Merry Christmas!
Did I plan to update this thing on Christmas? No. Have I been working on it relentlessly for the past few weeks? Yes. Did I try to get it done today because it's Christmas? Yes. Did I plan for it to be almost 6,000 words? No. Consider it a Christmas gift from me and I hope you like it!
In the days following their first cooking session, Kisame and Itachi had settled on a routine that suited both of their schedules and still allowed for tutoring time. Itachi was the one to suggest the arrangement, lamenting over what Kisame said about missing him over summer break. While he couldn't guarantee that he'd visit Kisame at the boardwalk he could make more of an effort to spend time with Kisame outside of tutoring him.
"How about Tuesday and Friday nights?" Kisame offered. "You already come over to help me with my statistics on Tuesdays anyways. We could cook dinner and study while we eat. And we're both free on Friday nights."
Friday nights made sense. It was the cooking/studying arrangement Itachi wasn't so sure about. "Are you sure you'll be able to focus while stuffing your face?" He teased with a playful grin.
Kisame nodded his head vigorously without hesitation. After he properly registered Itachi's question he nodded again albeit less certainly than he had before.
And so the pair met outside of Itachi's dorm to go grocery shopping for ingredients for their bi-weekly cooking and tutoring arrangement, much to Zabuza's delight.
"I'll mind my business if I can have a quarter of the profits." Zabuza negotiated once he knew there was a fixed arrangement.
"Oh for fuck's sake find someone to teach you how to cook!" Kisame said with an innocent punch to the arm and a smile on his face.
When Itachi told Deidara, however, the blonde quirked an inquisitive brow.
"Remember the deal we made after spring break?" Itachi asked before Deidara could say anything. "The one where we agreed to mind each other's business? I don't ask how you spend your evenings or who you spend them with and would like the same courtesy."
In response to this Deidara narrowed his eyes and stared at Itachi for a beat longer than normal. Finally he relaxed his gaze and shrugged his shoulders. "Fair." He said and returned to his own studies. "But can I just say that you're being super defensive about a relationship with someone you consider a friend, yeah?"
Itachi spun around to face him. "Why are you so fascinated with my friendship with Kisame?"
Deidara shrugged and highlighted a line in his text. Itachi hoped it wasn't a rental. He hated it when people abused rental agreements, especially where school textbooks were concerned. "Forgive me for wanting to understand you, yeah." He asked, still immersed in what he was doing. "Contrary to popular belief maybe I wanna be civil with you in our last month as roommates which is hard to do when you're always accusing me of shit so forgive me if I want to make conversation with you yeah!"
This was the toxicity that Kisame was referring to. As much as he wanted to keep his distance from Deidara it was hard to tune him out. Especially in a room as big as two beds pushed against one corner. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he himself was afraid. Afraid to have another conversation about his sexuality. Then again, Deidara's volatility made Itachi hesitant to share details about his personal life with him.
Against his better judgement he sighed and sat at his desk, resigned to his fate. If at any point he felt uncomfortable, he'd get up and leave. After all, Deidara had a point: they only had another month of living together and contrary to what he probably thought Itachi also wanted to end off the school year on good terms.
"And how did that go?" Kisame asked when Itachi told him about it at lunch the next day.
"Better than I was expecting." He answered. "I guess I've been afraid to talk to him about my sexuality all this time."
Across from him, Kisame stopped swirling his fries in his ketchup and mayonnaise concoction. "Has something changed that I'm not aware of?"
Itachi shook his head. "No I didn't mean it like that. I meant I was afraid to have a conversation about it." He said. When Kisame made no move to eat the fries he was holding, he elaborated. "I was worried that if I talked about how I spend my time with you Deidara would try to convince me that we were more than just friends like he used to."
Kisame frowned and set the fries down in his tray. "Remember that talk we had the other night?"
"Which one?" Itachi asked, mainly for clarification. He had a feeling he knew which conversation Kisame was referring to but wanted to make sure they were on the same page.
