Chapter 12: Spontaneous Getaway

Kyuubi stirred awake, yawned softly as he stretched out his arms. Tiredly, he turned to the voice that had softly called him out of his sleep.

"I thought we'd never get here," he said, exhausted from the long drive. "How long was I out?"

"Not that long." Itachi got out of the car, walked around and offered his hand to Kyuubi as he stepped out.

"How many family villas do you own?" Kyuubi admired the large estate while Itachi retrieved their bags from the trunk. "It's so peaceful. You wouldn't expect a house like this to be built in such a rural area."

Itachi came and stood beside him. "Let's go inside."

By now, Kyuubi has become accustomed to the luxuries of Itachi's life. Nothing really fazed him anymore. The house stood massive, larger than Itachi's home but slightly less intimidating when compared to the high mountains looming eerily in the background. A misty fog covered it's peak, appearing like clouds, and Kyuubi almost wanted to reach out his hand and attempt to touch it.

As they neared the house, Kyuubi thought to himself that he wouldn't mind living in a place like this. It was so quiet, far away from the city. In a place like this, it almost felt like being the only person in the world. It was nice to get a chance once in a while to tune everything out. Suddenly, he didn't mind the spontaneous weekend getaway.

The inside was nothing as Kyuubi expected. The house was warm, designed quite old-fashioned, a standout contrast to the mansion's modern exterior. It was also quite different from the other family villas he has visited with Itachi. Those felt more like vacation sites but this place, the more he looked around, the more it seemed like a house his grandparents would appreciate.

"Why do you look so in awe?" Itachi grinned when Kyuubi turned and looked at him. "I thought you'd be used to it by now."

"I am," Kyuubi said, walking down the short mound of steps. "It's just different from the other villas we've been to. It's a nice change."

Itachi took Kyuubi's hand and gently pulled him close, looked down at him with a fond smile. "That's because this is my grandmother's house," he said, his voice trailing sadly. "This is where she raised me after my parents died."

Kyuubi quickly pulled away and hopping on one leg, struggled to take off his shoes. "Shit, are you kidding me? Why didn't you tell me? Are we meeting family? Are people expecting us?"

Itachi chuckled, amused by his boyfriend's fluster. "Relax, it's just us here."

Kyuubi sighed, relieved, yet still unsure. "No one lives here?"

Itachi extended his hand, waited until Kyuubi took hold of it before he slowly led him through the house. Turning to him, he explained calmly. "My grandfather wanted to sell this house after my grandmother's… departure. I told him if he sold the house, I'd live the rest of my life on the streets. Eventually, we came to an agreement. He'd hire someone to live here and take care of the house and in turn, I'd behave."

"Why are you so interested in the house?" Kyuubi asked, suddenly very intrigued and at the same time, pleasantly shocked that Itachi was finally sharing this part of his life with him.

Itachi stopped walking, his hand still holding onto Kyuubi's. He frowned, a distant look in his eyes. "It's the only thing I have left of her. " When Kyuubi simply nodded, keeping his eyes downcast, Itachi reached forward and raised his chin, met Kyuubi's gentle green eyes. "How much did Deidara tell you about my past?"

"Not much," Kyuubi said briskly. "Just that no one has seen your grandmother in years. That's all he said about the subject."

Itachi searched his eyes. "You're not lying to me, are you?"

Kyuubi forced a smile. "Of course not."

Itachi didn't seem convinced. Still, he leaned down and softly kissed Kyuubi on the lips. "Let's get settled in."

They settled in pretty quickly. It was a two day trip and so they had packed lightly. Kyuubi walked around the large bedroom in his robe, droplets of water from his hair dripped down and trickled down his chest as he moved around, searching every crevice of the room. From the distance, he heard the soft spray of the shower. He didn't know exactly what he was looking for but he still searched, desperate to find something.

In the end, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Itachi had assured him twice that the room they had occupied for the weekend, did not previously belong to his grandmother. Still, Kyuubi felt nervous, an unsettling feeling he can't shake off. There was an eeriness within the whole house. The mysterious disappearance of Akemi Uchiha loomed over him, all while being alone in this large estate in the middle of nowhere with Itachi. His anxiety was through the roof.

