Chapter 9
**Trigger Warning**
Today, she asked Yahiko to deliver a letter. A letter that would finally tell her family that her health was wanning; something Yahiko had proposed from the beginning. She gave in finally, seeing Yahiko's eyes light up as she finally abandoned the notion of her health getting better. No, that is not what he believed or said, but that's what she was beginning to believe. "Can you expedite the shipping?" He nodded, waving a goodbye to Keisuke as he headed out. But before leaving out the shop door he paused, hand on knob. "Akira…"Akiras ears perked up at her name eyes for the last time tracing his broad shoulders. "Hmm" she hummed in response, fingers at her temples in an attempt to aide her the dull ache. "I care about you...you know that?" Her lips parted wanting to respond but waited. "I dont think i wouldve ever found happiness as soon as i did for Keisuke if it werent for you.." Akiras brows furrowed at his words as her heart clutched at at his truth. "I dont think...I dont think i wouldve found happiness as soon as i did if it werent for you.." Her heart ached deeply willing the tears to recede back because she knew that after today. She couldnt be apart of it.
"I' her voice broke, gritting her teeth she forced out the words. Hoping for the words to not waver under her emotions. "I love Keisuke…" she took a deep breath in tears leaving her eyes despite her trying to hold back. "I love you Yahiko." Her chest screamed asking for Yahiko to not leave her. Begging for Yahiko to stay by herside so she wouldnt do this. Please Yahiko...see me. She hoped that maybe...maybe her eyes spoke the madness that was swimming around in her mind. She prayed that he would possibly see that she was not alright. That someone would finally see. He looked back, a small smile set on his lips browns furrowed despite her words. "You be safe till i get back...rest for me Kira"
She felt a jolt of pain shoot through her heart at his words. So she concluded. This was what she was fated. It was fair.
Its not like fate was ever kind to her long.
She sat at the base of the large tree that flourished outback behind her home. In view of the shed and tree stump that Yahiko used to chop wood on for the winter months. The day was beautiful. Hues of oranges and red shone on her as the sun finally decided to prepare himself for sleep. The sky shades added much to the scene. It was warm. It was inviting.
The colors seemed an attempt to settle her filled head which bounced from one person to the next. She wondered her siblings, her mother, Yahiko, Keisuke….Tach-. There was a sudden surge of pain that would have sent her to the ground had she been a novice but she was far too familiar with the process. So she waited; body stiff as the wave settled through until finally it was over.
Keisuke was inside finishing some schoolwork she had pushed him into studying. Hes a good kid.
She looked down at the kunai she had inhand it gleamed bright in the setting sun shine reflecting a silvery sky. Her lips pursed, eyes again sailing through the skies that have seen many stories. Her eyes went to the door adjacent from her home apologizing inwardly to the little boy inside that was surely in a deep sleep by now. A potent tea that would cause him to enter into a deep slumber for a few hours. She needed to be quick being that she timed for the seal on the letter to break, opening up a second letter. The contents inside would surely send Yahiko on a full sprint here to her home.
She had decided long ago that maybe her life wasn't worth the length of it.
They would be fine. A wave cluster headaches came again. She held herself firm against the tremble that brought her to her knees this time, breath hitched as the pain rolled out.
Her mother had the boys to keep her afloat financially. Her Sister had a husband with two loving daughters that he would love unconditionally. Brother of the west would surely be okay. As he had met a nice girl who he intended on marrying. Brother East had managed to build 3 additional stores in neighboring lands in the ninja wares industry. He has a lot to fill his mind with. Brother of the north was cared for by their mother. Everyone would be fine, Everyone...
She Lifted the Kunai, holding it to the carotid artery hearing the steady beating of her heart.
Keisuke would do well as a ninja. His hard work and dedication would surely rise him quickly. He was quick,and had a heart that wouldn't harden as hers did. Yahiko would have the store to do as he wished. Whether it was to tear it down and use the money for Keisukes and his living or to continue it.
He would find a nice girl...and fall in love. She closed her eyes feeling the heave of her emotions draw tears to her eyes, gritting her teeth against the cry that wouldve came.
