War is a state of conflict. It can be brutal and unrelenting. It can start off an minor, insignificant quarrel that gradually festers and becomes dyer and consequential.
Most wars can be solved diplomatically without the need for bloodshed or civilian casualties. Other wars spread like a foul disease, infecting those who come into contact with its foul flesh.
Itachi was no stranger to war and the horrors that often ensued. More often than not he had been called to fight, to end the lives of those who didn't need to be there in the first place. He hated it. Even the word itself left a bitter bile at the back of his throat.
But things were different now.
He finally tasted the alluring sweetness of peace and the bonuses that came with it - Reina.
They had gone through so many wars together, both physical and matters of the heart. They had even fought mythological battles together. And finally they had the time they needed. The time that was owed to them. The time that should have been theirs from the very beginning.
It took a while for Itachi to adjust to civilian life. Sometimes he woke in the night, kunai in hand and his skin covered in a slick coat of sweat. His breaths would be ragged as his eyes lit up wildly to scan for the source of danger. There had been times he had turned the kunai on Reina. She didn't shout at him, she simply lay her hand on his wrist and smiled, beckoning him back to slumber beside her.
Sometimes Reina was the one to wake in the early hours wide eyed, nearby sources of water floating in mid-air as her kekkai genkai flared of its own accord. Itachi did what he could to comfort her; sometimes lacing their hands did the trick, other times all's he could do was allow her to deal with it in her own way.
The initial adjustment was hard. It was bound to be, they had overcome so much and gained so much as well. Things got easier nonetheless; the pair found their lips untwisting from grimaces and curving into smiles of contentment.
Reina found that the spring in her step returned quickly. She laughed more and looked forward to the days ahead. Not one day was ever the same, especially with Kohaku wandering off wherever he felt like having found his sea-legs.
The pair of them had their hands full with the newbie toddler. One moment he was there and the next he was seconds from drawing on silk shoji screens with permanent markers.
It was one of the rare days Itachi and Reina were off together; book in hand Reina flicked through page after page, she idly stroking Itachi's ebony locks with the other. He rested his head in her lap, his own book long forgotten about having dozed off with Kohaku curled up on his chest. Reina glanced down and smiled fondly.
Like father, like son.
She mused prior to a nearby marker catching her eye; one squiggle wouldn't hurt. However her inky endeavours didn't stop at one squiggle. Soon enough Itachi had moustache alongside an eyepatch doodled onto his milky skin.
Reina had to cover her mouth to suppress a laugh as she added the final, minor touches - whiskers. A part of her knew that should her partner wake she would be tempted to blame the coal doodles on their son; he had inherently inherited her artistic side after all.
Like mother, like son.
Itachi wrinkled his nose, rubbing the appendage with the back of his hand - the ink didn't budge. Reina attempted to suppress her squirms of amusement behind her book, her cheeks puffing out with choked laughter.
"What's got you tickled pink hm?" Itachi asked groggily, a lazy smile etched onto his lips. Reina willed herself to a safe state of composure before speaking.
"I just remembered you have a lesson tomorrow with the new jounin and given how cute you look I doubt they will pay attention." Reina smiled widely.
"Are you saying I'm only cute because of Kohaku?"
"Sort of? But it's ok, I'll pop in and tame them with my cuteness - which Kohaku clearly inherited." Reina grinned cheekily. Itachi couldn't help the bark of a laugh that rumbled in his chest.
The following morning however…
"Everyone, I'd like you meet Itachi-sensei. He'll be overseeing your progress for the next few months."
Itachi bowed lowly, his ponytail falling over his shoulder; Reina sat at the back of the class, perched on an empty desk. As soon as their eyes met across the room Reina grinned like a cat who had the cream. Itachi felt his lips twitch and the tiny vein on his temple quiver. To anyone looking in it looked like a perfectly normal class, Itachi, the sensei, stood at the front of the class whilst the students looked on impassively.
He looked normal, no ink in sight.
"This is going to sound random but…can you sense genjutsu?" Reina whispered to the jounin next to her; at first they looked at her like she was mad, then they felt it. The faint ripple of chakra that coated the world around them like the first layer of snow in winter. "It's probably a test. He is a master genjutsu user after all."
The young jounin stared up at her wide eyed. Reina didn't say anything else, she simply shrugged nonchalantly and leaned back on her hands, waiting for the scene to unfold. Itachi was going to kill her.
"Don't start something you can't finish Reina."
Itachi's voice echoed in her head thanks to the indenture; Reina pouted her lips playfully, swinging her legs idly. The look in his eyes stirred something in her stomach; she could practically feel his breath on the back of her neck as he growled the words.
Reina's smile widened when hushed chatter erupted throughout the room. The vein on Itachi's temple throbbed harder than it had previously; he knew what had happened. One of the jounin had broken his genjutsu revealing Reina's inkwork that still clung to his face - whiskers included.
People didn't laugh at first, they were too daunted by the elder Uchiha's presence. They weren't sure if the Hitori Leader had a death wish or was just obnoxiously brave. True to form Reina was infectious. Firstly people concealed their chuckles, attempting to cover their mouths with their hands; eventually they escalated to hyena like cackles that caused Itachi to sigh in defeat.
"Meow." Reina mouthed, clawing at the air mockingly as she sauntered out the classroom ironically feline.
Itachi tilted his head back against the edge of the bathtub closing his eyes to reveal the slightly faded remains of the eyepatch. The washcloth, although marred with ink patches, was folded neatly beside him, his efforts to remove the marker long abandoned. A knock at the door rang through the air before Reina stepped over the threshold.
"How's my favourite little kitty cat?"
"Wet and in need of stroking." Itachi murmured lowly opening his eyes only to nearly slide under the water. Reina leaned against the wall alluringly; her hair fell where it pleased, contrasting against her milky skin. Amongst her mahogany locks sat a pair of cat ears attached to a hairband; in her hand was a makeshift tail she had attached to the bottom of her nightgown. She swung the tail in small, circular motions,her gold orbs accentuating her feline accessories.
"What a coincidence I was going to say the same thing." Despite the steam in the room Itachi felt his mouth become dry. He openly cast his dark orbs over her body starting at the exposed flesh of her legs and up the curves of her waist and breasts. He couldn't help grin when he saw her face; she had drawn a set of whiskers onto her freckled cheeks. "Help a fellow feline out?"
Itachi chuckled lowly, sitting up in the tub allowing Reina to shed her nightgown and slide into the water. She perched between his legs leaning her head against the crook of his neck. The ink stained washcloth caught her eye and she resisted the urge to laugh; sensing her amusement Itachi slid his arms around her waist and nibbled her shoulder playfully earning him a squeak of delight.
"You're supposed to purr not squeak." Itachi murmured into her as he removed her makeshift headband and began running his fingers through her hair. Reina laughed, nuzzling her cheek to his comically whilst a rather convincing purr rumbled at the back of her throat. She didn't care that her whiskers had smudged, the water was warm and his fingers in her hair would likely have her asleep in no time.
They stayed in the water contently. Itachi simply forgot to mention the luminous pink hair dye he had put in her shampoo.
Sometimes Sasuke had the right idea when it came to revenge.