Chapter Five

Flight of the Doves

They'd been here for almost a whole week now, but it felt like much longer.

She was still wearing the necklace Itachi didn't have to get her, but he said he wanted to, and in spite of herself, she'd covered her face as the floodgates opened. The past, present, and future...that's what it says to me.

As soon as the three crystals rested above her heart, it had started beating and the emotions threatened to work against her. It didn't help matters that they and their friends wound up being around the bonfire that same night, but the fun they had just prompted her to let her heart loose without saying the words.

She wanted so much to tell him she loved him and wanted to help him heal; however, he wanted her to and however long it would take. But she worried that it would end badly before it would begin.

"No kiss under the moonlight. Too bad; would have been a badass real-life romance novelty."

Izumi gritted her teeth. There Rika went again that night when everyone retired to their separate places. But best friends always asked for more details. "Look who's talking," she countered back, turning down her side of the canopy. "Who got so wasted that she almost KISSED Shark Face and he ended up being the first to pull back?" She smirked when the other girl gawked and sputtered, holding up her hands and pleading her case.

Rika quickly crawled right into the bed, having done everything she needed tonight and wanted to watch something on the flatscreen before they succumbed to the night. Turned out that Lady Snowblood was on; perfect, anything to not think about Itachi tonight, but that didn't stop Rika. "You know, I've been thinking but kept this to myself, Izu," she said with a smirk. "I don't think either of you will last on this trip."

"Meaning?" the brunette quirked an eyebrow at her, arms crossed over her chest as she lay beneath the covers.

"Meaning," the raven repeated with a snicker, "one of you is gonna find the natural opportunity for a real kiss since Kisame and I could both see it even tonight."

She was at a loss for words and had no idea how to defend herself. As a result, she struggled to sleep that night. Flashforward to the present night when she had an equally difficult time, and this made the fourth or fifth night in a row.

A nice cup of tea she'd heat in the microwave normally helped her sleep afterward, but it also meant a trip to the bathroom a few times, so she did her best to keep the cup size small, heating it in the microwave for a minute exactly, and then brought it to her lips as she leaned back against the counter. And so she wound up in spacious but warm and natural walls of wooden doors and cupboards, the island in the middle topped with charcoal marble, the backsplash tiles rust-colored, and the windows and rear patio door sliding glass. The lights hanging overhead were ivory boxes painted with maple trees. I could live here for the rest of my life with Itachi if we wanted...start a family here and relax...

Her heartbeat calmed down and her body relaxed once the liquids settled into her system. Cup washed and put back into the cupboard afterward, she made her way towards the staircase, stopping halfway to look towards the beautiful courtyard which could be seen through all-glass walls: the tall trees on platforms of moss, earth, and grass, surrounded by glassy water where there were river rocks. It was just like a spa resort. But then the serenity was ruined when she willed herself upstairs and halted upon hearing the noises coming from Itachi's door - from the room which originally was going to be for her and Rika.

"You lied...Sakura..."

The name of the pink-haired woman made Izumi stiffen. Whereas she'd been calm before, her temper snapped. He was having a nightmare after such a week of good times; why would they come now?! She decided right then and there to intervene. She opened the door and went inside, closing it behind her and turning on the light switch where she was. And there Itachi was, tangled up in cherry-printed covers while thrashing and moaning, lids painfully squeezed in his night terror. It was nothing life-threatening, but a certain someone had affected him so badly -

She stopped thinking and just burst forward, leaping onto the bed and grasping his shoulders. If she raised her voice loud enough to scream, she'd wind up waking the entire rest of the house.

"Itachi, wake up! Wake up; you're dreaming! I'm here!"

It appeared to work, for he stopped struggling and snapped his eyes open, panting for breath and staring right into her eyes. His cheeks were flushed bubblegum pink, but if not for what caused it, she would have thought it cute.

"I-Izumi." Her name was a harsh rasp, but at least she knew he was okay.

"You were having a nightmare. At first, I thought you were getting murdered." It was an exaggeration, but she just wanted to lighten it up. She laughed as she released her hold on his shoulders.

He chuckled with her, taking his tie out and then redoing it, looping his long hair through, getting some tangles out. "No, but it felt like it. I guess you must have heard something."

He got her there, so no getting around it. "Really want to know? I wanted to get the bitch myself." And that was usually as strong as she'd get, which made his pupils dilate. But if only she could think of some creative ways to mutilate her; it was tempting, but it really wasn't her forte. She would never go THAT far.

"I can't believe I let my heart run amok that way. I knew her long enough to form an attachment, even got her that necklace, but then she had to drop the bomb during one of the greatest times of the year. And then I spend months mourning what had been a joke that hit me too late until you came back into my life..."

