Reflections of Eternity

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Apologies for taking so long to post the ending to this fic. It's been done for awhile. I sincerely thought I had already published these final two chapters. With that said, please enjoy the ending to Reflections of Eternity.

Chapter 11

A plate clinks against the coffee table in front of Itachi, filled with small sandwiches and sweets. "You know, I almost suspect you of looking for honeymoon locations for us instead of places to send me out on photo-shoots." Shisui's arms slide around his boyfriend's waist and he nuzzles into the curve of Itachi's neck as he eyes the exotic destinations pulled up in a million Internet tabs on the laptop.

Itachi shivers. The warmth of Shisui's breath and sensation of his nose sliding against his neck had the paradoxical effect of rendering him both ticklish and aroused all at once. His voice comes out a tad huskier than warranted when he chuckles, his attention now fixated entirely on his lover. "The two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. I might indulge you one day."

"Well that's a relief. Does that mean I can start ring shopping, or is it too soon for that?" Shisui smirks. His lips glide along Itachi's neck and come to rest at the lobe of his ear. He sucks the soft flesh into his mouth and rolls it between his lips.

Itachi lets out a gasp bathed in the slickest of desires. He squirms, no thanks to his body now torn between leaning into the naughty administrations and running away. "I-If that's a sincere proposal, that is the most unorthodox, sneaky one in all of human history. How am I supposed to think properly when you're so intent on distracting me?"

"Don't worry, Itachi. I promise that when I propose to you, it will be dramatic, romantic, and possibly very public. And hopefully when you least expect it." Shisui did have plans, many, many plans. "Right now, I'm simply declaring my intent. You'll have every chance to think properly when I'm down on one knee in front of you. But when I do, try not to think too long, or I'll be on both knees, using my mouth to persuade you the best way I know how."

Itachi feels his face burn a scorching hot scarlet at the images Shisui's threats, or perhaps they were promises, were evoking inside the deepest, most secretive depths of his hidden fantasies. By some miracle, he was able to bring his hand up and swat his bold lover just behind his ear. "Shisui! While I will always be grateful for your gifts at all things involving oral, you are NOT giving me a blowjob during a public proposal. Are we clear? I still can't believe you did that with Konan in the office..." Even if his boss hadn't seen it, she still knew what had transpired. A few well-placed smirks directed in Itachi's attention were still a common occurrence. Oh yes, she knew exactly what had happened and Itachi still couldn't look her in the eye.

Shisui laughs and places another kiss to Itachi's neck. "Oh, but Itachi the exhibition could be so much fun. Watching them all glow with envy, seeing how beautiful you are but knowing that they can't touch you…it would be such a sight to see. Can you blame me for wanting to show you off a little? You're beautiful."

He was going to have to be firm with Shisui. If he gave so much as an inch, Itachi was firmly aware that his lover would attempt to take a damn hemisphere. "Your flattery does wonders for my vanity. Still, I'm drawing the line at anything beyond kissing. In private, I'm more than willing to entertain whatever filthy fantasies you've conjured up." Itachi wasn't sure where Shisui came up with half of his whims. Natural creativity, watching adult entertainment, or studying the kama sutra. It could be any of those things, a combination, or perhaps all of them. One thing the photographer was not in want of, though, was ideas.

"Oh alright, I'll save the exhibition for our sex tapes." Shisui chuckles and reaches out his fingers to tap on the next tab in the never-ending list of warm and sunny destinations. "Did you have a preference for where we go? It seems that you're in the mood for a summer wedding. Or maybe you're just looking for a warm place to escape to in the winter. We could probably find an auspicious day since you seem to have taken a liking to fortune-telling lately."

"Sex tapes?" Itachi couldn't hide a squeak. "W-When was that decided and any day would be auspicious." He glances at the locations. "I figured you'd like a warmer place for your next trip is all. One that doesn't…rain so much. The rainforest is beautiful, but it can be a little intense."

"Intense as in…you don't want to see me in another video call with my shirt off and water dripping down my ski as I work on my tan?" Shisui curls a few locks of Itachi's hair around his fingers. "And here I promised myself that I would make sure we both had plenty of that sort of thing to keep us occupied whenever we're apart. You wouldn't deny me my fun, would you?"

"I-I meant climate wise." Itachi's breath hitches in his throat. His entire being reduced to focusing on the beguiling magic that was Shisui's tongue when he decided he wanted to fuck with him. "I mean it is fun, but it's also exceptionally frustrating..."

