Plans
A/N: Sorry for the delay! I kept going back and re-editing this.
Summary: Unexpected encounters and poorly timed plans are nothing but a blessing in disguise.
When the glass doors slide open and I step into the shop, my eyes immediately move towards the counter where my sweetheart is usually seated. But his dark head which is usually buried in his work is not visible today. My eyes are just about to begin their impatient scan of the store when "Welcome," comes a pleasantly familiar voice and against my will, my lips spread into a genuine smile. It comes from the direction of the bookshelves with the manga and sure enough standing against the shelves of shoujo manga is the man my eyes have longed to see.
Itachi is wearing a black sweater and his usual black pants. His face is buried in the small pile of comic books he has in his hands. I stop in my tracks just to gaze at him for a moment. He studiously arranges the five or so comics in his hands, before parting a couple of books on the shelf to stash the books he's just arranged there. Once he's done, he turns towards me. I'm on him before he can react, hugging him to my chest, resting my face in his neck, just breathing him in. I expected him to melt and hug me back but he stands there stiffly and when I press a kiss to his lips. I look at his face, expecting a sweet smile but his expression is one of genuine mortification. "Hi?" I say, letting him push me away as he takes a step back. Confusion fills me up.
"Hello Naruto-kun," Itachi greets me and then his eyes dart to the sofas. I turn around and my heart drops to my knees.
Sitting at the sofa Sasuke and I frequented when we came here to study, eating what seems to be a cup of something akin to flan pudding is a tiny boy. Kiyoshi. Oh fuck! Only now, the boy has abandoned his pudding in favor of staring at his father and me with wide eyes, a confused look on his face.
Although I've seen him before in the photograph Sasuke shared on his Line wall on New Year's or the one Itachi has as his wallpaper, seeing the real person is slightly jarring. It's like reality colliding with the image in my head. I've often tried to think about the kind of feelings I have for the child and while there's a part of me that's accepted Kiyoshi as a permanence in Itachi's life, hence, in this relationship, seeing him for real brings out a genuine fear inside me. I stand there silently staring at him while he stares back at me for a whole moment. I have absolutely no idea on how to deal with a child, let alone the child of my lover!
I smile at him politely but he continues to study me in this eerie unnerving silence for a second before he breaks into a toothy grin just like the photograph. He points at me and turns to his dad. "Look daddy, sunshine!" he says.
I turn my eyes towards Itachi who's now looking at his son with amusement. "Sunshine?" he asks, his smile blooming into a grin when Kiyoshi nods enthusiastically.
I watch Itachi watching his son both of them grinning as they look at me and my chest expands more than I thought was possible to accommodate one more person. Something extremely poignant and sweet fills me up. It's like cotton candy, soft in texture but sticky as I find my throat clogged with the vastness of emotions that tug at my heartstrings. I have this sudden impulse to go hug the boy and the father but I stay rooted on the spot, unable to say a single word, just because of the fucking lump in my throat.
I turn my gaze to Itachi's to find him studying me nervously. My throat is still useless so I just give him a small smile. I clear my throat and with a smile on my face, make my way to the sofa where the tiny toddler sits. "Hello young man," I greet, bowing slowly, before smiling at him. Looking at him up this closely, I can see the resemblance he bears with his father. They both have the same almond-shaped eyes, fanned by long eyelashes. They share the same nose and mouth but while Itachi's cheekbones are not so prominent, they are more pronounced on the still chubby cheeks. He also lacks the tear-troughs that his father has.
His eyes widen when he hears Japanese but he returns my smile and my greeting by bowing his head. "Hello," he says.
"My name is Naruto, I'm a friend of your father's. What's your name?" I ask him pleasantly. I can almost hear the eggshells I'm walking on.
To my surprise, his smile widens. "I'm Uchiha Kiyoshi," he says, gracing me with a toothy grin again. I feel another tugging at my heart.
Itachi walks up to the sofa and stands beside me. "Naruto-kun is also Uncle Sasuke's friend," he informs Kiyoshi whose eyes turn impossibly wider.
"That's awesome! Uncle Sasuke is awesome!" the kid giggles and I can see just how much he has both Itachi and Sasuke wrapped around his tiny fingers.
Uchiha Kiyoshi has an extremely profound crush. My lips automatically tug up in a smile when Kiyoshi's cheeks turn rosy as he looks up at me. It's hard to dislike the boy when he's this adorable. I turn to him and wink, making him bury his head in his hands and let out a giggle.
