When the Moon Comes Out from Behind the Shadows

When Itachi entered the dining hall, a woman with bluish colored hair stood on the far end of the room, talking to the Moon God. She wore a purple flower in her hair and a long black robe that had the same design that Yahiko had worn. Itachi knew the clouds represented the power of their god and his ability to reign above the earth. He also noticed that only people who seemed close to his new master wore that type of clothing so she wasn’t a regular servant, but obviously someone who held some status.

The servant who brought him quietly left the room. Itachi stood silently and listened or at least tried to. Their voices were low enough that he couldn’t hear what they were saying. Then whispering came to a stop, and he realized that his presence had become known.

The Moon God glanced up at Itachi, his eyes searching his new servant like they had before. He wondered why that kind of look was directed towards him. When Yahiko had first brought Itachi to him before, there had been a sense of hostility and desire to rebel even though nothing had happened. Itachi had tried to stuff those feelings down but couldn’t. Perhaps his new master could sense that.

The Moon God waved his hand dismissively to end the conversation. “Leave us, Konan. We’ll continue this later.”

“Yes, Nagato.” The woman bowed and left the room, smiling at Itachi on her way out.

Turning towards his new master, he patiently waited to be told what to do and let his eyes wander over to food. It had been awhile since he had eaten, and his stomach was starting to grumble at the sight of meal before them.

“You’re curious about what we were talking about.” The Moon God leaned back, smiled at him, and then chuckled. “It’s alright. I can tell. I’m right aren’t I?”

Itachi balked at the statement. He didn’t like that his thoughts were so easily seen through and wanted nothing more than to prove the Moon God wrong. He couldn't, though. Sighing, he finally relented. “Yes, my lord.”

“I see we’re back to that.” The Moon God's smiled faltered a little. He beckoned Itachi with his index finger. “Come closer and tell me what you want to know.”

Itachi walked a few feet closer, only stopping when he was close enough to reach out to the table if he wanted. “I only wondered if you were talking about me.”

“I will tell you if call me by my name.” The Moon God moved his chair closer to the table, a small playful smile on his face. “Go on, you can say it.”

Itachi slowly breathed out, not wanting to give away his frustration. He didn’t want to disobey but the idea of calling his new master by his first name still bothered Itachi. It was something he would obviously need to get used to because it seemed like this particular request wasn't going to go away anytime soon. “Yes… Nagato. I am curious about what you were talking about.”

Nagato's smile grew larger. “I would tell you except it’s a very private matter for Konan, and she would probably give me a hard time if I did. But we weren’t discussing you, I promise that much.”

Not knowing what to say in response, Itachi only nodded his head and stood silent. Was his god teasing him? Testing him and his restraint? When he could no longer take Nagato’s eyes watching him, he look over at the meal before him. A far better distraction for the moment. The table had enough food to feed a small Uchiha army, and Itachi wondered if all this food was really for the two of them. While he appreciated the welcome, the idea of most of the food being thrown out bothered him.

A large roast sat in the middle and there were trays of fruits and vegetables scattered about. Bread had been placed around the roast and smelled like it had just been baked. Three large flasks of wine sat next to the head of the table. Itachi's pangs of hunger only grew. Everything had happened so quickly that he hadn’t given eating much thought.

“Sit down, Itachi.” Nagato gestured towards the seat the next to him.

Itachi quickly obeyed and sat down. His stomach made another small grumbling noise. He hadn’t eaten anything since the morning of the ceremony. Now that the smell of the food permeated the room, his hunger began clouding his thoughts, making it difficult for him to concentrate.

Three servants, dressed in simple white robes, came into the room. They began slicing the roast and bread. Soon their plates were filled with meat, fruit, bread, and wine poured into their glasses. Itachi watched the servants leave soon after. He sat there and waited for Nagato to start eating.

“You don’t have to wait for me to start eating.” Nagato rested his cheek in the palm of his hand. “I can assure I won't be offended.”

Itachi didn’t say anything in return. His training had made it impossible for him to start eating first. Servants were supposed to wait, and his role was that of a servant. So he waited until his god either started before him or ordered him to start first.