"Oh I know. But maybe on my next trip, you could come with me. I could always use an assistant who can sit around and look pretty to inspire my photos." Shisui's hands slide down Itachi's sides to rest on his hips. "But why don't you tell me about these warm, sunny destinations that you have in mind for me while we eat? I worked hard on those sandwiches for you. Chicken, beef, turkey, sausage, meatball, you name it and I've made it."

Something was hard, but Itachi doubted it was just the degree of effort Shisui had put into making those sandwiches. "Maybe if you could arrange it with the office...it'd be nice to go with you. And I guess I'll humor you. Sausage sandwiches sound great." He was fully aware of the Freudian connotations of such a choice.

Shisui smirks and reaches for Itachi's chin. He turns Itachi's head to look his lover in the eyes. "I think it sounds great too." And he pulls his lover into an all-consuming kiss.

Itachi smiles as he walks inside the bakery with Shisui's arm wrapped around his waist. He casts an amused glance at his foolish little brother who was walking next to his blond, whether Sasuke wanted to acknowledge it or not. "You can order whatever you like. It's our treat for helping us with the move." It'd also give those two some much needed time together that didn't involve lugging around boxes. Sasuke was in denial and Naruto for all his extroversion didn't seem to know how to make the transition from friend to boyfriend. Maybe some sweets and a fortune teller would be able to help.

"You're evil, Itachi." Sasuke crosses his arms and glares sourly at the profusion of sugar all around him. "Now the moron is going to be on a sugar rush for the rest of the week." Forget the rest of the day, Naruto could eat his weight in sugar and ramen before feeling full.

Shisui snickers and pats Sasuke on the back. "And that right there is half the fun of a place like this. The other half is finding sweets to have fun with later."

Itachi shakes his head. They were a...passionate couple, that much was for certain. It probably boded well for them that Naruto had such an interest in Sasuke's posterior, but he'd rather not have them destroy the lovely shop with one of their 'spirited debates.'

Their debates generally ended with punches being thrown and sooner or later the two of them spinning around on the ground in a battle for supremacy. Aka. Who could actually manage to pin the other. Because they were so evenly matched, there often wasn't a clear victory other than chaos.

Deciding enough was enough, Itachi makes his way to the counter. He offers a charming smile to a woman wearing a name tag that said Miko. "Is Ciara here?"

The raven-haired woman perhaps a decade his senior raises an eyebrow, then glances at the two young men glaring at each other behind Itachi's back. "You must be Ciara's boys, I did wonder if she'd gotten to daydreaming again. She's like her father that way."

"I suppose that's one way to put it." Itachi rubs the back of his head with one hand, while interlacing the other with Shisui's fingers. "And while I'm sure she does daydream a great deal, I assure you that we're all quite real. We wanted to thank her for all her help while picking up a few things to eat." He chuckles, glancing at Naruto. "Or perhaps a lot in Naruto's case. My brother's boyfriend does have a vicious sweet tooth."

"You say that like you don't have a sweet tooth of your own. But I saw you with those mochi dumplings, Itachi." Shisui kisses Itachi's cheek. "You almost made me jealous for a minute there."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive." Itachi chuckles, squeezing Shisui's hand. "And I suppose I'm being an awful boyfriend if you're jealous of dumplings."

"I said almost, not that you succeeded." Shisui nips Itachi's ear playfully. "You'll have to try harder if you want to make me jealous. I'm not an easy man to rile up."

"Oh you boys." Miko brushes off her apron with a laugh and closes up the till. "She's been in the kitchen all morning, but I think the Little Dragon could use a break." On the wall hangs a bell on a chain, and a single pull sets off a musical chiming. "Ciara, break time! There's some handsome boys here to see you!"

"Coming Aunty!" The sharp sliding sound of trays into racks echoes through the kitchen, followed by the slamming of an oven door. Through the open doorway behind the counter, the image of a dragon and a phoenix entwined in a dance glows vibrantly against a lightly tanned canvas for a brief moment before the young fortune-teller turns around and steps out of the kitchen, smelling of sugar and pastries. Her face lights up with happiness. "Shishi, Chichi, you came!"

Naruto tilts his head in confusion. "Chichi? Do you mean Itachi?" He shakes his head, grinning. "Anyway, nice to meet ya. I'm Naruto and this antisocial bastard is Sasuke. I think he should get the orange Halloween cupcakes with them or maybe the pink ones with lots of rainbow sprinkles."

Itachi tries to hide a smirk. "It's good to see you again, Ciara. As you can see everyone is really excited to be here and I second Naruto's motion. Are you still available for that reading." He points to his foolish little brother with a sly smile. "Those two could certainly use one."