We are in a Japanese restaurant for dinner. Itachi is seated opposite me. Kiyoshi sits to my left. He insisted he be seated beside me and despite my lover's obvious misgivings, when Kiyoshi brought out the pout, it took all of two seconds to throw up his hands in the air and relent. So here we are, perusing the menu silently. Itachi's knee softly brushes mine under the table and stays there. The temperature in my body rises when I look up from my menu to find his eyes on me. His knee stays beside mine bent a little towards my knee, resting on it. I love it so much; it makes me break out in a grin.
"What will you eat?" Kiyoshi asks, breaking into the silence as tugs on my shirt.
My attention is instantly towards the child. "I'll have the fried chicken set," I decide loudly, putting down the menu to wink at Kiyoshi. The red sheen deepening on his chubby cheeks makes me chuckle.
"Daddy, I want friend chicken too!" Kiyoshi exclaims, his cheeks still stained adorably, eyeing me sideways as if I don't know what he's doing. I pretend to study the menu but I can't keep my lips from splitting into a huge smile.
In the few times I've gotten to spend with Kiyoshi, I've come to genuinely like him. I love that he likes me. He makes me feel so…accepted, it just burns the flame of my feelings for Itachi all the brighter. His smile widens till he's giddy with happiness. It's marvelous to watch him. I think I've come to love this boy as much as I love his father. I would walk over hot coals for them in a heartbeat.
We turn to look at Itachi, both wearing the same shade of goofy grins.
Itachi smiles at us as he tucks away the menu in the stand. "Alright. Fried chicken set it is!" He places his hand on the table and the compulsive urge to take his hand in mine climbs to the surface, making my hand twitch. I grasp it tightly in the other one, willing the urge away. I'd never thought Itachi would show me his son, let alone bring him to our dates! But not only has he introduced his son to me and given Kiyoshi his own space to get to know me, but he's also loving our interactions with each other. I recall him laughing with amusement and shaking his head in disbelief as he reversed his car today to drive to the restaurant when he discovered his son's…um…very prominent feelings towards me.
Although we've hung out plenty of times now, and made out probably a million times, we haven't gone beyond that. Which is not to say that I want us to, because I know Itachi is not ready. Hell, I'm not ready! My heart already beats like I've run a marathon every second I am with him. Each touch, each kiss, sparks a mixture of emotions so volatile, sometimes I feel like I'll combust into flames. I don't think I can handle the main event without dying. As it is, having him here with me, feeling what I feel, is miraculous enough.
"What are you thinking?" Itachi asks me, nudging the knee which was resting against mine.
"Wondering what I did to deserve you," I reply, not missing a beat as I look into his inky black eyes that mirror my own.
Itachi shakes his head. "Oh," Itachi taps the top of the table with the nail of his index finger before he leans forward. "Did you come up with something other than your looks?" he laughs as he raises a brow.
I lean back and he smacks his lips as he looks at his son who's busy with something before turning back to me. "Are you saying you find me hot?" I ask, raising a brow at him.
"I thought we'd established that already," Itachi crosses his arms and leans forward.
"And that's it?" I ask.
Itachi's eyes narrow when he regards me for a moment. "Maybe," he is trying to suppress the grin that's threatening to spill.
"Maybe…ah," I feign disappointment. "So it wasn't my butt or my kissing technique?" I grin at him mischievously as I pretend to look hurt. I bat my eyes at him sadly. "I was convinced you'd give me a long list of reasons…" I slide the same puppy eyes towards his son who widens his eyes at my expression.
He raises his hands and puts them on my cheeks. "Does your tummy hurt Naruto?" he asks.
I slide my eyes towards his father who eyes us with the same cool expression on his face. "No," I pout at him cutely, making Itachi chuckle. "But my heart does," I say to him in a baby tone, making him grin. "Your father is being mean to me," I complain like a child to a child.
"Daddy don't be mean to Naruto!" the three-year-old admonishes his father, making me smile.
"Why?" Itachi asks his son.
"Because Naruto is pretty!" Baby logic also points to that direction.
Itachi rolls his eyes as Kiyoshi's arms go around me. He nudges me with his knee under the table. I nudge him back. "Young man do you also like me only because I'm pretty?" I ask him, rubbing my face against his soft cheek.