Kyuubi pulled himself to his feet, ran a hand through his wet hair. "Everything's fine," he assured himself, exhaling a deep breath. "Calm the fuck down, Kyuubi. There's no ghost coming after you. Itachi will be out of the shower soon so just relax."

He finished unpacking his suitcase and left the room. The soft robe was comfortable as he fixed the belt tighter around his waist. Inside the kitchen, various fruits along with other snacks lined the massive counter, displayed neatly in large bowls. Kyuubi took a grape into his mouth. He reached for a ripe pear, wiped it against the fabric of his robe before he took a huge bite.

He was typing on his laptop when Itachi finally came into the kitchen. "What are you doing?" he asked, toweling his long hair.

Kyuubi glanced up at him as he stuffed another grape into his mouth. "Working on an assignment. It's an easy one. Shouldn't take too long."

Itachi walked over and gently pushed the laptop close. He moved it aside, picked a grape out of the bowl. "I told you, no work while we're here."

"I can't help it," Kyuubi said, standing to his feet. "I care about my grades."

"You have a 4.0."

"Yeah, and I intend to keep it that way."

"Come here." Itachi grabbed his hand and pulled him to his body. He turned them around, pressing Kyuubi's back against the counter. "Stop being perfect for two seconds."

Kyuubi almost snorted. "I'm not perfect."

"Shut up." Itachi leaned down and kissed him. He held Kyuubi firm in his hands as he pressed his weight against him. "You're perfect in every way," he whispered, his lips brushing against Kyuubi's ear.

Kyuubi held Itachi's arms, felt the shape of muscles underneath his fingertips. Suddenly, he was embarrassed, shy as he buried his face into Itachi's chest. Perfect. He smiled at the thought, and his eyes stung with the realization that he was far from it. Itachi again kissed him and he opened his mouth, Itachi's warm tongue against his own. He moaned softly as Itachi's hands eased his robe open and he felt the excitement build inside him as his hand wandered down and gripped him fully. He's lifted onto the counter and Kyuubi eagerly wrapped his legs around Itachi's waist, invited him inside.

Kyuubi gripped the countertop and his other hand held Itachi for support. He opened his mouth, moaned softly, and Itachi kissed him, kissed him like he was hungry. Like this was the last time he would have him. There was a brand new passion, something in Itachi's eyes Kyuubi hasn't seen before. He groaned when Itachi's hand found his throat, and Kyuubi held his hand, reminded him to be gentle. It only worked for a while, until Itachi lost himself in his lust, until only his pleasure mattered and Kyuubi's didn't.

—

Kyuubi tossed the wet towel aside after their shower. Itachi stood in front of the mirror combing his wet hair. "I'm hungry," Kyuubi said as he fixed on one of Itachi's large T-shirts that fit him oversized. "Do you want me to cook or do you want to order takeout?"

"Do whatever you want, baby." Itachi placed the brush down. "What time is it?"

"Um," Kyuubi glanced up at the clock overhead. "It's an hour past noon."

"I miss your cooking," Itachi said.

"Is that your way of saying you'd like me to cook for you?"

Itachi walked over and gently kissed him on the forehead. "I'd love it if you'd cook for me." His hand tenderly caressed Kyuubi's face.

The entire kitchen was aromatic by the time Kyuubi had finished. He presented the dishes to Itachi inside the living room. They sat on the carpet, watching a random movie showing on the large screen TV. Kyuubi fixed a piece of lettuce with some of the side dishes and fed it to Itachi for his opinion. He waited anxiously while Itachi slowly chewed the food.

"Well?"

"It's good," Itachi said plainly.

"You're not just saying that to be nice, are you?" Kyuubi smiled and brought a small sample to his mouth. To him it was good but for some reason, he expected differently from his boyfriend.

"It's really good," Itachi said again, reassuringly, and Kyuubi smiled. He rolled his tongue around in his mouth. "Thank you."

Kyuubi blushed. "You're welcome."