Pain was something she lived with for a long time. It followed her. It haunted her dreams. She saw it at every turn in the cloud village. So she had to leave, for her own sanity. She found Keisuke, Yahiko...Saame...Tachi..and for sometime.
She forgot.
She forgot what she did for money. For status. For what the Cloud considered honor. She forgot that she sold her morals for coins and prestige...she forgot how Sonoko Brother North grew to hate her, blaming her for his current state in life. How her mother and sister turned their backs on her due to her her comrades betrayed her one by one. How her lover abandoned her in her lowest. How she took the life of her best friend and her child...all for the sake of the village...All for the sake of money…
She hated herself daily. And for a long time she couldn't stomach the thought of looking into a mirror.
Seeing herself made her sick.
She forgot all of this.
It was replaced with the little blond and Yahiko. It was replaced with Saame and Tachi….It was replaced with Mother apologizing and wanting to start over. For almost two years she felt good. As if Karma skipped over her due reckoning...because such a blessing as those four people was nothing but an accident. An accident that finally allowed this fool to look in a mirror and forgive herself.
So when these migraines started. It all came together. She was meant to suffer for her wrongs. This pain. These headaches reminded her that since she stop feeling pain on the inside. She was sure to feel pain on the outside.
Divine retribution. Karma. This was punishment. Her curse for believing that maybe..good things could come to her too.
Silly Akira…
I' am a fool.
It happens to the best of us Akira. Naivety is what brought you here...
She lifted the Kunai, tears flowing freely,her hands began to shake.
What would happen after I leave?
Does it matter?
Where would I go?
...Where people like you are supposed to go..
She deserved this...right?
Her hands shook gritting her teeth.
She felt warmth envelope her wrists..
She, Akira, wasn't deserving of all this. The love. The joy. The peace that this second life had given her. She wasn't...but they were.
Her mother would be devastated, falling into a pit of depression that she lost her 2nd daughter.. Her brother East,WEst, North and sister would hurt for centuries in remembrance of their tenacious sibling that always took life by the reigns. Keisuke would cry for days and hurt for years at the loss of his friend.
Yahiko...Yahiko.
The tears flowed now eyes closed in a heap at her resolution to continue despite the months of remembering and regretting her decisions. She was hit with another wave of pain, but this time she didn't care. This second life she decided, despite what is with it was still something she loved dearly. A life with the Keisukes childlike musings...with Yahikos tcomplaints of a clean home….of saame stealing her body butters...of Tachi...If life was only for Akira...she wouldve ended it...
Because that's what this second life was.
This second life was for them.
For others.
She opened her eyes meeting his red swirl stuck in a kaleidoscope of red and black until finally suddenly...it stopped.
Her breath hitched at the sudden clarity that she had, eyes wide as she stood there for one full minute waiting.
She wasn't sad.
She wasn't in pain.
Her hands shot to her head, dropping the kunai to push her fingers against her scalp pulling at her braids as if somehow the weight of them were in the way of why her head wasnt hurting.
That's when it hit her... feelings, emotions washed over her as tears flowed freely at finally feeling relief.
"It's gone."Her breathing deepened erratic, control leaving her as she again pulled at the braids again as reality set in.
Her migraines stopped. They were gone.
she threw her head back a scream that was pent up for all but 6 months ripped through her chest laced with anger, sadness, hate, bitterness,resentment and last...relief.
it was a relief.
And it was because of Tachi…
Slowly she brought her head forward, her eyes settling on his now onyx searching his for answers. She opened her mouth to speak, but lacked the words to form her confused thoughts.
"My headaches.." she finally whispered. His eyes lowered. His tired features prominent in the last rays of the sun. Her brows furrowed at him as the wheels in her mind began to turn. "My headaches were because of you." Any emotion that he wore washed over when his dark eyes met hers. His composure meek under her gaze. She felt her breath heave.
She felt her self control sliping, waiting for him eyes pleading for an answer. "Yes." was his final response. her temper mounted as she looked through the months of agony that almost placed a nail in her coffin. I was going to kill myself.