Immediately black hair fly back and forth as Kiyoshi nods enthusiastically. His hand touches my hair. "I like Naruto because you're sunshine," Kiyoshi says as he pats my hair softly and looks at me with happy, round eyes. "You're very pretty," he says to me.
Itachi bursts out laughing when I groan loudly. "That's it?" I ask him.
Kiyoshi giggles as he nods. "Yes," he chortles.
I glare at the two of them. "I am awesome, okay!" I defend myself.
Itachi hums and just chuckles while Kiyoshi nods again. "You are awesome," he parrots.
I hold out my fist for a bump and Kiyoshi laughs excitedly before he bumps his fist back.
I exhale in victory as I turn to Itachi. "Did you see that, Itachi-sama? Kiyoshi thinks I'm awesome too!" I pretend to beat my chest like a gorilla, making both of them laugh.
Itachi licks his lips as he his little finger touches mine over the table. Immediately I link them together. He squeezes my finger and then releases it. "I never said otherwise," he says softly as he withdraws his hand and chuckles. "I think you're awesome too," he says softly.
The words that spring up in my chest have been laying havoc on my heart for days. I know what this feeling is and it kills me every single day when I don't confess. When I can't confess. I don't think I could ever get over Itachi if we were to separate. This man is it for me.
"Daddy?" Kiyoshi breaks the moment. He crosses his arms above his chest as he glances over at me and then him.
Itachi's eyes melt every time they land on his son. He guards his emotions from everyone, even Sasuke and me but when it comes to his son, he's an open book. He displays every emotion so perfectly, it's hard to not go under the spell. Those eyes turn to me, still mellow and soft, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. My own lips stretch to an unbridled smile. That smile is my undoing.
"Yes darling?" Itachi smiles at Kiyoshi inquisitively.
Two words I could do anything to hear from that mouth, for me.
Itachi says it for Kiyoshi but his eyes stay on mine. My heart twists almost painfully with the fire blazing inside it.
Kiyoshi turns back to look at me but the expression on his face is indecipherable. "Can we get ice-cream after dinner?" he asks, looking from his father to me.
"Anything you want," Itachi smiles softly at him.
"Yay," Kiyoshi grins cutely.
Itachi claps. "Yay!" he says grinning and my heart expands to cover the entire expanse of my chest. I watch him high five his son, laughing with abandon.
I know that one day Itachi is going to wreck me beyond repair. I can feel the destruction coming. But if I were to go back in time and make my choices, I would still do the same thing over and over again, if it meant getting to sit here with the two people who are now embedded in my very soul.
I love him. I love them.
This man, one day. I swear.
I can never go back.
"Turn left! Turn left!" Kiba instructs as his character takes shelter behind a tree. I'm about to turn and hide but a zombie ambushes me. My phone vibrates in my pocket just as I'm about to attack and I immediately press pause on the Nintendo. "What the fuck?" Kiba watches me reach for my phone. I grin when I see a message from him.
"What are you doing?" it reads.
Kiba says something but my focus is completely stolen by my phone now. I hurriedly begin typing. "Hanging out with Kiba. Are you free now?" I press send and smile up at Kiba.
Kiba chucks his controller on the floor and grabs the collar of my navy-blue polo shirt. "Naruto!" he gasps as he stares at my face. "You are dating someone!" Kiba laughs happily.
My phone vibrates with his reply and I immediately turn my attention to it. "I'll be free in an hour," it says.
"Okay. I'll call you in an hour then," I hit send and pocket my phone.
"Ugh! Who is it?" Kiba demands.
I frown at him as I pick up the controller again to resume the game. "I'm not dating anyone. I just have plans to Facetime with my friend later," I say as normally as I can. The little lie feels heavy and oily in my mouth. It sticks to my teeth. I grab a beer and chug it down.
"Don't you dare lie to me! I" Kiba pats me on the shoulder.
I turn to him and smack him lightly on the back of his head. "So nosy dumbass! Let's finish the game," I press play and immediately begin shooting the zombie.
We continue playing for ten more minutes. Kiba has to restart twice but eventually we're near the end of our quest. "Why the fuck are you suddenly so good now?" Kiba asks as he takes a swig from his beer bottle. I laugh and shrug as I turn to grab a slice of pizza while Kiba huffs. It's lukewarm now. I chew it half-heartedly thinking about the specialty pizza I had on my first date with Itachi. I smile.
"Because I'm awesome," I grin as I ruffle his hair.