They finished eating quickly, both of them practically scarfing down their food. Kyuubi was surprised. Itachi didn't normally eat a lot, yet he had finished all his servings. He must have been serious when he said he had missed his cooking. At the mansion, Sakura did all the cooking. Kyuubi usually only cooked when Itachi visited him at his house, when he would come to greet his parents. That was during the beginning of their relationship when Itachi was trying to get into their good graces. Now, Kyuubi wanted them as far away from Itachi as possible.

How quickly things had changed in just the last year?

Itachi offered to do the dishes. When he was done, they lounged lazily around in the living room. They watched a few more movies, but soon Kyuubi got bored, got restless. He wasn't used to relaxing. If he wasn't doing assignments, he was helping his parents out at the bakery. He always had something to do.

"Let's play a game," he suggested, jumping off Itachi's chest where he had been cuddled up comfortably for the last few hours.

Itachi was content on the large sofa, his arms folded comfortably behind his head. "What game?"

"Hide and seek."

Itachi almost laughed. "Fuck off."

Kyuubi was like an excited kid who wouldn't take no for an answer. He was almost bouncing as he grabbed Itachi's arm and tried to peel his reluctant boyfriend off the couch. Itachi groaned but finally decided to give in. He stood up and by Kyuubi's instructions turned around and covered his eyes. Softly, and rather slowly, he counted backwards from 100. He heard Kyuubi's soft footsteps against the carpet as he ran away.

Kyuubi ducked between rooms trying to find the perfect hiding spot. Down the corridor, he turned into another hall and when he heard Itachi's voice menacingly calling out to him, he quickly rushed into the first room he found. It was a smaller size compared to the one he and Itachi were currently staying in. Kyuubi found a closet and hid inside, softly shut the door. Inside, there were still clothes hung on the rack, covered and shielded away in zipped up bags.

Kyuubi pushed through them and he could smell the faint dust trapped in between. He wondered how long the clothes had been there. He began to look around curiously. There were shoes at the bottom, high heels and sandals lined neatly and orderly against their boxes. He picked up a pair and observed them. It looked barely worn. By the side of a pair of heels, he saw a random red box, small and metallic. Kyuubi reached for it and just as his fingers brushed against it, he jumped when the door was pulled open and Itachi yelled out a noise.

"Shit, you fucking scared me!" Kyuubi clutched his chest while Itachi laughed at him.

"You suck." Itachi held the door open and Kyuubi walked out, still breathless from his startle. "It was obvious you'd hide in a fucking closet. It was only a matter of searching each one until I found you."

Kyuubi playfully shoved him away. "Yeah, let me see you try to find a better hiding spot."

"I'd rather play a different game." Itachi grabbed Kyuubi's wrist and pulled him close. "Let's see how many hickeys I can give you before I get tired."

Kyuubi wriggled to get free but Itachi held him firmly. He moved his head and Itachi's tongue trailed up his neck. Kyuubi stopped moving, his eyes wandering over to the closet, his mind still intent on the box sat within. "Itachi…"

"Yeah." Itachi effortlessly lifted Kyuubi into his arms and laid him gently on the bed, hovering above him. "What is it?"

"I told you I don't want to have sex in your grandmother's room," Kyuubi said softly. "Inside the closet, I saw women clothes in there." He sat up when Itachi moved off him and got off the bed. "Was this her room?"

Itachi didn't respond. Instead, he reached over and pulled Kyuubi off the bed, lifted him up and positioned him over his shoulder as he held Kyuubi's long legs securely against his chest. Kyuubi held on to Itachi's shoulders as he's taken out of the room.

"Where are we going?"

"To a room where I can fuck you."

Kyuubi sighed, his eyes still fixed on the door. He would go back there. Before they leave the house, he would find out what was in that box. Suddenly, the eerie feeling was back again. In their bedroom, Itachi placed Kyuubi over the large bed. Kyuubi moved back, spread his legs and Itachi settled in between comfortably.

For the third time that day, they made love.

They decided to order takeout for the evening. The food took about an hour to arrive. By the time it came, Itachi had lost most of his appetite. Kyuubi requested him to eat and he did just that, forced himself to eat a little while Kyuubi ate most of the food. Itachi could never quite understand Kyuubi's large appetite. He could eat all the food in the world and never seem to put on weight.

