Maybe Itachi shouldn't have left so abruptly. Maybe he should've told her that he would only be getting her something to eat, so she wouldn't chase after him like she did.

Maybe he should've told her to wait. Maybe he should've not walked away from her with such a horrified expression. If he did, she wouldn't have collapsed like she had.

Itachi put a hand to his forehead and huffed. This was going bad, so bad. He called for Hibiki and asked him for a bit of food for her.

He averted his eyes to her, studying her as she slept. Those heavy bags under her eyes that indicated lack of sleep.

They both knew she was sleep deprived. Yukine had scolded her for it many times and yet she never seemed to listen very well. But she was just starting to stick to a schedule, he just had to ruin it didn't he.

She rolled over in her sleep and faced him. Reaching for his hand she squeezed it tightly and pulled him towards her.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Itachi -kun. I did this because I wanted to okay?"

All she got was a nod. Hikari opened her eyes and stared at him. "How are you feeling?" She raised her hand to touch his forehead. He let her.

"I feel fine."

"Yeah, you do. But no one can recover from a fever in four days. You still have at least three days left to recover."

"Hikari -san-"

"She's right, ya'know."

Hibiki grinned at both of them from the door way. "Or at least that's what ma said." He shrugged.

"Yep listen please." She grinned at him when he shot her a dirty look. "Itachi -kun, we need to figure out how we will do this. Besides we are behind on schedule. Who did you say hired us?" She whispered in his ear.

"Mizuki Hibi-"

They both whipped their heads to look at him. He stood there with a serious expression on his face.

"So, let's talk business." He grinned at them.

His feral smile didn't ease Hikari's nerves. She felt the air shift and went on alert.

This can't be good.

"You do realize that it won't be so easy don't you?" Hikari leaned back in the chair, chewing on a piece of toast.

"Yes, I do. This land is neutral territory. We can't contact any of the five nations, lest we want to make an enemy of another one."

"Clever, so why do want this revolution?" She rest her chin on her hands. Her smirk growing with each passing second.

Itachi spied her eyes turning a bright purple. Mischief. This was so different from the fear he had seen three years ago.

"Simple, the family is a dictator. Most of the villagers are against them. Some even protested, but they were all killed." Hibiki said unfazed.

"I see. But you said most of the villagers. How much are we talking about that are not against the head family?" Itachi asked.

Hibiki sighed. "Every one out of six is not against the head family."

"That's still a number." Hikari sighed.

"You won't do it then?"

"I never said we would per se. But this could take a while. Here's what we need you to do." Hikari went back to chewing on her toast.

Hibiki sat up straight, as Itachi started explaining the plan.

Hikari hummed a tune she didn't remember where she heard it from. All she knew was she enjoyed it a lot.

"You sound cheerful." Itachi said.

"And you sound tired."

"I'm not. I promise." Just then he started coughing. "Maybe it's just allergies."

Hikari blinked and sat down on the ground enjoying the feeling of snow on her bare legs.

"Are you not cold, Hikari-san?"

Hikari shook her head. "I don't feel the cold anymore Itachi-kun."

"Why not?" He sat down beside her.

Hikari smiled and shrugged. "Nothing you should worry about." She lied down and stared up at the arctic clouds covering the sky.

"Well, we should get going. Hibiki-san is probably waiting."

Hikari's lips curled in a sinister smile and pulled out a rifle. "Let's go."

Hibiki stared with complete shock at the blood bath that happened a minute ago. The snow wasn't white anymore.

It was so red.

Hikari's face was covered in blood. So much blood, so much red. So much. So much.

Hibiki turned away and threw up on the floor.

Itachi stared solemnly at Hikari. He knew how much it pained her to kill. She did it anyway. Without a second thought.

She did it all by herself just so he wouldn't.

Just so he wouldn't dirty his hands again. She said that he would never stain his hands with blood again as long as she lived.

"Now, you can protest all you want." She said with a huge smile on her face.

That same broken smile she always gave him to assure him that she was fine after she killed.

The smile he never believed.

Hibiki stood up and went to her.

"Are you okay?" He asked frantically.

Hikari shook her head. "I was born and raised in Kirigakure, A.K.A the Bloody Mist. This is nothing." She walked away sheathing Mangetsu.

Hibiki turned again to look at the severed heads and hole filled bodies.

Heiki Hikari was in fact, human.

All it took was one look. They had to make sure the village head looked either of them in the eye. Hikari and Itachi stood at the front of the protest waiting for him to come out.

He did. It was all over in a second.

He raised his hand and ordered for the kill. And then they were met with another massacre. This time, the whole family killed each other. No one had to raise a finger.

The roars of victory were deafening and Hikari was physically and mentally drained.

Itachi placed his hands on both her shoulders and rubbed his thumbs gently on her neck.

"Are you okay?" A stupid question, of course she wasn't, but what was he supposed to say?

Hikari nodded. "I'm fine." Lies, lies, lies.

He didn't like it when she lied, but then again, what was she supposed to say?

"Remember you have allies here in the land if snow. If you're ever in trouble just hit me up." Hibiki smiled at her.

Hikari smiled in appreciation and nodded. "Thank you."

"Have a safe trip back!"

Hikari waved back not expecting the spear that came towards her.

Hikari blinked and dodged it before sending a bullet towards the attacker.

Itachi stopped her before she could.

She turned to him her eyes full of curiosity. "Why'd you stop me?"

"That way." He pointed behind him.

"I see." She looked at him and aimed straight at his heart.

Itachi smiled a small smile and waited for her fire.

She fired steadily, and it hit.

