Itachi was always excluded. People looked up to him, people gawked at his features, people idolized him, but never once did anyone ever ask him to play with them. Eventually, he forgot that he wanted them to.
Kisame was always excluded. People were revolted by him, people were terrified of him, people despised him for his ability-it seemed so misplaced to them-but never once did anyone try to look past his exterior. No matter how much he wanted to forget that he cared, he never could.
Itachi met Kisame. Immediately Itachi found himself included by the blue man. His first night in the Akatsuki, Kisame asked him to join the card game that he had just set out. Itachi had to blink a few times, to assure himself that he had really heard that.
Kisame met Itachi. Immediately Kisame found himself knowing that Itachi didn't care that he was blue. Itachi's first night in the Akatsuki, Kisame found the courage to ask if he wanted to play a card game. Itachi blinked a few times, and Kisame was afraid that he was going to say no. But Itachi sat down and began shuffling the cards.
Itachi fought his first battle with Kisame. He fought hard, and found that he and his partner seemed somehow in sync. He didn't know how that could be- he had just met the man. But they fought well together. Kisame bailed him out of hard situations. This was the first person to do so for him. They had all simply thought that he could handle himself. And he found himself helping Kisame out, too.
Kisame fought his first battle with Itachi. He fought hard, and found that he and his partner seemed somehow in sync. He didn't know how that could be- he'd just met the boy. But they fought well together. Kisame found himself wanting to help the kid, but didn't know why. It was the first time he had ever helped anybody, but he felt like he had to protect this little thing he had been charged with. And for some reason, Itachi was helping him, too.
Itachi healed Kisame. After a difficult battle, he was forced to wrap a bandage around his partner's large torso. From behind, he had to lean forward and wrap his arms like the bandages, in order to do so correctly. He found he enjoyed the contact.
Kisame healed Itachi. He held those scrawny shoulders in his hands and felt how small the boy was. He was so feminine, Kisame realized as he wrapped the bandage around his chest. He found he enjoyed touching him. He found he was falling for him.
Itachi pretended not to care about Kisame. He knew he did, but didn't want to admit it to himself. Love was not a thing that he thought it was possible to find. It was better to distance himself from Kisame than to have to pay the price when his partner was killed in battle.
Kisame didn't want to pretend not to care about Itachi. He knew he did, and accepted it. Love was something that everyone was entitled to, blue or not. It was that concept that had caused him so much pain as a child, but now it was what spurred him forward.
Itachi wanted Kisame to kiss him. He hated that he wanted it, but he did. He dreamt about it at night, and yearned for it all the more in the morning. He stared at Kisame when he wasn't looking, and tried not to touch himself at night when he saw Kisame's sleeping face.
Kisame wanted to kiss Itachi. He loved just to think about it. He dreamed about the boy, whether he was asleep or awake. When he took watch when he was on a mission with Itachi he would touch himself while Itachi was asleep, staring at his angelic face with longing.
Itachi wanted Kisame. If he had to be honest to himself, that was all he wanted. He wanted to feel Kisame all around him, in him and one with him. He wanted to know that he was loved. It was a feeling he had never had before.
Kisame wanted Itachi. He knew it, and didn't try to fight it. He wanted to feel Itachi loving him. He loved the feeling of being loved. He had never had it before, but knew that it would be catastrophic.
Itachi made a decision. He decided that, in order to keep his sanity, he would just forget about being Kisame's lover and focus on being his partner, his friend and his advisor. He decided that it would be best that way. After all, he couldn't make himself force something on Kisame.
Kisame made a decision. He decided that he would tell Itachi. He had to, for the sake of his sanity. He couldn't keep this inside any more. Even though he knew that Itachi would reject him, he had to do it. He had to let Itachi know. So he did.
Itachi was surprised for the first time in a long time. Kisame had simply kissed him, holding him gently by the shoulders. He could have gotten away easily, but he really couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to want to, either. Kisame had pulled away slowly, as if he didn't really want to.
Kisame was surprised for the first time in a long time. He had simply kissed Itachi, letting his actions speak for him. He held Itachi's shoulders lightly enough for him to pull away, but the boy just froze. Kisame didn't want to pull away, but knew he had to. When he opened his eyes, Itachi was unreadable. No, wait, he had a odd emotion in his eyes. Kisame just kind of stalled, and looked at him for a moment. Then Itachi leaned up and latched his lips onto Kisame's desperately, almost harshly.
Itachi was ecstatic. Kisame was ecstatic. And both were done with exclusion, forever.