Hello! I hope you'll like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or any OCCness.

Character age:

Akane, Itachi: 21

Naruto, Sasuke: 16

Shisui: 25

Kakashi: 30

I frowned at my roommate's back.

"You're...mad at me?"

"I'm not mad," he denied calmly.

"Then why are you avoiding me?" He sighed and closed the fridge, a carton of milk in his hand.

"I just hoped you would knock Izumi out and be done with it, not humiliate her." I frowned.

"She challenged me, she should have known better."

"As should you," he replied hastily before pinching the bridge of his nose. I clenched my fists on my thighs. "Sorry, it's just...I tried to talk her out of it but she wouldn't listen to me."

"What did you tell her?"

"That she should think about it twice before challenging someone who was part of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. She didn't want to hear it." He looked at my head. "How is your concussion?"

"Good," I replied curtly. He seriously was asking about this when he spent so much time with Izumi at the hospit…

Damn it stupid jealousy, shut up.

"You talked then?" He nodded. "So?"

"So what?" I raised my brows suggestively. "We're not back together, I don't want to get back with her."

"But?" He sighed deeply.

"She's still in love with me." He sat down in front of me. "It's not as if I didn't know, she was always here after my surgery but…" He was concerned.

It was pissing me off. Had I become so comfortable with Itachi that the idea of another girl in his life was…

Damn it.

"Anyway, I haven't heard much at work, just regular gossips and whispering I guess." He nodded. "Is Shisui aware as well? I mean, I know his girlfriend is not an angel but…"

"No. It's only Sasuke, you now and I."

"It's not much." Someone rang the bell and I jumped on my feet to open the door.

"Yo," Shisui greeted with with a grin. "Do you mind coming with me for a bit?"

"No," I said, immediately putting my shoes on. "I'm leaving." I shut the door behind me.

"Everything's okay with Itachi?" Shisui asked me curiously. I shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe he wants me to feel a little bit of remorse regarding Izumi but she asked for it." He ran a hand through his hair as we walked toward the long stairs at the east of the village. We stopped between two portions of the stairs and leaned on the railing.

"It was hard to watch, but it's not what I wanted to talk about." He took a deep breath. "Akane?"

"Hum?"

"When were you planning on telling about my older brother?" I froze and widened my eyes. I gulped loudly, my nails digging in the metal of the railing.

"I...I'm sorry I…" He sighed.

"Don't, Sasuke already explained it to me." I looked at him in shock. "He had to when he gave me that eyeball you know. Although, now I know why you were so awkward when I asked you about Sasuke's scar." I fought the urge to shift from one foot to another. "Is it true?"

"What?"

"That he…" He gulped, his gaze staring harshly in front of him. "That he was the one to...to kill you the first time?"

"Oh." I exhaled slowly. "His Mangekyou had the exact same ability than this guy's so...yes, I'm pretty sure." He put a hand on his eyes.

"Damn it, I can't...he should have died back then if it was to create so many problems!" I put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I...I'm so sorry…"

"You're not responsible for his actions idiot." He kept taking deep breaths to calm himself down. "Are you going to have the transplant?"

"I don't know." He took another deep breath, raising his head. "I...knowing what he did, what he had planned, the idea of getting his eye leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Not just that, who knows what getting only one eye instead of two will do overall?"

"True, true," I whispered. "Still, you should consider it with the Akatsuki issue." I turned around, leaning my back against the railing. "How are you? Except for...that, obviously." He chuckled weakly.

"I'm good. Manami...is angry Izumi lost against you." I rolled my eyes. "I mean, I know she doesn't like you, I just didn't think she'd be so much against you joining the clan that she'd suggest Izumi to…"

"It was her idea?" Shisui nodded.

"Not the brightest, I'll agree on that. Izumi already had an inferiority complex with you so…"

"Why?" He looked at me funny.

"You tell me, Hero of Kiri, Bijuu Tamer." I groaned. "You're aware that in spite of everything, you are more talented than normal, right? And you 'tamed' a bijuu, something that legend says only an Uchiha did."

