Hello! I hope you'll like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or any OCCness.

Character age:

Akane, Itachi: 23

Naruto, Sasuke: 17

Shisui: 26

Kakashi: 31

"People Kages choose as their bodyguards often become Kages themselves." He sighed.

"I know that."

"You can't pretend real life doesn't exist forever, and it's reassuring to know you'll be there." I smiled at him and added more quietly. "But I'll miss you." He nodded slowly.

We were at the gates, waiting for Tsunade-san to arrive so they could leave for the Land of Iron. Itachi told me I didn't need to come, but I did anyway. I wasn't really looking forward to being left alone at home because we spent as much time as possible together since I moved back in, but it had to happen.

"Promise me one thing though," I continued, more seriously.

"What?"

"If he appears, keep a cool head." He clenched his jaw.

I was still scared that if I moved my head too fast, too brutally or anything, my left eye would fall from its socket. Tsunade-san assured me it would not happen, but still. But I was more wary of how Itachi would react if Obito appeared at the Summit like last time. I knew he kept a cool head most of the times, but we all had our limits and...well, let's just say his had been breached a few months ago.

"I know Akane." I stared at him expectantly and he sighed. "I promise, happy?" I nodded quietly. "You don't get to be demanding when I'm the one leaving." I stuck my tongue at him and he poked me in the forehead. "What are you going to do when I'm gone?" I shrugged.

"I know how to use my fingers." He deadpanned at me. "And I'll be fine, I'll go to the spa." He smiled a little.

"I don't know exactly when I'll be back, so just stay home, don't come here."

"Well obviously." He rolled his eyes fondly as Tsunade-san appeared in our sight, her Hokage hat easily noticeable in the distance. "Looks like it's time." He nodded and kissed my forehead. "Be careful Itachi."

"Always." They exchanged a few words and left.

I took a deep breath as Itachi became a small dot in the distance.

I jumped, startled when someone blew in my ear and turned around in a flash, only to find Kakashi snickering.

"Since when are you here?"

"I was talking with Gai," he replied with teasing eyes. "It's not my fault you were too busy to notice I was here." I blushed a little and looked away. "Itachi's here and nobody else exist."

"Shut up," I muttered, turning around to leave. "It's not as if I had seen much of you in the past couple of months."

"I was at your failed wedding."

"Yeah, what else except this and my birthday? We'd see each other for my seal, but apart from that, the moment I'd see you, you suddenly remembered you left the stove on or some shit like that." He looked away. "You know what happened isn't your fault Kakashi, if anything you almost died on Sasuke and I."

"...did he even get information?" I shrugged.

"I don't think so. He was trying to break me to get them, but once he did the Kage took over. And apart from my eye, he didn't torture me physically speaking. Just...at some point he would abduct me, we all knew that but just didn't want to face it and…" I put my hand on my left eye. "I should have known I'd lose it the moment Dad put this seal on it."

"Just because he put a seal o…"

"No, but the Yuurei will handle the responsibilities of what should have happened. Danzou originally gouged Shisui's left eye out. It never happened here. The moment my left eye changed, I should have known someone would rip it out of me." I looked at Kakashi firmly, my hands by my side. "The same thing happened in Kiri. Itachi never saw Shisui die in front of him. I had to see Mangetsu die in front of me instead, as powerless as he was back then." He put his hand on my head. "But just don't be awkward with me please."

"I'm always awkward."

"Not wrong," I agreed, my smirk matching his. "Still, don't…"

"I know. I'm sorry, I needed to deal with it on my own. Akiko-san already gave me a speech."

"Poor thing."

"Do you want to grab a bite?" I blinked and nodded, crossing my arm with his. "Is Itachi okay with you doing that?" I shrugged.

"Well he'll tell me if he's not."

I went to the spa on the next day, Mom more than happy to have a mother-daughter day. On the next day, Shisui ended up in my living-room.

