Itachi was a total mess. Too many things tortured his mind right now. He still thought of his parents' lies, their life, their death, his illness, Sasuke, Akatsuki... He might have become stronger, but his soul was halfway dead. He did, in fact, lose his mind.

- Promise me you are going to tell Konan tomorrow. She can at least give you painkillers.

Itachi nodded. Being in the Akatsuki was a blessing and a curse. He respected Pain. That ginger literally saved him back then, but he always had something in mind. What if he was tricked? What if Sasuke wasn't where he was told? This would absolutely crush him. The Orochimaru's, like every organization like this, was very hard to find. This was his last hope. He got pretty used to killing. He still hated it, but it didn't hurt anymore, his hands were numb when he was holding the gun.

Kisame gently touched Itachi's hair and tucked a piece of it behind his ear.

- I'm sorry I hit you.

Itachi knew he deserved it. He was once again disgusted with himself for showing weakness. It happened way too much, it was pathetic.

- It's okay.

The raven headed to the bathroom to clean the bloody mess. Kisame sighed. He hoped that Itachi really heard him this time.

°•°•°

Arriving at the Akatsuki's common room, the two boys were greeted by Pain and a long haired blonde next to him. The boy looked frustrated, like someone had eaten his breakfast or something... or maybe that was just his face. His eyes were pinned on Itachi, a thing the raven was totally used to. People stared at him way too often.

- Good morning. This is Deidara, he is new.

Pain spoke quickly, making it clear that he was in a rush once again, like always.

- I decided he is going to spend his first mission with Itachi. All the information you need about the order is with Konan. Head to her. Bye.

With this, he went out. Kisame hated when Pain separated them. This wasn't the first time he had given them different missions. Not being around his raven was the last thing Kisame wanted. He knew Itachi was capable of protecting himself, but he still worried, the thing he was mostly doing for the past six years.

The blonde kid was still looking at Itachi, but his gaze had gained a curious look now.

- Uchiha Itachi, nice to meet you.

- Deidara, hm.

Itachi wasn't interested in the boy at all. He just wanted to get shit done. The three of them entered Pain and Konan's so called office.

- Aren't you a bit late today? - She asked jokingly. - Anyways, this is the order, we are counting on you, Itachi.

She handed him a piece of paper with the target's information on it. Itachi red through it without going into details and nodded.

- Come with me. - he said to the blonde.

Itachi gave a quick wave to the others and left. Kisame somethimes suspected that despite Itachi didn't particularry like killing, this job was helping him somehow to escape from his thoughts. It was doing okay at filling up his time

and the raven was gratefull for it.

The two boys were now heading to the place their target was supposed to be. Deidara was constantly giving glances at the mysterious raven, hesitant of how to start a conversation.

- So what is your crime?

Itachi ignored him for a few seconds, then looked at him with something that could be called confusion. His usual stone face was now shaken and Deidara liked it.

- I mean... why did you join Akatsuki?

The Uchiha removed his grayish eyes from him and didn't answer. He was going to pretend he didn't hear it.

Deidara sighed. So he was a stubborn one? The boy couldn't identify exactly if he liked Itachi or not. Something in him was definitely pissing him off, but at the same time, he felt drawn to him.

- Come on, there must be something!

This kid was crossing the line. How was he supposed to work with him if he was crawling on his nerves from the first five minutes.

- I prefer keeping it to myself.

Itachi didn't bother to look at Deidara's amused face. These two didn't have a big age gap, but Itachi felt like he was left to take care of a child. He had enough shit to deal with before being forced to be a nanny.

- You are boring...

- Okay, look. The train station is near. We have around twenty minutes of waiting-

- You murderes catch trains?

Itachi grew silent once again, giving the blonde a wide eyed look.

- I mean... what did you expect?

- I don't know, a fancy car or something?

The raven moved his finger up in attempt to say something, but gave up on it soon after. There was no point.

They didn't say a word until the train finally arrived. Deidara was humming a song the whole time, loud sighs comimg here and there.

- Can you stop?

- No, I'll die from boredom.

Itachi entered one of the compartments, followed by the annoying bomb- maker. Sitting close to the window, the Uchiha rested his head against the seat. He looked tired. His hand subconsciously went trough his front pieces of hair as he closed his eyes.

- You okay? - Deidara asked.

The blue eyes were looking at Itachi with the same curiosity from earlier, but now a slight worry was added to it.

- Yes.

Deidara felt somehow uneasy. He was pissed off... at himself actually. What was that thing about this boy? Taking a closer look, Itachi didn't seem like a murderer at all. These flawless features suited nothing like a professional killer. His skinny body was not convincing either.

- Would you please stop looking at me?

The blonde immediately looked away, crossing his arms. What was he thinking? Pain brought him here to throw bombs at people, not to obsess over his mission partners.

- Do you know the plan?

Itachi's thick voice snapped him away from his thoughts. He looked at him again, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if saying "I don't actually like you".

- No one told me anything about a plan.

The raven sighed and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees.

- We are going to the restaurant our target is supposed to be in. It's a meeting of important people, very important people. We won't be allowed there. We have to enter from the roof.

- The fucking roof?

- The fucking roof. - Itachi almost shuddered under the sound of this word coming from his mouth. - When we get in, you have to throw a smoke bomb.

- Just that? Aren't we supposed to kill?

- We are going to kill.

- With a smoke bomb? I have so many better things!

- Just let me finish, okay?

Deidara's lips cracked into a smile. He managed to bring out another emotion from that moron. Itachi raising his voice had an unexpected influence on him.

- You throw the bomb, smoke appears, everyone can't see.

- And we sneak in and kill that old jerk?

- No, we take him out of there.

- And when we fucking kill?

- Now.

Deidara was silent, having his eyes pinned on the mesmerizing gray ones.

- Did you understand or I have to explain again?

- No, no... It's clear.

Itachi rested back again. His sickeness never had mercy on him. His head was throbbing, maybe it was because of the lack of sleep he had these days. Deidara wasn't helping either.

- Do you take every mission they ask you to?

Another stupid question.

- That's my job.

- I mean like... what if these people you are killing are good people with like... families or some shit?

Itachi's poor head was not ready for these words.

- Pain knows what he is doing. We kill one to save another. The targets are deceivers, thieves, rapists... If Pain had given it to me, then it's for good.

- You really trust him, huh?

- I do.

Pain meant a lot to Itachi. He had given him everything he needed. Thanks to him, he was walking free, he had a place to stay, he had food and he was one of the reasons the raven was still alive. That ginger had proven multiple times that he meant only good, he had to trust him, right?

- Are you sure tho?

- What do you want?

Itachi raised his voice again. That kid was poking into his wounds.

- Nothing, just curious.

- Why did you join then? Don't you like to kill? What's your problem?

Deidara didn't say anything. He succeeded in pissing Itachi off, not sure if he enjoyed it actually.

- So you shut up now?

The train stopped. Itachi quickly glanced through the window, they had to go. He stood up and left without giving a single look to the blonde.

- Come on, Itachi, wait for me!