Kiba rolls his eyes exaggeratedly. "Says who?" he asks with a snort.
I bite my lip and refuse to spill the two names. I drink my beer instead. "Says me," I declare, waggling my brows playfully at him.
Kiba smacks my shoulder. "Aren't you a pompous jackass!" he huffs out a laugh.
"I never pretended to be modest," I shrug. "Besides, you know I'm awesome. You're just shy to admit it."
"Yeah, yeah whatever," he rolls his eyes to restart the game. "I wonder if your Facetiming friend knows about this side of you," he mutters.
I smile cheekily at him. "My Facetiming friend likes it when I get cocky." I wink at him.
Kiba crinkles his nose in disgust as he looks at me. "Bite me Naruto!"
I laugh. "My teeth are reserved," I quip and laugh hard when Kiba lunges towards me.
I'm about to head into the cafeteria for lunch when a hand on my shoulder draws me back. I turn to see Sasuke panting as he catches his breath. He probably ran to catch me.
"Hey," I greet him. I turn and point a thumb towards the cafeteria. "Wanna join me for lunch?" I ask. I was anyway going to eat alone and Sasuke would be good company.
Sasuke shakes his head; his eyes shine with something like regret. My insides twist. I know Sasuke is trying. But when at times like these, his feelings just pour out on his face, the guilt inside me intensifies. "I can't. I've got a class in ten minutes and my professor is a demon."
I nod. A part of me relaxes. I don't think I want to face a Sasuke like this. The thought that he still likes me kills me inside. Not that, I would have been interested in Sasuke romantically had Itachi not been there, but the fact that he has feelings for me sours some of the wholesomeness of this friendship we had. I want to make up with him. I want to restore that normalcy we had before his confession and the whole clusterfuck of complications that surround my life with Itachi.
"It's just that, my friends and I are going to an onsen in Hakone next weekend and I was wondering if maybe you would want to come along?" Next Saturday is the eighth of June and since my student guide is going back home to Taiwan till the eighteenth for the summer break, I don't have to meet with her too. Maybe I could use this as a good opportunity to gage his stance on the possibility of Itachi and me together.
I smile at him. I know this is his olive branch at normalcy too. "Yes!" I grin excitedly. It widens to a full-blown smile when Sasuke's lips quirk up as he returns my smile.
"Great! I'll text you the details. See you Wednesday." He turns around and I can only shout a bye as he hurriedly jogs to the building where his class is probably being conducted. I've met his friends before. Juugo and Suigetsu. They're cool. This should be fun!
I smile as I head into the cafeteria.
The weight on my shoulders feels a little lighter.
And then a second later it hits me. Sasuke going to Hakone means Itachi and Kiyoshi will be the only ones in the house!
Shit!
We're on one of our weekly night video calls. Itachi is sitting up in his bed while my phone is propped up on my desk with my AirPods nestled nicely into my ears as I swivel idly in my chair. My eyes rove over Itachi's face illuminated by his beside lamp. His spectacles reflect the screen, making it hard to read his eyes. Normally, I would have begged him over and over again to change the angle but tonight I prefer it this way.
"Sasuke is going on a trip to Hakone with his friends next weekend." I hum into my phone, my stomach slowly tightening. Itachi takes a breath, distracting me for a moment as he licks his lips. "Kiyoshi wanted to spend some time with my parents, so I promised I'd leave him at theirs next weekend. I've spoken to my parents and they're overjoyed at the prospect of having him there." He takes another deep breath, looking nervous as my heart starts thudding in my throat. "Would you like to come over to my place then?" Itachi lets out an unbridled and eager smile that makes rocks of dread fall in my stomach.
My eyes slide away from his happy ones to study the grey surface of my desk. I scratch absently at a smidgen of dirt there. I clear my throat torn between wanting to bail on Sasuke's plan to have Itachi uninterrupted for the whole weekend and doing the right thing.
"Uh, Itachi-sama, the thing is," I start, licking my lips to take a moment to organize my thoughts. "Sasuke invited me too." I take a deep breath as I look up at him, "And I said yes," I finish.
"Oh, I see." Itachi wants to say something more but he holds himself back.
"Sasuke didn't tell you I was going too?" I ask as another nasty thought creeps up my chest when Itachi shakes his head.
"He said friends and I just assumed some of his usual friends." He clears his throat awkwardly and it worsens my mood. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking…" he trails off.