"So...you and Itachi, back together?" I nodded and sat down in front of him at the dining table, coffee in front of us. "Everything's...good between you two?"

"Yes. Maybe better than before even." It was true. I mean, we were still in the over-affectionate phase after being apart for so long, but we talked about where we were heading and future in general and could be in a...real relationship so…

It was more peaceful. We didn't have to worry about arranged marriages and his clan anymore.

"That's huh...nice." I furrowed my brows at him.

"We don't have to talk about this topic you know."

"I know, it's just...if you guys are good then...shit, did Itachi talk about me?" I blinked.

"He said he wanted to talk to you after the war but well...not everything went according to plan. I think he'll...come, and I can give him a push if you wan…" He shook his head.

"I don't want to offend you or anything, but it's better if you stay out of it as much as possible. I'm not sure if we're really going to talk or…"

"Why do guys have an easier time communicating by fighting?" I sighed, making him shrug. "But okay. How is it going on your side? You're back in the clan, aren't you?" He nodded.

"Yes, and I'm taking care of...what's going to happen to those still in prison for now. Tsunade-san will give her final decisions when she gets back but...well, the Uchiha clan is reduced to half of what it was two months ago, it's quite a lot."

"Let's hope it is for the best."

"Well we can't keep living as if we were better than everybody else and knew better. We need to catch up to the village. I mean, you just have to look at the Senjus." I blinked. "Yes, their clan no longer is what it used to be a century ago, but they're still heavily respected, and not just because of the First, Second and Fifth Hokage. They mixed with other people, considered them as equals and then built families with them. If anything, most people in Konoha probably have some Senju blood one way or another." I took a sip of my coffee.

"You're not wrong. The Uchiha isolationism, sadly enhanced after the Kyuubi attack, is the key to their destruction." He nodded. "You're a troublesome clan, that's for sure."

"You're one to talk." I smirked. "Hey, let's do that race!"

"Huh? Now?" He nodded. "Okay, I have nothing to do anyway."

"We need a referee, at least one." He grinned. "Let's drag Team Seven in this."

"As if you didn't drag them into schemes when they were genins."

"They were the ones to drag me in them, there's a difference!"

"Sure." We left, bickering like we used to when we were younger.

They were free, so they accepted, even Sai. He didn't hang out with them as much as the three, but still seemed to feel accepted unlike this short period before where he…

But well, he had known them longer this time.

Sakura was at the finish line. Naru and Sasuke would follow us from afar and Sai would give us the signal to go before flying to the finish line.

"Rules?" he asked me.

"We're shinobi, the first one there wins, that's all. Just no bad injuries you know." He grinned.

"I like that."

So we raced through Konoha. I used ice at some point to go quicker, which made Shisui use a small genjutsu on me that made me go the wrong way. When I broke it, he was laughing in front of me. As we were getting to the finish line, on top of the Hokage mountain, I caught up to him.

"Fuck you!" I groaned, overtaking him as my legs were burning.

"Hell no!" He body flickered, I did half a second after him.

He still finished first. We were leaning on our knees, panting as Sasuke confirmed his cousin won. Shisui raised his arms, falling on his butt.

"I won, I won!" He fell backward. "I'm too old for that shit."

"The thirties are gonna hit you like a ton of bricks in three years," I told him, breathing more normally.

"Don't say the 't' word," he groaned.

"Let's see if he makes it to twenty-seven first," Sasuke pipped in with a smirk. Shisui glared at him.

I got a little bit depressed when I got home that night. It was lonely, and depressing to be here on my own. I just put one of Itachi's shirt on when I went to bed and hugged his pillow, my face buried in it.

On day three of Itachi being gone, I trained in Sage Mode and summoning the Kages, spending the end of the afternoon with Kakashi to try to use the Hiraishin in Kamui. Back in the day, he sent a marker in the Kamui dimension, now it was a question of connecting to it. I felt it when he used the Mangekyou, but once it was closed it cut off the link quickly. On my way back home, I heard some noise from a back alley. I looked at it, finding a group of cats hissing and fighting. Then there was a weak hiss.