She'd come in here because she heard him have a nightmare over the girl who used him, intentionally or not, and consequently ruined his emotional life - but now he was telling HER that his life had improved ever since he saw her again and in such a short period of time. Whether it was wrong timing or not, she didn't care. It was feeling so natural and sweet that her heart began pounding, but she refrained from giving him a kiss either on those hypnotizing lips or one of his elegant cheeks.

From the way he was looking at her, he was taking in her features and had apparently forgotten what else he was going to say.

Izumi broke the silence. "What are you trying to tell me, Itachi?"

"That...I wish there was a way to erase my nightmares altogether and just start over as if she never happened. But I know it's impossible - and something better is sitting in front of me." His smile lit up his face then and there; she just about thought she was going to have a heart attack, and the next thing she knew, without him even asking her if it was okay - not that she minded, really, having fantasized - he leaned up and placed a gentle, pure but tingling one on her mouth.

~o~

The past two weeks he spent with Izumi had been the best of his life. He couldn't thank everyone enough for this.

He would normally be greatly offended when someone came into his sleeping area without permission, but she'd been up that night and struggled to sleep for some reason. She'd told him the next day that she'd gone to get a cup of tea and was returning to her and Rika's room when she heard him crying out, thus was unable to ignore it and tried to help him.

What happened there, being a kiss and nothing further, had been the spark that mostly made Itachi erase Sakura from his mind. If he ever saw her again in life, he'd give her the cold shoulder and treat her formally until he had it in himself to trust her and accept her as a sister.

He'd bemoaned what hadn't been real for over a year, divulged in drinking - all of which did more harm than good. Until a girl from childhood ended up fixing all of that.

The feeling might as well be reckless, but based on what Kisame told him, it seemed the young woman he'd known nearly all his life - had been out of touch with since "falling in love" with Sakura, which he regretted immensely - was the one his best friend had hinted as this: "I say you let your heart naturally go and see where it takes you since I've seen it happen before. Takes the first bad experience, more than one for others, but that's how life works. Broken hearts help you learn and not repeat old mistakes, even makes you stronger. You're a hell of a survivor, Itachi Uchiha. You can do this, and if my bets are right, a second one is the one."

The shark-like man was right, as he usually was. His gut pushed harder and harder until he realized it by the end of the entire two weeks when everyone unwillingly left the Uchiha beach property for home, just when September was beginning.

It was also then that he saw Kisame and Rika being a little closer than usual, but he highly doubted they went far in the past two weeks. Though he was sure that "love" was far from being the way he described himself and Izumi since Kisame wasn't for the long-term commitment - unless he met THE right woman. Itachi chuckled; perhaps this could be his chum's extreme conclusion.

And Izumi...we hadn't kissed again since that night, but she's blushed every time she looked at me.

And soon, this month would be the beginning of the harvest season, as well as many marvelous festivals like the viewing of the full moon in the middle of this month. He began to formulate many ideas in his mind about the two of them in the park or anywhere where there were the best scenes of maple leaves, but if he could just pluck up the courage to tell her the depths of his heart as he should have...

"Well, well, well, first date without even asking her first?" Kisame snickered when he saw his activities in the kitchen during the middle of the day one Sunday. The grilled fish, saury, was garnished with daikon radish and flavored with slices of citrus and would be savored with miso and rice balls, rather than the usual bowls. And when he took it in, Kisame inhaled and growled as though he were experiencing a high. "Ya know, she might not resist if you show what you've worked hours on -"

"That's the idea," Itachi interrupted with a smirk. "Did the flowers come?" Something that befits the season but also combines with us. She's independent and makes everyone happy while holding herself - this exudes her and me.

His friend produced just what he asked in no time: a basket filled with warm sunshine and sweet romance. Yellow sunflowers, dark red roses which were nearly black in the hearts, and stargazer lilies lined with white and brushed with pink-purple. The smell reaching his nostrils was of honey and spicy tea. And a basket was better than the anticipated vase.

He was in his car in no time and making way for Izumi's neighborhood, on the way glimpsing the trees in the streets, and beyond being more of them joined with the evergreens which never changed their colors in the seasons: fiery yellow and orange, and red vibrant as blood. The day was cool but not deathly chilly just yet, the sky bright blue and without a single cloud, and the people in the streets strolling to admire the scenery, some going to the best spots in Konoha like they all would during the cherry blossom season.