When they had finished eating, Itachi decided to show Kyuubi his old room. The place was exactly how he had left it as a teenager. All his boyish toys and action figures remained. His old text books, his old clothes, everything was in tact and kept clean and orderly by the housekeeper. Kyuubi poked fun at him for some of his interests, things he wouldn't have expected him to have been interested in. Through their inspection, they found an old set of cards. They sat on the floor and engaged in a fierce game. Kyuubi had already won twice and Itachi was determined to beat him the third round. This was the closest he had come to winning. He still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

"You had more cards than that, you fucking cheater!" Kyuubi accusingly pointed his finger at his smirking boyfriend.

"You need to get your eyes checked," Itachi said dismissively. "I had these two cards the whole time."

"Stand up!" Kyuubi demanded. "Shake out your robe."

Itachi laughed. "You're out of your fucking mind if you think I'm doing that."

"Because you know you're cheating."

"Play the fucking card, Kyuubi!"

Kyuubi threw down the card, his eyes not once leaving the two cards Itachi held between his fingers. "Red."

Itachi grinned, cocky as he threw down his last remaining cards. "I win."

"No, you can't fucking do that." Kyuubi picked up the cards and threw it back at him. "You can only put one down at a time."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Itachi picked up the cards and placed it back down on the stack. "You did the same shit last round!" he argued.

"No, I fucking didn't. You're such a liar." Kyuubi laughed and lunged at Itachi, tackling him to the ground. "You're such a fucking cheater."

"And you're a sore fucking loser." Itachi held onto Kyuubi's wrists, moving his probing hands away from his body. "Stop, accept your defeat like a man."

"I only lost because you fucking cheated."

Itachi wrestled Kyuubi underneath him. Just as he flipped over, the hidden cards came raining down out of his robe.

"You fucking cheater!" Kyuubi pushed at his chest. "I fucking knew it!"

Itachi laughed and grabbing Kyuubi's arms, pinned them to the floor. "A win is a win."

Kyuubi calmed down, his chest still heaving from the excitement. "Cheater," he said breathlessly, looking into Itachi's brown eyes. He closed his eyes when Itachi leaned down and kissed him, their lips moving slowly against each other.

"Let's go for a drive," Itachi suggested. He stood up and helped Kyuubi off the floor. "We've been cooped up in here all day. I want to show you the city."

Kyuubi had no protests. "Let's go."

—

The city was lively that night. Kyuubi marveled at everything he saw. It was different from what he was used to. There were food vendors every where he turned, small boutiques and restaurants in each neighborhood they visited. He listened to the excitement of the people around him, the carefree laughs, the bright lights and billboards high on top of the tall buildings. It was enticing and Kyuubi glanced down as he felt the vibration of music beneath his feet from a nearby club.

"I'm hungry."

Itachi turned to him. "We just ate."

"I want something sweet."

Not too far away, Kyuubi spotted a small bakery. He pulled Itachi along with him as he ran and peered through the window. It was a cute aesthetic shop with beautifully decorated cakes and pastries displayed on the shelves. Kyuubi went inside and bought himself a box of macarons. He offered one to Itachi who waited for him outside.

"What should we do now?" Kyuubi asked, suddenly full of energy as he popped a chocolate macaron into his mouth.

Itachi held Kyuubi's hand as they crossed the street. They continued down the long sidewalk, chatting quietly among themselves. Itachi suddenly stopped and Kyuubi looked up to see him distracted, his eyes fixed on a diner they had passed.

"What?" Kyuubi asked.

Itachi let go of his hand. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you."

Itachi sharply turned around, his eyes glaring. "I said stay here," he repeated coldly, then in a softer tone. "I'll just be five minutes. Wait for me."

Kyuubi didn't say anything, simply nodded his head like a frightened puppy forced to obey it's master.

The bell on the door of the diner rang as Itachi opened it, announced his presence as he walked inside. There was still a few people dining even at the late hour. Itachi glanced their way as he walked by them. He recognized a few locals he remembered from his years spent in the city. He made his way to the front and smiled seeing his old friend. The owner walked around from the counter and excitedly embraced him.