I knew animals...were animals, and cats were territorial but...it still broke my heart when I'd see animals beaten up. So I walked up to them. There was one gray cat who looked up and hissed at me, but I frowned, releasing a little bit of killing intent for them to run away.

"Oh shit," I cursed, seeing they were not attacking another cat or animal but a kitten. The poor thing was lacking some patch of fur and was limping, blood also running down their back. Their tail seemed to be broken.

I slowly knelt next to the poor thing, who was completely scared. I stretched out my hand. After a few seconds, they sniffed it. I carefully picked them up, cradling them in my arms. Or they were fine with me, or they were too weak to do anything, but they let me take them to the closest vet.

You had shinobi vets and civilian ones in Konoha. Kiri didn't have that and I was pretty sure it was something only Konoha had as the Inuzuka clan was there. The thing was, I went to the first one I saw, a shinobi one, more expensive but opened almost twenty-four seven. The waiting part was longer than the healing one as it was done in thirty minutes. I left with medicine and a list of things to do to make sure the little one who heal properly.

The thing was...I never had a pet, and it was a stray. As I put, well her apparently, on a cushion on the couch, I knelt, staring at the little gray ball of fur. She had been purring from the moment I picked her up from the vet's table.

I mean, Itachi said he wanted a cat, and cats were very cute, but I mean...was the context right? Wouldn't I just leave my fur child to her dad the moment I'd go to Kiri? But he wouldn't be alone in the apartment at least.

She was very, very cute. Her fur, now cleaned by the vet, was a smooth light gray and she had bright blue eyes. She was not sleeping yet, just in a ball, blinking as I was scratching her between her ears.

"You are a cute one who needs to eat," I mumbled, shooting the list a look. Apparently she was not entirely weaned so she needed special food. "I won't be long."

I wasn't, barely fifteen minutes but when I came back she was in front of the door and meowed when I was back. The thing was, she was bigger than my hand but not that much, so to get down from the couch she had to fall or something. She followed me to the kitchen and I fed her. I had to mix canned food to formula milk but she ate it easily.

As she ate, I prepared the litter box and watched her go. She followed me around until I went to bed and she couldn't get on it. I took her and put her on Itachi's pillow, wrapping the sheet around her, only her head visible.

"Huh, you look like a sushi roll," I told her quietly, nuzzling my nose against her cold one. She meowed. "Oh you like that? Sushi?" She meowed again. For all I knew she was trying to tell me it was awful but whatever. "Alright Sushi-chan, I hope you'll like the bed better than the street."

I spent the next day with her, making sure she was comfortable. When Sasuke and Naruto came by with Mom, they all stared at the bundle in my arms, not sure whether or not these new people were safe.

"That's a cat," Sasuke stated plainly.

"What? You mean my labor ended up with a kitten? You don't say!" He deadpanned at my sarcasm. "She was in a bad position in a cat fight yesterday when I came home so I took her to the vet and brought her here."

"Are you going to keep her?" Naru asked me, already scratching her under the chin, making her purr.

"I'd like to, I'll talk to Itachi when he comes back from his mission." She hissed at Mom when she approached her hand.

"It must be Ganbaru," she muttered, disappointed.

They stayed a little, Sushi apparently liking to be pet on Sasuke's lap.

They came back in the middle of the night, Konoha silent around them. Even the main street, where people would go out at night, was sleeping. The Hokage told them to meet her tomorrow and that they could go home and rest for tonight. Itachi didn't waste time to head for his place.

Obito did attack the Summit. Truth be told, the reunion in itself had lasted two days, as they were talking about the consequences of the war were. The Raikage had listened quietly before saying that since Kisame had tried to abduct Killer B, failing and dying in the process, he couldn't deny that unification was probably for the best. His brother had been in the village perimeter and the Swordsman had killed several Kumo shinobi before reaching him, under everyone's nose.

