CCNote: Happy Thursday! Here's the newest installment! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW! They are what motivate me to keep writing this for free lol! Keep in mind that this is unbeta'd so its rough. I'll probably go back and clean some shit up when the story is finished. Enjoy!
S is for Concessions
Monday May 27, 2021 11:45am
Hakone Resort and Hot Springs
…...
"Are you going to keep staring at me or are you going to find something else to occupy your time?" Itachi sighed as he flipped to a new page in his book.
Not that he'd actually read the previous page nor would he read any subsequent. It wasn't that the book wasn't interesting. Tales about covert operations and spy novels were always his favorites. However, it was difficult to focus on the words on the page when a certain young woman kept glaring daggers at him.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me why I can't go on dates." She huffed indignantly.
Itachi glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was facing him with her arms crossed and a not so happy look on her face. She was clearly frustrated with his new mandate, not that he had placed many conditions on their time together in the first place. Be back by sundown. Stay out of trouble. Those were the only rules he placed on her during their summer trips and he had lifted the sundown rule when she turned twenty. She was allowed to come and go and she pleased. If she had the desire to stay out all night he trusted she wouldn't end up hurt, that he knew for sure. If anything, if someone gave her trouble they would be the ones to end up in the hospital. However, she always returned by sunset so he never had any need to worry. No, her safety was the last thing he had to be concerned with.
"Itachi!" she snapped, drawing him out of his thoughts.
Swiftly she snatched the book he was pretending to read out of his hands and brought it close to her chest. Itachi sighed and held his hand out for her to return his possession. The Hyuuga bit her bottom lip but shook her head at the request.
"You're not getting it back until you tell me why."
"Hanabi." He sighed. "You're under my care right now. If something were to happen to you, Neji would kill me-"
"You and I both know you're not afraid of anyone let alone Neji. If I want to go out with someone I can do so without your permission."
Itachi frowned as she got up from the couch and stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. The position effectively forced him to look at her which was the last thing he wanted to do.
"You don't even know that boy yet you're pretty adamant about going on a date with him." He deflected and Hanabi clicked her tongue.
"The whole purpose of a date is to get to know someone. You wouldn't know that though since you haven't been on one in years."
The Uchiha rolled his eyes and leaned back against the couch.
"You're not with me twenty-four seven." He said and to his surprise, her eyes narrowed.
"You're lying."
Itachi smirked and crossed his own arms to mirror her suspicious expression. He wasn't lying. Hanabi was only with him consecutively two months out of the year. Of course, he'd found the company of others in her absence. He'd been on a few dates whenever he was feeling strong enough. Sometimes it led to more but the encounters never lasted long. He always had somewhere else to be and didn't feel the need to attach himself to others. The baggage he carried was not a burden he wished to share. That and the fact that he lost interest quickly in all of the women he'd encountered thus far.
"Do you really believe that I am so inept that I can't get a date?" he asked and Hanabi's eyes widened. "Do I appear feeble?"
Her cheeks turned pink for a moment before she looked away, mumbling something under her breath that he couldn't quite make out. The Uchiha smirked and leaned forward to take his book back from her. Her blush receded as she relinquished the book but she still wouldn't look at him.
"Well if you can go on dates then so can I." she said causing his irritation to spike once more.
"No."
"Why?"
Why? Why was a good question. Hanabi could certainly handle herself so someone taking advantage of her wasn't likely. There was also the added factor that her last name held so much weight it kept many lesser men away from her. However the idea of her on a date, especially that curly haired loud mouth from before, just didn't sit right with him. Her shoulders slumped as he continued to remain silent, the defiant look on her face slipping away. That look, he decided, was not something he wanted to be responsible for. There wasn't much in this world that he would be able to deny her.
"Fine." He sighed, tossing his book onto the couch. He wasn't going to be able to concentrate on reading it anyway.
"So I can go on a date?" she prodded, a mischevious smile spreading over her features.
Itachi frowned but said nothing as he stood up from the couch to head over to his room. Absently he brought his hand up to the center of his chest. An unfamiliar tension mingled within.
"Where do you think you're going?" the Hyuuga asked just as he reached out to open the door to his room. "You said I can go on a date right?"
"Yes, Hanabi." He said flatly, pushing open his door to get away from her.
"Well then let's go."
