"Wait!" Zabuza called out after him. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Itachi halted and looked over his shoulder. "What could you possibly want?" He asked, voicing his thoughts aloud without consideration to how they sounded. "Contrary to what you may think I don't cook with Kisame to cater to you." He said, surprised by the strength in his own words. He'd never talked to any of Kisame's roommates much before aside from Zabuza. Even then he never used such language when addressing the older student.

Zabuza raised his thin eyebrows, seemingly impressed by Itachi's gall as well. "I can see why Kisame likes you."

WHY DID EVERYONE ASSUME THAT KISAME LIKED HIM? Why was it always "I thought you two were dating?" Or "You're always spending time together" or "I can tell by the way he looks at you?" But Zabuza wasn't sharing an opinion with him. He was stating a fact.

"As a friend." Itachi clarified. "He likes me as a friend."

Zabuza grinned and slowly shook his head as if he were lightly chastising a small child. "That's not how he sees it but if that's what you tell yourself so be it."

Walk away. Zabuza's opinions – no matter what they may be – didn't matter to him. Nonetheless his cheeks burned with indignation as Kisame's words came bubbling back to the surface of his memory. 'I'm just saying if someone – Deidara, Zabuza, anyone – makes you feel uncomfortable, you have every right to tell them to fuck off. You don't have to bend over backwards to make them feel better about how you choose to live your life, you know?' Kisame was right. He didn't have to walk away whenever conflict arose. "Is that so?" He said, turning to face Zabuza. "And why should I listen to you?"

"Because I've known him longer than you have, kid." He retorted. "Think about it. He and I lived together and been on the swim team since our freshman year. And I betcha didn't know that we went to the same high school did'ya?"

Why didn't he just tell him to "fuck off" and walk away? What was he trying to prove here? There was still time to do just that. To flick Zabuza off and come back later when Kisame returned. "That may be," Itachi said quietly, a sense of stubborn curiosity guiding his lips, "but what makes you so certain you know how Kisame feels about me?"

Zabuza regarded him with the same steely gaze as always which made Itachi feel uneasy. "Tell me something." He said. "Why are you here right now?"

He was being evasive and trying to avoid the question at hand. "My business with Kisame is really none of your concern." Itachi answered. "Again, what makes you know how Kisame feels about me?"

"I'm guessing you've noticed that Kisame hasn't been going to class all week? Is that why you're here?"

He was still avoiding the question but he hit the nail on the head. As much as he wanted to deny Zabuza the pleasure of getting out of his interrogation he confirmed Itachi's suspicions regarding Kisame's activities lately. There wasn't any reason for Itachi not to believe him either as he hadn't spoken to Zabuza nor had any contact with him all week until now. As much as he hated to back down in confrontational situations answering Zabuza's question might actually help him going forward. "Of course." Itachi said. "I'd be concerned if he wasn't showing up to class."

An arrogant smirk crossed Zabuza's face but those same narrow eyes stared at him with the same laser focused precision. "I see what you're trying to do, kid. You're trying to convince yourself that you're just tutoring him." He said. "Do you ever wonder why he doesn't want any of us around when you guys are alone together when you're studying? Cooking? I can't keep track these days."

"I think the answer's obvious don't you? Or are you too blind to realize how impudent you can be? I'm sure Kisame leaves you alone when you ask him to so why can't you give him the same courtesy and respect and when he asks for it?"

Zabuza snorted. "Well I don't know what 'impudent' means but you're not wrong about the rest." He agreed. "But have you ever noticed how mad Kisame gets when I even hint that he might like you?"

Itachi opened his mouth to argue. To say "because that kind of behavior would piss me off too."

But Zabuza was advancing on him, lips curling into a crazed grin. Before the words could even leave Itachi's mouth he continued. "How he tells me to get lost so that you two can be alone to 'cook.'" He emphasized with air quotes.

Itachi remembered it all too well. That first night they'd made crab cakes together. No matter how he looked at it he could not, for the life of him, understand why Kisame was so on edge that night. He thought sure he was going to punch Zabuza in the face when he insinuated that Itachi was his girlfriend. Sure, Zabuza was being an asshole but Itachi was willing to ignore him but Itachi had never seen Kisame so provoked before.

It just proved Zabuza's point. Maybe he didn't know Kisame as well as he claimed he did.

"And if you're wondering why he hasn't been going to class it's because he thinks you like someone else."