He arrived at the Miyazaki apartment in the southeast quarter of Konoha, which was about eight blocks from her boutique he'd glimpsed from a distance but hadn't been inside. He was midway through the eight-story complex. Surprisingly, the one who answered was Kazue Kobayashi herself. The woman with her silver-streaked raven hair in a braided bun was draped in a wine-colored blouse with an attached scarf and blue-and-black plaid trousers.

"A hell of an unexpected surprise, Itachi Uchiha. Izumi is at her studio, but I guess you forgot about that when you were making that." Her attention fell to the basket of flowers as well as the large bag wrapped up in his other hand. She sniffed. "From what I can smell, it's Pacific saury. Mm-mm, I hand it to you: every girl likes a man who surprises with the best."

His cheeks blushed both at the praise and embarrassment at forgetting that the woman's great-niece wouldn't be here today just because it was HIS day off. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

When he found himself outside Izumi's Fountain of Fantasy, his impression the first time had been old, faded brick on the outside while the inside bore clean white and modern elements. You could see brass-and-rose mirrors, crystalline chandeliers, and vibrant pieces of art on their model stands for the world to see, along with many numbers on the racks for customers. She's done so well for herself, by the looks of it. The first things he saw were the mermaid masterpiece she'd sketched on their vacation, along with something that was reserved for springtime's crowning point: a modern version of the kimono - pure white, the sleeves pushed off the shoulders, and the skirt being a high-low so that you could see the wearer's legs and her shoes. There was a big bow in the back to give unique detail; the many-sized cherry blossoms were airbrushed and sewn all over with pearls of pink, white, and silver. On the mannequin's head of faux dark locks was a hairpiece to hold the hair in the back, being metal leaves cradling a glass of rainbow "morning light".

A surprise flew before his face right then and there as he'd been distracted by the majesty of the result of Izumi's hard work. The loud sound of flapping wings just about gave him a heart attack and made him stumble backward, almost off the sidewalk. Oh, just turtle doves! But they blend into the ground so well you usually don't catch them instantly, unless there's movement.

"Oh, Itachi. I was heading to lunch. Did you come to see me?"

Izumi was right there - in black and some purple accents - as though she'd popped out of nowhere like a ghost, almost giving him another near-attack. He burst out laughing and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I came to give you these -" Itachi held up the basket of flowers with his left hand, then the food bag with the other. "- and also share this with you, if you hadn't had lunch already. And if we could take a stroll to see the trees on your next break."

~o~

She was heading out for lunch and Rika was busy handling the next shipments when she was surprised to see Itachi of all people standing out there. He didn't even call her to give her a heads up, but that didn't mean she wasn't glad to see him. It was also funny to see him caught off-guard by her arrival, by the turtle doves which took flight before that. A sight you didn't see of him every day.

Because temperatures were getting colder, she unrolled her blouse sleeves and brought them up to her wrists, but then a sweater would be in order when the snow season broached. And speaking of which, she was ready to be relieved when Ino Yamanaka's wedding gown would be finished at the beginning of November - but it had also gotten personal as Hinata had approached her and asked her to make her wedding dress for the coming spring when the wisteria would be blooming.

She wound up telling Itachi - he really enjoyed hearing about what made her happy - about it, from early visions. Hinata wanted to be a fairy at twilight, in a myriad of the evening colors: silk and cloudlike tulle overlay in silvery gray, dusky purple, and dark indigo at the hem of the billowing skirts. The plunging neckline would blossom to life with three-dimensional plum blossoms. And specifically wanted to wear her circlet that she'd had made herself, a gift from her father: silver metal in a filigree, centered with a purple gem and sided with flowers in the gown's colors she'd wanted. And when she was done talking, while in midst of picking up a rice ball, Itachi warmly smiled at her and told her that he could already see it in his head.

His smile and the warm palette of the maple tree they sat on a bench beneath - cheerful orange and golden yellow, like fire hovering over their heads - made her feel so moist with perspiration that she lost control of her tongue.

"Hinata is marrying a friend of...your brother's." Suddenly, Izumi was worried she shouldn't have mentioned Sasuke, but there was no change in his body language and expressions. "I-I'm sorry for mentioning him."

"No harm done. In fact, I see him or Sakura - or both of them - then I can't wait to show them that I'm back on top of the game." His eyes twinkled as they remained fixated on her face; now her cheeks felt like they were melting off her face.

"Back on top of the game - as in, you're already ready for...?"

His smile remained when he finished. "Ready for something else. I was afraid to be before, but ever since we went to my father's place..." He paused for a second before picking up. "I feel like one of those men from classic novels and media, but I mean it all. I think it was there a long time and I was never aware until now."

And both her mom and great-aunt said you never knew true love even when it was staring you in the face.