They all faced the Akatsuki, but apart from Kumo were all weakened due to the war. However, they had information, and the Raikage was interested in that.

After a day, at the middle of the second one, they reached an agreement, only for someone above them to clap. All the bodyguards went in front of their Kage.

Obito was sitting there, clapping, before saying it would be more of a challenge this time and that the Fourth Shinobi War was about to start. Then, he set his sharingan on Itachi, asking him how Akane was doing and how she liked her stay with him. His sharigan turned to the Mangekyou immediately, the Mizukage glaring daggers at him. He left before they could even touch him, giving them until October 9th to prepare and then...it would be war once again. He did not even explain his plan, saying they already knew it and that it didn't matter anymore, because he had seven out of nine bijuus.

After that there were some more talks and they were off, the Mizukage saying she would visit them in a few days and that she had to go get something first. She wanted to see her student with her own eyes, and it was more than normal, even if Itachi assured her she was getting better every day.

If anything, he was the one slowly getting worst. He could feel his patience level getting low, he was getting irritated more easily and he knew he was relying heavily on Akane. If anything, if she wasn't home so that he could hug her and relax, he'd probably have gotten in fights with his brother or anyone close to him.

He'd usually leave when he felt himself getting angry over nothing.

He quietly got in and closed the door behind him. The apartment was immersed in darkness, which was normal considering the time. He got himself a glass of water, quickly went to the bathroom and threw his clothes with the dirty laundry, leaving his bag there before going to their room. It was dark, the blinds not entirely closed, a beam of the moonlight slipping in. Akane was sleeping on her side, breathing quietly as the sheet was barely resting on her hips, her camisole tied under her chest. He smiled at the delicious sight, only wanting to slip in bed with her and fall asleep with her in his arms, her comforting warmth against him.

He still had a hard time believing she...no longer was against having a child, and could have one of her own, of their own. She had no idea how happy she made him when she said that, softening the sadness he felt shortly after when she turned down his proposal. Having a toddler running around, looking like them, like her, one day would make him the luckiest man in the world.

His thoughts were interrupted by a yawn. He looked down toward his pillow and frowned, crouching in front of the bed. The kitten blinked sleepily at him.

"You're new," he whispered, moving his finger in front of the cat. It hit it with its paw, but weakly. "You've stolen my spot though."

He quickly picked up a cushion from the floor, moved the kitten to it at the end of the bed and took his rightful place, hugging his love from behind, his face buried in the crook of her neck. However, he opened an eye when he felt the mattress moving. The kitten was making its way up and rolled in a ball against Akane's chest, who put an arm around it in her sleep.

"You're going to stay, won't you?" Itachi whispered against Akane's shoulder for the kitten, his hand running gently in her fur. She purred a little.

It wasn't that bad. The situation was bad, but it only made him more focus and determinate to solve it. He had a home of his own to go back to now.

My alarm-clock rang at six, taking me out of my slumber. There was a groan right against me, arms tightening around my waist. I raised my arm and put my hand in Itachi's smooth locks, making him sigh instead.

"Why this early?" he muttered in my hair.

"Sushi has a schedule. When did you get home?"

"Around four…" I gently removed his arms around my waist and turned around, kissing his cheek.

"Stay in bed then." He mumbled something in his pillow, burying his face in it.

There was a meow on my other side and I got up, untying my top that fell to my shorts and picked Sushi up. I fed her and kept an eye on her as I made breakfast. I put half of it in the fridge so that Itachi would just heat it up later.

I ate with a blanket on me, a book in one hand and the other petting Sushi on my lap. The sun slowly rose outside, so I snapped a picture. I got addicted to taking pictures. Sushi had a lot of that yesterday.

Itachi got up around nine, yawing and rubbing the back of his head, sleepy eyes looking around.

"You could have slept more you know," I told him, getting up. I kissed him quickly and went to the kitchen to warm up his breakfast.