"Don't be absurd." Itachi scoffed. "I can't argue that you probably know Kisame better than I do but you're grasping at straws if you think you could possibly glean something like that. Besides, Kisame already has a crush."

"Yeah, ya little punk. He has a crush on YOU." Zabuza cut in. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out why he's smiling like a clown after you leave or why he's humming to himself like a love-struck school girl." He said. "When you're around it's like no one else exists! Trust me; we've ALL given up trying to have lunch with him anymore. 'I see you guys all the time.' He says. 'I wanna spend time with Itachi right now.' It's a lost cause so why even bother?"

Itachi could feel all the combative energy he had before rapidly dissipate with every word. If he had any arguments left in him he forgot what they were as his brain worked double time to playback every moment and interaction him and Kisame had together under this new lens of information.

"Think about it." Zabuza continued. "Imagine Kisame had a crush on someone other than you. When would he spend time with them, huh? It'd have to be in the middle of the night because that's the only time he isn't with you! You eat lunch together, you go to the aquarium, cafés, you study and cook together twice a week! If he has a crush on someone else they don't have a chance in hell to get to know him because he's too busy spending all of his free time with you to care about them." Zabuza said. As if that wasn't enough make Itachi rethink every interaction he shared with Kisame over the past semester, he continued. "Oh! And did I mention how he's losing his mind trying to spend more time with you before summer break starts? Roommates be damned if we wanna hang out when he could be spending time doing things with you instead." He muttered.

"You should come visit sometime!" Kisame said, a smile breaking out across his face like lightning on a stormy night. Jagged and illuminating. "I can hook you up with all sorts of discounts at the surf shack and rent you a surfboard for free!"

So that's why he was so adamant about Itachi visiting over the summer. Why he was fidgeting with his shirt all evening and edging around the truth. "I…um…I don't wanna…talk about it. It's stupid."

"I keep asking him why he won't ask you out already," Zabuza continued, unfazed by Itachi's silence, "but for he keeps getting mad saying things like 'it's complicated' or 'mind your own business'." He said. "What? Are you in love with someone else? Is that it?"

That was it. The final straw.

"Who could I possibly be in love with?!" He shouted if only to shut Zabuza up. At every corner, every turn someone was making assumptions about his love life! Was it too difficult to simply ask what he thought instead of tormenting themselves with misconceptions? Was he really that unapproachable? Was it like Deidara said? Did he really have the social capacity of a cactus? Prickly on the outside and soft on the inside?

Zabuza shrugged. "You tell me. All I know is he started acting different after you sent him a text the other night."

"A text?" Itachi mumbled to himself, trying to make it make sense. Kisame texted him twice now to let him know that he wasn't coming to lunch. What did he say to him before then?

"It looked like a picture of a bunch of papers from what I could tell." Zabuza said.

A picture of a bunch of papers…

Deidara's art project!

Did Kisame think he was in love with Deidara?

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Itachi whispered. As much as he hated to admit it, everything Zabuza said lined up with what little he already knew and he hated himself for it. Hated that he was hearing this from Zabuza of all people and not Kisame himself. Hated that he actually believed what this man was saying to him when his first thought was to simply walk away and avoid him altogether. "What's in it for you? Why are you obsessed with who Kisame chooses to spend time with?"

He shrugged. "Because I've seen it happen before."

"You've seen what happen before?"

Zabuza turned and walked back to his doorway. He placed his hand on the door knob and said "Think what you want about me. I know I'm not everyone's cup of tea but Kisame's not like that. He's a good guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and I've seen too many people take advantage of him for it." He said. "Damn lovestruck fool."

Itachi immediately pictured Kisame's easy smiles and warm gaze. His selfless demeanor (excluding the times he practically begged him to tutor him), his patience and ability to just listen to Itachi talk without interrupting. His childlike innocence and love of French fries and chocolate frosties.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Why are you so upset?" Kisame asked, dodging the question.

"Tell me why you thought it was necessary to pay for both receipts when I already told the woman to split the bill!"

"Because somehow I made you angry and I wanted to do something to make it up to you!" He cried and lightly grabbed Itachi's shoulders. "Can you tell me why you're so upset? Is it because I wasn't studying?"

"Also if you two are fighting no one is cooking and I'm tired of eating out all the time." Zabuza added and jiggled the doorknob. "You've gotta be shitting me don't tell me it's locked."

Itachi felt the telltale prickle of tears at the corner of his eyes. Zabuza was right. Kisame was one of the kindest people Itachi knew. He meant well and he went out of his way to be there for those he cared about but who was there for him when he was hurting?