The Uchiha turned around slowly, unsure of whether he understood correctly what she was trying to get at. She smirked, hands on her hips and her head cocked slightly to the side.
"Do you think I can actually go on a date with that guy after what happened at breakfast? It would be too embarrassing. You must take responsibility.
…
Monday May 27, 2021 1:05pm
Hakone Resort and Hot Springs
…...
There were many things Hanabi knew that she didn't want. She didn't want to wake up in the morning because getting out of bed was more of a hassle than it was worth. She didn't want to explain the exorbitant amounts of money she spent on take out every month to Neji when her account statements inevitably floated across his desk. She didn't want to visit her advisor every semester who had a stick shoved so far up her ass she couldn't sit properly. Yes, there were many things she didn't want but at the top of the list was Itachi being with another woman.
It was odd to think of him around other women in that way. She briefly tried to pair him and Izumi together a few years ago for her own immature reasons. At the time it had seemed like an amusing match but now she was happy that they hadn't worked out. Was it wrong of her to be happy about that? She took amusement in the Uchiha's avoidance of the opposite sex when she was around yet what happened when she wasn't? What happened when she was no longer by his side? One day he might take her teasing to get a girlfriend to heart. One day she wouldn't be the only one by his side.
Hanabi frowned as she and Itachi walked slowly through the tiny snow-covered village, her eyes narrowing as a gaggle of teenage girls followed auspiciously behind them. Those girls weren't anything Itachi would be interested in but clearly, he had been with other, more appealing women. What sort of women did Itachi like? How long would it be before their adventures would involve a third party? Just the thought of another woman coming along made Hanabi shuffle closer to Itachi, slipping her hand into his for comfort. Another woman coming along meant that she would have to share and that was something that she just wouldn't do. Absently she shivered at the idea.
"Are you cold?" Itachi asked, breaking her from her thoughts. "Hanabi?"
His voice made all coherent thoughts fly right out of her mind and bringing her back to the dream she had last night. Her name had tumbled from his lips the exact same way…The Hyuuga blushed and shook her head, letting go of his hand in the process. Why was she being so weird? Dark eyes looked at her worriedly, no doubt assuming there was something wrong. He wouldn't be incorrect in that assumption though. There was something wrong. Something terribly, terribly wrong.
"Come on." She said, forcing a smile on her face and her not so innocent thoughts to the back of her mind. "Let's go try some of the food stalls!"
The worried look in his eyes remained but his shoulders relaxed a bit at her diversion.
"You're hungry? You just had breakfast." He said and Hanabi stuck her tongue out at him.
"I didn't have much of an appetite this morning but now I do."
Itachi shook his head and allowed her to drag him down a side street where the food stalls were teeming with patrons. The smell of fried foods mixed with the crisp snowy air and was enough to ease some of her nerves. This may be a 'date' to make up for the one Itachi had shot down earlier but there was no reason for her to feel so nervous. She and Itachi had spent plenty of time alone together over the last few years. This outing was no different.
Her dream from last night was just that, a dream, and one day she would have to share Itachi. However, as they weaved through the crowd with newly purchased hot chocolate, that day wasn't today. Resolute in her thoughts, she slipped her free hand back into his and prattled on as easily as she always had. There was too much going on in the village to remain focused on her own thoughts anyhow.
The rest of their 'date' went off without a hitch. They'd tried almost everything the food stalls had to offer, much to their stomachs protest. It almost felt like she'd eaten her weight in fried noodles and kabobs but it was well worth it. Once they'd finished with the food stalls they popped in and out of the eclectic shops the small town had to offer, picking up various gifts to give to their family when they eventually returned to Konoha.
As the sun began to set over the village, the pair headed back towards the skylift station that had brought them up the mountain earlier. The line was fairly short since most of the crowds had left earlier to beat the sunset. The sky lift carriers were made almost entirely out of glass so most patrons still wanted to see the icy winding river and snow-capped trees before darkness swallowed them up. Hanabi didn't mind though. She was beyond tired after walking around all day and wouldn't be able to enjoy the view anyway. At least with the crowds gone, it meant that she and Itachi would be able to get a lift to themselves.
"Did you enjoy yourself?" Itachi asked as one of the sky lift attendants opened the door to an empty carriage.
"It was okay I guess." Hanabi sighed, trying to sound blasé but unable to keep a smile off of her face. "I wish we were able to visit again before we have to leave."
