raced through him. "Don't talk to me like you're my friend, you bastard!"
Sasuke gritted his teeth, those words were more painful than they had any right to be. He wanted to lash back out, but guilt held him in silence. Itachi watched, becoming more and more concerned. I should have realized the kyuubi kid would be one the of the ones after Sasuke… Dammit.
Aster slipped from Itachi's grasp, moving between Sasuke and Naruto. "Watch your mouth kid!" She flipped a kunai out of its holster, ready to fight.
Taking an aggressive step forward, Naruto started to say something, but stopped as he placed the face in front of him. It was a moment before he found his voice again. "Y-you…"
Recognition came over her and Sakura did a double take of the redheaded woman. There was another few minutes of silence as team seven finally placed the hotheaded girl accompanying the Uchiha brothers. There was an uncomfortable moment of silence before Aster reluctantly backed down.
"Let's go." Itachi walked toward Konoha and Sasuke started to follow. Twisting his shoulders leisurely, hecaught Kakashi's gaze. "Nothing good can come of fighting us. I ask you now, let us aid you."
Tensing her body and preparing to strike at anytime, Sakura took a deep breath to ease her anxiety. "We don't need your help."
Hardening his features, Itachi kept his eyes on Kakashi. "You came here to get Sasuke, but as a side mission, I assume, you are to destroy any Akatsuki members you discover." He continued slowly, as if talking to a small child, "The only reason your orders are to 'destroy' us, is because your superior assumes you cannot take us captive without tremendous loss on your side. This is true, but only if we resist."
To his pupils' surprise, their ex-sensei stepped forward. "True. But then I have to ask… Why do you not resist?"
Letting the cloak slide halfway off his shoulders, Sasuke met Naruto's scowl. "Did it ever occur to you that we didn't choose to walk this path?" The rage faded from Naruto's expression and left only a look of torn agony.
"Hmm…" Kakashi sighed in thought. He relaxed. Then, making a point to catch each of the exiled nin's stares, he gave them a look of determination. "I'll be watching you three, every second. Even think about trying anything, and I'll know."
"Perfectly understandable," Itachi tilted his head, motioning for Sasuke and Aster to follow. Aster stood, staring down Kakashi.
It was a minute before she began to walk with them. She tailed Itachi closely, watching Kakashi in contempt. They made their way towards Konoha in a thick silence. Itachi and Sasuke led the way, Aster close behind, within arm's reach of Itachi. Sakura and Naruto flanked Kakashi, who loped after them at a leisurely pace.
The sun moved across the sky slowly, and shadows lengthened irritatingly slow. Sasuke made an effort to keep his eyes straight ahead, but he could sense Sakura's gaze boring into him, and the absence of Naruto's watchful eyes made him feel lost somehow. It amazed him how quickly things had changed. He mulled over the past two weeks, and his steps became more and more sluggish. After a time, he looked up from his feet to find Itachi and Aster far ahead of him, his former comrades on either side, and his sensei close behind. Sakura was still staring at him, but wouldn't come any closer, and Naruto was keeping as much distance as possible. Their sudden aversion to him was unsettling. Sasuke quickened his steps to a trot and caught up to Itachi and Aster.
Sunset was coming over the world, but in the forest, it appeared to be night. Aster moved closer to Itachi; they were almost shoulder to shoulder now. She glanced back. Sasuke was still watching the ground as if it would give him the answers he so desperately desired, but it remained silent and unchanging. A sympathetic pang shot through her. I want to help him… But what can I do?
Itachi stopped, meeting Kakashi's restless gaze. "We should stop and make camp for now."
The jonin came to a halt and looked around him, as if seeing the forest for the first time. Nodding slightly, "I agree."
Little by little, they set up a small fire and laid out small sleeping bags. Team Seven took up one side of the fire, and Itachi and Aster took up another. Sasuke was nowhere to be found. Sliding hesitantly into their sleeping bags, Naruto and Sakura tried to force sleep under the awkward circumstances.
Itachi appeared to already be deep asleep, leaning against a tree just out of the fire's glow. Curled beside him, Aster watched the fire.
As the night began to wear on, she broke the profound silence. "Itachi," she turned her head slightly, gazing at him from the corner of her eyes. "Where's Sasuke?" She kept her voice low so that only he could hear her.
He shifted abruptly. "I wouldn't worry about him." Aster shot him a nasty glare. "Just let him do what he wants. He's not hurting anything."