And Itachi was the one who'd hurt him. Unknowingly but after his grand show in February after the incident with Deidara it was no wonder Kisame was afraid to talk to him about his true feelings. Who could blame him?

But Kisame liked him. As more than a friend.

The crush he seldom spoke of and gave no name to – was him this entire time.

The care and attention he gave him at the aquarium when he fainted and the chivalry he displayed when he offered to pay for their meals.

The way he stuck by him at the café when he was bored and tired of studying. As he trudged down the stairs his mind flitted back to the first time Kisame ever spoke to him back in October a month into the first semester.

"So will you help me?" The athlete asked him.

"I'm not a tutor." Itachi stated. "I don't even know you."

The comment took his classmate aback who nervously chuckled "Yeah you do; I've sat next to you since the first day of class!"

Itachi rolled his eyes and rose from his seat. "I don't even know your name."

Was that the real reason he wanted Itachi to tutor him? There was no doubt that his grades were lacking and his studying habits left a lot to be desired but out of all their classmates, Kisame sat next to him. Out of all the qualified tutors at the tutoring center, he'd chosen him. And Itachi hadn't even known his name before then.

And now Itachi had a decision to make: let him down easy or consider the possibility of something more.

While Zabuza cursed and kicked at his locked door he took the opportunity to escape into the stairwell. Kisame would be back any minute now and Itachi couldn't face him. Not now at least. He needed time to process the information he was given and re-evaluate his feelings for the person he considered his closest friend.

"What's wrong with you, yeah?" Deidara asked when he returned back to their room.

Itachi lazily glanced in his direction as a form of acknowledgement before collapsing onto the bed. He sent a quick email to his instructor on the way back to his dorm letting her know that he wouldn't be attending class that evening. "Not feeling well." He finally offered.

"Well whatever you have I don't want it so keep it on your side, yeah."

"Hn." He mumbled into his comforter. Without a class to worry about and a head reeling with new information he closed his eyes in hopes that he'd wake up later with a clear head, renewed resolve and a fresh perspective.

Irritated eyes from sleeping with his contacts in and a splitting headache were not the intended results of what was supposed to be a quick twenty-minute nap.

Deidara was gone which meant it was close to six if not sometime past then when his class was supposed to start. The lighting in the room was dim from the glow of the afternoon sun and he had about two hours to himself before his roommate returned.

His eyes twitched with the sting of his contacts so he set off to the communal bathrooms down the hall to rinse them out first. If he had any intentions of studying he'd be hunched over his textbook with his glasses for the remainder of the evening it seemed.

When he returned to his room he brought his hands to his stomach. He didn't feel like eating and what if he ran into Kisame at the dining hall? What would he say? Would Kisame act normally or would he continue to avoid him?

Itachi fished his classes out of his desk drawer and affixed them to his face before checking his text messages. Nothing new.

What were the odds of Zabuza telling him what he said to Itachi earlier? "Just so you know I fixed your relationship. You can thank me later." He could imagine him saying.

He could not, however, imagine Kisame taking kindly to his words no matter how well-intentioned Zabuza thought his actions to be.

Would Kisame text him then? "Please disregard everything Zabuza told you today. He's just trying to fuck with you and doesn't know what he's saying."

And what would Itachi say back to him then? "I have a question: if you have a crush on someone why do you spend all of your time with me?"

What would Kisame say to that?

"Turns out they're straight :/ . Why do you wanna know all of a sudden?"

And then Itachi remembered a conversation they shared not too long ago actually. Itachi was explaining why he had been afraid to talk to Deidara all this time because he thought it would bring up the topic of his sexuality. Kisame had stopped what he was doing and asked him "Has something changed that I'm not aware of?"

How stupid had he been? That might as well have been code for "Are you saying I have a chance?"

He pulled his phone to his chest and collapsed onto the bed with a groan. In times like these Kisame was the person he ran to. Only this time Kisame was the root of his problems. He glanced to the empty bed beside his and shook his head. He'd carry this burden to his grave before he talked to Deidara about it.

He could push it under the rug like he did with every other social problem that came his way. That was an option. But Zabuza's words from earlier resounded inside his head "Think what you want about me but Kisame's not like that. He's a good guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and I've seen too many people take advantage of him for it."

He couldn't do that to Kisame. Not after everything they'd been through over the past semester and a half. He couldn't just throw away the friendship they've cultivated. What's more, finals were quickly approaching and he'd feel like crap if he wasn't there to help Kisame study this close to the end.