She saw red.
she tackled the nin onto the grassy terrain straddling him hands on his throat pressing hard. "YOU BASTARD" she spat out, tears blinding her in her rage, heartbroken from his betrayal. "I took you into my home.." Her grip tightened. "I HELPED YOU" She was over him, her weight pressed against his throat. "I fucking helped you." her words were fumbled and hard to get out, rage emotion higher and higher until. She realized she couldn't remember. She couldn't remember the pain. She couldn't remember sadness...
All she could remember was...It happened.
She felt his rough hands wrap around her wrist, and in an instance her grip loosened. Her tears fell on his face, lacing his eyes with the impression that he'd join her despite his calm expression as his onyx in her mind shifted to red in a way that they often did in her dreams. She felt tired. Tired from the months of leaving food for sleep. Tired of the constant migraine and headaches that plagued her. Tired of Yahikos constant musings of this nin under her betraying her. Tired of contemplating death over and over to satisfy some deep rooted self hate that seemed determined to take her out.
Buut, regardless of what she's felt for the months..his jutsu….erased her pain.
She lowered herself resting her weary head on his chest, body giving way to set all her weight on him as if to punish him; ignoring personal space, or boundaries that she so often set up to keep strangers and friends alike at bay. For now weakness took her tired body. She felt weak, but above all she felt hurt. Hurt that this man than she known for almost a year and a half was the source of her pain for the past few months.
. "We were supposed to be friends." she finally said, eyes closed as her tears ceased, forcing herself to remember an ailment that was wiped, an emotion that was foregn and a memory that now she forgave. Her hands grabbed fistfuls of his black and red coat, pressing against him.
"Did you honestly believe that.."His tone was cold and low above her head, but something greater told her it was filled with warmth. "I did...I do."She was met with the quiet lull of the wind that comforted her hot face.
. "Unfortunately, I cant say the same for you..." he finally spoke, voice low for only her ears to hear. Her brows furrowed allowing the words to sink in. "Do you ever tell the truth?" she asked voice wavering att he thought of Yahiko walking in on this.
"Not often." He replied. she felt a smile touch lips, but it fell all the same. "Can I trust you?"IT was a naive question, but she couldnt help but seek validation in this moment. She needed to know that in this new life.
She looked up to the fallen nin, lids lowered drowsie from the energy she expelled. "Yes." his words were barely over a whisper.
"Why were you gone for so long….your medicine finished if you followed my recommendations.." She saw the twitch in motion to lift his hand from the corner of her eye only to have him rest it back to the grass once more. She tightened her legs around him.
In that moment their eyes met.
She swallowed hard, wondering briefly if it were wise to look him in the eyes given recent events. His lids lowered meeting her same drowsy expression, which sent a strong flow of heat down that swelled her. She instantly pushed herself off of him sitting beside him on the grass, pulling her knees up to her chest to hug them.
Her mind hard at trying to keep her fundamental wants at bay. It had been awhile, a long while since she'd decided to ease her tension due to her headaches.
Deprivation leads to wayward paths. She'd imagine his cool voice say.
He sat up, pearching an arm on a raised knee, staring off into nowhere in particular. The sides of their bodies connected side by side. she turned to him unable to make out his features in the now night. She imagined he would be flustered...well..she hoped.
Her hand went to his shoulder and slowly made its way to his neck. She wondered, She felt the steady beating of his carotid pulse count giving her 100, which mildly took her interest as his usual rate was in the low 60s. She felt his rough hands take hers
"Tachi...are you ok?" she wondered briefly if his heart rate matched hers for the same reason. It was then her trained ears heard the steady footsteps that stopped short a few feet ahead of them.
She snatched her hand out of his at the realization of Yahiko, standing in a hurry to meet him, feeling her stomach turn.
"Yahiko, i-" She was swept up in a strong embrace, one that sent them toppling to the ground.