"If she relied less on her eyes, she would have been better," I mumbled. He hummed.

"Agree, but Konoha never was like Kiri, where you guys had to hide kekkai genkai and basically use them as secret weapons. We proudly use them here." He chuckled. "And of course it made us arrogant, so when we can't use them we can be kind of lost. Sasuke told me a little about what kind of training you put him through in Kiri. I almost felt bad." I sniffed.

"He asked for it."

"You made him sign a paper saying his death wouldn't be on you!"

"Hey, he came up to me and said 'Train me like a Bloody Mist shinobi'!" I defended myself. "So I put him through a week of hell like Yagura did to me. He passed out on his fourth day, it was better than expected anyway." He almost sweat dropped at me.

"Sure?" He shook his head. "He improved drastically anyway, so it's good."

And the little fucker kept growing after stealing from Orochimaru. What did he steal? A single-edged katana he called 'Sword of Kusanagi' and the snake summons scroll.

Just that.

"I'll think about the transplant," Shisui told me. "Wanna grab something to eat?"

"Why not?"

"You're free," I told Itachi, removing the last of his seal. Fugaku-san nodded next to us. We were in his study at his place.

"The Hokage will start to give you important missions again Itachi, but keep an eye out for anything."

"Yes Father." His shirt back in place, I stood up like him to leave.

"Akane, a word." I blinked at him and nodded.

Itachi left alone and I sat back down. Fugaku-san cleared his throat.

"I highly despise talking about this subject and it seems you're always the one concerned." What? "You are betrothed to Sasuke, as he is the second in line to lead the clan, it is an important matter. Of course, you have more freedom than Itachi's fiancee would have, but still. Your actions will impact how people sees us. Your living arrangement with Itachi already made some noise." I blinked.

"Really?" He nodded.

"Of course, being our Seal Master, you watching over his seal was a good excuse but...now people might talk about how inappropriate it is for you to share an apartment with your brother-in-law." I cringed. Brother-in-law.

I always associated this to Sasuke, never Itachi.

"There are internal issues in the clan at the moment." I raised a brow. He...seriously was telling me this like this? "If people start thinking you are unfaithful to Sasuke, especially with Itachi, then…"

"There is nothing between us," I denied with wide eyes. He frowned.

"Are you sure?" I was taken back. "I am fully aware of the relationship you had previously. While I know I can't keep feelings from appearing, I can remind you that Itachi is still young and has his future ahead of him." I felt like Fugaku-san was twisting a knife in my stomach. "I'm sure hurting him is the last thing on your mind, but remember that what you do, what the three of you do regarding your situation, will have bigger repercussions on the Uchiha clan, in the village and even for Kiri's reputation." I swallowed quietly.

"Yes Fugaku-san."

"I hope we will find a way to break off your engagement with Sasuke, but until then do not damage our reputation Akane. Attend the wedding preparation, spend time with Sasuke but do not get involved with my oldest." I looked down.

"Of course. I don't…" I clenched my jaw. "I don't want to steal his future Fugaku-san." He sighed.

"I know that. Just...play the part until we break that engagement." I nodded.

"Understood, sorry. Do you want me to find another place to live?"

"If you and Sasuke are still engaged six months before he turns eighteen, then it would be for the best."

"Alright. Can I leave?" He nodded and I stood up. "Goodbye then."

"Goodbye." I left his study. When I arrived in the lobby, I heard Itachi's voice with Mikoto-san's. I walked into the room.

"Mikoto-san, thanks for the tea, I'll be taking my leave now." She raised her brows.

"Already? God, did my husband scold you?" I smiled a little.

"No, he just reminded me of something." Itachi's gaze was piercing. "Have a good day."

"Of course, you too." I put my shoes back on and opened the door.

"Wait for me at least." I did, outside. He shut the door behind him. "What did my father want to talk about?"

"Seal Master business." He looked at me suspiciously from the corner of his eyes and I sighed. "Nothing you should concern yourself with."