She stepped into the small glass carriage and took a seat on the middle bench, leaning back against the cold wall behind her. Itachi took a seat next to her and once they were settled in the attendant closed the carriage door and waved them off.
"We can always come back another summer." Itachi said and Hanabi absently bit her bottom lip.
How many more summers were they going to be able to come back? One? Maybe two? She was shaken from her thoughts when a gloved hand reached up and turned her chin so that she would face him.
"You've been distracted all day." He said and Hanabi gulped.
Outside of the lift, the sky changed from a vibrant orange to saturated blue, the likes of which should have had her full attention. Yet she couldn't focus on anything. Not with Itachi staring at her intensely with a look in his eyes she couldn't quite place.
His face was so close…too close. His proximity made her heart beat faster, the sensation alarming her more than she cared to admit. The last time her heart had sped up like this so many years ago, another man had been the culprit. Konohamaru's touch felt like a distant memory and was merely a point of reference to the intense sensations she was now experiencing. Why was her body reacting like this?
"I'm fine." She said finally, unconsciously leaning closer to him.
"Good." He smirked as he let go of her chin and leaned away.
….
Friday, June 8, 2021 5:01pm
Tokai Mountains
…...
"Hey! About time you two showed up!"
"We would have been here faster but someone decided to sleep in this morning."
Hanabi frowned, petulantly crossing her arms over her chest as Kisame laughed at Itachi's statement. It was all Itachi's fault she didn't get any sleep last night. Well, not the real Itachi but dream Itachi had appeared in her dreams again and this time even more vividly. The dream had shaken her so thoroughly that she was unable to get back to sleep for hours. Since sleep had been elusive yet again she pulled out some of her test prep books and studied until she could no longer keep her eyes open. By then she'd been so exhausted that she slept through her alarm. An alarm which she never usually needed to use during the summer since she was supposed to be sleeping in Itachi's bed but he wouldn't let her. So essentially it was all Itachi's fault.
"Well, I'm just glad you were able to make it." Konan smiled as they entered the house.
Hanabi pushed past Itachi to wrap her arms around the somber woman. It always felt like an eternity since she'd last seen her and she really needed someone to talk to. Someone that wasn't Itachi or her own thoughts which had been running rampant lately. She couldn't call Hinata, it would be way too awkward to talk about her brother in law to her. Tenten was a viable third party option but anything she said to Tenten would eventually get back to Neji. If Neji got even the slightest hint of her conflicted feelings about Itachi he'd be on the next flight out to drag her back to Konoha.
"Oh, my!" Konan chuckled as she returned Hanabi's embrace. "Have you missed me that much?"
"Now this is fucking hot." A pervy voice called from behind the women. "Don't stop on my account. I was beginning to get bored looking at all of these fuckers. Now I have something more interesting to watch."
"You're such a perv Hidan." Hanabi snapped, breaking away from Konan to glare at the white-haired man. He was unintimidated by her glare. Choosing instead to grin broadly as he pensively rubbed his chin.
"It's been awhile, hasn't it? Let's see how you've grown over the last year. What are they feeding kids in school nowadays?"
Hanabi blushed and zipped her coat up all the way to keep Hidan's lecherous eyes away. There wasn't much for him to look at anyway but it was the principle of the matter. The guy had zero filter which was amusing at times and downright weird at others.
"Stop being such a perv and help us get their suitcases up to their room." Kisame snorted before heading upstairs himself.
Hidan grumbled but complied with Kisame's command, muttering curses under his breath the entire time.
"What the hell do you have in here? Fucking rocks?"
Hanabi smiled for a moment as she watched Hidan and Kisame disappear up the stairs but her joy was short lived. They were carrying the suitcases up to their room. Her first summer here had been spent sleeping in Itachi's room most nights. Eventually, all of her stuff had ended up in there and the room she'd been assigned to was forgotten about. Every year after that it had just been assumed that she was staying with him and it hadn't been a problem…until now.
"Actually Konan…" Itachi started, and Hanabi stiffened next to him. "I need my own room. If it isn't too much trouble."
Konan cocked her head to the side, a curious blue eyebrow raising at the request. Hanabi averted the older woman's gaze and tried to ignore the fact that her cheeks felt as if they were on fire.
"It's no trouble at all. This house used to be an orphanage so we have more rooms than we know what to do with. We just need to air out one of them first."
"Thank you."
