Atami – I
A/N: Took me some time to revise this. Atami is probably going to be divided into two or three parts.
Also, the chapters are now going to be more delayed and longer. Sorry about that!
I move hurriedly towards the station. We promised to meet here to take the train to Tokyo from where we'll ride the bullet train to Atami. Itachi suggested a normal train for some demented reason but I put my foot down. I don't want to waste even a second more in travel. As it is, the bullet train will take about an hour to get there. I move quickly towards the ticket barriers and find Itachi standing beside a convenience store, a coffee in his hand as he glances at the newspaper stand. I stay still for a moment just to take him in. He's wearing a white turtleneck with dark pants and he's thrown a light maroon sweater over it. As if sensing my gaze, his eyes move up and meet mine. His mouth immediately widens when he smiles and beckons me. I run down in a second. A golden retriever dedicated solely to his master.
"Hi," I greet him in English.
His lips curve up in a shy smile. "Hi," he replies. Itachi gives me a head-to-toe perusal and I let him. I wore the blue jeans he personally picked out for me on our first date. I've paired it with a white t-shirt and a leather jacket. I know I look hot. I wink at him. He blinks away almost immediately but his cheeks pinken.
"Like what you see?" I can't help the cockiness in my voice.
"The leather jacket sure is a nice touch. It suits you," he says.
"Why, thank you milady," I say, bowing my head slightly even as I want to grin like an idiot. "You don't look too bad yourself," I run my eyes over him again.
"Is that all you have to say boy?" I have to bite my lip to quell my laughter.
"What I want too say is too inappropriate for both this place and milady's ears," I say quietly.
"This one isn't faint of heart. Go ahead boy, try me!" he says.
I raise my eyes to his. "I want to pull down that turtleneck and mark you all over to give you a real reason to wear it."
His eyes darken when they look at me and his cheeks burn. He tsks once and then looks back at me. "Shall we go?" he lifts his bag and places it in front of him. Oh…Oh.
"I'm just appreciating all the good things in life," I say. I pretend to bend down to examine a newspaper from the stand, bringing my mouth closer to his ear. "You look gorgeous Itachi-sama," I tell him.
"That's better," he says and then he turns around to stomp ahead of me, giving me a glorious view of his ponytail swishing against his back as well his ass. The fantasy of my hand around his ponytail and my cock in his ass resurfaces. I adjust myself as discreetly as possible as I follow this enigma to the platform.
Soon, my love. Soon.
The train to Atami takes exactly 47 minutes. 47 of the most riveting moments because of the company of this man who has me reeling every time he opens his mouth and yet the most painful moments only because I can't touch him. Had it been up to me, I'd have kissed the daylights out of him right there at the convenience store not giving a single thought to the people around us. Just to make it real that he's here with me, going on a trip, lying to all his dear ones just so that he can be here with me.
I smile goofily as I gaze at the man seated beside me on this train. This trip is going to be perfect; I can feel it in my bones, in the very core of me. Even if we don't make any sexual progress, I am content enough to just have this man beside me. This alone feels like a fucking miracle!
Itachi turns to the front as he stares ahead. My eyes drop to his lips to see them curved up at the edges. My grin widens. My cheeks hurt with how hard I'm laughing. The tales this man spins around me are just magical.
"I don't buy it. There's no way in hell you were a member of a bike gang in your high school." I shake my head at him, crossing my arms across my chest in disbelief. I've seen enough Japanese movies centered around bike gangs and I know how they look. Nope. No matter how much I try, I can't picture Itachi with a pompadour and a long white coat going around the town, bullying and vandalizing. Moreover, riding a motorbike? Absolutely, no fucking way.
Itachi's smile widens, warming my heart all over again. God, I'd kill for a kiss right now. "Hang on," he pulls out his phone and begins doing something on it. I wait patiently though I really want to peek at his phone, wanting to know what has his attention more than this fun conversation we've been having. He finds what he's looking for and slides it towards me, nodding at it. "The proof is right there," he says.
Oh fuck!
I pull up the phone and sure enough, he stands there in his studious glasses and holding a baseball bat. His long coat, however, is black with red cloud-like design, his hair swished back in that ponytail. The entire ensemble would have looked ridiculous on anyone else, but this man just rocks the look, looking every bit sinister as he stares sullenly at the camera. I make a mental note to ask him to send it to me. He looks just so…sexy. I need to have it printed. I'll put it on my nightstand.
Fuck, the way he makes me feel!
"You've astounded me, Itachi-sama!" I say as I look at him awfully. "You've ruined every biker gang movie I've seen," I say to him.
"And why is that?" he says, his face turned towards me as he looks down at the pictures, his thumb swiping to find another one.
"You'll be all I can imagine."
"You say such cute things sometimes, Naruto," he rolls his eyes and places a hand on his face as if endeared by what I just said. This man is so fucking adorable, it hurts.
"Wait till you see this." He murmurs as he turns his phone towards me to see another image. There are ten people standing in a group photo, all looking like delinquents, including Itachi who stands a little to the side. They all show off the matching rings on their hands with different kanji characters on each. They all have the same black coats on with the red clouds that I saw Itachi wearing. "Did your gang have a name?" I ask, looking across the picture at the various shades of head. There's a girl upfront who's dyed her hair purple with an origami flower tucked to the side. She looks like someone you wouldn't ever want to cross. Hell, a lot of them look insanely scary. A dude with orange hair at the back has piercings all over his face. They all look like they've crossed the line from juvenile delinquency to something more dangerous.
