Note: Alternate Universe
December 16th, 2018.
Prompt Sixteen: Fireplace
When deciding on a home to buy before their wedding, Hinata only had a few requests and one of them was an open fireplace.
It was an unusual request, but realtors were determined to keep their buyers happy.
The house they settled on was a Western style home with a large living area, a grand open fireplace in the centre.
Once Winter hit, Itachi often found Hinata in that room, a cup of tea or hot chocolate in one hand and a book or scroll in the other.
She once stated that this room was her favourite, especially in Winter.
She loved to look at the fire, to see its flames dance and rise. She loved listening to the sound of the crackles. The movements of the flames bringing the feeling of being utterly content.
As a fire-nature shinobi, Itachi had always associated fire with fighting.
He had been around fire from a young age, having used more fire techniques than he could remember.
Even his Armaterasu was a form of fire, a dark black flame that burned everything in its wake.
Fire, to Itachi, meant conflict and in some cases, death.
To Hinata, it was different.
To her, fire was warm and beautiful. On missions with her teammates, she would often stay up late by the campfire, watching the flames and appreciating the heat they gave.
She did not have an open fire in her old home and flames were only for heat, food and tea.
She adored her new living area now.
It was a peaceful place for her, Itachi, Mint and Pepper to spend time together and relax.
As she progressed through her pregnancy, Hinata found that sitting on the floor was a more comfortable position for her, but sometimes she managed to get stuck on the floor until Itachi was able to help her up.
The two cats enjoyed watching the flames too, green eyes watching the fire intently, occasionally jumping up to catch a spark that managed to float out.
When Itachi returned from missions lately, Hinata would always be in the same place, fire lit and cats curled up on her lap or beside her.
After particularly hard missions, Itachi would walk straight to his wife, lying beside her, his head in her lap.
Hinata would never ask about his missions, she knew it was easier to try and forget sometimes.
But he would tell her if he couldn't block the images from his mind.
He would spare her the details, not that she couldn't handle them, but because he never wanted her to imagine him killing in the ways that he did.
Itachi eventually grew to love the fire too.
Of course, it still reminded him of fights and conflict, but now new memories were forming.
Memories of love, warmth and family.
The fireplace in their home was where Itachi felt the most joy, watching the flames burn, listening to the cats play and feeling Hinata beside him.
Prompt list by astudyinfic on tumblr!
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