~*~ ITACHI'S POV ~*~

I slump down in my seat, the supply teacher's voice just washing over me. Kisame sits next to me, scribbling down notes in his book. God knows why he's taking notes in an ICT class, but hey, that's Kisame. I watch as his hand flits back and forth across the page, then slide my attention to his face. His eyes are full of concentration, taking in every little thing that spouts from the teacher's mouth. I remember what Hidan said at break, and my hands curl into fists on my lap. Kisame notices, and throws me a worried expression. I hate seeing his face do that. His eyebrows arch sadly and he frowns. I hate seeing that look. I shake my head, silently telling him not to worry. His frown deepens, but he turns back to the teacher.

I hated the way Hidan had just about hit the nail on the head without even realising. I had always been good at being the void of any emotion, but Kisame changed me. There was something about him that just added a light to my otherwise pitch black existence. He was always cheerful, always chatty, and it was often difficult to stop him from smiling. When we had first become partners in the Akatsuki, I had seriously considered going to Pein and asking to swap Kisame for Sasori. At least Sasori was gloomy half the time. But after a while, Kisame began to grow on me. Before long, I realised I truly cared about the guy. Merely weeks afterwards, I had found myself forced into a game of football on the opposite team as Kisame. He had managed to score a goal, and in celebration, he had taken his shirt off. I just couldn't look away. I guess it was in that moment that I decided what was happening to me. I had fallen for my best friend. And fallen hard. Luckily, thanks to my constant practise of hiding my emotion, I'd managed to keep it hidden from everyone. Well, everyone except Konan. She just knew this stuff. But I'd made her swear on Pein's life that she wouldn't tell a soul. And so far, she'd kept to it.

"Itachi..?"

I twitch, blink, and look up at Kisame. He's staring straight into my eyes, his face so close I can see flecks of dark turquoise deep in his black orbs. I twitch again, and have to grip the sides of my chair to stop myself from making the worst mistake in the world; leaning forward and kissing him. Instead, I shake my head, and lounge back in the chair.

"Yeah?"

"Gotta do your work now.."

"What's the work?"

Kisame throws me a look.

"Weren't you listening at all?"

"Did I look as if I was?"

Kisame sighs, then laughs quietly. He pushes his book full of notes towards me, which I take gratefully.

"Thanks man."

"You owe me for this." He laughs, before switching his computer monitor on. I lean towards my own and repeat the action, before lounging back again as the monitor warms up.

"Whatever. So, why was that Deidara kid in such a state just now?" I ask Kisame. It was the first thing that came to mind.

"Orichimaru and Kimmimaru really laid into him yesterday. They're the reason he was at the hospital."

"Why did you walk up there for him, Kisame? I mean, he seems like a loser.."

Kisame shakes his head.

"He's a really great guy, Itachi, he just needs friends to help him come out of his shell, that's all." He swivels on his chair to look at me, a serious glint in his eyes. "Just like I did."

With that said, he stands and goes over to the other side of the room to gather up two sets of worksheets for the lesson. I sigh, and lounge back in the chair again, his words filling my mind. It was true. Kisame had come into the school, and was almost immediately teased senseless about the weird tinge to his skin. He had hidden away from the rest of the school, and became the sort of kid who sat at the back and worked in total silence. Then he'd met Sasori. Sasori'd been mocked for his lack of height and the fact he was unnaturally skilled at woodwork, so he and Kisame felt a natural pull to one another. The only difference between their situations was that Sasori was confident and able to rise above the taunts. With Sasori's help and guidance, Kisame soon blossomed into a popular, funny and characteristic guy. Months onwards from this, he and Sasori had been admitted to the Akatsuki. So maybe Kisame had a point. Maybe if we all helped Deidara instead of mocking him, he'd flourish.

"Hey, did you see that new guy at break time?"

"Yeah.. Hobbling into the school like some war hero.. Fucking prick."

Two whispered voices catch my attention coming from nearby. I turn and find myself staring at Kankuro and Temari, huddled up in the furthest corner of the room, muttering to one another. I found my temper snap, before I reached behind me, grabbing a few loose board pens that had been on the desk. Without thinking, I hurled the pens over at the siblings, each one hitting them in their shocked faces. As the two looked up glaring to see who had done that, they spotted me glaring right back. It was immensely satisfying to watch the pink tints of anger in their cheeks drain to the colour of sour milk before they picked up their pens and went back to their work.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kisame hisses at me, spinning my chair around to face him.

"Hm?"

"Why did you throw those pens? What the hell Itachi??"

"Maybe Deidara's not as bad as he looks. I'll be fair and give him a chance, just like I gave you. So I thought I might as well hurt anyone who talks shit about him." I say, rather loudly. I grin when I hear a scared sounding 'Eep' from behind me.

Kisame smirks.

"Me too, Itachi. Me too."