Itachi glances at the photo on the phone and lets out a toe melting chuckle as he reminisces. "Akatsuki," he says, his smile widening. "We would do the weirdest of shit. It was a crazy time!" he says. Though his face is turned towards me his eyes look far away. I don't mind that this has his attention. This is important to him. He wants to share it with me! We're close enough now to be this intimate. His face lights up when he recalls something interesting. How the hell have I not noticed? He's always so closed off and impersonal in public that seeing him in all his radiantly shining element is truly a marvel to behold.
I nudge my knee to his gently, not wanting to break the spell around us. "Do share," I tell him, smiling softly.
Itachi lets out a small laugh. "Okay. We would all gather together behind the school every Wednesday at four for a meeting of sorts. It was more like a get together to see if anyone was in trouble. All of us were punctual. Most of us would just utilize that time to drink beer and chill but for some reason, one of the members, Hidan, would always turn up at half past four. Once one of the members questioned him on his tardiness but he brushed off the question with a smile." Itachi scrunches up his nose in distaste. I bite my lip when the urge to kiss his nose rises. His features relax into a smile then. This one is amused. I'm already anticipating what's to come. "But even after that, he continued to be late. One time, another member made a rude comment about how some people just joined the gang to get laid. But Hidan never showed up on time. Irritated, my friend Kisame and I decided to follow him once to satisfy our curiosity. Now, I wasn't particularly attached to Hidan or even close to him. But the fact that he always showed up at four-thirty irked me to end. He had to have been doing something. He was weird from the start but you won't believe what we saw."
Now my curiosity is piqued. "What did you see?" I ask, waiting breathlessly.
"Hidan apparently was a member of a cult called Jashin and every Wednesday they too had a meeting. So, we entered what seemed like an abandoned garage, we saw about thirty people bowing to a man. But what really made our jaws drop was the man, Hidan, holding a fucking scythe all the while chanting something, not even comprehensible. It was so terrifying yet mesmerizing that we stayed till the end. I don't even think I could breathe. Kisame recorded the whole thing. Blackmailed him into coming on time. Problem solved." Itachi's smile takes on a naughty flavor, making my own lips respond to his unconsciously.
I smile when Itachi points at a man in the photo. I look down at the photo to see a man of average height who looks much older than high schoolers. His light brown hair is slicked back, his face stretched into one the most menacing smiles I've ever seen. Now I see, laughing out loud. Itachi joins me with a quiet chuckle.
He points at a man who has jagged teeth like a saw. His baseball bat has nails sticking out of it and he too looks scary as fuck. "Kisame," he says as I blink up at him. Itachi doesn't seem like someone who'd sign up for such things.
"Why did you join the gang?" I ask, gazing into his eyes. This train journey, so far, has been all about discovering little things about Itachi and I wouldn't have it any another way.
Itachi's mouth falls into a flat line. "I was dared into it," he says bitterly.
"What? By whom?"
Itachi's nostrils flair as he recalls it, making me chuckle. I like the wrath he's feeling but I'd never want to be on the end of it. Nope. If we fight, I'll surrender without a second thought. He's just that precious to me.
Oh man, Itachi must be a sore loser. Though, I can picture him, all silent and sulky after losing. I, myself have had the pleasure of this experience when we study formal Japanese together. When he loses, he's sore about it so blatantly that it's adorable. The rules are simple. If I win, he has to kiss me on the mouth. If he wins, he gets to flick me on the forehead. Though, I'd happily lose again and again just to make him happy, my prize is dearer to me. He drives a hard bargain, always getting to me with the tricky vocabulary but my prize is worth the effort I put in to win. Maybe, I do have a competitive side to me too. Damn! This man is my utter ruin.
"Shisui," his face darkens.
I didn't expect that name. "Now I need to know this. What happened?" I ask, tipping my chin up him in encouragement.
"Shisui and I were innocent bystanders in our freshmen year. It was a new school and the pressure was intense. We kept to each other or a couple of new friends we'd made. I've known Shisui my whole life. We've been together since elementary school. We both were in the same club together after school. But every second Sunday, we went hiking. One Sunday during our second year, we decided to race up the peak. For some reason, the race turned to a bet and we decided we'd punish the loser to do the absolute craziest shit. Finally, we settled on the loser joining the bike gang or shaving off their heads. It was a short trail and we were both aware of the paths and shortcuts. It would take us thirty minutes to get to the top. We'd timed it before. I was at the last climb that would take me to the peak where I would be the winner because Shisui was nowhere in sight. And then, my foot slipped at a curve. I arrived one minute past the usual thirty minutes and Shisui who had all but vanished from the trail, was standing there at the peak, looking like a triumphant asshole."
Shisui is his best friend, I think. He's come up a lot of times in conversation and each time it makes me uneasy. I end up recalling the time when I met him for the first time. I feel jealous when I think of how close the two are. I want to be that person. But it doesn't lessen the sting I feel every time he's brought up. I know I should be patient. I know I'll get there but Shisui's name unsettles me.
My breath catches in my throat when his midnight eyes gaze into mine. "I would take the bike gang any day." Itachi huffs haughtily and I laugh.
