Itachi stood quietly on the rooftop of the Avengers' base, gazing at the sprawling city lights below. The world he now inhabited was nothing like his own. There were no trees swaying in the wind, no village bells ringing, no shinobi jumping across rooftops. Only metal, glass, and glowing screens.
Stillness surrounded him, but he found no peace in it.
A voice broke the silence.
"You like rooftops too, huh?"
It was Tony Stark.
Itachi turned his head slightly but said nothing. Tony approached with a cup of coffee in hand, sipping it casually.
"I come up here to clear my head," he continued. "Or avoid paperwork."
Itachi responded quietly, "Silence speaks, if you're willing to listen."
Tony raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Philosopher, huh? I think I'm starting to like you."
---
Later that morning, the base was more alive. Captain America — Steve Rogers — was in the training hall, fists slamming into a punching bag with rhythmic precision. Itachi stood by the door, observing.
Steve noticed him and took a step forward. "Want to join in?"
"I prefer to watch," Itachi replied calmly.
Steve smiled slightly. "Observation's good. But at some point, you'll have to step in."
Then he returned to his training.
---
Bruce Banner invited Itachi into the lab that afternoon. The room was filled with test tubes, scanners, and energy monitors. On one screen, a chakra waveform danced across the display.
"Your chakra's unlike anything I've seen," Bruce said, adjusting the readings. "It's energy... but it doesn't follow any physics I know."
"Chakra is both life and weapon," Itachi explained. "What's within you can become your greatest power or your worst enemy."
Bruce nodded slowly. "Sounds... familiar."
There was an unspoken understanding between them. Both carried forces inside they struggled to control.
---
In the evening, Natasha Romanoff — Black Widow — found Itachi in the dining area, alone and silent.
"You watch people too much," she said, sitting across from him. "Are you analyzing us... or just paranoid?"
"Both," he answered.
"Smart. But here, trust is part of the job. If you ever want to stand with us... you'll need to let someone in."
Itachi looked at her, eyes steady. He didn't answer.
---
Itachi's thoughts:
"They are different. But not so different. Steve — a natural leader, noble. Tony — brilliant, but hiding behind humor. Bruce — fighting a beast within, just like me. Natasha — cold on the outside, unbreakable inside. Maybe... there's a place for me here."
---
The next morning, Tony and Steve were in the training hall again. This time, they invited Itachi to a sparring match.
"Let's test some of your ninja moves against our tech," Tony said, loading his repulsors.
"This is a friendly match," Steve added. "Keep it light."
Itachi nodded. The match began.
Tony flew upward and unleashed a barrage of laser blasts. Itachi closed his eyes briefly, then vanished — a puff of smoke marked where he had been.
Steve charged in with his shield. Itachi's shadow clone took the hit and exploded in smoke.
"Whoa!" Tony exclaimed. "You've got decoys?"
Behind them, the real Itachi appeared. His eyes flared red — the Sharingan activated. For a brief moment, the skeletal form of a Susanoo enveloped him, shielding him from Tony's blast.
The energy ricocheted off and faded.
"Nice!" Tony grinned.
Steve approached as well. "Impressive. You're quick. But teamwork takes practice."
"I'm learning," Itachi replied simply.
---
That night, Itachi sat by the window in his room, the city glowing below.
"They didn't fight me. They accepted me. Gave me a chance. Maybe... I should use it. Sasuke... if you were here, maybe you'd understand why I stayed."