Obito was a man in his mid fifties. He was of average height, standing just below Itachi's shoulders. His once dark hair was now a mixture of grey and white. The wrinkles had formed early around his neck. It's been a long time since Itachi last saw him. Itachi glanced down, laughed as he saw the round belly protruding behind the apron.

"Business has been good I see."

Obito's boisterous laugh filled the place, disturbing the few customers that remained.

"Ah, maybe you should eat more like me," he said, his voice thick and heavy. "Every time I see you, you're a foot taller and a little skinnier. But look at you, you're a man now." Obito firmly gripped both Itachi's arms. "Look at the size of these muscles. I remember when you were just a boy starting fights in my restaurant. I still have the scar on my arm from when you pushed me into the glass casing, you remember that?"

Itachi frowned as he looked at the fading scar that stretched down from shoulder to elbow. "Yeah, I remember."

"Yeah, man, I had to get stitched up." Obito laughed, shook his head at the memory that back then wasn't so easy to laugh at. "It was bad. Nearly took off my arm. You were what, thirteen then but man, when you got like that, you were scary. But look at you now, you're a big man. You look good. You look healthy."

Itachi pulled up a chair to the counter and Obito walked back around. He took up the heating pot of coffee and offered a cup to Itachi.

"No, I'm not staying long," Itachi said, declining the hot drink.

"You sure, man?" Obito insisted. "It's cold out there."

Itachi again rejected the offer. He looked around the place, saw a huge improvement from the days he would come to the diner after school. There has been significant renovations, now more spacious with new furniture and modern decorations. He saw his money hadn't gone to waste.

"The place looks good," Itachi said.

"I mean, Itachi, what can I say?" Obito's voice was filled with gratitude as he bowed his head before Itachi who was young enough to be his own son. "I owe everything to you. You have been more than generous. I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"I won't ask you to." Itachi struggled to keep the smile on his face. "It's the least I can do for you. It's what she would have wanted."

Obito frowned, a change in his eyes as he clenched his jaw. "My sister," he said.

For a moment, Itachi saw her face, a fleeting memory of a beautiful woman with the warmest smile he's ever known. "Have you heard from her?"

Obito quickly shook his head. "You ask me this same question every month. My answer is still the same."

"I miss her."

"I know she meant a lot to you."

"I loved her."

"I know you did," Obito said. "She loved you too, just not the way you loved her."

Itachi balled his fists, forced himself to stay seated as he looked up at Obito with fire in his eyes. "You can't speak as to what she felt for me. You don't know."

Obito chuckled nervously. "Maybe you're right."

"If you hear from her, give me a call, alright?" Itachi stood up and turned to leave. He looked back when Obito called him and he saw the man again slowly walk around to meet him.

"Listen, Itachi," Obito said, his voice laced with concern. "You had your issues as a kid. I can see you're a better man now. I didn't want to do anything that might jeopardize whatever peace you have found for yourself. But, I also can't keep lying to you, man."

Itachi took a threatening step forward. "What are you talking about?"

Obito handed him the small postcard. On the small card was the same fleeting beautiful face, smiling. Beside her, a smiling man and below them, a smiling child, a mixture of the two older smiling faces.

"She got married a few years ago. She has a family now, Itachi." Obito sighed. "She's not coming back."

"Married," Itachi spat the word as if it was poison, his eyes unable to tear away from the picture of the happy family. He turned the post card around, read over the cursive penmanship. She was in Paris. Itachi remembered promising her that one day he would take her to see the Eiffel Tower. He crushed the paper in his fist as he swallowed down the lump in his throat. "When did you get this?"

"About two months ago," Obito admitted to him. He's unable to meet Itachi's eyes out of shame. "Every few months or so she sends me a postcard from a different country. She's doing what she's always wanted. Traveling the world. She's happy, Itachi. You should be happy for her."

"Happy?" Itachi sneered at the thought. He felt himself slowly starting to lose control.

"It's always been hard for me to admit it. But what my sister did to you, it was wrong." Obito reached out and laid a comforting hand over Itachi's shoulder. "I'm sorry I chose to look away."

Itachi shook his head. He doesn't say anything as he quickly walked out of the diner. He almost forgot about his boyfriend as he walked past him, not glancing his way as he quickened his pace down the street.