Konan then started to climb the stairs and Itachi followed close behind her but Hanabi remained on the first floor. She didn't want to know which room Itachi would be staying in. She didn't want to think about sleeping in her own bed…alone.
"Has Itachi gotten tired of his precious firecracker already?" a bored voice drolled next to her.
Hanabi narrowed her eyes at the owner and sniffed. Sasori stood next to her, slightly slouched and facing the stairwell. Inwardly Hanabi cursed herself for allowing someone to creep up on her. She really needed to stop thinking so much.
"It's not like that." Hanabi replied.
"Really? That's not what it's looked like to me." Sasori said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "I suppose Itachi would be one to not become tempted by a girl in his bed."
"Itachi's not weird like the rest of you."
"Hmmm that begs the question though…why is he kicking you out? Has he found a real girlfriend now instead of a witch?"
Hanabi frowned and tore her eyes away from Sasori. She'd only been in the house for less than an hour and he had already struck a nerve. That wasn't anything new though. Sasori always got on her nerves.
"Who Itachi wants to 'share a bed' with is none of your concern." She snapped.
"But it is yours." The redhead countered.
"Shut up Sasori." Hanabi hissed, struggling to keep her temper under control.
"If you get scared of the dark tonight, you can always come sleep with me. I'll leave the light on for you-"
"Pft. You couldn't pay me enough. Where's Deidra? We've got work to do."
"You've wounded me little firecracker." Sasori smirked, finally tearing his eyes away from the stairs to look at her. "He's in the study. I must warn you though. He's more than a little excited about your plan."
A smile spread across the Hyuuga's face as she turned on her heel towards the study. Sasori shoved his hands into his pockets and lazily followed her through the house. They only had twenty-four hours to put her plan in action. If they had any chance of getting it done right they would all need a bit of Deidra's enthusiasm. Quickly she found the door to the study and entered the room. Almost immediately dozens of balloons spilled out of the room and into the hallway, the muffled cries of Deidra for them to shut the door accompanying their escape.
"I told you he was too excited." Sasori grumbled, kicking a balloon back into the room. Hanabi smirked and shook her head.
"This is going to be perfect!"
….
Saturday, June 9, 2021 9:10am
Tokai Mountains
…...
"Hanabi." Itachi called through the door.
He'd been knocking for the last three minutes but the girl had yet to come to the door. This was the third morning that he had to rouse her out of bed. Hanabi didn't rise with the sun like he did but she wasn't one to sleep in either. What was she doing at night that kept her up so late? He frowned and twisted the doorknob, happy to find that she'd left it unlocked.
"Hanabi." He said as he entered her room.
Hanabi was still sleeping, of course, a messy tangle of limbs and sheets in the middle of her bed. Itachi shook his head at the way she clutched her pillow close her chest and mumbled incoherently in her sleep. There was no way she was going to wake up on her own and be ready in time for them to head in town with everyone. The fact that they were even leaving as a group puzzled him to no end since they usually stay in the house. Getting up and down the mountainous terrain took almost an hour but Deidra had been adamant about leaving. Hanabi had also seemed excited about the prospect of going into town so it was a surprise to see her still sleeping.
He shook his head at the sleeping girl before turning his attention to the explosion of clothing that was scattered all over her room. With a huff, he started picking up what he could and tossing them back into her suitcase. If Konan saw the damage Hanabi had already done to the room she might just faint. As he picked up Hanabi's things, he noticed that there were more of his t-shirts mixed in with her own clothing than he'd realized she'd stolen. He shook his head again as he picked one of his favorite black t-shirts up from the floor and tossed it into her suitcase. He knew he should be irritated with Hanabi's theft but somehow he was unbothered.
It only took a few more minutes to get all of Hanabi's clothing back into the suitcase but none of his rustling around had managed to wake her up. With a sigh, he approached her bed to try to awaken her once more.
"Hanabi." He said, reaching out to shake her shoulder but pausing when something odd caught his eye on her bed stand.
A book, rather thick and incredibly worn, was lying open on the table. Hanabi wasn't one to read. If it wasn't for school she'd rather burn a book than read it. Curious, he picked the book up and flipped it over to the front. 2022 Medical College Admission Test Prep. The Uchiha's brow furrowed as he reread the title over and over again. Hanabi? A doctor? Since when did she decide she wanted to take that path in her life? Why?