"Kira, " He was breathless, voice ragged pressing his wet cheek against hers. She hugged him tight in response burying her face in his shoulder, allowing his smell of vetiver, grapefruit and sweat that she knew too well comfort the knots that twisted in her stomach. She buried her hands in his disheveled raven hair as he clung to her, not letting go even after she tried to pull away. So she stayed there. He needed this. He almost lost a friend today..
she felt the eyes of the nin linger on them watching how Yahiko desperately clung onto Akira.
Yahiko sat them up after a minute, finally pulling away to grab her by the shoulders.
"What the hell Kira." He shook her, grip tight on her shoulders. His expression lost on her due to the night, but she'd imagine it bore something similar to rage. She started, "Yahiko I-"
"Why would you think this is ok?!" Akira flinched at the abrasion his voice bore. "Im sor-"
"SORRY ISNT GONNA CUT IT!" She felt her eyes well. her breath hitched, grasping at his hand to pry off his death grip, a whine absently leaving her throat from the pain.
"No sorry wont cut it." it was the sound of the missing nins voice that broke the two. "However, you should respect the fact that she did not do it, that she found something to live for. You and your brother included."
His hands left Akira, and she gratefully grasped at her aching shoulders to massage out the pain it left. He stood.
"You dont get to talk about her resolve when you're the one who drove her to this point." His words were venomous. Yahiko was up, shoulders squared and footing dangerous as she'd seen it when he trained. when he fought. She stood, staggering towards him feeling weakness take her as vertigo set in. She hugged him from behind, pressing herself up against she knew anything about Yahiko it was that he didn't lose his cool often, but when he did...
"Kiko please….he had nothing to do with it." She squeezed. "Tachi was the one who stopped me!"She lied.
She felt his tense body relax into hers. "Akira…"
"He did nothing." she said again, words definite.
It was the steady crunch of the grass underneath Tachi´s feet as he walked away that briefly took her attention, before she tended to her assistant who was calmer after her words. She turned him to face her away from the nin, hugging him tight as she watched the nins dark form disappear.
The afternoon rush had slowed. Yahiko had gone out to pick up Keisuje from school. Akira was becoming acquainted with the two hires that joined her store while she was ill. For Akira, it was all but a distant dream. She vaguely recalled the months of constant pain
A dream that blurred her months into nothing but a far off dream. A jutsu that made you dim memories. A jutsu that effects the mind like that...surely can add and shift memories...right?She blinked, making sure that her reality was just that. Real. She wasn't sure how, but he made it disappear. She felt like dancing today. Dancing because standing on her own two feet for such an extended period of time was so foriegn, but so concrete that she had to test it.
So as the moonlight shined over her figure she swayed back and forth. Twirling till her mind spun and saw the earth around her blend. She embraced. The feel of the grass under her feet. Shuffling. Leaping only to catch herself in her land from tripping over. She stopped suddenly. Lifting her fingers towards the moon hoping to catch the rays in the palm of her hands. She took a breath filling her lungs till she could no longer and exhaled .
IT was real.
Dancing. Leaping.
IT was real.
And it was Tachi that brought her back to life.
"Akira…"Yahiko whispered. She turned slowly catching the sheen of his dark hair. Moonlight hitting him in just the right way. And Yahiko was the one that held her hand in her revival. "Yea?"Her eyes soften at the sight of him. "Your not that good of a dancer.."She smiled wide at the playful remark. "Then teach me"was the only response she thought off as she ran to him taking his hand. "I-i havent danced in yea-"
"Lead me Yako..please."
Regret was a notion that was for those who either have not processed their circumstance effectively, or an individual who was not prepared emotionally, mentally, or spiritually for the consequences of a given action. So, from the beginning in order to avoid the feeling of regret. Itachi did what he could for others. In his younger years he chose to spend hours perfecting his craft as a ninja. In pursuit of being strong enough to protect those he cared for and avoid battles that were needless...but he failed.
So he took initiative, joining the aubu in hopes that he could somehow use his physical and mental prowlness to aid those on his squad and his village. He carried out mission after mission for his village, and would gladly do it again if it meant protecting the fundamental peace for the village and his family. He choose to be by Shisui's side as he was the only one that understood the burning in his heart that was for the sake of the Leaf and Saskuke. Shisui, his brother in arms who taught him and stood by his side for years. But..again he failed when Shisui died.