“Alright. If you insist on waiting.” Nagato gave Itachi one last look before taking his knife and fork, cutting into the tender meat.

Itachi waited for the first bite and then the next until after Nagato had almost cleared the plate before slowly bringing the first bite of the meat to his lips. The spicy juices from the meat made his stomach ache until he took a few more bites. The bread was soft and warm, the wine sweet. Once he started eating, Itachi found that he couldn’t stop. Embarrassment colored his cheeks over his own exuberance. The Uchiha priests would have been disappointed. A slight feeling of elation passed through him over the thought of upsetting the Priests. He wasn't exactly in a position to get revenge for all their impatience and intolerance of any deviation of their plan so this would have to do.

When his stomach felt satisfied from the meat and bread and the hunger pains had subsided, Itachi picked up some grapes and a pomegranate and put them onto his plate. The juiciness of the grapes burst in his mouth with each bite. Cutting the pomegranate in half, Itachi scooped out the sweet, acidic insides with his spoon. He forced his hand to slow down now that his desperation to get more food in his body had been satiated.

“Enjoying the food?” Nagato casually asked. “I had them prepare food you’d be used to. I thought it would help make this feel more like home.”

That statement hit Itachi hard. He had been so caught up in eating that he had almost forgotten. Putting his fork down, Itachi focused on the food in front of him and tried to ignore the urge to lash out. Nothing on the table, no matter how good, would make him feel at home. His focus shifted from enjoying the meal to only making sure he had enough to eat so that he had enough energy to himself through the rest of the evening.

“You don’t seem to be enjoying your meal anymore.” Nagato set down his glass of wine. “Tell me why.”

Itachi swallowed his bite of food and looked up. “It’s not the same. It can never be the same as eating with my family.”

“I see. By trying to make you feel more at home, I’ve upset you.” Nagato folded his hands together, already knowing Itachi’s adjustment might be harder than what he was used to.

“No, you haven’t upset me.” At least Itachi didn’t feel any more out of place and homesick than he already had. He was simply being honest, though perhaps he should keep any extra commentary to himself for now. “The food is fine, my lord.”

“Call me Nagato, please.” He exhaled softly and truly wondered if he would ever convince Itachi to use his first name.

Itachi placed his napkin down onto the table and looked at the last remnants of his meal, carefully considering his master’s request. Itachi sighed; he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t even process his mind around it let alone do it. It seemed too personal, and when he tried before it had left an unsavory taste in the pit of his stomach.

Even with his master’s explicit permission, Itachi felt that if he crossed that line, it would mean he had fully accepted his fate. Nothing so far made him feel he was ready for that. He shook his head, hoping that the matter would be dropped. “My apologies if you are angry, but that hardly feels appropriate given my circumstance.”

Nagato looked at him thoughtfully. “Come walk with me, Itachi.”

Even though he could have eaten more, Itachi obeyed and stood up and followed his master’s lead. They left the dining area and down the hall until they stopped at another set of double doors Itachi hadn’t seen before. He followed Nagato outside into the area where he saw the children playing earlier. Looking at it from above had given him some idea of what it looked like, but now that they were outside, Itachi felt so small in comparison to the vastness of the property.

The land stretched out over a few small hills until it reached the mountains in the north. South of them it led straight to the thick forest he had seen earlier. Itachi wondered how deep the forest was or if Nagato would allow him to explore it sometime. Spending time outside had always been one of his favorite pastimes, especially when he and Sasuke would play. If he could spend the rest of his days mostly surrounded by nature then his fate would seem less of a burden to bear.

The sound of running water pulled his attention to the center of the back area. The fountain made the air around them feel cool. Only several more feet closer and water would have sprayed onto them. Itachi closed his eyes and let the sounds of the birds and insects overtake his senses. For a moment, it allowed him to forget why he had been brought here and what he would have to do to keep his family safe. This place was far more peaceful than he had imagined.

“This all belongs to me.” Nagato stretched his arm out to emphasize his point. “For centuries, I’ve lived here and watched over my people. I’ve kept them safe. Made sure they’ve had food, clothing, and shelter.”