"Mmmm." Hanabi moaned in her sleep and rolled over onto her back. "More."
Itachi stiffened as she moaned softly again, drawing his eyes to her sleeping body. She'd let go of the pillow she'd been cuddling which allowed him an unencumbered view of her chest rising and falling steadily. The black t-shirt she'd stolen from him was pushed halfway up her stomach, her skin unblemished and smooth all the way to the waistband of her ill-fitting pajama bottoms which hung low on her hips.
"Please." She whimpered and rolled over onto her side, turning her back to him.
The sound of her voice heightened his arousal and made him back away from the side of her bed. What was she dreaming about that made her sound so…needy? Itachi cursed under his breath as he tried to mentally will his arousal away but it wasn't working so well.
He had to get out of the room before he did something he regretted. Deidra was just going to have to wait for Hanabi to wake up on her own. Quickly the Uchiha made to exit the small room but was halted by movement on the bed.
"Itachi?" Hanabi mumbled, her voice full of fatigue as the bed creaked from her sitting upright. "What are you doing here?"
Itachi paused, gripping the doorknob so tightly that his knuckles were beginning to turn white. He had to get out of this room.
"I came to wake you." He said with a practiced calm.
"Oh…okay" she said hesitantly. "Did I…did you…never mind. I'll be ready in a minute."
Seizing the opportunity to escape, he opened the door quickly and shut it behind him. Once the door was firmly closed, Itachi leaned back against it and took a deep breath. The uncomfortable warmth that had been stirring inside of him refused to dissipate just yet and further served to remind him of just how wrong he was. Inside of the room, he could hear Hanabi inexplicably screaming obscenities into her pillow.
….
Saturday, June 9, 2021 4:01pm
Tokai Mountains
…...
"Now get the eggs and butter out of the fridge. We need to get them up to room temperature before we start." Konan instructed as Hanabi finished tying her apron around her waist.
"Got it!" Hanabi replied as she pulled the apron strings tight and complied with Konan's request.
She quickly opened the fridge and pulled out the items needed and placed them on the kitchen island where the rest of their baking materials resided. Hanabi had never thought of herself as very 'domestic' before. Whatever she needed was always taken care of by the branch members that served in the main house or by her older sister and cousin. In fact, the first time she'd washed clothes the 'old fashioned way' was her first trip with Itachi. It wasn't until she lived alone in the dorms that she actually had to use a machine. She didn't cook and she certainly didn't clean but there was a first time for everything. Especially when today was such an important day! Resolute in her efforts to make the day perfect, Hanabi turned to Konan for her next set of directions.
"My you're a ball of energy today." Konan chuckled softly, arranging the metal mixing bowls in front of her. "I thought you'd lose some of your steam after decorating."
Hanabi smirked and shook her head. The living room was covered in multicolored streamers and balloons. Every surface had a healthy smattering of confetti and glitter. The color scheme was a bit odd since she and Deidra couldn't decide on only one color, this led them to settle for every color, but Hanabi was satisfied with it. No matter what the living room looked like she knew Itachi would be surprised.
"Today is important. I can't get tired just yet!" she said and Konan smiled.
"Alright. We have about two hours before everyone returns. I don't believe Deidra will be able to make up enough excuses to keep them in town much longer."
"Crap!" Hanabi hissed at the prediction. They'd barely been able to come up with a flimsy excuse to get Itachi out of the house. "I haven't wrapped the presents!"
All of Itachi's birthday gifts had been locked in the study with the rest of the party decorations. The other men had 'wrapped' their own gifts already but their efforts were abysmal. Kisame had even wrapped his present in crumpled newspaper and that just wasn't going to fly in Hanabi's opinion.
"I can do it." Konan said, untying her own apron. "Just follow the recipe card and I'll be back quickly."
Hanabi nodded her head stiffly and flashed Konan a grateful smile. She really should have been wrapping presents last night instead of studying but at least the other woman was there to help. As Konan disappeared from the kitchen, Hanabi turned her attention to all of the ingredients laid out on the kitchen island. The sight was a bit daunting but how hard could it be to bake a cake?
Sasuke baked and the cinnamon rolls she managed to steal whenever he made them always turned out pretty good. If Sasuke could do it, so could she. Plus cakes were simple. According to the recipe card, all she had to do was dump stuff into a bowl and throw it into the oven. With that thought in mind, she started measuring out her flour as she read over the recipe card's instructions.