"The one where I told you that your relationship with him seems kinda toxic." Kisame said. "I meant what I said. I don't think it's right that you should have to tip toe around him because it sounds like he makes you feel uncomfortable."
Uncomfortable. Did Itachi feel uncomfortable when he was with Deidara?
As if he read his mind, Kisame went into detail. "You worry about how much time you spend away from your room when he's home and you're afraid to talk to him about important things because you think he'll get the wrong idea and you shouldn't have to." He said. "Friends or not, it's none of his business who you spend your time with and for how long. He's not your mom. And if you can't tell him that you're hanging out with me without him making assumptions then that's fucked up. I'm sorry."
"What about your relationship with Zabuza?" Itachi asked. "You say that you're friends but from what I can tell you don't seem to like him very much."
Kisame looked as if he'd been slapped but recovered quickly. He relaxed his shoulders and slouched in his chair. "It's different because I don't pretend that Zabuza isn't a pain my ass who doesn't know how to mind his own business. That's the side of him you always see when you come over because he's always fucking with me."
Itachi nodded. Kisame's logic was sound and at the end of the day Itachi didn't really know what Zabuza was like. He'd only seen him a handful of times this year. Though the same could be said of Kisame's relationship with Deidara. As far as Itachi knew, the two of them barely interacted outside of the what he told Kisame about him.
"But when you're over and Zabuza's being an asshole I tell him to fuck off because I'm not gonna sit around and let him make you feel uncomfortable." He continued. "When you're on a team it's different. Everyone's an ass to each other. It's how we bond. But when you act like an ass to the people I choose to invite over to our apartment I won't let it slide."
What should have been an inspirational speech just made Itachi feel like an asshole himself. How did Kisame feel when Itachi told him he needed to get back to his dorm because he'd spent too much time away? Seeking refuge from the cold, having homework to do, or turning in for an early night all would have been acceptable answers had he not thrown Deidara's name into the mix. And he was right. He needed to set firm boundaries with Deidara just as Kisame did with his roommates. "You're right. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just saying if someone – Deidara, Zabuza, anyone – makes you feel uncomfortable, you have every right to tell them to fuck off. You don't have to bend over backwards to make them feel better about how you choose to live your life, you know?"
"Thanks Kisame." He said and looked up to meet his eyes. "You're really insightful, you know that?"
"I do my best." He replied, dipping the French fries into the ketchup and finally putting them into his mouth.
They ate in silence after that. Itachi sat thinking about Kisame's words, wondering what would happen the next time Deidara violated his boundaries. He wouldn't tell him to "fuck off" exactly but that was the thing. What could he tell him that wouldn't spark an argument? Did they need to sit down and have a formal conversation? Or would things get better now that Deidara knew the stipulations of his time spent together with Kisame?
Kisame absently shoved French fries and chicken tenders into his mouth, lost in a world of his own. He didn't appear to be bothered by Itachi's words but deep down he felt like he struck a nerve.
"Can I ashk you shumshing?" Kisame suddenly spoke through a mouthful of French fries. "You can decline if it's too personal."
Itachi steeled himself for whatever it was that Kisame wanted to say. "Sure."
"Do you even like Deidara?" He asked. "Like, have you ever asked yourself 'Do I like spending time with this person or do I feel like I owe them something?'" He asked.
Well that wasn't what he was expecting. He didn't like Deidara romantically but would he go so far as to call him a friend? Not at this moment of time he wouldn't. He certainly didn't like spending time with Deidara when the blonde was annoyed with him which was a common occurrence. Maybe he'd brought that on himself when he lashed out at Deidara. Afterall, Kisame implied that Deidara's intentions were good but to give him space because he was hurting. Before Valentine's Day Itachi had liked Deidara well enough.
"Like I said, you don't have to answer if it's too personal." Kisame reiterated. "But what I'm trying to say is if you feel like spending time with Deidara is a chore then you're not obligated to make time for him. Finals are coming up and there's only a few weeks left anyways. After that you'll probably only see him in passing next year." He said. "And when that happens is he gonna wanna catch up in the middle of the freshman quad or ask what how you and I spend our time together? I doubt the answer's gonna be 'yes'."