"Yeah, anything but himself," she hissed back. "I'm going to find him." Aster left no room to argue, but as she stood, Itachi pulled her back down.
Sakura blinked. Itachi and Aster appeared to be arguing, and she had heard Sasuke's name. Come to think of it… Where did he go? She slipped out of the rumpled, under-sized bag.
"What are you doing, Sakura-chan?" Naruto rolled over, staring up at her.
She gave him a scathing glare. "I'm going to the bathroom, if you must know. Is that not allowed?"
A blush crawled over Naruto's face. "Sorry… Just asking." He flipped back over, muttering irritably under his breath.
Itachi motioned towards Sakura's retreating outline. "Don't worry about Sasuke."
Sighing in resignation, Aster gave him a stern look. "I feel like I should be searching for him too."
"How about searching for a better place to spend the night?" His eyes flickered to the group from Konoha. "We seem to be causing unnecessary tension."
She sighed again. "I agree… I guess." They stood silently, fading into the surrounding trees.
Sakura picked her way over the ensnarements of plant life as quietly as she could. It was dark, and moonlight filtered through the trees laid its fingers on the Earth in small shafts. "What are you doing?" a slightly irritated, but incredibly tired voice drifted to her.
She stopped, peering up into one of the wildly growing trees. "Looking for you."
Sasuke met her curious gaze and his constant glare softened. "Hmm. You found me. Now what?" His tone was thick with sarcasm.
Sakura let her mouth fall open slightly. She hadn't thought so far ahead. After an awkward moment, she pressed on, "Well… You don't have to stay out here… Alone."
"And you don't have to come after me," he replied smartly. Sakura lowered her head, turning back towards the camp. Grinding his teeth, he called down to her again, "I didn't mean it like that… I just want to know why."
She dropped her shoulders, and even though she refused to face him, she wasn't walking away anymore. "I was just…" Sakura paused, crossing her arms, "Just worried."
"Oh," Sasuke answered, keeping his thoughts to himself. He waited for her to say something more, the way she might have two years ago, but instead she shuffled back into the dappled shadows from whence she had come.
"This seems good." Itachi slid down against a tree and pulled the Akatsuki cloak off. The light of the fire was still visible in the distance between twisted tree trunks.
Aster nodded, kneeling beside him. It was colder here. She rubbed her shoulders unconsciously and scooted close enough for their shoulders and hips to touch. Itachi slipped his arm behind her shoulders and pulled the over-sized cloak around them. "Better?"
"Definitely," she muttered, sinking down and curling her body beside his. "You're like having a portable heater."
He gave her an annoyed look. "Thanks…" Itachi drawled. "That's such a wonderful compliment."
"Hey, at least it's not an insult," she replied matter of factly.
He was about to shoot back with another quick-witted retort, but she leaned on him, resting her head on his shoulder, and leaving him with no more reply than an exasperated sigh.
Dawn was coming quickly as the first tender rays of light brushed the sky; Itachi shifted under Aster. She sat up slowly, still heavy-lidded.
"We should get back before all hell breaks loose." Itachi tugged softly at the cloak, but didn't pull it out of her grasp.
She yawned, dropping it in his lap. "Yeah… You're right." They stood, stretching, and adjusting to the early morning light. It was a few minutes before Aster caught his eyes. "We should probably drag Sasuke back too."
Itachi sighed. "I would hope he has enough sense to do that himself."
"I bet you anything, he's probably still passed out." She crossed her arms.
"And I'll bet he's already back, and pissed that we've taken so long." Itachi gave her a tired glower. "Stop fretting over him unnecessarily. He's sixteen, not six."
Snorting in aggravation, Aster turned on her heel, "You're WAY too lenient."
"You're so over protective I think he's suffocating even when you're not within eyeshot of him." Itachi smirked, amused at her frustration.
"I AM not!" she shot back, pressing her lips together in angry line.
This time he outright laughed at her before meeting her glare with a grin. "Denial is cute, but it's also annoying as hell. Enough." The light was getting brighter; Itachi eyed the sky warily. "We need to hurry back."
Aster swallowed her sharp reply and followed him. They picked their way back to the camp quickly and the argument was abruptly forgotten. As they stepped into the small clearing, Sasuke appeared on the other side, arms folded over his chest. Wordlessly, the Konoha and exiled nin cleaned up camp and set off.
