A/N: After much time and consideration, though I have no updated this fic in over a year, I have decided to go through it and do a near re-write so help better establish the plot-line and make it easier for me to wrap it up within a few more chapters. Thanks to everyone who has been so patient with me. You're all lovely.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of Kishimoto's creations.

Submerged - Chapter One

When exactly had he let the Uchiha take charge? When had he started following his orders and coming to his every beck and call? Hoshigaki Kisame sat in one of the beaten up recliners at Akatsuki headquarters pondering the thought. Had he, the Demon of the Mist, killer of countless people, gone soft? Rivaling his partner by eleven years, he should be the one making the calls, yet he always found himself complying to the boy's every need and request. Perhaps it was just the more convenient thing to not make decisions. He could do without the arguing. The other pairs did enough of that for the entirety of the Akatsuki. Letting Itachi take charge and make the calls meant he could lie back and relax without thinking too hard or making the big decisions. It was easier that way...

Currently the raven haired Sharigan user sat opposite of his shark featured partner at the scuffed and worn out table in the living room of the Akatsuki lair. His brow was furrowed in thought as he sorted out some details for their latest mission, and poured over an old ragged map of the countries they would be traveling through. Leader-sama had informed them earlier that morning that they were to leave as soon as prepared and to head out towards the Takigakure and Tsuchi no Kuni border just southwest of their main base. The mission was a simple one; patrol the border between the Earth Country and the Waterfall Country and to check for any disturbances. Rumor had it that Takigakure was collecting intelligence on the Iwagakure from the inside and transferring it back to their village leader. Seeing as they weren't too terribly suspicious, it would be easy for the two of them to look like simple travelers passing through the countries, while gathering information and observing the border. If anyone did recognize them as Akatsuki, they should know from the rumours to steer clear of them and let them go about their business.

Information retrieval or Intel missions weren't really the pair's specialty, but in the case of an actual fight breaking out they were the best for the job. Kisame personally hoped for the latter, seeing as missions without a bit of bloodshed were rather boring. Plus, if they really did need to question anyone he could simply drain them of their chakra and shave their limbs off when he'd finished. The possibility of them running into any actual threats was low from what Itachi had mentioned. They were to simply travel up the border and keep a wary eye out for suspicious travelers and activity. Normally the Stone Nation would have sent their own ninjas for such a job, but by hiring the Akatsuki they were able to keep a low profile and gather information from unsuspecting travelers without alerting their rivals and enemies to the fact they were monitoring the area and igniting the tempers and suspicions of their neighboring rival villages.

Kisame continued to lounge in the chair, thumbing his fingers against the cushion in agitation. Waiting around was boring. He'd rather get walking and get the mission over with. It's been ages since he'd had a good fight or cut someone limb from limb. It'd be nice to get away from the base...It wasn't often when more than one pair of Akatsuki took refuge at the base, but occasionally one of the other pairs would show up. Sasori and his younger partner's constant bickering wore his nerves thin, and if he thought they were bad, Kakuzu's newest partner was a complete horror. They'd arrived sometime in the night and ever since had been engaged in yelling matches. The Mist-nin estimated he wouldn't last more than a few days before the older man disemboweled him. Kisame rose and began to pace the room, hands resting on the back of his neck. A sigh escaped his lip, and he furrowed his brow in frustration. How long was this going to take? He hadn't actively done any planning for missions in ages and he'd forgotten just how long it could take.

"Kisame, stop that." Itachi scolded, finally annoyed with his partner's fidgeting, though not enough to bother looking up from the table. Kisame crossed his arms in a pout and let out a frustrated sigh. Itachi was the only person he'd allow to push him around like that besides perhaps Leader-sama, seeing as he had to follow orders from him.

"Does a mission that is so simple really need this much preparation, Itachi-san?"

"A simple mission can turn into much more without warning at times, Kisame." Itachi answered still not looking up from the old map clutched in his fingers.