"Now, now! Calm down Itachi-sama! You know I would kill to get a chance like this with you!' My eyes dance over this man I can't live a second without and I smile tightly. He stares back at me, his lips in a straight line, his face shifts and his eyes shine with something like hurt. My own heart breaks. I put that look there. I bite my lip. "But I promised him Itachi-sama. I can't cancel it," I whisper.
"Oh," All it takes his one breathy word from that man and my brain disintegrates into a garbled mess. There's still a part of me, a huge part of me that wants to blow plans of Hakone to the wind and spend an evening in Itachi's house. Since how long have I been waiting for an opportunity like this? Because of the time limitation, most of our dates have been in restaurants, eating a meal together. True he has come over to my place a couple of times but Itachi is paranoid about getting noticed should he continue to come over a lot seeing as there are people in my building, he's done business with. Not to mention the fact that the walls are not very soundproof. And I'm okay with that. But I've never been to his. And now this once-in-a-lifetime chance is upon me, the timing couldn't suck any worse. "I wasn't expecting you to cancel your plans, Naruto. He's your friend!"
"Yes, I know! But I wasn't thinking! It struck me much, much later that if he weren't at your place, we could be alone too," I know how sheepish I look, not to mention stupid. But Sasuke is also one of my priorities.
"I think this is a good idea," Itachi says, his face and voice wiped clean of all that breathy regret from a second ago. "I feel like since we've started this…uh…this thing, you haven't really spent time with him. I think this will be a nice chance to restore your friendship, don't you think?"
My heart lurches. I know this decision right now makes absolute sense. It is the right thing to do after all. Sasuke means a lot to me and I don't want to lose him.
"Yes, I think so too." I run a hand across my face. I know I should feel happy but I can't even muster a smile.
Itachi bites his lip. I know he wants to say something but he's hesitating. "What is it?" I prompt, nodding my chin at the screen. "You can talk to me."
Itachi shakes his head as if removing whatever thought he had. "Nothing," he says. His lower lip once again gets captured in between his teeth. My cock lurches. I want nothing more than to have my own teeth sinking into those lips now that I know how they taste. And trust me, I'm not exaggerating when I tell you they taste like the very elixir of life.
Dispelling my lewd thoughts, I frown at Itachi's thoughtful expression. Willing my voice to a polite octave, I coax. "What is it that's got you thinking so hard?"
Itachi huffs out a breath clearly wanting to put a lid on this conversation but I am not to be deterred. "Please Itachi-sama, say something," I plead.
Itachi sighs and runs a hand across his hair, letting out some locks loose from his ponytail. God how I want to wrap my hand around that ponytail and twist it in my hand while I fuck him from behind. The fantasy draws me up short. I don't have to look down to see the state of my dick. It's straining so hard against my sweatpants; it could tear a hole through the fabric.
God I really need to focus.
"It's just that you'll be in the onsen with my brother, naked."
I frown, my passion cooling instantly. "What are you suggesting?" I ask, my voice on edge.
Itachi lets out another huff and rolls his eyes as if he's talking to a slow child. "Naruto, that boy still likes you!" he says in exasperation.
I sigh. "Itachi-sama, Sasuke isn't and will never be a problem. But if it worries you, I can always wrap a towel around my waist and enter the water. Or not go in with him at all."
Itachi smiles at the suggestions. My heart does that crazy thing it does every time he smiles. Sometimes I'm glad this man doesn't know of the power he has over me. He shakes his head, his cheeks slightly pink. "That's not what worries me Naruto. What if things get weird with Sasuke? What if he tries to come on to you?"
Since this man is so perceptive, surely he must know what I feel for him by now! Then why this? Does he not trust me enough?
I try to bury the heaviness this thought brings as I smile tightly at him. "Then know that I know how to say no, Itachi-sama." I'm only a pushover for you. "But if it makes you feel better, I can try to not be alone with him at any time."
He doesn't reply for a moment. He bites his lip again and looks at me. "Alright," he says. "Just…be careful," he says.
"Itachi-sama," my voice is as cold as the feeling settling in my gut. "Do you not trust me?" I force every emotion off my face, preparing myself for the worst of what's to come.
Itachi sighs. "Of course, I do. But that's not what I'm saying! I want you two to reconcile more than anything but try as I might, I just can't convince myself that this is a good idea. Thinking about you sharing a bath with someone who has feelings for you, even if it is my brother, is quite frankly, very disturbing. It's the first time I've had such thoughts and I hate them."