"Wait for me, I'll only be five minutes." Kyuubi playfully mocked him as he followed behind. "Oh, and I guess now we're just gonna pretend I don't exist." The car horn blared and Kyuubi reached out and grabbed Itachi just as the car sped past by them.

"Itachi, watch where you're going." Itachi wrenched his arm free and it's then Kyuubi realized something was wrong. "What's the matter with you?"

Itachi squared his shoulders, balled his fists. He moved forward and Kyuubi stepped back.

"What did I do?" Kyuubi was confused. He didn't understand the sudden anger. How did the atmosphere shift so drastically? Just a few minutes ago, they were holding hands, laughing. He doesn't know what he did wrong. He doesn't understand the reason behind the hatred in Itachi's eyes.

"You never just shut up, do you?"

"I'm sorry."

Itachi violently grabbed him by the collar, raised his fist. He stopped his arm mid-air, saw the fear in Kyuubi's eyes as he flinched. He took a deep breath, desperately tried to calm down. Roughly, he shoved Kyuubi aside, lowered his fist.

"We're going."

—

The hour long ride was made in complete silence. When they reached the house, Kyuubi kept his distance. He went back to finishing up the assignment he had started earlier while Itachi went inside their bedroom and slammed the door shut. Soon Kyuubi heard the soft spray of the shower once more.

Itachi stood in the shower, fully clothed as the cold water rushed down on his head. He sank his teeth into his bottom lip, drawing blood. He cried, his sobs masked under the loud shower spray. He couldn't get her voice out of his head. Once, her voice sounded sweet and loving to his ears. Now remembering it, he heard her voice as siren whose song had lost its magic. It made his skin crawl. It made him want to vomit. But still, he wanted to see her. He craved it like his lungs craved air. He wanted to feel her, just one last time. Listen to the soft way she always called out his name.

"Don't let her take me away from you, Itachi."

"Shut up!"

"If you let her take me away, you'll never see me again."

"Shut up!"

"My sweet boy."

Itachi rammed his fist into the tiles. The flesh tore and he looked up, saw the mixture of water and blood run down the white tiles. He felt the dull pain, almost marveled at it. He looked down at his hands and it was just like that day, coated red. She said it was an accident. She said he had done it to protect her.

What had he done?

Why was there so much blood?

—

Kyuubi was on the couch focused on his work when Itachi finally came out of the room. He walked past the living room barely sparing him a glance as he headed for the door.

"Can we talk?" Kyuubi said, and to his surprise Itachi stopped. He looked up and saw the scowl on his face.

"Talk about what?"

Kyuubi sat up and closed his laptop, moved it off his lap. "You know what," he said sharply, irritated by Itachi's pretentious ignorance. "Come sit down."

"Don't talk to me like I'm a fucking child."

"Then maybe you should stop acting like one." Kyuubi quickly stood up and ran when Itachi charged at him. Not knowing where to go, he ran into the kitchen, searched blindly for something to defend himself with. He lifted up the knife just as Itachi walked in. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He fearfully backed away.

"You're gonna stab me?" Itachi menacingly followed Kyuubi around the counter.

Kyuubi raised the knife higher, held it forward, his hand trembling. "Stop, please!"

"Put the knife down, Kyuubi."

Kyuubi recognized a new emotion in Itachi's voice he rarely heard. Itachi sounded genuinely scared. Still, Itachi continued after him, a frightening look on his face.

"I don't understand why you're acting like this," Kyuubi said, his eyes pleading. "We had a good day. We were good. The best we've been in a long time. Why are you trying to ruin it? I don't understand why you're so angry. What did I do?"

Itachi stopped chasing him and Kyuubi settled behind the large counter he had used as his shield. He kept up the knife, the blade glistened under the dull light. Kyuubi backed away, unsure of Itachi's next move. After a long minute of silence between them, Itachi's eyes full of hatred and Kyuubi's filled with fear, Itachi quietly turned and walked away.

When Kyuubi heard the heavy door slam shut, he exhaled a long sigh. He looked at his hand, still trembling with the knife inside and as if hot wax against his skin, he flung the knife to the ground. He stared at it with wide eyes. For the first time in his life, he was frightened of his own capabilities.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" He slid down to the floor, buried his head in his knees as he cried, alone and afraid.

