Book 1: The Three of Us

Chapter 36: Happiness Looks Good On You

Getting news that Sakura and her team would finally be returning from there mission causes my whole body to slump in relief. A successful mission was always a relief, especially with how things have been recently. Sakura should be returning to the village sometime today. Glaring at all the paper work from the most recent clan head meeting has me wishing I was out on a mission. The amount of paper work that everything made was absolutely ridiculous. 

Reactivating my sharingan, I get back to work trying to get through this paper work as quickly as possible. I could hear my ancestors rolling in there graves seeing me use my sharingan for something as mundane as desk work. It takes a few more hours but I'm finally able to finish up everything I need to do for today. 

Leaning back in my chair, I close my eyes and deactivate my sharingan. Eye strain has caused a tension headache and I try to massage the pain away. A nock on my office door has me sitting up straight, "Come in." 

The blurred outline of Shizune enters my vision as she opens the door and pokes her head through the door way, "We need the paper work from the latest meeting. Are you done with it?"

I nod, "I am," I gesture to the stack of papers, "That's all of it." 

Shizunei makes her way over to the desk and picks up the stack, "I'm impressed. Not often that I don't have to hound someone to do paper work." 

I let out a quiet tired laugh, "I'm pretty sure Tsunade-sama is the only one you have to harass about paper work." 

She lets out her own laugh, "Her and Kakashi-san. They're both just as bad." 

I think back to when I was on a team with Kakashi and all the mission reports he'd dump on me, "I think Kakashi-senpai is worse." 

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that. Well, I gotta go. Things to do and people to see," Shizune says, making her way over to the door. 

"You're always working hard, running from place to place for Tsunade-sama," I comment. 

"It's worth it. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. My work matters and Tsunade appreciates me and treats me well," I can hear the happiness in her voice as she speaks. 

"You are the only one she never yells at. That's impressive in of itself," I say, actually curious how that is. 

"Everyone's gotta have a weapon hidden up there sleeve," is her purposefully cryptic response. She gives a light bow before making her way out of the room, "I really got to leave this time. Bye, Itachi-san." 

She shuts the door behind her and the room goes silent. Turning towards the window, I look out at the winter sunset. The cloudy horizon is lit orange by the setting sun, a slight haze to the color as a dense fog starts to settle. With nothing more to do, I get up and cross the hallway to Tsunade's office. Stepping into the room, she's at her desk, her head propped up by her arm as she dozes off. 

I sit at the chair opposite to her and prop my feet up on the desk. Tsunade looks up at me through grumpy sleepy eyes, "I'm trying to sleep. Go away." 

"You're supposed to be doing paper work," I say, shaking my head at her attitude. 

"Shush, let me rest."

"I'm actually curious about something," I say, tilting my head to the side in thought. 

Tsunade raises her eyebrows in question, "Fire away."

"What power does Shizune hold over you?" I ask. 

She gives a 'what the hell' look, completely confused by my question, "What the hell does that mean?" 

"You've never yelled at her. Ever. And she has some sort of super power that keeps you in check. She says something and you always listen, even if you pretend not to," I explain, thinking over the strange power Shizune holds. I crinkle my brow in thought when an idea comes to me, "Are you in love with her?"

Tsunade lets her head drop to the table with a loud thunk, "Zip it master mind before I throw you across the village." 

"Knowing this makes everything make more sense. Are you going to do anything about it?" I ask.

Lifting her head off the table and holding it up with her arm again, Tsunade looks at me as she speaks, "You do realize she was my student before she was my assistant?" 

"Yeah but you're both adults," I say, not seeing any problem in them being together. 

"I'm over twenty years older than her," Tsunade responds. 

"So you have thought about it?" 

"Of course I have, you moron," she says, getting even more annoyed at me. 

"I think you should tell her. She definitely likes you back," I say, remembering how Shizune spoke of Tsunade.  

"I'm not gonna accept relationship advice from someone who was oblivious of his own feelings for Sakura for literal months," she says, sitting up completely, her annoyance giving her more energy. 

"That doesn't count, I was busy almost dying," I argue. 

"More like busy being socially inept," Tsunade snorts out a laugh, enjoying making fun of me. 

"I could list off at least 10 people in relationships you don't know about," I say, trying to prove my point that I wasn't as terrible at social interaction as she thinks I am. 

"Under all that maturity and seriousness you really are just a brat, aren't ya?" Tsunade says, phrasing it like a question when it was more of a statement. 

I shrug, "I have my moments." 

"It's good to see you happier. It looks good on you, being in love and having hope. You've changed so much since I first met you," she gives a heavy smile as she speaks, remembering all the hell that we went through. The fear and helplessness when I thought death was the only answer to the conflict between the Uchiha clan and the village. 

I give myself a mental shake, reminding myself that it wasn't my fault. I was manipulated and almost did something unforgivable. It was a dark time for us all. Tsunade was disappointed in her sensei's lack of action, it felt almost like a betrayal. He was willing to sit back and let a whole clan die. The Third Hokage was nothing more than a coward, unwilling to stand up to his childhood friend who'd fallen into the darkness and became one with it. 

The day I killed Danzo, I learned what it felt like to enjoy killing someone. It wasn't a mission or self defense. It was me hunting him and enjoying every moment he suffered.