Title: Creating Memories
Theme: #20/The Road Home
Pairing: Hoshigaki Kisame/Uchiha Itachi
Word Count: 1,116
Summary: When a mission takes them to Mist Village, Kisame reflects on old memories and considers making some new ones.
The road into village, as usual, was covered by mist; that was after all what the village had gotten its name from. But in these late hours of the evening, the mist was more like a blanket over the ground- tucking it in for the night.
Crossing the bridge at this unusual hour, were two cloaked figures conversing casually. Well to be precise, the taller was speaking and the other seemed to be listening.
"When I was a kid, I used to play on this bridge all the time," The blue-skinned man reminisced, thinking back to his youthful days in his home village.
Pointing to a dark splotch on the landscape ahead of him, Kisame continued.
"And that forest is where I killed my first nin while on a mission."
The bridge creaked in the light winds as they set foot on the ground on the other side, Kisame's face lighting up with a wide grin.
"This is the road that led to my home, Itachi-san. It hasn't changed at all."
Crimson eyes glanced out at the simple village and the adjoining forests and waterways, his gaze then turning to his partner.
"It seems rather pointless to appreciate a home you've left," He muttered, thinking back to his own decimated village- littered with the bodies of the Uchiha clan.
"I'm appreciating the memories I have here, not the location itself, Itachi-san," Kisame corrected, thinking over all the places he had fond recollections of.
"So one must first have a pleasant memory of a place to enjoy it?"
Thinking that over, an idea pricked at Kisame's mind.
"Perhaps we shall find out."
Using Kisame's familiarity with the village to their advantage, they were able to secure an obscure lodging location for the night. But much to Itachi's dismay, said place only had a single-bed room available due to water-damage in some of the other rooms.
Assuring his partner that they'd make do somehow, Kisame led Itachi down the hall to their room.
"I've never stayed at this hotel before, but I've heard it's fairly low-key," He said under his breath as he unlocked the door.
Itachi nodded in acknowledgement; his frown deepening at the state of the accommodations.
"I can see why."
Kisame gave an awkward grin as he surveyed the room, "Not the best on the upkeep, are they?"
Itachi began to sit his cloak on a dusty chair, but thought better of it.
"I'm going to sleep," He stated simply, moving towards the bed.
"Then I'll sleep with you," Kisame replied.
Itachi's eyes widened slightly and he fixed his partner with a questioning gaze. Kisame, on the other hand, looked equally shocked at his own words.
"Well, sure I'd been thinking it but…" He laughed inwardly, "I suppose being back home just put me so at ease it slipped out."
Sensing a distinctive glare on him, the blue-skinned man sighed and tried to explain himself.
"Itachi-san, you said one must first have a pleasant memory of a place to enjoy it, right?"
The red-eyes softened in intensity, Itachi's deadpan expression shifted from slightly shocked and confused (if you squinted really hard) to slightly expectant and hopeful (if you tilted your head just right.)
Kisame paused, trying to form the right words- wanting it to be something that would say all he needed to in a way Itachi would understand.
Well, Itachi-san does rather prefer things to be straightforward and without lots of excess information…
Sitting down beside the black-haired man on the bed, Kisame gave him one last nervous smile before taking the plunge. His battle-scarred hand cautiously reached up to rest against Itachi's cheek and his eyes locked on the crimson eyes before him- searching them for anything that might indicate an emotion.
But at the moment, Kisame was getting mixed messages from his partner. On the outside, Itachi seemed to be saying "What the hell do you think you're doing?" but when you looked past that façade, you could see that there was an eighteen year old young man underneath waiting for his companion's lips to capture his own.
Hoping that his instincts about Itachi's inner thoughts were right, Kisame did just that- pressing his lips against Itachi's in a chaste kiss.
Pulling back, and expecting to find a kunai or something else stabbing him for what he'd done- Kisame was surprised to see that Itachi was just…staring at him.
"What was that supposed to be?" Itachi asked; voice cold and mechanical.
"Um…a question?" Kisame said tentatively, then on still not seeing any signs of irritation or anger, he clarified, "It was a question. I know you prefer actions over words, Itachi-san."
The black-haired man looked perplexed for a moment, raising a hand to rest against his lips in thought. He stayed like that for several minutes, until finally- it seemed that he'd given up on trying to find an answer.
"I'm going to sleep."
Kisame sighed, glad that he wasn't dead for trying something as brash as kissing Uchiha Itachi, but somewhat disappointed in the reaction.
"We have a mission to attend to tomorrow," Itachi continued, lying down on one side of the bed.
"I know…" Kisame murmured, his disappointment showing more than he would have liked it to.
He started to get up, figuring that he'd just find a place to lean up against the dirty hotel walls and hopefully sleep that way. But as he moved to stand, Itachi's unusual talkative streak spoke up once more.
"The bed. It… isn't that small."
Kisame looked between his partner and the small bed he laid on. Not wanting to impose himself more than he already had- but not wanting to sleep on the floor unless he absolutely had to; Kisame sat on the bed, leaning up against the headboard as he stretched his legs out.
"I'll keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. You sleep, Itachi-san."
That reasoning seemed to be enough for Itachi, and he rolled to his side and closed his eyes.
Looking to where the samehada rested beside him, Kisame took a deep breath- enjoying the distinct smell of the Mist village air.
He might have been sitting to one edge of a rather small bed, its poor springs and mattress strained with the weight of two occupants, while Itachi slept beside him- but it all seemed rather….pleasant.
"So one must first have a pleasant memory of a place to enjoy it?"
Itachi's comment seemed to echo in his mind, and Kisame smiled to himself. The road back home for a missing-nin was never easy, but this time- Kisame reasoned- the memories he would have of this night in his home town would stay with him forever.
Continued in the next chapter