—

The clouds rolled in through the silent night. The rain fell down quick and heavy, drenching everything below. Itachi sat in his car, staring out the large windshield. The rain rushed down on it like a flood and the swipers moved back and forth against the glass, clearing away as much as it could. In the silence, Itachi heard the thunder rumbling behind him, saw the quick flash of lightning as it cracked through the sky.

His phone rang for the umpteenth time and again, he ignored it. He was starting to consider reaching over, grabbing it and throwing it out the window. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel and the car honked, shrieked into the night. That seemed to upset him even more. He didn't understand what he was feeling. He was angry. He was sad. He was strangely happy. He was terrified. He felt everything and at the same time, nothing.

He felt like he was losing his mind. Nothing made sense. He felt his chest closing up the more he held back his emotions. He didn't want to cry but that didn't stop the tears from rushing down his face. He got out of the car, slammed the door shut. The rain fell on him heavy and hard, instantly drenching him and soaking him to the bone. It rushed down, pricked at his skin like needles. He screamed as he rammed his fist against the car, over and over again until his hand ached so painfully he cradled it against his chest.

Now, he felt something. He felt something that was physical. He fell on his knees, screamed as the rain washed away his tears. Above, the thunder clapped ferociously. The lightening followed, flashing the sky.

"She'll sent me away from you."

Her voice spoke to him like a ghost in the night.

"Don't let her take me away."

"My sweet boy."

—

Kyuubi peeled his eyes open. He had fallen asleep on the sofa, his laptop still over his lap. He grabbed his phone and looked at the time. It was three in the morning. Itachi had been gone for hours. He hadn't answered any of his calls. Kyuubi moved off the couch. He had slept for about fifteen minutes.

He went inside their room. He saw Itachi's wet clothes on the floor beside the entrance of the bathroom. He sighed as he picked them up. He wrung them out in the sink. He then walked over to where Itachi had showed him the washer and dryer were. Kyuubi shook out the clothes. He glanced down at the fallen ball of paper and slowly bent down to pick it up. He threw the clothes in the dryer.

Kyuubi unfolded the crushed up paper. He looked at the image, at the same smiling faces. His stomach turned uncomfortably as he stared particularly hard at the smiling woman.

"Aiya?"

No, this woman was older. But there was definitely a resemblance, one that was uncanny. They could be sisters. Same brown curls, the same fair complexion, even their eyes shared the same blue hue. Looking at this woman, it was like looking at Aiya some time into the future.

Kyuubi flipped the crushed postcard around, struggled to make out the smeared penmanship. He frowned as he ran a tired hand down his face. He racked his brain for some kind of an explanation but came up with nothing. He doesn't know what to think anymore. It's to the point where nothing made sense anymore.

Kyuubi rushed out of the room and walking down the hall, he stopped in front of the room he had previously hid in. He pushed the door open and went inside. He swiftly walked over to the closet, pulled out the small box. He sat on the bed and nervously lifted the top open.

A single Polaroid picture laid atop a bed of jewelry. Kyuubi grabbed the picture and flipped it over. He looked at the blurry image. It was teenage Itachi, no younger than maybe fourteen, smiling that same charming smile when he was in a really good mood. Beside him, that same woman, an older Aiya, kissed his cheek, her brown eyes looking into the camera.

Kyuubi dropped the picture. He moved his hand around inside the box, the pool of jewels clashing together. As he looked through them, he noticed they were all different pieces. He couldn't find a pair of anything. Single earrings of different designs, a few necklaces and bracelets. Most of them were diamonds, pearls, expensive gems.

Kyuubi sighed, closed the box and put it aside. He fixed his hands into his hair. He didn't understand.

—

In the morning, Itachi came home just as Kyuubi was getting out of the shower. He walked inside their bedroom, saw Kyuubi in his robe and his hair freshly washed. The red strands slicked down against his forehead. Itachi walked over and hugged him from behind, looked up and caught Kyuubi's eyes through the mirror.

