"You know I can't." Itachi and he were too alike in those self-sacrificial aspects of their being, and Itachi's self-loathing ran deeper, or so Kakashi suspected. If he let Itachi simply leave, the man would truly vanish from all their sights. Bad enough that Kakashi had isolated himself, but Itachi's actions had so far been rational. His own lesson still smoldering where it had branded his memories, Kakashi could only guess at how easily Itachi would fall victim to the insanity without hope to keep it at bay.

"I wish I could say none of it was true, but we both know better." Words would serve as adequate bondage now, and Kakashi let Itachi's cloak fall free. His wrists still ached, and Kakashi inspected the marks left by his own headband before turning his attention to his pants. "But that's in our world, and none of us are there anymore. Including Sasuke."

One wary eye watched Itachi's back as Kakashi dressed his lower half; despite the Sharingan being closed, he remained ready to react. "Sasuke has no more wish to start a war here than either of us. He can still be saved, Itachi."