So Itachi took matters into his own hands...alone this time. He joined Danzo in the matter of the coupe, doing what he needed again for the sake of the village….surely for the sake of peace...for Sasuke...so he wouldn't have to regret again. Itachi found early on that regret was a notion that was for those who either have not processed their circumstance effectively, or an individual was not prepared emotionally, mentally, or spiritually for the consequences of a given action.
He'd like to think he was a man that rarely regretted, but he was riddled with them.
Too many regrets.
"Well are you gonna knock?"Kisame words were absolute as they stood in front of the back door that led into the cozy home that smelled a mixture of cookies and cinnamon. He felt stiff in the presence of the door, mind objecting heavily in the thought of knocking, of walking into the home, of tasting the food, and smelling the handcrafted soaps that alway left his skin smooth and clean.
This isn't what he wanted, but…
Itachi knocked on the beige door firm so as to not let his partner see his hesitance. Unfortunately for him Kisame was more perceptive than he gave him credit. There was a light shuffled behind the door, muffled by the sound of the TV that he was sure no one was watching. She did that often when she was lost in thought, oftentimes it was associated with a look that bared striff. It would always shift into a smile once she was pulled out of her world, one that reached her eyes despite the conflict.
It was alway genuine.
The opposite of his.
The door opened wide, soft chestnut eyes meeting his, and he promptly ignored the race his pulse gave him. "Tachi! Same!"
"Kitten, you're looking alive. "Kisame stepped past him into the home when he made no movement to step in. Kisame was met with a scoff and a roll of her eyes as he made his way past her. "Yea yea, death jokes." was her placid response. She was snippy when it came to his partner, but playful nonetheless. He believed that was the reason why Kisame always insisted on staying with her. He relished the entertainment that she always gave, throwing caution to the wind. He wondered often if it was boldness on her part, or foolishness that she adopted in her peace.
She leaned against the door frame, dressed in her usual loose nightgown, arms folded over her chest in an attempt to hide her lack of undergarment. A notion he picked up on early in her subtle was of showing modesty. He looked away, knowing the next statement well, as she always said it.
Each and everytime like clock work.
So he waited for the familiar inflection, the cadence that always came with her words.
"Am i always gonna have to ask you to come inside?"
There it was.
She often delivered.
His eyes would meet hers, with a false sense of politeness that he presented to her in these moments because frankly it was nice to know that someone wanted you in their company given his life decisions.
"Gomen-nasei, I don't want to-" In her bold move she grabbed his wrist and pulled him into her home that smelled like fresh cookies and cinnamon, and he willingly obliged.
And then he felt it, that pang of regret.
She closed the door behind them, seeing the TV was all that illuminated her neat living space that seemed opposite of the woman of the house, but he summed up that it was her overly involved employee that did it for her. It seemed that he did everything and anything for her as if he were..
"Its late you know." she walked past him, and his eyes trailed after her as she went towards the door that led to her storage. No doubt getting the futons to make his and Kisames stay more comfortable. He followed after movements mechanical as he slipped off his shoes stepping onto the smooth wooden floor, eyes never falling off her. "Yes, traveling in the mornings fares easier for the both of us." She hmmed in response opening the door to the tight walk in storage room flipping a switch as she walked in which sounded with a high buzz. He followed suit catching wind of her freshly bathed body, it was always something of flowers, Jasmines, roses, jupipers, bergamots.
It was a routine that they had made. They showed up late. she complained a bit. And itachi helped set up the bedding while Kisame showered for an hour leaving Itachi with freezing cold water, but; it wasn't something he , Itachi would be lying if he said that he did not enjoy this for the sake of normalcy. it was the only sense of normalcy that he relished when he wasn't out in the world being a...shinobi...and a criminal.
However, today wasn't normal. There was something different.
The tight storage was neatly done up with multiple shelves lined up on both sides. The wall across from the door hung various scarves and hats of different colors, noting the bright colors. She took the stepping stool stuffed in the corner of the small storage and placed it where she needed to get a hold of the comforters that were on the top shelf. His eyes located the bare light bulb beside Akiras head, brows furrowing as the fixtured that buzzed a high note.