"It seems important from your expression."

"He also reminded me I had these wedding preparation sessions to attend. I'm never looking forward to it." He chuckled.

"I know, Sasuke either." I looked at him quickly, and the distance between us. We weren't touching or anything but...we were close.

I made a step to the side. Of course he noticed and shot me a quizzical look. I shrugged.

"We don't want to give people ideas, right?" He blinked and slowly nodded. I grinned.

It was fake.

Did you know how much karma hated me? Itachi was back on missions, nothing above B-rank for now, but guess who was there as his partner on said missions?

Izumi.

They were spending a lot of time together. It was good, I mean, if he rekindled his feelings for Izumi and dated her again, then it would make it easier for me to...to…

To bury these fucking feelings that had to come back.

I fell in love in Itachi and bad, like the first time. The one thing I absolutely forbade myself to do, and I did it. If he got back with Izumi, it would make it easier because I would be sure he saw me as a friend only.

A friend he awakened the Mangekyou for but still!

I could try to push him in Izumi's open arms, right?

"How was your mission?" I asked Itachi without looking up from my magazine, laying in the couch.

"Easy," he replied quietly.

"How is it going with Izumi?"

"Good."

"Just 'good'?" He looked down at me. "You'd think working with your ex will bring more than just 'good'."

"There's not much else to say Akane," he told me. "We work well together on these missions, that's all."

"Huh huh." He frowned.

"Something to add?" I turned my page.

"Just thinking that working closely so often with your ex might...bring some feelings back at some point." He didn't say anything.

I looked up at him and raised a brow at his face. He seemed almost concerned I was thinking that.

"I told you already I didn't have feelings for her," he said quietly, kneeling next to me. "Why would you think that?" I shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe it would be different this time. Not that your love life is any of my business." I went back to reading my magazine. "Maybe you'd fall head over heels in love with her, nii-sama." He twitched.

"Don't call me that."

"I know it will be for public settings but I might get used to call you like that. As long as the engagement is not broken, we might get used to the idea of being sibl…"

"What's gotten into you recently?" he cut me off sharply. "You and Sasuke won't marry each other, we'll find something before."

"You don't know that." He frowned and pulled me on my feet by taking my wrist. My magazine fell on the floor. "Even if we break it, we can't tarnish the Uchihas' reputation in the meantime." He grabbed my face, forcing me to look in his eyes. He was dead serious now.

"Is that why my father wanted to talk to you? He reprimanded you for not being 'proper'?" I averted my eyes and he clicked his tongue. "You're fine Ak…"

"It's weird," I interrupted him. "It's weird for me to live with my future brother-in-law. At some point I'll have to move o…"

"No." I grabbed his hands to remove them from my face but he tightened his hold. "They don't have a say about what's going on at home." I sighed.

"It doesn't matter, gossips spread like wildfire. I don't want to give anyone reasons to think I'm cheating on my fiance with his brother." Funny enough, he didn't comment on that.

"It's not as if there was anything between Sasuke and you," he whispered, looking deeply in my eyes. I looked away.

It wasn't supposed to be Sasuke's name.

"Ak…"

"Izumi is a good catch Itachi, if you don't realize that soon you'll miss her," I told him coldly, removing his hands. "I'm telling you as your friend, don't wait to make a move." He took a step back, his hands in his pockets. He wasn't looking at me but at the wall on his left.

"As my friend?" he asked me coldly. "Are you serious about this?"

"Of course. That's what we are, right? Friends and possibly family." I bit the inside of my cheek, the next few words burning my inside because I knew it was a lie. "Nothing more."

"Of course, imouto." I winced at that, the name, the coldness in his voice, how his face and eyes were a mask of coldness.

He left the apartment and I fell back in the couch. I punched a cushion before pressing it against my face.

I hurt him in the end, I kept doing that, but...but it was the right thing to do.

Itachi had a future, with his clan, with his village, I...I would take that away from him, even his dad said so. It was for his own good. When he'd get married and have children or whatever he'd do with his life, he'll realize that.

