Title: From the Screen;
Author: Elesiel and Morphia Spellbinder;
Rating: NC-17 for later chapters;

Pairings: Itachi – OC;

Feedback: loved and welcome;

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and its characters as well as make no money off this; however the plot and original character in this story do belong to me and my lovely co-writer Morphia, so to use those you will have to ask really nicely.

Warning: the story is YAOI, don't like – don't read;

A/N:

Like that – are the thoughts;

"Like that" – the speech


Tesla slowly, not willingly woke up. He could be a late sleeper when his body was totally exhausted but in almost every other situation his inner clock had that weird habit of waking him up as soon as he got his eight hours of sleep. Same occurred this time. Though Tesla really would prefer to sleep a little longer because as soon as he opened his eyes the pain from yesterday's wounds inserted its sharp nails into his mind, he winced and looked around, subconsciously looking for Itachi. He was nowhere to be seen but strangely, the orange eyed youth did not fear. He knew the ninja well enough to understand that the other did not finish with him yet. Conclusion: look for the other somewhere around or just wait for him patiently. Patience wasn't one of Tesla's virtues so despite of the pain he rose and walked to the entrance.

"You shouldn't be walking around with that leg, some predators work at day you know." Itachi's voice reached Tesla from above. Itachi was standing on the roof; well standing wouldn't be quite the right word. He was crouching and inspecting the area. He didn't seem very worried, but he was as alert as always.

The next moment, the ninja was standing right next to Tesla and looking at him emotionlessly. He looked at Tesla's orange eyes and slight effort-wrinkles that Tesla probably thought he managed to hide, and then he said, "Go back to bed, food's almost ready." His voice was disregarding and cold and he really did not want the other to get any wrong ideas that might be true but must not be confirmed.

Tesla looked at Itachi, his sleepiness and pain from injuries making him little fluffy.

"Ok," he said, almost whispered, "sorry to bother. It's just I woke up and… well this place is totally unfamiliar to me and you, as the only person I know… and I couldn't find you in… So, yea… I got scared." He mumbled. "Sorry, I'm acting like a child." Tesla made a nervous gesture with his hand. "I'll just get out of your sight." He sighed, shaking his head and turned to do what he was previously told and return to bed.

Don't go soft. Don't go soft. Itachi thought over and over again, gritting his teeth as Tesla stood with his back to him. Eventually a very small fraction caved, making him wonder where does all this charm come from, and he put a hand on Tesla's shoulder, keeping him from walking away.

"Don't worry about silly things, concentrate on getting better. We're not staying long." He said in his normal, low voice. "You're hungry, aren't you? Go to the bed and wait there." He said, letting go of the other's shoulder and disappearing in an instant.

Tesla froze at the very spot he was standing, confusion and surprise riding his feelings. Itachi actually comforted him. Hee-hee if he would think that I will take it as comforting he would probably break some of my ribs or kill me to not slow him down. Tesla giggled inwardly. This was really going much better then he was planning or hoping.

With a happy sigh Tesla moved to the bed and sat there, putting his injured leg on the bed and hugging the other, placing his head on hands that were placed around the knee. He relaxed his body, letting the dreamy state Itachi's behavior placed in him take the lead of his mood. In that half-dreamy state he didn't notice as he fell asleep again…

Without even the slightest sound, Itachi appeared at the door and made a step inside. He saw Tesla on the bed in that calm state, and had to wonder once more how come this kid trusts him so much. He was holding a plate piled with something that looked like meat and mashed potatoes. For a while, he just stood on the doorstep and stared at Tesla's sleeping face, and then he walked over to him and touched his shoulder, waking him up. "You've slept enough, eat up, you need to regain your strength." He said, waiting for the other to acknowledge his presence.

Tesla smiled when the first thing he saw as he opened his eyes was Itachi and whispered softly that loved name "Itachi," the joyful and happy sound rolling from his tongue like some sweet liquid. Tesla stretched lazily, smiling at the ninja lovingly. "Thank you," He spoke still almost whispering, and took the plate Itachi was holding.

As soon as Tesla held the plate, Itachi took two steps back, trying to conceal the retreating feeling it had. The familiarity the other displayed with him was disturbing. He didn't know how to take the words that had no fear nor hate in them, making him think of things that a ninja can not afford to be thinking of. "Whatever," he muttered, hiding his confusion in dismissal, and turned around to face the door. "Don't eat too quickly," he said, taking a step to leave the small room.

A sound of disappointment escaped Tesla. "Won't you stay with me?" He asked unable to stop his own words. He hated to be alone, lived alone for too long. All those lonely evenings and mornings all alone, all those dinners with the wall to accompany you. He looked down, hiding his eyes from the other, not wanting him to see the loneliness he was emitting.

Itachi stood put as the question rang in his ears. He hoped the other wouldn't ask for his company, and wished he would. He knew he couldn't possibly walk off now, even if he really wanted to, he couldn't say no to this creature.