Blood sprayed from her target and Itachi stayed unharmed.

"Good job." She patted him on the shoulder before walking ahead.

He followed with steady steps. She didn't need to know he felt dizzy and started feeling feverish again, did she?

No. No she didn't, he'd fix it soon. All he needed to do was make sure she didn't notice the staggering he was trying hard to conceal, good thing they were in a cold climate. He could blame the flush of his cheeks on the cold.

No matter, he would fix it before she even got a whiff of it.

Before they got back in the warmer part of the lands.

Yeah, he could hide it well. He just needed her to be distracted enough not to notice.

Hikari groaned in frustration.

She had literally nothing to do. Itachi hasn't been out if his room in days, Sasori and Deidara were out on a long-term mission. Hidan was dead for the day and Kakuzo was not an option.

She huffed and planted her face in the pillow.

"Wow, you've reached a new low."

"I have nothing to do!" She whined.

"What about the chocolate cherry cake you made?"

"I ate it Mangetsu. They were teeny tiny cupcakes."

"They were the size of my face but sure whatever helps you sleep at night."

Hikari raised her face, her glare meeting his smug look.

"Maybe you should check on Itachi if you're so worried."

"No, maybe he just wants some space. You know."

"I do but-"

Hikari shook her head and sat up. She hugged her pillow and rested her chin on it. A small sad smile coated her lips.

"Sometimes, even if you want someone to comfort you, you can't have it. I can only imagine how he feels. Imagine it Mangetsu, Suigetsu hates you so much he wants to kill you. How would that make you feel?"

"Not too bright I guess. But hey." He knelt in front of the bed and met her eyes. "I know someone who would make me feel better if I'm ever in that situation."

"No, Mangetsu I-"

"Come on Hikari, maybe he needs this more than you think."

Hikari nodded hesitantly but stood up anyway. "Okay, I'll try."

Itachi put the towel over his head and began drying his hair. Today was the day.

Three years and still counting until Sasuke does his part of the deal.

Three years since he's been cut off from his own emotions because he knew that if he tried to feel anything, he will break down.

He sat down on his bed hunched over, his hands on his face. He couldn't allow himself to feel anything now. He was close, so close.

One tear could burn all he built to the ground.

He looked up as the door opened abruptly. "Hikari-san?"

"Oh no don't mind me I'll come back later." She closed the door slowly as she backed away her face red as a beet root.

Itachi frowned the realized. He just came out of the bath and-

He got up quckily to wear his clothes. His face even redder.

Well that's one way to get out of the brooding mood he was in.

Hikari stood her back to the door with her cheeks still red.

"Come on, Hikari it's not like he was completely naked."

"He was this close, Mangetsu. This close." She pinched he forefinger and her thumb together until almost no space was left between them.

"Come on you were totally checking him out as we left."

"And you weren't?" She deadpanned.

Mangetsu grinned. "I never said I wasn't. You on the other hand are still denying it."

"Stupid Hozuki." She muttered.

"Hey!"

"For the record, I don't think he swings that way." She countered.

"I don't think he swings any way if I'm being honest." He grumbled.

"Oh come on don't be like that."

"I'm dead Hikari I have the right to be grumpy."

"Right, all your fantasies can't come true." She laughed.

"I really hate you did you know that?"

"Well then you'll just have to live with it cause you're stuck with me!"

"Yeah, whoopee." He waved his arm sarcastically in the air.

Hikari shot him a dirty look and shook her head.

She'll just tune him out and wait for Itachi.

Neither of them spoke. When he walked out and saw her waiting for him he blushed, making her blush as well.

"If only we could forget that happened," Hikari muttered. "I'm never entering a room without knocking again."

Not that she was complaining but that really made it awkward.

"I made cupcakes," Hikari said.

Itachi gave her his full attention. He really liked cupcakes.

"Really?"

Hikari nodded, I saved one for you." She took it out of her usual bag. "It's a chocolate cherry cake. I even added a bit of cinnamon."

Itachi gave her a weird look.

"Just try it." She shook her head in expaseration.

Itachi reluctantly took a small bite out of the bigger than usual cupcake.

He looked at Hikari who was waiting eagerly for his opinion.

"Do you like it?" She grinned.

He nodded. "This is amazing."

"Yes!" Hikari jumped, startling him as usual.

He should've gotten used to her randomly jumping by now but...

He smiled and took another bite out of the cupcake, enjoying the sweetness that danced around his tongue. The cinnamon giving it only a tint of spice.

He suddenly tensed as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Hikari-san?"

"Are you okay?" She finally asked. She knew he must be feeling horrible today. That this question was silly. But what else could she say? How else was she supposed to go on about this?

His mouth twitched slightly at the corners giving her a small sad smile. "Don't worry about it, Hikari-san."

Hikari sighed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Itachi looked away from her. No, he didn't. He never talked about it once the past three years. He wasn't going to start now.

No one could see him in such a vulnerable position. No, he didn't want to talk about it. He was barely suppressing the guilt, the sadness, the heartache. Talking about it would make it feel all the more real. He wasn't sure he wanted that.

Hikari smiled back at him, and squeezed his hand gently. "Well, I won't force you okay? But please if you ever feel like it's too much just tell me okay? I'll be right there for you. Always."

Itachi nodded. Don't get him wrong he was grateful for her words. For her. He just knew he couldn't.

He couldn't relive that night ever again.

Once again he found himself in her warm embrace.

"Hikari-san I-"

"Just-just for a little while okay?"

Itachi nodded and hugged her back this time. His arms rested on her small waist and he put his chin over her head.

"Okay."