Itachi’s eyes opened, and he gave his full attention to his master even though he wasn’t sure why he was being told this information. “I don’t understand… of course this all belongs to you. You are the Moon God.”

“The Uchiha sent you here because of an agreement made between your clansmen and my father. When I took over, I allowed it to continue because I felt it was important to preserve your clan. It would allow them to live a better life.” A small, wry smile spread across Nagato’s lips. “It seems to have worked out for the best so far.”

“For a better life?” Itachi bristled at the suggestion his fate had been determined by a deal struck with little or no regard for the sacrifice. “Why would you… how is that your decision to make?”

Nagato looked at him and softy laughed. “Because, I can make such a decision. It is my right in exchange for power. The universe needs a balance, Itachi. There’s a constant push and pull for balance. Simply giving away power would only corrupt your clansmen. Itachi was still young and naive in comparison.

He rested his hand on Itachi’s shoulder and gently squeezed. “If your clansmen don’t want the power I have to offer, they’re more than welcome to refuse it. Yet they don’t because they know the benefit of our arrangement.”

Itachi stood still, unable to respond to what Nagato had said. Even though he had always known his clan relied on him to carry out his duty, they had never seemed put out by handing him over. Except for his parents and Sasuke. And Shisui. The bitter taste it left in him couldn’t be easily pushed away.

“You look angry with me.” Nagato took his hand from Itachi’s shoulder and let it fall to his side.

“I am angry because we mean nothing more than a bargain to you,” Itachi bitterly replied, though it stung more that he also appeared to be a bargaining chip for his own people. It was easier to blame someone else than completely accept everything his master told him. “Don’t you care about the people you’re supposed to protect?”

Nagato frowned. “You feel so strongly about this, but it’s not that simple, Itachi. Without our agreement, your clan never would have survived all these years. It’s not a matter of feeling apathetic about the Uchiha. If I didn’t care, I would have let them die off a long time ago. I wouldn’t have agreed to such an exchange.”

"But you could stop it, right? If I agree to stay indefinitely, you could stop it." Itachi held eye contact and didn't falter. This time he knew it would make a difference if he did. The thought of going home didn’t seem possible, but perhaps he would be the last one. The last exchange. He knew most of his clan members held onto the old beliefs, but a shift was taking place. The younger generations had begun to seek out a different existence.

"I could, although annihilating an old tradition would take time, and an agreement with your clansmen." Nagato turned and looked out at the vast land before them. "Is it that terrible being here?" His eyes settled on Itachi once more.

"Yes. You hold us here by force. I can't see how it could feel any other way.” Itachi’s eyes searched for answers, but his master’s face remained calm.

“Are you here by force?” Nagato inched in closer, placing himself behind Itachi so that his charge could feel his warm breath and hear his words clearly without anyone else knowing what they were discussing. “Do you wish to leave?”

Itachi backed up a little, and found himself flush against his master. He berated himself for it. He shouldn’t have done that. Not now. He didn’t know if he wanted to leave and their closeness made it more difficult to concentrate. There had been a word the Priests back home used for this kind of affect the Moon God had on people, but Itachi couldn't recall what it was.

So he tried to place his focus back on the present, and the question asked of him. He had to wonder: If he left, would his clan suffer? With anything in life, there was always a choice. Even if that choice was ending his own life to get out of his duties. But he hadn't. He was here, and he had agreed to be here. “No, I’m here because I’ve chosen to do my duty and serve you.” Itachi tried to keep his voice calm as he turned and stepped back. They were standing too close to each other. He needed some space to think more clearly.

With each step back that Itachi took, Nagato moved closer to make up for it. Itachi intrigued him. He really did hope his new charge decided to stay. They could potentially gain so much satisfaction from one another. “I wonder how much of a difference there is between being forced and doing it because you’re afraid of the consequences of choosing not to.”

Itachi stopped moving and stayed silent, knowing it wasn’t an actual question but more of a thought. He didn’t feel there was much he could say to that anyway. Not without overstepping his bounds, which he had already done.