Shit
With quick reflexes he pulled Akira by the back of her pajama top into his arms, sending them onto the ground with him landing first before, flipping himself over her resting his weight on her as the comforters fell on top of them. The light bulb exploded sending small glass fragments all over. She squealed, clasping the front of his shirt at the sudden surge of electricity that sparked as black enveloped them, save for the little light of the TV that shone their barely visible features.
Even in the dark their eyes met. "Tachi…"she was breathless, he felt her warm breath on his lips and the proximity between he and the home owner. He felt his pulse race as her clean filled his senses.
It was her scent of Jasmine, and roses and junipers and bregamots and something else that brought it altogether. Flowers that eased his breathing and cleared his headaches. he wondered briefly how she would react if in this moment if he buried himself into her neck to take in her scent that seemed like medicine for his aches .
Memories sparked falling back to what happened a couple of weeks prior, and his brows furrowed in confusion. "The voltage was too high.." he mumbled, mind in a swirl of questions that led him deeper into a state of confusion. So he stated facts to somehow distill the medley that formed in his mind. She nodded, expression sheepish shifting her gaze on to the door frame beside her head. Her slender neck exposed to him . "Y-yea."
Itachi eyed her neck, eyes trailing down to her collarbone, stopping short we her brest started, instead watching the deep up and down motion of her chest. The supple of her skin catching his mind. His eyes slowly traced their way back to her face, heart pounding.
He needed to leave.
Now.
He quickly placed his weight on the elbows, shifting the blanket from off his back so the shards would fall off to the side as Miss. Mitchgake slipped out from under him, feeling a tinge of embarrassment on his part.
He carefully pulled off the comforters, standing as Akira flipped the switch to her living room lamp. "Any cuts?"He promptly shook his head, feeling a sting on his hand as he carefully stood, making sure to maneuver the rest of the glass shards while feeling a cough come up, but suppressed it. He wasn't feeling well. he hasnt been feeling well for the past weeks, but pushed back his medication because Akira needed space. " Stop lying." She smirked, holding out a small hand and he gave her his injured thoughtlessly. She squeezed his hand. "I'm still mad Tachi." He bit the inside of his cheek. Gently she pulled him towards her, their height difference apparent in the proximity.
IT was all...unintentional.
When he casted the genjutsu on her in thier first meeting. He was unstable.. He had never once casted an implantation on someone in such a weakened state. Meaning that justsu was casted in an ineffective manner. So it got the job done, but unfortunately there was backlash. In her case, it caused tension headaches due when her conscious resisting. It was all unintentional….but regarless it was his fault. He shouldve never used his Kekei genkai so recklessly in such a state.
But she is the enemy. Right?
Right…?
She wasnt always...
In actuality, itachi had no idea what she was to him. Kisame was frank in what he believed he and the shopkeep were. "Id like to think of us as buddies by circumstance." he would finish up with saying. "You and Akira...oh thats easy. You two are are love sick puppies chasing each others tails" Itachi would resist an eye roll and respond. "The only practical inference you've made so far is your one sided circumstantial relation with Akira."
"Naaaa, Kitten Loves me. You better hope that that crush of yours isn't practically one sided. That my friend would leave some wounds."
ITachi was keen in the practical matters of life. In his talks with Kisame and his own brief experienced crushes Itachi would talk him through the logistics of why crushes were crushes. Emphasizing that they were Fallen Nin and members of the Akatsuki- matters of the heart should have been buried the moment they abandoned their villages- but for some reason in this moment he was unsure of what he felt for her. He couldn't shake off the feel of irritation in her nonchalant actions.
How every move was just a little too personal. Her touches lingered a little longer than needed and Her lack of personal space was apparent. In the beginning, he blamed the cultural differences. In his time in the cloud he noticed the apparent familial bond that was inbetted in the culture. Something that he admired deeply as each person he passed greeted him with a smile...but there was a respect for space. Only coming in when there was an invitation. It was in his initial meeting with her all those years ago that made him want to tour the cloud village.
