#6 – Forgiveness
Since Itachi could not chase Kisame out of his place, he decided to treat him as furniture.
"Hey Itachi-san welcome back," Kisame twisted around the sofa and greeted in a jovial tone, waving an envelope in his hand, "Your Time subscription just arrived, thought I'd help you pick up from the mailbox…" Drifting past the living room, he wasted no steps getting to his room.
"…Maybe he didn't hear me, but he doesn't seem the type to blast his earphone…"
"Hey Itachi-san, my goldfish's giving birth! Come and watch, this is good practice for your future wife!" Other than a snort that was quickly masked behind a cough, Itachi remained unstirred by the sofa.
Frowning at his indifferent reflection by the tank, Kisame made his way towards his roommate.
"Just what are you reading that you can't tear your eyes off-" Itachi propped up his legs across the sofa just before Kisame could cosy up beside him.
"…I'll take it that you don't want to be disturbed?"
The next morning…
Fresh out of the shower, Kisame rubbed absentmindedly at his tousled blue hair while his partner sat by the sofa, a rather unexciting sight as usual. If not for today's newspaper, he would have thought that Itachi had sat at the same spot and read for the whole night.
"Say Itachi-san," He began causally as he prepared his Nespresso latte, "By any chance you're still angry over what happened that day?" Itachi continued to face the newspaper, but he had stopped skimming the texts.
He was about to defend himself, but that would mean talking to furniture, and who in their sane mind would interact with their fixtures?
Just then the doorbell rang, and in an attempt to please, Kisame sprang to the door like a faithful butler as Itachi ducked to the shower.
"Hey Itachi, where are the keys you said you'll be giving me- Kisame-san?"
"S-Sasuke-kun?"
"What are you doing here?" They broke out simultaneously, gawping like a pair of goldfishes.
"Don't tell me…" Kisame was the first to recover. "You're Itachi-san's brother?"
"…And you're that new roommate?" Sasuke shook his head in disbelief. "Even if it's coincidental, this is just creepy."
"No wonder I thought Itachi looked familiar… Anyway, it's great to see you again! Hid and Kak just requested for a rematch three days ago, and I've been cursing myself for being an idiot and not getting your number." Kisame waved his phone in self-reproach before passing it to Sasuke.
"Great timing, we've just received a new batch of balls and cue sticks. Let's hit them up."
Shaking his head to rid of those loose droplets, Itachi was greeted with the sight of his brother and Kisame huddled together by the entrance, snickering away into the smartphone like some high school girls.
And here he thought being hugged by a man was weird enough.
As though on a cheerleader's cue, they turned their attention towards the frozen and dripping (hot) Itachi, and burst out in unison.
"Why didn't you tell me that Sasuke-kun is your brother?"
"Why didn't you tell me that Kisame-san is your roommate?" Itachi nearly rolled his eyes; they were even talking in sync. What were they, some long separated brothers? Two hearts beating as one?
"No one asked…" He muttered grudgingly as they carried the conversation towards the kitchen island.
"You came knocking at just the right time. Here have some of my homemade coffee," Kisame offered and prepared three cups.
"Who are you kidding? This is definitely three in one," Sasuke smirked and nearly scalded his tongue.
"What's wrong Itachi-san? Drink up before it gets cold," He nudged hesitantly when he caught him glaring at the cup, like he was just served with poison.
"Sorry, Itachi doesn't take caffeine, though mocha's fine yea?" Itachi faintly smiled and reached into his pockets.
"Here are the spare keys, sorry I forgot to pass to you the other day."
"Great, Kisame-san you don't mind right?"
"O-Of course not, this was originally Itachi-san's place anyway. Drop by whenever you like," He asserted with a furtive glance at Itachi, which Sasuke picked up.
"Am I imagining things, or is the atmosphere between you two a bit off…?" Knowing that Itachi was determined to remain mum, Kisame cleared his throat.
"Well it's my fault really. The other day, I was feeling down and got really drunk, then mistook Itachi's room for mine. All I can remember is my head hitting the bed, and it's next morning."
"…Is that all?"
"…Not to mention picking my lock, using me as a human bolster, and vomiting his guts all over my room," Itachi added, taking a spiteful bite into the baguette.
"You made my brother clean up your puke in the middle of the night? No wonder he isn't taking very well to that… Hey this coffee's really good."
"Hmph." At least Sasuke was on his side, even if he praised the coffee.
"I puked? Man I'm so sorry Itachi-san, I didn't know… You can beat the shit out of me, take all my beers, anything to relieve your displeasure."
"He even offered his beers, this alcoholic! I think you can consider forgiving him, Itachi," Sasuke quipped, clearly amused by this uncle's bicker.
"I'll even pay for your next month's Time's subscription, you love those right?"
Honestly, he was not even angry, maybe on the day when it happened, but with time his rage had sizzled into stubbornness... It was the reluctance of letting him off the hook so easily, after that wonderful stunt he had pulled on him.
"…Just cut it out. You guys are making feel like some mean big Sister." Eyeing the steaming coffee on the table, he picked it up and took a gulp, to their surprise. Kisame nearly teared at the sight.
"That's your cue to get down on all fours and thank his magnanimity," Sasuke jested with a sideways thumb.
Ah, nothing quite like the bittersweet taste of giving in.
Feeling guilt for turning Itachi into some petty man...