“Let me ask you this.” Nagato gave Itachi a pointed look. “What would you do if I told you that you could leave, and I would still protect your clan? Would you go?”

The question threw him off a bit, and Itachi frowned, uneasy about the implication. “No. I already gave my word that I would serve you. Looking for an out would be breaking it, and I won’t do that no matter how much it pains me to leave my family behind.”

Nagato chuckled and then cupped Itachi’s chin. “You’re making it hard for me to give you a way out.”

“Why would you want to give me a way out?” Itachi felt his stomach flip and chill ran down his back. Had he messed up bad enough that his master was eager to get rid of him?

“Why would I want someone to stay with me if they’re miserable?” Nagato moved his hand up Itachi cheek. “Surely, you don't believe I’m that much of a monster.” He moved a few wind-blown pieces of hair away from Itachi’s eyes.

Itachi resisted the urge to pull away and thought over what had been said. He hadn’t thought much about that because he saw no reason why his master would even think about his feelings or what he wanted? It didn’t make sense to him. The Uchiha priests had never prepared him for this.

Normally, he would infer what someone else wanted and almost always got it right, but now Itachi knew there were too many things clouding his judgment. Being in a lesser position didn’t help. “Why do you care?” Itachi quietly asked, not wanting the conversation to end yet. “Tell me why, please.”

“I care, because otherwise, what kind of god would that make me?” Nagato smiled ruefully at him. “The people here and where you’re from are under my protection. I like to think I’m a decent kind of god.”

Itachi leaned back against the metal rails that led to the steps. The trees swayed back and forth in the wind. The wind had picked up but not enough to indicate a storm. Overall the breeze felt pleasant. It at least provided a brief distraction. Itachi debated if Nagato was testing him to see if he would push the boundaries of a servant or if he had been sincere with his words.

“My lord—” Itachi began, only to be stopped by his master. He looked away, already knowing he'd get scolded.

“I’ve asked that you call me by my name, Itachi.” Nagato gently grabbed Itachi's chin and turned his head so that they made eye contact. "I'd rather not keep asking you to do so."

“But…” Itachi shifted his body, pulling out of his master's grasp, and looked down as he tried to figure out how to express himself properly without coming across as disobedient.

“I don’t think my request is all that difficult.” Nagato tilted Itachi's face back up. "Why do you hesitate to comply with this one request?"

“It goes against everything I’ve been taught,” Itachi quietly explained. “I don’t want to prove an unworthy servant.” Nor did he want to get too close to his master. It was one thing to do his duty; another to allow himself to actually grow fond of his situation.

“You’re very dedicated to you job.” Nagato’s hand cupped Itachi’s chin once more.

The touch against his face felt warm and rough and briefly, he forgot there were others outside. For a moment Itachi was certain they would kiss, and closed his eyes as he braced himself for the inevitable start of his duties, but then nothing happened. For a moment, he almost welcomed it.

Then his master's hand pulled away suddenly. Itachi opened his eyes. “Have I done something wrong?” He suddenly felt cold from the loss of warm next to him. He couldn't explain the panic that wanted to bubble up to the surface and spill out. Instead, Itachi stood still and did nothing.

“No. Never mind, Itachi.” Nagato frowned for a moment and then began walking through the door and back inside.

Unsure of what just happened or what to do, Itachi cautiously followed behind, wondering if he had somehow said or done something inappropriate. If he had done something wrong, would it affect his clan? Given the earlier explanation, it wouldn't, but he couldn't be sure. Not when Itachi had no way of finding out. The doors closed behind him, leaving him to his thoughts and the sound of their footsteps echoing through the vast halls.

~*~

Itachi sat straight up in bed, disoriented. “Sasuke,” he whispered. His eyes slid open, and Itachi was certain he could see Sasuke standing near the window. But the image began to fade away, and he remembered that he wasn't home. No. He had left. He didn't live with other Uchiha anymore, and Sasuke wasn't here but with their parents. It had only been a dream. His heart sank with that realization.