He made an excellent point. Deidara merely said that he wanted to be civil in their last month together. He didn't say he wanted to be friends again. "He probably would stop me in the freshman quad to ask me about Kisame." Itachi thought bitterly.
"Anyways," He continued when Itachi hesitated, "you got any plans Saturday?"
Well that wasn't where he expected the conversation to go. Was he inviting him out or were they still talking about Deidara? "I'm sorry?"
Kisame grinned and repeated the question more slowly. "I said 'got any plans Saturday?'"
"This Saturday?"
"No, August 23rd."
Maybe it was because he was still thinking about Kisame's question that he didn't catch onto the other's use of sarcasm. As he tried to work out the significance of August 23rd Kisame reached a hand across the table and laid it on top of his, effectively bringing him back to reality. "Yes! This Saturday!"
Okay, he needed to stop thinking about Deidara and focus on the present. Saturday. Plans. With Kisame. 'Do you have plans this Saturday?' Was the question. "No, why?"
His grin widened into a toothy smile as he retracted his hands and clapped them together. "Then what do you say about going on a day trip together?"
"To where?"
"If I say it's a surprise will you say no at the last minute?"
He hated that he could be read so easily and wanted to prove Kisame wrong. He wanted to say no but the controlling nature inside of him caused him to pause and weigh the pros and cons. If he had fun on this mystery trip it would justify giving up his Saturday of studying in a quiet café off campus somewhere. On the other hand, however, if Kisame took him somewhere that caused him to continuously look at the time then it would be a day wasted. He couldn't tell Kisame that. It was too harsh. "I'll think about it." He wanted to say. But before the words could escape his mouth Kisame cut him off.
"How about this: do you trust me?" Kisame asked. He was leaning forward, elbows propped on the table with a dazzling smile. To be frank it reminded him of a car salesman who promised a pristine car with a working engine and good mileage for a bargain price. Only when you've signed the papers and driven it for a week did you realize it needed massive repairs that would cost a fortune.
"To be honest I don't really like surprises." He finally admitted. As much as he wanted to prove that he did trust Kisame, he didn't feel like he knew him well enough to guess his intentions. How could he be so sure that Kisame knew him well enough to know what he'd like? So far the two had only studied together and cooked together. Kisame took him out to try the French fry and frosty combo before but Itachi knew where they were going. What's more, Kisame had raved about the combination for weeks leading up to it. And Itachi knew there were other food options if he didn't like it. He was a control freak at heart though he didn't like to openly admit to it.
Kisame gave a soft sigh but his smile hadn't dulled in the slightest. "Fine. I was thinking of going to the aquarium."
Okay. That wasn't as bad as the prospect of going to a concert which is what Itachi was afraid of. The more he thought about it the more it made sense. Of course the Marine biology student would want to go to the aquarium. The notion was so pure and innocent that he had to chuckle.
"What's so funny?"
Itachi directed his attention to his salad and stabbed the lettuce with his fork. "You're like a little kid."
"I love the aquarium! What can I say?" Kisame laughed along. "What did you expect? So is that a yes?"
Itachi shook his head. "No, it's just what I'd have expected. I'm not sure why I didn't guess it sooner." He said. Kisame was still looking at him with that same crooked smile he wore when he was joking around and warm, half lidded eyes. In all honesty Itachi was indifferent to the aquarium. When you see a shark once you don't really forget what they look like. He didn't really see the point of paying an upwards of $40 to watch sea animals he was already familiar with. Somehow though, he felt Kisame could make even the most boring attraction entertaining. So he answered "Sure. Why not?"
The first Saturday in April – the day of their aquarium trip – brought with it a cold rain, living up to the age old phrase "April showers bring May flowers." Ordinarily, Itachi didn't mind the rain fall but preferred to be inside somewhere warm where he could watch it from a distance or from underneath of a terrace.
For such gloomy weather one would think that most folks would prefer to stay home, cuddled up beneath the blanket on the couch. Not braving the elements to stand in line for an hour to watch sea life.