"If you're trying to refer to the incident in Konoha, that situation would have gone just fine if you would have let me cut that stupid green-spandex guy's legs off." he huffed, remembering the encounter with utter contempt and silently vowing to exterminate the shinobi whenever he met him again.

"And in Shukuba Town, we hadn't expected to have to battle with one of the Sannin either..." added Itachi.

Kisame sighed again, this time in resignation, "I suppose you're right...can we just leave soon?"

"Hn."

"Very well, Itachi-san."

One thing was certain, he wasn't the same boy he'd met two years prior. The shark recalled their tense first meeting with a grin. The raven haired boy hadn't been one to be intimidated by Kisame's harsh exterior and attitude. Rather, he brushed it off his intimidating act and countered it with his own smart comments. Pretty cocky for being some pretty boy kid new to the organization. His hair had grown significantly longer since he had joined the Akatsuki and his shoulders broadened significantly, giving him an older appearance. The one thing that had stayed the same was the predominate tear troughs that gave him his aged and constantly worn out appearance, though perhaps he looked even more worn out than when he has first joined the group of missing-nin. When he had first come to meet with Leader-sama and the first members of the Akatsuki he had seemed so frail and almost sickly looking. The appearance was deceiving though. Itachi was extremely deadly.

He may seem a little thickheaded at times, but after spending two years with the Uchiha he could read him far more easily than he would have guessed. The subtle nuances in his voice, body language and his gaze told more than his partner ever cared to voice. The slight incline of his head when he was intrigued with some trivial thing. The way his eyes lit up ever so slightly when he found something he enjoyed. The miniscule amount the right side of his mouth upturned when he was amused, though he'd never admit anything had pleased him. He remembered the day they had went to retrieve the Kyuubi host from Konoha he had seen the look in his eyes as he gazed down upon his village. An expression that almost suggested longing and a hint of relief to see his childhood home safe and sound. It had been brief but he hadn't missed it. For killing his entire clan, he sure seemed to still care somewhat for his village. The inner workings of that kid's head were a damn mystery.

Kisame suggested waiting around at the little tea-shop in Konoha to gather intel, simply because he knew Itachi had a hidden sweet tooth but also for himself to reflect on the home of his partner. He would have never imagined that only years before a massacre had occurred. When the raven had joined the Akatsuki, Kisame had been the first member considered to partner with him. Having some punk kid follow him around on missions wasn't exactly appealing to him but overtime the boy had grown on him. After experiencing the younger boy's wide variety of jutsu and techniques he was actually now convinced the sickly looking kid was actually the stronger of the two.

Funny how Kami-sama seemed to stick him with his complete opposite. Itachi was a lithe bodied and attractive young man. His effeminate features and pouty lips were sure to make the girls swoon if his wise older expression and calm collected personality didn't get them first. Kisame didn't doubt for a second that the girls of his village must have fawned over him, constantly vying for his attention. From the little Itachi had told him, he was a prodigy child, graduating academy at age seven and being promoted to Chuunin status only three years later. The Uchiha then proceeded to beat out numerous older and more experienced candidates for a position as ANBU captain by the age of thirteen. Himself on the other hand was an outcast, shunned and avoided by his village like a leper. Never had a real relationship in his life...He had grown up during the gruesome trials of the Bloody Mist, learning to become a ruthless killer at a young age and never forming close bonds or becoming too attached to his comrades...the only real thing the partners had in common was the simple fact that they betrayed the closest people to them, murdering their own comrades and family.

Sudden movement triggered Kisame's eyes to glance upward. Itachi had finally rose from his seat and was tucking the map into one of the pockets of his cloak. His cold eyes met Kisame's, sending a shiver down the his spine. What other things besides the few subtle emotions he could read lay behind that gaze? The older man knew without having to speak that his partner was prepared to set out on their mission. Strapping Samehada to his back, he followed his partner out into the chill night air.

-Galadraen