Sighing, Itachi let his head fall into the palms of his hands and took a few deep breaths to calm down. He gave one last look towards the window, disappointed that there was nothing there, and then laid back down. Itachi pulled the blanket up and over his chin and burrowed in. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could go back to sleep.

His attempts didn't last long when he startled all the way awake by the sound of thumping. Itachi tossed the blanket off himself and sat up. At first he had thought the noise was coming from outside, but the longer he listened the louder it grew until he realized that it came from inside his room. His heartbeat slowed down once he realized what was going on.

Itachi turned his head towards the door to his room. Someone was knocking on it, and while a part of him wanted to ignore it, he knew he couldn't. His time was no longer his own anymore. He needed to get used to that. And the sooner the better so Itachi slid to the edge of the bed, grabbed his robe from the stand, and got up to answer. A guard stood in the hallway, waiting on the other side.

“Nagato would like to see you now,” the guard simply stated as if summoning people in the middle of the night was normal.

Perhaps it was normal here. Itachi curly nodded, pulling his robe tighter around his waist and followed the guard down the hallway. They veered left and passed the dining hall, towards the main hall where Yahiko had first left him. Now he knew exactly where the guard was taking him. They were headed back to Nagato’s throne.

His thoughts wondered to what Nagato would ask of him considering he had been here for a day and treated as a guest and not as a servant. Would he be asked to comfort his master tonight? Or, perhaps he really had angered Nagato earlier and would now have to pay the price for his honesty, although Nagato had not only asked him if he wanted to stay, but had given Itachi the chance to leave if he wanted so punishment didn't exactly make sense to him.

Itachi followed the guard, and kept his thoughts to himself, knowing he'd have to wait for any answers to his questions. They passed through the double doors, and into the throne room, where the guard promptly left him to stand before Nagato, alone. The silence in the room unnerved him, but Itachi kept eyes averted and his head down and waited for his instructions.

“Look at me.” Nagato calmly ordered.

Itachi slowly looked up. That was the second time Nagato commanded him to look up instead keeping his head lowered while in this room. The priests had explicitly taught Itachi that the throne room was sacred and demanded the utmost respect. Again, it seemed they were wrong about his position and what was required of him.

Once his eyes were raised, he found it hard to look away. Not when he was being watched so closely. Itachi thought back to the first time they met. The same feeling had come over him. He had felt it earlier too, when they had gone outside. That warmth he had felt earlier came rushing back, causing Itachi to feel lightheaded, and he wondered if some spell had been cast on him.

Nagato sat on his throne, relaxed, his legs spread out. He wore a simple black robe with deep burgundy embroidery around the lining on the cuffs and collar. “Come closer, Itachi.”

Itachi carefully moved forward even though a part of him wanted to turn and run the other way. He didn’t like the feeling of having no control over his actions. Was it his position that beckoned him to keep taking steps closer, or was there something more at work?

“I’ve been thinking all night what to do with you.” Nagato leaned forward, his cheek pressing further into his palm. “Earlier I gave you the chance to leave, yet you refused to take it. I would have thought you’d be eager for the opportunity to leave considering how much you miss your family.”

“I’ve already told you I don’t plan to go back on my word,” Itachi answered honestly. Even if he were to consider the offer, he couldn’t go home a failure. He would rather die than face his family knowing that.

“Would you be going back on your word if I dissolve you of it?” Nagato asked. “Still, this is a curious situation. I’ve had people come to me who were eager to leave or eager to stay but never someone who stayed even though they wanted to leave.”

Itachi was at a loss for words. He didn’t know what more he could say. Even though the offer had tempted him, he couldn’t go back to his clan nor did he have anywhere else to go. He had been sheltered from the world. The priests wouldn’t allow him to leave his village out of fear he wouldn’t come back to them untouched. "This is my home now. How I feel is inconsequential."

“Alright. If that is your decision, come with me.” Nagato stood up and took Itachi’s hand. “If you’re choosing to stay, then I would like you to keep me company for the rest of the night.”

