Title: Hope's Desire
Author: Blue-eyed Fox
Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Haku would still be alive and everything else would be YAOI all over and Sakura would definitely be dating Rock Lee, go figure... (: Þ)
Genre: AU, General, Romance, Comedy, slight and random OOC-ness
Pairing: ItaNaru, hence the reason for it being placed under the Itachi x Naruto category…
Warning: Yaoi. If you don't know what the hell that means, I suggest you leave if you want to save your sanity.
Rating: M for now and all the steamy scenes will be loaded later on…
Authoress' Notes:
I finished this one a long, long time ago… But something happened along the way… This is partly beta-ed, so, sorry for the errors…
Anyway, this is dedicated to all ItaNaru fans and to all Naruto-uke fans out there… Hope you like it…
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Chapter 1
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Itachi was sitting impassively by the patio.
It was a fine evening, the moon reflected by the span of body of water surrounding his sleeping quarters. He was bored out of his wits. And he was lonely. He had always hoped for a companion, a lifelong partner. But maybe that was too much to ask. But at least he wanted someone to share his life with. He sighed. He looked at the small lake and watched the ripples created by the flying fishes and the fireflies playing around as if dancing a choreographed masterpiece. He took out his shamisen and began to play a melancholic tune that would stir unspoken emotions in anyone's heart. Just as he was playing, a magnificent nightingale that was bigger than the average that was somewhat as big as a hawk with golden yellow feathers covering its body appeared on the low branch of the Sakura tree near his bedroom. It's long, golden tail feathers dancing with the breeze. The bird, entranced with the music suddenly sang in tune with Itachi's shamisen. Itachi paused and glared at the bird for interrupting the mood.
The nightingale sensed danger signals directed at it, stopped immediately.
When Itachi felt that the bird wouldn't intrude anymore, he resumed playing, this time a quicker melody. The nightingale cocked its head in amusement and mimicked the lively tune of the stings. Itachi glared again and changed the song into a dramatic piece without any warning. The nightingale was quick to adjust and followed the pace of the tune. Itachi smirked inwardly but decided to test if the nightingale could still keep up with him. After a while of testing each other's abilities, Itachi stopped and decide to call it a night. He placed his shamisen aside and approached the bird who didn't seem to be going anywhere but perch on that branch. Somehow, deep inside of him, he was quite happy to have gained a companion that evening. Itachi found it ironic though that when he longed for a companion, the gods sent him a bird.
Itachi found the bird sitting on the same branch every evening. And every night, Itachi would play his shamisen and the nightingale would sing its song. And every night, he would talk nonsense to the nightingale that seemed to understand. And soon, a relationship blossomed between the two creatures. He found that the bird would look at him with care and understanding with those deep shining blue eyes. He held up a hand, hoping that the nightingale would come to him and to his surprise it flew and rested on his wrist.
"You're smart for a nightingale. Would you like to stay here with me?" Itachi asked the beautiful creature which chirped softly in response.
"That's nice to hear. Now, I should give you a name. Hmm…" Itachi thought as he stroked the bird on its proud chest.
"You first came by that Sakura tree." He said as he looked at it and saw that it was in bloom. Some of its red blossoms danced and floated with the wind in a swirling pattern and its sweet fragrance lingered in the cool evening breeze. Then it hit him.
"Well, how about Naruto?" The nightingale chirped in delight and cooed. "Right, I shall call you Naruto then." And the nightingale flew to his shoulder. Itachi had to smile.
The next day was a different one compared to the times when he would just be woken up by one of the servants of the manor. The nightingale would chirp and tweet its way until Itachi opened his eyes to greet the morning sun. The nightingale would usually come along with his occasional routine of the grounds outside his manor. He supervised and watched over the southern part of the kingdom, the people of his region respected and loved him. They gave him their full support and followed whatever the empress had to impart on him. He was kind despite of the demeanor he had. Itachi was some sort of a high court official that only four people held: He, Hoshigaki Kisame, Hatake Kakashi and Yakushi Kabuto. They were the imperial advisers and generals of the Konoha Empire.
After his usual routines, he would go back to his manor where Naruto would start to serenade him with its lovely songs.
He was resting by the east side of his pavilion when Kabuto, the general of the west came to have a word with him.
"Good afternoon General Itachi." Kabuto greeted.