All because I'm so engrossed in conversation with Itachi the rest of the journey feels like the blink of an eye. We talk about anything and everything. He tells me what it was like when Sasuke was born, then growing up as his elder brother. I share some tidbits about my family, my life at home, regaling him with some hilarious stories from when I was growing up that make him laugh till the corners of his eyes crinkle up in mirth. My heart squeezes so hard in my chest that it gets hard to breathe. While watching Itachi laugh is hands down one of the most beautiful sights I've encountered, knowing that it's me who's put that smile there on his does things to my insides. The feelings are all warm and gooey.
Once we are out of the station, we decide to check-in and drop our bags before exploring the town. The lady at the reception of the inn guides us to our room. Once she's done giving us a quick tour of the room, she swiftly bows out of the room and slides the door shut behind her. Immediately, my left-hand grabs Itachi's right hand like it was choreographed. I push him against the door and slam my lips to his. He responds immediately as his mouth opens and his arms go around my shoulders, pulling me close. We kiss like we've been starved for it. Itachi lets out a small mewling noise when I pull my lips away as if wanting them back.
"Hi," I whisper when we break away.
Itachi's lips tip up in a small smile so radiant, it pierces my heart like a ray of blinding light. "Hey," he says. His arms slide down mine to grab my hands. I can't believe this is real. "We did it! We're here!" I lean forward when Itachi voices the words running in my head. Itachi's gaze slides down to my lips and it only makes sense to lean forward and kiss those lips again.
I draw away slightly and laugh, taking his hands and pulling him back in my arms. I kiss the smile on his lips. "I've missed you. This whole week was a nightmare without you."
Itachi cups my cheeks. He leans forward and pecks my lips before sliding his lips across mine. He lets out a soft moan. "I missed you too Naruto."
We stay there in that loose embrace for a couple of minutes at the entrance against the door, just breathing each other in. Eventually, Itachi straightens and points to the room. "Let's do another tour. I got us the best room," he says proudly.
We toe off our sneakers at the entrance, side by side. The swirl of emotions I feel when I see his sneakers lined up next to mine makes me want to grab him again. I'm so full of love, kindness and gratitude for this man, my skin hums with them. He surprises me when he takes my hand as we climb up that small step together into the room. This moment alone is poignant enough to make my chest clench. We explore each room in between kisses. I slide open the balcony door, gasping when I see the Pacific Ocean sprawled in front of us, beyond the small pool-like private bath. The view really is spectacular. I turn around to show my excitement when his arms come across my waist and he leans into me. The words about to spill from my mouth are instantly forgotten. He breathes deeply against my neck seemingly in resolve. I know he's nervous. The courage it must have taken him to be this bold, warms me all over. My arms wrap around his and I lean back slightly into him.
"How do you always have the perfect places, Itachi-sama?" I ask him. "I…this is spectacular!" I whisper.
"I think it's more about the people than the place," Itachi says, smiling at me.
I know he feels the same. I can see it every time his eyes meet mine. I don't need to hear those words from his lips to know it. I can only imagine how difficult this all would be for a man like Itachi to come to terms with his own feelings. I tip his chin up till his warm black eyes slide back to mine.
The rumbling in my chest deepens when he leans forward to kiss me breathless.
The Atami that I went around sightseeing with my friends has nothing on the Atami that lies before me. Blame it on the rose-colored glasses, but with Itachi beside me, delighting me with an amusing tale about that time in middle school when he came here with his friends, there's nothing I could possibly want in that moment.
I snap another picture of a traditional building. I've been doing that a lot, collecting pictures of traditional houses, castles, and inns. I really wish I could have lived in a period of the samurais or ninjas. I'd have killed to be born as a kickass ninja.
"Then, Shisui began waving his arms around like a maniac, trying to defend himself while the rest of us watched." Itachi says, turning a bemused eye on me behaving like an overexcited sightseer.
"Why didn't you help him out?" I ask, closing my phone shut and sliding it in my pocket.
Itachi crosses his arms across his chest. "Shisui gave us clear instructions to stay way." He shrugs, "Besides, there was no way we were getting involved with a bunch of high school girls. They're trouble. Especially when they're the ones who've hit on you." He shudders for effect.
"Why? Did something happen?" I ask, curious now.
"No but I knew better than to get involved. The mere thought of them terrified me." Itachi confesses.
I laugh. I'm hit by a sudden bout of curiosity. "Did you ever date an older woman?" I ask.
Itachi lifts a brow at me, "Why do you ask?" his voice is low, the texture silky, smooth, and very, very sexy.
"Just curious," I rub a hand across my chin and raise a brow of my own to his, waiting for his reply. I want to regret the personal question but curiosity is a real bitch.
Itachi surprises me by laughing. "I don't think I've dated someone older." He looks upward, thoughtfully. "Though there was that one senior I was together with for a semester during college. But we didn't date, so…" he shrugs.
"Then why do you say you were together?" the question is out of my mouth before my brain can process it. Realization dawns on me almost instantly, turning me as red as a tomato in seconds. "Sorry," I mutter sheepishly.
Itachi brushes it away with a wave of his hand. "Let's get something to eat, shall we? I'm hungry."
I nod, relief filling me. I turn to look at the man beside me with the new kernel of information I have unwittingly discovered. Itachi had a sex partner.
