@uchihaed answered:
the words being muttered to him, while simple; carve deep. vivid visions of days long passed rush past the back of his eyelids. how arrogant he was as a child. to even believe that he could singlehanded craft a world free of war and despair. the older he gets, the more he realizes her words to be true. every action he’s taken to stave off bloodshed has only resulted in more, to the point where his ledger is bathed in a sea of blackened crimson, never to be wiped clean.
nowadays, he feels his own mortality creeping up on him, thanks to his illness making simple tasks such as breathing or eating especially laborious on worse mornings. the once declared protégé of the uchiha won’t even be able to save himself at the very end, let alone everyone else.
the acceptance of such a notion humbled him. he wasn’t a god, nor some savior to be put up on a pedestal. no. itachi was just a man who wished the world was different than the war-torn and hateful place that it was.
thankfully, his goals had shifted from when he was a child. he wasn’t trying to save everyone. just as many people as he could. even though this strife would inevitably lead to his own demise. he knew once sasuke found the truth, he would carry that torch for him in his own way.
“no.” the rogue replied, his words sullied with confidence in his own path and choices, “but i may be able to save just one.”
Sakura’s gaze looks straight at the sharingan-activated eyes of the man before her. Fear should be inevitable upon contact with the Uchiha, much more the prospect of imprisonment behind his powerful genjutsu. But somewhat, in an odd sort of way, hearing his words gives her some form of comfort, subconsciously loosening her guard around him.
The motivation behind Itachi joining the Akatsuki is still unknown to Sakura. Much more so, the knowledge that he has been working behind the scenes protecting Naruto from being captured in his unique and tactful ways all these years. And now, judging his words, it seems there is much more to his façade and intentions than he is letting on.
The pink-haired medic’s brows slowly forms a tight knot in confusion, her stance back on alert in case the conversation goes wrong. But the desire to know the meaning behind his words too strong to ignore, “ Just one? “
Her mind instantly goes back to a certain someone, somebody she yearns to reach all these years. Just that, it is hard not to feel conflicted; hearing Itachi's words and knowing it is in search for vengeance towards him that pushed Sasuke towards the path he is now taking.
“ Is it Sasuke you are referring to, Itachi-san? Are you forgetting it was you who did all these to him? ”
