Thread: Bound by Blood (captain levi & Razz)

Was this all a part of his plan? Yes. If he willed it, Itachi could have toyed with Danzo's pets like they were just prey before he'd kill them, one by one, but the opportunity to test how strongly Sasuke was tethered to him and where his younger brother's loyalty truly lied wasn't to be passed up. He fended off the attacks with awe-inspiring dexterity and grace, leaving himself unscathed but his assailants without energy. So, when Sai managed to lunge forward and successfully skewer Itachi's side with his blade, the three of them were genuinely shocked. The sword hadn't even sliced clear through his torso from the lack of force exerted behind the motion but what Itachi did next horrified Sai, Naruto, and Sakura. Instead of pulling himself off of the blade, his bare hands gripped the katana's steel and tugged it to slice clear through his body. Naturally, the deeper wound drew more blood, fast enough for Itachi's ability to regenerate to function slower than usual. Only when Sai realized what he had done did he tear the blade from Itachi's body cavity, the wound already healing after drenching his entire front in the thick, pungent crimson. The Akatsuki knew his whereabouts now, and if they didn't, the scent of Itachi's blood lingering in the air was potent enough to be able to track. Maybe, although it was hopeful thinking by a long shot, Itachi thought Sasuke would be able to sense him from this distance, and he was pleasantly surprised. Even the Akatsuki would have been shocked at Sasuke's sheer force of will and how he had lunged between the two to defend Itachi from an incoming attack. Itachi had initially thought Sasuke would hesitate in the face of his friends and allow his hatred for Danzo to be watered down by their convincing words, but the younger Uchiha was mentally and emotionally stronger than he had thought. Maybe a part of this had been expected, but Sasuke injuring Sai wasn't. Even by a glance, he knew the stab wound wasn't fatal unless it was left untreated for a while, but Itachi was more or less entertained by the fact it was there in the first place. Had Sasuke hurt Sai to make his own peace with everything Danzo had done to him? Or had he intervened to protect him? The question still lingered in his head as the three left, lugging Sai in critical condition. That's no way to speak to your friends, Sasuke, he chastised lightly to lighten the grim mood, gently thumping a bloody hand on top of of Sasuke's head. The injury to his side kept him hunched over for the time being, so he left the satchel of herbs in Sasuke's possession and pressed a handkerchief over the bleeding wound to accelerate the healing process. Although his stoic facade made it difficult to recognize, Itachi was the happiest he'd ever been for the longest time. He didn't even mind the moonlit stroll back, nor the constant pang of pain that occasionally throbbed in his side until it eventually ebbed. None of that mattered when he was walking with the only person that truly was worth his time in a forest that looked too much like the landscape of a dream. Surely, he believed he could walk through it forever if it only meant spending more time with Sasuke and ensuring that they wouldn't be apart ever again. Both of them had lost too much and suffered so long at the mercy of one man who was still very much a real nightmare to them. The Akatsuki, he started randomly, feeling that this would be a good time to catch up and explain just what he had been doing while Danzo had been training Sasuke to be the best vampire hunter. After all, if Sasuke was going to be a part of it, and eventually its successor, he needed to know everything , and Itachi trusted him wholeheartedly with that information. Was a family I started after I lost you. It was the only way I could gather enough strength and numbers to bring you back, but it's a lot more than what I brought it together for now. We're all vampires, loyal through thick and thin, and I hope that one day you see comrades and brothers in them as I do. He had no doubts that it would take some time, especially since Sasuke had gotten off the wrong foot with Kisame, Sasori, and Deidara at first, but Time was an amazing pacifist that allowed even the most contrasting of souls to meet in the middle. If Sasuke was a true Uchiha, Itachi knew that the Akatsuki would naturally follow the younger male's leadership. They watched over you as I did. Kept enemies at bay while you grew, mostly, he explained, glancing over and noticing that Sasuke was wielding his new wakizashi now tainted with Sai's blood. They'll teach you things I can't teach you myself. He himself had learned quite a bit from them Pain's patience, Kisame's strength, etc. Itachi paused, noting Sasuke's silence. You do want to learn, do you?