It was barely in the microwave that he hugged me from behind, leaning on me.

"You didn't get up so you'd just sleep on me, right?"

"Hn." I smiled faintly, just running my hand in his hair like I could. Once the food ready, I took it out and whined as I tried to move but Itachi wouldn't let me go.

"Come on Itachi, I can't move…"

"I'm fine here."

"I noticed." I ended up pinching his hand. He let go slowly, pouting and went to the couch. "Not the table?" He didn't answer, just yawning.

I sat down next to him. He just stared at nothing, Sushi on his lap. I put his breakfast on the coffee table and he sighed.

"What, you want me to feed you?" He nodded slowly and I deadpanned. "Seriously? You're like a needy baby this morning." He just stared at nothing.

Something bad must have happened.

I took the tray and fed him some rice. I fed him quietly but ended up flushed against my will because Itachi wouldn't stop the intense eye contact he loved so much to have.

"You're eating breakfast, not me, and there's a child." He scratched her between the ears.

"I noticed, I thought you replaced me when I got home. Since when?"

"Two days ago, Sushi was in a cat fight and…" He chuckled. "What?"

"I thought I heard wrong earlier, but I didn't. You really called her 'Sushi'?"

"Yes! I have a picture, you'll understand why!" He shot the pile of photographs near the TV a look.

"You're enjoying it." I nodded. "Still, Sushi?"

"Yeah, as if you wouldn't name her like an author you know and love but no one would get it. Sushi is cute and everybody know about them." He shook his head with a smile. "Anyway, she was in a cat fight and losing, I took her to the vet and she needed aftercare, so I took her home."

"You've adopted a cat without asking me."

"You said you wanted a cat."

"I didn't say now."

"Do you want to get rid of her?" I asked him with wide eyes.

"I didn't say that." He looked down at her. "I think it's the perfect moment, actually, to have a new member in the family." I blushed a little, flexing my toes. Family...we were a real family… "Akane…"

"Bad news huh…"

"He waged the Fourth Shinobi War on all of us." I sighed deeply and put the empty plate on the coffee table, snuggling against him. He put an arm around me, pressing a kiss against my head. "I have to see the Hokage this afternoon, and the Mizukage should be in the village soon."

"Why?" He shrugged. "I hope she won't ask me to go back right now." His hand tightened around me, his jaw clenched and whole body tensed.

"I'm sure you can help Kiri and still be in Konoha," he whispered. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

"Sure, I won't leave you just yet." He breathed out, relieved.

Yeah, I was pretty sure he would break soon now. The cracks slowly got bigger and bigger but...I mean, everybody break down, Sasuke told me that after a therapy session he cried in his mom's arms. It was heartbreaking, but at least he went to Mikoto-san, she wouldn't let him be on his own.

Still, Itachi...I knew therapy ten years ago did him some good, but with the year we've had...and how he took it upon himself while others, like me, were not okay, I was scared of how bad it would be.

"The Tsuchikage apologized though. To all of them and admitted his mistakes." I sighed.

"I can't believe I missed it."

"And me?" I looked up at him, who was looking at me through his dark lashes. "Did you miss me or did Sushi completely replace me?" I smirked.

"She gives great cuddles." He pursed his lips, and I nuzzled my nose against his. "But I did miss you too, of course." His lips found mine, like his tongue.

I clenched his shirt in my hand as he deepened the kiss. Before it could get too heated, there was an angry meow coming from his lap. I broke off the kiss, to Itachi's disappointment, and looked down at the kitty.

"Is it what having a child feels like?" he muttered under his breath as I gave all my attention to the kitty.

"If you're in a relationship, probably." I kissed her on the head repeatedly. Eventually, Itachi poked me in the ribs. "I'm getting you toys this afternoon baby," I whispered to her, Itachi poking me more. I looked up at him. "What?"

"I'm still here."

