Contrition [Itachi Uchiha x Reader]

#42: Contortion

"You seem well."

[Name] could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she adjusted to the presence of the uninvited guest in her living room. 

The man donned a sinister smile. "I hope you don't mind..." He gestured to open bottle of wine on the table. "I was in the mood to celebrate. Nice house you've got here. Cozy."

It's a display of power, [Name] thought, growing increasingly wary. He's showing me how easy it is for him to enter my home and take my things.

"Thank you." Read him like one of your clients. Find out what he wants. "I can't say I'm surprised to see you here." Be calm. 

"Your face says otherwise, [Name]," came his reply. "Sit down, will you? I believe a conversation is long overdue."

He can't attack you in a public place. "I agree, but not here. I haven't had dinner yet, so I wouldn't say no to a bite. I daresay say you owe me, considering you opened the bottle of wine I was saving for my birthday."

Obito chuckled. "Pretty optimistic about making it to your birthday, aren't you?"

"You're not here to kill me," [Name] remarked, matter-of-factly.

"Oh? And how can you be so sure?"

"I'm still standing, aren't I? Besides, I doubt Danzō would send you to do the job. Isn't that what people like Sai are for? No, you're here to threaten me."

Obito broke into a fit of laughter. "I see why my nephew likes you. But you missed the mark there, if only slightly. I'm here, woman, to give you the good news." 

"And that is?"

"Your life will be spared, all thanks to me. Mind you, it took a lot of convincing." He emptied the wine into two glasses and held one out to her. "You're welcome."

[Name] stood rooted to her spot. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The man sighed as he sunk further into the couch. "Well, surely by now you know that there was a target on your head. Let's just say I convinced the marksman to shift his aim."

"Why?"

"Consider it an act of kindness."

[Name] could feel her temper rising. "No."

"No? You dare refuse an act of goodwill?"

"Bullshit. Tell me why."

The glass clanked as it made contact with the ottoman. "While I do not appreciate your tone, I understand your curiosity. And yet, even though everything that you've done in the past few months has not been in my best interests, I only want the best for a young, talented individual such as yourself. You are an asset to the community. My boss agrees. Furthermore, I daresay I know what it's like to be put smack in the middle of something that doesn't concern me. Whatever your reasons for wanting to help Itachi were, I don't think you deserve to be punished for simply wanting to get ahead in your career. I'm willing to chalk it all down to a bad judgement call. But that can be undone in a second. You would do well to remember that."

[Name] felt the bile rise in her throat. "In other words, I'll owe you and your boss a favour. And now that I'm a public servant, you'll own me."

"A life for a life," he announced. "Congratulations on getting your old job back. I believe your first client is a man named Soichiro Izanami. He's applying for parole this week and you will assess that he's fit to be released. I don't care how many women he's raped or inmates he's stabbed. He's a person of interest to my boss and he's getting parole, one way or another. I shall contact you with the name of your second client soon enough. You keep doing this and I see no reason why you shouldn't see fifty birthdays. Are we clear?"