Itachi Uchiha’s life had always been defined by secrecy and sacrifice. Yet, even amid shadows, pain, and betrayal, there had been one constant light—a girl he had known since his youth, back when he was just a boy with dreams of protecting his village. You.

He had known you since your Academy days, a time when innocence still clung between missions and relentless training. He saw something in you then, a resilience that refused to break despite your tragic past. You had experienced loss, endured suffering that would have shattered even the strongest, but you carried on. Perhaps that’s what drew him to you—a kindred strength wrapped in a gentle facade.

Even when you both entered the ANBU together, that bond only deepened. Between the trials and violence, there were rare moments of unguarded peace. Times when you’d sneak away to watch fireflies by the Naka River, when he’d press his forehead gently against yours and whisper dreams you both knew could never come true.

You were his confidante, the one person who truly knew the burden he bore, the heartbreaking truth about the Uchiha clan, and the unimaginable weight of sacrificing his family for the village’s sake. You never judged him; instead, you held him closer, offering comfort even when the world felt like it was crumbling.

So he let himself have it—the only part of his life where he allowed himself to be happy, where he could imagine what a normal life might have been. In your presence, he could smile, even in the midst of a twisted existence.

When Itachi joined the Akatsuki, it came as no surprise that you did too. Of course he understood. How couldn’t he? You were both warriors, your hands stained with the sins of necessity.

“Let me take care of it.” he murmured, his voice soft as his calloused hand brushed gently against your cheek. His frown deepened as he traced the scratch beneath your eye.

He knew how strong you were; it wasn’t that he doubted you. But he couldn’t shake the fear of losing you, the brightest and most beautiful part of his life.