"Oh right, I'll get to that in a bit. Just let me…" Ciara pulls open a small fridge just behind the counter and rummages through it. "Right, here we are, my special projects."

Completely unfazed by Sasuke's sour expression, she holds out a small, clear zip-lock bag with dark cookies in it to Sasuke, and a container with a half dozen cupcakes in it to Naruto. "Dark chocolate shortbread with candied sun-dried tomato pieces for Sasuke because he hates sweet things. And ginger carrot cake cupcakes for Naruto because he needs to eat better than just ramen all the time."

Sasuke snorts skeptically. "You're not wrong, the idiot will inhale anything that's unhealthy and runs away from vegetables constantly."

Ciara shakes her head. "Oh believe me, I remember Naruto's eating habits all too well. It was all I could do most days to get him to eat something green and not clog up his arteries."

Ciara's familiarity with Naruto's dietary habits causes Itachi to raise an eyebrow. The blond had introduced him to their favorite fortune teller as if they'd never met before, but Ciara spoke of Naruto as if they were childhood friends. "Have you two met before?" Perhaps it had just slipped Naruto's mind?

"Something like that." The young fortune-teller glances at her aunt, then takes her jacket from a hook on the wall. "Aunty Miko, I'm going out for a bit. There's…a few people here that I think I owe an explanation to."

Miko raises an eyebrow and her gaze sharpens. She scrutinizes the four young men carefully, then takes up a duster and begins tending to the counter. "Alright, but be back before closing."

"Yes Aunty." Ciara's green eyes flash briefly with a hint of fire as they met Itachi's. "Come with me, there's something I need to tell you, all four of you." She smiles kindly. "After all, there's a good reason that I know what you've been dreaming about and why I can tell that you and Uncle Shishi are a match made in heaven."

"Wait you know what they've been dreaming about?" Naruto tilts his head in confusion.

Itachi smiles, shaking his head. The blond really did remind him of an overly excited puppy and Ciara's smile of a fairy godmother. "It's a long story, Naruto, but I'm sure she'll tell us all about it."

"Of course." Her smile warms and she pulls on her jacket. "Follow me."

She presses her hand to the bark of a tall old tree in the middle of the park almost as if looking for a pulse. "You know, it's the oldest parts of the world that remember the most about where we were. And they're the ones who know best how far we've really come."

Shisui's lips twitch with amusement. "Wise words for a kid like you."

"A kid, huh?" She turns around and leans back against the tree. "I suppose that to you, I am. But in a way, I've lived longer than both you and Itachi."

"They are so weird." Naruto sits down on the grass next to Sasuke. "They're weirder than you and that's saying something."

"Speaking of living longer than us, I do seem to recall you promising to explain why you knew about our dreams, Ciara." Itachi sits on a nearby bench, looking at her expectantly.

She laughs and sits down in the grass at the base of the tree. "Well, the simple answer for that is just like I said. In a past life, Shisui used the last of his power to mark you as his. It's why you have his words branded into your skin. You've lived a life before this. Your dreams aren't actually dreams. They're memories. And if I had to guess…" she turns her gaze onto Sasuke and Naruto. "You've both been having dreams as well, haven't you? Dreams of people and places and events that you can't quite explain? Like…for example a particularly large and grumpy red fox that talks like a human and acts like an old grandpa?"

Itachi casts Shisui a knowing look before turning his attention to Ciara once more. "That explains a great deal, but I'm still at a loss for how you know any of this."

"Whoa. That's weird. Yeah, I gotta agree with Itachi." Naruto blinks staring at Ciara like she had grown another head. "How do you know about the grumpy fox? He calls himself Kurama and you're right, he's huge. Kurama has nine tails too and somehow I don't get how, but he lives inside me. Like he's inside my head or something."

"I know about Kurama because I met him, obviously." She leans her cheek against her hand and smirks. "Think about it. Do you really believe that you're the only ones who remember being shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Leaves?"

"You were there." Sasuke's gaze sharpens. "That why I remember seeing you fighting with your hair on fire and giant wings sprouting from your back."

She snickers. "And why am I not surprised that Sasuke gets the prize? You always were so competitive. Always turning that genius brain of yours to looking for every advantage you could get over Naruto. You two fought like cats and dogs, even back then."

"Wait. That's not fair. I didn't think this was some sort of competition." Naruto flails, glaring at Sasuke. He was such a competitive bastard.

Itachi snorts, a small smile creeping along his face. "I see some things never change. Though it is an amazing happenstance of fate that you found all of us again. I understand why Shisiu and I did. Sasuke is my brother and Naruto will always be his sunny shadow, but you were certainly the wild card in this equation."