And damn if that doesn't leave me with a sour taste in my mouth.
Fuck you, curiosity. Fuck you, very much.
Seated across from each other at the seafood restaurant we chose, I look at the menu amazed at the variety they have. We've got seats a little to the back corner. There are pots and plants around us, cutting us from the rest of the seating space with some privacy. It's brilliant. I chose the seats the moment I saw them. Itachi looked hesitant for a split second but I grabbed his arm and practically hauled him to the table.
Itachi is looking down at his own menu and pondering over the choices out loud. He looks so adorable; I want to pull him on to me and just capture his lips in mine. I swear, something is very weird with me. How is it that I find every gesture of this man so adorable? At this rate, I might need therapy someday. I don't think I have the confidence to say that I can ever recover from this.
"What are you getting?" I ask, not skipping a beat when those eyes look up at me inquisitively.
I shake my head in indecision. "I don't know what to get. Maybe you could recommend something?" I ask.
Itachi nods at me before looking down at the menu. "You're not allergic to shellfish, are you?" He nods when I shake my head. "Maybe we could get an assortment of the fishes like teppen don or something. Maybe some Hotaru squid sashimi?"
I smile. "Sounds good. Let's get those." I grab the attention of the waiter. A mousy girl with thick glasses comes to our table.
Itachi opens his mouth to order like he usually does, but today I want to do it. I turn to the girl and confidently repeat our order. She nods and after a quick selection of drinks, I relay that to her as well, smiling in victory when she repeats everything. Sure I've been doing this for more times than I can count, but right now feels like an achievement when Itachi gives me one of his proud, beaming smiles.
How in the fucking world could he have ever thought this wasn't meant to be? I knew I never even stood a chance from the start!
Once the waitress leaves, Itachi's smile widens. "Your diction is near perfect now, Naruto-kun! You've really progressed so much. It's beautiful to watch."
"What's beautiful is you, Itachi-sama. I'm nowhere near you." I shake my head. "I mean have you even seen yourself?"
Itachi rolls his eyes at me, his cheeks flushed. "We are not talking about me now." He clears his throat, dismissing that topic.
I smile cheekily. "Is someone shy?" I ask, my voice teasing.
Itachi pushes up his glasses, looking affronted. "Nope. But we're not going to have that conversation now."
I gasp at him in mock horror. "Oh how you wound me Itachi-sama! You prevent me from talking about the one thing that's precious to me!" I say in formal Japanese as I clutch my chest theatrically.
Itachi sniggers, hiding his mouth behind his hand. "Oh but you embarrass me so! Time and time again, you spew words that shake the walls of my beating heart. Oh tell me, must you enjoy seeing the heat on my cheeks?"
I laugh. We've gone back to a different time. Itachi's Showa Era old madam shines through. "Oh but I must! For 'tis the color of your cheeks beautiful, it feels like the blush of a blooming bud."
Itachi snorts before falling into a peal of laughter at my metaphor and the cheesiness. "Oh my god! Naruto-kun, how did it turn like this?" he asks, shaking his head.
My gaze stays transfixed on this man in front of me, all breath out of my chest. He looks so fucking beautiful, it's a sight that's made me breathless. All the thoughts have fled my brain leaving me incapable of a single reply. The magic this man has spun around me is so strong, I never want to break away.
"For me, it was the moment I saw you in your shop." I tell him, cleverly interpreting the meaning behind his question.
Itachi's blush deepens. "There we go again!" he mutters, scratching his left ear. He shakes his head when I grin at him unabashedly. "Let's talk about you," he says, leaning forward seemingly to change the topic.
I shrug. "What about me?" I ask. I'm ready to answer anything, not wanting to keep a single thing about me a secret.
"Let's see. What is your favorite Japanese word?" he asks. I frown, taken by surprise. Of all the things he could start with, I wasn't expecting this. I pause, needing a second to think. Words in Japanese spill left and right and bounce across my brain as I think about it. There is one that compels me to make rash decisions.
"Hmm, let's see. I like many words but I think kokishin is my favorite." I reply.
Itachi's brows rise to his hairline as he repeats the word. "Curiosity?" he asks, in English. "Why curiosity?" he asks.
I smile at his curiosity at the word choice. "Because it is the thing that's been troubling me recently when I think of you." When his eyebrow bristles, I clear my throat. "What's your favorite word?" I ask him.
Maybe because Itachi can see my inner turmoil or he knows I wasn't supposed to start again, he doesn't huff or roll his eyes or frown at me. I hate it when he frowns. Instead, he looks like he seems to be contemplating the answer. "For me, I think heiwa is the word."
"Heiwa? Peace? Why?" I ask, my favorite word catching me in its wretched claws again.
Itachi smiles slowly. "I don't know. I think I very much like the idea of it. Like, I wouldn't want anything more in my life than peace," he says. "Same for the world," he adds.
I want to chalk off everything he's just said as generically as possible but the words cut like shards. His favorite word is so fucking ironic right now because everything about us spells the opposite of that. Our chemistry is so insane it feels like a constant earthquake inside me. Every quiet, stolen, private moment with this man cataloged for a storm brewing on the horizon. When, if, this gets out, there's nothing on earth that could save me from the tsunami that will ensue.