I was older anyway, way older, I had nothing to give him.

He'd thank me one day, when I was no longer here but relaxing with old Itachi. I already had him...well, a little part of him once.

It was enough.

I hugged my knees to my chest, leaning my cushion and face on them.

Even if I wanted him now, that thoughts of him completely replaced those I had of Shisui and his girlfriend, even if I can't get enough of the look in his eyes when he looked at me, or the moments we spent together, I could not have him. He was like a...a forbidden fruit and I couldn't steal it from...something, someone better.

"Itachi...-kun…" Izumi moaned as he pinned her to his bed.

It wasn't his smartest decision. He was taking advantage of Izumi's feelings for him and it was more than despicable, but he couldn't think about anything else.

Akane wanted him to be with Izumi? Fine, he'd do it as they were just friends.

He had never been more furious at her and her blatant lie. Friends? How could she say that? Sure, she was engaged to Sasuke, it would be bad if people realized there was something between them, but there was something between them! They almost kissed when she apologized to him and he hugged her as tight as he could in fear of her disappearing again. That stupid engagement party made it worst. She had been absolutely stunning and he had had trouble keeping his eyes away from her. His father noticed at some point and it was at that moment he had decided to leave the room.

He had never been more jealous of his own brother. Of course, Sasuke...he did it to save her from another marriage but still. Seeing his own brother giving their maternal grandmother's engagement ring to the woman he had been in love with for years was too much.

He had been so glad when she was sitting by his side on the roof. He had noticed her staring at him, of course, and he could have looked at her but he was too nervous to do so. If he had turned his head, he was sure she would have seen how red he was.

He had never blushed that much with Izumi, but Akane could turn him into a tomato with the most insignificant thing and it was frankly annoying at times. Sasuke wouldn't miss an opportunity to laugh at him because of that, or just randomly touching her and looking at him straight in his eyes.

'Nii-san, she's my fiancee, we have to look like it, for the elders.'

Right, as if he cared about the elders.

His hand slipped under Izumi's shirt.

How could she say they were just friends when she knew about his Mangekyou? Wasn't it obvious he loved her? Was she that oblivious or was she pretending not to see it? Reminding him she was to be his sister was her way to tell him to stop trying to get her attention?

She didn't seem to mind when she was snuggling against him when Kakashi left the village, did she? Was she using him?

No, she wasn't like that. There was something else. She had been distant since his father talked to her. Sure, Akane had been dragged in a duel that Itachi indirectly caused, but she had won easily. Maybe he wished she had gone easier on Izumi. He tried to talk Izumi out of it, that he needed his sharingan to keep up with Akane in taijutsu, but she didn't want to hear it. He had to tell her they were over for good once in the hospital, to which she said she was still in love with him and would do better to please him.

It was sad, he felt awful for causing the despair in Izumi's eyes. They had been friends for a long time and he had shattered a part of her.

He opened his eyes. He didn't love her but he wanted to feel loved for a moment. He wanted to forget how his heart was painfully pounding in his chest.

Or maybe Akane was jealous? Maybe seeing him with Izumi made her jealous? A part of him had wanted that actually, to see if he could make her jealous like he was.

Izumi swapped their places, her top gone, leaving her in her bra. He stared at her as she straddled him.

"Itachi-kun?"

He wanted another half-naked woman on him. He sat up and gently pushed Izumi aside before leaning on his knees.

"I'm sorry Izumi, I shouldn't be doing that to you."

"Doing what? You've never been...so passionate with me before…"

It was true, sex with her had always been...pleasant. It wasn't as if he had had other partners, but he had always felt like sex was mandatory and as he didn't want to disappoint Izumi...he just did. Of course it felt good but it wasn't mind blowing.

There was just something lacking.

Yet it wasn't as if he had no desire or lust. If he had not, he would not have woken up from wet dreams with him and Akane in them more than once. The sexual tension between them could be too intense sometime.

"You should leave."

"Itachi-kun…" He gave her her shirt.