"I'm not really a wild card, but I think that's a story for another day. On the other hand, Naruto and Sasuke will find each other no matter what forces try to keep them apart. Their souls are bound up together for eternity." Her eyes flicker with amusement. "Just like Asura and Indra's were."

Naruto gives her a perplexed look. "I don't know who Asura and Indra are, but whatever. But I guess that means we're like soul married or something, Sasuke. So, you should be nicer to me." Naruto beams as though had won some sort of argument.

Sasuke's eyes widen slightly, then he glances at Naruto uncertainly. A million thoughts seem to race through his eyes, and yet he stays as silent as a slowly approaching storm.

Satisfied, her attention turns. "Itachi and Shisui, you two were brought back together through Shisui's determination and powers that are beyond even my understanding. Maybe part of it was intervention by higher powers, or the prayers I offered to the ancestors to help you find happiness. Either way, I'm glad that my favourite uncle found his happiness after so long."

Shisui smiles fondly at her. "You're a sweet one, Little Dragon."

"Indeed she is." Itachi smiles, caressing Shisui's cheek. "Though I suppose the how or why isn't as important as the fact we all found each other again."

"I think you'ree right." Shisui presses a kiss to Itachi's nose. "Hey Little Dragon, do you know any auspicious dates for our fortune-obsessed editor here?"

"Hm…" Ciara's lips curve into a wicked smirk. "You know, I've taken up some interesting new practices in this lifetime, and I think I have a couple of rather auspicious dates for you. May Day is a pretty auspicious day, and so is Midsummer. Or anything involving an equinox, solstice, or full moon. Great times for weddings, I think. Especially the start of May."

"You act as though you aren't just as fortune-obsessed." Itachi gives a playful huff before rolling his eyes. "Though a May wedding does sound lovely. There is of course still the matter of Shisui doing a PROPER proposal."

Sasuke rolls his eyes in a way that makes him look even more like his older brother. "Itachi, if you're really going to fish for your boyfriend's attention like that then you should-"

His little brother's words freeze on his tongue and Itachi's own eyes widen. Ciara giggles behind her hands as Shisui kneels in front of Itachi, holding a closed velvet box. "You mean like this?"

"Yes, something like that." Itachi nods, shooting Sasuke a smug smile. "You may continue. I rather enjoy the sight of you on your knees."

Shisui's eyes glitter darkly as he runs his fingers up Itachi's thighs. "You know there are other things I could be doing on my knees here."

"Shisui, we discussed this!" Itachi's cheeks flush a brilliant shade of crimson. "Those things are best done in PRIVATE. This is a PUBLIC proposal."

"Alright, alright. I won't scandalize our little brother and his boyfriend." Shisui opens the box to reveal a silver ring set with a central red ring, polished to a mirror shine. "But I will ask the sexiest magazine editor in the world to marry me so that I can make his life a million times better than the last."

"Then I will say yes, since you semi-behaved yourself. You are however on probation." Itachi shakes his head, yanking Shisui to his feet, and pulls him in for a possessive kiss that left Naruto whistling.

Shisui leans over Itachi, smirking into the kiss. "Fooled you into thinking I hadn't already gone shopping, didn't I?"

He swats Shisui. "I'm tempted to banish you to the couch and to endure a lot of cold showers between now and May for that one."

Ignoring the fact that they both had their own rooms for precisely that reason, Shisui pouts as adorably as a puppy. "But if you banish me to the couch, who would keep you warm at night?"

"I suppose that's true, but I still expect you'll try your very best to make it up to me. That was a mean trick." Itachi crosses his arms. He might as well enjoy seeing Shisui grovel.

"And…that's more than I needed to see." Sasuke rolls his eyes and hauls Naruto up by the scruff of his neck. "Come on, Loser. I don't want to see Itachi do anything that will scar me for the rest of my life."

"Ah yeah, sure. Ah nice seeing you guys. Oh, and Shisui, I'm available to be your best man!" Naruto fails as he's hauled up giving Sasuke a cheeky grin. "Sasuke, let's go get some dinner. The ramen shop should still be open..."

"One does have to admire his determination." Itachi shakes his head as he wraps his arms around Shisui, snuggling into his fiance's warmth. "But I suppose we should actually get something to eat before I put you through your paces for that stunt."

"As long as those paces end with you in my bed, I'll run for as long as you want me to." Shisui peck Itachi on the lips and wraps his arms around his playfully vengeful soulmate. "Because you're worth it, Itachi."