"Hi lover," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss against Kyuubi's neck. "I'm sorry."

Kyuubi said nothing. He gently removed Itachi's arms from around his waist and moved around to the closet.

"Sorry?" he finally said, looking at Itachi from his place across the room. He found a clean shirt and quickly threw it on. "You think that's enough, Itachi?"

Itachi coughed into elbow. His hair was still somewhat wet from the rain. His clothes had dried but he could still feel the chill from the rain.

"I'll make it up to you," Itachi said. He struggled to take off his sweater with just one hand. His left hand was bandaged in the cast. The doctor said it would take about four to six weeks for the two broken fingers to fully heal. "Just give me some time to figure something out."

"What happened to your hand?" Itachi again coughed and Kyuubi worried that his cold might be coming back again.

"I broke it," Itachi replied.

"How?"

"Doesn't matter."

Kyuubi finished dressing and left the room without another word. He made a quick breakfast and even though he was angry, still found himself making enough for Itachi even though he promised himself he wouldn't. Maybe he felt sorry for him. Itachi's never cooked a meal in his life, one that was edible at least.

He practically threw the plate in front of Itachi when he came and sat down by the counter.

"I'm not hungry," Itachi said hoarsely, sounding pitiful. He looked like a child, cuddled up in a large hoody with the hood over his head.

"You should eat something," Kyuubi said, an edge in his voice yet still concerned. "You don't eat enough as it is."

Itachi again coughed into his elbow. "Make me some tea, please."

"Why should I?" Still, he reached for the kettle.

"They're in the cupboard on the right," Itachi said when he saw Kyuubi searching for the teabags. Kyuubi carefully placed the tea in front of him when it's done. "Thank you."

"I'm starting to think you like being sick."

Itachi smiled. "As long as I have you looking after me, I don't mind at all."

Kyuubi frowned, not the slightest bit amused. "You have no idea how angry I am right now."

"I do," Itachi said, that same carefree smile on his face. "For some reason, you're nicer to me when you're angry."

Kyuubi leaned against the counter, his hands gripping tightly over its edge. "What happened yesterday wasn't okay. It can't happen again."

"You pulled a knife out on me."

"I had no choice."

Itachi shrugged and Kyuubi scoffed in disbelief. "You have no idea how frightening you are when you get like that, do you?"

"I've never pulled a knife on you."

"You've never had to," Kyuubi shouted. "You have your fists."

Itachi said nothing and Kyuubi used the opportunity to calm down. He looked at his boyfriend, saw him calm as he drank his tea. It was always like this. He'll act calm and make Kyuubi look like the crazy one, make it seem like he was making a big deal out of nothing. It made Kyuubi more angry. Itachi could react in his anger, but it was unnecessary when he chose to do the same thing.

"You scared the shit out of me last night," Kyuubi said, keeping a calm base in his voice. "You don't ever put me in a position like that again. I hated it. Do you hear me, Itachi? Never again."

"I hear you," Itachi replied.

After a while, Kyuubi walked around the counter to Itachi. Immediately, Itachi wrapped his arms around him and laid his head on his chest. He was really like a child when he was sick. Kyuubi softly caressed his head, allowed Itachi to hold onto him for as long as he wanted. When he finally pulled away, Kyuubi sat down on the chair beside him.

"Why did you bring me here, Itachi?" Kyuubi said quietly. "Tell me what's really going on."

Itachi kept his eyes down, silent.

"That room I was hiding in," Kyuubi continued, "I know that wasn't Akemi's room. Who else lived here besides you and your grandmother?"

"Why are you so interested to know?" Itachi asked accusingly, looking up at Kyuubi with suspicion in his eyes.

Kyuubi reached inside his pocket and pulled out the crumbled postcard. "I found this in your clothes." He held on to it tighter when Itachi tried to take it from him. He waited until Itachi looked up and met his eyes. "I want to know who this woman is. And don't lie to me."

Itachi was reluctant but then slowly, he said in a soft voice. "Her name is Izumi. She was my… she was a lot of things."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lol, I don't know if anyone is still reading this story. But I'm bored and I wanted to write a thriller and this story seemed like a good set up for one so here we are. Please, leave reviews.