"I know." He was pouting. I smirked and kissed him on the cheek before moving my lips in front of his ear. "Want to have a shower?" He nodded eagerly. "And press me against the wall, my leg wrapped around you and…"

"There is a child here Akane," he replied in a husky whisper, staring at me like a hungry animal. I shrugged and got up, leaving the room.

We had a heated reunion in the bathroom, and he left for the afternoon, warning me he'd be there tonight only as he'd go to see his parents and Sasuke to tell them the news. I kept myself occupied, training by myself at Training Ground Three. Going into Negative Mode while in Sage Mode was easier, I had a better grip on it.

"War again," Hashirama stated quietly, sitting on the ground next to me. I pursed my lips.

"We should have been more wary of Madara after your fight," Tobirama said, his arms crossed as he nodded at my water jutsu.

He loved giving me pointers on all my fighting skills a little too much, and he seemed very interested in my Hyouton. It was useful, especially with how they all decided to join in when I'd train to get ready for the final showdown, but it was so weird.

I was not surprised to hear them telling me what I was doing wrong, but I was just stunned each time they'd compliment me. I mean...they were the Hokages.

Well, oji-chan didn't really count.

It was very useful though, especially now I could go into Sage Mode Hashirama was giving me pointers on things I should try to see if they were compatible.

I stopped by to get Sushi toys on my way back and went home. After a quick, lonely shower, I showed her everything I got. She wasn't really interested and thought attacking the blanket on the couch was more interesting.

I was making dinner when I heard Itachi's footsteps in the building's hallway. Sushi heard it too and went there to greet him.

"I'm home." The kitten meowed back at him before I could say anything. "That's a nice greeting committee." He came in the room with Sushi in his arms as I was stirring my dish, my other fist on my hip.

I smiled warmly at him.

"Welcome home my love." He blinked and I looked down. "I know it's summer and all, but I was craving a hot pot and…" I froze when I heard a strangled sob.

I looked up and widened my eyes, dropping my chopsticks. Big tears were rolling down Itachi's cheeks while his face was not moving at all. I turned off the stove.

"Hey, what did I say?" I asked him in a slight panic, putting Sushi down. I took his hands in mine. "Hey, Itachi, what is…" He looked down, his hands starting to shake. He opened his mouth, trying to articulate something but a strangled sob escaped it instead.

I took him to our room and once on the bed, he was hugging me for dear life, his forehead on my shoulder.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, I'm here. You can...you can let it all out, I won't judge, I'll stay here."

He just hugged me tighter, almost choking the air out of me, his body basically slouching over mine. His chest was shaking with ugly, heartbreaking sobs as my shoulder was getting wetter and wetter. I just hugged him tightly, as tightly as I could as I let him cry out everything. Anguish, sadness, fear, guilt...I knew everything was finally coming out. He knew how much I cried right before we got back together, everything finally crashing down on me...Itachi had to take more upon himself and now it was catching up to him.

I left butterfly kisses where I could before I lay down on the bed, Itachi on me, hugging me like a plushy, like his life depended on it.

"I love you, no matter what I love you," I whispered to him.

There was not much I could do except showering him with love and affection so...He needed to know he was not alone.

After a while, his sobs quieted down. He raised his head a little and touched my soaked shoulder. He sniffed deeply and I gave him a paper tissue quietly. He wiped his nose and opened his mouth a little but didn't say anything when I smiled softly at him.

He just buried his face in my chest, his arms not letting go of me. I kissed him on the head, my arms around him. I untied his hair, putting his hair tie on the nightstand and ran my fingers in his locks freely, lightly massaging his scalp at the same time.

"Just tell me when you're hungry, we can have dinner here if you want," I told him softly. He didn't reply but nodded against me.

Him breaking down when we were on the dawn of the Fourth Shinobi War was not ideal but...you didn't choose these kinds of things and if anything, I was reassured to know he still could break down.

Hey! Thanks for reading and leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter!

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