Suddenly, she lost her appetite and felt bad because she'd loved this sumptuous cuisine he'd obviously put his heart and soul into. But on the other hand, she wasn't hungry anymore for this, but someone else.

Itachi's brows furrowed when she put down the half-eaten rice ball behind herself and shifted so she fully faced him. It had been weeks since they'd kissed last time, and it had felt like YEARS. She couldn't wait anymore, but her body insisted she go slowly, and her lips trembled as her eyes burned with tears that flooded with her own words.

"I didn't think I'd deserve anything or anyone like this. I've wanted to tell you all our lives that you made me happy in ways I couldn't explain." And with that, she leaned up and pressed her mouth to his this time. He'd done it last time, so it was her turn.

Around them, the autumn leaves began to fall in bigger numbers, straight down as the wind was nonexistent. Fire flashed in their colors. However, unbeknownst to the couple, there was a hidden figure peeking in on their private moment from a "safe" distance.

~o~

"Oh, look there, boys," Konan growled through her teeth when it had just come down to their first brawl of the autumn month, just a few days after Momijigari officially began. "The oppressor is back."

Brilliant, and just after he and Kisame punched each other out for their audience on this day after moon-viewing Tsukimi. They were setting the chairs back in place as well as sweeping up the broken glass when the mummy himself arrived. Oh, just when I was just going to tell them that Izumi also agreed to the painting job, right after our blessed second lip touch beneath the maple tree.

And this here was one of the biggest predators looking for an opportunity, and Akatsuki Tavern was one of them. Danzo Shimura was as crafty as they could come, being part of the board of finance in Konoha - and as Konan said, "oppressor". Never mind that bi-monthly brawls were good for their business, but it didn't sit well with some people. Like this one.

People like Shimura, an ex-Marine from long ago, would sniff out lucrative when there were complaints, such as neighbors on their street.

"Itachi, Kisame. Konan." The man bowed his head forth once in greeting, but no one gave it back. "I see you are all still doing well despite the various objections on the street. And in time for the autumn festivals."

"Oh, cut the faux pleasantries and tell us why you're here," Kisame growled, leaning over the counter and gripping either side, the dustpan of glass laying flat atop. Their guests outside watched through the glass with concerned interest.

"Very well." Shimura scowled as usual. "I did come to once again remind you all that if there is one more complaint - this time being certain - then you can face temporary closure or perhaps change some manner up, such as the antics that would be welcomed at other, more modest establishments." Meaning you actually see the way we do things as a nuisance and an opportunity just like other parts of the country through your connections.

Then the hawk smirked. "And on a lighter note, I wondered how you are all enjoying the maple-viewing season: hunting animals in the woods like the old days or perhaps taking the easy way with the cuisines handed over to you - or are any of you hunting potential significant others?" His attention shifted then to Itachi who felt himself stiffen in his place.

"I don't see how that is any of your business." Despite his words, he was cold in his bones, his organs, and every vessel. If he'd spied on him and Izumi somehow, like in the park when neither of them knew it...

"Now, don't get testy. I was merely making an observation. Even enemies can show respect once in a while." Shimura then turned on his heel. "Feel free to go back to your routines, but should I get wind again -"

Konan heatedly snarled. "You think that you can just come for your own amusement, but you are dead wrong. If there had been any 'complaints', they first would have come to our ears and not yours, but it's so like you, Danzo." She smirked right back, arms folded across her chest. "The war is far from over, right, boys?"

Egging him on was always one of her worrisome perks, for this was a dangerous man they were dealing with. Although, every time always worked in sending him away, except the invisible limit would eventually be reached. Either way, the trio was trapped in a situation where they were forced to back a part of their livelihood into a corner, no matter their still-watching customers enjoying it.

Danzo Shimura knew better than to be baited, but he also didn't take public humiliation well. It was amusing either way, except they hadn't seen the last of him. "Shit." Kisame wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "He'll be back, but I wonder how the hell he knew about you and Princess." He wasn't dumb enough to not read between the lines of "significant others", though there was no indication Shimura knew of Rika, only you could never be too careful.

They were all walking on thin ice as it was, but did that ever stop them?

The viewing of the maple and autumn leaves is Momijigari, which originated from the Heian period. There is also a famous kabuki play of the same name, which features a battle between a samurai and a demon disguised as a beautiful lady, taking place during the festival.

Oriental turtle doves are seen year-round on Japan's main island of Honshu and in the deeper south. In Hokkaido, the birds remain during summer and go elsewhere to spend winter.

Been hard whether or not to have a main adversary in this story, and there were a few main contenders I could think of, but after having the discussion with friends, Danzo was the one as he DOES fit with these kinds of scenarios. Begs what frightening role he will play later...

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