"Peace, if anything, is a sweet dream we're all trying to chase, isn't it?" I ask, twisting the topic now, wishing for anything to prevent my mood from getting darker.
"I suppose," Itachi says, cleverly nipping that talk in the bud. "Favorite subject in school?" he asks, once again steering our little tête-à-tête to clearer waters.
"English," I say, without batting an eyelash.
Itachi smiles. "Mine too," he says.
I smile. "When did you drink for the first time?" I ask, getting the ball of questions rolling.
"At fifteen, when I entered high school. Shisui managed to steal two cans from his dad. You?" he asks.
I like that he told me the story too. He doesn't even know how much I cherish information like this about him. "When I was fourteen. A friend of mine hoisted a party at his place when his parents weren't there." It was late when I got home, drunk on too many beers. It turned ugly when my parents discovered me by the toilet seat, out cold. My mom grounded me for a month. Not that I'd ever tell Itachi something so lame.
Itachi nods. "What's your hobby? One that I don't know," I ask, despite having already guessed the answer. I've seen the dark head bent low into a book too many times now.
Itachi rubs his chin thoughtfully. "I like to read, but you know that already." I nod, smiling. "I like to visit traditional Japanese cafes." He says, laughing when my mouth falls open in surprise.
"Why?" I ask, piqued by his hobby.
"I don't know. Japanese aesthetics have always appealed to me. I like the vibe. I'm especially fond of cafes that are themed from the Meiji or Showa Era. Something about the mix and match of Eastern and Western cultures is very appealing." He smiles. I nod. I think I can see that about him.
Our server arrives with our food, laying it down neatly on the table along with the bottle of sake, Itachi recommended. We clunk our tiny, porcelain cups together in a toast, laughing when we tip our heads back and down the drink in one go. Sasuke and Kiba have taught me the drinking manner very well. I lift the bottle of sake and bring it closer to Itachi. Instantly he lifts his cup for a refill. I refill mine and set the bottle on the table, lifting my chopsticks to grab a bite of the teppen don. I moan when the flavors hit my tongue. "This is delicious!" I exclaim.
Itachi takes a bite too, chewing demurely behind his hand. He nods in assent, making me smile as I tip up my drink and take a sip, swirling the wine around on my tongue to savor it. Even the meal if perfect! Itachi lifts up his cup to his lips as he surveys me over the rim. He downs his drink in one sip. "When was the first time you did it?" he asks. I choke on the alcohol which was in the process of going down my throat.
"What?" I manage to wheeze out. I don't even get a second to enjoy the fact that he resumed this game we were playing.
Itachi tsks as if disrespected by my show of surprise. It kind of makes sense after all. Itachi would want to talk about it. I bet he wants to get to know me as much as I want to know him. That thought alone instills the fact that maybe, just maybe this man likes me just as much as I like him.
When my throat stops feeling like it's on fire along with my lungs, I heave a couple of breaths. I take a sip of my water and clear my throat a couple of times. Itachi doesn't say anything. He just keeps staring at me, an amused grin across his lips.
"Well, Naruto-kun, I'm waiting," he says.
"Let's make this game interesting. We'll each ask a question and if we don't want to answer, we drink. What say?" I shoot back.
Itachi mulls this over in his head for a moment. Then he grins mischievously and fuck if my heart doesn't jump at that. "Alright. Every time we drink it has to be the full cup in one go. You okay with that?" he asks, challengingly.
Oh, I'm good with alcohol. I've always been a strong drinker. It's not like the story of my lost virginity is a well-guarded secret. If anything, I want to tell him everything about me. It comes to me as naturally as breathing. But that doesn't mean I don't want to see him work for it. Besides, there's no way in hell I would pass up a chance to see a drunk Itachi. Now that the stakes are raised, it's no holds barred. I can and I will ask every question there is.
I nod, solemnly. I reach forward and refill both our drinks. "Well?" Itachi prompts.
With a smirk, I nod at him as I lift my cup and down the wine in one go. "Pass," I say in English.
Itachi's nostrils flair violently even as his lips tip up in a smile. "What about you?" I ask.
Itachi takes his time as he leisurely samples the sashimi. He moans in happiness at the flavor making me want nothing more than to taste it from his lips, knowing it will taste a thousand times more decadent. Itachi wipes his mouth neatly with the towel and licks his lips. "In middle school," he says.
I lean forward excited, knowing there's a story there from Itachi's countenance. He may look all nonchalant but I know there's something. "Was it your English teacher? Is that the reason why English has been your favorite subject?" I ask.
Itachi picks up his cup and drowns it. "Pass," he says in English, making me chuckle.
"Very well. How many girls have you been with?" I ask, scooping up some assorted fish on my chopsticks.
Itachi raises an eyebrow as if knowing this question was coming. He winces. "I pegged you better than this," he mutters.
I laugh. "You can always drink to avoid answering," I shrug.
Itachi looks to the side distastefully for a second. "No, I'll answer. Four," he says. Then he raises an eyebrow at me in query. "What about you Naruto-kun? How many women have you slept with?"
"None. I've never been attracted to them enough to do it. But that is not to say, I haven't done…stuff with them." I wink at him for emphasis.
"I'm curious about the same question with a different sex but I don't think I want to know that answer." Itachi looks sideways at me. "Not when you look like that," he says and tsks.
I narrow my eyes at him. "Are you calling me hot, Itachi-sama?" I laugh to take out the barb.