Itachi allowed himself to be led out of the room. On the way back through, he noticed that the guards were all gone. The halls were now empty. They were alone, and he knew they were headed to his master's private chambers. Nervousness crept up through him even though he knew this would eventually be required of him. Itachi had thought he'd be able to accept his fate without wanting to flee, yet here he was, looking for an out as Nagato led him through the halls.

Once they reached the private chambers, the door closed behind him, and Itachi turned to face Nagato. This time he didn't look down or away. It was the only way to keep himself from running away, although, stealing a few curious glances of where he'd had to spend the night couldn't hurt.

The room was larger than his own but not by much. The decorations were elegant yet simple. The lighting had been kept dim, but from what he could see the walls were a lighter color—cream perhaps—with deep reds coloring the cushioned chairs, bed, and curtains (which were closed over the windows). Itachi briefly wondered if the moon was out in the sky tonight.

A small table stood next to the bed and had a tray with wine on top of it. There were only a few other pieces of furniture in the room for clothing and storage. An opening near the bed momentarily caught his attention. It probably led to a wash area. His eyes moved back towards the bed, taking in the soft-looking bedding and pillows. That was the only place in the room where any extravagance seemed to show itself, and even then it showed Nagato’s good taste.

When the silence continued, Itachi turned his attention back to Nagato. “May I ask why I am here, my lord?”

“Wouldn’t Nagato be much easier to say than my lord? It’s one less word to use,” A playful smile spread across Nagato’s lips. “Besides, that title is too informal here. Please indulge me this once, Itachi.”

Itachi still felt odd calling his master by name, but he also didn’t want to make him upset. Earlier when they had spoken, Itachi felt like he had annoyed Nagato. He was here to serve and pleasure the Moon god. That was his role so that his family and clan could be blessed for the next two hundred years. Limits had already been pushed more than should have been allowed. His questions would have been considered out of line by most so he couldn’t deny his gratefulness of the patience shown towards him.

"Alright." Itachi resigned himself to the fact that this request wasn't going to go away.

A small smile appeared on Nagato’s face. “As I said, I’d like for you to keep me company tonight, nothing more.”

Itachi stood up straight, noticing that they were about the same height, but his master still managed to impose an image of authority over him. “That wasn’t what I was groomed for, my l—Nagato.”

“I’m well aware of what your priests have told you, Itachi.” Nagato sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to him. “Sit with me for a while.”

Itachi obeyed and walked over to the bed, sitting down so that there was a little space between them but enough that if Nagato wanted to touch he could. Glancing over, he noticed that he was being carefully watched. It felt odd having his master's full attention on him.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out softly, he shifted in his seat, a bit uncomfortable with their eye contact. The Priests hadn't prepared him for this. “Nagato… how may I serve you?”

“That’s much better.” Nagato smiled at him. “Now say it again.”

“Nagato, how may I serve you?” Itachi’s left hand moved closer so that it rested next to Nagato’s thigh.

“So curious about what I’m going to do with you.” Nagato took Itachi’s hand into his own.

A warm feeling quickly spread across his body left Itachi feeling lightheaded. He couldn’t deny his attraction to Nagato nor would he try. Whether it was genuine or not, he didn't know. His master had unusual, yet exotic features. The way those eyes pierced through him only made his attraction heighten. But still his hand shook a little when felt more pressure on it. And Nagato chuckled from his reaction.

“Why don’t we sit here for awhile.” Nagato ran his fingers through Itachi’s hair, threading out the long strands. “I like it down like this. Why do you keep it back during the day?”

Itachi looked away. If he hadn’t he wouldn’t have been able to keep the nervousness out of his voice. “It keeps it from getting into my eyes.”

“Fair enough.” Nagato’s hand cupped Itachi’s chin and tilted his back so that they could look at each other again. “Don’t look away. I only want your comfort tonight. Nothing more.”

“Thank you.” Itachi leaned into Nagato, his body still slightly stiff from his nervousness.

Nagato’s fingers massaged his head, and he finally allowed himself to relax into the touch. Only now did he realize how tired he was. Yawning, Itachi rested his head onto Nagato’s shoulder. The hour was late, and he could feel sleep tug at him. It didn’t take long for him to fall into a peaceful sleep.