The inside wasn't much better either. The interior was dark and packed with people despite the staggering system implemented to control the crowds. Small children darted around and between them, screaming and yelling at the tops of their lungs which echoed all throughout the cathedral style ceilings. To make matters worse, the inside smelled of fish and sweat. The fishy smell was to be expected though Itachi didn't remember how overpowering the smell used to be from when he last visited. The sweat was most likely caused by the humidity in the air from the rainfall outside and the masses of people crowding around. Most people came bundled up wearing sweatshirts or raincoats to protect from the April chill but quickly became overheated once milling around in such crowded spaces.
"Guess everyone had the same idea as we did, huh Itachi?" Kisame asked with a nudge to the arm.
Itachi felt his cheeks flush and began to unzip his raincoat. "Seems so." He sighed. Furthermore, it smelt like fish and fish and humidity did not make for a pleasant atmosphere. Even if he did somehow get acclimated to the smell it would no doubt seep into his clothes which he'd have to wash when they returned to avoid the room smelling like fish for the rest of the week.
"Ready to go?" Kisame asked. "I can't wait to teach you all the things I know! Finally, the student becomes the master!" He laughed and pumped his fist in the air like he was heading to battle.
Itachi trailed behind, uttering an "excuse me" to the people aimlessly milling about but smiling all the less. "Lead the way, captain."
And before they'd walked even two feet Kisame spun around on his heel so that he was walking backwards and said "Here's a fun fact! Did you know that eels have two sets of jaws?"
Itachi gave him a quizzical look. "Really Kisame? You couldn't wait until we left the lobby to show off?" He protested playfully. "And there's someone behind you."
Kisame spun around with a quiet "excuse me" and continued as if nothing happened. "Anyways, the first set of jaws are the ones you can see, right?"
Oh yeah. Eels did have teeth didn't they? Itachi had thought they were just sea snakes. It looked like an aquarium trip would do him some good after all.
"Well there's a second set inside their throats called the pharyngeal jaws." He said, making a claw with his right hand facing the ceiling to mimic the first set of jaws and aligning his left hand lower down his forearm to mimic the second set.
Itachi bit his lower lip to keep from grinning. Kisame didn't seem to care that he looked deranged in front of the tall windows that overlooked the line outside. He was so utterly engrossed in a subject he was passionate about that it didn't matter what other people thought of him. After all, Itachi only tutored him in the subjects he struggled in. He never got the chance to see Kisame excel in an area that he was genuinely passionate about.
"So the first set grabs a hold of its prey and the second set comes up from the back of the throat and puts it in a death grip and drags it down their throat so it can digest it! Pretty cool, huh?"
"It sounds morbid." Itachi said. "But yes, that's pretty cool."
Kisame returned to his upright posture and started to shrug off his coat. "The strong are meat that the weak eat." He mused aloud as they climbed a narrow staircase into a sort of rainforest exhibit.
"Since when do aquariums have rainforest exhibits?" He asked in mild irritation. If it wasn't humid before it was sweltering now. Ideally he would have opted to leave his rain jacket in the car had it not been downpouring when they arrived. Since leaving it behind wasn't an option he decided he'd keep it on to avoid carrying the sodden article under his arm the entire day. Walking through a rainforest exhibit of all things made that task much harder but he was determined to keep it on through it all.
"I dunno but I think it's kinda cool don't you think?" Kisame asked with a helpless shrug.
It was kinda cool if he was being honest with himself. The room was basically a giant greenhouse which explained the Louvre style windows that made this aquarium the architectural spectacle plastered on every pamphlet and brochure at the entrance. All things considered, the flora and fauna were nice to look at even if the air was a bit stuffy. He couldn't tell if the birds chirping were real or an ambient track in the background but it was leagues better than studying in his room with Deidara all weekend.
"Aren't you hot?" Kisame asked and gave a light tug at his rain jacket. "I can carry it for you if you want." He said, gesturing to his own discarded jacket draped over his arm.