"Good afternoon. What brings you here General Kabuto?" was Itachi's curt reply. He really didn't like the guy even though he and the rest of the other generals had been friends for since childhood. Kabuto was the type of person who was carefree and sometimes idle. He smiled too much and nonetheless, a playboy who flirts around with the ladies of the emperors court all day long if he had the chance. He gave the rest of them a headache whenever he does.
"I was just passing by. I was going to the east and meet with Kisame. I just stopped over to give Sandstorm and my entourage a break. I was wondering do you have any some parchment I could borrow."
"You are welcome here anytime Kabuto. And please, give my regards to Kisame. If you don't mind, I'll just get some parchment you requested." Itachi said as he excused himself.
Kabuto was left with the nightingale that stopped singing. Kabuto stared at the bird and the bird stared back. He approached the bird and peered at it more closely.
"It's a nightingale."
"Oh." Kabuto said as he jumped back, startled by Itachi's voice. "Where did you get it? It's unusually big for a nightingale." He said as he looked at Itachi whose eyes seemed to threateningly say, "Stay away".
"It just flew in here and decided to stay." And the nightingale chirped in reply and flew to his shoulder.
"It seems attached to you." Kabuto said as he eyed the beauty.
"It is." Itachi said as he began to stroke the bird that leaned in to the touch.
"General Kabuto, your entourage has rested enough and is willing to go on with the journey." A footman said.
"That would mean that you would be on your way. Here's your parchment." Itachi said as he handed him the roll of parchment.
"Thank you for the parchment and for your letting me and my men rest."
"It's nothing General Kabuto."
"Well then, if you'll excuse me." Kabuto said but before he left, he reached out and gave the nightingale a rub on the chest. The nightingale flew away and Kabuto laughed. "It seems like that nightingale has gotten some of your distinguishable qualities. Good day." And Kabuto left.
Itachi raised one fine brow and extended an arm to let Naruto perch on his arm.
"You don't like him to don't you?" He asked as he rubbed the nightingale's throat. Naruto chirped in reply. "Now that the pervert's gone, would you sing for me again?" He said as Naruto chirped and flew back to its perch and began to sing a melodious song.
Itachi fell asleep as he listened to the lullaby like song of Naruto. As he fell into a deep slumber, three women appeared in his dreams. One had short, blonde, wavy hair and the other had long blonde hair that was kept in pigtails and the other had then same but was done in a bun. The three women were surrounded by a cloud of mist. They were dressed in elegant robes of red, silver, blue and gold.
"Why are you in my dreams? Who are you?" Itachi asked.
"We heard your silent plea," the one with short wavy hair spoke.
"And we are here to tell you that we shall and would grant it." Said the one with blonde hair tied up in a bun.
"When the moon casts its light upon the waters of the lake that surrounds your abode, the one that you wished and your heart desires will appear before your eyes." The last of them spoke, the one with long blonde, pig-tails.
"Who are you?" Itachi said. He was getting confused with what was happening. He could understand little of what the three said.
"I am Tsunade, the Goddess of the Waters." The one in pig-tails spoke.
"Ino, Goddess of the Moon."
"My name is Temari. Goddess of the Skies of Night and Day," said the last. "Remember this and remember it well, on the night that the moon will shine it's brightest, the one that you wished will appear before you."
"May you find the happiness you've so long have been seeking."
"Until then, General Uchiha Itachi…" Tsunade said and the three of them disappeared as Itachi awoke from his sleep.
It was already evening and the nightingale was perched, sleeping on the settee he was lying on. He stood up and strode towards the finely carved wooden railings of the gazebo. He looked at the calm rippling of the waters and up to the bright night sky that was dressed with the twinkling stars and the shining moon.
"When the moon casts its light upon the waters of the lake that surrounds your abode, the one that you wished and your heart desires will appear before your eyes."
Itachi remembered the words spoken by the goddesses. Could it be true? If it were then he would be waiting for it.
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- TBC -
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Authoress' Note:
Hi guys! (Ducks from numerous unidentified flying objects sent her way…) I know that I should be updating my other fics but my muse refuses to work with me unless I drown her with Starbucks Frappucinos… Well anyway, please review and help save my sanity... Who knows, a steaming lemon might be up for grabs in the next following chapters… (ü –winks- ü)
If any one can guess what will happen next, I shall update and gets a shout out on the next chappie! smooches