"This isn't so hard." Hanabi said, putting the bag of flour down on the counter before pushing the recipe card away.
Sugar, flour, salt, cocoa….it was all easy enough. She didn't need to keep reading the card. It didn't take long for her to mix all of the ingredients together, although cracking an egg was a lot harder than Sasuke had made it look, and soon her cake was ready to go into the oven. It was messier work than she'd expected but it wasn't anything she wasn't able to handle. Just as she was setting the metal dish into the oven, Konan walked back into the kitchen with a cell phone in her hand.
"Deidra just called. Hidan got into a verbal altercation with a store clerk so they are making their way back up the mountain before the police are called. They're going to be here soon." Konan said, looking around nervously at her now messy kitchen. "Wow. You're done already?"
"Yep! Baking is easy." Hanabi said smugly, wiping her hands off on the front of her apron.
"Well, I'm sure it's going to taste delicious. Itachi will be pleased."
Hanabi blushed at Konan's statement, quickly turning away in hopes that she wouldn't notice. Thinking about the word 'pleased' and Itachi brought back the utter embarrassment she'd felt that morning when he'd come to wake her up. He didn't say anything about the incident during breakfast. In fact, he was the last one to the table and sat as far away from her as possible. When she'd made her excuse to not join the group going into town he didn't say anything.
It wasn't like she was able to meet his eyes anyway if he were to actually look at her. Just thinking about him now flushed her entire body, making it difficult to focus on little else. It was maddening how contradictory the feeling was and she wasn't quite sure how to resolve it. She wanted to talk to Konan about her feelings but she had no idea where to begin. It was much too awkward to admit that she developing urges towards her brother in law.
"Well, he better be." She mumbled, shaking her confusing thoughts away. "It's taken a lot of effort."
"Not as much effort as school though. How is that going by the way? It'll be your senior year this fall right?"
"Yea! I kind of can't believe how fast time has gone by." Hanabi replied and started helping Konan clean up the ruined kitchen. Gathering the multiple broken eggs shells off of the counter into a bowl and tossed them into the trash.
"Time always seems to be that way." Konan sighed as she gathered up the mixing bowls and placed them into the sink. "I suppose you will be heading back to your family's company after graduation?"
"Actually…no."
Hanabi placed the bowl that formerly held the eggshells onto the counter next to the sink as Konan turned on the faucet. She waited for the shock of rejecting her familial duty to register with the woman. She was the first person she'd even broached the decision with but Konan didn't seem to care at all. She just started washing the dishes.
"You're not going to ask me a million questions?" Hanabi prodded and Konan looked up from the dishes to flash her a small smile.
"Am I supposed to?"
"Everyone else does."
"Well, I'm not everyone else." Konan shrugged, turning back to scrubbing. "You will do what you think is best for your future. No one else will be able to make those decisions for you. That's what Nagato believed."
The Hyuuga let out a breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding. Konan was right of course. At the end of the day, she was the one that had to be satisfied with her life, no one else. Her older sister was the living embodiment of that fact. Hinata was all but disowned by their father. A few years ago that was something that would have devastated Hinata, she would have done almost anything to get his approval. Now, however, she seemed perfectly happy with her role as Uchiha matriarch and the twins. It was a life the Hyuuga elders and their father disapproved of but Hinata was satisfied.
'If Hinata can do it, so can I.' Hanabi thought to herself.
To become a doctor. It was an unorthodox choice that she'd made for her future. She was certain that her father wouldn't approve since becoming a doctor took her out of the running for negotiating with other companies or making a fortunate marriage. What powerful company would allow their child to marry someone who spent all day in scrubs? She would be of no use to them financially and would possess very little influence when it came to company matters.
Becoming a doctor wasn't an uncommon profession within her clan but it was a path mostly taken by lower branch members who weren't chosen to work for the company in some capacity but Hanabi couldn't think of anything else she'd rather do. There was nothing else that felt like more of a challenge or more rewarding. It wasn't something that she had previously seen herself doing but seeing how hard the doctors and nurses had worked on Itachi last winter had sparked an interest in her.