Without saying a word, he turned back to face Tesla and then walked closer to him, sitting down by the bed with a resigned look on his face.

Tesla lifted his head quickly with the sharp movement that was so not his and showed perfectly that he was shocked and pleased by the other's actions. "I appreciate it." He spoke softly; his eyes sparkling and his good mood back in full force again. "You… don't eat?" Tesla asked, noticing that the ninja did not have a plate of his own.

"I've already eaten." He said, waving off the overreaction and gratitude the other showed, eyes closed as he sat beside the bed. It was getting more and more difficult to ignore Tesla's charm and attractiveness, and it's been so long since Itachi had company, someone to look after, not to mention someone as sweet as Tesla was. He had to admit to himself that he wanted Tesla, even if he only just met him. The attraction was tons more powerful than anything he's ever experienced before.

And he had no doubt Tesla was interested. For what it's worth, he decided to fight these lurking desires.

"I see." Tesla said a little disappointed that the other did not wait for him and knowing he had no right to await that from him. He ate as quickly as he could without choking on his food and looking properly, sending soft looks in the direction of the ninja from time to time. Feeling Itachi's presence so close to him was intoxicating and really tempting. His fingers twitched with the need to touch the other, especially in the position that Itachi was. So close to him, to the bed…

"So, what do we do next?" Tesla spoke to avert his thought from that particular direction to something less tempting and dangerous. He hoped that "we" that he used wasn't too much to ask.

"Nothing" Itachi said "You're in no condition to be thinking about 'next', anyway." He was still with his eyes closed and the comfortable position next to the bed. Of course his alert was as high as usual and he was listening very carefully if there were any signs of anything finding them out outside.

"You," he emphasized, "concentrate on fixing that leg of yours..." An eye opened a crack to send a critical look in the orange-eyed boy's leg's direction. "Needs a re-bandage." He said with a small sigh, moving from his comfy pose to take care of the injured man.

Tesla placed the plate on the floor near the bed as he had no clue what else to do with it. "Oh," He blushed when Itachi turned to re-bandage his leg. "It is ok. I can do it myself and I can move. You don't have to slow down because of me." He spoke softly, his hand freezing in half-motion near ninjas shoulder, not daring to really touch him.

"There's more to lose if you aren't perfectly healed, don't argue." Itachi said, quickly finishing the bandaging, as the wound itself didn't require as much as it did before. Of course he'd want Tesla healed as soon as possible, this handicap was very dangerous for them, yes, even to Itachi, and he didn't like it one bit.

He obviously sensed Tesla's hand, and decided to ignore it. If the other had the courage to touch him, then so be it, and if not, then it's just as well.

"Poo…" Tesla whispered under his breath, "So serious," he sighed even less hearable. He moved his hand away, brushing his fingers a little on the other's shoulder but not really in the romantic mood anymore. He made himself comfortable again as Itachi finished with his leg. "Thank you." He said politely but a little cold. He had that sudden mood swing he had at times and was a little grumpy.

A very small smirk rose on Itachi's face as he sensed the sharp change of atmosphere, Tesla was such a character, and was starting to get very predictable to him. He settled back to his previous pose and closed his eyes once more, with that gentle curve of a smile on his lips.

"No other way to survive," he answered, a lighter tone to his voice than Tesla's heard till now. It was noon already, and being familiar to this area, Itachi knew they were safe for now.

Tesla smiled and suddenly wrapped himself around the other's head like some overgrown kitten. His head rested at the curve of Itachi's shoulder. "I think you could survive in almost any situation, even with less seriousness." Tesla spoke, his voice sounding calm and almost intimate.

This sudden closeness was almost too much for what he was willing to take from a stranger, even if it was Tesla. He didn't move an inch, even when his instincts yelled at him to grab a distance from this other being. A small cynical bit in his mind was thinking 'almost any situation' and the rest of him was trying to find the right way to handle this change of course. "Maybe" he finally said, keeping his cool as much as he possibly could.

Tesla felt the slight tension of Itachi's body and figured that it was probably because of him moving so close so suddenly. So he moved away a little, just so he wasn't touching every part of ninja's body. His head was still on Itachi's shoulder but his legs and lower body were placed loosely on the bed now.

"You're too naïve." Itachi said after a couple of minutes. He wasn't sure whether he was more relieved or more disappointed by Tesla's retreat. He did know, though, that it was the nicest afternoon he's had in ages.

"Well you, apparently, are not." Tesla answered lazily, playing with his own hair. "So for the time being I can let myself be naïve and you will be the cynical adult for me." He spoke softly, half joking but mostly serious, the tips of his hair tracing Itachi's skin without Tesla noticing it.

"That's why you're naïve. What's to say it's safe to stay with me?" Itachi quarried. This conversation, light and flowing, was very interesting to him. For now, anyway, Tesla was far safer around Itachi than in any other place he could imagine. The light unconscious touch was very pleasant on his skin, and he found no reason to refer to it.