"I love you, Itachi-sama!" the words I'd been holding back from saying for months now, spill out unbidden. I didn't want to do it like this. Not over the phone. Not when we were discussing Sasuke. Heat rises to my face, making me want to cover it. My timing today is too shitty. I really should hang up now and avoid further mortification.
The silence that succeeds the words is deafening. It's killing me. My heartbeat has accelerated so much that it's audible. I want to do nothing more than to press the red button, power off my phone and sleep till it's time to go back home to my country.
"Look at me, Naruto-kun," Itachi's voice is soft but devoid of any emotion. I look up at him, my chest twisting so hard I have an urge to press it. He just looks serene when he looks back at me. Of course he already knows!
But I hate how untimely and messily it spilled out. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to say it out loud. I just…lost control," I whisper the last of it, my gaze going everywhere it can except for the screen.
"I know," Itachi's voice is low, almost a breathy whisper. His loaded answer doesn't go unnoticed. Eyes reflecting me stare into mine.
My eyes move back to the face that rocks my world off its axis. This man makes me lose my fucking mind.
"You don't have to say it back or anything," I smile at him.
"I know," he says as he smiles softly at me. "At least not like this."
Instantly, hope blossoms inside me like flowers in spring. "Then how?" I ask, my voice low and raspy. Arousal clouds my mind when Itachi licks his lower lip. He chews on it again as if actually contemplating his answer.
After what seems like a solid minute, he shakes his head. When he looks at me again, his eyes get brighter in excitement as a smile plays along his mouth. My cock goes back to being rigid hard. "I just had a thought! What if, you and I went to an onsen this weekend?" Itachi says, lost in thought, undoubtedly mapping this outing.
I lean forward, intrigued beyond anything. "So let me get this straight. You want to go to an onsen, this weekend, with me?" I ask, pointing a finger at my chest. I need to hear those words again just to be sure he's suggesting what I think he's suggesting.
The screen bobs a little when Itachi shrugs. "I mean if you wanted to. I could send Kiyoshi to my parents' this weekend instead of the next and go with you."
"Do you know what that means?" I ask, just to ensure that we're on the same page.
Itachi rolls his eyes, his cheeks still dark pink. My favorite. "Yes Naruto-kun! I'm a man too. I know what getting naked with you in an onsen will entail."
Great. My cock has reached great heights of rigidness today. If one more word slips out of that wicked mouth, I'll definitely cream my sweatpants. My fingers itch to free it and tug on it harshly. I pull my hands up to rest my elbows on the table to rest my chin on them as I regard Itachi. I need to focus.
"Are you absolutely sure?" I ask again.
"I wouldn't say it if I wasn't." Itachi smiles at me my favorite smile. That one that's shy. It just makes my heart flutter in a frenzy.
"Okay," I say in English. My cock is now a legit pole, gaining a mind of its own as it hardens further.
"Okay," Itachi replies back in English, as he flashes me a cocky grin.
I cannot wait for Saturday to come fast enough.
Saturday can't come slow enough. Even with the research paper sucking up all my free time and the teachers being on our tails for submissions and stuff, the three days to Saturday drag on with the speed of a sloth.
I groan as Kiba lets out yet another huff. It's Thursday and we're in the library, researching for the data on our topics. "What?" he says when I shoot him an irritated look. He rolls his eyes as he plants his face nose first into the book he has opened on the table in front of him. My topic deals with the challenges foreigners face with formal Japanese while Kiba has picked the word usage in anime to denote stereotypical characters and their behavior. Only Kiba hates that he has to watch three short anime series multiple times to study the frequency of the words that depict the stereotypes he's picked. The topic is fascinating as fuck. I envy him for coming up with that while I struggle with my research. But thankfully for me, my topic is survey based and our university has enough foreigners to surmise for my research. I drew up the questions with my tutor, who I've learnt is an amazing person doing her research on something similar. We both have the same professor as our guide. I emailed the surveys to as many people as I could and I'm hoping for a good response.
Kiba turns another page of his book and marks it with a pencil. "How's your progress going? When is your draft due?" he asks.
"Not good," I feign a pained expression as I highlight another segment in the pdf of the research paper I'm using. Truth is, I finished a huge portion of it the night I went with Sasuke to the diner to study. Now all I have to do is insert the survey results after analyzing them and I have pretty much finished my draft. But because this is needed, I don't feel as guilty as I should. "It's due next Wednesday. When's yours?" I ask.