"Please, just go home." He walked her to the front door.

"We could go on a date or…" Itachi sighed, leaning against the door.

"You need to move on from me, for your own good," he whispered to her. She bit her lips and slightly widened her eyes.

"Alright." She grabbed his shirt and pulled him down, pressing hers lips against his. He thought about pushing her away, but he felt guilty for leading her on.

So he let her have this and failed to hear the door closing in his back.

"Can you walk me home? Please?" Itachi nodded.

"Of course."

"Morning." I kept eating my cereals.

"Morning," I replied quietly when he sighed. He prepared his breakfast and sat down in front of me.

The atmosphere was not tense. No, we were away above that, now it was electric. I was sure one thing could spark a whole fight, and Itachi wasn't one to get in verbal fights.

...as much of a vocal fight as you could get with him I guess.

A flash of him and Izumi making out at the front door last night appeared in my mind.

I dropped my spoon in my bowl, splashing milk on the table, and looked at him. He shot the milk on the table a glance before gazing at me, unfazed.

"I never thought I'd tell you this one day but I can't avoid it."

"What?"

"We need a...a code to warn the other when we bring people for the night." He blinked and frowned.

"Why?"

"I don't want to see Izumi and you sticking your tongues in each other's throat at the front door when I'm thirsty at night." He widened his eyes.

"You saw that?"

"If I'm telling you, then yes."

"It's not like that," he told me, putting his chopsticks down.

"I don't care, you bang who you want Itachi," I said in an indifferent tone. Something dark flashed in his eyes and he stood up, leaving without finishing his food.

I didn't finish mine either.

I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night thinking of him actually doing it with Izumi but...it was for the be…

Who was I kidding, maybe it was for the best for everyone, but not for me.

I went out for the day. When I came back, there was a note on the table saying Itachi was on a mission for at least a week outside the village. I shifted from a foot to another nervously.

He was outside the village so soon? Sure, it was March and it had been what, three weeks since I removed his seal? It was the same day things started to get bad between us so…

I bit my thumbnail. He would be fine right? I mean, it was Itachi, he wasn't alone, he knew how to rely on others, right?

I shook my head. Of course he'd be fine. I shouldn't worry so much.

I trained a lot to evacuate my frustration toward the situation. Naruto was the unfortunate receiver of a particularly bad blizzard for which he went to the hospital due to frostbites. Mom scolded me for going too hard and I apologized. Of course Naruto was fine.

"Why are you that angry?" Sasuke asked me, my sword clashing against his. I gritted my teeth. "Angry at yourself of course."

"Because I'm a jealous idiot," I admitted. He blinked and I jumped back, sticking Nuibari in the ground before sitting down. He walked in front of me and crouched in front of me to poke my forehead. "Come on…" I mumbled, rubbing the spot.

"So you admit being in love with my brother?" I nodded sheepishly. "Finally, it was starting to be annoying to watch." I rolled my eyes. "You're worried."

"Yes. I haven't been the nicest to him recently and...and what if he dies thinking that of me?"

"Itachi's not going to die," Sasuke told me sternly.

"You never know what can happen out there Sasuke!"

"Damn, it's bad," he commented genuinely surprised. I blushed and averted my eyes. "Have some faith in him, he'll come home." I took a deep breath.

"I know, I know but...I'm worried...in two months it…"

"I'm aware," he replied stiffly. "I'm on it." I smiled, but it was strained.

"What would I do without you?"

"Not having a favorite Uchiha." I giggled and he smiled faintly.

"I guess. Do you know what the mission is?"

"Reckon I think, Jiraya-sama is on the team." I blinked. "You didn't really keep up with the Akatsuki, did you?"

"Not really no."

"Well, there's nothing." I frowned. "Iwa wouldn't signal the loss of their jinchuurikis, but Jiraya-sama apparently got words Han was still around. I can't say the same for the old man." I laid back.

Thinking about it...when did Jiraya-san die the first time around?

Hey! Thanks for reading and leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter!

Bye!