Itachi shook his head. "I'm fine. Besides, the exit's up ahead anyways."
"Suit yourself. Just know that the offer's there if you want it."
"Noted."
And soon enough they exited the rainforest exhibit, making their way to the lower level through a set of steep escalators. They saw string rays which Kisame forced Itachi to pet after pushing through a group of small children. He was impervious to the glares from the parents as Itachi offered each of them a shy smile that said "I'm being forced to do this against my will."
They saw various kinds of fish ranging from colorful fish to fish with wirey fins, angel fish and fish you had to squint to see. Judging by their fin shapes, spots and stripes Kisame could nearly identify them all before Itachi had a chance to find their name on the informative plaque below the glass. Before Itachi could open his mouth to compliment him he followed up his identifications with any interesting facts he knew. Some were interesting, some not so much, and some were just…gross. Kisame darted from case to case, pressing his hands up to the glass like the man child he was. Literally. He looked just like the three and five-year olds standing on their tip toes to see the fish hiding between the crevices in the coral but much, much bigger).
"Did you know that fish can't chew?" Kisame told Itachi.
"Really?" A small child asked from beside him. "But some fish have teeth!"
Not one to back down from a teaching moment (as far as fish were concerned, that is), he smiled his usual wide smile and held up his index finger. "That's true! Some fish, like sharks, do have teeth but they use them to grab their prey and swallow it whole or at least in big pieces. Other fish have teeth in their throats that grind their prey up. Other fish just crush their prey and swallow them whole. If a fish could chew they wouldn't be able to take in oxygen through their gills and would die." He explained and clasped his nose shut. "Kinda like how it would be hard to chew if you held your nose shut and didn't open your mouth, you know?"
"Though I wouldn't recommend it." Itachi chimed in before the kid got any ideas at the dinner table that evening. "But a stranger told me fish can't breathe if they chew so I wanted to see if I could!" He could imagine that kid telling his parents after they had to use the Heimlich Maneuver on him to cough up a dislodged piece of hotdog.
The kid regarded him for a moment, his eyes narrowed as if he was debating whether to believe this stranger or not, but mouth slack jawed in awe nonetheless. Eventually he turned back to the illuminated glass tank and breathed "That's so cool…"
Soon that kid turned to another random kid and relayed the fact Kisame had told him verbatim since Kisame hadn't used any words the kid couldn't understand. And then that kid would tell their parents and point to the stranger who originally shared the interesting fact while Itachi stood in the background watching from a distance like he had when Sasuke was a kid. "He's good with children." He thought to himself with a small smile. "Though I wonder how him and Sasuke would get along."
They traveled through various dark corridors lined with illuminated tanks that cast the area in blue and purple hues, large atriums with octopi slithering along the floor of the tank and eventually down a spiral incline that held the shark chambers where Kisame grew silent, mesmerized by the dead eyed mammals gliding through schools of fish, seemingly unfazed by the smaller prey in the nearby vicinity.
"You're quiet." Itachi commented.
It took a moment before Kisame realized Itachi had even said anything. When he felt his eyes on him he did a double take. "Sorry what?"
"I said you're quiet."
"You want a shark fact?" He asked. "Did you know that most sharks are ovoviviparous? It means that the eggs hatch inside the female's body before the young are born. However with some kinds of sharks the number of eggs that hatch will differ from the number of young that emerge from the mother's belly. Do you know why?"
Itachi shook his head and regretted it almost instantly. Maybe it was the curvature of the incline below, the low lighting or the lingering smell of fish that was making him feel light headed all of a sudden. Never the less, he stuck close to Kisame and the hand railing in case a more intense dizzy spell overcame him.
"Cannibalism. Right from the moment they hatch they start eating each other inside their mother's uterus. The fracticidal warfare begins as soon as they're born. To each shark all the others are just food to be eaten." He explained.
Itachi felt hot. He moved to unzip his coat but remembered he'd already done so when they arrived. The room spun and he found himself stumbling backwards.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Kisame said, catching him under his arms and bringing him close. "Are you okay?"