"Maybe," he says and then laughs delightedly.
"Maybe as in the absolute man-killer or maybe as in yeah, he's been around," I ask.
"Ugh! Had you shown me this narcissistic side of you before, I'd have reconsidered this," Itachi says as he almost throws some teppen-don on me.
I laugh. "Well now there's no going back, is there?" I ask.
Itachi just tsks and doesn't answer.
"Does it bother you?" I ask.
"What?" he asks, biting into some sashimi.
"The idea of how men do it with each other?" I ask him quietly.
Itachi neatly puts back his chopsticks on their stand and regards me seriously. His cheeks look slightly pink but his eyes are clear as they look into mine. "I thought we'd established my thoughts on that already?" he asks quietly.
"But does it scare you?" I ask.
"Are you trying to ask me if I have second thoughts about this?" I look up sharply. My cheeks carry the guilt from my thoughts.
Shame fills me instantly. "Is it wrong to assume you don't? I mean, it's just that you've always dated women before me." I mumble.
"And that gives you the right to judge me? What if I told you I've been with men? Would you still hold prejudice about me?" he snaps.
"So, have you?" I ask, my mind feeling like it's in a tunnel. Those words run hot and cold in my brain, setting it alight with something so dark and ferocious, I see red.
Itachi frowns. "Have I what?" he asks, not following my line of thought. I hate how we're out of sync at this moment, our harmony broken.
"Slept with a man?" I'm fuming and rightfully so. This answer is going to build or shatter me. I've never cared about my partner's sexual history before me. Heck, I like them experienced in bed. But this person is not anyone else. This person is the one. True I didn't have a say in his past experiences but hell if it doesn't make me burn.
Itachi sighs. "No! Of course not! But that doesn't give you the right to assume stuff about me. I don't like that," he says.
Relief floods me, instantly soothing away the burning sensation I felt not a moment ago. This ping-pong of my feelings makes me want to punch a wall and cuddle it at the same time. It's maddening. "I'm sorry," I mutter.
Itachi huffs, refilling his cup and drinking it. "Did you play any sport in school?" he asks and I smile beatifically at the change in topic.
We stick to the line after that, only asking questions which are safe, not wanting to ruin anything anymore. I look at Itachi as he chugs another cup of sake. His cheeks are now a warm, toasty shade of pink. It doesn't take a genius to determine the alcohol is getting to him. "Itachi-sama, I think we've had enough. Let's go?" I ask, ready to push my chair back.
Itachi surprises me by leaning over and holding me down by a hand when I rise. "Naruto-kun relax! That's what we're here for, isn't it? Live a little!"
I watch him, my mouth partially open in shock. "It's still daylight outside Itachi-sama! No more alcohol for you." I laugh. Though I'm nowhere near drunk, I can feel the slight buzz of the wine in my blood.
Itachi blows a raspberry at me, shocking me further. "I haven't even started asking the good questions yet."
That has me seated instantly, all ears. What questions could this man possibly have that are filed under the 'good' category? "Fire away," I say.
Itachi tilts his head to the side while thinking. "Does it feel good when someone plays with your nipples?" he asks, gasping when he realizes what he's said, turning redder.
Shit. I need to get us out of here and back in our room. His question doesn't need verbal answers. It needs a demonstration and I will do anything in my power to make that happen. "We need to go now!" I snap, standing up suddenly. "Let's go," I murmur in his ear, sliding my hand across his waist when he looks slightly unsteady, thankful when he slides his arm across my shoulder and leans into me. He's in the twilight zone between buzzed and drunk. Only, this Itachi has a looser tongue and I love it.
We walk up to the counter and I pay quickly. Once we're outside, Itachi leans in closer. "You didn't answer my question!" he pouts and it's the cutest thing ever.
"I don't want to tell you," I answer, tightening my arm around him. I want to kiss this man more than anything right now. I take a step but Itachi stays with his feet planted where he was, and loudly demands why. Several passersby turn to look at us but he doesn't care.
bend down to his ear, "Because I want to show you," I whisper into his ear. I nip the lobe slightly, chuckling when Itachi visibly shudders. And then I turn and begin moving towards the onsen inn.
I don't know how much time it takes to go reach the onsen inn. Once we remove our shoes at the entrance, I'm marching us to the room like a man on a mission. And fuck if this isn't one of the most important moments of my life. My cock is so hard, I'm sure its visible as we make our way to our room. I'm proud of the iron control I've wielded over myself for not touching him despite his closeness playing havoc on every single pore of me.
I take out our key and unlock the door hurriedly. One step in and Itachi is all over me. He grabs me roughly and pushes me against the wall beside the switches. We're engulfed in the dim golden automatic light of the entrance. I kick the door shut behind me just as soon as Itachi's lips take mine in a potent kiss.
Itachi licks my lips leisurely, smiling at me as he licks his own lips. I grab his chin and lift his face to mine in an urgent kiss. His arms wind around me, one snaking into my hair to tug at the strands, pushing us closer still, deepening the kiss further.
I break away, impatiently. I tug at his cardigan, letting it slide to the floor before removing my own jacket. We kiss in between never wanting to break away. He stumbles backward to climb the small step into the room.