"Saturday," Kiba mutters in defeat as he tugs his shaggy brown locks agitatedly. "I told you about my tutor, right? Hinata? Dude everyone thinks she's all meek and docile. But man, she's an absolute terror when it comes to my paper! She's already made me revise my first draft like a million times!" Kiba clutches his head in despair, making me wince.
I stare at Kiba's laptop screen where not even three pages have been completed. "Dude no offense but Saturday is like forty-two hours and fifty-eight minutes away, you know?"
Kiba looks up from where he's scribbling something messily on a notepad, his handwriting barely legible. His eyes narrow. "Are you keep count now?" he chuckles. "Date with Facetime?" he asks.
I blush to the tips of my hair. "That's not the point! Will you be able to get it done by then?" I ask.
Panic replaces Kiba's expressions as relief takes over me. My little slip-ups are driving me insane. "I know right! I'm so doomed! I should have never, never accepted Ino's demented plan to go to Okinawa last week. Good times, though, but one week gone just like that!" Kiba moans. It makes me wince.
I close my books and my laptop, gathering my stuff, getting ready to leave. "Dude quit regretting and start writing or your cute tutor will again get on your case you know," I remind him, pushing back my seat and stuffing my books into my bag. "I've got a class in half an hour so I'll be heading out now," I mock salute him and give him a thumbs up as cheers.
The middle finger he gives me makes me chuckle.
Friday comes and goes with torrential rains. I stay indoors, skipping my Communicative Japanese class despite it being one of my favorites. My thoughts and my focus have all been stolen by a man with a loose ponytail and eyes so dark, I could drown in them. My cock has been in a perpetual state of hardness since we've had that conversation, the anticipation simmering in my veins like lava.
We've talked regularly at night since then, spending a lot of time hashing out details of the plan. I love that Itachi is equally excited for this trip if not more. He called his parents the very next day after having spoken to Kiyoshi to confirm the change in plans. Kiyoshi was beyond ecstatic and so were Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha. They seem like nice people. I want to buy Mr. Uchiha a nice bottle of alcohol, he could enjoy. I make a mental note to ask Itachi about his father's preference in alcohol. No, no no! What am I thinking, jumping the gun like that?
I shake my head as I shift my thoughts back to their eldest son. I wonder what Itachi's preference is. I wonder why I've never asked him this question. It makes me think about the little things that I still don't know about him.
I pull out my phone and type a text to him. "Busy?"
He surprises me by calling me after five minutes. "Just finalizing things before our trip tomorrow," he says without preamble. It makes me smile. His eagerness makes me smile. I love that he's so invested, so interested.
"You mean setting a solid alibi for yourself?" I ask. Itachi made up some excuse about going fishing with Shisui. I hate that he used that man's name. But it turns out that Shisui and Itachi are regular fishing buddies. This seals the credibility of the lie since Sasuke won't think it's suspicious.
Itachi has booked us an onsen inn in Atami. He assured me we'd have ample privacy since it comes with its own small outdoor pool. I can't wait to be with him in it. My cock jerks enthusiastically at the thought. Ugh, I really have to get myself under control.
I've traveled to Atami once, falling in love with the quaint town with its charming beauty and cozy atmosphere. Since my friends and I were pressed for time, we didn't really visit any of the onsens. I complained like crazy the whole way back. Had I known then that I would get to revisit one of my favorite towns with the man of my dreams, I wouldn't have bitched one bit. Nope, I would have grinned like a loon as I waited for this day.
"Well, Shisui is on a business trip to Nagoya so my alibi won't be a problem. And you? All set?" Itachi asks me.
I've told all my friends about how I intend to spend my entire weekend writing my draft for my tutor, lying to them about the slow progress. It made me feel so guilty I couldn't quite meet their eyes but judging by how they readily accepted my excuse, I think I didn't do a shitty job of it. "I told everyone who could potentially bother me that I'll be busy writing my draft."
Itachi hums. I want to see his face but he did a voice call today. I glance up at my ceiling and voice the thought that's been running rampant since I opened my eyes this morning. "I can't wait for tomorrow," the excitement bleeds through my words.
I smile when Itachi lets out a sigh. "Is it crazy that I feel the same?" he asks.
All his loaded answers fuel these feelings in my chest as I grin beatifically.
Is it possible for me to fall any harder?
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