When school resumed she'd done more research into becoming a doctor than she ever had for her usual coursework. She went to every medical school presentation that was offered and signed up for MCAT prep courses to on top of her usual class load. Despite how daunting of a task it would be to become a doctor Hanabi just couldn't see herself doing anything else. She knew she wouldn't be satisfied elsewhere. Pushing papers or becoming a wealthy man's wife just weren't in her cards and she probably wouldn't be very good at those things anyway.
Hanabi smirked as she recalled the barely contained horror of the Senju family the night Konohamaru had brought her to dinner with them. Hinata had done an excellent job at making her look like a 'lady' but her own personality had managed to shine through the veneer. They'd swallowed their shock though at how un-Hyuuga like she was and at the time she'd believed that it was for Konohamaru's sake. However, their 'tolerance' had been paid for through her father's manipulations and that was something she just couldn't stand for. The Hyuuga shook her head at the memory as she wiped down the countertop from all of the excess flour she'd spilled.
Her relationship with Konohamaru seemed like so long ago. It used to be that every time she thought about him her heart felt like it was break. Now…she felt nothing. It was odd. At seventeen she couldn't wait to sneak out of the compound to spar with him. To walk around the town when everyone was sleeping and relish not having people look at them. It hurt to let go of someone who didn't see her last name first but the price of keeping him was not one she was willing to pay.
Now there was news of his recent engagement to Moegi, a prominent debutant in her own right and the daughter of a powerful family abroad. Their engagement photos had been centerfolds in the trashy gossip magazines her roommates had purchased and gushed over in their shared living room. They lamented how lucky Moegi was. How beautiful the ostentatiously huge diamond ring was. How much money would be spent on such a wedding? At that question, Hanabi could only snort. More money than her roommates could ever hope to make in a year would likely be spent on the occasion. Konohamaru was the sole male heir after all. The Senju would not be ones to cut corners on such an event.
It was a wedding that would be talked about well after it was over and would likely set trends for the following wedding season among the rich and powerful. Everything would be picked apart and analyzed. From the centerpieces to the catering to the dress. It was a spotlight that had been meant for her but somehow she was glad she hadn't taken up the mantel. Maybe she could have been happy taking over her family's company and marrying into a rich family. Her father had certainly thought she would be. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she doubted just how satisfied she'd be with such a life. A life that didn't belong to her and her alone was not one she wanted.
Hanabi smiled to herself, pausing briefly in her task of wiping down the counters. This was the start of a life that she had chosen and there was no need to deny herself the things she wanted. Just that possibility alone made a warmth swell within her and made her resume cleaning the kitchen with a renewed vigor.
….
Saturday, June 9, 2021 6:00pm
Tokai Mountains
…...
Itachi rubbed his temples with the pads of his fingers, hoping against all odds that Hidan would stop ranting. It was a futile dream. He'd learned very well over the years that they'd spent together that the man was a verbal volcano that never yielded. Kisame, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the tirades Hidan went on and sometimes went out of his way to make the man erupt. At times, Itachi found it remarkable that he'd remained friends with these men for so long.
"That fucking cock swallowing cunt had the nerve to threaten me?! Me! Ha!" Hidan cursed incessantly before Kakuzu smacked the back of his head.
"Quit you're complaining." The gruff older man snarled. "We are finally back and I'm sick of hearing this. You're lucky the cops hadn't shown up yet."
"Lucky?! I'm lucky? They're the lucky ones. Why if I had my tools with me I'd-"
"Sacrifice them to your all-powerful lord and savior Jashin." Kisame offered and Hidan enthusiastically pumped his fist into the air.
"Exactly. That bitch was lucky I wasn't prepared." He exclaimed and the rest of the men shook their heads at his antics as they walked up the gravel pathway.
Itachi didn't really care about who or what would be sacrificed to Jashin today. All he wanted to do was visit Nagato's grave and perhaps finally read a chapter in his book. He eagerly followed the others up to the front door, more than grateful that their time out together had come to an end.
"Itachi." Sasori's monotonous voice called from just a few paces back.
Yakihito and Kakuzu moved past the Uchiha as he turned around to see what the youngest male member in their group wanted. He'd never spent much one on one time with the male so it was odd that he would even call out to him.
"Yes?" Itachi asked as the front door closed behind the last of their companions.
"Hanabi's graduating next spring." He said flatly.
"Yes."
"You two are not together."
Itachi's lips pursed together in a flat line, unappreciative of the direction this conversation was going. The man before him tilted his head slightly to the side and shoved his hands into his coat pockets.