We make it to the low table with the cushions when I tug his turtleneck off his head while he unbuttons my shirt. His hips push forward seeking friction and he moans when it rubs against my thigh. "Time to answer your question," I laugh when Itachi pulls me closer.
"Quick," is all he can manage before I tug him down with me on the cushions. His hair fans on the cushion behind me, strands of silky black hair getting freed from the ponytail. He paints a vision, lying back like that.
I nuzzle his neck, rubbing my lips slowly up and down the elegant arch. Itachi's hands find purchase in my hair and he groans. I lick the strip slowly, heightening his pleasure. I know he likes it when his hands tighten in my hair. "Just like that," he whispers.
My lips find his rapid pulse and I place an open-mouthed kiss against it. I go low and slow towards the hollow of his throat, planting kisses there. Itachi's arm tightens around me as he lifts his hips. "Answer the damned question!" he complains.
"Patience," I tease him, biting the sharp edge of his collarbone. He huffs impatiently, taking it upon himself to push my head lower. But I want him ready first. I want him begging for it.
My fingers skim the fair skin there. It's smooth and unmarred by anything. I trace the outlines of all his contours, from the taut curve of his shoulder to his stark collarbone, before dipping lower into the space between his pecks. He's smooth like marble. My lips trace the path my fingers take. His breath hitches when I touch his nipple for the first time but he doesn't stop me. I work his left nub to a stiff peak before putting it in my mouth.
Itachi moans as his hands tug harshly into my strands, pulling me closer. I push my tongue forward and circle it slowly. His flavor is all clean and so Itachi, its uniquely his. He arches his chest into my mouth, wanting more. My lips close around his nipple and I suck it first gently and then urgently. My hand forays to the other nipple which stands frozen, begging for attention. I press the pad of my thumb to the tip, letting my other fingers ghost around the swollen bud. Itachi's back arches off the floor as he bucks wildly under me.
"This feels fucking fantastic!" he pants, his hands running wildly through my hair. He takes command then as he lifts my head and places it on his other nipple. I bite it harshly before licking it to soothe the ache. Itachi's low hum of approval tells me he likes it. But all of a sudden, my head is pushed away from my chest and I'm forced to look into sinful, dark eyes of my beloved.
"I want us to take our pants off," he says, his hand already going towards the waistband of his to undo the button.
I'm on him instantly. My mouth claims his like it's our last day as I push his hands away to undo his zipper. Itachi furiously rubs against my thigh, his kisses getting more urgent and harsher. He pushes his pants down in one swift motion along with his underpants. For a man who has always been shy and quiet, this unabashed side is such a turn-on, it's making me want to lose control. Itachi's erection stands taut and pulsing as it juts out from his body, straining against its own weight. Itachi tugs it once impatiently but I swat his hand away, taking over.
I lean over him, his tongue dances a tempest in my mouth as I stroke him once, slowly. My own cock is so wet, I feel like I could come any second. But I want this moment to just be about Itachi. I want to give him this pleasure. I rub the tip of his cock and he shudders while his fingers find purchase on my back as they sink harshly. My cock positively lets out some more precum at the thought of his marks on me. I'm an animal when it comes to this man, all primal and instinctive.
I bend down and take him in my mouth. Itachi gasps as his breath gets caught in the throat probably from the overload of sensation. "Fuck," he mutters in English and I close my throat and hollow my cheeks. Itachi's nails dig into my back painfully as his breath hitches and then he groans. His hands tighten on my back as he urges me. I build up a slow rhythm, repeating the movement a few times. His hands move to my head, guiding me to a rhythm that's perfect for him. I suck him like my life depends on it, learning his preferences with this body language. His movements get frantic as he gets closer. His hand moves to a shoulder to clutch it in a vice. "I'm close, please let me go," he pants out harshly. I shake my head. No, this one is all mine. Instead, I pump him harder and faster, bobbing my head quickly. His nails dig into my shoulder painfully. "I'm coming!" A second later, his warmth floods my mouth, flowing down my throat. Itachi shudders for a long while even after his body goes all soft and boneless. I release him gently, licking the tip one final time to get that intoxicating flavor on my tongue once again.
Itachi watches me with glazed eyes, a very satisfied smile playing across his lips. I bend down to kiss him but he primly turns the other way, making a face. I vow to make him fall in love with kisses like these before this trip is over. "You good?" I ask. I know I have the most shit-eating grin on my face but nothing is going to stop that smugness from rolling all over me.
Itachi bites his lips and then sighs. "So good you have no idea," he mutters before draping a hand across his face in what I can only assume to be mortification.
"Hmm, I'm glad to be of service," I whisper, nipping his ear again. He squirms but that only brings me down the slender nape to the juncture where his shoulder meets his neck. I peck him playfully there.
I move to remove his arm from his face only to find a very shy and embarrassed Itachi who won't even look at my face. "For a second I thought I was going to die," he whispers into the quiet space between us. I look up from where I'm lazily tracing circles on his chest, my grin possibly as bright as the sun.
"You're welcome," I wink at him. I come up to lie beside him. We lie on our sides, one arm under our heads, the other on each other's body. Itachi absently traces a vein on the inside of my arm. After a while, I push his hair away from his face. His loose ponytail is draped over his shoulder like a curtain. He's so beautiful its ethereal.
We lie there in silence for a long moment, just gazing into each other's eyes. "What other questions do you have for me, Itachi-sama," I whisper, not wanting to break this bubble that's wrapped around us.