"Hm..." Tesla thought for a little, and then smiled sheepishly. "'Cause I feel safe and calm with you." He finally said, shrugging. "Well as calm as a normal person can be around you, that is." He added moving a little as his leg fell asleep. As result of that movement he ended up in the position they started in: Tesla curled in the warm little ball around Itachi's head and shoulders.

"Heh," Itachi's rich low voice sounded in a chuckle, that could scare even the bravest man out there if they were about to fight him. "Not only are you naïve, you're also honest. I like that." He said. This time around, he felt no resistance at the closeness forced upon him by the other's move. A hand rose to gently touch Tesla's head, his fingers caressing the soft hair in a touch so light, it could almost be ignored.

Tesla smiled softly, he couldn't help but start to purr at the light touch to his hair. "But then maybe my naïveness considers only you." He thought aloud.

Fingers twining into Tesla's hair, Itachi tugged ever so lightly, the thought of pulling on that soft hair going through his mind and leaving just as quickly as it came. "Hmm…" he uttered, "that could be interesting," – he said.

Tesla moved his head to look at Itachi sharply. "You just wanted to pull my hair didn't you?" He said calmly.

"I am not challenging you. I may not look like it, but I am smart enough to know that I am by no means match for you." He added putting his head back on Itachi's shoulder and half-closing his eyes. "That is one of the reasons I feel so calm around you." Tesla spoke trying to explain himself a little. "It's silly. Something close to what girl feels around strong males." He chuckled. "Like your instincts tell you: He's stronger, bigger and faster then me, so he will protect me." Tesla shrugged. "I know it is totally illogical and in the most cases wrong, but somehow considering you I decided to let those instincts take over me." Tesla turned on his back still managing to be curled around ninja's body. "At least with you I am sure that if something goes terribly wrong you'll just kill me. Simple and clean." He whispered to the silent air of the hideaway.

Not answering immediately, Itachi let the echo of Tesla's words subside and leave their impression as he thought of a proper way to answer this. "You're quite knowledgeable for someone who only met me yesterday." Itachi then said, "Yes, it was in my intention to pull it at first." Perfectly calculated voice spoke in the lingering afternoon air, providing no explanations, and not asking for any either.

"I don't know about the other stuff." He said after a pause, his fingers still combing through Tesla's hair absently. He's always been bored with stupid girls that had nothing better to do with their lives rather than to cling to him and annoy him. "Your blabbering reminds me of someone I used to know…" he said, almost to himself.

"When you stop being of use to me, you will die. But my promise to you is that it will be quite painless." He said eventually, his voice painfully sharp and accurate, and a small amused, almost sadistically so, smile on his face.

"Don't ask me why I knew you would say it." Tesla answered with almost irritated intonation. "Maybe I have some strange gift to see the past and future of someone interesting to me." He added with same tone of voice. He couldn't help it. Even thought he knew that this would probably be Itachi's reaction it still angered him that other spoke of him as of some annoying nuisance that only was interesting while it was new. He moved his head to bump it on others shoulder in childish annoyance.

"The gift of empathy," Itachi said, unable to not chuckle at Tesla's reaction, "is quite a pain, if you ask me."

"Don't take me for a sociable person," the ninja then said, after his version of laughter was gone, "you're still alive by this time, quite an achievement." There was a slight pause, and then, "Why did you come to this world?" he asked.

Tesla made innocent eyes at that. "What do you mean came" He asked turning his head to look at Itachi his mood swinging again. "And it is not empathy. I cannot fee l what you feel or read what you think." Tesla moved his shoulder in the refusing gesture.

"Tesla. Your accent is odd, your looks are very unnatural and your costume too, is not typical for this place." Itachi said, "You're very dodgy and easily get used to things, but by now I am certain that you are not from this world." He explained his reasoning, "so I'm asking you, and when you answer next, do not act innocent, why did you come to this world?" and before Tesla could reply, he added "I honestly don't care how you did it, or where you do come from. But this one question will be answered: why?"

"What's so unnatural about my looks?" Tesla mumbled to himself, looking at his clothes to make sure every part was on its proper place. "Dodgy he says," He continued, wrinkling his nose in aversion. "Such ugly word. I am by no means dodgy; easily adapting that yes, but not that dirty word." His face took even more haughty expression.

After short pause he calmed down and became serious again. "What if I don't want to tell you why I came here? What if I think it is not the right moment to tell you this?" Tesla asked quietly, sitting down and hugging his knee to his chest almost like he was lost. He looked at Itachi, strange longing and loneliness in his orange eyes. "What if I wish for you to want to know about the world I came from?" He whispered, not averting his eyes from ninjas face.

Itachi's look followed Tesla, and when the other sat, he stood up again, eyeing Tesla over. He didn't like not having his question answered, but Tesla looked so miserable all of a sudden. "Then it means my presumption was right." Itachi said, sitting down on the bed next to Tesla, his black eyes set firm on Tesla and a serious expression on his face, "You came here to meet me. Didn't you?"


TBC…