The room was still spinning and he felt incredibly overheated. His pride told him to stand but his constricting throat, spinning head and wobbly knees told him to hold onto Kisame.
Kisame looked to the shark tanks and then to the space behind them. "Here, let's sit down. I got you."
Had he known there was a bench to sit at in the first place he would have taken it instead of collapsing into his friend like he did but that's not what Kisame was referring. He herded them away from the railing and into the space behind the crowds. "Here, let's sit down. I got you."
They sat cross legged on the floor while people passed them by. Some cast worried glances their way while others kept their eyes on the tanks surrounding them. Kisame kept a secure arm wrapped around his shoulders, holding him close so that his head was nuzzled under Kisame's jaw. Though a little awkward he had to admit that the room was starting to come into focus and he wasn't feeling so nauseated anymore.
"You okay?" Kisame whispered, stroking his shoulder and slow up and down motions.
Itachi hummed in affirmation instead of nodding his head, worried that the room would start to spin again. "Yeah. Just a little dizzy. That's all."
"Hm." Kisame hummed, still stroking his arm. "You're warm." He said and pulled away slightly to inspect him. "Are you kidding me? You still have your coat on? Itachi no wonder you were about to faint you're probably overheated! Here, take that off; you'll feel better."
"I guess." Itachi mumbled as he shed his raincoat and rolled up the sleeves of his sweater.
"Do you suffer from low blood pressure?" Kisame asked.
"No."
"Did you eat breakfast this morning?"
"Yes."
"What did you eat?"
Itachi sighed. "A scone from the community center."
Now it was Kisame's turn to sigh. "Itachi that's not a proper breakfast. Your blood sugar's probably low. I don't have anything on me that you can eat so we'll look for a vending machine or a gift shop when we get out of here, okay?"
Itachi nodded and was relieved when the room didn't spin. He moved to stand up when Kisame grabbed his wrist and yanked him back down.
"You almost fainted and I'm not in a hurry. You should sit down for at least ten minutes, okay?" He asked. His eyes were wide and there was a tint of fear in them that made Itachi feel guilty so he complied. "Trust me, this is my area of expertise."
And then it clicked. "I thought your area of expertise was marine biology."
Kisame looked skyward and bobbed his head back and forth to suggest that he wasn't entirely wrong nor was he right. "Marine biology is more of a hobby. I switched to Health and Phys. Ed when I failed Life Sciences sophomore year remember?"
That's right. Kisame had told him that. And Itachi had seen him studying from his anatomy and physiology textbooks at lunch from time to time. He should have known that.
Kisame pulled him close and squeezed his shoulder. "You're out of it, Uchiha. All the more reason to just sit here and watch the sharks for a little bit. That always makes me feel better."
Itachi smiled slightly. Now that he'd taken his coat off he felt cold but was sure Kisame wasn't going to let him put his jacket back on after what had just taken place. "Better than sleeping with the fishes I suppose." Itachi joked dryly.
Kisame let go of his shoulder and threw his head back in laughter. "Good one!" He said with a clap. "Good one!"
"I have my moments." He replied modestly.
Kisame chuckled to himself and turned to whisper something in Itachi's ear. "Do you get squeamish?"
He shook his head. "No, why?"
"No reason. Just wanted to make sure the cannibalism fact wasn't what made you fall for me."
What? Itachi furrowed his brow and gave Kisame a light push. "That's a terrible pun and I fell on you, not for you."
"Fair, fair." He said. "It's been ten minutes wanna get going and see what else there is to see? We haven't gotten to the underwater tunnel yet oh! And there's a dolphin show too that we might be able to catch! It'll be great because you can sit down and watch the dolphins!"
It was kind of endearing. How Kisame was still looking out for him even after his little mishap a few moments ago. Suggesting an attraction that he could still enjoy that Itachi could sit down for. "Sounds like a plan." He said and rose to his feet. "Where's my coat?"
"I'm carrying it." Kisame said sternly. "You can have it back when we leave. Not up for negotiation."