Itachi hums in his throat. "Hmm, I forget. But I'm definitely sure I have answers to quite a few of them now." he grins. "Thanks to you," Itachi mumbles the last part still looking down.
"Uh-huh. Does that mean I get to be called sensei now?" I tell him as I tip his chin up to make him look at me.
"Depends on how you perform," Itachi smirks at me.
"My beauty alone blows your mind away, Itachi-sama! And my performance is way above par!" I waggle my brows at him playfully. "Isn't that why you thanked me?" I ask as I bend down to press a kiss on his forehead.
Itachi smiles my favorite smile. "There you go, running with your vanity again! I said thank you because it was a good demonstration. Also, I'm a fast learner" he says and my heart starts beating in a rhythm that should have landed me on a hospital bed. Itachi's smile wanes a second later as he looks down at my pants where my poor boner is still struggling to get free from its confines. "You didn't get to come," he points out the obvious.
I shake my head, ignoring my raging hardon and focusing on him. "It doesn't matter. Let's go wash up and then head to the baths," I tell him instead, moving to rouse from our position on the scattered cushions.
Itachi stops me with a hand on my arm. "We're not going anywhere without taking care of that, Naruto-kun. I may be a lot of things but selfish in bed, I'm not. So seat your ass down and let me take care of it." Itachi all but orders.
"But I haven't washed and…" I trail off. One look from him and who am I but a lowly, humble man born to abide by this lord's bidding. I acquiesce instantly. My breath hitches when Itachi leans forward and undoes my button. I brush my lips against his. The strength and kindness this man shows makes me want to promise ever-afters to him.
His movements are slow and I know most of it stems from nervousness. I hold his hand when it brushes against my straining erection. "Itachi-sama, you don't have to do it," I tell him gently, trying to pry his hand away. He needs to know he doesn't have to return the favor. While his pleasure is my pleasure too, it doesn't in any way entail that he should have to do something he may not be comfortable with. In my case, when it comes to us, he will always come first.
Itachi looks at me in anger now. "But I do, Naruto-kun! I want to!" he says, pushing my hand away with his other hand. He holds my hand and kisses the back of it. "I want you to feel good too. It's not right that I can't give you pleasure," he says, nodding towards my crotch. "Let me," he coaxes gently when I shake my head.
I drop my hands and lean back. A groan threatens to spill free but I bite it back when Itachi's slim fingers slide against me. He meticulously works on lowering the zipper of my jeans. I don't have to look down to see the wet spot on my underwear. Several times during the day my patience has been tried and tested. And when Itachi pulls me out and rubs his thumb enticingly over the slick tip, I know I won't last long. My control stands thinner than the line of precum that connects my engorged tip to Itachi's thumb. It gets even more difficult to not take my own cock in my hand and finish the job by myself when Itachi all but thoughtlessly licks his thumb.
An Itachi who has let go of all his inhibitions has the power to destroy me completely in a heartbeat. My brain is slowly shutting down as all my senses focus on the way he tastes my flavor, as if learning it. His inky black eyes flicker to where I'm hard and aching and takes me in his hand. I hiss when he strokes me experimentally, painfully slow. He repeats the gesture, only this time he flicks a thumb across the crown down to the sensitive skin underneath. My cock jolts, another thick drop of precum leaking from it. I'm so close, it's embarrassing but I don't care. His little finger brushes against my balls which are taut and risen. He must know I'm almost there but he doesn't quicken his strokes. Desperate now, my hand joins his as I tug harshly on my cock, guiding him, showing what I like.
"I'm going to come," I warn him as I pant harshly when he picks up speed. His other hand slides into my hair for a spine melting kiss. "Let go," I whisper between strokes but he merely shakes his head as our hands work diligently. I throw my head back, my mouth opened in ecstasy when I shoot, Itachi's hand continuing its ministrations, milking me dry. My orgasm feels like it goes on and on and on. My brain is reduced to being a pile of mush as I can do nothing but breathe like I've been starved for oxygen. I open my eyes and look at the ribbons of carnage all over my jeans and our hands but I don't care. This man just opened up a new gate inside me and took me to paradise. Words cannot express the emotions that cloud my chest at the sight of him smiling, his lips tilted up at the corners as he watches me.
I smile at Itachi like a loon in love. I lean forward to kiss him and he indulges me. I kiss him with all the gratitude, with all the love I feel.
"You good?" he asks me.
I look at him for a long moment. "Never been better," I say.
Itachi smirks as he looks at me. "Does that mean my performance was at par with yours, sensei?"
"Say that again," I implore him quietly.
He just laughs and rolls away. "Wasn't there a saying in English?" he turns back and regards me. "Something about golden words…what was it?" he asks, knowing the answer.
"Oh, c'mon! Please?" I pull out a cushion and hit him with it.
His answer is his sparkling laughter as he shakes his head. He stops at the doorway and regards me. "Coming? Or are you already done?" he smirks challengingly at me.
"Are you underestimating me, Itachi-sama?" I ask, standing up instantly and stalking towards him. My penis is still half-hard. Itachi glances down at it and then up at me.
"I would never!" Itachi laughs behind his hand uncaring that it's still covered in my cum and damn if that doesn't do things to me.
"That's what I thought," I say as we make our way to the showers.
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