-x-

Shisui swore, in a rare moment of seriousness that Itachi had only seen a few times in their friendship. "Why would you say something like that?" The older cousin paced the living room of the small home, one hand rubbing down his face with a sigh. It was late, nearing two in the morning. Shisui had come home to find his younger cousin dipping into his sake. "You know she likes you. You like her. So why the fuck would you suggest she marry a fucking Hyūga?"

Itachi twirled the pale colored alcohol in his ceramic cup before taking it down in a gulp and putting it back down on the living room table. "I don't know, I didn't think."

"You didn't think?" Shisui said incredulously, stopping to gawk at him. "You, child prodigy and future clan leader didn't think? The fuck is wrong with you, Itachi?"

"Enough, Shisui."

"No. Because you don't get it." Shisui collapsed into the couch, resting his forearms on his legs, staring his younger cousin down with sharpened eyes. Growing anger building up under his skin. "She likes you. Genuinely and truly likes you. She's not after your position, or your abilities. She likes you as a person, a human being. And you," he pointed with a finger. "you went and told her that you would make her sacrifice everything she's clawed for, just so she could pop out your kids. You suggested that if she were to accept the Hyūga's advances, it would be the only way she could keep doing what she loves and still have a good husband and a good family."

Itachi leaned back, running a hand down his face. "I didn't mean it like that. I was… jealous. I see the way the clan heirs look at her. She's a beautiful woman. She has so much potential and ability with the Hokage's blessing and…"

"They're actively going out and pursuing her, instead of sitting here moping about it."

Itachi glared, eyes threatening to bleed to red. "Watch it, Shisui."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I saw how much my mother, an accomplished and respected Jōnin in her prime, had to sacrifice. Being my father's wife. She was top of her class, immediately sought after in ANBU after her Jōnin graduation. And my father convinced her to give all that up to be a housewife." He let out the breath he was holding, pouring himself and Shisui another glass of sake. "I can't ask Sakura-san to do that for me."

Shisui cocked his head, taking the cup in his hands. "But you wouldn't ask her to do that. You would bend the rules of the clan so that she could still be Jōnin, and ANBU team leader, and still be your wife."

Itachi kept swirling the sake around, many different answers on the tip of his tongue. "I am unsure if it is even possible. I would rather not risk her bright future for an unsure one."

"Un-…unsure?" Shisui tossed the empty cup down with force, causing it to crack, and gathered up his jacket, slipping on his shoes. "Fuck, Itachi. You're an idiot. You haven't even talked to her about it. You're deciding for her. You're going to be the Clan Head, you make the rules." He paused with one hand on the door, looking back at his younger cousin in contempt. "If you don't want her, then I'll take her for myself."

A/N: uh... ya. This happened.

.

.

.

You're welcome.