Hr forced himself back to the scene before him.
His eyes found their way down to her small hands that took his, looking over the white polish of her nails, feeling the weight of her eyes on him.
He refused to make eye contact. He felt...guilty .
"I apologize ...it was never my intention..to hurt you." He knew the look she gave him, one that would show sorrow and pain. It was too offputting. So he refused to make eye contact. "Tachi," The soft tone of her voice eased his nerves, sending him back to the day he first met her. . "Look at me."
Hurting her was something he regretted. It wasn't a pain that was laced with the retribution, or a necessary evil. It wasn't like a reprimand of a stern parent or wanton vendetta. It was a pain that held no value. And for Itachi, that hurt him.
It was the feel of her hands on the sides of his face that pulled him out of thought, his eyes met hers and his brows furrowed as he tried to register the emotion on her face"Tachi…"he felt his ears run hot at her tone. Her eyes showing a look of longing that parted his lips in want of asking why. Why did she look at him like that. Why did his words catch in his throat.
She gently pulled him, resting his forehead on hers. her eyes shut, but his searched her face heart racing at again her deliberate disregard for his space.
"You saved me.." the warmth of her words touched his lips, a feeling that lulled his eyes closed, not daring to move an inch as...he like being this close to her. "You brought me peace." His mind emptied, focused solely on all that was connected to her. Her soft hands that held his cheeks. The skin of their foreheads that touched. Their auras that jumped and mixed so well.
"Tachi."her voice broke. This was the third time..the second time he'd hear her vulnerable, However this time it was he who brought on the tears. He was a practical man, but making her cry was never something he planned.. He felt a a pang of regret yet again shoot through his chest. He regretted this because he was nor prepared for for their...bond?
This...this string that kept him tethered to her.. He found himself caring a little too much for the little cloud kunoichi. He cared if she went out into the cold unprepared. He cared if she were tired. He cared if she were bothered by his constant coming and going. He cared if she were in pain. The bond itself was troubling because...He wasnt allowed to care the way he onced cared. Before all that happened..Before the coupe...before he left Sasuke.
Itachi was always the one that took a little too much interest in the well being of those around him.
She was invasive. Everything about her was intrusive. How she treated him. How she tended to him. How she spoke to him brought him back to Konaha.
Like...he was still just Itachi Uchiha...and only Itachi Uchiha.
"I really thought i couldnt do it anymore." He was brought back, again feeling a pang of regret at the scene before him.
So...Since she reminded him of how he was before everything...why not be who he was.
ALthough he knew if he did this next gesture he would regret..It was ok this time..no one but He and Akira would know…
No one would see.
He found his arms around the woman who took to them instantly. Holding him tight as she shook, burying her clean body into his dirty in a meekly attempt to hide her sobs. And he, he held her, vowing to not let go until she decided that she no longer wanted to be broken in his arms. So in silence he stood,arms tight around her until her shaking stopped. Until her muffled sobs quited. And they were both left with the sound of a movie of two lovers that wanted nothing more than eternity together.
"Tachi…" he loosened his grip taking a step back to give her the space. Inwardly wincing at the loss of warmth. It had been a long time since he felt warmth like that. "Of course ." he spoke. His mind was far away, actively trying to bottle up the release of emotions that peeked its eye. Hugging her was more than he inte-
It was her full lips that grazed the side of his to plant a kiss on his cheeks that caused the color of his cheeks.
His eyes never left her,even as the sound of running water stopped and the turn of the knob and the presence of his Kisame was made. Even though she looked away to give a snarky remark to the mist nin, even though Kisame tapped his shoulder asking him KAmi knows what. He didnt look away until she looked back at him from the kitchen. Because if her eyes had nothing to say to him. If that kiss on the cheek was just a kiss on the cheek. He would snuff it. All the confusion. All the passing glances. All the smiles. All the touches. All that he felt.
He would snuff it.
He swallowed when he realize her eyes said alot they said too much.
And he could only imagine what his was telling hers.
And oh did he regret.