"I'll take that as a yes."
Lazily, Sasori walked past him and into the house, leaving the Uchiha alone with nothing but trees for companions. His fingers curled into fists as Sasori's words replayed in his mind.
Hanabi is graduating next spring…
Yes…yes she was. This was likely the last summer she would have free to spend with him in this way. He'd come to look forward to their summers together but now…all of that would come to an end. The finality of it all didn't quite sit right with him. What had started as a way for Hanabi to get some direction in her life had created unwanted side effects upon him. He'd intended to finish out whatever remaining years he had in solitude. Travelling and seeing the world in a capacity that would not be afforded to him if he were to take up the role of Uchiha head.
It had been his birthright to lead his clan but it was not something he would be able to handle. The stress alone would have hastened the deterioration of his body and it wasn't like he had that many years left anyway. Statistically speaking he was edging ever closer and closer to his end the day he turned thirty. He had already been pushing his limits when he'd finally handed the company and the clan over to Sasuke.
With that kind of mortality in mind, what did it matter that he and Hanabi would not have another summer like this? It wasn't like she would no longer be in his life, they were family after all. She undoubtedly had her own ideas for where she wanted her life to lead if the test prep book in her room was anything to go by. Where did that leave him in the equation?
You two are not together….
Hanabi was no longer the skinny seventeen-year-old girl he'd met all those years ago. She'd grown and matured, each summer returning to him more beautiful than the last. This summer, in particular, seemed to have peeked more male interest in her than any other. Of course, he couldn't keep her all to himself forever. It was also only a matter of time before she found someone that she liked. She'd spend more than just summers with that man, she'd spend the rest of her life with him. That was the way it was supposed to be.
She was meant to be happy, have children, and grow old with someone at her side. That, someone, was not him. He couldn't give her children. He wouldn't be able to grow old with her. All he'd bring her was sadness when one day he would no longer be apart of her life. Leaving her alone to pick up the pieces was the last thing he wanted to do. In essence, he was simply waiting to die. He didn't her to wait with him.
Slowly his fingers uncurled themselves from the tight fist they were in, arms hung limply at his side. An uncomfortable tension settled in the middle of his chest. The tightening and curling reminded him once again of why he'd sought out the solitude of living alone in the first place. It reminded him of the fact that he'd failed to stop himself from creating an attachment. It was a physical manifestation of his own greed. His own selfish need to bind himself to a person he shouldn't have. A person he couldn't have…
"Is he fucking coming? Oi! Itachi!" Kisame called out from the from the front door, breaking the silence of the forest.
Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ensuring that his outward appearance didn't reflect the discomfort he was currently feeling. Casually he turned back towards the house and Kisame motioned lazily for him to walk faster.
"You'd think that since I don't work for you anymore I wouldn't have to fetch you." The man smirked and opened the door wide enough to let the Uchiha through.
Surprising the inside of the foyer was dark despite the fact that everyone had arrived back to the house. He didn't think much of it though and felt around for the panel of light switches next to the door. As soon as the lights came on, the room was illuminated but it no longer looked the same as how he'd left it that morning. Balloons of every color littered the floor, completely covering the hardwood floor underneath. Multicolored streamers hung from the ceiling and dangled obnoxiously in his friends' faces. Said friends all had on brightly colored polka dot party hates with varying degrees of discomfort from the accessory.
"Surprise!" Deidra exclaimed, enthusiastically hitting Kakuzu's arm so that he'd express the same sentiment.
"Surprise." The man finally grumbled, folding his arms over his chest and walking away from Deidra's assault.
"Thank you." The Uchiha said stiffly although there was a mild hint of surprise in his voice. He'd completely forgotten that today was his birthday.
"Oh no! You opened the door too soon!" Hanabi called out from inside of the kitchen on the far side of the room.
The crowd of men parted to allow Konan and Hanabi through but Itachi barely registered the blue-haired woman's presence. All he could focus on was Hanabi smiling up at, wearing a bulky black sweater she'd stolen from his suitcase and bright yellow leggings. In her hands was a lopsided cake covered in chocolate frosting and more lit candles than were appropriate for a cake. She stopped just in front of him, pale eyes staring up at him excitedly. Her lips parted as she held the cake out to him proudly and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her.
"Happy Birthday Itachi."
To be continued…
T is for Crush
Girls were gross. There was no other way to say it.