So he dialed the only person he could trust with such a dilemma.

"Why are you wearing your glasses?" Sasuke asked when he answered the call.

Itachi brought a hand up to his black rimmed glasses and adjusted them nervously. "I slept with my contacts in." He said by way of explanation.

Sasuke's eyes flew to the upper corner of the screen. "What are you talking about it's like 7 o' clock at night." He said. "Come to think of it you never call on the weekdays; don't you have a class or something like that?"

He had to had it to him. Sasuke didn't beat around the bush. "It was a long day and emailed my professor to let her know I won't be coming to class tonight." He admitted.

"Oh so it's that kind of FaceTime." He said with a slow nod. "Out with it. What's on your mind because you've never missed a day of class since elementary school."

Itachi rolled his eyes. Did he really have to bring that up now? So much for perfect attendance throughout college, he thought forlornly.

"Let me guess," Sasuke said before Itachi could even begin to explain what was going on, "you've caught feelings for that guy you tutor. What's his name again?"

"Not quite but you're close and his name's Kisame."

"Kisame. I knew it started with a K." Sasuke reconsidered for a moment. "Kisame confessed to you and you're not sure how to feel about it."

Sasuke was astute as always, figuring out his dilemma in two guesses without any hints. To be fair, though, he'd almost been expecting this outcome since spring break. "Something like that. His roommate told me some things earlier."

"Like…?"

"Along the lines of what you said. It seems Kisame has had feelings for me for quite some time. I didn't realize that until now."

"I knew I was giving you too much credit when I asked if you guys were finally dating." Sasuke sighed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means how the hell did it take you this long to realize this guy's been simping for you?"

"Simping?"

"Crushing. Hard." Sasuke elaborated flatly.

Itachi rose from his bed. This wasn't a conversation he'd be able to lie down for and was better suited to sitting at his desk so he could hide his face in his palms. "Why is everyone acting like it's been obvious from the start?"

Sasuke rolled his head backwards. "God you're dense!"

There was it was. It was only a matter of time before the words left his little brother's mouth and despite the reprimanding edge it carried Itachi found himself smiling slightly. Guess he hadn't grown much after all.

"You like to read don't you? You know the over-used tropes in movies and books! Smart kid tutors dumb athlete, they fall in love, the end. Boy meets boy, they become friends, someone catches feelings and someone – YOU – doesn't realize it until it's too late and you're racing to catch them at the airport before they move across the world, um, what else?"

"That's an oddly specific example and you don't have to say anymore. You've made your point. I hear you loud and clear. I should have known from the beginning." He said with an eye roll. Not every tutoring relationship ended in romance so why was everyone treating it like his fate was sealed the moment he agreed to Kisame's proposition?

Sasuke sat back in his gaming chair. "So what're you gonna do? You gonna date him or what?"

Itachi shook his head.

"Why." Sasuke said. It wasn't a question; it was a demand.

Itachi ran a hand through his hair. "That's where I'm stuck. I like Kisame but I don't like him in that way, I mean—"

"How do you know?"

"What?"

"Have you kissed?"

"No?"

"Held hands?"

"No, Sasuke I think you're missing the point."

"I'm not missing the point, Itachi; you're the one missing the point. What do you like about this guy anyways?"

Itachi inhaled in frustration and exhaled. He grit his teeth and readied himself for what would be his second argument about Kisame today. "As a friend I like his easy-going demeanor."

"What else?"

"His resilience."

"And?"

The gentle way in which he looked out for him like he did when they were at the aquarium. Or the way he made him laugh at the most ridiculous things, or the way he could always calm him down when he was angry or upset or how he always knew how to take his mind off what was bothering him. This was the reality of how he truly felt. These were the moments he thought about when he thought of his relationship with Kisame. These were the feelings that welled up inside of him when he felt like there was no one he could turn to since Shisui's death.

"Let me put it this way," Sasuke said, "say you reject him and tell him you don't share those sentiments or whatever. Will you feel like a weight's been taken off your shoulders or are you gonna be miserable?" He asked.

He took a second to envision Sasuke's words in his head. They'd be sitting in the cafeteria at their normal table by the condiments and napkin dispenser. Kisame would be tearing his chicken tenders apart while Itachi picked at his salad. "Kisame, there's something I have to tell you."

Kisame would say something totally different like "I wish I would have gotten French fries" or "let's go back to the aquarium next weekend." Even though he knew that's not what Itachi meant.