His concern was suddenly less endearing now and bordering on annoying. "What if I told you I had the chills?"
"I'd believe you because hammerhead sharks would give anyone the chills." He said as they continued down the ramp. "But on a more serious note I'd be the judge of that. Do you want me to feel your forehead?"
"I'm good thanks." Itachi said, pushing his arm away. As they walked through the shark corridor Itachi found himself thinking back to Kisame's question earlier that week. "Do you even like Deidara? Like, have you ever asked yourself 'Do I like spending time with this person or do I feel like I owe them something?'"
At the time, Itachi didn't know the answer. When he first met Deidara the blonde shared something deeply personal with him that made him feel for him. Although Itachi couldn't relate to his situation he understood what it was like to be different and to be judged by others before they got to know you. Which was ironic considering how grossly he misjudged Kisame when they first met. And, before their fallout, there were times when he and Deidara genuinely had fun together. The Halloween maze in the school of business that caused Itachi to jump when a hand grabbed his ankle from under a table that caused Deidara to laugh so hard he cried. The snow days when Deidara convinced him not to study because they wouldn't have school the next day and stayed up until three am until they received the cancellation text. The times they shared fried rice and Lo Mein noodles from the pizza shop run by Chinese people just outside of the campus gates. The time he went over to Deidara's house for winter break and Deidara told him about how his parents kicked him out for being gay and comforted him when he saw the email about Shisui's death.
God, those memories felt like an eternity ago! To think there was ever a time when he would go to Deidara's house to escape his home drama. He hadn't forgotten any of those moments. And now he felt like an imposter in their shared dorm room always wondering what Deidara was thinking or if he was going to bother him about how he spent his free time.
But when he was with Kisame he didn't harbor those same feelings. He didn't feel anxious around him despite their differing personalities. Had Deidara been the one to ask him out to the aquarium today Itachi would have passed. Even now, as he thought about it, he could imagine Deidara inviting Sasori and his other friends along without thinking twice about it.
Itachi had asked Kisame if it would just be the two of them before and the response he received in turn was "Yeah unless you want Zabuza to come but I don't recommend it. He'll be a pain in the ass the entire time."
Even now when Itachi was embarrassed Kisame didn't make fun of him or make things awkward. He took care of him as if doing so was as second nature as riding a bike or driving a car.
"I wouldn't write off that athlete you've been talking about." Sasuke told him a few months ago. Since then he hadn't said anything on the topic of Kisame, even when Itachi talked about him. He suspected that Sasuke had a lot of things to say in that regard but was keeping them to himself. If he wanted to share what he was thinking he would, in due time. Until then, Itachi was content to have someone listen instead of projecting their feelings about Kisame onto him.
Even so, if Kisame was interesting in Itachi what was to stop him from holding onto him longer when they were sitting on the floor watching the sharks? What was to stop the man from kissing him there? Surely if Kisame liked him like everyone thought he did, Kisame would have made his intentions clear by now.
"Even if nothing ever happens between you two, at least try to remain friends, alright?" Sasuke had also said.
"Coming?" Kisame asked, looking over his shoulder? "Need me to carry you cuz I can! You probably weigh about as much as…4 bags of potatoes."
Itachi knitted his brow together. "You know that bags of potatoes are measured in pounds, right?"
Kisame shrugged. "I just buy whatever looks good. Wanna help me make something with potatoes next week? Wanna bet that you actually weigh as much as four potato bags?"
"It depends on how many pounds those bags are, Kisame and I'm not betting you anything."
"Cuz you know I'm right."
Yeah. There were no doubt in his mind that they were just good friends. And he intended to keep it that way. Even after Kisame graduated he hoped that this friendship would be one that lasted.
PS: This chapter is based off my last experience in an aquarium nearly 10 years ago. I too, thought I was going to faint after going through the winding shark chambers. The aquarium I go to also has a rainforest exhibit strangely enough.
And also - I actually forgot what Kisame's major was for a second when it dawned on me that he wasn't a marine biologist major after all. You have to admit though, I wrote it off pretty well.
See you next year!