And when Itachi fumbled with the words, Kisame's face would drop as the reality of the situation set in.

The entire prospect made his chest ache. "I can't entertain everyone who has the slightest interest in dating me." Itachi told him. "I have to discern between those I can picture a future with and those I can't."

"Okay but that's not the issue here. You had no problem turning your roommate down. Why the hesitation this time?"

A gust of wind came through just then, rattling the leaves on the tree outside his window like the just like the thoughts in his head. Thrashing this way and that, clinging desperately to the fragile branches like the remaining rational thoughts he had. "It's not…I'm not gay…"

Sasuke groaned in irritation. "Here we go again. Why don't we change the topic?"

"But I—fine." Itachi protested weakly, tired of fighting and explaining himself. Even though Sasuke was his brother he was relentless in arguments. Most people who often dared challenge him simply gave up in the end because they were too tired to fight anymore. Despite being related by blood Itachi often poked him in the forehead and busied himself with another task to avoid prolonging conversations such as these.

And in this moment, he was grateful to be talking about something other than Kisame.

"I found a recipe for a dragon fruit smoothie online the other day." He said.

"Oh really? How did that turn out?"

Sasuke frowned in a way people often did when they weren't expecting a pleasant outcome to a situation. "Not bad actually. I was gonna make it for you when you got back from college but then I remembered you don't like dragon fruit."

Itachi furrowed his eyebrows. "What? Since when did I say I didn't like dragon fruit?" He asked and moved to turn on the light switch. He could barely make out his face from the wall in the background since the sun disappeared behind the trees. "I don't remember saying that."

Sasuke shrugged. "You didn't. I just assumed you wouldn't like it."

Itachi gave a short laugh. "Why would you assume I didn't like something if I've never tried it before?"

And just as the words left his mouth the realization dawned on him. Sasuke wasn't diverting the topic of the conversation at all. He was making a point.

"Oh I don't know. The same way you keep saying that you're gay even though you've never dated a guy before. Same difference."

"No, it's not the same." Itachi argued. "Trying a fruit and sleeping with someone of the same gender are two very different concepts."

"Says who? God? We don't even go to church on Easter so I don't think Our Lord and Savior is going to care very much if you hold hands with a guy."

Itachi propped his phone up against the corkboard backing of his desk and ran his hands down the length of his face. "Why are you so adamant about this Sasuke? You've never even met Kisame."

"Cuz I don't need to meet him to know that he levels you out, Itachi. The way you talk about him is different from the way you talk about that blonde ditz you share a room with and honestly? Life's too short. You're a college student and it's not gonna kill you to act like one! Just make sure he's tested before you have sex with him, okay?"

"Okay that's enough." Itachi chided. What happened to the cute little brother that came to his rib cage and showed him a really cool leaf he'd found at school earlier that day? What happened to the crushing hugs and "Itachi look what I can do!" Never in his wildest dreams did he picture his younger brother giving him safe sex tips and explaining terms like 'simping' which Itachi looked up briefly out of curiosity and closed almost as quickly as the search results populated.

"Look. The fact that you're even asking for my opinion speaks volumes about how you really feel. So swallow your pride and get your head out of your ass and do whatever the fuck you want for once. If he turns out to be a major douchebag let me know and I'll break his legs."

"You'll break his legs?" Itachi echoed incredulously though he shouldn't have been surprised. As cute as he was, Sasuke always harbored a vengeful side ever since he was little.

"I'll break his legs before he even thinks about hurting you and I want you to tell him that if you ever decide to date. Got it?"

He couldn't help but smile. "Got it."

"Good." Sasuke said. "Promise you'll give it some serious thought, okay?"

Itachi nodded. "Okay." He said and he genuinely meant it too. While Zabuza made an excellent argument his words held a condescending edge to them whereas Sasuke, though harsh at times, knew Itachi. He knew when to be tough and when to be gentle and gave Itachi a lot to consider in the coming days.

"Cool. Listen, Naruto's been bugging me so I'm gonna call him back okay?"

Itachi checked the time on his watch. It was approaching seven and was starting to get hungry. "Sounds good. Talk to you some other time, Sasuke."

"Yup." Sasuke said and hung up the phone.

Itachi turned off his phone display and stared at the black screen in front of him. His reflection was hazy, making it difficult to distinguish the details unless he held it to the light and kept it still. When he could finally make out where his bangs framed his jawline he was greeted with eyes filled with uncertainty and sadness.